Continuity/Sendings of Darkness

There are some inconsistencies as to what events are the Sendings of Darkness.

First Story Arc

The first story arc (which is coincidentally the Fourth Sending of Darkness) is when we first learn of the Sendings.

In Aerfalle's Letter, we first heard the term 'Sending' used when Aerfalle wrote,

"Recall the last coming of the dark spawn. I had established this little colony perhaps three centuries previous..."

"The Second Sending came, and the world reeled. So little time there was for me to expand my influence among the little lives below my mountains."

"When the barbarians fell back to Killiakta, did we not move unseen then? I counseled that we should all stand together, Filinuvekta and Latzimestal, Wind and Lord, lest those we sought to rule all be taken and twisted."

"So did we join, if only once, in the southern forests of Ifistra. The Winds rose from their hidden lairs, and the Lords marched from their bastions. While the hedge-mages struggled to rekindle the flame of old Facill's knowledge, the Battle of Ayn Tayan raged for three days."

The first quote reveals that the last coming of the 'dark spawn' came approximately 300 years after the colony was established on Aerlinthe. The colony was established in RE 222, so 300 years later would be RE 522. People first began to disappear from Daralet in -2,532 PY (RE 366). Lord Altan and his forces are defeated by Bael'Zharon in -2,527 PY (RE 371) The first sighting of a Shadow Spire occurs in -2,364 PY (RE 534). So the figure of "perhaps three centuries previous" roughly fits this time period.

The second quote is when the term 'Sending' is first used. It also confirms that the Second Sending occurs after the founding the of the colony on Aerlinthe. The third quote refers to the Yalaini retreating to Dereth, and the third and fourth quotes refer to the Battle of Ayn Tayan. Given the second quote's placement between the first quote and the third and fourth quotes, it seems logical to assume that the Second Sending is the Empyrean Shadow War.

The next information revealed regarding the Sendings of Darkness came four months later. At this time Isparians discovered Alaidain's Gem, which is inscribed with the following message:

As we were sent by the Darkness

The Darkness shall send again

An avenging star

A light to bring darkness

The Darkness shall send then

A knowledge:

A power to bring destruction

For Alaidain's blood shall be

The death of the people

And then Darkness shall send yet again

And once more, and the Darkness shall win.

Reign of Terror Teaser Part 3 (2003)

In the Reign of Terror Teaser Part 3, Aerfalle said, "We had thought Amauxi fallen during the second sending. Had His Eternal Splendor seen so far into the future to hide him even then? And what of the sacrifices made while the outlanders did our bidding without coaxing? Had he foreseen the end of the fourth sending at their hand?" This text was written in October 2003.

Pack Bael'Zharon (2004)

In the Pack Bael'Zharon text, the Council of Sages wrote, "...Ilservian returned, transformed by some dark power into Bael'Zharon the Hopeslayer. This was called the Third Sending of Darkness." This text was written in November 2004.

Analysis

We have two contradicting statements: That the Empyrean Shadow War is the second Sending, or that it is the third Sending. We can evaluate the authenticity of of each statement on a few criteria:

1. The in-universe sources of the statements.
2. The number of sources for each statement.
3. The date each statement was released.
4. The overall impact on the timeline.

On the first criteria, the Empyrean War being the second Sending has more authenticity: Aerfalle's Letter and her statements in the teaser are both primary sources. The description of the pack doll was written by Isparian scholars and is a secondary source.

On the second criteria, the Empyrean War being the second Sending again has more authenticity: we have two sources stating that it was second Sending, while we only have one source stating it is the third.

On the third criteria, the Empyrean War being the third Sending has more authenticity: It was released the latest, and could have been an attempt at retcon.

On the forth criteria, the Empyrean War being the second Sending again has more authenticity: If the war is the second Sending, and we already know that the Isparian Shadow War is the fourth Sending, then logically, the third Sending had to occur between them - and that is an era we have a good deal of information on. On the other hand, if the Empyrean war was the third Sending, it does not help us determine what the first or second Sendings are.

Conclusion

It is the opinion of the editor that the Empyrean Shadow War is the second Sending, for the following reasons:

• It comes from a primary source, Aerfalle, who lived through the Empyrean Shadow War.
• It helps us construct a more complete timeline.
• We cannot be certain if the pack doll text was an intentional attempt at retcon or simply a mistake.