Chapter 5: Rise and Fall of the Chaos Chasers

[Steward]

The Rise and Fall of the Chaos Chasers

Many years before the darkness of Ogithus descended upon Thornhaven, there was a time when House of Calenture stood at the peak of influence and power. Known then as the Chaos Chasers, the house was founded by a mad scientist—afigure whose obsession with chaos and magical energy would shape the fate of the city. Unlike most houses that sought political power, House of Calenture sought to harness the raw, untamed forces of chaos itself.

Their arrival in Thornhaven was an event whispered about for years. A series of unexplainable rifts had begun to tear through the lands surrounding the city, mysterious rifts that seemed to warp reality and bring strange and dangerous creatures. In the chaos, the mad scientist saw an opportunity to delve deeper into the nature of these rifts, and with a bold vision, he convinced the leaders of Thornhaven to allow his house to settle within the city’s walls.

In the early years, House of Calenture’s research was invaluable. The city had always been home to powerful magic, and the nearby rifts offered a wealth of untapped energy. Members of House of Calenture ventured into these rifts, collecting magical samples, studying their strange properties, and even experimenting with them to create new forms of magic. They were not above using whatever means necessary, including the manipulation of elemental forces, to push the boundaries of knowledge.

They became known for gathering essences—fragments of magic and life from the rifts—something that many believed was dangerous but undeniably fascinating. The Chaos Chasers would show up at strange locations—battlefields after Dark Mage (DM) fights, unexplained magical disturbances, and even the haunted ruins of Acropolis—scooping up what others ignored. Their experiments were both praised and feared: they uncovered ways to manipulate rift energy, develop powerful weapons.

The Essence Hunt: One of House of Calenture’s most daring actions occurred after a particularly fierce battle between the mares. The streets were littered with residual magic—fragments of raw essence—left in the aftermath. House of Calenture’s operatives arrived under cover of darkness. They used invisibility and magical artifacts to carefully collect samples from the battlefield, extracting power from the slain mares and the surrounding chaos.

These essences were of great interest to the mad scientist, who believed that by studying the patterns in these fragments, they could unlock the key to controlling chaos itself. The house began to create strange artifacts, enchanted blades, energy shields, and even magical constructs—all born from these essences. Their growing influence earned them both respect and suspicion from the other houses.

The Hidden Dig Sites: As the years passed, the Chaos Chasers expanded their reach into the Acropolis and other forbidden sites, using their scientific methods to dig deep into the earth in search of lost relics and more rift fragments. Their presence was often met with resistance, as many believed their experiments were tearing at the very fabric of reality. Some rifts began to grow unstable as they dug deeper, and the city’s leaders began to take notice.

Despite growing tensions, House of Calenture thrived in the city for many years. They were always a mystery, constantly pushing the limits of magic and science. However, as their power grew, so did the dangers they faced. The more they tampered with chaos, the more unpredictable the results became. Some of their experiments backfired, causing magical distortions that threatened to unravel parts of Thornhaven itself.

Eventually, the mad scientist’s obsession with controlling chaos led to his downfall. He vanished after a failed experiment in the depths of the Chaos Rift, where a massive rift storm swallowed his lab. The house was forced to abandon their research and retreat from the city, leaving Thornhaven. However, whispers persisted—some claimed the mad scientist had not truly perished but had left for another city to carry out his duties.