Author's Note
I have been working on this particular volume for a longer period of time than all the others. Where volumes one and two costed me at least a century of vigorous production each; this project has spanned a little more than two centuries. I began my research after I presented my first volume to Monarch Rounari II on her death bed. I believe I have created something that can, at last, challenge the Dolvar Account in respect to its relevance for humanity's history. However, I do pray that the next generation labels this work as incomplete. One day my name may be nothing more than a footnote in a greater compilation of a past finally remembered. I doubt that will be the case for I understand my worth in the line of scholars. But if I am wrong in this matter, then so be it. Such a legacy would be worth the name of this age changing into something less defeatist for my field.
The reader my notice the distinct lack of dates in this volume. This is for two reasons. Firstly, the oral traditions available to me often contained discrepancies in regards to exact temporal setting when compared to each other and even within themselves at points. Then there is also the issue of dating the start of the FA. It is essentially impossible to determine when a event occurred if it did so before the rise of civilization (which is placed at 0 AA). Therefore, the structure of this chronicle mimics the order which I believe makes most chronological sense. Again, I hope a future scholar may be able to confidently correct this aspect of my work.
Finally, I wish to make to note of the currently prominent debate about the Forgotten Age. Scholars disagree on whether the FA experienced a constant fire from Dolvar. As the Dolvar Account states, "the age lasted until the great fires of Dolvar extinguished to all but ash.". I do not believe this implies Frinxia was perpetually on fire. As a result, this work will not mention absurdities that I dare not even acknowledge here. The line is certainly a literacy device that Dolvar or his chronicler used to describe the general state of the age and how it concluded. While immensely powerful, the dragon did not have any divine qualities that would grant him the ability to create never ending fire especially on the universal scale. The apathy defense is compelling. However, this apology is disproven by the official history presented by the Dulwenian Empire. If Dolvar really was reigniting flames every few decades then and only discontinued the effort due to his sloth then how were the gnomes able to prosper before 0 AA? Their civilization was and still is centered around their strong agriculture basis. Which is dependent on their lands not being engulfed in fire. Furthermore, most of keepers of oral tradition I investigated did not mention great surrounding fires in descriptions of their narrative's settings.
A Introduction to the Forgotten Age
The nature of the Forgotten Age is the same as the nature of its study. The Forgotten Age was full of loss, destruction, and above all ignorance. The majority of the world lived in tribal societies until near the end of the age. Writing was scarce so this chronicle relies on oral accounts of happenings still remembered. This is most effective when studying the history of the longer-lived peoples. But when researching human history, there is only so much to work with. Humans are notoriously forgetful as they go through the generations. Nonetheless a overview of humanity in the Forgotten Age is still possible.
It is important to distinguish the Forgotten Age into two stages; pre-Dolvar and post-Dolvar. Anything before Dolvar's ascension and reign is relatively unknown. This volume will only detail the post-Dolvar stage of the Forgotten Age for any record before the dragon burn the world is rare. A small portion of knowledge from the pre-Dolvar period is remembered by the Dolvar Account but most excerpts pertains only to orc society. This is definitely purposeful. The orc conquerors erased both elven and human history in order to assert their own cultural dominance. Without a memory of their past glories, the subjugated races saw immense difficulties reuniting into worth and uprising against their oppressors. However, paradoxically to their nature the humans held on to some notions of the past. It is likely the orc horde were harsh to the elves in comparison to the humans when it came to the destruction of their historical identity. It is the only sufficient justification for such a occurrence.
Humanity originated in Exezstium along the that river splits the continent between north and south. Humans differ from other eastern races in that no human culture presents a genesis story. The race simply insists they have always been where they currently are. The only exception to this reality are the Unamen who recently migrated into the Uncivilized Peninsula from western Opinberun. But how their people entered Opinberun in the first place is not a matter Unamen care to explore. The Dolvar Account does not mention the conquest of Unamen, Wintermen, or any other human peoples outside of Exezstium. Therefore it is certain that humanity existed as a singularity in Exezstium pre-Dolvar but many fled the continent to barbaric lands following the destruction post-Dolvar.
By this point, humanity lived in a multitude of tribal communities. These tribes traded, warred, and merged with each other. A unified people did not yet exist for the Merarcish. Tribal loyalty far surpassed any notion of national identity. Although there does appear to have been a shared sense of kinship within each of Merarc's seven regions. Tribes often briefly consolidated to push out invaders from other regions and it was usually significantly more difficult to join a tribe of another region.
The human tribes of Merarc engaged in warfare over ownership of ruins and blessed soils. Tribes which could settle in the ruins of civilization were at a illustrious position. Ruins offered defenses, treasures, and magic to the tribe occupying the area. Any chance another tribe saw to acquire special lands was taken. The ruins surrounding Skogurium, a Merarcish town in the present day, are a wonderful example of this occurrence. Good farmland was also sought after. Lustragi blessed certain areas in Merarc with notably fertile soil. This was a unique commodity for all peoples in the Forgotten Age. The largest of these serene farmlands, Bestugrosin, saw constant war. Bloodshed over her holy places pleased the goddess and so Lustragi further encouraged fighting for sacred grounds.
The other members of the Lussan were prominent in Exezstium during the Forgotten Age. Of course, this was the circumstance in all of Frinxia. But Exezstium was especially plagued by their dominance. Humans particularly clung to the Lussan more than the other races. The longevity of elves ensured their survival and wellbeing even if in chains. And the orcs had Dolvar to protect them. The humans depended on Lussan more than the other peoples of the East. Human tribals made sacrifices to Schaefer and Falfreydi in addition to Lustragi. While there are mentions of Asmodeus and Nakis in old prayers there is no reason to suggest the two's blessings were regularly sought after by the humans of the Forgotten Age, at least in what would become Merarc.
The Forgotten Age was a terrible period for all Frinxia, including the Merarcish. Civilization was miniscule, ignorance was rampant, and the intelligent species were at the whims of destructive forces. Yet humanity prevailed during the Forgotten Age despite their unique circumstances.
