Timeline

scribe scribe scribe

The Mythical Era

Creation

Before Existence

Prior to the beginnings of Eternia, there was a great civil war in another dimension, the post-apocalyptic realm of Atmos. One of the seven ruling Archangels, Kraus Eternia, became disenchanted with the cosmic fate of Atmos and rose up in rebellion to change its direction, confronting the all powerful nebula of energy that governed the laws of creation within Atmos. Aided by many, the Archangel managed to create his own Universe, separated and sealed off from Atmos. Roughly three hundred Angels joined him in the escape.

Spark of Life

The dimension of Eternia comes into existence following the spark of life, a divine flash that ushered in the beginning of time, and the cosmos as a whole - powered directly by the soul of the Creator. This act wasn't without sacrifice; it strained him to the point where his form was torn apart and scattered, but it was ultimately a success.

The ten divine spirits were the first creatures to take shape, alongside another darker, more sinister entity. Their slumber was awoken by this presence of chaos; the desire to overcome strife ultimately willed them into action, and they remembered their purpose. Together the divine spirits triumphed against the challenges ahead and put their father's vision into action.

The world, sun, moon, and stars came to be.

Arrival of the Angels

Sometime later, the angels arrived on Eternia. While there was initial disarray that Kraus wasn't with them, they followed his instructions and planted the first seed, which became the garden of Eden. The lifestream, the energy of the planet that flows out from the core, seemed to react to this instinctively, giving rise to both sentient and non-sentient forms of life.

Humanity's First Steps

The land mass of Eternia is primarily one continent during these early millenia, and while primitive compared to today's standards, the Empire of Zechoris rises as the first known civilization after an unknown about of time. 

Empire of Astya

The flow of magic is at its peak during the Mythical Age, and the most talented humans are demi-gods in their own right. Those who learn how to harness and control their magic go on to perform great feats. Observing the humans, some of the angels are surprised to find how different they are to them; in many ways, humanity is the opposite of their kind... passionate, impulsive, and compared to their own, unpredictable. Though they choose to keep their distance for now, nonetheless admiring their creativity and potential for good.

The most notable civilization of the time is Astya, ruled by a council of warlords. Mihail Petrakis and Amalia Elaide are the most prominent magi. Astya’s reach is ever expanding, conquering much of the western world.

Miracles of Man

The Archmagi Mihail Petrakis manages to stare into the time vortex, granting unparalleled control over the timestream. The Archmagi Amalia Eliade is able to nightmares into reality, giving rise to the demon race; directly from the fear of men. With her control over negative energy and a demonic army backing her, Amalia turns her attention to Zechoris, and the first recorded battle in history begins, the War of Nightmares. This bloody battle is believed to have lasted a long fifty years, creating many thousands of demons throughout the course of it. 

War of Nightmares

The first major war in the history of Eternia. After amassing an army of demons by taking the fear of men and making it into tangible, sentient creatures, Amalia vies for complete control over the provinces of Astya’s warlords. She’s narrowly defeated, and it leaves the empire in ruins. Many of Astya’s provinces become independent and self-govern, breaking off from the empire in the aftermath. Such as countries in Brittania and Iloris.

Great Floods

Jormungand, the Great Leviathan, floods the world, rising sea levels and establishing the first oceans. The aquatic siren race are created to be the protectors of the oceans.

The First Age :: 0AC - 1000AC

The exact amount of time that passes between the Mythical Era and the First Age is unknown; it could be anywhere between two thousand years to five thousand as far as most scholars agree. The loss of reference material is namely attributed to the cataclysmic divine wars.

There are many kingdoms on the six known continents: Aegis, Brittania, Iloris, Gehenna, Sheng. 

105AC - 109AC: Divine War I

Many kingdoms have declared the angels as their enemy by now, refusing to abide by no law but their own. The insurgencies are put down by force - though with their limited numbers the angels find it difficult to manage this.

There is, of course, much disagreement in their council; arguing for a more distanced approach, Azrael claims that Kraus's intention for humanity was to give them the freedom to decide their own path, as the humans have no wings that blacken like their own. The leaders of the council refuse this by stating that the apparent death of Kraus in creating Eternia may mean that the humans have unintended flaws, and an artist does not know what their painting will look like until they finally put down the brush. 

The council, unable to agree, disbands. The rebellion sect is lead by Azrael, and has most of the kingdom's support. Lethiel leads the original council, and the first Divine War begins. Many angels find that their wings darkened while forced to face their kin like this, including Azrael's.

125AC: The First Undead

Azrael had begun to secretly experiment with reviving the dead after overcome with grief by the losses accumulated in the divine war. The angel became obsessed with this, going so far as to free Cain from his imprisonment and use him as the first test subject, but it's an abject failure; while Cain does become immortal, he requires the lifeblood of humans to sustain this state, becoming the first vampire. 

138AC: Soulshard of Kraus

In the Kingdom of Astya, there's a rumor that a healer, Ermis, is blessed with the will of the creator. He can cure everything from blindness to the sorrow of the heart. At the time this is dismissed as hearsay, but in actual fact the healer held a fragment of Kraus's soul, forming a connection with the Archangel that had lost their memories and much of their power.

140AC - 168AC: Divine War II

The period of peace that followed was brief. The experiments of Azrael become impossible to ignore despite their heroism in the past, and they're banished from the council and imprisoned. They manage to escape however, aidedd by their supporters.

This begins Divine War II. A master plan is put into motion: Azrael decides that the best way to save humanity is by killing every last one of them, then ressurecting them with his necromantic magic, enslaving everyone to his will; no more unnecessary violence. The ends justify the means.

The war lasts for almost thirty years, and entire kingdoms fall. When it looks like the undead armies of the fallen angel are on the verge of succeeding, the bearer of the soulshard of Kraus offers their life to give the Archangel a host. The sacrifice of Ermis leads to the defeat of Azrael.

170AC: Peace Pact

Kraus takes their rightful place as the Head Angel, and his first act is to forbid an angel from ever killing or imprisoning a human again.

The Peace Pact takes place, where many of the world's leaders attend - King Jorne Petrakis of Astya, Queen Eldgrim of Uray, the Sultan Zia of Vashrana, King Lysterg of Valmasia, the Warlord Kark of Vanirhalla. The majority agree to a proposal where divine storms will form around the nations to prevent another world war from occuring due to the instability left from these events, where stronger countries were already attempting to conquer weaker ones.

The Peace Barriers last for roughly a millenia.

283AC: Desolation of Astya

The demon Mordred, rumored to have roots back to the Mythical Age, returns for vengeance. The people of Astya are almost completely wiped out, but the High Angel Malziel is able to intervene near the end of the devastation, teleporting several thousand refugees to the Continent of Mu. 

284AC: Esshar

The refugees of Astya begin their life in this new land. They are welcomed by the Kingdom of Mavolia and even granted rights to act as an indepedent nation. The royal lineage of Petrakis continues, and the noble houses of Astor, Pelleaux, and Grimmore are named the founding families and protectors of the bloodline.

290AC: Defeat of Mordred

Arthor Pendragon of Valmasia becomes the Wielder of Excalibur, a weapon forged by Kraus that's said to bring out the ultimate potential in the bearer. Mordred descends on Valmasia as a titanic mass of demonflesh, a moving mountain through the oceans, carrying hordes of demons with them; the Order of Light prevails, but Arthor dies in the final battle, managing to fell Mordred prior to his end.

320AC: Constellation of Leo

The people of Esshar have developed a close relationship with Leanoeaus the Lion, the Divine Spirit of the stars. They develop their first astronomy systems. The workings of the yellow star, red star, and blue star are detailed by Nile Pelleaux.

465AC - 472AC: War of the Dragon

The Kingdom of Sluthia goes to war with Esshar, fuelled by the ambition of their leader, a Great Dragon: Myndrerrag. Ersen Astor slays the dragon with his sword Balmung, which becomes a national treasure.

472AC: Festival of the Eclipse

To commemorate the lives lost in the War of the Dragon, a festival is held during a solar eclipse. Miraculously, many spirits are seen walking the lantern lit streets during the few minutes of darkness where the moon overlaps the sun. This then becomes tradition, held whenever astronomers are able to predict an eclipse - roughly every twenty five to thirty years or so.

690AC - 698AC: The Bastard Rebellion

King Aris Petrakis was known for many things; a flare for games, generosity, and a strict non-militaristic stance...But also his many, many affairs. His marriage produced mostly stillborns, save for a single girl, Sibylla Petrakis. After the king's death, Eros Petaris made a claim for the throne on the grounds that the heir was too weak to rule, and the blood of the ancients ran through him far more potently.

This was known as the Bastard's Rebellion. The supporting army managed to siege the City of Nuburg, securing the mountains and subsequently the trading outposts with the other four kingdoms of Esshar. They also managed to capture many nobles, using their lives to intimidate and blackmail key supporting houses to not lend their support.

The Red Spring of Nuburg was the final battle of the rebellion. Supported by allied kingdoms, a successful two pronged attack took place on the fortified city. While Eros was put to death, Sibylla spared his wife and their children, mercifully letting them live out their days in a hillside cottage while under watch.

710AC: Children of the Woodland

The century to come after the Bastard Rebellion was not prosperous for Esshar, marked by periods of instability and uprisings. The beastkin were a common target for prejudice and abuse. Due to unsuitable living conditions within the cities of Esshar, there is a movement where many tribes of beastkin decide to leave the safety of the walls and return to their roots in the forests, worshipping the land that provides.

808AC - 840AC: The Witch Trials

The start of the eighth century was marked by many unusual occurrences. Some nights would last the week, and some winters the entire year. Mysterious disappearances were common, and a rise in demon activity in the wilds. The militants of the True Faith were given the authorization to carry out trials on citizens during the crisis, though it was messy - witches are fantastic at surviving, blending in, even fooling truth potions.

Many thousands of innocents were put to the stake. More often than not this tended to be the disenfranchised, such as beastkin. After a few true witch covens were rooted out and executed, the supernatural events did come to a close, but for every witch dead there were a hundred innocent.

The Second Age :: 1000AC

1000AC: The Grand Bout

To mark the turn of the millennia, a week long feast of games takes place, ending with a tournament where some of the best of Esshar compete. It becomes tradition for each rule to host their own Grand Games, and to outdo the last.

1200AC: Age of Exploration

The peace barriers have faded to the point where naval travel is feasible, though the oceans are still dangerous. The nations of the world begin to interact once more.

1400AC: Discovery of Agartha

The Explorer Zheng uncovers the land of Agartha, believed to be the physical location where the universe itself began - the spire shards are crystalized fragments of the creator's divine magic, and they soon become a prized attraction, garnerning the interest of multiple Great Nations. Gehenna, Valmasia, and Jianghu who send expedition forces. 

1430AC: Contact with Esshar

The legendary Feleran explorer, Leif, travels the entire world, making the most accurate map to date. He even makes contact with Esshar. Following his ten year voyage, he returns home and the word soon spreads of his adventures.

1570AC: Agartha - Reimara Concordat

The two century long tug of war to gain control over the island continent Agartha comes to a close. The nation is united under a strong alliance, and they set out for the surrounding spire islands, one of many expeditions. In the years to come, Agartha is represented on the world stage as a superpower, not necessarily for their military might, but their resources and the combined ingenuity of descendants from across the world. They amass a great deal of influence through trading channels and their bartering worth with spire shards and clusters.

1610AC: Great Battle of The West

The Azraelite empire is defeated by a joint alliance of Brittanian countries, and Valmasia resumes peaceful relations with its neighbours.

1650 - 1653AC: The Humiliation of the Rhoynur

The Conquest of Rhoynur, often colloquially referred to as Grimmore's Campaign or 'The First and Final Defeat of the Rhoynish', began in 1650AC after a historically unprecedented increase in Rhoynish raids into Essharan territory, and ended just three years after. It followed ten years after the death of the beloved king Aris Petrakis, who was murdered by Aldaren Syagros, an influential and mysterious titan of a criminal who's rumored to be the lover of the witch. Ariandi Petrakis II, the reigning monarch and daughter of Aris, charged the Lightbringer Ardes Grimmore to deal with the threat as an opportunity to regain his honor after failing to defend her father and losing an arm and leg in the process.

While the mercenary peoples had been raiding the border towns of Esshar since the reign of King Kroisos I 'the Idle' Petrakis -his lack of proper response to the raids being the origin of his nickname- relatively frequently, in hit and run attacks, the Summer of 1650 was marked by the invasion of the Rhoynish as far as Hessalia, a minor city several kilometres from the border. Hessalia, unprepared for a siege surrendered to the Rhoynish within a week, after which the Rhoynish sacked the city and the surrounding area, razing several nearby towns and putting the majority of the population to the sword.

The response in the capital was quick and decisive. Queen Ariadni II declared this as the straw that broke the camel's back; Esshar henceforth was at war with the Nation of Rhoynur. The army was rallied at the Constellus Fortress, and under the command of a First Light detachment headed by prominent nobleman and Lightbringer Ardes marched for Hessalia, where the Rhoynish army was encamped nearby.

Three days after arriving outside Hessalia, the Lightbringer put into action a brilliant strategy; marshalling the army into position at dawn, the First Light lived up to their name, leading the Essharan forces down a hill on the eastern side of the Rhoynish camp in a devastating cavalry charge as the sun rose, the reflection of its light -bolstered by Light magic- off of the armour of the knights blinding those few Rhoynish who were able to put together a ramshackle defense. Even so, the Rhoynish army rallied, and a hard fought battle began that several military theorists have suggested only resulted in victory due to Ardes Grimmore's use of an invigoring, crimson cosmic technique that swept over the fields of battle and renewed his men as the Rhoynish began to tire. The Battle of the Red Sunrise, as it is now known, was a decisive Essharan victory that threw the Rhoynish invasion into disarray barely months after it had begun. Around eight thousand Rhoynish lay dead as midday came, and by nightfall the raiders had fractured, splitting off into dozens of smaller groups. On the Essharan side, less than half that had been slain.

Although the first battle of the campaign was a success, the war was far from over. Indeed, the Battle of the Red Sunrise was a mixed blessing, as although the raiders main force was broken, those Rhoynish who survived scattered across the Essharan countryside, continuing their pillaging at whatever village or town they came across, although they no longer had the combined strength to lay siege to even a small city. The Lightbringer had also split the army, sending men to garrison any city believed in danger of an attack, whilst his main force continued to chase groups of Rhoynish raiders. While the strategic skill Grimmore had shown was notable, the struggle of catching up to several smaller, more agile forces caused considerable delays in the conflict, and it wasn't until the autumn of 1651 that the Rhoynish could truly be considered fully repelled from the Kingdom.

However, just because the raiding parties had been defeated did not mean the war was over. At the counsel of several advisors, including several letters sent to her by Ardes Grimmore himself, Queen Ariadni II put forth a motion to invade the Rhoynur Tribelands to the Essharan parliament. Supported by the Loyalist faction headed by House Grimmore, and with the war enjoying popular support amongst the people, the motion passed almost unanimously. Lightbringer Grimmore was retained as the Commander of the campaign, and three more detachments of First Light Knights were sent to the front to bolster the army. Recruitment into the military peaked at a new modern record shortly after the announcement, and in the Spring of 1651 the Essharan army marched across the border into the Tribelands.

The Rhoynish military had been substantially drained by the resounding defeat suffered by the raiders at the Battle of the Red Sunrise, but its people were renowned for being hardy and unafraid of combat, a reputation that they proved true as the Essharan military advanced. The soldiers of Esshar were confident in victory; after all, they'd mainly been fighting the Rhoynish on Essharan ground, where they had been trained. Rhoynur was very different. Supply caravans disappeared overnight, messages were intercepted, and constant guerilla attacks by the Rhoynish bogged down the Essharan advance for weeks at a time.

The Lightbringer had split the army into three smaller forces in order to strike at multiple targets at once; this led to disaster when a falsified set of orders were delivered to the force under Radiant Antikles Floros, instructing him to relieve the garrison at Fort Ardes, which had been built inside the Tribelands as a logistics centre for the war effort. When Floros' force marched through a nearby forest, it was ambushed by a Rhoynish force that killed several hundred soldiers -including Floros himself- before disappearing into the woods as if they'd never been there.

Even so, Lightbringer Grimmore was unrelenting, and despite numerous delays and several costly battles, in late Summer of 1653 his army reached Rhoynur. As the Rhoynish civilisation was largely nomadic -the capital city of Rhoynur being the only permanent settlement in the Tribelands- laying siege to the capital was of even greater importance than such an event in a feudal country. Unlike the Essharan monarchy, which had fled to Osrona in 693 when the summer capital of Nuburg was put under siege, Rhoynur's entire government was centralised in their capital -including the Generals organising the guerilla attacks. However, it did mean that the Rhoynish city was very well supplied, and the Lighbringer rightfully expected a long siege.

This initially seemed to be the case, as the Essharan army, despite desiring a quick end to the war were forced to winter outside of Rhoynur's walls. Fortunately, the presence of a fair number of Fire magi prevented the cold from taking too many lives. The same could not be said for hunger, however, as continuing guerilla raids by the Rhoynish interrupted Essharan supply lines relatively frequently, and often for prolonged stretches of time. It is estimated roughly three hundred soldiers succumbed to illness exacberated by malnourishment. Even so, the Lightbringer brought an end to the siege when he, along with a First Light striketeam infiltrated the capital at night and captured the Rhoynish King and his immediate heir. Faced with the threat of their summary execution, the Rhoynish government surrendered the city to the Essharans, signalling what was effectively the end of the war.

Lightbringer Grimmore personally escorted the Rhoynish King across the border at the head of the army, which -sans a sizable occupation force left behind in Rhoynur- marched back to Hessalia, seen as a site of symbolic importance in the war. In spring of 1653 the Treaty of Hessalia was signed by the Rhoynish King and Queen Ariadni II, formally annexing the land and people of Rhoynur into the Kingdom of Esshar. The treaty stipulated the indentured servitude of many of the Rhoynish people -census results indicating roughly thirty five thousand- as war reparations, and outlawed their cultural raiding practices.

The end of the war resulted in a surge in the popularity of Queen Ariadni II, allowing several of her bills to pass through parliament and into law. Additionally, Ardes Grimmore returned to Osrona a war hero and redeemed, and enjoyed a significantly increased degree of influence in the royal court. Whilst the people of Rhoynur were defeated, their spirit remained unbroken, and several terrorist groups operated in the time after the war in an attempt to bring as much chaos to Esshar as possible. Notably, within two years of the Treaty being signed, there were at least four assassination attempts on high ranking officials within the kingdom.