Second Era

Second Era was a span of 6,825 years in the Shadow World timeline, beginning with the Loremasters and ending with the Wars of Dominion. It was preceded by a hundred thousand years of Interregnum following the First Era cataclysm, and succeeded by 6,050 years of Third Era which was the original "present" of I.C.E. Age GemStone III. Not to be confused with "Second Age", which was over 20,000 years ago in modern Elanthian history. The Shadow World timelines for some of these events are not absolutely self-consistent with each other.

Several major stories of the I.C.E. Age took place in the Second Era, or involve aspects dating back to that time period. The following are some relevant highlights.

Timeline

Year	Event
-100 S.E.:	Andraax awakens to discover the world recovered from the First Era cataclysm. He hides his true identity, pretending to be Iylari.
1 S.E.:	The Loremasters found the College of Karilon, with the intention of bringing about civilization.
450 S.E.:	The first recorded instance of an extra-planar comet that disrupts the Eyes and allows incursions by otherworldly entities. In actuality, it has been a long recurring problem, all the way back to the First Era. The gradual breakdown in the functionality of the Eyes due to the comet is what ultimately allows dark otherworldly powers access to the world again. The Dark Gods first begin appearing. Some Loremasters believe they escaped from some inter-dimensional prison, or began as Lord of Essaence experiments with creating non-corporeal life. The Lords of Orhan (Liabo) reveal themselves for first time as a countervailing power. Some believe they have the same origin as the Dark Gods. Andraax discovers a former servant of Kadaena building an army of evil creatures. While Andraax kills the surviving Lord of Essaence, the half-breed son Lorgalis escapes swearing vengeance.
1782 S.E.	Andraax writes "The Book of Dark Tales" which includes a poem regarding the malevolent constructs of Kadaena. He implies there was a master of the gogor (vruul) called Gogur, which potentially refers to Morgu (Marlu) given The Broken Lands. Some versions of the Shadow World timeline do not have the Dark Gods appearing until 1950 Second Era.
1950 S.E.:	Massive Flow storms and random portals erupt as the comet returns. The first servants of the Unlife begin appearing, in many forms and often as cults, all with the single purpose of utter annihilation. The Unlife itself is a fundamentally alien force of total destruction, originating in a negative parallel universe from which it is no longer isolated. The Dark Gods become a much more manifest presence on Charon (Lornon). The portals on the moon left over from the Lords of Essaence ripped open allowing them easy access to our world. They hide the extent of their freedom of motion, biding their time for several thousand years.
2000 S.E.:	The mortal daughter of Kadaena awakens in southwest Jaiman (Jontara). With the aid of the dark goddess herself, she establishes the theocracy of Orgiana (Eorgina).
2507 S.E.:	The Changramai Monastery is founded in northeast Emer.
2530 S.E.:	The Library of Nomikos (Biblia) is founded by Andraax.
3300 S.E.:	The Navigator Guilds begin forming around discoveries of Lord of Essaence teleportation artifacts.
3345 S.E.:	The Dark God Andaras (Andelas) assaults the continent of Emer (Finnia) personally, beginning the trend leading to the Wars of Dominion.
3400 S.E.:	Lorgalis the White begins forming a horde of orcs and trolls in western Jaiman (Jontara), the favorite continent of his nemesis Andraax.
3750 S.E.:	Lorgalis begins his attempts at conquering the continent.
4000 S.E.:	Six cults of The Iron Wind are founded as servants of some manifestation of the Unlife.
(Unknown) S.E.:	The wizard Loul The Enchanter uses powerful Lord of Essaence artifacts to form what would later be called Melgorehn's Reach. Loul is devoured by a dragon, and the mountain shifts out of our reality.
4000 - 6450 S.E.:	The Dark Gods assemble a horde of malevolent creatures, preparing to spring their dark host on the world in a sudden violent coup.
4980 S.E.:	The kingdom of Zor is destroyed by the detonation of an ancient artifact, under the seductive misdirection of priests of the Iron Wind. The central region is a wasteland, with refugees scattered from the periphery.
6000 S.E.:	Sage Selias Jodame records the fate of Silver Valley, the victims of Muylari, possibly the indentured servant of Lorgalis.
6001 S.E.:	The High Priest of Dansart leads the other Arnak Orders of Lyak and Thargondaak on an assault of the last Elven enclaves on Urulan. Some of the Elven migration from this period is to the Blue Forest.
6400 - 6450 S.E.:	Civilization is descending chaos under the subversion of Unlife cults, powerful warlords, and violent essence disturbances.
6450 S.E.:	The Wars of Dominion erupt in full force as the comet returns, ripping open portals to the demonic throughout the world. The Dark Gods unleash their assault, aided by the surviving former servants of Kadaena. Lorgalis reluctantly sides with the forces of Unlife, though his goal is dominion rather than annihilation. This distracts him from the pursuit of Andraax, and ultimately makes him into a target of higher powers.
6450 - 6521 S.E.:	The brothers Bandur and Kestrel Etrevion, probably descendants of Zor, throw their lot in with the conqueror Lorgalis. Kestrel is a warrior with the forces of the Cult of the Sea Drake. Bandur pledges himself in homage to the Empress Kadaena, through her daughter and the theocracy of the Black Hel. Bandur writes books revealing inside knowledge about Lorgalis to leverage access for ancient relics. His work is recognized by the Loremasters. Meets Uthex Kathiasas. Kestrel is retired with a fiefdom only known now as the West Country, following a siege (possibly of Castle Claedesbrim) which is won only through the sorcerous intervention of his brother. The castle is haunted with the wights of fallen aristocrats and golems, and horrible monstrosities of dark magic, such as blood beasts and werebears as well as major spiders thought to be partially demonic. Kestrel's failed invasion is probably the result of the crown of Saralis which creates vast walls of force. Kestrel becomes restless, engaging in long-range piracy. Lawlessness emerges under Bandur's regency, including a sinister cult of Klysus (Luukos). Bandur usurps his brother and establishes a warped theocracy. The Dark Path promises everlasting existence in mockery of Eissa (Lorminstra) theology. Bandur slays Kestrel in a fit of rage with a Spell of Absolution Pure. He begins construction of The Graveyard with bone golems. Sons of Kestrel fail in their attempt to reacquire the fiefdom from their uncle. He buries them in the necropolis. The Dark Path seduces and twists the work of Uthex Kathiasas in a forgotten realm of the Dark Gods which they control through a rare portal.
6521 S.E.:	The Ordainer Kharuugh slaughters the kingdom to the south of The Dark Path. Lorgalis finishes his conquest of the northwest. Uthex Kathiasas is killed by his fellow Loremasters in the Broken Lands. It is recognized as an artificial realm of experiments by the Empress Kadaena, possibly even the origin of the Dark Gods and Ordainers, though perhaps actually a dreamlands form of the dark side of the moon on a parallel plane of existence (which explains their absence in the present day.) The wicked place is sealed with runes of warding, and most records are destroyed or lost to history. Those who were left behind are imprisoned on this unnatural plane of existence. The Monastery is founded to guard the portal with warrior monks of Cay (Kai). They struggle in secret for centuries to keep the Broken Lands forgotten.
6521 - 6800 S.E.:	The city of Quellburn is founded on the High Plateau by refugees fleeing The Iron Wind. These were mostly humans of Zor.
6780 S.E.:	Following a decade of the atmosphere being darkened with volcanic ash, the Lords of Orhan (Liabo) finally agree to intervene to stop the Dark Gods.
6800 S.E.:	The Light Gods purge the pantheon of the Black Hel, banishing Orgiana (Eorgina) to her abyssal realm. Without the aid of her gods, the theocracy run by Kadaena's daughter is destroyed.
6820 S.E.:	In the Battle of Meagris, Andraax is saved from certain death upon facing Scalu (Sheru), with the unexpected intervention of Cay (Kai). His demonic horde and harbingers are routed.
6825 S.E.:	The Dark Gods are driven back to their moon. Their light counterparts ward the gates, essentially imprisoning them on Charon (Lornon). Andraax kills the Master of Malice, a former servant of Kadaena, but loses his mind. He disappears beyond the Wall of Darkness. Lorgalis flees from Jaysek (Jastev), being no match for a god. The Wars of Dominion end as all major conquerors are defeated. The Lords of Orhan (Liabo) vanish for the next three thousand years, imposing a policy of total non-intervention in world affairs following the tragedy of the Second Era.