In looking at what I liked about various fantasy settings, there always seemed to be one common thread: a history. This is no surprise considering my love of history. But it isn't just that—I feel that having a background to a world not only adds a lot of depth, it also opens the doors to all kinds of adventure ideas—ancient evils or places that might come back into play. All that. So without further ado, here is a brief (I hope) version of my fantasy world's history. You will note that it is (like the world itself) a melding of various real-world and fantasy settings.
200 Million B.C. (Before Crowning of the First Emperor of Namoria)
Age of the Saurians
This is the age of dinosaurs. They rule the earth unopposed for millions of years. Some 67 million years BC a sentient saurial species evolves and achieves a highly advanced civilization. These 'lizard men' develop extremely advanced 'magical technology', using it to alter the world as they see fit. Unfortunately, it is this technology (and the influence of malign forces) which brings about a planetary cataclysm. This ends the age of the dinosaurs and destroys Saurian civilization. Those few lizard-men who survive are reduced to savages and continue to evolve into various subspecies (Lizard-Men, Troglodytes, Kuo-Toa, etc.). This blast of magic is also responsible for the birth of many magical species—most notably the Dragons.
2.5 Million BC
Rise of the Humanoids
Various mammalian humanoid species begin to evolve: Elves in the forests of what would be Europe; Dwarves in the Mountains of the Himalayas; Humans in the wilderness of Africa, etc..Various Humanoid species begin to evolve as well—most of which begin as humanoids, but are twisted by dark forces into beastial mockeries (these are the Orcs, Goblins, Gnolls, etc.) These (and other) races generally achieve their 'modern' forms around 250,000 B.C.
100,000 B.C.
Elven and Dwarven Empires
Elven culture achieves an advanced civilization, based largely upon magic. They begin to explore and expand throughout Europe, warring or allying with other tribes as they discover them. Ultimately, they contact the Dwarves. After some initial hostilities and misunderstandings, a partnership is formed. Dwarves provide skilled metalwork in return for various trade goods. This contact allows the Dwarven culture of the himalayas to quickly civilize and begin their own expansion. Around 60,000 B.C. The various Elven realms are united in one great Kingdom of Sylvanor. The Dwarves soon follow suit with their own Mountain Empire. At this point, humankind continued its very primitive existence, though some tribes were 'elevated' by their Elven and Dwarven neighbors (indeed, Elves began to take more and more humans into their culture as a lower 'servant' caste).
40,000 B.C.
The Dark Age
Though achieving many wonders, the Elven and Dwarven empires eventually began to decay from within (a process helped along by dark, supernatural forces). This would eventually divide the two long-time allies, sparking a series of border wars that kept them distracted from the real threat growing in the wilds of the asian continent. Demonic forces had been gathering a vast horde of humanoid tribes and other fell beasts. Under infernal guidance, this force fell upon the Elves and Dwarves alike. Both empires were too stubborn to work with the other until it was almost too late. Even then, they could only slow the advance of the horde. Defeat was inevitable. The greatest Elven mages of the day combined to unleash one final, titanic attack against the Horde, but the magic unleashed raged out of control, devastating all sides of the conflict. Even as the surviving elves retreated into the heart of their shattered forest realm (or to dozens of smaller enclaves throughout Europe), the Dwarves sealed themselves beneath the mountains. All others were left to the fury of nature as an ice age descended upon the world.
10,000 B.C.
The Rise and Fall of Atlantis
The Elves survived the ice age through the utilization of magic, preserving spring-like forest oases in the midst of fields of glaciers. The Dwarves delved deeper into the warmth of the earth for their shelter—but eventually delved too deep. Ancient horrors were unleashed upon the Mountain Empire, it's inhabitants fled, settling across Asia and Europe in small enclaves. Humanity, left to fend for itself by the others, survives this crucible. On a series of islands in the midst of the Atlantic ocean, the first wholly human civilization is founded. Built upon the remnants of an Elven colony and the fragments of lore left behind, the Atlaneans begin a meteoric rise to power, developing and expanding faster then Elf or Dwarf could have imagined. Even as the ice sheets began to recede, Atlantis grew—establishing colonies at first, then launching wars of conquest—seeking to bring all human realms under their sway. The Elves watched this growth warily, maintaining an uneasy alliance with Atlantis. Noble elven scholars did their best to help curb Atlantis' rapid development of magical technology—knowing first hand just how dangerous such things can be. But humanity, like all those civilizations before, was not immune to hubris or to supernatural manipulation. And thus, in 8,000 B.C., some 2,000 years after its inception, Mighty Atlantis was destroyed, sunk into the seas by a magical cataclysm of their own doing.
3,500 B.C.
The Heirs of Atlantis
With the death of Atlantis, a new dark age fell upon the world. The Elven nation of Sylvanor continued its slow decline—much of its energy spent battling both the climate and wave after wave of humanoid and monster incursions from the north and east. Dwarves and Humans slowly began to develop more 'secure' realms of their own. In the West, survivors of Atlantis founded the various petty city-states and kingdoms around the Mediterranean sea (Achea/Greece) and in the fertile lands of the Nithia (Egypt) and Sind (Mesopotamia). Further East, the Vendhyan (Indian) and Ch'in (Chinese) civilizations arose on their own, having been somewhat sheltered from the cataclysmic events of Atlantis' fall.
1,400 B.C.
Dwarven Kingdoms
The great dwarven chieftan, Denwarf, unites disparate mountain clans to form the realm of Daengar (Rockhome)—the largest settlement of Dwarves since the destruction of their Mountain Empire in the East. The only other sizable Dwarven Enclave during this time is the realm of Buhrogar, in the desert mountains on the northwest frontier of Sind. Both realms remain as isolated as possible from surrounding human and Elven civilizations. Indeed, it isn't until around 500 B.C. that Either begins to open trade with the outside world.
500 B.C.
Rise of Namoria
As various kingdoms rose and fell, the heirs of the Acheans (Greeks) and Sindians (Persians) began to war over territory and resources. Though divided into squabbling city states, the Acheans were able to resist the advances of the huge Persian Empire—most notably in the battles of Marathon (492 B.C.) and Thermoppylae and Salamis (480 B.C.). Still, the war raged for centuries until the rise of King Alexander of Namoria in 334 B.C.. This extraordinary young king led a masterful campaign to conquer both Sind (Persia) and Nithia (Egypt). In 332 B.C., the City of Namoria was built where East Meets west (RL Constantinople/Istanbul). It was to serve as the symbolic and political center of Alexander's Empire. But by 323, Alexander was dead. His empire fragmented soon after. Both Sind and Nithia reverted to local control, but Namoria continued as itself in the West—now organized as a Republic.
50 B.C.
Rise of the Empire
Namoria, rival again to it's former vassals of Sind and Nithia, continues to spread further West—conquer the lands of Traladara and Talea. They soon run into rivals in the form of the emerging Tharcagean Empire of Northern Africa. A series of bloody wars settles the matter in the favor of the Namorians and they continue to expand, driving into the lands that would come to be known as Darokin (Central Europe), Reynardy (France) and Spaña (Spain). One of the greatest Generals of this age, Caesar, eventually makes a bid for control of the Republic. He nearly succeeds, but is slain by the senate. The civil war Caesar started continues through his heir Octavius who finally succeeds in reuniting the whole of Namoria and the lands of Nithia.
1 A.C.
The Namorian Empire
Octavian crowns himself Emperor of Namoria, and with his crowning, a new age is declared—everything prior referred to as 'Before Crowning', and everything subsequent as 'After Crowning'.
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