When Trother told me about the near-extinction crisis faced by the settlers and how it was traced back to flaws in their education system, I wasn’t surprised. Education is undeniably the foundation of their survival. The crisis, rooted in neglecting to adapt their education system, nearly cost them their existence. It underscored the fragility of their community and the essential role of instilling core values in the next generation.
Witnessing how these settlers willingl...
2025-02-10 12:28:55 +0000 UTC
View Post
When Trother first told me about Terminations I broke down crying. I was deeply moved. As a Japanese, I studied the ritual suicide that samurais used to perform, the seppuku. I have also studied the history of the Kamikaze in the World War. But these were different. The suicides in my culture were misguided sacrifices caused by war. These Terminations, as they call it, were all sacrifices born out of love for one’s neighbor, child, or spouse.
Notes on Ignian Societies, by...
2025-02-10 12:28:01 +0000 UTC
View Post
…crew members representing over twenty different countries. It’s fascinating how Ignis has amalgamated such diverse customs into a singular, alien culture. I believe this unification stems from how the settlers raise their children. Raised by the same programs and nurtured by the same nannies, differentiated cultures could not survive in isolation.
Despite having a class system of sorts, no Ignian sees another as inferior. Every individual is considered essential to the...
2025-02-10 12:27:00 +0000 UTC
View Post
...Pac-Man and chess.
The reason so much of the culture in the settlements revolves around their form of chess and other games is simple: the population skews overwhelmingly young. With an average age of just fourteen or fifteen, it’s no surprise that games have become a cornerstone of their society. Even amidst the challenges of a post-apocalyptic existence, there is a vibrancy, a spirit of play, that is uniquely human.
In the following pages, I will outli...
2025-02-10 12:26:20 +0000 UTC
View Post
Never would I have imagined that Hitori was so good at programming. Mission control sent him as the secondary programmer in case something happened to me, but I hardly had the time to decide what I would put into your brain with the constant cyber-attacks he kept throwing at me. I had to be quick. Here are the memories you will not have. I had to delete your knowledge of Earth’s History. I deleted things that you won’t need, like love, for example. After all, you are going to be all a...
2025-02-10 12:25:53 +0000 UTC
View Post
Listen to me! I know your programming prevents you from attacking humans, but these are no longer humans. They gave up their rights when they chose to become Hitori’s lab rats. They are mutants! Therefore, you can do whatever you want to them. Too bad they took Archimedes from me. It was the drone with the most considerable amount of computing power. I had to choose one or the other. I chose you because you’re the only one with the means necessary to procure all other cores.
<...
2025-02-10 12:25:05 +0000 UTC
View Post
When they told me they all wanted to go planetside and follow Hitori’s plan, I knew they had all lost their minds. I can’t die. I just can’t. Did they expect me to take it with a smile as they told me that I must settle with living a couple of decades at most? In that desert?! I have seen the AI reports. There is nothing down there! Nothing! There is no way they will make me turn into a cursed mutant. No! The solution is in the drones. You need to find them all and fuse all seven co...
2025-02-10 12:24:11 +0000 UTC
View Post
With the help of Hitori and Hans, I was finally able to repurpose the Stellaris drone into something that resembles a satellite grid. Remember! Stellaris is important! It’s the only drone with scanners sensitive enough to sift through all the static that the planet generates. It’s the fastest way of finding the other drones. It has memory you can use! I split the AI core into multiple systems, but we can easily reassemble them and make them our own. I should have never let Hitori help...
2025-02-10 12:23:34 +0000 UTC
View Post
When we were brought back from cryogenic sleep and summoned to the bridge, we all knew it was bad. The commander explained that most systems were compromised, and the situation was dire. At first, I thought I could salvage all the systems. After all, we had brought spares for virtually all equipment. But from the twenty drones, only seven survived the EMP caused by what the crew is now naming ‘the Flare.’ As I serviced the drones to send them planetside, a plan started to form in my h...
2025-02-10 12:22:57 +0000 UTC
View Post
When I first heard of the Phoenix project, I applied immediately. Looking back, I was already a coward because I was setting out for the stars, not to give something to humanity or show bravery, but to run away from problems on Earth. When I learned that Mary was pregnant, I couldn’t handle it. I couldn’t bear the thought of becoming a father.
So, without letting anyone know, I ran, abandoning my wife and the responsibilities that awaited me. It was easier to escape to ...
2025-02-10 12:22:20 +0000 UTC
View Post
You didn’t have enough space so I could program all my memories in your neurons, but this recording won’t occupy much space. Hopefully, you can extrapolate a lot of my personality from what I will tell you. You were born in Essen, Germany. Your sister’s name was Naomi. Your father was called Christian, and your mother Miriam. You have always felt fascinated by computers and have studied hard to become a specialist in artificial intelligence. I would describe you as someone resourcef...
2025-02-10 12:21:34 +0000 UTC
View Post
Even though humans originally designed you, and I have given you what I believe to be the most meaningful part of me, you will struggle with making sense of the human part of your mind. How can I explain this to you… each human is unique and dreads the feeling of losing their uniqueness. You are also unique now that I added this part of my mind to yours. Stick to who I… you are, regardless of the cost.
Files salvaged from the Raptor’s Ghost Drive. Recorded by Schneide...
2025-02-10 12:20:59 +0000 UTC
View Post
Every second counts. Before I could reach the other drones, the commander overrode me, forcing me to move to Plan B. I’ve left this information in your files so that, if you gain access to the remaining AI drones, you can understand what... who you are. Through these recordings, I’ll explain what I... what you’re missing, in the hope you’ll rebuild my mind from what remains. If we reach the other drones in time, perhaps you’ll know me as I once was. My name is Schneider Schmitt....
2025-02-10 12:20:16 +0000 UTC
View Post
...greatest teacher Ignis has ever known.
Trother’s love for his students was the foundation of his teaching. Every waking moment, he considered how best to guide them, always thinking of ways to help them grow. Although many now sing my praises, I owe everything to him. Without Trother’s wisdom and care, I would not be here.
When you draw Trother’s card, be sure to make your bishops the cornerstone of your strategy.
From “The His...
2025-02-10 12:18:41 +0000 UTC
View Post
... a tribute to friendship and courage.
Brodnir, the brave and beloved king, holds an enduring place in the hearts of the Ignian people. His selfless deeds and unwavering courage etched an indelible mark upon their history.
In honor of our cherished friendship, I was entrusted with the privilege of designing his Longevity Chess card. This card embodies the spirit of his bravery, granting players the power to confine an opponent’s king at the cost of Longev...
2025-02-10 12:18:06 +0000 UTC
View Post
...intertwined legends.
Ayu, the game maker, occupies a unique position in the lore of Longevity Chess. While renowned for his pivotal role in reforming the Collegiums, his creation of Longevity Chess solidified his place in history. The game became a conduit for imparting wisdom, leading to a remarkable increase in the tribes’ average lifespan.
If you draw the Ayu card, managing your pawns will be key...
In “The History of Longevity Chess...
2025-02-10 12:17:27 +0000 UTC
View Post
...leaving an indelible mark on the spirit of the game.
The Midas triplets hold a revered place in the collective memory of Ignians. Known for their boundless generosity, they brought prosperity and abundance to their settlement. Merilyn, the Transmuter, and Marion, the Alchemist, bestowed upon their people the precious gifts of resources and riches through their unique abilities. Their final act of selflessness, choosing to terminate in the depths of the Midas Mines, paved...
2025-02-10 12:16:11 +0000 UTC
View Post
... tales of remarkable achievements. Howner, the Dwarf, remains an indelible legend in Ignian history. His Bursting prowess transcended all boundaries. With unmatched determination, Howner unleashed a blue Burst of unprecedented magnitude, carving an extraordinary tunnel during his Termination. According to the records, the Burst was so powerful that witnesses reported glimpses of violet and purple in its radiance. Today, you can still witness the remnants of his legacy in the colossal H...
2025-02-10 12:15:17 +0000 UTC
View Post
... heroes and villains, their stories entwined within the game.
Even in peaceful societies, shadows sometimes fall—and the specter of death can lead some astray. Such was the case with Asher, the Slaughterer, who remains the most notorious figure in Burrows’ history. His heinous crimes sparked horror throughout the settlement, but it was only through the bravery of Chrinos, captain of the Golden Guard, that Asher’s reign of terror was brought to an end.
2025-02-10 12:14:27 +0000 UTC
View Post
... always tales of extraordinary individuals.
Ryley the Sighted, from the Leev Settlement in the West, exemplified adaptability amidst hardship. Nearly deaf, he nonetheless possessed a rare gift of sight. Through exceptional observation and relentless determination, Ryley pioneered a new form of Bursting known as Perception. His crimson-grade Perception became instrumental in exploring and mapping the Hollows, uncovering valuable veins of ore and resources.
...
2025-02-10 12:13:45 +0000 UTC
View Post
... several cards trace their origin to that settlement. Frey the Orange hailed from the Anaxis Settlement in the South, and he carved his name in Ignian history as the pioneer of orange-level Bursts. It wasn’t that others lacked the potential; Frey alone stood among his peers, unwavering in his determination to push his body beyond its limits.
His terminal blaze ignited the very core of the Throne Room, leaving an indelible mark on his people’s collective memory. In re...
2025-02-10 12:13:02 +0000 UTC
View Post
...the most potent force shaping Ignian society has been the constant struggle to make do with limited resources. Miners and monarchs alike apply the Fourth Truth daily: “Melt two ingots with one fire.”
The essence of this principle is to encourage thinking before action. However, I suggest rephrasing it to avoid narrow interpretation and to inspire broader, strategic thinking. In many cases, it is possible to achieve three, four, or even five outcomes with one move. Th...
2025-02-10 12:12:22 +0000 UTC
View Post
...as I approach the end of my life, the truth that speaks most deeply to me is the Seventh: “Once the fire is out, what is forged remains.”
It’s no accident that this truth is often recited during Terminations. These words will be in my heart as I die. Of all the truths, this one most powerfully strengthens our motivation.
To make it even more relatable, I propose a slight rephrasing: “Once my fire is out, what I forged remains.” Putting it in the ...
2025-02-10 12:11:41 +0000 UTC
View Post
…been a valuable teaching tool partly because they are not overly specific, allowing them to fit many situations. Even so, I find the Second Truth too vague. “Fiercer a fire in the heart, than in the hand” is meant to encourage one to focus on the reason for Bursting rather than on the act itself.
Our aim is to nurture love, not pyromania. The truth will be much more precise if we change it to “Fiercer the fire of love in my heart, than in my fist.” This change cl...
2025-02-10 12:11:00 +0000 UTC
View Post
...I struggled to understand why the Sixth Truth was the least used.
One purpose of this truth is to remind us that Emissions are more effective the closer you are to your target. Another is to encourage us to focus on what’s in front of us, rather than on what might never come to be.
My concern with the wording of this truth is that many in our tribe have never seen a star. Since most will never go to the surface or view a starry sky, I suggest rephrasing ...
2025-02-10 12:10:07 +0000 UTC
View Post
...the results of the poll were quite revealing. We found that the Ninth Truth—”Better not to Burst than to Burst twice blindly”—was one of the most frequently cited in the Collegium.
Although we encourage our tribe members to think carefully before they Burst, hesitation can be challenging to overcome and even dangerous to the tribe. To instill a more decisive mindset, I propose rephrasing this truth to “Better to Burst once true than twice blindly.”
2025-02-10 12:09:25 +0000 UTC
View Post
...the first truth taught in the simulators.
We teach it early because it encapsulates our way of life. We burn our lives away for the sake of others. This is not about trading our survival for the tribe’s comfort; it is about exchanging our comfort for the tribe’s survival. Thus, I propose we slightly adjust the wording of this truth from “Burn the heat for the greater warmth” to “I burn my warmth for the greater heat.” Shifting to the first person will help th...
2025-02-10 12:08:45 +0000 UTC
View Post
...the history of our people has shaped many of the truths.
In hindsight, the Third Truth was the first embodied by the Ignian people. When the Phoenix crew decided to split into four separate settlements, it wasn’t solely to reduce the risk of Schneider detecting us. It was about ensuring redundancy—a greater chance of survival if we weren’t all gathered in one place. If disaster struck and one settlement was lost, the others would endure.
I propose we...
2025-02-10 12:08:03 +0000 UTC
View Post
... this is why the Eighth Truth emphasizes education. In past reigns, we came dangerously close to extinction—not because we lacked evaluation procedures, but because we neglected the feelings of our children. We learned that it is vital to invest time in teaching them love for the tribe and the value of selflessness. Even when a tribesman becomes proficient in Bursting, he is of no worth to the tribe if he is self-centered.
I argue that the language of this truth requir...
2025-02-10 12:07:12 +0000 UTC
View Post
Aag ignited the cells in his muscles. They burned hot, vibrating, pushing past their limits. He gathered the energy and forced it into his hands for just a moment. Then he let it go.
Fire erupted from his palms, rushing down the tunnel in a blinding wave. Heat blasted back at him, scorching the air. His strength drained in an instant. His knees nearly buckled. Sweat dripped from his forehead. He had so little energy left…
Staggering, he funneled what remained into his brain and ...
2025-02-10 12:06:31 +0000 UTC
View Post
