[PLOT] An Omen of Shadow

Why did it have to be spiders

Something foul has made its way into the Adelian Rainforest. It spreads like a shadow. Creatures that do not belong in the ruins of the old Kingdom are sighted with an increasing frequency. The giant black spiders are not only a fearful sight to behold but also dangerous due to their strong chelicerae (fangs) and venomous sting. The last of Avalon’s inhabitants cannot risk what is left of their home to become even more treacherous. Guards of all tribes are alert, trying to rid the forests of as many of these shadow creatures as possible. In the growing chaos, the chief of the Lost Serpent tribe disappears, leaving the tribe vulnerable.

Spreading night

The spiders are born in the shadows of the Nocturnal Woods, but it is not only them making a march into Avalon. The darkness of the woods is spreading beyond its borders, swallowing parts of the Adelian Rainforest and leaving the people of Avalon in fear of how much it will devour in its path. Thusfar, the eternal night is not near Wealdstone yet. But how long before the whole region is blanketed by everlasting night?

Fading Magic

As the shadows and their minions creep ever closer, another tragedy befalls the inhabitants of Avalon. All those drawing magic from the source in Falerien feel it stutter, sometimes snuff out all the way for seconds. Seconds turn to minutes, minutes to hours. When it is there, it is weak, as if they have travelled to the other side of Odiria and are only barely holding on to their connection to the origin. More so than the spiders and the shadows, this instils fear in the hearts of Avalon’s tribes, especially the elves of Wealdstone. Is the Kingdom meant to fall completely, in the end?

A dying tree and the last stronghold

There follows no sigh of relief when the cause of these disasters is found. Knowing what is at the root does not come with answers on how to fix it. The tree under Falerien, the source of Avalon’s magic, has a dark patch of rot spreading slowly through its bark. A result, no doubt, of the damage once inflicted by Ashmoor and the departure of its guardian dragon. It explains the spread of shadows, luring them ever closer and the faltering wood magic. It does not provide an answer on how to heal what has been damaged.

As the tribes are desperately searching for a way to save the tree and what is left of Avalon, more and more people gather at Wealdstone, asking for refuge behind the barrier that keeps the spiders and the dark at bay. But even Wealdstone’s safety will not last. As the magic diminishes, the barrier begins to falter as well, allowing unwanted things to slip into the last stronghold of peace.