Although individual Traditions claim histories or inheritances that date back millennia, the origins of the modern Traditions date back to a period referred to as the Low Mythic Age, when mystics worked their marvels in isolation. The dark ages were a time of superstition and fear, the Church was beginning to lose control as pagans thrived. Various groups of High Artisans, dabblers in sacred geometry, planned to bring the world together under one Order of Reason.
In 1449 the second Convocation at Mistridge resulted in the agreement to create Horizon, a grand shared realm in the Otherworlds. Finally at the Grand Convocations of Traditions, in 1457-1466, the nine traditions were created to be overseen by the Council.
Over the years that followed one tradition of Alchemists, the Solificati, disbanded after one member betrayed the cabal appointed by the Grand Convocation. This left the seat of Matter empty for nearly 400 years, until the Electrodyne Engineers defected from the Technocratic Union, to join the Council as the Sons of Ether.
Unfortunately this period of mystic completeness did not last, in 1934 the Al-i-Bhatin withdrew to protect their middle eastern homelands from the Technocracy's hunger for oil. But in 1961 the Difference Engineers also defected from the Union, and under the sponsorship of the Sons of Ether they joined the Council taking the vacant seat of Correspondence as the Virtual Adepts. Once again the Council was complete.
But there is a fly in the ointment, a tenth group has appeared calling themselves the Hollow Ones. They claim no interest in the Council, but do not wish to join the Technocracy, they just hang around on the fringes of the Council.
This information has been distilled from Mage: The Ascension and Mage: The
Sorcerers Crusade, published by
White Wolf.