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A tide of undead, led by Lords from beyond the grave, strewn about, alive through tainted spirits: such is the horde of Acheron in all its macabre glory. This army has two advantages: the fear of its adversaries caused by those who compose the bulk of its troops and the desire for power that motivates the Necromancer masters of Acheron.

Under the sign of the Ram, emblem of the immortal alliance forged with the horned Lords of the Abyss, Acheron has amassed its power… century after century. For the liches and necromancers who form the army’s elite fighters, only the accumulation of power and knowledge can satisfy their vices. Condemned to die, the living, friend and foe, serve only to strengthen the power of Acheron. Th e mana necessary resurrection of the dead never fails travel as masters throughout the realms of Darkness. They are patient, surviving intrigues forged in the shadows of the larger families, waiting for the right time to resurrect the most useful servants or the most ruthless adversaries.

== Chronology ==

*''666'' : Foundation of the order of the Black Togas, which will later become the order of the Ram.
*''672'' : Pacts are sealed between the Acheronians and the gods of Darkness.
*''675'' : The barony rebels and the war against the kingdom of Alahan begins. First battle of Kaïber.
*''1 001'' : Second battle of Kaïber.
*''1 003'' : Battle of the Ynkarô. Acheronians deploy troops on the Leâk-Shear
*''1 004'' : Battle of the flying fortresses.
*''1 005'' : Siege of Acheron.
*''1 006'' : The Gates of Hell. Third battle of Kaïber. End of the Siege of Acheron.

== The Barony of Acheron ==

During the secession from the kingdom of Alahan, the powerful families of Acheron divided themselves into two camps: those who remained loyal to the Lion and the renegades. The principal architects had been under the thumb of the Black Togas for a few years; the traitors had no diffi culty in crushing those faithful to the crown. Consequently, the deceitful Houses became known as the Dark Houses. Of these Houses, only four have survived: Brisis, Hestia, Vanth and Mantis. Although their founders had been part of the Black Togas, the Houses of Scourge, Lazarian, Sarlath and Tanit did not develop until after the secession of their barony. The majority of the Dark Houses do not consist of a single family. Over time, they have absorbed less powerful Houses
through weddings and intrigue. The progeny of a dominant House forms a dynasty, and a dynasty’s representative is known as a “dynast”. The subjected Houses are called lines, and the representatives of a line are known as “lieges”.

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For example, within House Mantis, Nimrod Mantis is a dynast and Sophet Drahas is a liege. Within the hierarchy of the Ram, a
dynast has greater status than a liege. The dynast with the highest rank is called “Father” or “Mother”, by the whole family. It represents its House in the Eternal Circle, the supreme authority of the Order of the Ram. For this reason, the fathers and mothers of the Dark Houses are also known as the “Eternals”. The Dark Houses all have a gathering place, an ancestral ruin of their family, or a building constructed in the decades following the revolt. These places are collectively known as the Claws of Terror because they are symbolic of the cruel grip the Ram has on Acheron.

Once a fertile land, Acheron has neither seasons nor days, if a day is measured by the short period during which Lahn is at its zenith and struggles to transform the eternal night sky into a heavenly maelstrom. The fiefs of Acheron are black and nearly sterile. The unfortunate serfs, tied to their land and their Lords, spend their entire lives struggling to extract enough from the land to survive. Phantom villages and ruined buildings are pock marks on the landscape, evidence of a past life. Some buildings suffered the ravages of time quicker than others, as if the land itself chose what was allowed to remain.

Here and there, villages stubbornly cling to a land that regretfully yields benefits. The population of Acheron is mainly made up of the living though, over time, the dead inexorably undermine the supremacy of the living. The Darkness has created a flat and desolate landscape, eroding the hills that delineated the lands of the Dark Houses. Today there is hardly any distinction between the fields of a Brisis or of a Vanth. Their lands are wide, desolate stretches of blackness beaten by strong and icy winds or blistering hot blasts from the hells themselves. Even the mines that made the barony a commercial powerhouse have been abandoned: the weapons of Acheron are now forged from tortured souls and Darkness.

''''' “Then, the time of the Ram will come. Those who know death, who have embraced it as a loving and faithful slave, will surely see the signs. Salaüel, the Lord of Darkness, he who brings Evil and Knowledge, Sire of the Abysses, shall appoint his champion - the Incarnation of Vice. This individual will lead the faithful to victory through death. This individual will raise the banner of eternal war, the Rag’narok. This individual shall raise the army of the dead and will be served by only the mortals worthy of worshipping Darkness.'''''

'''''Salaüel will not step foot on Creation until the last days of the living: truly, the wheel of death has crushed half of them; it has already reduced the time of their reign, the reign of life and of the Light, by half. When the time comes, His beloved daughter, the Queen of Vice, whose face burns hearts and souls, will proclaim the end of the age of peace. A hundred generations of men will have passed; a hundred generations of men will not be seen again. When the faithful emissary of the Lord of Darkness, Belial, whose forgeries harvest life obscuring the Light, finally stands on mankind’s land, the last era will be ushered in!'''''

'''''And so shall the black harvest of the eternal war begin. When Lahn hides his face in the sky, it will be time to prepare to confront death and harness it.'''''

'''''Finally, to herald the beginning of the time of the dead, following the previous era, the first of three will come, an emissary of an even greater evil. Beyond Evil, in the heart of Darkness, is indeed the source of corruption: the master whose name cannot be written, seven sins and three crimes, the Vice multiplied by blood...” '''''

'''''- The Codex of Salaüel, Feyd Mantis '''''

== The Houses of Acheron ==

Only a handful of noble houses, which were once the pride of Acheron, have survived all the purges that shook the Black Togas and the Order of the Ram. Th ese families have, over generations, absorbed or destroyed the weaker houses. Each House is involved in border disputes. The conflicts between the Houses are numerous, and often bloody.

Following the example set by the baronies of Alahan, each House has a leader and a favored meeting place, typically where the family Citadel once stood. These strongholds are commonly referred to as the Claws of Terror. Each House of Acheron specializes in a form of power, marking its individuality and the depth of its knowledge.

*Unquestionably, the largest House of Acheron is '''the House of Brisis'''. Its Mother, Rhea, conducts the aff airs of her large family with tact and fi rmness. Brisis exploits its many contacts across the whole of Aarklash to increase its influence, conducting negotiations with the other peoples of Darkness. Generally, when the peoples of Aarklash think of a necromancer, they imagine a member of the House of Brisis.

*The few remaining original members of '''the House of Mantis''' can be counted on the fingers of one hand. The Divine Baron Feyd Mantis does not need the support of his family to exert his omnipotent authority from the top of his cathedral constructed with stones from his former palaces. He is the most powerful man in Acheron, and all Acheronians are worthy to be his slaves. The Divine Baron is arguably on equal footing with the gods!

*'''The House of Vanth''' is the oldest of the families of Acheron. They were fine politicians and preeminent merchants during their time answering to the Kingdom of Alahan. Now, the House of Vanth exercises its evil machinations from the crypt. Masters of demonology and guardians of numerous secrets, the necromancers of the Vanth family are able to call upon all of the horrors of the Abyss, and to unleash them on Aarklash.

*The Faithful and Magicians from '''the House of Hestia''' are as powerful as they are Machiavellian, like Ganzhyr, the most renowned of the family. Great rivals of the House of Brisis, Hestians are masters of the arts of infernal fi re, and their lessons are very popular. Making an enemy of Hestia promises suffering - taking it as an ally makes it an inexhaustible source of concern.

== A Cursed Barony ==

The barony of Acheron traces its origins back to the early kings of Alahan, and some of its Fathers are older still. The true birth of the nation of Acheron took place in 675, when the Kingdom of Alahan united against Acheron, bent on destroying it. This most horrible of wars, that has continued to this day, gave birth to this new state. In 666, the dean of the Academy of Acheron, Kaïan Draghost, founded the order of the Black Togas after he was denied entry into the Chroniclers, the assembly of the most powerful magicians of Aarklash. He dedicated this new secret society to the study of the darkest secrets of magic. Two years later, in 668, the “Divine Baron” Feyd Mantis joined the Black Togas and shared the leadership with Kaïan Draghost. Their goal
was immortality: Draghost wanted power and Mantis feared death. The two masters of the order then began a recruitment campaign throughout the country.

They wove a dense network of disciples in the Kingdom of Alahan and beyond, recruiting members whose deeds would resound through the ages. Thus, some Dirz began performing fruitful research on the gems of Darkness within the order. During this period, the Black Togas journeyed often and acquired a tremendous amount of knowledge, uncovering the mysteries of necromancy. The House of Vanth was enlightened by a bold journey to, and exhaustive charting of, the infernal realms. In 670, during one of these journeys, Kaïan Draghost and his most faithful disciple, Armariel of Brisis, discovered the remains of powerful creatures, deposed immortals, whose bodies yielded prodigious reserves of gems of Darkness. They collected and cared for Sariel, one of the immortals who had survived. On this occasion, the fallen angel joined the Black Togas and merged its essence to that of Armariel, with disastrous consequences ...

The disciples of the sect engaged in the utmost of wicked practices, in pursuit of power and immortality. In 671, their research had progressed to the limits of mere mortals. To continue their quest, the masters of the Black Togas announced that it was necessary to end the pacts with the powers of Darkness. Faced with this prospect, many of the chief conspirators decided to leave the organization for fear of losing what little soul they had left.

A year later, in 672, the cowardly traitors were summoned to a massive orgy to celebrate the birthday of Feyd Mantis. Mantis, assisted by Kaïan Draghost and his faithful followers, slew them all. The massacre was dedicated to the opening of one of the first portals to the Abyss. Only the Divine Baron and the magician ventured into the portal.

Scholars know little about this initial voyage. The two travelers brought back impious knowledge, and their wicked souls were so tainted they had to feign death and enter seclusion.. Their bodies, marked by their experiences while they lived in the Abyss, were too conspicuous to allow them to appear in public. Armariel of Brisis, the most faithful among the faithful of Feyd Mantis, pretended to be a loyal servant of the crown. He was officially appointed the new Baron Acheron. The sect of the Black Togas, purged of its weakest members, was renamed the Order of the Ram and patiently built a new web of intrigue and power... Until the fateful day when Armariel, the Baron of Brisis, was unmasked by the Chimera in 675. Retaining a portion of the essence of Sariel, the deposed immortal that he had discovered long ago, the new Baron drew the attention of this extraordinary creature. All his spells could not conceal his tainted soul, a soul distorted by an unquenchable thirst for power and knowledge. The Chimera probed this abyss of depravity and, lacking the capacity to deliver justice, denounced the necromantic practices of the
Order of the Ram to the entire kingdom. 

King Michaellis summoned members of the Order to go to Kalienne for trial while many of the dark mages became victims of mob violence. In response, the barony of Acheron sent a huge army of undead to take Kaiber Pass. This started the First Battle of Kaiber. The fate of the battle was not favorable... neither for the Acheronians, who failed to circumnavigate the fortress, nor
for the Alliance of Light that was barely able to hold the pass.

It was after this battle that Acheron acquired its fi nal borders. The arrival of the Lord of Darkness, Salaüel, his daughter
Dhalilia, Queen of Vice, and his herald, Belial, the Prince of Darkness, required the opening of a giant portal. The passage
of the three immortals permanently anchored the portal on Aarklash, preventing it from ever being closed. The portal spewed an endless dark cloud into the atmosphere, forever blackening the sky over Acheron. Subsequently, the midday sun is barely discernible in Acheron’s sky.

Th e forces of Light could hardly contain the Acheronian onslaught, securing the border of the new state and condemning them to an eternal vigilance. If they failed, the armies of the undead, which do not eat or sleep, would be able to pass by Kaiber fortress for the foreseeable future. Penned in by the impregnable Kaiber fortress, the Acheronians had little opportunity to utilize the strength of their legions of undead. The last major battles fought by this army during the Age of Steel took place in
832, when an Acheronian force tried to invade the ruins of Cadwallon. The Battle of the Earth Wall ended in a crushing defeat. Nevertheless, the episode permitted Acheron to install a lasting presence north of Lanever and its surrounding areas.

Some heroes exemplified themselves here or there. Some small forces were able to escape Acheron using the endless tunnels running
beneath the Behemoth Mountains; they were the exception. The Era of the Autarch began when these young prodigies set out,  searching for recognition, power and protection.

'''The Era of the Autarchs (999)'''

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The year 999 is known as the Era of the Autarchs, recognized and so named by Feyd Mantis. This era occasionally saw the rise of individuals that were thralls to a Father of Acheron. More often, independent necromancers and warriors aspired to join one of the Dark Houses - or to form their own. Their audacity and desire for recognition led them to intervene on Aarklash, striking quickly and using all of the resources that the greed and blindness of men could offer them.

The most famous Autarchs of this era are undoubtedly the Gorgon and Llyr. Among the lieges that marked this era with their footprint, Azael the Infidel stood out after cutting down one of the most powerful, oldest, and prestigious Wolfen packs: the Throne of Stars.

In 999, Azael accomplished this feat while accompanied by her loyal guardian- the Skull Warrior Melmoth. Having entered into an alliance with creatures from the Abyss, she launched her forces to destroy the stone circle of the Throne of Stars, taking advantage of the reduced number of Wolfen in the pack following a battle against the followers of Vile-Tis. The army of Darkness laid waste to the Wolfen guarding the sacred place and plundered their hallowed tombs.

In 999, a necromancer of unknown origin brought a new victory to the cursed barony. The Gorgon, an undead monstrosity, joined the ranks of the forces of darkness without revealing any particular allegiance to any of the Dark Houses. She managed to persuade the forces of the Lion to destroy the island of Tycho. Her goal was to free a being of unfathomable power, an Atrocity. In fact, the Gorgon was an emanation of Araxe, another Atrocity, incarnated during its fi ght with Meliador.

The defeat that sounded the end of this short and violent era occurred during a failed foray into the Behemoth Mountains. It was after this setback that Feyd Mantis officially announced that the year 999, mirroring the year which saw the birth of the Black Togas, 666, would be the Era of the Autarchs, an era which lasted only one year and ended with the first defeat of an Autarch. The Divine Baron’s desire was overcome and he was devoured by madness. Yet, those who had carefully read the Codex of Salaüel understood that this decision was dictated by his flawless knowledge of the prophecies: Feyd Mantis undoubtedly sealed the fate of Aarklash by precipitating the arrival of the end of time.

'''The Rag'Narok'''

The end of the Era of the Autarchs corresponds to the beginning of a new age, or more specifically, the end of all ages: the Rag’narok. This period will bring only triumph and death: triumph for the meanders of Darkness, death to their enemies. Of course, Acheron is the undisputed seat of a new order that promises to destroy Aarklash. From the outside, fighting seems to be the sole reason Feyd Mantis and his followers are participating in the Rag’narok. Yet, every battle initiated by the Acheronians
is very advantageous to the army of undead. Thus, the cleansing campaign started in 1000 by the forces of Light has come up
short in all aspects regarding the barony of Acheron.

In the Battle of the Old Wall, Akkylanie forces were crushed by a group of ghouls led by Chagall the Hungry and supported by the last heavy centaurs of Acheron still animated by the necromantic arts.

In the aftermath of the Battle of the Old Wall, the forces stationed in the outposts of the fortress were recalled or consolidated, limiting the ability of the war staff of Kaiber to predict the movement of Acheronian troops. This was the goal of Feyd Mantis and Kaïan Draghost all along. They then amassed an army; no one noticed that a major off ensive was coming.

Simultaneously, Cyraelle the Pale (see The Fault of Kaiber) put in motion a Machiavellian plan to weaken the commander of the Kaiber stronghold. His strategy also aimed to raise unexpected and powerful allies: undead dragons. The plan worked flawlessly, but the keen resistance by the forces of the Alliance of Light managed to repel the final Acheronian assault.

Under the apparent military defeat, or at least the mixed success, the Fathers of the Dark Houses put a project of unprecedented scope in motion: the ritual of Eternity. Feyd Mantis and Kaïan Draghost foresaw an opportunity to make a ritual so powerful that it could only succeed under the Rag’Narok’s exceptional circumstances. Since the beginning of time, the gods have retreated from Aarklash. For the masters of the cursed barony, who knew how to overcome time to avoid the dangers of the age, this situation
could not last. The bleeding of time should be stopped. The return of the gods must be planned and organized so that the true masters of Darkness, the Trinity of the Abyss, can return to Aarklash. However, this plan was not met with unanimous acceptance. The Mother of House Tanit did not see what benefit there was for the Fathers and Mothers of the Dark Houses to summon the gods… gods which could weaken their power. She raised this question with the Masters of the barony: “Why bring back the gods?” The Divine Baron replied, “…because we have the power, and because power must be exercised.” This answer proved sufficient enough
to satisfy Selith Tanit, the great librarian and Mother of the House of Tanit.

The fiercest opponent of the ritual of Eternity, however, was the fallen angel Sariel. Despite all the kindness that the Divine Baron had shown him, Sariel fought fiercely against the establishment of the elements necessary to carry out this great plan. Unfortunately for him, his discretion had not allowed him to gain a sufficient enough influence, and he failed to thwart the will of Feyd Mantis. At least two Dark Houses, Lazarian and Tanit, initially gave Sariel their support. When the House of Tanit joined Feyd Mantis, this fragile coalition collapsed. The next morning, Sariel’s throne was empty and rumors told of a confrontation between the fallen angel and Kyllion, the Paladin, at Kaiber Pass. Rather than fight, the two had engaged in a lively discussion…and to everyone’s surprise, the Paladin had allowed his adversary to pass.

Thus, the ritual slowly went forward. It was of an unimaginable scope: it required that the faithful and the magicians of Acheron gathered in ceremonies consuming incredible power. These ceremonies demanded the sacrifice of countless lives, undoubtedly more lives than existed in the cursed barony. The Divine Baron’s plan was to use those that would be caught in the Rag’narok to feed the monstrous ritual. Feyd Mantis yearns to be the architect of a victory that no one will ever forget. Not only will the cursed barony prevail in the Rag’narok, but it will break the cycle of eras on Aarklash in order to save it, as is always the case, at the end of an era of battles. Once time has stopped, this era will never end!

To those who declare this task an impossibility or a lie, Mantis replies that he offers the only hope of survival for them and describes the devastation that all civilizations of the preceding cycles have known. No winner has survived long enough to savor
his victory. Acheron, mistress of death, intends to revel in its success.

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