In ages past, the World was ruled by the wise and long-lived races. The Elves and Dwarfs came through the Gates, from their own homelands and found the World when it was but newly made. They delighted in it's strangeness and many came to live there, guiding the newly made world. In those days, there were many Gates across the World and the Old races brought much beauty with them from their homes. The Humans lived in the cold Northern Wastes or the deserts of the West or lived as vassals amongst their nobler leige lords.

The Elves worshipped Luinen of the Silver Bow and he taught them magic and other marvellous crafts. Because of this, Elves became masters of magic and their cities were the wonders of the ancient world, built of silver and precious crystals. Beautiful gardens grew amongst the tall towers and at night the streets were lit by many-coloured lanterns and nightingales sang everywhere. Seeing the radiance from afar, the great Dragons would visit them, bringing their knowledge and wisdom to enrich the Elven cities. At that time, only the noble Dragons lived in the World. They too followed the guidance of Luinen and were friends to the Elves.

The Dwarfs did not live always in the mountains as they do now after the coming of the Darkness. Their skill in metalworking was even greater than it is today and they travelled the World, practising their art and making many wonderous artifacts. Greatly prizing all crafts and knowledge, they were friends even of the secret Salamanders and knew all the deep places of the earth. Wherever metals could be found they dug mines and built mazy cities full of mechanical marvels. The Dwarfs named themselves children of Duana Fire-Hammer, goddess of fire and skillful craftsmanship, who taught them many of her secrets.

The Men who lived under the rule of the Old races followed the gods of their leaders and the Men in the wilderness followed what gods they pleased, some of true power, some not. But the Wheel turned and a new god arose in the the wastes of the north. The Elves called him the Dark Moon, the Dwarfs the Soul-Hammer and the dark creatures who answered his call worshipped him as the Lord of Endless Night. Chief amongst his followers were always the Shades, shadows who may take the forms of Elves or Men or any other that pleases their dark designs. Their touch withered all life and brought darkness to the places they gathered. With them, they brought the ogres and goblins of the mountains, lusting for the riches and blood of the bright lands.

Sad to tell, many of the Men of the North and East who were not under the guardianship of the Elves or the Dwarfs also joined the Endless Night as it swept across the World. And worse, some of those who called themselves leige men of the Elven lords turned also to the Dark, hoping to win the kingdoms of their masters. Where Night had once been a time of peace and rest, it became the very embodiment of fear and cruelty.

The Elves, unused to war, were overwhelmed by the assault. Their friends, the Dragons, came down from the mountains to the aid of the Elves but the Endless Night carried on it's wings new Dragons who served the Lord of Endless Night and drove the gold and silver Dragons back from the Elven cities. The cities were not walled and many Elves died in the burning ruins of their shining silver towers. Some attempted flight through the Gates to the safety of their homelands. But where the Dark covered the World, the portals were closed, or lead into the nightmare realms of the Shades. Those who survived fled east, retreating until they reached the sea. Then, under the guidance of Luinen they built ships and sailed east until they reached the Empty Isles, now called the Elven Isles. There they surrounded the Isles with powerful enchantments, to shield them from discovery and invasion. The Dwarfs retreated to their mines and tunnels in the mountains. More used to conflict than the peace loving Elves, they defended their new citadels strongly, but they could not turn the tide of Night washing across the World.

The Men who lived with the Elves and Dwarfs and remained steadfast in loyalty were greatly ashamed at the treachery of their brethren who followed the Endless Night. They determined to remain behind and slow the advance of the vast evil armies to allow their Lords time to escape. But when the Elves had crossed the sea and the Dwarfs had shut their mountain gates, the Men were left alone on the plains, assaulted on all sides by the Endless Night and they readied themselves for their last battle. For they held an honourable death in battle as preferable to sacrifice under the icy knives of the cruel priests of Night. And with them stood the few Elven lords who had remained behind.

Then, at the very hour of their defeat, the Wizards came to the World. Whether the Wizards were Men, or Elves, or other beings unknown is not recorded. But they gathered the scattered human survivors of the dreadful invasion and took them into the mountains. There, they raised the Vale of Wizards high above the plains. And the armies of Night, in close pursuit of these last Men, were cast back by the might of the Wizards.

The power of the Wizards in the Vale lasted for many generations of Men. The terrible armies besieged the Valley on all sides but could not come into the Vale. But, as the Wizards prevented the ingress of servants of the Night, so they forbade any to leave the Vale, Men or Elves, and this was called the Ban of the Wizards. Within the Vale, the Men prospered under the tutelage of the Wizards and it was at this time that Men first came to use Magic. They also taught the worship of a new goddess, Amairya of the Undying Light, whose symbol was the Sun and who protected Men from the dangers of the Night. And because of this, many have said that the Wizards were servants of Amairya made flesh.

For many years, the World outside the Vale was desolate, laid waste by the armies of the Night. The Elven cities of light were plundered and reduced to ashes and in their cold streets the Shades walked. The Dwarven cities outside the mountains were likewise destroyed. The Gates were closed. Even the humble farms and households of Men were ravaged and burned. The ogre and goblin armies fought amongst themselves over the spoils and founded a myriad of petty kingdoms, each striving with each to possess the despoiled body of the World. They made slaves of each other and of any Men, Elves or Dwarfs they could take, even the Men who had fought with them. And the Lord of Endless Night was content with this and did not seek to unite his quarrelling worshippers, because he believed the Night had conquered Light forever.

But after many lifetimes of men, the Wheel turned and the dark clouds of the Night began to lift. The children of the Men who had followed the Lord of Endless Night became restless in their servitude to the vile servants of the Night. "Look at the ruins of the towers of crystal," they said to one another. "If we could rid ourselves of the oppression of these animals who call themselves kings, we too could build great cities and make ourselves true masters of the World." So these children of traitors again plotted treachery and rose in rebellion once more. The ogres and goblin folk, disorganised and divided, were taken by surprise at this assault from within and were driven back to the wastes and mountains.

From the long cold ashes of the Elven cities arose new towns and from the foundation stones of human villages new farmsteads grew. And the Men in the Vale looked into their magical mirrors and crystals and saw these things and saw also that this new World of Men followed still the will of the Lord of Endless Night. So they came to the Wizards in their Tower and said, "Lords, if it pleases you to lift your Ban, we would leave the Vale, to bring the Light of Amairya into the World and to our brothers below."

For five days the Wizards closed themselves up in their Tower in Council. After this time had passed, the Wizards summoned the Men who had come to the Tower and said, "We cannot deny your will, for it is not the way of Amairya to impose counsel by force, even if it it wise counsel. But know you now that if the Ban is lifted, then we must leave the Vale. For in the making of the Vale, we carried it outside the World and if you wish us to return it to the World, we cannot stay there."

Many of the Men were dismayed by this and sought to restrain their friends who still wished to leave the Vale. But others looked once more into their crystals and saw the misery of the slaves and the evils done by the priests of the Lord of Endless Night and yearned more than ever to go into the World and carry with them the Light of Amairya. So the Wizards consented to lift the Ban. They cast many powerful magics on the Vale, to protect it from enemies and ensure it's fruitfulness in years to follow. But after this, the Wizards left the World and have never afterwards been seen within it.

The evil Men of the World were amazed when the Men of the Vale came amongst them. The escape of the last free Elves and Men had passed beyond legend and the wealth and power of the Men of the Vale was such that many believed them to be gods come to the World. Only the priests of the Lord of Endless Night saw them truely and they sought to turn the hearts of the kings and commoners against the Men of the Vale. But the Light of Amarya shone bright around those of the Vale and the Shades fled from the burning flame of their faith. The people rose against the priests of Night and killed them or cast them out into the wastes, to live as best they could amongst the humanoids.

Some amongst the Men of the Vale desired to take up the rulership of the petty kingdoms and baronies and become their lords, setting the hurts of the world to rights. But others said, "If we do so, then these men of Darkness will come to hate our rule, however just, and they will surely turn against us, even as they turned against the Elven lords of old and the Priests of the Darkness. Their minds are but the minds of children, making war with their elders. Let us instead instruct them in the Light, so that they may in time learn to rule themselves." So the Men of the Vale came only as teachers, spreading the word of the Light and trusting in Amairya to guide her new followers.

In the place of the petty kings, a great Empire arose. The Emperor was chosen from amongst such houses as the men of the World accounted noble but to the left of his throne stood always a Mage of the Vale and to the right stood the High Priest of Amairya and they guided his counsel in all things. The Golden Empire spread across all the lands occupied by the Men who had served the Lord of Endless Night, bringing with it the Light and Peace of Amairya. The cities of the Elves were rebuilt in stone and the palace of the Emperor was roofed in gold. The armies of the Empire were strong and they fought against the creatures of the Endless Night and drove them back into the mountains and the far wastes and the World passed once more into Day.