Philosophy

WRITTEN NOTES (skeletal)

Okay, pal, you really want to know about that Eidolon smile? I can tell you, but there are some things you can’t unhear, or unsee, or unlearn. This is one of them. You won’t see us the same again after this.

Well, here’s the thing. There are a lot of things about the Eidolon that even we don’t really know. A lot like the Husk, we basically wake up one day without any memory or knowledge of what happened before that moment. Was I something else or someone else once? No idea. All I know is I exist, now. Maybe that means we and the Husk have something in common, but that’s another discussion for another day, so leave that to one side for now.

So why is that important? Because the big difference between us is that when the Husk come to, they’re here, in the real world, in the real, corporeal, physical world. Maybe they’re not in the best possible place ever, but the world makes sense. When we wake up, we’re… not here. We’re in the dark. In the Shadow. We’re surrounded by the spiritual waste of a million years when we realize we’re alive.

Now, if you know anything about any stories you’ve ever heard about the shadow world, you know that it kind-of, sort-of mirrors the real world. Shouldn’t be bad, right? Except what they leave out is that the only things it mirrors are the buildings, the structures, the mountains and the rivers. Nothing living exists there, but there are plenty of things to take their place. Things float in the air that will eat you whole if they spot you; there are eyes, eyes everywhere, eyes that watch you wherever you go and tell the darkness everything you do. There are clouds of mist and spite and hate that follow you slowly, inching their way to you every damned minute, that will drain you of all your spirit, your strength, your will to live. It’s the single most terrifying experience any sane, conscious being ever has to endure. And this is the place where we first become aware of our existence.

Why do the eidolon smile? Because we escaped the shadow realm. We’re constantly reminded, of how good we have it, living amongst the mortals. We’re breathlessly thankful for having escaped the bleak, tangible hatred of the dark world, We’re joyous for the opportunity we have to live in the lands of light and scent and laughter, because we know that just on the other side of this reality is a horror show like no other.

Even the darkest, gloomiest, most disturbed Eidolon - ones like me, who think that somewhere out in space and time, there’s not really a difference between here and the shadow realm, that just one nudge can turn this place into that one - even we share this basic… not optimism, really, but appreciation, of where we are, of what we’ve survived, and of what we’d do to remain where we are, because going back there is utterly unfathomable.

So be sure to consider that, next time you ask one of us to slip into the shadow realm to play a joke or to help out in a bind. Remember what that place did to us, and know that we all have some old… friends… we left behind. Friends who I know would love to find us again.