Topic: Perspective: Kulthean history as compared to Earth History

[metallion]

Just saying...

Rylec Quateris has ruled Sel Kai longer then the United States has existed.  The oldest living Shay’s great grandparents didn’t remember the reign of his predecessor.  The oldest Laan were children when he took office.

The rise of Eidolon is as far back in history as Europe’s Dark Ages.   That’s an accomplishment three times as old as the Gutenberg press.

Sel-Kai has had sky ships for longer than Julius Ceaser has been dead.  The oldest Laan’s great grandparents didn’t remember a time when Skyships flew.

The Athenian hegemony over the other Greek City States was a more recent event than the founding of Lankanok.

The United Church of Orhan was founded about as long ago as Moses delivered Torah to the Jews.

The fall of the Second Emerian Empire is as about old as the rise of the First Babylonian Dynasty.  The rise of the Second Emerian Empire is older than the Early Bronze age.

The War of Dominion took place as long ago as the Copper Age.

The fall of Thanor is a more remote memory from TE 6040 than the founding of Eridu, the first permament settlement in Mesopotamia is from the CE 2009.   In other words, Thanor fell before we learned how to farm.

Lorgalis has ruled Ulor for longer than humans have known how to write.  Rhakhaan has existed for even longer than that, and Zor was a going concern before that.  The Worim, Jinteni, and Taranians? Fell before we were making paintings.

The Long Night is half as long as the entire evolutionary existence of Homo sapiens.

[Vince]

Very nice post. It gives a enormous perspective!!

[metallion]

I forgot to mention the first pass through:  The Rhakhaani empire is twice as old as China and has lasted four times as long as the empire of the Pharaohs.

[munchy]

Really cool list. Makes you wonder how they managed to stay around for those long periods of time.

[vroomfogle]

Or maybe, just maybe, all that history is simply Loremaster propaganda and the empires are not nearly as old as all the stories say.

[DonMoody]

A nice list.
I have made various comments on the forum and about Earth time frame vs Kulthea time frame, but never made a specific list beyond larger generalities like this:

Comparing current [as I type this] Earth time (early 21st century) to 'current' Kulthea time (c. 6050s Third Era):
- on Earth, written language developed *well after* the end of the Wars of Dominion
- on Earth, wide-spread domestication of animals would have happened *during* the Second Era (and initial domestication perhaps only *slightly* before the start of the Second Era)
- on Earth, cultivation (i.e. agriculture) may not even date back to *before* the start of the Second Era
- etc. etc.


Similarly, I've made comments about some of the more about Earth-centric views expressed here.

In my opinion, it is rather difficult for us, humans of Earth to get a firm, solid, comprehensive handle on Kulthea because of various aspects such as:
- on Earth, the existence of the power of gods is more an aspect of faith than an aspect of 'I perceived an act'
- on Kulthea, if you doubt the power of the gods, you are a fool; power from the gods is routinely and daily demonstrated throughout the world; it is difficult, if not outright impossible, to deny it
- on Earth, as with the power of the gods, magical/mystical/psychic power can not be routinely and easily demonstrated in a controlled environment so there is no doubt of its existence
- on Kulthea, if you doubt magic exists, you are a fool; as with the power of the gods, magic is so routinely demonstrated it is difficult, if not outright impossible, to deny
- on Earth, 120 years is at the high, if not highest, end of a lifespan
- on Kulthea, individuals living well over a century or even a few centuries is commonplace and there are many individuals who are over a thousand (or many thousands) years old

And so on.

Or maybe, just maybe, all that history is simply Loremaster propaganda and the empires are not nearly as old as all the stories say.

Intersting idea but ...

Considering many of the timelines I've seen have a lot of items that even the Loremasters wouldn't know about, I do not think at least those timelines would be a 'generated by the Loremasters' list.
Also, some of the gods (or Orhan or Charon) could [if so inclined] confirm/deny much of the time of many (if not most or all) events.

DonMoody

[vroomfogle]

Considering many of the timelines I've seen have a lot of items that even the Loremasters wouldn't know about

That's what they want you to think 

[metallion]

- on Kulthea, individuals living well over a century or even a few centuries is commonplace and there are many individuals who are over a thousand (or many thousands) years old

I think that depends on a number of factors.  In terms of Elven age, how many are likely to have survived the War of Dominion?   Of those, how many are likely to venture out of enclaves like the Remiraith or Namar Tol?  I suspect that most elves that humans encounter are only a few hundred years old at best -- and that humans aren't likely to encounter that many elves unless they're someplace like Lethys or certain parts of Sel-Kai.

[DonMoody]

- on Kulthea, individuals living well over a century or even a few centuries is commonplace and there are many individuals who are over a thousand (or many thousands) years old

I think that depends on a number of factors.  In terms of Elven age, how many are likely to have survived the War of Dominion?   Of those, how many are likely to venture out of enclaves like the Remiraith or Namar Tol?  I suspect that most elves that humans encounter are only a few hundred years old at best -- and that humans aren't likely to encounter that many elves unless they're someplace like Lethys or certain parts of Sel-Kai.

Isn't this comment a human-centric POV?

Just the fact that there are individuals thousands of years old, that those individuals will interact with others (even if those 'others' are not human), who will then interact with others, and so on will have an effect that is not present on Earth.
Also, I am unsure of the location or density of elves outside the known elven realms.

DonMoody

[craggles]

Or maybe, just maybe, all that history is simply Loremaster propaganda and the empires are not nearly as old as all the stories say.

An interesting idea!

How much info would the average Joe on the street know about the History? Is most of it part of legends, children's stories and fairy tales recounting ALL the 'ages' or only for the current 'age'?

Would the general history be know by learned men but only for the current age or only for their own continent or only for their own little patch of a continent?

There are lots of different races/cultures who'd have a greater understanding as other races/cultures in a different region but what would the most learned people know compared to the average guy? (not including the Loremasters, Scribes or the Navigators but it'd be good to know how much they know too)

Obviously the Loremaster know a lot as certain members have experienced them first hand but they're not in the habit of sharing that info to the general populace (as far as I can tell from the current place I am in the books)

I'm loving the possibility of tech being found around the place from the first age (kind of like finding a stargate buried somewhere).

For the Earth/Kulthea history comparison, I wonder if the technological progress we've made in a fraction of the time could be down to Kulthea's inhabitants relying on the gods and in Magic which is something that's far more potent to them than technology.

There's no need to strive further with technology when the powerful resources of the gods and magic are a lot more freely available.

...but then I'm not sure how the first era progressed so much... although, wasn't it only after that time that the gods (Masters of Essence and the Lords of Orhan) and magic existed (previously they used 'psionics')? (I need to re-read my master atlas for the first era I think)

[DonMoody]

How much info would the average Joe on the street know about the History?

The 'average Joe'?
That would vary from place to place.
How much to current [citizens of fill in the blank area] know about [fill in the blank historical time period/nations]?
The answer varies widely based upon education/social level and distance (in time & place) between those.
For example, I know a lot about European/Mediterranean history (to well past before the Roman empire), with some eras/areas only a smattering while others fairly well known.
I know a lot less about the history of China or India or pre-16th century North/South America.

Then again, we need to remember that few (if any) PCs fall into the 'average Joe' category.

I'm loving the possibility of tech being found around the place from the first age (kind of like finding a stargate buried somewhere).

Oddly enough, last time a group I was in campaigned in the SW setting, this was one aspect that group disliked.
The GM worked an ancient 'tech base' into the game as one of the locations the PCs visited (ala "Legacy of the Sea Drake") and while it was fine to me, most of the rest of the group went 'blech'.

DonMoody

[craggles]

Oddly enough, last time a group I was in campaigned in the SW setting, this was one aspect that group disliked.

Everyone has different tastes.

That would vary from place to place.

That's a given - but I'm interested to know if anyone knows about the first or second eras besides the Loremasters.

Are the previous ages general knowledge (gained from rudimentary research in any educational facilities) or only know to a small few (with dedicated research in very specific locations) or totally unknown to all - and as far as people think, their 'current' age, is the one and only?

[markc]

 You also have to remember that what you read may not be true. Or that different authors/governments might put different spins on the same event. Today we live in a wonderful world of knowledge that the past simply did not have.

MDC