16.7.5 War of Night

The War of Night, also known as the War of Shadow, the War of 451 MA, or simply '451, refers to an invasion of Sapience from the Shadow Plane which began in Midsummer of the year 451 and lasted for the better part of a year. Shadows and Shadowbound swarmed down from the Shadow Plane, devouring much of the land and killing innumerable amounts of people. Many Gods, attempting to stop the mightiest shadows of the invasion, were injured, and the Goddess Auresae sacrificed herself in a conflagration, a vain attempt to take Ati, the Shadow with Her.

In the wake of this sacrifice, the sun was snuffed out, and eternal night reigned across the land. Taking this as an omen, the then-united Nazedha Empire, led by Emperor Baelak Shipbreaker, made landing upon the east coast of Sapience, further adding to the carnage and mayhem as they took slaves, razed and burnt towns and forests, and ultimately conquered the city of Enorian.

The Nazedha hold upon the city lasted only a couple of months - sacrificing innocents alongside his own army to attempt to appease the Faceless God, Lanu Du, the Emperor attempted to ascend to the rank of a Chaos Lord, but left himself vulnerable to reprisal from the united forces of Sapience. In Variach of 452, he was slain.

The Nazedha ritual, however, was not entirely unsuccessful - though the Faceless God was not awakened, it was roused, and lashed out at Enorian before falling back into slumber. The city was utterly demolished, such that it had to be completely rebuilt from the ground up. The remnants of the invading fleet were later purified and redeemed, becoming part of the new city as Arqeshi.

Two events turned the tide against the Shadow Plane - the first of these was Ati, the Shadow's failed attempt to devour the Consanguine Primus, Abhorash Nehekhara. Rather than assimilating him, the Primus consumed the shadow's essence from within, becoming more powerful than ever.

Final victory was achieved when Iosyne, the Malevolent ascended into the sky, using Her power over shadow to temporarily seal the rift. Meanwhile, Sapience marched upon the source of the breach in Sterion, taking massive losses and ultimately managing to beat back and seal the Shadow Lord Murgraxis.

The War of Night left untold destruction in its wake; one third of Sapience's living population at the time died, whether from Nazedha, shadow, disease, starvation, or simply suicide. Countless villages lay in ruins, wrecked and demolished. Even the Gods seemed scarcer than before, as many had gone into hiding following the injuries They suffered in the course of the War.