Historical Context for Anywhere But Here

Before I continue with Anywhere But Here, I want to give a quick overview of the point in history that we are working with, starting with the life of the first King of Simcity.

In the spring of 1481, Seriah Io Laocoön was born on the floor of a fish market to the mistress of a failed poet. Faes (up until this point) were divided into five tribes corresponding with the aspects of Deus Rex that they descended from and mingling was strictly forbidden. Seriah's mother, Zilpah Imine Ishmael, was a member of the Tribe of the Ba and his father, the Tribe of the Ka. This was a big no-no. On the day of his birth, Seriah was brought to the Magister Templi to be ritualistically slaughtered (the prevailing belief being that mixed children were offensive in the eyes of the Destroyer) but the Magister Templi refused. He had a feeling that this baby was special. And thus, Seriah was brought up in the Temple of the Ba.

Seriah grew to be a hauntingly beautiful and highly charismatic child, though also a dreadful scholar. His heart was not in prayers and rituals but in the romantic ideal of being a soldier, fighting against the brutish race of savages (ie humans) to reclaim the land for his people alone. Privately, Seriah had a dream. He wanted to see the five tribes united. One people. One temple. One leader. At the time, it was completely unheard of but Seriah, now 43, would have the chance to pursue his dream.

For decades, the human population was exploding. Faes had always been drastically outnumbered but now they were surrounded. (The Tribe of the Ib was a notable exception-- They were focused in modern day Strangetown where no humans ever ventured.) For the Fae peoples the choice was quickly becoming either to conquer or to assimilate. And assimilation was no option at all. On June 9, 1524, a small battalion composed of Ba tribesmen and lead by Seriah himself assassinated the human magistrate of Helos, Veronaville, bringing the humans of that region to their knees. Thus began what is known as The Rose War.

Over the course of the next ten years, Seriah would be made general of the Four Nation Army, picking away at human provinces in Veronaville, Alpinloch, Alderton (Pleasantview) and Riverblossom Hills. Seriah was crowned King after the Battle of Arbormoor, his subjugation of the humans on the continent having been completed. The reach of his kingdom would extend as far as the Strangetown/Veronaville border (an area known today as Mantua).