Era of Magic

Summary
Like they ran to the churches during the Era of the Gods, the people ran to magic after the Divine Collapse. Not wanting to give up their power, but not wanting to anger the Gods, the world turned to magic for all it's answers. Many magical secrets and spells were rediscovered and more were invented during this age, which lasted 4,500 years.

0 P.C. to 1,250 M.E.
The rise of the arcane was reversely proportional to the fall of the churches. Many of the theocracies that were formed in the last era were dismantled and the governments returned to secular governments. Prejudice and hatred spread abound towards the clergy, forcing many out of the church or forcing them into hiding.

Meanwhile, wizards and sorcerers became plentiful. It was around this time that the various Elven nations opened their archives to wiling and worthy Humans who wished to learn magic. The spells and arcane knowledge obtained during the Era of Elves spread like wildfire and pretty soon all nations and libraries could provide basic arcane knowledge to any who asked.

1,250 M.E. to 2,500 M.E.
During this time, various wizards and sorcerers began to organize. Staying mostly separated (wizards and sorcerers didn't get along), they organized with like-minded individuals and formed arcane libraries and even schools. One such school was the foundation of the city of Almonte. With spellcasters gathering, pooling their knowledge, eventually new spells and arcane knowledge were beginning to be discovered.

With any power comes a dark side, and various magical experiments began to take place. Various magical beasts began to appear in the world as well as magical constructs. Some of these remained under the control of their masters, but others rampaged through the countryside, forcing various governments to write laws into place to regulate magic.

Also during this time, a few more subraces began to appear. Arcane Dwarves began to show up, having taken to magic like the other races, and eventually their offspring began to show natural inclinations towards the arcane. Also, the Fey Halflings began to appear in various places, having found and wandered the Feywild, perhaps a bit too much. After long exposures, they and their descendants began to have an otherworldly quality to them.

2,500 M.E. to 3,750 M.E.
Because of this worlds close connection to the Feywild and the Shadowfell, the regular schools of magic were not enough for some wizards. Several wizards and sorcerers studied these planes so much that some became experts and Shadow magic and Fey Magic were discovered. Also, some of the Elves took part in this discovery, but their close connection to the Shadowfell caused those Elves to change, in addition to their descendants, into Shadow Elves.

The city of Almonte grew into power and influence, even making the continent of Thargorum even more influential than Seldarindor. What was once large swaths of uninhabited lands or farmlands was now the center of civilization. Many nations formed during this age, a lot of them from the races that weren't Human. Several Dwarven nations formed (Issag after the eruption of Mt. Jindure and Rondat), Halfling nations like Torah, and even some Elven nations (Daeryn, Marta, and Lemba).

Some of the less reputable or lesser known races also formed their own nations. After being driven out of various areas and almost brought to the edge of extinction, the Lizardfolk formed a makeshift nation in southwest Seldarindor. The Githzerai and the Githyanki each formed cities of their own design and carved out places in the world for themselves.

3,750 M.E. to 4,500 M.E.
Many people in this world began to get nervous when some of the more powerful spellcasters of the world began to reach the levels of power that the clerics had at the end of the Era of the Gods. Some of these spellcasters began to get too confident and began to overreach. The Gods began to notice.

A wizard by the name of Grigor Stormwind was the one to be made an example of. Wanting to undo the suffering and horrible tragedies that this world had suffered during the previous Eras, Grigor decided to cast a Wish spell and remake reality into a more peaceful and good world. He planned to cast it in front of many wizard colleagues and cast it at the highest point in the Garmoth Mountains. All the preparations had been made and he was about to cast his spell.

The God were about to smite him and his colleagues if he went through with the spell. However, just before the spell went off, the deity Lorkayn stepped in. Appearing before the assembled wizards, who were considered the most powerful of their time, he told them to stop. He warned them that this was the line they couldn't cross. This was the line that the clerics crossed during the Era of the Gods, and the same would happen to them if they crossed it.

After the encounter, the wizards assembled, including Grigor himself, all agreed they should regulate the use of magic throughout the world so that they don't cross the line somewhere in the near future. It was that day, exactly 500 years ago, that the seeds had been planted to form the Mystic Directorate and the era ended...

Signs of the Era
Magic is a central part of this world and has infiltrated almost every aspect of society. This is where it all began. The magical cities, the arcane-influenced subraces, even the Mystic Directorate. Every inch of the world was touched by the magic created during this era and most places maintain a magical presence to this day.

In addition to the subraces that formed during this time (Arcane Dwarves and Shadow Elves), many other races and creatures began during this era. Animated Objects, Chimera, Flameskull, Gargoyles, Gibbering Mouther, Golems, Shield Guardians, Helmed Horror, Lich, Nothic, and Owlbears all showed up in the world after this era. Some were created by magic, others summoned, but all have remained since the era has ended.

Also, the laws of magic began in this era. Most of the nations have adopted the laws set forth by the Mystic Directorate in their Mystic Accord. The nations themselves are also generally the ones that enforce them. Only when the rule breaker is more powerful than they can handle (a Lich gone rogue or a wizard trying to cast Wish) are the Mystic Directorate asked to come and enforce the law of magic. In this way, the world has kept a balance between letting people discover new magics and preventing too much power ending up in one person's hand like at the end of the Era of the Gods.