That was a big help, thanks! Have been quickly skimming info, and will read in more detail later. And of course more information breeds more questions …
How much world geography was known in the Earthdawn era? In particular, did they know about the Americas and Australia, travel there, etc.? (and where was, roughly, ‘Atlantis.’)
Related, was the Blood Wood in one place, or more of a term for a number of places? If one place, where was it? With the ritual of thorns, were the elves just lying there in unspeakable agony, or were they somewhat functional and ambulatory while being in unspeakable agony? (i.e. were they doing things while being thorny, or was that just ‘and then five hundred years or torture happened’)
Were the horrors around until magic dropped? (i.e. until they couldn’t survive here anymore), or were they actually driven out somehow before then? (and likewise, was the ritual of thorns running until the magic dropped off, or were they able to cancel it with the horrors gone).
I’m looking at an immortal elf character who was of no great import in the fourth age -- or if being an immortal automatically put one into the upper echelons of society perhaps he was frivolous, more of a playboy or dilettante. Was society more feudal (inherited privilege), meritocratic (positioned earned by deeds/knowledge, or whatever the term would be for ‘run by those with the most magic.’ (given the importance of a certain queen, I’m assuming nothing like democratic). Got any suggestions on an appropriate position/title/etc. for such a person back then?