The Pre-Santharian Eras

Here is one of the products we have made so far at Santhmoot II - more detailed explanations (and date changes) of the pre-Santhros eras. These are descriptions based on the maps Talia and I made a while ago starting off the timeline discussion. We still need some better names for some Eras, so if you have suggestions, please let us know

ERA OF SILENCE (- 15.000 b.S.)
The Era of Silence is said to be the time when Caelereth and life came into being. Different, often very contradictory myths are told by various cultures about this beginning of time.

ERA OF FIRST MIGRATION (15.000 b.S. - 14.000 b.S.)
The scholars suppose that the cradle of all races, be it elves, humans, dwarves or even orcs had its place somewhere in the central parts of today's continent of Sarvonia. Probably from there a first migration in all directions of the world took place during the time we know today as the Era of First Migration. However, several myths recorded later on let us assume that the landmasses back then were not in the places where they are located now, so that migrations to other continents, which are seemingly impossible now, could be achieved by the rather primitive means available at these times.

One of the most famous explanations for this great movement of the races away from their place of origin is contained in the elven myth of the Burning of Eú'reóll, the Tree of Life, as layed down in the Cárpa'dosía. In these books of the Beginnings we are told that the life-giving tree dreamed by the High Goddess Avá caught fire due to its immanent corruption, causing people to flee and explore other regions to lead their lives, far away from the cradle of life.

Those who went north reach the area, where later the elven kingdom of Fá'áv'cál'âr should be founded, other went south and reached territory we now consider to be part of northwestern Aeruillin and eastern Nybelmar. Due to certain similarities between legends from Nybelmar and Aeruillin, it is commonly believed that these people crossed over an still existing isthmus to these continents coming from the Sarvonian mainland. Some might also have reached today's northeast Nybelmar coming from southern central Sarvonia, travelling over what we know today asthe Crimson Isles.

ERA OF THE ANVIL (14.000 b.S. - 13.000 b.S.)
The Era of the Anvil was the first start of true civilization and of prosperity increased throughout Caelereth, especially for Fá'áv'cál'âr. The latter, a gigantic metropolis the size of a whole kingdom, included all the main races under elven guidance and represented the first peak of ancient culture. Fá'áv'cál'âr had a lasting influence on many other cultural developments and should become paradigm of progress and understanding for many a year.

The Era of the Anvil was also the time when the races discovered the use of the anvil and the mixture of metals to make stronger alloys, which resulted in better tools and enhanced devices for complex constructions, forming the basis of an advanced society. At the same time magic began to play a bigger role in daily life as well as on a greater scale, partly complementing the effort made in other fields like weaponry. Fá'áv'cál'âr was a splendid example of interracial cooperation in all aspects of life, and was metropolis well embedded in its magnificent natural surrounding. The Era of the Anvil was also time of the exchange of knowledge between the races. Each race was willing to impart some knowledge that they had more of to others to increase their own knowledge. For example smithery was taught to others from the dwarfs, architecture from the humans and magic from the elves.

A first metropolis also developed in the very south of today's Sarvonian continent, where now the Yar'dangs are located. This ancient realm was called Kaizoumetrá ("high caves"), a mixture of elves, dwarves and humans.

ERA OF HARMONY (13.000 b.S. - 11.900 b.S.)
At the same time when Fá'áv'cál'âr was blossoming, first major cultural centers developed from smaller settlements in southern Sarvonia as well, mainly in territories which were rich in minerals of the soil and were favoured by the climate. From the cultures of these areas eventually distinct tribes developed in the course of time with varying orientations, traditions and beliefs. The first cultural centers aside from Fá'áv'cál'âr were located in southern Sarvonia and was named Vardýnn, at the area where Voldar can be found today (the Santharian province now bears the name of the former metropolis), also the metropolis of Sophronia was erected further south. In Aeruillin another large city-state was founded, the still existing town of Shan'Thai, and in Nybelmar at least two more larger cities became focal points of societies. Not all of them would surive the coming cataclysm, though.

During the establishment of the first permanent larger settlements, some members of developing tribes already progressed further into unknown territory. It must have been already at this time that the Kanapan Lands were reached for the very first time by human explorers and settled to a certain, though minimal, extent, furthermore some elves probably also made today's peninsula of Iol their home, one of the uttermost places of the current Sarvonian continent.

ERA OF SUNDERING (11.900 b.S. - 10.000 b.S.)
While it is uncertain whether the dispersing of the races and the subsequent genealogy of the tribes was caused by a catastrophe of cosmological importance (as elven myth claims), the fall of the once mighty city-realm of Fá'áv'cál'âr is an undeniable fact with severe consequences vibrating through all of Caelereth. Internal struggles and the uprising of the other races against elven guidance ended in death and destruction and new waves of migrations.

Some developments can be retraced effectively: For example it seems to be the sure that a few human tribes pushed further north, like the Dinali, who entered the northeast of Northern Sarvonia, the Themedons on the other hand, followed pretty much the path of the ice elves to the northeast. Another group of humans, with their leader Minar, moved in southwestern direction and finally settled in the fork of the Liben delta, forming the basis of what should later become known as the famous Mynian Kingdom.

The Era of Sundering caused the once strongly united elves to split as well, so that each tribe withdrew to forests they claimed for their own. Thus the Injerín moved further south again, as did the Eophyrhim, the corrupted elves, and some elves left for the east by ship - these would become the Cyhallrhim, and some are supposed to come as far as the mysterious continent of isles, Yamalquain.

At the same time reports confirm that the seafaring human Glandorian tribe made new expeditions, venturing in today's Cyhalloi, the northernmost continent, which we believe was located much further south and didn't feature today's frosty climate. The same Glandorians by ship should also return - unintentionally perhaps - to Sarvonia, becoming the "Arrived Ones", the Avennorians, pushing the Darians, the ancestors of the Shendar, to the south.

ERA OF SORCERY (10.000 b.S. - 9.500 b.S.)
The Era of Sorcery was a time when human, dwarven and even orcs developed magic at an alarming and dangerous rate, trying to protect themselves against attacks in a time where greed and the conquering of territories became priority. The elves were also drawn into this power struggle. It became a time of chaos as archmages and warlords fought over land and the control of magic, each trying to become the ruler of the known world. These conflicts finally culminated in what is now known as the War of the Chosen, which would change the shape of the lands as well as the destiny of the races dramatically.

During this era Avennorian sailors explored southern waters and landed in Shan'Thai, establishing a first (for the enslaved inhabitants not so fortunate) link between a tribe of central southern Sarvonia and Aeruillin. With the War of the Chosen all the links between Sarvonia and Aeruillin would be sewered again however.

ERA OF CATACLYSM (9.500 b.S. - 8.500 b.S.)
The Era of Cataclysm comprises the time of the War of the Chosen (9.500 b.S. - 9.000 b.S.) and its aftermath when the severely damaged civilizations tried to survive in the ruins of their former affluence. This most devastating, century-lasting war ever since was a time when human warlords used immense magical powers and vast armies to gain dominion over the lands. It was a time when death ran rampant throughout the known world. Ancient lore has it that the Gods themselves used the sorcerers against each other as mere pawns in their eternal fight for superiority - and the woes the terrible battles caused during the War of the Chosen surely make it appear as if divine intervention took place.

Be it as it is, many legends tell about the great wars the human sorcerers led against each other thousands of years ago. At this early time of the world of Caelereth the few people gifted with natural magical abilities (called "the Chosen") were also souvereigns of great parts of the world and many were warlords too. Most of these sorcerers shamelessly misused their powers, gathering evil creatures and masses of orcs around them and enslaved their human subjects. Several tyrannies dominated the lands of the Sarvonian continent at this time, although there were also some magicians who tried to use their magic for the sake of their people and their rule was intent on creating a thriving society. However, this endeavor was to fail.

The outbreak of the so-called War of the Chosen was only a matter of time: Black and white mages accumulated huge armies and began ferocious battles against each other to gain predomination of the known world. Terrible creatures were magically bred for war, among them centaurs, griffons as well as hell hounds and the horrible mystrans, beings of the shadows. Although there exist several reports of magical battles it is unknown how the War of the Chosen indeed ended. In fact, it seems likely that none of these powerful sorcerers survived the final battle. A very probable theory, according to latest researches; finally victorious, the most powerful magician, Ma'asherom the Red, found his death at the Colthoi temple in the metropolis of El'darthar (at the location of today's Dragon's Maw at the center of the Tandala Highlands) during a revolution against his reign.

The havoc caused by the potent magic of mad spellcasters during the Era of Cataclysm literally tore Caelereth to pieces - and mended it at places nobody ever dreamed of: whole landmasses were moved, causing enormous land bridges to stretch over oceans, mountain ranges were pulled from the earth, isles sank to the bottoms of the dark seas, earthquakes put whole cities to ruin, volcanoes erupted, spitting death and destruction everywhere. During this time what now is termed the Sarvonian mainland was sewered from today's continents of Aeruillin and Nybelmar. Between Southern and Northern Sarvonia the mighty Tandala Highlands came into being when two landmasses were pushed against each other, constituting what we now know as the continent of Sarvonia.

During the Era of Cataclysm also the once proud southern metropolis of Kaizoumetrá fell prey to the volcanic eruption of the Norong'Sorno and was extinguished altogether, never to be rebuilt.

ERA OF CONSOLIDATION (8.500 b.S. - 3.400 b.S.)
After the cataclysms of the past millenium, a time of relative calm and consolidation ensued. It would end in the Age of Myths, the time when the great elven myths were written down for the first time and our records on historical events start to become more and more accurate.

In the Era of Consolidation the races had to get used to the changed world, which was very different to the time before the War of the Chosen. The usage of magic was banned in most regions and there were severe punishments for those who breached these unwritten laws, and many people still lost their lives in the aftermath of the huge war a millenium ago as an urge for purification from the powers of evil took place. Nevertheless witchcraft, the usage of "dark and uncontrolled magic", had its peak at this time.