CHAPTER THE SECOND

We know precious little about the very early civilizations occupying our continent. What we do know has been passed down to us generation after generation by the sages and bards. Herein will be set down the origins of the major racial groups now known to inhabit our continent.

It is thought that this continent was originally inhabited by none but the dwarves on the western half, and the Giants on the eastern half, the latter most likely originating in the Great Darnik Mountains or the Barrier Peaks.

The Elven folk arrived on this continent long before men did, sailing from the western continent. The only folks they originally came into contact with were the dwarves. Since they were such different peoples, they naturally regarded each other with tolerance at best, and antipathy at worst. However, since the dwarves preferred the hills, mountains, and caverns in which to dwell, and the elves preferred the woods and open dales, they did not compete much for living space.

At some point in time can hobbits, or halflings. Since the halfling folk don't as general rule keep any historical records other than their own family trees, it is difficult to ascertain where they came from, although the best guess is most likely that they came from the same continent as the elves. Once they put ashore, (on the far western tip of the continent), they did not travel far before they settled in what is now known as Devonshire. Hobbits are not known for their adventurousness, and they normally do not travel far from their homes. They are simple folk, content with the simple pleasures of life, and they never spread far from their original beachhead in Devonshire. That is still the place were the greatest concentration of hobbitfolk can be found today.

The elves however, traveled the continent far and wide, many dropping off along the way, starting new settlements here and there, before the main body settled in the Firiynn Forest and formed the Kingdom of Llanfyllin.

During this time the dwarves traveled little, staying close to their original homes in the Lendour Mountains and the Iron Hills. They did come into contact with Giant-kind, and the instant enmity began which was to last forever.

It is not clear when man first touched the shores of this landmass. It was several millennia before the beginning of our recorded history, in any case. Men expanded rapidly on the eastern continent, and eventually over-populated it. Early traders lost at sea were probably the first men to reach the shores of the new land. As the centuries passed, small groups of men made the perilous journey across the narrow straits between the continents. But as shipbuilding techniques grew, and more daring man lost their fear of the open sea, wave after wave of settlers began pouring across the channel. Before too many centuries had passed, man had spread over the entire continent.

What motivated the first adventurous settlers to start a new life on the shores of a new continent is a question best left to the philosophers and sages, but as each new wave came across the straits, they either pushed aside, merged with, or were themselves pushed back by the present occupants. Thus, several different peoples inhabited the lands.

Thus did the major races and peoples immigrate to this continent. Very few details are known of this, the Second Era, but legends abound of great heroes, powerful mages, and mighty empires. Unfortunately, of fact, little is known.