Council of Days

The Council of Days was held in 990 IR to 'rectify the hitherto innumerable contradictions within the Imperial Chronology.' The council was called by Arch-Lector Labra, who unfortunately died a year later within his 'impervious' iron suit, intended to stave off assassinations. Nevertheless, the council continued for several years afterwards. There were three dating systems in use by the College of Keepers, and all these systems had their passionate advocates. The Petrucian System, named for Keeper Petrucius Vedo, placed the start of the Night Wars at -2677 IR. Conversely, the Alexian System, developed by Alexina Ostata and her students, dated the beginning of the Night Wars to -2599 IR. As this event is considered the start of 'real' history, the exact date of the Night Wars was a matter of some import, and Keepers were quite determined to date the event precisely. The third system used was the so-called Elven Chronology, which was based on Azlanic king lists preserved in Karkana. These records were acquired from Atelin, a Rasna magus who had fled the Cenacle and traded rare maedi texts for asylum. Atelin's documents, first examined by the Keepers in 789 IR, had thrown the College into confusion, as, according to the Zakhemite king lists, the Night Wars would have begun in -3011 IR, pushing back many events by centuries and necessitating a complete revision of the Imperial Chronology. Thus, some Keepers contended that the 'Atelin Papers' were Rasna forgeries intended to sow dissent and chaos among mankind. This of course neglects the fact that matters of historical dating are, to say the least, of limited interest to the common man. Nevertheless, Imperial College resounded with fulminating debate for decades, and so Labra, to finally end the clash between the factions (which had taken to attacking each other), ordered the Council of Days. A resolution was only found in 1001 IR, under the Arch-Lectorship of Barbano 'the Wrestler' (r. 991-1003 IR). Barbano, unusually hot-blooded for a Keeper, had grown tired of the endless debate about calendars and chronologies, and gave his colleagues one year to revise the dating system and present it to the Senate. Fearing reprisals from the infamously bellicose Barbano, the three factions at last agreed to a compromise. The date of -2500 IR was chosen for the start of the Night Wars. This date is almost certainly arbitrary and does not in fact reflect the 'real' beginning of the event, but as none of the contending chronologies placed the start of the Night Wars in -2500 IR, everyone was dissatisfied, and so the Council of Days was at last concluded. Among the erudite, there is still occasional debate of when events 'really' occurred, as per the Petrucian, Alexian and Atelinian systems. This only causes headaches and arguments, and most are happy to believe the Night Wars began on a nice, round figure and proceed from there. In any case, only elves are overly concerned with what occurred before Irud and the liberation of Man. And with the temporal schisms caused by Timedeaths, it is quite possible that no dating system is accurate, or, even more confusingly, every dating system is equally accurate. The wise stay well-clear of such thoughts.
Category:History
Category:Chronology