Anthalon

Anthalon is an ancient necromancer who serves as Kyrios's advisor and the primary antagonist of the ArcheAge franchise. He commands the Crimson Army, a force sealed in another dimension that continually seeks entry into Erenor.

Role in the fall of Auroria

Anthalon corrupted Gene Evernight after Gene merged with Kyrios during the twelve heroes' expedition to the Garden. Under Anthalon's guidance, Gene raised armies of undead and laid siege to the kingdoms of Auroria. His goal was not merely conquest but the destruction of the dimensional barriers protecting Erenor from external threats.

Heroes like Aranzeb and Tahyang gave their lives trying to stop him. When Nui and Inoch managed to separate Gene from Kyrios, the resulting explosion shattered Auroria and forced the surviving civilizations to flee south.

The Crimson Army

Anthalon's Crimson Army remains sealed in a dimensional pocket, constantly probing for weaknesses in the barriers between worlds. The Chosen, mortals who sacrificed their normal lives and mortality to guard the dimensional gates, are the primary defense against this threat.

Crimson Rifts periodically opened across Auroria in the original game, disgorging Crimson Army troops that players had to repel. These events served as both PvE content and triggers for open-world PvP, since guilds often fought each other for control of the loot from rift closures.

Casvir, the Shadow of Anthalon

Casvir is Anthalon's proxy in the physical world, referred to as the "Shadow of Anthalon." While Anthalon himself remains sealed beyond the dimensional barrier, Casvir carries out his will on Auroria. Casvir appeared as a major antagonist in the original game's storyline and served as a formidable encounter for players pushing into Auroria's contested territories.

Raid encounter

In the original ArcheAge, Anthalon appeared as one of the game's most challenging raid bosses. The encounter took place deep in Auroria's territory and required coordinated groups of endgame-geared players. His fight featured multiple phases, undead add waves, and area denial mechanics that tested both damage output and positional awareness. Defeating Anthalon dropped some of the game's rarest loot.

The Akasch connection

The Akasch, another sealed race, share a similar ambition to breach dimensional barriers and return to the physical world. Whether Anthalon and the Akasch are allied, rivals, or merely parallel threats is explored across the franchise's lore. Both represent existential dangers that motivated the Chosen's creation.