Remaining Lore of Humanity
A race who knew nothing else did not abandon their home planet easily.
Once Humanity had been forced to go off planet in search of solutions it was only through sheer luck that they found a path to survival; and by then they had been at the very point of desperation for a long, long while.
When they finally found that new long sought home–their seeming salvation turned instead into a nightmare. The one race who took pity on them among the ruthless natives were the Cloven, but even that was far from a straightforward affair.
The very first Cloven who found the Humans were killed, with mechanical weapons that were vastly superior to the bow, or even the highest velocity magic that the natives knew of.
But these were weapons that the Humans had lost the ability to replicate and were reluctant to use outside the most dire of circumstances.
Rumours of a huge roaring beast in the area emerged, and powerful [Druids] were committed to investigate. The Cloven leadership loathed nothing so much as predators.
What the [Druids] found instead were Humans who recognized their deadly game of hide-and-seek was over, and that they needed a much different path forward, lest they go the way of all their brethren.
The alternative was nothing short of destruction. Because if the Cloven–one of the mightiest races to emerge from the genocides of Mankind–were to decide these invaders were finished; then that was that.
Even the tools that might allow them some bittersweet revenge had all remained in the hands of those already destroyed factions.
But the Cloven did not know that.
And they did not need to–instead the clever Humans recognised what sort of Casters it was who had come to their walls.
Not only ones of nature magic, but also who adored plant life in particular, and above all else.
And this final settlement–as luck would have it–happened to be the final guardians of the Norwegian seed vault.
First off the Humans brought them the most complicated narcotics they could find, and the [Druids] were amazed.
All the native narcotic plants on Ross that the Cloven knew of were of a psychedelic nature, if you did not count the predatory plant life. Anything similar to these opioids was far too aggressive to ever be considered anything but a malignant cousin to the powerful drugs.
Next they brought them spices–cacao, vanilla and cinnamon, different curries and allspice, wasabi and turmeric–plants that had not been grown in a supercharged environment forcing an accelerated version of survival of the fittest.
Rather these plants had been developed across billennia, over time developing a sophistication that could not be rushed, and which would not allow itself to be underestimated, certainly not by such a proud race of cultivators.
Once the Humans predicted the Cloven Casters to be suitably impressed by the variety of plant life available to such a wretched settlement–and with the Human negotiators hinting heavily how it was merely the tip of the iceberg–the Humans had earned themselves their first allies on Ross.
Even if the mysterious disappearances in the area remained unexplained… It was decided that such a defenceless Race were no threat to the Cloven as a whole, or even a mid-sized realm; if they were, then the System would certainly not have ignored them.
And so the now swiftly elevated to sacred plants–which all the Cloven [Druid] were showered with–soon tipped the scales enough to turn their investigator’s heads right around to go back to the Cloven leadership and start to lobby for these clearly special caretakers who had been kind enough to bring such wonders to their homes in exchange for friendship; it was all too rare for the Cloven to find kindred spirits on this wretched continent after all.
Not all the factions among the Cloven were so easily blinded however, once they knew that a sapient race remained hidden so close to their territory all kinds of questions had to be asked.
The [Druids] were not very forthcoming with details; considering the administration of plants to be their exclusive domain.
As the deliberations dragged on, and right as they were finally getting somewhere… When it was established that the race of caretakers in question was Humans… Of course it reignited the debate all over again.
The first question on everyone's mind was: why was there no [Quest]?
Unbeknownst to the natives of planet Ross, the appearance of a remaining shard of Humanity had sparked even greater debate in the heavens above.
Meaning that the appearance of the survivor’s who were Humans had sent large parts of Yar-Sang society into a betting frenzy.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Could they possibly make a comeback!?
The Yar-Sang leadership had been wholly cured of their earlier fright by the Human arrival, in fact after the response of sending every other race after them proved so effective… They actually seemed rather pathetic, despite their previously highly technological nature.
Then the rumours started that all this action had been nothing other than the spectacular debut of a new enigmatic institution looking to make a real splash on the Ross-experiment scene.
The leadership could of course neither confirm nor deny. But the betting factions were in a furor; new methods to get every soul predicting the next twist were deployed and the end of Humanity quickly got turned into the prime entertainment of the new millenia.
The clamour for a [Quest] to signal that the Cloven should support the Humans–to see if they could ultimately recover if given a proper shot–was global.
And so eventually–despite the theoretical dangers of playing games with a race possibly as old as- and shaped in the same scientific vein as themselves–the leadership caved.
Down on Ross weeks had passed, but when System approval finally arrived was when the Cloven accepted that there was room to negotiate an accord with the Humans.
But no matter what the [Quests] said, the Cloven wanted free access to those incredible non-magic plants. It was completely impossible to predict what a thousand years of surviving on Ross would do for them, especially in the Cloven realms.
The negotiations ended up not going nearly so smoothly as when the [Druids] had been in charge.
Ultimatums were issued and Humanity responded in kind.
Eventually it was revealed how the entire horticultural storage was rigged with the very same type of toxic weapons as the Humans had unleashed during the war; or so was claimed.
If the Cloven refused to negotiate in good faith then Humanity would have no choice but to survive without help whilst keeping the plants hostage.
The Yar-Sang watched the back and forth with bated breaths… If the Humans somehow found a way to make good on their promise to ensure the plant’s destruction with their own… It would undoubtedly send the Cloven into an unfettered rage that would force the Yar-Sang to either intervene or watch the potentially greatest comeback in the history of the planet get undone in the cradle.
But ultimately the voice of the [Druids] prevailed; many of them had been leaders at the forefront of the battles against both Humanity and the ensuing wars among the victors.
They had several of the highest level individuals among all Cloven, and their final word overruled; the risk to the plant life was unacceptable–even if it would require the Cloven to accept the demands of Humanity.
It was decided the Humans could be granted the minor wild region of Doc Forrest and be hidden in this new location, just outside of the Cloven realms.
This was usually the abode of starving predators who were forced out from the strictly regulated forest realms; but a population that had been moved once could be moved again, and the project was soon underway of providing the Humans with a new homeland.
The Humans soon planted all the trees, flowers and herbs that reminded them of home and started finally rebuilding. Truly rebuilding, albeit under some rather overbearing restrictions.
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Besides the sapient races and Great Spirits of Ross; there were also lesser two bit Spirits who were still on their way to that exalted state, but who had far to go yet.
Livia had considered them demigods when she read about them, but that implied a power that was just not there, in most cases. Such creatures had goals of their own and hardly bothered with the constantly destructive and bickering lesser entities.
One of the most well known across the races was the Rainbow Spirit.
Once upon a time every Human child was told of the magic and mysterious being whilst growing up, about how one could find him and be granted a boon if one could just find their way to the very beginning of the rainbow.
Such knowledge came and went over the ages. And of course many great warriors and magicians had tried their hand at the challenge–but none, not even the greatest–returned to report what could truly be found there.
Although they did not warn you off either, they simply refused to speak of what had occurred there and invited you to sate your curiosity by your own prerogative.
Of course, if instead you found yourself at the opposite portion, at the very end of the rainbow…
Well, let's just say you might find yourself facing quite a different Spirit altogether.