The Advent of the Third Era

473 years ago, the Second Era came to an abrupt and violent end. A planet-wide eclipse plunged the planet into a small ice age, lasting for a total of fifty years. The cause is still unknown to this day, and it came as suddenly as it went. Or so is believed by most.

When the eclipse began, the world slowly but surely transformed into a frozen wasteland. Crops failed, and the great cities faced a struggle for survival, with revolutions shaking the political landscape of Iskandria. Millions died.

But even among all the death and desperation, deeper changes appeared to be taking place in the world’s background. After the first generation died and a new one was born under the perennial darkness, the first Fatebender appeared. The concept of divining the seas of fate was seen as preposterous by all scholars of the time, much less so possessing the ability to influence it. But the evidence became clear when Jhokum the Seer passed the Ten Trials of Afaromenides. This, as much as the cursed eclipse, marked the beginning of a new age, at least in the eyes of most scholars.

Guided by Jhokhum, several countries and organizations pulled their resources together and created the Order of the Dawn. This alliance of the brightest minds and bravest hearts across all nations aimed to end the eclipse and uncover the truth. They journeyed through Iskandria, braving the cold and battling the horrors that had dug their way out of the planet’s depths and now roamed freely. Their quest led them to the Frozen Enclave, a hidden fortress deep beneath the ice. There, they found the remnants of an ancient civilization, and learned of the Eclipse Stone, a powerful artifact capable of controlling celestial events. Apparently, said stone was kept under a protective spell, shielding the planet from its effects, but that protection was now gone.

It took another decade before the Order of the Dawn managed to finally locate the Eclipse Stone, and the Order’s most powerful magicians sacrificed their lives creating a new protective shield. They also built a sanctuary around it, what would later be known as the Frostborne Citadel. With the stone’s power contained, the eclipse ended as abruptly as it began. The sun pierced through the shroud, bringing warmth back to Iskandria and to a generation that had never felt it on their skin. The planet began to thaw, and the Third Era continued, defined by the inhabitants' resilience and unity.