History Main / PrequelInTheLostAge

* ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'''s ''Dreams of the First Age'' supplement is set in the eponymous First Age, a high-{{Magitek}} civilization ruled by the immensely powerful, and increasingly power-mad and deranged, elders of the Solar Deliberative. The supplement kicks off at the very moment that the Unconquered Sun turns his face from his Chosen.
** ''Exalted'' used to be itself a prequel to TabletopGame/OldWorldOfDarkness, with various types of Exalts being derived from [=WoD=] splats - Lunars are obviously werewolves, Abyssals vampires and Sidereals mages, for instance.

* The ''Arcane Age'' line of ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms'' products explored the days when Netheril and Myth Drannor were at the height of their power.

** ''Exalted'' used to be itself a prequel to TabletopGame/OldWorldOfDarkness, with various types of Exalts being derived from WoD splats - Lunars are obviously werewolves, for instance.

* The ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'' universe includes the ''Mage Wars'' trilogy, the first book of which is set during the titular conflict and leads up to the [[WorldSundering Cataclysm]]. The other two books deal with the immediate aftermath and set up the state of the world to come in the main chronology, 3,000 years later.

Most of the time, the prequel will prominently feature said worldshaking cataclysm as its climax; indeed, it's almost mandatory, so that viewers can see how the wondrous world of the Golden Age became the world of the original series. Normally, the Golden Age will be (at least superficially) a {{Utopia}} filled with either ScienceFiction trappings or {{Magitek}}; CrystalSpiresAndTogas are often shown. It's very probable that the setting will be a CrapsaccharineWorld under the surface, in which case it's also a SoiledCityOnAHill. Prequel In The Lost Age ''can'' overlap with JustBeforeTheEnd, but this is actually somewhat uncommon; normally, everything seems to be going smoothly right until the lights go out.

* ''Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower'' is confirmed to take place during the Second Age of Middle-Earth, a period of history which is notoriously blank in Franchise/TolkiensLegendarium; this means that the producers can do pretty much anything they want as long as it doesn't affect the overall story of the conquests of Sauron and the fall of Numenor.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Earthdawn}}'' is a prequel to ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}'', set in the Fourth World. Shadowrun itself is set in the Sixth World. (As a point of comparison, the Fifth World [[AlternateHistory ended in 2011]].)

* ''Series/HouseOfTheDragon'' takes places about 200 years before ''Series/GameOfThrones'', when House Targaryen ruled the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros at the apex of its power and had a multitude of dragons to ride and use for war.
* ''Series/{{Krypton}}'' is set approximately 200 years before the destruction of the eponymous planet and the birth of Franchise/{{Superman}}.

In a series set AfterTheEnd, especially if it's [[AndManGrewProud so long After the End that the Golden Age is nothing but myth and legend]], one constant factor is that the GoldenAge and [[EndOfAnAge its end]] will be tied in with the plot somehow, whether this means LostTechnology for the heroes to use, or a BigBad who is a LivingRelic from those times and is plotting to bring them back [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans at any cost]]. However it's played, tantalizing details about that time will be revealed, and if they're interesting tidbits, they'll whet the readers' appetites for more. As a result, one of the most popular settings for a {{Prequel}} is ''during'' the lost golden age, before the [[WorldSundering world-shaking cataclysm]] that set up TheVerse that we know today.

* ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles2'': The main events briefly alludes to Torna, a Titan/kingdom that existed 500 years prior to the game itself. The actual cutscenes related to this time period were cut, due to time and budget constraints, but became part of the expansion pass. However, the project took on a life of its own and eventually became massive enough to warrant a physical release as a standalone prequel called: ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M88O0_AWJtk Torna: The Golden Country]]''.

* ''Franchise/StarWars'': The prequels are set before and during the Clone Wars and the downfall of the Old Republic, and feature the Jedi Order as it was before the Purge. The time difference is much smaller than usual, as the downfall of the Republic was quick and catastrophic, causing the galaxy to go from the Republic's fading glory to the Empire's despotism in a little over two decades.

* ''Series/HouseOfTheDragon'' takes places about 200 years before ''Series/GameOfThrones'', when House Targaryen ruled the Seven Kingdoms at the apex of its power and had a multitude of dragons to ride and use for war.

* Amazon's ''[[Franchise/TolkiensLegendarium Lord of The Rings]]'' series is confirmed to take place during the Second Age of Middle-Earth, a period of history which is notoriously blank in Tolkien's Legendarium; this means that the producers can do pretty much anything they want as long as it doesn't affect the overall story of the conquests of Sauron and the fall of Numenor.

* The ''Franchise/StarWars'' prequels are set before and during the Clone Wars and the downfall of the Old Republic, and feature the Jedi Order as it was before the Purge. The time difference is much smaller than usual, but the trope still applies.

In a series set AfterTheEnd, especially if it's [[AndManGrewProud so long After The End that the Golden Age is nothing but myth and legend]], one constant factor is that the GoldenAge and [[EndOfAnAge its end]] will be tied in with the plot somehow, whether this means LostTechnology for the heroes to use, or a BigBad who is a LivingRelic from those times and is plotting to bring them back [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans at any cost]]. However it's played, tantalizing details about that time will be revealed, and if they're interesting tidbits, they'll whet the readers' appetites for more. As a result, one of the most popular settings for a {{Prequel}} is ''during'' the lost golden age, before the [[WorldSundering world-shaking cataclysm]] that set up TheVerse that we know today.

* ''VideoGame/{{Ys}}'': ''Ys Origin'' takes place 700 years before the events of Ys 1 and 2, detailing the efforts of various members of the Holy Knights of Ys that set out to rescue goddesses Feena and Rhea from the tower that would later become the Tower of Darm. The origins of several plot-important items Adol finds along his quest are explained, and in particular, the events that would corrupt the Fact clan are depicted.

* Common amongst ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'' fics, set before the establishment of the Hakurei Barrier. Since some characters are TimeAbyss, this is fairly easy. How the characters worn ElegantGothicLolita outfit during Heian era is never pointed out.
* ''[[http://mdc01957.deviantart.com/art/A-Forgotten-Anniversary-326612122 A Forgotten Anniversary]]'' is an ''Webcomic/AxisPowersHetalia'' fic, set in the (actual) historical past of the ''Fanfic/NineteenEightyThreeDoomsdayStories'' AU (namely TheSixties) and focusing on the wider backdrop of the UsefulNotes/ColdWar despite it being about Austria and Hungary. Although it's distant enough from [[WorldWarIII Doomsday]] to stand on its own.

* Each and every one of ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' games take place in their own distinct era of Hyrule's history, but ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'' is notable for being the earliest game in the timeline, before the founding of Hyrule itself, and when the Demon King Demise threatened to wipe out all life for the Demon tribe. [[spoiler:It also shows us the creation of the Master Sword and Demise's curse on Link and Zelda.]]