The Era of Cataclysm

About the Era of Cataclysm

he 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.

ca. 9500 b.S. to 9000 b.S.	The War of the Chosen The War of the Chosen is a time when human and half-human archmages use immense powers and vast armies to gain dominion over the lands. A time when death runsrampant throughout the known world. Many legends tell about the great wars the human sorcerers lead 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") are also sovereigns of great parts of the world and many are warlords too. Most of these sorcerers shamelessly misuse their powers, gather evil creatures and masses of orcs around them and enslave their human subjects. Several tyrannies dominate the lands of the Sarvonian continent at this time, although there are also some magicians who try to use their magic for the sake of their people and their rule is intent on creating a thriving society. However, this endeavor is to fail. The outbreak of the so-called War of the Chosen is only a matter of time: Black and white mages accumulate huge armies and begin ferocious battles against each other to gain predomination of the known world. Terrible creatures are 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 ends. In fact, it seems likely that none of the archmages survive the final battle - a very probable theory, according to latest researches. Finally victorious, also the most powerful magician, Ma'asherom the Red, finds his death at the Colthoi temple in the metropolis of El'darthar during a revolution against his reign.
9500 b.S.	The Maeverhim Elves keep away from the open Confrontations The Maeverhim avoid the War of the Chosen. All ladders from the earth to their tree homes in the Sharadon are removed, to better avoid confrontation. They continue to keep their ladders up, slowly developing a tight-knit, contained culture unlike any other on the continent of Southern Sarvonia.
ca. 9500 b.S. to 9000 b.S.	Destruction of the Serphelorian city of Sophronia ahd Hawke's Perch During the War of the Chosen and the Years of Cleaning Sophronia and the village of Hawke's Perch are destroyed. Refugees flee to Chrondra which, while not unscathed, is mostly passed over. At this time contact is lost between Chrondra and Ciosa. The ruling council of Chrondra are all killed in the violence except one person, an ex-Avennorian man. Councillor of Chrondra becomes an hereditary position from this man. Due to Avennorian influences and Serphelorian history after Talos and Eldon, men are preferred as inheritors. All other southern settlements wiped out.

9200 b.S.	Nisheton destroyed During the long years of the War of the Chosen the once proud Avennorian town of Nisheton (the later Marcogg) is pillaged, burnt, sacked repeatedly, slowly destroyed and finally abandoned and the area becomes unsettled.

ca. 9023 b.S.	The Battle of the Winds A great battle between the four most powerful archmages in Northern Sarvonia takes place at this time. It ends with the unleashing of incredible forces that rip the land apart and create what is now know as the Eight Winds Bay. It is also said that the archmages and their armies are destroyed when the sea rushes in to fill the gaping wound they made in the earth.
ca. 9023 b.S. to 9000 b.S.	Years of Cleansing With the death of the archmages at the Battle of Winds, this makes it much easier for the combined races to throw off their shackles of servitude and cleanse the land of the remaining acolytes of human magic, and the last armies of the archmages. These years are marked by the use of elven Xeuá magic, to heal the wounds the archmages created.

ca. 9000 b.S.	Cyrathrim Exile in the Mountains The Cyrathrhim under the leadership of Weiylan find sanctuary from their trials in the highlands of the Tandala Mountains. For many years they dwell there, believing themselves to be the very last of their kind: too terrified to go north once again, and too exhausted to see what might lie beyond mountains that seemed like the very end of the world. For many elven life spans they dwell in the mountains and live from them. Eventually they begin to wander south and slowly west. All these early events are detailed in the Cyrathrhim saga now popularly known as the "Book of Jhalán". There is certainly much evidence to suggest a certain common lineage with certain Northern Sarvonian tribes, especially the Injerín, but as to whether the tribe consisted truly of exiles from Fá'áv'cál'âr, or simply much later migrants from a Northern Sarvonian tribe is anyone's guess. Certain scholars maintain that the Fá'áv'cál'âr legend was simply tacked onto their preexisting lore, though this story of exile from the Great Elven Empire is present in all the earliest documents regarding the Cyrathrhim. There are also question marks about the simple length of time the exile is said to have taken, though there is little doubt that early in the tribal history the Cyrathrhim spend a period of many elven lifespans as a nomadic tribe, which may have given rise to the tales of exile from Fá'áv'cál'âr. There is little doubt however that a nomadic lifestyle in Northern Sarvonia in that time scale would have been incredibly difficult and dangerous and no less impressive even if the tribe had no Fá'áv'cál'âr links whatsoever.

8900 b.S.	First new Serphelorian Settlements are Built People from Chrondra go out to found new settlements on the Elverground, at the north side of the Gulf of Maraya or further north near the Rimmerins Ring. Most of the founders of these settlements are full- or half-blooded Avennorians, meaning most of the ruling class are originally Avennorian. Many remember their heritage, but nearly all consider themselves Serphelorian anyway.

ca. 8850 b.S.	The Eyelian Attack on the Sheyaur Eyelians attack the Kyranian Fortress of Sheyaur, now in the possession of of one of Cyroan Thromgolin's kin. The Eyelians succeed and destroy most of it. Farmers use the ruins as a quarry and the stones of the Sheyaur for homes and walls.

ca. 8600 b.S. to 6000 b.S.	War between the Serphelorians and Eyelia Serphelorian settlers make it as far west as the Thaehelvil River and encounter Eyelians. Both groups are trying to spread; Eyelians lay claim to the Rimmerins Ring (due to the gryph aeries there); Serphelorians claim it as their roaming-lands as they travelled through it. Both groups try to work it out, but the difference in their culture lead to a clash. Eyelians think Serphelorians rude because they are loud and brash; Serphelorians think Eyelians rude because their quiet (seen as cold) and slow behaviour(seen as obstructive), so eventually this leads to war. The Rimmerins Ring and the western Elverground are constantly fought over. Many different solutions are tried by various different leaders of each tribe, with varying degrees of success. There are occasional cease-fires, occasionally more terrible battles, but generally constant skirmishing as both sides try to hold their lines. This continues until around 6000 b.S. when there is a peace treaty; broken by one of the first queens in 3000 b.S. Skirmishes would then continues until the Serphelorian kindom falls in 400ish b.S. Now a.S. there is still a rivalry between their armies, though much more friendly now, esecially. since they are charged with protecting Eyelians (the tribal principle of "katmoh").