The twelve heroes

The twelve heroes were a group of adventurers who gathered at the Great Library of Delphinad during the Hidden Era, roughly 2,000 years before the present day of Erenor. Their expedition to the Garden transformed them into gods, and their subsequent conflicts shaped the entire course of history.

Members of the expedition

1. Kyprosa Daeior

2. Orchidna

3. Tahyang Kahlzit

4. Gene Evernight

5. Melisara Livolla

6. Lucius Quinto

7. Eanna Nimush

8. Aranzeb

9. Aranzebia

10. Ollo

11. Inoch

12. Naima

The journey

The expedition was triggered by Inoch's jailbreak. He had been imprisoned for inspiring a satirical play that mocked lesser gods. The twelve traveled northward through frozen peaks, a hot basin, and wild forests before discovering a massive crater at the world's birthplace.

Descending the ancient stairway into the crater, they encountered remnants of previous explorers and fought dragons. One member fell in combat. At the bottom they found an ornate gate guarded by a fae creature. When Orchidna touched the glyph, the gate opened. The fae revealed it had been bound as gatekeeper "until the end of this world, or until another came to take her place." The companions forced Orchidna onto the throne, binding her as the new gatekeeper, then entered the Garden individually to seek the power to free her.

Transformation

Each member emerged from the Garden merged with a divine soul fragment from Thiol, who died in the process. Eleven of the twelve became gods:

• Gene Evernight merged with Kyrios, God of Destruction

• Eanna Nimush merged with Nui, Goddess of the Hereafter

• Aranzebia merged with Dahuta, Goddess of the Sea

• Ollo merged with Shatigon, God of Iron Walls

• Tahyang Kahlzit became the God of Wind

• Inoch merged with Haje, God of Sealed Doors

• Kyprosa Daeior merged with Ranshisha, God of Contact

The aftermath

Gene Evernight, corrupted by Kyrios's destructive power, sparked the wars that tore Auroria apart. Aranzeb tried to stop him and was killed. Tahyang fell as well. Nui and Inoch managed to separate Gene from Kyrios, causing an explosion that collapsed much of Auroria. Nui created a portal for survivors to escape but expended all her energy, sealing herself with Kyrios in the Hereafter.

Orchidna later escaped the Garden by trading with a demonic entity, releasing the Warborn in the process and becoming their queen. Anthalon, Kyrios's advisor, continued waging war through the Crimson Army, kept at bay only by mortals called the Chosen who sacrificed their mortality to guard dimensional gates.