The Purity Chronicles
The Purity Chronicles is a book found in The Library. It tells the story of the Warriors of Purity - led by High Templar Voll - and their insurrection against Emperor Chitus in six parts.
Book 1: Embers of Insurrection
"He soared to power on the smoke of burning witches". So the surviving Gemlings whispered of Voll of Thebrus, as he donned the Imperial crown on the 2nd Sacrato of Phreci, 1334 IC. But in truth, he was never the sort of man to set a girl alight for merely reading a palm or remedying a bout of the clap.
Righteous and devoted to both faith and country, High Templar Voll struck little hardship in gathering others to his godly cause; Sarn's own Lord Mayor Ondar and Victario, the People's Poet; Archbishop Geofri of Phrecia; Governor Kastov of Stridevolf; and Commander Adus of Highgate. Together, these Warriors of Purity forged an uprising against the Gemling thaumatocracy that Voll hoped would "Snatch this empire from the claws of devilry and return it to humanity."
Book 2: Bloody Flowers
High Templar Voll had Victario entreat Thane Rigwald of Ezomyr, knowing that a poet would fare far better than any politician at rousing the romantic Ezomytes to rebellion. Stirred by Victario's impassioned words, Rigwald mustered his blood-bound clans, and on the 3rd Fiero of Dirivi 1333 IC, took to the fields of Glarryn in open rebellion against Governor Gaius Sentari.
Such was the colourful splendour of a thousand tartans and banners that the Ezomyte uprising became known as "The Bloody Flowers Rebellion". Though Sentari's Gemling legionnaires skew three Ezomytes for every one of their own fallen, the Bloody Flowers won the day through sheer fury-driven courage.
Governor Sentari fled to Sarn, only to return in Astrali with reinforcements drawn from the capital, Vastiri, and southern garrisons. Little did Sentari know that, by so weakening those forces, he was playing right in to Voll's hands.
Book 3: Fall of a Jade Axe
In a man-to-man fight on open ground, a Gemling Legion would have slaughtered Kaom's Karui warriors like so many pigs in a pen. But Kaom had no intention of engaing Lioneye in a fair fight. By absorbing some heavy loses and feigning a chaotic retreat, Kaom drew Marceus into ordering his Gemlings to abandon their tower shields so that they might pursue and rout the fleeing Karui.
It was not out of recklessness that Lioneye plucked such a decision, but from the experience-born confidence that the Karui did not have archers. Traditionally, Karui warriors are forbidden from using projectile weapons of any kind. What Lioneye understandably overlooked was that this tavukai (sacred prohibition) did not extend to women. At her uncle's behest, Hyrri had traveled to Thebrus and studied archery with Voll's finest military tutors. When the legionnaires shed protection in favor of mobility, Hyrri and her bow-women broke cover and rained death upon the Gemlings from the cliffs above.
A valiant Marceus Lioneye gathered his surviving legionnaires for a final stand within the walls of Lioneye's Watch. Kaom honored his bravery by wearing Marceus bejeweled head upon his belt from that day on.
Having secured a safe harbour for landing reinforcements, Kaom continued his conquest of the coast, slaughtering the Eternal citizens and clearing the way for the first ever settlement of Karui on the Wraeclastian mainland.
Book 4: The Red Sekhema's Saddle
In return for her military support in the rebellion, Voll promised Sekhema Deshret the return of the Maraketh grazing lands stolen during the imperial conquest of the Vastiri Plains. The Red Sekhema agreed on one condition, that she might have Hector Titucius' skin with which to fashion a Rhoa saddle.
To this end, Voll and Deshret engineered a trap for General Titucius and his Vastiri Legion. The Maraketh had long been able to predict the comings and goings of the vast and vicious dust storms that constantly plague the plains. Deshret located one such fledgling maelstrom within a day's march of Titucius' camp. For his part, Voll identified a number of imperial spies amongst the Maraketh and fed them false information regarding a potential tribal uprising. Taking the bait, Titucius and his Gemling legion surround the supplied location, thus placing himself squarely in the path of Deshret's dust storm.
On the third Galvano of Vitali 1333 IC, the tempest descended upon Titucius' legion with blinding, deafening ferocity. Deshret's akhara, born and raised in dust and wind, swept through the legion, harvesting it like a field of ripe corn. Once storm and Maraketh fury had abated, the Vastiri Legion existed only as a multitude of dust-cloaked mounds. The Red Sekhema claimed her prize and it is said that there is no more comfortable saddle in all of Vastiri than Deshret's.
Book 5: The Emperor is dead. Long live the Emperor.
On the last day of Divini 1334 IC, High Templar Voll laid siege to Sarn. Commander Adus of Highgate soon joined him, bringing his legion and a horde of miners to bolster the Army of Purity's ranks. Thus surounded, Emperor Chitus rallied his Gemlings for a desperate defence of the capital. His efforts were cut short by Lord Mayor Ondar who, on the 2nd Kaso of Derivi, stabbed Chitus to death on the steps of the Scepter of God.
With Victario's help, Ondar was able to flee through the sewers and escape to Voll's encampment. But Ondar's term as the Hero of Purity was a short one. Two weeks later he was found by Victario's men in the Sarn sewers, seated and cross-legged, with his severed head in his lap. It was later discovered that the Perandus family had hired Coralito of the Silent Brotherhood to pluck Ondar from Voll's camp and deliver their vengeance for Chitus' murder.
Yet despite their desperate efforts, Chitus' mourners were unable to save their city. Faced with Victario's uprisings in the Slums, Docks, and Warehouse districts, and constant attacks from without, Lord Cadiro Perandus met with Voll on the 1st Sacrato of Phreci and offered Sarn's unconditional surrender.
Voll and his Army of Purity marched through the gates of the capital and less than a week later Voll of Thebrus was crowned Emperor.
Book 6: The Rapture Device
Voll condemned Malachai to burn before the doors of his Solaris, but it seems that Malachai's promises have saved him from the pyre. "An end to thaumaturgy," he claims. A fancy that our Emperor is willing to humor.
For weeks now, Malachai has been consigned to the Solaris, forging a mechanism that will purge Wraeclast of its otherworldly vices. Today, the first Fiero of Eterni 1336 IC, Malachai and his Gemling Queen gripped each a corner of a silken mantle and unveiled his Rapture Device. Like a pit of copper snakes it writhes before the eyes. Whether it is a miracle or a monstrosity, none but Malachai can say. Yet tomorrow Voll shall lead the Highgate Legion home, conveying Malachai, Lady Dialla, and this bewildering apparatus north.
North, from whence the first Gems came. From whence the nightmare of Chitus' thaumatocracy was born.
It is in Highgate that our Emperor Voll will finish what he started. He will burn Chitus' empire from history and raise up a fresh and pure theocracy from the ashes of arrogance and corruption. God be with you, Voll of Thebrus, and with us all.