EPITAPH PROVEN

Vaharja, the Recordkeeper, is one of the “phantasmal” Elegies (immortal, instinct-driven entities). Though she’s no longer human, she’s recently shared an experience with a mortal named Gyer. He’s a government operative in the colony of Golem who’s wanted for treason; as he fishes in a “quaint lake,” Vaharja tells him of the Elegies’ origin. The story involves an Elegy who consumed a woman’s body and was reborn as a human one thousand years later, which wasn’t so long ago in this narrative’s timeline. Vaharja’s tale ultimately centers around Liarua Fora, who’s part of a small group of people volunteering to join the Forerunners of Golem, a branch of Golem’s government. What starts as a tour of a building turns into a harrowing ordeal as Liarua and others fight off terrifying creatures and contend with a mysterious energy that infects and mutates humans. This leads to a climax involving Liarua’s fellow volunteers and FOG associates, as well as Gyer and, of course, Vaharja. The cast and corresponding subplots of Nullius’ sophomore series entry are abundant—some characters will pop into the story with few or no traits described. Narrative perspectives frequently shift, from that of an android (with an “almost human-level autonomy”) to one of the infected, to a member of a cyberterrorist organization trying to recruit someone. It’s the enthralling mystery that truly drives the story—what part in all of this does the “shadowy” group Scion Finis play, and will the reincarnated Elegy remember who she is/was? There’s copious technology in scientifically advanced Golem, though most of it is familiar (a portis is simply a mobile device). But most of Golem feels otherworldly, given the immortals, vicious beasts, and the curious fact that Gyer regularly converses with Vaharja, who easily reads and records his thoughts.

Mar 10, 2025 - 07:29

Vaharja, the Recordkeeper, is one of the “phantasmal” Elegies (immortal, instinct-driven entities). Though she’s no longer human, she’s recently shared an experience with a mortal named Gyer. He’s a government operative in the colony of Golem who’s wanted for treason; as he fishes in a “quaint lake,” Vaharja tells him of the Elegies’ origin. The story involves an Elegy who consumed a woman’s body and was reborn as a human one thousand years later, which wasn’t so long ago in this narrative’s timeline. Vaharja’s tale ultimately centers around Liarua Fora, who’s part of a small group of people volunteering to join the Forerunners of Golem, a branch of Golem’s government. What starts as a tour of a building turns into a harrowing ordeal as Liarua and others fight off terrifying creatures and contend with a mysterious energy that infects and mutates humans. This leads to a climax involving Liarua’s fellow volunteers and FOG associates, as well as Gyer and, of course, Vaharja. The cast and corresponding subplots of Nullius’ sophomore series entry are abundant—some characters will pop into the story with few or no traits described. Narrative perspectives frequently shift, from that of an android (with an “almost human-level autonomy”) to one of the infected, to a member of a cyberterrorist organization trying to recruit someone. It’s the enthralling mystery that truly drives the story—what part in all of this does the “shadowy” group Scion Finis play, and will the reincarnated Elegy remember who she is/was? There’s copious technology in scientifically advanced Golem, though most of it is familiar (a portis is simply a mobile device). But most of Golem feels otherworldly, given the immortals, vicious beasts, and the curious fact that Gyer regularly converses with Vaharja, who easily reads and records his thoughts.