Period of Time Between the Downfall and the Exodus

According to the timeline we've concocted, there is a period of time between the Downfall of the races and the Great Exodus. I like the idea that all of the races' spreading out after the Downfall doesn't happen at once, but we do need to figure out what went on during this period.

My idea is that, even though they had been cursed and it was torturous to stay there, the Kharim still clung to their homeland that they loved. Only after years of torment did they finally let go of their stubbornness and attempt to find a new home, kicking of the Exodus.

This also brings up a point I've struggled with for a while now: did all of the races committ a disobedient act simultaneously to cause the Downfall? As unrealistic as this seems, it also seems I be the only possibility. The only other option is that only one o the races caused the Downfall, which puts the Creator in a bad and unethical light.

B_Rad wrote:This also brings up a point I've struggled with for a while now: did all of the races committ a disobedient act simultaneously to cause the Downfall? As unrealistic as this seems, it also seems I be the only possibility. The only other option is that only one o the races caused the Downfall, which puts the Creator in a bad and unethical light.

Other options include:

1) All races being "descended" from one original race. Fall happens, and God changes them into their "modern" forms. Allows for more classical Adam and Eve mechanics of sin.

2) Races being assigned different "domains" or "provinces." When a race falls, their domain becomes tainted and cut off from all the other domains. The "cutting off" of domains could be analogous to the flaming sword placed at the gates of Eden. As other domains fall, they would become reunited with the other fallen domains.

3) This option I'll refer to as the "Sacred Realm" option. Essentially, we start in a perfect Emathar with all the races living in harmony, though possibly geographically separated. When a group/race/individual sins, they become "cast out" of the of Sacred Realm. They awake to find themselves in an Emathar that is almost geographically identical, but fallen because of their sin. Things now die, and they can also be killed. This is essentially the new reality that they created when they chose to be separate from God. The first race to sin (or it could be multiple at the same time) might later find that other races have joined their fallen world, possibly distorting it in some new way.
One thing I really like about this option is that we don't even need to have entire races fall! It could just be that half of the Dwarves rebelled, and the other half is still happily working away in their untainted home. Perhaps the fallen Dwarves hope to one day be redeemed so that they may join their kin in the Sacred Realm. Also, it could allow us to stagger the entrance of races into the fallen Emathar. Perhaps it takes a few centuries after the Dwarves for the Vaaren to fall. The fallen Dwarves early legends then become of mythical beings who dwell beneath the waves. Perhaps there is a race who never falls, and becomes truly legendary throughout fallen Emathar.
I think that there is a lot we could pull off with this concept, personally.

1. My biggest concern for this one is that, if we were to roll with it, people would be like "oh, they were really trying to make this fit with what they already had come up with".

2. I like this the best of the three and really like the implications of it. Some great stories could come of this.

3. I have a couple of concerns with this one. First, the sacred realm would essentially be an alternate universe - albeit with some individuals transferred out of it into the parallel, fallen one. This, in combination with the fact that Tolkien had a sacred realm where some of the "good Elves" stayed (Valinor) makes it seem somewhat unoriginal. All that said, I still prefer this over number 1.

Just putting this out there.

The more I think about it, the more I feel that having even somewhat identical landscapes that the races are transported to as they fall seems very contrived.

Also, it would conflict with the idea of the Nomads waiting a while to leave their indigenous home. If it is not their true home, why wouldn't they leave it sooner?

I still say we should go with Lanky's idea number two, with a bit of tweaking. It is the most realistic, most interesting (in my opinion), and leads to the most interesting interplay between races and domains.