... First File Update: File 1 (Alphas) ------
Attachment: Elf_Reaction.video
If you thought the "Alphas" theory was already enough of a fantasy trip for you, hold onto your keyboards, because this update comes with some sharp turns.
The look on that elf's (Sylah's) face the moment her hand touched the unconscious Rat 1 is pure cinema. Emotions are duking it out for control of that angelic little face: awe, sadness, and above all, a deep existential dread—as if she just saw the universe's source code and it was written in Comic Sans.
After interrogating her a bit (stripping away all the mythological and religious crap), here's what we gathered:
According to the long-ears, there are the Aethel'Rin (The Custodians). These were the original wills that rose at the dawn of time, back when the Yggdrasils (the mother trees) were mere seeds. They were the great God-tier guardians who protected life until they merged with nature itself, becoming the great spirits. Basically, the server admins.
These beings left behind their descendants: the Maer (Echoes). A VIP lineage with a direct connection to nature. Historically, these Maer took on the roles of guides and leaders. Their connection has grown faint over the millennia, but even today, the elven royal family is only legitimized if they manage to awaken the "traits" of this lineage. That's how deep their devotion goes.
Up to that point, it's a standard fairy tale… until it isn't.
Enter the Maer'dath (Broken Echoes).
According to Sylah, the Maer'dath are exactly that: Echoes whose spirits have been fractured. But the elves divide this corruption into three distinct "patches":
The Seduced by Sin: To the elves, these are generic monsters, traitors, and demons. Beings blinded by greed or power. They are enemies you organize a raid to eradicate.
The Corrupted: This is where elven mythology starts blending with the "Alphas" of the Fish Tribe. The Corrupted aren't objects of hate, but of reverence. According to the elves, these are Echoes who fought the Seduced until the inherited corruption drove them to madness. True heroes who gave their lives for their people. Subjugating these beings isn't about eliminating an evil; it's something deeper—a duty, an honor, and their greatest sorrow.
The Cursed: These are an entirely different business. The elves are terrified of even being near one. Sylah mentioned something about some "Pale Faces" in this context, but she looked like she was about to hyperventilate, so we'll save that trauma for another session.
How to put it? Heavy? Extremely heavy. The Cursed are—or rather, should have been—"Corrupted." Beings incapable of falling into temptation. Wills so strong and convictions so firm that, unequivocally, the only possible endings were a peaceful death surrounded by loved ones or falling into corruption after a lifetime of reverently protecting said loved ones.
What happened then? Well, the modern version would be something like "a villain isn't born, he's made." The Cursed are basically what happens when the neighborhood nice guy gets into a fight with the entire neighborhood.
It brings to mind the saying, "Don't provoke a good person"... because once their heads are already separated from their bodies... is it because the improved ventilation stimulates the memory? Who knows.
This topic goes deep, but first, we need to establish better relations with the elves to dig into their stories and anecdotes.
The conclusion is obvious: although the terminology is a poetic headache, at its core, the Maer are clearly our "Alphas." Meanwhile, the Maer'dath is what happens when they succumb to corruption through the Harvest.
We already knew Grandma Fish's "Alphas" theory had a lot of holes, but the contrast is a bit much. Or maybe it's just all the religious window-dressing the elves add?
One of the most worrying points is that distinction between the Corrupted and the Broken. Even though the end result seems to be the same: "madness."
What are Alphas? A sudden will of nature? A dormant lineage? Or are both civilizations wrong and it's something else entirely?
For now, we'll keep extracting info over time once Rat 1 wakes up.
But at least one thing seems clear regarding the Alphas. For better or worse, both cultures—the Elves and the Fish-men—agree 100% on one single thing… Humans should not be able to be an Alpha.
(----- Final Directives -----
It has been determined that the level of interest in "Alphas" or "Maer" carries even more weight than expected.
Decision: Create the "Chronicles" file to accumulate stories and versions for future study.
Decision: Maintain the "Alphas" file for concise summaries and specific breakthroughs.
----------------------------)
..... File 2 – Human Evolution –
What is evolution?
According to Darwin, evolution is "descent with modification": the process by which species change gradually over time, give rise to new species, and share a common ancestor, with natural selection being the primary mechanism driving this change by favoring individuals better adapted to their environment to survive and reproduce.
In Darwin's defense, he didn't have to live through the end of the world caused by a fantasy planet appearing in the sky.
So, let's just say "Darwinian Evolution" is the nice, relaxed kind—the kind that comes from being in a relatively stable environment that allows you to adapt slowly.
But now we live in the "Hardcore" world. Here, those who pick Easy difficulty are going to get bullied.
Passing traits to your offspring so they adapt to new environments?
Adapt now, or the only "descendants" you'll leave behind are your poorly digested remains in the excrement of some random monster.
Maybe humans are more incredible beings than we think, or maybe it's due to the emergence of the phenomenon we're currently calling "Magic."
But regardless of the truth, the reality is clear: barely a month since the appearance of fantasy creatures, humans are evolving.
There are no big spectacles like fireballs or ice spears yet, but clues are starting to pop up everywhere.
Videos of people surviving falls they shouldn't, making impossible leaps, or reacting at ridiculous speeds.
Our own group is already being affected.
Rat-boy 1 seems to have developed an abnormal regeneration capacity, in addition to points added to his already freakish instinct.
Yumi, Rat 1's aunt, is showing signs of developing abnormal strength.
Rat-boy 3 reports abnormally developed senses, and Rat 6 seems to be hearing voices that guide him (though that might just be schizophrenia).
Anyway, everything was fine with this situation… until it wasn't.
The elf called it "Superbia," which, for some reason, is the Latin word translated as "Pride." (But we'll leave the mysteries of interstellar translations for other files).
Regardless, setting aside that "Pride" would be a word that describes Rat 1 shamelessly well...
Superbia sounds like "Soberbia" (Arrogance), which in my opinion fits him better, so it stays.
Superbia, according to the elf, falls into the category of "Skills" rather than "Magic." Skills, apparently, are passive and/or active traits that can manifest in people naturally through lineage or be learned (we'll talk about this in another file).
Superbia works like a kind of placebo. Except it doesn't negate damage or let you ignore it.
The only thing it does is, literally, keep you standing.
Pride, stubbornness, balls. Call it what you want, but the skill forces the user to remain upright regardless of the damage received.
Exhaustion, fatigue, and almost any debuff related to physical abnormality is deferred until a moment when the user feels completely safe. Usually, the user's home is the most likely place for the backlash to hit.
Of course, the explanation raises more questions than answers. Like: Why did Rat-boy 1 pass out on several occasions during the trip? What limits does the skill have? Does it enter a "hibernation" state in situations of extreme overload?
Unfortunately, the elf doesn't have answers to most of these questions, and the reason why leads to the big problem here.
Superbia is not a skill a human should be able to use, not even a demi-human. Dammit, even among the demons of her world, it seems to be a total rarity.
A skill almost unique and exclusive to "powerful magical beasts" in that fantasy world.
And this opens the big question.
In this new era where two worlds seem to be merging… In what category do the humans of this world fall?