The Dimension Tunnel Manuscript is an artifact from the Old World. It contains instructions for a very specific ritual required to travel to other dimensions without interference. Without this ritual, travelling out of the Light Scar dimension can have unexpected consequences due to its strange dimensional properties. Being written in the Old World language, it is difficult to interpret without knowledge of the full language.
History
Creation
At the peak of the Forging Era, all forgers would come together to solve a great mystery: What exists beyond their world? Attempts made before would cause incomplete rips in the fabric of space that leaked a deep red fluid from the outer layers of Light Scar (see the page Outer Fluids for more info). With the combined abilities of many forgers, they could probe the fundamental mechanics of their world to discover what methods were most effective. Nefershine’s abilities were particularly critical in this, as they could sense destructive forces that inhibited the ritual.
Each of the forgers would be absent for weeks. Many versions of the ritual were scrapped partway through their inscription as the forgers found dead ends in their efforts. Velfor would create golems to relieve the forgers of some efforts, but Nefershine was left to use her powers constantly. She would enter a meditative state, minimizing all other functions to act only as a measurement of success in the ritual’s development. Upon its success, Nefershine fell unconscious. As her servants rushed to her side, Nefershine managed to utter a single request. Have her most trusted soldier see new worlds in her stead.
In other worlds, they found as many marvels as they did horrors. In being the bigger mystery to common people, forgers crossed the line to find a mystery bigger than them. It changed their minds in many different ways, yet they all came to the same conclusion: The Dimension Tunnel Manuscript was a mistake. Only Nefershine’s stand-in objected silently. They tried burning the manuscript. The cinders of its pages flew to the sky, but it was never destroyed. The manuscript would reappear among the flames in the blink of an eye. Each method of destruction would end the same. If destruction wasn’t the solution, sealing it away was their best option. It was salted, soaked in holy water, and laminated with golden wax; Every form of repellant would drench its pages. Some conflicted and made gaps in its sanctification, so the manuscript was split into three parts. For two of the parts, an “Espalite” party would be made to deliver them to different places.
Hiding Piece 1
The first piece of the manuscript was kept within the hands of the forgers, hidden deep within The Golden City. If ever the manuscript resurfaced, it would be their decision if all its pieces would be allowed to come together. Arzea later retrieves this piece of the manuscript, but was intercepted by Murmur and Cerberus before returning to Sunshore.
Hiding Piece 2
The second piece of the manuscript was hidden within the Tomb of Agalo, the Forger of Flesh. Along with several of his armaments, it would serve as warning to those that could find the terrible history displayed in Agalo’s tomb. Acts of bodily manipulation and medical horror would show the tyranny caused by the Forging War. A final message from the Old World.
In the modern day, excavation of the nearby area would lead to the discovery of this tomb. Nicolas Olsen twisted the message into religious scripture and began the cult of Unified Sculptors. In an attempt to interpret the piece of the manuscript stored within, the cult made a wound in the fabric of the world. Its blood became the center of the cult’s strange practices.
Hiding Piece 3
The third piece of the manuscript was taken to the Grand Kitsune Pyramid. Upon request of the third Espalite party, a vault would be created near the pyramid’s furnace room. Because of this, new protections were required. Some warriors were buried and necrofied to animate when individuals entered without the amulet of a Shaila priest.
One of their greatest soldiers, Akai, would be given the task of protecting the furnace itself, therefore the manuscript. But they wanted him to preserve his humanity, so they attempted to give him immortality. With a concoction of almost every life spell they knew, he would almost be given such. Though time would tell, this would not give the effects they intended. He lived on, but his body still broke down, and the frigid conditions he was placed in would begin to take their toll. His kitsune magic would allow him to preserve what once was, even if through illusion.
This would be the first piece of the manuscript retrieved by the party within the “Alma’s Prophecy” campaign.
Beginning the Forging Wars
Of all the things found by the Forgers in other worlds, one moment changed them greatly. The discovery of The Voice’s first failed creation in a ruined world. Being a creature of godly proportions, this gave the impression that the gods too could die. The Forgers were both terrified and emboldened by this discovery. Maybe despite their mortality, they could become like gods themselves. Now having new perspectives on their place in the world, The forgers became divided. Rather than serving to help the world, they began competing for influence and power. Soon after the hiding of the manuscript, the Forging Wars began.