Ok, this is something else I thought I'd put up that has been lurking in my computer for months. It actually started as notes I made for another AU TLR story I'm writing (not Unexpected Events, nothing to do with that), but I got the idea to put in this format just to see if I could make it sound more professional. Right now there are five chapters, but more will probably go up as I progress with that story. I did take some snippets of info from the game when I was writing this, but most of it is just my thoughts on all the possible info on remnants that the game didn't cover, and the adaptations I made for my AU story. I'll put up the next one or two bits over the weekend.

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A Compendium of Remnant Knowledge

(Exerts from A Compendium of Remnant Knowledge

by Pagus Mardew, with contributions by Dr's John and Marina Sykes, Chapter 1: Origins and Classifications)

Throughout the annals of history, Remnants have always been instruments of change, used to inspire the imagination and to wage endless wars. Documentation of most historical events for the past 7,000 years will contain some mention of Remnants, and most people if asked, would say that Remnants have always existed here. However, if you look far enough back into the past, decipher the ancient stone carvings of long dead civilisations, you would find that Remnants only appeared on this world some 10,000 years ago, a small span of time in regards to the millions of years life took to evolve.

Strangely, the first Remnants appearance coincides directly with the fall of the last great Sovani Empire. No complete accounts exist from this time, faded murals and shattered runic carvings the only sources of information. Many experts believe that the arrival of the Remnants contributed, or was directly responsible for the destruction of that ancient kingdom.

One incomplete rune tablet from the time gives the most credence to this theory. The tablet speaks of destruction on an unimaginable scale, entire cities being brought to the ground in a single night, it's citizens found dead in the streets without any sign of injury. The author of the tablet cites the cause to be "creatures unlike any other, demons with the power of gods, yet as insubstantial as spirits. Their forms are as mutable as water, ever changing, gaining more power and substance with every life devoured. Each one blazes with the light of stars, and brings ruin and death in its wake."

Sadly, there are no existing sources that tell us where the Remnants originated from. There are many conflicting opinions about this, one of the most common being that the Sovani somehow created the Remnants through ancient magick, far beyond anything we have today. Another more controversial theory is that the Sovani opened a doorway to another plane of existence, through which the Remnants came. Neither theory can be proved or disproved at this point in time, nor is it likely will we ever know the Remnants true origins, as disappointing as that is.

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Over the years, Remnants have become renowned for having incredibly diverse forms, having been recorded in nearly every shape imaginable, many assuming the form of weapons or mighty beasts. What few realise is that there are different classifications of Remnants. Those Remnants that can be dated to more than 8,000 years of age always have inanimate forms, regardless of whether that form resembles a recognisable object or not. These Remnants, such as the Emeth Tag or the Blue Elf, are commonly referred to as Core Remnants. It is only in Remnants less than 8,000 years old do we see the emergence of animalistic forms, known as Therioid Remnants, (from the Greek meaning: like an animal) the oldest being the draconic Gwayn that stands watch over Nagapur. Another well known Therioid is the Tao Te in Balterossa, though many more exist, most living as wild animals. There are also rumours of a new 'type' of Remnant having emerged within the last thousand years, many people reporting encounters with these creatures, though no substantial proof has been found to support this. If such reports are to be believed, these 'new' Remnants have adapted their forms so as to be nearly indistinguishable from those of the sentient races. There is much controversy surrounding these supposed meetings, because the reports vary greatly from person to person, some reporting distinctly hostile encounters, while other claim to have even conversed with the creatures. Though no concrete proof exists, some researchers have already categorised these Remnants, labelling them as 'Humanoid' Remnants, after their bipedal shape and apparent sentience.

Though many uncertainties about Remnants still abound, it is an undeniable truth that Remnants can adapt and evolve with incredible speed to changes in their environment, usually due to alterations in their physical surroundings or the availability of prey. If they exist, this new Remnant sub-species could very well have evolved due to the pressures caused by the increasing size and numeracy of towns and settlements over the last few centuries. They would understandably find it easier to obtain prey by having the ability to disguise themselves as one of the species they hunt, allowing them to easily slip into towns and cities, blending in with the population, or simply luring unsuspecting people away from the busy travel routes between cities...