It's always pleasant when I can incorporate more biblical inspirations into the mythos of Eldwan, and this one has happened so precisely that I cannot claim to have devised it alone. It follows very much from the previous post that explains the new developments to the magical system of Eldwan. The way that it all fell into place was quite uncanny. I had previously wanted to develop the non-Luminosan societies to a greater extent, and thought I would perhaps have 7 houses of elves, and 7 cities of men that they would lead, but I was stumped as to how to characterise them in ways that would be meaningful and distinct. I came up with a rough draft of some possibilities rather on a whim, focusing on a key deficiency of truth for each city.
I've recently been studying the Revelation to John and hit the section about the 7 churches of Asia Minor, then I had flash of inspiration to link each church to one of the cities. As I was reading and thinking through each of the rebukes and encouragements given to the churches, I began to match them up. Quite eerily, I only had to make two minor changes and everything fell into place. The saga and downfall of the seven fallen cities is described below.
A History of the Fallen Cities
An Overview: When the Fallen are expelled from the garden, Eleyon tells the elves to prepare to depart, for He intends to spare them from the ravages of sin. Seven couples of Elves however, determine that they wish to remain among the Fallen, wishing to do what they can to preserve the lives of their brethren. They wish to be moral guides and teachers of wisdom to the societies they come along side of. They would not be rulers or generals, but servants. Eleyon warns them that their choice will mean suffering and the eventual destruction of their families. Nonetheless, the fourteen elves are resolute. Knowing the goodness behind their intentions, and that he would have done the same, Eleyon grants their petition, with one condition, that there ought not to be any intermarriage between the elvish lines and the fallen lines.
The Fallen who do not take up Alero's invitation are segregated into seven groups and spread out over the surface of the earth to found seven cities. For the sake of clarity, I will use the names of the seven churches in Revelation, though they will not be the final names of those cities. Meanwhile, Alero's society, the Luminosa, grows gradually more powerful as they develop technologically.
Key Events
1. The First Marriage of an Elf and a Woman in Sardis
2. The Death of Adam
3. The Failed Messiah and the First Fallen-Luminosan War
4. The Sack of Smryna and the Second Fallen-Luminosan War
5. The Rape of Thyatria and the First Fallen Civil War
6. The Despair of Pergamum and the Expulsion of the Pergamine Elves
7. The Betrayal of Laodicea and the Second Fallen Civil War
8. The Rise of Totalitarian Sardis
9. The Sardinian Subjugation War and the Concealment of Ephesus
10. The Sardinian-Luminosan War and the Bane of Sardis
11. The Ministry of Noah
12. The Death of Cain, The Destruction of Ephesus, Sardis and Pergamum
13. The Plague of the Luminosa
14. The Third Fallen-Luminosan War and the Flood
Detailed Accounts
Detailed Accounts
1. The First Marriage of an Elf and a Woman in Sardis
For the first several hundred years, the system holds. The fallen turn to the Elves for wisdom when there are issues they cannot resolve among themselves. Societies prosper and steward the land they have well. The population of the seven cities grows and the societies appear to flourish. Though the ban on mixed marriages is in place, it becomes harder and harder to reason about why things must be segregated in the way they are to some of the societies of the Fallen.
One of the biggest themes I would like to explore with Eldwan is the difficulty we have in determining what is wise and what is unwise. That which appears good and beautiful to us may not in fact be truly good and beautiful, and the consequences may be so far reaching that they cannot be anticipated. So, by about the fifth or sixth century, the cracks begin to give. In the city of Sardis, a young couple, a son of the Elves and a daughter of the Fallen resolve to be married into one household. Their elders tell them that the Elf will lose his immortality, but that does not change the Elf's mind and he decides he would rather choose mortality than to be apart from his beloved. In defiance of their elders, who had stronger convictions, they marry and have issue. The debate rages over definitions of good and evil, over what the potential consequences of this action will be. Yet, their marriage is healthy, and children of this union are not only healthy, but it soon becomes apparent that they are sensitive and can use magic.
Critics are silenced and the floodgates open. Many more Sardinian couples that had not spoken out about their love follow the precedent, and there are soon many more half-elven children walking the streets of Sardis. Two other cities, Ephesus and Pergamum, also begin to allow mixed marriages. The other four cities adopt various postures: Philadelphia and Smryna simply recall the other original instruction and chooses to trust in the intentions of Eleyon. Thyatira and Laodicea respond by trying to put more regulations around human and elf relations, imposing more segregations and in Thyatira, living separately.
Sardis begins to grow into unprecedented might, through the use of magic to generate abundance from their land, as do Ephesus and Pergamum to a lesser degree. By the ninth century, all of the population of Sardis has elvish blood and can use magic. Sardis grows proud, and in their relations with the other cities, Sardis begins to posture more as a hegemon than as an equal. Sensing that something is deeply awry, the elves of Ephesus and Pergamum put a stop to any further marriages between elves and humans.
For the first several hundred years, the system holds. The fallen turn to the Elves for wisdom when there are issues they cannot resolve among themselves. Societies prosper and steward the land they have well. The population of the seven cities grows and the societies appear to flourish. Though the ban on mixed marriages is in place, it becomes harder and harder to reason about why things must be segregated in the way they are to some of the societies of the Fallen.
When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose.
Genesis 6:1
One of the biggest themes I would like to explore with Eldwan is the difficulty we have in determining what is wise and what is unwise. That which appears good and beautiful to us may not in fact be truly good and beautiful, and the consequences may be so far reaching that they cannot be anticipated. So, by about the fifth or sixth century, the cracks begin to give. In the city of Sardis, a young couple, a son of the Elves and a daughter of the Fallen resolve to be married into one household. Their elders tell them that the Elf will lose his immortality, but that does not change the Elf's mind and he decides he would rather choose mortality than to be apart from his beloved. In defiance of their elders, who had stronger convictions, they marry and have issue. The debate rages over definitions of good and evil, over what the potential consequences of this action will be. Yet, their marriage is healthy, and children of this union are not only healthy, but it soon becomes apparent that they are sensitive and can use magic.
Critics are silenced and the floodgates open. Many more Sardinian couples that had not spoken out about their love follow the precedent, and there are soon many more half-elven children walking the streets of Sardis. Two other cities, Ephesus and Pergamum, also begin to allow mixed marriages. The other four cities adopt various postures: Philadelphia and Smryna simply recall the other original instruction and chooses to trust in the intentions of Eleyon. Thyatira and Laodicea respond by trying to put more regulations around human and elf relations, imposing more segregations and in Thyatira, living separately.
Sardis begins to grow into unprecedented might, through the use of magic to generate abundance from their land, as do Ephesus and Pergamum to a lesser degree. By the ninth century, all of the population of Sardis has elvish blood and can use magic. Sardis grows proud, and in their relations with the other cities, Sardis begins to posture more as a hegemon than as an equal. Sensing that something is deeply awry, the elves of Ephesus and Pergamum put a stop to any further marriages between elves and humans.
2. The Death of Adam
In the year 930, in the city of Philadelphia, age finally claims the life of Adam, and it becomes clear that even without violent injury, those who are fallen will face the cold grip of mortality. In Eldwan, death by old age was introduced by Ilvesu, as she took matters into her own hands and poisoned the tree of ether. It had not been in the original intent of Eleyon for death to come through biological degradation.
With his death, representatives of all men come to Philadelphia, which has remained a small and humble city through the centuries, a metropolis of the surrounding agrarian towns. For the first time in centuries, Cain is seen among his brothers, come to pay respects to his father. The elves sense something deeply disturbing emanating from the presence of the Luminosan delegation, a chilling and unnatural power.
After the ceremony, fear begins to settle into the hearts of humans. Eve is also ailing, and she knows her death is also soon upon her. The words of Eleyon ring through their minds, about the fate of Adam, and also, about the fate of the serpent. After the departure of the Luminosa, Eve, in her despair, declares her personal hatred of the serpent, for his role in the fall of mankind.
3. The Failed Messiah and the First Fallen-Luminosan War
With his death, representatives of all men come to Philadelphia, which has remained a small and humble city through the centuries, a metropolis of the surrounding agrarian towns. For the first time in centuries, Cain is seen among his brothers, come to pay respects to his father. The elves sense something deeply disturbing emanating from the presence of the Luminosan delegation, a chilling and unnatural power.
After the ceremony, fear begins to settle into the hearts of humans. Eve is also ailing, and she knows her death is also soon upon her. The words of Eleyon ring through their minds, about the fate of Adam, and also, about the fate of the serpent. After the departure of the Luminosa, Eve, in her despair, declares her personal hatred of the serpent, for his role in the fall of mankind.
I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your offspring and her offspring,
He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.
Genesis 3:15
3. The Failed Messiah and the First Fallen-Luminosan War
As the delegation of Sardis returns to their grand capital, they discuss the events that have just transpired. One young man speaks up, he is the brightest of his generation, and the elders listen to him, for they are overcome with uncertainty about their own fates. He claims to have a mission from Eleyon, that he is the promised seed, and be the one to crush Alero. He believes that in destroying the Luminosa, they would fulfil the prophecy. By showing their hatred of the serpent, they would redeem themselves and Eleyon would return to make everything aright.
Missives are sent out to the seven cities of the Fallen, telling them to prepare to arm against the Luminosa. The half-elves especially, begin to train in combat, using magic. Weapons are designed for the first time, primitive, but nonetheless, deadly for the inexperienced and unprepared.
Alero soon discovers what is afoot, and begins to prepare the Luminosa for what is to come. The armies of the Fallen challenge the Luminosa on the Mirrorsea. The Fallen discover that their magic is far stronger, and grow confident in their success on the battlefield. They push the Luminosan army back on the defensive, and they retreat to Eleris. Here the tide of the battle begins to turn against the Fallen, as the Luminosa find greater proximity with their power source, but they still seem on equal footing. I will not work out the details of the battle. Perhaps as death fills the air, the Luminosa get increasingly strong since that is the basis of their magic. In the end, the young leader is killed, the Luminosa are triumphant, and the coalition fractures.
In the aftermath of the war, the Thyatirans begin to envy the power of the three cities with half elves. The Philadelphians and Smyrnans contributed the least to the war, believing that it was misguided, and so Sardis begins to nurse a grudge against them, accusing them of cowardice and pacifism. The Laodiceans are discouraged by their lack of magic and begin to internalise an inferiority narrative. The Pergamine half elves are also revealed to be much stronger than any other magic users for some mysterious reason, and fractures and divisions become manifest.
4. The Sack of Smryna and the Second Fallen-Luminosan War
Missives are sent out to the seven cities of the Fallen, telling them to prepare to arm against the Luminosa. The half-elves especially, begin to train in combat, using magic. Weapons are designed for the first time, primitive, but nonetheless, deadly for the inexperienced and unprepared.
Alero soon discovers what is afoot, and begins to prepare the Luminosa for what is to come. The armies of the Fallen challenge the Luminosa on the Mirrorsea. The Fallen discover that their magic is far stronger, and grow confident in their success on the battlefield. They push the Luminosan army back on the defensive, and they retreat to Eleris. Here the tide of the battle begins to turn against the Fallen, as the Luminosa find greater proximity with their power source, but they still seem on equal footing. I will not work out the details of the battle. Perhaps as death fills the air, the Luminosa get increasingly strong since that is the basis of their magic. In the end, the young leader is killed, the Luminosa are triumphant, and the coalition fractures.
In the aftermath of the war, the Thyatirans begin to envy the power of the three cities with half elves. The Philadelphians and Smyrnans contributed the least to the war, believing that it was misguided, and so Sardis begins to nurse a grudge against them, accusing them of cowardice and pacifism. The Laodiceans are discouraged by their lack of magic and begin to internalise an inferiority narrative. The Pergamine half elves are also revealed to be much stronger than any other magic users for some mysterious reason, and fractures and divisions become manifest.
4. The Sack of Smryna and the Second Fallen-Luminosan War
As the Fallen recover from the aftermath of the failure of this great war, the Luminosa now discipline and regroup. The Luminosa are keen to take revenge, and also to rebuild their lost source of energy. To that end, Alero incites them to target the city of Smyrna, also relatively weak, unaided by magic, and close to their borders.
The elves had cautioned against the madness of such a conflict, and many broken families are grieving for lost ones. A shattered idealism has left a hollow sense of purposelessness in its wake. The cities attempt to go back to normal, but the horrors of the war cannot be forgotten. Laodicea disarms entirely, revolted by the very idea of weapons, others, particularly the three cities with half elves, determine that they must find even more effective means of circumventing Elerian defences.
After a few decades, Smyrna is besieged with a ferocity fuelled by a drive for revenge. They are overwhelmed and the entire surviving population taken as prisoners of war. They are given a choice join the Luminosa or be kept as fuel for the necromantic powerhouse. Many choose to join the Luminosa but an elect are faithful to their call, and they are kept in the dungeons of Eleris.
The remaining six cities of the Fallen are enraged and Sardis, Pergamum, Ephesus, Thyatira and Laodicea rally again and attack. Philadelphia once again only sends support in the form of supplies. Once again, the Luminosa are weaker further away from Eleris, but as they approach it, the Luminosa grow stronger. In this war, the Fallen do not even make it as far as they did in the first war. The Pergamine half elves were falsely confident, but in this war they are somehow much weaker than in the previous one. The Laodicean division is filled with fear and turns to flee from the battle, causing the Thyatiran division to sustain much heavier losses. The Fallen are forced to retreat. The Luminosa do not pursue them, for their objective is attained.
The Pergamine half-elves, in examining their performance, realise that this generation of half-elves is only about an eighth to a quarter as strong as the last generation, and it comes to light that Pergamum has been tolerating sexual immorality and this is diluting their magical potential.
5. The Rape of Thyatira and the First Fallen Civil War
The elves had cautioned against the madness of such a conflict, and many broken families are grieving for lost ones. A shattered idealism has left a hollow sense of purposelessness in its wake. The cities attempt to go back to normal, but the horrors of the war cannot be forgotten. Laodicea disarms entirely, revolted by the very idea of weapons, others, particularly the three cities with half elves, determine that they must find even more effective means of circumventing Elerian defences.
After a few decades, Smyrna is besieged with a ferocity fuelled by a drive for revenge. They are overwhelmed and the entire surviving population taken as prisoners of war. They are given a choice join the Luminosa or be kept as fuel for the necromantic powerhouse. Many choose to join the Luminosa but an elect are faithful to their call, and they are kept in the dungeons of Eleris.
The remaining six cities of the Fallen are enraged and Sardis, Pergamum, Ephesus, Thyatira and Laodicea rally again and attack. Philadelphia once again only sends support in the form of supplies. Once again, the Luminosa are weaker further away from Eleris, but as they approach it, the Luminosa grow stronger. In this war, the Fallen do not even make it as far as they did in the first war. The Pergamine half elves were falsely confident, but in this war they are somehow much weaker than in the previous one. The Laodicean division is filled with fear and turns to flee from the battle, causing the Thyatiran division to sustain much heavier losses. The Fallen are forced to retreat. The Luminosa do not pursue them, for their objective is attained.
The Pergamine half-elves, in examining their performance, realise that this generation of half-elves is only about an eighth to a quarter as strong as the last generation, and it comes to light that Pergamum has been tolerating sexual immorality and this is diluting their magical potential.
5. The Rape of Thyatira and the First Fallen Civil War
Now the Thyatiran humans are filled with hatred against the Laodiceans, who they feel betrayed them. They are also overcome with fear that as a non-magical city of the Fallen, the Luminosa will target them in a future war. A woman rises up in the council of Thyatira and decides that drastic action must be taken. The leaders of Thyatira rally behind her and they arm themselves and head towards the elvish district. Then the tragic doom of the Thyatiran elves transpires. The elves who resist too strongly are simply killed, while the rest of the male elves are raped in an effort to try and conceive half-elven children by them.
Not all of the Thyatirans engage in this madness. A few try to save the elves they can and spirit them away to the other cities. Those who opposed the woman and her forces are also expelled from Thyatira, many of them head to Philadelphia. Of the elves who survive, some are they are so overcome by hurt and shame that they can no longer hope in their original mission. Those who flee to Philadelphia are nursed and cared for, and many of the scarred elves from the other cities eventually go to Philadelphia where they find that they are the most welcome. They eventually decide to leave the cradle and pass beyond the mountains. This is the first establishment of the secret west road through the mountains, a road which many elves will follow in future.
The three magical cities are utterly shocked and disgusted by what comes to be called the Rape of Thyatira. Those who flee to Laodicea also warn them that the Thyatirans are coming to exact their revenge for the cowardice of the Laodiceans in the Second Fallen-Luminosan War. The four cities band together and condemn Thyatira, declaring a war of extermination on the depraved city that had betrayed their elven teachers. There is no contest between the magical and non-magical forces, Thyatira is utterly sacked.
6. The Despair of Pergamum and the Expulsion of the Pergamine Elves
Not all of the Thyatirans engage in this madness. A few try to save the elves they can and spirit them away to the other cities. Those who opposed the woman and her forces are also expelled from Thyatira, many of them head to Philadelphia. Of the elves who survive, some are they are so overcome by hurt and shame that they can no longer hope in their original mission. Those who flee to Philadelphia are nursed and cared for, and many of the scarred elves from the other cities eventually go to Philadelphia where they find that they are the most welcome. They eventually decide to leave the cradle and pass beyond the mountains. This is the first establishment of the secret west road through the mountains, a road which many elves will follow in future.
The three magical cities are utterly shocked and disgusted by what comes to be called the Rape of Thyatira. Those who flee to Laodicea also warn them that the Thyatirans are coming to exact their revenge for the cowardice of the Laodiceans in the Second Fallen-Luminosan War. The four cities band together and condemn Thyatira, declaring a war of extermination on the depraved city that had betrayed their elven teachers. There is no contest between the magical and non-magical forces, Thyatira is utterly sacked.
6. The Despair of Pergamum and the Expulsion of the Pergamine Elves
The Pergamine forces carry back stories of the carnage they witnessed in Thyatira. Having seen now the destruction of two of their sister cities, one from external forces and one from internal forces, they begin to give up on the plan of Eleyon, on the hope that he had given through the promise of a victory over Alero and eventual restoration.
Pergamum begins to cut off ties with the other cities, retreating from the world. Eventually, the mindset of hedonism begins to set in: Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die. Immorality becomes rampant and more and more people exchange the eternal for the temporal. The faithful of Pergamum begin to insist that their elves must depart, or they will be overrun by the growing evil of the city. The elves elect to stay, but soon, they are forced out by the masses, who do not want to be reminded of the transcendant. The Pergamine elves and faithful journey to Philadelphia where they find rest, welcome and solace. Some of the Pergamine elves now follow their Thyatiran fellows, past the mountains.
Pergamum begins to cut off ties with the other cities, retreating from the world. Eventually, the mindset of hedonism begins to set in: Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die. Immorality becomes rampant and more and more people exchange the eternal for the temporal. The faithful of Pergamum begin to insist that their elves must depart, or they will be overrun by the growing evil of the city. The elves elect to stay, but soon, they are forced out by the masses, who do not want to be reminded of the transcendant. The Pergamine elves and faithful journey to Philadelphia where they find rest, welcome and solace. Some of the Pergamine elves now follow their Thyatiran fellows, past the mountains.
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