Countless lives were lost in what is still a mysterious storm incident in Dead Storm Valley in the year 503IH. There are records that state the deceased were a mixture of Elven and Human soldiers. Also in the records are that they were killed in a massive storm called a Dead Storm, a tumultuous vortex climate event that is said to be highly dangerous. What is not in the record is why this particular army was sent to Dead Storm Valley. But, in context of world events, speculation is possible. Some points should be made for contextual reasons before addressing this head on.
The accepted story of the great king of Men, Avendyr, son of Amensol, revolves around his spotless record of appropriate decisions on and off the field of battle; his enduring charisma that allowed him to gain the respect and admiration of other world leaders at that time; and his devotion to his people, raising them almost miraculously from poverty and death to the most powerful and influential force on Kingsreach, possibly Terminus at large, within a speck of time against the history of the planet. While the facts absolutely reflect the rapid rise of Men as a powerhouse military and economy, less clear is how this was done. The history books are generally written by the victors and it is a rare occasion that anything that would cast a stain on the memory of the leadership of a powerful people. Several events need to be shown in the timeframe just after the end of the Deicide War, the end of the Age of Chaos, and the beginning of the Frail Age.
The Deicide War ended for all intents and purposes by 486IH. There were skirmishes that broke out for years afterwards since the remaining Revenant were either holed up in Ka'Druhorr or in small pockets spread over Terminus. During this time, Avendyr is king over Men all the way to 525IH. Narian Castigue is a man who had done a considerable amount of research on the Dragon Accord and the power associated with this knowledge in the years leading up to the culmination of the Deicide War. His counterpart was an elf who held a seat on the Council of the Nine, the political head of Faerthale, named Kaolyen Greyborne. The descended god of the dwarves of Khadassa, Khazas, even knew of the importance and power of such knowledge and allegedly assisted Narian with part of his research at one point. No mention of anything coming of this research has been brought to light; however, a dramatic realization of its importance was ultimately recognized at the Battle of Ka'Druhorr when the long disappeared king of Dragonkind Rok Nhylthamos destroyed the Ravaging Lord and almost everyone else at the battle. He was stayed from the destruction by a messenger sent to remind him of the pact that was made by the Dragon Accord. Avendyr was at that battle as a newly crowned king.
So, what does all this have to do with a mysterious tragedy in Death Storm Valley?
Soon after the end of the war, Avendyr was making treaties with heads of as many leaders as he could. Those who had worked on the Silent Sanctum for a decade at least and now with no war to support them found open arms working to build a new city for Men, Thronefast. The funding to pay for this is unknown, but we can postulate that a major source of revenue for the now triumphant military of Men and Elves would be tributes for protection from the many threats that persisted through the following years after the war. Along with this, Avendyr now had a researcher in Narian with powerful research that could swing the balance of power on the planet depending on who had the information. It is not impractical to assume Avendyr would use that leverage to dangle that power either as incentive or warning to those nations he dealt with. You could be for him and share in the power of the knowledge of the Dragon Accord, or you could be against him and take your chances with those inevitably unmatched antagonists.
Beyond the Roan Mountains where Thronefast was being built was the Bethrale Strait. The other side of the Bethrale Strait was the icy wilderness of Frozja Nochta. Frozja Nochta just happens to hold a fundamentalist sect of the Lycandrell (werewolf-esque) named the Ulfhednari. The Ulfhednari are known for their diligence to gather the knowledge and wisdom of Terminus for the purpose of communing with their god on his enlightened plane. they also protect this information.
Between The Roan Mountains and the Bethrale Strait is Dead Storm Valley.
It could be assumed that a massive army of Elves (think Kaolyen) and Men (think Avendyr) are traveling to collect for themselves the wisdom of Dragons and gods from the filthy, barbaric hands of the Ulfhednari, as men and elves are generally prone to view all Lycandrell due to the darkness that twisted their cousins, the brutal Nightwolves, and the more animalistic werewolves. The party would be charged with bringing back the secrets of the Dragon Accord. It perished on their way as it ran into the destructive storm, never accomplishing its mission. Between this time and the end of Avendyr's life, there is no mention in known records of any breakthroughs or wisdom garnered by Narian's research. Did this halt the effort to collect additional research, the cost being too high? In any case, there are far more coincidences in this timeline to ignore. No great deeds of Avendyr are mentioned aside from his continuing effort to build for himself a large and gaudy lifestyle on top of the ancient homeland of the North Tusk Orcs who were driven out by the Deicide War. This is yet another of a long list of elusive facts that don't line up with the spotless image of Avendyr, son of Amensol, that persists to this day.
Benonai, Resistance Against the Corrupt House of Amensol
Viva RACHA