The Globe of Banhelai (Opening page)

This is a tale of the Time Before, the time before the Age of Man, when one race rules this earth and one race is responsible for the goods and ills that befall our world, the human race. This a tale of the time before, the Age of Elves, and dwarves and other mythical creatures, the Second Age, when many races ruled this earth and many races were responsible for the goods and ills that befell our world. This is the tale of the time before, the First Age, when no race ruled this earth and only the All-Father was responsible for the goods and ills that befell our world. There are many tales about the beginning of the world. This is a tale of what happened after.