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  Time of ThornsContent
-1,583 until -1,579: The Plague Summer of GynkIn the late summer of the year -1,583, a plague breaks out in Gynk. Presumably the pestilence took its beginning somewhere deep within the warm Gynkeesh swamps. The damp-warm climate of the swamps, upon which Gynk was built, and the swarms of mosquitoes seem to favour the illness. The wealthier deal of the populace burns expensive tree resins in order to drive the mosquitoes from their chambers and are by far less susceptible fo the disease. Approximately one fourth of the poorer populace is eaten away by the plague, while the wealthy citizens find healing with priests and magi. The disease is never completely eradicated in the following years. The populace however develops a certain resistance towards the illness, up to the point where only old and weakly citizens fall victim to it. Recognizable signs of this disease are a strong trembling, feeling dizzy, losing sense of direction; and in later stages, muscular failure, severely ecstatic hallucinations and complete loss of senses, which ultimately leads to death. In the early spring of -1,579, a Gynkeesh hermit finds out that a typical swamp-based plant, the Stingweed, can heal the disease, if consumed in form of tea. A side effect of the tea is a very light and rather relaxing and revitalizing state of intoxication, as well as refreshing the magical power of the person drinking it. Stingweed tea becomes a hit in exported goods from Gynk. The tea had already been known to elvenkind for centuries and was oftenly consumed in their circles before meditations. The trade with Gynk spares the elves the task of searching the uninviting swamps. Serving this tea furthermore becomes a fad throughout the taverns of Salkamar and Albar, even temples acquire and consume large amounts of it. As yet another consequence of this discovery, several scholars and herbalists traveled to Gynk to explore the swamps in search of other unknown herbs. The surroundings of Gynk are ever since plastered with large plantations solely farming Stingweed. A Gynkeesh legend of a giant swamp crocodile possibly stems from this time. The myth was presumably spread in order to protect a larger amount of natural Stingweed growth before it was so successfully farmed.
-1,439: The Snakevesper SectRuins are discovered within the deeper swamps of Gynk. Apparent symbol of this cult are roughly-hewn statues of humans whose lower halves of the body are serpentine, like large snakes. There is nothing else of value in the ruins aside from old pieces of pottery. Furthermore, no graves or tombs are to be found, as it is likely that this ancient culture buried their dead in the swamps. Scholars find out quickly that the depictions are probably a reaction of a primitive culture having met the lizardfolk. Records of the nearest Tanora temple support this thesis. But because these ruins are deemed uninteresting, they are are not any further exposed and left to the swamps. Jaergen Erainek, a former Salkamaerian novice of Elara who was "relieved" of his duties due to his preference of overbearing amounts of Stingweed and other herbs he consumed, and ever since had delivered his assistance to expeditions, claims otherwise. According to him, the primitive statues are depictions of a forgotten deity. He is laughed at for this theory though. Three years later however, he has gathered an astonishing amount of followers who see the "prophet of glorious enlightenment" in him. These followers have built domiciles in the ruins. Their main religious practices consist of the consumption of herbs that induce hallucinogenic effects, and they export these herbs.
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