November AU12
Several ships have disappeared one off the coast of Maroto Misaki in the Thunders, one off the coast of Salem near Rome, one off the coast of Faerie near the Fae Courts. What is similar about all these disappearances is a thick fog which comes up suddenly.
The core portals remain the only way to travel between continents.
With the Witch King controlling the only portal on Salem, nervous leaders have occupied the ground surrounding the core portals elsewhere with soldiers in case he attempts to use them.
On the continent of The Thunders a checkpoint has been set up around the core portal in the Water Margins monitoring, recording & searching travellers. On Dust a similar if not so severe checkpoint as been set up.
On Archipelago use of the Whitewater portal is now taxed.
Physically some the best portal navigators have been employed to keep the remaining seven portals open and stable, nobody wants to be cut off totally from contact with the other continents.
Sea travel remains the best hope, but no one yet has found a sea route to Salem, it remains totally cut off from the rest of the world. Fears of the core portals closing have also lead to daring attempts by some brave sailors to final map the world and work out how to cross the great oceans. Reports of at least one vessel crossing from Frontier to Faerie may be true, the Captain was at sea for over 6 weeks so the oceans may far bigger than first believed.
A large reward offered by the merchants of Yogyakarta has been made to 1st person to navigate a route between Frontier and Salem or indeed anywhere and Salem.
Crimson brotherhood continue to harass the Confederacy Navy.
October AU12
The hero's of Latveria are honoured across Salem.
The former Eastern Salem Empire and Corinthia join the Papal states and the Thule brotherhood in declaring Emperor Emeric Steiner a heretic, and pledge to elect a new Supreme Pontiff to lead them.
The states of Aragon, Aquitaine, Burgundy, Bavaria, Brittany, Bohemia, Castile and Saxony, plus the dispersed of Avalon declare allegiance to Emperor Emeric Steiner.
The Ard-ri Finnlay returns! and once again will lead the Fey Courts.
Portals across the Shards world explode, now only 7 portals exist in the former nexus points, these are Stronghold on Faerie which is in the mountains west of Faerie, Somewhere in The Tears of Nia on Dust, Water Margins on The Thunders, Whitewater on Archipelago, Union of Gates on Union which is just west of Yana, Carnelium in Avalon on Salem, Fort William in the north of Frontier.
Since the only Portal to Salem is in control of the Witch King, Salem is effectively cut off until the charts for a sea crossing are produced.
September AU12
Following the destruction of one of the islands Magnus Von Kessler occupies the island chain of Zambuanga on Frontier and declares it a new independent country.
Witch King raises a massive army of his Blighted Forsaken and makes a surprise attack on his biggest threat on Salem, Viktor Von Dumas and Latveria
A alliance is formed involving Von Dumas, Emperor Emeric Steiner, The Thule Brotherhood, The Fey Courts, Queen Morticia's Forsaken, Ogres from Dust and bunch of hero's from every continent that eventually reduce the mighty Witch Kings force down to one twenty fifth of its initial size and force him not only out of Latveria but back behind the walls of Carnelium on Avalon.
Dark Unicorns join forces with the Witch King.
During the battle a bomb created by Von Dumas explodes with unimaginable power killing many thousands.
The Witch King escapes with Von Dumas Technology.
August 12 AU
The Witch King and Morpheus are no longer allies.
Several world wide waves of pain hit everyone, people feeling drained, tired and confused.
The Continent of Atlantis sinks below the waves in a cataclysmic event, nearly all of the continents populations is drowned.
The sudden loss of such a large land mass causes tidal waves to hit the coast of Faerie drowning many more people, hours later more tidal waves hit Salem, totally swamping Erin and going miles inland on the low lying coasts of Avalon, Brittany and Aragon.
Amidst the chaos of so many fatalities almost unnoticed nearly every member of the Horologist guild are found dead on the same day.
July 12 AU
The Forsaken have split those following The Witch King are now called The Blight.
The Witch King and Morpheus have formed an alliance.
June 12 AU
The Cross of Saint Carnelian is found and returned to the Carneliums main cathedral.
The Witch King ancient leader of the Forsaken is awoken from his slumber.
The nexus of the Forsaken Hive mind is broken.
Carnelium falls to the Forsaken despite a valiant defence, they capture it, forty thousand residents enslaved or killed.
Ten Thousand Avalonian's escape through a portal to Fort William on Frontier, Fort William is overwelmed.
Those Avlonian's outside Carnelium still remaining flee north to the Attacotti or west to Mordunum.
May 12 AU
New lands and tribes to the west of Frontier are discovered and still the western coast is not found. The new tribes are not aligned to the Emerald Claw but appear follow a man called Vincent.
A New race of ancient Serpent people is found in the same new land by a purple river.
The great walled city of Carnelium on Avalon is slowly being surrounded and sieged by Forsaken forces lead by Queen Morticia.
The Fey win a great battle against the Morpheus and the Formori lead by Oishen Ap-Balor and Queen Mauve in a new alliance.
The Alanteans pick a side and join in a alliance with the Fey, coming to their aid and helping to win the battle.
The Fey Hive Mind is found to be linked through a ancient device.
April 12 AU
The Forsaken attack the land bridge from the Salem mainland to Avalon and despite a heroic defence they break through raising several thousand extra warriors from a bone pit buried long ago before Salem histories began.
March 12 AU
Magnus goes to war against Emperor Steiner, Steiner is saved but appears to be have been taken prisoner by his saviours.
12 AU, General Background Update.
Archipelago.
The Guilds once again control Whitewater while the Crimson Brotherhood no longer under control of Lord Gutter are forced out.
The Crimson Brotherhood has found new masters on Salem and a new port as their base called Black Pearl Bay.
The Port of Saints remains an open port, no taxes or import duties, cheap docking fees, together with few rules and a low crime rate is attracting lots of new businesses which are flourishing, creating wealth for all from the small snack seller at the side of the road right up to the big merchant houses.
Dust.
The Sable Veil continues to rule from the shadows, while the guilds still flourish out of their base in New Whitewater.
Faerie.
The politics of this land get ever more complex.
The fact the Ard-ri is missing but not declared dead means some of the races are trying to make their influence felt.
The Alanteans are split 3 ways on their future, some want to remain autonomous, some wish to join the Ard-ri and make peace, and the remainder are looking to the Rogue Formori.
The Formori themselves are also being split as Queen Mave finds its difficult to control the Formori natural instincts. Some wish to join the group of Rogue Formori from the island of Safehaven lead by Oishen Ap.Balor who has put word out that all are welcome to join him in forming a rival faction to the Court of the Ard-ri.
The Knights of Discord, Dusk and Dawn remain enemies of all the races of Faerie because of their invite of Salemite forces on to Faerie lands, which they did to strengthen thier position.
The Black Unicorn enemies of the Unicorn Tribe have asked to be allowed to join the Court of the Ard-ri and thus be acknowledged as a legitimate race within the realms of Faerie.
The Dwarves, The Fae Courts, McUens and Sidhe remain united behind the Ard-ri and look forward to his return.
Frontier.
Bear formerly of The Pack tribe is now Emerald Claw champion of Frontier.
The Saurons have gone quiet, while the average temperature across the land as dropped another degree.
New tribes on the edge of Frontier from the unexplored territories are starting to make contact with the tribes on the borders of the Emerald Claws domain.
The Port of Yogyakarta is growing fast, home to all sorts of scum and villainy it is a growing thorn in the native tribes side.
Salem.
The Thule Brotherhood has taken a firmer hold over the minds of its people in particular the young. A new group of fanatical followers that call themselves The Thule Youth League is attracting many, this group can be identified by thier blue ribbon which they tie to thier arm or blue skirts.
Avalon remains the land the Forsaken claim is their traditional homeland and they make no secret that they will claim it by force, if no other way can be found.
Thunders.
The Sanctuary strengthened by its allegiance with the Salem is currently balanced by an uneasy alliance between The Empire of the Thunders and The Shogunate of Imagawa. This balance as stopped all out civil war erupting but constant testing of borders, underhand assassinations and the build up of forces on all sides are keeping war on a knife edge.
Union.
Yana's population as doubled with the influx of a whole Salamite farming community that would have been killed on sight by Thule brotherhood for their part in recent events.
The Institute of Curiosities a large community of mainly academics as completed its second wall, over 7 miles in circumference this will now prevent certain fauna escaping and contaminating Union.
Compton extends its main pier and is offering cheap holiday homes for rent. Its also cleaning up its act, in order to stop confusion it has been declared all Brothels be painted purple, and Casinos are no longer allowed to take peoples lives or body parts as security on gambling bets.
September 11 AU
Bright star that entered the night sky has gone.
More Salemite troops have entered Union at the invite of the new Mayor of Compton.
The Thunders are moving towards civil war.
The Phoenix has gone off with the Old Man of the Mountain to learn self control.
August 11 AU
Guilds return to Whitewater on Archipelago but also remain in New Whitewater on Dust. Guilds join alliance against Salem.
A New very bright star as entered the night sky.
Creature destroys half of the Port of Saints.
July 11 AU
Salem Empire forms alliances with, The Formorii & Dusk & Dawn on Faerie, Kinryoku or The Sanctuary on the Thunders, The Magi on Dust, The Crimson Brotherhood on Archipelago, Compton on Union, Ebon Cottons Desperado's Frontier.
Mayor of Compton on Union murdered.
June 11 AU
The Ard-ri is rumoured dead.
Emerald Claw murdered and new one chosen.
May 11 AU
Beggars Roost is taken and its people retreat to Latveria the lands of Von Dumas.
McCuens and Formorii form a alliance by marriage.
A military coup in Salem has removed the Church from Salem and appointed Emeric Steiner as Emperor.
Page last updated 13/10/08
