An update of Brownie History FINAL DRAFT

An Overview of Brownie History

Covering the time from the Brownies' magical creation to the founding of their present-day tribes.

Date / Incident

ca. 15.000 b.S. Tree of Life hit by Lightning
The first 272 members of the Brownie Race, speaking 144 different languages, are formed from pieces of bark from the Tree of Life.

ca. 14.250 b.S. End of First Brownie Generation
The last of the long-lived and prolific first generation of Brownies dies.

ca. 14.250-13.128 b.S. Brownies form into small groups protected by a few Redbarks. Still, their numbers dwindle alarmingly.

13.128 b.S. Founding of Birn
Many small groups gradually became several large groups. Several large groups gradually became a handful of petty kingdoms. These kingdoms were finally merged, and the Kingdom of Birn was founded, best known for its sports, legendary magical prowess, and both ethnic and class discrimination.

10.003 b.S. Collapse of Birn
Several of the ruling redbarks were corrupted by Saban, and after an exteded civil war, left to serve his ambitions. Decimated by the war, and deprived of Redbark protection, Birn fell apart. Pursued by predators, several tiny groups fled the area and began desperately fighting to survive in a world that seemed suddenly turned cruel, filled with hungry enemies.

9.998 b.S. The last Inhabitant of Birn dies
...after recording and concealing much of Birns literary and cultural heritage. This heritage has gradually been rediscovered, most notably by Keekoo and Greybark.

10.003
-4.013 b.S. The Harsh Years
...was a endlessly terrible time for the Brownie people, in which they grew few and scattered, coming dangerously close to dying out completely. Only a very few survived, living precarious lives among many of the other races. They were viewed as vermin by all. Elves ignored them, Dwarves kept them near their forges in cages as good-luck charms, Orcs ate them, and Humans did some of all of the above. An old recipe book was found that included a recipe for Brownie pot pie that was apparently considered quite a delicacy. They fared no better among the other races, and longed to be free, but were dependant on their oppressors for food and shelter, having for the most part forgotten the skills neccessary for basic survival.

4.107
-3.977 b.S. In the shadow of the elves
The Brownies living off of the paltry refuse left by elves learned to adapt archery to the Brownie scale, and quickly moved off, eager to regain their independance. Hunting began in earnest, and the blowpipe was invented. Moss farming was rediscovered. The field mouse was again domesticated, becoming an important source of food and clothing. Brownies living among the other races began to hear of what had been accomplished among the free Brownies, and departed en masse, many with the help of Keekoo the Deliverer, to take part in the new life of freedom. A small number, left behind, found refuge together with other Brownies already living in the sewers of major cities and became the Rat Brownies, now also considered a Brownie tribe.

Keekoo spent years developing a composite modern Brownie language, a revived world-view that took current Brownie superstitions and gave them the substance of the ancient Birni beliefs in the spirits contained in every natural thing, and a philosophy of life based on a five-element system (Earth, Wood, Fire, Water, Metal).

In the last few years of his life, Keekoo directed the dispersal of the Brownie people(3983-3979 b.S., one every two years). They divided into several groups, and went in search of homelands far away from the suffocating influence of the other races.

(different for each tribe.
reference the above entry
and the four below entries)
The Wandering Years
The groups of Brownies sent out by Keekoo wandered for many generations before they found what they were looking for. As time passed, each group's language, culture, and mentality began to diverge from the other two groups.

3.638 b.S The LLaoihrr tribe begins to inhabit the Vale of Brownies
A scout from second of the groups dispersed by Keekoo long ago, while exploring upstream through a deep gorge, stumbled upon what would later be known as the Vale of Brownies. Tall, healthy trees spread their branches as far as the eye could see. After ascertaining that the valley was uninhabited, and in fact unknown before this time, he rushed back to make his report. The group eagerly passed through the gorge and made their valley their home, naming it LLaoihrr (The Valley City) and themselves Rrao-LLaoihrr (The Valley City Brownies).

3.109 b.S The Aohu'o tribe makes landfall on the coast of Akdor
The first tribe sent out by Keekoo. After travelling through North Sarvonia, they traveled by as yet unknown means to Akdor. They were restricted by the environment of the Akdorian steppe to living as hunter/gatherers. Every time a nomadic group outgrew the land's carrying capacity, it would split and one group would move far enough away from other groups so as not to be in direct competion with them. Today there are hundreds of distinct hunter/gatherer groups living on the Akdorian steppe.

2.970 b.S The Memnoor tribe begins to inhabit the Etherial Void
After crossing deserts and burning seas, the battered descendents of the third group sent out by Keekoo staggered into the Etherial Void and found relief - and torment. They were betrayed and attacked by the products of their own fevered imaginations. But they no longer had the strength to recross the desert and so had no choice but to stay. It took many years for them to make their peace with the Void, but eventually they developed a unique culture that used the uncertainties and unrealities of the Void to their advantage. They called their village Memnoor (The Void City) and themselves Ro-memnoor (The Void City Brownies).

1.649 b.S The Year of Darkness
....had the unlikely side effect of creating a new Brownie tribe known as the Milken. Fleeing from Akdor and from spirits they felt had abandoned them, they were assigned the job of guarding the Artapherana (magical trees) on the site of what is now Milkengrad. When the Helcrani arrived, these elfinized Brownies, according to instructions, released the magic protecting the trees and allowed the Helcrani to be guided to the spot. The Helcrani founded the city of Milkengrad (named after the Milken), and a Brownie family was soon to be found in every household in Milkengrad.

Note: The history of individual Brownie tribes can be found under their respective entries.

Brownie Expert

Edited by: Greybark at: 1/16/02 5:17:29 pm