Part 59: Trajkov's War & the Three Serviles
Trajkov & the Three ServilesIn my final update, we will have a look at the remaining endings. Geneforge 1 has by far the most ending variations of the entire series, with 4 major ending scenarios and 5 variations, plus different end states for the 3 servile sects.
We've already seen what happened when Solution left all 3 servile sect leaders alive, killed Trajkov and Goettsch, and destroyed the Geneforge. We've also seen what happened when she chose to leave the island early.
By the way, here's what happens if you use the Geneforge without the gloves:
Foolishness posted:
The moment your hands enter the goo, it begins to fulfill its purpose. It shoots through your skin and inside you. It seeks out the tiny instructions deep inside you and begins to rewrite them, one at a time. The heat slowly crawls through your body.
However, the changes are happening far, far faster than they were supposed to. Your being starts to fragment. As you watch, your skin bubbles and flakes. Your internal organs shift about, change form, and then dissolve into liquid.
It's horribly painful, of course, but at least you die soon.
Or:
More Foolishness posted:
The moment you touch the goo, it begins to fulfill its purpose. It shoots through your skin and inside you. It seeks out the tiny instructions deep inside you and begins to rewrite them, one at a time. The heat slowly crawls through your body.
However, something is wrong. It starts to hurt, a little at first, then more. The changes are happening too fast. They're out of control. You fall to the ground and roll, helpless, as seizures wrack your body.
You spontaneously begin to bleed everywhere. Then, mercifully, you pass out. You never wake up again.
Also, if you return to Kazg after slaying Trajkov, you receive a special message: "Slaying Trajkov has made the serviles of Kazg very angry at you." They all become hostile, just as the loyal Sholai do.
Sect Leader Death Endings
Awakened posted:
Back on Sucia Island, the various servile villages struggled to continue as best they could. When the histories of these turbulent times are written, they mention a few details about the minor players in this great drama:
The death of Ellhrah totally demoralized the serviles of Vakkiri. The Awakened dissolved. None would claim to have ever been a member. All were terrified of the punishments awaiting them and their mates for their disloyalty to the Shapers.
When the turmoil of the next few years began, their fear only increased. The Awakened retreated into the woods and wastes, abandoning Vakkiri. The following years were full of hunger and battle.
Years later, when Sucia Island was once again abandoned and forgotten, the survivors, alone and tired, emerged from the wastes and reclaimed Vakkiri.
There, they continued to live as they had before. Weak and hungry. And dreaming of the future.
Obeyers posted:
The death of Rydell at the hands of a Shaper drove the Obeyers of Pentil mad. They were unable to reconcile their obedience to the Shapers with the assassination of their leader.
Eventually, they dealt with the situation by turning inward. They hid in their town, surrounded themselves with mines and traps, and shut out the outside world.
In this, they were successful. With their leadership gone, nobody deemed them important enough to deal with, either through diplomacy or military force.
There they lived, alone, confused, waiting in vain for some guidance to come for them. Waiting to get some clarity.
It never came.
Takers posted:
With the death of Gnorrel at Shaper hands, the surviving serviles of Kazg were overcome with mad rage. With difficulty, they made boats and, over the following months, returned to the mainland.
They decided that their vengeance had been delayed long enough. The war against the Shapers would begin at last. If it meant death, that was fine, as long as it meant an end to the all-consuming hatred.
On the mainland, they found Dillame, a Shaper colony. They launched a fierce attack, and soon found that they were completely outmatched.
The tragic tale of the serviles of Kazg came to a sudden end.
The Great Betrayer
You return to Goettsch and steal his gloves. It doesn't matter if you kill him or not. Then you give them to Trajkov.
The Geneforge posted:
As you watch, Trajkov dons the glove and kneels. Slowly, carefully, reverently, he touches his fingertips to the Geneforge. The greatest accomplishment of your people begins to work your magic on him.
Trajkov howls in pain. Whatever the pool is doing to him, whatever energy is coursing through the gloves into his body, it is hideously painful. Still, he doesn't lose consciousness.
Then it ends. Trajkov stands and turns to you. Though the changes are still taking place, he is already different. He stands tall, and his eyes glow fiery red. His body radiates heat. Little flashes of light come out of his hair.
He starts to return to the central chamber. As he passes you, he says, "I am much better now. Come speak with me. This was just the first victory. Now the great work begins."
You have helped make Trajkov incredibly powerful. Now you will have to see if he gives you the reward you were promised.
Trajkov stares at you with piercing eyes. They glow a fiery red and flicker about quickly, taking in everything. Under the surface of his skin, the muscles twitch, ready to take instant action.
Yet, he still seems to be in control of himself. He smiles. On his face, you can see signs that Trajkov continues to hold on to his humanity.
"What happens now?" you ask.
"Now, the great work begins. There are docks northeast of Kazg. Go there. My people will let you pass.
"Take the boat there. Return to your people. Tell them I am coming, and what I want. I don't know as much about your kind as I could, but I know one thing. I know your people must see reason."
"I would like to use the Geneforge too."
Trajkov shakes his head. "I can feel it in my mind. The pressure, the corrupting influence of power. I can control it. But if you had that level of power, it would be too much. Each of us would be jealous of the other.
"Be content. You will be rewarded. You will be wealthy, and influential, and heavily augmented. Just not in this way."
You sigh. "I will go now."
"Yes. You should leave the island. There are docks northeast of Kazg. Go there. My people will let you pass. Use the boat there and return to your people. Then the great work can begin."
You make your way to the docks. Avdotya catches you as you pass through the icy tunnels.
"Trajkov himself sent me," you explain. "He wants me to return to the mainland to convey his orders to the Shapers."
This confuses the outsiders. They speak to each other. Then one of them runs to the east for guidance. After an hour's delay, he returns and confers with Avdotya. Finally, she says, "We understand.
"You may pass. We have no wish to stop Trajkov's plans."
As you walk past the mines that guard the approach to the docks, you're caught by one of the augmented Sholai.
You try to talk with this Sholai, but you find that you can't communicate properly. You can't understand what he's saying, although you suspect that he is intentionally making himself hard to comprehend.
Eventually, he points to the dock to the east and says, in your tongue, "Dock. Boat. You go now."
Business as usual? posted:
.With difficulty, you pilot the small craft away from the dock. It is an awkward process at first. You have never piloted a sailboat before. Still, after some trial and error, you are able to get the wind to catch the sails.
You depart Sucia Island at last, setting course for the mainland. The island was not as remote as you imagined it. It is only fifty miles from the nearest Shaper settlement. Fifty miles and two centuries.
In but a day, you arrive at the coastal settlement of Dillame. There are a dozen Shapers there, working to tame this wild coast, populate it with friendly fauna, and make it safe for settlement. They eagerly greet you, curious about where you came from.
You tell them.
A Reckoning posted:
The Shapers know that Sucia Island was Barred and that you were there. Their reaction is immediate. They seize you and shackle you. Then they put you on a boat and take you to the Shaper council.
When you arrive, you demand to be taken to the Shaper council to deliver your message. They refuse. You are thrown into a cell. You stay there for several weeks. Then they start to interrogate you.
At last, you tell them of Trajkov, who he is, where he is from, and what he has achieved. You are surprised by their reaction. They laugh. They can't believe that a mere outsider could achieve such mastery of their secrets.
Then Trajkov arrives. He and his augmented assistants land on the mainland. They aren't detected. They create a horde of massive creations and start seizing colonies. They lay mines, make spawners to guard their flanks, and continue their advance.
You are released from your cell immediately for questioning. On the way back to the cell, a band of shades, created by Trajkov, slays your handlers. You are taken to Trajkov’s army.
Fallout posted:
The war is an ugly one. Trajkov guesses, correctly, that many of the Shaper creations secretly loathe their creators. Many a complacent Shaper is murdered in bed by a furious servile.
All together, Trajkov's army, his creations, the rogues, and you defeat the Shapers. They are scattered to the winds. Their lands are yours. Trajkov and his Sholai take control.
Trajkov is true to his word to the serviles. Surprisingly enough, he took a liking to the loyal and intelligent creatures. They are given full freedom and rights, elevated to the status of full humans.
Trajkov is also true to his word to you. He promised you power and wealth, and you have it. In return for your help and loyalty, he makes you his second-in-command. He is king, true, but you are his most trusted lieutenant.
You achieve great power and wealth, more than you could have attained otherwise. And at times, you go to your window and look out on the ruins. Your decision worked out marvelously. You saw what you wanted, and you got it. It is all yours.
Awakened posted:
Back on Sucia Island, the various servile villages struggled to continue as best they could. When the histories of these turbulent times are written, they mention a few details about the minor players in this great drama:
After Trajkov conquered the Shapers, he sent some of his troops back to Sucia Island. Ellhrah led his puny forces out to greet them.
Ellhrah, as always, insisted on independence and on his people being treated as equals. He need not have worried. Though the Takers hated the Awakened, Trajkov admired their spirit.
The Awakened were allowed to return to the mainland and form their own small colony in the wilderness. It was a hard life, but they were left alone. They got by all right, subsisting on trading and farming.
When Ellhrah finally died, he died happy. His people had a hard life, but they were free, and they had hope for the future. And yet, though he never ceased to wonder at how ironic it was, he never stopped mourning the loss of the Shapers.
Obeyers posted:
When Trajkov conquered the Shapers, he placed his Taker allies in positions of power and influence. Once the Takers had the authority, they quickly remembered their hatred of the Obeyers who had caused them so much pain and difficulty.
They generated a massive force and returned to Sucia Island. They crushed the minor resistance put forward by Rydell's people. Pentil was razed to the ground.
Rydell was killed defending Pentil from an attack by thirty drayks.
Soon, the only Obeyers left were a few isolated clans, hiding in the woods and hills. There they lived on, cold, obscure, and forgotten.
Takers posted:
Trajkov was a man of his word. After he conquered the lands of the Shapers, he rewarded the Takers for their assistance.
Trajkov had power, but not numbers. He needed help with the administration of his new Empire. Serviles were made, in part, to be administrators. It was a natural match.
Gnorrel's people became powerful. They were trained, instructed, and sent out into the world. Nothing pleased them more than to be placed in a position of power over Shapers.
It would be nice to say that they learned to be forgiving and tolerant. They did not. They following years were ugly and unhappy ones indeed.
The Naive Apprentice
You slay Trajkov, leave the Geneforge intact, and return home.
"Yes! It is done! Now I will reign supreme! Now the power of the Geneforge will be mine! Only one thing remains to be done. First, you must be gone. I will tolerate no threatening parties, no unpredictable forces," Goettsch says. "There is a dock at the east end of the island. It is northeast of Kazg. There, you will find a small boat. It is the last boat on the island. Use it, and you can return to the mainland, and civilization. Leave now. I command it. Wait too long, and I will grow impatient, and force your actions."
"You promised power to me if I slew Trajkov. Where is that portion of my reward?"
Goettsch laughs. "I lied, fool. There is power here, and it will be mine. Your reward is escaping with your life. I have told you where the boat is. Now, go."
"I must go think on all of this. Goodbye." You make ready to leave.
"There is nothing to think on. You will go to the docks at the east end of the island, and you will leave my domain, and that is the end of it."
You encounter Mind Strout. "Is there anything you can do to help me with the guards?"
This dialogue option only becomes available if you haven't murdered your way through the area.
Strout looks sad. It clearly wishes that you hadn't asked. "Yes, there is. I have no strength, but there is something I can do.
"I figured out how to mimic their speech and voices. And I have enough energy left to be very loud. I think I can draw them away from the docks briefly, and you could sneak to the boat.
"Then you can get help. You can bring the Shapers and they can destroy the intruders!"
"What will happen to you?" But you already know the answer.
"I do not know. I don't think it will be good. But it is a worthy sacrifice if you can leave the island and get help."
"I am ready. Distract the Sholai guards."
"Yes, Shaper. You should know that soon, many angry Sholai will be here. You should move to safety. And I do not think I will live to do this again. Get help for us, mighty Shaper. Good luck to you."
The mind uses all of its power to start screaming. It is amazingly loud, so loud that it must be using magic to augment its voice. It is shouting for help in the Sholai tongue. It is surprisingly realistic.
Mind Strout used its time spying on the outsiders well. Soon, this place will be overrun by Sholai guards.
That isn't an exaggeration. Your best hope to get through here is to immediately enter the combat screen, head due east to the rogue vlish nests, then south along the coast, and sneak into the docks through the hole in the northern wall. You can actually trigger the ending dialogue even in combat just by having your PC walk onto the dock.
Escape posted:
With difficulty, you pilot the small craft away from the dock. It is an awkward process at first- You have never piloted a sailboat before. Still, after some trial and error, you are able to get the wind to catch the sails.
You depart Sucia Island at last, setting course for the mainland. The island was not as remote as you imagined it. It is only fifty miles from the nearest Shaper settlement. Fifty miles and two centuries.
In but a day, you arrive at the coastal settlement of Dillame. There are a dozen Shapers there, working to tame this wild coast, populate it with friendly fauna, and make it safe for settlement. They eagerly greet you, curious about where you came from.
You tell them.
Interrogation posted:
The Shapers know that Sucia Island was Barred, and that you were there. Their reaction is immediate. They seize and shackle you. Then they put you on a boat and take you to the Shaper council.
After a few weeks in a cell, the interrogation begins. They ask about, and you reveal, every one of your actions on Sucia Island. You tell them of the Sholai, the servile colonies, and the Geneforge.
Then you tell them of Trajkov. You tell them about the outsider who was rapidly mastering the Shaper secrets and how, with great difficulty and risk, you slew him.
You wait in the cell for a few more weeks, while they send a contingent of Agents to investigate Sucia Island. Eventually, they find that things were much as you said.
The Sholai and serviles who were tampering with Shaper secrets are all slain. Kazg is razed to the ground. The rest of the Sholai are brought to the council.
The Shapers are impressed by your bravery and integrity. You are released from imprisonment, after you swear an oath to always keep secret what you found there. Sucia Island remains Barred. The powerful knowledge hidden there remains a secret. For now.
Goettsch posted:
Unfortunately, there is still a Shaper on Sucia Island. His name is Goettsch. He has the knowledge and equipment necessary to use the Geneforge. Now that Trajkov is dead, nothing stops him from reaching it.
If the Shaper council was quicker in reacting to the threat, things might have been different. As it is, they are completely unprepared when Goettsch and his army of creations reaches the mainland.
The war is a long and bloody one. What chance you had to gain power and prominence fades away in days, as you are conscripted into the army sent to fight Goettsch.
The Shapers believe that one rogue and his creations can't be a deadly threat. They could not be more wrong. The combination of his training, his knowledge, and the raw power provided by the Geneforge make him devastatingly powerful.
When you finally die, years later, the war still rages. Battle after battle has scorched and diseased the countryside.
And all you know for sure, as you pass on, is that the war will continue for longer still.
Awakened posted:
Back on Sucia Island, the various servile villages struggled to continue as best they could. When the histories of these turbulent times are written, they mention a few details about the minor players in this great drama:
In Vakkiri, Ellhrah saw his people's chance in the tumult caused by the Shaper wars. Your people were too distracted by the carnage to punish the upstart Awakened.
Ellhrah led his people to the mainland and out into the unsettled lands. There, the Awakened founded New Vakkiri and insisted on dealing with the Shapers as equals.
They had things to offer the Shapers in their war. Ellhrah's tinkers had learned well the Shaper arts, and their contributions were a pleasing help to the Shapers during their struggles.
The Awakened earned their independence through diplomacy, persistence, and hard work. Their life in the wilderness was a difficult one, but considering the alternative, they never looked back.
Obeyers posted:
When the wars began, Rydell realized that he could wait no longer. Though he knew that his Obeyers were supposed to wait on Sucia Island, he also knew that his creators were in trouble and needed help.
With great difficulty and a painful period of trial and error, the Obeyers built boats. They returned to the mainland, where they found a Shaper colony, explained their situation, and offered to help.
The Shapers of the colony were thankful for the additional forces, and yet unnerved by the strangely independent nature of the forces. They didn't bother to inform anyone in authority of the arrival of the Obeyers.
Instead, they put Rydell's serviles to work, and, when they could, used them as front line fighters in battles against attacking creations.
By the time Rydell realized that his people were being ill-used, many of them had been sent away, and many more had been killed. It made him very unhappy, but he believed, deep in his heart, that the will of the Shaper was best.
Takers posted:
When the Shaper wars began, Gnorrel saw her chance. In their hearts, the serviles of Kazg lusted for war with the Shapers. They longed for revenge.
With difficulty, they managed to return to the mainland. There, they looked for opportunity to do battle with Shaper forces. A long guerilla campaign began.
They were years of great hardship for Gnorrel and her people. The Shapers were distracted and weak, but still dangerous, and many of the Takers died. They did not have the strength to make a real difference.
Eventually, their grief and fatigue overcame their hatred. They went out into the wilderness. Gnorrel helped them form villages, plant crops and start their lives over.
There they lived, blissfully forgotten, for many, many years.
Real Ultimate Murder
Perhaps Solution's story, your story, ended differently. Maybe, when you reached that critical moment, you decided that you deserved a reward.
You've slain Trajkov, but Goettsch still has the only pair of working gloves for the Geneforge. With the Geneforge intact and the Sholai soon to fall into disarray, Goettsch is a credible danger.
You must deal with him and secure the gloves for yourself.
At first, you don't see anyone -- neither creations nor Sholai patrol the entrance from the Geneforge. But then you meet a drayk. It snarls at you.
They know.
It's a shame you took the path through the quarters, but you didn't feel like venturing through the Vats again.
The augmented Sholai put up a good fight, but you know all their tricks now.
Unfortunately for them, the Sholai don't know all of yours, because they die before passing the news on.
Such is life.
The outsiders squatting in the Central Labs heard the commotion from quarters and have hastily assembled a greeting party for you.
They've even taught the choir a special tune just for you.
Funny, Serabryakov isn't happy to see you. But when you finish exchanging hellos, he leaves a Shaped sword for you.
The barely visible scouts outside the West Gate home in on you with uncanny precision.
They snap at your heels as you cross the northern bridge.
But though they can hinder your crossing, ultimately, the Sholai cannot stop you.
The rest of your journey is relatively pleasant, as you've already killed your way west.
You follow the greeter to where Goettsch awaits. You inform him of Trajkov's death and tune out his pointless blather.
"I tire of this banter. You must die now."
"What? You dare challenge me? Then die, fool!" Goettsch whips a wand out of his robes with a practiced flourish.
Geokinesis is faster on the draw, though.
In short order, most of Goettsch's creations fall. The Shaper himself cowers in a corner.
His death follows swiftly.
Goettsch still has a canister tucked away in a storage room well-protected by mines. It is, of course, a canister of "Create Drayk."
Another locked up room contains this work of art.
This is probably the best piece of armor in the game.
Goettsch set modified battle gammas as the guards for his personal chambers. They're tough, but not tough enough to stop you.
Two more guards pop out of the green box mines in the treasure room.
Then it's just you and this fine crystal box.
Game Text posted:
You open the case. Inside, you find a pair of Shaping gloves.
You are familiar with items of this sort. Shaping gloves are powerful, magical items, half crafted, half shaped, half alive, half dead. They are thick leather gauntlets, partially alive, full of hundreds of tiny tubes and valves.
Shaping gloves are used to interact with powerful Shaper experiments. They can control and modulate the energy of devices and concoctions, allowing the researcher to sample and absorb energy while being protected from it.
This is a very old and unusually well-made pair. They rest on a velvet pillow, ready for the taking.
Take the Gloves posted:
You lift the gloves carefully out of the case and put them away. When you get up to leave, however, you hear a keening alarm. It’s a magical trap... you have no idea where the sound is coming from.
The sound echoes through the hallway for a full minute before it ceases. You doubt there was anyone in the temple who didn't hear it.
On your way out, you find this fine sword in Goettsch's wardrobe.
The creations Trajkov sent away have returned to guard the Geneforge and they're none too happy to see you.
Trajkov had accomplished some significant skill with his canister powers before you slew him. His creations are quite powerful.
Put on the shaping gloves and lightly touch the surface posted:
The moment you touch the goo, it begins to fulfill its purpose. It shoots through your skin and inside you. It seeks out the tiny instructions deep inside you and begins to rewrite them, one at a time. The heat slowly crawls through your body.
Fortunately, the gloves control the process. They merge with the substance, drawing it up into tiny tubes so that only small bits of it contact you at any one time. You feel your parts changing, first your arms, then your heart, then elsewhere.
It is horribly painful, and it seems to go on for a very long time. Every part of you is rewritten and then, when it has had time to adjust, rewritten again.
At last, it ends. You are changed, completely and utterly. You feel amazingly powerful. You feel like you have become a new class of person, far above and beyond the mere, pitiful mortals you have now left behind.
It is time to leave this island. It is finally time to return to your people, and show them what you have become. Then you can decide what to do with them.
You have been remade.
Using the Geneforge grants 8 points each to strength, intelligence, endurance, dexterity, melee, spellcraft, and all Shaper skills, plus around 800 exp give or take depending on your PC's level, and to top it off, you get a full restore out of the deal, too.
Destroy the Geneforge posted:
It takes a number of heavy blows, but you manage to smash the edge of the pool. The goo inside begins to run out, spreading over the floor. It hisses where it touches the stone.
This has the effect of throwing the rest of the substance out of balance. It was highly charged stuff, and unstable. With much of it gone, the rest cannot live. As you watch, it dries up before your eyes, shrinking into dust.
From this moment, nobody will ever use the Geneforge. The genius of the researchers of Sucia Island is gone, and their works have died with it.
At last, it is time to leave, and return to your people. The danger is gone. You will be the only person to ever use the Geneforge.
Now you must decide what to do about the three sects on Sucia.
Pentil posted:
The serviles here no longer look at you with affection or awe. They are terrified. The changes that have been wrought on you have warped you, and it is obvious to them.
They walk carefully, watching their every move, afraid that you might, at the slightest misstep, destroy them.
And, though it seems strange to you, you can't help but think that nothing would please you more than to dominate these pitiful creatures. It takes a concerted effort to stay your hand.
"I have used the Geneforge. I have gained incredible power. What do you say to that?"
"Shaper, though I know it is a threat to us here, I look into your eyes and I see you have fallen ever from the true path of the Shapers. This island was Barred to keep you from powers which are wrong, which can't be controlled.
"Please, Shaper, return to your people. Maybe they can cure or control the sickness within you. You must leave this island soon, though, before your mind is overwhelmed," Rydell says.
"You dare to question me, worm? I will destroy you for your impudence!"
"Shaper, you have gone rogue! Though it means our deaths, I know it is the true will of the Shapers that we control you before your sickness infects the world!" Knowing that his death is likely, Rydell draws his sword.
The battle doesn't last long. Rydell and his pathetic Obeyers throw themselves at you. You unmake them, leaving naught but spoiled essence behind.
You approach Ellhrah, servile leader and wise one. He doesn't look exceptional. He is strong and armed, but no more imposing than many you have met here. He is neither old nor scarred.
However, he is terrified. One look at you fills him with terror. The changes wrought in your body by the Geneforge worry him greatly. You can't help but notice how small and weak he looks to you.
"I have done what you suggested. I have used the Geneforge."
"I can see that. I see you have done well. I hope you can control the power. I hope that it does not overwhelm your mind."
The Takers of Kazg hurl themselves at you in a mindless frenzy. There is no talking to them. Eko and Gnorrel fall without a single word, bloodthirsty to the last.
You have disposed of the greatest threats here. The Geneforge will never augment another. With the gloves in your possession, you depart.
The Usual Ending...? posted:
With difficulty, you pilot the small craft away from the dock. It is an awkward process at first. You have never piloted a sailboat before. Still, after some trial and error, you are able to get the wind to catch the sails.
You depart Sucia Island at last, setting course for the mainland. The island was not as remote as you imagined it. It is only fifty miles from the nearest Shaper settlement. Fifty miles and two centuries.
In but a day, you arrive at the coastal settlement of Dillame. There are a dozen Shapers there, working to tame this wild coast, populate it with friendly fauna, and make it safe for settlement. They eagerly greet you, curious about where you came from.
You tell them.
Mine Is the Power posted:
When they find out that you have come from a Barred island, they are worried. They insist that you come with them to the regional capital, where you can answer for your actions.
You tell them what happened to you. You tell them that you have uncovered incredible secrets, and that the Geneforge has given you great power. You tell them how you slew Trajkov, an outsider who tried to steal their secrets. Amazingly, they don't care!
They treat you like you are mad. They try to force you to come with them. Your changed appearance and your obvious power scare them. They try to control you. You start to get angry.
Then they try to put shackles on you. You get angrier still. You feel the power rising within you as the insects try to control you. For a brief time, you try to simultaneously resist them and control the power.
A tiny voice in your head tells you that something is not right, and then the changes wrought by the Geneforge silence that voice forever. You spread your hands, and the power flows out...
and the Glory posted:
The small settlement is no match for your rage. It is rubble within minutes. You use their library to learn secrets, and their essence pools to regain your strength. Then you begin to form your army.
You know the truth now. You know what will happen. You know they will never accept you, never accept your power. The fools, the small-minded ones, they will fear you. They will never let you have peace.
But the world is young. There are many unsettled areas, areas where you could create your own lands, lands which would benefit from your great wisdom. Lands which could flourish under your total control.
With a wave of your hand, an army of fierce creations appears. Then you set off into the woods.
and the Kingdom, Forever posted:
The Shaper council soon hears of you, and your deeds, and your madness. They soon figure out where you were, what happened to you, and what your intentions are.
They are very afraid.
However, their envoys to Sucia Island soon find that their greatest fears have been realized. The canisters are all gone. The Geneforge lies in ruins. The old secrets are gone. The only remaining beneficiary is you.
After they slay the rest of the Sholai, they send Agents and Guardians after you. They all fail, crushed by your might. The Shaper council soon realizes that you are too strong for them.
You form your nation in the wilderness, populated by creations, your creations, multitudes of them, sprung out of your power and will. They live under you, under your absolute control, as it should be. Your kingdom lasts as long as you live.
And you live for a very, very long time.
Awakened posted:
Back on Sucia Island, the various servile villages struggled to continue as best they could. When the histories of these turbulent times are written, they mention a few details about the minor players in this great drama:
In Vakkiri, Ellhrah saw his people's chance in the tumult caused by the Shaper wars. Your people were too distracted by the carnage to punish the upstart Awakened.
Ellhrah led his people to the mainland and out into the unsettled lands. There, the Awakened founded New Vakkiri and insisted on dealing with the Shapers as equals.
They had things to offer the Shapers in their war. Ellhrah's tinkers had learned well the Shaper arts, and their contributions were a pleasing help to the Shapers during their struggles.
The Awakened earned their independence through diplomacy, persistence, and hard work. Their life in the wilderness was a difficult one, but considering the alternative, they never looked back.
Some other possibilities...
You do not destroy the Geneforge after using it.
Shaper Versus Shaper posted:
The Shaper council soon hears of you, and your deeds, and your madness. They soon figure out where you were, what happened to you, and what your intentions are.
They are very afraid.
However, their envoys to Sucia Island soon find that the source of your power is open to them too. Their terror leads them to rash acts. And, instead of one mad, incredibly powerful Shaper, there are several, all jealous of each other’s power.
The Shapers soon remember why they Barred Sucia Island in the first place. They destroy the Geneforge. But it is too late. The augmented Shapers run free, create their armies, and wage war, among themselves and against you.
Ordinary Shapers, their creations, and ordinary humans all run for safety, trying to escape the violence and madness that explodes among them. Rogues wander the countryside scorching all they find with fire and acid.
Fortunately, you survive the great wars. But cities are destroyed. Multitudes die. War and chaos reign. For years, and years, and years.
Rydell survives:
"Though you should not question my judgment, servile, I hear some wisdom in your words. I will leave."
Rydell looks relieved. "Safe travels to you, Shaper. I hope you find peace back among your people. I hope your sickness can be cured."
Obeyers posted:
When the wars began, Rydell realized that he could wait no longer. Though he knew that his Obeyers were supposed to wait on Sucia Island, he also knew that his creators were in trouble and needed help.
With great difficulty and a painful period of trial and error, the Obeyers built boats. They returned to the mainland, where they found a Shaper colony, explained their situation, and offered to help.
The Shapers of the colony were thankful for the additional forces, and yet unnerved by the strangely independent nature of the forces. They didn't bother to inform anyone in authority of the arrival of the Obeyers.
Instead, they put Rydell's serviles to work, and, when they could, used them as front line fighters in battles against attacking creations.
By the time Rydell realized that his people were being ill-used, many of them had been sent away, and many more had been killed. It made him very unhappy, but he believed, deep in his heart, that the will of the Shaper was best.
Gnorrel survives...
Takers posted:
When the Shaper wars began, Gnorrel saw her chance. In their hearts, the serviles of Kazg lusted for war with the Shapers. They longed for revenge.
With difficulty, they managed to return to the mainland. There, they looked for opportunity to do battle with Shaper forces. A long guerilla campaign began.
They were years of great hardship for Gnorrel and her people. The Shapers were distracted and weak, but still dangerous, and many of the Takers died. They did not have the strength to make a real difference.
Eventually, their grief and fatigue overcame their hatred. They went out into the wilderness. Gnorrel helped them form villages, plant crops and start their lives over.
There they lived, blissfully forgotten, for many, many years.
Or...
Plunge your hands in with the gloves posted:
The moment your hands enter the goo, it begins to fulfill its purpose. It shoots through your skin and inside you. It seeks out the tiny instructions deep inside you and begins to rewrite them, one at a time. The heat slowly crawls through your body.
However, even with the gloves on, the changes are happening far, far faster than they were supposed to.
Your being starts to fragment. As you watch, your skin bubbles and flakes. Your internal organs shift about, change form, and then dissolve into liquid.
It's horribly painful, of course, but at least you die soon.
You can also choose to slay Trajkov after letting him use the Geneforge. You will receive the loyal ending if you don't use the Geneforge, and one of the Ultimate Murder endings if you do, depending on whether you destroy it afterward.
The End
idonotlikepeas posted:
After Gene-Reforging (with apologies to Robert Frost)
My fyora friends are waiting on the shore
Not dead as such,
And there's a power that I didn't touch
Gone to dust, and there may be one or more
Lost canisters I didn't spot somehow.
But I am done with gene-reforging now.
Essence of freedom flies upon the air
The lure of power: I leave it behind.
But I can't tear my thoughts away from there
What I did find when opening a tin
That gave new strength in body and in mind,
Remade my self both without and within
Made of me both Problem and Solution,
But I am well
And at least most of me survived to tell,
How Shapers fell
Their triumph and final resolution.
Our breath-blessed tools are made and made again,
Claws and teeth and red flame,
Drawn out as if by some beast-trailing pen
I fear my spirit faces dilution,
The impression of a dozen others
I will remember each and every name
Of those that I have made and those unmade
Without mothers
The bone and flesh I knit to give me aid
But I have had too much
Of gene-reforging: I am overtired
Of all the powers I myself desired.
To always know without knowing as such
To feel this creeping madness in my mind
To find
That life and death
Meant less to me than once they might have done
And always fated now to author strife
To still their breath
To ever lose even when I have won
This life I'll seek, whatever Shape it takes
Will serve me well
Whether a hero's, clown's, a fool's, or rake's
I long, as one who's plumbed the depths of hell
For just a human life.