Quintelia (1620-1885)

[Major Jaws]

CHAPTER 1: ECCLESIASTICAL ASSIMILATION

EPISODE 1: DISCOVERIES

Manag-isda, along with his son Manag-lambat, are out in the bay again, as they began pulling their nets from the water. Manag-Isda's arm, heavily tattooed by the local priestess with symbols stating he was a soldier or a warrior a few years back, flexed as the heavy net resurfaced from the water. With each quick pull from the father and son, the net came closer to the small boat made from deer skin. A few more minutes, and the net full of fishes desperate fishes is on the boat. Manag-isda began rowing back to the beach, with probably their most successful catch this moon cycle as Manag-lambat counted the fish instead of helping his brother row. "More than a hundred! More than a hundred!" Manag-lambat exclaimed to his father to which he replied. "Ah, you could feed more than two hundred people with that, and that's more than everyone in our village. I told you the gods challenged us and we are rewarded for being strong." Their village, called by those living in Lungsod as "Palaisdaan" thanks to the abundance of fish, has 197 citizens in it. "Could I keep five of them?" Manag-lambat asked, Manag-Isda nodded as he focused on rowing the boat.

Near the horizon, the two can see other men rowing back towards the beaches. "One day, I want you to conquer the waters for us. I want your name to be remembered like Wewazkangz." Without realizing it, they have reached the shore. They  pulled the net through the sands, with some of the fishes still flipping, folding their gills for water. "Take ten more and put it in the jar and put it in our house, then go to the market with me." Manag-Isda carried the net over to a cart with a carabao tied to it. He whipped the carabao and he moved. The rays of the sun fiercely struck his back, although Manag-Isda has been doing this for a long time. After a few minutes, he arrived at the market place, which was a large hut with most of the vendors sitting on the ground with their wares. Looking around, Manag-Isda saw the usual people. Babaylan¹ Danal was there, selling numerous talismans, including a necklace made out of wolf's teeth. Then there was the blacksmith, which was his friend back when he was a member of the King's guard. Finally, he saw the owner of the market, May-ari. "There's more than a hundred freshly caught fish in this net." A group of men took his net and emptied the contents to boxes and baskets, while May-ari gave Manag-Isda a gold coin from his pouch made of crocodile skin. "What? This isn't enough. I cannot support a family with this little money?" He opened his hands asking for more. "You know that I need to sort my family as well. Plus, King Nakakit has ordered is market owners to pay to continue our business." He reluctantly gave two more coins to Manag-Isda.

"Please, give me more. You know how hard I work for this." He extended his arms and joined his hand asking for more. "You're getting on my nerves. How do you not understand something as simple as that. I know you work hard, but so does the other men and women here. You're not unique, you're not special." May-ari turned around from Manag-Isda, who grabbed him by the shoulder and punched him in the chin. "What did you say about me? I'm someone more important than you." He punched May-ari more until a few of his men pushed the two array from each other. "I'll make sure you get what you deserve, you greedy scum." Manag-Isda tried to fee himself from the grips if give men but to no avail. "THE GODS HAVE COME! THE GODS HAVE COME." Manag-Lambat came running towards the market, prompting the fight to stop as everyone looked at Manag-Lambat. "Son, calm down. Explain what's happening." Manag-Lambat pointed towards the sea, which was still visible in the horizon. "They've come for us. It's the day Bathala will see what his creations have done." Babaylan Danal exclaimed, before raising a talisman and murmuring prayers and chants. "No, we need to confront them, and maybe have one man inform Lungsod." Manag-Isda said, before he looked at the other people. "What are you all waiting for?" He ran towards the coasts, with fifty people following him. May-ari and Babaylan Danal were left in the market, as May-ari's men ran towards the road which goes to Lungsod while Babaylan Danal recited her chants. Both men and women, and even children, have gathered at the coasts, with a few of those with their weapons: spears, swords, and bow and arrows. At the distance, the caravels can be seen, with their sails fully spread.


1. Babaylan- animist priestess.

[The Young Pope]

The Age of Discovery, or the Age of Exploration is a term in which extensive overseas exploration emerged as a powerful factor and was the beginning of globalization. It also marks the rise of the period of widespread adoption of colonialism and mercantilism as national policies. Many lands previously unknown were discovered by expansionist states during this period, though most were already inhabited. From the perspective of many non-expansionist, the Age of Discovery marked the arrival of invaders from previously unknown continents. It also allowed for the expansion of Christianity throughout the world, with the spread of missionary activity, it eventually became one of the world's largest religions. The Ecclesiastical State of Dover, home to the Celestian Catholic Church and a proud people based on alpine-nordic traditions and values, was one of these expansionst states; So full of ambition and greed like her counterparts, the Church state discovered an interesting land to be a prime, lucrative and potential colony just off the eastern Ardian coast. Pope Paul V saw no other choice than to simply order an expedition to be assembled; The year was 1620 and the Ecclesiastical conquest of present day Quintelia had begun...

This is where Bishop Miguel García Serrano, O.S.A. , main leader of the Ecclesiastical expedition came into play; sailing in one of the great caravals he was accompanied by numerous amounts of clergymen, scientists as well as the San Marco Force, which is the Marine Corps branch of the Ecclesiastical Army of Christ and was just founded 83 years ago prior to the events taking place. These heart sailors knew what they were doing, after all Norman seamanship goes way back to their ancestral viking roots so the land crabs onboard could be reassured about their safety. In any case, Bishop Serrano had ordered to sail as fast as possible lest the pagan Ardians would've claimed the booty so to speak...that couldn't happen and it would have been an embarrasment. His mission from the Pope was very clear, spread the word of christ and gather as many naturalsamples as possible for the Ecclesiastical sciences, no matter the cost and the Bishop truly understood what was at stake here; It was obvious that fanatical, pagan natives would wait for the beach for them so he already told the Marine commander to ready his men with full gear on and guns in hand, there was no opportunity to make mistakes at such a level and thus one couldn't take chances.

PATER NOSTER, qui es in caelis, sanctificetur nomen tuum. Adveniat regnum tuum. Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caelo et in terra. Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie, et dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Et ne nos inducas in tentationem, sed libera nos a malo.

AVE MARIA, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc, et in hora mortis nostrae

GLORIA PATRI, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto. Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

He prayed 1x Lord's Prayer, 1x Hail Mary and 1x Glory Be as the sailors were exclaiming witnessing land as the ships were closing in; he had previously celebrated onboard his own caraval the last mass before disembarkation. He hoped that the Lord, the Virgin and all other saints would heed to his request for divine protection against all evils; it was only a moment's notice before touching ground on this pagan land.