An Egypt-like country was destroyed by a rival empire, based on Venice, some time around the Industrial Revolution. The Zabbaleen arose from the wishes of the people to fix what was broken, from their need for a new purpose. In fact, the Scarabeus has always existed within [[The Antecedent]], whose blazing rotation was halted by the Rag-picker, which caused it to hatch, birthing the Zabbaleen and shattering the aspect of Wheelinto precursors of Forge, Moth, Grail, Heart, and Winter.

The Collision didn't change them that much, apparently; one might say it empowered them, but they had nothing to do with causing the cataclysm. In fact, the Glory being damaged almost spoiled their grand plan: to ascend higher, to become of Light, and to merge with the Sun above the House.  They ''are'' different, now, though; they found themselves unable to let go of who they are, and thus they prolong their Great Work, introducing small, almost insignificant flaws into their every creation, so that they never run out of things to tinker with. And once they do, their time will come, and they will be mummified in their Ziggurat (with the help of their new Name, the Mantle, who was once known as the Hour called the Embrace), which will finally reverse into its proper position and lift them up towards the Glory. In their wake, they will leave multiple heirs, including [[The Glorious Child]] (who will inherit the Sun), [[The Promised Mooon]] (who will inherit the Moon and the tide), [[The Rag-picker]] (who will inherit the recycling, repurposing, and the lost things), the Obelisk of [[The Stone Meridian]] (who will inherit time and pearl), and [[The Embrace]] (who will inherit the Dead).