"All Roads Lead to Zenithstrand"
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE SHADOW ISLES
A timeline of notable events.
YEAR 1 - 1000
329
The continent is named Dominion by high elven settlers
529
The Moon Mother is born in the city of Nitrem.
559
Dominion funds expeditions into the Umbraecor to investigate Grey Elven Ruins.
565
The island shatters and breask into several smaller islands, the area is named The Shadow Isles due to the dark dust that surrounded the area following the sundering.
Local wild elves separate into smaller tribes and adopt the “Di Coa” Suffix to their tribal names.
592
The Kudzu wild elf council is established.
The Kudzu council banishes the Cervid tribe from Zenithstrand and disbands the Jackal tribe, remaining Jackal take on Coyote markings to signify their exile from the overgrowth.
Acasa is established by two Ajaunti families: Istrati and Lacusta.
YEAR 1001 - 2000
1102
Bileostrav is established as a trade port by Sailors.
1958
Ice Elves from the east begin conducting massive raids on all of the settlements in the Shadow Isles, providing the islands with a common enemy for the first time.
The Helguard Vanguard is established
Hope’s Rest is built amidst Grey Elven Ruins to be used as a Helguard Vanguard outpost.
YEAR 2001 - 2250
2152
Sordestead is established by garglynn and human settlers.
2166, September 23
The First Citizen of Sordestead issued a warning to all Citizens that the islands are at war. Later dubbed by scholars as the Shadow Sun War, the first violent conflict occurred at noon, during the fall equinox.
2250
Hope’s Rest is destroyed, the Helguard Vanguard stationed there are declared missing or dead. No bodies are found.
YEAR 2251 - 2260
2255, June 20
89 years after it had begun, the Shadow Sun war comes to an official end after a catastrophic final battle destroyed the bulk of Nitrem and Dominion’s armies alike.
The details of the events remain a mystery to historians and scholars as the war’s survivors all claim to have no recollection of the event. Some scholars argue whether there is significance in the fact that the war ended on the day of the Summer Solstice.
2258, January
Negotiations begin to form the Coalition of the Shadow Isles.
Settlers from Berphaunt begin to arrive by ship. Construction of Louis’ Rest begins.
2258, May 20,
The C.S.S Unity and the C.S.S Maymont set sail to deliver the Coalition’s first skein Gate to the Isle of Zenithstrand.
The C.S.S Unity sinks, leaving no survivors
C.S.S Maymont goes off course and loses communication with the mainland.
2258, September
A ship port is built on a previously uninhabited island, the port and island are named Puerto Olvidado by it’s Einher and Ice Elf settlers.
2258, October
An unnatural winter sets over the Shadow Isles, freezing the ghost sea and immobilizing ships.
Wood Fae from throughout the shadow isles are abducted by Fae of the winter court, under the orders of Lord Finnigan.
2259, February
Essylt is freed from her captors in the Fae realm.
2259, April 15,
C.S.S Maymont, which was previously believed to have been lost at sea, arrives at the Acasan ports.
Nearly half of the previously abducted Wood Fae return to their homes in the Shadow Isles, after being held prisoner in the Fae realms. The other half are presumed dead.
2259, May 19
Coalition settlers activate the skein gate at the ruins of Fort Wyvernsbane, the settlement is legitimized by the Coalition with the consent of Acasa’s representative, Nicoh Istrati.
2259, July
The settlement around Fort Wyvernsbane is renamed Sylvanwood.
The Shadow Isle skein gate loses connection with the remainder of the skein network. Magical rifts overlap and cause reports of a parallel realm overlapping with the mortal plane. The phenomenon lasts three months and the plane is named “The Light Isles.
2259, October
Skein connections are re-established. Scholarly attempts to contact The Light Isles are attempted in Dominion and Nitrem. No attempts are successful.
2259, November
New Hope is established amidst the rebuilt ruins of Hope’s Rest.
2260, April
King Victor of Bileostrav declares amnesty. Civil war breaks out on the island, loyalties split between Victor and Malin, each claiming to be King of Bileostrav.
2260, May
The Orb of corruption, Silt, is sealed deep within the Umbraecor.
YEAR 2261
2261, May
The previously banished Cervid tribe re-appears in the Shadow Isles, they settle on one of the fingers.
Members of the Coyote tribe begin to change their markings, reviving the Jackal tribe.
Jhen Ursa and Jhen Vespen wild elves arrive on Zenithstrand, causing contention among the Kudzu.
2261, August
The shadow Isles are besieged by Citadel forces from the Church of Light. All existing council members become imprisoned or are declared missing. The Shattered Sun joins the Citadel and takes control of Dominion, Nitrem and Sordestead. The remaining Tezothian orders are declared wanted for treason.
Marshal law is declared in Bileostrav, Zenithstrand, Puerto Olvidado and Acasa. The four islands engage in open rebellion against the citadel.
The bridge connecting Acasa to Zenithstrand is destroyed in battle.
2261, November
A huge explosion in Nitrem's capital reduces the city of Toran into a craterous ruin.
YEAR 2262
The Shattered Sun continues to hold control over Dominion, Nitrem and Sordestead.
Marshal law and open rebellion against the Citadel continue in Bilestrav, Zenithstrand, Puerto Olvidado and Acasa.
2262, February
The Kudzu council meets to determine the fate of the Ursa, Vespen, Thorn, Jackal and Cervid. The cervid remain banished to the Fingers. The Thorn are disowned from the Kudzu. The Jackal and Vespen are left to fight over their claimed territory.
2262, December 31
The Forgotten Port is bombed by Bileostrav, destroying the bay and all existing settlements.