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Talon's Research Ch. 2: The Mystical History of the Realm of Castles, Section 2

Submitted by Sir Talon on December 5, 2010 - 5:00pm

The following is a timeline of the Realm of Castles, as best as I can determine, as it pertains to the Sacraments of the Unicorn and the Lion. I will attempt to identify items that are hypothesis and inference by a notation in parenthesis following the entry. This is to be a “quick reference” to those interested in this area of study, as well as to help bring the information described in section one together. As there is not an accurate accounting of specific years for much of this, nor have I ever been very good with dates and I have no ready reference material at my disposal at the moment (and I have little time to record this), this timeline will be in relative terms with the earliest events occurring near the top and moving towards more recent events as one moves downward.

Section Two: Timeline

  • Initial encounter with the Unicorn and the Lion. Unicorn defeats Lion.

  • Lion begins creating monsters to challenge the Unicorn. Unicorn defeats each as they come.

  • Lion creates the Hydra as ultimate monster, capable of defeating even the Unicorn. The Unicorn creates Woman to be her champion. Woman slays the Hydra, though each of its hundred severed heads becomes one of the dragons. Possibly the first use of the Sacraments of the Unicorn, as scripture states that the First Empress passed on her “knowledge of victory” to the first empress and the great queens (hypothesis).

  • Unicorn removes horn from Woman’s brow and from it creates Man. Unicorn tasks Woman with leadership, Man with defense.

  • Woman and Man beget several children. Their first daughter, Aithne, becomes the first Empress and begins to tame the lands, attempting to make the wilderness a garden for her and her people.

  • Age of great queens. The empire expands, with new queens taking up rulership of lands conquered from the monsters and the Mysts. First castles built, possibly by incorporating the Sacraments of the Unicorn into their construction (hypothesis). Sacraments of the Unicorn in wide use (hypothesis). Research suggests Sacraments used by empresses, queens, and monks of the Order of the Horn. Unsure if used by knights or common people.

  • Alexia the Great becomes empress. Scriptures state her faith in the Unicorn was unfailing, and gave her great victories against the Lion’s monsters, possibly pointing to her being a powerful practitioner of the Sacraments of the Unicorn (hypothesis). Her campaigns lead to the Realm of Castles having conquered the entirety of the peninsula and part of the continent. Realm of Castles at its height.

  • Alexia the Great dies without an heir. Instead she had the empire divided into three kingdoms (named Hearth, Cricket, and Orchard), each of which she gave to her three most trusted advisors (their names no longer recorded in available histories) to rule each in solidarity with the others.

  • Shortly after Empress Alexia’s death, civil war breaks out between the three kingdoms. Beginning of the age of Beasts and Black Iron. Some practitioners of the Sacraments of the Unicorn begin using spells and potentially greater workings which call upon the Lion to aid in their war efforts (hypothesis). Last known dragon slaying occurs at Castle Dread.

  • Invasion of monsters, spearheaded by massive wave of subterranean ogres. Kingdoms weakened greatly by civil war to mount effective defense. Kingdoms of Hearth and Cricket completely sacked and taken by the monsters and the Mysts. Kingdom of Orchard able to hold invading monsters at bay. Potential that rampant use of Lion spells and workings empowering monsters (hypothesis).

  • Remnants of Kingdom of Orchard consolidate, crown new Empress, becomes what is known today as the Realm of Castles. Use of Sacraments of the Unicorn abandoned (hypothesis). Folk religions and Lion cults become more prominent. Order of the Horn codifies heretical magical practices. Several monks of the Order of the Horn secretly exiled to the Mysts for practicing ‘heresy’ (hypothesis). Order of the Horn and possibly other factions begin actively suppressing knowledge of the Sacraments (hypothesis). Worshipers of the Lion become only practitioners of the Sacraments, begin defiling the spells and rituals to only be dedicated to the Lion (hypothesis). Chalice of the Unicorn is stolen from its place of reverence in Castle Paradise around this time, is not seen for centuries.

  • Realm of Castles begins campaigns to re-take territory once held by the first empire. Process involves excursions into the Mysts too find a castle, clear out any monsters within, and have a princess claim the castle as her queen-hold. Mysts roll back from these lands and people come to populate and support the newly ascendant queen. Process is very slow.

  • Hundreds of years pass. Beginning of the Age of Great Daughters. Half the peninsula reclaimed by the Realm of Castles, though the kingdom of Hearth has yet to even be touched. All knowledge of the Sacraments of Unicorn and the Lion as a magical school completely erased from public knowledge and society. Sacraments themselves have been utterly corrupted, now known as the “Vile Sacraments of the Lion”. Lion is metaphysically dominant. Reign of Empress Anastasia the Just, who has three daughters but has not publicly named an heir. Gates begin to open to the Forest of Doors.

  • Talon begins research into defenses against magic, branching into concepts of a Universal Theory of Magic. Ruined Cloister established. Nexus’s first contact with someone claiming to be a “Man of the Lion”.

  • Talon begins research into nature of magic and theology. First mention of the “Vile Sacraments of the Lion”.

  • Arrival of Sir Lawrence to the Forest. Talon begins researching history of magic in the Realm of Castles in conjunction with Fr. Hieronymus and the Ruined Cloister. First rumors heard of the Chalice of the Unicorn residing within the Forest, potentially being held by Men of the Lion.

  • Arrival of Princess Madeline to the Forest, stating her mission is to build and maintain a castle within the Forest within two years as a test to prove her worthiness to become the official heir of Empress Anastasia the Just. Talon informs Princess Madeline of his research, his sources, and the implications of it. Princess Madeline claims Talon to be in her service and tasks him to continue his research. Arrival of Prince Bridgette to the forest.

  • Arrival of Captain Westmarch, commander of Sabine’s troops within the Forest, and the announcement of Empress Anastasia’s death and of Princess Sabine’s claiming/becoming the new empress. Princess Madeline arrested for treason for not swearing fealty to Sabine. Princess Madeline taken to and imprisoned within the tower of Castle Cyprus.

  • Realm of Castles contingent of Nexus, along with allies, free Madeline while being lead towards a door back to the Realm to stand trial for treason (to be presided over by Sabine). All attempts are made to keep loss of life on both sides to a minimum. Lady Madeline goes to the Ruined Cloister to regroup and recover.

  • Captain Westmarch puts the Ruined Cloister under siege and conducts concentrated attacks against Nexus in the attempts to force the Realm of Castles Nobles there to swear fealty to Sabine. When this fails, Captain Westmarch burns the Ruined Cloister down with pitch while still occupied by many monks and civilians, despite efforts from forces from Nexus, Princess Bridgette, and Queen Jack to stop this. Talon discovers that the Realm of Castle’s magic is indeed completely corrupted, as well as the full details of its spells and rituals, passing the information on to both Lady Madeline and Sir Lawrence. Talon begins research into how to heal the Sacraments.

  • Talon discovers that the Lion is currently metaphysically dominant within the Realm of Castles, which must be rectified before the Sacraments can begin to be righted. Talon undergoes a harrowing and proves himself pure of heart in the eyes of the Unicorn. Talon and allies from Nexus quest to find the Chalice of the Unicorn and, after combating Men of the Lion, find it desecrated.

  • Talon pours his life’s blood into the Chalice to purify it and prevent it from being desecrated ever again. Lady Madeline returns to the Realm of Castles with the Chalice, hopefully ending the conflict of succession in the process (events which will be occurring very shortly after writing this, I hope: hypothesis).

So concludes the timeline.