The Return of Crypticant

200 to 220 PC

The tides of Death and Chaos receded until a demonic temptress named Adelyn appeared as the new leader of Chaos. She wanted nothing more than to study the magics of Chaos, but grew to become Shadowspawn's most devout. As Shadowspawn drew closer to leaving his banishment, Adelyn grew nervous. One dark night, she summoned the Knight Orealt and the Justice Andres to her study. She held the disc of black vellum in her grasp, the key to Shadowspawn's release. She knew the horror it would cause and hid it.

Shadowspawn's reach found the key. When tormented with questions, Adelyn broke down into tears, then boldly stood against the Demon and proclaimed her love for life. In the confusion, Andres swiped the disc and ran. Adelyn was stripped of her demonic vessel and banished to mortality as an Elven paladin, doomed to be hunted by the Chaos troops she once led. As time passed, Andres grew dreadfully sick from holding the disc. His hair turned brittle. His eyes were bloodshot and swollen. He grew so weak that a demon claiming to be the son of Shadowspawn crucified him and took the disc. Orealt returned to find Andres dead and Adelyn in tears. Worse, Adelyn had been violated by Shadowspawn and was the mother of this Malevolant. Blind with rage, Orealt charged toward the Nexus gate. Disgusted and stricken with guilt, Adelyn took her own life.

Malevolant freed his father, who became known once more as Crypticant. Malevolant rose to immortality as the new leader of Chaos. Father and son bargained with Virigoth for aid. Virigoth refused.

A hooded figure appeared on the horizon, seemingly impossible to defeat. This Lurker, Gorath, waged a mysterious war against Knight and Chaos alike. He faced no defeats and spread terror among the living. The trend of Unlife continued as Harishin returned power to the Savants. The most powerful Savant ever, this necromancer was lured by Virigoth into Undeath, only to vanish into the shadows for reasons known only to himself.

Eventually the demon side of Miscreant receded and his human shell began to speak. A mutual pact of death formed. Both Miscreant and Orealt, mortal leaders of Chaos and Knight, perished on the same day, a tribute to the balance between two forces.