These pages describe the setting of Fallen Empire, the world around 500 AD.

Setting a game in this period is not an easy task. This is the Dark Ages, and they are called that not because (as some believe) it was a bad time, but because we have so few written source material. The Romans had extensive bureaucratic records, poetry, songs, plays and other writings that tell us a lot about their age. And later medieval periods would start again to keep records and write fiction. But from the early middle ages, very few original sources have survived, and we believe a lot less was written down in general.

So while I have tried to base as much of this on facts as possible, there are many gaps to be filled in, and many more areas where our knowledge of the historic facts is uncertain, based on just a single source or otherwise far from perfect. Keep that in mind when reading. And if you happen to be a historian with knowledge of these times, please feel free to correct me so I can update this material. Contact me at tom@lemuria.org

In addition, in the game, magic exists and superstitions are real. In most places, this is easily accomplished by simply taking old lore at face value. In a few places, I have added mythical and supernatural elements.