Norsvold

Norsvold (KR/EU: Nosra) was a large island located in the southwest of Asmodae. This land housed one of the two remaining bases of the destroyed Tower of Eternity, the Tower of Darkness. It was introduced with the 5.0 patch to act as the main area for Asmodian Archdaeva players between levels 66 to 75. Players needed to have completed the Archdaeva Ascension to be able to enter Norsvold.

In the Aion 6.0 update Norsvold was removed from the game, following the cancellation of the Archdaeva system. Enshar has since taken over Norsvold's role.

Accessing Norsvold

Via the Teleporter in Pandaemonium (Asmodians)
Via rifts that may randomly appear in Iluma (Elyos)

Lay of the Land

If its Elyos counterpart Iluma identifies itself through adherence to one theme, Norsvold derives its identity from having a multitude of them and the contrasts this creates. The map is rich in colors and life, while at the same time maintaining that dark aspect which defines the Asmodian race. The result is that Norsvold has a very idyllic, almost dream-like atmosphere to it. Add up the numerous ruins and other secrets to be found here, and Norsvold indeed becomes a map where the beautiful, vibrant past is pitted against the barren, hostile reality of the present.

Players arrive at Azphel's Sanctuary towards the center of the map. The surrounding area caters to level 66-68 players and contains the entrances to the starting instances. The rest of the map can be divided up into various 'districts', with each district containing monsters of specific level ranges. While the lower level areas are fairly easy to navigate, players will find that traversing the more remote areas becomes increasingly difficult.

Leveling

Norsvoldloci — Norsvold's location in the world

Different from preceding maps is that leveling in Norsvold grind-based. Starting at level 66, players can take hourly, daily, and weekly repeatable quests for the various areas on the map and complete these until they are (eventually) level 75. Due to the low experience these quests offer, however, many players instead opted for alternative and more efficient methods for leveling up: examples include doing the Fissure of Oblivion, clearing the Upper Abyss Barracks or 66+ group instances solo or duo, or grinding monsters in one of the map's elite areas with a group.

Transportation

A flight transport line is available from the Ariel's Sanctuary to reach the four smaller outposts located in the north/east/south/west. Once there players will need to walk or take a windstream to reach the desired location.

PvP

Norsvold is an unrestricted, 24/7 PvPvE map: there are no neutral zones or gates (like Enshar), offering little protection against incursions from the opposing race. The major questing hubs (as well as the entrances to the instances) have minor garrisons protecting them. Smaller outposts may be found as well, but these only have normal-grade guards protecting them. In other words, Norsvold is a map where the player largely has to rely on his/her own capabilities or swift feet.

Elyos players can enter Norsvold via a number of rifts that may randomly appear in Iluma every hour. The max capacity of these rifts, as well as the duration during which they will be active, varies (this is explained as rifts being weaker the further away they appear from the Tower of Eternity).

Crafting & Gear

All monsters in Norsvold have a chance to drop Archdaeva-related items, ranging from crafting/morphing materials to manastones and even basic Archdaeva gear, although the drop rate for gear was nerfed in later patches. Better gear and manastones can be acquired from the local instances.

Norsvold also has a unique skin set associated with it. This set can be crafted by completing [Spy] quests in Iluma, and combining the acquired tokens with the recipes sold by the Shugo merchants at the four excavation sites.

Dynamic Content

Transportation: Windstreams and free-flight zones may be available in different areas based on the time of the day.
Boss Monsters: Norsvold has a number of Primordial boss monsters that can be slain with a group to advance related quests. Other boss monsters will also appear in specific areas during daytime or nighttime, and can be slain for quests that award basic Archdaeva gear and experience.
Portals: The appearances of rifts and access points to the Tower of Eternity are largely randomized. Portals to the Tower of Eternity may appear in the main base or any of the four excavation sites located around it.
New phenomena such as geysers and aethershrouds may appear in the landscape and provide buffs to your character if you interacted with them. The effects range from faster casting or enhanced attack to brief invisibility.

An aethershroud in the landscape of Norsvold

Instances

Solo Instances

Fissure of Oblivion [66+]

Group Instances

History

"The hallowed grounds around the twin bases of the Tower of Eternity have awakened from their long slumber. Beasts not seen for a thousand years once again stir, and life in the days of the Cataclysm resumes. For the Asmodians, Norsvold is a bitter reminder of a more complacent time, and the destruction that the Elyos invited by agreeing to peace with the Balaur. And yet, there is wonder yet to be found here, and ancient secrets long forgotten - for those daring enough to venture forth."

-Official description from the 5.0 patchnotes

Trivia

It is one of the few areas in the game (besides Oriel/Pernon and Iluma) where the environment is affected by weather and seasonal changes.
"Norsvold" can be loosely translated from German as "forest of the north", possibly referring to its abundance in vegetation and its location from the Tower of Eternity.

Template:World of Atreia Navbox