Steel and Silver History

Dalvus: Arowan (England), Havrick (Scotland/Ireland), Edalga (Spain), Torevelli (Italy) Dead Trenches (Scandanavia)
Mestarshan Plains: Charlegnon (France), Brecht (Germany)
Far East Marches: Honshu (Japan), Jiangxi (China), Pyokkye (Korea), Binua (Mongolia), Shilao (Siam)
Crowning Peaks: Dochev (Russia) Dwarven KIngdom (Scandanavia)
Trius: all India
Droughtlands: all Middle East
Arctic Dales; Basically antarctica and the north pole in one
Mutul: Aztec and Incan with a bit of Olomec
oops or Ladesia: Persia, Scythia, and the Hebrew people
we can also play an underwater setting, a purely nautical ship setting, or a setting in another world
and do you all want to do a normal campaign, a horror based campaign, or some other sortHistory of the World

General

The Fall of the Ancients - The oldest known event in Asteris, it is a time when the ancient empires of Titans and other primordial-created races fell and were replaced by various god-created races like elves, dwarves, humans, and many others.Though centuries passed of various humanoid empires and kingdoms rising and falling, they are all now forgotten and claimed by the ages, as no written records persist.

The Pantheon War - As god-created races took over Asteris, the various pantheons of gods began to fight for supremacy. Many gods were killed in this massive war, some entire pantheons lost to the ages, its former followers absorbed into the victor's own. The war raged on for centuries, only ending when Zerial the Overgod demanded it as the Far Realm and the Elder Evils began to tear the fabric of reality.

The War of Madness - The gods would unite under Zerial, going to war with the Elder Evil and the encroaching Far Realm. All the universe's planes were nearly torn asunder, and the hundreds and hundreds of gods were reduced to so few. Luckily, the Elder Evil suffered great losses as well, and finally were turned back by Zerial with very few survivors. The War of Madness never officially ended, as the remaining Elder Evil have never ceased their invasion of the universe, just now on a smaller scale. All of the tears in reality that lead to new planes or dimensions can be traced back to the power of the Far Realm and their near absorption of this reality.

The Clockwork Age - This is the current state of the world of Asteris. Great leaps in technology have been made recently and the invention of things like basic firearms, skyships, and extremely intricate clockwork machinery have taken society by storm and widened the gap between the more civilized Cradle of the World, and the less civilized satellite continents.

Dalvus

Rise of the Dwarves - After the  fall of the ancient Titan Empire the dwarves quickly threw off their shackles and after living as tribals, eventually forged a great empire through the mountains of the world, the expansion of the western Dwarven Empire into Dalvus is the oldest known record in Dalvus.

The Green Empire - While the dwarves ruled the underground the elves forged a mighty empire above it. The Green Empire ruled for a long time before falling under the weight of orcish tribes, human barbarians, and the fading influence of the Feywild.

The Yang Initiative - The mighty Yang Dynasty had in fact stretched into part of Dalvus at a time, but it came to blows with the fading Green Empire and the rising Octavian Empire alike

The Octavian Age - After the Green Empire receded the city of Octavia began to grow, and soon it become a mighty empire that spanned across the entire continent and defeating the Green Empire and Yang Dynasty as well as ruling Mestarshan, Trius, the northeast Far East Marches, and the Droughtlands before it was known as such.

The Cataclysm - One of the most important events in all the world, the Cataclysm was the result of careless mages unleashing a horrid power in the heart of Octavian. The end result was the destruction of the mighty city and the shattering of its empire, as well as the formation of the Divide and the fall of Kal' Haarstad. Since then magic has been scrutinized against and the formation of the Magi Collective is the centerpiece of this scrutiny.

The Second Deep War - After Kal' Haarstad, fell a tear to the Far Realm appeared in it. Though brave heroes sealed the tear, paying with their lives, an army of Illithids managed to step forth into the world. The Dwarven Empire, standing mostly alone as the topside was in shambles from the Cataclysm, fought hard against the Mind Flayers, losing Kal' Skjern, Kal' Svinevik, and ending with the famed Battle of Kal' Eksund, which ended in the destruction of both the city and the Illithidss inside. Kal' Vaalaug was the only Dwarven City to survive a full on Illithid onslaught and never forgave Kal' Uthaug for not coming to their aide.

Rise of the Eight Cities - As the topside recovered from the Cataclysm just after the Second Deep War seven cities began to rise above the ashes of Octavian, joining with Kal' Nordbygdi, representing the Dwarven Empire, they formed the Committee of Eight (Now known as the Dalvan Free Trade Committee). The cities quickly solidified themselves as city-states but never managed to reclaim the glory of an empire, and most of Dalvus still remains  in wild territory under control of petty barons or large tribal forces.

The Dragon's Swarm - The dragonborn empire of Alexeyevich swept across the Crowning Peaks, taking over much of Trius and almost all of the Far East Marches before turning their eyes on Dalvus. It landed in Dalvus some time after, and began to install itself in the west. The cities of Detavion, Kal' Nordbygdi, Navah, Qalloph, and even Silonius joined together and defended itself from the Alexeyevich invasion. Though the war was hard fought it ended in a stalemate, with significant Alexeyevich holdings still in Dalvus. Many argue the holdings would still be there today if, soon after the stalemate, the Alexeyevich Civil War hadn't have broken out and forced the majority of the dragonborn troops to pull back. The Committee of Eight's forces managed to break the stalemate and quickly drive the Alexeyevich Empire from Dalvus just after this.

 The Fall of Navah - The last great Elven City, the sole survivor of the Green Empire, eventually was claimed by the wilds when a powerful and exceptionally intelligent orc united the forces of the Ironbark Forest and finally pierced it's defenses. The orc, Mog the Impaler, took up residence there and commanded his forces to invade the lands, determined to create a new empire.

The Bloodscale Invasion - The Bloodscale Orc tribe, the original tribe of Mog the Impaler, headed the invasion force of trolls, orcs, ogres, and goblinoids from the Ironbark. Mog led his forces across northern Dalvus, destroying everything in their path. Many tales are told of this time, and most revere it as one of the most grueling wars of all time. The most famous, however, is the Battle of Ravendale. In this battle, the hero Matthius slayed Mog himself after leading his forces to abandon the strategic and safe Stomont's Keep to defend the helpless village of Ravendale. After Mog's demise at the hands of Matthius the tribes began to fight amongst themselves and, while still dangerous and tactically improved, were driven back into the Ironbark where they still remain and still make one of the most dangerous places in the known world.

Spread of Silver - Around the time the north was preoccupied with the Bloodscale Invasion the city of Silonius saw it's opportunity to expand and become an empire in its own right. They succeeded in carving out significant holdings in the southwest, but their brutality led to much animosity and war. They specifically hated elves, mostly due to a notion of mistreatment under the Green Empire and blame for the Cataclysm (one of the magi who caused it being elvish herself) and the Massacre of the Blooming Forest, the destruction of Glitterglow and systematic slaughtering of elves in the area that left the forest burnt and dead, highlighted this. The Spread of Silver eventually ended when Avalon, only a town at that time, successfully revolted and the battered but hardened Detavion troops joined the Qalloph troops. Silonius was pushed back and surrendered, signing the Treaty of the Western Kings and ending open hostilities there for some time. Avalon began to grow just after this war.

The Fourth Deep War - With the western Dwarven Empire now in shambles the east seemed as if it began to grow. However, resentment of Kal' Uthaug from Kal' Vaalaug was stronger than ever, blaming their failure to come to the cities aide for most of the misfortunes of the city itself. One night, Kal' Vaalaug surprised the forces of Kal' Uthaug, sparking a four day battle that lead to the destruction of Kal' Uthaug. Word spread and the west declared Kal' Vaalaug infidel traitors, declaring open war. The war was brutal, culminating when Kal' Vaalaug led it's forces, bolstered with symphasizers  who felt the cities of the east were neglected by the capital so much it led to the war, attacked Kal' Nordbygdi itself. During the fierce battle King Bhellok led most of the civilians topside, forming Bhellok's retreat. However, the city of Kal' Nordbygdi was destroyed. The forces of Kal' Veland arrived too late and, though easily trouncing the remaining forces of Kal' Vaalaug, failed to save the city. Kal' Veland became the seat of the Dwarves in the Committee of Eight and began an open march against Kal' Vaalaug. Its troops were expended and the city was swiftly destroyed, alongside any symphasizers who stood with them.

The Bear's March - As the threat of another Ironbark Invasion lessened the city of Pravella, now unchecked in the west after Navah's demise, began to invade the northeast. Their push was swift and violent, deciding to destroy any and all opposition. Anyone who stood against them was slaughtered and their village burned. The war claimed many lives as Coesca stood against Pravella and, during the Third Battle of Red River as Zolan forces finally entered the area to aide Coesca, Pravella surrendered, signing the Treaty of Iosta.

War of the Sands - The new Committee of Eight renamed itself the Dalvan Free Trade Committee and began to focus more on worldly interaction. This led them to Khubar, now Freeport, a town under the heel of the Al Qasimi Caliphate and desperate for freedom. Dalvan forces eventually began to aide Khubarian Rebels and, when this information was stolen by the Owl Network and sold to the Al Qasimi Caliphate, Al Qasimi declared open war against the Committee, attacking trade outposts positioned in and near the Droughtlands. The Committee responded by landing troops in Khubar. A very taxing war followed, claiming many lives on both sides. Eventually the two cities formed a white peace. Al Qasimi Caliphate agreed to relinquish their hold on Khubar and the Dalvans agreed to pay a large amount of money to compensate Al Qasimi for the loss of the town. Eventually Khubar renamed itself Freeport and is now a bustling town brimming with trade and home to one of the fastest growing trade companies in the world.

The Darkenedwood Expedition - Originally after the Cataclysm many groups attempted to cross the Divide and find out the fate of Octavian. However, no group made it to and back from Octavian since the Cataclysm as, it was discovered, the now twisted and dead land was brimming with horrid creatures and undead monsters. Only recently has the Brightcrest Trade Company, sponsored by Qalloph and begrudgingly by Zola, began to make various expeditions into the land. Though still extremely dangerous they have had some success mapping the northern section of the forest, and hope to one day reach Octavian itself.

The Present - The Dalvan Free Trade Committee maintains a fragile peace between the Eight Cities, one that could easily break at any time. Detavion still holding strong against the forces of the Ironbark Forest, Kal' Veland mostly staying isolated, Avalon and Silonius bickering and watching one another like hawks, Qalloph dealing with a large inner city power struggle and Zola busy defending against and managing expeditions into the Darkenedwood Forest. Dalvus continues to stand as one of the most influential continents, its ties with expansion into Nezzurah, trade with the Arctic Dales, a solid alliance with the Northern Mestarshan, continued protection of Freeport, increased trade with Trius and the Far East Marches, and a newly budding friendship with the (much faded) Alexeyevich Empire. But as many evils lay in wait in Dalvus as good, and no one knows for certain what the future will hold.

Arctic Dales

Rise of the To'ah Voh - While most woodland gnomes are quiet, shy, and isolated creatures the arctic gnomes are the exact opposite of their cousins. They are fierce fighters, loud, and once had a great empire that spread across the entire Arctic Dales. The To'ah Voh rose around the same time as the Yang Dynasty and easily defeated Yang forces sent to the Arctic Dales. It stood for a long time, mostly keeping to itself.

Frozen War - The only time the To'ah Voh ever invaded another country was during the Frozen War. The Al Falasi Caliphate who controlled the southern Droughtlands (before it was called the Droughtlands) while the Octavian Empire eased its grip on the north who instead focused on their holds in other regions and the invasion of Trius, sent troops into the Arctic Dales. They attacked To'ah Voh forces, slaughtering many, including innocents. They built castles and occupied the northern territory for some time. Eventually, the To'ah Voh responded by destroying these castles, and unleashing a wave of forces over the Al Falasis, embarrassing the empire with a string of defeats. Eventually, the Al Falasis were overthrown by the Al Qasimi family (due to the increasing failure of the former family) and the Al Qasimis managed to halt the To'ah Voh invasion and even turning it around somewhat. With the amount of losses on both sides the To'ah Voh decided to pull back from the continent and back to their Arctic Dales, daring the Al Qasimis to follow.

Fall of the To'ah Voh - The Cataclysm shook the world like no other event in history, the blasts of magic spreading across the lands and killing many . However, none were hit as hard save for Octavian as the To'ah Voh. The magic swept across the lands and joined together in a mighty wave that destroying most of their settlements, killing most and destroying their capital of Kres'mon Foe. Without central leadership the remaining To'ah Voh fought amongst themselves or withdrew into isolation.

The Arctic Crawl - The Arctic Dales were left almost abandoned for some years after the Fall of the To'ah Voh and, only when the Great Hunt raged from Trius and the Bloodscale Invasion was just beginning did eyes begin to look towards the ice. The La Mansa and the Banglapur trade companies begin sponsoring exploration in the area. The Dragon Hunters of Trius made a base here and a couple villages were built in the southeast, alongside a joint trade post. The Brightcrest Trade Company caught word of it and approached the, now defunct, Morrinae Trade Company and the two began to build settlements in the southwest. Eventually the four companies joined together, using both trade outposts and keeping the settlements and expeditions funded and fed. However, when the Morrinae Trade Company disbanded, the La Mansa and Brightcrest companies began to focus on Nezzurah, finding it more profitable.

Present Age - Currently the settlements in the Arctic Dales sustain themselves and trade with the Brightcrest, La Mansa, and Banglapur companies. However, only the Banglapur Trade Company remains active in pursuing expeditions in the area. One To'ah Voh settlement  survived the fall and does battle with a tribe of frost giants. A few castles stand farther north, mostly cut off from outside contact. A Free Mage Movement settlement stands to the north, behind the mountains. Some say great power lays within the ice, and the remaining To'ah Voh still hold some areas as taboo for reasons unknown to outsiders.

Droughtlands

The Al Nahyan Age - Long ago, the Droughtlands were known as another name, one that was lost with time. Various tribes spread across these lands, none of any noteworthy legend, until the Al Nahyan tribe began conquering all others, swiftly and effectively absorbing the rest of the continent they became the Al Nahyan Caliphate. They ruled effectively until, one day, the leader failed to produce an heir. The Al Nahyan family was honored greatly, peacefully transferring their holds to the Al Maktoum family who served under them since their tribal days. The Al Nahyans were still honored and their opinions revered, the entire family having an honorable burial in their crypts and a great pilgrimage to attend their funerals until finally, the last of the Al Nahyans passed.

The Al Maktoum Age - The beginning of the Al Maktoum Age was met with success and growth. Technology advanced and personal freedoms increased. The Al Maktoums were invaded by the Octavian Empire at a point, though they managed to minimalize their losses to the north. They built strong defenses and the Octavians began focusing their expansion elsewhere. The Al Maktoum began to recover, however the jealous Al Falasi noble family would prove to be their undoing.

The Al Falasi Betrayal - The entire period of Al Falasi rule became known as the Al Falasi Betrayal, referencing their murder of the entire Al Maktoum line through means of poison and assassination all in one night, a night now referred to as The Night of a Thousand Daggers. The Al Falasi ascended quickly in power, completely conquering the former Al Maktoum Caliphate and forming their own. The Al Falasis were a huge step back, reducing personal freedoms and ruling as tyrants. Their greatest mistake, one that led to their downfall, was the sparking of the Frozen War.

The Frozen War - The Frozen War sparked when the Al Falasi Caliphate decided to expand into the Arctic Dales. Their tactic was simply to beat the To'ah Voh into submission using fear, but they grossly underestimated the power of the arctic gnomes. The To'ah Voh repaid the slaughter of their innocents by not only pushing the Al Falasis out of the Arctic Dales but also invading the Al Falasi's home territory. The To'ah Voh spread and the Octavians began taking notice, hoping to invade to wipe out the winner's forces and claim the Droughtlands completely once and for all. Al Falasi loss after Al Falasi loss led to the discrediting of their name and general animosity to the family. Finally, in the midst of the war, Caliph Hasan ibn Yazid Al Qasimi, alongside several high-up military commanders, performed a successful coupe, killing the Al Falasis and their supporters. The Al Qasimi, another harsh tyranny, then led their forces against the To'ah Voh, eventually drawing a stalemate. The To'ah Voh occupied the southern Droughtlands for some time, but then decided the Droughtlands weren't worth it and pulled their troops back.

The Cataclysm - On the eve of the To'ah Voh retreat the Octavians unleashed a large invasion force. The Al Qasimi forces tried hard to hold against them, but failed eventually. If it weren't for the Cataclysm the entire Caliphate would have fallen. When the Cataclysm occurred most Octavian forces were pulled back to Dalvus, many of them settling in the Eight Cities, becoming leaders and generals in their armies as well, this led the Al Qasimi Caliphate to be able to control all of the Droughtlands with an iron fist. However, the Cataclysm would have very negative impact on the Droughtlands at first unknown to the Caliphate.

The Dry Years - The dry years still continue, however when this event is mentioned it is generally referencing to the beginning. The Cataclysm would lead to the lush forests of the Droughtlands to die, the lakes and rivers to dry up, and the grasses to be replaced with sand. The entire country was transformed into a desert in just months. Countless lives were lost in this transition, starvation and dehydration became the norm. The entire Caliphate would have fallen if it were not for the technology produced by a very small village, Malagnan, who found out how to purify the waters of the ocean. The Al Qasimi Caliphate and the people of the Droughtlands, as people began to finally name it such, lived on. At the same time the Dry Years started, reports of the Shimmering City began to swell, a mystery that still goes on in present times.

The Al Qasimi Initiative - The Al Qasimi Initiative, also known as the Al Qasimi Age, still extends to this day. Generally however, when this is referenced it means the beginning of this age. The Al Qasimi, now recovering from 2 terrible wars, solidified their rule and, while decreasing personal freedoms, increased trade and wealth. They also passed a law making any successor to the Caliphate adopt the name Al Qasimi and abandon his real relatives. The Al Qasimi would go unchecked for a very long time. It was only until the revolution in the town of Khubar did the Al Qasimis lead another war against a civilized enemy.

The War of the Sands - As Khubar grew as a trade port so too did their desire to be more like the towns of Dalvus. They secretly opened a route for Droughtland inhabitants to leave the continent on board ships bound for Dalvus and Mestarshan, something that was outlawed in the days of the Al Qasimi Initiative. This was found out, and was followed by the Khubarian Massacre, the killing of a large number of innocents in the middle of the town square, and the subsequent Khubarian Revolution. At first, the Al Qasimi Caliphate easily defeated the rebels. However, as time went on, the Dalvan Free Trade Committee, after repeated warnings for the Al Qasimi to cease aggressions against Khubar which were met with a declaration of war, joined the rebels and began an all-out open war between the two continents. The war was long and brutal, eventually ending in a white peace between them, Khubar being freed (taking the name Freeport) and Al Qasimi being compensated for the loss of the town.

Present Age - Currently the Droughtlands is in an extremely fragile state. The Al Qasimi Caliphate is nearly in a civil war with multiple claims on control of the land. On top of this, whispers spread of a revolution in the works, with more groups wishing for the same independence as Freeport. Despite this, the Al Qasimis have increased their wealth. The town of Freeport prospers and the Creston Trade Company is blooming, with plans to finally find and explore the Shimmering City, with the permission of the Al Qasimi Caliphate.

Crowning Peaks

Rise of the Dwarves - Soon after the titans fell the first race to grow and adapt were the dwarves. The dwarves took to the shallowest level of the underdark and caverns of the mountains, quickly forging an empire and trouncing the less advanced races. They decided to keep themselves isolated from the topside races and it wasn't until the drow and duergar began to rise from deeper levels of the underdark that they would be challenged.

The Cataclysm - The Cataclysm did not affect the dwarves of the underdark much, but it did completely destroy all civilized races of the Crowning Peaks. The dwarves would continue to grow and the topside would remain mostly empty until the dragonborn arrived some time later.

The Dragonborn Awakening - Topside was mostly uninhabited, with just a few uncivilized tribes roaming the liveable area and things like yetis and trolls in the mountains. However, with time, a new race began to appear. No one knows why the Dragonborn flocked to the Crowning Peaks, or even where they all came from, the answer even being lost to the Dragonborn themselves. What is known is that the with the dragonborn came stability for the land as they quickly defeated the tribes and pushed the trolls and other violent races deep into the mountains. Two dragonborn tribes quickly formed, on either side of the Crowning Peaks and they frequently came to blows.
The First Deep War - When the duergars came from the lower underdark they immediately began to assault the dwarves. The war was a long one, raging between the two races for some time with little to no gains on either side. Eventually, the duergar pulled back into the underdark. The dwarves viewed this as a great victory, however, unknown to them, the duergar only pulled back to defend against the surge of drow in their home level of the underdark.

The War of the Dragonborn - The two tribes of the topside eventually came to a full on head to head war, and it was a bloody one. While the tribes both raged a war many dragonborn fled to the north and came together under the banner of Ivan Alexeyevich, a very strong leader and genius tactician. As the western tribe began to push the eastern tribe back toward the shore the Alexeyevich forces flooded from the north, quickly crushing their opposition and forcing both other tribes to bend knee. With oaths of loyalty pledged to Alexeyevich an empire was formed, and they turned their eyes to expanding their nation.

The Dragon's Swarm - The Alexeyevich Empire began to expand, pushing forces into Trius, who was recovering from the Wrath of Galzra, and quickly conquered the area (which led to more hatred toward dragonkind from the people of Trius). They turned their attention to the Far East Marches and swarmed the area, easily defeating the Sung forces there and collapsing the entire dynasty. With Trius and the Far East Marches under their control the Alexeyevich continued to try to spread, failing to invade the Mestarshan Plains and invading their own underdark and Dalvus but coming head to head with the newly formed Committee of Eight the war eventually became a dug in stalemate. This stalemate lasted long until the Alexeyevich Civil War raged.

Alexeyevich Civil War - The Alexeyevich Civil War led to the collapse of Alexeyevich holds beyond the Crowning Peaks and, indirectly, the Alexeyevich Enlightenment. The reason behind the civil war was the mistreatment of the chromatic dragonborn, who were thought of as a lesser version of the race. The chromatic dragonborn rose, under the banner of Nikolai Vasilyevich, and, allied with many sympathizers, they began to overrun Alexeyevich positions in the Crowning Peaks, taking over the west completely and causing the Alexeyevich forces to pull back from other lands. The forces clashed violently and, even though the Alexeyevich would eventually prove to be victorious, it was followed by the Alexeyevich Enlightenment.

The Alexeyevich Enlightenment -  After the Alexeyevich civil war the empire began to seriously evaluate a way to stop a second one. This thought led to an increase in personal freedom, the welcoming of chromatic dragonborn into the civilization and their being held as equals, and even the release of the human slaves and the abandonment of the practice of slavery. Art and science began to reign where the military used to. Though this age partially ended with the return of a strong military influence over the empire the ideas persisted.

The Third Deep War - While much changed on the topside over the years not much did with the Dwarven Empire below. This would all change however, when the drow made their presence known. The drow were swift and brutal, destroying various dwarven settlements and slaughtering many. The drow empire of Tal Alzoa began to replace the old dwarven one. While largely a victory for the drow they were finally stopped in the Battle of Kal' Svedjorna, the only city to survive the war. They were followed close behind by duergar forces, pursuing them from lower levels of the underdark.

Present Age - The topside is under dragonborn control , and they now have human, dwarven, elven, and various other racial influence. However, the underdark is an extremely legitimate threat, even on the first layer where it is generally not. Currently drow and duergar are always at war while Kal' Svedjorna holds strong against constant threats. The Alexeyevich fear a drow invasion of the topside and the dwarves are seeking adventurers to reclaim lost knowledge and weaponry

The Mestarshan Plains

The Yang Dynasty - The Mestarshan Plains were originally inhabited by dozens of uncivilized tribes. The first record of any sort of civilization came after the Yang Dynasty invaded the land. They won over many of the tribes with gifts and promises of power and those who refused were swiftly defeated. The Yang allowed most tribes to settle in the west and govern themselves, only answering and bending the knee to the dynasty. The Yangs ruled Mestarshan for some time, but the War of the Three Sons would lead the tribes to fend for themselves and war would break out amongst them in no time.

The Octavian Age - After the Yang's fell in Mestarshan and Dalvus the Octavians followed close behind. The empire spread throughout Dalvus and Mestarshan like wildfire and quickly order was brought to the Mestarshan tribes. The Octavians refused to allow Mestarshan self-government and butchered tribes that opposed them. The Octavians eventually ruled fairly, and the current civilization has much to thank them for. The Cataclysm would lead to the disappearance of Octavian presence in the area, as with all areas. Though many Octavians lived on, and assimilated themselves into Mestarshan culture, providing their own influence to the arts and laws of the land

The Five Kings - Eventually, five tribes adopted and adapted many of the policies and ways of the Octavian Empire and Yang Dynasty and, though they had only a bit in common with Octavian or Yang culture, they became quite civilized themselves. The L'Honneur, Pordeux, Varleix, Lamburg, and Dunwertz tribes rose to power, and the Five Kings were born. The Porduex and Varleix took to the north, claiming lands and formed 2 kingdoms while the L'Honneur, Lamburg, and the Dunwertz took the south, doing the same. Though L'Honneur was destroyed and the remaining four kingdoms were eventually reduced to simply city-states they still call themselves the Four Kings.

The Dragon's Swarm - When the Alexeyevich Empire attempted to invade Mestarshan they came face to face with the dug in Mestarshan forces. Since not nearly as many soldiers were sent by the Alexeyevich as with other areas the Mestarshans managed to hold and defeat the Alexeyevich Empire, who was spread too thin to send another force. Varleix grew in fame during this time for being the only city under direct attack from the Alexeyevich and still holding strong.

The Gnoll Incursion - The gnolls were always a problem in Mestarshan, but for some unknown reason their numbers suddenly swelled at this time. The Five Kings had to come together to fight them, eventually managing to destroy their leadership and split the tribes once again. During this time the cities of L'Honneur and Dunwertz proved to be the most militarily successful and tactically skilled, and the Dunwertz changed their name to Daggerstone to reflect a legend of this war when a Dunwertz commander supposedly killed the gnoll grand chieftan, driving his knife clear through him and straight into the stone below. The gnolls continued to be a threat after this war, but only with various chieftans and never another grand one nor the unity that came with it.

The Storm of Daggers - Eventually, Daggerstone's pride would lead them to the idea that they should rule all of Mestarshan. The city lead it's forces to L'Honneur, and surprised them. The city of L'Honneur burned, and the Daggerstone forces destroyed all in their path. The Daggerstone held a special hatred for the elves, due to the fact one of the lead mages of the events that led to the Cataclysm being an elf,  and it showed during the Massacre of the Charred Wood when all elves of the Hamland Wood were slaughtered and their town and forest burned. The Lamburgs pleaded to Varleix and Pordeux for aide, but when none came and instead the start of the Mestarshan Great Wall was their answer they found themselves alone against the massive Daggerstone army. The remnants of the L'Honneur forces joined the Lamburg and, at the Battle of the Chateau Valois, they managed to hold against the Daggerstone forces. Though the keep was destroyed the Daggerstones had significant losses and did not trust in a direct assault on Lamburg. This is when the Daggerstone generals made their greatest mistake, instead of moving their forces back toward Daggerstone they decided to take up residence near the Brekkenridge Forest, and this would be the mistake that would end the Storm of Daggers. Lamburg forces and L'Honneur remnants marched toward Brekkenridge to meet the exhausted Daggerstone forces, defeating them and forcing them to abandon the Storm of Daggers and driving the city back to the far south.

The Present Age - Currently, the cities of Varleix and Pordeux are in close alliance, and are blooming with trade behind the Mestarshan Great Wall. Their concern lies mostly with the fierce gnoll tribes of the north. Lamburg has never forgiven the northern city and stands alongside Von Hapsburg's Retreat in defense against the Daggerstone forces who still wish to invade the north and against the lesser gnoll tribes of the south. The forests are littered with other dangers and the drow grow more active in the underdark.

Nezzurah

The Ssarkon-Tut Empire - The Ssarkon-Tut are among the most ancient of all post-Fall of the Ancients empires. They ruled over Nezzurah, building grand cities and massive temples to honor their deities. They ruled virtually unopposed for centuries, never knowing of the Yang Dynasty of the Octavian Empire. They fought mainly amongst themselves and would continue small skirmishes until the Cataclysm.
The Cataclysm - The Cataclysm rocked Nezzurah, destroying several large structures and killing many. The Yuan-Ti took this as a sign from Mi-Shao-Shu and began to label one another are heretics. The Ssarkon-Tut split into several groups and waged all-out war against one another, leading to their own brutal destruction. Some information gathered, however, has pointed to an outside force that led to the ultimate destruction of the Ssarkon-Tut, but only vague references found in what was not scorched within the ruins of Fortress Sommit-Arsash

The Dark Ages - After the fall of the Ssarkon-Tut the continent of Nezzurah went dark, no civilization or cities stood and the former Ssarkon-Tut settlements were claimed by the jungle. Various tribes sprung up and took residence in the Ssarkon-Tut ruins, and no documented history was made topside. The remaining Yuan-ti fled to the underdark, taking up arms against its various residents.  Though much happened during this time little to none of it is documented and thus it is almost impossible to find out what exactly happened.

Present Age - Currently, several trade companies have sponsored the settlement of Nezzurah, and are in constant battle with the wild tribes and various creatures. It is rumored that the Yuan-ti have united again and are ready to spread across the continent. Many adventurers seek ancient legends and lost artifacts of the Ssarkon-Tut, and it is said witches and various evil creatures have fled and taken up residence in the wilds.

Trius

The Age of Habhin - Long ago, as the Yang rose in the Far East Marches, the tribes of Trius began to focus on science and cultural advancement. No cities or kingdoms rose, no great empires. The tribes simply convened regularly, keeping to themselves and only battling the wild tribes of the land. The various tribes would continue living in peace, growing culturally until the day of the Yang Invasion

The Yang Invasion - When the Yang Dynasty solidified its rule in the Far East Marches it eventually decided to expand and their first target was Trius. When the vast armies of the Yang landed, the tribes of the south found it futile to fight them, realizing that the Yang outnumbered them and had much more advanced weaponry and tactics. The south bended knee peacefully, as did most of the north. However, a tribe known as Gashamabhad rose to stop them. They erected a great tower within the jungles  and reigned forsaken magic down on the Yang forces. They made pacts with devils and summoned demons alike. The Yang managed to defeat the beasts and drive most of them back, but some say that a few survived the war and still roam the jungle this day. The tribe was defeated, but the tower was sealed by a dark magic, and no fire nor weapon could bring it down. The Yang occupied Trius for a long time, until the War of the Three Sons forced them to pull back, allowing the Trians a brief time of freedom.

The Octavian Age - Unfortunately for Trius, briefly after the Yang Dynasty collapsed another great empire spread through the land. The Octavians swiftly invaded Trius a short while after the Yangs abandoned it, and the Trian tribes again were forced to surrender or be killed. The Ashish and Megposh tribes led a resistance against the Octavians, but were defeated by the mighty empire after a very brief war. The Octavians ruled Trius unopposed until the Cataclysm.

The Cataclysm - The Cataclysm did do significant damage to Trius, as it did with the rest of the world, the most notable of such was the levelling of Mount Abhid, a great mountain home to an entire tribe. With the Cataclysm came the abandonment of the Octavians, who returned to Dalvus or made lives in Mestarshan or the Far East Marches. Few Octavians remained in Trius and those who did would leave a quiet life. Trius began to adopt the Octavian ways of cities and towns.

The Age of Stone - The Age of Stone was the name given to the Trian growth after the Octavian Age and the Cataclysm. Cities, towns, and villages grew to replace the tribal way of life. Trius grew again, but they would not learn the ways of the sword until it was too late. The settlements stood independent, but soon the Dragon's Swarm would come to Trius.

Dragon's Swarm - The Alexeyevich Empire would spread like wildfire in Trius and, though the cities put up a modest defense, they were defeated and subjugated rather quickly. The Alexeyevich would rule over Trius for some time and, during the Alexeyevich Civil War, they almost did not pull out of Trius, but when the Trians took up arms they drove the Alexeyevich out and swore to become better fighters.

The Age of Steel - The Age of Steel was the name given to a time of great strides made in improving Trian defenses, military tactics, and weaponry. The Trians became a mighty fighting force, never wishing for an empire of their own,  but swearing to never fall to one again. Eventually, word of the Trian warriors might spread through the lands and few dared to invade, not wishing to face trained tigers, elephant mounts, and various other new weapons of Trius. The Age of Steel would continue until the grand city of Pattanachcheri was destroyed.

The Wrath of Galzra - Galzra was one of the mightiest of all dragons in the history of the world. Legend has it that he could fell 100 men with a single swipe, and it is hard to debate this legend when you review the period of time known as the Wrath of Galzra. The great dragon swept over Trius, destroying villages and various other settlements before, unfortunately, landing in Pattanachcheri. He destroyed the great city, and despite the Pattanachcherin effort, the city burned. The dragon took up residence in the city, and the Trians vowed they would see it dead. They trained hard, and a legendary man named Raj Karda founded what he called the Dragon Hunters of Trius. He led a small band of fierce warriors straight into Pattanachcheri, taking on Galzra where he lay. They accomplished what army after army of Trians could not, and slayed the powerful dragon after a long and arduous battle. Raj Karda was hailed as a hero, and his numbers swelled with others with deep-seated hatred against dragons and dragonfolk. Raj decided, on behalf of Trius, to embark on what he called the Great Hunt, and the Dragon Hunters of Trius spread over the lands.

The Great Hunt - The Dragon Hunters of Trius went to every continent they could, from the Arctic Dales to the Droughtlands, and they picked up fighters from these foreign lands to join them. Together, they killed many a dragon, hunting the creatures to near extinction. The Dragon Hunters were also allegedly responsible for the raiding and sinking of many Alexeyevich trade and transport ships, but none could be proven as the fault of the Dragon Hunters. The years went on but eventually, as the dragons numbers waned and became more and more scarce, the Great Hunt activities and Dragon Hunter recruitment lessened and lessened. When the leader, Raj Karda, passed on, the Dragon Hunters receded and returned to Trius, the Great Hunt declared a success and the Dragon Hunters turned into more of an elite defensive unit for the cities of Trius than worldwide hunters. The dragons numbers have only recently begun to recover from this age.

The Trian War of Darkness - A long time of peace took Trius after the Great Hunt, the same peace they had always wanted. It wasn't until a threat from the underdark made its presence known that the Trians would march again to war. The surface world was attacked from below, a powerful foe making itself well known. The men and woman of Trius were terrified, the horrible creatures were never before seen by man, or at least not documented (though word of mouth is that others have seen the creatures long before). Aboleths raised an army, and the people of Trius were stuck in their view. The Trians fought hard, driving the aboleth army back underground and pursuing them. Countless lives  were lost however, and the mourning of these men and woman still continue this day. The aboloths were defeated, their underdark kingdom shattered, though they were not eradicated. Many aboleth survived and simply fled to other lands, or hid themselves well enough to stay.

Present Age - Currently, Trius is split between opening its borders and ports to the other continents of the world, still having reluctance to do so due to the history of enslavement. There is no war waging, only petty squabbles between noble families usually fought out by mercenaries or assassins. The south is well settled, various settlements have sprung up and compete with a collection of wild tribes for land and resources. The north is a mostly untamed jungle, rich with life of all kinds and full of mysteries of old. The Trians still have a deep hatred of dragonkind, and the Dragon Hunters of Trius wish to return to the Droughtlands so that they may finally kill the descendant of Galzra, the terrible and powerful Saramel.

Far East Marches

The Age of the Ox- The Age of the Ox is the oldest known time of civilization and predated the Yang Dynasty, and not much is documented about this time. It is only confirmed that the noble family Jeong was the first known dynasty to predate the Yang and it had a strong hold over the future provinces of Pyongkou and southeast Jiangxi. It would relinquish its claims to the Yangs after the death of Jeong III.

The Yang Dynasty/Age of the Tiger - The Yang Dynasty quickly took over the lands of the Far East Marches, and they would rule over the continent for more than a century. The Yangs spread throughout the known world, laying claim in nearly every continent with minimal blood loss. The Yangs held strong, ruling over a vast empire for many years, but eventually the War of Three Sons would end the dynasty and the Age of the Tiger alike

The War of Three Sons/Age of the Rabbit - The War of Three Sons combined with the increased power and aggression of the Octavian Empire would be the undoing of the Yang Dynasty. When Emperor Yang Wei passed away and his three sons; Yang Min who controlled Pyongkou, Yang Qiang who controlled Jiangxi and Shilao, and Yang Jie who controlled Honshu; would fight over control of the dynasty. Each son had a legitimate claim to the throne, however, their infighting would lead to the fall of the entire dynasty. The dynasty would shrink, losing its claims in Dalvus, Mestarshan, and the Droughtlands to the Octavians and eventually abandoning Trius. The three Sons stood no chance against the Octavians, who took over all of Honshu and Pyongkou and part of Jiangxi. The Yang family retired their holds on the rest of the Far East Marches, further separating the four provinces. The northeast Far East Marches would remain under Octavian control for some time, and the rest would be under control of various noble families until the Cataclysm and subsequent rise of the Hwang and Sung families.

The Cataclysm/Age of the Dragon - With the Cataclysm, and all the death and destruction that came with it, came an end to Octavian rule over the Far East Marches and a period of chaos for the land. A myriad of tribes began to rise, constantly warring over whatever claims they could come up with. Eventually, three tribes began to rise and become great dynasties; the Denua who silently ruled over Binua, the Hwang, who ruled over Pyongkou and Honshu, and the Sung, who ruled over Jiangxi and Shilao. These two formed an alliance, though the Sung had malcontent for the Hwangs and plotted to betray them and take their lands. This war would be known as the War of the Dead Lotus.

The War of the Dead Lotus/Age of the Snake - The Sung would eventually get their chance when the forces of Hwang marched against the last collection of tribes in the west. The Sung were supposed to join them, but instead the Sung would march their forces straight toward the Hwang capital and surrounding fortresses. The Hwangs were overtaken, attempting to organize and reclaim the capital, but the Sungs would meet them halfway near the Unhung River in a battle that would become known as the Battle of Two Crowns. The Sungs would be victorious in their betrayal, and assumed control over all of the Far East Marches. The Sungs would add insult to injury by dissolving the legitimacy of the Pyongkou province an absorbing it into Jiangxi. The people of Pyongkou still have not forgiven Jiangxi for this and, currently, that hatred is coming to a boiling point under the Xinzhai leadership. The Sungs would rule for a long time, but eventually their line would die out after the Dragon's Swarm, and the last dynasty of the Far East Marches would rise.

The Dragon's Swarm/Age of the Horse - When the Sungs had control over the Far East Marches infighting would reign supreme and this led to their easy defeat by the Alexeyevich Empire. The Alexeyevich would rule the lands until the Alexeyevich Civil War and the Pengs would defeat any Alexeyevich remnants that would refuse to leave. Meanwhile, the independent Binua, under Denua control, would invade Jiangxi and the Pengs from the north, ready to take over the weakened empire.

The Peng Dynasty/Age of the Sheep- The Pengs hailed from Shilao, and quickly rose to replace the defunct Sung Dynasty and defeated the Alexeyevich remnants in the land. Their rule would be marked with the defeat of Binua, which would be absorbed into Jiangxi as a punishment, and a very stable government. No other wars, save for those against uncivilized violent races, would hold the land and the family would rule peacefully until the death of Peng IV and the War of the Five Stars. At the same time,

Age of the Monkey- After the Pengs fell so too did the notion of a dynasty. The cities, known as the Four Stars, began to rise over that of the noble family. The provinces; now just Jiangxi, Honshu, and Shilao; would rise. Sangjinbu would rise in the former Pyongkou, Yamakoshi in Honshu, Xinzhai  and Qachi in former Binua, and Ban Rai in Shilao. The cities of Ban Rai, Qachi, and Yamakoshi would become independent, while the Xinzhai would hold a sovereign rule over Sangjinbu. Eventually, disdain between Yamakoshi and Xinzhai would grow and grow, and come to the forefront of the Far East Marches during the War of the Five Stars.

War of the Five Stars/Age of the Rooster - The War of the Five Stars sparked between Xinzhai and Yamakoshi when Yamakoshi decided to aide in the founding of Shiwachi (which is currently under Yamakoshi leadership) despite the threats of Xinzhai for its claim on southern Honshu. Yamakoshi and Shiwachi refused to acknowledge Xinzhai claim on southern Honshu and Xinzhai and Qachi, who recognized Xinzhai claims on southern Honshu, responded with war. Despite Sangjinbu reluctance Xinzhai would force them to war. Yamakoshi knew Shiwachi barely had an army trained at the time but defended its land strong and it seemed the fate of the war would weigh on Ban Rai. Both sides pleaded with the Shilao city to join them but Ban Rai would refuse to be involved, pledging the side of peace. However, Xinzhai and Qachi decided to not let this slide and decided to attack Ban Rai forces, opening a new front. Honshu forces began to invade Jiangxi and the Xinzhai and Qachi eventually came to peace terms with both Ban Rai and Honshu, agreeing to allow the settlement of Shiwachi and relinquishing their claim on southern Honshu.

The Jiangxi Civil War/Age of the Dog - The Age of the Dog would prove to bring Pyongkou hatred of Xinzhai and Jiangxi itself to new heights as the people of the former province of Pyongkou took up arms against their Jiangxi rulers. The revolution was handled violently, intended to scare the people of Pyongkou into submission. However, it backfired when, despite the defeat of Pyongkou forces, it only served to spark the workings of an even greater revolution and further hatred of Jiangxi. The people of Pyongkou began to hate the leaders of Sangjinbu after their refusal to send the armies of the city to the revolutions aide.

The Present Age/Age of the Pig - Currently, the Six Stars hate one another. Yamakoshi and Shiwachi have a healthy relationship and rule over Honshu, constantly in a secret war against the forces of Jiangxi. Qachi continues to draw away from support of Xinzhai and becomes more isolated. Ban Rai sits peacefully but vigilantly in the southwest. Xinzhai has rule over Sangjinbu, who's citizens hate the city leadership because of this. Xinzhai and Pyongkou are currently at odds and Pyongkou citizens continue to plan a massive revolution against both the leaders of Sangjinbu and the city of Xinzhai itself. The people of the Far East Marches refer to the future as The Age of the Rat currently, as it was decided the next age would be called such.