WAR OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS
The mythical War of
Light and Darkness is estimated to have occured
between -22000 and -20000 A.R., during the Age
of Wonders (from c.a. -27000 to -20000 A.R.),
when the Gods walked on Lhari-Orin and lived among mortals. This
two millennia-long, bloody and world-shattering war opposed the forces
of Light, lead by the divine Powers of Good,
and the forces of Darkness,
lead by the divine Powers of Evil. The war was initiated when the
forces of Darkness sought to eradicate Goodliness from the world.
This war also directly opposed the mythical human civilizations
of Neklaar (capital: Humarynar;
emergence c.a. -25000 A.R.), aligned with the forces of Light,
and Shandyr (capital: Shandyrath;
emergence c.a. -25000 A.R.), aligned with the forces of Darkness.
Such divisions among humans were even more fundamental and
long-lasting among the aereny (elves) and duhelarym (dwarves):
indeed, a hateful schism occured among elves and dwarves when Toristaerenylan
(the mythical first aereny kingdom on Anarym,
proclaimed c.a. -27000 A.R.) and Shimmerstones
(the mythical first duhelarym undercity, founded c.a. -30000
A.R.) aligned themselves with the forces of Light at the onset of
the war. Thus, the Sundering of the Aereny,
when the quetzaleny (shadow elves) joined the forces of Darkness,
and the Sundering of the Duhelarym,
when duergar (shadow dwarves) did the same. As for the other
races and creatures of Lharin-Orin, their alignment with the
forces of Light or Darkness essentially followed the general
creed known of them to this day (for example: gnomes, furfoots,
unicorns and gold dragons - Light; orcs, goblins, red dragons and
vulg wolves - Darkness).
Because of the advent of technomagics
(the blending of sciences and magics) earlier in the Age of
Wonders, and the powerful devices, machines and artifacts that
were consequently created, the War of Light and Darkness was
near-cataclysmic. In addtion to the millions killed mercilessly
in the countless intra- and/or inter-racial battles, millions
more were killed when whole cities were razed, mountains were
leveled or raised, seas were dried or created, grasslands were
turned into deserts of ashes, landscape-devastating earthquakes
were caused, and volcanoes were activated - or even created.
It is a seldom known fact that the forces of Light were for a
time losing the war and even faced extermination, especially
after the divine Powers of Chaos (and their worshipers) joined
with the forces Darkness. The world was saved when the Lawful and
Neutral Powers finally decided to enter the conflict, siding with
the forces of Light and consequently turning the tide of the war.
In the end, the forces of Light won the war - while this meant
that Goodliness would survive and remain in the world, this was
nonetheless a terribly hollow victory. In its wake, the war had
changed the face of Lhari-Orin drastically, while the neklaaran
and shandyrin civilizations had been laid to waste. The Gods
themselves did not escape unscathed from a war which they not
only initiated, but also spearheaded. Hence, numerous demi-powers
and powers were either destroyed (e.g. Crimsane, Shimmers, Ageia,
et al.) or imprisoned in remote places or planes that are said to
be unreachable, or impregnable (e.g. Tauruseus, Gharrok,
Xumalduur, et al.).
Having seen the folly they had caused and the countless dead left
in its wake, the remaining Gods consequently left Lhari-Orin
after devising new and complex rules governing their influence in
the affairs of mortals and their presence in the world of mortals
(for instance, since then Gods must use avatars -somewhat less
powerful and mortal versions of themselves, to enter the world).
Thus ended the mythical War of Light and Darkness - heralding
also the end of the Age of Wonders.
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