Age of Man

See Also: timeline

Before the magi left they left a legacy upon this world. As the Sha’rek’ta created them, so to did they create life. The magi knew that one of the Sha'rek'ta remained on Miranda in eternal slumber. They drew from her the power they need to create life, not fully understanding the cost of their decision. With this power they created the Brund, Ged-zari, and Humans.

Forcing the power of creation from the Sha'rek'ta not only woke her, but drove her insane. She drew in much of the power of the world and would have awoke Mir, but she was stopped by the gods who chained her to the Gate of Time. The gods agreed to forever keep her chained to the gate and the Magi agreed to leave this world forever.

Before they left the Magi took care of their children. They gave the Brund to the dwarves so that they may learn the secrets of the earth, they gave the humans to the elves to learn the magic of the Shadow Realms. Finally the Ged-zari were given the secrets of the Sha'rek'ta and told to guard them until the Magi return.

• Copper Age 0 - 450
• Bronze Age 450 - 1850
• Iron Age 1850 - 2118
• First Comet 2118 - 2181

This is the first of the eras during the Age of Man and lasted over four (4) centuries. While the dwarves quickly abandoned the Brund, the humans were cared for and taught by the elves. While the mind of a human was incapable of harnessing the power of the Shadow Realms as the elves could, they did contain within them the spark necessary to draw far more power. The elves would keep to their bargain with the magi, but only on their terms.

The elves gave the humans the basics of their civilization. Weaving, papyrus, stone tools. Human tribes were scattered across the world, far from the ruins of their creators. The elves preferred to serve as guides rather than mentors. Many human tribes perished, but those that survived adapted and developed agriculture and simplistic metal work. Copper was plentiful and easy to work. With metal tools replacing stone the humans grew to conquer the land.

The first large cultures began to form near the end of this age. The Mesinites, Yu-an, Grippa, and Khall were the first expansive civilizations. Man takes to the seas and large trade routes are built between cities. Wealth and prosperity grows.

The second age starts roughly around the time the Yu-an discover than alloying tin with copper would create a more resilient metal. For over three hundred (300) years the Yu-an export bronze to the known world. They become the first great human civilization. By the end of the first millennia the secrets of bronze has spread among all civilizations beginning the race for supremacy. Although wars between humans had occurred the ability to forge bronze arms and armor provided a huge advantage to the larger civilizations that controlled trade of these metals.

It was the sacking of Mesinite cities from 980 - 1035 that gave rise to the most prominent human civilization during this era. The Handor grew from three small cities to conquer one of the great empires within the span of 250 years. The Mesinites had spread along the shores of the Serpente Sea controlling trade through this vital seaway. Their ports were filled with the spoils of conquest and their people richer than any other. The Handor sacked their cities and completely supplanted their people - they would rule for over a millennia.

By the end of the Bronze Age war is a constant companion for humans. The elves have abandoned their role as teachers and mentors for the humans, preferring to follow the lead of the dwarves - wait for humans to kill themselves. Although the elves were fewer in number their status as the first born afforded them influence among the other godly races. They sought to slow down the human expansion and thirst for bloodshed by closing off trade with any of the other races.

The last of the three ages during Man's first Era, the Iron Age, saw the destruction of the last of the first four great civilizations as the Yu-an fell to civil war. Iron tools and weapons were not superior to bronze, but it allowed smaller city-states to manufacture comparable metal to bronze using only iron. For nearly two-thousand (2000) years trade flowed from the small cities to the largest civilizations as tribute or gifts. With the ability to smelt iron these city-states were freed from their bondage. In place of a few geographical areas control by humans, thousands of small city-states spread across the world.

Their technological discoveries lagged far behind the godly races who ruled most of the world, but the human birth cycle was shorter than any other race. As the birth rates of the godly races declined the humans multiplied across the world. While many of the city-states maintained strong trade routes with other racial cultures, the natural human inclination towards conquest forced many other races to flee before their armies.

Everything changes in 2118 AM (Age of Man). For the first time the Eye of the Magi was seen in the sky. This dull comet brought devastating change to Miranda. Several decades before the comet appeared the elves saw the signs of approaching doom in the disruption to the Shadow Realms across the world. As all mortals are influenced by the Shadow Realms when it suffered so to did the world and its people. Volcanoes spewed ash and lava, enormous hurricanes and earthquakes destroyed settlements, and famine devastated crops.

For over seventy (70) years the comet was visible in the sky. First appearing in the northern hemisphere before making its way south before exiting this world. By 2181 it was no longer visible in the southern sky, but its influence would still be felt for several decades. Blood-driven humans had slaughtered hundreds of thousands. They had burned forests, poisoned lands, and turned the seas bloody red. The strongest cities would have destroyed all mortals except for the intervention by Feuledalyre.

Feuledalyre, an elven scholar, he took up the charge to teach and guide the humans that the magi bargained for millennia ago. He vowed before the Celestial Court that he would tame the humans and save the world.