As the last of the First Scourges poured from the northern mountains and the fortress of Baragrond, few opposed the hordes, for few could. The small groups that fought against Nulcarn were the men of Naren Vale, the High Elves of the cities Turthulion, Caladlaen and the forest-refuge of Lorthori, and the dwarven clans. The halflings were uprooted from their homes at Geldaland, gorrlocs burned the fields and slew the last halfling king. Nulcarn moved forth with his Underborn against the dwarves first. His orcs and gorrlocs took the great city of Khazad-Ür, slaying every dwarf inside the city-fortress. After this, the remaining dwarf clans sealed off their tunnels and closed their cities, withdrawing beneath the mountains. Next, Nulcarn invaded the human homeland of Naren Vale, at first the conquest was easy; the north of the Vale fell to him. But he did not know that men were strong. Aldrein was with them as the men marched to confront Nulcarn's forces. Luôr, king of Dul-Ünin, led his men to victory in the first five Battles of Naren Vale, though he was slain in the sixth by Nulcarn himself. After the Six Battles of the Vale, Nulcarn's forces were defeated and driven from the northern lands of men. At the same time, a second legion led by Tyris the Black attacked the elves at Lorthori. After three battles and numerous skirmishes, Tyris's forces were not able to penetrate deep into the forest. But the biggest thorn in Nulcarn's side was Turthulion, the last great stronghold of Elvanyan, hidden always from Nulcarn's sight. Turthulion acted as a refuge for people fleeing from war, and the armies of King Caladruin moved light and fast, holding back the Underborn from advancing farther south. Men from the cities of Lorn, Cairn Erun, Gildaris, and the other great cities of Naren, banded together with the elves of Turthulion and marched north, reclaiming lands as they went, to Baragrond. There the Alliance laid siege to the Black Citadel for nine weeks. The final battle, named the Battle of Sorrow, ended in a bloody defeat for the Alliance. Men and elves withdrew for some years after that to recover their strength. Nulcarn built an obelisk of the skulls of the fallen men in front of the iron gates of Baragrond. A fortnight later, a half-elf named Éuel came to Nulcarn while the Black God was marching on Lorn with the location of Turthulion for the promise of power. Nulcarn quickly sent thousands upon thousands of his twisted creatures led by Tyris the Blighted to the city hidden deep in the Western Mountains. The Siege of Turthulion was long and bloody. Bogloths and trolls pushed great battering rams to the Gilden Gate of Turthulion, while orcs and gorrlocs scaled the walls on ladders and siege towers, arachtaurs and beastmen climbed the white walls while drakes descended from above. When the elves thought all hope was lost, the great mage Tuthilin emerged from his tower and called upon the three rivers that flowed in the mountains by Turthulion. He gave the other elves just enough time to escape when he released the flood. The green plain surrounding the city was swallowed up, the walls were taken by the great wave; soon the whole city was submerged along with Tuthilin and hundreds of thousands of Underborn. Nulcarn had destroyed Turthulion, but at a heavy price; Tyris was dead, the few beastmen left fled into the wilds, thousands of orcs and gorrlocs were dead, and the demon creatures were nearly extinct. When Nulcarn's main army reached Lorn, Duôr's city where the remnant of the Alliance were taking refuge, he laid siege to it, hoping to end the fight of the free races of Mundus there. But during the battle, Duôr, still healing from his wounds, slew Nulcarn's bogloth guards and did the unthinkable: he stabbed Nulcarn, spilling the god's dark blood before the gates of Lorn. In a fury never felt by man, Nulcarn killed Duôr and many of those with him. When his blood was spilt, all Nulcarn's legions of Underborn were driven into a frenzy and scattered; Nulcarn fled north to Baragrond and vanished. He had been defeated. Generations and centuries went by with no hint of Nulcarn's return, the era of relative peace allowed the men of Arnas to march their legions north and east, pulling anyone in their path into the Theden Empire. The Thedes of Arnas had forgotten the wisdom and faith of the Telnar, instead consorting with dragons and worshipping the Old Gods themselves. But as Theden enjoyed its supremacy, shadows began to gather in the north. A thief from Hexusion, Darrow, traveled with a small band of companions north to the Black Mountains and the Iron Cleft, wherein laid Nulcarn's fortress. Darrow snuck into Baragrond; into the very throne room of the dark god himself. Darrow snatched the stolen helm of Duôr from Nulcarn's throne and laughed in the face of Nulcarn himself. Darrow was easily slain by the Tainted God, but not before the man hurled the helm out of Baragrond. An eagle then came, seeing the sun glinting off the helm and carried it miles off; to the coast. In a rage Nulcarn unleashed his rebuilt Underborn hordes from Baragrond and the First Scourges resumed. The Thedes experienced the true horror of a Scourge for the first time. Kallen, Magus Imperator of the disintegrating Theden Empire after his father Kollanus, was praying one night to any god, above or below, when he received a vision from Aldrein: Kallen was standing in a forest, near a dark cave. He found, laying just inside the cave the lost helm of Duôr. Suddenly he was standing in the midst of an enormous battle. Nulcarn, clad in his black armor, was racing toward him, mace raised for a killing blow. Kallen drew his sword and thrust it into the chest of Nulcarn and slew the dark god. Kallen awoke from his vision and hurriedly searched the northern wilds of his empire. He found the helm in a cave still unknown to man. He donned the helm and spread the worship of the Sanctum through the Empire. His vision showed him that as Duôr had wounded the dark god, Kallen could kill him. Kallen raised all the imperial legions and rallied free people to him: elves, Dran, Vadarin, even the halflings, but only a lone army of Nameless dwarves came to answer the call. They marched to Baragrond and besieged the Black Citadel for the second time in the Breach of Baragond. This time though, Nulcarn rode out to meet them, riding his dragon, Angrazak. Kallen, riding one of the elves' eagles, fought Nulcarn in the sky. Kallen finally slew Angrazak, so he faced the Tainted God on the ground. They fought, and when Kallen was thrown to the ground and Nulcarn was about to destroy the last hope for Mundus; Kallen prayed to Aldrein, and the Father God filled him with strength. Kallen picked up his sword and stabbed the black heart of Nulcarn. It was over then and there. The Scourge broke, the Iron Gates fell off there hinges, the Tower of Baragrond crumbled. All the slaves of Nulcarn were freed. Life, it seemed, could return to normal. Kallen, the direct descendant of Duôr, divided the weak Empire in two; western Theden, or Lortheas, and eastern Arannis. He ruled Theden as it's one of its greatest imperators.
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