I've included the map of Axeoth here for convenience, made by Marzhin. I hope he doesn't mind me doing so. I'm not certain about the name of the Heroes IV continent, so following the map's example, I refer to it as Lodwar.
If you'd like a version of the timeline in a clearer format (with pretty colours, whoopee) I'd advise you to download or view it at this link:
http://thespinwardtales.wikispaces.com/ ... Axeoth.rtf
Without further ado...
B.C. = Before the Great Cataclysm
A.C. = After the Great Cataclysm
? B.C. Convergence of the Elements
The four elements converge in the Void, creating the world of Axeoth. Life is born, and the continents are formed.
? B.C. The Crossing
The Ancients seed the world of Axeoth with humanoid races. Civilisations gradually begin to sprout across the continents.
ca 968 B.C. Arrival of the Elves
The Creators succeed in destroying one of the Ancient-colonized worlds, and the first Elves (among some other races) arrive on Axeoth through portals from this destroyed planet. Throughout the years they will populate the continents and divide into fourteen seperate Clans, each with their own customs and traditions. Their main bastion is Etendar, the kingdom of the Elves in Rysh.
ca 659 B.C. The Great War
Escaton the Destroyer is sent by the Ancients to trap the Kreegan Vanguard upon Axeoth inside an astral landmark known as the Tomb of a Thousand Terrors using a Guardian "instrument" known as the Staff of Blue Light. A bitter war ensues, in which Escaton claims victory, though the Kreegans who escaped his trap reach a Nexus connected to the Web of Worlds and manage to undo it, causing the "Silence" of the Ancients which affects all planets in the Spinward Rim. After the war Escaton passes the Staff of Blue Light on to the Red Dwarves of Rysh.
500-0 B.C. Dia Clan Era
Ursanian Empire expeditionary forces discover the land of Cheh'dian, the land of the Dia Clan, in Rysh. Skirmishes take place between small groups of Humans and Half-Orcs. Cheh'dian, or Chedian, is mapped by Ursanians.
? B.C. The Ursanian Empire is Forged
Hubris, the future original Ursanian Emperor, begins to forge his Empire.
225 B.C. Death of Emperor Integris
The Ursanian Emperor, Integris (also known as the Suicidal Emperor), finally manages to kill himself.
ca 200 B.C. The Rise of Verhoffin
A sorcerer, using the name "Verhoffin", constructs a large tower in a remote province near the centre of the Ursanian Empire. He proclaims the tower as an independant, sovereign province. Emperor Ralfor and his successors later mount many unsuccessful campaigns against Verhoffin.
23 B.C. Jevar Sets Out
Jevar the Bastard, the illegitamite son of Emperor Trandis, sets out to destroy his father's empire.
ca 10 B.C. Nazrim's Quest
The Ursanian Emperor, Trandis, assigns a master assasin named Nazrim to kill the sorcerer Verhoffin. Nazrim spends the next ten years commisioning magical artefacts and training in order to prepare for the monumental task ahead.
0 B.C. The Great Cataclysm
Nazrim attempts to assassinate Verhoffin, but fails. In response, Verhoffin climbs to the top of his tower and casts the Eye of the Storm spell. His magics ravage the lands around his tower for thousands of miles, summoning earthquakes, tearing the earth asunder and destroying numerous Ursanian cities. The Verhoffin Sea is thus formed, and the Elven kingdom of Etendar along with the city of At'rann is claimed by the waves.
13 A.C. Fall of the Ursanian Empire
Jevar the Bastard finally slays his father, the Ursanian Emperor Trandis. The Empire finally falls apart after this event.
73-75 A.C. Minespring's Fall
Ichvan I attempts to convince the dwarven town of Minespring to produce weapons for his army. After two years of refusals, Ichvan sends his Mendossian armies to is raze the town.
ca 100 A.C. Discovery of Elemental Thorjad
Elemental Thorjad, a rare and easily-enchanted metal, is first discovered in the Miner's Gulch region of Thjorgard.
ca 112 A.C. The Early Wars begin
The first four Thjoradric Wars are fought in Rysh. Later in the century, a chief known as Bjarnus the Mighty founds the city of Thjorgard.
238 A.C. The Middle Wars begin
The Jarl of Thjorgard, Hridmir Strawhands, kills his older brother Hafgrim. Their father, Dain Fasoltssen, invades Thjorgard after Hridmir refuses to pay a wergild of 2000 pounds of Elemental Thjorad. Dain conquers Thjorgard after Hridmir flees and holds it for two days before his daughter, Oda, arrives and chases his army from Thjorgard, laying siege to Thronheim. Three wars ensue.
320 A.C. Death of Roj'ere
Roj'ere, the so-called mad scholar who invented many unstable though genius creations, dies.
340 A.C. Death of Sven Bloodaxe
Sven Bloodaxe, the mightiest of the warriors of Sturmford, dies of old age.
350 A.C. Semi-invasion of Thjorgard
Frosgard invades Thjorgard under the leadership of Jarl Olaf the Fat. Wandering off, Olaf is killed by brigands while his army marches towards Thjorgard, and his sword, Jorhgamesh, is stolen. The Frosgardian army is decimated, and the survivors are taken prisoner.
404 A.C. The Final War begins
Thjorgard ceases paying tributes of Elemental Thorjad to Thronheim, under the leadership of Geitlif Strongpick. Strongpick utilises the tunnels below Thjorgard to whittle down Thronheim's enforcing army, though the two nations continue waging war for over a decade.
418 A.C. End of the Final War
The closure of the mountain pass between Thronheim and Thjorgard brings an end to the Final War. The people of both nations slowly befriend each other until hostilities die out and they reach a solid time of peace.
511 A.C. Ivsar Forktooth's Capture
The Drangheim clan in Chedian captures Ivsar Forktooth, General of Sturmford.
? A.C. Events of "The Gathering Storm" begin
Five heroes from Devonshire named Bohb, Agraynel, Alita Eventide, Kozuss and Dogwoggle set out to destroy the mad Wizard, Hexis, who has been creating diabolical mutants and disrupting the balance of Nature. They recover five sets of powerful magical artefacts, then purge Hexis's monstrosities from Devonshire. Finally, they reach Hexis's castle, where they put an end to his life, restoring Nature's balance and cleansing his corruptive influence.
? A.C. Events of "Winds of War" begin
Five conquerers from five very different lands with five very different agendas all covet one prize. Mysterio the Magnificent, Erutan Revol, Spazz Maticus, Mongo and Baron Von Tarkin muster their armies from minor kingdoms across the continent of Rysh and focus all their efforts on attacking Channon, a mighty human bastion formed from one-third of the long-dead Ursanian Empire. Their armies eventually converge at the Last Bastion, where Mysterio succeeds in defeating the four opposing leaders, claiming Channon for his own.
516 A.C. The Second Crossing
The world of Colony is destroyed by the Convergence of the Blades. Mysterious portals sprout up all across Lodwar, conveying thousands of survivors from Colony onto Axeoth. Many new settlements and kingdoms are quickly founded in the eastern lands, including Palaedra, Aranorn and New Bracada.
517 A.C. Events of "Glory of Days Past" begin
In the Tribal Lands, the Immortal Hero, Tarnum, and his foster son, Waerjak, unite the Barbarian tribes into one community. Tarnum is killed by a warlord named Vogel Backbreaker. Waerjak destroys Vogel's armies and kills him. Afterwards, Tarnum refuses Paradise and returns to Axeoth.
519 A.C. Events of "A Pirate's Daughter" begin
Tawni Balfour, the daughter of a Pirate who survived the Second Crossing, begins her conquest of the Gold Sea southeast of Lodwar. She soundly razes the ports of Frigiston and Yaranthrae, and kills Captain Swift, her father's murderer. Her first mate, Pete Girly, betrays her, but she eventually slays him as well. Lastly, she conquers the Gold Sea by destroying the Palace of the Mer-Queen and all of her Mermaid armies. Tawni also learns that her true father was one of the shipmates on her crew, Eight-Fingered Oba.
520 A.C. Events of "The True Blade" begin
Lord Lysander of Palaedra embarks on a quest to prevent a Knight, Sir Worton, from usurping his kingdom. Worton claims to be the direct descendant of the Erathian Gryphonhearts and claims to hold the Gryphonheart Blade as proof. Lysander, along with his advisor Milton, the clerics Adamus and Proetho, the Swordbearer Sir Kentaine, and his wife, Desette, manage to expose Worton's blade to be a fake. Lysander claims the true Gryphonheart Blade and uses it to defeat Sir Worton, ending his uprising.
521 A.C. Events of "Writ of Fate" begin
Four heroes from Ravensford in Chedian set out on a trip to Mendossus, but are shipwrecked on the Isle of Ashes. They meet a man named Forad Darre, who offers to accompany them. Through a Writ of Fate, they discover their destiny to unite the Clans of Chedian. They unite many of the clans and stand against the armies of Beldonia, led by Prince Tamur Leng. A battle breaks out, and Tamur Leng is killed, though Forad Darre betrays the heroes. Meanwhile, a Kreegan Succubus named Ebora enters the Astral Plane to search for the Kreegan Vanguard, but is banished. She later travels to Lodwar. The four heroes die and enter Arslegard, where they learn that Njam the Meddler, the God of Chaos and Mischief, crafted their Writ of Fate, which is a fake. They co-operate with the Gods to seal Njam inside the Tomb of a Thousand Terrors. They succeed, receiving their true Writ of Fate.
523 A.C. Events of "Elwin and Shaera" begin
Gramin, a general of Aranorn, embarks on a mission with his armies to solidify the loyalty of neighbouring port towns. Elwin, a young Druid, escapes from a pirate attack on Gramin's ship with the commander's daughter, Shaera. He eventually leads her to Dolphin Jump, where they meet with Gramin, safe and well. Elwin is sent to restore an alliance with the White Tigers, and is then persuaded to seek the lost Bow of the Elf King by a rival, Lord Harke. Harke takes advantage of Elwin's absence to hypnotise and covet Shaera. Elwin is ambushed by Mirilass, Harke's captain, but escapes and frees Shaera from Harke's influence. Harke mounts an uprising and attacks Aranorn, but Elwin is crowned King of Aranorn and manages to defeat the Elven leader. He and Shaera begin their rule.
526 A.C. Events of "The Price of Peace", early events of "Half-Dead" begin
Emilia Nighthaven leads a group of Halflings and Dwarves to victory over some rogue barons in the middle-eastern alpine areas of Lodwar. She establishes the wizard kingdom of Great Arcan, and Gavin Magnus sends Solmyr ibn Wali Barad to assimilate her realm into New Bracada. Solmyr is defeated, and is sent to find the Rainbow Crystal. Magnus uses the Crystal to hypnotise everyone in Great Arcan apart from Emilia and a few of her generals. Solmyr, horrified at his master's plan, joins with Emilia to overthrow Magnus. In their last battle, Magnus wounds Emilia, but the Crystal is destroyed - along with his mind. Also, Gauldoth Half-Dead, a Necromancer, sacks the city of Vitross and founds the kingdom of Nekross to the northeast of Great Arcan.
527 A.C. Later events of "Half-Dead" begin
Gauldoth Half-Dead journeys to the fiery ruins of Colony and rescues his old master, the Lich Kalibarr. Kalibarr becomes King of Nekross, and orders Gauldoth to activate the Points of Power and to retrieve the Deadwood Staff from a Vampire named Malvich. Gauldoth eavesdrops on Kalibarr, and watches as he enters the Plane of Death with the Staff. He conspires with the God of Death in a plot to bring about the end of Axeoth. Gauldoth rises up against Kalibarr, killing him and sealing the portal to the Plane of Death. He and a Kreegan, Suraze, defeat Kalibarr's loyalists and restore Nekross.
528 A.C. The Queen Recovers
Queen Emilia Nighthaven of Great Arcan finally completes a spell that allows her to recover from the fatal wound Gavin Magnus dealt her in the battle of Arcania. Also, at her behest, Taddevan the Enchanter completes a map of Lodwar and Rysh, the two continents in Axeoth known to the survivors from Colony. In Nekross, the Kreegan, Suraze, is proclaimed a Duke.
529 A.C. Events of "The Sunken Kingdom, Part 1" begin
The war criminal, Lord Harke, escapes from Aranorn following a raid from the Pirates of the Gold Sea under Tawni Balfour. He reaches the borderlands and is captured by Menathat, a member of the Council of Elders, but breaks out of his prison with the help of a soldier and flees the Elven lands. He soon encounters Thalia a'Deneb, one of the "true" Elves of Axeoth, and departs underground with her to live among the A'Rikdun clan.
532 A.C. Events of "The Sunken Kingdom, Parts 2, 3 and 4" begin
Pryden a'Menkar sends Harke to overcome a Minotaur army led by Darkstorm, taking advantage of Harke's absence to arrest Thalia and her family, the sil of Deneb. Harke frees the Denebs, then he and Thalia pursue Pryden's forces to the city of At'rann where Pryden hopes to claim rulership over the lost kingdom of Etendar. They are ambushed by the forces of Pryden's general, Mantis a'Ctarus, but manage to rout his forces and discover the forgotten truth behind the so-called "true" Elves of Axeoth. Pryden's tactics for defeating Aranorn's armies fail and he becomes wedged between the forces of Elwin and Harke. Convincing the Minotaur, Darkstorm, to fight in alliance with the sil of Deneb, Harke defeats Pryden. The traitor is sent back to Ar'Rikdun to stand trial, the Aranornians and "true" Elves form an alliance and the Minotaurs are given total control over the Blacksword mountains.
535 A.C. Events of "Fires from the North, Parts 1 and 2" begin
Duke Suraze, leader of the Kreegans in Nekross, is killed by his own subordinate, Malustar, who assumes command of the Omega Hive. He leads the Kreegans deep into Nekross, capturing the cities of Nekorrum and Vitross, and defeating Gauldoth at Chiaroscuro. Gauldoth himself flees Nekross. In Great Arcan, Milton, the Ambassador of Palaedra, is wounded by Nazreem, an assassin disguised as Solmyr ibn Wali Barad, the Great Arcan Ambassador. A border war breaks out between the two countries.
536 A.C. Events of "Fires from the North, Parts 3, 4, 5 and 6" begin
Solmyr and Emilia defend Arcania from Lord Lysander's Palaedran forces. They also successfully repel a Kreegan attack led by Malustar. Gavin Magnus finally recovers from his "coma" and escapes in the siege of Arcania. Solmyr departs for the Wheel to uncover the assassin's identity. He mortally wounds Nazreem and learns that Gavin Magnus has sent him to impersonate key figures, thus damaging the peace between the northern nations. Malustar travels north and meets Ebora, saving her forces from the Palaedran Order of the Dawn. They then head for the isles near the Gold Sea to retrieve the Staff of Blue Light from the Pirate Kingdom.
NOTE: 1175 A.S. (Colony calendar) = 516 A.C. (Axeoth calendar)
