I've always liked DDO's storytelling. Like most MMOs, it's subtle enough that most players who couldn't care less can safely ignore it, but over the years I've really appreciated how the various story arcs integrate with one another and plot points pay off in later updates.I have played much of DDO, but I am by no means the ultimate source on story knowledge. I'm not as intimately familiar with epic content as 1-20 content, so this thread is as much an effort to get other knowledgeable forumites to help me fill in the blanks of the story. With your help, we can get a fairly comprehensive overview of DDO's story.
This thread is an effort to compile DDO's major story arcs into one continuous timeline. It will mostly be arranged by character level - as you will read below, events in the game seem to proceed chronologically as the players gain levels - for example, Velah is encountered and defeated in a level 10 quest, and her deceased status becomes important at level 13 when Cydonie is forced to assume her duties and recruit the players for help in Gianthold. I'm not going to cover every adventure pack here; I'm instead going to try to focus on ones that help form the overall narrative of the game.
In a few instances, quests have both heroic and epic versions. Efforts will be made to decide whether the events occur canonically at one or both levels. For example, the Vault of Night seems to occur at level 10 and not at level 22 - there is nothing to indicate Velah was returned to life and re-entered the Vault. However, Gianthold takes place at both level 13-14 and 24-25; the first being the Stormreaver's return and fall to madness, and the second being his confrontation with the Truthful one.
Without further ado, here we go:
Prior to the beginning of the game:
Devils attack Stormreach and destroy the Marketplace Tent. The Horned Devil Suulomades is briefly summoned to Stormreach, but does not seem to take interest in destroying it. Dragons Cydonie and Velah are observed witnessing the events, but are not involved.
Level 1-2: Korthos Island
Adventurers bound for Stormreach are attacked by the white dragon Aussircaex, who is under the mental control of a mindflayer, using a Quori Mindsunder artifact. Once freed from the mental control, Aussircaex leaves Korthos and settles in what comes to be known as Aussircaex's Valley. Players move on to the city of Stormreach.Level 2-3 - Stormreach Sewer Service
Stormreach has problems, but they're fairly minor overall. Some kidnappings, some burglaries, some lost items. Adventurers clear out sewers of pests like kobolds and troglodytes. However, Hazadill the Bugbear seems to be amassing power as a crime boss as he attempts to sabotage Baudry Cartamon's operations. A rescue attempt in the Waterworks provides a clue about the Seal of Shan-to-Kor.Level 3-5 - The Tarnished Flame, and Outside Threats Looming
The Silver Flame, though powerful and militant, has internal problems. Not only are there undead inside their very headquarters in the Catacombs, but Archbishop Dryden does not trust his own soldiers to deal with the issue and requires outside help, demonstrating the Church's penchant for compromising its own ideals in the name of its goals.
Meanwhile, threats from outside Stormreach start to threaten the city. The Cloven-Jaw tribe of Hobgoblins was found to be in possession of the Seal of Shan-to-Kor, which they apparently intended to use to bargain with giants, who once ruled Stormreach. House Phiarlan's internal affairs are infiltrated and sabotaged by the Malefic Cabal, led by a succubus named Malicia - the first major extraplanar influence on the city since the Devil Assault. She is defeated, and returns to her home plane, presumably the Shavarath.Level 4-7 - Pirates of the Thunder Sea
Most pirates do not directly threaten Stormreach, but operate out of Three-Barrel Cove. However, one group, the Blood Tide, conspires to attack House Deneith's mercenaries directly, since they pose the greatest threat to their operations. They even dare to attack House Deneith's chapterhouse in Stormreach. House Deneith's position is weakened and they recruit adventurer help for various other matters.Level 5-11 - The Necropolis
The Black Abbot, a powerful lich, is attempting to learn how to conduct a ritual that will raise him to godhood. His three loyal servants, Salasso, Nerezza, and Maldetto, research and create the books he will need to do so. The Silver Flame proves ineffective at stopping him, despite allying with the Emerald Claw, their old enemies, to do so. Adventurers are able to slay the three vampires, but not to stop the Abbot from acquiring his rituals. Meanwhile, Silver Flame Inquisitor Gnomon orders the death of a Sovereign Host congregation; an act which disgusts many players and causes them to question the Silver Flame's supposed Goodness.
In addition, as the Abbot's power grows, undead begin to appear in great numbers in Stormreach - the Spire of Validus appears in Delera's Graveyard and undead manifest in other locations as well.Level 6-10 - Xorian Influence
Creatures from Xoriat begin to cross into Eberron and cause destruction. On Sorrowdusk, at Threnal, at Korromar, Flesh Renders and Beholders cross into the material plane. The Xorian Cipher is recovered by the Gatekeepers, but the knowledge of opening Xorian portals has spread.See AlsoContributions | The Neverwinter Vault113689-is-this-game-worth-investing-a-ton-of-my-time-intoLevel 8-10 - the Vault of Night and the arrival of the Aurum
The Aurum, financial and political rivals of the Dragonmarked Houses, conspire with Velah the Red Dragon to invade Kundarak's Vault of Night. Velah desires to study the dragonshards contained within, as she believes they record "A Great Doom". The Aurum wishes to steal Kundarak's wealth for itself. Aurum agents sabotage the Laughing Knives, who were the only ones able to enter the vault - they poison Orphne with a psychic magic poison that traps her in her own mind, they sic a Marut on the vampire Veil's trail, and they use mind-enslaving worms to turn Haywire's own warforged against him. House Kundarak, helped by players, kills Velah even as she warns them that she reads a terrible future in the Prophesy.Level 8-10 - Giants organize to reform their ancient Empire
General Xanti'lar organizes a giantish army to attack Stormreach, but is repelled by House Deneith and players. Not long after, Sor'jek Incanni, a storm giant, discovers an ancient artifact, a crown that allows him to command the loyalty of drow and giants. Claiming to be the Stormreaver, he attempts to amass an army, but is slain on the top of Tempest's Spine. Giants everywhere hear the Stormreaver has returned and begin traveling to join him.Level 10-11 - Quori Machines and Cannith's Secrets
Hazadill the Bugbear has driven most other small-time businesses away, including many the players helped from level 1-4. It seems he is being assisted by the Aurum, who came to Stormreach previously. Their notes reveal they are looking for a place called the Twilight Forge. The Forge is located in the Restless Isles - and in it are ancient, thousands-of-years-old Warforged. The implications are staggering, as House Cannith claimed to have invented the Warforged themselves within the past 100 years. In addition, the forge dates back to the Quori Invasion tens of thousands of years before.Level 11-12 - The Demon Sands
Peace is finally restored to Menechtarun Desert as Zawabi the Elder Djinni succeeds in permanently destroying both King Raiyum the Eternal and the Marilith, Queen Lailat. The strength of the Firebrand gnolls is broken and the survivors travel to Reysalon Mountain. The Windlasher gnolls travel to Gianthold.Level 12-13 - Droaam Invasion
The monster nation of Droaam attempts to invade Stormreach, believing it to be an easy target compared to the nations of Khorvaire, and to demonstrate their military strength to the world. Though their naval forces are rebuffed, they still manage to bring great numbers of soldiers to Xen'drik; a Daughter of Sora Kell had opened portals allowing troops to move between continents. The invasion was repelled.Level 13-14 - The Stormreaver's Return
Blue dragon Cydonie contacts the players and informs them that the Stormreaver has returned. The Stormreaver (not to be confused with Sor'jek) was the leader of the giants tens of thousands of years ago and was instrumental in defeating the Quori. Giants everywhere flock to him, but he remains within Gianthold Tor. Giants of all stripes come to him, but are driven mad by gigantic Skeleton Warlocks in Madstone Crater of unknown loyalty. In addition, the most dangerous prisoner in the Prison of the Planes takes the form of a Quori Warforged, who reveals that the Stormreaver was returned to life by an old betrayer, to deceive the giants. The Stormreaver himself is found in his inner sanctum, where he is activating an ancient Doomsday device that could destroy all of Xen'drik. The machine is deactivated, and the Stormreaver comes to his senses. Escorted by dragons of Argonnessen, he retreats to the Reaver's Refuge.Level 14-15 - The Black Abbot's Ascension and the Great Planar Disturbance
The Black Abbot's rituals were nearly complete, but the Silver Flame and Emerald Claw finally had the means to stop him. After breaking through the various seals that protected him, players invade the Ascension Chamber and defeat the Black Abbot. But the ritual in progress, which required powerful planar magics, sent shockwaves through the entire Multiverse, greatly altering the balance of the planes. Arratreikos, pit fiend of the Shavarath, sees an opportunity.Level 15 - Daelkyr and Xoriat sculpt Stormreach
With the knowledge to access Xoriat widespread, the Daelkyr, exiles from that plane, foment their unique brand of horror on Stormreach. A mind flayer turns citizens into horrible "art", and the Sleeping Spell in is turned into a truly insane place where Beholders engage in drinking contests.Level 16-17 - Arraetrikos' Power Play
The Vale of Twilight is a region in Xen'drik that is coterminous and influenced by Lammania, the Twilight Forest. When all thirteen moons of Eberron eclipse at once, Lammania could potentially be replaced, but due to the nature of planar orbits, it never has been - until the Black Abbot's spell shook the planes out of their normal orbits. Now, with the right ritual, Arretrikos could bring Shavarath coterminous and invade Eberron directly. The Twelve, with player assistance, manage to defeat him in such a way that his plan is ruined. While a permanent link to Eberron is not achieved, another opportunity arises deep below Stormreach.Level 17 - The True and False Reavers
Guarded and assisted by the dragons of Argonnessen, the Stormreaver contemplates his actions and his purpose at the Reaver's Refuge. However, Sor'jek Incanni, returned as a lich, is attempting to become the master of all giants himself - by killing dragons and raising them as undead slaves. At Mount Reysalon, the Firebrand Gnolls believed that the local tribe of Kobolds would be easy to bully or kill, but the Paragon Kobolds who live there proved tough. Of note is that Living Spells are encountered there, a phenomenon associated with the Mournlands, where only warforged can survive. In the Soami gardens, the ancient Monastery bears the same architecture as the Twilight Forge, and lastly, Aussircaex was previously controlled by the Quori Mindsunder. The hint of Quori influence on Sor'jek is present but unconfirmed. Sor'jek's ritual is interrupted and he is destroyed. The true Stormreaver, in time, leaves the Refuge.Level 18 - Below Stormreach
The continuing planar imbalance results in two separate portals opening below Stormreach - one to Xoriat, from which Xyzzy the Tharaak Hound emerges, and the other to the Shavarath, from which Suulomades leads his army. Both monsters are beaten back.Level 18-19 - Dar Qat will Assimilate
The Inspired (better known as agents of the Quori), make peaceful contact with Stormreach, but seem to be subverting its citizens. With the help of Jeets Shimis, players discover that they planned to control all of Stormreach with a Mindsunder artifact. Players also manage to project themselves to Dal Quor itself to destroy another Mindsunder on that end. The Warforged Titan is shown to be a weapon of the Quori in ages past.Level 19-20 - Amrath Intervention
Players travel to Amrath, where they directly stave off another invasion attempt by the Devil armies. In the process, players free Arraetrikos, who apparently survived his attack on the Shroud. Arraetrikos leaves to pursue a new agenda. Also appearing is Malicia, previously seen attacking House Phiarlan. She is defeated, and her body lays dead on the ground, apparently killed permanently on her home plane. House Cannith sells weapons to the Twelve for their war on Shavarath - at least three Warforged Titans, which are a weapon the Devils were completely unprepared for.Level 19-20 - Cannith's Secrets and the Lord of Blades
House Cannith sets up shop in Stormreach - and their own architecture closely resembles that of the Twilight Forge and other Quori locations. Their affairs are thrown into disarray because the Lord of Blades has taken over their manufactory - in fact, an ancient Creation Forge that the Lord wishes to use to create new warforged. He is eventually stopped, but the link between the Creation Forges and the Quori is firmly established, as is their ability to control the Warforged - the Lord of Blades has difficulty retaining his own free will.Meanwhile, in the Forgotten Realms, trouble brews on several fronts.
Note: with the exception of the Disciples of Shadow trio of quests, the only quests that are not available with an epic version are Murder by Night and the Riddle, which seem to occur before Lolth has any solid leads on finding the Thread of the Weave (which she does later). Thus, I've decided to treat the "canon" time of all FR quests as being of epic level. If you prefer, you can consider the heroic versions of some of these stories "canon" at Heroic level if your character is a Forgotten Realms Iconic race who level from 15-20 in the Realms, but overall, I think it flows better at epic - since, for example, Murder by Night (19) would occur after Through a Mirror Darkly (16) despite the Shadowfell Conspiracy story nominally taking place after the Menace of the Underdark story.
Level 15 - Netherese Infiltrators
Near Eveningstar in the kingdom of Cormyr in the Forgotten Realms, priests of the Shadow goddess Shar attract followers. Most of them are captured, but a mercenary pack of Lizardfolk attempt to free the prisoners. The priests' presence in Cormyr along with the unknown financier of the mercenaries are of great concern - especially when a prison break at the prison-town of Wheloon occurs as soon as the head priest Dedryk Black is transferred there. The break coincides with an attack by creatures from the Shadowfell, and Dedryk Black is assassinated by a Shadar-kai assassin before he can be interrogated. The source of the assassin and the attack remains unknown.Level 19 -25 - A Plague on Both our Worlds
The Goddess of Magic, Mystra, is dead, and her place among the pantheon of gods remains vanant. Lolth, Spider-queen and demon goddess of the Demonweb and the drow elves, has decided that she would become the next Goddess of Magic, and to do so, she needs to achieve several goals - to increase her personal power greatly, and to find the "Thread of the Weave." Her servants, from drow to hags, are sent forth to search for it.
Though it remains unknown precisely how she managed, Lolth became aware of a completely new plane of existence - not merely another plane in the linked cosmology of the Realms, but an entirely new one, which was hauntingly familiar, yet distinct and all its own. That world was Eberron, in which existed many of the same creatures found in Faerûn, yet originated completely on their own; it even had its own linked cosmology, which featured the same sorts of demons that Lolth ruled over. Some of these demons were servants of the so-called Lords of Dust, who sought to free their Overlords. One of these Overlords was called the Spinner of Shadows. Her form was eerily like Lolth's own; a giant spider with the torso of a female dark elf. The Spinner was trapped deep within Khyber by the magic of the Gatekeepers. Lolth promised her assistance in breaking the Spinner from her prison. To do so, she required great numbers of dragonshards.Level 21 - Material Worlds
The gathering of dragonshards attracted the attention of the Silver Flame, who sent Inquisitor Dectaran to investigate. Inquisitor Gnomon interceded, offering to take care of the cult activity himself, but Dectaran distrusted Gnomon's zeal and sent adventurers to assist. This mistrust proved well-founded, as Gnomon was, in fact, a rakshasa and a servant of the Lords of Dust - and it was death that fed the rituals required to free her. Thus, the attempts to destroy the cult only accelerated their plans.
The adventurers ventured into Khyber itself, where they encountered drow unlike those they'd ever met before - servants of Lolth had already made their way to Eberron, where they used their superior magical power to break the Gatekeeper's wards on the way to the Spinner. They also gathered Dragonshards to fuel Lolth's power. Though the adventurers were able to engage the Spinner in combat, they were not able to prevent Lolth from tearing open a portal to her Demonweb, and the Spinner left Eberron.
Chasing her into Lolth's domain, Eberron's heroes met the wizard Elminster, who told them that it was too dangerous to try to stop Lolth in her own domain, but if they traveled to Faerûn, they could work together to stop her there. While traveling through the Demonweb, the adventurers observed the Spinner rendezvous with Lolth. Lolth betrayed her sister, and consumed her entire magical power, adding it to her own. The adventurers safely reached Eveningstar, and contact between Eberron and Faerûn was established. One of the drow's prisoners, an Ana Brabener, seemed to be of particular interest to the drow.Level 21 - The Defense of Eveningstar
Meanwhile, the drow had launched a full-scale attack on Cormyr, taking prisoners and raising the dead, including recapturing Ana Brabener. Her captors claimed she had some sort of inherent magical power. Ana was previously unaware of it, but she discovered her magical strength while escaping capture. Elminster promised to educate her in unlocking her potential.
While pursuing the drow in the King's Forest, the reason for Lolth's incursion into Eberron was made clear - the Dragonshards allowed the drow to create localized areas of darkness around themselves, allowing them to travel through Cormyr without being hindered by the light of the sun.
The drow, desperate to recover their losses, attack Eveningstar directly, but are defeated. However, their search for the Thread of the Weave continued.Level 22 - Attack on Sschindrylrn
Elminster realized that the drow would succeed in their search for the Thread unless attacked directly in their base of operations - a dreadfully dangerous prospect. Heroes from both Eberron and the Realms ventured into the Underdark and located the Drow city of Sschindrylrn, where they caused enough chaos and internal conflict among the drow to sneak into the central Temple in the city. There, Elminster and Ana open a portal to the central chamber itself where the High Priestess resides. The Priestess is defeated, but, so close to a link to Lolth's domain, Lolth senses Ana's power and realizes that she herself is the Thread of the Weave they had been looking for. Ana is captured and brought to the Demonweb.Level 23-24 - Stolen from the Spider's Jaws
Adventurers forge into the Demonweb itself to free Ana - but so deep in Lolth's domains, effots to free her would be fruitless. Ana's power alone can save her, but her power is suppressed by Arcane Orbs, which Lolth has distributed to her followers. Adventurers destroyed the orbs, then dared to assault Lolth's stronghold, where they found Ana. Despite Lolth herself unleashing her full powers against Ana and the adventurers, Ana's power proved too great for Lolth, and the spider goddess was repulsed.Level 23-27 - The Netherese Hunt Ancient Relics, The Harpers Meddle
Eveningstar's heroes make contact with the Harper order when they assist Jussko Kwahn investigate the corruption of a local order of druids near Eveningstar, who were using an evil cursed staff to turn people into plant-zombies.The Harpers ask for assistance again after they receive important news from Oriphaun Huntsilver; he had found an ancient Nether Scroll, an artifact of great power and danger. He tore the scroll into several fragments and hid them on the High Road. However, the Netherese were hot on his trail. The heroes were able to recover several pieces, but the Netherese found several themselves. The Netherese stole the pieces from the Harpers and assembled the Scroll, and used it to summon a Glabrezu from the Abyss. Fortunately, it was defeated, and Elminster and the Harpers took the Nether Scroll to hide it someplace safe. Oriphaun Huntsilver was not found, but word from him arrived from the Storm Horns.
Oriphaun had discovered a surprising but terrible thing in the Storm Horns - an entire army of monsters including orcs, giants, and gnolls was camping in the mountains. Investigating, he discovered that they were agents of the Netherese; but why march an army into the Storm Horns, he wondered? It was too far from Cormyr's capital, and was dangerous besides.
Oriphaun and Eveningstar's heroes managed to hinder the army's efforts; first by sabotaging their supply shipments, then by raiding their forces directly. The Netherese had been negotiating with the White Dracolich Arricaxerxes, but the wyrm was unimpressed with their army's showing against the heroes' raid, and he flew off.
Investigating the mountain glacier, it was discovered that Rungnir the Frost Giant, once an ally of the army, was feuding with the Netherese for some reason. That reason turned out to be a Mythallar - and ancient and large Netherese artifact, some sort of sphere with great arcane power. Rungnir had agreed to allow the army to use his glacier and pass through it, but had not agreed to the massive excavations they were performing. Rungnir killed the local Netherese wizard, but then turned on his allies and was killed in turn.
In Rungnir's absence, excavations were completed on the Mythallar, and its true purpose was revealed - using its arcane energy, the entire glacier was lifted straight out of the mountain - the entire orcish, gnollish and giantist army was to be carried through the air straight to Cormyr's capital! Oriphaun Huntsilver and Eveningstar's heroes were able to sabotage and crash the invading force in a dramatic conclusion to Netheril's latest attack on Cormyr.
Level 24-25 - Undead Dragons and How To Find Them
Back in Eberron, the dragons of Argonnessen sent an urgent message to Stormreach - the Stormreaver had left his prison/refuge and returned to Gianthold upon hearing dire news - dragons, whom he thought to be his allies and protectors, have begun slaughtering giants. Once more, the giants flocked to his banner. He discovered that his oldest enemy, the Truthful One, had returned. Indeed, he had been back for some time, as he was the one responsible for the Madstone Curse that almost resulted in Xen'drik's doom before, as well as both of Sor'jek's attacks on the world. After earning his trust once more, Stormreach's heroes prepared to destroy the Truthful One once and for all.It was then that it was revealed how the Stormreaver had returned after so many millennia - the Truthful One had used life-linking magic on the Stormreaver - the same magic that linked Fire and Ice at Tempest's Spine, and the same that linked giant to dragon in the Tor. The Stormreaver's life was linked to the Truthful One's, and neither could die while the other lived - and as a lich, the dragon would never truly die. However, the heroes prevailed, and though the Stormreaver gave his life in the process, the last veterans of the Age of Nightmares finally left Eberron.
Level 28-30 - Awakening the Mark of Death
In the Necropolis, Lady Vol, a half-dragon lich who once bore the now-extinct Dragonmark of Death, made her move. Her agents (the Emerald Claw) had already opposed the Black Abbot's ascension and helped thwart it, but the Abbot survived. Vol entered into a mutually beneficial bargain with the Abbot, and both planned to betray the other when the time was right. Vol proved the more powerful of the two, and attempted to use the same arcane rituals he attempted before to harness the power of the Plane of Dolurrh to re-awaken her Dragonmark. Adventurers were able to thwart the ritual before it was completed.Level 30+ - The Infinite Planes and the Codex War
The Gatekeepers, druidic protectors of Eberron and sages on all extraplanar matters, discovered something strange and disturbing - Mysterious Remnants were being found everywhere on Eberron; objects that could increase the power of those they touched in strange and unpredictable ways. Using magic, they divined a great concentration of these Remnants in the Temple of Elemental Evil, a location so far away they were not certain it was on Eberron, though they knew it was not on another plane.In the utterly massive temple, Remnants were abundant, but some sort of cataclysm had collapsed many parts of the temple. Ultimately, it was discovered that the wizard Falrinth and his master, the Demon Queen of Fungi Zuggtmoy had acquired mysterious pages of power that had allowed them to smash the seals on the Temple. Eberron's heroes managed to destroy them both before they could leave, but the mystery of the pages was yet to be solved. The answer would soon come from new allies in the Shavarath.
Though he survived the attack on the Vale of Twilight and was freed from prison, the Pit Fiend Arraetrikos found himself the support of the traditional legions of Shavarath, but his ambition to conquer the Battleground and the multiverse was unabated, and he encountered an enormous stroke of luck - he located the fabled Codex of the Infinite Planes, a major artifact of nearly infinite power, if only he could unlock its secrets. He attempted to conduct a ritual to gain its power - but it failed, shattering the Codex into pieces and scattering its remains across the Infinite Planes, even reaching the Forgotten Realms. However, the pieces could be reassembled into pages of the Codex, each of which carried major power; it was pages of the Codex that Zuggtmoy attempted to use in her Temple of Elemental Evil.
Arraetrikos is shown to be allied with Malicia, previously thought dead on Shavarath. Spies in his stronghold discover that, if he intends to use the Codex of the Infinite Planes again, the ritual must be conducted on Eberron instead of the Shavarath - but he must also, of course, reassemble the Codex. Eberron's heroes assist the Archons in seizing Harrow Castle on the Shavarath, and they promise assistance in defeating Arraetrikos on Eberron in return.
The Pit Fiend struck hard and fast. Though the Gatekeepers were hot on his trail, Arraetrikos managed to steal four major magical items - the Transfinite Compass to locate all the pieces of the Codex, the Planar Awl to allow him to reach every piece at any distance, the Eldritch Attractor to pull them all to him at once, and the Planar Containment Generator to prevent them from flying apart once more. Arraetrikos found unusual allies in the form of the Lords of Dust and the Slaadi; neither of whom were traditional Devil allies, but who made useful tools for the Pit Fiend.
Arraetrikos sent his forces on a full-scale attack on Eberron, and the Archons make good on their promise to assist. His forces almost proved too powerful for the celestial army, however. As the angels fell from the skies above House Deneith, Eberron's heroes attacked her directly. Arraetrikos' lieutenant proved to be Malicia the Succubus.Malicia was spotted on the Shavarath during the Archon's Trials, despite being supposedly killed on her home plane (and thus, permanently) during the Amrath conflict. Though she is forced to retreat, the demonness reveals a sobering truth; she was not killed because she is not native to the Shavarath. Whether she is merely a liar, or whether she is the vanguard of the Forgotten Realm's demonic hordes, or from yet another campaign setting, has yet to be revealed.
Meanwhile, Arraetrikos initiated his ritual as adventurers headed into the Shroud once more to thwart him. He had already managed to summon the Codex by the time they arrived, but he was not able to predict his own defeat at the raid's hands. In the deepest part of the Shroud, Ta'ashveth the Lord of Dust, a rakshasa so powerful he was second only to the Overlords themselves, was revealed to be Arraetrikos' ally and betrayer. He sought to control the Codex himself, but the Codex proved itself uncontrollable. The book itself came to life, spawning and summoning monsters from every plane of existence, until it was literally torn apart once more by the heroes. The Gatekeepers recovered the husk of the Codex and seek to study it to prevent its power from being used in such a way again.
