Timeline
The Ascensus in Caelum teaches us that one millennium ago, Caelum Sol Orbis did battle with Mundi Eversor, a great colossus created by the fiend Tenebrae to destroy the world. The years before Caelum’s battle with Mundi Eversor are suffixed with AO, meaning Ante Orientem or Before the Rising, while the years after are suffixed with PO, meaning Post Orientem or After the Rising.
Ante Orientem
c. 1000 AO
Anfarwol arrives on Fio
Anfarwol, an Eladrin, enters Fio through a portal to the Feywild. His influence on the land would make it bountiful, causing flora and fauna from the Feywild to emerge. This land would eventually become the Sylvan Kingdoms.
Caer Wraidd is built
Anfarwol treks to Anfang and imposes his order on the disparate human societies. Enslaved by the immortal elf, the humans would spend almost a century carving the citadel of Caer Wraidd into the Asgwrn Mountains. Despite the hardship, the citadel’s construction would bring prosperity and unity to the human societies. The humans would name Anfarwol the immortal elf-king of Anfang.
64 AO
Caelum Sol Orbis is born
Caelum Sol Orbis is born an aasimar from human parentage on the 24th day of Ascendentem in the city of Anfang. Raised by a religious family, Caelum quickly gains renown as a paladin of Lathander. His generosity and exploits protecting Anfang justify his rise to power in Lathander’s Church.
29 AO
Alberich Geboren is born
Alberich Geboren is born unto Anfarwol and an unknown human consort.
22 AO
Prima Vita Sol Orbis is born
Prima Vita Sol Orbis is born on the 4th day of Niveus; Caelum’s first and only child. Named First Life by her father, she would become the progenitor of more than thirty generations of the Sol Orbis family following Caelum’s ascension. Aasimar descended from Caelum would bear his distinctive silver halo on their foreheads. This would become the symbol for the Church of Caelum.
0 AO
The Rising
In a bid for power, the fiend Tenebrae conducts a ritual to grow the skeleton of a colossal war machine from the very earth beneath Discidium. Flying high above the Oratory, Caelum watches in horror as Mundi Eversor erupts from the ground of the neighbouring region. So great is the colossus in size that it seems to rise from the horizon as it approaches. Great chunks of earth crumble away from Eversor’s metallic form and rain down on what used to be Discidium. Leaving volcanic ash in its wake, Eversor begins its approach to Anfang. As Eversor takes enormous strides towards Anfang, Caelum soars across the Altum Sea alongside his winged paladins to intercept the colossus.
Returning to the site where his statue now stands, mortally wounded, Caelum gives his last breath to inspire his people. His people’s faith renews his body and, engulfed in a radiant inferno, Caelum ascends to deliver a final blow to Eversor. The resonance engine within Eversor explodes, releasing the Miasma from its corpse. The resulting magical shock wave enchants the deposits of resonite in the earth and the earthmotes begin to rise. As a fissure opens up around Caelum’s city, he stands at its centre and raises his wings. A mighty golden shield grows around the city, holding back the Miasma as Fundus rises into the sky.
Once the turmoil subsides, Caelum releases the shield and falls to his knees, having expended the last of his energy. Caelum’s body erupts into a coruscation of light, and he ascends to divinity. The city is renamed Caelum’s Landing in recognition of their saviour. This event is known as the Rising. It should be noted, however, that this is only what is written in the chronicles of the Church of Caelum. As more and more adventurers brave the Miasma in search of new lands to settle, strange stone pillars are being discovered which seem to hold chapters of another story.
Post Orientem
2 PO
The Church of Caelum is founded
Lathander’s Church completes its transition into the Church of Caelum on Fundus.
23 PO
The first successful flight of a hot air balloon
25 PO
The first successful flight of a glider
26 PO
Anfarwol is killed
The Church begins putting pressure on King Anfarwol to anoint Prima Vita the new theocratic leader. King Anfarwol is killed in the sacking of Caer Wraidd.
Prima Vita Sol Orbis becomes the first Exarch
Hesitant to shoulder the burdens of ruling a nascent theocracy, Prima Vita finds courage in the counsel of Alberich Geboren, the King’s last son. The two are married and Prima Vita becomes the first Exarch aged 48.
27 PO
The Church of Caelum expands
The Church begins sending missionaries to nearby earthmotes.
Prospero Sol Orbis is born
The first child born unto Prima Vita Sol Orbis and Alberich Geboren, Prospero would lament in his mother’s shadow for decades.
29 PO
Pluvia and Nebula Sol Orbis are born.
Born on the same day unto Prima Vita and Alberich, these twins would part ways upon deciding to mutually relinquish their claims to the Exarchy.
46 PO
Alberich Geboren dies
Alberich Geboren, husband to Prima Vita, dies aged 75.
92 PO
Nox arrives in Fio
The earthmote Nox first appears high in the sky skew-north of Fundus in a ring of aurora. The silver dragon Nox, who had gifted the wintry earthmote his namesake, flies down to Caelum’s Landing in search of help, only to be met by the nascent Church’s zealotry. Embittered, Nox returns home intent on securing the future of his people; ensuring they could live self-reliant lives in isolation.
111 PO
Prima Vita Sol Orbis dies
Prima Vita passes away aged 133 and her first son, Prospero becomes Exarch, aged 84.
121 PO
Prospero Sol Orbis dies
Aged 94, Prospero Sol Orbis passes away without an heir after only ten years as Exarch.
The First Sol Orbis Dynasty ends
The Interregnum begins
A 82-year period of feudalism would follow the death of Prospero until the heirs of Pluvia and Nebula would return to Caelum’s Landing.
196 PO
The War of Accession begins
The heirs of Pluvia and Nebula, Cor and Rex Sol Orbis, arrive in Caelum’s Landing to lay claim to the Exarchy.
203 PO
The War of Accession ends
Cor defeats Rex at the Battle of Fountainhead but chooses to spare Rex’s life.
Cor Sol Orbis becomes Exarch
Cor is anointed Exarch by the people of Caelum’s Landing. The young aasimar appoints Rex as Grand Paladin.
The Second Sol Orbis Dynasty begins
The Interregnum ends
204 PO
Madanau arrives in Fio
The desert oasis Madanau appears erde-west of Fundus in a whirlwind of sand. Initially submerged in the Miasma, the enormous emerald dragon, Vulcan, emerges from his dormancy to push Madanau beyond the barrier with his hurricane-like breath. Few denizens of Madanau see the dragon before he returns to his slumber beneath Montanum, but those that did have passed on the tale for generations. Cor Sol Orbis chooses to send aid to Madanau but is met with adversity.
Lydia Iremia journeys to Caelum’s Landing
Lydia Iremia, a curious earth genasi healer from Montanum, sets out on a journey to aid the denizens of Madanau. There she meets Cor Sol Orbis, who attempts to convince Madanau to accept Church aid and the construction of an embassy. Sensing Cor’s intent to be benevolent, Lydia convinces the people of Madanau to accept the Church’s offer.
209 PO
Cor Sol Orbis marries Lydia Iremia
213 PO
Cor Sol Orbis dies
Despite the care of his wife, after a decade of increasing sickness, Cor Sol Orbis passes away.
Rex Sol Orbis becomes Exarch
237 PO
Rex Sol Orbis invades Atada and Atado
Intense feuds between the fractured nations of Atada and Atado result in the deaths of several Church missionaries, prompting the Exarch, Rex Sol Orbis, to declare a holy war on the two earthmotes to the west.
241 PO
The Kingdom of Diamante is founded
Allied with King Dimas Fantoccio of the northern realms, Rex Sol Orbis is able to unite the nations of Atada and Atado in only four years. Inspired by the collective wealth of his new kingdom, Rex installs Fantoccio as the puppet-king of the newly proclaimed Kingdom of Diamante.
266 PO
The First Fundus Civil War begins
A series of incidents come to light exhibiting the current state of the Church and its oppressive form of government. A human named Anselm Chlodovech delivers the people’s demands to Rex Sol Orbis and his family.
274 PO
The First Fundus Civil War ends
The ensuing eight-year civil war concludes with a civilian march on the Oratory. When Rex Sol Orbis refuses to step down, Chlodovech executes the Exarch while he sits stalwart on his throne.
The Second Sol Orbis Dynasty ends
The Fundus Republic is founded
Chlodovech anoints himself Chancellor of the nascent Fundus Republic and construction begins on the Ministerial Houses where his new government would take shape. A period of unrest would follow as Chlodovech’s Republic would consistently fail to deliver the needs of its people.
411 PO
The Second Fundus Civil War begins
Chancellor Ewalt Niemann would turn to corruption and exploitation in order to accumulate the funds and resources he needed to stay in power. Auga Vigil, a proponent of the Church of Caelum, becomes aware of this corruption and begins a campaign to remove Niemann from office. Peaceful protests erupt into civil war with Vigil unwittingly becoming the new voice of the Church and the people.
416 PO
The Fundus Constitution is signed
Facing increasing resistance as support for Vigil grows across the Republic’s territories, Niemann is eventually deposed by his own senate for his refusal to surrender. Niemann’s envoy and adviser, Klemens Frey, would sign a charter alongside Vigil in 416 PO. Since this date, the Church of Caelum has been a constitutional theocracy. The power of government resides with the people, while the Exarch serves as head of state. However, it is still commonplace for the nation to be known simply as the “Church”.
The First Vigil Dynasty begins
Auga Vigil assumes the role of Exarch after some encouragement from their peers, given their blood relation to the Sol Orbis family. A new Vigil dynasty would begin while Frey would take on the new role of Chairman at the Ministry.
617 PO
Little Nox separates from Tenebrae’s Refuge
Erde-south-west of Fundus, the earthmote known as Tenebrae’s Refuge is constantly weathered by the Fountainhead Falls. In 617 PO, the eastern side of Tenebrae’s Refuge is abandoned when it becomes clear the erosion would finally cause the earthmote to split in two. The new smaller earthmote remains stable and is named Little Nox.
748 PO
Ingenium arrives in Fio
The sprawling brass metropolis of Ingenium appears in the skies north-east of Fundus in the year 748 PO, bringing with it a displaced but technologically advanced culture in the tens of thousands. Facing an energy crisis, they sought the assistance of the Church while acclimating to the new world in which they found themselves.
756 PO
Ingenium is propelled towards Fundus
Artifex Calligo, Ingenium’s prime minister, reaches an agreement with Manus Sol Orbis, the Exarch, and with the help of the monks of the Spirit Temple, the earthmote Ingenium is moved alongside Fundus’ north-eastern shore. The agreement leads to advances in resonance engines, airships, street lighting and the establishment of the Calligo Way, a network of cable cars providing convenient travel between the Innermotes.
899 PO
The Commission is founded
The Commission for the Research of Offshore Worlds, affectionately called the Crows or simply the Commission, is founded by Glimback Toestubber in 899 PO. Originally known as the Explorer’s Guild, the Crows secures government funding in 923 PO when approached by Ardeat Sol Orbis to begin prospecting new earthmotes for colonisation. Though in the employ of the government, the Crows continue to work independently, conducting research into the Miasma and the curious beasts that reside within.
964 PO
Aura Sol Orbis is born
Aura Sol Orbis is born unto Ardeat Sol Orbis and his first wife on the 14th day of Viridis in the Oratory on Caelum’s Landing. Much of her upbringing is focused on preparing her for the day she would inevitably take over as Exarch. Though she shares a close relationship with her father, her politics would grow apart from his as she watches him perpetuate the Medusae Wars and the Church’s expansionist practices.
966 PO
Spiro Sol Orbis is born
972 PO
The Inquisition is founded
975 PO
Sana Sol Orbis is born
976 PO
The Medusae Wars begin
The gargantuan jungle earthmote, known to its inhabitants as Mallia, erupts from the seas erde-south-east of Fundus. The Church sends an expeditionary force to Mallia to ascertain its eligibility for colonisation. The expedition is met by a tribe of “Reptilian people with snakes for hair.” These were Medusae, the warriors of the Mallian queen, Vasilissa, capable of turning those who meet their gaze to stone. The expedition is quickly routed, but despite this, further expeditions into the queen’s territory succeed in establishing trade routes with the estranged peoples of Mallia. The queen takes exception to this and declares war on the Church.
977 PO
Clara Sol Orbis is born
980 PO
The Mallian Revolution begins
Church Missionaries are sent to Mallia to improve relations with the Mallian traders. A chapel is constructed on the outskirts of the queen’s jungle. Within four years, the Church is able to incite civil war on Mallia. The war lasts a further three years until the divine warriors of Caelum discover a source of basilisk oil, used to return those petrified by the medusae to their normal state.
983 PO
The Medusae Wars end
On the 17th of Perventum 983 PO, a final decisive battle is fought in the skies south-east of Caelum’s Landing. The Church’s fleet of gliders engage invading squid-like aircraft from Mallia. The Mallian queen intends to eradicate Caelum worship in one fell swoop, but her forces are routed by the Church’s superior firepower. Vasilissa is forced to concede the territories gained by the Church, and an armistice is signed in 983 PO.
Many wrecks of Church gliders and Mallian flagellates can be found on the seabed beneath where the battle took place. Every year, Caelum’s Landing celebrates Arrows Day on the 17th of Perventum. Kites are flown throughout the city to commemorate those who lost their lives in the battle, and in appreciation of the peace they helped to create.
986 PO
Aura Sol Orbis becomes Exarch
Following the death of her father, Ardeat Sol Orbis, Aura Sol Orbis is anointed the new Exarch in a grand coronation on the 11th day of Flavum. Accepting her crown at only 22 years of age, Aura takes an oath of redemption as a paladin of the Church, swearing to right the wrongs of the Medusae Wars and help those affected reintegrate into society. She would go on to declare her brother, Spiro, Grand Paladin and Prefect of Ingenium, her sibling, Sana, Prefect of Madanau and her sister Clara, Prefect of Tenebrae’s Refuge.
990 PO
Abyssus is discovered
An advanced submarine made by Ingenium’s top artificers succeeds in capturing images of illuminated, jellyfish-like domed structures at the bottom of the Vena Trench. The submarine is subsequently attacked on its return journey by triton riding giant sharks. Fortunately, the crew is able to escape unharmed. The mysterious underwater city is named Abyssus by explorers that until now had only inferred its existence.
996 PO
Creed’s Hollow arrives in Fio
Creed’s Hollow emerges from the Miasma in a ring of hellfire. The earthmote flies over Madanau and rains imps from the Nine Hells down upon its citizens. Though Madanau is able to repel the attack, the oasis at its centre is damaged by a shard of hellish black rock that fell from the rogue earthmote. With the imps defeated, monks of the Spirit Temple are able to arrest the earthmote and attend to its displaced denizens. The Church’s ambassadors are met by a village of tiefling farmers who, until recently, had been living in seclusion in Avernus, free of Zariel’s rule. Creed’s Hollow enjoys healthy relations with the Church and trades in agricultural produce native to the Nine Hells.
Madanau is attacked by fiends
An earthmote of deteriorated black rock emerges from the Miasma to the west as if torn from Avernus and thrown by Zariel herself. The earthmote casts a menacing shadow over Madanau, raining down ash and bloodthirsty fiends. The citizens of Madanau are quickly rushed to shelters while clerics from the Church fight back the imp invaders. Monks from the Spirit Temple are dispatched to arrest the rogue earthmote as it passes over Madanau. Flying their gliders in a circular formation, the monks produce a magical golden shield that dwarfs the earthmote in size. The monks are able to arrest and stabilise the earthmote, but not before a shard of hellish rock skewers the oasis at Madanau’s centre like a stake through its heart.
Though the imps are defeated and Madanau saved, the oasis’ source, a portal to the elemental plane of water, remains damaged to this day. Blights of tainted water and spoiled fish lead many of Madanau’s citizens to leave and seek refuge on Caelum’s Landing. Despite this, those who choose to remain have developed an unparalleled community and work ethic. With help from the Dawnroot druids, the citizens of the ancient desert earthmote are able to stabilise the portal and develop measures to prevent or mitigate future blights.