Past Ages of the Known World

by Francesco Defferrari (Sturm)

As written by famed Ylari scholar, explorer and wizard Aamir Ibn Saleem, teacher at the Krakatos School of Magecraft, to his friend and colleague Erik in the year 1019 AC¹

My research in the most forgotten and lost dungeons of the Known World is giving me and my friends quite an expertise on the past of our lands. I will report here a small part of our discoveries, advising the reader to remember that many of my suppositions could be partially or entirely wrong, and definitive proofs of my many theories could well be hard or impossible to find. Long before Blackmoor even existed, the Known World was not inhabited by humans, but by much more ancient races. dragons, fairies, giants, araneas, reptilians, brutemen and sasquatches were certainly among the oldest inhabitants of this land. Reptilians is however a rather inaccurate term that includes lizardmen, troglodytes, chameleon men, caymen and gatormen. And then there are also the frogfolk, which are amphibians and could be even more ancient than the different reptilian races. From several ancient texts I know other people came later, in particular dwarves, gnomes, lupins and rakasta. I have now a rough picture of what the Known World should have been about 9000 years ago, 8000 years Before the Coronation of the first Thyatian Emperor. Note that at the time apparently the islands which now belong to Ierendi and Minrothad were connected to the mainland and part of it.
But let’s read an incredibly ancient description of what was then called the Sunset Land, as written by a giant of Gandhar:

The Known World around 8000 BC

Known World 8000 BC

http://pandius.com/KnownWorld8000BC.png

For the Players:

“As the Jotun, the great ones, were in decline at the time due to the wickedness of the Immortals, the Empire of Gandhar was the only civilization left in the Dawn and Sunset Land. Three corrupted reptilian cities were founded in the west and Gandhar was the only power which could stop them, as the dragons of the north did not. These reptilians were powerful in magic and even more wicked than the Immortals, so powerful and wicked that the Immortals did fear them and could not stop them. Eventually the dragons destroyed their northern city, Kha-reth, the human followers of the Sun destroyed their western city, Shi-akh, and we destroyed the eastern one, Na-qeth, which was close to our Empire”.

From what I have been able to learn, I suspect this northern reptilian city of Kha-reth was in the area of the modern Broken Lands, maybe it was near to where Oenkmar now lies. The western one, Shi-akh, probably was on the coast, I suspect its ruins, if they still exist, may lie under the modern city of Jahore in Sind, or under the Asanda Delta. The eastern city, Na-qeth, probably is still buried under the sewers of Tel Akbir in Thyatis. More investigations may be necessary to verify this.

For the Dungeon Master:

Names in red on the map indicate organized cities or realms, while the names in purple indicate ethnic populations organized as clans or tribes, but without a central government. The three reptilian cities would be Carnifex cities, see here about them: http://pandius.com/lore.html and other articles by Geoff Gander, including the history of Mogreth: http://pandius.com/mogrethd.html. The people indicated in the map as Naqan and Neset in the area of modern Thyatis and Ylauruam are my creations, I imagine them as ancestors of the Nithians and could be related to the Lhomarrians, also developed by Geoff Gander (http://pandius.com/lho_hist.html) and to the Asyidhi imagined by Simone Neri here: http://pandius.com/rwdawnis.html and already included by me as Mystaran equivalents of Middle East people in Threshold #5 and #11. For Rakasta populations, see their history by Simone Neri here: http://pandius.com/rakhevol.html and for Chochomec Lupins, see articles by Giampaolo Agosta and Atila Pires dos Santos here: http://pandius.com/lupnbred.html and here http://pandius.com/lupnhist.html and in Threshold issue #2. Oteino, Oteici and Azcans are Oltec populations inspired by the ethnografic work done by Giampaolo Agosta, Atila Pires dos Santos, Giulio Caroletti and Geoff Gander here: http://pandius.com/ethno.html and here: http://pandius.com/oltcmant.html.

The Known World around 5000 BC

Known World 5000 BC

http://pandius.com/KnownWorld5000BC.png

For the Players:

Three millennia later, the Known World was much changed, and dominated by four powerful empires. I know this through some ancient Oltec writings we have found still preserved in the temples of modern Sind:

“The Oltec, the Son of the Sun, the Emperor of the Many Lands rules the setting sun, a thousand cities inhabited by the sun men, the gator men, the cat men, the wolf men, the ancient men, the great men and the pale men. North there is the Kingdom of the Dragon, with the small men and the men of the forest and of the horse, which sometimes can be appeased by gifts and sometimes must be fought. In the far east, cradle of the new sun, there is the Kingdom of the Great, which rules over many cities of our brothers under the Sun and can be our ally against the Enemy. The Enemy lives in the south, from the great southern continent the snake men come, with armies of lizard men and spider men, to enslave us. We are still fighting them in the seas and in the jungles of the Sunset Land”.

From this, it seems an empire dominated by Snake men ruled Davania at the time. I’ve found mention of this powerful nation even later, at the time of Blackmoor.

For the Dungeon Master:

As detailed in the History of Mogreth by Geoff Gander here: http://pandius.com/mogrethd.html, a first version of the nation of lizardmen existed in modern Ylaruam between 5500 and 3800 BC. The Serpentine Empire was created instead by James Mishler here: http://pandius.com/ageblack.html and was also detailed by me in Threshold issue #5. I’ve independently decided Old Mogreth could have been part of the Serpentine Empire.
Dunharians and Maharians are mentioned in the Ethnographic history of Mystara by Giulio Caroletti, Giampaolo Agosta and Geoff Gander, linked above. Maharians should be part of the different populations which made up the Taymorans.

The Known World around 3500 BC

Known World 3500 BC

http://pandius.com/KnownWorld3500BC.png

For the Players:

Around 3500 BC explorers from the Skotharian lands of Thonia and Blackmoor started to explore the Sunset Land. The Serpentine Empire was in decline at the time, while the Oltec Empire was at the peak of its power. The Draconic Empire and the Empire of the Giants of Gandhar still existed. I have found a very rare Thonian account of this time.

“Once a land dominated by non human populations, such as giants and lizardmen, the Sunset Land is now the home of many human cultures with whom Blackmoor could trade more easily. The Tudaka in the south have been able to keep the Oltec Empire at bay with their strange magic connected somehow to the great circles of stone and statues they build. North of them, the Albai do not apparently possess strong magic, but the Oltecs consider them too stubborn to be ruled. The Tjeset of the south eastern coast have some good ships, but the area also hosts many clans of lizardmen which can be occasionally hostile. The Naqan are clearly heavily influenced by the Oltec culture and architecture, but the Giants of Gandhar find it convenient to preserve their independence from the eastern Empire. The Oltec Empire however is friendly with our merchants and, as it is well known, there have been Thonians living within it from the time of the fall of Thonia four centuries ago”.

For the Dungeon Master:

The cultures and people that appears in the map above are described in the links indicated previously or expanded by me in Threshold issue #2, in the article “New Blackmoor 3050 BC”.

The Known World around 3050 BC

Known World 3050 BC

http://pandius.com/NewBlackmoor3050BC.png

For the Players:

At the height of its power, Blackmoor had an important colony right where the Known World now is. I believe this generated some confusion in past scholars, some of whom believed Blackmoor was indeed located in the Known World. Rather I have strong evidence that the current Glantri City could have been the capital of the Blackmoorian colony. We have found Blackmoorian artifacts in other locations too, which probably were also important cities of the colony. The ones I have identified so far are Tel Akbir in Thyatis and Stronghold in Minrothad, but I have quite interesting clues about the existence of important cities somewhere in the Broken Lands and in the mountains of Rockhome and Karameikos. Dangerous places to explore, but it may be worth it. We have recovered already some Blackmoorian artifacts. They seem to have some powerful, even if sometimes dangerous, magic in them.

For the Dungeon Master:

The map above depicting the Known World in 3050 BC was already published in Threshold issue #2 in my article “New Blackmoor, 3050 BC”, where all the cultures and the people are described.

The Known World around 2900 BC

Known World 2900 BC

http://pandius.com/KnownWorld2900BC.png

For the Players:

Just after the Great Rain of Fire the situation in the Known World must have been extremely difficult, to use an understatement. We have found evidence that all the cities from the previous age were destroyed or abandoned. Apparently at the time the Tudaka civilization mentioned in the Thonian source above was the only one still thriving, or at least surviving with minor difficulties. Settlements and items that we have recognized as belonging to that culture were found mostly on Trader’s Isle and vicinities. The northern part of the Known World was probably covered by snow and ice all year long, making food scarce and life quite difficult.

For the Dungeon Master:

This map is mostly inspired by the work done by John Calvin for the 2300BC setting, which can be found here in the Vaults: http://pandius.com/kworld_h.html and here on its own subforum at The Piazza:
http://thepiazza.org.uk/bb/viewforum.php?f=63&sid=b782e9c1ce4648dacfe757c6983063aa
The map was drawn by John, but I have added in purple the populations living in the indicated area, and he may not fully agree with my suppositions here. I’ve also added more ice to differentiate the 2900 BC map from the 2300 BC map, as suggested by Robin D.
At this time the descendants of the Azcan should all be hidden underground and the Thonian refugees who will contribute in the formation of Taymora are still roaming the central plains of the Known World and have not yet reached their destination.
The Toralai neathars of the Darokinian plain now call themselves Turans, a name that will later become Dars and Daros with the influence of Taymora and descended cultures, like the Doulakki.
Dunael are a Dunharian population of the Isle of Dawn developed by several authors and mentioned here: http://pandius.com/ethno.html. I placed in the Isle of Dawn already in 2900 BC as I believe all the Dunharian populations should be related to the Valemen of Ancient Blackmoor, see here: http://blackmoormystara.blogspot.it/2010/11/races-valemen.html

The Known World around 2300 BC

Known World 2300 BC

http://pandius.com/KnownWorld2300BC.png

For the Players:

About seven centuries after the Great Rain of Fire, new civilizations were thriving in the Known World. Dwarves and Gnomes apparently dominated not only Rockhome but all the Northern Reaches at the time, while Taymora was the power in the south, dominating lands which are now under the Sunlit Sea. The ancestors of the modern Atruaghin Tiger Clan, and heirs of the ancient Azcan Empire, lived up to the modern Lake Amsorak. A great central area from modern Glantri to Karameikos was apparently inhabited by fairies and giants. Lizardmen lived in the region of modern Ylaruam. We have also found some clues about a mysterious and advanced culture living in the south of modern Thyatis, but further investigations will be necessary to understand what this culture was. The modern Dread Archipelago at the time was probably joined in an unique land with a common government, but so far we have been unable to discern which of the many races that currently live in the isles dominated the region.
All these civilizations probably were not empires in the modern meaning of the word. They apparently had no centralized government, but were more like coalitions of city states and colonies. Yet their competition to dominate the regions not under their control was fierce, and we have found evidence of many battles fought in the area of modern Thyatis, Darokin, Ethengar and the Isle of Dawn between these powers.
We have found clues that lizardmen and dwarves had at least some outposts in the Isle of Dawn and around this time a new and powerful kingdom of Giants was born too, named Fomor. It’s not clear if this kingdom was allied with Taymora or with the fairies and the giants of the Known World. There were also some contacts between the Oltec kingdom of the Atruaghin area and the Oltec descended people of the southern Isle of Dawn.

For the Dungeon Master:

As previously indicated, the map and the information about this period come from John Calvin’s 2300 BC Setting. Peoples and cultures of the Isle of Dawn around this time and the following ones below come from the History of the Isle of Dawn by James Mishler which can be found here in the Vaults: http://pandius.com/dawnhist.html

The Known World around 2000 BC

Known World 2000 BC

http://pandius.com/KnownWorld_2000BC.png

For the Players:

Around 2000 BC, Taymora was at the peak of its power while its neighbours were mostly in sharp decline. It seems that at some point the Taymorans conquered from giants and fairies several territories in the modern area of the Five Shires and Karameikos. Taymoran armies employed minotaur mercenaries and other monsters. They also founded colonies on the Isle of Dawn. The lizardmen civilization in modern Ylarum was destroyed by some deluge or similar catastrophe. The dwarves and gnomes, according to their own history, were plagued by incurable maladies until, some centuries later, Kagyar saved them by sending his emissary Denwarf. The Azcan-like civilization was apparently still strong at this time, dominating not only the current Atruaghin lands but also part of Darokin. If fairies and giants were declining in the Known World, they were instead on the rise on the Isle of Dawn, where it seems that at the time existed a powerful Firbolg kingdom allied with fairies and Dunael humans, while Fomorian giants had been temporarily defeated.

For the Dungeon Master:

As previously indicated, the map and the information about this period come from John Calvin’s 2300 BC Setting. In 2000 BC, as detailed in my Koskatep dungeon, Taymora has not conquered yet the whole former Southern Grondheim, but it’s about to. Mogreth has been destroyed and now the ancestors of Nithians and Traldars dominate the region.
Peoples and cultures of the Isle of Dawn come from the History of the Isle of Dawn by James Mishler which can be found here in the Vaults: http://pandius.com/dawnhist.html
For a detailed history of Elven migrations, see my article on the topic in Threshold issue #10. The elves living in Glantri at this time should be the ancestors of the Gentle Folk and the Icevale elves now living in the Hollow World. Ancestors of the Sheyallia, Meditor, Vyalia and Verdier probably start reaching the area of southern Taymora from 2300 BC. In 1950 another mysterious group supposedly settles in the area of modern Broken Lands, see next DM paragraph.

The Known World around 1750 BC

Known World 1750 BC

http://pandius.com/KnownWorld_1750BC.png

For the Players:

Around 1750 BC the Kikianu Caldera, a supervolcano which was and is in the modern Ierendian region, become unstable. A series of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes heavily damaged the Taymoran civilization, or at least, this is one theory. Another, more sinister one is linked to the civil war which at the time was pitting Taymoran cities one against another, the main struggle being between followers of Nyx and followers of Thanatos, the latter supposedly lead by the Immortal Orcus himself. It’s possible that the use of dangerous magic during this struggle may have precipitated the natural disasters. A new civilization was starting to flourish in modern Ylaruam, probably created by natives influenced by the Taymoran culture. In the meantime, elves had arrived in the north in relevant numbers, establishing the realms of Genalleth and Aengmor. The Fomorian Empire was again powerful on the Isle of Dawn, even if it had to face rebellions from Firbolg and Dunaels and the Antalian pressure from the north. Another realm of giants, Tarsh, had taken possession of almost all the modern Karameikos and the Altan Tepes mountains. Lizardmen were quite numerous in the area between modern Malpheggi, Ierendi and the Blight swamp, new humid areas created by the climatic and geographical changes. The Daro clans, human ancestors of the modern Darokinians, thrived in the central plains of the Known World as bison hunters. This was also the Antalian golden age, and the men of the north were thriving from modern Norwold to Soderfjord, to the Isle of Dawn. They were organized as jarls, rather than in an unified empire, but they were still capable of uniting against common threats. However this unfortunately was not enough when the Great Invasion came.

For the Dungeon Master:

Map and information on this age come again from John Calvin’s and James Mishler’s work as indicated above. All the rest is my invention.
Due to the Spell of Oblivion, Aamir obviously cannot discover many details about Nithia.
Aengmor in canon is just the name of the city founded by elves in a cave under the Broken Lands which would become Oenkmar in BC 1190. In Gaz13 is also noted that some Shadowelves came to the surface in 1950 BC, but did not encounter the other elves living in Glantri. My supposition instead is that Aengmor was a true realm founded by the ancestors of the Schattenalfen and Shadowelves, which also tried to include the ancestors of the Gentle Folk and Icevale elves. The realm was created to resist the incoming humanoid invasion. The cataclysm which created the Broken Lands may have been caused by an ancient Blackmoorian device the elves tried to use against the humanoids. The true history of Aengmor was later forgotten due to the cataclysm and maybe also due to Atzanteotl’s lies. Atziann, the first canon mortal identity of Atzanteotl could indeed have been the King of this Realm. All this is mostly my creation and each DM should decide if it’s appropriate for his or her campaign.

The Known World around 1710 BC

Known World 1710 BC

http://pandius.com/KnownWorld_1710BC.png

For the Players:

In the space of a few decades, further eruptions and earthquakes completely destroyed the Taymoran civilization, or what was left of it. The heirs of Taymora were dispersed among the southern islands, Karameikos, Thyatis, Ylaruam and the southern Isle of Dawn.
In the central plains the Oltec civilization had apparently fallen too, and the Children of the Horse were the dominant culture, encroaching on the territories of the Daro clans.
From the north King Loark’s Great Horde of humanoids was on the rampage, endangering the very existence of the Antalian civilization and of the elven realms of Genalleth and Aengmor. The horde was mostly composed by grey and yellow orcs and hobgoblins, but other races may also have been present among them.
Then the Second Cataclysm struck, and the Broken Lands were created. It is again not clear how and why this happened. Some Wendar chronicles maintain that their elven brothers in the Highlands of modern Glantri tried to use a terrible Blackmoorian weapon to destroy the humanoid horde, but the plan backfired. Others say it was just another eruption triggered by the Kikianu Caldera. We may never know the truth, but certainly the Known World was again thrown back to a new stone age.

For the Dungeon Master:

This map too was drawn by John Calvin for the 2300 BC setting and the original can be seen here at the Vaults, as the previous ones: http://pandius.com/kworld_h.html
Aengmor as shown in the above map is strictly non-canon as in the previous map, and now bigger. My personal idea is that King Atziann (later known as Atzanteotl) tried to persuade or force all the elves and humans living at the time in the area of Glantri and the Broken Lands to join his realm, with the aim to create a common front against King Loark’s invasion force. This should have happened between 1722 BC, when Loark invaded Norwold, and 1709 BC, when his horde settled in the Broken Lands². The Second Cataclysm occurred only in 1700 BC, so it could be imagined that the elves were enslaved by the humanoids as were the Ethengarians. King Atziann, maybe in hiding with some loyal followers, tried to use the Blackmoorian device to destroy the humanoids, but his plan backfired, and he was forced to escape underground, until he emerged in the Hollow World as the lone survivor of his clan. This tragic history could enhance the already interesting background of this Immortal.

The Known World around 1500 BC

Known World 1500 BC

http://pandius.com/KnownWorld_1500BC.png

For the Players:

After the Broken Lands Cataclysm, the Known World was caught in another small ice age and humanoids dominated vast territories in the area of Darokin, Glantri and Ethengar. Despite this, the Ethengarians were among the most powerful people of this time. The other nations who had recovered quickly from the Second cataclysm were the elves of Genalleth, Geffronell and Lothenar (in modern Wendar and Denagoth), the Children of the Horse in modern Atruaghin lands, the Firbolg of the Kingdom of Parlann on the Isle of Dawn and the new civilization in Ylaruam. This latter one is quite mysterious to scholars of the Known World, as we know it spread to many nearby lands between 1500 and 500 BC. My personal theory is that it was an Hutaakan civilization, of which now the only traces that are left appear in the Lost Valley in Karameikos and in the Hollow World. Obviously I have developed this theory only after the recent discovery of the Lost Valley and the Hollow World. Before that, many theories existed among scholars about this mysterious civilization: some believed it to be connected to ancient dwarves, other to giants, others to populations related to modern Alasiyans or Atruaghins. The Alphatians always maintained instead it was a Thothian civilization, of which modern Ylaruam was only a colony.
Besides these major cultures, there was a myriad of people, city states and minor nations in the Known World, and new migrations such as the one of the Traldar, who probably were displaced from their ancestral lands in modern Makistan from the rising Hutaakan civilization (or Thothian colony) in modern Ylaruam.
Some Traldar immigrants also probably founded several Darokinian cities that still exist today, such as Akorros, Athenos, Dolos and Selenica (known as Salonikos at the time).
The area of modern Glantri was abandoned by elves and at the time was mostly inhabited by humanoids and some sparse human clans.

For the Dungeon Master:

In red on the map the population which at the time had some central organization, while in purple the people who were divided in tribes or clans. The names in black are secret dragon kingdoms, normally unknown even to their direct neighbours.
The information in this map comes mostly from canon sources, see in particular the Gazetteers series, the Hollow World boxed set and the Champions of Mystara boxed set, or the compiled History of Mystara by Michael Diehm here at the Vaults in doc format: http://pandius.com/history_of_mystara.doc. Other main sources for the timeline from 1500 BC to modern times are mostly The History of Karameikos by Simone Neri here: http://pandius.com/karhstry.html and other histories of Karameikos by Giampaolo Agosta and me, also stored in the Vaults here: http://pandius.com/karameik.html#history.
Check also Simone’s articles in Threshold issue #3, 4 and 5 for the History of Ierendi and Minrothad and Threshold issue #7 for the History of Norwold (and the Antalian people).
Another source, for Doulakki people and Cynidicea, was the Dungeon Master’s Guide to Cynidicea by several authors, stored here: http://pandius.com/cynidgaz.html and the Expanded Darokin Timeline by Aaron Nowack here: http://pandius.com/darotime.html and other articles about the History of Darokin by Geoff Gander: http://pandius.com/darokin.html#history.
See also JTR’s Gazetteer of Wendar here: http://pandius.com/wendar.zip and the other Gazetteers from the same author (Denagoth, Landfall, Oceansend in particular).
The map of Nithia was created by Robin D. and can be found here in the Vaults: http://pandius.com/m_anith2.html
Beside Nithia, the main geographical differences from modern Known World are:
- Anur lake is still present between the Broken Lands and Ethengar, as supposed by Robin D. in her ongoing work on the geological history of the area:
Geomorfological History of the Broken Lands
- Alfheim doesn’t exist yet and the area is a steppe, as per canon information.
- The Atruaghin plateau has not been raised yet, as per canon information.
- The Sind area is less arid, as per canon information.
I apologize in advance if I have used or will use other sources present in the Vaults of Pandius and forgot to mention them.
The Rasna people in Thyatis should be the ancestors of the Etrusna invented by me and detailed by Giulio Caroletti in his article on Hesperia in this same issue. The Kartana were detailed by him too in his Gazetteer of Carytion in issue #11 of Threshold. They could be the descendants of the Tudaka from previous times.
Canonically Glantri was uninhabited at the time, but as I find quite unbelievable the idea that the whole human population of the country is made up of recent emigrants, I prefer to have native people in the area. They should be descendants of Dunharian populations (i.e. Mystaran celts).
Aamir cannot know of Nithia due to the Spell of Oblivion, but he can know about the Hutaakans if the events of B10 (discovery of the Lost Valley) and the Poor Wizard’s Almanac for AC 1011 (publication of Claransa’s Travels in the Hollow World) have occurred. This may not be appropriate for your campaign.

The Known World around 1255 BC

Known World 1255 BC

http://pandius.com/KnownWorld_1255BC.png

For the Players:

From 1300 to 1255 BC the western Known World was hit by two more great migrations which had long lasting effects. One was of the halflings from Davania, which was a peaceful migration to the area of the Five Shires (and later, to several more regions including Ierendi, Minrothad and up to Norwold). We do know how halfling reached Ierendi, with their own ships, and Minrothad, captured as slaves by Thyatians and Minrothaddans, but halfling histories are not clear on the exact timeline of the later migration to the North. It seems some halflings lived for centuries in the Northern Reaches, maybe brought by slavers after 1000 BC, before reaching Norwold after 500 BC. The other great migration of this time was much less peaceful, and was the invasion of the west by Wogar’s goblin horde (which also included ogres, red orcs, kobolds and bugbears). The red orcs occupied Atruaghin and Sindhi lands and the whole area of Darokin and Glantri fell under their rule. Some people resisted, like the Hutaakan civilization in Karameikos/Traladara and Ylaruam, the new dwarven nation of Dengar, the gnomes in the mountain and hills around it, the khans of Ethengar and the elves of Genalleth.
On the Isle of Dawn apparently some Traldar colonists established powerful nations, like Nemedia and Latica. The Helska kingdoms of the north were the first resurgence of the Antalian people. At this time the Thantalians, ancestors of the modern Thyatians, probably inhabited the area of modern Heldann. They left the area for Davania circa 1000 BC, probably deported (or maybe hired as mercenaries and colonists) by the Hutaakan/Thothian civilization.

For the Dungeon Master:

See references in the 1500 BC paragraph.
Halfling were brought to Minrothad by slavers around 400 AC, and the Northern Reaches by Nithian slavers around 950 BC or before, but details about this previous forced movement should be lost to them due to the Spell of Oblivion, see the relevant histories by Simone Neri in Threshold issues #3, #4 and #7, and the History of Leeha by JTR in Threshold issue #6.
The idea that the Thyatians could have been mercenaries for the Nithians rather than slaves was first proposed on The Piazza by Mike here:
http://thepiazza.org.uk/bb/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=15022&p=169885

The Known World around 1000 BC

Known World 1000 BC

http://pandius.com/KnownWorld_1000BC.png

For the Players:

Around 2000 years ago, most of the Known World was dominated by the humanoid city of Oenkmar, which directly or indirectly controlled a large empire from Atruaghin lands to Ethengar, from Glantri to the modern Five Shires. It’s quite probable that the documented attacks of the ogres and the gnolls against ancient Sindh, of the gnolls against Traladara and of the hobgoblins against the Ethengarians were all sponsored by Oenkmar. The dwarves of Dengar were attacked several times as well. While Sindh, Ethengar, Traladara and Dengar did not fall, certainly they were in severe danger. The Hutaakan civilization was damaged, maybe by association with the gnolls, and apparently humans became the dominant race in ancient Ylaruam too. The Thothian civilization (if at the time Thothia was indeed its centre as many Alphatian scholars maintain) also established several colonies all over the coast of Brun, the Isle of Dawn, Ochalea, the Alatian Islands and beyond. It seems that several Antalian clans, displaced by such colonies, arrived in the land of the elves in Genalleth.

For the Dungeon Master:

The idea of an Oenkmarian Empire was introduced by John Calvin (Chimpman) at The Piazza: http://www.thepiazza.org.uk/bb/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=14924&#p169657
See references in the 1500 BC paragraph. About the people living in the area of Thyatis at this time, see also my article on the Lost Civilizations of Thyatis and Alphatia in Threshold issue #11 and Giulio Caroletti’s article on Hesperia in this same issue.

The Known World around 500 BC

Known World 500 BC

http://pandius.com/KnownWorld_500BC.png

For the Players:

Five hundred years later the political situation of the Known World was much changed. Both Oenkmar and the Thothian colony in Brun were experiencing a quick decline, and would disappear in the matter of a few years. The arrival of the elves of Alfheim and the creation of the Canolbarth forest, together with the defeat of the red orcs and the raising of the Atruaghin plateau, were instrumental in limiting the power of Oenkmar. The Hin were now free and had created their nation of Shaerdon. One powerful city, the mysterious Tuma which once ruled a sizable territory north of Karameikos, had been destroyed, maybe by humanoids, but other cities and minor nations were free again and flourishing in the Darokian plains, such as Akorros, Athenos, Dolos, Salonikos and the nations of Molharran, Eraeda and Inlashar.
The Fall of Oenkmar however would bring more humanoid invasions, in particular Queen Ubdala’s attack on Dengar and Leptar’s attack against Traladara. Both would be eventually repelled, but humanoid activities remain high in all the Known World in the following centuries.
In this period and for several centuries, the elves of Genalleth and their Antalian allies were under the constant attacks of humanoids from the north. This would lead eventually to the creation of the Wendarian league.
Gnomes and halfling living in the Northern Reaches at this time were forced out by humanoid migrations. The gnomes escaped to Glantri and Karameikos, while most of the halflings eventually reached Leeha in Norwold.
Elves had returned to Glantri, in Alvar and created the nation of Brethilad in the northern Amsorak region. In the Isle of Dawn, the Firbolg nation of Tuatha had greatly limited the power and the territory of the Thothian colonies, and many Antalian clans had regained independence. The Antalian kingdom of Helska was also a major player in the north.
At this point Thyatians, Kerendans and Hattians had already arrived in modern Thyatis and soon would absorb all the native civilizations, such as the Etrusna and the Doulakki.

For the Dungeon Master:

See references in the 1500 BC paragraph.
The Belcadiz elves should have arrived in Glantri between 700 and 150 BC, see also my article on Elven migrations in Threshold issue #10, page 20. In my article in Threshold issue #2 on New Blackmoor, 3050 BC, I supposed they already lived in Glantri before the Great Rain of Fire, but were forced to leave by the cataclysms.
More details about Thyatis during this time are in Giulio Caroletti’s article about Hesperia in this same issue, and in his article on Carytion and in my article about the Lost Civilizations of Thyatis and Alphatia in in Threshold issue #11.

The Known World around 1 AC

Known World 1 AC

http://pandius.com/KnownWorld_1AC.png

For the Players:

A thousand years ago, the Thyatian Empire was just born and was already dominating the western half of the Isle of Dawn. Darokin was experiencing quite some trouble, with humanoid attacks endangering the Eraeda clans in the plains. Ancient Sindh was now fragmented into several competing kingdoms, some dominated by non human lords. The fall of the Thothian colonies in Ylaruam, Ierendi and Minrothad had left space to native peoples, who however would soon be attacked by the expanding Thyatian Empire. The Helska kingdom in the northern Isle of Dawn fragmented in Helskir and other powerful city states, while the western Antalians were still divided in competing jarldoms.

For the Dungeon Master:

See references in the 1500 BC paragraph.
The gnomes living at this time in northeastern Glantri would be forced to leave due to the war with the dragons described in the Dragonlord trilogy. See here a detailed summary by David Keyser: http://pandius.com/dlrdchrn.html or History of Dragonkind by Simone Neri: http://pandius.com/drgnkndh.html. Most of the gnomes probably settled other regions of Glantri, from where they were again forced out by the Year of Infamy (the Glantrian persecution against dwarves, gnomes and werecreatures of 828 AC, described in Gaz3 The Principalities of Glantri and PC4 Night Howlers).

The Known World around 580 AC

Known World 580 AC

http://pandius.com/KnownWorld_580AC.png

For the Players:

Five centuries ago the Known World was a bit more similar to what it is today, yet there were still many important differences and almost all the modern nations were not born yet.
The Wendarian league was created, but the modern nation of Wendar would be born only after 900 AC. Geffronell was under Denagothian attack from the north, but still a powerful nation until its final fall in 975 AC. In the Adri Varna Plateau, the modern nation of Gulluvia and the city of Sol-Klor, which still exist today, were just born. In the northern lands Ostland was the most powerful nation, dominating over Vestland and several territories in the Isle of Dawn. The whole eastern coast was the theatre of a cold and hot war between Thyatis and Alphatia, both trying to bribe and control the Jarls. In Ylaruam, Thyatis had occupied the modern Emirates of Nicostenia and Dythestenia, and the south of Abbashan, and Alphatia the north of the latter and the Emirate of Nithia. The Alasiyans were free only in the middle of the desert, Makistan was de-facto an independent territory and Al-Zalenikah, the modern Selenica, controlled a vast territory until it became part of Darokin.
As we know, Vestland was born in 614 AC and Soderfjord only in 950 AC. Thyatis tried to colonize heavily the northern Isle of Dawn and Norwold only after 900 AC and the Heldann Freeholds had some semblance of unity only through the actions of the eponymous hero in 707 AC. Ylaruam freed itself from Alphatia and Thyatis in 830 AC, with the successful campaign of Al-Kalim.
Dengar, Alfheim, Ethengar and the Atruaghin lands had more or less the same borders they have today, but they had to fight against several humanoid raids and attacks.
Traladara was divided into two kingdoms, its western part called the Kingdom of Achelos, which would last until the Thyatian conquest in 900 AC. Before this time, Thyatis and Darokin both tried to conquer Traladara on multiple occasions, but both failed.
Five hundred years ago, Minrothad and Ierendi did not exist yet as they do today, Minrothad being only the nucleus of Trader’s Isle and Ierendi divided between Makai tribes, Hin and Thyatian colonists. The Thyatian Empire would try to seize the islands in 586 AC, but it loses them soon after by 602 AC, when Ierendi became an independent kingdom.
Darokin had its kings from 88 AC to 723 AC, and they were kings with ambitions, who managed to unite the nation and tried on different occasions to conquer Alfheim, the Broken Lands and the Orclands, Traladara and other neighbours, with disastrous results. The more peaceful republic was finally established in 927 AC after two centuries of divisions and instability.
Glantri was settled by the Flaems in 395 AC, received more colonists in the following centuries, was briefly conquered by Alphatia and finally became the magocracy we know today in 859 BC.
Sind was still divided in 580 AC, but would be unified by the Ul Nervi dynasty of Sindrastan between 691 and 714 AC.

For the Dungeon Master:

See references in the 1500 BC paragraph.
The area labelled in black as “Kardyer” east of Dengar/Rockhome refers to the dragon who ruled over the area from 2 BC to 497 AC, when he was slain by the Dragonlord as described in the Dragonlord trilogy. In 580 AC his former territory was probably already taken over by the other dragon rulers described by Bruce Heard here: http://pandius.com/whoswho.html i.e. Ambur, Druuwor and Jargnir.