Hello. How do you all handle timelines in fantasy games. Especially with magic, gods running around, and more races? Do they rapidly progress from stone age into bronze and then into iron and medieval? Do you skip some levels? I've looked at many homebrew timelines (on websites) and some had them divided into ages (though they were ages divided by wars and cataclysms). Most of the timelines just had wars, nations rising and falling, heroes, magic, etc. I was working on my timeline for my homebrew and was stumped. How many years do you think it takes for the civilizations of your world to "step to the next level"?
Timelines in Fantasy Games (the ages of man)
- Thread starter redwing
- Start date
I have the time of the elves and dwarf, man and orc are no more than animals, pest and beast. It was the dwarves that saw what man could be and taught them the way of the forge. From there they expanded there realms, this is why dwarf and man get along so well. Once the elves saw what the dwarves made of man they tryed use them and turn then against the dwarves, they gave man magic!
In my example man skips over most of the stone age, the bronze age and goes into iron.
In my example man skips over most of the stone age, the bronze age and goes into iron.
Desdichado
Hero
In most legendary timelines, technology was pretty much a constant, not evolving. I typically do the same thing, actually. After all, if we posit a world in which mythological gods are real, than the idea that technology came from them and hasn't really progressed much actually could make some sense.
Well in my campaign (a middle ages/renaissance mix) I was wondering what year I should set it in? I know that someone is going to tell me to base it off of the real world's timeline but with magic and gods' help wouldn't man progress alot faster? I was thinking a 1,000 after the creation.
Tonguez
A suffusion of yellow
The concept of Historic Timelines is a relatively modern invention and so not something I worry too much about. Also its not always possible to compare Earth and Fantasy history - such a reasonable argument can be made that without the Dark Ages the earth would have progressed differently to what it did)Instead I use 'Legendary ages' and a structure like that of the Bible (Old Testaments) 'Books' - like in my first ever Homebrew world Terayne (created when I was a teenager)
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The Books of Ibn-Daoud (Terayne Homebrew World
The Book of Dreams - when Mortals yet slept in the womb of the Earth Mother and the Gods created the world
The Book of Power - when the Mortal races awoke and the Great Lawgivers moved amongst them
The Book of Sorrows - when the One Land was torn asunder and the Gods did war in the heavens
The Book of Kings - when the Mortal Races found themselves without Law and abandoned by their Gods. They began anew and rebuilt their lands appointing Kings and Nations for themselves.
The Book of Shadows - when the Gods once more returned to teach those who they had once ruled until the rise of the Dark One
The Book of War - when the Mortals Nations did war one against another and brother against brother for the glory of the Dark One
The Book of Heroes - when the Dark One was cast into the abyss and all that he had wrought was made right by the hand of heroes
The Book of Nations - the current Age
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The Books of Ibn-Daoud (Terayne Homebrew World
The Book of Dreams - when Mortals yet slept in the womb of the Earth Mother and the Gods created the world
The Book of Power - when the Mortal races awoke and the Great Lawgivers moved amongst them
The Book of Sorrows - when the One Land was torn asunder and the Gods did war in the heavens
The Book of Kings - when the Mortal Races found themselves without Law and abandoned by their Gods. They began anew and rebuilt their lands appointing Kings and Nations for themselves.
The Book of Shadows - when the Gods once more returned to teach those who they had once ruled until the rise of the Dark One
The Book of War - when the Mortals Nations did war one against another and brother against brother for the glory of the Dark One
The Book of Heroes - when the Dark One was cast into the abyss and all that he had wrought was made right by the hand of heroes
The Book of Nations - the current Age
Darraketh
First Post
I posted a real world timeline in this thread. It make help put thing in perspective.
I am currently working on a timeline for my homebrew. This how I am handling it.
I start with a world map. On the map I pinpoint the origin of each race as created by their gods. From those points each race race multiplies and spreads out across the land.
Next, I document the significant milestones for each race. Important events would certainly include first contact with the other races.
*more on this later, dinner's ready*
I am currently working on a timeline for my homebrew. This how I am handling it.
I start with a world map. On the map I pinpoint the origin of each race as created by their gods. From those points each race race multiplies and spreads out across the land.
Next, I document the significant milestones for each race. Important events would certainly include first contact with the other races.
*more on this later, dinner's ready*
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