The Age of Legend ended when one Beast was slain by other Beasts, ending their covenant. The murderers became Mankind, beginning the Age of Man. Gaia, seeing that Man would come to dominate Earth, hid the Beasts outside of reality in areas called Groves. Millennia later, Mankind declared war upon itself. Over the course of a few decades, Man's cities were destroyed and the environment was badly damaged. The Gods persuaded the ancient race of the Maar to cleanse the atmosphere, but in the process the Maar became the monstrous Goliaths. In a process called the Reclamation, the Beasts returned to Earth, starting the Age of Beasts. The game takes place in Europe, about two millennia into the Age of Beasts.