The Anthropologist Journal

A new era, somebody will have to record its history, explore all the wonders and misery this new age will bring. Yours truly is one of those, an anthropologist by profession, explorer by choice.

The Genesis myth, most people thought it was just that a myth. Then the Mythification took place.

Now it is more accurate to say that most humans thought it was just a myth.

The first to emerge was the Elf, tall and slim with signatory pointy ears and an innate ability for magick. The real deal, not the stage-show magic used to entertain people. Thus magick made her appearing-act on the stage of the sixth era. First there the were only a few, tentatively putting their first steps into the world exploring this latest version of the Waking Ground. But soon more followed establishing a beachhead in a now human-dominated world. After a few initial skirmishes, the Elf mastery of magick being a persuasive factor, negotiations where engaged, and accommodations were made to share the world with the Elf race. And the world settled into a new equilibrium. Alas, not for long.

A few years later... the next to emerge where the Dwarf, shorter than the average human, about 5 feet 25 on average, stocky sturdy build and carrying a no-nonsense demeanor. Learned a lesson or two from the previous Elf-emerging a joint team was dispatched by the Human-Elf coordination group, consisting of good-willing humans and elves endeavoring to have the sharing not only to work but turning it into a mutual success story. The mission objectives of the team were threefold, welcome the new arrivals, reach an agreement about the accommodations of the Dwarfs, and extend an invitation to join the coordination group. When they arrived at the Waking Ground a vanguard had already emerged. Therefore they immediately set out to become acquainted with the Dwarfs. After a great deal of huffing and puffing an agreement was reached. Even so, to have everything sorted out took some days.

In the meantime, one dwarf jumped out seemingly bent on exploring this new world they emerged into like a wide-eyed wanderer. Hence when the broke up camp about a week later he was the obvious choice to be the liaison to handle the further practicalities which he wholeheartedly accepted, eager to discover more of this new world. In time more would join him and the coordination group was renamed to Human-Elf-Dwarf coordination group. And so once again the world settled again in a new equilibrium. Hoping against hope, for once settled the elves and dwarfs told stories about the fourth era, of races that may have disappeared or are still to emerge bridging the magickless fifth era in a crystal powered stasis.

The following to appear were the Halfling, barely 5 feet tall, good-natured, and with a hint of pointed ears. A remarkable contrast to the average no-nonsense dwarf, traits which quickly endear them to other people. Of course, you will always have grumpy ones, but even a grumpy halfling had no trouble putting a smile on your face but I am running ahead of myself.

So a three-race joint team was dispatched to this latest Waking Ground and actually spend nearly all of their time getting acquainted and sorting out the necessary practicalities and for the rest just enjoining the company. Therefore it was not difficult at all to find volunteers to act as a liaison.

In due time the coordination group grew to include a Halfling detachment and as become custom the name changed in the Human-Elf-Dwarf-Hafling coordination group. And again the world settled itself in a new equilibrium half expecting that it won’t last due to the Halfling stories confirming those of the Dwarf and Elf about the plethora of races that used to roam the fourth era.

As the use of magick spread itself across the world a more formal education system was called for so a few elves of the coordination group reached out to their Waking Ground and tracked down a few magick mentors willing to found a college to teach the proper handling of magick. They started with a foundation course consisting of basic defensive, offensive, and healing spells, a magick equivalent of your average everyday self-defense and first aid classes. In time this will become “Magick 101” a compulsory class everyone has to follow. Advanced studies were divided into elemental colleges, a light college which curriculum consisting primarily of advanced healing and defensive studies and the so-called raw casting college which was effectively a research program into the nature of magick but for continuity's sake was also called a college.