The world of Ardania has had a long and tortuous history. Most of the important events have been recorded in chronicles by contemporaries or researched later out of folklore, documents, and ruins by assiduous scholars. The most famous such scholar is Herald Maccabee, whose "Chronicles" are a valuable and extensive treatment of the subject, for they stretch over thousands of miles and a dozen centuries. Unfortunately, most of his tomes themselves became a subject of time's whim, and got largely scattered and lost. Excerpts are found and studied with utmost care by those who wish a glimmer of understanding in a world so ancient, diverse, and variable.

The simple (and probably inaccurate) version of the chief events in Ardania's history is contained in common folklore of Ardania's races. Depending on who does the talking, the events would be described with different connotations and attitudes, but the facts themselves are more or less the same for everyone. The following account is a common version.

The most ancient age commonly known is the Age of Tranquility. During that prosperous and calm epoch, the world was dominated by elves, dwarves, and halflings. Legends speak of the extensive system of dwarven kingdoms sprawling over the main continent of Gaia. Intermingled with them, but less numerous or spacious, were the land holdings of the Free Cities of the halflings in the Liskarii plains. The dwarves mined and forged, whereas the halflings explored and traded, and the continent enjoyed an advanced civilization of peace and prosperity.

Still, regardless of these achievements, none could match the glamor and glory of the elven homeland of Xendarra. Legends speak of artistic marvels, magic, and riches beyond comparison, and unearthly beauty of nature that only a paradise could have. The elves traveled the world, explored, arbitrated, advised, and traded, but they almost always returned to their homeland. Thus almost all elves lived there, which is not the case nowadays...

The Age of Tranquility came to an abrupt end when the humans appeared in the world in a grand fleet of more longboats than the stars in the sky. Their first contact was a rather acute confrontation with the azrac navy. Sagas speak of great naval battles, of the ocean foaming red with blood, and of the shame and bitter defeat the proud and mighty azrac suffered at the hands of the newcomers.

At this point, most legends attest to a dark deal that the azrac struck with the humans. In exchange for sparing the azrac navy and cities from imminent devastation, the human commanders known as "jarls" (pronounced "yarls") were directed to a far more lucrative target -- Xendarra. The azrac provided the jarls with accurate naval maps and experienced navigators to lead the human Grand Fleet to the elven homeland. What the azrac neglected to mention was that the elves were a constant nuissance to the azrac privateering, piracy, and slave trade, so the azrac killed two birds with one stone by sending the new invaders to ravage their rival's homeland. This historic episode resulted in bitter resentment among many elves against the azrac race in the centuries to come, wrath that is sometimes manifested even today.

The humans reached Xendarra without problems and proceeded to wage the single most destructive and historically significant war in Ardania. In several years of incessant pillage and carnage, the humans drove the elves out of all of Xendarra but a few major cities. Unfamiliar with siege weaponry, the humans found themselves incapable of breaching the elven walls. The war had reached a stalemate.

At this point, a humble race was given the opportunity to leave a lasting mark. Namely, the gnomes. Their singular talent for invention was quickly recognized and employed by the perceptive jarls. The gnomes were half-bullied half-paid to construct mechanical contraptions, which could breach the walls. The gnomish ingenuity spelled doom for the elves. The walls were breached and the elves had to choose between flight and death. Thus the elven Exodus and the Age of Migration commenced.

After the plunder of Xendarra, discension in the human camp split the grand fleet into several flotillas, which pursued different routes and further historic fate.

The most prominent human flotilla sailed to the main continent and got integrated in its life through a mixture of shrewd diplomacy, mutually profitable trade, and merciless warfare. The jarl of this flotilla, Gerard Ironside, eventually formed the Phoenician Empire and became the first emperor. The empire got its name from Gerard's personal crest, a phoenix.

One of Gerard's captains, Olaf, split apart soon after Gerard's arrival from Xendarra. Olaf and his followers felt that Gerard was not aggressive enough and had lost his thirst for battle and treasure. Thus they left Gerard's camp and went underground lured by tales of dwarven gold. Things did not go well for Olaf and his followers in the dark below. They were defeated and scattered, and many, including Olaf, never came back to the surface. Some of Olaf's followers founded their own clans, which were the forefathers of a number of barbarian tribes living predominantly in the mountains in the present.

The Phoenician Empire existed for several centuries dominating over a great part of Gaia. The period of its existence is known as the Age of Order. For the most part, it was marked by great advancements in civil engineering, administration, military science, and arcane knowledge, as well as economic prosperity and political stability. In the later centuries of its existence, the Phoenicians developed a number of problems, e.g. a series of bad emperors, encumbering bureaucracy, corruption, and external pressures, which all contributed to its eventual demise.

After the fall of the Phoenician Empire, Gaia reverted to chaos and political segmentation of warring warlords. That period of strife, bloodshed, and devastation is known as the Age of Chaos. A great stabilizing factor in those days was an organization of benevolent elves, dwarves, and a few humans known as the Keepers of Shining Light. Through a system of alliances and contained campaigns, the Keepers and a number of prudent rulers managed to defeat and topple the most belligerent warlords. A time of relative peace and stability followed, which is the current Age of Equilibrium.

The present age is characterized by great political segmentation, relative peace, and a good degree of prosperity.