COLLECTED HERE IS A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE “CURSE OF THE NORTH”

THIS DATA HAS BEEN COLLECTED BY 553)M,
AND VERIFIED BY V00S9


Emanating from a single point in space, (namely, the area referred to as the ‘North’), is a set of specific effects, (these effects, together, have been referred to as a ‘curse’). The “North” has been named as such since it is, in fact, situated in the direction of true north. This blunt, (and uninspired), labeling of the “North” is due to the fact that this area and its effects were described by “humans”. And so, most of the basic data sets referring to the generals of this area are rather rudimentary; in addition to this, almost all “humans” that have encountered this area and its effects are unable, (and unequipped), to fully understand the basics of its inner workings.

As such, the core of this data is derived from the few “humans” who were equipped to delve into the truths of the North and its aforementioned curse. Some of the data points have been modified after further probing and thorough analysis of all collected data between all “human” sources.

While there was no bias towards data created by humans, no other sentient species in the observed time-space bothered to amass so much data on this phenomenon. Whether this means that our probings were too narrow, or that there truly were no other established species interested enough, (or intelligent enough), to record this data is, ultimately, unknown.

With that having been established, we will further explain the specifics of this “curse”.

Any organism of sufficient mass that enters the curse will, under most circumstances, be utterly destroyed regardless of their physical composition. Before delving deeper into the specifics of the demise caused by the curse, it should be noted that those who are mentally prepared to give themselves wholly, (for the purpose of continuing deeper into the curse), earn a certain sort of “resistance” to the curse. As such, only beings who are able to bring together their intelligences for the sake of self-destruction can proceed deeper into the North.

(The exception to this rule is, of course, the organisms that pour out from the North itself. Despite their brutish appearances, there is some underlying cause that allows them to completely negate the curse itself.)

Now, onto the curse’s effects and how it leads to death, (and relates to the “will”). As said earlier, enough mental preparation, and a willingness to die, allows one to move deeper into the North. Those who are not entirely truthful in this sacrifice will “freeze”. It is not technically a “cold” which takes hold, though it does feel cold and has the properties of being cold, it is merely the effect of this “curse” entering the body. On a fundamental level, it is similar to several relics which reduce the available energy in any given point. As the energy is reduced, so is the possibility of life.

What is even stranger than all of this, however, is the sheer scale and scope of this curse. As per findings by [Svoyoss], we can safely say that the curse is less of an aura, and instead is the body of a calamitous entity. Though “unseen”, it is clear that the fringes of the North are less serious only because it happens to be the very edge of this being’s “projections”. As one continues deeper, they encounter more and more projections of this being, and each spear through the body, aiming to end all movement. Think of these projections as invisible spines, and you will be half-way there.

Bringing up the point of scale once more, and coming back to the “will”, we shall return once more to the example of someone who is prepared to enter the North. Even if they are wholly ready, even if there is no doubt in their mind and, let’s say, they are equipped with defenses against the curse (more on this later). This being could still die after its first encounter with the curse. How? Well, it seems that relying on those who are not willing to be destroyed makes their weakness one’s own. This degradation on one’s own resistance to the curse occurs slowly… if the number relied upon is small. However, if the array of weakness is large, or if someone continues deeper into the North with that weak degradation for too long, it will rapidly increase its effects upon the unfortunate fool within the North.

Additionally, if the assisting weaklings were committed to ensuring that “certain someone”
or that “certain group” were to make it, (while they simultaneously held their own desires to not be destroyed), then they would share the same end as their partners in the North. Regardless of the distances between these parties, the curse will lash out and annihilate without delay. It seems that paltry assistance will not link two parties together in this way, and somehow the “curse” is able to differentiate this.

Also, when one is cursed for long enough, they will begin to hallucinate. The influence of this being bends the “will” over time, implanting within them a desire to warm themselves, even if they have steeled themselves to resist the “cold”. At first they will try to warm themselves, and since it is an illusion, they will feel “cold” even as they start to burn themselves. These burns either outright kill the cursed, since they are so weak at this point, or they are wounded so terribly that they are unable to defend themselves from the beasts that fill the North.

However, if the afflicted are somehow able to resist this first illusion and keep themselves alive long enough, they will then start to feel an overriding urge to burrow into the ground. This sort of pull also works on beasts that have lingered close to the heart of the North for too long. Despite their immunities to so much else, this aspect of the curse cannot be avoided.

As such, you will begin to bury yourself into the ground. This ultimately leads to death.

Avoidance of these “projections” ensures that one is not afflicted by this curse. Theoretically, one could choose a path that causes no part of the unseen projections to touch them, and by doing so they would not have to worry about the curse at all. And though they are nearly impossible to see without all but the most specialized of relics, the edges of the North can be somewhat traversed in such a way that less projections are touched.

However, what is theoretical is not possible in reality. As you press on, the density of the curse, and its projections, increases. Somewhere within the North, it becomes impossible to proceed without embracing at least a hundred projections to your body with each step. At this point, wills alone are not enough. If someone made it this far without proper relic gear to mitigate the curse, they would die here.

 This brings us back to the role of relics in proceeding through the North.

Reduction of the curse within necessitates the usage of highly specialized gear, such as shards, or, for example, the modified relic [Arms of Diminishing], (derived from the bone of a god), utilized by [Svoyoss]. Relics which can repel or replenish are effective means of beating back this “curse”. It is also worth noting that the “veril-bloods” are able to resist the curse’s hold on them by nature of their blood. Since it is imbued with the hunger of a spire, it will consume the projections when they do inevitably make contact with their host’s body. Whether or not their resistance can withstand prolonged exposure to the densest areas of the curse is unknown.

It is also unknown if this resistance is the same sort that the beasts of the North also possess.