The written history of Jaern is compiled from a variety of separate accounts, transcribed here in this library by the archivists of the Centralia Guild of Wizards and the Kira Institute at the University of Helmrest. Work is constantly being done to fill in the gaps of knowledge and create a more objective record of events. If you believe you possess knowledge that is not presented in this library, please contact the Head Archivist and arrange a meeting1). All years are presented as either SD (Since Destruction) or BD (Before Destruction). Events are presented with the most recent at the top, and most ancient at the bottom.
(2545 SD - Present, Worldwide)
The Modern Age is marked by adventuring being a common profession. Adventurers are often some of the most major movers of historical events. The start of the Modern Age was the creation of Ageron, when a large group of spellcasters worked together to raise a new continent up from a small archipelago.
Major events of this era include:
(2544 SD, Centralia)
Although freak portals and weird magic was common connecting Jaern and Cahyali, it was not until 2544 that the Centralia Mages' Guild opened a stable interplanar portal leading out to Ulos in Cahyali. Ever since, portals to Cahyali are easy to access via the Alpha Site. Most of these portals land somewhere in Ulos or its allied nations.
A single, tightly controlled portal also exists leading to Ley'Ork, under supervision of the HTUC. Only important political and military leaders tend to travel through this portal.
(2514 - 2545 SD, Worldwide)
This time in Jaernian history is characterized by several major events with their impacts stretching across the world, as well as the presence of adventurers throughout. It began with the Day of Reckoning, when many of the gods' current incarnations were killed, featured events such as the return of dragons to Jaern, and ended with Ageron's creation as well as contact with Cahyali.
Major events of this era include:
Karfelon was destroyed in approximately 2515 when its great sea wall broke due to a magical item detonation. Having existed 140 feet below sea level, the city was destroyed in a matter of minutes leaving very few survivors.
Centralia City was formed not long after in the Rhine region of Jaern, becoming home to many refugees of those who survived. The original three lords of Centralia also settled in, and began work on historical revisionism and memory tampering to remove memory of Karfelon and that Centralia had been the main city of Jaern. (See 2006/2010 manual entries)
(2240 SD, Lojem)
A mage named Jican Trion at the University of Raforge in Lojem discovers applications of the unique, deeply magical material terisium. The use of this material allows easy and quick creation of magical items by mortal mages for the first time in history. Mages become the primary holders of knowledge in this time, after the collapse of the Tarusian Archives only a few years prior.
(2121 - 2218 SD, Lojem)
A man named Justin Gheler receives guidance and the methods of smithing steel from a Tarus in disguise and brings the disgraced Tarusian Archives back into the light. The Archives would not last long after Gheler's death, though, as many archivists hoarded knowledge for themselves and refused to share valuable secrets with the public. This would attract significant backlash from the population, countless Tarusian priests were killed, and knowledge would not again fall into the hands of a temple for a century. Even after the witch-hunts of record-keepers ended, the Tarusian archives would not undergo reform until as recently as 2546.
(1739 - 2154 SD, Alwadiha)
After the fall of the Veiled Empire, settlers set adrift found themselves on what is modern-day Alwadiha. They conquered and subjugated the local lizard populations, kicking off a period of prosperity and establishing many religious as well as academic orders that still persist to the modern era. However, all of this abundance was built on the backs of the conquered people.
(618 SD, Lojem)
In 618, a portal mysteriously opened in the Osiris' Necklace archipelago in southern Lojem, bringing great shock to a trading caravan of lizards on their way to Rougtero. It was then that gnomes would arrive on Jaern, reporting a “great cataclysm” in their home plane of the Dreaming involving “terrible shapes” and “rootless flowers”. Several more portals would open over the next two years in various parts of Jaern and Cahyali, with groups of gnomes running out and reporting the same general destruction each time.
(576 - 2121 SD, Worldwide)
After a catastrophic experiment by a Tarusian temple results in the destruction of an entire island, witch hunts ensue en masse against all Tarusians. Archives are burned, Tarus is dubbed the “God of Death Machines,” and the practice of record keeping - as well as society's value of knowledge and invention - fades away. People who show too much technical expertise are sometimes accused of being Tarusians and burned at the stake. Little technological nor magical advancement happens during this time.
(313 - 1599 SD, Ageron)
The Veiled Empire was one of the first civilizations to exist after Torandor's destruction, and was famous for its demon-binding. The empire rose and fell long before the art of adventuring began on Jaern, but this time period holds large interest to archeologists, historians, and archivists. At its height, the Veiled Empire had touched nearly every corner of the Azurian and Sunovarm seas: controlling Geleia, Lojem, and what would eventually become Ageron.
(1 - 1300s SD, Worldwide)
This time period, the first millennium of habitation on Jaern, is marked by the steady thawing-out of the planet. Even assisted by the gods, it was not a quick process; for the first five hundred years, one could walk across the frozen oceans on foot. Much of the early exploration of Jaern was done over hundreds of miles of snowy icefield.
By the early 500s, the oceans had mostly melted, though winters were still cold and strong. Scholars estimate that the climate of Jaern is now as normal as it's going to get, and no more thawing is left to be done.
(circa 0 SD, Worldwide)
Jaern enters the Onra system as a rogue planet and collides with Torandor's moon Tysyl, destroying it. Torandor is flung out of its orbit and torn apart by Onra's gravity, becoming a new asteroid belt along with the remains of its moon. Most of the population of Torandor is lost, with only a minority evacuating to Jaern on a ship named the Kaaren of Destruction.
The Kaaren of Destruction lands on Geleia, Jaern in 0 SD.
(~2200 BD-315 SD, The Beneath and Celestial Planes)
Although most mortals never heard a single peep of this war, it raged violently for millennia, costing millions if not billions of lives - demon, deific, and mortal alike - and would end with the creation of the Silent Pact, still held to this day between the demons and the gods. The war was officially considered over when the Sovereign, the archdemon Paimon, sold the Beneath into servitude to the nascent Veiled Empire.
The war still leaves its scars on both planes, as many demons, angels, and gods lived through it and still remember it. Many veterans of the bloody conflict are still alive, seeking revenge or even a new war entirely. Although this war happened on planes with a connection to many material worlds, Cahyali saw little of it; they did not have much contact with the Beneath during this time.
(2172 - 2164 BD, Torandor)
An asteroid strikes the Jelwah province of Torandor, carrying a virulent pathogen which spreads a deadly plague amongst elves and elves only. Millions die, with one in one thousand surviving. Aftereffects of the plague extend elven lifespan, at the cost of lowering birthrate.
(7523 BD, Torandor)
Little is known about Aldeberon, but it was a significant enough civilization such that its founding date is the reckoning for the Jaernian calendar to this day.