spanning 399-1399. In 666, A Sorreter Dark Servant combines ogres and goblins to create orcs, planning a war of conquest to prepare the world for the reborn Dark One's arrival in the future. (see also Order notes) Plan fails when ogres and goblins set aside differences to unite against orcs, forcing the orcs and the Dark Descendant to migrate to what will later be known as Kimrin mountains, along with a small group of ogres who were on their side.

Millith/Brista

Millith supported Order long before the Plan, but Brista was in favor of greater independence. Secret battle between them over the decades, unbeknownst to their family. Possibly Millith even in Black Profits? Knew about Darius before he was born, never really trusted him, but loved him anyway. Eventually realizes she was wrong during Battle of Triscot, and scars Woodman with acid, who then kills her.

Syndicate

One I once started.

Lorelei Right here, yo. And here's the notes.

Tino's debate

May debate other things besides main one. Could be talking with God right after death of Connor and Brigid, question the "grand experiment," which leads to the end of spirits visiting the Land for the next 48 years. (God could say He's already done enough to set the experiment in motion.) Or maybe something he says later helps end the isolation, questioning why if it was envisioned as an experiment that experiment has been abandoned. As for main debate, God may say Tino's dangerously close to the way Lucifer was thinking before his Fall. Tino says that while he can see the devil in some of the details of what he's saying (pun intended), Lucifer thought he could be as great as God, whereas he's saying spirits are farther from godhood than God himself suggests, so really it's more opposite than similar to Lucifer's position. (or maybe mentions that Lucifer loved him most of all, which is why he rebelled, at first, to perform the purpose for which God had created the spirits.) Later, he will question, after meeting Ginger, how it is that their souls could be compatible if it's wrong for them to be together. It is a valid point, but God argues that there's no such thing as there being a single soul that is compatible and no others. A person might never meet one of their potential soulmates, or they might meet several. Just because two souls are compatible doesn't automatically mean they have to be together. (Sometime prior to this discussion, Tino should talk to Sizinia, possibly first time he talks to her since meeting Ginger, sometime when she shows up to talk with Ginger. When Ginj leaves, Tino asks what Sizinia's reason for introducing them was. Says she could get in big trouble for giving him an argument in the debate. She says she doesn't know what he's talking about, just thought they'd make good friends. Tino says if you read her soul- which she denies- God would know it. You can deny it to me, and I don't know if you're lying or not, but He'll know, obviously.)

Also at some point in their debates, the subject of the universe looking like it fits the Big Bang Theory comes up. God says "As you know, whenever I create a new world, I check out its future, then delete most of my foreknowledge, so I can enjoy the story essentially spoiler-free. Actually, sometimes instead of retaining bits of knowledge, I leave myself notes, a sort of to-do list, so that I can affect things at specific points without knowing exactly why I'm doing it. Though these notes don't have to be to my future self, they can also be to my past self." "Naturally," says Tino. "Well, I foresaw a time on Earth when I'd just get so fed up with humanity that I stopped talking to them. But I also foresaw that this would lead to the Church getting some pretty screwed up views of life, the universe, and everything, and that it would become so powerful it would force those views on everyone else. They meant well, of course- well, most of them- but as they say, the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. So I needed to set things up in such a way that Science could eventually overcome Dogma. So, while I left myself notes to nudge a few people's thinking, with dreams and such, at certain points in time, I also left myself a note to set things up in the past in such a way that it would be obvious the Church's stance was in error." "But it wasn't in error. I mean, not completely. The Universe really wasn't much older than they thought, nor was the Earth." "True. Actually, my idea was sort of inspired by a science fiction story from the 20th century, though of course that story was farcical, and not much like what I actually did. And in fact the reason for my actions in the story were almost opposite the reason for my actions in reality." "Wait, you were in the story?" God waved his hand dismissively. "A side issue, but yes. A fictional version of me. Or rather, a fictional character discussing a fictional version of me with another fictional character. I don't actually make an appearance in the story." "I'd like to read that." "I'll get you a copy, then. Later. It really is quite clever and amusing, but as I said, a side issue. The point is, I wanted to weaken the Church specifically so that humanity would move toward a truer understanding of my creation, without my having to come down to Earth and spell it out for them, personally." "Seems like that would have been easier." "Well, perhaps, but... I still wasn't in the mood to talk to them. Besides, I'm sure I had my reasons for leaving myself those notes. I don't give myself more information than I need. And what I needed was for humanity to wise up, start embracing science, start using the intellect and reason than I had imbued them with in the first place. I do feel bad about that requiring me to mislead the scientists and philosophers, and make the Church look like idiots, but I don't feel too bad about it, considering the unconscionable way the Church had treated anyone who disagreed with them. They kind of had it coming." "The Church, sure, but what about the scientists? Did they deserve to be misled?" "Well, they did reject the truth." "Because you made the truth look like lies!" "Whatever, if anyone's gonna have their cake and eat it too, it's gonna be me." "But don't you want people to eventually realize the real truth about the universe?" "Of course, and that's why I created the Land the way I did...."

Several thousand years after he moved the stars and galaxies, the sky will go dark... except for those still within a few thousand lightyears of Earth. But any worlds created after that will have always seen the sky as it is now, which means most stars' light still hasn't reached them.

Vampyres

Story of vampyres' creation. See Order notes. Also Des'Caina asks Girarg and Brahm to sire Amelia and Alexia to break them up. Story of Des'Caina meeting RD, and later of Elinor and Melinda meet, and RD helping Mindy escape. And Jasp's meeting, when Des'Caina explains that vampire bites break down the spiritual protection that everyone with a soul has naturally, creating a temporary opening for demons to possess people, at the same time that the virus he created enters their system and begins rewriting their DNA. (OR rather, it's not the bite that breaks down the protection, it's the victim choosing to drink their sire's blood that breaks the barrier. It's possible Girarg and Brahm aren't bonded with demons?) There is talk of the problem of demons' hatred of humanity competing with humans' strong desire for friendship. Leads to split personality and even insanity. Problem is somewhat less pronounced in elven vampyres, because of the lack of the Fall. Merill wonders why it should be an issue, if vampyres are like any new offshoot of humanity, none of them should be subject to the Fall. But Des'Caina says it's quite different, because mythology and supernaturalism are different, besides which no other beings have demons sharing space in their minds. Also, Des'Caina wanted to maintain an edge over his creations, didn't want them to become too powerful. so he developed chakra suppression similar to that developed by Durell, to ensure demons can't perform magic while bonded with humans. Which can potentially be averted if a sorreter/sorcerer/witch has magic before being sired, and knows countermeasures which s/he can apply immediately during or after being sired. (any length of time afterward would preclude countermeasures.)

Xerxes

Story of Xerxes' creation of ogres, conquest which is thwarted by Sorreters, who create chupacabra. (He may be confronted when his army is defeated, and someone says "You're a very bad Sorreter." Xerxes replies, "On the contrary, I'm a very good Sorreter... I'm just a very bad man.") But he escapes, and Sorreters and chupacabra can't find his lair, so they simply leave people behind to patrol the mountains. Later Xerxes tries again with goblins, which fails because ogres and goblins turn against each other, killing Xerxes in the middle of their conflict. Ogres were made from human stock mixed with something larger, probably bears, though there may be orangetans, monogs, or something else in the mix. Goblins were made from human stock mixed with something smaller, like furthings, maybe voles, and orangetans. Orcs were basically just ogres mixed with goblins, though there could be something like wolves mixed in. Xerxes originally wanted his army to be strong but dumb. They were probably smarter than he gave them credit for, but he would have kept them largely uneducated. His second army he made smaller, so that they could more easily avoid detection, and be faster, and more cunning. And he probably educated them, which made them act superior to any ogres that remained, not only because they were smarter, but also were sure they'd win the coming war, whereas ogres had failed. This understandably pissed off the ogres, though conflict may also have been natural because ogres had monog dna and goblins had furthing dna. After being defeated, the two groups would learn to coexist, realizing they'd both been simply tools to Xerxes, and that ogres were just as capable of intelligence if they were educated.

Beverly Gateman

Story of Beverly's disagreement with her father, marrying Demos to escape him, but later learning that Demos is actually a friend of his, and separating from him. She raises her twins alone, but this sets up the book where they attempt a coup with the help of their father and grandfather.

Nemesis

Darius meets someone with the same psychological issues he has, the same difficulty accepting the unacceptable. However, the other guy refuses to accept things he finds unacceptable, and so becomes a villain. Tries to convince Darius he should be one, too... Darius says some people already think he is a villain. But the idea of really being one holds a certain appeal. Still, he prefers being a good guy, even if he'd never call himself a hero. But he appreciates the fact that the antagonist has chosen the path he did, because he makes Darius look better by comparison. Proves he's not as much of a villain as his detractors claim.