Settings

There are several periods that have been chosen as rpg 'setting' periods. They have particular qualities and favor certain historical elements. The three that I like the most are: Titanpunk Asdar, Age of Warriors and Mages, and First Age of Iron.

List of Asdar Settings by Time

First Age of Iron, 1530 AS

Dawn of the Sky Migrations, 49 AI

Golden Twilight, 957 AI

Age of Warriors and Mages, 1283 AI

Age of Steel and Dragons, 1855 AI

Age of Mage Tyrannies, 1980 AI

?, 2568 AI

Titanpunk Asdar, 2735 AI

First Age of Iron

Main article: First Age of Iron

Time

1557 AS

Peoples and Kingdoms in eastern Pallathantic Region in the early Iron Age, ca 1500 AS.

Centered on Kalama, this setting includes eastern Pallathantic Region. Dwarvenfire is not well known and humans have been using iron for less than a thousand years. The Ithatian Tribes have migrated through the islands of the Pallathantic Sea. Kalama is ruled by the Jatha-Nebir Kingdom. The Neptultchi God-Empire has collapsed with the death of the last God-Emperor in 1611 AS. Into this vacuum the Moigthe have migrated, spreading through south central Pytharnia. The great civilizations are Kalama, the ever-declining Malesggite Civilization in the Shadevan Delta, and the Zamshagolian Empire in Shelekhumbia. Pytharnian ("Kemerite") Giant tribes rule southwestern Pytharnia as well as the Giant Isles. The Gwenyan Tribes have not yet migrated into High Shadevan Valley. Kwandyanda Dahar of the Bhirukamphan Dynasty is the ruler of Kalama. The Disdrirn Elves rule the forests of central Pytharnia. The Seventh Kingdom rules the dwarves of the Ithradic Mountains in south central Pytharnia. Kemerite Giants inhabit the southwestern reaches of Pytharnia and the so-called Giant Isles. The Jaggudorn Mountains are inhabited by numerous creatures, including dwarves, giants, goblins, and orcs. To the west of the Zamshagolian Empire are four Thammazite kingdoms on the coast of northwest Weshif. Jykki Orcs inhabit the interior of Danona and various humanlikes such as minotaurs and bucentaurs dwell in Thrysto in northern Danona. The isle of Erechóreb is home to elves, the Shachábdin, and the Dramutes, a group of humans comprised of blended ancestry.

Dawn of the Sky Migrations

Main article: Dawn of the Sky Migrations

Time

49 AI

This is the time of the first major sky migrations outside of the Jaggudorn Mountains and of pre-Yophenthean Empires.

Golden Twilight

Main article: Golden Twilight

Time

957 AI

The late Yophenthean Empire reached across the regions of the Pallathantic Sea. The setting is either within the empire or in a neighboring region, such as Thrace or Omre. Barbarians of Sky and of the Steppe threaten the Empire with collapse.

Age of Warriors and Mages

Main article: Age of Warriors and Mages

Time

1283 AI

The 1283 setting

This historic period occurs after the collapse of most or all of the Yophenthean Successor States, including the Deavingeal Dynasty in southwestern Pytharnia. The Asbards have conquered the southern Rhaunve Valley and Medibgóëse colonists have settled in Gonfaloy. The Ambrasian Reformation, ca 1110 to 1140, has established the cult of the ancient sun god, Amrulon, as the state religion of the high Rhaunve River Valley and the Imzaha religion of Shagrela'al and the western Weshif desert is borne by missionaries into neighboring lands. The most powerful state in the Pallathantic is the Omandraline Empire of Sky, ruled by the genius Sorcerer-King, Omandral—but how long this prodigy of spellcraft and strategy can last is another matter. This period of history is before the first Thracian Empire, before the Golden Age of Sky, before the Chaos Rulers, and before the Isbajutha. Humans and dwarves have not discovered and developed titancraft. Religious cults of the late Yophenthean Empire linger on, such as the cult of Errignomon. While chaos gods are generally shunned, as they have been progressively since the time of Salmakhamer, they are not universally loathed and prohibited like they will be after the Isbajutha. Thus some leaders turn the eye the other way and small chaos cults are practiced in large cities, in the countryside, and in the wilds.

The 1283 AI setting is very roughly similar to the early and mid medieval period on earth, with the collapse of the last vestiges of the Roman Empire, the immigration of barbarian tribes, the spread of new cults and religions, including Islam, and the establishment of local tribal authorities.

The Omandraline Empire of Sky reaches over western Corundy, Ambrinqua, and Thyria. Omandral Sorcerer King rules these lands by the threat of his skyforce of sky tribe warriors and captive djinn. Having defeated the princes of Vimalia and the navy of the (Aurician) Republic of Goscundy, he has great influence in the rest of Corundy and in Lucacia.

Hieratic powers are still a force to be reckoned with and the temples of many different gods flourish. The cult of Arathrax and the power of the Arathracian Church prevails, despite the collapse of the Yophenthean Empire. Psychist powers are practiced by a few, especially Shaphrizite Incarnandists. Sunfather Greagal I rules the Arathracian Church and reigns, 1274 to 1286, as overseer of the faithful. Dwarvenfire is still the specialty of the dwarves, but is finding greater use among humans. Humans, namely Arathracian priests, have lost knowledge of Saint Iphiala's Stars which has emboldened some dwarves to use dwarvenfire weapons outside of their homelands. The damarissica, a smaller, more accurate dwarvenfire cannon, is used to protect the dwarves in their mountain fastnesses from surface invasions from giants, humans, orcs, and goblins.

The Incarnandina, Z'ayimáth kath Shazibáth Pa'yóth, dwells in Jerushabla. During the 1200's, the T’ulphi’asi Line dies out and the transmission of the role of Incarnandina passes into the Ti’wi’alanthi Line.

Sky tribes continue to raid weaker settlements, streaming out in small groups from the Jaggudorn Mountains, either to return to their homelands with loot and captives or more likely to stay in the lands of Pytharnia, Eloaria, and further abroad. New improvements in skycraft have stretched the range of the sky tribes. Skycraft is no longer limited to sky tribes of the Jaggudorns, but used throughout much of the Pallathantic Region. The Zarajoveni Tribes remain in the western Adamantine Mountains, worshiping their pre-Imzaha, ancestral divinities. The Dz̧ahwatşabu, a dwarven galebelly, was first invented in the twelfth or thirteenth century in Gdelisica.

The land of Magdala lacks a single ruler and local governments prevail. The Flaminal College in Trevirs exercises many of the roles of government in the chief city and some want it to hold formal power over the whole land of Magdala.

A handful of ancient institutions for learning, the Guild Schools and Colleges continue to teach pupils the knowledge of the ancient past. These schools include Archcollege of Aturoksha (est. 314 AI), Archcollege of Divinities, (est. 872, Beh-Shelub), Archcollege of Johaulia, (est. 497), Archcollege of Jemhu (Omre), (est. 783), Archcollege of Mirrhaimo, (est. 374), Archcollege of the Yuligirn, (est. 853), Archcollege of Zamaclë, (est. 1067), Metallurgical School of Tauhad, (est. 248).

Legends include that of Saint Yusivailt's Rock.

Age of Steel and Dragons

Main article: Age of Steel and Dragons

Time

1855 AI

This is the Age of Steel and Dragons. During this time, civilization that has been rebuilding itself since the Fall of the Yophenthean Empire, is now irrevocably succumbing to the powers of Chaos. But determined PCs could make a difference.

Age of Mage Tyrannies

Main article: Age of Mage Tyrannies

Time

1980 AI

Only a few years before the destruction-wreaking Voyage of the Chaos Fleet, the period of the Mage-Tyrannies saw the rise of numerous regional kinglets whose power was often as much a matter of chaos magic as it was due to politics and warfare. Not all rulers are chaos mages, but the trend increased into the twenty first century. This is the beginning of the rule of the chaos mages.

Dominion of Useph-Re-Kaal

Wizard Kingdom of the Three Isles

Duchy of Aurice

Sunfathership of Yophénthë, Eidadh IV, 1982 to 1985, slain by an Aio

Duchy of Desthor

Mage Republic of Narshad

Priest-Kingdom of Shelekhumbia

Kingdom of Shagrela’al

Imzaami Kingdom of Khesheph

Mage-Kingdom of Nu-Shahazu (Female Giant Queen, includes Shakhrilim and Kishkelumadh)

Nifsazari Nomadic Half-Giants in Shelekhumbia west of the Adamantine Mountains (Adamantine Sierras) ca 1980 AI, south of Yephalah and north of Mage Kingdom of Nu Shahazu

Titanpunk Asdar

Main article: Titanpunk Asdar

Time

2735 AI to 2747

This is the 'modern' year setting. Titancraft is well developed and numerous powerful states and empires control the lands of the earth. Humans are the predominant rulers. There are numerous religions and sects of major religions. Traditional priest powers, magical powers, psychic powers, and titancraft are all part of a rich world of possibilities. This encyclopedia is by default for this time period.

Other Possible Times

♦ The 26th century was a time of great upheaval with the Thracian and Gorcorumbese Empires and the advent of Titancraft among humans. This would be best during the Great Sky War and the time building up to the Fifth Geddamin War. The year 2568 is the year in which both the Great Sky War and the Fourth Geddamin War begin.

See Also

• Asdar
• World of Joturnia