Article Written by Craig DeBoard
*Note: The following is the OFFICIAL CANON timeline of Hunt the Dead. Play by Post RPG's have no influence over this timeline, but it may influence games if the DM (GM) so wishes.
How a world died...
No one is quite sure of how The Ravaging began. One moment, the denizens of the world of Aeon were helping to forge a new legacy with new technologies in their world. The next moment; Pure Chaos. Hordes of undead, flesh eating zombies, poured over the land destroying and feasting on any living thing in their path. The following time line is all that is left of the history of the world of Aeon...
Two periods of time are known to those who inhabit the world. The first is known as "Before the Ravaging" (or B.R). The second is known as "After the Ravaging" (or A.R.). These two periods of time are separated by the one year simply known as "The Ravaging". The year in which the undead first arrived and devastated all of Aeon, changing the world forever.
* 431 B.R.- The earliest known history of Aeon. Most dragons go into seclusion after hearing of a prophesy that will one day destroy nearly the entire planet.
* 417 B.R.- An oddity of sorts is discovered in the city of Greyshore. A creature that resembles an elf but at the same time is vastly different. Calling himself, Zepherith, he claims to be from a race called The Darklings, and claims the Elves are actually cursed Darklings. Many in the city attempt to persecute him, however he escapes claiming his people one day will make their presence known.
* 398 B.R.- A doppelganger by the name of Festus Ghent murders the king of Peregren, allowing Justik Girn to move his political chess pieces and become the city-state's new king. Peregren rises to great power becoming one of the top suppliers of incense and wine to the rest of the world.
* 342 B.R.- Rumors of a continent south of Nerin Toth begin to spread. An explorer by the name of Holliver Yulthan travels in search for the continent. Eventually finding nothing more than snow and ice, Holliver believes he has wasted too much time and money on such an expedition.
* 315 B.R.- Zepherith returns to the city of Greyshore with an army of darklings, coming from the mountains, and slaughtering nearly every person in the city. Elves learn of the travesty and begin to put together a plan to go after Zepherith and the darklings.
* 313 B.R.- The elves attack Greyshore. Zepherith is killed in the battle by a virtual unknown elf named Krellen, who would later rise to become a great protectors of the world. The darklings retreat back into the mountains swearing vengeance and retribution against the elves.
* 309-298 B.R.- The dwarves of Hillkhan are overtaken by their minotaur slaves. The Minotaur-Dwarven Wars begin. Dwarves display the first uses of gunpowder with siege weapons called "cannons". The minotaurs take to fighting on horseback. The tide of the war turns to the minotaurs' favor when gunpowder supplies run low in the area due to no one running the saltpeter mines. The minotaurs earn their freedom and move to the city of Azerath.
* 277 B.R.- The first pirate ships are seen off the coast of Port Skell. Trade routes halt almost completely due to fear.
* 276 B.R.- The minotaur, Olun of Clan Wildrunner, wins an election in Azerath, becoming the new king. Many humans believe the election proceeded unfairly and revolt. The minotaur race slaughters the rebel humans and Azerath becomes the new city-state of the minotaurs. Trade routes re-open almost immediately, when the minotaurs finally take to the seas, via Parr Pay. Trading increases, which also increases piracy.
* 251-250 B.R.- The tribal leaders of a group of riverfolk meet with the heads of the ruling families of the darklings in the Black Desert. What is planned between the two races has never been discovered. War erupts across southern Nerin Toth, when a new enemy, the hellfolk, first appear, claiming to be the riverfolk. The elves attack the hellfolk, but the hellfolk side with the darklings during the thick of the battle. The elves win the battle and choose to press the advantage by sending all troops into the Black Desert after the darklings, to end their evil ways once and for all. The troops of the elves arrive in the Black Desert and the entire race is nearly wiped out completely by the armies of the hellfolk, the darklings, dopplegangers, and goblins. Few elves survive the ordeal.
* 244 B.R.- A new expedition to from Teseron to Port Skell is undertaken, this one led by a riverfolk explorer named Eulick Enderlill. Eulick and his crew make successful negotiations. Settlers discover vast amounts of iron in the nearby Hulderk Mountains and the Gygax trade route is established.
* 236 B.R.- Eulick Enderlill and his crew decide to explore to the north, however rumors of a kraken are all that is known of what happened to Eulick and his crew.
* 222 B.R.- The Kingdom of Azerath grows larger, and the minotaurs of Azerath decide to cement their leadership in the world by building a second city called Velnraak. The power of the minotaurs grows.
* 189 B.R.- A group of aniver, seeing the success of the minotaurs of Azerath, decide to build their own empire, and commission dwarves to begin construction on what would be called "The Shining City" in the Black Desert.
* 187 B.R.- The Knighthood of Tomath is first founded in Peregren by the son of an adventurer named Christoph el Tomath. The son's name was Kargin el Tomath
* 185 B.R.- Word of the construction of The Shining City reaches Azerath. The minotaurs of Azerath stop all trading with the southern half of Nerin Toth, attempting to hinder the construction of The Shining City and hold their position as leaders of the trade routes. The informant is a Hellfolk named Random Black.
* 184 B.R.- Dwarves begin construction on a 70 foot high wall in Greyshore, but reveal to none, it's purpose.
* 182 B.R.- Hellfolk report to Azerath informing the minotaurs that it is the dwarves constructing the 70 foot high wall.
* 180 B.R.- The minotaurs march to the 70 foot high wall, determined to bring it down, however the dwarves cut them down with a two new inventions called "muskets" and "pistols".
* 179 B.R.- The construction on the 70 foot high wall is complete. The dwarves reveal also the secret kingdom they built inside of the wall and the surrounding ocean. The kingdom is called Krest and consists of Greyshore, Hillkhan, BattleMead and BattleAle. Trade sanctions against southern Nerin Toth, placed by the minotaurs, are lifted.
* 162 B.R.- The dragons once again make their presence known, both good and evil dragons, warning of an impending doom coming to Aeon. They are largely ignored.
* 150 B.R.- Aniver report to Azerath claiming "The Shining City" is nearing completion. The aniver and minotaurs sign a peace treaty agreement, much to the dwarves chagrin.
* 148 B.R.- The dwarves of Hillkhan and Greyshore refuse to work any further on "The Shining City", unless the aniver break their peace treaty with the minotaurs. The aniver compromise with both the dwarves and the minotaurs by keeping the peace treaty with the minotaurs, and signing an all new peace treaty with the dwarves. In return the dwarves agree to continue construction on "The Shining City". The minotaurs agree to increase trade to the region, to help in production. The dwarves and minotaurs are one step closer to peace with each other.
* 147 B.R.- A dwarven emissary assassinates the King of Azerath. While it is later revealed to have been a doppleganger assassin believed to be hired by hellfolk, all talks of peace between the dwarves and minotaurs cease.
* 129 B.R.- "The Shining City" is completed, becoming the largest city of Nerin Toth and cementing the aniver as the most powerful race of Aeon.
* 102 B.R.- The minotaurs increase trade with the aniver, hoping to increase their own power. The city-state of Peregren signs a peace treaty with Azerath.
* 70 B.R.- Pirates in Port Skell speak of rumors of a sea demon called, The Rabia, destroying ships. It is believed to be an undead kraken.
* 49 B.R.- The dragons return again, both good and evil, urging everyone to leave their homelands and to sail to find new lands, in order to escape a coming doom. Once again the dragons are ignored.
* 14 B.R.- A young boy named Erron kills his abusive adoptive father and is taken to Peregren for execution. The young boy escapes with the help of a young darkling girl called Sabal.
* 3 B.R.- The gods speak to divine priests everywhere, pleading with them to encourage the masses to heed the warnings of the dragons. Like the dragons, the gods are ignored.
* 1 B.R.- The gods inform their priests they are leaving Aeon, believing there is no way it can be saved. Most, but not all, dragons do the same.
* The Ravaging (as seen in the book, Paths of Despair - Book 1: "The Ravaging")- Seemingly from no where, countless hordes of the dead rise, attacking the living and feasting on flesh. Millions are slaughtered in the first days and thousands more in the following weeks. Most cities are left with no survivors, and the wilds are flooded with undead. "The Shining City" is decimated and becomes known as Dead Town, a place in which no living creatures reside in anymore save for the Civil Agents of The Blood. All divine leaders, priests, clerics, and paladins lose their healing abilities after the gods abandon the world believing it to be lost forever. Most former clerics and paladins retire. Some join the Knighthood of Tomath. Good nor longer fights Evil, Evil no longer fights good, and Neutrality no longer seeks to keep a cosmic balance. All that is left in the horrendous attack of the undead is pure Chaos. The essence of Good, Evil, and Neutrality, called The Triad, is dead.
* 1 A.R.- A man known as Erron and a darkling known as Turk'en meet and go on a nation spanning hunting spree after the undead. Former elven cleric, Zoei Fantasy, takes office as the new prime minister of the city of Peregren. The Knights of Tomath become a police keeping force of Peregren. Factions and Guilds rise all across Nerin Toth.
(All known records of time after this point and until Bleeding Machine have been lost.)
