Main Site Plot, The need-to-knows about recent events

[Venea]

Site Plot
*Premise
*Leviathon
*The Rebellion Begins
*Calixto's Return to Power

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Premise

Approximately 20,000 years ago, a creature of evil walked amongst the people of Meliora. It was a creature of unknown origins and dark intentions. It stole the magic of Meliora and sent the land into a time of great suffering, and so it seemed that all was lost. However, in a final attempt to save Meliora, eight mages combined their power to weaken Leviathon. Their efforts allowed the imperial military to defeat the beast, and Meliora was finally able to heal.

It seemed that the divine Spirits of Nature, the omniscient beings which many believe are responsible for the land, had left the people of Meliora following the reign of the mysterious Leviathon. Yet the land was eventually revived. Plants began to grow, the sun rose and fell every day for all to see, and the waves of the once stagnant sea crashed toward the shore again. The beauty of nature surrounded them, but they were no longer connected to it.

That is, until eight individuals from across Meliora began displaying power greater than the eight mages of the Leviathon battle. They had unbelievable power over the eight elements: Air, Earth, Fire, Water, Day, Night, Time and Fate. Cities were offered, temples were made, and people began to give their service to their new deities in exchange for protection. Under the guidance and watchful eyes of the eight, Meliora was fully restored.

Since then, some of the deities have come and gone. The spirits have chosen others to rise in their places, and they have served Meliora well. These people, though none of them are flawless, are the greatest strength Meliora has. They uphold the law and balance of their lands while maintaining their elements and guiding their people. However they choose to use their power, the responsibility is theirs.

Choose your allegiance wisely, for if the desperate time comes when the citizens must call upon their allies for help, one must be protected by more than their own sword. Perhaps you will follow one of the deities, trusting that magic will protect you in your time of need. Perhaps you will place your faith in the King and his government, his army and his knights. Perhaps you will seek to create your own order, rebelling against what is known in hopes of obtaining a new Meliora- a better Meliora.

The choice is yours.

[Grand Council]

Leviathon

Leviathon itself was a being of mystery. None are fully aware of what it was, and the legend has evolved greatly since the time of Leviathon's invasion. History claims that it was not a humanoid, but a spirit that took the shape of a monster that had risen from the earth. The loss of magic in Meliora following the fall of Leviathon only strengthened the belief that it was not a typical creature at all. Although no sign of Leviathon has presented itself since the ancient battle, some fear that it will return someday. The eight mages had attempted to seal the spirit away, but none can truly know if that was even possible. Leviathon's existence and influence remain a mystery to this day.

Leviathon in history:
Leviathon was not seen in many parts of Meliora. Most people were only aware of rumors and the draining of Meliora's magic and resources. It was impossible to deny that there was something deeply wrong at the time of the invasion. Constant darkness and infertility in the land were impossible to deny. Also, few survived the final battle, and therefore few first-hand accounts made it into history. This string of events is well-known, but common knowledge of it is often inaccurate.

Due to the timing of this event, there are also very few people in Meliora today that were around during the Leviathon invasion.

Physical appearance:
Descriptions vary, but the most commonly accepted documents agree that Leviathon was seen as a towering colossus of stone and earth in the shape of a beast. Some say it stood on two legs, appearing like a humanoid. Others say it stood on four legs like a bear or herd animal. Then there are those that claim it flew through the sky with wings or slithered through the earth like a serpent. None can be sure unless they saw the creature with their own eyes, but if any of these sources tell the truth, Leviathon appeared to be just as terrible as it was.

Click here for more information about Leviathon

[Venea]

The Rebellion Begins

*A Plain Message- Caius makes an enemy out of Venea
*The Rebellion Begins-The fires are set in Imperial City and Caius is captured

Soon after the coronation of King Phillip Reid, it became clear that some citizens of Meliora sought revolution. Small acts of rebellion were not entirely uncommon at any point in Melioran history, but this event marked the beginning of a much larger campaign for political change. Assassins began to work their way into the imperial palace, a rebellion began to build in Liresul's shadow, and small groups began separate resistances throughout the country.

As the problem worsened, a noble knight by the name of Caius Lucius became an infamous leader in the cause of the antagonist rebels. His plot to shake up the government of Meliora became highly recognized when he took the life of a priestess of air in Imperial City and threatened the lives of a few of Venea's priests before attacking the goddess herself, a long-time servant of the Melioran people.

The consequence for this action was exile. Caius Lucius was banned from Imperial City and disowned by his father, Duke Cato of House Lucius. However, Caius had found an ally in Aemilia Nadres, Goddess of Water and a few other notable citizens who would prove to be quite useful in the future.

The rebellion slowly escalated despite imperial attempts to maintain order, and Caius Lucius most certainly had not given up. An attack on Imperial City was planned and executed. Caius returned to Imperial City with a collection of followers who defiled the air temple and set fires that destroyed a large portion of the city's grain among other things. Imperial guards were able to apprehend and imprison Caius, but the problems were still far from over.

The rebellion continued. . .

[Venea]

Calixto's Return to Power

*Winds of Fate?- Calixto begs for Venea's reconsideration
*Beginnings- The conclave pt. 1
*Calixto's Compromise- The conclusion of the conclave

Over half a century ago, Calixto became the deity of fate following the disappearance of Khora Khaez. He was an incredibly young and naive creature despite the maturity of his appearance. His power was handled with the care of a child, and after witnessing the dangerous actions and realizing the potential for chaos, the old gods chose to take his powers from him.

Calixto, desperately craving his power over fate, asked to return to the ranks of the gods prior to the fires at Imperial City. Some were eager to see the return of the fate god. Others were determined to keep him away from the fate element in this fragile time in Melioran history. Then there were those that remained uncertain.

Valen Tyz, God of Earth and supporter of Calixto, called for a conclave between the deities and Meliora's imperial royalty to discuss the situation. The meeting was set to take place in Talafen, and the highest ranking members in the Melioran government came together in attendance. The deliberation began thirteen days after the fires in Imperial City. Hunter O'Shea, co-founder of the secret Athanhaer mages' guild, managed to make his way into the meeting as a servant to Princess Charlotte Reid.

The attending imperials and deities were far from reaching an agreement as the conclave commenced, but when it appeared that Venea Zephyrius, Goddess of Air, had begun to tip the scales in favor of the old gods' decision, an unidentifiable woman entered the room. She claimed to be the predecessor of Calixto, the goddess Khora. Despite the obvious differences in appearance and puzzling nature of her return, her arrival turned the conclave in a shocking new direction.

In response to this unexpected event, Valen called a recess. The officials in attendance scattered to consider the changes in the situation.

After four long days of deliberation, the deities reached a verdict. It was decided that Calixto would receive a portion of his power. Although no deadline was set, it was also decided that the future may hold an opportunity for him to regain full use of his power. The individuals who attended the conclave left Talafen with a mixture of emotions. Few of them were entirely content with the outcome, but only time would tell if their decision was the right one for Meliora.

[Venea]

The Rebellion Continues

*A little one on one- Charlotte goes to the dungeon to speak with Caius and is kidnapped as he escapes.
*A Storm is Coming- Cato Lucius arrests Aemilia and attempts to seize Valaista Vesi.
*The Purple Dawn- King Phillip addresses the hundreds of Meliorans who have gathered at the palace. Caius Lucius' escape with Charlotte is confirmed, and he is accused of high treason and sentenced to death upon capture.
*The Mandate (Adan)-Notices are posted which declare Adan's separation from the imperial government of Meliora.
*The Mandate (Veritoim)-Damien Blair places a large bounty on Cato's head and promises rewards for anyone who kills those loyal to the rebellious duke.
*Memori Mori- The dukes (with the exception of Cato) and King Phillip discuss the current political conflicts including the deaths of Caius and Cato Lucius.

Following the fires in Imperial City, Venea returned to Liresul to adjust the city's security once again. Throughout the next week she traveled between her own city and the capitol to fix the damage that had been caused by the fires both politically and structurally in the cities. She hired a former member of the king's army, Riven Mason, as her personal guard and secured her alliance with Duke Renatus Cortesius of Harkan as well. However, her wise responses to the increasingly dangerous situation were not enough to ease her paranoia and she quickly began to spread herself too thinly.

Weeks after the fires, Princess Charlotte visited the dungeon of the palace to speak with Caius. There it was revealed that some of the guards had been paid off, and a plan had been organized to kidnap her during Caius' escape. Charlotte was taken as Caius escaped. (fill-in required)

Meanwhile, Cato Lucius began his own war. He illegally arrested Aemilia, Goddess of Water, for her involvement in the rebellion and attempted to seize Valaista Vesi. Aemilia returned the city to the water to prevent this from occurring, but she was taken as Cato's prisoner. This eventually resulted in Duke Cato being accused of high treason.

King Phillip announced Charlotte's kidnapping when he addressed the people of Imperial City shortly after Caius' escape and Aemilia's arrest. Caius was declared an enemy of the crown and guilty of high treason. Cato Lucius made a scene as he publicly questioned the king's actions. Damien Blair who had worked his way into the palace as Sir William Blake of Salus, son of Duke Heinrich van Hal, the king's personal guard, made himself well-known when he interfered in the conversation.

The night before a meeting was scheduled between the dukes and King Phillip, Caius Lucius and a band of rebels attacked a Harkan garrison near Liresul. Imperial City was alerted, and imperial troops (including mages and Damien Blair/Sir Blake) were sent as support for the garrison's men. After a long, bloody battle, Caius' troops were trapped and Caius was slain. Only one of his men managed to escape using the gift Aemilia offered to Caius which would have allowed him to become water and reappear in the River Ganak.

The meeting took place the following day in Imperial City, though Cato was not involved due to the fact that he issued a mandate stating that Adan was now independent of imperial rule. Storms sent by the Veritoim mages who were driven out of Adan and into Salus had covered Meliora's largest duchy in snow following Damien Blair's counter-mandate which put a high price on Cato and his supporters. During the meeting, those in attendance were made aware of the death of Cato Lucius who was killed for his crimes by imperial archers. The Lucius family was removed from power in Adan, leaving the duchy under temporary rule until a new, more trustworthy line of succession could be established under a new duke.