Fallen Empires (comic)

Fallen Empires was published in two parts in September and October 1995 by ARMADA, a division of Acclaim Comics. It tells the story of Tev Loneglade and his transformation into the villain Tevesh Szat during the fall of Sarpadia.

Volume 1: Rumors of War
The story begins in a Dwarven fortress somewhere in the Crimson Peaks in the year 170 AR. The dwarf Kaylen and human Tymolin Loneglade are struggling to hold back wave after wave of invading Orcs and Goblins. Sneaking behind Kaylen an orc runs him through from behind, before Tymolin can warn him. Avenging Kaylen Tymolin slays the Orc, but Kaylen is already lying dead on the ground. Banished by a Dwarven leader she heads to Havenwood to seek her brother Tev.

Meanwhile, in the town of Montford an ex-Icatian Priest Oliver Farrel is whipping up a frenzy charging that the Order of the Ebon Hand is amongst them and that Tymoiln herself is the dark God Tourach. Farrel then appoints Sianna to be his champion bestowing Farrel's Mantle upon her. As his concubine and champion her first charge is to track down and slay Tymolin. This being unbeknownst to her, Tymolin tries to persuade Tev to travel with her Montford to warn them of the invading Orc-Goblin army.

Reluctantly Tev travels with Tymolin into Icatia, however before they can arrive they are waylaid by the Farrelites. Not recognizing Tev to be a powerful planeswalker the blood cult attack the pair ignoring him. Their mistake is quickly realized when a powerful Wall of Bone he summons to protect his sister destroys some of the Farrelites. Recognizing his power and undeterred by the wall, Sianna charges at the two only to have Tev Disenchant Farrel's mantle. Oliver attempts to kill Tymolin with an Aeolipile, resulting in only angering Tev. Seemingly weakened however, Tev casts a Darkness spell and the two retreat, but become separated in their escape leaving Tymolin again ambushed this time by the Ebon Hand.

A second story during these events unfolds at the Hightrunk Chamber deep in Havenwood. Two elven factions are show debating on the Thallids and their capabilities. The Master-Scout Loren, a Thallid sympathizer, is then charged with going out to report on the situation at the Thallid farms. A Thenolite Druid Morgan is given a more underhanded mission by his sect to ensure Loren fails. Morgan having a long-standing family feud with Loren's relishes in this opportunity and traps Loren with several Thallids creatures.

Volume 2: Nations Asunder
In Havenwood, Loren is trapped by several Thallids in a deadly trap set by Morgan. Tev separated from Tymolin happens upon the beset elf. With a powerful Fireball, Tev destroys the Thallids, evening the field between Morgan and Loren. Not seeking to aid Loren, but merely even the field, Tev moves on as Morgan strikes Loren down with a poisoned arrow killing him. In Loren's final moments, Morgan relates that he despises the Thallids and Loren's entire family line, killing him so he can denounce them traitors.

Tymolin does not fair as well without Tev by her side and is a the mercy of Vaylesh and the Ebon Hand. Vaylesh spares her though only because she knows of Tymolin and Farrel's past love affair. Hoping to lure the Farrelites into open combat, Vaylesh sends word to Montford of her capture. Predictably, they come to the Ebon Hand encampment, and Vaylesh grants Oliver a moment with Tymolin not suspecting his motives. Farrel then gives Tymolin one last chance to rejoin him as his lover and to become his new champion. Refusing his request, Tymolin is stabbed to death by Farrel while still tied up.

Oliver's action provokes the Ebon Hand to attack and somewhere deep in Havenwood Tev Loneglade senses her death. Tev now with no other ties to humanity, having long grown callous towards the world, transformed into a Dragon-like form visibly enraged in the world. As the battle in the encampment raged on, Vaylesh summoned a Derelor believing the tide to be in their favor. However, no sooner than it was summoned Tev now Tevesh Szat soared in incinerating the thrull and all present including Vaylesh, Oliver, and Sianna.

The comic ends with Tevesh Szat fully enraged seething in hatred. Seeing weakness in all of Sarpadia he vows to destroy the empires from within. Using a Planar Gate he unleashes the Orc-Goblin army against Montford, ending the comic.

Aftermath
Tevesh Szat would go on to become one of the greatest villains of Magic for thousands of years. Sarpadia as a whole would be plunged into chaos, Montford surviving the initial attack would later be overrun by thrulls and thallids as well as orcs and goblins, all of Icatia would soon follow. The Ebon Hand would be torn apart inside out by a Thrull Rebellion. Morgan for all his scheming would splinter the elven factions causing vast political rifts that would set the stage for their entire empire's collapse by the thallids. In short, Sarpadia was doomed and as the wheels of war twisted and turned only the thrulls and thallids in the end would remain.

Product Information

 * Volume 1 contained a free booster pack of Fallen Empires.
 * Volume 2 contained two cardboard Fallen Empires themed token sheets.
 * Both volumes were printed along with the Homelands comic set as a compilation after their initial runs.

Covers
All cover art was created by Anson Maddocks.