For centuries, the Realms knew nothing but war. Brother fought brother, kingdom clashed with kingdom, and the land itself bore the scars of endless conflict. This was the way of things in Eternum - until everything changed.
The Shattering
The first sign came as a tremor that rippled across all Realms simultaneously. Seers spoke of nightmares, warriors reported strange visions, and even the elements themselves seemed to recoil. Then, at the world's edge where reality grows thin, the fabric of existence tore apart.
Through the breach poured beings of impossible geometry and alien malice - the Invaders. They moved through our world like oil through water, corrupting everything they touched. The armies of the Realms, so practiced in fighting each other, found their swords useless against these otherworldly horrors.
The Forbidden Power
In desperation, the surviving lords turned to that which had been banned for a thousand years: the Arcane. This ancient magic, drawn from the very essence of creation, had been sealed away after the Mage Wars nearly destroyed Eternum. But faced with extinction, what choice remained?
The Arcane did not return gently. It erupted into the world like a dam bursting, seeking vessels through which to channel its power. It found them in the most unlikely souls - not the lords or their armies, but in common folk scattered across the Realms. These chosen few would become the first Wardens.
The Elements Awaken
The Arcane manifests through four primal elements, each choosing its Wardens according to mysterious criteria:
Fire - The passion of defiance, burning away the corruption of the Invaders
Water - The flow of adaptation, finding paths where none existed before
Earth - The foundation of resistance, standing firm against the tide
Air - The whisper of hope, carrying the promise of victory
The New Alliance
The eternal war between Realms ended not with victory or treaty, but with the simple recognition that none would survive alone. Ancient enemies now fight side by side, their Wardens forming the first line of defense against the Invaders.
The Watch Begins
You have been chosen to lead a Watch - a group of Wardens bound by the Arcane to defend a specific Realm. The power flows through you, ancient and terrible, demanding to be shaped and directed. But beware: the Arcane chooses its own champions, and not all who answer its call can be trusted.
The Invaders probe our defenses constantly, seeking weakness. They adapt, they learn, and they hunger for the essence of our world. Only through the strategic deployment of your Wardens, the careful cultivation of their elemental powers, and the forging of unexpected alliances can you hope to hold the line.
What Lies Beyond
Scholars debate what the Invaders truly want. Some say they seek to drain Eternum of its life force. Others believe they are fleeing something even worse in their own dimension. A few whisper that the Invaders and the Arcane are connected - that in unsealing the ancient magic, we may have invited our own doom.
But such concerns are for tomorrow. Today, the breach widens, the Invaders mass for another assault, and your Wardens await your command.
The eternal war has ended. The war for existence has begun.
This is but a fragment of the vast lore of Eternum. As you play Wardens, you'll uncover more secrets, discover the true nature of the Invaders, and perhaps learn why the Arcane was sealed away in the first place. Every Warden has a story. Every battle reveals new truths. Every choice shapes the fate of the Realms.
Will you be the one to turn the tide?