Underrail Forum
Underrail => General => Topic started by: Hal900x on May 03, 2016, 10:01:15 am
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Just finished the game. It's definitely in my top 10 ever. But...the ending! I gather there are many different paths than the one I took, but one thing drives me absolutely insane: the mystery. I never learned a damn thing. The whole game, I was waiting to find out what that cube was, who the "shadow people" were, what Rahm-Umbra and Tanner really were. And no, not one thing was explained. The Faceless wouldn't tell me, Rahm wouldn't tell me, Eidan wouldn't tell me, the GAME wouldn't tell me. Dafuq? I could swear I read someone saying they ending with the cube, and some kind of medallion? Two artifacts, that you can actually use? Well if so, I missed it all completely. If I can go back to an earlier save, and I have many, I think before I start another playthrough I really must know even a little about what this was all really about, if it is even possible.
That was a brutal, brutal cliffhanger. You better have the sequel ready next month.
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before I discuss the entire understanding of my lore, can you tell me what you mean by "shadow people"?
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before I discuss the entire understanding of my lore, can you tell me what you mean by "shadow people"?
It is how Tchort refers to Six/Rahm-Umbra/Tanner's people.
And I thought of yet another NPC who knows deep dark secrets and won't spill: EZRA! Dammit, the whole game does this.
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Now that I have my answer, I will talk about everything I know.
Each segment will be laid down chronologically, and will accompany evidences first followed by my opinion.
Let's begin.
Obviously everything below will be HUGE spoiler for the story, if not ALL of the spoilers.
Story of the alien race - to be more specific, Godmen.
(this is not that important, but oh well)
Evidences:
Refer to all three crystal pillars, monolith, secret society mainframe, secret society leader, Dude.
Interpretation:
So they are psionic, powerful and shut-in aliens who wields otherworldly technology like teleport or interplanetary weapon of mass destruction. They have track record of annihilating another alien race known as Behemoths, who were also space faring.
They are also known to hate space, for some reason. Therefore - shut-in within their own planet.
Unfortunately they had some... chronic disease or something shared by their entire race/infected their entire race. When this desease struck, they probably went into hibernation using their stasis technology to delay their demise/sleep until disease is somehow cured.
In this last moment, some of those Godmen were chosen to travel to space for unknown mission. They were fitted with new mechanical body and sent off.
So far all this isn't important. Nothing that has to do with human race nor development of Underrail so far. As far as we know they could've sent outer space to buy supplies for recovery-celebration party that takes in the future.
Let's get to fun parts... They saw something interesting on(or more likely, under) Earth, came down, and somehow wracked the ship. There are only 3 survivors.
This ship, or possibly a part of the ship has been salvaged by certain organization, and it is likely that more alien items were scattered across larger area.
History of the Underrail(Or rather, Biocorp, since they controlled everything back few hundred years back then)
Evidences:
Apartment complexes mails, Actions of some ex-biocorp scientists, ex-biocorp Apex technocrat and ex-biocorp lackey of unknown rank, faceless dialogue, Six's dialogue.
Interpretation:
What happened prior to Biocorp doesn't concern me personally. All known recorded history begins when Biocorp controlled everything and the surface abandoned. Anyone or anything could've caused "uninhabitable surface problem" but it really doesn't matter to the story. So let's start with the part it does matter. Hollowed Earth Research Complex - also known as Deep Caverns.
Hollowed Earth Research Complex was built for research of top secret technologies of Biocorps... or so it says.
I personally think that it isn't true at all. How about this: Hollowed Earth Research Complex's purpose was to research alien technologies and alien genetics.
example:
Some mails from the apartment mentions gathering of xeno-artifact - like those mysterious pillar.
Unexplained presence of alien monolith within the ex-biocorp university. Note that Tchortist didn't know about its existence.
Stasis tanks.
Lastly, incredibly large amount of Mutagens.
Strange, isn't it? Faceless says that they were born within mutagen tanks.
And yet Dude refer to Faceless as "Half god, Half man, Half rock", and Rahm-Umbra says that Faceless is related to himself as well.
Only logical conclusion is that Biocorp somehow obtained Godmen's genetics(probably from ship wreckage mentioned above) and designed mutagens based on it to elevate humanity to new height.
It is unsure if they have used Mutagen, but biocorp scientists' work bore fruit and some of them obtained immortality + psionic abilities.
Biocorp was successful in creating in prototype of new human - the faceless. But then they revolted and Hollowed earth fell. It is not known if it was plotted by remaining Godmen or accident, but it is done. Most of the research - if not all - stored in there were lost. It is possible that some trace of it remains in the northern underrail.
Of course, there is an exception. There was a group of people who had access to all those wondrous, top tier Biocorp technology - Faceless. They probably had access to them after the revolt... and it brought them success in southern underrail.
And stuff happens - Tchort who was born during this revolt. Deep caverns fell to ruin.
Certain Biocorp employee continues to experiment... and Junkyard happens.
Then Biocorp fells.
Then cube gets stolen somehow.
Biocorp employees gets scattered across Underrail - some easily over hundreds of years old - and Godmen survivors still scheme for their mission even to this day.
Note that Godmen all seem to attract large human followers for their greater schemes and prefer to use minions over direct action. Bearing that in mind, it is easier to see where the last one may have went...
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before I discuss the entire understanding of my lore, can you tell me what you mean by "shadow people"?
It is how Tchort refers to Six/Rahm-Umbra/Tanner's people.
Tchort referred to Six specifically. You know, Rahm-Umbra. Shadow. He called the people "High Ones".
To think that I never bothered to look up "Rahm" and discover that it was a real word, knowing that Umbra is.
Turns out he's the high shadow!
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Oooh, I so don't have time for this, but I want to join in, at least for a bit.
Story of the alien race - to be more specific, Godmen.
You are taking all of this very literally, despite Six outright warning you not to do so. I don't think he would have objected to the titles Godman or High One if it was just a simple matter of bad translation.
But if we don't take it literally we don't have much to talk about, so let's do it anyway.
I'm not sure you got the chronology of it right, though. Not that I'm sure my version is any better.
The way I interpreted it, the illness is the earliest event in the timeline. The inhabitants of the moon, whoever they were, turned to the dead Godhead. The Godhead, in turn, unleashed the beast on them, the Leviathan.
They won the war by turning to technology and conquering space, and with the end of the Eon of the Beast, the reign of the Godmen started. The Godhead was replaced by the Machine God.
At this point however I am not sure what lead to their downfall and the eventual journey of the Chosen. It seems they had some kind of energy crisis, their stars provided them with plenty, yet not enough. Is the invisible star the sphere orbits the same Sun from the previous visions? Where is this galaxy anyway?
History of the Underrail(Or rather, Biocorp, since they controlled everything back few hundred years back then)
I'd like to add a few things to this.
First, it is unknown how humans developed psi potential. If even the head of Biocorp's genetic research is clueless about how such thing could have been designed, it is possible Biocorp had nothing to do with it. In that case there might be a third party that started tampering with human genetics long before Biocorp schenanigans. That would have some fun implications.
Second, the Junkyard incident. When exactly did it happen?
Thanks to Wyatt, we know for sure it was over 100 years ago. We also know the Hollow Earth incident started around 189 years and 75 days ago, and after it escalated Old Biocorp was done for. And finally, we know that there was no Biocorp for at least 100 years.
Wyatt identified Wight and Vovin as possible Biocorp scientists. The timing would be too soon for it to be New Biocorp, so it had to happen when Old Biocorp was still around, so at least around ~189 years ago. So was it one of the last things the two technocrats have done before pulling a disappearing act, or did it happen before Hollow Earth as part of Project Ascendance?
And last, what is the symbiont?
To think that I never bothered to look up "Rahm" and discover that it was a real word, knowing that Umbra is.
Turns out he's the high shadow!
Super secret insider info incoming, the three Godmen are called Rahm-Umbra, Sahne-Lumen, and Obers-Nihilum.
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Super secret insider info incoming, the three Godmen are called Rahm-Umbra, Sahne-Lumen, and Obers-Nihilum.
A so an Quark :P .
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A so an Quark :P .
:D
Princes of the Milky Way.
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And last, what is the symbiont?
"symbiont" - biological term - 'two organisms that live in symbiosis with one another.'
Even we have one in each of us, so this is good example.
Our cells all contain mitochondria - presumably descent of ancient bacteria that is absolutely vital for us to live.
Its function is to convert suger product into energy we can use, and has to rely on us for food it receives.
It still has its own DNA and all, so it can be considered as "symbiont".
This is just an example, and there can be another in the world of Underrail.
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Regarding the discussion on psi-potential in humans:
I'm a bit confused here, so feel free to correct me if I post something factually incorrect, which I am certain I will at some point. We have humans, psi-beetles, psimorphs in the shape of rock larva and DC mushrooms, and of course we also have Tchort. I can't remember if the game reveals or hints at whether or not rock larva are in fact an extension of Tchort, or if they and similar psimorphs existed before it. In either case there seem to be two distinct types of psionic creatures in Underrail, those who are explained as being creatures that almost have psionics as some underlying life-force that shapes their very physical form (can't remember Ezra's exact dialogue atm) such as psimorphs and Tchort, and creatures who have psionic potential, but are otherwise just regular creatures (humans, Azuridae, probably some more I can't remember).
Are both types of psionic potential natural? Furthermore is psionic potential something that was always latent and uncovered, or is it new to humans and other creatures alltogether? The game pretty strongly suggests that the monoliths are responsible for it, whether by revealing it or creating it. 2001: A Space Oddyssey, anyone?
Unrelated question: Does anyone have or care to write up an overview of whom from Caerus residential we meet or hear about outside of DC? I seem to recall that someone suggested that Ezra was Anton Matveev, though I'm not sure why him in particular, after re-reading the logs.
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This is just an example, and there can be another in the world of Underrail.
This is what I'm wondering. But in general I just wanted to bring up the conversation with Wit.
"The architects were afraid of their creations... deep in the genome... look... the latent self-destructive code..."
Good stuff.
I seem to recall that someone suggested that Ezra was Anton Matveev, though I'm not sure why him in particular, after re-reading the logs.
Someone didn't hack the Oculus terminal. Let me help you with that.
(http://i.imgur.com/VMSwFRc.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/ZpMjAaW.jpg)
I can't even imagine what it must be like to go to DC without already knowing all this. By the time I entered the elevator I was beyond excited to finally see the infamous Hollow Earth, and every single location, email, conversation, just made my hype even stronger. When IRIS mentioned the two visiting apex technocrats, confirming they had hand in this as well, I was like "HA! I KNEW IT!".
Yes, I love Deep Caverns.
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The chronology of the visions - and the whole big picture of the background plot - seems very vague, probably intentionally so. You could say there's some kind of timelapse vertigo going on.
I can already see next game being called "Underrail 2: Timelapse Vertigo" :D
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I seem to recall that someone suggested that Ezra was Anton Matveev, though I'm not sure why him in particular, after re-reading the logs.
Someone didn't hack the Oculus terminal. Let me help you with that.
Note to self: Hack stuff. Thanks, though!
Edit: Tried it now and I remembered that I had in fact already done it, just that I didn't understand what they who they were hinting at. Vovin, though?
Quinton? That one doesn't seem as obvious to me.
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Vovin, though?
Quinton? That one doesn't seem as obvious to me.
Quinton? Nah, I very much doubt it. I mean, he is probably Biocorp like many at SGS, but most likely just an insignificant New Biocorp scientist.
Vovin is probably one of those characters that have/had an important role, and while it's good to know about them, we do not actually meet them in the(/this) game. Like General Melek.
Here I posted his bio mainly because it helps with the Ezra/Anton connection. Every time you get a new piece of info about him you also get something that confirms one of the previous ones, until it becomes impossible to misinterpret the situation.
From Wyatt you learn the two men who came to him more than 100 years ago were probably Biocorp, one being bald, pale, with a breathing mask and one mechanical eye (really, this one everyone gets instantly), the other skinny with his face burnt. Thought control was used to keep the mutagen canisters secret.
From the Beast quest you learn that Ezra knows about psimorphs (confirming Biocorp connection, making his Depot A involvement even more likely).
From Oculus you learn that Anton Matveev was an apex, infamous for unconsented human experiments (Depot A), hideous self-experimentation (mechanical eye, signs of previously undergoing mutation - the pupil of his real eye being dilated, a trademark mutie/mutant trait), worked on Phenotype Dynamics (mutagen research) and also on psimorphs, and of course was a thought controller.
And you also learn that there was this other guy, Kirill Gavrilyuk, who was also an apex, and probably a metathermics user (burnt face), but no mention of a direct link to Anton aside from some joint projects.
And then DC confirms that yes, these two indeed used to hang out and cause misery together (more or less confirming that it was Vovin with Ezra at Depot A), mentions that Anton is "frigid as a corpse" just in case you still had any doubts left, and then you learn that psimorphs were created by Parkinson at Hollow Earth, which pretty much seals it. But then DC also adds a whole new layer to the story with Slavkovic and his human experiments, although for now this is left unresolved as we don't even know what happened to him in the end, only that despite him considering it he did not become one of the Tithonus subjects.
So yeah, the whole thing is built up very nicely throughout the game.
Are both types of psionic potential natural? Furthermore is psionic potential something that was always latent and uncovered, or is it new to humans and other creatures alltogether?
It's probably better if I just quote this part instead of paraphrasing. Comes so early in the game that it's pretty easy to forget, and then skip on later playthroughs:
"It's a relatively rare inheritable complex genetic trait that triggers development of certain, otherwise latent components in the brain."
"No one is really sure. Research indicates that it's a relatively recent genetic mutation, but it sure could not have been a random one. So many things about it are just too complex and convenient to be anything but artificially designed. There are problems with this theory, though. Former Biocorp's head of genetic research, Hal Roche, outlines these problems best in his thesis. I won't bore you with details but the essence of the problem is that, with the technology that we currently have at our disposal, creating, testing and integrating such complex genetic structures is simply not possible without a colossal amount of trial and error work. So much trial and error work, Roche argued, that even if you combined all the genetic processors in the world in his time and let them work on the subject for the entire time of their existence, they would still be extremely unlikely to produce these results."
Make of this what you will.
I agree it's possible that it was an effect of the monoliths, although nothing suggests that the non-psi HE staff that interacted with and harvested the pillars developed any kind of psi abilities, with the exception of Wasi Abdul, maybe.
Also remember that Biocorp had no knowledge of the monoliths/pillars, and even Hollow Earth existed for many years before they discovered them. For example psimorphs were created before the discovery, but using shards on them later had many beneficial effects on their development.
It would probably help if we knew whether the monoliths are exclusive to the south, or present in all Underrail.
While there is a greater, sort of background plot that concerns the nature of time, the game is largely about the Underrail itself - its inhabitants, politics, strife, dangers, mysteries, as well as the player's place within all this.
Well, that was a wise decision. I have no idea where the nature of time comes into the picture, aside from the vague and confusing chronology of the visions you already mentioned, the possible time traveling or clairvoyance of Six (and for all his predictions he failed to predict that the second the Faceless refused to give me more information in exchange for the Cube I'd hit "Export Character" with it still in my inventory. Take that, Six.). Well, and that one sign on the Cube that stands for space-time curvature/event horizon/etc. (the M/W looking thing, perhaps?).
But hey, I can't wait to find out.
Unrelated question.
Some bots have True Sight, makes sense. Both Godmen have it too, sure. And the Eos psionic projections too, which is also understandable.
But Azif? From what I remember he is the only human (?) NPC in the game with True Sight. I wonder why.
Even more unrelated, but if anyone knows what the abbreviations SAI, SC, and NRS stand for in the game, I would really appreciate the information.
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The chronology of the visions - and the whole big picture of the background plot - seems very vague, probably intentionally so. You could say there's some kind of timelapse vertigo going on.
I can already see next game being called "Underrail 2: Timelapse Vertigo" :D
But the first game already was called Timelapse Vertigo... :P
"Was", as past tense.
With all plot elements that would explain the origin of the game setting not being part of the game (and left as mystery), it made sense to rename the game to Underrail, since it better explains the game as is.
But, if those elements will be tackled in the future sequel, then original title could return, at least as subtitle. 8)
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I agree it's possible that it was an effect of the monoliths, although nothing suggests that the non-psi HE staff that interacted with and harvested the pillars developed any kind of psi abilities, with the exception of Wasi Abdul, maybe.
Also remember that Biocorp had no knowledge of the monoliths/pillars, and even Hollow Earth existed for many years before they discovered them. For example psimorphs were created before the discovery, but using shards on them later had many beneficial effects on their development.
It would probably help if we knew whether the monoliths are exclusive to the south, or present in all Underrail.
I seem to recall that there was something about them in Caerus, but I might be entirely mistaken. In any case, thanks for all the lore, I greatly appreciate it! I'm fascinated by it, but I can't remember all of the details yet.
Even more unrelated, but if anyone knows what the abbreviations SAI, SC, and NRS stand for in the game, I would really appreciate the information.
Where do they show up? I swear at least NRS sounds like something I knew what stood for, but like the rest of this, I can't remember the context.
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From Oculus you learn that Anton Matveev was an apex, infamous for unconsented human experiments (Depot A), hideous self-experimentation (mechanical eye, signs of previously undergoing mutation - the pupil of his real eye being dilated, a trademark mutie/mutant trait), worked on Phenotype Dynamics (mutagen research) and also on psimorphs, and of course was a thought controller.
And you also learn that there was this other guy, Kirill Gavrilyuk, who was also an apex, and probably a metathermics user (burnt face), but no mention of a direct link to Anton aside from some joint projects.
Wait, burnt face?
There is only one more immortal, ex-biocorp scientist with burn scar on his face.
Think of junkyard... Come to think of it, this could be considered as a "joint project"
Hmm... I wonder, is Archibald Knight also one of the old biocorp-era weirdos?
He says he used to work for Biocorp Armed Forces. BCAF should have ceased to exist following the Hollow Earth incident almost 200 years ago, right? And everything else seems to point to Praetorian Security being formed from Biocorp Security (reformed Biocorp-era security forces, separate entity from BCAF) after Core City riots just 15 years ago.
Wasn't Archbald Knight chief of security in the core city when Biocorp controlled them? I think I read it upon the history of core city...
If my memory serves me right, he lead the revolt against Biocorp back in the day, just as protectorate made their move on the north.
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If you talk to Abram with the Doctor feat and have talked to the man in Depot A, you can tell Abram about him, and he's floored. I presumed he had an imperfect reaction to whatever diesel Depot A.
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Who? Abram? I don't believe so. At the first glance Wyatt's description on one of two the strange men seems to match Abram (skinny, probably burnt face) but how could Abram be Kirill? He's not even a psionic.
Also, is there any evidence suggesting he's older than average human or directly involved with any of the Biocorps? I always assumed he came into contact with old and diluted form of the Depot A mutagen recently (which could explain why he wasn't completely mutated) when working on his assignment to free Maura.
Certain named psionics do not feature psi bars - such as Six and Dude.
It should also be noted that possible side effect of mutation could involve loss of psi ability... since there are no mutant/mutie psionics.(which I always found strange)
There is no evidence between age of mutagen and intact mind after mutation. It is more likely that mutation effects everyone differently, as Depot still has full fledged mutants even after hundreds of years.... as well as Wyatt.
As he is member of Oculus he is very informed, therefore diverging information he could ONLY know is... impossible, after checking all possible dialogues.(like we did with psimorph)
Except this one line.
Biocorp... ::wheeze:: happened to me. ::He coughs.:: Surely you've seen this before.
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Certain named psionics do not feature psi bars - such as Six and Dude.
It should also be noted that possible side effect of mutation could involve loss of psi ability... since there are no mutant/mutie psionics.(which I always found strange)
For what it's worth: If you turn into a mutant during "Gas the drones" you lose your psi bar.
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In any case, thanks for all the lore, I greatly appreciate it! I'm fascinated by it, but I can't remember all of the details yet.
Keep notes. Lots of notes. History, politics, people, doesn't matter, jot it down. Even if you end up with a list of assistants, assistants of assistants, and all their extended families, at least you won't end up in a situation where you are not sure whether someone was mentioned in a specific source or not that often. I can never remember anything either, but at least this helps me find information faster. And it's a good way to pass time while you backtrack. At least I prefer it over speedhack.
Where do they show up?
Right, I completely forgot about mentioning the context. My bad. Actually they all came from Vasilica's and Dyson's mails.
"You think SAI reports to anyone anymore?"
"Imagine the SAI guys spying on our chat take it a bit too seriously and think you really want to kick my ass. Soon, an armed AF squad might come busting through your door. What do you think of that?"
"If you feel the need to file a complaint against my excruciatingly annoying behavior to SC, NRS or even BCHC"
It's easy to work out from context what these are, just not what they stand for exactly. Like SAI is probably something like security, surveillance, security assessment, information, intelligence, etc. But then again it might also be something completely different.
This is getting a bit meta, but that possibility is actually taken into account. 8)
Aw yiss. I already know that the Faceless won't give you the medallion a second time if you already have it, but since I've already seen the Cube in the Research Lab, I was not sure if this was going to get resolved or I'm in for a glitch fest. So is one of them just going to go poof once Tchort is dead? Merge in the inventory? Turn into mushroom brew?
Either way, I just enjoy my pointless childish rebellion against Six. He had it coming. How can he say with a straight face that there is no way out of DC besides killing Tchort when there are not one, not two, but four tunnelers lying around, one right there behind the gate he is pointing at, is just simply beyond me. And then he gets to act all "I told you" because you can't interact with any of them.
I always assumed he came into contact with old and diluted form of the Depot A mutagen recently (which could explain why he wasn't completely mutated) when working on his assignment to free Maura.
I don't think so.
"Biocorp... ::wheeze:: happened to me. ::He coughs.:: Surely you've seen this before. Probably shot... ::wheeze:: a couple of other poor bastards... ::wheeze:: during your little excursion into Old... ::He coughs.:: ...Old Junkyard. Do no fret. ::He wheezes.:: They were no friends of mine... ::wheeze:: not since they were no longer... ::wheeze:: themselves."
If he knew those people then it can't have happened recently. He was probably just a poor sod living in Depot A at the time, completely unrelated to Biocorp or Oculus.
It's not like he is the only one who managed to more or less retain his sanity. Juke, Doubletap, Twitch (the other Twitch), and their unnamed mutie friends were all from the Depot A stock before they packed up and moved to the Core City Sewers. And they seemed pretty sane as far as muties go.
On the rest I agree with reinhark. Again the only maybe exception I can think of is Wasi, as he mentioned some accident that happened to him at the Mutagen Tanks before his doppleganger problems started.
Yes, he was. According to his own words he was *BCAF* chief of security. That's the military of the *original* Biocorp that ceased to exist almost 200 years ago! It would make sense if he was talking about Biocorp Security Forces, which were established along with *reformed* Biocorp some 50-100 years ago and remained in place until the Protectorate's Dis takeover and the Core City riots.
And according to Oculus he was second-in-command in the Core City Security Forces. Maybe it's just a mistake. In the dialogue where he mentions BCAF he also says the player character seems too young to remember Biocorp. And although one could write a book about the many ways of life extension in the Underrail universe, I do not think he was talking about Old Biocorp here.
Anyway, there are other chronological problems, pardon, "timelapse vertigoes" in relation with BCAF.
In the Original Report Eidein writes that he was selected by apex technocrats "many years after" Hollow Earth because "Biocorp desired this expedition in hopes of at least slowing down its decline which started years ago and wasn't about to stop". He spent around three weeks down there, after which he took over the University and founded the Institute. So this happened exactly 100 years ago, which makes no sense for either Old or New Biocorp.
But the timeline also says that in year 5 BCAF was renamed to Preservation. So yeah. Something here does not add up.
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"Biocorp... ::wheeze:: happened to me. ::He coughs.:: Surely you've seen this before. Probably shot... ::wheeze:: a couple of other poor bastards... ::wheeze:: during your little excursion into Old... ::He coughs.:: ...Old Junkyard. Do no fret. ::He wheezes.:: They were no friends of mine... ::wheeze:: not since they were no longer... ::wheeze:: themselves."
If he knew those people then it can't have happened recently. He was probably just a poor sod living in Depot A at the time, completely unrelated to Biocorp or Oculus.
Interesting. I stand corrected.
Then let me expand suspects little further...
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Glad I provoked such an interesting discussion. I appreciate all of the insights. Personally, I think a lot of the storyline is a case of what I like to call the "Lost" syndrome. I never saw it myself, but I was a huge fan of many series written in the same way. That being, the writers didn't actually know themselves what was going on. They wrote it as they went, and left the viewers to come up with all the interesting connections, theories and so forth.
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Well, that is the Dark Souls method for you ;) . The massive cliffhanger is very irksome, but I'd say the primary conclusion for the game was always the finding that the entire Underrail system is really just a big fucking ant farm. Kinda like the world in Harlan Ellison's I have no Mouth and I must scream, only with the remnants of a power-mad corporation instead of a nigh-omnipotent, envious Machine God fiddling with your every step. Styg always said the game would focus on the different factions of Underrail and their political machinations, and that's exactly what it ultimately does. With that out of the way, the story can now move on to the bigger picture.
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but I expect tchortist documents to be artistic works of fiction and falsehood.
In this case what the Original Report said has some support, though. Since we established Abram already lived at the time of the Depot A incident, he should know whether there was or wasn't a Biocorp 100 years ago. And he confirms a few bits: that Eidein was a Biocorp scientist, that he created the Institute exactly 100 years ago, and that he did so by taking over the still functioning Biocorp University. This much should be true, as Abram doesn't like to mix up facts with speculation.
And if this is true, I don't see why the part about the technocrats and BCAF would be a lie. But yeah, if BCAF and BSF are interchangeable, that explains it somewhat, especially since New Biocorp kept the technocrat title too. But mainly because of the time of Depot A and the talk about wanting to slow the decline of Biocorp I'm not really convinced.
Although you are right, "Civil wars erupted all over Underrail and Biocorp dissolved into many small factions. Many technocrats, and scientists and engineers died in the following years. Biocorp was no more." and "Biocorp had only begun to recuperate from the damage it suffered during the split when technocrats called me into their office." does seem to imply that parts of Biocorp might have survived the "death", even keeping their name and rank.
Yes, I think I was wrong. Maybe there is no contradiction after all.
Hmm, all this made me ponder the history of SGS.
IRIS mentions the three elevators lead to Biocorp University (Institute of Tchort), Lower Underrail (Hanging Rat) and BCAF installation S-8 (near SGS). So SGS used to be a Biocorp military installation... well, no big surprise there.
SGS being a BCAF station is a known fact, Harold tells you as much in the battery quest when he explains that the station refuses to work with anything but optoelectric nuclear batteries. Although I suspect S-8 actually included both the Alpha and Omega stations, not just the former.
In which case it used to be ridiculously huge.
Interesting, though, isn't it? They had three elevators leading to Hollow Earth. One in their primary research and education center, one in the largest military base of the south... and one in the middle of bumfuck nowhere. Unless they knew about Oculus.
...hey, maybe SAI was Oculus. Vasilica did imply that even before Hollow Earth SAI was already in the process of going rogue ("You think SAI reports to anyone anymore?"). And it would explain why Dude knows about the "all-seeing eye". Or maybe I'm just reaching.
I wish SGS library had some consoles where you could learn a bit about the station's (recent) history...
Yeah, about that...
(http://i.imgur.com/qIcW4LW.png)
Never going to happen. And once again Biocorp is to blame.
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Interesting, though, isn't it? They had three elevators leading to Hollow Earth. One in their primary research and education center, one in the largest military base of the south... and one in the middle of bumfuck nowhere. Unless they knew about Oculus.
...hey, maybe SAI was Oculus. Vasilica did imply that even before Hollow Earth SAI was already in the process of going rogue ("You think SAI reports to anyone anymore?"). And it would explain why Dude knows about the "all-seeing eye". Or maybe I'm just reaching.
It's a possibility. But it could also be nothing more than an access point for the lower metro network. The south elevator is also few steps away from the station proper. Whatever the case, Oculus wasn't *built* by Biocorp, since the psionic monoliths are not their doing and its physical structure is decidedly alien compared to all known Biocorp facilities.
Still, you must have reason suspect that *something* is strange about oculus itself.(I mean the structure)
First, why isn't it under the possession of the Godman in the first place?
They probably wouldn't want their technology to fall to the wrong hands.
Second, The elevator.
Location of the elevator, to be exact. Supply line? Maybe. Except there is shorter supply line route directly in the university, near the core city - which was suppose to be center of the biocorp.
It is as if Oculus was suppose to be only accessible from Hollowed Earth...
Lastly, I did talk about Biocorp finding alien relics and possibly alien corpse - which was probably product of crash or progression of ongoing of supposed *disease*. It is more likely that Biocorp have stumbled into Oculus down while they were searching for the alien artifacts, rather than random scavengers found it.
Which brings up the Azif's origin... Biocorp is most likely. It also explains why he wants that project result from Wit Nosek.
Edit: It should also be noted that oculus is the only elevator spot where obvious Biocorp structure isn't nearby.
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I don't agree that Azif's motivation for finding Wit Nosek points towards him being biocorp. There is way too many reasons for a man working at an intelligence gathering organization, in the current climate, assisting Six, to want information about biocorp projects.
For all we know it could be Six's idea, to learn more about what process was used to create Tchort.
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I don't agree that Azif's motivation for finding Wit Nosek points towards him being biocorp. There is way too many reasons for a man working at an intelligence gathering organization, in the current climate, assisting Six, to want information about biocorp projects.
For all we know it could be Six's idea, to learn more about what process was used to create Tchort.
Six should already know, or Six should already know who to ask: Faceless. Afterall, he even told us for being an ally.
Furthermore Six wouldn't even know how Wit Nosek and Tchort are related. If Six would've contacted Faceless (which should've been a first people to ask, if you ask me) it becomes obvious that Tchort is product of "Project Dynamics" - AKA mutagen research.
Wit Nosek's research only involved "Project Ark" - immortality research. Something Six definitely already have and don't need another one for.
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I don't agree that Azif's motivation for finding Wit Nosek points towards him being biocorp. There is way too many reasons for a man working at an intelligence gathering organization, in the current climate, assisting Six, to want information about biocorp projects.
For all we know it could be Six's idea, to learn more about what process was used to create Tchort.
Six should already know, or Six should already know who to ask: Faceless. Afterall, he even told us for being an ally.
Furthermore Six wouldn't even know how Wit Nosek and Tchort are related. If Six would've contacted Faceless (which should've been a first people to ask, if you ask me) it becomes obvious that Tchort is product of "Project Dynamics" - AKA mutagen research.
Wit Nosek's research only involved "Project Ark" - immortality research. Something Six definitely already have and don't need another one for.
Alright, so we scrap the Six part. I still don't see how this points towards Azif being biocorp.
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I don't agree that Azif's motivation for finding Wit Nosek points towards him being biocorp. There is way too many reasons for a man working at an intelligence gathering organization, in the current climate, assisting Six, to want information about biocorp projects.
For all we know it could be Six's idea, to learn more about what process was used to create Tchort.
Six should already know, or Six should already know who to ask: Faceless. Afterall, he even told us for being an ally.
Furthermore Six wouldn't even know how Wit Nosek and Tchort are related. If Six would've contacted Faceless (which should've been a first people to ask, if you ask me) it becomes obvious that Tchort is product of "Project Dynamics" - AKA mutagen research.
Wit Nosek's research only involved "Project Ark" - immortality research. Something Six definitely already have and don't need another one for.
Alright, so we scrap the Six part. I still don't see how this points towards Azif being biocorp.
I am only talking about Azif's origins. Biocorp has fallen and it is possible that Azif have betrayed Biocorp during the whole hollowed earth incident.
I am implying that Azif may be ex-apex technocrat and immortal based on:
1. Somehow owning Oculus, assuming that Biocorp found it first.
2. Strange interest towards Biocorp projects, as indicated from the Database collection of Oculus.
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I totally agree the location of the elevator right next to Oculus is a bit much to be a mere coincidence. It might even be the most plausible theory that Biocorp found Oculus centuries ago and the elevator was constructed afterwards. It's just that we don't have much concrete information on it, only guesswork. But maybe we can cobble something together.
If the Oculus existed centuries years ago and Biocorp knew about it, they kept its existence a very well guarded secret. (Well, that wouldn't be too surprising considering its role.) Even IRIS doesn't know about it and just says the elevator goes to Lower Underrail.
edit: just a small thing, but there are a couple of isolated Biocorp facilities near the elevator. Hephaestus research and that bunker with D5 mutagen and mutants in cryo-storage.
For all we know it could be Six's idea, to learn more about what process was used to create Tchort.
IIRC Six said some useful things in the elevator epilogue.
The reason he ended up in Oculus was searching for the cube while tracking down Tanner. In any case, he's there only for a short time - while the cube is in Core City. You can actually get into Oculus before Six.
On the topic of Azif, Six also said he knows even less than he think he knows. (When asked about the Godmen/visions)
hmm, good point. Although size of nearby facilities itself isn't enough for me to be convince me that they built elevator for just to access those two.
If Six was Oculus just for those moments... then logically Six's request for Oculus was to look for the cube.
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With a title like this and constant discussion, it might look like a heated flamewar from the outside. Nice surprise for anyone who opens the thread. :)
So you are saying this thread at first glance tries to deceive you into thinking its content is actually more shallow than it really is? Sounds awfully familiar.
Maybe. I'm not so sure myself. I also kinda thought the bit about Knight could have been a simple mistake in his dialog, but now I doubt it's an error. Too many mentions of BCAF and other Biocorp organizations operating after Hollow Earth incident and before the reformation.
That is kind of what I meant too. That if Biocorp just split into smaller factions working separately, but did not outright disappear, then that resolves most of the issues with the timeline. Eidein could have been part of the University and selected by technocrats. The Junkyard incident could possibly have happened a bit more than 100 years ago with Wyatt still realistically suspecting he was dealing with Biocorp scientists. And Knight could have been chief of BCAF too.
Lastly, I did talk about Biocorp finding alien relics and possibly alien corpse - which was probably product of crash or progression of ongoing of supposed *disease*. It is more likely that Biocorp have stumbled into Oculus down while they were searching for the alien artifacts, rather than random scavengers found it.
Yup, pretty much what I'm thinking too. Coretech has documents inherited from Biocorp of xeno-artifacts and research data by xenoarcheologists, enough that the Cube was not completely useless to them. If Biocorp carried out any research of this kind, it must have happened before the fallout. Without large-scale cooperation figuring out anything would be near impossible.
And since the pillars were found shortly before things in HE went south, and no one had any idea what they were aside from suspecting them being alien in origin, and the only two non-pillar xeno-related places in South Underrail are at the University and Oculus, I assume they knew about both.
Even IRIS doesn't know about it and just says the elevator goes to Lower Underrail.
Well, IRIS was developed to regulate the Power Station and RAF facilities, and to be a self-learning system experiment, so her knowledge is fairly limited. Most of what she can tell you is information she heard from Bregmann.
I am only talking about Azif's origins. Biocorp has fallen and it is possible that Azif have betrayed Biocorp during the whole hollowed earth incident.
I am implying that Azif may be ex-apex technocrat and immortal based on:
1. Somehow owning Oculus, assuming that Biocorp found it first.
2. Strange interest towards Biocorp projects, as indicated from the Database collection of Oculus.
Sounds possible to me. Would possibly explain the True Sight too. It seems Biocorp had some kind of test tube baby project going on, at least based on what Slavkovic said, maybe even breeding for specific purposes. At least Bergmann was trained for his position as head of AI research since he was only 3. If you want someone to lead your alien-tech spy station, designing him with the ability to see through stealth and disguises doesn't sound like a bad idea. And his mono-black eyes make it hard to figure out what he is looking at. A bit too convenient to be a coincidence, no?
But we don't have any real evidence, so yeah. He is one disturbing fellow though. "I have been watching you even before you met my associates"? Whoa, mate, now wait a second. Jack Quicksilver is one of the very first quest givers in the game. For me he was actually the first NPC I talked to after the tutorial. Why would anyone keep tabs on you pre-SGS?
There is way too many reasons for a man working at an intelligence gathering organization, in the current climate, assisting Six, to want information about biocorp projects.
Let's not forget that near the end of the game it was suggested, however briefly, that Oculus might have been either playing both sides all along, or actually were commissioned by Tanner to steal the Cube, and maybe even tried to delay Six. Whether it's true, who knows. But it's a possibility we shouldn't discard.
That being, the writers didn't actually know themselves what was going on. They wrote it as they went, and left the viewers to come up with all the interesting connections, theories and so forth.
You are not giving them enough credit. What we discussed so far was with a few exceptions pretty grounded, and suggests very careful and conscious implementation.
Some truly wild speculation would look more like this:
Hope mentioned Otis visiting Tartarus prison, and not as a prisoner.
Vladovic talked about the magma level there being higher than usual.
We know from Dyoglash that test subjects were exposed to mutagens at a place called the "Crucible".
And Austein said the Faceless do not like where they are.
Now what would I want more than anything in the world if I was sitting on a big pile of white-hot magma? Why, I think I would want to--
(http://i.imgur.com/UU18u5a.png)
Ladies and gentlemen, I propose the Cube is a state of the art air conditioner.
There. Mystery solved.
-
Jokes aside, isn't Crucible just the site where Tchort was? Nothing to do with high temperature, just a metaphorical crucible for mutagens. The console explaining Exitus reagents makes this pretty clear.
Makes sense to me. Faceless mentioned that their "birthplace became grave" of the biocorp scientists - or something like that.
And since Six mentioned that Tchort was immobile...(and therefore needed Eldein and etc)
Of course, this is assuming that Faceless were born within the crucible.
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Let me propose a solution to another mystery: Azif is Otis. Why? Because why not!
A compelling argument, but I'm afraid it has a fatal flaw you have overlooked.
It is positively impossible for Azif to be Otis. Why? Because he gives you information you do not need to know.
Just how bright is a mindshroom cocktail on fire?
Interesting question. How does a mindshroom affect the luminosity of fire? How bright is the Cube? Is it sensitive to light levels and starts glowing only in the dark as a user-friendly feature or does it glow constantly? What color is the emitted light? We need to know more to decide its potential for revolutionizing stealth.
Jokes aside, isn't Crucible just the site where Tchort was? Nothing to do with high temperature, just a metaphorical crucible for mutagens. The console explaining Exitus reagents makes this pretty clear.
Of course you are correct, let's not over-analyze a mock theory where every line involved deliberate misinterpretation, omission of details, and assuming connections where there is none. Took me long enough to come up with it. Although this little exercise in self-criticism turned out to be so effective that I almost ended up deleting the entire post. :-\
Although now that I think about it, maybe not. Tchort is somewhat blocking the view. Although the scientists were thrown into the mutagen tanks, I doubt the Crucible is the whole room, or going down there wouldn't be too good for your health after pumping it full of deadly mutagen, chosen one or not. Probably that machine he is covering with his slimy mass. Either way, it probably doesn't involve any heating.
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Ok, I have been re-playing the game again, now that the reckoning of the new version is near.
And time for more backlog of lore knowledge.
Curious... Very interesting indeed.
W. Abdul: If they come here here, they will separate us, Wasi.
W. Abdul: I can't take this anymore I am tired and and I can brly see And you are hurting me.
W. Abdul: They will hurt you more.
W. Abdul: i just want this to end
W. Abdul: Peel the skin from your chest now. There is nothing left on your back.
W. Abdul: I cant
W. Abdul: You have to. You are not you anymore, don't you remember? Your body is a prison made of flesh. Get rid of it.
W. Abdul: i can't.
W. Abdul: You must.
W. Abdul: I can't do it why can't I just kill myself I can't take it anymore.
W. Abdul: Don't cry. Pain is but a small price for your new existence. Your freedom.
W. Abdul: i am tired I havent slept.
W. Abdul: You will never sleep again. You don't need to. You are getting rid of it all.
W. Abdul: why can't I kill myself
W. Abdul: We don't want that. We don't want your existence to end. You need to remove your flesh slowly, peel off all the outer layers. What is left is you in your purest form.
W. Abdul: i cant.
W. Abdul: It is too late. Just set yourself free, Wasi.
Does it sound familiar?
Slowly the voices rise from across the globe. They are irritated at first, and soon they grow angry, furious. But their fury becomes tempered with fear and then... pain.
Now the world is screaming and you soon realize why. Deep in your guts you can feel it - a beast stirs. Fueled with all your desires and fears, like a rabid rathound it claws with increasing fury at the inside of your skin, yelping, growling, barking.
The pain becomes increasingly intense as the moments pass. Your face and your hands become numb, and inside - only pain. You look up at the sky, it's nighttime.
In desperation your hand reaches for the stars. You have to escape or you have to cut your belly open and let the beast out, there is no other way.
I thus conclude my proposal, Theory of "Space Plague".
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Hmm, interesting theory. But are those two things the same?
I always thought what Wasi experienced was an uncontrolled doppelganger / self-bilocation (some INM logs seem to point to this, one example below) and I don't get the same vibe from the institute monolith vision.
Interestingly enough, the only place you can learn doppelganger is from the "fragment", which has alien origin as well.
(and it also causes self-bilocation, even to non-psychics)
Either way, it is likely that this alien affliction is some kind of... psionic abnormality, given that there is no biological link between 2 species. It is even possible that "doppelganger / self-bilocation" is this disease.(since we do not know much about detailed working of bilocation)
If this really is true, it raises question of origin of psionic power. Doctor you talk to at the beginning suggests that this power was recent development, and humans could not have done it. INM and your own experience suggests that alien monoliths boosts psionic power, and IMN indirectly indicates that it granted the researchers with psionic abilities. I doubt that alien's intentions were peaceful. In fact, those fragments could have been part of some kind of weapon... considering the state of the 1st fragment.
It is my opinion that godman gave humanity psionic power to experiment on.
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Throwing in some ideas, questions and half-remembered bits and pieces after completing the game myself a couple days ago. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong or smirk knowingly if I get close to some kernels of truth. I'd make another thread but honestly, this one has already provided enough food for thought to be worth keepin' around.
Questionwise, how much do we really know about Eidein? From what I recall, basically all the information on him including his identity and reason for finding Tchort all come from the Original Report which is, let's face it, a mishmash of half-truths, obfuscation and outright propaganda. Is "Aiden Travers" ever mentioned anywhere else in-game?
With regards to Tchort itself, while we do get some tangible answers to how precisely it came to be from the Faceless as well as some tantalising motives for why it might not have been as accidental a creation as it first seems(the various logs and emails effectively confirming that many researchers in Hollow Earth were suffering from potentially fatal health complications due to exposure to mutagens, psi-phenomena, etc), but there are still quite a few mysteries surrounding it, particularly if we take the timeline as presented - it would be almost a century between Tchort's probable birth and Eidein's discovery of it, which leaves a rather long period unaccounted for, even if you accept that it would have taken some time for it to reach the state we encountered it in. I also ponder whether it was truly a hivemind as suggested, or if some particularly powerful.... component individual, shall we say, was directing the majority of its actions. This is of course, assuming we can take the evidence in DC at face value.
Other minor ideas that aren't especially relevant at the moment, but may be at some point:
-Six's mobility power is not a simple move-from-A-to-B, but rather a relatively nuanced Temporal Manipulation power that involves moving through both time and space, giving the appearance of instantaneous teleportation. I'm reasonably convinced of this one, especially with the new expansion confirming such a psi-school exists and even seems to have some visual effect similarities. Of course, if this is true, then it could have some rather far-reaching implications on how we view the plot.
-The fact that nobody seems to know(or at least talk about) why the surface was abandoned beyond the vaguest reasons, even individuals with exceptionally long lifespans who really should know SOMETHING, is significant in some way. There may be someone or something intentionally suppressing that information.
-Dude's apparent longevity and insane prescience are the result of a robust fungal diet. Remember kids, eat your greens. And brownish-reds, in this case.
Think that's everything off the top of my head. I got through the Deep Caverns relatively quickly, only a handful of hours, so there's likely little things I've missed, especially since I never returned the Cube to the Faceless.
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The only other character I can think of that goes into any detail regarding Eidein's past is Abram in Oculus who only really mentions he was a BioCorp scientist of unknown status who founded Tchortism. We'll probably be seeing him in the future as hinted at in the epilogue so we'll just have to wait till then to learn more about him. Who knows, maybe Tchort lives on within him.
To my knowledge I don't believe his real name is mentioned elsewhere.
I was real bummed out that after seeing him die I couldn't take his robe/mask and impersonate him when entering Cytosine Outpost and be like "Tchort summons us brothers!" to then let the sheep be one with their god
Regarding the creation of Tchort, it is strongly hinted by the Faceless Commander that Otis, Frederik Austein's pet mutant, lead the revolt of the faceless who then threw several ((?) Unsure what they limited their pool to. Either solely everyone in the mutagen department, all presently at the Crucible at the time of revolt or everyone they could find in DC) BioCorp scientists into the mutagen tanks which somehow birthed Tchort. IRIS confirms there were plural unconfined mutant assistants though so it may have not been Otis but I doubt it. Otis (maybe not as per IRIS) is the Faceless leader now. The medallion was your prize for retrieving the cube so it is probably some high and mighty honorific invitation to dine with Otis or something.
I don't believe we are provided much info regarding the ~89 unaccounted years of Tchort's possible existence and Eidein's discovery of it. At one point though it seems Tchort has consumed a "High One" seeing that it knows the taste of their flesh and thoughts or at the very least has been in contact with one. Six states High One is an archaic term so maybe Tchort has outdated info by now or is old fashioned. Visions do say they were made anew so who knows.
As current in-game content goes Six's teleportation seems purely technology based to me.
No psi bar and all.
Well BioCorp created UnderRail and ruled it for centuries. Most of the immortal seeming folk were created in result of the inhumane experimentation which took place during/after their fall so it is understandable that they wouldn't know. Things just get lost in time. Even Eidein who has lived over a century claims to have never seen the surface but asserts it is presently uninhabitable. The majority of common folk probably don't know of said surface. Very few even refer to the Old World. That may be a regional thing though isolated to the South since Northerners view them as savages. The closest windows we get to viewing the surface are oddities and visions.
Keep in mind that UnderRail in general is a dangerous place and many end up dead before learning the words to ask why. The famine in particular must of wiped a majority of the population.
I'm convinced that since mushroom brew's side effect is to reduce psi skill/points that Dude drinks away to keep the voices out.
---
Per the library, the last big engagement the Tchortist had with the Faceless was in year 42. Ever since then only irregular skirmishes revealed they still lived. It has been ~15 years since their last sighting.
They got their behinds whipped so hard they ignored Tchort for ~60 years. Then their cube gets snagged and they massacre the whole cult.
Wut.
Tchortist housed/protected/worshiped a being that can kill a faceless "rooms" away merely through thought that may or may not be the collected consciousness of the very scientists that enslaved them only to be practically pacifistic toward them for over half a century but suddenly their battery gets stolen and they end them all for merely possessing it. They weren't even the original thieves man! Surely they must of known this after healing and mind reading/interrogating Lora Baker. Granted they increased in numbers/power over the years as confirmed by Stavros but I still don't see how they ignored them for so long only to now suddenly turn nuclear. The Universities roots were BioCorp too! Keep in mind that after massacring all Tchortist at University the Faceless just camp out of Tchort's kill range twiddling their thumbs. Rubs me wrong I tell you.
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I find it a shame that nowhere on the official forums are the complete text of the visions recorded.
Since this thread is so well developed and makes mention of them on several occasions I'll just copy paste them here for future reference.
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Mysterious pillars (Silent isle):
Three strange pillars rise from the pool. They are decorated with glowing symbols that you are unfamiliar with and they seem to hum, though you are unsure whether they actually produce sound or if it’s just all in your head.
Focus your mind on the pillars.
You clear your mind of other thoughts and focus just on the sound of the pillars and the glowing symbols.
As the time passes you lose the perception of the world around you. You can no longer hear the water dripping from the cave ceiling or the insects skittering amongst the mushrooms. Everything except strange symbols is darkness and the only sound is the humming of the rock.
You realize this could be dangerous.
Continue focusing.
As the time passes you can no longer distinguish the glare of the symbols from the humming. They merge into a single feed through which mental images pour into you. You cannot tell If they are memories or just products of your imagination.
You see a man sitting on a throne in a large sphere orbiting an invisible star. Millions of miles below, you hear wind sweeping across desolate landscapes carrying sand and dust. The sand scrapes across a naked man, tearing the skin away and revealing the robot body beneath. Great hydraulic pumps expand the universe until nothing can be seen.
The trance finally subsides. You cannot make any sense of the information that was poured into you and you’re left with only fragments.
The strange feeling that followed you across the island still lingers in the back of your head, though dormant.
Mysterious pillars (Core City):
Three strange pillars rise from the pool. They are decorated with glowing symbols that you are unfamiliar with and they seem to hum, though you are unsure whether they actually produce sound or if it’s just all in your head.
Focus your mind on the pillars.
You clear your mind of other thoughts and focus just on the sound of the pillars and the glowing symbols.
As the time passes you lose the perception of the world around you. You can no longer hear the water dripping from the cave ceiling or the insects skittering amongst the mushrooms. Everything except strange symbols is darkness and the only sound is the humming of the rock.
As the time passes you can no longer distinguish the glare of the symbols from the humming. They merge into a single feed through which mental images pour into you. You cannot tell If they are memories or just products of your imagination.
The corpses of Leviathans rot from within as their corpses collapse into the Sun. Machines gnaw and tear at the rubble of the universe , weaving fine thread. On top of a ziggurat amidst the thick forest the reign of the Godmen is proclaimed. The space weave ripples.
The trance finally subsides. You cannot make any sense of the information that was poured into you and you’re left with only fragments.
Mainframe (Oculus)
Suspended in the middle of pyramid a massive glowing rock hums softly.
Focus your mind on the rock.
You clear you mind of other thoughts and focus just on the sound of the humming and its strange contours.
After a while the walls of the pyramid start moving away from you. At first slowly, but soon they begin accelerating. They escape faster and faster, moving light-years away from you, but somehow you can still see them.
Inversely, the rock shrinks to the sub-atomic size. You can no longer see its light, but you can still feel its presence though the humming.
In the vastness of space, surrounded by the pyramid’s walls, a storm of memory, knowledge, and visions rages around you.
Most of them seem to be well beyond your reach, but you might be able to glimpse into some of them.
1. Focus on two large objects revolving around one another.
As a Leviathan circles around a red planet, from half galaxy away an invisible spear is hurled. It warps the space-time as it races towards its target, dislodging planets and shattering stars. This tell-tale signs will arrive too late to warn the creature of its impending doom, though.
For this giants it is impossible to defend from the enemy who can kill by observing. The Eon of the Beast is over.
2. Focus on the nearby superheated object.
The egg is cold and dark on the outside, but as you pass the membrane you can see and feel the hot core within.
Immeasurable amounts of energy flow though the invisible network. So much more than they need to rule their domain, but not nearly enough to change their fate.
3. Focus on the pervading background waves.
Countless thoughts of Godmen race though your head as you let the waves pass though you, but you can only make sense of small fragments.
You sense their fear and wonder as they arrive close by. They lament as they learn their fate.
Morbid curiosity make them descend. You feel anger and hatred as they die. Three are now all that remain.
With a sickening screeching the space around you implodes, and just as quick as it expanded, the pyramid reverts back to its previous state.
Monolith (west wing)
Suspended in the center of the room, surrounded by cables and various electronics, is a half-shattered crystal monolith. It is dark and rough on the outside, but from within the cracks emanates enticing blue light. Life watching bonfire, there is something primal that draws you to stare into its depths and listen to its humming.
Focus your mind on the monolith.
You clear your mind of other thoughts and focus just on the sound of humming monolith and its enticing blue light.
As you stare into the crystal, its light grows brighter and brighter, binding you to everything else. No shadow, no sound, no thoughts – just light.
No it is the light of the clear blue skies above lush thick green forests. You have never seen such sights, but somewhere deep in your mind – you know this place.
A massive structure of stone and metal rises far above the treetops. Its sacred, yet obscene geometry cuts into the skies above. Its dark cold walls have been hardened by millions of years of angry winds and tempered by many sieges.
Impregnable it stands in the wildest region of this moon – the Tomb of the Godhead.
Evil winds that now weep this temple seek to awaken the dead Godhead. They bring word of his people, his children and the sickness that has befallen them… that has *again* befallen them.
Now, gratingly, the many maws of the Tomb open, bellowing deeply. The song is carried back on this evil winds to all corners of the moon.
Slowly the voiced rise from across the globe. They are irritated at first, and soon they grow angry, furious. But their fury becomes tempered with fear and then… pain.
Now the world is screaming and you soon realize why. Deep in your guts you can feel it – a beast stirs. Fueled with all your desires and fears, like a rabid rathound it claws with increasing fury at the inside of your skin, yelping, growling, barking.
The pain becomes increasingly intense as the moments pass. Your face and your hands become numb, and inside – only pain. You look up at the sky, it’s nighttime.
In desperation your hand reaches for the stars. You have to escape or you have to cut your belly open and let the beast out, there is no other way.
The vision ends abruptly and you find yourself back in the real world. Collapsed on your knees, tears running down your face, you are screaming at the monolith.
You take a deep breath and compose yourself. Maybe what you saw was only a vision, but the pain was real.
Mysterious Pillars (Deep caves)
Mysterious Pillars (Deep caves)
Three strange pillars rise from the pool. They are decorated with glowing symbols that you are unfamiliar with and they seem to hum, though you are unsure whether they actually produce sound or if it’s just all in your head.
Focus your mind on the pillars.
You clear your mind of your other thoughts and focus just on the sound of the pillars and the glowing symbols.
As time passes you lose the perception of the world around you. You can no longer hear the water dripping from the cave ceiling or the insects skittering amongst the mushrooms. Everything except the strange symbols is darkness and the only sound is the humming of the rock.
As time passes you can no longer distinguish the glare of the symbols from the humming. They merge into a single feed though which alien thoughts poor into you.
They gather now around the Machine God. It is not customary to do so, for He is not god of discovery or hope, but a jailer, a warden…or, at best, a watcher of dark horizons.
On this day, however, from this point, the Chosen set out onto their greatest journey yet and they need His blessing. The great arch that they’ll travel across will take them across to the other side of His wall.
They will lose much of themselves in the process, but, by his Grace, will be made anew. To sail the black seas of infinity but not to submerge and drown – that is the miracle only their greatest benevolent God of the Machine could perform.
Or they so hope.
The stream of alien thoughts end and you find yourself in the real world again, feeling strangely melancholic.
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To my knowledge I don't believe his real name is mentioned elsewhere.
If you read the original report in the west wing of the institute of Tchort, you will see that it is written by one "Aiden Travers". If you ask him for his real name he will tell you to read the original report.
However, as far as Eidein goes, I'm leaning more and more towards him simply being Vovin. It would explain why he's wearing a mask (burnt face), and it also falls into a very common storytelling technique used with very resourceful villains.
Biocorp is somehow destroyed or destabilized (I can't remember if we're ever told how and why, but it might be Vovin orchestrating it through the creation of Tchort), and Vovin disappears entirely.
He later re-emerges as part of the plan with a new identity(Aiden Travers), and "discovers" Tchort, and founds Tchortism. Why he does this I don't know. Perhaps simply as a coup to be the one in absolute power for the next part of the plan (some shit involving the cube). I'm also having thoughts about Ezra and why he is stationed in SGS in particular, when Tanner ends up trying to steal the cube, but this part is clouded so far.
Then the player meets Eidein, and we have the classic storytelling trope where the protagonist is aquainted with the antagonist and they share civil discourse and mutual admiration, without knowing each others' identity. After this the invasion happens and Eidein is killed(appearently), only to have his body disappear later on. This could be him surviving death a second time by escaping into the shadows, and only time will tell what events he will attempt to orchestrate next.
I realize a lot of this is far-fetched, but besides my probably poor memory of the storyline of events and such, I don't see the Kirill Gavrylyuk = Aiden Travers as being too far-fetched.
There's also the possibility of Vovin/Kirill not being the first identity of this man/entity as well. There could be a deeper mythos behind all this.
-Dude's apparent longevity and insane prescience are the result of a robust fungal diet. Remember kids, eat your greens. And brownish-reds, in this case.
If I remember correctly, there are some pretty strong implications for Dude being one of the people you read the chatlogs of in Caerus Residential in DC, but I can't remember who exactly atm.
There is two guys in particular who are friends. You can find one of them as a mutant in the Caerus Vents if you have high enough perception. Dude might be the other guy, which iirc, was a heavy drinker.
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I'm necromancing this epic thread for more analysis.
During last playthrough I started to wonder whether the Underrail system is located in a real-world area.
1. There's Kokoshka being from Russia ( ??? ) or some other central- or eastern-European country. He says he came from Western Underrail.
2. There are these Nordic dudes (JKK). Oculus computer says they came from East Underrail.
3. North Underrail seems to be a generic place with no particular origin to be discerned so far.
4. Similarly South Underrail isn't location-specific.
If Kokoschka is from Serbia and Gunnar from Norway, there's no real-world hypothesis to be drawn for Underrail to be in Europe.
OTOH if Underrail is in North America, it makes sense.
I'm also having thoughts about Ezra and why he is stationed in SGS in particular, when Tanner ends up trying to steal the cube, but this part is clouded so far.
Supposedly that's where some Biocorp members settled down after the mess went down. I'm also paying 20$ for an on-disk "punch Ezra" DLC.
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Since we are talking about theories and story related things here, think I'll throw in my two cents.
TLDR: I believe that BioCorp created the pill that awakens psionic potential in humans based off of the monoliths effects.
It has been a long time since I've played the game for exploring everything. Been here from the very first early access release so my knowledge may be faulty.
So lets start this off, I don't think it was ever stated the exact date that psionics started appearing in Underrail. Now this doesn't have to do with much besides, we generally agree most of the psionics may be tied to the monoliths. What I think happened was BioCorp found some monoliths, saw that they awakened some psionic power in living lifeforms and started to experiment with them, recording data on how it affected people exposed, what kind of changes they went through and so on. They most likely saw that it took some time to manifest these powers. So they started a project to create something that would have the same effect as the monolith but make it happen faster, as exposing people to the monolith for extended periods of time probably wasn't efficient. What they created was a pill that, if the person met the right genetics ( psi potential), would take the pill and it would force their bodies to go through the whole exposure in minutes, revealing their psionic powers. However this forced procedure caused some physical trauma to the body, weakening them slightly ( thew max hp reduction). Perhaps BioCorp fell before they ever perfected the formula, but I'm sure that a BioCorp scientist in the human experimentation and mutation field would work on something like this perhaps know how they made the pill, cough cough Ezra. To my knowledge they never really discuss what the pill is and you never see any of medical NPC's have one, leading me to believe that SGS may have made it on their own. I further believe this because there are all kinds of medicines and chemicals you can inject to enhance or negate psi powers. Meaning it has to be some chemicals in the body that affect psi, since black dragon can inhibit and other drugs can enhance the abilities.
Also animals can have psi abilities, yet we only see rat hounds and psi beetles, imagine a psi death stalker
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Great discussion! Don't have anything to contribute yet, I only have a couple of questions.
Who are we? Who is the PC, that is. If I am not mistaken, we have no information on our past at all. I wouldn't mind it if this means nothing at all, but maybe it means something.
Three Godmen walk into a bar. Tanner, Six, and ...? Who is the third Godman? Do we have any information on this? I am suspecting Melek, but just because he is very powerful.
I take it that there is nothing in the game pointing to the reason why Six and Tanner are antagonists?
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Weird, I just read through this thread today after getting linked to it in a different thread.
Anyway, I recently saw a conversation somewhere else where someone posted a screenshot of captain coltrane telling the player a story of how a metal man appeared in a flash of blue and... I dont remember, kidnapped? a pregnant woman on board. Something like that.
Then there is captain rasko (sp?) at the docks in core city who asks a female player if they are the woman who gave birth in his boat a couple months ago, then realizes his mistake. Odd coincidence.
Personally, I think Tanner is using Thought Control on you to get you to do all these hellish tasks for basically no reason. Put these all together and you get a crackpot theory where tanner kidnaps a pregnant woman from a boat and turns the fetus into the perfect mind-controlled agent to ....what? Did he even know the cube wasn't going to get back to him before you were admitted to the station? I don't know, but you're from nowhere and don't know anything at the start of the game, and you're capable of getting stronger than anybody but the godmen in a very short period of time, and can handle entire bases full of competent soldiers and shit.
Also, keep in mind that tchort says it has eaten a godman before, and three came to earth.
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While I'm at it, does anybody have a clear picture of what happens in core city with the damn oligarchy warehouse missions? I know Ola from JKK has some role in it.
I did the JKK questline yesterday, and while chasing down Cornell, I passed by a smoking corpse in the sewers. It was the guy from the coretech questline who you chase down in drop zone, the one who stole the ICDP or whatever it's called (he says Ola hired him if you question him right).
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I'm necromancing this epic thread for more analysis.
During last playthrough I started to wonder whether the Underrail system is located in a real-world area.
1. There's Kokoshka being from Russia ( ??? ) or some other central- or eastern-European country. He says he came from Western Underrail.
2. There are these Nordic dudes (JKK). Oculus computer says they came from East Underrail.
3. North Underrail seems to be a generic place with no particular origin to be discerned so far.
4. Similarly South Underrail isn't location-specific.
If Kokoschka is from Serbia and Gunnar from Norway, there's no real-world hypothesis to be drawn for Underrail to be in Europe.
OTOH if Underrail is in North America, it makes sense.
I'm also having thoughts about Ezra and why he is stationed in SGS in particular, when Tanner ends up trying to steal the cube, but this part is clouded so far.
Supposedly that's where some Biocorp members settled down after the mess went down. I'm also paying 20$ for an on-disk "punch Ezra" DLC.
I am necromancing it once more, since I got a few theories of my own. Playing Underrail as a Serbian person really can be amusing in moments. A lot of the NPCs are named proper Serb names, so we might assume they in fact are Serbian. In addition, there is a guy in the Zone in Core City that says "bre" in his dialogue all the time. You can even ask him what does "bre" mean, and he says it's a word with no lexical content and is used only for emphasis, which is exactly what it means in Serbian IRL. He also states he comes from a place torn by war. Now, if supposedly, the Serbs are from western Underrail and the Nordic people from the east, you know what just might have happened for the game's location to be plausibly in Europe? Maybe the cataclysm on the surface was so big, it shifted the magnetic poles off their mark. In Underrail, there is no way to tell which way is which, so the compass is the only thing you can trust. This theory would also explain North Underrail being the USA as well
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I am necromancing it once more, since I got a few theories of my own. Playing Underrail as a Serbian person really can be amusing in moments. A lot of the NPCs are named proper Serb names, so we might assume they in fact are Serbian. In addition, there is a guy in the Zone in Core City that says "bre" in his dialogue all the time. You can even ask him what does "bre" mean, and he says it's a word with no lexical content and is used only for emphasis, which is exactly what it means in Serbian IRL. He also states he comes from a place torn by war. Now, if supposedly, the Serbs are from western Underrail and the Nordic people from the east, you know what just might have happened for the game's location to be plausibly in Europe? Maybe the cataclysm on the surface was so big, it shifted the magnetic poles off their mark. In Underrail, there is no way to tell which way is which, so the compass is the only thing you can trust. This theory would also explain North Underrail being the USA as well
I heard Drop Zone is the Yugoslavia of Underrail. Are there proper serb names elsewhere? West Underrail aka Fatherland is supposed to be... different.
XDDDD
I think it's like Bulgaria or something. Because Google spit out that it was bulgarian/croatian etc.
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The cool thing is some of that stuff applies to the balkans in general, like the weird names and even "bre" which is also heard in Serbia's neighbour countries.
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While I'm at it, does anybody have a clear picture of what happens in core city with the damn oligarchy warehouse missions? I know Ola from JKK has some role in it.
I did the JKK questline yesterday, and while chasing down Cornell, I passed by a smoking corpse in the sewers. It was the guy from the coretech questline who you chase down in drop zone, the one who stole the ICDP or whatever it's called (he says Ola hired him if you question him right).
It's been a long time since I played it and I tried to gather it all at one point, but can't remember. After glancing at the wiki though, this is my surface-level theory of what happened (in the warehouse missions only):
JKK has hired mercenaries to infiltrate a Coretech warehouse. The JKK spin is that you need to help them disable the security system to "rescue hostages". Praetorian security will ask you to clear the warehouse of said mercenaries after the Coretech people were killed, and Coretech will ask you to defend it from the mercenaries.
Whether or not Praetorian and JKK is working together on this in order to get something (maybe thinking that the cube is held here initially?) is not clear to me.
EDIT: Just checked in-game. Jon the bae confirms that JKK were the ones that "most likely" hired the mercs. He suggests that they were looking for something important in that warehouse. Hmmm, what could that be? ;)
If Kokoschka is from Serbia and Gunnar from Norway, there's no real-world hypothesis to be drawn for Underrail to be in Europe.
OTOH if Underrail is in North America, it makes sense.
Extremely nitpicky here, but Mr. Edstrom is definitely Swedish, not Norwegian. Names ending in -strom (forums won't let me use umlaut or magical scandi letters) are almost always Swedish. Furthermore, his portrait makes him look Swedish (a Norwegian can spot the difference).
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honestly i remember learned everything the game could tell me, i'm bad at explaining though.
but at least everything, except some of the real mystery that deliberately kept secret by the dev (probably for the sequel) are explained, i think i learned most of the lore after i joined the Oculites IIRC.
as for the Cube, don't waste your time finding out about it, it's just a McGuffin, probably one of the things the dev saved for the sequel.