Scar Headbringer by John Karnay

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Failing devotion to Atlarian and decadent innovations soon gave way to selfish goals. Magic and power above all else became their pursuit. In their out reaching expansion to the East and continued decadence abroad, affronts were committed against other ancient gods in the name of Atlarian. As Atlantis continued its expansion, Gareth's progeny lacked their ancestor's diplomatic wisdom in their ventures. Intolerance for other cultures gave way to crusades in the name of Atlarian. The eastern gods grew angry and refused to be extinguished. The sons of Gareth in their decadence found it easier to forcefully enforce the fealty of their new holdings. They found however, that some were less willing to be ruled.


Part 2: The Fall of the First Age of Atlantis

Since the Beginning, the light has struggled against the dark, dispelling it with its truth and the undying hope that someday, all of the shadows of our world will vanish. Long ago before the dawn of the First Age, the Elves of Avalon and members of the Humans of Atlantis made an oath to share the burdens of the light. Their royal blood was mixed with ours through the bonds of marriage and we came to coexist in peace . Atlantean sons and daughters were born of Elvish blood. From their unions our beloved Queen of Elx, was born. Her beauty and virtue brought peace and prosperity to Avalon.. Our children danced in the forests and basked in the light of her rule. Our Table of Life grew and the Order of the Circle of Light was formed. Together we fought back the darkness not as two races but as one united family. For a time, many believed the darkness had bee expelled from our world forever, until the Shadows crept forth from the Mire Dark.
In the twilight, it slinked onto our shores and slithered across our golden sands. It spat venom into our sleeping eyes and by the fairest locks of golden and amber hair, it grabbed hold of her that we held dear and drug her back to the Irlking. In the darkest depths of that haunted forest, the Irlking tore every ray of light from our beloved Queen. The avatar of Darkness penetrated her every fiber and left his rotten unnatural seed within her to grow and multiply. And before she returned to the light, her pain was great and from her great pain the Darkness was reborn. Her children were the Druas, and the shadow of their cruel master followed them from birth.
No measure of mercy can ever be afforded that wicked interloper. So black is the heart of the Irlking, that no light can penetrate its murky mass. This is the inheritance of our beloved Queen's labor. Children of the Shadow, the Druas walk never knowing the joys of Avalon. But unlike the blackness of the Irlking's heart, the shadows that shroud the Druas show hope. For where there are shadows, there must be light.
- Uranther PennDrake, Lord of Avalon-
-Excerpted from the Folk Lore of the Elves of Avalon-


East of Tartessos in a forest known as Mire Dark, an ancient evil as old as the elves of Avalon initiated a eon old plan to destroy Atlarian and the Atlantean way.