Ascendant's Rite (The Moontide Quartet) (113 page)

Year Y380: The dissident Corineus and his followers engage in ‘The Ascension of Corineus’. Corineus dies, but three hundred survivors led by Sertain gain the gnosis and begin the conquest of Yuros. Another hundred under Meiros forgo war and journey eastwards into the wilderness, and a further hundred ‘Souldrinkers’ survivors go into hiding.

Year Y382: Sertain is crowned first Rondian Emperor in Pallas and establishes Sacrecour Dynasty that still rules in Pallas. In time Rondian rule extends across almost entire continent of Yuros.

Year Y697: First wind-ships from Pontus ‘discover’ Antiopia and its ancient and thriving civilisations. Trade-links develop, and eventually, plans for a linking bridge are developed by Meiros and his order of peaceful magi, the Ordo Costruo.

Year Y808: The First Moontide: the Leviathan Bridge is completed by Meiros and opens for the first time.

Year Y820+: The Second Moontide sees Rimoni natives flood into Ja’afar (Javon) in large numbers, where they buy land and establish themselves. As they gain political control, civil war develops, but is averted by the ‘Javon Settlement’ formally adopted in 836. The monarchy of Javon becomes democratic and is legally tied to the necessity for mixed racial background.

Year Y834: A Keshi invasion of northern Lakh establishes the Amteh in Lakh, and a dynasty subservient to Kesh (the ‘Mughal’ is a Keshi ruler of Lakh territories).

Year Y880/881: The Seventh Moontide: the most successful Moontide trading season in Hebusalim, and the revelation that the Pallas debt exceeds revenues. Crown credit crisis resolved by underwriting of crown debt by merchant bankers Jusst & Holsen.

Year Y892/893: The Eighth Moontide: trading is disrupted by a series of atrocities by both Amteh fanatics and Kirkegarde knights.

Year Y902: ‘The Year of Bloody Knives’: Emperor Hiltius is murdered and his son Magnus (and second wife Lucia) take over; they have a son, Constant in Y905, but the heir is still Natia (daughter of Magnus’ first wife).

Year Y904/905: The Ninth Moontide and the First Crusade: the Rondian Emperor Magnus sends his legions into Hebusalim. His armies are permitted to cross the Bridge by the Ordo Costruo; they defeat the armies of Dhassa and Kesh. The Rondians establish the Dorobon monarchy in Javon and plunder Sagostabad. The Rondians leave a garrison in Hebusalim to resist re-occupation.

Years Y909/910: Emporor Magnus dies; his widow Lucia ensures her son Constant (aged 5) succeeds, with her as regent, imprisoning Natia. This triggers instability in the vassal-states including serious uprising in Noros. Despite initial successes, Noros is isolated and defeated in 910.

Years Y916/917: The Second Crusade: Rondian legions are reinforced in Hebusalim. They defeat the Sultans of Dhassa and Kesh and plunder as far east as Istabad. Again they withdraw to Hebb Valley as the Bridge closes.

Year Y921: Rebellion in Javon results in the Dorobon monarchs fleeing into exile and the establishment of the Nesti monarchy. Olfuss Nesti becomes king.

Year Y926: The Eighth Convocation of Amteh declares shihad upon the Rondian invaders.

Year Y927: The next Moontide will begin in 928. The Third Crusade is declared by Emperor Constant, and preparations for war accelerate in both continents.

Note: Antiopian chronology is counted from 454 years earlier than Yuros, so Y927 is A1381.

Time and Dates in Urte

The world of Urte uses a lunar calendar, and due to the size and influence that the moon has on both continents (or perhaps because they were once joined) they have essentially the same calendar, though they use different names for the months. There are twelve moon-cycles in a year, each 30 days long, making the lunar year 360 days. The solar calendar is a few hours longer, meaning that every few years an out-of-calendar day is recommended by the Ordo Costruo to the Emperor of Yuros and the rulers of Kesh, which is widely observed. The months are as follows:

Month of Year Season Yuros Name Antiopian name

1
^st
month Spring Janune Moharram

2
^nd
month Spring Febreux Safar

3
^rd
month Spring Martrois Awwal

4
^th
month Summer Aprafor Thani

5
^th
month Summer Maicin Jumada

6
^th
month Summer Junesse Akhira

7
^th
month Autumn Julsep Rajab

8
^th
month Autumn Augeite Shaban

9
^th
month Autumn Septinon Rami

10
^th
month Winter Octen Shawwal

11
^th
month Winter Noveleve Zulqeda

12
^th
month Winter Decore Zulhijja

There are five parts to the lunar cycle, each roughly six days long, creating five six-day weeks. They are: New Moon, Waxing Moon, Full Moon, Waning Moon and Dark Moon. The weekly holy day is usually the last (or first) day of the six-day week; generally no commercial work is done and the day is divided between religious observance and relaxation.

The days of the week are as follows:

Day of Week Yuros Name Kesh name Lakh name

1
^st
day Minasdai Shambe Somvaar

2
^nd
day Tydai Doshambe Mangalvaar

3
^rd
day Wotendai Seshambe Budhvaar

4
^th
day Torsdai Chaharshambe Viirvaar

5
^th
day Freyadai Panjshambe Shukravaar

6
^th
(holy) day Sabbadai Jome Shanivaar

The time is measured using sand-timers, and the hours are rung by a man assigned to staff the tallest tower of every city, town and village. There are varying numbers of hours to the day and night: at the instant of dawn, a bell is struck, and then again every hour until sunset, when a different (lower-toned) bell commences. Depending upon the season and latitude, a day might contain as many as sixteen daylight or night-time hours or as few as eight, but a day always totals twenty-four hours. Due to variability in quality of timing devices and vigilance of timekeepers, the time-keeping can be quite variable. The hours of the day are named as follows:

• Sunrise is the first hour: Day-Bell One

• Midday is typically Day-Bell Six

• Sunset would normally be considered Day-Bell Twelve, or Night-Bell One.

• Midnight is typically Night-Bell Six.

The Primary Religions of Yuros and Antiopia

Sollan (Yuros): The Sollan Faith was the dominant religion of the Rimoni Empire and evolved from the sun and moon cults of the Yothic peoples that spread from the northeast prior to the formation of the Empire. Sol is the male deity and progenitor of mankind, together with his wayward wife Dara, or Luna, who is associated with the moon. The Sollan faith is kept by priests known as
drui
whose primary function is to keep records, advise communities and observe the seasonal rituals. The Sollan faith was outlawed by the Rondian Empire in 411 following the establishment of the Kore. It still thrives in parts of Sydia, Schlessen, Rimoni and Pontus, and also among the Rimoni of Javon.

Kore (Yuros): The Church of Kore was established alongside the conquest of Rimoni by the Rondian magi. It believes that Corineus, the leader of the group who discovered and consumed ambrosia and gained the gnosis, was the son of God (or ‘Kore’). The Church elevates people of mage-blood (i.e. related to one of the 300 Ascendants who led the conquest of Yuros by the Rondians) and holds that Kore gave the gnosis through the death of his Son. The Kore is the prime religion of Yuros, except where Rondelmar does not hold sway (parts of Sydia, Schlessen, Rimoni and Pontus). The Kore is male-dominated and places religion and the magi above secular society.

The Kore promises eternal life in Heaven for the faithful, a status that magi automatically gain, but ordinary men can aspire to. The wicked burn in Hel, a fiery underworld ruled by an evil spirit called Jasid (which is also one of the names of the Shaitan of the Amteh Faith).

Amteh (Antiopia): The Amteh Faith developed in the deserts of northern Antiopia and is principally associated with the Prophet Aluq-Ahmed of Hebb, who rose to importance in approximately A100 (Y450BV). His new teachings, collected in the
Kalistham
, superseded preceding religions based upon propitiation of gods that may have been related to the Omali faith. It is highly male-dominated and demanding of both time and conspicuous worship. The only deity is Ahm, a male Supreme Being. He reigns in Paradise where only the faithful go. The wicked are condemned to a place of Ice ruled by Shaitan, the eternal enemy.

The modern (Y900+) Amteh Faith has its centre in Sagostabad (Kesh) and holds sway in all of the northern lands of Antiopia and even parts of Lakh following the Keshi invasion and establishment of the Mughal line in Y834. There are some breakaway sects, notably the Ja’arathi, a more liberal sect that does not follow the more restrictive practices of Amteh (it separates secular and religious jurisdiction, does not require women to wear a bekira-shroud and allows widows to remarry without consequences). It has a following among the wealthy and the intellectual élite. The Ja’arathi claim their path to be a more accurate reading of the original teachings of Aluq-Ahmed.

There are also several fanatic Amteh sects, the most notable being the infamous Hadishah, outlawed by the Sultans of Dhassa and Kesh but harboured in Mirobez and Gatioch and widespread in the north.

Omali (Antiopia): Founded in Lakh in pre-history, the Omali faith posits one Supreme Being (Aum), who is both male and female and can manifest in many ways, but principally as the gods and goddesses of the Oma. The Omali assign specific virtues to the different Oma, and there are at least fifteen major deities and hundreds of minor ones.

The Omali believe in a cycle of death and rebirth called
samsara
, in which the same souls are reborn time and again into new lives, until they perfect themselves, attain a state called
moksha
and become at one with Aum. The prime deities are collectively known as the Trimurthi and encompass three male deities, the spirits of creation, preservation and destruction.

The Omali religion is the dominant faith of Lakh, despite the military conquest of northern Lakh by the Amteh-worshipping Mughal dynasty 100 years ago (around Y834).

Zainism (Antiopia): Zainism is believed to be derived from Omali and the teachings of Attiya Zai of Baranasi (whom the Omali believe to be an incarnation of Vishnarayan the Preserver). He preached removing oneself from worldly forces to seek spiritual, intellectual and physical perfection. Zainism’s tenets still include the cycle of
samsara
and the seeking of
moksha
, but renounces worldliness. Zainism remains a fringe cult, but due to its liberal attitudes to gender equality, sexuality and the arts and its martial techniques, it has a following among élites.

The Gnostic Arts

Basic Theory: The Magi teach that when a person dies, their soul leaves their body. This disembodied spirit usually lingers for some time in our world and therefore has powers of movement and communication. The Scytale of Corineus enabled the magi to tap into these powers without having first to die, giving the mage ‘magical’ powers in life.

Mage’s ‘Blood’: The child of a mage inherits powers equal to the average power of their parents: so a full-blooded mage and a non-mage would produce a half-blood with one-quarter the basic gnostic strength of the pure-blood. The ‘blood-rank’ of magi is therefore determined by their percentage of mage-blood.

Note that the children of Ascendants are not as powerful as their parents: consuming ambrosia generates greater power than can be inherited genetically.

Ascendants: Those who survive drinking ambrosia are Ascendants, and they wield the highest powers of the magi. The ambrosia is risky, however: not everyone who drinks the potion is strong enough to take the mental and physical strains; there is a strong likelihood of dying, or becoming insane.

Souldrinkers: Magi descended from ‘God’s Rejects’ can access and maintain the gnosis only by using the energy of consumed souls. They are a secret sect that are held by the Kore to be wholly evil.

Magi and Society: Magi are prominent in Yuros society, and because of their skills, they generally do well financially, as well as acquiring great status and influence. They have special status in religious worship. They are expected to set the moral example and personify Kore’s teachings.

Both male and female magi have fertility problems. There is great stigma should a female mage bear a child to a man considered beneath her and/or out of wedlock. Males have more licence and father many mixed-blood magi out of wedlock, but this is limited by their poor fertility.

Gnosis and Law: The use of gnosis is carefully controlled by the Church and the Arcanum (the fellowship of magi who control education and policy). Some Studies (especially within Theurgy and Sorcery) are closely monitored, but all gnosis is capable of misuse.