Rumours had passed from the words of the Gods to their followers that in
the past there were three landmarks of Ankyrean creation helped teach
the Order about astronomy and mathematics. The first, the Horologe, had
been rediscovered many years ago, and taught the Order of Ankyreans to
measure duration of time. The second was said to be a mechanical Orrery,
whose parts mimicked the motion of the planets in the heavens. It taught
the Order the beauty of celestial movement, and the basic ideas of
astronomy and astrology. The nature of the third landmark is strangely
hidden from even the Gods, and maybe even from Varian Himself!

Knowledge contained in the storerooms of the Grand Aetolian Library
revealed that at some time in the past, Queen Belladona learned to
reverse the relationships of the landmarks. Using some unknown magic,
she managed to make the relationship between the landmarks and the
heavens mutual, instead of one-sided. By adding more sand to the
Horologe, the day would speed up, or slow down. Likewise, the sun would
darken suddenly if the orrery were painted black. The Mother of the
Vampires took control of all three of the landmarks, and working her
dark machinations upon them, caused permanent midnight to fall upon the
lands.

The Order of Ankyreans quickly reacted, and found ways to counteract
each of the Queen's actions. Pure white sand was found to thwart the
dark sands in her clutches
a formula for golden paint was discovered to restore the power of the
Sun to the orrery. The Order and the Consanguine waged war against each
other, eventually losing sight of what they were quarreling about. With
the collapse of the Order of the Ankyreans, the landmarks were largely
forgotten even by the children of the night.

And thus two of the landmarks stood, unused and forgotten for many
years, until the Luminary, Jewel Rhashye, and the Arch Duchess Gracie
Nebre'seir both began to inquire about the lost Orrery. Their journey
took them to the Grand Aetolian Library, where the head monk was anxious
about revealing what she knew of the landmark.

As it turned out, the Chroniclers had been the guardians of the Orrery
for quite some time, for it stood a few hills down from their monastery.
Once the head monk was convinced of the Gods' desires that the landmark
be restored, she led the way to the ancient Orrery of the Spheres.

Using a manuscript found in the Grand Aetolian Library, Sir Koron
Thylarian was able mix together the ingredients to remake the golden
paint that would bring the Orrery out of its darkened state.

Just as the Consanguine and the Order of Ankyreans battled many years
before, the struggle resumes with new allies on either side.

Penned by my hand on the 10th of Chakros, in the year 98 MA.