--- #### **The Primordial Age (Pre-Dalereckoning)** - **Before -35,000 DR: Creation of the Elemental Planes** - The Plane of Water is formed alongside the other Elemental Planes as part of the multiverse’s creation. - It becomes the dominion of **Istishia**, the elemental god of water, fluidity, and purification. - The marids (water genies) establish themselves as the primary intelligent race, founding early underwater cities. - **The Dawn War (Pre-Dalereckoning):** - During the cosmic war between the **primordials** and the gods, the Plane of Water serves as a refuge for primordial aquatic creatures. - Istishia remains neutral, focusing on maintaining the balance of water across the planes. - Titanic sea battles rage between gods and primordial leviathans, leaving parts of the Plane of Water scarred. --- #### **The Rise of Water Civilizations (-30,000 DR to -10,000 DR)** - **-30,000 DR: Founding of Marid Kingdoms** - The marids establish their first great cities, such as **Jacinth**, a city of coral and pearl illuminated by bioluminescent sea life. - The marids begin exploring interplanar trade, particularly with the Plane of Earth and the Plane of Air. - **-25,000 DR: The Leviathan Wars** - Giant sea creatures, including leviathans and krakens, rise to challenge marid dominance. - Istishia empowers her chosen champions, water elementals, to aid the marids in taming these chaotic forces. - Many leviathans are banished to the Abyss, while some retreat to the Plane of Water's deepest trenches. - **-20,000 DR: The First Vortexes** - Natural planar vortices between the Plane of Water and the Material Plane emerge, creating connections to Toril’s oceans. - Early mortal civilizations, such as aquatic elves and merfolk, begin interacting with the plane, forming alliances with its denizens. --- #### **Interactions with the Material Plane (-10,000 DR to -1,000 DR)** - **-10,000 DR: The Crown Wars** - Elven wizards involved in the **Crown Wars** summon water elementals and marids to bolster their naval forces. - These incursions disrupt the Plane of Water’s currents, angering Istishia, who creates storms and tsunamis on the Material Plane as retaliation. - **-7,800 DR: Calim and Memnon’s Struggles** - The Plane of Water becomes a battleground in the conflict between **Calim** (a djinn lord of air) and **Memnon** (an efreet lord of fire). - Marids, though initially neutral, side with Calim to oppose Memnon’s fiery incursions, further tying the Plane of Water to the history of the **Calim Desert**. - **-5,000 DR: Netherese Exploration** - Netherese mages exploit the Plane of Water, using its endless resources to irrigate their lands and summon water elementals. - The marids grow wary of mortal ambition, limiting their interactions with outsiders. - **-2,000 DR: Rise of Triton Kingdoms** - Tritons, empowered by Istishia, establish their first underwater kingdoms. - They act as defenders of the Plane of Water, combating incursions by sahuagin, krakens, and other malevolent forces. --- #### **The Time of Empires (-1,000 DR to 1358 DR)** - **-1,000 DR: Merfolk and the Vortex of Umberlee** - The goddess **Umberlee** creates a powerful vortex connecting the Plane of Water to the Sea of Fallen Stars. - This gateway allows her followers to summon water elementals and krakens for destructive purposes. - **500 DR: The Great Marid Exodus** - Internal conflicts among the marid kingdoms lead to a diaspora of marids across the Plane of Water. - Some marids become mercenaries for mortal summoners, while others withdraw to isolated sanctuaries. - **714 DR: Myth Drannor’s Fall** - Water elementals summoned to defend Myth Drannor during its siege are drawn from the Plane of Water, creating localized droughts in the Material Plane. - These disruptions highlight the delicate balance between the planes. --- #### **The Time of Troubles and Water’s Turmoil (1358 DR)** - **1358 DR: The Time of Troubles** - Istishia briefly manifests on the Plane of Water as a mighty tidal surge during the gods’ descent to mortality. - This causes massive storms and floods in Faerûn, especially near planar vortices. - Adventurers report sightings of Istishia’s avatars calming the seas and guiding lost sailors. --- #### **The Spellplague and Water’s Unrest (1385 DR to 1487 DR)** - **1385 DR: The Spellplague** - The death of **Mystra** disrupts planar connections, causing erratic tides and water anomalies in the Material Plane. - Portals to the Plane of Water become unstable, flooding areas like Chult and the Moonshae Isles. - Tritons and marids work to stabilize these portals, preventing greater disasters. - **1395 DR: Sahaugin Incursions** - Sahaugin forces empowered by demonic influences invade parts of the Plane of Water, clashing with triton defenders. - Istishia’s intervention prevents widespread destruction, but tensions between the two aquatic races grow. --- #### **The Second Sundering and Modern Era (1484 DR to Present)** - **1484–1487 DR: The Second Sundering** - The **Tablets of Fate** are restored, rebalancing the Elemental Planes. - Istishia reasserts her influence, stabilizing the Plane of Water’s currents and vortices. - Tritons emerge as guardians of planar balance, forming alliances with mortals to protect the Material Plane’s oceans. - **1492 DR: Baldur’s Gate 3 and Elemental Cults** - Cults of **Olhydra**, the Princess of Evil Water, attempt to corrupt planar vortices to flood coastal cities like Baldur’s Gate. - Adventurers thwart their plans, securing Istishia’s favor and restoring balance to the Plane of Water. - **Present Day:** - The Plane of Water remains a realm of untapped potential, teeming with life, danger, and resources. - Adventurers seek alliances with marids and tritons, venture into underwater ruins, or battle Olhydra’s cultists threatening the balance of the planes. --- ### **Themes of the Plane of Water’s Timeline** 1. **Fluidity and Adaptability:** - The Plane of Water embodies the principles of change and flow, adapting to cosmic and mortal influences. 2. **Conflict and Cooperation:** - Internal conflicts between marids, tritons, and sahuagin are mirrored by mortal struggles to control or defend the plane’s resources. 3. **Interplanar Influence:** - The Plane of Water frequently impacts the Material Plane through natural disasters, summoned beings, and magical portals. 4. **Adventuring Opportunities:** - The Plane of Water offers endless exploration of underwater cities, coral labyrinths, and sunken treasures. ---