Storyline

Game > Storyline

Existence was void, without distance, time or form.

Within this timeless nothing, a point was formed. Energy poured from this point, creating space around it. Into this space the point expanded, becoming sphere then flattening into a circle of energy. Within this circle, the space was stretched thin, and a precisely shaped mind was pushed through. As this mind perceived the void around the portal, the space was changed, the energy of the contained mind shaping the reality around it.

Solidness formed in one direction, defining down and below. The solidness became ground, spreading ever outwards as far as the mind could perceive. Above this ground, light sprung forth, illuminating the shape and surface. The mind moved further from the portal and surrounded itself in a familiar shape, an idealised representation of the body that contained it on the other side of the portals surface. The Wizard stepped forward into this new realm, a realm where his trained and structured thoughts influenced the shape of the reality as easily as the hand shapes clay.

Here he found a place where he could do as he wished. The laws were different, and changing the shape of things did not require the amounts of preparation and energy that was required where he was from. Raising his hand, fire sprang up with but a thought. With another thought, the very flames became liquid, water splashing to the ground. The ground itself changed, taking on texture, becoming dirt, then good soil, the green of healthy growth spreading out from where his feet touched the ground. The growth spread out over the land, flowing up hills and down into valleys, clustering then springing up into trees, each perfect in shape.

He cast his mind over the land, and selected a large hill. Atop this hill, arose a tower, tall and graceful, it's crystalline walls glittering in the light cast down from above. With a thought, the Wizard moved his body to be atop this tower. There he turned and turned about, casting his gaze out upon the new land. Here he could create a world to suit himself, where his rule would be absolute, without the struggle and contention of his home world. It would be an idyllic paradise, an embodiment of a dream held up from his childhood, for even this powerful being was once a child.

From the base of the tower grew a road. Smooth and paved with regular shape, it wound around the hill, forking and splitting outward. Along the road grew buildings, each smaller then the tower but elegant in their shape. Houses, stores and buildings for work sprang up, each modern and comfortable, containing the magical devices common within the Wizards home world. The elements were channeled and controlled into devices for doing work, for producing light, or for simple spectacle and beauty.

And yet, while as far as he cast his eye he saw a beautiful city, there was no life. No noise or motion. The Wizard sat down upon a seat that sprang up behind him, and focused his mind over the entire city below. From the doors of the buildings came motion. People stepped forward and moved about tasks appropriate to the building from whence they came. All over the city there was bustle, but yet there was no noise save that of footsteps. For even a mind as trained as the Wizards has a limit on what it can think on. He can speak through the mouths of any one of these automatons below, yet the hundreds of conversations that would occur at any one moment are too much, if he is to maintain the shape of the city. The individuality that makes up the true flavour of a city is too much detail for him to bear.

For some time, this suffices. Below him is an idyllic city, where he can have anything he wishes. Yet, it is a façade, and leaves him feeling unsatisfied. An idea occurs to him. He sends a questing tendril of thought back through the anchoring portal, to reach the mind of a friend. For in his home world there are many wizards, each striving towards ever greater understanding of the powers available to them. Yet so well have they mastered their powers that except for those with unique or otherwise significant abilities, even the pursuit of knowledge has become a tedious task. Many people who have little to no ability will spend their entire life working at one task, in support of the community as a whole. While they are paid a suitable amount, working for a wage is not a satisfying prospect.

Yet if they came here, they could enter the world through the portal, and inhabit a pre-made body for some time. Being unskilled in the ways of mental control, they would not be able to stay as the Wizard does, yet while here they could enjoy adventure and excitement of their own creation. And best of all, there would be no way for them to be truly harmed, for they are but incorporeal minds.

So through came the first visitors. They were people who worked in support of the Wizard in his home world, coming through into this realm of opportunity as a reward. Upon taking on a body, they realised that while rudimentary, the bodies did have the skills appropriate to their assigned role. Yet the knowledge of the visitor was also available to them, resulting in a being that was the sum of the parts. In fact, as the visitors returned, undertaking such quaint and relaxing tasks as suited them in this idyllic world, they came to favour specific bodies, finding that each time they returned, they were more familiar. Those who changed bodies frequently did not find this sense of rapport, yet they did gain a wider knowledge and experience.

Little did they know that their very presence was changing the world around them. Within the city, inside the control of The Wizard, everything was controlled and safe, but outside the city, where his perception was but a passing thought, things began to change. The subconscious thoughts of those visiting were not controlled like those of The Wizard, and the world around them began to reflect the emotions of the people within it. No one noticed, at first, but once they did, their reaction was simple. The warping of the world around them, the changes to familiar objects in ways that seem familiar yet wrong, made them afraid. And the more they feared what could happen, their thoughts focused on the possibilities, the reality changed to reflect it. Objects that before were harmless became malevolent, turning against the people who visited them. People withdrew into the city where they were safe, and huddled in fear, not realising their fear made the problem greater. What had became twisted grew greater in their minds, and grew greater in the world. Creatures arose that were the embodiment of the visitors emotions, and were seen moving outside the cite, in the land previously thought safe. They feared they would come into the city after them... so they did.

In a cycle of horror, each person who fell added to the fear. Although they were not truly hurt, for their minds did not possess substance that could be affected by anything in this world, many lost the bodies they had built up a rapport with. The Wizard created guards, bodies armoured and equiped with weapons, to patrol the streets of the city. Being mindless yet efficient, controlled by the mind of The Wizard, who knew no fear within his own domain, these guards slew the creatures as they entered. Every wound inflicted on the guards substance was made instantly whole by the powerful mind of The Wizard, and once again people felt safe in the city. Yet the Wizard was forced to contract the borders of the city, throwing up walls around it, devoting more of his mind to the guarding of the inhabitants.

And yet, in the midst of what might have been thought a disaster, The Wizard saw opportunity. He invited more visitors in, but these were people of a different type. In this world, they could not be hurt, and outside the city lay a great challenge. These visitors went forth in a great group, and battled fiercely against the creatures of fear. While many were new and lost their bodies in great numbers, The Wizard always provided them with new, allowing them to rejoin the battle with only a pause to travel. As they pushed out further from the city, they established outposts, linked by smaller portals to the main one in the heart of the city. People returned to the fight quicker, revelling in the testing of their skills.

Among these fighters, some noticed that the contact with the creatures of emotion changed the nature of their equipment, enhancing their weapons and armour. With some practice, they were able to collect the essence responsible for this change. It was the emotion, the fear, anger, hate and all the others, made manifest within this reality. Among the visitors, some ceased their fighting to study the nature of this essence, producing rules and methods for controlling how it changes the equipment. Using it, they were able to produce equipment that was far better then that provided by The Wizard. Here was another opportunity. Around the outposts, and in the city, visitors set up shops, to produce this improved armour and sell it to the visitors. In a world where anything could be had for the thought, the only thing that was valuable was this essence. It could be refined, combined and enhanced, but the raw substance could not be reproduced in a controlled manner. Only the combined effect of a city full of minds could make it.

More and more visitors came. Now the world appealed to a wide range, those who craved adventure and those who wished to create. These people could interact, each supporting the other. Rules were formed, a contract system enforced, where people would go out among the monsters to collect the essence, and others would stay behind, safe in the city to produce equipment. Some traders formed guilds with the more adventurous types, allowing them to set up shop at the outposts. No protection was offered there by The Wizard, but by paying in essence and equipment, a trader was able to convince other visitors to protect them. Of course, they charged higher prices, but they had faster turn around on the equipment, allowing the adventurers to return to what they enjoyed doing sooner.

Some of the outposts grew, traders pooling resources to construct buildings and walls of their own. With time, these traders grew more capable of controlling their thoughts and the world around them, establishing their own safe perimeters, and even producing their own guards. These became towns of their own, some were open to all, and some only to allied visitors. Politics came into play, with groups forming alliances between them, and with opposition between others. The rare resource, essence, became contested. Locations that were more affected by one type of emotion over others became obvious, the harvesting there purer, and were competed for by the visitors.