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Three thousand years have passed since Terrel Rasputin and Loric Vilesilencer put out The Call, and drew the Seven Worlds of Men, and all the good people of Greyhawk who answered The Call to the center of The Great Pattern and re-drew the worlds so that one could save the world without doing evil (known as "The Proscription")*1.

The Age of Legends

The first one thousand years is known as the Age of Legends. In it, The Ancients traveled the world in mortal form. Terel Rasputin, Rider of the Morning Star, founded the Belgariad and created The Vow (*2). Loric Vilesilencer taught the world about the True Source(*3) and taught the ways of the Aes Sedai. Kothlun the Great established the Jedi, Rand' Al Thor, who became The First Dragon(*4) of the Aes Sedai after Lorics departure. Terrel and Loric were imbued from the belief of their peoples with Divine Power as The Solarian and Manwe*(5).  The Aes Sedai and Bel Gariad and all of Avalon flourished under the fresh light of the Solarian. The Hand of God was actively supporting the populace and the populations throughout Avalon increased. people multiplied, like rabbits. Inspired by the Sun Brothers(*6), supported by the City of Sidhe, the Avalonians flourished. 

       The Ancients are how the people of the First Age are known to those in the third.  Some of the highest level casters in Avalon came from that age; Bel Wes Tend, Bel Zidar, Rand Al'Thor, Many great feats and artifacts (*7) from this Age survive to this day. They are often called "Glories" of the Ancients.  One of the greatest Glories created were the Sky Islands (now known as the Skylines). (*8)   

  The end of the First Age, exactly 1000 years after its inception, was marked by World War 1 and the Battle of the Trenches. The Avalonians had progressed to amazing feats of technology AND magic but it was technology that pitched the battle. Warships, cannons, guns, artillery were employed to devastating effect against the trolloc armies coming out of the Misma swamp. The trolloc armies were of immense size and still nearly overwhelmed the defenders. While many Avalonians died, no fighting happened west or south of the Dead Line.

The Age of Expansion

    With the defeat of the trollocs came the Second Age, Known as the Age of Expansion. after taking a while to rebuild, the civilization produced an amazing leader,  the Dragon Aes Sedai Bennedict Vilesilencer, known for his fearless resolve to expand the reaches and benefits of Avalon and to take back lands that had fallen to the Nightshade. Benedict he felt that Avalon had grown in strength and it was their duty to interfere in shadow to spread the light. they spread the light into the 5 surrounding shadows. (Shadow down the river - Seth, Shadow past the swamp - Sindar, Shadow beyond the plains - , Shadow of the forests -, and Shadow of the Mountains). The Sunbrother contiinued to inspire the populations of Avalon and expanded to the Pech, Hirazi, and the highlands. They inspired amazing developments in technology, in part fueled by the small cadre of Pattern Mages which still existed in Manetherin (*11). The Belgariad continued to preach preservation of the environment and under Benedict's rule, much of the natural environment that had been damage in previous ages was returned to pristine conditions. The side effects however were not completely eradicated. Some areas where species had been wiped out found new more evolved species taking their place such as the Avalonian Temporal Spiders and Avalonian Fire Ants. Many roads were unmade and towns taken down. Populations began to gather in cities that were often distant from each other and secluded in their own habitats. The Rangery, established by Carramon, was re-imagined by Carammon The Sword, to have the duty of ferrying peoples from one city to another so as to minimize their impact on the environment and safeguard them from travel through Avalon's diverse and dangerous habitats.

    The only "Glory" created after the first age where the Five Pillars, each put at the entrance of each of the five shadows  to the rest of shadow, which barred the passage of undead. The Second Age's end was marked by a tragic turn of events. The long quiet Misma Swamp vomited forth an army or trolloc necromancers commanding an undead army formed of those who were lost in battle in the Misma Swamp 1000 years earlier. This undead army maned the same world war one ships and weapons that were lost in the Battle of the Trenches. Machine guns in the hands of skeletons! The tanks and warships made great distance beyond the Dead Line and before Bennedict armies could return from shadow, Millions were lost. Manetherin came close to destruction for the first time. Benedict lost his arm fighting  the armies and it was only the Song of the Tar Valon(*13) that saved the day by reminding the undead of their former lives which caused them to destroy themselves. 

      After the end of the Second Age, many of the Avalonian armies were withdrawn from Shadow to rebuild Avalon and the policing of shadow was left to Seeker Parties (*9), the Shadow Council (*10) and the Jedi (*11). Many cities that were destroyed were not rebuilt and their remains were reabsorbed by the natural environment. Avalon continued the tradition of having distant and remote cities with their own divergent cultures. All however remained true to Manetherin and continued to rely on the resources of the Aes sedai and the Three Realms.  

   In this aftermath of the tragic war, there was a large cultural reassessment of the benefits of "technology" - that even the uneducated and untrained (and undead skeletons) could have such tools and weapons of power. Technology that could be used by anyone (such as undead) was banned. The Belgariad developed the Avalonian Binding Curse  that made energy and projectile weapons only able to function in the hands of a live Avalonian born(*19). While trollocs could still use some weapons it was found they were too unskilled to make use of them. Many Avalonian towns/cities (but not all) retreated from their use of High technology  and returned to a more simple, rustic culture and sought solace in rediscovering the basic truths of community, spirituality, family, and self exploration. 

    The new Age became known as the Age of Self Expression. It is also marked by the departure of the Sun Brothers who left at the beginning of the Age.(*12). Also at its inception, Queen Elayne and the Court of the Riathane in manetherin became more visible and active. The Paravians counseled the people that their greatest gifts  were the beauty that they themselves brought to creation. By focusing on revealing their own inner beauty to the world, it would be reflected throughout all creation, thus enhancing it. These teachings were reinforced in the teachings of the Dawn Priests (*14). And now that High Technology and High Magic were no longer seen as an end in an of themselves, the departure of the Sun Brothers as external inspiration, and a the Paravian courts becoming more visible, the peoples began to look inward spiritually.

The Intelligentsia aka Avalonian Magery

*10 Avalonian Magery refers to the whole of Arcane Spellcasters in Avalon,  Most are Bel gariad, All have taken The Vow of the Bel Gariad, but this also includes Pattern mages and other mages not Avalonian born who have come to reside in avalon). In the Third Age, when the [pattern Mages were expelled from the Realm of magic, this term was renamed "Intelligentsia" so they could still include Pattern mages but then this opened up the term to also include philosophers, sciencers, and theoreticians. Adralius of Manatherin is the most noted/famous thinker included in this way).

Pattern Mages

*11 Pattern Mage in Avalon was founded by Raistlin Majere and Nikola Telsa (the latter being a Balcuni Sulloisie Pattern Mage from that long dead empire). Raistlin still remains a nefarious figure in Avalonian history. Some say his Pattern magic curse as many pattern mages acquire Pattern Curses in the course of practice of their magic, was to be untrusted, but knowledge of this fact hasn't changed his standing in history. In the third age, his descendant and the Apprentice to Nikola Tesla, Rael Majere, found a long court battle in the The Three Realms to change Raistlin's standing but this resulted in the expulsion of the Pattern Mages from representation in the Realms of Magic in the Third Age. Rael still remains revered in Avalon for his discoveries in the field of electricity and electromagnetism which fueled development of high technology over the course of 20 centuries and his powers support operation of many devices to this current day). A sidescript is added here; there are some accusations filed in the Realms that suggest many of the advances were in fact stolen maliciously from his former master Nikola Tesla   (the two have split over disagreements while others say that it was Tesla's curse to never get recognition for his discoveries. It is known that Pattern Magic is different than "ragular" magic in that it enforces the natural laws (projected by a pattern) in a particular area --often results in the dispelling or negating of spells because they invoke powers from other planes. When spells are dispelled by a Pattern Mage, the caster Usually takes in backlash damage (from breaking the rules). Backlash damage is d6 per level of spell. (Double if chaotic). Pattern magic powers are a strict set of powers that are derived from the pattern which they came, they can only be accessed in order (you cant access a level 3 power then a level 1 power although you can do 1,3,4,7, etc. Powers are initiated by Concentration checks and walking movements with the legs as they simulate walking the requisite section of the pattern that applies to that power. There is a maximum of 7 powers that can be accessed by a Pattern mage although the specific powers may change or become enhanced with level progression. Pattern mages automatically gain -1 on saves vs curses for every 5 levels.

The Departure

*12 At the beginning of the Third Age, the Sun Brothers departed Avalon. Not much is known about where they went or why. One day they just said they were all leaving and would return one day. Conflicting reports suggest they left to allow humans to grow on their own for a while, the Solarian sent them elsewhere with purpose, or they had a falling out with the Paravian Queen. There are some rumors they were sent to Harn or imprisoned by a nefarious force.

The Tar Valon

*13 The Tar Valon are theatrical group dancers and singers that were, legend has it, founded to fullfill a dream that Loric and Terel Rasputin had where song and dance could be made powerful enough to evil without the need to fight. Three millenia of inspiration by the Sun Brothers and Manwe himself has produced little in the way of anything historic except the historic foot note of the Song of the tar valon which punctuated the end of the Second Age war with the dark one which cause the undead to remember their former lives and give themselves unto death. The Tar Valon dancers, also known as the Cirque du Soliel or "Circus of the Sun" still remain an amazing spectacle which has brought Joy to the hearts of those who watch but has never materialized as a fighting or defensive force. While some over the ages have tried to incorporate the innovative dance skill sinto combat techniques, these dancers were expelled because "the use of physical combat is inconsistent with the values and purpose of the Tar Valon".

The Dawn Priests

*14 The Dawn Priest, or Priests of the Solarian have three main missions - counsel people on how to determine what is right and wrong (good vs evil), to record history so that it may be learned from, and to stockpile armaments and prepare/strategize for the next Final Battle against the Dark One, usually in Shrines of the Unicorn. The Dawn Priests work most closely with the Belgariad, the Knights of Sunsteel, and with the lay people of Avalon. They tend not to meddle in the affairs of the Aes Sedai or the Three Realms. They often direct or influence seeker parties towards the greater fight against evil in indirect ways using prophecy or their presence as a healer. There mission is NOT one of conversion to their deity, rather counseling to understand the difference between right and wrong which they contend can be achieved even without the help of a deity (and exists independently of deities). They will proselytize a lot however in convincing others as to the true nature of lawful good actions. The Dawn Priests maintain Shrines of the Unicorn through Avalon and beyond.  They teach that faith in the Solarian is not mandatory but belief in a higher good power that gives hope is essential to the betterment of humanity. The Solarian is first seen as a beacon of hope that such a greater power exists that may save them from forces of evil that are greater than themselves. The Sun itself is the ultimate beacon of hope. These priests' best miracles are to foresee what words and interventions will most help an individual see the rightness or wrongness of their own actions before calamitous results happen. Healing and destruction of undead also remain strengths. Free Choice is an essential component of the religion but they will not hesitate to forcefully stop an evil that is about to transpire. They are very adverse to killing seeing the death of someone as end end to that persons capacity to choose good and prefer to subdue, and imprison (usually to Steddings where evil doers can be taught the error of their ways). A subset of their group trains with the Paravians to understand the meaning of Paravian Absolution and these go to the Steddings to help in the re-education of evil doers. These are refered to as "teachers". When they can, the Dawn Priests warn about impending evils or disastrous events. They view these current times (circa 3950+) as the End Times where people must once again be called upon to choose good from evil. They have counseled both sides of the civil war, entreating each to remember what civility is and to continue to obey the dictates of right and wrong.)

The Corporations

*15 The largest and most influential corporations include the Skrackland Corporation (formerly Skrak Aramco), the Grevian Corporation, Monsanto Corporation, Mordenkainen Enterprises, and the Carlysle Group with many others of lesser influence. They are supported by a strong and very advanced banking system run by The Lepreconium - a loose affiliation of Leprecauns who own shares of banks and many of whom also sit on the Board of Trustees of many Corporations or act as CEO. Many of the Corporations also own their own private military groups (including the Mri, tieflings of a close shadow, and others). The Corporations foster trade and have strong buisinesses in the import of magic items from many other shadows.

The Amyrylin Seat

*16 The Amyrylin Seat is a throne carved by the Riathane and made from a unique multicolored, multi-faceted gem found in the heart of Mount Skyweir. It is famous for being the throne that the original King Loric Vilesilencer ruled from during the Age of legends before the inception of the Aes Sedai and every Dragon Aes Sedai has occupied it since. In actuality, the stone wasn't discovered until year 853 and its carving wasn't completed until 1050. The first to occupy it was the Dragon Aes Bennedict Sedai.  It is also believed that who ever rules from the Amyrylin Seat is reflected in the leaders of all nations throughout shadow.

Updates to The Vow

*17 it was about this time that The Vow changed (the virus mutated) and now practitioners of the Vow gain The Quickening (Commune with Nature)