- Long, long ago - The Cataclysm
The nigh-apocalyptic Cataclysm occurs, killing hundreds of thousands, plunging civilization into an age of darkness, and rending the land itself asunder. While the details are unclear, it is known that it was caused by the epic magic wielded by two warring Shadow Touched factions.
- 171 BTA – Silver Valley Neighborhood Founded
Zerral Frenti founds Silver Valley on the west side of the Old City atop two large silver mines.
- 165 BTA - Hammon Smith Declares War On The Council Of Nobles
The castle on Turtle Rock was the realization of a dream for a stonemason named Hammon Smith. Smith came from common blood, but aspired to nobility. He built his most defensible fortress before seeking recognition of House Smith by the Council of Nobles. However, the five major noble houses refused to recognize the validity of House Smith. So, Hammon Smith declared war on the Council's membership.
- ~150 BTA - Elkmont Founded
- ~100 BTA - Hedgehem Founded
- 89 BTA – The Cleft
An unexpected (and undesired) marriage proposal within the upper tiers of Kahar nobility in 90 BTA leads to a full-out feud within the House by 89 BTA. The conflict ends when two dozen Kahars and their vassals leave the Old City on the seventeenth of Greening and head east, not to be seen again for almost eighty years.
- 64 BTA – Fanghill Founded
Avram Zahir, grandfather of Goram Zahir, founds the town of Fanghill on a tall hill, overseeing the construction of Fanghill Keep at its peak.
- 25 BTA – Light’s Reach Founded
Light's Reach was founded on Eastwatch Hill by Fahral Mikin. Fahral dubbed the high ground - a mesa - upon which Light's Reach sits as Eastwatch Hill, due to it being atop the easternmost point of known explored territory outside the Old City.
- 25 BTA – Era of Expansion Begins
The ambitious founding of Light’s Reach by Fahral Mikin outside the walls of the Old City and the rumors of vast natural resources to the east (as opposed to the somewhat underwhelming landscape south of the Old City) inspire the other Houses to expand their influence to the east beyond the wall’s protection, and sparks a brief war of land acquisition amidst the Houses up until the raising of the Aegis.
- 23 BTA – Silkfield Founded
- 19 BTA – Nillu’s Lode Founded
- 14 BTA – Marble Grove Founded
With the founding of Marble Grove, all members of the Council of Nobles now have holdings outside of the Old City.
- 11 BTA – Vozhdya Discovered
Marble Grove vassals discover a fully functioning settlement to the east of their settlement that was previously unknown. It is eventually determined that these were the missing Kahar nobles from the Cleft in 89 BTA, now calling themselves Vozhds and their city Vozhdya. They are unwilling to rejoin House Kahar, and allow no nobility other than their own within the city walls. Unsurprisingly, their petition to become a recognized House by the Council of Nobles is denied.
- 4 BTA – “The Call
On the eighteenth of Stormclaw, Talus Kahar and the Old City guard fight a bloody battle atop the Old City’s fortifications against a large group of invading Wildlings, barely repelling the threat. With the Old City guard in disarray, Talus puts out a general call to service for every able-bodied male to help defend against the growing threat.
- 4 BTA – First Wildling War Begins
By the first of Kilning, Talus Kahar’s call to arms has managed to summon over ten thousand men and over two thousand women. With this force, nicknamed ‘the Blades’, he formally declares war against the Wildlings, sending his army towards the southeast.
- 4 BTA – “Valley of Blades” Incident Occurs
In the fifth major battle of the First Wildling War in late Kilning, Goram Zahir betrayed the Emperor and the Blades by grossly deflating the number of Wildlings he observed in his report, causing the Blades to walk into an ambush on the bank of the Fastheld River. Hundreds of Blades died there, including the son of Light’s Reach founder Fahral Mikin. It is later discovered that Goram orchestrated this betrayal with others in hope that he could steal sovereignty over the Council of Nobles from Talus Kahar.
- 4 BTA – “Hunting of the Raven”
Over two weeks in Huntsmoon, Talus Kahar’s forces pursue Goram Zahir and his co-conspirators, eventually killing them to a man save for Goram near the current location of the Stanchion. Goram was hung from a tree and left for dead as the Blades continued their war against the Wildlings.
- 3 BTA – First Wildling War Ends
It was on the site now known as Aegisport, upon the hills north of the river, that the first Kahar Emperor finally cornered and defeated the Wildling warriors who decimated the Fastheld forces at the Valley of Blades.
- 2 BTA – Aegisport Founded
Returning from the First Wildling War, Talus Kahar built this town on the north shore of the Fastheld River, near the site of the final battle in the first Wildling War, where his forces triumphed and smashed the remnants of the invaders.
- 1 BTA – Emperor Talus Kahar II Born
- 0 ATA – The Aegis Is Constructed
Following the First Wildling War, the Council of Nobles recommended to Talus Kahar that a protective wall be erected around human-occupied territory to defend against further incursions by the savage creatures. But even a modest defensive wall would take years to construct and leave them vulnerable to attack. The Emperor, himself injured in the war, offered amnesty to any Shadow-Touched denizen in Fastheld: Lend their ability to raising the Aegis in exchange for free passage outside of this wall, unharmed, each with a horse and wagon loaded with supplies. It was the best compromise the Emperor could offer without sparking a revolt by the noble houses or the Church of True Light. The magi used their abilities to raise an enormous wall from the earth itself in the period of three days.
- 0 ATA – Emperor Talus Kahar I Declares Himself Emperor of Fastheld
After the raising of the Aegis and the exile of the Shadow-Touched, Talus Kahar declares himself to be sovereign leader of the land within the Aegis’ walls, calling the space ‘Fastheld’. Those that do not come to swear fealty to the Emperor by the first day of 2 ATA and receive citizenship papers are considered to be squatters within the Empire, and are afforded no rights.
- 1 ATA – The Consolidation
Emperor Talus Kahar I dissolves the Council of Nobles, and makes a decree that only six noble Houses out of the forty-four Houses recognized by the Council would continue to exist within Fastheld. Unsurprisingly, five of these were the five ruling Houses of the Council. But surprisingly, he chose to raise up a very minor House that raised high-quality horses for his stables, the House Seamel. All of the other thirty-eight recognized Houses had three options: accept exile outside the Aegis, petition the recognized houses to become a part of that house, or give up their keeps and accept status as neither a Lord nor a serf, but as a new class of unconnected citizen of the Empire, called Freelanders. Nine of the most desirable Houses were absorbed by the six, while the others were relatively evenly split between the other two options. The Vozhds, never recognized by the Council, are nonetheless forcefully reabsorbed into House Kahar.
- 2 ATA – The Golden Age of Silver Valley
The section of the Old City called Silver Valley merges with its neighbor Bushdragon Hill after House Frenti is absorbed into House Nillu, creating the largest city in Western Fastheld.
- 21 ATA – Emperor Talus Kahar I dies, Emperor Talus Kahar II Takes the Throne
- 46 ATA – Emperor Talus Kahar III Born
- 49 ATA – Regent Vurrun Lomasa Begins Rule
As Talus Kahar II grows ill in his final years, Regent Vurrun Lomasa is chosen to rule alongside Empress Vala Mikin until Talus Kahar III is fit to do so. This lasts until 65 ATA.
- 50 ATA – First “Eastwatch Hill Curse” Incident
Once every 45 years or so, starting in about 50 ATA (After the Aegis), bizarre happenings plague the township atop Eastwatch Hill. That first year, scores of horses, goats and cattle were slaughtered, their flayed carcasses left hanging from trees in Mikin Wood.
- 55 ATA – Emperor Talus Kahar II Dies
- 82 ATA – Emperor Talus Kahar IV Born
- 90 ATA - Halom Halweir Brought To Justice
The murderous brigand Halom Halweir, whose gangs marauded a fair stretch of the Lightholder River, finally received justice from the Emperor's Blades this year. Halweir's Notch – as the stretch became known – has since become a popular refuge for squatters and destitute panhandlers, who dwell in coffin-sized niches carved out of the rock.
- 95 ATA – Second “Eastwatch Hill Curse” Incident
In 95 ATA, strange blue and green lights glowed above East Bluff and inhabitants reported ghostly moaning sounds. A housekeeper named Forman Dust went mad and massacred his family before hurling himself over the edge of the bluff.
- 112 ATA – Emperor Talus Kahar III Dies
- 121 ATA – “Brigand's Turn” Founded
A foreboding section of the Lightholder River, populated by the weather worn skulls of those who attempted to place themselves above the Imperial Law.
It was not called Brigand's Turn because the area was a favorite haunting ground of Fastheld's cutpurses and river pirates; far from it. Instead, it got the moniker from the fact that it is here that Emperor Talus Kahar III declared that all thieves who murder legitimate citizens would have their severed heads mounted for all to see.
- 122 ATA - Aurora Janus Removed From Power
On the third of Seedwarming, the Corona declares that Aurora Janus will be stripped of her rank. While no official reason is given, it is rumored that it had to do with the politics surrounding the Lessening of a Kahar child.
- 123 ATA – Emperor Talus Kahar V Born
- 124 ATA – Hawk’s Aerie Founded
Founded by Edran Nillu, it is perched on the strategic convergence of River Road, the Imperial Thoroughfare, and Fastheld River.
- 140 ATA – Third “Eastwatch Hill Curse” Incident
In 140 ATA, a dozen infants were snatched from their cradles by a furred beast and carried off into the night, never to be seen again.
- 156 ATA – Emperor Talus Kahar IV Dies
- 174 ATA – Creation of the Swift Blades
Talus Kahar V initiates the creation of an elite mounted unit of the Blades to quickly respond to threats within the Aegis.
- 180 ATA – Emperor Talus Kahar VI Born
- 182 ATA - Shadow Plague Sweeps Through Old City
A pox that blinded, disfigured, and ultimately killed its victims swept through the Old City like wildfire.
- 183 ATA - The Quarantine
Emperor Talus Kahar V made the difficult decision to quarantine the Old City, and, using the might of the Blades, slaughtered all of its residents to prevent the spread of the Shadow Plague. Tens of thousands died. Afterwards, the Old City is referred to as the Shadow District, and its fortifications, the Shadow Wall.
- 201 ATA – Emperor Talus Kahar V Dies
- 202 ATA – Group of Brigands Infiltrates Quarantine Zone
A group of brigands called The Fetters digs a hole through the northern Shadow Wall (as the fortifications around the Old City were beginning to be called), and move to populate the massive ruins of Silver Valley.
- 216 ATA - Ayzra “The Black” Zahir Terrorizes Fastheld
Ayzra and his 'Tickler' – a long black bullwhip - terrorized Fastheld during the 'Long Winter' of 216, leaving in his wake a string of mysterious mutilations and murders. The assaults were similar, yet bewildering: the victim's flesh was contorted with strikes and marks that were burned into form, as if seared and branded with fire itself. With the murders continuing unabated and the noble's constables unable to find a culprit, the Emperor himself dispatched his legendary Spymaster, Baron Billan Lomasa, to solve the case.
- 216 ATA - First Time of Illumination is declared by the Church
During a time of lasting winter, faith among the people of Fastheld begins to falter. It falls to the then Aurora of the Church, Thalina Kahar, to declare a period of meditation upon the blessings of the Light. Many answer the call and balance is soon restored once more.
- 217 ATA – Ayzra “The Black” Zahir Dies
For nearly a year more, Spymaster Billan Lomasa played cat-and-mouse with Ayzra until their fabled showdown in the Shadow District, in which - suitably decapitated - Ayzra and his whip met their end. According to the legend, Billan tied the Tickler around a rock, attached it to the Count's headless corpse, and tossed them into a river.
- 233 ATA – Emperor Talus Kahar VII Born
- 256 ATA – Emperor Talus Kahar VI Dies
- 293 ATA – Emperor Talus Kahar VIII Born, Empress Ballee Mikin Dies in childbirth
- 302 ATA – Emperor Talus Kahar VII Dies
- 302 ATA – Regent Tilut Kahar Begins Rule
As Emperor Talus Kahar VII dies suddenly, the elderly Chancellor Tilut Kahar is tapped to take his place until Talus VIII is fit to rule. Unfortunately, he dies in 306 ATA.
- 306 ATA – Regent Drell Mikin Begins Rule
When Regent Tilut Kahar dies, the burden falls to the thirty year old Watermaster, Drell Mikin, a popular but unimaginative leader. He rules until 311, when Talus Kahar VIII is seen fit to rule.
- 316 ATA – Wedgecrest Founded
Trastar Mikin founds the town of Wedgecrest on Night’s Bane Hill overlooking Fastheld Gorge.
- 321 ATA – The Storming of 321
Southwatch is infiltrated by Wildlings, with a bloody battle lasting three long days before all the invaders are driven off or destroyed.
- 352 ATA – Emperor Talus Kahar IX Born
- 357 ATA – Emperor Talus Kahar VIII Dies
- 357 ATA – Empress Cereline Kahar Begins Rule
On the death of Talus Kahar VIII, Empress Cereline Kahar begins her rule until 370, when Talus Kahar IX is ruled fit to begin.
- 391 ATA – Emperor Talus Kahar X Born
- 410 ATA – Emperor Talus Kahar IX Dies
- 413 ATA - East Leg Founded by Yontalas Lomasa
- 501 ATA – Emperor Talus Kahar XII Born
- 524 ATA – Emperor Talus Kahar XI Dies
- 553 ATA – Mummorials perform for Emperor Talus Kahar XII
- 553 ATA – Emperor Talus Kahar XIII Born
- 591 ATA – Emperor Talus Kahar XIV Born
- 611 – The Second Wildling War
- 611 ATA – Stand of Eastwatch
It was late in the year 611 when Wildlings, carried by the momentum of their attack on Vozhdya, laid siege to Eastwatch and her people. The odds were extremely dim until reinforcements arrived in the form of the Swift Blades, who thundered into the Township and decimated the flanks of the Wildling assault, allowing the Blades to push forward their own counter-attack.
- 611 ATA - The Cleansing
Late in 611, the Church of True Light was tipped off as to a location of a meeting of a large group of Shadow-Touched near the northeast corner of the Aegis. The Church used this to their advantage, launching a sneak attack against the magi in a cramped, poorly-defended cave. A bloody battle ensued between the Church and the Shadow-Touched, with the Church emerging victorious, killing hundreds of the Shadow-Touched in the process, and hauling away over a dozen for questioning and lessening.
- 618-619 ATA – The Nightslider terrorizes Southwest Fastheld
From Huntsmoon to Bleakdreary, a supernaturally fast mage in a green nightslider mask was fingered in over a hundred crimes in the cities of Elkmont, Hedgehem and Light’s Reach. While the majority of these crimes involved vandalism, theft and burglary, he is also accused of seventeen capital offenses, including desecration of Church property, rape, attempted murder and murder. While his crime spree ended around the thirty-third of Bleakdreary, his whereabouts remain unknown.
- 620 ATA – Talus Kahar XIII Dies, Talus Kahar XIV Ascends The Throne
- 623 ATA – Ducal Assassinations
On the first of Greening, at least three mages posing as servants infiltrated the Greening’s First assembly in Aegisport and assassinated all six House leaders before fleeing. The dead included: Mullis Seamel, Azalin Zahir, Orvus Kahar, Eben Nillu, Lennek Lomasa, and Hobet Mikin. Nearly 20 squires and other servants suffered severe injuries, but survived the attack.