Age of Ashes

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For another meaning of "Age of Ashes", please see Age of Ashes (adventure path).

For the Absalom Reckoning analogue to the Age of Ashes, see the Age of Darkness.

The Age of Ashes is the earliest historical time period in the Imperial Calendar of Tian Xia. It begins with the impact of the Starstone, an event known as Earthfall, in -2793 IC, which caused significant natural disasters in Tian Xia despite striking the opposite side of Golarion. The Age came to a close with the rise of humanity in Tian Xia and the founding of the empire of Yixing in 1 IC, beginning the Age of Ascendancy.

Period of darkness

The age is named for the dust thrown up by the meteorite's impact and the large amounts of ash expelled by countless volcanoes, which blotted out the sun for many years and caused harsh winters across the world. Its impact raised sea levels such that all lands west of the Wall of Heaven mountains and most of the Minata archipelago, including its land bridge to Sarusan, became forever submerged. The waters also formed the haunted Sea of Ghosts by flooding an inland valley in central Tian Xia. The impact also widened the Xidao Channel and spawned dangerous creatures from its Aya-Maru trench that forced Xidao's city-states to unite in defense.

Volcanic eruptions in the Chenlun Mountains disrupted the dwarf-like fire elemental munsahirs from hiding, and upon returning to the surface they warred with the extraterrestrial reptilian Valashai in defense of the catfolk, lizardfolk, tripkee, and vanara societies that the alien invaders had threatened. They protected these peoples in underground shelters until the destruction of Earthfall had passed.

The planetary-scale devastation to plants wrecked the warring dragon-run civilizations on land, ending much of the violence between them and committing many back to their divine mandate to aid humans. However, the age of destruction forced most humans to live nomadic lives in order to survive. Wayangs from the Netherworld and elven refugees from Avistan also emerged to join or form societies of their own, such as the elven nation of Jinin.

Period of sun

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