Misty Heights

Misty Heights gets little attention in the first book. However, it is a very important part of the second book. There are also some new locations the second book will be visiting. We hope to feature these here shortly.

Misty heights is located in the plateaus south of Habahrem, and it is constantly foggy. Many people who come here are recluses, who have formed a communal village. Most of the people who first migrated to the area were descendants of Abel who were tired of the fighting between the other children of Adam.

The people of Misty heights tend to lean toward seeking inner peace instead of worshiping God. However, they have shrines and burn incense in sacrifice. They also tie flags to ropes surrounding their homes to represent unspoken prayers for others in the community to help praying about.

Habahrem

Habahrem is the official capital of Razzmada after the Iyr take over. It is located on the edge of Clearwater Lake and is second only to Gahbesh in beauty. Unlike most cities, which house only two Iyr, Habahrem is the seat of Shemihazah, Hermoni, Jeqon, and Ziqiel. One of Cain's sons founded the city and his musical ability was so hypnotic it was thought that Halel (Satan) himself had tutored him.
Even before the angel fall, Habahrem was superior in beauty to the other cities. It's houses are wooden and inlaid with multicolored stones. The flat roofs are in a style that mixes Babylon and ancient Egypt.
The central altar is surrounded by three triangular obelisks.
The major exports of this city are spices, spell scrolls, and musical instruments.
Since most of the first book is centered on Jared and the angels that are rebellious against Shemihazah's rule, very little takes place in this city. However, it will play a major role in future books.

Shayith

Shayith is a forest city surrounded by a 30-foot tall thorn bush fence. This fence is alive and has three entry gates that are built into it on the north, south, and east sides.

Most of the inhabitants of Shayith live in the trees, but their storage areas are located on the ground in longhouses/ hogans. The trees are connected to each other by walkways and bridges. Although the entire city is very primitive and remains primitive throughout the books, the presence of Arataqoph (one of the angels) gives it a little more sophistication.

Prior to the arrival of the angels, the people of Shayith were recluses. This did not really change much after the angels arrive. They try to keep to themselves and practice a Druid-like religion sometimes venturing out of the Tsane forest and onto the Plains of Perah at night. Their primary products are lumber and medicinal herbs.

Shayith is inhabited by a mixture of Adam's descendants. They tend to dislike strangers, but if a person joins their community and is self-sufficient and does not want to socialize he or she will fit in well and the other citizens will eventually stop giving them dirty looks.

Metsad

Although several chapters of the book are set in Heaven, Kesef, Thoheleth, Padooth, and Goalehadam, most of the action of the story takes place in Metsad. It is located in the valley of Zohar in the land of Havilah. It produces iron, gems, weapons, and armor. It  is populated with Cain's descendants and some of Adams descendants that were born after Seth.

The center of Metsad contains the furnaces used for forging weapons and armor. These massive forges bellow smoke constantly. The irony is that although they are constantly making armor and weapons, most of the land is subdued.

Metsad ha three walls. Between the outermost and middle walls are the trade guilds and lower class populations. Some of these homes may be larger, but they are generally multifamily homes. Between the middle wall and innermost walls are the upper classes and the stadium/coliseum.

The innermost wall encloses the priestess training area and dormitories, the palace and the forges. There are also rows of weapons storage buildings, filled with weapons.

Metsad is one of the top tourist cities targeting younger people. This is what allows the spies to sneak into the city unnoticed.

Shahar

Shahar is a city in Razmadda (Iyr controlled Eden), which never truly buys into the angels superiority. While other cities fall at the feet of the Iyr, Shahar takes what they have to offer without sacrificing their independent mindset.

Once the angels begin advising the king, Shahar develops into a tiered city. The main level is the level on the ground and it is for the common people. The upper levels contain airship terminals, but they are also the home to the upper classes.

However, Shahar has a dark secret that even the human ruler is unaware about. Shahar has s dungeon (think Escape from NY or LA) that exists under the city. This area is where the garbage of the city is sent along with those who are sentenced to life imprisonment by the Iyr.

Shahar houses a resistance movement. Although these people are united against the Iyr, they are not necessarily believers in the Almighty, like those of Siriad are. They do, however, believe the Iyr should not be in power.

Kesef

When the Watchers first land in Eden, they land near Kesef. There arrival causes an unexpected change in leadership that some see as the hand of God intervening in the affairs of men. The first book allows everything to be neat and tidy.

Some people may wonder why we include these details into the first book. We do get to see Barel and some of his interactions later - Barel is the son of Kesef's leader at the time of the angelfall. However, not much is developed with him, with his family, or with Kesef.

We do kind of leave people hanging, but there is a reason for it - in a later book we will return to Kesef to resolve some of the issues that were caused by the angel's arrival. I know, it's tough to have to wait, but in all, The Corruption was a pretty large book - and it is the first of three books and then a second series of many smaller books. Had we just written it all at one time, it would have taken so many pages that no on would have bought it.

Be patient, we are already starting to work on the second book. Soon you will get to see how some of the spare pieces we threw at you in Book 1 fit into the larger picture.

Razmadda Social Castes

One of the first things the Iyr set up in Eden were social castes. There are four castes in Razmadda. Five if you want to count the backmountains of Siriad.

The kohen are the highest class and contain the nephilim, addiyrben, priestesses, servants, and officers directly under the Iyr.

Next are the nagiyd, those humans who bore addiyrben or who have served the Iyr in a manner worthy of the title.

Then come the erets, who are common people with no special status. These are the farmers and laborers whose wives were not interesting to the Iyr or Nephilim.

The last group is the kharem. These are the people who have defied the Iyr or their appointed rulers, and who are cast out of society. While this is a social group, most are never seen again.

Razmadda

Razmadda is all of Eden united under the Iyr. Now the Iyr do not have a completely united kingdom - it is more like the United States. There is definitely some differences of opinion on how things should be run. The biggest power struggle comes between Ozael and Shemihazah. Shemihazah, however, doesn't realize the depth of Ozael's hatred or his lack of care for following any rules.

Within Razmadda, each city is ruled by a minimum of two Watchers (Iyr). These angels each specialized in something while in Heaven and that is the knowledge they bring to the city. They use religion - worshiping the Iyr as gods - to control the land. Although each city learns from the angels that are in charge of them, all the cities trade and therefore have access to all the Iyr technologies.

The angels still hold council meetings periodically to decide matters. Their meetings are becoming less organized as the corruption of the world sinks into them.

Thoheleth

Thoheleth is where the action begins for Siriad. Unlike Kesef, where the inhabitants have already strayed from God before the angels arrive, Siriad remains true to the Creator. In doing so, they win the Creator's protection. Now, we didn't want this to be too over the top, so most of the things God does in the book are like things today. You don't always know that God did it. Christians will see His hand, non-Christians will attribute it to "fate" or "luck" or "chance."

In our book, there are a few times when God makes his presence clear. Still, it is mainly the Iyr who see and recognize this. The place where this is most predominant is in the end of the book. It all takes place right at Thoheleth.

Thoheleth is also in the prophecy dreams that Enosh has. The interesting thing about prophecy is that just when you think you have it figured out something happens and you realize it was really that. Most prophecies in the Bible are two-fold. The prophecy can usually be interpreted in the immediate historical context and then they are interpreted again in the long-term (future) context. These prophecies tend to have more of a dreamlike quality to them. We will leave it to you to figure out if Enosh's prophecy is based in the time of the book or based in the future.

Padooth

Padooth is one of the cities of Siriad. It was founded by Adam after Cain killed Abel. A ring of mountains surrounds the plain on which the city rests, but one lone mountain stands at the center of Padooth. On this mountain, citizens make sacrifices to the Almighty under the supervision of Enosh or Keenan, his son.

Because of its seclusion, Padooth is very traditional in its style. The homes tend to have a central courtyard surrounded on three sides by the home and closed to the public by a fence on the fourth side. The upper level of a home in Padooth is an open roof where women frequently do their laundry. It is because of this seclusion that all the people of Siriad are referred to as "backmountains."

Padooth is the home of Enosh. Prior to the arrival of the Iyr, Padooth was a city-state. After the Iyr united the rest of Eden into Razmadda, Siriad also decided to unite. At that time, Padooth, Thoheleth, and Meshfaht all came under Enosh's rule. However, the leaders of Thoheleth and Meshfaht are independent in as much as they are some distance from Enosh. They make all the decisions for their cities unless it is concerning their interactions with Razmadda. They also have an unlimited free trade agreement between the cities that has allowed each city to specialize in its products. In this sense, they are similar to the way the United States was governed prior to the Civil War.

Meshfaht

Meshfaht is one of the cities that Adam founded immediately after being kicked out of the garden. This is where the story of Cain and Abel took place.

Now, by our story, we have it that Abel had both a wife (from his sisters) and children before his untimely death. Cain, however, did not have children yet. Think of him as one of those people who want to become established in the world before having kids.

Abel's children are the ones who found Meshfaht and turn it into a furniture manufacturing town. The water in the lake is not drinkable, but great for crops and growing trees for furniture works well. This is the home of Pethe and Aras.

Siriad

Siriad is a simple place. Its rulers do the best they can to protect the inhabitants from the influence of the Iyr. In part, this is because they believe the Iyr are not sent from God. In part, it is because the Iyr have limited their trade with Siriad because they are trying to force their hand into an alliance.

Siriad uses basic weapons and dresses as you would expect any ancient people to dress. The three cities, Padooth, Meshfaht, and Thoheleth, have combined to create one nation under Enosh's rule. Because Enosh rules Padooth and the city of Padooth is surrounded by a ring of mountains, the people of Siriad are referred to derogatorily as "backmountains" by the other inhabitants of Siriad.

Siriad/ Razmadda/ Eden

Siriad is one of the areas of Eden. It solely contains those who refused the angelic rule despite what it cost them. The cities of Thoheleth, where most of the Siriad portion of the story takes place, Meshfaht, and Padooth, where you will have a few scenes focusing on the government.

Although some of the other cities were more resistant than others, once all the cities outside of Siriad were willing to give women and control over to the Iyr, they became collectively known as Razmadda.

Eden was originally going to be both Iyr controlled lands and all the lands in general, but this did not allow the world to be portrayed as different after the arrival of the Iyr. Now, Eden only refers to the land as a whole.

Watchers, Nephilm, and Abdiyrben Part III

The Addiyrben

The Abdiyrben are the offspring of the first born Nephilim and human women. These half breeds are similar to the firstborns in their physical abilities and appearance. Like their fathers, they mature quicker physically and also gravitate towards selfish immature behavior.

Most Abdiyrden are the result of the law that states that any Nephilim has the right to a woman that is to be wed. This usually takes place after the wedding ceremony. The weddings are staged in accordance with the woman's cycle, so that the likelihood of conception is at its highest. Others are conceived by acceptable woman that offer themselves to the Nephilim in order to gain social status.

The Abdiyrben are raised by their mother until weaned and then are sent to the academies to be trained in their father's arts by the priestesses of that order.

These half-breeds automatically attain the highest status. Some are servants in the palaces of the Iyr or their temples; others make up special units and under the command of their fathers. The main purpose of the Abdiyrben, unknown to man, is to be their eventual replacement.

Watchers, Nephilim, and Addiyrben Part II

The Nephilim

The Nephilim, or pure bloods as they are sometimes referred, are the first born children to the Watchers. They are half angelic and half human. They retain some of the abilities of their fathers to control matter around them, but nowhere near the extent of the Iyr. They are more known for their extraordinary strength, lightning quickness, speed and endurance. They posses the sharp features of their fathers (pointed ears, chiseled face, slender, muscular form)

The Nephilim mature much quicker  than humans physically, only taking 1/3 the time to reach adulthood. Mentally and emotionally though, they are similar to adolescents. They are selfish and arrogant and many, because of their upbringing, are wicked and heartless. All the Nephilim are male with the exception of one, and many look similar to humans, except the sharp features.

Some though, have other attributes that passed from their fathers. For example, the lone female has a lighter skeletal mass and wings similar to an owl. Another possesses the traits similar to a satyr, because his father preferred a similar form. Yet another has traits similar to a doppelganger. Because of these attributes and their bravery in battle, they receive the title of heroes of old, and men of renown. (Gen. 6:4)

What men do not know, though, is that the Nephilim have a dark secret that they and their fathers have kept from the inhabitants of Eden. Something that will bring a rein of terror upon mankind.

Watchers, Nephilim, and Addiyrben Part I

The Watchers

The watchers, or Iyr (Hebrew for watcher-angel) as they are referred to by those of Razmadda, are angels that are charged with keeping the records and deeds of men. They are separated into those who actually do the observing or "watching" and those who are tasked with recording it and managing those who operate in Eden.

Some of these angels believe they are greater than man. They were irritated that they had to keep watch of mankind and to do the Almighty's work protecting humans. With the rebellion of the fallen Cherub of the Garden, these angels became bolder. Eventually, the seeds of rebellion spread throughout Heaven.

This is where a Seraph named Shemihazah and those angels on his council are introduced. They felt that their lives were ones of enslavement and longed to be "free" to do whatever they wanted. One of their desires was the "helper" that man was given: women. For clarity, after the angels rebel, those in open rebellion become Iyr, while those still with God are the Watchers.

With the exception of Shemihazah, Iyr have human-like characteristics. Being a Seraph, Shemihazah possesses the head of an eagle. (Halel or Satan also has unique features.) They are distinctly different, though, because they are taller than the average man and have very sharp, chiseled features. In my mind, they resemble many depictions I have seen of elves.

All the Iyr have incredible strength, speed, and senses. They also have the ability to affect the environment around them due to their ability to manipulate matter at the molecular level. This ability gives the impression that they have magical powers. They do not sleep, and they have no need for food but require large amounts of concentrated light to maintain their abilities and strength. This is why one of the first technologies developed in Razmadda was the large crystal light converters that peak all of the Iyr's palaces. These crystals concentrate light to nearly the amounts needed to emulate the light they were used to in the heavenly realm. 

With their trade-off of knowledge for wives they soon posses enormous influence over the affairs of those who have succumbed to their temptation.

The Apex

The Apex is a giant meeting platform that exists in the earth's atmosphere in the heavenly realm. Because Heaven is highly organized (think giant ant mound), some angels have the job of observing or watching those on earth, some angels have the job of collecting and recording the information. The Apex is where both types of angels meet to exchange the information.

There are also other organizational levels of angelic hierarchy. There are messengers that interact with humans and God, there are interpreters that interpret the gathered information, and there are councils that determine when to notify the hierarchy above them and when to apply to take action on human issues.

The Spiritual Realm

When angels are in the Spiritual realm in the Heavenly realm (anywhere beyond the earth's atmosphere), they are in Heaven. When angels are on earth and they are in the Spiritual realm, they can observe both Spiritual and Physical beings. However, it is sometimes difficult to tell which is which. If an angel switches between Physical and Spiritual realms, he suddenly appears or disappears to those in the Physical realm, and he twinkles or glimmers to those in the Spiritual realm so they are recognizable. Hence, changing forms in front of someone identifies the changer as an angel.

Angels who exist in the Spiritual form on earth can usually identify other angels in the Spiritual form even if they do not know them. However, this is an acquired skill and not perfect– not all angels have it.

Angels in the Spiritual realm can interact with things in the Physical realm if they will it. They can speak through telepathy (although the person hearing it may think it is a real voice), cause “unnatural” things to occur (magic), and through spirit possession cause people to have unnatural abilities.

The Earthly Realm

The earthly realm is the physical world inhabited by humans. It overlaps the heavenly realm, but there is a clear division between the two. Although some aspects of the heavenly realm are visible in the earthly realm - for example light flows that angels use to travel are what we see as stars, star clusters, nebulae, and galaxy formations are actually angelic, multi-planetary cities, and black holes are the places in the heavenly realm that are empty - what humans see is more like a dirty smudge compared to what is seen in the heavenly realm. Also, note that some aspects of the heavenly realm cannot be seen, per se, such as the Apex, but they do exhibit physical phenomena that can be measured in our world.

The Heavenly Realm

The heavenly realm is the area in space where heaven exists. The heavenly realm extends from the surface of the earth into the heavens. When angels open tears and stairways descend from the Apex, they are entering the heavenly realm. They can only exist in the spiritual realm when in the heavenly realm. If they enter the physical realm, they either appear in outer space or somewhere on earth. They cannot observe what is happening on earth or in the physical realm when they are in the heavenly realm. (God, however, can observe the actions of both realms at the same time, just as He can exist in all realms at the same time – Jesus/ Spirit/ Father).