History of the Mazes

Navigation:

Main Page → Lore → History of the Mazes

This page is actively under construction! Please ask the following users for permission before editing this page: Tempest Far from finished

This article or section contains lore-related information. Though not strictly necessary for playing the game, you are encouraged to read this section if you wish to have a better understanding of the game's universe.

This page is intended to provide a chronological timeline of the Mazes' history, regrouping in one place all of the important historical events. For an explanation on how to read the era and year notation, please read this section.

Legend:

• Green prefix: Town founded
• Blue prefix: Birth of an important figure
• Red prefix: Death of an important figure
• Black prefix: Other historical event

Ancient history

Era 1

• Duration: 150 years
• Started: 3200 years ago
• Ended: 3050 years ago
• Technology level: Pre-agricultural

The first primitive tribal human societies are believed to have emerged during this period. Very little is known about this period of history.

An unknown cataclysm wipes out the entirety of these early humans 150 years after first emerging.

Era 2

• Duration: 150 years
• Started: 3050 years ago
• Ended: 2900 years ago
• Technology level: Bronze/Iron Age

The Mazes' equivalent of Antiquity. A new generation of humans emerges into the world, equipped with more advanced technology. They develop agriculture, writing, and the concept of towns. Reliable recorded history begins during this era. Each town spoke a different dialect and developed their own writing systems and standards, making the translation of the very few documents that survived rather difficult.

Another unknown cataclysm wipes out this antique civilization.

Era 3

• Duration: 300 years
• Started: 2900 years ago
• Ended: 2600 years ago
• Technology level: Early middle ages

This era is the Mazes' early Middle Ages, forming the first half of the Mazes' medieval period.

The third generation of humans is introduced into the Mazes, with further advances in technology. They now possess steel, develop kingdoms and feudalism, as well as various other advancements, such as guilds and standardized currency. The Tal language also emerged during this period.

The world was largely split into two territories, commonly referred to as the White Kingdom and the Black Kingdom. After a brief period of expansion during the first fifty years, borders separating the Kingdoms began forming, and conflicts over territory expansion soon erupted. The two kingdoms officially declared war on each other in E3-65, starting the 235-year-long War of the Two Banners, over the control of all civilized territory in the Mazes.

Early angelic and demonic creatures start appearing shortly after the war begins, each side supporting one of the kingdoms; the angelic side supporting the White Kingdom, and the demonics supporting the Black Kingdom, introducing a religious and moral element to a conflict of territory. Battles are initially sporadic and unfocused but progressively increase in intensity over the years, with town invasions and liberations becoming more and more frequent starting in E3-110.

The war enters its final and most intense stage in the last 20 years, with the rise of a White Kingdom knight. Raising a massive army, the knight begins a long series of conquests of the Black Kingdom's territory, until reaching the enemy's capital and personally defeating Black King Dornach in single combat.

The downfall of the Black Kingdom triggers the disappearance of demonic forces from the Mazes. All Black Kingdom territory is now united under the White Kingdom's banner, heralding the end of a long conflict, as well as the end of Era 3.

Era 4

• Duration: 300 years
• Started: 2600 years ago
• Ended: 2300 years ago
• Technology level: Late middle ages

The victorious White Kingdom, supported by the early angelics, renames itself to the Silverlight Kingdom. The knight that led the White forces to victory and defeated the Black king is offered the crown to the kingdom. He becomes King Silfazril, the first Silverlight King.

Under Silverlight rule, backed by angelic religious and moral codes, the Mazes are more or less at peace, only occasionally interspersed with small attacks by uncivilized raiders. Although certain rebellious elements attempted multiple times to revive the Black kingdom, these attempts were thwarted each time, its perpetrators harshly and publicly punished for the heresy.

The Silverlight Kingdom was ruled by five kings:

• King Silfazril, Silverlight Bringer (E4-0 ; E4-59)
• King Makazril, Son of the Bringer (E4-59 ; E4-122)
• King Gulram the Eloquent (E4-122 ; E4-201)
• King Goganax the Blessed (E4-201 ; E4-252)
• King Maratuxa the Visionary (E4-252 ; E4-300)

Maratuxa was notable for his frequent visions of the future, which he claimed to see during his sleep since his childhood. After accessing to the throne and becoming the fifth Silverlight King, the visions intensified, and the initially jovial prince became a fearful, paranoid person, obsessed with the nightly visions which he described as "apocalyptic" and "the day Heaven will go away". The King's rule was markedly different from his predecessors, focusing on recording history and book production, as well as the safekeeping and storage of the Silverlight Kingdom's relics. These measures are responsible for the creation of the Silverlight Libraries, found in the towns of Neo Khazrun, Gimrun, Mippei Yosai (formerly Kharidin) and Sirvarris. These books are the largest collection of recorded history, fiction, plays, and other documents ever produced in the medieval era, and are responsible for much of the modern world's knowledge and understanding of the past.

Fearing that the end of the world was imminent and that it would come with great destruction, King Maratuxa did everything in his power to ensure that the Kingdom would not be forgotten, hiding an enormous treasure and instructions for survivors to re-establish the Silverlight Kingdom, should any make it.

These visions were eventually proven true in E4-300, when all angelic creatures departed from the Mazes without leaving a trace. Shortly afterward, a mysterious disease struck humanity, killing every last human being living in the Mazes and instantly wiping the Silverlight Kingdom out.

Modern history

Era 5

• Duration: 800 years
• Started: 2300 years ago
• Ended: 1500 years ago
• Technology level: Blackpowder era

Era 5 marks the beginning of modern history.

The fourth generation of humans is introduced into the world, equipped with more advanced technology. This era, which introduced the first firearms to the Mazes, is known as the Blackpowder era, after the propellant used to fire them. Technology level roughly corresponds to the real-world 1890s-1900s.

Most notably, this era is the first to introduce firearms, as well as the introduction of youkai into the world, making it the first time that two sapient species coexist in the world, not counting angelics and demonics.

The language spoken by humans is now Common, while youkai speak their own language, Youkai-go.

Angelic and Demonic forces return to the Mazes under their modern incarnations, Heaven, Ltd. and Hell, Inc..

• E5-1: The Angelic capital city, Cloud Ten, is founded.
• E5-2: The Demonic capital city, Gehen, is founded.
• E5-6: Youkai settlers found their first town, Yurai.
• E5-84, Pentema 18: Birth of William Eidolon.
• E5-93: Birth of Jonas Dolar.
• E5-122: The ruins of Khazrun, former capital of the Silverlight Kingdom, are rediscovered by human settlers. The town is resettled and becomes Neo Khazrun.
  • Khazrun's Silverlight Library is discovered, making the Neo Khazrun settlers realize there was a civilization before their own. Translation and interpretation efforts begin.
  • William Eidolon, leader of the settling caravan, becomes the first Mayor of Neo Khazrun.
• E5-123: Jonas Dolar, one of the first Neo Khazrun settlers, opens the first coin mint and bank and creates a currency for trading, the Para-Dollar.
• E5-129: The first translations of Silverlight Library books are published. The quality of the translation work is very rough and overly literal, leading to many misinterpretations and mistranslated words, but it forms the basis of the modern understanding of history.
• E5-148:
  • Formation of the Eidolon Silver Force the predecessor to the Maze Military, by Neo Khazrun Mayor William Eidolon. Originally intended to be Neo Khazrun's Town Security, it grew into a fighting force of over 400 personnel.
  • Inspired by these early translations of Silverlight books and documentations, Major Eidolon believes himself to be the rightful heir to the Silverlight Kingdom. To assert his authority and prove to the world that the Kingdom was indeed back, he compared the nascent youkai civilization with the Black Kingdom of old, beginning preparations to invade and conquer their territory.
  • Operation Shining Blade: The Eidolon Silver Force, led by Major EIdolon, launches an invasion of the youkai territories in the Northeastern Zone, intended to be the first step towards the re-establishment of the Silverlight Kingdom.
  • Operation Scarlet Sakura: Youkai communities respond to the invading forces by mounting a desperate defense, using their population as a militia. The ESF forces are spread too thin from trying to keep multiple youkai towns under control, allowing youkai forces to repel the ESF and push back, retaking their communities. The ESF, reduced to 50 personnel and cornered in Intersection 02, eventually surrenders. Eidolon and the remainder of his forces are allowed safe passage back to Neo Khazrun. This event is credited as the start of youkai activism as an independence movement.
  • William Eidolon is disgraced by the population of Neo Khazrun and condemned to exile.
  • The Eidolon Silver Force is officially disbanded.
  • William Eidolon went missing after his exile, presumed dead. His body was never found.
• E5-150: A settling caravan departs Neo Khazrun for the West. Composed of the surviving ex-ESF soldiers and a contingent of civilians and led by Donald Brennan, the group founds Fort Cutlass, with the intention of creating a new fighting force, whose sole purpose is to protect the world's towns and communities from the dangers of the Uncivilized Area. The modern Maze Military is born. Donald Brennan is appointed by his ex-ESF colleagues as the new leader, adopting the rank of Colonel. Any military rank containing the word major is banned from use in the Military, as it is associated with Eidolon's name and his defeat two years earlier.
  • The Military grows in size, and soon finds it impossible to house all of their forces in Fort Cutlass. The Military is split into seven companies; the original company founded by the ex-ESF personnel becomes known as the Command Company, with Fort Cutlass as their home base. The other six companies are sent to found their own towns and home bases in the years that followed.
• E5-151: Fort Cobalt is founded, becoming the home of the First Company.
• E5-152: Camp Baxter (Second Company) and Camp Charger (Third Company) are is founded.
• E5-153: Station Delta (Fourth Company) is founded.
• E5-154: Fort Scarlet (Fifth Company) and Station Sigma (Sixth Company) are is founded.
• E5-157: Death of Jonas Dolar. His currency, the Para-Dollar, was renamed Parallar shortly after his death.
• E5-163: Heshbar is founded.
• E5-174: Death of Colonel Donald Brennan, first leader of the Maze Military.
• E5-210: Town Security members from all over the world gather in Neo Khazrun, forming the Great Debate on law enforcement. A consensus on the need for a standardized set of laws and a singular body to enforce them and manage criminals and prisoners was reached.
  • Months after the Debate, a settling party founds Citadel Lambeth, and the Maze Police is founded. The position of Sheriff, leader of the Police, is established, and the first Sheriff is settling leader Martin Sinclair
  • Standard Law is drafted by Sheriff Sinclair. It is adopted by most human towns at the time, but rejected by youkai communities, out of concerns for independence.
• E5-223: A yousei is arrested in Heshbar for attempted shoplifting. Concerns over the treatment of the perpetrator and the question of whether to consider youkai to be covered by Standard Law are raised. Sheriff Sinclair is called to weigh in and determined that Standard Law applies to all sapients, not just humans, arguing that the yousei perpetrator should be treated no differently from a human.
  • Youkai communities protested and believed that the yousei should be exiled and returned to their home community, to be judged by youkai. Heshbar Town Security refused to hand the yousei perpetrator over, under the notion that if one breaks the local laws, one should expect to be punished by the locals.
  • Crime rates by youkai increased over the following years. In retaliation, youkai are banned from joining the Police. This ban is still in effect today.
  • The Maze Police, lacking sufficient personnel, requests the help of the Military to supplement their forces and aid in the enforcement of Standard Law.
• E5-225, Pentema: The Ferland Incident: Ferland Sector's Town Security, assisted by soldiers of the Second Company and members of the Maze Police, use deadly force to prevent a group of youkai shoplifters from leaving the town, after unsuccessfully attempting to stop them. The incident resulted in a brief gun battle between the youkai and the human coalition, causing nine deaths (six of the shoplifters, two Town Security officers, and one soldier).
• E5-225 ; E5-557: The Resource Wars: In retaliation for the deaths of the six youkai perpetrators, the youkai communities form a coalition and declare war on the Maze Military and the Maze Police, and on human society in general.
  • Raiding parties of both species frequently attack each other's towns, specifically to steal food, supplies, weapons, and ammunition, as well as kidnap and enslave personnel. This 355-year long conflict is one of the bloodiest in recent history. Despite the Military now being headquartered in the Western Zone, Neo Khazrun continues to be considered the "capital of the human world", and the Military is

frequently called upon to defend its trade routes and assist the Maze Police.

• E5-557: End of the Resource Wars: After over 300 years of looting and warmongering, the mayors of Neo Khazrun and Yurai sign a peace treaty, calling on all fighting parties to cease the looting and destroying before all civilized communities fall apart.
  • The Maze Military officially cuts its ties with the Maze Police, considering that the purposes of both factions do not align, citing the need to "focus on external threats" and return to its core missions of monster hunting and trade route protection.
  • Standard Law is modified, species-based discrimination becomes a crime. The intention behind this change is to prevent a future repeat of the Resource Wars.
  • Many towns and communities crumbled to the Uncivilized Area, or fell in the hands of criminal groups. One of these towns is Joliet Sector, which became the home of the Delaney Syndicate after the Resource Wars ended. Self-appointed mayor Ray Delaney declared his town to be independent and hostile to "cops and cop sympathizers", vowing to never bow down to Standard Law. Joliet Sector gains a reputation for being a "crime haven".
• E7-571: The Maze Police sends a fighting force of police officers to raid Joliet Sector, arresting or killing most of the people associated with the Delaney Syndicate. Ray Delaney is killed in a gunfight with the police, effectively dismantling the Delaney Syndicate's operations.
  • Joliet Sector is conquered by the Police, and a new police station is established.
• E5-600: The Proving Grounds are established in a secret part of the Mazes, allowing the Scientific Community and Engineering Corps to research and develop new technologies in relative safety.
  • Several new technologies are being developed in secret, to be introduced at a later date.

Era 6

• Duration: 800 years
• Started: 1500 years ago
• Ended: 700 years ago
• Technology level: Cordite era

Era 6 follows immediately after Era 5, with the fruits of the Proving Grounds' labor. Technology levels are further increased, pushing the world into what is known as the Cordite era, roughly equivalent to the real world's 1940s.

• E6-92: The Ferron City Incident: A group of four humans kidnap two kitsune from the youkai town of Hiraya, proceeding to savagely beat them and rape them in the middle of Ferron City's social square center, keeping onlookers at bay and chanting that this was "what nonhuman trash deserves".
  • Town Security officer Mark Robin requests backup, has the social square surrounded by his colleagues, then proceeded to shoot one of the kidnappers in the leg and ordered the others to surrender. All four perpetrators were arrested and the two kitsune were escorted back to Hiraya.
  • This event marks the first time that Standard Law had been enforced to protect youkai life. It is considered to have contributed to the thawing of human-youkai relations during Era 6.
  • Officer Robin received an official commendation from the town of Hiraya, becoming a local celebrity.
• E6-105: Death of Ferron City TownSec officer Mark Robin.
  • When the news of his death reached Hiraya, a statue in his likeness was erected, honoring the memory of the "first human hero to have saved youkai lives". Although this claim was disputed by historians, the Ferron City Incident was the first recorded and confirmed act of its kind.
• E6-90 ; E6-99: The Mazes are experiencing a copper shortage. Ammunition manufacturing took up the vast majority of the copper ore mined, leaving too little for other applications and forcing other industries to melt copper coins down. Their rate of destruction soon outpaced the production of new coins, resulting in a dwindling supply. This introduced major problems for trading, as copper coins were (at the time) the smallest and therefore the most commonly-used denomination.
  • Various towns issue scrips or exchange bonds to replace the direct use of copper coins. One town in particular, Camp Baxter, used cut cartridge heads as scrips, which eventually resulted in the creation of the brass coin and various other denominations. (See: Parallar#Brass coins)
• E6-139: Twinleaf City is founded.
  • Twinleaf City creates the Twinleaf Movement, becoming the first newly-settled town with a mixed population of humans and youkai, intending to not align itself with any factions and aim towards mutual peace and cooperation. The Military acknowledges the movement and recognizes neutral towns as such. Over the years that followed, all other non-aligned towns converted to the Movement and began accepting youkai populations. The term "human town" loses its meaning and falls into disuse. Towns not under the influence of a faction are now referred to as neutral towns.
• E6-586: The ruins of Kharidin are discovered by a group of youkai settlers, re-founding it and renaming it Mippei Yosai.
  • Although one of the Silverlight Libraries was discovered inside the town's ruins, reportedly containing books and documents in nearly pristine condition, the town quickly announced they would become a "closed city", refusing entry to all but its youkai inhabitants and trusted, vetted caravans and supply groups. The decision angered the Scientific Community, perceiving it as gatekeeping access to history.
  • Mippei Yosai mayor Takuma Himura (male, guhin) justified his decision, stating that the plan to make this town a sealed fortress had already been decided before the Library was found, and that the discovery would not change his decision. He declined to comment on the reasons why Mippei Yosai is a closed town, simply stating that it is "relevant to youkai interests".
• E6-587: Mippei Yosai's Town Security renames itself to Task Force "Divine Edge" (作戦部隊 「神刃」, sakusen butai 「kamujin」), and establishes the Training Center (講習会場, koushuukaiba), a 100% youkai military recruitment and training center.
• E6-770: The Proving Grounds announce the development of new technologies and begin a 30-year modernization process.

Era 7

• Duration: Ongoing
• Started: 700 years ago
• Ended: Ongoing
• Technology level: Modern era

Era 7 is the current era. It introduced a technology level equivalent to the real-world mid-1990s.

• E7-0: The modernization process is completed, and the calendars are reset to mark the new era.
• E7-54, Duplima 22: The ruins of the medieval town of Sirvarris are discovered by a group of settlers. The town is re-settled, and a third Silverlight Library is discovered.
  • First Sirvarris mayor Darius Palkovich declared Sirvarris a neutral town that would adopt Standard Law. He then announced that access to the Silverlight Library would be free for members of the Scientific Community, in the name of preserving and studying history.
• E7-54, Triema 18: A secret room behind the Sirvarris Silverlight Library is discovered. A tiny chamber is found, containing a handwritten medieval document, a greatsword, and a large, intricate crown made of silver, platinum, and white gold.
  • The crown was confirmed to be King Maratuxa's legendary Silver Crown, however, the large diamond intended to be mounted on it is missing.
  • The document was written by King Maratuxa himself. It explains that the crown was designed to be used as a key, intended to open another secret cache hidden somewhere else in the Mazes. This cache contains the Silverlight Kingdom's treasure, intended to be used by the "rightful heirs to the Silverlight Kingdom's legacy" and encouraging whoever finds the treasure to use the money for re-establishing the Kingdom. The King warns that the crown alone is not sufficient; without its specially shaped diamond, the crown cannot be turned all the way and the cache cannot be opened.
  • Mayor Palkovich organizes an exposition of the crown, the sword, and selected books and medieval artifacts, in an attempt to attract tourists and give Sirvarris an early economic boost.
• E7-54, Triema 23: On the last day of the special exposition, after the last visitors had left the Library, the Silver Crown is found missing from its display case.
  • Mere minutes later, the body of Sirvarris Mayor Palkovich is found in his office, with two gunshot wounds to the back of the head.
  • Maze Police investigations concluded that the two events are connected; the Crown's display case was not broken into, and Mayor Palkovich's keyring was missing, suggesting that the thieves murdered him, took his keys, and stole the Crown.
• E7-54, Quartema 11: The offices of the Mazes Broadcasting Company in Nanton receive an anonymous package, containing a videocassette and a message, urgently requesting the broadcasting of the videocassette's content.
  • In the video message, a certain Keith Daxon, better known by his street name "Spectrum", makes the claim that he and his gang, the Wraiths, are responsible for last month's heist of the Silver Crown. He claims to be the rightful descendant of King Maratuxa, announcing his intention to re-establish the Kingdom under his rightful rule. He then explains that the crown is missing its diamond, then issued an ultimatum: the world has 72 hours to find the Silver Crown's diamond and deliver it to the Wraiths. Whoever finds it and brings it to him would be "handsomely rewarded"; however, if no-one heeds his demands, then he threatens "terror and misfortune", specifically to the towns of Neo Khazrun and Citadel Lambeth.
  • The message was broadcasted at 2 PM onto the MBC television channel. In the days that followed, eight individuals attempted to claim the reward by bringing various objects, none of which were the real diamond.
  • Sheriff Anton Hennessy urged the population not to take this message seriously and to dismiss it as a mere hoax.
• E7-54, Quartema 14: Spectrum's Twin Terror Acts: A second videocassette is sent to the MBC's headquarters, containing another message from Spectrum. In it, he explains that eight people have attempted to "deceive" him and that none was able to bring him the diamond he sought. In turn, he once again threatened Neo Khazrun and Citadel Lambeth, promising to "make them pay" for keeping what was his out of his reach.
  • The message was broadcasted once again at 2 PM onto the MBC television channel.
  • Hours later in Neo Khazrun, thirty heavily-armed and heavily-armored men identifying themselves as members of the Wraiths force their way through the town gate, killing all four TownSec officers on duty, then proceeded onwards to open fire on every citizen they could find. Despite exchanges of fire between the invaders and a population desperately trying to defend themselves, the Wraiths were able to briefly take control of the social square, killing 31 citizens and wounding 67 more, while sustaining no losses and 3 wounded. The Wraiths ended the operation by breaking into the town hall and capturing Neo Khazrun Mayor Rodney Vanden.
  • Virtually at the same time in Citadel Lambeth, multiple explosions were reported at the Maze Police Headquarters. Multiple bombs had been planted into the station's offices, killing 11 and wounding 5. Among the casualties was Sheriff Hennessy.
• E7-54, Pentema 21: The Wraiths send a third video message. In it, the kidnapped Mayor Vanden is forced to recite demands of the Wraiths: Scrap the Standard Law contract between Neo Khazrun and the Maze Police, and to stop all communication between the town and the Police, appoint Nancy Falkner (known associate of the Wraiths) as the new Town Security Chief of Neo Khazrun, and finally, resign as the Mayor of Neo Khazrun, and designate Spectrum as his successor. Vanden is then executed on video by Spectrum, who ends the message with the words: Neo Khazrun is mine, the rest of you will follow soon.
  • Neo Khazrun falls to the hands of the Wraiths, becoming an outlaw town.
• E7-54, Hexema 2: Newly-appointed Sheriff Trudy Lanier announces her intention to restructure and modernize the Maze Police, vowing to put an end to the Wraiths' rule and liberate the town of Neo Khazrun. A wide array of changes are announced:
  • Standard police officer equipment is upgraded, now including mandatory body armor, better weapons, mobile phones, tactical radios, and more.
  • The settling and establishment of new Police towns, to increase the amount of available personnel.
  • The establishment of the Special Response Team, a division of elite Maze Police operators intended to wear heavy body armor and use advanced weapons and tactics, to be used for dealing with high-risk situations.
• (WIP: Operation Bleeding Bear and later events, move invasion of Elusec as part of this operation)