Storyline

The gods, in their view, have left the world in the hands of their earthly stewards. At the close of the Age of Heroism - a time of divine magic and high adventure - the class orders have been established and tasked with guarding the realm and maintaining order as the gods recede and move on to other divine business. As the Gods left, they imprisoned the magic and power of the Six Aspects into six Divine Artifacts, each of which was hidden deep in its attendant realm. These artifacts are the cornerstones of reality in each realm, perpetuating consciousness and life through divine power. They also safely contain the divine magical forces that made the Age of Heroism such an eventful and dangerous time. Not long after the Gods departed, the nations of the realm of Light began to observe a change in their surroundings. Color faded and then drained from the land, and over time the realm of Light slowly transformed into a gray and ashen waste. No one is sure why this has happened, but the people suffer in drought and famine - many are leaving to other realms as refugees. There are rumors that a heretical wizard has found a way to seize the Divine Artifact of Light, undoing creation, unleashing chaos magic, and drawing the ire of the Gods in Exile. It’s said that his plan is to split the Divine Artifact of Light to create a 7th Aspect, achieving godhood through a new Chaos Aspect. His name is Ludos. If successful, he will be the God of Chaos, the 7th Aspect: Ludos the Unbound. As the grim news spreads from the Realm of Light, the Orders of the Champions and the Class Orders have observed that their divine powers are slowly returning. To those who still remember the Age of Heroism, it seems clear that the gods are returning to preserve the pantheon and the balance of power. Some even believe they are being anointed and charged with reclaiming the Artifact of Light and returning balance to the six aspects. If the rumors are true, the quest will be long and arduous. Some say that Ludos is not without allies - there are also rumors of a Cult of the Unbound who resent the Pantheon of the Six Aspects for, in their view, abandoning the world. Word of this cult is trickling in from the wild and unclaimed places of Adrullan, and terrified adventurers have reported that beings both mortal and monstrous call the Cult their home. In stricken whispers over mugs of ale going warm and flat, they say that the Cult serves none but itself, and believes a new divine order will be established, with their new God holding supremacy over all creation.