Entities/Objects of Tarsha
A compendium of organizations, entities, and objects of importance in the world of Tarsha and the universe of The Atonement Trilogy. Minor SPOILERS below.
The Warriors:
The group of soldiers tasked by King Ethebriel in uniting Tarsha; their efforts paved the way for a New Alliance. The group initially only included Cain Taran, Aren Hayden, and Silas and Joshua Valfalas, but would later add Adriel Ivanne, Isroc Braygon, Mithaniel Fallon, and Malecai to their ranks.
The Old Alliance:
Led by Ivandar Fallon the First, King of Erias, the Old Alliance was the first major coalition in Tarsha and included every country save Inveira. Ivandar’s united armies invaded Andred and assaulted Abaddon’s fortress of Apollynos but were eventually routed and scattered.
The New Alliance:
Founded by King Darius, the New Alliance—with the help of the Warriors—marked the first time that every country in Tarsha united together under a common cause.
The Vilant:
Founded by Jiran Morell, the Vilant were a group of civilians who fought to defend their homes. The organization later grew throughout Tarsha and aided the New Alliance in the battle against Iscarius.
The Acedens:
Men and women who joined Iscarius in his conquest of Tarsha. They were from various countries, backgrounds, and economic statuses. Despite their many differences, the Acedens were said to number five hundred thousand strong at their peak. Iscarius first created them sometime within the last three hundred years with the purpose of overthrowing Abaddon and seizing control of Tarsha.
His reason for seeking power is still unknown, whether it was for personal gain or for peace as most of the Acedens believed. Regardless, the Acedens betrayed their countrymen with the belief that a unified empire under Iscarius was necessary for the survival of Tarsha. However, many Acedens were bribed to join the cause.
The Knights of Iscara:
Little is known about their origins or birth, but no more than five hundred have ever existed. They served Abaddon in his genocide, but many eventually turned from him during Iscarius’ rebellion.
The Iscara wield powers not seen anywhere else and credit the Forgotten for their unique abilities. Their power allows them to manipulate matter around them; for example, they can take a spark and amplify it into a large blaze, warp the air into powerful blasts of wind, or redirect the earth beneath their feet. It is not known how these abilities work, therefore, further tests are still being conducted.
The Blood Guard:
Iscarius’ elite bodyguards, the Blood Guard were occasionally used as an elite shock unit in battle. It is a misconception that their name came from their distinctive bright red armor; instead, their namesake derived from the initiation ritual of bathing in the blood of animals, or, as some rumors indicate, even prisoners.
The Outriders:
Kaanos’ world-famous elite forward scouting unit. The group was comprised of numerous small squads of up to fifty men and specialized in hard-hitting, highly-maneuverable tactics.
Ceerocai:
The sword of Abaddon. Legends say it was forged for him by the light of the Forgotten in exchange for wiping out humanity. The weapon possessed immense power and could even manifest its strength in the form of a mighty beast.
Cerebreum:
An extremely rare metal found only deep within the earth, it was thought to be mined out of existence. Any knowledge of how to properly smelt and work the strange metal has been lost to history. Prior to Iscarius’ discovery of several cerebreum deposits in Inveira, the last known piece extracted from the ground dated back over two thousand years.
Arzecs:
Creatures created by Abaddon. They are of humanoid shape with long limbs and talons, with eyeless, leathery faces and a wide mouth of razor-like fangs. They were Abaddon’s primary soldiers and were mainly used as scouts and marauders.
It is confirmed that they were once men, transformed by Abaddon as they neared death. The newly transformed creatures turned savage and could eat only human flesh. It is thought that some arzecs managed to retain pieces of their humanity, allowing them to talk, and in some cases, even remember fragments of their past.
It seemed that Abaddon could somehow mentally control the creatures. After his death, the arzecs returned to their home in the wilds of Amon Karash where they remained.
Andreds:
Creatures created by Abaddon. The bodies of men slain in battle would be brought to Apollynos, where Abaddon would raise their flesh and use them to carry out his bidding. The andreds appeared very similar to their human form, save longer teeth and nails and a generally bulkier build. It is not known how they were able to effectively fight in battle or communicate with Abaddon. After their master’s death, the andreds returned to lifeless corpses.
The Forgotten:
Known by the Iscara as the Creator or Maker, the Forgotten is believed to be the deity that created Tarsha. The idea of gods has been a strange and foreign concept in Tarsha as the last major religions collapsed an estimated two thousand years ago. The Iscara, and even many scholars, believe that the Forgotten sent Abaddon as retribution.
