Critique of Sunset Dawn

The fourth set of volumes is a critique by Sehvelarious Iolius of the mythical, historical and fictional piece, "The Sunset Dawn" by Lady Saravhana of d'Fale

Sehvelarious Iolius' Critique of "The Sunset Dawn"

Lady Saravhana of d'Fale from dae'Tayana, the Librarian and Lore Keeper of Eclipse is the author of the work based on folklore, and verbal and written lore.

A manuscript by Zyx d’Aerthe, former Dark Knight of the Eclipse admits that the validity of the tale is disputed even amongst the elders of the Eclipse, though suspects that the basis is founded on truth.

Ever since San Gohdam founded what was to become our antithesis Eclipse, it has since been intertwined in our own history. This piece attempts to dispel myth, show history, expose fiction, alert the reader to artistic licence and to identify propoganda. This work was written in a time where the recruitment of souls disillusioned with the Empire and bending the truth far enough to turn those uncomfortable with being on the side of evil. With this work we shall illuminate the dark perception which has long clouded these events.

There are at least two versions of this book, one from the Angelfire texts, and another from the Kayen Texts. That some of the content differs, and the endings are substantially different further seeks to expound how far into myth this work is. There is more information on this in the last chapter of the story.

Iolius.

Themes

Light and Dark

The Sunset Dawn is one of the first works to try to remove the morality ethics out of good and evil. By referring to good and evil as light and dark, Saravhana d'Fale sought to equalise Austinian and Necrucifer as neither being inherently good or evil, as Taplak's work suggested. She claimed that there were no material moral or ethical differences.

This is of course, a complete nonsense.

She says that if the ends justify the means, then it is good which of course ignores any moral consequence of the action itself. While our character is somewhat clumsily defined when we are made, it is our actions which define us as good people. That is why when we as good people are faced by a dilemma we are bound to consider the moral consequences of our actions. Those who are evil will not care a fig for moral consequence.

If we care not for the principles which our Gods laud over and be sincere and honest about the moral position of these principles, then we may as well remove the Gods entirely, and simply consider ourselves as two factions which are not materially different in state of constant war.

If this was the case, would we not be asking ourselves what we were warring about?

Corwen, High Clerist.

Sunset Dawn: Book One (The Sun of Dominance)

This book runs parallel to the "Pre-history of Gareth". There are many references following which allude to this tome which are corrected in that volume. Iolius.

Footnote:For more precise information see "Civil war with San Gohdam's Eclipse" in the tome of "Pre-history of Gareth".

Prologue

Where San Gohdam and Tesalon Gareth are introduced, and the nature of three Gods

There is little information on the relationship between the two men, but it does suggest that Tesalon Gareth lead a long life which is verified in our own histories by the fact that under his leadership the Empire was built.

"when the High God created in his divine wisdom Austinian, Kwainin and Necrucifer... there was no good, neutral, nor evil. There simply was, and the ends justified the means." is a quote from the text which is politically charged, and wholly incorrect as shown by the divine doctrine. That the 'ends justified the means' is thrown in here is a poor attempt at legitimacy.

Footnote:For more complete information, see "The Falsehood of Necrucifer".

Chapter One: The Stagnancy of Serpantol

Where the Yinn invade Shalonesti, San Gohdam meets Targetter and Lord Maven

Sunset Dawn refers to the King of Serpantol, who was by then the Emperor. It also highlights a fictional Lord Maven of which there is no record in any of our history. While it is true that the invasion of Shalonesti by the yinn met with no response from Serpantol the reasons were altogether different as listed in the tome "Pre-history of Gareth", though the charge that there was stagnance and decadence in the aristocracy of Serpantol at the time is probably fair.

Chapter Two: Destiny Manifests

Where the decadence of Serpantol is exposed, yinn are slain, San Gohdam renounces the light

This goes into the corruption of the fictional Lord Maven. Whilst there is no record of his existence it is not unlikely that there were those in Gareth which, due to human frailties, were corrupt. Especially considering the political infighting within Serpantol and the desire for wealth and power of which any political organisation brings. The example of the yinn being slain is probably fictional. There is no record of such an event, but neither is it likely to have been recorded. Upon the death of Lord Tesalon Gareth, he takes over the Crown, which does not occur. San Gohdam accuses the new General of the Crown as being in league with the cultists which is unlikely, certainly there is no reason why there would be a link. An eclipse occurs which is ratified by several other sources, but there is no evidence that San Gohdam and the Eclipse become evil with this single realisation.

Chapter Three: Waxing Tides

Where Targetter rescues San Gohdam from his execution, loses the Crown

There is no evidence that San Gohdam was to be hung for his heresy or that he uttered blasphemy, which as shown in the "Pre-history of Gareth". Instead he took over from Tesalon Gareth and became the second Lord of Knighthood and did not long live up to the challenge of his tenature.

Chapter Four: For the Honor of the Crown

Where Eclipse invades Pan-toll, issue ultimatum to Serpantol

There is no record of Eclipse specifically invading Pan-toll, but there are few specifics to be found anywhere. Pan-toll did not rise in significance till the destruction of Serpantol, so that there was much here at this time is questionable. One grain of truth that is apparent is the contents of the library in Pan-toll certainly has literature from this time, though Eclipse is not mentioned by name, many of the flawed precepts which became their ethos are apparent in the library. To see where these are flawed, see "The Falsehood of Necrucifer". The information within misrepresents Necrucifer, and goes into manatonics, cultists and heretics.

Footnote:More information on this is in the Tome of "Myths, Tales and Legends" under "Serpantol".

There is no evidence found to support any ultimatum to Serpantol by Eclipse.

Chapter Five: The Battle of Serpantol

Where Serpantol is raided by Eclipse who loot, then withdraw after reinforcements sent from Shinalstin

There is no record of this raid on Serpantol occurring, though it seems unlikely that Eclipse would have had the resources to go up against the Empire of Serpantol at this point. In later years during the Dragon Wars with the aid of the chromatics, ogres and minotaurs they still did not take the city. Knighthood did have their deployment spread wide to protect the empire, but this is most likely propoganda to advance the cause of Eclipse.

Chapter Six: Hearts of Darkness

Where cultists and Malicians appear in the ranks

Eclipse claim to have taken five hundred thousand gold pieces worth of goods from the warehouses of Serpantol, but there is no evidence of this. Moreso the amount of men that would be required to carry this many goods would far exceed the hundred which had only just previously alledged to have taken Pan-toll. There is speculation that the Malicians stemmed from the Cultists within Serpantol, but again there is no tangible link and speculation on this otherwise tanglible link.

Chapter Seven: A Violation of Sanctity

Where Bannersend falls, Targetter discovers his manatonicism and rescue of a maiden's chastity

Many towns were destroyed in the Eclipsian Wars, Dragon Wars and Yinn conquest though there is no record of such a town existing. There is no other evidence to suggest that Targetter was a manatonic outside of "Sunset Dawn", and how his powers appear to him are unlike the manatonics of today. Rescuing the innocent maiden from rape is most likely fictional propoganda.

Chapter Eight: In the Name of Misery and Sadness

Where Malicians are hung for rape of Bannersend

This is most likely the culmulation of folklore for justification of why the Malicians needed to revolt. Given the nature of the Malicians, and how these books attempt to portray an honourable Eclipse, this separation was inevitable for any clan aspiring to honour.

Chapter Nine: The Sons of Malice

Where San Gohdam murdered, Eclipsians flee to Verminisia, Malice rules

Although the events are fictional, the same conclusion has been reached that San Gohdam was slain by Malicians who saw no reason for the pretense of honour and chivalry in an organisation where the "ends justify the means".

Sunset Dawn: Book Two (Honor in Brotherhood)

A more representative version of the history can be found in "The Pre-history of Gareth" under "The Draconus and the Dragon Wars". Iolius.

Prologue

Where Necrucifer lays claim to free will

The opening claims that in the beginning there was no such thing as good and evil, and that the concept of evil is a judgemental term based upon perspective. This is clearly flawed. There are many actions that a society should not tolerate if they are to thrive, and murder, disease and decay, mischief and vengence and rage tend not to go down very well. It goes on to admit that the values and beliefs of the Sons of Darkness and the Children of Austinian are at odds and asks the question who is wrong. Finally it states that "Necrucifer lets men chose and create their own destiny, without limits." This assertion has already been defeated in "The Falsehood of Necrucifer" in the library.

Chapter One: The World Battles the Sons of Malice

Where Eclipse rebuilds while Good fights Malice

There is certainly evidence that Malice and Knighthood-led coalition fought the Malicians at this time. Eclipse did not become involved in the conflict and were almost certainly rebuilding their power as stated.

Chapter Two: From the Eyes of a Girl

Where men are drafted to the Eclipsian army

This is a side chapter from the perspective of a village girl who observes the Knights of Eclipse coming to towns and drafting the townsmen. What is interesting is that it is referred to as a draft of all able bodied men implying that there was no choice for those involved. It is questionable if those taken realised at this point that they would be fighting for evil against good. The Knights of Eclipse take the men, and leave enough food for those remaining to survive the winter. If this happened or not it is probably just an instance of fictional propaganda.

Chapter Three: A Vision of Things to Come

Where Targetter masters his manatonicism and sees the future

It claims that Targetter was able to read minds and see the future of which no manatonic is capable of either. He performed telekinesis which manatonics are capable. He believed that it was the cultists who had this same power, which is corroborated by the lore in Pan-toll, but that source is influenced by the Eclipsians. He foresaw a world that was bonded by harmony in darkness, and that the world would resist the change Eclipse could bring for their benefit. Spilling wax on the map, it formed an arrow to go north, starting with the golden citadel of the Conclave and flames fanning and spreading outwards in a ring of fire. This is what happened, but as this was written after the fact, and there is no precedent for future divination, this is most likely fiction and propaganda.

Chapter Four: Like His Blood Into the Rivers

Where Eclipse accepts all races, Targetter rides north, and falls for the Ka'tath

Targetter falls in love with a Ka'tath woman. There is no evidence to support this, but it goes on to claim that it is at this point that the racial grounds for joining Eclipse breaks down and they accept other races. This is not outside the realms of possibility as they formed up with the ogres and minotaurs and the honourable yinn which came from dae'Tok to join their ranks. The love story itself is most likely fictional and there is no supporting evidence.

Chapter Five: Untitled

Where Targetter meets the ogres in the ruined ring of stones

Targetter meets the ogres, who claim that they have knowledge of his coming, and invites him to step into a circle of stones where he faints. There is no doubt that an alliance was formed with the ogres, but there is no evidence of the folk lore around the circumstances.

Chapter Six: Servants of Darkness

Where Sah'ron the Demon of Necrucifer orders the Dark Alliance, and how to steal the Draconus

Targetter, with the leaders of the ogres and minotaurs are sent to the abyss and are met by Sah'ron. Rather surprisingly, this information is also found in the Dragon Vale, where the three books reside in summary, but specific reference is made to the meeting with Sah'ron. Whether the dragons agreed or remember the events and considered these tomes legitimate, or were simply gathering knowledge which existed in the land is unknown. Sah'ron said that they would join together in the "Dark Alliance" which certainly was formed. The demon claims that he will give Eclipse a demon hoarde, but this is no evidence of this in the writings on the Dragon Wars. He also tells Targetter how to steal the Draconus from Conclave during the upcoming eclipse and alignment of the three moons. History tells us there was an eclipse of all three moons at the time of the theft.

Chapter Seven: A Legacy Renewed

Where Targetter plans the theft of the Draconus and the armies move south

This discusses Targetter considering his plan for the theft, and describes the power of their army. The numbers are probably exaggerated, as they usually are from an army about to conquest.

Sunset Dawn: Book Three (The Rise of Eclipse)

A more representative version of the history can be found in "The Pre-history of Gareth" under "The Draconus and the Dragon Wars". Iolius.

Chapter One: The Codex of Ultimate Wisdom

Where Eclipse claims Ofcol, and the Temple of the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom

There is no evidence which supports which towns fell and which did not, so there is no direct evidence to support this. There is little mention of any Temple or mention of a Codex of Ultimate Wisdom which we held as a relic in the lore of Serpantol or Knighthood, so this can be disregarded as mythical. It claims that the shrine was perverted to the cause of evil as an extention of that myth.

Chapter Two: The Death Knights of Eclipse

Where Targetter raises the dead paladins as Death Knights

Targetter finds out how to turn holy weapons into unholy weapons. Eclipse did find a way to do this, but it had nothing to do with the sacking of a mythical temple. They found that if they took a holy weapon looted from one of Gareth, then they could try to enchant the blade to fade it of magic, but the holy power would remain. Then enchanting it again would maintain a holy presence to be used for darkness. Once it was recognised that the Knights of Eclipse were doing this Austinian and Nadrik did not allow a weapon which their paladins had touched to fade. However this did not happen till the early days of modern history. There is no mention or evidence than any member of Eclipse was able to summon a deathknight. The ShadowKnights are able to do this, but they wield a fraction of the power which is described here. More likely that this is a fictional opportunity for Eclipse to revenge itself upon the fictional Lord Maven who wronged San Gohdam.

Chapter Three: Capturing the Draconus

Where the Dark Alliance captures Shinalstin and the Draconus

There is no specific mention of Shinalstin falling to the Dark Alliance, but in the History of Algoron it does state that the Citadel of the Conclave was raided and sacked, so there must have been an engagement of some sort. The Eclipsians were in the room where the Draconus was held, and when the moons aligned a vortex opened. During a fight with the mages, Targetter was able to obtain the Draconus from the vortex as the mages fled. The deathknights played a major part with the antimagical powers. The History of Algoron states that there was an eclipse of the three moons, not an alignment. What was eclipsing them is not discussed. This is most likely a fictional account and there is no other information to prove any of it. We only know that the Draconus was stolen during the raid during the eclipse. What seems to be a balance tipper in the deathknights which is fiction which opens a hole in the myth.

Chapter Four: Dragons Hide the Heavens

Where the Dark Alliance conquer, but then are defeated after Conclave retrieve Draconus and Targetter's Ka'tath is slain

Eclipse claims to have taken Arkane, New Thalos and Shinalstin. As stated before it is unknown where the battles took place, but it is known that the final battle took place over Thalos, which was largely destroyed during it. New Thalos would not yet exist till after the battle, set in the desert to the north east of the ruins of Thalos. Arkane was not yet built, and its continent not yet formed from the first cataclysm. It speaks of the final battle and how Kwainin interfered and called the metallics. No mortal understands why the metallics were called, so there is no reason to attribute this to Kwainin. It is not clear that the metallics only turned up for this final battle, other sources suggest that they were called earlier, but because Serpantol did not control the Draconus they could not be organised and disciplined as the chromatics under Targetter's will.

It speaks of the Thane of Wargar, a Lord of Knighthood of the line of Breingiton and the Speaker of the Elves all flying on dragons, the Thane would slay his Ka'tath lover with the aid of the speaker, and the crown paladin of the line of Breingiton would win the Draconus from Targetter whilst he took his mortally wounded Ka'tath and fled. As there is no mention of the Ka'tath lover anywhere else, this part is fictional. The History of Algoron states that the Draconus was reclaimed magically by the Conclave, irate with its initial theft. So as much as Gareth would like to claim part in that reclaimation, we cannot. Indeed there is no record of a paladin of the crown of the line of Breingiton in our pre-history. The first to come to Gareth from Deep Water was Seal in our early modern history.

Chapter Five: A Battle Lost Because of Love

Where Targetter flees to Verminisia and his lover dies

The Ka'tath woman dies, and her sister is distraught with grief. Targetter states it is the Thane and Speaker which slew her. The question has to be asked that if Targetter could really see the future then he would have taken this path. His actions show that had this woman existed, then he cared more for her than for world domination. He threw it all away according to this tale.

Chapter Six: The Aftermath of Legacy

Where Targetter slays the Thane of Wargar and takes the Dracon of Might and Ka'tath are given their instruction

Targetter murders the Thane of Wargar for his slaying of his lover, then proceeds to murder everyone else in the room and take the Dracon of Might from his corpse. It is described as a small dracon made of crystal. There is no previous knowledge on the material of the dracons, but the empty spaces on the altar of the Temple of the Dracon suggest that each is two feet in diameter and at least the lower half is spherical. The History of Algoron shows that the Thane is slain by Targetter and the dracon is taken.

It says that Targetter was never seen again. If is was true, then Moderate never received the Dracon of Might. But there is no other evidence to suggest that he did not return to Eclipse, as they were once again trying to regain the dracons. They would be ultimately unsuccessful, and the dragons would remove any hope of their rising to power in the near future.

A curious inclusion here of the yinn Vette Sho'Gul, would would become Eclipse's first leader in modern history.

Sunset Dawn: Epilogue (Demegant Thill)

Where Demegant Thill espouses the dishonour which Eclipse had done to Conclave

This is a piece by the ancestor of the Master of the Conclave at the time of its theft. This fragment is present in the Dragonvale in its full form, which probably increases its validity. He speaks of being angry at the theft, and happy that the world is safe, and now his Conclave can study in peace. This can be found in the tome of "The Pre-history of Gareth" under "Civil war with San Gohdam's Eclipse".

Final thoughts

What is interesting throughout is the "Sunset Dawn" is that there is no mention of Moderate of Eclipse who is supposed to have been the Highlord during this time. The tomes in the Dragonvale describe Targetter only as "Moderate's assassin", and that it was he who was entrusted with the Dracon of Souls upon the later split. Targetter would assassinate the Thane of Wargar and take the Dracon of Might to the Highlord Moderate who was slain when the dragons embarked on the Second Dragon war to regain the dracons. The lore in the Dragonvale tells us that Targetter became the Highlord upon the death of Moderate, which shows up the point in the previous chapter about him disappearing in an effort to inflate his legend and mystique, and validates Moderate's position throughout the period. However in the Sunset Dawn, Targetter introduces himself as the Highlord, which is a historical inaccuracy, as he did not become Highlord till the death of Moderate after the defeat of the Triple Alliance.

Conclusion

In what has been a scholarly critique, I hope I have been successful in separating fact from fiction in the above work. The days of this ancient history are dark and non-withstanding new evidence coming to light, the pursuit of the objective truth has been laid bare. Unfortunately since Eclipse was destroyed in the Second Cataclysm in the Godswar by the surviving yinn of Eclipse who were outraged by the banishment of High Lord Zayl, further information has become scarce. Shadow has taken little of what Eclipse was founded on, and give more regard to their newer prophecy, although upon their foundation they examined the early works of the Eclipsian library to determine when they lost their faith in what they percieved to be their true way. The San Gohdam's Keep now lies in ruin and no one has been there for some time. However, Shadow have used this most recently, though reports are that there was little worth salvaging within.

May those who read these pages find the truth they sought, though I regret that there are many areas of the unknown which may never be resolved. Iolius.