The Earthdawn Timeline

A History of Barsaive

When I first decided to undertake this task, I was unaware of the difficulties I would face. I sent word to Master Merrox at the Great Library, asking him for advice on how to proceed. He had little to say. "Writing a history of one kingdom is ambitious enough," he wrote. "But to attempt to correlate events happening in lands across Barsaive and the Theran Empire is a task that even I would hesitate to consider. I wish you good fortune and look forward to reading your document, should you ever complete it."

I took his tone a bit personally, as it seemed to indicate he thought my task impossible. I threw myself into it, and then realized how atrocious the record keeping of other peoples had been. Merrox was kind enough to send a summary of Throalic history, which I decided would be the foundation for my text. Difficulties arose however, when sources disagreed on the dates of major events. One source placed the Orichalcum Wars as taking place circa 900 TH, when most texts indicate it happened about five hundred years earlier, circa 400 TH. The latter holds out, if one takes into account Theran dating, which is measured from the announcement of Empire after the Battle of Sky Point in 443 TH. Problems like these cropped up time and again, and there are many times when records only indicate "about a hundred years" or "three decades later." Such ambiguity makes precise dating difficult, to say the least.

Consequently, many dates are marked with the note "c." which indicates that precise dating was impossible. This is especially true when the events deal with lands that were not particularly open to my inquiries (the Blood Wood is one example).

The humble author would like to thank all those who assisted me in this project. You are too many to list here, but your assistance is greatly appreciated. You may note that many recent events in Barsaive are not included in this history. That is an oversight I will endeavor to correct in the future.

Mataxes, Lore Merchant

-400 TH c.	-- First recorded settlement at what is now Vivane.
-100 TH c.	-- Elianar Messias (The Martyr Scholar) is banished from Wyrm Wood when he disagrees with Queen Failla over the Separation of Shosara.
-50 TH c.	-- Messias found dead with the Books of Harrow. His successor, Kearos Navarim, travels to an island in the Selestrean Sea and founds Nehr’esham (Center of the Mind).
1 TH c.	-- Construction begins on the Eternal Library at Nehr’esham. -- Throal is founded when Thandos I becomes king of tribes in Throal Mountains.
12 TH	-- Thandos I of Throal vanishes mysteriously. His son, Thandos II, becomes king.
36 TH	-- Thandos II of Throal dies. Succeeded by Thandos III.
76 TH	-- Thandos III of Throal dies. Succeeded by Thandos IV.
100 TH c.	-- Discovery of a corrupt sect of Chorrolis results in The Invae Burnings. -- The Eternal Library is completed. Jaron completes translation of the First Book of Harrow and renames Nehr'esham Thera (Foundation). -- The very first signs of Horrors appear in the kingdoms of Landis, Scytha, and elsewhere. -- The Great Uprising, led by Hrak Gron, occurs.
156 TH	-- Thandos IV of Throal dies. Succeeded by Thandos V.
200 TH c.	-- Kearos Navarim named first Elder of Thera. -- House K’tenshin founded. -- Cara Fahd founded with Wudra Muntak as first king.
212 TH	-- Theran emissaries first contact Landis with news of the coming Scourge.
216 TH	-- The first Theran trading fleet arrives in Barsaive.
220 TH	-- Thandos V of Throal dies without heir. Brief civil war erupts in Throal when it is learned that Thandos V was not of the royal line. Braza I becomes king and begins excavation of Braza’s Kingdom.
275 TH	-- Braza I of Throal dies.
277 TH	-- Theran military armada arrives in Barsaive.
300 TH	-- Therans conquer city of Vivane with a tremendous display of magical might.
309 TH	-- Construction begins on Sky Point, staging platform for the Theran Fleet in Barsaive.
341 TH	-- Kearos Navarim dies. He is succeeded by Meach Vara Lingam
346 TH	-- Meach Vara Lingam unveils Rites of Protection and Passage
360 TH c.	-- Kingdom of Ustrect founded with King R’Gvaya Bash’ak. -- Construction of Sky Point completed.
402 TH	-- Lugrul of Cara Fahd dies.
405 TH c.	-- Crystal Raiders attack Shosaran trading vessel, sparking the Orichalcum Wars, which last until 443 TH.
407 TH	-- Forgotten Queen of Ustrect declares war on Cara Fahd.
408 TH	-- King Wujemba ascends throne of Cara Fahd.
423 TH	-- Two year peace in Cara Fahd begins.
425 TH	-- Landis attacks Cara Fahd. Protectors and Blades of Cara Fahd created.
440 TH c.	-- Sacrifice of Cathon Grimeye at Cara Fahd lava field, Cara Fahd collapses.
443 TH	-- Battle of Sky Point: Theran behemoth destroys several Crystal Raider villages in the Twilight Peaks. -- First Governor Thom Edro proclaims Theran Empire. Theran dating marks from this point. -- Queen Jonatha of Throal signs peace agreement with Thera ending the Orichalcum Wars. Barsaive is made Thera's first province and Kern Fallo is named Provincial Overlord.
450 TH c.	-- Jaron creates the Sphinx.
493 TH	-- Construction begins on Parlainth, Theran provincial capital in Barsaive.
543 TH	-- Parlainth formally opens.
590 TH	-- Overgovernor Kern Fallo recalled to Thera by Thom Edro.
634 TH	-- Queen Bevelona of Throal dies without heir and there is brief unrest in Throal. House Avalus (current royal line) takes power with Jothan I.
700 TH c.	-- First true Horrors appear in Barsaive
870 TH	-- Jothan IV creates guild system in Throal.
900 TH c.	-- Queen Ulutur begins construction on Halls of Throal. Braza’s Kingdom sealed.
950 TH	-- Varulus I ascends the throne in Throal.
960 TH	-- Book of Tomorrow commissioned.
997 TH	-- The Fourteen (Throalic nobles) are banished for plotting against Varulus I.
1008 TH	-- Scourge officially begins when Thera seals its citadel.
1020 TH	-- Ersh Wearg becomes Provincial Overlord of Barsaive.
1032 TH	-- The Raggok Incident in Throal. First indication Passions driven mad by the Scourge.
1044 TH	-- Theran provincial overlord Ersh Wearg arrives in Throal, fleeing Parlainth.
1045 TH	-- Parlainth vanishes from Barsaive.
1049 TH	-- Varulus I journeys to speak with the Great Dragon Icewing.
1050 TH	-- Throal seals its gates (The Weeping). -- Parlainth falls to Horrors trapped in the astral pocket with the city.
1055 TH	-- Ersh Wearg dies in cave-in.
1057 TH	-- The Horror Whisper manifests in Throal and is defeated through the efforts of several adepts in the Kingdom.
1160 TH	-- King Varulus I of Throal dies at age 270. Succeeded by Varulus II.
1262 TH	-- The wooden kaer of Wyrm Wood collapses. Blood Wood created with Ritual of the Thorns.
1270 TH	-- The Council Compact is completed after twenty years of work.
1373 TH	-- King Varulus II of Throal dies at age 258. Succeeded by Varulus III.
1399 TH	-- Thera believed to have opened its citadel.
1409 TH	-- First Throalic scouting party heads outside. It is destroyed within a few minutes of emerging.
1410 TH c.	-- Crystal Raiders emerge from their kaers in the Twilight Peaks.
1412 TH	-- Vaare Longfang returns with first successful scouting mission outside Throal.
1415 TH	-- The magic level of the world stabilizes for some unknown reason. Elemental clocks cease to drop.
1416 TH	-- The first voyage of the Earthdawn occurs.
1418 TH	-- During its second voyage, the Earthdawn disappears with all hands.
1420 TH	-- Throal opens its gates and begins to resettle the mountains.
1430 TH c.	-- City of Urupa founded.
1442 TH	-- Therans return to Vivane and reconquer it.
1449 TH	-- Theran vessels return to Barsaive. -- House K’tenshin awakens. -- First reports of House Henghyoke on the Serpent River.
1452 TH	-- Parlainth rediscovered by J'role the Honorable Thief.
1456 TH	-- Overgovernor Pavelis attempts to destroy the Floating City of House V’strimon and fails miserably.
1458 TH	-- Theran War ends with Therans retreating to Vivane. -- Free Trade Compact signed.
1474 TH	-- Prince Neden, only child of Varulus III, born.
1484 TH	-- The Death Rebellion occurs in Throal. Prince Neden kidnapped by a Theran Nethermancer who attempts to infect him with a Horror. The Great Dragon Mountainshadow heals the young prince.
1485 TH	-- Torgak and his associates begin clearing south-eastern corner of Parlainth to establish a permanent base of operations.
1488 TH	-- House Ishkarat seizes island of Filen from House Syrtis.
1491 TH	-- Haven officially opens in the south eastern corner of Parlainth.
1497 TH	-- Guild of Guildmasters created in Throal. -- Eidolon established at confluence of Serpent and Mothingdale Rivers.
1498 TH	-- House T’kambras reappears on Tylon River, led by Jedaiyen Westhrall.
1502 TH	-- Battles between Houses Ishkarat and Syrtis end with Battle of Sejanus. -- Seven year old child becomes new Shivalahala Syrtis (a.k.a. the Prophetess).
1507 TH	-- Varulus III travels to visit the Prophetess. The meeting ends with Varulus flying into an uncharacteristic rage and leaving hastily.

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