War and the Beginning of Magic

Magic's Origins
Many millenia ago - time has lost track of who or when now - a singular individual was born. At their disposal was the power to control the elements themselves. Up until now, no such thing had ever been seen.

As singular as this person's power was, the individual was even more unique. Where perhaps some would use this power to subjugate others, he decided to use it to help others. After many years of study, he learned not only how to control their power, but how to teach it to others.

And so he began gathering disciples. Like minded individuals who too wanted to help others with this gift. Starting with a few this mighty pillar created a group of trusted friends and advisors, taught them all he knew, and then showed them how to spread the gift.

Such a monumental undertaking was not without a cost, and shortly after, he would pass, leaving only his legacy and a few people behind charged with spreading the word.

Magic Spreads
But not everyone can be as unique, nor as selfless. Without the guiding strength of their mentor, the apprentices - now masters themselves, or so they claimed - hoarded their powers and shared them only with a few others. Others who perhaps did not care so much that others benefited from their power.

But their numbers were still few, and people were becoming more and more afraid of them. So they decided to band together and create a mighty council and a citadel to match it. Tirelessly they worked, crafting this bastion of power from the rocks themselves, molding mountains to their bidding. For in those days, they were much more powerful, the master himself taught them, and he held nothing back, they knew all he knew and many were almost as powerful as he, so moving the earth itself was of little consequence.

Once the work was done, they vanished inside it and sealed the doors and were never heard from again for hundreds of years.

Magic Vanishes
In time, most people forgot about them. Oh, they knew they were still there, one simply did not ignore a giant citadel sprouting up from the earth. But it was easy to ignore. Rumors would pass from ear to ear of what might be going on insides - for smoke still rose from the citadel, and lights were seen in the dead of night. Those passing by would sometimes bring back tales of horrors heard in the night, but they were easy to dismiss.

Tales told by tavern light often spoke of children disappearing in the night from towns all over, but with wild beasts about - many with little fear of men, they too were easily dimissed. Time passed and the great myths surrounding these magic users faded into legends, and people began to think nothing really special was happening inside anyways, for who could believe something like magic could ever exist. Where was the proof? A citadel crafted from the ground? Impossible!

Magic Reappears - the Mage Wars
Several thousand years later, mages would once again roam the world. A great war would begin with the mages seemingly intent on dominating and destroying the world. After systematically destroying many outlying towns, the mages began in earnest to attack the major kingdoms of the world. A grand alliance would be formed to push them back. Due to the creation of Sky Steel the mages would finally be defeated an forced to sign a peace treaty severely curtailing their rights and freedoms.