The Betrayal of the Bloodstars and the Great Blighting

by Turin Erickson, Last true King of Iashalur, Light of The Austere Star

It began with Leopold's rebellion. The Holy Church of Sanguis Astroism, the one true faith was in its golden age. We were at our greatest extent with the Theocracies of Morek, Corsanctum, Astrum, and Iashalur stretching from East to West. The Farronite Republic and Swordfell held Sanguis Astroism as their state religions. Aurvandil, the realm of the sorceror Mendicant who held nobles as his thrall stood as the last nation to reject our faith.

In those days I was King of Holy Iashalur the Western most theocracy which stood nearest the Bloodstars. The holy prophet Mathurin, still with us in those days called a crusade against Aurvandil. I arranged long expeditions, to do what little I could for this holy cause. Had I known Mendicant would one day fall prey to his own black magic I would never have left. Alas the distance was too great and our soldiers would always take to desertion. On my final attempt at this expedition the craven traitor Leopold staged a rebellion against me. While I was miles away unable to even fight, my court was conquered and my realm stolen from me. I was respected all over the world, I had many friends who could have helped me take back my realm, but I chose to let the matter pass. I did not want to bring harm to Iashalur, and Leopold promised to remain a theocracy and maintain faithful rule of the realm. This was my greatest mistake. Would that I had listened to the Maddening star on that day this catastrophe may have been averted entirely.

I lived in exile for years after the rebellion fighting always for the cause of Sanguis Astroism. I fought for the realm of Terran when it declared itself a theocracy and the church ordered a crusade in its defense. It was around this time that the holy prophet Mathurin disappeared. In the war for Terran I was wounded by an arrow to the head. I believe this wound opened a third eye allowing me to see spiritual auras and judge how in tune they were with the Blood Stars and whether or not they were balanced. I also began having profound and vivid dreams which I now believe foretold the coming doom.

In time Leopold betrayed the church, withdrew from the Northern Astroist Federation and declared Niselur a secular monarchy. Compounding his betrayal he attacked the Theocracy of Astrum and another crusade began. I returned to Astrum, mother realm to Iashalur and my former home. I fought first as marshal, then as general, ultimately I commanded the armies of all the theocracies, wielding the power of Luminary of the Maddening star. We fought with courage and zeal and won many early victories, but we were poisoned from within. Some traitor who's name we may never know sold away the food stores of Astrum dooming us to a slow death. With no other choice, we sued for peace with Niselur.

With the decline of the theocracies came a waning in the blessing of the blood stars all across the western continent. Dark magic, the vile byproduct of an unbalanced heart became common place. One supremely evil person, Jonsu Himoura used her witchcraft to gain control of the temple guard as Mendicant had done, and named herself prophetess of Sanguis Astroism. The voices of the church cried out as one that they would not obey this false prophet, this harpy in the guise of a woman. She soon lost control of her spell and Alaster Kabrinski son of the infamous Allison Kabrinski also gained control of the temple guard. The two rivaled for some time. In the end Jonsu was cast out. Helm Altenahr and Alaster ruled the church after that as equal Justicars. Ultimately Alaster abused his power and Helm slew him in a duel, but that was after the great cataclysm.

There can be no doubt that these acts of sorcery and impiety gave rise to the cataclysm. The timing is too perfect for it to not be so. Monsters and undead poured forth, the likes of which had not been seen since the earliest days of Dwilight. They consumed the Western realms in a matter of days. Niselur and its ally Asylon were among the first to fall, the justice of the Blood Stars was done to them at last.

This is the fate that befell us when we took the Blood Stars for granted. Lax faith is what brought us to this ruin. I fear if our faith is not restored there will be darker times to come and yet also I hope that one day all the hearts of Dwilight will open to the glory of the Blood Stars and they be our guiding light, drawing us Westward as they did in days past.