The Apostasy

The Apostasy refers to the abandonment of the mortal realm by the Veiled Gods, an event that marked the end of the Old World and the beginning of the Age of Umbra. It was the divine response to God-King Othedias's blasphemy—a punishment that continues to echo nearly a century later.

The Betrayal

God-King Othedias was chosen by the Veiled Gods as the bridge between mortal and divine, ruling the Halcyon Domain in an age of prosperity and wonder. But Othedias grew ambitious. Conspiring with his Grand Ordinants and Aetherlords, he enacted clandestine machinations designed to shift the balance of celestial power—to elevate himself to godhood or to bind the gods to mortal will.

The exact nature of his blasphemy has been lost to time and destruction. Some claim he attempted to steal divine essence. Others say he sought to break the barrier between the mortal realm and the celestial plane. Still others whisper that he succeeded in killing one of the lesser gods, and that act demanded retribution.

Divine Retribution

When the Veiled Gods discovered Othedias's treachery, their wrath was absolute. They rained destruction upon the land:

• Cities were toppled
• Cathedrals were shattered
• The very earth was scarred and broken

This cataclysm ended the Old World in a single terrible moment. But the punishment did not end with destruction.

The Abandonment

After devastating the Halcyon Domain, the Veiled Gods departed entirely. They withdrew from the mortal realm, abandoning the surviving peoples to an existence of growing desolation. This abandonment is the Apostasy itself—the gods turning their backs on all of creation because of the sins of one ruler.

In their departure, the gods:

• Sundered the cycle of the soul, creating the Soul Blight
• Left the cosmic veil unguarded, allowing unknown entities to peer into the world
• Condemned the realm to ever-growing shadow as the clouded skies darken with each generation

The Legacy

The Apostasy has shaped every aspect of life in the Age of Umbra:

• The Age of Umbra/01 Setting/Key Concepts/The Enduring view Aetherweaving with suspicion, believing magic invited the gods' wrath
• Zealot factions seek ways to communicate with the absent gods, hoping to find forgiveness or answers
• Hermetic societies guard texts and truths about Othedias's tragedy, along with prophecies that speak of possible salvation
• Sacred Pyres, sparked by Blessed Branches left by the last Ordinants, are the only remnants of divine protection

Whether the gods can ever be called back, whether forgiveness is possible, or whether the Halcyon Domain is truly forsaken forever—these are questions that drive many of the Enduring to desperate quests into the darkness.