Earliest known records of elves in Alair. It is unknown how they arrived; whether they were created by Gods, evolved, arrived by magic or simply migrated. The elves refuse to say. They settled in various places on the banks of the river Vanrassë, building settlements or cities as their kindred’s ways were. They named their new home Sildor, the Land of Shining Silver.

Around this time the great schism split the Elven race, and the fallen ones who were to become the Fae Mhor were driven forth into the dark places of the world.

During this period, the elves systematically hunt down and exterminate most of the evil creatures from northwestern Alair. Only the orcs of the Erean Mountains prove impossible to dislodge.

The dwarves launch their apocalyptic war for freedom from the giants of Fal Torth. Two years of fighting leaves them at the brink of defeat

Niotanv speaks the Red Curse. Downfall of the giant-kingdom of Fal Torth, and flight of the few remaining dwarves south into Known Alair.

The elves encounter dwarves in the Erean for the first time. The dwarves admit to having come south, but will not speak of why.

The first encounters between elves and dwarves take place. The dwarves came over the Erean mountains from the south-east, refusing to say where they'd come from or why. The elves rather pompously announced - after some consideration - that as the Dwarves did not appear to be evil, they were to be allowed to stay. This approach has rather set the pattern for dealings between elves and dwarves ever since.

Around –650, the first humans arrive, crossing the Erean mountains with the Dwarves’ assistance and settling quietly in the plains of northern Alair. The elves don't notice them, and the dwarves see no reason to advise them. Fifty years later, a much more boisterous type of human – the Erlyid - arrive separately and independently in South Alair, and promptly set about conquering and parcelling out “their” new realm.The elves notice this all right.

The Erlyid soon started trying to take over land which the elves regarded as part of the land of Sildor. Early diplomatic attempts were soon overtaken by events, and for nearly two hundred years the Erlyid and the Eldar fought a succession of scrappy border wars.

The Elvenking Doronond and Kalron, later First Emperor of Erlyid, negotiate a peace between the two peoples. The Erlyid agree to respect the borders of Sildor, and the elves open trade with the Empire. This process snowballs, bringing the northern nations and the Dwarves together as, if not exactly friendly, at least functional trading partners. The Noldor elven cities of Curulindale and Dalbin become major trade hubs between the three races.

Founding date of Erlyid Empire. Kalron I begins a program of expansion to the east and south.

The mysterious prophet known only as Voice of The One appears in the central provinces of the Empire. He preaches a faith rather incompatible with the Imperial gods, and is persecuted, though his supporters manage to protect him from execution. On his death, he’s assumed into Heaven and the cult of The One takes hold in the central Empire.

The nation-states of Northern Alair emerge. There is often warfare between them, and they become more vital and active than the Empire, which is beginning to stagnate.

Lizardmen appear from somewhere, and take up residence in the Trakar Swamps. They keep to themselves, but travellers in the swamps are often waylaid.

The Elvenking high-handedly notifies Tellare and Oret of his intention to move troops through their lands to wipe out these new creatures. Tellare and Oret, to his amazement, reply that he may not. Infuriated, the elves declare war on Tellare and Oret, and invade Tellare.

Incredibly, Oret, Orwin, Sinval and Antrol all rally to Tellare’s side, and their combined army meets the elvenhost at the battle of Thallan. The elves are soundly defeated, and the lizard men remain unmolested. After this, the elves abandon their policy of weeding out evil creatures outside Sildor.

The adventurers who will become the Dragonslayers meet and travel to Gorntar Castle, where they are petrified and spend the next 900 years as stone statues.

Varkar Barduric the dragon descends on Vorsand, mountain border city of Duceor, and destroys it, making it his home.

Varkar closes the Vestate pass with rubble and conquers Duceor.

Trialt and Sinval attack Varkar simultaneously. Trialt is overwhelmed easily; a Sinvalese warrior manages to wound Varkar and the entire country is razed in retribution.

Varkar consolidates his gains and subjugates the population of his new realm. He recruits the lizard men of the Trakar swamps and creates his new nobility from them, breeding for wit as well as brawn. Orwin and Oret petition the elvenking for assistance against this terrible foe; Doronond refuses to send aid to the humans who defied him three hundred years previously.

The armies of Varkar's new dragonlands march on Orwin. Attacked from both sides, it is quickly overwhelmed.

Oret surrenders

The chieftains of the orc-hold Gadûhgon attempt to make alliance with Varkar. The dragon rejects the offer, disdaining orcs as useless to him, and personally burns out Gadûhgon.

Enning surrenders.

Antrol surrenders

Human troops from Trialt, led by lizard officers, destroy the orc-hold Gadûhvrás.

First Elf War. Dragonfolk army attacks Lomegor and is defeated after bitter pitched battle; Celundir is killed and his sword lost.

Tellare invaded.

Tellare overwhelmed after fierce campaign.

Second Elf War begins.

Parmadin falls. Lómorfil and Thyril killed

Londannath falls, Galóriand killed, and Curulindale is abandoned, despite offers of help from the dwarves of Nisur. Elves begin to flee their homes in Sildor for Belegond and the Empire.

The great elf forests are put to the torch, despite the best that elf-magic can do to defend them. Wood-elves are decimated.

The Great Alliance formed between all the remaining Elven noble houses. A great elven host is gathered at Lantalaure. Free humans from the northern states, dwarves from Kobur, and two legions of Imperial troops come to stand with them.

Battle of Lantalaure and end of the Second Elf War. Elves massacred. Dalbin falls. Magical fall-out from the battles begins to pollute the whole of Sildor. Varkar speeds this process by personal assault and the policy of his invading armies.

The province of Stryre secedes from the Erlyid Empire and declares itself a kingdom, with Belarn, Count of Blueglen becoming the first King

Lomegor falls. All Noldor and Sindar lands are razed and abandoned. Sildor is no more and is referred to as The Desolation from now on. At this point, Varkar halts his advance, as his armies have suffered too many casualties to be able to fight the Empire.

Orc-hold of Shânauk destroyed by Trialtan troops. All remaining orc-holds in the north are abandoned as the survivors flee south.

Emperor Titus III of Erlyid grants sanctuary to orc refugees at the edge of his borders, in the foothills of the Erean Mountains. Despite elf and dwarf protests, he begins to form an alliance with the remaining orc clans. The central province of Nhased, always a hotbed of One worship, secedes from the Empire and becomes a Theocracy.

The Empire invades Nhased, attempting to reconquer it. For the first time, Orcs march alongside Imperial troops. Stryre lends troops to Nhased, as do the Elves in Belegond, and the Dwarves refuse to support the Empire. The invasion bogs down and fails, and the empire withdraws its troops.

The Dragonslayers awake in the Southern Trakar, and begin their quest for the sword Mergil. The sword is located, and returned to the Elvenking in Exile on the island of Viridor. Varkar, aware of the sword's findings, launches his invasion of the southlands early. Balked at both Gloiran and Kobur, his armies retreat to the Desolation ready to assault Erlyid and Stryre. Rallying behind their king, the Elvenhost returns to Alair to confront the Dragonarmies again. The Dragonslayers breach the citadel in Vorsand and slay Varkar Barduric.

The Elves return to the Desolation and the ruined city of Lantalaure, ejecting the remaining Dragonarmies. After some consideration, they apparently decide to start over rather than trying to repair the old cities, and choose a new location to settle in. They begin work, concentrating on trying to reverse the damage Varkar had done, and to restore the land of Sildor. The unexpected and unexplained lessening of the pollution in the Vileflow River gives them new hope that this may be possible. They call their new settlement Belámir, meaning "Jewel of Strength". Natural vegetation begins to grow around it for the first time in hundreds of years.

The Dragonslayers initially remained in Vorsand, maintaining a rather precarious hold over the Dragon's ruined palace while his army ripped itself apart in the city outside.

The orcs and dwarves bide their time, though some orc-lords begin looking speculaively towards the ancient orc-holds of the northern mountains. In Kobur, Berrin Ironfist of Clan Thorir siezes control of his clan from the weak Ferin, Clanlord Saemir, and becomes King of Kobur by means of coup d'etat - unknown among dwarves before now.

The Erlyid Empire remains sunk in its' twilight dotage, more than ever convinced that the "Northern War" was none of their business at all, though many Erlyid adventurers venture into the Desolation in search of treasure, lured by persistent rumours that not only Mergil but the other Swords of the Noldor were or are somewhere in the ruined lands. Most are slain by the curst creatures which still roam the scorched plains.

A minor temple of Kord in Karennal becomes the focus for a massively significant religious event, provoking a wash of faith across Trialt. The Kin governor Skuffruss is overthrown and the Kordasa comes into being.

The knightly orders of Nhased experience a rush of recruits, joining up to defend the faith; Nhased's borders become stronger than ever. Despite Imperial nervousness, however, the Theocracy shows no signs of expanding.

The surviving Kin scrabble for control over the fragments of Varkar's empire, each gathering as much support as he can to try and take it all. The entire north of Alair dissolves into chaos, with rival warlords carving out and pulling down brutal pocket empires in rapid succession. Rumours of a more successful warlord holding Varkar's city of Vorsand persist.

Encouraged by the mayhem further north, the Red Dust nomads launch their most serious incursion for decades into the southern duchies of Stryre. Fedor and Cavail are raided mercilessly, in some cases only holding the line of the Fidnes river with some difficulty. Tyva and Dakau are sacked, but Melirkos holds despite a six-month siege.

Driven from the Erean Mountains by the dwarves and from the Desolation by the elves, the battered remnants of Varkar's invasion armies turn south again and invade northern Stryre. Vardar Peacock's policy of rewarding competent individuals with fiefs on the northern edge of his kingdom pays off, and the invaders find they have a tough fight on their hands. They have no-where else to go, however, so the northern borders of Stryre settle down to a regular pattern of sieges and small battles.

The elves continue to work whatever magic they have brought across the Sea to restore their lost land. Belamir expands considerably as the spring opens. The harsh lesson of the Elf Hammer is learned, though, and now slender but strong towers of stone dot the spreading forests and gardens.

The cyst of power enveloping the Elf Hammer has been assaulted with just about everything the elves can throw at it, without any sign of effect. In an effort to reduce the danger of another rampage, they have surrounded it with Wall of Stone spells, and excavated an enormous pit beneath it with similar magic. The sphere having dropped into the hole, the elven wizards have folded layers of stone over the top, effectively leaving the Hammer buried fifty feet below the ground.

The ruined port city of Belegond, occupied and garrisoned as a staging post for the eleven Return, has - rather surprisingly - been declared a Free Port, open to any and all nations to sail from, trade through, and so on. Assisted by a part of the Sledgehammer, the elves begin restoring the place. Work is hampered by a series of mysterious deaths, and rumour blames a renegade Kin for these.

The enlightened land continues to secure its' borders rather than expanding, firmly keeping the bandits of Orwin and the wild lizards of the deep Trakar at bay. Behind the well-guarded marches, the best of what remains of Northman culture is gathering, and being blended with the different outlook of the more civilized of lizardmen. It's ironic that this cultural leg-up is Varkar's legacy to the lizardman race, something done purely to empower his war machine but likely in the end to be one of his most lasting marks on the world.

Late in March, a vampire assassin attempts to kill Sang'ram, lizardman King of Dalaghendor. The attempt fails, but triggers a nationwide pogrom against vampires and other undead, with bounties being offered. Undead hunters flock to Dalaghendor to get a piece of the action, which rather backfires in that it removes their protection from other, perhaps more needy, regions. The Renders of the Dark are seriously weakened almost everywhere.

The mighty desert of ash and torment in the heart of Alair continues to shrink as time passes and people like the elves and the Redeemers chip away at its' evil. The monstrous Curst that live there are squeezed into ever less space, and increasingly turn on each other. This tempers and refines the stock, leaving the tougher ones, and the remaining Desolation actually becomes more dangerous as the process continues.

Thelvian Tyrkor's prescience, normally so useful in guiding his rulership, is of less use than it ever has been in these days of heroes and villans. Many of the pivotal individuals in the lands around him are Fateless, and their motives and future paths are no clearer to him than to anyone else..

One of his best moves of recent times, however, has been to accept the offered alliance with the New Tellarans. Trade between the two nations is increasing all the time - aided by their close proximity and the absence of natural barriers like mountains between them. The military exchanges are a big part of these benefits; Enning can feed the loaned soldiers rather more easily than New Tellare, and Tyrkor is well aware that he may face an Orc horde rolling past along his eastern border. The stronger he can be the better.

Relations with the Kordasa remain a bit ambivalent. Short of the Red Dust, Enning is the best source of quality horses for the armoured knights of the Church of Kord Triumphant. However, it is ruled by a Kin, and what was Trialt does not have cause to recall the Kin with any fondness. Moreover, Enning is in one regard the anathema of the Kordasa - a secular realm whose ruler permits no temples or religious services within his lands. Hostilities would not serve either side well, though - each has far more pressing problems. Pragmatism and trade appears likely to win the day.

Enning's borders remain static, partly because Tyrkor has no wish to expand, and partly because his land is surrounded by claimed territorty rather than the wreckage of he vanished Northern nations which is providing the others with new lands. He could expand south into the Desolation, but feels - rightly - that cavalry are not the best tool to fight the Curst with on their home ground, and that he's better waiting until he has sufficient infantry.

King Dorain of Gloiran consults the Goldeneye for advice more and more as the chaos outside (to the dwarf mind) intensifies. The oracle advises him to strengthen his city's defences and prepare against the possibility of a recurrence of the Troubled Years, the period in the 800s when the survivors of the displaced Orc nation passed through the Erean Mountains seeking a new home and tried to break into the dwarf cities. Dorain responds to this by sealing Gloiran; the gates are closed, and the dwarves retreat into the depths, lining the way with traps, deadfalls, magical barriers and armed warriors. Even other dwarves are turned away at the gates, usually by simple silence and closed doors.

Berrin Ironfist continues to tighten his grip on Kobur. An attempt to organize an opposition is crushed before it can even earn the title of rebellion. After the humiliations of a king murdered within the city and the gates being broken by the invading Dragonarmy, Berrin ramps up the already formidable dwarvish military. He puts considerable pressure on Clan Bogadun to reveal the secrets of forging the starsteel. The stubborn Ivhold Crusher refuses to reveal the secrets (or their origin!) but does agree to start forging adamantine armour and weapons for the city's military. Starting at the top. Berrin Ironfist is soon outfitted in glittering black plate armour. Expeditions are sent far and wide looking for deposits of the unique metal, but without success; only in certain rare meteorite craters is the black metal to be found. The idea of asking the elves where they used to get their stocks isn't even entertained.

Clan Bogadun is well on the way to being the richest dwarven clan in Alair.

The third dwarf city falls quiet at the end of February, with trade ceasing for some unknown reason. No news is received but it appears that something has happened there. Investigations reveal the entire population abducted by mind flayers and enslaved; many are rescued.

A new King is crowned, Morgar, the former King's Champion. The last survivor of the King's own blood, Morgar is in many respects an ideal of a dwarf warrior; strong, handsome, visibly noble in appearance. He is, however, young and with absolutely no experience of leadership. His is a face the people will follow, but he has nowhere to lead them. He is not without help, however.

Ulfdor Magni, sorcerer. Ulfdor was of very low birth, and further was a practitioner of sorcery, not a very common dwarvish pursuit, and one regarded with just a little wariness by the average dwarf. His advanced age - Ulfdor was actually old enough to be counted a member of Hildraft's generation - had given him enormous experience and wisdom. No-one was ever going to accept Ulfdor as King; but as an advisor he was going to be very useful.

Yngrid, priestess of Kord. Yngrid was the only surviving ordained priest of Kord in Nisur after the Ithilid invasion.

As the elderly Emperor Heredatus' health declines, his son and heir Crixus begins to take up more and more of the duties of running the Empire. Initial reports seem to show that more is getting done, and that the Empire may be preparing to take a serious interest in the outside world for the first time in many hundred years.

Unconfirmed reports speak of several absutii being readied for deployment to the north in an attempt to bring the chaos in Orcland under control.

The theocratic empire of the New Faithful continues its' juggernaught progress, expanding into the ruins of eastern Trialt. Further expansion south is blocked by Enning, and west and north by the mountains and the Tainted Forest. Regions annexed by the Church of Kord Triumphant are generally happy about it, because of the peace and security it brings. However, the continuing land grab brings inexorably closer the day the borders of Tarlanor and the Kordasa touch, and the almost inevitable trouble that will result.

No sooner has the word of a holy crusade against the undead monsters in the Stryran marshes arrived, it seems, than it is superseded by news that the threat is averted. Many brave and good knights feel slighted or disappointed, as if they've "missed the party". The prospect of founding a satellite order on the edge of the Desolation and sallying forth against its' evils consoles many, but not all.

Word of the "vampire plague" and the bounty for undead in Dalaghendor hits these feelings of disappointment like a fireball. Large numbers of knights of the Kordasa set off to quest for the Sons of Cain in the western realm, leaving the forces of the Kordasa significantly reduced, though not by a dangerous amount. Not unless Tarlanor should attack....

Jasselan begins a program of temple building throughout the country. Manton Vanechka quietly recruits small numbers of valiant knights for a secret project, and sends them somewhere, although where isn't immediately apparent.

Expanding rapidly to the west and south, the reborn nation goes from strength to strength. The remaining border castles built by Varkar at the edge of what was then Sildor, are regarrisoned, resupplied and prepared for improvements. With the threat of the Army of the Dead removed, the still very oversized army is redirected into infrastructure improvements, and roads, communication systems, and so on begin to be repaired or built.

The name coined for the expeditionary force - the Sledgehammer - catches on, and the armed forces of New Tellare as a whole begin to refer to themselves as such.

The cavalry cadre loaned by Enning are settled in the newly-claimed border fort at Cyrn Waethelin, and an intense program of horse-breeding and training begins. The infusion of new blood from the superb stock of Enning promises great things for the cavalry of New Tellare in a couple of years.

The majority of the Kordic paladins recruited from the Kordasa are successfully persuaded to occupy the demon-haunted border fortress Cyrn Sharresh. They clear out the remenants of the unpleasantness created by the priest of Demogorgon and establish a satellite order there.

In late March the Wyrmslayer Surya, the last Pureblood Tellaran, reverses his previous decision and accepts the crown; his coronation date is set for May 1st, on which date he also intends to crown Leonora of Rhorien his queen. Invites to the occasion go out to the great and the good of all nations.

The new regions are named Jyresh, Tarasyndra and Coronos; Torvir Evrom rules Jyresh from Cyrn Weithelin, Ingamin of Stryre - newly dismissed from the Royal Guard - takes up control of Tarasyndra. Coronos remains to be assigned a Councillor.

A few paladins of The One travel to Dalaghendor to join the undead purge there, but most of the Theocracy's attention is inward.

Absolute chaos has ensued from the slaying of Garkaur Kulataur. The most powerful of Garkaur's warlords instantly began vying for control, trying to sieze control of the kingdom Garkaur had built, but lacking his half-blood genius, elf-spawned lifespan and drive, only manage to shatter the region into a civil war as savage as only orcs can be.

Three factions emerge:

- Maurênd the Uncanny, clan-lord Ghákhoz, Thend the Wizard, Ramphag Thunderslayer and Shumash Death Tongue travel north, with nearly half the surviving orc armies, intending to cross the mountains and reclaim the ancient fortresses in the northern Erean from which the Dragon evicted them nearly a thousand years before.

- Lorgloth Blue Knife, clan-lord Ragorka, siezes control of Dun Tolk, and although having fewer warriors than Headbreaker, manages to hold his foe to a stalemate. He declares himself King of the Orcs on the grounds that he controls the capital, but in fact his writ runs no more than a few miles out from the earthworks.

- Amraz Headbreaker, clan-lord Grakhyol, controlling the larger share of the orcs that did not follow Maurend and the others, is encamped in some pre-Orcland Imperial ruins for the winter, plotting how to prise Blue Knife out of Dun Tolk.

A sizable number of orcs cross the border south and present themselves within the Empire, demanding to be allowed to stay. These are - for orcs of Orc-land - the most peaceable and "civilized", and the Empire accepts most, swearing them to fealty and spreading them thin to prevent them getting ideas. They are not granted citizenship however.

A unique chapter has closed for the orcish people. For a brief moment in history, they were one nation, united under one ruler, with an identity and purpose of their own. With the death of Garkaur, this dream seems shattered forever, and the orcs doomed to plunge back into their barbaric, futile, anarchic natural ways, with petty warlords holding what little power they can until their deaths shift the balance and shuffle the cards again.

Towards mid-April, however, something remarkable happens - almost every orc in Orc-land simply disappears. Cautious exploration by scouts from Enning, Belamir and the Empire, independently of each other, establish the stunning fact that the vast majority of the Orcish people have simply disapeared.

Although palace sources are tight-lipped, rumour continues to leak out that the King has suffered a major embarrasment, and that the Church of Aderra has scored points off him over something. One of the captains in the Royal Guard, Ingamin, leaves abruptly and travels to New Tellare to take service there.

A strong task force from the Blades of Wisdom and Mercy travels south, and disappears into the Fens of Korvux, ostensibly on "manouvres".

With the completion (at unbelievable speed) of the rebuilding and refortifying of Vorsand, Skufruss is now one of the four major powers in the North of the world. A large percentage of his army has returned to the land, preparing the farms and garths for the spring. Tarlanor is not very fertile, however, and many speculate that its' economy cannot sustain itself without either trade or conquest.

Expansion into the wilderness that surrounds the claimed land continues, however, bringing ever-greater tracts of what were once Sinval, Duceor and Antrol under the Dark Lord's hand.

The Dark Tower rapidly acquires a strong reputation as a nest of darkness and evil, but also as the best academy of the arcane arts in the north of the world. Students travel there increasingly, some openly, most surreptitiously. Most are turned away, some disappear. A few are accepted and begin their studies.

Lizardman incursions into Dalaghendor begin to drop off in the face of rigorous border patrols, although there is a brief upsurge when the (false) rumours of San'gram's assassination circulate.

The Deep Trakar remains as much a mystery as ever. Occasional adventurers foray in, but very few ever come out again.

The magically assisted restoration of the elven homeland presses on apace during the years after Surya's crowning, with forests spreading across what was once ash and ruin. Proper restoration of the trees will take hundreds of years of course, but the groves are mapped out and the saplings planted, and growth accelerated in key places.

The reclaimed land (although not the trees) has finally expanded far enough northwest and southeast to join up with the untainted land north of Nhased and south of New Tellare, splitting the remaining Desolation in half. It has also reached and incorporated the ruined cities of Lomegor and Lantalaure, and the long and difficult process of rebuilding these has begun. Elverandil the Mastersmith, as the highest-born survivor of the city's original population, has been made Lord of Lantalaure, and the House of Swords is being rebuilt as his palace and citadel. Their position on the edge of the land of the Elves has suited Lomegor and Lanta for trade, and each is linked into the webwork of new roads along which the commercial heartbeat of Alair is beating.

While nowhere near as hostile to visitors as before the Dragon, the Elves are still pretty careful about who crosses their borders, especially into the inner forest itself. The Shadowguard patrol beneath the trees, ever alert for creatures of the Curst finding their way in, and politely but firmly turning back any orc, lizardman or Kin who tries to enter Belamir.

The Elf Hammer remains buried fifty feet below the ground on the borders of Belamir. In all the time that has elapsed since its' initial attack, no-one has managed to make any form of impression on it at all. Skufruss has sent several messages to Belamir, offering to remove the Hammer from their lands, but the Elves have refused him every time.

No longer a part of the Elf Realm, Belegond the Freeport flourishes. Open to all, the primary users are New Tellare, Stryre, Belamir, and Dalaghendor, with some trade from the Empire passing through as well. Ships range out from the once-ruined quays, plying between the lands of known Alair, and more distant countries not mentioned in these chronicles. The trade, the tolls that are exacted, and the business that is done, makes Belegond rich, and the city that begins to arise from the ruins reflects this.

The Shared Realm expands carefully into the remains of the Northkingdoms; the new accord between lizard and human is too fragile to stretch quickly. Sangr'm also refrains from expanding south, leaving the Deep Trakar as a refuge for the feral lizardmen.

Guided by his prescience, Thelvian Tyrkor does not participate in the great northern land grab, but concentrates on building his economy and creating a more balanced military.

His alliance with New Tellare remains strong, but relations with the Kordasa are rather poor, as the latter keeps sending missionaries into Enning, and some do not survive the process of being rounded up and removed. These brave souls all seem to labour under the same misapprehension; that Tyrkor does not believe in Kord, or indeed any gods. This is not true. Thelvian Tyrkor knows quite well that the gods exist; he just judges them more trouble than they're worth, and wants nothing to do with them.

The temples started by Jasselan in 1602 rise all over the lands of the Kordasa, and the faith of Kord has never been stronger. Trade is strong too; with the building work going on all over the northern world, the ancient stone mines of northern Trialt are re-opened and provide a marketable asset for the New Faithful.

With gritted teeth, the Kordasa accepts the instructions of Hildraft and opens trade with the Orcs of Kîshshul; rather to their surprise, they find the latter as good as their word (with the occasional mishap) in their intention to do business instead of war.

The borders between Tarlanor and the Kordasa intersect around 1606 and the defences along the Kordic side are truly impressive, fortresses, walls, fences and garrisons all braced, ready for the attack everyone is convinced will come.

Despite the regular losses, Kordic missionaries continue to cross the border into Enning, each convinced that he can prove to Thelvian Tyrkor that the gods do exist, and that Kord is worthy of worship, or at least tolerance.

The location of the vanished Orc nation becomes apparent, as the ancient fortress of Kîshshul comes back to life after two hundred years' abandonment. Unlike most of the others Kîshshul had never been sacked, as the orcs fled before Varkar arrived, and was in rather better condition than Gadûhvrás and Shânauk. The survivors of the Orcish civil war are nowhere near numerous enough to fill the hold, but set to work with a will rebuilding and repopulating. They claim the lands around their citadel as well, and name their new country Kîshshul after the city at the heart of it.

The other nations in the north-east brace themselves, fearing a return of the raiding parties and attacks that were the way of life for the orcs of the Erean Mountains before the Dragon came. To their surprise and disbelief, the expected attacks do not come. Instead, clearly at the cost of enormous mental effort, small parties of orcs begin to come out of the mountains laden with goods instead of going back laden with plunder, and offer to open trade with their neighbors.

This is greeted with enormous caution to begin with, as everyone is convinced that it is a trick, but despite a few unfortunate mishaps, commerce does begin, and settles into place as the orcs get the hang of fair exchange instead of robbery.

While there are few crafted items of orc make anyone would care to purchase, the new masters of Kîshshul are not without goods to offer. The stone of the northern Erean Mountains was once a famous export of Trialt, produced at constant hazard of orc disruption. In all that time the orcs had never made the mental leap from interference to competition; now, they are mining the fine building stone themselves and trading it for the things they cannot make themselves. There are plenty of customers. Tarlanor, New Tellare and Dalaghendor are all rebuilding major cities and countless small towns. Much of the work on these is now being done with Orc-mined stone, by dwarf masons as like as not, a truly cosmopolitain way to build a city. Other products of the earth are equally valued. Some minerals and ores are only found within Kîshshul's borders, and the initial wariness of the dwarves of Kobur fades as they realize what the benefits may include. They begin to do business, and go so far as to trade dwarfmade mining tools and some of their lore.

The ancient Trialtan border fortress Leotha, originally built as a defence against the orcs, is taken over and rebuilt by the orcs. Placed in the river valley where the Vileflow passes through the Tainted Forest, it is a natural place for a market town, equally accessible to the orcs, Kordasa, Enning, New Tellare and the Empire. The emerging road network links to it, and it becomes a bustling multicultural community.

In one respect, however, all the orcs' new trading partners remain cautious. Politely but firmly, they decline to sell the orcs weaponry or military technology superior to that they already possess. Of course, with a sizable slice of their warriors having had training in the Imperial Absutii, there are elements of stable doors and horses here, but it will be many more years before the north of the world relaxes completely in the company of their new neighbors.

The orcs make advances of their own however. A beastmaster named Krûkmat rediscovers the ancient skill of taming the brutal wargs, the dire wolves of the Erean Mountains. In the days before the Dragon, the orcs had been accustomed to ride these monsters into battle, but the gentle hills of Orcland were not terrain wargs were happy in, and the skill had been lost through lack of use. Now, returned to the old home, the orcs have regained their traditional mounts. Comparatively few so far, they are given to warleaders and generals to begin with.

No King emerges to rule Kîshshul, again an atypical result, but rather a council led by the four surviving clan-lords; Thend the Seer, Shuumash Death Tongue, Ramphaag Thunderslayer, and Maurend the Uncanny. Maurend is the last of the leaders from the southern civil war that erupted after Garkaur's death, whereas the other three were the leaders of the breakway faction who originally conceived the idea of returning north. Contrary to most people's expectations, these do not fall out and fight each other, but work more or less in agreement, steering the Orc race on their new and surprising course.

One of the real winners in the northern Land Grab, New Tellare expands remorselessly over the five years, reclaiming the ruins of the shattered northern realms of Antrol and Oret. Chaos and lawlessness is replaced by order, construction, roads and policing. Finally, the northwestern and northern borders reach the Trakar Swamps and Tarlanor, respectively, and the land grab is effectively over.

To the south, New Tellare continues to absorb chunks of the badlands north of the Desolation. Technically, these were once part of Sildor, but for the moment the Elves say nothing; they have enough to handle as things are. The southwestern tip of New Tellare finally reaches Belegond, and there the freeport becomes a defacto buffer zone between New Tellare and Stryre.

The ruins of Kelorsal and Thallith are absorbed during the expansion process, and reconstruction work commences. Cyrn Weithelin, home to the Cavalry Academy of New Tellare, has already spread enough to be regarded as a town rather than a simple border fort. Cyrn Sharresh, that formerly demon-haunted citadel in the mountain, has become a bastion of noble virtue, home not only to a Kordic order of knights (The Brotherhood of the Mountain), but an Aderran one (Wisdom's Edge). As well as training some of the best knights in the world, Sharresh also is gathering one of the biggest libraries outside Thornal, Reital and the Dark Tower.

The Sledgehammer remains in training, but active service is limited to border control and occasional forays into the Desolation. The cavalry academy at Weithelin begins to produce usable numbers of mounted troops, and the cavalry wing of the Sledgehammer becomes a force to be reckoned with.

With Leonora now Queen, a new Councillor for Rhorien is needed, and her cousin Namlup Kerr is chosen. The long-vacant position of Councillor for the Religions is filled at last, by an Aderran, Lackaj Nar.

In 1607 the announcement is made that Queen Leonora is expecting, and there is much celebration. The Queen has become very popular in New Tellare; where the common people are rather in awe of their warrior King out of the legendary past, Leonora has more of the human touch. She travels across the realm, working tirelessly to knit the new portions together as part of the reborn Tellaran nation. Without Leonora's help, Hansen the Bard would have utterly failed to cope with the lordship of Coronos. She taught him the statecraft he needed to get started.

Vardar Peacock may be a vain popinjay, but he is no fool when it comes to expanding his domain. With the reduction in the corruption of the Desolation, the lands north of Stryre begin to be habitable again, and the kingdom is expanded to fill that space. To the west, the northern border of Stryre is staked out as far as Belegond, allowing Stryre direct access to the freeport.

To the south, Stryre is once again plagued by Red Dust raiders, more daring and aggressive than they have been for over a hundred years. They appear more organized, and rumours persist of a Jerfaya-khan, a Khan of All the Khans, despite the patent implausibility of such a thing.

Kedos Peacockson succeeds his father upon the latter's death

Cirfara, daughter of King Kedos, converts to the worship of the Triad, specifically Belisima. Her personal circle at court follow suit and the practice begins to spread

Death in battle of Kedos Peacockson, succeeded by his daughter Cirfara

The growing adoption of the Triad causes unrest in Stryre,

Skufruss, equipped with the mighty military he inherited from Gozan, expands ruthlessly until his borders touch those of Dalaghendor, New Tellare, Enning and the Kordasa. In all cases, once contact is made, he establishes clear lines of demarcation and stops expanding.

Within these borders, Tarlanor develops apace, becoming a significant centre for magic and technology. Alumini begin to emerge from the Dark Tower, trained to a very high standard in the Art Magic and all characterized by a tendency to take no crap from anybody. Although not particularly notable for its' art or aesthetics, the workshops, foundries, and places of learning within Skufruss' realm begin to be seen as serious rivals to the Empire's.

The ruined cities of Lossal and Minensal are incorporated into the expanded realm, and sections of each city are rebuilt, although it will be many more years before they are completely restored.

Thallith, the ancient capital of Antrol and favourite city of Galoriand, is designated as part of the border between Tarlanor and New Tellare, and becomes a significant market-place for goods from both lands to change hands.

A sullen silence is about all that comes from the deep Trakar during the years between 1602 and 1607. The feral Lizardmen have only ever really wanted to remain undisturbed in their rank swamps, with the opportunity for a little raiding into more civilized lands. The latter objective has become harder, however, as the neighbors have changed. Instead of the scattered and relatively defenceless remnnants of the land of Oret, the borders of Dalaghendor to the north and New Tellare to the south have the lizardmen penned in. Strongly held, these lands discourage small-scale attacks with firm responses, and the lizardmen have learned not to regard them as a source of income.

All across Alair, roads are being constructed or repaired. Trade is booming, as it has not since before the Dragon, and goods have to be able to travel for that to happen.

A webwork of roads link the major trading cities of Alair. Only a few extend into the lands of the Elves, however. The Elder Race do not permit travel through Belamir itself, but the reviving cities of Lomegor and Lantalaure are linked to the Empire, the Kordasa, and New Tellare.

The road from New Tellare to Belegond runs down the coast, around the Desolation; but for the brave trader, a quicker route to the seaport exists; a rough, dangerous route directly through the Desolation itself. It cuts the journey time by a third, but is a frightening path to tread, and is universally known as Damnation Alley.

In late 1603 the Emperor Heredatus finally passes away. Most of the people who had attended Surya's wedding and coronation also attend or send representatives to Heredatus' funeral, and Crixus' coronation.

The new Emperor, once settled into place and through the complex ceremonial of an Imperial succession, starts his reign off in a very active fashion. He expands the northern borders to absorb what was Orc-Land, and westwards to take in the ruins of the Elven city of Dalbin. Apart from a few orc stragglers, there is no resistance to this, although a small battle takes place about fifty miles north of Dun Tolk.

The Empire, of course, has far less of a problem with the idea of trading with the new realm of Kîshshul, and Imperial merchant caravans begin to ply the new roads as soon as they're completed. Crixus makes it perfectly clear that any Orc refugees who had fled south from the civil war are free to travel north to Kîshshul if they wish to. He also confirms that the orcish citizens already in the Empire will remain valued members of the community.

Elsewhere, Imperial society begins a renaissance of spirit. The decadence that has permated the Empire for hundreds of years begins to lift, as the young, dynamic Emperor makes changes to better suit his nation to the modern world. Her southern neighbors begin to look rather nervously at the Empire, wondering if this revival will extend to attempts to regain the lost provinces to the west. Crixus states publicly again and again that he has no intention of such an action.

The targetless pogrom against the undead burns out in early 1604, and most of the hunters leave. Dalaghendor remains clearer of undead than any other land for years to come.

With Gloiran out of the picture, Kobur quickly picks up the position of the city that trades dwarf-made goods to the outside world. With the secret of working adamantite in its' possession (although with no source of the ore), the city can provide at least one product no-one else can, if the materials can be located. Other exports are also in demand; dwarf-wrought mail and weapons, raw metals and stone, worked finery. But most of all, the dwarves of Kobur export skilled labour. All over northern Alair, rebuilding is going on, of cities, roads, towns. Many places don't even have a village smith. To all these places come the dwarves, trading in dressed stone, steel tools, iron fixings, and the skill of stonemasonry. Gold, and foodstuffs unavailable in the Erean Mountains, flood in, and Kobur's prosperity waxes - as does King Berrin Ironfist's popularity.

Despite repeated attempts to contact them by various people, the city of Gloiran remains sealed off in obedience to the warning of the Goldeneye.

Nisur slowly rebuilds itself from the damage done by the ithilid attack of 1602. Physical repairs are easy, but dwarves breed slowly and the population grows only gradually.

Forsaken by nearly the entire orc population, Orcland lies desolate, and Dun Tolk stands abandoned. In the spring of 1605, two absutii of Imperial troops march north, securing the hills of the orcish homeland and reclaiming them for the Erlyid Empire.

Orcish agriculture having been rather desultory and inefficient, the majority of the land has been effectively fallow for five hundred years, and is ripe for turning and planting. Imperial settlers begin to move north, encouraged by generous land grants, and the landscape begins its' transformation from the wild hills and grasslands of before towards the ordered and civilized farmlands of the Empire.

Very careful borders are marked out north and west, clearly indicating no intention to poach lands theoretically belonging to the elves or dwarves.

No attempt is made to use Dun Tolk, and it is left abandoned; the ancient Elven city of Dalbin is instead rebuilt as the provincial capital of the new region.

In the spring of 1606 the orcs strike mithril deep under Kîshshul. Although treasuring the wonderful metal, the orcs are well aware that they lack the smithcraft to work it, and also that the dwarves will trade enormous quantities of gold for it. It is offered for sale to Kobur, and this really cements the commercial relationship, as the dwarves will gladly buy all the orcs can produce, paid from the plentiful gold seams of Kobur.

Bruukr,Castellan of the Dark Tower, leaves Skufruss’ service.Rumor places her in the company of Sack but this is never confirmed

New Tellare: King Surya returns from the outer planes in the company of the Hand of Kord having rescued his wife Queen Leonora and son Prince Cuitech. This has had unexpected results, in that Cuitech is now apparently eighteen years old instead of a babe in arms. Surya lodges him with Jasselan in the Kordasa and disappears off-plane again with Hildraft. The ongoing road-building process started by Surya remains inextricably linked with New Tellare. The New Tellarans build and maintain the roads, tax the trading done at the waypoints, and charge (fairly reasonable) tolls for their use. Units of the Sledgehammer patrol the roads, and the fate of bandits raiding merchants on them – or indeed anyone causing trouble on the roads – is dire. The whole economy of the Northlands flourishes as a direct result.

Gloiran emerges from its' seclusion, declining to comment on the reasons for it. Many suspect considerable embarrassment about their hiding from the averted holocaust of the war with the Shadowkami.

A lot of trade has been lost to Kobur during the sealing of Gloiran but the first city of the dwarves sets to work to correct this.

The continuing expansion of Belamir and dwindling of the Desolation drives the Slitheren, or Ratmen, north-east and into the Tainted Forest. Only now are their numbers, versatility and ferocity apparent. Hemmed in by the dwarves, elves, orcs and Erlyid, they prove impossible to dislodge and make the southern Tainted Forest their own.

Cuitech returns to New Tellare, where he is greeted with joy by the people, and begins his training as future King.

Death of Ulfdor Magni, advisor to King Morgar of Nisur

Prince Cuitech marries Nureta, third daughter of the Erlyid Emperor Crixus. Senator Rolc, adopted into the Imperial Family, comes to give her away.

The death of the great visionary priest and ruler Sangr’m is greeted with great mourning among both humans and lizardmen. There is some doubt as to who is sufficient to take over the great leader’s position. Some feel it’s time for a human king, but Shushkrah makes his position clear when he inscribes the name of Sangr’m’s successor on the wall of the temple in Nasirolan in ten-foot letters of fire.

Ariella, sister of Delgarde, raises a rebellion against the throne. A few disaffected nobles - mostly those powerful under Vane - side with her, but they are counting on a plot to assassinate the royal family which fails miserably.

Perhaps because of its location between Belamir and the human realms, Belegond becomes something of a natural gathering-place for people of half-elven origin.

Ariella's Rebellion is crushed at the battle of Valbet. In the absence of King Surya, the loyalist forces are led by his son Cuitech, General Harker, and Delgarde. Ariella is killed in the battle.

A party of mercenaries rescue the intended bride of Rolc from imprisonment by a vampire

Trade agreement made between Tarlanor and New Tellare. Relations and business had been good anyway, but this treaty kick starts the merchantile engines all overagain. Both kingdoms benefit enormously.

Kazalhar is invested as High Priest of Shushkrah and ruler of Dalaghendor.

High Priest Jasselan is assassinated within the halls of the Temple. Divination indicates that the blame for this lies with Skufruss, and the outraged Kordasans begin to prepare for war.

The changeling Hozzk disappears from the Dark Tower on an unknown mission for his master.

Thelvian Tyrkor’s prescience fails to warn him of the oncoming war between the Kordasa and Tarlanor; all the initiators are Fateless. Expecting a major holocaust, he fortifies his northern borders.

The orcs stay well out of the war between Tarlanor and the Kordasa, although they do good trade with the latter in mithril for paladin armour. There is still no love lost between orcs and kin and the option of supporting the Kordasa is by far the more appealing.

The war between Tarlanor and the Kordasa threatens to destabilize the entire region, and after serious thought New Tellare decides to remain officially neutral. The trade treaties stand, but many of the personal agreements made between Surya and Skufruss – such as access to the libraries of Reital Castle – are cancelled. All the known teleport circles in Reital are blocked.

Kordasa declares war on Tarlanor. Initial engagements go in favour of the Kordasan forces

Kordasa declares war on Tarlanor. Initial engagements go in favour of the Kordasan forces Kordasa: Fanahan is raised High Priest of the Kordasa, and announces that the time has finally come to cleanse the nest of evil that is Tarlanor. War is declared, and the old but hale Manton Vanechka leads his army over the border and into Tarlanor.

During the war, Enning provides a refuge for ordinary people displaced by the fighting. No combatants are permitted over the borders.

Four successful engagements leave the Kordasan forces’ morale high, and Vanechka sends word that the war will soon be over.

The Brotherhood of the Mountain apply for permission to travel through new Tellare and attack Tarlanor from the south. New Tellare refuses this but allows them to join their compatriots in the east of the war zone. Unconfirmed reports indicate that they arrive at the battlefield with rather more troops than they had in the first place, but nothing is proven. In the long run it makes no difference, as Skufruss’ forces win the Battle of Silnarl decisively in any case.

Belegond establishes a trade agreement with the elves of Viridor

The Tarlanorans strike back with overwhelming force at Silnarl. Mighty dragons sear whole divisions with fire and tactics of superhuman brilliance leave Kord’s forces bewildered. Manton Vanechka is killed in action and his second-in-command, Amanrin Carin, takes over. He performs a near-miracle in disengaging his forces with minimal losses, and retreats to comparative safety. Fanahan attempts to rally allies from Kishshul, New Tellare, and Enning, but without success. The moderate Cardinal Budhthar Stonehelm, a dwarf, impeaches and replaces Fanahan and announces he wishes to open negotiations with Tarlanor for an armistice.

King Doronond of Belámir sends elven diplomats to broker the peace settlement. Rather to the surprise of both the opposing sides, they do an excellent job, and an armistice is agreed, ending the war.

Death of Thend the Seer.

In the years after the war, tensions along the borders with Tarlanor, always rather high, escalate on a continual basis.

A new faith springs up in Belegond; the Triad, based on the three deities Belisima, Taranis and Lyr; nature/harmony, the storm/strength, the sea/chaos, death and destruction

The cult of the Triad spreads widely in Belegond, The sense of having their own gods rather than being dependent on elf or human ones appeals to the independently minded Belegonders. Some travellers from other lands - especially Stryre - are impressed enough to take the teachings home

In the continued absence of King Surya, Prince Cuitech decrees that he and his descendants will rule as Princes, not Kings, with the crown remaining with his missing father wherever he may be.

Tensions along the borders with New Tellare and the Kordasa remain high with occasional flare-ups.

Reforms of Kazalhar. He makes some changes to the way the country is run, concentrating rather more power in the hands of the Priesthood.

The human general Brisfus insitigates a revolt.

Death of Ramphaag Thunderslayer. Maurend the Uncanny and Shuumash Death Tongue each claim the 'throne' of Kîshshul, and fighting erupts briefly before Death Tongue dies unexpectedly and Maurend is declared King.

Death of Maurend the Uncanny. His son Luzmarz becomes King of Kîshshul

Battle of Slirryt. Brisfus’ forces are crushed, but he escapes to continue the rebellion underground.

Over the course of fifty years, the temple complex of the Kordasa expands slowly but steadily, until it occupies nearly half the city.

Perhaps to the disappointment of some, Skufruss the Dark Lord proves to have the lifespan of his late unlamented father, and remains physically unchanged as the years roll past. His arcane abilities and stores of knowledge grow ever greater, though. Alumni of the Dark Tower are universally regarded as the best-trained workers of the arcane arts in Alair, although many also regard them as morally tainted.

The Elf Hammer is released from its imprisonment by Gorfang Deathdrinker and Eloy Brackensen and returns to Vorsand where it comes back under the control of its creator

Gorfang Deathdrinker dislodges Thykon of the Kin from the ruins of Gadûhvrás and takes over, planting the seeds of his eventual empire

Theft of the Sceptre of the Dragonlords from Skufruss of the Kin. It finds its way into the claws of the ancient dragon Saryn Darrath, who destroys it. A shockwave strikes every dragon, Kin and draconic creature on the plane.

Dragons, released from Skufruss' domination, attack and raze Vorsand. Vengeance of Skufuss completes the destruction of the city and seals the Dark Tower. Skufruss escapes.

Death of Setram and disintegration of Tarlanor

Theft of the Seeds of Life, and breaking of the Dawn Concord. The magic of resurrection becomes available to mortals once more. Clunstall, a Reaver of Sabath, becomes the Raised Man, the first resurrected mortal.

An influx from sources unknown of orcs, trolls and other monstrous creatures to Gadûhvrás transforms the settlement from an encampment to a budding kingdom.

Tensions between Gadûhvrás and Kîshshul escalate as the former expands into a rival kingdom

In the North, the collapse of Tarlanor left chunks to be absorbed by Dalaghendor and New Tellare, while the regions around the two largest remaining cities of Lossal and Minensal stabilized into independent countries under the control of those cities, both allied to New Tellare. Lossal is also the central base of the followers of Lynien, Lady of Chance, the Balancers of Nebekheshut. Tolerated in Pepterus, they are less welcome elsewhere.

The Versate Pass and the country around its' mouth remain under the control of the dragon Saryn Darrath; these have become a depopulated wasteland known as the Drachenfels from which dragons occasionally issue to trouble the north of Alair. Vorsand remains ruined, still enmeshed in the Steel Jungle and watched over by the imprisoned Elf Hammer. Many believe Skufruss will return to reclaim it one day.

The orcish empire created by Gorfang Deathdrinker- the Gorfangach- now controls all the ancient orc-fortresses in the northern Erean Mountains, and the population of orcs has increased massively. The worship of the old orcish gods has been completely supplanted by that of Hektis, now seen as an orcish war god, with small hidden cults of Sabath and Lynien operating in secret throughout the empire. A state of constant low-level war exists between the Gorfangach and the dwarvish kingdoms, although neither side can muster the strength to break the other's strongholds and hostilities are restricted to border fights, dirty tricks and assassinations.

The Gorfangach is also at war with the Kordasa. Quite apart from the cultural differences, two new and dynamic nations having war gods as patrons sharing a border make conflict almost inevitable. The eastern foothills of the Erean adjoining the Kordasa have become a shattered no-man's-land, wracked by constant, merciless warfare.

Enning and New Tellare remain stubbornly neutral. The prescience of Thelvian Tyrkor and the military might of the Sledgehammer make them unbeatable as things currently stand. New Tellare is the last foothold in the North for the old Imperial Gods, and Enning remains firmly closed to all temples, priests and forms of religion, making it a popular place to conduct diplomacy on neutral ground. This has extended to the hiring out of professional diplomats and negotiators, the Arbitairi, across most of Alair.

From its' founding as a shared human and lizard-man nation, Dalaghendor was closely linked to the cult of Shuskhrah; in the wake of the civil war in 1650, the priesthood steadily tightened their grip on the country. Allowing humans to enter the priesthood was a master-stroke in keeping popular support, and the ejection and proscription of all other religions in 1673 marked the completion of the takeover. While not truly a theocracy, the ruler of Dalaghendor is now always a priest, and he as well as all the significant functionaries of the court are always lizard-men. Tensions between Dalaghendor, Pepterus and New Tellare are fairly high - not least because of the Dalaghendan policy of executing 'heretics' by ritual drowning - but the Dalaghendans know they can't tackle New Tellare and war seems unlikely.

Rumors abound of some secret cabal of sorcerers lurking deep in the Trakar, but as anyone sent to investigate never comes back or is found wandering with no memories, details are unknown.

A hundred years is nothing to an elf, bur even so Belamir has changed significantly in the last century. The open, verdant borders have been closed, replaced by the Stormwall, a vast earthwork wall encircling the whole kingdom. Expansion has been halted at those walls, though the Desolation has been pushed back to a few pockets to the north. Strong hill forts dot the borders, with magic woven through and around them to prevent intrusion. Despite all this, travel and trade within the elvenrealm are open and welcomed.

However, all is not peaceful within the elven kingdom. Small groups of elves in widely scattered places have turned from the ancient gods they brought to Alair to the dark and secretive cult of Sabath the Adversary. No sooner is one nest of his followers stamped out than another appears, hidden in the shadows and striving to overthrow the old gods. Persistent rumors claim that a sinister and elusive agent - the Scorpion Queen - heads the cult of Sabath among the elves, but no evidence exists to support this. The discord created by the cells of Sabath's cult has cast a pall over the elves' return to their ancient home and may escalate to civil war in time.

The Freeport of Belegond remains a trade hub, and a destination for trading ships from strange and unknown lands far away. Of all the nations of Known Alair, the Belegondans are by far the greatest mariners. Some claim that many are also pirates, but no proof has been advanced. As befits a city-state based on freedom of trade, Belegond welcomes all faiths and temples as long as their adherents pay their taxes and keep the peace. Followers of the free-wheeling cult of the Lady of Chance are quite common in recent years, and a temple has been built. Many areas of the city can be red, wild and exciting, if not exactly safe.

Since the days of Vardar Peacock, Stryre's feudal system has become ever more stratified and rigid, with wealth and power increasingly concentrated in the hands of the nobility and the commonalty kept firmly in their place. The merchant class has virtually disappeared, replaced by vassals in service to whichever local noble owns the region. With such resources and power at their command, the nobility have turned to internal wars as a means of competition, and there is usually at least one minor war going on at any given time. Mercenary bands from the north command a premium for service in these wars, though negotiating the local politics can be difficult and as dangerous as the fighting itself.

Unrest with Nhased is sporadic, as the Theocracy is mostly occupied with the Empire to the east and its' own internal problems, but the border is not a safe place to be.

The new Gods of the Triad, first worshipped in Stryre, have completely replaced the Imperial deities, although not without a struggle; three bitter civil wars were fought in the mid-1700s between followers of the two religions, and persecution of 'heretic' followers of the old gods remains brutal. The throne fell twice during this time and Peacock's line has died out (discounting the inevitable rumours of a hidden descendant heir lurking somewhere), to be replaced by the Tandalin house, currently headed by Queen Kylara I. The magnificent Basilica of Aderra in Narthal and its irreplacable library were early casualties of the fighting

The renewed vigour of the Erlyid Empire under Crixus the Great and his successors resulted in renewed expansionism to the west, and war with Nhased. For ten years, mighty imperial legions strove with the Army of the Light of the One, back and forth over increasingly ruined country on the border. Despite nearly two thousand years of war-lore, the Empire was definitely coming off worst by 1792 when a single event changed everything. The Voice of The One, subsumed into Heaven on his death in 420, returned to Alair with the Word of The One.

Preaching at first at the very front line, he entered the holy city of Karsten and spoke to enraptured thousands in the great Cathederal of The One. The People of the One, he said, should not seek to conquer the infidel, only defend and protect themselves against his wiles and assaults. In a paroxysm of religious remorse, the commanders of the Light Ones pulled their forces back to Nhased's original borders and opened negotiations for an armistice.

It was this point that Cardinal Gilraid, Commissioner of the Designators of the True Faith, made the shocking claim that the newly-appeared prophet was not what he claimed to be, but an Imperial imtelligence agent.While the presentation of evidence and counter-evidence, witness and counter-witness lashed back and forth, the theological debate and accusations of heresy and blasphemy were more fiery by far. The monolithic Church of the One had never known internal disagreement on this scale, and the schism split the entire Theocracy into fragments, with adherents of each side scattered randomly across the country, each man examining his own faith to choose his side. After several bloody years of confusion the two factions established themselves into stronghold areas and settled into a protracted and savage civil war.The Gilraidists, the larger party, are hampered by fighting a war on two fronts, with both the Empire and with the Voicers. The latter are still guided by the Voice of the One, upon whose head the Gilraidists have placed an astronomical price.

The Imperial Renaissance initiated by Crixus the Great continued through the 18th century, with almost every aspect of Imperial life undergoing a renewal and re-energization. Territorial expansion to the north into the deserted remains of Orcland and the south-eastern Desolation has been unopposed, but south and east the Empire was strongly resisted by the Rokugani and the Nhased. With the eruption of the civil war in Nhased the Empire remains content to allow the factions to exhaust themselves and merely holds the borders against the Gilraidists. In the south, the war with the Rokugani rages on.

The traditional faiths of the Erlyid that once had adherents all across human Alair, are still honoured in the Empire, revered even more in these days of religious intensificaton and polarization. Worship of the One of Nhased or the Triad of Stryre is a crime punishable by death in the arena; preaching either faith by death by fire. The same applies to the followers of Sabath where they are found. Other 'heretical' faiths are not proscribed but are firmly discouraged.

Further south, the rumours of a mighty leader gathering the Nomad clans, first heard in the 1620s, came to fruition with the arising of the Mahdi. Touched by Hobushu the Archer and bearing several tokens of his favour, the Mahdi has welded the nomads into one people with a burning purpose of southward conquest. Only rumours of events in.the distant south have come to Known Alair, but many in the Empire and Stryre fear the resumption of the nomads' hostility to their ancient enemy - the Empire and its' descendants.

As the restoration of Belamir continues, more and more elves have migrated back to their ancient homeland. Some, however, particularly the younger generation born there, are unwilling to leave the island. Most of those remaining by 1818 are of this mood, Toledhel or Island Elves, and their eyes are turned westwards to the Sea. As yet, no trace of the cult of Sabath has been discovered in Viridor