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History of Eamon
Overview
Scholars throughout the continent of Addar generally divide the history of the world of Eamon into three broad sections:
- The Ages of Creation (before 18,800 BA), beginning with the formation of the world of Eamon and ending with the destruction of the human republic of Tasavalta in the First Ruin.
- The Ages of Ruin (18,800–2,704 BA), encompassing the vast period of cyclical growth and destruction that began with the First Ruin and ended with the successful interruption of the Eighth.
- The Age of Adventure, or the Age of the Gods (2,703 BA–present). This age sees humanity reaching new heights of sophistication and exploration, the advent of a new pantheon of deities, the defeat of the Great Old Ones, and the permanent dissolution of the Cycle of Ruin.
In the Kingdom of Evenhold and some surrounding lands, the current age is further divided into a number of smaller periods defined by significant cultural events:
- The Years of Empire (2,703–1,410 BA)
- The Years of Prayer (1,409–1 BA)
- The Years of Anharos (1–200 YA)
- The Years of the Council (201–448 YA)
- The Years of the Wizard Kings (449–891 YA)
- The Years of the Great Houses (892 YA–present)
Though this timeline includes the most significant events that shaped the world of Eamon, it focuses mainly on the history of the continent of Addar, and particularly on events affecting the Kingdom of Evenhold and surrounding lands. The histories of other parts of the world are little known and have yet to be documented.
The years shown in this history are reckoned from the victory of King Anharos in the Great Battle of Darkness in 1 YA, with preceding years marked as BA (before Anharos).
This page includes author's notes which can be revealed in the settings.
The Ages of Creation
The Ages of Ruin
The Ages of Ruin were a protracted dark age during which hordes of undead creatures and other monstrosities would periodically emerge to ravage the world and cripple its civilizations.
The cycle was driven by the Great Old Ones who, following some unknown ancient rhythm, passed every 2,300 years through brief peaks of vigorous and violent activity followed by long periods of dormancy. During the peaks, known to Eamon's inhabitants as "Ruins", the energetic wakefulness of the eldritch gods would drive the planet's monsters and undead creatures into a frenzy of destruction during which they would erupt from the ground to wipe out much of the world's population. Along with the Great Old Ones they would then subside, leaving the survivors to slowly rebuild.
The destruction of Tasavalta marks the beginning of this period and is referred to as the First Ruin, though the cycle likely began much earlier. Numerous minor nations, kingdoms, and peoples rise and fall during this period, with many of the earliest lost to history.
The Age of Adventure
The people of Eamon enter a new period of history hopeful that the ancient cycle of cataclysms has been broken. Some believe that the intervention staged by Lanst and Ervuol ended the Cycle permanently; others expect it will continue but trust that humanity can continue to interrupt it and keep the dark forces at bay so long as the lands remain united and the necessary wisdom is preserved.
Evenhold's scholars divide the current age into a smaller periods defined by important cultural events in the region.
The Years of Empire (2,703–1,410 BA)
Having escaped for the first time the decimation of the Ruin, the peoples of Eamon advance and spread farther than ever before. The human empires of Lanst and Ervuol continue to grow in power and sophistication, becoming by the end of the era masters of physical and magical crafts and extending their spheres of influence across the continent of Addar and beyond. The more reclusive troll empires also begin the age flourishing in their mountainous lands, though that peace is short-lived.
The Years of Prayer (1,409–1 BA)
Bruised and insecure, the people of Addar walk the remains of the fallen empires and begin the slow process of recovery. Whereas the Years of Empire had been a time of might and self-assurance, many now turn to the worship of various deities — both real and imagined — for a sense of order, security, and solace. Numerous new religious orders and cults arise across the continent.
The Years of Anharos (1–200 YA)
More properly called the Years of the House of Anharos, this period sees the growth and consolidation of the Kingdom of Evenhold across many generations of the king's descendants.
The Years of the Council (201–448 YA)
The Years of the Wizard Kings (449–891 YA)
The Years of the Great Houses (892 YA–present)
Eamon today
Present-day Eamon is a vibrant and complex world: delightful and dangerous, beautiful and frightening, with abundant opportunities for hearty adventurers to acquire fame and fortune, if they possess the courage. However, the Kingdom of Evenhold and surrounding lands also face a number of serious challenges, both from within and from without. These are among the most significant:
War with the Darklords. Though there are several Ilvithri (Darklords) who threaten the peace, Skeleus is the most urgent threat, earning him the common name of The Darklord. He is a master of dark magic and wields the power to summon armies of undead creatures and other savage monstrosities on a scale unseen since the time of Anharos.
The Darklords west of the Great Mountains are occupied with their longstanding war against the western Elves and are a less immediate danger, but they remain a threat.
War with Sicilia. Evenhold's rival to the northeast has been a thorn in the kingdom's side for decades, and conflict is always simmering along the border.
Anti-magic uprisings. The chaos sown by rogue wizards has ignited in some people a hatred for magic. Militant organizations like the Cobalt Front and the Brothers of Eudo capitalize on this hatred: they seek to have the practice of magic outlawed and those who use it imprisoned, expelled, or even killed. Though they're not yet in Evenhold's cultural mainstream, their influence in certain quarters is steadily growing.
The rise of technology. The history of Eamon has long been dominated by magic and its practitioners, but non-magical technology is increasingly common throughout the lands, promising major social and cultural changes and threatening the established order. Spreading from the advanced eastern nation of Knieriem is the knowledge of steam-power, the manufacture of complex machinery, and even principles of electricity.
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Displayed as blue insets, author's notes appear throughout the text of the Guide and give insight into how and where certain features of the world of Eamon originated.