The Fifth Age

The Fifth Age

The Age of Heroes
There is some debate amongst scholars about when the Age of Heroes officially began. Most seem to agree that it began sometime between the rise of the Heroes and the collapse of the Arr Mountains. On the historical scale, these points occur very close together, anyway. After these points, the world began to change rapidly.
The tales of the Heroes spread across the land and they attracted followers seeking to emulate the objects of their worship. Moreover, time proved that the Heroes did not age or die and today, 200 years later, there are still rumors that the Heroes live on. Their cults have grown in such popularity that in major cities on the planet there are temples dedicated to the Heroes staffed by clerics and paladins whose divine power rivals that of the druids. As a result of this, and of the message spread by Mar, there is a sect of druids called Marites who often (but not always) cross-train as both druids and clerics. Marites believe that the Celestials are not who the “traditional” druids claim them to be. Despite this theological disagreement, druids of both traditions have more in common than not and still seek to protect the natural world. Shortly after the collapse of the Arr Mountains, the first monk achieved her long-sought state of perfection. She is called “Outsider” by her pupils and while she, too, is rumored to still be alive she rejects worship of both heroes and celestials. In this way, monks believe that all others but Marite Druids who reject the priesthood and bards of the ancient Hyggoth way are deceived.
The line of Gemꜳd Chymer proliferated and the colony of Chymerical Dwarves at Gnō grew. Called “Gnomes” by most, these diminutive dwarves continued to advance their progenitor’s scientific and magical discoveries. One such grandchild of Chymer, Dejnumas, died infamously creating a dimensional portal fueled by Shadows siphoned from beneath Voktegård's crust. The tear in reality killed its creator and belched forth several strange new additions to the people of Voktegard: Halflings, Trolls, giants, Orcs, and several breed of goblinoids arrived in dizzying explosion that sent everyone, including the surviving former residents of Gnō, scattering to every corner of the world. Due to the highly unstable portal there, Gnō is now abandoned and fifty years later the Strangers have integrated into society.
However, the developments of dwarves (chymerical and otherwise) have changed society greatly. The New Dwarven City, built over the site of Aria’s Folly, developed a method of mass producing steel. This allowed for the gnomes around the world to develop steam engines, large scale structures, and a railway system connecting major cities. Other inventions include the steam and hydro-electric generator, lightbulb, telegraph, and black powder. The expansion of technology, commerce, and weapons led to the creation and alliance of various nation-states.