Original write up by Whisper. Minor edits by Peg.
Though the eídisi are thought to be the endemic race to Viden, it was the humans who first built it, with the assistance and guidance of Yvithia. She is the Immortal of Intelligence, Language and Communication, whose obsessional need to discover the answers to her questions was almost overwhelming. Previously, humans had struggled to survive on the harsh arctic lands. Yvithia’s supposed willingness to help them to build a strong shelter against the climate was welcomed by the indigenous peoples, who quickly developed loyalty for the determined Immortal. It would be many decades before her sanctuary became what it is today, but more and more nomadic groups of humans heard of it, and they sought it out, adding to the work force that was slowly building the great fortress in the middle of the Third Century.
To any new arrivals to her growing city, Yvithia promised protection from the bitter elements of the Northern Region. Furthermore, she offered as much knowledge as her citizens were willing to gain - Yvithia herself had a complete willingness to share all that she had discovered in her long life. Over the long, bitterly cold arcs, more and more humans joined. In the extreme, sub-zero temperatures of the Cold Cycle, the influx was astronomical each year. And each person helped her to build what would one day become the ice fortress city Viden. The descendants of these humans now occupy the city, continuing their own intellectual pursuits, as would only be right for the inhabitants of such a city.
By the end of the Fourth Century - the 381st Arc, to be precise, the infrastructure of ice fortress of Viden had been created. By this time, the Academy was already full throttle - children were being educated and, now the city had been built, adults were able to stop working as labourers and start following their passions, inspirations and dreams. This took many forms: some began to learn crafts and train in more advanced labour. Others followed a calling of academia, and were taught and supported personally by Yvithia. In the first years few years, she handpicked every tutor, even the ones teaching primary education. For only the best and most knowledgeable in their fields would be allowed to pass on their knowledge.
Others, however, were brought to a section of the city that only Yvithia has created, unbeknownst to the other humans. For it was around this time that Yvithia heard rumours from other Immortals that there could be a link between the Great Shattering and the appearance of humans. Yvithia realised that these humans could hold the key to why the Great Shattering happened. For all who were taken by the Immortal of Intelligence, they would never leave as they had arrived. It was little more than a prison for each of them, until Yvithia selected the next for experimentation. The investigations were carried out in solitude, and could vary from psychological analysis to physical examinations. Some could be painless, others… were not so. Yet all were necessary in the Immortal’s eyes. Eventually, each of her victims would suffer an excruciating death.
Frustration at her fruitless efforts led her to reviving each of her subjects, but it wasn’t until each of her many subjects had been revived thrice that Yvithia took the time to notice the acute change that had occurred in those victims. Most obvious was the changes in appearance, yet further study revealed a divergence in psychology: they had acquired some of her traits. For a time, her experiments drifted course, until she concluded that these new creatures, with their enhanced intelligence and refined psyches, could be of use to her. Slowly, the race (which she named The Eídisi) was introduced to the masses in the city of Viden.
It took time for them to be finally accepted by the native humans, even with the Immortal’s assistance. Initially, the humans were horrified by their new neighbours; the appearance of the eídisi was not monstrous, but it was markedly different from their own. The stark difference in appearance and psychology was a cause of immense strain for everyone involved especially in a city which, for the most part, had been isolated from the rest of Idalos. Questions arose about the new race… where did they come from, how were they made… and why now, why all of a sudden? The humans had heard of a few other new creations from the Immortals, and had learnt of their resurrections. Yvithia knew not to insult the intelligence of her citizens. She told them that they were the victims of a terrible accident while assisting her in an experiment. The eídisi did not disagree.
Eventually, as the years passed, and new generations were brought into the world, the presence of the eídisi was no longer questioned. But the strife between the two races lingered. The humans believed that they had rights over the city because of their involvement in building it, whereas the eídisi claimed to have a higher intellect, thus were more suited to remain within the city. For many years, the superiority complex of the eídisi fought against the pride and stubbornness of the humans. But the disputes always remained intellectual and verbal, rather than physical. Yvithia also realised that, the two races were competing for her favour. Deciding to use this to her advantage, the impatient Immortal did nothing to discourage the friction in Viden, as she used all in her quest for knowledge.
Viden continued to grow, with increasing power given to (or taken by) the FRA. However, in Ymiden 721, the actions of a human scientist - one who had been educated at Viden, those in power are quick to point out - managed the unthinkable.
Treid was resurrected and, eventually, he returned to Viden and to Yvithia. The FRA had been the cause of their final separation but the time which had passed allowed both Immortals to look at things differently.
So, Yvithia disbanded the FRA. She removed their political and their legal powers, and she allowed the Videnese to have a more open and less controlled society. However, it was not only she who compromised and, rather than making it illegal or disbanding it completely, the FRA was given leave to continue, should they wish it. They would have no money pouring in to them, nor would they be part of the government of Viden. Instead, they were given the small township of Tangar and allowed to work, independently, there.
And so the FRA became the TRA (Tangar Research & Analysis) and Viden began to settle into new ways of doing things. The nobility took the opportunity which the power vacuum offered and their hold on the place is now much more than previously. How that will play out, though, is yet to be determined.
