Yeah, i've wondered this too. I know the devs aren't going to change gameplay based on lore, but what exactly
is the explanation for everyone in the world forgetting about crossbows? All the mages lost their levitation spell
books? Any "advancements" seem to purely be for gameplay purposes. Someone said the Alchemy Labs are
an advancement, but it seems like having a portable alchemy lab like in past ES games is much more conveniant
than an immobile house set.
Crossbows weren't used much outside of Vvardenfell, because of the sheer amount of Dwarven ruins there.
Levitation was banned by the Mages' Guild between Morrowind and Oblivion, because too many people flew too high and fell to their deaths (kind of an in-series joke on Bethesda's part).
Alchemy labs I have no smart-ass like response for, and I think it's horrible that we have to use them...
And of course I do want all of these things back in the series.