TERA to Release in Korea on 1/25/11 (Updated w/Launch Content Info)

Update #2: Added list of new content being added with the launch of Korean TERA.

Update #1: Added information about pre-release subscription bonuses.


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Well, the day has finally come where I can say that TERA has a release date somewhere! In a new post on http://tera.hangame.com, TERA's Korean publisher Hangame announced the end of the game's open beta and the start of its life in retail. Check out the schedule and pricing information below!

K-TERA Launch Schedule

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- Pre-Payment Event: Wed January 19 2011 11:00 Mon, January 24th, 2011 10:00
- Open Beta Ends: Sun January 23, 2011 24:00
- Full Service Startup: Tues, January 25th, 2011 10:00


K-TERA Pricing Plans
- Note that it is common for Korean games to have no boxed product, which means no one-time price for buying the game.

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30 Day Pass
19,800 won ($17.80 USD)

90 Day Pass
47,500 won ($42.70 USD)

3 Hour Pass
3000 won ($2.70 USD)

30 Hour Pass
15,000 won ($13.48 USD)


Pre-Release Subscription Packages
- Similar to Western pre-order bonuses, NHN is offering packages for players who subscribe to TERA before the launch date of January 24th.

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Players who pre-subscribe for 30 days will receive...
- A ring, a necklace, and a discount on the 30 day subscription price. Pre-subscribing for a month brings the price down from 19,800 won to 15,500 won. (From $17.80 USD to $13.93 USD)

Players who pre-subscribe for 90 days will receive...
- A ring, a necklace, and a white warhorse that is faster than the typical brown warhorse and usable at level 20.



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K-TERA Launch Content
- K-TERA will launch with never before seen content. Check out the full list of additions below!

1. The Addition of Southern Shara!
Finally the mysterious land of Southern Shara will be open to public and you will be able to visit the Capital city of High Elves, Allementhia.

The High Elf city of Allementhia
Southern Shara was home to the Giants during the War of Gods, a desert with nothing but sand and ruins. With the power of the High Elves, this once barren area has come alive. High Elves themselves call Allementhia the 'Pearl within the Desert.' The city is well known for its beauty, technology and magic.

15 new zones to level in!
Valley of Life, Hills of Essenia, Corrupt Forest, Ancient Forest, Frozen Shores, Plateau of Tyrant, Ancient Castle of Spirits, Frozen Prarie, Restricted Zone, Miarachnia, Shrine of Dagon, Valley of Savagery, Cave of Cannibals, Fiery Mountains, Island of Snakes.



2 New Dungeons! Necromancy Research Lab and Golden Labrynth.



2. Level cap raised to 50.
Once the game launches you can level your character beyond level 38 and access all of the game's content. Enjoy brand new skills and gear!

*New Skills

  • Warrior:
    Dash Behind / Active Skill / level 42 Req / You dash behind a targetted enemy. You can only use this on enemies within range and the enemy will be slowed for a set time.

    Killing Will / Active Skill / Level 48 Req / Raises your critical chance for a set time but lowers your crit resistance.

  • Lancer:
    Combo Hook / Active Skill / Level 42 Req / After using your Chain Hook, you can use this skill as a combo.

    Critical Smash / Active Skill / 46 Req / You smash the opponent in front of you with devastating force, damaging and slowing their movement speed by 30%.

  • Berserker:
    Flip Smack / Active Skill / Level 40 Req / You hit an opponent so hard that you flip them around to make them face their back towards you, stunning them.

    Piercing Shout / Active Skill / Level 46 Req / You let out a piercing shout in rage, monsters within the radius of the shout will flee in terror.

  • Slayer:
    Nerve Slash / Active Skill / Level 44 Req / You slash the enemy's nerve, causing a debuff that increases all skill cooldowns.

    Gather Strength / Active Skill / Level 50 Req / You gather your strength for the next attack, attacks made during a certain period of time will do increased damage.

  • Sorcerer:
    Magic Shield / Active Skill / Level 40 Req / You create a strong magical shield to protect you from harm. If the shield absorbs the set amount or the caster's mana depletes; then the shield will disappear.

    Pact of Haste / Active Skill / Level 48 Req / For a certain period of time, your attack speed increases.

  • Archer:
    Web Shot / Active Skill / Level 42 Req / You fire a shot imbued with a spider's web, slowing enemy movement speed.

    Sniper Stance / Toggle Active Skill / Level 48 Req / Your attack speed decreases but your damage increases. If you attack other players your skill damage will increase by 25%. During the stance your MP depletes gradually.

  • Priest:
    Armor of Protection / Active Skill / Level 42 Req / You apply an armor of protection to allies within a certain radius. The buff lasts until the time runs out or absorbs set damage.

    Sanctuary of the Protector / Active Skill / Level 50 Req / For a set amount of time your resistance to range attack increases and also your resistance to all status debuffs are increased.

  • Mystic:
    Blessing of Rebirth / Active Skill / Level 42 Req / You revive a fallen ally that is the nearest to you, this buff lasts for a certain amount of time and revive only works when death occurs during the spell is still in effect.

    Barrier of Rage / Toggle Active Skill / Level 50 Req / You increase the critical chance of you and your allies within radius. MP gradually depletes while the buff is toggled and can't be used with Barrier of Haste.



*NEW GEAR! New pieces of gear are added for each class and race. There are many types you can get, some you can only get from dungeons or some through battlefields.


3. The Political System
Archons are chosen through server wide elections or through battlefields. Once elected they will have the power to reposition guard NPCs and become the most politically powerful person.

To use such abilities as an Archon, you will need to acquire Archon Points and those can be acquired by Archon guild quests or guild recommandation.

*The Beginning of real PvP, battlefield system.
5 vs 5 battlefields
5 vs 5 battlefields will be the most basic. They function as team deathmatches. Whoever scores the most points will win and points are earned by killing your opponents. Whoever gets 1000 points first, wins!

10 vs 10 battlefields
10 vs 10 battlefields will require more strategy. Winning depends on how long you can hold strategic areas. There will be three areas to hold and rather than killing your opponents you will want to focus on holding the grounds.

Battlefield Commanders
Each team will have one commander. The commander can lead their allies within chat. 10 vs 10 Battlefields will let Commanders use special Commander only skills.

  • Meteor Crash / Commander Skill / You cause a meteor to fall from the sky on the selected area, damaging both allies and enemies if they are within the area.

  • Commander's Blessing / Commander Skill / You restore allies' MP if they are within the radius.

  • Commander's Salvation / Commander Skill / You restore allies' HP if they are within the radius.

  • Locate Enemies / Commander Skill / For a short period of time, you can make the enemies appear on your map.



Medals
When you win or lose in a battlefield, depending on how well you did, you may receive a Valkyon Medal.

Valkyon Medals can be used to level up the guild or buy guild buffs or medal items.

*Dream of Archon, Your Choice and the Political system.

Electing the Archon
We are currently preparing elections for the Arun and Shara continents. If you are a Guild Master you can apply to become the Archon and when you become the Archon you get to become the Lord of one continent. Will you become a good Archon or a bad one? The choices on who gets picked and how they act is all depending on you.

Archon's rights.
Archons can change how the taxes are applied around the continent.

An Archon and its guild will get new mounts that are faster than their current one. They can place Priest or Skill teaching NPCs to help players have a much smoother Experience.
All the above acts cost archon points and they can be acquired through Guild Quests or winning Battlefields.

Cut-scenes from the Korean Client

Update: Added a new cut scene and description!

Hello, TERA Fans! Today, TERA Fans member Cori sent me three videos from TERA's Korean client. One of the videos may be the first scene of a Velika based questline and the other two scenes are probably from an Allemantheia questline. If you don't want potentially major questlines spoiled for you don't watch! Also always keep in mind that these clips are still under development, I'm sure.

All the videos are subtitled in Korean, so I've sent them to our fantastic translator, Kalestine and he's helped me understand the story conveyed in them. Remember that it's possible the story could be different in Korean TERA than it is in the West's TERA.

Check them out and enjoy the scenes!


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  • Introduction to Velika
    - This first video introduces the player to Velika.



    The narrator does not give his name, but describes Velika as the center of Arun, protected by the goddess Velik. The city is the capitol of the peace-keeping Valkyon Federation, however the Federation currently faces opposition from the Argons. Because of this, the Valkyon Federation has deployed much of their army overseas to fight the Argons.

    The narrator explains that many of his friends are currently fighting for the Federation and that monsters have begun to attack nearby villages, harming innocent people. He asks you to be brave and work with the Federation to try to restore peace, telling you that one day you may be able to be as strong as the hero Elleon Kubel. (Not making that up, Kalsteine says that in this clip, he's referred to as Elleon Kubel, one name and definitely not two people.)



  • Allemantheia Questline
    - This second video is a bit long and complicated, but Kalsteine and I have made the best sense of it we can! Unfortunately, this one doesn't have sound of any kind.



    The video opens with a High Elf commander, beginning to explain the history of Allemantheia. She calls it a city of magic, saying that "the Core" is their pride. She explains that the High Elves have been fighting against the army of a nefarious being, Doolsa, who wants to destroy the High Elves and Allemantheia. Doolsa has retrieved a magical device, located in Essenia, north of Allemantheia, which could, if needed, protect the High Elves from Argon invasion. Because of that, the Commander has sent most of her army North in order to reclaim the magical device. In attempt to win over the player's help, the Commander begins to explain information she considers classified.

    Allemantheia is apparently completely dependent on the Core and without it, the city would be destroyed. The Core is controlled by a powerful archmage called Cerion (the High Elf in the dark colored hood) who has been alive since the War of the Ancient Gods. Cerion used the burnt Flower of Life to protect the High Elves from annihilation during the war, creating the Core. However, currently, Cerion is missing and the commander fears he may be in the hands of evil. If this were so, Allemantheia could be destroyed at any time. She tells the player about a young Aman warrior who gave a pendant she's holding. As long as the pendant is still shining, Cerion is still alive and she begs the player for their help in finding him.

    At 3:30 into the video, a new scene begins. It seems that the player has led the commander to Doolsa and the two have a brief exchange. The commander demands to know where he is keeping Cerion, but Doolsa does not falter, mocking her instead. An ally of Doolsa's, Akasha, cuts the confrontation short, when she teleports in and saves him from an attack by the commander.

    Another scene begins at 4:56. Apparently, Elleon has begun to help as he teleports members of the Valkyon Federation into a room where Cerion is being held. Immediately, Valkyon priests begin to try to heal and protect Cerion and they let the commander know that his health is failing and that she has to make a decision because the fate of Allemantheia rests within Cerion's life. The commander and Cerion discuss the situation and the commander tells Cerion she believes it is her duty to take his place after his death. Though Cerion is initially against this, the commander convinces him that it is what she must do, recounting past events and thinking towards the future. In his final moments, he takes the commander's hand and passes his power on to her. The commander appears to physically change, appearing as she does in the G-Star trailer with extremely pale skin and dark features.



  • Allemantheia Questline Fight Cut-Scene
    - It seems to me that this scene takes place somewhere towards the end of the Allemantheia questline from above, so I'll describe it as such!



    At this point, the player has lead the Valkyon Federation to where Cerion is being held. Doolsa's ally, Akasha, is walking with him and she is joined by an army of monsters. Elleon flies in, catching the group of them off-guard and knocking the powerful monster off the the bridge and into the lava. Akasha and Cerion flee and the monsters charge towards where the commander is waiting. She and Elleon easily disperse of the monsters, leaving only Akasha, Elleon, Cerion and the commander to face off. Akasha powers up a spell and the commander jumps out of the way to reveal a Valkyon mage, charging a similar attack. The spells combine, knocking Akasha back and leaving her and Cerion cornered between Elleon, the commander and the Valkyon mage. Akasha taunts them, spawning more monsters.


  • Save the Hero of Westonia Cut-Scene
    - No sound in this one either :(



    The scene opens with a woman proclaiming that the player has gotten in "his" way before she teleports off. Next, a goddess like figure emerges, introducing herself as Mystel. She shows the player a vision of the High Elf commander's young Aman friend, referring to him as the Hero of Westonia. She says he's trapped in a nightmare and she asks the player to save him.

[Official Korean Site] TERA’s Loading Screens

Update #2: Thanks to new Korean translator, Kalsteine all the text on the images has been translated! Check the translations out because they're full of lore :]

Update #1: Some of these screenshots were featured on Frogster's European forums as screenshots of the week today, along with the following description:

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This week, the screenshots presented are somewhat special, since it’s a selection from TERA’s loading screens. As you can see from this series of images, co-operation is a must between the different races: some will find mutual understanding in learning, others by sharing a meal, or working together on the same mission.


So at least it's officially known they are loading screens! Pretty awesome :D


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Hey, TERA Fans! Thanks to TERA Fans member Cori's tip, an update to the official Korean site has been pointed out to me :] Just recently, the Korean CM Lime seems to have begun a new contest for TERA's Korean fanbase.

From what Cori and I can tell from google translate, the contest features TERA's "hidden loading screens" (?) and the CM team is looking for funny captions to go along with the pictures. 20 winners will receive Starbucks giftcards.

Hopefully we will have a proper translation of this article soon, but until then, check out the awesome pictures below! I'll keep you updated on a possible translation!

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The first magic TeraFans Wiki - High ElvesHigh Elves learn is to clean their clothes.

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When the Yuanti (a snake race) grow they shed their skin. That skin is sold at a high price in TeraFans Wiki - AllemantheiaAllemantheia . It goes through a high stakes auction because it is used to make top quality silk.

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The TeraFans Wiki - AmanAmani have one massive meal a day, but the Popori have six small meals a day.

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TeraFans Wiki - AmanAmani take pride in their strength, because of that in order for a male to marry a female the male has to defeat the female in a fist on fist brawl.

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You can never tell a TeraFans Wiki - BarakaBaraka of their age but if you look closely enough there is an annual ring around their bodies. That will give you an idea of how old they are.

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When a Hooka reaches the age of 7, it goes through a gauntlet to prove its adulthood. That involves going into the frog valley and slaying the Boss Frog. Only then would one be recognized as an adult.

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Annually there is a Festival of the TeraFans Wiki - SelenPopori Goddess Selen . The TeraFans Wiki - PoporiPopori surround the lake which reflects the moon as they dance and sing.

World Lore: Allemantheia, the Desert Jewel

Hello there, TERA Fans! Continuing what appears to be TeraFans Wiki - High ElfHigh Elf week, the interactive world map has been updated with the lore of the Elven capitol, Allemantheia! Check it out below!

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Allemantheia, the Desert Jewel

From the heart of Shara rises an elegant, majestic city of light. Surrounded by stark extremes of environment, Allemantheia's tall spires, dramatic water sculptures, and soaring streets seem less like a homeland and more like a monument to independent thought.

This is the city of the elves, center of their culture and racial identity. Built soon after their arrival on Shara, it reflects much of the people it represents. Aloof, mysterious, unknowable, visitors to the city have been known to stop and stare at some feature for hours, then suddenly realize the statue they've been studying is actually a doorway.

There is a logic to the city's construction—elven logic, carefully crafted and refined over hundreds of years. Foot traffic flows like mighty rivers across deep canyons of stone, bridging the great lake at its base and connecting all things of importance to visitors. But this is but the surface of Allemantheia’s wonders. Behind the high walls is the true home of the elves, hidden away from the sight of those not fortunate enough to be born to that race. Whatever mysteries drive them to such secrecy we can only guess at; even with no elves in sight, the city is uniquely theirs.

History

The elves, or “High Elves” as their current philosophy names them, have a history both ancient and at the same time not much older than the city they inhabit. When the gods made war on one another, the elves took no sides—their own divine patron, Karas, had been absent for many generations. Their allies the giants and the poporis were involved enough for both races, and as the conflict escalated, life on Arun was nearly laid to waste.

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The giants' empire in ruins and their former slaves the amani locked in a death struggle with the newly created orcans and kobolds—these are reasons enough for anyone to leave a warzone, but not the elves. They had kept their forest safe and independent for thousands of years. It took something far more devastating to make them migrate—the total destruction of their way of life.

When the god Sikander pursued his nephew Nerezza across their lands, the tremendous energies used in their fight killed thousands of elves. Even this was survivable, but the battle also damaged the elves' greatest treasure, the Flower of Life. This ultimate expression of elven magic and the symbol of their devotion to the god Karas began leeching the land around their home, turning the Elven Forest into a lifeless waste.

To contain the runaway energies of the damaged artifact, many sorcerers gave their lives to create a device capable of safely harnessing its power. But the environment-damaging aspect of the Flower was not something they could fix or control, and the debate over how best to proceed created a greater rift in the already politically charged culture of the elves. One faction (led by the Archmage Cerion) maintained that to give up the Flower of Life (now referred to as “the Core”) would be giving up their cultural and spiritual identity. The opposing view was that the Flower's energies should be safely returned to the world over time, ending the danger it posed to all life and willingly sacrificing much of the elves' magical might. There was one issue both groups agreed on: the gods were responsible for their problem, and no god could make it right. As their last unified action, the elves renounced the gods entirely, choosing to make their own way through life based on the strength of their convictions, instead of faith in cruel and capricious “higher” beings.
Thus were the High Elves born, and when the armed conflicts surrounding the disposition of the Core grew too dangerous to bear, they moved the seat of their culture from Arun to Shara, founding their great city of Allemantheia in a region full of the resources necessary to rebuild what they had lost.

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The Mysterium

Little is known about the Mysterium, other than that it is based in Allemantheia and was instrumental in turning back the argon tide. Ostensibly a union of magical disciplines from across Tera, its secretive and often incomprehensible motives brand it a perfect organization for the elves who champion it.

The spiritual successor to the Holy Empire's Council of Magic, members of the Mysterium can be found in any place of “ancient” power, in every major city of the federation, walking alongside dusty desert roads, and wherever they are least expected. They seek to understand, not control, though they are the first to act when one of their “own” uses magic for some nefarious purpose.

Allemantheia Today

A common saying among elves is “we remember.” Allemantheia is a self-contained city-state, not just politically, but functionally. Hidden within its tall walls and towers is the true home of the elves, one glimpsed only by trusted friends and associates. Never again will the elven people be threatened by outside forces. Inside their meticulously carved chambers they live industrious and private lives, illuminated by hidden conduits channeling and enhancing the light of Balder's eyes above.

Visitors to the city enjoy large spaces devoted to their needs, but are not granted easy access to the lower levels. Under the wide paths walked by other races are areas reserved for elves to wander and appreciate the beauty their ancestors created out of a sandy wasteland. Indeed, it’s surprising that there are any spaces at all for non-elves to enjoy—the city was closed to outsiders for generations, only opening recently to refugees of the argon encroachments to the north. Most adult elven residents either marched north to fight the invasion, or know someone who did and never came back. Amongst the hidden wonders of the city is an area where each elf that lost his life to bring about the dream of “unification” with other races is remembered in quiet contemplation.
Three towering gates offer access to the city’s broad avenues from the blistering desert outside the walls, and on a fourth “corner” the Mysterium maintains two areas for pegasus travelers from across the continents. Based on only the friendly smiles and open arms, one might never guess that not so very long ago, non-elven visitors could expect a very different—and much more violent—reception.

TERA Fans Animations

Good morning, TERA Fans! Today we have a special treat for you thanks to our armor render, Radacci! We have some short videos displaying attack animations, featuring TeraFans Wiki - CastanicCastanics and male TeraFans Wiki - High ElfHigh Elves .

All of the offensive classes are displayed, however, the animations for healers are not nearly as interesting without their awesome spell effects, so TeraFans Wiki - ElementalistElementalists and TeraFans Wiki - PriestPriests are not featured in this batch of animations.

Enjoy and let us know what you think!


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Berserker
Berserkers wear heavy armor and as you can see, they wield giant poleaxes! They utilize a weapon block to defend themselves.








Slayer
Wearing leather armor, slayers combine agility with powerful two-handed swords. They are able to dodge incoming attacks.








Warrior
The quickest of all melee classes, Warriors strike with hasty precision, dodging enemy maneuvers. At higher levels, these leather wearers are able to become evasion tanks with taunt and stun abilities.








Archer
Striking from afar, these leather-clad sharp shooters may also need to become skilled in trap placement and kiting.






Sorcerer
Sorcerers cast powerful spells from a distance but wear cloth armor, making them highly vulnerable.



Armor sets

Recently at one of the fan sites about TERA i am find all pictures female armor-sets even baraka there!


Aman female armor sets


Baraka armor sets


Castanic female armor sets


High Elves female armor sets


Human female armor sets


Popori female armor sets

Baraka looks like a tin :D
Spoiler: big pic

New Official Character Creation Video!

Good afternoon, TERA Fans! A new, official character creation video reveals previously unplayable racial genders and face sliders!

Check out En Masse's release below!

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We wanted to share a new video that Bluehole Studio has produced showing changes being made to the TERA engine based on feedback from the recent Korean Open Beta Test 3 and Western Focus Group Test 2. One of the key pieces of feedback we received was the desire for more character customization and this video shows one of the upcoming enhancements to TERA that allows players to customize the unique look of their character: more facial feature options and feature sliders to allow for custom modification.

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Click here to see the video on Hangame.com.
-- Scapes

(If the video doesn't work for you, click here to watch it on youtube!)

The video depicts the character creation of all of the races, including the notable female Aman, male High Elves and female Popori! Does this mean that the next Korean beta and FGT3 will feature all race/gender combinations O:?

Throughout the quick video, it appears that a few different facial sliders are being used to tweak the character's appearances. As the video is in Korean, I am not sure what the sliders are each specifically for, but you can clearly see that they affect the eyes, mouth and other prominent facial features.

I personally am really glad they've added options to help make each character look a little more unique! The feature doesn't look too extensive, but it does look like just enough. I am also glad that though the character creator is quite nice, there is clearly more to the game than character creation, as the focus has always been on TERA's next generation gameplay!

What do you think, TERA Fans?

Race Profile – Humans


Humans are, well I assume we all know what humans are. In TERA, like in many games, Humans are the "middle" race. They are average in physical appearance, but boundless in potential. The Human race is comparatively young, but shows great promise as a member of the federation.

A bit of history, from TERA Fan Wiki:

"For 2000 years, humans had to endure The Diaspora. To recover what they had lost in those 2000 years, they established themselves in an area of Arborea that was torn by a war of deities. The humans are upright, have good physical shape, and are full of confidence. However, no one believes humans will be the leading race of Arborea.


Humans have built the city of Velika which is now considered the center of civilization. They have driven away various monsters and creatures in Arborea to bring about peace, and created the Valkyon Federation, an alliance of advanced civilizations in Arborea."


Design Point

The industrious, capable, but overall unremarkable Human is again, not anything new when it comes to fantasy. For future concepts, what special flair or advantage can be added to the Human resume? I mean, we of all people should know what we're good at, right?

Male humans show a kind of physical exaggeration peculiar to the Korean style. Anatomy is slightly deformed to achieve emphasis, mostly in the torso and shoulder area. It may remind some of Hyung-tae Kim's artstyle from games such as Magna Carta. While not the slender, pretty boys of Japanese design, there is perhaps something still lacking here. Differentiation in facial features tend to revolve around ornaments, or surface decorations like facial hair, scars, wrinkles etc. Facial anatomy itself is a bit underwhelming, and leads to kind of a dull look. A greater dimension can be achieved with more exaggerated noses, eyes, lips, jawline and chin size. Don't be afraid to go for to the extreme! Female humans though, look very monotonous. The hairstyles are fairly regular, and similar to the High Elves. All females no matter what customization appear like a lady in her late 20s, certainly a more "mature" feel than the usual female game model. All in all, the designs fit the Human label pretty well.

Race Profile – High Elves


The High Elves are a powerful race with a strong talent for magic. They were once part of an advanced Elven civilization. When the Elven civilization fell during the War of the Gods, a group of Elves emerged from the disaster, abandoned their old ways, and renamed themselves the High Elves. They migrated to the continent of Shara, where they built a new capital, Allemantheia. They are fond of dueling.

High Elves tend to be arrogant and prideful and look down on the other races. They are pale with light hair with pointed ears, and dress in a vain and aristocratic manner.

Design Point

Not much to say here. The fair-skinned, noble, magical Elf trope is not exactly groundbreaking. Their hair design is modern-chic, but nothing new there either. Males can look a lot like Legolas. Someone invent some new Elf stereotypes already!

TERA Developer Blog – The History of the High Elves

Good Afternoon, TERA Fans! Today, MMORPG Blog, Massively, posted an exclusive developer blog looking at the lore of the High Elves. Written by David Noonan, you can find out more about High Elves below! (Even though we all know that Popori are the only race that matter, right? Am I right?)


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While we had a chance to get our hands on with the upcoming mmo TERA at GDC 2010, there was little we could glean about the overall lore of the world beyond the broadest of brush-strokes. That's why we were so glad when the folks at En Masse Entertainment offered to give us some exclusive insight on some of the history of this interesting new world.

This developer blog, written by David Noonan, Lead Writer at En Masse Entertainment, turns an eye towards the history of the High Elves, but in a fascinating way. Written in the format of a research paper -- complete with editorial remarks from a wizened professor -- it gives us a closer look at the bloody, violent, and fascinating culture of one of the elder races in TERA.

While TERA's warlike High Elves are cautiously accepted now in the ranks of the Valkyon Federation, they're still not entirely trusted by the other member-races. Only recently did they stop their bloody and bitter wars -- and the memory of the world's inhabitants have not yet faded in terms of what the "Children of Karas" once did. The High Elves, aware that their own survival is dependent upon cooperation with any other enemies of the Argon invaders, actively look past those previous differences; their cause is now that of saving all life on the planet. They act with strength, patience, and honor to achieve their goals of moving "forward, together and strong" -- a tenet that is just as important to the High Elf race as the benedictions spoken at meals in elven homes for well over 3,000 years.

Curious about lore on the High Elves of TERA? Join us behind the break for the dev blog from David Noonan or check out the gallery below for a handful of exclusive new screenshots!

In the action MMO TERA, players begin the game on the cusp of history -- a new generation charged with reshaping the world, but besieged by enemies on all sides.

The High Elves are an important part of that heroic effort, but they weren't always friendly with TERA's other races. The following lore document -- part of a research paper written at a military academy -- provides some insight into the pride and ambition that's a part of every High Elf's heritage. It also shows that in TERA, even the term papers are brimming with bloodshed.

-- David Noonan, lead writer, En Masse Entertainment.

Promotion by Duel in High Elf Officer Corps, -5 VC to 178 VC

By Jhairmu, Tyro, Fourth Class


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Two centuries ago, few militaries on either continent matched the High Elves' ambition -- or their success. During this time, the High Elves completed an overseas migration to the continent of Shara, built a new capital city (Allemantheia, which still stands today), and resettled nearly their entire population.

Yet amid this societal upheaval -- the likes of which we can scarcely imagine -- the High Elves managed simultaneous, multi-front military campaigns. From approximately -5 VC to 75 VC, the High Elves engaged in a series of "Liberation Campaigns" against the Nagas in the jungles of southern Shara. Despite the Nagas' known proficiency in jungle warfare, the High Elves were able to expel them while sustaining only moderate losses.

[Jhairmu -- This is much improved, but don't overstate your case. The Amani have certainly seen "societal upheaval" as well. And Humans like you know a thing or two about long migrations, eh? – Master Tull.]

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Then, turning their attention northward, the High Elven "Grand Spire Army" marched deep into Essenia in 176 VC. This was the high-water mark for High Elf military ambition, and it took a five-nation alliance to defeat them. And their fall was steep; after losing at Essenia, the High Elves would spend nearly six decades in civil war before emerging as a more tolerant nation.

[Later on, you should mention how the importance of dueling faded during their civil war, Jhairmu. Also, cite Hacremion's belief that the elves' duel-friendly culture made civil war more likely, because the elves were predisposed to settling matters in combat. – Master Tull.]

Why was the High Elf military of the time so successful? Why did it take a massive alliance -- essentially five other armies -- to defeat them at Essenia? The answers are manifold (and covered in Master Tull's lectures). I believe one key reason was that the High Elf officer corps had a sharper sense of the risks and rewards of battlefield decisions because they dueled.

In addition to the usual risks of losing a battle, High Elf officers faced the prospect of losing their rank afterward when challenged to a formal duel by a junior officer. Likewise, ascent through the ranks could be rapid for the officer who was a capable duelist and in the right place when his superior officers failed.

[Jhairmu, this would be an appropriate place to mention negative aspects of promotion-by-duel, including the loss of "institutional knowledge" when older officers lose duels. – Master Tull.]

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Dueling was an important part of High Elf culture at the time, and the officer corps was no exception. An examination of the histories (including several books on loan from the Karassian War College in Allemantheia) reveals several examples:

Gahrene, a warrior by training, who used duels to succeed her incompetent field commanders on three separate occasions during the Liberation Campaigns against the Nagas, each time relinquishing her duel-won post within a matter of weeks.
Veakran, who moved from centurion to general in a series of nonlethal duels, then killed as many as a dozen junior officers in failed promotions-by-duel after High Elf setbacks at Caer Thayn and Cruelwater.
[Move this to a later section where you discuss counter-examples, Jhairmu. Veakran was an ineffective general who kept his job with his axe, not his ability to command. – Master Tull.]

Thaerahm and Quorin, who succeeded each other after duels four times. Contemporary High Elf historians point out that Quorin's ability to consolidate after Thaerahm's hard-won gains made this more of a partnership than a rivalry; the conclusions of their "duels" may have been agreed upon in advance.
[Jhairmu, you should mention that neither of them lost a duel to anyone else during this time. That's further evidence that they were collaborating. – Master Tull.]

Yirahk, promoted to general after a successful duel; supply problems had bogged down the Grand Spire Army and drawn the ire of the High Command in Allemantheia. Yirahk had the army marching again within a week's time. Some High Elves still believe that had Yirahk dueled Heaphine earlier, the Grand Spire Army would have reached Essenia before the Popori relief column, swinging the tide of battle toward the elves.
[Now you're understating; it would have been a rout. My grandfather was there, Jhairmu, and if the Poporis hadn't arrived when they did, Essenia would have collapsed. – Master Tull.]

And possibly the most notorious example: The sorcerer Jaeluk, who set aflame the entire officer compound after the High Elf defeat at Twisted Root, then claimed to have engaged in promotion-by-duel with all of the officers present...collectively. A High Elf military tribunal disagreed with Jaeluk's "expansive" definition of a duel and imprisoned him for 30 years. Yet after his imprisonment, Jaeluk would return to military service and win key victories during the Peninsular Campaign against the remnants of the Nagas.

[Jharmu: Look up Rhaylek (in the early Naga campaigns) and the Dark Sisters (pre-Essenia) for more examples of promotions-by-duel. This paper looks promising so far, though you should beware glamorizing the pre-Reconciliation High Elves too much... -- Master Tull.]
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