GURPS: Church and State History

Metagame note- Much of the info here is only known to PCs/NPCs with appropriate skills, and even then, the historians of Argoth may be no more accurate than our Medieval historians, and some is openly disputed among scholars.

First Cities and Foundation of the Church of the Quadrant

The Suri people founded the first known cities south of Boden Sea, a land locked see in the middle of the continent of Argoth. The Suri cities were fiercly independent and each held their own patron god. These cities were city states, often ruled by a semi-literate priest class. It is from these early dark times that the stories of the first heroes come from; brutal, dark, vengeful heroes whose rapine ways bathed the Suri lands in blood. Suriana was the First City in foundation as well as prestige and power. Suriana rose to preeminence and began to conquer her sister cities, forming the First Empire. Suriana's control was not outright, and she had to make some compromises, one of which was recognizing the patron gods of some of the more powerful cities, from here the Quadrant was born and the foundation of the Church of Four laid (from which the present year of 3217th year of the Holy Church of the Quadrant (or 3217 HCQ) is calculated, but even that is disputed). The Suri were early to mid TL 2 (think late Mesopotamian, or Egyptian). From this period, many of the traditions, myths, and religious principals of today can still be seen. The Suri were never able to enact a ecclesiastical body like the ecumenical councils of the early catholic church [1], so the Holy Church of the Quadrant retains much more internal inconsistencies, doctrinal disputes, and various teachings than Catholicism. This lack of central authority hurt the Suri when the Quani came.

Suriana's patron god was Ampul, who is regarded as the Lord of Light

Foundation of Valderland and Rotbrueck

Rotbrueck started from the Maguirian settlement of the Greywater and Snow river valleys when King Trious I gifted the land to the Maguirian Chieftain. The first Maguirian, Colburg, received the title of Baron as did all of Trious' original supporters, with only one lord being granted title of Earl. Colburg, and all further Rotbruecks are considered Uradel, or original nobility that cannot be sundered by the king [2]. Since then, many of the titles have inflated, resulting in anything over their original title being considered Breifadel [3], as well as any new titles which have been created to honor service to the crown. Breifadel titles are granted by the sovereign and can be taken away, they are 'patents of nobility'.

GURPS: Church and State