The last battle of the Calamity, a war between the Prime Deities of Exandria and the nefarious Betrayer Gods, is over. The Barbed Fields of Xhorhas are now nothing but a wasteland and, indeed, more than half of the world’s entire population have died in the centuries long conflict. But most of the Betrayer Gods have now been sealed away with the Prime Deities set to retreat behind the Divine Gate themselves, thus ending the Age of Arcanum.
An ocean away on the far flung continent of Marquet, the Apotheon Alyxian– champion of not one but three Prime Deities – feels himself fading fast, despite his hard earned immortality. Despite the Battle of the Barbed Fields being over, Gruumsh the Ruiner sought to destroy the city of Cael Morrow, a harmonious home to many races, and the whole continent of Marquet with it. Taking the brunt of the blow, Alyxian was able to save the continent, but what was once lush jungle has now become barren desert. Now Alyxian feels himself drifting off and though he cannot see it, he can feel the vermillion light of the small, dark moon Ruidus overhead, an ill omen that has hung over him since birth. Instead, he turns his thoughts to his old home of Wildemount, picturing the lush temple near the Emerald Gulch where he first begged the Gods to make him better…
… Jigow is located in northern Xhorhas on the banks of the Emerald Gulch and the Ifolon River. An amalgamation of coastal villages that were originally settled by several nomadic clans of orcs and goblins, Jigow is now home to humans and other folk as well, and the city gained a significant drow population after Jigow became a part of the Kryn Dynasty. On this day, we are on the eve of the Festival of Merit where friendly and not-so-friendly contests between residents and travellers alike are settled. Every public space is filled with festival games, food stalls, or other amenities for the merrymakers, but for at least one group of adventures, a great destiny is about the unfold.