Tales from the Seventh

The Ages of Dorüne

Dorüne is old. Seven millenia have passed since the Twin Gods arrived in this universe, and the realms were ancient even then. Some say that time flows differently here. Faster perhaps or just more vigorously I cannot say, but it appears to race by compared to other places in the cosmos. The lands of this world have seen the rise and fall of countless empires, deities, sorceries and peoples. Like all things, the legacies of some are more prominent than others, but residual traces remain of even the least.

To some, it seems, the present is merely a shadow of a glorious and adventurous past. The greatness that once manifested itself seems diminished as if winding down after a long but well rehearsed showing. The world itself appears weary and I can only hope it is merely resting in preparation for a new cycle of birth and renewal.

Prehistory of Dorüne - The Age of Legends
Very little is known of Dorüne before the arrival of the Twin Gods. They found an ancient, fading world fallen into savagery and barbarism where the only sentient beings were scattered groups of humans. Fragments of architecture, a few verbal traditions, and a collection of exotic mystic artifacts were all that remained of what was obviously an extremely advanced civilization. What caused their downfall can only be conjectured, but the evidence points to a cataclysmic war with the insidious sub-world demons.

The Current Age - The Age of Shadow

0 The Twin Gods and their entourage penetrate the great barrier and enter this universe.

0-2242 The scattered bands of degenerate humans are taught and organized in hopes they can provide support when the enemy eventually arrives. Humans thrive and spread across the world.

2242 Arrival of the seven Dark Hasturs. The dimensional barriers are warped.

2242-2503 While held at bay, the Dark Hasturs corrupt many humans and start collecting allies.

2245 Portal to Shadow opened and the enemy makes contact with the Fay.

2248 Portal to Twilight opened by the Twin Gods and contact with the Fey established.

2389 Duergar come to Dorüne.

2442 Baylon brings the Baylari to Dorüne.

2503 The nine seals to the sub-world are shattered. After releasing the sub-world demons to run rampant across the world, the Dark Hasturs, with the aid of the forces of Shadow, make a bold attempt to dominate Dorüne.

2505-2597 The War of Demons. A lengthy conflict against seemingly endless demonic hordes. Due to the demons indiscriminate nature, the forces of Shadow wait and watch. The great alliance fights a steadily losing battle until new seals are crafted from the scales of Demall, the Morwaithean Demon-king.

2601-2739 The Dark Hasturs and the forces of Shadow give the allies little respite from their hard won success. War of the Seven Begins. The war quickly decimates the allies but they continue to fight from secluded enclaves.

2739 War of the Seven Ends when seven-headed Karak-Tol is tricked into betraying his masters. The Dark Hasturs are sealed within the Void and the Twin Gods return to their own universe in an attempt to free it as well.

2740 The dimensional barriers shift again making travel between the realms difficult and hazardous.

2740-4600 Great powers are born in the chaos and raw magic that swirls abundantly across the mortal realm. All of the allied races of the world work together to rebuild and resettle. The forces of evil have recovered as well and begin a long term effort to free their masters. Strife begins to return the world as old shadows begin to emerge.

4622 Guldiun Myrkos deciphers the protean Wheel of Remeroza and learns the language of demons.

4673 The Spires of Nadon become the school of choice for aspiring mystics across Dorune. Sorcery and other mystic disciplines become widespread with the translations of many ancient demonic texts. Sorcerers slowly gain in power and influence and conflicts are common and often cataclysmic.

4736-4787 Built on sorcery and power acquired through demonic pacts (Therohim, Shalarak, Kahazar, etc), great empires arise across the world.

4736 Guldaen VI makes a sorcerous pact with the Therohim and ascends to power on Ophedrea. Rise of the Ophedrean Empire.

4761 Rise of the Empire of Greater Thyrm.

4787 Rise of the Dominion of Suri-Tsombu.

4865 Zardun Graymist completes the Citrine Codex that formalizes the mystic disciplines.

4988 Jaden Valator comes to Aerudin.

5010 Jaden Valator released the Morwaithean Boneweaver and becomes the Bonemage. Lysilaer falls under its dread curse.

5333 The Bonemage steals the Staff of Life.

5799 The Dominator of Suri-Tsombu is consumed by Kahazar and her empire collapses.

5820 Fall of the Ophedrean Empire. Ophedrea is pulled down into the Great Maelstrom. End of the Age.

5994 The Empire of Greater Thyrm collapses in a great civil war. The western provinces throw off the yoke of their Shalarak master's and drive the demons back to the sub-world. In final retribution, the demons consume their lands in fire. Those that survive flee west across the Blackfangs.

6079 Remnants of the western families of the EoFT arrive on the Jewel Coast.

6087-6114 Bone Goblyns begin to gather in great numbers within the Mithrion Mountains.

6115 The Goblyn Horde invades the Holdfast of Mord-Morden. Dorran IV is slain and Dorran V leads the remnants of the Holdfast to the Ironwood Hills.

6116 The Goblyn Horde invades the Jewel Coast. The War of the Brambles begins.

6119 The War of the Brambles ends with the Battle of the Eleven Towers. Tomas Morgan is crowned King after he kills Zorgan the Butcher in single combat. Formation of the Kingdom of the Jewel Coast.

6881 Current Year

The Curse of the Bonemage
Two thousand years ago, a talented magician named Jaden Valator came to the enchanted shores of Aerudin. A brooding man from the Ophedrean Empire, he came seeking knowledge of a particular form of proto-glyph that predated even the Dark Hastur's arrival into this universe. He sought out the scholars of Daeron and in exchange for certain rare manuscripts they allowed him access to their libraries and most importantly the Well of the Moon. This mystic pool could provide a glimpse into the distant past if the user's will was strong enough. The vision Jaden received led him to a tower deep within the misty of forest of Lysilaer. It was in this tower that he chanced upon a sealed black mithrion box engraved with fiery sigils. Carefully researching the markings for more than a score of years, he eventually managed to disrupt them and open the box.

Unfortunately for Jaden, the box contained an ancient alien spirit, imprisoned by pre-morwaithian sorcerers when they could not destroy it. The spirit merged with Jaden and quickly enslaved his mind and body. He was imbued with terrible power and began a campaign of terror and treachery.A curse fell upon the forest, twisting its inhabitants and drawing lost souls from distant lands. The bones of the dead rose from their resting places and became an dire force commanded by the self proclaimed Bonemage.

Jaden and his minions ravished the entire island until the Seer of Daeron used the power of the Staff of Life to drive them back into the wood. The Seer could not destroy the bone spirit, so she placed powerful spells of containment around Lysilaer. Jaden tried without success for centuries to break this binding. In a cunning ploy, he finally used a great portion of his power to steal the Staff from the elves in the hope of learning its secrets. So far he has been unsuccessful though many elves and other adventurers have lost their lives attempting to reclaim it.