So Mordegon had previously destroyed an entire empire that predates the fall of Dundrasil but comes after the fall of the ancient heroes?
I probably should have paid more attention to this on my first playthrough

I mean it's obvious that he had a lot of time to wreak havoc between then and now. But except for Rab telling the tale, the story is truly camouflaged in the plot

This blows my mind honestly and I haven't ever properly investigated this part of DQ11. This playthrough has suddenly become a lot more valuable

As a footnote to this thread, I am speechless by how few plot holes there are in this game.
Everything is so beautifully stitched together and this is what sets DQXI above the other big recent RPGs. It gives you so much to decipher