Lore
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Broken Aether takes place on the continent of Lumereth, a land shaped by cycles of war, reincarnation, intervention from higher beings, and misuse of ancient magic. The world’s history is defined by repeating catastrophes linked to reincarnated souls and cosmic forces whose influence extends across eras. At the center of these cycles lie the Vaen, the Harbinger, and the artifact Grand Grimoire, each tied to the flow of life and the fate of civilization.
The present-day political conflict among human nations exists not as an isolated war, but as an echo of past cycles that have repeated across multiple ages.
I. The Cosmology of the World
The Maelstrom
A spiritual vortex where souls accumulate after death. It acts as both a natural conduit of reincarnation and a prison for ancient forces. Its stability determines whether the world remains in balance or faces destruction.
The Vaen
Once protectors of humanity, the Vaen used divine power to seal the Harbinger within the Maelstrom. Over time, their prolonged existence and influence led to corruption. Their intervention shifted from safeguarding humanity to controlling it through population culling, fear, and engineered crises.
The Harbinger
A primordial destructive entity whose emergence threatens the cycle of life. Its reawakening is prevented only by the continual offering of souls into the Maelstrom - a cycle enforced by the Vaen after their corruption.
Reincarnation & Echoes
Souls reincarnate with fragments of past identity. Rare souls - called Echoes - retain more complete memories across lifetimes, binding individuals to fates shaped long before the current era. Glenn and Lenne are central to this repeating cycle.
II. Ancient History & The First Sealing
Long before the present age, humanity waged war against the Harbinger. The Vaen allied with mortals to trap the entity in the Maelstrom, initially acting as divine protectors. Over generations, the burden of maintaining the seal corrupted them, shifting their role from guardians to self-appointed rulers of existence.
To maintain the seal, the Vaen sanctioned repeated mass casualties to feed the Maelstrom with souls, ensuring the Harbinger remained contained.
The earliest precursor to the Grand Grimoire originated in this era as a tool of mass purification.
III. Rise of Magical Civilizations
Nhysa Academy
A hub of arcane research, advancing ethereal science beyond natural limitations. Scholars sought to understand reincarnation, life cycles, and the metaphysical role of the Maelstrom. Bartholomew - one of Glenn’s prior incarnations - was among the leading minds of this era.
Lebrodia-Dervinas
A figure known as the “True King” and guardian of life. Opposed the Vaen’s growing authoritarianism and sought alternative ways to maintain planetary balance. This path placed him in direct opposition to the corrupted divine order.
Birth of the Grand Grimoire
Originally created as a catastrophic regulator capable of large-scale life extraction. Rather than being solely a weapon, it became a means to forcibly sustain the seal through mass sacrifice. Control of the Grimoire became a recurring point of conflict across eras.
IV. Modern Kingdoms and Cycles of War
The nations of Lumereth - Taryn, Escanya, and Gravos - remain locked in a persistent state of warfare. Political conflicts are continuously influenced by:
manipulation by the Church
engineered monster outbreaks
external nudging by remnants of Vaen influence
pursuit of relic technology
Monsters that roam the world are not always natural; many are artificially created and released to maintain fear and dependency on religious authority.
V. The Church and Manufactured Control
The Church operates dual functions:
public institution of faith and governance
clandestine organization orchestrating crises to reinforce reliance on divine authority
It controls monster creation facilities, releases threats strategically, and manipulates populations toward fear-based obedience. Its ultimate objective shifts from purity of faith to metaphysical dominance.
Markas, a leader within the Church, attempts to revive the Harbinger by siphoning souls from the Maelstrom, believing liberation of the sealed power will grant ultimate control.
VI. The Cycle of Echoes
The principal characters are reincarnations of key figures spanning multiple eras.
Glenn
Van, Bartholomew
Catalyst, bearer of guilt, cycle breaker
Lenne
Holy Mother
Chosen to oppose the Harbinger
Kylian
Instrument of power
Failsafe vessel
Victor
Witness & caretaker
Bound by oaths across eras
Glenn’s arc centers on the gradual collapse of identity - moving from assumed salvation figure (Timothy) to truth (Van, the source of tragedy) to final release from the cycle.
VII. The Breaking of the Cycle
The destruction of the Grand Grimoire, defeat of Vaen, and Glenn’s dissolution of his echo end the enforced loop of sacrifice. This marks the first era where:
reincarnations are no longer bound to predetermined cosmic roles
humanity is not controlled through culling
Vaen no longer dictate metaphysical balance
However, the Harbinger remains sealed, not destroyed, leaving the world vulnerable to a future crisis - one now in Lenne’s hands.
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