The Modern Era

Summary

The Modern Era, or ME, is considered to have begun on January 1st, 1 ME. Historians cite the unprecedented event as the “Meeting of Algernon” or, alternatively, the “Treaty of Algernon”. In many circles, 1/1/1 is regarded as the “Day of Founding”. Regardless, during this event the various countries of Europa set down the agreed upon borders of the various Kingdoms which existed at the time and established a universal calendar of tracking time.
What is commonly believed is that the beginning of the Modern Era marked the end of the “Final” War of the Wizard Kings - commonly called “Algernon’s War”; however, this is something of a misnomer given the various Wizarding conflicts that continued throughout the Modern Era. HIstorians do not wholly agree on what caused the end of the war, though one relatively persistent legend cites that the Wizard Kings were finally, and wholly, undone by an act of True Dragonkind. Those legends often indicate that the Dragons expended much of their power to undo the damage of the final wars, and as a result, retired “into the western lands” beyond the Lucetan sea.
Those Historians who do not believe in the “Dragon Theory”, as it is called, instead argue that a counter-cabal of Wizards rose up to defend the fledgling nations of Europa, led by the Archmage Iandraeneth Blackhammer, notably of the Blackhammer clan of Dwarves, of the Dwarven Kingdom of Heimut who drove those of the Blood of the Old Kingdoms back into the shadows.

Historical Basis

Regardless of the specifics, each country more or less agrees on the following historical items:

1/1/1 was the beginning of the Modern Era

The Modern Era is marked by the formation of a number of ancestral kingdoms and follows the same calendar

While much has changed during the course of the Modern Era, the borders are more or less as they were on the day of the Founding, even if internal politics and governmental bodies have changed.

Those Historians who believe Dragons did exist cite this as the point in which they vanish from any sort of tales or legends.

In order to differentiate this war from other wizard wars, this conflict is known among scholars as “Algernon’s War”

Spread

Historians hotly debate between the Dragon Theory and the Wizard Theory; mainly because due to the conflux of magical energies at the time, it remains impossible to attempt any manner of scrying back in time, no matter how complicated the spell or how powerful the Wish - all attempts simply fail.
Eisen tends to lean towards the Wizard Theory, mainly because it puts Eisen in a position of importance in the legends surrounding the Day of Founding due to the involvement of the Blackhammer clan in the founding of Eisen in the 1500s.
Avalon and Ruskovich tend to lean the other way towards the Dragon Theory.

Variations & Mutation

One particular variation of the legend which comes from Vesten says that the Dragons were so diminished that they ceased to be Dragons themselves, turning into the first generation of “Dragonborn”.

Cultural Reception

The historical and mythological debate over the details of the Day of Founding is basically viewed as “things old gray haired professors” debate about over their coffee. The average person doesn’t give much thought to the beginning of the calendar.

In Literature

While the first Wars of the Wizard Kings, and in particular the Warforged Rebellion, take a lot more focus in terms of literature, the Day of Founding is often the topic of a number of dramatic plays, usually written as a tragedy, showcasing the power of sacrifice. In those renditions, the final act of the Dragons to safeguard the world is seen as a cathartic release and often played with all the drama and circumstance the play can muster.

In Art

While there are a number of pieces of artwork detailing the Day of Founding, the topic tends to play better as theater and so this is not often touched on via a canvas medium.