10 Years Later... From Then to Now

It is 1000 YK, the sixth anniversary of the Day of Mourning, and the mood in New Cyre is a somber one. Few can forget where they were on that fateful day, made all the more heart-wrenching because the heroes of Cyre were far from home and could do nothing to prevent it--even though they knew something terrible was coming.

Recovering from the loss of their valued mentor Sir Aaron, they managed to resurrect him--but not as they imagined. Due to the shortages during the last war, the venerable sage was reincarnated… as a kobold. His presence took some getting used to, but soon they thought of him as a friend again, and with his hat of disguise, he managed to at least attempt to blend in with the other humanoids in Cyre. For ten years, the heroes had gleaned hints and warnings of events from their mysterious and powerful ancient silver dragon mentor and always seemed able to be there in time to prevent them from coming to pass. Over the past decade, the heroes had gained both experience and wisdom as they faced armies of demons and orc hordes, Rakshasa sorcerers and illithid slavers, githyanki invaders and warforged rebels. Recovering the Crown of Silver and Ice from the far reaches of Ever Ice and surviving the Frost Giant barbarians there, the group then ventured into the heart of their fallen kingdom to reclaim the fabled Scepter of Gold and Might from the Lord of Blades himself. Though the Lord of Blades initially offered the scepter in exchange for Jasper’s service -- a tempting offer for both Connal and Jasper -- the loyal warforged stayed by Connal’s side and refused to be taken from service to his master. Their next quest took them deep into the heart of Xen’drik for the Orb of Night, and many members of the group had nightmares for months following their exploits with the aberrations found in the cyclopean ruins in the jungles of that dark continent. Years of time and again surviving their harrowing adventures in Ever Ice, Xen’drik and even among the dragons on the far shores of Aerenal had instilled in the heroes a sense of invincibility that came crashing down that fateful day.

Piecing together clues over the last ten years, they learned that a group of devil-worshipping cultists calling themselves the Lords of Dust sought to release terrible fiends long held in bonds from the Age of Demons upon the face of Eberron, and had managed to foil the Rakshasa cult’s plans of destruction time and again. This time, though, Nymbrixion had warned them that a horrible catastrophe was fast approaching, but beyond a gloomy prophecy, nothing was specific enough to help in time to prevent the cataclysmic explosion that ruined the landscape of their entire country.

Armus had been traveling with Connal, Jasper and Bix, initially searching for Everyn in vain for years, always seemingly too late to follow up on a rumor of her appearance in this city or that. On the Day of Mourning, the group was in transit back to Metrol, just returned from speaking with a sage in the Lhazaar Principalities who claimed news of Everyn’s whereabouts. They were unable to report one last time to the Baron and Baroness that the trail had once again gone cold. Upon learning of Cyre’s destruction, Connal ordered Jasper, with great reluctance, to gather as much information as possible and departed soon after the Day of Mourning, eventually making his way to Sharn, hoping to collect details and filter facts among that city’s colossal population. Connal’s obsessive determination never wavered over the years, and his pride seemed to redouble when Cyre was annihilated. Armus’ dedication to his charge was no less fanatical, and Bix only once suggested that the group should give up the search for Everyn--the look in Armus’ eyes told him that this was a conversation that would not end reasonably.

The elves Aremis, Elladan and Rizzenil had formed an uneasy alliance with the Wayfinder Foundation, and had been acquiring relics and scrolls, adventuring throughout Xen’drik, spending their fortune as fast as they could make it, looking for clues that would help find those responsible for Cyre’s destruction. Along the way, Rizzenil sought the name of the mage who had “purchased” him as a slave from a dealer in Stormhome. The latest signs seemed to coincide, and both trails pointed to a wizard in one of the floating cities of Aundair, but without more specific information, a search of each city could tip their hands and warn their potential prey. From Nymbrixion they also received a special mark, allowing them to communicate with the dragon in times of need, and she would grant gifts from time to time, including Aremis’ magical bow that seemed to get more powerful as time went on. Of all the adventurers, the three elves kept most in contact with Nymbrixion, and acted as her agents throughout Eberron, using the warnings and portents from the silver dragon to prevent disasters and collect the three relics that would enable her to save Eberron in its most desperate hour.

The warrior Garen seemed… different somehow. After the Day of Mourning, he never seemed quite the man he once was. Perhaps he was unable to come to grips with the loss of his wife and child, perhaps it was seeing the country that gave him so much pride crushed and devastated in one fateful moment. Regardless of the reason, Garen was changed at some fundamental level, and of all the adventurers, he seemed to take it the hardest. Growing distant from the group, Garen eventually began selling his sword as a mercenary to any army who could afford his fee. He still heeds the call of Prince Oargev, though and he returns when he hears of the gathering heroes.

After Cyre’s destruction, the heroes raced back as fast as their respective powers would carry them, but it was too late, of course. Along with the traumatized citizens who had managed to escape the onrushing wave of destruction, they could only stand on the borders and stare on in horror at the wall of grey mist that surrounded their former country. They were present to ensure the sovereignty of their friend Oargev ir’Wynaryn as the rightful heir to the crown of Cyre, even preventing an attempted assassination attempt. As the last son of Cyre’s ruling family, the former ambassador to Breland has become the unofficial leader of the Cyran refugees scattered throughout the other domains. They were among his guards at the Treaty of Thronehold as emissaries to Prince Oargev, and Connal took another personal loss when his own House Cannith was ordered to destroy all the creation forges.

At the specific and personal direction of Prince Oargev, the heroes have taken on a mission of utmost importance -- spread throughout Eberron to investigate who (or what) was responsible for the destruction of Cyre. With the help of the heroes, the unofficial king hopes to exact revenge on the guilty parties.

It has been 10 years since the original group was altogether in one place, and now the heroes have reunited to face their gravest threat yet. Prince Oargev is desperate for news of the source of the Day of Mourning, and the heroes have uncovered a plot that could rend reality itself.