History
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Extensive history of AquilaPRJ. For a summarized overview, see Condensed History. All chronological news posts can be tracked via Events, and calendar mechanics are detailed under Calendar & Timeline Mechanics.
Era Vetus Prior to Era Nova
It is widely known that a prosperous world before Era Nova had existed. A world filled with many various people and nations, mythical beasts and magics, all thriving together in harmony. Until a sudden horrible apocalyptic event took place. The worlds most tragic event, which caused all previous civilizations to fall. Everything had gone up in flames. Realms, nations, magical creatures, one by one they were all either slain, or fell to whatever horrors the tragedy brought with it. No one knows how it started, or what lead to it. In todays day and age, all that is left are traces & cinders of the old world.
Archived Era Era Nova, Year 1
"The first year of Era Nova marked the beginning of a new age for the peoples of Aquila. Across the world, nations established themselves, old societies developed new ambitions, explorers crossed unfamiliar lands, and discoveries began to connect peoples who had previously known one another only through rumour."
The first year of the new era - designated as Era Nova - marked a monumental dawn for the scattered peoples of Aquila. Following a devastating ancient Cataclysm that reduced the advanced civilisations of the past to forgotten cinders, thousands of years had passed in isolated silence. On January of the first year, this long isolation began to dissolve as survivors, explorers, and newly emerging nations across the globe took their first tentative steps toward building a connected world.
As the era commenced in January--February, early movements of individual destiny began to unfold. Far to the East, Basil Blight began his personal journal, drifting upon the gentle waves of the sea after leaving behind a cruel life in search of purpose, hope, and treasures. Concurrently, Regulus Belwing, a young shulk who was not built for travel, made the agonising decision to escape his head archivist training and emotional abuse. Packing his clothes and his most precious possession, Diana's scriptures & blessings, he said an emotional final farewell to his quiet sister Remy before stepping through an unstable gateway in search of a free life in the Overworld.
In February--March, the spirit of geographic exploration and national construction quickened. Sir Percival van der Berg embarked on the first of his legendary surveying expeditions, writing that alles moet worden vastgelegd - everything must be documented. He recorded towering mountains and dense taigas before stumbling upon a highly symmetrical, deliberate monument constructed from a mysterious glass-like black stone, surrounded by boiling pools of lava. Venturing further, he discovered a twilight forest populated by gigantic fungi with deep crimson and pale brown caps.
Farther west, Henry Westcroft knelt in the snow atop a magnificent mountaintop, sketching plans for foundries, railways, and an observatory. He formally named the majestic peak Westcroft Peak, establishing it as the birthplace of Koperdam. Upon receiving a letter from Henry, Percival returned from his survey to the great central mountain, where Koperdam's people were actively raising tents, establishing farms, and grazing cattle. Impressed by the maps, Henry urged Percival to set sail overseas and discover distant civilisations.
During this same spring window, Sylvis Pardali awoke from a multi-year slumber in the druid settlement of the Grove to pray to the stars, while the energetic fairy Mist Tyrius flew up to stand atop tall rock formations in sheer amazement.
By March--April, new territories, cultures, and early anomalies began to emerge across the world. The Fool awoke adrift in a simple boat with no memory of his arrival in Aquila, having narrowly escaped a failed con job in his homeland by leaping from a cliff. Looking through the fog, he spotted the faint spires of an unfamiliar skyline.
In Coronado, Stella Heartwood received a solemn letter from the caretakers of the Heartwood Estate west of Demeralia, informing her of her parents' passing and her inheritance of the family's farmstead. Deep in the red sands of Kheta-Kedet, Osiris awoke from death and approached the city gates in secret, pulling a cloth bandana over his face to conceal his identity.
Inside Kheta-Kedet, Queen Semet embarked barefoot upon her ceremonial Queen's Daybreak sea voyage to legitimise her divine rule, rowing a papyrus boat past weeping and rejoicing citizens as she observed the rich coral life below before returning to a six-day feast.
Overseas, Percival completed his journey across the waters, making landfall among the pastoral Kuri//aes people under Kaptein Harakhas Gomas. Measuring wealth in cattle, the Kuri//aes offered the silent traveller shelter.
At the same time, a milkmaid in Choroba reported a large, shadowy bird releasing a fine, pollen-like powder into the flower forest, prompting the village council to prepare an expedition. In the Chiefdom of Baylara, controversy brewed around High Chief Estorrum following the birth of his second son, Gavilios, as schemes among the nobility emerged to replace the nine-year-old heir, Metanom.
The transition into April--May saw the expansion of domestic governance and the appearance of increasingly mysterious wonders. Stella Heartwood began the gruelling work of managing the Heartwood Estate, reflecting on her teenage departure to work at a general store before her rise as a Demeralian councilor.
In the grove of the Sule Starhood, Sylvis Pardali led morning stretches for the druids, bringing Sienna Ùshriredëm and Mist Tyrius together to tend to the berry bushes. Henry Westcroft, walking through Koperdam's golden wheat fields, heard a strange clockwork chime with perfect mechanical resonance coming from the southern grove, noting the peculiar sound for further investigation.
Far to the south, Astesh Ùshriredëm began their Trifta journey, guided by a bright shooting star that led them up a steep incline to a powerful, shimmering glint embedded within ancient stone formations. Meanwhile, Percival travelled through red mesas and canyons, crossing a grand bridge to arrive in Serrano, a decentralised community governed strictly by the unwritten Frontier Code of personal honour.
In Choroba, the five-man expedition to the flower forest reported a foul smell, discoloured grass, and a bizarre mushroom that appeared to possess an eye.
In May--June, Koperdam's infrastructure began to take physical shape as construction of the formidable fortress city of Vestad officially began under the leadership of Katherine Kingswell. Designed with high walls, lookout towers, and fortified brick buildings, Vestad was intended to serve as a defensive last resort for the growing nation.
As summer settled in June--July, personal and religious reflections deepened. In Kheta-Kedet, the nineteen-year-old merchant Thabit sat in the desert heat, turning over a yellowed diary gifted by his father before writing his first entry, dedicating his upcoming merchant travels to Ib-Nbw.
Harakhas Gomas returned to Hais!am after a fruitless search for water in the Omatjuti sand field, regretting that he had missed a quiet foreign traveller who had briefly accepted the hospitality of his tribe. In Istrania, Valdemar Hvide stood upon the shores of a calm bay, silently praying to the Godking and the Blessed Ones as workers laid down stones to mark the coastline of Kingsport, envisioning a capital of stone and brick that would serve as his legacy.
In July--August, the fickle nature of the sea struck Basil Blight's voyage. A violent storm tore his boat apart, knocking him unconscious. He miraculously awoke clinging to a broken wooden plank, dragging his exhausted body onto the shore of an unknown beach to face a destitute future. Concurrently, the Choroba expedition to the forest concluded, leaving the local population uneasy.
The late summer of August--September bridged the distance between previously isolated civilisations. Percival travelled north across the unforgiving dunes of the desert to enter Kheta-Kedet, where he met Queen Semet. Struck by her regal posture and unearthly amber-orange eyes, Percival engaged in deep conversations with her regarding architecture, the responsibilities of leadership, and her total rejection of magic. Their meeting established a profound intellectual respect between Koperdam and the desert kingdom.
During September--October, Henry Westcroft met Archdruid Sylvis Pardali at Koperdam's borders. Granted permission to enter the grove, Henry observed its ancient, non-mechanical order, exchanging philosophical views on progress and nature before returning with the first geographic markings of the druids recorded upon Koperdam's maps.
Concurrently, the young shulk Regulus Belwing continued his journey across Aquila in search of a new home.
In October, Sylvis Pardali penned her final thoughts on her meeting with Henry upon a broad leaf, releasing it to the wind - unsure of what to think about it.
In Coronado, Percival arrived at the Bright Wolf Saloon, sharing drinks with ranchers and labourers who directed him towards Stella Heartwood. Stella welcomed the wandering cartographer and offered him lodging at the Heartwood Estate.
Meanwhile, Koperdam celebrated the official opening of the Clockhaven Eastern Station, completing the nation's first operational railway connecting Clockhaven to Vestad. The opening also established Koperdam Railways, which would oversee the nation's future railway expansion.
The cold months of October--November brought new beginnings for distant settlers. Rullen Bellfore arrived at his rainy windstead in Mühn, wiping his spectacles as he took up the solemn obligations of his new agricultural tract.
In November--December, Percival sailed south to an unfamiliar coastline, where a local village chief warned him of an illness associated with a mysterious growth of strange fungi. Percival located the field, documenting a sprawling brownish-grey growth that choked the soil. Utilising his limited equipment, he spent weeks dissecting samples and testing mixtures, eventually refining a temporary herbal medicine that successfully eased the villagers' suffering.
Meanwhile, Tofu the Cat caused absolute chaos along the docks, staying with The Fool, playing with a copper ball from Koperdam, and naming her new companion Soybean. From the southern village, Percival penned a historic letter to Henry Westcroft containing his completed coordinates.
The year concluded in Late December with two monumental shifts. Henry Westcroft finalised the compilation of Percival's coordinates to publish the First World Survey of Aquila, distributing the first comprehensive geographical map to leaders across the globe.
At the same time, High Chief Estorrum of Baylara traded a family spear to a traveller from the Mystic Hand for an Orb of Power, marking the terrifying return of active magic as unexplainable nightmares began to plague his sleep.
By the end of Year One, the scattered fragments of Aquila had slowly converged, laying the foundation for a connected new historical age.
"For thousands of years, the peoples of Aquila had lived among the ruins of a forgotten world. In the first year of Era Nova, they began to build something new - and, for the first time in generations, the world began to remember itself."
Archived Era Era Nova, Year 2
"The second year of Era Nova was a year of connection. Nations that had once stood separated by oceans and deserts began to trade, negotiate, explore, and compete. Yet as the world grew smaller, its dangers grew closer - and beneath the progress of civilisation, something ancient was beginning to stir."
The second year of Era Nova marked a transitional period of rapid development, international connection, and growing complexity across the world of Aquila. While the initial months of the era were defined by individual survival, isolated discovery, and tentative settlements, the second year saw the emergence of global networks, institutional organisation, and localised conflicts that would permanently link previously separated societies.
The year opened in January with quiet territorial and personal shifts. In the arid mesas of the central frontier, Osiris departed the sands of Kheta-Kedet to settle in a weathered, abandoned structure on the outskirts of Serrano. This departure was quickly followed by a clandestine return to his former home during January--February, where he secretly observed Queen Semet and noted with a growing tightness in his chest that the goddess-queen appeared entirely unchanged by time.
Meanwhile, in Coronado, rising resource shortages sparked a bitter winter crisis. Stella Heartwood, Sheriff Galloway, and Mayor Johnston travelled to Riverston to negotiate a unified governorship, only to have their peaceful overtures flatly rejected by Riverston's stubborn Mayor, James Glover.
Tensions simmered further into February--March when the newly established Koperdam Atlas Bureau opened its doors, while Mist Tyrius initiated a desperate search for her missing ghast, Whisk, distributing hand-painted posters across the southern grove. At the same time, Queen Semet drafted reflections on her family's legacy, trade, and the eventual succession of her daughters.
As spring arrived in March--April, the institutional landscape of Serrano expanded with the opening of its cultural museum, a library, and several foreign embassies intended to foster diplomacy. Concurrently, in Clockhaven, industrial progress clashed with public dissent when anti-railway graffiti painted by the Sulehood - demanding that Koperdam "BAN ALL RAILWAYS" - was discovered across the newly opened Eastern Station.
Chief Artificer Henry Westcroft attempted to dismiss the creative vandalism, but his focus was soon consumed by a far more alarming development: a sudden, violent spasm in his drafting hand that threatened his legendary precision.
The friction between magic, science, and trade deepened into April--May. While blessing merchants at the city gates, Queen Semet encountered Osiris beneath his mysterious dark cloak, trading her nation's rare flying squids for his intricate architectural designs. Back in Coronado, Stella Heartwood and her deputies sought southern allies in the decaying ghost town of Dredgewater Falls, securing the representation of its sole remaining resident, Alfred Keuchly, in an effort to outmanoeuvre Riverston's political bloc.
Meanwhile, Sir Percival van der Berg completed his mapping of Hekamwt and sent a letter to Queen Semet, advising her to prepare for their upcoming grand voyage.
The seasonal transition into May--June brought a massive wave of international diplomacy alongside the first outbreaks of organised warfare. The global adventurers' organisation known as The Guild officially established its presence in Aquila, while Serrano hosted a historic diplomatic summit mediated by Osiris between Kheta-Kedet and Serrano's decentralised clans. Despite the summit's diplomatic purpose, Semet's advisor Khiron harboured deep suspicions about Osiris's strangely familiar presence.
In Dorurams, a unique coastal village carved into terracotta pillars and featuring an eternally burning red rock beside an obsidian portal, Kaptein Harakhas Gomas consulted Serrano miners in an effort to teach his people more refined gold-extraction techniques.
During his stay, Harakhas met Sir Percival van der Berg, receiving Koperdam's newly compiled World Map and providing Percival with Sniffer Eggs in exchange.
But this era of connection also brought darker developments. Harakhas witnessed slaves from Coronado arriving in Orutogams via a merchant travelling on a flying squid, while a wandering Mage explored Clockhaven, documenting Koperdam's clockwork machinery and steam engines as a spectacular new form of "science" magic.
Simultaneously, Regent Valdemar Hvide of Istrania burned with fury upon realising that Percival had traversed holy Istramark unnoticed. Yet his anger soon gave way to a desire for innovation, and he began considering the aggressive acquisition of foreign railway technology from the Technate of Koperdam.
In Coronado, the cold war erupted into a bloody street battle in Demeralia. Stella Heartwood struck first by throwing a dagger at the invading gang's leader, but the conflict ended in tragedy when Mayor Johnston was taken hostage and brutally beheaded.
In Koperdam, Henry Westcroft's physical tremor deteriorated, forcing him to lock himself away inside his study to hide his failing arm while desperately drafting the logistical calculations for Clockhaven's grand copper and coal warehouse.
By June--July, the world continued to adapt to these shifting tides. The Royal Emporium of Istrania opened a temporary field shop, Torraence Lacy completed a gruelling trek to resettle in Serrano after dislocating his arm in a bear attack, and Tofu the Staff Cat painted paw-portraits of her companion, Soya.
Yet personal struggles increasingly dominated the late summer. Henry Westcroft's arm spasm deteriorated into total forearm paralysis, forcing him to wear heavy work gloves at all times to conceal his condition while completing the Grand Warehouse of Clockhaven during July--August.
Fearing that Koperdam's illusion of absolute progress would shatter if one of its founders were seen as broken, Henry privately locked his workshop doors and prepared to flee into the frontier.
In Kheta-Kedet, Queen Semet hosted a grand farewell feast for Percival before embarking on an official state voyage to Koperdam. Meanwhile, Marko Heinberg found himself shipwrecked and destitute, ultimately accepting a job in Koperdam in an attempt to rebuild his life.
The transition from August--September was marked by momentous state diplomacy and sudden tragedy. Queen Semet arrived in Koperdam to tour the steam-powered capital of Clockhaven. She later visited Percival's modest private workshop, where the two shared a personal meal and discussed the deep, isolating burdens of leadership. There, Semet removed her veil to reveal her striking orange eyes.
In Coronado, the political landscape shifted when Stella Heartwood convened the council at her estate, officially uniting the governorship and establishing the volunteer Coronado Rangers.
But shadows grew elsewhere. A paralysis-inducing sickness swept through the eastern village of Choroba, while in Baylara, High Chief Estorrum's infant son, Gavilios, was tragically killed in a ruthless Illager ambush.
In the far north, a newly awakened winged figure named Seras broke out of a cocoon under Risa's guidance, learning that she belonged to the deceased race known as the Icari.
Henry Westcroft's desperate secret quest reached its climax in October when he reached the tower of Electrus. In a gruelling, clinical procedure, his dead limb was amputated, and Electrus used electromancy to channel a blinding jolt of lightning that fused a copper prototype prosthetic directly into Henry's nerves - marking the era's first known cybernetic integration.
The final months of the year, spanning October--November, brought profound grief and ecological terror. Seras returned to her northern tower only to find Risa dead, surrounded by ash and blackened ruins, while scholar Hapha Kering successfully completed a gruelling journey to the Vakaser border.
In Clockhaven, a sudden panic arose as local fish stocks vanished overnight, leaving behind the tiny, muddy paw prints of Tofu the Staff Cat.
Simultaneously, during November--December, Queen Semet and Percival journeyed west to investigate the paralysis-inducing sickness. They discovered the abandoned village of Choroba filled with spore-covered corpses, witnessing shifting, mobile fungal organisms in the fields. Percival classified the creatures as the sentient and invasive Alveare before securing a live sample.
In the southern reaches of the world, rumors swept through Arkemorth following the excavation of immense, magical skeletal remains of an unidentified great beast. Emanating a faint, otherworldly magic aura, the archaeological site was quickly isolated, and the Mage was summoned to inspect the mysterious bones.
To the south, economic prospects surged as miners from Serrano taught the people of Dorurams more refined gold-extraction techniques, leading to the discovery of massive gold deposits within the plateau. This abundance of gold was brought to Hais!am, where Kaptein Harakhas Gomas put it to use. Utilizing this wealth, Kuri//aes traders successfully bypassed the Khasholo unnoticed to trade gold for beautifully coloured red mangrove timber from Istrania.
The year concluded in late December with Sekhem establishing the Vanguard of Thoth, a secretive military order in Kheta-Kedet sworn to protect the state in absolute solitude. Simultaneously, deep within the desert sands of Vakaser territory, a mystical discovery came to light when miners uncovered ancient, churning sands that presented the world with green and yellow figurines. Said to be remnants of a lost empire of eternal spring capable of bringing their wielders back from death, these artifacts remained guarded by a phantasmal, armored knight who sought to keep the 'bloom' forever buried.
By the end of Year 2, the world of Aquila was no collection of isolated settlements and distant peoples. Trade routes had begun to cross continents, maps had revealed the true scale of the world, nations had established diplomatic relationships, technology and magic had begun to influence one another, and conflicts had begun to spread beyond local borders.
Yet beneath this rapid development, something far more dangerous was emerging.
The discovery of the Alveare marked the beginning of a threat that could transcend the borders of every nation in Aquila - leaving the world permanently bound by shared discoveries, political rivalries, industrial ambition, personal tragedies, and the encroaching shadow of the unknown.
"By the end of Year 2, Aquila was no longer a world of isolated peoples. Trade routes crossed continents, maps revealed lands once unknown, nations exchanged knowledge and ambitions, and distant societies began to shape one another's futures. The foundations of a truly connected world had been laid."
Archived Era Era Nova, Year 3
"The third year of Era Nova was a year of profound connection and severe environmental reckoning. As the nations of Aquila pushed their boundaries further into the deep waters and uncharted wilderness, the systems they built began to strain under the weight of unforeseen crises. Yet alongside the progress of civilization, the world's underlying forces - both mechanical and magical - began to reveal themselves more clearly."
The year opened in January with monumental shifts in leadership, industrial innovation, and maritime rescue. Following the unfortunate death of the previous clan leader, Kaisib Gams was named headman of the Gams clan in Orutogams, immediately urging his people to modernize past traditional copper tools and armor. In Clockhaven, Marko Heinberg secured a new job and acquired his first home, steadily rebuilding his life after his devastating shipwreck. Concurrently, Illias Goldman of The Goldman Company announced the construction of a grand Northern Rail across Serrano soil to connect the desert nations, while Torraence Lacy established his tent near Serrano, suffering several arrow wounds and a dislocated arm during a chaotic cavern exploration where he doodled glow berries that made his tongue glow. In the wetlands of Mühn Proper, fenwrights successfully cultivated ferramoss near Hyme's Wall, allowing iron to be harvested as nodules through chemical baths rather than conventional mining. Meanwhile, the sentient spore entity Jimmy the Spore was abruptly captured by a large being and imprisoned in a cold, dark container with invisible walls.
As the seasonal transition entered January--February, divine intervention and severe ecological disasters shook the continents. On the outskirts of the Vanguard territory, Sekhem stood entirely alone against twelve bandits; as his weapons shattered and his knees buckled, the heavens erupted in a colossal surge of golden-white light, and Thoth bestowed upon him a divine, gravity-defying warhammer to vanquish his foes. In Istrania, Regent Valdemar Hvide reviewed reports of Serrano's decentralized, faithless governance and drafted a strategic proposal to Illias Goldman for a joint railway network.
En route to Grusaak, Queen Semet and Percival van der Berg shared a deep prayer, leading to a tense discussion where Semet warned Percival not to treat her like a helpless "princess" or woman after he shielded her during the previous year's Alveare attack, while Percival shared his family's chivalric code of protecting companions. Meanwhile, a severe fungal crisis struck the village of Choroba as sentient Alveare mushrooms completely destroyed local agricultural fields, leaving the kingdom of Norkshaw starving with minimal winter food.
The arrival of spring in February--March brought personal reflections and regional growth. In Kheta-Kedet, Thabit recovered his lost merchant diary from a chest in his new home, logging that trade agreements had slowed during Queen Semet's overseas expedition. Far to the west, waves of immigrants arrived in the fertile lands of Gloracja, taking up tools to trade and prosper under their new mother. In the northern deserts, Seras stepped out of her tower to grieve Risa's death, meeting Queen Semet who informed her of Risa's "accidental fire" and warmly invited her to seek refuge in Kheta-Kedet while a phantom, white-faced owl watched them silently from the nearby ruins.
By March--April, the heavy burdens of leadership and grueling journeys took center stage. In northern Grusaak, Kaelurun Voltkr sat by a campfire, setting a young boy's broken arm while silently reflecting on the immense, hidden exhaustions of ruling. The medic Józef Kataczyk was hired by a pale, thin group led by Alexandra to tend to travelers on a grueling carriage journey to a distant colony; the party faced extreme food rationing, cold-induced illness, and the tragic death of an elderly traveler left behind in the desert sands.
During this same period, Kaisib Gams and Kaptein Harakhas Gomas spotted mysterious "spirits" on the horizon while touring Hais!am, prompting them to sail into the Henurib Sea where they successfully rescued two lost fishermen clinging to the wreckage of their broken boat. At the same time, Regent Valdemar Hvide formally proposed the "Joint Northern Railway" to Illias Goldman, offering Istranian materials and labor in exchange for Goldman's technical knowledge and an equal split of ownership and profits.
Meanwhile, en route to Grusaak, Percival and Queen Semet were ambushed by Grusaaki Kobolds and bound to wooden poles, during which Semet recounted her childhood trauma of the Grey Night and the brutal massacre of her family by mages.
The late spring months of April--May brought political organization and liberation. Kaelurun Voltkr intervened to release Percival and Queen Semet from their captivity, sharing a peaceful campfire where they discussed Koperdam, Grusaak, and map-making before providing them an escort to the border. In Coronado, Governor Stella Heartwood signed Coronado Rangers - Directive 1, establishing Fort Baxter—complete with quarters, an armory, a jail, and a market—alongside the Point Lookout outpost to combat lawlessness in the Baxter province.
The transition into May--June stimulated regional commerce as The Goldman Company announced the grand opening of the Serrano Mall in Brava City, offering free merchant stalls to stimulate regional business.
As summer progressed through June--July, survival and architectural expansion continued. Queen Neesi expanded her agricultural farms with carrots, potatoes, and tamed animals, while improving her web-producing abilities to protect her home in Corryntopia from nighttime monsters. Concurrently, Seras explored the overgrown ruins of Choroba, finding a historical book revealing that the ancient Icari believed flowering azalea trees cradled the dead to grant them peace. Concurrently, Illias Goldman responded to both Koperdam and Istrania, proposing a framework for the Joint Northern Rail that maintained Serrano sovereignty and positioned the Goldman Company as a neutral, nonbiased third party.
By July--August, extreme environmental distress clashed with state diplomacy. Following their departure from Grusaak, Queen Semet collapsed and fell unconscious on the road; Percival established a temporary camp to care for her, and Semet eventually woke up, determined to return home. Queen Neesi uncovered ancient riches on the western shorelines via a treasure map, using the wealth to develop Corryntopia and open her borders. Kaptein Harakhas Gomas traveled north through Serrano and Coronado to Kheta-Kedet to investigate rumors of a flying squid, while Edmund Varny was sent north from Demeralia by Governor Stella Heartwood to lay the foundations of Calvara, a new lumber-exporting frontier settlement. Stella issued Coronado Rangers - Directive 2, establishing a northern timber outpost to supply oak, birch, and spruce for the rangers' expanding projects, while Kheta-Kedet completed the expansion of the Ghast Station, doubling trade stalls and installing a running water filtration system. However, a devastating drought struck Coronado, causing massive crop failures across Demeralia, the Heartwood Estate, and McFarlane Ranch, prompting immediate water-saving measures.
In August--September, the eccentric Grusaaki miner Kcnelf took a long journey north on a friendly stranger's big white parrot, observing pyramids and oceans, spending a brief stint in a Coronado jail, and eventually setting up camp in a nearby jungle.
As autumn arrived in September--October, Percival noticed Queen Semet's lingering physical weakness and redirected their journey north to seek out Rullen Bellfore for medical assistance.
By October, the travelers arrived in Mühn Proper, where Rullen Bellfore arranged for Semet to be examined and given a place of rest. Meanwhile, Calvara completed the construction of its Villager Library to establish a cornerstone for the settlement's future growth.
It was during this stay in October that the climax of Semet's journey unfolded. Slipped away from her sickroom, Queen Semet followed a beam of light to discover an active, nether-like archway oozing pink liquid. Driven by the agonizing memory of the Grey Night where mages slaughtered her family, she utterly destroyed the magical structure with her pickaxe. When Percival arrived and argued that magic must be studied rather than destroyed, Semet declared her absolute hatred of magic, collapsing in a tearful, physical breakdown on his shoulder.
The late autumn transition of October--November brought starvation and political urgency. As the great drought ruined Coronado's harvest, Governor Stella Heartwood observed starving families lining the streets of Demeralia, finding the local General Store empty, and resolved to summon the Coronadan Council.
During November--December, global boundaries shifted further. Queen Neesi explored east of the mountains, discovering the purple flag and white cross of Istrania and resolving to seek friendship with non-arachnid neighbors. Regent Valdemar Hvide accepted an offer of fealty from Mercellus Veritas of the Eastern Vanguard, sending disgraced Huscarls to the eastern islands as guides to serve as a march of Istrania. Starvation swept Norkshaw due to Choroba's ruined crops, but botanists discovered the sentient Alveare mushrooms were edible, prompting the King to order soldiers to harvest them.
The year concluded in Late December with freezing winter conditions and dramatic ideological conflicts. Demeralians faced a freezing winter following the drought, experiencing severe frostbite and a lack of fuel. Governor Stella Heartwood convened the Coronadan Council in Demeralia, inviting all three towns and northern Calvara to address the survival crisis. Following three days of intense debate, the council ratified the Foundational Articles of Coronado, redefining the nation's provinces and granting the Governor's office the power to settle disputes between the towns to preserve the Union.
"By the end of Year 3, Aquila was no longer a world of tentative explorers. Its societies stood increasingly connected by treaties, trade, and rail, yet deeply scarred by the merciless toll of nature and the lingering traumas of the past. The foundations of a more connected age had been solidified, but its true cost was only beginning to be understood."
Archived Era Era Nova, Year 4
"The fourth year of Era Nova brought the peoples of Aquila to new horizons and perilous frontiers. Across distant realms, ancient trauma collided with industrial ambition, mysterious relics sparked deep inquiry, and regional rivalries erupted into the era's first true declarations of war."
The year opened in January--February in the quiet aftermath of the great winter. Recovering in Mühn Proper under the care of provincial appointee Rullen Bellfore, Queen Semet experienced haunting visions of dark obsidian skies and a distant beam of light calling to her. Though still physically weakened, Semet insisted on travelling north alongside Percival van der Berg, who remained steadfast in escorting the Queen back to her homeland despite her lingering distress.
As the year progressed into February--March, profound spiritual revelations and personal turning points shook several nations. On the road through the Mühn wilderness, Queen Semet discovered an active, nether-like archway oozing pink liquid in a forest clearing. Overwhelmed by the painful memories of the Grey Night massacre that had claimed her family, she used her pickaxe to shatter the magical structure. When Percival van der Berg arrived and argued that magic should be studied rather than blindly destroyed, Semet broke down on his shoulder, declaring her absolute hatred of magic and inviting Percival to establish his permanent cartographic workshop within her palace in Kheta-Kedet. Far to the east in the Chiefdom of Baylara, High Chief Estorrum grappled with disturbing visions of ancient gods and glowing artefacts, questioning whether his realm's newfound power came from divine blessing or dangerous sorcery. Meanwhile, in the overgrown ruins of the desert, Seras ventured beneath the waves, exploring submerged ruins and witnessing strange, glowing aquatic phenomena.
The arrival of spring in April--May brought political announcements and royal homecoming. Returning to Kheta-Kedet to the jubilation of her citizens, Queen Semet delivered a grand address at the Temple of Ta-Hapi, thanking her advisors, merchants, and workers before announcing the creation of the Apep-Duat, a sacred order dedicated to hunting down and destroying every active Nether portal across Aquila. In Baylara, High Chief Estorrum celebrated the completion of the monumental White Palace in Esta, pledging state funds to construct surrounding farms to feed his realm's rapidly growing population. During the same period, Kaptein Harakhas Gomas travelled north to Kheta-Kedet bearing gold and diamonds, meeting Queen Semet to purchase an unusual "dogsquid" named Iwibat while casually dismissing the Queen's grave warnings regarding the obsidian portal in Dorurams.
By June--July, global diplomacy and regional movement accelerated. Queen Semet issued formal diplomatic invitations for the First Desert Council, summoning the leaders of Serrano, Baylara, Coronado, Kuri//aes, and the Vakaser Herders to convene at her palace in Kheta-Kedet to address portal threats, deepen trade, and officially name their shared continent. In Koperdam, Chief Artificer Percival van der Berg quietly departed from Clockhaven without prior public notice, sparking widespread curiosity among the citizenry. Across the sea, the nation of Gloracja suffered a sudden house fire near a lava pool, attributing the blaze to hostile tribals and preparing defences for its sovereignty. In Bloemendaal, Marquise Madeleine van Steenhof officially declared open borders along the Kingsdeep to encourage foreign trade. Meanwhile, in Clockhaven, the shipwrecked merchant Marko Heinberg bade a grateful farewell to Koperdam, packing his belongings and boarding a train to resume his life on the open road.
The midsummer transition of July--August highlighted industrial transformation and diplomatic manoeuvring. Sitting at his drafting desk in Clockhaven, Chief Artificer Henry Westcroft broke nearly a year of silence to write his personal log, revealing that his silence throughout Year 3 had been spent undergoing secret electromantic surgery with Electrus, replacing his paralysed left limb with a copper and clockwork arm. Observing workmen marvel at his wrist gears, Henry embraced his cybernetic arm as a symbol of Koperdam's industrial future. In the southern deserts, Harakhas Gomas wrote to Queen Semet accepting her invitation to the First Desert Council, but explicitly urged her to exclude Vakast Pinark and the Vakaser Herders, warning that they were deceitful opportunists. Queen Semet replied personally to Harakhas, maintaining that every desert faction had to be included in the summit to prevent resentment and further violence.
As autumn arrived in August--September, trade and international ties expanded further. In Kingsport, the Royal Emporium opened "The Three Shovels" field shop, inviting merchants and travellers to gamble, while Regent Valdemar Hvide managed the growing responsibilities of Istrania. At The Guild hall, the new adventurer Vox adjusted to life under the guidance of The Fool. Far to the south, Harakhas Gomas rode his dogsquid Iwibat across the sea to visit President Anthony Calabreso in the Republic of Calaveria, beginning friendly relations between the two coastal nations.
By September--October, scientific research and formal diplomacy intensified. Chief Artificer Percival van der Berg returned to Clockhaven accompanied by research associates, immediately locking himself in his workshop to conduct heat, pressure, and cutting tests on black obsidian portal fragments. In Awakutja, Harakhas Gomas oversaw the expansion of copper and gold mining operations while exchanging formal letters with President Anthony Calabreso to arrange an official Calaverian state visit to Hais!am. In October, Chief Artificer Henry Westcroft stepped away from his desk in Clockhaven, exhausted by administrative isolation, and boarded a steamship to personally lead an expedition into the storm-swept northern waters.
The late autumn transition of October--November brought strategic expansion and social unrest. Enduring severe gales in the Brass Sea, Henry Westcroft reclaimed and retrofitted an ancient stone bastion, establishing Fort Koperwacht as a fortified northern outpost to secure Koperdam's trade routes. In the industrial quarter, businesswoman Alexandra Kovalska faced a massive worker strike over unpaid wages. Visiting the clinic, she consulted Dr. Józef Kataczyk, who treated injured striking labourers and urged Alexandra to provide food and housing rather than view her workers as mere obstacles to progress. In his workshop, Percival van der Berg concluded that his laboratory tests on the obsidian fragments had reached a dead end, resolving that he must return to the portal ruins in person. Concurrently, Queen Neesi of Corryntopia explored eastern human lands, delivering peaceful diplomatic notes to savanna villages and desert Pharaohs, while scholar Hapha Kering reflected bitterly in a Kobold cell after nearly two years of imprisonment.
By November--December, long-simmering regional rivalries erupted into open war. Drafted as a scribe following his release from captivity, Hapha Kering wrote a harsh declaration for Vakast Pinark of the Vakaser Herders, accusing Kuri//aes youths of raiding the town of Amerue and throwing eggs at roofs. As punishment, Pinark confiscated Kuri//aes copper tools and withheld an agreed shipment of cattle. Harakhas Gomas rejected the tribute demands and sent warriors to reclaim their gear. When Vakaser forces at Hubganda resisted, fighting broke out, resulting in Vakaser casualties and the formal declaration of the era's first war. In Baylara, the Royal Trade Company of Esta officially opened, laying the foundations for the expansion of Wayrest. Far out on the islands of Basil's Buccaneers, Captain Basil Blight succumbed to severe scurvy along the sandy shores of Tava, peacefully bringing his long seafaring journey to an end.
The year concluded in Late December with arcana, discovery, and new beginnings. In the clearing west of Arkemorth, the ambitious artisan Rigby dey Bosque arrived at the tower of the Mystic Hand, beginning an apprenticeship under Archmage Electrus at the Lux Arcana to master artificery. Deep in the forests of Cui Capan, Caan-Mun awoke to the terrifying roar of deforestation destroying his sacred woods. On the outskirts of Clockhaven, the feral young survivalist 'Fox Kid' peered out from her makeshift hut toward the metallic spires of the city, watching in quiet wonder. Wandering the open road, The Fool recorded field notes on distant, unfamiliar nations. In Vetatasi, Simata Vetatasi worked alongside Hais!am locals to excavate ancient buried homes uncovered by coastal erosion. Finally, in Clockhaven, Percival van der Berg gathered his associates and maps, departing once more to return directly to the black stone portal site.
"By the end of Era Nova, Year 4, Aquila had crossed an irreversible threshold. The fragile peace of early exploration had given way to industrial mastery, deep arcana, and open conflict. As ships sailed the Brass Sea and war drums echoed across the Gaunasub Desert, the world prepared to enter a far more turbulent age."
Archived Era Era Nova, Year 5
"The fifth year of Era Nova saw growing tensions between nations as industrial expansion, ancient arcane discoveries and regional conflicts reshaped Aquila's political landscape. What began as a year of personal struggles and local disputes gradually developed into a period of continental diplomacy, international confrontation and uncertainty over the balance of power."
The year opened in Early January amidst personal crises, political anxiety and quiet survival on the fringes of civilisation. In Kheta-Kedet, widespread alarm gripped the capital following the domestic announcement that Queen Semet had inexplicably gone missing from her palace, leaving her council of advisors to maintain order. In Gloracja, Dr. Józef Kataczyk expressed deep outrage in his journal upon discovering that Alexandra Kovalska had lied by omission regarding indigenous communities inhabiting expansion lands. He confronted her over the forced displacement of native populations. In the north, the fugitive Cannafus awoke from haunting dreams of his former life in Baylara, realising how far exile had carried him from his homeland. Meanwhile, on the freezing outskirts of Clockhaven, the feral young survivalist 'Fox Kid' watched over her sick fox brother in a makeshift hut before bracing herself to venture directly into the metallic spires of the city in search of food.
By January--February, mystical visions and perilous journeys unfolded across the seas. Trapped beneath surging ocean waves after a shipwreck, Seras lost consciousness and experienced vivid dreams of her desert tower and Queen Semet. Reminded of the Queen's standing invitation, Seras fought her way back to the surface, surviving the waters as a distant voice urged her to seek out Kedet.
During February--March, open defiance, military mobilisation and scientific breakthroughs took centre stage. In Hais!am, Kaptein Harakhas Gomas dispatched a fiery letter to Pinark of the Vakaser Herders, utterly rejecting tribute demands and declaring that the Kuri//aes clans, Gomas, Gams and Awamab, would stand united against Khasholo extortion with spears, arrows and fire. In a companion report, Harakhas detailed the late Year 4 battle at Hubganda, where Kuri warriors had forcibly reclaimed stolen gear, confirming that Pinark's declaration of war had set the desert on a martial footing. Meanwhile, at the ancient black stone portal site, Percival van der Berg and his research associates concluded a thorough field examination, confirming that the obsidian archway had been placed deliberately by an unknown ancient civilisation.
During March--April, anti-establishment fervour and solitary pilgrimages stirred distant lands. In the capital of Baylara, a subversive manuscript authored by Mystikos Santer circulated across city walls. It questioned the meaning of existence under High Chief Estorrum, criticised the ruler for consuming luxury while commoners starved, and urged citizens to live for themselves rather than an overlord. Far to the south, Seras, now assuming the name Aeron, trudged along a red snake path in the stars, arriving exhausted at a town blocking her route and pausing to rest.
As the year progressed through April--May and May--June, the quieter months provided a period of preparation ahead of the developments to come. By June, civic expansion flourished in the desert valleys as Headman Simata Vetatasi organised local labour in Vetatasi to construct new housing and public works, deepening infrastructural ties with Hais!am.
The arrival of June--July brought military escalation, royal illness and monumental arcana. Facing persistent Illager raids along Baylara's trade routes, High Chief Estorrum conscripted two camelry divisions under the banner of Elyphis, God of War, vowing to stain the desert sands red with enemy blood. In Kheta-Kedet, Queen Semet suffered a sudden, severe bout of "Fading Vitality". After being examined by Priestess Sitem of Ta-Hapi, Semet quietly slipped away from her quarters to seek a healer who could soothe her failing strength. In Clockhaven, Percival van der Berg achieved a historic breakthrough by linking copper circuits to the obsidian portal frame, observing the first brief spatial distortion and energy ripple across its surface. In Coronado, Edmund Varny officially announced the establishment of the Calvaran Provincial Government, pledging to govern the northern frontier and expand lumber exports. Meanwhile, having survived her shipwreck, Seras clutched her trident during a torrential downpour and crossed the final dunes to arrive directly before the grand gates of Kheta-Kedet.
In July--August, legal desperation led to a daring escape. Facing gallows execution in Baylara for treason and robbery, Cannafus broke free from his guards during a dungeon transfer, fleeing across the desert dunes and paddling a small boat across the ocean towards distant exile.
By August--September, international justice had sparked a major diplomatic dispute. Following Cannafus's escape, High Chief Estorrum circulated wanted notices across the continents. Washing up near death on the banks of the Mistra-Itrw, Cannafus was rescued by ghast herders and brought to the Temple of Ib-Deben in Kheta-Kedet. Upon learning of his identity, Queen Semet issued a fierce public statement condemning Estorrum's use of torture. She flatly refused to extradite the fugitive, declaring that Cannafus would instead undergo Kedeti trial and rehabilitation.
As autumn approached in September--October, the nations of Hekamat prepared for their most critical diplomatic gathering since the dawn of the era.
In October--November, the long-awaited First Desert Council convened in Kheta-Kedet. An hour before the summit, Queen Semet reflected in her diary on the immense burden of uniting Hekamat's leaders to destroy portal threats, avert war and share prosperity. As delegates arrived, Seras entered the city, feeling overwhelmed by the bustling crowds before meeting Queen Semet, who asked her to serve as a royal healer. High Chief Estorrum arrived on a camel in copper armour directly from his Illager campaign, feeling self-conscious alongside heavily armoured foreign dignitaries.
Presided over by Queen Semet, the summit brought together Harakhas Gomas, Kaisib Gams, Simata Vetatasi, Estorrum, Edmund Varny and Pinark. The assembly voted to formally adopt the name Hekamat for their continent. When Semet presented an active portal in the mountains, Harakhas and Edmund remained sceptical of its danger and fascinated by its pure gold output, while Pinark fled the chamber in terror, attempted to steal gold and burned Edmund's diplomatic gift.
Following the summit, Edmund hosted Harakhas in Calvara, showing him local windmills, cattle ranches and flags. Meanwhile, Percival van der Berg uncovered the first concrete mechanical signs of how the portal structures functioned.
The period of November--December brought a major global crisis. Chief Artificers Henry Westcroft and Percival van der Berg published a special dispatch in the Koperdam Bulletin announcing The Gateway on Hekamat and Phase Two plans for high-speed rail to Kheta-Kedet. Their declaration of an "era of industrial dominion" provoked an immediate and unprecedented backlash across Hekamat. Coronado, Serrano and Istrania issued a joint declaration demanding "Leave our continent", while Hiyori urged Serranans to refuse all right-of-way sales and Merovech of the Eastern Vanguard denounced Koperdam as a conqueror.
To prevent the dispute from escalating into war, Koperdam's Directorate issued a formal correction, fired Senior Editorial Officer Willem Voss for reckless misrepresentation, scheduled him for a tribunal trial under the title State v. Voss, and reaffirmed its respect for foreign sovereignty.
Several other significant developments unfolded during the same period. Stella Heartwood was unanimously re-elected Governor of Coronado. Captain Hephis reported that the Apep-Duat had destroyed 34 portals, prompting Semet to triple its budget. High Chief Estorrum wiped out the Illager camps in "Bloody Sand" and gifted northern territory to Kheta-Kedet. In Gloracja, Alexandra Kovalska decreed the forced relocation of the indigenous population, prompting Dr. Józef Kataczyk to angrily confront her over worker exploitation. Meanwhile, Henry Westcroft and Harakhas Gomas exchanged letters agreeing to a commercial compact and a joint military front against the Somotho.
The year concluded in Late December with new agreements, closer cooperation between several northern powers and continued strategic uncertainty. Representatives from Istrania, The Goldman Company, Coronado and Kuri//aes gathered at Kingsport Central Station to sign the Northern Rail Charter, launching the inaugural trip of the Joint Northern Railway.
In Serrano, Hiyori informed Illias Goldman that if Koperdam refused to withdraw from Hebi, Serrano was prepared to defend its lands by force. In Vetatasi, Simata Vetatasi excavated pure copper to decorate Kaptein Harakhas's residence in Hais!am. In Kingsport, Regent Valdemar Hvide met with scholar Kirkebæk regarding the sacred study of Interdam stones, while Wilfried De Ville catalogued nocturnal zombie threats.
"By the end of Era Nova, Year 5, Aquila stood on the brink of a new period of uncertainty. The Northern Rail Charter promised closer economic ties between several northern powers, while the discovery and investigation of ancient portals continued to raise questions about the world's past and future. Yet Koperdam's ambitions on Hekamat had exposed deep divisions over sovereignty and industrial expansion. As alliances strengthened and diplomatic trust weakened, the balance of power entering Year 6 remained uncertain."
Upcoming Era Era Nova, Year 6
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Upcoming Era Era Nova, Year 7
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Upcoming Era Era Nova, Year 8
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Upcoming Era Era Nova, Year 9
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Upcoming Era Era Nova, Year 10
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Upcoming Era Era Nova, Year 11
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Upcoming Era Era Nova, Year 12
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Upcoming Era Era Nova, Year 13
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Upcoming Era Era Nova, Year 14
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Upcoming Era Era Nova, Year 15
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Upcoming Era Era Nova, Year 16
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Upcoming Era Era Nova, Year 17
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Upcoming Era Era Nova, Year 18
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Upcoming Era Era Nova, Year 19
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Upcoming Era Era Nova, Year 20
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