Age of Imperial Genesis, The

The Age of Imperial Genesis is the name given by Ambrian historians to the 900 years between the agreed upon beginnings of the Massadorian Empire's existence, and the first recorded instance of contact between Humans and Sea Elves, which in turn was referred to as the Age of Oceanic Exodus.

It is believed that this is also the time the Massadorian Humans began record keeping, as the beginning of hte Age is marked by the discovery of a series of old records that were magically preserved and found by a wandering troupe of adventurers and placed within the Collegium of the Blessed Crown in Daybreak. Various passages within the collection of scrolls point towards several wars of unification and expansion that, while not specifically named by the anonymous author of the documents, do confirm several suspicions by modern historians regarding the rise and fall of the Massadorian Empire. Chief among these is the fact that the barbarian tribes were, in fact, an empire and not simply dubbed that by those who came later.

The documents, dubbed the Massadorian Journals, also describe an unbroken line of decent in regards to several of the well established families within modern Ambrion, such as Nighthaven, Grimwater, Winterend, Smallford, Covendale, Smallridge, Barhill, Bellstar, and Dawnsblood. In conjunction with more recent historical documents that theorize about the period, these journals clearly detail the line of descent from these nine families and lend strong evidence towards the belief that each of these nine families is responsibe both for the rule of one of the original nine Imperial provinces, as well as the foundings of the Nine Holy Cities of Light in the wake of the Empire's fall.

That being said, despite the prominence of information within the journals regarding various historical truths and facts, much is still unknown about the Massadorian Empire and, as such, much of what people believe they know of this and the preceding Ages is shrouded in myth and legend. Some consistencies do exist, however, and have been accepted as factual by the historical community at large in light of no evidence to the contrary.

Timeline:

Year 0: Warrior King Gerlari claims leadership of the Dawnsblood tribe. His scribe marks this event as the true beginning of the Age of Imperial Genesis, thus giving rise to the use of the Massadorian Calendar.

Year 10: Gerlari obtains the blessing of the Gods of War and Death, and interprets such as a sign to conquer and unify the tribes under the Dawnsblood banner.

Year 40: An aged Gerlari is crowned the sovereign ruler of the Massadorian Empire, despite much of the future Imperial regions remaining unconquered and defiant.

Year 50: Gerlari's first born son and his brothers continue the conquest and assimilation of the barbarian kingdoms, uniting the Empire for true.

Year 65: Gerlari's son Gudari and his five brothers rally to defend and quell the rebellious Baron Dagford Arkhaven, who then flees across the Trader's Sea with his disgraced followers to eventually found the Arkhaven dynasty of bards.

Year 100: Gudari's own son, Gevari, assumes the mantel of Massadorian Emperor, whose rule is one of unprecedented peace and stability.

Year 250: Four generations of Imperial rule grant unprecedented stability to the Massadorian people, until the Succession Crisis. Empress Darlani's three sons, each believing themselves best suited for the throne, rally supporters and, in the wake of her untimely death, plunge the Empire into a brief civil war.

Year 260: After ten years of fighting, the youngest of Empress Derlani's sons, Galvar, solidifies his rule and his place as Massadorian Emperor. Another period of stability and peace ensues.

Year 310: Emperor Galvar abdicates his throne due to illness, yet with no sons of his own, bequeaths the Imperial Throne to his nephew, as well as the Imperial hereditary great sword of Dawnsblood. Taking the name of the sword for his own, Galvar thus officially begins the reign of the Dawnslbood Dynasty.

Year 311: An Orc invasion threatens to overwhelm the Empire, and is barely stopped by the Order of the newly formed Order of the Dawn's superior tactics. Emperor Galvar, on his deathbed at this point, names the victorious general Orokor as his successor, even granting him the name Dawnsblood in order to ensure the line remained unbroken.

Year 336: The resurgence of the Orcish invasion results in the death of Emperor Orokor and the succession of his son