#nameless faces

I want to begin by revisiting the Golden Scapegoat Mutterings, as their primary focus has now been revealed, and then comparing the information it revealed as seen in the quest to my previous thoughts. Also talking a little bit about Nameless Faces op description and Concert Translations.

The Mutterings are disconnected passages with seemingly contradicting superscripts over key terms. Themes such as duality (between Light and Dark as well as Scapegoat and Sinner), namelessness, and sin are most prominent.

The Sinner is called the Scapegoat, Sin is associated with Light and Fire, the water of death is also of reality and nameless, those who are dead are nameless. The Sinner and the Scapegoat exist between the death and birth of all. The Scapegoat possesses a brand and the Sinner is dressed in black. The Sinner is a prisoner, and his sword writes fate with blood. The one performing the sacrifice is part of the sacrifice. The Sinner possesses a Coreflame. The world resets and the Sinner and Scapegoat bring Light and Destruction. The Sinners kill themselves every time for the sake of a dream.

The Scapegoat is the Phainon of a cycle, the Sinner is the Flame Reaver from a previous cycle. Sacrificing themselves time and time again to hold out for a true Deliverer. Their Sin is the reset the defiance against the Scepter's cycles, the Fire a symbol of Kephale but also the Coreflames burning them away from the inside, a task that has become too large to bear. This is the key takeaway of the Mutterings.

From this key takeaway, which I found after 3.2 with the significance of Kephale's Heir in the cycles and the Fire mention to that readable from Styxia about alchemy as a secondary reference in addition to the themes present between Phainon and the Flame Reaver, I came to the conclusion that they are parts of the same entity, the Scapegoat becomes the Flame Reaver post Era Nova. I'll return to this first point later, but the second was certainly true.

I also attributed this descent to wanting to change fate, in defiance of accepting a cycle of eternal destruction with false paradise. The burden of being the sole survivor in the way that the Scapegoat is alive after the other goat dies, released to carry the sins of the people. This was referenced towards the beginning of the quest with Lygus calling out this burden as such.

Now... for my more incorrect thoughts for pre 3.4, I thought anything with ties to Kephale was part of Irontomb. The description of the Nameless Faces OP has a dialogue: "Hero. Divine. Puppet. Prisoner. Which of these things are you?" "[...] that which you see... is me." These descriptors fit Phainon, Kephale, Lygus, and the Flame Reaver respectively.

And while this was incorrect for 3.0 to most of 3.4, I have a feeling that Phainon's data has been incorporated into Irontomb, both due to the δ-me13.exe under NeiKos495's file, and Phainon's character stories which go from just his self-iteration progress to his matching Irontomb's to referring to it as Irontomb's progress. This in addition to what Lygus says in the AdminNotes.wav and his physical weakness implant being referred to as "Ruinous Irontomb." As well as the Irontomb imagery in his trailer and Herta’s line from before about Kephale.

So in a weird way, it was correct just not in the way I thought and far too early.

Something I was wrong about was the Flame Reaver being identified as Khaos. I thought each iteration had it's own identity and this was part of the cycle, but no because the recursion is separate from the normal cycle logic and these were all Khaslanas.

I don’t have much extra to add here but! Here’s all the extras. Due to be changed and updated as time goes on!

Tagging system - updated as more are made

Nonsensical mess - OOC

Nameless faces - generic anon

Under the surface - ?? Lore

Something to say? - ask game/meme

Inner machinations. - headcanons

Edom Everette

He's working on his anger issues, which is all well and good, but it still acts up when people mess with his friends.

Alani Kaholokula

She wants to be the best at everything. She has to work hard, but she's dedicated.

Daisy Lockwood

She just wants her friends' attention, okay? It's not like she has much else left.

Jade Godwin

She wants what she wants when she wants it. Is that too much to ask? Probably.

Jaylin Snyder

A tired boy. A sleepy boy. A depressed boy. Sure, he's stronk, but he just wants a nap.

Azure Winston

A friendly girl, she's a people person that tries to get along with everyone. It doesn't always work though.

Morado Kingly

Leader of his lil' posse, he's a prideful boy naturally gifted in like, everything. It's hella fustrating.