Eldritch Energy
Eldritch Energy, also known as Void Energy or Abyssal Resonance, is a mysterious, corruptive force that permeates The Shrouded Galaxy. This energy is both a source of power and a catalyst for madness, as its presence warps technology, destabilizes reality, and influences the minds and bodies of those who encounter it. Eldritch Energy defies traditional scientific categorization, seeming to operate with its own “rules” that cannot be reliably predicted. This energy often radiates from ancient Alien Artifacts, long-forgotten ruins, or even certain planetary zones, and can lead to horrific effects on those exposed to it—ranging from mental deterioration to profound, unnatural transformations.
Discovery
The first encounter with Eldritch Energy occurred during early interstellar explorations in the 23rd century, when explorers from Xylo Corporation enountered an alien ruin on Europa in the Sol System. The team reported strange, unexplainable phenomena: instruments malfunctioning, physical reality seeming to “bend,” and disturbing auditory hallucinations. Following the retrieval of relics from these sites, a scientific team experienced symptoms ranging from paranoia to vivid hallucinations, with several members exhibiting physical mutations.
This discovery was initially dismissed as space-induced psychosis, but as further encounters with similar relics and sites occurred across the galaxy, the phenomena were finally recognized as stemming from a new form of energy—one capable of disturbing reality itself. Xylo Corporation, Sol System Military Command and the Arkham Xenoarchaeological Enterprise (AXE), began formal research, attempting to harness and understand this energy, though the nature of their findings remains largely classified.
Research
Eldritch Energy has become a significant area of study, albeit one marked by caution and secrecy. Scientists and researchers within Arcane Biotech and the Oranos Institute have dedicated laboratories to studying relics charged with this energy, employing physicists, metaphysicists, and neuropsychologists to explore its effects. Research into Eldritch Energy is split into two main categories: mechanical application and psychic effects. Mechanical research seeks to understand how eldritch-infused technology operates, often yielding erratic results, while psychic research investigates the influence of this energy on human cognition and perception.
Philosophically, many researchers view Eldritch Energy as a bridge between known reality and something beyond comprehension—an “anti-energy” that exists outside normal laws. Some hypothesize that it could be linked to a deeper consciousness or dimension, as exposure often results in subjects receiving visions or flashes of alien landscapes and beings. In academia, it’s speculated that Eldritch Energy could represent the remnants of a forgotten cosmic order, though few are willing to discuss this openly.
Discovery
The first encounter with Eldritch Energy occurred during early interstellar explorations in the 23rd century, when explorers from Xylo Corporation enountered an alien ruin on Europa in the Sol System. The team reported strange, unexplainable phenomena: instruments malfunctioning, physical reality seeming to “bend,” and disturbing auditory hallucinations. Following the retrieval of relics from these sites, a scientific team experienced symptoms ranging from paranoia to vivid hallucinations, with several members exhibiting physical mutations.
This discovery was initially dismissed as space-induced psychosis, but as further encounters with similar relics and sites occurred across the galaxy, the phenomena were finally recognized as stemming from a new form of energy—one capable of disturbing reality itself. Xylo Corporation, Sol System Military Command and the Arkham Xenoarchaeological Enterprise (AXE), began formal research, attempting to harness and understand this energy, though the nature of their findings remains largely classified.
Research
Eldritch Energy has become a significant area of study, albeit one marked by caution and secrecy. Scientists and researchers within Arcane Biotech and the Oranos Institute have dedicated laboratories to studying relics charged with this energy, employing physicists, metaphysicists, and neuropsychologists to explore its effects. Research into Eldritch Energy is split into two main categories: mechanical application and psychic effects. Mechanical research seeks to understand how eldritch-infused technology operates, often yielding erratic results, while psychic research investigates the influence of this energy on human cognition and perception.
Philosophically, many researchers view Eldritch Energy as a bridge between known reality and something beyond comprehension—an “anti-energy” that exists outside normal laws. Some hypothesize that it could be linked to a deeper consciousness or dimension, as exposure often results in subjects receiving visions or flashes of alien landscapes and beings. In academia, it’s speculated that Eldritch Energy could represent the remnants of a forgotten cosmic order, though few are willing to discuss this openly.
Manifestation
Eldritch Energy manifests in strange and often disturbing visual and sensory ways. It is commonly associated with sickly hues of green, purple, and black that appear as distorted “auras” around relics or within energy fields influenced by the void. This energy has a disorienting effect on the senses, creating visual anomalies such as shifting shadows, ethereal trails, and distorted light refractions that warp the perception of space. Equipment affected by Eldritch Energy may emit distorted static, garbled transmissions, or even aural distortions that mimic voices or sounds from alien environments.
Physical proximity to high concentrations of Eldritch Energy can produce feelings of dizziness, paranoia, or overwhelming dread, as if the energy exudes a sense of “consciousness.” People describe hearing faint whispers, experiencing visions, or feeling as though they’re being “watched” by an unseen presence. In extreme cases, the energy’s influence can twist or warp physical objects, making machinery grow strange crystalline structures or develop organic-like textures, as if technology itself is mutating.
Physical proximity to high concentrations of Eldritch Energy can produce feelings of dizziness, paranoia, or overwhelming dread, as if the energy exudes a sense of “consciousness.” People describe hearing faint whispers, experiencing visions, or feeling as though they’re being “watched” by an unseen presence. In extreme cases, the energy’s influence can twist or warp physical objects, making machinery grow strange crystalline structures or develop organic-like textures, as if technology itself is mutating.
Localization
Eldritch Energy is not evenly distributed throughout the galaxy; instead, it appears in pockets or concentrated fields. These areas are often associated with ancient alien ruins, Jump Gates, and certain planets known to harbor Alien Artifacts or traces of lost civilizations. Major concentrations are found around Elysium’s ruins, the Abyssal Ocean on Acheron Prime, and other “haunted” regions of space, where ships frequently malfunction and reports of paranormal phenomena are common.
There are also eldritch “zones” on certain planets, where the energy is pervasive enough to alter the ecosystem, warping flora and fauna to possess alien characteristics. Within these zones, known as Deadlight Fields or Abyssal Corridors, conventional technology becomes unreliable, and physical reality seems to take on a malleable quality, changing in unpredictable ways. Some planets have “eldritch currents” that act almost like ley lines, connecting zones of concentrated energy and creating regions of strange gravitational or magnetic anomalies.
Researchers theorize that these locations may be intersections between our dimension and another unknown space, with relics acting as “conduits” that leak Eldritch Energy into the physical realm. However, even these theories are speculative at best, as few researchers are willing to risk extensive study within these zones due to the unpredictable and dangerous nature of the energy.
There are also eldritch “zones” on certain planets, where the energy is pervasive enough to alter the ecosystem, warping flora and fauna to possess alien characteristics. Within these zones, known as Deadlight Fields or Abyssal Corridors, conventional technology becomes unreliable, and physical reality seems to take on a malleable quality, changing in unpredictable ways. Some planets have “eldritch currents” that act almost like ley lines, connecting zones of concentrated energy and creating regions of strange gravitational or magnetic anomalies.
Researchers theorize that these locations may be intersections between our dimension and another unknown space, with relics acting as “conduits” that leak Eldritch Energy into the physical realm. However, even these theories are speculative at best, as few researchers are willing to risk extensive study within these zones due to the unpredictable and dangerous nature of the energy.
Type
Metaphysical
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