Vyashion

Map of Vyashion.

The Vyashion continent (バイアシオン大陸, Baishion-dairikyu) is the fictional main setting for the Zill O'll continuity. Its inhabitants and architecture resembles a fantasy medieval Europe with a few Asian inspired influences.

While it is possible for the player to completely ignore its history during their playthrough, the legends of the land help elaborate on many events which occur during Zill O'll's story.

Lore

Creation

At the dawn of time, there were two primordial forces: light and darkness. When they converged, they formed an infinite void which spiraled into eternity. Within that void were the silent wishes of beings not given life. These wishes eventually gave birth to a single will. This will manifested into the most holiest of deities which, after several cycles of its whirling existence, decided to create a world. Shifting itself briefly to create a spherical mass, the world was created between the two realms of light and darkness and was gifted by the holy deity with life.

The first deity to emerge was Nortun, the Sky God, later known as the "All Father" and leader of all gods. Choosing to have a neutral yet vigilant rule over the world, he formed the land's skies to forever watch over it. He was wed to the second eldest deity, Asrada, the Sun Goddess, to grant the world light. From their union, supernatural beings were granted sentience for the first time. Many gods were birthed from the pair. Tiera and Vyas, twin sister and brother respectively, were the eldest of their children.

Tiera, the Mother of Creation, wanted to gift the world with life. She created nature and mothered the deities for elemental powers for the world (Fire, Water, Earth and Wind). A land of many beasts, spirits, and natural wonders, it was a miraculous and harmonious paradise ruled by her four children. She adored all of her creations as though they were her own children.

However, the holy deity was not pleased by her selfish desire. It felt that the world was amiss and sought to add variety. Borrowing from elements of the world and the void around itself, it morphed and shaped these masses together with purposeful imperfections. The fusion created humans.

Tiera's Revolt

Humanity plundered the land, slaughtered beasts to sustain themselves, and killed spiritual entities to steal their powers. Feeling as though her "children" were being robbed, Tiera harbored a strong resentment towards humanity. Nortun, who agreed with their creator's wishes, tried to pacify her, but his words fell on deaf ears. She had already been swayed by the gods of the underworld to give into her hatred. Corrupted by her malevolence, the goddess conjured thousands of demonic beasts to annihilate humanity and rebel against the other gods. These beasts were later dubbed to be Tiera's Daughters –regardless of the beast's true gender.

To counter his elder sister's aggressions, Vyas, the God of Earth, assembled an army of his own. With his father's permission, he created twelve holy giants; each were endowed with powerful abilities to slay Tiera's Daughters. From the land's elemental powers, he created three divine dragons (Dragon King, Ocean King, and Flying King) to counteract Tiera's elemental children. Vyas granted command of the main army to his younger brother, Ulugh.

After much bloodshed, Ulugh struck the decisive blow against Tiera. Even when fallen and wounded, she still posed a viable threat. Therefore, her body was dissected into four pieces and sealed within four quadrants of the land. Upon learning their mother's fate, the four elemental spirit gods surrendered to Vyas. The five surviving giants were ordered to guard the seals over Tiera's body.

Nortun rewarded Vyas by naming the land in his honor: Vyashion. Ulugh was anointed with the title God of Heroes. Wanting to live the life of a human, however, he respectfully stepped down from godhood. Nortun respected Ulugh's wishes by granting him a mortal body.

End of Gods

Peace had returned to the land, but the holy deity was not pleased. Its creations gave birth to joy, anger, and sorrow and celebrated a pointless massacre. These emotions seeped into its private realm and it was disturbed. It requested for Fanatic, the Goddess of Capriciousness, to intervene with the threads of fate. She chose to target humanity's hero, Ulugh.

Ulugh's heart was captured by a kind and gentle woman named Sistina. She felt sympathetic with Tiera's feelings towards her children and sought to nurture and respect whatever wildlife, plants, and spirits she had encountered. Her actions were rejected by her fellow men, especially by victims of the war. When Ulugh was away, she was killed by an angry mob of people. The former God of Heroes learned of Sistina's wrongful death and pleaded for retribution to his chief. Nortun sought to uphold the gods' neutrality with mortal affairs and would not entertain his further inquiries. Other gods who supported their chief's decision did the same.

Isolated and ignored, Ulugh was at a loss. A bodiless Tiera sensed his inward fury towards Nortun and tempted him with a pact. If Ulugh swore to obliterate humanity, she would revive Sistina for him. He agreed and his soul was corrupted, transforming Ulugh into a demon. Both parties honored their side of the contract. Yet Sistina's soul rejected her second chance at life and scattered. Her hopes glittered as the light within Vyashion's living beings, or Souls. Her love for Ulugh manifested as stars in the night sky so as to watch over him from the heavens. Sistina's empty immortal body remained within the underworld as its new reigning goddess.

Too vile to realize Sistina's condition, Ulugh proclaimed war on gods and humans. His elite knights, the Twelve Knights of Round, were also converted into demons in loyalty to their lord. Dubbed the Knights of Darkness, they were a formidable force in Ulugh's army and laid waste to thousands with their enchanted artifacts, or Weapons of Darkness. Later generations would learn that anyone could use these artifacts at the cost of corrupting their soul.

During the war, Ulugh killed Vyas and drank his brother's blood to boost his own strength. Granted with the power to create, he molded and gave birth to four evil dragons. Ulugh's demonic sword, Sol Revenge, was also a force to be reckoned with as its blade was permanently stained crimson with the blood it had shed. He would be known as the God of Destruction, and Vyas's death by his hand had plunged Vyashion into a dark age.

Concerned with protecting what remained of humanity, Nortun summoned forth a god from the parallel dimension to fight Ulugh's forces. The god who came to him was Solias, the God of War, who could wield seven weapons simultaneously. Amazingly, he and his two nameless companions were all it took to completely change the tide. The trio defeated the Knights of Darkness one by one, and victory shined in humanity's favor. The war between gods intensified, however, and many deities were slain in the conflict.

Solias cared little for Vyashion and its inhabitants, only adhering to Nortun's request to spare humanity. It became personal for him when Ulugh killed one of his companions. Invigorated to end the war for his departed friend, the God of War charged towards the God of Destruction. The battle between them was fierce and punishing. Each strike from their swords resonated throughout the world and shook the landscape. Missed blows shaped Vyashion's mountains and tore the seas asunder. After a long and tiring fight, Solias prevailed when he allowed himself to be struck by Ulugh. He then used this opening to vanquish Ulugh's body. Their duel would later be a popular legend for artists and authors to retell.

Ulugh's soul was sealed at Dark Gate Island. Any remaining evil spirits and beasts were sealed in the hopes that they would never rise again. The God of Destruction's war caused the surviving gods to become aware of their meddling with mortal affairs. Gods who were loyal to Nortun chose to depart from Vyashion and forever stay within their parallel dimension. Others who had perished during the war either joined them or chose to sleep within Vyashion without a bodily host.

Aftermath

Vyashion was deprived of gods, and their history was all but forgotten by humanity. Yet their servants remained. The giants kept watch over Tiera's body even during Zill O'll's main setting. The three divine dragons were not sealed and were free to live as they saw fit.

Dragon King, the eldest of the trinity, decided to inherit Nortun's will. He believed mortals should be ruled by deities to maintain the balance of the mortal world. With his two brethren, Dragon King taught mortals the world's history but omitted the details regarding the gods' birth and departure. Instead, he focused on the war with Ulugh and heroics of the deities involved. To keep the charade, he and his brethren posed themselves as gods. Mortals then worshiped the gods and dragons equally. Humanity accepted Nortun as their divine creator, thinking that the clouds and morning sky were the god's method of communicating with them. Unbeknown to the dragons, the true history of the world was chronicled by the first elf and kept within the elves' paradise.

Although the Dragon King claims to be mutual like Nortun, he still intervenes in human affairs. One of his inventions placed into the mortal realm is the "Infinite Soul", which grants the possessor the ability to exceed predetermined limits set within their Soul to grant the power of endless possibilities. Since humans have the most restrictions and limitations, they are often blessed with the Dragon King's gift. Multiple beholders of the infinite soul are placed within the mortal realm as the Dragon King's unknowing eyes and agents within Vyashion.

If a single faction overpowers the majority, the Dragon King will demolish it or purposely tip the scales in the majority's favor. Should Vyashion experience an age of unity, the Dragon King uses his godly title to instruct his prophets to intervene. By keeping the land at war with no viable victor, the dragon believes he is upholding balance. He prefers to watch over Vyashion from a distance, only emerging once every century to judge Vyashion's future. During his absence from the mortal realm, Ocean King and Flying King reign as active "deities". The Dragon King and his brethren have sustained their mission for thousands of years.

The earliest record of human history began 1,200 years before Zill O'll. Within this time, humanity has established several kingdoms and waged many wars. The protagonist is one of two people of the current setting chosen to possess the "Infinite Soul". Once he/she learns of their role, he/she may choose to obliterate every god and dragon to pave the true age of men or keep abiding to the Dragon King. Either choice changes the final opponent and ending of the main story.

Races

Vyashion's local population is divided between seven races. Each has their own traits to differentiate themselves.

Humans

The majority of mortals living with Vyashion are humans. They have no remarkable physical or magical traits over other races, but they rule the largest sections of the continent with a prominent focus on commerce and agriculture. A person's average life expectancy is fifty years, which is shorter if a war is being waged. Humanity shares intimate relationships with the dwarves, boldans, and lilibees.

Elves

Slender humanoids who can easily be distinguished by their blond hair and pointy ears. Elves are mortal, but they can live for thousands of years. They are exceptionally skilled with wood crafting, herb gathering, and magic. Each elven forest has a private community, and each community answers to their designated leader, or quida. Every elf is expected to obey the high elf and supreme leader of all elves, the Quida Loa.

Elves are comfortable with the spirits and beasts in forests, and those who are brave enough to leave them may long to return. Venturers seldom return to their homes, as they may be shunned by their community as an "outside influence". Most elves prefer to live in quiet seclusion, as they despise abrupt changes.

Any elf who succumbs to their inner rage and hatred turns into a dark elf. Since they lose their personal connection with Vyashion's forest spirits, dark elves are ostracized as abominations by elf and human alike. Considered a "rarity" by poachers, they are hunted for their tanned complexions and ears. Dark elves manage to survive by banding together in small, migrating tribes away from civilization.

Dwarves

Similar to Germanic mythology, dwarves are lovers of mining, blacksmithing, and gold. Bearded fellows with short yet burly physiques, dwarves are renowned for their power and dexterity. They prefer to live underground in their kingdom's mines, close to their passion and craving for metal crafting. Dwarves were the first race to create Vyashion's currency, gea, and the first to create armor. Their talents are in high demand by human civilizations, thus leading to their friendly ties throughout the ages. War does not alter their general life expectancy –which is approximately 300 years.

Every ten years in their kingdom, the dwarves gather for a grand tournament between the strongest warriors of their kind. The final victor is crowned as their new king.

Lillbees

Inquisitive and cheerful beings, the lillbees are barely distinguishable from human children. Even adult lillbees keep their bright eyes and rosy cheeks their entire lives. They are quick learners, fast on their feet, and dexterous handlers with small objects. They also have a natural immunity to several toxins. Due to their fragile constitutions, lillbees are rarely muscular or excel with heavy weight lifting. Lovers of gossip and song, lillbees always seek excitement for stories they can tell at parties. Their words and conduct are always playful. Lillbees tend to have no formal elections or voting policies for their leaders as anyone can be elected through a game of drawing straws. They have the same life expectancy as humans.

Lillbees are natives of Vyashion's plains, yet many choose to integrate themselves into human society. In the past, they blended too well with humans and a particularly devilish lillbee used their childish appearance to escape serious crimes. To prevent future incidents, every lillbee who joins human society must have a mole-sized tattoo on their face. Criminal lillbees endure larger and painful brandings if they are caught.

Boldans

A giant tribe of warriors adorned with tribal markings, boldans are muscled walls on legs. They tower over the other races and often overpower other races with their brute strength. Burning with a desire to find a purpose for their physical might, boldan males often leave their homes at an early age. Since they look similar to them, they can easily befriend humans and lillbees with their friendly and extroverted mannerisms. Those who adapt to human society often make a living as jovial shipwrights, carpenters, or other forms of manual labor. During times of war, boldans can be formidable soldiers. They have a short life expectancy of 35 years.

Boldans may speak with a thick accent and a minimal grasp of the human language. This is because the human language is different from their native tongue, and it takes time for them adjust. It is common for boldans who are first learning about humans to be quiet and thoughtful in order to prevent listeners from mistaking their broken sentences as signs of belligerence. Some boldans, however, choose to never break the habit and may look perpetually intimidating as a result.

Corns

Mild mannered corns look like normal humans save for the single horn which protrudes from their foreheads. This horn is the source of their powerful magic, although many prefer to live their days without it. Instead, they tend to focus on basic spear training to protect themselves. They can naturally prosper for over 100 years.

Yet corns are highly persecuted because of their horns. Many sorcerers are jealous of their natural talents, and passerbys tend to be repulsed by their appearance. Hunters desire their horns for its magical properties, and their numbers are dwindling swiftly because of their heartless greed. If a corns has their horn removed, they instantly suffer from shock and perish in mere moments.

Darkeniths

Vampiric race capable of powerful strength and magic, darkeniths look like athletic humanoids. Their distinguishing traits are their pale complexion, white hair, naturally red eyes, and long lifespans. They often compose themselves as suave and cultured individuals, but they experience the urge to suck blood during the full moon. Children darkeniths are more conspicuous than adults as they have severe difficulty controlling themselves. Since they tend to prey on humans, they are feared, persecuted, and hunted in the same manner as corns.

To blend in with humans, darkeniths can instinctively form a protective film over their pupils to change their eye color. As long as they keep their feedings a secret, they can be barely indistinguishable from humans. It's not odd for a stranded darkenith to mate with a human in order to keep their disguise believable. Half darkeniths are even less susceptible to the human eye.

Within every darkenith lies a wild and savage darkness in their souls. If this power is unleashed, the darkenith can dramatically increase their fighting capabilities. However, they do so at the risk of forever losing their sanity. Darkeniths who have gone past their limits may accidentally turn themselves into monsters. Incidents of regaining their sentience are extremely rare.