Timeline

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This timeline provides context for the nations and guilds across the continent of Gathandia. It contains much more in-depth information about Supereons One and Two as the first official campaign modules take place in these time periods.

Note on Timekeeping

Timekeeping in a standardized, international method is uncommon before the modern age.

Many nations have their own timekeeping customs; monarchies, for example, might keep time by numbering the years of a ruler’s reign. “The Fifth Year of Queen Astaria III” might be as formal as some nations get with their records until standardized timekeeping becomes more widespread thanks to scholarly collaboration.

Standardized timekeeping usually references a major event in world history. In Ancerra, there are two such events: the Tear and the Unity. The Tear marks the transition from Ancerra’s first to second Supereon, and the Unity marks its transition from the third Supereon to the fourth. Until the time of the Unity, the Tear is used by academic scholars as a point of standard reference (BT and PT respectively meaning Before the Tear and Post-Tear). After the Unity occurs, most scholars adopt it as their timekeeping system, while some continue using the Tear as a frame of historical reference. PU and AU respectively mean Pre-Unity and After the Unity.

Information in this book that references “present day” or “current times” refers to the 7th Century Post-Tear, contemporaneous with the Cloven Lands campaign module.

Note that WGC and W.A.N.D. have not yet been formed at the time of the Cloven Lands campaign, but are included in the following entries nonetheless due to their significant influence over Gathandia after their inception.

The Demiplanar Shunt

Millennia before the first humanoid societies came forth on Ancerra, during an ancient cosmic war between the Paragon and Corrupted Avadri, Ancerra was a stronghold of the Paragon. In order to preserve it from the ravages of war, the Avadri shielded it with powerful warding magic and expelled it from the material plane into a demiplane that drifted through the Pale. As dangerous as the Pale is, Ancerra was nonetheless unaffected as the planet and its solar system drifted through the mists beyond time.

Supereon One

The first Supereon tracks Ancerra from its ancient prehistory to the inception of its first nations, the rise and fall of early empires, and finally, the Tear.

First Nation

90th Century BT

Stone Age Technology

The name of the first nation is lost to time, but most archaeologists think that its name was Am and have dated its existence to as early as 9,000 years before the Tear.

Founding of Nevna

47th Century BT

Stone Age Technology

A coastal settlement gradually expands into a city-state, and then into a small but economically successful nation. This is Nevna, and it is the oldest nation that still exists to this day.

Rampage of the Colossus

44th-43rd Centuries BT

Stone Age Technology

The Kaijan are titanic monstrosities, ferocious apex predators of ancient Ancerra. The largest of all Kaijan, known simply as the Colossus, goes on a terrifying rampage

that leaves many nations in utter ruin.

Lord of the Untold Deeps

Campaign Module

41st Century BT

Stone Age Technology

Karnap, the first pirate king, has created a new type of boat that seems more seaworthy than the small coastal vessels typical of this time. He is lost at sea on his maiden voyage, but other coastal sailors begin seeing his haunting visage in their dreams.

Dragonsong

Campaign Module

24th Century BT

Stone Age Technology

After the dwarves created the first two Dragons out of the corpse of a Kaijan and an artifact of untold power, those dragons sired seven children. These nine dragons sing a cosmic song that shapes Ancerra’s reality in fundamental ways and creates three new species: Wyrms, Wyverns, and Dragonfolk. Many nations view these new species with trepidation, causing the Dragonfolk to struggle as they look for their place in the world.

Gilgalon, The First Empire

20th Century BT

Bronze Age Technology

After battling one another for some time, two kingdoms form an alliance held together by the marriage of two of their most prominent royal leaders. This is widely cited as the first political marriage, and whether it was a happy one or not, the two kingdoms prospered as the first Ancerran empire: Gilgalon.

Assurgazzar the Godking

18th Century BT

Bronze Age Technology

A megalomaniacal tyrant named Assurgazzar rises to prominence when he overthrows the king of Brazodir, a city-state that no longer exists today, and declares himself the godking. He then promptly declares war on his surrounding neighbors.

The Dinosaur Wars

Campaign Module

18th Century BT

Bronze Age Technology

Assurgazzar and his Immortal Legion wage war on the empire of Gilgalon. Both nations implement dinosaur cavalries and many of their bloody battles come to an end only when a stray Kaijan takes interest in the carnage.

World-Quake

14th Century BT

Bronze Age Technology

A series of enormous earthquakes caused by some unknowable reaction in the planet’s core tear the world asunder. Ancerra’s single supercontinent splits apart into many continents - including Gathandia - that drift into more or less their modern locations over the course of the next couple hundred years. Mountain ranges, continental borders, island chains, and ocean currents become well-

defined over this time.

Haven in the Storm

Campaign Module

14th-12th Centuries BT

Bronze Age Technology

As the tremors of the World-Quake still rock Ancerra, a group of rangers and mystics band together and form a group called the Haven Conclave. They serve as shepherds over the various settlements struggling to survive these brutal times.

Fjordenhaven and Skavr Founded

13th Century BT

Bronze Age Technology

Migrants to the far north find boreal forests and bubbling hot springs. These migrants form the nations of Skavr and Fjordenhaven.

Pre-Anedonian City-States

13th Century BT

Bronze Age Technology

Settlers and sailors exploring the newly widening sea that would soon become the Inner Sea form a collection of settlements that eventually grow into Anedonia.

End of the Kaijan Age

12th Century BT

Bronze Age Technology

As the ancient supercontinent breaks apart into its configuration that it holds throughout the second Supereon, the Kaijan Age gradually comes to an end. Kaijan hunt themselves to near-extinction, and legendary heroes finish off the rest. The stray Kaijan might still lurk for another few centuries yet, but their reign over Ancerra begins its death-knell around this time.

Golden Age of Ahten

11th-7th Centuries BT

Bronze Age Technology

The Ahteni enter into a golden age of prosperity and become the most powerful nation west of the Cloudpiercer Range. Their age of prosperity lasts for nearly four hundred years.

U N JA A R N A N D VA DA N S C H I S M

9th Century BT Bronze Age Technology Tired of Unjaarn’s strict caste system, a large region of the nation split away into its own nation, Vadan. The two nations have much tension and very complicated

international dynamics.

YO DVA N ’ S I N D E P E N D E N C E

9th Century BT Bronze Age Technology The northern nation of Fjordenhaven ratifies Yodvan’s independence. The two nations maintain an amicable

relationship.

KENDARIA AND NALATHESH FOUNDED

8th Century BT Bronze Age Technology Two notable kingdoms bordering the Great Chasm - Kendaria and Nalathesh - are both officially founded within

three years of one another.

S E T H A N / TA S PA R WA R S

Campaign Module 7th Century BT Bronze Age Technology Two of Anedonia’s most prominent city-states, Sethan and Taspar, wage war on one another on four separate occasions

throughout the century before reaching a lasting peace.

BUILDING BRIDGEMOOR

5th Century BT Iron Age Technology Kendaria and Nalathesh, in an effort to improve trade relations and ease of access to one another, co-finance the construction of a city built entirely on an enormous bridge

that spans the Great Chasm.

B E TA A L E S E M I N D PA L AC E

4th Century BT Iron Age Technology Predating the Tear and magic being widely accessible, Betaalese monks managed to cultivate psionic powers great enough to forge a mind palace. This very mind palace is still

in use by modern Betaalese monks.

INDEPENDENCE OF BRIDGEMOOR

4th Century BT Iron Age Technology Bridgemoor’s meritocrats cunningly secure independence as a proper city-state by playing Nalathesh and Kendaria

against one another.

E RY N D O R ’ S G R E AT WA L L

3rd Century BT Iron Age Technology Having dealt for centuries with strange monsters creeping from Nachtskog, the rulers of Eryndor invest in building a tremendous wall to keep the terrors at bay. T H U N D E R H E A D C I V I L WA R 2nd Century BT Iron Age Technology As Princess Shadra comes of age, she is unable to claim the throne from king regent Rehan Jehoram, which leads to a civil war that splits Valstrom into two nations: Valstrom and Shadradoth. MUL’ATOR 1st Century BT Iron Age Technology The brutal assassin guild that was once a subsect of the Betaalese Shinus is exiled from their mountain home. They become nomadic mercenaries for centuries before making their home in Falth during the 7th Century PT.

THE TEAR Year 0 PT Iron Age Technology A great rend in the sky reveals stars at night for the first time in written history. Along with this revelation, magic floods into the world in unprecedented magnitudes. KENDARIAN SECESSION 1st Century PT Iron Age Technology The nation of Constel comes into existence when Kendaria splits in two. The southern kingdom retains the name Kendaria, while the northern becomes Constel. S UPEREON TWO Ancerra’s second Supereon follows world history from the Tear and its aftermath through the vast and rich histories of nations that grow, trade, and war with one another. They advance the world from the iron age to a highly advanced postmodern global economy, but it all falls apart with the Third Magic War. SKY FIRE 2nd Century PT Medieval Technology A storm of meteors crash into Ancerra and its moons, blanketing the sky in black ash and flickering fire. Plants die, livestock follow, and Ancerrans struggle to survive in the apocalyptic climate. H AV E N ’ S L E G ACY Campaign Module 2nd Century PT Medieval Technology Members of Haven, originally founded in the wake of the World-Quake, once again find their services in high demand as entire nations struggle to survive and rebuild in the aftermath of the Sky Fire. CHEHOZRAN/CHEE SCHISM 2nd Century PT Medieval Technology Devastated by the Sky Fire, Chehorzran splits into two nations. This is done amicably and out of a need to localize power to survive the difficult times, rather than from the result of a civil war or political disagreements. FOUNDING OF PASH 3rd Century PT Medieval Technology Pash, the settlement straddling the southwest bay, becomes formally recognized as a city-state.

FORSTEN’S SECESSION 4th Century PT Medieval Technology The nation of Forsten is formed when the northern half of Constel secedes from the southern half. R O S H A L L A N ’ S CA M PA I G N O F CONQUEST 5th-9th Centuries PT Medieval Technology Roshallan, a nation with a powerful military, begins aggressively expanding and conquering its neighbors. FOUNDING OF LESMISHAN 6th Century PT Medieval Technology Lesmishan, a mining nation on the west of the Great Chasm, is formally founded. BELAN’S CRUSADE 6th Century PT Medieval Technology Prince Belan of Thaaj marches his army of elephants and arcanophants across the volcanic mountains into the heartland of Roshallan in an effort to crush the empire. THE CLOVEN LANDS Campaign Module 7th Century PT Medieval Technology Nalathesh and Kendaria spar over trade agreements with Bridgemoor. These economic battles turn violent as a mysterious figure pulls the strings from the shadows. THE GREAT ASCENDANT’S REIGN Campaign Module 8th Century PT Medieval Technology The Great Ascendant, leader of the Path of Ascendancy, assumes control of Thaaj. Having proven capable of fighting off Roshallan’s army, the Great Ascendant seems to be a powerful new player that national leaders must contend with unless heroes can thwart his tyranny. PA LO RVA’ S S H A D OW Campaign Module 8th Century PT Medieval Technology Leading Kess out from its impoverished state, Palorva conquers the nations around her and threatens to extend her power to even farther reaches if she cannot be stopped.

FORMATION OF W.G.C. 10th Century PT Medieval Technology Based in Pash, the West Gathandia Trading Company is officially signed into operation as an international trade organization. FOUNDING OF W.A.N.D. 11th Century PT Medieval Technology Given the vast amount of magic and magical items in the world - and the magical threats that accompany both - a conglomerate of arcane casters form W.A.N.D., an international defense organization that specializes in magical protection services. R O S H A L L A N C I V I L WA R 13th Century PT Medieval Technology No empire lives forever. As the old empire of Roshallan begins to crumble under its own weight, several prominent political figures vie for control over a region of the formerly mighty empire. T H E M AG I C WA R 16th Century PT Medieval Technology As nations grow in economic and military power, they naturally grow restless and begin to test their strength. A complex arrangement of alliances embroils the entirety of Gathandia in a three-way war when Kendaria declares war on Constel. Magic plays a fundamental role in this war, scouring the land. THE CONQUEST 17th-21st Centuries PT Medieval Technology A cruel and enormously powerful tyrant named Samorael rises to power and conquers many of Gathandia’s nations, including the entirety of the continent west of the Great Chasm. The few nations left to resist him struggle to cooperate even in the face of existential threat. FELDRITH CALAMITY Campaign Module 21st Century PT Medieval Technology The demiplanar wards around Ancerra dramatically weaken and a horrible hivemind entity known as the Feldrith emerges from the Pale. The terrifying organisms wreak havoc on Ancerran society for decades before heroes of all stripes manage to beat back the worst of these nightmarish creatures.

154 CHAPTER 9 | EXPLORING ANCERRA CHAPTER 9 | EXPLORING ANCERRA T H E I N T E R P L A N E WA R 22nd Century PT Medieval Technology Once the Feldrith are no longer a significant threat, many Archfiends, Celestials, and Exiles begin to take a direct interest in the avadrium that can be mined from the planet’s core. They war with one another over access to the material, and this often spills into the mortal plane. T E L E P O R TAT I O N C I R C L E S AC H I E V E D 23rd Century PT Medieval Technology After centuries of experimentation and error, Husk and Vel finally achieve a major magical breakthrough: they can draw large teleportation circles in the ground that remain indefinitely and reliably link to one another even over vast distances. This allows Velans to travel to any location in the world near-instantaneously as they create more and more teleportation circles. REIGN OF THE VELANS 23rd-24th Centuries PT Medieval Technology The dreaded Mages of the Beach rule over a huge swathe of Gathandia with fists of iron. Criminal elements in virtually every city take on humanitarian roles and try to smuggle basic necessities to the neglected. Meanwhile, freedom fighters try against all odds to overthrow the nearly omnipotent magical oligarchy. H I D D E N WA R S 24th Century PT Medieval Technology The Illuminati and Web face off more directly than they ever have in the past. They wage a covert war on one another, maneuvering nations and monarchs like pawns on a game board. The end of the conflict leaves many nations dramatically weaker than they were beforehand. G O L D E N A G E O F T H E G E N T L E M A N BRIGANDS 26th-29th Centuries PT Medieval Technology After the first Hidden War, many international powers are severely weakened, especially those in the Thunderhead Vale. This leads to the Gentleman Brigands’ golden age under the lead of its young halfling leader named Robyn, who idolizes the kleppin Hood of old.

WA R FO R T H E I N N E R S E A Campaign Module 27th Century PT Medieval Technology Renden’s hold on the Inner Sea has weakened, the powers in the region leap to fill the vacuum. Anedonia, Eryndor, and even the WGC vie for dominance over the lucrative maritime trade routes. T H E G AVA R E S E A P O CA LY P S E 29th Century PT Steampunk Technology An abundance of soot from cutting-edge vehicles and factories in Gavare trigger a series of environmental catastrophes that leave the nation desolate and struggling to catch up with its neighbors. D E M O N WA R O F VA E N Y T H Campaign Module 30th Century PT Steampunk Technology The champions for the next monarch of Vaenyth band together in opposition of tradition, summoning bloodthirsty fiends from Inferno to fight alongside them. Vaenythan nobles, soldiers, and champions each embrace unholy powers as they vie for dominance. DOMINION OF THE SOUTHERN SEAS Campaign Module 32nd Century PT Steampunk Technology Nausa and many of Gathandia’s nations along the southern shores become embroiled in conflict. What begins as a series of trade embargos quickly spirals into a many-faceted war for dominion over these lucrative waterways. ROT OF NACHTSKOG Campaign Module 34th Century PT Industrial Technology Nachtskog, the Black Forest, belches out all manner of monstrosities far more horrible than typical to the region, fueled by an open portal to Phlegmereth. Eryndor and Skavr must rise to the challenge or be overrun.

REIGN OF THE ICE QUEEN Campaign Module 35th Century PT Industrial Technology In the generational wake of the devastation caused by the Rot of Nachtskog, Queen Vestreida ascends to the throne in Skavr and leverages her armies to declare surprise war on Eryndor and Fjordenhaven. S E C O N D M AG I C WA R 38th Century PT Modern Technology Several belligerent nations seize on recent international unrest and try to make power plays, annexing nearby nations too weak to stop them. Eventually, this crescendos into the Second Magic War, made even more devastating than the first thanks to the advent of modern technology. BIOTECH REVOLUTION 40th Century PT Futuristic Technology A faction of humanoids with cybernetic enhancements - especially cybernetically enhanced brains - make the claim that they should be the de facto governors of their nations. The ensuing revolution is at times bloody and at times diplomatic, and ends with a mix of cybernetic and “traditional” humanoids leading various nations. Tensions on the matter linger for centuries thereafter. MOON DISPUTES 41st Century PT Futuristic Technology Many modern nations both on Ancerra and on the three habitable moons face shortages of basic resources like food and water. The two uninhabitable moons might have resources to be mined, but many nations lay claim to these moons for a variety of reasons. T H I R D M AG I C WA R 42nd Century PT Futuristic Technology The tenuous world peace eventually falls apart, and as many nations are armed with both magic and nuclear fusion technology, the devastating war that follows leaves Ancerra unrecognizable. S UPEREON THREE The Third Magic War leaves Ancerra a post-apocalyptic wasteland. In the third Supereon, the denizens of a broken planet struggle to survive a vast array of threats, any one of which could spell doom for all sapient life.

THE SHATTERING 12th Century PU (43rd Century PT) Steampunk Technology In the wake of the Third Magic War, the wards around Ancerra’s solar system finally give way completely, and the creatures of the Pale and of every other plane have free rein over the planet. I N T E R P L A N E WA R I I 12th Century PU (43rd Century PT) Steampunk Technology The Celestials, Fiends, and Exiles battle over Ancerra and its moons. They are especially interested in controlling Ancerra due to the planet’s avadrium core. The warring is so intense that the Archfae even get involved, first as diplomats and then as warriors themselves. AGE OF THE DEAD 7th-4th Centuries PU (48th-51st Centuries PT) Steampunk Technology A horrible outbreak of the Zombie Plague sweeps Ancerra, plunging the world and its moons all into a hellish fight for survival against the dead. THE CONVERGENCE 2nd Century PU (53rd Century PT) Modern Technology Drawn by the ancient power contained within Ancerra’s core, creatures and even the planes themselves from every corner of the multiverse converge on Ancerra. During this time, the Avadri run rampant, and the Celestials, Exiles, and Archfiends make an unprecedented alliance to deal with what they view as a collectively existential threat in the Avadri. TUNNEL OF REALITIES 1st Century PU (54th Century PT) Postmodern Technology Harnessing tremendous power beyond the scope of any single god, the Celestials and Exiles force the entirety of Ancerra’s multiverse through a series of other multiverses. Ancerra’s physical plane was known among the highest

gods - the six Creator Avatars - as Prime Existence 31 (PE- 31). As they smashed through subsequent existences, the

Celestials and Exiles banished the Avadri on PE-33 and finally arrived on PE-36, where Ancerra’s entire multiverse and all its planes of existence (except Avadria, of course) became embodied galaxies in the much broader PE-36 prime material plane. THE UNITY Year 0 AU (55th Century PT) Futuristic Technology All things come together. The immense gravity of the event completely and fundamentally restructures Ancerran worldview.

S UPEREON FOUR After clawing its way out of the ashes of the apocalypse, Ancerra’s future looked bright again. The Unity, however, completely destroyed Ancerra’s hope of making a full recovery, and the sparse remnant of people that survived looked to the stars for one last hope. BIG NET VIRUS 2nd Century AU (56th Century PT) Futuristic Technology

The people of Ancerra follow the leadership of an all- knowing AI. This society falls apart when a carefully

designed malware program causes the AI to collapse, plunging society into a state of anarchy. O I T C O N TACT 4th Century AU (58th Century PT) Futuristic Technology The OIT, an intergalactic trade organization, make contact with the remnant of Ancerrans who still live.