--- #### **The Primordial Age (Pre-Dalereckoning)** - **Before -35,000 DR: The Formation of the Elemental Planes** - The Plane of Earth is created alongside the other Elemental Planes during the multiverse’s formation. - It becomes the domain of **Grumbar**, the elemental lord of earth, stability, and endurance. - The **dao** emerge as the dominant intelligent race, building their first cities deep within the unyielding stone. - **The Dawn War (Pre-Dalereckoning):** - During the cosmic war between the **primordials** and the gods, the Plane of Earth serves as a bastion for primordial forces. - Grumbar resists interference from both sides, maintaining the plane’s stability. --- #### **The Rise of Earth Civilizations (-30,000 DR to -10,000 DR)** - **-30,000 DR: Construction of Dao Citadels** - The dao establish their first citadels, including the legendary **Shah Karra**, a vast city carved entirely out of diamond and obsidian. - The dao begin trading gemstones and metals with other planes, often enslaving lesser beings to mine their wealth. - **-25,000 DR: Interactions with the Material Plane** - Early dwarven and giant civilizations on Toril discover portals to the Plane of Earth. - They establish temporary settlements, trading with the dao and mining precious materials. - **-20,000 DR: The Rise of Elemental Lords** - Grumbar solidifies his control over the Plane of Earth, becoming its uncontested ruler. - Rival elemental lords, such as **Ogremoch**, the Prince of Evil Earth, seek to overthrow Grumbar and claim the plane. --- #### **The Age of Giants (-10,000 DR to -4,000 DR)** - **-10,000 DR: The Giant Empires** - The giants of Toril, particularly the stone giants, establish a connection to the Plane of Earth. - They revere Grumbar as a deity of stone and stability, incorporating earth elemental magic into their culture. - **-9,000 DR: The Crown Wars** - During the elven **Crown Wars**, factions of elves summon earth elementals from the Plane of Earth to construct fortifications and wage war. - This destabilizes several regions of the Material Plane, creating earthquakes and landslides. - **-5,000 DR: Ogremoch’s Campaign** - **Ogremoch**, the Prince of Evil Earth, launches a rebellion against Grumbar, corrupting sections of the Plane of Earth. - Ogremoch’s followers spread chaos, creating regions dominated by choking dust and magma flows. - Grumbar’s loyalists eventually banish Ogremoch to his abyssal domain, but his cults persist. --- #### **The Rise of Mortal Influence (-3,000 DR to 1300 DR)** - **-3,000 DR: Netheril’s Experiments** - Netherese archmages use the Plane of Earth to mine precious metals and gemstones for their magical experiments. - They inadvertently unleash earth elementals on the Material Plane, leading to local disasters. - **-2,000 DR: The Dao’s Expansion** - The dao increase their influence on the Material Plane, using portals to enslave mortal miners. - They begin to clash with dwarven kingdoms and early human civilizations that resist their domination. - **714 DR: Myth Drannor’s Fall** - Earth elementals summoned during the invasion of Myth Drannor return to the Plane of Earth, bringing magical artifacts and knowledge of Faerûn. - These artifacts are incorporated into dao hoards, further enhancing their power. - **1200 DR: The Necropolis of the Plane of Earth** - A dao sorcerer constructs the **Cavern of Eternal Rest**, a pocket realm within the Plane of Earth, as a tomb filled with traps, treasure, and undead guardians. --- #### **The Time of Troubles and Earth’s Turmoil (1358 DR)** - **1358 DR: The Time of Troubles** - Grumbar briefly manifests on the Plane of Earth in physical form during the gods’ fall to mortality. - Cultists of Ogremoch take advantage of this event, attempting to destabilize Grumbar’s rule, but are crushed by his loyalists. - Earthquakes ripple through Faerûn as the plane’s stability temporarily wavers. --- #### **The Spellplague and Earth’s Disruption (1385 DR to 1487 DR)** - **1385 DR: The Spellplague** - The collapse of the Weave creates massive disruptions in the Plane of Earth. - Portals between the Plane of Earth and Faerûn become unstable, causing sudden eruptions of stone and earth. - The dao exploit this chaos, capturing mortal refugees and expanding their wealth. - **1390 DR: The Stonemarch** - Earth elementals overrun portions of Faerûn, particularly the southern deserts, as uncontrolled planar breaches unleash their rage. - Adventurers seal several rifts, stabilizing the Material Plane. --- #### **The Second Sundering and Modern Era (1484 DR to Present)** - **1484–1487 DR: The Second Sundering** - The re-creation of the **Tablets of Fate** restores balance to the Elemental Planes. - The Plane of Earth stabilizes, and Grumbar regains full control over its domains. - Ogremoch’s influence is diminished but not eradicated, as his cults remain active on the Material Plane. - **1492 DR: Baldur’s Gate 3 and Elemental Cults** - Cultists of **Ogremoch** work with other elemental evil factions, aiming to create a foothold in Baldur’s Gate and the Sword Coast. - Their efforts include summoning massive earth elementals to destroy cities, but adventurers thwart their plans. - **Present Day:** - The Plane of Earth remains a realm of untapped riches and perilous dangers. - Adventurers seek out dao citadels and forgotten tombs, while planar scholars study its stability and magical properties. --- ### **Themes of the Plane of Earth’s Timeline** 1. **Stability and Strength:** - The Plane of Earth symbolizes unyielding strength and endurance, but its history reveals moments of great conflict and change. 2. **Interplanar Influence:** - Mortals frequently exploit the Plane of Earth for its resources, often drawing the ire of its native inhabitants. 3. **Conflict with Evil:** - The ongoing struggle between Grumbar and Ogremoch reflects the larger battle between stability and chaos. 4. **Adventuring Opportunities:** - Treasure-filled dao citadels, ancient mines, and planar rifts provide endless challenges for adventurers. ---