--=-- What was never meant to be found. A process which would have taken another thousand centuries or more if it weren't for the Clicker Crisis shaking the foundation of Regalia's terrain led to the unraveling of these events. Crystal diaries of Elder Archivist Zedash reached topside which were once buried beneath miles of ruin, stone, and sewer. An ancient Marayan researcher of their scholarly community, invested in the deep history and lore of the Third Age Civilization. His task was to gather whatever useful technology they may have left behind, any artifacts, or better yet, an answer to the Dragon Thrones. After delays, sabotage, and general weariness of the facility researchers he worked alongside he made a terrible, foolish error. One which cost not him and those lives which followed him into Cold Storage, but their very consciousness. His final diary left behind for those that made the Descent. A grim tale recounted was about to be repeated, something that was never meant to be found. And had become actuality. "They... perfected it... They found the solution to immortality. But... at what cost. Their experiments... this chamber, the hubris. It's not... -- It is not what we wanted - not what we could have ever hoped to comprehend. Their designs. This is not salvation..." "This is a grave." For roughly five thousand years the Gestalt Conscious has shambled through this labyrinth. Deranged, maddenned and only accompanied by the countless lives of the Third Age Civilization which took to create this synthetic horror. They found their immortality, and thus became that which cannot be described. A gibbering, colossal nightmare, seeking to integrate and preserve any consciousness it comes across in its path. ((OOC SECTION)) Welcome to the finale of this four part arc to conclude a story that we began in 2020 with all of you. It has been my pleasure to work on this journey, and it's not over just yet. You're about to partake in a challenge - Players have been informed by the last recording left by Zedash's corpse that the Gestalt Consciousness cannot be killed, it must be sealed. It's been aware of your presence and some of you may have already started being stalked by it. Da Rules are simple: (DISCLAIMER: Anyone that "dies", "integrated" or "locked" within Cold Storage is not canonically dead, unless that player deems their character to have been so. That is your choice to make.) 1. The Gestalt Conscious begins the hunt as the center chamber is on lockdown. They're somewhat safe, for now, for five minutes while the horror makes it's debut. Afterwards... 2. There will be 7 Pylons revealed within the labyrinth after players have read through this document and have all entered the central chamber. 3. Find the pylons, throw the switch. Activating all 7 will begin the lockdown and anyone that doesn't pass through the vault door in that time will be trapped forever. You will be actively alerted after each pylon activation, and given a warning for escape. 4. As you're navigating the labyrinth the Gestalt Conscious will have begun actively hunting you. It will kill you through MC method, you will respawn, your consciousness 'integrated' and your mortal coil left behind. After dying you will be teleported to the spawn box, and can safely return to the digsite for aftermath RP with ./tp Digsite. We have set up a stream @: https://www.twitch.tv/caaaarrrrll so that you may spectate those still alive in comfort and point and laugh as they run around. 5. Once Cold Storage has been resealed it will remain that way indefinitely. Only time will tell who might come along next and dig up a past which should have remained forgotten and left to its own devices. So that's where we're at folks. Let the games begin.
