Update: The lore document has been updated. Click here for the latest version.

 

Hello everyone, here is your long-awaited lore update for 3.0. For those of you who aren't familiar with this, here is the original reddit thread. I'd hoped to have Acts 6-10 in a more complete and polished state before releasing this, but unfortunately we don't know at this time when that will be. So, here we go.

Complete Lore Compilation (PDF)

Document Changes

• Updated to add new lore introduced in 3.0, including environmental lore, NPC dialog, item flavour text, etc.
• Searched for and updated existing lore. There were a number of changes made to existing bits of lore, such as fixing grammatical or continuity mistakes and notably removing or changing the dates on several environmental lore pieces.
• Deleted pieces of lore that seem to have been removed.
• Re-transcribed much of the existing text, including all environmental lore. Previously some of the text was taken from the wiki, but after finding a) quite a few transcription errors and b) that several pieces of environmental lore had been updated in-game while the wiki contained older versions, I re-transcribed them from the game myself.
• Reorganized the Purity Rebellion section. Previously this was arranged to follow the in-game timeline of events, which did not line up with the graphic novel's version of events. The game has been updated to more closely align with the graphic novel, so this section has been reworked accordingly.
• Added appendices, which include a 3-page TL;DR for the full game lore, a list of characters with a short bio for each, and a summary of what is known about each culture and its language.
• Improved the overall format and readability.

Summary of Major Lore Changes

For those who read it previously and don't wish to go through the whole document again, here is a list of major lore changes. That being said, there are numerous changes throughout the whole document, so I'd strongly recommend reading through it all even if you have previously.

• Added a whole new backstory to Wraeclast and Oriath detailing the origins and history of the gods, as well as the creation and purpose of the Beast.
• Added new lore about the return of some of the gods following the events of Acts 1-4.
• Added new information about the Vaal, including the fact that the Vaal civilization extended all the way to Oriath.
• Added some details about the history of Oriath and its interaction with the Eternal Empire.
• Added quite a few new details about the activities of Dominus, Piety and their associates.
• Added more information about other existing figures, including Tarcus Veruso, the Godless Three, Sekhema Asenath, Commander Adus and the Roths.
• Removed some lore, such as Maligaro having conjured up the Vaal Oversoul himself (and the fact that Raulo was his lover; #KeepWraeclastGay), Helena's references to the history of the Azmeri and the Vaal, Zana's explanation of maps (sad face), etc.
• Some character backgrounds have been removed or made more vague. For example, Nessa was previously explained to be a shipwreck survivor and not an exile, but this was removed, leaving her past unknown. The details of Zana's backstory and exile were removed save for what is in the Shaper memory fragments. The introductions to the player characters have been made more vague as well. E.g. previously the witch explained why she was exiled, now Dominus just makes vague statements about her straying from the light.
• Several dates have been removed, such as the dates from the Letters of Exile, Hargan's references to how long ago the Cataclysm was, etc. In some cases dates are now less certain than previously, including the current date at the start of the game. A couple of vague references remain allowing us to estimate the current year as roughly 1600 IC, but with much less certainty than before.

Lore Contradictions

Since the original release of this document, several inconsistencies or conflicts in the lore have been corrected. However, a few remain which are listed below (yes, a couple are nitpicks):

• Originally Caspiro was referred to as Veruso's son in The Ancients Book 7. When the Labyrinth was added in 2.2, Izaro's new lore contradicted this, saying Caspiro was not Veruso's son. In 3.0 The Ancients Book 7 was updated to agree with this. However, at the same time, the Ankh of Eternity quest was added which once again refers to Caspiro as Veruso's son.
• The Ancients Book 7 still refers to imperial succession through inheritance, even though a labyrinth was used to select imperial successors at that time.
• Malachai's Journal Entry dates Dialla's Gemling transformation as 1329, but the graphic novel shows it as 1333.
• Purity Chronicles Book 1 refers to Adus as a commander and on Voll's side during the Purity Rebellion. However, the Act 9 dialogue refers to him as a general and seems to imply that he was a good man but loyal to the empire (at the very least there's no mention of him turning against Chitus or the use of Virtue Gems, which seems very odd).
• Purity Chronicles Book 2 says Gaius Sentari commanded Gemling legionnaires against the Ezomytes, though the graphic novel shows the first Gemling legionnaire being demonstrated in the Sarn arena, after the Ezomyte rebellion and Sentari's death. Leo also tells the story of the first Gemling legionnaire being used in the arena, as shown in the graphic novel.
• Purity Chronicles Book 3 gives an account of the Karui invasion that has some conflicts with the graphic novel's version, though this could be explained as reports from different people who saw/remember the events differently.
• Eramir says that the Chamber of Sins was built for Maligaro by Chitus. However, inside the Chamber of Sins is a Trial of Ascendancy, which would have existed during Izaro's reign and before Chitus'. (It is possible the trial was built by Izaro and later Chitus had the place expanded around it to contain a laboratory for Maligaro.)
• In the graphic novel part 3, Ondar says that Chitus rules by divine right due to being a descendant of Tarcus Veruso and that his bloodline must be preserved. Per the labyrinth lore, Tarcus was the only Veruso to ever be emperor and Chitus only became emperor by defeating the labyrinth. While it is possible that the Perandus and Veruso bloodlines intermingled over the years making Chitus a descendant of both families, this is not the reason he is emperor.
• In his Ancient Notebook, Victario refers to the man serving him coffee when the Cataclysm began. In the graphic novel, a woman is serving him coffee at that time.

Enjoy!

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