Lore

The Imarel Timeline - by T.A. Saunders ©2009 v1.5
Updates by S. Robles, B. Kellestine, D. Schneider.

Record of Imarel time begins with the conclusion of the War of Twilight, since that is when the Asyndi fell from the grace of the Old Gods and were cursed. It is estimated that several millennia passed before the War of Twilight began, where the Asyndi and Astral Wyrms oversaw the whole of Imarel as a Utopian society. However almost all evidence of that era has been obliterated, forgotten by all but a handful of Dragons, who only know such tales second and perhaps third hand.

From that point, time is a countdown to the other most pivotal event in Imarel history, the Cataclysm of D'Mir that marked the conclusion of the War of the Eternals, the fundamental collapse of the Elvish Nation and the fall of the Shar'Vaire Empire. From that point, time is counted upwards, as a sign of optimism and focus on looking ahead. The separate categories of time are noted in this fashion: BF – Before Fall AC – After Cataclysm. Additionally, Imarel's history is split up into three ages: the Age of Twilight, the Age of Heroes and the current age, the Age of Discord.

Beginning of Time - Shar`Vaire Domination of Tal`Rah

Time Begins – Order and Chaos begin manifesting into entities that wage war across the Cosmos. This War of Gods creates The Universe and with it, Imarel and her two moons, Vocoria and Ishaela. This begins the Age of Twilight and the beginning of life on Imarel.

Age of Twilight – During this time, the first races of Imarel, the Zissah, the Van'Su and the Masar begin populating the world and advancing as cultures. It is thought this age lasted for several millennium, during which time many pivotal events happened that are simply lost to historians, but would eventually unfold into the War of Twilight, which would shape Imarel into the world it is today.

25000 BF – The War of Twilight concludes, ushering in the Age of Heroes. The armies of Chaos are driven back to the Hells at a terrible cost. Hazaad, Champion of the Old Gods and Captain of the Asyndi armies forsakes the Old Gods and falls from their favor. As a result, the Old Gods remove their blessing upon Hazaad at a critical moment in a fight with three Underlords of Chaos. His Asyndi Runeblade, Truth a symbol of the Old Gods and their power is shattered and Hazaad himself is struck down and cursed by the powerful archfiends. Many Asyndi and Astral Wyrms rally to avenge Hazaad and take up his path of separation as the Curse of the Chaos Lords takes hold. The few that remain loyal to the Old Gods are either slain or taken into the Heavens and protected.

24950 BF – A time of scattering begins between the Astral Wyrms and the Asyndi; the Astral Wyrms fall into a great slumber and the Asyndi begin to call themselves Shar'Vaire. Construction of D'Mir begins and is completed within seventeen years. The Sivanoshei, Dwarves and Elementals emerge as races on Ishaela by the grace of Zorah and Kaal's divine will.

18000 BF – Almost all memory of the Astral Wyrms is lost by this point. The Shar'Vaire flourish as a people and establish alliances with the Zissah and the Van'Su; two races they discover in traveling the world. The Shar'Vaire Theocracy is established and it becomes treason to speak the names of the Old Gods with praise. Any Shar'Vaire discovered praying to deities of any kind are summarily executed in public.

10000 BF – After several millennia of sleeping, the Dragons awaken to a changed Imarel. Their dreams have been about gold, wealth and gems and they set out to find these things to hoard. Dragons and Shar'Vaire soon encounter each other for the first time in an age, with each race having forgotten about the other in the passing of time, but a very obvious connection is felt. Alliances are soon made and heavy trade begins between the Shar'Vaire and the Dragons, in the form of ancient lore in exchange for wealth and riches.

8750 BF – Distrust grows in the Draconic community as the Shar'Vaire gain in power faster than the Dragons anticipated, with the sorcerous knowledge they imparted to them. Fear of what their allies are becoming grows as popularity of demon worship grows amongst the Shar'Vaire as a means to increase their sorcerous power. The city of Anthalas is founded and built around shipyards that are quietly constructing a new Shar'Vaire weapon.

8700 BF – A conclave of the Dragons is held. After much debate and turmoil, the decision is made to turn upon the Shar'Vaire after countless discussions and warnings with their once-allies to turn away from this dark path many of them have chosen. The first attack is upon the city of Mithrys, in what would be the beginning battle of the War of Betrayers. Mithrys is burned to the ground though it is believed survivors may have been buried alive under various underground structures, such as basements and cellars. Rumors persist that an entire temple was plunged underground during the fight, lost forever in flame and ash.

8682 BF – The War of Betrayers comes to a close with the Battle of D'Mir. The Shar'Vaire, thought to be defeated, lure the Dragons into false confidence that their defenses have been smashed and their capital is ripe for the taking. Closing in on the city however, the Dragons are slaughtered with a new magic the Shar'Vaire simply call The Radiance. The surviving Dragons flee D'Mir, only to be intercepted by the first Airships to claim the skies of Imarel. Launched from secret shipyards in Anthalas they harrow the Dragons for weeks. Dragons, slow to procreate, never fully recover from the losses suffered at the terrible wrath of the Shar'Vaire.

8680 BF – There is a decisive split in the dragon clans that have settled in the deep woods of what would later be known as Farwind; the Xinntu wish to go into the Great Slumber once more to pass from Shar'Vaire memory and the Xannti that wish to go further out of Shar'Vaire reach in order to rebuild their race and eventually take their vengeance. The result of this debate is a less than amicable parting of ways between the two clans. The Xannti take flight to the distant northern tip of Shalzaar and found the Dragon Enclave, the Xinntu dig great burrows in the vast woods and enter the Great Slumber, with the hope that someday they will be able to return to an Imarel that has forgotten them.

8500 BF – The Shar'Vaire have fully recovered from their losses during the War of Betrayers and with their cities rebuilt and a new fleet of airships constructed, set out on a bloody campaign across Imarel to ensure their dominance across Tal'Rah and beyond. This signifies what many refer to as the Imperial Era of the Shar'Vaire. During this time, the Van'Su are exterminated to the brink of extinction. Shar'Vaire then turned their sights on the Zissah, a race of peaceful lizard-people to the far south of Tal'Rah on the tropical sub-continent of Irys.

In this time, the Xannti Dragons proclaim the entire sub-continent of Tirania as their sovereign territory, much to the dismay of the indigenous race of Van'Su that had been hiding in their ancestral aviaries. The Dragons, having no love for the Shar'Vaire agree to hide the dwindling remains of the peaceful bird people, in exchange for what amounts to eternal slavery.

8481 BF – By this time the Zissah are all but destroyed as a people, leaving the Shar'Vaire the dominant race on Imarel, with Dragons either slumbering or plotting their revenge,and the Van'Su all but wiped from existence. More powerful airships are built, Witchfire that was taken from Zissah conquest is adapted and means of effective planar travel is learned from Van'Su conquest. This knowledge is incorporated in a variety of ways, though mostly with military application.