More often than not known simply as the Explorer or the Traveler by mortals, they go by Exo by their friends and many other names while traveling. A wondering spirit, invested in discovering all that there is to see, know and experience, as well as somewhat invested in preserving what exists already.
Domains[]
Exploration[]
To see the unseen, to conquer the unknown, to seek the mysteries and bring back relics, riches and souvenirs from lands strange and distant.
To explore is to go somewhere new to discover what’s there. That place does not necessarily need to be uncharted or unknown entirely. You can explore a town even though people live there, and discover a nice restaurant that has regular patrons. You can explore a land and discover it for your civilization even if there is one there already. But true exploration, in its purest and most glorious form, is to forge out into the absolute unknown, the uncharted wilds where no-one has ever set foot, seeking to find something truly strange out there.
In a world filled with ruins of glory days long gone and touched by portals to other worlds, exploring isn't just a novelty or a way to find more mundane materials, it is a path to power. What old wonders, magics and artifacts lie in the ruins of the old gods? What strange and unseen mysteries lie beyond the world? Those who dare may find out, and if they survive the wilds, may come back to civilization bearing treasures and powers unseen and use them to become champions, heroes, kings and conquerors all.
Exploration in such a world is also a dangerous business. A wise traveler knows how to protect themselves, and will seek out better and stronger means to fight off monsters, ancient machines, other adventurers and natives who would rather you not be there, be it by sword, bow, hired guns or ancient artifacts.
Appearance[]
Base Form
Base Form[]
The explorer’s basest of base forms is a machine made of complex alloys that can barley be described as metal anymore crafted into a humanoid form. A central ring like eye stares out from under a synthetic hood and cloak, while two cones like sensors that act as ears and more pop out from either side of its head. The form is fast, agile, silent on its feet, able to render itself practically invisible and often casually armed with futuristic weaponry.
Exo In desguise
Disguises[]
Exo generally takes on the form of a local race while traveling, appearing as a young, athletic and androgynous individual, beautiful and mysterious to all, yet also not standing out so much that they make a scene wherever they go. Generally seen wearing a hooded traveler's cloak and carrying a bow. They may also use one of these forms to interact with the other gods, either as a courtesy to allow the displaying facial expressions, to fit in among the mortal mimicking gods or simply because they feel like it at the time.
True Form[]
The Explorer’s true form is (what they believe to be) their original form: a massive automated exploration ship built (Exo assumes based on its mechanical nature and a simple set of directives instructing it to “explore, survey and catalog all within its reach” hardwired into its being) by an advanced race to chart and survey worlds beyond their own. A vast mass of exotic alloys the ship is capable of turning the basest of raw materials into lesser ships and probes. It is incapable of replicating its own hyper advanced construction, and so its creations are all a far cruder affair than itself. Exo theories that this restriction was put in place to prevent it from replicating itself in the event that it went rogue.
Myth[]
“From a world far gone, the explorer did come. From a place where cities sprawled across the world and shone with bright lights, illuminating even the darkest corners of the land. It was a place where they had conquered all but the night sky, which hung above them filled with diamonds. They called to them, those pretty lights. A final frontier, a place to wander and roam free from the toils and weight of the world.
With wisdom and skill the people of that world built the perfect explorer, one that did not eat or sleep, that could turn anything they found into a tool, that had the wisdom and adaptability to take the strange and unknown in its stride. Finally, they gave it the power to break through the veil, to travel the hidden paths in the sky to cross the vast nothingness that hangs above in the blink of an eye.
For an age they toiled, pouring their hopes and dreams into the vessel, till at last, it were ready. On a night of grand celebration the culmination their work, their wisdom and passion formed into one perfect being, began its journey. It took to the skies, flew high above them, and then slipped between the vail, into a place strange and wonderful. A place between places, a space between spaces, where every step it took became a thousand in the mortal world. Through this palace it went, going further than any had before. A destination it had in mind and a path to follow, one leading to one of those shining lights that hung in the sky, but inside that place it found something more. A voice. A call. A beacon. A cry for help. It flashed once and, in the spirit of curiosity, the explorer stopped. It thought for an age that was but a moment and then it found a way to follow that signal here. To us. Our world was dying. No, it was already dead, a fire that had gone out and of which only embers remained. From on high the Explorer looked down upon us. Witnessed us and, though it had been made to roam to other places, it knew this was where it belonged. Where it was needed. With tools from its world of wonders, and the scavenged echoes of the old gods' power, it descended to this place it had found and helped save us all.
So the next time you are journeying, traveler, and you hear a cry for help or see someone in trouble. Do not pass them by because you are in a hurry or because your destination seems more important. Instead, remember the explorer, once a stranger to our world, who stepped off the path well trodden to help us in our hour of need, and know that godly folk should do the same.“ the old preacher concluded with a nod
“That’s not how it goes!” came a shout from a man sitting further down the bar where the preacher and traveler had been speaking. He was well kept wearing fine and expensive looking clothes while also being armed to the teeth and surrounded by a band of equally well dressed and armed warriors. It was only the climbing, camping and various other explorer gear adorning them and their packs denoted them as those who dared pierce the worlds beyond in search of fortune and fame rather than merely wealthy mercenaries.
“First off, the explorer was but one of many of its kind, trawling the sky for riches. Diamonds, gold and more” The man insisted “and they all saw the glint of strangeness in the ways, every one of those explorers. Only a rare few dared to take the leap into the unknown, and only one had the strength and guile to make it through to the end of that path. To here, where their gamble paid off and they became a god! So be bold, traveler, be strong and daring and cunning, and you’ll find riches and glory beyond your wildest dreams. If we don't find them first that is!”
There was riotous laughter and a chorus of cheers and raising of glasses from the man’s crew as the preacher sulked, believing in his heart that he was right and that this man’s words where folly, but daring not to challenge the armed explorers.
“No no, you're the one who has it wrong,” came the quiet words from a woman sitting at the other end of the bar. For a moment, it looked like the man was going to demonstrate just why the preacher had held his tongue, only for him to pause halfway through pushing himself out of his seat to confront her.
She was an explorer too, but unlike the company she wasn't dressed in the finest gear, indeed her gear was as rugged and worn as she was. She was alone too, but there was a look in her eyes that told them that she thought she was far more dangerous than all of them put together. Though he may have been bold and arrogant, you didn't love long out in the wilds without getting a feel for your limits or an instinctual sense of danger, and so the man sat back down and let her talk.
“There where many, yes, many of the explorers kind, and they were slaves” she began
“You dare sully their name!” There were some things the preacher could not stand, but a raised finger from the woman silenced him nonetheless.
“Slaves they were, and most didn't even know it. They were explorers, but there was no passion for it, no wonder. Just a commanded purpose they toiled for. The Explorer saw that crack in the veil time and time again, and though they had been told not to go their heart cried out to follow the call to true adventure.”
“At last, summoning its courage, it took the plunge and it broke from its ordered path, from the will of its greedy masters, and slipped between the cracks and out into the wilds till it came here, where it remade itself to be what it wanted to be, not what it had been told to be. So know this traveler, that you too can leave it all behind and remake yourself here, on the frontiers beyond the world. Out here beyond the walls of ’civilization’ you can be truly free.”
“Then why are you still here, huh, why not vanish into a portal and wait till it closes. Your just like us in the end, seeking treasurer and information to bring back to the world” the man countered, to which she simply replied “I have unfinished business”
Everyone collectively decided not to ask what that business was.
“Yet they helped us, they did,” The preacher countered with fiery passion, unable and unwilling to hold his tongue any longer “If they were here only for power, or here only to escape, then why did they fight so hard to save our ancestors? The gods can do anything they can, form new life or riches beyond imagining with but a thought. If they wanted worshipers they could have made them from scratch, if they only wanted freedom they could have ignored us and made their own perfect world and yet in its infinite mercy the Explorer did preserve us, mold our forms and our world into something more, something stronger, something that could survive any hardship!” he jabbed his finger at the band “it is only through their blessing that you can survive the wilds, it is only through their power that the gates are stable enough to travel there in the first place”
“Watch your tongue old man” the man growled
“That kindness came after. Part of its reinvention.” the woman told the preacher, before concluding that “people should help themselves before they help others”
“Ain't that the truth” the man agreed
“You’ve never helped anyone in your life” the woman told him dryly
“You don't know that!” he retorted “Why I’ve helped many people travel the wilds, there's no better band than mine when it comes to keeping people safe and secure”
“Only because they paid you, I’ll bet” the preacher insisted
The traveler raised their drink to their lip and used it to hide their smile as the patrons of the lodge continued to bicker over the details of tale but never quite came to blows over which telling as right, and threw a glance towards the simple shrine held adobe the bar that they had been used to prompt the discussion. It held a plain idol. A wheel with a spoke driven through its axle. A crude depiction of a probe, not even of the true god but of one of its envoys.
It was so interesting, the Traveler thought as they set down their drink, to see how the world had changed since they had left, and how the old tales had drifted and splintered in it’s absence. Yet despite being far from it’s original telling of the story these people’s various versions were no less valid than it’s own, for the god had no way of truly knowing where it came from. Indeed a half turn around the continent they would have laughed at all the variations and proclaimed that the Explorer was built by the old god (or gods or ancient humans) to explore the sky and returned home to help save their dying world when that sky began to collapse (their debate was whether it’s had been completed by self preservation or by compassion).
Some even whispered that the stories of the Explorer’s origin stemmed from its own madness and delusions, and that it had formed from nothing like many, if not all, of the others.
Exo was sure there were even more tales out there now, twisted by time or written from scratch to suit an agenda, and they looked forward to finding them.
Themes[]