History
This time is commonly referred to as the Seventh Age by the ancients. The truth of this is questionable, the traditional sources for augury can only provide reliable information back to what is called the fourth age. Anything from before this time has come from Abominations, which are notoriously disconnected with concepts such as objective truth and sanity.
Contents
First Age
Genesis:
It is interesting to note that none of the Powers of Greensward claim to have created this world. All stories trace back to a mysterious entity known only as "The Wanderer" introducing life to a pre-existing realm. The Dwarves of Khar Effol hold a single relic which they claim to have recovered from inside a foundry. The relic is a shard of black stone marked with what appears to be cuneiform of a style similar but not identical to the writings of the Thri-Kreen. The following passage has been the only portion able to be deciphered by the Sages of Khar Effol:
- ...Wanderer come into Qrbnon for remaking. Him/Her(?) find world unwholesome... thick sky of amber fire hold behemoths... earth flow like water under great worm/wyrm(?) tremors... angry fungus meadows warred with Dochin... Luna ruled over Sol unquestioned...
The stone of Khar Effoll is widely regarded as cursed. Only one fragment has ever been found and though it is clearly a piece broken off a larger object how it was broken is a mystery for it has been indestructible to all forms of modern attack. Touching the stone causes a degenerative necrosis, trying to read from it invariably leads to incurable madness, and no augury has been found to work on it. The Imperial Wizard Yarn Blackhand attempted to compel a Dao lord to help him decipher the stone's secrets and the Dao was so terrified to be in the presence of the stone that it killed itself with its own Wish power to get free of the wizard's compulsion.
Second Age
The Coming of the Wanderer
The Orcs claim that the Wanderer stole the Earth from the Old Masters, the Elves say that the Wanderer came because Gaia was crying. The Dragons believe that Gaia was dead and the Wanderer brought her back to life. Whatever the truth, the Wanderer changed this world from a hellscape of madness to a green place where life could thrive. One clue to his actions is the Red Fern or as some call it Corpse Flower that thrives on the evil vapors that pour off of rotting corpses and gives off healthy air. It is believed that the Wanderer carpeted the world with Red Fern and burned the Red Fern away once it had eaten the poison. It is also believed that he created the original race of Dragons to wrest the land from the terrors that roamed free.
Third Age
The Rise of the Trinity
The Trinity is said to have been found by a dragon driven mad by nightmares and compelled to search the deepest reaches of the Pental Sea. The thing that came out of the water was a three headed monstrosity that flew wingless and had scales so black that stars could be seen within them. The Wanderer brought a host of powerful creatures from beyond the stars to contest the Trinity, many of whom came to be what we now call the Powers of Greensward.
Most sages believe that the Trinity was responsible for the sundering of the Dragons, creating the Chromatic and Metallic races that we are familiar with today. The Trinity was defeated several times, only to possess another form and rise more powerful than before. We know that the Trinity is somehow imprisoned because he still whispers to madmen in their dreams but cannot empower clerics or even warlocks in his current state. At the end of this age we are told that the Wanderer was so broken by the suffering of the world that he abandoned Greensward and went into the fire beyond the stars.
Fourth Age
The Time of Dragons
The concept of the world overrun by dragons is a chilling thought for most rational beings, but according to the lore of the ancients this age lasted for possibly ten thousand years or more. The exact telling is imprecise as the Dragon Lords did not reckon time as we do. They refer to the five dynasties, but where men describe a dynasty as a succession of generations of a ruling family, the drakes clearly are referring to a single entity.
This age began not with the making of Dragons, but with the discovery of what we now call Sorcery. The Dragon Knight Churish led the revolt against the Titans who were said to have enslaved the Dragons through some unknown "mental dominance" and his rule was benevolent and wise until his passing on. He was succeeded by his mate Ydranna, and it was under her rule that the Dragon Concord was struck. She ruled passably well, but her mate's wisdom was replaced with extravagance and pride. Her court was decadent and her governance duties were informally shifted to her vassals. Her rule ended in abdication and the crown passed to Jupitos the Golden.
The rule of Jupitos was by all accounts exceedingly prosperous. He returned power to the throne that had been abandoned or delegated away by his predecessor and his mastery of politics and bureaucracy was clearly the work of an unparalleled genius. His hedonism however was also without match, and his fall was well documented as the first time a dragon had been put to death under the Concord.
At first it was intended that the throne would be eliminated and the Council would govern directly, but this thought did not last long. The factions went to war, each councilor attempting to set the crown on his own head, and when the ashes settled the throne was for the first time occupied by a Chromatic. The rule of Obid the Mighty was long, effective, and quite brutal. He reduced the servitor races from virtual slaves to literal slaves, and he created the Order of Light to eliminate what he described as "The Dragonborn Problem". It is believed that Obid's end came at the hands of his own daughter who brought him tribute of a fallen star. The Star of Obid as it came to be known promised secrets of the Far Realm and in his hubris Obid believed he could master the chaos. What he became has no name but the Dragons fear of Obid the Destroyer persists to this day.
The name of the last dragon emperor has been stricken from history, but it is believe that she was responsible for the Slumbering Curse that heralded the end of the time of dragons. Her final disposition is unknown but suspected to have something to do with the creation of the Dracolich.
Fifth Age
The Genocides
The fifth age is generally considered to have begun with the coming of the Dwarves, and their hostile pursuit by the Elven Armada. The Elves claim that Durin's Quest was in violation of some treaty or blockade of forgotten history, while the Dwarves assert that the Elves were actually subjugating the Dwarven race and that they feared Durin's folk gaining the power of the Khars.
At first the Elves and the Dwarves fought pitched battles across the skies, with the Elves riding gargantuan insects against the Dwarves and their "sky-boulders". The Elves are believed to have broken the Dwarven ships and laid siege to the Khars, leading to centuries of perpetuated standoff with neither side willing to blink or concede. This situation could have continued into present day given both races' legendary stubbornness, but for the coming of the Goblyn horde.
The Elves had known of the existence of Goblins on this world, but discounted them as a disorganized rabble unworthy of further attention. At first they thought that the massive forces and their coordinated attack was some evil alliance the Dwarves had arranged, but it quickly became apparent that the horde had no other goal than complete extermination of the Elven race. The ferocity and precision of the attacks were unheard of, and when the Elves saw that the Horde had recruited Jotun and Drakes among their numbers they prepared a tragic last stand. The heroic tragedy of it caused the impossible to happen. Durin and his honor guard took the field and stood with the Elves against impossible odds. Durin the Great bought the Elves the needed time to clear an evacuation for the Elves and it was on the slopes of Khar Effol that he lost his second title, Durin the Deathless.
The surviving Elves surrendered the world to the Horde and went into the stars. The Dwarves bolted the doors of the Great Khars and so began the Age of Goblyn.
Sixth Age
The Age of Goblyn is considered a dark age, for if the Orcs and Goblins kept a written record of their conquests it is not known to the sages of Sepental. What little we know of this time is learned from broken ruins and broken bones found in wicked barrows. We know that their dominion was absolute, even driving the Jotun to the edge of extinction. The Orcs of today speak of it as a golden age, but it would be a red gold, thick with blood. Without a common enemy, Orcs are prone to turn on each other and they most assuredly did so to great effect.
It is recorded that the master of all Goblinkin at the end of the sixth age was a self-styled God-King who took the humble appellation of Deathbringer. His tribe claimed dominion over all of this world and two more worlds beside. Deathbringer opened great Planar Gates and sent his armies through to conquer the world of Kelbin and Baaten. Kelbin is believed to have been the original homeworld of the Gnome people, while Baaten is said to have been a terrifying world of perpetual night with a strong connection to the Far Realm of legend. The Gnomes say that Kelbin is no more, that the Orcs consumed it so completely that there is nothing left to go home to. Baaten is believed to have been abandoned by the Orcs for two reasons: it was impossible to hold and had no resources to offer.
It was his third attempt at world domination (fourth if you count this world) that was the undoing of Deathbringer. He opened a Gate to a world of militant and technological humans known as Terra, and his forces were butchered by the legion. The Humans were so driven and so mighty that they overran the staging point of the Planar Gate and humans poured through into our world. Deathbringer was so overwhelmed that his only recourse was to collapse the Gate, stranding a force of the humans on this side of the Gate.
Seventh Age
The Coming of Man
We stand now within the age of Man. It is dearly hoped that these are not the last days of it.
HR0
The Human Reckoning began with the death of the Commandant, leader of the human forces. The humans had run roughshod over the Orc Legions but the attrition was clearly an issue for the stranded humans. Each man was the equal of a dozen or more orcs but the orcs had thousands to marshal against the five legions of Man. The Commandant had demanded absolute genocide of the orc horde, but after he fell to an unknown poison, the possibility of a truce was considered.
With the power of the human forces so difficult to ignore, the terms of the treaty were quite gracious. The whole of Sepental would be cleared of goblinkin and only the Watchtower of Arden would remain as a diplomatic avenue. Aeon Pax was founded as the seat of imperial power and the great towers were set in the five provinces.
HR1104
The Imperial sage Barnabus convinced the sitting Emperor of the treason of Westmarch. Kurnig Damon the Fair was brought to Aeon Pax, tried, and beheaded, with Barnabus named Interim Kurnig of the Westmarch.
HR1214
The third Interim Kurnig of the Westmarch is exposed to be a golem under the control of Barnabus, and the Westmarch is found to be in league with Mammon and their armies thick with Hellspawn and Orc-kin. The Dwarven Conclave allies with Aeon Pax but the Ambassador of Idenmoor is called back and the Elves refuse to join the alliance.
HR1216
After the rout of Suschen the Dwarves pull out of the alliance, accusing the Emperor of using the Dwarves as disposable heros. Barnabus takes Aeon Pax but is unable to unseal the White Tower. The Emperor relocates to Curachen, naming it second seat of the Empire.
HR1219
The northern forces manage to push back the traitor's forces, retaking Aeon Pax with the assistance of the Imperial Sage Auritox, revealed to be a Gold Dragon in disguise. Auritox warns the Emperor not to use the Orb of Moab against Barnabus but the Emperor refuses. Auritox leaves the Emperor's service. The Orb of Moab breaks the armies of Barnabus but also destroys the Fifth Division and sinks half of the Westmarch under the Sechen Sea, creating Traitor's Bay.
HR1224
The phylactry of Barnabus is destroyed and the Bridge of Kandeigen sunk by the Orb of Moab. Westmarch is renamed Mamonus and surrenders without condition. The Nine Princes of Mondeigen demand unreasonable tribute for their part in the alliance and when their demands are not met they seccede. The Emperor moves to restore the Empire but is taken by brain fever before he can arrange sufficient forces. The young Emperor is judged too young for the throne and a regent is appointed but the regent is unable to negotiate a peace. So ends the Empire of Man.
HR2743
First Beastrage begins.
HR2761
First Beastrage quelled by Heirophant Illumnae.
HR2800
Second Beastrage begins
HR2893
Second Beastrage halted with the death of Heirophant Illumae and his conspirators. Some areas take a century or more to recover.
HR3109
The Icewall has confirmed to have taken nearly all of Scortch and the bulk of Kandeigen with the exception of a narrow isthmus of Jungle at the equator. Rumors circulate of a second Elven Exodus. The Sage of the White Tower has sent public calls to the Lords of the Mondeigen for assistance from stalwart heros. Cities lacking deep storehouses are falling to famine as crops are lost to summer frosts.
