Annihilation was the doom that the sanguine faced in the dread days of The Cataclysm, for many of their kindred fell into foul corruption, becoming monsters that must be purified, cleansed, and destroyed. Yet these were their own kin, and to slay them was a grievous sorrow, for kinslaying is a malice most accursed. Still such a fate would return, unless the sanguine might uncover the very source of this shadow. And that source of sin was demonkind, whose being is but a blight, their existence an evil upon the world. Therefore must all vampirekind be gathered in unity against them, though The Chariot knew this, and from such insight wove a conspiracy.
The conspiracy of The Chariot was devised with two great designs at its heart. The first was to bring Santora into silence, yet without its ruin; for the power of The Luminari and the wrath of The Inquisition were perilous to provoke, and the culture of that Nation of Faith was deemed too precious to utterly cast down. Thus was their counsel: that the truest war is ended with little spilling of blood. The second was to subdue the sanguine from the shadows, as already had befallen Thalethys through the craft of Aeltharen. So might the Sorathin end the strife and keep watch over all vampirekind after the Cataclysm, provided the malevolent tale be written in their favor.
For this reason, The Chariot devised a design, to raise up a mighty order of sanguine champions, who should wage war against monsters and demons. An organization he might rule and bend to his will, whose fellowship would be filled with the wise and the valiant, to stand as beacons unto generations yet unborn. Yet within that host were sown demonic spies, who through foul mimicry of form passed among vampirekind as parasites, skilled in guile and deception. Thus in the year 2161 A.E. arose powerful heroes known as The Knights of the Evernight. For Saengma wove a false tale of victory, wherein demons seemed cast down, though in secret they had triumphed.
The Knights of the Evernight were founded by Archmage Theoros, who forsook his seat as Thalassarch of Thalethys to a worthy heir, that he might wield his gift of divination in the war against demons and monsters alike. He proposed to gather an alliance of the most gifted souls from every land, versed in both magic and in science, that together they might withstand perils beyond imagining. In time that strong fellowship was wrought into the Knights of the Evernight. Yet the seed of this design was planted by his estranged daughter, Hecate, Director of the Eirēnēion. Theoros strove to mend the breach between them, but she would suffer only the bond of duty.
It is told that The Chariot was the hand that guided The Magician’s design, urging her father to raise the knightly order; for though Archmage Theoros was a lordly leader, he was yet one whom they might bend to their will. For Theoros had been a cherished pupil of Aeltharen, who knew his heart and his mind full well. And Theoros was ever steadfast in faithful service unto the Goddess of Creation, reading her hallowed scriptures daily to renew his faith. Through such devotion he won the trust of The Luminari and of The Inquisition, who joined the alliance as the steadfast backbone of war. And The Chariot rejoiced in secret, beholding his foes gathered together as one.
Another pleasing turn was the counsel of Theoros to summon the young lord Nurarihyon, who, after the fall of his forebear, had risen as a strategic and inventive samurai, and as captain of the Easterling Expedition. He was sought for his genius in magic, in science, and in the subtle craft of engines, whereby his mind was sharpened to fashion many devices and discoveries of great wonder and peril. Among these was a most dangerous secret: the sundering of one’s soul into many vessels or avatars, whether wrought in flesh or in spirit. Yet of this he alone kept that dangerous knowledge, until Archmage Theoros, through subtle inquiry and keen foresight, uncovered it, and marveled at Nurarihyon’s stern devotion to the downfall of demonkind. Thereafter was Nurarihyon moved to lend his skill unto the Knights of the Evernight, in the deep lore of science, in alchemy, and in wondrous craft.
The coming of Nurarihyon was held a pleasing turn by Doctor Shikōmaru, who deemed that the youth’s genius might one day raise him to the seat of Shogun in Denryoku. For Shikōmaru looked with keen interest upon how Nurarihyon wove the might of the Easterling Expedition into the fellowship of the Knights of the Evernight, while taking mastery in the lore of science and in the forging of new devices. Such inventions he himself would gladly behold, ere he turned them to his own pursuits of knowledge. For it is no folly to learn from others, since in such learning one’s vision is widened and the whole world made clearer to behold, in truth and wisdom forevermore.
Another tale of recruitment is told in the distant North, through the toil and endeavor of Grandmaster Giovanni of The Luminari, who led a wearying expedition into those cold and perilous lands. His purpose was to bind the Knights of the Evernight in league with the Northern resistance, called The Wightwatch, whose charge was to uphold law and order among their folk. Their founders were Morozov and his daughter Snegurochka, once humble toymakers, yet stirred by the deeds of the Easterling Expedition. Leaving their craft, they raised a Northern host of might, to withstand the destructive demons of the Wild Hunt and the monstrous sanguine driven into madness.
Grandmaster Giovanni prevailed upon the father and the daughter, and with them the whole company of The Wightwatch, to swear allegiance unto the Knights of the Evernight, in return for the hope of freedom, of comfort, and of strong, steadfast order in the North. This oath Giovanni himself upheld, in the name of the newborn organization which he had labored to sustain and to defend. Firm promises such as these were spoken oft to new-sworn recruits, many of whom would in time be numbered among the renowned. Yet such oaths opened a hidden door, whereby the subtle Enemy crept in unmarked. For the sanguine knew not of the Sorathin, nor of the demons’ fell power to possess the bodies of their victims and walk unseen amidst vampirekind. Thus by stealth three of the cunning Seven Scions of Sorath ascended the order’s hierarchy: The Tower, The Magician, and The Hermit.
Nehebkau wove her designs in the Core, exalting her renown as a savant in matters of polity, of trade, and of wealth. Thus did she gather about her a great following among the folk of the Core, rising in the early years of the Cataclysm, in the year 2158 A.E., as a merchant of might and influence. By the hand of Grandmaster Giovanni she was brought into the fellowship of the Knights of the Evernight, and he placed trust in her, setting her over the order’s stores and treasures, though under watchful eye. Yet in those days finance was reckoned chiefly in barter and in trade, for true coinage came only after The Cataclysm, distant at first, slow, and seldom brought forth.
The infiltration prospered beneath the firm hand of the Sorathin Spymaster, though not without grievous cost. For Nehebkau was compelled to endure the sundering of her memories, wrought by the magic of Hecate, who had already gained place among the Knights through her father’s wary consent. The Magician prevailed unharmed, for she had learned to outwit her own father’s divinations, being a seer of dread power, schooled in secret by The Chariot to veil both thought and fate by craft and will. Yet such grace was not granted to Nehebkau, whose mind was broken and reshaped, leaving her riven with wandering selves and voices not her own, forever dark and lost.
So also it was with Wisakedjak, who entered the Knights of the Evernight not only as a warrior of might, but as a counselor of lore. For in his many wanderings through many lands he had gleaned knowledge of tongues and of the customs of every nation and people. Yet there were others like unto him, and therefore he strove with due diligence, rising by merit and by toil. Unlike The Tower and The Magician, The Hermit fostered true bonds of friendship, and showed a father’s care to many of his brethren. This spirit was marked by The Fool, who ordered The Magician to lay an enchantment upon Wisakedjak, stripping him of memory, which could only be restored when he bore some perilous errand of deceit, spreading false counsel among his lords. Great was his grief, for each betrayal weighed heavy on his soul, though compelled by the will of Sorathin, dark and unyielding fate eternal.
The devising of memory’s sundering and of forgetfulness was a perilous but needful stratagem, lest Theoros discern the hidden fealty of Nehebkau and Wisakedjak. For dread indeed was his gift of divination, so that few might withstand his gaze. Hard it is to conceal the truth from one who can behold the mind, the soul, and the doom of many others with far-seeing sight. Even Hecate endured grievous anguish in veiling her own secret thoughts and counsels. Far simpler was it to reshape memory than to mask deed or will before Theoros. Even Aeltharen, recalling his pupil, pondered long with unease if he had taught him too deeply in the high divine lore of divination.
An example is shown in the gift of Theoros, who could divine the hearts of men, the places of their dwelling, the shaping of events, and the courses of cultures and of lands. By this foresight he wove designs and turned the tide of fate toward his own victory. Thus did the Knights win many triumphs over demons and monsters, suffering but little loss. Even Nurarihyon and Giovanni were dismayed, for Theoros foresaw and imagined beforehand their words, their deeds, and their very thoughts. Naught could be hidden from him, save only by Aeltharen, his wise master, who alone discerned the loopholes by which his pupil’s vision and his fixed gaze might be evaded.
The stratagem of loopholes was wrought by the Sorathin, who set spies and agents in secret about Theoros, even among the ranks of the Knights of the Evernight. For in those days Theoros was still able to forge strong bonds of friendship and of fellowship with many of the Knights. Yet most grievous was the fate of those whom he cherished, for many fell in battle, and others, overwhelmed by despair, were turned into monsters. Such sorrows laid a heavy burden upon his spirit, though Giovanni gave him warm comfort with words of solace and with prayers for his beloved friend. So deep was the wound of grief that the diviner and archmage veiled his pain, masking it with fatherly acts of love and with kindly smiles. Even Hecate was moved, though she herself despaired, beholding how greatly her father had changed in the first years of The War of Annihilation, which began in 2163 A.E.
The War of Annihilation, it was said, would find its end only in the utter ruin of vampirekind or of demonkind: one must perish, and the other must endure. So was it believed by all the children of night throughout the world. Yet the demons held no such thought, for they had sown the strife from its beginning. To them the war was no illusion of extinction, but a deadly trial, wrought to prove whether the last remnants of mortal men were worthy to abide in Aeltharia as Aeltharians. Nor did Aeltharen forget the cause; for it was by his command that the Sorathin unleashed this ruin, and for such an evil deed he deemed himself worthy of torment everlasting, bitter and dark.
That ruin drove mankind unto its uttermost bounds, for in the face of death alone are the truest selves revealed. Mortal men, flawed as ever, like the vampires endured their hours of trial; yet many persevered, standing firm against horror and terror. The Knights of the Evernight bore witness to this, and Aeltharen took pride and honor in beholding with his own eyes the valor of humankind. And if mankind endured as the vampires to the end of the War of Annihilation, and rose thereafter to rebuild with unity and with strength, then would Aeltharen’s long desire be fulfilled: a world where mortals cherished their gifts and dwelt in harmony with all that lived them.
Yet that hour did not come, for The Knights of the Evernight must first overthrow the Tethered Triumvirate, ruled by The Chariot, The Judgment, and The High Priestess; and this could be done only with selflessness, with honor, and with steadfast courage. In the first five years of the war every realm of mortal dwelling was laid waste, save only the untamed wild and the deep places of nature. Wild beasts would sometimes arise to shield the innocent, bringing healing or aid, yet they fought not for either host, but guarded only their own kindreds and their haunts. For both vampires and demons alike refrained from assailing them, bound by an ancient code of war. And the struggle turned to favor the sanguine, under the leadership of the Knights; for they were quick to learn from each defeat, and seldom did they fall twice to the same snare, devising new stratagems to secure the day.
The North beheld a rare wisdom, for many of its shadow folk stood beside the Knights of the Evernight when they withstood the dread strength of the Wild Hunt and the fell might of the Tethered Triumvirate. From that brave, valorous stand sprang hope, and the sundering tribes of the far North were stirred to unity, founding in the year 2168 A.E. the realm of Nochnaya, the Nation of Truth. Thus were the peoples of those cold lands bound to guard their ways, lest the lurking shadows disgorge their monstrous abominations.
Like unto Siyowaska and Saryongsa, the folk of Nochnaya were not ruled by one throne, but were ordered beneath four mystical and mighty factions. The Sokrovishche were a guild of merchants, woven of many traders and collectors, who ensured fair dealing and equal exchange both among their own and with strangers from afar. The Svetotvortsy, masters of craft, were artists, inventors, and farmers of the shadowed lands; and by their cunning and their tireless toil did Nochnaya endure, even unto this very present day.
Though Nochnaya may seem a realm of stern commerce, where truth and honor in fair dealing are held by all in reverence, yet within its dark bounds abides a darker power, albeit mingled with kindness: The Shadowsworn. This mystical organization labors to fathom the hidden lore of Aeltharia and to lay bare its secrets in their long quest for truth. Oft do its members fare forth from Nochnaya, and return with relics, writings, and treasures gleaned from the shadows of the world, many of which first appeared in the days of The Ascension. In time, they deem, the truth of The Divine shall be shown.
Yet the Nation of Truth was looked after by The Wightwatch, an honorable host arrayed in sable, who moved unseen within the darkness where demons and dreadful creatures abide. Fearless were they, and willing to stand beside others, even the Knights of the Evernight, that every Nochnayan might be shielded from peril. Though held in honor among their folk, still were they feared for their shadowed presence, and for their stern resolve to destroy all known threats, sparing none, by exorcism or by torment, whatever the cost.
Chernolesye (Чернолесье), the City of Truth, is a frightening metropolis, all wrought wholly in ebon black. Its towers and halls are fashioned like unto many castles, every one crowned with tall spires that reach upward into the starry night. And the loftier the building, the greater is its weight in counsel; for in the highest towers are held the matters of law, of polity, and of trade. Yet in the lower courts lie the bustling markets, thriving in vaulted halls of trade, and the fair dwellings wherein the people labor or slumber.
Khrustalnyy (Хрустальный), the City of Wonder, is the dwelling of those who labor to bring light unto the realm of evernight. A magnificent city it is, wrought of snow, of ice, and of crystal, wherein dwell inventors and craftsmen of renown, who fashion works of beauty and of power: artifacts of magic, tools of craft, and furnishings of grace, as though they were gifts divine sent down from the heavens. And it is a realm of winter’s wonder, where sport and merriment endure beneath the chilling embrace of winter.
Tainokrai (Тайнокрай), the City of Mysteries, is the dwelling of those who walk in shadow, seeking to unveil the hidden wonders of the mortal world. A world that was wrought by the song of divinity, in symphonies unending and in melodies of power. There are treasured relics and records left behind from the elder days, when elves yet dwelt among mortals. All these sacred things are gathered in that city of marvel, whose ancient walls and towers are graven with intricate puzzles and secret signs. And it seems the scholars who abide therein are fated to unravel them, proving thereby their worth.
Tikhodom (Тиходом), the City of Graves, lies ever beneath the shadow of the Wild Hunt. Many of the forebears of its folk perished in wars long past, yet remain to aid their distant descendants and the generations unborn. For many chose to have their bodies laid in tombs, mausoleums, catacombs, and graveyards, so that their steadfast spirits might be bound fast to the mortal plane. Thus the city abides in gloom: its air heavy with mist and sorrow, its streets bleak and forlorn, though its resolute people dwell in hushed peace.
The shaping of Nochnaya into one people, though yet ruled by four great, autonomous factions, was not fulfilled until a decade had passed, in the year 2178 A.E. Through those years the Nochnayans strove fiercely against the Wild Hunt, showing valor even amidst the terrors that lurked in the darkest corners of the North. Yet the aid of The Knights of the Evernight was a boon never to be forgotten; for ever after the North beheld them as heroes, worthy of renown, and oft would they send forth their brightest and their best to join their company, counting it a high honor. Nonetheless, individual recruits are granted a choice, and none are bound to serve against their will.
When the shaping of Nochnaya was fulfilled, the Wild Hunt withdrew into the blackest forests, into caverns deep and mountains grim, there to lie in wait until the hour to strike again upon the North. Nor were the monsters less perilous, for their cunning was not to be despised. They massacred the sanguine not only with savagery, but with guile; for oft they feigned great remorse, and cloaked themselves in seeming kindness and pity, to beguile those who sought to end them, or ensnare the unwary who had yet to meet their doom. Therefore are the cities and villages of Nochnaya raised as tall strongholds and firm fortresses, to withstand the dark battles yet to come.
The safeguarding of Nochnaya was achieved by the valor of the Knights of the Evernight, and thereafter their gaze was turned unto the Core; for there sat the three powerful lords of The Tethered Triumvirate, mustering their legions, among them the fell hosts of the Wild Hunt. In those difficult days Nehebkau served as counselor to Archmage Theoros, for she was of the Core, and her ties and knowledge were many. This seemed a boon unto the Knights, yet in truth it was but another snare of the Sorathin, who plotted to shape the Core into a new dominion beneath their sway. That desert realm was promised by The Fool, Vladislav, to Nehebkau herself. For she, skilled in polity, in commerce, and in the gathering of secret lore, was deemed fit to reign over a land of converging trade. Yet upon her lay the grievous curse of Hecate, and within her warred a soul divided, ever wracked by bitter strife.
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The Knights of the Evernight set forth upon their next great campaign in the Core in the year 2180 A.E., purposing to encircle the Tethered Triumvirate and to bring them to doom, as just recompense for starting The Cataclysm, wherein perished uncounted innocents through long, sorrowing centuries of woe. Archmage Theoros, Grandmaster Giovanni, and Lord Nurarihyon resolved first to win the hearts of the Core’s own folk, that they might join in their design to loose a mighty sandstorm, veiling the entire region wholly in Nehebkau’s power. And it was deemed most wise that she, who already held sway in the Core, should lead them with her deep cunning and her lore.
Theoros foresaw in Nehebkau the likeness of a worthy leader; yet what he discerned not was this: that she, with Hecate and with Wisakedjak, would betray The Knights of the Evernight in the shadow of the sandstorm. His sight was hindered by Aeltharen’s divine hand, and the deep memories of The Tower and The Hermit lay veiled. Nor could The Magician’s mind be unveiled by her father. Thus the warning was borne unto the captains of The Tethered Triumvirate: The Chariot, The Judgment, and The High Priestess. The last battle was not the sanguine’s, but The Scions of Sorath.
Before the battle was joined, The Temperance gathered the dark hosts of the Tethered Triumvirate and led them down into the dangerous dungeons, thence back into the safety of Hell, and all beneath the watch of The Fool. The Hierophant abode apart, gazing from afar, to guard against the sight of Theoros, that his deep divination might not pierce the veil of treachery ere the design was revealed. Aeltharen’s hand was weighty in this, for he knew well the peril of his former pupil and talented heir, whose mastery of magic made him a foe most dire. The founder of the Knights of the Evernight was a power to be reckoned with, his might and wisdom standing nigh equal to Vladislav’s own. Yet the snare was laid: Saengma, Shikomaru, and Sussuria would linger in the Core to draw forth the Knights and their alliance. And when the sandstorm rose, the leaders would be betrayed from within, by the very soldiers they trusted, who were in truth dark demons of The Sorathin.
Saengma, Commander in Chief of the Sorathin, devised his conspiracy with utmost craft, shaping his designs upon the ancient stratagem of dividing and conquering the foes of The Hierophant. Long did the plot endure, unfolding through centuries, that the will of The Overseer might at last be wrought in the fullness of war. Its end came in The Sandstorm Siege, which endured three years unto the year 2185 A.E., when the three lords of The Tethered Triumvirate withstood alone the Knights of the Evernight and their mighty yet firm allies: the Nochnayans, Thalethyssians, Siyowaskans, Denryokujin, Saryongsans, Santorans, and the folk native to the desert dunes of the Core.
The might of the six nations, with the desert-folk beside them, rose against the three great demons, who stood unbacked by any host. Then Nehebkau loosed a vast sandstorm to bewilder the foe; yet the tempest turned to their undoing. For in secret the hidden demons, mingled among the allied ranks, rose in treachery, and by stealth or sudden stroke slew lords, heroes, and all who might endanger Aeltharen’s long design. Their deaths were veiled by sorcery, as though they had fallen beneath the onslaught of the first three Scions, whose dread power rivalled the elves and the wrath of nature itself.
Thus did the battle draw to its end, for the three Scions departed in silence from the field, while The Hierophant, by divine sorcery, wrought terrifying mirror-shapes in their likeness, that the sanguine hosts should deem their foes unvanquished and still present. Then The Chariot and The Judgment withdrew into the safety of Hell, but The High Priestess fled swiftly into the Nation of Faith, Santora, with exceeding swiftness. In that hour, Theoros was assailed by thirteen of his own companions, among them Wisakedjak The Hermit, whose hidden allegiance was revealed as demonic. Morozov gave his life in sacrifice, while his daughter Snegurochka bore Theoros far from the ruin. Meanwhile, Grandmaster Giovanni and Lord Nurarihyon contended long with the phantom doubles of the Scions, knowing not their falsehood. The shades were at last destroyed, yet Giovanni fell in that grim struggle, and only Nurarihyon endured, to bear tidings of what had befallen.
The Sandstorm Siege was long remembered as a victory of the alliance of the sanguine houses, and the resolution of The War of Annihilation. Thus in the year 2185 A.E. was the conflict deemed ended, with the overthrow of The Tethered Triumvirate and of their dark hosts, The Wild Hunt among them. Then did Nehebkau, by her influence, gather the remnant strength of the Core, and with the desert-folk unite them once more, seeking to raise a new realm amid the wastes and the oases. Thither might the six nations also come, bearing their crafts, their wisdom, and their treasures in friendship. And so Nehebkau became the first Pharaoh, and reigned for sixty six years.
Nehebkau’s resolve to fashion the seventh nation of Aeltharia drew many to her banner. Yet Nurarihyon was ill at ease with such a sudden proclamation, and with the deaths of Theoros and others, whose bodies, strange to behold, were but mirror-substitutes of Aeltharen. Long did the lord of the Easterling Expedition ponder in secret, until at last he uncovered the hidden treachery wrought by demons hidden in the very ranks of the alliance. Then did fear and foreboding enter his heart, though tempered with wisdom and calm, as became a prudent leader. For the war was not won: in crooked fashion the Sorathin had prevailed, and he must tread carefully, lest he too be unveiled.
Far from the deserts of the Core, Snegurochka, sorely and fatally wounded, bore Theoros to the borders of Santora, at his bidding, that he might find aid from the remnant hosts of The Luminari and The Inquisition. Yet her deadly hurts were mortal, and no healing could avail her, though he strove to save her. There, before his stricken eyes, Theoros beheld a vast phantom, visible to him alone by his gift of sight: Sussuria, The High Priestess, who by dark sorcery turned the folk of Santora, one by one, into her ghostly marionettes, bound as puppets to her will. Their fates, their lives, yea, their very souls were hers until death released them. Stricken with helpless horror, Theoros perceived not his own daughter, Hecate, The Magician, as she came behind him, and with blue flame consumed him. Helpless, he looked on as Santora unknowingly fell, in the very year that marked the dreadful war’s bitter end.
The Heart of Aeltharia was where The Cataclysm was set into motion and where The War of Annihilation was brought to its end. Yet endurance was won only through the steadfast union of the desert-folk and the dwellers by the oases, joined in a strong alliance with the Knights of the Evernight and with the six nations of Aeltharia. Thereafter, in the year 2188 A.E., the firm, stout-hearted people of that land raised up Sha’nekht, the Nation of Trade. Hard was its founding, for the region lay marred and broken by long terror; yet by the long toil of all nations together was built the seventh realm, that in later times was famed as the richest and most prosperous in all the world.
The founding of Sha’nekht, and its rising as the richest and most puissant of nations, was wrought through the steadfast rule of its first firm Pharaoh, and through the aid and counsel of the six kindred realms. Thereafter, honouréd Aeltharians from every land gathered within its walls, until the whole realm became a refuge and an elysium, for all who would dwell beyond the bonds of their own peoples, and seek a haven of trade, of learning, and of lore. For this cause the native lords of Sha’nekht, who hold sway in matters of law, of polity, of craft, of custom, and of war, were ever gracious and open-handed toward those who came from afar. Thus Sha’nekht shone, a beacon unto all.
Yet this is not to say that the other nations were ungentle to strangers; but in Sha’nekht it came to pass, through long years, that many of its people were descended from unions of the native folk and keen wanderers out of distant lands. From the latter their children learned the stories of many realms, and thus was the way made easier for all who would sojourn or dwell within all Sha’nekht, more so than in other realms, where time and toil are needed to win trust. And though the seventh nation waxed rich, it bore its wealth with duty, bestowing aid upon its own and upon the needy of other lands without grudging. For such charity was upheld by the will of their forebears, whose spirits, lingering yet within their tombs, strove still to guide their kin. Nor were they alone, for The Medjay kept watch, warding the realm from both shadow and corruption, with keen eyes, steadfast hearts, and tireless hands.
Rekh-Sakh (??????????), the City of Wealth, standeth as the great capital of Sha’nekht, a marvel of splendour and of might. Its culture and its lofty halls proclaim unto all who come from distant lands the grandeur, the riches, and the luxury of its people, shining forth like a flame that cannot be hid. In its markets is that wealth made manifest, in the fashioning and the exchange of wondrous artifacts, of piercing weapons, of rare records, of fair adornments, and of many crafts desired alike by natives and by wanderers. Yet ever the folk of Rekh-Sakh hold fast to honesty in dealing and to valour in strife, for honour must be upheld both in war and in the games of contest in business.
Ankh-Keru (????????), the City of Echoes, is the resting place of the dead who choose to linger, bound still to the world of the living. In its tall, lofty pyramids and stately tombs abides the memory of the wisest, the gentlest, and the most honourable of lords and folk, who remain as spirits, eager to counsel the generations that come after. Yet none may obtain their wisdom lightly, for the living must win their trust: by offering food to stir again the memory of flesh, and by sharing their own tales, that spirit may know and sympathize with their visitor. Though the dead speak with dread power, yet beneath their words lies warmth, guiding and enduring through all of time.
Khep-Ka (????????), the City of Strength, is not to be taken lightly, for here above all is might esteemed. Yet what is true strength? Not in sinew alone, but in wisdom, in proud power rightly used, and in the steadfast will to pass through rebirth: from weakness and folly unto cunning and endurance. To all is such a path granted, regardless of station or of chains once borne. The city, enkindled by fire and by heat, stands as a mighty fortress; yet fair also, hospitable, and worthy to be called home. Its folk are proud warriors, but learned as well, who study the arts of war not only in battle, but in sport, in craft, in business, and in all contests of life. Yet above every lesson lies this charge: that honour must be guarded without fail, nor ever broken for gain unworthy or for deeds corrupt. For without honour, strength is hollow, and with honour, strength shall endure, guiding brilliant generations yet unborn.
The Seven Nations of Aeltharia are now accounted among the righteous realms, each sovereign in its own dominion, to rule and to order all things within its bounds. Yet they yield respect unto the smaller folk, to the towns and the villages that hold to their own freedom beneath the sky. Should any choose to depart or to join the governance of a greater realm, consent must first be sought from both sides, and a record made through the counsel and firm voice of all, that wisdom and the will of the hearth be heard alike. Such change comes seldom, for the Seven Nations are just and true in their rule, and their faithful peoples dwell unbroken by tyranny or by fear everlasting.
The great recognition came in the year 2222 A.E., when the Seven Nations were granted peace to prosper anew, and to rebuild their realms by ordering afresh the hierarchies and laws of old. Long had passed since the founding of Sha’nekht, the seventh and youngest of the realms, yet the wounds of The Cataclysm ran still deep: ruins lay scattered across every land, and the memory of those dark years haunted many hearts. Yet hope endured among the sanguine, for they had risen above the shadow that once consumed the world; and through the unity of the Seven Nations, the number of the fallen and the lost grew fewer with each passing age. Thus dawned their renewal.
The founding and recognition of the Seven Nations in the year 2222 A.E. brought at last the true end of The Cataclysm. Yet what many deemed a big triumph of the sanguine over demonkind was, in secret, the enthronement of The Sorathin’s unseen dominion over vampirekind and their waking lives. In time, however, that shadowed yoke was lessened; for the sanguine had endured Aeltharen’s trial and proved, through sorrow and through steadfast courage, that their hearts remained uncorrupted. By pain they learned deep reverence, love of life, and honor toward the world that had long suffered with them. So did Aeltharen, through ruin and through rebirth, instruct all mankind and their blood-born heirs to cherish the light and the living earth, until his wisdom was woven forever into their very souls. For in the wake of annihilation, life itself was remade, and from its ashes arose temperance.
Seven years passed after the Seven Nations of Aeltharia were established as the chief powers beneath the heavens. Seven years, ere Theoros arose anew, reborn in a deathless form; for Aeltharen himself had blessed him with the gift of immortality. In that long span of silence, as his stars were carefully realigned, Theoros discerned at last the dark truth of The Sorathin’s being. Then he resolved to seek a final end to its dread master, Aeltharen, though unaided by The Goddess of Creation or by the high elves who long sought to console his grief. Their solace he cherished deeply, yet he knew that the salvation of sanguines must be wrought by mortal hands alone forevermore.
Yet Aeltharen, The Hierophant, was no foe of small might; for Archmage Theoros, dwelling for a time in the high Heavens, learned through the wise counsel of Aeluthra, the one who had raised his former master, the measure of that dread power. For the founder of Thalethys wielded mastery over all Seven Sources of Magic, and the control of many mirrors was his own. He could turn aside every wound, and pass unseen through every reflection in all the vastness of the cosmos. From the mirrored veil he beheld the deeds of the living, fashioning their likenesses as puppets of glass; and over any sanguine he might cast his will, for the plague itself was born of his blood.
The blood of Aeltharen flowed in the veins of all sanguine beneath the high heavens. To Shikōmaru, The Judgment, was this great gift first bestowed, that through it The Hierophant might weave the fates, destinies, and dooms of vampirekind to his own design. Thus was he as a playwright, possessing dominion over every line and motion of the tale. This knowledge brought great terror upon Theoros, and in his heart he feared that even his own will was but a shadow shaped by another. Yet Aeluthra, in mercy, set upon him a blessing of concealment, that the gaze of The Omniscient One will not find him. Still the doubt remained; for perhaps The Overseer himself had willed such concealment for ends unknown. Therefore, in torment, Theoros turned his sight beyond the farthest stars, and there he beheld a strange power, new and terrible, born for the annihilation of all living things: The Destruction.
The Destruction was a power among the Outer Deities of the vast cosmos, rivaling even the might of The Goddess of Creation. And the One who bore its dread authority looked upon Theoros with pity, beholding the sorrow of the archmage who would surrender his own being to cast down Aeltharen’s dominion upon Aeltharia. Thus was the bargain sealed: the power of The Destruction, in exchange for his existence. The price was paid, and Theoros was anointed in its golden fire, transfigured into a divine vessel of ruin and renewal. Yet in that binding was his mortal spirit imprinted upon the bearer of that dread godhood, the One remembered as The Dawn of Destruction.
Theoros fulfilled his secret transfiguration, concealed from the sight of The Goddess of Creation, beneath the blessing of The Dawn of Destruction, ere he descended once more into Aeltharia. There he came before Santora and perceived that the nation yet moved beneath the unseen will of The High Priestess, though with a freedom greater than in former days. Yet from his long study he discerned this truth: that Sussuria was each Santoran, and yet not wholly so. Through every soul she lived and watched and felt, dwelling within their joys and their sorrows alike. Thus was her humanity deepened and her pity made profound, yet her heart remained unable to let them go.
The High Priestess would be reckoned with in another hour, for Theoros was not yet strong enough to stand against her in an open contest. Therefore his path was set toward the weakest of the Sorathin’s powerful Scions, The Hermit. Long he sought, until at last, in the year 2233 A.E., within the dark woods of Siyowaska, he found Wisakedjak hidden. There, Theoros silently overcame him in battle and, by the art of divination, entered into his mind, discerning many secrets of The Sorathin and its fell designs. Yet when all was revealed, pity stirred in Theoros’s heart; for The Hermit’s sad soul was burdened with guilt and weary of sin. Gently then did the Archmage weave his power, cleansing Wisakedjak’s memories, leaving only the wisdom and wanderlust of a mortal wayfarer. Thus departed Theoros, and as Wisakedjak withered into nothingness, another arose: Professor Sohkan of Siyowaska.
Thereafter Theoros secretly returned to Thalethys, retracing the long paths of memory, and reopened the case of his beloved Astrea, his long dead wife, whose fate had been shrouded in the dark secret of her demon’s guise. In his search, he uncovered threads that bound her tragedy to another: the betrayal of his dread daughter, Hecate, born of both human and demon blood. Thus was the Archmage granted grim proof of the fiends that walk unseen among humankind, usurping their bodies and wearing their memories as masks. Yet Theoros held his peace; for he knew that to reveal such truth would cast the sanguine into existential fear and paranoia, and so he trod warily in silence.
Therefore Theoros, in secret counsel, revealed his dangerous findings unto Lord Nurarihyon, who in the years after the Cataclysm had ascended to the seat of Shogun in Denryoku. Yet in time the Shogun passed from the world, or so it was told; but Theoros perceived the hidden truth, that his spirit lives in many vessels, scattered through the Nation of Science. For the very new Shogun was none other than Nurarihyon himself, reborn in manifold avatars among samurai, ninja, and wise men of craft. This he wrought from caution and foresight, having sensed corruption after the Sandstorm Siege. And the proof Theoros delivered became a warning to the Knights of the Evernight.
Nurarihyon, the intellectual Shogun of Denryoku, sent forth his dark tidings unto The Knights of the Evernight, who by that age had been ordained as the protectors of law and guardians against the unseen terrors of Aeltharia, those perils too great for mortal watchmen to withstand. And when they all learned from Denryoku’s throne that demons walked among the sanguine, clad in their likeness, fear and fierce resolve fell upon them. In secret, they began a long vigil and quiet purge, lasting three full centuries, until the year 2537 A.E., cleansing their order and the protectors of every realm from the hidden corruption. Thereafter the Knights kept wary watch over all, seeking out the lurking fiends in subtle silence, until the last of demonkind should be utterly destroyed and purged from Aeltharia. Yet the Knights must bide their time in patience, for they stand against The Seven Scions of Sorath.
