Before disaster struck the world of Lineage 2, the universe existed in a state of harmony. The elemental realms were governed by the gods, while the material world was ruled by the Giants, who faithfully served their divine creators. With the dinosaurs already imprisoned on a distant island, peace and prosperity seemed eternal.
However, this age of stability would come to an end through a series of events that transformed the world forever.
Shilen: From Beloved Goddess to Outcast
Among all the gods, Shilen was one of the most admired. As the goddess of water, she was respected by Giants, the Elroki people, and countless other intelligent races. Her courage and compassion made her more beloved than many of the other gods.
At the same time, Gran Kain, the god of chaos, struggled with his own failures. Despite several attempts to create life, his efforts had produced only flawed beings and spiritless forms later known as demons. Determined to prove himself, he became obsessed with the idea of creating the perfect race.
Shilen's popularity and beauty eventually attracted the attention of her own father. According to official Lineage lore, Gran Kain intentionally seduced Shilen, believing their offspring would become the most magnificent race ever created.
When Einhasad discovered the relationship and Shilen's pregnancy, she reacted with fury. Stripped of her authority over water and abandoned by both parents, Shilen was exiled from the divine realm.
The Birth of Monsters and Dragons
Alone and filled with despair, Shilen fled eastward into a dark forest. There she gave birth to her children while cursing both Einhasad and Gran Kain.
Those curses shaped the nature of her offspring. Rather than becoming a new divine race, they were born as monsters.
Among them were six incredibly powerful dragons:
Antharas, the Earth Dragon
Valakas, the Fire Dragon
Lindvior, the Wind Dragon
Fafurion, the Water Dragon
Aurakiria, the Light Dragon
Skelt, the Dragon of Darkness
Because they carried the blood of Gran Kain, these dragons possessed power rivaling that of the gods themselves.
The War of the Gods
Consumed by anger and betrayal, Shilen gathered her children and created an army of monsters to wage war against the gods.
The six dragons stood at the head of this force, each opposing a god associated with an opposite element. Despite a warning from Aurakiria, who questioned the wisdom of fighting their own family, Shilen refused to abandon her quest for revenge.
The conflict that followed became one of the most devastating wars in the history of the world.
Dragons shattered the palace of the gods and challenged divine authority directly. Thunderstorms raged across the heavens as gods, angels, dragons, and monsters fought for years. Giants and mortals watched in terror as unimaginable power clashed above them.
Although the dragons inflicted tremendous damage, the gods ultimately proved stronger. One by one, Shilen's forces were defeated.
Skelt was struck down by Einhasad's spear. Valakas suffered terrible injuries during his battles. Other dragon lords were forced to retreat or disappeared into the depths of the world.
Realizing defeat was inevitable, the surviving dragons escaped to the material world along with the remaining monsters.
The Creation of Death
Broken by the loss of her children and her failed rebellion, Shilen descended into Purgatory.
There she encountered the demons originally created and abandoned by Gran Kain. These beings had survived in harsh conditions and developed deep resentment toward their creator.
Unexpectedly, Gran Kain took pity on Shilen. Instead of allowing dying creatures to vanish into nothingness, he decreed that all souls would pass to Shilen after death.
This decision created a completely new concept within the world: death itself.
Until that moment, living beings simply disappeared when they died. Now their souls would continue to exist under Shilen's authority.
The Pact with the Demon Kings
In Purgatory, Shilen forged an agreement with four powerful Demon Kings:
Malruk
Triol
Bremnon
Halisha
In exchange for allowing demons influence over the dead, Shilen transformed the deepest regions of Purgatory into the Realm of Death.
Using the legendary Sword of Aigis, she cut through reality itself and created a separate world where departed souls would gather. This realm later became known as the World of Overthrow, a dark dimension filled with despair and suffering.
Through this pact, the Demon Kings gained command over powerful undead forces and Death Lords who could enter the material world to carry out their masters' will.
The Birth of the Undead
The creation of death introduced entirely new forms of existence.
Ghosts
Spiritual entities lacking physical bodies, often summoned through dark magic using the remains of the dead.
Skeletons
Undead beings animated by resentment, curses, or demonic pacts. Most exist as mindless servants.
Zombies
Corpses revived by hatred, suffering, or unfinished business from life.
Vampires
The most intelligent undead. They retain their memories, personalities, and appearance, differing only through their pale skin and supernatural features.
These creatures became valuable servants of both demons and Shilen's followers.
Shilen, Goddess of Death
As centuries passed, Shilen's realm filled with countless souls. Her power steadily increased.
Despite later portrayals that depict her as pure evil, older versions of Lineage 2 lore present a far more tragic figure. Shilen was once a compassionate goddess whose downfall resulted from betrayal, exile, manipulation, and loss.
She mourned the destruction caused by her children and struggled with the consequences of her actions. Yet the anger born from her suffering never disappeared.
Eventually, her growing power became a threat to the world itself.
The Forbidden Gate
Many centuries later, Emperor Shunaiman, aided by Einhasad, sealed Shilen away behind the legendary Forbidden Gate.
According to the lore, this location marks the region where Shilen gave birth to monsters and later descended into Purgatory. It became one of the most significant locations in the mythology of Lineage 2.
The seal prevented Shilen and her armies from directly returning to the material world, though their influence continued to shape future events.
Legacy of the Disaster
The exile of Shilen and the War of the Gods permanently altered the history of the world.
The beloved goddess of water became the Goddess of Death. Dragons spread across the world. Demons gained influence over mortal souls. Undead creatures appeared for the first time. Death itself became part of existence.
What began as a personal tragedy evolved into a catastrophe that reshaped every civilization and laid the foundation for many of the conflicts that would define the future of Lineage 2.
