SPIRON: Prelude
Where once the vast stretches of tall grass and wildflowers gave beasts a field to roam, a skyscraper metropolis had erupted out of the horizon to blot out the setting sun. One hundred years ago, cities began reaching for the sky across the three corners of Cranoor like seed saplings filled with raw ambition. Within a few generations, the cities of Len, Barlo, and Metis became beacons of extravagance and immense possibility in the world of Spiron. The tribes spread out across the lands came to either worship the cities, and so integrate themselves, to rebel, and be overpowered, or to flee in an attempt to avoid all conflict. What began as a network of unique, connected tribes, openly trading resources and ideas, became three cities, a handful of dependent societies and an unprecedented swelling of a wandering population.
The glow of Len’s infrastructure and intellectual industries continues to seduce the young and restless people of Spiron. The designers of Len set out with serious consideration for the attractive geometry of the natural world while openly ignoring its messiness. Everything was built with precision. At first look, most people are overwhelmed by its magnitude and magnificence, though their captivation is never triggered by one particular aspect of Len. The unique details of each building, monument, park, told stories. How the many races across the world came together to create a collective dream. How builders became one massive force of strength. How diversity became power. And for those who might scoff at such a wonder, perhaps disapprove of the rapidly changing world that it represents, finding it a crude attempt at rivaling higher powers.
By the collaborative efforts of the first generation of Lennites, a dynamic framework was created to motivate people to work, contribute and gain power, and so find meaning through tangible effort. It became known as The Plan. It provides immeasurable power to individuals and organizations that are competent and highly motivated. The Plan offers anyone, from anywhere, the opportunity to rise above their cultural status and achieve “success,” a word created by the writers of The Plan, defined as, “the improvement of social and economic structure by an entity’s contribution to industry.” The keepers of The Plan continue to calculate and adjust in order to maintain the growth, strength and favor of the city populations.
Historically, the tribes of Spiron struggled to keep their cultures intact. Most of them failed, and where others triumphed, their measures were often extreme. They moved their people into deep caves, keeping the cities of Cranoor a secret from their young. Some moved to islands and burned their boats. Others chose to trek into the hearts of vast woods, deserts or mountains, devising fear-mongering beliefs about the evil beyond their boundaries. All the lies and deceit were well-intentioned. They sensed the impending destruction brought on by the bold removal of spirituality for the promise of wealth and industry. In their desperate attempt to preserve their people’s connection to Pran, or the inner self, and the Cosmos, the higher realities, they chose to migrate and isolate. By fleeing they hoped to avoid destruction and through isolation they hoped for preservation. They believed the cities’ vision for the future aimed to spill into every crack and crevice of the world, no matter how far or how deep.
Continue to Chapter 0 here