The **Present Era** began with the **Time of Troubles** in 1358 DR, a cataclysmic event that reshaped the divine pantheon and Faerûn's balance of power. This era has since been marked by continuous change, from devastating magical upheavals to the rise of powerful nations and organizations. It is an age of mortal ascendancy, divine intrigue, and the expansion of trade and exploration. --- ### **Chronology of Key Events** #### **1358 DR: The Time of Troubles** - **Summary**: The gods were cast down to the mortal plane by **Ao**, the Overgod, as punishment for their negligence and arrogance. This event disrupted the **Weave**, causing widespread chaos across Faerûn. - **Key Events**: - **Mystra**, goddess of magic, was slain, temporarily destabilizing all magic. - Mortal heroes **Midnight**, **Kelemvor**, and **Cyric** ascended to divinity. - The **Tablets of Fate**, which maintained cosmic order, were shattered, forever altering the divine hierarchy. - **Legacy**: The Time of Troubles established a precedent for mortal influence in divine affairs and ushered in a new pantheon of gods. --- #### **1385 DR: The Spellplague** - **Summary**: The assassination of Mystra by **Cyric**, aided by **Shar**, caused the collapse of the **Weave**, plunging Faerûn into magical chaos. - **Effects**: - Entire regions, such as **Halruaa** and **Maztica**, were destroyed or transformed. - **Spellplague zones** emerged, where magic functioned unpredictably or failed entirely. - The **Chasm of Neverwinter** opened, releasing plaguechanged creatures. - **Legacy**: Magic was forever altered, and the **Weave** was only partially restored when Mystra was later reborn. --- #### **1479 DR: The Second Sundering Begins** - **Summary**: The **Second Sundering** was a divine conflict triggered by Ao’s decision to remake the Tablets of Fate, restoring balance to the cosmos. - **Key Events**: - The gods struggled to reassert their dominance, empowering chosen mortals known as **Chosen of the Gods**. - Cataclysmic events reshaped Faerûn, such as the return of **Abeir**, the twin world of Toril. - Powerful empires like **Netheril** reemerged, only to collapse again. - **Legacy**: The Second Sundering stabilized the Weave, restored Mystra’s full power, and redefined mortal and divine interactions. --- #### **1489 DR: The Rise of Tiamat** - **Summary**: The **Cult of the Dragon**, led by **Severin Silrajin**, attempted to summon the dragon goddess **Tiamat** into Faerûn. - **Key Events**: - A coalition of adventurers and factions, including the **Harpers** and **Lords’ Alliance**, thwarted the cult’s plans. - **Chromatic dragons** ravaged regions like the **Sword Coast**, causing widespread destruction. - **Legacy**: The conflict reinforced the importance of alliances among Faerûn's factions and reasserted the threat posed by draconic forces. --- #### **1492 DR: The Descent into Avernus** - **Summary**: The city of **Elturel** was dragged into the first layer of the Nine Hells, **Avernus**, due to a pact between its ruler and **Zariel**, an archdevil. - **Key Events**: - Adventurers ventured into Avernus to save the city and break Zariel’s pact. - The event exposed the vulnerability of Faerûn’s cities to infernal influences. - **Legacy**: Highlighted the growing influence of devils and the fragile balance between the planes. --- #### **1496 DR: The Rebuilding of Neverwinter** - **Summary**: The city of **Neverwinter**, devastated by the Spellplague and later the eruption of **Mount Hotenow**, entered a period of reconstruction under **Lord Dagult Neverember**. - **Legacy**: - Neverwinter regained its status as a major trade hub on the Sword Coast. - The city's resurgence symbolized the resilience of Faerûn’s mortal populations. --- #### **1499 DR: The Frostmaiden’s Eternal Rime** - **Summary**: **Auril**, the goddess of winter, plunged **Icewind Dale** into an eternal winter, isolating the region from the rest of Faerûn. - **Key Events**: - Adventurers confronted Auril and broke her control over the Dale. - **Legacy**: The event reaffirmed the importance of mortal intervention in divine affairs. --- #### **1500s DR: Modern Era Developments** - **Trade and Exploration**: - Expansion of trade routes and naval exploration along the **Sea of Fallen Stars** and **Trackless Sea**. - Growing influence of nations like **Waterdeep**, **Amn**, and **Calimshan**. - **Technological Advancements**: - The **Lantanese** further developed gunpowder-based weapons and airships. - Artifice and alchemical innovations became increasingly prominent in cities like Baldur’s Gate. - **Factions and Power Struggles**: - The **Zhentarim**, **Harpers**, **Emerald Enclave**, and **Lords’ Alliance** vied for control over politics and resources. - Rising tensions between surface races and the **drow**, particularly in regions bordering the Underdark. --- #### **Key Artifacts of the Present Era** 1. **The Tablets of Fate (Shattered)** - **Description**: Fragments of Ao’s original tablets, scattered during the Time of Troubles. - **Effects**: Retains echoes of divine power, sought after by mortals and gods alike. - **Location**: Hidden across Faerûn and other planes. 2. **The Mask of Mystra** - **Description**: A relic imbued with Mystra’s restored essence, allowing the wearer to manipulate the Weave. - **Effects**: Enhances spellcasting and repairs magical disruptions. - **Location**: Guarded in the rebuilt **Temple of Mystra** in Waterdeep. 3. **The Draakhorn** - **Description**: An ancient dragon horn used by the Cult of the Dragon to summon chromatic dragons. - **Effects**: Instills fear and summons dragons within vast distances. - **Location**: Hidden in a dragon’s lair in the Spine of the World. 4. **The Infernal Puzzle Box** - **Description**: A device tied to infernal contracts, often used by devils to trap mortals. - **Effects**: Grants the user infernal boons but binds them to an infernal pact. - **Location**: Found in infernal-themed campaigns like **Descent into Avernus**. 5. **Auril’s Crystal** - **Description**: A shard of divine power wielded by Auril during her eternal winter. - **Effects**: Grants control over cold magic and weather. - **Location**: Believed to be buried in Icewind Dale. --- #### **Legacies of the Present Era** 1. **Divine and Mortal Interactions** - The Time of Troubles and the Second Sundering demonstrated that mortals could influence divine affairs, blurring the line between the mortal and divine realms. 2. **Resurgence of Magic** - The Weave has stabilized, leading to a golden age of magical research, innovation, and the recovery of ancient arcane knowledge. 3. **Expanding Frontiers** - Trade and exploration have opened new regions of Faerûn and beyond, such as **Chult**, **Maztica**, and the **Trackless Sea**, to greater interaction with the wider world. 4. **Factions and Power Struggles** - Organizations like the **Harpers**, **Zhentarim**, and **Emerald Enclave** continue to shape politics and the adventuring landscape. 5. **Cultural and Technological Advances** - Cities like **Waterdeep**, **Baldur’s Gate**, and **Neverwinter** have embraced technological advancements, blending them with traditional magic. ---