Primary Timeline

Demonic hordes consume the Underdark and their demon lords cross into the Material Plane. Thanks to ceaseless infighting, none of them invade the surface world.

Zyggtmoy, the Demon Queen of Fungi, unites with the sentient fungal growth known as Araumycos, becoming Zuggtmycos.

The only surviving humanoid civilizations are the illithid city of Oryndoll, the drow settlement of Undrek’Thoz, and the duergar bastion of Gracklstugh.

The red dragon Wyrmspeaker, Severin Silrajin, gathers the five parts of the Mask of the Dragon Queen and frees Tiamat from Avernus, the first layer of the Nine Hells. As “thanks,” Tiamat immediately devours him.

Tiamat wipes out the Lord’s Alliance, Order of the Gauntlet, and Emerald Enclave.

The Dragon Queen, disdaining masks in her image and hoping to make it difficult for Vecna to control her, orders the Mask of the Dragon Queen to be split back into its five parts.

The Soulmonger is emptied, allowing Vecna to return and declare himself God-King of the Forgotten Realms.

Vecna descends on Waterdeep with the assistance of the Zhentarim, claiming the city.

The giant god Annam All-Father shatters the Ordning, the social structure of all giants.

The stone giants sequester themselves away in Deadstone Cleft.

The hill giants declare themselves mountain giants and claim a monolithic city across the rolling hills north of the Dessarin Valley.

From Ironslag, the fire giants raise the colossal construct named Vonindod.

The cloud giants raise their castles further into the skies, utterly isolating themselves. • The frost giants align with Auril, wrapping Icewind Dale in permanent winter.

Losing the Maelstrom and their King, the storm giants lead a nomadic life without a home or the means to create one.

The Princes of Elemental Evil are ushered from their realm into the Forgotten Realms.

All four elemental cults unite under the banner of the Elder Elemental Eye, a false persona created by Tharizdun, the deity who formed the Abyss.

The Cult of the Elder Elemental Eye terraforms Dessarin Valley into their new home, which they call the Throne of Primordial Unity.

Vecna returns Tharizdun to the Material Plane, only to imprison the god in the illithid-claimed Silverymoon.

The Frostmaiden casts her spell to freeze the North.

Xardorok Sunblight claims Icewind Dale for the duergar. Their construct, the chardalyn dragon, burns down the Ten Towns. They have not learned that their demigoddess Deep Duerra is actually the devil Asmodeus in disguise.

Manshoon loots the Vault of Dragons.

The Doom Raiders are forced out of Waterdeep.

The Cassalanters fail to save the souls of their children.

Jarlaxle flees Waterdeep aboard his ship, the Scarlet Marpenoth. He founds Qu’madosfan Delmah with the Bregan D’aerthe.

Halaster Blackcloak transports the Undermountain into its own demiplane. 

Both Baldur’s Gate and Elturel are dragged into Avernus.

Zariel successfully reclaims and destroys the Sword of Zariel.

Bel does not rise to contest Zariel’s rule.

The demon lords and Tiamat are both too preoccupied with the events of Out of the Abyss and Rise of Tiamat to invade Avernus.

Devils claim Baldur’s Gate, rename it Helldoor’s Gate, and use it as a warfront to repel the demonic hordes.