The Air Realm, a domain of windswept peaks, floating islands, and endless skies, was once the glorious heart of the Aether Realm, ruled by an ancient and revered civilization of Golden Dragons and Silver Dragons. Known as the Aether Drake, these celestial-born dragons were the direct descendants of Desconhecido, the god of life, and were regarded with awe and reverence even among their draconic kin. The Aether Realm stood as a beacon of liwght and order in the world, its skies filled with the radiant forms of the Gold and Silver Dragons who governed the air with unmatched mastery.
During the mid-centuries of the Second Age, also known as the Twilight of Creation, the Aether found themselves besieged by a terrifying threat: the Elementari of Air and Storms. These primordial beings, embodiments of the raw and untamed forces of the sky, sought to plunge the world back into a state of primordial chaos. Their fury was unmatched, and their power threatened to undo the delicate balance that the Aether had worked so hard to maintain.
The war that followed was one of the most brutal and bloody conflicts in the history of the Air Realm. The skies above Osira were torn apart by fierce tempests, lightning storms, and whirlwinds as the Aether clashed with the Elemental Titans. The battles were cataclysmic, with entire islands being cast down from the sky and mountains being sundered by the titanic forces at play. The Aether fought valiantly, their celestial powers bolstered by their deep connection to the Ether, the very fabric of magic that permeated the world.
Despite their strength, the Aether suffered tremendous losses. The war decimated their ranks, leaving only two surviving descendants of the once-great civilization: Zirael The Ancient (see: Goldbrand) and Samandriel Silvertongue. Zirael, a wise and powerful Gold Dragon, became the revered guardian of the Etherstone, while Samandriel, the noble Silver Dragon, made the ultimate sacrifice to save the Continuum Crystal during the Third Continuum Crisis. Samandriel's selfless act ensured that the crystal, the keystone of reality, would remain protected, and in doing so, he created the Order of the Silverbourne to guard its sanctum for all eternity.
In their time of power, the Aether sought to craft beings who could protect the sacred Etherstone and ensure the continuity of the Ether's flow. Through their unparalleled mastery of Ether-Rifting, the Aether diverted the ebb and flow of magic that coursed through the world to create the Vanir, the High Elves. These elves were sculpted on the Aerenal, a secluded and mist-shrouded land off the southern coast of The Sands of Serrakhan.
The Vanir were created with a singular purpose: to serve as the eternal guardians of the Etherstone, the ancient and powerful artifact responsible for the circulation of magical energies across the Continuum Crystal Cosmology. The Etherstone was the heart of the Air Realm, and its protection was paramount to the survival of magic in the world. For its own protection, Aerenal was blanketed in a dense, impenetrable mist, a magical barrier conjured by Avatar Aegis, the first Avatar of Air, and strengthened by Mystera, the goddess of magic.
The Vanir thrived in their hidden kingdom, their society mirroring the utopian ideals of a magocracy. Governed by a court of elder mages, the Vanir dedicated their lives to the service and adoration of Mystra, who they regarded as the source of all magical knowledge and power (see: The Elden Council). The Etherstone became the center of their civilization, its power sustaining the Vanir and their magical prowess.
As the Second Age drew to a close, the Aether Realm, though victorious in the war against the Elemental Titans, was left weakened and vulnerable. The once-great civilization of the Aether Dragons had been reduced to a shadow of its former self, with Zirael and the memory of Samandriel standing as the last remnants of their glory. The Vanir, however, continued to flourish, their society isolated from the rest of the world by the mystical mist that surrounded Aerenal.
The transition from the Second Age to the Third Age, known as the Age of the Elves, marked a turning point for the Air Realm. The Vanir, having fulfilled their purpose as protectors of the Etherstone, began to explore the broader world, their magic and knowledge influencing the realms beyond their mist-shrouded home. The Aether, though no longer rulers of the skies, had left an indelible mark on the world through their creation of the Vanir and their role in preserving the Ether.
The Air Realm, once ruled by the mighty Aether Dragons, stands as a testament to the enduring power of magic and the resilience of those who wield it. The legacy of the Aether lives on through the Vanir, the High Elves who continue to protect the Etherstone and ensure the balance of magic in the world. Though the Aether have faded into legend, their influence can still be felt in the winds that sweep across the skies of Osira, a reminder of the celestial beings who once soared through the heavens and shaped the destiny of the world.