It's been many years since you first came to learn from me, Player.

I’m afraid I have nothing more to teach you.

The last things I can give you are found within two books.

Player: "What books?"

The first one is a history book, History of Ancient Atreia. This will lay the foundation for your knowledge of the world you live in.

The second is Day of the Tempest Record. It is not finished yet, but I've made you wait long enough.

Player... return to me once you're done.

Player: "I will."

Introduction to Atreia

The study of ancient Atreia is a difficult pursuit. Since most ruins and relics were destroyed during the Cataclysm, we do not have much to help us paint a picture of the past.

Additionally, the ancient humans were slaves to the Balaur. History is not impartial--it is always written from the point of view of the winners.

Therefore, anything we understand about the ancient world comes through the eyes of the Balaur. Conquerors are often untrustworthy narrators.

Player: (Continue reading.)

The ruins of most humanoid societies, such as the Krall and Mau, show increasing amounts of Balaur influence as time went on. Only humans seem to have resisted Balaur control. Unlike the other races, who had assimilated with the Balaur, humans developed their own society and culture from the early days.

When the Balaur rebelled against the Tower of Aion, the conflict between humans and Balaur began to escalate. s the Twelve Empyrean Lords appeared and some humans started to ascend as Daevas, humans evolved into a more organized resistance against the Balaur.

Scholars agree that the advent of the Empyrean Lords and Daevas was an important turning point in history. Consequently, their advent ended the era of the Balaur.

Player: (Continue reading.)

The Era of the Balaur

Drakans, the original form of the Balaur, must have been among the first creatures on Atreia. No one knows how long the Balaur ruled, but as they are immensely strong and capable of adapting to harsh environments, it was easy for them to expand their control over the land and other races.

Some of the Balaur ascended to even higher power, becoming known as the Five Balaur Lords. They quickly subjugated most other races, and ruled for an undetermined era.

Most intelligent races worshipped the Five Balaur Lords as gods, performing ceremonies and sacrifices in their name. The Altar of Tiamat, ancient ruins in Altgard, is one of the last remnants of their worship.

Player: (Continue reading.)

Ancient Humans

For the reasons mentioned on the previous page, is almost impossible to reconstruct the lives of ancient humans. It is only assumed that human civilization remained at a primitive level until the Twelve Empyrean Lords appeared and some humans ascended as Daevas.

Ancient humans formed small groups and settled along seas or the rivers. They lived on hunting, fishing, and gathering. They were not known to be nomadic, and could not use the power of Aether.

Their obvious physical inferiority led the Balaur to believe they were no threat at all. But humans had a strong bond with one another, and a strong belief in Aion.

Player: (Continue reading.)

The Empyrean Lords

The Twelve Empyrean Lords were born when the Balaur exercised stronger power with the advent of the Five Balaur Lords.

However, it is unknown when and where the Twelve Empyrean Lords appeared.

Many myths and legends about the birth of the Twelve Empyrean Lords tell different stories, but they have one thing in common: the Tower of Aion sent the Empyrean Lords.

The Twelve Empyrean Lords gave their wisdom to humans and did their best to protect Aion from the Balaur.

Player: (Continue reading.)

Ascendency of Humans

It is unknown what caused humans to ascend as Daevas. It is only assumed that the Twelve Empyrean Lords might help some superior humans to ascend as Daevas.

Regardless of its real cause, the advent of Daevas was a historical event that would make human race the writer of future and threaten the Balaur.

Humans now capable of ascending as Daevas were not weak as before. Daevas trained under the Twelve Empyrean Lords were as competent as Drakans.

Daevas fought against Balaurs and Sapiens all over Atreia while protecting humans.

Player: (Continue reading.)

Resistance: the Millennium Wars

The Millennium War broke out as the Balaur Lords dreamed of destroying Aion and becoming the absolute ruler of Atreia.

Aion created the Aetheric Field to protect itself, and the Twelve Empyrean Lords and Daevas supported by the Aetheric Field fought against the Balaur.

The Balaur had Kralls and Maus on its side. The Twelve Empyrean Lords found it necessary to organize Daevas rather than to improve the abilities of individual Daevas, in order to compete with more powerful Sapiens and Balaurs.

The Tempere that used to teach the wisdom of the Twelve Empyrean Lords to Daevas changed into a camp to train future warriors, and new military organizations named Legions began to be founded.

As the Twelve Empyrean Lords and Daevas became more capable and strategic, the war was drawn out, without deciding its winner.

Player: (Close the book.)

- Contents -



Prologue..................2

The Life of Ereshkigal..................3

Ereshkigal’s Ascension........................4

Ereshkigal and the Incarna..........................5

War at the Eye of Reshanta..............6

A Hero's Duty.......................7

Player: (Begin reading.)

Prologue

These pages contain all that I remember.

- Munin

Player: (Continue reading.)

The Life of Ereshkigal


The story of Ereshkigal’s origin has been told since ancient times. The following excerpt is from volume five of Atreian Legends:


- The Birth of Ereshkigal -

There came a day when a group of Drakans found an enormous, transparent egg. Though they were in the middle of a scorching desert, the egg was almost too cold to touch. It took great effort, but these Drakans brought the egg to their village so that it could hatch safely.

Soon, the surface of the egg began to crack. As the shell disintegrated, a mighty ice-blue Drakan emerged. Its wings unfurled and a haunting voice filled the air.

"I will give you...order."

Player: (Continue reading.)

Ereshkigal’s Ascension




Ereshkigal, always calculating and introspective, realized she needed to look within herself to attain greater power.

She withdrew to a hidden, frozen cave far away from any other life, closing her eyes and beginning a prolonged meditation. Not once did she so much as blink.

Just as her heartbeat was slowing to a stop, her skin covered in frost, Ereshkigal opened her eyes once again. She crackled with a powerful new energy— she had ascended.

Perhaps this is why so many whisper that she has no blood in her veins, only ice.

Player: (Continue reading.)

Ereshkigal and the Incarna


After the Cataclysm, many of the Balaur Lords vanished, their whereabouts unknown. Many theorize that there is in-fighting among them, just like with the Elyos and Asmodians.

Ereshkigal was sealed away in a prison known as Drakenspire Depths. The reasons for this are unknown, but her lengthy captivity weakened her.

Perhaps, despite a reputation for prizing reason and order above all else, this is why Ereshkigal desperately sacrificed so many souls to make the mystical Incarna flower bloom quicker. Even after the seal that kept her imprisoned was weakened, she was not at her full power.

Player: (Continue reading.)

War at the Eye of Reshanta - Part One


After Ereshkigal rose again, she captured the Divine Fortress and swept a strong ice storm across all of Reshanta.

The Asmodians received orders to attack the Eye of Reshanta and sent all of their forces against Ereshkigal. They used an Empyrean Lord's Siege Weapon and the Embers of Fregion to break through Ereshkigal’s seal. It seemed like they had a fighting chance.

In a flash, Ereshkigal appeared in front of the Dredgion. She cast an overwhelming blow that devastated the Daevas, and it seemed all might be lost.

Player: (Continue reading.)

War at the Eye of Reshanta - Part Two


We did not fall apart, nor did we retreat. We regrouped as best we could and managed to succeed in recapturing the Divine Fortress. Unfortunately, we were not quick enough to stop Ereshkigal’s plan.

In her efforts to conquer Atreia, Ereshkigal tried to seize the Tower of Eternity. Instead, she shattered it and destroyed all of Reshanta. This caused massive destruction, destroying the Abyss Gateway and scarring the land below.

Player: (Continue reading.)

A Hero's Sacrifce


Only one Daeva was able to stop Ereshkigal's rampage. This hero burned their own soul away in a sacrifice that halted her plans. She vanished into thin air shortly after....

The Daeva that sacrificed themselves was a mercenary from Akarios Village. Their name is...

Player: (Close the book.)

That doesn't matter. Find Marco and tell him you want to be tested.

He will let you, if he recognizes your destiny....