Dark Age

The Long Dark Age is the term used to describe the years between the decline of the Basiliscus Dynasty and the rise of the Naja Dynasty. The early Dark Age was a time of upheaval with tribes from the north migrating into Basiliscus lands, conquering or displacing populations.

Literacy

One of the defining features of the Dark Age is illiteracy.

The ability to read and write in the ancient logographic ("glyph") writing system used by the Basiliscus was retained only in a few cities while, for the rest of Long, this was a period in which history and poetry were transmitted orally by bards.

The colonies established by the Cetacian and Sirenian merchants used a written number system and a handful of shorthand symbols in order to keep records of storehouse inventories and goods traded.

Migration

The early Dark Age was a time of upheaval in the Kingdom of Long. One notable event was the migration of peoples from the north into territory that had been under Basiliscus rule. The fact some sort of migration occurred is almost universally recognized but there is little to no information about its details due to the lack of written records and the chaotic nature of the period.

The first accounts were written centuries later (in the century before the foundation of the Naja dynasty) by unreliable historians who lacked firsthand knowledge and whose histories include stories which are obviously legendary. The northern migration was traditionally viewed as a "barbarian" invasion and it was referenced as a major cause of the end of the Basiliscus kingdom. But more recent accounts note that the Basiliscus civilization had already entered a decline before the time in which the migration is said to have occurred.

Many hold the influx was triggered by a volcanic eruption in the mountains north of Long. Thus the newcomers could have be better described as refugees than invaders. To what extent they displaced previously settled peoples and to what extent the two became intermingled is unclear.