The Longest Year & Custom Lore

**Server Introduction:**

Eleven years have passed since the Time of Troubles when gods walked Toril and the Weave had been rent asunder, and Faerun had not yet recovered. While the Gods returned to their domains, Toril itself was cast out of the reach of their influence, and the tattered Weave that allowed and governed magic in the realms could not be reached.

For one long year, magic was silenced in Faerun. For 13 months following the Godswar, even the most devout clerics could not manifest a single divine miracle, and the most learned mage could not craft even a cantrip. The powerful and untouchable were left weakened and exposed, artefacts wielded by good and evil alike became mundane, creatures of magic crawled into dark places to bide their time, and the Planes were shut off from Faerun, barring foul things from the world..and trapping some others within.

The Longest Year created a confused and dangerous world, and when it ended in the autumn of 1359, the return of magic was a slow and weak trickle, spun from the torn Weave. Quietly, the Gods could be heard and felt again. The present year is 1369, 10 years after the Longest Year, and Faerun’s future is still uncertain.

*//”Technical” explanation:
When Ao destroyed the Tablets of Fate and unraveled the laws of Realmspace, the consequences separated mortals from their gods, their magic, and the planes. It seemed an intentional act, to lower the world’s reliance on the Weave which connected all things. The whole of Toril became a dead magic zone, and the Gods could not directly interfere with the world they presided over. Mystra herself, killed and then re-ascended, was no longer given control of the Weave, instead becoming a Lesser Deity that managed a more limited portfolio. The separation between Faerun and its gods and magic began to thin only 13 months after the Time of Troubles’ end, in patches and then across the breadth of the world. The magic that came back was slightly altered and limited, with acts such as teleportation, shifting of planes, and other high works of magic extremely difficult. The Weave was still damaged and weak, the Gods were still far and limited, and the effects of a year without magic or divinity were still fresh.*
*//OOC Disclaimer:*
*This is a custom adaptation of the Forgotten Realms setting, and the Storytellers and Admins of TDN reserve the right to change further details regarding the setting as they might arise. For the most part, the history, geography, pantheons, and other facets of the setting remain just as they were except when specifically stated. The change to the outcome of the Time of Troubles is designed to believably adjust the Forgotten Realms towards a lower magic environment. We want magic to feel special, monsters to be scary, players to be big actors in setting events, and for the world to be uncertain and open to change, all factors that the default setting made difficult.**Note: The highest level of magic even rumored to be used would be Spell Level 3 spells.***
This change presents a lot of opportunity to customize the Forgotten Realms setting, and we welcome player ideas for setting events between 1358-1369DR that we can add to the list of “defined” changes.

#### **Specific Topics:**

* The Longest Year
* The Advancing of Science
* The Winter of Teeth
* The Pirates' Pardon
* The Spring of Ashes