# [[Age of Colonization]] >Preceded by: [[Peace of Aurora]] >Succeeded by: [[Reign of Terror]] The Age of Colonization encompasses the period from when [[Empress Aurora II]] dreamt of lands past the [[Sunset Ocean]] and sent caravels to explore those lands, marking the Auroran discovery of [[Ibir]], [[Vesper]], and [[Quetzoc]], named [[The New World]] by [[Aurorans]]. In [[Ibir]], the [[Flagbearers]] headed the efforts of the [[Empire of Light]] to extend their reach through the lands and discover gold, lumber, and spices. The fertile lands were conquered and became the site of plantations. At the same time, in the outskirts of [[Aurora]], goblins settle in [[Sha'at Kapul]], raising fear in the countries of the [[Empire of Light]] about a possible return of [[Vile Abaddon]]. [[Vile King Lucius IV|King Lucius the IV]] rallies his kingdom of [[Torholt]] to push the goblins back to the [[World Below]]. ## War of Succession With the death of [[Empress Aurora III]] and the end of her successory line left [[Zenithir]] with no ruler and started a crisis of succession. War broke out, but [[Vile King Lucius IV|King Lucius the IV]] quickly conquered [[Longmeadow]] and alongside the heads of the trade monopolies of the [[Empire of Light]], the [[Golden Horizon Trading Company]] is created and [[Vile King Lucius IV|King Lucius the IV]] is declared the [[Emperor of Light]]. ## Slavery in the Age of Colonization The [[Empire of Light]] was not foreign to the use of slavery when conquering new territories ever since the [[The Age of Gods and the Just War|Age of Gods]]. Besides the subjugation of local population, small conflicts between the [[Empire of Light]] and kingdoms of [[Jangalore]] and [[Thmert]] would be a source of slave labor to be transported to the colonies of [[The New World]]. The practice of commercialisation of people as property reached new heights with [[Vile King Lucius IV|Emperor Lucius the IV]] conceding the monopoly on slave trade to the [[Golden Horizon Trading Company]] and becoming a lucrative business that would sustain the [[Empire of Light]] throughout the [[Reign of Terror]]. ## Religion in the [[Empire of Light]] While the religion of the empire was the [[Church of Sol]], monotheism was not strictly enforced unless it was deemed a threat to the [[Empire of Light]] due to the worship of dark gods, as it was the case of the goblins of [[Sha'at Kapul]] and the [[Seeker|Estelmite]] elves. Until the end of the era, [[Jangalori Religion]] was seen as another valid interpretation of the [[Church of Sol]], with [[Ademi]] sometimes interpreted as [[Sol]] before the [[The Age of Gods and the Just War|Just War]]. # Timeline %% t-X, where X = distance/5 %% >[!timeline|t-l c-plain] **Dreams of a New World** _800_ >After a dream about a distant land in the sunset, [[Empress Aurora II]] hires the first caravels to voyage far into the [[Sunset Ocean]]. >[!timeline|t-r c-plain] **The New World** _805_ >The caravels return with lumber, spices, people, and stories from a distant land. [[Aurora]] has discovered [[Ibir]], [[Vesper]], and [[Quetzoc]]. >More caravels are sent to colonize [[The New World]] and spread the word of [[Sol]]. >[!timeline|t-l c-plain t-3] **Goblin Trouble** _820_ >Goblins start carving their own territory in the outskirts of [[Aurora]] and found [[Sha'at Kapul]]. >[!timeline|t-r c-plain t-3] **[[Anniversary of Saint Jernod]]** _835_ >The city of [[Places/Settlements/Saint Jernod|Saint Jernod]] is founded in [[Fortuna]]. >[!timeline|t-l c-plain t-10] **Rise of [[Vile King Lucius IV|King Lucius]]** _891_ >Manipulating the fear of [[Vile Abaddon|Abaddon]]’s return, [[Vile King Lucius IV|King Lucius the IV]] of [[Torholt]] rallies his kingdom against the goblins. Goblins are pushed to the [[World Below]]. >[!timeline|t-r c-plain t-] **War of Succession** _895_ >[[Empress Aurora III]] dies, leaving no immediate successor. The [[Church of Sol]] is left without a leader. Starts a war for succession between the kingdoms of the [[Empire of Light]]. >[!timeline|t-l c-plain] **Invasion of the Dead** _897_ >Using undead as part of his army, [[Vile King Lucius IV|King Lucius the IV]] conquers [[Longmeadow]] and threatens to take [[Zenithir]]. >[!timeline|t-r c-plain] **The Merger of the Monopolies** _898_ >The heads of trade monopolies ally themselves with [[Vile King Lucius IV|King Lucius the IV]] against the regency of [[Zenithir]]. The [[Golden Horizon Trading Company]] is created with the merger of many trade monopolies that headed businesses in the colonies of [[The New World]]. >[!timeline|t-l c-plain] **Rise of [[Vile King Lucius IV|King Lucius]]** _900_ >[[Vile King Lucius IV|King Lucius the IV]] enters [[Zenithir]] with the support of the [[Golden Horizon Trading Company]] and is declared the [[Emperor of Light]]. >The [[Golden Horizon Trading Company]] is given the monopoly on slave trade by [[Vile King Lucius IV|Emperor Lucius the IV]]. The [[Golden Horizon Trading Company|GHTC]] would then use private armies and undead to invade foreign territories to create conflicts, and kidnap people to be sold as slaves in [[The New World]]. >[!timeline|t-r c-plain t-2] **The Jangalori Denunciation** _910_ >After years of fighting the [[Empire of Light]] in their territories, leaders and emissaries of [[Jangalore]] publicly denounce the use of undead in the attacking and enslaving of [[Jangalori]] people to be sold as slaves in [[The New World]]. Some dissidence among the [[Auroran]] society uses the opportunity to criticize [[Vile King Lucius IV|Emperor Lucius the IV]] and the practices of the [[Golden Horizon Trading Company]]. >[[Vile King Lucius IV|Emperor Lucius the IV]] answers by criticizing the lack of faith in [[Sol]] of the [[Jangalori]] and determines their religion a threat to the [[Empire of Light]], starting a campaign against the kingdoms of [[Jangalore]]. >[!timeline|t-l c-plain] **The [[Reign of Terror]]** _912_ >With dissidence against the emperor slowly growing in support due to the escalation of violence against the "enemies" of the [[Church of Sol]] (both worldwide and within the [[Empire of Light]]), [[Vile King Lucius IV|Emperor Lucius the IV]] signs the [[Decree of Superiority]].