The Demiurges were the Blessedland's thinkers and priests until the Church declared them traitors. More than a decade before the story (one Blessedland dialog says fifteen years: StoryDialog story 6 row 1653), their Pontifex Vaillant was sentenced to death for betrayal, and the rest were banished to Edith, a city without Colossus light, where they lived "like nonentities" (StoryDialog story 99 rows 728-729). Elena, their leader, is a playable hero (HeroData 10007).
Overview#
- Origin. The Demiurges studied the Colossi with Vaillant instead of the classics at the Holy Abbey. The Blessedland treats that study as taboo, but the Church tolerated it while nothing came of it (StoryDialog story 99 rows 759-761).
- Life in Edith. The exiles caught Edith Moss, a disease that eats bones and organs and covers corpses in colorful sores; it drove some mad (ItemData 70041). The Takola (a Church sub-group) went with them and controlled the Moss with smoke, using material taken from within the Dark Mist (ItemData 70043).
- Hope of the exiles. Documents from Edith show a population holding on to the idea that the High Priest would return, with Elena insisting that he will lead them out of the dark (UIQuest 30404; the High Priest is Vaillant, which the texts never state outright, see Timelines#The Demiurges, Edith and Vaillant), and then rallying them to go back to the Blessedland and put the Church on trial (UIQuest 30408).
- The white dust. Edith's Colossus produced white dust. A Marcion ritual led by a Witch turned it into crystals that fused with the Demiurges and gave them great power at the cost of their minds. Those people became part of the Colossus's consciousness and its puppets (StoryDialog story 4 rows 956-965; UIQuest 10413, 30411-30414). The Demiurge warrior's handbook records one soldier's own account of the change (UIQuest 30414).
- Frollo's bell. Frollo's bell was once an alarm for Sendril invasions. Elena calls him a traitor because the bell disperses the white dust and drives people who took the ritual insane; Elena regrets that the Marcion woman's warning about it came true (StoryDialog story 4 rows 896, 957; UIQuest 10407).
- Outcome. Edith, the "Newborn" Colossus (Edith), is defeated by Terrence's party and falls; the stored vengeance is freed and the Demiurges' march on the Blessedland continues (UIQuest 10414-10415). The boss Elena appears later in the Blessedland (StoryMonster 6045 and 6077; achievement "Demiurge's Destruction", Achievement 10012).
Conflicting accounts of the betrayal#
The game never confirms why Vaillant was condemned. Three versions are given:
| Version | Who says it | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Vaillant betrayed the Church and was justly sentenced. | The Church's public line | StoryDialog story 99 row 728 |
| Vaillant assassinated Proxy after the tragedy of the Marcions; "apostasy" was a cover story. | A character in Edith | StoryDialog story 4 rows 993-995 |
| The betrayal was a staged show arranged by Proxy to hide secrets that could overthrow the Church. | A character in the Blessedland | StoryDialog story 6 rows 1655-1660 |
A research note says Vaillant's blood contains Sendril-like components even though he has not fallen ill, "perhaps" because he entered the Colossal Grave (UIQuest 30708). A caged prisoner in the Karst Cave who is always thirsty matches the "thirsty" Vaillant of the notes (UIQuest 30707; StoryDialog story 7 row 1903; the identification is inferred).
Hidden mechanics#
- Elena's appearances. She is a boss entry in the Blessedland story (StoryMonster 6045, the second duel, and 6077, the first duel), again in the Arcade add-on's copy of that stage (StoryMonster 100610060135, story 1006), and a playable hero in that add-on, with an outfit called Enigma. The outfit text says only a few Demiurges ever bore the "Enigma" title (StorySkin 7001; GameText UI_DLC_ITEM_DETAIL_INTRO_hero11007).
- Frollo's key and the gate. The route to the Blessedland from Edith depends on a Gate key the Demiurges made in secret; you hand it to Frollo to open the Sealed Gate (ItemData 10042; quest 45063 takes it from your bag). The quest log tells the gate story two ways: Elena offers to open the gate if Terrence kills Frollo (UIQuest 10407), and after the third bell Frollo will open it himself (UIQuest 10413). The key is removed on a new Journey (
GamePlusRemove = 1;structdata/fs_itemlist.lua:137-148).
Sources#
StoryDialog.jsonlstory 4 rows 859, 896, 956-965, 993-995; story 6 rows 1655-1660; story 7 row 1903; story 99 rows 728-729, 759-761.ItemData.jsonl10042, 70041, 70043;StoryQuest.jsonl45063;UIQuest.jsonl10407, 10413-10415, 30404, 30408, 30411-30414, 30707, 30708;StoryMonster.jsonl6045, 6077, 100610060135 (names; 66045 and 66077 are text-table keys, StoryId followed by StoryMonsterId);HeroData.jsonl10007;StorySkin.jsonl7001;Achievement.jsonl10012.- Code:
reference/lua_src/luascript/structdata/fs_itemlist.lua:137-148.
Categories:Lore