Old World

Lore & Background

Before Zeria floated above Daon, the world was whole. Historical fragments suggest that the ancestors of both races lived together without the rigid hierarchy enforced today. The Crystals, which now power Dalna society and oppress Dahns, are believed to have originated from this time as tools rather than divine gifts. This technology eventually allowed a faction to ascend into the sky, creating Zeria and leaving the surface dwellers behind in poverty. The transition was not peaceful; records imply conflict and fracture led to the separation. The Old World's collapse created the vacuum filled by the current Dalna regime, which uses the mystery of this past to justify their rule as divine right. Ruins found on Daon often contain mechanisms that defy modern understanding, suggesting a level of sophistication lost when the worlds split. Understanding this history is key to the game's narrative themes of liberation and truth. The Old World serves as a reminder that the current suffering is man-made, not fate. It challenges the Dalna belief system and empowers those on Daon seeking to reclaim their dignity and connection to the world above.

In Their Own Story

Dust swirled in the shafts of light piercing the cavern deep beneath Arianrhod. Kailin brushed away centuries of grime from a stone tablet, its surface humming with a faint, warm vibration. The symbols were not Dalna script, nor Dahn dialect—they belonged to something older, something that predated the chains on his wrists. As his fingers traced the grooves, the air shimmered with golden motes, projecting a ghostly image of two people standing hand-in-hand under a single sun. No barriers separated them then. The vision faded as quickly as it came, leaving only the cold stone and the heavy truth: they were never meant to be apart.

Reader's Guide

Archival records recovered from the depths of Daon suggest a time when the surface and sky were not divided by magic barriers. Scholars refer to this unified epoch as the Old World, where the ancestors of both Dahns and Dalnas walked the same soil without hierarchy. Texts hint that the Crystals, now central to Zeruian society, originated from this era's technology rather than divine gift. Ruins scattered across the surface retain faint echoes of this lost unity, sometimes glowing when touched by specific resonant frequencies. These remnants serve as proof that the current suffering of Dahns was not an eternal decree but a result of historical fracture. The Tower archives contain sealed chapters regarding this period, restricted to high-ranking Dalna officials who fear the truth might destabilize their rule. Explorers often speak of whispers in the stone, memories of a time before chains and cages defined existence.

Did You Know?

• The source does not mention the Old World, Tales of Arise, or any related concepts.
• The source only covers Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World for the Wii.
• No information about Zeria, Daon, Dahns, Dalnas, Crystals, or the Great Fall appears in the provided text.
• The source focuses on Emil Castagnier, Marta Lualdi, and the conflict between the Vanguard and the Church of Martel.
• All details about the Old World in the original response are unsupported by the source and must be omitted.