Main > Compendia > History > Shattered Age > The Shattering

Overview

The Shattering (Commontongue) was the first great cataclysm of the universe, named for the thematic damage that was done to the Integrum, specifically the creation of the Shards and the creation of the Abyss.

Lore about The Shattering is rare and incomplete. The cataclysm was only ever understood by the survivors, of which only one is known: Nexia, and she does not share her knowledge of the event lightly.

Causes

The Shattering was caused by The Anomaly, when it was introduced to Aeon, the Founder of Destiny. The Anomaly drove Aeon mad and in its madness, the Grand Design of Destiny was destroyed, or at least damaged beyond repair.

Major Events

Temporal Storm

The first known incident of The Shattering was the Temporal Storm. Because of its very nature, no one can say how long the storm lasted. Time was experienced out of order, sometimes repeatedly, and some stretches of time were lost entirely, ever experienced but still consequential. The end of the storm marked year 0 in the Shattered Calendar.

Shards

Before The Shattering, there was a single Integral realm, comprised of the Terrestrium, the Astral Sky, and the Great Barrier. At some point during the Temporal Storm, the Terrestrium was split into an unknown number of similar but distinct copies, the Shards.

Oathbound

To contain the damage being caused by the mad founder, Aeon, the other founders unleashed the Oathbound, a Foundation creation capable of destroying one of their own. Little is known of the hunt of the Oathbound, though the ensuing battle tore through the Integrum.

The Abyss

Eventually the Oathbound concluded its mission. The final milestone of the cataclysm was caused by the body of Aeon crashing into the Great Barrier. Its body punched through the barrier forming The Abyss, the source of Void.

Consequences

The consequences of The Shattering were extensive and lasting. The Abyss continued to exist until the end of the Dark Age and produced the origin of Void and its Demons. The Shards have never been unified and their multitude of Gods and Mortals are the vehicle through which all of history has been written. And the destruction of Aeon was the first of a series of events that led to the destruction of the Founders.