It was an evening in late Miraman when the nightmares began. Robbed of
sleep for days on end, Tithian, the Shamanic tutor of the Spirit
Walkers, and his brother Phineus, instructor of the Wardens of the
Cerulean Spire, were each found half-delirious in their respective
cities. Both were muttering about visions of blackened shadows and red
eyes burning in the dark, and cryptic warnings about a 'Traveller'.
Using Vodun, several Spirit Walkers, including Bluef, Anarwaen,
Tenevriel and others, managed to coax the House Shaman into an uneasy
sleep. Meanwhile in Cyrene, gathered around Phineus who was trying to
drink away his troubles at the Ram's Horn, several citizens employed the
use of a dreamcatcher to ward off his nightmares.

Sightings of a shadowy figure were reported in Ashtan not long after.
Paine came across the philosopher Ikant, who seemed unusually distressed
and irritable. Questioning soon revealed that he had been approached by
a stranger who referred to himself as only 'the Traveller', a stranger
ensconced in shadow and mystery, who had asked the philosopher very
detailed questions about the great triple eclipse of planets of the time
known as Eternal Night. Disturbed by this information, Paine sought out
the fleeting visitor, who seemed to have disappeared into the very
darkness that surrounded him.

The city of Hashan was alerted to the presence of a shadow-cloaked
stranger by Altarra, who, sensing the threat immediately, was quick to
inform her citymates of the danger. After discovering his general
direction, a few citizens of Hashan tracked the shadow-clad traveller to
the meteor at Porta Aquila and watched quietly as the shrouded man
briefly examined the strange, otherworldly rock, before slipping away
northward and disappearing beyond the city gates.

Within the depths of the planar universe, legions of undead began to
fade and vanish in ever-increasing numbers, and soulbleed failed to
coalesce as normal at the Soulbleed Nexus. Realising that his own powers
weakened as the Nexus was gradually drained of his power, Ugrach set
what remaining minions left under his control to investigating the
cause. Eventually, Ugrach managed to procure a journal from one of the
Magisterion. It had been tellingly lost by the Magister Dominar within
the maze in which Ugrach kept the sole living unicorn, who had fallen
under Ugrach's control during the culmination of the time of Eternal
Night. As full understanding dawned upon Ugrach, the last of the
soulbleed channelling through the nexus vanished, and a hideous,
unearthly howl echoed across the realm as the King of the Underworld
screamed his rage.

A sunken maze has since been discovered near Ugrach's fortress, filled
with scorpions and a ghostly unicorn enslaved to Ugrach, as well as a
hidden dungeon. The Magisterion now vies for power in the Underworld,
and Ugrach struggles to restore the Soulbleed Nexus, while adventurers
of Sapience endeavour to turn the tide. Who shall prevail?

Penned by my hand on the 22nd of Valnuary, in the year 455 AF.