134 lines
No EOL
7.7 KiB
Markdown
134 lines
No EOL
7.7 KiB
Markdown
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## **0. Ancient Period (Before ~1,000 F.A.)**
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[[A History of the Ancient Period]]
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- **The Ancients:** A vanished civilization of unmatched magitech mastery and architectural marvels (floating cities, subterranean networks) whose knowledge shaped the world’s foundations.
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- **Key Elements:**
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- Sentient [[Automatons]] with true consciousness wandering since that time.
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- Cataclysmic event(s), including the Great Vortex in the Shallow Sea, leaving the continent in a spiral shape.
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- Ancient glyphs and lost languages ([[Old Tongue]]) confound modern scholars.
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- **Mysteries and Theories:**
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- Did the Ancients fall by war, experimentation, or else vanish intentionally?
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- Were automatons originally autonomous rulers or tools?
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- What power or entity is sealed beneath the ruins?
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---
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## **1. First Age (~1 – 2,700 F.A.)**
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[[The First Age of Baltun'ia]]
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- **Key Themes:** Dawn of civilization, emergence of mortal races, first mastery of magic, unsettled wild lands.
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- **Important Developments:**
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- Early settlements grow into city-states — [[Tirn’ael]] (Elven enclave), [[Kordrumm]] (first dwarven stronghold), Hearthhollow (halfling trade hub), Arcane Halls (gnome workshops).
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- [[The First Council of Elders]] establishes peaceful accords and negotiation frameworks.
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- Magic codified by mystics such as [[Mireth Silverbranch]].
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- Dwarven engineering flourishes under figures like [[Durnhelm the Builder]] with creation of the Deep Roads.
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- **Concluding Event:**
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- The War of Unification leads by [[King Rangrim the Unyielding]]; dwarven conquest culminating in the fall of free peoples and start of dwarven empire rule.
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- **Key Figures:**
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- Mireth Silverbranch (Elf, magic codifier)
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- Durnhelm the Builder (Dwarf, engineer)
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- King Rangrim the Unyielding (Dwarf, conqueror)
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---
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## **2. Second Age (2,700 – 3,500 S.A.)**
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[[The Second Age as recorded]]
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- **Key Themes:** Dwarven imperial hegemony, technological expansion, oppression, and eventual rebellion.
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- **Highlights:**
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- Establishment of the Dwarven Empire with capital Kordrumm; Iron Laws impose harsh control over non-dwarves; automatons deployed extensively as enforcers.
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- Increasing suppression leads to resistance: Exile of Elven mystics, gnomish & halfling economic strangling, Deep Roads restricted.
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- Key figures like [[King Haldrek the Stern]] continue enforcement, while [[Thrain Runebinder]] advances war machines.
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- Rise of covert resistance: [[Veylin Stonefury]] founds the [[Shadowforged]] to sabotage infrastructure, champion automaton rights.
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- **The Revolt of the Free Peoples:**
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- Multi-racial alliance of elves, halflings, gnomes, rebellious dwarves fight a century-long war culminating in the Siege of Kordrumm and collapse of empire (3199 S.A.).
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- Famous battles: Battle of the Weald, Siege of Ord Karag, Fall of Drath Karzul.
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- **Aftermath:**
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- Conference of Peace dissolves empire; city-states emerge; forced labor outlawed but enforcement spotty.
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- **Notable Personalities:**
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- Veylin Stonefury (Shadowforged leader)
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- [[Elessara Moonveil]] (Elven resistance commander)
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- [[Kaelor Blackbrook]] (Halfling merchant king)
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- **Locations of Note:**
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- Kordrumm (dwarven capital)
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- [[Drath Karzul]] (war machine forge city)
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- [[The Bastion of Ord Karag]] (fortified stronghold)
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---
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## **3. Third Age (3,500 – 7,500 A.F.)**
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[[The Third Age a brief history]]
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- **Key Themes:** Renewal, cultural flourishing, arcane and mercantile growth, rise of integrated city-states.
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- **Developments:**
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- Widespread rebuilding as races govern themselves in multi-racial city-states and freeholds.
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- The Freehold Accords establish tentative peace and cooperation among cities.
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- The Great Famine challenges society but ultimately leads to new economic models and migration.
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- Emergence of merchant guilds, arcane assemblies, military companies; integration rather than racial kingdoms.
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- The Artisan Renaissance: cultural and magical art bloom, the foundation of modern arcane knowledge with institutions like the [[Arcane Concord]].
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- **Political Climate:**
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- Increasing tension between city-states and factions vying for power. Cold wars and espionage become prominent.
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- **Closing Moment:**
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- The arrival of humans breaks Baltun’ia’s long isolation, triggering the Fourth Age.
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- **Regions and Cities:**
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- [[Jessergate]], [[Weinmark]], [[Dragabri]] emerge as key centers.
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- **Legacy:**
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- Enduring institutions, cultural blending, and groundwork for modern politics.
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---
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## **4. Fourth Age (1 H.E. – Present ~451 H.E.)**
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[[A History of the Fourth Age]]
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- **Key Themes:** Expansion, industrialization, ideological conflict, and magitech renaissance.
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- **Subdivisions:**
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### Early Fourth Age (1 – 150 H.E.)
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- Human settlement spreads fast, upsetting old power balances.
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- Emergence of political parties: [[Vexen Overview|Vexen]] (capitalist, pro-automation elites) and [[Belter Overview|Belters]] (labor-focused, anti-automaton).
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- Social tensions flare with xenophobia, economic competition.
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### Middle Fourth Age (151 – 350 H.E.)
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- The Shadowforged resistance arises, fighting against automaton repression and Reclamation Sites.
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- Urban uprisings and labor wars between Belters, Vexen interests, and mercenary forces.
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- Arcane Concord revives ancient magics and leyline research.
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- Ancient ruins rediscovered, sparking new rivalries and adventures.
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- Political blocs and inter-racial tensions simmer, sporadic proxy conflicts emerge.
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### Late Fourth Age (351 – Present)
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- Fragile peace holds despite simmering factional unrest.
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- Shadowforged continue covert resistance but face increased surveillance.
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- Magitech advances blur organic and mechanical lines; automatons gain greater self-awareness and demand rights.
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- Expansionist colonial ventures push beyond Baltun’ia as explorers seek lost Ancient technologies and new lands.
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- Societal challenges include inequality, economic instability, and philosophical debates about identity and coexistence.
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---
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### **Depending on Your Campaign Needs, You May Expand or Focus On:**
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- Political intrigue in Jessergate (Belters vs Vexen, Vexen party’s near half-control of offices).
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- The Shadowforged’s push against Automaton Reclamation Sites.
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- Lost Ancients’ technology—ruins, automatons, arcane machines, leyline power.
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- Inter-racial relations and integration vs traditional ethnic tensions.
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- Economic powerhouses (Benton Brothers Banking, major trade cities like [[Haffol]] and [[Voxiu]]).
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- Regional histories and cultures of key provinces (Dragabri, [[Falduhir]], [[The Weald|Weald]], [[Verdant Isle]]).
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---
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# Quick Navigation & Reference
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| Age | Approximate Dates | Key Focus | Key Figures / Locations |
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| ---------- | ----------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- |
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| Ancient | Pre-1,000+ F.A. | Lost Ancients, Automatons | Great Vortex, Automatons, Old Tongue |
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| First Age | ~1–2,700 F.A. | Early Civilizations, Magic Emerges, Dwarven Conquest | Mireth Silverbranch, King Rangrim, Kordrumm, Tirn’ael |
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| Second Age | 2,700–3,500 S.A. | Dwarven Empire, Oppression & Rebellion | Veylin Stonefury, Elessara Moonveil, Siege of Kordrumm |
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| Third Age | 3,500–7,500 A.F. | Renewal, City-States, Arcane Growth | Freehold Accords, Artisan Renaissance, Rise of Humans |
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| Fourth Age | 1 H.E.–451 H.E. | Expansion, Industry, Automation, Resistance | Vexen party, Belters, Shadowforged, Automatons, Ancient Ruins | |