Welcome back to Théah. You may notice a few differences since the last time you visited.

A new discipline called

“science” has lead to discoveries and revolutionary changes over the last two centuries. The Nations still remain, but
have been transformed by social and economic upheavals. And understanding of the once legendary 7th Sea has
allowed Théans to explore places they never thought possible.

The Twilight of Crowns A Sea of Luminiferous Æther

The 19th Century is a dangerous time in Théan history,
a time of transition, and a time of revolution. The
crowned heads are beginning to realize their control
is slowly slipping through their fingers. Some do their
best to hold on to their power, others surrender it while
trying to guide their people toward a brighter future,
and others find it taken from their bleeding hands in
violent revolutions.
Radical political movements have swept through
Théah. For the last one hundred years, each Nation has
seen political turbulence. Some have even been overtaken
by the wave of reform. Three important events—or “rev-
olutions”—occurred that created the Théah we see now.
Each of them had their own impact that rippled through
the nations and beyond.
But the most important “revolution” was not a social
overthrow, but rather, a technological advance that would
change all the world forever.
If one discovery changed Terra more than any other, it
was the discovery of Æther. In 1720, the Avalonian phi-
losopher Llinos Owen developed a hypothesis regarding
the primary elements of the 7th Sea. Using her alchem-
ical compass, she travelled times through the 7th Sea
multiple times, taking readings and performing exper-
iments. She deduced the 7th Sea contained an element
not present in our own world and called it “Luminiferous
Æther.”
This substance was not only responsible for the strange
qualities of the 7th Sea, but also seeped into the “real
world,” causing strangeness in Théah as well. These places
were “close” to the 7th Sea such as Le Feuilles Blanches in
Montaigne, giving those places (and the people near them)
strange abilities. She argued all of Théah’s sorceries could
be explained by the Æther’s influence.
Scientists boiled blind guesses and inferences down to
provable, testable and repeatable theories explaining the
existence of sorcery and the Syrne.

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7th Sea: 1868

Since then, many others have attempted to test and falsify
her theory. Their experiments have shown Æther’s existence,
although its relationship with sorcery is still hotly debated.
In 1828, the Marches scientist and inventor, James
Bradley, created a device he called “the Æther Engine.”
The device caught Æther in the atmosphere and used it to
generate heat and light. A byproduct of his invention also
caused the engine itself to gently lift from its platform,
defying gravity. But his contraption was inconsistent and
required an incredible amount of external energy, in the
form of human blood. Bradley shelved his device, calling it
“unwieldy and unworthy of further exploration.”
But in 1860, prior to the Quanaholyte Civil War,
Quanaho scientist, Kateri Templeton’s, research lead to a
device that made Bradley’s Æther Engine worthwhile, and
allowed it to generate enough power to lift a small vessel
made almost entirely of iron. This device, which she called
the “Æther Coil” (as it resembled the coils on a still), concen-
trated Æther from only a small amount of blood, allowing for
the creation of vast amounts of the substance. She released
it to the public to provide cheap and clean energy for all.
Later, she demonstrated its true power when she debuted
her “Æathernaught,” an ironclad vessel that resembled a giant
cylinder. It defied gravity and was able to navigate using
screws, twisting in the wind. With that single invention, she
single-handedly ended the Age of Sail and wooden ships.
Another innovation led to Æthernaughts being able
to enter the 7th Sea upon command. Mass production of
alchemical compasses allowed travel to and from the 7th
Sea with ease. Now, voyagers in Quanaholyte could board
an Æthernaught and travel to Montaigne in only a few
hours. Granted, travel in the 7th Sea was sometimes dan-
gerous with attacks from horrible, impossible monsters,
but most ships came armed with weapons and marines.
In 1858, Castillian scholar and explorer Paz Odalis
Ricardo Fernández believed he could use the 7th Sea to
reach Terra’s nearest neighbor: the Red Planet of Al-Qahira
(so named by Crescent scholars). He left in 1858 and was
not heard from again until 1862 when his ship returned,
highly modified and damaged. His second mate, a
Sarmatian explorer and adventurer named Franciska Kozial
was in command of the ship. She told stories of people
living on Al-Qahira with amazing technology she called
“reverse mathematics.” Since then, each Nation has tried to
establish a colony on Al-Qahira with mixed success.
7th Sea: 1868
A Very Bloody Year
In 1789, Montainge felt the first surges of revolution.
For centuries, Montaigne struggled under the rule of
merciless Villains who gleefully kept the poor down
while the rich continued to get richer. Change had been
coming, slowly but surely, and the revelation of Æther
gave people a new perspective on what makes a noble
in Montaigne.
The inventor, Adalie Martin, was the first to experi-
ment with Æther in a way that explored its connection
to sorcery. In a fluke experiment, she discovered she
could harness its power to produce an “anti-sorcery
field,” which would prohibit Porté’s use in small areas.
This discovery was the tipping point for the rest
of Montaigne.
The common people of Montaigne saw Æther’s effects
on Porté as a sign that the nobility they long held as
superior were no different from the peasants they ruled.
The people rose up, demanding representation and
equal rights. They pointed at other places across Théah
as positive examples of what they wanted from Avalon’s
Parliament to the Commonwealth’s sejm. They wanted a
voice in their own destiny. Of course, the ruling powers in
Montaigne dismissed their demands, despite pleas from
other, more enlightened, Montaigne nobility—to their
ultimate doom.
Using Adalie’s invention, the Montaigne people
seized control of their Nation. The commoners cap-
tured the King and Queen and other members of the
aristocracy, throwing them into jail for “crimes against
the people.”
Hope of a new Nation built on reason and justice
began to fill the hearts of the people...but that hope was
short-lived. Angry mobs quickly took over the revolt,
turning a mostly peaceful movement into a bloody and
violent mess. This was not a proud Nation like the
Sarmatian Commonwealth, nor was it the Republic they
hoped to build. This was mob rule.
The bloodshed lasted for over a year. Murder after
murder after murder. There was no single Villain respon-
sible: the fiend was the people themselves. As terror
controlled the Nation, Heroes from within and outside
Montaigne attempted to protect the helpless. One Hero
in particular, a figure dressed in a mask and rose red
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cloak, Le Voleur de Rose Rouge, worked to restore peace
to the bleeding Nation. Many assumed the figure was El
Vagabundo under a different name, but his (or her) iden-
tity was never discovered.
Finally, the Bloody Year ended and peace was restored,
but only by a military coup lead by a brilliant general. A
general who would transform all of Théah before being
overthrown by Eisen and Avalon...
The War of Classes
A few decades later, a pamphlet published under the
pseudonym “Rote Republikaner” began to circulate among
Théah’s populace. It was the second ingredient in what
would eventually become the black powder keg that would
change Théah forever.
The pamphlet, entitled The War of Classes, was
written by two renegade agents of the Rilasciare.
Unimpressed and dissatisfied with the kind of “slow
change” the organization was making, it emphasised the
importance of the working class, claiming all value and
worth came from craftsmen and workers. The farmer,
the blacksmith, the cobbler: these were the people who
actually contributed to a Nation’s wealth while the
upper class simply fed their own bellies on the work
of others.
The ideas presented in the 18 page pamphlet spread
across Théah quickly, igniting revolutions across the conti-
nent. Each and every Nation was changed by its influence.
Some embraced the change and others fought it to the
bloody end.
7th Sea: 1868
Civil War in the Colonies
Shortly after the invention of the Æther Coil, indus-
trialization of Æther spread worldwide and demand
for the energy source grew exponentially. Soon, institu-
tions arose to harness production and meet the growing
demand through the use of indentured servants to fuel
Æther machines. The Æther Coil’s inventor, Kateri
Templeton, railed against the way her invention was
being used to make the wealthy more powerful and
subjugate the poor. She had hoped her invention would
help to bridge the class differences, but instead it only
exacerbated them.
Kateri papered Quanaholyte with pamphlets and lit-
erature about monetizing Æther and the inherent issues
with indentured servitude. Eventually, the disparity
between class caused by the industrialization of Æther
reached a boiling point and Kateri’s campaign erupted
into a full blown class war. The poor and subjugated
rose up against the industries attempting to harness
Æther and the governments fighting land wars over
the resource.
This act of revolution has thrown Quanaholyte into a
civil war with class and race creating lines of battle. The
Quanaholyte Civil War has disrupted Æther production
and supply lines to the rest of the world, making it a topic
talked about across Théah, inspiring lower class people to
action in several nations.
From the start of the Bloody Year to the distribu-
tion of Rote Republikaner and now the Quanaholyte
Civil War, the people in Théah are riled and at a
tipping point.
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The Nations
Listed below are the Nations of Théah and how they
currently sit in 1868.
Avalon
The current monarch of Avalon is Queen Virginia I.
Her rule is not kind. Guided by ambitious explorers of
dubious morals, Avalon has become one of the most pow-
erful empires in the world. She has authorized colonies
everywhere her explorers can find resources and people
worth exploiting. Her obsession with moral purity has
lead to repression of every kind. The legs of tables and
chairs are covered with cloth “to protect their modesty.”
People speak of “white and dark meat” so they do not need
to say “breast” or “thigh.” She has stifled the Parliament
because of her distrust of “common morals and wisdom,”
preferring the advice of her privy council. She has forbid-
den the Old Faith of Avalon in preference for a strict and
unforgiving interpretation of the Prophet’s Faith. And
while it seemed for a while that the Highland Marches
and Inismore may have become independent Nations, she
has made certain that will never happen. Soldiers guard
the shores and cities of both Nations, ensuring Avalon’s
rule will never be shaken.
As for the symbol of Avalon—the Graal—it remains
in an iron chest, locked securely away. Never touched by
human hands, forgotten in darkness.
Castille
Castille has known nothing but constant revolution and
inner turmoil for almost 100 years. Two divisive politi-
cal factions have vied for control of the Nation, putting
monarchs on the throne who sympathize with their side.
Constant warfare has made Castille look more like 17th
Century Eisen than it’s 1668 counterpart. Bloodshed and
warfare have all but destroyed everything that was once
great about the Nation.
The two rivaling political factions disagree about
everything. The oberos sought to change Castille using
the vision in The War of Classes while the tradicionalistas
sought to maintain the status quo. They disputed every-
thing: the role of the monarch, the role of the people,
the role Castille should play in the world. With constant
bickering and battles, Castille has no direction, lowering
7th Sea: 1868
its power in Théah. It has been the subject of at least
twenty invasions from other Nations (most often Eisen
and Montaigne), but has so far managed to unite enough
to dispatch the invaders. However, Castille remains tread-
ing water, losing ground to the progress of other Nations
while it tries to decide its destiny.
Castille’s Queen Catarina VI, is a secret ally of the
oberos, but does not have the political clout to vocalize her
support. Inspired by the Sarmatian Commonwealth and
the quickly growing Nations of the Colonies, she hopes
to make her Nation democratic, but after the horrors
of the Montaigne revolution, fears what may happen to
her people.
Eisen
The once splintered Nation of Eisen is finally united. It
began in 1848 with “the Eisen Debate,” an unanswered
question about the future of the Nation. Over twenty
years, the debate raged until finally, in January of 1868,
the Nation united under a single mantle of “Chancellor.”
The Bundeskanzler von Eisen, Eduard von Schönhausen,
is a complicated, brilliant man, haunted by the horrors of
his Nation’s past. He hopes to never return to the dark
days of Eisen, where nameless terrors haunt every shadow.
The people call him “the Iron Hand,” with the implica-
tion there is no velvet glove. His troops hunt down and
kill all supernatural creatures, regardless of their history.
There is no room in Schönhausen’s Eisen for sorcery.
Necromancy is a closely guarded secret, maintained only
by his hand-selected witch hunters. All of this stems from
his own history, a history full of blood and shadow.
Meanwhile, Schönhausen has embraced the new ideas
sweeping Théah. He has added reforms that empower the
working class, including labor unions, social service for the
poor and reforms other Nations view as far too radical. In
one year, Schönhausen’s reforms have made Eisen into a
world power, eclipsing its neighbors and rivalling the great
Avalonian Empire. He has a vision of expanding Eisen’s
reforms across Théah and hopes his own actions will
inspire other monarchs to walk in his footsteps.
However, despite Schönhausen’s efforts, Eisen is not
truly unified. One Eisenfürst refused to submit to the new
Bundeskanzler: the Duchess Roswitha von Wirsche—
great-granddaughter of the original “Bloody Widow.” She
would not submit to Schüonhausen’s authority and kept
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her lands to herself, establishing the Duchy of Wirsche.
Although other Nations see Wirsche as a vassal to
Eisen—much like Inismore is to Avalon— it is its own
independent Nation. It is here the old ways of Eisen are
still intact. The necromancers, the witches, the old faith...it
is in Wirsche, ruled by its pale, ominous Duchess.
Montaigne
The Emperor of Montaigne, Bienvenue III, is the nephew
of the legendary general and first Emperor of Théah,
Francescu Benvenuto, in Montaigne known as François
Bienvenue. His uncle conquered most of mainland Théah
and held it for almost two decades before his final defeat.
While he lost his claim to be Emperor of Théah, his hold
on Montaigne remained, giving his nephew the right to
call himself “Emperor.”
Bienvenue’s reign has been controversial to say the
least. He has banned any criticism of his reign and sent
thousands to prison colonies in the far west. While his
uncle created a new set of laws that cemented the rights of
the Montaigne people (known as “the Bienvenue Code”),
the Emperor all but ignores them, doing anything he can
to maintain his power and control over Montaigne. He is
staunch allies with Avalon’s Queen Virginia and aided her
in a successful war against Ussura, expanding Avalonian
and Montaigne interests. More than any other Théan
monarchs, Bienvenue sees a bigger picture. He wants to
impose Montaigne rule over the entire world, not just
Théah. To that end, he engages in warfare—both public
and private. He uses his armies to expand Montaigne’s
borders and spies to undermine the authority of other
monarchs—even his allies. Using Porté, Montaigne’s
network of spies is one of the most efficient and deadly in
the world. He is a duplicitous and cold-hearted man who
has only one goal: to eclipse his uncle’s rule.
And while he censors objectors, he also encourages sci-
entific and sorcerous discoveries. Under his rule, Montaigne
scientists have discovered helium and have put it to use
with technology allowing flight. Combined with the Æther
Engine, Montaigne is the first Nation with a fighting air
force, a resource Bienvenue has put to good use. His “Légion
de Ballons” has been the turning point in many battles.
7th Sea: 1868
The Sarmatian Commonwealth
Just one year ago, a meteor fell onto the capital of the
Commonwealth, spreading fragments of iron and other
minerals for miles. Many saw this as an omen while others
dismissed it as a meteorological anomaly.
The former were right.
But before that, let us jump back in time. After the
death of Stanislaw II, the Commonwealth faced many
challenges. Eisen attempted an invasion just a month after
the monarch’s death, followed by another invasion from
Ussura. The Ussura invasion succeeded and an Ussuran
noble sat on the throne, the Queen of Rzeczpospolita and
Curania. The Queen ordered the sejm disbanded and all
the countries’ resources moved to feed Ussura.
Her reign lasted nearly five years before a voilent coup
removed her from power. Afterward, the Commonwealth
reinstated the sejm but not the monarchy. Decades of
conflict followed: constant wars with Ussura and Eisen.
It seemed the Commonwealth was always on the edge
of destruction.
Then, just last year, a meteor shower—the largest in
Théan history—flew over the face of the Commonwealth.
Not only was its size significant, but scientists exam-
ining the stones began to believe the chunks of alien
stone may have come from the 7th Sea. The stones
carried high amounts of Ætheric residue. Suddenly,
the Commonwealth became a hub of Ætheric study
and experimentation.
With that quick advance, Ussuran and Eisen invasions
became impotent. The Commonwealth is now a power-
house of scientific weaponry and technology. Following
Montaigne’s example, the Commonwealth’s flying fleet
of armored ships—true winged Hussars—keeps the
Commonwealth safe from invasion.
With that safety came a political revolution. The
Commonwealth has written its own Constitution—
similar to the one found in Quanaholyte from years
before—guaranteeing its citizens full rights. All cit-
izens. A new public organization called “Friends of
Liberty” has spread from the Commonwealth all across
Théah, infecting the lower classes with the concepts of
common rights.
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Vestenmennavenjar
As the rest of Théah struggled beneath the oppression of
despotic and tyrannical monarchs, Vestenmennavenjar
thrived under the guidance of the Vendel League. The
Guilder quickly became the currency of choice in most
Théan nations, and the wealth and power of the League
grew over the years. Soon, jarls and carls were leaders in
name only as League representatives set up offices across
the nation and governmental control slowly slid into an
oligarchy where those with League backing and Guilders
to their name controlled the cities they lived in.
The Vendel League sent representatives across Théah
as spies and political actors in an attempt to influence
nations and increase economic growth. Embroiled in
their own politics, most ignored the vast influence Vesten
merchants had over their own politics until it was too late.
When Eisen began to pull itself out of the darkness and
decry sorcery and magic, Vesten grew distant from their
former allies. They pulled troops and funding, but needed
a new place to grow. Vesten’s eyes turned towards Ussura,
who was busy putting out rebellions in the Sarmatian
Commonwealth. Vesten was the first to successfully claim
land from Ussura in its history, though the cost of the
campaign was enough to prevent Vesten from making
inroads into other parts of Théah.
When the Quanaholyte Civil War broke out,
Vestenmennavenjar poured funds into both sides looking
to gain a foothold. They abandoned their Ussura cam-
paign for what appeared to be an easier win. As an effect,
Vesten immigrants have flooded the Nation looking
for work. Quanaholyte’s class war has inspired the
poor in nations to seek freedom from tyrannical rule.
Vestenmennavenjar is no different. The League’s grasp on
the nation created a huge divide between the extremely
wealthy and the common people. The common people
wanted representation, instead of poor living conditions
and near slave-like working conditions.
Of all places where the people rose up to instill a new
government, Vestemennavenjar was the most peaceful. In
early 1868, commoners stormed the League headquar-
ters in Vendel carrying documents and lists of demands
and whatever Guilder they could muster. The League
attempted to disperse the people with their private militia,
but the people had come prepared with Gladr they used
to turn violence against the wielder. The League’s militia
7th Sea: 1868
quickly decimated itself and what remained set down
their arms and joined the people. Over the course of a
week they worked out a new constitution and installed
a democracy.
The next month the nation voted in a new government
and the League was disbanded. The nation’s accumulated
wealth was put into social programs to improve infra-
structure, the living conditions of the working poor and
adopting xenophobic policies that insulated the nation
against their troubled neighbors.
Vodacce
Two hundred years ago, the men of Vodacce controlled
their own destiny and the destiny of their Nation.
Merchant-Princes held the land with iron fists and
daggers pointed at their cousins. Meanwhile, the women
of Vodacce stood in the shadows as their husbands, broth-
ers, and fathers kept them in check.
Oh, how things have changed.
There is now a King of Vodacce sitting on a throne
in Il Bosco. But behind his throne are a number of
Fate Witches, each with a hand on his destiny. The
Sorte Strega of Vodacce are now completely in charge
of the Nation’s fate. They select who becomes King,
they select his actions, and they decide when his reign
is done.
For too long the women of Vodacce were forced to
be victims. No longer. The women of Vodacce have
seized their freedom through threats both magical and
mundane. It is now the women who make the decisions
while the men simply carry them out. The Sorte Strega
see Vodacce’s fate and manipulate the strands to guide the
Nation toward greatness and power, even if that means
some must fall in the path. Sacrifice is necessary for great-
ness. The women of Vodacce learned that from the men,
and now, they are teaching those same men the true nature
of power.
Around fifty years ago, a group of Sorte Strega
foresaw conflict with Castille over control of the Vaticine
Church. Vodacce struck first, and struck decisively,
seizing the island with military force. The Church now
belongs to Vodacce and she has no intent on letting go
any time soon.
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Secret Societies
Most of the Secret Societies of 1668 remain, but a few
have undergone incredible changes.
The Golden Doctrine
The organization known as The Golden Doctrine
evolved from a collision of ideas between leaders of
Sophia’s Daughters and the Knights of the Rose and
Cross. In the early 18th Century, Sophia’s Daughters had
created a stable power network throughout large parts
of Theah allowing them to smuggle women with magic
to safety. This led to a massive push by the Vaticine
Inquisition to unravel the organization. Unable to stand
by and watch women be persecuted, a faction in the
Knights of the Rose and Cross intervened. When the
dust settled, these knights embraced the acceptance
of magic practiced by the Daughters and combined to
create a new organization.
In its early days, the new alliance existed only for
mutual protection and survival. Yet two charismatic
leaders shaped a new direction for the organization.
Ussuran witch, Katrina Otraya, and her Avalonian associ-
ate, William Silvermane, presented a collection of spiritual
ideas they called The Golden Doctrine to the alliance. The
new philosophy aimed to spread enlightenment by delving
into the secrets of life and creation through the study and
understanding of magic. Members secretly embrace new
followers all across Terra, collecting esoteric knowledge
and unlocking their mysteries for the further evolution of
the Doctrine’s members.
The Rilasciare
Over the last two centuries, the Freethinkers have made
much progress, but have also been hindered by splinter
groups embracing violence and hatred. The Rilasciare
have always rallied against the Two Pillars of Church
and Monarchy, but in recent times, anarchist groups have
turned that struggle from an intellectual movement into a
violent one.
“Changing minds is impossible,” wrote the Montaigne
philosopher, Jean-Baptiste Blanchard. “We must remove
the thoughts of those minds, and the only way to do that
is to remove the minds themselves.” And so began the
explosions in public buildings set by anonymous agents.
7th Sea: 1868
Blanchard’s famous treatise gave birth to the anarchy
movement, which the Rilasciare have been fighting against
relentlessly with only small victories here and there. The
anarchists are willing to do what the Rilasciare are not,
and that gives them a powerful advantage.
Meanwhile, a cell within the Freethinkers—the Friends
of Liberty—has proven an incredibly powerful tool to
undermine the Two Pillars. Going against the Rilasciare
philosophy of independent cells, the Friends of Liberty
have made good use of coordination, spreading their
message all across Théah.
The Invisible College
The birth of the scientific method came from the clan-
destine halls of the Invisible College. With the discovery
of Æther and it’s spurious connections to sorcery, the
Inquisition lost some of its hold on Vaticine thought.
Many researchers and theologians saw this as proof that
sorcery was simply part of the natural world, and a form
of science. A few held belief that the Inquisition was right
all along, but those quickly lost traction.
With the embrace of scientific thinking, the Invisible
College all but took control over the Vaticine Church,
moving it toward a more forward thinking model. That
was before Vodacce captured the Church away from
Castille, after a Vodacce invasion of Vaticine Island.
The new Hierophant now plays a delicate dance
between paying homage to Vodacce and furthering scien-
tific investigations. More than one Hierophant has ended
his tenure under mysterious circumstances, and now a
Sorte Strega sits by his side as an advisor and “sorcerous
protector,” making sure the Hierophant remains safe.
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