The Time of the Karanduun

The First Song is sung as thus... different stars and planets. In the middle of it all was the Great Weaveress, who wove the

world into being with her Five Principle …a Time where all the gods were flourishing, Spindle. This time lasted for a very long time and had multiple kingdoms and castles in the and ended with the Aeon Strife of Highest

Divinities, which consisted of various being arose and they made love, and gave birth to smashing and destroying planets in a war to two beautiful children: Paros, the Divine win the Most Beautiful Daughter of the Wind and Dagat, the Sea of Passion. Great Weaveress.

Apung Paros wa, ever-changing and arrogant. This Time ended with the return to slumber He ruled with vast power over the winds and of Mangatia as She hid her daughter for the air. He was eventually defeated and eternity. The war ended with nobody bested in both war and love by Apung Dagat. winning, and with the ranks of the gods (and They lived a long life together in the world of every other planet) destroyed. Sea and Sky, but the diwata are not immortal. They are constricted to the

movement of the winds. Eventually, Apung In the chaotic sea of chaos that was left, Paros died and his energy gave birth to the Maykapal, the Actor of Power, emerged, Lipod, a race of wind-people. being one of the only ones left alive by the

Aeon Strife. He warred with the Primordial Dragon known as Orphaned Spirit and won. Apung Dagat was overcome with grief, and In the wake of his victory, The Actor of died from overwhelming sadness. At the crux Power threw Orphaned Spirit's body down to of her death throes, Diwata Magindang, Apo the conflux of stars and created the Sea. of the Ocean, was born, along with the magindara, a powerful race of water-people

(of which the Naga are a part of). His friend, Wandering Spirit, was one of the

Gods that survived. When Galang Kaluluwa died as well, Maykapal, in his grief, lifted him In addition to this, the resulting divinity that up, turning him into the Sky. arose from this and infused all of creation, and thus the other diwata arose, achieving

conscience and sentience, embodying their And thus, the Sea and Sky Firmament was embodiments. made, which stood in the middle of the Sea of Stars, and then with that, The Actor of Power, left, seemingly to travel to other But these two powerful Apo did not live worlds, or maybe to seek out the Great alone. In their lovemaking they gave birth to Weaver. four powerful Primordial Apo:

And from there, the first diwata arose. The Kalibutan, the Lakan of the Cosmos, was embodiments of nature. The Diwata known strong and tall, and his body was made of as Apung Maykaptan, the Supernal Sky, and craggy rocks. He had inherited his father's Apung Magu'yawan, the Guiding Ocean,

vast power in addition to his own, and he and Bulan to seize the throne of Heaven was as arrogant as he was powerful. from their Grandfather, Apung Maykaptan. Kalibutan used his commanding presence to

command legions of Lipod and Magindara, Adlaw, the Sun That Cleaved, was happy, as well as used his powers over the elements noble, and always optimistic. He was filled to blow open the gates of the Sky. Adlaw led with passion, and would've suggested the charge, fighting with vicious strength, Kalibutan to think twice about his plans, but assaulting his Grandfather’s biraddali his passionate love for his brother told him (angelic people) servants. Bulan had snuck otherwise, and he thusly went with his into Maka and gave the Apo the lay of the brother. In addition to this, he was a comely land, the weaknesses, the various weapons warrior, filled with tactics and intelligence. that were used there. He learned how to sabotage them, how to destroy them before

they could even be used. Bulan, the Moon-Thief of the Sky, was comely, beautiful, and docile, and never questioned his brother's authority. He was In the wake of this heretical madness, the shifting and versatile like quicksilver, and so Supernal Sky was filled with anger, and He he was able to help his brothers without unleashed His Thunderbolt at the belligerent question. Many of the current Apo that children. In her confusion, Suga had also occupy Maka that have been there since the travelled to Maka to investigate what was Time of Divinity have said that Bulan was happening, but the Supernal Sky was blinded both a woman and a man at the same time, with anger. In his rage, he tore apart gentle depending on where you looked at him/her. Suga with his thunderbolt.

Suga, the Sagess of a Thousand Lights, was The act of killing his children drove him lovely, perfectly beautiful, bright, intelligent, mad. and the only daughter. She knew of the secrets of her parents, and from there she extrapolated the inner workings of creation, He went down to the Seas and tore it apart, the pattern of the Great Weaver that hid in angry at Magu'yawan, but Magu'yawan plain sight. She thus became the first clarified that She did not know anything Sorceress that knew the secrets to creation, about what their grandchildren were the weaving of things, that only the Great planning. Defeated and saddened, the Weaver knew. Supernal Sky, now Mad, and the Guiding Oceans wept for their grandchildren.

Kalibutan was arrogant and powerful, as he inherited the power of his Father, Paros. In Magu'yawan and Maykaptan gave Apung his hubris, he persuaded his siblings Adlaw Adlaw, Apung Bulan, and Apung Suga light,

and they were placed among the firmament weight of the Mad Sky's tyranny. He sought of the world. Adlaw became the Sun, Bulan to reason with the Mad Sky, who only ended became the Moon, and Suga became the up cursing him and banishing him from the stars. world. Filled with wrathful revolution, he gave to Magu'yawan the instructions of

creating powerful essences of pure, However, Kalibutan, being arrogant, was coruscating power -- he tasked Magu’yawan to given no light, and he became the earth upon collect the God-Shards of the Primordials: which the first shoot of bamboo grew from the Furious Rebellious Shard of Kalibutan, Magu'yawan, the Guiding Waters' tears. the Glorious Warrior Spirit of Adlaw, the Reaping Shadow Specter of Bulan, and the

Burning Thousand Points of Suga. These And from the bamboo, arose mankind... four shards he sealed into his Storm-Breath, and into it -- like a craftsman would pour

pouring hot lava into a cast -- the Actor of ...the Second Song continues... Power poured his unfiltered, uncalculable Raw Bala.

… and it was Glorious. Before the humans even existed, it is worth mentioning that These Breaths were then forged with Apung there have been previous beings before them. Tolus Ka Gomanan, the Diwata of the Forge, The Lipod, the winged wind-people, and the to craft a vast Receptacle upon which the Magindara, the snake-tailed water-people, power could be forged. Tolus Ka Gomanan, have existed much before they have. the Ever-Gnashing Hammer, used the four divine materials mined from the God-Shards

of each of the four dead Primordial Apo and And so, during the first few years of the created the Receptacle of Heroic Power Epoch of Heroes, the humans lived in constant fear of various halimaw and yawa, which came from the Sea, for the Sea was the These Receptacles were powerful enough to corpse of the Orphaned Spirit. The other hold even the infinite might of the Actor of races also subjugated humanity under their Power. With that, Actor of Power promised rule, even the Dragon Lords that were the that he will return in the future. eventual descendants of the Naga Tribe of the magindara. The Receptacle of Infinite Power only

worked with those who had the potential for It wasn't long before The Actor of Power had power, and thus they imparted the returned from His voyage, and he found that Receptacle upon those humans yet to be all of the world was filled with death and born. When those imbibed with the power of travesty, crumbling underneath the crippling the Receptacle were birthed, they were

observed to have grown twice as fast, Apo were proud of. All of this became the reaching adulthood at fifteen years of age, object of the Mad Sky's hatred, and he sought and becoming able to speak at Nine-months. to war with the heroes. Each one imbibed with the power of the

Receptacle were birthed under unnatural circumstances, one way or another -- under The heroes, now after a thousand years of the singing of a tigmamanukan, or a vast prowess, creating vast technologies, and bamboo patch grows in the span of minutes binding the three worlds of Maka, around the house where the hero is born. Sanlibutan, and Sulad to their will, have become worthy of legends. And their names

became that to reflect their achievements -- These young heroes -- who have yet to prove the heroes were then on known as themselves -- were given guidance by their “Karanduun”, Worthy of Songs. They ancestral spirits, otherwise known as their brought the world into the Golden Age. anito. These anito taught them to harness their infinite potential, and taught them about the nature of reality -- how the world The Mad Sky sought to create his own army was known as the Tapiserya, and everything of super-warriors. He went to the Seething was a string of Diwa that could be God of Beasts, Apung Asuang, and gave the manipulated by the strength and force of Apo power and a harem, in exchange for their Bala, or their internal strength. They giving him what he needed -- a replenishable cultivated and trained, making their Bala amount of Devil-Beasts. He did so, creating more powerful, as they eventually became 666 Devil-Beast Warriors which he named well known warriors. Aswang, to fight the Karanduun with. The Aswang had control over all manners of

beasts and darkness, and used rage and Eventually, the task of training these young illusion and witchcraft to their advantage. heroes were passed down to the Katalonan, shamans that channeled the spirits. These Katalonan were known to be blessed with The 300 Karanduun and their Armies fought infinite wisdom of the anito, but their job against the 666 Aswang in the conflict has become more dangerous when the task of known as the War of Majesty and Rage. teaching the young heroes was passed down to them. The Karanduun won.

These young heroes then sought to slay the world, ridding it of malevolence, binding Angered at this, the Mad Sky sent his angels, halimaw and other such creatures to their the biraddali, who were known to the mortal oaths, and creating vast empires, especially tongue as the Kumakatok, to connive with the Sinaunang Kedatuan, which even the the world. They spoke with the Dragon

Lords, who took humans and performed fought her until Halea successfully drove her genetic sorcery upon them with the essence back to the depths. Halea then replaced her of Kalibutan, creating the Heretic King brother and became the Masked Moon, the Burners, humans with the power and might only Moon in the Sky, ever-vigilant against of the Dragon Lords. They created 12,000 of the Bakonawa. Whenever she removes her them, who then created armies and fought Mask, the light of the Moon is vanishes. alongside their Dragon Lord Generals.

During the eating of the Moons, Saragnayan The 300 Karanduun and their 666 Aswang took the chance. Without the Moons and the slaves fought against the 12,000 Heretic King Karanduun, he would be two steps closer to Burners and their 1,000 Dragon Lord his dream of bringing his Realm of Gadlum Generals in the conflict known as the upon Tapiserya, and enveloping it in Thousand Brimstone Song War, which lasted darkness. He had corrupted 150 of the for almost 1,000 years. Karanduun and turned them into perverted version of themselves. Known as the Lingkag,

they were the darkened, perverted mirrors of The Karanduun won once again, subjugating the majesty of the Karanduun... and they had the Heretic King Burners under their the same power that the Karanduun had. In command, and the Karanduun continued in addition to this, the Lingkag worked with the their Thousand Year Kedatuan. They Dalaketnon as well, the dark engkanto that performed great miracles expanded the served Saragnayan, as opposed to the tamawo borders of Tapiserya, and even pushed the and the palesekan, who were engkanto that Jaws of the World outward, making it bigger served the Diwata as a whole and even than it already is. helped the Karanduun.

The Mad Sky worked with Apung This conflict was only known by one word: Saragnayan then, Lord of Darkness, and they Sorrow. It is known as thus because it ended stirred the waters, awakening the First Born with a pyrrhic victory... Naga of Orphaned Spirit -- Bakonawa. When she awoke, she saw the seven moons, and wished to eat them. Two of the moons ...and the Mad Sky's final lightning bolt. escaped, and Bakonawa ate the remaining four, but she only had her eyes set on the most beautiful of them all: Bu'an, one of the In his madness, and after aeons of combat seven Moon Gods, who arose from the against the majestic heroes, he unleashed all detritus Bulan’s corpse. Spurned by his love, of his power upon the world, and his Bakonawa took on the form of a Dragon and Lightning Bolt pierced through Diwa itself, ascended to the sky. Halea created a silver in an event that was known as the Thousand mask to distract the wicked Bakonawa, and Lightnings and Tears Apocalypse.

see. They now lived in a sundered world, one half-empty. Tapiserya was destroyed wholesale, and then was buried under a World-Spanning Deluge. In fact, the Thousand Lightnings and Tears The humans did not fail either, however. Apocalypse erased various possibilities in the The Aswang left their empires and stayed in Tapiserya that would've been, and created the fringes of Tapiserya, within dead forests new ones, as well as removed various parts of and murky depths. The Heretic King Burners physics and replaced it with amorphous rules. were destroyed by the Thousand Lightnings The world was quite literally changed. and Tears Apocalypse. Humans rose up once again, now vastly reduced in population -- seemingly reduced to the time before the In the Bolt’s its wake, the Karanduun were Karanduun came -- and began their bid for destroyed as well. The 150 existing territory once again. Receptacles (alongside the 150 Corrupted Monstrances of the Lingkag) vanished from the world. More importantly, the Mad Sky became dormant in his Throne. The Apocalypse seems to have drained him of his power. And eventually, the flood receded, and the world rebuilt itself… now without the Worthy... A hundred years pass before the Septumvirate discover the writings of Yavum. As to who Yavum is, is something up for ...and the Third song is sung as thus... debate. But whoever he is, he has the power to Bless his chosen ones with powers similar to the Karanduun. ...this is a time of wailing and gnashing of teeth. It was known as the Time of Malice. Before long, the Blessed -- formally known as the Saint-Kings -- ruled over the Kivhran The Dragon Lords, descendants of Bakonawa Peninsula, and in 1000th Year of the Masked and the Naga, and the Engkanto re- Moon, have established colonial strongholds established their hold upon the world. within Zuhayras, the Heart of the World.

The Thousand Lightnings and Tears To the east, humans have created the Giroan Apocalypse caused a rift in being and Empire, which have split off from the essence, splitting the world in twain, ripping Dragon Lord empire of Qirong. Their the world of spirit away from the world of Emperor has exemplary powers over Earth, nature, causing the diwata to live in invisible Wind, Fire, and Water. Seemingly, the societies which the races of nature cannot

Emperor matches the accounts of a Heretic The Aswang return from their hiding places, King Burner. becoming powerful Devil-Beasts and barbarians and bringers of death. Without a

leader, they become worse and worse, and To the West, the various engkanto races are eventually give in to their murderous preparing to either storm the colonial empire malignant frenzy. or take over the Lakungdulan Archipelago for themselves. The Biraddali, without their Apo to

command them, have begun to investigate To the South, the City-State of Effisia is the anomalies on the Tadhana Network. becoming more and more adept in adapting various technologies, and have managed to create an aghimuan that can convey From all the anomalies, they find that one phantasmal images whenever performed with thing is constant: a sacred ritual.

In the 1107th Year of the Masked Moon, the In the midst of all this, a farmer girl in a Karanduun return. backwater barangay is born under strange circumstances: her birth was heralded by an earthquake, followed by a flooding, followed In the 1107th Year of the Masked Moon, you by a storm, and then ended with a scorching arrive. drought that eventually brought the most fruitful harvest of the barangay’s entire lifetime. Finally, it was heralded with a loud What songs will they sing of your deeds?... crowing of a tigmamanukan… which eventually vanished after she was delivered. ...the Song continues…

Timeline of the World of Sanlibutan after the Infinite Lightnings and Tears Apocalypse

0: The Final Wars of Sunder, the Death of 90: The Time of Human Silence. The the Four Moon-Gods and the Survival of the garuda people, now creating tribes, go into Three, Halea becomes the Masked Moon, war with the fierce anggitay tribes in the Bakonawa is Cursed to the Dragon, the Lakungdulan Isles. Humanity cowers once World is Darker, Saragnayan is Banished… again within their caves, sometimes making tribes, sometimes dying to the rampant

maligno that now roam the dimmer world. ...The Thousand Lightnings and Tears 103: Human Resurgence. Eventually Apocalypse. The world ends with the death humanity gained a foothold with the help of of the Karanduun. the Apo that live in the Mountains of Madja- The World is left in twilight. The spirits -- the as in the Island of Tabun. There they fight diwata from the most minor to the Astral back against more powerful engkanto, and Diwata (Apo) that live in the Sky -- have eventually spread to the rest of the disappeared from the natural world, now Lakungdulan Archipelago. hiding within their hidden societies. Mortals 131: Year of the First Datu. The First no longer have the innate prviliege of Barangay is established in the northern tip of speaking to the embodiment of nature. the island of Esa. At this point, there is only The world of Sanlibutan is left in Twilight one Datu. for the first time since the death of the 154: The War of the Four Datu. A dispute Primordial Apo that made the various pieces rings out over which god brought them of the world. victory and the ability to survive. Thus begins The Supernal Sky, now known as the Mad the first major war of the humans in theTime Sky has disappeared, or has silenced. None of Malice, or the Era of the Masked Moon. know what has happened to Him. Not even The war lasts for a hundred years, sputtering His wife, Magu’yawan. out into an agonizing end with hostiles on all sides. Weapons of war were honed, sorceries 73+: Height of the Human Dark Age. and witchcrafts were accepted, and the First Humanity now lives in a time of constant Barangay was fractured. Humanity was once darkness. Those that survived the Final War again against each other. attempt to guide humans back on track, to varying degrees of success. 230: The Kivhrans Find the Salvagewastes. The Kivhran Folk -- the humans that moved

north from Tabun to the Continent of Hosk- With the vast trades, they acquired Ede -- find the savage permafrost lands of the knowledge and began synthesizing everything “Salvagewastes”, and they reverse-engineer to create an organized religion of the Diwata. the technology after living in close-knit tribes. The Rebellious Moon-Datu Digumandong Their culture and religion changes, focusing Kabatuhan, worshipper of none, stayed in on the “Seven” whom they learned about in the Thousand Islands, where they lived in a the various “Talking Metal Stones” that they Thousand Barangays. find within the several tombs. 258: The Voyage to Hosk-Ede. After the war 255: Human Path. The humans began of the Four Datu, seven Tamawo-blooded moving away from each other and occupying humans left the unceasing wars of the the islands. The War of the Four Datu Thousand Barangays, travelling north to fractured them apart. where their Kivhran Cousins were. There they easily overpowered the Kivhrans thanks to their supernatural blood, and the Kivhrans The supreme Sun-Datu Kataastaasang began to think that they were the Seven Gods Usbong Liwanag, worshipper of the Fierce that the people thought to be true, and thus Sun-Goddess Adlayari, Goddess of the Sun they were called the Septumvirate. and the Morning, moved the farthest down to the Hot Continent of Vakshara. Those 259-287: The Garuda Aviary Established. near the Coastal regions began creating trade The first Garuda Aviary is established, made routes, and Adlayari was eventually by a conglomerate of the surviving Garuda, overpowered by a native Diwata of the Sands within the hollows of the tree of Soonest, in -- one that purported that He was the one the middle of the Forest of Fireleaves within above all. He called Himself Supreme Tabun. Paragon, and most of the Vaksharan States 260: Humanity Discovers the Continent of obeyed His laws. Kat-jja, and the Dragon Lords. Three The cunning Moon-Datu Nagmamalitong barangays banded together and sailed East, Mayumi, worshipper of the revolutionary where they found the lush and verdant lands Masked Moon Goddess Halea, returned to of the Continent of Katja. Before long, they Tabun, and they placed a greater emphasis established barangays there… until the on their bond with the Lipod, for they raiding parties of the Dragon Lords -- favored the Moon most of all. The humanoid draconic people -- that rode upon Tabunians cut themselves off from the world, huge dragon-beast mounts found them. They creating a xenophobic culture. subjugated the flourishing humans and made them their slaves. The great Star-Datu Ikaisang Sinag moved to the Eastern Island of Liway and began 295: The Discovery of the Tomb of Yavum. creating barangays there, establishing trade To the far west of the Kivhran region is an routes with the Far Western country of old tomb which was raided by a party of Merigo, the growing City-State of Ivh-Kivhra, adventurers headed by Al-Kaig, one of the and the Trader Nomads of the Vakshara. Seven. He managed to find a dusty old tome

and read it, and unlocked parts of his Soul 350: Makkalo’s Conquest. Makkalo, also and heard the voice of Yavum. When he left called the First King, Descendant of the Star- the tomb, the Sun rejuvenated him. This was Datu, begins north from the southern tip of the first few steps of the empire-spanning Liway in the Lakungdulan Isles. He wields a Yavuman religion, and Al-Kaig became the powerful artifact from the first age – the First Saint-King, one of the First Blessed. Sticks of the Most Righteous Tiger, which he uses to bind the entire southern region of 312-331: The War of the Seven Blossoms. Liway under his rule. The Seven men began fighting amongst themselves, having created seven tribes and 376: Death of the First King, Rise of the seven settlements. The one who proved to be Engkanto. The Sticks are passed down to his the most powerful, though, was the middle son, Kaloi, who continues the Makkalan child named Kaig, which was the name of the Bayan. The engkanto races begin resurfacing God of War and Fire in the native Kivhran after a century of rebuilding. The first to religion. He won by way of strange, eldritch surface are the duwende, who begin playing sorceries that allowed one to manipulate the tricks on the small human settlements. The world with only their mind, which was only tamawo return later on, to reclaim the forests possible by reading the esoteric Chronicles of and purge them from maligno, allowing pure Light. With the war over, the First Empire diwata to return and spirit the world once was named Al-Kaig, Child of Kaig, and it again. spanned almost all of the Kivhran region, 458: The First Dalaketnon Advance. The with the capital being in a peninsula, named dalaketnon begin advancing from their realm Phaedrus. to the material world to try and conquer the 324: The Five Kingdoms of Qirong. Qirong Eastern Isle of T’Kapi. The T’Kapian tamawo is split into five Kingdoms -- Shui, Huo, Feng, fight back against them, and begin the First Tudi, and Gang. Thus begins the Warring Dalaketnon War. Kingdoms era of the rian, warred with 1,000 471: Death of Kaloi. Here Kaloi was Dragons and 10,000 humans. This rages on assassinated by an unknown figure. The for three centuries, ending in the rise of a Makkalans began blaming the northern tribes singular emperor, as mandated by the and went to war with them. Because of their Dragon-Kings of Heaven. Humanity is superior weapons, most of the tribes were oppressed even further. subsumed and forced into the Makkalan 349: Rise of Al-Kaig. Thanks to their Bayan and the northern region of Liway was faithful, Al-Kaig flourished. They retrieved subjugated under its control. many artifacts from the tomb, and those 517 – 943: Al-Kaigian Conquest. The Blessed were turned into leaders and bishops Empire of Al-Kaig ruled and expanded in the and esteemed members of society. Al-Kaig Kivhran region. Soon the rian (who have took its first steps to domination. They began been building their empire two hundred working with the Salvagewastes, reverse- years before Al-Kaig came) began trading with engineering more artifacts, accelerating their them, and the Al-Kaigians began learning of technological advancement.

advanced techniques of power. Although the the south, the Thousand Islands were in patented crystech that the rian used (which constant war, forcing them to develop itself is just a reverse engineering of artifacts cannons and better ships. The Bayan of during the Time Lost) was hidden from Surara has an upper hand thanks to their them, the Al-Kaigians managed to glean integration of Barangan (sorcerers) into their important concepts from them. In addition, ranks. The Barangays of the Thousand they have refiend more artifacts and have Islands begin crafting stone temples for their crafted notable aghimuan, technology that gods as well, alongside their worship of required esoteric knowledge and the ability nature. These stone temples were dedicated to harness Diwa by Bala to activate. Skyships to Barangaw, God of Victory and Rainbows, were invented, as well as the reverse- Sui-dapa, God of Death, Yna Guinida, engineering of ancient armor to create Goddess of War, and Somilge, Goddess of “Armadura”, technological armor powered by Witchcraft (of which only one temple stands, Diwa. Other notable inventions (or more deep in the forests of the Duho Island.) To likely, rediscoveries) include the pneumatic the east, humanity still toiled under the iron- rifling alongside crossbows (which were claw of the Dragon Lords. learned from the rian), flowsteel armor 600: Tabun Prospers. Untouched by war (expensive to find, even more expensive to and destruction thanks to the godstorms, the craft), and craftlight (alkymikal fixtures that Tabunians manage to live almost create light and is the primary source of light prosperously, and enhance their technology in the seven cities). greatly. The gods helped them in their 503: Second Dalaketnon Advance. Now the endeavors, and the engkanto flourish here as dalaketnon were able to improve their well. It is speculated the grand city-kingdom weapons and used human fodder in the war of Viringan is here. The Tabunian people to against the tamawo, and succeeded in driving the north of Tabun construct the Heaven the tamawo back into Tabun. Their Empire Terraces, which is a large terrace alongside of Ija Yawa now spans almost all of T’Kapi, the mountain of Lunos. with various maligno and human soldiers at 699: The End of the Warring Kingdoms. their disposal. They war with the Nomads of The five rian kingdoms are usurped and Balaar and the City-State of Effisia to the consumed by the major kingdom of Qirong, South. and thus begins the reign of the powerful 531: The Barangay Solidified: Around this Qirong empire. They face the growing Al- time, the other islands grew, and Tabun is Kaigian power to the North, anggitay nomad cut away from the world thanks to the archers to the Near North, and a magindara perpetual God Storms that surround the threat to the east. area, thanks to the Weather Goddess Anitun 720: The Tiger Bites the Dragon. Humanity Tabu. Notable barangays were the bayan of will not cower. In the midst of the fighting, a Ikkalaw, son of Ikaloi, that spanned most of powerful human who had been warped and Liway, save for the Deadgreen Wastes that perverted with the elemental might of the separated them from the Kalilim Region. To Dragon Lords led the rebellion against them.

This man eventually became the first Giro’dzi Lakungdula. He begins with the Agidyao Emperor, because humanity succeeded in the people and manages to conquer almost every rebellion, and they now live in the Near part of it by the end of the century. Dayawan Shore of Kat’ja, in the region which they now is abhorred, but grudgingly taken. The call Giro. The Giro’dzi Empire begins. mountain clans still manage to escape, for the mountains needed too much resources to 731: End of the Clan Wars. To the north of conquer. the Makkalan Bayan are the powerful and large clans of Diyaw and Banguso, who have 950: The Coming of the Bright Man. The been warring for the last hundred years. The Al-Kaigian voyager and philosopher Marid two clans lived in the northern mountain finds the Ugad Island, to the south of the range, which became the Bangao Range after Thousand Islands. Soon expeditions were the two clans unified. sent, and with their technology and use of Espers in their warbands, the Thousand 796: Establishment of Dayawan. After Islands are quickly being dismantled. centuries of study and teaching only orally, writing has found its way permanently to 974: Birth of Pinagsama. Two warring Liway, as well as religious texts. Dayawan is barangays in the Bokosan River within the the religion coined by the Scholar Harana Kalilim Forest make peace and unify their and proposed to the Lakan of Makkalan of barangays, creating the Barangay of that time, Ikkama, son of Ikkapa, son of Pinagsama, as large as a city. This barangay Ikkato, son of Ikkalaw. Ikkama accepted the was strictly open to all races and cultures. It religion and made it the official religion of has since become a cesspool and the the Makkalan Lakandom, creating a unified birthplace of the “Gintuan”, a great business set of beliefs among the Malakkan and Liway. hub and guild that now spans most of the The people of the Thousand Islands reject Thousand Isles. this unification and continue worshipping 1000: The Burning of Soonest. Maligno and their Gods and their land, alongside those in dalaketnon have assaulted the tribal culture the Kalilim Region. The Makkalan people of the garuda within Soonest, burning down call these “pagans” Spirit-people, for they the largest firetree. The garuda have been worshipped the land without a religion. fragmented into four tribes once again, and Dayawan puts a being known as Bathala as then scattered into the winds. the supreme deity and yet still has nature and ancestor worship. It was the attempt of 1043 - 1116: Fall of the Makkalan Bayan. scholar – now Guro – Harana to collect and With most of the Thousand Islands and centralize the split beliefs of the Lakungdulan Liway underneath the Makkalan Empire, people. Guro Harana also wrote the Book of Makkasa takes to the north to conquer the Souls, which has now become the holy book Kalilim Region. The tamawo, duwende, of Dayawan. maligno, and the human forces and even ento’sekjan and lagian forces that now live in 856-902: Driven by the Stars. With Dayawan some areas of the region declare war to on the rise, Ikkanim, Son of Ikkama, protect the region. Makkasa is ultimately ventures forth to conquer the rest of

killed in combat by a tamawo lord. This 1120: Manifest Destiny. The Al-Kaigian combined with the Al-Kaigian invasion of forces have conquered most of the Thousand Agidyao, ultimately sends the Makkalan ISlands now, and are turning their sights to Bayan into chaos. By the end of the century, Liway. T’Kapi proves to be too dangerous to the Bayan is sundered into three Lakandoms: march through, and they could not approach Tabun due to the God Storms. The three The legendary boar-hunter Lakan Durat, the Lakandoms are forced to work together for infamous warrior-philosopher the time being. Dayawan Guro Lakan Indara who made the 1127: Espada Military Academy. Two men, thousand-armed demon Kurikat bow before one Al-Kaigian and one Lakungdulan, him, and worked together to create Espada Military The warrior-priestess Rana Hurusa, who had Academy, under the cover of “creating been a datu of the various islands to the east weapons against the rian threat to Al-Kaig”. of Liway before deciding to conquer the In truth, the two men are conspiring to eastern border of the Makkalan Kingdom. create powerful weapons to fight back against the Empire, and to obtain the freedom of 1078: Zuhayras Born. At this point, the Zuhayras. Zuhayras colonies (named after Zuhayr, the then Prince of Al-Alara, who then became 1130: Chosen of Raiders. The Lakandom of the Kaisar of Al-Kaig) are established, in the Gaputan is established, one of the most Thousand Islands after a combination of powerful thalassocracies that is powered by force and diplomacy and conversion from the greed. They help in fighting back the Al-Kaigians. Those faithful and loyal to the colonizers thanks to their pirate tactics and Lakandom spited those who bowed to the their worship of Inang Maganda, Barangaw, colonizers, and the Agidyao have been hated and Makanduk. ever since. The people of the Thousand 1135 (Present Year): The Dance of the Islands abhorred their large island cousins, World. Rebellion now brews in the Zuhayras and they found the Al-Kaigians to be very Island Group, led seemingly by Espada amiable, and thus the Thousand Islands was Military Academy. The Three Lakandoms very much easily conquered through religion gear themselves for war, getting forces from rather than bloody conquest (the sages of the north, supernatural and even engkanto History have noted that the Al-Kaigians aid. The engkanto themselves are leaving capitalized on the similarities of Yavum and their small abodes, venturing to the realm of their supreme God, Bathala). During this the earth, and one can see them walking time some expeditions were also sent to the amongst mortals. The Tabunians are northeast tip of Liway, to the Kalilim Region, appearing more and more in the other where they managed to put up trading posts islands. The Ija Yawa Empire is sending out to Pinagsama such as Selorong and Ufrayd. corpse ships and ebony wood balangays and Here they weren’t met with fierce backlash. karakoas. The Qirong rian are strengthening, Yet. their empire is flourishing, but faces various barbarian tribes, and the Al-Kaig Empire.

The garuda have been shattered. Al-Kaig is The gates of Sanctuary have been opened to preparing a major assault against the other races. Espada Military Academy has Lakungdula, but is also facing an attack from begun its eighth year. Zuhayras trembles. the Giro’dzi should they not assist the

Giro’dzi in their plan to assault the Qirong Empire of the Dragon Lords. And a farmer girl in a barangay is born to unnatural circumstances...

The Truth of Diwa

Diwa is both the building block and the Bala, Diwa echoing Fire. This is the Diwa string upon which all of reality is spun. It that burns within every living being, and permeates all things, and exists in varying every thing is a living being because states of matter. In a manner of speaking, everything has a diwata. The Human Eight- that chair you see in front of you is Diwa, in Point Soul is made up of this Burning Diwa, a given form. Break it down to its most and so are the powerful essences of the essential componants and you shall see Diwa. Karanduun. Burning Diwa can be used to affect other states -- most commonly by However Diwa can be used more than that. It having a lot of Burning Diwa, you have more exists in four states: say in how reality works. Thus why Burning Agos, Diwa echoing Water. This is the Diwa in all beings is known as “Bala”, or normal state of Diwa, the Diwa that makes “Power”. It is their measure of capability, and up all things. it is well known that the Karanduun possess “Unlocked” Bala, which allows their Bala to Tagos, Diwa echoing Air. This is the Diwa transcend event that of Gods. that binds things together. It can be manipulated at this level, and if one were to Tigas, Diwa echoing Earth. This is similar to have some means of seeing the invisible Flowing, except it is raw Diwa turned into machinations of the gods, they will see tiny matter. It usually manifests as a colorless strands that link everything to everything, as glowing lump that is infinitely malleable, well as the Diwata that embody everything. similar to clay. Some might say that the Diwa in this state can be known as “Fate”, diwata, when they materialize, are in this and indeed, the Agents of Heaven call this Calcified state, and when they dematerialize, Tadhana. returning to the spirit, they are in the Permeating state.

Spirits

There are two kinds of Spirits, as categorized express regret, but she will never return to by the joint work of Al-Kaigian Essudio de that man. Such is the nature of earthly Idjidio, and Dayawan Guro Magadla. They diwata. are the Diwata and the Anito. The highest on the rung are Heavenly Diwata, or the Apung Diwata. These are the most powerful of the Diwata, and are “Gods” The Diwata are the Spirits of Nature. They in the modern sense of the word -- powerful are the ones that embody everything -- there beings that possess greater power than is a Diwata of a stone, of waterfalls, of trees, humans. Currently it is said that the most of lightning, of justice, of storms, of the sky. powerful Apo is the Mad Sky, Maykaptan, In addition, they have their own society, although should the Actor of Power return which is now the Invisible Society hidden in there would be a Clash of Strengths. Spirit. The Hierarchy is as follows: Heavenly Diwata can embody more than just At the bottom of the rung are the Minor one concept or natural object. They can Diwata. These Diwata are usually non- embody fire as much as they can embody sentient, existing only as an embodiment, war. They can embody disease as much as and do not have “human” thought. Unlike they can embody the rainbow. However they other Diwata, a specific thing or concept are more “human” in their way of thinking, might have multiple Lesser Diwata attached and can get desperate when required, to them. They usually materialize as floating especially in the decadent metropolis of sprites, in various sizes ranging from Maka. Most Heavenly Diwata live in Maka, anthropomorphic to platonic (cubes, spheres, the Skyworld, but that is not a mandatory flat circles). thing. Bu-an and Sui-dapa both live in the Mountain of Madja-as, for example, and Next are the Earthly Diwata. These are Mayari, the Crescent Moon, is nowhere to be Diwata that are already sentient, and are found. capable of “human” thought. They exist in a state of being separate of their embodiment, and can have emotions, although they still It is not impossible to rise in the hierarchy. reflect what they embody, and are ultimately What one needs are Prayers, which is a that which they embody. They also usually currency in the Society of the Diwata. Prayers have very alien conceptions of emotions, as directly power diwata, granting them more they are not privy to normal human power, bolstering their Bala and giving them emotional limits. A river Diwata might fall in a place in the hierarchy of power. Thus why love with a mortal man, but their emotions diwata are need humans, and mortals as a might be rushing like the river, and she will whole, to worship them. A more powerful leave him in the next instant as a river pushes form of Prayer is Sacrifice. against a large rock that bars its way. She may

Generally, the act of Praying is something adept in channeling the Diwata are known as that can bolster any Bala, provided that it is Diwateros. sufficient. Mortal Bala needs exponentially more prayers than a diwata does for the purposes of rising in power. The Anito are either -- Ancestral Spirits or Guardian spirits. The Anito are the spirits of

humans, although what kind of humans Diwata hold the Karanduun in both respect depends on what category they fall within. and contempt. Respect because they are the ones that fought against the tyranny of the Mad Sky, as well as generally helping the Ancestral Anito are the spirits of a specific diwata gain prayers during the Sinaunang person’s long-dead Ancestor, A great warrior Kedatuan. Some of them hold the may be an Ancestral Anito, or a wise sage. Karanduun in contempt because they were Similarly to the Diwata, ancestral anito are born with the capacity to become better than prayed to by their families as ancestor them. worship is prevalent in the islands, even in the midst of colonization. The more prayers

the ancestor gets, the more power he earns in Katalonan are humans (and Karanduun) that the afterlife, which is either trudging around bargain and speak and exchange pleasantries Sulad or living it up in Maka. Most ancestral with all types of Diwata. Usually, a Katalonan anito, when prayed to, are most happy to give would allow a diwata to possess them, in a advice and even concrete help, such as a process known as Taruna which means family heirloom, or a piece of potent magic. “Help” in the ancient Diwatan speech. This They can also possess a being, and can also ritual which would last for hours would be be the target of a Katalonan. Sometimes, used to possess the body of the medium, and though, they would do it voluntarily. the two would combine. The Katalonan Guardian Anito are Anito that usually don’t would have access to the powers of a Diwata. have human thought (although some of them Minor Diwata are the easiest to perform do) and are bound by their being to protect a Tolona with. Heavenly Diwata usually takes person. Most people begin life with one or days to perform the ritual with, made up of two Guardian anito that protect them from long prayers, a sung epic, intricate dances, various dangers as well as various diseases. and numerous sacrifices. Most people earn more Guardian Anito as time pass, and this renders them more impervious to diseases and helps them wither There are some Katalonan that focus on strikes, but not death itself. Karanduun have channeling a single type of Spirit. Those that powerful Guardian Anito usually. Sometimes are more adept in channeling Anito are Guardian Anito can be an Ancestral Anito as known as Anitowan, and those that are more well.

The Spirit World

The Spirit World is known under many A Diwata can simply materialize into the names, but it is usually known as “Diwa”. Natural World from the Near Shore. Most The Spirit World is the darkly reflecting Engkanto Societies exist here as well, and mirror of the Natural World. After the truly there are even physical passages (known sundering of the spheres due to the as Hedges) to the societies of the Engkanto, Thousand Lightnings and Tears Apocalypse, such as the tamawo Biringan, and the most of the Diwata have withdrawn to the duwende Kingdom of Libing-Libing. The Spirit World, and have been there for a Near Shores are near perfect replicas of the thousand years. In the present day, Diwata of Natural World, save that everything is more greater age or power tend to be more alien malleable. and harder to understand than younger ones. The Middle Shores are the Shores that are Heavenly Diwata tend to either be of the two farther than Near Shores. It would take extremes -- either they are too human in their Spiritual Travel to the Near Shore before the dealings, too prone to passion, or they are being can materialize. Most Diwata Societies too cold and distant, too alien. exist here in the Middle Shores, as well as the rich Anito that have been allowed passage by the guardians of Sulad. Here the world is less When a Spirit is dematerialized, it is of a mirror and more of a shadow, with the currently skulking through the Diwa. Since shadows able to controlled and changed. The the Diwa is the reflection of the Natural Kalilim Forest in the Natural World might World, it is actually there, and hypothetically, not be the same in the Middle Shores. there are always Spirits about you, they are just impossible to interact with. The Far Shores are the Farthest Shores, and the last of the Shores that are safe. Within

these Shores are Maka to the metaphysical But that is not always the case. The Spirit up, and Sulad to the metaphysical down. The World is not perfectly parallel to the Natural only thing that separates the two is the Great World. Truly, in fact, it has three different Ocean. Unlike the Near and the Middle Shores, which measure how far they are from Shores, these are not anymore reflections of the Natural World. the Natural World. Maka is a completely autonomous society filled with decadent apo

and diwata, spirit-gangs and triads, and even The Near Shores are the Shores that are, syndicates of gods that rule the poor quarter metaphysically speaking, right beside the of Heavenly Diwata that are not receiving any Natural World, or otherwise right prayer. underneath the skin of reality. This is the To the South, the land of Sulad is bleaker, least populated Shore. Most Minor Diwata but quieter and a hell of a lot more peaceful. drift through this Shore, anchored to Most of them follow the rules of Siginarugan whatever they embody in the Natural World. and Suimuran, the two guardian giants of

Hell who also keep Souls within Jars. The where, in the Metaphysical down, exists utter formal ruler of the Underworld is Oblivion, guarded by Bakonawa and the two Magu’yawan, as the Ocean covers the Earth. giants of the Underworld, Suimuran and The Guardian of the Underworld is Sitan, a Siginarugan. powerful god of death and a guardian spirit. In the Beyond, it is impossible to describe. Saragnayan is here, chained to his realm of Some say this is where other universes exist. Darkness, protected by legions of automata Other say one can find the Five Principle warriors made by Golden Age Panday. Spindle of the Great Weaver. In these areas, The Farthest Reaches are the last vestiges of Mortals and Karanduun are subject to things understandable by the Human Soul. It powerful mind-vexing truths -- their Souls are is the event horizon right before total chaos. not meant to be there, after all. The longer It is here that the other planets -- now they spend in the Beyond, if they even reach destroyed -- used to exist. In addition, it is it, the more they are contorted, and the more here where, in the Metaphysical up, resides they are barred from entering back into the the Throne of Heaven, which has been Creation. unaccessible for a thousand years. It is also

The Writeups for the Various Empires so far (Current Focus is on the Lakungdulan Archipelago [Zuhayras Isles, Liway, T’Kapi, Tabun], Al-Kaig, and the Giro’dzi.)

Lakungdulan Archipelago

Zuhayras: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pjAoB7d4oPec1DKiXpXM1oNNhHvDTrXojvX3D2 Ux7sM/edit?usp=sharing

Zuhayras Aesthetics Board: https://www.pinterest.ph/joaquinksaavedr/zuhayran-aesthetics/

Liway: (to the West, facing the Meriganian Sea is known to have a strengthening Al-Kaigian presence, although nevertheless the fractured, still warring Lakandoms fight back. The three Lakandoms -- the Lakandom of Lakan Durat, killer of the boar Dagido, the Lakandom of Indara, warrior king and philosopher, who made the thousand-armed Kurikat bow before him, as well as the Warrior-Queen Hurusa, who conquered parts of the Godswalk Island chain to the East of Liway.

It is also speculated that Biringan, the City of the Tamawo, resides within the dense forests of Kalilim, but none have ever found it. Kalilim itself is a forest to behold, with the deepest parts being so dense that venturing through in the night would almost be impossible for the light of the moon doesn’t seem to penetrate through the high canopies.)

T’Kapi: (The most mysterious, to the far south-left, and the one with the least Al-Kaigian presence. The land of T’Kapi progressively becomes darker and darker, blacker and blacker as one progresses towards the middle. It is said that T’Kapi is the chosen land of Saragnayan, Lord of Darkness. The

entire land is filled with echoes of the dead, as well as full of maligno, halimaw, and yawa. It is said that the Ija Yawa, the empire of the Daraketnon, reside here as well. Not much is known of T’Kapi, for while Liway is not so charted, much less is T’Kapi. Lakungdulan cartographers have not managed to venture within and leave alive. It is said that the fabled Lingkag have returned.

Tabun: (To the North, is actively blessed and watched over by Anitun Tabu, the Goddess of Weather and Rains, as well as Ribung Linti, God of Lightning and Thunderstorms. There are far less seafaring tribes in Tabun, and more plains people as the rain is more abundant. Farther to the north one experiences the four seasons, as opposed to the two-seasons one gets from the rest of the islands. Tabun has the tallest mountains of Lakungdula, especially the Mount of Mayakon, wherein the gateway to the mystical city of the Lipod lay. The Al-Kaigians have a particularly tough time gaining a foothold within Tabun, thanks to the concentrated efforts of the tribes, the direction of their Diwata and the Anito, and thus the island itself being more hostile, along with the entire island seemingly swept within perpetual God Storms, or in their native tongue “Apung Onos.” Powerful storms that sweep up and absolutely destroy galleon trade ships and warships.

Hosk-Ede:

Al-Kaig: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1N2mEHQLSvNh9dMvPQsnLFP6CYwtmXeHUpO IFnTMyNcg/edit?usp=sharing

Aesthetics Board: (WIP) https://www.pinterest.ph/joaquinksaavedr/al-kaigian-aesthetics/

Kivhra:

Kad-jja

Giro’dzi: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1K_iOrC7KQnbdnC9NOiermEa_96kT_i4Q74K3Efl UWPg/edit?usp=sharing

Aesthetics Board: (WIP) https://www.pinterest.ph/joaquinksaavedr/girotsi-aesthetics/

Vakshiri

City-State of Effisia

Balaar

The Saga of the Karanduun

The world was led by Heroes of old, once. vocabulary, the word “Qa Ram Do” refers to “God-Kings and Angels of the Time Before

the August Dragon Emperor. In the Giro’dzi They are now long gone, sundered and it is “Kalam-deun”, which is the word used to removed from reality by the wicked tyranny refer to “Heroes Now Dead”. of the Mad Sky.

These words have stuck in the minds of the Let us sing of the long gone Time Lost, of the great societies, but have recessed in use, now age of orichalcum spires and towers that only being used by historians and wise men. pierced the skies, of ships that sailed to the Recently, though, it is gaining more use, stars, of underwater empires led by powerful especially with the return of the beings that gods and godesses. Of Heroes who slew the these words describe. great halimaw and yawa that terrorized the

Three Worlds of Maka, Sanlibutan, and Sulad. The Karanduun are the master of all things, being Heroes of Legend. They are master of

the martial arts, of the social field, of every The Golden Age of Heroes was made up of mental college. They are Masters of Martial now long lost songs, legends and epics. The Arts, of Sorcery, of all of the world… but now various epics sung by the storytellers are said they are brought low. In fact, they are masters to be from this time, but perverted, sung of Magical Items -- the naturally-forming through imperfect brass voices, not with the agimat, the relics of the oldest ages known as silver tongued truths of the Karanduun. Butang, and the newly made wonders of the Time of Malice called Aghimuan, currently

pale reflections of Butang, although they Karanduun. That word echoes throughout all might be able to attain their former glory. of the world. It is the word constant They are masters of drawing out the latent throughout all the languages of Sanlibutan. power within their arms, their Evocations, In Al-Kaigian, the word “Kalandoon” is used and truly no Karanduun exists without any to refer to beings of Hell. In the Qirong Magical Item. Magical Items, even if they are vocabulary and consequently in the Giro’dzi peripheral, are integral to the Karanduun’s Legend.

The Point of No Return

Karanduun are chosen from birth. They can The ages of childhood and early adolescence target any human, from any social standing, is a time of Lost Glories -- all from any culture or empire or land. The extraordinariness is removed from them, as if Receptacles even choose those that are born letting the Receptacle incubate. And thus it with deficiencies or illnesses, such as missing broils and toils within, churning and broiling arms and more. just beneath the surface, urging the juvenile hero to greater glory. A young Karanduun is

almost always never sitting still, and if he is, it The Receptacles are the pieces of God-Shards is in pursuit of some form of higher thinking created by Maykapal, Magu-yawan, and related to not-moving. Apung Tolus ka Gomanan. These

Receptacles are filled with the spirit of searching mortals from every point of the Karanduun are exceptional, even at a young world, without any discrimination in their age. A Karanduun with the destiny of swords spirit. Any being can be born and become a might become an expert swordsman at the Hero of Legend. ripe age of 13, or a highly regarded gladiator brawler in the Al-Kaigian coliseums, or

supposedly a master archer in the field of Once the Receptacle has Chosen, the baby is war. Perhaps they learn to become delivered. The circumstances of a baby’s birth exceptionally adept Katalonan even before is almost always extraordinary -- some of them they reach twenty harvests, a feat that is not seem like omens, born under the sign of a to be taken lightly, as most Katalonan end tigmamanukan’s crow, others brutal: some of their prenticeship and their training after two them were born on top of a tall tree after the decades of hard work. mother had been chased up it by vicious tigers. Eventually, around the ages of fifteen to

twenty-five harvests, or years, the Karanduun Once born, the Hero immediately showcases will have to prove herself. This would be the some form of extraordinariness. Mayhap point of no return. some of them might learn to speak in only 9 months, while others might be able to fight at a very young age. Some of them might The dormant legendary power within the have the beauty of the gods, while others Hero boils, simmering loudly, as steam seeks might be able to sing a song to quiet an to escape a covered cauldron. The inferno. Karanduun are spurned to greater and greater things -- searching for the master

swordsman in their area, or killing a Giroan War-Commander with a single arrow,

calculating the trajectory of her area and crown of glory, is a solid platonic circle of using her supernal knowledge of pre-studied gold, rimmed with green. lore to have found the perfect vantage point, or defeating two lions in single combat in the Al-Kaigian Coliseum and then preaching the Quoth the star: the woman had been a truth of the matter. The young Katalonan student for fifteen years, and a warrior for Apprentice finishes her vision quest at the another fifteen, spurned forward for a long age of 17 -- surprising everyone in her lost search for something. Now it seems clear, barangay. as she aims at the armored head of the lamellar-armored War-Commander of the

Giroan Sixth Tigerclaw. She had researched These great feats are sought out by the innate his name -- Mura Il-Koss -- and she knew that legend within the Hero… and the Hero he had a missing eye. A perfect target. And accomplishes them. In this event, their power so, she waited, years of archery practice had bursts forth in spectacular cascades. honed her skill. And then, the opportunity arose -- no. She made the opportunity arose.

Quoth the sun: perhaps the young Karanduun manages to effortlessly With a breath the winds stilled, Mura strode overwhelm the Master Swordsman of their the proud horse which she knew he called alkadia. In the final few strokes of his Saram-deon. In the time it took for the eye to lightning-fast blade, his arms burn with blink, she calculated the trajectory and indigo light, his eyes coruscating with storm- realized it to be a perfect arc, from her blue, and his movements crackling with vantage point from the trees, which stood lightning. Behind his head, crowning him, is upon a hill, obscured by bamboo. a bright blue and yellow sunburst, crowning him with glory. She let the arrow loose. It flew in that perfect

arc, shimmering with argent silver. Her eyes Quoth the earth: the gladiator stuns the two were dappled in a million pinprick lights lions with a single lightning fast punch. As upon black, like the stars upon the sky. Her the lions fall, the gladiator turns to the fingertips trailed glittering argence. On the thousands of spectators, and when he speaks back of her head, a pure white asterisk shone his voice echoes through their hearts, quietly. kindling a small flame, and he sings the the words long hidden in their virtues -- a song of cruelty, a song of slavery, a song of And the War-Commander dropped dead, debauchery, a song of Al-Kaig. As he sings, The Zuhayran War Machine won once again. his veins and body burn with a bright green and golden glow, and behind his head, like a

Quoth the moon: the young Katalonan Katalonan would simply answer: “I thought stands before her final test -- a Heavenly Kuwago sa Niyebe was beautiful”. Diwata has barred her from gaining a spirit familiar. The plea of the Diwata is strange however -- he asks her to take him as her And thus are the Karanduun with their familiar, instead of who she originally dormant blood Awakened. wanted, which was an Owl Diwata. It had taken a day to gather the three important components for the sacrifice for the Owl The Awakened are the Karanduun that have Diwata named Kuwago sa Niyebe -- a feather accomplished something Worthy of song in that never flew, snow that had melted but never the ancient Kandu Epics, and thus their was water, and the prism mask of seeing. And innate heroic power is unlocked, allowing then it took another day to talk past the them the ability to harness their inner Bala, Heavenly Diwata -- a handsome diwata of which transcends that of Mortal and snow, knowledge, and night. Eventually, the Spiritual Bala. Awakened Bala are powerful, Katalonan’s quicksilver tongue cut honeyed limitless wells of power that can be used to words into the Diwata’s soften soul. The affect the world at large… and is the Bala Heavenly Diwata hung his head in defeat and tapped upon by the Karanduun in their allowed the girl to pass… only to try and innate powers, their flexing of their assault her with his Spirit powers. The excellence, their manifestations of their prentice shone with soft light blue light, essence: the powerful Karanduun magic imbuing her hands with serenity. Her eyes known as their Flairs. glowed with flowing moon-copper quickness, and crowning her head was a simple copper crescent. She used her knowledge of spirit Flairs are not something codified in the combat to send the Heavenly Diwata back to setting. Perhaps a Golden Age Star Caste Maka, where he will be tried for breaking the Karanduun might have codified the general Accords of Taruna. powers of the Worthy, but for the most part Flairs are Manifestations of the Karanduun’s Being. Using a Charm that lets one strike And thus, she befriended the Diwata known with the heat of the sun, the quickness of the as Kuwago-sa-Niyebe. A small owl, roughly storm, is not activated with an utterance of a the size of her head, now followed her magic word, or a long-wrought ritual, no. The everywhere. When asked by her Mentor as to Karanduun’s magic is completely innate why she chose Kuwago sa Niyebe, and no the within their being, within their Diwa. Using more powerful Heavenly Diwata, the young a Charm is much akin to flexing a muscle to strike with a sword.

Magical Items

The universe of Tapiserya is filled to the brim with magical items and wonders, from old to Agimat are items found naturally in nature, new. Various stones imbued with elemental imbued with elemental diwa. Agimat can be power, or vast artifice during the Age of powerful stones that can be socketed into Heroes, swords forged from the furnace of your weapons and armors and grant you stars, bows with strings made of twinkling greater abilities, or they can be powerful starlight, shields made of the sun’s gleam. pieces of technology on their own, creating hurricane winds with a whisper, or summoning lightning from a piece of damp All items fit for a Hero. rock. Or they can be placed into necklaces so that you always have them around, protecting you from bullets even without any armor. There are three types of these Magical Items that a Hero will encounter during their time romping about the Three Worlds. Aghimuan are items crafted during the time now. Either from reverse-engineering concepts and blueprints of Butang, or crafted Butang are items that come from the Time with the Blessed knowledge of the Gods or of Heroes, awesome creations with their own Heroic Bala. These are the rarest of technology that can no longer be replicated Magical Items, but are the ones most reliable, in the current Time of Malice. These can be especially with the Darakila Heroes returning weapons and bolos that have blades made of to the destroyed world. pure, concentrated Bala, or even vehicles that fly in the sky, like airboats.

Divine Materials

When the four Primordial Gods died, their The Divine Materials are as follows: bodies became ripe for harvest. Their corpuses became strong and formidable materials that the panday-ng-bakal could Ginto -- Is a radiating and bright gold, create powerful and vast weapons. It is well fulminating with inner Diwa, breaking forth known that the Darakila Heroes’ arms were and piercing the night. Death is something all made from the divine materials of the they do not fear when clad in the primordial gods. Resplendent Steel. Ginto is considered to be the most powerful and most radiant of the

Divine Materials, for it came from Adlaw, the

great Sun God. Ginto is usually found in Tanso -- a gleaming copper bronze that glows large deposits that jut out of the earth, as if with the beauty of the moon… and displays javelins of sunlight that fell from the heavens. their amorphousness as well. Tanso artifacts But forging Ginto is something that can only are usually flowing and mercurial, like be achieved through Supernal Sorceries that quicksilver, adapting to the form of the include the heat and light of the Sun. Ginto person. Tanso is usually found in smaller artifacts tend to be shining radiance and veins embedded deep into the ground, near power and divinity. A lot of them are volcanoes, or near large bodies of water like effective against demons and maligno, but lakes, rivers, and seas. Tanso artifacts are also are known to be superbly crafted as well. resonant with water. Ginto artifacts are known to hold symbolism with Fire. Pilak -- A fulminating silver material that

burns with the striking beauty of the stars. Platino -- a shining “white gold” that only They are almost always twinkling, and melts from sorcerous fire. The power of the somehow seem distant. Pilak artifacts tend to platino is well known to have come from have sway over time and fate, and are also Kalibutan, whose body is indestructible. In known to be resonant with Sorcery itself, as addition to this, they are well known to have well as the element of air. Pilak only comes control and mastery over the elements from falling stars from the sky. themselves. Platino is across the earth, but harder to find and deeper into the soil, unlike Ginto. Forging Platino is even harder, Those are the four original divine materials, only achievable through Supernal Sorceries. but when Saragnayan struck Lugan, he split Platino artifacts tend to be heavy and bulky, parts of himself and corrupted various nodes very earthen and adobe, but night of Ginto to create Aninumbakal, or shadow indestructible and sought after by shipwrights steel. Aninumbakal is known to be the and popular artificers. Platino is effectively a opposite of Ginto, burning with impossibly symbol for all the elements, but resonate the burning darkness, searing away stable most with earth. creation and reducing it to void, as well as being effective against ghosts

.