Atlantean Conclave
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
The Atlantean Conclave
A secret society that pre-dates any current culture on Primal Earth (Paragon City's Universe), the Atlantean Conclave came to this world over 7,000 years ago. Originally the Conclave is from an alternate universe (dubbed as Atlas Earth) where a cataclysmic civil war threaten to tear the fabric of the reality apart. Rather than fight and destroy their world, the Conclave feld through dimensional portals, ultimately coming to Primal Earth during the Neolithic period.
Rise and Fall of Atlantis
The Conclave can trace its founding to 22,852 BC on Atlas Earth. In this alternate reality the last ice age ended earlier which resulted in human culture to develop faster. Growth of the people of Atlas, named for the first ruler of the Conclave, was further aided by the strong natural energy of the world itself. Nearly every citizen of Atlas had some degree of psionic power which tied them together as a society and greatly increased their understanding of the universe. By 19,000 BC Atlanteans had become immune to all known diseases and their lifespans began to reach 400 to 500 years. Society entered into a golden age of discovery, a utopia of peace and understanding.
There is no record of the first but during 15,500 - 15,300 BC Atlantean culture saw the evolution of the Sentinel. While even the most modest Atlantean had abilities that were far beyond of an average Primal human, the Sentinels had powers that dwarfed Atlanteans. It was these early Sentinels, with their immense powers, that opened the first portals to other realities. Realizing the potential threat that other worlds could present, the Conclave organized the Sentinels into a milita force to protect Atlas Earth.
Over the next few thousand years the Conclave sent Sentinels through the portals to explore the other realities and in the hope of making peaceful contact. However after many years the Sentinels only found empty worlds and nomadic humans still in the stone age. The Conclave was disheartened by the thought they were only advanced culture in multiverse but decided not to interfere with the evolution of the other worlds. The Council of Sentinels, who over the millennia had built their own culture within the Conclave, saw things differently.
Many of the Sentinels began to see the multiverse as a primative and unevolved place, a place where they were the epitome of evolution. In a quiet revolution the Sentinels grew outspoken about their beliefs of superiority, challenging the Conclave Elders on their policy of not interfering with the evolving worlds. Fearful of the power that the Sentinels possessed, the Conclave moved to limit the Council of Sentinels political power and their ability to travel through portals. By 8,250 BC the tension had brought the two political bodies to a cold-war stance.
Conflict erupted when the Conclave attempted to limit the number of active Sentinels in the milita in 8,122 BC. Sentinels, although outnumbered by regular Atlanteans 50 to 1, struck hard at the Conclave and ursuped the Conclave Elders from the capital city of Avalonia in a short seven months of battle. The Conclave negotiated a cease-fire with the Sentinels but the wounds of civil war would never heal. Over the years sporadic conflicts kept the fires distrust burning, keeping both sides from uniting in a common cause. It was during this time that a small group of Sentinels grew tired of the conflict and lost faith in the Council. They defected to the Conclave, renaming themselves Guardians they swore to protect the Conclave with their lives.
The defection was not without a cost. When the Council of Sentinels learned of it they launched a major assault on the last of Conclave cities. For over a year the battle tore the landscape of the world apart and even began to break the dimension bonds of the reality. Fearing the absolute destruction of the world the Conclave Elders and the Guardians opened a massive portal to another world. Once the last of the exiled Atlanteans pasted through the portal, the Elders and most of the Guardians followed leaving seven of their strongest behind to hold the portal open. These seven Guardians made good on their pledge to the Conclave, sealing the portal before the Sentinels could follow. Their sacrifice ensured the survival of the Atlantean people.
Once on Primal Earth, the Atlanteans blended into human society hiding their true origins and powers, fearful a similar fate for this new world as their old one. Never-the-less, stories did start telling of a mythical place called Atlantis and a cataclysm that destroyed it. The Conclave decided not to stop the stories as they did not come closes enough to the truth to threaten the Atlanteans. This was the first of many myths and fictions that the Atlanteans used to misdirect humans from the truth.
The First Age of Heroes
Many years after their arrival on Primal Earth, Atlaneans realized there was a similar energy to the world as there was on their homeworld. Over time these energies gave rise to Primal Earth's first Age of Heroes. Super-powered beings, much like the Guardians and Sentinels, began to rise up for both good and evil.
