Tag: draconic migration

#Lore24 – Entry #364 – Sci-Fi Month IV #29 – Mysteries of the Demon Sector

Transcribed From the Personal Recording Implant of Andra Ganim, Chronicler of the Codex Infinitum

AG:  “You had alluded to another draconic soul experiencing a resonating effect with a relic similar to what happened with Lila Darius.  Could you go into more detail about that, or if not, the phenomenon in general?”

RV:  “As it is an ongoing matter, I won’t be able to go into full detail, but can give you the general overview.  I have, as you might have imagined, collected a vast number of draconic relics over the centuries, most of which I have long since discerned the natures of, however deeply buried they may have been.  Yet, there are some that remain mysterious even to me, say perhaps about five percent of my entire collection.  I can sense the power that lies hidden within them, know that its there, but cannot access it no matter what methods I have tried, for I can feel the resonance, though on a much more subtle level.  Through long years of study, I have managed to discern the particular variances in this resonance amongst the artifacts, similar to what I feel in the presence of other draconic souls.”

AG:  “And this is why you described what Lila Darius experienced with her discovery of the A-TK drive as having encountered a “keyed” relic.”

RV:  “Exactly.  It seems that with the reappearance of draconic souls, and their unconscious push toward the Demon Sector, these resonances have become somewhat more intensified, making it much easier to discern which type of soul they are keyed to.  It was then that I began to study my test subjects for proper resonances, discovering some that would awaken these artifacts, though most remained too weak to do so properly.”

AG:  “And this other case of resonance that you mentioned, it was strong enough to cause a reaction in one of these relics?”

RV:  “Yes, though, to my consternation, the event was not entirely within my control.  In this particular case, one of my AR&D researchers whom I had assigned to collect and study additional relics as part of her advancement to the topmost tier of that group, uncovered a particular scroll of ancient draconic origin, thin as parchment, but composed entirely of copper, though not subject to the ravages of time.  Again, that most subtle guidance by unseen forces seems to have been at play, for this researcher had hired a human pilot to see her around the various locations I sent her, and then become quite enamored with her.  This was but the first hint of a strong draconic soul, and, as I would learn, said pilot would be completely fluent in both Draconic and High Draconic.  It was fate, if you will, that led them to studying that scroll together, and the resonance triggering the relic, which promptly vanished, imprinting what it contained upon this woman in the form of a copper dragon tattoo on her back.  In the panic that followed, she fled, for fear of what I may do to her.

I’ve set my researcher and a rather unique hunter from my collection on the trail of the pilot, who has vanished into the Demon Sector for now, though that is all I’ll reveal at this time.”

AG:  “Curious… I’m aware of an event that occurred upon Aphelion Station during the First Annual Grand Ball relating to the renowned orcish artist Rhoghor, when he revealed his collection of paintings known as the ‘Visages of the Starway Maiden.’  Was that woman he painted perhaps-”

RV:  “Yes, it was indeed the wayward pilot whom had taken what lay hidden within that scroll.  Another curious event relating to the stir of draconic souls throughout our part of the galaxy.  I suspect this artist is another draconic soul himself, somehow resonating with this pilot, though I’ve been unable to ascertain this myself thanks to Veylani’s interference; she’s hidden him away after the incident, and I’ve been unable to locate him yet.”

Note:  I’m sensing that Rivalle’s anger is cooled somewhat now that Lila Darius isn’t being mentioned, though she’s still maintaining an aggressive demeanor.  Perhaps I should begin drawing this interview to a close.

AG:  “Have there been any particular discoveries within the Demon Sector so far that have piqued your interest relating to your study of the dragons?”

RV:  “Several.  While there have been several species of animals displaying signs of demonic corruption in the systems closest to the Breach, these hold little interest to me aside from possible use in our various R&D divisions.  The trail Lila Darius has continued to blaze for the most recent expedition to have set out, UEF-04, led by the Maharani Morgiana, has already proven quite intriguing, revealing several new, and much younger, draconic ruins.  Likewise she has uncovered at least one world that possesses more of the digital intelligences like the one found in UCSD-0001, with clues that there could be an entire civilization of such beings laying out there to be discovered.

She, and consequently, I, remain focused upon these draconic ruins, however.  Their depths must be plundered, their secrets revealed in full.  She’s moving at far too fast a pace to indicate she’s studying them, so she’s following a trail of some kind, either one that she’s discerned previously, or that is being revealed to her at each stop she makes.  I think I’ve given her more than enough of a lead, and while her advancements are admirable, her lack of any stunning revelations leads me to think she’s being careless.  Not particularly surprising, given my experiences with this incarnation.

You’ll be the first to hear of this, my dear.  I plan to take a leave of absence in the very near future, for I will be traveling behind Darius, seeing what I can find that others, even those of your order, have missed.  I’ve waited long enough; I cannot contain my curiosity any longer; I must see what lies out there for myself.

I suppose this is as good a time as any to shift focus.”

AG:  “I do have more questions, Miss Volcari, but of course, you have ultimate say in what we discuss.  What topic do you wish to shift to?”

Note:  The smile which Rivalle just showed me has chilled me to my very core.

RV:  “To you, my dear, and your immediate future.  Though I suppose we’ll need to delve into your past a bit first.”

#Lore24 – Entry #363 – Sci-Fi Month IV #28 – Breaching the Demon Barrier

Transcribed From the Personal Recording Implant of Andra Ganim, Chronicler of the Codex Infinitum

AG:  “How was it that Darius was able to create this Advanced TK-Drive?  Was this too the will of the draconic souls that are swarming about us again?”

RV:  “Indeed.  They know the secret, not only of how to breach the Barrier, but of how it was formed to begin with, most likely.  This collective unconscious will drove Darius towards the creation of this new drive, whether she realizes it or not.  It began before I had even become aware of her current incarnation, when she rented that ill-fated shuttle and visited the world over which she was found by the mercenaries.  She knew of the ruins there, that they had been previously studied, yet something drew her to them again.  Thanks to some rather hostile locals, she was unable to perform a proper search at the time, and had to retreat until she had help. 

Some time later, once she had her team firmly established and had proven a thorn in my side, she returned to these ruins and was finally able to piece together what it was she and many others had missed before, a key that only a handful of beings could have possibly activated.  It was tuned, you see, to the essence of a gold dragon.  When she activated this key, really another form of storage device, the knowledge of the A-TK was implanted within her mind, no doubt alongside other details that now drive her deeper into the Demon Sector.  This would not be the only such occurrence in recent years of a draconic soul resonating with keyed memories, but I’ll get to that momentarily.

Some would call it coincidence that Darius became such good friends with Releana Veylani, but I see a much more subtle hand at work.  With Veylani successfully fending off my attempt to obtain her company, her significant psychic power managing to turn even my best doppelganger agent completely to her will, she had already begun redirecting Veylani’s resources to finding a way across the Barrier.  When Darius provided what she had learned, the first A-TK was rapidly built and tested, though its first true test would be what is now referred to as the “Breach of the Barrier.” 

AG:  “The particular details of the A-TK drive’s functions have been kept under the most strict security.  Veylani has made certain that those drives remain under her company’s control for the foreseeable future and has prosecuted anyone attempting to discern their secrets to the fullest extent possible.  Have you, given your vast experience, determined the nature of the drives?”

RV:  “Of course.  It’s rather simple, really.  The standard TK-Drive is already a fusion of arcane artifice and modern technology, it simply requires some tweaks to produce the desired effect.  I’ve studied these drives up close; no matter how Veylani may have tried to stymie my efforts, she and her people, as good as they are, simply cannot compete with my abilities.  I’ll spare the technical details for now, but suffice to say, these drives combine a method of attuning the ship itself to the localized energy of the Barrier, adapting to its various frequencies, and creating something of a slight dimensional shift in addition the hyperspace shift, which allows the ship to pass through the barrier harmlessly. 

The legal quagmire Veylani and her supporters in the Big Four running Perihelion and Aphelion Stations and the whole UEF initiative have stopped competition in its tracks, officially stopped me from creating a DSM alternative until a period of one hundred years has passed.   Unofficially, I’ve already made and tested several variations of the drive and have traversed the Barrier myself many times.  It’s not the legal threats that stop me from creating a mass-market DSM alternative to the Veylani drives, simply that I would prefer access to the Demon Sector be restricted to a singular entry point for now so that  I may know who comes and goes, that my plans are not interfered with by random outside parties.”

AG:  “I see… There has been quite a bit of discourse regarding the Breach, and no small amount of obfuscation as to the nature of what exactly happened there.  I suspect that the truth lies somewhere in the middle of what is commonly reported.  The commonly accepted story is that an entire fleet of DSM ships were lost chasing after Darius when she and her team made the first trek across the Barrier, though DSM’s official statement says that no such event occurred.”

Note:  The storm outside has worsened again, and Rivalle’s aura has taken on a decidedly angry nature, causing her assistant to begin whimpering again.  I find myself feeling rather nervous and wonder if I may have overstepped myself.  I have been treading dangerous ground when mentioning Lila Darius.  This seems to be a rather fresh wound.”

RV:  “Though I do like strict control, I can’t possibly vet every single individual who is in my employ.  Inevitably, over time, some inferior intellects do slip by.  It was the commander of that fleet who was to blame for what happened.  I was aware that Veylani and Darius had planned something, that there was a new development deep in their R&D department, but thanks to her pilfering of my agent, all of my spies were purged, and protections added that prevented scrying upon them.  When Darius launched in her ship and made a break for the Demon Sector, I suspected what they may have done, having known of the draconic souls pushing us in that direction already.

I sent that battle group out to capture the ship and Darius, to see what we could discover, but in spite of the aged appearance of the vessel, it had been equipped with the latest technology Veylani had to offer, so it easily outpaced my fleet and arrived first to initiate the A-TK test.  My people witnessed the attunement as Darius approached the Barrier, didn’t understand what it was they were seeing when bands of energy leapt from the Barrier, enveloped the ship’s shields, and caused no damage.  I can only guess that the ship’s captain made the absolutely boneheaded decision that the Barrier, in spite of all sensor data to the contrary, had a weak spot, and so decided to follow Darius inside.

It was not an entire fleet that was lost, no, just a group of starfighters and the command ship; a few other cruisers were damaged when they came too close, but no other larger vessels were lost.  People simply interpreted what it was that Darius had shown during her transmission as the entire fleet going up behind her on her way through the Barrier.”

AG:  “That does make sense.  I suppose those who are in opposition to DSM made certain to play up the propagandistic angle of the transmission.”

RV:  “Yes, yes, as I’ve done many times myself.  All’s fair in corporate war, after all.  Any setbacks, stock losses, PR debacles, what have you, are ultimately negligible.  DSM remains, and shall continue to remain, the largest corporation in the galaxy for the foreseeable future, no matter what the public may think.  All tides rise and fall, and we’re simply on a falling motion that will ultimately correct itself in time.  I speak from experience, believe me.”

#Lore24 – Entry #362 – Sci-Fi Month IV #27 – The Darius Legacy

Transcribed From the Personal Recording Implant of Andra Ganim, Chronicler of the Codex Infinitum

AG:  “How could Lila Darius develop such a thing as the Advanced TK-Drive without knowing how she came to do so?”

RV:  “It is something of the nature of our draconic legacies, tempered by her more chaotic leanings.  The thing about we dragons is that we’re all unique, especially in this current state of our evolution; perhaps that was a driving factor in why we did so, a growing sameness that led to weakness as a species?  In my case, during my youth, I was described as a prodigy in the arcane studies, and I described it as something of an instinctual understanding.  The same is true for Darius and her development of the A-TK.  She instinctively knew how to enhance the devices, had unlocked some aspect of her ancient memory through her experiences, and simply plucked that knowledge out of the black box that lies hidden away within her soul.  You can’t really explain it otherwise; this incarnation is a fledgling arcanist at best, has studied only history in archaeology in her lifetime, nothing in her record that would indicate she learned advanced physics nor trans-dimensional theory.

One could call her legacy that of remarkable discovery through sheer dumb luck.”

Note:  I can see that this particular topic is something of a thorn for Rivalle by the frown she wears and the subtle way her demeanor has shifted from calm neutrality to a simmering anger.

AG:  “Did she perhaps steal some of DSM’s, or rather, your, thunder in discovering this method of traversal through the Barrier?”

RV:  “It’s not so much that she stole my glory, I would have discovered the secret eventually once I began focusing upon the problem.  No, it’s how events unfolded around the discovery that I find particularly irksome.  Speaking strictly on a cost analysis level, Darius has cost me a literal fortune, and though in my grand scheme, it is ultimately an insignificant amount, the losses were still mine.  And I am, by my nature, quite covetous and rather vindictive.  This is not the first time she has seemingly attained great things through luck rather than talent, and likely won’t be the last, unless I do something…drastic, shall we say.”

AG:  “For fear of poking the dragon, if you’ll forgive the pun, could you give me some details as to the chain of events leading to this particular slight against you?”

RV:  “I suppose so; it was rather bold of you to try to lighten the mood with a joke.  This particular chain of events began when I attempted to acquire the Veylani Transport Corporation and employed my best doppelganger agent to see the task done.  This situation was really no different than other acquisitions, simply more red tape that was best dealt with via a subtle approach due to various tensions that have grown in the last few decades.  It comes waves, the hatred against myself and DSM, and it is currently in a peak period. 

Releana Veylani was the target of my operation, a simple replacement until the acquisition was done and VTC’s assets were under my control.  At the time there was nothing that I particularly wanted from them, it was simply a matter of my greedy nature at play.  As Veylani was on her way to me, Lila’s luck would come into play.  The idiot may well have ended this incarnation without even a ripple in the timeline had it not been for that luck.  She had rented a ship and traveled into the particular system where the handoff of Veylani was to occur, visiting a draconic ruin, when the subpar maintenance resulted in an explosive engine failure that left her adrift in orbit.  My external agents, mercenaries, answered her distress beacon and took her in, thinking to make some amount of additional profit by doing so. 

Knowing my particular tastes in pets, the mercenary leader asked of my interest; the moment I saw her image, I knew who she was, for all of the old hatred started to boil up.  That was the first thing she cost me in her present form, for the mercenary saw my reaction and raised his opening price to a ridiculous amount.  Thinking that fate was finally on my side, I decided to pay it for a chance to study Darius as I had wanted to for so long. 

What I did not factor in was the strength of her personality and influence, whether she realized her nature or not at the time.  She easily won over Veylani’s loyalty, and that of my personal assistant whom I had sent to oversee the care of Veylani until my agent collected what was required from her and took her place.  Though my doppelganger would be successful in this, he did not realize that his psychic probe into Veylani’s mind would awaken her own latent psychic abilities, which were, as I would learn soon enough, remarkably strong. 

In short order, Darius had persuaded my assistant to help her and Veylani escape, and the three went on the run, where they would eventually encounter another pair of misfits, a pair of rattenvolk whom she likewise won over.  The male of the pair had a contact within DSM that he called for information as to what we knew of their location, which was just as quickly relayed to me, and I sent one of my elite security teams to retrieve my prize.  I managed to take the trio that had earned my ire, and for an ever so brief time, would have them well in hand to do with as I would.

Little did I know those space rats would prove more resourceful than I had accounted for.  It seemed that my former assistant had arranged for my prizes to be slipped away through a criminal group, and though the three primary targets were already in my clutches at the time, the space rats’ loyalty had been secured.  They would not only engineer a plan of rescue, but one that brought them onto my private holding facility.  It would have been doomed to failure but for Lila’s continued ability to win loyalty, for she had managed to convince one of my newer commandos to betray me as well.  Had I been at my facility at the time, they would not have escaped, but I fear I may have stretched myself too thin and had too many obligations, a flaw I have since corrected.

There is much more, certainly, for Darius and her loyal followers would prove a nuisance for several years, but we don’t have all day, and I suppose we should cover her development of the A-TK and what occurred at the Demon Barrier.”

#Lore24 – Entry #361 – Sci-Fi Month IV #26 – What Lies Hidden in Crystalline Dreams

Transcribed From the Personal Recording Implant of Andra Ganim, Chronicler of the Codex Infinitum

AG:  “This device, UCSD-0001, sounds absolutely remarkable.  You’re convinced that it is of draconic origin, from somewhere beyond the Demon Barrier…has there been any information that you’ve managed to glean from it that you can share with me?”

RV:  “Some, as it relates to our conversation topics.  In many ways, the object is like the most densely packed onion, you could say, each layer we decode revealing something new.  Much of it seems to be standard knowledge, revealing technology not unlike our own, astrogation data, records of worlds we have only begun to identify beyond the Barrier, civilizations that may well no longer exist, arcane spells that are familiar yet distinctly different in their implementations, similar to how they used to be before the Great Cataclysm of Andyllion. 

Other data we’ve pulled from the matrix, though, is much more interesting, revealing things we had only begun to explore, or that is completely unknown to us.  Tell me, what do you know of modern robotics and artificial intelligence?”

AG:  “Well, certainly neither one are areas I have studied, so I would say my knowledge is surface-level at best.  Current robots are generally designed to augment ourselves, through cybernetic replacements or powered armors and exo-frames generally used for construction, loading, and other such industrial purposes, or semi-autonomous drones.  Artificial intelligence has been a much more questionable area of study.  We have basic AI all over the galaxy, for handling simple tasks, parsing and summarizing data, and controlling some functions of the aforementioned drones and armors/frames.  I believe there are efforts to create more advanced versions underway, but thus far, as far as I’m aware, anyway, we’ve never created a successful fully aware artificially intelligent consciousness, due to some breakdown of the various systems that leads to corruption and self-destruction or required termination due to a rampant state where it tries to destroy everything around it.”

RV:  “For someone who hasn’t studied the topic, you’re more knowledgeable than I would have suspected.  Just how deep does your well of knowledge truly go, I wonder?  Anyway, one of the most remarkable discoveries we’ve made within the relic is that of a stable digital intelligence.”

AG:  “…You didn’t call it an artificial intelligence, I see.”

RV:  “Indeed, I did not.  Initially, we thought that is what we had found, but upon further study, and upon its awakening, we learned that it was quite sentient, and far more advanced than any AI we have as of yet managed to create.  When queried, it was very forthcoming about itself and was quite curious where it had been taken.  Apparently, this type of storage matrix was designed not only to record data, but fully digitized personalities as well, creating what it described as a dream-like state in which its consciousness could survive for as long as the matrix itself would remain intact, a crystalline dreamworld you could say.  It became rather distraught when we revealed where it had been found, worried over its fellow beings, in fact, and the state of its home world.  Based upon the data it provided, its home world is unquestionably deep within the Demon Sector, though currently far beyond our reach.  Additionally, based upon our extrapolations, we’re estimating its age at approximately ten- to fifteen-thousand years old.”

AG:  “Remarkable!”

RV:  “Quite so.  The method is not entirely unlike soul transference or trapping that is possible through the arcane arts that I’m familiar with, in fact, simply a different implementation of the procedure.  I believe we may have already encountered others of its kind, too, though I don’t believe the one who stumbled upon them knows the significance of what she has discovered.  Yet another vexation provided to me by the current incarnation of Lila Darius.”

AG:  “I was aware that she was exploring the Demon Sector, but her movements have been very hard to track, and what information is revealed has been filtered through Veylani Transport’s various spokespersons, full disclosure promised at a later date for the sake of the archives, of course.  Whenever that may come.”

RV:  “Indeed.  I have made several attempts to locate her in recent years, yet she remains solidly beyond my grasp, though she is leaving a trail now, one that I’ve already been following with great interest since I’ve managed reliable sources from within the various UEF fleets that have been dispatched into the depths of the Demon Sector.  As much as it pains me to do so, I must give credit to Darius for finally cracking the mystery of how to cross the Barrier, though I have my doubts that this incarnation even realizes just how she came to do such a thing.”

#Lore24 – Entry #360 – Sci-Fi Month IV #25 – Looking Toward the Demon Sector

Transcribed From the Personal Recording Implant of Andra Ganim, Chronicler of the Codex Infinitum

AG:  “There does seem to have been a definite increase in interest in the Demon Sector over the last few years, certainly.  You are saying that it is the will of these draconic souls, such as yourself, that draws people toward it…why?”

RV:  “That is the big question.  I have yet to uncover the exact reason, and may not in your lifetime, or that of your great-grandchildren, even.  It is a vast region of space, far larger than the seventy-two stars that gave it its name in the old days, during our earliest surveys of the region through the Demon Barrier using the crude equipment of the age.  Even I did not realize it at first, but I had a developed a growing interest in the area following the uptick in dragon-souled individuals I had managed to locate, and only put the pieces together later.  The most obvious theory is that there lies something within the Demon Sector that we need to know about, something of vital importance, perhaps to the entirety of our galaxy, even.”

AG:  “Do you believe that perhaps the ancient dragons were responsible for forming the Demon Barrier itself?”

RV:  “Perhaps; their power is undeniably far beyond what even I have obtained since my awakening, and remains my ultimate goal, of course.  Perhaps the remaining true dragons lie at the heart of the Demon Sector, or perhaps the next revolutionary clue along the trail that will ultimately lead us to them.  It is only supposition, but I theorize that our continued interest in dragons, the pervasiveness of their iconography adopted by various peoples throughout history, still prevalent in popular culture today, influenced by their many ruins, is something of an inborn trait hardcoded into our very essences.  It is simply stronger in some of us, those who possess particularly strong souls.  Or perhaps there is a coming awakening of said souls on a grand scale; I simply do not have enough evidence to say for certain.”

AG:  “What evidence have you seen that would lead you to your supposition that the draconic souls are awakening?”

RV:  “It’s mostly based upon a curious series of events that I have only recently begun to piece together over the last century or so.  First was the sudden increase in available test subjects across members of the multiple humanoid races within civilized space; I went from approximately one subject per twenty years, roughly, to suddenly collecting four in one year, then ten the next, and at least twenty per year after that, with each subsequent generation showing more and more of the stronger souls, those peculiar individuals who displayed great leadership ability.  You may have heard that DSM had taken a rather forceful stance on acquiring various smaller companies recently, their owners, CEOs, whatever, simply being paid off and vanishing.  Well, I know exactly where they went.

Secondly, there was the discovery of a particular unique artifact by a mostly insignificant mining company near the world of Ruvale, obtained from one of their asteroid mining operations in the areas beyond the habitable zone of the system.  That artifact was called UCSD-0001.”

AG:  “Was this related to the Ruvale Blockade incident?”

RV:  “It was, in fact, the entire point of the Ruvale Blockade.  Once the existence of the object had been brought to my attention, I initiated the takeover of the company immediately and had intended to seize the object even before the documents had been submitted.  As fast as my agents were in reaching Ruvale, they were still too late to lay hands on the object, however, for the CEO of the company was not only an idiot, not realizing the value of what he had found, but he carelessly allowed it to fall into the hands of a jewel thief of all things.  My agents and additional security forces attempted retrieval, but the locals proved far too willing to aid the thief and her allies in hiding from us.  So, with that status update, I would blockade the planet until I had what I wanted.

Unfortunately, as fast as I had my forces moving, the thief was faster in obtaining passage off Ruvale.  The blockade nearly worked, though; had we been perhaps an hour sooner, we would have had the artifact immediately.  As it worked out, though, it had fallen into the hands of a broker on Sentinel Prime, which then sold it to me once she had obtained it.  In the end, little of value was lost in the endeavor, and the locals were reminded that DSM is not to be trifled with.”

AG:  “What did you discover once you finally had this object?  What was it?”

RV:  “UCSD…Unidentified Crystalline Storage Device.  This was the first object of its kind that I had ever come across in my many years of exploration.  Based upon the data from the mining company’s records, the asteroid which it was mined from was not native to the Ruvale system, had drifted into the mix from somewhere beyond its reaches, for its composition did not match anything else in the surrounding area, even showed signs of intense heat damage and a lingering radiation signature that, for them, was of unknown origin.  For me, it was quite obvious where that radiation signature came from:  the Demon Barrier. 

The company’s initial tests upon this object revealed its nature, as the moniker they gave it indicates.  A form of crystalline storage device that we had yet to encounter or create for ourselves and possessed of microscopic draconic runes upon its surface.  This object is reminiscent of arcane storage matrices from the old days but possesses a much more densely packed structure, allowing for a much greater capacity.  The arcane school of transmutation, specifically of “storing” objects inside these matrices as we have done in the past, and some of us still do, is essentially digitizing the objects and placing them in a static, digitized state until we call them out again. 

Have you ever thought it curious how much of what we know about the methods of manipulating the raw magical essence, magic, resembles modern coding procedures?  How curious indeed beings like certain kitsune are able to magically manipulate data, their curious form of hacking?  I could go into great detail about the nature of this relationship, but for now, I’ll refrain.

UCSD-0001, when I and my top AR&D members began to study it and access what it contained, revealed an amount of data roughly comparable in size to the entirety of the DSM corporate archives throughout the company’s existence, an unprecedented amount of data. We have only scratched the surface of this object, so to speak, though it possesses a hardness greater than diamond, reinforced with protective magic.  We have not even managed to date the artifact yet, in fact.”

#Lore24 – Entry #359 – Sci-Fi Month IV #24 – The Gifts of the Draconic Gods

Transcribed From the Personal Recording Implant of Andra Ganim, Chronicler of the Codex Infinitum

AG:  “To…become their creations?  You are implying something more than simple transmutation into a humanoid form?”

RV:  “Any sufficiently advanced idiot can perform a basic spell such as that; one of DSM’s subsidiary divisions sells such magic in pill form for use at parties, in fact.  It is well known in the records we have that dragons would often assume humanoid or animal forms whenever they wished, to mingle amongst their underlings, to fornicate with them, what have you.  Beings of such long life and great power often grow bored and must entertain themselves, after all.

I am indeed saying that the dragons sought a much deeper transformation, a fundamental reconstruction of their very souls.  For such as they who can manipulate and shape life however they may choose, such a feat would surely be simple enough, wouldn’t you think?  I have yet to uncover the reasons behind this movement within the dragons but am absolutely certain that a significant number of them altered their most fundamental essences, changed their state of being into something that transcends time and perhaps even space, allowing them to in effect live forever in one form or another.

Draconic souls, my dear.  They are still amongst us, and have been for thousands and thousands of years, some stronger than others, some aware to a limited degree of their higher existence, fewer still exhibiting a much keener awareness of their superior essence, the great rulers I’ve mentioned for example, and fewer still completely aware of what they are, what they once were, those who wish to awaken their full essence and reclaim what they once had.”

AG:  “…Individuals such as yourself.”

Note:  Rivalle’s presence has taken on a much more intense air of superiority, an almost palpable aura of command, of power unlike anything I have felt before.  Her assistant has gone to her knees, trembling as she cowers behind me.  I thought the light had caught Rivalle’s glasses, but no, that intense glow is coming from within them.  The storm outside has grown more intense, the thunder actually shaking the building, rattling the reinforced glass.  I feel myself trembling.

RV:  “Yes, individuals such as myself.  That is what drives me to do everything I have done, what I continue to do, and what I will do in the future.  I intend to unlock my full, unbridled essence and transcend back into my original state of being.  And for that, I needed others like me to study and manipulate, to see exactly how that is to be done. 

Note:  The intensity of her presence has begun to fade, as has the storm outside.

What I do is only seen as wrong because of the shortsighted nature of civilization at large, of the small-mindedness of the lesser beings that compose the bulk of those civilizations.  I am simply reclaiming what is mine, and I will not be denied my ultimate prize, whatever I must do. 

Am I acting selfishly?  Perhaps, but it is my nature, you see.  All of the traits I have admitted to possessing are simply part of my nature.  My ambition, greed, power, need to control others, all of the things I am derided for by my inferiors, all of it is simply who I am.  What I am.”

AG:  “I…see… So, this reaction you have to other individuals who possess this trait, other draconic souls, that is an ability to sense not only what they are, but their natures as well?  You can sense on an instinctual level if they have a nature that is aligned to yours, similar, or even in opposition?”

RV:  “Very good.  Yes, that is exactly what that feeling was, and why I simply cannot stand Lila Darius, though I would likely still feel the same regardless of her nature, given her actions.  I am a dragon of the most powerful of chromatics, the mighty reds, as you may have surmised given what I have described of my nature.  Darius is a metallic of the golden variety, the most powerful of their kind, and most often in opposition to my kind. 

Mind you, not all of our kind are driven by the baser nature of our original beings; in her various incarnations, Darius has displayed behavior that is markedly out of character for the traditional gold, her tendency toward chaotic behavior for example.  Even I have tendencies that are against my nature, as I enjoy a more ordered existence in lieu of the chaos I perhaps once preferred.  I find it most entertaining to create and manipulate systems, to watch as the little beings beneath me dance on the end of strings they do not even realize are there.  Everyone needs hobbies, even beings such as myself.

AG:  “You had mentioned this instinctive reaction relating to Marcon Shadowmist and his children.  Given what you have described…they are of the golds?”

RV:  “His children, yes, he…he has become something quite out of line with the typical gold.  His evolution to immortality took a far different path that tarnished his essence.  Though he is something orders of magnitude greater, basically you could say that he is a dracolich, perhaps the first of our kind to experiment with such a transformation.  You may be aware of tales of ancient adventurers encountering him as a black-scaled dragon, living in the swamps?  Tarnished gold.  Marcon does love a good joke, especially on zealous types, hence his collection of paladin armors and souls over the centuries.  He’s tolerable because he’s so amusing, really.”

AG:  “You had indicated that there has been a resurgence in the presence of draconic souls in recent times, due to a spiral nature in the patterns you have observed, and hinted that there could be a rather dramatic shift in civilization approaching because of it.  Where do you see this leading?”

RV:  “Into the Demon Sector, obviously.  There’s a reason why it has recently become of such intense interest throughout civilized space.  Our attention is being drawn there by the very will of the draconic souls themselves.”

#Lore24 – Entry #358 – Sci-Fi Month IV #23 – Seeking What Lies Hidden in the Sands of Time

Transcribed From the Personal Recording Implant of Andra Ganim, Chronicler of the Codex Infinitum

AG:  “I hope that I’m not delving into a topic I shouldn’t here, but what steps did you take to further your research once these special individuals began to show up again?”

RV:  “I won’t give you all the dirty little details, but will admit that I have used methods which most would find very questionable at best, downright ruthless and monstrous at worst.  I have faced no few attempts upon my life since I renewed my research, and I am something of the galaxy’s boogeyman because of them.  But as I’ve stated before, I don’t care what others think of me.  Most of them are beneath me and could not begin to fathom what it is I seek.

So, once I started to recognize these individuals again, I moved swiftly to secure them for myself.  You’ve heard rumors of some of the methods DSM employs, no doubt.  Some are completely true, others only slightly so.  I directed my AR&D division, in accordance with some of the secrets gleaned from the ancient draconic relics, to enhance the creatures known as doppelgangers, greatly enhancing their psychic abilities and their ability to duplicate their victims, without need for consuming them; all my particular breed of them require is a blood sample and time to psychically analyze and copy their targets innermost thoughts.  This made acquiring some of the more public and prominent test subjects much easier when I could simply replace them with versions that were loyal to me, and would further ensure that DSM maintained its position at the top of the power structure.

Don’t look so shocked, my dear.  In the grand scheme of things, this is on the minor end of the scale when it comes to the terrible things I’ve done in pursuit of my ultimate goal.  You needn’t worry about being replaced yourself, nor should you worry about meeting an untimely end upon leaving here.  Believe it or not, I do have a great deal of respect for what is you’re doing, however roundabout your methods are.  It’s a dodge worthy of Marcon himself, really.

Now, with a few new subjects to study, I would finally see my centuries of research bear fruit, would finally begin to unravel what it was that lay hidden within the sands of time by the dragons.”

AG:  “May I dare ask what it was that was so well hidden?”

RV:  “Why, the dragons themselves, of course.  Or, at the very least, their knowledge and experiences, stored in a way that only someone like me could manage to uncover.  There have been a few others over the course of the many millennia who have began to follow the road I have but have never taken the steps required to actually reach its end, for one seeking this knowledge cannot allow themselves be dissuaded by little things like common decency or a few lives along the way.  Take Lila Darius, for example; she has been something of a treasure hunter and historian in many of her incarnations, but try as she might, she is simply incapable of attaining the knowledge that she too seeks, because she has not allowed herself to see others as I do, to study them as I have.

I’m speaking of the very nature of advanced life as we know it, of the many sentient races who populate this galaxy.  At some time or another, we were all created, more or less in our current forms, by the dragons, our civilizations cultivated, changed, and ultimately left to fall to ruin in the wake of these beings who apparently vanished from whatever worlds they had played with, vanishing into time and space. 

But they didn’t vanish; no, they evolved.  Evolved into an existence that the pathetic little brains of the average being cannot begin to fathom.  That’s why most religions were formed, to make sense of these great beings that had evolved beyond common ability to understand.  Their evolution was what drove them to their experiments with the lesser races, what fueled their travels from one world to the next, trying something different each time, seeing what additional knowledge they could glean from their work.

Not all dragons were that way, certainly.  Some sought simpler existences, were content to continue ruling over their followers as gods in the flesh, while others seemed to grow discontent with their creations, attempting to destroy them only to find out that they had grown beyond their ability to handle, through various factors like the mastery of arcane magic and the formation of “divine” connections, and simple tenacity to survive.  Still other dragons would take different paths along their evolution, seeking to become more like their creations, to live amongst them or even to become them.”

#Lore24 – Entry #357 – Sci-Fi Month IV #22 – Vexations Along the Way

Transcribed From the Personal Recording Implant of Andra Ganim, Chronicler of the Codex Infinitum

AG:  “I must admit I’m a little hesitant to ask, but could you tell me more about those vexations?”

RV:  “You have absolutely nothing to worry about, my dear.  I assure you, though I may seem a bit angry at times, it’s not aimed toward you.  I consider this quite the honor, truth be told; a shame it’s taken you this long to seek me out, but I suppose all things come in time.

Now, my initial challenge in my study of this reaction was simply finding enough test subjects.  I had no way of easily identifying those who possessed this trait unless I could see them or interact with them myself, so given all my other duties, this proved quite troublesome.  Plus, the extremely low number of those that possessed this trait made it exceptionally difficult to find in general.  That was one reason I began expanding my search to other worlds when I was able to travel freely amongst them.

By the time of the Age of Legends, I would have an understanding of what exactly this trait was, what it indicated about the nature of those whom possessed it, and would shift the focus of my studies to attain a deeper understanding of what it truly meant, what other secrets may lay hidden around it and behind it.  Of course, my studies were delayed through war, threats to the entire world, and various other annoyances that would divert my attention.

Beyond the Imperium War, I had hoped to study the incarnation of Lila Darius of the period, but by the time I was able to return to my studies, she had died and been reincarnated elsewhere in the galaxy, and I could not locate her.  So, even without trying, she had caused me yet another delay.  With the spread of populations throughout the stars, one would think it would prove somewhat easier to identify the individuals I needed, but for a time, it seemed that my choices were very limited, had even seemed to have dried up for a few decades.  I through the drakonae of all people would have an abundance of these individuals, but they proved to be just as rare amongst them as any other species. 

I attempted to study this on myself over the years, of course, but ultimately could not find the data I needed without placing myself in greater risk than I deemed safe.  However, I would remain patient, learning what else I could about the pattern of draconic travel and details about their methods that were hidden deep within their ruins and relics.  Their newest creations that I could find, those only a few thousand years older than I, possessed some extremely fine details that were not present in older works, that had simply been lost to the ravages of time.  One could compare these small details to DNA strands, practically invisible and just as easily destroyed, almost as if they were coded into the very materials as they were forged by their draconic creators.

AG:  “What did these details reveal to you?”

RV:  “Unfortunately, nothing that I could immediately act upon for my own desires, but that would still prove useful in some form or another throughout DSM’s existence.  There were indications of methods that could be used to alter or influence the various aspects of life itself using magic and science that had been forgotten even before I came along.  Some small fraction of this knowledge I managed to extract and utilize, leading to some of the more significant contributions from DSM over the years, mostly in the form of advancing medical technology to the state where divine healing has become almost extinct in some areas of the core worlds. 

But that was research I mostly delegated to my underlings in the AR&D division, for it didn’t further advance the understanding of what lay beneath and beyond the flesh.  I would continue my studies of the patterns of draconic movements through time, though, and given their spiral nature, I arrived at a theory that would seem to be advancing to fact.  Even after their vanishing, the pattern continues, and after several more centuries, I was able to again begin to find more of the test subjects I required.  More of the individuals with this trait began to appear, several of which drove the further development of the corporatocracy as it is today, only this time I would not waste my time being subtle.  I would have what I wanted, whatever it took, whoever it was that I had to lay my hands on to study.”

#Lore24 – Entry #356 – Sci-Fi Month IV #21 – Following the Trail of the Dragons

Transcribed From the Personal Recording Implant of Andra Ganim, Chronicler of the Codex Infinitum

AG:  “…Are you suggesting that the dragons themselves in these creation stories are in fact the gods?  Or…rather, that the gods as we know them are in fact, the dragons?”

RV:  “See, I told you you’d get there.  Yes, I am quite certain that the various deities that we know of, through whatever means they may have created their various child species or the loyal followers they have cultivated over time are indeed the dragons of legend.  Aside from a handful of examples that we know of throughout history, based upon the standard Andyllion-centric views, there have been no encounters with living dragons, yet it seems our lives have been shaped by them consistently and seemingly at every turn as we delve deeper and deeper into our galaxy. 

I’m not suggesting that all gods are dragons, far from it, for we have multiple examples of the lesser races ascending to that lofty realm, your own goddess for example.  But I am saying that the majority of the gods as we understand them are or were, dragons.  The dragons themselves are, in spite of everything we know of them, very alien to common understanding, so the methods they use and the reasons they do what they do are still very much uncertain, even to me.  But in this, I am quite certain.”

AG:  “Could you elucidate upon this, please?  What have you learned that leads you to this conclusion?”

RV:  “It’s a very long trail, a most convoluted web, but I will endeavor to be as succinct as possible.  As I’ve said before, I realized fairly early in my existence that I was in fact different from the other elves, and began to search for others like myself that were…different.  Through the long course of my research, I did indeed discover others like me, for when I first met them, I experienced a visceral, instinctive reaction like what I described feeling for Lila Darius.  Though these individuals did not always possess the same understanding of the arcane as I did, they possessed certain other traits similar to my own:  greater ambitions, exceptional drive to accumulate wealth, the ability to instill intense loyalty, that sort of thing.  This is what would, at some points in history, be referred to as the “spark of rulership” or some such thing, that extra little something that made various rulers greater than others. 

I likewise felt this when I first met Marcon Shadowmist, and again when I met his various children prior to the Age of Legends.  Marcon aside, for he is an anomaly amongst anomalies, the reaction I felt inside me with his children was exactly the same as what I felt when I find myself thinking of Lila Darius, only slightly lesser, given our frequent clashes over time.  The thing about Marcon…he is always testing you.  Always.  When he sought me out for assistance in correcting the demon incursion problem, it was a test.  When we sat back and observed events during the Age of Legends, it was a test.  Though I have not met him since before the Imperium War, I’m certain he still tests me.

And what is he testing for?  Some would say character, others perhaps wisdom, or others simply how well one can maintain their manners.  It’s hard to say exactly.  But in this, I believe he was testing my awareness of myself and of my nature, for he knew what I was, though he never once hinted at my true nature.  I suppose you could say he didn’t wish to spoil the surprise. 

Once I became aware of this reaction, this resonance, with certain beings, I began my experiments, using the lesser beings, the ones who did not share my response to this resonance, as test subjects over the years.  I noted particular changes in the nature of the resonance between beings, some more visceral, others more muted, others something I could describe as a sense of familiarity, and since I could find no physical traits that would account for this, I delved deeper, all the way to their very souls. 

Of course, it wouldn’t be as simple as tearing down a soul.  No, there would be plenty of vexations along the way.”

#Lore24 – Entry #355 – Sci-Fi Month IV #20 – Musings on the Fate of the Dragons

Transcribed From the Personal Recording Implant of Andra Ganim, Chronicler of the Codex Infinitum

AG:  “Given the amount of time you’ve studied the dragons, you are likely the foremost expert on them in the galaxy.  Many researchers have previously attempted to access your research, and the one constant is the denial of access, which has fueled countless theories that you’ve made remarkable discoveries that you’ve used to get DSM and yourself to where you are now.  I suppose, since we’re moving onto the subject, that we should start at the beginning.  What started your admitted obsession with the dragons and their fate?”

RV:  “You’ll recall that I had always had an affinity for arcane magic.  Unlike others, I grasped the most complex concepts easily, and practically knew the draconic language used in arcana before I even studied it.  Most assumed I had simply been able to grasp the language easily, but no, I always knew the language.  I even gained mastery of High Draconic in the time it took normal arcanists to learn the basic form of the tongue.  Once I had gone to study the arcane, I quickly delved into what was known of dragon-kind, and quickly found it remarkably lacking and, somehow, instinctively, I knew much of it was wrong.  I always knew that I was different from my fellow elves, but I would begin to surmise that it was not simply the prodigy I had been named during this time.”

AG:  “Correct me if I’m wrong, but are you alluding to your very nature being different from other elves?”

RV:  “Yes.  My very nature is fundamentally different from that of normal elves, down to my very soul.  Taken at surface level, the traits which distinguish me most, my ambition, drive to gain power and wealth, mastery of the arcane, massive ego, my tendency to gain a remarkable loyalty from my lesser, even my lifespan.  Most elves tend to grow supremely bored and detached after a thousand years or so, perhaps two if they are particularly ambitious, and go off to die quietly somewhere.  I’ve never felt that urge, not even once, and I am just as spry as I was two, three, four thousand years and more ago.  Quite an anomaly, you would agree?”

AG:  “There are certainly no other known examples of elves as old as you.  Common belief is that you have preserved yourself through arcane methods, may in fact be a lich or making use of clones to extend your lifespan.”

RV:  “Lichdom is not for me, at least not for the foreseeable future, but there is precedent for it.  I have said previously that I mastered the arcane method of creating a clone.  That mastery has certainly been honed through practice when required.”

AG:  “So you have experienced death before.”

RV:  “Death of the body is trivial, my dear.  It is merely a vessel for the soul, which houses one’s true essence.  That is why I destroyed Halaxaes’ soul when he dared to cross me.  When the Hand of Mausolus was sent after me, I did not mean that I was lucky that he never caught me, rather that he did not slay my soul.  Had it been Korvalis Nightrunner who had come after me, then perhaps you and I would not be having this conversation.”

AG:  “Most would say that dealing in souls is a very terrible, dark art.”

RV:  “Most are beneath me and could not begin to understand how little I care about their opinions.”

AG:  “With all this talk of souls and your true nature, how does that tie into your draconic research?  Have you found a secret there as to the nature of souls themselves?  To our very existence, perhaps?”

RV:  “Not all souls, only a very small number of them, speaking strictly by the numbers.  But before I get into that, I should tell you the short version of what I have learned over these many centuries of study.  The proliferation of draconic ruins throughout the galaxy can be no accident, for their general construction and iconography are mostly identical throughout known space, with minor variations depending upon the tastes of the individual dragons who oversaw their construction.  As your order’s records indicate, there is a clear advancement in the age of the ruins through time; some ruins have been dated to be much older than those within the Andyllion core worlds, and others have been dated to be much younger, but the youngest of these is still thousands of years older than even I.  What most have not discerned, though, is the pattern of their construction, specifically a pattern which indicates an intentional and systematic expansion of dragon kind throughout space in a spiral progression following the spiral nature of the galaxy itself.”

AG:  “Are you referring to the draconic migration theory?”

RV:  “Yes and no.  The theory itself is flawed, you see.  The dragons did not simply advance from one world to the next as they grew bored or were vanquished by the lesser races or succumbed to some disease or calamity, to conquer the lesser races on a whim as is surmised.  No, the dragons themselves were responsible for seeding the worlds they visited, taking their loyal followers with them as they traveled, creating entirely new civilizations as they advanced, trying something new and different each time, studying how these civilizations flourished or died, then moving on to the next once they had satisfied themselves.  The shortsighted and self-absorbed nature of the various races throughout known space could never allow them to open their minds to the possibility that they or their gods were not responsible for their coming to their home worlds or perhaps even their creation. 

I can see that you’re going to need a few moments to process this and formulate your next question.  I can already guess what that question will be.  How does my version of events relating to the draconic seeding of worlds relate to the gods, to the various creation myths and commonly held beliefs that the gods were responsible for the creation of their ‘children’?  It’s really not a difficult leap in logic, my dear.  Think about it for a moment, have some fresh tea.  You’ll get there, I’m certain.”