Elemental Storm
With the following for both Abadon and Cyn'thea increasing, players went undercover to gather information or power. Some swore to protect places of worship while others desecrated the areas openly. Temples of Macha were discovered and explored.
Player based decisions unleashed primordial weirds onto the land, causing destruction in their wake. A silver lining though - the presence of air elementals seems to be growing again.Players narrowly discovered the Novos Phoenix before the destruction of the hatchery could take place.
Search and Suffer
The natural ebbs and flows of the balance among elementals began to feel a little less natural. Those who were elementally blessed started to feel weak and fatigued beyond their natural season cycle - one element at a time. The wolves, vanished one by one as did the strength and power of those elementally inclined. A stranger appeared in Harmonia who appeared to have insight into the situation and he rallied the people of Reintora to help him collect items from various parts of the realm with the purpose to find the wolves and restore the elements once more.
Insanity in Her Name
Abadon's Sanctum, a clan of Abadon fanatics stormed the land in her name. Blind followers of a matron, who was a self-proclaimed high priestess of Abadon, set out to cause pain and suffering if not for any reason other than their own enjoyment. Whispers circulated that they were behind the capture and torture of the elemental wolves. Of course, their pillaging, greed and for some - their own insanity - would eventually lead to their downfall.
Their deeds would not go unnoticed and a group would rise to counter them.
Allies in Obvious Places
Clans came together to create an Alliance to help victims of carnage and chaos stand up and fight back against the Sanctum. Their numbers continued to rise with support from the fearful, from those with a certain sense of right and wrong and from those with big hearts. They were able to halt the sanctum as well as address unrelated instances of injustice in which Reintora was strife with.
But everyone has their own gods to believe in, their own sense of what is just and correct. With Abadon's Sanctum ultimately dispersed other creatures could emerge and take their place in the realm. The gnolls would be the next to grow in ranks and defy the way of life this new found Alliance sought to achieve and maintain in Reintora.
Simple Savages
The gnolls had a relatively simple objective. Hunt and honour their god. The creatures often raided the northern lands of Reintora but were pushed out by overwhelming numbers just as often. Eventually, they settled in the jungle and began storing the power from their sacrifices within a stone. Corruption spilled from the stone and began to spread within the clan. Slaves and captives started to become obedient as their minds were invaded by the stone if they weren't strong willed. The matriarch and her gnoll's rituals got out of control. Their straightforward way of life found them at odds with the alliance, the two factions warring regularly.
Repairing Ruin
While the stranger had made themselves comfortable in Harmonia and sent people far and wide looking for trinkets, many decided to stay and investigate the ruins. Missing their old place of gathering and guffawing, Reintorans set to cleaning up. They first cleared the debris and rubble that littered what remained. Some attempted to steal the gems from the fountains back - always met with a strong force that felt punishing, others of course cleaned the waters that had been tainted. Gatherers bought materials to begin the reconstruction and repairs.
Equilibrium Lost
The call of the elements withdrew from Reintora. It was only those attuned who felt that ominous silence. The newcomers continued to come, arriving in Cyn’thea’s beloved land while her touch remained distant.
The balance had shifted. Wild magicks unknown before to these lands infected its own like a plague. They invaded minds, invaded spirits. They drove war, battles between sides that blurred so strongly it was hard to tell friend from foe some days. It spurred chaos. It spurred pain.
The biomes of Reintora reacted strangely, for some they became unbearable to exist in. Inhabitants of Reintora investigated the causes for the thick jungle air, the stinging rains and the subtle shifts of Earth, unfortunately finding far more than they bargained for. An invitation sent from a ritual gone wrong. Something heard the cries.
Cut the Cult!
Inhabitants of Reintora both rallied against and fell to the dark ritualistic sacrifices. These beings thirsted for immortality. The hive mind growing in strength with each new cultist welcomed. Insanity appeared infectious as the cultists bent over backwards to find the one who would sate them. Their bodies turned beast and abomination when going too far.
A preacher, connected the factions of Reintora who were otherwise at war. Ceasefire by contract for the greater good. Enemies became allies if only temporary. Working together for reasons unaligned; some to protect the realm, others to hunt large monstrosities for fun.
Slowly the elements began to reemerge. It began with whispers. Little earthquakes, sudden whirlpools, mild sandstorms. It grew gradually more chaotic in its quest to answer the call of something beyond the realm. The primordials were awake.
