A suggested gnomish timeline

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LoZompatore
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A suggested gnomish timeline

Post by LoZompatore » Thu May 27, 2010 6:52 pm

In the following I suggest a timeline about gnomes, covering some major events both in the Fiori Hills and in the main island of the gnomes (I called it Chrelos, just to give it a name). I tried to stay as true as possible to the historical hints given in the Fiori Hills thread. Nevertheless, given the fact that there are a few other references to gnomes in other sections of the master document, I tried to link most of them together. The result is that Aquatic and Fire Gnomes are actually pretty ancient cultures on Thalassa, while the Earth and Air Gnomes are mostly newcomers (i.e. less than three centuries old, enough for the oldest among Earth and Air Gnomes to remember their Plane of origin).

Note: In the following I added a couple of hints about a "Fire Raid" and about a major "Aberrate War": these are episodes of a recurrent conflict between Refuge Point people and the humans of the island in the middle of the Lesser Aberrate Sea (which I called Kelidran). These two countries are in competiton between tehmselves for exclusive trade rights with the gnomes, as you'll read in more detail in another thread I'm preparing. The basic idea is that the western coast of the Aberrate Sea was an underdeveloped, barbaric land populated by lizardfolks until the arrival of gnomes to the area. Gnomes built cities, factories, mines and cultivations, and soon the whole region become very attractive for traders on the eastern coast. This was also the leading cause of most attrition among eastern countries for economic dominance over the region. As both coasts developed through trade, any war fought among trading countries become longer, bloodier and involved a larger number of factions then the previous one. The "Aberrate War" was the last major conflict fought in the area, it spanned the whole Lesser Aberrate Sea basin and involved all the major cultures of the area. It also menaced to long-term wreck the whole economy of all the belligeransts. After this war (which eneded as a stalemate, by the way), all parties agreed to avoid further military solutions to the problem of trade rights (at least until now).

Here is the suggested timeline (years are counted from present time, which is temporarily set as year 0):

-11250 Primitive Aquatic Gnomes appear in the waters surrounding the large island of Chrelos: this is the first time gnomes are seen on Thalassa. Aquatic gnomes settle the area and trade with Birhamians which live on the island. For unknown reasons in the following millennia most of the planar breaches bringing gnomes to Thalassa open on Chrelos or in nearby areas.

-11000/-6000 Small and temporary dimensional breaches bring other gnomish races to Thalassa and Chrelos. Refugees are mostly terrestial gnomes with a primitive or barbaric level of civilization. The already-dwindling Birhamians of Chrelos firstly trade and then fight against the gnomes, losing more and more territory as increasing numbers of demi-humans appear on the island. By the end of this period the island is mostly populated by gnomes, the Birhamians gone. The hybrid dwarvish-gnomish race in the southern countinent could have been created by Birhamians at the beginning of this period by using savage gnomes brought from Chrelos. After -6000 a multi-millennial long hyatus in dimensional breaches is registered in the area; gnomish sub-races colonize and adapt themselves to the many local habitats of the large island. Their do not evolve above copper and bronze-based technology.

-5000/-3500 Taltinians build trading posts all along Chrelos coasts but they do not venture too much inland. Except for trading purposes , gnomes are let mostly to fend for themselves. By the end of Taltinian era, the most advanced gnomish communities of Chrelos possess an early iron-age technology.

-2860 The long extradimensional breach hyatus over Chrelos ends. Fire Gnomes first reach the large island and settle there. They are a terrestrial, fire-accustomed gnomish breed, with a high-medieval technological level. Their aggressive behaviour and superior iron technology let them to conquer the most fertile lands of Chrelos, increasing their numbers and relegating minor gnomish subraces to small habitats in the island.

-1926 Fire Gnomes manage to place all Chrelos communities under their rule. Enestedran I is crowned first Fire Emperor of Chrelos.

-1238 A major volcanic eruption on Chrelos crushes the Fire Gnomes' Empire and forces a few large Fire and Aquatic gnomish clans to relocate elsewhere. Aquatic Gnomes lead the migration to a sparsely settled coastline on the southern coast of the Lesser Aberrate Sea. Fire Gnomes settle on the Fiori Hills and along the coastline further northwest, while Aquatic Gnomes populate the shallow offshore of the whole area (which will be called the Gnomish Coast in the following centuries). Both gnomish races dislodge lizardfolks from the region and reclaim most of the coastline swamps where lizardmen once lived. The large number of civilized settlements founded by gnomes starts a very flourishing trade between the two coasts of the Aberrate Sea and a new era of economic prosperity (and conflicts) in the whole region ensues.

-1090 Fire Gnomes mercenaries and mages help the people of Kelidran to set the devastating Fire Raid against Refuge Point.

-530/-529 Steel Ogres' armies from the recently conquered Refuge Point city try to disembark on the Fiori Hills shores. To their surprise, Steel Ogres shock troops find themselves repelled by the mysterious and powerful allies of the gnomes.

-274/-269 Large numbers of Earth Gnomes reach Thalassa from an extraplanar gate which stay opened for longer than usual. Due to overpopulation concerns, Chrelos inhabitants send most of these clans to the Fiori Hills area. The large influx of Earth Gnomes, with a Renaissance-like technological level and culture, bring major changes to the coastal society. Many new settlements are estabilished, a revolution in arts, politics, architecture and urban planning is triggered, and lizardfolks are pushed further inland.

-195 Air Gnomes reach Thalassa and disperse over the previous gnomish settlements. A few clans settle in the Fiori Hills and along the Gnomish Coast. They bring with them many technical innovations and give a further boost to political evolution among gnomish communities. Traders get large profits by using Air Gnomes' airship fleet.

-133/-130 The Aberrate War: Fiori Hills and Gnomish Coast demi-human mercenaries (of every known gnomish sub-race) take part to the last major war between Refuge Point and Kelidran, acting on both sides of the conflict. The struggle escalates in the Fiori Hills when gnomish clans supporting different factions start fighting among themselves. Lizardfolks try to take advantage of this internal strife by raiding Fiori's borderlands, shortly before a stalemate between Refuge Point and Kelidran results in a sudden end to the war. After a few more months the gnomish civil strifes are put to an end by more collaborative factions and the lizardfolks are repelled.

-98 Kobold Hellenistic-like settlers estabilish a colony on a small offshore island of the Chrelos archipelago which was evacuated by gnomes two years before due to a volcanic eruption. Kobold settlers express peaceful intentions and the willingness to increase trade with Chrelos' gnomes, so they are allowed to stay on the island. Nevertheless, many gnomes become increasingly worried about the large number of kobolds migrating each year on the small island, as they fear it may just be a prelude to a large-scale invasion.

Here is a sketch with a short summary of the info above:

Image


Let me know what do you think about it. Feel free to change and modify the timeline as you like. Two important points I did not place in the timeline are the Gnome Charters and the Sunspear Cursade. In your opinion, when were they happened?

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Boddynock
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Re: A suggested gnomish timeline

Post by Boddynock » Thu May 27, 2010 7:55 pm

Great work LoZ, I love the name of Chrelos for the gnome island (now I have to change all my previous post from Island of Gnomes to Chrelos.)

Both the charter and the Sunspear crusade would be around the -133/-130 right after the Aberrate War. Talbec Sunspear sees a vision of a Couatl and takes it as a sign of victory to unit the major lizardfolk tribes to exterminate the gnomes. Early fighting destroys several villages in the sun plains (which is where St. Algarita, New Gronzi areas are.) The battle is joined with gnoll rebels who sack fire gnome cities and reduces Brixton holdings to Downs and Heights.

The end of this period would be marked by the defeat of the Sunspear Crusade and the establishment of the charter. So it'd go Aberrate War that weakens the Fiori Hills, the Crusade that nearly finishes them off but they do unite, and finally the Charter that preserves the peace as the years wind down to present day.

Hopefully that helps.
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Chimpman
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Re: A suggested gnomish timeline

Post by Chimpman » Thu May 27, 2010 8:57 pm

I like it too Zomp!

The only issue I have comes when I look at the map. Why did gnomes fleeing the destruction of their home have to travel so far? Hmmm... perhaps I'm answering my own question. I suppose that in the aftermath of the volcanic eruption that nearest coastline probably wouldn't be the safest place to live. Actually moving to the opposite side of the Refuge Point continent (do we have a name for this?) might have insured protection from volcanic fallout as well as tsunamis. I think we need to keep that in mind when describing civilizations that were living on the se coast of the continent during the -1238 time period. Whatever cultures were there, were also probably wiped out.

Ok... issue solved. ;) I just had to talk it through.
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