The 3rd Age of the World
Coming out of the Second Darkness, mortals begged their gods for help, and these cries did not fall on deaf ears. The balance of power swung backwards, away from mortals and once again to the divine. Much of what Handmrick built was lost. His empire came out of the darkness a meager shell of its former glory and the lessons he taught the gods were forgotten.
The difficulties of the Breaking were soon forgotten and the beings known today as the "Old Gods" arose. They took on flesh and walked the land as mortals. Indeed, this age is marked by peace and prosperity. It witnessed marvelous advances in technology, medicine, and magic; all spurred on by the guiding hand of the gods.
It was the wicked god Neckroth that brought this age to a close. His plans had been long in the making. Like a leech, he drew the essence of magic from the world, taking it into himself, filling himself with every drop of mana until finally he was ready. One by one he came upon the gods and slew them, stealing their power as he did. In the beginning, the other gods brushed aside his actions; after all, did not gods make war with one another from time to time? By the time they realized their folly it was too late.
Once again it fell to mortal heroes to save the world. Velcerick, a wizard from the tiny island of Arcaniss, and the Walkers With Velcerick stood against Neckroth, transforming the once-mortal god into his mortal self, they slew him, and cast his body upon the rocks to be devoured by carrion beasts.
And yet the victory was tempered by loss, for the world was thrust into the Third Darkness as the Draining eclipsed it.
