Last Age

In Olgish Mythology, the Last Age (olg. Elnejm) is the final epoch of the world, following the Fourth Age of Titans, at the end of which the Télas, the world-tree, is destroyed and the world reshaped by the last surviving Titans of the House of Delgor. It is considered the least of all ages, dedicated to the race of men.

Legends

According to the narrative conveyed in the Codex Ortûlék, after Menôr's Seduction and during the Great Cataclysm at the end of the Fourth Age of Titans, the world-tree Télas was destroyed, and with it the Three Earths and all of their inhabitants. Only two groups survive, the Devils banished to the Underworld and the Titans of the House of Delgor, banished to their halls in Asan-Hern outside of the Kingdom of the Titans after their betrayal of the Dirians. With most inhabitable places of the Ama destroyed and the end of existence seemingly imminent, it is the latter who avert the final doom by placing a bowl on the stump of the Télas, which the heartbroken Kána first fills with tears and then lies down in, converting her own body into the soil for a new Earth that will enable the world to persist for one more age.

The remaining Titans encase her in the Three Skies, create sun and moon, and create plants, animals, and finally humans in the image of the ancient Giants, becoming the Gods of Ortûlék and Shéa'voch. Themselves broken by the events of the cataclysm, they decide to interfere only minimally with the affairs of Kána and leave this age entirely to their new creation, humanity, and only defend it against their last remaining enemy, the Devils of the Underworld. Eventually, they themselves become dependent on regular sacrifices, and by extension human worship, to prolong their own existence.

In Religion

The majority of Olgish legends is set during the Last Age, as it is the only epoch of the world considered to have humans, and the conflict with the Underworld is one of the central themes of Olgish heroic tales. Its role as last era following the glorified time of the Titans, however, has led to its being regarded a lesser age than those it succeeded, lending support to the idea central to Olgish faith that humans and human affairs are insignificant compared to those of Giants and Titans, their age being a mere epilogue to the great days of the world. This is reflected in the omnipresent notion of imperfection and asymmetry in Olgish religion and art and their general reverence for the past and the ancient.

The idea of the Last Age being in some way weaker or shorter than previous epochs, on the other hand, has inspired many eschatological religious movements either warning of the forces of the Underworld and their imminent overthrow of the overworld or predicting the nearing end of existence, sometimes in connection with an epic final battle against the forces of Menôr. Significant prophets following these lines of preaching were Dúrmin and Fänelis of Aran, and to a certain degree Sárin Telem, who believed his returning the Chalice to Asan-Hern would conclude the Mission of Humanity and, in consequence, the Last Age. More recently, Selgonian movements such as the Reccanti Cult have followed similar believes.