Pre-Sun Cycle to 107 SC: Tentative Timeline

[Wolfie]

This timeline will carry us from Pre-SC times to just before the Consolidation. It is a combination of dates extracted from a decade of helpfiles, Charmaine's wonderful Harmon family tree and my own conjecture. Keep in mind, not all of this is canon. I will differentiate with italics where the text is dominated by my own thoughts.

Note: Anything before 109SC is most probably not known by the common person. Likewise, the magic specific events would have been eradicated by time and systematic erasure by the Davites.

Italics represent reasonable conjecture not drawn immediately from helpfiles.

Pre-Sun Cycle

Two progenitor cultures arrive in a land already populated by the forerunners of the Hillmen; the Princes of the Far Isles (proto-Tubori) arrive from the north upon their ships and the Goddess’ Children disperse from their ancient civilization on the Plains (proto-Charali, -Daravi, -Western cultures).

The Hillmen as the native culture of this section of the continent, are widespread and eventually begin to splinter into sub-ethnic groups that become the foundations for the nationalities we have today when combined with their appropriate diaspora. The Lithmorrans, for example, could be a refinement of the Hillmen blood through social stigma for dark-hair.

The Children, as detailed in the Charalin story of Creation, were originally a fairly advanced culture perhaps on par with Solomon’s empire or other great BCE builders. They harnessed the elemental forces while their creating goddess slept and became arrogant. During the War, they were smashed down by their creator and all of their technology was destroyed. The Plains and the original Magus Tower were flattened as a result and became a playground for fierce, unnatural weather. Three factions came out of this crucial event: the Charali, a spiritually sensitive matriarchal group that vowed to continue living in their holy lands under the old ways, preserving their connection to magical forces through shamanism. The Daravi, a likewise spiritually sensitive group, vowed to continue practicing magic in spite of their defeat at the hands of the Goddess and were exiled down the Levustan Strait. The third group, the proto-Vavardi, had no talent for magic and settled on the coast of the Kirulean, eventually creeping through what would become Vandagan lands to join the gene pool of Lithmore. This line of thought is supported only by the notion in the helpfiles that Daravi and Charali are more closely related than the other languages. You can see I went a little hog wild with the implication.

Over time, the proto-Tubori colonized the mainland and their blood begins to mingle with the proto-Hillmen. This division helps to define the Tubori and Vandagan as we know them. The separation and resulting marginalization of the ‘mixed’ Vandagans would build the tension necessary for Grand Duke Jaren’s rebellion from his Tubori masters.

The Farin, as we know them, are a combination of proto-Hillman and the far-flung proto-Daravi descendants through the passes of Yagrassa and Jedca. The Blight, which used to be Farin City, is closer to the foot of the mountain chain that separates them from Daravi. It is weak evidence, but does imply a reason for the location of that early settlement. Secondary migrations into this territory after some historical event (possibly the discovery of riches or the anti-magic, monotheistic sentiment developing) could have sparked the animosity we have seen between the Farin and Daravi today.

The religious / magical diversification mentioned before from the Goddess War ripples across time and space to eventually distill the monotheistic ideals of the Order. In my mind, the Path of Fire is the original domesticated version of whatever religion the proto-Charali / -Daravi practiced. It should be noted that the strong female / balance / magic overtones of the PoF can be found in the doctrine of the pre-Davite Church. The Eld carved into the Cathedral suggests fragments of magic ritual and the symbolism of the Chalice as the original moonwell. In this way, it is my belief that there is continuity with magic / goddess worship between the Charalin Path of Fire and the pre-Davite Church.

The moment that Dav grabbed the reins of the Church, the female-heavy symbolism of pacifism and growth is inverted into the masculine realm of conquest, order and purification. It was argued that the Sultanate of the Daravi was also very male-centered and I believe that this inversion of Goddess worship follows exactly the same path as Dav subjugating the Will of his religion to his own ends. History repeats itself.


Later religious permutations like the Cult of Transcendent Ecstasy, the Spirits of the Light and the Cyclists all emerged after the founding of Lithmore / Davism as a reaction to the new constraints. The Cyclists, arguably, are a re-emergence of the Suffering Goddess theology from the Path of Fire because of their desire to remove themselves from the mortal world through good works and ‘heal’ the wounded creator deity through their enriched souls. The Spirits of the Light are a post-Davist movement to recapture some of the Charalin mysticism.

SC0

An astronomical alignment of the moons occurs, marking a new epoch for magekind. The weft and weave of energies generated by the moons becomes stronger, allowing the Skilled to learn more quickly, cast spells more easily and with greater power. It is widely whispered among their number that the Golden Age has come again. A portent within the next hundred years will decide their fate.

Sometime prior to 8SC

Tubor city is founded. The Tubori culture has probably occupied the island for centuries at this point. The major founding of this city would indicate a political unification, or even the casting of the magical barrier that alters the seasons on the island.

8SC

Vandago city is founded. Vandago is most likely a mainland colony of the Tubori. Their integration with local tribes of proto-hillmen and proto-Lithmorrans would create the Vandagan as we know it.

17SC

Lloryth ab Harmon is born. He is the first son of the great Lithmorran warlord Allard Man-at-Arms. Allard is characteristic of many men of this age in the West. He is a warlord, defining his existence among a sea of combatants. With every victory, he gains more soldiers. Soon he will begin his own dynasty. Lloryth exists according to Help Loryth, but the dates for his reign are drawn from Charmaine's family tree. Allard is a creation of mine.

The old city of Lithmore (the wetlands [mor, OE] of the arm [lith, OE]) is fought over for its rich soil and plentiful water from the mountains. Its poorly built buildings and crude sewage are used as a foundation for new buildings and better infrastructure. It takes its name from the family that claims domain over it, Allard Man-at-Arms (Armed Man, Harmon).

32SC

The first Baronial Council, a collection of warlords governing the Lithmorran region, is disbanded by force for possible collusion against Allard and his kin. The son of the great warlord Allard, Lloryth ab Harmon, is created First King of Lithmore. The battle name of his father is formalized into their surname, Harmon. The city as we know it is founded. His reign is marked by the establishment of the foundations of Common Law, the construction of Lithmore Castle (now the Palace) and the charter of the forerunner to the modern Merchant’s Guild, the Mercers. (source: Charmaine's timeline and conjecture)

As the city began to take its present shape from the rich farmland around it, the Skilled would have begun to settle in to the growing urban atmosphere and away from their isolated huts in the wilderness. The foundation of the future Academae ab Skilled is put into place.

35SC

Robear is born to Lloryth and an unnamed wife. (Charmaine's timeline)

47SC

King Lloryth ab Harmon is ambushed and slain by Charalin mercenaries thought to be in the payroll of previous members of the Baronial Council. He is thirty years old (source: probably from Charmaine’s timeline). I am not quite sure why they were Charalin, but I imagine that hiring the most exotic troops to state your assassination would create a stir as well as make them hard to track down.

His Earl Marshall delivers a speech in honor of the fallen king. (source: quit quote)

Robear ab Harmon, age twelve, ascends to the throne and is heavily guided by his uncle and regent, Dagnos Blackmoore. (Charmy)

54SC

King Robear sires his first son Garth with wife Silara. (Charmy)

64SC

King Robear ab Harmon, suffering from a wasting illness, dies at the age of twenty nine. His wife and children Garth, Elspeth and Dafydd are left behind. (Charmy)

Garth ascends to the throne at the age of 10.

67SC

King Garth ab Harmon marries Charla Besltan at age thirteen in defiance of the regency that dominated his father’s reign. During his reign, he fights to bring more barons across the region underneath the rule of the Harmons. He is well known for his love of eating and fighting. (Charmy)

During his campaigns across the kingdom, the Holy Mother Church thrives in the atmosphere of relative peace, sowing its message of pacifism and unity.

Likewise, the Skilled have been able to consolidate much of their power across the kingdom, moving to the cities to avoid the disputes between the baronies. The Academae ab Skilled is able to open its doors for the first time, uniting several smaller Skilled communities as more and more barons fall into step with the Harmons.

68SC

Dafydd ab Harmon, brother to Garth, is slain in a hunting accident. (Charmy)

70SC

King Garth sires his first son, Pinalo, by Charla Bestlan. (Charmy)

86SC
Kara, the future sorceress Aquiel, is born. (source: help origins of the the inquisition)

Dav ab Harmon Paddock the Everlasting, future Great King, Patriarch, Prophet, Pilgrim and Martyr is born. He is the second cousin to Pinalo from the female line. (source: help dav, Charmaine’s timeline)

92SC
King Garth dies from heart failure while travelling. He is thirty eight. (Charmy)

His son, Pinalo, ascends to the throne at the age of twenty two. He is well loved by his men through his reign, as he spent most of it in campaign. He was possessed of a voracious love of women and, coupled with his wanderlust and zeal for battle, produced a great array of bastards in his time. The name of his wife has been lost to history. (Charmy)

Elspeth, sister to the late King Garth, dies a barren spinster. It is rumored that her heart was broken from his passing. (Charmy)

99SC

In King Pinalo’s absence from Lithmore proper during his campaigns, the Holy Mother Church continues to grow in its influence as it did with his father. The ceremonies, born from the agrarian rituals of community, bring together disparate groups from the unifying baronies under a single communion of peace and plenty.

Unfortunately, this union is not without its downsides. Those nobles that enjoy the protection of the Harmon army are free to participate in this faith as well, enjoying what the lands have wrought now that they only have to levy troops for the wars and not participate themselves. With this new found common thread in their lives and the minor wars between the barons flowing into the past, a new threat starts to become visible in the powerful, highly aloof Skilled.

Representatives from the Academae ab Skilled begin to incorporate themselves into courts across the region. Their power and mystery become a necessary ornament for even petty kings. Many Unskilled, however, see this move as preparation for a coup.

A hardline sect emerges from the Holy Mother Church, quietly backed by nobility concerned that they would lose the lands and privileges gained from the baronial wars. They play upon the readily available fears of the commoners. With the wars so fresh upon their minds, the succor of the Church is used as a vehicle for propaganda of paranoia.

On one warm Augustus night, members of the sects calling themselves the Order united around a bonfire. They gathered books from their homes: copied manuscripts of herbs, medicines, farming almanacs and ancient histories that had all been penned by the Seven. They tossed them in, claiming that they would resist.

Areolus of the White Words reportedly says, “Where they burn books, soon they burn people.” (source: quit quote, ten years before the Consolidation.)

100 SC

A century after the massive alignment announcing the age of the Sun, the Seven unite to re-summon the Tower from the mists of time. Within this spire of power, they work in concert to weave a great series of magics to adjust the moons even further, refining their power into a thing of legend. Their lives become interwoven with the stability of the moons. Should they ever be slain, the damage to weave would result in a backlash across the minds of all of the Skilled.

102SC

This year marks the falling of fire from the heavens. Like a match to dry tinder, the mysterious and dangerous astronomical event set tensions ablaze. While the Seven denied conjuring this fire, describing it as a “falling star” phenomenon, the Order became enraged. Several homes were destroyed from the impact and the ensuing fire. The angry citizens of Lithmore grab hold of the nearest mage they can find: an apprentice from the Academae and tie him to one of the burning pillars in the home that his magic supposedly destroyed. He is burned alive. He will not be the last. (source: help origins of the manus)

With King Pinalo on the March to the southern reaches of his kingdom to wage war on the Barons Warsalus, there is little to stop the violent members of the Order from overrunning their pacifist brothers and sisters of the Church in public opinion. In the courts, however, there is no official movement. The Crown refuses to sanction the actions of extremists, wary that the Skilled will turn on them in an already precarious situation. Placations are made and several members of the Order are placed under arrest. Their treatment is fodder for the propaganda machines, allowing preachers upon the street corners to give a human face to their hateful rhetoric.

Dav ab Harmon Paddock, next in line to the throne, dwells within the palace by this time. With Pinalo unable to sire a confirmed heir from his legitimate wife, he is left with his second cousin in Lithmore. Young Dav is sixteen and is perpetually flanked by his guard captain Aelwyn Falsteph and his champion Aurthyn ab Sidharr. He has grown up his entire life face with the politics of the Skilled and Unskilled but holds little interest in it. He thirsts for battle like the kings of old.

As a young man, Dav is brash and headstrong. Unable to fight with Pinalo’s main forces on the southern border, he is forced to test his mettle at Court among his own courtiers or in smaller conflicts with bandits taking advantage of burgeoning trade. Unable to keep a cool head, he is often at odds with his minders.

104SC

Pinalo’s campaign against the Barons Warsalus breaches the Lithmorran border and pushes into Farin territory. The well-organized army of Farin destroys their momentum, creating a war of attrition. (possibly Charmy)

In response to the prolonged campaign, Pinalo’s Seneschal arranges a marriage for Dav ab Harmon Paddock to his first wife, Celeste. It is a whirlwind courtship just after her En Passant. Celeste gives birth to their first child nine months later. Miraculously, she survives.

Saint Jaridan is born in Irisum. (source: help saint jaridan)

105SC

In the spring of 105, an eighteen year old Dav finds an outlet for his youthful frustrations when he meets the young prodigy Aquiel who also turns eighteen this year. The fever of spring bends easily to Aquiel’s will and the teenage prince engages in a tryst with the sorceress. It is rumored that the move was more than chance for Pinalo’s campaign could not end well.

Sometime during this year, his faithful captain Aelwyn begins to secretly attend Order meetings. It was whispered among the court that the he had clear reason to despise the mages. The lady Aquiel spent a good deal of time in the Lithmorran court with her master Thandok, trying to keep the balance between the Skilled and Unskilled.

In light of Aelwyn’s growing distance from Dav, a new figure is introduced into court: a young bard of prodigious skill named Gweran op Melthun. Said to have travelled across the face of the Urth, witnessing wars and the local customs of dozens of peoples, he readily slips into the machinations of court. With his ballads and wisdom, it is said that he was able to briefly reunite Dav and Celeste. Their second child is born several months later.

In spite of now having two children, the powers of Aquiel prove too much for the teenager to handle. She returns to his bed, night after night. Gweran’s charm cannot strike twice; he remains at court, keeping the small circle of friends together as best as he can.

107SC

Early in this year, King Pinalo ab Harmon dies of an arrow to the eye against the Barons Warsalus after five years on campaign. (source: Charmaine’s timeline)

At the age of twenty, Dav ab Harmon Paddock finally takes the throne he was meant for. With his new responsibilities in place, his friends and advisors press him to abandon his relationship with Aquiel. There is rumor that the young king may be readily swayed by her charms. Risking the legitimacy of his already shaky crown, Dav breaks relations with Aquiel. His third child by Celeste is born this year. (partly from help origins of the manus) The date of Dav taking the throne is reasoned out from his probable age and the amount of children.

Across the countryside, violence against mages becomes more common through the influence of the Order. The roads are no longer safe and the mages begin to shut themselves away from the public eye. Several mages are drowned in, their bonds tied to a millstone and tossed into the river.

(edit: corrected 'help origins of the manus' to 'help origins of the inquisition')

[Geras]

Hmm. I'm not sure the Vavardi were really based in Vavard that much until the Consolidation. I personally thought of them as a mixed merchant class that originated in Tubor, but drew in merchants from other areas and spoke a lingua franca heavy on Tubori grammar and mixed vocabulari.

[Wolfie]

I think my main reason for having a proto-Vavardi is because of the legendary occurrence in which the city was built in 30 days after the evacuation. I understand folkloric hyperbole, but my gut tells me that the exaggeration is based upon building up existing structures. I can believe Nimrock being built in a few years, but not all of Vavard as it exists today.

Thank you for commenting, by the way, I enjoy how much conversation the conjecture has caused. I really want to establish a baseline IC so we can move that sort of enthusiasm into the roleplay. I will have the Consolidation timeline up pretty soon. The detail is requiring more of a narrative than a simple listing of events.

[Leech]

Dear lord... I've only been familiarizing myself with the Inquisition theme for a few years, but this is a real eye opener to read. While most of this stuff wouldn't be known by any characters, and therefore might not be good to put on the website, if the Consolidation timeline is half as good as this one I really think staff should give it a once over and put it on the website so new players can check it out. I for one, as a new player, go straight to a MUDs timeline to see how awesome their theme is.

And this is pretty damn awesome.

[Geras]

I think a Tubori trading post would be likely there, with it receiving a large influx of immigrants during the Consolidation. Hrm, perhaps a Charali-Tubori mixing a la Vandago as the base at the colony, with the various merchant groups immigrating because of Dav.

[Temi]

I don't know that Tubori-Charali mix would be an original type thing, given that trade passage through Vandago is primarily through a canal which probably be newer, though hasn't been defined in great depth. Interesting to think about though. I would imagine that Vavard was settled by a lot of the common Vavardi people before the consolidation and that much of the sudden rise was a combination of shifting focuses, changing centers of trade and a lot of legend-style exaggeration. Genetically, Vavardi do seem to be very Lithmorran.

[Geras]

Well, they way we've been discussing Vandago in these chats on OOC is as a kind of Magna Graecia, having been colonized by the proto-Tubori at a pretty early date. I don't think it's unrealistic for them to have created a trade route across the isthmus to the Kirulean, and set up few ports there. Sea trade has been a great way to spread culture on Earth, and you be surprised how far these trade contacts ranged in ancient times.

For example:

The Britons - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... entury.png

The Normans - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Normannen.png

The Greeks - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... lonies.PNG

The best example are probably the Rus. The started off in south-eastern Scandivia, and by way of land and sea and river they made it all the way through Russia and the Ukraine to wage war and trade with Constantinople.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rus_people