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The year 2528 turned out to be a profound turning point for the people of Atys. While the Powers seemed to be on the wane and many guilds were growing in volume, an event uncovered a crucial issue: the destiny of the homins, facing their gods.

One guild that had lingered in obscurity for more than two decades began to re-emerge: the Guild of Elias, a group of homins who follow in the footsteps of the mysterious Elias Tryton, a mythical character who had appeared during the dark ages of the Great Swarming. Members of the guild have been seen in several cities, apparently gathering information. They were hunted down by Karavan followers, who view this guild as a band of dangerous heretics. The Kami worshipers intervened, and the tensions between the disciples of Jena and those of Ma-Duk increased another notch.

The Elias guild organized a secret meeting that was attended by several homin representatives. Speaking on behalf of Tryton, the guild made this revelation: the Goddess Jena would soon be making a personal appearance on Atys, leading her heavenly legions, to destroy Ma-Duk and the Kamis. By revealing this news, Tryton was announcing a holy war between the Powers, a war that would tear Atys apart and lead to the deaths of many homins. The Elias guild beseeched the people to unite in order to prepare for the worst.

Tryton's announcement spread quickly all over the Bark and the reactions were swift. The Kamis asked their followers to join forces to defend the planet against Jena and her supporters, who had nothing to offer but death and servitude. The Karavan cursed Tryton for revealing the Goddess's intentions to the Kamis, and in turn stated that the true design of Ma-Duk was to devour the vital force of the homins to enable him to survive the Goo. The four homin sovereigns, the Great Sage Mabreka, King Yrkanis, Emperor Dexton and Governor Still Wyler, all spoke to their people to enlist their support in the coming war. There were some homins who publicly renounced any involvement, others who espoused union and freedom for all hominity, some joining the ranks of the Tryton followers.

And so began a troubled time, filled with agonizing choices and the re-emergence of olf, but forgotten, conflicts. Several centuries after the dawn of civilization, the divine powers that had guided the homin people were heading for a confrontation.

  excerpt from The Erlan Chronicles, by Erlan, chronicler.