timeline of théah

8/19/2019 Timeline of Théah

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Introduction to Terra

The world of 7 th Sea is a world of swashbuckling and sorcery, piracy and adventure,

diplomacy and intrigue, science and exploration. It is a world of musketeers, buccaneers and

privateers, ancient secrets and lost civilizations, secrets that can be found in the shadows and

monsters that hide in plain sight.

It is world where the order of Musketeers guards not only the lives of the nobility, but also

the virtues of honor, integrity and fraternity. It is world of sharp blades and sharper wits, where a

cutting retort can be just as deadly as a sword point.

It is also a world where the nobility control the most powerful force of all—sorcery. Dark

magic pulses in the hearts of the noble class, power that was given to them in a terrible bargain made

long ago. Some control the weather. Others assume the forms of animals. Some rip through the

fabric of reality, while others play with the forces of Fate itself. In short, the world of 7 th Sea is one

where the hard edge of steel couples with the shadowy substance of sorcery.

The waters of the world of 7 th

Sea are populated with the robbers of the waves. The piratesof 7 th Sea are united by a common cause: freedom. Freedom from the tyranny of sorcerers and kings.

Freedom from the real and figurative shackles of the Church of the Prophets. Freedom from greedy

landowners and money lenders. Pirates sail where they want, take what they please and live a life of

true freedom unknown by any other man or woman in the world of 7 th Sea .


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With the decline of the Church as the dominant force in society, things have become even

better for pirates as kings and queen hire daredevil adventurers to explore the unknown and bring

back the booty they recover—or steal. Of course, if those adventurers lower their guards for even a

moment, they will find themselves facing the black flag…

In the world of 7 th Sea , kingdoms are on the verge of becoming nation-states. A swelling tide

fo nationalism grows in the hearts of men and women, and a new kind of conflict—covert

warfare—is finding its way into the world. But in the cours of kings and queens, diplomats dressed

in powdered wigs, lace and silk try to resolve the disputes of nations. Of course, if diplomacy fails,

there is the cold steel of the dueling sword waiting under all that finery.

A new kind of espionage is making its way into the world as well. Men and women trained in

the arts of deception live perilous lives of illusion and artifice as they pillae enemy secrets with only

their beauty, cunning and wits…and a willingness t do anything for Crown and country.Beyond the kingdoms of Théah lie the ruins of ancient civilizations, lost centuries ago.

Hidden beneath thousands of years of dust and the waves are vast cities of the lost Syrneth. Who

knows what ancient treasures remain, unseen by human eyes, untouched by human hands?

Men and women who call themselves “natural philosophers” are hired by the kings and

queen of Théah to unearth these treasures and bring them back to noble lands. Daring the perilous

ancient ruins, these men and women are all the rage in the noble courts and the subject of the new

romantic novels. Praised as heroes, they hope to uncover the secrets of the Syrneth in hopes that

they many uncover the key to Man’s own origins, and possibly the secrets of the Creation itself.

And even now, beyond the boundaries of Théah, explorers, adventurers and settlers have

begun to encounter the lands and natives of the New World of Aztlan and Arcadia, braving the

perils of these lands to find wealth, glory and Theus Himself. To the south, in fabulous Ifri, Théans

begin to push past the coastline for the first time, into the harsh deserts and dangerous jungles of

the interior. They will discover a land of gold and fire, whose ebon-skinned natives keep their own

secrets. In the New World and Ifri alike, cultures will clash, blood will be spilled, tragedy will

ensue…and new heroes will be born. The planet upon which the continent of Théah lies is known as Terra, and it is part of auniverse that is very much an alternative parallel to our own. Théah’s inhabitants, particularly of the

region of Western Théah, believe that it is the only fully developed home of human civilization on

Terra, a contention which is startlingly and completely wrong. Terra orbits a star, Solas, and is the

third of six known worlds to do so. Starting closest in their orbits to Solas, the other planets are


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Velme, Amora, Terra, Guer, Re and Volta and are named for the ancient pre-Vaticine gods of the

Numan Republic. Terra completes its movement around Solas roughly every 360 days and is itself

orbited by a single large moon, Luna, every thrity days. A Terran day is commonly measured by a

span of twenty-four, sixty-minute hours, just as it is on Earth.

A long string of islands known as the Midnight Archipelago, lie across the waters to the west

of Théah, and beyond it, further to the west lies the two large continental masses known collectively

as the New World to the Théans. The New World includes the southern continent of Aztlan, and

the northern lands of Arcadia, known to its native peoples as Wabanahkik. Both the Midnight

Archipelago and the New World beyond began to receive Théan colonists late in the fifteenth

century AV. These settlements have sometimes been greeted peacefully by the natives of the New

World…and sometimes not. Directly to the south of Théah lies a fouth continent, dominated by

vast deserts and impenetrable jungles called Ifri. Like the New World, the people of Western Théahhave only just begun to explore the extraordinary civilizations that call Ifri home and the profits and

dangers to be found among them.

The greatest obstacle to further geographic exploration for the peoples of Théah has been

the lack of a reliable way to measure longitude when sailing. Close behind this has been the sheer

dangers of the six seas surrounding Théah and Ifri…not to mention the infamous 7th Sea itself.

Six seas encircle the Théan continent, each offering its own unique challenges. Just because a

ship’s crew is able to handle itself successfully in one sea does not mean it is ready to take on

another.

The Trade Sea lies off Théah’s northern coast, so named because of the Vesten traders who

have braved its waters for centuries in their longships. The tides are especially treacherous there,

often giving reefs the appearance of movement. Ships regularly report running aground on reefs that

“came out of nowhere.” Despite these peculiar incidents, the Trade Sea is considered a relatively

safe place by most sailors.

To the west of Théah and Ifri, between the Théan landmass and the Midnight Archipelago

and the New World, is the Frothing Sea, home to countless hungry sharks and deadly sirens. The weather is always a concern, especially the thick banks of fog that roll in with little or no notice. “Sea

mirages” are a common worry for sailors as well; optical illusions have been known to fool the most

experienced mariners.

La Boca de Cielo, “the Mouth of Heaven,” in the Castillian tongue, lies off Théah’s

southwestern shores and directly west of Ifri. The waters are cold and deep, a favorite breeding


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ground for giant whales and even larger leviathans of unknown origin. Rumors of a monstrous sea

serpent, dubbed “Estallio,” have persisted for years, though no definitive proof of its existence has

ever been offered. For centuries, Théan pirates have found La Boca a perfect place to operate, a

tradition kept alive today by the arrant Brotherhood of the Coast, operating in the entire stretch of

ocean between the New World and the Forbidden Sea north of Ifri and west of the Crescent

Empire.

The Forbidden Sea, given its name by the Vaticine Church centuries ago when it declared

trade with the Empire of the Crescent Moon heretical, touches the southern shores of Théah and

the northern coast of Ifri. Despite the Church’s decree, daring traders and privateers still ply these

waters, many of whom are never heard from again. A great pillar of water, several leagues in

diameter, is reported to reach towards the sky and destroy any ships foolish enough to try and pass

it. The fact that Crescent goods are found in markets throughout both Théah and Ifri indicates thephenomenon can be circumvented, though the method remains a closely guarded secret.

A calm, tranquil gulf lies off the southeastern coast of Théah. Called “The Mirror” for its

smooth, reflective surface, many believe a supernatural entity called Vodanken lives at its center.

Uncharted islands are known to appear in the quiet sea for a time, settling back beneath the surface

in a matter of hours. Explorers attempting to map these unstable stolls risk drowning, for no pattern

seems to exist for determining when they might sink. The treasures said to be found there are worth

the risk, however.

The Corridors of Flame surround the eastern third of Théah, a sea transformed by ancient

Cathayan sorcery into a fiery labyrinth. Walls of swirling fire, nearly twenty feet high, jut out of the

water, incinerating anything that touches them. Amazingly, these burning passages produce no heat,

but are so narrow that turning a ship around once inside them is practically suicide. The few who

have survived the perilous passage claim most of the Corridors empty onto a fierce whirlpool that

spouts a column of unholy fire—and just one leads to the ports of the exotic eastern lands of the

Celestial Empire of Cathay.

Most consider it nothing more than a myth and a legend, a simple sailor’s story meant tofrighten and fool the superstitious mind. Rumors of its dangers have existed for generations and

every culture in Théah has its own tales that speak of it. It is one of the greatest mysteries in Théan

history.

It is a phenomenon known in Théan legend as the 7th Sea.


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The 7th Sea does not exist in any one location on Terra. If reports are to be believed, it

arrives like a quiet storm, and sailors do not know they have crossed its threshold until it is too late.

The water becomes like silver and ghostly gasps and moans float up from some horrible realm deep

below. Solas and Luna share the same horizon while the stars around then drift backwards. The

unfortunate crew who sails unwittingly into the 7th Sea often emerges thousands of miles off course,

or worse: never appears again.

No one has yet unlocked the secrets of the 7th Sea, and most would say it is an impossible

task. Still, stories persist of those with adventurous hearts setting sail to find the truth. If and when

they do, it could change the world forever.

The Continent of Théah

Théah is the continent where all of the action of 7 th Sea really begins—a continent that, like

the rest of Terra, possesses many similarities to Europe in the seventeenth century AD. She is ruled

by a series of nation-states which bear cultural and historical similarities to the particular European

nations on Earth. While she is not Europe’s twin sister, she is certainly a not-so-distant cousin,

which should make Théah more familiar and learning about her cuture and history easier. There are

some important differences, however.

Sorcery is a very real presence in Théah and the rest of Terra. Almost every noble family has

the dark gift running in its veins somewhere, although one nation—Eisen—is an exception to the

rule. Their sorcery is powerful and dangerous, each type demanding its own unique cost from the

wielder. It is a discipline that not all can, or should, attempt to master, but when its power is

harnessed, it can change the fate of nations.

Théah’s principal religion—the Church of the Prophets, or Vaticine Church—has many

elements similar to European Roman Catholicism, but also some key philosophical and theological

differences. Aside from a slightly different iconography, the Church embraces science as a means of

understanding the Creator’s universe and encourages the proliferation of such knowledge through

schools and universities. Because of its efforts, Théans have already made several scientific

breakthroughs that would not occur on Earth for decades later.

Unfortunately, the Church has a darker side as well. Théah has only just emerged from the

thirty-year-long sectarian civil war known as the War of the Cross, a struggle between the traditional

Vaticines and a reformist movement known as Objectionism. The war involved every nation on the

continent in oen form or another, and left the Holy Republic of Eisen in shattered fragments. As if


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this were not bad enough, a sinister Inquisition has recently seized power within the Church,

threatening to transform it into an instrument of terror and repression. Only time will tell if its

masters succeed.

The ruins of a civilization far older than Man’s lie scattered across Théah and the rest of the

world. Some sit in ruined cities beneath the earth, while others lie on an extensive string of islands in

the western seas and the New World beyond. The race or races that built them—known as the Syrne

or Syrneth—have remained unknown, though it is clear they were not human. While their origins

remain a mystery, the ruins are a treasure haven for daring men and women. Strange artifacts and

wondrous inventions have been pulled from their depths, resulting in a great amount of

puzzling…and for some, an even greater amount of wealth.

The giant continental land mass known as Théah consists of three distinct regions: Western

Théah, more often simply called Théah, and the subcontinents of Cathay and the Crescent. Theseareas contain almost every type of terrain imaginable, from snow-covered tundra in the north to

sandy seserts in the southeast. Forests, swamps, lakes, rivers, and mountains decorate the

countryside, shaping the pockets of human civilization that grew up around them.

Two of Théah’s most unique features are also its most controversial. A huge waterway

known simply as “The River” almost divides the continent neatly in half from the Frothing Sea to

the Mirror. Some claim it is proof of a divine hand working upon the landscape, while others say it is

further evidence of the Syrneth and other advanced cultures from Terra’s distant past. Whatever the

truth may be, the people of Théah have used the River as a major artery of trade, commerce and

transportation since their earliest recorded history. It remains the sole source of livelihood for many

in the present day and is routinely celebrated in the stories and songs of every Théan culture and

language.

Théah’s second geographical oddity involves Cathay. An ever-burning wall of fire completely

engulfs Cathay’s circumference, isolating the land and its people from the outside world. Whether

the magical wall was intended to keep the rest of Théah away from Cathay or the Celestial Empire

away from the rest of Théah has been lost in the mists of time. Many intrepid explorers search foran answer, dedicating their lives to disciovering their “foreign neighbor” through an entrance

rumored to lie somewhere within the Corridors of Flame. If anyone has succeeded without the aid

of the Cathayans themselves, those findings have not yet been reported.

Though people live all across the continent, there are still areas that remain unknown and

unexplored. Mapmaking is far from an exact science in the seventeenth century AV. In years past it


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was not uncommon for a map drafted in one realm to bear only a passing resemblance to one

created in another. Political pressure, artistic license and the lack of accurate information all

contributed to this trend, but the past twenty-five years (ca. 1640-1668 AV) have seen an increased

interest in exacting a true, scalable representation of the land. This drive to refine cartography has

also received a boost from the continuing Théan exploration and settlement of the New World and

the increasing movement of Théan merchants and traders deeper into darkest Ifri.

The Nation-States of Théah

The current nation-states of Théah—seven in all—represent the whole of the civilized world

(to Théans!). A brief description of them can be found below:

Avalon

Green and enchanted, this union of the three island kingdoms that comprise the Glamour

Isles has recently risen to the forefront of Théan politics. Avalon is also a gateway from Terra to the

enchanted lands of the Sidhe. Avalon is based upon the British Isles.

Castille

The headquarters of the Vaticine Church, this fertile kingdom has recently been invaded and

partially occupied by Montaigne to the north. Castille is based upon Spain and Portugal.

Eisen

A one-proud kingdom ruled by an imperator and a vast nobility now struggling to recover

from the devastation of the War of the Cross without any functioning central government. Eisen is

based upon the German states of the Holy Roman Empire.

Montaigne

One of Théah’s most powerful kingdoms, Montaigne leads the world in art and culture evenas its king, a self-declared imperator, crushes the populace beneath his thumb. Montaigne is based

upon pre-Revolutionary, Old Regime France.


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Pirate Nations

The Pirate Nations are not so much a true kingdom or state as a general catch-all term for

the various piratical factions sailing the seas of Théah and the New World.

Ussura

A vast and wild country, ruled by a Gaius with the consent of the land’s animating spirit, the

Old Hag Matushka. Its people still live as their ancestors did long ago, and Ussura has recently

struggled to come to grips with the rapid changes sweeping the rest of Théah. Ussura is based upon

the Russian Empire.

Vestenmannavnjar

This vast northern peninsula and collection of islands is divided between the wealthy Guildsof the Vendel who now seek to dominate Théah’s economy and those fierce Vesten raiders who

have no desire to entirely surrender their ancient heritage. Some believe that they can do both.

Vestenmannavnjar is based upon a fusion of Dutch and Scandinavian cultures.

Vodacce

The former cradle of human civilization in Western Théah, Vodacce is now divided between

seven houses of merchant princes whose complex schemes seek to entangle every corner of the

world. Vodacce is based upon the city-state communes of Renaissance Italy.

The Secret Societies of Théah

The nation-states are not the only powers that influence Théah and seek to spread their

agendas across Terra. There are many more clandestine organizations—not beholden to nationality

or religion—that move Théan politics, some unnoticed by even the most observant scholars and

statesmen. Briefly, these include:

The Explorer’s Society

One of the most prominent “gentlemen’s clubs” in Théah, it is a multinational organization

dedicated to studying the past and discovering its geography, especially where the Syrneth and the

New World are concerned.


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The Invisible College

A secretive band of scientists and other “natural philosophers” who work to protect

scientific and technological progress from the fires of the Vaticine Inquisition.

The Knights of the Rose and Cross

An ancient order of adventurers, seeking to bring justice to the unjust and protect those who

cannot protect themselves.

Die Kreuzritter

A group of Vaticine knights, wiped out centuries ago by a traitorous political leader, whose

survivors hid themselves from Théan society in the hopes of combating the greatest danger to

human existence in all Creation…

Los Vagos

Led by a mysterious masked man, these hidden crusaders protect the people of Castille from

enemies both within and without.

The Rilasciare

Best known as Free Thinkers, the Rilasciare promote free will and self-determination

through a range of extremely unorthodox and sometimes deadly tactics.

Sophia’s Daughters

A union of Vodacce women, many of them Fate witches, who seek social equality and

political power through covert means.

The Calendar of Théah

A year on the Théan Calendar consists of twelve months—Primus, Secundus, Tertius,

Quartus, Quintus, Sextus, Julius, Corantine, Septimus, Octavus, Nonus and Decimus, essentally

corresponding to the months of the Gregorian Calendar on Earth and the same seasons in the

Northern Hemisphere. Each Théan month is divided into four weeks consisting of seven days each

from first to last: Soldi, Veldi, Amordi, Terdi, Guerdi, Redi and Voltadi, each named for one of the

ancient Numan gods. Each month is exactly thirty days long, with the fifteenth and the thirtieth days


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set aside for feasting and religious celebrations. The year ends with the Prophets’ Mass, a five-to-six

day-long celebration that fills out the remaining days and is not formally a part of any month.

The passage of human history has been recorded on the Théan Calendar as belonging to two

separate eras marked out as Ab Urbe Condita (“After the Founding of the City”) or AUV and Anno

Veritas (“Year of Truth”) or AV, respectively. AUC dates are used for all years between the founding

of the city-state of Numa and the coming of the First Prophet—which unofficially marked the birth

of the Vaticine Church—while AV dates are used for everything after his appearance.

The Languages of Théah

Théan

Théan was the written and spoken language of the Numan Republic (1 AUC to 340 AV) and

was once widely used across most of Western Théah. It later formed the primary ancestor of the

Montaigne, Castillian and Vodacce languages, which were originally regional dialects of Théan. Later,

in a slightly modified form often called Church Théan, it became the language used by all the

scriptures and rituals of the Vaticine Church. Its primacy in the Church also transformed it into the

language of scholarship and academia, a purpose for which it is still commonly used today. If there is

a “common tongue” of Théah, it would be Théan, though the language has fallen out of favor

somewhat in the last hundred and fifty years or so since the beginning of the Objectionist

Movement. However, almost all scholars and natural philosophers will know at least rudimentary

Théan, and it remains the language of business and ritual for the Church.The Théan alphabet is used

by every language of the continent except for Ussuran, Crescent and Cathayan.

Cymru or Cymri

Cymru, also called Cymri, was the original language of the inhabitants of the isle of Avalon

before the Montaigne occupation. It still forms the foundation of the modern Avalon tongue.

Cymru is closely related to Inis, though it is far from identical and speakers of both languages wouldhave some trouble understanding one another. Cymru is really only used by druids and Avalon

scholars, and by some small, isolated populations on the largest of the Glamour Isles. It is also a

language still favored by the Sidhe and might be considered their “native” language, since it was the

one spoken by the first humans the Sidhe ever met. However, the Sidhe know and can speak all the


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tongues of Men. Speakers of Cymru were rarely literate, but on the rare occasions it was written it

made use of the Théan alphabet.

Teodoran

Teodoran is the language from which modern Ussuran is descended. Today it has become

an obscure, dying tongue spoken only among scholars and occasionally used by Ussurans who know

it to conceal messages. It uses the same alphabet as Ussuran.

Avalon

Avalon is the current language spoken across all of the Glamour Isles. It is a polyglot tongue

created from a mixture of Cymru, Montaigne and a variety of words drawn from Théan. Modern

Avalon developed during the Montaigne occupation of the Glamour Isles, when Old Montaigne wasthe language of the nobility and the law courts and gradually transformed the vernacular Cymru

originally spoken by the island’s inhabitants. Modern Avalon is written using the Théan alphabet.

Castillian

Castillian is the language of Castille, and developed over the centuries from a regional dialect

of Théan when Castille was a province of the Numan Republic called Acraga. It is closely related to

both Montaigne and Vodacce, though a speaker of the other two languages would only understand

some of what a speaker of Castillian was saying. Castillian also has drawn on the Crescent tongue for

some words and phrases because of the long ties between Castille and the peoples of the Crescent

Empire. Castillian is written using the Théan alphabet.

Cathayan

Cathayan is the language of the Celestial Empire and for that reason it is also sometimes

referred to as Celestial in Western Théah. It is not widely known in the west, and is very different

from all of the western languages in basic structure and vocabulary. It is a notoriously difficultlanguage for westerners to learn, not least because it is so difficult for any outsiders to actually meet

a native speaker. Its uses its own script, which is a series of thousands of pictographic characters

rather than a true alphabet as used by the western languages. Cathayan has been studied by only a

tiny minority of scholars in Western Théah, most of whom were missionaries of the Vaticine


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Church who have sought to spread the faith of the Prophets into the East and by those few

Vodacce merchants who have been allowed to trade regularly with the isolationist Celstial Empire.

Crescent

Crescent is the common language of the peoples of the Crescent Empire. Though similar in

some vocabulary to Castillian because of the shared history between the Crescents and the

Castillians, it is an entirely separate language that is also one of the few tongues of Théah to make

use of its own alphabet rather than use the Théan script. Crescent is the favored language of the

large community of Crescent scholars and is widely known among those Théan scientists engaged in

acquiring and translating the voluminous works of science written by Crescent scholars in the past.

EisenEisen is the harsh and guttural language of the Holy Republic of Eisen. Its precursor was the

language of the northern barbarians of Théah and its vocabulary and structure are very similar to

Vesten, though its vocabulary tends to make use of unusually long compound words. It is said that

no one is more precise in word and thought than a native speaker of Eisen. It is written using the

Théan script, with the addition of several letters unknown in that alphabet.

High Eisen

High Eisen is a variant of standard Eisen that is only used and taught by the Eisen nobility

to other Eisen nobles. High Eisen was specifically developed so that both foreign dignataries and

the Eisen nobility’s own commoners could not understand what was being said. High Eisen is

almost never written down, but when it is, it uses the Théan alphabet with the same additional letters

as common Eisen.

Inis

The Inis tongue is the native language of the isle of Inismore and is very similar in vocabulary, structure and pronunciation to the original Cymru tongue of Avalon. During the

Montaigne and later Avalon occupations of Inismore, the majority of its population eventually took

Avalon as the common tongue and that is still true today, though a minority of the Inish still know

how to speak and write in Inis. The original tongue of the Highland Marches was also a dialect of


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Inis, though like the Inish, the Highlanders now generally prefer to speak and write in their own

highly idiosyncratic dialect of Avalon. Inis is written using the Théan script.

Montaigne

Montaigne is the native language of the Kingdom of Montaigne and is derived from a

regional dialect of Théan spoken when Montaige was a province of the Numan Republic centuries

ago. Montaigne is closely related to the Castillian tongue. As Montaigne has become the most

powerful kingdom of Théah in recent centuries, its language has also become the primary language

of culture and the arts across much of the western portion of the continent. It is the preferred

vernacular language of many diplomats and has begun to replace Théan as the common tongue of

the continent, though not yet of scholarship or the Church. Montaigne is written using the Théan

alphabet.

Ussura

Ussuran is the modern language of the Ussuran kingdoms and is closely related to that of the

Sarmatians. It is descended from the ancient language called Teodoro. Ussuran is one of the few

Théan languages to make use of its own alphabet. The Sarmatian tongue is similar in vocabulary and

structure to Ussuran but uses the Théan alphabet rather than the variant Ussuran script.

Vesten

Vesten is the language of the Vestenmannavnjar and it is very similar to the tongue of Eisen

in structure and vocabulary, though it is in fact older and is closer to the root language of the

northern barbarians from which both the Vesten and the Eisen are descended. Vesten has recently

been modified somewhat by the Vendel League to “upgrade” some of its vocabulary to include new

terms for finance, science and commerce. It is written using the Théan alphabet, though like Eisen it

uses several letters which do not exist in that script.

Vodacce

Vodacce is the vernacular language of the merchant princes and common folk of the nation

of the same name. It is the direct descendant of the original Théan language of the Numan Republic,

altered from its parent by centuries of regional linguistic drift after the fall of Numa. Vodacce is very

similar in structure and vocabulary to Castillian and Montaigne, though it is actually the closet of all


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three languages to its Théan parent. It is said there are more creative ways to curse in Vodacce than

any other language in the world.

Chronology of Théah

The scholars of the Explorer’s Society have recently unearthed a corrected timeline of events on the continent of Théah

that in some parts contradicts doctrine as laid out by the scriptures of the Vaticine Church. Where this confusion

occurs, the following should be considered the correct chronicle of events.

In the Beginning…

According to the Scriptures of the Vaticine Church, the One God, Theus, created the universe and

everything in it, including the world of Terra.

In the early days of Terra, the first beings to achieve sentience were the Razhdost, a race of primal,

near-divine demigods who loved the world and that called it home but were incapable of procreation

amongst themselves. As such, they turned to the creation of other intelligent species to populate

Terra, beings that Men would later collectively call the Syrne or the Syrneth.

Early in its existence, the world of Terra was home to several separate non-human civilizations

created by the Razhdost, including the Domae, Drachen, Setines, Tessera and Thalusai. These

beings are known collectively to present-day scholars of Théah as the Old Races, the Syrne or the

Syrneth. All were extinct long before the arrival of Men on Terra, leaving only incomprehensible

artifacts and mysterious ruins to prove they ever existed.

The Domae are unknown in appearance, but believed by scholars to be approximately man-sized.

They constructed huge underground cities and lived in peace for thousands of years, before

destroying themselves and most of their works in a vicious civil war. Their known technology

incorporates a variety of rare and distinctive gemstones, believed to be synthetic Domae creations.

Remnants of the last Domae city endure as the primary sewers of the city of Charouse in modern

Montaigne.


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The Drachen (dragons) are gigantic reptiloid beings up to several hundred feet long, by far the

largest of all the Syrneth races. Their enormous cavern dwellings, containing a few out-sized

artifacts, are found in the mountains of Eisen. Numerous Drachen skeletons, apparently a burial

ground, lie in what is now the centre of the city of Freiburg in Eisen, overshadowed by a huge tower

of Drachen bones (called “die Wachtturm”). The Drachen are one of the earliest known Syrneth

races, and one of the first to die out. The size and durability of Drachen bones is such that Men later

used them in construction, especially around Freiburg. A lesser kind of Drachen, unintelligent and

smaller, survives in remote corners of Eisen and Ussura. Dragons also appear in many Cathayan

legends, being huge creatures of immense power and wisdom.

The Setine were extraordinarily varied in appearance—some had wings, others were approximatelyman-shaped and still others were large quadrupeds with horns or tusks. However different, all Setine

shared the same distinctive hollow bones. Their technology is based upon machinery vaguely

resembling clockwork, and they were one of the most widespread of the Syrneth across the face of

Terra.

The Tessera were also unknown in appearance, and originated soon after the extinction of the

Drachen. A war with the other Old Races ended with the total annihilation of the Tesseran

civilization. Only a few minor examples of their magnetic-based technology remained as proof that

they ever existed upon Terra.

The Thalusai are approximately man-sized, resembling giant insects or mantids that walk upright,

and are believed to have been the last of the Syrneth to emerge on Terra. They dwell on what are

later called the Thalusian Isles, far westwards of Avalon. They preserve their dead in amber, then

place the bodies in deep caverns. The entire race perished in a cataclysm that resulted from a war

with the Sidhe who had once been the slaves of the Setines, leaving only these tombs and a fewartifacts. The surviving Thalusai artifacts reflect their makers’ appearance, being predominantly

“insectoid” in look. Millennia later, portions of Thalusai “armour” (actually the creatures’ exoskeletal

shells) became popular fashionwear in the wealthier social circles of Montaigne in the seventeenth

century AV.


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Ussuran legend tells how the Great Mother and Hag Witch Matushka, actually a potent demigod-like

being called a Razdhost, wandered Ussura, shaping the land and creating life. Lonely after the

disappearance of the Syrneth, she finally decided to sleep beneath the land she had claimed as hers.

The Old Faith of the Vestenmannavnjar teaches that Grumfather (also called the “The Grey

Wanderer” in some stories) battled the giant Varld before the world is born. After slaying him,

Grumfather shaped the world of Terra from his body. It is unknown if Grumfather or the Vesten

“Living Runes” of their sorcery Laerdom are also Razhdost like Matushka, though such an origin

would accord with the powers attributed to them in Vesten mythology.

In Cathayan mythology, Peng Kui emerged from the Great Egg in the Void of Chaos. For untold

ages, he labored to bring order to the Void, before finally collapsing exhausted. From his body cameboth Terra and the gods.

The History of the Sidhe

The world of Terra is an orderly place. The sun and stars move on their appointed courses,

mountains rise and then they fall, living things are born, grow, and die, aeons come and disappear.

But there are other realms, other planes of existence that follow different rules, or have no rules at

all, in realities about which humanity has learned only the smallest scraps. It is from such alien

shores that the Syrneth races hail, the insect Thalusai, the vanished Setine, the beneficent Razdhost.

It is from such an eldritch space that the Sidhe came as well, the strange creatures of magic that have

taken up residence in (and given the name to) the Glamour Isles. There was no human name for the

great Gulf that birthed the Sidhe. There was no name, in fact, for the Sidhe themselves. The people

who found their way to safety after the great Flood called them the “Sidhe,” an Old Cymric word

that means “Fae.”

It is commonly thought that Bryn Bresail is the Sidhe’s native home, originally shapeless andempty but for the formless and timeless entities that existed there, until the coming of the Syrneth

which gave them the very concept of shape. There may be a deeper reality about the Sidhe’s

birthplace such that the eternal land of Bryn Bresail is but their first creation. Before the coming of

the Syrneth, the Sidhe were simply instances of identity without purpose or structure, language or

meaning. Over the aeons, it can be supposed, contact with other forms of intelligence gave them


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some concept of self and other, allowing the Sidhe to evolve into sentience. None of this is known

to the scholars of humanity, and is, in fact, largely unknown to the Sidhe themselves, due in part to

the power of their investment in their current roles.

Another possibility is that at some point in their existence, the Sidhe, who were formless

magical energy, began a quest for a concept of form and pattern. The first exercise in this arena of

which the scholars of Théah are aware occurred when the Sidhe came in contact with the Syrneth

races. At first they were fascinated and delighted with the elaborate mechanical structure they saw,

and took to the idea of substance and meaning with enthusiasm. The Syrneth, for their part, found

the Sidhe (no one knows what the Syrneth actually called the Sidhe) to be a monumental source of

power and they seized on the Sidhe ability to warp reality itself using Glamour, apparently

effortlessly and tirelessly. Not surprisingly, the Sidhe soon found themselves employed as Syrneth

slaves, incorporated into the vast and mysterious Syrneth machinery created by the Setine or someother race of beings about whom scholars are currently ignorant. The Syrneth worlds are cold and

mindless places, for the most part, adapting but not creating, growing but not evolving, artless and

joyless, nothing more than cosmic termite mounds.

Then came salvation. The Sidhe discovered humankind’s dreams on the world of Terra. The

Setines had called the continent of Théah home, and departed (or were destroyed), and then the

Domae came and left, and returned and left again, great cities were built then abandoned, and all the

while small and fragile creatures, humans, were growing and spreading.

It was over the destiny of these humans that the Sidhe and the Thalusai, who arrived late to

Terra (epochally speaking), came at last to blows. The power of the human dreaming awoke in

the Sidhe the power and strength to throw off their Setine shackles, and attack the Thalusai and

drive them from Terra, forcing them beyond the planar Barrier erected by the joint efforts of the

Sidhe and Radzhost. The Syrneth were denied easy access to Terra, leaving humanity (and the Sidhe

with them in their mirror world of Bryn Bresail) free to flourish.

In some respects, it must be said, this was not an entirely noble act on the part of the Sidhe,

but quite a selfish one. While they certainly freed humanity and themselves from enslavement underthe Syrneth, they arranged things so they are the only non-human race that had easy access to exploit

humanity, whether for good or evil.

The aforetold facts may seem muddled, and the chronology suspect, even contradictory to

other known facts. This is due to several factors. There are no records from that period and any

Sidhe to whom one might speak regarding this history will be oblivious, not out of ignorance or


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evasion, but because of the depth of the power with which they inhabit their current role as

mimickers of Men. Memory and history are conceptions of creatures capable of comprehending the

logical flow of events, the passage of time. And no one is asking the Thalusai. The Sidhe greedily

attached themselves to the wondrous dreams and inspirations of humanity. They adopted roles

based on the stories and legends humans created, they formed Bryn Bresail in the image of a

Western Théan city, they populated it with Fae nobles, peasants, artisans, and merchants just like a

Théan city.

Many relocated permanently to the shores of Avalon, using the first and largest link between

the two realms, on the Grey Isle. Other gateways were later opened, as the boundaries between Bryn

Bresail and the rest of Théah became more permeable, but the Grey Isle is unique, and while many,

many gateways are connected with water, the Grey Isle is the only gateway accessible by sea.

Why Avalon? Perhaps because of the abundance of lakes and rivers, ponds, streams, andsurrounding oceans that calls to some ancient, buried memory of the Sidhe, reminding them of their

original existence in a great, measureless misty sea. Perhaps it is the druids of Avalon, the men and

women whose perception of the land is so profound they can create the laws of reality (the Geasa).

Or perhaps because it was the only land that remained after the Flood. For whatever reason, in

Avalon the Sidhe are and there they will stay… for now…

The Bargain, the Barrier, the Pact, and the Graal

For those who are not familiar with the history of Théah, during the time of the Numan

Empire, a ruthless senator named Octavius Montanus discovered a mystic rod of Thalusai

manufacture that allowed him to summon supernatural creatures from a realm far-removed from the

world in which he lived. Gathering a cabal of like-minded Numan senators, he went into a hidden

chamber deep in the Numan Senate building and called forth the beings in hopes of gaining

sufficient power to defeat General Gaius Phillippus Macer and take control of the Numan Empire

for himself.

Demonic creatures of unbelievable horror came flooding through the schism Montanus torein space. Some senators fled screaming while others fell to their knees in terror; at least one went

completely mad and tried to claw his way out of the marble chamber. Senator Montanus, however,

began to bargain with the creatures and made wild promises in exchange for their help. At the end

of the bizarre negotiations, the “Bargainers” offered Montanus the powers that he and his colleagues


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sought in exchange for a promise to teach the new sorceries to others and eventually pass the power

along through their human bloodlines.

Millennia ago, the Razhdost, intelligent non-human beings, had held sway on Terra as it was

forming. Unable to procreate, they devised other beings — among them the Thalusai and the

Setines — which were called collectively the Syrneth by later human scholars. The Razhdost

unwittingly started a war with the Thalusai, the most powerful of their creations, and had to seek

assistance from the Sidhe, the only power on Théah that they had not created. The last Razhdost (a

being named Matushka) joined with the Sidhe to erect a magical Barrier that would protect Théah

and the rest of Terra from Syrneth depredations. The amount of magical energy required for such a

feat drained the Sidhe to the point where Matushka retreated to a cave deep in Ussura and the Sidhe

returned to their home in Bryn Bresail and did not venture forth for thousands of years. It was

during this voluntary retirement that the race of Men came into being on the face of Terra.Some time back in ancient history a great Flood covered the world and later Avalon legends

claimed that mankind had been eradicated, save for a boatload of people who somehow found their

way to Bryn Bresail. Fascinated by these strange creatures, the Sidhe made a pact with them and

permitted them to live on the only place that had survived the catastrophe on Terra, an island called

Avalon where they coexisted peacefully until the arrival of the Numan General Julius Caius and his

army many centuries later. Unlike the people who had escaped the Flood, these humans were brutal

and aggressive and reminded the Sidhe of the Syrneth. In an effort to protect Avalon, the Sidhe hid

the Glamour Isles behind mist, fog, and storms of immense power for 150 years.

When they deemed it safe, the Sidhe allowed Avalon to reemerge into Théah and things

proceeded more or less peacefully, except of course for the petty wars among those who claimed to

be “High King” of the land. Eventually, with the help of the Vestenmannavnjar, King Elilodd of

Avalon united the people and earned the respect of the Sidhe who granted him a magical

artifact they called “the Graal.” Elilodd was charged with guarding the bejeweled cup. For so long as

it was safe, and Elilodd and his descendants ruled Avalon, the blessings of the Sidhe—and the

magical power of Glamour—would be with them.


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The Rise of Man

The Vaticine Church’s Scriptures teach that Theus created Man, the pinnacle of His creation and a

being who shares many of His divine attributes.

The Ussurans say that Matushka, creator of all life and the guardian of Ussura, created Men in her

dreams.

The Vestenmannavnjar skalds tell the story of how Grumfather created Men from the roots of The

Great Tree. To give them a good place to live, he then cut the giant Varld’s heart into nine pieces –

and these become the nine islands of the Vestenmannavnjar.

The Cathayans hold that the goddess Nu Wa created the animals of Terra. To ease her loneliness,

she also created Men.

At some point in the distant and unrecorded past, a boat filled with Men survived a world-wide

Flood, and arrive in Bryn Bresail in the Otherworld. They form a pact with the Sidhe, who guide

them to the isle of Avalon, the largest of the Glamour Isles.

Aproximately five millennia ago, Men established several Neolithic city-states and small kingdoms in

the Arene Candide region (in what is later Vodacce). These settlements represent the earliest human

civilizations on the continent of Théah.

At some point before the founding of Numa, contact is established between the western people of

Acraga (later Castille) and the Jadur-rihad tribe (later part of the Empire of the Crescent Moon). The

two peoples find that they have much in common, and begin strengthening this bond through

commerce and intermarriage.

The Firbolg Wars. Humans settle on an island north of the island of Avalon in Théah, which they

name Inismore. Unknown to them, the hospitable land is also home to a race of fierce giants, later

known as the Firbolg. After a quiet period of some years, during which isolated human settlements

occasionally disappear, the Firbolg finally emerge to wage open war upon the Inishmen.


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ca. -1500 AUC The first dynasty to rule the land of Cathay is lead by minor deities remembered as

“the Three Noble Emperors” who may have been surviving Razhdost. During their long reigns,

these immortals teach their people the arts of writing, medicine, agriculture, building, pottery and

cooking.

ca. -500 AUC – Cathay’s first “historical” dynasty, the Shang, is established. The kings of the Shang

Dynasty are known for their construction of mighty palaces and strong, towering walls.

1 AUC - 774 AUC ( b Urbe Condita

, “After the Founding of the City”)

ca. 1 AUC The Zhou Dynasty is established in Cathay. Around the start of the first century AUC,

when the city-state of Numa is founded in Western Théah, the Zhou overthrow the kings of the

Shang Dynasty of Cathay, who have become weak and complacent. Despite being militaristic, the

Zhou begin as competent rulers who bring several reforms to their new realm.

1 AUC – The founding of Numa. This year marks the founding of the city-state of Numa by the

great hero Numus near the mouth of the Tigres River in what would later become the Arene

Candide region of Vodacce. Numus gives his name to the new settlement. He becomes its first and

only king, though upon his death an aristocratic oligarchy seizes power, placing a council of nobles

known as the Numan Senate in control of the city and establishing the government called the

Numan Republic.

1-340 AUC - Rise of the Numan Republic. Shrewd leadership, successful trade and potent

military prowess all serve to increase Numa’s borders and influence across Vodacce. Other nearby

ancient Vodacce cultures are absorbed or supplanted. The Sidhe occasionally visit the ancient people

of Numa from someplace far to the northwest, intrigued by this most advanced of human cultures.

102 - 228 AUC - The Numan Republic is established in earnest with a series of conquests of

neighboring states, including much of the rest of the Vodacce peninsula and its southern islands.


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ca. 150 AUC - Numan traders reach southern Ussura (later the Ussuran kingdom of Somojez).

Impressed by all that these newcomers have to offer, the native Zakut people establish trade links

and adopt Numan ways.

213 AUC – The Battle of Palo di Olympia. The Numan legions defeat a larger Crescent army.

Numa takes control of the western portion of the Crescent peninsula, and is to hold that territory

for nearly six hundred years.

225 AUC – Having consolidated its western holdings, Numa turns its attention eastwards.

228 AUC – Senator Priscus Tecpatus of the Numan Republic negotiates a treaty with the city-states

of Acraga (later known as Castille). Whilst relations are initially friendly, Numa’s ongoing expansion

soon causes tension to develop between the two cultures.

236 - 255 AUC – Construction of Numa’s Wall. A series of unsuccessful campaigns are launched

by the Numan XI Legion against the northern barbarian tribes of central Théah to placate the area

that would become Eisen. In the end a large wall, called Numa’s Wall, is built along the southernbanks of the Trade River to protect Numan Republic territory from northern barbarian raids.

Barbarian incursions impede communications between Numa and its south Ussuran allies.

The latter are soon targeted by the savage tribes of Brutovskaya and Alyuskar. The Drachenberg

mountains are the scene of numerous battles between barbarian invaders from the west and Ussuran

defenders.

ca. 250 AUC – Several primitive Vestenmannavjar tribes fight a war for dominance over the eastern

Vesten isles. The losers, known as the Novgod, are exiled to the northern coast of Ussura.

268 AUC - Death of Senator Priscus Tecpatus and worsening of Numan-Acragan

relations. Discovery of deposits of precious and strategic metals in Acraga by Numan prospectors, in


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what is later called “La Sierra de Hierro” (The Mountains of Iron). Numa resumes its expansion

westwards into Acragan lands, seeking to profit from this find.

268-344 AUC – The Acragan Wars. Following discovery of precious metals in the Mountains of

Iron in Acraga, Numa and the city-states of Acraga fight a series of wars. Numa wins most of them.

Acragan territory inexorably shrinks. The Acragans are finally subjugated by the Numan legions of

Senator Castillus in 344 AUC and the final destruction of the Acragan capital at Marina Linda brings

most of the remainder of the Vodacce Peninsula and what will become Castille under direct Numan

rule for the next seven centuries.

365 AUC – The Vesten Novgod tribe, with the support of primitive Ussurans, fight a massive battle

against invading Eisen barbarians on the fields west of modern Donskoy. The invaders are soundlydefeated, and the Novgod change their name to the Novgorov.

366 AUC – The Novgorov found the city of Ektar, later Ekaternava, in Ussura as a bulwark against

future Eisen barbarian invasions from the west.

ca. 375 AUC – Founding of the Kingdoms of Rurik and Somojez in what will become Ussura.

421 AUC – Numan Invasion of Avalon. Numa invades the isle of Avalon. The Numan General

Julius Caius leads the invasion force of several legions from mainland Théah onto the largest of the

Glamour Isles. The Numans face scattered and confused opposition at most from the island’s many

scattered and divided tribes. That there are lands and people beyond their own comes as a profound

shock to many Avalons of this time.

423 AUC – Numa crushes the last remnants of Avalon resistance, and imposes its rule over the

entire island. Numan outposts are established along the southern shores of the Highland Marches,

with a view towards further expansion there. Further incursions are discouraged after the Numan

legions meet fierce (if disorganized) resistance from the savage Highlanders.

424 AUC – The conquest of Avalon is completed by the Numan legions of General Julius Caius

representing the greatest territorial extent of Numan rule in Théah. He returns to Numa and


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attempts to take control of the Senate and rule the Numan Republic directly. This attempt fails a

year later when a group of Numan senators assassinate him to preserve the Old Republic.

424 AUC – General Julius Caius makes a triumphant return to Numa with most of his legions,

leaving only a few to keep the peace in Avalon.

ca. 425 AUC – Establishment of the Celestial Empire of Cathay. The Qin Dynasty establishes

the Cathayan Empire. Unquestionably the briefest ruling of Cathay’s dynasties, nonetheless the Qin

lead the nation out of a centuries-long civil war between the nobles of the Zhou Dynasty and

achieves a great many reforms that endure to this day as the foundation of Cathayan society.

425 AUC – End of the Numan Old Republic. Self-proclamation of General Julius Caius asabsolute ruler, or Imperator, of Numa. Within days of the proclamation, Caius is assassinated by a

cabal of Numan senators seeking to maintain the oligarchy of the Numan Old Republic and

traditional collective rule by the Numan Senate.

425 AUC – Establishment of the Numan Empire. Following the assassination of Caius, his son

Tigranus Caius demands retribution and seizes power with the help of his father’s legions as the first

Imperator of Numa. This begins the Age of the Imperators, transforming the Numan Republic into

the Numan Empire. Those who opposed his father are forced into exile. Centuries later, Vodacce’s

infamous Lorenzo family will claim direct descent from Tigranus, through his oldest daughter.

425-581 AUC – The Age of Imperators. The Numan Empire is ruled by a series of dictators of

highly diverse outlooks and abilities. During this time, the Senate is reduced to a mostly ineffectual

advisory role.

ca. 440 AUC – The establishment of the Han Dynasty in Cathay. The Han defeat the Qin in theBattle of the Wei Valley, and take over the rule of Cathay. There is much internal dissent during this

period, which the new Celestial Emperors strive to defuse by encouraging both commerce and

territorial expansion.


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502 - 508 AUC – A series of huge northern barbarian raids destroy the Numan colonies in central

Théah (present-day Eisen).

508 AUC – The northern barbarians destroy the last Numan colony in central Théah (present-day

Eisen).

573 AUC – The Curse of Avalon. Mysterious storms and fogs block all access to Avalon. Numa

unsuccessfully tries to re-establish contact by several means. Finally, Numa’s imperator decides that

the Glamour Islands are “cursed” and decrees that there be no further attempts to reach, contact or

otherwise locate them and the Numan colonies established there.

581 AUC – End of the Age of Imperators and the Establishment of the Second Numan

Republic. A popular uprising led by the Numan Senate restores its power and overthrows

Imperator Clementes the Mad, bringing the Age of the Imperators to an end in the Numan Empire.

The Numan Senate proclaims the establishment of a Second Republic and the ancient oligarchy is

restored across Numan territory.

598 AUC – General Thanthus and the remnants of his legion return to Numan shores. Presumed

lost when Avalon disappeared, the legion had in fact escaped by ship – only to spend the next

twenty-five years wandering the high seas. Their tales of strange lands, great peril and fantastic

treasures form the basis for Gurlan’s classic literary epic “The Tanthusiad.”

623 AUC – End of the Curse of Avalon. The strange fogs and belt of storms encircling Avalon

dissipates, and the islands become accessible to the outside world once more. Nobody there has

aged so much as a day since the storms began, nor are they aware of anything having happened in all

that time. Foreigners either leave the Glamour Isles or quietly assimilate. Numa does not try toreconquer the land.

698 - 724 AUC – General Gaius Phillipus Macer and his army returns to Numa, after campaigning

against the barbarians of central Théah (present-day Eisen). Gaius Philippus Macer seizes power

over the Numan Empire with a military coup of the legions and declares himself the new Imperator


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of Numa. The Numan senators respond by seeking out a method to unseat him and restore the

Second Republic.

ca. 699-772 AUC - The Living Runes and the Coming of Laerdom. A huge monster,

remembered only as “The Great Wyrm”, ravages the far northern islands of the Vestenmannavnjar.

Twenty-five warriors, one from each of the Vesten tribes of the time, gather, ally and eventually

defeat the beast. In doing so, they take the Wyrm’s power for themselves and become the so-called

“Living Runes,” forming the basis for all future Vesten Laerdom magic. Ultimately, some heroes

cannot cope with this new power and go mad, killing several former comrades before being slain

themselves. Of the remainder, most disappear into seclusion and the rest stay to aid their people.

700-724 AUC – Rise of the Second Numan Empire. The Imperator Gaius Macer tightens hisgrip on power. Yet again, the Numan Senate’s authority weakens and the oligarchy is subordinated

to a military dictatorship.

724 AUC – The Bargain. A group of Numan senators, led by an absolutely ruthless man named

Octavus Montanus, become Théah’s first sorcerers via means unknown. Opponents of sorcery

avow that these magics are gained through a loathsome pact with unholy, infernal forces, so this

event is still referred to in certain quarters as “The Bargain.” Determined to regain control of Numa

from the Imperators and establish a new Republic, Octavius Montanus discovered a mystic rod of

Thalusai manufacture that allowed him to summon supernatural creatures from a realm far-removed

from the world in which he lived. Gathering a cabal of like-minded senators, he went into a hidden

chamber deep in the Numan Senate building and called forth the beings in hopes of gaining

sufficient power to defeat General Gaius Phillippus Macer and take control of the Numan Empire

for himself.

Demonic creatures of unbelievable horror came flooding through the schism Montanus tore

in space. Some senators fled screaming while others fell to their knees in terror; at least one wentcompletely mad and tried to claw his way out of the marble chamber. Senator Montanus, however,

began to bargain with the creatures and made wild promises in exchange for their help. At the end

of the bizarre negotiations, the “Bargainers” offered Montanus the powers that he and his colleagues

sought in exchange for a promise to teach the new sorceries to others and eventually pass the power

along through their human bloodlines.


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The senatorial sorcerers freely use their terrifying new powers to seize control of the Numan

Empire—with trouble-makers burned to ash, ripped apart or hurled screaming through strange

portals in mid air never to be seen again. The aging Imperator Gaius Macer is allowed to both live

and keep his throne, but hereafter has no authority save what the sorcerers allow. The fortunes of

Numa’s non-sorcerous aristocracy wanes as the Senate becomes dominated by those families with

access to the power of The Bargain.

ca. 724 AUC – The emergence of Pyeryem sorcery in Ussura. Matushka awakens from her long

slumber, and gifts certain of her people in Ussura with the ability to change into animal form.

According to the later teachings of the Ussuran Orthodox Church, she is awakened by and has a

conversation with the First Prophet (“The True Prophet”) some fifty years before his arrival in the

Numan Empire.

734 AUC – The Founding of Gallenia. Senator Edwardus Ajaz Gallen flees Numa in an effort to

escape his sorcerous peers. He and his followers found the kingdom of Gallenia near the distant

land of Cathay in eastern Ussura.

735 AUC – The Wall of Fire rises on the eastern border of Gallenia, apparently the result of

Cathayan sorcery. All land access to Cathay is suddenly and dramatically blocked by an immense

barrier of magical flame. At the same time, the seas off Cathay become “The Corridors of Flame”

( Huo Zhi Zou Lon’g in Cathayan) for the labyrinth of fire and other hazards that makes sailing

through there unspeakably dangerous. The towering flame barrier traps numerous savage Cathayan

tribes, collectively known as the Tumens, on the western side in Ussuran territory.

736 - 740 AUC The Tumens commence a brutal invasion of primitive Molhyna in what is now

Ussura, conquering it and driving the native Zakut tribes into the icy wastes of the far north.

739 AUC – Selection of General Cnaerus to be Numa’s new imperator. The Senate chooses him in

order to shift him from command of his loyal army to a position where his authority and influence is

limited. Paranoid about safety from assassination, Imperator Cnaerus diverts funds from public

works to construct a fortified personal estate, the Calix Parietis (“Stone Wall”), on an artificial island

in the Tigres River.


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ca. 740 AUC With Molhyna as a base, the Tumens launch a series of attacks against the newly

founded Ussuran kingdom of Gallenia. Bolstered by Numan tactics, the Gallenians defeat the

Tumens at every turn.

741 AUC – Death of Numan Imperator Cnaerus, killed in a street riot protesting his use of public

funds. Curiously, the riot ends with his death but nobody else, including his guards, are hurt. Work

on the Calix Parietis halts, with the fortification mostly complete but little else. Successive

imperators use it as a barracks for Numa’s legions.

ca. 768 AUC – The Coming of the First Prophet. A charismatic young man known only as the

Prophet begins preaching a new monotheistic faith praising the One God Theus, performingmiracles and gathering followers. His original disciples, known as the Nine Witnesses, come from all

over Théah. They are Jaime, Joaquin, Maria, Tomas, Kirstin, Pierre, Simon, Philippa and Sophia.

773 AUC - The First Prophet gathers his Nine Witnesses at Monte Joyas (The Mountain of Jewels)

in La Sierra Hierro in what is now Castille. He instructs them to separate from him and each other,

then wait one year before starting to pass on his teachings to all of Théah, and beyond.

774 AUC – The AUC calendar of the Numan Old Republic ends.


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1 AV – 1668 AV (Anno Veritas, “Year of Truth”)

1 AV – The Last Days of the First Prophet. Alone, his Nine Witnesses already dispersed across

Théah, the First Prophet journeys to Numa. Confronting the Senate whilst it is in full session, he

denounces the use of sorcery as an unholy corruption and chides the senators for their greed.

Several enraged senators attack the interloper, only to discover that their sorcery cannot harm him.

They finally have him arrested (to which he offers no resistance), then tried and condemned on

several trumped-up charges.

2 AV, 2nd of Quintus – The Death of the First Prophet. The night before his execution, the

Prophet is visited in his cell by Senator Tobias (nicknamed “Tobias the Meek”), who records his

prophecies and final teachings—Theus and His mercy, the dangers of sorcery and the threeProphets still to come. The next morning the First Prophet is publicly burned at the stake in Numa’s

central city square. Tobias renounces his rank of senator, and changes his name to Mattheus.

Mattheus, now the First Prophet’s Tenth Witness, and Maria, one of the Prophet’s most loyal

Witnesses, meet and secretly claim the ashes of the First Prophet. These ashes are interred in a crypt

just outside of Numa. The First Prophet’s words, teachings and deeds quickly spread throughout the

Numan Empire, despite the best efforts of the Numan authorities to suppress this new “Vaticine

Church”, meaning the Church of the Prophets in the Numan tongue, and its growing legion of

followers.

The Church preaches the equality of all people in Theus regardless of gender and ethnicity,

as long as they worship Theus as the One, True God of Creation. The religion is one that conflates

reason and faith and teaches that the universe is a riddle put forth by Theus for humanity to solve.

With each step they take, they grow closer to Theus. The Church preaches that the gifts of Theus to

humanity are free will and intelligence and to use them to unlock the secrets of the world is the will

of Theus. They argue that Theus has given each person a goal in life, and that He has a plan for His

Children, but that how you reach the goal Theus has in mind is up to each individual to discover forhim or herself. Finally, the Church teaches that sorcery is a gift from the Adversary of Theus – the

archdemon Legion – to weaken the faithful’s connection to Theus and its use is an abomination.

Theus is depicted as genderless or either gender as the occasion demands, and gender equity is

common in the Church. The new faith proves incredibly popular among the Numan lower orders

and quickly spreads across the Empire. The Church takes as its symbol the Prophet’s Cross, which


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symbolizes both the scaffold upon which the First Prophet was burned and the Four Prophets in

total that he promised that Theus will send to Terra.

32 AV – An alliance of Crescent tribes defeats Numa’s legions, regaining territory lost in the Battle

of Palo di Olympia nearly six hundred years before. The Numans are driven from their acquisitions

on the Crescent peninsula. First use of the term “Empire of the Crescent Moon” by Numan

scholars.

ca. 65 AV – Cathayan trade goods start reappearing in Ussura and the Crescent Empire. From

Gallenia come reports of Cathayan traders who can somehow pass through the Wall of Fire

unharmed and trade with the rest of Théah.

98 AV – The forces of the Numan Imperator II Legio stop a northern barbarian invasion from the

wastes of Ussura just short of Numan territory.

ca. 98 AV – The Numan Empire splits into two halves—the Eastern Empire, ruled from Numa

proper; and the Western Empire, ruled from what is later the Castillian city of San Cristobal. Each

empire is ruled by a separate imperator and a Senate composed of sorcerers.

ca. 100 AV – The Ussuran Kingdoms of Rurik and Somojez embrace the teachings of the First

Prophet. Pagan dissenters led by Vladimir Aryov emigrate eastwards to the lands around the Azov

Forest and the Gora Sorivdgrastov Mountains, where they found the Ussuran Kingdom of Veche.

105 AV – The Eastern Numan Empire recognizes the Faith of the Prophets as a legitimate religion

and ends all persecutions of its faithful; the Western Numan Empire soon follows suit. Popular

support prevents any opposition from the respective Senates from proving effective.

115 AV – Death of Vladimir Aryov, ruler of the Ussuran Kingdom of Veche, in Aryanski Castle. On

his deathbed, he names Boris Tomiech, his most able and ruthless general, as successor. Tomiech is

bloodsworn to never return to Aryov’s fortress, and is presented with Aryov’s youngest daughter,

Anisheva Aryovna, as his wife. Departure of Boris and Anisheva Tomiech from Aryanski,

accompanied by their respective armies. They ride for Veche’s “Mountains of Smoke.”


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122 AV – Completion of Tara Oaslui. This imposing fortress, the stronghold of Boris and

Anisheva Tomiech, is said to be built on the bones of all who dared oppose them. This year is also

marked by the couple’s seventh anniversary and the birth of their third son.

ca. 130 AV – Most of the noble senatorial and equestrian families in Numa now practice some form

of sorcery. Magical talent has become hereditary, passing from parent to child with each successive

generation as a genetic trait.

202 AV – After much discussion, the Crescent tribes formalize their alliance, so as to present a

united front to outsiders. A leader with authority over all of the tribes is selected, titled Caliph(Successor).

203 AV – The Eastern Numan Imperator Danatius converts to the faith of the Church of the

Prophets and declares it the state religion in the East, forcing the Eastern Imperial senatorial families

to flee because sorcery is declared blasphemous.

ca. 217 AV – Establishment of the Chin Dynasty in Cathay. The founder of this dynasty leads his

army to victory at the Battle of Red Cliff, ending a long period of strife and civil war in Cathay.

Cathayan trade with the Crescents through the Wall of Fire becomes very profitable at this time.

ca. 225 AV – The Coming of the Patika to the Crescent Empire. A man, known only as the

Haberci (Messenger), begins preaching the ways of Patika (The True Faith) in the Empire of the

Crescent Moon. That religion soon becomes the dominant faith there. Some claim that he is the

First Prophet come again to bring the teachings of Theus in a new way to the people of the

Crescent.

240 AV – A brief aristocratic civil war in the Western Numan Gallegos province in Acraga (present-

day Castille) is ended when women en masse refuse to give comfort to their husbands. This leads to

mass desertions from both armies.


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297 AV – Fall of the Eastern Numan Empire. Invasion and sack of the city of Numa by an

alliance of barbarian tribes from central Théah (present-day Eisen) called the Brutomanni. The

Eastern Numan imperator is slain during the sack of Numa. La Rovine, Numa’s ancient central

heart, is almost totally leveled by the savage barbarians. The last vestiges of Numan central authority

are lost across the continent as the Eastern Numan Empire collapses under the assault. The Ussuran

Kingdom of Rurik absorbs the formerly Numan holdings of Somojez and northern Vodacce. This

region becomes a bulwark of civilization between the Eisen barbarians to the west and the nomadic

Tumen raiders to the east. The Acragans break from the rump of the Western Numan Empire and,

led by the senatorial Castillius family, establish their own kingdom. Shortly thereafter, the Castillius

family changes its name to Castillo in the Acragan dialect of Théan and Acraga becomes known as

Castille.

299 AV – Castille is united under Josémaria de Castillo, the first High King of Castille and a direct

descendant of Senator Castillus.

300 AV – Marriage of High King Josemaria de Castillo to the eldest daughter of the Caliph of the

Crescent Empire.

301 AV – Birth of Alonzo al’Mahmud Josemaria, son of the High King of Castille and grandson of

the Caliph of the Crescent Empire.

ca. 303 AV – The Coming of the Second Prophet. The Second Prophet Malak appears exactly as

predicted by the First Prophet (as recorded by Mattheus), accompanied by nine Witnesses. All are

from the Empire of the Crescent Moon. As the Second Prophet, Malak advocates strict codes of

behavior, denounces the Vaticine Church as hopelessly corrupt in the eyes of Theus, and calls for

followers to accompany him back to the Crescent Empire on a Great Pilgrimage.

305 AV – Arrest of the Second Prophet. Imperator Alexius of the rump Western Numan Empire

orders that Malak be arrested and brought before him for questioning. The first attempt to do so

fails when the Witnesses form a protective circle around their leader that cannot be broken by

sorcery or weapons. The second attempt, with an entire army, is more successful—the Witnesses


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simply step aside when confronted, and Malak allows himself to be taken prisoner. But, during a

year of imprisonment, the Second Prophet refuses to speak. His Witnesses attempt to speak to the

Western imperator on his behalf, but little comes of this. Joseph of Aremacady, a follower of the

Second Prophet, leads a group of Vaticine converts to Avalon. He is credited with being the first to

bring the words of both the First and the Second Prophets to that land. He also secretly carries holy

relics to Avalon for safekeeping.

306 AV, Primus 1 – The Exodus and Death of the Second Prophet. The Second Prophet’s

prison in what will eventually become the Castillian city of San Cristobal is mysteriously destroyed.

One surviving witness, a guard, tells of “…a blanket of bright white light, descending from on

high...” Afterwards, Malak walks away from the wreckage unharmed and then disappears.

Malak arrives at Monte Joyas, where his Witnesses and 40,000 followers have alreadygathered. Once together, they depart for the Crescent Empire on the Great Pilgrimage. One

follower, Marco, is told to remain behind and convey the words of the Second Prophet and his

Witnesses to the Vaticine Church. These writings eventually form the basis for the Second Vigil in

the Book of the Prophets.

Malak’s miraculous escape leaves Imperator Alexius of the Western Numan Empire inclined

to believe the claims of divinity. However, he is also dubious about so many of his subjects leaving

the realm for an unknown fate. Three Numan armies are dispatched, with orders to turn the

Prophet’s group back.

Near the border town of Rahajeel, the Second Prophet and his entire group are massacred

by Crescents as they worship on Primus 1, 306 AV. Within an hour of discovery by the imperator’s

troops, all traces of the dead disappear in a mysterious storm. One of the imperator’s soldiers

gathers the scattered pages of Malak’s last sermon, just before the storm comes. These writings

prove to be a continuation of the discussions between the First Prophet and the Tenth Witness

Mattheus.

The Kosar Invasion of Ussura. The Kosar, a Tumen tribe, unite under the leadership of JaalaKhan. They embark on a war of conquest, conquering much of Ussura and threatening the Crescent

Empire.

Aleksandr Borisovich Tomiech, ruler of the Ussuran Kingdom of Veche, confronts the

approaching Kosar threat in a manner typical of his family. His soldiers secretly round up and kill as

many citizens as they can find that are old, infirm or insane. The bodies of these unfortunates are


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then displayed for the benefit of the advancing Kosars. Sight of this self-inflicted carnage convinces

the would-be invaders to avoid Veche.

The Battle of Demetrian’s Pass. Five hundred soldiers of the Rurik Empire in Ussura, led by

Demetrian, block the mountain passes near Sousdal. They hold out against massed attacks from

Jaala Khan’s armies for three months, long enough for winter snows to force the Kosars’

withdrawal. Demetrian and all of his troops die, but they save the rest of Théah from Kosar

invasion.

The teachings of the Second Prophet create a deep rift within Rurik’s populace, with some

believing him a fraud and others a true messiah of Theus. To prevent civil war, Rurik’s ruling Knias

finally rejects the Second Prophet and brutally represses all followers of his teachings. The Rurik

Empire is weakened, but survives.

307 AV – The First Crusade. Imperator Alexius publicly blames the Crescent Empire for the

murder of the Second Prophet and his followers. The Western Numan Empire’s armies invade.

308 AV – Establishment of the Hospital of the First Witness. Erik Schumacher, an Eisen

soldier, and his wife Francesca Ghiloni, a Numan healer, lead a group of former crusaders into

Crescent lands. At the port-city of Zafara, they establish a place devoted to caring for the sick and

injured of all faiths, sheltering in tents made out of old sails.

310 AV – Birth of Franz Schumacher, son of Erik and Francesca Schumacher.

311 AV – The Black Crosses of Zafara are founded. Death of Francesca Ghiloni Schumacher. To

honor her and her husband, the people of their hospital craft and wear rough tabards from the

sailcloth awnings that have come to serve as their symbol, marked by a black Prophet’s Cross,

emblem of the Vaticine faith.

312 AV – Death of Imperator Alexius of the Western Numan Empire. Alexius is succeeded by

his son Corantine, a faithful Vaticine who is also a convert to the teachings of the Second

Prophet. Following the First Crusade, Imperator Corantine of the Western Numan Empire

conquers the remnants of the Old Republic of Numa in the territory of the Eastern Empire. He

declares the Faith of the Prophets as the official state religion of his reunited Numan Empire.


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313 AV – Death of High King Josemaria de Castillo. The Kingdom of Castille and the Caliphate

of the Crescent Empire are united under the rule of Alonzo Al-Mahmud de Josémaria as the High

King. This marks the beginning of seven centuries of cooperation between the two nations and their

people, although the king’s powers are severely limited by the continued rule of the Numan

imperator and his people bitterly divided by the Crusades.

322 AV – The Black Crosses move into a large building centered on Francesca Schumacher’s tomb.

The Hospital of the First Witness continues to occupy this structure to the present day. Franz

Schumacher, aged twelve, is soon after murdered by hired thugs. His grief-stricken father leads the

Black Crosses against those responsible for the crime. Within fifteen days, Zafara has been swept

clear of corruption, and the city’s government given over to more honest people.

325 AV – The First Corantine Convention. The recently-called Corantine Convention of the

Vaticine Church presents the Vaticine Credo to Imperator Corantine in Numa, unifying the cults

and teachings of the First and Second Prophets into the Reformed Vaticine Church and creating the

position of the Hierophant to serve as spiritual leader of the Church.

Death of Oscor Nikolai Novgorov, Knias of the Rurik Empire. When commanded to come

to Numa and sign the Vaticine Credo, he does journey there – only to defiantly reject the Second

Prophet, the Vaticine Credo and Corantine’s authority as imperator and head of the Church. The

Knias and all but one of his entourage are then executed for heresy by the Numans. The sole

survivor escapes and returns to his homeland, to tell what has happened.

Establishment of the Ussuran Orthodox Church of the Prophet. The Ussuran Orthodox

Church of the True Prophet of Theus accepts the teachings of the First Prophet (except for those

recorded by Mattheus, regarded as the very worst liar and heretic); and rejects outright both the

Second Prophet and the authority of the Vaticine Church. The late Knias of Rurik Oscor becomes

the first martyr and confirmed saint of the new faith.Erik Schumacher leaves Zafara, to visit his homeland of central Théah (present-day Eisen)

one last time. He is accompanied by sixteen of his original knights.


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326 AV – Grand Duke Vsevolod declares his city of Sousdal in Ussura a safe haven against the

newly founded Vaticine Church in the memory of Knias Oscor Novgorov. The Church sends an

armed force to take the city, but it is defeated in a vicious battle lasting two days.

ca. 327 AV – The Ussuran Orthodox Church is formally established with its capital at Sousdal.

330 AV – Death of Erik Schumacher, founder of the Black Crosses, near the village of Tannen in

central Théah (present-day Eisen).

331 AV – The body of Erik Schumacher is returned to Zafara by the last two survivors of his honor

guard. He is laid to rest beside his wife. A representative of the Vaticine Hierophant visits Zafara, to

examine the activities of the Black Crosses.

345 AV – The meeting of the Second Corantine Convention and establishment of the

Vaticine Church hierarchy. The Vaticine Church’s progress in attaining the goals of the First

Corantine Convention is evaluated, and a formal Church hierarchy established with five territorial

levels—these being, in descending order; Hieros, Archdiocese, Diocese, Parish and Congregation.

To honor the Witnesses of both Prophets, the organization is structured around groups of ten.

At the bottom stands the individual church, or congregation. In honor of the Ten Witnesses,

the Church then groups upward in units of ten. Approximately ten churches make up a Parish. Ten

Parishes make up a Diocese. Ten Dioceses make up an Archdiocese. Finally, the ten Archdioceses

make up the Hieros.

Individual churches often make up the heart of the villages they occupy. They are

responsible for weekly, and in some cases daily, worship services. The officials at this level directly

minister their congregations, helping to celebrate joys and ease sorrows. They also educate the youth

of their congregation, which typically consists of little more than the catechism, but in some cases

can involve literature, history, and mathematics. The sanctuary of the local church is generally thelargest hall in any village or town, and is designed to comfortably seat everyone. As such, it will often

be used for town meetings and secular gatherings in addition to its religious uses.

There are several officials that can be seen on this level. Typically, each church houses one

priest, properly ordained and a full voting member of the parish. The priest will occasionally have

assistants, such as acolytes and altar boys, who are referred to as lay-people (the term lay indicates


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anyone who is not ordained). If the church stands near a university or monastery, the priest may

have a deacon - a young person studying for the priesthood, but who has not yet been ordained. In

many ways, this is equivalent to a journeyman craftsman working with a master to finish his or her

training in more secular professions.

In larger churches, and especially in cathedrals, several priests work together to cover

all the duties. They take turns conducting services, hearing confessions, and handling the

administrative

timeline of théah

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