A great deal of time passed before anyone had the ability to write, or the gift of immortality. Therefore, no one remembers anything from this period of time.
History of Lyrisia
The Quiet Age
Prehistory to The Age of Echoes
The Quiet Age (also called the Age of Quiet) occurred before any written language, and prior to the lifetime of any currently living elf. The legends of this time vary greatly, and it's difficult to know what might be true about this time. Supposedly it was a time of magical wonders, and great wars. We do know that the Elves were a nomadic, tribal people during this time. It is believed that they had magic, but may not have been immortal. We know that for some period of time, Dwarves likely lived in caves, and had already developed stone tools by this point. Not much is known about Humans during this time, as they were the most primitive of the three races, and had neither writing nor strong oral traditions. Since much of their history has been lost, most of what we know about them comes from the point in time where they encountered the elves.
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Forever Ago
The Great Unknown
Era beginning/end -
Many Millennia Ago
The Song of Shadows
Cultural eventIn the beginning, the races had to hide from the monsters of the world, venturing out for food only under the cover of darkness.
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Many Millennia Ago
Old Crescendo
FoundingThe city of Old Crescendo is founded, and for a time, all Elves lived here.
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Many Millennia Ago
Way of the Mystic
Military actionThe Dwarves, from deep within their caves, are the first ones to fight the darkness of the world, developing mystical techniques to aid their cause.
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Many Millennia Ago
City of Light
FoundingThe Dwarves band together to create their first city, the City of Light.
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Many Millennia Ago
The Melody of Malady
Plague / EpidemicThe Elves were forced to abandon their homeland during a great plague, and this forced the elves to scatter into multiple tribes.
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Many Millennia Ago
The Ode of Oblivion
Disaster / DestructionA massive army of Orcs march on the City of Light, and this horrific war leads the Dwarves to the brink of extinction. This war is said to have lasted over a hundred years. It's only through the strength and leadership of the Poet that the Dwarves are able to batter them back.
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Many Millennia Ago
Elves encounter Humans
Discovery, ExplorationThe Elves encounter Humans for the first time. Humans are a savage, primitive people, and are ill equipped to deal with the monsters that roam the land. The Elves, with their magics and more advanced ways, take pity on them, and the two peoples form together into one great tribe of cooperation. Together they are able to keep the threats of the world at bay for centuries.
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Many Millennia Ago
Druidic Magic
Discovery, ScientificThe Elves develop their Druidic magics enough that they are able to grow vast quantities of food, fast enough to sustain larger populations.
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Many Millennia Ago
Tune of Treason
Military actionThe Humans betray the Elves and civil war breaks out between the two tribes. A truce is called after only a few weeks of fighting, but tens of thousands of people died in the conflict, and it's never the same after this.
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Many Millennia Ago
The Great Migration
Population Migration / TravelUnable to make the alliance with humans work, the Elves leave the Great Tribe, and venture to the Fermata Forest, to permanently live in the woods. It is said this journey was arduous, and more than half the Elven population died during the journey.
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Many Millennia Ago
War of the Sunset
Military actionWar breaks out again between Humans and Elves, and it rages so fiercely it takes the Dwarves to negotiate a peace between them. There's no going back, though, and the Humans and Elves go their separate ways.
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Many Millennia Ago
The First Cataclysm
Disaster / DestructionA massive invasion of hellish monsters rips through the land, and threatens to end all life on Lyrisia. The Dwarves brought the humans into the City of Light under their protection, and do their best to fight the monsters outside for over a year. It is said that this time was hell on earth, and brought all of the races to the verge of extinction.
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Many Millennia Ago
The Great Alliance
Gathering / ConferenceThe Dwarves forge an alliance with both Humans and Elves, and together the three peoples fought the forces of evil. Eventually they triumphed, after a great sacrifice made by many Dwarven heroes. Even with the forces of evil beaten, it would take decades to rid the lands of monsters. This brought about a more permanent alliance between the three peoples, and for a time Humans and Elves called themselves friends again.
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Millennia Ago
The Second Cataclysm
Disaster / DestructionA global disaster ripped the world in half, causing the tear known as Storvo's Wrath, as well as the Climactic Canyon. This event was so violent it destroyed the City of Light, and killed more than half the Dwarven population inside of it. This forced the Dwarves to abandon their city, and completely start from scratch elsewhere. Elves and Humans also had to abandon this area of the world, causing most of them to move east.
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Millennia Ago
Chronicle City
FoundingThe Dwarves begin construction of Chronicle City. Most of the population is forced to live on the surface while the powerful geomancers dig out the mountain.
Location
Chronicle City -
Millennia Ago
Orchestria
Founding -
Millennia Ago
Sonopra banishes Humans
Military actionAfter hundreds of years of living under the care of the Wood Elves of Sonopra, tensions rise, and humans escalate the situation until war breaks out. The War is over quickly, with the Wood Elves crushing the human threat, but the relationship is so bitter between the two groups that the Wood Elves banish humans not just from Sonopra, but from the Fermata Forest itself. The Elves of Orchestria accept some of these humans, but most choose to go into the wilds, and try to make it on their own.
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Millennia Ago
The Lay of Lunara
Plague / EpidemicAn affliction spread among the Elves, causing them to grow feeble and die. Newborns would seem to be struck with this affliction within only a couple of decades of birth. It was called the Lay of Lunara, and for hundreds of years, it seemed to be the Twilight of the Elves. The only way to fight it was to breed faster, and so for a time Elves would have children as soon as they were of age, for the affliction struck randomly, and without warning, but no one seemed immune. This is why in Orchestria, a tradition developed that made the eldest Elf the ruler of the city, and in Sonopra, the various elven tribes united, and would vote in a temporary leader.
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About 1100 Years Ago
Lifting of Orchestria
Geological / environmental eventAn Elf named Veris, who was the greatest Sorcerer the world has ever known, in a display of power the likes of which had never even been heard of before, rips Orchestria, a half-mile wide city, and lifts it a mile above the ground. There it permanently floats, and is the permanent residence of the Elves there, who will come to be known as High Elves. Veris is named First Conductor of the High Elves of Orchestria. Humans are forced to rebuild their homes in and around the crater below.
Location
Orchestria -
About 1100 Years Ago
New Crescendo
FoundingBelow Orchestria, the Humans, in cooperation with the Elves, build houses in and around the crater. This city is named New Crescendo. Orchestria, which floats above it, will eventually be known more as a district of New Crescendo, even though mostly only humans live in New Crescendo proper.
Location
New Crescendo -
About 1050 Years Ago
The Citadel
Construction beginning/endThe Dwarves build a large temple in the center of the crater in New Crescendo. Together, the High Elves and Dwarves blend their magical prowess to create a portal that leads to and from Orchestria.
Location
The Citadel
The Age of Echoes
After Elven Immortality
The Age of Echoes begins around the time the first of the Immortal Elves come of an age where they can begin to form concrete memories of their lives. The start of this age is somewhat in flux, as it relies on at least one Elf still being alive who remembers this time well enough to give a first-hand account. Because this age is marked by the memories of these longest-living Elves, technically this date could shift if the oldest Elves were to die out.
Because this also pre-dates the Dwarves developing written language, an exact timeline is difficult to nail down until that point. And privately, the Dwarves don't consider the Age of Echoes to be a true Age of the world, instead believing the Quiet Age didn't end for at least another 100 years, when they finally developed writing and began to document the happenings of the world.
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1 AE
Birth of Dalean & Dalea
Life, BirthDalean and Dalea are the first Elves to be born unaffected by the Lay of Lunara. They are the first elves in hundreds of years destined to be immortal. They are born in Orchestria.
Location
Orchestria -
Circa 0 AE
The Gift
Celestial / CosmicFirst Conductor Veris, the High Elf Ruler responsible for levitating Orchestria, figures out how to cure the plague afflicting the Elves with unnaturally short life. He cannot save anyone already alive, but his cure ensures all newborn Elves will not suffer from this curse. The magics involved in this cure cause Veris to absorb the affliction onto himself, which kills him, but he ensures Elven immortality for all future generations.
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35 AE
Dalea & Dalean Crowned
Political eventConductress Serenada, leader of the High Elves and the last elf alive during the Quiet Age, dies at the age of 36. The only elves alive in the world at this point were born after The Gift, during the Age of Echoes. In New Crescendo, the eldest High Elves are the twins Dalea and Dalean, and they are crowned Conductor and Conductress of the High Elves.
Location
New Crescendo -
131 AE
Dwarven Writing
Scientific achievementThe Dwarves are the first race to come up with written language. From this point on, dates become a lot more precise. Should all the Elves who were alive at the start of the Age of Echoes die, this would likely be considered the first year of the Age of Script.
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200 AE
Dwarven Sailboats
Technological achievementThe Dwarves develop their first sailboat.
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201 AE
Dwarves Lost in the Veil
Life, DeathA Dwarven ship is sent into the Veil to explore. They are never seen again.
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238 AE
Birth of Basalia
Life, Birth -
300 AE
High Elven Sail Ship
Technological achievementThrough Druidic Magic, High Elf Shapers in New Crescendo manage to make the first Elven Sailing Ship, entirely out of one tree, expertly shaped into a single-deck ship. The sail is made of leaf, and controlled with vinerope.
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325 AE
The Veil
Metaphysical / Paranormal eventThe High Elves will send out numerous expeditions into the Veil, to try and figure out what it is, and what might lie beyond it. All experiments end in failure, and the total loss of all ships and crews who venture into it. The Elves believe the Veil is the end of not just the world, but of the universe. Of reality itself. It is forbidden for anyone to try to enter it again.
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400 AE
Tribe Navali is formed
FoundingThe Urlar Tribe massacres several minor tribes within a single season, and the remnants from these tribes form a new tribe of less than 20, which will eventually be known as the Navali, or the Water People, after they traveled as far north as north will go, and made their home on the upper peninsula where they were surrounded by the sea.
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762 AE
Basalia voted in as Conductress of Sonopra
Political eventBasalia is voted in as Conductress of the unified Wood Elf Clans in Sonopra.
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825 AE
Birth of Adorus
Life, Birth -
866 AE
Adorus is Crowned King of the Dwarves
Political event -
868 AE
Birth of King Aphorus
Life, Birth -
970 AE
Birth of the Boneman
Life, BirthThe Boneman was born in the Navali tribe. It's not known what his mother called him.
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995 AE
Birth of Zando
Life, BirthZando is born somewhere near Lake Largo. His birth goes largely unrecognized except by his mother.
Location
Concert Crests -
1014 AE
Zando is made Chieftain
Political eventZando challenges the Chieftain of the Navali to honorable combat for his position, but demands, in front of the tribe and the Gods themselves, that he bring his honor guard to the fight as well. Zando fights them, four-on-one, and kills them all, and declares himself Chieftain of the Navali.
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1016 AE
Aphorus is Crowned King of the Dwarves
Political eventKing Adorus dies after reigning for 150 years. His eldest son and heir to the throne, Aphorus, is crowned King.
Location
Chronicle City -
1021 AE
The Campaign Begins
Welcome to The Chords of Chaos.
