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Post by Spectral_King[GM] on May 13, 2009 2:32:19 GMT -5
This is a chronological history of Vorath, citing only major events and as quickly as possible. Many other things happened in between these times, but that's more regional.
General History
History starts with the first civilization that recorded it, the Anaurahn, on the central-north area of Vorath (which is now Vortray/Eindhem area). In pre-history, events are recorded with negative numbers, as no calendar system existed at the time. Any pre-history event is an approximation, and not much is known about what existed before the Anaurahn. Dates are usually noted with the symbol A. for pre-history (which implies the negative year), and Ω. for history and current dates.
A.15000: The first two humans were created by the Goddess of Neutrality, then removed by Ubril. The first elves, dwarves, halflings, gnomes, goblinoids, dragons, and other races are created by their respective Gods. They are nomadic, and do not have civilizations at this point.
A.14000: Adam assaults Sigil, and becomes the first Undead after drinking the blood of gods. After being banished, the undead begin to propagate in the depths of the earth. Other races, such as the Illithid, Eye Tyrants, and others such as the Kuo-Toa also begin to settle the depths of Vorath.
A.13900: The fifth generation of Gods are created, and humans re-created with them. The four gods of Vorath- Alpeth, Mordan, Arnor, and Tarner separate boundaries of Vorath of which their ethnicity reigns. Alpeth has the areas now known as Alpenheim, and part of Vortray. Mordan rules the east, which is now Mordhem and the rest of Vortray. Arnor controls the Arnhem area, and Tarner controls Taura. People are nomadic, but a few settlements of farming villages are around.
A.10000: Elves find an affinity for magic and woodworking, and their culture begins to thrive in the forests. Dwarves take to the mountains, and begin stoneworking. Illithids carve a vast chunk of the Underdark off for themselves, and create the impenetrable Empire of Illyria past the massive rift Sanity’s Edge. It has not been conquered in known history. Beholders only form sporadic hive settlements, and other races begin to form isolated settlements. Some goblinoids and giantkin descend to the depths, after driven off by a coalition of Elves and Dwarves. These creatures have had an innate hatred for each other since then. Halflings have small, quiet settlements on the plains and hills. Gnomes typically isolate themselves to small islands off the coasts, and keep to themselves.
A.5000: Humans begin to settle in groups, forming villages and tribes.
A.1500: In a fertile valley that no longer exists, between Eindhem and Vortray, the Anaurahn (humans that follow Alpeth) form the first human civilization, after working with both Elves’ expertise of the forests, and Dwarven affinity for stone. They forge a peace between the races, and found their capital. Technology and magic in the area advances, bringing the races to a civilized level. The goblinoids are content to raid the other humanoids rather than settle down.
A.400: The prolific Anaurahn begin to expand, conquering other human villages and tribes, bringing them under Anaurahn rule. The Elven and Dwarven coalition disbands when the power-hungry humans begin their expansion. Humans, Elves, and Dwarves are further from each other at this point, but they do not actively fight each other, and there is still trade. Elves and Dwarves disagree with how to proceed- The Elves wishing to intervene, and the Dwarves wanting to not get involved at all. This disagreement puts the two races at odds, and they separate.
A.0: The Year Zero is noted as the first year of complete Anaurahn rule, as the last tribes in the Arnhem area were conquered after a week-long battle. The proud Arn warriors decided to fight to the last man rather than serve the Anaurahn Empire. This fighting spirit, along with their fierce warrior society, is well-known even still today. The human Empire of the Anaurahn is formed under an Emperor, but each of the other three realms retains their beliefs, gods, and a representative leader.
Ω. 155: A battle between the Illithid Empire and the Eye Tyrants erupts over a minor dispute. The ensuing war lasts for 3 years, and the island of Sanzhem is inadvertently created on the surface after a titanic battle. The fight sunk a giant chunk of the Alpeth area, erased completely from the map. The people that were on the remaining chunks of land left are unknown survivors, and begin to form their own society away from the others.
Ω. 300: The technology of shipbuilding and water-navigation is founded. Arn come across the methods to refine steel, adamantine, and obdurium. Mithral in the Vortray/Eindhem area is then discovered.
Ω. 400: A group of Arn settle the area now known as Lithia, to get away from Anaurahn rule. The Yuan-ti in the area fight for control over the next 8 years before being finally driven into the depths of the mountains by the Arn. They still raid the area to this day, however.
Ω. 560: A group of unknown human raiders from the northeast visciously attack the Mordan area one winter, destroying several cities before disappearing. The Anaurahn leadership declares war on these “Norsk” (a curse word for uncivilized barbarians), and send a fleet forth to find them. Their lands are discovered in 564, and a short war lasting about 1 year ensues. The Norsk hold their own, and repel the Anaurahn completely in the unforgiving winter.
Ω. 575: After a group of humans to the southeast called the Sol contact the Tarner realm, a trade of information and goods is opened with them. The secrets of constructs are found by the Sol humans, who teach it to the Anaurahn. The civilization becomes heavily reliant on magic, but many great feats are accomplished, and much is discovered about the arcane arts. The Sol did not have the constructs have intelligence, as they said it was a bane to their gods, but the Anaurahn did not share that sentiment. Another Norsk raiding party assaults the Mordan area.
Ω. 580: An army is assembled to fight the Norsk, consisting of a large amount of semi-intelligent constructs called Soulforged. The Sol cease trade with the Anaurahn after they give their constructs intelligence. The army sails east, and the Norsk repel the invaders yet again, and the only remaining survivors are the Soulforged, who return home in 592. They are punished for their failures, and forced to do menial and hazardous labor.
Ω.600: The leadership of the Anaurahn becomes much more bloodthirsty and malevolent, and the Anaurahn seek to enslave nearby Halflings, Gnomes, Elves and Dwarves for work. Human slavers attack their settlements, and by surprise, capture a fair amount of them. The sub-races of High Elves and Wood Elves have developed by now, as well as Mountain and Gold Dwarves, and the other non-subterranean races. War ensues between humans and the other races.
Ω.680: The humans and humanoids are in a stalemate until this year, when a Soulforged veteran incites his metallic brethren to rise up against their oppressors across the continent. The non-humans gain the upper hand when the rebellion starts. The other areas of Vorath are still backwards, poor, and unproductive areas at this time. The most advanced area of the Anaurahn empire spans the Alpeth/Eindhem/Vortray areas, where most of this occurs.
Ω.684: Soulforged, Dwarves, and Elves march onto the capital of the Anaurahn. Meanwhile, the other human areas begin to revolt against the oppressive Anaurahn, and the empire begins to crumble from within. The prideful humans decide to destroy their entire capital, rather than be conquered. The area that once was the keystone of human civilization sunk into the depths of the earth overnight. All living creatures drowned as the sea swallowed the valley, but the Soulforged remained. A massive gathering of Elves, Dwarves, and Gnomes remained in what is the Vortray area now. A dispute started, and a group of each race; the Drow clan of Elves, the Duergar clan of Dwarves, and the Svirfneblin clan of Gnomes banded together, and vowed that they would rather live under the surface of the world than on the same area as humans. A short fight ensued, before the Drow, Duergar, and Svirfneblin took to the mountains, and from there, to the depths of the Underdark. This is known as The Descent. Their gods were also in argument, and Lloth, Duerra, and Urdalan of the respective pantheons sided with the Descent clans. The Soulforged are lost to the surface-dwellers, assumed to be extinct.
Ω.686: With no central hold on Vorath, the empire collapses, and the Apocalyptic Wars begin. Each country fights each other, and blood spills across Vorath.
Ω.715: The Soulforged recover from their descent to the Lowerdark, and form a small society of survivors around their Creation Forges. They take the name of their former masters, and hide in secrecy past a rift in the Underdark, calling themselves the Anaur.
Ω.780: The fighting does not stop, no side gains an advantage, and the death toll is catastrophic. The gods Alpeth, Mordan, Arnor, and Tarner defy the rules of the gods, and intervene in mortal affairs. They descend to the Material Plane to aid their respective nations. Great power and magic is given to the mortals, but they just use it to fight each other. The humans merely continue to kill each other, but now their means to do so are much greater with the power their gods have granted them.
Ω.788: A Norsk raiding party lands in the Mordan area, and decide to leave after they witness their former rivals butcher each other in civil war. The Goddess of Neutrality, unable to interfere in the Material Plane directly (as she is beyond the physics of that plane), furiously banishes the 4 gods to stay in Vorath until slain, and her voice issuing the banishment is heard across Vorath, by human and monster alike. Mortals, Outsiders, and all sorts of creatures flock to slay a god. The gods are eventually slain, and the Mortals and Outsiders who survived are granted immortality on a demiplane, and they form the Interplanar Police; who enforce the Deific and Planar Code of Laws.
Ω.790: The pantheon of fifth-generation gods is formed, and their presence is known across Vorath. The people begin rebuilding their land, although a few skirmishes here and there exist. The nations of Alpenheim, Mordhem, Arnhem, and Taura are eventually founded, and their borders are set.
Ω.842: Contact is made with the Sanzhem isles, and Alpenheim claims the right to the territory. Arnhem disputes this, as the border between Alpenheim and Arnhem was decided based on size. A war ensues for the next 9 years, until Alpenheim allies itself with Taura, who manage to then take Arnhem in Ω.854. Arn feud with Taurans since this time.
Ω.850: The Naiir Plains of the Middledark are settled by Drow, Duergar, and Svirfneblin. At about this time, the Anaur have begun construction of the Citadel of Shade; their fourth and final massive clockwork city.
Ω.865: The proud Arn colonies on the Lithian isles declare their independence from Alpenheim, and fend off invasion after invasion over the next 5 years. The old King of Alpenheim passes away, and Alpenheim and the Arn sign a peace accord. The islands are known as Lithia, the name the natives called it before the Arn colonized it. Lithians are a mix of the native Lithians and Arn, to a large majority. They are strong fighters, and very proud, but are more scoundrels and pirates than organized and regimented soldiers. They form as a Triarchy- with a King or Queen from each island on a threefold council.
Ω.872: The Sanz follow the Lithian lead, and declare their independence from Alpenheim. Weakened by the Lithian Independence, the Sanz manage to only fight for 3 years before they gain their independence. The Sol come up from the south and raid the Mordhem area once every few years.
Ω.884: Attempting to thwart the Sol raiders, Mordhem attempts colonizing Nak-Festung, and begin to create a series of fortresses on the islands. Unfortunately, in doing so, they upset the territory of dragons. Each of these evil great wyrms had laid claim to an island each, along with draconian minions, and had a shaky peace between each other. When the humans refuse to recognize the dragon’s right to the islands, the dragons banded together to eliminate the humans. The Chromatic Coalition of Tiamat conquered the entirety of Mordhem in less than a year. The Sol stopped raids into the Vorath area at this point in time.
Ω.886: The Dragon Lords each lay claim to newly-created provinces of Mordhem, and upgrade the human cities to great splendor and size, to fit the dragon’s preferences. The humans and any humanoids are slaves, and work under the lash of dragons.
Ω.889: Eindhem also separates from Alpenheim’s rule, without much of a conflict. They decide to institute a new form of government, inspired by philosophers- a Republic. Alpenheim’s position as a super-power declines greatly. Mirenth Tirei is founded below Eindhem, as the first non-isolated Underdark settlement. Subterranean creatures of many races trade freely there.
Ω.921: The Orbs of Dragonkind are discovered in Eindhem. Adventurers have all but the Orb for Green Dragons. Using these Orbs, a coalition between Alpenheim and Taura, and a host of Metallic Dragons, they attack dragon-controlled Mordhem. The Vortray area, which was controlled by the Greens, is a bloodbath, and no territory is controlled in the area during the ensuing war, over the next 12 years. Neither Alpenheim, nor Taura wishes to incur the debt to rebuild Mordhem, and they reinstate Mordhem as a country.
Ω.930: Dark Crusades- Drow, Duergar, and Svirfneblin form a coalition to battle the ever-increasing amount of Undead in the depths, and begin a campaign to eradicate them.
Ω.943: The Green Orb is discovered in the Vortray area, and the locals rise up against their masters. In 946, they have finally driven off the last of their oppressors. Alpenheim’s economy is in shambles as the Arn are revolting, Mordhem is rebuilding, and Taura has an isolationist policy. The Vor form their own nation without a dispute from the neighbors.
Ω.950: The Arn overthrow Alpenheim’s rule in the Arnhem area, and reform their nation. Lithia remains independent from Arnhem, however; despite talks to rejoin. Alpenheim military overthrows the government in a coup d’état, and Alpenheim becomes a feudal collection of city-states and provinces.
Ω.953: War Drakes are bred to their current level in the Mordhem area, and used as mounts. Mordhem rebuilds their society, and their cities are unrivaled in size and construction. The adventurers who found the 4 Orbs of Dragonkind gain the Green Orb from the Vor. However, shortly after, one of their own betrays them all. He takes the Orbs and is never seen again.
Ω.955: The Dark Crusades end, as the coalition is stretched thin, but the Undead’s territory was diminished. It is rumored that at this time, Adam- the first Undead, fought himself against the coalition. It is said that his sword hand was severed, and when he fled, the coalition took his hand and sword as relics. The returning army was ambushed by unknown assailants, and the sword and hand were lost to time.
Ω.957: An exploration expedition is sent from Sanzhem to the East. It returns in 972 and brings word of another race of humans in the far off lands. Arnhem rebuilds its government and society as a monarchy. Taura is a magocracy, and Alpenheim remains feudal. Eindhem flourishes with its republic and expands its cities. Norsk raiders attack Sanzhem, and Sanzhem retaliates. Relative peace between the nations lets the people rebuild and advance their technology. Eindhem makes the discovery of business management as a science, and corporations are formed.
Ω.965: The use of blackpowder is discovered in Lithia, and the invention of firearms follows that. However, such weapons are crude, inaccurate, and not cost-effective. They do not gain widespread use; but are typically used as a naval or siege weapon. Some nobles like to carry a pistol due to the power for its size. Trade eventually lets firearms be seen in other areas of Vorath, but they are rare at best.
Ω.967: A territory dispute between Taura and Arnhem leads to a war between the two nations. It ends in 974, with a peace treaty, but no real gain.
Ω.982: With word that there are riches in the Eastern Continent, colonists from Alpenheim, Eindhem, Sanzhem, Mordhem, and Taura travel forth. Tauran ships are attacked by Sol raiders, and never make it.
Ω.997: Eastern Colonies are established, and trade begins. Norsk raiders hinder unprotected merchant ships.
Ω.1005: Sol raiders attack Mordhem, sparking an international conflict. Mord and Sol armies fight in the Wastes and on the seas.
Ω.1007: With the Mord distracted, Taura attempts to conquer Mordhem. In passing into Mordhem territory, they upset a group of Elves.
Ω.1030: The Mord pillage and destroy Sol lands, until the Mord army is crushed and driven away by what they said was a colossal stone statue of a sphinx in the desert. Taura conquers the southern quarter of Mordhem before the Mord army returns.
Ω.1034: An Elven army sweeps into Taura, and the Mord take advantage of this to retake their lands. Vicious fighting ensues between the Elves and Taura. Goblinoids in the Tauran area push into Arnhem, and a war ensues between the two.
Ω.1040: The Taurans and Mord agree to an armistice, and fight the Elves. Lithia aids Arnhem against the goblinoid incursion. Giantfolk attack Alpenheim.
Ω.1045: The Goblinoid Incursion, and the Elven Crusade ends, and a peace accord is reached. Lithia and Arnhem remain allies. Taura and Mordhem agree to a non-aggression pact. In 1046, Alpenheim successfully repel the Giantfolk attacks, sending them back to the mountains.
Ω.1048: Emissaries from Eindhem are sent to each nation, to bring about a human empire.
Ω.1050: the Empire of Vorath is formed, and the nations are unified under an Imperial-Republic, with Emperor Mortai Thorcastle. Eindhem is the capital city of the Empire, and the humans prosper. The Sanzhem area, Norsk, and Sol are not a part of this Empire, nor any nation past Mordhem’s edge. The colonies are still controlled by their respective nations.
Ω.1075: Magic and technology advances rapidly, inventions such as sanitation, schools, and other public works are created in major cities. Simple machinery is also used, such as intricate gear-based mechanisms and wind/water-based power.
Ω.1077: An Alpen merchant ship is attacked off the coast of Sanzhem, which sparks a war between Sanzhem and the Alpenheim people. The Empire sends forth it’s military to conquer Sanzhem. In 1088, Sanzhem is a part of the Empire.
Ω.1101: The Emperor dies of old age a day before his 90th birthday. His son was slain in an attempted coup two years before, and Valiira Thorcastle (his daughter), becomes Empress.
Ω.1116: Lithian ambassadors get in a dispute with the rule of the Empress, and attempt to secede from the Empire. Arnhem refuses to let Imperial armies cross their borders to retake Lithia, as they believed Lithia had the right to secede if they wished to. Imperial armies then march into Arnhem, sparking a war.
Ω.1128: Arn and Lithian armies hold the Empire at bay until 1128, when a traitor gives military secrets to the Empire, and they break through Arnhem’s lines.
Ω.1135: Arnhem is retaken by the Empire.
Ω.1148: Lithia is retaken by the Empire.
Ω.1153: A large group of Undead hit the Taura area. A brutal conflict ensues, and many lives are lost in the next 12 years before the Undead stop raiding the area. Infrastructure across the Empire- such as roads and portals, are created to speed travel between nations.
Ω.1197: Old and ill-suited to rule, the Empress steps down from rule, and her arrogant son takes the throne. Valiira Thorcastle then dies a day later. Emperor Norevai Thorcastle’s rule is one of the most bloody, and in the first 3 years of his rule, there are over 7 attempted coup’s and over 20 known assassination attempts.
Ω.1208: Eindhem gets richer, while much of Vorath gets poorer with the heavy taxation. It becomes a wealth of culture and modern power. Many people immigrate to the Eindhem area as well, and it’s population becomes massive.
Ω.1210: Norsk raiders assault Eindhem and Mordhem, and are repulsed. Norevai sends a massive fleet, carrying over 500,000 troops.
Ω.1219: The Norsk lands are pillaged and burned, but the Norsk keep fighting. The Empire’s casualties are extraordinarily high, and eventually Norevai calls a retreat.
Ω.1224: In-fighting and politics begin to corrupt the Empire, until in 1236, the Emperor “cleanses” the senate and public offices with troops. He restructures things to be more autocratic and efficient, with less red tape.
Ω.1250: Norevai sends his armies to the east of Vorath in a quest for resources. They take much from the forests, and eventually the Elves fight back in full force.
Ω.1270: After a twenty-year conflict with the Elves, a peace accord is reached, and the humans return.
Ω.1286: Feudal lords in the Alpenheim, Vortray, and Mordhem areas fight amongst each other for control of personal territory.
Ω.1300: The Emperor ignores the feudal conflict’s causes, and sends the armies to the south to Nak-Festung. The draconians are on the defensive, and Norevai’s tactics keep them pinned from advancing into Mord or Tauran territory.
Ω.1304: Dragons and Undead make a pact under the rule of a dracolich, and Undead rise from below Nak-Festung, using hit-and-fade tactics to undermine the Empire.
Ω.1311: Norevai calls for a retreat from Nak-Festung. The Dragon/Undead army does not pursue, and the Undead fade back to the Underdark. The dragons build upon Nak-Festung, and build castles to fortify their lands.
Ω.1312: A rag-tag group of evil dragons attack Eindhem’s Capitol Hill, probably flown up from Nak-Festung. Norevai himself helps defend his home from the dragons, with his sword Crocea Mors. Much is destroyed in the attack, and Norevai’s arm was ripped off by an angry Fang dragon. The Fang Dragon supposedly escaped with Norevai’s sword still in its mouth. Norevai then disappeared from public view for almost a year. Norevai was almost 140 years old, yet still appearing to be as young as 35 at this time. He has raised 4 sons at this point, although his youngest was killed in the dragon attack.
Ω.1313: Norevai exits his palace after his solitude. He sends his 3 remaining sons on a quest. They return two years later, and Norevai wears a strange silver replacement arm.
Ω.1317: Without warning, flying ships from the Astral Plane appear over Vortray. Githyanki invaders assault Vortray towns, attacking without mercy. Norevai’s armies retaliate against the Gith invasion, and war ensues.
Ω.1328: The Gith are eventually repulsed back to the Astral Plane. In the final battle, a paladin of Tyr wielding a mithral sword, and his allies, critically injure the Lich Queen. In 1390, for unknown reasons, the paladin falls onto his sword from Capitol Hill on Eindhem. It shatters, and he dies. The hilt is never recovered, but the blade’s shards are in the Museum on Capitol Hill. The economy of the Empire is in a recession.
Ω.1342: Explorers discover strange megalithic ruins in the central lands north of Taura. The largest diamond ever recorded, a 112-carat blue diamond, is retrieved and placed in the museum in Eindhem’s Capitol Hill. It was valued at approximately 1 million gp value by itself, and is in a necklace with 61 more diamonds, estimated to be worth an additional 350,000gp.
Ω.1343: Taura is furious that Eindhem got to keep the artifacts and demands their return. Norevai promptly ignores them. A strike force of rogue Tauran mages mysteriously appears in Eindhem, and marches upon the capital city. Tauran mage-troops siege the capital, eventually penetrating to the Capital to retake the diamond. Although the survivors of the attack disappear from Eindhem, they never return home to Taura with the diamond.
Ω.1344: A series of strange Megaliths are discovered on the island of Avalon, in the Caterian Sea.
Ω.1349: Norevai is slain by his two elder sons so they can take the throne, after an epic battle. His third son, Xavier, was off adventuring. Upon hearing this, he returns to Eindhem, and faces his two brothers. He kills them for their treachery, along with their supporters in the Senate.
Ω.1350: Emperor Xavier Thorcastle is the ruler of the Empire of Vorath. He focuses on rebuilding infrastructure after so much conflict, and advancing quality of life for the people in the Empire. This time period is known as the Golden Age of Vorath.
Ω.1354: Nethenrock, a city in the Underdark, is taken by Mind Flayer slavers. This sparks a conflict between an alliance of Drow, Duergar, and Svirfneblin and the Empire of Illyria. In 1306, the Coalition recruits the Kuo-Toa to ally with them when Illithid raid a Kuo-Toan settlement. Also, various other races and mercenaries in the area ally themselves with the Coalition, including an army of Anaur and constructs. Drow spies frame Mind Flayers with an attempted sabotage on a Beholder hive in 1357. The beholders independently attack the Illlithids, until the truth of the sabotage comes out in 1360; and the Beholders turn on the Coalition. Nethenrock becomes a no-man’s-land in 1366 when the war ends, as neither side could gain an advantage. The Coalition disbands at that point.
Ω.1375: An uprising of locals in the Eastern Colonies attack Vorath’s settlements there. The Empire retaliates, sending forth an army. On the way, it is attacked by Norsk raiders as well. War wages for the next 30 years in the East, until a peace accord is reached.
Ω.1390: A wizard of great power, Vossith the Shadowlord, in the Alpenheim area attempts to conquer and subjugate all before him. His evil minions cause chaos and destruction until they are stopped in 1396 by adventurers.
Ω.1414: Economic woes unsettle Vorath, and there is an economic depression.
Ω.1412: Goblinoids attack the Vortray/Mordhem area, and war breaks out.
Ω.1427: The Goblinoid armies are repulsed, and the economy begins to prosper again.
Ω.1428: A Minotaur and his traveling companions become unlikely heroes in Eindhem as they thwart a plot by a War Troll and his minions to infiltrate and raid Eindhem after hijacking Eindolan merchant ships.
Ω.1440: Exploration ships are sent out across the seas, in order to find the edges of the world.
Ω.1444: An army lead by Dragons descends from Eindhem to the human cities. The siege lasts for 3 years, before they are finally repulsed. Many dragons are killed, and many others fled.
Ω.1451: The Blood War of the Outer Planes spills onto the Material Plane when a wounded Archdemon, Luxe, fell to Alpenheim. He gathered human and demonic followers to help him regain his powers. In 1459, Luxe’s forces are attacked by Celestial and mercenary forces. Luxe was lost, presumed destroyed, in the ensuing battle, and has not been seen since.
Ω.1462: A Fang Dragon wyrmling captured and raised in Eindhem escapes captivity and the city. Many are killed or injured in the escape and ensuing fires in the city. A party is sent to slay the dragon. Many monstrous types come to the aid of the dragon, hampering the party’s efforts. Only one returns, and with a part of the dragon’s jaw. The Halfling is given a small estate and the surname Dragonripper as a reward for slaying it. It was the last dragon in Eindhem, and none has been seen in the area since.
Ω.1471: A cabal of Sanz mages discover six strange crystal skulls. They gain immense power, and gather an army of Undead to take over the world. The Empire fights them, and in 1483, the Army of Darkness lands on the beaches of Eindhem, attempting to conquer it. Emperor Xavier Thorcastle himself fights the mages, slaying them in single combat with his army. Over the next 6 years, the Imperial forces clean up the mess that the mages left. The crystal skulls were not found.
Ω.1500: The 150-year celebration of the Imperial Golden Age is marked with disaster when anti-Imperialists and anti-humans attack the major capital of each nation, inflicting severe casualties and terror.
Ω.1506: Overseas (Western) raiders hit the Lithia and Arnhem coasts. The Empire does nothing. Dissent begins in the Arnhem area against the Empire. Over the next 10 years, it spreads to Lithia, Taura, Alpenheim, and Sanzhem. Mordhem finally starts to desire separation in 1520.
Ω.1524: Arnhem secedes from the Empire, allied with Lithia. Alpenheim and Sanzhem also form an alliance to break free. Mordhem steps out solo. Imperial forces march to end the Succession Wars.
Ω.1532: Each nation makes a bid for power against each other, and Vorath is ravaged by a chaotic and bloody conflict. Each nation becomes interested in its own preservation, and trusts no other. Eindhem is the only country that remains neutral, as it still considers itself the Empire. Imperial forces attempt to intervene between nations, but it is a futile effort at best.
Ω.1549: The 500-year mark for the reign of the Empire of Vorath is crushed the day before the New Year, when Emperor Xavier Thorcastle is mysteriously killed. He had no successor to the throne, and the Empire begins to deteriorate even faster.
Ω.1550: The Empire is officially dissolved, and border disputes intensify the Succession Wars.
Ω.1553 (Winter): Eindhem begins talks of peace with the other nations in order to quell the war.
Ω.1554 (Spring): The peace talks are successful, and an armistice is signed. Campaign setting starting point.
General History
History starts with the first civilization that recorded it, the Anaurahn, on the central-north area of Vorath (which is now Vortray/Eindhem area). In pre-history, events are recorded with negative numbers, as no calendar system existed at the time. Any pre-history event is an approximation, and not much is known about what existed before the Anaurahn. Dates are usually noted with the symbol A. for pre-history (which implies the negative year), and Ω. for history and current dates.
A.15000: The first two humans were created by the Goddess of Neutrality, then removed by Ubril. The first elves, dwarves, halflings, gnomes, goblinoids, dragons, and other races are created by their respective Gods. They are nomadic, and do not have civilizations at this point.
A.14000: Adam assaults Sigil, and becomes the first Undead after drinking the blood of gods. After being banished, the undead begin to propagate in the depths of the earth. Other races, such as the Illithid, Eye Tyrants, and others such as the Kuo-Toa also begin to settle the depths of Vorath.
A.13900: The fifth generation of Gods are created, and humans re-created with them. The four gods of Vorath- Alpeth, Mordan, Arnor, and Tarner separate boundaries of Vorath of which their ethnicity reigns. Alpeth has the areas now known as Alpenheim, and part of Vortray. Mordan rules the east, which is now Mordhem and the rest of Vortray. Arnor controls the Arnhem area, and Tarner controls Taura. People are nomadic, but a few settlements of farming villages are around.
A.10000: Elves find an affinity for magic and woodworking, and their culture begins to thrive in the forests. Dwarves take to the mountains, and begin stoneworking. Illithids carve a vast chunk of the Underdark off for themselves, and create the impenetrable Empire of Illyria past the massive rift Sanity’s Edge. It has not been conquered in known history. Beholders only form sporadic hive settlements, and other races begin to form isolated settlements. Some goblinoids and giantkin descend to the depths, after driven off by a coalition of Elves and Dwarves. These creatures have had an innate hatred for each other since then. Halflings have small, quiet settlements on the plains and hills. Gnomes typically isolate themselves to small islands off the coasts, and keep to themselves.
A.5000: Humans begin to settle in groups, forming villages and tribes.
A.1500: In a fertile valley that no longer exists, between Eindhem and Vortray, the Anaurahn (humans that follow Alpeth) form the first human civilization, after working with both Elves’ expertise of the forests, and Dwarven affinity for stone. They forge a peace between the races, and found their capital. Technology and magic in the area advances, bringing the races to a civilized level. The goblinoids are content to raid the other humanoids rather than settle down.
A.400: The prolific Anaurahn begin to expand, conquering other human villages and tribes, bringing them under Anaurahn rule. The Elven and Dwarven coalition disbands when the power-hungry humans begin their expansion. Humans, Elves, and Dwarves are further from each other at this point, but they do not actively fight each other, and there is still trade. Elves and Dwarves disagree with how to proceed- The Elves wishing to intervene, and the Dwarves wanting to not get involved at all. This disagreement puts the two races at odds, and they separate.
A.0: The Year Zero is noted as the first year of complete Anaurahn rule, as the last tribes in the Arnhem area were conquered after a week-long battle. The proud Arn warriors decided to fight to the last man rather than serve the Anaurahn Empire. This fighting spirit, along with their fierce warrior society, is well-known even still today. The human Empire of the Anaurahn is formed under an Emperor, but each of the other three realms retains their beliefs, gods, and a representative leader.
Ω. 155: A battle between the Illithid Empire and the Eye Tyrants erupts over a minor dispute. The ensuing war lasts for 3 years, and the island of Sanzhem is inadvertently created on the surface after a titanic battle. The fight sunk a giant chunk of the Alpeth area, erased completely from the map. The people that were on the remaining chunks of land left are unknown survivors, and begin to form their own society away from the others.
Ω. 300: The technology of shipbuilding and water-navigation is founded. Arn come across the methods to refine steel, adamantine, and obdurium. Mithral in the Vortray/Eindhem area is then discovered.
Ω. 400: A group of Arn settle the area now known as Lithia, to get away from Anaurahn rule. The Yuan-ti in the area fight for control over the next 8 years before being finally driven into the depths of the mountains by the Arn. They still raid the area to this day, however.
Ω. 560: A group of unknown human raiders from the northeast visciously attack the Mordan area one winter, destroying several cities before disappearing. The Anaurahn leadership declares war on these “Norsk” (a curse word for uncivilized barbarians), and send a fleet forth to find them. Their lands are discovered in 564, and a short war lasting about 1 year ensues. The Norsk hold their own, and repel the Anaurahn completely in the unforgiving winter.
Ω. 575: After a group of humans to the southeast called the Sol contact the Tarner realm, a trade of information and goods is opened with them. The secrets of constructs are found by the Sol humans, who teach it to the Anaurahn. The civilization becomes heavily reliant on magic, but many great feats are accomplished, and much is discovered about the arcane arts. The Sol did not have the constructs have intelligence, as they said it was a bane to their gods, but the Anaurahn did not share that sentiment. Another Norsk raiding party assaults the Mordan area.
Ω. 580: An army is assembled to fight the Norsk, consisting of a large amount of semi-intelligent constructs called Soulforged. The Sol cease trade with the Anaurahn after they give their constructs intelligence. The army sails east, and the Norsk repel the invaders yet again, and the only remaining survivors are the Soulforged, who return home in 592. They are punished for their failures, and forced to do menial and hazardous labor.
Ω.600: The leadership of the Anaurahn becomes much more bloodthirsty and malevolent, and the Anaurahn seek to enslave nearby Halflings, Gnomes, Elves and Dwarves for work. Human slavers attack their settlements, and by surprise, capture a fair amount of them. The sub-races of High Elves and Wood Elves have developed by now, as well as Mountain and Gold Dwarves, and the other non-subterranean races. War ensues between humans and the other races.
Ω.680: The humans and humanoids are in a stalemate until this year, when a Soulforged veteran incites his metallic brethren to rise up against their oppressors across the continent. The non-humans gain the upper hand when the rebellion starts. The other areas of Vorath are still backwards, poor, and unproductive areas at this time. The most advanced area of the Anaurahn empire spans the Alpeth/Eindhem/Vortray areas, where most of this occurs.
Ω.684: Soulforged, Dwarves, and Elves march onto the capital of the Anaurahn. Meanwhile, the other human areas begin to revolt against the oppressive Anaurahn, and the empire begins to crumble from within. The prideful humans decide to destroy their entire capital, rather than be conquered. The area that once was the keystone of human civilization sunk into the depths of the earth overnight. All living creatures drowned as the sea swallowed the valley, but the Soulforged remained. A massive gathering of Elves, Dwarves, and Gnomes remained in what is the Vortray area now. A dispute started, and a group of each race; the Drow clan of Elves, the Duergar clan of Dwarves, and the Svirfneblin clan of Gnomes banded together, and vowed that they would rather live under the surface of the world than on the same area as humans. A short fight ensued, before the Drow, Duergar, and Svirfneblin took to the mountains, and from there, to the depths of the Underdark. This is known as The Descent. Their gods were also in argument, and Lloth, Duerra, and Urdalan of the respective pantheons sided with the Descent clans. The Soulforged are lost to the surface-dwellers, assumed to be extinct.
Ω.686: With no central hold on Vorath, the empire collapses, and the Apocalyptic Wars begin. Each country fights each other, and blood spills across Vorath.
Ω.715: The Soulforged recover from their descent to the Lowerdark, and form a small society of survivors around their Creation Forges. They take the name of their former masters, and hide in secrecy past a rift in the Underdark, calling themselves the Anaur.
Ω.780: The fighting does not stop, no side gains an advantage, and the death toll is catastrophic. The gods Alpeth, Mordan, Arnor, and Tarner defy the rules of the gods, and intervene in mortal affairs. They descend to the Material Plane to aid their respective nations. Great power and magic is given to the mortals, but they just use it to fight each other. The humans merely continue to kill each other, but now their means to do so are much greater with the power their gods have granted them.
Ω.788: A Norsk raiding party lands in the Mordan area, and decide to leave after they witness their former rivals butcher each other in civil war. The Goddess of Neutrality, unable to interfere in the Material Plane directly (as she is beyond the physics of that plane), furiously banishes the 4 gods to stay in Vorath until slain, and her voice issuing the banishment is heard across Vorath, by human and monster alike. Mortals, Outsiders, and all sorts of creatures flock to slay a god. The gods are eventually slain, and the Mortals and Outsiders who survived are granted immortality on a demiplane, and they form the Interplanar Police; who enforce the Deific and Planar Code of Laws.
Ω.790: The pantheon of fifth-generation gods is formed, and their presence is known across Vorath. The people begin rebuilding their land, although a few skirmishes here and there exist. The nations of Alpenheim, Mordhem, Arnhem, and Taura are eventually founded, and their borders are set.
Ω.842: Contact is made with the Sanzhem isles, and Alpenheim claims the right to the territory. Arnhem disputes this, as the border between Alpenheim and Arnhem was decided based on size. A war ensues for the next 9 years, until Alpenheim allies itself with Taura, who manage to then take Arnhem in Ω.854. Arn feud with Taurans since this time.
Ω.850: The Naiir Plains of the Middledark are settled by Drow, Duergar, and Svirfneblin. At about this time, the Anaur have begun construction of the Citadel of Shade; their fourth and final massive clockwork city.
Ω.865: The proud Arn colonies on the Lithian isles declare their independence from Alpenheim, and fend off invasion after invasion over the next 5 years. The old King of Alpenheim passes away, and Alpenheim and the Arn sign a peace accord. The islands are known as Lithia, the name the natives called it before the Arn colonized it. Lithians are a mix of the native Lithians and Arn, to a large majority. They are strong fighters, and very proud, but are more scoundrels and pirates than organized and regimented soldiers. They form as a Triarchy- with a King or Queen from each island on a threefold council.
Ω.872: The Sanz follow the Lithian lead, and declare their independence from Alpenheim. Weakened by the Lithian Independence, the Sanz manage to only fight for 3 years before they gain their independence. The Sol come up from the south and raid the Mordhem area once every few years.
Ω.884: Attempting to thwart the Sol raiders, Mordhem attempts colonizing Nak-Festung, and begin to create a series of fortresses on the islands. Unfortunately, in doing so, they upset the territory of dragons. Each of these evil great wyrms had laid claim to an island each, along with draconian minions, and had a shaky peace between each other. When the humans refuse to recognize the dragon’s right to the islands, the dragons banded together to eliminate the humans. The Chromatic Coalition of Tiamat conquered the entirety of Mordhem in less than a year. The Sol stopped raids into the Vorath area at this point in time.
Ω.886: The Dragon Lords each lay claim to newly-created provinces of Mordhem, and upgrade the human cities to great splendor and size, to fit the dragon’s preferences. The humans and any humanoids are slaves, and work under the lash of dragons.
Ω.889: Eindhem also separates from Alpenheim’s rule, without much of a conflict. They decide to institute a new form of government, inspired by philosophers- a Republic. Alpenheim’s position as a super-power declines greatly. Mirenth Tirei is founded below Eindhem, as the first non-isolated Underdark settlement. Subterranean creatures of many races trade freely there.
Ω.921: The Orbs of Dragonkind are discovered in Eindhem. Adventurers have all but the Orb for Green Dragons. Using these Orbs, a coalition between Alpenheim and Taura, and a host of Metallic Dragons, they attack dragon-controlled Mordhem. The Vortray area, which was controlled by the Greens, is a bloodbath, and no territory is controlled in the area during the ensuing war, over the next 12 years. Neither Alpenheim, nor Taura wishes to incur the debt to rebuild Mordhem, and they reinstate Mordhem as a country.
Ω.930: Dark Crusades- Drow, Duergar, and Svirfneblin form a coalition to battle the ever-increasing amount of Undead in the depths, and begin a campaign to eradicate them.
Ω.943: The Green Orb is discovered in the Vortray area, and the locals rise up against their masters. In 946, they have finally driven off the last of their oppressors. Alpenheim’s economy is in shambles as the Arn are revolting, Mordhem is rebuilding, and Taura has an isolationist policy. The Vor form their own nation without a dispute from the neighbors.
Ω.950: The Arn overthrow Alpenheim’s rule in the Arnhem area, and reform their nation. Lithia remains independent from Arnhem, however; despite talks to rejoin. Alpenheim military overthrows the government in a coup d’état, and Alpenheim becomes a feudal collection of city-states and provinces.
Ω.953: War Drakes are bred to their current level in the Mordhem area, and used as mounts. Mordhem rebuilds their society, and their cities are unrivaled in size and construction. The adventurers who found the 4 Orbs of Dragonkind gain the Green Orb from the Vor. However, shortly after, one of their own betrays them all. He takes the Orbs and is never seen again.
Ω.955: The Dark Crusades end, as the coalition is stretched thin, but the Undead’s territory was diminished. It is rumored that at this time, Adam- the first Undead, fought himself against the coalition. It is said that his sword hand was severed, and when he fled, the coalition took his hand and sword as relics. The returning army was ambushed by unknown assailants, and the sword and hand were lost to time.
Ω.957: An exploration expedition is sent from Sanzhem to the East. It returns in 972 and brings word of another race of humans in the far off lands. Arnhem rebuilds its government and society as a monarchy. Taura is a magocracy, and Alpenheim remains feudal. Eindhem flourishes with its republic and expands its cities. Norsk raiders attack Sanzhem, and Sanzhem retaliates. Relative peace between the nations lets the people rebuild and advance their technology. Eindhem makes the discovery of business management as a science, and corporations are formed.
Ω.965: The use of blackpowder is discovered in Lithia, and the invention of firearms follows that. However, such weapons are crude, inaccurate, and not cost-effective. They do not gain widespread use; but are typically used as a naval or siege weapon. Some nobles like to carry a pistol due to the power for its size. Trade eventually lets firearms be seen in other areas of Vorath, but they are rare at best.
Ω.967: A territory dispute between Taura and Arnhem leads to a war between the two nations. It ends in 974, with a peace treaty, but no real gain.
Ω.982: With word that there are riches in the Eastern Continent, colonists from Alpenheim, Eindhem, Sanzhem, Mordhem, and Taura travel forth. Tauran ships are attacked by Sol raiders, and never make it.
Ω.997: Eastern Colonies are established, and trade begins. Norsk raiders hinder unprotected merchant ships.
Ω.1005: Sol raiders attack Mordhem, sparking an international conflict. Mord and Sol armies fight in the Wastes and on the seas.
Ω.1007: With the Mord distracted, Taura attempts to conquer Mordhem. In passing into Mordhem territory, they upset a group of Elves.
Ω.1030: The Mord pillage and destroy Sol lands, until the Mord army is crushed and driven away by what they said was a colossal stone statue of a sphinx in the desert. Taura conquers the southern quarter of Mordhem before the Mord army returns.
Ω.1034: An Elven army sweeps into Taura, and the Mord take advantage of this to retake their lands. Vicious fighting ensues between the Elves and Taura. Goblinoids in the Tauran area push into Arnhem, and a war ensues between the two.
Ω.1040: The Taurans and Mord agree to an armistice, and fight the Elves. Lithia aids Arnhem against the goblinoid incursion. Giantfolk attack Alpenheim.
Ω.1045: The Goblinoid Incursion, and the Elven Crusade ends, and a peace accord is reached. Lithia and Arnhem remain allies. Taura and Mordhem agree to a non-aggression pact. In 1046, Alpenheim successfully repel the Giantfolk attacks, sending them back to the mountains.
Ω.1048: Emissaries from Eindhem are sent to each nation, to bring about a human empire.
Ω.1050: the Empire of Vorath is formed, and the nations are unified under an Imperial-Republic, with Emperor Mortai Thorcastle. Eindhem is the capital city of the Empire, and the humans prosper. The Sanzhem area, Norsk, and Sol are not a part of this Empire, nor any nation past Mordhem’s edge. The colonies are still controlled by their respective nations.
Ω.1075: Magic and technology advances rapidly, inventions such as sanitation, schools, and other public works are created in major cities. Simple machinery is also used, such as intricate gear-based mechanisms and wind/water-based power.
Ω.1077: An Alpen merchant ship is attacked off the coast of Sanzhem, which sparks a war between Sanzhem and the Alpenheim people. The Empire sends forth it’s military to conquer Sanzhem. In 1088, Sanzhem is a part of the Empire.
Ω.1101: The Emperor dies of old age a day before his 90th birthday. His son was slain in an attempted coup two years before, and Valiira Thorcastle (his daughter), becomes Empress.
Ω.1116: Lithian ambassadors get in a dispute with the rule of the Empress, and attempt to secede from the Empire. Arnhem refuses to let Imperial armies cross their borders to retake Lithia, as they believed Lithia had the right to secede if they wished to. Imperial armies then march into Arnhem, sparking a war.
Ω.1128: Arn and Lithian armies hold the Empire at bay until 1128, when a traitor gives military secrets to the Empire, and they break through Arnhem’s lines.
Ω.1135: Arnhem is retaken by the Empire.
Ω.1148: Lithia is retaken by the Empire.
Ω.1153: A large group of Undead hit the Taura area. A brutal conflict ensues, and many lives are lost in the next 12 years before the Undead stop raiding the area. Infrastructure across the Empire- such as roads and portals, are created to speed travel between nations.
Ω.1197: Old and ill-suited to rule, the Empress steps down from rule, and her arrogant son takes the throne. Valiira Thorcastle then dies a day later. Emperor Norevai Thorcastle’s rule is one of the most bloody, and in the first 3 years of his rule, there are over 7 attempted coup’s and over 20 known assassination attempts.
Ω.1208: Eindhem gets richer, while much of Vorath gets poorer with the heavy taxation. It becomes a wealth of culture and modern power. Many people immigrate to the Eindhem area as well, and it’s population becomes massive.
Ω.1210: Norsk raiders assault Eindhem and Mordhem, and are repulsed. Norevai sends a massive fleet, carrying over 500,000 troops.
Ω.1219: The Norsk lands are pillaged and burned, but the Norsk keep fighting. The Empire’s casualties are extraordinarily high, and eventually Norevai calls a retreat.
Ω.1224: In-fighting and politics begin to corrupt the Empire, until in 1236, the Emperor “cleanses” the senate and public offices with troops. He restructures things to be more autocratic and efficient, with less red tape.
Ω.1250: Norevai sends his armies to the east of Vorath in a quest for resources. They take much from the forests, and eventually the Elves fight back in full force.
Ω.1270: After a twenty-year conflict with the Elves, a peace accord is reached, and the humans return.
Ω.1286: Feudal lords in the Alpenheim, Vortray, and Mordhem areas fight amongst each other for control of personal territory.
Ω.1300: The Emperor ignores the feudal conflict’s causes, and sends the armies to the south to Nak-Festung. The draconians are on the defensive, and Norevai’s tactics keep them pinned from advancing into Mord or Tauran territory.
Ω.1304: Dragons and Undead make a pact under the rule of a dracolich, and Undead rise from below Nak-Festung, using hit-and-fade tactics to undermine the Empire.
Ω.1311: Norevai calls for a retreat from Nak-Festung. The Dragon/Undead army does not pursue, and the Undead fade back to the Underdark. The dragons build upon Nak-Festung, and build castles to fortify their lands.
Ω.1312: A rag-tag group of evil dragons attack Eindhem’s Capitol Hill, probably flown up from Nak-Festung. Norevai himself helps defend his home from the dragons, with his sword Crocea Mors. Much is destroyed in the attack, and Norevai’s arm was ripped off by an angry Fang dragon. The Fang Dragon supposedly escaped with Norevai’s sword still in its mouth. Norevai then disappeared from public view for almost a year. Norevai was almost 140 years old, yet still appearing to be as young as 35 at this time. He has raised 4 sons at this point, although his youngest was killed in the dragon attack.
Ω.1313: Norevai exits his palace after his solitude. He sends his 3 remaining sons on a quest. They return two years later, and Norevai wears a strange silver replacement arm.
Ω.1317: Without warning, flying ships from the Astral Plane appear over Vortray. Githyanki invaders assault Vortray towns, attacking without mercy. Norevai’s armies retaliate against the Gith invasion, and war ensues.
Ω.1328: The Gith are eventually repulsed back to the Astral Plane. In the final battle, a paladin of Tyr wielding a mithral sword, and his allies, critically injure the Lich Queen. In 1390, for unknown reasons, the paladin falls onto his sword from Capitol Hill on Eindhem. It shatters, and he dies. The hilt is never recovered, but the blade’s shards are in the Museum on Capitol Hill. The economy of the Empire is in a recession.
Ω.1342: Explorers discover strange megalithic ruins in the central lands north of Taura. The largest diamond ever recorded, a 112-carat blue diamond, is retrieved and placed in the museum in Eindhem’s Capitol Hill. It was valued at approximately 1 million gp value by itself, and is in a necklace with 61 more diamonds, estimated to be worth an additional 350,000gp.
Ω.1343: Taura is furious that Eindhem got to keep the artifacts and demands their return. Norevai promptly ignores them. A strike force of rogue Tauran mages mysteriously appears in Eindhem, and marches upon the capital city. Tauran mage-troops siege the capital, eventually penetrating to the Capital to retake the diamond. Although the survivors of the attack disappear from Eindhem, they never return home to Taura with the diamond.
Ω.1344: A series of strange Megaliths are discovered on the island of Avalon, in the Caterian Sea.
Ω.1349: Norevai is slain by his two elder sons so they can take the throne, after an epic battle. His third son, Xavier, was off adventuring. Upon hearing this, he returns to Eindhem, and faces his two brothers. He kills them for their treachery, along with their supporters in the Senate.
Ω.1350: Emperor Xavier Thorcastle is the ruler of the Empire of Vorath. He focuses on rebuilding infrastructure after so much conflict, and advancing quality of life for the people in the Empire. This time period is known as the Golden Age of Vorath.
Ω.1354: Nethenrock, a city in the Underdark, is taken by Mind Flayer slavers. This sparks a conflict between an alliance of Drow, Duergar, and Svirfneblin and the Empire of Illyria. In 1306, the Coalition recruits the Kuo-Toa to ally with them when Illithid raid a Kuo-Toan settlement. Also, various other races and mercenaries in the area ally themselves with the Coalition, including an army of Anaur and constructs. Drow spies frame Mind Flayers with an attempted sabotage on a Beholder hive in 1357. The beholders independently attack the Illlithids, until the truth of the sabotage comes out in 1360; and the Beholders turn on the Coalition. Nethenrock becomes a no-man’s-land in 1366 when the war ends, as neither side could gain an advantage. The Coalition disbands at that point.
Ω.1375: An uprising of locals in the Eastern Colonies attack Vorath’s settlements there. The Empire retaliates, sending forth an army. On the way, it is attacked by Norsk raiders as well. War wages for the next 30 years in the East, until a peace accord is reached.
Ω.1390: A wizard of great power, Vossith the Shadowlord, in the Alpenheim area attempts to conquer and subjugate all before him. His evil minions cause chaos and destruction until they are stopped in 1396 by adventurers.
Ω.1414: Economic woes unsettle Vorath, and there is an economic depression.
Ω.1412: Goblinoids attack the Vortray/Mordhem area, and war breaks out.
Ω.1427: The Goblinoid armies are repulsed, and the economy begins to prosper again.
Ω.1428: A Minotaur and his traveling companions become unlikely heroes in Eindhem as they thwart a plot by a War Troll and his minions to infiltrate and raid Eindhem after hijacking Eindolan merchant ships.
Ω.1440: Exploration ships are sent out across the seas, in order to find the edges of the world.
Ω.1444: An army lead by Dragons descends from Eindhem to the human cities. The siege lasts for 3 years, before they are finally repulsed. Many dragons are killed, and many others fled.
Ω.1451: The Blood War of the Outer Planes spills onto the Material Plane when a wounded Archdemon, Luxe, fell to Alpenheim. He gathered human and demonic followers to help him regain his powers. In 1459, Luxe’s forces are attacked by Celestial and mercenary forces. Luxe was lost, presumed destroyed, in the ensuing battle, and has not been seen since.
Ω.1462: A Fang Dragon wyrmling captured and raised in Eindhem escapes captivity and the city. Many are killed or injured in the escape and ensuing fires in the city. A party is sent to slay the dragon. Many monstrous types come to the aid of the dragon, hampering the party’s efforts. Only one returns, and with a part of the dragon’s jaw. The Halfling is given a small estate and the surname Dragonripper as a reward for slaying it. It was the last dragon in Eindhem, and none has been seen in the area since.
Ω.1471: A cabal of Sanz mages discover six strange crystal skulls. They gain immense power, and gather an army of Undead to take over the world. The Empire fights them, and in 1483, the Army of Darkness lands on the beaches of Eindhem, attempting to conquer it. Emperor Xavier Thorcastle himself fights the mages, slaying them in single combat with his army. Over the next 6 years, the Imperial forces clean up the mess that the mages left. The crystal skulls were not found.
Ω.1500: The 150-year celebration of the Imperial Golden Age is marked with disaster when anti-Imperialists and anti-humans attack the major capital of each nation, inflicting severe casualties and terror.
Ω.1506: Overseas (Western) raiders hit the Lithia and Arnhem coasts. The Empire does nothing. Dissent begins in the Arnhem area against the Empire. Over the next 10 years, it spreads to Lithia, Taura, Alpenheim, and Sanzhem. Mordhem finally starts to desire separation in 1520.
Ω.1524: Arnhem secedes from the Empire, allied with Lithia. Alpenheim and Sanzhem also form an alliance to break free. Mordhem steps out solo. Imperial forces march to end the Succession Wars.
Ω.1532: Each nation makes a bid for power against each other, and Vorath is ravaged by a chaotic and bloody conflict. Each nation becomes interested in its own preservation, and trusts no other. Eindhem is the only country that remains neutral, as it still considers itself the Empire. Imperial forces attempt to intervene between nations, but it is a futile effort at best.
Ω.1549: The 500-year mark for the reign of the Empire of Vorath is crushed the day before the New Year, when Emperor Xavier Thorcastle is mysteriously killed. He had no successor to the throne, and the Empire begins to deteriorate even faster.
Ω.1550: The Empire is officially dissolved, and border disputes intensify the Succession Wars.
Ω.1553 (Winter): Eindhem begins talks of peace with the other nations in order to quell the war.
Ω.1554 (Spring): The peace talks are successful, and an armistice is signed. Campaign setting starting point.
