The Recovery

One has to wonder if our survival and subsequent recovery of civilization was through luck or fate. That is to say, did the recovery happen by chance or was some hand guiding it? I believe the answer to that question would help answer many others.

— Alicia Ravenwood, Historian

Overview

The Recovery is when civilization reasserts itself on a broken world. This period immediately following the end of the The Great Collapse. The recovery also marks the beginning of the After Collapse years. The rapid recovery of civilization to its present point is considered remarkable in most scholarly circles.

Rebirth of Writing

Determining the start of the recovery is of course difficult due to the near absence of written records during the collapse. The lack of written records makes knowing anything about the years of the collapse nearly impossible. What has been written during that time period is of limited use due to either having been rendered illegible or the writing itself is incoherent to today's sensibilities. Some partial records that are understandable though the information gleaned from them is limited. The sudden reintroduction of writing to record common activities across and between settlements is one of the key signs of a recovering of civilization.

Rebirth of Agriculture

The return of cultivated food was another marker for the recovery of civilization. Alcohol production is a favored marker by archaeologists.
(There are other signs of a recovering civilization and this article may be updated to reflect this.)

Assistance of the Ancient Ruins

The recovery of civilization was helped by the remains and artifacts of the The Ancient Order. Ancient artifacts, especially the rare functioning kind, provide both inspiration and sometimes practical assistance. Records of some of these earliest artifacts and their use has been lost. Those aware of this lost knowledge tend to believe that it is being kept a secret by those currently in power. The artifacts may play some role in securing power and the prosperity of various populations across Awldor though it is not clear how.

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Aspiring to Former Greatness

Many believe that the recovery will not be complete until the full glory of the The Ancient Order is attained once more. Others believe that such ambition will only lead to further trouble. Still others argue that the ancients must be surpassed.

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Note(s) from the Archivists:

I agree with the food being a marker of prosperity. - Archivist Bob