History

The Arrival

Centuries ago, the world was a smaller place. The maps ended at the treacherous northern seas, where storms raged eternal and no ship dared to sail. It was the Age of Exploration that finally broke the barrier. A fleet of battered wooden galleons, driven off course by a tempest of unnatural fury, crashed upon a shoreline unlike any they had ever seen.

They named it Crystal Cove, for the sands were littered with shards of iridescent quartz that hummed with faint energy. The survivors were stranded, their ships broken, with an uncharted continent stretching out before them. Seeking shelter and fresh water, they pushed inland, cutting through dense jungle until they stumbled upon a clearing that would change the fate of the world.

The Silent Sentinel

In the center of the clearing stood The Obelisk. It was a tower of black stone, seamless and cold, piercing the sky like a needle. It clearly predated their arrival by eons, yet there were no ruins of the civilization that built it. No roads, no inscriptions, only the hum of the stone.

They built their first settlement in its shadow, believing the strange monument offered protection from the beasts of the wild. They were right. The Obelisk radiated a field that repelled the monstrous fauna of the deep woods. This settlement grew, stone by stone, year by year, evolving from a refugee camp into the mighty fortress-city of Lorehaven.

The Gift of Eternity

As the city grew, so did the strange phenomena. Scouts reported sightings of beings composed of pure elemental energy—titans of fire, water, and shadow walking the horizon. These were the Avatars. They did not attack the settlers, but watched them with a curiosity that spanned centuries.

Legend holds that it was the Avatar Evira, the Lady of Light, who first made contact. Seeing the fragility of mortal life in this harsh land, she gifted the First Council the secret of the Soul Stones. She taught them how to attune these gems to the frequency of the Obelisk, creating a metaphysical loop. Death, once the final curtain, became merely a setback. This gift allowed the citizens of Lorehaven to become bolder, pushing further north than any mortal had dared.

The Discovery of the Rift

Emboldened by their new powers, explorers ventured past the safety of the city's wards and discovered the source of the region's chaotic magic: The Rift. A tear in the fabric of the world, shifting and churning just miles to the north.

To this day, the Rift is poorly understood. The Conclave argues it is a natural phenomenon, a bleed from the Elemental Planes. The Wardens believe it is a wound caused by an ancient war. Whatever its origin, it is the engine that drives Elara. It spews forth monsters, but also priceless resources and magical artifacts. It is the reason Lorehaven exists—a golden cage at the edge of oblivion, where death is cheap, and glory is eternal.