Are all the ET's under Daemon control, or is the world FUBAR half because of the Dark Ones controlling the ET's and half because the ET's had it in for Earth from the start?
I was never that keen on the big-mothership-crewed-by-four-races backstory. I find it difficult to believe that the insectoid and tentacular ETs would be particularly friendly to humans, even before they became possessed/went mad. They just seem too different and well, alien.
I'd like to think if the ET's had advanced Tech so far, they'd hae some knowledge of Religion/Occult, like mankind. If said knowledge was advanced, like their other endeavors, then surely they'd be wary of any potential "Daemon" related encounters once they started poking about in our Solar System.
So far I have had no truble to make my PCs shoot any insectoids at first sight that even if they would be the most peaceloving species in the univers they would have no other chance than to fight.
They look like the pure evil to most humans. Humans on the other hand look very tasty too them. I don't even consider them evil, just diferent. They and the humans have nothing in common.
Zvezda wrote: I don't even consider them evil, just diferent. They and the humans have nothing in common.
I agree, it really helps to flesh out the world when you treat all the groups as different aspects of the Big Picture. A food chain might be needed though.....
My concept for the "loss" of empathy was that it was lost before whatever was behind the gate at Io was locked out. Darklings do not like empaths. Empaths can see them for what they are, resist their influences, and in some cases actively and effectively fight back. All things that the dark masters want to avoid.
What happened at Io...is like a drop of black ink in a glass of water. A taint spread across the local space expanding and getting weaker as it propagates, but still there nonetheless. The aliens are stained by this taint.
I like the friendly ET races concept. They were extremely advanced technologically and could synthesize their food. Why would they want humans? They went about altruistically looking for other races to interact with. A big friendly, happy family. The emapthic plague that spread through them changed all that. Unlike empaths on earth, who have been fighting the dark for eons, the aliens had no defenses and were coopted quickly and efficiently. Not necessarily a direct control, but definitely a serious taint -- a kind of a contagious, evil sociopathology. Now the 4 races fight each other as much as humanity, but never openly. Some aliens have attained Dark Lord status, like some humans have done. Now they have their own goals...
Why earth, here and now. Precisely because humans have empathy. Humans can open portals. opening portals weakens the fabric, allowing dark influences (such as that exerted on the aliens) to operate on sentient beings in this world.
Should the bulk of the human race end up controlled, I suspect that the Dark Masters would send their human servants on a jihad across the universe, causing pain and suffering (um, tasty) as well as weakening the fabric (more influence).
We humans have no concept of the Dark Masters on the other side. They do not take physical form. They do not have vocal chords. Their motives are inexplainable. The common thread is that where they have influence, something is suffering. And they have their own dimensions locked down. They want more, consuming every new dimension like a glutton. And like a glutton, they fight over their food...even each other.
At the risk of stating the obvious, the Dark Masters really are into the whole concept of "power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely". They just want more of whatever it is they want, and if the only way to get it is to control the entire multiverse then that's what they are going to try to do
Of course, this then begs the question: If one of them ever managed to do that, would they be satisfied, or would they start thinking about invading other, so far unknown, realities?
Lee Williams.
"Superstition is the name the ignorant give to their ignorance"
Dark Masters are like gods, as in Gozer. Their motives may be categorically to consume every known reality they come across. I think it more like putting up curtains and a little paint. They just want to make the dimension 'comfortable'.
Of course, that assumes I can understand their motives.
The reason that they are being secretive is that they have competition. Their plans also have to be vulnerable, or else they would openly do what they want.
Now Dark Lords on the other hand, they are visible, often were humans at one point, and have agendas here and now.
But this is old Dark Master/Dark lord discussion. Suffice it to say that there are 'intangible' beings that can influence things in this dimension.
There are also 'physical' beings that respond to the dark influences. They work to increase their mentor's influence at the expense of others, including other Dark Masters.
Why earth, why humans? Because humans are better means of expanding influence - empathy! Tasty too!
The darkness gets more from humans than the ETs, for example. ETs proved to be a good tool through which to attack humans. Humans represent a naive capability to open this dimension to the darkness. ETs & Dark Masters/Lords are exploiting that naivety.
Since most gods I know rely on fear it could be possible that they are acutally all dark masters. Even those who have been accepted as 'good' by the humans. Especially those who look like Selma Hayek. Would be an interesting twist. Though we had a similar thing on the 'light ones' topic...
In the Stackpole novels, there was a fledgling Dark Lord that had captured and modified one character into a lovely, but tragic, beauty.
Even with good intentions, powerful beings can perform cruel acts. Also compare to the classical Greek myth. Dark Lords each and every one. Mike Marchi did some work on 'light lords'. Check out his website if you are interested.
In the Stackpole novels, there was a fledgling Dark Lord that had captured and modified one character into a lovely, but tragic, beauty.
Even with good intentions, powerful beings can perform cruel acts. Also compare to the classical Greek myth. Dark Lords each and every one. Mike Marchi did some work on 'light lords'. Check out his website if you are interested.
I will sure as hell check out the page but I love the dark theme of DC there is no light...no god...
Hmm the greek stuff is a very good idea. maybe you should post it in the suggested readings. Good guys who are crule as...greek gods.
Unfortunatly in US movies they take out all the good stuff.
