Arth is an old world and most of its history is all but forgotten. There are mighty empires whose recorded histories reach back over a thousand years, and there are individuals whose memories (however imperfectly) reach back even further. Still, in the libraries of the wise, one can find moldering tomes with maps of cities whose names have passed into fable, and carefully sculpted globes that show geographies that match the known world poorly, if at all.
Despite this, it is known that human history stretches back into the unimaginable past, and the traces of human handiwork are found in every part of the world - and beyond. However, history - like all kinds of scholarship on Arth - is an inexact science, carried on in fits and starts by wizards and sages, many of whom never share their findings, and most of whom disagree. For these reasons, to the vast bulk of people, even events that happened two hundred years ago have the aura of legend. Only a few are privy to the secrets of the world's vast storehouse of history and most of them know only fragments of the whole, wherein facts, fakery and pure fantasy are mixed in roughly equal measures.
While it is a subject for spirited debate among scholars and details are often obscure or unknown, the general outlines of the past 5000 years of Arth's history are agreed upon. Beyond that, little is known. Across the past ,a dark blanket of fear has been thrown - an era known as the Dark Millenium. During this era, human civilisation - indeed, nearly the whole race - all but withered. Little is known of the Dark Millenium - whether it lasted a thousand years as secret legends hint - or ten times that. Even mages who command the spells that allow travel in time, can shed little light on the mysteries of that era. Too many of those who have tried have vanished forever, or been found reduced to drooling idiocy or worse, have opened gates for things best left undisturbed. There are some powers even the mighty are wise not to challenge.
After the Dark Millenium, history can be divided into roughly into four eras - the first that of the Thanatayan empire, the second the long reign of the Atalantëan Empire, the third that of the Empire of the Sun and the current or modern era - that of conflicting "Gothick Empires." Each era has a certain air of inevitable tragedy in which one civilisation arises to world dominance - before its utter destitution. So far the mighty empires that dominate modern Arth have avoided that fate, but those sages who know their history wonder for how long this situation will persist....
The time line given below is of necessity a sketchy one - more detailed histories, focussing on particular regions can be found in the geography section.
|
Pre 5000 |
The Dark Millennium, an age of strong sorcery, warfare between Gods and Demons on Arth. Humankind reduced to thralldom all over the world except in the ancient Empire ofThanataya. (centred in the areas now occupied by the Kolodrian Commonwealth, the Ephesian league and the Kynish kingdoms). There are few reliable records surviving that reach back further than this. |
|
c.5000 BP |
Establishment of the kingdom of Atalantë. Most modern historians accept this as thebeginning of the driving back of the darkness. |
|
4700- 4500 BP |
The settlement of the Atalantëan peoples along the western seaboard of Gorgamelle. Establishment of independent kingdoms. |
|
4379 BP |
Amalgamation of Atalantëan states into the Atalantëan Alliance completed. |
|
4327 - 4320 BP |
War between the Atalantëans and the still great, but senescent Empire of Thanataya. This war is still remembered in ancient legends which tell of the sky raining fire, mountains being uprooted or melted, and similar tales of sorcery of enormous power. The final collapse of the Empire of Thanataya is accompanied by such vast destruction that in many areas civilisation disappears completely. Even the victorious Atalantëans take many years to restore their cities and culture. |
|
4125 BP |
Conquest of the lands east of the Croimlinne and Sheogheach mountains by the Atalantëans from the elder folk, and the establishment of the "Hollow Hills" |
|
3939 BP |
The Atalantëans conquer the fertile lands east of the river Apur and the Alliance becomes the Atalantëan Empire. |
|
3421 BP |
Atalantëan Empire riven by internal strife, exacerbated by overpopulation due to the excesses of the Atalantëan religion - a state fertility cult. This culminates in civil war between a mostly Eastern, Gorgamelle-based faction and an ultra-orthodox, western faction based on the Atalantëan homeland, and the western continent. This war is just as destructive as that between the Atalantëans and the Thanatayans nearly a millennia before,and the end result is the same. (NB in many peoples' histories these 2 wars merge) Melting of the polar ice caps leads to the sinking of Atalantë, the destruction of most Atalantëan cities and the flooding of the ancient Thanatayan heartland, splitting Lumulea into 2 continents. Atalantëan civilisation survives only in the areas east of the Croimlinne mountains. |
|
3350 BP |
The Sialic barbarians begin to move south into the lands occupied by their descendants (Curumnites and Garamnites) today. Other vaguely related tribes begin to move south and west, probing the borders of the remnants of the Atalantëan empire. |
|
3211 BP |
The remnants of the Atalantëan Empire split into 2 halves, the Tyrantium of Ombudu (approximately the area now occupied by the great forest and the Eochail Kingdoms) and the Principality of Mohomora (the great central plainlands of Gorgamelle). |
|
3136 BP |
War between the Tyrantium of Ombudu and the Principality of Mohomora. Large numbers of Sialic barbarians are employed as mercenaries, rival tribes being settled in the north of both countries. |
|
3014 BP |
Continual movement of "wild" Sialic tribes into the areas occupied by those in Atalantëan service leads to rebellion in the Tyrantium of Ombudu. Eventually the rebellion is quashed, but only with the help of the Principality of Mohomora, which then absorbs its exhausted neighbour. |
|
2990 - 2940 BP |
Movement of Khish ancestor peoples (a barbaric people called the Ariscylita) intothe lands south of the River Ercus leads to the fall of the ancient non-human (Pithan) civilisation. |
|
2941 - 2802 BP |
Continual incursions by Eochail barbarians leads to the gradual abandonment of the western provinces of the Principality of Mohomora to their erstwhile Sialic subjects, who are driven gradually south and east. |
|
2810 BP |
Death of the last competent Atalantëan ruler leads to the disintegration of the Principality of Mohomora into numerous small feuding petty principalities. |
|
2537 BP |
Edormnia, Nupari and Ened-Hetet absorb sufficient of their smaller neighbours to become genuine kingdoms (although Ened-Hetet is actually a theocracy). Together with Kedem, Enneasis, Tetis and Apophis-Rhin, these comprise the "Middle Kingdoms" |
|
2322 BP |
Founding of the Medarian religion by the mysterious "Bright One". |
|
2275 BP |
The Medarians, now a powerful religious cult, become the dominant force among the Middle Kingdoms, after the conversion of the king of Nuparia. |
|
2223 BP |
Conquest of the last of the Middle Kingdoms and the establishment of the Empire of the Sun by the Medarians. |
|
1590 BP |
Dymerius born. Establishment of the fortresses of Anasamar, Lacramar, and Macasmar by the Wizard-kings of Khanjian, the last inheritors of the Atalantëans. |
|
1550 BP |
Invasion and subjugation of Selucios by Dymerius |
|
1540 BP |
Establishment of Antanabran religion among the Khish people. |
|
1502 BP |
Curium subjugated by Dymerius |
|
1450 BP |
War between Lakmir (now the province of Lacedonia) and the Dymerian Empire |
|
1458 BP |
Establishment of great Khish kingdoms, Koda, Pandara and Guntara. |
|
1390 BP |
Destruction of Anasamar by an alliance between Lacramar and Macasmar. |
|
1364 BP |
Second war between Dymeria and Lakmir |
|
1304 BP |
Assassination of Dymerius |
|
1254 BP |
Annexation of parts of the Koda (northern) kingdom by the Dymerians. |
|
1192 BP |
Rebellion in the annexed Khish provinces leads to war between the Koda and theDymerians. Destruction of the Kodan Kingdom. |
|
1170 BP |
War between the Pandaran and Guntaran kingdoms leads to a single, unified Khish stateruled by Changurtana. Beginning of the golden age of Khish art, thaumaturgy and architecture. |
|
1139 BP |
Flight of "The Seven Wise Sages" from the Empire of the Sun. |
|
1107 BP |
Founding of Sade by "The Seven Wise Sages" and their followers. |
|
1090 BP |
Ilthmar founded. |
|
1060 BP |
Death of Dymerius II. |
|
1044 BP |
Civil war in Dymeria. |
|
1026 BP |
Second civil war in Dymeria. |
|
1019 BP |
Dascylium new emperor of officially reunited Dymerian empire. |
|
988 BP |
Destruction of the Empire of the Sun. Saharnian invasions of Eochail lands. |
|
970 BP |
Saharnian invasion of the western parts of the Dymerian empire |
|
908 BP |
Saharnian invasion topples the decadent Guntaran empire. |
|
897 BP |
Construction started on Dascylium's wall. |
|
890 BP |
Saharnians thrown back by Dymerians and Khish. Pallardaran dynasty rules coalition ofnorthern Khish states. |
|
869 BP |
Rebellion in Macasmar ends the rule of the Wizard-kings there. |
|
865 BP |
Dascylium vanishes. Chiopatrios new Dymerian emperor |
|
843 BP |
Southern Khish states united under Harshashan dynasty |
|
765 BP |
Withdrawal of Chiopatrios (after assassination attempt? Notes in many histories of considerable purges) and establishment of current Dymerian system of secluded emperor and appointed regent. |
|
740 BP |
War between Martic league and Sealords of Pernal. |
|
690 BP |
Rebellion of Dymerian mercenaries established under the Palladaran dynasty brings about disintegration of their empire, and establishment of petty kingdoms ruled by Dymeriansand Khish. |
|
654 BP |
Establishment of the Kasserim in the Nergal mountains. |
|
620 BP |
War between Lacramar and Macasmar over trade routes into the hinterland. Macasmar defeated. Lacramar dominates the Martic lands. |
|
592 BP |
War between Lacramar and Ilthmar. Ilthmar besieged, defeated and extensively damaged. Line of Wizard-kings extinguished and replaced by human kings in Ilthmar. |
|
585 BP |
Last independent Khish kingdom becomes Dymerian client state. |
|
569 BP |
Last of the Wizard kings mysteriously disappears from Lacramar. Republic established. |
|
504 BP |
Irilian founded by Olmai corsairs. |
|
479 BP |
Ilthmar invades Irilian. Great siege of Irilian. |
|
456 BP |
War between Irilian and Ilthmar ended by the revolt of the guilds in Ilthmar. City ravaged by civil war, and Ilthmar becomes a constitutional republic. |
|
391 BP |
War in Chaibaraha between Dymeria and Saharn results in strengthened Dymerian presencein Khish lands |
|
387 BP |
Invasion of Dymerian territory by northern barbarians (mostly Halsings). Seizure of northern provinces by Dymeria. |
|
377 BP |
Martic League officially formed by the Concordat of Sael. |
|
312 BP |
Macasmar finally ruined by raiding bandits and hill tribes, and abandoned. |
|
284 BP |
Last Khish ruler is removed and Khish states are amalgamated as a sixth Dymerianprovince under direct rule |
|
230 BP |
Intervention in Atrian struggle with Saharnian invasion evolves into full scale warfare. Conquest of Atrios. |
|
216 BP |
Ra'ite invasion of Atrios defeated after 1st siege of Karmorvus. Death of Chiopatrios and succession of Archeasestus. |
|
184 BP |
Secession of Khish states from Dymerian Empire. Brief war. |
|
160-130 BP |
Establishment and formalisation of system of hereditary landholding in Dymerian Empire. |
|
124 BP |
Continual attempts by Irilian to gain control of the Sidamo leads to the siege of the city by a wizard-raised army of monsters, which are only with difficulty destroyed. |
|
100 BP |
Decline of Irilian's gem beds and bankruptcy of the city. |
|
92 BP |
Sacking of Palaynkattai by hillmen under Omara the Dragon breaks Dymerian influence. Leads to brief lived Emirate of the Dragon based on Ulthar Kanash. |
|
80 BP |
Death of Omara the Dragon. Emirate of the Dragon disappears in mass bloodletting among hisdescendants. |
|
47 BP |
Great fire of Lacramar razes southern part of the city. |
|
1 BP |
Ra'ite invasion of Atrios defeated after 2nd seige of Karmovus. |
