History of Manifest

It was the custom of the Carthian dynasties to consider each family's reign as its own age. To represent this, when a new line took the throne they restarted the counting of years to one. This custom created no major difficulties until the twilight years of the empire, when in 200 years there were five dynasties. After the fall of the last line of emperors there was no one to change to counting system, so the same number of years was used until the eccentric, and now famous, travelling minstrel Antonesco Tivoli.

Tivoli claimed to be the last son of a new dynasty that was the rightful heir to empire after the fall of the Virosa line. He claimed his reason for travelling is that he wanted to see the far reaches of the lands he rightfully ruled. Because of his obvious mental instability and very likable nature few warlords and kings took offense at his claims. In those dark times, a traveler with word of other lands who also brought a smile was too rare a thing to toss out with the rubish. Tivoli's constant dating of all events from the end of the Virosa soon began to catch on with many of the local lords in the western lands. This was in part because so many other travellers soon claimed to be part of his line and used the same dating system as an ongoing joke. Tivoli's joke became the accepted counting system upon his supposed death. A sign of respect from the Covenant of Crowns for his importance in spreading hope during dark times combined with the role he played in finding the resting place of the Ninth Legion and the sundering of the Basalt Shrine.

The timeline below is dated using the age of Tivoli. The "c.a." that follows each year stands for current age. Years before the Tivoli calendar are dated as negatives. This is trend was started by the church and has been adopted by all civilized courts in the west.

1342 c.a.	The current year.

1257 c.a.	Return of the Orcs. For centuries the orc tribes had been few and scattered, never being able to take away enough slaves and bodies during raids to build up their numbers. That all changed in the spring of 1257. Three orc chieftains led their tribes into the heart of the Reinwald Valley. Over 700 were taken away alive and dead. While the human victims were eventually thrown into the Pits, all elven victims were tortured and burned to ash.
1189 c.a.	The Drekar-Banassi War. Human loggers while clearing away a portion of the the Drekar Forest unwittingly destroy a coven of dryads that were tending an elven shrine dedicated to Endel Seregon. When the elves discover the offense, they attack and kill all at the logging camp. This led to an escalation and the second elven war. It lasted for 19 years and ended with the elves driving all humans from the heart of the Drekar lands. The elves rename the forest Banassi, the elven word for serpent/snake. Humans refer to the lands as the Coiled Crown and distrust the elves living here.
1021 c.a.	The War of Denton. An elven child releases a baron's livestock and leads the animals in the trampling of the fields. The boy didn't understand human culture. The baron captured the child shortly afterwards, and since the elf looked mature, though mentally he was far from it, the baron had him beheaded. The elves were outraged at how a child was so cruelly murdered for ignorance and lashed out at their human neighbors, war had started. It would last thirty years before a truce could be reached. There is no clear winner, but both sides claim victory.
970 c.a.	The first trolls are seen by humans. Some blame the elves for the new threat, while others claim it is a sign that the orcs have grown in strength again. Only the orcs and a few elves know the truth.
914 c.a.	The Great Elven Migration. Elves begin to build permanent settlements within the great forests.
339 c.a.	The Basalt Shrine is torn down and its stone ground up and scattered across the region. The Celestial Church declares this a victory for the Holy Matron and all who follow her.
338 c.a.	The travelling bard Tivoli discovers the secret of the Basalt Shrine and marks the Trail of Red Stones so that he can lead others back to attack the source of the evil. The Chruch declares this a holy mission and sends their own militia to help in the eradication. By the time the Shrine is discovered the Celestial Church has formalized ties with all members of the Covenant of Crowns and has sponsored expeditions and colonization in the lands beyond the current borders of the fallen Covenant.
293 c.a.	23 warlord-kings sign a pact called the Covenant of Crowns to unite their small armies against the growing might of the undead army of the Ninth Legion. In an attempt to hold the undead power at bay, the members of the Covenant accept the authority of the church to root out agents of evil.
209 c.a.	A small ranching community on the central plains is razed by an unknown band wearing old legion armor. Several more attacks soon occur and the few survivors report seing a black banner with a white nine painted upon it. After a great deal of debate wizards and priests agree that the mystery army must be the lost Ninth Legion, now horribly transformed into an undead horde.
63 c.a.	The orcs are finally scattered to the most remote parts of the land, the legions have disolved, the horde invasion is thought to be over. Most sages believe that over one third of the world's population is dead or destitute. A time of darkness falls across the land as men struggle to survive.
57 c.a.	After years of battle, only the remnants of three legions remain. The orc hordes had been beaten back to Stralsind Pass but the monsters appeared to be regaining strength, having managed to create a new breeding pit in the lands. The final battle of Stralsind lasted three days and was won solely by the strategic genius of General Alexander; who is thought to have died slaying the Orc chieftain Darrak.
3 c.a.	The Ninth Legion marches against the Orc Horde of Vulg. The weather turns bad forcing the legion to camp at a mysterious ruin. All contact is lost with the legion after only a score of days. Their fate remains a mystery for over 200 years.
2 c.a.	With the capital sacked and orcs rampaging through all the civilized lands the legion generals call for a gathering. A hasty truce and division of the empire is made. All know that while the orcs live none are safe. Each general returns to his army determined that they should be the first to secure their lands so that more can legitimately be taken from the others.
-1 c.a.	Death of Emperor Aigalus Virosa, last ruler of Carthia. Within six months of his death there was no remnant of the Carthian sovereignty. Only the nine legions remain and they answer only to their generals. Each sets about sating his own political ambitions and lusts for power.
-318 c.a.	The first orc is seen. The savage brute is no match for the patrol that finds him. It was written off as a wizard's experiment gone wrong.
-394 c.a.	Carthia Annexes the Naherra Remnants. With their emperor and chief military strategists dead because of the Burning Wilt the provinces of Naherra cannot resist the expansionist ambition of Carthia. This grandiose campaign is seen as the final twilight for the great glory that was Carthia. After this there will only be decline and corruption.
-396 c.a.	The fall of the Naherran Empire. The early summer brings the Burning Wilt to the heartland of Naherra. All plantlife begins to whither away and die. The wood of homes and ships turns dry and brittle, breaking easily under even the slightest strain. Soon after the plants start dying, men and their livestock start to develop burns and lesions at random parts of their bodies. Their hair begins to fall out and many succomb to random fits of profuse bleeding. In less than six months the great island that was the birth home of Naherra was a desolate desert that appeared to support no life.