Buy me a coffeeEon XXXVI – The Age of Verdant Rapture (Neogene)
(Neogene: 23 – 2.6 million years ago)
Time Frame: 23 – 2.6 million years ago
Theme Statement: The world flourishes under the reign of mystical forces, where ancient creatures rise in untold numbers, and new civilizations blossom among the wilds, pushing against the forces of entropy.
This age could focus on the acceleration of magical and natural evolution. The birth of mystical kingdoms driven by Fey and Elementals, and the rise of arcane technologies, where Constructs and dragons play more central roles. It would bring new conflicts between the wild forces of nature and the advancing civilizations, with monstrous creatures and dragons seeking power and dominion over the world.
Overview
The Age of Verdant Rapture is a time of unimaginable growth, where the wounds of the past have healed and the earth now teems with a multitude of new life, some born from magic itself. Vast, enchanted forests stretch across continents, ancient dragons soar through skies cracked open by magic, and Fey creatures weave their illusions across the land, creating both wonder and fear. This is a time of intense ecological prosperity—where powerful kingdoms of nature’s creatures come into being, and the first great civilizations start to form amidst the bountiful and thriving wilderness. However, beneath the beauty, a restless darkness stirs, and new powers rise to challenge the growing forces of harmony.
Ecological Dominance
The creature realm is at its zenith during this time, as the ancient Titanic Beasts now rule the land alongside newer magical beings born from the wild forces.
- Fey Beasts: These creatures, tied to the primal forces of nature, increase in power and number. Some serve the Fey, while others simply live by their own lawless whims. Pixies, treants, and the mystical beasts of the Feywild proliferate, reshaping the forests and enchanted woods. Their magic is woven into every leaf and stone, transforming the land into a dream-like tapestry.
- Elemental Lords: The elementals, having been empowered in the previous eon, now rise to become almost god-like figures. Their powers surge throughout the landscape, and civilizations learn to tap into their primal forces.
- Mammals and Behemoths continue to reign in the wilds, but their reign is increasingly tempered by magical forces that seek to reshape them. Fires, storms, and earthquakes still plague the lands, but they have become forces of natural balance, occasionally empowering those brave enough to wield them.
Geography in Flux
The Neogene era sees the world enter its final stages of growth. Continents continue their slow drift, as large tectonic shifts continue to reshape the geography.
- Magical Flora and Fauna: The lands now bear mystical groves, enchanted swamps, and crystal caverns that sparkle with arcane energy. Ley Lines are now stable but still volatile in areas where the magic surges strongest.
- Elemental Zones: Volcanic islands, storm-swept coasts, and frost-bound tundras dominate certain parts of the world, and the Elemental Lords make their homes in the most extreme environments.
Intelligent Cultures
Civilizations rise in this eon, made up of beastfolk, Fey, and a more diverse humanoid spectrum. The kingdoms they create are often shaped by magic, and their culture is intertwined with the environment, magical beasts, and elemental forces.
- Arcane Kingdoms: Powerful, ancient magical kingdoms are founded by the few who can master the magic of the earth. These kingdoms are often built upon powerful Ley Lines, and their rulers are either dragons or elemental beings.
- Fey Monarchies: The Fey establish their own secluded kingdoms within the vast wilds, where time passes differently, and they rule as monarchs over all things natural. Their laws are strange, and to enter their territories is often to encounter creatures of pure mischief or beauty.
The Mammalkin (humanoid mammalian races) continue to rise, their intricate societies now woven into these magical landscapes, forming alliances with both natural and arcane forces. Their culture is a blend of primal instincts and learned wisdom, steeped in shamanic rituals and the worship of ancient elemental spirits.
Magic in This Age
With the Ley Lines pulsing at their peak, magic has become more than a tool—it is a way of life. New schools of magic based around elemental manipulation, natural binding, and spirit weaving arise during this time. Arcane technologies that use magical elements to construct living golems or animate nature appear, though they are dangerous and often unstable.
- Elemental Mages: Schools that specialize in the manipulation of earth, water, air, and fire. Mages can summon storms, create mountains, or even awaken the sleeping beasts of the land.
- Fey Magic: The enchantments of the Fey are rooted deeply in the land itself. Mages who study Fey magic can alter the flow of time, weave illusions that shape the environment, or manipulate the spirits of nature.
- Necromancy: Still taboo, though practiced in secret, some magic-users experiment with reanimating ancient beings, trying to unlock the secrets of the past world that perished during the great cataclysm.
Conflict & Harmony
This age is not without its dangers. While the land flourishes, conflict brews under the surface. Dragons and elemental lords vie for control over the natural world, and in their wake, civilizations are caught in the crossfire.
- Fey and Elementals: Old rivalries flare between the Fey and Elementals. The Elemental Lords believe they are the true rulers of the earth, while the Fey seek to manipulate the world’s magic in their own, often self-serving, ways. A cataclysmic war seems inevitable as both factions prepare for a struggle that could reshape the world again.
- Fey and Mammalkin: These two forces—one tied to the land’s natural forces and the other driven by primal protection—often come into conflict as the Mammalkin seek to preserve the balance while the Fey aim to shape the world according to their own whims.
Legacy of This Eon
This age sets the stage for the eventual rise of mighty arcane empires and the deepening of the world’s connection to its magical heart. The foundations of magic-infused civilizations are laid, and the seeds of future conflicts between arcane technologies and primal forces are planted. While some regions are still wild, others stand on the brink of creating an empire where dragons rule supreme, and elemental spirits govern the elements themselves. This age will bear fruit, but it will also bring storms, as forces of nature and magic clash.
With The Age of Verdant Rapture, the world enters a period of growth, but also one of danger, setting the stage for an impending era of great conflict and metamorphosis.