First Catastrophe

The destruction of Polastrathon First Catastrophe occurred in 1280BGE, during the Fourth Ankh-Argaiv War between the Ankhosian Empire and the Empire of Argaiv, when Mount Polastrathon erupted and destroyed the region of Argaivia (heartland of the Empire of Argaiv), rendering it permanently inhospitable. The eruption was caused by Sha'mak, the Ankhosian embodiment of the Red God and Ankh's patron deity, who was tricked by Endric into breaking an agreement of non-intervention made with Belathon, patron deity of Argaiv.

The First Catastrophe would be the catalyst for revenge by Belathon through the Second Catastrophe in 1000BGE, which destroyed the region of Ankh and turned it into an inhospitable desert and leading to the collapse of the Ankhosian Empire.

## Background

The Empire of Argaiv planned to launch an invasion of Ankh with the support of their colonies and international mercenaries. Although the war had seen both sides build up their military and defences, Argaivan strategists expressed confidence to their colonial allies that the combined Argaivan forces would overwhelm Ankh and its defences. In contrast to previous conflicts, they felt they had the capacity to occupy the capital city Ankhos and seize the citadel of Ish Bethadar, the religious and political heart of the Ankhosian Empire.

The Anhkosian Red God, Sha'mak, had intervened in the Third Ankh-Argaiv war over a century earlier, in response to the actions of Belathon in providing the soldiers of Argaiv with divine weaponry. His intervention, providing the Aknhosian Red Lord with divine power to defeat the Argaivan armies, had lead to the destruction of Argaiv's main invasion force in 1400BGE and their subsequent defeat in the war. However, in the intervening period of over one hundred years, Belathon and Sha'mak had practiced non-intervention, leaving their respective patroned nations to self-determination.

## Eruption of Mount Polastrathon

As a result of the divine non-intervention policy, none of the parties involved in the war expected any overt actions by the two patron gods. However, according to the teachings of the major churches of the Centrelands and Hansea, Endric tricked Sha'Mak into intervening. It is taught that Endric convinced Sha'mak that Belathon had secretly trained and coordinated Argaiv's forces, to which Sha'mak was outraged. It is taught that Endric used his magicks to fuel Sha'mak's fury, further clouding the Red God's judgement. As a result, Sha'mak caused the catastrophic eruption of Mount Polastrathon in unfounded retaliation. This eruption resulted in the destruction of Argaivia and rendered it permanently inhospitable by covering it in perpetual ashen clouds, snowy ash and freezing temperatures. There has been some theological debate as to whether this level of destruction was truly intentional.

## Aftermath

This event ended the centuries old conflicts between the two empires. Although the Remnant Empire of Argaiv persisted in various forms for several decades, Argaivia had contained all of Argaiv's major colonies outside of the colonial Orient. As a result, the empire was politically fractured and the economy of most remaining Argaivan settlements collapsed. Whilst well established settlements such as Ruba, Ak-Polona and Alasorra persisted thanks to trade and political relations with other nations, most of Argaiv's other settlements declined over subsequent decades, with their populations either dying out or migrating to major cities and foreign nations. For example, the surviving peoples of Potamou on the frontier of North-west Argaiv attempted to migrate to the newly independent Raqqos during the Gomsode period, albeit likely meeting a grisly end at the hands of their former enemies.

The catastrophe also had a major knock-on effect on other economies across the Known World, as Argaiv had been an integral trading partner to many nations in the Centrelands and beyond. Even overtly hostile nations such as Ankh and Prydow had engaged with widespread trade with Argaiv and even their economies keenly felt the empire's destruction. Despite the destruction of Ankh's main competitor for regional hegemony, the loss of trade with Argaiv further contributed to a continuing overall trend of decline for Ankh, that had started with the Second Ankh-Argaiv war in 1449BGE. The First Catastrophe also contributed to the gradual withdrawal of Peshwamanar from the Inland Sea region.

1. ↑ **Our Ancestors Before Us**, various authors. A compilation of various historical recollections relating to the Empire of Argaiv. Recovered from the ruins of the Great Library of Ruby City, Rubellium circa 10GE.