Introduction:
Throughout the history of known civilization, 'eternity' has been deemed as unattainable. The thought of living through the eons still to come in the universe, travelling through its uncharted worlds and unraveling its innermost workings… These are thoughts deemed as the longing of dreamers by many.
Yet, races and civilizations rise and fall, as their peoples and leaders still strive in this pursuit for power, for wealth, or for knowledge. All three, each on their own way, can bring one closer to making the dream of immortality a concrete reality.
Some idealize this as attaining perfection in becoming gods of their own. Others pursue it as a means to building an utopia for all. Regardless, those who pursue it seek to mark themselves in history not only as a legacy for the future, but to empower themselves enough to guide—or conquer—those encountered through the universe.
Many are the great deeds and feats of unprecedented heights that the worlds have reached in order to prove themselves worthy of lasting as an eternal culture; each one in their path, seeking to become the ones to pave out the way as the first ones of truly being… endless. Many faltered in their purpose; many fell on their way, failing regardless of their best efforts… Except, perhaps, for the people of the world of Tor.
With their immeasurable knowledge, untold feats of technology, and great wealth one could only dream of, the people that once hailed from the world of Tor had become the pinnacle of civilization of their time, once bearing the title of "The Endless". But, despite the feats and the vastness of their civilization, the fires of war within the once-great empire had reduced their people to dust.
Their greatest strengths paved way to their downfall, with the bloody carnage of war staining the stars they once lived amidst. Their kind was splintered, and one by one, the few of their survivors eventually perished. Isolated, deprived of all but pain in the tragic fate they were left for.
Their people, lost beyond restoration; their civilization, utterly devastated. With the downfall of the Torian, the galaxy was once again deserted, with its stars devoid of a spacefaring people once more.
But perhaps not everything of theirs was destroyed, as one thing the Torian accomplished was truly timeless, resisting time, entropy, and the loss of its creators, persisting in the form of ruins and artifacts of their civilization. Beyond their artifacts, one of the key inventions of their people also endured: The Dust.
Perhaps the most unique—and least understood—of all of their creations, 'Dust' is the moniker given to a substance made, in fact, out of networked nanomachines. It was created by The Endless, presumed to have been used in the past to aid the Torian at their life throughout the stars and to adapt them to new worlds. It now remains as an eerie reminder of their civilization; a tool that both took their people to its apex, and the one key piece in their devastation.
Today, even the brightest of our minds still cannot comprehend and utilize its full potential. Nonetheless, explorers, researchers, traders and all sorts of individuals properly skilled—or lucky—enough to handle these nanomachines seek their fortunes in searches for Dust akin to treasure hunts. Most of those seeking Dust artifacts aim to study their power, or to offer them for the highest bidder, but some are willing to take the risks to achieve more than just wealth or power.
The polar opposite of simple, the Dust has proven itself to be surprisingly beyond that. Likely mistaken for 'magic' by the untrained eye, some of its properties are certainly above anything we have ever made. Its outlandish 'symbiosis' with systems and even living creatures that are exposed to it, adding to the behavior of Dust as a strange collective, allows it to become more powerful and 'smarter' as it links and networks with other systems and its own. Those traits have set it apart from anything seen among the civilizations that rose after The Endless. Ever since its advent, Dust is found in almost every remnant of Endless technology, be it in temples, in ships, or in raw storage. Regardless, finding ruins of the Endless in working condition—let alone controlling this substance—makes it highly valued despite being only relatively rare.
However, the risk in becoming one of the so-called 'Dust Adepts' makes most wary of Dust augmentation, as it still bears dangers as a poorly understood, alien construct. Resilient, strong-willed individuals have been said to gain awe-inspiring powers and abilities. Conquering fame and achieving their goals with notable prowess, Adepts become valuable individuals… Great strategists and warriors, scholars of seemingly insatiable knowledge, and influential leaders, all of which have been seen to turn the tide in favor of their nations after their ascension to Adepts.
Today, we learn from The Endless despite their fall, breaking ground by using the apex of their constructs, the legacy of Tor becoming permanently written down for all others who followed. We seek to unravel the secrets of the stars: the universe, a mystery to be solved...
Perhaps the Torian may not be the only ones to remain as "endless".