After a night of restless sleep in his small lodge, Elias set out. The grand cityscape of Veridia Prime, the capital of the Federated States of Aethelgard, hummed with its own unique blend of activity and undercurrents of emotional pollution. He had oriented himself with his phone, confirming his current position in this vast, dangerous world. Now, it was time to uncover its hidden truths.
The Central Public Library of Veridia Prime was a haven of quiet, its scent of aged paper and ink a comforting presence amidst the external chaos. Opting for physical texts over potentially monitored digital access, Elias headed for the comprehensive history and geopolitical sections. He needed to understand the world of ECU as it truly existed, beyond his fragmented player memories of major arcs. He needed to map the broader canvas of its nations and powers.
He immersed himself for hours, poring over atlases, historical accounts, and geopolitical analyses. He learned of the great confederacies bordering Aethelgard, the ancient empires of the Eastern Continents, and the nascent island states grappling with rising sea levels. He studied the intricate web of trade routes, the long-standing political alliances, and the simmering conflicts that defined the global stage. Each economic boom and societal downturn, each period of mass migration or cultural shift, was scrutinized for any hidden anomaly.
The records spoke of historical plagues attributed to rare pathogens, resource wars explained by dwindling reserves, and societal collapses blamed on corrupt leadership. But Elias, armed with his unique awareness, perceived the insidious tendrils of Eldritch influence woven into the very fabric of history. The texts never explicitly mentioned the "Other Side" or the "Eldritch Containment Unit," but the patterns were chillingly familiar. He was piecing together the true, global scope of the silent war, understanding how humanity, despite its technological advancements, remained tragically oblivious to the cosmic threat seeping into their world.