The following can be considered plot spoilers. For those who wish to learn story details through in-character development, turn back now.Otherwise, read on as you wish.

The Great Flood

Fifth Astral Era

The tales stretch back to ages long passed. They tell of the existence of a mere mote of aether in the Great Wood--the conjoined forests of the Black Shroud and Gyr Abania as they are known in modernity.This small mote existed as an elemental of the wood, one that carried with it a fondness for the beasts of the world. To the things that crawled, walked, and flew. The elemental spent its time imitating the beasts of the land and its primordial intelligence strove to understand the nature of these corporeal beings.This entity, like its fellows, existed in near stasis. They grew and swelled as aether flowed into the land and so too did they fade upon its leaving. Thus it was with caution did the Elementals feel the rise of the powers of mortals. Of Nym, Mhach, & Amdapor. They witnessed distantly their great works and deeds and, like all the elementals of the world, watched with growing wrath at the breaking of the War of Magi.Swept up in this growing collective wrath, this simple Elemental, like it's fellows, surged forward with the tide of anger and participated in the Great Flood. In doing so, the elementals of the wood wiped the land clean of all corporeal beings. This simple mote, swept up in the tidal force of rage came to destroy everything of which it had grown to love.This flood was a calamity unto itself that carried with it unforeseen consequences. The tides of aether within this star, a delicate latticework of aetheric currents that ran throughout the land had forever been damaged, shifting and flailing like a thing alive until it settled once again, forever altering the flow of life giving aether, now flowing around the region of Gyr Abania, to pool its energies instead into the Black Shroud. These currents now filled it with ever richer and denser pockets of aether while leaving Gyr Abania to diminish. Thus, did the primordial elementals abet in destroying not only the corporeal beings they loved, but also the very land they were bound to.

Isolation

With great sorrow and regret did the Elemental and its fellows resign themselves to fate. Self isolation and eventual fading would be the penance for their sin. Centuries would drift and the land changed. Where verdant groves and great trees once stood, withering decay now surrounded the ailing spirits. Starved of the aether that sustained them did the remaining life of Gyr Abania grow sickly and frail and finally, to die and in doing so change part of the Great Wood to a desolate barren land of sand and dirt.In a cruel twist of fate, starvation of aether had not the anticipated effect on the few remaining elementals. The link each elemental shared had began to fail. Their collective consciousness faded from their minds, isolating them not only from the life they had enjoyed, but also from one another. Now existing as half faded wraiths, they were forced to experience, for the first time in their existence, the burden of individuation.The passage of years and the utter isolation the elementals were forced to endure had long forced each into a state is dormancy. It was not until the next age, upon the arrival of the first Gyr Abanians did these beings once again begin to stir. Movement. Sound. To one experiencing their absence for centuries, even the smallest stirrings were as cacophonous as the calamity that began their isolation. Thus did these wraiths discover the return of corporeal life.

The First Al'vain

Men. Creatures not of the land. Beings who walked with defined forms, who stirred and broke against the harsh inhospitable lands. Centuries had passed since the last corporeal life was seen. From whence did they come?One wraith took great interest in these new beasts, casting it's mind far into the distant past to remember the time of plenty when it took shape of beast and bird and tree. These beasts who walked upon two legs seemed to endure these lands where all others had failed. And so the wraith watched, struggling to remember life as a solid being.Until one day, a lost child had wandered into a cavern during a vicious sandstorm. Blind and half faded, the child groped and cried in the dark of the Wraith's den. Its faded and ephemeral form remembered where it's mind did not and shifted to take solid shape. Where once was open air came a being of immense height. It stood upon two thin legs and bore two too-long arms. Its pale bloodless face bore no features, a smooth surface from which no hair, nose, or mouth, bearing only two black holes where eyes should be.A horrifying sight to behold, when delving into the unknown. But blinded and lost as the child was, it had no choice but to trust this strange silent man of the cave. Cautiously, the Wraith led the child to water and used what energy it had to care for and mend its wounds. Other time, sight returned, and soon after, trust. The Wraith first among the rest of its race, loved the creatures of the world. It alone understood them more than it understood itself. Thus in the days that passed, it learned to use the sound of wind, the echo of stone and water to mimic the speech of this child.Days passed and the child was now well enough to make the journey back. The Wraith did not stop it, but watched the curious thing walk upon its legs and fade from sight. The child left the Wraith to return to its solitude, but with it was carried the story of the strange healing spirit of the caves.Days after more men came into the Wraith's den. Seeking to give thanks for the return of their child. These men did not flee upon the Wraith's manifestation, rather they knelt in supplication. These Men thus called this entity 'Al'vain', emissary of the land. Thus began the covenant, between man and the multitude of Wraiths that they had come to name 'Immortals'.

The Covenant of Flesh

Over time, the relationship between immortal and mortal took on that of shepherd and flock. Under their guidance, the First Men of Gyr Abania flourished and multiplied, spawning new families that broke off to form new tribes. But the nature of Man is fickle and chaotic. Often, the tribes of Men would quarrel and fight. This animosity escalated to the point where Men whose grandfathers had broken bread with one another now made war against each other.The rise and fall of the old nations and the War of the Magi was still fresh in the minds of the Al'vain and the Immortals and thus did they convene with one another. It was in this convening did they decide that order would need to be established.Thus did the Al'vain lead the grim task of culling the flock of First Men. The spirits of the land rose up and struck down Tribes of Men who would quarrel and war, heedless of intent or offense. Upon the falling of the last blade did the Al'vain call the tribes assemble and set before them a new covenant. War was not to be avoided, but was to be conducted upon the sole blessing of the Immortals. This Covenant of Flesh would be given such that each mortal man must spill his own blood before given leave to spill another. Thus though this sacrifice he would learn: To injure another, Man will, in turn, injure himself.

Shadows of the East

The covenant did little to abate Man's lust for war, but it succeeded in keeping the carnage from overtaking the land. With this covenant in place, rather than committing to open warfare, the Tribes of Gyr Abania developed a system of treaties and feuds, with the occasional pitched skirmish. This complex web of alliances and rivalries lasted for generations until the arrival of Men of the east. These visitors carried with them stories of the lands beyond, of the rise of a great walled city and a man who called himself the King of Ala Mhigo and thus proclaimed that all of Gyr Abania was to fall under his rule.The isolated tribes of the Wastes had little regard for outsiders and gave the men of Ala Mhigo little mind. A decision they would come to regret. For while the complicated web of tribal relations lent relative stability, it offered little protection against the combined might of the Ala Mhigan King.The Al'vain, seeing this new menace conferred with the immortals to discuss the threat of these outsiders. This was a matter of great debate as these men knew naught of the immortals, nor did they seem inclined to partake in the covenant. Many sought to gain further knowledge of these new corporeals, surely these men were just as understanding as the tribes of Gyr Abania? Others, however, reasoned that they made for poor shepherds were they to allow wolves within their flock.It was an uncomfortable fact that the immortals had grown to depend upon the tribes of the First Men, gorging themselves upon the aether of offering and sacrifice. There was much at risk, much to lose should the Tribes be scattered. Consensus could not be achieved, and thus the immortals aided in what manner each individual thought best.Some would journey to the tribes and bestow unto them great blessings of war. Others, like the Al'vain, being an emissary to the race of Men would seek further talks with the King of Ala Mhigo.

The Broken Covenant

War raged within Gyr Abania. Worse than ever before. Had consensus been reached, it likely would have lead to a swift victory against the outsiders. But the disunity of the spirits forced the fighting to a drawn out stalemate. It was only when both sides had felt the weariness of the war settle upon them did the King of the walled city answer the call for parlay.The Al'vain, along with a contingent of the First Men journeyed to a place beyond the wastes, deep into the lands of the King. Heedless of the duplicitous nature of Man did the Al'vain come forth in good faith and it was there that the Ala Mhigans sprang their trap. No sooner did the Al'vain reveal himself did the trecherous King order his royal thaumaturges to engulf the company in foul magics.In one ill conceived moment of naïve trust, the entire company was destroyed. The Al'vain was not sparred from the cruel touch of magic. Surviving long enough to retreat back to its cavern, it fell before the ancient spring from which it first entreated with the child of Man. And it was there as a last act, the Al'vain dissipated itself into the waters of the spring, gone.The immortals had lost their emissary and with that loss so too was the covenant broken. Gyr Abania was soon subjugated and unified beneath the banner of Ala Mhigo and within a few generations, knowledge of the immortals of Gyr Abania was all but forgotten.

Truth Speaker

The L̴̩̿a̷̢͇̓ģ̶͚̾͑ǒ̷͈̋ ̸̪̬̔ḍ̷̌͂'̷̟̊̋S̴̛̺̪e̴͎̬͊͂n̴̨͝m̸̟̹̚o̷̭̞͗r̸̰̤͐t̴͕͠a̸̯̎͆s̷̡̐̔͜, or tongue of the immortals is a primordial language. It is one of creation and dreams, or so it is believed. It is a tongue shared primarily through thought, but upon the decline of Gyr Abania the capability to communicate though such means was lost. The immortals had lost their connection to the lifestream and it was not until they came upon the First Men, with their oral language, did the immortals consider such methods of communication. To mortal minds, the tongue is beyond reckoning. To them, it is a speech of dreams, for one hearing the tongue soon finds the words slipping from their memory, as that of a dream upon the waking mind.There are those, however, seldom born mortals who possess the spark of creation and are gifted as V̶͍̹̾ẽ̸̤̼r̷̥͆ȯ̶̠ ̸͕̣͛́P̴̮̩̆a̷̻͔͗ḽ̷̥̿͌a̵̲̓n̸̼͒̈́t̴͇̰̾͊a̷̦̯͗r̶̠̠̈́̓o̴̥̎̊j̴̯̎̓, or Truth Speakers. In one event that could only be considered an uncanny twist of fate, one such individual was born of neighboring Gridania. A child touched of the Elementals called Padjal, one ever thought stunted of tongue and thus slow of mind, once came to the edge of the Black Shroud. This Padjal had ever felt a calling beyond the sea of dense forests that was its home and thus found itself walking amidst the wilds of the Wastes. Lingering immortals watched this child-like creature suffer in the sands that were so unlike its home and thought back to the doings of the lost Al'vain. Thus, they took pity of the child, leading it to the Caverns of Jericho.To the surprise of both, Padjal and spirit both found they could speak to one another. News that quickly spread to all remaining immortal who converged upon Jericho to bear witness to this mortal emissary. To this Padjal, the tales of the immortals was told. They spoke of the flood, of isolation and the Al'vain. They spoke of the days of plenty and the dark days that came again. All this the Padjal learned and sat to contemplate for three days of silent prayer. Upon emerging on the fourth day, the Padjal spoke a desire to see the resting place of the Al'vain.And so the Padjal ventured into the dark placed of Jericho until it fell upon the edge of the lone pool of the ancient emissary. It was there the Padjal, touched of the elementals, drank from the pool. It took in the lingering essence of the Al'vain and left behind a part of his own. Thus, when he emerged he returned as more than we has when he had left. Thus did he call himself Al'vain, the first of the mortal emissaries.Since then, an unbroken line of mortals have taken up the mantle of Al'vain. Each drinking upon the essence of the previous host and carrying within themselves the unbroken memories of this heritage, blending mortal and immortal minds to become someone and something else entirely. To live as an Al'vain is to share in the conflict of the Immortals. As immortals are forced to face existence with individuation, so too must the Al'vain be forced to endure the life with the loss of their individuality. They speak as one of many and thus lose their own voice in the chorus.

Our Purpose

The following shall denote the organizational structure of Senmorta. While the organization differs from Al'vain to Al'vain, the current structure is newly established after the fashion designated by Elam Al'vain developed after years of experience as a partisan. Because of this, the structure lacks a strong centralized foundation in favor of decentralized autonomous crews. These small groups can be expected to function with relatively little input. Training is disseminated down the ranks with those who cannot survive in the wilderness are quickly lost and replaced. Only the most tenacious of operatives last long enough to be counted among Senmorta.

The Faithful

Organized by Adeline Al'vain, Elam's predecessor, the Fidela Senmorta, or Faithful to the Immortals, are a group of mortal militants whom are fanatically devoted to the spirits and the old ways of the First Men of Gyr Abania. They were first formed as a means to sabotage and conduct guerilla warfare against King Theodoric of Ala Mhigo, but soon gained a new target upon the invasion and occupation by the Garlean Empire.The Fidela were zealous men and women who disseminated into occupied territories to foment insurrection and partisan activities. Fidela were particularly ruthless during the Ala Mhigan occupation as they considered both Garlean invader and Ala Mhigan citizens to be enemies. To an occupier eager to enact collective punishment like the imperials, any act that resulted in harsh retribution to the civilian population was a favored tactic to the Faithful.It was the Fidela infiltration into the burgeoning Ala Mhigan resistance that true seeds of chaos took root. The already radicalized Ala Mhigan youth provided fertile soil for the propaganda of the faithful. Resistance members Cirice an Laudus and Emileigh aan Laudus , better known by his alias 'Elam' were noted as potential agents to spread dissension of the faithful.Years later, under the leadership of Elam Al'vain, the purpose of the Fidela has turned from fomenting insurrection to ensuring stability and security of the Gyr Abanian Wastes. Currently, the Fidela act as rangers, scouts, and wayfinders through the most desolate and inhospitable regions of the Wastes.Occasionally, the Fidela are called to move in force against the enemies of the Al'vain. In this capacity, they move with silent and deadly efficiency, often favoring firearms and rifles to strike down their targets while remaining out of sight.Chosen amongst the most capable of the faithful are the dour titled 'Black Eyes'. These serve as the pinnacle of skill and tenacity the Fidela should strive to become. Noted for their black magitek augmented eyes, it is rare that a member of the Black Eyes are seen in the field. If you happen to see one, it is likely only because they wanted to be seen.

Knowledge Seekers

Established by Elam Al'vain, the Sciata Senmorta, or knowledge seekers, spend relatively little time in the Gyr Abanian Wastes and instead pursue infiltration of outside organizations. These deep cover agents often take on entire new identities and lead entirely new lives. Where members of Fidela use their gifts to move about unseen, members of the Sciata typically prefer to hide in plain sight, seeking to exploit familiarity the inherent trust of others to their advantage. Once established within an organization they will transmit any pertinent information to contacts within Gyr Abania, as necessary.Members within other organizations are often sought out to join the network of the Sciata, often without full knowledge for whom they truly work for. As such, information coming to and from the Sciata is kept under a strict need-to-know basis. Despite the lack of traditional armaments afforded to members of the Sciata, it is considered a far more ruthless and unforgiving sect of the Senmorta, with operatives conditioned for the most harsh and inhumane of situations, should their duplicity be discovered.

The Irregulars

Senmorta Malregulara, or 'The Irregulars', are those few trusted individuals who work on the periphery of the organization. While they may not directly interface with the command structures of the Fidela Senmorta or Sciata Senmorta, these irregulars make up a large majority of the organization. They are craftsmen, laborers, merchants, or administrators.But that is not to say they are helpless. Each member of Malregulara are armed and willing to fight to defend themselves or their lands, should the need arise.