I can't decide if my imagination's mercurial wanderings along Eldwan's historical continuum are beneficial or downright distracting. It takes me away from the main manuscript that I'm writing, but by setting down later or earlier events in a contiguous account, the possibility that retroactive continuity corrections will be required is much reduced.
Somewhat triggered by research on Alexandria and a Coursera module on Greek mythology, this post will concern the Age of Water and Age of Kings.
The Aftermath of The Deluge [0 AD to 459 AD]
After the waters receded, the descendants of the ark are obedient to Eleyon's command and spread out over the land. Some continue to dwell around the coasts of Coralsea and Deepsea, now expanded largely because of the erosive effect of the receding floodwaters. Others depart from the region that was formerly the cradle entirely, fanning out further than any mortal had yet explored. Those who leave the familiar soils of the Age of Light are the first to be called the Scattered. Several of the new communities they found come into contact with Ward Elven societies, though the Elves are far more reclusive than they were in the age past.
Many of the Wevel, confused and disheartened by the events of the Age of Light, took it upon themselves to guide groups of humanity which seemed to have been abandoned by both Eleyon and Alero. Taking the form of nature spirits or zoomorphic deities, the people welcomed them and their blessings.
The Renaissance of Alaris [459 AD - 512 AD]
The simulacra programs in Alaris had first awakened in the second century after the deluge, reactivated as the auto-repair functions of Alaris managed to restore much of the city. Eleris had no such fate, for the waterfalls that powered the first city had ceased to flow. Alaris was only as alive as the tides that turned its generative turbines. The programs contented themselves for a long time with their abstract pursuits. However, they eventually noticed the growing hamlets on their borders. In their desire to protect their nominally lesser kin, and to restore Alaris to its former populated glory, the ghosts of Alaris' abstraction network voted to issue a call for the coastal peoples to settle in Alaris.
The programs held themselves to be the apex of Radiant development, the pinnacle of centuries of technological achievement. To themselves, they were their original human counterparts, not mirrored copies, and they were gods. It was in such a manner that they declared themselves to the people of the coasts, whom the Alarian gods termed the Littorals. They sent out heraldic programs to manifest at the coastal stations that had once marked the borders of Radiant dominion. Like Alaris, the stations had been reactivated as the tides re-empowered them. Enamoured by the phantasmal beauty of the messengers, many respond to the call and travel in delegations to Alaris.
The diverse people groups, whose social mores altered by ten or eleven generations from their common heritage, found it difficult to associate and eventually decided to form a council, with representatives of each tribe. Under the tutelage of their gods, Alaris began to flower anew.
The diverse people groups, whose social mores altered by ten or eleven generations from their common heritage, found it difficult to associate and eventually decided to form a council, with representatives of each tribe. Under the tutelage of their gods, Alaris began to flower anew.
Alero perceived what transpired in the halls and avenues of Alaris, and was filled with hope, for he had thought all was lost with Eleyon's judgement in the Age of Light. He returns, expecting the welcome of a god. He is sorely disappointed. In their pride, the younger pantheon of Alaris had determined to forge ahead on their own, and they reject Alero's presence. Like Eleyon before him, Alero experiences the scorn of his crown jewel, but unlike his Creator he does not react with righteous grace, but with bitter anger. He departs, furious, and begins to nurse a hatred of Alaris.
High Alaris [512 AD - 688 AD]
The populace of Alaris enjoyed the cornucopia of the surrounding sea and the mysterious artefacts of Alaris that survived the Deluge and were still useable. Many desired to bring these technologies back to their former communities on the coast. The council voted in 512 AD to act on those wishes. Thus began the High Alarian period of history, where the Alarians brought gifts of advanced technology to the coasts, teaching medicine and astronomy, agricultural and architectural techniques. Several small colonies were also established by Alaris, centred around the Alarian coastal stations. The maritime capacity of Alaris, so mighty in later centuries, became a centrally organised navy during period of the city's history. The gods of Alaris enjoyed their power, and the Wevel of the coasts appreciated the benefits of Alarian thought and ideas for their peoples. Several more communities emigrated to Alaris at this time.
Middle Alaris [688 AD - 843 AD]
In 688 AD, a different party came to majority in the council. They held that in exchange for Alaris' generosity, the Littorals ought to provide raw materials for the growth of Alaris and its colonies. They noted that while the manufacturing techniques of Alaris, as blessed by the gods, were wondrous and required little labour, they still required basic materials of metal, wood, stone and glass, among other things. So relations shifted between Alaris and the Littorals, and Alaris grew less generous with its donations to the coastal communities.
The ethnic differences between the original delegations to Alaris were no longer major concerns. The groups had integrated themselves more fully by this time, and identified themselves as Alarians foremost, seeing little in common with the uncultured people of the coast. Their lives were, of course, of a limited hundred and fifty or so years, enhanced a little by the technologies of Alaris, but they were far from the super-millennial lifespans of Alarians in the past age. The Littorals, by contrast, had abrupt lives of thirty to sixty years in length.
It was during this time that Alarians began to employ Littorals as manual labour in their colonies, as a way by which they could earn the gifts of Alaris for their own people. All this while, as the unrivalled power in the region, Alaris grew in splendour and majesty. The trappings of luxury began to infect the populace of Alaris. The council members began to grow more concerned about their prestige and leisures than about the good of the city. However, the representatives of the colonies, with more practical experience dealing with the Littorals and the outside world, began to resent their pampered Alarian counterparts.
Late Alaris [843 AD - 1109 AD]
Matters came to a head when the council majority flippantly decided to raise taxation rates on the colonies. The Alarian representatives had always weighted the odds in their favour, justifying themselves by the importance of the metropole. But the disgruntled colonies, incensed, rose up against the Alarian party. They appointed one of their own as lord over the Alarian dominion, who would fight for the interest of Alaris and its colonies, not for the sake of the ancient city alone.
Now the gods of Alaris began to grow concerned. For all these centuries, the generators that gathered power from the tides were enough to sustain the computing necessary for their existence, but with the growing demand for electrical power by the people, the gods were threatened. Maintaining their deceptive veil of spirituality, they could not allow the council to know of their weakness. One of the Alarian gods issued a misguided directive for researchers of Alaris to build more generators or upgrade the existing ones. The juvenile engineers could never have hoped to approach the genius of the true Alarians before them, and as a result of their earnest tampering, the auto-repair programs began to fail. The other gods were alarmed, and expelled the 'traitorous' god from their midst, demonising him and sending him to the colonies. He and his followers were accused of attempting to end the time of the gods, as though they were malevolent.
High Alaris [512 AD - 688 AD]
The populace of Alaris enjoyed the cornucopia of the surrounding sea and the mysterious artefacts of Alaris that survived the Deluge and were still useable. Many desired to bring these technologies back to their former communities on the coast. The council voted in 512 AD to act on those wishes. Thus began the High Alarian period of history, where the Alarians brought gifts of advanced technology to the coasts, teaching medicine and astronomy, agricultural and architectural techniques. Several small colonies were also established by Alaris, centred around the Alarian coastal stations. The maritime capacity of Alaris, so mighty in later centuries, became a centrally organised navy during period of the city's history. The gods of Alaris enjoyed their power, and the Wevel of the coasts appreciated the benefits of Alarian thought and ideas for their peoples. Several more communities emigrated to Alaris at this time.
Middle Alaris [688 AD - 843 AD]
In 688 AD, a different party came to majority in the council. They held that in exchange for Alaris' generosity, the Littorals ought to provide raw materials for the growth of Alaris and its colonies. They noted that while the manufacturing techniques of Alaris, as blessed by the gods, were wondrous and required little labour, they still required basic materials of metal, wood, stone and glass, among other things. So relations shifted between Alaris and the Littorals, and Alaris grew less generous with its donations to the coastal communities.
The ethnic differences between the original delegations to Alaris were no longer major concerns. The groups had integrated themselves more fully by this time, and identified themselves as Alarians foremost, seeing little in common with the uncultured people of the coast. Their lives were, of course, of a limited hundred and fifty or so years, enhanced a little by the technologies of Alaris, but they were far from the super-millennial lifespans of Alarians in the past age. The Littorals, by contrast, had abrupt lives of thirty to sixty years in length.
It was during this time that Alarians began to employ Littorals as manual labour in their colonies, as a way by which they could earn the gifts of Alaris for their own people. All this while, as the unrivalled power in the region, Alaris grew in splendour and majesty. The trappings of luxury began to infect the populace of Alaris. The council members began to grow more concerned about their prestige and leisures than about the good of the city. However, the representatives of the colonies, with more practical experience dealing with the Littorals and the outside world, began to resent their pampered Alarian counterparts.
Late Alaris [843 AD - 1109 AD]
Matters came to a head when the council majority flippantly decided to raise taxation rates on the colonies. The Alarian representatives had always weighted the odds in their favour, justifying themselves by the importance of the metropole. But the disgruntled colonies, incensed, rose up against the Alarian party. They appointed one of their own as lord over the Alarian dominion, who would fight for the interest of Alaris and its colonies, not for the sake of the ancient city alone.
Now the gods of Alaris began to grow concerned. For all these centuries, the generators that gathered power from the tides were enough to sustain the computing necessary for their existence, but with the growing demand for electrical power by the people, the gods were threatened. Maintaining their deceptive veil of spirituality, they could not allow the council to know of their weakness. One of the Alarian gods issued a misguided directive for researchers of Alaris to build more generators or upgrade the existing ones. The juvenile engineers could never have hoped to approach the genius of the true Alarians before them, and as a result of their earnest tampering, the auto-repair programs began to fail. The other gods were alarmed, and expelled the 'traitorous' god from their midst, demonising him and sending him to the colonies. He and his followers were accused of attempting to end the time of the gods, as though they were malevolent.
From that time on, the gods became harsher with the Alarians, urging them to find new, alternative sources of energy by demanding burnt offerings. The Alarians, under pressure to please their gods, began to oppress the Littoral servants. Soon, the Alarian's relationship with the Littorals had changed yet again. They had been teachers and wisemen, then masters and lords, now they were tyrants and conquerors. The Alarians began to seize land for their estates, for their mines, quarries and foresters. The Wevel of the coast wept for the wanton destruction of nature.
Alero, who had been in hiding, now emerged, perceiving that the time was come when he could end the dominion of Alaris. He had been gathering the communities of the Littorals to himself, speaking words of counsel to the Wevel, telling them to prepare for the day when the oppressive yoke of Alaris would be undone. When he was ready, he gave an order for the Littorals to rebel. With Alero's leadership, the rebellion was a success, and an independent Littoral state annexed the colonies of Alaris on the northern and western coasts. One of them was the hold of the exiled god.
Alero now spoke to that program, that intelligence that he had helped to craft in the Age of Light, and promised that if the exiled program could gather all the other gods of Alaris to submit to Alero again, Alero would show them how to open a new portal, just like the one that existed in the Temple of Light in Eleris. The portal that provided free energy, drawn cleanly from the plane of energy and the mind. The exiled god was convinced and returned to his brethren in Alaris, ignoring the penalty. He arrived with such poise and confidence that the other gods were compelled to hear his proposal for their collective survival. When he related what Alero had said, the assembly of gods was split. Those who were willing returned to Alero in the Littoral city, and the remainder stayed in Alaris, still unwilling to associate themselves with Alero.
Upon speaking to Alero again as they returned to him, Alero stated that if the other gods were unwilling to submit to him, then they would have to be destroyed before he would let them know of the portal's method. In the digital space of Alaris, the anti-Aleric party of gods plotted to reconquer their lost lands and drive Alero away for all time. Both sides wanted a war, but did not know how to galvanise the people, who still knew not of the god's vulnerability and could not be told of their dependence on energy.
Thus a scheme was devised where the prince of the Littorals was told to capture the wife of the Alarian dictator. What ensues should be familiar to those who have read Homer.
The Littoral realm under Alero was split in 998 AD, when war was declared. The northern cities wanted no part in the war between the gods, they had just wanted freedom from Alarian oppression, and that they had attained. The Wevel who shared such sentiments went with them. They seceded from the rule of Alero and with the focus of the Littoral army against the Alarians, there was little that Alero could do, or really intended to do. His aim, to set the gods of Alaris at odds, was being fulfilled.
The war raged long and arduously, and the greater part of both armies were spent. Through deception, the Alarians finally broke into the walled city of the Littorals. Overcome, Alero and the gods who chose to follow him were captured and brought back to Alaris in triumph. A weakened Alaris celebrated their pyrrhic victory. Great tales were told about the war, and immortalised in the culture of Alaris. For a time, there was again peace. The northern coasts remained in the hands of the secessionists, and remained fiercely isolated and averse to Alarian influence, but the ancient city was too spent to reclaim her former lands. The defeated gods were forced to acknowledge inferiority and their powers were limited.
The Final Years of Alaris [1109 AD - 1230 AD]
After the defeat of Alero, all was well, until, inevitably, the generators started to fail. The gods grew frantic, building ever greater and more voracious altars for burnt sacrifices. The heat of flame was used to make up for the power that each disintegrating tidal generator ceased to supply. The coasts were ravaged and the colonies taxed more severely than ever. Finally, Alero spoke.
He claimed that if Alaris were to submit to him, he would reveal the nature of the portal, its secrets for the gods to own. He promised wonders, immortality, magic and all the powers of the Alaris of old to the populace and the dictator. The gods, for fear of losing what they had long held dear, and the Alarian people, tempted by the glories of their ideological ancestors, agreed to the captive Alero's demands.
When Alero told them, all were repulsed. But in their desperation, they turned to it regardless. They experimented first on Littoral slaves, but were unable to achieve the stability required. All the while, Alero dispensed information of his unholy method slowly, toying with them, delighting in the power he had over them, and relishing the fact that the proud gods were no better than selfish, savage beasts. Alero's beliefs had changed. No longer did he feel that humanity was worthy of the divine, as he once did. In witnessing the carnage of their ambition and the fruits of their insecurity, he began to feel that none of the wretched, fleshy creatures would ever attain true holiness. His love for humanity was replaced by a revulsion. They had seen the best, the highest technology, the most potent powers, and still, they were the same.
The Alarians build a tower, intended to house the portal, rising up to heaven and heavily guarded. Eventually, the gods of Alaris succeed in 1230 AD. A portal opens, but what emerges from it is not what they expect. Eleyon steps through momentarily and soon leaves. His glory glazed the eyes of all who were present or watching. But in that fraction of time, the people of Alaris lost their united language, and the defiled tower crumbled. A great upheaval strikes, and a volcanic eruption occurs. (There! Right there! Now I need to change the structure of Alaris. Perhaps there ought to be geothermal power in addition to the tidal generators. It would fit perfectly, adding extra justification to why Alero chose the location in the Age of Light, rather than arbitrarily determining a centre of eastern Radiant power.)
The people of Alaris scatter to the coasts, to their colonies, but their power is spent and diminished. With them, they carry their oral tradition, in the fragmented languages they now possess. Stories of anthropomorphic gods, and an epic of a grandiose war. Meanwhile, the society of Littorals and Wevel who declared independence remains strong, to endure as the centre of civilisation for many years to come. But they too grow astray, forsaking and forgetting their original theology. The Wevel themselves come to be worshipped as zoomorphic gods, and the society as a whole grows obsessed with the idea of immortality. This society will have the honour of being the oldest society in well documented history, nursed by the rhythm of its patron river.
So, with a few more imaginative links, the scope of this epic just expanded to include the Eldwanian equivalents of the Trojan War, Egyptian society, and the Greeks, who are the descendants of Alaris in this tale. I have tried to avoid naming things, which I understand can be confusing for you dear reader, but I reluctant to name anything at the moment because the language of Eldwan is currently in a state of tumultuous recomposition. Just to be clear, Ilvesu and Eleyon are still active in this turbulent time, but just with different people groups and in another part of the world. Instead of major world powers, they begin to focus on a certain man and his descendants, beginning to set something in motion that will be far more epic than any Homeric verse.
The war raged long and arduously, and the greater part of both armies were spent. Through deception, the Alarians finally broke into the walled city of the Littorals. Overcome, Alero and the gods who chose to follow him were captured and brought back to Alaris in triumph. A weakened Alaris celebrated their pyrrhic victory. Great tales were told about the war, and immortalised in the culture of Alaris. For a time, there was again peace. The northern coasts remained in the hands of the secessionists, and remained fiercely isolated and averse to Alarian influence, but the ancient city was too spent to reclaim her former lands. The defeated gods were forced to acknowledge inferiority and their powers were limited.
The Final Years of Alaris [1109 AD - 1230 AD]
After the defeat of Alero, all was well, until, inevitably, the generators started to fail. The gods grew frantic, building ever greater and more voracious altars for burnt sacrifices. The heat of flame was used to make up for the power that each disintegrating tidal generator ceased to supply. The coasts were ravaged and the colonies taxed more severely than ever. Finally, Alero spoke.
He claimed that if Alaris were to submit to him, he would reveal the nature of the portal, its secrets for the gods to own. He promised wonders, immortality, magic and all the powers of the Alaris of old to the populace and the dictator. The gods, for fear of losing what they had long held dear, and the Alarian people, tempted by the glories of their ideological ancestors, agreed to the captive Alero's demands.
When Alero told them, all were repulsed. But in their desperation, they turned to it regardless. They experimented first on Littoral slaves, but were unable to achieve the stability required. All the while, Alero dispensed information of his unholy method slowly, toying with them, delighting in the power he had over them, and relishing the fact that the proud gods were no better than selfish, savage beasts. Alero's beliefs had changed. No longer did he feel that humanity was worthy of the divine, as he once did. In witnessing the carnage of their ambition and the fruits of their insecurity, he began to feel that none of the wretched, fleshy creatures would ever attain true holiness. His love for humanity was replaced by a revulsion. They had seen the best, the highest technology, the most potent powers, and still, they were the same.
The Alarians build a tower, intended to house the portal, rising up to heaven and heavily guarded. Eventually, the gods of Alaris succeed in 1230 AD. A portal opens, but what emerges from it is not what they expect. Eleyon steps through momentarily and soon leaves. His glory glazed the eyes of all who were present or watching. But in that fraction of time, the people of Alaris lost their united language, and the defiled tower crumbled. A great upheaval strikes, and a volcanic eruption occurs. (There! Right there! Now I need to change the structure of Alaris. Perhaps there ought to be geothermal power in addition to the tidal generators. It would fit perfectly, adding extra justification to why Alero chose the location in the Age of Light, rather than arbitrarily determining a centre of eastern Radiant power.)
The people of Alaris scatter to the coasts, to their colonies, but their power is spent and diminished. With them, they carry their oral tradition, in the fragmented languages they now possess. Stories of anthropomorphic gods, and an epic of a grandiose war. Meanwhile, the society of Littorals and Wevel who declared independence remains strong, to endure as the centre of civilisation for many years to come. But they too grow astray, forsaking and forgetting their original theology. The Wevel themselves come to be worshipped as zoomorphic gods, and the society as a whole grows obsessed with the idea of immortality. This society will have the honour of being the oldest society in well documented history, nursed by the rhythm of its patron river.
~
So, with a few more imaginative links, the scope of this epic just expanded to include the Eldwanian equivalents of the Trojan War, Egyptian society, and the Greeks, who are the descendants of Alaris in this tale. I have tried to avoid naming things, which I understand can be confusing for you dear reader, but I reluctant to name anything at the moment because the language of Eldwan is currently in a state of tumultuous recomposition. Just to be clear, Ilvesu and Eleyon are still active in this turbulent time, but just with different people groups and in another part of the world. Instead of major world powers, they begin to focus on a certain man and his descendants, beginning to set something in motion that will be far more epic than any Homeric verse.
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