The Fourth Age; also called the "Age of Darkness," lasted 1,297 years and began with the formation of seven human kingdoms, each ruled by the one of the Seven Champions of the West.
In the early years of the age, the kingdoms of Alveron, Amar, Iskandar, Eldara, Rhodara, Ralas, and Thalar came into being. Each kingdom was lawful and just. Over the next 236 years, Alokkair seduced the king of Alveron to release him and he did so out of mercy. He returned to the East to rebuild his strength, bent on revenge.
Throughout the age, Alokkair used treachery to weaken the West. He had the kingdom of Thalar destroyed, plunged the kingdom of Iskandar into a bloody civil war, and his agents destroyed both the Wood-Elf realm of Thekarë and the Dwarf-realm of Kronar. The Lich-King also unleashed plagues and invasions that cost many lives and strained the unity of the remaining western powers.
Finally, in 1293/4 the West was once again invaded by Alokkair. His armies were defeated and he was slain at the Battle of the Dawn in 1297/4. With the final destruction of Alokkair, and the possibility of uniting the west into one cohesive government, the Fourth Age ended.
