Steve Jackson Games Forums - View Single Post - ORICHALCUM UNIVERSE SIDEBAR: The CONSUMIDORO...

Johnny1A.2 · 12-13-2016, 11:12 PM

See here for general information about the Orichalcum Universe: http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=70111

See here for information about the Malignium: http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=147153

The CONSUMIDORO

The term 'consumidoro' is a result of a slightly improper English translation of a Spanish writing. The Spanish scholar Rodrigo Santana coined the term 'Malignium' to describe that strange and ancient entity. He also referred to those humans transformed by the Malignium into its minion as 'the consumed ones', or rather, he used the Spanish equivalent of that phrase. An early translator of that Seventeenth Century scholar applied the coined term 'consumidoro' to translate the phrases used by Santana into English, and the term 'stuck' and became the common English term for those few who knew of their existence afterward.

The consumidoro have existed since before the beginning of modern recorded human history, though they do not date back to the Antediluvian Age. According to the writings of Santana, the first recognizable consumidoro are to be tentatively identified in the Middle Kingdom of Egypt, but in fact they date back to well before the First Dynasty.

A consumidoro always starts with a human, or a near-human. The enormous majority of consumidoro begin as normal Homo sapiens, simply because that species makes up the huge majority of the Homosapients of Earth. The near-human species are by no means immune to the power of the Malignium, however, and consumidoro of other Homosapient species have been recorded.

The process of creating a consumidoro begins with a suitable human coming into mental contact with the Malignium. This contact can be spontaneous. That is, the human in question may be contacted by the Malignium without any intent or action on the part of the human. The contact can also be the result of deliberate effort on the part of the human, though any of several methods.

The contact is almost invariably subconscious, however, at least in the early stages of the process. The contact can occur in dreams, or even deeper below the level of conscious awareness. The contact is almost always subtle, and usually the process unfolds very slowly, especially in the early stages. The usual process involves a temptation through some form of power, sometimes overt, sometimes subtle, or the gratification of some desire. Often, in the latter case, the desire is something subconscious, something the potential consumidoro is not even fully aware he or she desires.

Sometimes, though, the desire is quite conscious, and the human seeks out the Malignium in pursuit of that desire. This is enabled by various clues and avenues that the Malignium spreads throughout human society, to draw the attention of such people. The nature of these baits is such that they tend mostly to appeal to those humans who might be suitable consumidoro.

In these cases, however, the people seeking out the Malignium rarely if ever have the slightest grasp, the faintest comprehension, of just what it is they are contacting or the magnitude of what they are risking. By the time some real understanding is obtained, it is generally far too late to matter.

In any case, there is always some price to be paid by the potential consumidoro for the ‘help’ to be received from the Malignium. This price is really not what it seems. Sometimes, it is something that will aid the plans of the Malignium, often it is something that simply ‘commits’ the human in some way to the path he or she is walking. Almost always, the ‘price’ is something that violates the moral code or general behavior pattern of the human. Almost always, too, it is something that seems initially fairly minor, even if it does involve such a violation.

(Rarely is this first action anything like a murder, or a great betrayal. Usually, it is something relatively minor, something that might even be seen as justifiable...if looked at in a certain way. It will be some act or lack of action or course that can be rationalized. It can be just about anything, though.)

With each success, each thing gained from the Malignium, the human will find that the Malignium has imprinted somewhat more of its own touch onto their mind and soul, and often the body as well.

To be continued...

12-13-2016, 11:12 PM	#1
Johnny1A.2 Join Date: Feb 2007	ORICHALCUM UNIVERSE SIDEBAR: The CONSUMIDORO... See here for general information about the Orichalcum Universe: http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=70111 See here for information about the Malignium: http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=147153 The CONSUMIDORO The term 'consumidoro' is a result of a slightly improper English translation of a Spanish writing. The Spanish scholar Rodrigo Santana coined the term 'Malignium' to describe that strange and ancient entity. He also referred to those humans transformed by the Malignium into its minion as 'the consumed ones', or rather, he used the Spanish equivalent of that phrase. An early translator of that Seventeenth Century scholar applied the coined term 'consumidoro' to translate the phrases used by Santana into English, and the term 'stuck' and became the common English term for those few who knew of their existence afterward. The consumidoro have existed since before the beginning of modern recorded human history, though they do not date back to the Antediluvian Age. According to the writings of Santana, the first recognizable consumidoro are to be tentatively identified in the Middle Kingdom of Egypt, but in fact they date back to well before the First Dynasty. A consumidoro always starts with a human, or a near-human. The enormous majority of consumidoro begin as normal Homo sapiens, simply because that species makes up the huge majority of the Homosapients of Earth. The near-human species are by no means immune to the power of the Malignium, however, and consumidoro of other Homosapient species have been recorded. The process of creating a consumidoro begins with a suitable human coming into mental contact with the Malignium. This contact can be spontaneous. That is, the human in question may be contacted by the Malignium without any intent or action on the part of the human. The contact can also be the result of deliberate effort on the part of the human, though any of several methods. The contact is almost invariably subconscious, however, at least in the early stages of the process. The contact can occur in dreams, or even deeper below the level of conscious awareness. The contact is almost always subtle, and usually the process unfolds very slowly, especially in the early stages. The usual process involves a temptation through some form of power, sometimes overt, sometimes subtle, or the gratification of some desire. Often, in the latter case, the desire is something subconscious, something the potential consumidoro is not even fully aware he or she desires. Sometimes, though, the desire is quite conscious, and the human seeks out the Malignium in pursuit of that desire. This is enabled by various clues and avenues that the Malignium spreads throughout human society, to draw the attention of such people. The nature of these baits is such that they tend mostly to appeal to those humans who might be suitable consumidoro. In these cases, however, the people seeking out the Malignium rarely if ever have the slightest grasp, the faintest comprehension, of just what it is they are contacting or the magnitude of what they are risking. By the time some real understanding is obtained, it is generally far too late to matter. In any case, there is always some price to be paid by the potential consumidoro for the ‘help’ to be received from the Malignium. This price is really not what it seems. Sometimes, it is something that will aid the plans of the Malignium, often it is something that simply ‘commits’ the human in some way to the path he or she is walking. Almost always, the ‘price’ is something that violates the moral code or general behavior pattern of the human. Almost always, too, it is something that seems initially fairly minor, even if it does involve such a violation. (Rarely is this first action anything like a murder, or a great betrayal. Usually, it is something relatively minor, something that might even be seen as justifiable...if looked at in a certain way. It will be some act or lack of action or course that can be rationalized. It can be just about anything, though.) With each success, each thing gained from the Malignium, the human will find that the Malignium has imprinted somewhat more of its own touch onto their mind and soul, and often the body as well. To be continued... __________________ HMS Overflow-For conversations off topic here.