The far reaches of history are lost in this day and age to our scholars. Those who might be able to say exactly what caused what and how things occurred are, unfortunately, few and far between. They live in hiding, the few true Eldar who are left. The vengeance of our forebears still lives in their memories - and they will ne'er forgive that which we ourselves cannot condone. What we do know stems from the few histories that survived the time of upheaval. Though even they have not survived the long years intact.

The VADEN CHRONICLES are the most intact of our sources. It seems to have begun when our ancestors first gathered into townships. The races - Vaugnin, Ro'cha'ch, Echtorae, and one more which grew out of a joining of the three: the Eldariel, worked together for protection and safety. The world was dangerous at her birth, with fierce animals and deadly winters. As the peoples grew more advanced they began to congregate together, forming bastions of knowledge and learning. Time progressed, as she will, and all passed in harmony, all worked together to form the whole. Though there soon grew the different cultures that are much as we know them today, with the Vaugnin taking over the central governing bodies and the Ro'cha'ch reliving them of any "excess" gold, they understood that they must work together.

The centuries wore on and they grew to a level of advancement that we have never again achieved. The towers of marble and glass, of which today there is only the Vaden left, soared to the skies. There was an untold level of prosperity and wisemen and women ruled with gentle hands. At this point, however, as they reached the peak of their understanding and way of life, an unknown Eldariel scholar discovered what would become the destruction of their race. There had already been some dissatisfaction from those of lesser understanding - they could not see the lofty ideals of the scholars. Jealousy had festered under the surface of many countenances for decades; the great age was almost at its cease.

This scholar of the mind had discovered - quite by accident - a way to tap into the inert powers that flowed around all. This energy could allow those who knew its secrets to perform seemingly impossible feats of strength and mystery. When he showed his discovery to others’ he imagined it could be used for good - to heal and help those less fortunate. His naiveté allowed him to fantasize that this "Magic" would be used only for good. Then all could be truly happy, he dreamed. For the longest time that was so. Those who learned the secret, for he taught whoever was interested no matter race or class, used it for healing and in creating great monuments of wonder and beauty. They traveled the countryside to help those in need with their great and magical gifts.

Within the hearts of some of the people this discovery watered the seed of evil that lies in all hearts and souls. These began to consolidate their power, using sorcery not for the good of all but for their own ends. The common people were afraid of that which they did not possess, and soon resentment grew the more pronounced. For all that so many used the gift for good, the fear still remained in the other's hearts. Those who had been turned to evil soon began to use the gift more openly, persuading others to their cause with threats and violence. The "lessors" became slaves and serfs to the evil ones' will, bonded with sorcery of the mind and body.

A Great War then broke out, though no one is sure who struck the first blow. The good sorcerers sided with the commoners against the dark lords, and after much bloodshed and suffering won out. One will not go into the horrors of that war - the great wasteland still remains where the dark towers once stood, testament to the agony of the land. Once the bad ones had been defeated, however, is when the terror really began. The resentment towards all magic-users had grown to immense proportions during the war as the common man saw the casualties inflicted by both sides. No sooner had the last dark mage fallen, therefore, but the good wizards and sorcerers who had aided the cause of light were set upon and slain. The carnage was tremendous, for those who were good forsook the path of destruction and would not kill those they protected even at the cost of their own lives. Within ten years there were no magic users, nor any of the Eldarian race left alive. Where there once had been great towers and countless numbers there was only dust and fallen mortar. So ended the Golden Age.