“The North?”

Draven Zorathar toyed with the fearless flame elementals dancing below, unbowed by his dread presence.

His gaze pierced the northern horizon, veiled in enigmatic musings.

After Caelum Veyne’s departure, twelve others arrived, one by one,

As foretold in Caelum’s memories—the Twelve Pillars of Ruin.

Devotees from a parallel time, bound to another fate.

Draven sifted through their memories with meticulous care,

Yet, to his quiet regret,

Though each bore vibrant traits and distinct souls,

None matched Caelum—a singular wayfarer from the future, bearer of secrets beyond their grasp.

Draven, ever impartial, bestowed upon each a fragment of his power.

Yet, unlike the uniform “Disciple of Calamity” vocation etched in Caelum’s recollections, he wove their gifts with deliberate variance, each uniquely crafted.

He infused them with a spark of his own dark whimsy.

In this world, these twelve would eclipse the Twelve Pillars of Ruin from Caelum’s past!

Though he reigned as the proud and indomitable Lord of Finality, Draven did not disdain the players’ meager strength.

Far from it—he prized these ants in his eyes.

In his mortal past, he had learned their truth all too well.

Players, these relentless beings…

Bound by this world’s singular laws,

Undying, rising from death without end, growing mightier through the slaughter of foes, claiming gear and experience.

Their potential was a boundless tide.

Hailed as the Fourth Cataclysm, these players wielded the power to weave miracles!

They could reshape the very continent!

Now, Draven set his plans in motion,

Resolved to harness this untamed force.

Thus, he had granted Caelum such a potent trait.

Who decreed the Final Harbinger must linger passively, awaiting defeat?

These thirteen pawns were but the opening gambit!

He would weave a grander design—he would command all!

The myriad races of this world, the players from realms beyond, the gods enthroned in the heavens…

…

“Adventurer, can you purge the slimes plaguing the northern farmlands?”

“My reward shall be generous!”

In the northern reaches of the Dominion of the Celestials, a humble village nestled on the empire’s edge.

Ordinarily, such a quiet hamlet would draw scant travelers.

Yet now, it pulsed with vibrant life.

Everywhere, figures in roughspun garb roamed—strangers of myriad races and visages.

Beastmen, elves, sea-folk, dwarves… races alien to these lands, yet startlingly abundant.

Players!

This place bore another name: the Haven of Beginnings.

Scattered hamlets along the empire’s fringes served as the players’ first sanctuaries.

Here, they honed the rudiments of movement and combat.

Once their strength sufficed, they could heed guidance to the empire or venture across the vast, enigmatic continent, beholding its countless wonders.

Monsters, opportunities, secrets…

All awaited, the overture to an epic saga.

The game’s true marvels stood poised to unfurl.

Today, the first day of the game’s dawn,

Players swarmed the village, their voices a lively clamor.

To them, this was a revelation.

A fully immersive realm,

Where every sensation rang true—they could grasp tangible objects, behold vivid hues, and converse as if born to this world.

It was as if they truly dwelt here.

This game was a masterpiece, a revolution beyond compare!

A marvel beyond words!

Now, beneath the awestruck gazes of fellow players,

An old man, hoe slung over his shoulder, spoke warmly to a seemingly unremarkable human player.

“He landed a quest? How did he do it!”

“Why do the NPCs ignore me when I try to talk?”

“Master, take me with you!”

…

On this first day, the game remained a labyrinth to most.

Some brash trailblazers had already marched beyond the village to clash with foes,

While others lingered, engaging NPCs in hopes of unlocking quests.

“I understand! Leave it to me!”

Under a sea of watchful eyes, the man offered the old man a gentle nod.

This was none other than Caelum Veyne.

This was a world of vivid reality, its NPCs alive with their own joys, sorrows, and desires.

Each Haven of Beginnings bore distinct landscapes, NPCs, and local creatures, yet their purposes aligned.

NPCs demanded Bonds of Trust to share their quests.

These Lesser Quests, simple tasks woven into monster-slaying, granted extra gold and experience to speed early growth.

They held no sway over the main saga—once a player’s level sufficed, the village elder would grant an exit pass, quest or none.

These were secrets gleaned from his past life’s game. Armed with such knowledge, Caelum held a towering edge over players fumbling in the unknown.