A History of Avalon: Tapestries Tell the Story

By now, I've learned that Wizard101 certainly has its share of interesting side quests. I recently picked up one in Azteca with Tzolk'in Stones, which I did an expanded article on HERE. I found an interesting one in Avalon as well that you can't miss.

Fantasy and Adventure

Avalon was definitely a twist in the Morganthe arc. It makes perfect sense that we'd go there - it was Merle and Morganthe's home for at least some time, and the combined theme and mechanics of the world make it my favorite in Wizard to date. Plus, we needed the Sword of Kings.

Unlike Azteca, there's very little chance that Avalon would ever to come to Pirate101 - everything about it clashes with the pirate theme. Blind Mew himself said it'd be difficult to execute, though I believe he did also note that nothing could be ruled out completely.

There's some interesting history behind Avalon. Francis Lux inside the Abbey Road Library will give you the quest From Whole Cloth. You'll be sent all across the world to collect various tapestry pieces. All are contained within sigils, but with several of them, you can sneak around the enemies, so never pass up that chance if it presents itself. There's a guide on Wizard101 Central to the locations HERE.

Past Days of Avalon

After collecting them all, you'll be sent to the Knight's Hall in Abbey Road to hang the pieces and hear the story. I have included all fifteen below with the dialogue, not narrated by anyone specific, unlike Azteca's. The story is read left to right, row by row.

The great wizard and trickster Merle Ambrose helped a young warrior prove himself and rise to rule over the land. Artorius was raised in humble surroundings, but he had royal blood in his veins.	The brave and noble Artorius was destined to draw the Sword of Kings and become the greatest warrior in Avalon.
Artorius used the Sword of King to exemplify the knightly virtues. He was unbeatable in battle...	...but he was also merciful and just. He always gave his foes a chance to turn from the shadow to join his cause.
Merle Ambrose guided Artorius to his role as King of Avalon, and the two of them crafted the knightly Order of the Silver Rose.	King Artorius met a young queen, Gwendolyn, and fell in love. King Artorius married Gwendolyn and made her Queen of Avalon. Together, they ruled over a golden age of peace and prosperity.
Despite King Artorius's attempts to promote the chivalric virtues, not all could live up to his ideals. Jealous of what King Artorius and Queen Gwendolyn had built, Sir Malory of Dun Dara worked to undo their good work in Avalon.	Sir Malory found dark allies in the ink-black depths of the Weirwood. He led the Froudlings against King Artorius.
King Artorius vanquished the Froudlings and killed Sir Malory, but not before the false knight mortally wounded the great king.	Merle Ambrose gave the Sword of Kings to Squire Perry to hold and protect - a new beginning for the Knights of the Silver Rose.
Merle Ambrose and his ally Gamma left Avalon to explore the Spiral. It was the next age in Avalon.	King Artorius prepared to cross to the Other Side, knowing Avalon was left in good hands. Unbeknownst to the good people of Avalon, a shadow crept into the Doleorous Tower to fall over King Artorius.
Morganthe, dark sister to Sir Malory, offered Artorius a way to stave off the cold mist of the Other Side. Artorius took up her offer, not realizing the gift was trapped. He accepted the Horned Crown, a sinister artifact from the Wyrd.	Artorius shed his skin and his  virtues and rose as the dread Pendragon. The evil Pendragon led the Wild Hunt out of the Weirwood, at the head of the Froudling army. They burned and conquered all.
But hope still remains in the secret places of Avalon. One day, a hero will rise and the Silver Rose will bloom once more.

The Future of World Lore

I'm working backwards here, and I have one quest yet to do, and that's Zafaria's Art History. It's a little bit different, but uses a similar approach. Beyond that, I believe we have only the history books that we're sent around to read. These, however, never provide as clear or exciting of context for the world as these latest quests do in Zafaria, Avalon, and Azteca.
Based on the fact that we've seen these develop quite substantially over the Morganthe arc, I'd say we're not done yet. I don't believe we've yet seen one in Khrysalis, perhaps because we know the history of the world and learn it throughout the story pretty extensively... but I'd also love a side quest like this included in Part 2 to give us a better picture of the world. 
Pirate has always been stronger with the background lore, in my perfectly honest opinion, largely because of Blind Mew's answer thread that often raises more questions than it answers. However, I must admit - even without the developers directly answering questions, these quests have really had me reconsidering that comparison. Wizard101 has always been shrouded with the mystery of the titans and Bartleby and Grandmother Raven, but these history quests are providing a more specific look at things - and in the case of Azteca, the entire Spiral is involved.
Don't forget to pick up From Whole Cloth when you're in Abbey Road! Thanks for reading and see you in the Spiral!