Timeline

Known history is divided into multiple eras, named after an important or significant event in the history of the world.

## Era of Divinity (????? Years)

Before Pre-History was the Era of Divinity, or the First Era.

Lasting for unknown tens of thousands of years, in this era the Deities of the world roamed the twin planes- Divine and Demonic, changing things as they saw fit. Sculpting and destroying mountains, oceans, rivers and cliffs with a thought, they interacted only with each other and their divine and demonic servants.

They each created their heavenly hosts, and frequently fought wars against each other for little reason other than ego and entertainment.

Time would pass and a deity whose name is lost now to the ages chose to end this eternal war. They created a new plane, one that would seperate the Divine and the Demonic, where neither force could tread without invitation from the mortal souls who reside in that place. Thus the birth of first true mortal lifeforms ended the Era of Divinity.

## Era of the Ancients (13100 Years)

With a humanoid appearance, the Mortalis (Now known as The Ancients) were the first lifeforms to achieve sentience, created by the gods.

Their genetics were flexible, and their influence was malleable. They lived in huge cities around central temples where their gods lived. But this era of "Peace" would not last long.

As each deity took on an Aspect, some derived from the Ancient's systems of belief (Justice, Hope) others from the world (Nature, Fate), there were those among them who rejected these lifeforms, their minds so alien as to view them as parasites. These gods soon sought to destroy creation, thus began The God Wars.

The God Wars nearly wiped out the Ancients, but in the end these gods, known collectively as "The Old Ones", were thrown into the void outside of the universe, unable to return without aid from within.

The Ancients had begun to die out, but their descendants became a new species.

## Nameless Era (???? Years)

During this time, no sentient life roamed the planet. It is unknown how long it lasted before, guided perhaps by the gods, new life evolved and took on a sentient form.

## Era of the Dragons (129205 Years)

The Dragons were the first born sentient species after the Ancients. Three known families of dragons existed during this time,

The Chromatic; vindictive and proud, the Gem; selfish and familial, and the Metallic; pure and social.

Although less prevalent than their ancestors, the Dragons took control of the lands and claimed many of the beautiful works and carvings of their ancestors as their own.

During this period, the Platinum Dragon God Bahamut took to prominence, as did his sister Tiamat. The dragon siblings became central gods in the pantheons of the Metallic and Chromatic dragons respectively.

The Dragons were rare despite being the dominant lifeform on the planet during this time, and lived much as they do to this day, eschewing technology and social development in favour of collecting a horde of interesting treasures.

## Era of the Elves (14362 Years)

When the Elves arose in the Southern Continents, they soon began to spread north- more plentiful than the Dragons who called those lands their home. Although some chose to co-exist with the dragons, leading to the creation of the Draconic Empire, others fought wars. Many dragons and Elves died in these wars.

The Elves became the most populous people of the surface world, and guided and shaped the paths of all other species as they took over more of the land, creating their domains.

During this era, the Drow, often feared as consorting with evil gods, were forced out- sent to the furthest reaches of the icy north to create a domain that became known as The Winter Kingdom.

The Elves fought the occasional war between each faction, but mostly lived prosperous and rich lives based on magitek and luxury. This was not to last, though, as a powerful force from the Winter Kingdom marked the end of the Elven Era.

## Era of The Long Night (567 Years)

When Valas Helviani gained popular support and ascended the throne of the Winter King, he promised to rid the world of all that would oppose the Drow, and subjugate those who had in the past discriminated against them.

His magitek grew wild and out of control, as did the experiments of his people- creating the Orcs to supplement their own numbers as a horde of rampaging monster-men.

The Winter King, as he was now known and feared, gradually drove many Elven societies to extinction. His first act was to use magic to blot out the sun, and he woul freeze the lands that he conquered as he crusaded to take over the world.

The year 138 saw the creation of the Equatorial Barrier as the elves of the Southern Continent feared the ever-encroaching hordes of the Winter King.

In 381, The Winter King sought out the alliance of the Gem Dragons, and after they refused, wiped out their entire species in rage.

Finally, a group of heroes united the remaining cultures, calling themselves the Dawn Wardens, sought out a battle with the Winter King. Although only one of the warriors survived- badly injured and refusing to speak of the events- it became clear that the Winter King was no more, the sun rose once again and his forces retreated to the cold north.

## Era of the Dawn (Present)

As the Elves retreated fromthe lands they had once ruled and formed the Elven Domain, The Dawn Wardens were reformed by the Church of the Divines. A group designed to help the people left behind, Elves who did not wish to see the rise of another great Elven society and the humans and others who had long been subjugated under Elven authority.

The Dawn Wardens worked hard in all areas: safe guarding farmers, miners and builders, and in 129 DE proved instrumental in the construction of the first Human society, the Royaume.

* 0 DE- The death of the Winter King leads to disarray and chaos in his armies, they retreat.
* 13 DE- The Dawn Wardens are reformed with the blessing of the church of the Divines. Their leader is selected as a high priest of the religion.
* 56 DE- The Elves begin to consolidate what little they have in the Western Continent, forming The Elven Domain.
* 129 DE- The Royaume is founded by the Founder King, construction begins on the Royal Palace.
* 144 DE- The Royaume refuses to sign the Elven Accords, sparking a war with the Domain.
* 153 DE- The Elven Domain is victorious over the Royaume, and forces the Second King to sign the Accords, outlawing Magitek and Soul Magic.
* 200 DE- Construction of the capital city of the Royaume is complete. The Royaume expands to the mountains of the dwarves.
* 203 DE- After sealing it's borders to block out the Winter King's forces, the Terran Democracy warily opens it's borders to negotiation. Many of the dwarves willingly become casteless to start settlements around the spire entrances to the underground kingdom.
* 206 DE- The Dwarves of the Terran Democracy sign a peace treaty with the Royaume, supplying stone masons and metal in exchange for fruits and vegetables.
* 209 DE- The Church of the Divine sends out missionaries to the Royaume. These missionaries are welcomed with open arms.
* 254 DE- The Divine Mother, head of the Church of the Divine, recognizes the Royaume as a legitimate society and orders the construction of churches to her religion.
* 300 DE- The Royaume creates it's first Airship, called The Royal Hawk. It isn't as flashy as the airships still in use by the Elves, but is functional.
* 302 DE- The Royal Hawk crashes. Construction begins on The Royal Hawk II and will not finish for nine more years.
* 357 DE- The Royaume begins construction of the Royal Airfleet.
* 400 DE- The Guild of Mages and Enchanters forms the position of Court Magister in the Royaume, with the blessing of the King.
* 405 DE- Magister Peppepery Sparkspell creates the theoretical basis for what would become know as the fundamental triad.
* 531 DE- The Pirate Court forms to take advantage of the over-seas trade between the Royaume and the Elven Domain.
* 643 DE- The Pirate Court are officially branded an illegal organization by the Domain and the Royaume. Members are hung from the neck until death at ports everywhere.
* 655 DE- The Pirate Court founds the first of it's many makeshift capitals, hidden in an outcropping of rocks. It would survive three years before flooding and raids from the Royaume force it to be abandoned.
* 670 DE- The Rune Wars begin. After the discovery of ancient runes between the territories of two dwarven factions, the Terran Democracy descended into a civil war.
* 675 DE- The Dawn Wardens build churches across the northern continents, these large complexes serve as training grounds for their Paladins, and help further the spread of the Divine religion.
* 699 DE- The Rune Wars end with the collapse of the connecting tunnels, forever seperating the dwarven cities of each faction.
* 704 DE- The First Crusade begins. The Divine Priesthood takes advantage of the disconnected nature of the Winter Kingdom in the Royaume to push back the forces of Orcguard, burning down many of their lands and saving much of the continent. The Dawn Wardens prove themselves invaluable to the Royaume during this time.
* 821 DE- The First Crusade ends. The forces of the Winter Kingdom on the east continent are pushed back to the most condensed they can be.
* 1200 DE- The Second Crusade begins. The Divine Church seeks to wipe out all non-divine magic, as well as the Undead and other similar abominations such as werewolves. This Crusade has huge popular support, and would shape the coming centuries.
* 1212 DE- All Guild of Mages and Enchanters guildhalls within Divine Church territories are ransacked, and those unlucky enough to be left within them are arrested or burned at the stake. Archmagisters flee from their homes to safer lands in the Elven Domains.
* 1226 DE- Republica donates a huge portion of land to the Divine Church in order to win their favour, this land becomes the basis of the Divinicia, the holy city of the Speaker.
* 1299 DE- Farmers in the northern wilds, sick of raiding parties of Orcs, band together to pay for a small group of soldiers to be sent to farms in trouble. This Farmer's Union would later prove to be instrumental in further politics.
* 1327 DE- The Commonwealth is officially formed by the Farmer's Union as an independent nation. This act angers the Elven Domain, who see the farmers as squatters on traditional Elven lands.
* 1349 DE- The Second Crusade draws to a close following negotiations between the council of archmagisters in exile and the Inquisition. Mages are allowed to return to the Divine Church nations following the signing of the Apostasy Charter, an act that banned the practice of magics deemed unholy by the church.
* 1357 DE- The Draconic Empire's Emperor is put to death by his Shogun, who claims to have "proven" that they are not as holy as they claim. His son is allowed to take the throne, but the nation's military shifts to be under the control of the Shogun.
* 1493 DE- The Great Famine causes starvation as crops fail to grow and disease spreads.
* 1499 DE- The Third Crusade is launched from Divinicia, the holy city of the Divine Church, at the order of the Lord High Inquisitor. The stated purpose of this holy war is to spread enlightenment to those in the wilds.
* 1537 DE- Suspicion begins to spread among the people of the Royaume that Republica is using the Second Crusade to shore up it's wealth and land at the expense of their own people. There is growing descent in the population, and anti-war sentiment begins to spread.
* 1538 DE- The Divine Church's Speaker declares that the Royaume is to give Midland, a principality, complete independence. Many see this as an act to weaken the Royaume so that they do not dare question the Crusade's motives.
* 1597 DE- The death of King DeLeon XI leads to turmoil in the Royaume, due to the absence of any male heir to the line. Although Princess Herelda is the eldest child, the royal charter declares that leadership of the land will be given to the first daughter to marry a husband that is ratified by a two-thirds majority of Noble houses.
* 1598 DE- The Great Royaume Civil War begins. Princess Herelda's hurried attempts to marry a general who she served with in the Third Crusade causes people to question her true affiliations. A vocal percentage of the noble houses believe she is planning to sell them out to the Church, and refuse to ratify the possible marriage, instead siding with the younger sister, Artemis.
* 1601 DE- The Great Royaume Civil War comes to an end, following the royal wedding. A new golden age of the Royaume begins, and the Royaume withdraw all military support for the Third Crusade.
* 1602 DE- The Third Crusade ends. Without the Royaume to take the brunt of expenditure, the forces of Republica slow to a crawl and finally stop. The Divine Church claims that the Crusade was successful, although few believe this is the case. Local warlords begin reclaiming the lost lands.
* 1633 DE- The last of the major lands claimed during the Third Crusade returns back to control of local kings and warlords.
* 1693 DE- The Cartel, a criminal organization, expands to become multi-national. Thieves Guilds are expected to tithe their earnings or face their wrath.
* 1695 DE- The Commonwealth creates the first steam engine, beginning the development of a cross-national rail system. The potential damage to the environment upsets the Elven Domain.
* 1700 DE- Experimentation with gunpowder leads to the creation of the first human-made Firearm. Tensions rise with the Elven Domain as the Commonwealth start using technology banned by the Accords.
* 1703 DE- Spokesman Chen of the Commonwealth refuses to listen to Elven demands, citing that the Commonwealth is not a part of the Royaume, nor is it beholden to the agreements they are.
* 1712 DE- The Divine Priesthood's Speaker outlaws the worship of several gods, and pressures several governments, especially in the wilds, to outlaw the practice of worshipping those gods.
* 1721 DE- Motor Cars are created in the Commonwealth. These automobiles allow travel faster than horse but more affordable and easier than magic. The pollution they create seriously aggravates the Elven Domain, but the trade for oil with the Terran Democracy provides the Commonwealth with a new ally in the Dwarves.
* 1722 DE- The Divine Priesthood forms an Inquisition into the mysterious rise in the number of undead and worship of "Dark Gods". The Inquisition soon develops a reputation for brutality.
* 1730 DE- The Inquisition burns an entire Wilds kingdom to the ground after it refuses to allow them access to those accused of heresy.
* 1746 DE- Aikia, adopted daughter of the leader of the Cartel, kills the leader and seizes control. The Cartel operations expand rapidly.
* 1751 DE- The Cartel takes serious damage and becomes almost non-functional as a criminal entity.
* 1753 DE- A group of adventurers punch a hole through the Equatorial Barrier chasing a malevolent entity. The entity destroys a great deal of land when it passes through the Draconic Empire, devastating a number of cities.
* 1754 DE- Colonization of the New World, as the Southern Continents have become known, begins in earnest by The Commonwealth and The Royaume.
* 1756 DE- The number of migrants to the New World begins to expand as rumours reach the general population of great wealth and hidden secrets to be found.
* 1758 DE- The race for the secrets of the New World leads to the hunt for a strange long-lost device, known as the Soul Forge.