The Flux Spirits

Nature of the Spirits
Planar Echoes or True Souls? Scholars and priests debate whether the spirits are fragments of the passengers’ consciousness, echoes created by the Flux, or their true souls, trapped between planes. Some suggest that the alien technology fused their essence with the Rift, making them permanent fixtures of the Flux’s cycle.
Dissonant Personalities: Each spirit retains traces of its former self, with their personalities magnified or distorted by the trauma of the crash. Wailing Spirits: Overwhelmed by despair, they cry out for release or retribution. Raging Spirits: Consumed by anger, they lash out at those near the walls, blaming them for their fate. Whispering Spirits: Cryptic and fragmented, they murmur secrets, warnings, or incomprehensible phrases. The Lingering Madness: Prolonged contact with the walls imprints these voices on the mind, making it impossible to distinguish between one’s own thoughts and the whispers of the dead. Victims often become paranoid or obsessed, believing the spirits are guiding, threatening, or manipulating them.
Types of Passenger Spirits
The Navigator: A spirit believed to be the spacecraft’s pilot or navigator, repeatedly whispering coordinates, flight commands, or warnings about the Flux. Some scavengers claim the Navigator’s voice can guide them to valuable artifacts, but it often leads them into greater danger. The Mourner: A mother who perished in the crash, endlessly crying for her lost children. Her sobs are said to evoke deep feelings of sorrow and despair in anyone who hears them. Her voice is strongest near certain sections of the wall, where flowers and small toys are often left as offerings. The Engineer: A spirit who rages against the failure of the ship, screaming about “systems overload” and “catastrophic failure.” Those who hear the Engineer often report vivid dreams of alien machinery and incomprehensible diagrams. The Arbiter: A cryptic spirit who speaks in riddles, often referencing events in the Rift District’s history or predicting future high tides. The Arbiter’s voice has led some to believe it holds the key to understanding the Flux, though no one has successfully deciphered its messages.

Attempts to Understand the Spirits
Rift Scholars: Scholars from the Planar Compact have proposed that the spirits are trapped in a planar limbo, unable to move on due to the alien technology and Flux energy binding them to the Rift. Some theorize that Astral Ice could hold fragments of their essence, though attempts to extract or interact with it have been dangerous. Priestly Intervention: Clerics of Chantea and other deities hold rituals of release, attempting to guide the spirits to the afterlife. These efforts have met with limited success, as the spirits seem inextricably tied to the walls and the Flux’s cycles. The Alien Connection: Certain artificers believe the spirits are not entirely human or planar but are instead hybridized entities created by the crash’s fusion of alien technology and the Nexus. Rumors persist of devices embedded in the walls that may hold the key to either freeing or controlling the spirits.

Manifestation

Manifestations of the Spirits Apparitions in the Walls: On rare occasions, faint images of the passengers appear within the walls, their faces distorted and their forms flickering like static. These apparitions often mimic actions from their final moments—reaching out, shielding their faces, or manipulating alien controls. Spirit Storms: During particularly intense high tides, the walls emit a cacophony of wails and whispers, creating a spirit storm that unnerves even seasoned Riftguard. These storms are sometimes accompanied by ghostly forms that drift through the Rift District, vanishing as quickly as they appear. Possession Attempts: In extremely rare cases, the spirits have tried to possess individuals who linger near the walls, often with disastrous results. Victims describe overwhelming visions of the crash, alien worlds, and planar chaos before losing themselves to madness.