War of Wrath

Demons

The War of Wrath is the ten thousand year conflict that occurred following the creation of the Abyss and the rise of demons. It was initiated when the Chaos Queen Irgaloth, and her general and consort, Drog'othuum, sent forth demons to conquer creation and spread chaos across the cosmos.

## Description

After Lorkivar filled the emptiness of the Astral Sea with realms, he withdrew from creation, leaving the gods with a final command to guide and shape the life in his universe. In the meantime, a few million years after the universe was formed, the gods drew plans to shape the primitive life forms into sentient beings. However, many had grown angry and bitter at Lorkivar’s departure, leaving them without guidance to fulfill a task that seemed insurmountable. The sheer force of their bitterness, loss, rage, and even hatred formed what would become the the first evil in the universe, which further coalesced into the Shard of Evil. Upon its creation, the gods went into a panic, and flung the Shard off into the cosmos, hoping to bury it forever. However, as the Shard burrowed ever deeper into the Astral Sea, it began to corrupt the cosmos around it, transforming the Astral Sea around it into infinite realms of evil and chaos: the Abyss. More horrible still, this new pit of evil seemed to be alive, and within itself, it created life. These became the first Zishathar, the demons, monstrous beings who desired naught but pain and destruction, and the complete consumption of creation by chaos. Several factions of demons arose, until they were eventually united by the fearsome power of the Chaos Queen Irgaloth, and her monstrous lover and general Drog’othuum, who declared himself the first Prince of Demons. Irgaloth commanded Drog’othuum to lead their demon hordes out of the Abyss and destroy creation, and so he did, consuming several planes and absorbing them into the Abyss. When the gods discovered these fiends, they fought back to protect creation, felling scores of demons. But the power of the Abyss could not be overcome, as it spawned legion upon legion of demons, and no matter how many the gods felled, more would always be there to take their place. Eventually, the gods began taking casualties, and in desperation, they appealed to Lorkivar for aid. In response, the Maker granted them the Kailivar, the angels, soldiers crafted to defend the cosmic order, to battle against the forces of chaos. Foremost among them were Azreus and Zarael, the most beautiful and noble of the great Archangels. Zarael and his forces were made to guard creation from demonic invasion, while Azreus was to fight upon the front lines and drive the demons back to the Abyss. For thousands of years, the two served loyally, driving the demons back for a time, but the infinite evil of the Abyss pressed onward, and it seemed again that the demons would overrun creation. Desperate, Azreus and his most loyal followers ventured on a daring mission deep into the heart of the Abyss, to find the Shard of Evil, the source of the demons power. For many years, they delved through the darkness, watching friends and allies fall, but nonetheless, Azreus would not give in. When they reached the Shard, they found the waiting Irgaloth, with Drog’othuum by her side, and Azreus led his forces in a heroic charge, while Irgaloth commanded the Prince of Demons to destroy them. But so near to the source of their power, the tide began to go in the favor of  Drog’othuum and his demons. Desperate, Azreus reached out to touch the Shard….. And felt a surge of power rush through him. Fueled by the Shard’s energies, he unleashed a blast which reduced the Prince of Demons to nothing, while its fringes nearly killed Irgaloth. He then tore the Abyss from its black roots, hurling it into the farthest reaches of the Astral Sea. The power drained from the Shard was such that it slowed the production of demons and the Abyss’s expansion to manageable rates, ending the seemingly unstoppable demonic progress. But despite their victory, the power of the Shard transformed Azreus and his followers, changing them from the angels they once were into something new. Nevertheless, if this was the price for saving the multiverse, they payed it gladly. Azreus joyously led his victorious forces back to the Aetherial Realm, overcome with happiness and expecting a heroes welcome. Instead, at the sight of their new forms, Zarael and his minions, upon the command of the gods, cast the wounded heroes out, into a realm of darkness and pain, where they were commanded to continue keeping any demon attacks at bay. With the arrival of sentient mortals many years later, the betrayed soldiers requested a new cosmic law be written: all wicked mortals be sent to them, for punishment and as fuel in their wars against the demons, where they would remain forever more, as the scorned saviors brooded on their revenge.