Story

The story of Blightfall is told through several written documents that can be found throughout the Continent.

Heavy spoilers lie ahead, read at your own risk. You have been warned.

## History of the Continent

A vastly oversimplified history of the Continent follows.

Several thousand years before the present, a King brought together the various peoples of the Continent together under his rule. The period before this was described as anarchy, and people would commit violence on others simply because they were born somewhere else. At least one vassal-state existed under the King's rule: the Southern Sea Isle, ruled by a mage that would be come to known as the Dark One.

The King was distrustful of his vassal, and his spies came to learn that the Dark One was sacrificing the lives of his people to fuel ritualistic blood magic. This angered the King greatly. He attempted to use diplomacy to stop him, but the situation devolved into war.

Due to its isolation from the mainland, the Dark One was easily about to defend the Southern Sea Isle, and the King turned to his Thaumaturges for a new weapon. An aspiring young mage by the name of Xillith was quickly climbing the ranks, and was assigned to the weapon development project. After a few years of research, the mages found what they were seeking: a mutagenic biological weapon. Part of this research involved the discovery that certain magical plants (Pure Daisies, Silverwood Trees, and Ethereal Blooms) could repel the biomass.

Through the use of their new weapon, they eventually ended the war with the Dark One. Before he succumbed to the Taint, he commenced a ritual that sacrificed the entire population of the Isle. This removed his consciousness from his mortal form, which slowly degraded over the millennia.

However, though the war with the Dark One was over, the war with the Taint had only just begun. It aggressively spread across the continent through airborne spores and tendrils that crept upon the ground. Despite the magical countermeasures, the King's people could not keep up with it. Eventually the entire mainland became infected, except for small pockets protected by the purifying flora. The King watched his people fall until he was the only remaining untainted individual in the city, and abdicated his position before eventually succumbing himself.

Unbeknownst to him, the now-Archmage Xillith managed to escape as well, hiding out in a treehouse for some time as he slowly lost his mind. Eventually, he disappeared where the Taint could not follow.

## Written Documents

The entries here have been arranged in a rough chronological order.

### The Beginning

The Beginning can be found in the large, central building of the Floating City, guarded by the Tainted Hero. It's written by the King of the Floating City.

>
>
> I understand that there is some knowledge so profoundly unfit for people to learn that it twists not only their minds, but their bodies as well. This knowledge is called Forbidden, and researching it is... frowned upon.
>
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> Today, I've learned that my most promising vassal - the one overseeing Southern Sea Isle - believes the dark arts hide secrets and blessings that can benefit all the peoples of the kingdom, and that his will and intellect are strong enough to overcome these strange effects that warp the body and mind. I can only hope he's right.
>
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> I'll need to keep a close eye on the goings-on in his domain...
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> 91-JIN-4:
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> He has gone too far this time! He's been sacrificing people at that bloody pedestal he calls an altar! All his talk about the circle of life, with the blood powering his "Ritual of the Green Grove" to benefit the people... all of it, with one sweep of a dagger, proven nothing but empty words. One thing stand as a certainty: his mind is certainly twisted.
>
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> He'll claim the people were volunteers, infirmed and elderly patriots wishing to give their lives for the sake of the people. It might even be true, but that doesn't justify it. People will protest. They'll threaten to expose him. Surely, they'll be next on his chopping block. For their sake and safety, for the sake of all the people in the kingdom: this "blood magic" must stop.
>
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> I'll have to send him an order right away. Maybe he still has enough sense to listen.
>
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> 02-DON-4:
>
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> This has broken out into a full-blown war. He has disowned me as his king and has claimed the Southern Sea Isle as it's [sic] own country! Does he truly wish to bring back the days of anarchy? When people slaughtered each other just because they were born on some other part of the continent?
>
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> He wields a blade of tremendous might, and never leaves the seat of his power. We have no hope of a direct assault, and any accomplices we might gain inside his territory are quickly discovered, taken into his obsidian tower, and never seen again.
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>
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> He's killing my people. I need to stop him. I don't know how, but I will stop him, even if it's the last thing I do."
>
>

### Tattered Research Journal

The Tattered Research Journal can be found in the lab on the Glacier. It is hidden in an Arcane Worktable. It's the remains of a journal written by Archmage Xillith when he was just a novice mage.

Its text reads:

> "I can't believe I got picked for such a prestigious position! I mean, I barely graduated just a moon ago! They must have loved my doctorate on mutations of biological structures via extensive Vis energy!
>
>
> I just arrived and already I am being shown tons of respect! As I walked into the base, the guard saluted me! Me! Of all people! Just out of the academy, and I'm in charge of so much already! I can only go up from here!
>
>
> *The pages that followed were too decayed to be legible. The next legible entry is about 4 months later:*
>
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> I am the perfect pick for this position! Already I have advanced to Head Researcher, leaving the old lab boss Professor Serinson behind in a flurry of progress! Good thing too. The war is only getting worse. Those above are demanding a solution, and a solution I will provide! Just you wait, I will win this war... or die trying!
>
>
> *About 3 years worth of entries are torn from the book, but there is one more entry at the end:*
>
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> I'm not sure I like where we are taking this... The war has been bloody, and desperate. We are on our last ropes, I understand that... but this seems kind of extreme. A self mutating biological weapon? It seems... a little much. A little... final...
>
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> Dark magics have always existed. I mean, we have zombies already, corpses of our dead raised from their eternal rests to fight for our enemies, but those things are unintelligent monsters risen from corpses.
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> This is something more... malevolent.
>
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> Yet we're told that this will win us the war. All the wars. That with this there will finally by peace. Yet I can't shake this feeling that something ~~horribly wrong here~~. Yet progress must continue if we are to win. Progress must always continue!
>
>
> *"-horribly wrong here," has been struck-through in what appears to be blood. Several drops have splattered the page, and an arrow leads from the crossed out text to a note written in the same red fluid.*
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>
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> There is nothing wrong here. Everything is fine. Perfectly fine. Perfectly fine. Completely, Perfectly, Wonderfully, FINE. (I promise.)"
>
>

### Research Journal Fragment

The Research Journal Fragment can be found at the base of the Silverwood tree at the Spires scouting location. It's a page written by Archmage Xillith on Silverwood Trees' and Ethereal Blooms' ability to repel Taint.

Its text reads:

> "The mutagen seems to know no bounds. James the other day climbed to the top of one of these massive spires, and sure enough after only a few minutes of searching he was able to find a spore, which he destroyed immediately.
>
>
> Quite unfortunate. We would have liked to study the mutagen's effects on nature in a controlled environment. James will be reprimanded harshly. I mean, how can I study the effects of this weapon if everyone always destroys its manifestations as soon as they appear! Quite frustrating really.
>
>
> I have been able to watch its progress a little, and came to an interesting fact. This weapon may have a counter. Some of the most magical trees seem to repel the mutagen quite effectively. My associates and I have been working diligently trying to study the effects of this mutagen when it comes in contact with this Silverwood Tree, and out efforts have been rewarded.
>
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> We have discovered through heavy testing that we can 'create' a highly magical variant of the silverleaf flower that blooms naturally around the tree. This flower, when enchanted with powerful cleansing magics, can actually push back the mutagen completely! This will be a great way to restore infected lands after we have won the war. This might truly be the greatest weapon ever!
>
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> On an aside, if you move the flower, nearby mutagen can re-infect the area quite fast... which is why I'm leaving this set of notes. Don't move the flower from the land it changed, or it will change back.
>
>
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> Though... I do admit the Pure Node in the Silverwood Tree would protect any future researchers should things get completely out of hand."
>
>

### The End (Dark One)

The End is a journal entry written by the Dark One. It can be found on a table in the library of the Obsidian Tower. It details his final thoughts before enacting the ritual that severed his consciousness from his physical body.

Its text reads:

> "Those fools, all of them. I was profressing civilization, and they started a war. I was willing to do anything necessary to advance, and they were blind; unable to see the benefits of my work. Now, they've ruined it. Not just my kingdom, but the entire planet, succumbed to their bioweapon. That young, closed-minded Xillith failed to understand that my advancements were for the good of humanity, even if there were sacrifices. Instead, he has doomed us all. His "cure" is weak, their weapon is too powerful. It has spread far beyond his control. I'm sure he will find a way to escape, find a way to cheat the death that he created for himself. Perhaps he will see the error of his ways and, someday, come back to fix his wrongdoings.
>
>
> I tried everything I could to work things out with the king of the mainland before it got to this point but he refused to understand that these sacrifices were worth it. Those that were sacrificed were reaching their end anyway: I not only saved them from further suffering, but used their blood to further improvie [sic] the lives of many. There are times I wonder whether he is fir to rule as king, unable to see the advantages that my work brings, blinded by the loss of lives that werealready [sic] fading.
>
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> Look at the reaminder [sic] of my people: They aren't suffering due to my work, they are prospering. Only few were sacrificed, but the lives of many were improved, even in the midst of a brutal war.
>
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> I will make my return someday, to finish what I started; but,, [sic] for now, I must save myself so I can pass my knowledge on to however [sic] comes here next. It will require sacrifice from all of us, but it is still for the advancement of humanity.
>
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> You know of my ritual that will allow me to transcend this mortal form, so my knowledge will be safe, ready to be passed down once the planet has been saved.
>
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> I have already familiarized you with the ritual's requirements, incase this eventuality were to become necessary.
>
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> It is time.
>
>
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> Commence the preparations."
>
>

### Ominous Journal Scrap

The Ominous Journal Scrap can be found on the Tiny Ship in the Arches biome. It's a page from the journal of Archmage Xillith that contains an entry about the unanticipated strength of the Taint.

Its text reads:

> "The countermeasures aren't working. The Taint is spreading far faster than we had anticipated. Cities across the land are rotting, dying.
>
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> Even now in this desolate landscape I can see the Taint spreading, growing, consuming.
>
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> It knows no bounds. It just continues unabated, unrelenting. We made this weapon to win the war. This war, and all wars to come. Well we succeeded. [sic]
>
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> What have we done?
>
>
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> ...What have **I** done?"
>
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### Crazed Journal Scrap

The Crazed Journal Scrap can be found in the treehouse to the east of Bio-Dome Omega. It's a page from the journal of Archmage Xillith that contains frantic notes and two crudely drawn Penrose triangles.

Its text reads:

> "I've been here four months now. Safely hidden away from IT. Safely hidden... but for how long? Even now I can hear its mutterings. Its quiet whisperings drowning out all sounds... Why won't it leave me be! It's already consumed everything else, why must it torment me still! Why won't it JUST STOP!!!
>
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> It never stops.
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> How can it?
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> It's what I made it to do."
>
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### The End (The King)

The End is a journal entry written by the King of the Floating City. It's located in a tower above the Tainted Hero, guarded by the Tainted King.

>
>
> A bright young Thaumaturge presented a theory to me today. He has shown that the accidental, undirected thaumaturgical potential called Flux has strange interactions with certain types of plants. I quickyl assured him I wanted nothing to do with Forbidden magic, but he told me that this is something else entirely.
>
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> The effects and the nature of this strange magic are unstudied, even by the Dark One, and this young Xillith will be amoung [sic] the first to pioneer this new field of study."
>
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> *Much of the text in this entry is covered in blood, and illegible.*
>
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> "43-TIN-4:
>
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> The lad has done it. He's created a magically-infused biological superweapon that he's come to call the Hemoblight... ...spread... ...produce a simple flower from which the Taint shies away. In theory, it could possibly be cured by botanists loyal to the Dark One. Before we tip our hand, we must ensure that these Botanists can't produce this "Pure Daisy" for themselves. We'll have to entirely control the means of production, to keep these "Mystical Flowers" away from the Dark One... especially the white ones. I'll need to keep those especially safe. When we collect the sample to be saved, I must guard them personally until the time comes to re-introduce them to the wild after the war ends.
>
>
> Xillith assures me that this thaumaturgically engineered contagion will only affect those who have corrupted themselves by using blood magic, and while I have no reason to doubt him, I'm still worried. The purple growths and pink tumors seen on the rats in the lab were somewhat disturbing. If this..."
>
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> *More blood covers the page.*
>
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> "-can be sure the Dark One cannot defend himself against the Hemoblight. I will have to give the order to have it unleashed upon his obsidian tower.
>
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> 01-BUR-4:
>
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> Fools! All of us, every last one, fools! Are our memories so short, our gazes so narrow that we've... ...network of mines and caves... ...land? The war with the Dark One (has?) ended, but the war with the Taint (has only?) just begun.
>
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> The Taint will shrivel under the pale light of a Pure Daisy, but to coat the entire continent with them would be nothing short of a mad fool's errand. We'll need a better way to drive it back. To that end, I've had my Thaumaturges build small labs on the far reaches of the continent, wherever they think the Taint won't be able to reach. Hopefully, once there (they will?) be able to continue their research... ...abomination..."
>
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> *Much of the rest of the page is obscured by blood.*
>
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> "01-NAT-5:
>
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> That's it. I'm officially the last one left. The tainted ones go on about their days, almost like they're ordinary people. Maybe, on some level, somewhere deep inside... maybe they still are.
>
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> But what is a king with no people? As long as they are Tainted, and I am not, I am no king to anyone. So, on this day, I have no choice. There is nothing left for me to do.
>
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> I do hereby relinquish my crown, and bestow it upon the next king. May he be fit to rule, and always a strong protector of his people. To him, I give these flowers, and the kingdom's most precious treasures. May he guard them with his life, as I have.
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> As I always will."
>
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> *The end of this entry's page is spotted with blood. A message has been written in it as well.*
>
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> "PROTECT PEOPLE.
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> PROTECT FLOWERS.
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> LONG LIVE THE KING."
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>