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Phase I of Alpha Two testing will occur on weekends. Each weekend is scheduled to start on Fridays at 10 AM PT and end on Sundays at 10 PM PT. Find out more here.
Check out Alpha Two Announcements here to see the latest Alpha Two news and update notes.
Our quickest Alpha Two updates are in Discord. Testers with Alpha Two access can chat in Alpha Two channels by connecting your Discord and Intrepid accounts here.
My observations of the lore so far!
ArchivedUser
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Simply put, I'm a lorehound in every game I play. I dig through as much as I can, as intensely as I can. It's something that really interests me and excites me, I absolutely love exploring worlds (and making my own, though that's less related!).
Races:
(I'll be using the stock fantasy race names, until we know the in-world terms! [Which may end up being the same.])
I've noticed that from the concept art, we see a few races. The ones that stand out most are: Humans, Elves, a red Orc-like race, Dwarves, a blue-skinned race casting magic. The woman in the "A Mage's Life" video seems to have some sort of Elven ancestry, with prominent pointed ears.
Though the red orc-like race could be monsters, I think it's players because it's used for the <a href="https://www.ashesofcreation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/GM-2-Combat-PvP-1024x576.jpg">"PVP" image</a>.
Naturally, I'm assuming that it's Humans, Elves, Orcs, Dwarves, Dark Elves (in that order). But it's also hard to say, because we don't know a lot of how the world is written. Once we have a better established idea of the writing style, it should be easier to draw conclusions!
Diversity:
It would seem that races in of themselves are diverse. I immediately was interested when I noticed what seem to be Polynesian-inspired dwarves making their home by the sea. Diversity within a fictional race is usually a fairly good cue that a writer knows what they're doing, in that a race isn't "all of the species act this way, and are of this particular culture". I tend to get very bored of those stock predictable worlds, so this is something that's actually pretty exciting to me!
We also see cultural diversity within humans, if you look for it. There seem to be some pictures showing tan humans in something of a middle-eastern/north african inspired area and lighter-skinned humans in something of a European-inspired area. This gives us the indication that there were distinct cultures and groups on the other side of the portal. We also see people inhabiting areas that you'd expect from their features. Lighter people in what seem to be something of a temperate climate, tanned people in something of a sunny/arid climate.
Though it's a stretch, this may be an indication of the story itself. I think it's entirely possible that what we're seeing are people repopulating areas that they view as their ancestral homes.
"Corruption":
I agree with DeathProxy's theory that the "corruption" is likely a major factor in what happened. It does seem to be indicated by something of a red glow and elements reminiscent of cracked earth with lava flowing underneath. While I don't personally believe that a Red Glow necessarily indicates corruption, I do agree that when corruption is present it does seem to glow red from what we've seen.
The "Demonic Spider" in the mage video seems to indicate that the red energy flowing like cracks across the surface of a "corrupted" being may potentially be of a demonic origin. If not, then the energy is certainly on the same "frequency", unless Demons don't exist at all, and the Demonic Spider is simply called such for its horrific appearance—which is a complete possibility!
Races:
(I'll be using the stock fantasy race names, until we know the in-world terms! [Which may end up being the same.])
I've noticed that from the concept art, we see a few races. The ones that stand out most are: Humans, Elves, a red Orc-like race, Dwarves, a blue-skinned race casting magic. The woman in the "A Mage's Life" video seems to have some sort of Elven ancestry, with prominent pointed ears.
Though the red orc-like race could be monsters, I think it's players because it's used for the <a href="https://www.ashesofcreation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/GM-2-Combat-PvP-1024x576.jpg">"PVP" image</a>.
Naturally, I'm assuming that it's Humans, Elves, Orcs, Dwarves, Dark Elves (in that order). But it's also hard to say, because we don't know a lot of how the world is written. Once we have a better established idea of the writing style, it should be easier to draw conclusions!
Diversity:
It would seem that races in of themselves are diverse. I immediately was interested when I noticed what seem to be Polynesian-inspired dwarves making their home by the sea. Diversity within a fictional race is usually a fairly good cue that a writer knows what they're doing, in that a race isn't "all of the species act this way, and are of this particular culture". I tend to get very bored of those stock predictable worlds, so this is something that's actually pretty exciting to me!
We also see cultural diversity within humans, if you look for it. There seem to be some pictures showing tan humans in something of a middle-eastern/north african inspired area and lighter-skinned humans in something of a European-inspired area. This gives us the indication that there were distinct cultures and groups on the other side of the portal. We also see people inhabiting areas that you'd expect from their features. Lighter people in what seem to be something of a temperate climate, tanned people in something of a sunny/arid climate.
Though it's a stretch, this may be an indication of the story itself. I think it's entirely possible that what we're seeing are people repopulating areas that they view as their ancestral homes.
"Corruption":
I agree with DeathProxy's theory that the "corruption" is likely a major factor in what happened. It does seem to be indicated by something of a red glow and elements reminiscent of cracked earth with lava flowing underneath. While I don't personally believe that a Red Glow necessarily indicates corruption, I do agree that when corruption is present it does seem to glow red from what we've seen.
The "Demonic Spider" in the mage video seems to indicate that the red energy flowing like cracks across the surface of a "corrupted" being may potentially be of a demonic origin. If not, then the energy is certainly on the same "frequency", unless Demons don't exist at all, and the Demonic Spider is simply called such for its horrific appearance—which is a complete possibility!
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Comments
Humans - The two divisions were see here is between the Northern European themed humans and the second division with the Middle-Eastern/North African inspired variants. As you can see from the first piece of concept art, it is clearly Northern European themed in nature from the architecture to the color of skin and hair on the paintings. Whereas in the second piece of concept art, we see a dwarf addressing a crowd of clearly Middle-Eastern looking humanoids with architecture to match.
Human Division 1<img src="https://www.ashesofcreation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-08-19-at-3.11.44-PM-1040x589.jpg" alt="European Humans" /> | Human Division 2<img src="https://www.ashesofcreation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/GM-3-Economy-Trade-1024x576.jpg" alt="North African Humans" />
Elves - If you look at the one concept art of the elves building a house and then the images of what looks like a cowled elf dealing in magical trinkets one could theorize a type of High/Wood elf and a Dark Elf variant.
Elf Division 1<img src="https://www.ashesofcreation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/GM-1-Living-World-Housing-Sketch-1024x576.jpg" alt="High/Wood Elf" /> | Elf Division 2<img src="https://www.ashesofcreation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/GM-3-Economy-Caravan-1024x576.jpg" alt="Dark Elves" />
Dwarves - The first piece of concept art as well as the image that depicts the Middle Eastern inspired humans you can see what would be considered a typical Dwarf based off Norse/European tradition. Now, the second one shows what appears to be an Islander styled Dwarf working at a forge. Again this is speculation due to the fact that while the male looks like a dwarf with a beard, the female and child are not reminiscent of what we typically think of as dwarves. This doesn't rule it out but without a comparison shot of these guys next to another race they very well could be an Islander Human variant as well. Too early to tell here.
Dwarf Division 1<img src="https://www.ashesofcreation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/GM-1-Living-World-Quest-1024x576.jpg" alt="Standard Dwarf" /> | Dwarf Division 2<img src="https://www.ashesofcreation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/GM-3-Economy-Crafting-Gathering-1024x576.jpg" alt="Islander Dwarf" />
Orcs? - This is the one race that I am not 100% on because we only have one piece of concept art that depicts what appears to be a red orc. Now with the idea that red symbolizes corruption they very well might be a form of corrupted elves and not a playable race at all. At which point if the above holds true about the four races with two sub divisions, then the fourth race could be orcs or it could be something not yet revealed because we have no counter to this image. The only clue that leads me to believe that they ARE in fact a playable race is because of the name of the concept art from which this is taken. The name of the piece of art as categorized by the website is "GM-2-Combat-PvP". Since it is being used to depict PvP, it makes me believe that it is indeed a playable race.
Orcs Division 1<img src="https://www.ashesofcreation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/GM-2-Combat-PvP-1024x576.jpg" alt="Red Orcs?" />
<strong>Humans</strong> - The two divisions were see here is between the Northern European themed humans and the second division with the Middle-Eastern/North African inspired variants. As you can see from the first piece of concept art, it is clearly Northern European themed in nature from the architecture to the color of skin and hair on the paintings. Whereas in the second piece of concept art, we see a dwarf addressing a crowd of clearly Middle-Eastern looking humanoids with architecture to match.
Human Division 1<img src="https://www.ashesofcreation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-08-19-at-3.11.44-PM-1040x589.jpg" alt="European Humans" /> | Human Division 2<img src="https://www.ashesofcreation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/GM-3-Economy-Trade-1024x576.jpg" alt="North African Humans" />
<strong>Elves</strong> - If you look at the one concept art of the elves building a house and then the images of what looks like a cowled elf dealing in magical trinkets one could theorize a type of High/Wood elf and a Dark Elf variant.
Elf Division 1<img src="https://www.ashesofcreation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/GM-1-Living-World-Housing-Sketch-1024x576.jpg" alt="High/Wood Elf" /> | Elf Division 2<img src="https://www.ashesofcreation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/GM-3-Economy-Caravan-1024x576.jpg" alt="Dark Elves" />
<strong>Dwarves </strong>- The first piece of concept art as well as the image that depicts the Middle Eastern inspired humans you can see what would be considered a typical Dwarf based off Norse/European tradition. Now, the second one shows what appears to be an Islander styled Dwarf working at a forge. Again this is speculation due to the fact that while the male looks like a dwarf with a beard, the female (while somewhat bulky) and child are not reminiscent of what we typically think of as dwarves. This doesn't rule it out but without a comparison shot of these guys next to another race they very well could be an Islander Human variant as well. Too early to tell here.
Dwarf Division 1<img src="https://www.ashesofcreation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/GM-1-Living-World-Quest-1024x576.jpg" alt="Standard Dwarf" /> | Dwarf Division 2<img src="https://www.ashesofcreation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/GM-3-Economy-Crafting-Gathering-1024x576.jpg" alt="Islander Dwarf" />
<strong>Orcs</strong> - This is the one race that I am not 100% on because we only have one piece of concept art that depicts what appears to be a red orc. Now with the idea that red symbolizes corruption they very well might be a form of corrupted elves and not a playable race at all. At which point if the above holds true about the four races with two sub divisions, then the fourth race could be orcs or it could be something not yet revealed because we have no counter to this image. The only clue that leads me to believe that they ARE in fact a playable race is because of the name of the concept art from which this is taken. The name of the piece of art as categorized by the website is "GM-2-Combat-PvP". Since it is being used to depict PvP, it makes me believe that it is indeed a playable race.
Orcs Division 1<img src="https://www.ashesofcreation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/GM-2-Combat-PvP-1024x576.jpg" alt="Red Orcs?" />
<strong>Humans</strong> - The two divisions were see here is between the Northern European themed humans and the second division with the Middle-Eastern/North African inspired variants. As you can see from the first piece of concept art, it is clearly Northern European themed in nature from the architecture to the color of skin and hair on the paintings. Whereas in the second piece of concept art, we see a dwarf addressing a crowd of clearly Middle-Eastern looking humanoids with architecture to match.
Human Division 1<img src="https://www.ashesofcreation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-08-19-at-3.11.44-PM-1040x589.jpg" alt="European Humans" /> | Human Division 2<img src="https://www.ashesofcreation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/GM-3-Economy-Trade-1024x576.jpg" alt="North African Humans" />
<strong>Elves</strong> - If you look at the one concept art of the elves building a house and then the images of what looks like a cowled elf dealing in magical trinkets one could theorize a type of High/Wood elf and a Dark Elf variant.
Elf Division 1<img src="https://www.ashesofcreation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/GM-1-Living-World-Housing-Sketch-1024x576.jpg" alt="High/Wood Elf" /> | Elf Division 2<img src="https://www.ashesofcreation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/GM-3-Economy-Caravan-1024x576.jpg" alt="Dark Elves" />
<strong>Dwarves</strong> - The first piece of concept art as well as the image that depicts the Middle Eastern inspired humans you can see what would be considered a typical Dwarf based off Norse/European tradition. Now, the second one shows what appears to be an Islander styled Dwarf working at a forge. Again this is speculation due to the fact that while the male looks like a dwarf with a beard, the female (while quite bulky) and child are not reminiscent of what we typically think of as dwarves. This doesn't rule it out but without a comparison shot of these guys next to another race they very well could be an Islander Human variant as well. Too early to tell here we shall see.
Dwarf Division 1<img src="https://www.ashesofcreation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/GM-1-Living-World-Quest-1024x576.jpg" alt="Standard Dwarf" /> | Dwarf Division 2<img src="https://www.ashesofcreation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/GM-3-Economy-Crafting-Gathering-1024x576.jpg" alt="Islander Dwarf" />
<strong>Orcs </strong> - This is the one race that I am not 100% on because we only have one piece of concept art that depicts what appears to be a red orc. Now with the idea that red symbolizes corruption they very well might be a form of corrupted elves and not a playable race at all. At which point if the above holds true about the four races with two sub divisions, then the fourth race could be orcs or it could be something not yet revealed because we have no counter to this image. The only clue that leads me to believe that they ARE in fact a playable race is because of the name of the concept art from which this is taken. The name of the piece of art as categorized by the website is "GM-2-Combat-PvP". Since it is being used to depict PvP, it makes me believe that it is indeed a playable race.
Orcs Division 1<img src="https://www.ashesofcreation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/GM-2-Combat-PvP-1024x576.jpg" alt="Red Orcs?" />
The first Elf one I definitely agree with! The second one, however, I think might be a yet unnamed race. (Goblins, or something?) I think the second elf division is this:
<img src="https://www.ashesofcreation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/GM-2-Combat-PvE-1024x576.jpg" alt="?" />
They look like they have blue skin.
Dwarves is definitely a possibility for the second one to be a secondary division! They definitely seem extremely short and stocky, and kinda Polynesian inspired. A bit of a mystery!
Orcs, yeah, definitely. I thought the same thing when I saw that being labeled "PVP".
I agree with you on pretty much everything you've covered.
Like Maevynn said regadiing Dwarf Divion 2 I agree that they seem to have a Polynesian theme and perhaps even somewhat Maori inspired with the tattoos in my opinion. It's interesting to see the diversity between what appear to be these "Tropical Dwarves" and their Mountain cousins. I'm sure the lore will be interesting regarding it and will even have a unique schism between the race perhaps.
Regarding the other races we know from the FAQ that there are 8 planned diverse races. We see Red Orcs in the concept art you showed above, but I'd bet that we'll also see the classic Green Orc variant since we appear to be receiving classic and not so classic variants of each race. If you look at the art below it appears to me that the city siege has what appear to be classic Green Orcs battling the European Human lookalikes.
<img src="https://www.ashesofcreation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/GM-2-Combat-City-Concept-1024x576.jpg" alt="Green Orcs Sieging CIty?" />
Regarding the picture of the spellcaster battling the spider to me as a D&D veteran it is very reminiscent of a Drow like Elf battling a creature in something similar to the Underdark.
<img src="https://www.ashesofcreation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/GM-2-Combat-PvE-1024x576.jpg" alt="Similar to Drow in Underdark?" />
My biggest question and confusion is with the pointed eared creatures which appear to be by a caravan merchant. To me personally they don't look like Elves (I'm saying this as someone who absolutely loves Elves so I may have a bias view). I'm really not sure of what they could be and I really don't think they're Elves. They lack any of the real traits and classic Elven beauty and grace. To me personally I get a sort of Tiefling or even Catfolk vibe, perhaps even potentially Half Elves? What ever they are for me they're the biggest mystery.
<img src="https://www.ashesofcreation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/GM-3-Economy-Caravan-1024x576.jpg" alt="Pointed Eared Mystery" />
I'm happy to see from the concept art that Ashes of Creation seems to be drawing a lot of inspiration from D&D and perhaps even Tolkien. In my opinion all great fantasy should draw from these two sources for inspiration, as all great similar project seem to have done to some extent. That's just my take on it take from it what you will. :)