The Fall of Morata

Summary
Morata's losses during the Cellian wars and over-farming led to a series of catastrophes which led to a rapid collapse of the ancient society.

Growing Dissent
In the summer of 1670, the normal procession of Alfar hopefuls trained to become Sun Knights, Commissars, and Clerics in trials conducted atop Feba Rise at Jayenas Lodge. Two of them, Fenalia and Euron, were children of a heretic executed by Supreme Commissar Ruha. Fenalia fought with anger and wrath in the trials, and was consequently barred from becoming a Sun Knight. Euron, more reserved and kind, was granted the title. As they prayed that night in a quiet vigil, the earth trembled and a Baxiajus emerged. Though slain, it was an unpleasant sign of the coming darkness.

In addition to personal grievances, Morata had grown excessive. Greedy farmers over harvested the soil until it could not support any reserves in case of disaster. Similarly, the best corn was grown across the valleys and the possibility of a single blight loomed. Blind to this, the commissars sought only to solidify their power and centralize Morata under them. Resistance to this came primarily from those supported by Fenalia, who suggested that Morata needed to live a harder life so that they were prepared in case of disaster.

Lastly, many of the clerics became too clouded with their own morality and lost the way of Feyus. Instead of preaching kindness and generosity, there were hunts for heretics and unbelievers among the Alfar. The clerics, so sure of themselves, cast out potential allies and created new enemies in order to keep their society pure and free of corruption.

Second Sulphur Invasion
Early in the year of 1701, trembling earth beneath Mount Sulphur caused the Supreme Commissar Ruha to send a Commissar and two Sun Knights – Euron among them – to investigate. They arrived and quickly discovered that shards of the Adamant beneath the mountain were being corrupted by strange invaders with black skin who worshipped Darnus. Alfter several battles, the trio were defeated by the invaders.

The eruption of Mount Sulphur spread ash across the land and allowed demons under Bathud the Dark – a demon spawn of Axxaasto cursed by Feyus with a seed of Alfar – to strike. Bathud wished to claim the magical Guardian of Alfaria located within the Solarium atop the city of Alfaria. With her was Iridian leader Vax'izuta who had claimed the power of the Adamantite as his own. Together they wiped out all local resistance and pushed ever closer to the Coast Valley of Morata.

The Battle of South Lodge
Ruha gathered an army of 500 Sun Knight volunteers and 2000 Moratan Soldiers from nearby villages and marched to South Lodge. Unfortunately, a strong hurricane arrived and caused massive damage to infrastructure and prevented more Alfar from arriving. Fearing he would be too late, Ruha set out to battle prematurely with under-fed, under-equipped, and disorganized soldiers. Bathud was caught by surprise, yet Ruha instructed his army to give their opponents time to set up for battle so as not to be dishonourable. Vax'itua's army of 4000 Iridians joined Bathud's handful of demons and although the Sun Knights held fast, the arrival of many Baxiajus' and Zlokijus' proved unstoppable. When the Alfar tried to flee, Vax'itua allowed the Adamantite to release a devastating flurry of flame which killed many hundred more Sun Knights.

The Last Light
Ruha and his band fled east towards the Coast Valley. He dispatched a group of adventurers to warn Alfaria of the coming army. Gruhnd the Tokai would go on to be made a Sun Knight for his deeds, and set out to roam the valleys to protect whatever Alfar he finds. The warning arrived with just enough time for the High Clerics to evacuate and mount a defence. The Demons were slain, but the cost was high.

Fenalia took her revenge and killed Ruha and his followers. She claimed herself as Queen of Morata, and pledged to protect those who followed her. Initial success and imported food allowed her to win their trust in the first few months. She set up her Kingdom in Osiria, new capital of Morata.

In the south, Vax'itua succeeded in causing Feba Rise to erupt. Alfaria was lost to the ash, and the Emerald Valley was blocked from the sun. The mountain continues to erupt frequently, and the entire valley became a toxic land of poison gas, Merrin Weed, and acid rain.

Alyoza Rises
The demon Bathud was defeated, but during her invasion one of her demon lieutenants, the once-alfar Alyoza, set off to raise a new army. As Morata fell into anarchy, he used a hidden lair to muster more soldiers. In the winter of 1708, the corrupt Commissar unleashed his army. Although he failed to maintain control of them all, he succeeded in turning a large part of the Emerald Valley into a dark lair.