Revision 2

The Guardians are ancient, powerful entities born from the abundant Arche energy that sustains Setera. They are not human, not World Movers, and not part of any mortal faction. They are supernatural beings tied to Setera's fundamental magical force, tasked since their creation with safeguarding the planet. They manifest in wildly diverse physical forms: giants, colossal beasts, massive plants, golems, gargoyles, and stranger things still.

Origin and Nature

When Chronos distributed Arche unevenly across the twelve planets, Setera received the greatest share. That abundance did not just produce lush ecosystems and thriving civilizations. It produced the Guardians themselves, beings whose existence is a direct expression of Setera's overflowing life energy. They are as much a part of the planet as its mountains and rivers, but they think, act, and fight with purpose.

Most Guardians have long since disappeared, and no one knows exactly why. The survivors are rare enough to be considered legendary. Those that remain harbor an unwavering hatred for the Void and view all Void contamination as an existential threat to the planet they were born to protect.

Hostility toward World Movers

The Guardians do not distinguish between the Void itself and those contaminated by it. To a Guardian, a World Mover carrying Void contamination is not a refugee deserving sympathy. It is a vector for the force that threatens to destroy Setera. This puts the Guardians at odds with nearly all the displaced populations that arrived on Setera after their own worlds fell.

Their disposition toward uncontaminated humans varies individually, but most Guardians will attack players on sight. They do not negotiate, they do not parley, and their raw power makes confrontation dangerous for anything short of a coordinated group.

Gameplay Role

In gameplay, Guardians function as major field bosses that require coordinated group effort to defeat. Their sheer size and strength make them impossible challenges for solo adventurers. A single Guardian encounter can require dozens of players working together, similar to World Boss encounters. The rewards for defeating a Guardian reflect the difficulty: rare materials, unique equipment, and significant progression resources.

Relationship with Other Factions

The Guardians exist outside normal faction politics. They do not ally with the Frontier or the Chronos Order, even though these groups share their opposition to the Void. Guardians operate on their own terms, defending territory they consider important without consulting anyone. The Deathless, who actively embrace Void corruption, are natural enemies. The Outcasts, despite being isolated and non-aggressive toward most groups, still carry Void contamination that Guardians would not tolerate.