IC 1,312 Emperor Tiberious I, a battle-toughened cavalryman with Pass War experience, creates an elite cavalry unit with noble bloodlines called the Astoria Lighthorse. (Tiberious I is considered the greatest emperor in history by most fighter-types and military people, and his images fill places of honor in the Great Hall of the Lighthorse.)

IC 1,320 The last surviving member of the Quicksilver family, the hereditary rulers of Angel's Reach, dies without an heir. A string of weak and ineffective Imperial governors causes citizens to choose self-rule, and the Empire's grip on this northern, frontier city slowly fades away with a whimper.

IC 1,326 The last member of the Dairn family, Mole's hereditary rulers, dies without an heir. The Church takes over governorship of this heavily-religious mining/monastery town.

IC 1,339 Successes in the Pass Wars prompt the start of the 4th Crusade.

IC 1,351 After 12 years of bloody fighting and siege against a well-defended enemy (the Goblins had 350 uninterrupted years to fortify and reinforce Hax), the Holy City is captured by Imperial Crusaders. It will remain in "civilized" hands for the next 25 years, though the fighting continues.

IC 1,376 A massive Goblin push, led by Nine Chiefs Warlord "Sabbat Spleene" retakes Hax and pushes the surviving, battered and bitter crusaders back to the Passes, where they stay to fight the Pass Wars. Sabbat was supported by an elusive and mysterious "Goblin God" who stayed out of sight within a specially-built, fortified wagon, and provided him with advice and rumored godly thunde...)

IC 1,420 "The Great Fire of 1420." The Castillian port city of Domingo is nearly burned to the ground by fireballs from a vengeful mage.

IC 1,421 Emperor Aristus III dies of syphilis (some say poison and murder.) He leaves an infant heir. This begins the Franco Stewardship.

IC 1,423 Castille begins construction of a mighty fortress called "Salamanca de Reya" in the Hardlands along the Great Western Tradeway. When it is completed in 1428, they will announce the annexing of a large portion of the Hardlands as the new province of Salamanca, expanding the Castillian kingdom.

IC 1,426 PRESENT DAY. The current Imperial ruler is Francisco VII, eight years old. Lord Franco rules as Steward. Military successes at The Chalice near the end of this year will spark the 5th Crusade, which will launch in the summer of 1427.