| Icon | Name | Rarity | Family |
 | Men of Lithin (I) | 3 | loc_fam_book_family_1062 |
 | Men of Lithin (II) | 3 | loc_fam_book_family_1062 |
 | Men of Lithin (III) | 3 | loc_fam_book_family_1062 |
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| Table of Content |
| Men of Lithin (I) |
| Men of Lithin (II) |
| Men of Lithin (III) |
Men of Lithin (I)
 | Name | Men of Lithin (I) |
| Type (Ingame) | Quest Item | |
| Family | loc_fam_book_family_1062 | |
| Rarity | | |
| Description | A fantasy novel doing the rounds among the tribes of Natlan that is said to be translated from a popular work by the reputedly famous Fontainian author K'n-yan. The Natlanese who have visited the Court of Fontaine, however, claim to have been unable to find the original — nor has anyone managed to find a local who's ever heard of an author named "K'n-yan". |
| It is the third millennium since the flame was stolen. Since records began, there has never been an age as enlightened and reasoned as this. Even on moonless nights, the countless towering monoliths of the metropolis are illuminated by innumerable lights. The metal pipes that connect the streets and districts shine with a resplendent glow, the golden liquid flowing within imbuing the city with a vital energy. That aureate fluid is "lithin," the lifeblood of human civilization. Since The Technocracy first discovered it 100 years ago, it has been the source of countless innovations, leading humanity into a new era. Automated tilling machines revolutionized farming, more than sextupling agricultural yields, while airborne shuttles soared into the sky, connecting the once-isolated cities dotting the continent. The people of today can no longer imagine a world without lithin. This applies doubly so for the rulers of the now interconnected cities. Lithin was first discovered in the ruins of the ancient settlement known as Natlantea, a city located deep within the earth, thus allowing for the mining of the substance, whose roots lie deeper still. As there was no way to drill so deep from the surface, lithin production was concentrated in the hands of those who controlled the Natlantean ruins — the Technocratic Assembly. As demand for lithin grew, conflicts arose between the cities over its supply and distribution. As disputes became ever more common — and increasingly bitter — the specter of war grew ever darker, enveloping the land. Though, at least for today, the residents of the metropolis have temporarily forgotten the shadow that hangs over them, as they crowd the streets and plazas for the "Continental Fair" being held in their city. This grand event, organized by the Technocratic Assembly, is a celebration of peace and progress, showcasing the latest inventions and fruits of technological innovation. Even though these inventions will likely soon contribute to the growing arms race between the disparate cities, they still serve as temporary comfort to an anxious populace. That is, except for you. You feel no interest in the novel playthings on show, or the crowds who gather to gawk at them. The hustle and bustle of the fair only heightens the unease you feel at the decision to meet here. A few weeks ago, a group of insurrectionists destroyed the lithin transfer hub in Tsath, before broadcasting a pre-recorded projection, repeating the same old cliches that "Lithin is a demonic gift" and that "The Technocracy are destroying the world." Apart from titling themselves as "Heralds of the Unenlightened," there was nothing to differentiate them from any other such malcontents. However, the ruler of Tsath declared that the insurrectionists had acted at the instigation of top figures within the metropolis, in hopes of provoking war between the two cities — even going so far as to provide evidence showing that each one was a metropolitan citizen. In order to clear their name and defuse the situation, the metropolitan authorities requested the Technocratic Assembly's intervention, and it is to this end that you are here pursuing an investigation. "My apologies, Mr. Detective, to have kept you waiting. This exhibition really is wonderful — it's been hard to tear myself away." Just as you are pondering the connection between these events, a short, rotund gentleman hails you from behind. It would appear that this is Akhra — the agent the Technocratic Assembly has sent to aid you in your investigation. "You can dispense with the formalities, Akhra. Let's start with what we each know." |
Men of Lithin (II)
 | Name | Men of Lithin (II) |
| Type (Ingame) | Quest Item | |
| Family | loc_fam_book_family_1062 | |
| Rarity | | |
| Description | A fantasy novel doing the rounds among the tribes of Natlan that is said to be translated from a popular work by the reputedly famous Fontainian author K'n-yan. The Natlanese who have visited the Court of Fontaine, however, claim to have been unable to find the original — nor has anyone managed to find a local who's ever heard of an author named "K'n-yan". |
| If you hadn't seen it with your own eyes, you would never have believed that this prosperous metropolis yet harbored the remnants of such a benighted age. After days of investigation, you and Akhra finally locate the insurrectionists known as "The Unenlightened," hiding out in a decrepit church in the shadow of a hulking bridge. Their location leaves you more convinced than ever that this is merely a band of luddites left behind in the wake of progress, and not some insidious tool of a more sinister political plot. Regardless, you need evidence to present before the Technocratic Assembly, and so you and Akhra decide to wait for the insurrectionists to leave their base — on one of their seemingly endless missions to transport some unknown cargo — before sneaking inside to gather the proof you need. You stake out their hideout for a full three weeks before you finally seize your chance. By now you are sure that there are twelve of them coming and going from the church, and on this particular morning, they have all left together on their transport. Based on your observations, they are unlikely to return before dusk. Akhra stands sentry by the door, as you enter the church alone. The long and winding corridor is filled with a sickly scent reminiscent of formaldehyde. You grope about in the dark until you finally find the exit. Perhaps because it is lit by archaic oil lamps, the inside of the church appears much larger than expected. In the dim light, you can just about make out stacks of strange metal vats along the walls. It must be these that the group has been transporting away. You approach the vats carefully, noticing that each one has a label stuck to it, all of them displaying the single word: "Ignorance." "Perhaps this has something to do with some ancient religion," you think to yourself. Just as you are preparing to pick up one of the vats and take it with you to investigate, a pair of cold hands clamp down on your shoulders. "Darn it!" You and Akhra had diligently staked out the church for three weeks, and only twelve people had entered or exited in all the time you were watching. Either this one had never left... or there was another exit you didn't know about. In your panic, you kick open one of the metal vats. The stench of formaldehyde, the very same you detected while entering, is overpowering. The pungent smell helps clear your head a little and you finally see clearly the man who has accosted you from behind. His face could charitably be described as human, but where his eyes should be, there are only two empty sockets set amidst twisted features. "Did you see it? Did you see it?!" He screams, thrusting out his thick arms and grasping at the air around him. He is clearly blind — perhaps this is the reason you haven't seen him venture outside. Once you realize he can't see you, you quickly move back to the entrance of the room, and stumble out through the dark corridor outside. "Hey, detective, what's going on? Hey, careful! What are you running for?" Through your fear and confusion, you hear your companion's voice, followed by a flurry of hurried footsteps as he quickly rushes over to your side. Your mission has not gone smoothly, yet you still have something to show for it. At the very least, you managed to take one of those strange vats with you as you fled. With this realization in mind, you clamber to your feet. You look up to find a monstrosity gazing back at you, an apparition somewhere between a skeleton and a machine. Its face is sunken, a pair of lifeless, hollow eyes boring into you, and then a cold voice... "You saw it, didn't you, 'Unenlightened One'?" |
Men of Lithin (III)
 | Name | Men of Lithin (III) |
| Type (Ingame) | Quest Item | |
| Family | loc_fam_book_family_1062 | |
| Rarity | | |
| Description | A fantasy novel doing the rounds among the tribes of Natlan that is said to be translated from a popular work by the reputedly famous Fontainian author K'n-yan. The Natlanese who have visited the Court of Fontaine, however, claim to have been unable to find the original — nor has anyone managed to find a local who's ever heard of an author named "K'n-yan". |
| A colossal head and slender limbs, connected by countless threads to a seemingly reptilian body. "What you are looking at is a 'Human.' It is the last specimen of its kind in the world." The monstrosity in front of you is gesturing to another creature, floating in a nearby cultivation tank. Even though you have become accustomed to your companion's visage, you do your best to look away. The sight of its "eyes" still sends shivers down your spine. "If this is a 'Human,' then what are we?" You ask the creature that, until recently, you had known as "Akhra." Now that you think about it, it seems obvious that this would merely be a codename used in the Technocratic Assembly. By means of some unfathomable technology, the church is connected to Natlantea. Perhaps every city has just such a place, somewhere to connect them in the dark. "You? If you mean those that dwell on the surface... Pugs, beagles, little gray men... We have had many names for them through the ages..." "But whatever you choose to call them, they are creatures we designed. Their biological functions are in perfect contrast to our own — the environment in which we thrive is deathly toxic to them, and vice versa. It is precisely because of this that the degradation they cause is vital to recreating a world suited to our existence." If things are really as this creature claims, the entire history of our civilization is the result of their planning, and the countless technological marvels and inventions that we now enjoy were bestowed on us by them. They have always been right here beside us, and yet we never saw them. In their words, this is because of a gland in our brains that secretes a gaseous substance called "the fog of reason," preventing us from perceiving the world as it truly is. The only reason I can perceive this creature's hideous form right now is that I inhaled the gas known as "Ignorance" — a substance that I myself had created in my previous incarnation. "I still have one more question: Having given us lithin, how can you guarantee that we'll destroy each other in a great war once it runs out?" "Lithin," the miraculous energy source discovered amongst the Natlantean ruins, is the energy-based form of these creatures. After their civilization had descended into a large-scale war that covered the planet in a hazardous substance, the surviving "Humans" decided to transfer their essence into pure energy and store themselves in a bio-vault deep underground. Following this, they designed a brand-new species, one that could survive on the polluted planet they had created. They hoped that this new species would aid in the biodegradation of the harmful substance until the surface was habitable again and they could begin anew. Yet that new world would have no place for their creations. Once the surface dwellers discovered lithin and used it to advance their civilization, the ancient beings from beneath the earth would start to re-emerge. And so they wait for the day when surface civilization destroys itself a catastrophe that will give them new life. "Perhaps you've heard of psychohistory? Or... probably not. It hardly matters. The point is, besides designing biological functions, the design of a species' history is also a simple matter of technology." "The incessantly questing heart, the barely controllable greed, the drive for victory... It all leads them to the same inevitable conclusion. 'The Unenlightened' deny it, but that is only because your senseless morals have yet to be overcome by evolution." At long last, you arrive at the final room in the deepest depths of the bio-vault, where the last memories of countless generations of The Unenlightened are stored. When the survivors of this ancient civilization decided to transfer their life force into lithin, there were those among them — though a minority — who resisted. They refused to abandon their individuality and merge into boundless, singular wisdom. Because of this, they were labeled "The Unenlightened." The majority were unable to deny them their rights, simply preserving for them this final room, allowing them to live out incarnation after incarnation among the lifeforms on the surface. Those who considered themselves enlightened believed that one day, their brethren would choose to join them and return to the embrace of the whole. Indeed, you are the leader of The Unenlightened. You have witnessed the countless memories of sages who established the codes of law, of poets who extolled the graces of virtue, and of warriors who fought against the oppression of tyrants. At the start of each memory, you see a huge figure cast its shadow over those who were exiled from the ancient city. The figure seems to speak, but you can no longer recall the words. All you remember is that you yearn for him. Perhaps every generation of The Unenlightened eventually returns here to give their answer. In that case, what will your answer be? |
Our majesty "Tsaritsa" Bronya is the most likely :)