Chapter 13: Appendix: A Timeline

All the Serpents in the SkyWords: 6234

Compiled by Quillkeeper Penrose, Church of Aluna, for Grand Cleric Jadea Coralglass in 1135, Summer

1080 - King Carlon of the Dawnland Dominion approaches Prince Everett Skyfawn to negotiate access to our coastal ports. The Church of Aluna cautions the Prince against this, as the Dawnland Dominion is a recent convert to the Welded "religion" of the south, and many kingdoms so infected by this "faith" exhibit evangelical and expansionist behavior. Seeking fresh profit, Prince Skyfawn continues negotiations anyway. The Treaty of the Ports is written.

1085 - Incompetent at sea, King Harald's advisors claim their goods are becoming lost on the coast and demand to send more troops to protect their shipments from "pirates." Often unsuccessful, Dawnland "Knights" resort to taking spoils, often violently, from Tidelander communities to make up for their losses.

In confident looping script: Peace, Penrose. Add to the record that many Tidelander lords felt perfectly justified in raiding the newcomers.

1100 - King Carlon dies, and his son, King Harald, a fervent adherent of the Welded church, takes the throne. In the meantime, on the coast, your niece, Selida, is born to Lord Valerian and Lady Frances Coralglass.

In confident, looping script: I— see my notes below.

1104 - King Harald, flush with the conquest and conversion of his eastern neighbors, invades the Tidelands in earnest. The Tideland Princes unite to drive him back but lose the Grand Temple of Aluna on the coast.

1105 - A son, Laurence, is born to Lord Lord Coralglass. Tragically, Lady Frances passes in childbed.

1108 - The Dawnlanders press south down the coast. Lord Lydris Magnus, a promising Dawnlander architect, is gifted the ruins of the Grand Temple and the lands around it in exchange for his valor in battle. He elevates his squire, Garret Aegison, to knighthood.

1111 - Wyvernsvow Keep is completed. Fighting on the coast takes a tremendous toll on both sides. Prince Skyfawn's heir and eldest son is killed in battle, throwing the Tidelander alliance in jeopardy. Lord Magnus invites Prince Skyfawn, Lord (now General) Coralglass, and other Tidelander lords to Wyvernsvow for peace talks. Lord Coralglass brings his children, Selida, age eleven, and Laurence, age six. Prince Skyfawn brings his eldest daughter, Princess Emmeline, age sixteen.

1112 - The peace talks fail and war breaks out. Again.

1113 - On the other side of the continent, on the northern border of the Dawnlands, Lord Whitepeak of Wintersend, his lady, and many of their retainers perish in an avalanche. The tragedy is blamed on the troll people beyond Dominion's border. Their heir, a mere child of eight, Kahldar, is too young to rule the province. His uncle becomes his regent.

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1115 - Prince Skyfawn dies in battle. Unable to rally the fracturing coastal lords alone, Princess Emmeline declares her marriage to Lord Lydris Magnus. Aluna's law against making war on one's relatives prevents further immediate bloodshed. The Treaty of Wyvernsvow formalizes the ceasefire and specifies that in exchange for adopting the secular laws and taxes of the Dawnlander Dominion, the Welded Church, the predominant religion of the Dawnlands, may not send Clerics to preach or practice in the territories that were once the independent Tidelands. This preserves the independence of the Church of Aluna, instead of forcing Tidelanders to accept Aluna as a mere aspect of their goddess Era. Dissidents who feel the treaty is effectively a surrender attempt to abduct Princess Emmeline via the caves under Wyversvow. They fail.

In looping script: Call it what it is. We surrendered.

1116 - The new laws immediately impoverish the already-depleted treasuries of the Tidelander Princes and Lords, including Lord Coralglass and his heir. Laurence.

1117 - In order to encourage our two cultures to bind into one and to ameliorate widespread discontent with taxation, King Harald creates a dowry purse against which Dawnlander lords can draw when offering for Tidelander brides. Lady Selida Coralglass receives an offer of marriage from a Dawnlander but he withdraws his suit under mysterious circumstances. Lady Emmeline has the first of her three stillborn children.

1118 - You formally accept Lady Selida into the Church of Aluna.

1120 - Lord Coralglass attempts a rebellion. He is slain in combat. His lands are possessed, and Lawrence is exiled and reported killed while raiding the coast.

1122 - Lady Selida begins to minister up and down the coast. This same year, Ser Kahldar Whitepeak, newly knighted at eighteen, is sent by King Harald to serve in the Tidelands. His Uncle is sworn in as the new Lord of Wintersend.

1125 - The coastal peasants' revolt is decisively smothered. The penalty for minor secular infractions, such as theft and fisticuffs, is increased to public flogging and one year's imprisonment.

1129 - Lady Emmeline and Lord Magnus's prayers are answered as Young Lydris is born, a miracle (late) child, almost fifteen years into their alliance.

1130 - Stories about The Fox, a mysterious folk hero of the Tidelands who raids Dawlanders of their treasure and who frees wrongfully imprisoned Tidelanders, start appearing.

1131 - Ser Kahldar, now twenty-seven, comes to Wyvernsvow and is sworn to Lord Lydris Magnus Sr.

1133 - Our cleric shortage grows more acute. Lady Selida's annual circuit is expanded to include Wyvernsvow Keep.

1134 - Lord Lydris Magnus perishes in a hunting accident.

1135 - Current year - Young Lord Lydris discovers the lost cache of the Grand Temple of Aluna. The Fox gathers his men to take it back.

Appended to the bottom, in confident, looping script: Penrose, I asked for an unbiased summary. Also, remove the personal elements. Your editorializing has been noted, but a good historian leaves no trace of their own intent in documents that may be discovered and misinterpreted later.

In careful script under that: A thousand pardons, Grand Cleric, but a good historian reveals what is relevant. A good politician leaves nothing that may be discovered and misinterpreted later.

In confident looping script: Thank you for your compliment, Penrose. Revision please.