Chronicle of Gromok, Volume II

Book Text
At the height of victory it happened, I know not what fearful deities are responsible, nor what ancient magics were unleashed on my people and our brethren races of the Rallosian Empire. I know only what I myself witnessed at the accounts of the other survivors of what is spoken of only as The Curse. The first signs I saw of the curse were angry shouts of ogre magi when the planar portals closed. Then the screams of those same magi as fire simultaneously ignited from within their bodies leaving only memories and ashes.

Shortly after witnessing the demise of the magi stationed at the Fortress of Krithgor a battered legion unit arrived at the fortress gates. The soldiers brought word of Murdunk's dishonorable death, accusing The Rathe of cursing Murdunk to fall from a cliff at the site of The Rathe's execution. They spoke of the disappearances of many great Ogre war leaders, including Murdunk's tactician and strategist, Generals Tallon and Vallon, and even the Warlord Rallos Zek. This worn unit of soldiers was relieved of their previous duties by our superiors and stationed at the Fortress of Krithgor. A new Legion Unit was formed from the soldiers that had been stationed there for some time, myself included, and we were charged with completing the duties of the reassigned soldiers.

Days passed swiftly for me as my legion unit traveled to various fortresses and battlefields. The sights revealed to us at each arrival to this day seem unreal. With the great military leaders and the magi dead or missing our fortresses began to fall. The Giants, also crippled with the loss of their magi, retreated deep into the wilderness. The Orcs became obsessed with greed and blood lust, dividing from the Rallosian Empire into petty clans fighting each other over the spoils of the war. The Goblins went mad cowering in the shadows and caverns of Tunaria's frontiers. We returned after man months to the Fortress of Krithgor to find the once mighty stronghold reduced to rubble like so many of the fortresses we had visited on our patrol.

Whatever creatures had destroyed the fortress had not even spared women and children, their remains lay strewn about the stones that once formed the strongholds walls. This was when I gave in to my pride and accepted that the Rallosian Empire was no more.