View source for The History of the Temple

== Chronology of the Temple ==

*''571'' : Revelation of Arcavius
*''572'' : Meeting between Heïan and Arcavius
*''573'' : First battle of Arcavia, foundation of Akkylannie
*''575'' : First battle of Carthag-Fero
*''585'' : Battle of the Last Raiders and pacification of Akkylannie. Foundation of the Order of the Temple
*''602'' : Foundation of the actual Temple of the North
*''675'' : First battle of Kaïber
*''676'' : Heresy of Dirz, foundation of the Inquisition
*''677'' : First crusade
*''679'' : Battle of Dawn
*''680'' : Foundation of the actual Temple of the South
*''710'' : Foundation of the actual Temple of the West
*''994'' : Second crusade
*''995'' : Foundation of the actual Temple of the East Battle of the Marauders
*''998'' : Sack of Kylaë
*''1000'' : Battle of the Old Wall
*''1003'' : Shurat lands in Akkylannie
*''1004'' : Battle of the Ivory Dunes
*''1004'' : Battle of the Mourners Gorge
*''1004'' : Battle of the Temple of the South, fall of the Temple of the East
*''1005'' : Battle of Arcavia
*''1007'' : Return of Arkhos
*''1008'' : The Black Day
*''1009'' : Battle of the Braziers

== The prophet Arcavius ==

The history of Aarklash begins in Barhan territory, in the
barony of Laverne, a century and a half after the foundation
of the Kingdom of Alahan. Arcavius de Sabran was already a
middle-aged man. He was a famous baron who had managed
to finish building the fortresses north of Alahan, thanks to his
military skills and leadership qualities. Yet he aspired to some
peace at last, and felt his world was about to change, without
knowing exactly how.
One evening, after a meeting with other barons, Arcavius
took his time to wander through the forest. Th ere an angel of
fire appeared before him and spoke: “You are the chosen one,
you have been chosen by Merin. You have inherited His conscience; may it be your reward and your burden.”
The angel then revealed many secrets concerning Creation
and Aarklash in particular. After this encounter with the god’s
envoy, Arcavius became an Incarnate.
Shaken by these events, he made it back to his castle. For
a whole week, he checked the scriptures of any human civilization that shared the ideal of the Ways of Light, as well as
the work of the scientists of Tir-Nâ-Bor, to verify the igneous
angel’s words. On the seventh day, he gained the certainty that
the angel had spoken the truth. Arcavius had to admit that all
these cults shared similarities that could only be explained in
one way: these peoples had been in fact worshiping a single
god, Merin, under diff erent names. Confi rmed in his quest,
Arcavius was rewarded by Merin and experienced his second Incarnation. Aware of his role and his responsibility, he
realized the task lying in front of him: unifying the diff erent
peoples into one faith, belief in Merin.
That day Arcavius made a great public speech. He shared
the revelations of the angel concerning the genesis of
Creation by Merin. He invited the crowd to follow him for
the glory of the One God: only those who prayed to Him
would be allowed into the new Creation. Some servants followed Arcavius, and with them Jen, his faithful squire, Zelios, his best friend, Karl, his chamberlain, and Honorinus,
his eldest son. Neither the supplications of his family, nor his
lordship could prevent Arcavius
from leaving. Th e prophet and his
entourage became beggars and
pilgrims that exact same day.
Arcavius’ journey, “the march
of the blazing”, led the pilgrims
across Alahan. Piece by piece,
Arcavius sold his knight’s armor
to pay for his journey and he purchased a book to write down the
revelations of the angel of fire: the
Codex of Merin.
Along his voyage Arcavius rallied many Barhans to his cause.
After only a few months his disciples already numbered in the
thousands. Arcavius reached the
gates of the capital of Alahan in
Kallienne. He was arrested and
imprisoned by Baron Kelgar de
Kallienne. However, after reading
the
Codex of Merin
, the baron
appealed to King Heïan to meet
Arcavius to allow him to plead
his cause. Arcavius spoke for
hours with the king. An angel of
Light then intervened to give its
divine blessing to Arcavius’ quest.
Convinced by the angel’s appearance, the king freed the prophet
and gave him somewhere to settle with his followers. He offered
lands abandoned by the crown, including the Akhylahn Mountains and the land beyond.
Arcavius took to the road again. A new follower had joined
him: Kelgar of Kallienne.
The pilgrims left for the peninsula beyond the Akhylahn
mountains. Halfway there, Arcavius entrusted Jen with the
conduct of the convoy while he followed another road alone,
to meditate. He could feel the end of the journey approaching
and was realizing that the fate of his followers was about to
be sealed. Soon they would no longer be simple pilgrims, but
the founders of a new society. Although Arcavius was ready to
become their spiritual leader, he did not wish to be in charge
of their worldly lives. With doubt gnawing at his soul, he wandered aimlessly for over a day and a half, until he reached a
riverside where he met a fabulous creature: a griffin. The hawk
eyes of the half-bird half-lion beast scrutinized him for a while
before it eventually took off . Everything became clear in Arcavius’ mind. Just like the griffin, Arcavius’ new nation was
to combine the strength of the lion and the vigilance of the
bird of prey: a strong secular leader and a vigilant spiritual
guide. He tore his Elixir in half: the Fire of Merin and the Eye
of Merin. Only a few instants after this terrible trial Arcavius
was found by Honorius who had followed him from a safe distance. Thanks to the Eye of Merin Arcavius knew his son was
worthy of the Fire of Merin and gave it to him. Arcavius and Honorius returned to the convoy and guided
their “people” towards the peninsula. When Arcavius told of
his encounter with the griffin, his followers saw it as a good
omen. Adopting this symbol, they painted griffins on their
shields and standards. The travelers they met soon came to
call them the “Griffins”. An army of legend was born!

== The Land of the Sun ==

When the Griffi ns arrived in the peninsula they discovered
that it was still wild and wider than the Barhan texts had indicated. It was inhabited by many warlike factions: human
clans, greedy goblin colonies or adventurous dwarven trading
posts. At fi rst Arcavius and his followers simply avoided the
most warlike bands and traded with the most peaceful, such
as the dwarves. However, by avoiding any kind of confl ict, the
Griffi ns never found anywhere to settle. They carried on journeying to the north of the peninsula, hoping to fi nd a more
welcoming land there.
Arcavius’ followers discovered a region of fertile plains and
wide forests, irrigated by a majestic river. Under the orders of
Honorius they built their town there and began erecting the
first fortifi cations in the forest by the riverside. Unfortunately,
the goblin raiders operating in the area did not appreciate seeing such a stronghold being built on their territory. Only
days after the Griffi ns had settled the goblins struck
the community hard. But the Griffi ns were determined and united by their faith. Not one of them
stood down: this land would be the cradle of their
nation...or its grave. Th e battle for the future
Arcavia sealed the sense of belonging that
still unites the people of Akkylannie

Through this victory the Griffins earned the
respect of the neighboring communities. They
were then able to found their first town, which
was called Arcavia in honor of their prophet.
They built the first temple of Merin and finished the fortifications. The day of the first official mass Arcavius had a vision and locked himself away to meditate. When he
came back among his people, he showed them maps and technical drawings of fabulous inventions: Merin had sent him the tools
to make Arcavia the most prosperous city on Aarklash!

Thanks to these inventions Arcavia prospered. The Griffins thrived and extended their influence, even if it sometimes
meant having to take to the battlefield. They converted a
great number of humans and dwarves living in the area. Soon
they had become so many that some of them set out towards
the north of the peninsula, following the trails used by the
dwarven settlers only years before.
On the northern coast of the peninsula they found more
dwarves. They tried to convert them, but the only answer
they were given by these dwarves was the sharp edge of
their blades. At dawn, after some fierce fighting, the faithful of Merin were the only ones left alive. They seized
control of the site and founded their second city: Carthag-Fero.
After the foundation of Carthag-Fero, more communities of Merin were founded. It became necessary for the Griffins to form a government. Arcavius,
Honorius and their early companions gathered to determine the foundations of the Empire of Merin. The
prophet then had a new vision: a phoenix flying west.
This igneous creature was certainly a message from
Merin. Arcavius understood that it was time to take
to the road again.
So the Empire of Akkylannie was founded. In general celebration, Honorius became the first emperor,
in charge of secular power. The Church, the religious
power, was to be led by a council of priests. The same day
Arcavius announced he was leaving on a new pilgrimage, in order to rally more believers all over the continent. He left with a handful of followers, including Jen.

During Arcavius’ absence, Honorius undertook
many projects and showed both courage and daring. His decisions soon made the new empire even
more prosperous. Honorius signed treaties with the
other peoples of the Ways of Light, but also with the
dwarves of Tir-Nâ-Bor, despite the Battle of Carthag-Fero. The Fire of Merin gave him incredible charisma,
which allowed him to overcome any reluctance. Furthermore, the dwarves appreciated the Akkylannians
for the rigor and expertise of their craftsmen. Even
the mysterious Cynwäll managed to get along with
the Akkylannians. They considered the humans as
turbulent children and hoped to bring them “into the
Light” through their example and wisdom.
The success of Honorius was the same inside the country as it was outside: he fixed
the borders of the empire and eliminated
the bands of raiders one by one. By the tenth
anniversary of his reign, after the Battle of
the Last Raiders, the whole peninsula had
been pacified. A new age opened before the
Empire of Akkylannie and patriotic momentum seized every Akkylannian.

== The Griffin Takes Off ==

Once the peninsula was pacified, the Empire of Akkylannie transformed to adopt its
modern shape. Its institutions were formalized. Zelios studied the inventions of Arcavius, his best friend, and trained the alchemists of Merin. Karl was given the Chair of
Foreign Aff airs. Th e task was signifi cant: he
was to rally all of Aarklash to the flame of
Merin. To assist him, he founded the Order
of the Temple. Kelgar was put in charge of
Internal Affairs, which included enforcing
public order in Akkylannie and keeping an
eye out for traitors and spies.
In the meantime, Arcavius and Jen had
been journeying on and on. Without the
Fire of Merin the prophet proved unable to
convert new believers. However, during his
travels, he trained Jen to succeed him and receive the Eye of Merin. During a communion, 
Arcavius entrusted Jen with the Elixir. Jen was transformed
forever. Jen now craved power. Not only did he want spiri-
tual power, he also wanted to lead the Akkylannians for the
greater glory of Merin... and himself. Arcavius on the other
hand was in no way able to lead Akkylannie anymore; he had
lost all mystical powers and his faith blurred his judgment.
As the pilgrims wandered deeper and deeper into the
Bran-Ô-Kor, Arcavius realized he had lost his powers and
sank into despair. Tension rose between him and Jen. Despite how ambitious he might have been, Jen truly wanted
to raise the spirits of his mentor. But he had neither the
strength nor the means. Finally, Arcavius and Jen had one
argument too many. During a stop in a cave in the Bran-Ô-Kor, Jen murdered Arcavius in his sleep. In 590 Jen made it
back to Arcavia alone, bearing in him the Eye of Merin. He
told that he and Arcavius had been captured by servants of
Darkness. He added that Arcavius had died at the hands of
their jailers and that he had been the only one who managed to escape. When Honorius raised an army to avenge
his father, Jen claimed that their jail was protected by spells
of Darkness, and that he would be unable to tell in which
country he had been held captive. No-one doubted his word. 
Honorius felt the Eye of Merin on Jen;
he appointed him pope of Akkylannie and reformed the Church to give
him more power, since it was now
led by one of Merin’s chosen ones.
Nevertheless, Karl remained suspicious. He reformed the Temple in
secret and prepared to fi ght the excesses of the Church.
Honorius and Jen prepared their
successors: the council of priests set
up by Arcavius would choose a pope
worthy of the Eye of Merin. The pope
would then use his power to find the
one capable of bearing the Fire of
Merin and make him the Emperor.
However, the council of priests
never managed to agree on someone to bear the Eye of Merin. Its
choice was political in the end: after
Jen died, the Eye became a relic that
the priests hid in the crypt under
the cathedral of Arcavius, in Arcavia. Without the power of the Eye,
successive popes were unable to find
emperors capable of withstanding
the Fire of Merin. The emperors died
quickly, consumed by the relic, and
were unable to impose themselves
against the popes, who became the
true masters of Akkylannie.
Nonetheless, the Empire of Akkylannie thrived after the death of
Arcavius’ first followers. The population was still united by the same patriotism and the country developed
quickly. Contingents were sent across
the continent to find Arcavius’ tomb.
The Ways of Light were soon in need of Akkylannie’s
help. The Order of the Black Togas had stepped out of the
shadows and the barony of Acheron had seceded from
the rest of the kingdom of Alahan. The baron of Allmoon, a repentant Black Toga, raised an army to fight the
Meanders of Darkness. Yet he knew that he could not
do it alone; he sent an angel of Light to warn Centurion
Viriis, whose company had been searching for Arcavius’
tomb in the Behemoth. The Akkylannian commander
did not hesitate for a second. He rushed his soldiers into
an exhausting forced march. The Griffi ns dashed through
the passes and valleys and made it to Kaïber Pass in time
to fight alongside the Kingdom of Alahan. This battle was
known as the Battle of Kaïber, the first great battle of the
Order of the Temple. It was a military victory, but it led to
a political disaster: the Order of the Temple sent almost all
its men to Kaïber to build the impregnable fortress, thus
effectively handing Akkylannie over to the Inquisition.
When the templars returned from Kaïber, they found their
country had changed completely. Th e heresy of Dirz had
spread and the Inquisition had fought back by burning thou-
sands of people who had been declared heretics. Th e templars
were horrifi ed. Th ey protested and appealed to the emperor,
but the Inquisition was just too powerful. Th e Pope ordered
the Temple to hand over its best men to create the Templars
of the Inquisition.
Fearing civil war, Emperor Octavius II instituted conscrip-
tion, the new melting pot of Akkylannian patriotism. Thus
he created the imperial army and gave it the responsibility
of enforcing law and order. In fear of being overtaken by this
new force, the Inquisition maneuvered. It managed to have
a cardinal lead the imperial army and created the office of
Prelate General of the Armies. Soon after, and for no obvious reason, the Cynwäll offered a firearm to the emperor.
Scholars studied it and discovered the secret of gunpowder.
Their powder was coarse compared to that used by the Cynwäll, but it was easy to produce. The fusilier corps was created and attached to the imperial army and civilian peace
was secured. Gunpowder also became a source of revenue
for Akkylannie as it established a profitable trade with the
Kingdom of Alahan. It is only centuries later that the guild
of Architects of Cadwallon has put an end to this lucrative
monopoly.

== The Crusades ==

The situation had stabilized in Akkylannie, but there were
still two crises to deal with: the constant tension between the
Temple and the Inquisition, and the flight of Dirz to the Syharhalna. Hitting two birds with one stone, the pope invited the
emperor to declare a crusade, in order to bring an end to the
heresy of Dirz and to conquer the Syharhalna.
The Temple was put in charge of organizing this crusade
since its lodges, scattered across Aarklash, gave it good knowledge of the terrain. However, this maneuver had also been devised to channel the Temple’s patriotic ardor.
Commander Daéryn, of the Temple of the South, was chosen to command the invasion: his temple had a large navy at
hand, indispensable to land troops in the Syharhalna. The
Kingdom of Alahan also entrusted Akkylannie with many
ships to assist it in the crusade.
During this seaborne expedition the
templars fought many perils. The Syhars spread a plague epidemic amongst
the men and sent monsters of the deep,
called kraken, to sink their ships. Tired,
sick and sometimes demoralized, the
templars still had to fight waves of
clones when they landed near Djaran.

Safe inside Djaran, Daéryn organized
the methodical pacification of the entire region, as Karl had done to rid Akkylannie of the raiders. Unfortunately,
the desert itself was a deadly trap: the
heat killed just as many templars as the
clones, and the sand performed marvels concealing the impious laboratories. And with no other known town
between Djaran and Shamir, far to the
West, the Army of the Griffin could
make no progress in this hostile desert.
The templars were stuck in Djaran.
The First crusade found itself wasting its forces for several years, until one
day Daéryn heard a report concerning
a Syhar fortress being built nearby. He
knew he had to act quickly. He mustered all his templars and marched
them out into the desert. Harassed by
alchemical beasts and deceived by the
technomancers’ magical mirages, the Akkylannians eventually made it through the Ivory Dunes
to within sight of Danakil. The construction of the fortress
was well advanced; Daéryn’s chances were scant. The commander split his contingent in two: he led the first half towards Danakil to keep the Syhar busy. The other half was to
begin the construction of a fortress on the other side of the
Ivory Dunes.

Daéryn never made it back; but thanks to his sacrifice, the
fortress of Light was finished in time. The successor of Daéryn
made it the new Temple of the South and carried on the crusade from this fortress.

In the meanwhile, back in Akkylannie, the Church was enforcing its hegemony. Over the centuries the emperors had
become more and more submissive and the stakes had been
burning more and more often. The inquisitors had become bogeymen. The Empire of Akkylannie frightened even its allies.
Yet the spark of hope began to shine again: Octavius IX was
not an emperor like the others. He was determined to bring
Akkylannie back into the Light. Notably, he relied on Proteüs
– commander of the South who became the grand master of
the Temple – and Tarkhyn – commander of the West and childhood friend of King Gorgyn of Alahan. When he heard
that mystics had located the tomb of Arcavius somewhere in
the Bran-Ô-Kor, he immediately decided to organize a new
crusade. The Inquisition was not opposed to it, seeing a further
opportunity to keep even more templars out of their way.
Commander Arkhos, the most virtuous and famous templar commander, was chosen to lead this crusade. The entire
Order of the Temple was mobilized behind him: the templars
hoped to find a relic, a teaching or some other clue in the tomb
that would help put an end to the Inquisition’s rule of terror.
Once in the hostile canyons of the Bran-Ô-Kor, Arkhos built
a fortress. This fortress was to serve as an operational base for
many archeological expeditions. The research was hampered
by the orcs living in the area. One of them in particular, Avangorok, kept harassing the researchers and pilgrims. Instead of
combing out the canyons like his predecessors, Arkhos chose
to send small scouting parties of templars and legionnaires of
repentance, rogues who had been given a second chance by
the Temple. In this way he was able to locate Avangorok’s lair
and attack him directly. The Battle of the Marauders weakened
the orcs long enough to allow Arkhos to further reinforce his
position and establish a solid bridgehead in the Bran-Ô-Kor.
He was then able to finish building the fortress that became
the Temple of the East. He then dedicated himself entirely to
finding Arcavius’ tomb.