The Sendings of Darkness are periods of time when the "Darkness" seeks to control Auberean. Though it is unclear what constitutes a Sending, they seem to involve the Shadows.
The Fivefold Curse
The Fivefold Curse is a Falatacot prophacy[1] from the Book of Eibhil.[2] The curse is as follows:
- 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.[3][1][2]
These were the final words of Sarvien II, the last king of Dericost, which he uttered to Empress Alaidain as he died on the Ice Throne.[3][1][2] When Alaidain returned from Dericost, she inscribed this curse on Alaidain's Gem. In her waning years, she entrusted this gem to the wards of Ithaenc. Only the monarchs of the Seaborne Empire were allowed to read these words.[3][1] Much later, Asheron referred to it as the curse of Eibhiill.[4] Isparians discovered Alaidain's Gem in Leafcull, 11 PY.
The Fivefold curse can be broken up into the five Sendings as follows:
First Sending As we were sent by the Darkness
Second Sending The Darkness shall send again
An avenging star
A light to bring darkness
Third Sending The Darkness shall send then
A knowledge:
A power to bring destruction
For Alaidain's blood shall be
The death of the people
Fourth Sending And then Darkness shall send yet again
Fifth Sending And once more, and the Darkness shall win
Heretical Prophecy
In Solclaim, 14 PY, Isparians that made their way to Knorr discovered an ancient tome written by Asheron, Prophecies, where he communicated the following to Delacim:
- As darkness draws about light
- And all falls to ruin so shall come; the star.
- The darkness will impart its wisdom,
- And the Light shall lose its way.
- And blackness shall fall across the land,
- And the Light will be hidden above.
- Then shall the light gain its wisdom
- And Champion.
- For Alaidain's blood shall be
- The savior of the people
- And then Darkness shall send again,
- and be beaten
- And so it will send again,
- and be beaten.[4]
This prophecy, Asheron said, is in opposition to the Fivefold Curse, and would be considered heresy to the Nali.[4]
The Heretical Prophecy can be broken up into the five Sendings as follows:
First Sending As darkness draws about light
Second Sending And all falls to ruin so shall come; the star.
The darkness will impart its wisdom,
And the Light shall lose its way.
And blackness shall fall across the land,
And the Light will be hidden above.
Third Sending Then shall the light gain its wisdom
And Champion.
For Alaidain's blood shall be
The savior of the people
Fourth Sending And then Darkness shall send again,
and be beaten
Fifth Sending And so it will send again,
and be beaten.
First Sending
The sections of the Fivefold Curse and the Heretical Prophecy pertaining to the First Sending are as follows:
Fivefold Curse As we were sent by the Darkness
Heretical Prophecy As darkness draws about light
There are no direct references to the First Sending outside of these two prophecies. However, we know that the Second Sending is the Black Rains and Empyrean Shadow War, so logically the First Sending must have occurred before those events.
Further knowledge can be gleaned by examining the Fivefold Curse. In this first line of the Fivefold Curse, the word "we" is used.[3][1][2] These words were uttered by King Sarvien II of Dericost as he died, but they were not his words. He was reciting a Falatacot prophecy[1] from the Book of Eibhil.[2] With that in mind, it seems most likely that the "we" referred to here are the Falatacot.
We know that the Falatacot struggled with the Darkness. In hisCampaign Journal, Anadil wrote that "For the Falatacot, in their flight from the Darkness and cold that had put their gods to sleep, taught the kings of the Ice Throne their secrets in exchange for sanctuary."[5]
It also appears that some Falatacot did not escape the Darkness. Umbris and Panumbris Shadows are notably always female. The Arcanum's Bestiary entry for Shadows states that, "There are indications that some Shadows, particularly those of the more powerful Panumbris and Umbris types, predate the conversion of Ilservian into Bael'Zharon. Scholars believe this indicates the force that empowered the Hopeslayer has sought the conquest of Dereth for a far much longer time than is commonly known."[6] And Aerfalle's Letter supports this, "The dark spawn have now appeared in my cellars as well, below the levels infested by Asheron's vermin. They are older than the ones that trouble you, I believe; Uvriliim and Paanuvriliim."[7]
All of information supports the idea the the First Sending of Darkness involved the Falatacot and their struggle with Darkness. Some of these Falatacot survived and fled to Dericost, while others succumbed to the Darkness and became the Umbris and Panumbris Shadows seen today. The Great Cooling of the World occurred during this time, and might be causally related to the First Sending.
Second Sending
Third Sending
Fourth Sending
Fifth Sending
Continuity
See Continuity/Sendings of Darkness.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 2001/10 Dark Majesty - AC:DM CD Lore: Alaidain's Gem
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2003/02 That Which Is Ours - The History of Auberean Volume I: Empires Clashing (-30,000 to -9,000)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 2000/11 Should the Stars Fall - Alaidain's Gem
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 2003/05 Discoveries - Prophecies
- ↑ 2000/11 Should the Stars Fall - Campaign Journal
- ↑ 2001/10 Dark Majesty - AC:DM CD Lore: Derethian Bestiary - Shadows
- ↑ 2000/07 To Raise a Banner of Flame - Aerfalle's Letter