The Official Austin History Timeline

This page is devoted to a full length version of the Austin History Timeline, detailing the events that have formed the World of Austin as we know it today.

The Austin Calendar: Days & Months of the Year
The Austin Pre-History Timeline: Detailing what happened before the year 0 - Under Construction

Before the beginning, the first Gods were Entities who wanted a world of their own. No-one knows where they came from, but they wandered the heavens and the stars on their travels. They searched for a good world with many different creatures and landscapes. What they found was Austin, a good world indeed, peopled by many beings but it was ruled by horrible monsters who they called demons for lack of a better name. They came to hate the demons and their cruel domination of the world, so they got help from the mortal beings on the world to rid it of their oppressors. Together they battled the demons, but the demons were strong. This war known as the Godswar and it raged for an age and more, centuries of conflict both at times intermittent and at times unrelenting. Finally the Entities drove the demons to the place where the last Great Battle would take place.

While the mortals gathered for the battle, the Demon Lord drew heavily on his evil power to create a great magical beast called Unbeing. Unbeing was a great shadow-creature whose touch could draw out the souls of mortal beings and whose breath poisoned all who breathed it, and the Demon Lord intended it to destroy the mortal army. The night before the battle it went through the mortals camp, silently killing all who were not lucky enough to be able to flee. In the first light of morning, as it had nearly finished its horrible work, three mortal friends happened to return to the camp. The three were Elboran and Yevaud, both mighty fighters, and the mage, Fury, who was the daughter of one of the Entities and a mortal woman. (According to some legends they had been away for a night of carousing at a local tavern, but reputable sources suggest that was a false rumor spread by the servants of the Demon Lord.)

Seeing what was happening, they filled their waterskins with air, stopped their noses with wax, and bravely approached Unbeing. The beast was caught off guard by the attack of mortals who did not die from its breath, and they managed to kill it after a lengthy battle. In the battle the next day, the Demon Lord was still so powerful, that he actually managed to kill a few of the Entities, and a great number of mortals also died. In the end the Entities were able to overcome the Demon Lord's forces, but not to destroy them. A treaty was made which banished the demons from the world, but the Demon Lord refused to leave unless the Entities did too. In the end it was agreed that there would be a unison between the two powerful species. It was decided that the son of the Demon Lord would marry the daughter of the ruler of the Gods. This marriage would take place after all traces of the great battle had disappeared and the mortals would have lost all knowledge of the previous rulers, so it was set for 3000 years later. The Entities make their heroes immortal to rule in their absence, amongst them were Elboran, Yevaud, and Fury, and they then left the world in their care and continued on their way, heading off to who knows where in the vast array of planes and planets.

Year Event

0 The Godswar ends. The world takes its final shape. The Entities leave Austin and head out across the cosmos. The new gods learn the extent of the powers and responsibility thrust upon them in the sudden departure of the Gods they served.

42 Santamatara is founded. Crofut is elected king.

75 Crofut dies, leaving a daughter, Berla, and a son, both very fine magicians. Shortly before his death, however, Crofut finds out that his son was dabbling in the dark arts, Crofut disinherits him. On his deathbed, Crofut curses his son's name, which is lost forever. The son becomes known as the Dark Prince. He is cast out of Santamatara, and begins to build his own empire in the swamps. He builds a great fortress in the swamps south of the city, and allies himself with the Demon Lord, who gives him the task of leading the evil creatures of the world. In return for his service, the Demon Lord makes him immortal.

147 The people of the southern desert city-state of Aryptia begin work on a vast burial Pyramid to honour their king Farao who has led them for many years, and ruled wisely and fairly.

198 Construction on the pyramid finally finishes, and the bodies of Farao, his Queen Neferiti, and many guards and servants are sealed inside. The Wizards and Priests of the city, place many dread curses on the pyramid, to awaken the bodies of those within, should it ever be opened by tomb robbers.

190-210 King Britz, having inherited a fully-established and stable city, sends explorers to the far corners of the world. Trading connections are made with the elves of Firian Forest and Elwyn and with the Dwarves far to the south at Dowinn's Lode.

200-230 The ancient High Road (The Long Road) is built from Dowinn's Lode to Santamatara. Britz's younger brother, Toris, has become a great magician, and Britz appoints him to build Toris Castle where the road crosses the edge of the swamp. Its purpose is to protect the road from the Dark Prince's minions and encroaching barbarians from the east.

235 Toris begins excavating under his castle, intending to build a magical underworld. In the process he discovers a remarkable spring, whose waters can be made into a potion of longevity, which he calls The Water of Years. He keeps it a secret, but uses it himself.

245 The great High Road is completed. No trade road is built through Firian because there is a good water route, and the elves object to cutting trees for a road.

250-255 As Santamatara becomes wealthy, there is an increased demand for gold and jewels. The dwarves of Dowinn's Lode send prospectors into the deserts of the southeast, where they find gold and emeralds. They build the fortified town of Rockby to protect the new mines. King Britz sends prospectors north into the Dragonback Mountains to look for gold and other valuable minerals.

256 The prospectors return to Santamatara with news of gold in the Dragonback Mountains. Later that year, King Britz commisions a group of dwarves and humans to mine the gold from the mountains to the north.

260 Terrible news comes from the gold mine in the Dragonback mountains. The miners dug too far down and awoke an unspeakable evil. The entire camp was wiped out and those that returned to Santamatara went crazy from the memories of the disaster and were unable to explain the horrors they saw. King Britz declares the mines closed. The dwarves build a caravan route from Rockby to Dowinn's Lode. The human village of Harikbad is established at a large oasis along its path.

284 Ramos Darjan, the third son of the ruler of Harikbad, realising that he will never inherit the family wealth, and rule of the growing village, decides to strike out into the desert, in search of a place where he can be more important. He gathers together a large group of settlers, and explorers, and sets out towards the east.

285 Ramos and his band of settlers arrive at Rockby, but the dwarves refuse to allow them to settle there, as they are jealous of their wealth. The group decide to travel further east, into the unknown desert wastes, rather than head back to Harikbad in shame.

287 Ramos and his band of settlers, discover a large oasis in the eastern deserts, and decide to settle there. They call their new village Qazus, which means 'Hope'. Ramos is elected to be leader for life, and takes the title Caliph, which means King in the language of the desert nomads.

291 Several wandering bands of desert nomads, arrive at Qazus, and request permission to settle there. Ramos allows this, and the village doubles in size. Each of the settlers swears an oath of loyalty to the Caliph.

320 Gold and true silver (mithril) is found in the Estallon Mountains far to the east, and adventurers from all over travel to the east to hunt for the precious metals. The village of Arcnur springs into being, as a ramshackle collection of buildings, mostly centered around the Inn.

323 The traffic through the forests towards the eastern mountains becomes so heavy, and the prospectors are so invasive, that the elves petition King Srill, to have it stopped. Srill decides that the metals are more important to the realm than the fine silks and craftwork supplied by the elves, and rejects their request. He warns that his forces will protect travellers to Orfallon, and garrisons troops in Firian forest to protect the trade routes from the elves.

325 The population of Qazus threatens to grow too large to feed, with the little arable land that is availiable at the oasis. The nomads who settled there, reveal the location of the eastern coastline to Ramos who leads a small expedition through the desert to the ocean. Here he orders the contruction of a fishing port, and the village of Radaan is founded. With the extra food that the fishing produces, the threat of starvation in Qazus is ended.

328 The building of Moria begins. Srill begins the building of a trade road through Firian, and two castles are built to protect it, Firian castle in the middle of the forest, and Firloris Castle farther to the east (the present site of Riversy), governed by the Barons Emor and Ramil.The elves retreat to the north to avoid the road. Some of the elves are bitterly unhappy at this intrusion into their territory by the humans, and the lack of a response from the King. They begin to meet in secret to discuss ways to drive the humans from Firian Forest.

350 New copper mines are found just south of Firloris. Miners begin to settle there. Firloris begins to grow into a village.

351 Ramos Darjan dies, leaving the rule of the small nation to his son Hassan.

353-357 The Dragonrage. Lured by the prospect of riches, several greedy dragons begin to raid caravans bound for Santamatara. Although well protected from bandits, the caravans & the empires army are ill equipped to deal with the dragons, and they can raid with almost total impunity.

358-360 The Army of Santamatara, armed with weapons made by the Archmage Toris set out to hunt down, and destroy the Dragons that have been raiding the Empires caravans.

361 Enraged at being constantly hunted by the Army, the Blue Wyrm known as Balagos descends upon the capital city of Santamatara itself. With the bulk of the army out searching the lands for him, he succeeds in causing mass devastation, before he is eventually driven off. Although he is chased by Griffon riders towards the east, he easily outpaces them, and flies off.

368 Caliph Hassan I, founds the village of Lower Tabor, as the food crisis in Qazus, threatens the nations growth once more. The villagers terrace the hills, creating large fields, which can support the burgeoning population of the town.

370 In the town of Qazus a young man by the name of Maarum begins to experience a series of powerful visions, which all seem to have a moral to them. Since he can both read & write, he begins to write down what he is seeing.

372 Maarum, convinced that his visions have been sent to help the people of Qazus, begins to preach the stories and lessons that he has scribed down. The people listen with great interest to the young man. The book of visions becomes known as the Talib, which means 'The Word of God'.

373 The elven rebels led by a charismatic warrior called Malagant attack caravans travelling along the Firian forest trade road. They do considerable damage to the caravans, as they are able to escape back into the forest quickly, before troops from Firloris or Firian castle can get to the scene of the attack. The road quickly gains a deadly reputation, as the elves attack in disguise, so it is widely accepted that these are a new and well organised bandit group.

374 Work begins on the construction of a magnificent temple to the God of the Deserts in the city of Qazus.

375 The rebel elves (who by now have styled themselves the Sidhelien, or Elven Avengers in the human tongue), attack what appears to be a caravan travelling the road, but walk right into a trap. The caravan is full of armed guards, and the elves flee. However one of the elves is shot dead by an arrow, and when the mask is pulled off the attackers true identity is revealed. King Srill upon learning that the elves have been attacking his caravans for the past two years, summons the ambassador of the Elven Kingdom, who is as shocked as Srill.

376 King Atheros of the elves summons Malagant to answer for the crime of unprovoked war upon the humans. Malagant smiles, and accuses the King of being weak, and acceeding to human demands. He turns to the royal court and demands to know why the elves did not oppose the road, why they let the humans push them around. He demands that the King declare formal war upon Santamatara, and when the king refuses this, Malagant says that is about time the Kingdom had a king that was willing to rule, and not be a puppet of the humans. Malagant draws his sword, and Atheros's guards do also. At this half the royal court also draw weapons, and for a second the kingdom teeters on the brink of civil war, before Malagant turns about and storms out of the hall, closely followed by many who feel the way he does. Elsewhere, far to the south in his castle, the Dark Prince has been watching the events with interest via scrying spells. He uses his magic to transform one of his dark magic adepts, a woman called Morathi into an elf of stunning beauty, and sends her to Malagant, she is to insinuate herself into his trust, and corrupt him & his faction of elves.

377 Morathi arrives at Malagants camp in the western portion of Firian Forest, and immediatly turns heads. Her beauty is almost intoxicating to the elves, and although she has eyes only for Malagant, the rest of the camp are soon as much her followers as his. When Malagant sees her he is instantly smitten, and the pair become lovers. Morathi begins to very slowly whisper ideas that are ever so slightly darker than the Sidhelien's own. So smitten are the elves with her, that they slowly become more vicious in their raids, giving in to anger & hatred.

380 The Sidhelien raid another caravan, but this time are met by elven guards, sent by Atheros to keep peace with Santamatara. For a second, the two sides pause, neither wanting to attack first. Morathi unseen, uses a charm spell to take command of the leader of Atheros's troops who casts a lightning spell and kills two of the Sidhelien. The two sides engage in battle, and no quarter is given, the battle becomes a massacre, and although outnumbered, the Sidhelien are victorious. When he learns of this Atheros is outraged, and he declares war upon the Sidhelien. Morathi smiles, she has set the elves against each other, now she will wait for a while, and let the blood flow.

385 The war rages in Firian forest, and although outnumbered, the Sidhelien are able to attack with almost impunity as many of Atheros's side do not want this fight, whereas the Sidhelien, by now totally under the influence of Morathi are convinced that the war is just, to overthrow a king who is a puppet ruler. The Sidhelien operate out of a hidden cave in the western side of the forest, which the loyalist forces cannot seem to find (Morathi's magic prevents anyone inside the cave from being located by spells).

387 The Sidhelien turn the tide of the battle, as more loyalist forces defect to their side, and they begin to raid the human caravans once more, as well as constantly pressing back King Atheros's troops. For the first time the Sidhelien are able to enter the eastern portion of the forest, and their attacks begin to close in on the Palace itself.

In response to the renewal of caravan raiding by the elves, the humans of Arcnur establish the village of Oretown (corrupted to Orton) on the banks of the river to the west of Arcnur itself. They start to send their shipments of ore down the river by boat, to avoid the fierce elven attacks, and reduce the loss of life.

388 In desperation King Atheros calls together his remaining mages & priests and demands that they find a way to end this war. The mages have no answer to the crisis, but the leader of the priests, a quiet lady by the name of Aveline, agrees to solve the current crisis plaguing the kingdom. Channeling all their powers together, the priests commune with Loi himself, and the God of Elvenkind answers their prayers by sending an Avatar. Loi declares that he will not end this conflict, but that he will give King Atheros the means to end it himself. Placing a portion of his own power into each of the elves present, Loi names the newly enhanced elves Alfar, and explains that they are now much more than a match for the Sidhelien. In their next attack the Sidhelien encounter three of the new Alfar elves, and the results are dramatic. The Alfar's move with incredible grace and speed, beautiful to behold, and they are lethal. The Sidhelien force is almost destroyed, but several manage to escape, and bring this news back to Malagant. Morathi is delighted by this as she knows this will push the Sidhelien further into the embrace of darkness.

390 The Sidhelien have been pushed back almost to their headquarters itself. Malagant is desperate, and turns to Morathi for an solution to the Alfar elves. Morathi smiles, as she has been waiting for this sort of opportunity. She agrees to use her magic to make the Sidhelien the equals of the Alfar's. Gathering all the Sidhelien together she casts a great spell to enhance them. The Dark Prince also casts a spell at the same time, and links himself to Morathi. Through the vortex he channels the souls of dozens of his dark minions into the waiting elven bodies. When the spell is finished the Sidhelien are very different indeed. Now they are black skinned, with shocking white hair. Now as evil as Morathi herself, they vow to destroy the loyalist forces of King Atheros.

391 In their first major battle the Sidhelien catch the Alfars totally off guard, and manage to win the day. They are quickly dubbed Drow by the loyalists, which means Dark in the elven tongue. The revelation that the Sidhelien have openly embraced evil, rallies the entire elven kingdom behind Athero's banner, and the royal army prepare to launch an attack on the very heart of the rebel's territory, the cave headquarters, which has been located by an Alfar scout.

392 The royal army attacks the Headquarters of the Drow elves, and a huge battle erupts, as both sides fight with everything at their disposal. Although they are heavily outnumbered the Sidhelien fight well, but are slowly pushed back, and they retreat into the cave. Malagant, defiant to the end vows that they shall fight to the very last, but Morathi has other plans. She calls upon the Dark Prince to save her & her followers, and he opens a rift inside the cave. Malagant and two dozen of the best male warriors, elect to stay behind, and cover the retreat through the rift. Morathi kisses him goodbye, and walks through the rift, with the remainder of the Drow army, and it closes shut behind them, as the Alfars launch their final assault on the cave. Malagant fights well, and takes down many of the loyalist force, until he finds himself face to face with Atheros himself. The two leaders engage in battle, both boosted by supernatural force, their fight goes on for over two hours, as neither can get the upper hand. Finally as Malagant has Atheros at his mercy, and he is poised to strike the killing blow, he spasms in pain, as the poisonous kiss of Morathi does its deadly work, and he falls to the ground, dead. The remaing Drow, disheartened at the loss of their leader, are soon dealt with, and the war is over. Far to the north-east, in a mountain valley a dark rift opens, and the Drow emerge. Morathi declares that they shall build a new kingdom here, and shall one day reclaim their birthright of Firian forest. The Drow name the valley Nengtaroth (Which means land of shadows), as the mountains totally block out the sunlight, except at high noon.

414 After thirty years of hard toil, the Great Mosque is finally completed in the City of Qazus. The celebrations last for a week. Maarum takes up residence, as the head priest, and Caliph Hassan III confers the title of Iman upon him, which means 'Voice of God'. As he is proclaimed Iman, Maarum is surrounded by a golden aura, which fades as quickly as it appeared. In the years to come, Maarum realises that he no longer ages, having been tasked by his God to ensure that the faith never dies.

442 Prospectors from Firloris find a richer seam of copper farther south. They begin to mine there. The village of Logby is established to provide lumber for the growing town of Firloris and wood for the copper smelters.

463 Prospectors from Qazus, discover Iron in the foothills of the Black Mountains, and they bring this information to Caliph Hassan III. He orders the construction of mines, to gather this resource, and the camp of Klima is founded. Criminals and captives are sent there to work in the mines.

472 Traders from Harikbad arrive at Qazus, drawn by tales told by the desert nomads of a city in the sands. They petition the Caliph to open a trade route, and Hassan agrees to supply Iron to Harikbad, in return for numerous goods that cannot be found in the desert, namely wood for building.

481 The Dark elves complete the construction of Castle Nengtaroth, and Morathi moves in, and is crowned Queen by her people. She takes a liking to her bodyguard Ashmalian, and he is crowned as King, though in reality he is little more than her consort, and has no actual power.

496 Queen Morathi gives birth to a daughter who she names Derala. The celebrations last for a week, growing increasingly debauched.

500 Ramil III builds a good road to the copper mines and sends his son Elwir to build a castle in the southern highlands to protect the southern approach to the new mines.(Targolin) He also makes peace with the elves to the west of the new road. Firloris Castle, since it is where the South road and the great trade road join, begins to grow into a town. (Riversy) Dwarven metalworkers from the south move in and begin to make fine weapons and metalware there.

525 As trading grows, the Lord Otar starts to collect customs on wares passing Firian Castle. The traders become unsatisfied, and complain to King Srill III. Srill, who is short of cash after all the building, demands a share of the customs duties, and allows Otar to continue collecting them. Thus begins the Great Trade War.

527 The Demon Lord seeds deposits of a black magical rock called Warpstone deep under the ground. Rats gnawing on it, and nesting near it, begin to mutate into larger shapes.

528 Srill III dies at the hand of an assassin, who is never identified. He has no legitimate children, and there is some question about succession. While things are in a state of confusion, traders try to raise the miners in an attack against Otar's Castle, which is now governed by his son Okriam.

529 Kurra, the chaplain of Firian castle falls in love with Tigola, the wife of castle lord Okriam. When Okriam discovers them together, Kurra is banned from the castle to his small chapel (north of the bridge on the long road). In his anger he turns to black magic and makes a deal with the Demon Lord: Kurra will remain in the chapel as an undead forever, if Okriam is turned into a vampire. The deal works, and Firian Castle becomes a haunted place, but Kurra is forced to live in pain forever. Although Kurra is unaware of it, his deal will enable the Demon Lord to work in this world. Tigola commits suicide in the forest in the hope that the forest gods will help Kurra, but her death is fruitless. Okriam's son, Talotis inherits control of the castle.

531 The traders ally themselves with Elwir, who has hated Okriam and Talotis since childhood, and they persuade him to lead a small army of miners, traders, and mercenaries against Talotis. They attack and burn Firian castle, and Talotis flees to Santamatara. Although Ramil III is reluctant, he becomes ruler of a rebel kingdom. Santamatara is cut off from its supply of metals, and the mines are put into decline by lack of market.

530 A talented apprentice, Halofax arrives and begins to study magic with Toris. He learns of the Water of Years, but does not learn how to make it.

534 Princess Loreda is crowned ruler of Santamatara, and is convinced by her advisors to send an army under Talotis to retake Firian and Firloris. Talotis leads the army south and is killed in a great battle, where most of the soldiers are massacred. With his death, the Great Trade War ends. Firian Castle is deserted because it is haunted.

536 Toris conspires by magic to make Loreda fall in love with his former apprentice, Halofax, now an accomplished magician. After their marriage, Halofax helps her to reunite the empire, and a golden age of peace, prosperity, and learning begins.

537 Loradonia, named for Queen Loreda of Santamatara, is founded by survivors of the First Trade War who found themselves cut off from their homeland after their army was defeated by Talotis.

548 Halofax succeeds in making peace with the elves, and begins to trade with them for silk and other fine materials.

549 Morathi, the Queen of Nengtaroth dies, after being poisoned by her own daughter. Derala assumes the throne, after wiping out all opposition, in a short, but bloody coup. She takes the general Zalarn as her consort king.

550 Halofax convinces Toris that sharing the Water of Years with the citizens of Santamatara will make the realm stable and allow Toris to be free of concern for politics.

551 Freed from concerns about the realm, Toris turns to his hobby, the creation of a vast underworld. The Dark Prince takes advantage of Toris's and Halofax's preoccupation with other matters to begin to move into the world.

550-580 Gradually elves begin to move into Santamatara, and humans begin to work with the elves in silk-weaving and other fine trades. The alliance of humans and elves contributes greatly to the knowledge and fine culture of the world. Santamatara becomes a city of great beauty and culture, and many fine magic items and great treasures of craftsmanship are made there. Santamatara enters its fabled golden age.

587 Loreda dies after falling from her horse, having born no children. Halofax rules alone.

588 As the Drow population continues to grow rapidly (owing much to their habit of indulging in debauched orgies), various families gain prominence. Realising that these newly formed Houses, could be a threat to her rule, Queen Derala establishes the Caste of Assassins, to enforce her rule with blade and poison. They are also to spread disinformation and keep the houses from allying with each other.

590 When his friend, the elf-king Brindel dies, Halofax adopts his little daughter, Iodice, and names her as his heir.

618 After three decades of political infighting and squabbling, six of the drow Houses establish themselves as powers in their own right. Though there are many lesser Houses, those of Na'onak, Dal'tanna, Kriesh, Thr'nn Nash, Anomen and Na'noir, each specialise is one area of drow life to such an extent that they gain power over that aspect of darkelf society. In addition to these six, there is the ruling House, that of Queen Derala, named for her mother, House Mora'thi.

620 Halofax dies, leaving the rule of Santamatara to Iodice. Some humans, objecting to being ruled by an elf, leave the city and move far to the south. Many move to Harikbad, which grows into a city. (Since Elves are long-lived and Iodice has access to the Water of Years, she has a life expectancy of several centuries).

650-690 The mineral reserves in the Mines of Moria gradually begin to dwindle, and it is slowly deserted. Firloris becomes less important as fewer people travel on the High Road to Moria.

700 Work is begun on the city walls of Qazus, as Caliph Ramos II wants to ensure his peoples safety from the various creatures that dwell in the sands, and he is troubled by the reports of civil strife in the Empire of Santamatara, brought to him by spies and traders.

720 The mutated rats begin to breed true in their new humanoid form, and the first primitive Skaven appear.

722 The Dark Prince, having gained in strength, begins to build an army, and makes a secret agreement with Harikbad to supply the metals he requires. The city grows rich, and starts to consider itself independent of Santamatara. A regiment of human mercenaries and desert cat-people is established to protect the city.

754 The Skaven fight amongst themselves in the 1st Civil War, as several groups each seek dominance, and to determine the best way for the race to gain power. After a short, but brutal war, a truce is agreed upon, and the race splits into several clans, each seeking to outdo the others.

756 Work is finished on the walls of Qazus, and they now mark the edge of the city limits, outside the walls is naught but sandy wastes. The population of Qazus begins to grow once again.

759 The village of Upper Tabor is founded, and more of the foothills are terraced, to provide food for the city of Qazus.

762 Toris ends the Second Trade War by creating a huge rift in the ground. Shockwaves from this deed awaken a dormant volcano south of Loradonia and the resulting earthquakes and eruptions seal the passes through the mountains which were the only route of access to the city. Cut off from the rest of the world, Loradonian society begins to decay and religion fails. The city is on the verge of collapse when the Loradonian explorer, Hiarak, tells the town elders of the discovery of a labyrinth of tunnels inside the volcano found while searching for a new pass out of the mountains. He also tells them of the existance of a Great Red Wyrm who slumbers there.

773 An explorer by the name of Ralal el Mond, forges a route through the Black Mountains, north of Upper Tabor, and discovers a large coastal plain, of fertile land, inhabited by several tribes of barbarians, who live simple hunter/gatherer lifestyles. He brings this information to Caliph Harakti who sends a large military force to conquer these lands for the Caliphate. The army sweeps through the pass, and onto the plain, but it is met by a horde of barbarians, who had planned to attack Qazus. The two forces meet in battle, and neither is victorious. Though the Caliphates troops are better equipped, the barbarians outnumber them four to one, and they are forced to pull back through the pass.

774 The barbarian tribes, launch a mass assault through the pass, and a huge battle breaks out in the pass between Mounts Baratok and Sarenach. The noise of the battle wakes Balagos, who had been sleeping in a vast cave, in Mount Sarenach since his flight from Santamatara in 361. Enraged, he uses his lightning breath to devastate both armies, and joins the conflict. The two warring armies, call a temporary truce to deal with this new, and unexpected threat, but they are unable to beat him, and are forced to flee.

775 Balagos arrives at Qazus, and kills Caliph Harakti, proclaiming himself as the new ruler of the nation. Powerless to oppose the mighty Blue Dragon, the people of Qazus, reluctantly agree to his rule, and he is proclaimed Draconis Rex (Dragon King) by Iman Maarum.

776 After two decades of subtly manoevering itself to be ready, House Anomen launches an attempt at a coup, to overthrow Queen Derala. The House however, woefully underestimates the Queens own guilde and cunning, and it's punitive attempt fails utterly. The members of the House are sentenced to the Eternal Death. Each has a magical ring that causes their wounds to regenerate fastened onto them, and they are kept alive, being permanently tortured as a living example not to defy Derala's power. House Anomen is eliminated.

777 A group of fanatical followers of the Desert God sneak out of Qazus, and set off across the desert to bring the story of the Dragon King to the rest of the world, in the hope that there is a champion somewhere who can beat Balagos, and free the Caliphate.

778 The Caliphate begins to crumble under the rule of Balagos, as he cares nothing for its prosperity, only that the people continue to work to enrich his hoard of treasure.

779 Learning from the failure of House Anomen, those of House Dal'tanna attempt their own coup, and succeed, deposing and executing Queen Derala. The head of House Dal'tanna takes the throne, and is crowned Queen Maggra. The survivors of House Mora'thi, go into hiding, to plot their return to the throne.

780 While travelling through the Orfallon Mountains, the clerics who left Qazus encounter a travelling woman, who introduces herself as Houri. She claims to be a bard, and asks to travel with them to learn their tales, and captivated by her voice they agree.

782 By now the clerics are totally under the control of Houri (who is one of the Dark Princes apprentices), and she has twisted their beliefs to match those of the Dark Prince. She tasks them to head north, and there establish a stronghold, hidden from the eyes of the world, which can be used at some later date by the Dark Princes armies.

783 Drawn by tales of the Dragon King, a lone warrior by the name of Tajuk, enters the city of Qazus, and challenges Balagos to single combat. Amused by this mans sheer stupidity, Balagos agrees, and the two meet outside the city walls. To the surprise of Balagos, Tajuk is a formidible opponent, and is seemingly immune to the Wyrm's breath weapon. The battle rages for hours, with neither opponent holding back, until finally Tajuk deals a grevious wound to Balagos. Knowing that he does not have long left to live, the Blue Wyrm turns and flees, flying northwards, over the Black Mountains, towards Firloris. A grateful people rush out of the city to greet their saviour. He is proclaimed Caliph by Iman Maarum of the Great Mosque, and work begins on rebuilding the Palace, which had been mostly destroyed by Balagos, during his reign as ruler.

785 The clerics arrive at a suitable site, in the hills far to the north-east of Rodby, where they begin work on building a mighty monastery, using the local primitive stone trolls as heavy labourers.

795 Working with the Dark Prince, the Skaven of Clan Pestilens create a deadly magical plague, which is spread by normal rats. As a result of this plague, Firloris & Targolin Castles are totally deserted, and the copper mines are abandoned. During the next hundred years, a great forest grows over the remains of Firian Castle, and the East Road, effectively cutting Santamatara off from the Eastern Empire. The elves move southward into their old territories, and cement ties with Iodice & Santamatara.

799 With the end of competition from the eastern mines, Harikbad begins to charge outrageous prices for the metals from its own mines, and the Iron it gets from trade with Qazus. Secretly, and in violation of the Treaty of the Gods, the Demon Lord begins to wreak his magic on the world, creating trolls, kobolds, goblins, and ogres.

800 The humans of Arcnur and Orton find themselves under attack from a horde of goblins, who sweep down from the Mountains. Although they put up a brave defence, they are doomed, and the goblins take over both villages, keeping the few surviving humans as slaves, until they are eaten. Both villages suffered heavy damage in the raids, leaving them in ruins, which does not seem to bother the goblins at all.

803 The city of Qazus is stunned to hear that Caliph Tajuk has vanished, and although they wait for months they do not hear of him anymore. His son Shoon is made Caliph in his absence. The nation is named the Caliphate of Tajuk in memory of its saviour. Tajuk crosses the desert wastes, until he arrives at a small oasis, where a tanned figure awaits him. The figure waves his hand, and Tajuk collapses to the ground and slowly disintegrates. The figure pulls back his headdress to reveal the face of the God Trajan, who smiles as the last of his Avatar's power returns to him. He turns to look towards the east, and stares out over the desert wastes, seeing far beyond the horizon to the city of Qazus itself, and nods to himself that the nation has been restored to proper rule. A second later and the oasis is empty once more.

810 A child is born in Santamatara. Although his name would later be hidden to protect his parents and siblings, he would eventually be known as the Sun Priest.

817 Work on the Monastary is finally finished, and the clerics take up residence, and begin work on researching new spells, and crafting magical arms and armor for the Dark Princes minions.

818 A child of the age of eight begins to debate with religious scholars of Santamatara. They find themselves surprised at his knowledge of the heavens, and his advanced, scholarly speech. Some begin to call him the Sun Priest from the way his blonde hair shines as on fire when he speaks.

823 The Sun Priest now has a number of followers. They leave Santamatara to the untamed lands to the east and just south of a river. They begin to build a place to live out of a mountain pass. A cave is found, and the Sun Priest concedes to build some of his temple and living quarters inside and away from the sun he adores to add security for his people.

826 The Sun Priest finds that his powers are focused in the mountain pass that he has chosen to reside. His prophecies become stronger and more intense, and he has them recorded in a library inside his secure cave. Tribes of orcs begin to encroach on the priest's lands, but the Sun Priest refuses to leave, although he allows his followers that wish to flee do so.

828 The Sun Priest has a vision that tells him his purpose. He is to remain at the mountain pass until he finds a champion who may one day destroy the Dark Prince. The stress of such a task weighs heavily on him, but he finds solace in the marriage to his High Priestess.

830 Orcs finally penetrate the wooden barricades of the Sun Priest's followers. The fighting is fierce, but the advantage is to the more battle hardened orcs. In the battle, the Sun Priest's wife kills the great Orc Chief who leads the assault, but is in turn slain along with the Sun Priest and almost all the inhabitants. After the remaining orcs loot the cave, the remnants of the temple gather and bury the dead. They finish the construction of a guardian a few days too late, and with heavy hearts, leave their destroyed home.

1000 Caliph Shoon IV is assassinated, and replaced on the throne by his younger brother who becomes Caliph Shoon V. In return for the help in gaining his throne, he gives the Caste of Slavers permission to open a market in the city, and to base their operations from Qazus, in effect legalising slavery.

1036 Seeing that Iodice is growing old and Toris is occupied with the Underworld, the Dark Prince plans to incite a rebellion in Santamatara. He begins to damage the realm by creating four years of dry weather (1036-1039), causing crop failures and food shortages. In Harikbad, the great lake that supplied water for the city begins to dry up and become salty.

1040 Urged by members of the Dark Prince's secret followers, a rebellion breaks out in Santamatara. Iodice pleads for help from Toris, who is too preoccupied with his work on the underworld to respond The rebels succeed in killing Iodice and taking control of the city.

1041 The Elves of Elwyn and the eastern forest unite in an army to avenge Iodice. They take Santamatara and the rebels are forced to flee to Harikbad. The elves retreat to their homes, leaving Santamatara leaderless. The addition of so many new people causes overcrowding and water shortages in Harikbad, and causes a general resentment of Santamatara and the Elves.

1047 The Year of the Invoked Devastation The Dark Prince, seeing his chance, allies himself with Harikbad and the rebels, and amasses a great army of trolls and ogres. He plans to attack Santamatara, and then conquer Toris Castle to gain access to the Underworld. When the army marches out of the swamps, Toris finally realizes the danger, but is not in time to prevent the invasion of Santamatara. Just as the Forces of Evil break down the city's defenses, and are about to occupy it, Toris finally appears and challenges the Dark Prince. In the resulting conflict, the Prince casts the Great Spell of Destruction, which levels the city, poisons the lands around it, and kills a large part of his own army. Although not powerful enough to kill the Dark Prince, Toris takes advantage of his weakness after casting the great spell, and imprisons him in the only place strong enough, his own Toris Castle. He seals it off with many powerful symbols, and having no castle of his own anymore, retreats to his treasured Underworld, taking the secret of the Water of Years with him.

Thus ends the Golden Empire of Santamatara. Santamatara is poisoned and uninhabitable. Within a short few years it is overgrown with forest, the roads to it disappear, and its exact location is lost to the memory of Humans.

Elsewhere, the adventurer Smog founds the Grand Clan of the MaD HaTTeRs.

1047-49 The survivors of the destruction of Santamatara are scattered. Many of the elves and half-elves flee deep into the forest and cut themselves off from contact with the world. Some humans settle into the fishing village of Rodby, making it a substantial town. Others take the old water route east to Firloris. Firloris grows rapidly as troubled masses from far and wide flock to its city gates for safety. Troops are levied and trained, and laws established. The town is renamed Riversy, and it becomes the center of a new realm called Amaranth, the flower that never dies. Okatos, a descendent of the old kings, is made its ruler.

As Elves from Santamatara retreat into the forest, the trolls move east and establish themselves in the abandoned mines of Moria and the forests around Firian, eventually cutting off the water route between Rodby and Riversy. The remains of the rebel forces retreat into the northern forests, and the Harikbadians return to their city. Fearing pursuit by Toris or punishment by the Dark Prince, they destroy the Long Road bridge over the great rift.

1050 Trolls from Moria attack Riversy. In the battle, King Okatos is killed, and his son Avantis, who is only 9 years old, cannot assume kingship yet, so Ramed, Okatos' right hand, is elected mayor to govern the city.

1051 The Skaven move upwards from their old caverns, to occupy the sewers of the town of Zanzibar, as the lower caverns are beginning to flood, as the city starts to sink.

1052 A group of refugees from the destruction of Santamatara, who had headed North-East, arrive at the shore of a large lake in the Woods of Mallorn. Seeing that the lake is rich in fish, they decide to settle, and the village soon becomes known as Laketown.

1053 Riversy grows large enough to need more food than it can produce, so Hillby is established as a supporting town amongst the fertile farmlands of the north.

1055 Civil war breaks out in Nengtaroth, as four of the major Houses battle each other openly throughout the valley, for control of the throne, following the death of Queen Maggra, and her failure to have produced a daughter to inherit the throne.

1056 Explorers from Qazus, cross the Rainwall Mountains to the south of the nation, and discover the vast Mungoda Jungles, and the tribes of primitive humans that live in them. Slavers from Qazus begin raids into these jungles to capture the natives for sale.

1057 Ramed dies of old age. A new mayor, Halkar, is elected. Being hungry for power, he tries to move power from Prince Avantis to himself. Avantis cleverly appeals to his subjects, and Halker is forced to allow him to rule.

1058 The civil war in Nengtaroth ends abruptly as the assassins of House Mora'thi join the fray, cutting chains of command with ruthless efficiency. The war falters and fails, and with the major Houses in disarry, the eldest female of House Mora'thi takes the throne, restoring her Houses rule over the drow. She is crowned Queen Malica.

1059 At the age of 18, Avantis finally assumes kingship in Riversy. The Realm of Amaranth is solidified.

1060 A group of mages & priests, who wish to conduct their studies into the more frowned upon aspects of magic, build a great tower at the foot of a dormant Volcano, by the eastern border of Amaranth. They name themselves the Hidden Cabal.

1061 King Avantis is married to Selirti.

1064 It becomes clear that Selirti is unable to carry children, so she allows Avantis to have a lover, giving an heir to the throne. A year later, Ulidin is born.

1065 A schism appears in the ranks of the Hidden Cabal, as to whether or not they should use their magic for personal gain, or to benefit and protect the World itself. The more altruistic members of the Cabal use their magic to teleport to a small forested isle in the Sea of Storms, where they begin to build the town of Brimstone. The isle is named Sorceror's Isle by sailors, and they give it a wide berth.

1067 Avantis begins to explore in search of Lost Santamatara. During an attempt to rediscover the old river passage through the forest, Avantis drowns. Selirti tries to reign until Ulidin becomes old enough, but Halkar, whose lust for power is stronger than ever, uses the dubious linage of Ulidin to wrest power from the throne. The Queen's guard arrests him for treason, and exile him, but he has succeeded in turning the public's trust away from Ulidin.

1073 While conducting an experiment to summon & imprison one of the Demon Lord's fiendish soldiers for study, a word is mispronounced at a critical stage of the summoning, and the creature breaks free of the magical containment circle. The Mages & Priests of the Hidden Cabal, fearing that it will break loose of the tower, and attack Riversy, cause the volcano to erupt. The explosion destroys the tower, and the demon inside it. The remaining mages & clerics build a new tower on a spur of rock, in the volcanoes crater, which soon fills with water to become Lunitaril lake.

1075 While searching for a slave race to serve him, Toris opens a passage through the elemental planes to the Illithids, an otherworldly race of geniuses with great powers of mind and magic. When the Illithids first discover the passage, they are furious, and see it as a threat to their great deity, the Elderbrain. They attack Toris, and as he is very old (nearly 1000) and tired from his spell, they easily overcome him and kill him. Toris being no fool, has long prepared for his own death, and had several contingency magics ready should this ever happen. Far below the ground, deep in a secret part of the Underworld, a clone of the Archmage awakens, and continues with his work.

1076 After exploring the section of the Underworld which Toris opened the passage from, the Illithids decide to form a permanent base there, in preparation for conquering the World of Austin, and adding it to their otherworldly empire.

1077 Rosebud erects the guildhouse for the MaD HaTTeRs south of Riversy in a clearing in the forest south of Lemming Lake.

1080 The Illithids discover the Mines of Moria to the north, and also encounter the fierce Trolls that now dwell there. Using their psionic powers they are able to enslave the leaders of the Trolls, and they begin to plan ways to use these brutal soldiers to conquer Amaranth.

1082 The group of spellcasters that was the Hidden Cabal found the magic guild - The 'Ndrangheta, and create a magical gateway from their tower to Riversy.

1083 Ulidin assumes kingship in Riversy, but is not nearly as popular as Avatanis or Okatos.

1086 King Ulidin marries Mirimyn, daughter of a merchant. A girl, Dinris, is born.

1087 The Dark Prince finally manages to escape from the magical bonds which have held him in Toris Castle for the last 40 years. Although he is still a prisoner, he can send a portion of his essence as an avatar form to other places, thus allowing him to command his forces once more.

1088 Mountain trolls from Moria attack Riversy, under the direction of several Illithids. The attack fails utterly, but during the battle, Mirimyn gives birth to a son, who therefore is named Garborin (Child of the troll war). Several of the Illithids are killed in the fighting, and their bodies are handed over to the Wizard's Guild for study. The creatures habit of feeding on brains is soon discovered, and the Wizard's name these monsters Mindflayers.

1089 Toris once more experiments with summoning a race to serve him, and this time he conjures the Umber Hulks. Being creatures that love to tunnel, and are easily able to defend themselves, Toris uses his magical power to charm them, and directs them to enlarge the existing network of tunnels. He brands each of them with a 'T' symbol on their foreheads.

1090 The Dark Prince makes an alliance with the dwarves at Dowinn's Lode. The dwarves of Rockby object, but are overruled by their king, Bevert.

1095 A secret society of dwarves who object to their alliance arises. They name themselves Children of Dowinn, after the legendary hero who stood for the unity of all dwarves against evil. In spite of cruel suppression, the Children of Dowinn grow in strength, especially in Rockby. They begin to secretly train as an army of resistance.

1098 Halkar realizes he is getting old, and decides to make his son Ilassir mayor after him. This is accomplished by assassinating his rival, Eldin.

1101 Halkar dies.

1107 While working in the blacksmiths forge in Laketown, a young lady by the name of Ravella Henn, watches stunned as a beautiful woman made of fire, rises from the forge. Without saying a word, the figure points to the North, and then looks directly at Ravella, before vanishing. Ravella realises that she has been chosen as a messenger of the Goddess of Fire, and quickly gathers together a small band of followers, who set off north to do the bidding of their diety.

1109 After 2 gruelling years of travel through the untamed wildnerness of Fellreev Forest & the World Shield Mountains, the group of pilgrims, led by Ravella, arrive at a large flat mountain plateau, on the northern face of White Plume Mountain. Here they all see a vision of a lady of fire, who gestures at the plateau, and then vanishes. The pilgrims begin the long process of settling the plateau, in service to their Goddess.

1111 Using Harikbad as a base, the Dark Prince begins once again to work evil in the world. He succeeds in creating twelve powerful servants, the Goltari, who at new moon and with some effort can enter or exit the upper world. However rather than being totally loyal, some betray him, and decide to gather power for themselves.

1112 Alarmed at the growing evil of Harikbad, Caliph Ramos IV severs trade ties with the town, and instead begins to fund ships to explore the Great Eastern Ocean, setting sail from the Village port of Radaan, in the hope of finding a new trading partner.

1113 The Goltari called Graz'zt makes an interesting discovery. During his travels through the Outer Plane known as The Abyss, he finds the ruins of a stone tower. Lying on an ornate circle on the floor is the corpse of a demon, yet magical energy burns & hums in the decaying flesh. Hungry for power, Graz'zt draws the energy out of the body and absorbs it into himself. In doing so he learns that the explosion which destroyed the tower upset the fabric of reality a little, and created this copy of the ruined tower of the Hidden Cabal.

1114 Angered at the loss of Iron, from trade with Qazus, the Dark Prince sends the Goltari known as Pazrael to punish Caliph Ramos IV. The sinister creature appears in the Caliph's personal chambers, and he infects the Caliph with a deadly wasting disease, which will slowly kill him over the course of several years. Ramos's son & heir Janol assumes most of the duties of his father.

1115 Garborin marries Uris. Ulidin establishes a Guild of Rangers to protect the innocent, to patrol the frontiers and explore the unknown lands, and to maintain Order and the Empire.

1116 Selirti dies of old age. The same day Uris gives birth to a son, who in memory of Selirti is named Selirtos.

1117 The Goltari known as Lehesa, arrives in Nengtaroth, though she uses her shapechanging powers to cloak her presence there from the drow. She delights in watching the political struggles and backstabbing politics of the dark elves, and decides that she must have them as her followers. She appears as a mighty demon, calling herself Neng-ta-roth, and promises the drow much power if they will serve her. Queen Malica however is a powerful sorceress, and sees through the Goltari's illusions. Recognising Lehesa for what she is, and humbled by the knowledge that this being could easily defeat her, Malica pledges the worship of her people to the fell demoness, and work begins on temples and shrines to Lehesa, throughout the valley.

1118 Twin children that are powerful in magic potential are born to parents in Rodby, though they are ignorant of their childrens destiny. The next day they awake to find that the pair have vanished, as mages from Sorceror's Isle have kidnapped them, so that they might realise their potential. The two children are named Chandler and Gwydion.

1119 Caliph Ramos IV finally dies, and Janol is proclaimed Caliph. He orders Iman Maarum to research a way to fight creatures such as the Goltari, in case the Dark Prince should ever again turn his attentions towards the Caliphate. Learning of the existence of the Children of Dowinn from his spies, Janol offers to supply them with Iron, in return for favoured trading status when they overthrow the Dark Prince. Although distrustful of the Caliph's emissary, the Children of Dowinn realise that they need a supply of ore to manufacture weapons from, for the battles that lie ahead, and they agree.

1121 Bandits appear for the first time from the northern mountains, successfully raiding and burning Hillby.

1125 The wizard, Quiloin founds the village of Quilinnin.

1126 Miners at the Caliphates penal camp of Klima discover a vein of a strange powdery black rock. After a few tests are conducted on the stuff, it is found to burn both hotter and longer than wood. The mining operations at Klima are redoubled to mine this rock, which is named coal, which is the Tajukian for Not Wood, in addition to the iron ore.

1127 Due to the continued raidings of Hillby, food gets scarce in Riversy. King Ulidin sends out an army, led by his son Garborin, who manages to drive them away. Acting on his son's advice, Ulidin decrees that a castle should be built at Hillby to protect the farmlands and village, and directs the Rangers to build twelve keeps along the Borderlands. King Ulidin grants the Barony of Hillby to the Grellus family. Garborin gains in popularity, much to the annoyance of Ilassir.

1128 Iman Maarum succeeds in summoning and binding four powerful creatures, known as Genies, which are elemental beings of great power. These will form a defense against any further attacks by the Dark Princes forces, as they can sense the Goltari's presence.

1129 The Caliphate of Tajuk launches a large army through the northern pass to attack the barbarian tribes, and gain control of the coastal plains. Caught off guard, the barbarians are pushed back northwards, and many are enslaved, or killed.

1130 The town of Vatos is founded on the eastern coastline, in the newly conquered terriotory, to be the main northern port for the Caliphate. The Caliph's armies continue their jihad against the remaining barbarian tribes, and the tribes are forced to move further and further north.

1131 Ilassir resigns as mayor, and his son, Kasis is elected mayor, though there was little doubt he would win after the Theives Guild endorsed him. The heart went out of his competitors, not to mention a lot of their wealth.

Further to the north, the settlers finish building the village, which they name Henn after their leader Ravella. While half the group work to feed the village, the other half begin to mine stone, to construct a fitting temple to their goddess, on the spot where she appeared.

1132 A tribe of barbarians crosses the Estallon Mountains from the east, fleeing the armies of the Caliphate of Tajuk. They settle in a small camp, in the valley at the foot of Crysmere Peak, as the valley has plenty of wildlife, and is rich in game for them to hunt. A Ranger of Amaranth scouting the valley is attacked by a barbarian, and after a short fight kills him. The Barbarian tribe launch an attack on the Ranger borderkeep at the entrance to the Valley, which was built to watch for signs of aggression from the Frost Giants. The tribe set fire to the wooden keep, and burn it to the ground, few of the Rangers inside manage to escape alive, and even fewer without injury. King Uilidin orders a new stone keep to be built at the entrance to the Valley to ensure that the Barbarians & Frost Giants are kept under observation & control.

1133 The remaining barbarian tribes under the leadership of Kubla Kahn, surrender to the forces of the Caliphate, and lay down their weapons. They are allowed to return to their lands, but each is made to swear an oath of loyalty to the Caliph.

1134 During a visit to Hillby, King Ulidin is assassinated by Gol'recht, one of the Goltari still loyal to the Dark Prince, leaving Garborin as king. Gol'recht tries to make it look like an elf attack, hoping that Garborin will attack the Elven kingdom. Not believing this, Garborin wisely consults the elves before trying to avenge his father, and sees that it could not have been their fault. Together with a group of elves, he follows the trail of Gol'recht into the northern mountains, but does not find him. The elves suspect that the Dark Prince is behind it, but do not tell Garborin.

During the rest of his life, Garborin continues to try to find his father's assassin, but never succeeds, as Gol'recht has retreated to under an obscure Monastery built in the hills, to the north of Rodby. Here he broods, and considers ways to redeem himself in the eyes of his master, who exiles him from his presence.

While Graz'zt admires the sorrow & grief this causes particulary to the new king - Garborin, he has decided on a much bigger plan. Finding a suitable place in the Abyss, he creates a vast Castle built of Iron, which he names Malevolus. Using some of the strange magic he absorbed from the corpse, the Castle is built in a single day.

1135 When news of the Goltari reaches the Children of Dowinn, they decide to attack the Dark Prince, beginning the Great War of the Dwarves. A regiment of soldiers from Harikbad's guard, led by General Karan, join the Children of Diamor, and they succeed in occupying Harikbad and surrounding the Dark Prince's castle there. The Dark Prince casts a mighty spell, destroying the city, the great bridge that allows easy travel across the desert rift, and nearly all of the Children of Dowinn.

The dark dwarves retreat to Dowinn's Lode, renaming it Dowinn's Tomb. They allow the Dark Prince to choose their new king, Arasi, and begin to number their years from that date. The remaining Children of Dowinn return to Rockby, where they vow to build a nation based on the principles of Law and Good. They cement an alliance with Qazus, and much trade passes between the two nations, enriching both.

1136 After experimenting a few times, Graz'zt is ready to begin his plan. At full moon he appears, with several demonic servants in the Desert, where they easily overwhelm a trade caravan bound for Hillby, and capture many of the traders alive. Transporting them back to Castle Malevolus, he oversees their torture, and from the images of pain & terror that form in their minds, he uses more of his stolen magical power to change his demonic servants into many nightmarish shapes. He names the group of races the Tanar'ri, which is elvish for: The terror that stalks us.

1137 Mirimyn, who has been lying sick for almost two years, finally dies.

1138 An alchemist in Qazus, expermenting with the coal, discovers that half-burnt coal can be mixed with molten iron to produce a far stronger metal, which he names steel (Tajukian for unbreakable). The smelting operations at Klima are changed to manufacture this improved alloy, and the weapons of the Tajukian soldiers are soon replaced by those made from steel, improving their effectiveness in battle.

1140 T'Plana, spiritual leader of Quilinnin is born.

1141 In Nengtaroth, the new priests of Lehesa, are surprised to dicover that they can now cast spells drawn from their faith in her. Lehesa is delighted, as the faith and devotion of her followers, has elevated her to the status of a demigod. The new magic, greatly strengthens House Dal'tanna, whose members dominate the priesthood.

1142 The Dark Prince sends a Goltari to Firian castle to talk with the vampire and they agree that Dark Prince can assemble an army in the castle. In return, Demon Lord will release Okriam from being a vampire, allowing him to die. (although the Demon Lord has no intention of actually doing it....)

1144 Chandler decides to leave Sorceror's Isle, and he sets out to explore the world. Though saddened by his departure, the mages of Sorceror's Isle, realise that he has a destiny ahead of him, and that by leaving he may be better able to perform it.

1145 A daughter is born to Uris and Garborin, named Ilvelda.

1146 The Year of the Lost Legion. After yet another troll attack, Garborin raises a great army to kill the trolls in Moria once and for all. The army, with Garborin and the two hundred best warriors of the Rangers, enters Moria. During a great battle with the Trolls and the Illithids, deep inside the mountain, his army is greatly reduced and they barely escape down into the Underworld, where he realizes that he cannot get back. Toris finds him there, and out of pity, causes him and his army to sleep until the day when he can avenge his father. By a great spell, Toris puts a ward on the entrance to Moria, closing it forever.

After losing half their number in the battle for Moria, the Illithid's bring more reinforcements through their planar rift, including the Elderbrain itself. The increase in use of the rift alerts the mages of Sorceror's Isle, far to the West. They team together to pool their magic, and led by the greatest of them, the young mage called Gwydion, they use their power to force the rift to seal itself shut, thus cutting the Illithid's off from their empire, and greatly limiting their power.

1147 Selirtos becomes king, as Garborin hasn't returned within a year. He proves to be weak, and unpopular, and internal strife in the court pulls the kingdom apart. He allows the border keeps to be abandoned. Built of wood they rot away, or are overgrown by forest. Faced with receiving no wages or support, the Rangers occupying the Valleywatch Keep, collapse the pass leading to the keep, and abandon it.

1148 When a prospector from Rockby returns from the mountains to the south of the city laden with gold nuggets, he sparks a gold rush, and soon the mountains are under attack from dozens of minor mining companies, all intent on staking their claim on the mineral wealth to be found there. Numerous skirmishes break out between the rivals as gold fever runs riot.

1149 Uris dies. Seeing Selirtos's weakness, she hands over the task of finding Garborin's remains to her daughter Ilvelda.

1151 The mayor Kasis falls in love with an elven girl and tries to rape her. He barely escapes from the elves, and as the city refuses to surrender him to them, they break all contact with humans. Due to this scandal, Kasis is forced to resign as mayor, and Istina, the first female mayor, is elected. Over the next years, she gains much power by filling the vacuum left by Selirtos's weak management.

1152 An enterprising dwarf by the name of Burok Heim, after evaluating the situation in the mountains to the south of rockby hits upon a way to make his fortune. Gathering together his sizeable family, and several other interested families who join in, he makes his way to a flat plateau in the mountains, and founds the settlement of Stoneheim. He gambles that providing a central settlement amidst the mines, will draw the miners to the town to spend their money and buy supplies, thus enriching his coffers. The plan is an immediate success, and the inital settlement starts to grow quickly as more families from Rockby arrive, looking to profit from this new enterprise.

1153 In the western Kingdom of Elwyn, a large band of Barbarians descends on the area from the north, decimates the population, and burns several of the villages.

1155 Selirtos, failing to match the glory of his father, starts his grand experiment of breeding Fido's from wild wolves in order to use them for hunting, and he soon reaches an all-time low popularity. The Fido's spread through the city of Riversy, and Selirtos becomes known as 'The King of Fidos'.

1156 In the west, the Barbarians make a second damaging raid on Elwyn. King Hrzlde the Procrastinator decrees that great watchtowers should be built above the town of Rodby and on a high, unnamed island north of there to give warning against further raids. He intends to establish a naval garrison on shore nearby, but only a temporary camp is ever actually established.

1158 Although T'Plana is now old enough to rule Quilinnin, her cousin, Sayotari refuses to give up control.

1159 Warned by the beacon from the watchtowers, Hrzlde wins a decisive naval battle against the Barbarians, which causes them to temporarily give up their plans of conquest. There follows the Golden Age of Elwyn; a full seventy years of relative peace.

1161 During the yearly hunt, when Selirtos takes most of the army and guards of Riversy into the hills, bandits attack Riversy and for the first time they succeed in entering the city. Istina manages to gather the remaining forces, preventing the city from being completely ruined and gaining even more popularity. Selirtos is ridiculed by the public, and the real work of ruling the kingdom is quietly taken over by Istina and the Princess Ilvelda.

1162 The people of Henn, finish the contruction of the Temple to their Fire Goddess. An avatar of the goddess herself appears, and lights the flame on the altar with a torch which had been lit by the Dragon Pyrothraxus, after she beat him in a riddle contest. Ravella takes up residence as the Priestess. She begins to train a young girl by the name of Melina as her successor, as she knows she will not live many more years.

1163 Istina and Ilvelda begin to send out groups of explorers in all directions to find other cities to trade with, and to search for traces of Garborin. They follow the old river route to the west, and make contact with the Kingdom of Elwyn.

1165 One of the explorers, Jaramis, succeeds in crossing the desert and discovers Rockby. The caravan road to Rockby is reopened. From the dwarves of Rockby, the people of Amaranth learn of the Caliphate of Tajuk.

1166 Princess Ilvelda arranges a marriage of her brother, Selirtos to Princess Meriam of Elwyn. She hopes that their heirs will reunite the two kingdoms and find Lost Santamatara. Selirtos shows little interest in his bride.

1167 Caliph Janol the Conquerer dies, leaving the nation to his brother Jaran.

1168 Ravella of Henn dies, leaving the running of the temple to Melina. Each High Priestess now ensures that she trains an apprentice ready to take over the duties of the temple, when they pass on.

1169 Realising that his newfound wealth is nothing without a means to defend it, Burok Heim, invests a large portion of his gold in having a sturdy set of walls and towers built around his town.

1170 A group of traders arrive at Qazus, bearing greetings from the Kingdom of Amaranth. Caliph Jaran takes a liking to their leader, a woman by the name of Talantra, and has her enslaved as one of his Harem girls. The other members of the caravan demand the return of their friend, and when they are denied, they leave the city in protest, vowing to return to free her.

1171 After many years of work, the Demon Lord has made the evil Spider Queen and sends her to Firian forest. As she reaches the forest, she makes a nest and breeds foul young. As her power slowly grows stronger, the forest turns dark.

1172 The trade caravan arrives back at Riversy, and relates the news of Talantra's abduction to King Selirtos, who ignores them, much to the anger of Ilvelda & Istina. Ilvelda covertly meets with the traders, and agrees to send a small force to try to free their leader, though she apologises that she cannot send a full army, as that requires Selirtos to agree, which he will not do.

1173 A small group of trained infiltrators arrive at Qazus, intending to free Talantra.

1174 After living undercover in Qazus for a year, the agents decide to make their move, when the Caliph and a couple of his Harem appear for a public parade. They move quickly, and manage to snatch Talantra, from her kidnappers, but they are caught before they can escape from the city. Caliph Jaran is furious that they would try to steal his favoured girl, and has the agents quartered, and impaled on the city walls. He sends a messenger to Riversy, to announce that any further attempt to infiltrate his nation will be seen as an act of war. Reluctantly Ilvelda has to tell the traders that she cannot help them to recover Talantra, as Amaranth is in no shape to fight a war with a nation as strong as Tajuk.

1175 The Rockby mining operations in the Rainwall Mountains, start to infrige upon the territory of the Bloodaxe Orcs, who begin to skirmish with the avid miners, the clashes increasing in frequency and ferocity as the dwarves adamantly refuse to give ground to the initial assaults.

1176 The Bloodaxe Orcs launch a daring raid on Stoneheim, before the towns walls are completed. The raid does substantial damage to many of the buildings, and a lot of lives are lost, including Burok Heim, who dies in combat with the orc's chieftain, Gnarg. Alarmed at the attack, and the Orcs possible threat to Rockby itself, the Mayor of Rockby dispatches a unit of his best soldiers to assume control over the town, and garrison Stoneheim against any further attacks. These soldiers call themselves the Boulderdash Guards, and set to work training the disorganised citizens into an effective militia, as well as helping to build the walls.

1177 Spurred on by the previous years raid on Stoneheim, the Bloodaxe Orcs descend from their mountain strongholds to attack the town again. This time however, they are expected, and the attack is met with fierce resistance from the trained townsfolk, reinforced by the Boulderdash soldiers. War machines placed on the newly finished wall sections, decimate the orcish assault, as they pour down from the slopes, using catapults to hurl great ceramic pots of flaming oil and greek fire upon the massed forces. Bloodied and beaten, the orcs break and rout, the cheers of the dwarves adding to their humiliation as they retreat.

1184 With difficulty, Selirtos succeeds in making a heir to the throne, who is named Sentarin. (Son of the late time).

1185 Ilvelda is married of convenience to the mage Alvan, and brings birth to the twins Maia and Redin.

1189 Selirtos having become senile, Istina gains almost total power in Riversy. Selirtos stops all communication, except for talking with his Fidos.

1190 Realising that the town of Zanzibar is sinking into the swamp, the Skaven begin to make plans to evacuate the city. However internecine fighting starts when a decision as to a new home cannot be reached, and this swiftly escalates into the 2nd Civil War.

1192 Selirtos dies peacefully. Istina, finding that his wife Meriam is unable to rule, announces that Ilvelda will be queen and ruler until Sentarin comes of age. After that Istina resigns as mayor to become Ilvelda's advisor, and Kadur is elected to serve as the new mayor.

1193 As his army continues to grow, Graz'zt uses yet more of his power to create 4 generals to serve him, each of which has a unique form, they are the Marilith, Alkilith, Glabrezu & Succubus.

1194 Ilvelda's husband, Alvan, conspires with Kadur to wrest power from the women. When the plot is discovered, Alvan takes the twins with him and disappears. Kadur is tried as a traitor, and hanged.

1197 The Dark Prince, gaining strength, moves giants and other evil beings into the ruins of Targolin Castle, and helps the frost giants to build a great fortress at Crysmere. The Thiazi tribe of Giants and Ogres, begin to dig a massive series of caves and tunnels beneath Targolin Castle as they believe that these will be easier to defend than the ruined Castle itself.

Kadur passes a law banning wilterbye's from the City of Riversy. He bans them on the grounds that they can be used as an ingredient in a potent form of poison. Though this rule is not liked by traders from Hillby, the city profits from the fines levied on those trying to bring them into the city, and so no-one in the city opposes the law.

1200-1360 Over the course of more than a century, Graz'zt uses his army to attack other worlds, to make sure that his forces are as good as they can be. As problems occur, he alters existing Tanar'ri, or creates new forms to fill the gaps in his army. Numerous worlds are destroyed and sucked into the Abyss, where they become further layers of the hellish kingdom.

1201 Travelling back from Rodby, Sentarin and his companions are attacked by spiders. Sentarin confronts the Spider Queen herself and barely survives. Escaping alone into the elven controlled portion of Firan forest, he is healed by the Elven Queen, who sees that he is strong and intelligent and tells him that darkness is arising in the world. The Elven Queen has by now realized that in him Riversy will get a powerful and fair king, maybe even mightier than Garborin.

1202 Sentarin becomes king at the age of 18.

1203 A brief civil war breaks out in Qazus, after Ralan el Shoon the chief vizier of Caliph Jaran decides to gain the throne for himself. When Jaran tries to fight back, he finds that most of his army has been bribed to betray him, and he is beheaded on the orders of Ralan, who becomes Caliph Shoon VI.

1204 The twins, Maia and Redin, under the tutelage of the Dark Prince & his remaining Goltari servants begin to learn powerful dark magics. While Maia excels in Summoning, Redin dedicates himself to the study of Necromancy.

1205 Realising that he came to power through the treachery of the army to the old Caliph, Shoon VI, decides to make an army loyal only to him. He orders the Caste of Slavers to bring back male children from the southern jungles, and he has these infants trained as soldiers, loyal only to the Caliph. He names this new force the Askari's, which means 'Figures of Stone', as they cannot be bribed.

1206 Alvan, having become a trusted servant of the Dark Prince, builds himself a keep at the fringes of the realm to the southwest. He names it Annihilation Castle. Using kobolds as laborers, he begins to construct a great tower with portals to several places in the realm in preparation for the rising of the Demon Hoards.

1207 Sentarin starts to recruit adventurers to investigate the dark rumors told by the Elven Queen.

1210 Sentarin falls in love with Berlissa, the Elf Queen's daughter.

1213 Queen Malica of Nengtaroth gives birth to her 13th child, a daughter whom she names Akasha. While still weak from the birth, Malica is killed by her eldest daughter Drendari, who assumes the throne as the new Queen of the dark elves.

1225 Berlissa gives birth to a son, Brind, but dies shortly after the birth. Sentarin is devastated, and becomes a recluse, living only for his son.

1243 In Dowinn's Tomb, the dwarves finally dig too deep, and disturb a Balrog. Their hero, Diamor wounds it, but is killed in the process. The dwarves are saved only by a magician who manages to cast a successful but flimsy sleep spell on the Balrog. The king builds a great statue of Diamor to commemorate the battle. Among humans, the name Dowinn's Tomb has become corrupted to 'Downtown', a name much resented by both nations of dwarves.

1247 The Goltari known as Zeth appears in avatar form to the northern barbarians. The raiders are scared, and awed by this apparition, until their wizard Taagesnake agrees to talk to it. It promises them power, in return for their worship, and the barbarians agree. It reveals to them the weakness of Elwyns defenses, and the barbarians start to build a great flotilla of ships to destroy the kingdom.1249 After more than a century of wandering in various guises, the mage Chandler decides to construct a permanent base to house his work. He uses much magic, and summoned creatures to raise a small island out of the lake, south of Miramor, and to build a Mansion upon it.

1250 In Elwyn, the defenses of the Elves have relaxed to the point that the Barbarians are able to make a massive surprise raid under cover of a fog created by their wizard Taagesnake, and they totally destroy most of North Elwyn. By the time the southern flotilla arrives, under the command of Hrzlde the Late, the Barbarians have regrouped and are able to defeat them in a great sea-battle.

1251 The Barbarians occupy the town of Elwyn and much of Tiraca, and begin to build the Temple of Zeth in the forest north of the town. The elves flee to the woods in the south and west, and begin to live secretly in the treetops. Some humans flee to the interior of Tiraca, others stay and blend with the barbarians.

1252 The Barbarians succeed in capturing Rodby and closing off access from Riversy to the sea. Brind leads an army to retake the town, and succeeds, but is fatally injured in the fight. When he hears of his son's death, Sentarin has a heart attack, and dies, leaving Amaranth without a clear successor.

1253 Without a ruler, Amaranth falls into a lawless state. Rylla, granddaughter of Mayoress Istina, manages to gather a militia to keep order in Riversy itself, but the rest of the realm suffers under constant attack of bandits and thieves.

1254 The 2nd Civil War of the Skaven ends when a truce is agreed upon, and the Clan leaders all agree to move to Riversy Sewers. The massed ranks of ratmen make their way towards Amaranth's capital following the river, and moving by night. Clan Eshin assassins ensure that none who see them, live to give warning of the approaching threat to the people of Riversy. Reaching the city environs, they enter the sewers by swimming through the arches in the walls at night. Although several guards are found dead the next morning, nobody suspects anything other than the usual nighttime activity took place.

1255 Redin and Maia, the lost children of Ilvelda and Alvan, appear in Riversy to claim the throne. Since the people are tired of lawlessness, their claim is uncontested, and they take control. They soon become known as the Unholy Twins, when they bring in other servants of the Dark Prince as advisors, and Skaven and Gnolls as soldiers. They begin a rule of terror, draining the realm of its riches for the Dark Prince, and ruthlessly destroying any who oppose them.

1256 Redin forces Sela, the 16-year-old daughter of Rylla, to marry him.

1257 Sela gives birth to a son, Iskran.

1259 The town of Vatos declares independence from the Caliphate of Tajuk, as the new mayor of the town is of barbarian descent, and the non-Askari troops garrisoning the city, have been bribed to switch sides. An enraged Caliph Shoon VI sends a huge force to reclaim the port, and to punish the traitors. However as the army is passing through the mountain pass north of Upper Tabor, they come under attack from two Brass Dragons, Felgolos & his mate Draezilda, who resent the Caliphate for its practice of slavery. The Caliph's army is annihilated, as it cannot fight effectively in the tight confines of the pass, and the Dragons breath weapons inflict horrific damage on the massed ranks. Only a few survivors return to Qazus to bring word of the massacre. Although angry at the loss of his army, Shoon VI is pleased that the last of the potential traitors have been disposed of, and that his remaining army is composed solely of the Askari's, whose loyalty is without doubt.

1270 The Twins take so much of the produce of the realm to feed the hoards of the Dark Prince, that there is a famine. Rylla leads a group of followers into the wilderness to seek a new place to live.

1271 Seeing that escape is possible, Kaldon (a Blacksmith from the slums), gathers together his family & friends, and enters the sewers to escape the twins reign of terror. Being poor, and weak, the group have few provisions for a long trek through the Underdark, and they head south to seek a sheltered place to settle, and after several weeks of travelling by foot & raft, they find a huge underground cavern they name Deep Home.

1272 The People of Deep Home establish Grit Town in the cavern. Trips are secretly made to the surface to gather wood & fuel. More refugees arrive with each returning forage party.

1273 Fish are discovered in the cavern's lake, and farm caves to farm fungus are dug out of the rock around Grit Town. Iron is discovered on the distant lakeshore and Kaldon starts a new Smithy, and begins work on weapons with which the settlers can defend themselves against the various denizens of the Underdark.

1276 Rylla's followers, after wandering for 5 years, arrive in a pleasant valley hidden by high mountains. In the sky they see a winged shape that they think must be an Angel. Declaring it a sign, they begin to build a new city in the Valley, which they name Miramor.

A traveller from Amaranth who had been serving aboard a Caliphate ship, arrives at the Island of Briq, after he survives being washed ashore when the ship is wrecked. His name is Foraq. He spends many weeks exploring the island, fascinated by tales of a religion dedicated to a deity called the Dragon, yet his investigations lead to his death, and thus the existence of Briq remains unknown to the outside world.

1277 Kaldon starts to work on a master sword, but he realises that he will need the help of a Mage if it is to ever have the power to slay the servants of the Dark Prince, or to get past Redin & Maia's magical protections.

1278 Kaldon starts making trips to the surface to try and locate a good Mage with the power & knowledge that he needs.

1280 One of Redin's spies (called Prylig), spots Kaldon on one of his trips to the surface world. Intrigued, he stalks Kaldon, and follows him back to Grit Town. He brings the news of Grit Town to Redin & Maia. Enraged that the people of Grit Town have escaped him, Redin sends the Skaven of Clan Skerrit to destroy those who have fled Riversy. The Skaven are soundly defeated, and Clan Skerrit is totally destroyed, however many of the people of Grit Town are slain, and a tomb is dug outside the city to place their bodies in.

1281 Furious at the defeat of his Skaven horde, Redin sends word to the Dark Prince himself with news of the sword that Kaldon is trying to forge. The Dark Prince dispatches the Goltari known as Pazrael to destroy Grit Town. Upon teleporting to Grit Town, Pazrael draws upon powerful Black Magics to cast an evil curse of undeath over the cavern. Overnight the people of the town are transformed into ravening Ghouls, the resting souls of their dead into restless Ghosts, and the bodies in the tomb to rotting Mummies. Prylig is transformed into a Vampire to be the caverns eternal guardian, thus ensuring that it could never again be used against the Dark Prince, or his allies.

Prylig using the powers of his new form, animates the Skaven dead into Ratling skeletons, and sets them to work turning the old Iron mines into a mighty castle to guard the captured sword - Skraep.

1283 Prylig now known as the Vampire lord Pyros, completes the work on his castle. The rock carved to build it, is used to block up nearly all surface exits to the cavern, save the river which flows past the gates of Grit Town.

1284 Redin visits the cavern of Deep Home, to view his vassal's lair. He decides to begin work on a lair of his own, deep in the Underdark, as a precautionary measure should his rule ever be threatened. He orders Pyros to begin construction of a crypt fortress, to the south of Grit Town.

1285 Tunneling south from Grit Town, the Ratling skeleton's burrow into the lair of Balagos, a mighty Dragon who had died here eons ago. The magic from Pazrael's curse of undeath, has seaped through the rock, and animated him as a Dracolich. He destroys the intruders, and Pyros sends for help from Redin. Redin appears, and makes a bargain with the enraged, undead Dragon, which allows the construction of the Crypt to continue.

1286 Caliph Shoon VI dies, leaving the nation to his son, who is crowned Caliph Kadar I.

1288 In the northern swamps, the doomed town of Zanzibar finally succumbs to the sucking morass of the swamp, and sinks beneath the fetid muck. The survivors, begin building on the same site, using the old town as a solid base for foundations.

1290 The mages of Sorceror's Isle, send two novices to help Chandler in his researches, they are Fala & Illinar.

1291 The survivors of Zanzibar, finish work on the first set of new buildings. They name their growing town Craindre, which is Santamataran for fear. Since the town is surrounded by the hostile creatures of the swamps, the new name is unanimously approved.

1292 The Crypt is finished, and Redin is pleased with it. In a moment of rare humour, he has the royal emblem of Amaranth emblazoned on the gates that seal the entrance to his Underdark fortress.

1294 The people of Craindre begin building an asylum to house the people who seem to be stricken with recurring madness from the terrors of the swamp, and the trauma of Zanzibar's sinking.

1295 Redin dies. During his great state funeral procession, someone shoots Maia with a poisoned arrow. In the confusion, the citizens of Riversy rise in rebellion and force Redin's supporters out of the city. Sela and Iskran are forced to go with them as prisoners. A warrior by the name of Firleat emerges as leader of the rebellion.

Redin's body is buried in a chain wrapped iron casket, deep below the graveyard. The chamber is then filled in, and the workmen who buried him, wake the next morning with no memory of the graves precise location. Toris has erased that knowledge so that none might reanimate the dark mage.

The Skaven suffer huge losses as they flee to the safety of the Sewers. Clan Moulder release several Basilisks into the sewers to deter adventurers from exploring below Riversy. The Gnoll's hide in the abandoned mines south of town. Maia's followers flee with her to Annihilation Castle, where she slowly recovers.

1296 Firleat is elected king.

1298 The Goltari called Thrakish has been observing the Skaven, and he decides to have them as his followers. He changes his image, and in a mighty display of magic appears to the Skaven as their diety, - The Horned Rat, proclaiming that if they worship only him, he will lead them to greatness. The huddled masses eagerly agree to worship him. He commands the vast bulk of the Skaven to move into the new Warren that Clan Moulder have been building, so as to hide the races true numbers from its enemies, while they rebuild their strength.

1299 Deep below Riversy Cemetary, in a chamber forgotten by the mortals, Redin awakens, but not as he had planned. He had long prepared for his own death, but his contingency spells went wrong, and when he awakes he finds that his body is skeletal, and that he has become a Lich. Knowing that he is still weak, and needing to rebuild his forces, he retreats to his hidden Crypt to prepare to retake his kingdom.

1300 A great earthquake shakes the Known World. It opens routes to several previously unknown areas, including a pass in the mountains that leads to Nengtaroth, the city of the Dark Elves, which was hidden until this time. Alarmed that their city's location is known, the Dark elves build a formidible gatehouse at the entrance to the valley, and cast many spells on the gates, so that only those who know the city's true name, can enter. Also uncovered is the entrance to Doom, the home of many of the Dark Prince's minions. The earthquake also partially reopens the pass to Valleywatch Keep.

1301 The SNG guild, led by Lucyfur, builds its headquarters at the edge of Miramor, and builds a bridge to Doom, hoping to conquer it and gain power from the Dark Prince.

1303 Although not yet a century old, Akasha emerges as the sole survivor of Malica's twelve younger children, and assassinates her elder sister Drendari, taking her place on the throne. The Assassins under her control, take a senior member of each of the major houses captive, to hold as hostages should that House try to move against their new Queen. she takes her old bodyguard, a nervous man by the name of Rathaur to be her consort king, as she knows he is too terrified of her, to conspire against her.

1306 The Archmage Chandler by use of his scrying spells has discovered that Redin has not been destroyed, and even now is plotting against Amaranth. With his two apprentices, Fala (also his lover) and Illinar, Chandler attempts to summon and then destroy the Lich before he can become any more powerful, and realise his dreams of mass destruction. However the spell goes wrong, and the mansions guard creature, a mighty Dragonwolf goes beserk, ripping Fala to pieces in its rampage, before it is finally subdued by a heartbroken Chandler. Realising that Redin is now aware of his attempt at destroying him, Chandler gathers a few belongings, and opens a portal to the outer planes. Illinar begs his mentor not to leave, but Chandler is adamant, and so Illinar vows to keep the mansion ready for his masters return. Chandler leaves the World of Austin behind, and begins his self imposed exile.

1313 The Craindre Asylum is finished, and the worst of those affected by the swamp madness are interred within. It soon becomes clear that something is preying on them, drinking their cerebral fluid, and pushing them further into madness.

1323 Clan Pestliens working with Clan's Skyre & Moulder manage to create a deadly new diesease - Lycanthropy. Distilling it into potion form, they hand it to several members of Clan Eshin who poison the waterwells of Laketown with it, with vicious results. Unfortunately the results are not quite what the Skaven wanted. The idea was to make humans turn into beastmen, who could then be controlled, but the werecreatures are totally resistant to any means of command, and several of Clan Eshin are ripped apart by the enraged creatures. Clan Pestilens continue to work on the idea, while those of Clan's Skyre & Moulder abandon it, and move onto other projects.

The werewolves of Laketown return to normal the next morning. They decide to exile themselves onto an island in the Mallorn Woods Lake, until such time as a cure can be found for them. The town council agree to provide food, which will be rowed across every week. A thief named Pramas however sees an opportunity for gaining personal power in his newly acquired abilities, and flees into Fellreev Forest, where he slowly makes his way west, occasionally infecting other people as the mood takes him, thus does the dread curse of Lycanthropy spread to the four corners of the world.

1343 The Isle of Highland is rediscovered by a band of adventurers who make it the home of their guild of adventurers, named The Highlander Clan after the island.

1355 The villagers of Laska contract with Tebnaraskar to conjure a protective being for their underground hiding place. He conjures Drzzir, a transparent figure made to live in the secret hideout and protect the citizens of Laska from their enemies. But the villagers decide not to give the wizard the captive werewolf they had promised in payment, so Tebnaraskar persuades a colony of bugbears to murder the villagers, and gives them the protection of Drzzir as a reward. Tebnaraskar wanted the werewolf for his researches, as he is determined to find a cure for Lycanthropy.

1359 Maia conspires with the Dark Prince to bring a large force of trolls from the northwest to attack the Elves living north of Firian. Their intent is to draw the attention of Riversy away from the attack on the city she is planning. The elves call for help from the Riversy Militia, which is led by Firleat's son, Waldur. There is a great battle, which decimates and seriously weakens the Trolls, but so many of the Militia and the Elves are also killed that the Trolls are able to keep control of a large part of the Elves' homeland. The Trolls find an ancient cave in the western part of the forest, that their King decides to make his lair.

1361 After two years of fighting, the Trolls are still undefeated. On a full moon, Graz'zt opens a portal to some caves beneath Elwyn, and sends a small group of demons through the rift, led by the Glabrezu. Unfortunately for Graz'zt, Tebnaraskar detects the evil magic beneath his town, and uses his spells to seal the demons escape route, and method of communication with the Abyss. After losing one of his Generals, and his initial foray, Graz'zt realises that subtlety is not going to work, as the Archmages of Austin are too prepared to be taken by surprise. He appears at Annihilation Castle, and teaches Maia the secret to opening a great portal to allow his armies through.

Iskran escapes from Annihilation Castle, after overhearing the discussion between Maia & Graz'zt, and brings the news of their plan to King Firleat & Prince Waldur, who immediately withdraw their forces from Firian Forest, and they prepare to fight impossible odds to save Amaranth. Waldur promises Iskran that he will not let anyone know that he is aware of Maia's plan for fear that Maia will kill Sela. Both the Elves and the Citizens of Riversy think Waldur is a coward for retreating, and he comes to be known as Waldur the Weakhearted.

Knowing that Riversy cannot stand against an attack of this magnitude, Iskran returns to Annihilation Castle to stop Maia. Only a few good-aligned humans stay to help defend the Elves. Although the Elves resent the Militia's desertion of the cause, they honor the good humans, and with their help are able to prevent the trolls from advancing further. They continue to fight the trolls and their allies, hoping to regain their territory.

1362 Maia tries to cast the Great Summoning to bring Graz'zt's infernal armies into the world. However her ceremony is interrupted by Iskran, who has managed to sneak back into the Castle to thwart her insane plan. Knowing that he is no match for her power, he does the only thing he can, and throws himself into the forming rift. The spilling of innocent blood, willingly sacrificed to save others, is the most noble act possible, and it destroys the spell. The resulting magical backlash kills Maia, and destroys most of Annihilation Castle, leaving only the tower standing. Only a few kobolds are left in the ruins. In the Abyss, the feedback from the spells failure stuns Graz'zt, and he collapses into a comatose sleep on his throne.

Following the destruction of Annihilation Castle, Alvan returns to the dark castle. In a fit of rage the Dark Prince kills Alvan and has his body entombed in the cellars under the dark castle.

1365 Firleat dies, leaving the Kingdom to Waldur.

1367 Waldur marries Regina a lady of noble birth, whose father is the Baron of Hillby.

1368 Regina gives birth to a baby girl, who is named Amalie.

1374 Using magic gained from a world they had just conquered, the Tanar'ri manage to reawaken Graz'zt. His powers exhausted by such a long hibernation, and the failure of the Great Summoning, Graz'zt drains many layers of the Abyss of any magic they contain, leaving them blasted ashen wastelands, uninhabitable even to Tanar'ri. His powers renewed, he begins on a new plan.

1380 The Evening Star Mercenaries (ESM), a guild of merchants, seamen, and partially reformed pirates is formed.

1386 Waldur's daughter, the Princess Amalie is enchanted by a witch. The curse traps her in the witch's body, and the witch gets her young body. A side-effect of the curse renders her immune to ageing.

1388 The curse placed on Princess Amalie takes effect, and she is trapped in the body of the hag, while the witch has her beautiful young body.

1389 A son, Prince Brind, is born to Waldur and Regina and named after the son of Berlissa and Sentarin. He is blessed by the great god, Perial, and also by the Elven Queen.

1392 Returning to the ruined tower, Graz'zt examines the circle and determines that it still has the power to allow people to cross the dimensional gulf between the Abyss & the World of Austin. However by combining that power with the last of his stolen magic, he gains the power to open one-way portals from the Abyss to Austin.

1393 The Army of Darkness (AoD) is founded by the evil adventurers Harry Wzar'lon, Tigress Silverclaw and Xenia, after their discovery of a set of huge black caves beneath Mithril Canyon. They vow to bring darkness and despair to the world. Many others of an evil nature soon flock to join the banner of this new guild.

1401 A force of Dretch Tanar'ri led by Alamanda the Marilith invade the sewers beneath Riversy, but are defeated by Metgar, Apheliona, Ahtuat & Spring. These brave adventurers, investigating this unusual occurence, discover the location of the ruined tower, where centuries before the Hidden Cabal failed to control their summoning of a demon, and where they could sense the gathering stength of Graz'zt. They are knighted by King Waldur, and Apheliona is appointed the title of court mage.

1402 A small force of demons led by Nari the Succubus, invade the mountain village of Henn. Although they are defeated, Graz'zt watches the whole event through Nari's eyes, and she manages to escape her hunters.

1403 Five brave adventurers, Carmen, Belinda, Minq, Sif, and Bahne defy the EvilOne, and aid Okriam in being released from his curse. Okriam ascends into the heavenly realms, after the curse is dispelled and he is finally allowed to die.

1404 A huge force of demons led by Alamanda the Marilith, invades Rodby, with the aim of cutting the water route between Miramor, Tiraca & Amaranth. Again the Demons are defeated, but at a heavy cost, as Sir Spring is cut down by Alamanda. She is slain by a massed force of the Army of Darkness. Graz'zt is able to use the details of the two defeats to his advantage, and begins to plot his final assault on the world. He also creates a new Marilith to lead his armies, and names her Taramanda.

1408 The Upper Skaven Caves are abandoned due to repeated attacks by strong Adventuring parties.

1419 An infamous bandit by the name of Aric, finds Valleywatch Keep by accident, while searching for a place to hide his stash of loot. He quickly gets the 'loyalty' of the other bandits in the eastern hills, and becomes their 'king', although he has to fight to keep his position on many occasions. The Keep is named 'Bandit Keep' by its new occupants.

1421 An explorer by the name of Silan Darrat discovers the town of Xezibar, and the terrible Fire Swamps that surround it. He learns that the swamps were created by residual energy left over from the Great Spell of Destruction which annihilated Santamatara. Thinking that he is close to rediscovering the lost city, he sets out to cross the swamps, and is never heard from again.

The Dark Prince sends his minions looking for the best Necromancers Austin has to offer. He intends to create a necromancer cult under the dark castle to enhance his power and resources.

1423 A group of bandits ambush a lone travelling mage, who kills all but one of them in seconds with his spells. Using charm magic to get the bandits co-operation, the mage learns all about Aric & Bandit Keep. Using the charmed Bandit as a guide, and rendering himself invisible, he gains access to the keep. He uses his charm magic to control Aric, and through him the rest of the bandits.

1424-1426 The Bandits under Aric's control, and backed up by Cyrus's unseen influence, increase their attacks on travellers in the eastern hills, and much loot is brought back to the Keep. Cyrus uses the money to finance his research into Drugs & Potions of Domination, and he regularly slips a tested concoction into the bandits food & drink, which makes them easier to control. He plans to perfect the formula, and then use it on someone of wealth & importance.

1427 The Year of Hell. In the Month of the Grand Struggle, Graz'zt the Goltari uses the last of his stolen energy to open many portals from the Abyss to the World of Austin. For three days & nights the people of Austin fight a desperate battle against the demonic hordes, all the while buying time for a small band of heroes, guided by the Angel Sophia, to gather together some artifacts and activate a gateway to the Abyss. A huge army of vengeful adventurers, led by Flark the Grandmaster of the `Ndrangheta, enters the Abyss, and a titanic battle erupts in Castle Malevolus, during which Graz'zt is gravely wounded, and flees before he can be destroyed.

Barely a couple of months later, a massive earthquake rocks the Known World, and it causes great devastation in Riversy. A falling chunk of masonry lands on King Waldur, and kills him instantly. A shaken and grief stricken Brind ascends the throne, only after being told that he must do so by a sobbing Queen Regina. The aftershocks of this monster quake, re-open the mountain trail to Loradonia, a mountain pass to the sinister Monastery, and it rips open tunnels beneath Riversy, which fill with water to become a great lake. Clan Moulder release another of their mutated creations, a mighty Dragon Turtle to guard the lake, and thusly the entrance to the Skaven Warrens. The pass leading to Bandit Keep is completely cleared by this earthquake also.

The Skaven & the Bandits both take the opportunity to raid into the weakened city of Riversy, as without its mighty walls, it is virtually defenseless. King Brind vows to rebuild Riversy, greater than it was before, and an extensive building program begins.

1428 The Agents of the Dark Prince find a young necromancer, named Artus, living in Xezibar. Artus was trying to kill the citizens of Xezibar and form an undead horde to take over the city. The agents report their findings to the Dark Prince who decides Artus will be acceptable.

1429 Fed up with repeated attacks by the Gnolls, who live in the abandoned mines above them, the Myconids collapse the shaft that connects their underground home to the upper tunnels. They dig a new shaft which joins into the Riversy Sewers, where the abandoned Upper Skaven Caves are.

The Dark Prince orders Pazrael to bring Artus to the Dark Castle. The Dark Prince proposes that Artus form a Necromancer Cabal for the Dark Prince. Seeing a chance for power, Artus accepts and begins searching for people suitable for the Cabal. The cellars under the Dark Castle are expanded to house the Cabal. Damien and other Necromancers begin to create various types of undead.

1431 A Priest and several acolytes who worship the Dark Prince move into the Dark Castle basements with the Necromancers.

1434 Explorers in the southern Underdark rediscover the cavern of Deep Home, now infested with undead. They name the ruins of Grit Town, Ghost City, after the many apparitions that haunt the place. They also discover the lair of Balagos, and few escape with their lives.

1435 The druids of the Tree of Life re-open their connection to the greater world.

1438 The Necromancers discover the body of Alvan and decide to resurrect him as a lich. Alvan however overpowers them and becomes the hidden ruler of the Cabal. Artus is most unhappy with this and starts to try to find a way to overpower Alvan.

1440 Caliph Arin I dies, and leaves the nation to the rule of his cousin, who is crowned as Caliph Suleiman I.

1449 A large group of pixies form the Crimson Empire (CE) guild. They base themselves out of a huge magical tree deep in the depths of the Woods of Mallorn.

1454 The Head Gods of the Pantheon step down and hand rulership of the heavens & hells over to the younger Gods. The Elder Gods leave the world behind, and set off into the cosmos in search of the original Entities who freed the world from Demonic occupation, and then left. They wish to inform the Entities that the Demon Lord they defeated before, has returned, and is once again working his evil on the world, in violation of the treaty signed centuries ago.

In Qazus, Iman Maarum is disturbed to find that his prayers are no longer answered by the Desert God, and that he is once again ageing.

1455 The Goltari known as Zeth finally gains enough power to manifest his full form on the world of Austin permanently. He immediately kills the Head Priest of the Temple, and instead appoints a young lady by the name of Sareena, to head his worshippers, as he can sense great potential in her.

1459 Chandler the Archmage returns to his mansion after being absent from the world for over one and a half centuries! He immediatly contacts his brother Gwydion, and he begins to research the magics needed to break the wards around Redin's crypt fortress, intending to finish the Lich once and for all.

1462 The Fall of the Gods. In the Month of the Dark Shades, the vast majority of the Austin Pantheon are cast out of the heavens & hells, by the actions of Yevaud and Poseidon. They are condemned to walk the world as mortals once more, and though some adapt to their harsh new existence, others commit suicide, or use powerful magic to travel off the planet, and wander amongst the stars and other planes of reality searching for a place they can again call home.

Shortly after this event however, the Pantheons ranks begin to be refilled again, as new blood, and the best of the old, is recruited to form a newer, smaller and more dynamic pantheon. In Qazus, Iman Maarum having never given up faith, was rewarded as his prayers were once more answered, and his aging ceased once more. He retook his oaths to his God to prove his piety and devotion.

1463 The necromancers and priests begin summoning citizens from various parts of Austin, at the direction of the Dark Prince, to find out the political state of the world. The bodies are used to expand the undead forces under the control of the Necromancers.

1468 A group of animal spirit shape-shifters, led by Rajah organise themselves into a guild, and name themselves the Shimmers of Shadow, named after the woman who first gained the ability to assume animal form.

1489 A magnificent new theater is opened in Riversy, by King Brind, proof of his claims that he will see Riversy rebuilt to far greater than it was before the quake that shattered it and began his reign. All in the crowd seem awed that despite all the years, their king does not seem to have aged a day!

1496 Yor, the Captain of the S.S. Vesper, and Guildmaster of the Evening Star Mercenaries, gathers together his last remaining crew members, and sails the ship into the sunset, to explore what lies beyond the vastness of the Sea of Storms. The Evening Star Mercenaries guild passes into history.

1499 Explorers sailing the Sea of Storms are shocked to find themselves under attack from strange Sharkmen who emerge from beneath the waves, after recovering from their initial surprise, they defeat the attack and using water breathing magics pursue the fleeing sharkmen under the water, discovering the Underwater Kingdom of Lola'ne'Kai.

1500 Bonfires are lit across the world to mark the beginning of the 16th century since the end of the Godswar. As people everwhere celebrated, a sorceress by the name of Raja al-Sadiq, while exploring some strange caves, accidentally broke the stasis field that had imprisoned Tisan Balshareska for the past two millenia, freeing the Demon Lord's greatest general from her eternal captivity. Tisan slays Raja, and reanimates her as a lich, bound to the Geomancer's will. Tisan sets her the task of seeking out the remains of her eight fellow Geomancers, while she researches the magics needed to call back their spirits, lost for over 20 centuries, to reform her council of nine.

The elves of Firian Forest, having taken a long hard look at the world, decide that they no longer wish to be a part of it, and they decide upon a retreat to a place called Elethrin, which has long been prepared for them by their gods. They begin work on a vast ark, building it on the north bank of the river, as Elethrin lies far out in the western ocean, beyond Tiraca.

1501 Adventurers exploring and battling the undead in the Dark Castle, discover the deeper dungeons beneath the place, home to a legion of necromancers and priests serving the Dark Prince, and far more potent forms of undead than those encountered above ground. Few make it out of the Castle with their lives, none make it out without severe injuries!

1505 Two adventurers, Smog and Rosalinn travel into the Dragonback Mountains to the northwest and come across an ancient abandoned mine shaft. Within the shaft they find gold veins, but also find something more disturbing (at least it would have been disturbing if they weren't already MaD themselves).

1508 Smog and Rosalinn return from their trip through the Dragonback Mountains, and go visit with Baron Grellus in Hillby Castle. They tell him of the gold mine they found in the Mountains. The Baron, having wanted to extend his reign for quite some time, decides to send a group of prospectors out to the mine to determine if it is safe to mine the gold again.

1510 The prospectors from Hillby Castle report back to Baron Grellus that it is safe to mine gold from the mountains. The Baron commisions the building of Caulver City in the Dragonback Mountains to serve as a base of operation for his gold mines. He makes his younger brother Byron Grellus mayor of the city.

1511 Having completed and packed the ark, the elves set sail down the river to the ocean, and sail beyond the known world to their new home, the vast and magical isle of Elethrin. A select few elect to stay behind, either to guard those places still sacred to their people, or those of a more adventurous nature who oppose the exodus, deeming it cowardly.

1515 After a voyage lasting 21 years, the S.S. Vesper reappears, sailing into the harbour at Radaan, having succeeded against all the odds in circumnavigating the planet! The sole remaining crew member is Captain Yor.

1520 Caulver City is built and two new mine shafts are opened, bringing a flow of prospectors and miners to the small town to work and hopefully get rich. A caravan transferes the gold from Caulver City to Hillby on a regular basis.

1521 Raja al-Sadiq succeeds in recovering one of the ancient urns which the eight dead Geomancers were buried in. After some powerful divinations are cast over the urn, Tisan identifies it as containing the remains of Thalath Abir, the Third of the Nine Council, and she sets about researching the means to create for him a suitable body to inhabit.

1527 The people of Logby are startled and intrigued at the arrival of Eliria, an elven lady bard. She buys the old sacred yard, and within a few days has transformed it into an oasis of lush vegetation, creating a garden. She offers to teach the loggers of the town, how to live in harmony with the surrounding forest, and shows them to plant new trees to replace those chopped down, using some strange magics to make these new trees grow faster. The people while a little in awe of her, soon accept her as one of their own.

1530 The world trembles as the Dark Prince unleashes four Goltari to ride across the world, bringing havoc and death in their passing. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalyse are however, eventually hunted down and defeated, their spirits sent back to their dark master to await his displeasure.

1536 By strange coincidence, two guilds are founded almost at the same time, though they vary greatly in aims and ambition. While the Psionicists establish themselves in a floating citadel above Arcnur, intent on eliminating the Mindflayer menace that lairs beneath the ruined village, the Triad vampires meanwhile, take over a large crypt in the catacombs beneath the Dark Castle for their lair, and set out to stalk and eliminate those who would oppose the growing tide of evil that is slowly, and quietly, engulfing the lands.

1538 Fed up of raids on travellers between Logby and Riversy, King Brind sends in the army to clear out the Gnoll caverns just to the south of the city. Due to the Gnolls military preparation, the fighting is fierce, yet the gnolls know that their position is hopeless. The soldiers fight a rearguard action to hold off the advancing Amaranth troops, while the rest of the tribe flee through an escape tunnel they had long been digging for just this reason. Heading north, the tribe makes its way to Grimstead. Alarmed at such a large influx of ravenous gnolls, the town authorities direct them towards a series of caves to the north-east that are occupied only by a large pack of wolves. Easily beating the wolves and claiming their new home, the gnolls settle into the caves, to nurse their wounds, and their hatred of the humans.

1542 The earth elemental Grombar, imprisoned in the great mosque in Qazus falls under the hidden control of Tisan Balshareska. This fact remains unknown, even to Iman Maarum, such is the strength of Geomancy. claiming to wish to make a sculpture, Grombar tricks the druidess Seraphina Wildwood into bringing him sand and stone, which are the needed components for Tisan to fashion a body to summon Thalath back to life to inhabit.

1543 Contacting and commanding ancient evil powers, Tisan succeeds in summoning back Thalath Abir's long dead spirit to inhabit the body she has made from sand and rock. She sets him the task of researching how to make contact with the otherworldly armies of the Demon Lord, so that they may summon vast numbers of demonic soldiers.

1551 Eager to expand the influence of his realm, King Brind commissions the construction of a road to cut through the Firian Forest and eventually join Riversy to Rodby. The engineers decide to build the road along the route of the long overgrown Firian Road, the construction of which centuries before sparked the start of the Elven Civil War. The king sends a detachment of the Rangers to guard the construction crews while the building is in progress.

1553 The Treehouse Gang, a group of wild orphan children living in the southern forest between Riversy and Logby, is discovered by Amaranth priests. They report to the temple with their findings, and it is agreed that the children should be observed and kept out of trouble.

Two young clerics, Cilinyth and Aboni, find a strange mountain pass near a green valley east of Riversy. Inside a cave they find an odd temple dedicated to a boy priest and a guardian. They consult their mentor, the vampire Nakadai, on what to do. Aboni wishes to report the find, but Nakadai is able to twist the young cleric into keeping the caves location a secret. Nakadai plans to use the cave for his own purposes, but the Riversy High Priest Magnus hears of the find from a local forester. He sends an old apprentice, Vette, to discover its location. She returns successful, having unveiled some of its secrets.

1556 After five long years of backbreaking work, the first stage of the road is completed, and King Brind officially opens it with a grand ceremony. Though there is a small problem with the matter of some missing scissors with which to cut the ribbon, the problem is eventually resolved, and the road is opened for traffic. The Rangers are tasked with patrolling the road and ensuring the safety of people and goods travelling along it.

1560 The adventurer Diaz finds an Amaranth rose in the scrubland outside Riversy, the first of its kind to have been found in a hundred years. He is rewarded handsomely by King Brind for his efforts.

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