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[Talon Skyfire]

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The History of Sanctus

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.)

Unaffailiated 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 Seige 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 Stormhaven 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 all of the world was soon embroiled in the conflict.

The Stormreavers were ultimately successful, capturing the city of Yew for a short period. Their victory game 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 came to an end much in the same fashion as the Kingdom of Stormhaven from whence they came.
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~Lord Talon Skyfire
King of Sanctus
Lord Protector of Malas