Once, mankind lived amongst nature as an equal and worshipped the gods of wood, water and stone. In time men began to cut down the trees and harness the water ways to cultivate the land and build cities of stone and wood. From these cities a prophet arose who taught that the spirits of the land were wicked and that a celestial Creator was responsible for the world and all within it, and that mankind, his chosen creation, should bow down in unrivaled obeisance and worship. At great expense to themselves, they raised enormous churches to this Creator, and gave power to his priests, persecuting those who still followed the old gods of wood, water and stone.
The Alder-King – one of the old gods and a mighty spirit of the dark woods – turned against his apostate disciples, and in his vengeful wrath opened the gates to the Outer Dark, unleashing demonic entities from the void into the world. A hellish horde soon swept across the lands, possessing mortal bodies and corrupting their souls. Rising from the ranks of the damned came the dread Wytchlords, who ruled and made covenant with the wrathful forest spirits, subjugated the mortals, and reshaped the world to satisfy their endless desires.
