The Calamity

Veld did not always look like it does now. In the past, Veld was a haven of lush forests, thriving ecosystems, and abundant life. This was known as the Verdant Age—a period that no living fenroo has experienced.
Occurring over 1,000 years ago, this time is a distant memory to even the essence of Veld, spoken of only through the hushed whispering at campfires or in children's stories.

The planet teemed with diverse life, from towering trees that seemed to leave brushstrokes in the sky, to the smallest creatures that found their home within the fertile soils. The land was alive, a vibrant tapestry where nature and the elements intertwined harmoniously. The planet itself thrummed with energy, and the species fenroo, who was gifted the ability to connect deeply with the elements, was therefore tasked with being the guardians of their planet alongside the Aspects of Veld.

The Aspects of Veld, forged from the energy of veld, kept the careful balance of their respective domain. The original tribes of Fenroo took over guarding each one of the fundamental elements that Veld comprised, following their patron Aspects closely. Every generation, a new Avatar fenroo was elected to mediate with the Aspect and enact their will. The Avatar fenroo were masters of their element and their close connection to the Aspects allowed tremendous amounts of Energy to flow through them. Each Aspect would draw energy from Veld through a specific patron flower. Their domains would be covered in fields of flowers, and often they would take root within the armouring of their Aspect.

After the Verdant age, fenroo became disillusioned with the Avatars, believing the Aspects were myths to keep their loyalty. Eventually, a cultural shift began as fenroo adopted a nomadic societal structure, preferring to seek out lands beyond their Aspects domain. Without a common goal, these societies quickly fell into disarray and fighting— becoming individualistic, selfish and hostile. Mobilities, the name of their new societies, grew, and eventually, a capital was formed from the years of power struggle. This society was ruled by an elite class, who claimed to be the new “Avatars” due to their connections with Veld’s energy systems.

The elite’s ability to harness Veld's borne powers was immense, mostly attributed to their common goal—something regular fenroo now lacked. The false-avatars actively restricted the other fenroo from utilising energy outside the capital. These ruling fenroo, in their insatiable greed, began to hoard the planet's resources. They used their status to fuel their lavish lifestyles, draining the natural world of its vitality and drawing immense energy to the capital. This unbalanced accumulation of resources and energy created a volatile situation, where the capital became a tinderbox ready to ignite, both in figurative and literal senses.

As the ruling fenroo indulged in their excesses, the lush environment of Veld began to wither. The once-thriving rainforests receded, replaced by barren landscapes and arid deserts. The depletion of natural resources left the planet scarred, its ecosystems on the brink of collapse. The Aspect's abilities withered with them as their domains shrunk and their flowers began to wilt. The magic that once nurtured the land was now concentrated in the hands of a few, leaving the rest of Veld to wither under the strain.

The downfall of Veld came in the form of a cataclysmic wildfire, ignited by the very magic that had once sustained the planet. On one fateful day, a careless or overly ambitious fenroo— perhaps trying to prove their superiority or simply out of negligence, unleashed a surge of magic too powerful to control. That spark set off a chain reaction, and within mere moments, a small flame grew into an inferno that quickly spread throughout Fenroo’s capital. 

Instead of banding together to contain the disaster, the elite fenroo abandoned their responsibilities and fled, each one focused on their survival. The vast reserves of resources they had amassed only served to fuel the fire further, turning the once-magnificent capital into a blazing inferno. The wildfire raged uncontrollably for weeks on end, devouring everything in its path. Without the Aspects to mitigate the damage, with no rain to quench the flames and no natural defences left in the desolate landscape, the fire spread far beyond the capital, laying great waste to vast regions of Veld. As the fire approached each of the Aspects, they desperately attempted to save their domains. Already being weakened, the magic-fuelled fire overpowered them, forcing them to become dormant by severing their connection to the planet's hearth—their flowers.

The destruction was absolute. The grandiosity of the Fenroo capital, a symbol of their power and greed, was reduced to ashes. The environment, already fragile from centuries of exploitation, was permanently transformed. Entire ecosystems were obliterated, and countless species, unable to escape the relentless flames, were driven to extinction. The land, once vibrant and full of life, was left as a barren wasteland.

In the aftermath of the Great Fire, the fenroo society was irrevocably changed. The catastrophe served as a grim warning, a message from the very fabric of Veld how their selfishness and abuse of power had led to their downfall. The fenroo, once united in their pursuit of grandeur and selflessness, were now scattered and secluded. Their society shattered. 

Elemental energy, once the cornerstone of Fenroo culture, became unattainable. The connection to the spirits and elemental beings—once so strong and vibrant—was now severed. The fenroo, who had once been revered for their deep communion with the forces of nature, found themselves isolated, their bond with the world of Veld weakened and distant, and their population reduced to the low hundreds.

Over the centuries, the memory of the Great Fire became a legend, a cautionary tale passed down through generations. Now, in the desolate lands of Veld, the surviving Fenroo live in the shadow of their ancestors' mistakes, tasked with reestablishing the balance they had torn apart. They roam the barren lands, chasing the rains, ever mindful of the balance between their needs and the delicate remnants of Veld's ecosystems, striving to avoid the mistakes of their ancestors. To atone, many have begun to try to nurture the remains of the biomes of Veld.