The Boundless Blight

Whatever horrible calamity befell the world, that which sowed the seed of the Blight, is unknown and lost to time. The Blight comes from the west, slowly, creeping like a great beast towards all civilizations in its wake. There is no knowledge on the workings of the blight; its trees dent iron axes, its leaves choke the sky, its roots poison the ground, and what stalks in the dark shadows can and will kill all who enter. The simple truth is that no man-made obstacle can bar the Blight forever, unless manned by untold numbers of men. Many have doubtless tried, many have doubtless died; for who knows how many realms have fallen already?

The true blessing of the Sunrise Lands are in its high mountains, which form a far more effective wall than men could ever hope to make, and do not require maintenance. Several of the races in the known world already know the Blight well; for both the  Karkovoi  and the  Naziki  fled their homelands to escape it.

However, the mountains of the east also sow the arrogance of its people; for most do not believe that the Blight is a threat, or even know of its existence. Of what consequence is a far-off sorcerous forest to a man on a fishing boat off of Leipa, or a farmer working his fields in  Ernhalt , or a soldier defending against barbarous tribes in Olm ? Day-to-day life is far more important than rumors, most reason, and thus the Empire as a whole has yet to act.