The Calamity: The event which nearly destroyed the world

Overview
Long ago, there was an event that shook and changed the very foundations of which Samirkan was built upon. It was a fantastical disaster, of which none had ever seen before, which destroyed the very realities of the world. It was so magnificent, in fact, that it changed the way life was lived for the rest of time to come after it. This event, this one moment in time which would change everything, would become recognized by Philosophers and Historians for ages to come. It had many names and titles. Some called it the Great Reckoning. Some called it the Happening. Some called it the end of the old era. Regardless, all recognize and know the event by its most common name. A name which has been known for ages. The Great Calamity.

What was the Calamity?
So what really was ‘The Great Calamity?’ Well, many argue what it actually was in the first place. Some say it was the will of the Gods, and that it was to punish humanity for its hubris in the attempts to contain and control magic. Others say it was the error of mortals, a great disaster caused by the greed of those who wanted power above all. Few even say it was meant to come eventually, a process that was only sped up by the wars waged for the ownership of crystal deposits. Although people cannot truly know, all come together to agree on the few facts which remain constant through all the diverse ideals. This is what is known of the Calamity.''' '''

The Allakin Crystals.
The Calamity first began with disagreements that descended into war. It was a war that was slowly built up through previous generations before the actual event, with people and ideas eventually sparking disagreements into eventual full-on conflict. See, magic had once existed in a different plane than the mortal realm. It was nearly a spiritual realm, a realm untainted by the touch of mankind. Magic was not like it is now, where it is accessible to those born with the talent, and it required a special medium to connect the two realms through one. This medium, known as the Allakin Crystals, were first discovered a century or so before mankind would experience the calamity. They would change everything.

These crystals, named after the man who discovered them, would quickly become a coveted treasure. Rare in nature, and incapable of recreation, these powerful pink and purple gems were able to bring forth unimaginable power to the bearer. They were capable of anything a man could think of. They could restore sight to the blind, turn lead to gold, allow men to channel fire through their hands. They were powerful, although they had a limit. Each crystal could only expend so much magic through it before it became dull and unusable, and so many intelligent men would quickly become known as ‘Crystal Barons’ and hoard great stashes. Word would quickly spread of their existence, and it was only a matter of time before it was turned into an industry. It was a commodity only available to those of the highest status in society, and so nobility and royalty alike found themselves in quaint supply. Some of the lower folk would stumble upon crystals by luck, or through underhanded tactics, and so gain much strength through the magic given to them. It was something truly spectacular. It was a treasure that man would love and, eventually, become so jealous and envious of others that they abused it.

The Greed of Men, and the Flames of War.
See, with such power available there would eventually be men who wanted it all for themselves. These individuals were of various statuses. Some were the Crystal Barons, and others were kings and queens. Some were barons, and others were common crime lords. Regardless of the ranking of these men and women, they wanted for themselves the power over all crystals. They wanted to control the flow of these magnificent gems, and to create empires of which they would be gods of. So, in order to gain this control, they sought it through any means necessary. Raids would be made upon deposits of Crystal Barons by bandits, Kings would declare war to steal the hoards of other rulers, and so a vicious cycle began. What started as minor skirmishes between various powers would eventually descend into a global war which involved all. There was no man, woman, or child that was spared from the conflict. Every able body, every hand capable of work, was sent to battle over the ownership of deposits and stashes. There were thousands dying by the day, many fighting for a cause they did not believe in. The world had descended into madness.

But surely, this war was not just the cause? Surely there was something greater, something of magnificent scale, which would be the actual cause? Indeed, there was. There was a man, by the name of Abraham Hal, who would take the war a step further into destruction. He reasoned, with one of the ancient kings of the old era, that in order to gain more crystals they would have to expend some of the ones they had. This king, his name long lost and forgotten by the sands of time, agreed to the idea. They gave approval of a secret project of super soldiers, imbued with the power of the crystals. They were meant to be the ultimate weapon, and indeed they would become such a threat. So successful, they were, that other kingdoms and crystal barons would attempt to recreate the project themselves. In fact, they went ahead and tried to make even more advanced technology to combat those soldiers. Crystals began to be tested, abused, and misused by the ones who handled them. The researchers went far to see the physical limits, and eventually they went too far. One of the developers under Abraham Hal made a mistake, and it would cost the entire world for it. A mistake that would always be remembered.

The Reckoning
Now, this is the part where it becomes a bit unclear how it managed to spread as it did. The singular magical explosion caused by the crystal under the care of Abraham would cause several other gems in the domain and area to explode as well, triggering massive bombs of pure magical energy. The very power shook the world itself, and sent forth a shockwave that could be felt globally. From there, it was only a ticking time bomb. More explosions occurred as results of the initial, and eventually the entire world had felt the force. The power of these blasts were so strong, in fact, they ripped a hole between the magical realm and the physical. With this hole, disasters and creatures spewed forth like it was a drain. Magical tornadoes made of ice ravaged the land, storms of brimstone and fire burned the fields, tsunamis of electricity ravaged the coasts. It was the end of the world as it was known, and nearly all civilized life was wiped out in the process. When the hole finally closed on its own, it left the world different. Changed. Spell-scorched. Never again would Samirkan be the same, and that is how magic came to be.