History of the Matis, Lords of the Bark

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► Original

2194

The Matis encounter the Karavan who spread the word of Jena, the mythology of the Great Dragon and the Prophecy. The contacts between the Karavan and the Matis are easy. The Matis contribute in the supply of the Karavan with resources.

The Matis live in the forest of Matia, from the name of the city that they begin to build there.

The Matis are quarrelling ceaselessly because of their individual ambitions. Zachini emerges as a charismatic and imposing leader but is not yet accepted by all.

2196

To strengthen his authority, Zachini calls around him influential members of the great Matis families and enlists them in a warlike company he heads. He channels the ambition of the Matis by taking them in long hunting rides (mekrides).

During one of these mekrides, the company of Zachini enters Tryker territory and meets its inhabitants whom, taking them for primitives, it hunts and enslaves shamelessly. For the Matis, to enslave a Tryker after a hunt is a feat demonstrating one's nobility to everybody. The thus enslaved Trykers are brought back to the Matia Forest where they work to build Matia.

2197

Jena reveals Herself to Zachini to make him release the Trykers. Zachini accepts and gets the support of the Karavan (via the tables of the Commandments of Jena) to become the undisputed leader of the Matis. With this support, Zachini obtains the union on his name at the council as supreme chief: the royalty Matis of divine right is born.

King Zachini has abandoned Matia (considered to have been perverted by the hands of the Trykers who worked there and therefore unworthy of the new monarchy) and begins the construction of Karavia, the new royal capital. He places this construction under the sign of faith. Over the years, Karavia becomes a holy city because it is built on the meeting place with Jena.

2199

King Zachini rebuilds his warlike company by extending it to the whole Matis people: it is in this pool that henceforth the great figures of the State will be recruited, supporting the royal action.

King Zachini resumed his noble hunts. During one of them, the Matis discover the Momos. They occupy vast areas rich in resources of the new Matis kingdom. The Matis try to enslave them as they did for the Trykers in order to take over the resources and get a slave labour force. Unfortunately, the Momos resist and enter into an enormous war against the Matis. Zachini claims and obtains the active help of the Karavan to eradicate the Momos of the Kingdom (on the theme A king, a land, a people). From now on, the Matis Kingdom will be exclusively populated by Matis. On this occasion, the Matis meet the Kamis who attend the slaughter.

2200

The foundations of the Church of Light, the church of Jena whose priests are homins, are laid among the Matis. The Matis are particularly fervent because they combine the devotion they owe to the King to the practice of the worship of the Church of Light. The capital Karavia receives an archbishopric of the Church and Zachini holds the function.

2202

The Matis encounter the Fyros, after the great fires in the desert, when Fyros water traders cross the Matia Forest.

2227

The Kamis teach magic to the Matis. On this occasion, the Matis meet the Zoraï.

2230

The Zoraï begin to teach the secrets of writing to the Matis.

2234

Some Matis, seduced by the teaching of the Kamis, leave the Church of Light and join the Kamis. To counter the growing influence of the Kamis among the Matis, the Karavan reveals to them the secrets of the genetic manipulation of living matter, especially plants.

2271

Birth of Aniro I, who will found the Anirian dynasty.

2287

Driven by the lure of profit, the Matis do not hesitate to dry up the Munshia river which irrigates the Fyros Empire and thus force the Fyros to send additional convoys of water to stock up. At the same time, the Matis increase the taxes on the convoys crossing their kingdom.

2289

Fyros and Trykers build together an Aqueduct linking the Trykoth and the Desert. Trykers and Fyros traders and warriors settle down along the aqueduct.

The course of the aqueduct encroaches on the Matis territory, which triggers the (long) War of the Aqueduct between the Matis on one hand and the Trykers and Fyros on the other. The war is chaotic: one hundred and fifty years of fighting with guerrilla phases and phases of true war.

2293

The War of the Aqueduct (also known as War of the Civilizations): the Matis fail in their attempt to cut the aqueduct.

2295

Beginning of the reign of King Aniro I and birth of the Twin Princes Nero and Manalitch.

2328

Foundation of the Scarlet Mercenaries (aka The Slash and Burn).

2329

In response to a request from the Karavan, King Aniro I launches all his people in the Building of the Organic Ziggurat in honor of Jena. The construction of the Ziggurat continues under the reigns of Kings Nero and Manalitch. King Aniro I urged all Matis to testify of their faith in Jena by helping in the erection of this edifice and, at the same time, to strongly reaffirm the bond that unites the King (and with him all the Matis) in Jena. Many inhabitants of Matia leave this city to go to Karavia and take part in the construction of the Ziggurat.

2333

The Kamis oppose the Matis for the first time during the construction of the Organic Ziggurat, the Matis building dedicated to the glory of Jena, whose construction began in 2329 at the call of the Karavan. Technosages intervene and manage to stop the actions of the Kamis.

End of the reign of King Aniro I and beginning of the reign of King Nero who, as first born, attends the embalming of the body of his father.

King Nero promulgates a law prohibiting his subjects from frequenting the Kamis.

2345

Foundation of The Kuild.

2347

The Karavan give machines to the Kuild, to capture the Kamis. The Matis support the Kuild in this hunting.

2348

Birth of Cinzia.

2352

Birth of Noblis.

2361

King Nero dies without children. End of the reign of Nero and beginning of the reign of Manalitch.

2363

Birth of Danido.

2367

The Organic Ziggurat is completed. The Karavan rewards the Matis and their King Manalitch by installing a holographic projection system in the Organic Ziggurat (with a special medallion to activate it), which contains the Commandments of Jena. The King can project his image throughout the Kingdom and no longer needs to leave Karavia to administer his Kingdom. The Feast of Three Kings is established: it celebrates the inauguration of the Organic Ziggurat and the alliance of the Matis and their King with the Karavan. This festival becomes the traditional wedding day. King Manalitch, old and having no children, presents Noblis as his appointed successor on this occasion. Noblis is adopted and made Prince.

2370

Death of King Manalitch. End of the reign of King Manalitch and beginning of the reign of King Noblis.

2372

King Noblis marries Cinzia. Queen Cinzia gives birth to Prince Aniro II.

2376

The construction works of the Majestic Gardens of Matia begin under the reign of King Noblis. Noblis mobilizes his people to create a new "wonder of Atys" and a large part of the Matis population commits itself there. The construction of the Majestic Gardens will be completed in 2379.

2380

As part of the War of the Aqueduct, King Noblis loses Karavia to the good of the Fyros: a major raid of the Matis is countered and routed by the Fyros, dragging in his retreat part of the Karavia garrison. The Fyros take advantage to launch a violent assault that subjugates the city. The King, the Court, some troops and civilians have just enough time to leave the city and avoid capture. The Ziggurat is emptied of its most precious objects and sealed.

The Fyros, conscious of having succeeded in a master stroke, wish to retain Karavia and the immense advantages of its location. They did not overburden the Matis who had remained in Karavia, which gave rise to a peculiar mixed society of Fyros governors and soldiers, and Matis craftsmen (especially winegrowers) and small traders.

The seat of the royalty is moved to Matia which will henceforth remain the Matis capital. The consequences for the reign of Noblis and the royalty are significant: the Matis kingship, cut off from its religious and governmental centre, loses its authority and must open up more to the Matis people.

2395

King Noblis and Prince Aniro II die together during a hunting accident. End of the reign of King Noblis and beginning of the reign of Queen Cinzia.

The death of the King and of his sole heir poses the problem of the continuity of the royal power. At the announcement of the death of the King and Prince, an immense crowd of Matis gathers in front of the palace to acclaim the Queen as heiress long before jurists or nobles attempted to find a solution. The custom lasted from this point onward.

2397

General Danido seduces Queen Cinzia. She has a son, out of wedlock, by Danido: Aniro. The affair between the General and the Queen, as well as the birth of their son, urged the nobility and the people to demand the regularization of their relationship.

2401

Queen Cinzia, a widow, remarries to Danido. Their son becomes Prince Aniro.

2421

Queen Cinzia, tired, abdicates in favour of Prince Aniro and retires from public life. Danido breaks his promise to respect the rights of Prince Aniro to the succession and removes him from power, in order to become king instead. Beginning of the reign of King Danido, called the Decrepit.

2427

Death of Queen Cinzia.

2431

Prince Aniro III assassinates his father King Danido. Beginning of the reign of King Aniro III. He marries and has a son, Prince Domini.

2434

Aniro III reforms his army and sends it to fight the Amazons, under the command of Gioni di Tylini. This general wins the battle of Thormes and recruits some of the survivors in his army.

On his return to Matia, once the triumph of the general has been celebrated, Aniro III and Gioni di Tylini work out the details of the Karavia campaign.

2435

King Aniro III dispatches General Gioni di Tylini to the assault of Karavia while the Fire of Coriolis prevents the Fyros from sending reinforcements to the Aqueduct and Karavia.

General Gioni di Tylini takes over Karavia, after a short siege and an assault, captures the Fyros military outposts along the Aqueduct (anecdotally through the Fyros being drunk on the Matis dandelion wine), invades Trykoth and reduces for the second time the Trykers in slavery. Many of the Trykers take flight.

2436

Pyto, the Fyros Emperor, counterattacks in an attempt to reopen the aqueduct. Despite the resources committed, the Fyros do not carry the day but hold the Matis armies in fierce fightings. Loria triggers an intense guerilla fight against the Matis settled in Trykoth allowing many Trykers to escape and regain their freedom.

Loria launches a commando operation to get in touch with Aniro III and convince him to stop the war. King Aniro III accepts and negotiations open in Karavia. The Matis keep hold of Karavia but free the Trykers and reopen the Fyros Aqueduct. The Trykers are free and stop harassing the Matis. The Fyros get water but agree to pay Matis taxes.

The Company of Karavia is founded in secret.

2450

King Aniro III abdicates in favour of Prince Domini. Beginning of the reign of King Domini.

2457

Birth of Prince Yasson, son of King Domini.

2459

Death of King Aniro III.

2471

Birth of Prince Jinovitch, son of King Domini.

2481

The Great Swarming (the invasion of Kitins, probably caused by Fyros miners who discover a nest in the depths and kill young Kitins, hence awakening the fury of adult Kitins).

The large swarm of Kitins first reach the Fyros lands. The Matis take advantage of this to attack the Fyros outposts around the Aqueduct and rout them. The Aqueduct is severed again! However, the Matis victory is vain because the homin civilizations are swamped by hordes of Kitins and the Church of Light is dispersed.

Death of King Domini and beginning of the reign of King Yasson.

Apparition of the Rainbow Gates of Elias. The Matis hide away in the Prime Roots. Beginning of the Kitin Wars. The Karavan fight the Kitin invasion.

The Karavan get in touch with the homin refugees in the Prime Roots and ask them to prohibit cross-breeding. King Yasson is their favoured interlocutor: he reassures the Karavan but does not transmit the order to the other nations.

The Edict of the Four Peoples is signed.

2482

Prince Yrkanis, son of King Yasson, is born in the Prime Roots.

2483

End of the Kitin Wars: the swarm retreats into the depths of Atys. The Homins come out of the Prime Roots and discover the New Lands.

The Matis arrive in the new forests. King Yasson baptizes them Majestic Garden. He renews his allegiance to the Karavan and begins the construction of the new royal capital: Yrkanis.

This time the construction of the city is devoted to the future and rebirth, to the Matis royal dynasty (Yrkanis is the name of the son of Yasson) and to the hunting (or war: anecdote of the arrow pointing to the location of the city).

Thanksgiving Day is established by King Yasson. It takes place at the winter solstice in honour of the Karavan to celebrate the release from the Prime Roots.

Reconstitution of The Kuild.

2484

The calendar of Jena is adopted by the Homins, thanks to the diplomacy of King Yasson. The Karavan religious connotations, unacceptable to the Fyros and the Zoraï, are expunged from its final version.

Bravichi Lenardi, the Great Organic Architect, begins to build the anti-Kitin plant barrier in the Fleeting Garden.

Some Matis, members of this corps of architects, think that reconstruction but above all power, relies on the control of the Goo and quit Yrkanis to settle in the Heretic's Hovel and found the Darkening Sap. At present, the Darkening Sap maintains a very cordial relationship with the Kingdom.

A kamic well for offerings is set up covertly in Yrkanis by Matis kamists.

2485

The Kamis step in to stop the erection of the anti-Kitin plant barrier. Construction is given up. At Kamis' request, the Zoraï tribe of the Sacred Sap settles in the Fleeting Garden to monitor the Kami Circle.

Some Matis scientists, having abused drugs on the plant barrier site, leave the Matis to create the Sap Slaves and settle in the Grove of Confusion. At the present time, the Sap Slaves maintain very cordial relations with the Kingdom.

2486

The clandestine kamic well for offerings is discovered in Yrkanis and destroyed. King Yasson then commands that the altars of the Kamis should be banished outside the Matis city. In addition, the Matis join the Karavan to ask the Tryker Council to take the same measures.

The Company of Karavia is formed again under the name of Guild of Karavia.

The tribe of Slavers is formed among the Trykers. At present, the Matis, although condemning slavery, are taking their side.

2487

The refugees of the Old Lands arrive in continuous flow following the road of the Exodus. Faced with this influx of refugees, King Yasson promulgates the Act of Integration which institutes a structure for the integration of refugees. The hosting camps are created (Stalli, Borea, Nistia, Rosilio and Miani).

Among the refugees who arrive in the Matis kingdom are members of the Guild of Elias.

The Great Organic Architect Bravichi Lenardi is put in charge of the education of Prince Yrkanis.

2488

The villages of Natae, Davae and Avalae (names of the first girls born on the New Lands) are built. The influence of the Guild of Elias grows within the Matis people and noble families, spreading gradually to the immediate entourage of King Yasson.

The Ancient Dryads is formed: it is a group of fanatics, former Matis botanists sent to the area of the Grove of Confusion to study the intelligent plants, who under the influence of the Kamis and by using drugs produced from sap, have decided to rebel and protect these plants from the mistreatment inflicted by Yrkanis scientists. The vegetal drugs they absorb tend to turn them aggressive. They attack all those who invade their territory, and vow a fierce hatred for the Matis. Some members of other peoples can be found among them, who have joined the tribe to protect plants and keep the Matis away. This tribe is today still the enemy of the Matis.

2489

Matini Roqvini, the legendary warrior of the guild Force of Fraternity, returns from the Old Lands with new anti-Kitin combat techniques.

2490

The Kitins are seen in the New Lands and the Homins organize their defenses. King Yasson signs the Pact of Mutual Assistance between the Homins against the Kitins. Matis military contingents are settled all over the New Lands within the scope of this pact.

Matini Roqvini and the guild Force of Fraternity are campaigning to chase down the last Kitins.

2491

The merchants of the peoples establish new and safe trade routes. The Guild of Free Merchants is created.

The Royal Corp of Organic Architects is tasked with the registration and demarcation of the roads of the new Matis Kingdom. King Yasson supports Matis crafting.

2492

The military campaign of the guild Force of Fraternity ends. Matini Roqvini is killed while passing through the Fleeting Garden.

2493

The Trykers lease the Lagoons of Loria for four years to the Matis.

While accompanying a contingent of Zoraï warriors, Prince Yrkanis is saved from the kipuckas by Leng Cheng-Ho who dies during this action.

Matis disobey the Karavan prohibitions and begin the exploration of the Prime Roots in a context of competition between homins for access to prized resources. These are private initiatives justified by several reasons: jealousy (the Trykers have been there for several years already), the lure of profit (the Guild of Free Merchants), the assertion of independence (impelled by the Guild of Elias) and the race for power between the Homins (King Yasson does nothing against this).

2495

The teachings of Jena and the role of the Karavan are challenged by a great Matis sage.

Dissident groups are formed within Matis society, denying the existence of Jena.

The influence of the Guild of Elias is at its highest. The Karavan decide to infiltrate the guild to find out the truth about Elias.

A Kitin attack occurs and is repelled using new combat techniques from the guild Force of Fraternity.

2496

The Guild of Elias is forbidden by the Karavan. King Yasson defers to the Karavan and takes over the prohibition of the Guild of Elias formulated by the Karavan. However, no brutal action is taken against it. By extension, the Karavan ask for the orthodoxy to be restored.

The tribe of the Scarlet Mercenaries is reconstituted in the Kingdom. They ransom and plunder in all regions of the Kingdom. King Yasson is forced to engage his armies to repel these mercenaries and to alleviate the problems posed by their actions. The mercenaries will definitively be pushed back into the Upper Bog.

While the Matis armies hunt The Slash and Burn, the tribe of the Siblings of the Weeds is reconstituted in the Fleeting Garden. In this period of unrest, the Matis people see this as an invasion by the Zoraï. To quell the general opinion, King Yasson organizes a meeting with the Zoraï leaders, which ends in trade agreements.

2497

The Trykers pull out of the Edict of the Four Peoples and sign an exclusive trade agreement with the Fyros. At the same time, they put an end to the Lagoons of Loria concession. The Matis are deprived of water.

2498

King Yasson revokes the Edict in turn and sets up tolls on the roads crossing the Matis Kingdom, made easier as Matis soldiers are deployed throughout the kingdom to fight the Scarlet Mercenaries. Surveillance by the Karavan makes the passage through the Prime Roots difficult for homins.

2499

Guerrilla war of the Lagoons and Autumn War.

King Yasson pulls out of the Pact of Mutual Assistance and expels the Trykers military contingents from the Matis Kingdom. The Matis and the Trykers fight for access to water resources. The Matis win the war in the Lagoons of Loria and annex the Trykers. The Trykers responded to the Matis occupation by an effective guerrilla war. King Yasson issues orders to put a stop to Tryker resistance by repressing them.

Although the Fyros have not yet entered the war, Dexton leads a Fyros army across the Zoraï territory to help the Trykers.

2500

The Fyros join forces with the Trykers and go to war. Dexton launches his army but King Yasson orders his capture to shorten the war. Dexton is captured and ransomed by the Matis.

2501

The negotiation of the ransom of Dexton is led by Mabreka (son of Leng Cheng-Ho).

On this occasion, Prince Yrkanis meets him. A Peace Treaty is signed. The Matis give up the conquered territories in exchange for the guarantee of the Trykers and Fyros to supply them with water. The credit of King Yasson with his people is strengthened by this war.

Matis and Fyros agree on the sharing of water in the Hidden Source. A Matis contingent goes to settle there, within the framework of the peace treaty. They will soon become The Arid Matis who at present maintain a very cordial relationship with the Kingdom.

For their part, the Fyros send a contingent who takes the place of the previous water managers (who will become the tribe of the Woven Bridles, enemy of the Matis) and the replacements will become the Oasis Diggers. This tribe has quite neutral relations with the Matis.

2504

Prince Jinovitch poisons King Yasson and becomes King in his stead.

The entourage of Prince Yrkanis, fearing for his safety, press him to hide. The Prince finds shelter with some followers in the forests of the Kingdom. He learns there the life of the ordinary Matis.

The fanaticism of King Jinovitch urged him to persecute the Matis sages who persist in doubting the Karavan.

He asks Bravichi Lenardi to build something equal to his magnificence which will keep the Matis in admiration. The Great Architect of the Life (godfather of the legitimate heir to the throne) begins the works for the Arena.

2505

King Jinovitch's racism leads him to persecute the members of the multiracial guilds in the Kingdom (including those members of the Guild of Elias still present). These persecutions are particularly striking because the punishments applied are banishment or the stake and public stakes are put on show.

The first blind persecutions by Jinovitch force some nobles into Fyros territory where they join the ranks of the Renegades‘ tribe. At present this tribe is highly thought of by the Matis.

King Jinovitch renames the capital in his own name, Jino. He recruits numerous soldiers for his armies in order to consolidate his authority. To cope with the military spending, he increases royal taxes with an additional tithe and heavily taxes the Fyros and Trykers merchants traversing the Kingdom. Prince Yrkanis manages to steal these tithes several times and hand them over to the Matis poor.

The tribe of the First Deserters reappears in the Knoll of Dissent and the King responds by training the Matisian Border Guards from soldiers of the Guard of Yrkanis (Jino).

2506

The Trykers protest against the extra taxes that hit them. King Jinovitch alleviates the taxes in exchange for the Trykers promising to cleave even more to the Karavan.

The King also concerns himself with sending "missionaries" into the Fyros Empire in order to try to convert them to the Karavan. Unfortunately, these "missions" are a failure.

Some of the noble families are increasingly detaching themselves from King Jinovitch and urge Prince Yrkanis to come out of his retreat to attempt a coup. The coup fails and Prince Yrkanis is captured alone. King Jinovitch attempts a Machiavellian maneuver: to give Prince Yrkanis the opportunity to escape so as to be able to murder him out of sight. The manoeuvre fails on the intervention of Bravichi Lenardi who warns Prince Yrkanis of the danger and covers his flight. Prince Yrkanis remains in the Matis Kingdom living a hidden and itinerant life.

Bravichi Lenardi is captured, tried, condemned and tortured to death on the stake. Work on the Arena will continue without him.

King Jinovitch officially orders Prince Yrkanis to be put to death.

2507

King Jinovitch does not have enough soldiers for his liking. He therefore instructs his administration to organize conscription throughout the Kingdom. This measure takes a long time to implement and particularly unpopular.

2508

Prince Yrkanis is recognized and captured but escapes while being taken back to Jino (Yrkanis) to be put to death. He flees to the Trykers homeland by taking the dangerous path of the Prime Roots, to discourage his pursuers.

The madness of King Jinovitch emerges again and he orders the foreigners and Kami to be persecuted. The last foreigners still settled in the Kingdom take the road to exile.

Ma-Duk, not wishing to exert general reprisals on homins, the work on the Arena is completed at a time when the Kamis, on the contrary, become more discreet in the Verdant Heights.

2509

Wyler, not wishing to incur King Jinovitch's wrath for having welcomed Prince Yrkanis in Fairhaven, urges the Prince to return to exile. The Prince accepts, and to cover his tracks, he leaves the territory of the Trykers for that of the Zoraï. Mabreka welcomes him in Zora.

2511

Supporters of Yrkanis, using the Bravichi leaves as a rallying symbol, spread the rumour of the return of the Prince to end the dictatorship of Jinovitch.

2512

King Jinovitch, learning that Prince Yrkanis has taken refuge for a time among the Trykers, launches his armies against them. The Matis attack and conquer the Lagoons of Loria. King Jinovitch renames this territory as Jino Waters.

2513

At the announcement of the attack of the armies of King Jinovich, Prince Yrkanis leaves Zora and join forces with Wyler to fight the Matis. The Battle of the Lagoons of Loria / Jino Waters begins. Prince Yrkanis shows himself to the Matis soldiers present there who recognize him as legitimate and leave massively the armies of King Jinovitch to come and swell those of the Prince.

Kitins appear in The Grove of Confusion.

2514

Learning of the rallying of the soldiers to Prince Yrkanis, King Jinovitch gathers an army and sets off to join the Tryker front. On the road, he starts the fight against Kitins, but his soldiers let him charge alone. The King dies in atrocious sufferings under the blows of the Kitins.

Yrkanis becomes King and returns triumphant to his Kingdom. All Jinovich's measures are abolished and the traces of his reign erased: Jino takes back its old name of Yrkanis, the Lagoons of Loria are returned to the Trykers.

2515

Signature of the Fairhaven Peace Treaty by Yrkanis, Mabreka, Wyler and Dexton. A period of general peace between the Homins begins.

2516

The Summit of Hoï-Cho, bringing together Yrkanis, Mabreka, Wyler and Dexton, reaffirms Free Trade and restores the free movement of goods in all homin territories.

2517

Yrkanis takes Lea Lenardi for his wife. She is the daughter of Bravichi Lenardi and becomes Lady Lea.

2518

The Green Seed tribe appears in the Majestic Garden.

Ratification of the Homin Rights Act at the instigation of the Tryker Council.

Lady Lea gives a son to Yrkanis: Stevano.

2520

King Yrkanis wisely governs the Matis. The emphasis is put on Matis's loyalty to the Crown and Jena, while tolerating the Kamis. The King favours diplomacy and peace between the Homins, while encouraging his people to compete commercially with the other peoples. Matis radicals openly ask the King for tougher measures against the Kamis and, faced with the failure of their demands, they attempt a coup against King Yrkanis. The attempt fails and the leaders are captured and imprisoned. Lady Lea is suspected of having participated but the King is convinced of the opposite.