Golden Age of Sky (Setting)

The Golden Age of Sky Setting takes place in the year 1435 AI during the collapse of the First Kalikán Empire, also known as the First Thracian Empire. It is remembered as the Golden Age of Sky for the relative freedom of the various sky tribes and skyfaring peoples of the Pallathantic Region. It is remembered nostalgically as a period of growth, freedom, adventure, and nobility in Pytharnia, Barathorn, and farther afield. The Golden Age of Sky falls within the High Middle Ages, (ca 1300 to 1572). The word 'Sky' in this expression means both original skyfaring nations such as the humans of the High Jaggudorn Plateau (Thrace, Gantvia, Jamenth, Shaddago) and of Xsys and Ogdesiana as well as other lands where skycraft was adopted and used, such as much of the Pallathantic Region. The Golden Age of Sky is generally accepted by historians to have ended with the Leviathanic Wars in 1572 when skyfaring giants challenged the loose status quo and several regional wars broke out near the Jaggudorns, near the Adamantine Mountains, and elsewhere.

Politics and Dominions

In this time, as with much of the medieval period, there were many more principalities and small dominions throughout the world than there are in modern times. Feudal vassalage of both secular and religious princes was in effect in southern Pytharnia. In the mid 1400's, the Ontigurian Dynasty of the Kingdom of Magdala arose in southeastern Pytharnia. The Pytharnian Arathracian Church strove with the monarchy to maintain its dominating position in High Pytharnia. The Ambrasian Church continued its position of honor in Ambrasia, Gonfaloy, and the Amosgire. In southwestern Pytharnia, the various princedoms and archpatriarchs owed allegiance to the Erechórebese Arathracian Church but failed to form a single kingdom.

Migrations of the Zarajoveni Tribes in the mid 1300's along with other internal dissensions brought about the Sundering of the Zehlibate in the late 1300's and the early 1400's. While the Imzaha religion maintained its hegemony through the lands, rival princes cut up the Zehlibate and created two sultanates, the Sultanate of Zim in the west and the Sulatante of Ogdesiana in the east that covered much of the Adamantine Mountains. To further splinter the mix, chaos cultists under the leadership of a dissident prince took advantage of the division of the two Sultanates and wrested control of the province of Zabdunak at the mouth of the Leh-Shelekhumbis River. Taking advantage of this disorder and the desire for stability, the legendary Sorceress Queen subjected the various lesser princes and chaos priests of the province to her dominion, creating her own little kingdom much to the horror of the Imzaami rulers about her.

Religion

Main article: Religion During the Golden Age of Sky

The Arathracian Church was less powerful than it had been in the very late Yophenthean Empire and early Medieval Period. It vied for power with the Ambrasian Church which was the dominant religion in Ambrasia and Gonfaloy. Furthermore, the Arathracian Church had suffered a schism in all but name with the Sunfather of Trevirs recognizing the sovereign authority of the Erechórebese Sunfather in name only. Thus there were in practice two Arathracian Churches. Arathracian Sanctuaries were common and the most powerful were independent, subject only to the power of the Erechórebese Sunfather or the Pytharnian Sunfather. While humans and other humanlikes in the cities generally preferred some sort of solar worship in a strongly hierarchical church, others in the country continued to pray to local and ancestral divinities, including gods of the Gwenyan, Jathya-Dhumi, and Neptultchi or Tuadbe pantheons. These gods continued to be worshiped up to the present day. Additionally, "Thwarrism" or the Thwarrish Religion was held up in the High Shadevan Plateau as the counter to the various solar religions of the Pallathantic Region. Outside of traditional religions and solar cults derived from the traditional religions, the Incarnandist Religion and the Imzaami Religion advanced steadily. The devotees of the Incarnandus had made great inroads in the largest cities of the Pallathantic Region, while the religion of Ammudiyn the Seer had expanded rapidly through the desert climes and then receded somewhat under the influence of local but staunch cults, especially in the province of Shelekhumbia known as Zabdunak with the ascent of the Dragon Sorceress Queen. In anticipation of the Middle Ages of Chaos to come in later centuries, small but resilient cults of chaos worshipers gathered in secret in cities and the countryside, making a niche for themselves amid the varying faiths and cults whose mainstream leaders were distracted with sectarian and political fighting. In some cases, many clerics and rulers failed to make the distinction between worshipers of the Old Religion which was tolerated and of the old chaos gods which was despised, more often than not to the advantage of the chaos cultists.

Chronology of the Golden Age of Sky

• ca 1360: Creation of the Magdisuman Priestesses of Magdala
• Sundering of the Zehlibate, over ~8 years
• Rise and spread of the Sultanate of Ogdesiana
• Internecine conflict produces the rival Sultanate of Zim
• Zabdunak: Princes rebellion, followed by take-over by Chaos Priest
• Independence of the province of Zabdunak
• Ascent of the Sorceress Queen, establishment of Setenub as royal capital of Zabdunak.

• Life of Ammudiyn the Seer: 1198 to 1287
• 1250 to 1430: Expansion of Imzaha
• 1358 to 1369: Imzaami Missionaries active in the Adamantine Mountains
• 1360 to 1370: Mass conversion of various Zarajoveni Tribes in the Adamantines
• 1372: Zehlibate completes conquest of Weshif, employs Zarajoveni Mercenaries
• 1385: Rise of the Sultanate of Ogdesiana in southern Adamantines
• 1391 to 1408: Expansion of Sultanate of Ogdesiana southwards into northern Weshif, Zehlibate on defensive
• 1397: Imzaami Zarajoveni conquest of northern Weshif and Thyria complete.
• 1403 to 1428: Zarajoveni Chieftains emigrate from Ogdesiana by skycraft to eastern Danona in several successive waves.
• 1407: Internecine conflict in the Sultanate of Ogdesiana brings about the rival Sultanate of Zim in Thyria and northwestern Weshif. The Zehlibate unable to regain conquests in northern Weshif.
• 1413:Rebellious princes in rich province of Zabdunak, Shelekhumbia, rebel and form their own oligarchy.
• 1418: Sorceress Queen invades Zabdunak from Adamantines, establishes herself as queen, and builds Setenub into a well-defended, prosperous royal capital.
• 1423: War of the Sultans: Both Sultanates attack Setenub. The Sorceress repels both attacks and a truce is established.

• 1417 Beginning of the rule of the Founder of the Zurstani Dynasty in Shagrela'al
• 1433 to 1446, Rule of Eregry I, Sunfather of the Erechórebese Arathracian Church

• 1429 to 1437, War of the Allies brings an end the First Kalikán Empire
• 1437, End of the First Kalikán Empire
• 1440 to 1448, Strembaflag War brings about the end of the Growyddan Dynasty and the End of the Great Sky Kingdom.
• 1440 to ca 1500: Kythonos of Sephri
• 1448: Creation of the Skymark Kingdom, at the conclusion of the Strembaflag War

• 1452 Establishment of the Kingdom of Magdala
• 1452 to 1483, Rule of Llawffagain I, the founder of the Ontigurian Dynasty

• 1515: Zarajoveni Tribes settle in what is now Zarajove

• 1572: Beginning of the Leviathanic War and the end of the Golden Age of Sky

1440 to 1448, end of Growyddan Dynasty and end of the Great Sky Kingdom 1,452 AI to 1,483 AI, Rule of King Llawffagain Ontigure of Magdala

Religions of the Golden Age of Sky

Major

• Old Religion
• Arathracianism
• Ambrasianism
• Thwarrism
• Imzaami
• Incarnandism
• Omuhzinism

Minor Religions and Sects

• Archontism
• Chaldrism

List of Notable Persons during the Golden Age of Sky

• Beffrudo of Hars, wizard, 1587 to 1663
• Glibo Paffala the Craftmage of Blamffa, Gnome
• Ibshithion of Shaakhudaar, 1387 to 1448, flourished 1430, birthplace: Elántuventh, studied in Babirrhoksha 1408 to 1423, studied in Tukkatan 1426 to 1432, returned to Shelekhumbia in 1432 and taught the principles of his beliefs which became Archontism. His student and successor was Thuliocantis the Mirrhaimot, flourished ca 1445 AI.
• Jephesul keb Inumá, Shaphrizite writer, flourished 1385 to 1405
• Kirxionantine of the Long Sleeves, 1398 to 1484
• Kythonos of Sephri
• Llandango the Changeable, 1486 to 1533,
• Llawffagain Ontigure, King of Magdala, b 1423, d 1483, ruled 1452 to 1483
• Thuliocantis the Mirrhaimot, Archontist Mystic (flourished ca 1445), Student of Ibshithion of Shaakhudar
• Zayud ikub Awlak’, flourished 1425 to 1455. b Kumonaggi, Dimakhat. Imzaami physician and alchemist of early 1400’s
• Ugorth the Archmage, 1597 to 1672, default ruler of Aurice

See Also

• First Kalikán Empire
• Golden Age of Sky
• High Middle Ages, 1300s to 1572
• Middle Ages
• Settings