Ok, I will have to say I know less about Faerun history than you, Sohala. So unfortunately... canon history is off the moment someone says something contrary. This world is a lot different than canon FR. We've got trains, wheelboats, and level 10 commoners abounding.
Point is, (and I've been meaning to adress this, earlier), character backgrounds can rewrite history. If Thistle says there were green fields, sure enough there were. And the empire he originated from is probably not present in canon history, either. The whole business with the netheril empire and the shades, etc... it doesn't really fit this timeline. So it may take place ages before or after this story. (And Lolth is most certainly not silent at this point in time, for anyone wondering about the Drow.) So Anauroch history is a special case, even, as there is a lot of fluff that totally contradicts what I have envisioned as the setting for this tale. Of course, if you want to make a point using canon history... sure enough, you can do that, too. Just don't be too unhappy if I go ahead and change parts of it - purposefully or out of ignorance.
Now I understand that having a looser timeline sometimes makes it hard for history-savvy PCs - you can't just look it up in the sourcebook to know it with certainty. So just ask whether there will be any problems in assuming certain things. It's the best I can offer you, I'm afraid. On the bright side, we can be very flexible, and not worry too much about canon
.
