Many years have passed since the Dreikathi rained a foul purple sludge
upon the lush Aalen Forest, leaving ruin within their horrific wake of
destruction. Mutations and sickness spread like a wildfire throughout
the forest, encouraging the leaders of the Heartwood to reach out to its
inhabitants. In the early spring morning of Arios, in the 324th year of
the Midnight Age, Haern the Hunter rose alongside His allies of the
Heartwood to seek a cure for the foul monstrosity that had long taken
root within the wood.

In an act of bravery (some would say foolishness), the Hunter
sought to cleanse the very earth of this virulent plague and called upon
the long dead spirits of Dendara for assistance. As the Hunter placed
bleeding palm to the earth, ancient beasts moved forth to lend the God
their power. In a cataclysmic backlash, Haern's link to the Dendaric
plane was shattered and a sudden flood of energy ignited the Aalen
Forest into a firestorm of destruction.

Though some remnants of the sludge remained, there was much rejoicing
within the Heartwood of Duiran, and the Hunter was hailed for His efforts.
Haern departed to the Hunting Grounds to assess His work within the
Aalen, the wound upon His palm troubling Him greatly.

While the sounds of rejoicing still echoed through the summer air, a new
trouble began to grow within the Aalen. From within the remnant sludge that
yet coated the forest soil, numerous stalks of fiery crimson began to grow
upward, their bulbous heads growing ripe with discontent. Though an initial
effort was made to destroy the stalks, they proved too resilient, and their
blooms eventually released clouds of virulant spores throughout the forest
air.

Troubled once more by an unseen development in the Aalen, and with their God
unseen since His last effort to sear away the blight upon the land, the
citizens of Duiran and others took up a monumental effort to research the
spread of the spores and their effects upon the forest, and upon those who
braved its twisted woods.
Penned by my hand on the 13th of Midsummer, in the year 324 MA.