A Brief History of the World
Creation of Werlyth (450000 BC - 100000 BC)
Creating the Planet
Around 450000 years(1) before the Cataclysm (BC), Ord began their Blessed project, attempting to create the perfect world for life. This was the latest in a long string of 'perfect worlds', the culmination of millennia of creation. First Ord created a star to provide warmth and light for this project, the star Altair burst into life after some small work of 20000 years. After 60000 years of carefully sculpting the world body itself, Ord painstakingly crafted the World Heart mechanism over the next 20000 years and placed it in the centre of the planet along with the small army of Modrons required to keep it in working order. Soluna, briefly leaving her hiding place, introduced a small amount of chaos to the World Heart in order to keep it from becoming too orderly. With these in place, Werlyth began to move, spinning on it's axis and orbiting the large star it was created near, to keep the axis stable Ord forms two large polar ice caps. Werlyth orbits this star every 336 days (resulting in a calendar of 12 months of 28 days each).
Pleased with the work done so far, Ord then took the time to create twin moons to keep the planet company in it's orbit, the larger blue moon Keller and it's own orbiting yellow moon Porus. Ord's requirement for perfection meant that they spent another 50000 years tinkering with the orbit of these two bodies and with some subtle whispering from Soluna settled on a 28 day orbit for Keller while it's companion Porus orbits it every 6 months (168 days)
Ord had not being idlily tinkering though all this time and had already planned out the continents for their Blessed races to live on.
Creating the Continents
Between 300000 BC and 290000 BC Ord crafted the continent of Sulawei, a large continent spanning a large number of biomes from a frozen tundra in the north, to a desert and savannah in the far south. Carefully placed mountains ranges split the continent in half. Created to be a cradle of all sorts of life, Sulawei was lush in it's plains and forests with a vast jungle occupying a western peninsula. Even the desert was crafted to be conducive to life itself with plentiful water beneath the ground.
For years between 290000 BC and 240000 BC, the task of shaping Kahlens consumed Ord. A continent consisting mostly of harsh deserts, from scrubland semideserts to sandy dunes proved difficult for Ord to balance with the needs of life. Too much water from rivers and lakes would erode the deserts and too little would make the land too inhospitable. After many years of tinkering with this Ord managed to find a balance between greenery on the Western and Southern coasts, oases in the deserts and a river delta in the north providing just enough life giving material to be hard but fair.
With the lessons from Sulawei and Kahlens, Ord was able to create Lathlenn in a much more orderly 20000 years between 240000 BC and 220000 BC. A verdant continent created around a central peak that towered over the remaining lands, Lathlenn was mostly uniform in it's climate and biomes save some minor desertification of the South-Eastern peninsula shielded by mountains. Ord created Lathlenn with the plan of life spreading from the central peak with mountain ranges to try and potentially direct the spread of life.
Over the next 40000 years (220000 BC - 180000 BC), Ord laboured over the Corind Archipelago. Originally, Corind was a more cohesive landmass of thick jungles and active volcanoes, however, after some over enthusiastic interference by Soluna the over abundance of seismic activity lead to catastrophic imbalances and the continent was torn apart by rampant eruptions and earthquakes. Ord watched this process impassively and as if this was all by design, shaped some of the remaining large landmasses to be more balanced and toned down some of the volcanoes. Now pleased with the collection of thousands of islands, large and small, Ord moved on
From 180000 BC until 150000 BC, Ord slowly forged the Forgyth Islands, consisting of two large landmasses and several smaller islands forming a string of land between the two larger islands. One island formed as a frozen wasteland, a seemingly inhospitable place, full of mountains and frozen glaciers. Howling winds batter the peaks at all hours. The other larger island is formed as an almost flat tundra. Ord seemed to not spend much time in the forging of these lands, long swathes of time between shaping of these lands. Almost as if bored, Ord left the Forgyth Islands after 30000 years.
The formation of Shrouded Talgen between 150000 BC and 100000 BC proved to be the most difficult of the continent projects for Ord. A large swampy morass covers the majority of the continent, a collection of many rivers, swamps, bogs and thick forest give the land an eerie atmosphere. A large mountain range spanning from the East coast to the Northern shore holds back a high altitude glacial mass, breakage and melt causing a large number of waterfalls and rivers to cascade down the mountains to the lower lands below. The thick canopy of the trees across the land keeps the temperatures in the swamps much higher than expected and the air heavy with a near constant fog.
This marked the end of Ords creation of continents at this time. A massive expanse of water stretched around the world between the Western shore of Sulawei and the Eastern shores of Shrouded Talgen and the Corind Archipelago
The Genesis of Life
With the land masses in place, Ord began the next part of their Blessed project. Ord first went from continent to continent, placing animals and plants, shaping the environments to suit each and monitoring the progress of each over the next 50000 years. The lands grew wild and free and each living things adapted to and adjusted the land to their needs. With this completed, Ord worked on creating their Blessed Races and putting them in the lands that had been sculpted for them.
Elvenkind was created and placed in the deep forests of Northern Sulawei in the year 54721 BC, placed near to the mountains and the inland sea. Created to be the ideal of finesse over power Ord instilled the Elves with the desire to shape their environment to beautify it and themselves. The Elves accomplished this through a unique blend of industry and nature, using their magic to combine the two rather than simply enhance nature itself.
After the Elves, Ord created Orcishkind in Southern Sulawei, amongst the savannahs and deserts, in 52366 BC. Born to be the embodiment of power and stamina, the eternal hunters, Ord carefully curated Orcishkind's connection to the land and a semi-nomadic lifestyle with a desire to form strong bonds. This manifested in strong family and tribal allegiances in the Orc, Hobgoblin and Goblin clans which had an unfortunate side effect of making war between these clans unfortunately common. Orcs became less nomadic in the wake of these early wars and focused on fortifications, Hobgoblins became more nomadic, preferring to wander the steppes and savannah and not provide easy targets and Goblins went underground, creating opportunities to take advantage of their stealth and numbers to strike from unseen quarters.
In 41800 BC, the Mac'Tirnen were born in North-Eastern Kahlens. Near the Mar Beatha the wolf-like humanoids were settled initially. Ord had created the Mac'Tirnen to be the ideal of social cohesion, strong family, neighbour and racial ties defined them and were necessary to survive in this harsh land. The Mac'Tirnen built out quickly, thriving through all the challenges of living in the deep desert, developing a matriarchal society that revered elder female leaders as the givers of life. Short gestation periods and large litters soon resulted in a large variety in the size, shape and looks of the Mac'Tirnen. Mac'Tirnen society soon turned to making child bearing a more sacred act resulting in a lowering number of births per year, staving off overpopulation and famine.
Some thousands of years later, in 35922 BC, Ord created Dwarvenkind as well as Gnomes and Halflings and placed them in Western Kahlens, in the shadow of the mountains that lead from the coast to the inland sea and then down to the Southern coast. Ord wanted these races to embrace the land, created with the ideals of working the land, the enjoyment of good sturdy craftsmanship and enjoying life. Dwarves took to the farmlands with vigour and soon were working wonders with the fertile lands, Halflings and Gnomes began to explore the hills and mountains, with the Halflings preferring the hills and gnomes delving deep into the mountains. Gnomes became master smiths and engineers, Halflings became masters of carpentry and homesteading while the Dwarves continued their pursuit of the perfect produce.
It wasn't long before Ord turned back to the Corind Archipelago and in 29549 BC amongst the wild jungles and shifting shores he places the Tabaxi, the very idea of adventure and carefree attitude made manifest. Ord made sure to scatter the Tabaxi amongst as many of the islands as possible, to give them room to grow before their adventurous nature lead to the extinction of the whole race. It didn't take long for the Tabaxi to embrace their nature and look for ways to escape their island confines and with this desire came the invention of boats and then ships allowing the Tabaxi to truly live the ideal of adventurous. Merchants, Pirates and Piratehunters soon filled the waterways between and around the islands. When Ord took note of this they devised some subtle illusions between the continents to prevent any of the sea separated races from interacting until the Blessed had all been placed and had their footholds established.
With these illusions in place, in 15932 BC, Ord created Humankind and placed them at the foot of Mount Camborn, the immense peak at the center of Lathlenn, it's heights hidden behind the clouds. Humankind is created with no particular ideals, a blank slate on which to inscribe their own ideals on which to work. For the first several thousand years, humans do not leave the lands around Camborn, only spreading so far as to keep the peak in sight, which they seem to revere. In 12678 BC, a tribe of humans is taken by Azak the Collector but worried that Ord might notice, Azak drops the human tribe on Shrouded Talgen and quietly retreats back to their cosmic vaults. A brutal dictatorship subjugates most of the human race in 12301 BC, excepting those that have begun to leave the Camborn lands through mountain passes, preventing any expansion and the regimes suppression of any dissent, real or imagined, results in tens of thousands of deaths shrinking the population.
Uplifting of the Gods
While Ord was creating races and filling the lands of Werlyth with life, history marched on and the existing races and creatures moved and changed. As the Blessed Races grew and expanded, Ord monitored them for paragons of the instilled ideals. When one of those Paragons is found, Ord uplifts them to Godhood and imbues them with the power to guide their race, empower their clerics and perform minor miracles.
Elven Gods
46798 BC - The Elf Laucian Castwind creates the methodology behind Mechanomancy, the infusion of magic, industry and nature to create mechanomagical creations that would in time revolutionise Elven society, and is uplifted by Ord as Krellin, the Elven God of Artisanship.
38719 BC - Deep in the mines that feeds the Elvish society with the precious metals it needs and desires, the Elf Casie Trillian successfully fuses gold and silver to create the alloy of electrum, this new alloy gave the artisans new life in a period of war and stagnation, Casie is uplifted by Order as Aiwin, the Elven God of Industry
37423 BC - War with the Orcish races had been ongoing for nearly 2500 years, though it was certainly less hot than it had been in the first 500, skirmishes and even full scale battles were still occurring. In this environment Prince Galen stole into Orcish lands and through cunning diplomacy and shrewd negotiation managed to secure a lasting peace, which was largely at odds with Elven policy at the time. In the very citadel where this peace was sign, Ord uplifted Prince Galen as Isarrel, the Elven God of Elegance and Nobility
19414 BC - At this time, Elven society had fractured somewhat based on what particular groups had been doing since the creation of the race, the Wood Elves eschewed Mechanomancy and tried to live in quiet harmony with nature itself, the High Elves whom embraced all the fruits of their society and the Drow (or Dark Elves) who worked mostly in the mines and mountains. In 19450 BC, a massive explosion collapsed a mine under the northern mountain ranges trapping several hundred Drow. Quelenna Gemflower refused to give up on her people and when it became clear that escape was unlikely, organised the remaining Elves to build shelter, farm lichen and mushrooms and generally build and maintain a society in the dark. They thrived and during a council meeting, some 36 years after the event, Ord uplifted Quelenna as Uthoras, the Elven God of Mountains and Caves. Drow primarily revere Uthoras.
Orcish Gods
49176 BC - War was common between Orcs, Hobgoblins and Goblins, as strong tribal attachments led to fierce rivalries. Kegth Axekeeper, a Hobgoblin warlord was renowned for his honour and strength in combat. At a massive battlefield, between 6 clans of various races, Kegth issued an honourable challenge to the other 5 warlords. He would take them all on, one at a time in order to settle this war without massive bloodshed. The other 5 warlords secretly conspired to fight him all at once. On the day of the battle, Kegth approached the field and was met in combat by all 5 warlords, and summarily defeated them all. His advisors pleaded with him to slaughter the rival tribes for such treachery but Kegth refused and in the midst of 5 corpses as he was honouring their passing with rites Ord uplifted him as Kegth, the Orcish God of Honour
38901 BC - After some long term peace between the various tribes of Orcishkind, in 39923 BC, the Elves broke through the mountain pass and began to wage war upon the Orcs. At the fortress of Garhek, a siege lasting 40 years began. The massive Elven army rebuked any reinforcements that attempting to relieve the fortress but could not breech it's walls. Yotol Rockhand spent every night of that siege on the walls, fighting back wave after wave of Elvish invaders, even as her companions fell to their blades. In the final days of the siege, as Yotol and Mahzeg were amongst the final surviving orcs, fighting from the inner chambers of the fortress, before the final swing could finish her, Ord uplifted her as Yotol, the Orcish God of Endurance
38901 BC - During the siege of Garhek, the fortress siege master Mahzeg Garhek (grandson of the fortress designer) devised all manner of fortifications, traps and passageways that would allow the Orcs to hold out for 40 long years. It was in the last year of the siege, that Mahzeg singlehandedly dug out the escape tunnel that allowed a large group of Orcs to escape, collapsing the tunnel behind them and refusing to leave his beloved fortress. In a last ditch attempt to prevent the fortresses complete loss, as Yotol was uplifted, Mahzeg triggered the room collapse which caused the entire inner fortress to collapse inwards, killing hundreds of Elves. Ord plucked Mahzeg from that collapse and uplifted him as Mahzeg, the Orcish God of Fortifications
21670 BC - In the wake of a Goblin warlord wiping out multiple clans of Goblins and Hobgoblins, Dura Texee is a lone Goblin wandering the plains, living off of whatever she can find. Dura comes across a few survivors of attacks and taking them under her wing, she nurses them back to health and teaches them to survive on the plains. After some time Dura has now developed a large following of fellow refugees, moving across the plains until they come across the Goblin warlords camp. Vowing revenge for her situation, she uses her knowledge of the plains to set a few fires and force the camp to rout and in the ensuing chaos, in a disguise made from plains wheat and grass, cuts the throat of the warlord, ending his reign of terror. Ord uplifts her as Dura, the Orcish God of the Plains
Mac'Tirnen Gods
40380 BC - Very soon after the Mac'Tirnen were created, surviving in the harsh deserts of Kahlens, Bhioctoria was the matriarch of a small group. In what was considered a blessing, all 4 women of the group became with pup at the same time however tragedy struck when the other 3 of the mothers died in during birth leaving Bhioctoria to raise a litter of 21. Despite the hardship of keeping 21 pups fed and sheltered, Bhioctoria refused to give up and worked alongside the men to gather enough food and supplies to keep all 21 alive and when they were able to fend for themselves and help the family, Ord uplifted Bhioctoria as Anymine, the Mac'Tirnen God of Family
35811 BC - As Mac'Tirnen societies grew, and along them the families and clans associated, so too did strife and it was becoming increasingly common for groups to fall to war especially between those considered "Purebred" (whose features are all similar in the clan and promoted) and "Mut" (where features are more varied between individuals). It was in this rising conflict that Ceana, Matriarch of a Purebred clan began her great work of unifying Mac'Tirnen society into one empire, this took many decades and to prove her dedication to unification joined her clan with a Mut clan whose matriarch had passed without successor. After a long campaign that was ultimately successful, the Cean Empire was born and as Ceana was ready to pass with her daughter succeeding her, Ord uplifted Ceana as Metensia, the Mac'Tirnen God of Society
33899 BC - Helleboris Deserts
14145 BC - Petira Survival
Tabaxi Gods
Kinsey
Adelia
Pelagia
Kae
Dwarven Gods
Jasosul
Shetres
Odesul
Agudo
The death of Kae (Tabaxi God) and Anymine (MacTirnen God) by the hands of Elves (a plot masterminded by Gieth) - 440061 (11762 BC)
Ords return and anger at the actions of his creations - 440061
Ord begins the cleansing of Ord-blessed races through a planet wide spell - 440061
Soluna intervenes but only manages to save Lathlenn - 440061
Azak intervenes and secrets away all Ord-blessed races to his cosmic vaults, held there in stasis - 440061
Humankind flourishes and spreads throughout Lathlenn - 445000~ (6823 BC)
Kingdoms rise and fall and haughty explorers disappear when attempting to breach the mistwall leftover from the cleansing - 445000~
A small spit of Sulawei is found and the kingdom of Perl is founded there - 451797 (26 BC - Before Cataclysm)
A ritual in Perl resurrects Kae and Anymine, this breaks the cleansing wall and summons back the Primordials - 451823 (0 CR/TR - Cataclysm Reckoning (Human Calendar) / The Return (Elven/Orc Calendar))
Azak places back all the stasis'd creatures - 451823 (0 CR - Cataclysm Reckoning)
Ord and Soluna arrive to monitor, Soluna attempts to keep Ord in check - 451823 (0 CR - Cataclysm Reckoning)
Ord strengthens the Aetherial connection of the planet by attempting to make his chosen Gods more powerful, resulting in even stronger access to magic for all inhabitants of Werlyth and creating areas of wild magic where magic was already very strong - 451831 (8 CR - Cataclysm Reckoning)
Today! (~50 CR/TR)
- Years here refers to Werlyth years, rather than some cosmological constant.