"Ages": History and How Much Info to Share

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Seven Sons of Sin
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"Ages": History and How Much Info to Share

Post by Seven Sons of Sin » Tue Apr 07, 2015 8:47 am

I'm of the opinion that the older things are, the less obscure they should be at an OOC level to ensure there is at least some retention of Old Things.

I think, moving forward with Arelith's historiography, a neat way we can establish a hierarchy of knowledge is through Arelith's classification of "Ages" - as cliche as it may seem, I think it can neatly (or not messily!) divide Arelith's narratives into some distinct periods.

This is what I have off the top of my head -

20 BR - 20s AR, the death of Duke Galverson - Age of Barons
20s AR - 40s - Second Age (this is pre-political update, the glory days of udos, many old factions etc.)
40s AR - 60s - Third Age (politics, politics, politics)
60s - 80s - Age of Collapse (pit town rise and fall, collapse of Benwick, rediscovery of Kohlingen, etc.)
80s - present - Present

Age of Barons can have the most detailed (but still restrained) information. Think of more detailed timelines, full names, obscure factions, every conflict detailed.
Second Age has a little less than the Age of Barons. Full names aren't always provided. You begin to see approximate dates. Obscure factions are alluded to briefly.
Third Age is obscure. Names of people and places are mentioned heavily in metaphor, or passing reference. Things get classified mostly into decades. A lot is said and not-said simultaneously.
Age of Collapse is where you might just get dates, names, but no real correlation between the two.

An example of how information may be limited, based off of some arbitrary example:

Ayin Mesmer, Age of Barons:
Ayin Zaruuk Hayan Mesmer, born in the year 7 BR, was a Thayan zulkir of Divination hailing from Bezantur, and a personal prodigy of the infamous Szass Tamm. Ayin Zaruuk Mesmer began as a humble, lowly diviner before quickly gaining notoriety due to his necromantic practices and political machinations. He achieved greatest stature when he formed the first truly established Thayan Enclave, with co-conspirators - all Thayan also - such as Peony Daisies, Melanthur Krass, and Fredd. He also became the leader of Wharftown during this time, with Thayans having secure control from 32 to 34.
Ayin Mesmer was at the centre of the "Wharftown Liberation" which ended Thayan rule of Wharftown, but also resulted in a drastic demographic shift, as the Waymen quickly became the Waywoman, and bloodshed was spilled on the docks - but mostly innocent blood, not Thayan blood.
Ayin retreated then into the shadows, re-emerging as a political magnate in the 45, becoming a Cordorian Councilor for successive terms, and establishing another Thayan Enclave in Cordor in 44.
He retired from politics before the year 50, and spent his remaining years as a arcane powerhouse, consorting with the Quintumvirate of Archmagi who would dominate Tower politics throughout the 50s.
Whereabouts still unknown.

Ayin Mesmer, Second Age.
Ayin Mesmer began as a humble, lowly diviner before quickly gaining notoriety due to his necromantic practices and political machinations. He achieved greatest stature when he formed the first truly established Thayan Enclave, with co-conspirators - all Thayan also, in the 30s. Ayin Mesmer was at the centre of the "Wharftown Liberation" which ended Thayan rule of Wharftown.
Ayin retreated then into the shadows, re-emerging as a political magnate in the 45, becoming a Cordorian Councilor.
He retired from politics before the year 50, and spent his remaining years as a arcane powerhouse, consorting with the Quintumvirate of Archmagi.

Third Age
Ayin Mesmer was at the centre of the "Wharftown Liberation" which ended Thayan rule of Wharftown.
Ayin retreated then into the shadows, re-emerging as a political magnate in the 45, becoming a Cordorian Councilor.
Involved in the Arcane Tower.

Age of Collapse
Ayin Mesmer, Thayan, Red Wizard, involved in Wharftown, Councilor of Cordor, and former Archmage. Involved in establishing Enclaves, Wharftown Liberation, and many plots and schemes.
Previous:
Oskarr of Procampur, Ro Irokon, Nahal Azyen, Nelehein Afsana (of Impiltur), Vencenti Medici, Nizram ali Balazdam, (Roznik) Naethandreil

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The Man of the Moon
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Re: "Ages": History and How Much Info to Share

Post by The Man of the Moon » Wed Apr 08, 2015 6:56 am

While I like your point of view...

I think that clasification should be entirely UP for IG historicians. (In this sense, the clasifications I made were only tools to help the track of events, I won't traslate that into the Main Timeline or Chronology, as there will be placed all the events from the whole Arelith World)

But yes, I agree that the should also cut in the 80´s considering all from the 81 AR till present days as modern history, also up for historicians...

And aswell I agree that we keep only a short track of old events, removing detaills and polishing the entries, as I will slowly do with our current works.

Once IG the ages were considered, we could use them in the Timeline... But at moment, I may avoid "bias" and too much "indirect metagame". What if, because we stablished said Ages, some pc historician couldn't get the credits of be the one who organizated the Arelith History? There we may fall in the same trouble as if we detailled too much everything, removing any chance of research for them.
Disclaimer: All what I write are simple opinions of a player and always with honest intention to contribute constructively and from respect, but with a poor knowledge of English.

Thank you

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