The Mortal Interregnum

The Mortal Interregnum describes the early years of the Elven Age following the Mortal Wars and the fall of Harlak. Marked by the fading influence of divine powers and the disintegration of old theocratic regimes, this period saw mortals rise to fill the power vacuum left behind as the Elven Gods retreated from the physical world.

Summary

The Mortal Interregnum was a transitional era following the fall of Harlak, the God-King, and the end of the Mortal Wars. With divine powers in decline, Humans, Elves and Dwarves rose to fill the power vacuum. The period was marked by fragmentation, power struggles, and the gradual shift from divine rule to mortal rule. It set the stage for new kingdoms to emerge, the spread of sentient species from the now Wastes of Harlak and the eventual rise of Elven dominance in the north.

Historical Basis

The Mortal Interregnum is a period largely veiled in uncertainty, where the scarcity of concrete evidence leaves much of its history open to interpretation and speculation. What little we know begins with the dramatic end of the Mortal Wars, marked by the fall of Harlak, the God-King, in 1 EA. This event, remembered more through legend than documented fact, signaled the collapse of divine authority that had long dominated Orienta. With Harlak's defeat, the gods seemed to retreat from mortal affairs, leaving a fractured world in their wake.
The era was clearly marked by fragmentation and power struggles, with no single entity able to dominate the region fully. Numerous petty kingdoms, city-states, and tribal confederations rose and fell, but the evidence for these entities exists only in fragmented references in later texts or archaeological findings. The chaos and competition of the period are hinted at in Elven lore, but these sources, emerging around 500 EA, are limited in scope and often focused on justifying the eventual rise of the Elven kingdoms.
Knowledge of cultural and technological development during the Mortal Interregnum is similarly patchy. While it is understood that bronze was the predominant metal used, and early ironworking was in its infancy—particularly among the Dwarves—there is little specific evidence to chart this progress in detail. Oral traditions suggest a period of artistic and cultural flowering amid the turmoil, but these accounts, transmitted through generations, blur the line between history and myth.
By around 800 EA, the Elves began to emerge as the dominant force in the north, and their records grew more detailed and frequent. This shift marked the close of the Mortal Interregnum and the beginning of an era shaped by Elven governance. Yet, for the eight centuries preceding this transition, the historical evidence is a patchwork of myths and archaeological fragments.

Variations & Mutation

The Mortal Interregnum is remembered differently across cultures. For the Elves, it was a time of divine withdrawal and moral testing, portraying themselves as the destined bringers of order. Humans see it as an age of resistance and survival, marked by a struggle against the fading gods and the rise of Elven dominance. The Dwarves recall it as a period of isolation and resilience, focusing inward to preserve their knowledge and craftsmanship amid external chaos. The Beastmen remember it as a time of betrayal and loss, wandering leaderless after Harlak’s fall, caught in a relentless struggle for survival against all others.

Date of First Recording

First Written Records Appearing Circa 500 EA

Date of Setting

1 EA - 800 EA (Approximately)