History (sage study)

History is a sage study in the field of the Church, examining the past, offering an understanding of previous events, conflicts and the consequences that result from both human actions and chance events. The study primarily deals with real historical occurrences rather than elements of the supernatural.

A profound understanding of history unlocks the secrets of great civilizations, unraveling the tapestry of their rise and fall. It grants the power to communicate seamlessly with soldiers, instilling in them a renewed sense of purpose and unwavering morale in the face of adversity. It's a wellspring of knowledge that identifies the subtle nuances of weapons and armour, unveils the intricacies of religion and sheds light on the beliefs and rituals that shape cultures. In the hands of most players, the applications are sure to be indistinct, yet it matters that some players are familiar with the vast weight of events that have happened in the game world where the player characters exist.

Assigning Knowledge

Rachel's Knowledge

Period	Geographical Spheres
	African	Asian	European	New World
Ancient		22
Middle Ages		15
Modern

Due to its vast scope, characters in the game must choose to specialize in particular historical "periods" and geographic "spheres" by assigning knowledge points to those specific subjects. This creates a collection of 12 categories overall, as shown on the adjacent chart. An example is shown for the character Rachel, who has assigned her 37 points of knowledge to ancient and medieval Asian history, as shown.

Since 10 points are needed to effect one's sage abilities, Rachel is only able to do when those specific time periods and geography are relevant. She knows next to nothing about history apart from Asia, and no more than most about the modern world — but should she wish to discuss military history in reference to Asian events, she's quite able to do so.

A brief overview of the periods and geographical spheres is as follows:

Periods

• Ancient History encompasses the era from the invention of writing to roughly the mid-5th century AD, from the rise of civilisation to the collapse of notable civilizations such as Zimbabwe, Rome, the Gupta Empire and the Han Dynasty.

• Medieval History follows Ancient History, spanning from the dark ages through the rise of widespread African empires, the middle kingdoms of China, the Mongol dominion, the ascent of the Aztecs and Incas and the spread of Islam and Christianity. It concludes around 1500 AD, marking the commencement of modern history.

• Modern History encompasses the last 150 years and encompasses the rise of the Hapsburgs, the colonization of the New World and other regions, the emergence of Protestantism, the Moghuls, the Ming Dynasty's decline and the dominance of the Safavids and Ottomans. It also includes insights into the slave trade, religious conflicts, Moscovy's expansion and Europe's global ascendancy.

Geographical Spheres

• African History offers insights into the entire African continent, disregarding contemporary borders or predominant cultures. It extends to regions like the Ottoman Empire's Sinai Peninsula, Madagascar, the Comoros and Mascarene Islands, Socotra, Ascension and St. Helena.

• European History focuses specifically on events within Europe, with some awareness of Western influences on other spheres.

• Asian History delves into Eastern culture, encompassing the Ottomans, the Indian Subcontinent, Turkestan, Southeast Asia, the East Indies, China and Japan.

• New World examines occurrences across North and South America, ranging from the Aleutians and Alaska to Cape Horn, with limited coverage of Antarctica and minimal information concerning Oceania.

Sage Abilities

The sage abilities below are those acquired by a character through the study, according to status.

Amateur Status

• History of Empire: encompasses a broad understanding of the rise and fall of significant civilizations, giving the why and wherefore of their rise, cultures, troubles and internal formulation. Gives familiarity with regards to understand where these places are and either what became of them, or what trajectory they're following today.

• Military Study I: revolves around the art and science of warfare, offering some nuance of military organisation and strategies that have molded the victories and defeats of entities in that time period and part of the world.

• Religious History: discusses the evolution of religious belief, practices and institutions, with an understanding of the strengths and vulnerabilities inherent in these movements. Provides some insight into the faiths themselves.

Authority Status

• Biography: empowers the character to research and craft in-depth biographies of historical figures, illuminating their life stories, motivations, and contributions to history with precision and insight.

• Decipher Record: allows the preservation and interpretation of historical documents or artifacts that come into the character's hands, extracting valuable insights that might be applicable to future adventures. They can analyze historical texts, artifacts, and inscriptions with unmatched precision, deciphering even the most cryptic records.

• Grassroots Movement: empowers the character to use historical backgrounds and issues to initiate and lead a grassroots movement, uniting common folk to champion causes and reforms from the bottom rungs of the feudal ladder. Whether advocating for peasants' rights, rallying against oppressive lords, or challenging the established order, characters with this feat become influential leaders in grassroots movements, capable of fomenting change in a world where power often rests with the few.

• Greater History: grants an unparalleled depth of knowledge and detail about past events, societies and cultures. The character has a deep understanding of the subject, including obscure historical facts, nuances of ancient customs, or the minutiae of bygone civilizations.

• Military Study II: characters with this knowledge has skill in rallying troops through compelling history-based speeches based on former battles, honour, a soldier's duty and other echoes of a culture's past that encourages a group of combatants to commit themselves to the last drop of blood.

Expert Status

• Ancestral Insight: enables the character to virtually walk in the footsteps of great persons of history, understanding intuitively how they thought, what actions they invariably took and where that led, with perfect clarity and accuracy.

• Cognitive History: bestows the ability to accurately predict the behaviour of large numbers of intelligent persons. The skill provides knowledge of onrushing mass events before they occur, giving characters the opportunity an attempt to prevent them or escape the event before it happens.

• Historical Intuition: grants characters a unique insight into the historical context of their surroundings, making them adept at uncovering secrets and uncovering the mysteries of the past.

Sage Status

• Ancient Tongue: allows the character to to speak and understand ancient languages that have long fallen out of use. This skill facilitates direct communication with historical figures or decipher writing whose basis has been lost.

• Era-link Vessel: character has the ability to serve as a vessel for individuals from the past, granting them the opportunity to experience the modern world firsthand. While in this state, the character and the historical persona can converse, share knowledge and collaborate on tasks.

• Temporal Scholar: when engrossed in the literature of the period, the character can enter a meditative state during which they transcend the constraints of what's written so that they're able to visually observe past events as if they are actually there, gaining firsthand knowledge. The character can explore ancient battles, witness historical negotiations or even observe forgotten rituals.

See Cleric Sage Abilities