Historical Timeline

Historical Timeline Year Event 900 AE An Orrian Merchant living in Rin marries into the local Orik Mercantile family. After long years of working his way up the social ladder he drops his original Orrian name and takes the Ascalonian surname Aekart. 909 AE The Ebizu family business hits a boon, expanded into other forms of business such as deep sea fishing and trade. The Ebizu Trading Company is formed in spite of recent foreign political tensions. 942 AE Two years after the Dragon Empire closes trade with Ascalon, the Aekarts develop smuggling ties and use their newly established racket to begin a takeover of the Orik family business. 957 AE The Ebizu Trading Company being pressured from the Canthan government and constant encounters with the Corsairs invest in heavy armament of their merchant fleet. 960 AE The Oriks become a subjugated branch of the growing Aekart family enterprise. Several Aekart family emissaries are sent out to begin talks with Corsair smugglers. 979 AE After a long stand off at sea, Cyrus Ebizu initiate talks with the Corsairs. An agreement is reached and the Ebizu Trading Company begins secretly selling arms to the Corsairs. 982 AE The Second Corsair War begins, all smuggling rackets into Elona are officially stymied as interest begins with trade in the Dragon Empire. Aekart emissaries begin to meet on Shing Jea with Kurzick House merchants. 1013 AE The First Guild War begins as the talks with the Kurzick House von Gerule go south. The current Family Leader, Elrik Aekart pays off rival Houses to pressure their possible acquisition. The Ebizu family leave Cantha and settles in Elona and continues trade operations, unhindered by the Corsairs. 1017-20 AE A year after the Second Corsair War ends, trade resurges from the Elonan rackets. A long standing trade agreement is solidified with the marriage of an Aekart man to a Vabbian tradesmen's daughter, thus entering the Qaijur Clan of Chokhin into the expanding Aekart enterprise. House von Gerule also falls to pressure and signs on by marrying one of their sons to an Aekart daughter, cementing Aekart presence in the Jade rackets. The Ebizu family becomes fully apart of the Elonian society and begin supporting the Sunspear. 1050 AE Rise of the Canthan trade into Ascalon causes the Aekarts to take interest in a small but wealthy family in Kaineng. The Zhang family soon meets Aekart Liasons and is propositioned for a trade agreement. Canthan assets soon become part of the ever growing Aekart rackets, Ebizu Trading Company profits drop radically. 1061 AE A trade negotiation between the Ebizu Trading Company and Aekarts ends without any agreement. Alexander Ebizu takes it upon himself to use their heavily armed trading vessels to blockade Aekart vessels. 1070-75 AE For the next decade the Aekarts see a fall in profits and loss of assets. Problems in the family lead to the assassination of family head Jacque Aekart and his wife, leaving two children and their Vabbian cousin to take over the reigns of the enterprise. The Charr invasion and subsequent actions of the Searing force the Aekarts to move from Rin to Ascalon city and then with refugees to Lion's Arch. 1079 AE The Aekarts now in a period of rebuilding funnel funds into sellswords that they use to support the Shining Blade during the War in Kryta. Discussion also begins members of the new Asuran peoples and Aekart representatives. 1080 AE The Aekarts establish trade ties with members of the Orik family in the Ebon Vanguard with the founding of Ebonhawke. 1113 AE Ties are established with members of the Asura in Rata Sum. The Aekarts begin to fall on hard times as a financial prodigy form the College of Statics called the "Wandering Asura" helps the Aekart Cartel to reform itself. 1120 AE The Cartel officially becomes the Ashenfold Cartel. 1138 AE The loss of both Canthan and Elonan rackets sees the slow introduction of both Norn and Asura members into the Cartel. The Ebizu Trading Company flees Elonia with their fleet and all possible assets, establishing themselves in Lion's Arch. 1165 AE Norn hunters become important in new rackets as the rise of Jormag and earlier Dragons forces the Cartel to fully change itself to a muti-racial organization. The first Charr also become members as hired sellswords. 1172 AE The Ashenfold Cartel and the Ebizu Trading Company have a sit down and discuss a merger. An agreement was met that would give the Cryus Ebizu an advisory position within the cartel and all assets of their company would be handed over. This marks the end of the Ebizu Trading Company. 1180 AE Originally created as advisory positions to the ruling Aekart, the Masters of the Sects assume more power in a political tug of war. The ensuing crisis begins the Era of Bosses. A time in which the Cartel becomes a criminal syndicate. 1220 AE Crime Boss Vilhem von Gerule moves the Ashenfold base out of Lion's Arch to the newly founded Krytan capital of Divinity's Reach. He is then assassinated by members of the Aekart and Ebizu family vanguard leading to the end of the Era of Bosses. 1234 AE Ties are re-established with the newly built corsair run Lion's Arch. This leads to an influx of Charr in the Cartel as the neutral city provides a perfect ground for profit in the Cartel. The Masters officially take power and the Aekarts are relegated to a figurehead power. The personal guard of the family also takes it's place as the sixth and unknown sect of the growing enterprise. 1317 AE The newly awakened Sylvari race joins the Cartel as tensions rise between the Charr led Blade and the Human led Hunt. Civil War consumes the Cartelite ranks as the Shadow then fully purge all sect upper ranks except for the Coin. A new council is created and the time is recorded as the Great Purge. The old master of the Coin also retires leading to a younger member taking his place. 1318 AE Master of Blade Cyrus Rakingclaw in an act of pure paranoia found's the military unit, Cyrus' Redcloaks as a mean to defend against perceived Shadow attack. He silently disappears a month later with many of the Redcloaks supposedly dying in honorable battle against un-named assailants. 1325 AE Guild Wars 2 Begins. The Cartel sees new balance as racial issues are intensified with the Truce between the Charr High Legions and Kryta.