The Old Magi

The Old Magi were an alleged group of beings whose deaths supposedly were the cause of the Endless Night; a period of darkness before the New Era lasting 15 years. It is said that the Old Magi carried the only existing knowledge and expertise on the nature of Éla, which was lost in The Great Cataclysm

Summary

For centuries before the Great Cataclysm, the world was overlooked and protected by five ancient Magi. Together they maintained the balance of earth, sky, fire and sea; harnessing Neria's natural power to raise it to a new height. They took up residence in five different locations, claiming a piece of land for their own and keeping watch over it.
The Old Magi hoarded ancient knowledge, studying and mastering the magical arts which they used to keep peace among the people of their land -- that is, until the Sixth was born. As with the great Magi before them, the Five took the boy in as their protege the moment his mother offered him, knowing a being naturally tied with Éla could not survive or control that ability without tuition -- back then, they were incredibly rare and deeply respected.
But the boy grew to be more powerful than even the Five themselves. His thirst for knowledge grew to a deep desire, believing the Five weak for using their power in such limited ways. He sought to harness the deepest powers of light and dark -- and succeeded, able to brighten the darkest night and blot out the brightest sunlight. He claimed dominion over humanity, and when the Five Old Magi moved to stop him, the Great Cataclysm occurred. The five powerful Magi were only just enough to match the Sixth's power, clashing with him in a great battle that set fire to the sky. In a desperate attempt to stand victorious, he cast a great shadow about himself, suffocating all who came close -- and when the Five's power joined with his it caused a shockwave that could be felt all across Neria.
When the dust settled, the world was dark. All of the Magi were dead, their power shattered and spread back into the earth, creating what we today know as the Éla Rivers. For fifteen years humanity had to survive with no Magi, no light and no hope, until the Sixth Magi's power finally faded and the sun returned. To this day, it is believed that the Magi who now exist around the world are fragments of the uncontained power left from that Cataclysm, cursed to be untamed and uncontrollable.

Historical Basis

Though little remains of the time before the Cataclysm, there are scraps of the Old Magi's literature remaining that suggest powerful Magi scholars did exist, and the ruins of their towers have since been excavated. It is unknown if the Sixth Magi existed, however, and the nature of the Cataclysm is yet to be uncovered. Those who believe in the tale insist it was passed down through generations descended from the Endless Night survivors, but others say there is no real evidence to suggest the tales are true.