As the end of 299 CE quickly approached, unbeknownst to many in the
Basin of Life, powerful forces worked to secure the means to shape the
fate of the First World. Following the kidnapping of Jeremiah and raids
of the previous month, the ice devils -- enemies of the Basin apparently
under the command of enigmatic beings known as the Forsaken -- turned to
the cities and forests, attacking statues and trees to steal further
resources. As the fervent attacks continued into Roarkian, the weather
grew increasingly severe and erratic.

Astrologers began to note the gathering energies of a rare astrological
occurrence: the Syzygy, which happens only once every 250 years when all
the planets align in one sign. As the planetary energies converged, the
ice devils began to appear upon the Astral Plane, attacking the spheres
one by one and encasing the nodes in impenetrable ice. Overcome by
disturbing images of the astrospheres, adventurers gathered to
investigate, finding the power nodes no longer accessible through their
icy prisons and the spheres overtaken by foul, icy winds.

Despite the best efforts of brave adventurers, the astral nodes
continued to fall throughout Roarkian to the ice devils, until only
Aries remained untouched. As the Syzygy began, this final node was taken
just as a lull in the weather allowed the Basin to view briefly the
planetary alignment. Moments later, though, the convergence was hidden
from view as the sky was ripped apart by the fury of a surging tide of
cold from the north, bringing with it even more terrible weather
anomalies as the planets aligned in the Sign of the Skull. The Basin was
pelted with shards of ice, even while the ground baked beneath them.
Black lightning struck indiscriminately, rains bowed even the strongest
and the wind brought some to a complete standstill.

While the weather raged, some of the Elder gods were found in varying
states of distress. Eventru was overtaken by fear for Lyreth, and
paranoid delusions, while Morgfyre was overtaken by Hajamin and some of
His other personalities. Others were equally forgetful or erratic, save
for Raezon, who was soon found within an obsidian tower, high in
Avechna's Teeth.

As most of the Basin dealt with the attacks of the previous months,
Raezon had instructed His order, led by Nymerya, to prepare to harness
the power of the Syzygy, and constructed the tower for this purpose. It
remained hidden, secretly drawing power from the Syzygy and protecting
Raezon from the effects the other Elder gods suffered. When others
discovered the Obsidian Tower and flocked there for answers, Raezon was
unwilling to offer any information beyond questionable lectures about
the planetary alignment. In truth, He was continuing to draw power from
the Syzygy.

As His experiment reached its apex and the Syzygy began to lessen in
power, the other Elder gods were drawn to the Obsidian Tower, where they
regained a small amount of clarity, protected to a lesser degree by
Raezon's experiment. No longer distracted by the Syzygy, Raezon
questioned those gathered, sharing that He had experienced a worrying
interference in the Syzygy energies. Connecting this to the attacks on
the astrospheres, He quickly confirmed with Elostian that an outside
force was seeking power through both the Syzygy and the astral nodes.

From mortal descriptions of the ice-covered nodes, he modified his tower
to produce a sphere of plasma which would crack the icy shells covering
the nodes. He instructed those in the tower to gather essence to power
the tower now that the Syzygy was complete. Once the icy covering was
cracked, each node had to be drained completely to break any link to
their power which had been established during the Syzygy.

After many bits of essence had been placed in the constructs within the
tower, Miciah retrieved the first sphere, freeing the node of Cancer,
which Magnagora then sought to drain. Mortals continued to free and
drain the nodes for two months, fighting waves of ice shades and wraiths
that erupted from within the dead bodies of astral creatures to defend
the nodes. Those that battled the ice creatures were covered with more
and more debilitating ice bites.

Finally, the last node was fully drained by the combined forces of the
Basin, the last bit of power drawn by the hand of Aerys, breaking the
ice devils hold on the Astral Plane. As the ice melted from the node on
Aquarius, the excess energy churned in the air to form a portal, through
which an enormous plain of rotten ice could be seen, upon which
thousands upon thousands of ice devils faced an enormous marble tower,
encrusted with glowing gems stones. Sitting forlorn on a ledge of the
tower was Jeremiah Gryphta, who quickly leaped from the ledge and dived
through the portal. As it closed behind him, several cloaked figures
could be seen turning in surprise.

Lehki beckoned to Jeremiah as Ixion led those gathered on Aquarius home
to Jeremiah's place on Avechna's Peak. Jeremiah then produced the
Hearthstone of Il'vania, telling them that Il'vania was a Vernal Goddess
and that the stone carried with it the warmth and love of a good home.
Touching it, they were relieved to be healed of the ice bites which they
had accumulated in their battles on the Astral Plane to free the twelve
nodes and rewarded with Czigany coins.

Many questions still remain about the intentions of the ice devils (and
their mysterious masters) and what goals were accomplished by capturing
the energies of both the Syzygy and the astral nodes. What was the
marble tower seen through the portal on Aquarius? And, for that matter,
what about the Obsidian Tower of Raezon? Perhaps the true purpose of
these two towers, marble and obsidian, will remain unknown forever,
along with the mystery of what it may have gained for their masters.

However, even though the wild storms passed with the freeing of the
Astral Plane, the sky remained wounded above the Basin of Life with no
sign of healing.

Thus, the Era of the Wounded Sky has begun.

Penned by My hand on the 23rd of Urlachmar, in the year 300 CE.