World Timeline

This is an abridged timeline of the world, as discovered by adventurers from The Valley. The timeline uses Year Zero as a reference point, which was the year the inhabitants of the valley discovered a dwarven map deep underground and decided to leave the safety of their home village and explore the world. Dates before Year Zero are prefixed with a minus sign.

The elves of Sesseran reckon their calendar by the number of years since the establishment of the nation of Harmenor. The Sesseran calendar dates have been added to the timeline where these are known. By their reckoning, the start of the Valley adventures (Year Zero), took place in the year 5662.

-???

The ancient king of the elves

At Klippika, Uthariel the wise and venerable bard tells of an Elven king in the lands across the Southern Sea who spoke with giants. Of course, this was in the days before the goldfire.

A city swallowed up

A vision from Builder station Ikadeshdeshdeshdeshur (600004), sealed away in a white crystal found at Entatratanur.

A golden city twists, warps and falls. A fiery golden sky blazes and a black cloud rises. Structures the size of large buildings fall from the air and crash to the ground. The Builders flee the oncoming cataclysm. Some of the Builders convulse horribly, though what afflicts them nobody knows.

As told by Briar, at https://groups.google.com/forum/m/#!topic/thevalleyrpg/xpstXNiHD-o

The Fall of Ikata

The monks at the Ikata monastery in the snowy mountains tell of Ikata, a water dragon who fell from the heavens in the days of the goldfire, when The Black Path danced red with spirits. Where Ikata fell, a great lake was formed.

-1800 to -1500

(Sesseran calendar - somewhere between 3850 and 4150)

The elf queen Moranna leads her people from the lands across the southern sea to The Plains, and establishes a settlement at Klippika. The exact date of the crossing is not known, although the current queen of Klippika, Merielle, is Moranna's great-great-granddaughter.

-1200

(Sesseran calendar - 4462)

King Heskeron of Sesseran, now obsessed with a quest for eternal life, betrays his councillors and murders them at his mountaintop tower high above the Creller Pass. The murders are part of an arcane ritual which backfires, dooming Heskeron to eternal undeath.

-1000 (roughly)

(Sesseran calendar - 4662)

Arabella Goldensong, legendary halfling explorer and sailor, undertakes a voyage to the mountains north of the plains and is never seen again.

-15 to -10

(Sesseran calendar - around 5650)

The Quiet Wood is suddenly infested by giant spiders and a small woodland village of Melora worshippers is overran and left to ruin. This village is now Aldalorna

Year Zero

(Sesseran calendar - 5562)

The dwarven map is discovered deep in the mines in the west of the valley. Treasure hunters and explorers begin to plan expeditions over drinks in The Lakeside Inn

Early spring

Raiders of the Lost Runes

The first expedition leaves the valley. Bran, Briar, Kallista, Sariel and Torvar follow a tunnel from the valley down to The Plains and follow the river down to a sandy bluff three days south, where they find a gnome village called Riverglade and a mysterious tower at a place called Entatratashan. Along the way they are ambushed by a bear while camping in the woods and attacked by giant frogs in The Swamp north of Entatratashan. See https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/thevalleyrpg/0FI4nEcJ730

An Ill-Fated Journey

A second expedition leaves the following day, heading out to a mysterious location in low hills a few days south of the valley. The five adventurers who undertook that journey were Alagos, Helgrethe, Maiva, Whisper and Yirisel. They never return.

The Hunt For The Missing Adventurers

When the five never returned home, a rescue party made up of Aila, Briar, Dramble, Sariel and Torvar was sent out after them and discovered The Temple of Healing, where they were ambushed by a band of Kenku. After defeating the Kenku, the rescue party found the bodies of the missing adventurers and three fallen Kenku set out for a sky burial at the top of the hill above the Temple of Healing. See https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/thevalleyrpg/qN4TKTcNJQQ

After returning back to the valley, Torvar the druid decides to preserve Maiva's cottage as a place of healing and rest in remembrance of the fallen adventurers - see https://groups.google.com/forum/#!msg/thevalleyrpg/qN4TKTcNJQQ/bMz52S0ABQAJ

Late spring

Into The Spider-verse

Birel, Bran, Dramble, Tagariel and Taika take a short journey west into The Quiet Wood, where they find evidence of an overgrown path which hasn't been maintained in between ten and fifteen years, judging by the size of the young trees growing on it. Pressing further into the woods they discover a ruined village, The Temple of Power and a nest of giant spiders. The nest is sealed, the party activate the power systems at the temple and discover a Remote Working Station which allows operators to inhabit the stone bodies of nearby Waldo Statues.

See https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/thevalleyrpg/dee8Lw4UkLU and https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/thevalleyrpg/BlYPEm9TvQY

Strange Lights

At around the same time the explorers activate the temple of power, strange lights are seen beaming up into the sky from Entatratashan - see https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/thevalleyrpg/060XPwYkw10

The Survey from Kazkan's Farm

Following the sighting of lights in the sky, a group of valley residents walk to Kazkan's Farm to take a proper survey of the plains, to work out what else might be out in the world. See https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/thevalleyrpg/Fsz-7u1Fb8c

Dances With Elves

A month later, a fifth expedition made up of Aila, Bran, Birel and Newt venture out into the plains once more, this time leaving the path of the river and striking out across the grasslands to a distant ring of six crags. On the way to the crags they visit The Quiet Wood and are pleased to see life returning to it after the spiders from The Temple of Power were sealed away. They also discover a nearby tower which they name The Tower of Observation. Stopping overnight on the edge of The Blight Wood, they are attacked by twig blights but fend them off. The next day they reach the ring of crags and find that it is an elven settlement and holy site known as Klippika. See https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/thevalleyrpg/i4WOZO_0yQ0

Tagariel's Celestial Observations

While this is going on, Tagariel the wizard is spending time in meditation at Kazkan's farm and sees strange luminous smoke on the Black Path. See https://groups.google.com/d/msg/thevalleyrpg/i4WOZO_0yQ0/2eT1yS7KBAAJ

Early Summer

Kallista's Pet Rock Goes To The Mountains

Aila, Birel, Kallista and Tagariel set out to try and find Entatratradesh, traveling via Klippika and Riverglade. At Riverglade the party discovered that the gnomes had been busy investigating the nearby tower at Entatratashan, including setting up workshops, scaffolding and viewing platforms. On the way to Entatratradesh the party encountered a Kobold den, shrieking fungi and mechanical Guardians in the underground tunnels. Calling off their exploration of the underground cave/tunnel system, they returned to Entatratashan and managed to activate the teleport gateway within the tower, travelling to a distant snowy mountain peak and another Builder structure named Taurtaikatanur.

See https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/thevalleyrpg/Ofsvaf3zqnQ

Early autumn

The Fox People, Goblins and The Grove of Buried Statues

Kallista, Briar, Xyrxina, Effi & Brys go to Entatrataan and find evidence of goblins, as well as statues built by the fox people. They discover a grove of buried Waldo Statues, another teleport station in the woods, and find a recording of a terrible Builder cataclysm. See https://groups.google.com/forum/m/#!topic/thevalleyrpg/xpstXNiHD-o

Strange Lights, Part Two

While experimenting with the Builder tower at Entatratanur, the party attempt to make connections to other stations on the Builder Network. This causes a beam of light to shoot out of the tower at Entatratanur, arcing wildly up into the sky and across the landscape. See https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/thevalleyrpg/g-QJZS8JSh8

Year One

(Sesseran calendar - 5663)

Mid winter

The Entirely Accidental Discovery of Qaratta, a "Mighty Goblin City"

Brys, Effi, Kallista, Tagariel and Xyrxina go on an expedition to the snowy mountain at Taurtaikatanur but get distracted. They cross the river and find a submerged Builder artifact (possibly a machine of some kind) at The Meander, a hidden room beneath the Temple to Ioun, and discover the existence of a goblin city called Qaratta in the hills south of the Temple of Healing. They return home with a strange stone sphere marked with Builder glyphs.

See https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/thevalleyrpg/6vdFJ1Rh6Tc

Late Winter

To Taurtaikatanur - and beyond!

Briar, Dramble, Birel, Aila and Krithra travel through the portal at Entatratashan and emerge at Taurtaikatanur. Venturing out into the snowy mountains, they find a monastery ran by dragonborn monks, worshippers of a guardian spirit called Ikata. The monks show the adventurers one of their holy relics, which they call Ikata's Heart - a part-melted metallic object covered in Builder runes which glows when they sing to it. The party also meet halflings at the monastery who tell them of a nearby town called Bressel and hint of possible excitement on the Tebin road.

Following further experimentation with the Builder teleporter at Taurtaikatanur, the adventurers discover that this station also links to two others:

• Shanshananshanikashan, which is a very large builder station inside a statue hall. Beyond the statue hall is a vast jungle.
• Entaurdeshshan, which is in a rocky ravine near the dwarven sea port of Kassiter

On the way home, the party fend off a Kobold attack on Riverglade, then travel to Klippika where Dramble tells the tales he's learnt on his travels. Felosial is very interested in the story of Ikata. Moving on, the party find a small hut on a marshy island and stay there for the night. Overnight, a flashing lantern-signal is seen at the top of the Klippika crags, answered by a similar flash from the east. Dramble discovers that the Stone Sphere can hover and fly around if you sing to it right.

See https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/thevalleyrpg/L9As9IhCT1s

Early Spring

The Spider-Milking Incident

Krithra, Tagariel, Xyrxina and Zardan return to The Temple of Power via The Quiet Wood where they meet a half-elf named Somoren who is effecting repairs at the ruined village. She explains that this settlment belonged to the Elven plainspeople but fell into ruin following the release of giant spiders. She seems worried that the party members will unleash the spiders again - Tagariel and Zardan assure her that this won't happen, they're just going for a look and besides, it will be fine.

They venture into the tunnels below The Temple of Power and discover the Temple Spider Nest beneath. They manage to kill all the spiders, discover a fair quantity of gold, and an underground river with additional unexplored caverns. While exploring the nest they make a grisly discovery, finding the remains of the two elven scouts Naivara and Shava who had previously been encountered in The Quiet Wood, exploring the area for Queen Merielle.

The party return victorious, with stories to tell and a prized Bag o'Glands.

See https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/thevalleyrpg/ILaQYUh9TZ0

Banners and Wagons

Marla Cloudsong, a halfling from Bella's Landing, ventures out into the big wide world, looking for fishing opportunities. She sees a caravan of horses and wagons approaching The Quiet Wood and decides to investigate.

See https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/thevalleyrpg/4ioCXtZ5cyg

Take Me Home, Creepy Roads

Brys, Effi, Dramble, Xyrxina and Lady Cortina aim to traverse the plains and discover the city of Duhlmora but don't make it that far. Instead they discover the new Elven villages of Aldalorna and Halda, traverse the Creller Pass to Creller and learn of the ancient Sesseran nation and their doomed King Heskaron. While exploring the haunted Creller Pass they encounter Skeletons, Zombies, Draughr and Spectres and discover a ruined Temple of Asteri in the mountains beneath Heskaron's Tower. They don't make it to the tower, but rubbings collected by Dramble allow Brys and Effi to create a codex for reading the written language used by the Children of Asteri and Fox people.

See The Mighty Xyrxina and her Entourage go to White Castle, erm not a tower...

Late Spring

Bark of Darkness

Aila, Dramble, Kallista, Newt and Xyrxina travel to Klippika to return the armour and cloaks belonging to Naivara and Shava, where they learn that Felosial has gone on a pilgrimage to the east. Queen Merielle thanks the adventurers for returning the effects of her fallen scouts, and seems interested to meet Xyrxina, a member of the noble house of Latharas. Merielle mentions that Marla Cloudsong has passed through recently, heading towards Duhlmora via the dwarven caravan route. Merielle notes Marla's family name and speculates that there may be a connection between her and Arabella Goldensong, a legendary halfling explorer who disappeared around a thousand years ago.

The party move on to The Blightwood where they battle a number of twig and needle blights before discovering a mysterious hatch leading down to an overgrown section of Builder Tunnels. A junction is discovered, with six tunnels leading off. Each of the tunnels is marked with Builder glyphs, translated and interpreted by Kallista as "Boat Gate", "Forge", "Big Cart", "Encampment", "Apothecary" and "Life-Stuff Test Place". The tunnel to "Life-Stuff Test Place" leads to a collapsed cavern which is the home of a myconid civilisation who are for the most part friendly. Builder ruins are found at the bottom of the cavern, in a haze of golden fog which seems to have come from a canister marked with danger symbols and the strange label "life-stuff / change material / tiny servants"

On the way home, the party meet up with Kazkan, who has been visiting Aldalorna with two halflings from Bella's Landing.

See https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/thevalleyrpg/7KZw0F9xT-U

Strange Lights, Part Three

After the party returned to the valley, but before they told their story at The Lakeside Inn, Kazkan spotted a light beaming down from the sky towards the forest tower of Entatratanur. The forest tower replied with three flashes and then the lights went out. He decided to ask the adventurers about it, but never managed to find out what had caused these strange phenomena.

See https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/thevalleyrpg/LcUi3RSe62Q

Summer

Blood Guardians

Brys, Effi, Krithra, Xyrxina and Zardan set off for a return trip to the Creller Pass, this time with the intention of traveling further up the mountain and seeing how close they can get to Heskeron's Tower. Stopping off at Aldalorna on the way, the party learn from the elves at the stables that the halfling Marla Cloudsong has left Aldalorna and set off on a journey of her own. They make their west through the foothills of the mountains, stopping overnight at the ruined goblin settlement of Celethak on their way to Vakarune. At Vakarune they meet with the local dwarf chieftan, Kessen and Ranulf of Halda, who is visiting and preparing for the summer migration, following the deer herds. The party spend the night at Vakarune, making a number of friends at the temple of Moradin and the dwarven beer tents set up around the lake. The next day sees the adventurers traveling south to Creller, where Xyrxina peruses the silks and brocades of Hatheril, a traveling merchant from a city called Duhlmora which lies to the south. Everyone else just drinks beer and gets settled in for the night.

The next day comes the perilous journey up the mountain, doing battle with a wraith, skeletal archers, paying a ghostly busker to go away, dealing with evil spider robots and exploring a cave where they discover the remains of a previous adventuring party dressed in armour bearing a wolf emblem.

They journeyed on to Duhlmora, making some brief explorations in the town, visiting the local temples where Brys took part in some of the festivities at the temple of Pelor. Krithra found an inn at the dockside named the Ship's Wheel, where he could offload some of his newly-acquired materials for local coin. They stayed a few days before traveling back to the valley via Vakarune.

See Five go to Duhlmora, via the lake to the west, Halda, and the Cursed Creller Pass!

A journey to Kassiter

Pip Estrella, Krabog, Halla Stoneward and Lady Cortina travel via the teleport gateway at Riverglade first to the snowy mountains, and then on to Kassiter, a city three thousand kilometers west of the valley and the plains. They are accompanied by Breena, who shows them how to work the teleport gateways. Breena stays behind, complaining about the heat, while the rest of the group travel on. The party make friends with a group of traveling dwarven merchants who they rescue from hyena attack. The dwarves show them to the city and introduce them to Lilineti, a friend of theirs who runs a cantina in one of the lower wards of the two-tier city. They visit a local night-time market and Pip catches a thief who was stealing silver from one of the nearby temples of Moradin, and acquires a new hat.

After returning the stolen silver, Halla declines a reward and instead asks to be introduced to some of the city's leaders. The next day they are introduced to Damukhet Sazzarin, who as the head of the merchant's guilds is the de facto leader of the city in all but name. After meeting Sazzarin, the party remain in town for a few days while Halla makes her way up to Jattash Pond at the request of the Moradin temple elders to deal with a mysterious disappearance...

Following Halla's return the party make their way home.

See The Kassiter Party Returns! and Field Journal of Halla Stoneward, Valley Militia Medic

Late Summer

Aila, Lady Cortina, Dramble, Halla Stoneward and Pip travel to Riverglade and strike out south to discover what lies further down the river. They make friends with two young adventurers named Annie and Jack at the town of Harmenton, rescue a field of cabbages from kobold invasion, find a centuries-old abandoned elven fort and reunite a father with his long-lost daughter. There are wights that move surprisingly quickly, vintage wine molotov cocktails and an oath made to a murdered general.

See Five Go To The Cursed Fort And Upset Things Which Have Laid Quiet for Centuries