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>>Note that the Broken Council freeform starts in the year 355. The Silver
>>Empire might have existed this long, and faltered soon afterwards. Fact is
>>that by the time Arkat and his allies enter Seshnela, it is a shambles of
>>city states with established enmities.
>And that the year of 385 ST, _after_ the Sunstop, _before_ Arkat lands
>and just before the 'policical integration' begins is not a suitable
>time for the Fall of the Silver Empire?
I guess what ails me is that if the Brithini land mere moments after having beaten back a Seshnegi attack on their island, they aren't very likely to distinguish between Seshnegi, allies to the Bright Empire, or whatever else attacks them (like the trolls in the bit of the Arkat Saga Greg read at RQ-Con #1).
The Brithini army landing in Seshnela included a fair number of youngster Horali-in-training (gleaned from RQ-Con 1) of about 80 years.
Unless the Brithini have effective means of prediction (then why would they have had to beat back the attack at all, rather than cause Seshnela to falter before setting sail), it appears to me that this breeding of new Horali would have been done in reaction to an outside threat. Like the Seshnegi enterprise which failed barely on the shores of the island.
Now, around 400 S.T., the Brithini face another attempt of the continental people to take over their island, this time through missionaries (and possibly magical warfare). The Brithini decide to send their valuable new army (which had served admirably to keep the Vadeli even lower than usual) against this new threat, even though a greater part of it had not yet finished their training.
If this gut feeling is correct, the Silver Empire campaign would date back as far as 320 ST. In my timelines, not unlikely either.
Whether in 320 ST or 360 ST, I feel that 375 ST or later for the fall of the Seshnegi empire would be too late. The Brithini army might ignore the remaining Seshnegi if they can be sure that none lived (or were old enough) to have any part in the decision or support of the attack of Brithos, but otherwise Brithini Logic would demand to take a revenge on the perpretators remaining which would remain known to their descendants.
Then there is the wizard-knight dichotomy in Seshnela (oh well, another priesthood - rune lord conflict, seems to have been typical for the age...) which might be resolved to Brithini style government vs. heroic chivalric nobility of the Hrestoli.
The Brithini had sent an army to liberate Arolanit (why just Arolanit?) and to destroy the false messengers (from the Bright Empire) for good. They succeeded in Arolanit, but failed against Tanisor. Arkat left the Brithini army and became a Seshnegi knight. He then led a crusade of Seshnegi, but with Brithini allies (like Talar Malaskan Philippe, who took part in the victory over the Vampire king of Tanisor). Why did the Brithini aid Arkat's crusade? Why had they remained in Seshnela, and not returned to Brithos? (Overpopulation due to the breeding program? After all, a Horali army requires a train of Dronar servants and supply, a team of Zzaburi enchanters and "chaplains", plus a corps of Talar commanders. Add to this an appropriate number of Menena class camp followers for whichever duty Brithini find for their female population, and Brithos might well have been taxed to support all these people.)
CoT may be long outdated, but it suggests a conflict between the knights of Hrestol and the wizard adherents to an older way. These wizards seem to have been allies of Brithos. Was there another religiously incited civil conflict in Seshnela after the Serpent Kings had been sent packing? Which party (knights or wizards) was less henotheist, more monotheist? Could all of this have simmered in the Silver Empire? And what of this was carried off by Arkat's allies to found the henotheist Malkionism of the semi-Theyalan West, and as far east as Heortland?
To be honest, I don't give the 385 date in Codex #1 the same reverence Peter seems to, and I find it increasingly pointless to discuss "political disintegration" and other terms.
I do want to get more details for the early history. By knowing more events and developments, I can get better ideas how Malkionism changed over the ages, which is quite crucial to my campaign background of semi-informed imitation of Malkioni ways interrupted by various interludes, to form a hybrid of Theyalan and Malkioni religion in the Aeolian Church of Heortland. The more I know about the subtle or not-so subtle differences, the more scenario or campaign ideas crystallize for me...
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