The Tides of Khaos

"The storm of Khaos does not break upon the world—it seeps, it festers, it consumes. And when the tide is high, even the gods shall drown." — Hoshiko, the Dragonpriestess

Prelude: The Gathering Storm

The Tides of Khaos were first foretold in the Temple of The Twin Dragons within the City of Hojo, the capital of the Y’azi Empire. Hoshiko, the Jade Prophetess and emissary of the Dragon Emperor, spoke of a coming cataclysm—an ancient storm long thought quelled, now rising once more. She spoke of Unknown Warrior-King Varaghast Ghuul, the Wraith-Lord, and the Khaos Rift—a wound in reality festering above the remains of Skald, The Shattered, the fallen Elementari of ice. If this wound was not sealed, the ruinous powers of Khaos would consume all.

The Sunsations and their allies heeded her warning, but prophecy alone was not enough—they needed knowledge, weapons, and an army.

The Shadow of War

Seeking wisdom on the nature of Khaos, the Sunsations ventured to the Temple of Fujin and the Temple of Raijin, where the venerable storm sages awaited.

• Master Shen Agatsu of Fujin spoke of the war against Valkur, the first warrior-king of Norska and chosen champion of the Khaos Gods, whose conquest nearly shattered the world.
• Master Orochi Agatsu of Raijin recounted the battles of the past and the cycle of ruin that forever threatened to repeat.

From them, the Sunsations learned that to defeat Khaos, one must fight not only with steel and magic but with unyielding will, for Khaos does not merely destroy—it corrupts.

The Archives of Empyrean

Before they could march north, another threat emerged—Yokai the Blood King, an Oni warlord who sought to weaken the Y’azi Empire before the Tribes of Khaos could invade.

The Sunsations hunted him through the Sakura Spirit Woods, struggling against his nightmarish magic before slaying him in ritual combat. With his death, the path was laid bare to the Unknown, where the Talons of the Timeless Tome revealed dark truths to the wayward adventurers (see: The Edicts of Empyrean).

• The Unknown, the ruinous gods who whisper to the warlords of the North.
• The truth of the Khaos Rift, a wound in the world releasing the souls of the damned.
• The Severed Shadow—Valekith, a name barely spoken even in dread, the puppetmaster of Varaghast Ghuul himself.

With this knowledge, they sought allies for the inevitable war ahead.

Dawn of the Rising Dragon: The Y'azi War Council

Hoshiko stood before Dragon Emperor Ryujin Hattori, urging him to rally the Imperial Y'azi Guntai before it was too late (see: Dawn of the Rising Dragon). With the support of Solandir, Inquisitor from the Talons of the Timeless Tome, they forged an alliance, readying the banners of the empire for war.

Their call did not go unanswered.

• The Vanir Fleet of Aerenal set sail, warriors of the elves sailing to war.
• Adventurers of the Emris Adventuring Guild joined, heroes from across Tolria rallying to the cause.

But war was not to be won by armies alone.

A strike team was needed—one that would cut off the head of the snake, slay Varaghast Ghuul, and seal the Rift before the tides consumed the world.

The Sunsations, Tatsujiro Kazuo, Drogar Frostfoot, and Solandir, rode the feathered dragon - Zaigetsu - and set course for the Forlorn Flames of Fyrashan.

The Tides of Khaos

Horde of the Damned

As they soared over the volcanic lands of Unknown, they beheld the horde of Khaos—a tide of ruin marching southward.

• Khaos Titans strode amidst the throng, colossal beings of war and destruction.
• Unknown Marauders, their bodies twisted with mutations, chanted in the black tongue.
• Ulfbjorn Werebears, hulking monstrosities, prowled between the legions.
• Daemonic Warbands, spilling forth from rifts torn in reality itself.

This was not a war—it was annihilation made manifest as the Tribe of Ulfbjorn, Tribe of Valhrafnar, Tribe of Bloddvergur, and Tribe of Frostgnar marched upon the southern Y’azi Peninsula.

The Veil of Valkur

Their mission took a grim turn when Varaghast Ghuul ambushed them, astride the wight-wyrm Azrythal.

The sky was torn asunder as the dragon’s frostfire breath sent Zaigetsu crashing into the Veil of Valkur, a realm of eternal battle where the shrieking spirits of the damned fought forever—Norskan raiders, Fyrashan warriors, Y'azi Dragonborn, all locked in endless war.

It was only by the hand of Ashtai, the Spirit-Seer, that they escaped the cursed mists, pressing onward into Norska. But their trials had only begun.

The Champions of Khaos

The Hunter & The Beast

As they traversed the tundra, they were hunted by Yavok Starpath, the deadliest marksman in the north. From miles away, he rained ice-enchanted arrows upon them, leading them into an ambush.

The Sunsations fell into an icy cavern, where they faced Pali the bloodthirsty bearserker, a twisted Tribe of Ulfbjorn Werebear, mutated beyond reason. Chance, Sir Galathil Dawnshroud, and Fjolnir fought valiantly, but fell to the horrors of Khaos. Their bodies were burned with Riftfire, ensuring they would not return as abominations.

Now with vengeance in their hearts, the Sunsations pressed forward.

The Final Battle: The Ribcage of Skald

Beneath glacial ice, upon the frozen remains of Skald the Shattered, the Khaos Rift loomed, an open wound in the heavens.

There, Varaghast Ghuul stood upon his draconic steed, waiting.

Phase 1: The Wrath of the Warlord

Varaghast, met them in brutish combat, his might bending reality itself. Each strike sent shockwaves of corruption, summoning daemons from the abyss.

Meanwhile, Solandir began his ritual to close the Rift, but the forces of Khaos surged forth to stop him at all costs.

Phase 2: Woe of the Wight-Wyrm

Sensing defeat, Varaghast turned to his lich-dragon Azrythal, consuming the wyrm’s undead soul in a grotesque ritual. His form twisted, contorting into a Khaos-Warped Specter, a being of endless torment.

But all was not lost, as the spirits had answered...

The Prophecy of Lightfall: Ashtai’s Redemption

From the battlefield’s edge, Ashtai, the last Fyrashan Spirit-Seer, stepped forth, leading the souls of his ancestors to war.

"The cycle must end. The tyrant must fall. The Rift must close."

Ashtai’s spectral form merged with Heran Lightfall, the prophesied Fyrashan warrior whom had stood against Varaghast, long ago.

As Varaghast turned, their hands clasped his skull, and the stolen souls within him screamed forth, shattering his body and sundering his spirit.

In his final act, Solandir sealed the Rift—but not before the Severed Shadow returned.

The Severed Shadow

As the Rift closed, a darkness unlike any other descended upon the battlefield.

A figure emerged, half-formed yet whole, a nightmare of shifting void.

Valekith had returned to the Prime Plane.

With a single motion, he reached forth, his spectral claw piercing Ashtai’s chest, and in an instant, the Spirit-Seer was gone, consumed into the abyss.

Before the Sunsations could react, Valekith vanished, leaving only ruin in his wake.

The battle was won—but the war had only just begun.