The World of Gods and Men

  An artist's impression of the legendary Tree of Ages at the heart of the Sacred Garden in Aurelis during the height of the Golden Age. Larger than any other tree ever recorded, it stood for countless generations as a place of peace, reflection, and community, where chiefs, scholars, pilgrims, families, and children gathered beneath its immense branches. Though its true name has long since been lost to history, the Tree of Ages endures as one of the most enduring symbols of an age when humanity and the Divine Family lived together in harmony. Few symbols of the Golden Age have endured within the historical memory of Eldoria more completely than the great tree that once stood at the heart of Aurelis. Rising from the Sacred Garden, its immense branches stretched high above the surrounding temples and gardens, making it the largest tree ever recorded in the history of the Kingdom. For generations it provided shade, comfort, and quiet reflection to all who gathered beneath its canop...

  An artist's impression of the legendary wandering storyteller traditionally known as Alaric during the Age of Gods. Travelling from settlement to settlement, he is believed to have gathered the songs, stories, and oral traditions of ordinary people, preserving voices that might otherwise have been lost to history. Whether the man depicted here truly bore the name Alaric—or even whether he existed as a single individual—remains one of the greatest mysteries in Eldorian history. Few figures from the Age of Gods have puzzled historians more than the individual traditionally known as Alaric. Unlike Thalor, whose journals survive in part, or Elion, whose writings continue to shape our understanding of the Golden Age, Alaric left behind no account of his own life. We know neither where he was born nor where he died. We cannot say with certainty what he looked like, who his family were, or even whether Alaric was truly his name. Yet despite this remarkable absence of information, f...

  A family gathers to bid farewell to a loved one in a peaceful Garden of Remembrance during the Golden Age. Guided by the teachings of Morrigan, funerals were not only occasions of grief, but also of hope. Surrounded by white and yellow flowers, neighbours, and candlelight, the dead were honoured with dignity, whilst those left behind found comfort in the belief that no journey beyond the Veil began without love. Few subjects reveal the differences between the Age of Gods and the modern world more clearly than death. To many living today, death is regarded as a final farewell, accompanied by grief, uncertainty, and the fear of what may lie beyond. Yet the surviving records suggest that those who lived during the Golden Age approached mortality with a perspective unlike any that has existed since. This difference was shaped above all by the teachings of Morrigan, Keeper of the Veil. Whilst she never claimed to know what lay beyond the boundary between the World and whatever f...

  An artist's impression of everyday life during the Age of Gods. Farmers worked fertile fields, merchants travelled safely along the great roads, craftsmen refined their trades, and children grew up in communities shaped by peace, learning, and prosperity. Though no single image can fully capture the richness of the Golden Age, scenes such as this offer a glimpse into the world later generations remembered with such admiration. Introduction Few periods in Eldorian history have inspired as much admiration as the Age of Gods. To later generations, it came to be remembered simply as the Golden Age, a time when the Divine Family walked amongst humanity, knowledge flourished, and the foundations of civilisation as we know it were laid. Yet such descriptions, whilst broadly accurate, can also be misleading. They risk portraying the era as a distant paradise, untouched by hardship or sorrow. The surviving evidence paints a more nuanced picture.

Lysander's Tower and the Citadel during the height of the Golden Age. Founded by Lysander as a centre for learning and the training of teachers, the institution would survive the Wrath of Arathor and continue its mission for thousands of years. Today, the tower remains the oldest surviving structure in Eldoria and the enduring heart of the Citadel. Introduction In the previous article, we explored the life and legacy of Lysander, the God of Wisdom and founder of the institution that remains his greatest enduring achievement: the Citadel. Unlike many of the wonders of the Age of Gods, the Citadel did not vanish with the passing of the Golden Age. Aurelis fell, the Temple District was destroyed, and countless monuments of that era were lost to history. Yet the Citadel endured. Though altered by time, war, and reconstruction, it remains the oldest continuously operating institution in Eldoria and one of the few surviving links to the world that existed before the Wrath of Arathor.

A later artistic depiction of the Divine Family overlooking Aurelis during the Golden Age. Though the accuracy of such paintings cannot be verified, they reflect the enduring image of six figures who helped shape the history of Eldoria. Introduction In previous articles, we have explored the creation of the World, the Age of Gods, and the rise of Aurelis, the legendary Golden City. Yet behind each of these subjects stand the figures who shaped them: the Divine Family. Few names appear more frequently within the historical record. From the earliest surviving accounts of the Golden Age to the traditions that endure in the present day, the influence of the Divine Family can be found throughout nearly every aspect of Eldorian civilisation. They guided kings and commoners alike, encouraged learning and discovery, comforted the suffering, and helped transform a young world into a flourishing realm.

Artist's reconstruction of Aurelis at the height of the Age of Gods. Though no contemporary images of the city survive, descriptions preserved within the Fragments of Elion, the Songs of Alaric, and later historical records consistently portray Aurelis as a city of white marble, gardens, temples, and flowing water. The colossal Tree of Ages is depicted at the city's centre, whilst the Palace of Thalor overlooks the capital from the hill above. As with all reconstructions of the Golden City, certain details remain speculative.   Introduction In the previous article, we examined the Age of Gods, a period remembered as the Golden Age of Eldorian history. It was an era in which Gods and mortals lived side by side, knowledge flourished, and the continent stood united beneath the rule of Thalor, the Creator-King.