“The Rust” was a mysterious contagion or curse that afflicted all of the known kingdoms. No one knows where it came from or why it disappeared, but for approximately 1 full year it ravaged civilization. The Rust would primarily eat away at metal, but some suspected that it may have damaged other materials, even living tissue.

When The Rust ended, two distinct “forces” disappeared from our world. The first was The Rust itself, a force of erosion, deterioration, and illness. The second was a force of good, a life essence, something ancient and natural. It is unclear why these two forces disappeared or how.

Another rumored consequence of The Rust ending was that the crystals in Thistle stopped glowing. They had glown faintly for as long as people could remember.