Seeds (Holographic Chronicles)

## **Information**

### **Seed Overview**

Most Seeds were shaped like polyhedra; Light Seeds were usually cubical, while Dark Seeds typically took the form of a pyramid, but other geometric shapes also existed.

The existence of the first Dark Seed predates that of a Light Seed by at least three thousand years. The technology to create the pyramidal Seeds common to the [Dark Lords] was something gifted to the ancient Dark King Adas by Judal his master. Adas accepted his masters' technology and made a Seed, becoming one of the 1st [Dark Lords] to have created a [Dark Seed]

The Seed employes patterns of organic crystals and hologrammic technology to capture the appearance and cognitive networks of the Seed's owner, and transform this into a three-dimensional hologram. This Guardian acted as a guide through the Seed's store of information, as a search and recovery engine with a more personal touch. These Guardians could relate stories from the Seed's archives to events in the life of the one who activated the Seed. Light Guardians could sense the ability and level of a potential student, and offer or restrict information accordingly—so that pupils were not shown information too advanced and dangerous for their basic stage. Dark Seeds usually had the same restrictive mechanism like Light Seeds, but the Guardian could corrupt the unaware listener.

#### **Dark Seeds**

Dark Seeds were immediately identifiable with respect to Light Seeds, as they were usually pyramidal in shape, and etched with strange symbols and ancient hieroglyphs. Inscriptions usually lined the bottom of the device, and various dark incantations were found all over the smooth surface. At the Seed's apex rested a black crystal, used to power the Seed's store of information.

The design of the Seed was not the only way to discern its affiliation: Dark Seeds emitted a dark presence, creating tremors in nature upon activation. It took a great deal of willpower for a Hero or other light aligned entity to access the dark devices, and some of the more inexperienced ones often felt sickly or fell ill merely laying their gaze upon one.

Internally, however, Dark Seeds worked in much the same way as a Light Seed. The black crystal of the Dark Seed was made up of intricate lattices and vertices, capable of storing massive amounts of information, as well as the Seed's Dark Guardian. Seeds are able to capture the appearance and cognitive networks of the Seed's owner and transform this into a three-dimensional hologram. This Guardian acted as a guide through the Seed's store of information, as a search and recovery engine with a more personal touch. These Guardians could relate stories from the Seed's archives to events in the life of the one who activated the Seed.

Unlike their Light counterparts, the Dark Seed Guardians did not always restrict the information that might be too advanced and dangerous for a user, allowing them unlimited access to its entire Dark-Based repository. Though this isn't always the case. [Lord Jacoan] was once limited by a Seed of Judal, which refused to teach him the technique he sought due to [Jacoan's] inability to learn a few techniques that came before it. In the end, it all depended upon its creator, and how much they would choose to share.

##### **Construction**

The process by which Seeds were created was a very difficult one. In the days of the [Old  Empires], Seeds were prevalent among the [Dark Lords] just as Light Seeds were among [Heroes]. Many rare materials had to be gathered, and much meditating on the will of the dark side was necessary to focus the Dark Lord's power. By the time of the [Great Heroic Purge], nearly all records containing information regarding the creation of Seeds was thought to be lost. But in the centuries before, the knowledge was apparently still available, should one happen to find it. [Lord Jacoan] was one such individual. [Jacoan] had tried unsuccessfully for years to store his own essence within a Seed, but when his apprentice presented him with the possibility of finding the secrets in the [Tythonian Ruins], he set out immediately for that cite. In the [Tythonian Ruins] he acquired the Seed of an ancient Dark Lord of the Empire, the [Dark Lord] named [Bella Darzu]. Darzu was very knowledgeable in the construction of Seeds and recorded within the lattices of her own Seed, Darzu explained in depth the required steps one must take to successfully construct the pyramidal Dark Seed.

##### **Crystal Matrix**

As the form of Bella Darzu explained, the process can take months to finally perfect, though sometimes a Seed could be created within the short span of a few weeks. Each was unique to its creator; one who sought to fashion their own Dark Seed could not use another as the blueprint by which they followed to make their own personal Seed. The inner components were composed of intertwined filaments and strands, forming a crystal matrix that must be fine-tuned to prevent device failure. Rare crystal was used in the workings and tunings of the intricate network that would store potentially infinite data. Each Seed Matrix had to meet stringent specifications, usually requiring thousands of precise alterations and adjustments on a subatomic level. Only through the power of [[[Esper Sources]]] could one ensure that each crystalline strand was properly aligned.

##### **Rituals of Invocation**

Once the crystal matrix inside the Seed was successfully constructed, the creator could then focus on the outer designs of their Seed. [Ancient Dark Runes] were etched onto the device and then imbued with dark power in what was known as the [Rituals of Invocation]. This ceremony was paramount in maintaining the matrix's stability after it was infused with dark side energy. Again, the symbols must be unique to the individual, and simply copying the glyphs from another Seed would result in failure. The device will fall in on itself into a pile of crystal-dust. These [Rituals] were incredibly painstaking, both mentally and physically. But should this be performed before the [Rite of Commencement], the power trapped within the symbols will fade, and the network will degrade to the point of being unable to sustain the crystal matrix.

##### **Rite of Commencement**

To trap one's essence within the capstone, they must invoke the [Rite of Commencement]. Due to its complexity, only the most powerful [Dark Lords] were capable of performing the elaborate ritual. When a [Dark Lord's] cognizance was successfully trapped within, a wealth of dark side knowledge and lore could be stored within the almost limitless lattices and networks of the Seed. The cognitive network then served as the teaching element and also stabilized the interweavings of the Seed. Without the network in place, the device would disintegrate within days.

##### **Capstones**

All Dark Seeds had capstones, wherein the creator must capture their own cognitive essence before the fine-tuning stages. This prevented the cognitive network from degrading, and only then could one truly begin to create their own Seed. The capstone was a black crystal, housed within the center of the device. It was a vital part of a Dark Seed's construction. It served the dual purpose of both an energy source for the device as well as a "home" of sorts for the gatekeeper, or the cognitive essence of the Seed's creator.