Author: Eternal Paradox | Page 7

Eternal Paradox | The Bianca Chronicles 2: The Darkest Night

by Eternal Paradox | Nov 29, 2023 | Bianca, EPXLore, Eternal Paradox, Gala Games

Rise in yer east and go set in yer west, through darkest night Captain Bianca knows best.

The torchlight flickered and danced upon the faces of the marauders, casting grotesque shadows that stretched and writhed upon the walls of Bianca’s beloved cottage. Fear gripped her youthful heart like an icy claw, but she remained crouched in the darkness, her eyes fixed on the pirate gang.

Desperate for a better vantage and some plan of attack, Bianca darted through the black to the side lawn of the cottage, where she could see, hear and smell the action through a well-lighted open window.

The pirates, their voices raucous and breath laced with the stench of rum, burst through the cottage door with weapons glinting menacingly in the firelight. Perkins and Clara stood defiantly before the pending onslaught.

With his weathered hands gripping the hilt of his old sword, Perkins spoke in a voice that trembled with age but not fear. “We knew you would come,” he said, his eyes unwavering. “We were ready.”

The pirates laughed — a harsh, mocking sound that echoed through the small cottage. “Ready to meet your maker, old man?” the leader sneered, his face obscured by a dark hood.

Perkins met the pirate’s gaze without flinching. “Ready to protect those we love,” he replied, his voice firm.

The jagged laughing response from the hooded man chilled Bianca’s soul. He took a full and indulgent cackle, then paused with a sigh and spoke plainly: “Where is the brat?”

Perkins’ words came out as a defiant curse: “The king left her in our protection, and she will never be yours.”

“Y’old fool,” replied the cold voice, “We only mean to kill her.” The band laughed heartlessly at this.

Clara, her frail form standing tall beside her husband, raised her hand, her palm glowing with an ethereal light. “You will not find her,” she said, her voice laced with magic.

The pirates, momentarily confused and stunned by Clara’s display of power, hesitated. But their hesitation was short-lived. With a wild roar, they lunged with weapons aimed at the old couple.

Bianca watched in horror as the pirates descended upon Perkins and Clara. She longed to rush to their aid, but her legs were frozen with fear, and she knew that Perkins wanted her to run. As he had reminded her so carefully less than an hour before, we run when the fight ain’t ready for us.

Perkins fought valiantly, sparks from his sword flashing in the dim light as six pirates fell by his hand, but he was no match for the overwhelming number of attackers. Clara, her defensive magic failing to hold back the tide of violence, collapsed to her knees with wide eyes full of rebellion and rage.

With a final desperate lunge, Perkins fell to the ground, his sword clattering away and blood pooling below him. The pirates turned their contorted faces to Clara.

“No!” Bianca screamed, her voice echoing through the night.

But her plea was too late. A pirate’s blade pierced Clara’s heart, and she slumped to the floor, lifeless. With one final heroic burst of energy, Perkins jumped to his feet and bound with impossible quickness to the corner where Bianca’s sabers were leaning against the wall. He picked them up and tossed them immediately out the window, knowing Bianca was there and issuing a blood-gurgling cry of “Flee, child!”

As she ran, Bianca’s world shattered. The old couple, who had been her surrogate parents, her confidantes, her friends, were gone, taken by the cruel hand of fate. The pirates gave chase, but she knew they would not catch her in the darkness. She knew the grounds too well to allow it.

A few minutes later the pirates had given up their chase. Tears streamed down her face as she watched from a distance as they ransacked the cottage, their greed insatiable. They took everything they could find — the precious trinkets Clara had collected over the years, the tools Perkins used for his fishing boat, even the food from their larder.

When the pirates finally left, the cottage was in ruins, its warmth and laughter replaced by an emptiness that echoed in Bianca’s soul. Then fire engulfed the cottage.

She stumbled off into the night, her legs weak and trembling. She smelled the sea, once a source of comfort and adventure, but it now felt vast and unforgiving.

She had lost everything she held dear. Her home, her family, her sense of security. All that remained was a burning desire for vengeance, a need to make the pirates pay for their crimes.

As she crept along behind the pirates, she fantasized about attacking. She wondered how many she could kill, but even if she could manage all of them, it was not enough. Bianca made a vow. She would become a pirate, a force to be reckoned with, a legend that would strike fear into the hearts of those who dared to cross her path. Only then could she manage the punishment that these wicked creatures deserved for their crimes.

She would never forget Perkins and Clara, and their sacrifice would not be in vain. She would use her skills, her knowledge, and her newfound determination to avenge their deaths and bring justice to the world.

The darkest night had arrived, but Bianca had faced it and survived. She would emerge from the shadows, stronger and more determined than ever before. The sea was hers, and she would make them all know it.

COMING SOON:
The Bianca Chronicles 3: Jumping Ship

PREVIOUS CHAPTER:
The Bianca Chronicles 1: The Sea is Yours

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Aiden’s Call 1: Guardian’s Crest

by Eternal Paradox | Nov 27, 2023 | Aiden, EPXLore, Gala Games

A wilderness trial shapes the destiny of a young leader in this thrilling origin tale of courage and destiny.

There are few in Elysium with a noble heart like Aiden’s. As the one who carries on the legacy of the Guardian Angels Mercenary clan, Aiden has seen both fame and notoriety. Those whom the Guardians have assisted are eternally grateful and owe their lives to the clan. Those who have not yet experienced the clan’s selfless saving power are doubtful at best, and outright hateful at worst of this strange Mercenary clan.

Of course, not everyone agrees with good for the sake of good. Evil exists in the hearts of many people, in our world as well as Elysium. Therefore the Guardian Angels have also learned to defend and destroy when necessary. As Aiden’s father often said, when there is no recourse, evil must be blotted out from the world without mercy or hesitation.

Typically a clan of Mercenaries exists to help itself and its members, but the mission of the Guardian Angels is to protect the innocent and the weak, the orphans and the widows, those for whom life has been hard. Elysium was good to Aiden’s family, allowing them to organize a new type of clan, one that builds its ranks through service and charity, like the Arthurian knights of legend in this world.

Aiden’s story begins when he was only 16, when he was anointed by the Aigles from above to prosper the clan of his father for the peace and glory of all Elysium.

Each youth in the clan must face a wilderness challenge shortly after their sixteenth birthday, called the Journey of the Spirit. The seven day and night fast takes the youth unarmed through some of the most unforgiving terrain on the continent. For Aiden’s journey, a mighty storm followed him the entire way. By evening of the seventh day, after facing a mighty and ravenous crow, Aiden was hurt and disheartened. His journey was nearly over, but he wondered if he truly had the mettle and the heart to lead.

Just then an eagle flew over his head and spoke to Aiden in the voice of the wind. “Take heart,” it said, “for your battle is not on the ground, but in the air.” The eagle flapped its wings once and a cloud formed. Then the cloud became an image of the great shield that would become known as the Guardian’s Crest, the heart of the Guardian Angels. The storm finally broke, and Aiden was filled with peace and confidence as he had never felt before; the strength to persevere entered his body. He no longer doubted or feared his life’s purpose.

Though to this day Aiden does not fully understand the meaning of the eagle’s prophecy, he does his best to live by it. Following his vision, Aiden’s father was visited by an eagle as well, which told him to pass the reigns to his noble son for the good of the clan and for the good of all Elysium.

Song of Aiden | Part 1

Alone in the wild, with wings beating true,
An eagle above was there sent to renew
A servant of servants who felt for the lost,
And looked for a path through the trials he crossed.

The Guardians Angels, whose deeds are renowned,
Protect all the innocent on sacred ground.
Yet not all who breathe will so welcome such grace,
For some doubt their purpose and shun their embrace.

For evil’s grim shadow, it lurks and it thrives,
In Elysium’s depths, where the darkness connives.
To combat this shadow, the Guardians stand,
Defenders of justice, with unwavering hand.

When Aiden arose, at his sixteen years’ call,
He was blessed by the Aigles to lead and enthrall.
In Journey of Spirit, a test of his might,
He fought seven days, through the darkness’s blight.

Unarmed he ventured, through wilderness dread,
A mighty storm raging and close at his head.
Battered and bruised by a crow’s fierce attack,
Regret filled his heart and his spirit did lack.

But skyward an Aigle, with golden wings grand,
Whispered in wind’s voice a soothing command:
“Your battle lies not on the sullen, dry ground,
But soaring above, where true valor is found.”

A cloud then transformed to a shimmering shield:
The Guardian’s Crest, and a purpose revealed.
Peace and assurance, a newfound delight,
Filled Aiden with wonder before the dark night.

Though prophecy’s meaning is veiled in mystique,
The ones who shall hear are the ones who shall seek.
His father’s new vision, a bright guiding call,
To lead then the Guardian Angels for all.

Coming soon:

Aiden’s Call 2: Earning His Wings

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Eternal Paradox | Launch Date Revealed!

by Eternal Paradox | Nov 22, 2023 | Gala Games

Eternal Paradox launches on December 5th with its first 49 day season, and the discounted Mercenary Tome presale begins tomorrow, 11/23 at 3pm PT

The destiny of the continent is at hand, and in only a matter of weeks, the Eternal Paradox begins. The brothers, locked in battle, have awakened the Ring of Ruin, calling forth powerful magic from the beyond.

Only the chosen few can recall the events which led to this apex in time and space and the relentless struggle that would then ensue. Cruel fate has ordained that twin brothers Karls and Shakram must lock horns in a cosmic tangle of violence, in a place outside of time.

It was not their brotherhood that betrayed them, but power and pride on one side, and unforgiveness on the other. Divided loyalties led to divided hearts. The Ring of Ruin does not choose sides; it simply is as it does. As the Mercenaries are gathered together under a new generation of leadership and called by King Karls’ word, there is always something to learn from struggle, cycle and story.

In our world, time marches on, but the Eternal Paradox remains.

The teams at Gala Games and NDream Studios are pleased to announce a December 5th launch date for Eternal Paradox, a first-of-its-kind mobile gaming experience that combines 4X, RPG and web3 ownership in an explosive seasonal masterpiece.

As announced in this blog, tomorrow begins a limited supply sale for first-generation Mercenary Tomes.

Eternal Paradox Store

Each of these Tomes contains enough magic to summon a single Mercenary who will serve you faithfully within the game until transferred to another player.

Players who choose not to own Mercenaries will also have access to play with them in-game, but only owned Mercenaries will enjoy Immortal Stats, meaning that levels and abilities will not reset from season to season.

Pricing and Supply

Until the launch (but only while supplies last) purchasers of Mercenary Tomes will enjoy a massive 30% discount.

Mercenary Tome

Price: $290
Pre-launch Sale Price: $199.99
Supply: 3000

Mercenaries Within

When you open a Mercenary Tome, you’ll receive one of the following ten unique Mercenaries in one of the following four rarities (Blue = Rare, Purple=Epic, Gold=Legendary, Red=Ancient).

Let us know in the comments below or on social media which ones you’re hoping to get in your collection. Winning the battle against time is all about having the right people on your team.

Eternal Paradox Store

Get Ready

There is no telling how quickly this limited run of Mercenary Tomes will last, but if you’re anywhere near as excited about Eternal Paradox as we are, you’ll want to prepare your wallets in advance!

The presale action begins Thanksgiving day, 11/23 at 3pm PT. If you pull an Ancient, you’ll have an extra reason to be thankful!

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Eternal Paradox | Alex Reborn: Childhoodwinked

by Eternal Paradox | Nov 21, 2023 | Alex, EPXLore, Eternal Paradox, Gala Games

Like time, the wheels of fate rarely spin with any sort of predictable precision. We long to believe certain tales, we cry out with weapons like reason and logic, we pray for patterns by which we can govern the world, but too often we are scattered like snowflakes in a brutal winter storm.

The stories we tell ourselves do not always resolve into happy endings, and to the story of our lives there is only one true resolution in death. But take heart, for while the great tragedy ensnares everyone we shall ever know and love, not every sad story ends in death, and some begin with it.

In a peaceful village called Izu, one such story began over two decades ago with an omen of blood-red skies and darkness during the day. The people of Izu knew nothing of Black Sun, the ancient secret society whose legacy was terror and blood sacrifice. They knew nothing of the history of their local ruin, known as Sarem. After all, if the people of Izu had known even a speck of that story, they would not have established their settlement in the midst of Black Sun’s most sacred sacrificial site, the altar of Sarem.

Evil altars may be worn down to ruins over time and forgotten by the ages, but their evil remains, like a stain on the fabric of reality, a dark shadow that lingers in the corners of a child’s nightmares.

Behold the innocent child of this cruel fate, a boy of seven, a boy called Alex. He was not made for this world, and such nightmares plagued his early years. Each night, an eternity would pass as the terrors of Black Sun’s legacy paraded through his dreams. He often thought the nightmare was over, only to discover that he had been tricked. The poor lad spent more time in nightmares than in the world; the dreams were strikingly real, and their memories stuck with Alex all his life into adulthood.

To share the horrific details of these dark dreams would not serve our purpose, so instead we focus on how Alex’s torment made him stronger. Trapping an innocent in a prison of nightmares is not a natural thing. Compare it to tossing a kitten or chicken into a raging ocean maelstrom. Chances are that the small creature will be broken and dragged under within seconds. But if that kitten survives, if that chicken somehow escapes from the whirlpool and struggles eventually to the shore, it would be counted worthy among all kittens, exalted among chickens.

Alex’s destiny was not to die when the maelstrom of Black Sun finally enveloped the village of Izu. He had been set aside by fate, marked by time and called to the Eternal Paradox much later in life. He had survived his nightmares, and he would survive what was coming.

The clansmen of Black Sun had cast powerful darkness spells, then set out for Izu in great force to restore their sacred altar at Sarem. The parts of the world that had already experienced their terror firsthand knew that fear was their primary form of attack. The ancient magic would strike despair and chaos into the hearts of their victims even before the physical onslaught from the legions.

The sun over Izu turned black three days before the attack. By day the sky was a dark, blood red. The moonlight and starlight were stolen from the night skies. The leaders of Izu fought bravely against the fear of these omens, praying to their gods and mustering their defenses against any possible enemy. Even in this far corner of the world, they had heard tales of evil magic preceding a slaughter from afar known as black punishment.

Under the impending curse of black punishment, weaker villages would scatter their leadership and run for the hills, but Izu stood strong, even as the Black Sun legions appeared in full force on the hill that overlooked the village, ready to charge. They stood like a thousand shadow statues. When the charge commenced, walls rattled and the earth shook.

We will not tell you of the bloodshed upon Izu that day. We will not describe the wails of the women nor the cries of the babies as they were ripped from their mothers’ arms. We will not recount the stench of slaughter in the air as every living creature was cut down and destroyed at the hands of a vile cultist mob called Black Sun.

Instead, we will look with hope for the future at the one child who survived, hungry and shivering in the depths of a cave where the invaders would never find him. Before departing to join the fight and meet his own end, Alex’s Father hid him away in this secret place with instructions not to emerge for at least seven days, when he knew the cultists would have moved on to their next bloody target.

The youth did as he was told. The damp and treacherous blackness was no more terrifying than the dreams through which he had suffered all his life: An eternity of darkness. While lost in those depths, Alex discovered his life’s purpose and was born anew. When seven days had passed, so did his fear, so he knew it was once again safe to emerge from the cave. He did so, but he was no longer a child.

At first the light burned his eyes, but he felt its warmth and moved toward it, staggering with disorientation. With blurred vision, Alex trudged bravely through the carrion birds and along the bloodspattered stones, toward the smoldering ruins of his home.

COMING SOON: Alex Reborn 2: Cry of the Misfit

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Eternal Paradox — Announcing the Mercenary Tome Presale

by Eternal Paradox | Nov 17, 2023 | Gala Games

Your chance to start collecting Mercenaries starts on November 23rd, along with a limited time 30% off sale!

Karls, the Mercenary King is gone and feared dead. The Ring of Ruin has risen from the pit and come to life, reawakening a chilling and ancient paradox magic into the world. Armed with dual sabers and a series of Karls’ letters to his most trusted comrades, an outnumbered pirate captain named Bianca must win the mercenaries’ trust and unite them under a new banner to save the world from Shakram’s certain doom… before it is too late.

The mercenaries are uncertain how Elysium got into such dire straits, but they will not dare doubt their fearless leader, King Carls, who now seems to speak to them from beyond the grave through this mysterious pirate and the letters she carries.

Can Bianca muster the forces necessary (with your help) to defeat Shakram? Will she find enough friends willing to help in her strange quest? The die is cast, the stakes could not be higher, and only time can tell if good or evil will prevail.

As discussed in AMAs and previous blogs, Mercenaries are the main way to participate in the reward economy of Eternal Paradox as an owner. This initial pre-launch Mercenary sale will give you an early chance to build up a sweet collection of Mercenaries, so you can go for the Ring of Ruin with everything you’ve got in the game’s inaugural 49-day season.

Why Mercenaries?

Eternal Paradox is a brilliantly unique mobile game that blends classic elements of RPG battling with a cutthroat and competitive 4X (eXplore, eXploit, eXpand, eXterminate) adventure. Those who obtain the strongest collection of Mercenaries early will be patting themselves on the back, while anyone who misses out will be left to curse the void of the paradox!

Every Mercenary has their own battle skillset, element and clan. These variables must be arranged carefully and strategically to emerge victorious from battle. Eternal Paradox battles can easily come down to the wire, so every strategic decision counts.

Owned vs In-Game-Only

Keep in mind that ownership is not required to play Eternal Paradox, as Mercenaries are unlocked within the 49-day Eternal Paradox cycle through narrative and gameplay. However, those who own minted versions of Mercenaries will receive additional perks and benefits to gameplay. We’ll tell you more about those details soon (before the launch).

Perhaps the most important of these additional benefits (other than the ability to bridge out and trade externally) is a sweet feature we like to call Immortal Stats. At the end of each 49-day cycle, the paradox will always reset and begin the cycle again. Everything resets except… you guessed it: Immortal Stats.

That’s right. Your owned Mercenaries (regardless of rarity or level) will always retain their stat boosts when the game servers reset. Think of the head start players will enjoy in Season II who build their owned Mercenary collections early.

Mercenary Tome

This is a very special and magical book. Each Mercenary Tome allows you to summon a single minted warrior from the ten Mercenaries available in this inaugural set. These characters are some of the most important in the game, and each is available in 4 different rarities: Rare, Epic, Legendary and Ancient. Every Mercenary Tome is guaranteed to contain a Mercenary that is Rare or better.

The ten different Mercenaries you may find in the first Mercenary Tomes will be revealed over the next few weeks, as each of their backstories and skills are revealed in upcoming blogs. The odds of pulling each rarity are listed below:

Rare — 75%
Epic — 17.5%
Legendary — 5.5%
Ancient — 2%*

*This is double the 1% chance that was used in Champions Arena!

While Tomes are 30% off for the first week, you can always increase your chances at an Ancient pull by stacking. We’re pretty sure you’ll be glad you did.

We’re holding some of the juiciest info back this time. You’ll have to wait for the price, the Mercenaries, and their stories. We’re not even going to spill the game’s launch date today, but we will tell you when the 1-week 30% off sale will begin: 1 week from today, on Thursday, November 23rd (yep, that’s Thanksgiving day).

Update for ERC-721 Landowners

Now that we’re live on GalaChain, we’re prepared to drop a shiny new GalaChain token for each piece of Eternal Paradox land.

If you own a Land Deed as an ERC-721, follow the instructions below to ensure you get your new GalaChain Deed when you begin playing Eternal Paradox with your linked Gala Games account:

Open Your Elysium Land Deed (ERC-1155) if you have not already done so.
Hold your opened ERC-721 Land Deed in your Gala Games connected wallet.
Download Eternal Paradox and connect the Gala Games account containing your Land. That’s it! No gas fee or bridging action is required.
Once you have received your new GalaChain NFT land, the old ERC-721 will be effectively deprecated and its metadata will be updated to reflect that no one should buy or sell it.

It’s time to get seriously psyched for Eternal Paradox. That’s all for now, so you better get back to Discord to see if you can get some red name to cave and tell you more. Not this time! Mwaahaahaa!!!

Follow Bianca’s story👇
The Bianca Chronicles 1: The Sea is Yours

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