IsawaBrian/TimeLine

1950

Opening of the Dragon Lines.

Demenses reactivate. Several poorly maintained ancient geomantic structures, and many inauspiciously built modern structures explode from Essence build up. Some buildings, ancient and modern, prove to be adequate partial or full manses! Little is understood about these sites other than their danger.

First children who will take the Second Breath as Dragon-Blooded Born. Their nature is to be unknown for a decade and a half.

Angels appear throughout the middle east, enforce peace, protection against (some) forms of crime and blasphemy. Angelic enforcement is apparently quite liberal and appears to be mostly gender, race, and in some cases religion-blind; certainly, mosques, temples, and churches are attended as places of holiness. Angelic protection of humanity slowly turns governments above the local/public works level irrelevant in the region, although vestiges for the ordering of social programs remain, especially since it is now impossible to steal from bureaucracies or charities. Angels appear to have an uncanny sense for violations of any kind, including complicated financial or legal misdeeds. Perpetrators are gently removed from their offices and evidence highlighted with glowing, holy lights. Manse and demesne sites, almost all on holy territory are especially protected.

Certain religious and "magical" rituals begin to have more reliable, more visible effects. It is unknown if the dragon lines activated or merely energized these rituals. Thankfully, somehow, exorcism and warding rituals seem to have been transferred the most intact. (Thaumaturgy)

Shadowlands open up in many places of terrible slaughter. Many have few ghosts, especially those with more than a century to the last horror, but major zombie and angry ghost incursions are found throughout Europe and Asia, especially Japan and Germany. The atomic bomb sites in Japan are especially dangerous; Hiroshima and Nagasaki are effectively abandoned, surrounded at all times by troops and priests of various religions-- Christian, Shinto, Buddhist, etc.-- who can produce wards and exorcisms.

The Korean War erupts, as Kim Jong Il has the equipment gained from years of cooperation with Stalin. However, the country’s elementals reject the dictator, as do many of the local thaumaturgists. The war does last 3 years, but with no intervention from the US or the USSR, as they are both concerned with internal undead problems. Support from the US is “replaced” on the Southern side by the thaumaturgists, elementals, and even the mysterious martial artists.

1951

Beginning of the Long Dark

The first rumors of martial artists producing unusual effects other than basic thaumaturgy are heard, though nothing comes of it. (Half-forgotten Terrestrial Martial Arts and Essence awakening techniques)

Scientific study of essence begins in fits and starts in the west, primarily for shadowlands protection. Mao subsumes Confucianism and odd varieties of Buddhism into his work, and manages to control some of his worse impulses due to their obvious negative effects on campaigns. Stalin continues his bloody purges, claiming that the "zombies" are the result of Western sabotage and "dirty people". Zombie waves strike USSR territories as a result.

Senator Joseph McCarthy nearly sabotages attempts to prop up Mao and prevent the loss of China during his feud with Truman. Members of the Republican party as well as Democratic politicians come together to bring McCarthy’s witch-hunts to an end during the height of his power after a long and prolonged fight that would have dire repercussions on American thaumatech research.

1952

The First Heroes

Elementals appear. Most are weak-- Essence 1-3-- but prove vital in pushing back the restless dead as some of the few fully powered beings to fight against the War Ghosts who are the current masters of the Dead.

Their presence also changes the basis of industry; unhappy elementals form both perfect poster children against and active agents against ecological destruction. Nevertheless, the requirements of the ongoing Dark War require industrial expansion (though nuclear technology is retarded due to associations with Hiroshima and Nagasaki until much later) mean that many “green” technologies to reduce air, water, and solid waste pollution happen ahead of schedule-- in many cases, assisted happily by the elementals themselves.

Earth association with technology, for example, Water with Bureaucracy, and Air with science means that a company can often make more efficient factories, offices, and research facilities by working with, rather than against local elementals, and in many places, Wood elementals are necessary to stave off the agricrisis.

Nevertheless, some corporations deal with the problem by hiring ministers and later thaumatechs to ward away elementals, especially from rich sites for strip mining and the like. This provokes ongoing ecological debate and in some cases, violent confrontation.

Some thaumaturgists take the fight actively against the restless dead, often by summoning elementals with old rituals. The reborn elementals have no memories of the First Age, although they do appear to have natural hierarchies. All god-summoning, demon-summoning, or fae-summoning rituals fail.

Some martial artists do master limited essence control, though no terrestrial martial artists appear yet.

Both forms of essence-users discover that some ancient weapons, armor, and items are powerful and extremely useful. Others are quite strange or pointless.

Eisenhower’s election over Truman begins the first pushes towards true thaumatechnology in the US, whereas European countries and China have been trying for them since 1950. Eisenhower’s popularity and the needs of the Dark War give him the political capital to truly begin concentrating research on the thaumatechnology problems, though many of the efforts during his administration focus on protection rather than synthesis.

1953

Stalin's purges come to an end when masses of the restless dead storm Moscow and the Kremlin. Stalin's brain is eaten.

Unfortunately, most work in USSR territories is mainly damage control, as the restless dead do not stop their rampages.

Europe and NATO manage to hold them back in Eastern Europe, as does Mao in China.

Kim Jong Il is overthrown by frightened officers of his own party. Similar revolutions against petty dictators who cannot adapt to the new world conflict occur all over the periphery of Asia. In Korea, they successfully reunite with the South; in other places, regimes fall and occasionally the Dead gain access to the sea.

The Indian Subcontinent and the Himalayas have sufficient intact rituals to also form a barrier mainly containing the zombie plague to central Asia.

No undead pass the angels without being sent peacefully on.

Many refugees travel West into Europe, which has its own Shadowlands problem, and from thence to the United States, similar to refugees escaping the Soviet Union in the real history, except on a much larger scale.

Others will escape south into the Holy Land and the protection of the angels.

1954

Most shadowlands in Europe and North America confined.

South American and African shadowlands have fitful confinement-- more Old Practices, but less controlled power.

Asian shadowlands never brought under real, total control until 1965.

1955

First regular uses of Terrestrial Martial Arts Charms, as opposed to essence-invigoration of statistics.

Also first completely controlled mortal essences.

No full trees present yet.

Worldwide food crisis begins; with a decided loss of arable land in Asia, other countries are forced to increase production sharply to hold off starvation. Essence science proves useful but only slightly so, and many are on the edge of overfarming.

First Great Compacts with Wood Elementals are made in many places in order to hold off Starvation. Christians outside the Holy Land are noticeably uncomfortable with these compacts, and a few requests for blood nearly scuttle the whole deal. The rise of the fast food industry is thus retarded; most countries in the world can’t afford waste food product.

The first Elemental-Blooded are born.

1956

Spread of Martial Arts -- with the appearance of the more potent Terrestrial Martial Arts, modern Essence science, which had mainly been concerned with the more repeatable thaumaturgy, finally focuses on regular essence control and development. The process to achieve Essence Awareness is regularized in China. Mao attempts to hold onto the process, but Celtic ritualists in England spread the process amongst their Nato allies. US thaumatological research is still mainly focused on Warding and Exorcism.

1957

Scientific exploration of personal essence control, rather than ritual/"process" based Essence control, continues. The Flow of Essence and other minor Essence merits are developed on the front in Europe.

1958

Essence science reaches adolescent development. (Existing rituals fixed and repeatable; some transferable; some developable. In general, effects from level 1-2 regularly available, all others secret or unreliable with the exception of Exorcism and Wards, which function quite well at 1-5 levels of development, but are only understood at 1-3 outside of the US.)

1959

Burial rituals are perfected, severely reducing the number of new walking dead. Many right-to-die-peacefully laws are also passed, decades ahead of schedule.

1960

First complete Martial Art Tree, Five Dragon Style, developed by inheritors of the Shaolin tradition

First people fated to become Celestials born, although many will not Exalt until after the Rebirth; age does not seem to correlate to Exaltation in Celestials.

John F. Kennedy is elected on the Ritual Gap platform, promising to increase attempts at synthesis to better preserve the world from the horrors of the War Ghosts.

1961

The dead conquer Antarctica; the last research stations are evacuated. Satellite photography do not show the creation of funerary complexes or indeed any other signs of Shadowlands development. Unbeknownst to the rest of the world, the Dead have not conquered Antarctica for themselves, but instead to prepare the way for the wakening of a long-dormant Unshaped wyld god-monster.

Kennedy creates the Chicago project in the image of the Manhattan project. Scientists, ministers, and ritualists from all over the United States are gathered together and given nearly unlimited funding as well as access to top-secret information from the European front. Not all members of the US government approve of this delving into magic…

1963

Essence science reaches first plateau of maturity. Reliable 1-3 effects (understanding of Exoricism and wards at full 1-5 were achieved earlier in the US, but are now understood by most of the world) achieved; Essence Mastery now understood by scientific community. Some few Terrestrial Martial Arts Charms understood in an abstract sense, but complete trees tend to be the possession of individuals of obscure lineage and innate talent.

Kennedy is assassinated; some conspiracy theorists believe that socially conservative government agents are attempting to prevent him from “demonizing” the US. Others believe that new-age ritualists sacrificed him to bring extra fertility to the US. Still others believe that it was done by the Dead, especially given…

Ominously, the first mad Nephwracks appear no later than a month after Kennedy’s death.

1964

President Johnson sends troops into Vietnam on rumors of Nephwrack concentration with the communist regime there, starting a disastrous weakening of US troops that will require reliance in the future on unconventional assistances…

1965

Enter the Dragons

The Terrestrial General, a Wood-Blood of astounding power, is the first Terrestrial, indeed, the first Exalt, to take the Second Breath at age 15. Unlike all others who follow her, the Terrestrial General will have immensely potent essence from the moment of the Second Breath (Essence 5), a full understanding of all Wood Charms and Fire Charms (Including Fire Dragon Style and the necessary prerequisites), and a smattering of Charms from other trees. She is the reincarnation of Tepet Ejava, though with powers even greater than her last life at this time. Her very existence as the most powerful warrior in the world (and later the leading general in the fight against the dead) changes the course of womens’ rights movements forever.

Other Terrestrial Exalted swiftly follow. None are older than 15, although a few are younger. All show the signs of Legendary Breeding upon their Second Breath. All first generation Terrestrial Exalted (born between 1950 and 1970) will exhibit this trait.

Overnight, the Imperial Mountain manifests in Australia, with half of the Imperial Manse. The other half appears in Jerusalem. Both halves are unassailable. The entire aboriginal population of Australia between the ages of 8 and 15 exalts Dragon-Blooded; any others born since 1957 will continue Exalting as they reach that age period.

1966+

Terrestrial Exalts will rapidly appear in the world, spreading from nation to nation. Many choose lives of heroism or service; the army or the police call strongly to them. Those that do not choose service are often individual or small-group champions. Unfortunately, some choose selfish pursuits as well. Most Terrestrials are known as "Elementals" or "Mutants"; the terms "Exalted" and "Essence" are mainly unapplied until the rebirth of the Celestials. The Fire Exalts have many useful abilities and quite a few learn the Immaculate Fire Dragon Style from the Terrestrial General; the Water Exalts swiftly master the Terrestrial Styles that already exist, and quite a few master Fire Dragon Style, creating the second cross-Elemental sets after the General. They are also masters of both the skies and seas aspects of warfare-- Sail larger flying vehicles (generally, Ride will cover one to two person aerial vehicles, and Sail crews larger than that). Earth Exalts are especially prized for their technological capacity and their wartime leadership abilities. The Wood Dragons are best adapted to the new world, as Archery applies to firearms and Ride to most personal ground vehicles and single/two-person aerial vehicles. Their mastery of growing crops and medicine make them invaluable, and their performance skills give them a ready world audience. Air-blooded are not often seen on the front lines; their natural adaptations to Essence-abstractions via Occult and Lore mean that many are shifted into government jobs.

End of the Long Dark

The Terrestrials will also push back the lines of many shadowlands, although none can be completely recovered. Outside of Central Asia, much of the world is peaceful with only minimal danger from the disturbed dead. Even the Nephwracks are stymied by their might, though they prove oddly resilient in the three-way fight in Vietnam and surrounding Southeast Asia countries.

Women and Minority Civil Rights movements will take a dramatic upswing. Terrestrial Exaltation affects all races and genders equally, making warriors out of all who take the Second Breath. The presence of outspoken, front-line members of both groups causes an even greater movement towards civil rights than happens in our history. As the Terrestrial General herself is female, arguments that women are emotionally unsuited, at least, for combat or responsibility are more or less shattered, as she proves time and time again that despite her youth, she is an awesome champion for humanity, though at this time she does not yet take direct control of the efforts against the Dead. Nevertheless, the women’s movement (especially in her home ground in the US) is springboarded by her popularity during her early fighting years.

The Terrestrials appearance, specifically the Wood-Blood will end the decade-long food crisis created by the loss of much arable land in Asia and throughout the world due to shadowlands.

Antarctica is never recovered.

1968

First artifacts created, as opposed to ancient ones being used, by Earth Dragons working on the Hiroshima and Nagasaki lines. These first artifacts are mainly hardened versions of wards, enchantments, and some minor armor and weapons (1 dot reliable. Until the return of the Celestials, only 3 dots will be -possible-). Among the first weapons developed are short daiklaives for the Fire Dragon style, though the Terrestrial General’s preferred fighting style is usually with a reaper daiklaive in one hand and an artifact pistol in the other hand, combining her Wood power with the swordsmanship that rests in her past life’s specialty, with the Fire Dragon style reserved for the deadliest of enemies.

The Terrestrial General shatters all expectations of the possible, and develops the Earth Dragon style intuitively as she works to master her inclinations to lead and organize her fellow Terrestrials. Over the next few years, other than teaching and fighting against the Nephwrack-led hordes or Terrestrials gone wrong, she will slowly begin to develop the other Immaculate Dragon Styles, WITHOUT a teacher. Unfortunately, despite its early development, Earth Dragon style does not reach its full use at this time. No one can reliably make the proper magical weapons. Acting as both a teacher and leader, the Terrestrial General begins to assemble her both her fellow Dragon-Blooded and mortals of power-- of both genders-- into organizations called Strike Squads outside of the often suspicious national armies. These squads never contain the majority of Dragon Blooded, even after later developments, but do include some of the greatest heroes of the age.

1969

Despite long-standing prejudices against her age and gender, NATO recognizes the importance of the Terrestrial General as the de facto leader of her kind as well as the most individually powerful human being on the planet. She is named supreme commander of allied forces in the European theatre and spends much of the next two years finishing the securing of Europe.

As one of the most important and visible people in the world in both a political and a combat role, as well as her huge personal popularity from her actions leads to the passing of many acts of civil rights legislation, including the Equal Rights Amendment in the United States. Furthermore, since a part of her assumption of command includes folding her own Strike Squads into the NATO structure, and these Squads include both Terrestrial and mortal female soldiers, the integration of women into combat operations happens all over the world very rapidly.

1970

With the assistance of Dragon-blooded geomancers, Manse 1s, which had been unreliably created for a long time, become much more common. Partial capping is performed at many sites.

The first Elemental-Blooded reach maturity. All are overshadowed in the elements by the Dragonblooded. They are only recognized as the legacy of the First Heroes.

1971

With mastery of War from her development of Earth Dragon Style reaching its height and her massive successes in the European Theatre, the Terrestrial General is recognized as the world’s best and brightest hope against the Dead. The United Nations creates a sub-organization, the Secure World Occult Resistance Directive under her leadership to coordinate the efforts of both combat against the undead and renegade Exalts world-wide. Despite the attempts of some bureaucrats, she more or less continues leading from the front.

1973

Essence Thaumaturgy Science reaches the second plateau, where only incremental developments will be made until the rise of the celestials. Reliable effects from level 1-4 have been developed. Level 5 skill is certainly possible, but most development at this time is in specific rituals.

1975

Air Dragon style is developed.

Reliable 2-dot artifact manufacture is developed, characterized by the emergence of the Infinite Jade Chakram, which causes even more distress among practioners of traditional science, as it apparently violates both regular and Essence laws of conservation.

1977

First expeditions into the shadowlands leads to discovery of the Underworld, now a hellish mirror-Earth caught in an eternal war between the nephwracks and the few dead who would remain free. Only the areas that corresponds to the safe zones of the physical world-- the Middle East, the Indian Subcontinent, and Australia-- are safe from the depredation of the nephwracks. Future expeditions will be only of limited use as the nephwracks and their plasmics prove unassailable on their home ground.

1978

Reliable 2-dot manses possible. Geomancy continues to struggle at the more sophisticated levels due to astrological effects on Celestial-type demesnes corresponding to unknown effects.

1979

Water Dragon style developed. Proves to be extremely popular with Exalts of all types, not just Water-Blooded.

1980

First Dragon-Kings reawaken in South America. Fearful of the modern world, they hide from both the living and the dead.

Last "purebred" Terrestrials exalt.

First generation of born Terrestrials exalt, producing the first variance in breeding-- two "purebred" Terrestrials produce legendary children with 90% certainty, but other family groups produce Breeding 3 types with less certainty. No Half-Castes are born as of yet.

World population of Terrestrials reaches a roughly stable level at 1 in 1000 average worldwide. Most people know at least one Terrestrial, maybe more. North America, which absorbed many Central Asian refugees, has a 50% higher Dragon-Blooded rate and Australia has a significantly larger one when both foreign and native populations are combined.

1981

Dragon-King contact in South America with humans and guard forces is sporadic. Few contacts are made, but none are hostile.

1982

First "mortal artifacts" developed. Using advanced technology and scientific study of thaumaturgy and enchantment, mortals learn how to create artifact 1s without the aid of Exalted-- and in fact, how to mass produce them.

1983

First reliably recorded contact with Dragon Kings does not go well; fighting breaks out between Dragon Kings and Dragon Blooded. Dragon Kings retreat deeper into jungles, mountain, and seas, with the desert-loving Anklok following their sea-loving bretheren and escaping South America entirely for Africa, where they attempt to hide.

1985

Wood Dragon Style is developed. When completing the cap charm, the Terrestrial General is treated to a vision of a terrible figure in theUunderworld-- a resting, malevolent force that the Terrestrial General cannot quite yet see. Unfortunately, the Terrestrial General's vision seems to have disturbed the sleeping being.

1986

The restless dead, aided by new horrors from the Void, redouble their attacks worldwide. Containment is lost in Eastern Asia, and an evacuation of China slowly begins. The Party has long been supported by the rest of the world as being one of the last lines of defense. While many civilians leave, most of China's huge Dragon-blooded population remains, hoping to fight off the dark hordes.

The Terrestrial General temporarily cedes day-to-day control of the Secure World Occult Resistance Directive to her civilian aides, finally surrendering some power to the bureaucracy, lead by a potent Water-blood ex-naval officer. Most of her time for the next 14 years is spent fighting in Asia and securing lines of retreat for the refugees.

1987

With the increasing refugee levels and the loss of yet more arable land to the hordes of the risen dead, a second food crisis is threatened.

Reliable artifact and Manse 3s created. Many of the devices at this time are diverted from the war effort to help maintain fertility and food production worldwide; the crisis is averted.

1990

Peaceful relations with the Dragon Kings finally achieved. Partially out of desperation, partially out of a desire for allies, the Kings risk the modern world to try and make treaty with the humans. Although awkward, the Kings do manage to achieve some sort of reliable connection.

Dragon King memories of Creation are unclear, but the first mention of 'Exalted' is made. Some scientists and Exalts begin to theorize that the universe was remade in whatever catastrophe the Kings were barely able to remember. The implications for cosmology will take decades to understand.

The first rumors of the Celestial Exalts generate at this point from the strange, half-dream memories of the Kings.

1991

Dragon King science, although mostly forgotten in the terrible sleep since Creation was transformed by the Big Bang, helps expand the knowledge of artifact production to include the other four of the Five Magical Materials, although soulsteel is banned, and adamant. This permits a wider range of artifacts to be developed, especially the otherwise rare Starmetal! Moonsilver is almost impossible to find or develop until irradiated silver is used. Dragon King technology can produce up to rank 4 artifacts, with Shogunate-era precision, but frustratingly, this production does not translate well. Dragon King technology is half produced by the spirit-natures of the Kings themselves, and remains beyond the reach of mortal and Exalt science for the moment.

1992

With the aid of the Dragon Kings, the Oblivion Campaign of the Nephwracks is pushed back in South America and Africa. Containment of Asia proves less and less possible, but many of the world's greatest Terrestrials both inside and out of the Secure World Occult Resistance Directive volunteer for the Asia Forces and European Line, and while the entire Mongolian region is lost, no further ground is permitted in Eastern Europe and heartland China remains intact.

The Terrestral General somehow achieves Essence 6 58 years ahead of schedule.

1995

Beginning of Transcendence

The Solar Lord Exalts. A Twilight of unsurpassed and unequaled power, the Solar Lord does not immediately enter the world stage, instead spending a good deal of time manufacturing artifacts, both for the Celestials to come and for the most ethical and moral of the Terrestrials. The Solar Lord is a master artificier, capable of producing First Age wonders and capable of making lesser creations extremely quickly, aided by the legendary hammer Heartforge.

The Last Deathlord, sleep disturbed by the Terrestrial General, awakens and begins to plan

1996

The Solar Lord begins to slowly distribute single artifact 5s each suited to the personalities of the greatest heroes of the Terrestrials, encouraging the righteous among them Three are made for the Terrestrial General-- an enhanced version of Immaculate Wood Dragon Armor and a pair of Infinite Weapons of superlative power to go with her wide variety of martial arts skills.

The Solar Lord begins recruitment of powerful, skilled, and ethical Earth-Bloods to increase manufacturing capabilities.

The Solar Lord begins to create and develop the Virtue Paths, in premonition of the coming of the Celestials.

The Last Deathlord summons terrible arms and armor from the Edge of the Abyss and begins awakening hekahonteir in the Underworld, behemoths in the physical world.

1997

First "kaiju" attacks-- behemoths and hekahonteir in Japan. Some of the Behemoths are converted by the power of the oldest Sun Shrines and turn on their comrades, but far too few. The islands are functionally abandoned except for military and spiritual support personnel.

1998

"Kaiju" attacks continue, assaulting the Asia Forces. Both the Asia Force and the European Line are reinforced, but the monstrous beings seem to be concentrating on mainland China. A few attacks are sent into the Indian Subcontinent, dividing the defenses.

The Terrestrial General requests that the United Nations appoint an overall organizational commander for the Secure World Occult Resistance Directive in her stead. As she is the only publically known being able to personally defeat behemoths or hekahonteir, she simply cannot waste time outside of Asia, even with worldwide instantaneous communications. Regretfully, she chooses to concentrate the main thrust of her effort and her best Strike Squads to preserving the defenses of the Indian subcontinent, which is the most secure.

1999

The Indian subcontinent holds.

China falls to the "kaiju" attacks.

2000

Rebirth of the Celestials

The Sidereal Chancellor Exalts in North America and promptly disappears. Only the Solar Lord will have any contact with him over the ensuing period. His power is roughly equal to that of the Terrestrial General upon her Exaltation, although his powers are Sidereal, and he has mastered much of the Prismatic Arrangement of Creation Style -- though obviously not all.

The Lunar Lady Exalts in Africa and promptly begins to amass power. Her power is similar to the Sidereal's, although she knows no Martial Arts. Instead, she is filled with the memories of the Silver Pact-- its failings as well as its triumphs, and the need to use radiation to substitute for Wyld exposure. The Lunar Lady, like all Lunars of the modern era, is immune to radiation sickness and does not even need Lunar anti-wyld Charms to thrive off it. She stabilizes her own Caste as Full Moon.

The Abyssal Lady, a Daybreak Caste necromancer queen, Exalts in Japan. Her power is far greater than that of Lunar Lady and Sidereal Chancellor, reaching Essence 6 upon Exaltation! Her power is even greater than the now experienced and dedicated Terrestrial General.

The Solars begin to Exalt. Over the next few years, 599 will take the Second Breath. The world trembles at their arrival, with powers and Essence far greater than has been seen before. Unlike the other Exalts, they are apparently leaderless, save for rumors of the Solar Lord and his distribution of artifacts. Most of the Solars are tremendous heroes. Some are the darkest villains.

The Sidereals begin to Exalt. Over the next few years, 199 will take the Second Breath. Most promptly disappear to Yu-Shan, where they are greeted by their Chancellor, the 200th.

The Lunars begin to Exalt. Over the next few years, 599 will take the Second Breath. The Lunar Lady visits each of them in turn to distribute the tattoos necessary to fix Caste. Driven by the compulsions of Luna, she fixes the Caste of all of the Lunars, but only calls some of them to join her at her side in Africa. Most come, but some 25% are left. These Rogue Lunars will prove to be both able heroes and terrible foes.

The Abyssals all Exalt simultaneously; 299 of them. Filled with the power of their shard's corrupt past, almost all break to the will of the Last Deathlord and the Abyssal Lady instantly. Although they come from around the world and many will be sent to harry the living, all come to Asia for indoctrination, save a few who escape, perhaps to become something better-- or merely to become mad.

The Solar Lord reveals himself to the Terrestrial General, and teaches her virtue paths, and he warns the General that Sorcery’s gifts ultimately spawn from the Yozis. The Terrestrial General will make only limited use of Sorcery from then on.

Many Celestials have Past Lives with memories of the First, Second, and Third Ages, including more details on the restructuring of the world and the creation of more consistent physical laws to better separate the gods' workings from physical reality, so that the spiritual basis for reality may continue without the temptation to rule.

The return of the gods: The gods make their presence known to the world, and that of Yu Shan. However, they promptly return to strictly avoiding all interaction with the world not done through the medium of Celestial Exalts, restricting themselves to First Age or more restrictive levels of activity in the World. They claim to be constrained by the actions of the Pure Source, the true creator of all things even older than the shinma of the Wyld, whose light was hidden from Creation by the Primordials. The Pure Source is explained to be the power behind the Angels, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and many other miracles worldwide, although the gods (referred to as kami by most people uncomfortable with a polytheistic universe) claim that the Pure Source lets even religions do as they will in pursuit of some unknown Great Plan involving free will.

Yu Shan refuses all mortal diplomacy or appeal.

2001

The presence of the Celestials deforms the Manifold Walls of Creation. Hundreds of Noble Fae and Second Circle demons escape into the world, most of the Fae through the encysted Unshaped in Antarctica, most of the demons in Africa. Despite any past problems, the demons, the undead, and the fae appear to have some sort of firm alliance.

Safe zones hold. Australia and the Middle East prove utterly unaffected by either fae or demons.

The Solar Lord makes a few, scattered appearances, leading Celestials who will listen to him towards the Virtue Paths.

2002

The Lunar Lady begins a campaign of unity and conquest in Africa, with the stated purpose of driving out the demons (Some are slain, but many escape into Asia and some few remain), but with the ultimate purpose of cementing Africa under her rule. In the early portions of her campaign, her desire for power is not evident, and many Solars and Terrestrials join her.

Other Celestials go to Europe and South America. Europe is secured, but South America remains under heavy attack from Antarctic Fae.

North America is once again home to more than its fair share of Exalts, and remains the safest place in the world that is not a Safe Zone.

The Abyssal Lady begins her devastating campaigns to eliminate or conquer all that lives. With demons and fae added to her kaiju and undead armies, despite her smaller number of Exalts (Not just Abyssals-- renegade Terrestrials and even a few Celestials!), she manages to nearly bring the world into a second Dark. However, for now, the Celestials added to the experienced world-wide experienced Terrestrials hold her back.

Sorcery and Necromancy spread among all Exalts, though Sorcery dominates the physical world and Necromancy the servants of the Abyssal Lady.

Despite the arrogance of the Lunar Lady, the Terrestrial General returns to prominence in the worldwide community. With the addition of Dawn and Full Moon troops for the front line, the Terrestrial General can relax some of her direct efforts and is welcomed back by the UN into full control of the Secure World Occult Resistance Directive, which now must wrestle with the impact of the Celestials. Those who do not join with the Lunar Lady are not always inclined to join the Secure World Occult Resistance Directive, but many respect it and its rules of engagement for Charms and operating in mortal society.

2003

The Solar Lord fully reveals himself to the world with the creation of the world's first purely artifact production company. He reveals-- for free- many of the secrets of Essence science and technology, bringing Thaumaturgy up to reliable level 5, mortal artifacts to level 3, and permitting the spread of worldwide artifact 4 and manse 4 production. The Solar Lord is the only individual capable of reliably making artifact 5s and Manse 5s, and no one can match his company's speed in production. As the Solar Lord has no real need of finances, most of the profit is driven into charities and relief organizations. The Solar Lord continues to show obvious bias towards ethical and moral behavior in whom he will produce artifacts for and the extent of their power and customization. He also warns against trusting the Lunar Lady, but is mainly unheard. The two have taken an instant dislike to each other.

The Solar Lord refuses to take control of the Solars, acting instead to reward moral and ethical behavior and serve as a model of behavior himself. He warns against the fallacies of attempting to dominate mortal society.

Full formalization of the Virtue Paths leads to laws dealing with Limit and Limit Break in the civilized countries of North and South America and Europe.

2005

The Lunar Lady pushes most of the demons out of Africa. Most escape via sea or through invasions of Europe, avoiding the Middle East at all costs. Many are slain but even more make it to Asia with their First Circle brood. Some First Circle infestations remain in Africa, but only a few Second Circle.

The Lunar Lady seizes full control of the African continent. Not only does she have 75% of the Lunars backing her, but 90% of the Terrestrials of Africa and 99.9% of the African mortal armies support her. The Lunar Lady begins erecting a continental society in Africa by climactic bands, based on the civilization/barbarism models of Halta and the Haslanti League from her memories of Creation. Despite her emphasis on physical strength and moral purity, her reign is far more humane than previous ones in the devastated birthplace of humanity. Because the Solar Lord refuses to take control of the Solars as she has the Lunars, and any Terrestrial War (any Exalt War, for that matter) would prove counterproductive and give the Dark Alliance an unprecedented opportunity, her take-over (and the subsequent massive economic clout it gives her) is treated as a fait accompli. Africa is now safer than South America, roughly as safe as Europe, not quite as safe as North America. It is less free than either, with the Lunars acting as nobles and judges. Although the use of Virtue Paths is encouraged among Lunars, it is by no means required.

The Lunar Lady and the Terrestrial General come to an uneasy truce. The General is more inclined to trust the Solar Lord, who has proven his loyalty and altruism, but is reassured by the Lady’s organization and military discipline. She is more willing to discuss terms in exchange for having an entire previously unsafe region of the world made secure and autonomous; the Lunar Lady, as an African native, remains committed to native rights.

2006

Stabilization of the present era The world is in turmoil. The Abyssal Lady's campaign continues as scheduled. Celestials and Terrestrials must not only confront her, but also rogues who have not gone over to the Dark Alliance, and the temptation of the Lunar Lady's proclamations of superiority. The Manifold Walls of Creation have been weakened, and, save for Australia and the Middle East, there is nowhere truly safe in the world. It is a time of heroes and villains; a time of Modern Epic.

Future?

Rise of the Alchemicals during the European Domination War

Autochthon Anti-Earth

Summoning of Third Circle demons upsetting the balance and nearly leading to Exalt War.

Colonization of the Solar System and the dangers of the Unleashed Maidens.

Effects of Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and the Tenth Planet

The New Fae Crusade

Revelation of the Deathlord

Discovery of the beastmen and other sapient species in other solar systems.

Notes: No ghost-blooded are born until the Terrestrials return; first reach maturation (and fight on either side of) during the Nephwrack campaigns following the Terrestrial Lord's disturbance of the Last Deathlord. Like the Elemental Bloods, they are largely overshadowed and mostly viewed as servants of the dead. Demon-blooded and Fae-Blooded have only recently been able to be born at all. None have reached maturity. God-blooded do not currently exist of any types, nor are they likely to until/if the gods are forced to step in on the human sides. Half-Caste dragon-blooded exist, but are rare, because all first generation Dragon-Blooded had Legendary breeding and thus their children had high chances of Exaltation. Only four entities have greater than Essence 6 at this time, not counting elementals, gods, behemoths, and hekahonteir: the Last Deathlord, the Solar Lord, the Terrestrial General, and the Abyssal Lady. The identity of the last Deathlord is unknown. My current favorites are the Dowager, the Bishop, Walker, or one of the unknowns-- even I haven't made up my mind here yet.

Comments

Pretty nice, and involved, but the development of Essence-science seems far too fast, in my opinion. Science, as a concept, won't turn to 'non science' at first. Since Essence wasn't around for the past many-thousand years, we don't have means of detecting, manipulating, or controlling Essence flows. What (in my head) would happen would be the first scientists noticing 'problems' with experiments sometimes being repeatable, and trying to track down what "universal constant" is changing. You'd eventually have people proposing cock-a-mamy theories such as "Being close to the wilderness, on a full moon, and having a church next door praying causes this to work more reliably", which, of course, is rejected for publication, because that's just hooey. Thing is, this would go on for 2-3 years, until every research scientist who's seeing (and rejecting) these papers starts seeing trends in these submissions, and starts trying things like it in his own lab. Eventually, major scientists will start meeting, and start accepting these papers in new journals - the journal of unexplained science, for example. By this point, the government has research labs forming (think Oak Ridge National Lab) in the middle of nowhere, with controlled environments, and lots of young new scientists trying to harness these "unexplained sciences" for weapons and 'defense' purposes. In my head, it'd be easily 5 years from the 'creation' of Essence before science really had anything going. In your situation, you've got it only one year afterwards, which is too fast, in my opinion. This continues, with major essence-science developments occurring without major committee and scientific community changes. Once Dragonbloods Exalt, well, all bets are off, as these guys can see, feel, and manipulate Essence - hence, easily repeatable experiments, easily observed results, and finally, someone to say "Well of course it's not working. The hospital nearby is just leaking death-essence. Can't you guys tell?" -- GreenLantern

Well, there are a couple of assumptions that are made here. First of all, anyone who flat out rejects the use of thaumaturgy-- Essence science isn't really a proper term until the Celestials or maybe the Dragon Kings, I might need to change it-- is going to get ignored. The restless dead situation is too great, and besides, there are Angels in the Middle East. Yeah, you get a lot of 'it's aliens!' theory and so forth, but most people have to deal with the realities of the moment. Also, I think we're viewing the effects of thaumaturgy a bit different. In the timeline and my conception of it, Wards and Exorcisms flat out WORK. Repeatable, consistent-- somehow, they've been preserved. So initial thaumaturgy is closer to anthropological studies mixed in with hasty test work. I should also note-- I don't know if I'm clear enough on this-- that thaumaturgy doesn't start getting -any- reliable results for 5-6 years afterwards other than, "This ritual works, consistently. Use it again." and "These rituals are behaving in a similar fashion, despite cultural differences. How can we investigate their function?" The first real theoretical breakthrough is Essence Awareness, you see; it's not until 1958 that repeated experiments, minor variations and hypotheses lead to thaumaturgy-style rituals being understood in terms of their causes and effects, and even then, it's really limited except for the wards and exorcisms, which are special cases. Basically -- 1951 is when people start STUDYING them. When they realize that (a) these rituals work, and they work repeatably and (b) there might be something behind it. In actuality, yeah, they spend about 5 years flailing around until clues from the martial artists, who have their own work with chi and similar stuff to contribute when they finally start getting a clue.

I _do_ need to work out the committees and Manhattan Project equivalents, though. You'll notice that historical events rather than Exalted-related ones become less and less frequent as we move from 1950 on. That's because there've been huge background changes. The Timeline needs major expansion into 'world events' (I'm probably going to mine wikipedia) before I can make concrete judgments on that-- this is more of the skeleton for when events pop up. -- IsawaBrian

While this is a great setting and timeline, I wonder about something. What are the angels? For the life of me I can't figure out what they are meant to be related to. Still, great setting with a great timeline. -Heru

Thanks. As for the angels, they're Plot Devices. I didn't want to get into the effects of the Israeli-Arab conflict, or the Oil Wars, and so on, and so forth, nor did I want the setting to suddenly cause major crises of faith over the whole world. So, basically, the Middle East is sacrosanct territory. No religious strife, no wars, none of it. More or less, the local governments and organizations slowly devolve to social programs, or local problems-- there's no need for militaries or police forces. Instead of Hell on Earth, it's near paradise-- though not without some complications I'd explore when I got back around to it. :) -- IsawaBrian.

Instead of a set of wards in the Himalayas, I'd go with making the angel-protected zone explicitly have as its eastern border the limits of the Ganges river valley. This 1) defuses the Kashmir conflict, which is as big a deal as the conflicts over Israel, if less-reported in the U.S., and 2) puts the cradles of most of the world's major religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Baha'iism, and Zoroastrianism) into a single protected zone. For the western border, I'd use the Mediterranean, then the Nile down to the Atbarah, the Atbarah to the Tekeze, and then along some line from the Tekeze to the Red Sea. (This puts Axum, which has a cathedral that supposedly houses the Ark of the Covenant, and the Axum Stele Field, in the zone.) For the south, the Indian Ocean works fine. The northern boundary would consist of the Bosporus, Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles, Caucasus, Caspian Sea, and the some line approximately along the northern borders of Iran-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India. "Sacred exceptions" to the border would bulge out very slightly to the west to put the Giza Pyramid complex and the Hagia Sophia in the zone. -See