IC 982 Hax falls again to the goblin legions.

IC 985 The Imperium launches the 2nd Crusade. Hax is retaken in IC 990.

IC 1,000 The Millenium. Church scripture and Prophecy tell of the beginning of a dark eon; Famine, Disease, the spread of Evil and the Delivery of the "Sweet Tones of Chaos," (an unexplained mystery. They also tell of the birth in this year of an Antichrist, one who is "Dark of hair and skin, yet fair of nature, a Rider with dominion over the beasts." This is perhaps true, and perhaps a subtle church attempt to further discredit Castillians, who clearly match the description. A rogue element of the Church, Monks of the "Order of Puriciation," launch a covert campaign of murder and assassination in Tenedor (home to world-class riders and horses), intent upon exterminating the first-born, believing the Antichrist is among them. This vicious campaign results in countless, innocent deaths and the destruction of the Monks and their order. Ten years after the slaughter, the Church quietly pays reparations to the peoples of Tenedor. Also during the early days of the new Millenium, in the island colonies of Thippus, Thessalya, Capricia and Pela, citizens cast aside the teachings of Cuthbert in favor of a return to worship of the old, Pagan gods. The Church mounts a new war against these Heretics - led by Cardinal Ramone II - which rages for 10 years before fizzling out. The conflict succeeds only in reinforcing worship of the Pagan gods, and removing all traces of Cuthbert from the islands. In Castille, faith in the Blessed Virgin grows stronger than ever. Finally, in the year IC 1,000, the Holy City of Hax falls yet again to the Goblin armies. This is seen as verification of Church scriptures of doom.

IC 1,027 A Castillian Bishop - "Enrico the Chaste" - speaks openly of Castille's secession from the Empire. When Imperial and Church (Cuthbert) forces move against him, he goes underground and begins an opposition movement.

IC 1,028 - IC 1,075 Enrico gains near-mythical status as a revolutionary, and his following grows steadily. He is eventually captured (a 77 year old man) and publicly executed for sedition in Torregidor. The execution sparks riots and violent revolt as Enrico's underground comes out into the open to engage Imperial forces across Castille.

IC 1,076 Castille declares its independence from the Florentian empire, and names a young Queen as its leader, "Isabel dela Toro I." (She is a Ranger, outcast from the ruling family, and a leader in the Enrico Underground.) The island of Tenedor immediately renounces the Empire and swears allegiance to a soverign Castille. Across the western realm, the former families of Lupo, Orlando and Cabanera are dragged from their palaces and executed in the streets. Isabel I, a ruthless new queen, personally presides over the executions of every member of her own dela Toro family. She spares a younger, favored cousin, whom she takes as a husband...a King with no power. This begins the Castillian royal policy of strictly female Regents.

IC 1,076 - IC 1,086 Civil war between Castille and the Imperium rocks the known world with a massive, tragic loss of life.

IC 1,087 In a deal brokered by the Churches on both sides, Castille and the Empire reach a peace, and a period of reconciliation begins. The Imperium is forced to recognize Castille as a soverign power, and releases all claims to it as well as Tenedor. Queen Isabel I and Emperor Glavius V maintain a smiling, but deadly serious watch on one another. Throughout the centuries, tempers cool, trade begins and flourishes, and cross-culture marriages take place, all of which eventually results in the neighboring superpowers living with mutual respect, tolerance and benefit (although as in all cultures, pockets of racism and old stereotypes persist.)

IC 1,100 The Island of Capricia secedes from the Empire. The Imperium is too drained from its civil war to offer more than token resistance and protest. The inhabitants of Capricia quickly degenerate into a time of internal violence, debauchery and worship of the Dark Gods.

IC 1,125 A pair of Dark Mages, brothers named Apoxus and Abraxus, centralize and seize power in Capricia, bringing a harsh order. They rename the cities of Tritonus and Neptium after themselves, and rename the island Nessia after an infernal region of the netherworld. Within 2 years, organized and deadly Nessian pirates are prowling the sea lanes. Every last member of the former ruling families of Forkiotis and Constantine are hunted down and murdered,