Dark World Crisis

The Dark World Crisis is the name used to describe the Seventh Era. It was a major historical event that began during the Sixth Era and ended during the Seventh.

During the Dark World Crisis, an alliance of fiends invaded the Material Planes, causing massive devastation and destruction.

Despite its notoriety and significance in the history of Somara, the actual invasion of the Dark World Crisis lasted just 18 years, from 6e2378 to 7e16.

## Buildup

Prior to the Sixth Era, the forces of the Hells and the Abyss (the devils and the demons, respectively) had been at war (see: the Blood War). The archdevil Balzu had secretly been building a small alliance of supporters on both sides of the war who were looking to improve their stations. In the year 6e2345, Balzu made his play. Coordinating with his top conspirators (chiefly the archdevils Levistus and Baalzebub, the devil lord Bel, and the archdemons Zelas, Fraz-Urb'luu, and Tiyn), the Blood War was temporarily halted. Balzu's alliance marched on Nessus, conquering the layer, defeating Asmodeus, and allowing Balzu to declare himself lord of the Hells.

Balzu then gave the remaining archdevils and devil lords an ultimatum: serve him, or be disposed. Most agreed to serve him, but it is known that Zariel, Mephistopholes, and Geryon at least stayed loyal to Asmodeus. Though Balzu could not kill Asmodeus and his supporters, he did imprison them, giving the former Lord of the Hells to his daughter, Glasya; Zariel to Bel (who took over Avernus in her stead), and Mephistopheles to Levistus (who also took over Cania).

After securing his new domain (and ensuring peace with his new demonic allies), Balzu began contacting agents on the Material Planes, most notably his tiefling child Deceit, who was a warlock with Balzu under a pact of the fiend. Deceit managed to grow a cult dedicated to Balzu on the Prime Material Plane, and the group began undertaking occult rituals to weaken the barriers between the planes at strategic locations.

## The Invasion

In the early winter of 6e2378, the first fiendish gates began to open on the Prime Material Planes, and an army of allied demons and devils began pouring into the plane. Key early gate locations included the Fortress of Slaughtergarde in what would come to be known as the Valley of Obelisks on the Morkov Island; the gate near the city of Haenas in the Allilean Domain (which resulted in the Desolation of Haenas); the portal of Eldergate, which resulted in the Second Fall of Eldergate; and the gate of Zhrugab Mal, where Ironblood Orc forces led by the half-orc Kowanna Twice-Blooded managed to successfully repel an incursion.

The fiends struck hard and fast, taking and razing territory before the mortal races could respond. Similar incursions occurred shortly thereafter in the Feywild and the Shadowfell. Feyan herself (alongside her chief lieutenants Titania and Mab) successfully led the defense of the Feywild, and shadar-kai forces managed to successfully defend several of their major cities under the guidance of Tala Whitewater.

After two years, the Sixth Era was declared over, and the Seventh - the Dark World Crisis - had begun.

## Seventh Era

Until this time, the forces on the Prime Material Plane resisting the invasion were largely disorganized, with no real sense of unity. Things proceeded poorly until the year 7e11, when the exiled fallen aasimar Darion Tessandro (who had been fighting against Deceit and his cult of Balzu) began attempting to unite major organizations and political entities into a coherent defense against the invasion. Backed by the archangels of Paradise, he convinced the elf-kings of the failing Allilean Domain to ally with the Derdurian Kingdom and their regent King Vaughn Redhorn II to retake some of their fallen cities. After securing the cooperation of both the Circle of Worun and the Order of the Flaming Sword, Darion and several of his closest companions (a party known as the Bond of Redress) manage to track down Deceit in the Graceback Ride and kill him.

Darion returned to his home city of Vikunel and convinced the aasimar there to ally with his cause. The growing force then attacked a fiendish army set to march on Vikunel at the Battle of Athgal, where the High Priestess Duana was betrayed and slain by Charora Frostwind, which shattered part of Tessandro's army and forced a full retreat to Vikunel. Though protected by magical wards, the city was besieged by an army led by Dispater, hoping to starve out the mortal forces.

Escaping the city, Tessandro and a small band managed to escape to the Ekalih Isle, where they convinced the Emperor Enocius Cordalis of Anduvian Empire to relieve the battered defenders. With the support of the Anduvian forces, the fiendish forces were forced to retreat from Vikunel, scoring a major victory for Tessandro's forces.

The momentum of this victory propelled forces across the Prime Material Plane to further victories (most notably the shattering of Slaughtergarde) which freed up forces from the Ni Fal Shogunate, the Ironblood Orcs, and the Culean Triumvirate to join the defenders at Vikunel.

## Battle of Lake Wyl

Sometime during this, Tessandro was informed by a traitor in the fiendish forces that Balzu was planning a major assault by opening a massive gate on the shores of Lake Wyl. Tessandro gathered his allied armies and marched to Tessandro's Rest, where they encamped and prepared to ambush the fiends. At Tessandro's Rest, they were joined by significant armies of fey (courtesy of Feyan) as well as a host of angels.

On July 31st, 7e15, the gate was opened, and Tessandro's forces attacked. The Battle of Lake Wyl, as it would come to be known, would be the largest engagement of forces ever seen in the Prime Material Plane, with estimates of mortal casualties being over 800,000. Tessandro and his Bond of Redress led the charge, eventually engaging an avatar of Balzu himself. Pushing through into the gate, they managed to hold off the fiends long enough for wizards of the Circle of Worun to close the gate. Darion Tessandro stayed behind to buy them a precious few seconds, and was trapped in the Hells when the gate closed.

## Aftermath

Balzu had committed the majority of his forces to the Battle at Lake Wyl, and coupled with defeats elsewhere, was hemorrhaging soldiers. His popularity was falling amongst his generals, and Asmodeus successfully managed to escape from his prison, raise an army of loyalists, and begin retaking parts of the hells. Balzu was also significantly weakened by the death of his avatar, and Asmodeus eventually managed to overtake him, regaining his throne. Several of the participants in the revolt (Levistus, Baalzebub, Bel) were severely punished or lost their positions. After reaffirming their allegiance to Asmodeus, the other archdevils resumed the Blood War against the demons.

Darion Tessandro was trapped in the Hells for 4 years before his friends managed to rescue him. He returned to Vikunel a hero, and became the first Regent there in thousands of years. He ruled for the rest of his life, and the Seventh Era was decreed to be over after his death (on October 19th, 7e485). Tessandro was made a Saint posthumously, and the day of his death became a holiday (Tessandro's Day).

The defeat of the fiendish forces led to something of a religious revival on the Prime Material Plane, and during the Eight Era, the Church of Vikyn was established, with its headquarters in Sanctuary Keep.

The Seventh Era is sometimes called the Era of Heroes, as a great number of heroic individuals positively influenced the world during this time. (see: List of Heroes of the Dark World Crisis)