To summarise,
OC Note: It is neither required nor expected that everyone know everything on this page - being in the dark is an entirely in character thing to be!
The following is an extract from the latest edition of Before Last Season, a thorough guide to the history of Bastion. Like most historical publications, it did not sell well.
Though attempts have been made to maintain records of believed accurate information about the world, most information has been passed down through oral tradition, and most accurately dated information begins around the same time as the third era of Ultimate Monster Battle Arena, the one we currently find ourselves in. Most history documentation relate to Seasons of the Arena, and information that doesn't pertain to the Arena in some way is scarce.
It is common knowledge that a long time ago there was an Event of apocalyptic proportions. The Old World was all but wiped from the face of the planet, leaving only a few survivors. They survived in the wastelands that were created, and they banded together. Over time they grew stronger, they grew in number, and slowly but surely set about starting to reconstruct what had been lost.
It is a commonly held belief that the giant Monsters that roam the world were not present before the Event, but it is unknown whether the Event heralded the arrival of the Monsters, or whether they arrived some time after. Indeed, it is unknown how long exactly it was between the Event and the founding of the City now called Bastion, but it is known that the city was constructed to keep out the Monsters, so they must have been present prior to the city's foundation.
It is not known how long it has been since the foundation of the city. It has not, however, been called Bastion until at least the third era of Ultimate Monster Battle Arena.
The Network states that the Arena was founded a while after the city. Owing to a commonly held belief that Monsters weren't brought under human control that early, most believe that its original purpose was not fighting of Monsters against each other, but this is only speculation. What is known is that the Arena's foundations are intermingled with those of the City - every expansion effort on the Arena involves strengthening the city in some way.
Some time ago, the Arena became known as the Ultimate Monster Battle Arena, presumably as humans proved their mastery over the Monsters, and began the practice of fighting them for sport. The rest has rather become modern history.
The Network has been around as long as the Ultimate Monster Battle Arena - two eras of battling Monsters have passed, each marked by a complete change in Executives. The entire time the Arena has been open, the Network has been responsible, organising Battles and keeping the Arena live and kicking. The identity of the Prime Executive has never been revealed in all this time.
We are now about to embark on the 36th Season of Ultimate Monster Battle Arena. Last year's Champion, Volcanosaurus, eagerly awaits challengers; and the Elite Eight, having ejected one of their number for severe etiquette violations, wait in interest to see who might try to take up that mantle!
