Compare Iron Realms Games
Iron Realms publishes five text RPGs. Achaea and Aetolia are actively developed; Imperian, Lusternia, and Starmourn are in legacy mode. Achaea is high fantasy with 21 classes and the largest community. Aetolia is dark fantasy with 32 classes and vampire characters. Lusternia is the most roleplay-focused with aetherspace ships. Starmourn is the only sci-fi option with starships and tech-based classes. Imperian is PvP-focused with no active development.
Full comparison at a glance
| Achaea | Aetolia | Lusternia | Imperian | Starmourn | |
| Status | Active | Active | Legacy (volunteer) | Legacy (volunteer) | Legacy (volunteer) |
| Setting | High fantasy | Dark fantasy | Fantasy / cosmic | Fantasy | Sci-fi / space |
| Launched | 1997 | Early 2000s | Early 2000s | Early 2000s | 2018 |
| Classes | 21 | 32 | 28 guild classes | 20 professions | 5 |
| Races | 14 | 21 | 20 | 12 mortal + 18 ancestral | 14 |
| PvP emphasis | High | High | Moderate | Very high | Moderate |
| Roleplay emphasis | High | High | Very high | Moderate | Moderate |
| Crafting depth | Deep | Deep | Very deep (13 tradeskills) | Moderate | Deep |
| Unique feature | Living Gods (staff-played) | Light vs dark factions, vampires | Aetherspace ships | 3-power faction war | Starships, sci-fi setting |
| New player ease | Strong intro | Good intro | Good Intro | Moderate | Good intro |
| Community size | Largest | Second largest | Smaller | Small | Small |
| Free to play | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| No download | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
The first decision: active or legacy?
For most new players, the active/legacy split is the most important variable. Active games get new content, class balance work, events run by staff, and ongoing community support. Legacy games are maintained at reduced capacity by volunteers and have smaller player populations. The existing content in legacy games is deep enough to occupy years, but long-term social investment carries more risk in a game with no active development.
If you are starting fresh and want the richest possible experience with the strongest guarantee of longevity, start with Achaea or Aetolia. If you have a specific attachment to one of the legacy games, whether through nostalgia, a particular setting preference, or an existing character, that attachment is legitimate and the game is still there.
| Active games (Achaea, Aetolia) | Legacy games (Imperian, Lusternia, Starmourn) | |
| Content updates | Regular, commercially funded | Volunteer-driven for all three (Imperian, Lusternia, Starmourn) |
| Staff-run events | Yes, ongoing | Limited or none |
| Community size | Larger active populations | Smaller, long-term player bases |
| New player support | Active mentoring culture, larger population | Smaller community; existing players are helpful but fewer |
| Character transfers | Destination games for transfers | Character retirement transfers available to active games |
| Long-term investment | Lower risk | Higher risk; volunteer activity may reduce over time |
Achaea vs Aetolia: choosing between the two active games
Most new players will narrow their choice to Achaea or Aetolia. Both are actively developed, both use the same underlying Iron Realms engine, both are free to play, and both have deep PvP and crafting systems. The differences are real but come down to tone, class philosophy, and which community culture appeals to you.
Setting and tone
Achaea is high fantasy. The world is one of sorcerers, divine intervention, seafaring, and political rivalry between city-states. The tone is epic without being uniformly dark. Aetolia is gothic and dark. The setting is structured around an ongoing conflict between light and darkness that permeates city politics, class choice, and faction allegiance. Players can become vampires. The atmosphere leans toward horror and moral complexity more than heroism.
Class count and structure
Achaea has 21 classes; Aetolia has 32. The additional classes in Aetolia come from an expanding guild system rather than a fundamentally broader design approach. Each game’s classes are individually distinct with dedicated PvP mechanics. Neither game has a shallow class roster. If a larger number of starting options matters to you, Aetolia has the edge. If you want a smaller but carefully curated set, Achaea’s 21 cover the full range of playstyle archetypes.
Faction structure
Achaea organizes players into six city-states with distinct cultures, alignments, and political histories. The conflict between cities is driven by player decisions and shifts over time as leadership changes hands. Aetolia organizes players into four factions split along a light/dark axis. The faction conflict is more ideologically binary than Achaea’s city politics, which creates a different social dynamic: clearer team identities, a more defined enemy, and a conflict that extends into class choice and racial identity.
PvP competitive systems
Both games have deep PvP. Aetolia has more structured competitive systems on top of the standard PvP: the Sect of Blades (a ranked individual combat ladder) and the Orrery (twice-monthly faction-based contest for a world-affecting buff). Achaea’s PvP centers on large-scale city-vs-city conflicts, dueling, and group combat. Neither is a casual PvP experience.
The Gods and Divine orders
Achaea has a living pantheon: the Gods are played by Iron Realms staff members who interact directly with the world. Players can join Divine orders, earn a God’s attention, and be involved in conflicts between deities that have real world consequences. Aetolia has divine figures in its lore but operates more through faction-level structure than individual God relationships. For players who want a personal divine storyline as part of their game experience, Achaea’s system is more developed.
| Variable | Achaea | Aetolia |
| Setting | High fantasy, epic, political | Dark fantasy, gothic, horror-adjacent |
| Class count | 21 | 32 |
| Faction model | 6 city-states with shifting politics | 4 factions on a light/dark axis |
| Vampire characters | No | Yes (Praenomen class) |
| Structured PvP | City-vs-city, dueling, group conflict | Sect of Blades, Orrery, Ylem Foci, open PK zones |
| Living Gods | Yes, staff-played and world-active | Divine lore present; less individual divine interaction |
| Seafaring | Full ship system with naval combat | Not a primary feature |
| Launch year | 1997 | Early 2000s |
| Best for | Players who want the deepest history and largest community | Players who prefer a darker tone and more class variety |
Comparing the three legacy games
If you have a reason to consider a legacy game, the three options are meaningfully different from each other. Choosing between them comes down to setting preference and what kind of gameplay you want to center.
| Lusternia | Starmourn | Imperian | |
| Setting | Fantasy with cosmic / cosmological depth | Sci-fi, all-original galaxy | Fantasy, three-power faction war |
| Status | Volunteer updates ongoing | Volunteer updates ongoing | Volunteer improvements ongoing |
| Primary identity | Roleplay depth, lore architecture | Only sci-fi Iron Realms game | PvP emphasis, meritocracy |
| Unique feature | Aetherspace ship exploration | Starships, 50+ alien civilizations | City raiding, Obelisks, Shardfalls |
| Class model | 7 archetypes, 28 guild classes | 5 technology-based classes | 20 professions across 3 factions |
| Tradeskill depth | Very deep (13 tradeskills) | Deep (Tradeskills + ship, armor, and weapon modding) | Moderate |
| Best for | Roleplay-first players, crafters, lore readers | Players who specifically want sci-fi | Existing Imperian players, hardcore PvP focus |
Choose by what you most want to do
Iron Realms games reward different activities. If you know which part of the game matters most to you, use this to narrow your choice.
| Your priority | Best fit | Why |
| Deep PvP, skill-based combat | Achaea or Aetolia | Both active games have the most active PvP communities and the most regular class balance work. Aetolia has more structured competitive systems. |
| Roleplay and story | Lusternia or Achaea | Lusternia has the most developed roleplay systems and the densest lore. Achaea’s living Gods and political history create rich roleplay contexts. |
| Crafting and economy | Lusternia or Aetolia | Lusternia has 13 tradeskills, the widest range in the catalogue. Aetolia and Achaea both have deep crafting with active player economies. |
| Exploration and ships | Starmourn or Lusternia | Starmourn has starship combat and asteroid mining. Lusternia has aetherspace ship exploration. Both are unique features absent from other Iron Realms games. |
| Political intrigue | Achaea | Six city-states with player-elected governments, complex faction histories, and a living Divine order system create the deepest political layer in the catalogue. |
| Dark or gothic tone | Aetolia | Aetolia’s light vs dark faction conflict, vampire characters, and gothic horror aesthetics are the clearest expression of that tone in the catalogue. |
| Sci-fi setting | Starmourn | The only option. No other Iron Realms game is set outside a fantasy framework. |
| Largest community | Achaea | Achaea has the longest history and the largest active player base of the five games. |
If you are new to text RPGs
New players to the MUD genre face a real learning curve regardless of which game they choose. Text RPGs do not have tutorial popups or visual feedback systems. Learning happens through reading help files, asking other players, and making mistakes. The two variables that make the new player experience easier are: a robust new player introduction in the game itself, and an active player population willing to mentor.
On both counts, Achaea has the strongest position. It has the most developed new player intro sequence and the largest player base, which means more veterans available to help. Aetolia is a close second. Legacy games are not impossible starting points, but the smaller populations mean fewer experienced players are available at any given time to answer questions.
If you are coming from another MUD and already understand the genre, the new player ease variable matters less. Choose based on setting and community culture rather than introductory systems.
New to text RPGs? The MUD games overview covers how the genre works before you pick a game.
>> ironrealms.com/mud-games
Frequently asked questions
Which Iron Realms game should I start with?
For most new players: Achaea or Aetolia. Both are actively developed with larger communities and better new player support. Choose Achaea if you prefer high fantasy and the deepest game history. Choose Aetolia if you prefer a darker gothic tone, a wider class selection, or the option to play as a vampire.
What is the difference between Achaea and Aetolia?
Achaea is high fantasy with 21 classes, six city-states, a living pantheon of staff-played Gods, and a history running since 1997. Aetolia is dark fantasy with 32 classes, a light-vs-dark faction split, vampire characters, and additional structured PvP systems. Both are actively developed and free to play.
Are any Iron Realms games still being updated?
Achaea and Aetolia receive regular commercial development and are fully active.
Lusternia, Starmourn, and Imperian are all in legacy mode with volunteer-driven improvements. None of the three have commercial staff support, though Lusternia and Starmourn have active contributors making updates.
Which game has the most classes?
Aetolia has the most playable classes at 32. Lusternia has 28 guild classes across 7 archetypes. Achaea has 21. Imperian has 20. Starmourn has 5.
Which Iron Realms game is best for PvP?
Achaea and Aetolia both have deep, ability-rich PvP with active player populations to compete against. Aetolia has more structured competitive systems including the Sect of Blades and the Orrery. Imperian was historically the most PvP-focused game in the catalogue but is now in full legacy mode with no development.
Which game is best for crafting?
Lusternia has the widest crafting system with 13 tradeskills. Achaea and Aetolia both have deep crafting economies with active player markets. Starmourn’s crafting extends to starship, weapon, and armor modifications.
Can I transfer my character between Iron Realms games?
Character retirement transfers from legacy games to active games are available. Contact Iron Realms for details on the current transfer process and what carries over.
Is there an Iron Realms game with a sci-fi setting?
Yes. Starmourn is set in an all-original science fiction galaxy. It is the only Iron Realms game outside a fantasy framework. It is in legacy mode with volunteer-driven updates.
Which Iron Realms game has the most players?
Achaea has the largest active player community. Aetolia is second. Legacy games have smaller populations of long-term players.