Ancient Cythera

There is very little factual information known about Cythera before the humans arrived. During this period, the land was maintained as a balance between the four elements: North (Air), East (Sea), South (Fire), and West (Earth). One event that is known is that an Undine (beings of the sea) named Jinrai fled from her people with a Seldane (beings of the earth) named Jhiaxis. Together, they had one son, Bahoudin, a mixture of two of the four pillars. Jhiaxis' and Jinrai's union of earth and sea was heresy to their people. They were hunted down, and Jinrai was slain.

At some point, a war erupted between the elements. The Sylphs (beings made of air) were all but destroyed, the last Sylph imprisoned by the others for all eternity. The battle between the East and the West resulted with the Undine taking the upper hand. The Seldane were forced out of their cities by the corruption of the Undine's most powerful artifact: the Crolna. The balance of the four elements had been destroyed. Then, somehow, the humans arrived.

-- The Elementals

Arrival of the Humans

0 A.T. - Humans Shipwrecked

The origin of the humans in Cythera is mostly legend. It is believed that they came from Earth, from the island of Thera during the Minoan era. They were forced to flee their home by the Minoan eruption. En route to the island of Cythera, there was a massive storm. When the humans awoke, shipwrecked on the shore, they thought they had arrived on Earth's Cythera (as it was named), but they soon learned otherwise.

-- Cythera Hintbook, History of Kythera

5 A.T. - Cademia and Odemia Founded, First Tyrant's Reign Begins

After five years, the settlers had built a large enough city to give it a name, Cademia. Also in this year, a small hunting village was started on the eastern shore of the island, named Odemia.

For the past five years, the people had no longer had their ancient gods of Thera.  During this time they were ruled by their priests.  In 5 A.T., one young priest rose to absolute power -- the First Tyrant.

-- Cythera Hintbook, Magess Anisa

Age of the Tyrants

79 A.T. - First Tyrant's Death, Second Tyrant's Reign Begins

The First Tryant died around the age of 100 years, due to the shorter Cytheran years and the increased longevity somehow caused by the land.  Despite his title, the First Tyrant was beloved by the people.  Upon his death, his regent took power, becoming the Second Tyrant.

-- Cythera Hintbook

113 A.T. - Catamarca Founded, Tyrant's Castle Built in Cademia

The Second Tyrant was not as kind and much-loved as his predecessor had been.  Catamarca began as a retreat for the Second Tryant.  Around this time, some people began to realize that they had the ability to perform magical wonders, a talent previously only found in members of the now-gone priest class, yet, these people were commoners.  No one understood why only some had these powers, but those with powers began to meet to explore their abilities.  As tensions grew between the classes, the Second Tyrant had a fortified castle built in Cademia.

-- Cythera Hintbook, Spas of Catamarca, Magess Anisa

134 A.T. - Odemia Fortified

Although Odemia started as a small hunting village, it had grown over time to become an important supplier for Cademia.  The Second Tyrant had the city heavily fortified to protect it from possible attacks.

-- Cythera Hintbook

152 A.T. - Exile of the Mages

As the mages became increasingly more organized, the Second Tyrant saw a growing threat.  He exiled all of those with powers from any of the regions in his domain.

(Note: Magess Anisa states that the First Tyrant exiled the mages, but this is impossible, given the other dates we have.  Therefore, her statement will be assumed to be an error.)

-- Cythera Hintbook, History of Kythera, Magess Anisa

153 A.T. - Pnyx Founded

Many of the exiled mages fled over the Titan's Spine mountains to the west of Cademia.  There, outside of the Tyrant's reach, they founded the town of Pnyx.

-- Cythera Hintbook, Magess Anisa

158 A.T. - Chrysothemis Born

Chrysothemis is born in Catamarca.

-- Catamarca gravestone

160 A.T. - Second Tyrant's Death, Third Tyrant's Reign Begins

After the Second Tyrant's death, he was buried in an underground tomb beneath his castle in Cademia.  His regent immediately took power as the Third Tyrant, who was even more merciless than those before.

-- Cythera Hintbook

174 A.T. - Citadel Built in Catamarca

There is some debate over when exactly the citadel in Catamarca was built.  Some sources suggest that it had been built during the Second Tyrant's reign only shortly after the founding of Catamarca.  Others say that it was not built until 174 A.T.  Either way, the Catamarca Citadel served as a heavily guarded vacation home for the tyrants.

(Note: The Spas of Catamarca also states that the Second Tyrant was in power in 174 A.T.,but this does not match the other dates.  As with the exiling of the mages, this statement is assumed to be erroneous.)

-- Cythera Hintbook, Spas of Catamarca

184 A.T. - Abydos Founded

By this time, Pnyx had become a well-known safe haven for the exiled mages.  Some exiles, seeking to found a second mage-colony, began a new settlement along the coast south of Pnyx.  The mage Tavara led the movement to start the new colony.

-- Cythera Hintbook, Magess Anisa

186 A.T. - Cipher Manuscript Found

A charred manuscript was discovered in Pnyx in the bottom of a chest in this year.  No one understood the language that the document was written in, but through experimenting with magic, some of the mages were able to piece together a rough translation of the document.

-- History of the Cipher Manuscript

192 A.T. - Abydos Destroyed

Years after its founding, communication with Abydos was suddenly lost.  An expedition was sent to investigate, and they found the town completely destroyed and the inhabitants gone.  There were no signs of violence, although they reported that the town appeared as though it had been swept into the sea.  No one knew what had become of the leader Tavara.  There were also stories that the ruins of Abydos were haunted by the spirits of the mages who had lived their.

The Undine Omen later confirms that Abydos was destroyed by Tavara because the people would not follow him.  The Air elemental UrSylph tells that Tavara's allies, the Undine, were responsible for wiping out the town.

-- Cythera Hintbook, Lost Settlement of Abydos, Magess Anisa, Omen, UrSylph

194 A.T. - Cult of Scylla Started

Began by the preachings of an unknown priest, a new cult was founded devoted to the worship of Scylla.  These sea monsters had long been feared by the inhabitants of Cythera, as they destroyed any ships that sought to leave the coast of the island.  The Cult of Scylla priests taught of the powers of these monsters.  The cult began to grow, which became a great source of concern for the Third Tyrant.

-- Cythera Hintbook

201 A.T. - Chrysothemis Dies

Chrysothemis, the mother of Alaric and wife of Bahoudin, dies in Catamarca.

-- Catamarca gravestone

203 A.T. - Elder Diones Investigates the Cult of Scylla

Some of the mages from Pnyx, like the Tyrant, had become worried about the teachings of the Cult of Scylla.  They began investigating the cult closely.  Their agent inside the cult was able to discover the existence of the "Hidden Chiefs" who were the true power behind the religion.  They were unable to learn much more, except that there was magic involved beyond the power of human mages, as well as a connection between the Cult of Scylla and the lost settlement of Abydos.  This connection was, of course, that the Cult of Scylla had been founded by the former mage Tavara, as confirmed by UrSylph.

-- Report on the Hidden Chiefs and the Cult of Scylla, UrSylph

204 A.T. - Cult of Scylla Destroyed

Eventually, the Third Tyrant had become fearful enough that he sent an army to destroy the Cult of Scylla.  It is known that the Outer Temple of the cult, on the western coast of Cythera, was destroyed.  However, the Inner Brotherhood strongholds in the mountains remained.

-- Cythera Hintbook

Age of the LandKing

216 A.T. - Alaric Appears, Third Tyrant's Death

The Age of the Tyrants ended when Alaric appeared in 216 A.T.  He entered the court of the Tyrant, unnoticed by the guards, and after simply saying "The rule of Tyrants is over," the Third Tyrant, his family, and all those who had supported him were dead.  He told the people that there would be a new age of freedom, but that they must choose the form of government.  Once that was decided, he would return to oversee it.

-- Cythera Hintbook, Magess Anisa

219 A.T. - Alaric Reappears, The House System Enacted, Return of the Mages

There were three years of anarchy, as the only form of government Cythera had known for hundreds of years was suddenly gone.  Soon, however, six individuals rose to power.  These six, with the support of the people, were the founders of the six major houses: Attis, Atussa, Comana, Dodona, Nicander, and Strymon.

The system created by the founders of the houses was a form of democracy.  Each house would be represented in the major cities, and the power of each would be determined by the votes of the citizens.  Therefore, the citizens chose which house would hold the majority of power in their city.  Alaric returned in this year, and enacted the house system.  To ensure fairness, he brought the mages out of exile.  Using their magic, they would be able to detect treachery and solve disputes.  Thus, Judges were selected and placed in each city.  They would report to Alaric, who would rule from his hall, Landking Hall, in the mountains.  Many hundreds of years would pass peacefully under this system.

-- Cythera Hintbook, Magess Anisa

303 A.T. - Kosha Founded

Members of House Comana started a new colony on the coast south of Cademia in 303 A.T.  Kosha was the only Cytheran city controlled by only one house.  As such, the position of Judge was mostly irrelevant.

-- Cythera Hintbook, Magess Anisa

663 A.T. - First Golem Created

A mage, experimenting with new magics, managed to create the first golem, creatures made of clay that would do their master's bidding.

-- Magess Anisa

700 A.T. - Golems Still Used by Mages Despite Problems

Soon after the creation of the first golem, the mages learned of a major problem with the creatures: after their master died, no one could control them.  Effectively, they become hostile and dangerous beings.  Despite this problem, golems were still being created by mages as late as 700 A.T.

-- Magess Anisa

720 A.T. - Golems Outlawed

Eventually, the mages became sufficiently concerned about the risk posed by golems that they outlawed the creatures.  An effort was started to hunt down and destroy the golems that remained.  One courageous golem hunter remembered in history was Semius.

-- An Account of Semius the Golem Hunter, Magess Anisa

742 A.T. - Semius Disappears, Inscription on "Will to Union" Rings

The golem hunter Semius disappeared in Cademia in 742 A.T.  Some believed that he had found one of the mage Machaon's secret workrooms and was slain by the golem there.

An unknown event is also associated with this year.  Two rings (one in the first stronghold of the Inner Brotherhood and one in the possession of Atreus, the Kosha gemsmith) bear the inscription "742 - Will to Union."  The meaning of this phrase is uncertain.  There is possibly a connection to the Cult of Scylla or Tavara due to one of the rings being in the Inner Brotherhood.  Atreus blushes when the date 742 is mentioned, but he remains silent on the subject.

-- An Account of Semius the Golem Hunter, Magess Anisa, "Will to Union" rings, Atreus

870 A.T. - Lycus Born

Lycus is born in Catamarca.

-- Catamarca gravestone

873 A.T. - Andra Born

Andra is born in Catamarca.

-- Catamarca gravestone

878 A.T. - Hapmondis Born

Hapmondis is born in Catamarca.

-- Catamarca gravestone

882 A.T. - Andromache Born

Andromache is born in Catamarca.

-- Catamarca gravestone

910 A.T. - Lycus Dies

Lycus, the husband of Andra and the father of Hadrian, dies in Catamarca.

-- Catamarca gravestone

917 A.T. - Andra Dies

Andra, the wife of Lycus and the mother of Hadrian, dies in Catamarca.

-- Catamarca gravestone

918 A.T. - Hapmondis and Andromache Die

Hapmondis, the husband of Andromache and a servant of House Strymon, succumbs to the plague and dies in Catamarca.  Likewise, his wife, Andromache, also a servant of House Strymon, dies from the plague.

-- Catamarca gravestone