Tuma
by Matthew Levyhere is my now very late and still very unfinished timeline for Tuma.
In the original module B5: Horror on the Hill? I don't know. The only one that wasn't ever really placed (to my knowledge) is B8: Journey to the Rock, which is pretty much just a generic module.
wrong. B8 was placed in southeastern Darokin, just to the north of the eastern Five Shires where those two rivers start in the Cruth mountains that flow west through the forest to Darokin city ... these two rivers are the two that show up in the module.
In fact, it's funny you should bring this up, because one of the things I have been meaning to post to the list is my theory about the City of Tuma which is featured in the module ... it is a major city from the distant past that has been placed into an alternate plane. Long before the GAZ series came out, I used this city in my campaign as an ancestor of Thyatis, on the theory that where there is Byzantium, there's Rome (if you catch my drift). Any-hoo, I've since been trying to update this idea to integrate it with more recent historical "discoveries" - let's see what everybody thinks of this:
c. 3000 BC: The wreck of the Beagle, which has brought so much suffering and destruction to Mystara, is metamorphosed by the Pandian Council into the magical Nucleus of the Spheres, and it is moved from its original location to a huge cavern deep beneath the surface of Brun. This new location is not revealed to even the most powerful of mortals. The remnants of the Teigh-Mohr Combine, the Necromancer-Kings of Taymora, seek for the artifact in vain.
(I threw this in just to put later parts in context. I'm not even sure of the date on the Nucleus so please don't kill me, I'll revise this if I fucked up).
c. 2200 BC?: The Kopru Empire begins its rise to power, aided by the arrival in the Thanegioth Islands of Tanagoro/Oltec humans who replace the troglodytes as favoured slaves of the Kopru. (this is really rough at present. the Carnifex foldings in the Thanegioths collapsed c. 7700 BC and I am not certain what happened in the meantime ... the kopru were probably active, as well as Nagas and Yuan-ti from the Serpentine Empire. There are also the Aranea, Rakasta, Tasloi, Ogres and Trolls, and Phanatons to account for ... the 2200 BC date is related to the arrival of the Tanagoro in Yavdlom but subject to radical revision if necessary - the eventual idea is that the kopru are involved in the destruction of Tuma indirectly, but I haven't worked out the dates for that yet. Also, there is the involvement of the Devilfish, Twaelar, and Taymorans to consider in this time period).
662-637 BC Thyatian migration to northern continent (this part's still kind of a mess, but I will rewrite it when I get the chance)
c. 600 BC: Thyatian, Kerendan, and Hattian sea reavers begin to return permanently to the northern continent. They war against the Doulakki, who are the native human inhabitants of the southeastern coastal area (their language and culture are related to the Traldar/Milenians).
572 BC: Death of Gunzuth the Clanless, founding of the Five Shires.
561 BC: A member of the Council of Alphatia, a wizard named Arkenas, who specialises in extradimensional magic, happens almost by blind luck to discover the wreck of the FSS Beagle (the Nucleus of the Spheres) beneath the continent of Brun, in Orc territory. He is about to bring this information to the attention of the Council, when an attempt is made on his life by an unidentified assassin. Fearing intrigue in Sundsvall, Arkenas flees with his secret to the western lands of the Antalians, with whose ways he is familiar. 558 BC: As the Orcs of the lands that will become Darokin are being slowly pressed back by Mealiden Starwatcher's Elves in the east and the newly resurgent Hin to the south, an ignominious little Hamlet names Tuma is established near little Lake Neshonan in the Cruth mountains. The new inhabitants of the town are a mixed group of humans: some are from the Traldar lands to the south, but many are Thyatians from among the newly arrived "sea tribes"; they seek a new home on the other side of the mountains, away from the constant warfare between the Doulakki, Traldar, and Thyatian groups, who are being manipulated by their corrupt Nithian overlords. The new "Tumans" are led by the far-travelling Alphatian wizard Arkenas. The town is lucky to have his guidance, for he manages to stave off attacks from Orcs, Dwarves, Nithian troops, and sundry bands of Traldar rovers in the next few years.
555 BC: Arkenas begins writing a formal and complete law code for the new city. Unbeknownst to his people, this law code also contains within it a subtly encrypted message which gives the location of the Nucleus.
554 BC, September 4th: Arkenas of Tuma leads his people, along with Hin and Elvish auxiliaries, to defeat an Orcish horde led by Queen Udbala's maternal grandfather, King Udgar the Oiled (Anointed?), at the old Traldar port of Athenos.
554-530 BC Kerendans migrate to Brun
534 BC: Arkenas completes the Codex of Tuman Law.
529 BC : Arkenas dies peacefully in his sleep. The townspeople of Tuma have already de facto agreed to a hereditary monarchy of his male descendants, but his only son Corus is not nearly the great wizard his father was. However, Corus is perhaps an even better diplomat and politician. He forges an alliance with the Elves to the north and the Hin rebels to the south, allowing him to draw upon their help to fight off attackers, and helping to bring the two demi-human races closer together in the process.
517-513 BC: Massive famine and disease in the Nithian Valley to the east. The final collapse of the Empire is underway.
511 BC: Antalian marauders sack the Nithian capital; Pharaoh Seth-Nekket (do we already have a canonical name for the last Pharaoh of Nithia? I couldn't find one so I made one up) flees west to Tuma. King Corus, unable to restrain his curiosity, agrees to shelter the corrupt God-Emperor of the Nithians in exchange for access to forbidden magical knowledge. The people of Tuma live in fear of the death-pall the Pharaoh brings to the town, and the Elvish advisers sent by Mealiden all caution against Corus' actions, but he is not dissuaded. In Nithia, chaos reigns as giant-led Antalians, Black Moon Gnolls, and Troglodytes (perhaps I should change this to Lizard Men, or Sis'thik) vie for mastery of the quickly depopulating river valley.
503 BC: Having achieved an alliance with the High General of the Thyatian Seareavers, Pharaoh Seth-Nekket leaves Tuma, marching with an army of mercenary humanoids to reclaim his Imperial Throne.
501 BC: Pharaoh Seth-Nekket has managed to partially retake his homeland, but he is killed by the Antalian hero Sigurd, a paladin who wields a Dwarf-wrought holy lance and rides into battle astride a huge White Dragon. Command of the Pharaoh's forces in the Valley falls to a Doulakki mercenary-general/king named Alexander (here is where I wanted to insert Cynidicea into the Tuma timeline ... there is much more work to do here but I will leave that till later). Violence and anarchy continue.
498 BC: Alexander reaches an agreement with the Gnoll chieftain Ghurnazzal. The two agree to join forces in an attack on the Antalians, driving them back north. Alexander builds a pyramid in celebration.
494 BC: the pyramid is completed. Zargon begins corrupting the Cynidiceans. Doulakki power begins to wane further.
493 BC: Queen Udbala of the Broken Lands raises the Great Horde and marches north, recruiting more troops from the Goblins and Gnolls.
492 BC: Battle of Sardal Pass. The Orcs are routed and massacred by the Dwarves. Kobolds invade the Gnomish Falun Caverns.
490 BC: By this point the Gnomes of the Northern Reaches have been driven out or killed.
480 BC: Hattians migrate to Brun
c. 475 BC: Dwarves begin exploration and colonisation of neighbouring territories.
468 BC: A sizeable group of Dwarves is allowed to settle in Tuma; they begin mining operations in the Cruth mountains nearby.
462 BC, July 11th (I apologise for the non-Mystaran months, I don't have my calendar handy but will convert these later): Adraneos Cindiel leads Tuman and Elvish troops to defeat Cheiranon Doulakhon at Athakia; The Doulakki are no longer an important political force.
454? BC, august 4th: Elvish citadel built at Corun's Glen
400 BC: King Aurille II of Haven abdicates in favour of Orollion and Rowena
353 BC, September 8th: The Salonikos Confederacy is formed (this ties together the Tumans, the Elves, the Hin and the now fast-declining Cynidiceans - the other allies are not very certain of the eastern humans at all but feel they have no better choice - Thyatians? Antalians? Gnolls? Dwarves?!!?!). :)
350 BC: Mealiden Starwatcher abdicates the throne. Alevar Grunalf is King of Alfheim.
251 BC: Glimreen Gemeye discovers a jet engine artifact from Blackmoorian times.
? November 26th Romulus and Remus born (okay this is very incomplete ... my idea is to tie Tuma to the RW Rome by having Tuma's dates of existence = the time between Aeneas' voyage from Troy and the founding of Rome - Arkenas = Aeneas. not sure how I want to do this. any suggestions?)
202 BC, October 3rd: Ilirinia is born.
200 BC? Eastwind clan in control of southern Darokin
192 BC: Alphatian troops invade Thyatis.
190 BC: Alphatian conquest of Thyatis complete.
178 BC, April 24th: Lirdrium Arkayz born.
157 BC, December 4th: Traefus Izkirant is born.
Lirdrium and Traefus are the two senator's sons who will later be chosen to guard the halves of the Tuman amulet.
155 BC, April 8th: Darokin City founded.
c. 150 BC: Humanoid attacks on Alfheim prompted by Shadow Elves. work begins on flying city of Serraine. Nagpa and Tabi arrive and volunteer to help with the construction. (Nagpa are coming from Varellya I think?)
130 BC: The City of Tuma disappears from Mystara
c. 100 BC: Traldar slaves in Lost Valley revolt against the Hutaaka. (perhaps Hutaaka are involved in security relationship with Tuma)
98 BC: Rebellion against the corrupt King Bollo of Rockhome; Rockhome Senate Established, after the Tuman/Thyatian model.
91 BC Sphinxes join Serraine project
14 BC the outer shell of Serraine is completed.
2 BC: Lucinius Trenzantanbium drives out or kills Alphatian overlords.
1 BC: Gnomes settle Highforge in Traladara territory
1 AC: Zendrolion Tatrokanitas becomes Emperor.
9 AC Gnomes contact Faenare to join Serraine
16 AC work begun on Great Library of Serraine
20 AC: Emperor Zendrolion dies. Empress Valentia the Justiciar issues her Citizen's Proclamation and initiates other reforms.
21 AC: Ansel Darokin declares himself King of Darokin, beginning the reign of the Eastwind Kings.
39 AC, Ambyrmont 1: The Flying City of Serraine makes its maiden flight.
91 AC Great Library of Serraine completed.
114 AC?: (Tarquins overthrown)
(3)50 AC, April 9th: Sage of Atorathe born.
(3)87 AC, April 20th: first battle
of Shattenfaelsen