The Mysteries of Gracia
The world of Lineage 2 is filled with ancient kingdoms, legendary rulers, and historical events that shaped the fate of entire continents. Yet some of the greatest sources of confusion in the game's lore did not originate from the developers themselves, but from translation mistakes that persisted across multiple localizations for years.
One of the most fascinating examples involves the Kingdom of Sirius, the true identity of Faris, and the succession crisis that divided Gracia. A closer examination of the Korean, English, and Russian texts reveals that many of the contradictions in the lore were created entirely by localization errors.
The Mystery of a Kingdom That Never Existed
Questions first emerged while examining the legends surrounding the Cloak of Farrit in Lineage 2 Classic.
In the Russian version of the game and several fan databases, references were made to an ancient Kingdom of Ferrit. However, a closer look at the original Korean texts revealed that no such kingdom had ever existed.
After comparing the various versions of the legend, it became clear that the name had been mistranslated. Following a report submitted to customer support, the developers eventually corrected the issue. The item's name was changed to the Cloak of Sirius, and references to the ancient kingdom were updated to match the original Korean lore.
This correction resolved one of the most noticeable inconsistencies in Gracia's history.
Who Was Faris?
Correcting the kingdom's name solved only part of the puzzle. Further investigation uncovered additional contradictions surrounding a key historical figure known as Faris.
Different versions of the lore referred to him as both Paris and Faris, creating the impression that two separate characters existed.
However, the events described in each version clearly pointed to the same individual.
According to the legends, Faris was the ruler who succeeded in uniting Gracia. Yet after his army suffered a devastating defeat against a coalition of rival forces and former allies turned against him, his reign began to collapse. The turmoil that followed eventually plunged the continent into civil war.
Despite his central role in Gracia's history, inconsistencies between localizations left players with conflicting interpretations of who he actually was.
The King Who Wasn't a King
Even stranger contradictions appeared when examining Faris's early life.
The Russian version stated that he conquered vast territories throughout Gracia. However, the Korean text described something entirely different: the expansion of the Kingdom of Beheim.
At first glance, the story made little sense. How could the future ruler of Gracia be expanding another kingdom's territory?
The answer emerged through additional material found in Lineage 2 Mobile. One character card described Faris as the King of Mercenaries.
This detail led to a closer review of the Korean lore, revealing a crucial sentence missing from both the English and Russian translations. In the original version, Faris spent many years participating in wars as a mercenary leader, earning a legendary reputation long before claiming the throne.
During this period, he expanded Beheim's territory through military campaigns. Only later, after taking advantage of political instability, did he launch a rebellion and seize control of Gracia.
Without this missing context, much of Faris's story appeared confusing and contradictory.
The Heirs to the Throne of Gracia
Following Faris's death, the struggle for power intensified.
According to the legends, one claimant to the throne was Karnear, a clever and dependable political figure who gained the support of a large portion of the nobility.
His primary rival was a character known in Russian translations as Kukarus. Their conflict eventually led to Gracia splitting into Northern and Southern factions.
For years, this version of events was accepted as fact.
An Error Inherited from the English Translation
Further research into the Korean texts uncovered an unexpected discovery.
The name translated as Kukarus matched the name of a territory that already existed elsewhere in the game's localization. A direct comparison with the original Korean sources revealed that the intended character was actually Hicrus.
In other words, Kukarus was likely never a real character in the original lore at all.
Ironically, this mistake did not originate in the Russian localization. It appears to have been inherited from an earlier English translation created during Lineage 2's initial adaptation for Western audiences.
As a result, a single mistranslated word effectively created an entirely fictional historical figure that persisted in the lore for years.
How Translation Errors Shape a Game World
The stories of Sirius, Faris, and Gracia's succession crisis demonstrate how powerful localization can be in shaping players' understanding of a game's narrative.
A few missing sentences, mistranslated names, and inaccurate interpretations of Korean source material created a chain of contradictions that many players accepted as official lore for years.
Only by comparing multiple versions of the same legends, item descriptions, and supplementary materials was it possible to reconstruct a more accurate picture of Gracia's history.
A New Perspective on Gracia's History
Each discovery brings players closer to understanding the developers' original vision.
Faris is no longer simply a mysterious conqueror, but a legendary mercenary commander who rose from the battlefield to become ruler of an entire continent. Sirius regains its rightful place in the lore, while characters born from translation mistakes gradually disappear from the historical record.
These discoveries highlight what makes researching Lineage 2 lore so fascinating. Behind every unusual name, conflicting description, or forgotten legend may lie an entirely different version of history that players have misunderstood for decades.
