While the Ascendant Order sought the Forge, Novus Mundus was slowly being torn apart by internal conflict. In Velethar, once a city of rebellion, a schism erupted within the new government established by the commoners. Some believed in a democratic society where all were equal, while others wanted to replace the old monarchy with a new hierarchy—one ruled by the most powerful mages.
This divide spread to other cities as well, including Elenor, where the Arcane Circle now found itself at odds with the Mage-Lords. Lyra, the Archmage, urged unity and restraint, but many mages, especially those who had gained significant power through the Magic Wars, wanted to assert their dominance.
The Great Divide began—an ideological split that saw mages turning on one another and entire cities breaking apart into warring factions. The noble class, seeing an opportunity, started to reclaim their lost lands, pitting mages against commoners once again. Novus Mundus teetered on the brink of collapse.