TIMELINE OF MAIN HISTORICAL EVENTS OF THE CENTRAL LANDS ------------------------------------------------------- -6000 CY: A TECHNOLOGICAL UTOPIA. Massive colony ships depart to found new worlds across the cosmos. -5840 to -5820 CY: TRIMERIS, PACIFICA, ATLANTIS, and the other undersea cities/research labs are built. -5800 CY: GREAT CATACLYSM. The Collapse of the World of the Ancients (3000 A.D.). -5800 to -5000 CY: AFTERMATH. With the collapse of order and the loss of technology, a new Dark Age begins - marauding bands of raiders, charismatic tyrants, superstitious cults, petty wars, famine, plagues, natural disasters, climate change, and continental upheavals - the earth is transformed. The first natural HUMAN MUTANTS appear during this time. -5000 CY: A NEW AGE OF SORCERY AND SUPERSCIENCE BEGINS. The ancient Ways to the Realms of the Faerie(and other, darker places) are opened once again. Deep in the earth the dwarves, and other more terrible things are awakened. Many kinds of humanoids and monsters begin to appear in growing numbers. Mighty magics are born and powerful artifacts created. Mad Technologists play at creating and modifying life. Human /animal hybrids are genetically engineered, as well as various kinds of cyborgs and "mechanical men". Techno-magic - the fusion of magic and technology is experimented with by savants of both disciplines. Prehistoric beasts once again roam the land and normal creatures mutate and grow to enormous size. Giant war machines walk the earth and ply the seas. Vast empires rise and fall, brought down from without by barbarian hordes or devoured from within by vile rites and sacrifices to insane and malevolent alien beings. Things of nightmare are created or summoned and some of these still linger beyond the edges of the world, waiting only for the stars to align and the right words to be spoken... -4000 CY: IRONSTAR MOUNTAIN is first settled by the Dwarves. -3500 CY: EMPIRE OF LUM THE MAD covers much of the area where the Greatwood will one day grow. -3150 to -2300 CY: THE EVIL EMPIRE OF ACHERON, known for its vile magical practices, demon worship, and human sacrifices, rules the central part of the continent. Python of the Purple Towers is its capital, with a population of over 200,000 in the city alone. Acheron is the largest and most powerful of the magical empires of this period. Only THULE, far to the northeast(now the Great White North) is its rival. -1990 CY: THE FAR GREEN LANDS OF MESKONSING AND OF THE "LAND OF THE MANY SKY LAKES" ARE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING DEVASTATED BY THE "WIZARD WARS". -1500? CY: THE CITADEL OF THE WITCHMEN APPEARS ON THE SHORE OF A SMALL LAKE. THE enigmatic fortress is rumored to have simply appeared one morning, fully built, on a short peninsula of the lake. -1001 CY: THE FOUNDING OF AVALON. -420 CY: REFUGEES FROM THE DESTRUCTION OF A FAR WESTERN COAST LAND IN THE RIME ISLANDS. Over the next few centuries, they merge with the native population, creating a strange fusion of cultures. -260 CY: THE CITY OF MARID IS FOUNDED BY THE ADVENTURING SEA MERCHANT, SINBAD. 0 CY: FALL OF AVALON. The silver towers of the Great Kingdom of Avalon fall. Much of the land is changed again. Beryl Lake is created. 9 CY: HOBBITS fleeing unrest in the east settle beside the Sabre River, near what will later become the southern boundary of The Westmarch. 11 CY: THE FIRST "CANNONBALL RUN" TAKES PLACE. It runs from the northeast, near the mundane part of the town of Samanthia to the west coast of the continent. Almost a third of the drivers make it back alive. The race is a success! 66 CY: THE HUMANOID PIRATE/SLAVER TOWN OF RANDOM IS ESTABLISHED ON THE WILD COAST. 72 CY: GNOMES DISCOVER AND SETTLE THE TUNNELED HILL THEY CALL MAZYTOP. 100 CY: HERDS OF LARGE PLEISTOCENE MAMMALS begin to be seen by the folk living north and east of the newly formed Beryl Lake. The territory is once again expanding now that the constraining civilization is no more. Within the next few decades, the horsed nomads who hunt these beasts begin to be seen in small numbers foll- owing the herds. 148 to 150 CY: FORTUNE CITY. BOOMTOWN TO BUST. 167 CY: AURORA, a small trading hub, is built along the Tusken River and the old trade routes are revived. 173 CY: EARLDOM OF KANZA ESTABLISHED as a bulwark of the remnants of Avalon against the encroaching megafauna and nomadic horsemen. It's first self-styled "lord" is a wizard adventurer of some renown. Noble inheritance is passed through the eldest male heir. 177 CY: COUNTY OF KANU ESTABLISHED by an adventurer of renown, also a self-styled "lord". Noble inheritance is passed through the eldest child. 199 CY: PORTOWN IS BUILT AS A NEW TRADING PORT ON THE NORTHERN COAST OF THE CONTINENT OF ANTILLIA. It is built by people from both the continents of Atlantia and Antillia to bring up trade goods from the countries south of the jungle and Bright Desert. 203 CY: LAKETOWN ESTABLISHED BY ARRIVING REFUGEES FROM NEIHON. 223 CY: MARCH OF CHERRIK IS ESTABLISHED. It is a fusion of local inhabitants and culture and several of the nomadic tribes of horse folk who have settled the lands between Beryl Lake and the Green River. 300 CY: THE COASTAL FISHING TOWN OF OYSTER SHOALS IS ESTABLISHED. 355 CY: FINSMOUTH, a trading port/colony of Portown is established on the southern coast of Atlantia at the mouth of the Whitefin River. It is mostly destroyed in the early 410's and ever after shunned by merchants and sailors. 428 CY: PRINCETOWN IS ESTABLISHED BY A PRETENDER TO THE THRONE OF AN EASTERN KINGDOM. 487 CY: GRAND DUCHY OF TRELANE ESTABLISHED by a great lord of the Kingdom of Bonapar to the southeast. Carnelian, the capital of the grand duchy, is built on the eastern shore of Beryl Lake in 489 CY. The first settlement near the Great Salt Marsh is built a few years later, but is destroyed by Troglodytes in 513 CY. Marshaven, its successor in a new location, is constructed in 521 CY. 529 CY: THE BLUE WYVERN MERCENARY COMPANY IS FORMED FOLLOWING THE MINOTAUR INCURSIONS INTO THE WESTMARCH IN 527-528 CY. The company is formed by Deirdre Barimen, one of the soldiers of fortune in the battle. 558 CY: THE KNIGHTS OF THE STARRED SHIELD ARE FORMED by a paladin named Tyor. They will be instrumental in the formation of the Republic of Aquila. Tyor becomes a quasi-deity in 564. 575 CY: THE COLONY OF VINYAMERE IS ETABLISHED ON ATLANTIA BY THE KINGDOM OF BONAPAR. 576 CY: REPUBLIC OF AQUILA ESTABLISHED. 581 CY: THEOCRACY OF SOL ESTABLISHED. 604 CY: THE EMPIRE OF BONAPAR BEGINS. 620 CY: NOW.