Chronicles of Elyria uses a dynamic story engine to drive new actions and events so there is always something to do each time you log in. Whether you aspire to be a hero of legend, wish to discover the secrets of the ages, or simply want a good tale to pass down, the story will evolve and adapt to the decisions you make even as it creates new opportunities to place in your path.
Like a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure novel on an MMO's scale, Chronicles of Elyria boasts a quest and story system that is unscripted, allowing you to be the master of your own destiny. Every action and event happening in Elyria has a chance to reveal new stories for your character to join...or ignore. Like a GPS for Storytelling, Chronicle of Elyria's Story Engine will adjust even if you miss your turn, recalculating the narrative and presenting new options to try to get you back on the high road to adventure!
That's not to say that the design team will be totally hands off. While most stories will be the result of player-driven contracts and conquests, some events will be in service of the ten-year story unfolding all across Elyria. Each server has the chance to play these events out in different ways based on how its citizens choose to react. The fate of the world is truly in your hands. What will the history books say about you?
Like the Game Master of a tabletop role playing game, the Story Engine in Chronicles of Elyria watches over you and takes note of your character's actions. From the moment your character is born, story arcs slowly unfold to reveal a unique narrative written just for you. Originally decided by the stars on the day of your character's birth, your destiny is revealed as a series of opportunities and circumstances that appear in the world across your character's life. However, the decision to take up action is yours and not every opportunity appears as something prophetic or special. You could spend twenty Elyrian years searching for your grand destiny, only to retire to your farm and launch a story arc digging up a mysterious artifact while tilling your fields! Your legacy will be a result of your actions and won't be found on any FAQ.
Certain deeds go down in the annals of history and that is where the achievement system comes in. Some achievements might be given to a single hero of the age, others to those groups who bravely stood in the face of adversity, while some achievements may be passed down between characters or even between lifetimes. Titles, surnames, heraldry, or artifacts might also be rewarded along with the achievement to become part of legends that are known throughout the land.
At the start, Elyria is a mid-fantasy world of sword and sorcery but, through the research of its citizens, will discover and develop new technologies that will take the world to new horizons. Rather than design a series of expansions, Chronicles of Elyria will respond to player research by developing and introducing new elements in the areas being focused on through gameplay. It will even diverge per server, if one focuses on seafaring while another server develops gliders. Just because some technology isn't immediately known at the start of the game, does not mean it cannot exist through focus and hard work!