Lore: Caliphate of Sphinx

Sphinxes are the most marvelous creatures. Sages refer to them as the first creatures created by the Nephilims-demiurges. Others argue that the sphinxes as well as the Nephilims are creatures created by the Universe itself at the stage of creation. Only if the Nephilims were called to serve the order and preserve the Universe, the function of the Sphinxes themselves remains a mystery. According to one of the assumptions they could be the keepers of laws, the center of wisdom. On the other hand some kind of special service, those who monitor the correctness of the fulfillment of their duties guards.

There is also such an assumption that the sphinxes are a backup plan. In case the Nephilims didn't justify their original purpose, the sphinxes were to replace them. But apparently, not all the plans of the Universe were destined to materialize in reality. And the mystery of the existence of such highly developed entities as sphinxes is still not explained.

They say that in ancient times the Sphinxes traveled the worlds of the Great Spiral. They also say that they were the progenitors of the Manticores and many other creatures, but it was so long ago that the truth is forgotten by all.

In 950 the strengthened Templar Order occupied vast territories of the Sakhara Desert and oases inhabited by tribes. The Master of the Order, who stubbornly seeks ways to strengthen and elevate the Order, hatched a secret plan to expand the influence of the Order of Templars in other areas. For this purpose, he sends special Templar detachments to excavate the ruins of the city of Ophidian Empire, which are hidden in the sands of Sakhara.

As a result of one such expedition, in a buried temple, the Templars find a prisoner imprisoned by the Ophidians. This prisoner is not from Signum and possesses strong telepathic and magical abilities. The Templars take the sphinx to the Master of their order.

For a time, the sphinx lives in Tartus Castle and communicates closely with the Master. The Master wants to learn from him secrets related to ancient magic and how to open portals to other dimensions. The guest is in no hurry to reveal his secrets to the Master.

In the course of long conversations, the Master learns the details of the ancient confrontation and the reasons for the captivity of the Sphinx.

1500 years ago, when the Ophidian Empire was at the height of its power, the Ophidians were already preoccupied with finding ways to return Vortirus to the world of Signum. To do so, they were trying to master the magical technology of portal construction. One of the parallel worlds they were able to make their way to was inhabited by creatures that bore little resemblance to humans and called themselves sphinxes. At first the Ophidians were able to easily enslave some of the sphinxes with telepathy, as they were powerful creatures. The Sphinxes quickly realized what kind of invaders they were up against and war broke out. The Sphinxes not only learned how to resist telepathy, but also how to use it against the Ophidians. The Ophidians were shamefully expelled from the alien world and the Sphinxes followed them into Signum. Here the battle continued and the Ophidians took the desperate step of destroying the teleportation gate. Thus the sphinx forces in Signum became isolated from their world.

The destruction of the portals makes the Manticore world inaccessible to the Sphinxes. The Manticore and Grypharim peoples live a miserable existence until the goddess Aria enters their world. She bestows the Manticores and Grypharims with wings and shares some mystical knowledge with them.

To compensate for their small numbers, the Sphinxes locked away on Sygnum create for themselves an army of orcs, hybrids of humans and goblins created through magic. With no language, culture, or religion of their own, the Orcs obey the orders of the Sphinxes. Orcs are created dumb, but this dumbness is actually a mental block that prevents the mental control of the Ophidians. But the Orcs were created too warlike and they started to get out of the Sphinxes' control. So Sphinx-inventor Ra had to create special armour for the orcs, putting on which the creature would submit to their will.

The Ophidians slaughtered them one by one and kept alive only one of the leaders, the Sphinx whose name was Ra. They hoped to force him to serve them in exchange for his life. For refusing to betray them, the Ophidians placed Ra in a cell where, thanks to his magical powers, he could exist almost forever. From time to time they made their offer, until the Ophidian empire fell in an instant.

All of this amazed the Templar Master and made him realize that the world was much bigger and more complex than he had previously thought. Even so, he had underestimated his prisoner.

When the Master learns that some Templars among those who have opened the tomb-shrine have begun to secretly worship the sphinx as a deity, he orders that the sphinx be captured and put to death.

The Heretic Templars warn their new deity and under cover of darkness make their escape from Tartus. The pursuers sent by the Grand Master overtake the fugitives and encircle them. Even the supreme magic of the sphinx Ra is not able to cope with being hardened in blood and thousands of battles with the Templars.

One by one, the few defenders of the sphinx fall to the blood-stained sand. Ra himself is badly wounded by a crossbow bolt in his side. At the most critical moment the battle is intervened by unknown reinforcements. The Templars suffer heavy losses and are finally forced to retreat under the pressure of the unexpected enemy.

As dawn breaks, Ra's and a handful of his followers get a glimpse of their saviors. They turn out to be Wolfen-like black warriors with the head of a jackal - the Anubis. Ahead of the black warriors are three beautiful sphinxes. They are Hathor, Mut and Imentet, the sisters of Ra. They have long been hidden in the sands of Sakhara, for hundreds of years trying to find their lost brother so that together they can return to their reality.

During this time, the sisters have created for themselves a new race of warriors, the Anubis. Unlike the Orcs, they are loyal to their creators.

The runaways head into the heart of the desert. The Sphinx reveals to his followers the secrets of ancient magic and points out the places in the desert where the Ophidian vaults are under the sand, where ancient weapons (magical armour) are located. Weaponizing his first guard, the Sphinx defeats the Ophidian gatekeepers who guarded the ruins.

The local tribes, seeing the power and might of the foreigners, worship the Sphinx and his nukers as a deity. Ra abandons the original plan to find a portal back to his dimension.

The Sphinxes begin building the Caliphate of Sphinx.