Article: Ancient Hadea

The First Hadeans & the Birth of Sethyrism
Manuscript Draft by Tania Alver January 1993



Some would have you believe a great mystery is about the setting, atmosphere, suspense, red herrings, and the lot. Granted, they have their place, but I think it's much simpler than all of that. A great mystery must have simple questions beating at its heart: who, where, when, and more importantly, why? When my partner brought back fascinating Hasalin artifacts, it immediately caused me to ask these simple questions. Who were they, and could their history parallel modern Hadea somehow? History tends to repeat itself. There are certainly some lessons the first Hadeans can whisper to us through the ages.

The more I delved into the Hasalins' history, the more I felt it was a story worth telling. A large group of hunter-gatherers crossed into an undisturbed valley known today as Hadea. They adopted a sedentary lifestyle and developed a new belief system that would send them on a path of never-ending conflict. Suffice to say, I was hooked.

- The Great Crossing -

A large and brave group of hunter-gatherers known as the Hasalins crossed the treacherous peaks that surround Hadea. The date of their arrival is largely debated amongst Hadean scholars. Some stand firm at 9000 BC, while others suggest a much earlier date, around 11 700 BC. Recent discoveries in the mountains of northern Hadea support the latter date. Why would a large group of hunter-gatherers risk a perilous journey through some of Earth's most dangerous mountain ranges? I should know. I made the journey across but with modern equipment and an expert guide.

The Hasalins faced winds that could attain 160 mph, sub-zero temperatures, and thin air. Some experts say it was due to a famine, while others suggest the Hasalins were escaping a natural disaster of epic proportions (Younger Dryas Impact Theory). Whatever the reason, the risk paid off. The Hasalins arrived in an untapped valley. They gazed upon rolling green hills, lush forests, fertile black earth, prairies, rivers, and lakes teaming with game and fish. The Hasalins had found paradise on earth.

- New Traditions -

The eight tribes of Hasalins settled the region and abandoned their roaming, hunting, and foraging traditions around 7000 BC. Harvesting the wild forms of cereal and domesticating the herds paved the way for agriculture. Permanent villages were formed, and a new sedentary society was born. Through this significant transformation, one tradition remained intact. Shamanism.

Shamans were highly respected and regarded as individuals who could interact with the spirit world through altered states of consciousness. They had the power to heal the sick, communicate with spirits, and escort souls to the afterlife. Essentially, was a belief system centered on supernatural phenomena. Early Hasalin society relied on the shaman to quide their newfound way of life. However, a mysterious shift in tradition swept across the Hadean valley, suddenly leaving behind the shamanistic tradition. What caused the eight Hasalin tribes to adopt a monotheistic belief system?

- The Legend of the Eye of God -

This mysterious and abrupt change from Shamanism to a monotheistic belief system remains a mystery. What caused this sudden change from a deeply rooted tradition to a new faith? This new mythical narrative is complex.

The benevolent God, Sethyris, created humanity and all earthly creatures. He was the first into being, the uncreated, the divine, and the light. With him, another came to be. The great two- headed serpent Teaar. Jealous of Sethyris' creation, the Great Serpent threatened to destroy all humankind. A great battle ensued, and Sethyris defeated Teaar. Before dying, Teaar sent out a mighty shriek, cursing humanity with overwhelming emotions and intoxicating passions, turning all of Sethyris' children into impulsive, irrational, and cruel creatures.

In desperation, Sethyris ripped out his left eye and, with it, created a haven for his children. It was to be a place where humanity could come and find refuge and protection from The Curse of Teaar. Humanity could always come to the Eye of God and cleanse themselves of all sinful emotions. Sethyris, weakened by the battle and his sacrifice, sought refuge in the heavens, creating the bright star Sirius. Sethyris promised to return someday and free humanity from the evil serpent's curse.

Was all this real, or was it just a myth, a metaphor, a symbol that the Hadeans could hold onto in dire times? It is a symbol to help quell passions and emotions so Hadeans can control themselves before the rage, terror, ecstasy, and grief corrupt all. Like most religions, Sethyrism, no matter how good the messaging is, ultimately falls prey to the same corruption: power.

- The Rise of the Theocracy and Palomism -

Real or not, the Eye of God sent shock waves through the entire Hadean valley. At first, the story of a benevolent god, Sethyris, was passed on from generation to generation through oral tradition, a custom kept from shamanism. Nearly one thousand years passed, during which a writing system evolved from primitive pictograms and runes to an official alphabet. With the advent of a written alphabet, several holy passages and interpretations of this new narrative were etched on clay tablets and later inked on parchments.

During this period, around 2200 BC, there was a schism between the eight tribes of Hasalins. Different interpretations and traditions began within each tribe, none, more so than the eighth tribe, which outright refused Sethyrism and opted to worship Teaar. They were exiled, and their footprint can still be seen to this day in the Wyssa Hills in the form of a grand serpent mound. To avoid such rifts between the remaining tribes, priests of each tribe assembled to amalgamate all holy interpretations into one sacred book. This group of priests was known as the Illigad Conclave, named after the valley where the meeting occurred.

The Illigad Conclave focused the new tenets of sacred writings around an ancient figure: a man mentioned under the simple name of Palom. The ancient scriptures described him as the courageous young man who first discovered the Eye of God. The Conclave canonized him as a saint. His holy image rapidly became the center of their new dogma, and the creed became officially known as Palomism. After many years, the Illigad Conclave created a unifying holy book, the Holy Kada.

The Theocracy was born as the Conclave proclaimed themselves the rulers of Hadea. According to the new Holy Kada, Sethyris and His earthly Saint-Palom recognized these individuals as the official rulers by divine right. The Theocracy lasted thousands of years. As their power grew, so did the people's oppression, burdened by cruel acts and unjust social restraints until a young erudite dared to pen a thesis.

- Reform and the Holy Wars -

It all began in 400 AD with a written thesis reacting to the abuses and indulgences of the Palomist Church. It merely demanded the separation of church and state. The work sparked a comprehensive and durable reformation movement despite very few copies. This new wave of change grabbed the attention of influential individuals, which only solidified the trend. Reformed churches spread throughout the land, and the new religious denomination was eventually called Sabinism after the thesis' author, Sabin Gau.

Unbeknownst to the Sabinian Reformists, the Illigad Conclave had secretly mobilized a holy army and sent it into Reformist territories, massacring the innocent and burning every town and city. Upon hearing the news, a beloved Sabinian nobleman, Konde Kolig, raised the first-ever Sabinian Reformist army. The two armies finally met in the Vyssa Hills.Outnumbered five to one, Konde Kolig proved a cunning strategist and inflicted heavy losses on the holy army, winning the three-day battle. The joy of victory was short-lived, as Konde famously said after the fight: "The choice between war and peace does not exist. Truth be told, it's a choice between war and endless war and I'm afraid we have chosen the latter."

Konde Kolig couldn't have been more right. On a scale never before seen, cruelty and wickedness deeply scarred the population on both sides of the conflict. Extreme acts of barbarity and savagery were commonplace, and Palomist Traditionalists and Sabinian Reformists were trapped in a never-ending cycle of destruction. The war raged across the land for two hundred years with little repose. Several attempts at peace failed or were very short-lived. Deeply rooted hatred and the thirst for shedding the other side's blood seemed inconsolable. Sadly, this Holy War was only the beginning.

Unification Censer
Item: Ancient Censer

This ornate bronze ritual censer is believed to have been involved in the foundation of the Illigad Conclave, a grand unification of the disparate Hasalin tribes. Seven censers were created and offered to representatives from each tribe. On each was etched the emblem of the Conclave alongside the tribe's own emblem. The markings on this particular censer identify it as belonging to the "Suruh" tribe. During the unification ceremony, a mixing of incense was performed to symbolize the varied beliefs and rites of the seven tribes coming together as one.

Pottery Fragment - Eye of God
Item: Pottery

This fragment of pottery is one of the earliest surviving artifacts from Hasalin society, dating from approximately 7000 BC.

The crude pictogram depicts what could only be the majestic peaks of Mount Obek overlooking a serpentine passage towards a sphere flanked by a throng of worshippers. Does this image reinforce the supposition that early Hasalins discovered the Eye of God beneath Mount Obek? Or is it a metaphor for the long and arduous journey towards 'enlightenment"?

One thing is clear: this fragment is proof of the shift to a monotheistic belief system that would change Hasalin society and Hadea forever.

Bronze Eye Headpiece
Item: Bronze Eye

The worship of Sethyris dates back nearly ten thousand years, during which many rites, tenets, ceremonies, and symbols have come and gone.

This bronze-cast eye is one of the earliest known representations of the Eye of Sethyris: the precursor to all modern iconography depicting the Eye. It was likely attached to a ceremonial staff or scepter used by the early holy men circa 3000 BC, when Sethyrism was beginning to evolve into an organized religion.

Vase of the Eighth Tribe
Item: Clay Vase

Notes: This clay vase dates from approximately 2000 BC. The primitive painting depicts the two-headed serpent, Teaar, coiling its mighty body around a tribe of early Hasalins, presumably for protection.

Records pertaining to this tribe are scarce. This vase suggests that they worshipped Teaar in stark contrast to other tribes of the time, who worshipped Sethyris. It appears that the tribe in question was shunned and forsaken by the others, eventually settling in the area known as Vyssa Hills today. Perhaps it was they who erected the fabled Serpent Mound of Vyssa we know today.

Lost Temple Bell of Palom
Item: Scorched Bell

This bell once hung prominently in the Grand Temple of Palom alongside seven others.
Shortly after its foundation, the Illigad Conclave constructed the temple complex to become the beating heart of Sethyrism. Each bell was assigned to a High Priest of Palom, and only those who carried a bell were allowed to behold the Eye of God deep beneath Mount Obek.

After Sabinian reformists descended upon the Illigad Valley to sack and raze the temple in 403 AD, all but one of the bells were thought lost to looting and flames. The surviving bell remains in the reconstructed temple to this day, as one of Palomism's most cherished artifacts.

Light of Sethyris
Item: Terracotta Oil

Terracotta oil lamps like this played an important part in the religious rites of early Sethyrism. Hasalin youths would be given this lamp, along with a supply of food and water, and were expected to navigate the labyrinthine passages beneath Mount Obek, alone. A sort of pilgrimage or rite of passage that retraced the steps of their holy saint Palom.

If the youth found their way to the Eye of God, they were considered to be "under the guiding gaze of Sethyris" and could rejoin society as a consecrated acolyte.

The lamp not only provided illumination but was also considered to hold a piece of the Golden Star Sirius, Sethyris' final resting place, to ward against the evils of Teaar, the serpent god.

Sabin's Thesis
Item: Ancient Scroll

Notes: This manuscript appears to be the original thesis written by Sabin Gau sometime in the early 5th century. The very same thesis that led to the great schism in Sethyrism.

Sabin's thesis offered a more liberal interpretation of the Palomist creed. It spread rapidly, its ideas quickly embraced and adopted by many. It would set the stage for centuries of hostilities between Palomists and Sabinians that still rage to this day.

It is quite chilling to hold the very manuscript that is the cause of so much suffering over nearly two millennia. To think that the original parchment has survived all these years is truly astounding.

The Order of the Eye

Manuscript Draft by Tania Alver January 1993



Hadeans lived under a heavy-handed theocracy that ruled with an iron grip for centuries. This powerful religious elite only seemed to fill their coffers with gold and their bellies with hard- earned harvests. Many scholars consider this period of Hadean history as the darkest, and that is saying something. You know the saying. Every revolution is only three meals away. This one was no exception. However, unlike most, this uprising didn't start with a sword but with a pen.

In 400 AD, a young man named Sabin Gau dared to write a thesis demanding religious reform and separation of state and religion. This idea sent shockwaves across the land and caused many to question their theocrats, but power is addictive and seems impossible to let go of. The response of the Illigad Conclave was nothing short of excessive cruelty, torturing and burning anyone at the stake who questioned their authority. However, the brutal response only seemed to fuel the revolution. Several noble houses raised their armies and declared themselves Sabinian Reformists, while others declared themselves Palomist Traditionalists, remaining loyal to the Conclave.

In 404 AD, both armies stormed the field in Vyssa Hills. The battle lasted three long days. The Reformists were victorious, and sadly, this was only the beginning. The revolution died that day, only to be replaced by a cruel and bloody civil war that would last over 200 years. On the brink of a complete collapse of Hadean society, eight brave souls, four Palomists and four Sabinians, risked everything to conspire for peace.

- Unending Conflict & The Guild of Lucidity -

On a scale never before seen, cruelty and wickedness deeply scarred the population on both sides. Extreme acts of barbarity and savagery were commonplace, and the country was trapped in a never-ending cycle of destruction. The war raged across the land for two hundred years with little repose. Deeply rooted hatred and the thirst for shedding the other side's blood seemed inconsolable. Desperate times called for desperate measures. Eight scholars from both sides of the conflict worked together, setting aside old hatreds to form the Guild of Lucidity.

This guild operated with the utmost secrecy. If discovered, the Sabinian conspirators would have been hanged and quartered, while the Palomists would have been burned at the stake. They had a new enemy to fight. From the horrifying barbarity of the last two hundred years, it was clear to them that human emotions and passions were the root cause of horror and misery. The curse of Teaar had run amuck for far too long.

The guild's members looked to the old scriptures for answers, but after searching through old books, scrolls, and clay tablets, they only found a series of dead ends. Many years passed, and just as the Guild of Lucidity was about to give up, an ancient clay tablet was uncovered, almost by accident. Etched on it was a passage that strongly suggested that the Eye of God was, in fact, real. As the Kada states, the Eye of God was a gift left behind by Sethyris to rid humans of the effects of the Curse of Teaar. Could this myth be true? Could the Eye be found? Could its mythical and symbolic powers be the solution to peace?

- The Order of the Eye -

With renewed hope, the guild's members feverishly investigated the past to find more clues. They searched the church's holy libraries and private collections, examined ancient art and artifacts, and rummaged through old ruins and sacred sites. After several years, their efforts paid off. Etched in the weathered and heavily eroded rocks of an old megalithic site, a map of sorts was barely visible. Carved in the stone was a faint depiction of the Eye of God surrounded by worshippers. Above the Eye towered a very distinct mountain. This representation could only be in one location: Mount Obek. Near the summit, the guild found an entrance to a strange and eerie place. Beyond the entrance were a series of cyclopean mazes that were arduous and complex to navigate and took the Scholars a few years to figure out. After navigating through the maze, they finally discovered the Eye of God.

Upon this remarkable discovery, the Guild of Lucidity changed their name to the Order of the Eye. The scholars of the Order of the Eye soon experienced the Eye of God's power. According to several accounts, they all felt utterly devoid of emotion, being instead aware of an intense and sharp sense of clarity and rationality. After several years in the presence of the Eye of God, studying and researching, they noticed that it had a cyclical nature. Its power seemed to disappear only to come back several years later. They began to time its cycle and correlated its sequence to other natural cycles, but nothing matched. The scholars also realized that the Eye's effects on people's emotions barely exceeded the Eye of God's chamber. The Order of the Eye knew they couldn't invite the entire country into its chamber. The Scholars devised a plan.

- The Eminus Shroud -

Scholars, alchemists, apothecaries, and other men and women of different disciplines began to experiment with the Eye of God. They wanted to increase its range, expanding its emotion- canceling effect. To stop the carnage, the Scholars had to ensure the Eye's impact could reach the entire population. Only then could they use the Eye of God to neutralize their fellow citizens's passions and emotional excesses and stop the war. They began to pinpoint and predict its cycle.

After several such cycles and years of research, the group finally created a machine to increase and widen the Eye's power: the Eminus Shroud. The religious wars ravaging the country were now running at an all-time high. The Scholars impatiently waited for the subsequent activation of the Eye of God, and when it arrived, they turned on the Eminus Shroud. People across the country felt its effect in the blink of an eye. However, deep beneath the mountain, the Eye of God began to hum and vibrate at a different pitch. The Eminus Shroud had worked, and the Eye of God widened its gaze across Hadea.

- Unforeseen Side Effect -

The Scholars activated their device, augmenting the Eye's emotional dampening effect. It was a success. The war had stopped partially due to the effects of the Eye, but there was another unexpected reason: Timeloops. The Scholars describe them as moments of boundless human horror and violence caused by the euphoria of destructive emotions trapped in an endless cycle. The people inside are cursed to relive the hideous acts of barbarity over and over. Timeloops had appeared throughout the country. This unforeseen side effect was an unmitigated disaster. They had stopped the war, but at what cost? All they knew was that the Eminus Shroud, their range-expanding device, certainly caused it. The scholars of the Order of the Eye panicked. They were too late when they returned to the Eye's chamber to disassemble their device. It had disappeared. The Scholars had no choice but to find a way to stop the Timeloops.

Many attempts at stopping them ended with disastrous results. They seemed impossible to stop. The Scholars were on the verge of giving up until they discovered a strange new substance. This material would vibrate softly when in proximity to Timeloops. The Scholars used the substance to create what they called an Amine Prism, and after several tests, the Scholars concluded that someone had to bring a prism to the center of the Timeloops to destroy them. Brave souls, called protomartyrs, sacrificed themselves to shut down the time anomalies. After stopping numerous Timeloops, the scholars provoked another unforeseen side effect, and the first Lymbic Invasion began.

- The First Lymbic Invasion -

Creatures of unspeakable horror leaped out of the Timeloops, ferociously defending them. The Reformists and the Traditionalists were losing villagers, farmers, and soldiers. It was time to put aside old hatreds and form a military coalition. An entire army of former enemies, Palomists and Sabinians, charged the monstrous beasts. After several assaults and losing hundreds of soldiers, they killed only one creature. Demoralized and badly beaten, the soldiers took defensive positions.

The Scholars returned the creature's corpse to a secret location where they examined it. They discovered a strange material, Lymbic Shards, a strange alloy within its remains. They summoned the most reputable blacksmiths of the land. They developed a unique and astonishing new type of blade from the new material. They called them Lymbic Weapons. The blacksmiths were sworn to secrecy and brought into the Order of the Eye. They built a well- hidden location where they could craft these new weapons. It came to be known as the First Lymbic Forge. The proud blacksmiths identified themselves as the Anvils of Modus after their leader, Kalvin Modus. They worked the forge tirelessly and forged and produced many of these new weapons. To help fight the invaders, the Order of the Eye needed a cast of warriors. The Phol Guard was created to protect the Order of the Eye and help destroy Timeloops and the creatures protecting them.
The Order of the Eye devised a plan. For the country to truly band together and end the prospect of future religious wars for good, the Scholars would provide Lymbic weapons to both sides and let them annihilate the monstrous invaders together as one. The Scholars secretly and purposely left Lymbic Weapons in known holy sites across the country on both sides, manipulating the people's religious beliefs. They united their forces and put these "divine gifts" to good use. The beasts' numbers dwindled, and at night, the Scholars sent their brave protomartyrs into the Timeloops, shutting them down one after the other until they were no more. The first Lymbic Invasion had gone.

The Order of the Eye had lost control. Their device, which had caused the Calamity, had merged with the Eye of God. They didn't understand why or how it had happened, but they couldn't access it anymore. The Scholars knew it wouldn't be the last invasion. They looked to the future with a deep sense of foreboding. Had they damned Hadea?

- The Subsequent Invasions -

The Scholars of the Order of the Eye diligently continued their research into the Eye of God. They attempted to regain control of the Eminus Shroud, but all their efforts and hard work yielded no results. The only thing the Scholars could do was continue developing and improving Lymbic weapons and train their Phol Guard for the inevitable. The Scholars and Phol Guard infiltrated the highest spheres of Hadean society to maintain order and stability. Their Phol Guard would thwart uprisings, civil unrest, and all-out wars through manipulation and espionage. They had become ruthlessly efficient and highly resourceful. They had successfully prevented several invasions. However, they weren't always successful.

The Order of the Eye and their Phol Guard couldn't stop Lord Aster's ambitions to conquer Hadea for himself. They failed to thwart the rebellion against Lady Marguerith's iron grip over her people. They fell short when it came time to stop one of their own from forming a fanatical cult. They failed to prevent the Blood Queen's wrath against the Sabinians. Despite their vigilant interference, the Timeloops and Lymbic entities made their grim appearance, devastating Hadea each time. They inflicted heavy losses amongst Hadeans and Phol Guards. The future was bleak. Indeed, the Order of the Eye needed a less costly solution. They decided to rule the country themselves.

- Achieving Peace -

The Order of the Eye began its rule in 950 AD by maintaining a masquerading monarchy they controlled entirely, with members acting as King and Queen. They would reinstate both religions with new leadership and adaptations of the holy book and prayers. A new holiday and custom rose from this new leadership. The new tradition lasted two weeks. In the first week, the country grinds to a halt to enjoy parties, feasts, music, and playful activities. It was named the Great Unburdening and is now known as the Carnival. It is meant for participants to indulge in excessive alcohol consumption, food, music, culture, and all-around partying.

In the second week, the people celebrate through fasting, repentance, and reflection. It is known as the Week of Peace. It is a time of absolute peace and harmony. By decree, no violence or conflict would continue during the Week of Peace. For this entire week, everything is closed. Essentially, the Scholars turned peace into a sacred holiday, which coincided with the Eye's cycle every time. The Scholars' plan had worked. The country was finally on the right track, and they circumvented the sphere's effects through what would become the country's most essential and cherished cultural event.

- The Purge of Knowledge -

If the Week of Peace and Carnival were to succeed, the Order of the Eye needed the population to forget every aspect of Lymbic Invasions. Lymbic Entities must turn from fact to religious stories, metaphors, and allegories, much like the Eye of God did so long ago. This purposefully imposed amnesia didn't happen overnight. The Scholars wanted to wipe out all knowledge of the Lymbic Invasions. This immense task of "censorship" would fall into the capable hands of a few handpicked Scholars and their trusted Phol Guard.

It was impossible to remove everything, but by changing, adjusting, and twisting specific facts, Lymbic Entities became demons, beasts, and mythological creatures as generations passed. Lymbic Invasions would become stories told by grandfathers to regale their grandchildren or used as sermons uttered in churches, fearmongering their followers. Even speaking of Lymbic Entities became a sin. Factual Lymbic Lore fell out of the general population's knowledge.

- The Complexity of the 20th Century -

The Scholars of the Order of the Eye quickly realized they could lose what they had managed to avoid for over a thousand years. The mere thought of the Eye of God accessing the amount of violence and bloodshed on a global scale terrified them. It was easy to think a nation could have ambitions to dominate the world through the Eye, augmenting its range of influence to cover several countries, if not the entire globe. The 20th century's conflicts weren't the only things that greatly worried the Scholars.

From the two global wars, new technologies came to light. The telephone, radio, radar, and other communication advances made the world smaller. Information at large circulated at a higher speed and was transmitted by another newly founded organization, the international press. The globe also moved at a faster pace. Automobiles, trains, planes, and boats had been developed for the war but had become commercialized, bringing smaller and remote nations to the world stage. The Scholars needed help. Keeping the world outside their country was an impossible task. It was time for the Order of the Eye to seek help from the outside world.

"Eminus Shroud"
Blueprints Item: Faded Blueprints

Notes: This deteriorated page bears the emblem of the Order of the Eye, circa 700 AD. It was likely torn from a larger manuscript. The text and designs are almost illegible, but they outline what appears to be a truly massive contraption. Could this be the so-called "Eminus Shroud"?

The device was part of the Order's grand plan to extend the Eye of God's influence. It is referenced in many Order documents dating from the same era. There is no way to discern its inner workings from the page, as the schematics are too faded and likely incomplete. Judging by sheer size and complexity, it would have been a colossal undertaking.

Order of the Eye Medallion
Item: Gold Medallion

Notes: This gold medallion once belonged to a founding member of the Order of the Eye. It depicts the moment that the eight scholars re-discovered the Eye of God. They were said to have dropped to their knees in awe at the sight of such a marvel. Eight matching medallions were commissioned to commemorate the momentous event, one for each member.

Guild of Lucidity Sketchbook
Item: Old Sketchbook

Notes: This tome, written in the old tongue, belonged to a scholar from the Guild of Lucidity, circa 600 AD. It records the discovery of a large monolith unearthed at an ancient holy site. On it was carved a crude map depicting the location of the fabled Eye of God, beneath what appeared to be Mount Obek. This was the first definitive evidence the Guild had found that pointed to the physical existence of the Eye.

The map would prove instrumental to the guild in their search for, and eventual rediscovery, of the long-lost Eye of God. So impactful was the revelation that the guild renamed themselves the "Order of the Eye".

Bowl of Spent Lymbic Slivers
Item: Bowl of Ash

Notes: In 717 AD, Kalvin Modus, a well-respected member of the Order of the Eye, was tasked with creating a weapon that could be used against the Lymbic entities. He gathered the most prominent blacksmiths of the time and founded the Anvils of Modus. All they had to work with was a recovered Lymbic shard from a captured entity. For years they toiled day and night, struggling to find a method of harnessing the Lymbic shard. Eventually, it was Modus himself who discovered a technique for moulding the material into a usable state.

These slivers, devoid of all latent energy, are what remains of the countless failed attempts.

Carnival Mask
Item: Wooden Mask

Notes: This is one of the original wooden masks used at the inaugural Carnival celebration of 970 AD.

The Carnival, as well as the adjoining Week of Peace, were instated to celebrate the enduring peace and prosperity of the kingdom after the Calamity nearly destroyed it. The grand celebration would occur every 33 years. In the following centuries, the original meaning would be forgotten even as the tradition became deeply ingrained in cultural heritage.

Original masks like this have become highly prized artifacts of Hadean tradition, especially after the celebrations were outlawed by Geryon Yankel in the early 80's.

Amine Inversion Cast
Item: Lymbic Core

Notes: To correct the disastrous outcome of their ill-fated "Eminus Shroud" experiment, scholars of the Order of the Eye scrambled to find a way to cancel out the Eye's expanded field of influence.
Although the inner mechanics of Lymbic architecture were beyond the scholar's comprehension at the time, they still made remarkable strides in their research. Purely through keen intuition, they understood that Lymbic frequencies could be inverted to disrupt Lymbic fields. They eventually stumbled upon a particular arrangement of Lymbic material that showed great results on a small scale. They called the construct the "Amine Inversion Cast".

They erected massive rectangular pillars at various distances surrounding Mount Obek. These "Flutes of Restitution" would hold the Cast at specific angles to dampen the Eye's field. It didn't work.

Despite its failure, the Amine Inversion project was not discarded. The devices were soon repurposed and became the progenitors of the Amine Prism. The gigantic pillars can still be seen throughout the countryside, ominous reminders of the failings of the past.

Timeloop Map
Item: Marked Map of Hadea

Notes: This well-preserved map dating from 706 AD was used by the Order of the Eye to mark the locations of all known "Lymbic anomalies" stemming from the Calamity. They would eventually discover the nature of these anomalies and name them "Timeloops". The Calamity would later become known as the First Lymbic Invasion. The map is an impressive testament to the large-scale organization and logistical expertise of the Order. It not only demonstrates how resourceful and pervasive the Order had become, but also the gravity with which it concerned itself towards the Lymbic threat.

Token of Truce
Item: Wooden Horse Figurine

Notes: Early in the 8th century, after 300 years of violent religious war, the forces of the Palomist Traditionalists and the Sabinian Reformists tentatively set aside their differences to focus on a rising danger that threatened them both. The white horse became a symbol of that truce. It represented hope: a light in the darkness, courage to face the evil ahead. These small wooden figurines were carried by soldiers on the battlefield to signal to their former enemies that they intended to uphold the truce.

The Calamities of Hadea

Manuscript Draft by Tania Alver January 1993



The Lymbic Invasions, known as the Calamities by the general population, began by attempting to stop the religious wars that had almost wiped out Hadean society. The Scholars of the Order of the Eye created the Eminus Shroud device capable of augmenting the Eye of God's emotional dampening effect to reach the entirety of Hadea. It was a success. However, in doing so, the Scholars had inadvertently created their hell, cursing Hadeans in a cycle of calamities that would span generations.

- The Man Who Would Be King. Lord Aster's ambition ignites war and betrayal.

After the First Calamity, silence fell over Hadea. The invaders had been destroyed, along with the brutal religious wars. The land was finally healing.

In 734, an oligarchy was formed under the watchful gaze of the Order of the Eye. After heated debates in Loblina, power was evenly distributed among four noble houses: two from the Palomist Traditionalists (House Aargau & House Umbra) and two from the Sabinian Reformists (House Aster & House Jehan). Hadea was divided into four provinces: Aargaula, Umbrahan, Asteria, and Jehania. The Loblina Alliance kept the peace for years, allowing the people to prosper. But one man had grander ambitions.

The Rise of Lord Aster

House Aster had no interest in the alliance. Lord Aster envisioned himself as Hadea's sole ruler. Working secretly, he strengthened his military, secured his economy, and built alliances. His biggest obstacle was House Jehan, which refused to break from the Alliance. Without their support, his conquest seemed impossible.

Lord Aster appeared to accept the oligarchy, even arranging a marriage between his daughter Phenelo and Lord Jehan's son Vaahn. The wedding was set in Jeljin, a quiet town near Aargaula's border. But on the day of the ceremony, Lord Aster disguised his men as Aargaulan soldiers. They raided the church, massacring the guests. Though Phenelo "miraculously survived", Yaahn was not so fortunate.

Old hatreds reignited. Lord Jehan, consumed by grief, had no doubts, blaming House Aargau. Lord Aster had what he wanted. A war he couldn't lose.

The Second Reformist War

Despite House Aargau's pleas of innocence, Lord Jehan declared war. House Jehan and House Aster launched a relentless campaign, committing horrific war crimes and demanding Lord Aargau's execution. Meanwhile, House Umbra remained neutral, ignoring Aargau's cries for aid.

As the Reformists tore through Aargaula, the Order of the Eye scrambled to stop the bloodshed. Too late. They had failed to recognize Lord Aster for what he was a warmonger. Their worst fears came true. The Eye of God activated. The Second Calamity had begun.

Aargaula Burns

By the time the Reformists had nearly forced Aargaula into surrender, their brutality surpassed even the horrors of the old religious wars. House Jehan's soldiers showed no mercy, claiming vengeance for Vaahn. Then, Timeloops appeared, trapping moments of extreme violence. Soon after, the creatures emerged, attacking everything in sight.

Lord Aster was furious. Aargaula was on the verge of surrender, and now these monsters had ruined his plans to invade Umbrahan. Yet his pride and thirst for the throne blinded him. He ordered Lord Jehan to continue the campaign, despite the chaos. Lord Jehan, obsessed with revenge, obeyed.

But Lord Umbra, watching the carnage unfold, could stand by no longer. He surrendered to Lord Aster, ending the war and crowning him King of Hadea. The Loblina Alliance was gone. The noble houses swore fealty to House Aster, uniting under one banner.

Armed with Lymbic Weapons, Hadea's warriors systematically destroyed the creatures. Behind the scenes, the Order of the Eye worked tirelessly to close the Timeloops. The Second Calamity was stopped. Now, all eyes turned to the new king.

Disturbing Rumors

Rumors spread quickly. King Aster, it was said, was attempting to weaponize the creatures. Concerned, the Order of the Eye dispatched spies. Every trail led to a dead end. Any captured informants died before revealing secrets, even under torture. All paths led to whispers of a place known as the Auriga Museum, but its location and true nature remained a mystery.

With no other choice, the Order of the Eye ordered King Aster's assassination. Like a serpent without a head, his kingdom crumbled. Once again, Hadea needed to heal. The Loblina Alliance was revived, and the oligarchy was restored.

- Love Conquers All, Even Death. The reign of Lady Marguerith ends in tragedy. -

A Fragile Peace

Following House Aster's downfall, Hadea's noble houses signed a new treaty, forming the Second Loblina Alliance. Peace, however, remained tenuous. The Order of the Eye, wary of history's brutal cycles, sought to prevent another disaster. The Scholars theorized that violence triggered the emergence of Timeloops, the strange phenomena responsible for past calamities.

Determined to suppress conflict, the Order placed spies in every noble house, urging leaders to renounce violence as a mortal sin. Few embraced the doctrine more fervently than Lady Marguerith of House Aargau, a woman whose devotion to peace, and to her god, Sethyris, would ultimately lead to catastrophe.

The Mother of Aargaula

Lady Marguerith, revered as "The Mother of Aargaula," ruled without personal ambition beyond maintaining peace. Unable to bear children, she saw her subjects as her own, her love for them unwavering but increasingly obsessive. Her reign was defined by two policies: defense and religious decree. She would ensure her people survived the next Calamity, no matter the cost.

A Fortress Beneath the Earth

Determined to protect Aargaula, Lady Marguerith diverted the treasury toward massive defensive projects. Walls enclosed every city, town, and village, but fortifications were insufficient. She commissioned an extensive network of underground shelters, calling upon miners and sappers to carve tunnels underneath Hadea. The greatest of these was the Yumal Caves, a sprawling subterranean city near Trisk, capable of sheltering thousands. Complete with schools, storage chambers, refectories, and chapels, the caves were stocked with harvest surpluses and designed to seal off completely in times of crisis. Aargaula was prepared for war, but Lady Marguerith believed faith would be an even greater shield.

Overbearing Vigilance

Under Lady Marguerith's decree, violence became the greatest sin. All crimes of violence, no matter how severe or trivial, were punished equally. Even minor altercations resulted in imprisonment or execution.

The Solozna Watch, secretive watchmen, patrolled Aargaula, spying on citizens and arresting those deemed a "risk of causing violence." Neighbors informed on one another. Fear spread like disease. Aargaula became a province of silence and paranoia.

The rest of Hadea followed Lady Marguerith's example, but the Reformist provinces were more measured, crimes were punished proportionally, and no citizen was encouraged to spy on their peers.

The Revolt

Years passed. Aargaula darkened. The people, trapped in fear and austerity, reached a breaking point. In secret, a rebellion formed: nobles, commoners, and peasants alike, meeting within the very underground shelters meant to protect them. Their anger had festered too long. When the revolt erupted, it did so with merciless force.

The rebels stormed Trisk, their fury unchained. The streets ran red in what would be remembered as the Trisk Massacre. The city fell swiftly, but within its walls stood the Dallglav Fortress, where Lady Marguerith and her loyalists held their ground. A siege began.

From atop the ramparts, Lady Marguerith watched in horror. Her beloved people, her children, were butchering one another. Overcome with grief, she whispered, "Love conquers all, even death." Then, before anyone could stop her, she took a dagger and slit her own throat.

A Timeloop formed around her, trapping her in an endless cycle of self-destruction, replaying her final, tragic moment for eternity.

Creatures Abound

The Order of the Eye, desperate to prevent disaster, had no time to act. The Eye of God had opened. The Third Calamity had begun. Timeloops spread across Aargaula, opening in the streets of Trisk. The nightmarish creatures emerged, indiscriminately attacking both rebels and loyalists alike.

House Umbra responded first, mobilizing its forces against the chaos. Armed with Lymbic Weapons, their warriors pushed back the monstrous invaders. The Aargaulan military secured Dallglav Fortress, aided by mysterious fighters, as Scholars' Protomartyrs worked frantically to close the Timeloops.

The battles raged. Slowly, at significant cost, House Umbra and the surviving Aargaulan forces eradicated the creatures. The Calamity was over.

A Costly Victory

Trisk lay in ruins. Aargaula had lost its mother. The woman who sought to shield her people from suffering had instead drowned them in it. The Scholars, burdened by yet another failure, were left to pick up the pieces. Once again, Hadea would need to heal.


A Kingdom United and Fractured

Despite the scars of past Calamities, Hadea thrived under King Markus. The monarchy, established through the Decree of Holy Symmetry, sought to unify the once-divided Sabinian Reformists and Palomist Traditionalists. Under its terms, each ruling monarch would sever ties to their noble house, and the heir would be required to marry someone of the opposite faith.

Hope flourished as Markus Slab of House Umbra ascended the throne alongside Queen Vigga Feihler of House Aster. The Loblina Alliance was dissolved, replaced by a kingdom where noble lands became duchies and baronies. Both churches secured positions in court, ensuring religious balance.

For a time, it seemed the new order would hold. But one man, raised in the shadow of war, would see it undone.

The Prodigy Turned Heretic

Born between the Second and Third Calamities, Francis Aldrich was raised in a strict Palomist household where discipline bordered on cruelty. His parents forced him to kneel before the Eye of Sethyris for hours, sometimes days. The symbol loomed in every room, its omnipresent gaze haunting his childhood. Surviving the Third Calamity, Francis concluded that the creatures were inevitable, a punishment for humanity's weakness. Resistance, he believed, was futile.

Despite his upbringing, Francis excelled in academia, earning a place in a prestigious school secretly operated by the Order of the Eye. His intellect was unmatched, but so was his arrogance. Though the Scholars recognized his potential, his hubris kept him from fully entering their ranks. The Order never entrusted him with their most sacred knowledge, their mission to stop the Calamities.

Suspecting he would soon be cast out, Francis broke into the Forbidden Library. He barely had time to turn a page before the Phol Guards seized him, but in those few moments, he ripped out and concealed several pages containing secrets of the Timeloops and the predicted date of the next Calamity.

Expelled and disgraced, Francis wandered the forests of Umbrahan, alone with his stolen knowledge. It was there, in the depths of solitude, that he claimed to hear the voice of Teaar.

The Rise of the Servants of Teaar

Hallucinogenic visions led Francis to a revelation, Teaar, the two-headed serpent, was the true god of humanity. Sethyris, he preached, had long abandoned them. The time had come to embrace raw passion, to surrender to desires long suppressed by Palomist and Reformist doctrine.

At first, he was dismissed as a lunatic. Villages drove him away, priests condemned him, and crowds jeered. But he remained steadfast. Teaar was merely testing his faith. Slowly, the outcasts came to him-the disgraced, the rejected, the humiliated, those persecuted by the Palomist Church. They found solace in his words. Soon, the Servants of Teaar were born.

Their doctrine, a direct affront to the Palomist Church, spread like wildfire. Alarmed, the Church formed the Inquisition of Palom, led by Grand Inquisitor Damien, tasked with wiping out the cult. The Inquisition swept through Umbrahan, unleashing mock trials, burnings, and brutal purges. The Servants of Teaar fled eastward, seeking refuge in Reformist lands.

Queen Vigga's Defiance

Unlike the Palomists, the Sabinian Reformists tolerated the Servants of Teaar. In an act of goodwill, Queen Vigga allowed them to settle in Jehania, donating land to build their first shrine, the Sacrament of the Fallen. The decision infuriated the Palomist Church and King Markus, who saw it as treachery. "You failed to consult me when you created your Inquisition," Queen Vigga retorted. Tensions at court escalated.

Meanwhile, in the Plains of Mist, the Servants of Teaar isolated themselves behind high walls, accepting only traders through a single river checkpoint. Locals grew uneasy. Rumors swirled. Disappearing travelers. Unnatural sounds. Strange lights at night. The Queen's advisors urged her to investigate. She sent her most trusted diplomat, Lady Sophia Morton, to parley with Francis. It was a journey that ended in horror.

The Betrayer's Trap

Sophia never returned. Instead, a single survivor limped back to court, carrying her severed head in a basket. Enraged, Queen Vigga ordered an invasion. The Jehanian army, reinforced by the Palomist Inquisition, laid siege to the Sacrament of the Fallen. For weeks, the cultists held the walls with fanatical resolve. Then, without warning, they abandoned their defenses.

The army stormed the compound, expecting a final battle. Instead, they found eerie silence. Francis sat on his makeshift throne, serene, smiling. His followers knelt in circles, whispering prayers and singing hymns. The soldiers hesitated, then raised their swords. The cultists grinned and slit their own throats. A Timeloop ignited. Francis had timed everything perfectly. Another Calamity had erupted.

The Jehanian army and Palomist Inquisitors fled, scrambling to contain the horrific creatures emerging all around them. But the real horror lay elsewhere. Francis had sent cultists across Hadea to sacrifice themselves simultaneously. Timeloops opened across the kingdom. Cities, villages, and the armies of Hadea found themselves battling monsters on every front.

The Aftermath

After significant losses, the combined forces of Hadea quelled the Fourth Calamity, but at an unimaginable cost. Francis, captured alive, was sentenced to a decade of torture before finally dying in his cell. His followers were hunted, his Gospel of Teaar seized by the Inquisition, and his diaries detailing his theories on Timeloops were archived by the Scholars.

The Betrayer was no more. His legacy scarred Hadea and wounded the Scholars, wounds that would never truly close. The Fourth Calamity had come and gone. The Order of the Eye would never be the same.


Non Interference

The Fourth Calamity left the Order of the Eye divided. Internal disputes raged over their role in political affairs, but the Scholars ultimately agreed: their interference had failed. Manipulating kings, swaying the clergy, and orchestrating assassinations had proven too volatile, too costly. Instead, they withdrew.

Most of their spy network was dismantled, save for a few well-placed informants tasked with observing, not intervening. If another war arose, the Scholars would let it burn Hadea to the ground. From its ashes, they would rebuild a better world.

Long Memories

The wounds of war do not heal overnight. In Aargaula and Umbrahan, Reformist communities became scapegoats. Isolated and targeted, they suffered frequent attacks, while Palomist Traditionalists, bitter from years of Reformist rule, fed the flames of resentment. The High Priest of the Reformists and the Arch-Cleric of the Palomists bickered, accusing each other of fueling the unrest. But the conflict escalated when Queen Vigga announced she was expecting an heir.

Under the Decree of Holy Symmetry, the next king would be a Sabinian Reformist, as the monarchy required alternating faiths. This did not sit well with the Palomist Church, which had recently elected hardline traditionalists to its leadership. They would not sit idly by while another Reformist ruled Hadea.

The Boy King

Years later, King Markus passed peacefully in his sleep, leaving behind a stable but fragile kingdom. His son, Garland, ascended the throne. Raised as a Sabinian Reformist, Garland was gentle, kind, and forgiving, but lacked the discipline and confidence to lead. His mother, Queen Vigga, worried for his future, but she passed before she could see him wed. Alone and vulnerable, Garland turned to his Palomist advisors for guidance. They seized the opportunity. They hand-picked his queen.

The Veteran's Pupil

Lady Harvor Raveta of Aargaula was not a typical noblewoman. Raised by her uncle, Thomas Raveta, a veteran of the Fourth Calamity, she was trained as a warrior rather than a lady.

Thomas had survived the Butchery of the Fallen, one of the bloodiest battles of the Fourth Calamity, and emerged as a hardened Palomist Traditionalist. Thomas raised Harvor as he would have a son, ensuring she knew how to fight, lead, and survive. Harvor was beautiful, but battle-worn, often seen covered in dust, smelling of horse and sweat. The Palomist clergy saw her as the perfect candidate. They whispered into her pious heart, convincing her that Sethyris chose her to restore Hadea to Palomist rule. By the time she married King Garland, the coup was already underway.

Seeds of Hatred

The reconstruction of Aargaula had left the kingdom financially strained. The late Queen Vigga had halted funding, fearing an economic collapse. Her decision left Aargaula in poverty. As hardship spread, Palomist Traditionalists blamed the Reformists for their suffering. Hate-filled sermons, nationalist rhetoric, and conspiracies flourished. The Palomists took action.

Queen Harvor redirected funds to Aargaula not for rebuilding but for strengthening its military. She also funded the construction of her death camps and towers all over Hadea, including the most notorious one, the Arcas Spire.

Her uncle, Thomas Raveta, was named Supreme Commander of Hadea's forces. Conscription orders were passed, and Aargaula and Umbrahan began raising an unstoppable army. Meanwhile, Reformist communities in Palomist territories suffered segregation, arrests, and attacks. The Order of the Eve watched and did nothing.

The Night of the Sharp Daggers

The coup d'état was swift, brutal, and absolute. Under cover of darkness, Palomist forces stormed the capital, assassinating every Reformist noble and high priest in their sleep. By dawn, King Garland, broken and alone, renounced his Sabinian faith. In Palomist-held lands, Reformists were arrested, rounded up and sent to death camps. The Sabinian genocide had begun.

Two massive Palomist armies marched into Reformist territory: Jehania fell first, its people unprepared for war. Reformist priests were beaten, burned, and crucified. Asteria resisted. Its warriors had survived the Fourth Calamity. Though outnumbered, they inflicted devastating losses on the Palomist forces. Still, it was only a matter of time. The Palomist army united into one unstoppable force, pushing the Reformists into their last stronghold: Losilus, the capital of Asteria.

The Last Stand

The siege began. Inside the gates, the Sabinian Reformists knew their fate. Rumors of mass executions and extermination camps had reached their ears. They made one final decision. They would die fighting.

At dawn, the city gates burst open. Starved, desperate, and filled with hatred, every soldier, every citizen of Losilus charged the Palomist army in one last stand. The bloodshed was unimaginable; savagery beyond reason. Then, the Eye of God opened. Timeloops appeared through the battlefield, trapping the slaughter in endless repetition, fueling a flood of monstrous creatures. The Palomist army collapsed. In the rest Hadea, inside the mass execution camps, Timeloops opened as civilians were being slaughtered. For the fifth time, a Calamity had struck in Hadea.

Tabula Rasa

The Scholars were ready. The Phol Guard was unleashed. Timeloops were shut down. King Garland and Queen Harvor were assassinated. Though Queen Harvor's name was erased from history, her legacy drenched in blood remains. Only her Arcas Spire still stands today, sealed shut, as a reminder of the dangers of unchecked passions. In whispers and secret circles, Palomists and Reformists still remembered. And Hadea never forgets.

The war was over. Hundreds of thousands were dead. The monarchy was shattered. And for the first time, the Order of the Eye took direct control. A puppet monarchy was installed, ruled by Scholars disguised as kings and queens. A new holiday, the Carnival and the Week of Peace, was established to reshape cultural memory and ensure control. For over a thousand years, the Calamities ceased. The Scholars believed they had won. They were wrong.

Idol of the Protomartyr
Item: Bronze Figurine

This bronze figurine dates back to 708 AD. It is cast in the likeness of Relm Straggo, a scholar of the Order of the Eye who voluntarily gave his life to stop the Calamity. A new type of threat had emerged when the first Lymbic Invasion began. The Order was desperate to deal with the Timeloop anomalies appearing across the country. The development of the Amine Prism was the stroke of luck they needed. They theorized that placing the device at the center of a Timeloop would create a destabilizing effect. Only one problem remained: any organic matter entering the Timeloop would begin to deteriorate the deeper it penetrated. It was obvious that reaching the center of a Timeloop would be fatal. It was Relm Straggo who volunteered to bring an Amine Prism to the center. With his sacrifice, he proved all the theories correct. The Order now knew how to collapse the Timeloops. His bravery would inspire his peers for generations. His selfless act of sacrifice quickly became legend within the Order. Many would follow in his footsteps, eager to make a difference and to stand beside Straggo with honor. These brave men and women became known as the Protomartyrs.

Order of Inquisition
Item: Faded Parchment

This letter was sent to the Grand Inquisitor by Queen Vigga Feihler in 871 AD. It is encrypted with a cypher only used by the ruling nobility of the time and their foremost advisers. It reads: "Grand Inquisitor Damien, Forgive my bluntness, for I am in no mood for pleasantries. Francis Aldrich and his band of heathens must be stopped. This farce has gone on far too long. I have striven for the path of civility, and yet he spits in my face. I should have listened to you sooner, Damien. You were right all along. Forgive me. I should never have entertained that murderous madman's delusions. I am placing the legions of the Royal Army under your command. Ride forth to the Plains of Mist and unleash the thousand furies of Sethryis upon them. Give no quarter. I want Aldrich alive. He will be made to answer for his sins. As for the rest, let me be absolutely clear: BURN IT ALL BURN IT ALL TO THE GROUND"

Harvor Raveta's Storybook
Item: Children's Book.

An inscription along the spine identifies this book as belonging to Harvor Raveta; a gift from her uncle and guardian, Thomas Raveta. In her childhood, Harvor would spend much time at her uncle's manor in present-day Marastan. The book contains several short stories, allegories, and caricaturized illustrations aimed at young children. Throughout, the pages contain a scornful tone of derision towards Sabinian people, often mocking or demonizing them as sinful evildoers or even drawing comparisons to insects. A prime example of the indoctrination to which Harvor was exposed from a young age that would ultimately shape her ideology as Queen.

Harvor Raveta's Crown
Item: Crown of Bones

Harvor Raveta, the Blood Queen, was infamous for her attempted genocide of Sabinians. During her reign, countless were captured, tortured, and executed in her obsessive pursuit of purity. She seemed to only grow bolder with every execution and was known to keep one finger bone of every heretic that was brought to the Arcas Spire. Her collection grew to such a vast size that her royal clothiers began crafting elaborate garments and headdresses with the bones.

Sophia Morton's Skull
Item: Skull in Box

This wooden box contains the skull of Lady Sophia Morton, best friend and confidant to Queen Vigga Feihler. In 871 AD, the Queen sent Lady Sophia to parley with Francis Aldrich at his enclave, the Temple of the Fallen in the Plains of Mist. Only Sophia's head returned. The accompanying letter effectively taunted the Queen further. For Vigga, incensed beyond reason, the conflict was now personal. She insisted that Grand Inquisitor Damien personally accompany the box during the subsequent invasion of the Temple of the Fallen. She hoped that, in some way, her beloved friend may be present at the moment of her ultimate avengement.

Lady Marguerith's Dagger
Item: Jewelled Dagger

This ornately jewelled dagger once belonged to Lady Marguerith Celes Aargau. She became the Duchess of Aargaula in 807 AD after the death of her father, Lord Yumal Aargau. Though Lady Marguerith deeply loved and cared for her subjects, her reign quickly became overbearing. Over the next decades, she would enact policies and laws that stripped away many freedoms in the name of abolishing violence and increasing security. The common folk were pushed to their breaking point. In 838 AD, she chose to end her own life with this dagger rather than face the rebelling hordes descending upon her Dallglav Fortress in Trisk. Until the bitter end, Lady Marguerith remained baffled as to why her own people would revolt against her "benevolent" rule.

Heraldic Key of House Umbra
Item: Ceremonial Key

In 773 AD, three years after the Bridal War began, Lord Umbra would unconditionally surrender to Lord Aster. This heraldic key was presented to Aster as a symbolic gesture of fealty. With his ally Lord Aargau defeated, and the Second Calamity still raging across the country, Lord Umbra chose to willingly end the conflict rather than shed any more of his subjects blood. The surrender would officially mark the end of the Bridal War. With no one left to oppose him, Lord Aster would crown himself King of Hadea.

Gauntlet of the 7th Talon
Item: Rusted Gauntlet
This gauntlet belonged to Cecil Banon, 7th Talon of the God Hand. The God Hand were the ten Knights Commanders of the Inquisition of Palom. Individually, they were known as Talons. All were present at the Butchery of the Fallen in 871 AD, when the Inquisition brought its full force to bear against Francis Aldrich and his Servants of Teaar. Banon's squire at the time was a young Thomas Raveta, future uncle and mentor to Harvor Raveta, who would eventually come to rule Hadea as the dreaded "Blood Queen".

The Vigil: Unsung Guardians

Manuscript Draft by Tania Alver January 1993



- The ancient guardians of Hadea, forgotten by history, fight to prevent the next Calamity.

The Order of the Eye had spent centuries dismantling theocratic rule, forging oligarchies, toppling monarchs, and manipulating faiths, all in an attempt to control the cycle of war. Yet, after five devastating Calamities and endless bloodshed, the Scholars faced an undeniable truth. Their methods had failed.

From the ruins of the Fifth Calamity, they devised a new approach. Instead of political maneuvering and covert operations, they would shape Hadea's future through culture. By elevating the Carnival and the Week of Peace to sacred traditions, they ensured that every activation of the Eye of God coincided with enforced peace and festivity. In this way, they would control the people with minimal effort, letting Hadeans police themselves through custom and ritual.

For over a thousand years, this strategy worked. The Phol Guard, once the first and last line of defense against the horrors of the Calamities, became obsolete. The cost of maintaining soldiers, spies, and assassins was too great when no Calamities arose. The Phol Guard was ordered to disband with no more creatures to fight. But some refused.

- The Legacy of the Ancestral Order -

It is impossible to discuss the Vigil without first understanding the Phol Guard. These warriors left their mark on Hadea through ruins, artifacts, sacred sites, and ancient weapons, remnants of a bygone era when they alone stood between civilization and destruction. The Scholars saw danger in their own unchecked power. Despite their wisdom and detachment, they remained human, prone to patterns of corruption and arrogance. The Phol Guard, meanwhile, feared something far greater, the outside world. As foreign empires grew stronger and technology advanced, Hadea risked becoming a relic of the past, unable to defend itself from external threats.

Both saw danger. The Scholars feared internal collapse, while the Phol Guard feared invasion. The Phol Guard was given one final mission: to safeguard the Eye of God from all threats, foreign or domestic. But what that entailed remains a mystery. After the mission was completed and the Week of Peace was successful, the Scholars decided that the Phol Guard was no longer needed.

- The Unwavering Sentinels -

In 1513, the Order of the Eye disbanded the Phol Guard. Rumors swirled of executions, of warriors hunted down and eliminated. Many accepted their fate. But one man did not. His name was Pentos Algea, the last Warden of Grief.

Pentos Algea, the only Phol Guard general to escape execution, vanished into the shadows with a small force of loyalists. Determined to preserve their duty, these warriors formed a new secret order, the Vigil. They vowed to continue the watch in secrecy, training new generations in their ways. Without the vast resources of the Scholars, they relied on bloodline traditions, passing knowledge from parent to child, ensuring that at least some remained prepared for the next Calamity.

Pentos himself carried the last great secret of the Phol Guard, the Keystone of Grief. More than that, he knew the location of the First Forge. But when Pentos died unexpectedly, his secret died with him. The Vigil was now blind, left only with the mission but not the means to complete it. Their sole purpose became one desperate search for lost knowledge.

- The Search for the Lymbic Age -

The Purge of Knowledge, initiated by the Scholars, had left history fragmented, rewritten, and erased. The Vigil worked tirelessly to reclaim what had been lost, but the Order of the Eye continued its censorship, ensuring that the past remained buried. Yet history cannot be erased. Clues lingered, hidden in ruins, whispered in old stories, locked away in the Vaults of Forbidden Knowledge. For centuries, the Vigil found nothing of great significance. Morale waned. Membership declined. Their numbers dwindled.

By the 20th century, Hadea entered a new era of turmoil. Geryon Yankel's dictatorship crushed all forms of opposition. The Carnival and the Week of Peace were canceled. Civil war was on the horizon. The Vigil knew what this meant. They accelerated their search for answers. At long last, they found one.

- Expedition in the Yumal Caves -

A breakthrough came in one of the Order of the Eye's hidden Vaults. Inside, the Vigil discovered the diary of Orunwe Mateus, a high-ranking Phol Guard from centuries past. In its final pages, Orunwe detailed a mission into the Yumal Caves, led by General Cyrene, the Warden of Grief preceding Pentos Algea. The writings spoke of monsters lurking in the tunnels, similar to those faced in past Calamities. Even more tantalizing was that General Cyrene had hidden the Keystone of Grief deep within the caves.

The Vigil was determined to find it. For years, they searched for the location of the Yumal Caves. They might have failed, until fate intervened. In 1977, a group of children in Trisk was arrested for wielding an ancient glowing sword. The arresting officer, a Vigil agent, recognized it immediately. He demanded to know where they had found it. Their answer led him to a blocked stone doorway, carved into a cliffside. Above the entrance, barely visible after centuries of erosion, was a single sigil, the mark of Lady Marguerith. The Vigil had found the entrance to the Yumal Caves.

- The Watcher's Nest -

The expedition into the Yumal Caves was long, bloody, and costly. Creatures infested the tunnels, remnants of a surviving Timeloop from the Third Calamity. Years of combat and sacrifice followed before the Vigil reached its prize. In 1987, they found it, the Keystone of Grief. As they ascended back to the surface, they discovered something else, the remains of long-dead Phol Guards. Among the corpses, they uncovered a scroll revealing the location of the Watcher's Nest in the Vyssa Hills. The modern Vigil followed the lead. Inside the Watchers' Nest, they discovered fragments of history, cryptic texts, and one name that stood above all others, the First Forge.

- Searching for the First Forge -

The First Forge, the birthplace of the Phol Guard, became the Vigil's new obsession. They believed it held the remaining Keystone relics, lost secrets, and possibly a way to prevent future Calamities. But as their investigation gained momentum, Hadea erupted into chaos. Ethnic tensions, political instability, and civil war threatened to tear the nation apart. Then came the worst sign. The Carnival and the Week of Peace were canceled.

The Vigil knew what this meant. Another Calamity was coming. Desperate to find the First Forge before it was too late, they moved swiftly, and their members began to disappear.

- Desperate Times -

At first, they thought it was one of the warring factions capturing them. But the deaths were too precise. Too calculated. Someone had betrayed them. Before they were completely wiped out, the Vigil reached out to me. They wanted someone to tell the truth. They had nearly uncovered the final clue, Pentos Algea's coffin. It had been found only weeks prior. Inside was a final message that might have led them to the First Forge. But they never got the chance.

The last Vigils gathered in the Vyssa Hills for one final meeting. They walked into an ambush. Now, only one remains. I am working with him to stop the ongoing Calamity.

God help us.

Adder's Tear Oathstone
Item: Flower Medallion

Medallions like these have served since the founding of the Vigil to induct new members into the order. During the induction ceremony, they were held in the right hand while the recruit recited the sacred oath of the Vigil, itself based heavily on the original Phol Guard oath. To maintain secrecy, membership was limited to the close family, usually children, of existing members. The blue flower, Adder's Tear, became the symbol of the Vigil. It was chosen to remind members of their sacred duty in protecting what lies beneath the fields of Lake Cynon.

OMSIF Poison Syringe
Item: Syringe

This syringe is filled with a highly toxic compound developed by the Cerebrum Division of Operation Moloch. The compound is based on a hybrid of tetrodotoxin and a specially formulated Lymbic serum. The serum is added to act as a catalyst that enhances the neural-inhibitive properties and subsequently decomposes the toxin into its inert constituent elements. The nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen are absorbed by the vascular system, leaving no trace. The poison is used by OMSIF agents for high-profile assassinations when discretion is needed. A highly efficient killer.

Vigil Trial Candle
Item: Wrapped Candle

This candle once served in a recruitment trial for the Vigil. Around 1850 AD, after centuries of dwindling membership due to the strict family-only limitations, the Vigil finally opened recruitment to outsiders. Promising young prospects were scouted and approached to take part in the Vigil trial. The trial was meant to test the candidate's autonomy, vigilance, and resourcefulness. It involved the candidate being sent out into the wild with nothing but this candle. They were to return in one week's time, passing the trial only if their candle was still burning.

Orunwe's Journal
Item: Worn Journal

This journal belonged to Orunwe Mateus, a member of the Phol Guard. It was discovered in 1972 when the Vigil managed to open a Vault of Forbidden Knowledge for the first time. The journal outlines an expedition into the Yumal Caves in 1502 AD, led by General Cyrene, Warden of Grief. It contains a trove of information about the activities and organization of the Phol Guard of old. More importantly, it confirmed the existence of a sacred artifact hidden deep within the Yumal Caves. It was exactly the lead the Vigil needed to revitalize their languishing search.

Pentos's Poisoned Cup
Item: Bronze Cup

This cup belonged to Pentos Algea, Warden of Grief of the Phol Guard. Due to their belief that the Lymbic threat was largely contained, the Order of Eye decided to disband the Phol Guard in 1513 AD. The disbandment occurred in the form of a mass poisoning of its members at a grand feast hosted by the Order. Pentos had been harboring a growing distrust of the Order for some time. It was his last-minute trepidation that kept him from the feast. Having narrowly escaped betrayal at the hands of the Order, Pentos understood that the Phol Guard's purpose was now more crucial than ever. He would go on to found the Vigil, an organization dedicated to carrying on the Phol Guard's mission, away from the prying eyes of the Order. Traces of the poison used by the Order are still detectable inside the cup.

"For we are opposed around the world by a monolithic and ruthless conspiracy that relies primarily on covert means for expanding its sphere of influence on infiltration instead of invasion, on subversion instead of elections, on intimidation instead of free choice, on guerrillas by night instead of armies by day. It is a system which has conscripted vast human and material resources into the building of a tightly-knit, highly efficient machine that combines military, diplomatic, intelligence, economic, scientific and political operations. Its preparations are concealed, not published. Its mistakes are buried, not headlined. Its dissenters are silenced, not praised. No expenditure is questioned, no rumor is printed, no secret is revealed."John F. Kennedy, April 27th, 1961

Traditions, crafted by the Order of the Eye, were designed to suppress the cycle of violence that had plagued their people and keep the outside world oblivious to their secret. Still, time erodes even the most carefully laid foundations. The tensions between Palomists and Sabinians rose again, threatening to unravel the fragile peace. Meanwhile, the rest of the world was modernizing; industrializing, globalizing, and inevitably, turning its gaze toward the enigmatic nation.

The Scholars of the Order of the Eye had maintained Hadea's secrecy for centuries, but as technology, warfare, and communication advanced, they realized they could no longer keep the world out. Instead, they would have to bring someone in.

The Opening of Pandora's Box

The Scholars sought an ally within the Organized Nations (ON), the world's emerging diplomatic superstructure. They found their candidate in Caleb Cyprus, a respected ON mediator with deep connections to global powers. He had no allegiances, no extreme ideologies, just a sharp mind and a well-earned reputation for discretion.

Caleb saw their invitation as an unprecedented opportunity. A member state with no embassies, no trade agreements, and virtually no foreign presence was extending its hand. But what he found beneath Hadea's surface was beyond anything he could have imagined.

The Scholars brought him deep underground. They showed him centuries of hidden knowledge, records of forgotten wars, ancient weapons infused with unknown energies, and, most horrifying, the preserved remains of Hollow Walkers. He listened as the Scholars spoke of Timeloops, and the horrors of the past Calamities.

Caleb left Hadea a changed man, his mind reeling from the weight of this secret. The Scholars had hoped he would take their plight to the ON, securing scientific expertise and funding. Instead, Caleb reported everything to his true masters.

For years, Caleb Cyprus had served the interests of three of the most powerful families in the world: Frank Vanderlyn, Henry D. Ward, and Charles Dagon. These men, controlling global finance, oil, and weaponry, had orchestrated world events from the shadows for decades. Now, Caleb had handed them something beyond wealth or power. He had given them the key to unlocking forces older than human history.

The Men Behind the Curtain

By July 1946, the three men arrived in Hadea. Frank Vanderlyn was the heir to a dynasty of central banking titans, rumored to have orchestrated global financial crises for profit. Henry D. Ward, CEO of Prime Oil, wielded control over nearly half the world's fuel infrastructure. Charles Dagon, owner of Dagon Industries, had profited from both World Wars and played a direct role in the Manhattan Project.

They met with the Scholars on Hyde Island, deep within Hadea's restricted Lake Kilm. The Order of the Eye revealed everything, hoping these men would help secure the future. Instead, the three saw an opportunity to reshape the world.

The Ziel Council, an elite syndicate of industry titans, would work alongside the Scholars. But while the Order of the Eye sought to contain the Calamity, the Ziel Council had far grander ambitions. They saw the Eye as an experiment. What the Scholars considered a curse, the Ziel Council saw as a potential source of power, energy, and weapons.

Thus, Operation Moloch was born, a decades-long project designed to provoke a controlled Calamity and study its effects. The Order of the Eye was left in the dark.


In 1948, the Ziel Council established the Axiom, a vast and secretive organization divided into four major divisions.

- Cerebrum, led by Edwin Pierson, focuses on scientific research biology, chemistry, physics, and energy studies related to the Eye of God and the Timeloops.

- General Emerson oversees Manus, the military arm overseeing logistics and security, and the elite OMSIF soldier trained to counter Lymbic Entities.

- Oculus, headed by Joseph Donovan, is the intelligence division responsible for espionage, surveillance, and information control inside and outside Hadea.

- Aestus, operated by William Fleming, specializes in propaganda and psychological warfare. It is tasked with manipulating Hadea's political landscape and controlling the media.

Each division worked independently, without knowing the greater plan, ensuring no single group had all the pieces. Only the Ziel Council knew the full scope of Operation Moloch.


According to files retrieved from the Ziel Server, the blueprint for Operation Moloch was meticulous and spanning decades. Every phase was calculated, orchestrated, and most disturbingly, executed with unwavering precision. The phases that have already passed are terrifying in their implications. The phases yet to unfold? Even worse.

Phase 1: The Hermit State

The first step in the plan was absolute isolation. A change in government was essential, one that could single-handedly control the people and seal the country off from outside interference. The Order of the Eye and the Ziel Council sought a leader who could do just that.

The Making of a Tyrant

Geryon Yankel was an enigma. To the Palomists, he was a humble man of modest background. To the Sabinians, he was an intellectual and reformer. To the Order of the Eye and the Ziel Council, he was a useful puppet. A former head of palace security, Yankel was already accustomed to quelling unrest with an iron fist. More importantly, he had no deep loyalty to either ethnic group. He was the perfect blank slate.

The Ziel Council's propaganda arm, Aestus, worked tirelessly to shape Yankel's image. They carefully molded public sentiment and nudged the people toward political change through bribes, coercion, and propaganda.

By 1952, the stage was set.

The Staged Coup

Under cover of darkness, Yankel's forces stormed the royal palace. The royal guard never stood a chance. When the smoke cleared, the monarchs and their family were dead. The next day, Yankel stood before the people and declared himself the Republic of Hadea's president.

The transition was anything but smooth. Protests erupted. Resistance factions formed. The country teetered on the brink of chaos. It was precisely what the Ziel Council wanted.

Sealing the Borders

Between June and December 1953, the new government passed sweeping laws:

• Censorship: Every newspaper required government approval before publication.
  
• Travel Restrictions: Passports were revoked. Leaving or entering the country now required presidential authorization.
  
• Surveillance and Policing: The civilian police were transformed into a military branch. New "tattletale" programs rewarded citizens for turning in potential dissenters. Then came the physical barriers.

By March 1954, construction began along Hadea's borders. Walls, razor-wire fences, checkpoints, watchtowers, and minefields surrounded the nation like a vice grip. Millions of Darns (hadean currency) were poured into military expansion. The National Army swelled, military service became mandatory, and desertion became punishable by death.

By August 1957, the operation was complete. Hadea was officially a hermit state.

Phase 2: The Powder Keg

With the country locked down, it was time to prime it for destruction.

The Ziel Council believed that the population wasn't divided enough. To ensure maximum tension when the time came, they needed a more even distribution of Palomists and Sabinians across all provinces.

In 1959, Geryon Yankel addressed the nation, announcing his "Grand Vision of Unification". A relocation program was established, overseen by Axiom agents. Incentives were offered to encourage migration. Later, lotteries were introduced, forcibly relocating citizens to new regions. The changes planted the seeds of resentment. The old wounds of ethnic strife deepened.

In 1960, the Carnival and Week of Peace were celebrated. Hadeans had no idea they were celebrating for the last time.

Behind the scenes, the Axiom meticulously studied the Lymbic Invasions. They had one goal: to master the cycle. Their OMSIF soldiers trained relentlessly, preparing for the Calamity. By 1981, the Ziel Council decided the country was ripe for chaos. It was time to light the fuse.

Phase 3: Lighting the Fuse

With tensions bubbling just beneath the surface, the Ziel Council prepared their next move, the assassination of Geryon Yankel.

The Assassination

On June 26, 1982, Geryon Yankel was found dead at his private resort on Lake Cynon. The official cause was suicide. Unofficially? An Oculus hit squad made sure he never saw it coming. The nation spiraled into uncertainty.

The Grand Coalition

With the dictator gone, Hadea's four provinces gained autonomy, forming a fragile coalition government under the Ziel Council's watchful eye. But this was merely a waiting game.

Between 1982 and 1990, the Axiom pulled every string imaginable to keep Hadea on course. They manipulated the media, which was entirely under Ziel Council control. Hate speech, historical grievances, and propaganda ran rampant. The new government and its parliament were continuously sabotaged by blocking political agreements between the provinces. As parliament stagnated, so did the public's trust. Journalists, activists, and moderates were silenced through intimidation and in some cases assassinations.

The Sparks that Lit the Fuse

In March 1990, Pheneas Bizima, Umbrahan's governor, delivered an incendiary speech, demanding the return of the Illigad Valley. Riots broke out in Yvel, orchestrated by Axiom agent-provocateurs.

In April 1990, a bomb detonated in the Marastan Market. Dozens died. The Palomist Nationalists were blamed, igniting waves of violence. Tensions reached their breaking point.

By March 1991, Aargaula and Umbrahan had invaded Jehania. Asteria retaliated. The Hadean Civil War had begun. For two years, both sides committed unspeakable war crimes. While Hadeans watched in horror, the Ziel Council prepared for the real experiment.

Phase 4: Sacrificial Lamb

The war provided the perfect cover for the Ziel Council's desire for unrestricted access to the Sixth Calamity. In December 1992, OMSIF soldiers and Cerebrum scientists were deployed across Hadea to collect and secure the experiment.

Hadea was never meant to be saved. The Ziel Council's true goal was a controlled Lymbic Invasion to study it, harness its power, and exploit its potential unburdened by the moral qualms of the Order of the Eye. The millions of Hadeans caught in the chaos? Nothing more than collateral damage.

And the worst is yet to come. The last and final stage of Operation Moloch, called immolation, has not yet come to pass. I can only conclude that the Ziel Council intends to eliminate all the evidence and witnesses. I dare not want to know how they plan to execute this last phase.

- The Unleashed Chaos

After roaming in Hadea with my partner, we've noticed that the OMSIF and science outposts are in shambles. Did the Ziel Council not foresee the Calamity's scale and magnitude? The creatures were unpredictable, more than anticipated? The Timeloops expanded beyond control?

Everything I have read on the Ziel Server shows repeatedly that the Ziel Council and its Axiom were prepared. What happened?

Hadea is no longer an experiment.
It is a catastrophe, a crime against humanity.
And I'm confident that the Ziel Council feels fear for the very first time.

Centuries of fragile peace crumble as civil war engulfs the nation, leading to the deadliest Calamity yet.

The Order of the Eye had held Hadea together for centuries, ruling secretly through a puppet monarchy that relied on faith, culture, and censorship to maintain order. The Carnival and the Week of Peace played a crucial role, transforming the Eye of God and the Calamities into little more than religious metaphors. Through the Purge of Knowledge, the Scholars rewrote history, erasing nearly all evidence of past Lymbic Invasions, but there was one thing they could not control, the outside world.

New technologies from the World Wars made information spread faster than ever. The rise of the international press brought fresh scrutiny to Hadea, and tourists began flooding the country, drawn by its famed Carnival and Week of Peace. Keeping Hadea isolated became the Scholars' top priority. They needed a new political structure to protect the country from foreign influence.

- The New President -

In their search for a strongman leader, the Order of the Eye found Geryon Yankel, a military officer with no strong religious ties, making him appealing to both Sabinians and Palomists. A published author on political and military reforms, he was a well-known figure with experience in security and policing, and more importantly, he was without bias and ruthless.

The Scholars saw in Yankel a man who could bring stability, enforce isolation, and keep the outside world at bay. In 1952, backed by key military and political figures, Yankel launched a coup d'état, storming the royal palace and eradicating the monarchy overnight.

The next day, he declared himself President of the Republic of Hadea. Chaos erupted, but with the full backing of the Order of the Eye, Yankel crushed dissent and solidified his power.

- The Hermit State -

With absolute. control, President Yankel sealed Hadea off from the world. Tourism was banned. Foreign travel was restricted. Watchtowers, minefields, and military checkpoints turned Hadea into a prison-state.

A newly formed federal police force patrolled the streets with unchecked authority. Public gatherings, including worker unions, political assemblies, and even religious ceremonies, were outlawed. The press was nationalized, and all news was censored to prevent "inflammatory speech." Foreign films, plays, and books were banned.

Yankel's most controversial policy was the Grand Vision of Unification, a forced resettlement plan designed to mix Sabinian and Palomist populations in equal numbers across provinces. At first, financial incentives encouraged migration, but as numbers stagnated, the government resorted to force, using a lottery system to relocate families against their will. The policy deepened ethnic tensions instead of uniting the country.

Then, in 1980, without explanation, Yankel banned the Carnival and Week of Peace, the very traditions that had kept Hadea stable for centuries. It was the final straw. Sabinians and Palomists blamed each other for allowing a dictator to take power. Both sides plotted coups, but fate intervened before they could act. In spring 1982, President Geryon Yankel was found dead, a single gunshot to the temple. No one knew why. With their dictator gone, Hadea teetered on the brink of collapse.

- The Grand Coalition -

After Yankel's sudden death, the National Army imposed martial law, seizing control of every major city. A year of political infighting followed before Hadea's four provinces - Aargaula, Umbrahan, Jehania, and Asteria agreed to form a coalition government. Each province gained more autonomy, and power was divided among four governors.

For four years, the Grand Coalition struggled to govern. Ethnic and territorial disputes stalled any progress. Umbrahan demanded control of the Illigad Valley, a holy site for Palomists. Asteria wanted its southern lands back from Umbrahan. Jehania flirted with independence. As tensions escalated, each province seized control of its media. Journalists who resisted were fired, imprisoned, or disappeared.

By 1987, propaganda dominated the airwaves, fueling ethnic hatred. Palomist-controlled media accused Jehania and Asteria of being "anti-Palomist." Sabinian media fired back, calling Palomists oppressors and extremists. The result was a population primed for war.

- The Seeds of War -

By 1990, Hadea was unraveling. Ethnic violence, protests, and terror attacks were becoming common. In early 1990, Umbrahan politician Pheneas Bizima delivered a fiery speech in the Illigad Valley, declaring that Sethyris would save the Palomists. Hours later, a Palomist mob rampaged through the nearby city of Yvel, burning Sabinian businesses and homes.

The Yvel police, mostly Palomist, stood by and watched. When Sabinian officers finally intervened, they opened fire on the crowd, spilling Palomist blood in the streets. The event shocked the nation. A few months later, a Palomist extremist group bombed the Marastan farmer's market, killing dozens.

In response, Sabinians in Marastan called for a referendum to secede and join a growingly independent Jehania. Aargaulan nationalists retaliated by terrorizing voters, severing their hands to prevent them from casting ballots. These men would later form the Deimos Division, a Palomist death squad. In 1990, Jehania formally declared independence.

- The Civil War Begins -

The Hadean Civil War officially began in March 1990. Aargaula invaded Jehania, reclaiming lands annexed during the dictatorship. The Deimos Division followed, leaving a trail of massacres. Umbrahan launched an offensive, capturing the Illigad Valley.

Asteria, foreseeing the invasion, counterattacked swiftly capturing Umbrahan's oil fields, crippling its war effort. By 1992, the Palomists had captured the capital, Loblina, and laid siege to Lethe. In December 1992, the ON peacekeeping forces withdrew. Only a few stayed behind, refusing to abandon the mission.

Then, on January 1st, 1993, Timeloops appeared, trapping moments of war in endless repetition. Then came the creatures. The Sixth Calamity had begun.

Box of Bronze Acorns
Item: Box of Bronze Acorns.

This box contains hundreds of bronze acorns likely taken from Palomist civilians. The acorn is an object of great spiritual significance for the Palomist faith. It has come to symbolize traditional values such as community, faith, responsibility. It is the fruit of the Hazel Pine tree, which is prevalent all over Hadea and a fixture of the Week of Peace celebrations. The acorn is always carried on one's person. Most would attach it to a keychain or purse string, or simply loose in a pocket. In ages past, Palomists would carry organic acorns plucked directly from a Hazel Pine. In the modern age, imitation acorns are cast in bronze to improve durability, though many staunch traditionalists still carry natural acorns.

Yvel Massacre Ribbon
Item: Memorial Ribbon

This ribbon is worn by Palomist citizens in remembrance of the Illigad Pilgrimage Massacre. Following the events of Pheneas Bizima's speech in Yvel that left the city in ruins and hundreds of Palomist rioters dead, all of Hadea was on edge as they struggled with the aftermath. News media covered the events in drastically different ways, with Sabinian sources calling it the Pilgrim Riots, and Palomist sources calling it the Illigad Pilgrimage Massacre. It only served to further divide the already fractured nation and incite tensions to all-time highs. In the months that followed, the simple act of wearing the ribbon was considered an instigation to violence as fights would regularly break out at the mere sight of it.

Pamphlet of Banned Celebrations
Item: Pamphlet

This pamphlet was produced by the state in 1980 to inform the public at large about the ban on the beloved traditions of Carnival and Week of Peace. These events had been a part of Hadean culture for over a thousand years. Suddenly and without warning, President Geryon Yankel would outlaw all forms of the dual celebration. The justification of the ban was given as a bid to unite the country; the celebrations were blamed for increasing ethnic tensions. The people were understandably upset, but after decades of state oppression, no one dared protest.

Jehanian Referendum Ballot
Item: Ballot

This unmarked ballot is from the Jehanian Referendum of September 1990. In the wake of the Marastan market bombing and after years of propaganda campaigns extolling Sabinian nationalism, discontentment was at an all-time high in the province of Jehania. Jehanian authorities reached out to the Organized Nations to oversee a referendum on Jehanian sovereignty. The vote turned out overwhelmingly in favor of statehood. Jehania officially declared its independence shortly after the vote. Aargaula would invade Jehania just a few months later, as civil war erupted across all of Hadea. Jehania would once again be swept up in Hadean affairs before it had a chance to truly separate.

Sabinian Relocation Lottery
Item: Marked Door Polaroid

This picture was taken of a Sabinian household marked for relocation. From the onset of the war, the High Command of the Asterian Armed Forces's plan involved the annexation and mass displacement of Palomist communities to make room for Sabinian colonists to move in and reclaim the conquered territories. The AAF swept across Umbrahan in the early weeks of the war, "liberating" towns and forcefully relocating, or worse, their Palomist populations. Sabinian families would be brought in to fill the vacant homes. A popular method of selecting the affected families involved authorities leaving a painted mark on random doors in Sabinian towns. Marked households needed to be ready to relocate within 3 days time to their newly assigned homes.

Silleni Prison Manifest
Item: Prison Manifest

Notes: This is a page from the prisoner manifest of the Silleni Prison located in north-western Aargaula. Silleni was a purpose-built PTACC (Prison for Tribal and Culture Crimes against the state). Throughout the 1960's, President Geryon Yankel's crackdown on free speech continued unabated. After the systematic dismantling of the country's criminal justice system, citizens could be indicted on hearsay alone, forgoing burden of proof. Combined with a broad and loose interpretation of the remaining criminal law code, virtually anyone could be found guilty of any crime at any time.. Makeshift prison camps were erected across the country to handle the expected influx of prisoners. The first wave of arrests was made as a show of force. Many of the "crimes" were exaggerated or flat-out fabricated. Reports of what transpired within the camps were intentionally leaked by authorities. They relied on the mere spectre of the camps to act as a strong deterrent for unwanted behavior.

Pheneas Bizima's Speech
Item: Burnt Notes

Notes: This is a copy of the speech given by Pheneas Bizima in Yvel in March 1990. Bizima, a firebrand politician from Umbrahan, addressed the Palomist masses gathered for the Holy pilgrimage to the Grand Temple of Palom in the Illigad Valley. The speech contained extensive anti-Sabinian rhetoric as well as a radical call to return the Illigad Valley to Palomist hands. The crowd became incensed and flooded into the streets of the city, looting and burning Sabinian stores and homes. The crackdown from the local Sabinian police forces was swift and brutal. The riot was dispersed by nightfall, but hundreds lay dead in the streets.

Operation Parallel Map
Item: Provincial Border Map

This map outlines plans to redistribute populations within Hadea. Over the country's long history of warfare, provincial borders had shifted a great deal. In the early 60s, Geryon Yankel proposed return these conquered territories to their de jure holders. It was the first step in the to unification plan known as Operation Parallel. The government would subsequently offer tax breaks and other incentives to help bolster minority populations. Later, a lottery system was put in place to select families for forced displacement. The ultimate objective was to ensure an even distribution of ethnicities across Hadea.

Operation Bastion Map
Item: Hadean Border Map

This map shows the organization and planning behind "Operation Bastion", the goal of which was to physically close off Hadea from the outside world. The operation was born of the isolationist policies enacted by Geryon Yankel in the mid 50s. Reinforced border crossings, watchtowers, walls and barbed wire were erected almost overnight. Citizens were no longer allowed to leave the country, and foreigners would not be allowed in. Tourism was completely halted. Operation Bastion was a resounding success according to its mission statement. For the population however, it came as a shock and would mark the beginning of a swift slide into authoritarianism.