Most MMORPGs take place in a fantasy setting reminiscent of medieval times or ancient legend. New World is intended to take place during the Age of Exploration, roughly the 18th century, but in an alternate timeline where certain kinds of strange, unexplained phenomena exist and death isn't permanent. The game shies away from terms like "magic" to explain some of the weird things that happen on Aeternum, but if it's not magic, then what is it?
New World has a different look than other MMOs in the sense that it shies away from the classic fantasy stereotype, not only with the different time periods but also with the variety of weapons and how they can be equipped. There's no duel-wielding, elves, orcs or spellbooks to be found, but the world does have some powers that look suspiciously magical. Some of the mysteries of Aeternum need an explanation, especially if they're supposed to be based on an alternative reality based on real-life.
7 Who Were The Ancients?
This shouldn't be confused with the Ancient Guardians, who are the undead minions guarding the impressive ruins the Ancients left behind. Apparently, these undead minions are colonists from later times who worshipped the Ancients. Heron's Field Notes fill in a few gaps about the Ancients as a separate race, but the various scraps of paper scattered throughout various ruins pose more questions than they answer.
Amazon gets away from the awkward colonial implications of this historic time period by insisting that Aeternum was always a colony and has no indigenous races. In that case, who were the Ancients, and if they weren't from Aeternum, when and how did they get there?
6 What Is Azoth?
Something about sacred trees, Eden, and the spark of all life? This very special liquid, not really magical but perhaps so, is required for doing virtually everything in Aeternum, from travel to crafting. However, what is it and where does it come from?
The Azoth Tree, an impressive in-game feature located in a mid-level area called Brightgrove, is a wild area surrounded by Angry Earth and vigilant Druids. There's some interesting mythology crammed in here, but without further explanation, it's dangerously close to becoming an annoying MacGuffin.
5 Who Are The Corrupted?
The easiest frame of reference would be something from Hell. Benevolent things like Azoth are associated with positive ancient mythology, like Eden, so would the Corrupted be the flip side of that?
The Corrupted behave much like a Faction in New World, vying for reputation and territory, and other players are encouraged to band together and fight against them in the same way. It's easy to focus on the stellar rewards that often result from driving them back, either by killing a tentacle or killing an elite, but there's virtually nothing about who they are or where they come from. It's Hell, though, isn't it?
4 When Was Aeternum Re-Discovered...
Going with the premise that Aeternum was some kind of ancient Eden, would that mean that the first humans were cast out? That being the case, when did they first return? This is tied to the question of the Ancients and their origins.
Does this mean that the Ancients were essentially the first humans to rediscover Aeternum? It seems like a long time by the look of the ruins, but it's also implied in the introduction that the location of Aeternum is some kind of secret and that only a few ever find it. If that's the case, then what about all these other people that came here before the player did?
3 And How Long Ago Did The First Settlers Arrive?
Aside from the ancient ruins, players will also come across farms, mines, fisheries, and other recent attempts at settlement. These places won't exactly be abandoned, either. They're often inhabited by the Lost or the Withered, and the backstory for these unfortunate souls is that they were former settlers that were caught between death and undeath.
These human settlements have all the aesthetics of 17th-century settlements, but what about other previous settlers? As if the Romans wouldn't have at least written about Aternum never mind trying to take it over, and there's that Viking ship on the shoreline but there aren't any Viking ruins on Aeternum. Maybe they never made it to Aeternum, but that needs a better explanation than a weirdo with a mysterious map in a smokey bar.
2 Why Doesn't Death Work...
We get the Eden references, but what about non-permanent death? If Aeternum is really Eden in a "Paradise Regained" kind of way, then how come there's death at all? In fact, shouldn't everyone in Aeternum then be strictly vegetarian and all of the animals be wild but totally docile if that's the case?
There's also the question of why, then, the undead in Aeternum would even be hostile. It's a bit too convenient that the riles of death in Aeternum fit so perfectly with how death works in virtually every MMORPG, so for future reference, this needs a better explanation.
1 And Why Does It Drive Some To Undeath But Not Others?
There are a few scant explanations as to what kind of person becomes Withered or Lost. Sometimes it's a case of dying a particularly violent or gruesome death, but some of the lore notes left behind describe human beings who became some variation of the undead after eating certain types of food, spending too much time in areas with the Corruption affliction, or even just from being attacked by another undead being.
It's just a mysterious part of the lore now, but it's too arbitrary to stay that way. The need for a more thorough explanation here is tied to the question of the Ancients. If the Ancients had the kind of power to avoid the perils of Aeternum's non-death, what exactly happened to them?
New World is currently available on PC.