The gods and primordials battle each other over control of a world named Imarand, a speck in the darkness orbiting a star called "the bright one".
Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
History of Imarand
“Let me introduce myself, I'm the Chronicler, for I write the chronicles of this world for as long as the gods allow me to do so. Who I am doesn't matter, for all of that was destroyed in the war. Instead, this story begins with a simple and common enough occurrence: an orc raid on a caravan traveling from Drekar to Umar. The significance of this raid would later be felt throughout the city states.”
The Chronicler is a title, person, or entity that pops up throughout history, collecting the wisdom, stories and folklore of both worlds. Still, there are many holes in the history of the worlds, created by migrations, wars and plagues.
The following chapter, taken directly from the knowledge of the Chronicler, shows the important events that took place on the Twin Worlds, sorted by Age and year on the Arza Calendar.
Era of the Heavens
unknown
World: Terria & Ianna
After untold ages of war for dominion of the world known as Imarand, the gods and primordials come to realize the futility of their fight. By combining their powers, they split the uninhabited world in two, shifting the halves slightly out of their planar alignment so that both instances of the world can exist in the same time and place. To complete their alliance a goddess and primordial trade places: The primordial Terrian becomes the world for the gods and the goddess Iyassia agrees to bring life to the world of the primordials.
-
Unknown
The Bright one
Celestial -
Unknown
The Celestial Pact
CelestialA pact is formed between the gods and primordials and both create several experimental planets in the solar system. Eventually both parties form their own version of Imarand in a separate dimension, creating the Twin Worlds as they exist today.
-
Unknown
Life Giver Iyassia
CelestialThe goddess Iyassia becomes the tree of life on Ianna.
-
Unknown
World Giver Thorrian
CelestialThe primordial Thorrian becomes the world of Terria.
-
Unknown
Star Birth
CelestialThe gods and the primordials make their homes in de skies around Imarand, on other worlds that are created in their masters' images. The primordials create Sh'Vanni, the gods make Amurra. Other forces, such as the fey, demons and devils, take up residence on the other worlds orbiting the same star as Imarand.
-
Unknown
The Arza
Life, RelocationThe arza, an ancient and immortal race, are guided to Terria by Demari. Demari asks them to be the first inhabitants of their world.
Dawn of Creation / Era of the Maidens
unknown
World: Terria
While the races of Ianna take their first steps Demari, the goddess of nature and bounty, fills the world of Terria with her pride and joy: endless fields of flowers, forest glades and shining lakes and seas. When she is done, she gives the world to its first inhabitants, survivors from a distant, dead world, and makes them promise to take care of it. This race would later be known as the Arza. To protect and guide these people Demari asks the god of light to help her. And so, the second god comes to Terria. Guided by the light of this god and their promise to Demari, the Arza spread out across the world and populate it. But many children that are born among them look and act differently and over time these altered children distance themselves from their arza ancestors and grow into separate races: elves, dwarves, humans and others now known as the savage races.
World: Ianna
When the primordials finished creating the world they named Ianna, they turned to Iyassia to breathe life onto the world. As a goddess of creation and birth, Iyassia turns herself into an immense tree. From her branches hang dozens of fruits and when they fall from them spring the first mortal races: the elves, dwarves, halflings, humans and sha. The first five of these seeds to fall create beings known as the five maidens, immortal guardians of the tree and tasked with the wellbeing of the tree's children.
Eventually the races go forth, each founding its own kingdom: the dwarves flock to Aldriel, while the elves take Elangon, the humans Fjortir, the sha Nindir and the halflings Merenam. As the origin island empties, the wood-like silvain grow from Iyassia's roots, to stay on the island and tend to her tree.
-
Unknown
The Mortal Deviants
Life, SupernaturalSome of the arza start to change, adapting to their new world. Eventually the different groups become the forefathers of the mortal races.
-
Unknown
The Five Maidens
Life, MilestoneThe five maidens are born from the tree and create the first five kingdoms on Ianna.
-
-2250 BAC
Birth of the Elven Empire
Life, Relationship changeThe remaining arza take a liking to the elven race, teaching them the basics of magic and civilization.
-
-2140 BAC
The First Seeds
Life, SupernaturalThe Iyassia tree creates more life. The first mortal seedlings spread to the various kingdoms on Ianna.
-
-1487 BAC
Azuraill
FoundingThe elven kingdom of Azuraill is created.
-
-1428 BAC
The Dwarven Kingdoms
FoundingThe dwarven kingdom in the Great Divide is created.
-
-1375 BAC
The Beacons of Light
Cultural eventThe predominantly human inhabited cities on Terria form coalitions and alliances for safety, leading to the first city-states.
-
-1365 BAC
Mag Mell is Founded
Founding -
-1322 BAC
Umar is Founded
Founding
Era of Dragons
1199 AC 900 AC
-
-1088 BAC
The Saurians
Life, RelocationDragons appear on Ianna and rule the lands with an iron first for hundreds of years to come.
-
-1005 BAC
Birth of the Dragonkin
Life, SupernaturalThe dragonkin are created by the dragons as a servitude race.
-
-945 BAC
The Dragon Wars
Military actionThe dragons split into 2 factions. Some of the dragonkin are freed from servitude and spread out across the world.
-
-922 BAC
The First Migration
Population Migration / TravelThe arza guide some of the dragonkin towards Terria.
Era of the Written Word
899 AC 600 AC
-
-845 BAC
The Common Script
Scientific achievementA common script and language develop on Ianna.
-
-813 BAC
The Torch of Civilization
Cultural eventOne of the maidens lures the arza towards Ianna, hoping they will also bear the torch of civilization to their world. She grants them the ability to pass through the Veil without harming it.
-
-711 BAC
The Common Tongue
MiscellaneousStill guided by the arza, elven nation brings the common tongue and script to the world of Terria.
Era of Children
559 AC 1 AC
World: Terria
As the arza and their defiant offspring flourish, Magdu, god of war and destruction, grows jealous of their carefree lives. He pulls an island from the sea and makes it his throne: The Black Isle.
There he creates a new race from his essence and a corrupted arza and calls them the Dark Ones, although the creatures call themselves tieflings. With his army complete, Magdu attacks Demari to claim the world of Terria as his own. As the war rages, other gods are drawn to the fight, flocking to either side.
The gods of good and light lost the first battle, but not the war, because Demari asked the last remaining arza to help fight Magdu and to protect their world. The gods grant them magic and knowledge to build wondrous machines and weapons to help them win the war. Remnants of these machines can still be found scattered across the world.
Bolstered by the help of the mortals, Magdu sees that he will lose the war and calls out to the gods to surrender himself. The gods of light take pity on him and believe his fighting spirit broken. So, with a truce, the fight between Light and Darkness ends, and the children of the gods are freed from their bonds and set free to determine their own fate.
-
-511 BAC
The First Golden Age
Financial EventTrade blossoms between the races and, with the abundance of magic, the first magical items are created, spreading the use of magic to even those that have no innate ability.
-
-464 BAC
The Black Isle
CelestialMagdu, god of war, creates the Black Isle on Terria and takes his seat of power upon the island.
-
-421 BAC
Gathering Darkness
Life, SupernaturalDemons are sighted on the Black Isle.
-
-400 BAC
The End of Founders
ExtinctionArza are being killed when some of the younger races on Ianna start rejecting their gifts.
-
-394 BAC
The First Razing of Mag Mell
Military actionMag Mell is destroyed by the forces of Magdu.
-
-381 BAC
Children of Irra
Life, SupernaturalTieflings appear. They are said to be the offspring of Magdu and a corrupted arza.
-
-327 BAC
Aldriels First Expansion
Military action -
-297 BAC
The Elven Corruption
Religious eventSome elves fall to the corruption of Magdu. These exiles call themselves shadow elf.
-
-258 BAC
The God War
Military actionThe last remaining arza army defeats Magdu in a battle on the Black Isle.
-
-244 BAC
Children of Amurra
CelestialThe first of the aasimar appear, the pure offspring of the arza.
-
-64 BAC
The Last Founder
ExtinctionThe last of the known arza dies.
-
-31 BAC
Magdu Ascends
CelestialMagdu manages to regain enough power to return to the heavens.
Age of Time
0 AC 100
World: Terria
After years of war and unrest, the elves rebuild their home within the Azureglade, creating within it the first kingdom on Terria. With the threat of war gone they looked to the path of nature. Through their studies elves became the first druids and shamans.
A comet that is seen that year is marked as 'the beginning of time', the first moment of interest on the new calendar, named after the nearly forgotten ancestors who had vanished after the war of the gods: the Arza Calendar. In later years, when the two worlds come in contact, Ianna also adopts the Arza Calendar as its method of measuring time.
-
1 AC
Xeals Comet
Era beginning/endThe Age of Time begins. A green-purple comet, seen on both worlds, heralds the dawn of a new age. Both worlds mark this event as the start of their calendar.
-
23 AC
New Traditions
Religious eventDruidism and Shamanism take root in several cultures inspired by the savage races' way of life.
-
32 AC
Rebuilding of Mag Mell
Construction beginning/endMag Mell is rebuilt for the first time. The School of Sorcery is opened.
Era of Kings
101 300
World: Ianna
Meanwhile, Iyassia sees her world divided. The five kingdoms prosper but fighting over wealth and status is a common occurrence. Kings and queens are regularly deposed, kingdoms attack each other hoping to gain more resources and the common people grow unhappy and fearful. They look for a leader to stop the fighting and find it in a human man, named Taul.
Supported by the people, Taul manages to unite the five kingdoms and proclaims himself emperor. Seeing that this stability is what her children want, Iyassia blesses him with immortality, but warns him that if he should ever falter and lose sight of the wellbeing of his lands, he will die.
Taul asks his five brothers to help him rule the land; his one and only mistake. For over the course of years his brothers become more and more arrogant, proclaiming themselves kings of the kingdoms they govern and taking whatever, they want.
The people suffer and the crops wither and die. Soon thereafter, emperor Taul himself falls ill. He knows that he has strayed from the path Iyassia has asked of him and he calls out to her. The goddess sends her five maidens to him, who ask him why he has faltered. With his last breath, the emperor explains that the goddess' gesture of making him immortal if he fulfilled his pledge was sound, but that the land was simply too large for one person to govern.
Not long after his death, the five maidens return to the world and decree that the five kingdoms of origin would be restored and that the only one able to name kings or queens would be the Iyassia tree herself, who would grant good fortune and immortality to a ruler as long as he or she rules with wisdom, justice and benevolence.
-
122 AC
The First Emperor
Era beginning/endThe first emperor united the lands of Ianna under his rule, taking Braxris as his seat of power.
-
131 AC
Bid for Power
Political eventThe first emperor appoints his brothers and sisters to oversee the other kingdoms.
-
172 AC
The First Kingdom Wars
Military actionThe kingdoms start fighting for power and land.
-
243 AC
The First Emperor Dies
Life, DeathThe first emperor dies and the war intensifies over who will be his successor.
-
277 AC
The Five Maiden Reappear
CelestialThe five maidens reappear and announce that only the Iyassia Tree can henceforth appoint kings and queens.
Age of Settlers
301 400
World: Terria
The elven empire flourishes and the elves have welcomed all other races to their lands. Eventually, though, they come to regret this decision as humans flock to settle on their lands in droves. The elves grow afraid of the humans, who despite their shorter lifespan, easily outnumber them, and try to drive them off. This leads to many skirmishes and bad blood between the two races. During this age the elves also discover the Veil surrounding their world and begin experimenting with it, slowly learning of the twin world that lies beyond it.
The elven empire flourishes and the elves have welcomed all other races to their lands. Eventually, though, they come to regret this decision as humans flock to settle on their lands in droves. The elves grow afraid of the humans, who despite their shorter lifespan, easily outnumber them, and try to drive them off. This leads to many skirmishes and bad blood between the two races. During this age the elves also discover the Veil surrounding their world and begin experimenting with it, slowly learning of the twin world that lies beyond it.
-
311 AC
The Rise of the Humans
RevolutionThe elves start hunting Humans and throw them out of their cities.
-
330 AC
The Veil
Discovery, ExplorationThe Veil between the worlds is discovered by the elves. They do not share their discovery with the other races.
-
363 AC
The First Gate
Technological achievementThe first Veil Gate is constructed by elven archmages.
-
371 AC
The Great Reunion
Cultural eventContact between the secluded elven kingdom of Elangon and the other kingdoms is reestablished.
-
399 AC
The Eleven kingdom of Elangon
FoundingThe Kingdom of Elves is created on the floating isle of Elangon and marks the start of the great migrations ever seen on Terria.
-
400 AC
The Elven Migration
Population Migration / TravelThe elven migrations start: many elves migrate to Ianna. The elven population on Terria begins to recede.
Time of the Elven Migrations
401 500
World: Terria & Ianna
Ultimately, the elves manage to create a way to travel between the worlds. With a stable portal to another world and the threat of the humans growing daily, many elves choose to leave Terria behind, traveling instead to Elangon on Ianna, where they have encountered their Iannian kin. Many elven cities become abandoned during this age or are taken over by humans or other races.
-
432 AC
A New Seed
Life, BirthThe black seed appears on the Iyassia Tree.
-
471 AC
Azuraill Falls
Era beginning/endThe elven kingdom of Azuraill falls to the human expansionism.
Age of New Birth
501 600
-
503 AC
Pantasia is Lost
Disaster / DestructionThe city of Pantasia sinks into the sea.
-
503 AC
The Madilar are Born
FoundingThe black seed falls and brings forth the madilar.
-
508 AC
Bad Seeds
RevolutionFeral doppelgangers escape the Iyassia island.
-
510 AC
The Merenam Sea Plague
Plague / EpidemicA plague takes hold of the kingdom of Merenam.
-
556 AC
The Black Seed
Population Migration / TravelThe madilar race heads out into the world and begins to settle within the kingdom of Merenam.
The Ages or Strife
601 800
Local Naming: Era of Desolation & The Creation Wars
World: Terria
Strife and chaos begin to rule the elven court. The races that sought shelter in the elven cities begin to rise up and start creating the city states that are still present today. Soon after that war breaks out, beginning with the battle of Bynifer. Elven cities are destroyed and the forests that the elves hold dear are cut and burned.
Local Naming: Age of Oceans & The Mirror Wars
World: Ianna
The madilar quickly establish themselves as excellent traders and information brokers. Their unique skills are soon recognized by other rulers and madilar are employed as spies and infiltrators. With the intel they gathered, kingdoms went to war against each other. Until one day the kingdoms realize that while they have been fighting, the madilar have been lining their pockets by selling weapons and goods to both sides of the war. An inquiry reveals that the information given by the madilar spies was false. Suddenly finding themselves with a common enemy, the kingdoms band together to attack Merenam. Although no enemy sets foot on Merenams shores, protected as it is by the madilars fierce rune canon, the island is cut off from the outside world for many years.
-
621 AC
The Battle of Westerwin
Military actionThe Nindir navy sinks the Fjortir fleet during a surprise attack, sparking a long era of disputes between the kingdoms.
-
644 AC
The Rise of the City-States
RevolutionCities and regions begin to revolt against the declining elven rule.
-
644 AC
The Battle of the Lost Banners
Metaphysical / Paranormal eventNindir attacks the Aldriel army on the Fugue Plains. Both armies disappear. Only a handful of survivors emerge from the battle.
-
667 AC
Aldreil Noble Scandal
Diplomatic actionA Madilar spy is caught within the Aldriel court. Nindir and Fjortir also discover Madilar spies in their midst.
-
669 AC
The Truce of the Seas
Diplomatic actionA temporary truce is signed between the warring nations.
-
670 AC
The Changeling Hunts
Life, DeathMadilar are publicly executed for impersonating others and persecution of the madilar race begins.
-
674 AC
The Changeling Migration
Population Migration / TravelSeveral madilar flee to Terria through an elven portal near Elangon.
-
675 AC
688 AC
The Rune Cannon
Construction beginning/endMerenam starts building the Rune Cannon.
-
683 AC
The Elven Civil War
Military actionWar breaks out and many elven cities fall to other races.
-
688 AC
The Battle of the Arcane
Military actionThe Rune Cannon is fired, destroying the combined navy of Aldriel, Nindir and Fjortir off the coast of Merenam. The kingdoms henceforth keep their distance from the island, but manage to keep a blockade around it for many years.
-
701 AC
The Atrocity of the Mages
Geological / environmental eventElven wizards start to use destructive magic to halt the advance of the shorter-lived races. A part of the continent of Terria turns into a magical wasteland.
-
751 AC
The Battle of Bynifer
Military actionThe elves lose a decisive battle at Bynifer. Their rule shattered, and the other races take a more prominent place in the world.
Age of the Uncovered Veil / Age of the Wild
801 950
World: Terria
After seeing the destruction, the Creation Wars had wreaked on nature, Demari weeps. In her anger, nature grows and takes back what the mortals had destroyed. Villages are lost to nature, roads vanish, forests grow, and fertile grasslands disappear. Only a few cities are spared Demari's wrath.
Knowing that the promise the arza had made to here broken by their children, Demari seeks others to protect the world she has shaped. She appoints animal kings and spirits to watch over nature and to protect it in her stead. With much of her power spent on the plants and animals that now cover Terria, Demari sleeps.
World: Ianna
The mages of the Ianna discover the existence of the Veil and the world beyond it and contact the high elven court on Terria. Most believe this contact to be the first ever, for very few besides the elves know of their migration to Elangon.
Research starts on both worlds to figure out the nature of the Veil. The scholars, priests and mages do not yet realize that every experiment they perform weakens the Veil.
-
846 AC
The March of the Wyld
Life, SupernaturalFree from the Elven leash, the city-states start to grow. Demari, goddess of nature, is angered by the senseless destruction of the nature as the city-states expand their territories. She unleashes her wrath upon the world and forests rapidly take back the lands. Some cities are completely overrun, others are spared.
-
891 AC
The Rediscovery of the Veil
Scientific achievementNon-elven mages from Ianna discover the Veil and start exploring Terria.
-
912 AC
The Savage Migration
Population Migration / TravelThe savage races adapt to the ever-changing lands are start integrating with civilization.
-
946 AC
The Kindred Spirits Appear
CelestialFirst of the animal kings and other kindred spirits are sighted on both worlds.
-
950 AC
The Sleeping Goddess
CelestialDemari, weakened by the use of her power, falls into a deep slumber.
Age of Lost Roads
951 1100
World: Terria & Ianna
Magdu has bided his time and with Demari weakened, sees his chance. He kills her, corrupts her power and threatens to plunge the world of Terria into another war of the gods. He is ultimately defeated by a mortal man, guided and blessed by the gods of good. This man, Enialis, destroyed Magdu and shattered his power, emerging as the new god of nature and harvests.
Many old gods have died during the battle with Magdu and others decide to stay on the world of Terria until they eventually fade away, making place for younger gods.
The Terrians recover from the destruction. They rebuild cities and create new city states. In the recreated capital of Mag Mell, scholars and priests use ancient elven knowledge to start building a stable portal to the other world, as their counterparts in the city of Braxris on Ianna do the same.
When this portal is completed and travel between the twin worlds is finally possible, the Veil shatters, unleashing terrible storms on both worlds. Any person caught in one of these so-called Ether Storms is never heard from again.
-
981 AC
The Second Rise of Magdu
CelestialMagdu starts his bid to obtain the Sylvan Scrolls, ancient artifacts of fey origin.
-
1003 AC
The Great Cataclysm
CelestialMagdu kills the weakened Demari in her sleep. This leads to a great cataclysm wreaks havoc on both worlds: on both Terria and Ianna lands are torn asunder and rearranged.
-
1004 AC
1052 AC
The Second Bright War
Military actionGods and primordials rekindle their war in the heavens once again, both blaming the other side for the cataclysm.
-
1038 AC
The Veil Shatters
Metaphysical / Paranormal eventThe Veil is shattered, allowing easier travel between the worlds.
-
1039 AC
The Curse of Magic
Disaster / DestructionThe Ether Storms, Rifts and Wyld Magic appears.
-
1051 AC
1081 AC
The Second Rebuilding of Mag Mell
Construction beginning/endMag Mell is partly rebuilt for a second time after the battle between Magdu and Enialis.
-
1051 AC
The Defeat of the God of Strife
Life, DeathWith the help of the goddess Leticia a group of mortals destroys Magdu.
-
1052 AC
Enialis Ascends
CelestialA new god rises to power: Enialis, once a mortal now god of nature and harvests. New gods and primordials find their way to Imarand in the aftermath of the war with Magdu.
-
1081 AC
New Stars
CelestialNew gods and primordials find their way to Imarand, and with their arrival, new stars appeared in the night sky.
Age of Heroes
Current Age
World: Terria & Ianna
After many troubles, peace finally seems to have settled on the twin worlds. But dark storms are already forming overhead.
On Ianna the madilar slowly return from their exile, although they are kept under strict rule and supervision in most kingdoms, while the kingdom of Fjortir falls to chaos and plague. Meanwhile disagreements between the city states threaten to plunge Terria into a new war.
With the opening of the portal, new possibilities arise new trade routes, new races and a whole new world to discover. This is the age in which heroes shine.
-
1101 AC
The Great Portal Opens
Construction beginning/end
(c) Martijn Donker 2019
All these adventures, source materials online for free to use, without any commercial intent and refer back to me the original writer of the pages. Hope you and friends enjoy these materials that I have posted here. Some part of the setting make use of the Paizo Inc. Community Use Policy.
Find your way!
Resources
WHO WE ARE
LEGAL
Get the news
Listen to our Podcast
Our Allies
