History of Eamon

Overview

Scholars throughout the continent of Addar generally divide the history of the world of Eamon into three broad sections:

• The Ages of Creation (before 18,800 BA), beginning with the formation of the world of Eamon and ending with the destruction of the human republic of Tasavalta in the First Ruin.
• The Ages of Ruin (18,800–2,704 BA), encompassing the vast period of cyclical growth and destruction that began with the First Ruin and ended with the successful interruption of the Eighth.
• The Age of Adventure, or the Age of the Gods (2,703 BA–present). This age sees humanity reaching new heights of sophistication and exploration, the advent of a new pantheon of deities, the defeat of the Great Old Ones, and the permanent dissolution of the Cycle of Ruin.

In the Kingdom of Evenhold and some surrounding lands, the current age is further divided into a number of smaller periods defined by significant cultural events:

• The Years of Empire (2,703–1,410 BA)
• The Years of Prayer (1,409–1 BA)
• The Years of Anharos (1–200 YA)
• The Years of the Council (201–448 YA)
• The Years of the Wizard Kings (449–891 YA)
• The Years of the Great Houses (892 YA–present)

Though this timeline includes the most significant events that shaped the world of Eamon, it focuses mainly on the history of the continent of Addar, and particularly on events affecting the Kingdom of Evenhold and surrounding lands. The histories of other parts of the world are little known and have yet to be documented.

Years shown below are reckoned from the victory of Anharos in the Great Battle of Darkness, with previous years marked as BA (before Anharos).

Deep Past

Eamon forms near the heart of the Milky Way Galaxy. Its location is a nexus where many cosmic currents and lines of power meet, imbuing the planet with wild and varied magic and giving rise to frequent spatial and dimensional rifts.

Four creator deities from the Elemental Planes of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water together shape the nascent world as a means of encouraging cooperation and harmony among them, but their competitiveness sparks a struggle for dominance and they ultimately destroy each other in what's now known as the Sea of Death.

Some hold that the Western Isles are the creator deities' remains, others that the isles are remnants of a lost landmass shattered by their conflict. Lumenite tradition states that the elemental energies released after the creator deities' deaths gave rise to a second generation of lesser gods who arose on Eamon long before the advent of humanity.

~10,000,000 BA

A meteor impact forms the Great Bight on the Island of Apple.

~1,500,000 BA

The rise of the Ancient Ones, dragons of enormous size from which modern dragons are descended. Their largest rookeries are in the Great Mountains.

~1,200,000 BA

Intense riftstorms bring the Floating Island to Eamon and cause other scattered topographical collisions around the globe.

~1,000,000 BA

An unknown force raises and shapes the wheel-like Islands of the Fey in the Western Isles.

~400,000 BA

From out of the chaotic blackness between the stars, ancient beings known as the Great Old Ones creep into the world. Among the first are Y'Golonac the Defiler and Y'Sthonnic the Hoarder, whose presence soon draws to Eamon the reality-bending T'Zzanti and the Cthulu-spawn Zoth-Ommog, and later a number of others including Mordigganth, Ghoul'hulluth, Yithoxa, Vroth-Khar, and Chauggar. The last and greatest to arrive is the mighty Xor'urr who manifests as a towering, ink-black thunderhead of poisonous vapor.

The eldritch beings settle deep into the planet and begin to exert their influence upon it. Horrors like the predatory byakhee accompany them.

~180,000 BA

Onset of the most recent ice age. Glaciers grow and cover the high latitudes.

~100,000 BA

A minor deity, their identity now no longer remembered, seeks to curb the influence of the Great Old Ones over the world, resulting in a struggle during which the deity is slain. The surviving deities of Eamon form an uneasy and unwilling acceptance of the eldritch forces, sharing the world with them and mostly keeping to their own local spheres of influence.

~21,000 BA

The earliest human civilizations arise in Addar's southeastern coastal plains. These first peoples are descendents of proto-humans who passed through prehistoric rifts from other worlds. Some are known to have come from Earth, others from more distant homes. They are oppressed and preyed upon by the dark forces that prowl the world.

Elves and trolls are already established, having arrived earlier than man but through similar rifts.

~20,000 BA

Some sympathetic deities choose to aid the inhabitants of Eamon indirectly by gifting them weapons and other artifacts imbued with divine powers. The Sword of Inari, the dragon-slaying sword Invictus, and the fabled "Sword of the Gods" are among their gifts.

~19,000 BA

The warrior Nuogram uses the Sword of Inari to overcome the servants of the Great Old Ones in the south and founds the Republic of Tasavalta, the first free human nation.

~18,800 BA

The First Ruin. Tasavalta is obliterated.

The Ages of Ruin were a protracted dark age during which hordes of undead creatures and other monstrosities would periodically emerge to ravage the world and cripple its civilizations.

The cycle was driven by the Great Old Ones who, following some unknown ancient rhythm, passed every 2,300 years through brief peaks of vigorous and violent activity followed by long periods of dormancy. During the peaks, known to Eamon's inhabitants as "Ruins", the energetic wakefulness of the eldritch gods would drive the planet's monsters and undead creatures into a frenzy of destruction during which they would erupt from the ground to wipe out much of the world's population. Along with the Great Old Ones they would then subside, leaving the survivors to slowly rebuild.

The destruction of Tasavalta marks the beginning of this period and is referred to as the First Ruin, though the cycle likely began much earlier. Numerous minor nations, kingdoms, and peoples rise and fall during this period, with many of the earliest lost to history.

~18,000 BA

Earliest evidence of human civilizations in the Malphigian Basin.

~16,500 BA

The Second Ruin

~14,200 BA

The Third Ruin, believed by modern scholars to have been the most destructive. Evidence suggests that as much as 90% of the world's population may have perished in less than a month.

~11,900 BA

The Fourth Ruin

~9,600 BA

The Fifth Ruin

~7,300 BA

The Sixth Ruin. Nations known to have arisen in its wake include Har'reg, the Kingdom of Rinillion, the Principality of Ashkeron, and the Craleus Dynasty.

Ishvatur in the ancient land of Kor becomes a center for magical learning.

~6,700 BA

The Jorinnen Book-Hoard is established.

~5,100 BA

A Gem interstellar survey expedition charts the planet.

5,004 BA

The Seventh Ruin. Magical wards and god-given weapons help preserve the Jorinnen complex from destruction, carrying much accumulated learning and wisdom into the next cycle and planting the seed of a quicker and stronger recovery. Included in the holdings at Jorinnen is centuries of research into the nature and source of the Ruin.

Ishvatur is one of a handful of other sites to survive the Ruin through the efforts of skilled magical practitioners and warriors.

~4,800 BA

Rise of the civilization of Lanst. The core of the Lanstian homelands lie in what is now the Northern Reaches.

~4,700 BA

Rise of the civilization of Ervuol in the Malphigian Basin.

~4,000 BA

The rapidly growing nations become formal allies.

~3,200 BA

The foremost scholars and magical practitioners of Lanst, Ervuol, and Ishvatur form an elite society known as the Talus Assembly to find ways to either prevent the anticipated Eighth Ruin or lessen its impact. Building on discoveries documented at Jorinnen, the group establishes teams who work across generations to research the energies and cycles of the slumbering Great Old Ones and secretly test exotic methods of influencing them.

2,704 BA

The Eighth Ruin begins, but before the wave of destruction can peak it's halted by the Talus. While far too powerful to be destroyed or significantly harmed by humans, the Great Old Ones prove susceptible to the influence of exotic planar energies which the sorcerer-scientists succeed in harnessing. The energies return the eldritch beings and their legions of horrors back to a state of dormancy before their full destructive potential can be unleashed.

The stymied Great Old Ones resume their sleep deep within the world, but in their shadowy dream halls they plot retribution against those who sought to control them.

The people of Eamon enter a new period of history hopeful that the ancient cycle of cataclysms has been broken. Some believe that the intervention staged by Lanst and Ervuol ended the Cycle permanently; others expect it will continue but trust that humanity can continue to interrupt it and keep the dark forces at bay so long as the lands remain united and the necessary wisdom is preserved.

Evenhold's scholars divide the current age into a smaller periods defined by important cultural events in the region.

The Years of Empire (2,703–1,410 BA)

Having escaped for the first time the decimation of the Ruin, the peoples of Eamon advance and spread farther than ever before. The human empires of Lanst and Ervuol continue to grow in power and sophistication, becoming by the end of the era masters of physical and magical crafts and extending their spheres of influence across the continent of Addar and beyond. The more reclusive troll empires also begin the age flourishing in their mountainous lands, though that peace is short-lived.

2,703 BA

Lanst and Ervuol enter the new age as partners. Though both suffer losses before the hordes return to dormancy, they're slight compared to previous cycles and the peoples of Addar celebrate with relief and jubilation.

Despite having completed their mission, the core of the Talus Assembly doesn't disband but continues to explore ever more deeply the nature and powers of the eldritch gods.

~2,450 BA

The sculptor Lotto creates a bronze statuette of the goddess Annav, one of his most sublime creations.

~2,000–1,700 BA

The Human-Troll Wars. The growth of humanity brings settlers and miners into more frequent contact with troll communities, leading to at least a dozen significant armed conflicts between human powers and troll kingdoms over the course of three hundred years. Though greatly outnumbered, the trolls' deep fortresses and profound physical hardiness lead most conflicts to wind down into stalemates. The wars end with agreements to avoid encroachment or trespassing on each others' territories.

~1,900 BA

Talus discoveries lay the groundwork for a partial unification of science and magic.

~1,750 BA

A breakthrough by a member of the Talus Assembly researching occult energies reveals principles of necrotic manipulation and animation of the dead. In violation of the group's code, Ervuol secretly hoards the discovery.

~1,700 BA

Lanst learns of Ervuol's acquisition, leading to the first major diplomatic break between the two empires. Ervuol shares the research and the conflict is resolved, but trust between the two is weakened. Lanst refuses to develop or make use of the techniques described in the research, but Ervuol continues to experiment with them.

~1,690 BA

The Opeton Event. An enormous portal of unknown origin opens deep beneath the plains north of the Malphigian Sea, instantly consuming billons of tons of rock and leaving in its place a hollow cavern shaped like a flattened sphere nearly a mile tall and several miles wide. Unseen by any on the surface, automatons appear through smaller portals and set to work reinforcing the chamber and building the foundations of a highly technologically advanced city.

The event causes a reverberation in the region dismissed as a minor earthquake, but otherwise goes mostly undetected. Lanst and Ervuol both pick up on the spike of unusual energies but fail to localize the source; each suspects the other of conducting hidden projects or tests.

~1,600 BA

Lanst and Ervoul grow more ambitious and competitive. Espionage and occasional border skirmishes begin, and technological research turns increasingly toward the development of weapons. Some of the most dangerous employ principles gleaned from studying the Great Old Ones.

1,412–1,410 BA

Lanst and Ervuol fight a calamitous war that ends in the dissolution of both empires. Millions on both sides die and an enormous amount of accumulated wisdom is lost.

Some outlying Ervuolian territories survive as independent petty kingdoms, later to be incorporated into the Kingdom of Evenhold or other nations. Some remnants of the population of Lanst retreat into caverns.

With the two great powers lost, fear and uncertainty about the Ruin are rekindled.

---

The Years of Prayer (1,409–1 BA)

Bruised and insecure, the people of Addar walk the remains of the fallen empires and begin the slow process of recovery. Whereas the Years of Empire had been a time of might and self-assurance, many now turn to the worship of various deities — both real and imagined — for a sense of order, security, and solace. Numerous new religious orders and cults arise across the continent.

1,409 BA

The years following the war see some smaller, scattered conflicts between surviving factions but in general is a period of peace as the surrounding states adapt, grow, and resettle the largely depopulated realms.

~1,400 BA

Carumbar, previously a vassal state of the Ervuolian Empire, officially organizes as an independent kingdom.

~1,300 BA

A human healer and protector is granted a divine spark by their deity and becomes the minor god known as Lumen.

1,160 BA

Lumen encourages the foundation of the Aspirants of Lumen and helps guide it with the intention of gaining the attention, favor, and protection of a being stronger than the Great Old Ones. Around the order's settlement grows a town that later becomes the city of Lumen.

The Aspirants of Lumen seek deities capable of protecting Eamon should the Cycle of Ruin continue. The Perpetual Pleas of Intercession begin, sending appeals into distant planes through the unceasing prayerful devotion of the Aspirants. They continue uninterrupted in the city of Lumen and at multiple other sites for centuries. In later years the Aspirants send a handful of emissaries on interplanar expeditions.

710 BA

On Earth a group of Essenes at Qumran evade Roman soldiers by taking refuge in a network of caves. In one of the caverns they pass through a transient portal that leads to the Wyvern Mountains of Eamon where they settle and continue their ascetic culture.

~600 BA

An unknown calamity leads to the sudden depopulation of the subterranean Opeton City. The fate of its inhabitants is a mystery.

515 BA

Aevinn, progenitor of the Kingdom of Evenhold, is established. Its first ruler is Domhnall.

487 BA

The efforts of the Aspirants reach fruition with the revelation of what come to be known as the Alaxaran gods: Alaxar the sun god, major deity of the plane of fire; Terza, his daughter; Weyren, major deity of water; Weyren's daughter Brynne, consort of Alaxar; and Gavron their herald, god of war and valor from the plane of earth.

The five, ancient and more powerful than any others known to Eamon, are sympathetic to the entreaties and offerings of the Aspirants. Though capable of entering the world directly, most of the gods initially keep to their native planes and provide aid and guidance to their followers through intermediaries or avatars. Gavron, however, physically enters Eamon, manifesting as a winged and armored angel.

~450 BA

The lands of Addar begin a period of alliance-building and defensive preparations, with construction of numerous fortifications in anticipation of the potential Ruin. Though anxious, the people draw reassurance from the favor of the new gods.

412 BA

The first Temple of Alaxar in the city of Evenhold is completed and dedicated. Pilgrims from across the continent flock to worship in its halls.

404 BA

The predicted year of the Ninth Ruin passes without incident.

Some speculate that the Great Old Ones continue to sleep due to the old empires' earlier intervention and may remain dormant forever; others believe that they sensed the might of the Alaxaran deities and either fled or went into hiding. What the new gods perceive regarding the status and fate of the eldritch beings is unknown.

300s BA

Gavron scouts the wilds of Eamon and explores deep into the world for signs of the Great Old Ones.

36 BA

Anharos born.

12 BA

Anharos becomes king of Aevinn. Alaxar gifts Anharos with the Diamond of Purity, a powerful magic talisman and symbol of the gods' favor.

2 BA

The god Minden detects unexplained gaps and inconsistencies in his Book of Ages.

1 BA

The ninth and final Ruin unexpectedly begins. The resentful Great Old Ones, having quietly reawoken and marshaled their strength in secret, burst forth from their ancient haunts in the southeast. Driven by the fury of the vengeful Xor'urr, they seek to punish humanity, curtail the influence of the gods, and gain complete and permanent control of Eamon. Hidden within a vast and poisonous cloud of ink-black vapor, the forces advance across the continent toward the Kingdom of Evenhold and the hated light of the new gods.

Alaxar and his court gird themselves for war and cast open the portals to their planes. They summon the arch fire-demon Krell, who takes the form of a blazing jackal, and bind him to the service of King Anharos.

For the first time, monstrous lieutenants and warrior-priests secretly groomed by the Great Old Ones help direct their forces. Their movements are shrouded by the T'Zzanti, among the most devious of the eldritch beings, who succeeded in hiding their plans even from Minden, and who centuries earlier had secretly infested and corrupted the herald Gavron.

The Great Battle of Darkness begins.

---

The Years of Anharos (1–200 YA)

More properly called the Years of the House of Anharos, this period sees the growth and consolidation of the Kingdom of Evenhold across many generations of the king's descendants.

1

The Alaxaran deities and the forces of Anharos engage the Great Old Ones and their hordes on the plain of Sarkarm northwest of the land of Carthianum. Terza delivers the most devastating blows, unleashing miles-long whips of solar fire against the enemy that burn away their defenses, incinerate countless horrors, and shatter and melt the very land beneath the enemy's feet. Many allied fighters are killed — and the goddess Brynne wounded — when the infested Gavron turns on his friends, but Gavron himself is mortally wounded and dies shortly after being freed from the T'Zzanki's clutches.

Nearly all the Great Old Ones are killed or flee the world; a handful manage to hide themselves beneath the Voormithadreth Mountains. Their lieutenants are destroyed and their legions of monsters mostly eradicated, with the few surviving remnants driven into the uninhabited wilds or forced to retreat deep underground.

The modern Kingdom of Evenhold arises from the military alliance of smaller dominions that Anharos united. The "Years of Anharos" reckoning begins.

Elves depart the region.

2

The region's surviving drow, many of whom marched in support of the dark gods, are imprisoned in their underground city below Mount Eilaak. A handful avoid capture and live secretly in the mountains of Rhyl.

4

Terza occupies the ruined and largely depopulated lands east of the Wyvern mountains, making them her domain. Under her influence the region begins to transition into a true desert. Most of the surviving inhabitants abandon the region; a few remain and become the ancestors of the nomadic Riffs.

Anharos tours the Broken Lands and visits the remains of the capital of Carthianum. He announces his wish that upon his death he be entombed within the domain of Terza.

49

Anharos dies and his eldest son Enaren accedes to the throne of Evenhold. The Priests of Alaxar take possession of the dead king's body, mummifying it and entombing it in the refurbished Pyramid of Carthianum, the capital's former temple and necropolis. With him they leave the Diamond of Purity to enable the king's spirit to continue battling evil in the spirit world.

74

Accession of Enaren's daughter Hesta.

96

Accession of Hesta's son Andrid.

115

Accession of Corlis I.

121

Accession of Corlis II.

155

Accession of Tanis I.

180

Emigrants establish the port city of Sayhar on the continent of Northland.

192

Accession of Corlis III.

194

King Corlis dies unexpectedly and his twin children both move to succeed him. The struggle splits the family and sparks the War of Anharic Succession, commonly called the War of the Twins.

200

The gods gift the Staff of Retribution to the people of the Cyrakian Kingdom west of the Great Mountains.

---

The Years of the Council (201–448 YA)

201

An alliance of the kingdom's mightiest warriors and mages collectively seizes power as the Council of Twelve. The council banishes both contenders for the throne (the sister and the heir of the recently killed brother) and ends the civil war. They permit Corlis's younger daughter Kensha to be crowned but the monarchy is reduced to a figurehead. A period of stability, prosperity, and exploration begins.

The exiled male heir founds the House of Charlast.

212

The Guild of Free Adventurers is founded.

216

Construction of the guild's original Main Hall is completed.

230–530

Age of exploration. Voyages of Aldus Poak and other great navigators.

~300

The explorer and naturalist Ormael spends years observing dragons and other fauna in the Great Mountains and writes a book detailing their nature and habits.

381

Evron born.

382–387

Natural rift formation, sharply higher through much of the fourth and fifth centuries, peaks with a spate of rifts opening to points on Earth, with a handful connecting to other far-flung worlds. Those who are drawn through the rifts to Eamon (either voluntarily or accidentally) bring with them their languages, religions, and culture. Some from north-central Europe settle in eastern Evenhold's plains and mountain foothills, near what are now the Jarlschlager Mountains.

~400

Approximate time of the birth of Molinar. Specifics of his early life are obscure but historians agree he was apprenticed to one or more skilled sorcerers, and likely spent some years off-world journeying through other planes.

448

Several council members vie for greater influence. One by one, four members are mysteriously murdered. Accusations and infighting fracture the group and a second civil war brews. The council dissolves. Evron, a senior mage on the council, seeks to retain order.

---

The Years of the Wizard Kings (449–891 YA)

449

The crisis ends with the Kingdom of Evenhold re-united under Evron as wizard-king. The Evenhold Annos Regni (EAR) dating system is decreed; most continue to reckon years from Anharos.

450

The council is reconstituted but as an advisory body to the ruler; it's later reformed as the Senate.

472

Evron dies and is succeeded by King Abarin. Evron's body is mummified and interred along with his crown and scepter in a tomb concealed deep in Marewood Forest.

476

Abarin is killed fighting the Ancient Ones, great dragons from the west, and is succeeded by Queen Oziphor.

~500

The earliest burials in the cemetery at Bahyrst.

509

Oziphor dies. Her successor, King Joras, is the first to use magic to extend his reign.

606

The wealthy Aldigrim family purchase Cairnmount Hundred from the crown of Evenhold and found the small monarchy of Century.

610

Joras dissipates after 101 years on the throne. Molinar becomes the last and greatest wizard-king of Evenhold. His magical abilities make him practically immortal and he reigns for nearly three centuries, preserving the kingdom through severals wars and crises.

656

Valkenburg Castle is dedicated as the seat of the newly established House of Valkenburg. Many of its ruling lords and ladies over the following centuries are distinguished — and sometimes eccentric — monster-hunters who collect strange and exotic creatures which they keep in the castle or on the grounds.

660

The Guild of Free Adventurers relocates from its old hall south of Evenhold to its new Main Hall in the city's Temple District.

702

Thaddeus the Scholar completes his greatest literary works.

819

Xandar born.

---

The Years of the Great Houses (892 YA–present)

892

Molinar retires to his hidden tomb and sleeps. Subsequent monarchs are non-wizards of the Great Houses; they traditionally claim (with varying merit) to be lineal descendents of Anharos.

900

The Cyrakian Kingdom falls to invaders and is afflicted by the plague-like Curse of Talon. Refugees found the New Kingdom (Graceland) east of the Great Mountains.

986

Royal forces take the Black Castle of NaGog and kill its inhabitants.

998

The mage Castanamir and his island completely disappear.

1001

The ancient demon Pitt enters his tomb and sleeps, taking with him the prized jewel known as the Star Stone.

1030

On the continent of Northland, King Alnaron I unites Sayhar, Tredland, and Southaven as the North Kingdom.

~1050

Rising influence of cults, notably the Mlatan Brotherhood and the Cult of Tash, and later the Cult of Ngurct.

~1080

Dorier begins to expand its territory southward.

The kingdom of Kalos falls to the invading Ilvithri. Refugees cross the Great Mountains and find homes in the eastern lands.

1093

The Ale Revolt.

1099

Having killed many of the residents of the town of Bahryst, the infamous sorcerer Jaldi'al Dhassei is set upon and killed by the enraged survivors, and the town is abandoned.

1102

Xandar writes his Book of Tricks.

1120

Garregan Castle near Southport is abandoned.

1138

The Magi enter the continent of Northland, arriving from unknown lands far to the east.

~1140

Lizardfolk capture and occupy Castle Logres in the New Kingdom.

1140

The Magic Wars begin in Northland.

1153

The rogue Darklord Skeleus makes landfall on the continent of Addar, far southeast of the Kingdom of Evenhold, and begins to build his forces. From this foothold he spreads his influence outward, both militarily and via the Brotherhood of the Darklord.

1157

An order of druids led by the wizard Zorag attempts to depose the cruel King Raulos of Elebron. Summoning golems to aid him, Raulos resists, kills the druids, and imprisons Zorag.

1165

The people of Tredland defeat the Magi in the south. Alnaron II and his son battle Pyrano and his forces on the palace steps; Alnaron is killed but his son prevails and the Magi are defeated. Blancos exiles the remaining Magi to another dimension.

1166

Alnaron III is crowned in Sayhar.

1171

Retired adventurers Sybil Scarfell and Agatha Alderstaff purchase Aardlin Castle and operate it as an attraction known as the Castle of Doom.

1177

Queen Riveneta dies of unknown causes. The grieving king orders that her principal residence, a small castle north of the city of Evenhold, be abandoned.

1180

Thorvald of Montgarde becomes the 43rd monarch of Evenhold, assuming the regnal name Tanis IV.

1187

The warrior Sar leads a rebellion against the excesses of the cults, many of which are ended and dispersed. Evenhold's Temple of Tash becomes the Temple of Restoration.

1188

The lich sorcerer Draxnehr attacks and occupies Valkenburg Castle.

The Brotherhood of the Darklord begins infiltrating the region.

1194

The benevolent King Safuis of Alvard dies and is succeeded by his cruel son Safuis II.

1197

Xandar the Great, head of the wizards school at Dark Spire, falls into a death-like state.

Rebellion in Alvard kills Safuis II and drives his heir Prince Mondamen into exile.

1199

The warrior Sar disappears while investigating the rumored Cult of Y'Golonac.

1200

The present. Time of the first Eamon adventures.

Eamon today

Present-day Eamon is a vibrant and complex world: delightful and dangerous, beautiful and frightening, with abundant opportunities for hearty adventurers to acquire fame and fortune, if they possess the courage. However, the Kingdom of Evenhold and surrounding lands also face a number of serious challenges, both from within and from without. These are among the most significant:

War with the Darklords. Though there are several Ilvithri (Darklords) who threaten the peace, Skeleus is the most urgent threat, earning him the common name of The Darklord. He is a master of dark magic and wields the power to summon armies of undead creatures and other savage monstrosities on a scale unseen since the time of Anharos.

The Darklords west of the Great Mountains are occupied with their longstanding war against the western Elves and are a less immediate danger, but they remain a threat.

War with Sicilia. Evenhold's rival to the northeast has been a thorn in the kingdom's side for decades, and conflict is always simmering along the border.

Anti-magic uprisings. The chaos sown by rogue wizards has ignited in some people a hatred for magic. Militant organizations like the Cobalt Front and the Brothers of Eudo capitalize on this hatred: they seek to have the practice of magic outlawed and those who use it imprisoned, expelled, or even killed. Though they're not yet in Evenhold's cultural mainstream, their influence in certain quarters is steadily growing.

The rise of technology. The history of Eamon has long been dominated by magic and its practitioners, but non-magical technology is increasingly common throughout the lands, promising major social and cultural changes and threatening the established order. Spreading from the advanced eastern nation of Knieriem is the knowledge of steam-power, the manufacture of complex machinery, and even principles of electricity.