The Ages of A’erth

Also Known As: Historical Ages, The Common Historical Model
Classification: Historical Framework
Era: All Ages
Region: Global
Status: Widely Accepted (with regional variations)
Related Articles:
Common Reckoning • Great Alignment • Church of Lathander • Concord of Dawn and Dusk • Elder Gods • Solomons

Overview

The Ages of A’erth are the historical divisions most commonly taught throughout the universities, monasteries, and learned institutions of the United Kingdoms. While the exact boundaries between the ages remain debated, the framework provides a shared understanding of the development of civilization from the earliest myths to the present day.

The chronology is based upon the Common Reckoning (CR), which counts years from the Great Alignment, a celestial event observed across much of the known world. Although the Common Reckoning has become the standard for diplomacy, scholarship, and commerce throughout western A’erth, many civilizations continue to maintain their own calendars and historical traditions.

The Elder Ages

The origins of A’erth lie beyond reliable history. According to most traditions, the elder races, dragons, giants, and primordial beings shaped the world during this forgotten era. Few written records survive, and modern understanding relies primarily upon mythology, archaeology, and scattered oral traditions.

The Age of Heroes

As civilizations emerged, gods and legendary heroes were said to walk openly among mortals. Many of the world’s foundational myths, dynasties, and sacred traditions originate during this period. Whether every account is historically accurate remains a matter of scholarly debate.

The Great Alignment (Year 0 CR)

A rare celestial alignment of A’erth’s four moons marked the beginning of the Common Reckoning. Observed by astronomers and priests across numerous civilizations, the event became the universal reference point for recording history, despite differing interpretations of its meaning.

The Great Alignment remains one of the most significant astronomical events in recorded history.

The Age of Kingdoms

The centuries following the Great Alignment witnessed the rise of enduring kingdoms, expanding trade networks, and increasingly sophisticated systems of governance. Humanity became the dominant political force throughout much of the known world, though ancient realms of elves, dwarves, and other peoples continued to flourish.

The Age of Dawn

The revelations of Lathander transformed western civilization. The Church established monasteries, universities, hospitals, missionary orders, and centers of learning that profoundly shaped the culture and institutions of the United Kingdoms and neighboring realms.

Although highly influential, the Church never became the sole religious authority across A’erth, and many ancient faiths continue to thrive.

The Age of Concord

Following the Battle of Ashwain Stones in 3412 CR, the Concord of Dawn and Dusk established a new balance between kingdoms, faiths, and supernatural powers. The political and religious consequences of the Concord continue to shape the modern age.

Historical Perspectives

While the Ages of A’erth represent the most widely accepted historical framework within the United Kingdoms, they are not universally recognized. Elven chroniclers, dwarven stonekeepers, Khemeti astronomer-priests, and numerous other civilizations organize history according to their own traditions. Most nevertheless acknowledge the Great Alignment as a significant historical milestone, even if they reject its use as the beginning of history.

GM Information

The Great Alignment

The Great Alignment is far more than a convenient starting point for the Common Reckoning. It marks a genuine metaphysical turning point in the history of A’erth. The precise nature of that transformation is intentionally unknown to nearly everyone living in the current age.

Only fragments of the truth survive among ancient civilizations, forgotten orders, and hidden archives.

Notes

A'Erth

Ages of A’erth