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Storytelling 09.17.2016 by Ninutra and kindly reported by Nevhan
The Balaurs – Introduction
Okay guys, let me introduce you to some of the basics of Balaur history and culture.
They were Aion’s first creatures to inhabit the world, they were physically and mentally dominant over the other races. Due to this fact, they were trusted with the duty to protect and govern all the lower tribes and races. However their ambitions didn’t let them rule the planet with peace. Fregion, a mysterious figure appeared among the drakan (which is their original name), and said that the power of Aion is within the grasp of every dragon. Thus, he underwent something like our human ascension, becoming a Balaur. From this moment on, he would be the most powerful and feared being in Atreia, aside from Aion himself.
Drakan continued to Ascend into Balaur, and proclaimed themselves as absolute rulers of the planet, underthrowing all the races they were supposed to protect (until this day, for example, Mau tribes worship the Balaur a their gods).
Humans, however, refused to accept Balaur’s superiority and stayed faithful to their creator. Thus, some of them were rewarded with daevic powers and 12 Empyrean Lords and an Archdaeva to lead them into the battle against Balaur.
To run away from Aion’s eyes, the Balaur established their stronghold outside the inner Atreia. This place was called Balaurea, and was their home from then on. Here, they received little of Aion’s power (aether), and the lack of it made them stronger.
They were not the only inhabitants of Balaurea though, there was also another race, which was created shortly after them. The Danuar, the Balaur’s natural opposites, resided there as well. Through centuries did the Balaur fight on two fronts: with the inner atreian and the neighbouring Danuar.
After the Cataclysm, inner Atreia suffered like “dark ages”, unaware Asmodians and Elyos only healed their wounds, while Balaur explored and claimed the Abyss for themselves, and pushed the Danuar down.
Now you must know that large portions of Balaurea are still unexplored. Anyway, Tiamat’s armies had the privilege to destroy the Danuar race. They were after their weapons (hyperions), but they retrieved nothing. Tiamat, in shame for failing her mission, hid all the information about the hyperion and the Danuar race, and led her forces out.
Katalam, Danaria, Kaldor and Levinshor as well as the Idian Depths, the home of the Danuar race, lay forgotten for a long time (until around 1050 years after the Cataclysm, when Beritra entered the area – 4.0).
Otherwise, the Balaur were masters of architecture and bent the nature around them as they pleased. For now we know that Tiamat shaped most of the Balaurean places we know: she deserted Sarpan, used Tiamaranta, searched Danuar areas, and her personal home and stronghold used to be the double island of Cygnea/Enshar. As for for Cygnea/Enshar, interesting thing is that Fregion, the ultimate lord of the Balaur, had an argument with Ereshkigal, one of his other four Lords. This argument led to a horrifying battle, in which Ereshkigal was defeated. Tiamat let Fregion use her lands to bury Ereshkigal there. There she lies still, imprisoned.
[End of introduction]
