Era of War - background storyline.

This is the background storyline of my first map, the AoS called Era of War (The name was directly inspired by Aeon of Strife). I put this storyline into the quests of the map more as an afterthought, to describe the origin of some custom items that I designed for the map; however, the story evolved into an interesting tale in it's own right.

The storyline was presented in the form of "parchments", writings from various sources like letters, reports and poems, telling the story in an unconventional way. I arranged them in chronological order, so it wouldn't be too confusing, although the whole thing might have been even more fascinating if these sources were discovered in a different order.

As mentioned, the story was placed in the quest menu, each quest was one parchment and some letters and accounts actualy spanned multiple quests because they were too long to fit in one quest description window. Here they are, if anyone fancies a read, unedited, so please forgive any gramatical errors (I do not think I spellchecked it at the time) and the silly olde english which I wrote without any education in such matters, just with the little feeling I had for it from reading Tolkien.


----- ERA OF WAR -----

Shadow Banisher
Today things happened to me most unbelievable. As I was heading over the Turovos pass into the kingdom of Lyamdoss with my cargo of spices, a dark shadow overcame me, and suddenly I could not move at all, I would just stand there in terror, and my pack mule panicked, but was held in place by the same shadowy force.

Now in the path ahead of me, a dark figure appeared, and I could hear a menacing laughter echoing amongst the rocks. The demonic figure began to approach me, and I have never been more frightened in my life, and that would have probably been the end of it, have a miracle not happened.

In that unholy hour, a voice from above me challenged the shadow, and a stranger leapt into the path ahead, and said:
"Plotting thievery and murder, foul mage? A bad day have you chosen to do so!"

And the darkness moved, and I could breathe and move again, but I was once again terrified as the shadow engulfed the challenger. The dark figure let go a word of magic that sounded most dark and foul, and the ground would tremble, and rocks around the newcomer splinter, yet he stood there unscratched, and above the sound of destructive magic I could hear him laugh.

The challenger then raised his staff, and like the flash of a dawn was the sudden dissapearance of the shadow, and the dark figure's voice queavered. Then the stranger advanced, raised his staff, and brought a powerfull blow to his enemy. Then he walked away, and when I turned to follow him and thank him, he was gone.

account of these events was given by an anonymous trader.


Battle Report
Battle of the Brownlest hill, Final Report

Battle fought 5 days before the night of double moons, the year being the twenty-sixth year of the century of the Centaur, against last remaining Ladonian forces in the Brownlest plains.

Opposing forces entirely eliminated.
Final bodycount :
2146 soldiers
83 horses

Casualties sustained by Bartemor's forces:
1639 men slain
412 heavily wounded
59 horses lost

138 horses have survived the battle riderless and have been rounded up.

12 siege engines have been damaged beyond repair during an enemy counter attack.

Liutenant Malvestir has lost his brother, a captain in our ranks, to the enemy, and would like to see personaly to his burial.


Temple Meeting, 1
Written by priest Terios of the Lostor order, on the night of double moons, the twenty-sixth year of the Century of the Centaur.

Today, I have visited the temple of the Sun, to receive a blessing from the high priestess, Aterna. I have witnessed events most unusual and I feel strongly, yet I cannot explain why, that they must be documented, and that time shall proove me right.

I was in the main temple at noon to receive the blessing, and it was in the middle of the ceremony that a most unforseen course of events took place. A dark silhuetted figure appeared on the Window to the Skies, and stood there motionless, as if examining the interior of the temple, and paid no heed to the surprised murmur of priests that saw it. It then leaped down, and landed directly in front of the high priestess. It wielded a staff threateningly, and yet the priestess stood there, unmoving, calmly observing the dark shape.

I was in awe of what might happen, and then the figure lowered it's weapon, and then asked with a voice that came as such surprise to me that I looked aroud me who was that talking, for I expected nothing less than demonic shouting to come from the stranger, yet he spoke with a voice quite normal and calm, though with a slightly hostile tone:
"Thou must be foul indeed to stand there with such indifference, disarming me with doubt. Will thou not fight me head on, witch?"
And to these words of challenge, the priestess only smiled, and replied slowly, with grace unsurpassed:
"But I surely cannot fight you,... mage slayer; for the moment I would abuse your doubt to strike at you, you would doubt no more; thus I shall wait, and let doubt turn to certanty, and you shall then see that no spawn of darkness am I, and that in fact, I best you in goodness, and you shall then beg me for forgiveness, and I shall grant it."


Temple Meeting, 2
Such were the words of the high priestess, and the words would be insults most heavy if not spoken with her tone of voice, and her smile, and the mage slayer would stand there, and then reply slowly:
"I have always known that spellcraft could be used for good as well as evil, for I have used it for good myself, in a way; yet I never believed that I would meet a man wielding magic who would be sinless, and wouldn't deserve to die by my blade."
"But you have met no man," replied the priestess, "a woman am I."
"If such is the case," replied the stranger, and turned to me with a meanacing look, "then this here must be a sorceror guilty of causing much harm and woe, and waiting for my justice."
To that, Aterna replied, with only a slight haste in her voice otherwise unchanging: "Well, I believe that you have finaly met a man, too, who wields magic to no-one's dismay, and if you stay here, you shall meet many more, for this is a temple of the light, and no darkness may enter here."

And to this, the mage slayer smiled, and with that, last traces of darkness were removed from him, and he stood there now, a warrior of good; and he laughed and put a hand on my shoulder, saying:
"If the priestess claims you to be a man not evil, then I believe her; be at ease, I am Salater, and if no darkness may enter here, then I clearly am a warrior of the light and as such bring no harm to you. And priestess, if memory serves me well, I must now ask for your forgiveness for my intrusion most rude."
"You are forgiven."

And Salater then laughed more with mirth, and began to talk with the priestess, and he seemed like a man wise and cunning indeed, a great hero even, and I left them to themselves, to speak about matters they both seemed to know much about, yet not enough to not be able to learn from one another.


Aterna to Salater, 1
Salater, my friend.

I send thou this letter to give an account of a miracle I have witnessed one week before the day I am writing this. As you know, I have been attempting to parley with the warlord Bartemor, to have him abolish his war march. As we met, he has prooven to be a man without morals or conscience. He would heed not my pleads, and as I mentioned my concern for the poor folk that could get harmed by his battles with his enemies, he would just laugh, and then say:
"I heed not the ants that come under my foot; unless one reminds me of them, in such a case, I like to find an anthill to step on!"

With these terrible words he ordered a company of troops to raze a village nearby, and knowing, that as a priestess, I could never turn my back on pain and suffering, he invited me most fouly to come with him to the nearby hill and observe the carnage. Such evil and malevolence have I not witnessed in my entire life, and as I pleaded to no avail, I began to consider your words about the foulness of mankind that I have always before found cynical and darker than reality. Next to Bartemor, what you would say seemed like hope for a better future rather than words of indifference that I have always taken them for.

So it was that the dark warlord took me to the nearby hill to observe the pointless massacre his men would commit, only to break me, and he urged me to express any more concerns that he could deal with, and mocked me, and laughed as I wached in terror the soldiers approach the settlement.


Aterna to Salater, 2
It was indeed a dark moment and as the shouting came clearly to us and my last hopes have faded, light shone through the clouds and as I looked up one more time I saw the dark figures of soldiers among the houses, and Lo! between them, a lone, bright figure fighting them, and striking them down one by one, with great force and skill. And Bartemor looked upon the fight as well and was confused, and then anger took him, and he screamed with his strong voice across the field:
"What the devil is this?! Who be you to challenge my power like this, alone? None may do so and live!"
And across the field came back a reply, clear and strong: "Ranor I am, false lord, and no brigand of yours shall shed the blood of innocent people as long as I stand!"
The warlord was infuriated by this insult, and burst out in anger: "So be it, warrior! Strike him down, men! A reward for the one who brings him down!"
So the entire company converged upon the hero, but he would not be uprooted, he stood there and fought, and cut down soldiers one by one, untill he was standing in corpses, still unscratched, and then he raised his sword in defiance, and it gleamed bright red as the words came upon the wind:
"I am done with your bandits, lord! Will you send me new ones, or perhaps come down here yourself to catch your death?"

This infuriated the warlord even more, and then he seemed to remember that I was there, and why this was so, and he forced his voice to calm down and said to one of his liutenants, slowly and malevolantly:
"Order a knight regiment into the village and have it destroyed, and stay clear of that damned man! Let him watch helplessly as... the innocent... are slain in front of his eyes."


Aterna to Salater, 3
Such was the dark mind of the warlord to invent more cruelty. A rank of mounted knights approached the village, and to Ranor's surprise, spread out before entering it, giving him no challenge. And then crying and shouting broke out all around him, as the knights hunted villagers across the streets, and brought down houses, slowly but steadily. Rannor yelled with frustration as he could catch not a single horseman, and could not gather the villagers together as they would fall before they could get in a safe area around him. He ran between the buildings, and I could feel his despair, and so could the warlord, and he laughed to himself, and I once again thougt of what you said many times, that evil could never be stopped.

And then the wind blew slightly, and it somehow muffled the voices of the battle, and in this fake silence I could hear words carried through the air, a soft, calm voice, from far away and yet so close to be easily understood:
"Take heart, Ranor. Your enemies shall come under your blade soon enough."

Then the clamour of the fighting returned, and I looked startled at Bartemor, but he seemed oblivious to the change in the air. Ranor, however, must have heard those words adressed to him, as he paused in his step and looked around himself, confused.
Then I noticed, amongst the buildings, a horse, riderless. Soon there was another. Soon, the warlord noticed that his men were dissapearing, and so did his liutenant, and he rallied his men in the main square, to prevent more of them from falling to the unseen foe.

"What is that fool doing?" Bartemor yelled, but he was too late to do anything. Like a wolf among the sheep, Ranor charged into the gathered ranks of horsemen, riding a horse left behind by a missing knight, and began to slash wildly at his dishartened enemies. And every time a knight would try to ride away from the battle, he would fall to the ground, and I could see this clearly now, stricken by an accurate bowshot from a hidden archer.


Aterna to Salater, 4
Bartemor was now just standing there in disbelief, as his troops were being slain by a single opponent. And then he roared again, boiling with fury, at his second liutenant:
"This humiliation shall not remain unpunished! Not a moment! Raise the entire army from their tents! Have that village overrun! The entire army, do you hear! Let them witness the full might and wrath of Bartemor!"

And in that moment I noticed for the first time those blue cold eyes beneth that helm, that emotionless gaze that calmly watched the warlord as he bellowed commands, and then it turned to me for a moment and a voice sounded: "No."
It was a cold voice, and the warlord was left speechless and breathless at his liutenant's insubordination, and then the voice continiued:
"No one shall have their blood shed for your delight... ever again."

With these words the liutenant drew his blade and without any haste stepped to the still speechless warlord and slew him there, on that hill, and no-one standing there would intervene, and Bartemor fell to the ground, still alive but in great pain, as his betrayer chose to inflict a wound most foul. I found it to be a most cruel justice, yet justice nevertheless. And then the liutenant, as if answering to my unasked question, spoke these words to all who were present:
"I am Malvestir, and I swear that from this day forth I shall let no man lead others into battle and death! Whoever shall rally troops to fight shall be slain by my blade, and anyone that takes his place as well, untill no one is left willing to take the warlord's role, or no one is left to do so, so swear I here and now!"


Aterna to Salater, 5
And indeed no one of the liutenants or other soldiers gathered there would say a thing, and the days to come saw the disbanding of the warlord's grand army.

And on that day, Ranor came up upon the hill, and saw the dead warlord, and shook hands with Malvestir, and then he called upon the hidden archer that had helped him to reveal herself, and she came, a heroin in bright armour, and introduced herself as Alvanis Moonspirit.
I was overwhelmed with what these brave heroes have done, and I offered to help Malvestir seek out places of conflict, if he was serious about his oath, and he accepted, and then Ranor spoke:
"I was here but by chance, yet I am am ready and willing to join you, if you seek to end these bloody wars."
And upon this, Alvanis replied: "Then I shall surely find you on the next battlefield, Ranor the defender." and with those words she was gone, yet with a promise of return.

I now have hope for this land. These heroes, with such skill and determination, could overcome the dark powers that drive the wars across the kingdoms. I sense great power in all of them, and if Malvestir stays true to his oath then I see not a way any warlord could defeat him in single combat.

Even now I forsee your thoughts, thoughts about ambition, vanity, betrayal, that could all break this young fellowship, but nevertheless, the idea of ending all armed conflict is too strong to allow doubt deter us from trying to achieve it.

Yours sincearly, Aterna


Bane of Lapross II
Slowly he walked
across the battlefield
past bowman and knight,
priest and halberdier.
Through carnage unheeding,
challenged by none,
his cold blue eye searching
until he found the one.

He leapt at his foe
as if without weight
yet with great force
his blade met it's mark.
With a torn heart
the king fell off his mount
to his death and war's end
and Malvestir's delight.


Lapros to Salater, 1
Salater.

I write to you and to the high priestess Aterna, as you are both wise and taught well in lore, to implore you to consider my words. When I took over my kingdom, after my predecessor was slain by Malvestir for ordering his troops into battle, it was still a country most powerful and proud, but now, after a decade, it is diminished, diminished due to the failure of authority, as the great heroes, led by you, have made any enforcement of it impossible.

Other great kingdoms share mine's fate, as there is no more force that would bind them together, and many small provinces acknowledge my rule no longer. This breaking of kingdoms has gone so far that some separated provinces are now larger than what remains of the old empires, while some have divided further and now but a few villages can allready call themselves a nation.

True, there are no more wars that could cause pain and suffering. But what of famine or disease? How can such events be controled without a higher authority distributing supplies or organising quarantene?

And what is to become of the great works of humanity? I have left in my authority the great library of my once glorious kingdom, and many other great objects of human creation, and barely enough taxes collected to pay for the upkeep of them all.


Lapros to Salater, 2
These are issues most dire. As a man of lore you must understand the importance of such matters, most likely you can percieve their fate even further than my mind alone can. The progress of humanity has always been tied with the formations of greater and greater empires. How can we know that this sudden shattering of such order will not lead to the demise of mankind?

You must heed my warnings, and think for yourself of our future, if you do not let others do so. What good shall otherwise this world of no armed conflict you have created be to us, if it leads to our doom?

With regards, King Lapros III of Lyamdoss


Ode to the Heroes
Ranor! Valour incarnate
a people in suffering crys out in despair
when the innocent are given no mercy
Ranor come forth! Defend!
May the opressors feel righteous wrath!

Aterna the wise
harsh is the world where we come to be
oft is the path to peace hidden; unseen
Aterna, speak your mind!
Show the confused wisdom's true light!

Sinimer and Alvanis!
Though you heed not simpleton's troubles
yet when for friends push comes to shove
Heros of shadows unveil yourselves
unquestioningly assist in your friend's cause!

Salater magebane!
When dark forces gather unpercieved
shadowy fates that cannot be fought
Salater! Unleash your strenght!
Destroy that darkness that others cannot!

Malvestir! Bane of foul kings
as armies march to this land's doom
when honor and wisdom have failed
Malvestir! Unsheath your blade!
Shed blood of those that would do the same!


Salater's Journal
Today I have finished my fateful act that can affect the future of the world. I have told Malvestir where Ranor had gone. I urged him to not do anything rash, but he left without a word for Wahnbourgh keep immediately, and I fear I have failed Aterna's dream utterly.
Yet all I have done is the same as she always has: I put my faith in these two men, despite all their faults and weaknesses, to do good and bring light into this world. But in truth, I have little faith. I am torn by doubts that lead me to arrange this trial for them. If they overcome it, my faith shall be restored, although I fear my doubts will be confirmed instead.

Indeed I find it a strange fate that these two came together like they did. True, at first glance, the bond between them seems strong, between two men who have suffered a great loss because of war. Aterna puts her faith into this, but I see further, and am concerned by the great chasm that in fact separates Malvestir and Ranor.
Ranor, his family having been slaughtered during the Ladonian wars, feels great sympathy for the innocent victims of armed conflict. He seeks to protect the weak and the helpless from this terrible thing that is war. Malvestir, however, came from a family of soldiers. Few know it, but he lost two brothers on the Brownlest hill, not one. The other one was a captain in the opposing army, and the two brothers slew each other, unrecognized, on the field of battle. They gave their lives for their cowardly lords. Because of this, Malvestir sees war as an injustice, when the strong like him must suffer because of the weakness of those who lead them.

Because of this, I feared a confrontation between them was unavoidable, that's why I have arranged it to happen myself, to finally tear the threads of doubt. Now I can only pray that they find a peaceful end to this. If my doubts come true and faith fails, then I don't think I will ever be able to face Aterna again.


Duel of Wahnbourgh, 1
This is an account of the duel of Whanbourgh, given by me, the priest of the Lostor order Terios. I am writing this on the night after the events described herein, to leave a detailed and lasting testament to what shall undobtebly be considered the ending of an age.

I have been a part of great hero Ranor's rebellion force, which he had reluctantly accepted to lead against the lord of Wahnbourgh, after many failed attempts to persuade him to abolish the torture of his own people. Our great captain was hoping to assault the castle with a small force unsuspectedly, and overthrow the false lord with little bloodshed, yet events took a different, entirely unimagined path.

We approached the fortress through the woods to the north of it, and indeed we remained unchallenged and unseen for our entire journey. As we reached the edge of the forest, we made contact with our spies who informed us that Wahnbourgh was defended with but a few guards. Captain Ranor questioned the spies deeper, but even the most detailed accounts of the situation in the keep gave no suspicion of an ambush. And indeed the castle was unguarded, as later events have shown, yet Ranor was ill at ease, as if forseeing the dark fate ahead.

Upon the captain's signal, which, I felt, he gave with heavy heart, we strode out of the woods, attempting to cover the distance to the castle with enough haste to prevent the defending guards from fortifying themselves. As we reached about a half of the clearing, Ranor's pace slowed, and as I looked up and followed his gaze, I saw in our path a lone figure, standing there motionlessly. As we approached it I saw who it was, and so did the captain.


Duel of Wahnbourgh, 2
Ranor shouted to the standing figure:
"Malvestir! My comrade and friend, how come you here?"
"Friend?!" the hero shouted in reply, with a voice so cold that Ranor paused in his step, "You come here in front of me with an army behind you, the last one whom I would expect to meet in such circumstances, warmonger, and dare call me friend?"
Ranor stopped, and for a moment found no word to say, and then finaly he said, in haste: "I am no warmonger, Malvestir. Reluctantly have I accepted these people's dire call for aid against their opressive lord. I am here to stop pain and suffering, not cause it! Let us pass!"
"I shall not! I have sworn to never allow another battle be fought, and this shall be no exception! It pains me that you have forgotten that... friend..."
To that, Ranor replied, now slower and with greater care: "I have not forgotten, Malvestir..." but was interrupted.
"Then leave; I do not deny anyone the right to defend themselves, but I shall strike down anyone who leads others into battle and death!"
"You do not know what this is like! That foul snake of a duke needs not lead an army into carnage; he mistreats his people in a way I cannot fight with sword and shield, save for striking at him directly. It is the only way, it must be done!"
"It must be done? And who shall draw the line, then, between must and mustn't? You? I think not! You are a great hero, and a friend, but you are acting against everything that we have fought together for! If you move forward now, you shall not fail only me, but the rest of the heroes and yourself as well and so gods help me, if you charge, I shall smite thee, be you my friend or not!"


Duel of Wahnbourgh, 3
"You would cling to your absolute code even when there are people starving and suffering around you? I care not for such code, to end this pain is all that I desire, I am not some bloodthirsty warlord that would lead men to pointless deaths, such as those because of who you took your oath! Now let me do my duty to these people, let me pass!"

With these words, Ranor took a step forward, but Malvestir unsheathed his blade and lunged forward, giving the captain no choice but to do the same. As their weapons clashed, Malvestir spoke these words of anger:
"The code is all, Ranor! If you feel you are entitled to bend it to do what you think is good or just, then anyone can, no matter what their vision of good and just is!"
The two warriors parted, and clashed together again. Now Ranor replied to his opponent:
"The code is here to serve the people, and if the code allows such attrocities, then it is a false and unjust code! It must be changed, why should it not be me who does it? I have my authority from the people, they asked me for my help! It should be me!"
"And what do the people know of what is good for them? Nothing! This leaves you and me alone, here, on the field of battle, where it is strenght that gives authority to weave the rules!"

With these words, Malvestir pushed forward, and Ranor was forced a few steps back to regain his balance. They then began to fight fiercly, whithout any more words, and we watched in awe and terror as they exchanged mighty blows. Such heroes have not dueled in an age, and probably shall not ever again. The sounds of their magic blades clashing rang clearly across the fields, and light flashed every time they met.


Duel of Wahnbourgh, 4
Both heroes were evenly matched, and their duel lasted for what seemed like hours, though it must have only been a few minutes. It all ended suddenly, as Malvestir gained an advantage, he lunged forward with his blade that rendered armor, flesh and bone, and Ranor fell.

In that moment, with a flash of light, Alvanis appeared, the great heroin and Ranor's dearest friend. Malvestir instinctivly raised his weapon to fend off any incoming blow, but there was none. Alvanis knelt down next to her fallen comrade and paid no heed to the victorious hero. Ranor was barely still alive, and cursed between his teeth, and Alvanis took his hand, and looked upon him with sadness and pity and said in a soft, sad voice:
"You have always been a great champion of good. Do not give yourself into hate and woe now, when your labours are at an end."

And Lo! light shone through the clouds and fell upon the stricken hero, and his pale face shone, and it was, in his hour of death, calm and serene, and he opened his mouth, and died with words of love and forgiveness upon his lips. Alvanis knelt there beside him and a single tear came out of her eye, and Malvestir stood there, and then turned and slowly walked away. Then Alvanis stood up, lifting the dead body, and dissapeared as swiftly as she appeared.

So passed the great hero Ranor, on this unholy day, which forever shall be remembered as the day of failed hopes and shattered dreams, and a memory to all the innocent who now shall not be saved by this daring soul.


Lament for Ranor
Like a blossom can never be complete
with but one small petal torn away,
so now that we never again shall meet
the fellowship is gone, left is dismay.

Like stars we were on a cloudless night,
forming a constellation most bright
and now one star sheds no more light
the image formed is no more in sight.

And I who have been your twin star,
am now but a pale light in the dark,
like a petal left fluttering in the wind
soon to be claimed by it's grasp.


Written by Alvanis, in memory of Ranor.


Aterna to Salater
Dear Salater.

Undoubtebly you have heard of the great tragedy that befell us all: the passing of our friend and comrade Ranor. Indeed he has fallen in a duel with Malvestir, as Alvanis herself has described to me as she brought Ranor's body to me to be prepared for his final passing. Now I feel remorse that I had not been there instead of her; I would have interfered immediately, but she, as a warrior, left them to settle their matters alone, and even though I feal great sadness in her, she has no regrets about this matter.
Sinimer also came to see me, and pay his respects to Ranor; he could not believe that Malvestir has done what he has, though. He has always had great respect for him, and now doubt is chewing at his bonds of fellowship and friendship, as Malvestir himself is nowhere to be found. I believe that he wandered off after the battle, haunted by the image of his comrade and friend dying by his hand, and I fear that we shall not see him again, ever.

I now forsee dark times ahead. Without Ranor and Malvestir, Sinimer and Alvanis shall loose their will to aid the peoples of these lands. As before, the two of us alone will not be able to do anything against human vanity, arrogance and lack of understanding. Even with shadowy forces banished and the lands tamed, man will continiue to suffer by his own hand. In the fragmented kingdoms, new warlords shall arise to claim the roles of kings, and send thousands into their deaths. We are on the brink of a new era now, an era of war.

I pray that in these dark times at least we can still find some peace, Yours truly, Aterna


Era of War
Across a field, fair and green,
bathing in the sun's warm glow
a simpleton young and keen
and a loremaster wise alike
shall march to death and woe
for their cruel lords' delight.


Written by the high priestess Aterna, to commemorate the first battle fought in the new age, six months after the death of Ranor.

I'm a little confused. When exactly does the AoS take place? Does it take place before or after Ranor's death? Or does it take place during he's alive? Or when they are dueling at Wahnbourgh? There's so many places where it could start.

Another question: Are Lapros and Lapross supposed to be the same thing?

In complete honesty, this should be a cinematic. However, we all know the amount of work to do that is tremendous.

Anyways, I liked this. The amount of character given by the letters is well thought. I don't really know who the main protagonist is, though.

This is the map's lore, the events described here all occured before the events in the map, which didn't have a story itself, it was just a generic battle between two warlords at an unspecified time in the age that followed the Age of the Heroes.

Actualy, Lapros and Lapross are two different people, but they were meant to have the same name (with different numbers at the end), so I guess that's a typo.

Yes, this should be a cinematic. :) Maybe, one day (in the far future), it will be.

There is no "main protagonist". Why should there be one?

I don't know why there would be a main protagonist. I guess it's just because there usually is one. I was thinking it was either Salater or Aterna, but since you've said there is none, it's neither. And since there's no main character, there probably isn't an antagonist, too?