A Treatise on the Ages of Veth'arden

A Treatise on the Ages of Veth’arden
As compiled by the Sage-Ecclesiarch Galwyn of Lightmoor, Keeper of the Seven Tomes
Preface
Herein lie the chronicles of our world, Veth’arden, shaped in primordial times by the Aeons themselves. Much that follows is pieced together from fragments of ancient texts, oral traditions passed through the generations, and the closely guarded knowledge held by a few scholarly enclaves.
Though the exact years and events are contested in some quarters, most accept the broad strokes of what I have assembled. May this record serve as both a warning and an inspiration for those who would delve into the grand tapestry of our shared past.
The Age of First Light
Approximate Duration: 3000 years
Key Elements:
Creation and Verdancy: At its dawn, the Aeons molded a barren rock into a verdant realm. The new planet, soon named Veth’arden, teemed with life under their guidance.
Aeons Walk Among Mortals: The gods themselves, in all their splendor, were said to walk openly upon the land. Their footprints formed sacred places, their words wrought miracles.
The Corruption of Kalenroth: One of their number, Kalenroth, grew jealous and twisted by negativity. His corruption forced the other Aeons to band together, creating lesser deities to aid them.
The Twin Moon Lumina: Kalenroth was sealed within a newly made twin moon—Lumina—which became tainted by his presence. Its eerie red glow remains an enduring reminder of his malice.
The Aeons’ Withdrawal: Realizing their influence could warp the world, and that mortal will could in turn affect them, the Aeons withdrew from direct involvement. Henceforth, they acted only through dreams, visions, and the power of prayer.
“We felt the Aeons’ warmth fade away, like distant sunlight lost behind heavy clouds…” — Fragment of the Hymn to the Broken Moon
The Age of Severance
(Often called the Days of Silence)
Approximate Duration: 2000 years
Key Elements:
A World Without Gods’ Guidance: Mortals awakened to a stark reality: the comforting presence of the Aeons was silent, though their influence lingered in subtle ways.
Rise of the Valestri: In this gap left by divine absence, the High Elves—calling themselves Valestri—rose to ascendancy, their command of aetheric energies shaping their civilization.
Caste and Dominion: A rigid hierarchy placed other races beneath the Valestri. This period saw an era of early invention and consolidation of power—but also brewing resentment.
“We built towers to the heavens, seeking to reclaim lost divinity. But the Aeons left only echoes and we, hubristic, grew deaf to them.” — Attributed to Maerothen the Chronicler
The Age of Aetherium
Approximate Duration: 1500 years
Key Elements:
Technological Zenith: The Valestri harnessed Veth’arden’s aether currents to power marvelous technologies—flying machines, roaming sky-cities, and constructs rivaling the Aeons’ own creations.
Aetheric Corrosion: The relentless drain on the world’s magical flows birthed Aether Voids—areas devoid of magic that siphoned vital energy from creatures and land alike.
Cataclysm Avoided by Dragons: As the world stood on the brink of collapse, the Dragons intervened, enacting a grand ritual to restore and stabilize the aether currents.
Ritual’s Sacrifice: Many dragons perished; the survivors became sterile. The trauma birthed lesser dragonkin—wyverns, drakes, and other draconic varieties.
Seven True Dragons Remain: These seven, imbued with eternal guardianship, watch over Veth’arden still.
Kalenroth’s Seal Weakens: During this tumult, Kalenroth stirred within Lumina. He spawned the Arbiters—embodiments of sin—leading to another great conflict.
The 13 Legendary Heroes: Mortal champions arose, defeated the Arbiters, and sealed Kalenroth’s essence into a cursed blade, the Sinblade, which was shattered into seven pieces and scattered across the lands.
“When wings of fire darkened the sky, so too did they save us from ourselves, searing away our hubris in a single cleansing act.” — From The Hymnal of the Delgarrod

The Age of Ruin
Approximate Duration: 1500 years
Key Elements:
Aftermath of the Ritual: The grand dragonic magic rewrote the flow of aether, resetting the world. Much advanced knowledge collapsed under the strain of new realities.
Fading Valestri Dominance: The once-mighty Val’thanis Empire of the High Elves lost its grip; across centuries, power struggles, rebellions, and resource shortages led to its downfall.
Exile Beyond the Fey Gates: In the final blow, the Valestri were forced through the ancient Fey portals and barred from returning, severing them from their homeland.
Buried Technologies: Ruins of aetheric machines and the secrets of the Age of Aetherium sank into myth. Even the memory of this brilliance grew fragmented and dim.
“Proud spires crashed into dust, and the great Elven lords found themselves outcasts in realms they once considered myth.” — Ruinfall Chronicles, Valestri exile text
The Age of Emberlight
(Current Age, ~450 years in)
Key Elements:
A World in Renewal: With the Valestri exiled, new civilizations and powers rise. Old prejudices smolder, but there is fresh opportunity for unity and growth.
Kindling of Progress: Knowledge, though scant, is being reclaimed. The flame of invention is sparked anew, albeit far from the wonders of the lost ages.
A Cautious Hope: The memory of catastrophic aetheric exploitation lingers. Mages, artificers, and scholars experiment with caution, recalling the warnings of ruin.
Shadows of the Past: Whispers of Kalenroth’s Sinblade fragments persist. Many fear the unsealing of that ancient evil, should the scattered shards ever be united again.
“Ours are but embers now, yet let them be stoked into flames not of pride, but of shared destiny.” — Inscription upon the Torch of Dawn, City of Brighthearth
Epilogue: Whispers Through the Ages
In this, our 450th year of Emberlight, the record of centuries past is woefully incomplete. The few surviving texts from as far back as the Age of Ruin are rare and contested, often locked away in sealed vaults or neglected among the crumbling remnants of fallen cities. As for the epoch-shaping inventions of the Age of Aetherium, they exist for most only as myth; scholars debate their veracity, and priests caution that unbridled curiosity may only birth further catastrophe.
Still, from the archives of old imperial libraries to the hidden scrolls of druidic enclaves, fragments of our history persist. If such knowledge can be gathered—if the guardians of each era remain vigilant—then perhaps we need not wander into the same darkness that once nearly consumed us.
Thus do we carry these chronicles forward, ever mindful of the lessons they impart.
Compiled in the 450th Year of Emberlight, under the auspices of the Seven Surviving Dragons and in reverence to the Aeons beyond mortal sight.