--- ### **Timeline of The Outlands** --- #### **The Primordial Age (Pre-Dalereckoning)** - **Before -35,000 DR: Formation of The Outlands** - The Outlands is formed as a central plane connecting all Outer Planes, reflecting perfect neutrality. - Portals to the Outer Planes naturally form across the Outlands, creating **gate towns** that align with specific planes. - **The Dawn War:** - During the conflict between the gods and primordials, the Outlands remains neutral, serving as a battleground and a meeting ground for ceasefires and negotiations. - The gods of neutrality, balance, and nature establish footholds in the Outlands, using it as a sanctuary. --- #### **The Rise of Sigil (-30,000 DR to -20,000 DR)** - **-30,000 DR: The Lady of Pain Emerges** - The **Lady of Pain**, a mysterious and godlike entity, takes control of **Sigil**, the City of Doors, located atop the Spire at the center of the Outlands. - Sigil becomes a hub of planar travel, with portals leading to every plane and countless Material Plane worlds. - **-25,000 DR: Sigil’s Neutrality Enforced** - The Lady of Pain establishes strict neutrality in Sigil, forbidding gods and powerful planar entities from entering the city. - This neutrality makes Sigil a safe haven for mortals and travelers, though its rules are enforced with ruthless efficiency by the Lady. - **-20,000 DR: Construction of the First Gate Towns** - Around the Outlands’ perimeter, towns begin to form near the portals leading to the Outer Planes. - These **gate towns** align with the philosophies of their neighboring planes, reflecting their influence. --- #### **The Age of Mortal Exploration (-10,000 DR to -1,000 DR)** - **-10,000 DR: Mortal Discoveries of the Outlands** - Mortals from Toril and other Material Planes discover the Outlands, using its portals to explore the Outer Planes. - Scholars and adventurers begin mapping the gate towns and the connections between planes. - **-7,000 DR: Rise of Neutral Orders** - Philosophical orders devoted to balance, such as druids and monks, establish enclaves in the Outlands. - These groups seek to maintain the plane’s neutrality and protect its balance from outside influences. - **-5,000 DR: The Concordance Accords** - Planar entities sign the **Concordance Accords**, formalizing the Outlands as neutral ground for negotiations and diplomacy. - Sigil becomes the de facto meeting place for planar disputes, with the Lady of Pain maintaining order. --- #### **The Age of Planar Conflict (-1,000 DR to 1358 DR)** - **-1,000 DR: The Gate Town Wars** - Rivalries between the gate towns escalate into conflicts, with towns shifting alignment closer to their neighboring Outer Planes. - Several towns are absorbed into their corresponding planes, their portals destabilized as a result. - **500 DR: Founding of the Cartographer’s Guild** - A group of planar scholars establishes the **Cartographer’s Guild** in Sigil, dedicated to mapping the Outlands and the Outer Planes. - Their work becomes invaluable for adventurers and planar travelers. - **714 DR: Myth Drannor’s Interaction with the Outlands** - Elven wizards from Myth Drannor establish a portal to the Outlands, using it to access Outer Planes for magical research. - The portal collapses during the city’s siege, cutting off their access. --- #### **The Time of Troubles and Outlands’ Stability (1358 DR)** - **1358 DR: The Time of Troubles** - During the chaos of the gods walking Faerûn, Sigil remains unaffected due to the Lady of Pain’s strict enforcement of neutrality. - The Outlands sees an influx of petitioners and refugees from the Outer Planes as divine conflicts spill into other realms. --- #### **The Spellplague and Outlands’ Flux (1385 DR to 1487 DR)** - **1385 DR: The Spellplague** - The collapse of the Weave destabilizes some portals in the Outlands, causing several gate towns to shift closer to their neighboring Outer Planes. - Scholars from Sigil work to repair these portals, though some are lost permanently. - **1395 DR: The Collapse of Plaguegate** - **Plaguegate**, a gate town near a portal to the Abyss, is destroyed when demonic forces invade. - The Outlands’ guardians intervene, sealing the portal and erasing all traces of the town. --- #### **The Second Sundering and Modern Era (1484 DR to Present)** - **1484–1487 DR: The Second Sundering** - The restoration of the **Tablets of Fate** stabilizes the Outlands’ portals and reaffirms its role as the hub of planar travel. - Sigil experiences a resurgence in activity, with adventurers and planar scholars flocking to its streets. - **1492 DR: Baldur’s Gate 3 and Outlands’ Influence** - Portals to the Outlands open near Baldur’s Gate, allowing planar travelers to access the city. - Cultists and opportunists seek to exploit these portals, but adventurers intervene to preserve the balance. - **Present Day:** - The Outlands remains a center of planar neutrality, its gate towns thriving as hubs of trade, diplomacy, and adventuring. - Sigil continues to stand as the City of Doors, its portals connecting adventurers to infinite possibilities. --- ### **Themes of The Outlands’ Timeline** 1. **Neutrality and Balance:** - The Outlands embodies the concept of true neutrality, ensuring no single alignment dominates its purpose or role. 2. **Planar Crossroads:** - The Outlands serves as the meeting point for all Outer Planes, making it a hub of trade, diplomacy, and conflict resolution. 3. **Mortal Interaction:** - Mortals play a significant role in the Outlands’ history, from exploring its gate towns to using its portals for personal gain. 4. **Adventuring Opportunities:** - The Outlands offers challenges such as exploring its gate towns, navigating Sigil’s complex politics, and securing lost portals. ---