Synchronising Ancient History
by Geoff GanderHere is a way to synchronise the timelines concerning the my Carnifex of Y'hog, and those events that transpired in Davania according to Mystaros' great Ages of Blackmoor timeline. Please note that the following suggestions are just that - suggestions. If you have found a better way to synchronise them, then all the better! I would be more than interested in hearing how you did it.
As some of you may know, some interesting material has been generated concerning events in what I call Primal, or Classical Mystara - the time period before the rise of Blackmoor, which is all but forgotten to sages in the modern era in the Known World. What is known of Blackmoor is but a fragment, and what is known of these more ancient times even less. Two articles which may be of especial interest are "The Ages of Blackmoor", by Mystaros, and "Of the Lore and Legends of Y'hog", by myself, as they detail events in ancient Davania, and concern remnants of that race which challenged the Immortals - the Carnifex.
Although I intended for my work to stand alone, it is possible to synchronise both works, so that a seamless timeline can be created. What is done is basically adding events from the Carnifex of Y'hog timeline to that of Mystaros, though some modifications to the Y'hog timeline are also required. Credit is due to Mystaros, without whom much of my own work may not have been possible. Let's go:
10000 BC - 8000 BC
Mystaros mentions the initial placement of cultures in the northern hemisphere in the first paragraph of this section. What needs to be added, to synchronise everything, is to mention the Lhomarrians, and where they arose. Also, according to the Y'hog timeline there were several Oltec, and Neathar nations in northern Davania. Finally, it must be mentioned that the Lhomarrians migrated to Lhomarr. Since these would have existed for some time beforehand, they must be accounted for. Thus the paragraph should now read:
"By 10,000 BC the Wurm Glacial Period had come to an end. The Northern Continent, the Cradle of Human Civilisation, was slowly emerging from the long period of barbarism. The Brute-Men, a race of Humans adapted to the frigid conditions of the glacial period, were slowly being supplanted by the more prolific and technologically successful Modern Human races, the Oltec, Neathar, Lhomarrian and Tangor peoples. The Oltecs were native to the continent of Brun, the Tangor and Lhomarrians to the continent of Skothar. The Neathar peoples originated in the harsh arctic region that connected the two continents, the "Frosthaven Land Bridge". During this time several tribes of Oltec and Neathar humans had wandered towards the southwest, and they ultimately settled along the northern coast of Davania. Many Lhomarrians migrated south during this time to escape conflicts with the Tangor , and ended up on the island continent of Lhomarr, where they began a meteoric rise. The Dwarves, an offshoot of the Brute-Men race, lived in the hills and mountains of the continent of Brun; they were not, at this time, a subterranean race. By this time they had already domesticated the goat and the dog. Giants were still active in Brun in that day, though their Golden Age was long passed; except for the Kingdom of Gandhar in the northern "Dawn Territories", there were no organised Giantish realms that had survived the glaciers. (Humans were in the Palaeolithic stage; Dwarves and Giants were in the Mesolithic stage, having long-forgotten their great glories of the past; some groups of Giants had maintained a Bronze Age level of technology, but they were for the most part xenophobic and isolated)."
Now, the second paragraph discusses the initial placements of cultures on Davania. Given that, according to the Y'hog timeline, small Oltec and Neathar tribes had wandered to Davania, these must be mentioned. Also, the Lhomarrians who migrated south advanced quickly, more so than humans elsewhere on Mystara. Finally, the Carnifex of Y'hog were beginning to become active in the region circa BC 8250, and they must be accounted for. Thus, the second paragraph should read:
"The Southern Continent was even more active in the renewal following the glaciation. Ordana, an Immortal of the Sphere of Time, purged several clans of Yuan-Ti of their Serpentine nature, and from this core of beings formed the Elven race. The Elves inhabited the forests in the southwestern section of Davania, along with numerous groups of Faeries (Sidhe, Sprites, Pixies, etc). The Enduks inhabited the north-western section of Davania, where they were slowly building a civilisation under the patronage of the Immortal Ixion. Their land was also home to many of the other creations of the Serpentines, such as Shedu, Lammassu and Sphinxes. Towards the end of this period, a degenerate branch of the Carnifex, based on an island called Y'hegg-T'uhath (which lay between Brun and Skothar), established colonies on the "Arm of the Immortals", and the north-western coastal regions of Davania, just to the north of Enduk lands. There was enough distance between them that no contact was made at this time. The Lizard Men, Nagas and Yuan-Ti inhabited the north-eastern section of Davania, where they were dominated by the remnants of the Serpentine Empire. Just to the north of the Serpentines lay several coastal nations inhabited by the descendants of those Oltec and Neathar peoples who migrated from Brun. These nations would become Nevumm, Orimul, Suur, and Ilarnn circa BC 8300. Towards the end of this period, these nations were already under attack from the Carnifex of Y'hog. They were at peace with the Serpentines, who did not deign to attack them due to their own decadence. The Halflings (Hin) were also native to the Southern Continent, in the central regions; they had evolved from escaped proto-human slaves of the ancient Serpentine Empire (successor to the Carnifex Tyranny). East of Davania lay the island continent of Lhomarr, where the Lhomarrians began a meteoric rise to power. (Elves were in the Chalcolithic stage (Copper and Stone), as were the Enduks; the Lizard Men and Serpentines were in the Iron Age, but were quite sedentary; the Carnifex of Y'hog and their minions were Bronze Age; the Hin were in the Mesolithic; the Lhomarrians of Lhomarr had reached the Bronze Age by the end of this period, while the other human nations in Davania were Chalcolithic).
8000 - 6000 BC
Now, the fourth paragraph mentions the changes that had been happening over the past centuries. The Enduks were rising in power, and the Lizard Men revolted against their Serpentine masters. To make this consistent with materials being generated concerning Cynidicea, you might wish to add that, during the Lizard Man rebellions, a large band of them migrated north to south-eastern Brun, where the realm of Mogreth would be founded. Another element worth mentioning is the sinking of both Lhomarr and Y'hegg-T'uhath by BC 7000, which created power vacuums in Davania. Also, the Lizard Man kingdoms that were established during the rebellions were also situated on the lands of the former human nations, all of which had been destroyed during the wars between Lhomarr and the Carnifex of Y'hog. Those human nations had achieved Bronze Age technology, though some Oltecs from Orimul managed to flee to Brun before the total destruction of their nation. Remaining Lhomarrian colonies in what is now the Lost Valley and the Vulcanian Peninsula maintained their Bronze Age technology, but they were soon warring with each other, as well as roving Lizard Man barbarians. By BC 6000, only the former colonies in the Lost Valley region still existed, and these soon regressed into the Stone Age.
With this in mind, the paragraph should now read:
"The Elves in the far south had not changed overly much over the last 2000 years; they lived in a state of harmony with their Faerie brethren, their homeland a veritable paradise. In the west the Enduks continued their stately climb to civilisation, having domesticated various plants and animals (notably potatoes and the Llama); they had also built great stone towers from which they were better able to view the sun and the stars, as astrology had become a major part of their faith by this time. After BC 7000, with the sinking of both Lhomarr and Y'hegg-T'uhath, there were no obstacles to the northward expansion of the Enduks in northwestern Davania, and so they increased their holdings along the coasts. Around this time the Lizard Men rebelled against their Serpentine masters, and the Serpentine Empire fell into anarchy. Groups of renegade Lizard Men formed their own kingdoms throughout northeastern Davania, notably in the "Aryptian Basin", centred around a slowly drying lake. Some kingdoms were also established in the lands that had once been Nevumm, Orimul, Suur, and Ilarnn, whose Bronze Age human inhabitants had been wiped out during the wars between Y'hog and Lhomarr. Other Lizard Men migrated to south-eastern Brun, where the kingdom of Mogreth would be founded. The Nagas had also set up their own kingdom in the far-eastern section of Davania (from "Yasuko Tribal Lands" to the south and east); the Yuan-Ti remained loyal to their Serpentine masters. The Hin, isolated from the rest of the continent by expanding deserts and massive mountains, developed slowly, enjoying a peaceful, near idyllic state. Finally, some Oltec inhabitants of the nation of Orimul managed to flee during the Lhomarr-Y'hog wars to the modern Atruaghin Clans, where they made contact with local Oltec tribespeople there. In the Lost Valley and Vulcanian Peninsula regions, some Lhomarrian colonies managed to avoid the wars, but without their motherland they soon fought amongst themselves, accelerating their decline. By BC 6000, only the Lost Valley settlements remained, and these had reverted to the Chalcolithic. (Elves remained in the Chalcolithic; Enduks were in the Early Bronze Age; the Serpentines remained in the Iron Age, and their rebel Lizard Men servants had fallen mostly into the Stone Age, while the Lizard Men civilisations around Lake Arypt had maintained a Bronze Age technology, though the Mogreth Lizard Men had reverted to the Palaeolithic; the Hin had entered the Chalcolithic; and the Lhomarrians had reverted to the Chalcolithic)."
6000 - 5500 BC
The first paragraph here describes events on Brun during this period. It mentions the rise of the Oltecs, and the expansion of the Dwarves, among other things. You should add that survivors from the realm of Orimul on Davania had landed in Brun and had some thriving colonies by this time. They made contact with local Oltec tribes, and shared some of their knowledge concerning agriculture and metal working. Thus the Oltecs of Brun gained knowledge from both the Orimulians and the Dwarves. The Orimulians had lost much of their knowledge by this time, and they were quickly absorbed by the local Oltecs.
This paragraph should now read:
"By 6000 BC the Oltecs had begun to use beaten copper and gold, and had domesticated several plants, notably Maize (they learned this process from trade with the Dwarves). Also, various colonies that had been established after the destruction of Orimul during the Lhomarr-Y'hog wars had come into contact with local Oltec tribes, and had shared their knowledge of bronze-working and agriculture, though much had been forgotten. The Orimulians were soon absorbed into the local Oltecs, though their teachings remained alongside those of the Dwarves. The Neathar and Tangor peoples were still hunters and gatherers, living in light plains and forests. Their technology continued to develop apace, however, as the need for more land became even more important as their populations grew. The Tangor had begun to domesticate the Aurochs, and both cultures had domesticated the dog. The Dwarves had discovered bronze (either independently or from the Giants), and with a burgeoning population, many Dwarven clans began migrating out from their ancient homeland. A fair number of Dwarven clans reached Skothar, where they settled in and around the mountains in the north, where the only major tin deposits on the continent were found. The Giants continued their simple existence, now and again warring with the Dwarves who would try to steal their tin, bronze and gold. (The Oltecs had leapt into the Chalcolithic, while the Neathar and Tangor entered the Neolithic; the Dwarves were in the Bronze Age; the Giants continued to remain fairly steady, technology wise, and several groups remained in the Stone Age out of sheer stubbornness)."
If you wish to combine the information from both the Ages of Blackmoor and the Y'hog timeline, you should also ignore the statement that Davania is largely uninhabited (since this is not so if you use Mystaros' timeline) in the summary timeline in the Y'hog article. Thus, the entry for BC 6000 would read:
"BC 6000: By this time most memories
of the Carnifex, Y'hog, and Lhomarr have faded into legends, and
vague ones at that. Only the remnants of the sturdiest Lhomarrian
and Carnifex cities and fortresses are still recognisable for what
they are, and few of those survived the wars."