Atlantic Roleplay Community Boards Forum Index Atlantic Roleplay Community Boards
Roleplay Community Forums for the Atlantic Shard

FAQFAQ SearchSearch CalendarCalendar LinksLinks WikiWiki  RegisterRegister
RulesBoard Rules MemberlistMemberlist UsergroupsUsergroups RSS FeedRSS Feed PortalPortal 
  ProfileProfile Log in to check your private messagesMessages Log inLog in

The History of Sanctus

Post new topic Reply to topic Atlantic Roleplay Community Boards Forum Index -> General Discussion
View previous topic :: View next topic
Author Message
Langois
Journeyman
Journeyman


Joined: 25 Mar 2008
Posts: 136
Location: Oklahoma

PostPosted: Fri Sep 21, 2018 12:31 pm Post subject: The History of Sanctus Reply with quote

I was strolling through some of my old emails that I've sent and found this from ten years ago. I'm not sure who I got it from, probably Dav.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The History of Sanctus




Chapter I: The Schism of Stormhaven


"So many great nobles, things, administrations,
So many high chieftains, so many brave nations,
So many proud princes, and power so splendid.
In a moment, a twinkling, all utterly ended."

~Jacob De Benedictus, De Contemptu Mundi
Italian Monk, circa 1306


Stories are still told of the legendary Kingdom of Stormhaven, its feats and achievements passed down from generation to generation, her heroes emulated by children across Sosaria.

The Kingdom of Sanctus has its roots in the ancient Kingdom of Stormhaven , and that is where the story shall begin.

Nestled along the southern reaches of the Serpent’s Spine mountains, south of the city of Britan , sat the heart of Stormhaven. In the green forests and fertile fields of this land, legends and heroes were born.

At its peak, Stormhaven was the largest bastion of light since the fall of Lord British’s Kingdom. It’s symbol was that of the gryphon, and its colors crimson and white. The Kingdom was ruled by Queen Shantel Moon, and her young husband, Lord Talon Skyfire of Trinsic.

For many years, Stormhaven fought the enemies of Virtue, including the Ebon Skull, Stormreaver Orcs, and Moonglow Town Council. The accomplishments and history of Stormhaven cannot be justified by these few passages. The lore of Stormhaven is enough to fill volumes in and of itself.

Several of its heroes included: Ragnar Teach, Cyrus the Holy, Eldred Jonas, Tay M’Real, James M’Real, Varlan M’Real, DukeArcher, Charles and Alizia Everblue, Zarlox Skyfire, Magius Darkstar, Spawn Skyfire, William, Bailos, Dol’Gorath, Thomas DeRock, Morus McStravick, Kinna Knyghthawk, Alan Drogo, Eisernez Cruz, Quinten Malos, Baron Mordegan, Sharic, Kronos, and Janus Kethinov.

These are but a few of the many heroes of Stormhaven. Time, as it does with all things, had faded the names and faces from memory.

The events that led to the fracture of Stormhaven began with the Queen and King. Lord Skyfire came to the Kingdom in its early stages. After proving his prowess on the field in tournament and battle, he was named a Prince of the Kingdom and Lord Commander of the armies of Stormhaven. For many years, the armies of Stormhaven won countless victories against the forces of darkness.

As expected, a political marriage between the Queen and Lord Skyfire was arranged, which bore two sons, Alderac and Kainen Skyfire. The marriage of Shantel and Talon was one of convenience and politics. The relationship was cold and formal.

With the passage of time, the disagreements between the King and Queen concerning the direction of the Kingdom became more heated and intense. Secretly, the Queen staged a coup to oust the King, beginning with the murder of the Princes, to be followed by a mutiny of Knights loyal to her.

The Princes of Stormhaven were sent by way of an under armed escort through the forests enroute to the local Moongate. It was there that the Stormreaver Orcs ambushed the escort and killed the princes, or so it was thought. Years later, it would be revealed that Prince Kainen was alive and well, rescued at the hands of the elves during the confusion of battle.

This event sparked a powder keg that fractured the Kingdom in half: those loyal to the Queen, and those loyal to the King. Fortunately, civil war was averted when the King abdicated his crown and chose exile with his loyalists.

The exiles journeyed to the southern city of Trinsic , seat of House Skyfire. For a time, they carried the banner of the true Stormguards of Stormhaven. After much reflection and thought, they abandoned their former colors and chose to forge a new destiny of their own.

The great schism of Stormhaven proved to be the death knell of the once glorious Kingdom. The Queen fled the lands to parts unknown, and many great men tried to hold what remained of the Kingdom together, with little success.

The time of Stormhaven had come to an end; its legacy now but faded memories and crumbled ruins of a once glorious period of history.

Chapter II: The Britannian Exodus

"Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou stand is holy ground"
The Book of Exodus. Chapter III, Verse V.

The Stormhaven exiles’ time in Trinsic dragged on for months. There they trained and planned in preparation for the very uncertain future that awaited them.

Among the loyalists who remained with Lord Talon Skyfire were the following: Zarlox Skyfire, Spawn Skyfire, Eldred Jonas, Quinten Malos, Baron Mordegan, James M’real, Sharic, Kronos, Janus Kethinov, William, Bailos, Thomas DeRock, Dol’Gorath, Kinna Knyghthawk, Nothus Victor, Darktrais, and Alan Drogo.

Rumors abounded of a new land strangely different than their native Britannia; a new facet of Sosaria which was largely uninhabited. A meeting of the exiles was held to discuss this latest news. The group collectively agreed to explore this new world and perhaps find a home for themselves. It was decided that it was time to leave the corruption of the Trammel governments and forge a new way of life in the name of the light and the Virtues.

The group packed their belongings and bid their fond goodbyes to their native homeland. With the light of the setting sun, they entered they entered the Trinsic Moongate.

The loyalists arrived in the city of Luna in northern Malas. The new world was alien and strange to them, having no sea but an endless void of stars. The government of Luna was hospitable and friendly to the newcomers, and quickly a friendship was formed. The Lunans provided the loyalists with the equipment and information needed to explore the new world. They warned of a city of great evil in the southwestern reaches of the land. Exploration parties were formed and the group set out to stake their claim on the new world.

The King led a group of loyalists into the southern continent of Malas, where they were set upon by orcs and the undead. Outnumbered and far from aid, the group fled back through the cave system and made their stand. The white marble rocks of the cave proved a suitable barricade, and the warriors managed to hold the forces of evil at bay.

After the battle, Lord Talon spoke while looking at the white marble barricade:

“Here we will build. We will be the white gate that holds the forces of darkness at bay, as this barricade did today. Sanctus, the holy city, shall be our name. “Honor & Valor”, our mantra.”

Construction began immediately on a great Castle….Castle Blackgard, the heart of Sanctus. The fortification would prove itself to be one of the most effective fortifications in the history of warfare, never once falling to an enemy.

Soon thereafter, homes, halls, and buildings of all sorts started springing up around the region.

When construction was completed, all gathered round Castle Blackgard to watch the raising of the flag. As the banner of House Skyfire and now Sanctus, a great golden dragon on a field of black, rose above the parapets, the people felt a renewed sense of spirit and hope for the future.

However, peace was not a luxury they would enjoy for long. Other Britannians had started colonizing this new land; not all of them with the same noble intentions.

Chapter III: Hegemony


“There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct or more uncertain in its success than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things.”

~ Niccolo Machiavelli Italian writer and statesman, Florentine patriot, author of 'The Prince', 1469-1527


The infancy of Sanctus was short-lived. The quiet military city experienced remarkable growth in a short period of time, as more and more Britannians disgusted with the state of their homeland and governments made the journey to Malas. Those that were seeking a Spartan and pious lifestyle were immediately attracted to the city of Sanctus and its highly pious, martial, and structured atmosphere.

The ranks of the Sanctus military swelled tremendously, forming into the original four divisions:

The Border Legion formed under Lord Baron Mordegan, becoming the backbone and mailed fist of Sanctus’s power.

The Magnus Arcani, devoted to the legitimate study of magic which had been defiled by the Moonglow Town Council under Lord Greypawn’s reign. Lord Magius Darkstar became the first Archon of this order. The Arcani were fanatically determined to eradicate the practice of necromancy, which was viewed as an abomination and staunchly against the teachings of Virtue.

The Law Enforcement Division formed under the command of Lord Chief Justice Spawn Skyfire, dedicated to preserving the civil peace in the rapidly-growing city.

Finally, the Paladins of Sanctus formed under Lord James M’real; fanatical zealots who dedicated their entire lives to the manifestation of Virtue and destruction of evil.

Lord Talon Skyfire, abandoning the styling of his royal past, adopted the more martial title of Lord Commander of Sanctus. His brother and friend, Lord Zarlox Skyfire, took the mantle of First Knight and Commander of the Armies of Sanctus.

The lands of Malas were quickly filling. Lady Molly and the House of the Gauntlet, old friends of the residents of Sanctus, took ownership of Luna and the northern continent of Malas.

News soon arrived that the Order of the Ebon Skull supported by the Stormreaver Orcs, the eternal enemies of the Sanctians had taken control of Umbra and its surrounding lands,

Other evil groups began sprouting up, such as the Brotherhood of the Hand led by Lord Baeleron and his nearly undefeatable daemon lord, Tarothin (Also know as Cloudster.)

Unaffiliated groups also sat up shop, such as the Black Dog Mercenary Company led by the half-ogre Arlin. The Black Dogs would prove to be a wildcard in the coming conflicts; constantly switching sides as more generous offers were made.

All of Sosaria remained polarized after the Battles of Stonegate and the Siege of Britan many years before. Lord Isk of Magincia has written several volumes which cover these events in staunch detail. They are a must read to better understand the events covered in the history of Sanctus.

During the aforementioned battles, the Kingdom of Sanctus forged a grand alliance of lightbringers with the Regency under Dayael Stormcrow and Kronos as well as other lightbringer forces. Adversely, the Order of the Ebon Skull had formed a huge alliance of evil with the Stormreaver Orcs, Brotherhood of the Hand, the Dark Order, and other followers of darkness.

The Sanctans honored the alliance after founding their own nation. By this point, the city of Sanctus had developed into a full-fledged political and military superpower. Soon after, there was no more room for expansion. This led to a battle of wits between the forces of light and the forces of darkness for the hearts and minds of the people. Consequently, all of Sosaria was plunged into a new era of total war.

It began with the siege of Yew by the Stormreaver orcs and their allies. This event pulled the strings of the interweaving alliances, and the entire world was soon embroiled in the conflict.

The Stormreavers were ultimately successful, capturing the city of Yew for a short period. Their victory came with a heavy price…the death of their most brilliant leader, Chief Grishnak.

The counter-attack by the lightbringers shattered the Stormreaver tribe. Without the leadership of Chief Grishnak, the orcs melted away into the woods. The Stormreavers would not be seen again for many years when a new warboss, Gorgon, reformed the clan.

The Regency had carried the brunt of the burden on the Britannian front, supported by the Sanctans and other Malas forces. With the forces in Britannia spent, the remainder of the war would be fought in Malas.

The culmination of the war occurred at the Battle of Umbra. The forces of Sanctus and her allies marched on the dark city in a last ditch effort to halt the advance of the Ebon Skull and their dark alliance.

The two armies met on the plains of the southern continent outside of the caves system marking the border of Sanctus and Umbra. Battle was joined, and the fighting lasted the entire day and into the evening.

Both sides sustained massive casualties, effectively destroying both armies. Subsequently, Lord Talon Skyfire was separated from the main body and engaged in combat with the Lich Lord of the Ebon Skull and several of his most powerful servants. As a result, the leader of Sanctus was caught off-guard and banished into the Stygian Abyss for many years.

The Battle of Umbra had broken the back of both forces. The survivors of each side limped back to their lands, disheartened. Neither side had achieved victory, and the consequences would be great.

The failure sparked unrest within the Ebon Skull, which began a chain of events that would lead to the dissolution of the evil order for the second and “final” time.

The Sanctans drank from a similar cup. The severe losses had crippled the military power of the town. Defenseless and without a head, the city was overcome by the Dark Lord Bailos and occupied for many years. The dream that was Sanctus had seemingly come to an end much in the same fashion as the Kingdom of Stormhaven from whence they came.

Chapter IV: Coming Soon!

Chapter V: The Kingdom of Sanctus

“All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, a light from the shadows shall spring; renewed shall be blade that was broken, the crownless again shall be king.”

~~J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

Sanctus had suffered tremendously under the reign of the Dark Lord Bailos. The once mighty city was now but a shadow of it’s former self. Most of the citizens had fled, were dead, or enslaved by the necromantic magics of the occupiers.

A valiant few, such as Baron Mordegan, Zarlox Skyfire, Spawn Skyfire, Sadira Reflov, Morus McStravick, Gailan, James M’real, and Mallory Rowdep managed to shake off the shackles of oppression and drive the dark lord out of Sanctus.

The spell that had imprisoned Lord Talon in the abyss was broken once the dark lord lost control of Sanctus. The remaining citizens decided to begin researching into their Lords disappearance, as it was not know what had happened to him during the battle. Was he dead, imprisoned, hostage, or worse?

The answers would come with the arrival of strangers, the first being an elderly blind man prophesying of the Dragon reborn. The seer informed them they would need the effects of the fallen Lord, the holy sword Ice, the blood of his son, and the chosen one to perform the rites.

Soon thereafter, a young half elven child wandered into town one evening. After careful inspection, it was found that the child was the only living son of Talon…Prince Kainen Skyfire. Indeed, he had not been slaughtered during the Stormhaven coup. He was carefully hidden away and raised on the isle of Tokuno by the elves and Emperor Tai Kwan Leap, who trained him in the arts of magic, courtesies, and the ways of the Ninja and Samurai. The blood of the dragon was now procured. Progress was being made.

A few days later, a group of foresters encountered a beautiful fey in the forest. She claimed visions of a great dragon and had felt the calling to come to Sanctus. The citizens believed this woman to be the chosen one who would perform the rites.

The pieces of the puzzle were now falling into place. Lord James M’real had collected the Lord’s armor from the battlefield where he had disappeared. The only remaining piece of the puzzle was the holy sword, Ice. No trace of the sword had been found on the battlefield. Lord Talon himself would provide the final clue when his shade appeared one night on the streets of Sanctus. In the few seconds he was there, he dropped a small Ebon Skull onto the ground.

A search party was sent to the ruins of Caina, now long unoccupied by its former masters. The holy sword Ice was found in what was left of the great chamber that houses the well of souls.

With all the pieces in place, the fey Said he and eight of the most virtuous people in Sosaria set out for the shrine of Honor, Lord Talon’s patron virtue. There, a great ceremony took place, releasing a frightening amount of holy magics. As the noise and light faded, Lord Talon Skyfire stood in his golden armor with Ice in his hand.
The grey streaks had all but disappeared from his hair, and his face looked much younger than the one hundred plus years of age he had lived. The Lord of Sanctus humbly thanked those present for their efforts to free him from the Abyss.

Time passed, and Sanctus slowly recovered from the wounds sustained under Lord Bailos’s reign of terror. The people saw fit to crown Lord Talon a King once more, and he shortly thereafter married the fey, Said he, and crowned her Queen of Sanctus.

Two new heirs were born and received with great enthusiasm: Prince Cyrus Skyfire and Princess Desera Skyfire.

Sanctus had been given a new lease on life thanks to the valiant few who endured during the darkest hours in the nation’s history.

Peace, as it so often does, would not last long.

Chapter VI: Ties that Bind


“There’s daggers in men’s smiles”

~William Shakespeare, MacBeth Act II: Scene III


“Men should be either treated generously or destroyed, because they take revenge for slight injuries - for heavy ones they cannot”

~Niccolo Machiavelli (Italian writer and statesman, Florentine patriot, author of 'The Prince', 1469-1527)


In the time since the King’s return to Sosaria, Sanctus was a nation experiencing flux and change. The nation was slowly and steadily rebuilding itself in an effort to rise to its former prominence.

The rebuilding phase was marked with the departure of a few the old guards, such as Baron Mordegan, and the return of former officers such as Lord James M’Real and Lord Morus McStravick.

Over time, the Kingdom regained its strength and resumed its place as one of the major world powers of Sosaria.

This period would hold significant political changes for the Kingdom and the world.

The troubles began with Sanctus’s longtime allies, the Regency. Sanctus itself had grown far more puritan and fanatical in its beliefs of Virtue and Light, while the Regency had become very liberal on who it allowed at Council.

The conflict would center around the island City of Moonglow , the historical seat of power for the Moonglow Town Council, which had disbanded years before.

The Sanctans were very uncomfortable with the Regency’s decision to allow a known necromancer, Lord Barl, to hold office in their government. In Sanctus’s eyes, an organization founded on principles of light and Virtue had been corrupted by the same forces which it was created to stand against.

Placing a necromancer in power, in addition to the emplacement of a true ruling Council of Britannia by Lord British’s officials, illegitimated the entirety of the Regency to Sanctus. On the other hand, Sanctus’ frequent burning of necromancers appalled some Regent nobles. The great alliance of light was over. The two nations who once stood beside one another through the darkest times in history, were divided. Conflict was inevitable.

The isle of Moonglow was largely unoccupied, save for a small band of foreigners by the name Yakuza. It was at this time a promising man by the name of Lord Fong initiated contact with the Sanctans in hopes of restoring the Moonglow Town Council.

With the tensions between the Regency and Sanctus building, Sanctus agreed to help him. Although many of the Sanctians had fought at Stonegate against the then nefarious Moonglow Town Council under Lord Greypawn, they hoped the new regime would usher in an era of Virtue and prosperity for Moonglow.

Sanctus forces set sail from their port of Cove , which was under the control of their vassal, Lord Adin Blackwind. The city of Moonglow was occupied by Fong’s loyalists and the forces of Sanctus while the new government began setting its roots.

The Regency, as expected, was enraged by this maneuver. As a direct slap in the face of Sanctus, then Regent Lia L appointed Lord Barl as their Mayor of Moonglow and backed the Yakuza. War was on the horizon.

Lord Fong’s regime grew much quicker than anyone anticipated. War almost erupted as the Regency deployed its forces on the west coast of the island. The two sides met on the field late one evening, ready for battle. At the last moment, the Regency abdicated the field and returned to Serpents Hold. Moonglow was now firmly under the control of Lord Fong’s forces. Now that MTC was capable of defending itself, Sanctus withdrew back to its own lands.

Due to internal strife within the Regency following these events, Regent Lia L resigned from her position. Lord Porthos of the Steel Scorpions was elected as the next regent. Lord Porthos was a firebrand for anti-Sanctus members of the Regency. His ascension sparked a chain of events that would plunge Sanctus-Regency relations to their all time low.

The world at large was a quiet place following the Moonglow confrontation. Sanctus saw an exodus of a few senior officers and the Regency further fragmented with the withdraw of its longtime advocate, Lord Isk of Magincia.

Two key events would lead Sanctus back to war much sooner than anticipated. Umbra, their old enemies to the east, was experiencing a boom under the reign of their new leader, Matriarch Ceinwyn ab’Arawn. The new Umbra regime was much more civil than the city’s former Ebon Skull masters, which led to an extremely fragile peace between Sanctus and Umbra for the first time in history.

It was at this time that large amounts of the substance known as Blackrock began surfacing in Sosaria, with especially large amounts being found in Moonglow. The new leaders of Moonglow were corrupted by the influence of the rock, and launched an attack on Sanctus. This led to a bitter war, which as the time of this writing, has reached no resolution. Hostilities were further escalated when the Umbrans entered the war on the side of Moonglow after a claim that some of Sanctus’s more fanatical members had attacked them.

The war dragged on for months, until finally all sides had worn themselves down. An unplanned armistice finally silenced the sounds of battle, although no peace terms were agreed upon.

An old threat had arisen in the lands of Trammel. What remained of the Ebon Skull, Sanctus arch-nemisis, had reformed under the banner of The Damned. The Lich Lord Darrien Church and Daemon Lord Beleth had formed positive relations with the Umbrans. This relationship would be short lived, as they quickly became competing shepherds for the same flock.

Sosaria was plunged into a three-way conflict, with Sanctus and the Royal Court , Umbra and its Moonglow allies, and the Damned vying for supremacy, each sworn enemies of all. Following tradition, the Regency shrugged its shoulders indifferently to events taking place outside the walls of its council chambers.

Duchess Molly Kalhdel of the Royal Court took this opportunity to attempt reconciliation of Sanctus and the Regency. The three leaders began talks, which only lead to further frustration and widening of the ideological gap. No resolution was achieved, except for a confirmation of the two nation’s contempt for one another. The great alliance of light would not be mended.

However, the Royal Court and Sanctus had taken steps to further solidify their alliance through treaties and acts of friendship. The Regency, concerned with its two rivals becoming closer, withdrew its loyalists from the Royal Court in protest.

At the time of this writing, the majority of the world remains deadlocked in a war with no end in sight. Sanctus herself is experiencing a massive boom in population and prosperity unseen anywhere in its previous history.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:
Post new topic Reply to topic Atlantic Roleplay Community Boards Forum Index -> General Discussion All times are GMT - 4 Hours
Page 1 of 1

Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Ultima Online, ORIGIN, and the Ultima Online and ORIGIN logos are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. Game content and materials copyright 1997-2020 Electronic Arts Inc. All rights reserved.