The Chapter of Starfall
This document, preserved through my painstaking copying process from the original vellum, constitutes the central apocalyptic warning within the collected works of the Sky-Seer, Arion, the Stargazer. The ‘Chapter of Starfall’ describes not a peaceful observation of the heavens, but the terrifying consequences of the celestial order breaking down—a direct result of unchecked mortal hubris and the disruption of the natural energetic flows. As Chronicler, I must record this prophecy without embellishment, even if its contents chill the deepest vaults of the Dwarven Abbey. The text speaks of a time when the heavens themselves reject the world below, a reaction that dwarfs even the calamity of the Great Sundering.
Starfall is defined by Arion as the catastrophic terrestrial collapse following the failure of the necessary alignment, specifically focusing on the instability of the primordial celestial nexus known as the Astral Core. This Core, Arion claims, is the energetic source that dictates the stability of all aerial phenomena and which the ancient Aerilon Ascendancy inadvertently tapped into, using massive Aetherium Conduits. When this system overloads, the energies that once bound the sky begin to descend, resulting in fragments of pure, destabilized star-matter falling onto the Iron-Grip Mountains. This descent triggers an immediate and accelerated deterioration of reality, confirming Arion’s fear that the world is yielding to the corrosive energies of the Great Unmaking.
The chapter meticulously records the failure of the [[Shattered Aegis]], a great protective barrier supposedly woven by the Sky-Seers long ago to catch and redirect these celestial shards. Its splintering is noted as the moment the corruption transfers directly from the skies into the earth, severing the essential connection to the deep energy flows known as the Veins of Whispers. The greatest terror, however, involves the fate of the Sunstone of Aethelgard. Arion prophesies that during Starfall, the Stone, already attuned to celestial energy, will be bombarded by the chaotic radiation, risking its transformation from a protective beacon into a destructive anchor, pulling the remaining celestial energies into a localized cataclysm.
Furthermore, the text warns of insidious, new entities drawn to the decay: the [[Star-Eaters]]. These creatures are said to manifest from the cooling stellar debris, seeking to consume the residual light and knowledge left behind, accelerating the spread of shadow across the mountain depths. The chapter is a clear indictment of those who seek to force the heavens to their will, offering a stark warning that control over cosmic forces inevitably leads to their vengeful return. Though I find these apocalyptic pronouncements disturbing, my duty is merely to ensure the record remains intact for future generations of dwarves, who may yet find a way to navigate this coming darkness.
(Following this section, the reader is directed to the next segment concerning the inevitable defense against this threat: The Chapter of the Azure Watch.)