• Part One: The Wheels of Motion


    The known world has two contiennts, Tierra and Uraba, connected by a thin isthmus, on which stands the sacred city of Ishalem. The "Aidenist" people of Tierra are the descendants of Aiden's crew, while the "Urecari" people of Uraba believe that their ancestors originally sailed on Urec's ship.

    For all of history, the wreck of one ancient Arkship dominated a hill in Ishalem, and the Tierrans and Urabans dispute whether the ship origionally belonged to Aiden or Urec. Likewise, each people has has legends of a wandering hermit, the Traveler, whom Aidenists believe to be immortal Aiden watching over them, while the Urecari believe him to be Urec.

    Despite their underlying rivalries, the followers of Aiden and Urec managed an uneasy peace for centuries, punctuated by occasional skirmishes. After long negotiations, King Korastine of Tierra and Soldan-Shah Imir of Uraba agreed to divide the world into two parts, so that each land could have peace.

    Korastine traveled with his daughter Anjine, the future queen of Tierra, and her childhood friend, Mateo Bornan, the son of a guard captain. Sadly during the city-wide celebrations after the signing of the Edict, an accidental fire started and holy Ishalem burned to the ground, taking the ancient Arkship with it. Thus began decades of furious fighting between the followers of Aiden and the followers of Urec.