The Endless Archives and the Progression of Humanity

[Nomadic]

What follows here is an account of the history of humanity as can best be ascertained by known facts and guessed at by the accounts of ancient stories and crude writings. It is told in the form of a story so as to bring proper mood to it and to also explore the Endless Archives of Palisan. One of the wonders of the world before the awakening, buried in the ruins of Palisan and lost to time.

Quickly running along the hallway you can hear the hunters pounding at the door. Their small ram is bound to eventually get through. So you continue along, looking for a more secure place to stay. You have to outlast them, at least for the time being. Turning a corner you see a heavy iron bound door. A chance perhaps, it will better hold them out, and it will hide you for a time at least. You pull at the ring, hoping it isn't locked. Fortunately, it is only slightly stuck and after some tugging, it grinds open. There is a rush of air and a howling wind and you struggle to hold the door open for what seems like ages. Finally though, the air subsides and you are able to pull the door completely open. You re-light your candle in the dark with a much worn tinderbox. Luck is with you and you have a bit of flaming tinder in your hands after only a few minutes, a lit candle only shortly after. Beyond the threshold, all is dark save for a few loose leafs of parchment on the ground near your feet. The candle's flicker shows only that the next room is large as the light touches neither wall nor ceiling. However, the baying of hounds reminds you why you are here and encourages you to continue. Stepping forward, the stone floor tapping beneath your iron shod shoes as you enter. Carefully closing the door and latching the bar in place, you are ensconced in this seemingly empty expanse.

Continuing on your trek deeper into the remains of this curious building you come across an old bookshelf. Not one, you note, but several. You see other shelves behind it continuing into the blackness. Perhaps even several dozen shelves of texts. A library, you think, searching ever for some better means of lighting. Stumbling upon a raised trough, you stop and examine the area. The trough is coming from exactly where you are unsure. It continues just as straight into that very same blackness again. There is a liquid in it and giving it a sniff, you recognize the scent of oil. You reach down with your right hand and the candle touches the trough. Suddenly there is a blaze of light as the fire runs its length, seemingly with a mind of its own. New troughs spring to life as it continues stretching ever on in an endless flow of light. The flames continue to flow into new trenches and you begin to realize this is no little library. This is something much larger. Row upon endless row of shelves march onwards towards infinity, filled with various tomes. Even in the growing light, your eyes behold ever-new shelves being revealed. Yet, the ceiling still remains hidden far above. Curiously you notice the lack of dust or damage. The vast room is still in pristine condition after what has to have been at least a hundred years. Sensing magic's hand in this you approach one of the bookcases and examine the texts upon it.

There are several leather bound books with strange runes on them that you recognize as old Darish letters. Perhaps Father Jafrin instructing you in the ways of the old languages was worthwhile after all. Your gaze drifts to a thick tome, bound in a bronze cover and linked with straps of brass and heavy leather. Curious, you pull it from the shelf and lay it on a nearby table. The heavy book thumps on the old wood of the stand and the sound echoes through the room. Finding a chair you have a seat and draw open the first page. Perhaps this book will give a clue to what exactly this place is. And if anything, it will help pass the time. Off in the distance you hear a muted crack and the sound of shouting.

Resting on the first page is a crinkled piece of paper with a note scrawled on it, 'Artimos Dresdi, to whom should find and read this'. You unfold the note.

Greetings friend, if you are reading this then you have likely found the Archives of Palisan (or an odd occurrence beyond what I can imagine has come upon this book). They were built to house a great collection of the city's true wealth, knowledge. It is likely it will outlast the inhabitants that built it. Here you find but a small part of that wealth, the single submission of an old man hoping to shed light on the shadows of time. As it is people were not ready largely for what I had to say and now I have only this left to my name. I have given it to the archives in hopes that it will eventually find someone more willing to examine it without bias. This tome details all of human history as far as I have been able to research and puts forth theories on the time before recorded history. Read it well, and perhaps you will glean something of use from it. That is my only hope and desire.

- A. Dresdi

You pocket the note and look down now at the first page. It is a forward of sorts, detailing in more words what was already detailed in the note. Flipping through several pages you finally come upon the first actual page of the tome.

And so ends the introduction. Soon I will get into depth on the actual history. This is as ever not the finished work and thus has the two-fold purpose of showing off my ideas while giving others a chance to voice their own.

[Nomadic]

Held beliefs on the origin of mankind are as varied as man himself. Religious myths and creation concepts have become a part of the identity of humanity. The first such myths can be traced to the Qre Tribes of a place labeled in their stories as Mosumos. What has since happened to these people none can say for sure. However, it is commonly speculated that as they grew in power they suffered the same fate as most of the great empires that followed. Yet, their tales live on in many writings. Most famous of course is the Cilna Basilu, the holy tome of the Casphrati. An interesting fact of both religious beliefs is not only that they share common concepts (indeed Casphratin worship is likely a descendant of the ancient Qre Gnezu Rites) but that they believe in the exact same creation story.

The Cilna Basilu holds that the world was created by Shigan (God) who breathed life and form into the open cosmos. This style of creationism (an over being who forms the universe out of nothing) has become so prevalent in modern religion that Casphrati has lent it its name. Thus in modern times the Casphratum school of thought has become a hotly debated issue by many religious scholars. Alternatively, one may look to the other religions such as Fresieism or Ghanisism and see the vast concepts brought about from the human desire to bring order to the unknown.

There is the banging of a large door and you stand up for a second, alert. After a full minute of silence, you pick up the book and move deeper into the archives, away from the door. You figure it is only a manner of time before they find the door barred and attempt to force entry. Climbing up on a shelf, you still cannot make out any other doors (even though you can now see the far wall an enormous distance away) so you resign yourself to waiting for now. Finding a chair in a concealed corner next to the base of a vast pillar, you continue reading. There is naught else to do at any rate. Just wait and hope, hope that help arrives before the danger does. You skim the page for your place and continue a bit past the (what you consider) boring part on religion.

The creation myths though are far too varied I feel to get accurate facts from. So I have pursued information as best as I know how in other fields. What can be found is some curious facts in regards to how ancient man truly is. I posit that we as a recognizable species have been residents of this world a hundred thousand gaium* at least. This being far longer than most beliefs recognize. We of course have dated writings going back several thousand gaium that show mankind's advancement even at that time. Research into the Aether** and its slow and constant recession tied in with the lingering power at ancient burial sites shows that these sites are likely many tens of thousands of gaium old.

At this you raise your brow, fairly certain that Father Jafrin would not approve of you reading such outlandish ideas. Despite this, you continue on, the book is very different and you are interested about what else it has to say. You continue reading, now fascinated as to what else the author has to say.

This coupled with the myriad ancient tales (passed down from time immemorial before being committed to writing) leads me to believe that human culture is a vast ancient thing. I think that it is more than that though. It grew so vast that the species at one point split. What we now call the Maeri likely share a close common ancestor with humanity. Therefore I think it more appropriate to coin the term Teram*** for what we call humanity.

At this you almost shut the book, appalled that anyone could compare humanity to such an uncivilized creature as the Maeri. Your gaze however, lands upon something interesting and you decide to continue (though now thoroughly hating the author of this book).

I fear that the greater secrets of our species have been lost to time. Their traces can now only be found in the remains of ancient sites and in oral tradition passed down. With much difficulty and research though I have managed to dig back farther than has ever previously been done. Though it is but theory I feel confident in its underlying truth. What it is I write about to be precise is not only the origins of the nations but an explanation as to why Karros is the only documented land in which we have found these strange and terrifying creatures that indeed have long since been a part of life. Therefore, I draw forth this theory.

As is known, humanity has taken to settlements before even the first nation states (or indeed any true city states) appeared. However, from what I have seen settlements of this time period could not have been fully self-sufficient. Certainly agriculture of the time was highly crude and not fully understood. From time to time they had to move on looking for new grounds from which to hunt and gather. This gives merit to the story of Genita (also known as Haegrim, Re, and many other names). Now while there are many stories with many names they all follow a similar path. This connection and the plausibility of the tales points to a possible theory. A theory on the creation of the fell creatures of the realm. Thus it can be ascertained that a stranger offered one of these villages, down on its luck, a chance to never have to worry about food again (becoming self sufficient). It is likely I feel that he was one of the first users of the Aether and had imbued their seed with a form of growth energy. Sadly from records of early Aether experimentation it is clear that it was still a highly unstable practice. Certainly the seed worked, creating a bountiful harvest (similar to how a modern farmer might imbue his seed... though far more dangerous). The danger proved true in this case and when the various pests and animals ate from it (as they are wont to do) there was a dire result. Indeed the people that ate of it suffered a similar affliction.

I do not think it is necessary to continue as you can follow the train of thought. Much similar to what happened with Lasor Misag**** (who, as most historians can tell you, was summarily hanged for releasing such abominations with his experiments) the energy twisted the creatures as its influence reshaped their inner Aether. So in conclusion it may be that it was our own ancestor's folly that brought down such hardship upon us.

This begs the question though of what happened to all these creatures. My opinion in this regard is that all the ancient texts we have in regards to the purges of old aren't talking about racial warfare as was once thought, but of actual purges against dangerous creatures. Humanity created them, and then it wiped them out. However it is around this time (slightly before it if my guesswork is correct) that the theorized ice bridge between Karros and Ulanfar vanished. Thus a small fragment of these creatures survived (and indeed thrived here). The seeds themselves were also tainted I fear and some made the ride (as such things often do) stuck within the hair and skin of migrating creatures. This then explains the appearance of the fell trees which now I do not think are trees but the ancestors of ancient grains who have since grown and adapted to look similar (indeed they seem much akin to the birch though paler in head). All of this thus explains the ancient human burial grounds and strange finds that coincide with our semi-nomadic ancestors. They likewise migrated, and became trapped here. They couldn't cope though with these beasts and were purged by them instead of the other way around. In the meantime the first glimpses of nations and empires made themselves known in Ulanfar. Even as this new nature thrived and grew in Karros.

You hear a thump on the door. They have finally found the entrance. Loosening your blade in its sheath you figure that perhaps you can make a last stand here in this maze of sorts. Well that heavy door should keep them out for quite awhile. There is still hope. Your hand unconsciously goes to your breast pocket, feeling the item within. The item for which they have tracked you all this way. Well they won't get it without a fight.

* Karrosian equivalent to a year (similar in length as well).
** The flow of energy formed by entropy's effect on life (called magic in many other settings).
*** Teram means earth (in regards to the ground that we walk upon) Maeri meanwhile means water (in regards to large bodies of water). Thus the two terms denote the favored dwellings of each species.
**** Lasor Misag was a practitioner of Aether control who attempted to modify life with his own newly created methods. His methods were questionable though and resulted only in vile and twisted creatures. His home city of Exceil sentenced him to death by hanging at the request of the Drakyds for his dangerous abuse of the Aether.

[Nomadic]

-also reserved-

[Ninja D!]

I just got home from work and am just catching up on stuff before dinner but you can be sure I will read this later, like it, and be waiting for more.

[Ninja D!]

Just read it.  Very nicely done.

[LordVreeg]

As good an introduction as one could hope for.  One wonders about the tone you will give our Mr. Dresdi.

[Nomadic]

Well here you are with the very first part of the book. More to come soon hopefully. I am afraid that Dresdi was very textbook in his writing style. However there are some fascinating facts to be found out about Karros and the world it is in.

[Ninja D!]

And now everyone looks to their feet as their own world starts to seem hallow and fake.

[dolalmoth]

Every time I see that Nomadic has posted again its like a new book in a series.
Sentences I write are making less sense now need coffee

[Nomadic]

Thank you all. I have updated it once again. There is perhaps a bit of explanation as to why the creatures exist (and why magic is now so carefully structured). More to come as I detail the rise of the old empires and explain what drove the inhabitants of old from their homes into Karros.