Famulus History

33,200 DA - The Great Pruning

The Ponderan begin a eugenics campaign to produce a slave race, which they name the Famulus. These are, at this point, the children of non-mages and the non-mage children of society in general. Children which are too tall, too muscular, or deemed unintelligent, are also grouped in with the Famulus.

33,400 DA

A Famulus Noxai is born named Kas. Kas is a very powerful Noxai. However, the Ponderan eugenics campaign is not all-consuming at this point. There are still mages who fall through the cracks undetected. Kas was born outside the city walls in a lumberjacking camp. This is what allowed him to go undetected. It did not take him long to understand the significance of this fact. The first child that he had was also a Noxai. With this, Kas began a plan, to make sure that every Noxai born of his lineage who birthed another Noxai would collude to hide the identity of their child and therefore to maintain the potential for rebellion within the Famulus people. Little does he know that Trespen smiles upon this plan and safeguards it into the future for thousands of years to come.

34,200 DA

The Famulus have become a distinct people. The Ponderan no longer surrender babies to become Famulus. Famulus are sustained purely through breeding with other Famulus. This accelerates the genetic selection process and the Famulus begin forming increasingly into the biological form they are recognized as now.

2845 EM

A leader has arisen within the Famulus, though his name is only spoken in whispers: Bakan. The assistant to a scribe, he has learned how to read and write. His master's job is to copy scrolls which have been soiled or damaged, then discard them. Bakan's job is to haul the carts of materials to be burned. However, Bakan has secretly been keeping the soiled and damaged scrolls. He has been studying them and has uncovered the history of the Famulus. He becomes outraged, but fearful, knowing the extent of Ponderan treachery. Bakan begins spreading the knowledge of the Famulus history to others, counseling them to spread it further, but discreetly.

As this knowledge spreads, a Famulus Noxai named Luru, the twenty-third grandson of Kas, approaches Bakan. Luru tells Bakan about his lineage and his duty to support the rebellion of the Famulus when the time comes. He becomes heavily involved in planning a rebellion with Bakan.

2850 EM (650 years ago)

The First Famulus Revolt takes place, but is brutally suppressed. Tens of thousands of Famulus flee to Lazvar, settling on the western seaboard. 

2870 EM

The Famulus, having now settled the western seaboard, begin raiding Human settlements. These raids are very successful at first, catching the Humans off guard. However, the Humans respond with all-out aggression and so begins the Famulus-Human War.

3160 EM 

A Famulus Noxai named Zuga is born to the 24th grandson of Kas. Over the next thirty years, Zuga learns that he is a Noxai from his father (the son of Luru), learns that he can hide his magical nature, and then learns of Bakan and the revolt. This inspires Zuga to learn more about the conditions of the Famulus. He is outraged to learn that the Famulus were once Ponderans and that such a brutal eugenics campaign was carried out on his people. However, he keeps his head down, afraid he will be found by Orderists if he makes too much commotion. Like the many descendants before him, he at first prioritizes survival.

3190 EM

Zuga meets Ki'ek. Ki'ek is a dock-worker, living among some of the hardest working Famulus on Onus. Ki'ek and Zuga together are an explosive mixture. Ki'ek's aggressive mentality and Zuga's capability to shroud his plans in secrecy creates the embryo of a coup. Together, they plan out how, if another revolt were to happen, it would need to be much more methodical. Zuga discovers that he can destroy phylacteries, can capture souls, and much else. They develop a plan to seek out more Famulus Noxai and to organize them together to sabotage magic reactors and to free specific daemons from phylactery prisons.

3200 EM (300 years ago)

The Massacre takes place. Across the massive city of Onus, Famulus slaves of all kinds kill their masters in their sleep. The campaign was managed and overseen by Ki’ek and Zuga. Many magic reactors are destroyed, leaving massive swathes of the continent without power. Several daemons are also freed from phylactery prisons, including Avarkus and Igris.

-A massive wave of Ponderan refugees leave the continent and sail to southern Lazvar.

-Ki’ek creates a tribal government on Onus, with himself as the head warlord. Avarkus speaks with Ki'ek and offers him a deal. If he can continue the carnage, Avarkus will bless Ki'ek with a boon. Ki'ek accepts this offer and declares that the Famulus will begin crafting boats, to take to the oceans and to begin an endless cycle of pillage. Zuga, meanwhile, serves as a religious figure to the Famulus. He founds a cult called The Children of Kas. Those Famulus who do not take to the ways of warriors and raiders, who instead wish to cultivate the talents that the Ponderans had deprived them of, go to join the Children of Kas.

-Ki'ek is met with numerous rebellions from other warlords. He puts all of these down with utmost brutality. Ki'ek comes to be called Ki'ek the Bloody. Zuga brokers a deal with Ki'ek, that he will not rebel, but instead will offer his services to maintain Ki'ek's rule.

-Ruck is born on the continent of Onus. By this point, the tribes have all been unified under Ki'ek. Ki'ek has grown fat and lazy and takes such enormous tributes from the raiding groups that many raiding groups have stopped sailing and instead sought to pledge fealty to Ki'ek. These raiders instead become servants to Ki'ek, who refuses to hear any reason. Zuga, unknown to Ki'ek, stops carrying out his rituals to THE.

-Ruck communes with Avarkus, who is displeased that Ki'ek has lessened the raids. Avarkus can sense that Ruck is an infernai, but does not tell him. He ensures Ruck that, if he rebels against Ki'ek, he will victor. Ruck begins gathering together Famulus tribes who are displeased with Ki'ek.

3350 EM

Ki'ek, now nearly 200 years old, gets word of Ruck's rebellion and captures Ruck. Ki'ek, knowing that Ruck has a liking for fire, sentences Ruck to be burned to death. However, instead of dying from this punishment, Ruck breaks free, set ablaze, and tackles Ki’ek to the ground. Ruck strangles Ki’ek to death, all while he burns alive. Ruck is now horrifically disfigured. All the Famulus who are present pledge fealty to Ruck. Avarkus sees this as the satisfaction of their pact and awakens Ruck's abilities as an infernai. Zuga pledges to fulfill the same purpose to Ruck that he had to Ki'ek, though Zuga is now 190 and growing elderly.

-Famulus raids on the coastlines become much more common as Ruck has stratified the class structure of his society. Builders and thinkers are allowed to do their work without being abused by society at large, such that they work in highly controlled camps that Ruck oversees.