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Fly my pretties
Residents of Luceti: hello again. It has been some time, hasn't it? I trust you can accept my apologies for my long absence. Matters relating to the escape of this world have demanded my attention. Most of that business has been concluded, however, and I return to you with good news- there is a way to return us to our own worlds, and it works. Several members of my team have already succeeded. There are risks, of course, and your assistance is required in order to make it permanent, but our path is at last known to us.
First, perhaps, I should tell you a story. One that's long overdue.
Long ago, the cultists of the past believed that this world is guided and ruled by some sort of god. That is... tangentially true, in a sense. Many of you hail from worlds where deities are more than theoretical beliefs, but rather tangible, sentient beings that live and die as any other. Such a creature exists here. It is not a god, however, but a spirit. Stronger and more powerful than any we have ever known. It lives in the core of this world- or rather, it pulled together the world on which we exist, bit by bit, over hundreds, thousands of years as it wandered through the universe.
This spirit, as we understand it, is Knowledge itself. The other spirits inside and out of the barrier, the Shifting nature of this world, all of it- born of this Great Spirit's desires. It feeds upon knowledge and understanding, and its need to learn is insatiable. That is why, once the world was complete, it separated itself and its planet from time and space and drew in residents from other worlds.
At first, the relationship between the new arrivals and the spirit was a symbiotic one. Those brought here either died young or were unhappy with their situations at home, and the chance of a better life was a welcome gift. The Spirit had access to new knowledge, and both parties were provided for. People prospered, grew, developed families, had children. Whole generations lived, and died, and lived again. The population soared, there was no grief and very little conflict. But nothing lasts forever, and immortality doesn't suit everyone. Over time, people grew weary of their lives, of dying and being reborn again and again. Some began to notice that they were a little less like themselves when they returned. Frustration, resentment, anger festered until they began to fight amongst each other. Wars broke out. Clans formed, separated, and killed each other. Dozens died every day, then hundreds, all of whom returned to life only to die again.
And still, the spirit of Knowledge learned. Its paradise had been shattered, and the residents of this world taught it how to hate itself. It drew in more people, from many other worlds, in the hopes of recreating its paradise, but the settled clans fought them as well. The newcomers banded together, found ways to protect themselves, and the factions were forced apart. The cycle halted for a while, but the damage had been done. People forgot how to reach out to the spirit of Knowledge, and it began to go hungry. It began to hate us, too.
That hatred drove it to the state in which you found the world when I sent you back in time- we were not at war, but it felt inevitable regardless. The cultists didn't exist yet, and thanks to your efforts, they never would- at least, not in great numbers. When you fought with Theo, he was not himself. He had died so often that most of his own mind was gone, and what existed in its place was a fragment of the Core Spirit. Those of you who were possessed by the spirits in the past may understand how dangerous it can be- General Theo of your original era was the result of long-term possession. At the time, this was not discovered until it was too late. He'd formed the cult, he'd made sacrifices widespread, and he'd created a war that lasted hundreds of years.
You see, when the sacrificial ritual was discovered, it caused a sensation that the Core Spirit had never felt before- the complete and utter devouring of every part of the victim. Body, mind, and soul. All of their knowledge. I imagine it must have been quite filling, with the number of sacrifices that had occurred ever since. The damage caused by them was nearly irreparable. Even now, the process of bringing back sacrificed individuals is imperfect- no matter what, something of them is lost forever. And the Core Spirit had found an alternative to starvation.
Now, of course, the state of the world is quite different. Rather than hundreds of years of war, death, and sacrifices, we have had a tentative peace, research, and immense progress. Well done, yes? And now, after such a long wait, we're nearly finished.
What we must do next is this: we must make contact with the Core Spirit. We must prove what we are capable of, feed it with the knowledge of what we accomplished here, and convince it to return to the symbiotic relationship it once shared with the residents of this world. You will be tested, of course. The is a world-changing mission, and the stakes are high. Some of you may not make it. But we are all on the same level in this; support one another, be strong, do not run. Aim to travel light, but any possessions you cannot bear to leave behind should be brought with you. Otherwise: food and gear for yourself to last at least a week. Additional supplies for those below would be greatly appreciated. One of my interns will be delivering more information to your "Welcome Center".
I will meet you in the tunnels in 4 days.
((ooc: please see the infodump and feel free to use this post for IC plotting if you wish! use the npc thread for questions so they don't get lost in the shuffle.))
First, perhaps, I should tell you a story. One that's long overdue.
Long ago, the cultists of the past believed that this world is guided and ruled by some sort of god. That is... tangentially true, in a sense. Many of you hail from worlds where deities are more than theoretical beliefs, but rather tangible, sentient beings that live and die as any other. Such a creature exists here. It is not a god, however, but a spirit. Stronger and more powerful than any we have ever known. It lives in the core of this world- or rather, it pulled together the world on which we exist, bit by bit, over hundreds, thousands of years as it wandered through the universe.
This spirit, as we understand it, is Knowledge itself. The other spirits inside and out of the barrier, the Shifting nature of this world, all of it- born of this Great Spirit's desires. It feeds upon knowledge and understanding, and its need to learn is insatiable. That is why, once the world was complete, it separated itself and its planet from time and space and drew in residents from other worlds.
At first, the relationship between the new arrivals and the spirit was a symbiotic one. Those brought here either died young or were unhappy with their situations at home, and the chance of a better life was a welcome gift. The Spirit had access to new knowledge, and both parties were provided for. People prospered, grew, developed families, had children. Whole generations lived, and died, and lived again. The population soared, there was no grief and very little conflict. But nothing lasts forever, and immortality doesn't suit everyone. Over time, people grew weary of their lives, of dying and being reborn again and again. Some began to notice that they were a little less like themselves when they returned. Frustration, resentment, anger festered until they began to fight amongst each other. Wars broke out. Clans formed, separated, and killed each other. Dozens died every day, then hundreds, all of whom returned to life only to die again.
And still, the spirit of Knowledge learned. Its paradise had been shattered, and the residents of this world taught it how to hate itself. It drew in more people, from many other worlds, in the hopes of recreating its paradise, but the settled clans fought them as well. The newcomers banded together, found ways to protect themselves, and the factions were forced apart. The cycle halted for a while, but the damage had been done. People forgot how to reach out to the spirit of Knowledge, and it began to go hungry. It began to hate us, too.
That hatred drove it to the state in which you found the world when I sent you back in time- we were not at war, but it felt inevitable regardless. The cultists didn't exist yet, and thanks to your efforts, they never would- at least, not in great numbers. When you fought with Theo, he was not himself. He had died so often that most of his own mind was gone, and what existed in its place was a fragment of the Core Spirit. Those of you who were possessed by the spirits in the past may understand how dangerous it can be- General Theo of your original era was the result of long-term possession. At the time, this was not discovered until it was too late. He'd formed the cult, he'd made sacrifices widespread, and he'd created a war that lasted hundreds of years.
You see, when the sacrificial ritual was discovered, it caused a sensation that the Core Spirit had never felt before- the complete and utter devouring of every part of the victim. Body, mind, and soul. All of their knowledge. I imagine it must have been quite filling, with the number of sacrifices that had occurred ever since. The damage caused by them was nearly irreparable. Even now, the process of bringing back sacrificed individuals is imperfect- no matter what, something of them is lost forever. And the Core Spirit had found an alternative to starvation.
Now, of course, the state of the world is quite different. Rather than hundreds of years of war, death, and sacrifices, we have had a tentative peace, research, and immense progress. Well done, yes? And now, after such a long wait, we're nearly finished.
What we must do next is this: we must make contact with the Core Spirit. We must prove what we are capable of, feed it with the knowledge of what we accomplished here, and convince it to return to the symbiotic relationship it once shared with the residents of this world. You will be tested, of course. The is a world-changing mission, and the stakes are high. Some of you may not make it. But we are all on the same level in this; support one another, be strong, do not run. Aim to travel light, but any possessions you cannot bear to leave behind should be brought with you. Otherwise: food and gear for yourself to last at least a week. Additional supplies for those below would be greatly appreciated. One of my interns will be delivering more information to your "Welcome Center".
I will meet you in the tunnels in 4 days.
((ooc: please see the infodump and feel free to use this post for IC plotting if you wish! use the npc thread for questions so they don't get lost in the shuffle.))
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Ultimately, it's up to every person to decide. We won't know the result until it's attempted enough times to get us results.
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