Empyrean Traces Guide: What They Are, How to Find Them, and What They Do | AION 2

01AION 2 Empyrean Traces Guide

If you have started exploring the world of AION 2, you have probably noticed strange glowing objects that look a little like feathers scattered throughout the open world. These collectibles are called Empyrean Traces, and they are much more important than ordinary exploration items.

Empyrean Traces are part of the Monolith progression system. Collecting them and resonating them with the appropriate Monolith can provide permanent progression rewards, including additional skill progression and rewards connected to amulets and Monolith levels.

In this guide, we explain what Empyrean Traces are in AION 2, where to find them, how to use them, what rewards they provide, and why you should collect them while exploring Atreia.

02What Are Empyrean Traces in AION 2?

Empyrean Traces are collectible objects scattered throughout the open world of AION 2.

According to the game lore, they are manifestations of the power left behind by the Empyrean Lords. After the events that changed Atreia, traces of this power became scattered throughout the world.

Gameplay-wise, they function as an exploration-based progression system.

Instead of simply collecting an item for a cosmetic achievement, you bring Empyrean Traces to a corresponding Monolith and use them to increase its resonance level.

The basic gameplay loop is:

Find Empyrean Trace → Collect it → Take it to the corresponding Monolith → Resonate → Unlock progression rewards

The system is introduced through the game story. For example, the Elyos quest Empyrean Monolith asks the player to collect an Empyrean Trace in Verteron and use it to resonate with the Monolith. The equivalent Asmodian quest uses an Empyrean Trace from Altgard.

03Why Are Empyrean Traces Important?

The main reason to collect Empyrean Traces is permanent character progression.

Empyrean Traces contribute to Monolith progression, which can provide rewards such as:

• Wisdom Stones and skill progression
• Amulet enhancement-related rewards
• Permanent Monolith progression bonuses
• Additional stat-related rewards from Monolith levels
• Region-specific progression rewards

This makes Empyrean Traces fundamentally different from ordinary collectibles.

You are not simply filling out a collection log. You are gradually converting exploration into character progression.

Community databases and current guides describe Wisdom Stones as one of the important rewards associated with the Empyrean Trace system, while Monolith progression provides additional rewards as its level increases.

04How Do Empyrean Traces Work?

The system is built around Monoliths.

Each relevant region has a Monolith connected to its Empyrean Traces. When you collect the appropriate traces, you can return to the Monolith and resonate with it.

For example:

• Elyos players can collect Empyrean Trace: Verteron.
• Asmodians can collect Empyrean Trace: Altgard.
• Additional Monoliths and Empyrean Trace areas are introduced as the game expands.

The current item database identifies Empyrean Trace: Verteron as a Monolith token that can be resonated with the Verteron Monolith.

The system was also expanded with the introduction of new regions in AION 2 Chapter 1. NCSoft specifically states that new Monoliths were added in Eltnen and Morheim, with players collecting traces and resonating them at the corresponding Monoliths.

05Where Can You Find Empyrean Traces?

Empyrean Traces are found throughout the open world rather than being obtained from a conventional dungeon or monster loot table.

They can appear in places such as:

• Cliffs
• High platforms
• Caves
• Buildings
• Narrow passages
• Hard-to-reach terrain
• Areas requiring gliding or flying
• Other exploration locations

This is intentional game design.

AION 2 uses Empyrean Traces to encourage players to actually explore the environment instead of simply following the main quest from one NPC to another.

Some traces can be picked up while naturally completing quests, while others require you to deliberately search the surrounding environment.

This is why many players refer to Empyrean Traces simply as "feathers."

06How to Find Empyrean Traces Faster

The easiest way to locate traces is to use the game world map and content filters.

Instead of randomly searching an entire region, open the map and filter the available exploration content so that Empyrean Trace locations become easier to identify.

A practical approach is:

1. Choose one zone

Do not randomly jump between different regions. Pick one area and clear it systematically.

2. Check the map

Use the map content information to identify Empyrean Trace locations.

3. Follow a route

Move from one trace to the next instead of repeatedly crossing the same part of the zone.

4. Use movement abilities

Some traces are positioned in locations that are much easier to reach using flight, gliding, or vertical movement.

5. Track what you have already collected

Because there can be hundreds of collectibles, keeping track of completed locations prevents unnecessary backtracking.

For a complete zone-by-zone list with progress tracking, use our interactive Empyrean Trace map. It covers Verteron, Altgard, Eltnen, Morheim, and Abyss Reshanta, lets you mark traces as found, and hide completed pins.

07Empyrean Traces and the Monolith

Simply picking up a trace is only the first step.

The important part of the system is resonating the collected traces with a Monolith.

The Monolith acts as the progression interface for the traces associated with that region.

As you provide the required traces, the Monolith advances through its progression levels.

Current AION 2 database information lists multiple Monolith progression ladders, including:

• Altgard
• Verteron
• Eltnen
• Morheim
• Ereshkigal-related Monoliths

The exact number of levels and rewards depends on the specific Monolith.

This means that collecting traces is effectively a way of turning open-world exploration into permanent progression.

08What Rewards Do Empyrean Traces Give?

The exact rewards depend on the Monolith and the progression stage, but the system can provide several types of character progression.

Wisdom Stones

One of the most important rewards associated with Empyrean Traces is the Wisdom Stone.

Wisdom Stones are connected to skill progression and can provide additional Skill Points.

This makes trace collection particularly useful for players who want to maximize their character long-term skill development.

Amulet Enhancement Rewards

Monolith progression can also provide enhancement scrolls associated with amulets.

For example, current AION 2 information identifies rewards such as:

• Revelation Amulet Enhance Scroll
• Fierce Battle Amulet Enhance Scroll

These are connected to different aspects of character progression, including PvE and PvP-oriented amulet development.

Monolith Level Rewards

Increasing a Monolith level can also provide additional permanent rewards and stat progression.

This is why completing a region Empyrean Trace collection can continue to matter even after you have already collected enough traces for an individual reward.

09Are Empyrean Traces Shared Between Characters?

This is an important consideration for players who maintain multiple characters.

AION 2 has systems designed to reduce the amount of repetitive progression required on additional characters, and current community documentation describes synchronization of certain exploration progression between characters.

However, players should check the current character synchronization interface and server/version rules rather than assuming that every trace must be collected again or that every reward is automatically duplicated.

This is particularly important because AION 2 progression systems have continued to change through updates.

10How Many Empyrean Traces Are There in AION 2?

This is one area where you should be careful with numbers found online.

Different websites currently report different totals because they may be counting:

• One faction territory
• Both faction territories
• Shared Abyss content
• Different game versions
• All database entries rather than the number accessible to a single character

For example, one current database lists 1,320 mapped trace points across the game, while another current guide distinguishes between a character faction territory and shared Abyss content.

Therefore, 1,320 should not automatically be interpreted as the number every individual character needs to collect.

The exact available total can change as new regions and content are introduced.

For a completionist, the safest method is to use the current in-game map, completion interface, and our interactive Empyrean Trace map rather than relying on an old global number.

11Empyrean Traces for Elyos Players

For Elyos characters, one of the primary early trace types is:

Empyrean Trace: Verteron

The corresponding Verteron Monolith is used to resonate these traces.

The official quest data shows the process directly: the player collects an Empyrean Trace in Verteron and then uses it to resonate with the Monolith.

As new content is added, Elyos players gain access to additional regions and corresponding Monolith progression.

Chapter 1, for example, introduced Eltnen as a new Elyos region.

12Empyrean Traces for Asmodian Players

Asmodian characters have their own corresponding progression.

One of the early examples is:

Empyrean Trace: Altgard

The Asmodian version of the Empyrean Monolith quest requires the player to obtain an Altgard trace and resonate it with the Altgard Monolith.

Chapter 1 also introduced Morheim as a new Asmodian region, together with its corresponding Monolith progression.

13Can You Find Empyrean Traces in the Abyss?

Yes.

The Abyss contains additional Empyrean Trace content, making it different from simply completing your faction home territory.

Abyss traces are especially interesting because the Abyss is also associated with PvP gameplay.

This means that completing the collection can require more than simply following a safe PvE route through your faction zones.

The exact amount and availability of Abyss traces depends on the current version and content configuration, so older guides should be treated carefully when quoting a fixed total.

14Are Empyrean Traces One-Time Collectibles?

The progression is designed around permanent collection and progression, rather than an ordinary repeatable farming loop.

Once a trace has been collected, you generally do not approach it as a daily respawning resource.

That makes Empyrean Traces a classic completionist progression system:

Find it once → collect it → progress the Monolith → keep the resulting progression

Community discussions also commonly describe the traces as non-respawning collectibles rather than a traditional farming node.

15Empyrean Traces vs. Sealed Dungeons vs. Strongholds

New players sometimes confuse these three open-world progression systems because they can appear together on the map.

They serve different purposes.

Empyrean Traces are primarily about exploration and Monolith resonance.

Sealed Dungeons focus on dungeon-based progression.

Strongholds are open-world combat objectives.

Understanding this distinction makes it much easier to plan your character progression instead of treating every map marker as the same type of activity.

16Does AION 2 Have a Fast Way to Complete Empyrean Traces?

Yes, for some progression scenarios.

NCSoft introduced Daeva Express, a progression-support feature designed to help new and returning players.

The official announcement states that Daeva Express can complete Stronghold, Sealed Dungeon, and Empyrean Trace progression together.

The Chapter 1 update also introduced support packages for returning players, including an option that can complete Strongholds, Sealed Dungeons, and Empyrean Trace content.

This is particularly useful for players returning to AION 2 after a long break and trying to catch up with established characters.

17Should You Collect Empyrean Traces While Leveling?

There is no single correct route for every character.

However, collecting traces while you are already exploring a zone can save you from making a second trip later.

A good general approach is:

Quest through a zone → collect nearby traces → mark difficult locations → return later for completion

You do not necessarily need to stop everything and hunt every trace immediately.

The important thing is to avoid forgetting about the system entirely.

Because the rewards contribute to permanent progression, Empyrean Traces can become increasingly valuable as your character moves toward higher-level content.

Mistake 1: Thinking They Are Just Collectibles

They are collectibles, but they are also part of a progression system.

Ignoring them means leaving potential permanent progression unfinished.

Mistake 2: Collecting Them Without Using the Monolith

Picking up traces is only part of the process.

Remember to return to the appropriate Monolith and use the collected traces for resonance.

Mistake 3: Trusting an Old Trace Count

AION 2 is an evolving MMORPG.

New regions can introduce new Monoliths and new trace content, as happened with Eltnen and Morheim in Chapter 1.

Always check whether a guide matches your current game version.

Mistake 4: Searching Randomly

With hundreds of possible locations, random exploration can lead to a lot of unnecessary backtracking.

Use the in-game map and our up-to-date interactive Empyrean Trace map to clear zones efficiently.

18A Simple Empyrean Trace Checklist

If you want to complete the system efficiently, use this checklist:

Exploration

• Open the world map.
• Enable the relevant content markers.
• Select one zone.
• Collect every visible Empyrean Trace.
• Use flight or gliding for elevated locations.
• Mark difficult or inaccessible traces.

Monolith

• Return to the correct Monolith.
• Resonate your collected traces.
• Check the available rewards.
• Continue the Monolith progression.

Completion

• Check the zone for missing traces.
• Finish the remaining locations.
• Move to the next region.
• Repeat the process for newly unlocked regions.

Endgame

• Check Abyss-related traces.
• Revisit the map after major updates.
• Verify whether new Monoliths or trace locations have been added.

19Frequently Asked Questions

What is an Empyrean Trace in AION 2?

An Empyrean Trace is an open-world collectible connected to the Empyrean Lords. Players collect these traces and resonate them with regional Monoliths to unlock permanent progression rewards.

What are Empyrean Traces used for?

They are used with Monoliths to increase Monolith progression and obtain rewards such as Wisdom Stones, skill-related progression, and amulet enhancement rewards.

What do AION 2 feathers do?

"Feathers" is a common player nickname for Empyrean Traces because of their visual appearance. They are collected throughout the world and used for Monolith progression.

Where can Elyos find Empyrean Traces?

One of the primary early locations is Verteron, where players collect Empyrean Trace: Verteron and use it with the Verteron Monolith.

Where can Asmodians find Empyrean Traces?

One of the primary early locations is Altgard, where Asmodian players collect Empyrean Trace: Altgard for the Altgard Monolith.

Do Empyrean Traces respawn?

They are designed as collectible progression objects rather than conventional endlessly respawning farming nodes.

Are Empyrean Traces worth collecting?

They are part of AION 2 permanent progression systems, providing Monolith-related rewards and skill/amulet progression. For players interested in completing their character progression, they are an important part of the open-world content.

Is there an Empyrean Trace map?

Yes. Use our AION 2 interactive map for Empyrean Trace locations with progress tracking. Always compare third-party maps with the current in-game version because locations and available content can change with updates.

20Final Thoughts

Empyrean Traces are one of AION 2 exploration-based progression systems.

They combine open-world exploration with permanent character development: you discover hidden traces around Atreia, bring them to the appropriate Monolith, and convert that exploration into progression rewards.

For a new player, the easiest way to think about the system is:

Empyrean Traces are the collectibles. Monoliths are where you use them. The rewards are permanent progression.

You do not need to hunt every trace the moment you see one. Instead, collect them naturally while leveling, use the map to complete zones efficiently, and return to the relevant Monolith whenever you have accumulated a useful amount.

And because AION 2 continues to add regions and Monoliths, the Empyrean Trace system is also something worth checking again after major content updates.

In short: if you want to fully develop your AION 2 character, don't ignore the feathers. They're part of the progression, not just decoration.

21Sources

• NCSoft — AION 2 Chapter 1: Lands of Sand and Snow
• NCSoft — AION 2 SUMMER FESTA and Daeva Express
• AION 2 Wiki — Empyrean Monolith quest data
• AION 2 Hub — Monolith and item database
• Current AION 2 community guides and interactive map data