Before the Tower of Eternity was broken and the world shattered, the people of Atreia enjoyed the immense freedom of flight. After a renewed war with the Balaur split the world asunder, the isolated factions of the Elyos and the Asmodians lost many capabilities and inherent powers, including flight. Many thought the ability to fly had been lost forever.

Aion: The Tower of Eternity is a visually stunning massively multiplayer online role-playing game featuring cutting-edge imagery, breath-taking environments, and a unique world of fantasy. You play a pivotal role in the fate of Atreia, where flying takes on a completely new role and the enemy is not only the other player faction, but a deadly ancient evil as well.

August 27, 2008 – It’s been a while since my first Dev blog, but not because of a lack of things to talk about. Things behind the scenes have simply been that busy getting Aion ready for this week’s Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle, last week’s Games Convention in Leipzig. There will be loads of [...]

What is Aion?
Aion: The Tower of Eternity is a visually stunning massively multiplayer online role-playing game featuring cutting-edge imagery, breath-taking environments, and a unique world of fantasy. You play a pivotal role in the fate of Atreia, where flying takes on a completely new role and the enemy is not only the other player faction [...]

The concept of flight has always been enticing to humans, as can be read about in the ancient story of Icarus and his tragic flight towards the sun. With the release of Aion: The Tower of Eternity, you too can fashion your own set of wings, albeit without the violent end that Icarus suffered. Recently, the NCsoft Europe team took the time to describe the entire process through which a player is granted their wings, and the Ten Ton Hammer staff has posted the depiction for you to enjoy. On top of that, we’ve also received 43 brand new screenshots. We’ve posted 21 of the 43, so check back tomorrow to see the other 22! If you’re still curious, check out our exclusive interview and Ascension video!

The cycle of life is as fitting for the MMOG universe as it is for we mere mortals. Even as games like Tabula Rasa prepare for their imminent demise, other games are continually born into existence. The next big title coming from the warm, snuggly, Garriott-empty womb of NCsoft is Aion: The Tower of Eternity. With the company allowing one of its most hyped games to shut down after only a short chance at life, I think players are naturally nervous about putting their trust in the company yet again.

I progressed further through the ranks. My skills as a sorcerer were superior to many of the other Daevas and within the year I was granted control of a full legion. The fighting was fierce, and while we were often placed in danger before the Balaur, our Empyrean Lords were always careful to protect us. Our skills and tactics improved, and eventually we were able to start killing their younger, more foolish dragons, where before we would be forced to retreat behind our Aetheric shield. These were small steps, but as every parent knows, a child must learn to walk before they can run.

Aion’s hand was forced, and in retaliation, the god created twelve figures named the Empyrean Lords. These creatures possessed a beauty and strength far beyond anything we had ever seen before, and, like the Balaur, could take flight using the power of a strange and curious substance called Aether. Our faith in our god, and our devotion to Atreia had been recognized: these creatures were created in our image, and had come to save the world that so many of us had learned to call home.

These nightmares I speak of, they were called the draken, and were terrifying creatures to behold. Huge and heavy, our makeshift weapons were useless against their toughened hides. Worse still, they could spread their wings and take to the skies in a moment’s notice, rendering our meager defenses useless in a heartbeat. Soon our people learned to hide from the draken, and without a natural predator, their numbers and confidence grew in equal measure. Before long, their darkened silhouettes, once created by Aion to rule our world, were a common sight in the sky.

I’ll first speak of the era that existed even before my time. Our stories tell tales of green lands and bountiful pastures, a world in which we could prosper and grow happy with our families. This was the era that existed even before the Elyos and the Asmodians existed, when we were simply known as humans. Atreia was one. A whole. As we were one with each other, there was no divide, not between our worlds, nor between our people.