song of ages Chronicle intro

WELCOME TO THE CHRONICLE PAGES

The following text submissions have been harvested from The Library. The preamble given appears to have been written by a history lecturer in the employ of the College of Errensea. His introductory course “The Deeper View,” so dependent on the Docha project, presents an overly selective view of continental history. It
is instructive nonetheless. The Chronicle makes best sense when read beginning to end.

In 3072 Anil Docha, a doctoral student at the College of Errensea, determined to make a name for himself in
the creation of a survey history of Asteranor. Impudently confident he could gain help, advice and detail not only from his Professors and other academics of the Faculty , but also from the Taprod himself, Mr Docha issued the following invocation:

Towards an Episodic History of Asteranor

Dear Colleagues,

Consequent upon the calamitous events of 3057-8 and the revelation gained at that time, throughout
Asteranor, in every nation, in every city, town or village, as much in public houses as in the major collegia,
as much among working men and women as among the highly educated, there is a new and burgeoning interest
in what has come to be understood as the True History of Mankind.

And yet at this time most people have little or no idea even of the lesser histories of their family, nation or race. Their knowledge of Asteranorean past is limited to sporadic tales of heroes and monsters with no structure to
give order to those tales. How will it be possible for them to understand anything of earlier Ages of the Earth
if they know so little of their own? In hope of amending this general lack, I propose the construction of a new survey history of Asteranor that will at once serve to inform the casual reader and yet provide also a useful framework for the more academically inclined.

What you have in your hand is a discussion document.

I have blocked out, as it were, what I see as the major events of all of the history of the Sixth Age, in an
episodic form for the ease of the reader, and informed by the 3069 version (attributed to The Keepers of the
Truth – though published by Gombret, and thereby hangs a tale) of Haslem’s Song of Ages. Many of
you will regard this source as controversial but I hope my learned colleagues will consider this a test of their superior knowledge. Cast your eyes over what lies before you and where there is inconsistency or misrepresentation offer your correction; if there is omission make your contribution. Already it has been suggested that a timeline giving dates and events with only the briefest of descriptions would be a useful
addition to the project; others have suggested the creation of an historical atlas. Such additions, while I am
sure they would be highly worthwhile, are beyond the remit of this more limited offering but may well be
included in the final pages of my dissertation.

What I seek from this suggested period of consultation is greater accuracy of facts and general agreement
on what must be put in and what must be left out, and all this for the benefit only of the reader. I hope you
will think the project worthy of your attention. I welcome all comments.

Sincerely,

Anil Docha

Errensea 3072,6,27

Remarkably he was largely successful in creating a climate of competition among his ‘colleagues’ and on certain issues achieved partial guidance from the highest authority. Many entries were improved, many omissions were addressed. The resulting text is patchy to say the least but nonetheless has great merit. It provides, for any newcomer to the field, a useful introduction to many of the key developments in the political history of the four nations.

The published edition of the completed history of course remains unavailable to the College Library.
Lawyers acting for the Gombret Publishing House have pressed strongly their claim that their manuscript was completely rewritten by Mr Docha after his famous voyage and subsequent employment by the Gombret corporation as diarist. College lawyers, on the other hand, have claimed that changing the odd word here and there does not a new manuscript make. Stalemate has been achieved. Readers will no doubt find it
informative to compare the papers published in the following pages with the Gombret Press “Story of a Continent - from the beginning to nearly the end!”

Find here a true representation of the doctoral papers as submitted by Anil Docha before his departure. The format is basic. Students requiring illustration and editorial abridgment may visit a bookseller. The Gombret Press offering may prove to be a decorative addition to their bookshelves. Be aware though that discussions
in seminar will be based on the original material, as will questions in examination. These papers are available
to all registered students.

SUNRISE is the first section

Wilf Kelleher Jones
A Song of Ages