Legends of Belariath
History of the Empire
Timeline of the known Empire
Recently given access to the Emperors private archives, Nicholas has been working to sort out the piles of dusty scrolls, parchments, books, and discarded panties. After much sneezing and scribbling down of possible future blackmail material, he managed to put together the following information - published here for your amusement, edification, and of course, viewing pleasure.
Age of Chaos
No information possible
Age of the Titans
Creation of the World by the Titans
Age of the New Gods
Creation of the Known Humanoid Races by the New Gods
Battle between Titans and New Gods
Titans Defeated
New Gods largely withdraw from direct day to day intervention in man’s affairs
Elven leader Veldrin’s betrayal – flees into the underground Nethergloom. The bound goddess Kirva is freed and the darkelven race is created
Kin War between Moriel and surface-dwelling elves decimates the elven populations
Sundering of the surface-dwelling elves into High-elves and Sylvan Elves
Age of Man
Primitive living conditions – struggle for mere survival
Individuals band together in groups and villages under common interests / race
More formal organization with oppression of opponents / slaughter of the defiant
Centuries of conflict and battle in escalating amounts
Two major forces finally coalesce – armies from the southern ‘second continent’ conquering and holding the three land bridges to the ‘first and third’ continents
‘Final Battle’ – 5000 years ago
Armies of the North pushed back and with the death of their leader, utterly demoralized
An individual arises from the ranks and with apparent divine intervention rallies the northern armies and routs the southern ones. The individual who had rallied the northern army became known as Stormbringer. A fortress was built on the site of the ‘Final Battle’ and became known as Sturmtsalise. This slowly grew and became the center of Stormbringer’s Empire.
Golden Years – A time of relative calm and prosperity
New Gods take renewed interest in the affairs of Man
Appearance of Katarein – a being of great power
Appearance of the white tower – "on a spot twenty-one days walk northwest of Sturmtsalise" Eventually became what we know today as Unigo.
Conflict between Sturntsalise and Unigo eventually ending with a truce
Magic and arcane learning begins at the tower – a time of relative peace and prosperity ensues
Katarein becomes deified by followers and known as Goddess of Magic
Mysterious disappearance of Katarein and soon after disappearance of the Emperor Stormbringer
Without strong leadership, a slow return of conflict / strife
Centuries go by - Sturmtsalise falls to ruin in neglect and the ravages of time. History of the former time of glory becomes tales then legends, then fables, and finally bedtime stories. The Golden Age of Belariath fades from memory.
About 150 years ago, the floating continent appears in the skies above Belariath. Within a year, the folk who populate it, the Magi, show themselves.
New Beginnings
An unknown individual rallied and united the barely surviving folk in a region of forest not far from Unigo. Land was cleared and the Lonely Inn constructed. It became the base of operations for a new unifying force. Some stability was locally gained and this expanded to neighboring lands. The new Warlord became known as Stormbringer and within 20 years, his fledgling empire expands to roughly one thousand miles in every direction from the Inn.
The Town of Nanthalion grows up around the Inn and becomes the center of the new Empire.
A new Palace Keep was constructed and Stormbringer relocates the center of his power there. He begins court life by bonding his consort as wife and hiring a few locals as staff.
Valencia is discovered and conquered by Imperial forces. It is quickly assimilated into the Empire and a Viceroy is appointed by Stormbringer to rule it.
It is now the 25th year of Stormbringer’s reign (Earth year 2007)