At IGN.com I stumbled on a nice summary of what the world of Aion is all about. It was actually so well written I decided to publish it on l2-apoc.com as well. I consider it a must read for people interested in Aion! All credits go to the IGN.com crew

In its nativity, the world of Atreia stood as the pinnacle of creation. Beautiful and pure, life flourished within the interior of the planet where Aion had positioned itself as a wondrous structure known as The Tower of Eternity. The tower pierced the sky and connected one side of the world to the other. A monument to the greatness of Aion, The Tower of Eternity eclipsed everything on Atreia.

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The Tower anchored the world as much as the lives of the Draken living on it. However, the Draken were not the only species on the planet. As mysterious as the creation of the world itself, and of the powerful Draken, stood the birth of other sentient species, known as the Sapiens. Humankind was another such species. Humans lived and flourished throughout the known world, nurtured physically and spiritually by the Tower of Eternity and a reverence to Aion. Humans served Aion with humility and were provided with everything they needed through the nurturing glow of the Tower. Life prospered for thousands of years under this celestial arrangement.

Until the day the Draken grew tired of their role as simple stewards of the planet. A mentally and physically superior race to the Humans, and also the Sapiens, the Draken proved a sobering test for the sentient species of Atreia as they grew increasingly violent, bent on conquering everything in their path. 

As the years dragged on and the Draken's thirst for power grew stronger, the fertile pastures of Atreia were stained crimson with the blood of the dead. Entire species vanished under the cruel eyes of the Draken; others were enslaved and used against the Humans, who stood as the only species on Atreia who fought valiantly against their new adversaries in hopes of stabilizing their way of life.

The Draken swelled in numbers in their campaign against the races of Atreia and they grew increasingly confident and prideful. Before long, the Draken would turn their backs on their creator altogether and forge ahead as a completely autonomous race. Organized through a leadership caste of five Draken – christened the Dragon Lords – the Draken relinquished the name Aion bestowed on them and chose another, the Balaur. The awakening of the Balaur changed the course of Atreia forever.

Credits: IGN.com