Crimean Goths

*“The written account speaks for itself. The bishops who met Suri—Modestus, Sixtus, and Pius—were brought to Crimea to erase an evil god known to them as ‘Baphomet’ from the Crimean Goths.” ―Renaud de Vichiers to Sir Egbert, Order of Yaktosh - Chapter 5*

Sometimes referred to as 'Gothia,' Gothic Crimea refers to a period in history when the Crimean peninsula was colonized by migrant Goths from Europe. Gothic Crimea plays a key role throughout the Shrouded Piety series, especially in Order of Yaktosh where its protagonist, Suri Yaktosh, originates from. Despite being a frequently brought up nation, Gothic Crimea only makes a physical appearance in the Prologue and Chapter 1 of Order of Yaktosh as it centers around Suri and the immediate tragedy leading to her exiling down a well. Some of the Siontix Realm's biggest creative liberties are taken with the presentation of Gothic Crimea, namely in terms of its government, religion, and population count.

## History

### Pre-Migration

The Goths are presumed to originate from Central Europe as a Germanic people. It is during this time that the Baphometic faith would have formed. It is unknown whether the immortal healer and orator of the Goths, Suri, had come to exist by this point, as she herself has no recollection of living away from the Crimea. This period would have likely seen the rise of animosity towards Roman culture, who would be seen as a constant threat.

### Migration Period

Some time during the rise of Christianity, the Goths of this particular tribe would make the ambitious decision to pack up their society and migrate eastward. Most impractical items and those considered non-essential would be left behind in Europe, as only the most essential of things would be carried with the migration. Suri's role as an orator became especially vital during these years, as the need to teach the new generation the history of the Goths and its faith was of great necessity due to their loss of records with the move; Suri, during this time, essentially doubled as a significant member of the Baphometic clergy due to the need to preserve its canon by memory. This period of migration led directly to the Goths settling in the distant Crimean region, colonizing it and removing any local resistance either through assimilation or force where needed.

### The Crimea

The Goths made the Crimea and much of its surrounding regions their new official home, thus beginning their new identity as Crimean Goths. It was in Crimea where new traditions and monuments were made, as well as a new rivalry with the powerful Huns. The village of Yaktovus became a significant settlement during this time and acted as a coastal capital for the Goths' government, as well as Suri. Although the Baphometic faith would survive the migration intact and resume its teachings in Crimea, an unexpected import of Christian theology would make its way into the nation and gradually create religious division. By the 3rd century CE, most Crimean Goths had converted to Christianity, with only a handful still worshipping the old Baphometic faith, and an even smaller number of Goths choosing to believe in both systems—called 'half-converts.'

## Historical Account

The historical Crimean Goths, while suspected of being a group of migrated Germanic Goths, existed in the Crimea with far greater people than depicted in Shrouded Piety. The village of Yaktovus is fictional and exists merely as a complex path to giving Suri her eventual surname of 'Yaktosh.' While the rivalry between the Goths and Huns likely did lead to occasional raids and skirmishes, the conflict between them likely existed in much larger scale than is depicted in Chapter 1.

Most significantly, Baphometism is a fictional system of belief, as is the notion that the Crimean Goths had any connection to Baphomet. While the deity, Baphomet, has a place in history, its role and prevalence in the world of Shrouded Piety is significantly inflated. While the historical religion of the Crimean Goths is debatable, what is known is that they practiced Christianity to some capacity and may have at one time worshipped a system from Europe, but this much is not known for a fact.