Sixteenth Age

The **Sixteenth Age** was a time period in Jerde's ancient history, and perhaps the first when its peoples achieved a more "modern" level of technology.

## Terminology

The "Sixteenth Age" was the Gauvajut name for the era, which was said to end with the establishment of the Sarmelonid Empire. Elsewhere, it was known as the **Chakravartin Era** in the Tuksharan Empire; the **Smindar Era** among the Norse peoples; the **Age of Jarilo**, **Age of Svarog**, and **Age of Zhalotok** among the Darroskei; and the **Age of Herimann** among the Ardeschens.

## History

The Sixteenth Age was when the Tuksharan Empire began its eastward march to conquer the continents of Freyrgrad, Vachelon, Palkyras, Randros, and Rifandi. Flying cities and fortresses darkened the skies as they rained torpedoes and swarms of fighters to subjugate those lands -- until the natives built their own machines to repel those invaders. The Tuksharans tried to conquer the continent of Darros to the west, but the four kingdoms of Darros, Vystrane, Knjezvaria, and Tir defeated the aged space fleets with their superior firepower.

While the Gauvajut Empire and Redjetesh battled the spice-hungry fleets of the Ardeschen Empire, the Nordic kingdoms of Thermir and Var used their gunpowder and slug-powered airships and vehicles to defeat the Tuksharans' flying fortresses. Ardesch's attempts to seize gunpowder and spices became known as the "Gunpowder Wars", but the Gauvajuts and Yawandians prevented its legions from destroying and enslaving the continent of Rifandi.

In the western hemisphere, the great Kingdom of Darros was dominated by a communist regime that executed its emperor and his council of high volkhovs (priests), before many temples were demolished and rebuilt as fortresses. Weakened by the defeat of its fleets, another communist government was set up in eastern Tukshara. Both of these regimes began supplying guerillas in various parts of the world as they sought to spread their communistic beliefs throughout all of Jerde in their campaign of "global liberation" (or domination). It became a golden chance for Zarijana to send missionaries and emissaries to dozens of alarmed nations and promote its alternative to Darroskei communism and its authoritarian models: Mazdajasni, and the worship of its one God.

One of those victors, Ardesch, built its own empire as it set up colonies on Rifandi and Palkyras in search for any lost technology and more resources. When it collapsed into a civil war, it was reunited under a dictator known as "the Director": the Director sought to gain allies among those startled by the rise of communistic regimes in parts of the world, and then build a new empire of his own to rival and take over Zarijana. After two later Directors after him, their regime was overthrown and replaced with Red Ardesch, which continued the mission of spreading socialistic beliefs by education or by force.

The very presence of a new communist regime (and so close to a role model such as Zarijana) shocked the world, causing some nations to become into dictatorships to protect themselves from a possible invasion by either the communist realms or Zarijana. Even then, as Red Ardesch grew powerful, it split off from its allies of Red Darros and East Tukshara for the sake of taking revenge against bigotry, from warring against Zarijana to besieging the Lothareschen successors of the Directorists and bombarding their allies at western Darros.

Among those realms that became dictatorships to answer the looming threats of Tukshara or the Reds were Marnoxai, Rannar, and the Gauvajut Empire.

### World Wars

Six global wars ruined the world during that age:

* The Tuksharan Conquests - World War I
* The Ardeschi War or the Directorist War - World War II (some also use them together as a single campaign by a succession of evil empires)
* The Thawstrife, The Terran Invasion = World War III
* The Decaying Peace - World War IV
* The Kleshan War - World War V
* The Reorganisation War - World War VI, the greatest and most destructive of all six or seven wars.

In later times, the Red Ardeschi war against the rest of Jerde was regarded as a separate war from the continuous Empire-Directorist War as World War III. So the later wars were known as IV, V, VI, and VII.

### World War III

A regular aberration in Jerde's orbit caused an ice age that lasted for centuries, causing the polar regions to be buried in ice. Millions were killed by blizzards and starvation, while the survivors either migrated south or built cities under the glaciers ruled by corporations.

Rannar's attempts to rebuild its empire led to World War III, when the Unifiers and Red Front attempted to rule the world. In their desperation, many leaders summoned the Terrans, human warriors from dystopian dimensions, to exterminate the world.

The destruction unleashed by the Terrans, and the erratic fanaticism from the Terrans' cults, led to fears of the Terrans possibly displacing and exterminating the locals, so some of the survivors formed the Denlotia and relied on the Human Sanctification Project's serum to protect themselves from being dominated by the otherworldly threat, whether by the Terran's dysfunctional authority or by mental corruption.

The Iozaean Empire, located south of Daizhou, was one of the countries that remained unconquered from Terran rule, albeit at the tragic cost of many lives and the loss of its former empire. Its former enemies later reconciled and supported Iozae as a fellow defender.

### End of the Sixteenth Age

The Sixteenth Age ended after 10,010 years, at midnight on September 1. To celebrate, the Vozonids burned effigies of tyrants and lit fireworks all over the country to send its goddess to Heaven. Parades were held to usher in the start of a new era. Among the first to join in the celebrations were Rubaschrand and the Kekhaulid nations of the far south, who were independent from Vozonid rule, wishing with the Vozonids an end to the dark times of the Sixteenth Age.

The Sarmelonid Empire, or the Fourth Vozonid Empire, began 2,958 years after the end of the Sixteenth Age (12,978 16A), and ended 7,510 years after the end of the Sixteenth Age (20,488 16A)

## Nations

### Ardeschen Wars

* Holy Gauvajut Empire
* Rannar
* Ardeschen Empire
* Directorist Ardesch
* Red Ardesch
* Slavonian Brotherhood
* Zarijana
* Black Ardesch
* Eastern Enclaves
* Marnoxai
* Redjetesh
* Vachelon
* Olande
* Vystrane
* Knjezvaria
* Iozaean Empire

### World War III

* First Vozonid Empire
* Little Gauvajut Empire
* Minastan
* Tulon
* Kavaria
* Palguenia
* Ardesch
* Rannarisk Empire
* Tebwe
* Rubaschrand
* Iozaean Empire
* Knjezvaria
* Vystrane

### Reorganisation War

* Post-Rannarisk nations
* Heronoja
* Hvindari Imperium
* First Vozonid Empire
* Six Empires
* Iozaean Empire

## Divisions of the world

During the Sixteenth Age, Jerde's countries were divided and regrouped under political alignments:

* Reds/Dark Reds - Red Darros, East Tukshara, Klesha, and similar communist regimes. Emblem: three sickles, three rifles, or seven-pointed star.
	+ These realms believed that strict adherence to communism will push humanity into progress and utopia, no matter how many lives ("traitors") would be expended to achieve their goal. Therefore, they believed that communism must be spread by military invasion or sponsoring guerillas and satellite regimes.
	+ They utilised authoritarian governments to force their people into progress. As a result, their technology was the third most advanced in the Sixteenth Age. However, East Tukshara dismantled its space fleet to focus on spreading communism on Jerde rather than establishing and waging war on space colonies.
	+ Red Darros and East Tukshara later divulged from each other's beliefs. East Tukshara's government attempted to conquer and impose communism upon the realms of Laron, while Red Darros only focused on advancing its own peoples. East Tukshara intended to create a world regime guided by intellectuals, by developing its communist party into an intellectual aristocracy; while Red Darros planned to develop its autocratic regime into a "withered state" of communes after the world would have converted to communism.
* Spectras/Light Reds - Red Ardesch and its allies and subjects. Emblem: dragon or rainbow firing arrows.
	+ These realms preferred Red Ardesch's teachings over the Reds', as they considered those ways to be freer. These were also persuaded by emissaries and guerillas sent from Red Ardesch to adopt its "liberation" policies for their minorities. In return they received financial aid to develop their poorer economies, but over time the government of Red Ardesch pressured them to become vassals to its rule.
	+ Like their role models, Red Darros and East Tukshara, they started off with authoritarian governments as imitations. However, Red Ardesch became more fanatical and warlike, while many of its allies became less restrictive and dictatorial. The two communist Red powers also denounced the Spectras for "deviating" away from their doctrines.
	+ Many of these Spectras have higher protections for non-heterosexuals, who were otherwise purged, punished, imprisoned, exiled, forcibly "cured", or killed for their traits: in Red Ardesch, they were not only protected, but also treated at a higher level, celebrated, and even treated with more social privileges. The very blatant promotion of "deviants". was one of the reasons why the Spectras were hated or disliked by some of the other nations of the world, such as Zarijana.
		- Its leading nation of Red Ardesch became more notorious and despised due to its revenge attacks in some eastern provinces. An Ardeschi film about a fictional regime that punishes heterosexuals (known simply as "Consider This") led to international condemnation, and some countries declared war on Red Ardesch because they considered that film as a result of what happens if Red Ardesch conquers the world. In their association of anything "deviants". with Red Ardesch, they also produced and imported mind-conditioning drugs out of fear.
		- As more and more people learned about the war crimes committed by the Ardeschi military, more non-heterosexual groups emerged to fight back against Red Ardesch's war against the world.
	+ During its war against Zarijana and the Slavonian Brotherhood, Red Ardesch developed its technology to the extent that it was the most advanced on all of Jerde. Under several later dictators, Red Ardesch made its people more docile and cybernetic using implants and microchips embedded into their bodies, causing some of its allies to split away and form their own Spectra Bloc.
		- The Eastern Enclaves, which joined the Spectras, also utilised advanced technology, but also unsuccessfully tried to make peace between the Spectras and the Gauvajut Empire. Even though it also tried to spread socialism, it preferred more peaceful methods such as with books or through teachers.
		- Aside from vigilantes and militias raiding the eastern Gauvajut border, its refusal to attack or threaten other countries made it a more welcome alternative to Red Ardesch, leading to poorer relations between the two Spectra states.
* Yellows - Zarijana, the Slavonian Brotherhood, and their allies. Emblem: winged sun or Loop of Svarog.
	+ These realms have either converted to the monotheistic religion of Mazdajasna, or have turned to Zarijana for its protection from communist attacks. Zarijana funded them as proxies and buffer states, and to spread the Mazdajasni religion to other parts of the planet through missionaries, crusades, or repressive regimes.
	+ Under the priest Kartir, Zarijana became more repressive, attempting to kill off dissenters, non-believers, and suspected "deviants".
	+ Some of those realms were instead allies of the Slavonian Brotherhood that sought its protection, or have switched to the SB to avoid Zarijana's fanaticism. The Slavonian Brotherhood was conservative for the most part, but it was also willing to utilise advanced technology and gender equality to quickly adapt and defend itself from invasion.
* Purples - the Gauvajut Empire and its allies. Emblem: lightning bolt or Tarhunz crushing a dragon.
	+ In response to the growing threats of Rannar and Ardesch, the Gauvajut Empire set up its own coalition with its allies of Redjetesh and Vachelon. Several countries in western Rifandi also joined Kawwajutas' alliance to thank it for protecting them from Ardesch's invasions; and so did Pelarin, Green Ardesch, and Black Ardesch after they seceded from Red Ardesch to be protected by the Purples' armies.
	+ Although the Gauvajut Empire is a strong ally of Zarijana, it disagreed with Zarijana's strict implementation of Mazdajasna and its torture of dissidents. However, its attempts to implement the Human Sanctification Project and its treatment of *its own* dissidents soured relations with the other blocs and its allies, as it threatened to reduce humans into obedient drones in spite of greatly improving their physical health.
	+ Other allies include Nolewon and Skanas, which were located to the east and west of Rannar.
* Blues - neutral countries. Emblems: six stars or atom of six electrons in three orbits.
	+ Many of these countries formed their own alliance to protect themselves from being invaded by the other blocs.
	+ Without much of its fleets, and with its colonies declaring independence, West Tukshara stood as an island surrounded by communist enemies. Although it wanted to join the Blue League, many of its members refused to accept West Tukshara as a member as they were angry with its imperialistic past, but they helped defend it from being conquered by communist armies.
	+ The Blues tried to convince the other blocs to cooperate instead of continue fighting. Many of them also protected and housed non-heterosexuals and runaway slaves and clones, viewing them with pity.
	+ The Blues also enjoyed a technological boom, as they were aided by scientists that fled from the other powers.
	+ Roxerai
	+ Rubaschrand, a nation founded by exiles from the Ardeschen Empire, is one of the strongest members of the Blue Alliance, and a counterbalance to the dominance of the Gauvajut Empire. To the north of them are the descendants of the Prumthesankhe, the Kingdoms of Kislaent and Klutnas, who used Rubaschandir supplies to fortify themselves against Gauvajut dominance.
	+ The ancient civilisations of Knjezvaria and Vystrane refused to accept the rule of Red Darros, together with a number of smaller nations to the northeast.
	+ To the south, Tir and the Goturean nations also became Blue nations to resist Red Darros.
* White-Greens/Nolarists - fascist countries such as Rannar, Marnoxai, Maardau, Lotharesch, and Directorist Ardesch, their allies, and their vassals. Emblems: wolf's jaw, firebird fork, or meteor.
	+ Although Rannar insisted in being the leader of these regimes, the other three chose to remain independent. Under its fascist government, its Emperor claimed himself to be the "Overjarl and Defender of all Mannurlings", but most Mannurlings in the world rejected his rule.
	+ The most "free" of these regimes (in terms of civil liberties and rights) was Marnoxai, who only joined Rannar to refuse repeated invitations and threats by the Reds, Spectras, and Yellows. For this, Rannar sent armies and terrorists to invade and annex Marnoxai, but most of these attempts were repelled.
		- During the Sixteenth Age, Marnoxai ruled more land than its modern descendant of Marnos, stretching all the way eastward to present-day Uvjora and Heronoja.
		- There was a growing movement in Marnoxai for its leaders to switch to the Blues and become neutral, to avoid attracting enemies and attacks for its alignment. They also helped a coup overthrow the fascists and set up a republican government, and defended the country from a Rannarisk invasion.
	+ Maardau was a dictatorship set up by a cult in Ardesch that preferred wildness over the coercion of "civilised" life in the Ardeschen Empire. There, ritual murders and human sacrifices were frequent, and its killings of "deviants". for its gods angered the Red Ardeschi government into waging war against Maardau and exterminating its people.
	+ Lotharesch was a dictatorship set up by the remaining supporters of the Directors, who set up their leader as the Fourth Director. Although it also claimed to be the leader of a proposed alliance with the two realms, Marnoxai and Rannar refused to obey its commands either. It also enacted mass executions of hundreds of suspected dissenters, "race traitors", and "deviants"., before attempting war against Zarijana to finish the mission of the Ardeschen Empire.
	+ Some Rifandian nations joined the Green-Whites, as they believed that their seemingly-efficient methods could make them progress faster.
	+ Zyruson at present-day Dazara (west of Vachelon/Vilon and south of Freyrgard/Daleskarnia).

* White Faction/Silks/White-Golds - the eastern nations of Laron: Emblem: lotus flower.
	+ Many of them formed their own alliance to shield themselves from East Tukshara's threats.
	+ Their usage of "White Faction" as a term for their alliance led to poor relations between them and Rannar. Rannar used "Whites" for its own people and race, and considered it offensive for foreigners to use it as their political term.
	+ The Iozaean Empire and Daizhou were the biggest and strongest members of this alliance, becoming the two capitals.
* Tapatahi Alliance - the island nations of the Mamaovian Ocean.
	+ Threatened by the empires of Esami and the repressive policies of the Reds' member states, the kingdom of Hiriwa and several neighbouring nations created an alliance to protect themselves. These nations focused on democracy, tradition, social welfare (ensuring a better, modern life for all members in their countries), and independence (no domination by other countries).
	+ The peoples of this alliance used traditional clothes in all settings, even in business settings in other countries. In cold weather, they wore coats.
* Golds - Freyrgard and its allies. Emblem: two axes crossed.
	+ Many of them formed their own alliance to shield themselves from East Tukshara.
	+ Freyrgard was one of several nations that still had access to space travel, aside from its allies at eastern Laron, Qogandra, Yawanda, Rannar, and East Tukshara.
* Greens/Green-Blacks - Yawanda and its allies (at southern Rifandi). Emblem: lion with a spear.
	+ Many of them formed their own alliance to shield themselves from Red Ardesch and Zarijana. They were also joined by revolutionaries and activists in various countries who advocated for civil rights for oppressed Rifandians and other minorities.
	+ Many of them were supported by technology that the Yawandi seized from the defeated aliens of the Eighth Age. They became the fourth most technologically-advanced bloc in the Sixteenth Age.
	+ One kingdom, Olande, tried to be like Rannar in claiming to be the leader of all Rifandians, but as they defeated his attempts to annex them, most of the Rifandians rejected his authority.
* Utopianists/Black-Golds - Utopianist cultists. Emblem: three stalks.
	+ The Utopianists were a cult from southwestern Zarijana that sought to rule the entire planet with esoteric teachings and extermination of all unbelievers.
* Greys - Greyfolk remnants. Emblem: ghost.
	+ These countries were the last remnants of Greyfolk, a pale race of hominids. Their wars against humanity have reduced their numbers, forcing them to be secluded into certain parts of the world.
	+ Most Grey countries have gradually adopted their neighbours' technologies and reforms, although they remained isolated from the rest of the world. One Greyfolk country, Qogandra, established good relations with explorers and traders from the Makhagurnashi extraterrestrials to be protected from invasion, allowing them to use advanced technology to defend themselves or launch revenge attacks against human countries.

## Medicine

Since the Quack Revolution in 1818 16A and the technological advancement of Red Darros, the world practiced three medical standards:

* Kleshinnje, later Hjalmarin - the standard used throughout the world, derived from a mixture of Ecumene, Freyrgardian, and Tuksharan medical technology and science. The most stable of the three standards.
* Kercholen - founded in 1818 16A, this system of "alternate medicines" was a collection of chemicals, substances, and treatments from improvised sources outside laboratories and outside international standards. Adopted by some countries on Jerde, it was less successful than the International Standard, as it also led to many complications and deaths: nonetheless, these lethal mishaps aided the study and development of artificial mutation.
* Krasnoi - founded in 1931 16A, this system was largely shaped by the technology of communist Red Darros and Red Tukshara, which became more advanced than the rest of the world. The most successful and fastest of the three standards. Occasionally Hjalmarin medical treatments were influenced by Krasnoi practices, which became used by the Reds' leaders to justify their attempts to take over the planet.

It was largely Krasnoi technology that provided several ingredients and basic processes -- the groundwork -- for the Great Uplifting, a worldwide mutation that vastly improved human health, eliminated diseases, and extended human life.

## Religion

Polytheism was also widespread throughout the planet, although rising atheist movements existed in parts of the world. Some of the more fanatical atheistic movements became empires, such as the Reds and Red Ardesch, which sought to eliminate religion altogether to force humanity into progress.

Human sacrifice was gradually abolished in earlier ages. As more and more people sought technological advancement and adopted some ethics and philosophy, they began to reject human sacrifice as a waste. As animals were phased out and replaced by machines, some countries also left out animal sacrifices as well.

### Categories of religions

* "Natural religions" or "ancestral religions", the first category of religion in the world, consisted of religions and gods that are part of the traditional culture of their respective people, such as the Gauvajuts (Tarhunz), the Nordics (Odin), the Redjeteshen (Ra), and the Ardeschens (the sun gods).
* "Ethical philosophies" included Buddhism, Sandharmism (Hinduism), Mazdajasna, Trismegism, Ruism, and certain variants and philosophies in pagan religions of other countries. Due to their focus on philosophies rather than towards a specific pantheon, these are known as "philosophic religions", contrasting against "natural/ancestral religions".
* Some religions are placed in a separate category because they included gods from different pantheons but behaved like "natural religions", so these are known as "syncretic religions".
	+ For example, the Nordic religion of Rannar is a "natural religion" because it is fixed to a specific pantheon; Buddhism and Ruism are "philosophic religions" because they focused on a philosophy rather than worshipping gods in a pantheon; and the Vachelonian religion was a "syncretic religion" for including others' gods into its pantheon.
* Separate from these three categories are:
	+ monotheists (such as Mazdajasna and the Kikorins, people who worship only one God),
		- Due to the actions of the Zarijanian government, some countries had outlawed monotheism. The invasions of the Fifty-Six sealed global attitudes against monotheism, seeing all monotheists as hateful and warlike.
		- Exceptions included Trismegians, some Hindus, Zarijanians, and some sects of existing religions. These were not persecuted, but fully-accepted as fellow-brethren of the Denlotian alliance. To differentiate them from the hostile, monotheistic religions of the Fifty-Six, these were known as "unitheists".
	+ atheists (people who do not worship or believe in any religion at all),
		- Red Ardesch's persecution of religious people led to a worldwide hostility against atheism. The invasions of the Fifty-Six sealed global attitudes to downright hostility against atheism in general, seeing all atheists as hateful and warlike.
	+ and cultists. People labelled as "cultists" included:
		- unusual beliefs (like worshipping cartoons and esoteric things, totally avoiding modern technology)
		- heresies and deviations of existing religions (such as claiming that Tarhunz is female)
		- people who practice harmful or disgusting behaviours (such as orgies, cannibalism, worship of demons, and ritual murder)
			* Militant and extreme forms of the polytheist religions of Jerde were later added among the "cultists" due to their hateful, cruel behaviour.

## Religion during World War III and the Denlotian Era (Rabydosverse)

During World War III or (more accurately) World War IV, Jerde was invaded by various armies that were summoned by corrupt, sadistic warlords in their attempts to exterminate their enemies. Those invaders were known as Earthlings or Terrans, by local Jerdiskar records and accounts. Some of the more powerful and notorious of those otherworldly armies had extreme forms of monotheism or atheism, waging war against other civilisations to forcibly and cruelly impose their views upon the miserable Jerdiskar.

Their destructive behaviour caused the other Jerdiskar to view the beliefs of monotheism and atheism with nothing more than fear and hatred, seeing them as nothing more than fanatical, selfish brutality. As a result, many monotheistic beliefs and all forms of atheism were banned in the Denlotia, an alliance of nations formed after the ruin of the Third World War. They also prohibited any form of "religious separatism", responding to any rebellions by religious minorities with harsh suppressions and mass expulsions: mainly because some of the Terran armies were formed by religious rebellions, descending further into cruelty as they went deeper into their faiths.

### Treatment in the Denlotia

Two notorious questions asked by citizens of the Denlotia were:

* "Are you a one or a none?"
* "How many gods do you worship?"

This was a way to screen out possible Terrans and their converts, who were seen as nothing more than hostile terrorists.

Although those who answered those dreadul questions wrongly were either beaten or dragged out of the Denlotia's countries, people who simply blasphemed the Gods and denounced the Denlotia's polytheist religions were simply laughed at and treated as laughingstocks.

There were several acts that led to punitive actions:

* Desecrating or damaging temples and idols
* Persecuting or attacking anyone from the Denlotia for their polytheistic faiths
* Killing or violently harming a Denlotian (not just for worshipping other gods, but for any reason whatsoever)
* Praising and celebrating such acts
* Calling for such acts

People who committed such acts were simply jailed. Those who committed violent attacks over religious matters were simply beaten and tortured, and anyone who causes even one death will be killed on the spot. The same punishments also applied to Denlotians who tortured or murdered atheists or monotheists, for the Denlotia's laws condemned such unnecessary revenge as self-corruption, becoming just like their brutal enemies.

In the Denlotia, monotheists were knowns as "monoi", and were seen as nothing more than murderous, hateful militants who would destroy the world for their one god. The only monotheists who were allowed were from several members of the Denlotia, and they were known as "unitheists".

Atheists fared no better under the Denlotia, as several hostile antitheistic armies became the public stereotype of atheism in general within the Denlotia. To Denlotians, the rejection of all religion would drive a person into paranoia, hating loved ones and the community to force them to "wake up" as atheists and waging war against the nations' diverse cultures in favour of various Terran tyrannies. Because of that fear and propaganda, any Denlotian with doubts about religion usually went to a counsellor, and almost all of them would refuse to become an atheist out of fear that they would become a hateful, militant Terran.

### Destruction of the Denlotia

As a result, almost all monotheists and atheists, especially those who followed the Terran ideologies, turned to the enemies of the Denlotia and were radicalised by them. When the Pandemic of 3900 ruined the world, many of them celebrated the destruction and collapse of the Denlotia, hoping to impose their conflicting, divising systems upon the ruined survivors. Unfortunately for them, the Pandemic also infected them as well, and they joined the Denlotian foes in the grave. Adding salt to the wound, some rebel armies that emerged from the destruction of the Denlotia formed their own cruel cults, caricatured imitations of the monotheist and atheist militants that waged war on Jerde during the Third World War.

After their defeat, the nations that emerged from the Pandemic of 3900 banned monotheism and atheism again, condemning such views as "Terran" and "hostile" as they made polytheism mandatory. Only the preexisting Jerdiskar nations and cultures who practiced monotheism were allowed to keep their beliefs, as they did before the Pandemic.

### Later history

In later times, people started to become less afraid of monotheism and atheism, as they understood that their surviving adherents were more peaceful.

## Trivia

* The world of the Sixteenth Age is best described as an alternate history setting, where pagan/polytheist/ancient civilisations utilise spacefaring technology.
	+ Many of its empires and civilisations were inspired by dictators and extremists in history and modern times.
* Cloning was widespread throughout that world, since the Tuksharan Empire's wars against the other civilisations of the continents. Even though it was used to quickly produce new workers and soldiers, most people on Jerde reproduced through marriage and sex.
	+ Many nations treated clones like their natural citizens (people produced by sex), and allowed them to intermarry and have children with normal humans with little to no ill-effect. In spite of this, the leaders of most nations remained as natural humans. Their people feared that if a clone were to be elected as a leader, that clone leader might not have some restriction in their mind that natural humans were born with. They would accelerate cloning to an extent that it will lead to overpopulation, scarcity, and mass extinction and pollution.
	+ Some instead treat their clones as expendable replacements to fulfill their aims: workers, soldiers, and slaves, instantly produced from a few cells.
	+ Because of the abusive treatment of clones by some countries, Zarijana outlawed cloning as a blasphemy against its God, Ahura Mazda. However, clones that entered Zarijana as refugees were treated as equals, and a few even became Zarijanian generals; but Zarijana also became more defensive as the armies of its enemy Red Ardesch multiplied through intensified cloning.
* Var and Thermir were based on an old idea that the author created in 2016, in which the princesses Ariadne and Bryndhildr write messages to each other about the condition of each other's kingdoms.
	+ Coincidentally, Var is also the name of a Norse goddess of oaths and agreements.
* Ivermectin advocates on the Internet and the anti-vaxxer protests of July 2021 were the inspiration for the three medical standards of the Sixteenth Age world, especially the dangerous Kercholen standard.
* Zhalotok was the name of a false god invented by a Czech translator of Greek myths, and the name represented the Acheron River, where the souls of the dead sail to reach the underworld. On Jerde, Zhalatok is a god of chaos, war, mass murder, and destruction.

## See also

* Sixteen Dancers
* Sixteenth Age timeline
* Post-Gauvajut timeline