The Age of Heroes was the peak of Brok culture: it featured heroism, humility, great deeds, nationalism and cooperation, and magic.

History

Rownor's Rise

General Rownor nobly defended the borders of the to-be kingdom from orcish incursions, and then forged a nation under his leadership out of the proud people. During the Rownian Movement, nationalism and cultural unity surged, and the Brok identity was born. King Rownor protected the people and helped the nation rebuild what it had lost during the disastrous year of Drummirite rule. Rownor instilled the values of selfless service in the name of the nation and heroism in the government.

Rownor ruled as king; however, he did not have a large bureaucratic administration. The military formed the state's entire government, including tax collection, legislative work, judiciary decisions at the national level, and administrative decisions. More local administration was left in the hands of whoever had power, often military officers but sometimes also landlords or representative governments. Cities were also a major political force, which usually ruled themselves and the surrounding area. The military only intervened if subjects went too far out of line, or if national-level law enforcement was necessary.

In 576 b. OW, Rownor decided to give up his rule. He took his legendary sword, with which he had "founded the Brok nation", and embedded it in a large boulder in the Plain of Stones, declaring that

Arthur's Round-Table

Soon after, a promising human officer called Arthur Endrang successfully drew Rownor's blade from the stone. He was crowned King of the Broks.

Arthur, a professional soldier, created a new government institution known as the Round-Table. He offered one of ten seats to the greatest heroes of the realm, chosen for their deeds rather than their social status. The Round-Table acted as the chief government institution, passing national bills and making royal decisions alongside the king. The poetic image of a round table was very strong: it was perfectly even for all elven members, so that none sat in a corner; and it was made from simple but sturdy Rownian wood, humble yet strong. In a sense, the Round-Table was the perfect form of Brok Age of Heroes government.

When Arthur went into exile and returned the sword to its stone in 537 b. OW, there was no one worthy enough to draw it. Astamourn, the greatest swordswoman of the remaining 10 heroes, took over the government and became the "temporary" king until a worthy hero came. She engendered the Big-Table Age, and the Age of Heroes was truly over.

Historical Context

The mythical legends of Brok culture - especially those of King Arthur and the heroes of the Round-Table - spread far beyond Age of Heroes Rownor. For centuries all over Balebu and beyond, especially so in Ochebana starting as early as 550 b. OW, Rownian myths would be told and retold. Rownian legends were the primary source for the Balebian fantasy mythos.

In Ochebana, Rownian tales were often changed by generations of storytellers. Real events were of course beautified, and the historical facts themselves were sometimes changed: the locations and affiliations of characters differed. Sometimes, Rownian heroes would instead be portrayed as Swordswingers.