User Guide

of emergency and censorship, there are less free
interpretations. All attempts to connect the reli-
gious dogma with liturgical knowledge fail, and
the Church starts moving its focus from spiritual-
ism towards material progress.
(18th century)
Unrest in Europe
Social differences widen in South Europe, which
is in an economic crisis. Large upheavals result,
which are quickly stopped in their tracks by the
Church army.
In the east, the Osman Empire starts to display its
expansionistic ambitions. On the Balkans and over
the Mediterranean Sea, the Osman often attack
against the east border. The forces of the Holy
Roman Republic, led by the Church armies, suc-
cessfully repel all attacks and re-conquer the terri-
tory. The Republic secures Greece, extending the
state, and is embraced by the local population. At
the beginning of 19th century, the Holy Roman
Republic and the Osman Empire agree on a per-
manent, but fragile, peace.
Substantial disagreements appear between the
Moor and Osman states, rendering any long-term
alliance against the Holy Roman Republic unthink-
able.
0In the 18th century, a group forms within the
Church, which returns to old investigations about
the nature and origin of the Fog. In old, pre-
Christian notes, they find key data, which might
have forecasted the forming of Fog. Additional
clues, also brought from ancient books, indicate
possible changes, which might happen at the turn
of the millennium.
This group is rumoured to have spawned several
legends, such as the later establishment of the sect
of Harvesters, which are a renegade group of litur-
gical scholars, and the seeding of the Prophecy,
which survives among the populace and foretells
the end of the terror, produced by the Fog.
The liturgical knowledge of the church increases
steadily through the centuries. The level of lore
skill available today seemed unattainable two
centuries beforehand.
(19th century)
World trade
The Osman Empire and the Holy Roman Republic
establish trade routes, extending to the Far East.
For the first time, Europe is regularly supplied
with Oriental goods.
Using mountain peaks of the South Europe, the
Church establishes a liturgical semaphore system
for a fast communication between the cities,
churches, and monasteries. This is the Churches’
first attempt at replacing the Link on a limited
scale, using the latest liturgical methods.
tral European countries. Anything the Fog covers
turns into badlands, killing every human settler.
Anyone venturing into the Fog never returns.
People, who came close to the Fog, report seeing
monsters, demons, and beasts materializing
around them. Few survive such encounters.
With the Link no longer working, the Fog spreads
over the southern part of Europe. It is weaker and
less lethal near the big cities hosting the Link
cathedrals (Avignon, Rome), but no one knows
why. The Link cathedrals are abandoned, but not
destroyed, as remnants of the past.
(1350 - 1450)
Fighting Fog
Years of darkness in horror across
Europe
The Fog spreads more slowly towards the south,
allowing the Church to devise an emergency plan
of defence. An old liturgical technique of chiming,
a form of resonant bell-tolling, originally designed
to control the weather, proves as a powerful
repelling weapon in pushing the Fog back from
the Mediterranean region. A borderline is estab-
lished, and constant liturgical tolling is required to
keep the Fog at distance.
The Fog disturbs and disconnects many well-estab-
lished trade routes and means of communication.
The south stays isolated for centuries. Officially,
nothing is known of the nations up north, or even
if any such nations persisted after the Fog's
appearance.
(1450)
The Holy Roman Republic
In the middle of 15th century, the Fog stretches
from the Atlantic Ocean to Siberia, all possible
contacts beyond the south of Europe with any
other part is blocked. The Link has been broken
for a hundred years, disabling all long-distance
communication and unified liturgical control over
Europe.
The Italian church steps up its
fight with the Fog and push-
es it to a line which now
defines the north bor-
der. Even by using
its strongest spells
of tolling, this new equilibrium cannot be disrupt-
ed.
The Church completes its political reformation,
and then apparently subsides in the background.
Its real influence, however, becomes stronger
through time, exerting pressure through its covert
operations.
The public believes that feudal reign is supreme
and unobstructed, with the Church providing
only pastoral, liturgical, and theological services.
The Church establishes four prime monk orders
to research the Basic truth, the connection
between Christian dogma and Liturgica.
At the north border, the Church remains
important in its defence role, perfecting their
skills of the tolling in the Church sorcery labs. The
big city cathedrals become independent units, led
by the most competent cardinals.
The states of Italy, France, Spain, and all remaining
Fog-bordering territories join to form a single
state, the Holy Roman Republic, ruled by the
Senate, comprised of local feudal lords (barons)
and citizen nobles.
The Moors conquer North African territories,
presenting a new threat to the Republic.
(15th century)
The fall of Byzantium
After the fall of Byzantium into Osman hands, the
Italian Church has no other Christian opposition
in Europe.
(17th century)
The Italian Church formally establishes its secret
service, the Inquisition, and no longer hides its
political ambitions. Using its powers, based on
liturgical knowledge, it controls official rulers.
Using large donations from the ruling class, the
Church is also able to establish its own mercenary
army, used for interventions in various parts of
South Europe.
All attempts of the Holy Republic to regain South
Spain’s Moor-ruled territories fail.
The spiritual development in the South fades. The
constant threat of Fog and Moors allow for a state
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