The Sorrow of Souls Quartet - Primer

Introduction

"It has been 252 years since Eneas, one of the dread Escort of Souls, rose up in rebellion against His mistress. He murdered the Phoenix, and claimed Her Powers of afterlife and rebirth for Himself. Eneas had the Phoenix’s feathers made into a robe fit for a Saeric king. When the robe was placed over His shoulders, the feathers of fire and gold turned black: the colour of deceit, for His promises were for naught. In that moment, the Raven was enthroned as the Prince of Perdition."

— Ermolai Gusev, Professor of Raskvaerii Philosophy at the Universität of Rykfontein

The terrible evil wrought by the Raven beyond the spiritual veil has cast the dark shadow of His wings across the Saeric Lands. In a world where the false gods of the past were slain on the talons of the Raven or on the swords of man, mankind trudges hopelessly through life. They are burdened by the terrible certainties revealed to them by the Saeric Throwbacks: the Phoenix has fallen, and nothing but torment and torture await their Souls in Perdition. The Raven's heart can never be changed. Mankind's only chance of redemption is to trap the Souls of their dead in life, and hope against hope that, one day, the Phoenix will find a way to rise once more.

Setting

Clustered around the trecherous waters of the Saeric Basin, Kredashmi and Lormont have been under the control of the Raskverii Empire for over two-hundred and fifty years. Despite repeated invasions, the wild and mostly uninhabitable Versarna remains a haven for heresy and the humanoid creatures fleeing religious persecution and slavery.

Raskvaeric

Raskvaeric is a vast country, formed by the brutal annexation of smaller kingdoms in its distant past. A deeply religious society, they have tried to bring order to the chaos wrought by the Great Confiscation by electing a new Holy Chorus of Saints to worship, and heeding the warnings of their Throwback.
Outside of Raskvaeric's oppulent cities, filled with glittering palaces and imposing temples, life is brutal, bleak and uncertain. It is a place where serfs and slaves outnumber royalty, nobility and free citizens. A long, cruel winter is drawing in. Within the halls of the Imperial Ballet School, a forbidden Power is beginning to stir inside the mind of a young girl. A girl who is running late for class...

by Helen Ast

Kredashmi

by Marie Bellando-Mitjans

Kredashmi is a beautiful land of fertile planes, majestic mountains, deep gorges and glistening lakes. From the systematic slaughter of the Kredasene dragons by the conquerors, to a violent rebellion that almost brought the Raskvaerii to their knees, Kredashmi has a deeply troubled and complex relationship with their sovereign lords.

Versarna

Having resisted the Raskvaerii Empire's attempted intrusion, Versarna is unique amongst the Searic Lands in that it has not been extensively mapped. The Ancient Forest is thought to take up the majority of the landmass, and is considered impenetrable because of the aggressive nature of the hostiles that call the forest their home. From deadly mists that prowl the forest highways at night, to cunning spirits and monsterous creatures that stalk the boarders between folktales, nightmares and lore, Versarna is considered a haven of heresy and evil.
It is country caught between a bitter, often bloody, power struggle between the Kingdom of Man and the Kingdom of the Fae. In the past twenty years, many of the Saeric Lands have witnessed an overwhelming rise in Varsii refugees, fleeing unspeakable terrors and mercilous butchery. Safe in Kredashmi, the daughter of Varsii immigrants has started to hear frightening and compelling whispers. A creature is circling her, calling to her blood, whispering of the heritage that was stolen from her - her gift, her purpose, her calling. She knows better than to let herself trust this creature. Not when its presence, Power and promises resulted in her mother's brutal and senseless murder.

by George Hiles

“The Phoenix is fallen! The Phoenix is fallen! Death Herself has fallen! Her judges are slain! Her mercies are stripped away! Her angels are turned to carrion birds, to pick the Sin from every Soul for all eternity. Lo! – the Raven reigns o’er Death now. No Sin is too small, no grudge too petty: all shall be Judged and Damned. To Live is to Sin! To Sin is to Live! Cursed are the Souls of all Mankind…”

— Rosceline Chauviré quoted in The Song of the Phoenix

Timeline of the Saeric Lands

What follows is the historic timeline of Saeric history, as known by man.

The Hubraic Age (HE)

by Owen Beard

The age where mankind worshipped the gods and spirits that walked amongst them.

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852 HE - The Great Confiscation

by Michael Schaffler

The Raven and His servants sought to murder every man, woman, child and god in the Saeric Basin with Power in their veins.

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Time Since the Great Confiscation (SGC)

The age following the treachery of the Raven, where every man and beast with the curse of Power in their veins were either slain or enslaved.

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2 SGC - The Start of the Hubraic Wars

by Hansan Almasi

Mankind realised that their gods were nothing more than Creatures with Power. Their deception and betrayal was unforgivable, and Raskvaeric led the charge. Lormont and Kredashmi joined with them to route out all Creatures whose blood still carried the taint of Power.

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7 SGC - The Rise of the Throwbacks

by Daniel Jensen

The night after one of the Hubraic Wars’ most bloody battles, three corpses crawled their way out of a mass burial pit. They were transformed from unremarkable, insignificant humans in life, to mankind's greatest salvation from death.

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252 SGC - The Present Day

A young man stands on guard in a crowded temple, awaiting the start of a trial where the Soul of a man is charged with murder...