Avalon

Avalon is an island that exists on a magical plane of earth. It is featured in the animated television show Gargoyles.

History
The history of the mystical island of Avalon, where the mysterious and magical fay live, is a long and strange one.

In 542, the King of all Britain, King Arthur Pendragon, was laid to rest in the Hollow Hill there, to be awakened when he would again be needed.

Sometime during the year 995, the Lord of the Third Race, Oberon, cast out the fay into the mortal world to learn humility, after they and Queen Titania displeased him. He himself left as well, leaving the island to be guarded by the Weird Sisters on a barge off the coast.

The island was deserted until the arrival of the Magus, Tom, Princess Katharine and the 36 gargoyle eggs from Castle Wyvern later that year. They defeated the Weird Sisters and landed upon the deserted island. Taking up residence in the empty palace, the humans grew older, with the Magus bereft of his magic and Tom falling in love with Katherine. In the next 42 years, the eggs hatched and grew to young adulthood happy and carefree in the island paradise that was Avalon.

In real world time, a thousand years went by before any contact was made with the Avalon Clan. Tom the Guardian made trips out into the real world every century to see if Goliath and his clan had been reawakened. Then the Archmage and his allies, the Weird Sisters attacked, along with Demona and Macbeth, hoping to drive them away. King Arthur was awakened, and Avalon was filled with the sounds of battle. Its energies were drawn upon in the magical battle between the Weird Sisters and the Magus. The Magus perished due to his channeling of too much of Avalon's magical energy. But the clan's enemies were defeated, and the island was peaceful once again.

The next battle occurred upon Avalon's shores 1001 years after Oberon banished his Children from it. He returned to his home, with Titania and the Weird Sisters in tow, and demanded that the gargoyle clan and the humans there leave the island. They refused. Due to Titania's influence, however, Oberon agreed to battle Goliath, Angela, and Gabriel with reduced powers for the right to stay. During the long battle, Oberon used Avalon itself to fight for him, sending the trees, shrubs, even the very land against his foes. Ultimately, it was trickery, not combat that defeated him. He bade the Avalon clan stay and be the Honor Guard of Avalon, and settled down with his newly proclaimed wife, Titania, and bade the Gathering to begin.

The magical Children came from all parts of the mortal world back to their ancient home of Avalon for the first time in a thousand and one years.

Avalon is currently home to all the Children of Oberon once again, as well as the Avalon clan of gargoyles, Princess Katherine and the Guardian Tom.

Characteristics
Avalon cannot be found on a map of the world; it is reachable only by magic. Despite being part of the Earth, its true location is found at a rather large nexus of native Earth magic, and therefore is incapable of being reached in a three dimensional manner. The usual procedure for entering Avalon for mortals is to recite a Latin incantation while upon a body of water (which can range in size from the sea to a large washbasin); Oberon's Children, on the other hand, can presumably come and go through their innate abilities, without needing water nearby. Leaving Avalon is somewhat trickier; it does not send you to where you wish to go, but to where you need to be (hence the Avalon World Tour that Goliath, Elisa, Angela, and Bronx involuntarily embarked upon after leaving the enchanted island). ("Avalon")

Avalon is, in a sense, solidified magic, and an experienced human wizard can actually tap into that magic, as the Magus did during his battle with the Weird Sisters; it is not easy to do, however, and even cost the Magus his life. While faerie magic is permitted in Avalon, human magic (particularly that coming from artifacts such as the Grimorum Arcanorum) is not. (The Archmage did temporarily evade this proscription by eating the Grimorum, but he paid a fatal price for it in the end.) Also because of its magical nature, time passes slower on Avalon; for every hour spent there, one day goes by in the outside world. ("Avalon")

It is eternal summer there (by Oberon's decree), and prior to leaving Angela claimed she had never seen ice or snow. During Queen Mab's reign, however, the climate on Avalon was better described as "chaotic." ("Shadows of the Past," "Eye of the Storm")

Avalon has a few important landmarks: the palace where Oberon and Titania live (which is also the home for the Avalon Clan), the Hollow Hill where King Arthur slept (and where the Magus has now been laid to rest), a volcano, and grotto which served as the Archmage's headquarters during his invasion of Avalon. An apple orchard stands in the palace grounds.

The relationship between Avalon and Oberon is uncertain. On the one hand, Oberon can command the island to do his bidding, ordering even the rocks to throw themselves at intruders. On the other hand, Avalon sent Goliath and his companions to Manhattan at the end of the World Tour to foil Oberon's plan to abduct the infant Alexander. ("Ill Met By Moonlight," "The Gathering")