War of the Fall

The War of the Fall is the name given to the conflict which followed the Angelic Conquest at the end of the Bronze Age. The conflict saw eight of the Seraphim sons of Ynoch rebel against their father after learning of his original identity as the tyrant Ra. Their revolt saw Ynoch activate the World Engines he had built across the cosmos, resulting in the cataclysmic tide of destruction known as the Great Maelstrom, which saw countless realms break apart and reform. Time and space were torn asunder, and it was in this chaotic environment that the War of the Fall was fought. The brother Seraphim and their Angelic Legions waged a bitter conflict against one another, each convinced that their former brethren had betrayed them in the most painful manner possible.

The so-called Fallen Ynochim, those who had rebelled against Ynoch for the sake of keeping the world from Ra's tyrannical clutches, were forced to ally with the Primordial Tartarus, and the hordes of his Abyss. Meanwhile, the Ascendant Ynochim, who had remained devoted to the Lord of Eden, found themselves made to seek aid from the numerous gods that they had fought and imprisoned during the Angelic Conquest. In the end, the Ascendant and their godly allies proved victorious, driving the Fallen into the Abyss, and beginning the new Iron Age.

Nevertheless, the War's end was a tragedy for both sides, for each had been forced to battle against beloved comrades, and the Dream that they had fought centuries to realize was gone.

## Prelude

### Gadreel's Discovery

The primary cause for the War of the Fall was the discovery of Ynoch's old identity as Ra by Gadreel, Seraph of the Eighth Legion. After the Ynochim had successfully conquered the Kem-Duati, Gadreel remained behind with a portion of his legion in their thronerealm, Kemara, to garrison the domain in preparation for his father's arrival. In order to pass the time, Gadreel made use of one of the captured Kem-Duati gods, Thoth, conscripting his help in navigating the labyrinthine libraries within the Palace of the Sun, wishing to learn of the pantheon's history.

Thoth, who had begun to develop suspicions of the mysterious Ynoch's identity, strategically directed Gadreel to records of Ra's numerous atrocities. Gadreel immediately realized that he was largely being sent to records revolving around the crimes of Ra, but was largely undeterred. Though largely repulsed by the actions of the tyrant, Gadreel was eager for insight into why the pantheon operated the way it did, and was sure he would find answers by learning the history of the reign of their first ruler.

All the while, Gadreel began to note the similarities in the magics and technologies wielded by Ynoch, and those that had been employed by Ra. Most notably, he learned that Ra's children, Thoth, Geb, Nut, and Sekhmet had all been crafted from the Prime, just as Gadreel and his own brothers had been. Just as Thoth had intended.

When Ynoch arrived at Kemara in order to construct a World Engine upon the realm, Thoth told Gadreel that Ynoch would likely be seeking a private audience with him, and suggested that Gadreel secretly eavesdrop on the conversation. Suspicious of Thoth's motives and severely disquieted by what he had been discovering, Gadreel probed Thoth's mind, and learned the suspicions that Thoth held. As a result, when Thoth asked that Gadreel remove the memories of his manipulations from his mind, Gadreel acquiesced, and chose to employ his Farsight to secretly eavesdrop on the conversation. He was horrified to discover that Thoth's suspicions were true.

Afterwards, he visited Thoth, and demanded to know why the god had revealed this to him. Thoth replied by saying that he knew what a monster their shared father was, and that he did not wish for him to be allowed to rule all Creation. In a rare loss of control, Gadreel's anger, panic, and sense of betrayal got the better of him, and he murdered Thoth in order to prevent him from revealing the truth they had learned. Afterwards, Gadreel contacted his brother Raphael, requesting that he and his legion take up the duty of garrisoning Kemara and the other Kem-Duati realms, while he and the Shadowwatch departed to locate any final secret pockets of resistance to Ynoch's rule. Raphael was pleased by Gadreel's sentiment, and excited with the prospect of spending time with Ynoch on Kemara, and readily agreed, as Gadreel knew he would.

And so, Gadreel departed, dispersing his legion across Creation, before leaving them behind for solitude, as he contemplated his next move.

### The Revelation Spreads

After having been in seclusion for nearly a year, Gadreel returned to his legion, and learned that several of his brothers had been inquiring as to his whereabouts. Many of them had even visited personally to ask after his wellbeing, only to be informed that Gadreel was away. Knowing that the suspicion of his siblings would soon be roused, and would potentially alert Ra to the fact that he was discovered, Gadreel decided that he would have to finally share his discovery, and chose to unburden himself to Lucifer, the most noble and virtuous of his brothers.

The Morningstar was devastated by the revelation, but declared that for the good of all, they must rebel against their false father, and remove him from his throne. Resolved that whatever Lucifer would do was right, Gadreel pledged the Lightbringer his support. The two thereafter departed in secret, to recruit their brothers to their plot. Lucifer went first to Azazel, winning him to their cause, while Gadreel sought out Bael. After Azazel was brought into the fold, Lucifer recruited Abaddon to their plan, whilst Azazel brought his own considerable skills as a diplomat to bear, and swayed Asmodeus into joining their scheme to unseat their father. Gadreel had then progressed to recruiting Mephiston, whilst Lucifer brought Samael to their side.

When the lieutenants of Lucifer's legion questioned his strange absences, however, the Lightbringer made a fatal error: Compelled by his own conscience, he informed them of what he and his brothers were planning, and what they had learned. Unfortunately, one of his inner circle, an Ynochim by the name of Garviel, was not so easily swayed to turn against the Lord of Eden. After Lucifer had informed them of his intent to unseat Ynoch, Garviel fled to Eden after a vicious duel with his brother in arms, Belial.

His warning fell on deaf ears, however. When Garviel spoke his message to the Seraph Raziel, the Bulwark nearly killed him, outraged by Garviel's tales of treachery. Declaring that the Lightbearer legionary had been infected with a malady of the mind, Garviel was imprisoned, his words unheeded.

### The Strike on Eden

With Garviel presumably about to inform Ynoch of his plans, Lucifer's hand was forced. He gathered those brothers who had sworn himself to his cause, and announced their next course of action: A bold strike at the foe's throat, the sort of which he was famous for. He and the seven brothers who stood with him would join together, making at once for the Imperial Citadel of Eden, and cast Ynoch from his throne.

Their arrival went uncontested, though they were directed by the guardians of the Evershields legion to their brother Raziel, who stood near Ynoch's throne room. When they came upon him, the brother's first attempted to subdue him with the power of their Thought, seeking to restrain him without needing to do him harm. Raziel's mental defenses were too strong, however, and he fought back, and the rebellious brothers were forced to wound him grievously before they successfully managed to quash his mind.

With Raziel out of the way, the brothers made their way to Ynoch's throne room. Upon arriving, their father reacted with fury at their treachery, and cast them and all who bore the essence of their souls out of Eden and across Creation. This act drained Ynoch of his power, forcing him into a Great Slumber. Without his will to contain their energies, the innumerable World Engines he had placed on conquered worlds throughout Creation all activated in an utterly disorganized and destructive manner. Uncountable masses of life were ended in an instant as space and time were torn asunder, beginning the Great Maelstrom.

## Madness Begins

### Eden in Shambles

After recovering from his wounds enough to regain consciousness, Raziel discovered that his brothers were gone, and his father had fallen into slumber. Reeling from the shock of the betrayal they had suffered, and still utterly unaware as to why it had happened, Raziel had his father interred beneath the Imperial Citadel. Not knowing which of his other brothers were also traitors, or even if he had any loyal siblings left, he began to strengthen his defenses, declaring himself Lord Regent of Eden until such time as Ynoch reawakened.

Gabriel was the first of his brothers to arrive at the realm, along with his legion, through the Maelstrom. Initially suspicious, Raziel became convinced of his noble intentions, and broke down before him, sharing what had occurred. Gabriel accepted Raziel's new status as Lord Regent, and submitted to his authority.

The same could not be said of Uriel, who appeared in Eden's skies a few days later. Treated with suspicion by the cautious Raziel, he was outraged to learn that his brother had declared himself Ynoch's regent, and blamed Raziel for not protecting their father. Rejecting the rule of his younger brother, Uriel departed soon thereafter, seeking vengeance on the traitors, specifically, the one who had started it all: Lucifer.

### The Scattering

The Seraphim of the eight Fallen legions were scattered across Creation by Ynoch's final act. As his power had focused on their essences, their soul scions from around the cosmos were dragged along with them, along with a great deal of equipment that had been suffused by their magic. The first obstacle for them to overcome, naturally, was the fact that they were in the midst of a reality breaking storm.

The legions sought refuge on the nearest stable world, for the most part, using their own presence and power over order to further strengthen the realms they layered on. Most were far and distant from one another, but Gadreel and Samael were fortunate in their placement, as both landed close to one another. Samael and the Fourteenth found refuge on the realm of Jotunheim, which was anchored from the Maelstrom by the presence of the Yggdrasil, the World Tree. Gadreel managed to penetrate the storm and locate his sibling, allowing himself and the Eighth shelter there as well.

Naturally, the Ynochim of the Fallen legions had a great deal of questions as to why the entire universe had been plunged into chaos. When their Seraphim informed them of Ynoch's deception, many of their number refused to participate in rebellion against the One God that they had served for so long. Violence ensued, as the Fallen legions had to make war upon themselves.

## Battle is Joined

The early stages of the War saw both Ascendant and Fallen Ynochim in disarray. However, it was the former who suffered more from this, as many of the Ascendant legions were unaware of what was occurring, in addition to being cut off from properly communicating with one another due to the Maelstrom. As a result, the initial battles of the War were largely Fallen victories, seeing the deaths of several loyalist Seraphim.

### The Fury Breaks

The first proper legion against legion conflict during the war occurred when Uriel and the Heirs of Fury came upon Lucifer and the damaged remnants of the Lightbearers. Rather than face the Fifth Legion head on directly after having battled their own number, with his and the legion's morale at an all time low, Lucifer ordered his fleet into the Maelstrom, intending to remain behind and distract his brother to allow them to escape. Uriel sent his own fleet in pursuit of the fleeing Lightbearers, and confronted Lucifer in a one on one duel, coming close to killing the Morningstar before he was summoned to safety through the Maelstrom by Bael.

Denied his quarry, Uriel rejoined his own fleet in pursuit of the Lightbearers, biting at their heels as they fled. Led by Lucifer's chosen appointee, Belial, they made contact with the Eighth and Fourteenth legions at Jotunheim, and managed to repel the Fifth Legion fleet, inflicting heavy losses on the Heirs of Fury thanks to the fact that Uriel initially refused to retreat from the superior force.

### Betrayal at Kemara

Abaddon, having near completely purged the loyalist elements of his Seventh Legion, took what remained of his fleet into the Maelstrom, seeking out his brothers. He resolved that should he encounter any of the siblings who had not pledged themselves to the rebellion, he would need to be ready to attack them in treachery, knowing that should they refuse to join Lucifer's cause, his depleted legion would be unlikely to overcome a fresher one.

Unfortunately, the sibling that Abaddon encountered was Raphael, Ynoch's most zealous son. Knowing he lacked the charisma to convince his brother of the truth, Abaddon put his insidious plan into motion. He and the Seventh were welcomed by Raphael and his Third, allowing their erstwhile brethren free access to the realm of Kemara. Once his troops were in place, Abaddon gave the order to attack, while he himself initiated a fierce duel with Raphael. Abaddon proved the victor, and slew Raphael after his brother's last words of scornful defiance.

The death of their Seraph and the betrayal of their kin left the Third Legion devastated, and the scant few who managed to escape the Betrayal at Kemara were scattered and broken, just as Abaddon had intended. Raphael's death marked the first Seraph to perish in the fall.

### Tragic Attempts at Reconciliation

The death of Raphael was sensed by his brothers across Creation, shocking them all. Azazel, who had managed to find safety with his legion at Tir Na Nog, and was closer to Eden than any of his brothers, managed to pierce the Maelstrom and send a communication to the thronerealm, though it was delayed and garbled. He offered Raziel (who he knew to likely still be in Eden) a chance to parley in Ruk Idu, the former thronerealm of the Arakur pantheon. Raziel's initial reaction was to refuse the offer, but Gabriel argued that they should hear Azazel out. Raziel agreed, initially planning for them to go together, but Gabriel convinced him to remain in Eden, stating that he felt Raziel in his current state would not be level headed enough to negotiate, and that Eden needed its Lord Regent to rally around. Unable to deny Gabriel's logic, Raziel acquiesced, sending Gabriel forth with a small escort.

Gabriel and Azazel met on Ruk Idu, each with a small honor guard, as Azazel's message had asked. Though both Seraphim were usually capable diplomats, their truce soon began to break apart. Azazel was frustrated to see that Gabriel, who had always been the most free thinking and rebellious of the Seraphim, was siding against him. Gabriel demanded to know why Azazel had betrayed their father and murdered Raphael, to which Azazel replied that he had no part in Raphael's death, and explained how he and the others had discovered their father's identity as Ra. Flabbergasted, Gabriel rejected the claim, and the insult to his honesty wounded Azazel's pride. The Lord of the Sixth asked why Gabriel did not believe him, and was answered that Gabriel felt he could no longer trust his word after his betrayal. When Azazel asked what other explanation there was, Gabriel replied that he simply did not know. A silence fell between them, and broke when Azazel asked for Gabriel to join him and their other brothers in rebellion. In turn, Gabriel asked Azazel to order his warriors to stand down, and return to Eden to face trial for their crimes. Azazel refused, and without warning, Gabriel attacked.

Azazel barely danced away from the strike, though he was left with a scar upon his cheek that he would bear for all time afterwards. The duel that followed was brief and brutal, Gabriel's blinding speed against Azazel's graceful precision. The Evenstar was driven to the defensive, brutally battered by the Stormcrow's furious assault. However, Azazel managed to strike during a brief lapse in Gabriel's attack, and removed his brother's head. With Gabriel slain, the True Heralds were driven into a panic, and the finest of their legion fell to the Heartseekers.

## Ascendant Retribution

Following their initial confusion, the Ascendant Ynochim were able to rally what remained of their legions and push back against their treacherous kin. Vengeance was in their hearts for the losses of Raphael and Gabriel. Though the loyalists had fewer legions, they had not been weakened by having to purge their own ranks, as the Fallen had, and thus had greater numbers. Several of the Fallen Seraphim were slain, but were revived by the sorceries of Bael each time, until he was assassinated by Azrael. His loss forced Lucifer to strike a bargain with one of the vilest beings in Creation, in order to prevent the Fallen from utter defeat.

## Hordes of the Abyss

Making a deal with Tartarus granted Lucifer and the Fallen fresh forces to bolster their failing strength, and started the Fallen on the road to damnation. With the power of many of the Abyss's hordes beside them, the Fallen began to turn the tide, whittling away at the Ascendant legions and slaying their Seraphim leaders until only three remained: Metatron, Uriel, and Azrael.

## Alliance with the Gods

It was in Eden's darkest hour that Metatron's skills as a diplomat saved the Ascendant Ynochim from ruin. Making compact with several of the godly sorcerers residing in Eden's prisons, Metatron agreed to release their pantheons from captivity in return for the resurrection of his loyal brothers, the aid of the gods against the Fallen and their Abyssal allies, and the understanding that when the war was done, they would abide by a new set of rules and limitations. With the gods at their side, the Ascendant Ynochim rallied, and shattered the Fallen legions and their monstrous allies, driving them into the Abyss and ending the war, beginning the Iron Age.