Delosian Timeline

DELOSIAN TIMELINE:

270-900 The Ashante Empire. This was the golden age of Delosian culture, as a hereditary monarchy ruled Delos for over 600 years. Most ruins across Delos were built during this period. The Orcish citadel of Surlt and other landmarks date from here. This union of all Delosian tribes was virtually without conflict. However, the long-lived empire fell to the Shadowmasters and the Tcho-Tcho during the Night of Shadows and demon attacks during the years 900-901.

780 A contingent of exiled Red Necromancers lands on the shores of western Delos. They make contact with the Black Necromancers and the worshippers of Shadow, adding their unnatural and evil knowledge of raising the dead to the Black Necromancers already potent zombie creation. They eventually find their way to the Tcho-Tcho tribe in the city of Leng, and their experiments in Negative energy lead to the discovery of the Plane of Shadow.

901-971 The Shadowmasters Empire. The evil Shadow worshippers and their servants the Black Necromancers ruled with fear and death during most of this century. They subjugated most tribes and practiced demon worship and human sacrifice, destroying or enslaving all who resisted. It took decades, but a union of the surviving tribes led by the great warrior Benin eventually rose up and destroyed the Shadowmasters, the Tcho-Tcho people were driven back to their city of Leng, and the worship of Shadow was contained to the Forbidden Plateau from then until the present.

972-997 Benin Empire. Ruled by the great warrior Benin, for 25 years the united tribes of Delos exterminated the remnants of the Shadowmasters and Tcho-Tcho, and eventually conquered the entire continent. Benin is considered the greatest ruler in Delosian history, as most of his conquests were accomplished by wit and intelligence rather than bloodshed. After his death in 997 his empire gradually fragmented into many separate tribes.

998-1160 Time of No Empires.

1001-1056 Attempted conquering of Delos by the Silver elf House of S’thelian. Hundreds of elves landed and attempted to subjugate the Dark Continent, thinking the great jungles of Delos would be ideal land for the expansion of their noble house. Their pride and hubris did not allow them to think that this task could not be accomplished, and they seriously underestimated the number of priests they would need to support an endeavor. However, nothing more than a beachhead of a few fortresses, towers and keeps were ever actually established, as disease and constant battles with native tribes, orc pirates, serpent men and Shadow worshippers dwindled the numbers faster than the elves could keep them up. Eventually the humbled elves (finally numbering only a few dozen) attempted to return to the Elven Isles but their ship was lost along the way. The elves now refer to the disastrous expedition as “S’thelian’s Folly” and it is constantly used as an example of underestimating a task by elves today.

1150-1200 The Kongon Empire. A loose confederation of tribes led by a powerful king and a pair of black dragon allies on the southern coast of Delos ruled the land for a few decades. This empire fell to treachery within from Taranthian priests and mages.

1165 Taranthian empire lands on eastern shores of Delos. The explorers for the empire set up base camps, a citadel, and slaver operations. They immediately begin to war with the local tribes, but manage to topple the confederation of tribes set up by the Kongon empire.

1201-1244 Time of No Empires. The Taranthians use these decades to build up their fortifications and foothold on the eastern side of Delos.

1244-1289 Mali Empire. The legendary warrior Mali of the Tzulas led his people in attacks against the Taranthians, eventually sacking their citadel and killing or driving all survivors from the Delosian shores. Taranthians would not attempt to return to Delos for 150 years.

1290 Death of Mali. With Mali’s death, the union of tribes he had put together eventually fell apart into warring factions.

1291-1380 Time of No Empires.

1381-1409 Sokoto Empire. The Delosian wizard Sokoto managed for a short time to unite most of eastern and southern Delos, including the Kongon and Tzula tribes. However, orcish pirate attacks increased, and Sokoto was killed during a gigantic battle against a union of all orcish pirate tribes in a week-long siege that also killed thousands of orcs and men. Debris from this great battle, along with the bones of orcish and Delosian natives, still dot the isles on the southern side of Delos. The orcs take over the citadel of Surlt during this time.

1403 First landing on the NW shore of Delos of alliance of merchant houses from the League in what would soon become known as Soldier’s Port.

1410-1426Time of No Empires

1425 Exiled Blue Necromancer builds the wizard’s tower in Soldier’s Port, and several merchant houses set up semi-permanent encampments to facilitate trade with local native tribes.

1427-1446 Songhay Empire. A short lived union of tribes led by the Songhay tribe of the Ashante. This union was destroyed by the return of the Taranthian empire.

1440 Merchant houses from the League operating out of Soldier’s Port build the first rudimentary wall that cuts off the peninsula from the jungle and beach. At this time several more permanent structures have been erected including the first “Number One Inn” and the Vistnan temple.

1446 A boat full of Golden Elves arrives at Soldier’s Port, looking for evidence of the Silver Elf House of S’thelian which fell almost 400 years before. They are reportedly searching for elven artifacts, but disappear into the interior of Delos and are never seen again.

1447-1490 Tzulan Empire. A union of Tzulan kings united themselves with the Ashante and Kongon tribes to fight the return of the Taranthians. After a period of expansion, the Taranthians were driven again to the eastern edge of Delos. During this time, the Ashante and Kongon tribes rebelled against the harsh commands and rule of the Tzulas and left the alliance. This left the Tzulan empire in a stalemate with the Taranthians, and the borders of the Delosian empires as they presently are now.

1480 House Zalos of the League manages to take control of Soldier’s Port. They are supported overtly by the Taranthians and covertly by the Yuan-Ti (serpent men). House Zalos ruthlessly exploits the local native population and they sponsor terrorism and pirating through orcish mercenaries.

1488 Maugre and his adventuring party land at Soldier’s Port. They run afoul of the local merchant house of Zalos and a temple to Taranthus while preparing to explore the Forbidden Plateau. They are attacked and run out of town by the various forces and escape to the deep jungle.

1490 Maugre, backed by his now powerful adventuring party, mercenary allies, tribesmen, and support from various Merchant Houses attacks Soldier’s Port. His small army kills all members and mercenaries of House Zalos, razes the local temple to Taranthus, and kills many disguised serpent men. He proclaims himself leader of the town, changes the name to Maugre’s Port, and installs his followers and friends as leaders of the area. House Zalos, all Taranthians and slavers are executed and banned forever from Maugre’s Port, and the merchant houses that assisted Maugre (House Mith, House Tarn and House Valaryan) are given exclusive rights to trade within the town.

1495 Tzulan empire and the Taranthian empire sign a mutually beneficial peace accord. From now on, Tzulans will not be taken as slaves by Taranthians, as long as the Tuzlans supply slaves from other Delosian native tribes (such as the Ashante and Kongon) and allow the Taranthians to set up a port on the eastern side of Delos without being attacked. In return the Taranthians will supply the Tzulans with steel weapons and other supplies.

1500 One of the black dragons that ruled the Kongon empire over 300 years ago is released from a stasis he was placed in by Taranthian mages, and begins to attempt to reclaim his territory in the great swamp.

1505 Trade with southern Ashante villages begins to be disrupted by constant raids from tasloi and snake creatures, sometimes led by deadly Yuan-Ti (serpentmen) warriors and spellcasters.

1506 An Ashante village is found destroyed, all inhabitants killed and turned into undead Shadows. A group of warriors assisted by priests of Umgawa, Horus and Akadi defeat and lay to rest the unnatural creatures. Rumors begin to be heard that the Shadowmasters have returned.

1508 A deadly group of Leopard Cultists begin to harass and attack Kongon tribes in the southern swamp. They also begin to disrupt all trade along the Tiger River and several villages along the edges are found deserted, with blood and leopard tracks covering the area.

1510 1178 The present year in Azura.