Introduction

While the exact age of Gevadun is unknown, various approximations have been made, and they tend to be closely aligned in length. As a result, most scholars utilize the Dawn Calendar, which averages these reputable approximations. The Dawn Calendar is the most widely accepted in Gevadun and is divided into eight distinct eras.

Each era is marked by significant events that indicate its beginning and end. The lengths of the eras vary considerably; for instance, the Era of Birth lasted about 3 billion years, whereas the Era of Gevadun lasted only 47 years.

The Era of Grey

Lasted for ??? years

Starting Event: The creation of the known Universe.

Ending Event: The cooling of the galactic fires of creation.

Details:

The Era of the Grey is characterized by a lack of recorded events. During this period, the fundamental concepts and laws that govern our Universe had not yet been established. This timeframe is a topic of debate among scholars, as it is difficult to determine its actual duration. It could have lasted for trillions of years or as little as six minutes. The era concluded with the onset of cooling, a phase in which the cosmic dust created by the Universe's birth began to settle, giving rise to of The Pantheon of the Nine as we know them today. The Era of the Grey is particularly intriguing because it sparks some of the most engaging scholarly debates. One whimsical and facetious theory is known as the "two goblins playing a card game." This theory humorously suggests that the Era of the Grey was occupied by two goblins engaged in a card game that spanned billions of years.

The Era of Birth

Lasted for 3 Billion years

Starting Event: The birth of the 9 Gods.

Ending Event: The Gods' cognitive abilities reach a point where they can have higher thoughts.

Details:

The Era of Birth marks the hottest period in the history of Gevadun, a time when galactic fire seethed and burned through the surrounding void. As the cosmos began to cool, The Pantheon of the Nine emerged from the heart of the cosmic fire and started their development over the course of approximately 3 billion years. To better understand these two original eras, it helps to think of them as chapters in a book. The Era of the Grey serves as a prologue, while the Era of Birth represents the first chapter. The Era of Birth commenced with the creation of the Gods and officially concluded when they gained consciousness and established their identities. It took around 3 billion years for the Gods to begin thinking; before this, they existed merely as masses of magical space dust.

The Era of Creation

Lasted for 500 Million years

Starting Event: The Gods create the first Realm.

Ending Event: The Gate to Hell becomes a physical object, welding The Ash Cleft to The Chasm.

Details:

The Era of Creation is the period when the Gods formed much of what we know in the Universe. They created six of the seven realms and began populating them with their creations. It is difficult for mortals to comprehend, but initially, the Gods were not focused on creating creatures or plants. Instead, they were crafting ideas and forces. They forged fundamental concepts such as life, death, darkness, and light. Once they outlined these natural forces, they concentrated on the finer details. While the Gods may have created frogs, what truly matters is the concept of life within each frog's soul. It's important to note that the Gods only partially influenced the specific flora and fauna that inhabit Gevadun. They initiated basic life, developing small plants and tiny creatures. Over millions of years, these life forms evolved and changed into the diverse plants and animals we recognize today in the realms. This Era concluded when The Chasm began to churn and fused with the unfinished Ash Cleft.

The Era of War

Lasted for 1 Million years

Starting Event: The Foul breached The Gate to Hell, beginning the largest war in history.

Ending Event: The Gods defeat the Foul and reseal The Gate to Hell.

Details:

The Era of War is one of history's best-studied yet poorly understood periods. This era began when the Foul erupted from The Chasm and invaded The Ash Cleft, and it concluded when the Gods finally sealed the Chasm and locked The Gate to Hell. It is characterized by the birth of monstrosities, a group of creatures created by the Gods to combat the Foul hordes. This era also saw the 100-year-long duel between the Gods and Raimeth. Many famous battles occurred during this time, including the notable duel between Trinder and the Foul Lord Karze'xur.

Although this period is extensively studied, it is often perceived as the Gods' holy crusade against the unholy legions of the Foul, but this is not true. It was a desperate struggle for the Gods, who fought to protect their creation, which had taken them an unimaginable amount of time to create. In The Ash Cleft, this era is romanticized and used by The Divine Church as propaganda. The Church even references the history of the Era of War to support its argument for the enslavement of the Dregs, claiming that it is the will of the divine for the Dregs to toil. If one examines the history, it becomes clear that the Dregs initially fought against The Foul, while the Tieflings originated from the blood of demons and devils.

The Era of The Lost

Lasted for 5000 years

Starting Event: The first humanoids populate the six realms and begin to construct society.

Ending Event: The total collapse of economies and societies around Gevadun.

Details:

The Era of the Lost is regarded as the "dawn of man." During this period, the humanoid races of Gevadun began to expand across their respective realms. Progress was slow, and conflicts led to the downfall of some of the earliest civilizations. Very few great empires were established during this era, and those that were typically lasted no more than three generations. As the races of Gevadun wandered, discovering the other realms ignited widespread chaos. Ill-conceived attempts at inter-realm travel resulted in countless deaths, and ambitious conquerors often launched misguided campaigns that usually failed before even engaging an enemy.

Toward the end of this era, the Elves attempted to rid Gevadun of the Orks, but the significant dangers of inter-realm travel meant that this campaign was a costly venture that could only be taken once. This isolation fostered contempt and distrust among the people of Gevadun. Aside from the Elves of Sindare and the Dragonborn of The Shattered Peaks, it is important to note how incredibly primitive the societies of this era were. The Era of the Lost concluded with a general decline in society across Gevadun, leading many to believe that the various races inhabiting the realms would simply die out.

The Era of Gevadun

Lasted for 47 years

Starting Event: The birth of Gevadun.

Ending Event: The death of Gevadun.

Details:

Gevadun was born over 3,000 years ago, yet his exploits are the foundation of civilization as we know it today. He was a human from the southeastern forests of Bail. During his youth, the various races of the realms were caught in a vicious downward spiral, with the threat of complete societal collapse looming and conflict rampant throughout the lands. As a young man, Gevadun worked as a lumberjack until bandits attacked his town, murdering his family. Fueled by a quest for vengeance, he traveled across Bail in pursuit of those responsible. He offered aid to many cities and villages along the way, gradually forming a band of seven adventurers, including himself. This group had a unique presence that drew people together; wherever they went, situations improved.

Gevadun's singular goal was to confront the man who had ordered the bandits to attack his town. He finally tracked him down in the smoldering heart of The Ash Cleft, but the man escaped. Later, they met again at The Gate to Hell, where they engaged in a fierce battle. This adversary was a powerful mage, and during their confrontation, Gevadun learned of the mage's sinister plot: he intended to open The Gate to Hell and absorb the power of the Chasm. Though Gevadun defeated the mage, the latter managed to open the gate just slightly. In a moment of blind heroism, Gevadun forced the gate shut with his bare hands, but as a consequence, a massive amount of foul energy flooded his body. He died there, but his actions saved the world from catastrophe.

This era of history is challenging to study due to the scarcity of written records, particularly regarding Gevadun and his band. However, the stories about him are widely accepted across the realms, indicating their validity. Gevadun touched the hearts of countless people, and his death united the realms like never before. For the first time in recorded history, there was relative peace between the realms, and nearly all factions sought to foster positive relations. Unfortunately, a series of subsequent events would hinder these good relations, ushering in what would be known as the Era of Storms.

The Era of Storms

Lasted for 2000 years

Starting Event: A series of storms that made travel between realms incredibly costly, dangerous, and unpredictable.

Ending Event: The abatement of the aforementioned storms and the renewed connection between realms.

Details:

Shortly after the death of Gevadun, the realms began to seek reconciliation after years of conflict. However, as they prepared to come together, a series of powerful storms in the aether made inter-realm travel extremely hazardous. Sailing across the Deep Astral Sea became nearly impossible, and the bridges linking the realms became so unstable that they were practically unusable. Rather than inciting fear or discord, these challenges strengthened the resolve of Gevadun's leaders. The rulers of the realms agreed to form treaties and pacts once the storms had subsided. During this period, inter-realm travel was restricted primarily to the wealthy, and only a limited number of individuals could travel at a time.

The Current Era, Era of Heroes

(It is ongoing, so far, it has lasted 1571 years)

Starting Event: The signing of inter-realm treaties and alliances.

Ending Event: ???

Details:

Our current era began when the storms finally subsided, allowing the powers that ruled the realms of Gevadun to sign the treaties they had promised two millennia earlier. Although there have been minor conflicts in the past 1,500 years, Gevadun has largely remained peaceful. No one can predict what will bring our current era to an end; we can only hope it comes to a peaceful conclusion. A significant event in the Era of Heroes was the discovery of the realm of Praetoria, which occurred in the 1,562nd year of this era. The Foul also launched a second invasion in the 1,563rd year of this era, having been defeated only recently in the current year, 1,571.