Editing Gearknight Lore (section)

== History ==


=== On E24-3865B ===

Gear Knights hail from a world that is mostly artificial, appearing to have been crafted in layers over the original world's surface.<ref name=Interactions/> Mana flows are surprisingly strong, but markedly different in nature when compared to Auberean.<ref name=Interactions/> When the [[Yalaini]] originally made contact with the Gear Knights, they assumed the metal beings were some type of golem, but this was corrected and the Yalaini research team was told that the Gear Knights were the predominant race of the world.<ref name=Interactions/> 

Aetherium was found in large amounts on the homeworld of the [[Gear Knight]]s and held responsible for the large mana flows on their world. <ref name=Interactions/> When the Empyrean researchers opened a portal to this world, they discovered these characteristics, and samples of Aetherium were acquired and sent to the [[Collegium Occultus]] for further study. Their studies in creating spells to track the materials interaction with their world's Mana Flows have actually identified a few sparse deposits of Aetherium on [[Auberean]], apparently from falling comets colliding with this world. <ref name=Interactions/>

=== On Dereth ===
The [[Yalaini]] ambassadorial team made arrangements for an embassy of Gear Knights, including important members of all of the Houses, to come meet with the Emperor and several other important dignitaries. The Gold Gear House sent a Primus to join their embassy. <ref name=Interactions/><ref name=ReclamationRollout>2009/08 [[Reclamation]] - [[Announcements - 2009/08 - Reclamation#Rollout Article|Rollout Article]]</ref>

After the [[Olthoi]] invasion and Asheron's collapsing the Portal Network, the [[Yalaini]] did not get the Gear Knight Embassy to their Portal before the network was collapsed and they were trapped on [[Auberean]]. Though the Gearknights proved formidable while defending against the Olthoi, after time, the Gear Knights were running low on Aetherium. The Empyrean survivors opened a portal to [[Dereth]] for them, in the hope the Gear Knights could find enough [[Aetherium]] on the island to keep them working. The Empyreans taught those that didn't know the spell for detecting Aetherium how to do so, and the Copper Cog members of the embassy also have the ability to detect it over a limited range. <ref name=Interactions/>

During the [[Portal Year Era]], the [[Apostate Virindi]] discovered the use of [[Aetherium]] <ref name=ApostateExcavation>2009/08 [[Reclamation]] - [[Apostate Excavation Master's Orders]]</ref>> <ref>2009/05 [[Secrets of the Apostates]] [[Announcements - 2009/05 - Secrets of the Apostates#Rollout Article|Rollout Article]]</ref> Preliminary investigations also revealed that the artifacts <ref>2009/08 [[Reclamation]] [[Announcements - 2009/08 - Reclamation#Teaser|Teaser]] </ref> at the site containing Aetherium were remnants of a long-thought-vanished race of mechanical entities from an unknown world. The Virindi believed that, if these entities could be reproduced or reconstructed, they would make superior servitors and guardians. These subverted [[Gear Knight]]s were seen as a possibility to replace the [[Renegade Tumeroks and Lugians]], since the Renegades were deemed as "too unreliable". <ref name=ApostateExcavation/> To this goal, they constructed a beacon to lure a delegation of [[Gear Knight]].<ref name=CogsTeaser>2009/09 [[Cogs in the Machine]] - [[Announcements - 2009/09 - Cogs in the Machine#Teaser|Teaser]]</ref> Also the Isparians and Asheron heard about the discoveries<ref name=ReclamationRollout/>. One of their researchers, [[Nurino]], studied mechanical parts found in the cave where desperados threatening Baishi and Lin were holed up, that could be a portion of some ancient form of Golem<ref>2009/09 [[Cogs in the Machine]] - [[Gear Knight Parts#Lore & Dialog]]</ref> One of the experienced Isparian explorers was sent to research the rumors, and if possible, establish a first contact. This contact however, did not end too fortunate for the young explorer.<ref name=CogsRollout>2009/09 [[Cogs in the Machine]] - [[Announcements - 2009/09 - Cogs in the Machine#Rollout Article|Rollout Article]]</ref>

The plans of the Apostates succeeded, and the newly arrived Gear Knights established footholds both in the [[A'mun Desert]] and the [[Direlands]], not too far from [[Fort Tethana]], the [[Direlands Gear Knight Invasion Area]]. It was the Primus of the Iron Blade who initiated this invasion, thinking to have located what he deemed the "Empyrean Betrayers", who lured their predecessors into a trap on their world.<ref name=GearsTeaser>2009/10 [[Gears of Change]] - [[Announcements - 2009/10 - Gears of Change#Teaser]]</ref> His suspicions were confirmed because the first delegation of Gear Knights did not return.<ref name=CogsRollout/><ref name=GearsTeaser/>
Because of the scarcity of [[Aetherium]] in Dereth, the Gear Knights erected large walls to direct the mana flows. <ref>2010/08 [[Quiet Before the Storm]] - [[Announcements - 2010/08 - Quiet Before the Storm#Teaser|Teaser]]</ref>

The opposition the Virindi met by the first force of [[Gear Knight]]s newly arriving in Dereth was too much and their first facility was destroyed.<ref>2009/09 [[Cogs in the Machine]] - [[Gear Knight Arrival#Lore & Dialog]]</ref> The [[Apostate Virindi]] crafted [[Simulacra]] and used them to assault newly arriving Gear Knights, in an attempt to deceive the Gear Knights into thinking Isparians were responsible for the actions of the Apostates.<ref name=CogsTeaser>2009/09 [[Cogs in the Machine]] - [[Announcements - 2009/09 - Cogs in the Machine#Teaser|Teaser]]</ref><ref>2009/09 [[Cogs in the Machine]] - [[Unleash the Gearknights]]</ref><ref name=AtamarrTasks>2010/03 [[Lay of the Land]] - [[Atamarr Tasks#Lore & Dialog]]</ref> <ref name=Celebration>2010/05 [[Celebration]] - [[Announcements - 2010/05 - Celebration#Rollout Article|Rollout Article]]</ref>

The Gear Knights on Dereth are cut off from their homeworld by the Iron Blade Primus.<ref name=Letterfromhome>2010/06 [[Shifting Gears]] - [[Letter From Home (Gear Knight)]]</ref>

In the mean time, just after the Invasion started, [[Master Craftsman Takahume]] of the [[Arcanum]] started excavations on the base of research on the notes, artifacts, and signs tracking the passage of the Gear Knights once they had arrived in Dereth. He did this in the hope to find the lost Embassy and the Gold Gear Primus, originally send to [[Auberean]]. By turning the Gear Knights into allies or at least redirecting them against their actual enemies, the Apostates, the Isparians would be in a much better situation. <ref name=ReforgingRollout>2010/01 [[Reforging the Past]] - [[Announcements - 2010/01 - Reforging the Past#Rollout Article|Rollout Article]]</ref> He discovered the [[Gold Gear]] Primus in some ruins in the [[Olthoi North]], when the Olthoi threatened to overrun the site and a Bronze Gear Knight woke up.<ref name=ReforgingRollout/> and started collecting Gear Parts and Aetherium to reactivate him.<ref name=WinterRollout/><ref name=GearKnightConstruction/> 

After the Primus, [[Atamarr]], was reactivated, one of his first activities was to try to re-establish connections. He also tried to contact fellow-Gear Knights in the Direlands Invasion Area, to convince them that not the Isparians were to blame, and not to trust any information given by the Iron Blade Primus.<ref name=AtamarrTasks/>

On Dereth, those Gear Knights which are allied with the peoples of Dereth come from the schism between the Gold Gear Primus, [[Atamarr]], and the Iron Blade invasion forces which seek to wipe out both the 'renegades' and the Isparians on Dereth. Their previous House ties behind them, and with the blessings and support of Atamarr, the new Gear Knights of Dereth have been given the freedom to build for themselves a new beginning.<ref name=CharCreation/><ref name=Letterfromhome/>

=== Rulers ===

The Gear Knights usually operate in large Houses, which are organized somewhere between a feudal society and a standing army. Each House is led by a Primus, and has a portion of the society for which they are responsible.<ref name=CharCreation/>