The Crisis Of Portals

The Crisis Of Portals
Roughly 200 years before the events of Frantic Standing, a group of Dankind's Wizards, who were dabbling in interdimensional spellcasting, cast a massive ritual spell in an attempt to increase the volume and flow of planar energy in Dan's Acres. In concept, this could be done by creating multiple very small portals to planes in alternate dimensions, which would could suction in energy. The wizards responsible were actually quite successful in this at first, but the spell ran out of control, and created more and larger portals all throughout the plane, opening new ones and closing old ones at random. Many very, very problematic things were liable to pour through the portals, such as massive volumes of water, lava, or hostile creatures, damaging the landscapes and inhabitants of many areas.

It took approximately 1 month for the collective of wizards to cease the spell from creating new portals, and another 3 months to individually seal all known portals. However, many hidden portals linger to this day, mostly unknown, as they have not had anything problematic come out of them to make their presence obvious. It is even rumored that new portals are occasionally being created, though not by the original spell.

Though the complications were catastrophic to some areas, the original objective of the spell was indeed completed. As a result of the original crisis, and of the remaining hidden portals, a larger volume and flow of planar magic remains in Dan's Acres to this day, a reasonable boost to the Wizards who draw upon it.

Permanent Guests
An entire airship of Orx crashed in Dan's Acres, which resulted in the settling of a new Orx civilization.

Likewise, several Camping RVs full of Elves were dumped into a forest, where the Elves have remained. Highly advanced and highly untrusting, the Elves intentionally minimize contact with Dankind.

Though some are unconvinced of the legitimacy of the witnesses, there are reports and legends of other solitary creatures, persons, and vehicles, who have come through portals to inhabit remote areas of Dan's Acres.

Portal Troupe
The Portal Troupe was created by Wizard City as an emergency response to rapidly train as many novices and wizards in closing portals as possible, and send them out to deal with closing the portals that were opening or lingering during The Crisis Of Portals. Many died, especially in attempts to contain portals which were producing hostile creatures, as some incursions involved creatures even possessing Alien Weapons(make page) (which have since been scattered to museums, private collections, and black markets).

Today it remains a small but dedicated detachment of troupe veterans who are tasked with investigating reports of unknown portals, and in the case of finding one, spelunking into it, researching where it leads, and ultimately dealing with them in whatever way they see fit. As the portals are responsible for the increased power of all Wizards, they nearly never close them, and typically result in building physical structures around them, custom tailored to whatever has, is, or may come through them.

To the public, the Portal Troupe's is known to be able to detect portals from vast distances. However, this was a result of their early success in closing many aerial portals which could be seen with the naked eye. This common misconception has been conveniently abused from time to time, but their real ability to detect them remotely is nearly non-existent.

Unsanctioned Use Of Interdimensional Portals
There are unconfirmed rumors that the criminal elements of Hidden Haven are using undisclosed portals within the city and mountain for various uses, mostly nefarious.