Origin Story

They just materialized, out of thin air. The big, colorless structures were first spotted thirty-one years ago in what is now the capital of the New Vijayan Empire. Initially, they were thought to be unique, but word quickly spread across Aurora that more Crystals had appeared.

After their discovery, many of Aurora’s small, fragmented factions tried to destroy the Crystals, fearing the unknown. A futile attempt. It didn’t take them long to realize that no matter what they tried, it was impossible to even leave a scratch on the Crystals.

Their armies left, leaving behind them the Crystals standing, untouched, their strange glow resonating stronger than ever. The Crystals became the main topic of conversation across the entire continent for many years, leading to countless unanswered questions: where did they come from? Are they a blessing - or a curse - from a deity? Are they a gift from Theia herself? Or are they the work of someone else entirely?

Ten years later, the Crystals resonance changed. The factions discovered that certain individuals were uniquely drawn to the structures, as if they were talking to them. This bizarre phenomena was named The Gift, a unique ability that only few people possessed - and most of them were born after the Crystals appeared.

Prolonged presence next to a Crystal for someone with The Gift would lead to the Attunement Ritual, where part of the structure spontaneously disintegrated in a blinding light beam that entered the body of the attuned person. The amount of energy could be overwhelming, and some people holding The Gift ended up severely wounded following the Ritual…or do not survive at all.

The ones who emerged unscathed become the Icons: powerful humans, who harness the power of the Crystals to unleash extraordinary abilities and powers. A mark on their skin, the Sigil, is the physical manifestation of their connection to the Crystals, the proof an Icon has undergone Attunement.

Since the Attunement of the first Icon twenty years ago, the political landscape of the continent of Aurora changed massively. Eventually, three major Alliances between the independent factions were formed: The Pact, The League and The Union. Each with their own ideology. Each with their own goals.

With intense conflicts occurring more often over the past few years, the future of the continent is in jeopardy. Each faction is seeking to control the Crystals for their own purposes, in order to shape a future based on their own ideals and views. Only time will tell who will prevail.