Vino

The Vino was a cult that evolved into the deadly Dark Sun. Originally supposed to be a 'Harmless group of poor men and women, wishing help from the gods', they soon became a major player in the First Era's history.

Early days
The Vino was founded in FE 30 and at first consisted of no more than sixty men and women. The founder truly believed in what the cult was, and under his rule it grew and prospered, even the abbot of the nearby abbey joined. In FE 39 the founder, Ildo Caiv died. His son Hon Caiv became the leader. Unlike his father, Hon was a practitioner of the dark arts. He quickly developed a 'inner circle' of the cult who consisted of himself, and a few others. The Vino cult quickly expanded, in FE 42 it had over three hundred members. The Vino had gone down the wrong path and never could come back.

FE 50 - FE 200
In FE 54 the Vino had an aprox seven hundred members. Hon had formed what he called 'the Protectors'. In reality they where mostly ruffians and bandits which he had freed on the condition they served him. A few where loyal cult members who where there to make sure than Hon would no find himself with a dagger in his throat. In late FE 56 a young man name Alkin Joqi joined the cult. Hon had a hunch that Alkin was something other than the poor farmer he said he was. Alkin quickly rose through the ranks before entering the inner circle. Hon's hunch proved right in FE 59 when Alkin stabbed Hon, killing him immediately. Alkin was infact an assassin and mercenary who had been hired to disband the Vino. In a way he managed. But twenty years later the Vino was back. And twice as deadly as before with over a thousand members.

Between FE 74 and FE 150 the Vino contuined to expand. An estimate in FE 147 put its numbers at four thousand. When the Sarkif/Perdoran war broke out in FE 194 the Vino was fast on the uptake. A year after the start of the war five hundred Vino Protectors and Demon Mages set out to deal death to both sides. In reality, the Vino only aided the tribesmen. With the royal army distracted the tribesmen defeated both the Vino and Sarkif. In 199 the leader of the Vino, Sai'Klin ordered a thousand Vino protectors and mages to attack Fafin. The attack proved to be successful and Fafin became the capital of what was to become the Dark Sun.

The Empire of the Dark Sun
In FE 202 the Vino was massive. With an impressive eighteen thousand members, and three and a half thousand protectors, it was larger than many nations. Infact, Gartal I was known to say "The Vino is a nation with out borders", referring to the fact that its members were strewn across the world, some even from as far away as Fellrock.

Shortly after in FE 203 Kal'Irka assassinated Sai'Kin and declared himself ruler of the Empire of the Dark Sun. The imperial palace was built on the ruins of the Fafin Castle, and Fafin made capital. Kal'Irka took the Imperial name of Kal I and was officially throned on the first of August FE 204. He ordered that the entire army of protectors (now renamed 'Dark Army') would attack south Kylan.

Read main article, Dark Sun

'Protectors'
The protectors where high-ranked

members of the Vino who acted as an army for the cult. While they existed before Hon, they where in a very different form. Ildo had four 'protectors' who patrolled the small temple that acted as the Vino's headquarters during the early days. When Hon became the leader of the Vino he immediately doubled the amount of protectors. In FE 42 there where an estimated ninety protectors. They attacked and plundered the surrounding farms and villages, many of them being escaped bandits. Later, the protectors became trained warriors.

Demon mages
The demon mages had existed far longer than the Vino. They where highly capable people who used the demons. Hon Caiv was the first of the Vino's Demon Mages.

Dark Paladins
The Ark Paldins were the horsemen of the Vino.

Notable members
Read leaders