The Divine Schism

The Divine Schism was the first and only conflict between the Aspects, overlapping heavily with the Frostfang Catastrophe on Drehmal. It likely took place from roughly Av2 1646-1655.

This conflict led to the some of the only Aspect deaths by the present day, claiming the lives of Noha, Palaesida, and (indirectly) Voynahla, as well as resulting in the indefinite exile of Maen.

	Palaesidans	Anti-Palaesidans/Loyalists
Known Belligerents:	Palaesida and forces (including Amohn Aihura) Rihalae Loeleyhn (implied)	Rihelma and forces (including Oriann) Lai Loe Maen The Talon, led by Sereven Blue Exodus mercenaries, led by Kahmas Tuhs and Orix Cehein
Headquarters:	Palaesida's Domain (Heart of the Tempest)	Greyspire Castle
Notable Casualties:	Palaesida Amohn Aihura	???

Timeline

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This page or section may contain significant spoilers for Drehmal: Apotheosis. Read the additional messages below for specific spoiler information.

Any extensive discussion of the Divine Schism draws almost exclusively from late-game lore sources, which can be considered moderate to significant spoilers for the 75% completion event and its associated late-game areas.

Therefore, if you have not finished the 75% completion event, through the "Apotheosis" advancement, be advised that the rest of this article may spoil parts of the late game for you.

Background

The younger of the Minor Aspects, including the children of Dahr, Rihelma, and Khive, were notably different from their elders. Sometimes this presented more as Aspects being rebellious and brash, such as Lailoehn or Palaesida, while others like Maen became hateful and violent. Maen and Palaesida in particular seem to have disliked one another.

The Aspects had mostly withdrawn from life on Drehmal by this time, where Avsohm was growing significantly more powerful. Well into the reign of their first Emperor, Drehn, the Empire had just discovered the Spiral Anomaly in Mt. Yavhlix, and had begun to make their moves against the tribes of Faehrcyle. These exploits would come to overlap with the events of the Schism, unfolding in parallel with the Frostfang Catastrophe.

Beginning: Frostfang and Death of Noha

A series of signs in Palaesida's room in Ytaj tells the story of the Divine Schism, offering by far the most information about the inciting incidents.

Around the Av2 1640s, Tempest Palaesida had ruined some plan of Maen's, enraging the Aspect of Pain. The trio of Palaesida, Rihalae, and Loeleyhn, three younger Minor Aspects, after overhearing Lai and Loe discuss the Frostfang, decided to steal the mythical weapon from its forge. Rihalae and Loeleyhn distracted Lai and Loe, allowing Palaesida to swipe the blade from the Soletta. For unclear reasons, Palaesida gifted the blade to Homli Tahsgan.

Tahsgan would go on to use the Frostfang and his own innate power to call forth a magical blizzard to repel the forces of Avsohm, also freezing over most of northern Drehmal in the event that would come to be known as the Frostfang Catastrophe in Av2 1646.

Loeleyhn, with her domain suddenly expanded massively after the transformation of Faehrcyle from a cold plain to a perpetual frozen wasteland, was ecstatic in the immediate aftermath, growing closer to Palaesida thanks to his aid. The Prismatic Council, and Dahr in particular, attempted to crack down on the trio, but Palaesida was able to convince Dahr not to punish him.

After it became clear that the Council would not or could not reverse the freezing of Faehrcyle, Noha of Meadows, having lost a massive region that she considered part of her domain, took her own life out of grief. The Aspects were shocked, with Loeleyhn distancing herself from this reality. Noha was the very first Aspect to die, and the others suddenly realized that they could all die. Voynahla, the grim Aspect of Death, was inspired by this revelation, and underwent a 'grisly ritual' to kill himself. Unable to truly die due to his powers, he entered a state of eternal undeath, in which he remains today.

Blaming Palaesida for this fallout, the Aspects broke out into all-out war between Palaesida and his allies (known as the Palaesidans) and the opposing forces (known as either the anti-Palaesidans or the Loyalists). Various Tehrmari inhabitants of the moon were likely conscripted by their patron Aspects to fight in the war as the armies, although only the stories of a few leaders persist.

First Battle of Ytaj

The first known battle during the Divine Schism was the First Battle of Ytaj, taking place at the palace of the Aspects in the far north of Lo'Dahr. The only mention of this battle comes from the Shock and Awe artifacts, the two legendary weapons of Palaesida's Tehrmari champion, Amohn Aihura. Both of these share the following line:

Legends speak of Amohn's heroics at the First Battle of Ytaj, when the Palaesidans overcame a Loyalist ambush led by Sereven to take the palace themselves.

The battle was won by the Palaesidans, who would hold and operate out of Ytaj for the remainder of the war. Sereven himself, and likely the Talon that he commanded, were captured and held prisoner in Ytaj.

Escalation and Outside Forces

For some time after the First Battle, smaller skirmishes would ensue. The Biography of Dragonrider Oriann references a "Battle of Kin", in which Palaesida and Rihalae defeated Rihelma, Oriann, and her phoenix riders in aerial combat. Reportedly, Rihelma sustained a serious injury during this battle, and retreated to Aldregakar for 'several years' before the Second Battle of Ytaj.

Blue Exodus operatives Kahmas Tuhs and Orix Cehein were recruited to join the Loyalist cause by Lai and Loe, with Kahmas being hand-picked by Loe to lead the upcoming siege of Ytaj, attempting to free Sereven. These two are the only known Drehmari to take part in the Schism.

Second Battle of Ytaj

The Second Battle of Ytaj was a massive Anti-Palaesidan siege of Ytaj, led by Oriann and Rihelma from the skies. The Loyalists looked to be securing a decisive victory when Dahr, king of the moon, called both sides to peace talks in the Lunar Wastes.

Palaesida, unwilling to surrender, prepared a speech, but was caught off guard by Maen. The Aspect of Pain murdered Palaesida in cold blood at the negotiating table, bringing both sides to an emergency truce and effectively resulting in an Anti-Palaesidan victory.

Aftermath

The Divine Schism was likely the single largest event in the history of Lo'Dahr, completely reshaping the dynamic between the Aspects.

Following the first three deaths of their own kind, almost all of the Aspects became fearful and reclusive. Since the Schism, very few Aspects have shown their physical forms to either mortals or their family, instead choosing to astral project to Ytaj when they needed to meet.

The Tehrmari population was devastated by the Divine Schism, as they were used to fill the Aspects' armies. Several large pre-Schism population centers, such as Rihanar and Lajani, were significantly depopulated following the Schism, for various reasons. Tension between the La'Tehrmari and Ro'Tehrmari continued to rise, but with a sudden decrease in the number of La'Tehrmari, the path for Ro ascension was made easier. Rather than solely picking those who befriended the Aspects, Ro'Tehrmari who completed the Trials were also able to attain ascension to La'Tehrmari.

As punishment for the murder of Palaesida, Maen was exiled to the moon of Loruhn, sentenced to be shackled to its rocky surface forever.

The deaths of Noha and Palaesida led to their respective domains decaying, as the former was consumed by strange creatures and the latter would eventually erupt into an eternal thunderstorm.

Other Aspects

There are several Aspects whose actions and allegiances during the Schism are not clearly stated:

Aspect	Notes
Dahr	Reprimands Palaesida for his initial transgressions, but does not take a formal stance against his son. As the king of Lo'Dahr, he may have been somewhat neutral in the actual conflict, but he had close relationships with Aspects on both sides.
Khive	Khive does not appear to have had a significant role in the Schism, and his Devotion on Drehmal book suggests that he was not present on Lo'Dahr during the Schism. It proposes that he may have hidden beneath a ruined town in Capital Valley, which lines up closely with his devotion site, Ihted. An artifact found there, Mystic Vow, might refer to Khive: "Shortly after the Frostfang Catastrophe, a strange mystic individual hid beneath Ihted, pursued by the fangs of drakes."
Taihgel	Likely dormant by this time, allegiance unknown and/or not applicable.
Vayniklah	Unknown.
Voynahla	Died in the beginning of the Schism, it is unclear if he clearly took a side or was at all interested in the ensuing conflict.
Dahroehl	Unknown, but could be assumed to have aligned with younger siblings on the Palaesidan side.
Koh	Unknown.
Lahrs	Unknown, possibly neutral due to his known role as a mediator amongst the Aspects.
Lailoehn	Unknown, could be assumed to align with the Palaesidans due to close relationship with Loeleyhn.
Mari	Unknown, may have still been on Sahd during the Schism and therefore uninvolved.
Moen	Unknown.
Muhs	Unknown. Depending on the correct date of his death, may have already been dead before the Schism began. If alive, was likely on Drehmal.
Nahyn	Unknown, although he was a known friend of Sereven.

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