Kronostasis

In ancient times the foundations of civilization were seeded by the guild of Magus. Scholars of the guild, known as the wizards of Magus, studied the arcane of magic in the fields of alchemy, astronomy and astrology. Only through decades of study could the most devoted wizards master the arts of magic. These masters were called the Sortiari. Wizards casted spells that would both aid in the advancement of civilization as well as unleash massive destruction upon ancient battlefields. Wielding such power however came at a great personal cost. Casting magic would rapidly drain the user's life force causing accelerated ageing. Frustrated by his own dwindling live force, a Sortiari known as Kronos turned to forbidden techniques to gain immortality. Freed from the shackles of time Kronos indulged in magic to a dangerous extent and became consumed by an ever growing desire to shape the world to his every whim. For centuries Kronos plagued the ancient world turning all manner of creatures into monstrous beings. After aeons of war and unable to defeat Kronos, the wizards of Magus finally managed to entrap him in a rift crafted within the very fabric of time and space. Fearing that history would inevitably repeat itself the guild of Magus was disbanded and their accumulated knowledge was sealed away. Eventually all remnants of their existence was reduced to nothing more than myth and legend.