Determined to tame these savage new lands, King Philip funded several conquistadors to explore and claim them for Spain. One such conquistador, Hernán Cortés, was given a fleet of ships to conquer the New World. During his first expedition, Cortés established a minor foothold in southern Mexico and learned of the Aztecs, a powerful tribe that possessed vast riches. Cortés returned to Spain with treasures from the New World and requested more troops and resources to attack the Aztecs. In 1521, Cortés received a larger fleet and sailed back to the New World. Joined by other tribes, enemies of the Aztecs, Cortés marched against Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital. When Cortés laid siege to the great city, the Aztecs unleashed a host of terrors never before seen by western eyes. Massive feathered serpents swept down from the city and destroyed the Spanish siege weapons as old Aztec gods walked among the fierce warriors, devouring the invaders. Cortés himself was severely wounded in the battle, but managed to retreat to Spain with only a single damaged vessel.

The utter defeat of Cortés' army was the last recorded attempt by European forces to gain a stronghold in the New World.

In 1587, a naval engagement between Spanish and English forces resulted in the loss of many Spanish lives, including several influential Inquisitors and Spanish nobles. Unlike the conflict a hundred years before, no diplomats were exchanged to prevent the war.

A year later, in the current time of 1588, it is known that the Inquisition has spent many months preparing for an inevitable conflict stemming from the miserable Sixth Crusade. As the Inquisition prepares lengthy articles detailing heretical charges against England, the Spanish Armada has continued to grow, becoming one of the largest naval fleets in history. Because of its fight against this heresy, the Inquisition does not allow the casting of magic, save divine healing spells, within the bounds of Barcelona.