A Broken Paradise (The Windows of Heaven Book 3)

by Powderly Jr. , K. G.

  C. 2-5 Atum and his wife skirt the south flanks of the Mountains of Aeden, crossing the four rivers westward, and find the caves of Sa-utar.

  9 Qayin born at Sa-utar. Atum renames his wife Khuva, meaning “Mother of All.”

  14 Birth of Heh’Bul.

  16 Twin girls, Lilitua and Aruille are born to Khuva.

  24 Birth of Assuri.

  26 Kush born at Sa-utar.

  27-563 Khuva bears other sons and daughters to Atum in 7 cycles of fertility and rest, with roughly 20 years of fertility to 60 years of rest.

  C. 35-55 Atum-Ra marks the solstices, and develops a sexigesmal number system and pictographic glyphs.

  72 Qayin weds Lilitua.

  84 Heh’Bul marries Aruille.

  85-108 Aruille bears Heh’Bul six sons: Hadumar, Balimar, Khavilakki, Burunatu, Regati, and Satyurati, with five daughters. Lilitua draws her barren cycle first. Qayin begins to envy Heh’Bul.

  128 Atum-Ra leads his sons on a pilgrimage to the First Altar. E’Yahavah accepts Heh’Bul’s sacrifice but refuses Qayin.

  131 Qayin murders Heh’Bul in the field. E’Yahavah sets a seven-fold wergild protection on Qayin’s life, and marks his forehead, but curses his attempts to till the soil.

  131-134 To escape both Atum and E’Yahavah, Qayin takes Lilitua into wandering beyond the Four Rivers, into Nhod to “capture the rising sun.” He believes that if he controls the rising sun, he rules the world. The falling star Umara smites the fertile plateau of Nhod, and sends up a reek of poisoned dust. Henceforth it is called the Desolation of Nhod.

  132-423 Atum assumes Qayin and Lilitua killed by Umara.

  133-200 The Despair of Atum-Ra: Atum attempts suicide repeatedly. Leadership at Sa-utar falls to Assuri and Kush, whose clans go to war for dominion. Atum and Khuva retreat to the Treasure Cave in Paru’Ainu.

  C. 135-157 Qayin and Lilitua, having escaped Umara, wander north through the Pass of Strife, and find lands less plagued by fallout.

  C. 157 Qayin and his wife settle by Lake Mataq.

  158 After an extraordinarily long barren cycle, Lilitua bears Q’Unukku to Qayin by Lake Mataq.

  160-210 Qayin names his settlement after his first son, Q’Unukku.

  161 The sons of Heh’Bul leave Sa-utar to avoid the wars of Assuri and Kush. Their mother settles on the Isthmus with Hadumar.

  168 Khavilakki’s clan settles near the Pisunu Fens.

  C. 190 on Dragons reach great size in growing numbers.

  200 Aruille goes to Paru’Ainu to retrieve Atum-Ra, and convince him to retake leadership of the clans. The First Parents return to Sa-utar, and call a council of the clans. The Assuri and Kush skirmishes end.

  210 Atum-Ra composes the Ley of the Brothers Lost, the history of Qayin and Heh’Bul, using pictographs on baked clay tablets.

  214 on Hunting wurms become described in the lore of Atum-Ra as the servants of Dragon-prince, who is seen spiritually as the Basilisk’s vassal. Atum levies a permanent defense force of lancers.

  C. 218-240 Qayin faces dragon problems also. Hunting and blood sport are glorified at first for survival, but later for ceremonial reasons.

  221 Qayin takes his six youngest daughters as concubines. He beats Lilitua when she objects.

  223 Q’Unukku asks that a sister from his father’s harem be given to him because he had already had her before his father. Qayin, upon hearing this, leaves the girl tied to a stake outside the village wall for the wurms. Q’Unukku vows to take vengeance on his father.

  224-308 The Tyranny of Qayin in Mataq.

  230 Seti born to Atum and Khuva at Sa-utar. Khuva prophesies over her son. Atum-Ra names Seti his heir by prophetic gift.

  253 Y’Raddu born to Q’Unukku near Lake Mataq.

  264 Q’Unukku waits for an opportunity to usurp Qayin. Lilitua watches her eldest son, and perceives his intentions. She fears, lest he murder Qayin and fall to E’Yahavah’s seven-fold vengeance.

  270 Foundation of the Saardom of Balimar son of Heh’Bul.

  281 Seti begins to map the stars.

  283 Lilitua confronts Q’Unukku about his designs on Qayin, and warns him of the Great God’s doom. She promises to help her son rid Mataq of Qayin’s tyranny, on condition of no bloodshed against his father, lest the Curse of Qayin’s Bane fall on them. She reveals their true origin. Q’Unukku vows to restore E’Yahavah’s curse of wandering on his father only.

  301-308 Q’Unukku develops the bow and arrow. Of little use against most dragons, the guardsmen of Qayin mock this weapon. Q’Unukku trains his sons and daughters with the bow under the guise of sport.

  302 Khavilakki’s sons strike south past the Pisunu bend.

  305 Seti founds the Order of Dragon-slayers.

  308 Q’Unukku ambushes Qayin with bowmen. Qayin banished, with his loyalists, into the Desolation. Some of his harem plead, and are allowed to stay. Q’Unukku builds a wall and towers over the pass into Nhod.

  309 on The banished of Qayin wander southeast, and produce the mottled tribes of the prediluvian Far East.

  310 Lilitua proclaims that, “kingship has descended from heaven” through a dream. She anoints Q’Unukku King-El of all the lands around Lake Mataq. She takes the title of Queen Mother and High Priestess.

  C. 312 Lilitua develops early Lilithuform Runes.

  317 Q’Unukku defines “kingship” through the “magic” of writing. He sets the Code of Three down on tablets: Do not kill a kinsman. Do not lay with a woman without giving her a gift. Do not rob your neighbor. Mehu-ya’El is born to Y’Raddu son of Q’Unukku.

  320-1160 Atum’s civilization hegemony by Copper Age technology.

  324-328 With petty clan wars too common near Sa-utar, Atum-Ra mounts an expedition to map the wide regions south and west in order to grant lands dispersed enough to discourage tribal warfare.

  328 on Atum-Ra divides the known world between Seti, the sons of Heh’Bul, Assuri, and Kush, who subdivide it further for their sub-clans. The sons of Heh’Bul begin to take on the informal status of a priestly caste.

  353 Seti marries his sister Arzura.

  358 Kush founds the stronghold of Kushtahar.

  C. 360 on Sorceresses rise among the daughters of Qayin’s harem. Their leader, Zu seduces the King-El, and secretly worships the Dragon.

  402-423 Atum-Ra reconstructs the inner ring of Sa-utar, and builds the earliest sections of the Palace of the Cave.

  411 Seti’s Vision of the Signs of Heaven: The constellations describe the coming of the Promised Monster-slayer who will ultimately crush the Basilisk’s head. Atum-Ra confirms the vision, and establishes a formal priesthood mainly, but not exclusively, of the sons of Heh’Bul.

  415 The sons of Khavilakki discover gold in the Pisunu riverbed, and alloy it with rare minerals to produce the red gold orichalcum.

  418-430 Great Plague of Q’Unukku: Sores and madness strike from the brothels of Qayin’s old harem. Lilitua and Y’Raddu are convinced that it is a divine judgment against the followers of Zu, but Q’Unukku refuses their counsel. By now, Zu’s coven has influence over many judges in the gates.

  420 Q’Unukku falls sick of the plague. The Queen Mother sends out a quest to seek the house of Atum-Ra for aid.

  422 A remnant of Lilitua’s expedition reaches Sa-utar.

  423 The Lost Daughter found: A relief expedition led by Seti and Khuva arrives at Q’Unukku. Q’Unukku dies of plague, Y’Raddu becomes King-El. Lilitua banishes Zu and her cult into the Polar Moors.

  423-430 The Sundering of Mataq: Lilitua welcomes her mother’s legal and spiritual reforms, and thus alienates her own priestly class. Many priestesses follow Zu into exile, until their tribes roam the Polar Moors.

  430 Seti and Khuva return to Sa-utar.

  432 Lilitua and Y’Raddu enforce Seti and Khuva’s religious and political reforms. While they permit polygamy and concubinage, prostitution is abolished. A system of sacrifice is instituted. However, use of the Divine Name degrades into a mere magic word used for conjuring
.

  435 Aenusi is born at Sa-utar to Seti and Arzura. At around this time Seti and Atum-Ra notice that traders doing traffic with Mataq begin profaning the name of E’Yahavah. Y’Raddu learns to work gold and copper.

  458 The Coven of Zu settles near the Firth of Ardis. They begin to worship Leviathan, and practice human sacrifice of infants.

  476 Met’U-say’El is born at Q’Unukku to a concubine of Mehu-ya’El. The contraction of the boy’s name means Death of El, and is his mother’s protest against the reforms of Seti enacted by Y’Raddu and Lilitua.

  492 Assuri founds the colony of Ufratsis. The Assurim penetrate Southern Nhod, and eventually begin to capture mottled savages as slaves.

  513 Khavilakki completes his capitol city of Erdu on the Pisunu.

  521 Explorers out of Balimar encounter signs of habitation in the lands around the Firth of Ardis. Glyphs sacred to the Sisterhood of Zu are found with evidence of infant sacrifices.

  532 on Zu discovers that the civilization of Seti lies to her south. She plots revenge on Khuva for inspiring Lilitua to drive her people out, and begins to train female sorceress-warriors. Knowing Seti will find her ere long, Zu builds secret forts in the Kharir Ardisu. Meanwhile, the sons of Kush colonize the Central Sea Islands, and begin to spread into the great southern landmass. Foundation of Bab’Kusha—The Gateway of Kush.

  535-586 Met’U-say’El leaves his father’s house as an outlaw.

  543 Atum-Ra has a vision of two World-ends.

  563 Rumors of Amazon warriors come to Sa-utar from Balimar.

  575-577 Seti constructs the Two Obelisks of World-end at Sa-utar.

  578 Word comes from Balimar that female warriors are indeed attacking caravans and harassing the colonies. Seti marches north with 400 cavalrymen, and 1000 Dragon-slayer infantry.

  579 Zu’s Amazons ambush Seti’s force in the Parn Gap. The Dragon-slayers take heavy casualties from poisoned arrows. Seti retreats to Balimar. Zu withdraws to her secret strongholds.

  580 Seti forays north of Balimar but finds the lands deserted.

  586 Met’U-say’El assails the King’s caravan. Y’Raddu is slain. Mehu-ya’El becomes King at Q’Unukku. The other sons of Y’Raddu migrate north, and found a colony after their father’s name. Eventually all the lands in the Mataq region are called Y’Raddu, even the city of Q’Unukku itself is named Ayur Y’Raddu by later pre-Deluge chroniclers.

  587 Children begin to disappear from homesteads in Balimar.

  596-632 Zu breeds the stolen children of Balimar, and raises their offspring as Amazons. Because they have the darker red skin of the sons of Seti and Balimar, they are able to infiltrate the south to work Zu’s long-term plan against Khuva’s children.

  608 Aenusi son of Seti takes A’Nu-Amma his sister to wife.

  611-640 King-El Mehu-ya’El makes war on his estranged son’s bandits.

  619 Met’U-say’El seizes Q’Unukku from his father, Lilitua taken. The King shifts his flag north to the colony of Y’Raddu.

  625 Khae’Nani born to Aenusi and A’Nu-Amma.

  632 Amazons raid Balimar again, evading patrols by hidden paths through the Kharir Ardisu. Whenever a homestead is destroyed, Zu places trained daughters of the stolen children in the ruins to be found as “survivors.” Dragon worship infiltrates the sons of Balimar through them.

  633-638 The Siege of Q’Unukku: King-El Mehu-ya’El surrounds the city, but his willingness to starve even the people of his own capitol turns many of Q’Unukku’s town folk to Met’U-say’El.

  638 Met’U-say’El breaks the siege. The King drives the rebels south, thinking to exile them in Nhod as his ancestor did to Qayin. But the rebels turn west, south of Lake Mataq, and hold Lilitua hostage. Mehu-ya’El pursues them to the western mountains and bottles them in the Unicorn Pass.

  640 Met’U-say’El agrees to release Lilitua if the King-El will give the rebels provision to migrate west through Wurmwood. Mehu-ya’El agrees. The Queen Mother is released, and the rebels depart.

  642 Met’U-say’El founds the city of Met’U-say’El.

  672 Seti investigates the child stealing and human sacrifices in Balimar. He discovers that the Dragon worshipers are not a hidden tribe of Amazons at all, but rural youths from Balimar’s own Saardom.

  685 Saar Balimar launches a surprise massacre of anyone found wearing popular Dragon amulets, although most are only rural luck charms loosely patterned from amulets found in deserted ruins, and not worn by actual Dragon cultists. Hundreds of youths summarily impaled without trial.

  686 Atum-Ra sends a letter of rebuke to the Saar. People in Balimar begin to question the moral leadership of the elder tiers.

  688-717 Saar Balimar wages genocide on the Amazons, but expends so many resources to search the ravines of Ardis to such little avail that many of his people call the campaign a fool’s errand. Balimar returns home in 717 a broken man, fearful that “Amazon sorcery” enabled Zu to evade him. Later information shows that Zu’s tribes are actually so decimated by venereal diseases that few remain. Though Zu herself survives, she is never again able to infiltrate the Saardom. She doesn’t have to. Balimar’s fanatical zeal causes enough sympathy and defection among younger generations to ensure that Dragon worship advances in one form or another without her.

  720 Balimar son of Heh’Bul dies young. His eldest son becomes Saar, and swears fealty to Atum-Ra and Seti. He teaches against Dragon worship while denouncing his father’s excesses. Many youth come back to E’Yahavah, but not enough to hold back Zu’s animism for more than a few generations. The sons of Heh’Bul begin to fade as a people, and as a moral force, and are eventually absorbed into the tribes of Seti. The vales around Ardis continue to harbor secret Dragon shrines.

  736 Khae’Nani takes his niece Amu’Alaeleta as wife.

  783 L’Mekku the Warlord is born at Met’U-say’El.

  788 Birth of Udaha to the youngest daughter of Atum-Ra.

  795 Maha’Lahl-aey’El born to Khae’Nani and Amu’Alaeleta.

  828 Seti’s Code written. Atum sends out priests to read it abroad.

  850 Met’U-say’El dies of fever. Young L’Mekku joins a clan migration pushing further west.

  855 Mehu-ya’El of Y’Raddu assassinated. The Y’Raddu Civilization breaks apart into warring city-states. Lilitua takes direct political rule of Ayur Y’Raddu (Q’Unukku) and continues as High Priestess until her death in 966. She keeps the wall guarded against Nhoddic savages. The city-states of the Mataq region remain in constant warfare for several centuries.

  922 Death of Assuri in Assur’Ayur. His sons grow discontent with Atum-Ra’s choice of Seti as ruler over them, however distant it is.

  930 Death of Atum-Ra. Seti takes the title of Archon, and rules the clans from Sa-utar. L’Mekku receives priests and sages with Seti’s Code, and abolishes the blood sport games of the remnant of Zu, though he permits a non-lethal version of the games to continue yearly.

  931 Rebellion of Assuri and Kush: The Kush clan marches on Sa-utar to contest the Archonate of Seti. Assuri’s forces waylaid by wurms in the Haunted Lands. Seti sends Khae’Nani to Erdu with cavalry. The Battle of Erdu: The sons of Kush retreat. Kush dies under siege at Kushtahar.

  933 Maha’Lahl-aey’El marries A’Dynakha.

  935 Khae’Nani’s army invades Assuri along the southern coast.

  938 Seti joins Khae’Nani at the front. Assuri counterattacks, and drives the Archon’s armies back along the coast. Khae’Nani chooses the city of Regati as a place to make strong.

  941 Joined by northern mercenaries led by the warlord L’Mekku, Seti and Khae’Nani push into Assuri again with a second column from Balimar marching south through Paru’Ainu. Assuri’s sons are defeated. The Archon leaves garrisons and havens for his fleet of bireme oar ships.

  943 Grateful for L’Mekku’s aid and wishing to maintain peace on his northern borders, Seti gives Udaha to the young warlord as wife. L’Mekku and his bride depart for the north, and found Ayur L’Mekku on the Firth of Ard
is. They encounter a remnant of the Amazons, but drive them into the mountains. The peoples slowly merge after Zu’s death circa 944.

  944 Birth of Iya’Baalu and Iyu’Buuli to L’Mekku and Udaha.

  948-1200 L’Mekku annexes Met’U-say’El and sweeps across the Polar Moors into Y’Raddu, naming his territory Lumekkor. Lilitua, aged, dying, and wanting peace, prophesies that kingship has shifted from Y’Raddu to Lumekkor. She cedes her cities to L’Mekku in 955, although L’Mekku never completely pacifies the region, and leaves it to the herdsmen of his son Iya’Baalu in 1200. From then on, Iya’Baalu allows the Y’Raddu city states to rule themselves, keeping the peace with unicorn cavalry only when intercity squabbling threatens his cattle conglomerate.

  960 First sightings of the Ardisu Glory. Lights appear in the sky above the mountains all over Balimar. Descent of the Watcher captains Samyaza and Uzaaz’El upon Mt. Ardis with 200 followers. For many decades, they remain in secret conference in the heights. It is later said that remnants of the Zu’s coven became their servants. Birth of Iyared Salaamis to Maha’Lahl-aey’El at Sa-utar.

  963-1213 Disputes over the Ardisu Glory rock Seti’s priesthood and Dragon-slayer teaching communities. Many elders in Balimar have visions and dreams after witnessing the flying lights. Many Balimar factions urge Archon Seti to receive the sightings as divine visitations, but he refuses.

  970-1213 The Golden Age of Seti.

  999 Death of Khuva.

  1000-1110 Middle Colonial Period of Seti. The Far West colonized.

  1090 Iyared takes his cousin Baraqa to wife.

  1112 Iyared departs from Sa-utar, weary of the controversy over the “Ardisu Glory.” He founds the city of Salaam-Surupag. Meanwhile, seafarers from Assuri reach Ae’Ri and Dudael across the southern ocean.

  1122 Birth of Q’Enukki to Iyared and Baraqa at Salaam-Surupag.

  1134 Q’Enukki begins to have dreams that seem to come true. Iyared takes the boy to Sa-utar, and leaves him in Seti’s fosterage.

  1134-1142 Seti fosters Q’Enukki, who makes no claims about his dreams and keeps them to himself and the ancient Archon. Seti shares with the boy his vision for a series of teaching megaliths. They make drawings together for the Sphinx and the Gates of the Rising and Setting Sun.