Vhalli

In the beginning, the Gods gave form to the Prima Materia and populated the plane with all manner of existence. This was done with the greatest collaborative outpouring of magic and from the overflow was born the race of Dragons. The Dragons were a byproduct of arrogant negligence by the Gods in their carefree creation of life. They rivaled the Gods in terms of power and mastery of magic, becoming the most formidable beings on the plane. Because of this, the power struggle between Gods and Dragons erupted into an all out war. After several thousand cycles, the Gods created the Celestials, Infernals, and other powerful beings to turn the tide in their favor.   The war waged on for thousands of cycles more; neither side gaining ground and the Prima Materia becoming ravaged and an unrecognizable shadow of its former radiance. A sect of Metallic Dragons broke off from the war and went into hiding, while the rest of the draconic race continued on in their never ending conflict. The Gods, in a final attempt to correct their careless mistake, allowed Azra'el and Lorkhan to create the Chaos Gate; a great doorway to an unknown extradimensional space. Kronen slowed the passage of time around the gate to a crawl before opening it, upon which the Prima Materia was shattered and the Dragons had vanished from all existence. The Chaos Gate was closed almost immediately afterwards; the Gods looked on in horror at the destructive fallout. Nothing is known about what happened to the Dragons after the closing of the Chaos Gate, but there are remnants of their existence present within the planes. The Chaos Gate was dismantled and its fragments cast to the four winds, lost to the ages, that it may never wreak havoc again. The devastation was unfathomable... many of the beautiful beings they had created were cast about the shattered fragments of the Prima Materia. These remains became their own planes of existence, spawning new lifeforms.   <>   There are now thirty-nine planes of existence, each with their own laws of nature, inhabitants, and rulers. The magic that once flowed unceasing through the Prima Materia now follows its current throughout the outer planes with branches feeding the inner planes. Only a small stream now flows through the material plane, stemming the tide of what once blessed all creatures within. Slowly the races of men are born into existence upon the central plane that they call, Vhalli. This is an unexpected result that We had not foreseen. As the races of men developed, We became concerned at the power they wielded and their determination of will. Out of fear of repeating past indiscretions and need for a second Chaos Gate, We took an active role in the daily lives of men. We will not blindly disregard them as we first did with the Dragons. We leave them to their own devices, allowing them to grow into their own, but We are ever watchful. Their existence is more important than We could have known.   <>   There is never consistent peace on Vhalli, but now there are rumors of a great evil. Masses gathering in the dark recesses of lands long forgotten and abandoned. This is the Age of Shadows...