Timeline
World History prior to the Mage Wars Era should be taken with a grain of salt; much of it was heavily mythologized to lend legitimacy to fledgling new nations or for use as propaganda during wars.
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Prehistory
???? - Awakening of the Fae
The Fae in the realm of Annwn are broadly divided into two ‘courts’, Seelie and Unseelie. Some Fae discover a way to communicate with the Earthrealm through a nexus rift. These communications become the basis for rituals and prophecies followed by many ancient humans.
Before N-Day
1277 - The Order of the Blue Eon is formed as a secretive group of occultists who cling to the rituals and prophecies given to them by the Fae. They spend the next several centuries consolidating their occult knowledge and power while remaining unknown to the world at large.
1800s - Fae Interaction with humanity ceases. The Order continues to follow their rituals and seek positions of power in society in order to fulfill the Order’s grand prophecy.
Early 2000s - Members of The Order of the Blue Eon hold the highest positions of political and social power in many nations across the world and begin to enact the final phase of their plan.
2023 - 2027 - Unrest and Societal Collapse
The Order foments unrest and civil strife in multiple countries. The Second American Civil War causes a destabilizing ripple effect across the world. Smaller governments collapse under the strain of economic crashes, resource shortages, rioting, and social upheaval. Major supply chains experience constant disruptions. Regional conflicts erupt into violence.
N-Day / Titan Era
Feb, 07 2027 - N-Day
Global war breaks out which allows The Order to launch targeted nuclear strikes across the globe. These strikes tear open the nexus rifts. Hundreds of millions of people are killed in the initial strikes. The Fae are ripped from their own world and brought to Earth - along with uncountable other mystical beings, powers, and artifacts from infinite other dimensions.
The global death toll ticks up into the billions due to radiation, starvation, monster attacks, lack of medical care, and despair. The old world is completely destroyed. The massive amounts of radiation and nexus energy permeating the globe causes the first mutants to be born amongst the human population.
2028 - The Fae settle in the former British Isles and use magic to establish safe settlements. Desperate human survivors flock to them. Tension develops between Seelie and Unseelie. These new settlements later become the nation of New Tairngire.
2028 - 2051 - War of the Titans
This mythological era covers the appearance of gargantuan monsters called Titans and a Fae warrior, Donn the Dark One (later the Titan Slayer), who defeats them. During this time the dragon goddess Tiamat is killed which causes the Elder Dragons to appear through a rift. Many magical warriors with extraordinary powers, such as Rama, appear during this time. After the Titan god Malus is killed, the War is ended and Donn disappears from history.
Chaos Years
2051 - Formation of the Wayfarers
The Wayfarers emerge out of the warring groups of wasteland survivors. They become known for trading, protection, guidance, and survival. The Wayfarers spread across North America and divide themselves into Bands. Each Wayfarer Band covers a particular territory, with specialized skills suited to their chosen terrain.
2052 - The Formation of the Paladins
A man called Duncan forms a group with other survivors in the ruined pacific northwest. They offer protection from raiders and monsters while working to build shelters and find food. They become a monastic order called The Paladins and follow a religious code called The Path.
2054 - Faction Wars
Factions of survivors, gangs, and bandits form in the PNW ruins. These factions battle with each other, with the Paladins attempting to keep peace. Eventually, the factions carve out their own territorial borders.
2066 - The Origin of Vampires
Koschei the Deathless is banished from his world through a rift and emerges in the Earthrealm. Koschei vows revenge, and sires the first vampires to begin raising a vampire army. These first vampires each become the heads of the vampire clans.
2070 - 2073 - Mediterranean War and Founding of the Aurelian Empire
In the Italian peninsula, remnants of the Holy See, the old Italian government, and a new upstart group calling itself the Aurelian Republic enter a full scale armed conflict. The Italians get the upper hand, until the Holy See and Aurelians sign a peace pact with each other and destroy the Italian forces. The Holy See and the Aurelians jointly form the new Aurelian Empire and take immediate control of the Italian peninsula, crushing pockets of resistance.
2071 - 2078 - The Kingdom of Durendal is formed after a monarchical faction conquers all resistance in southwestern Europe. Their borders expand through a series of conquests. The nation stretches from Iberia to the Alps and the Rhine, and north to the Ardennes.
2081 - March on Tunguska / The War with the Ecomancers
Koschei and his vampire army march on Tunguska to open a Nexus Gate back to his home world. Koschei must corrupt the Tunguska Oasis. This site is sacred to the local ecomancers who guard it with their lives. The ecomancers use all their greenwave magic and shapeshifting powers to battle the vampires. Koschei is defeated and imprisoned in a giant dead tree called ölüm daragı. The defeated vampire clans return to their home lands. Without Koschei’s guidance, the clans bicker for power and rivalries emerge between them.
2082 - 2089 - Aurelian Conquests
The Aurelian Empire expands its borders, conquering much of the Mediterranean with its Legions. They halt at the borders of the Kingdom of Durendal, and the nations open diplomatic relations.
2090 - The Isin Empire comes to power in Mesopotamia. Little is known about this expansive empire as few records were kept.
Bluestone Era
2111 - 2120 - The Nexite Revolution
Survivors in West Africa discover how to refine Bluestone, and create the first Bluestone weapons to defend themselves from hostile creatures. Others flock to them for safety, and they become the Kangaba Empire. Quality of life improves for the first time in a century.
Unseelie Fae spies steal the research and plans for a “Nexus Bomb”. They take the plans to New Tairngire but are exiled by the Seelie. Kangaba Bluestone Weapons become legendary for their power, and even into the present day are highly sought after.
2120 - 2214 - The exiled Unseelie travel across the ocean and across North America, following ley lines, gathering power and knowledge, influencing others and making enemies.
2124 - Formation of the Golden Empire of Shenzhou
Survivors in east Asia create hybrid building materials with Nexite and bluestone to withstand powerful storms called Nexus Weather Events (NWEs), allowing settlements to grow. The legend of the Golden Emperor, the forging of the Xuan Yuan sword, and the founding myth of Shenzhou is dated back to this time.
2126 - 2131 - Halcyon City founded in the northeast. Settlements along the east coast of North America re-establish trade and begin to grow with refugees from the interior.
2132 - Nordraegen is settled by Elder Dragons
The Elder Dragons begin building the city of Drakenstad around the Shrine of Tiamat, the site of the rift through which the dragons originally entered Earthrealm. Thus the kingdom of Nordraegen is formed upon the icy peaks of the northernmost Rocky Mountains.
2148- 2149 - The Great Expedition
Wayfarers from the band of the Bear embark on a journey across the Atlantic. Their ship is damaged in a storm, and they are rescued by the seafarers who call themselves Norðurverðir. The Norðurverðir are incorporated as the first European band of the Wayfarers - the band of the Polar Bear.
2151 - Haida slay Ildtyran
The Haida kill the dragon Ildtyran with cannons from their battlecruiser/floating city Sgaana (and a stroke of luck). With the Dragons temporarily beaten back, the Haida are able to set out south along the coast and make connections with other survivors. Lines of communication and trade routes open between the groups.
2157 - The band of the Polar Bear expands through the northern territories of the European mainland.
2160 - The Isin Empire dissolves, leaving only ruins, myths, and questions. Isin relics become highly sought after magical artifacts.
2165 - Shenzhou Expansion
After a series of devastating Nexus Weather Events in East Asia, Shenzhou offers aid to the shattered nations and city-states. Through this aid, the people come under Shenzhou’s sphere of influence and eventually become provinces.
2168 - 2173 - The Dragonborn War
The Dragons create a race of humanoid dragon servants known as the Dragonborn to act as their footsoldiers. The Haida are the first to be attacked and are initially overwhelmed. Reinforcements from allies in the south arrive and the combined forces push the Dragonborn back. The conflict turns cold. Dragonborn soldiers returning to Nordraegen are mistreated. Some are exiled, while others escape. These are the first Dragonborn who set out into the wider world.
2174 - 2181 - The Lifeline Project
The band of the Polar Bear in Europe and the band of the Bear in North America salvage one of the ancient transatlantic cables. After several attempts they are able to resurrect intercontinental communications between relay stations in Iceland and Newfoundland. Other groups create communication services that branch off from the Wayfarers’ backbone and reconnect much of the major cities in western Europe and eastern North America.
2189 - The Hunters are formed in secret in the Aurelian Empire to hunt down the growing vampire clans in Europe. Though the Holy See is aware of the group and has given its tacit endorsement, they do not acknowledge them publicly.
2192 - Political instability, famine, and NWEs devastate more of East Asia. Shenzhou once again steps in with aid, expanding its influence and territory.
2197 - The Void
A living realm known as the Void creates a bridge between itself and Earthrealm by sending its herald known as The Voidbringer through a rift. The Void feeds on Nexus energy and threatens to consume the entire realm. The mage scholars gather up the legendary heroes of the age to try to fight it. They cannot defeat the Void, but sacrifice their energy to send the Voidbringer back through the rift, severing the bridge between Earthrealm and the Void. Scholars believe this is only temporary. Remnants of the Void remain in Earthrealm, are studied and later used to create anti-magic weapons. Cults dedicated to the worship of the Void arise in the wake of the crisis. Legendary heroes the likes of Rama, Donn, and the Golden Emperor are never seen again
Mage Wars Era
2198 - 2205 - Void Fallout
Overall free flowing Nexus energy in the environment decreases and magic becomes more difficult to use. Rifts and ley lines stabilise. Focus shifts to combining technology and magic and many technical advancements occur to increase productivity. Bluestone prices soar due to hoarding and monopolies. Wayfarers raid and redistribute bluestone, fueling a global black market. Dangerous Void relics appear on the black market. Mage groups attempt to hunt down these relics to dispose of them safely while other groups attempt to acquire them for power.
2206 - First Rudimentary Bluestone Computer Created
Telia Networks develops the first bluestone computer and begins constructing the primitive backbone of the Cortex. Overall tech levels in the major cities of the world increase, giving people access to many modern amenities.
2210 - Gobannos SARL is formed to control Nexite mining operations in western Europe.
2214 - Mag Duinn Begins Development
The Unseelie Court arrives in the Pacific Northwest after following ley lines to a Nexite deposit in the North Shore Mountains. They find the warring faction territories and unite the factions over time to bring the city under their rule. They name the city Mag Duinn. The old faction territories each become districts in the city. The Unseelie found the Gordian-Allod corporation to manage mining, power generation, and bluestone refinement. They profit from selling bluestone to the highest bidder.
2222 - The Ocean Machine is Born
Experiments in an old NullEarth island military bunker go wrong and an insane AI murders all the researchers to meld with bluestone computing equipment, creating The Ocean Machine.
2228 - Drifter Assassins
Bandless Wayfarers called drifters move to the city en masse and form an elite assassins guild. The Band of the Scorpion is formed in secret.
2231 - The New Batavian Commonwealth
Following a bloody conflict between Maas-Anholts BV, Gobannos SARL, and KLZ Logistiek over contracts involved in the European rebuilding operations, the three corporations agree to not only a truce but to form a triumvirate governing the newly formed Nieuwe Bataafse Gemenebest in the former BeNeLux region.
2243 - Halcyon Group is formed
Halcyon Group is founded in Halcyon City. They develop medical technology that will allow humankind to match up to the mystical races. They grow rapidly and begin to branch out into other ventures, and will become the primary rivals of Gordian-Allod.
2252 - 2259 - The Mage Wars
New Tairngire and the Aurelian Empire stoke proxy wars between the Khazar Federation, Moskom, Masovia and Novypolatsk to take control of Nexite resources in the region known as the Eastern Churn. Bloody fighting spills into civilian areas. Moskom death squads execute suspected traitors en masse, while vampire clans are used as ruthless assassins. Gordian-Allod and Halcyon Group involve themselves as an excuse to conduct experiments on the injured soldiers, leading to advanced developments in cybernetics and genetic alteration.
Void weapons are deployed for the first time. The Nexus Bomb resurfaces. The bomb is detonated by an unknown group, obliterating the city of Neo Viciebsk in Novypolatsk. Hundreds of thousands are killed in the blast. The area is a wasteland. The detonation of the bomb ends the war.
2260s - Nexus Bomb Fallout
The blast site of the Nexus Bomb is called the Deadlands. A new Nexus Rift is opened in the center of it. The horrific creatures that emerge from it are all that can survive in the wastes.
The Fae are scapegoats for the detonation. The human-dominant nations demonize the Fae. The Aurelian Empire and the Kingdom of Durendal forge an alliance in response, and their diplomatic relations with New Tairngire are severely strained. Many nations on the European continent begin development of more anti-magic and void-based technology.
2265 - The Azure Revolution
The Azure Union is founded in Mag Duinn in the unrest after the Nexus Bomb. They oppose Gordian-Allod and fight for workers’ rights. They organize a general strike halting the production of Nexite which grinds Midnight City to a halt. The first general strike is broken up by Gordian-Allod thugs. More strikes follow in the coming months and years.
2267 - The Puppet Elections
The Unseelie promise democratic elections to placate the public and end the strikes. Secretly, the Unseelie ensure all candidates are puppets to them while opposition is eliminated. The first elections are held for councillors to serve the Unseelie government. The more radical members of the public, including the Azure Union, are dissatisfied while centrists see it as a good first step.
2270 - Eastern Sprawl Expansion
The settlements of the Eastern Sprawl expand until their borders fuse, creating the unbroken megacity - the Halcyon Metropolitan Area - as it stands today. Halcyon Group controls the entirety of the Sprawl from their headquarters in Halcyon City.
2273 - Construction of the Continental Line begins. This high speed rail line is a multi-corporate effort to link the coasts and facilitate the transit of goods across North America.
2277 - Halcyon Group expands westward and sets up satellite offices in SeaTac south of Midcity. They cut deals with the governing body of SeaTac, taking control of the city.
Corporate Era
2289 - Midnight City is born
Continuing unrest, strikes, protests, and riots force the Unseelie’s hand. They publicly withdraw from governance over Mag Duinn. The first human government is elected, though secretly they all report to the Unseelie Court. The new government introduces sweeping changes. The city is renamed from Mag Duinn to Midnight City, after its nickname.
Gordian-Allod begins construction of the Mag Mell arcology, a jewel of technology. The Unseelie executives of G-A build this arcology out of spite against the humans who tried to strip them of power.
Midnight City’s power grid is fully integrated with Nexus energy and technology. It is the most advanced city in the world.
2290 - The Continental Line is complete. It runs from Midnight City to Halcyon City in the east, with north-south branches down to New Angeles and the southern Halcyon Metro Area.
2295 - Space Flight Operations begin again
Shenzhou launches the first new bluestone satellite into low earth orbit. Months later, Durendal Aerospace completes successful rocket tests. Cortex development accelerates due to the connectivity provided by the satellites. Manned spaceflight operations soon follow.
2300 - 2350 - The Long Peace
Advances in technology lead to an economic boom and overall increase in standards of living in the cities. Medical care improves paving the way for future research into biomedical engineering. The Cortex is opened to the public and changes commerce, entertainment, and social interaction seemingly overnight. Early prototypes of BLISS technology are developed.
The Mag Mell Arcology is completed. It is used to advertise the city globally, but is limited solely to the Unseelie Court/Gordian-Allod executives and allies. Global megacorporations grow in power and influence. Instances of corporate espionage increase. Immigration to Midnight City increases. International travel is made faster and more accessible with the launch of Durendal Aerospace’s supersonic jets.
Fighting tournaments take Midcity by storm, and organized leagues and rankings are formed to lend structure to the city’s favourite hobby.
2350 - 2358 - The First Corporate War and Creation of the Second Strain
A video of dubious veracity surfaces of Halcyon operatives from SeaTac assassinating a Midcity representative and Midnight City declares war in “retaliation”. They launch a full scale assault. Both sides employ mercenary armies. The Long Peace is over.
Gordian-Allod partners with a bioengineering firm called XeroCorp as part of Project Zodiac. An experiment with an artificial vampire virus goes wrong and the test subjects escape. These are the Second Strain Vampires.
After years of fighting, the Midnight City forces are victorious and push Halcyon Group’s mercenaries out of SeaTac.
2359 - Midnight City’s mercenary army is officially transformed into the Midnight City Defense Forces. The MCPD, Midnight City’s police force, is folded into the umbrella of the MCDF to create a singular police/military organization.
2360 - The Squad Combat League is launched, broadcasting team fighting tournaments from the Midnight City Coliseum.
2363 - The Decimation of the Azure Union
The Azure Union rises against the oppression of the wealthy and becomes the vanguard of a class war. Their charismatic leader, pseudonym Vox, inspires rallies and protests hoping for change. Vox is assassinated, sparking riots. The MCDF uses this as an excuse to murder much of the Azure Union in the streets. The surviving Azurites retreat underground.
2368 - The Shenzhou government, after a decades long slide further and further into authoritarianism, enacts harsh measures to clamp down on dissent within its borders. Many citizens of its provinces flee to Midnight City.
2371 - Shenzhou Space Agency and Gordian-Allod construct a resource depot on the moon, Luna Base. Asteroid mining operations carried out by a multitude of corporations launch from Luna Base and acquire precious metals. The corporations grow in power.
Gordian-Allod and the Shenzhou Space Agency draw up plans for further collaborations, including luxury space station resorts. The metals mined in space reduce the cost and difficulty of future space construction.
2376 - The nameless Cyberwar
An anonymous hacker collective known as nameless launches a cyberattack on Gordian-Allod, demanding corporations free the Cortex. They gain popular support, but eventually the MCDF tracks and arrests several members. The attack lasts for three and a half weeks and the economic damage is in the hundreds of billions.
2377 - The Second nameless Cyberattack
nameless launches an orbital cyberattack. They take control of multiple communications satellites and turn the satellites into weapons, severely damaging Luna Base. The attack is stopped within hours, but the damage is significant, and several mining operators are killed.
2378 - The Quake
A massive earthquake strikes the west coast of North America. Bay City and New Angeles are almost completely destroyed. Midnight City is severely damaged. Huge portions of the city are left in ruins. Gordian-Allod monopolizes resources under the guise of efficiency, but only distributes these to the wealthiest districts. The Wayfarers, Paladins, and Azure Union team up to aid the poor and help recovery efforts. The MCDF pulls out of the poor districts to protect the wealthy from looting. Gangs fill the void, and the worst of these districts are designated RPZ - Resident Protection Zone - or known colloquially as The Zone.
2380 - Building of the Domes
Pollution is rampant in Midcity due to industrial damage from the Quake. Gordian-Allod constructs enviro-domes to improve quality of life by protecting against pollution. These domes are only constructed over wealthy districts, further isolating rich from poor. The domes have artificial environments like that of Mag Mell. Checkpoints manned by the MCDF ensure the poor stay out.
2383 - Cybernetics Breakthrough
A rapid advancement in cybernetics tech occurs, including full-body cybernetic overhauls, and the addition of a ‘sub-brain’ module for extra limbs. This leads to further development of brain-computer interfaces and advances in BLISS technology. Advanced combat cybernetics are tested and deployed within military and mercenary organizations.
2384 - The CEOs of Gordian-Allod and Halcyon Group meet in Amsterdam under mysterious circumstances.
2386 - 2390 - The Second Corporate War
Gordian-Allod publicly blames Halcyon Group for the Quake, and Halcyon responds in kind. Limited skirmishes occur before war is declared. Halcyon fields cyborg soldiers with experimental integrated weapons systems. Gordian-Allod counters with genetically engineered bio-soldiers from its Zodiac project. Famous Squad Combat League champions are deployed with implanted cameras to capture every second of footage. Millions of people watch the live feeds of fighting and the daily War Reels broadcast. Ratings soar. Advertisers sponsor star soldiers. Unethical experiments are conducted on captives and soldiers. Thousands die and thousands more are mentally and physically scarred. The war draws to a close with no clear victor. The veterans are abandoned, turned bitter by the pointlessness of it all.
Current Era
2400 - Present Day