Know Your Lore – The Ancients of Might and Magic (part I)

In a universe filled with mythical realms, powerful beings, and timeless mysteries, few entities evoke as much wonder and curiosity as The Ancients. To kick off our “Know Your Lore” series, we’re diving into the fascinating history of these godlike figures who lie at the heart of Might and Magic’s deepest secrets.
Shrouded in myth and legend, the Ancients possess an unparalleled mastery of elemental forces and advanced technology, shaping worlds, guiding destinies, and influencing powers far beyond mortal understanding.
The Masters of Technology and Elemental Magic

Webstation Beta-5 is a location that appears in the good (and canonical) ending to Might and Magic VII: For Blood and Honor. It is located somewhere in the Spinward Rim, and acted as a waystation for people to travel between worlds.
The Ancients are a mysterious and technologically advanced race whose influence once spanned the universe through an interconnected cosmic civilization. Believed to have existed since the dawn of time, they wielded a powerful blend of elemental magic and futuristic science to conduct grand experiments, creating worlds that served as ecological and social microcosms.
As architects of the cosmos, the Ancients designed the Web of Worlds, a vast network linking countless regions and planets through advanced technology. Within the Spinward Rim—a region in The Void under their influence—they established key worlds and built the Webstation Beta-5, a transit hub that enabled seamless travel and communication between planets.
Our knowledge of the Ancients is limited, drawn solely from the remnants they left behind—artifacts, ruins, and creations scattered across the cosmos. These creations were more than just planets; they were intricately designed ecosystems, such as VARN, CRON, Terra, Xeen, Ardon, Axeoth and Enroth.
Using the four Schools of Elemental Magic—Air Magic to shape winds and storms, Fire Magic to forge heat and energy, Water Magic to form seas and ice, and Earth Magic to build land and volcanoes—the Ancients brought life and civilization to these worlds and created Android Guardians to protect these worlds. However, their influence often introduced challenges that tested the inhabitants of each realm, leaving behind a legacy that continues to shape the multiverse.
The Time of Wonders

Similar to a Mayan pyramid on the exterior, the Tomb of VARN is actually a ship used to transport Ancient colonists safely away from the Kreegans and onto Enroth.
The Ancients’ civilization reached its peak during an era known as the “Time of Wonders,” a golden age marked by unparalleled achievements. Thousands of planets thrived under their stewardship, interconnected by advanced communication technology that left no corner of their empire overlooked.
One of their most significant events, known as The Crossing, is remembered as a monumental chapter in their history. According to legend, the Ancients guided their biologically created races—humans, elves, dwarves, gnomes, half-orcs, and half-goblins — on a cosmic journey aboard colossal ships to seed the worlds throughout the universe. These voyages spanned generations, with entire lifetimes passing before the travelers reached their destinations.
A colonial government

A potential city of the Colonial Government, seen from above. The Forge town view. The Forge is a scrapped faction that was originally planned to appear in Armageddon’s Blade.
The rulers of Enroth referred to themselves as the Colonial Government. However, they were not the Ancients, but a civilization that was in contact with them. The Colonial Government relied on technology gifted by the Ancients, including the Heavenly Forges, which they used to create powerful artifacts.
As time passed, the Ancients themselves became the stuff of legends. On most worlds, their achievements lived on only through scattered relics—blasters, wreckage of spaceships, remnants of their androids, the Heavenly Forges and interplanetary portals once represented the pinnacle of their ingenuity, a utopia of interconnected worlds and boundless potential.
The fall of the Ancients was an event of such magnitude that it reshaped the course of history across countless realms, dividing time itself into two distinct eras: before and after their collapse. On Enroth, it was called “The Silence” because, without warning, the Ancients ceased all communication with their creations.
This abrupt and unexplained end to their guidance left entire civilizations adrift, forcing them to confront a new reality without the knowledge, protection, or influence of their once-mighty benefactors.
Every world experienced its own version of “The Silence,” each naming it in a way that reflected its unique culture and perspective.
Einar the Ancient

Einar of Ardon
The only planet where we encounter an Ancient is Ardon, the setting for Crusader of Might and Magic and Shifter of Might and Magic. His name is Einar, and he is the sole known Ancient in the entire series. This fact alone tells us something significant—it urges us to dig deeper into the games and their lore to uncover the mysteries of this race.
Despite being described as a “highly advanced race,” their exact nature remains ambiguous. Their legacy endures through the descendants they left behind and their biological creations—humans, elves, dwarves, gnomes, and even half-goblins or orcs—as well as the remnants of their technological creations. To many, the Ancients’ mastery of technology and elemental magic makes them seem godlike, embodying both might and magic.
The Ancients remain one of the most enigmatic forces in the Might and Magic universe. We do not know whether they are even gods, whether they were benevolent creators, indifferent experimenters, or something else entirely, their influence echoes through the ages.
By piecing together the fragments of their story, we inch closer to understanding the true scope of their power and purpose—and perhaps, one day, we’ll uncover what truly became of the Ancients.
In the articles to follow, we’ll explore the heirs of the Ancients and examine what became of their once-mighty civilization and why they fell. Stay tuned as we continue to unravel the greatest mysteries of this timeless universe.