The Complete Timeline of Äncián
Introduction
Every kingdom has a history.
Every legend has an origin.
Long before Wurty Longfallow raced to stop the Scourge... before King Thagnor ruled from the Citadel of Darthnor... before the kingdoms of Kalébar and Darthnor stood divided by politics and fear... the world of Äncián had already lived through thousands of years of triumph, discovery, war, and change.
The events of The Last King of Äncale represent only a single chapter in a much larger history stretching well over a millennium.
This is that history.
The Age of the Yara
More than 1,000 Years Before The Last King of Äncale
Long before the elves known to readers of The Last King of Äncale, the world of Äncián belonged to another people.
They were known simply as the Yara.
Much about them has been forgotten. Their language survives only in fragments. Their cities have become ruins buried beneath forests and mountains. Their greatest works remain unexplained even by the scholars of Darthnor.
Yet their influence can still be found everywhere.
Ancient roads.
Forgotten monuments.
Ruined watchtowers.
Songs whose meanings have long since been lost.
The Yara vanished from history, leaving behind mysteries that continue to shape Äncián thousands of years later.
The Coming of the Elves
Sometime after the disappearance of the Yara, a new people emerged.
These were the elves familiar to readers of The Last King of Äncale.
Unlike the mysterious Yara, these elves established kingdoms, preserved written histories, and became renowned for their mastery of music, memory, craftsmanship, and the natural world.
Many of the oldest traditions still practiced during Wurty's lifetime can trace their origins to these first elven kingdoms.
Although long-lived, even the elves possess incomplete knowledge of what came before them.
The Rise of Men
Compared to the elder races, humanity arrived late.
Yet what men lacked in ancient history, they made up for in ambition.
Human settlements multiplied.
Kingdoms rose.
Trade routes expanded.
Cities were built where forests once stood.
Within only a handful of centuries, men transformed the political landscape of Äncián.
The Founding of Darthnor
Among the greatest achievements of mankind was the founding of the Kingdom of Darthnor.
Its capital city, Talnor, and the great Citadel overlooking it were not built by one king.
They were the work of generations.
The first king, Eyrest, whose name means First, began construction by transporting enormous stones down the Perinor River from the Witturris Mountains.
His son Avterah (Second) expanded the city and built the famous Halls of Hearing.
The third king, Thrim, raised the twin side spires and established the first royal gardens.
His son Feortha (Fourth) completed the magnificent central spire that still dominates the skyline centuries later.
Every ruler afterward left his own mark upon the growing capital.
Most recently before the events of The Last King of Äncale:
King Seofotha, Thagnor's father, constructed the Port Gate.
King Thagnor completed the great bridge now bearing his name—Thagnor's Bridge.
The Citadel of Talnor became a physical history book, with each generation literally building upon the work of those before.
A Living World
One of my goals while writing The Certainty of Kings Saga was to create a world that feels as though it existed long before the first page of the novel—and will continue long after the final chapter.
The books tell only a small part of the history of Äncián.
Over the coming weeks, this Lorebook will continue expanding with articles exploring the kingdoms, races, languages, magic, legends, songs, and historical figures that shaped the world.
Because every great fantasy world deserves a history worth exploring.
