"The Rise of Nations." Our Humble Beginnings and The Franks
Once a mighty, seemingly undefeatable, and Godly Nation, the Roman Empire had crumbled through the collective effort of what they called "barbarians." This racist statement and their sentiment against these tribes were their demises. Sure, their unstable government, lack of trust in magic users, and negligence were essential factors. Rome built itself on a lavish and almost degenerate society, with rampant corruption with the best uses in magic being in their entertainment.
In fact, with Alexios (Αλέξιος), who was recruited by the Romans, was put by himself without funding. His projects were put on hold after his death on July 10, 523 RC (277 BCE). Upon finding his notes, had exemplified the usage of The Method of Exhaustion, a precursor to our understanding of integral calculus, developed simultaneously as Archimedes (Ἀρχιμήδης) derived his method. History could have been changed if it were not for the laziness of the Romans. This is, of course, speaking simply about western Rome. The Byzantine Empire was still a stronghold during this time, flourishing compared to its decrepit sister.
Nonetheless, on August 24, 1210, RC (410 AD.) The Visigoth Kingdom, led by the human King Alaric, along with a coalition of what we know are elves and ogres, had sacked Rome. The only reason for the name 'barbarians' being used was that Rome had banned other species and those who did not follow their culture.
Around 820 RC (20 AD), the races we know today started to pop up. DNA testing shows that these species were derived from homo-sapiens. However, parvucule manipulation to fit their environments or cultures evolved new kinds of people, elves, dwarves, and ogres for the west. For the east, youkai, dokkaebi, yaoguai.
The Dark Ages got its name from the disruption of trade, the downfall of cities, learning decline, a loss of everyday language, and the introduction of taxonomic categorization of magic. As cities collapsed and people moved to rural areas, the GDP and charm teachings became easier. Some kingdoms outright banned public use of magic.
By September 4, 876 RC (476 AD), the Western Roman Empire had utterly fallen with the Great Reset. It started a new era that ushered in a power vacuum. New countries filled it, and unlike before, these would be entirely split with Alexander's empire. They had different cultures, currencies, and magic tolerance.
These kingdoms were: The Vandals in North Africa, The Ostrogothics in Italy and the Balkans, The Franks in France, The Visigoths in Spain and some of France, The Early Anglo-Saxons in England, The Seubi in Portugal, The Burgundians in between the Franks, Visigoths, and Ostrogoths, and the Gepid Kingdom past the Ostrogothic.
The first goal was to fix trade. These Kingdoms knew the wealth of the Roman Empire and wanted to replicate it, and a solution would be needed. However, the strategy for making money during these times was quite different before the advent of Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations in 2576 RC (1776 AD.)
Thus, our advisory story begins with the Burgundy Kingdom being smushed by the Visigoths, Franks, and Ostrogoths. History knows their reign as a kingdom to be short, that by 1334 RC (534 AD), the Franks would defeat the Orc King Godomar, the last Burgundian King. Many know the stereotypes of Orcs being aggressive and malevolent, and Godomar fits every single one of these stereotypes. The Burgundy Kingdom had sought to replace magic with the brute force of Orcs and Ogres.
While the Franks seized their opponent's castles, they found a man kept in the chambers of the previous Orc King. He was a Gnomish man. We would know him today as Quotix Folkinorell. Who in his famous diary had stated…
"I believe it is 534 AD, and upon entering the Kingdom of the Franks, it surprised me. There was no single, Orc, Elf, Dwarf, Ogre, Halfling, or any other race. It was all humans, and those in the castle were men, save for them [the maids]. The court was littered with religious symbols. I believe that this was the new monotheistic religion that the Romans believed in. Though many didn't seem to want to follow this.
Through some eavesdropping, I've learned of a struggle in this Kingdom. After the death of the first ruler, Clovis I, his four sons had struggled to share the land amongst each other…."
"…I have been assigned to Chlothar I, he had chosen me as a new position, the same one as with King Godomar, but unlike that Orcish fool, humans seemed to believe in the power of magic."
Quotix had a knack for writing, given that he taught himself the skill. He loved documenting his data and writing about his day. Because of his size, his accounts could all fit into two journals buried with him, which is why we have such detailed reports.
According to his diary, he wouldn't have much to do in the first few years of his time with Chlothar, as he was more focused on a request from Ingund, his wife. The wife wanted her sister to have a good husband, whom he married.
"Despite a vow to not covet thy neighbor's wife…Chlothar loved to do just that."
Many kingdoms at the time had a desire for stability and size. However, many did not know the reason for their instability. For Quotix, he believed it was the lack of gold in the treasury. He would draft many ideas on fixing trade and believed in a world where the Franks became the center of commerce. His idea was with the Burgundians, who had thrown these ideas out.
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The gnomish magical advisor had kept a trade idea a secret. He stated that he would start working on a solution in 1337 RC (537 AD) in his diary. He would have his peace and quiet where he would struggle to get his ideas heard by those who dismissed him as being a gnome.
The biggest issue was the civil war between Childebert, another son of Clovis I, and Theudebert, the grandson of Clovis I, and Thuderic's son. Initially, the advisor's ideas had been ignored or disregarded as someone new to the Kingdom and were not human. This was beyond Alexander's time, and people mainly had forgotten about the HV with the Great Reset. Meaning magic was in an unruly time, and Quotix had proposed an idea.
"It's simple, let eight out of every ten magicians stay in the back and cast a spell at night, creating the largest storm in the world!"
A risky plan, leaving the army vulnerable to bombardments by the opposing side's magicians. But it worked because the storm-ravaged the equipment, roads, killed horses, and disorganized the opposite side's army, and Chlothar had broken through the siege. Due to this, Chlothar had warmed up to him.
A lucky advantage he received was meeting Princess Radegund upon her arrival in 1338 RC (538 AD). Unlike Chlothar was a devout Christian. Her humble nature gave Quotix the edge he'd need to convince the throne about his ideas. In 1339 RC (539 AD), things finally changed for the better, as Chlothar had doubled the advisor's budget and put him to par with other keys of power. However, the advisor wanted more credibility. He wanted not a single naysayer in his keen insight.
In the spring of 1342 RC (542 AD.) Quotix got his chance because the conflict between the Visigoths was brewing. Once Chlothar had led his army into the Visigoth territory, Quotix was a lower general, commanding only magic soldiers. Here, he had brought out a magical technique that was unknown to the barbarian kingdoms at the time but was common in Rome and still common in the Byzantine empire.
This was a prototype of the 'Healing Magic' we see today. It didn't heal wounds but rather disinfected the injury and at least closed any exterior cuts while giving a relatively clean smell. This proved extremely useful against the Visigoths. With this advantage, Franks averaged three times more recoveries from battle wounds and would give the appearance of superhumans. Knowledge about disease and bacteria was nonexistent, but this worked. While Quotix assumed it was only just closed wounds, it would be the disinfectant effect that proved to be the most useful.
With this advantage, Childebert and Chlothar had seized Pamplona and Zaragoza and tried to conquer the rest of the Visigoths but failed. Not through any fault of their own. The King of the Visigoths, Theudis, had the numbers advantage, and in a hasty move, Chlothar had abandoned the conquest.
Now, with experience under his belt. Quotix was ready to put his plans into action. At the perfect time, too, with the growth of towns and the deterioration of more minor Roman roads put his goal in the ideal spot.
Of course, this wasn't without preparation. By this time, Quotix and Radegund had devised a plan to make sure the rest of the Kings court would listen, a simple method of using her authority to give him the floor and some swooning over the King. As a result, Quotix was given a three-hour presentation to show his findings to the Chlothar.
"I've noticed that a combination of certain spells makes it easier for humans to find their way around. Thus, I've refined the technique and grifted it into something one can wear on their head. Those who can use magic need not wear such gear. I introduce to you the Origin Point."
This whole time, the man had developed a coordinate system with the world around them, using Tournai, the capital, to make this work. It was the introduction of a wave-point and changed history forever.
Anyone can set their wave point to their home or job. Still, back then, when wildlife ran wild and cities were relatively rare, many used these to assign points to towns they traveled and would travel to.
He had more to say as well.
"As we know, the healing magic is only available when magicians are in the area to heal. I've developed a technique to create a drink which can heal even invisible wounds."
He'd develop the first healing potion as well. Upon recreating the potion in the 21st century, the fluid would be green rather than the blue and red of today, which signified the low efficiency of the healing potion, only healing half the soldier's wounds.
Quotix received a standing ovation from the court, with the King astonished by these findings, according to historical texts. By 1343 RC (543 AD), top generals would be using the Origin Point (OP), and a thousand potions would be developed around the same time. By 1350 RC (550 AD), merchants would be able to have the OP, and sales for healing potions and even less efficient versions of the 50% potion were being sold in droves. Around the Saxon War 1355 RC (555 AD), even peasants and rural farmers knew about the brews.
Historians point at these two inventions as the biggest reason for the unification of all Francia. While the death of Childebert on December 23, 1358 RC (558 AD) was another reason, the goodwill of Chlothar caused the country to unify, and Quotix had been the sole reason for it.
The economy of Francia had increased, and Quotix had gone back to work, wanting to go further. As many know, magical advisors were like scientists who had incredible concentration. Before he would attempt to increase the seemingly endless peak of the Franks, Chlothar died at the end of 1361 RC (561 AD) and left his Kingdom for his sons but had given Quotix the freedom to do as he wished, knowing the power and the necessity of pleasing someone who had massive popularity with both the army and the people, the sons had essentially unified on their own terms, separate, but unified.
Time would pass, and all seemed good until the ruling of Chlothar II. This monogamist empowered nobles and gave the church power over literacy with his edict. This was against Quotix's beliefs; he was put into exile for attempting an assassination against the young King.
The church gained a monopoly on healing potions and created a generation of fierce and devout Christians that would persist until the Renaissance and the Fall of Christianity in 2317 RC (1517 AD).
Quotix's peak ended here. He fled east and found a haven in the Byzantine Empire where he would land himself a position of power, even though he wanted to have revenge on the Franks for what they did. He would never achieve such a feat and died in 1430 RC (630 AD) of acute pneumonia at 90. He'd have a child, half-human and half gnomish, Ormop Folkinorell of the Byzantine Empire. The next chapter will continue with Ormop and his rise to magical advisement.