FULCRUM: GODFALL STORYLINE

FULCRUM: A PEOPLE UNCONQUERED

Fulcrum is a land unconquered; or more correctly, a lot of lands unconquered, or even more exactly, a lot of peoples unconquered. The people of this land of pride, spirit, and will that is so unusually resilient and indomitable that there are few, if no, instances of total surrender from any peoples in the plane's history. From the Alustran society of strict egalitarian chivalry to the unbreakable village communities of Nymble animal-folk in Pacea to the rebellious, rambunctious rogues of the Free-Mercant Nations to the Org barbarians of the Fire-Jungle of Nor to the dying race of Rorrani warriors that roam the Org lands of Guluk-Naar to the warring liches and vampire of Lacrozia to undying wilderness of the Wurmwood to cackling covens of the Witch Marshes to the ancient culture of the Hexellian Empire and even with the strange recluses of the Ring Isle, no culture or people have given way to an opposing force; in fact, most wars end with a settlement between the two forces that has the victor showing respect and admiration for the defeated foe. The strange thing  is that, in a world of heroes and villains, they don't worship their gods; they despise them.

THE FIVE: IDOLS OF FEAR & LOATHING

In other planes, people look to their gods for strength, for courage, and for help, but in Fulcrum? They are strong, they are courageous, and the believe they need no help, so what use would they have for some powerful cosmic entities lending a little twist of fate? The way they have placed their gods in place of contempt is almost entirely unique; "The Five", the five gods of Fulcrum, are symbols of shame, cowardice, and self-loathing. The peoples of Fulcrum do not ask for the blessings of these entities, they curse them. And they certainly have no alters or churches in their name, (their churches are monuments to moral victory), instead the effigies of the gods are burned to cleanse people's spirit of their taint.

Each of the Five have their own function: The Blue Baron, the embodiment of greed, gluttony, and slothfulness is blamed for every greedy tax season, every bad night in the outhouse, and every lazy son-in-law. The Green Lady, the embodiment of lust, debauchery, and nature's crueler side, is blamed for every cheating husband and every broken heart. The Black Knight is the embodiment of envy, death, and cowardice and is blamed for every conspiracy, every dishonorable death, and every stroke of fear in the hearts of men. The White Queen is the embodiment of pride, boastfulness, and arrogance and is said to be behind every vain princess, every disrespectful lord, and every foolhardy knight. And last but not least, The Red King is the embodiment of war, wrath, and vengeance, and is blamed for every bloody war, every vicious murder, and every petty act performed by angry hands. 

The Five are gods that have no words and have no power; they have merely existed for millennia to serve as spiritual scapegoats of the people of Fulcrum.

IOLO THE GREAT SERPENT RETREATS A VICTOR

A hundred years ago or more saw the largest invading force and quickest surrenders in the history of Fulcrum; the plane was touched by its first planeswalker, Iolo the Great Serpent, a being of immense manipulative powers over the forces of mana and one the oldest and most terrible beings in the multiverse. With storms that tore the sky and the sea assunder, Iolo conquered more of Fulcrum than any empire had ever managed and he did it in a short time. But what did Iolo want with this plane and its inhabitants?

Just as quickly as he came, Iolo left the plane of Fulcrum, without a word or even a whisper. He came for something he wanted, he got it, and he left. To think that such a powerful being would simply visit a plane only to leave it that quickly seems difficult to understand; but the plans of a being of timeless age like Iolo are beyond the realms of most men and even too grand for most gods.

GODFALL: THE UNCONQUERED MEET THE CONQUERORS

Iolo discovered Fulcrum by chance; a planeswalker under his claw had discovered the plane and given him a full report of his findings. The two things that had intrigued Iolo were the unconquered spirit of the plane and the "gods" they had created. Iolo believes in the power of negative emotions and that, undeniably, ambition and power conquers spirit and goodness every time. He came to Fulcrum not for its people nor its lands; he came to take something from The Five.

He gave them a choice; "To never live or to die forever." They chose to surrender their godhood, the negative thoughts of billions, in exchange for a chance to walk amongst those that had cursed their names for so long and to conquer them. He gave them "sparks", the essence of planeswalking, and they left Fulcrum for years only to return with armies and agents to conquer the unconquered.

A war of unfathomable size rages across Fulcrum and, it seems, none can stand in the way of the five in the era that will become known as "Godfall".