Thought it might be helpful to post this, from my handout "The West" here's a timeline of recent events in the setting... should get you interested if you're the type im looking for ;) Please forgive typos, I haven't proofread it just yet. The vanishing light "To my great sorrow, I have no answer as to what has happened to the brave Iraklonians of conscience, who would have striven to stop the rise of this monster." A great deal of things have happened in the last twelve years, hence the dawning of a new age in the minds of chroniclers in the west. Below is a short timeline of events leading to and since the turning of the Ages. May 4, 1749 Cyril Xanthos of Iraklion promoted to leader of the Iraklion Worker's Party May 12, 1749 Reports to Paladins of Iraklion and the Pheonix Guard warn of acts of sedition planned in underground war-parties May 27, 1749 The Silent Revolution begins in the White City in Iraklion, and fails. 12 seditionists injured, 2 slain. No Pheonix Guard casualties reported. Agitator Cyril Xanthos taken into custody. Press speculates as to method of execution best suited to deliver justice. July 2, 1749 Grand Jury proceedings determine Cyril Xanthos and conspirators should be tried for high treason July 30, 1749 Arraignment of Cyril Xanthos. Cyril Xanthos pleads not guilty to high treason, famously declaring against wishes of his barrister "If a theif steals from you take back that which was stolen, does this make you also a theif?" Trial of Cyril Xanthos begins later that afternoon. August 7, 1749 Cyril Xanthos fires barrister Vladimir Kralixor, and opts to represent himself August 21, 1749 After nearly a month of stunningly effective oratory, Cyril Xanthos found guilty of high treason, but as a grand shock to all, the largely moved Judge Ekatarina Salamtor, declares his sentance to be 17 months served at the Iraklion Prison on mount Khatan. August 22, 1749 Paid representatives of Salamtor arrive to assist Xanthos to have a pleasent stay, serving as servents and messngers for allies outside of the prison. November 18, 1749 Cyril Xanthos begins work on his political essay, "On the history of Man," a hateful and racist screed demonizing the Fair Folk disguised as an anthropological history of Humanity March 27, 1750 "On the history of Man" is completed, and wealthy friends of Judge Salamtor immedietly begin publication and sale of the book, written as eloquently as Xanthos's forked tounge speaks Febuary 24, 1751 Xanthos released from Mt. Khatan, and picked up by carriage under banner Contessa of Jalious, Zemaya d'Valknor. Xanthos repordadly spends a fortnight int he Contessa's palace. Febuary 28, 1751 Xanthos declares by letter to the Iraklion Worker's party his retirement from politics. December 4, 1751 Xanthos arrives mysteriously in the White City during a party rally. According to attendees, he is attacked by Party Leader Calim Zhakat, and defends himself, slaying Zhakat by rapier thust through the heart. Xanthos is pallid at this meeting, but his voice is darker than ever before. He famously states "There are two outcomes to our struggle: The Wretched Fae interlopers pass over our bodies or we pass over theres!" Iraklion Worker's party re-branded to The Party of Romas. The banner of the Iron Hand, presented by Xanthos, becomes its symbol. May 4, 1752 The Party of Romas gains seventeeen of the One-Hundred Seats availible during this election in the Parliment of Iraklion May 4, 1753 The party of Romas maintains current seats, and, after well-funded propaganda campaigns, gain an additoinal twenty-one seats. May 5, 1753 The opening of the new parliment is shut down, as over-one third of awarded seats Walk out in protest. All parlimentary proceedings for the session of may halted June 5, 1753 The opening of the june session of parliment is shut down,a s over one-third of awarded seats walk out in protest. All parlimentary proceedings of the session of june halted June 17, 1753 "The Flight West", a novel by Shargilm, a member of the fair folk residing in the east, begins publication July 5, 1753 The opening of the july session of parliment is shut down, as over one-third of awarded seats walk out in protest. All parlimentary proceedings of the session of July halted. Unrest begins in the white city July 7, 1753 Agitators wearing party uniform of the Party of Romas arrested and charged for high treason. Demands of the Party of Romas to the office of the Steward of the White City (Amara Basranisti) are received regarding these prisoners. July 9, 1753 Cyril Xanthos granted the position of Vice-Steward of the White City. August 5, 1753 The August session of parliment goes by without a hitch The trend of disfunctional parliment, as well as seditionous activity in the streets, halts. November 7, 1753 Day of the New Union. Papers are signed between Contessa Zamaya d'Valknor and Steward Amara Basranisti introduce into the next session of parliment the act of union, which will combine the two countries of Jalious and Iraklion into one. December 5, 1753 The act of union is signed into law by Parliment, Jalious and Iraklion become provinces of The eastern compact, a new representive republic. December 7, 1753 Steward Amara Basranisti is assasinated A crossbow bolt of Fair Folk design is found lodged in her throat, coated with a vile poison. Her body is found at midnight, and the investigation has begun within the hour. December 8, 1753 Cyril Xanthos appointed Steward of the Compact, and takes Zamaya d'Valknor as his vice-Steward. Curiously, Zamaya is never seen in court. Xanthos delivers a mournful state of the union address to a gathering outside the White Citadel, which quickly calls for justice against the Fair Folk. The crowd cheers and flies into a frenzy. December 12, 1753 The Paladins are dismissed as high guardsmen of the Steward. Outraged knights who have served the white court for lifetimes start to share what was overheard in court. Rumors that Xanthos is allied with an agent of the Undying, that Xanthos's Vice Steward is responsible for the death of the steward, and others begin to circulate in the press. Xanthos renamed the Pheonix Guard the Iron Guard, stating that names that recall goddesses of the Fair Folk do not honor man. January 4, 1754 The Night of Blood Twenty-four Fair Folk conspirators are arrested for conspiracy to assasinate the Steward. Among them are Butumnu, the author of the paper that alleges Xanthos is somehow responsible. They are executed by the Iron Guard at order of the Steward, without trial. January 12, 1754 The order of Devina, the Paladins who guarded the Stewards for 12 generations, are named seditionists and traitors by the Steward. Parliment challenges this statement, and issues a censure on Xanthos for execution without due process of prisoners days prior. Febuary 5, 1754 The house of speakers, the meeting place of parliment, explodes in red flame, minuets after session begins. 1712 slain, including 94 of the 100 senators. Investigation of the ruins begins immedietly. Steward Xanthos demands immediete reports to him from investigators. That afternoon, Xanthos addresses the square outside of the white citadel in a speech against the foreign interlopers who will not let Iraklion be free. Fair folk begin to be killed in the streets by the public, stirred to hatred. Febuary 6, 1754 In the ruins of the house of speakers, investigators find a scrap of paper, written in Riverspeak. Apparently agitators associated with Urkhad were hired to bring justice for the executed fae lords months past. A crest of Devina is found with the scrap of paper, implicating a knight of the order of devina. Febuary 8, 1754 A general call for arrest is made for all former knights of devina. Xanthos gives an impassioned speach against the dangers to the east and the interloping of fair folk, and promises justice. Febuary 10, 1754 The Night of Unnumbered Tears organizedg violent gangs move through the Wild quarter of the White city, and drag, screaming, fair folk citizens from their homes, rape, and murder them. The death toll is over 3,000. No speech or investigation follows by the office of the Steward. July 7, 1754 Continued violence against the fair folk lead many to flee into the west. The great migration begins the morning of July 7, when the Iraklonian consulate in Lydion is forced to deputise over 100 townsfolk to aid in the influx of refugees. September 19, 1754 Avlis, Lydion, Zeroda, and Kithad join in the treaty of Western Refuge, agreeing to disperse the Fair folk diaspora evenly between them. Lydonian diplomats set out to discuss the crisis with the Compact of the East December 4, 1754 The great betrayal Xanthos signs into law a decree which names all members of the Order of Devina enemies of the state. Provisional government agrees with him in this signing. March 12, 1754 The death of democracy Xanthos signs into law the degree of Enabling, which suspends constitutional liberties of the public and dispands the provisional government, effectively creating a dictatorship. The speech he gives to the provisonal government representatives is met with thunderous applause..... March 18, 1754 Xanthos Declares war on the nation of Vorstok, claiming acts of terrorism in the White City implicate them. Vorstok, allied with the Kingdom of Prucia and the Confederation of the Vane, respond in kind. The First war begins. March 19, 1754 Lydion issues a strongly-worded letter to the Steward's office, stating that if he deos not immedeitly recall his troops, the western alliance will see this act of belligerance as an act of war. March 20, 1754 The treaty of Svetland The Count of Lydion, The queen of Avlis, The Holy Mother of Kithad, the Prince of Corbarre, Cheiften of the Djomske, and the Lord-Mayor of County Haran in Svetland meet with Steward Xanthos. After 12 hours of deliberation, the two alliances sign the treaty of Svetland, which acknowledges Xanthos' right to pursue justice. The Holy Mother of Kithad and The Queen of Avlis staunchly oppose the concord,a nd refuse to sign, but without agreement of the rest of the west, they are prevented from going to war with the Compact of the East, lest they break the treaty of the Western Alliance.... March 30, 1754 The Butchering of Polton The battle of polton is joined early in the morning, and by the end of it, 22,000 members of the vorstok alliance are slain. Compact forces advance into the town and round up civillains into a nearby church of the Four Devines. When asked if the town should be fired, now the civilians were safely secured in the church, the cruel "Butcher of Vorstok", General Vand Helron, ordered the burning of the church. All civillians in Polton perished in agony. Helron collected a large urn of ashes of the slain, and brandished it in future battles as a form of psychological warfare. April 19, 1754 The seige of Vaneland bastion Lothran ends in Compact victory Releived of their forces, vaneland capitualtes to the compact. April 25, 1754 Vaneland is annexed into the Compact of the East. Enraged, the Holy Mother of Kithad demands war with the east. Her demands are cooled by Kithasian parliment, as they remain bound by treaty. April 29, 1754 The battle of Zatnar ends with encirclment of the Vorstokian 8th army. Numbers decimated, Vorstok capitulates. May 2, 1754 Prucia offers the treaty of the East, allowing the compact to take any claims of war from the capitualted vorstok. Xanthos declines May 7, 1754 Surrounding the city of Katan, forces of the Compact set it ablaze. Compact riflemen execute those who attempt to flee the blaze. 100,000 perish. May 10, 1754 Prucia capitulates May 17, 1754 Prucia and Vorstok are annexed into the compact. Xanthos renames the compact of the east "The Empire of Man" July 2, 1754 Xanthos demands the count of Lydion be placed under arrest by his iron guard for questioning. In resopne, all Western alliance nations declare gurantees of Independance for Lydion. The count of lydion, knowing Xanthos' fledgling empire cannot win against the west, sends him a Cordial letter instructing him in the most painless methods of suicide. August 9, 1754 A mercenary company called "The crimson company" burns down the count of lydion's palace, slaying him and the contessa. The mercany company declares itself lord of the palace. August 10, 1754 The treaty of Latia Under pain of continental war, Leaders of the west (sans the slain leaders of lydion) demand the presence of Xanthos at County Haran in Svetland. Xanthos is able to prove, in their eyes, that this rising Crimson Company is a rogue against his state, and promises soldiers to corral them, even though they act against his interests. After two days of deliberation, the leaders of the west, aside from the holy mother, agree that there is no evidence Xanthos is responsible. The treaty of Latia, a punitive treaty which prevents the Empire from any further belligerance for a period of twenty-five years without oversight of Alliance military, is signed. In return, the West does not enter war with the East. November 5, 1754 Imperial forces find and capture the leader of the Crimson Company, Bertolli Casman, and execute him Imperial forces help the surviving second child of the count, Rudan Lydion, take his rebuilt palace in the north from survivors of the company. November 10, 1754 Battle for the Mountain Bastion Imperial forcces win a short five-day seige of the Palace of Latia. Rudan is established as the new count of Lydion November 29, 1754 Count Rudan of Lydion Disbands the Paladins of Devina as the honor guard of the Count., citing their duplicity in the east as reasoning. Rudan is known as "The mad count" by his people today for this action January 4, 1755 Lydion enters a treaty of friendship with the Empire of Man January 5, 1755 Lydion is unanimously ejected from the Western Alliance by all other members March 2, 1755 Paladins of Devina are cited as seditionous enemies of the state by Count Rudan of Lydion March 17, 1755 The Empire of Man signs the Pact of Romas with Lydion, promising to aid them should they require military might. July 9, 1755 Emissaries of the Empire win over the high cheiftan of the Magine, assising her in the battle of Salis Magyr. July 30, 1755 Salis-Magyr joins the Empire of man as the province of Silisia, with the High Chieften of the Magine made goveneress. August 4, 1755 Lydion declares war on the kingdom of Idyllious, citing diplomatic insult as their cassus belli. August 5, 1755 A mysteroius woman claiming to be the elder sister of Count Rudan of Lydion, is spotted in the Kithasian blackwood August 6, 1755 The President of Kithad travels to Haven to discuss military strategy should contentnal war break out. August 11, 1755 A rash of dissaperances of young women in Ile 'd Kithas begins November 4, 1755 The guard of the bastion in Ile 'd Kithas arrests a cult dedicated to a pagan second age spirit, "He who walks in darkness" for the kidnap and murder of 114 young women January 12, 1756 Idyllious defeated by the Imperial navy at the battle of Martikon The Empire of man occupies the penensula Febuary 4, 1756 the Empire of man annexes Idyllious. The Holy Mother of Kithad dies of a heart attack. March 1, 1756 Rebirth of Flame Paladins of Devina, both from Lydionian and Iraklonian orders, stage the Crimson rebellion in the White City March 16, 1756 All flames die out The Star of Devina vanishes in the night sky approximately 9:15 pm. It never returns Sometime later that evening, the crimson rebellion put down by the iron guard. The Fourth Age begins April 9, 1756 Survivors of the Crimson rebellion who have fled into the Lydion mountains excommunicate themselves from the church of the fourth divines for their failure They rename themselves the order of the forsaken November 14, 1756 Inspired by the resurgance in the East, A Zerodan partisan and general, Juan Miguel Castamara, seizes control of of the city of Barcon, and declares the capital, Corbarre, to be an illegitimate government "Ruled by goblin interlopers" November 17, 1756 The Second War begins. What Avlis and Kithad thought would be a switft victory turns into a horrific war of attrition in the Navar Highlands. A treaty of lend-lease between the Zerodan Revolutionaries and Empire of Man allows them to last far longer than expected. June 4, 1760 The Second war ends in Revolutionary Victory. The Navar Highlands becomes governmed by Corbarre, where the remainder of the nation is governed by Barcon. July 18, 1760 New Zeroda officially signs the pact of man with The Empire and Lydion. July 19, 1760 Avlis and Kithad refuse to recoznie New Zeroda as a nation. The Corbarran government re-affirms its support of the Western alliance. The uneasy peace begins Febuary 2, 1764 The Expidition to the frozen throne sets out from Haven. April 7, 1765 The confederation of the new frontier across the western sea affirms allegance with the Western alliance, but couches this letter in that they are far from the conflict.. 1765-Current More cults to "The Walker In darkness" emerge in cities and forests alike. Perhaps related, blighted fae from the wild realms begin to wander in great numbers in wild parts of the world March 16, 1768 Current Day
