“I, Enoch Berenbaum, the High Scribe of the Royal D’Haran University and the Keeper of the Chronicles, do hereby certify that the account of Valla’s history as passed down from Beren the Builder, has been accurately recorded here to the best of my ability.”
The creation of Valla is a hotly debated subject among scholars as there have been very few writings that can be authenticated from the “Age Before Ages,” that is the time before recorded history and the Age of Serpents.
Age of Creation
???? to 50,000 Before Purge (“BP”)
The exact time and method of the creation of Valla is unknown. Throughout the ages, countless bards, scholars, and historians have developed many theories attempting to chronicle, describe and define the creation of Valla. Religions, philosophies, and empires have all risen from numerous theories. From the beginning, it is told that every atom and molecule contained magical energy; as if the world was created from an explosion of magic that coated everything thing upon the world. Its beauty was indescribable. However, most of these theories agree that for uncounted ages, the major and minor races were not the first life on Valla. It is believed, that dragons roamed the world both mountains and seas, before all other life. For centuries these majestic creations were the sole inhabitants of Valla. They too, just like the mountains, rivers and trees, were fully endowed with magic. Everything about these dragons radiated magic, as if each was a small magic star unto itself. The Major Gods, for reasons that are not known, created other mysterious races, such as the unknowable Builders, commonly believed to have been demigods of what later became known as the core races (that is elves, dwarves, and humans). These Builders were creatures of tremendous power and literally breathed the magic that existed in every substance of Valla. Eventually, the major and minor races were created—from what many believe were vast games of the Gods in an effort to amuse themselves in a competition of creativity. Just as with everything on Valla, these races were also blessed with tremendous magical energies. Again, Valla was alive with magical energy as if the entire world was covered with a morning dew of magic. Certainly, the gods themselves had a far more direct role in the world in these early days, for it was during the Age of Creation that the deity Rovagug (also called the Nameless One or the Keeper) was confronted and defeated by an alliance of gods and goddesses, primarily through the acts of Sarenrae (who cut open the world and sealed the Keeper in a strange dimension at the world’s core) and Asmodeus (who provided a lock and key capable of imprisoning a god).
Age of Serpents
50,000 to 25,000 BP
Between the Age of Creation and Age of Legends, most people believed that Dragons ruled Valla even as major and minor races were created on the continent Dor’Lean. Not much is known of the Age of Legends exactly as detailed in certain ancient writings by [name] as scholars from the Age of Legends. Only a very few of his writings survive today, but it is from those writings that Valla has any understanding of the Age of Creation, Age of Serpents, or the Age of Legends.
Age of Legend
25,000 to PURGE
The first, and arguably the greatest, of humanity’s civilizations, was the continental Karnosea, a realm of powerful magic and whose secrets are still valued today. The Empire of Siriathon, the Magocracy of Orbs, rose near the end of the Age of Legend, founded and ruled by wizards known as Runelords. The most prominent of these Runelords was Deskari, and he was not satisfied with the tremendous magic powers they had been gifted from the Gods, he began an irreverent attempt to harvest the magical gift into Orbs, including a Huge orb on the Karnosea. The centuries that studied magic and attempted to usurp the magic from the God’s themselves in the War of Magic with the Gods. After an epic struggle, Valla’s Gods destroyed the giant Orb the Siriathon’s had created, and in what can only be described as a global magical purge (the Purge), removed the gifted magic from the entire world, moving magic and its threads from the material plane to other planes. The Gods could not destroy or remove magic altogether as by doing so Valla would be totally destroyed. By moving magic away from the material plane, the magic threads that form a covering around the world continued to exist but almost all of the world’s inhabitants were no longer gifted with magic nor even aware of the magic threads. [See the Magical Purge, or the Purge] At this same time, they imprisoned Lord Deskari in the UnderWorld with three magical locks. To the elves, humans and dwarves, he assigned the responsibility to protect the locks.
Magical Purge (or the Purge)
0 BCE
The Empire of Siriathon, the Magocracy of Orbs ended abruptly in an event that is only known as the Purge. Before the Magical Purge, every living creature was able to use magic. It has been rumored, that the Magocracy of Orbs angered the Gods for something that is unknown today, but the God’s ripped magic from the world and because the world and magic were so intertwined in created a ripple that across that destroyed the very fabric of the world, collapsing mountains, raising seas, creating huge rips in the crust of the earth, allowing the creatures from the UnderWorld and UnderDark to stream on to the surface of Valla. Magic, now mostly removed from the spirits of the creatures of Valla, was not totally removed. The threads of magic still remain and those rarest of individuals have still been able to reach the threads, and after years of study and practice, have been able to bring magic back into the world, but not in the manner that existed before the Purge.
Age of Darkness
1 > 2,499 After Purge (“AP”)
Following the Purge, Azlant and Thassilon were destroyed. The elves retreated in the far north, the southern jungles, or the Darklands. King Taargick founds the Dwarven Kingdom of Tar Taargadth, uniting the dwarves in a common cause to abandon the subterranean Darklands. The orcs first emerge onto the surface world, fleeing vicious pogroms by righteous dwarves tunneling toward a prophesied land of the open sky. The dwarves fulfill the Quest for Sky, emerging for the first time upon the surface of Valla.
Age of Anguish
2,500 > 3,750 AP
The Age of Darkness draws to a close. Humanity begins rebuilding civilization. The gnome race, fleeing an unknown terror from the First World, arrives in various locations throughout Valla where the boundaries between dimensions have worn thin. Founding of the Jistka Imperium. The Pit of Gormuz opens in central Casmaron, disgorging the Spawn of demons and dark creatures upon the surface of Valla for the first time. Old-Mage Jatembe and his Ten Magic Warriors bring the light of learning back to a world overcome with fear and despair in the deep Mwangi Expanse. His discoveries will eventually inspire the flying cities of the Shory empire.
Age of Destiny
3,751 > 4,449
Ancient Osirion is founded. Desert nomads form the Tekritanin League. The Song Pharaoh overthrows the Pharaoh of Forgotten Plagues and founds Shiman-Sekh. Osirion is at its height under the reign of the God-Kings. The Jistka Imperium collapses in a prolonged series 1532 of succession wars. Shory aeromancers, working from thousand-year-old traditions begun by Old-Mage Jatembe, establish Kho as the first of their legendary flying cities. The Four Pharaohs of Ascension join forces to rule Osirion, initiating that empire’s Second Age. The armies of the Four Pharaohs break the Tekritanin League, absorbing some city-states and razing others. The power of the Four Pharaohs breaks, and Osirion again slips into decline. Taldor is founded by descendants of Lost Azlant and indigenous primitive humans. Nex and Geb go to war. The Tarrasque, greatest of the Spawn of Rovagug, destroys Ninshabur and devastates Avistan until it is 1975 defeated and sealed away in a hidden cavern. The Linnorm King Ulvass discovers Arcadia Soldiers of Kelesh claim Qadira in the name of Padishah Emperor Adalan IV.
D’Haran Empire Rises to Power
4,500 AP (January 1, at 12:01 am)
At midnight, 4500 AP, Nero D’Haran, the firstborn son of the Kermitt D’Haran, who traces his lineage to the human Builder, named Beren D’Haran, believing that he, and he alone, was destined by the Gods to rule the Isle of D’Hara, lead his personal army into City of D’Hara and at midnight on the last day of 4499, slaughtered King Ettal Yip on his very throne when he ran him through the fabled Sun and Stars Blade, a legendary weapon, believed to be forged by Builder Beren D’Haran. As King Ettal Yip slide from the throne until the floor, Nero D’Haran is said to have “To have command is to have all the power you will ever need. To have all the power you will ever need, is to have the world in the palm of your hand. With this death of this weak peasant, I, by the Gods, crown myself Emperor of D’Hara!” This began the Age of Domination.
Age of Domination
4,500 > 4,571 AP
After Emperor Nero D’Haran took the throne of D’Haran by savagely murdering King Ettal Yip, Emperor D’Haran quickly brought the entire Island under his rule through brute force that took only a few months, all 200 Lords and royal houses swore fealty to the Emperor. All of the of the 144 keeps and castles on D’Hara, all but 22 swore fealty. Those that refused, were sieged, all rebells killed and the castles left in ruins. Emperor D’Haran’s army grew and begin systematic patrols and raids across D’hara rooting out dissenters and driving the dwarves, orcs, and other monsters underground, back to the UnderDark and into hiding in lairs and caves in the mountains. So while people feared the arrival of a Royal Detachment of soldiers to their village or town, they were grateful that the evil of the monsters and others that threatened their lives for so many years had been dealt with. People could safely farm and explore. A huge economic boon happened and, of course, taxes were collected and Emperor D’Haran grew more wealthy and powerful. When he was nearing the end of his life, Emperor Nero D’Haran, transferred his crown to his son, Terrance D’Haran. [insert story about Nero’s death and the idiocy of Terrance]
Death of Emperor Nero D’Haran
4,571 AP
Following a harsh but successful rule of D’Hara, which included the uniting of the Lords of D’Hara and the successful campaigns to push the hordes of dwarves, monsters, and other evil creatures underground, Emperor Nero D’Haran, died peacefully in his sleep at age 91. Before his death, which he knew was coming, he appointed his son Terrance D’Haran, then 25 years old, as Emperor.
Age of Lost Omens
4,571 > 4,852 AP
Almost immediately, Emperor Terrance D’Haran proved that he was not fit for rule. Ignoring the customs of D’Hara, he refused to take a queen from a noble family, and instead took common women as his concubine. His Royal Guard would sweep across the land, taking the prettiest young teenage girls back to D’hara for the Emperor’s pleasures. He was vicious and cruel to this young women, often killing those that he lost interest in. Within a short time, he had fathered over 20 bastards, and probably many more. This infuriated the Lords and nobles, but they dared not confront after what happened to The House of Tully. [Insert story about what House Tully] With a terrible temper, an uncaring attitude for the D’Haran people, ferocious appetite for women and drink, his head was filled with grandeur and he sought to make himself Emperor of all Valla, starting with Dor’Lean. He set his eyes on Dor’Lean and sailed across the Raven Sea to invade and conquer the continent. Despite the warnings from his military leaders and advisers, he raised the largest army ever assembled in Valla’s history and sailed across the Raven Sea. His military leaders, fearing his wrath, followed his orders, but secretly hated him for his folly. [Insert story of how horribly wrong the campaign went] After two failed attempts to conquer Dor’Lean, Emperor Terrance D’Haran, returned to the City of D’Hara and fell into his bottle. The Lords and Nobleman began to plot and scheme, and one night, using an assassin from [name of organization], Emperor Terrance D’Haran was drowned in his own chamber pot one late winter night in 4576. With no legitimate heir to the throne, the empire fell into total chaos as a tremendous power struggle took place between the Lords and noble houses, with multiple individuals claiming to be king or even emperor. For the next 300 years the Empire of D’Haran collapsed and each Lord left the court in D’hara and returned to their lands. Isolation and suspicion of the neighboring towns and villages became the norm and the prosperity and safety that the Empire had generated and provided was gone. The entire island entered a dark age, an age of the lost omen.
D’Haran Invasion of Dor’Lean
4,573 > 4,575 AP
Emperor Terrance D’Haran leads an invasion of Dor’Lean in an attempt to become emperor of all of Valla. After 2 years of major defeats, the ill-fated campaign ends in defeat, and the defeated D’Haran Empire returns back to the Isle of D’Hara.
Death of Emperor Terrance D’Haran
4,576 AP
Emperor Terrance D’Haran is murdered by an assassin, hired by the Lords of D’Hara. His murder was particularly embarrassing as he was drowned in his own chamber pot.
Current Age
4853 AP and beyond
Following the collapse of the D’Haran Empire, the Island of D’Hara falls into dark ages. Without an organized military to defend the people, monsters, evil men, and beasts stretch their might and power across the island and return from their hidden lairs and caves to once again run free across the island continent. Each town, keep and castle is forced to fend for itself in a desperate attempt to survive. Some folk long for the ‘good ole days’ when the D’haran Empire provided and protect, conveniently forgetting the misery the Empire wrought. Others are longing for a new king of D’hara to once again reunite the Lords and nobleman into a united D’Hara. It is in this age and at this time, that the adventures come into their own and leave their childhood homes to seek their fortunes in D’Hara!
The Dragon Truce
Adventurers in Valla have encountered dragons.
Read the tales of the encounters, here Part I, Part II, Chatter’s Story, Part III, Part IV, Part V (the truce is referenced in Part V), and Part VI.
Finally, read the story of the Boxes of Orden and the Dragon Truce.
Add quote from NPC
King To be Named Later
