Timelines

Right now this is more of an event sequence, since there are no actual dates involved. I'm thinking that Recent History are events that occurred in the past several hundred years, Ancient History occurred in the thousands of years timeframe, and Pre-History happened earlier than 10000 years ago.

Pre-History ( > 10000 yrs)

• The tako, an octopus-like race are the most abundant species on the ocean floor. Though most of their populations are nomadic, some few begin to settle down and construct permanent dwellings.

• The Tela island chain is formed by a volcanic hot spot just underneath the planet crust. As the continental plate moves eastward, the island chain grows. The largest island is the most active while those islands further away are less active or dead.

• Tako cities suffer increasing attacks from their nomadic cousins on the sea floor. This is a violent time in their history, with much bloodshed.

• Tela island is a vibrant but isolated ecosystem where spiders have become the dominant species.

• The tako culture has developed through centuries of warfare. Several kingdoms spring up with the city dwellers forming the backbone of the bureaucracy while the formerly nomadic tako become the military might. The kingdoms fight amongst themselves for resources and territory.

• One of the spider species develops sentience. It is the ancestral form of all other intelligent spiders that evolve here.

• After more centuries of fighting, the tako kingdoms are finally united under a single banner and the First Tako Empire is founded on the bottom of the sea. Legend holds that the empire was ruled by eight brothers, however tako scholars debate the voracity of this claim. Some theorize that the brothers were in fact military generals who usurped power across the several kingdoms.

• The anguillians emerge from the dark places of the earth as scavengers. They roam the ocean floor near the great trench in nomadic bands. The tako provinces near the Iilagu Trench put up a fight against this new threat but are ultimately overwhelmed.

• Three of the eight tako emperors turn on dark paths. They plot to kill their brethren but their attempts are foiled. The remaining five brothers exile them to unknown waters. From this event comes the tradition of five joint tako emperors (known as the pentumvirate) . Despite the emergence of the anguillians, the tako empire enters into a golden age.

• The first wave of demi-human migrations occurs throughout the area. The populations consist mostly of elves (from where???). Many colonise the Acies, but few reach across the Blood Sea to Tela Island.

• A small band of demi-humans arrive at Tela. It is unknown where they came from, but they were probably castaways from some far off place. Through a magical accident one of the spider species physically merges with the demi-humans. This group will become the aranea.

Ancient History (10000 yrs - 1000 yrs)

• The First Tako Empire crumbles as the pentumvirate fights one another for total control.

• Sea giants emerge from the northern volcanic regions and make war on the tako. In fact the giants are slaves of the kopru, who wish to expand their territory. One of the pentumvirate uses these attacks to consolidate his own power base. The Second Tako Empire is founded, this time with a single emperor to rule over it.

• Aranea tribes dominate Tela proper and begin to expand their influence outward to other nearby island groups. They have their first run-in with the kopru, who enslave select tribes.

• The Tako empire begins to crumble both from without and from within. Giant attacks are gnawing away at their defenses and kopru begin to dominate government officials in the outer provinces.

• Several tako provinces revolt and join with the giant attackers. These unfortunates have fallen under the sway of the kopru.

• Aranean tribes are united under a single king. They subjugate the other intelligent spider species on the islands and expand their influence. Their silken ships reach the shores of nearby landmasses and they create colonies there. Some of the far reaching colonies fall under kopru domination. They become a thorn in the side of the aranean government.

• The Acies colonies grow and begin to insert their own influences against the motherland. Some of the colonies are influenced by kopru, but they dislike the Iilagu Trench, and so avoid that territory.

• In a sudden catastrophe, Tela Island explodes as its central volcano erupts. The eruption is so violent that it shatters the island, leaving a vast caldera open to the sea. None on Tela survive. In addition there are very few survivors on nearby islands either. Tsunamis crash against the Acies and a cloud of ash covers the skies for weeks.

• Shortly after the catastrophe, hoards of devil rays swarm into the region from the west leaving a wake of death and destruction. The plunder the area and then return home. Undersea civilization is crippled by the attacks and recent devastation.
• The kopru are caught off guard by this new threat and many of their forces are decimated. They loose control over the Acies colonies and retreat to their abodes northwest of Tela. Many giants break free from their domination and begin a nomadic lifestyle on the ocean floor. They avoid the warmer waters and thermal vents. Their former tako enemies grant them the less desirable land in the northern provinces (mostly to serve as a buffer between themselves and the kopru).

• The tako empire is fractured, with several claimants to the throne, however with the kopru threat removed (at least for the time being) they are slowly able to reclaim what is theirs. Civil war ensues and the outer provinces are reconquered. The tako throw off their emperor and return to the tradition of rulership by pentumvirate (with the five most powerful tako rulers of the time banding together). The Third Tako Empire is founded.

• The Acies aranea try to recover their civilization. Several groups return to Tela in an attempt to re-colonize their homeland. One of these groups becomes the Vurkik divers, while another is corrupted and becomes the Krik't'krk. The rest live primitive lives on the island chains and become the Tela Islanders.

Fearing the kopru still dwell in these waters, the more advanced aranea take adequate precautions agains their manipulations.

Recent History (1000 yrs - present)

• Kraken migrate to the Sea of Blood and begin wresting control of portions of the tako empire and the anguillian kingdoms. It is rumored that the kraken are descendants of the three exiled tako emperors.

• The last golden age for the tako ends as their empire is once again cast into civil war. One of the pentumvirate uses the kraken threat as a chance to seize power for himself. He has the other members of the pentumvirate murdered and assumes command of all armies. The Fourth Tako Empire (the Tagrinoori Empire) is borne.

• Civilizations of the Acies grow and flourish. Those aranea on the mainland merge cultures with demi-human tribes living there. Those on Acies chains are more isolationist. The island nations compete with one another for control of the seas.

• Due in large part to continued struggle with the kraken, several tako communities are able to break away from the Tagrinoori Empire and establish their own independent nations. Many tako consider the fourth empire to have ended at this point, though the current emperor obviously disagrees.

• Sahuagin migrate into the region from somewhere south. Many are integrated into the tako cultures dominating the ocean floor, and are used as shock troops in the never ending battles taking place there. Others manage to incorporate their settlements with the coastal nations of the area.

• Various tribes of Tela Islanders fall under the corrupting sway of the kopru once more. They are shunned by their brethren and become savage cannibals.

• The northern anguillian kingdom breaks free of kraken domination. A queen arises among them and assumes power (unheard of in their culture). She kills the kraken god and consumes its flesh, and sends its priesthood packing to the southern kingdom.