The Saga of Ryzom - The Inhabitants Feature

TotalVideoGames will be taking a closer look at last yearâ??s release of the MMORPG The Saga of Ryzom which takes place in the future, on a mysterious organic planet called Atys. Players are the young heirs of immense civilizations that fell a century before the game begins. The word is out that the civilizations are rebuilding themselves. While player guilds will have to protect and defend their new home lands from the giant insects, they will also have to conquer new ones in the wilderness of Atys where the ancient secrets of their ancestors are hidden. These secrets are extremely precious and big factions (magic gods and technology gods) are looking for them. Truth about the past has to be unearthed, and powerful knowledge revealed. Players will shape the fate of the Saga that will take them into an 8-year fascinating and evolving trip on several planets.

In a series TVG takes a look at the MMORPG, the world in which itâ??s staged and the occupants youâ??ll come across throughout the game. The first chapter takes a look at the backstory behind the game,

Far across the universe there was a great fusion of matter, and a unique world came into being. Atys, the green planet, was born. The primeval roots were soon sprouting green tendrils into the sky and the surface of Atys soon revealed a prodigious variety of vibrant ecosystems as the swelling vegetal matter emerged from an ocean of mist into continents.

Beneath the surface of each new layer of ligneous crust, a parallel bionetwork was evolving, intricately weaved together with the mathematical grace that Nature only knows. This never-ending labyrinth of verdant caverns and underground galleries hosted a world of its own which came to be known as the Prime Roots.

Then, Atys came to be inhabited by humanoid beings known as Homins: the Matis, the Trykers, the Fyros and the Zoraïs. These four homin peoples evolved independently into four intricate cultures which in-turn developed into civilizations. Each civilization had an innate predilection for a distinct environment.

Highly cultivated aesthetes well-versed in forest botany, the Matis are both a romantic and a conquering race. They settled in the forests of Atys where they soon laid down the foundations of a monarchy. In their craving for power, these regal lords quickly extended their dominions to the outer limits of the forest lands. Today, they seek to restore their lost Kingdom.

The eccentric and spirited Trykers made their home in the lake lands, and form a federation more than a single people. These wily hedonists were smaller in stature than the other homins and their nimbleness and sleight of hand gave them a reputation for thieving. But really they were good-hearted homins who nurture a dream of a world without tyranny or intolerance, with neither masters nor slaves. The Trykers simply harbored a love for play and trickery and a passion for adventure.

Determined, loyal and fierce, the Fyros have built their society on a strict code of honor. They formed settled communities in the deep and deadly deserts. In due course, the Fyros built up a respected if not feared empire, whose scholars were ever eager to find out the truth behind the dreaded Dragon of Atys.

The mysterious Zoraïs are very tall, their skin blue, and the masks they wear are genetically sown onto their faces. It is written that they were led in the dense jungles in response to a spiritual calling, well away from the barbarity of the other civilizations. There, they zealously serve the living planet.

Beyond the homins, two groups as powerful and mysterious as one another seek to control the destiny of Atys, the Karavan and the Kamis. Both possess unique powers, both claim to be the true guardians of the planet, both come to the aid of homins as long as they obey their rules, both are secretive about their origins and perhaps even their true intentions. For centuries now, they have followed different paths, observing one another without confrontation.

Nobody knows what the Karavan really is. It is composed of mysterious anthropoid beings in black suits and helmets that cover their entire heads. They are the faithful disciples of Jena, the Life Giver of Atys, and are invested with a mission to uphold homin faith in her. To steer homins on the path to salvation, they wield weird technology capable of taking life or resurrecting it at the lift of a finger; and offer great rewards for "favors" done.

Eerie entities capable of taking on various appearances, the Kamis constitute a major influence on Atys and its habitants. They stand vigil over the plant kingdom and ensure that no one may destabilize the fragile equilibrium of the planet they cherish. They share a collective conscience and it seems that no living species may escape their perception. The Kamis showe great benevolence towards the homins who clearly roused the creatures' curiosity. Like the Karavan, the Kamis travel freely through the lands of Atys keeping endless watch and endeavoring to make pacts with laudable homins in exchange for deeds.

The latent antagonism between the Karavan and the Kamis has progressively divided the homins. Over time, Matisâ??natural penchant for the powerful and the lordly led them to build up a very strong relationship with the Karavan. Today, they are its most loyal servants. The Trykers too consider the Karavan as the devout disciples of the goddess Jena. On the contrary, in their search for spiritual enlightenment, the Zoraïs have grown close to the mysterious Kami. Even the Fyros, who are not very devout by nature, are allying themselves more and more with the Kamis as well.

Despite the many crises that came to blight interhomin relations, each of the civilizations thrived and prosperedâ?¦ until the day the Kitins came.

Kitins are huge insects that inhabited the Prime Roots. One day, in their interminable quest for the Dragon of Atys, Fyros excavators uncovered a nest of the creatures. Fraught with fear and horror, their immediate reflex was to destroy the first giant insects they came across. But alerted by the slaughter, legions of soldier kitins suddenly surged forth from underground to eradicate what they considered to betheir natural enemy. And so the Great Swarming began... Homin cities were decimated after epic battles, entire populations were massacred and precious knowledge lost.

Many homins were able to escape through mysterious teleportation �rainbows� leading to safe haven until these too were destroyed by kitins. Homins remaining in the infested lands could but flee into the wilds where they were forced to live nomadic lives in constant fear of kitin attack...

Then one day heroic travellers came in search of the surviving homin communities with a message: homin civilizations were being rebuilt in new lands of promise!

Young refugees in their droves have since been urged by their elders to risk the long and perilous journey to join the newly flourishing civilizations in the newfound lands. All homins are welcome, as there is still much to do, and many dangers to overcome: kitins still patrol in the wilds and many areas are beset by the pestilent Goo.

The Goo is a mysterious form of pollution that seems to be consuming the planet Atys. The Kamis are actively trying to resolve this problem, but for now, the Goo continues to expand.

It uses the network of sap veins within the planet to travel, and bursts out on new territories it reaches. A creature infected loses its self-control and seems to be under the control of the Goo.

The last fifty years have given a fair share of trial and tribulation to each of the four civilizations. For the time being homin relations are fair, though it would take little to break the peace.

Certainly, there are many questions yet to be answered. What is the origin of hominkind? Is Jena really the almighty creator of Atys that the Karavan claim her to be? Doubt is growing in homin hearts. And who really are the Karavan? Why do they hate the Kamis so much? What is behind the bond between the Kamis and Atys? What is Atys?

The destiny of Atys is about to change hands. Someone, or something already has their sights on the Green Planet, looking for the Ryzom...

TVG will have more on The Saga of Ryzom later in the week as we carry on our look at the continuously evolving MMORPG, leading up to the release of ng later in the yearâ?¦