Guardians of the Void: The Lost Legend of the Riftblades
Before recorded history, when the very air crackled with untamed magic and the earth thrummed with primal power, legends tell of beings who commanded the essence of reality itself: the Riftblades. These were not mere mages; they were dimensional guardians, masters of every magical Aspect, born in an age of roaring storms and whispering shadows.
Their first duty was forged in chaos: to stand sentinel against the tears in reality – the Rifts – and hold back the tide of horrors known as the Bodak that poured forth. They were the realm's stalwart protectors, weathering dimensional incursions until the gateways slammed shut. Yet, fate twisted their charge. The Riftblades discovered these portals were not just wounds bleeding monsters into their world; they were pathways. They could take the fight to the enemy, into the Bodak's alien home dimension: The Void.
Perhaps it was the crushing weight of their duty, or constant exposure to the raw chaos they manipulated, but the Riftblades became figures of awe and fear. Arrogant? Perhaps. They held themselves aloof from mortal politics, knowing their power could level cities. So when the chance came to invade The Void, they embraced it with righteous fervor. Squads assembled, hearts pounding, venturing into that unnatural stillness where the air tasted stale and wrong. Their mission: hunt the Bodak in their abyssal cradle and end the threat forever.
They were unprepared. The Void defied the laws of reality they knew, twisting space and sanity alike. That first campaign was slaughter. Generations of Riftblades were lost. Yet, defeat only tempered their will. They carved out a beachhead, learned the twisted ways of the alien dimension, and began pushing the Bodak back. Within The Void's broken landscapes, they found unique sources of immense magical power, components unseen in their home realm, and the Riftblades' already formidable might grew exponentially.
But years, perhaps decades, spent warring in that alien dimension changed them. When they finally returned, expecting a heroes' welcome, they found… chaos. Not the war that eventually overtook the region, but Humans, Skarn, Aetheron, and Fateweavers alike, they all turned on the Riftblades from the moment they returned. Inexplicable fear overshadowed their every step, and it was mere days before hostilities broke out en masse.
What happened next is an enigma whispered in desolate ruins. A once-magnificent Riftblade city now lies scattered across a hundred miles of cursed desert. The very ground is sterile, gray, repelling life like a festering wound. No seed sprouts, no creature endures, and magic itself sputters and dies, choked by an unseen force. Some who dare venture near claim to hear faint whispers on the wind – echoes of a single, terrible, final scream. It speaks not of battle, but of erasure.
Today, the Riftblades are figures of myth. The Riftblade Prophecy, predicting their return, is relegated to dusty scrolls and hushed debate. Yet, a vigilant few still watch, waiting for the signs.
What secrets lie buried in that cursed city? What power did the Riftblades ultimately unleash, or fall victim to? And will the Prophecy be fulfilled? Follow the journey of the first Skarn and Human to brave the Void in centuries, and perhaps, be the first to witness the dawn of a new Riftblade era.
