The History of Alyria, Part II

It was a time of great chaos and upheaval in the lands of Alyria. While large-scale racial conflicts had been left behind long ago, there were still political difficulties between the different city-states of the world. In addition, the adventurers of the world has begun to grow restless. With innovation being spurred by a combination of magic and technology, people were able to travel to previously inaccessible places with relative ease. As explorers mapped out every corner of the globe, Alyria ceased to be a place of mystery and wonder. Warriors who had taken part in these valiant efforts of discovery became disheartened, yearning for new frontiers to journey through.

One day, there was an inexplicable disturbance felt in the towns near Hellbent Mountain. When local residents looked towards the peak, they gasped in realization that its entire south face had nearly collapsed. Search parties that were sent to gauge the destruction, and in the course of their investigation came upon a massive new cave in the side of the mountain.

The cave extended back further than they dared follow without proper tools, but in a chamber near the entrance they discovered the remains of a massive serpent of some kind, coiled around a raised dais. On the platform rested a large green book, apparently untouched by the ravages of time. The people did not want to disturb the site, since they could sense an incredible aura of magic throughout the area. They called upon the wisdom of the great Council of the Arcane, a group of the land's most powerful mages. Shortly, they received word that the leader of the Council, the Archwizard Glacius, would be arriving to investigate the matter personally.

As Glacius stepped into the cavern, he gave a cry of happiness. The wizard immediately recognized the book: the long-lost Grimoirium Magica. This fabled spellbook was said to contain the most powerful spells of the ancient Druids, but it had been lost to the outside world for untold centuries. With trembling hands, Glacius lifted the book from its pedestal. In all his 500 years of life, he had never experienced such a wave of pure magical energy. Thanking the local people, Glacius resolved to take the book back to Irades Hall for study by the Council of the Arcane.

The great wizard pored over the book for some time, not even breaking to eat or sleep. As a result of his efforts, many fields of magic that had lay dormant for ages were revived. The Druids of the present day were overjoyed, and used the knowledge of their ancestors to better attune themselves with the elements. However, in the course of his study Glacius discovered that the ancients Druids did not only study the magic of nature. Contained in the book were spells of all disciplines, including many spells of the mind that were unknown even to modern-day psionics.

Eventually, the Archwizard deciphered all of the spells, save one that was more complex than any working he had ever seen or even imagined. He threw himself into his work with renewed intensity, and was finally able to understand the spell's effect. As he looked over his notes, Glacius turned white with fear as he realized exactly what would happen if the spell were ever cast. He decided that no one else should ever find out about it, and locked the book up in his chambers.

Despite his efforts, the scrying magic of an evil group had already discovered the terrible secret. One day, a cloud of darkness fell over the Tower of the Arcane. Although the strongest mages in the world resided within, they still could not resist the spell's effect. They all feel into a deep sleep, and when they awoke the book had vanished. Glacius knew that no one person could be capable of such a deed, and feared that he already knew who responsible. He immediately traveled to Rune, in order to consult with Lord Agrippa.

When the Archwizard arrived, Agrippa was already waiting for him. They met in a private chamber to discuss the issue, and Glacius revealed the awful truth of the matter. The book contained a spell that, using a combination of elemental magics, could draw comets down from their orbits. The resulting firestorm would probably destroy all life on the planet, but an ancient prophecy stated that the casters of the spell would have control over the spirits of all who perished in the cataclysm. Only a truly evil mind would consider such an action, and thus Glacius suspected that the culprits behind the theft were none other than Alyria's most devious sorceresses: the Lady Bane, Baba Yaga, and Vortex.

Without the Grimoirium Magica, countering such a spell would be impossible. However, Agrippa believed that it would be possible to protect the world's major population centers with magical shields, but only if people would put aside their differences and work together in the casting.

Preparation for the mission began immediately. The Council of the Seven and the Council of the Arcane agreed to combine their efforts for the first time in history, and set to planning. They arranged to defend as many cities as possible, and spread the word to outlying areas as well. Not surprisingly, many of the world's magical creatures had already begun banding together to protect their homelands. By the time that observers could detect the approaching meteorites, a comprehensive system of protection had been established.

As the gigantic chunks of rock drew closer to Alyria, the people of the world gazed up at the sky in terror. The light of the sun grew dim as the projectiles entered the atmosphere, glowing bright red with heat. The largest meteorite has heading straight for the town of Rune, but the mages had wisely centered their spells of protection there. The magical shield glowed with a white light, and was greatly reassuring to the people below.

As the moment of impact drew near, three screams of rage could be heard throughout the city. Realizing that the most important part of their plan was about to fail, the sorceresses cast one last part of their spell. A bolt of orange lightning could be seen hurtling towards the meteorite, and it struck with a loud thunderclap. The rock fragmented into three smaller pieces, each one flying off in a different direction. The people of Rune raised their voices in thanks to the Powers, but their cheers soon turned to cries of terror as the rocks slammed to the ground. A mighty tremor shook the earth, throwing everyone off their feet.

After the dust of the impact settled, it was time to assess the damages. While the meteorite had missed Rune entirely, its fragments still had devastating consequences. The town of Twilyght Downes had been utterly destroyed, along with the ancestral home of the Dwarven people. The third fragment had barely missed Lowangen, landing in a large canyon to the northeast instead. Similar reports poured in from all over the globe. Familiar landmarks had disappeared, and the combined force of the many meteorites was enough to alter the very shape of the continents.

In the fifteen years since these events, the world of Alyria has changed a great deal. Water has flowed into the craters created by the impacts, forming vast new oceans and lakes. Old cities that were damaged have been renovated, and new ones have been constructed to accommodate increases in population. The crisis brought former rivals closer together, although a few of the old conflicts still remain active.

On a more profound level, the casting of the spell has had an effect on the nature of magic in Alyria. When the meteorites passed by Trigael and Marabah, the moons were disturbed from the orbits that they had been following for millennia. While it was not enough to totally disrupt the magical energy created by the moons, the change has made spellcasting much more difficult. Mages who could previously weave their incantations from the energy around them have found that they need more complex rituals to achieve the same effects.

At the same time, the shift in the Materia Magica seems to have created new opportunities for discovery as well. While the energy has become more diffuse, it has also become easier to channel. This has allowed even more complex magical devices to be constructed, and new applications for it have been found as well. The shipbuilding industry especially has taken advantage of magical enhancement, making boats widely available to individuals for the the first time.

The advances in travel have sparked a renewed interest in discovery, and adventurers have spread throughout the globe in search of new experiences. However, much of the new terrain still remains unexplored. While some of Alyria's elderly residents yearn for a return to the old ways, most people have accepted the fact that times have changed. The truly enlightened adventurers among them know that a new world of possibility has been opened to them, and that they only need to take advantage of it to find success.