Decay

"People have called it the "Decay"... Truth is, there is so much more to it."

- Lari, At the Edge of Decay

The Decay is a major issue, similar to the Corruption, that plagues the Gavel Province. To sum it up, the Decay is the effect of Darkness parasites removing Gavel's light and spreading Darkness. Introduced approximately 1000 years ago in Gavel's past, the Decay poses one of the biggest threats to Gavel's well being, degrading once pristine lands into dark, twisted, regions full of tortured creatures. One of the best examples of a region twisted by the Decay's power is the Kander Forest in North Central Gavel.

Origin
In 0 AP, a Parasite of the Realm of Darkness emerged from a portal to Dern. The Parasite leeched off of the light of the light beast, Orphion, which caused light to fade in the Light Forests. As the Guardian of The Forest stated to the player, what happens in one realm, affects the corresponding land on the physical plane. An elf named Lari has tried to deal with the Decay herself, but her stubbornness to cling to her morals had let the Parasite remain in Gavel.

Effect
While the first spot of the Decay was where the Caritat Mansion is now, the place where it is strongest at is the Heart of the Decay, which has caused the Kander Forest to become more lifeless, turning the once-bright and vibrant place into an eldritch wasteland. Surrounding areas like the Dark Forest and Olux Swamp are also feeling the effects of the Decay, with the crops withering away and slowly becoming more rotten. The reason the Light Forest has not yet fallen to the Decay unlike the Dark Forest is because of Lari's efforts to keep the seal in place. The Villagers of Llevigar are also being victims of the Decay, as they are trying to find new frontiers to escape the effects of the Decay, making the proud city a poor town like Olux. The Decay itself is also creeping into the Gylia Plains, although The Colossus is making the canyons shift, keeping them out of the Canyon of the Lost.

Trivia

 * Qira, Mistress of the Hive was asked to eliminate the Decay, however, she declined.