The Source

"The Corruption, it has to have some sort of source, right? We can just find it and destroy it!"
"Oh child, we know about its source. We know where it is. But not how to destroy it. For everyone who tried to get closer was never seen again."

-Mother to her curious children.

Description

The Source is the celestial object that fell to Atocitera during the The Cataclysm   .
Even though the impact reshaped the continent and threw all mountains but one up to the skies, it still seems to be intact, except for a large crack from which occasional streams of carmen-colored energy rush out.
It were these streams of raw Corruption and The Cataclysm itself that caused the Source to get its name.
The Source looks like a mountain-sized egg, sitting in a crater that looks like its nest, with a crack on a side that hit the ground.
While trees and grass took root in the Source over the hundreds of years, there are still some places where the smooth bright white surfaces of the object itself are visible.
Many wonder why the continent was not entirely destroyed by the impact of the Source. Apart from the mountains of Atocitera now flying in the skies, and the closest area being changed by the impact itself, the overall damage to the continent was minimal.

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Importance of the area

The Source appears to be the source for the Corruption. A force driving the evolution of all species on Atocitera to its maximum while greatly weakening any humans it comes into contact with.
Due to the aggressivity of the monsters and fauna on the Ground below, caused by their constant evolution due to continuous exposure to the Corruption, it is impossible to settle anywhere else than on the Atocites .
Many rightfully blame the Source for destroying the civilization as their ancestors knew it, creating a new age of suffering and fight for survival which lasts until now.

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Local area

Because the Source is constantly streaming out raw Corruption, the area around it is the most fierce, aggressive, adaptable, and fastest when it comes to reacting to new dangers. Raiders who dared to explore the area found out that the entire place adapted to their presence in a matter of hours. While most of the explorers died to ambushes of wild predators, the others fell victim to deadly fauna.
While some Atocites fly on their routes close enough for its inhabitants to see the Source, looking and hating it is all they can do, as they did not found a way to get close enough to it to attempt to destroy it. Raiders who thought about flying from their Atocite directly to the Source were shot down by what appeared to be twigs with exploding leaves.
When these trees were seen for the first time it caused great panic for everyone who witnessed it. On the next Council of Planners it has been decided that these trees must not spread around the Atocitera, as their existence would heavily hinder the ability to Raid the Ground below for resources necessary for survival.

Look, for that is all you can do about it.
Look at that thing, poisoning our home and laughing in our face.
One day maybe.
No.
One day for sure, someone will find a way to destroy it and cleanse the Atocitera of that awful thing.

Message written to a stone next to direct view on the Source

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"Rumors and gossips? Yeah, we love these. We even place bets on who brings up something juicy to talk about. Everything is welcome except one topic."
"Excesive talking about the Source is a great way to lose your sanity."
"Curiosity is one thing, and this is exactly the thing you would wish not to be curious about. But everyone need to know about it. How would they otherwise know not to ask about it?"
"There are stories allowed only to scare children, and only in extreme situations."
"The Planners always tell us what new or actual is known about the Source once per cycle, and that is enough to ruin your sleep for years to come."
"Do not take it wrong, it is not forbidden to talk about the Source or anything like that. It is the dreadful feeling of inability to do anything about it that is overwhelming us. Especially when we realize that the monstrosities around it can decide to spread all around Atocitera at any moment."

Opinions on discussing the Source.

Rumors

Due to the egg-like looks of the Source, many theorize that it was accidentally dropped on Atocitera by some god-like beast that was passing by. And that there might be more such "eggs"
Others claim that Corruption is an invasion of demonic energy and that it must be stopped at its core. Often mentioning that the monsters and fauna around the Source serve as some sort of guardians. Many prefer to side with the guardian theory, as the other variant would mean that it is instead an army waiting for the right moment.
While people's opinion on its origin and purpose varies, they all share one belief. The belief that getting into its core might be the key to ending the malice of Corruption.

Only one person who got to the forest around the Source got back. And his silence was unsettling. To this day people discuss and scare their young with possibilities of what could be there, that no one else ever got out of there.

"The Source? If you think of going there, your Atocite would probably kill you on spot for treachery. Because going there is a suicide, and if anyone thinks they are strong enough to survive there, they are an invaluable asset for their home."

-Extractor to Raider asking about the Source

Some Raiders with questionable behavior often talk to themselves while watching the Source from their Atocite. It is not a widely spread and not liked rumor, but these Raiders claim that when they are watching the Source, the voice of Corruption in their head is stronger. Some even claim that they felt like being watched, even when it was confirmed no one knew that they were looking at the Source.

Such strength, and numbers. It truly feels like a great army waiting for something. But what is it waiting for?
Oh shit.

Raider talking to themselves while watching the Source

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"We got just one person who ever got back from there."
"What information he brought?"
"None, he looked paler than Raiders we saw escaping the wrath of the Eyes. He said nothing since his extraction, and on the first opportunity, he turned into soul crystal via Turgla pulse."
"Gzhongk has been trying to get something from him for the last few centuries."

Part of debate on the Source during Council of Planners

The sole unnamed survivor

From the second group, which was shot down during their attempt to fly to the Source, only one person was extracted alive by Atocide to which he did not belong. This individual was surprisingly unharmed, except for his missing right arm and completely pale skin. Due to his Right arm missing along with his name tattoo and him being silent since he left the forest around the Source, no one knows his name.
This unnamed survivor ate so little that no one believed he would survive for long.
And he did not, as soon as the Atocite that saved him got to Mount Turgla he refused to hide from its transforming pulse, and turned into soul crystal along with information about anything he has seen.

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Type

Asteroid