This blog features an AU (alternate universe) for Lilith Games' AFK Arena where the Barred Gate broke open approximately 15 years before it did in canon. Because of this, many of the characters who would once hold back the invasion were not yet ready to help and the Hypogeans ended up taking over most of Esperia and ushering in an era of suffering and despair.
This blog is strictly 18+ so if you are younger, please stay away as there will be discussions of NSFW themes, violence, torture, and more. Please note that many of these will be extremely problematic given the nature of the AU.
I will slowly be getting through rewriting character and world lore but if you want me to tackle anything or anyone specific, feel free to send in an ask. I will probably start with an overview of the current situation of Esperia at large + how each faction is doing.
With both Kaz and Ira captured by the Hypogeans, Eironn became Lyca's closest companion and more reliable ally. Similarly, Eironn struggles to trust most others, but possibly thanks to her participation in his rescue, he allows her to get closer to him than anyone else. As part of the Thorned Vengeance, they mercilessly slay any agent of the Hypogeans who dares to set foot on the forest soil. But outside of invasions, they have to constantly battle their own inner demons.
She woke with a start, eyes darting around the small clearing, looking for an enemy that wasn't there. In the faint light of the stars, all she could see was the quiet slumbering forest and her companion on watch. Their eyes met, and he nodded to the side. Twice to the right, once to the left. This was real, she wasn't dreaming.
With a huff, she stalked over to Eironn, sliding down against the tree he was sitting by. He didn't have to ask for her to know he was curious. What kind of dreams could possibly rattle her this much? She hung her head low, recalling the face she now only saw in dreams. "You know," she started, her voice carrying gently over the sleepy clearing, "sometimes I wonder why it wasn't me who was special. Not out of jealousy, nothing like that, just..."
"You think it would've been better for you to be taken?" Eironn finished for her, offering a rare half-smile, one tinged with somber understanding. He reached out, put his hand next to hers in the grass. The closest he could get to giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "You shouldn't think like that. We need you here."
"I never should've let the elders take him in the first place..." She appreciated Eironn's comforting words, but they did little to actually make her feel any better. "I should've gone and got him as soon as we got word of the invasion. Then he wouldn't have been taken by them and... and..."
She didn't want to finish that sentence. Her precious brother...
"And he wouldn't have become a monster? Is that what you think?" Eironn pushed himself up to his feet, quickly brushing off any sticking leaves, eyes still trained on the foliage around them.
"Lorsan is my brother, he is not a monster." She hissed, rising to her feet and facing the opposite direction. Something or someone was coming.
Eironn glanced back at her briefly, drawing his shortsword and dagger. "That's not what I meant to imply. Despite what he's done, he is still your brother, not a Hypogean with no way out. Though maybe that makes things worse."
Lyca's ears twitched as she picked up the soft sound of someone walking toward them. Her bow trained in the direction of the noise, she made eye contact with Eironn, nodding to the source. Eironn stalked a circle around until he was standing in front of her, ready to defend her, should their nighttime visitor attack.
Instead, a soft voice came from the darkness, a figure familiar yet foreign stepping out from the cover of the trees. "Come now, that won't be necessary, will it?" He was a bunny boy, his silver hair gently flowing in the breeze neither of them could even feel. One of his arms was blackened and swollen, almost as though it was made of rough bark or dark crystals. He carried a large staff pulsating with Hypogean energy. "I've just come to say hi to my precious sister."
A gust of wind suddenly surged from him, revealing noises that remained hidden until now – footsteps, breathing, grunts, all just a few paces away from them. Hypogean warriors slowly stepped out from the surrounding forest, making Eironn's grip on his dagger tighten even more. He grit his teeth, a slight shiver sneaking into his movements. Lyca quickly grabbed his blade, pulling him behind her. Then, she fixed her eyes on Lorsan.
"You have a strange idea of saying hi. I'm sure mother didn't teach you that." She wasn't going to underestimate him or go easy on him just because he was her brother. It was still possible that this was just some magical trick and Lorsan wasn't even here after all. "Tell your friends to stand down, would you?"
"I will if you come with me." He didn't even hesitate before giving his answer, reaching a hand out to her. He smiled, a soft, gentle smile, one of those she'd been dreaming of seeing on his face one day. But this one was wrong, somehow. Warped. In the wrong situation, wrong context...
She looked at Eironn, his blades still faintly trembling despite his efforts. She glanced around. At least ten enemies, not to mention Lorsan. Slowly, Lyca lowered her bow. She turned to her brother. Took a step toward him. "Then Eironn can leave safely?"
He shrugged, like the life of a fellow Wilder meant nothing to him. "If he wants to leave, sure. But with his talents, I'm sure I could convince the general to give him a good position. And an antidote." He paused briefly, his gaze slipping from Eironn to the palm of his blackened hand. "You see, unlike you, we don't use substances with effects we can't reverse. He could be normal again. Be able to touch people without his whole body getting all hot and bothered and painful." The words may have been sympathetic, but his tone was anything but. It was a mockery of everything Eironn's gone through.
And still, Lyca approached him closer, close enough to actually take his hand. She looked back at Eironn. He could be normal again... She reached out to Lorsan, a gentle, serene smile on her face.
Then, she drew her hunting knife with her other hand, slashing at his hand to cause him to drop his staff. As though he'd been waiting for that, Eironn lunged forward, cutting one of the Hypogean soldiers in half in a single swing. His dagger, stabbed into the quickly disintegrating corpse of the Hypogean, glowed purple, its runes drinking in the very essence of his kill. He didn't stop. Eironn was like a flurry of cuts, a hurricane of pain for anyone who dared approach him.
Lorsan managed to dodge at the last minute, but Lyca was already on top of him again, hooking her bow around his head, pulling, and slamming the limb into his face. He stumbled back, blood pouring from the fresh cut on his forehead. For a moment, they were back to being kids. When they accidentally played too rough, Lyca would stand over him like she did now, looking down to see how he was doing. Only, it was with worry back then; now it was with caution. She finally turned away from him, letting loose an arrow, which found its mark in the head of another one of the soldiers he brought with him.
"Run, if this is what you really want." She hissed at him over her shoulder, supporting Eironn's fight from a slight distance, shooting one arrow after another. She pinned a Hypogean's arm to a tree, then watched as Eironn used the drop in its guard to thrust his sword right into its eyesocket. "But we can help you. Maybe not with the arm, but with everything else. Lorsan... come home with us, please."
But when she turned back, there was only empty space in there.
I want to get back to this AU, maybe I'll do a little actual story writing thing teehee. No promises, but which of these ideas are something you might wanna read?
Dy think Bryon and Lily May's a Hypogean here? Or not?
I'm not dead! Sorry for this blog being so quiet, health has been a bitch (and Lilith's mess hasn't been helping).
As a general rule, I don't really care about Journey characters much, but Bryon was in the beta and had an actual backstory before the Journey writers decided that Arena lore belongs in the trash, so I'll probably make a profile for him later. Probably not a Hypogean, but he would likely work with the Wilder resistance, though I could see his mistake having more dire consequences, so it's a question how he would deal with that. This is actually quite exciting to think about
As for Lily May, I don't really know anything about her beyond what I caught from people praising her storyline (while admitting it does not fit the lore of Esperia at all, rip). If I ever feel masochistic enough to look her up and get a better vibe for her, I might include her? Maybe? Likely not as a Hypogean though.
You can find the list of all the Graveborn and affiliated character profiles I've done so far in here. Note that some characters' factions have been changed from the original game to reflect the development in my AU.
My AU's Wilders and affiliated characters will be listed here. Note that not all characters belong to the same factions as they do in the original game.
The heroes belonging to Maulers will be listed here. Note that my AU profiles may not always match the factions the characters have in the original game.
Lightbearers and affiliated characters for whom I already made my profiles in this AU will be listed here! Note that some characters may belong to different factions than they do in the original game.
Part two of faction masterposts, this time with the Hypogeans. Note that this post will include characters affiliated with Hypogeans in this AU, not only those who are Hypogeans in the original game.
Zolrath
Khazard
Leofric
Framton – WIP
Liberta and Lucilla
Eugene
Since a request was put in for one, here's the first part of character masterposts – starting with the Celestials! Note that this list only includes characters who are still affiliated with or consider themselves Celestials in this AU.
You wrote that the metamorphs we're backed and supported by Hypogeans and would resurrect or enhance dead bodies with Hypo magic. What role would Silas play in this? Would it be possible for you to make a character profile for him and maybe how Izold came to be if you have time?
Oh boy, I'm looking forward to writing those two! Adding them to the list right now. Izold still would've been made much the same way as he was in Arena as he was presumably created a good while before the current events buuut that is not to say he didn't get a few upgrades later down the line once Hypogean technology and magic pushed the limits of what Silas was able to do.
Hi, I wanted to ask if you'll make a masterpost for all the characters or at least one where you'll link the already rewritten characters in it so they're easier to find?
Hiya! To be honest, I didn't even expect anyone to care enough to read these, it was meant to just be my archive blog but that is a very good idea and I'll get on top of it! Until then, you can search #the dawnless on my blog to get all the character posts!
I got two asks about him lol, you guys sure like this old man. This one I was really looking forward to though so I really don't mind! I am using the name Kuilin City as that was the original name rather than Oakenfell (let alone Oakenhurst). And I am using Vala, a character from Journey who, when she still had a proper backstory and before Journey decided to be a toddler game, was Prince Lester's wife.
Name: Leofric
Age at the time of the Barred Gate breaking: ???
Current age: ???
Affiliation: Kuilin City
Appearance: His Hypogean features are more pronounced than when he was hiding his identity. He has horns coming from his forehead and large bat wings blending in with his cloak.
Personality: While Leofric is less destructive than other Hypogeans, he is by no means a good person. After making a deal with Prince Lester, he was able to access the palace library and release the secrets of the Eternal Engravings to his fellow Hypogeans. In exchange for this huge power boost, Kuilin City was declared a safe zone for humans. Leofric works with Lester to keep the city pretty much under lock and key. Not because Leofric cares for the people but because he respects Lester.
Backstory:
"Lester's Jottings"
Glorimon 23rd. Sunny.
Earl Leofric – it feels strange calling him that now – informed me that the armies of the Hypogeans will be passing us by in the following months. Safety measures need to be tightened. Nobody can leave the city walls, though that will make delivering supplies difficult but we will have to manage. The paperwork regarding rations is already piling up, this will be a nightmare.
Vala is doing well for her part. The new dancer duo is proving to be a very valuable addition to her organization. The citizens seem to react better to Vala's people than regular guards. Perhaps recruiting new people there would be beneficial. Vala's popularity is rising while mine is falling but that's alright.
Calimon 16th. Overcast.
I had tea today with Leofric again. Vala joined us, at his request. According to the Earl, it would be better to have Vala take over the public appearances while I fade into the background. It seemed like a good idea but Vala disagreed. It is understandable. Her whole organization lives in the shadows, they don't really wish for publicity. Earl Leofric didn't push the issue but mentioned steps might need to be taken in that case.
Later in the evening, I received a letter from the Earl. The Hypogean army is departing sooner than expected. It seems he pulled some strings and wants me to take credit for it. It could help with my approval and keep peace in the city. I just worry that I am giving him too much to use against me later.
Dusmon 5th. Storming.
The summer isn't going very well. Most of our crops were killed by the constant hail and heat waves. According to Earl Leofric, it would be best for us to expand our trade system. We don't have the infrastructure for that but he is willing to help us out. Sometimes, I almost forget he is a merchant. We have no choice but to accept. The people won't like this.
The Hypogean presence in the city grew again. I am starting to worry about how many bards seek them out for inspiration. I know this was the deal we made with Leofric years ago but it is getting a little out of hand. I will need to talk to him about it during our next meeting.
Auramon 22nd. Cold and overcast.
Things are calming down. The preparations for winter are almost complete. Earl Leofric's convoys ensured we have enough supplies for everyone. No more rationing food and clothes. Hypogean scouts have joined the ranks of Vala's organization without anyone noticing. Vala isn't happy about it but there is little we can do. It is safer this way, the city won't get overrun.
More people are starting to accept the Hypogeans in our midst. I don't know if to be relieved or concerned. On one hand, it means fewer conflicts and less danger of full invasion. On the other...
"Just let the people do what they will. They're living on borrowed time so they just want to make the most of it." Leofric said. Borrowed time is about right... After my death, who will take over? And will they be willing and able to earn the Earl's respect? For now, I will do my best to try and get him attached to the city. Even Hypogeans have to have some pride in what they've created. If I can get him to think of the city as his creation or property, he might protect it even after I'm long gone.
Frosmon 31st. Cold and snowy.
At times like this, it's easy to forget the current situation. The snow falls over the city peacefully, children play out in the streets, and Leofric and I discuss our recent readings. So what if the snowy sky is sometimes pierced by a dragon's roar? So what if some of the children have horns or purple skin? I know I should worry more but everything seems to be alright. The city is safe. The people are safe. Leofric pauses to look out the window with me from time to time, usually quiet as if lost in thought. I want to ask what about but I have the feeling I know.
"Do you think, Lester," he finally speaks, stirring his tea but not tearing his eyes from the scene outside, "that the mask of a governor would suit me?"
It could be taken as a threat but it's not hard to tell that's not what he meant. I don't know how to answer. It would – he is responsible and resolute. It wouldn't – he is still a Hypogean, he may be content with things as they are now but over time, he may grow bored or decide to corrupt everyone in the city.
"May the Divine Light guide you, earl." He smirks. Nods. And in the next moment, he is gone. I hope I made the right choice.
I wish there was a profile with Khazard, is he rather neutral or does he have new ideals of his own
Character Profile: Khazard
One of my favorite characters and also one of the characters with the most wholesome endgames in this AU (those two aren't connected I swear). There are some slight changes to him but not many and on the whole, he is one of the characters most consistent with their regular versions. The backstory here is a little bit different than the usual ones, much less dark and creepy.
Name: Khazard
Age at the time of the Barred Gate breaking: ???
Current age: ???
Affiliation: Hypogeans
Appearance: Almost entirely the same but his smile has mellowed and is less jagged now. He also has a second serpent now, one made of wind and tiny ice crystals. Its name is Wind Viper.
Personality: Khazard has always been chill (ayyy) and after the Barred Gate was broken, he didn't really have much to do other than relax and maybe wait around for more commands from Uemiss. He did manage to eventually turn Respen to his side though so he's overall pretty happy now. Respen oversees the prisoner colony and while Khazard should technically be the overseer there, Respen just has so much more fun managing it so really, why bother?
Backstory: The voice now lay dormant most days. And why wouldn't it, really? There was little more he could do to serve that he wasn't already a part of. The Barred Gate had been torn open and the very nature of Esperia flipped on its head, there was no longer any Bastion of the Elements – at least not in the way it used to exist – and Respen... Well, he was doing fine and he wasn't going to die any time soon.
Stroking his fingers through the wind and letting his chill be carried on it, something tugged at his attention out in the open sea. Raising his hand, he left the serpents on high alert up on the cliff overlooking the water as he descended to its surface. Nobody was scheduled to come this way for now. Was this another feeble attempt at resistance? Or an escape?
When he reached the object of his curiosity, he only found himself even more puzzled. It was... a basket? Protected with magic and reinforced with elemental powers but a basket out here in the sea was still highly unusual. Peering inside, he found an otterfolk child, barely breathing as it slept, almost freezing. He combed through the water that carried the infant to him, listening to its whispers, its tales. The sole survivor of the clan after it was completely overrun by the Hypogean armies, the child was sent out to sea as a last desperate measure by its mother. Her stupidity almost amazed Khazard. She only traded one death for another, admittedly a far longer and more painful one.
But what surprised him more were the wisps of elemental power. Search as he might, he found nothing in the streams about the mother casting any protective spells. Was that the child's own doing then? Perhaps it would be more useful to take it back then.
As Khazard returned, Respen was already waiting for him, having no doubt heard about the disturbance from the wind. Khazard gently held the basket out, suddenly reminded of when he calmed that storm all the way back then. Respen had been so small. So fragile. This child may not have been an elemental but they were similar in many ways. He almost didn't want to give it up.
It took a long time before the child opened its eyes, milky white and completely blind. It took longer still before it started to speak. The whole time, Khazard had been coming to terms with their eventual separation. It was fine. He didn't need anyone else. And yet, when Conrad finally came by to collect the little one, he couldn't but feel like when he made the choice to leave Respen behind.
But, he reminded himself, looking at the boy, that, too was a good choice. He never regretted a single thing.
I saw in the post listing the statuses of the Celestials that Ansiel is dead. Who killed him and why? Ansiel was the godly artisan and the Hypogeans could’ve captured and made him create things for them.
And what was Orthros’ reaction to the death of what was essentially his father?
Oops sorry, I missed this ask completely!
Ansiel was indeed a useful asset which is why the Hypogeans tried to capture him first but when it didn't work, they ended up killing him. I will give more details when I get to his character profile. As for who killed him, let's just say Mortas had a hand to play in that. They did, however, manage to capture Haelus. And seeing as Haelus managed to impress (and outdo) Ansiel while he was still just a human, he was deemed a high-priority asset as well.
Orthros didn't have much time to react as he is currently recovering his strength and largely doesn't know what's going on outside. But he will absolutely be devastated after he finds out, much like he was with Dura. Who knows, it might even be enough to lead him to tamper with time and space again, much to Zolrath's amusement.
