Note: This page provides a summary of the (original) Elyos campaign and thus contains spoilers. For more information see the "Trivia" section below.
The Elysea Campaign is the campaign (story) Elyos players would originally follow up until the 6.0 update. Set between levels 3 and 50, it follows the player's rise to fame as he/she travels the lands of Elysea in search of their lost memories, which are believed to hold the answer to the player's mysterious re-ascension from a human to a Daeva. Throughout this journey the player learns about balance and history of the world, and puts a halt to several conspiracies against Elysea prepared by antagonist factions such as the Lepharists and the Balaur.
At the end of the Elysea campaign the player, now a renowned Daeva within the Elyos army and once again in the possession of their lost memories, travels to Balaurea to aid the Seraphim Lords in their battle against the Dragon Lords.
Elysea Campaign[]
Poeta[]
The Elyos story opens with a dream in which the player witnesses a battle between various groups in a forsaken and desolate region before wakening up as a human mercenary in Poeta. After clearing out some sapiens from a local farm a summons arrives from unit Captain <Kalio>, who calls for the player's presence in Akarios Village. Kalio reveals that he has been keeping an eye on the player and offers them a chance at fulfilling four particular contracts the mercenaries received after arriving in Poeta, with a possible fifth up for grabs depending on how well the player handles the first four.
The first contract has the player aid in efforts to clear out the Kerubi from a local farm, after which the player relocates to a mercenary outpost located deeper into the island. En route they pass through Daminu Forest and meet with a fellow mercenary, who offers the player their second contract on the behalf of an Elim named Noah. The player deals with a band of kobolds who had been deforesting the area, and learns that the kobolds are servants to a fierce race known as the Krall. For their efforts the player is introduced to Elim Lord <Daminu>, who takes an interest in the player and shows him/her a glimpse of their forgotten past as a reward. In this vision the player is back in the desolate region from their dream, but is this time dressed in formal attire and greeted by other beings dressed in a similar fashion. The player is told that the island, Karamatis, is on the verge of being overrun by the Balaur, and the vision ends as the player grows wings from their back and flies off towards the island. After these events the player arrives at Melponeh's Campsite, where they receive their third and fourth contracts. These contracts have the player venture into the nearby Kabarah Strip Mine to battle the kobolds and their Krall overseers one more time, as well as retrieve a sample from a huge cauldron in the mine and bring this to local hermit named <Pernos>. From this it is learned that the kobolds are trying to refine odium into aether for a yet unknown purpose.
Aion Cutscenes - Poeta Campaign & Ascension (Elyos)
At this point Kalio urgently summons the player back to Akarios Village, where he reveals that his scouts have seen the Krall moving samples of refined odium into the abandoned Timolia Mine. After consulting with Pernos and several mercenaries en route it is discovered that the Krall are still serving their former masters, and that they are trying to open an Abyss Gate in the back of the mine so that the Balaur can invade Poeta. After a race against time in the quest Barring the Gate the player manages to deactivate the generators powering the Gate just in time, saving Poeta from certain destruction. Upon their return to Akarios Village they are hailed as a hero for their efforts.
Sanctum (Ascension)[]
With Poeta safe Pernos contacts the player again, this time offering them to help retrieve their lost memories. Through Pernos' aid the players enters into an extended version of their dream, and is able to see the outcome. After landing on the island the player defeats several Balaur before ultimately falling in combat against a fierce creature named <Orissan>, who sends a mortally wounded player plunging into the depths of the Abyss.
Although the aftermath of these events afterwards remains unknown, Pernos concludes that the player must have been a Daeva of great importance in their past life, and suggests that the answers to the many questions that remain can be found by walking this same path once more. He helps the player remember what their previous class was before teleporting them to Sanctum with the message to seek out <Leah>. Leah welcomes the player and redirects them to the Lyceum, where they undergo the Ascension ceremony and officially become a Daeva.
Verteron[]
After the ceremony the player meets with his/her class instructor, who remarks that they have never seen a Daeva regress back to being human before - much less seeing them re-ascend into a Daeva. The player is then dispatched to a mountainous region known as Verteron as part of the standard training procedure for newly ascended Daevas.
The player meets with Verteron's Brigade General, <Spatalos>, and then begins his/her work in the region. While removing some debris floating in the air above Verteron Citadel the player spots a band of suspicious people loitering near the fortress. After consulting with the local guards the player defeats some of them and retrieves their badges, which reveals them to be Lepharists. One <Spatalos>' aides hears of the player's exploits and dispatches them to the Northern Tolbas Forest, where they are to reclaim a farm that was recently taken over by the same group.
While completing this task the player aids the residents of the local Tolbas Village with some other errands. During this time the player comes across an area in the nearby forest that has been heavily contaminated and, after consulting with several researchers on the site, returns to Sanctum to report their findings. After doing some research it is learned that the contamination was likely caused by a poison, and the player is sent back to Verteron with an item created by Lady Yustiel to remove the source of the corruption. Through doing so the player learns of the story of Garnis and Kato, two brilliant Elyos alchemists who were banished from Sanctum after indulging in secret experiments which resulted in the creation of the poison that contaminated the area, now identified as Meslamtaeda's Blood.
With all matters in the area taken care of, the player returns to Verteron Citadel to file their report. They are praised by Brigade General <Spatalos>, who personally asks for the player's assistance in the war against the Tursin Krall.
Aion Cutscenes - Verteron Campaign (Elyos)
The first order of business is to investigate reports about the presence of Odium in the nearby Tursin Outpost. To this end the player teams up with a local scouting party and helps them capture a high-ranked Krall for interrogation. From this it is learned that the rumors about odium are true, and the player thus infiltrates the outpost to secretly dispatch the Krall Elder holding onto the samples. The player then relocates to Miraju's Holy Ground to drive back the Krall who had been recently been expanding their territory in the region, as well as retrieve some of the sacred images of Lord Kaisinel they had stolen. As a finishing touch the player teams up with several other Daevas and launches a surprise raid on the heavily-fortified Tursin Garrison, besting many of their veteran warriors in combat and collecting their marks as proof. The player returns to Spatalos with the spoils, who gives them his heartfelt gratitude for their efforts.
Some time later unsettling rumors about the construction of an Abyss Gate deep within the Tursin Garrison begin to spread. The player meets with Spatalos, who confirms that the rumors are true and that the situation is even more dire than most people know - the gate is already active. Aware of the player's past exploits in disabling the Poeta gate, <Spatalos> asks them to stop the Balaur one more time. The player is teleported to the location of the Abyss Gate and ventures through, finding themselves on an island somewhere in the Abyss. The player defeats the Balaur that were about to enter Verteron before luring out and vanquishing their commander <Kuninasha>, after which the player takes and uses his seal to permanently shut down the generator powering the gate.
Eltnen[]
At this point Sanctum has taken notice of the player's efforts and assigns them to the Sanctum Expeditionary Force, which is currently in Eltnen to try and put a stop to the rapid desertification of the region. The player meets Brigade General <Telemachus> at the Eltnen Fortress and is briefed on challenges Eltnen is facing, as well as the phenomena known as rifts through which the Asmodians frequently infiltrate the region.
The player begins by clearing out a band of Manduri who have recently overrun a village near fortress. While performing this task the player comes across and frees a captive woman named <Melginie>, who reveals that the Manduri were originally humans until Lady Yustiel cursed them into beasts as punishment for neglecting their duties. While in the Manduri Forest the player also meets a couple of Elim, and although the player agrees to help them persuade their elder <Lodas> to also relocate to the remaining forest area the sentient tree refuses, as he feels his duty as elder prevents him from relocating until all other Elim have.
Back at the Fortress the player receives their next few missions. The first has the player venture into the desert and seek out High Priest <Kimeia> at Sataloca's Tomb to learn of her sacred duty, and pass a trial prepared by her to assess the player's combat abilities. After these events the player travels to the Outpost Ruins to investigate a report about an irregularity in the flow of Aether in the region, which is soon revealed to be due to a broken regulator artifact. The player repairs the device and retrieves evidence from the site that suggests the Lepharists are responsible.
Aion Cutscenes - Eltnen Campaign (Elyos)
While at the outpost the player hears that a local human woman named Hierni has recently been abducted by the local Krall, at which point the player infiltrates the Kaidan Mine to free the woman. Hierni however asks the player to also save a fellow captive, a friendly Krall named Gardugu, but the latter refuses to escape as it would only endanger rest of his tribe. Instead the Krall asks the player to deliver his ring to his elder: a Krall named <Mabangtah>.
Mabangtah meets the player and reveals that he is rightful chieftain of the Eltnen Krall, but was overthrown because of his wish to co-exist with the local Elyos, which many Krall felt was a betrayal of their past pledge to the Balaur. Regardless, Mabangtah promises the loyalty of him and his remaining men to the Elyos, and sends the player back to the Fortress with a letter detailing such. While <Telemachus> ponders on the prospect of an alliance with the Krall the player relocates to the Golden Bough Garrison to help its Centurion <Castor> uncover the secrets of the nearby Eracus Temple Cavern. Upon repairing the walls of the spiral towers in the temple grounds a voice message in the ancient Atreian language is triggered, which speaks of a "birthday playground" for a child named "Kahrun".
While in the area the player aids with efforts to restore some of the Mystic Springs which have recently dried up, and once again finds evidence of Lepharist interference. Some time later the players detects a strange energy emitting from the bottom of the Eracus Temple, and upon approaching the artifact there they are approached by a ghost. The specter tells the player to deliver a message, "The Shadow is under threat", to a man named <Actaeon>. Actaeon in turn asks the player to help him locate a missing priest, but only his corpse is discovered within the Kyola Temple. After reconstructing the priest's torn diary it is learned that a man named <Hippolytus> was involved in the sabotage of the Mystic Springs, and the player thus travels to the Eltnen Observatory to confront him. Upon making mention of the "shadow" the local guards completely shift their attitudes and even provide the player with intel on how to kill the man without anyone else noticing. When confronted Hippolytus reveals himself to be a Lepharist and attacks, but is defeated. The player is left with questions about the mysterious shadow, but Actaeon simply tells the player that if they truly work for Atreia, they will find out themselves one day.
At this point reports come in of increased Krall activity near the Eltnen Observatory, and after consulting with Telemacus the player is sent to Mabangtah to ask for advice. Mabangtah helps the player to capture a watchtower overseeing the Kaidan Headquarters, and through this the player discovers an operational Abyss Gate in the area. After acquiring a key to the gate from the local Krall, Telemachus teleports the player to the Abyss Gate. The player ventures through and joins <Kimeia>, who had already gone in ahead to keep the Balaur at bay. Through joint efforts the Balaur are restrained and the gate is destroyed, saving Eltnen and many lives in the process.
Heiron[]
Aion Cutscenes - Heiron Campaign (Elyos)
-WIP-
Theobomos[]
With the destruction of the last Abyss Gate peace has at last returned to the lands of Elysea, and the player is allowed to take some R&R. The player decides to take up a previously received offer for a work vacation on the remote island of Theobomos and travels to recently constructed Observatory in the region, where they meet with Field Protector Atropos. From this they learn about the archeological digs going on across the region and some of the land's history.
The player is asked to meet with one of the archeologists, a man named Josnack, who calls upon the player's flight abilities to help him remove some debris from nearby statues. After this 'test' of abilities Josnack tells the player about a nearby region named Fregion's Flame, where the Dragon Lords' flames are still burning strong a thousand years after he attacked the land. Josnack tells the player that some of those who perished in the Dragon Lord's attack became zombies and were trapped inside burning rocks, and are doomed to suffer for all eternity unless the player frees their souls. The player does so and brings the collected soul pieces to Atropos, who purifies them and thanks the player for their gesture.
Some time later Atropos calls upon the player again, this time informing them that they have uncovered a number of stone tablets that make mention of an ancient weapon that supposedly rests underneath the land. Atropos suggests that the local Calydon tribe may possess something that will provide more insight, and sends to player to Jamanok Inn to pick up a transformation candy so they can safely infiltrate the Calydon village. In the village the player finds and makes copies of a number of stone tablets and carvings which all seem to depict some sort of ancient giant. These rubbings are then brought to a runaway Lepharist researcher who is living in the nearby Marla Cave.
The man tells the player that the Calydon have been worshiping this being since the founding days of their tribe many eons ago, and that its appearance matches with that of the entity described in ancient legends about "Project Drakanhammer". The player reports all of this to Atropos, who is overjoyed at the possibility of uncovering an ancient weapon that can be leveraged in the fight against the Balaur, and asks to player to report all of this to Sanctum.
Aion Project Drakanhammer and the fall of Theobomos Cutscene
The fall of Project Drakanhammer
In Sanctum the player meets with <Nestor>, who tells them of the history behind the land of Theobomos and asks for the player's aid in uncovering this "Project Drakanhammer". With Atropos' help the player is able to narrow down the area where Theobomos' former research lab must have been at, and manages to pinpoint down its exact location after unearthing an ancient tome at Port Anangke. At the edge of the island the player discovers the entrance Theobomos' ancient laboratory, which was built underground and has thus remained fully intact all this time.
The player ventures into the stronghold and eventually manages to unearth its library, where it is learned that Project Drakanhammer was an immensely powerful Petralith but had long since been destroyed by Dragon Lord Fregion. The player reports these findings to Atropos and Nestor, who are disappointed but nevertheless thank the player for their efforts.
Legacy - Lost Memories[]
The special element in the Elyos story is the player's lost memories. Related quests are unlocked at specific levels, and may either appear as standalone quest chains or are part of map-specific campaigns. The summary below continues from the Poeta campaign, and takes place between levels 20 and 50.
Near the end of the Verteron campaign the player receives a letter from a waitress at the Dionysia Tavern in Sanctum, who has overheard rumors that someone is looking for a Daeva who had lost their memories. Since the player fits this description he/she is told to seek out Centurion <Morai> at the Ardus Shrine in Verteron for more details. Morai points the player to the Sliver of Darkness, a remote region where the person who inquired about the player is waiting for them.
The player travels to the location and is greeted by a man named <Icaronix>, who addresses the player as "commander". Icaronix reveals that the player was the Brigade General of the Mirage Legion, but adds that they went missing during a secret mission in the Abyss. Icaronix claims there was a traitor active within the legion and, believing this person to be responsible for the player's disappearance, has been tracking him down ever since. Towards that end Icaronix asks the player to retrieve the investigation details he hid in a nearby cave, but as the player does so he/she is assassinated and nearly vanished by a specter were it not for the intervention of a friendly ghost: <Ecus>
Uncovering the Traitor[]
<Ecus> confirms that the player indeed was the Brigade General of the Mirage Legion, but states that the traitor within the legion was none other Icanorix himself. Ecus had discovered Icaronix' plot and chased him, but was assassinated by the same specter that attacked the player moments ago. Being too far from an Obelisk, Ecus was unable to resurrect and thus was "vanished" - he became a wandering ghost, unable to return to the flow of Aether or resurrect. Ecus helps the player remember about utilizing Stigma Stones, after which he feels he is finally freed of his duty and can pass on. In his parting words he warns for the player for the specter, but with the help of a materialized stigma stone the player easily defeats it. When the player emerges from the cave Icaronix is nowhere to be seen, at which point the player returns to Sanctum and informs <Lavirintos> of the events that went down.
The next chapters occur during the player's time in the Abyss. Reshanta Governor Michalis has heard about the player's lost memories and advises him/her to seek out <Pernos> once more. Pernos tells the player about an ancient and mysterious artifact located just underneath the Eye of Reshanta, which is tended to by mythical creatures known as Leibo. One of them, Lugbug, helps the player to activate the artifact, which triggers a flashback. In the vision the player sees him/herself taking up leadership of the Mirage Legion and being congratulated by Ecus and Icaronix. Back in the present, Lugbug however remarks that what you see isn't always necessarily the truth, and urges the player to seek a further understanding of their forgotten past.
After some time the player is asked by someone named Yuditio to come meet them in the Terminon Landing. After the meeting the player is redirected to <Nestor> in Sanctum, who tells the player of an item known as the Hidden Proof Orb and how to forge one. After gathering the materials the orb is created and brought to Nestor, who tells the player to use it to view the past with their own eyes.
In the vision the player witnesses Ecus' final moments, and also learns that he was a Shadow Elder. Afterwards the vision ends Nestor reveals himself to the player as a member of this faction as well, and adds that Icaronix must have known about Ecus' real identity all along. Nestor tells a confused player to consult with some his colleagues, and through this the player learns that there are undercover Shadow Elders occupying all kinds of positions in Elyos society. Furthermore, it is learned that Icaronix belongs to a faction the Shadow Elders have been at odds with for ages, and that this is the same faction the player has been fighting against for a long time now: the Lepharists. The Shadow Elders offer the player their aid so that they may enact a joint vengeance against Icaronix, an offer which the player accepts.
Elyos Abyss Campaign (Lost Memories)
Uncovering the Traitor (starts at 03:05)
With the help of the Shadow Elders the player is able to locate and infiltrate the Azoturan Fortress. Icaronix greets and mocks the player, inviting them to follow him inside. The player pushes ahead and faces off against numerous Lepharists and their twisted creations before ultimately facing Icaronix himself in combat. Icaronix is resilient but ultimately is defeated, and in his last words warns the player that what they achieved is meaningless - in the end the player, too, will kneel before Lephar. The Shadow Elders thank the player for their efforts, but also warn them to be wary of the Lepharists from now on.
The Hidden Truth Mission[]
Towards the end of the Theobomos campaign the player summoned to Sanctum by <Lavirintos>. He deems the time right and tells the player that their final mission before they lost their memories was to find and secure the Artifact of Memory in a desolate region of the Abyss known as Karamatis. The player visits and consults with <Pernos>, who tells them that Karamatis can only be accessed through a specific rift that opens in the Core of the Abyss at select times. Pernos warns the player that recovering their past memories may have dark consequences, but upon affirming their determination tells them that the next rift is set to open two days from now. In this time the players travels Elysea, meeting with and harnessing the blessings of the many people and creatures they have aided throughout their journey. Pernos forges their essences into a protective amulet and sword, and tells the player that his apprentice will be waiting inside Karamatis.
In Karamatis, the player finds that the Elyos and Asmodians have long since abandoned the area, and that the island is now controlled by Orissan's legion. The player fights his/her way through hordes of Balaur troops before ultimately coming face to face with Orissan at the artifact.
In a fierce battle reminiscent of their past battle, the player this time manages to outdo the Nagarant and emerges victorious. Now at last in front of the Artifact of Memory, the player glances into it and sees fragments of a conversation between a hooded humanoid figure and what seems to be dragon. In it the two talk about convincing the other Dragon Lords to partake some sort of plan, with the hooded figure suggesting that his accomplice should just focus on persuading Fregion.
Before the player can see more Lephar suddenly appears and destroys the artifact, saying that gleaming into the past for a prolonged period of time is too dangerous. After some talks he offers the player a choice to join him if they "seek the truth" behind the Empyrean Lords, but will simply tell the player that he will be expecting them regardless of what option is chosen. Upon returning to Sanctum and reporting to Governor Fasimedes the player is thanked for their efforts, but also cryptically asked to prepare for a large battle soon.
Unbeknownst to the player, Fasimedes later meets with a hooded figure and reports that the player's memories have not completely returned yet. The other voice also remarks that "he" has finally stirred, and orders Fasimedes to prepare reinforcements for Lord Kaisinel, who is at this point revealed to already have left for Inggison to bring the fight to Tiamat. This sets the stage for the Balaurea Campaign.
Trivia[]
- The above summary details the entirety of the original Elyos campaign, i.e. "how things originally went". The Elyos campaign has been subject to numerous changes over the years to reflect the current state of Atreia.
- One example is how Ide replaced the role of Aether and Odium after the 4.0 update, and how the Dukaki kobolds in Verteron are "again" refining Ide years after Tiamat's death (3.0).
- Aethertech players also followed a slightly different version of the original campaign up until the 5.0 update.
- With the 5.0 update an abridged version of the Elysea Campaign was introduced to the game. This version replaced the entirety of the rather lengthy original, and omitted many quests that either were perceived as non-critical or related to events that happened "in the past", and were thus resolved.(e.g. many quests related to the Lepharists, as well as the Balaur invasion in Heiron). Some of these former campaign quests can still be found as normal (blue) quests in their respective areas.
- The campaign set in Theobomos was deleted from the game with the 4.0 update.
- The fact that Fasimedes says that the player's memories have not "fully returned yet" (despite the player having recovered his past memories) may refer to the player's Archdaeva memories.