Avernum 5 Dates for Enyclopedia Ermariana

[Slariton]

I've been grepping A5 and looking for relative measurements of time, to try and fit A5 into the Timeline of Ermarian .

 

I've found three important statements. First, the game says twice that "a century ago" Avernites never would have dared to disrespect the Empire. That establishes possible dates for A5 of between 867 (a century after the first people are exiled) and 917 (a century after Hawthorne's assassination).

 

The second comment is Portmaster Pirro's. He says he's worked with portals for "maybe fifty years" beginning with his work on the Tower of Magi portal. The most likely times for that work would be in the 822 - 830 range, but any year from 817 through 833 is possible. "Maybe" is not a precise descriptor of time but it isn't a hugely vague one either, so let's assume a (liberal) range of 45-55 years. That gives us possible dates for A5 of between 862 and 888, with a most likely date around 872 - 880.

 

Those dates fit with the century comment. They also fit with all the (quite vague) references to A2, A3, and A4. A2 (823) is "all those years ago," A3 (833) is "a few decades ago," and A4 (855) is "some years back." Even 872 leaves plenty of time for the necessary post-A4 events to happen (the expansion of the Northern Waters, settlement of the Northern Frontier, beginnings of sleep for the Olgai tribe, travels of Shanker and Gladwell, and so on), which requires ten years at minimum and probably at least 12, realistically.

 

The final statement is Dorikas's: he fought in the Empire-Avernum war when he was young. We know he was at Ornotha Ziggurat in 823. Presumably this means he was born no later than 805 -- only six years after Prazac. Prazac is described as "not young" but Dorikas certainly isn't depicted as being elderly. A date of 872 for A5 makes him at least 67. So I'm inclined to put the date as early as possible.

 

I'll suggest for a final date 870: a comfortable 103 years after the first Exiles, 65 after Dorikas's birth, 15 after the Time of Shades.

 

I'm posting here rather than on EE because I may well have missed a detail (seeing as I haven't read the entire script, just searched it). Comments and suggestions would be appreciated.

[Randomizer]

There is the return of Gypsy as a musician in the New Harston

Inn. This is probably the oldest returning character without magical powers to sustain life.

[Slariton]

Hmm, yes. Gypsy was a "woman" by 817, but at least A5 calls her an "old woman". It's a little strange to think she spent more than 50 years as a wandering minstrel, but if she's about Prazac's age, it's at least plausible.