This is I think my second time finishing the game, the first time with the DLC. I played a pretty brainy build, and along the way I think I got access to just about all the potential secrets from one playthrough. (Though the Ferryman refused to talk to me about Decent to the Center. Maybe I'll never be ready, or maybe I have to be smoking whatever he's got.)
This time around it made me wonder about whether there are answers not about the secrets and characters, but about the inspirations behind the story and worldbuilding. I've perused a bunch of devlogs but there's a lot and I have kids to feed.
The specific thing that I wondered about this time was Gene Wolfe's the Book of the New Sun. The
combination about listening to Azif after the main fight talking about Rahm-Umbra; how causality and the experience of time may not apply to beings such as him, and also "Their form should be purer...more celestial, angelic."
We already see another of Rahm's kind taking on false forms, wearing masks. These self described alien beings that may be grotesque or may be beautiful but definitely aren't revealing everything reminds me strongly of the Heirodules/Cacogens, who are alternately beautiful and grotesque, muse about the significance of meetings, and do not experience time in the same direction as humans.
Their ancient/eternal enemies the Leviathans and the potential of Tchort being such a creature, as well as the general awfulness of Biocorp seeking immortality, divinity, etc, and of course the slowly dying world setting also resonate strongly with New Sun.
Any potential truth to my speculation, or places to read more about the writing and/or inspiration of the game's story?
