Even before the Calamity, power in the Empire was distributed along hazy lines between too many grasping hands. The matter was not helped by a society brutally fractured by a cataclysm of unprecedented scale, the intrusion of malevolent Gods and eldritch creatures, and constant war since the Restoration Period. Yet most citizens of the Empire are able to pinpoint the prominent holders of power and the rulers of the realm.

Non-Imperial Deities of the Fourth Age

‘Immaruu faleact Arkon iirat!’ (approx.: ‘Arkon’s light shall shine on your path!’)

- Oghre religious chant

‘I piss on your gods! When I’m done with you, your spirit can go tell them just that!’

- Ran’Garr, Orc mercenary

Naturally, Imperial gods are not the only ones worshiped in the Riven Realms. Religious beliefs and deities are as diverse as the inhabitants of the lands themselves.

The Triumvirate

‘Whether or not the Divine are our children or we are theirs, our relationship in this post-apocalyptic era with the Gods represent our needs and inner struggles. Thus, Bal Ur Kaal is our treachery, Sergorod is our anger, and Ahskul? Ahskul is death itself.’

- From the last lecture of the scholar Ludvinius Cadvo before his execution for blasphemy against the Triumvirate

‘Because what are gods, really? Did they create us or did we create them? Is there something truly divine out there or all the gods are merely mortals who achieved apotheosis through the mysteries and energies of the universe? These questions have always intrigued Men of this modern age as well as past eras. Yet, these are not the questions one should be asking. What one should be asking instead is: what is the reason for our need to be governed and guided by omnipotent beings?’

Ran’Garr

The iron-headed axe bounced off the chitinous scythe arms of the warrior insect with a loud clang but managed to shove one of the arms to the side. It would not have mattered much because Ran’Garr’s opponent closed up its defenses quickly but the Orc had prepared for this. He delivered a savage kick to the Yrg’s head. The attack could not damage the heavily armored dome, yet it was powerful enough to daze the creature for a few seconds. Ran’Garr’s off-hand already held an obsidian dagger by then. After a lightning fast feint with the axe he rammed the blade into the confused bug’s right compound eye with such force that his fist sank into the ruined socket. The Yrg shuddered violently from the terrible wound, screeching in a high-pitched tone. Abusing the creature’s momentary stun from the pain, the Orc captain let go of the dagger and shoved his own body under the bug’s forward segments, then heaved the insect upwards. The Yrg fell back, blocking the narrow tunnel it had entered through, denying any more warrior insects passage. Ran’Garr finished his helpless opponent off with a merciless two-handed axe blow to its softer underparts.

'Many thought the continent and its inhabitants dead but at length, survivors began to crawl out of their hiding places and faced a land that no longer welcomed them. Magical anomalies, the fallout of The Calamity, as well as changed and twisted creatures now shared their home. Terrible beings entered through the cracks in the tapestry of reality and ascended to rule over the natives. In time, these new powers rebuilt the fallen Empire in their own image, and the Riven Realms, godless and vengeful, rose from the ashes. The inhabitants of the land now eke out a living under the crushing rule of the new Empire. The continent itself constantly resists our every attempt at building a cozy home for ourselves.'

- Agos, old wanderer

For a long time after the Calamity, most of the continent was engulfed in arcane storms that made large regions completely uninhabitable. Most survivor communities spent decades and decades underground or in isolated areas. Around four centuries after the cataclysm, much of the magical anomalies became less intense or mysteriously withdrew to certain regions and have remained there ever since. Some of this may be attributed to the Twelve and their reappearance (and they have certainly taken the credit – in the name of the Emperor of course). At any rate, the inhabitants of the continent started the slow process of repopulating and resettling. However, this proved extremely difficult and time-consuming as the land was practically unrecognizable and filled with danger.

Sekethma

Vagrus Sekethma rubbed her eyes and tried to focus on the thin rows of letters written in a soldierly hand, strewn across the pages of the small, leather-bound book in front of her. Reading back your own words is so difficult sometimes. She sighed. No matter how many times I look, I won’t find anything more that would make this easier.Yet, she could not help herself. It was her way: every few days or so she poured over the pages of her diary to meditate on past choices and future challenges in the dim candlelight of her tent. This was in addition to the half hour or so she spent each day writing the actual entries. The last few weeks were especially demanding on the road, which called for even more reflection than usual. Why did I take the job? Her tired eyes wandered to the open flaps of the tent. Outside, night had already settled. Muffled noises could be heard from the beasts and guards of the comitatus, but generally, everything seemed quiet. She wondered if her people were up to the task ahead. Was it truly a great opportunity, or more an act of desperation? Is it possible to tell the difference?

'After only days Xeryn was reduced to little more than rubble and cursed wastelands... ‘Eventually the gods could not tolerate such horrors done in their name. Foretold by a slew of divine omens, they descended upon the Empire to right its wrongs. In a chain of dreadful events that became known as The Calamity, they destroyed the Empire in a matter of days. The gods then saw what they had done in their anger and confusion. It is said that grief and shame broke them, and they left this reality, never to return.’

- Agos, old wanderer

The Calamity is perhaps the single most important event in the history of the Empire and the continent of Xeryn, if not the entire world. It changed everything; nature’s laws no longer apply to many places, the fabric of reality is broken, all cultures involved were changed irreversibly, and the creators of the universe disappeared. Ever since then, a new calendar has been in use. All of this began with the Omens, about a month prior to the devastation.

Duro

Duro was walking along the trough, checking to see if all the beasts were drinking properly. Not taking clear water was one of the first indications of certain illnesses. Even though Duro was not the most experienced handler, he’s been picking up on beast lore fairly quickly since he left his distant homeland three years ago. These days he was working alongside Grea and the rest of the animal handlers with sufficient confidence. Suddenly he became aware of an Ifreanni emitting a low hissing sound as it lowered its head. The small frill at its neck was opening and closing slowly. Duro stepped carefully but decisively to the horse-sized lizard’s left and drew it away by the reins, leading it to the far end of the trough while cursing under his breath. He tied the mount to a post, watching the creature’s attitude and color change immediately; its scale hue became a lighter orange and it stopped stretching its frills.

‘But after thousands of years of progress and incomparable achievements, inevitably, the Empire began to fall into stagnation and decadence. Madly holding onto their privileges while resisting change and trying to avert the collapse of their society, the Emperor and his theocracy took to measures that rivaled that of true despots in cruelty.’

- Agos, old wanderer

At the time of the game’s present, the Calamity - the cataclysm that nearly wiped out the continent of Xeryn and everyone on it - is in the distant past, having occurred over a millennia ago. Still, due to the immense powers let loose upon the land, the scars of that disaster can very much be perceived everywhere. And though such a long time had passed that people of this age cannot even imagine what the world was like before the Calamity, it that does not mean there are no legends about what happened…