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--- lore [2025/12/18 11:42] – gamemaster
+++ lore [2026/01/16 05:36] (current) – gamemaster
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+===== Aroden =====
+Aroden was born a pure-blooded Azlanti human (Azlanti is literally Atlantis, but more war with the lizardfolk). While other races had their own gods (such as the serpent god Ydersius who was beheaded by an Azlanti hero named Savith, making most racial gods fearful of the Azlanti people), humans had no specifically human god. Amaznen and Acavna looked out for the Azlanti people, but they were the gods of magic and the moon respectively and thus their favor could be lost.
+It is important to understand the following. Aroden was born during a time where prophecy was not prediction, but fact. The Aeons largely ruled. All were bound by fate and there was no reason to fight back. Granted, the Azlanti largely ignored this and attempted to change fate, but always failed. (GM's Note: prophecy was very wishy-washy Greek-style prophecy. Think, "if you go to war, a nation will fall" or the wording is so vague that any powerful wizard can fulfill it. This is intentional and since magic is real, fulfilling a prophecy does actually give you incredible power. If a prophecy says a god will rise on X date from Y area, a god WILL rise, but who the god is can vary. But, pre-Aroden's supposed death, the prophecies were more strict).
+Aroden was a naturally-born and exceptionally talented creator of magical artifacts. He crafted a sword said so powerful it could slay a god (the Azlanti Diamond). This became his personal weapon when he decided that there was nobody worthy enough to wield the weapon. In the stories, in their rage against his decision, the Alghollthu used their magic to destroy the world. To buy time, Acavna tried to shield the Earth with the Moon (harming herself in the process), but it clearly would fail. Amaznen, moved by the plight of the Azlanti people, sacrificed himself by taking the brunt of the asteroid. During this period, the very concept of magic was destroyed and lost for a long time (until the human Old Mage Jatembe would rediscover it in the Mwangi expanse, with some rumors claiming it was from torturing the severed head of Ydersius, god of the lizardfolk). Special note, it is believed that the largest piece of the asteroid that hit the god of magic is what later became the Starstone.
+When Azlanti was destroyed (it's literally Atlantis + destruction of the dinosaurs), he took a group of Azlanti people and escaped from the destruction and fled. Despite no magic working, his powerful magical artifacts (namely the sword he refused to give over, despite a promise to give it to someone worthy), saved their lives many times.
+The next period is near completely lost to history. Aroden somehow discovered magic, immortality, and knowledge of all outer planes and teleportation. Some claim he delved into hell and out-smarted devils to gain the knowledge. Others claim he traveled the realms between dreams and nightmares to learn the reality of the universe. "He placed his soul in the very veins of creation!" "He visited Pharasma just to have a knowledge of death!" He also killed a demon lord (not a rumor, he did that). Rumors also spread that he was found in every corner of the planet as some undercover fisherman, farmer, merchant, innkeeper, etc. All stories agree though. If there was a human experience to be had, he experienced it. This was all pre-divinity.
+It was during this time, people started to claim that he was a god. And not just any god, but THE god in the ancient prophecy. The prophecy said the Last Azlanti will rise to godhood, reclaim the throne of glass, and create a new Azlanti kingdom. Aroden felt a calling to the Starstone. After 5000 years, the god of magic gave him one final gift and he became a god. Given the choice of his domains, he choose to become the God of Humans.
+{{ :districts:aroden_founds_absalom.webp |}}
+As his first act of godhood, he created the city of Absalom. Soon, it was beset by all sorts of attacks, but he defended each and every one of them.
+Skipping as this is getting long (it is a big deal in Pathfinder lore though, hence all the details). The main thing is that about 400 years after the founding of Absalom, Aroden left for the Outer Planes to continue his discovery of new knowledge. But, before he left, a prophecy was uttered that he would come again and bring about a new age, an Age of Glory.
+Then, in the year 4606, on the day of the prophecy, festivals were held all around the world for Aroden's return. Then, he didn't appear. More specifically, a gigantic never-ending hurricane appeared off the coast of Mwangi (which flooded that entire area, causing two different empires to be destroyed in the process), all clerics and champions of Aroden lost their abilities, and all divination spells to find Aroden automatically failed. Also, the Aeons caused math to sort of not work for like 2 weeks as they needed to come up with new mathematical models to account for fate not working (aka, the Heisenber uncertainty principle was invented in 4606 AR because a god died in Pathfinder).
+And possibly most importantly, prophecies were proven to be something that could fail. If prophecies could fail, perhaps Pharasma could find a way to defeat the Outer Gods. And what others have said, if prophecies can fail, perhaps they can be heavily manipulated.
 ====== Absalom ======
-The history of Absalom and the history of Aroden are tightly intertwined, as such these two will be presented at the same time.
+The majority of the important information about the history of Absalom is found in the details about Aroden. Absalom is so important that the founding of Absalom serves as year 1 in Pathfinder year counting. Absalom was founded in 1 AR, Aroden failed to appear in 4606 AR, and Pathfinder 2e Agents of Edgewatch takes place in 4721 AR. So, the ability to overcome fate is extremely new, only 115 years old. Some elves were still alive during the time that fate was destroyed.
-===== Aroden =====
+The early history of Absalom was one of constant sieges, but growing hope and prosperity.
+What is important for this campaign is the two major events.
+In 4717 AR, there was the fiendflesh siege. This was an attack by the Dwarven traitor Thurl (cousin of Staunton Vhale, who also betrayed the crusades near the worldwound). It was during this time that the leader of Absalom went missing and Starborn started to rise to power.
+In 4719 AR, seeing a weak Absalom, the lich king Tar-Baphon led an army to claim the city as his own. This is why the city has so much necromancy in the precipice quarters. During this defense, Starborn solidified his legitimacy as defender of the city.
 ====== The Planar Wars ======