Atriarch

Atriarch
Developer: World Fusion
Release Date: Q2 2001
By Andrew Park

World Fusion's Atriarch is an extremely unusual game, to say the least. Though it will be a massively multiplayer role-playing game, it'll have a number of unorthodox features; for instance, it takes place on a completely alien planet populated by strange alien creatures. There are no humans or elves or dwarves in the world of Atriarch; instead, you'll create your character from one of five alien races. Each of these races has its own distinctive look, its own particular strengths and weaknesses, and its own culture.

Click for full size image

Atriarch takes place on the alien world of Atriana, an enormous planet that's circled by three moons that regularly change the planet's climate, depending on their location within their respective orbits. And once each full cycle of the planet, a phenomenon called the Torpor Storm sweeps the land and induces a regenerative hibernation in all creatures - both those controlled by players and those that aren't. Atriana itself teems with life: It is inhabited not only by the player races but also by many other species of nonplayer creatures that are collectively referred to as "natives." Though some natives will be hostile and may attack player characters, others can be made to serve player characters as soldiers or workers.

Click for full size image

You'll be able to create a player character from one of five distinctive races: the Cavolon, the Eshlar, the Lokai, the Tyrusin, and the Unarra. None of the races on Atriana is human; however, four of them are roughly humanoid. The one race that isn't is the Cavolon, a tall, gangly race of creatures that slither about on tentacles and can also transport themselves by means of a "tentacle tongue" - an exceptionally long appendage they can use both to swing from branches and to attack their enemies. They can also use four of their appendages to wield weapons in combat, though the Cavolon tend to keep to themselves in their swampy habitats, preferring careful study of Atriana's plant life over combat and interaction with the planet's other races.

Click for full size image

The Eshlar are a tall and proud race of burly, heavyset humanoids that are generally quiet but have been known to be warlike. The Eshlar are the most creative race on Atriana; they're master artisans and are fiercely proud of their creations. Many Eshlar are also gifted architects; most of the existing buildings and structures that players will encounter in the game were built by Eshlar masons. However, Eshlar won't hesitate to don suits of crafted stone armor and charge into battle to defend their creations.

Click for full size image

The Lokai are a race of desert-dwelling nomads that vaguely resemble large, hunched praying mantises. The Lokai greatly value honor and loyalty but consider exploration and acquisition of unknown items to be even more important. Every Lokai is possessed by an insatiable curiosity about the world around it, and every Lokai wishes to explore the unknown. Many are accomplished storytellers, and in accordance with Lokai custom, each travels with a lifestaff, a rod that every Lokai carries and upon which every Lokai inscribes the tales of its own travels. The Lokai are better suited to travel than combat, though their thick shell serves as excellent armor in a pinch.

Next: More alien races