Year 1209 of the Septian Calendar.
The threat posed by Almata has passed. Peace has finally returned to Calvard. And, for a time, that peace goes uninterrupted—until a CID Special Ops unit is slaughtered by an unknown assailant.
With authorities working to contain the situation, criminal forces take the chance to make their own moves.
Meanwhile, a spriggan by the name of Van Arkride begins his own investigation—after prompting from an unexpected visitor.
Who could be responsible for this massacre? What was their objective? And how does it all relate to Agnès' search for the eighth Genesis?
A moderate-sized city located in the north of Calvard. Due to its long-standing role as one of the Northern Sea’s major trading ports, Messeldam was often tasked during the days of monarchal rule with the delivery of imports to the capital of Oración—along with fresh seafood, of course. Although the port remains active to this day, developments in airship technology have greatly diminished its significance. The city itself, however, remains an important gateway to Remiferia and its surrounding nations.
Unlike Langport, Messeldam possesses very few tourist destinations. That being said, the townscape's architecture tends to be quite popular with visitors, as its design has seen little change in the past century. The city’s Eastern and Central Eastern populations are fairly meager due to its geographical location. As such, it lacks a community that values cultural traditionalism. This has, fortunately, been a boon for Messeldam, as new art movements and customs are accepted with relative ease. It was this very attitude that led to the city serving as the venue for the Orbal Film Festival for a number of years, until its relocation to Tharbad in 1208.
Langport’s very own 'Old Town.' In contrast to the Eastern Quarter’s First Ward—which is currently under the Lu family’s protection—the Second Ward features establishments that cater to the needs of the local populace, such as inexpensive restaurants and public bathhouses. As a result, it is rarely visited by tourists. The Second Ward is also home to the main dojo of the Gekka school, one of the three great Eastern martial arts.
Trion Mall: An enormous shopping center located at the foot of Trion Tower. Among the variety of shops and activities featured at the Trion Mall are such establishments as the Verne Store, which stocks the Verne Company's most cutting-edge orbal devices, and the Quincy Parlour, where guests can indulge their cravings for high-class confections. Also available is an orbal multiplex, for the viewing of orbal films, and the Liberl Boutique, which sells goods imported from the Liberl Kingdom.
Centre Marché: The most bustling marketplace of its kind in all of Edith. Renowned as 'the capital's pantry,' the Centre Marché offers all the daily necessities and perishables a shopper could ask for. Due to its popularity with tourists, the area tends to be quite busy. The roastery that supplies Montmart with their coffee beans is said to be in the Centre Marché as well.
Zemuria's first virtual space service. Its creation was made possible through the use of Xipha technology and the orbal network. After furthering their research on the Virtual Combat Simulator, the Marduk Company took the opportunity to expand its functionality as well—and thus, the Märchen Garten was born. The Märchen Garten is capable of generating virtual environments by sending enormous amounts of data via the orbal net. Users, who can access these environments from even the most remote locations, can then utilize them for meet-ups and other activities.
Formally known as 'The Four Gardens.' A group of violent assassins that once operated across central and western Zemuria.
The organization is made up of the Gardens of Sword, Thorn, Aurum, and Rust, with each falling under the watchful rule of a designated overseer.
Over the years, the Gardens have made a habit of kidnapping orphaned children from across Zemuria and forcing them to undergo rigorous training in order to become elite assassins. As these assassins tend to boast a significant number of kills, this process is believed to be successful. However, seeing as the overseer of the Garden of Swords was murdered at the hands of two its defectors, it's safe to assume their training does not guarantee loyalty.
A large country located in the central region of the Zemurian continent. Its current leader is President Roy Gramheart. Due to the unfortunate circumstances created by the desertification in eastern Zemuria, Calvard has a substantial history of receiving both immigrants and refugees. The resulting mixture of cultures and ethnicities has made the country into something of a melting pot. One hundred years ago, Calvard was under the heel of its monarchal rulers. It was only after Sheena Dirke and her compatriots brought about a democratic revolution that the nation was transformed into a democratic republic. Though in constant conflict with Erebonia over the control of bordering regions, Calvard has recently been on the receiving end of reparations from the Empire following the Battle of Jormungandr. These reparations enabled Calvard to enter a period of rapid growth and development, leading to its eventual overtake of Erebonia as the most powerful nation on the continent. Regarding the region's recreational interests, recent technological advancements in orbal vehicles and filmmaking have caused a boom in both the motorsports and orbal cinema industries.
A non-governmental organization with branches across the continent. They have a reputation for handling jobs that fall outside the purview of local authorities. The members of the guild are known as bracers, As such, they are often tasked with managing everything from monster extermination to crime prevention. Unfortunately, due to the guild's lack of civil authority, they are hampered by their inability to involve themselves in political matters unless civilians are directly threatened.
The Septian Church, which is centered around the worship of the Goddess of the Sky, Aidios, is the most widespread religion in Zemuria. Their emblem is the holy grail, which is said to receive blessings from the Goddess Herself. Its seat is in the Holy City of Arteria.
The various regions and cultures across the continent have different names for the Goddess—however, whether it be the 'Goddess of the Sky,' 'The Heavenly Mother,' or 'The Winged Goddess, Arusha,' they all worship the same, singular Goddess.
The church's facilities are managed and maintained by the Congregation for Divine Worship. However, the tracking and recovery of artifacts are handled by a group known as the Congregation for the Sacraments. As these two entities are not on friendly terms with one another, they often end up in conflict. The church is also tasked with enlightening the people of Zemuria through education, training, healthcare, and other such means. Their Sunday School program is perhaps their most successful in this mission, as it is widely attended by children across the continent for their early education.
A secret society that operates throughout all of Zemuria. Almost everything about them remains a mystery.
Ruled though it is by an enigmatic leader known as the Grandmaster, the society's plans are devised almost primarily by the seven Anguis and carried out by special agents known as Enforcers.
Their engineering network, known as the Thirteen Factories, always keeps them one step ahead of modern technology. With the first and second stages of their Orpheus Final Plan already complete (those being the Gospel Plan and the Phantasmal Blaze Plan), Ouroboros has begun preparation for its third stage: the Eternal Recurrence Plan.