Lore

The Imarel Timeline - by T.A. Saunders ©2009 v1.5
Updates by S. Robles, B. Kellestine, D. Schneider.

The Benefactor’s War - Founding of the Brookshire Collective

1352 AC – As Imarel recovers from the devastation of the Second God's War, the Xirath emerge from their seclusion in Meluah, to offer their aid in rebuilding. The Xirath are a race of Asyndi that were mutated by the chaos blastwave, that was the Cataclysm of D'Mir, that later constructed clockwork bodies for their otherwise crippled forms. Previous encounters with the Xirath had them in strange, coffin-like structures with spidery limbs to propel them, and manipulate objects. However, these Xirath appear as nearly perfect replicas of people, albeit driven by highly complex clockwork mechanisms and advanced sorcery. Led by the mysterious ‘Benefactor,' and his second, known as the ‘Voice of the Benefactor,' the nation of Meluah becomes a driving force in the recovery efforts across Imarel. There is distrust however from some nations, that would later prove prudent.

Amongst the skeptical nations, stands the Kingdom of Vyss, led by Queen Vessyra Ri-Talaryn Kasyatirma, and the Queen's Consort, Prince Corwyn Greenthorn. Despite negotiations held between the Voice of the Benefactor, and Duke Arathys Blackthorne, no alliance is made with Meluah, but a limited free trade act is ratified. It is also discovered that the Voice of the Benefactor is Thairoa Leathurah's ‘Mirror Twin,' Thai, from a failed attempt to give the Twin Goddesses, Thyia and Theesea Avatars in the Second God's War. Thai, who has adopted the moniker, the ‘Thai the White,' (and would later have it turned into ‘The White Widow of Meluah,' by her enemies), does manage to negotiate alliances with the nations of Farwind, Windsong and the newly formed Coalition of Zodasia, thereby solidifying Meluah as a quickly rising world trade power.

Through the covert actions of the Heroes of Am-Xitha, it is discovered that these efforts by the Xirath to rebuild various cities across Imarel is really an attempt to subvert control of their World-Gates. It is later discovered that Xirath are attempting to excavate ruins thought to also contain World-Gates, in what would become the Benefactor's ultimate endgame for Imarel. His plan was to merge this reality with another in the multiverse, where Imarel was completely engulfed into the plane of Niraeth, thanks to an entirely different outcome to the Second God's War there. In doing this, The Benefactor believed he could create a utopian world without gods (save himself), where peace could finally be achieved.

With the Heroes of Am-Xitha, and the Kingdom of Vyss now actively working against the Benefactor, war is declared, drawing some nations to declare neutrality, while others, such as Miroa, Albadosia and Taijun to rally around Vyss, against Meluah. To be called the Benefactor's War by historians, this short, but brutal conflict would see the shuffling of world powers, including the assassination of Queen Vessyra, a power grab by the nation of Miroa, to take over the Coalition of Zodasia, and an alliance between the ancient enemies of Albadosia and Taijun, before its conclusion. Meluah would ultimately be defeated in a two month long siege of its capital, Iryin, where the Benefactor himself would be slain. Later, it would be revealed that the Benefactor, was another ‘alternate-reality' twin of well-known inventor, Khasyr uth Braegon, nephew to the legendary Kithanis uth Braegon, who went by the name Khazyr. Coming from the same doomed reality as Thai the White, the two had spent several years, while the Second Godswar raged, planning out this calculated usurping of the Xirath, using knowledge of future events. With their godlike hivemind smashed, the Xirath armies simply cease fighting, bringing to conclusion this tragic conflict.

At the end of the war, Queen's Consort Corwyn Greenthorn names Duke Arathys Blackthorne as the next King of Vyss, having no heirs old enough to take the throne, in time to lead their people, in a productive manner. Corwyn himself departs from Vyss, to return to his native Am-Shei, and the Sivanoshei, citing that ‘greater matters' require his attention now.

1353 AC – For the first time in eight years, Imarel knows a time of peace. With nearly all nations having their wounds to lick, and most of the great evils of the age finally put down, the world begins to reorganize itself from the chaos. The Collective of Brookshire is officially recognized as a nation, separate from the Kingdom of Moonfall, which is presently ruled by Queen Lucretia DeBellicose. The separation of the Human nation comes on the wings of the Flatcap Movement of 1352, as established by the controversial Gregory George.

Also in this time, the conquered territories of Zodasia are given a vote, per city, as to stay under the control of the Miroan Isles, or return to their own control. Hammerspark Halls elects to maintain its status as a freehold, while all other cities north of Mirisar elect to stay under Miroan control. Mirisar, Blackgate, Krondhir and the smaller cities lingering between form the Commonwealth of Krondhir.

Meluah, in utter chaos after the Benefactor's War, willingly submits itself to become a part of the nation of Farwind, further uniting the remaining ancestral lines of the Asyndi, even as they continue to dwindle in numbers. The agreement, known as the Treaty of Thyissi, was negotiated by Prime Minister Jacqueline Valaneaux. The combined resources of the once separate nations bring Farwind into a renaissance in the field of Technomancy, in particular. This spurs the creation of exceedingly advanced airships, buildings and modes of transportation that are far beyond what exists elsewhere. This is also a time of isolationism for Farwind, who has seen more than its share of war over the decades.

The King of Vyss, Arathys Blackthorne marries Lady Thairoa Leathurah, former High Priestess of the Twin Goddesses, after a formal seven year courtship. A few months after the blessed union, it is announced the Queen is pregnant with their first child.