Subject: Re: Back story 1.2 Date: 18 April 2003 19:16 Extracts from Myth and Legend on Aranea (unpublished thesis) Introduction All dates are given as relative to an event referred to as Arrival by the major race. Sources used Servii temple records, Trinnian histories and myths, and Skyborn records. Skyborn records are badly incomplete especially for the early period due to decay of recording media. Servii temple records have a strong supernatural angle while most Trinnian histories read more like account books. Additional information was taken from the (limited) archeological work done on planet. This provides the only proof the Kumin actually existed. 10,000 BA? Serviion built (archeology) builders unknown but thought to be Kumin 10,000 BA? Earliest fortifications on Edge of World (archeology) builders unknown circa 8,000 BA Trinnian Servii split Trinnian move to lowlands. No contemporary records of this exist but it is referred to in later sources, both Trinnian and Servii. All sources refer to a quarrel between two unnamed brothers over their attitude to the Kumin. Trinnian sources say the move was a revolt against Kumin domination. The Kumin seem to have been physically restricted to the High Desert. Servii sources describe it as mass desertion. Later Servii sources refer to the Kumin as Ghost Eaters. 5,000 BA due to falling birth rate Kumin turn Serviion over to the Servii and retreat further into the desert. Servii priesthood setup to replace Kumin as arbitrators between the tribes. Start of Servii records. Trinnian record keeping is harder to date as records are kept on paper. The earliest may be older than the Servii but all that is available is the result of recopying. 5,000 BA Archeological evidence indicates a massive building operation at the Worlds Edge builders unknown. 3,000 BA Five, according to Skyborn tradition, refugee ships arrive bringing their world mind with them. The result is five hundred years or so of on and off warfare. By the end of these the Skyborn have cannibalised their ships to build flying cities and mainly retreated from the ground. The number of cities is unknown though tradition puts them at five, this number seems to be significant to the Skyborn. Enclaves in the Vale (too wet for Trinnian and Servii) and at mines are the only humans on the ground. The mines were largely staffed by Servii. Skyborn records call them indentured servants, Servii records complain bitterly about the Skyborn slave trade. It is unknown whether or not there was an another now extinct race occupying the Vale. circa 2,500 Earliest mention of Spirit of the Land in Servii records. For the rest of the period prior to Arrival nothing much of note happens. Contact is largely confined to raids, on the Skyborn part for more workers and on the Servii part for revenge or more likely because they could. The Servii priesthood seems to have encouraged fighting Skyborn instead of other Servii. The only significant event was the Skyborn's creation through genetic manipulation of the giant birds to supplement their failing battle platforms. Note there is no extant description of the platforms. Servii and Trinnian records just refer to their dominance, their only counter was to avoid them. Skyborn records assume the reader knows what they are. Arrival:Not much is recorded of this event. It is known that the Vale fell almost immediately resulting in a severe problem for the Skyborn as it was their major food source. Thousand Year War About all that survives is legends, it seems people had severely limited time for recording events. The first priests date from early legend with Golden Apes dating from the middle period. By the end of the war only one Skyborn city survived and it had relocated to over the High Desert. The Skyborn had allied with the Servii. During this period the Edge of the World was rebuilt and the Kumin appear to have become extinct. The Binding (Servii), Great Betrayal (Skyborn) These are names for a joint attack by Skyborn and Servii forces on the Vale. It was lead by someone called the Spellcaster. The result was a disaster with only a few Servii surviving. The Skyborn force, which included their last battle platforms was totally destroyed. However shortly after this the Empire of the Vale collapsed due to unknown causes. From the point of view of a mythologist the next two thousand years lack interest. Most of the literature was recycled versions of earlier works, possibly because Servii Skyborn interaction followed the pattern of pre Thousand Year War events, minor skirmishes. This is especially the case after the Skyborn lost control of Avis City. The date of this is not recorded but seems to be approximately 2000 years AA. The only other event of note before "The Final War" occurred about 3000 AA when their was a major political dislocation in Avis City resulting in the setting up of the North Rim settlement. This event is not recorded in Avis City records and North Rimmers refused to cooperate with this researcher. Religion The Skyborn are aggressive atheists,suppressing any sort of worship. This is in contrast to the system of Government which is nominally a theocracy worshipping Tantavirain the world mind they brought to the planet. The ruler is the nominal head of the cult but usually referred to in secular terms. The only other cult of any importance is Silver Sunrise. See below. Servii worship the Spirit of the Land. Interestingly enough there are both male and female cults. The male one seems to have developed from the original priesthood and is strongly hierarchial. It is also the source of Servii technology. A minority are actually involved in theological matters, this minority also supply judges for an arbitration service to decide inter band matters. Authority is limited as enforcement requires convincing other Servii band the decision is correct. The majority of this priesthood is comprised of artisans. The female one is much more mystically orientated. All Servii healers come from this cult. Trinnian worship money and duty. The other cult that matters is Silver Sunrise. In spite of repression on the part of both Skyborn and Trinnian though the Servii tolerate it, it survived apparently since the binding. Information on this cult is not forthcoming, in fact even among the Servii members remain secret. It does cross racial boundaries but the extent of communication between members of different races is unknown.