As a result, I differ with David's account of the early First Age somewhat. He's definitely right that the barrier between the planes seemed easier to cross. Things were not so well defined as they were in the Second and Third Ages. However:
> One major difference - Kolating practice was common, possibly even
> predominating, while the well organized Pantheon of the Storm and
Earth
> tribes was still a couple of centuries away. Subcults of Orlanth
or
> Ernalda were often totally separate, until time with the Council
(and
> Lokomayadon's negotiations) convinced their worshippers that they
were
> all the same Great God and Goddess.
I think both of these statements are incorrect. I don't think the Kolating practice was particularly common at the Dawn - it certainly didn't predominate amongst the Heortlings and the other Orlanthi. Some sources suggest that Heort may have been an animist initially (which makes sense given the demise of the gods), but all agree that he became a theist who sacrificed to Orlanth.
Orlanth and Ernalda were well recognized at the Dawn - the Thelayan Missionaries spread the myths and rituals of Orlanth and the Lightbringers throughout Peloria, Ralios, Maniria and Fronela. Lokomoko didn't persuade the Orlanthi that all the tribal versions of Orlanth was the same Great God - instead, he invoked Tarumath, the Nysalorian High Storm, and nearly destroyed the cult of Orlanth.
> Even the names were often different between tribes, Orlanatum or
>Erlandus or Erlant or Orlantio, frex.
That's a language issue - I think Orlanth is called Orlanth by all the Heortlings and most Genertelan Orlanth. I'm sure the word might sound different in different languages - just like English Christians use the word "God" for the Latin "Deus" and the Greek "Theos", and a French Christian refers to the same as "Dieu". But few Christians would think that the English "God" and the French "Dieu" are different things.
Most of the confusion comes from foreigners who don't really understand Orlanthi myths - hence Plentonius' confusion about Orlanatum or Ernaldus or Lanatum or whoever. His confusion is not a Dawn Age or Loko Moko issues, it is an issue regarding his own ignorance or apathy about barbarian myths.
> Another major difference - the Elder Races were more powerful than
> humans, and probably more numerous. There were Elder Races that
were
> not yet extinct, some of which had prominence out of proportion to
> their numbers (Gold Wheel Dancers, frex). Also, NO trollkin - the
weak
> trolls were the Uzko (Dark Trolls), with Uzuz (Mistress Race)
trolls
> not yet uncommon, let alone rare.
This is definitely true. And the Heortlings are very strange in that they have an alliance of sorts with all the Elder Races.
> Hsunchen (or people living as if they were such) were common, not
> remarkable, even within the Heortling areas.
That's not the case - I am unaware of any Hsunchen living in Dragon Pass at the Dawn. There's some strange non-Heortling Orlanthi like the Aramites (humans who ride tuskers), but the big Hsunchen folk are in Ralios and Fronela at this time. Dragon Pass has been Vingkotling for a very very long time.
> Everything is forest, or occasionally fen (marsh), except for
*right*
> around the settled areas (like the Roman view of Germany), as the
> Aldryami are still a mighty people - even the Troll Areas like
Dagori
> Inkarth are moderately wooded, with trolls hunting game more than
> eating everything, and otherwise staying in their (more organized
than
> today) caves. Thus, no roads or even medium range communication
except
> through forest paths and negotiating with each elf group
encountered,
> and remember the elves are living as if in major kingdoms, not the
> scattered bands of ST 1600.
I think this is right. Population centers are really small at the Dawn. For example, the entire Orgovaltes tribe lived at Ulaninstead - which was hill fort, town and temple complex near the Quivin Gap with a population of 1100 at the Dawn. If I recall, there were only about 20,000 humans in all of Kerofinela at the Dawn (nearly all Heortlings), and 6000 trolls at the Palace of Black Glass alone. Of course, the Heortlings grew in population must faster than the Elder Races (and much faster than those humans who had not embraced the Thelayan missionaries - excepting of course the Dara Happans).
Jeff
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