Kjin is the capital city of the continent, Yeon, the largest landmass in the world. Kjin is a sprawling metropolis, the economic hub for the rest of the world. It is ruled by a council of warriors, scholars, mages, and alchemists, creating an oligarchical government that allows no one faction to hold absolute power, and promotes peace among denizens all across the world. 

A primary goal of the Council, among other economical and diplomatic missions, is to research the Old World. A civilization thrived, long before Kjin or any other modern cities were constructed, but mysteriously, they vanished, and their cities fell into ruin. Each year, expeditions launch from Kjin to retrieve relics from the Old World. Figuring out the catalyst for the collapse of the Old World is paramount to keep Kjin and its smaller cities thriving for centuries to come. 

One year, an expedition returns with a crystal. It hums with power as the few haggard expedition members stumble through the door. To the Council’s dismay, in-fighting within the expedition had caused many casualties, and what began as fifty warriors, scholars, mages, and alchemists, is now only three. Without much fanfare, the remaining members throw their hats on the table and bow as they recite their annulling vows, effectively revoking their service to the kingdom. They leave, causing the Council to slip into silence. Violence between government members was rare, even rarer was murder. The hum of the crystal is an ominous warning, but it can not go unresearched. 

As they spend time around the crystal, the Council begins to change. Warriors are replaced with warlocks, shapeshifters with mages. Within a few years, the Council consists solely of magic users. The other members? They succumb to strange illnesses or are removed forcefully when they lose touch with their minds. 

The seventh year after the crystal’s discovery, Kjin is suddenly thrown into conflict. A harsh siege of dark, swirling creatures swarm, taking out the unprepared, patrolling guards. The walls crumble, and citizens beg for mercy as their bodies are swallowed up by dark magic. Part of the city is overcome with darkness, but it is held back long enough for that portion of the city to be walled off. Residents of Kjin begin fleeing, moving to smaller, countryside villages. 

By the eighth year, the Council is cleaved in half, unable to come to a decision regarding the overrun section of the city. Soon it is apparent: many of the Council is tainted with the crystal’s power.  The tainted warlocks leave, taking the crystal with them. They establish their foothold in the Northern Mountains, having taken over a few small towns. It was a bloody sight - the villagers were turned into slaves and dark creatures served as their slave masters. Kjin could do nothing to prevent it, as they knew the power these evil warlocks held.

Each year, the tainted warlocks send out their dark creatures to overrun more towns, creeping ever closer to Kjin itself. 

The remaining Council launches one last expedition of willing citizens to search for something to combat the tainted warlocks. Surprisingly, they return with a crystal of similar shape and size, but a vastly different hue. It promotes peace, serenity, and healing in the minds of those around it. It is a risky move to trust such a crystal, but the Council has no choice. Either they sacrifice their minds to the power of this new crystal, or they succumb to those who have already lost theirs.