Roughly 31000 SE(Solitude Era) – Roughly 3000 SE — Human existence throughout all realms seems to follow similar patterns: the discovery of fire, paintings on cave walls, domestication of animals for hunting or for eating, the emergence of art, the colonization of land, the first settlements with the production of agriculture, the invention of the wheel, and the first use of number and writing systems. Unfortunately, humans bring with them more than simply invention and prosperity. Wars over territory and resources, slavery, and cruelty in all forms are normal to see at any point in human history, but seem to be the most pronounced during this time period when ethics and morality (where they exist) are created by the ruling class as they invent goddesses and gods that are always on their side. Though not every realm will follow these trends in exactly the same way or at the same time, most all of these are foundational to early human evolution.
Of course, there are always exceptions. All realms are slightly different from each other due to the principles of Universal Fluctuation (see 2047 ME), and may not follow expected patterns. Due to differences in how land might form, animal life, plant life, and even human biology itself, some realms may see certain aspects of this pattern to be more or less significant. For example, because Tamerans evolved with the ability to photosynthesize, the domestication of animals for food was deemed unnecessary, but the need to grow healthy plants to supplement the nutrients they couldn’t get from photosynthesis alone was a major priority.
~3000 SE – ~2000 SE — Civilizations and dynasties begin to form, showing a clearer outline of what will eventually become continents and countries. Around this time, many areas begin creating their own currencies, making it easier to mark the value of goods, labor, and services. Both of these allow for simplified trade among neighboring countries and help establish overseas trading.
~2200 SE – ~700 SE — The ability to forge iron into better tools and weapons spreads, either forcibly through war or in trade. While its use in war in unquestioned, iron changed agriculture as well, the stronger tools allowing farmers to get work done more quickly and allowing them to experiment with new crops or use their time with other skills, such as sewing, crafting, and hunting.
During this time, there is also a sharp rise in cultural reform. Art, philosophy, plays, and inventions are created and improved upon throughout the world, most especially the continent of Alvaron, where Ovation becomes the first country to allow for democratic elections.
~900 SE – ~100 ME(Magi Era) — In this era in particular, the rise of many types of religions and monuments to the goddesses of those religions are created, usually off the back of slave labor. Competing religions in neighboring countries would go to war, and the victors would often destroy any texts, symbols, or monuments to their enemy’s religious beliefs, making it difficult to accurately track and record what many ancient civilizations worshipped.
~300 SE – ~200 ME — During the peak of the era where wars were being fought based on proving one’s religion was mightier and holier than any other, the first Magus was born—a person with the ability to control mana and cast magic spells. In this time, there were already numerous tales of people that could turn back time, read minds, create food and clothing from their hair, but the first true Magus of Gaia is believed to have been Demetria Nomikos. Parsing out the rumors from the realities has always been difficult for historians, but it is believed that she was a casting specialist with an affinity for enhancement and enchantment magic. While tales of her exploits were greatly exaggerated, it is known for a fact that she brought death and destruction to Belgram, Connelis, and Aspiria.
Nomikos was only the first Magus to arrive, and over the next two centuries, more would arrive, and the destruction would only get worse, as countries would use their power to serve as proof that they were right to fight and conquer all who stood in their way. There are many stories that the mere sight of an approaching Magus would cause warriors to either retreat or surrender on the spot.
It was Boudicca Quinn that is said to have ending the constant warring between countries. Stories tell that she had expressed how tired she was of killing others in battle and asked the queen of Stellaria to let her rest, but when the queen refused, she was forced back on a massive battlefield, where she effortlessly slaughtered everyone, including two other Magi along with her fellow soldiers. Upon her return to the castle, before the queen could speak a single word, Quinn
killed her while she sat on the throne, and then did the same to her family so that there would be no heir to take her place. The story ends with her asking one of the queens former servants “NOW can I rest?” before leaving, never to be seen again. Historians are still uncertain of the validity of this sensational story, but it is believed to be true, as warring over religious beliefs halted abruptly, old texts citing fear of Quinn’s return as the reason.
268 ME — A calendar is created similar to Earth’s Gregorian calendar, but is changed in 603 ME to the more current calendar, the Belmonte Calendar. This calendar, while also divided into twelve months, changes yearly to reflect the solstices and equinoxes. The third month of each season will always end the day of the solstice or equinox (if it occurs after noon that day) or the day before the solstice or equinox (if it occurs at or before noon on that day). The days of each month will depend on the length of the season with the third month always being the modifier. For example, if a season last for 88 days, the first two months will have 29 days each, and the third month will have 30 days. If a season last for 89 days, the first two months with have 30 days each, and the third month will have 29 days. This calendar will see a few slight changes over time, but will mostly stay the same. The main changes made will be to the names of the months (see 576 ME and 2000 ME).
330 ME — With the growing belief that the Magi are messengers from the Goddess, an official religion is established around their existence, as opposed to the Magi simply being a symbol that the gods were siding with an already-established religion. Called “The Disciples of Arcadia”, they worshipped the Magi as guardians sent from another world called “Arcadia”. They believed the Magi were created by the Goddess and sent to watch over Gaia in an attempt to end war, famine, cure all diseases, and create a utopia for everyone to share in peace. The Disciples of Arcadia would remain a relatively small group until the mid-600’s when realm crashers were becoming a more extreme threat. At this point, the belief that the Magi were sent to save them from these people became the Disciples of Arcadia’s central belief and the membership of the religion began to slowly grow.
576 ME — First recorded incident of a hostile magician from another realm , dubbed “realm crashers”, invading Gaia occurs. An entire city is nearly wiped out, only to be saved by the curious spatial magic specialist, Olga Fritz, who showed up and helped a younger Magus who was being overpowered. The famous line “She arrived like the light of spring” is almost certainly what prompted the way months were named in the current calendar.
599 ME — More frequent realm crasher incidents prompt the Magi to start working together, at times against the wishes of Queens and rulers of warring countries.
601 ME — The first Library of Magic is established in an off-limits area to store dangerous and unknown magical items. This building started out as a small storage shack, but as more and more realm crashers met their end and left behind grimoires, trinkets, and other strange magically-infused items, the building saw several different expansions to the point of it becoming difficult for the Magi to navigate it.
657 ME — Diana Visser, the woman considered to be the greatest caster that ever lived and arguably the most notable Magus in history, forged a formal pact with the other Magi, working to establish a team that would work together to take out realm crashers, no matter where they appeared on Gaia. Things did not go smoothly, as two of the Magi were currently on opposing sides of warring countries, but an agreement was made and a pact was forged “with no exceptions”.
659 ME — The pact forged only two years prior was broken when a realm crasher appeared in [redacted], and the illusion specialist that lived in the country opposing [redacted] chose not to uphold her end of the agreement until [redacted] was in ruins. Devastated by the betrayal [redacted], which mean that Gaia [redacted]. Days later, the illusion specialist would take her own life in recompense.
663 ME — A summit is held among world leaders to discuss what happened four years ago involving [redacted], and it is decided that [redacted]. In a rare moment of agreement among all nations, this decision is agreed on unanimously. Careful measures are taken to change [redacted] worldwide, and [redacted] is eventually made into the new normal.
739 ME – 751 ME — A bitter civil war escalates, ending with the country of Haven separating into North Haven and South Haven.
740 ME – 1279 ME — A culture of artistic appreciation begins and grows within Versonir’s continent as four out of the next five spatial specialist Magi are born there, each one bringing back amazing treasures and sculptures from other realms.
811 ME – 831 ME — Twin Magi, a casting specialist and an enchantment specialist, lead a twenty-year war in Eusinria against neighboring countries, annexing several of them at the behest of their queen. They are stopped when another Magi, a bonding specialist, makes an impassioned plea, showing them with magic the pain they’ve caused others. The land was not given back, but reconstruction began with neighboring countries once the queen was found dead after an apparent assassination.
885 ME — A devastating realm crasher attack in Endroit Calme, an area unguarded by any Magi at the time, leaves the country ablaze before word can spread of what’s happening. Though official numbers vary, it is said between 35,000-42,000 lost their lives in the weeks it took news to reach the nearest Magus, Morgaine Fahey. After witnessing the carnage caused by a single stray realm crasher, Fahey first turned to leaders of each country in Gaia, asking them to arrange a faster means of communication between friendly neighboring countries. This would become the predecessor to the modern mail and infrastructure in Gaia today. Second, Fahey spoke with her fellow Magi, asking two things of them: First, she asked that they reform Diana Visser’s pact from more than two centuries ago. Second, she asked that everyone guide the spatial specialist, Steren Argus, to areas where she hadn’t been before so that she may have a wider range of areas to help protect, starting with their homes, so that they may all gather more easily. In addition, she wanted Argus to travel as much as she could in order to teach younger Magi with a talent for spatial magic as much as possible in case of her illness or death. The main goal was to eventually have a generation of Magi that could go to any destination at any time to encounter realm crashers. There was some initial pushback on this, but by this point, each Magus had seen the scorched ruins and charred bodies that littered Endroit Calme. Though this new pact would become strained, and much infighting would occur over the years, it stuck, and has yet to be broken.
916 ME — The autobiography “The Travelling Magus” that details the life and exploits of Steren Argus becomes a sensation. Honest to a fault, the book details her talks with people all over the world, expressing the worries and hopes of those she spoke with, as well as frequently giving her personal opinions. The book explores topics such as mandatory education for children, misinformation and war propaganda, the importance of artistic expression (a topic she especially took note of when visiting Versonir), and many other subjects that would have been considered scandalous or even treasonous in certain areas had they come from anyone else. A few countries considered having the book banned, but they thought they might lose favor with the Magi if they tried, and with their functionality as a team growing, it was seen as politically unsavory.
977 ME — An official religion competing with the Disciples of Arcadia is founded. They are called “Fibers” and while they held many similar beliefs to the Disciples of Arcadia, the core foundation of Fibers was that the people of Gaia had a duty to support the Magi in any way possible, be it providing them food, clothing, shelter, or anything else without asking for anything in return, other than for them to return from battle safely. Of course, many people already held such beliefs, and were therefore easily taken with this new religion and able to convert from the DoA. The name “Fibers” originated from the idea that no single person could fully support the Magi, no matter how hard they tried, but that if they join together to help and protect the Magi as a large group, then even “fibers” like them could work together to form an unbreakable wall.
1012 ME – 1013 ME — Eusinria and Adrines have a heated confrontation over ownership of the northern-most islands between their territories (the Horizon Islands). Officially, neither country had claim to the islands, and it was considered its own territory with a good relation to both countries. Conflicts first began when Eusinria began talking with leaders of the island, trying to convince them to become an official part of their country. The offers were declined, so Adrines made their own offer—a much better offer—that the island leaders were taking under consideration. While negotiations were ongoing, Eusinria disguised many of their own naval ships as pirate ships to sink and loot any of Adrines’ ships that were trying to do business with the Horizon Islands. Quick to see through Eusinria’s ploy, Adrines returned the favor in kind, not bothering to disguise their own ships. Tensions escalated, but Eusinria gave up on the conflict when the island leaders officially decided to become part of Adrines’ territory.
1015 ME — A rare world-ender-class realm crasher appears on the border between the continents of Azestrine and Alvaron near the bottom-center of Connelis. Four of the seven Magi are killed, leaving only one elder Magi behind to fight until the next generation comes in their powers. This realm crasher is the first documented immortal to enter Gaia’s realm.
1016 ME – 1055 ME — With a sudden power vacuum created by the deaths of several Magi, and the remaining elder Magi focused on training the younger generation, political upheavals occurred in over a dozen countries. Claiming such things as “If our leaders had provided proper support to the Magi, they’d still be alive” and other groundless accusations. Many opportunists used this tragedy to claim power and wealth for themselves. In many countries, this was sadly no different from their previous leaders, but in others, it was a huge shift from the well-managed system they were used to. Aspiria was a prime example of this shift, removing Queen Eleanor Manninen from power and replacing her with Queen Agnes Petro, a far more heavy-handed ruler who would often violently suppress dissenting voices.
1163 ME — With their numbers dwindling, the Disciples of Arcadia try to spread a smear campaign against Fibers, but because the two religions are so similar, it backfires and makes the DoA look like foolish fanatics more concerned with numbers than their stated goal. The leaders of Fibers gladly jump aboard the public’s rising scorn to bolster support and membership. In the face of such embarrassment, the DoA’s numbers plummet. Within less than twenty years of the start of their campaign, the DoA is forced to close its doors for good.
1215 ME — With growing support, Fibers begins it’s slow rise into political power, which spreads to nearly every part of Gaia by 1683 ME, allowing them a larger presence throughout the world.
1307 ME – 1366 ME — The Red War, known as the deadliest war in Gaian history, is waged among the countries of Oshiro, Pasnea, Keangrad, and Halophen due to the sudden increase in piracy along ocean trade routes. War takes place both at sea and on land with the country of Saccran being caught in the middle, and eventually forced to defend its borders as it sees attacks from both the north and south. Years of war, failed treaties, and unavailing negotiations pass, and millions of lives are claimed before peace returns to the area. Of note was a woman dubbed “Qing the Knave” who was known to be a brutal, fearless scoundrel. Tall tales paint her as a woman that shined with gold, but left a trail of blood wherever she went. The casting specialist of the era, Arlette Sebastia, is rumored to have put each country’s leaders into a single room and threaten them with death if they didn’t end their conflict and start working together. Whether or not this is true is uncertain, but it is widely believed due to her reputation that earned her the nickname “The Tactless Magus”.
1389 ME – 1422 ME — In an attempt to bring Gaians closer together, bonding specialist Magus, Kishan Desai, spends most of his life using his magic to spread goodwill and understanding. Over the course of his life, he reached hundreds of thousands of people, and while it can be argued whether or not his attempt was in vain, it is unquestioned that it is because of Desai that Gaia now shares a single language, once referred to as “Shurian”. In modern times, the language has been changed and altered, often with words specific to certain regions (“regional slang”), and though there are some slight differences in tones and pronunciation in some areas, modern Gaians all share the same language. The name of the language was changed from “Shurian” to “Gaian” in 2036 ME.
1460 ME – 1503 ME — Julia Almeida, inspired by “The Travelling Magus”, spends most of her life working to improve Gaia, helping to unite countries in conflict, and gaining support from her fellow Magi as she did so. Under her advisory, three major treaties are made:
1) “The Treaty of Versonir” which brought the three countries of Versonir together after a coup in Lostieria brought with it a fast rise in the country’s military power, forcing both its neighbors on either side to answer in kind.
2) “Peace of Tennaria” which brought the Avalonian country of Zacriel to a halt in it’s bid to annex both Shuria and Messaria. While reparations were made, no land was returned, leaving Shuria and Messaria much smaller countries than they once were. Tensions remained high for many generations afterward.
3) “The Treaty of Asceticism” which ended the fighting along the Soljou and Windon border over newly discovered gold mines. As many of the mines started in Windon, but made their way past Soljou’s border, profits were split down the middle in exchange for Soljou’s assistance with labor.
1496 ME — Retired Magus, Sorcha Flynn, decides to take up residence in the Library of Magic when it becomes known that people have been sneaking into the building and stealing dangerous magical artifacts. While keeping the items safe from being pilfered, she begins studying and keeping records of the items, trying to organize what’s known and decipher the rest. Upon her death, her position is taken up by another retired Magus, and a tradition of Magi watching over the Library of Magic begins, with those living in the library referred to as “recordkeepers”.
1555 ME — Marbeck’s capital, a port city named Salton, is wiped off the map in a matter of moments by a realm crasher that appears and self-destructs. The spatial Magus had just enough time to arrive at the scene, but while trying to gather the other Magi, she was taken out along with the rest of the city. Strangely, even after the death of the spatial specialist Magus, some of her gates—ones that had large pieces of wreckage strown threw them that connected both the entrance and exit—remained open until the wreckage was removed. This would become known as “The Theory of Linked Displacement”. Marbeck’s capital would be moved to its second (now first) largest city, Moana.
1587 ME – 1605 ME — A disease spreads across the continents of Alvaron, Renosa, and Versonir, killing millions—upwards of 60% of people in some cities. It was a virus that weakened people’s immune system and allowed for many common illnesses to become deadly. This virus became known as the “Link Virus”, as many superstitious people believed it was a phenomenon directly linked to the world of death. Others believed it was a virus brought over from another realm by a realm crasher or the spatial specialist Magus, Rena Vicé, though current historians have since proven this to be untrue. However, with these rumors running rampant, it is said that Vicé believed she has brought the Link Virus from another realm and searched tirelessly for a cure, ironically searching other realms with higher technological and medical advancements for that cure. She was never able to find a cure, but the tips and lessons she learned from those realms about containing outbreaks helped save many lives and may have ultimately helped bring and end to the Link Virus’ spreading.
1608 ME — The International Committee of Disease Prevention is formed with the mission of improving health and hygiene standards worldwide. Over the next several decades, they help to organize how waste management is conducted, taking cues from far more advanced realms (with the help of Rena Vicé).
1608 ME — The queen of Adrines, Merryn Kellow, is assassinated. Not a beloved queen by any means, the act was carried out with a single arrow during a public execution of “those with outstanding debts” and was met with shocked silence, then thunderous cheers. The culprit was never caught, though witnesses said they noticed a strange woman with a white hood covering her face in the direction where the arrow came from. To this day, folktales of the one dubbed “White Hood” are gleefully told to children, though the stories have been entirely fabricated.
1642 ME — With Fibers deeply-seated into governments worldwide, the consolidation of power becomes inevitable. Headed by Isha Laghari, the leaders are cunning and slow-moving. The first step in their goal is to have a shrine erected in every major city across the globe under the pretense of having these places be a haven for the Magi so that no matter where they go, they will always have a place of food, shelter, and safety. Many proclaim these shrines to be unnecessary, as most any Gaian would gladly take in a Magus if they are in need, but it is hard to argue with a plan that proposes additional aid for the Magi. The ulterior motive for many leaders is to have a set budget put aside for each shrine and quietly embezzle money from these funds for personal gain. Unfortunately, this method is successful for almost a full millenium.
Though the objectives of the shrines would change over time, the practice of building a shrine in a new city is still ongoing in modern times.
1649 ME — A hurricane so powerful it’s said to only appear once in a millennium sweeps over the Horizon Islands, leaving almost nothing left standing. Isha Laghari uses this tragedy to get a foothold in the region, using Fibers’ power and influence to plant members into reconstruction efforts, building a shrine and recruiting members from the most hard-hit areas to bolster their numbers. It could be argued that, in spite of their corrupt methods and greedy desires, the Horizon Islands were greatly helped by the efforts of Fibers, but historians agree this was more due to the large amount of aid sent in by other countries that made its way to the people (and not into Fibers’ leaders’ pockets) and the genuine desire to help from non-corrupt, lower-level members of the religion’s community.
1696 ME — Millenia of precedent are broken when Iolana Kahale, the eldest Magus and bonding specialist of the time, decides to adopt a young girl from another realm that made her way to Gaia and was unable to return. Up until this point, non-Gaians, dubbed “other-realmers”, that were non hostile weren’t allowed to stay in Gaia, often shown to another realm by the spatial specialist. In cases where the spacial specialist was unable to do so (such as when her incarnation was still too young to use magic), elder Magi were expected to kill even non hostile magicians. The worry was that allowing non-Magi magicians to live in Gaia would upset the balance and possibly harm the ability for the Magi to reincarnate. Many tried to talk Kahale out of this decision, but as the eldest Magus still on the frontlines and Fibers’ stance being that a Magus’ word was the word of the goddess, complaints were quickly stifled. Over the course of the next several generations, allowing other-realmers to remain in Gaia becomes normal, though many are not accepting of them. The shrines built for the purpose of aiding the Magi were often used to help these other-realmers, most clearly stated by one Magus “Take care of this child as though you were taking care of me.”
1738 ME — “The Illusion of Comfort”, a book believed to lead towards the path of enlightenment, is written by Gabrielle Paquette. The book itself is about how humans are always trying to seek comfort in their daily lives, but would be much better off if they stopped and accepted their everyday discomfort as a base part of their humanity. She argues that because everyone (meaning specifically Gaians) have a specific age limit they can live to, that life itself is trying to show them their discomfort is part of who they are as a species. She claims in the book that humans are the most adaptable creatures on the planet, and must thus adapt to their discomfort in order to truly be at peace. Of course, with modern advances making it more and more easy to seek out comfort, Paquette’s writing has seen less traction by modern philosophers.
1790 ME — Soljou annexes Minton, a small country that shared a border with Etigo and Windon. The difference in their armies is too overwhelming, and Minton is forced to surrender without putting up much of a fight.
1843 ME — Over a thousand years after their civil war, North and South Haven begin talks of reuniting the country, only for talks to become hostile when they cannot agree who should lead the country. As talks of unification spiral downward, tensions begin to rise once more, and war looks like an inevitability. It’s at this time that the enchantment specialist Magus of the time, Iris Peron, steps in to deescalate the oncoming conflict. Although the Magi had made it a point in recent history (with sporadic exceptions) to not interfere in conflicts between countries, and even though she was only a young girl of fifteen years, Peron was thoughtful and determined, and easily negotiated for both sides to stand down, saying if unification was a pointless endeavor, then war would be far more senseless.
1843 ME – 1893 ME — Iris Peron’s life was said to revolve around the betterment of Gaia as a whole, and her efforts are said to have changed the world more than any single person had ever done before or has done since. While not noted as a particularly powerful Magus (by such standards as set by Diana Visser), Peron’s efforts outside of battle changed the entire face of Gaian politics. It is often argued which of her feats was most impressive between the push for cleaner environmental standards, the reduction of non-defense-type military units, or the formation of the Elders, who were global lawmakers, democratically elected officials from nine regions across the globe.
These nine individuals were deemed the most moral and intelligent people in all of Gaia who demonstrated humility, courage, self-sacrifice, compassion, restraint, and a strong sense of ethics. Of course, several world leaders were not willing to allow people from other countries, no matter how well-known or beloved they were, make laws that could impact their country, and Peron was aware of the ability to abuse such a system, so she set in place three rules for the elders:
1) Any laws put forth by the elders must be reached unanimously.
2) Any elder may be removed from her position by any combination of elders and Magi that equal nine votes.
3) Any laws passed by the elders are able to be overturned by the unanimous agreement among the Magi.
With these rules in place, and after years of lengthy negotiations, the first set of elders were voted into their positions in 1889 ME.
1890 ME — The impact of the elders was felt strong and fast, as they quickly passed numerous laws pertaining to environmental regulations, rules of engagement for countries still fighting so-called “defensive wars” (wars they instigated, yet claimed to only be acting defensively), and labor laws mostly against child labor, but also the erradication of slavery and “indentured servitude” in the countries that still allowed such practices. Another massive reform that passed was inspired by Steren Argus’ book, “The Travelling Magus”, which led the elders to consider mandatory schooling for children until they were considered adults, at which point they could enter apprenticeships. The problem arose when several countries tried to skirt this rule by claiming they had no set age of adulthood, thus making the elders implement a worldwide age of adulthood of twelve, as that was the usual age of menstruation for young girls, though it was changed to thirteen in 2012 ME for various reasons. All of these rules and regulations combined to be a 136-page document that came to be known as “The Universal Human Rights Act”.
1922 ME — Sanaa Kaloki, a philosopher from Messaria, puts forth a theory that Gaia is the juncture that connects all other realms. This claim comes after talking with several other-realmers that had found a new home on Gaia and discussing her ideas with the Magus watching over the Library of Magic, whose detailed records seemed to support her findings. The term “a portal to nowhere”, referencing an interdimensional gate that spatial magicians could use, was often used to describe how magicians arrived in Gaia’s realm.
Kaloki also supported the idea of there being an infinite number of realms, a view which has seen mass appeal, but little evidence to back it up. The main argument against this idea is that if there were an infinite number of other realms, there would be an infinite number of realm crashers arriving every day.
1944 ME – 1960 ME — “The Democratic Revolution” makes waves all throughout the continent of Renosa, most prominently in Eusinria. The idea that elders should be democratically elected, but not their own officials becomes a point of contention before spreading like a wildfire, causing mass riots and rebellion when Nobles and Monarchy alike show disdain at the very idea that the people should be allowed to choose their leaders, let alone the elders. Several nobles had their estates stormed and were beheaded, led by the Nizhoni Descheny, who famously flashed a bright smile before beheading Alya Raja and said, “When you see the queen, tell her I said ‘Hello’”. By the end of the revolution, more than half of Renosa’s nobles were slaughtered, as well as several on other continents, as the feelings of the Renosians could be felt by many worldwide. In total, during the sixteen years of revolution, fifteen countries overthrew their government, though only eleven of them became formal democracies. It is believed that the leadership of Fibers had hands in both stoking the flames of rebellion and snuffing it out, depending on what they had to gain or lose in certain areas.
1961 ME — The elders implement a 50-year-plan that phases out a half-dozen different currencies in the world, uniting it under the “Serri” currency, which is already being used across the entire continent of Alvaron. As exchange rates for most other currencies are already established at this time, the transition isn’t a difficult one, but there are still many who view their currency as being part of their culture, and thus make their opposition heard.
2000 ME — The last update for the Belmonte Calendar is made, where some of the months are renamed in honor of some of the most outstanding Magi to serve in their 2000-year history.
2001 ME – 2232 ME — The continent of Azestrine undergoes a major cultural expansion in the arts and architecture as several renowned artisans are born within the span of a few generations, changing the landscape of art and architecture with a new style called “Perfectionism”. This style focuses on sharp, vivid colors and design patterns that are complex and intricate, designed painstakingly to the very last millimeter. Perfectionism went out of style in the twenty-fifth century, but has since made a strong recovery.
2047 ME — Spatial specialist Magus, Temitope Keita, brings back a map of the stars from dozens of other realms and has scholars compare them to Gaia’s own, discovering they’re mostly similar, but with small differences. These differences become known in academic circles as “Universal Fluctuation” and are speculated to be what shapes each realm’s differences, such as strange ecologies and how humans in different realms can evolve to have unique features like pointed ears.
2056 ME — On a small island off the coast of Ovation, several dead bodies are found. It’s unknown whose they are or where they came from, and seven days later, more are found in the same spot. This keeps happening with more dead bodies being discovered every seven days until eventually someone spots where the bodies are coming from: an interdimensional gate. The Magi are asked to look into it, and they find that another realm was using Gaia as a place to dispose of corpses they had deemed unworthy of being buried (as part of an ongoing religious war). Naturally, the people disposing of the bodies didn’t know where the corpses were ending up, as the gate had no specified destination. Things were solved fairly amicably, and the discovery that deceased human bodies didn’t trigger the “alarm” for Magi was yet another discovery that bolstered the idea that a human “soul” was a real, metaphysical entity.
2100 ME – (Approx.) 2145 ME — Famous Magi duo and best friends (and possibly lovers, according to some historians), Zuri Magoro and Maura Reid, spatial and enchantment specialists respectively, bring a sense of merriment along with them wherever they go. They famously loved to laugh and did so the loudest when pulling pranks on world leaders. They especially loved to tease the stone-faced Aspirian president, Annette Westrup, managing to get a rare laugh out of her after they replaced her chair at a dinner party with one set to slowly sink down into itself that they had brought from another realm.
Two incidents marked their otherwise joyful lives, the first being “The Holy War Incident” in which, along their travels to other realms, Reid left a gift with the person who had been hosting their visit and showing the two around. It was just a simple token of her appreciation—an enchanted sponge that could filter out all impurities in water poured through it (up to about ten gallon, then it would need to be thoroughly cleaned). As the town’s water supply was said to have been tainted recently, it was a useful item. However, exactly because it was so useful, and because it was a magical item in a realm without magicians, it was soon discovered by those in power, and the person who Reid had given it to was killed for it. If it had stopped there, it would have been bad enough, but news of a “rare magical item” spread and incredible rumors about necklaces of immortality and other nonsense were being whispered about, prompting the realm to enter a holy war for a simple sponge. By the time Reid found out what had happened, the realm she had enjoyed so much was in ruins, and she was devastated.
The second incident was a particularly hostile realm crasher that brought the Magi to their knees. As they were the eldest Magi, Magoro and Reid led the charge against an immortal realm crasher with unbelievable regeneration powers. Though accounts vary, it’s known that Reid, Magoro, and the enhancement specialist, Sakura Hirano, all entered their last stands and worked in tandem to create a path to victory. While Magoro used her magic to distract the realm crasher, Reid took a sword from a nearby armorer and enchanted it so that it would never break, never dull, and would be able to cut through absolutely anything. Afterwards, she handed it off to Hirano, who beheaded the distracted realm crasher in a single swipe. That sword would later be passed down from Magus to Magus, usually to the person with the highest athletic ability. The sword would be named Vanhaal, though it is not definitively known who gave it that name or why.
2223 ME — The elders implement a “World Health Tax” on all governments. The tax is a fairly small one—less than a tenth of a percent of each nation’s income—though many leaders complain anyway. The money they acquire is for the purposes of giving the Magi a monthly income (fifty silver at the time, though today it’s a single gold coin—twenty times the original payment), and also medical research and education to help avoid another “Link Virus” incident. However, their main mission is to study and eradicate the Rosso Virus.
2265 ME — The Psytorians are first encountered by chance as spatial specialist, Luciana Cavallero, is exploring other realms. The Psytorians are a peaceful race of people who have the amazing ability to read minds, among other types of magic. While they aren’t keen on the newcomer at first, Cavallero has a bubbly, enthusiastic personality that wins them over. Moreover, she’s a genuinely good person, so her thoughts of wonderment and excitement as she explores their realm endear her to the citizens and leadership of the realm, who view her more as a playful child than any actual threat. This doesn’t last long, however, because as soon as she brings over other Magi to visit, relations sour. It’s hard to say what pushed them away, maybe a stray rude thought or a conflict of personalities, but the Psytorians have kept a clear distance since that time. Cavallero did her best to mend the fracture, but to little avail. Over the next several decades, Cavallero forged a working relationship with the Psytorians, obtaining a few valuable enchanted items in exchange for food or other resources they were lacking.
Over the centuries, the Psytorians have always kept Gaians at arm’s length, only sending traders when they are in need. It is not uncommon to only hear from them once a century, though their products are famous all over Gaia, and recognizable at first sight, as they are all pitch black, almost appearing to absorb light from around them. The most famous of their products are the wave cubes that each Magus, world leader, and elder has at their disposal, currently coming to forty-nine in total (7 Magi + 9 Elders + 33 leaders). There is said to be a fiftieth one in storage at the elders’ headquarters, though that is just a rumor.
2324 ME – 2354 ME — Famous author and playwright, Laura Balthis, becomes a sensation with her first play “The Beating Heart”, wherein an elderly woman recounts her days as a spy for her country to her grandchildren. The tales are meant to be so overblown that they couldn’t possibly be taken as fact (though the children believe every word), but when the elderly woman unexpectedly goes missing at the end of the story, readers are left to wonder whether or not those tall tales were true. The point of the book was to give the reader the same feeling the grandchildren felt, a sense of wonder at the life of an elderly woman that replaced the cynicism that suffocated an adult heart. Balthis went on to write four more plays and two books, all intertwined in some way, and each one held in high regard for playing with the readers’ or audiences’ expectations.
2437 ME — Silvana Moretti is the first Magus to ever be culled. After a fight left her bedridden at a young age, the elders discussed the situation with the other Magi for several days before it was agreed that Moretti’s life, one that was going to be lived in perpetual pain, was best ended so that she wouldn’t continue to suffer and so that her casting specialty wouldn’t be wasted for multiple generations. The eldest Magus, Finn Vignes, was the one that took her life and took full responsibility for the pain her loved ones suffered because of it. He said that Moretti took death with understanding, dignity, and grace, but some wonder if his account was accurate or if he just wanted Moretti to be remembered that way.
2491 ME — Large strides in electrical engineering are brought to a halt by the elders when it can’t be shown how these advancements, such as creating a power grid connected to each home in a city, will be implemented without substantial harm caused to the environment if undertaken on a large scale worldwide. Fears of overpollution are kept high by several spatial specialist Magi over many centuries, all having been to places where fresh water and air are sold in large stores and where face mask filters are issued by the government. While acknowledging that Gaia was still far away from that kind of dystopia, they all agreed that every precaution should be taken to make sure it doesn’t become their reality.
2540 ME – 2546 ME — A series of corruption charges turn from a ripple into a wave as Fibers’ leaders are implemented in scandals ranging from embezzlement to hiring assassins to murder political opponents. Public shock turns to disgust almost overnight, and riots spread throughout the regions where Fibers has the strongest presence. Worldwide, leaders of Fibers (many later deemed innocent) are forced to resign, arrested, or even executed in some of the regions where they caused the most suffering. One of the most often-told tales of this era is of Lena Nyberg, who fled South Haven with her mistress, only to be discovered a year later in Oshiro in an apparent murder-suicide committed by the mistress. They had been living in a small town that wasn’t aware of their past, so the reason for their deaths remains a mystery (and is frequently speculated on in fiction).
The fallout from this incident is widespread, and it takes many years for most communities to recover. However, though the betrayal was felt strongly by all, devout followers refuse to give up on their mission to aid the Magi. They believe strongly in their work, and continue to maintain the shrines, but also begin reaching out to communities more, offering assistance to teachers and shop owners, and finally allowing the general public to take up residence as they had done for so long with other-realmers. The very nature of these shrines changed within the next century to be more community-based and less religious. Needless to say, allocations of funds are put in the hands of government officials in most areas, though, in the present day, shrine heads and local governments work hand-in-hand on many issues.
2572 ME — The elders pass a law that grant males the right to vote by the request of two male Magi who were both born in countries where they were not granted that right.
2575 ME — After an incident involving the spatial specialist of the time, Nahal Friedler, bringing over animals from another realm, the elders forbid bringing over any creatures or items that are not native to Gaia without an official trade permit (such as the items received from the Psytorians). Most spatial magicians are said to frequently break this rule, though not blatantly.
2608 ME — The elders instate a set “Years of Service” for the Magi. These years of service start from adulthood (when the Magus turns 13) and lasts for 25 years. Upon reaching the age of 38, the Magus is thereby considered “retired” and cannot be forced to reenter the battlefield, save for uncontrollable circumstances, such as there being no other Magi capable of defending Gaia in her absence or a realm crasher too powerful for the current generation of Magi to handle.
2622 ME — When the pregnancy of two Magi leave them unable to fight in a battle where their help is desperately needed, two out of the three remaining Magi are killed on the battlefield. The elders pass a law that will make it mandatory to sterilize all future Magi so that this tragedy cannot happen again, and while this is opposed by some, the survivor from the brutal fight, Katya Chorney, refuses to vote down the proposal, keeping it from being overturned.
2677 ME — A trading agreement is made between Gaia and another realm, Qu’peitia. The Qu’peitians are a race of people undergoing a second ice age, and their bodies have adapted to the freezing climate of their realm, where they’ve been forced to live underground. The Qu’peitians, while resourceful in their ability to survive, lack various supplies that were once available to them on the surface of their planet. An agreement is made to supply them with resources in exchange for allowing Gaia to dump a certain amount of waste on their planet’s surface each year. There are many Qu’peitians outraged by this arrangement (and some remain opposed to it, even today), but there is no denying that the two realms have benefited each other greatly over the past few centuries.
2678 ME — In light of the new arrangement with the Qu’peitians, the elders work with world leaders to focus on reducing the amount of waste produced in Gaia on a cultural level, hoping to limit all trash being created to only a few areas where waste is inevitable, such as hospitals and research facilities. With help from the current spatial specialist Magus, they’re able to vastly increase Gaia’s methods of recycling what was once thrown out. The clerics and high priestesses working at shrines all over the world are instrumental in teaching the public about these changes and slowly bringing the goals set by the elders to reality, ultimately strengthening the still-fractured reputation that Fibers was stained with.
2702 ME — The elders instate a Global Disaster Fund (more commonly referred to as the “Disaster Relief Fund”), meant to help with reconstruction after a world-ender-class realm crasher destroys a major city in Marbeck, killing hundreds.
2710 ME — Another major trading agreement between realms is made, this time with a realm named Ranestria. The people of this realm have found a way of harnessing “magical energy” and using it in a way similar to how other realms use electricity. They show Gaia that a person blessed with both light elemental and casting magic can harness their power into crystals, thus making a “battery”, and that that battery can be used to power objects through a “magical circuit”, though it appears the creation of magical circuits is a rare ability possessed mostly (though not solely) by Ranestrians. A working relationship between realms is made, and the goal of making Gaia produce less waste advances at a tremendous pace because of this.
Meeting with the Ranestrians causes two major changes over time:
1) Mining for coal is slowly replaced with mining for crystals.
2) Light elemental magicians with casting abilities become extremely valued in Gaian society.
2735 ME — Amid growing unrest, the elders allow for magicians from other realms to sell products they can produce with their magic, so long as it is approved by their local government and does not produce anything that cannot be recycled. The most popular items that are produced are charms made by ice and fire elemental magicians with enchantment abilities that offer heat in the winter and a cool feeling in the summer.
2766 ME — The elders partition a portion of the Global Disaster Fund for use in helping other-realmers get on their feet in the first year of their arrival in Gaia’s realm after they find they cannot return home or decide to stay of their own volition. If any of this partitioned money goes unused, it is rolled back over into the Global Disaster Fund.
2789 ME — The Library of Magic is burned down during a fight with a fire elemental realm crasher, causing thousands of years’ worth of magical items to melt or turn to ash. With the library being so massive, not every section is set ablaze, and much of the building is able to be saved, but that portion is still less than a third. It is decided that the only option is to rebuild and to fortify the Library of Magic completely. Terra elementalists and magicians capable of using strong enchantment magic are brought in to aid in the building process and support Gaia’s own enchantment specialist. There are many who opposed letting magicians from other realms help in the rebuilding of the Library of Magic. Some see it as letting outsiders tread on sacred ground while others see it as a security risk, but the elders have the final say, deciding that making Library of Magic as sturdy and impenetrable as possible far outweighs those concerns.
2799 ME — A famous case involving an other-realmer, Rayna Mironov, and the death of a native Gaian makes international headlines. The case revolves around Mironov using enhancement magic to defend herself against a woman who was threatening her with a knife. Many witnesses came forth confirming this, saying they believed Mironov was right to defend herself against the attacker, but the court ruled that Mironov’s magic put her at such an overwhelming advantage, that she could have easily restrained her attacker instead. While opinions on this are split, a precedent is set, stating that no magician should ever use their magic to harm a non-magician under any circumstances, though there have been a handful of cases where the circumstances were such that the use of magic was forgiven. Still, the current law stands in nearly every country that magicians are forbidden from using their magic to cause harm to others and is considered to be a “high-level offense”.
2835 ME – 2843 ME — Despite repeated warnings, the country of Morgana begins slowly growing its military defense force over the course of several years, making neighboring countries worried about an oncoming attack. Their worries are made reality when Morgana’s troops cross into Endroit Calme’s territory, looking to claim the land for themselves. Fortunately, with the use of newly-acquired wave cubes, Endroit Calme is able to contact the Magi and have them put a stop the attempted annexation with minimal effort, as no soldier is willing to stand against the Magi. Morgana’s leader, Angela Moore, is forcibly removed from power by the consensus of the Magi and the elders, and control of the country, which was still under monocratic rule at the time, was handed over to her brother after it was made clear he had fought her plans to rebuild the army every step of the way.
2845 ME — In light of the events with Morgana, the elders discuss with other countries what the purpose of a defense force should be, and after coming to an agreement on what that purpose is, issue a new order in which they lay out what sort of training a defense force should undergo and what their objectives are—namely rescue operations, law enforcement, and security for leaders and other officials. Over the years, the defense force is curtailed and the requirements to join are raised, giving them a reputation for being “strong as iron, fearless as the Magi”, often coordinating with local police after realm crasher attacks and natural disasters. Titles for these people have changed over the years, some regions referring to them as “Rangers”, others as the “High Guard”.
2877 ME — At the yearly gathering of the leaders of Oshiro, Pasnea, Saccran, and Keangrad, a woman named Hamide Malek disguises herself as a member of the cleaning staff, somehow starts a fire (the prevalent theory is that she used what some realms might refer to as a “molotov cocktail” using medical alcohol as an accelerant) inside the room where the leaders were meeting, jams the door shut, and escapes out of an emergency exit before security could arrive at the scene. One of the leaders uses a wave cube to contact the Magi for help, but is too late. By the time they arrive, three of the four countries’ leaders are dead. Keangrad’s prime minister happened to be running late after issues arose at Saccran’s border when a couple of inexperienced guards refused to believe she was who she claimed, despite her having all the documentation (which they believed was faked) to prove it.
Ironically, Malek’s main target was the very woman who escaped the ugly attack, which was determined after her corpse was discovered three days later in an abandoned shack a town over. Her death was a poison-assisted suicide, and a note she left behind explained her actions were done out of hate for the prime minister, who she claimed wrongly executed her lover after she had been charged with killing several people in an arson attack. There’s no evidence that this claim is true, both because the prime minister had no hand in the investigation itself and because there was no clear motive for why she would go to such lengths to frame the woman’s lover, so the claims have largely been considered debunked. This incident came to be known as “The Sacrificed Winter”.
2900 ME – Present — With the help of the Ranestrians, more and more products are made available that use the power of magical fuel. From lun crystals that illuminate the dark to transport vehicles, the demand for their talent to create magic circuits creates major business opportunities for Ranestrians and artisans of all types.
2922 ME – 2951 ME — With the elders focusing on laws concerning labor, human rights, and corruption, a shift in politics is seen. Politicians focus more on trade, business, infrastructure, taxation, and international affairs. There is also a movement to help express a country’s culture in a fearful response that the world is becoming too homogeneous (and to increase tourism). As such, there is a boost seen in proclaiming a “national identity”. By declaring “This is our national food” and “This is our national animal” as well as “We have the best THIS” and “We do THIS better than anyone else”.
Some of these ideas do astoundingly well, like Halophen’s focus on opening museums displaying art from the beginning of their cultural boom in the 8th century. Unfortunately, some also fail miserably, such as Chaurus’ attempt to promote themselves as “having the warmest socks”. Granted, for the area known to be the most loved by Qu’peitians, it was smart to try and advertise their warm clothing, but in a practical sense, there was little they could do to increase tourism due to the icy climate of the region and the fact that it would take weeks to arrive to their country by boat from Ovation.
2949 ME – 2955 ME — Rapid advancements in medical technology help to cure two deadly diseases and minimize the effects of several others. However, the most crucial finding of this period is the affirmation that in Gaia’s realm (and only in Gaia’s realm, it seems) there is a genetic “trigger” that will initiate sudden heart failure of Gaians at around the age of 65. This was believed to be true by many scientists for centuries, as no Gaian had lived past the age of 68, regardless of their health, in recorded history. There were some who believed the reason for this was due to an unidentified virus, but the official announcement that this was not the case was made on the 3rd of Ahrensete in 2955 ME.
2961 ME — The incident of the “White-eyed Witch” occurs, but has since been redacted.
2979 ME — With the consent of the government to be designated as a hospital, the first “fertility bank” is constructed in Eusinria. Taking notes from doctors brought over from another realm by the spatial Magus, Elizabeth Sutton, on the proper way to store sperm and inseminate a woman’s eggs, a sharp increase in childbirth rates was able to be reached over the next few years, relieving many worries caused by the rosso virus. With a huge success seen in Eusinria, many other countries began adopting this new medical facility into their larger towns.
3001 ME – 3040 ME — A massive infrastructure overhaul is made after a summit where all 49 world leaders agree to expand trade routes through select areas of their countries, making it easier to move products through multiple countries at a much faster rate. This change is brought on as the rise in use of transport vehicles powered by magical fuel makes longer travel feasible.
3026 ME — With evidence growing that sugar may have addictive qualities, the elders limit the amount that can be sold per capita. Later studies show that this limit had little effect on larger cities, while small towns were left with little-to-no supplies.
3029 ME — Since the Magi began allowing magicians from other realms to live on Gaia, and because many of those magicians pass down their magic hereditarily, the number of non-Magi magicians native to Gaia rises to one percent of the total population, or 7.5 million people.
3070 ME — The use of magical fuel outgrows the use of all other fuel sources combined, causing a boom in demand.
3098 ME — Tamerans, a race of humans from another realm that can use photosynthesis to survive, are saved by the newest elder, Liseli Shula, when it comes to light that their race is dying out (or “wilting”, as some refer to it) due to their sun’s realm growing steadily warmer over a period of several years, making it too painful to photosynthesize and causing mass starvation. With the help of the bonding specialist of the time, Shula is able to convince the elders to allow for several thousand refugees to come live on Gaia—the largest number of other-realmers from one realm to ever relocate to Gaia in history. Five years later, Shula would be elected to replace her region’s elder.
3107 ME — A visitor on vacation from the realm of Qu’peitia, Lisé Worrell, is the first-ever non-Gaian (someone neither born in Gaia nor a permanent citizen of Gaia from another realm) to give birth to a Magus. Due to the significance the Magi play in Gaia’s realm, Worrell’s options are to either to stay in Gaia permanently with her child or abandon it so that she may return home. She chooses the former with some resentment, and the Qu’peitian government chooses not to intervene, as Gaia is too important of an ally to lose in a bitter dispute.