The First Coming – The Warning

In an age long past, the elves walked the world in great numbers, and their achievements outshone even the splendor of the sun. In those times, the civilizations of humans and dwarves were still in their infancy. It was an age of legends and heroes, of incredible deeds and valor. Indeed, it was a time when the world still knew true greatness.

But that time has long been forgotten. It was extinguished by fate and ravaged by decay. The elves have long since vanished. They fell victim to their own hubris. They did not heed the warnings of the Herald of Fate, who visited the world several millennia ago. He came on that night when the moons and the constellation of the Centaur were aligned. His appearance was foul, as if he had sprung from a nightmare, and from his lips poured words of warning. He spoke of impending doom and of the revelations, but the elves were proud and arrogant. His words fell on deaf ears. Before the Herald of Fate vanished, he proclaimed that he would return when the time was ripe...

The Second Coming – The End of the Elves

Many elven generations later - an extremely long span of time by human standards - the stars aligned once more. One might also say unfavorably, for the Herald of Fate returned. The elves had completely forgotten his warnings. When the curse descended upon their race, they were defenseless. Despite their arcane knowledge and magical arts, they were helpless against the divine powers that ensured their destruction. Not a single building remained standing when the Herald of Fate left the world once more.

It is said that the wind carried the scent of death all the way to the distant dwarven settlements in the north. They saw it as a sign of approaching evil and prepared to defend themselves. Then the Herald of Fate came to them as well, to warn them of the great dangers that lay ahead. But they were so filled with fear at his terrible appearance that they shunned him. He left them, but his warning that great achievements alone were not enough to prove a people worthy echoed in their ears for a long time.

The Third Coming – The End of the Dwarves

A millennium later, the fateful constellation of moons and stars appeared once again. The dwarven people had developed into a thriving civilization of craftsmen and artists. They had built great cities and worshipped their gods as was their duty. They had taken the revelations to heart, and to avoid a fate similar to that of the elves, they had dressed in their finest and prepared themselves for the arrival of the 3rd Revelation.

But when the Herald of Fate appeared, they were deceived by his terrible appearance and his stench. They took him for a fiend from hell and killed him on the spot. The scholars say that this ultimately brought about the downfall of the dwarves. They also say that some humans witnessed these events, and that the Herald of Fate warned them as well. He said that humanity too would one day be judged, and that it was in their own interest to strive to be found worthy, unlike the elves and dwarves.

The Fourth Coming – The Trial of Humanity

Now it may well be that none of this is true. It may well be that we are simply worrying about an unusual stellar constellation that occurs once every thousand years. But... it may also be that this story is true. Perhaps there truly is a Herald of Fate who is already on his way to us, to judge us and destroy us if we are not worthy.