Quite a few people have read the story lines in last chaos and wondered, what does this mean or why is the story so fractured. It is hard to sometimes bring together point A and point B so I will write short stories here, explaining quest lines in certain zones with back stories of npc's. Due to how little info is sometimes revealed. I may have to improvise and add extra content just to better smooth it out. I hope you all enjoy this project!
Lore of Iris - The war of the gods - splitting of the lands
Before the War - First Age :
During the beginning of time, Eres and Apollon each had their own realms. One which held beings of light and a paradise for all. The other, a realm of chaos, beasts and unthinkable horrors. Each grew weary, wanting to have a realm of balance, both good and evil, where minions could pay homage to each the gods.
Thus Apollon and Eres worked together, forging a land like that of Eurasia, A world with one major land mass, a world all connected together from land to land, smaller islands spreading out into the seas beyond. They created mortals, thinking beings, but they worshipped Apollon and shunned the evil of Eres. The gifts of Eres mutated the beings into creatures of evil, which were hunted and killed by the followers of Apollon. The people rejected Eres and he grew jealous, he left for his own realm and began to create an army to destroy this new world.
To mock dwarves and gnomes, goblins and gnolls were created. For humans and elves, trolls and orcs were brought about. He also worked to make a new race of mortals, horrible to behold, Titans were created from the hatred of Eres for the races that lived on Iris.
Unknown to Apollon, the armies opened portals across the peaceful lands and the first war had started.
During the War - First Age :
The beginnings of the war started with devastating loss after loss for Apollon, the races of Iris, unprepared for the onslaught were swept aside. Entire cities were devastated and countries fell within hours. Tribes of elves and men who lived in the wild were single handedly wiped out by only a few titans. Such was the creatures power that single handedly, they could destroy entire garrisons of troops.
Enraged, Apollon imbued his power into the ranks of men who fought back against the onslaught of evil. The troops became Apollon's knights, strong warriors blessed by inhuman speed, understanding and extraordinary skill in weaponry.
Both sides clashed, for hundreds of years the world became a blood bath, elves and men turned upon their brethren and joined Eres. Giving away troop positions and slaying their own family in combat. Forests burned and natures beasts cried in agony. Magic filled the air and entire mountains were leveled in the fighting. Oceans rose up and swallowed entire armies.
While in the spirit world, Eres and Apollon clashed for centuries. Eventually both were badly wounded and fell back to their own realms, abandoning their forces in the lands of Iris.
End of War - End of First Age :
The world had changed, from all the conflict and magical destruction, entire countries had been swept under the water, the land mass was shattered and entire islands had cease to exist. New lands had formed from the shattering of the old world and much that was once, had been destroyed.
Many races were locked to certain parts of the world, either do to how badly devastated their species was from the fighting or due to how the rest of the world had become near impossible to reach.
The forces of Eres remained, though badly bloodied, they had strongholds in many old temples, ruined cities and lands such as Merac, Egeha, Tairan and Strayana had become safe havens for the corrupted beasts.
The Forces of Apollon retreated to their own strongholds in the Lands of Erin, Juno, Dratan, Mondshine and other smaller settlements in the world. The knights of apollon held their ranks in the city of Randol, protecting it and the land around it for decades to come.
Many of the Titans remained loyal to Eres and remained in his service, retreating to the far north. Some though, dismayed by the loss of their immortality abandoned Eres and became neutral in the affairs of the world.
Current Day - Second Age :
Eres is returning in force to Iris and Apollon is not yet answering the pleas of his followers. The lands are becoming isolated and horrors lurk at every corner. Below is a current status of the lands of Iris at current state of lc lore.
Province of Juno : Guards are stretched thin, beasts roam the countryside, entire divisions of troops have been ambushed and devastated over past few years.
Province of Merac : Swampy ruins litter the lands, destroyed towns and graveyards pick pocket the landscape. Bandits and Thieves control the roads while barbarians hide in their own mountain villages. The Prison that held some of the most dangerous beasts still alive from the war has fallen to Eres.
Province of Strayana: Poisonous air fills the land and only small settlements of humans are located in this area, bridgeworks and paths litter the land but they are mostly overgrown, it is too dangerous now to live in this region due to all the beasts.
Province of Dratan: The desert province may be one of the most stable parts of Iris. A large walled city with several settlements and mines successfully being operated outside the walls. Archeologists and city troops constantly venture out to keep tabs on local wild life and make sure Eres forces do not get too strong. A recent incursion by Eres into the temple of forgetfulness was easily beaten back by the town troops with help from an adventuring hero.
Province of Egeha: Mostly ruins, a once great land that was reduced to rubble during the great war hundreds of years ago. Still a barely habitable area, demons and ghosts from the fighting are common throughout the region. Monsters dig up the corpses in the graves and recently an army from randol that was sent to retake the area was completely destroyed leaving many accessories of the gods littered around their base camp.
Province of Vladimir: A cursed land with many monsters and enslaved beings. This area was hidden from the world till recently when adventurers rediscovered the area, currently it holds a small garrison of soldiers and a walled city has been erected while the troops drive out the remaining forces of Eres in the area.
Province of Erin: Currently unknown, the main city of Iris has been lacking of information and no real information on its current state has been released, it is entirely possible that the land and city were destroyed over past few years by invading forces.
Province of Mondshine: Home of Gnomes, this province has recently been hit hard by the returning forces of eres, from the dead soldiers who fell during the great war coming back to life to the recently deceased corpses rising from their graves, the gnomes have been getting brutalized and pushed back to the main city in the region.Patrols are near non existent and it is currently extremely dangerous to leave the city without armed escort. Eres forces are building up currently for a large scale attack on the main city in the region.
Province of Tairan: Frozen part of the continent of Ascadia, small settlements are located in this region and Randol has recently been sending troops to reinforce the gnomes in holding this region back from Eres forces. They are heavilly built up in the area and control vast swaths of the land. It is most likely currently that the forces of Apollon will be driven from the area before they can finish destroy ramslo's laboratory, the mines and the demonic tower that holds a stranglehold on the region.
Stories of Juno
Story One A Heroes Beginnings (The prologue of lc explained)
The shrieks of the undead filled the air, torchlight barely lighting the rooms. An unknown hero rushed along the pathways to find the corrupting presence in the once holy temple. Brandishing their weapons, they burst through into a long hallway, bodies littering the ground, the hero slowly moved forward.
The hero noticed movement at their feet and panicked, falling backwards, the bodies started moving, corpses of the fallen temple guards slowly stood up, rotting and defiled, the corpses rushed the hero. Quickly, the hero slashed out, slaying several of the fallen guards at once. But more and more of the dead guards started rising, corpses smashing through the glass panes and flooding into the hallways. The hero fought valiantly trying to get to the centre of the temple.
Slaying the last undead, the hero opened slowly, the doors at the end of the hallway and reeled in horror. Dozens of undead reigned down from the ceiling and a monstrous dragon from the swamps of Strayana roared a deafening challenge. The hero rushed forward, fighting his way into the crowd of horrors.
.... (sometime later, presumably a few miles from the temple)
The hero lay unconscious, bleeding from several wounds, armour ripped and torn in a deep part of a forest located in the province of Juno. The sky was dark with cloud and rain freely fell to the land below.
A young farmer, Noel was wandering the woods in search of treant berries. Such a fruit was becoming rare and food shortages were a common occurrence since the burbank fields were devastated by beast and vermin. He noticed with a bit of fright, a body laying in the woods, he rushed over, finding the warrior badly hurt and unconscious. He put the hero on his horses back and rode with all haste he could muster back to the burbank farms.
(Several more days pass in lore time - Beginning of actual game)
The hero wanders outside Jonathan's house, several guards were assigned by the provincial city of Randol to watch over the body of the fallen hero. Jonathan notices the hero and motions them closer, talking to them about the heroes lost memory and eventually asks the hero to help them clean up the farm.
(Several hours in game world pass as hero cleans up farm)
During this time the hero accomplishes following
- Saves crops from virmin
- Destroys beasts that harm the provinces food supplies
- Helps feed the farmers
By end the hero is not able to remember their memories and journeys to the city of Randol to hopefully find a way to return their memories to them. They are unsuccessful, being never able to remember their previous life, but joining up with a military organisation or group upon entry to randol, based on class that was selected at beginning of game.
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Story Two - Velpist Temple and the surrounding villages
Fires raged in the villages near the abandoned temple of Velpist. The dead overran the defences and hundreds died grisly deaths. Within a few short hours, the fallen would join the ranks of the dead and continue the hunt, driving the citizens of Juno fleeing to the city of Randol.
Hearing reports of the undead, Drill master Veron sent investigator Ralf to the temple to learn why the undead were rising from their graves. Ralf went into the temple and searched for hours. He was now hours late and Drill master Veron was starting to panic, he found an adventurer and pleaded for help. The adventurer agreed and set off to Velpist temple.
The scent of death was heavy in the crisp morning air, smoke clouded the skies from the ruined villages. The adventurer crawled through the entrance ruins and slowly opened the temple doors. Bodies and ruined statues met their eyes along with movement in the corner. Wasting no time, the hero pounced upon the moving shadows, turning out to be a zombie.The hero battled fiercly, staying out of the zombies reach.
Other bodies started rising from the ground and the adventurer was becoming overwhelmed. They noticed one zombie having a bloodied shirt of the randol knights on them and quickly grabbed it, making a dash and escaping the temple.
The adventurer returned to Veron who was dismayed at the clothes which belonged to Ralf. He quickly sent the hero back into the temple with promises of reinforcements to clear out the temple.
The adventurer returned to the temple, noticing an order of elite shock troops setting up at the entrance to the temple. The badges on the troops gear was easilly recognizable, the Sin Killers had come. The adventurer rushed into the temple where sounds of battle echoed and slew several wandering zombies.
Fighting through the hoards of zombies with Sin Killers in tow, the adventurer noticed a note, written from Ralf, saying how he was in grave danger. With new evidence of Ralf potentially being alive, they rushed back to Veron.
The adventurer returned back to the temple to rejoin the fight against the undead. Driving the zombies back, they cut out the hearts of the dead that were slain, to make sure they would not rise again. Suddenly, a shout rose from one of the side passages, the group paused and watched as a injured Ralf limped towards them. They quickly brought him back to Veron and set up fortifications at the front door.
Ralf had uncovered troubling information, the skeletons and other undead in the temple had been getting high quality weapons and equipment and provoking the undead into attacking the nearby areas. So Veron asked the group to venture back into the temple and bring the equipment to the smithies to see if they can solve this.
(Several hours pass)
The smithies determine that the gear is very similar to the weapons and equipment given to the Randol guards yet a little bit older. These equipment pieces were from an age long gone but recently forged, who could of done this? Veron did not waste much time though and requested the equipment be brought back to town to be refitted for the troops.
(Several months pass - temple still being cleared)
Disturbing information has been getting leaked out about how the titans land of Algol's destruction might be linked to the events of Velpist temple. Fighting and cleansing of the temple continue on to this day.
Stories of Merac
Stories of Dratan
Stories of Egeha
Stories of Strayana
Story of Black Fog Tribe
While the wars around iris raged and armies once again took the call to arms. One village, deep in the swamps of strayana was shielded by the violence. The Black fog tribe, led by Patriarch Phildore, has prospered much in this harsh climate. Adapting and becoming immune to the harsh poisons and diseases that have claimed the lives of many poor souls that ventured into the swamps. But peace is sometimes hard to find in the land of iris, and this somewhat peaceful area was about to face the harsh realities of the world they live in.
It started overnight, people started getting sick and dropping like flies, roars were heard from deep in the swamps and the troll tribes moved in on the black fog tribe. The fighting attracted many beasts and awakened dozens more. Neon spiders fed and grew fat on the bodies of the deceased and soon the patriarch had run out of troops to defend his village. Soon the villagers had become defenceless and it was only a matter of time before they got picked off.
First the trees came alive, treants driven mad by the corrupting powers in the lands, forsaking the god cariae attacked villagers, wearly, they retreated further and further inland and had quickly run out of wood to supply the fires. Next, merchant Cobe and his girlfriend snuck away from the village, thinking they could share a romantic evening, but they were interupted when overgrown moths attacked them and grabbed his girlfriend, feeding on her corpse and eating it to the skin and bones. Cobe fled back to the town and struggled to keep himself together.
Then ****-Otuu started coming out of the sewage system, out of the outhouses and refuse, they attacked villagers at unawares. Villagers were unable to use their bathrooms anymore in addition to the previous discomforts.
Soon, the villagers thought of camouflage to protect their dwindling numbers. They struck out in the night and in raiding parties, slew the Dark treats and Black puddings surrounding the town, using vials to scrape off the oil on the bodies, they brought it back to Victer to apply to their gear.
To make matters even worse, the swamp trolls had a new idea to take the mushrooms that fed the black fog tribe. Stealing them and stripping the land scape of the black fog of a food source. Angle pleaded for help and the tribe desperately tried to hold the line and take the food back.
Sadly this was only the beginning, after so much death and bloodshed, the dead started to rise. Spirits of titans struck out against caravans trying to supply the town and slaughtered the merchants, outer defences and outposts were no match for the strength of the undead. A call for arms went out and troops rushed into the trivia valley, fighting to contain the threat from spreading into the nearby lands.
Next came the Quanians and golems. The golems were created by the tribe of Quanians for protection and an easy source of cannon fodder. The golems devastated the troops in the trivia valley and the Quanians swept up what little resistance was left. Flutons, powerful and enormous. Towered among the regular golems, one could single handedly wipe an entire patrol out with a sweep of its arm. The Quanians on the other hand were lizzard like folk, settling further into the strayana swamps, they were what brought the darkness to the Black Fog and they were determined to wipe the entire town out.
On and on the war went, heroes came and went as the tides of battle switched from one side to the next. Greater beasts came to the warzone to watch and feed on the bodies. Large Shadow dragons that were almost invisible to the eyes, were able to turn entire areas into uninhabitable zones. The Quanians, trolls and black fog all kept their distance, least the dragons kill them. But the dragons did not mind the harpies, no, they seemed to be allies of a sort, often seen together during hunts.
With the war reaching its climax, The quanian patriarch Botis came out of hiding, in a challenge to the black fog to try and face him. The Black fog though are now too weak, having suffered from multiple encounters and battles on all sides, they are unable to defend themselves and need outside help. This is where the heroes and adventurers who once aided Randol, Dratan and even Merac come in. Will their heroics be enough to save the black fog? Or will chaos once again prevail and destroy the remaining human settlement in the region, further pushing the human race to extinction.
Stories of Vladimir
Stories of Mondshine
Story one - Compra's fall from grace.
The moonlight sparkled onto the land of Mondshine, eternal blossoms waved in the slight breeze, damp with the rain of yesterday. Gnomish children from the lesty clan danced and played in the fields where the white root deer and terra grazed. Bird song echoed into the lands and joy was evident on all the children's faces.
Meanwhile smithies in the City of Mondshine toiled day and night crafting weapons and armour. They were panicked by the sounds of war and death plaguing the neighbouring regions and the return of Eres to the world once more. Weapons plunged into the forges, blades bright red before being swiftly pulled out and hammered on the anvil. They worked their souls into the blades, making them as durable as they could, then putting the still bright red blades into water buckets.
Patrols left the city and set up checkpoints throughout the countryside. They entered the farm houses and warned couples to leave to the city at first sign of trouble. It was then, the patrols noticed refugees by the hundreds fleeing towards Mondshine. One of these refugees was Compra, she was starved and her two brothers were in bad shape. The guards panicked and tried to keep refugees back but they couldn't, before long the refugees flooded into the city.
The townsfolk were afraid of the refugees, how they might bring trouble and what caused them to flee. So it was not before long, one of Compra's brothers got into trouble. He was found stealing a horn and trying to resell it for feeding his family, the guards beat him and brought him to Prime Minister Amba for sentancing. Amba knew the refugees were struggling to survive yet he had to uphold the law, Amba sentanced Compra's first brother to the House of Punishment where he would serve a week of hard labour.
Sadly, the man died within the first night. Such was his health and starvation that he could not handle it. Compra was heartbroken, in tears she went to collect her brother, Sio's body. But a terrible accident occured which shocked and horrified the townsfolk. Something spooked a draft horse that was tethered to the wagon carrying Compra's brother, the horse freaked and tore down the same road Compra and her second brother were coming to the wagon on. Compra dived out of the way but her brother was not as lucky. He was killed instantly.
Compra's Grief turned to rage, she cursed out the town, saying how they planned both her brother's deaths. The townsfolk tried to tell Compra it was all a horrible accident but she didn't listen. She swore vengence and fled the town. After she had left, the townsfolk buried the two bodies as best as they could.
(Several months later, the beginning of the Tairen Heresy)
No longer was the fields of mondshine blooming, but bloody and full of ruin, smoke drifted from burning farm houses and broken supply trains filled the roads, abandoned and burning. The wild life, once peaceful had become enraged, attacking anyone on sight. The flowers gave out poisonous pollon. The trees withered and patrols became scarce.
The Tairen Heresy had begun. It happened overnight, thousands of people turning on eachother in a murderous rage, family member upon family member, foreigners invaded and with dark magic, devastated the country side. Many of the gnomes were either killed or taken as slaves that day.
It was then, as the war raged, that slaves rescued from the Heretics spoke of a high priestess of Eres, that sounded suspiciously like Compra. The current Prime Minister Erbe was dismayed, the entire war and the devastation brought on to the land was the result of the bad treatment and misfortune of compra and her family.
(several more months pass, heroes and adventurers from Iris make their way to the continent of Ascadia. End of First story.)
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Story two - Downfall of Compra and the liberation of Mondshine.
(in progress)
Stories of Tairan