History of Awakened - Mage Timeline

[nofather]

Because while the Western Guardians believe their concepts formed in Rome those in China believe they've formed in the East.

P33, 'Eastern Guardians claim to have avoided the great mistakes of their Western counterparts. Eastern Guardians insist that their culture never created the drive for a New Atlantis and they don’t have a “travesty” like Rome in their history. Chinese Guardians also contend with the common assertion that the Labyrinth originated in the West. They claim to have been bending sects of Taoism and Confucianism to the Guardians’ purposes of concealing truth since before word of the Guardian-infl uenced mystery cults could have ever reached China. Western Guardians write this off as a conceit, but it is a point of pride among some of their Asian counterparts.'

Rome and China traded on the Silk Road.

[Omegaphallic]

If I remember right, the Guardians of the Veil book basically admitted that. It has a long section on how important Rome was to the Guardians, but then admits that Chinese Guardians tend to think that's rubbish.

I think the underlying issue might be that to do any kind of history justice you really need more information about what the Orders are like in non-European regions, and history sections rarely have the room for that.

Why would Chinese Guardian concider that Rubbish? Do you honestly think the Chinese concider Rome historically unimportant? The ramifications of Roman history have global implications, that takes nothing away from the historical value of China.

[wyrdhamster]

As we finally have this era in Dark Eras 2 then - let's read it...
In Light of the Sun Era we have...

1517 till 18th century AD: The Seers of the Throne are unifying from various Nameless Orders. Up until the mid-15th century, the Seers of the Throne were not a unified sect, but a tenuous and shifting alliance of small Orders. The early years of the Italian Renaissance and the birth of city-states like Milan and Venice gave rise to the nationalistic Hegemony, who worship the Unity, Iron Seal of Mind and Exarch of control through xenophobia. As the first Ministry, they organized the other proto-Seer cults into similar Ministries, forming a bloc that could more meaningfully oppose the Diamond and enact the Exarchs’ will. This included Paternoster — cult of the Father, Iron Seal of Prime and Exarch of control through dogma — though it was a hard sell. Paternoster has been the largest and most cohesive Exarchal Nameless Order since the 13th century and would have stayed independent if the other cults hadn’t fallen in line with Hegemony’s plan. The alliance now is fractious: The Hegemony
supports a Christian Reformation that will fracture Christendom into rival factions, while Paternoster supports the Counter-Reformation to keep papal power consolidated, acutely aware that the Reformation is giving the nobility unprecedented sway over the Church. To the Father’s devout, this assault on their authority is unacceptable. ( Light of the Sun – Dark Eras 2)

[Zooroos]

One of the many pitfalls of historical descriptions is the temptation of considering (or presenting) any single analytical category as exhaustive and homogeneous. Like writing about "the Romans" and assuming they all shared the same characteristics regardless of individuals, factions, geography or particular times. Or considering that the Guardians of the Veil saw themselves then as we see them now, or that they knew exactly what they were doing when they decided such and such plan.

The historical perspective of someone who reads about the formation of a faction, kingdom or religion is fundamentally different from the historical witness of such events. We have the luxury of both perspective and distance, and we can easily see the emerging pattern of different groups and ideas coalescing into a concrete thing, but any one actor at the time probably didn't see that the group X would one day merge with his own group Y to form the present-day faction Z.

[Second Chances]

If I remember right, the Guardians of the Veil book basically admitted that. It has a long section on how important Rome was to the Guardians, but then admits that Chinese Guardians tend to think that's rubbish.

I think the underlying issue might be that to do any kind of history justice you really need more information about what the Orders are like in non-European regions, and history sections rarely have the room for that.

And that right there is why I'm less interested in seeing extra Rome Eras in Dark Eras 2. Show me the rest of the world!

[Michael]

Looking at this time line makes me sad, because it really looks like "Mage Timeline" is basically "timeline of latin civilization" ignoring rest of the world all together. :/

If I remember right, the Guardians of the Veil book basically admitted that. It has a long section on how important Rome was to the Guardians, but then admits that Chinese Guardians tend to think that's rubbish.

I think the underlying issue might be that to do any kind of history justice you really need more information about what the Orders are like in non-European regions, and history sections rarely have the room for that.

[Mrmdubois]

They are mentioned - East mages started Darshanas exchange in Alexander Empire and I even pointed that Panscryptias were result of Persian-Indian exchange or Dragon idea is from Eastern philosophies. It's not my fault that canonical informations in sourcebooks point only to European events in Orders creation times.

Yes, you mention them, but the level of influence they had is understated by you. I wouldn't worry about it, since it's basically impossible for a historian to be fair to everyone involved in history. I was just pointing out to WHW that they should take the timeline here with a small grain of salt like you should with most history books.

[wyrdhamster]

That's just been Wyrd's interpretation of it. I know it's been mentioned before that he keeps overlooking how much India and other Eastern countries influenced the development of the Orders.

They are mentioned - East mages started Darshanas exchange in Alexander Empire and I even pointed that Panscryptias were result of Persian-Indian exchange or Dragon idea is from Eastern philosophies. It's not my fault that canonical informations in sourcebooks point only to European events in Orders creation times.

[Mrmdubois]

Looking at this time line makes me sad, because it really looks like "Mage Timeline" is basically "timeline of latin civilization" ignoring rest of the world all together. :/

That's just been Wyrd's interpretation of it. I know it's been mentioned before that he keeps overlooking how much India and other Eastern countries influenced the development of the Orders.

[WHW]

Looking at this time line makes me sad, because it really looks like "Mage Timeline" is basically "timeline of latin civilization" ignoring rest of the world all together. :/

[wyrdhamster]

Added Tremere info from Left Hand Path and Dark Eras and information from Dark Eras Companion.

[Cleverest of Things]

I can't remember if the Tremere were in canon connected to the Theban that taught blood sorcery to the proto-sanctified, or if that was just my headcanon. I'm pretty sure it was contradicted later on, unfortunately. I have to add another thank you, this timeline is very handy. even with the less clear topics, it gave me knowledge of when events roughly happened (I didn't know the seer book gave solid dates for the atlantises). so handy.

[wyrdhamster]

Tremere timeline
Here are events from history of Awakened connected to Tremere I want to add to main timeline. I also rewritten creation of Silver Ladder, as they need to got some parts of Mantra Sadhaki philosophy and start their ‘Dragon Symbology’ that Diamond later use. If no one will comment this part of timeline, I will add them to rest in time of one week.

Circa 300 BCE: Tremere are small cult ( later Nameless Order ) that wander Europe beyond the Alexander Empire, keeping to themselves unless they need supplies or to replenish their numbers. They study the Subtle Arcana in search of the secrets of the soul, but they aren’t Reapers — not yet. They keep customs they believe date from before the Fall, and are most notable in this period for possessing a full command of High Speech. They can speak and write about any subject in that language or at least rumors says so. ( To The Strongest - Dark Eras, Nagaraja Legacy write-up )

241-218 BCE: Seeing how effective and dangerous newly created Adamantine Arrow Order has become, the local Omphalos Darshana’s cults - worshipping Great Ladder of hierarchy - started to be afraid on their position. For years they infiltrated Roman Senate and elite - so they know vampires had secret nation under the proper Rome. It took almost a decade of debate on what to do with this situation. And then they find out that Phulakeion Darshana - the Guardians called New Constructionist - had infiltrate the Rome and it’s heart - Sanate – also steering it in to souls prison they though it should be. Finally, Omphalos cult leaders see past their difference and organized a meeting on which they understand they need a strong opposition to both Guardians and Arrows threat. Going after popular Atlantis tale in occult circles, they used Silver Ladder to Heavens as their symbol. From Mantra Sadhaki they taken idea of Supernal Beings – Dragons – that teach humanity their true capabilities and role in greater hierarchy of cosmos. First European Silver Ladder Caucus have gathered. After the Kindred they wanted they own, secret nation - but not under the Rome, but inside it. First European Cryptopoly have started. Both Atlantis and Dragon become symbol of Silver Ladder unifying Orders under their Diamond dogma and leading them to recreate utopia in Rome – even when opposed by both Guardians and vampires in it. ( Guardains of Veil and Fan )

50 BCE: Rumors of vampires draw Tremere to Egypt, where an ancient vampire enslaves them and sends them in search of occult resources. During one such journey they encounter the Bound that initiates them into the contemporary Legacy. One of theories says this being is or is related to Strix.
From there on Tremere consume and destroy other Reapers – in secret, for now. ( To The Strongest - Dark Eras, Nagaraja Legacy write-up )

2nd century AD: Tremere claim the Nagaraja Indian Legacy first and absorb them as a “House” within the greater Legacy. They still not meet society of Diamond at large. ( To The Strongest - Dark Eras, Nagaraja Legacy write-up )

8th century AD: In Eastern Europe, one or two Tremere demanded hospitality at Diamond wizards’ towers. Quickly follow them whole cabals, showing carcasses of monsters they fought to assure good intentions. Tremere were warrior-sorcerers and students of the soul who promised to lead the Awakened to a new age of splendor, built on the ashes of burning enemies. They hunted Seers and Scelesti, but selected Reapers and vampires for the balance of their wrath. They preached that Atlantis’s faithful willworkers were the natural lords of souls. Anyone who challenged their crowns deserved to burn. Tremere were even more fixated on Dragons Symbology of Diamond Orders, quickly proclaiming themselves as Blood of Dragon ( Left-Hand Path with Fan part on Dragon's Blood )

1099: Silver Ladder lictor Caterine Bedlam told the Convocation of Antioch what many now suspected: the Tremere was a Legacy of Reapers who hunted their own kind. It labeled them as Nefandi by Convocation, with banishment and ‘forgetting’ of Tremere Order members – their magical tools were destroyed, as any grimoires, soul stones, or imbued items they created. Their Shadow Name becomes illegal to utter and were replaced in all Consilium records by “Nefandi:” the name that is not a name and cannot be spoken. As other Convocations followed that of Antioch, within few years Tremere were officially excommunicated from Diamond, becoming target for Reaper hunters they ones been.( Left-Hand Path)

[Gullinbursti]

The Nagaraja Legacy has a box out in To the Strongest.

By 50 BC, rumors of vampires draw them to
Egypt, where an ancient vampire enslaves them
and sends them in search of occult resources.

The only fan speculation was the Bound in question possibly being a Strix.