Here's a brief timeline for Terafa. I should perhaps note that this is very much focused on the continent of Talara, largely because that is where my focus is right now. I should also note that this history essentially stops with the Unheaval, some three hundred years before the present day - everything after that is considered to be more modern history.
Approx 6,000 years before the creation of the world: The rise of the dragonborn empire of Talkalasa, Empire of the Seven Sins. This empire held sway over the whole of Terafa for several hundred years before coming to an end. The survivors are those involved in The Return to the Egg, and consequently know nothing of the exact mechanisms by which the empire ceased to exist. Given that these events occurred prior to Creation, the dates are of course disputed.
Creation of the World: There is remarkable consistency in the dating of the creation of the world: elves, goblins, and even the great dragons who numbered as the very first inhabitants of the world consistently identify it as occurring 5,781 years before the present day.
Passing out of Faerie: Approximately fifty years after the creation of the world, the primal beings who would become elves and goblins (and gnomes) left the Faewild to make their homes in Terafa. They were utterly changed by this transition, and inevitably diminished.
War of the Twins, and The Sundering: Some two centuries after the Passing out of Faerie the elven peoples engaged in a great war between siblings. Elven legend claims that until that point the elves had two great deities, Jolin and Lorissa, who were siblings and lovers. It is said that Lorissa became jealous of the greater love the elves bore for Jolin and so laid a trap, corrupting the inherent magic of the elves to draw them to her side. Horrified by her wickedness and the corruption of the elven peoples, Jolin struck back. Eventually, the elves were sundered into the Solra and Filos elves who followed Jolin, Lorissa's Sirroth elves who were defeated and driven below the surface, and the Ghorn elves who refused to take sides and were therefore shunned by both. Other elven offshoots were the aquatic and avian elves - prior to this point elves could change shape as needed, but this ability was lost at this time, along with the immortality they had previously enjoyed.
Awakening of the Dwarves, and Ascent to the Sky: After innumerable years enslaved by forces unknown, the dwarves awake in the depths with no memory of their past. They then spend many years climbing steadily to the surface of Terafa, leaving behind various offshoots as they climb. Eventually, about a hundred years after the elves are Sundered, the dwarves emerge onto the surface of Terafa.
The Arrival of Man: One of only a few events in ancient history with a clearly fixed date, the Arrival of Man occurred in the 1,656th year of creation. Choriam the morningstar, king of the heavens, was wandering the skies when he chanced upon Man, who at that time was fleeing some unknown catastrophe. In his great love for this new people he guided them to their new home on Terafa, whereupon they promptly multiplied to cover the world.
Shattering of the Gates: Shortly after the Arrival of Man, the Usurper attempted to claim humanity for his own. Launching a great war in heaven, he led fully one third of the angelic host in rebellion against Choriam and the rest of the Pantheon. On Terafa, this event coincided with terribly upheavals of all sorts: tempest, and avalanche, and eruption. Eventually, the War in Heaven was won, and the Usurper and his followers confined to the newly-created Fastness of the Divine. However, the Gates of Heaven were shattered, and they have never been rebuilt.
Alvarost: Starting in the year 2,682 the first human empire of Alvarost was founded. Led by the now-legendary King Tawan, a cadre of warriors carved out a kingdom from chaos. After years of struggle Alvarost finally secured its borders and entered a golden age for the remaining half-century of Tawan's unusually long life. However, almost immediately following the succession of his son Aldar the court collapsed into infighting and jealousy. In the year 2,747, after five years of bitter civil war, the empire formally collapsed. Legend blames the collapse of Alvarost on Pelenor Corariath, who became Tawan's advisor in the final year of his life and then advised King Aldar. It is claimed that his instigated the civil war as part of a bid for power in his own right. It should be noted that the dates of both the founding and dissolution of Alvarost are debated, with many placing these events prior to the War in Heaven.
Elven Wars of Conquest: In 2,786, after two (human) generations of darkness, the Solra forging their own empire, intending to bring order where there had previously been chaos. Perhaps notably, this time saw an inversion of the elven societal order - elven societies are almost universally matriarchal, with each nest presided over by a powerful Queen, but Solrakion was always ruled by a king. During their wars of conquest the elves would enslave the dwarven people, drive the orcs and goblins to the very fringes of Talara, and eventually bring humans to heel under their rule.
Founding of Solrakion: In 2,886, almost exactly a century after their first attack, the elves brought their wars of conquest to an end with the crowning of the first elven King, Rigerion. The empire would stand for almost a millennium in one form or another, though almost never without strife - orcs and goblins would continuously threaten the borders, while the dwarves would revolt several times before finally achieving their freedom.
Liberation of Khalvarlock: In the year 3,682, following decades of hard struggle, and several previous failed attempts, the dwarven people finally gained their freedom from Solrakion. The final treaty was signed by the six elven king, Odeskian the Second, and the first dwarven Thane, Retorik. However, the animosity between the peoples would continue for an age.
Fall of Solrakion: The first elven empire came to its end in the year 3,747 with the destruction of the citadel of Naris by orcish hordes. Concurrently, humans who had long chafed under elven rule threw off their shackles, and the empire very quickly buckled. The final elven king, Galandia, was succeeded by Queen Hemmanis the Just. She led her people into a great retreat, from which they would not emerge for decades.
The Ride to Tharok: Fifty years after the fall of Solrakion the same orcish hordes that sacked Naris had overrun the entire eastern empire, and proceeded to the very gates of Tharok, foremost of the cities of men. As hope seemed lost, a great elven host arrived at the city, with Queen Hemmanis at their head. In light of this rescue, the first treaty of accord between men and elves was agreed.
Founding of Invala: In 3,880 central Talara saw the emergence of a new force as a legion of humans arrived. None know whence they came, but they proved almost uncannily adept at defeating orcish forces. Quickly securing a wide swathe of territory they established what would become the Invalan Empire, an empire that would stand for thousands of years - indeed Invala still exists to an extent, although it is irretrievably diminished.
Loosed Chaos, and the Rebirth: Around the year 4,000 the Usurper broke free from the Fastness of the Divine. Although eventually contained, he caused great havoc in the interim, slaying the sister of Shallanah (and thus passing portfolio of money to the patron of the halflings), seeding all manner of monsters across the land, and shattering the city of Telanos. The years following the recapture of the Usurper are known as the Rebirth, and are also considered the start of the Age of Empires.
The Second Elven Empire: In the year 3,911 the Solra saw the demise of Queen Hemmanis the Just in unusual circumstances. She was succeeded by her daughter, but Manterris was little more than a figurehead - the major power in Solrakion was her consort, King Algonian. He founded the second empire of Solrakion and began the wars of conquest again. The dwarven citadel of Khalnerak was quickly overrun and renamed Khaelum Nahl - the Thrall State. The second elven empire would span from the coasts to North and West to Khaelum Nahl in the East and the city of Tharok to the South. It never achieved the majesty of the first elven empire, but certainly rivalled it in terms of the brutality of its rule.
War of Elven Succession: While the Solra were engaged in their wars of conquest, the Filos had largely retreated to their kingdom of Mulhacen. In the year 4,012 the Queen Mallial died leaving no clear successor. Two claimants were quickly championed, one by the Solra and the other by the dwarves of Khalvarlock. This proved the spark that woke the long-dormant tensions between the kingdoms, and the War of Elven Succession began. This would run until the year 4,020, and consist of eight years of futility and waste before ending in exhausted stalemate. During the course of the war both claimants would be slain in battle, and Mulhacen itself became a republic of sorts, governed by a council of elven Lords and Ladies. The Queens of the nests would thereafter serve in a purely advisory capacity.
Reunification of the Sol: In 4,053 a great invitation was issued from Solrakion, that saw a gathering of Queens from all branches of elvendom - the Solra, the Filos, and the Sirroth, plus also the aquatic and avian elves. Only the Ghorn were not invited. Following this great gathering a ritual of enormous power was enacted that bound the elven peoples together once again, and the Sol were reborn. The ritual was not without a cost, as although the Sol were once again immortal (or, rather, ageless), and glorious in their pride and power, they did not regain their previous malleability of form. Worse, a great trap was sprung, as the Sol found that their Queens were no longer fertile. And so with no new generation to be born, they were doomed to eventually fade into extinction. Today the only elves that remain are the descendants of the Ghorn elves who had been shunned by all.
Rise of Moritovia: For most of its existence Moritovia was a kingdom of little significance in the far east of Talara. However, around the year 4,500 the archmage Drachias persuaded Prince Adrion to marry his daughter Sacha. Their union was short-lived, with Prince and Princess, as well as the final king, dead within two years. Drachias assumed the throne of Moritovia and engaged in a series of reforms that transformed the nation into a modern and powerful state. Moritovia would then expand rapidly, culminating with it subsuming the entire eastern portion of the Invalan Empire in 4,970.
The Upheaval: In 5,460 the Usurper broke free of the Fastness of the Divine once again. This event would see the end of the Age of Empires and the breaking of Talara, as portions of the Fastness of the Divine crashed to destroy eastern Talara. The kingdom of Moritovia ceased to exist, although Drachias was elevated to godhood. Invala was permanently crippled by its losses. Meanwhile, the last of the Sol died out, and with them much direct memory of the past. The modern age begins.
The Present: The current year is 5,781.
