Editing The Valley of Darkness:Main Page (section)

== The Darkening: ==

History tells the inhabitants of the valley that for more than a century, prior to the Darkening, the world around their valley had erupted into catastrophic war.  The war, it is said, reached unimaginable levels of horror, depravity and destruction, wizards and priest around the world had invited creatures of the outer planes to come over and assist them in their pursuit of their goals.  Somehow, this valley had managed to stay mostly free of much of the conflict that went on around them, however, and many began to realize that something drastic must be done. 

So the people of influence from around the valley began to work on a way to prevent the war from overlapping into their relatively peaceful home.  As time passed, pressure mounted for those involved to succeed, so they too started to recruit help, but only from outside their valley, they limited their recruitment, allowing only mortals to contribute.  This collaboration is why Drow are regular members of society, for they were amongst some of the greatest wizards contributing to the ritual spell they eventually cast.

Sadly, something went terribly wrong with the casting of the spell, for all those involved were permanently turned to stone: every form of enchantment breaking magic and transmutation has been used upon them since the Darkening, all to no avail.  However, it appeared to accomplish that which they said it would, albeit with some unexpected side effect.  

Upon the completion of the ritual a thick, miasmic darkness descended around the valley in a palpable line.  In the early years, many people would cross over the line of darkness, seeking news from the outside, brave adventurers seeking unknown glory, lovesick family members or sweethearts searching for a lost loved one, they all went into the shadows but never returned.  The Darkness stretches around the entirety of the valley, beginning just where the statues of those great wizards, priests and other people of power stood to enact their one last hope.  Even out in the mouth of the Bay, there is a line of statues that appear to be standing upon the surface of the sea, where the heroes who were there to contribute to the ritual, were levitating or flying.

The only remnant of the bright, beautiful realm they lived in before the darkening, the people of the valley have is their subdued sun.  While their sun rises and sets every day, as it has done since the creation of their world, the darkness seems to sap away some of its light, subduing it, making it appear to be twilight, even in the middle of the longest day of the year.

Many, if not most of the people have come to hate the darkness, saying they should have taken their chances with the war.  At least then they would have died normally.  There are those who believe this darkness is supernatural and not of their world, that it is cold, and smacks of the freightful, Dark Goddess Shar, Mistress of the Night.