THE GUARDIANS OF EARTH SPEAK: A WARNING FROM GAMMA WORLD
Archcleric Hazen stands in an empty field at twilight, flanked by the demigods Mordenkainen, Heward, Keoghtom, and dozens if not hundreds of dragons. Emperor Cho-Je Paser and Empress Taizu are there, as are their ghostly predecessors Emperor Pa-ser the First and Empress Kuan Yi. Gwilym Raonul, Lord William Ronald, Murghtom the Old, and Fand Dyvyr, druidess of Beory, stand by him.
Before him sits a device of technological manufacture. It is perhaps three feet high and cylindrical.
“I warned of the peril to Oerth from the use of nuclear weapons. It would seem that some people are still unconvinced of the peril they represent. So, I contacted an old friend. “
“Some decades ago, I was gone for a considerable time. I journeyed not just to distant lands of Oerth, but different worlds, different realities. In one, I encountered a devastated world where the inhabitants knew nothing of magic. It was only with some difficulty that I returned to Oerth. I spoke with my friend last night. He wishes to address our world.”
“I beg you to consider the words of a man who lives in a world without magic, where nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction were used to horrific effect. He and his brothers-and-sisters-in-arms have fought for their world as boldly as any have fought for Oerth.”
Hazen presses a single button. Above the heads of the dragons, an image forms.
A world much like Oerth. Large portions of it seem to be barren and devastated. Still, tropical jungles, rainforests, forests, and trees can be seen. There are only very small ice caps at both poles. The scene swishes to ruined cities of steel and glass. A few towers still stand, a mile high, but shattered. Most of the buildings are shattered and burned beyond all recognition of what they were some time ago. Humans and what seem to be altered humans and animals are fighting in the ruins – against each other. They are using swords and bows. Machine guns. Energy weapons. A small band of beings of all races, including something looking like a treant, are trying to tend to the wounded, and call for peace.
The image shifts, then focuses on an island. A man stands on the shore. He is tall, pale of skin and with a serious, haunted face. He is dressed in armor of a type never seen on Oerth before. It is a technological armor far beyond anything seen in the armies of Toril or even on the robots of the City of the Gods. He walks to a hill, where he is joined by many figures.
Men and women of many shapes and colors. Some of the figures seem to be altered from the standard human form. One looks almost elven, save for his antennas and bat like wings. Others look like anthropomorphic wolves, lions, horses, dolphins and other creatures. Some even look like treants or myconids. Two appear to be robotic. Several of the non-robotic figures have obvious cybernetic parts. One or two look quite horrific, with faces that seem like melted wax, shaped by crude hands into a mockery of a face.
Several of the figures stand by the man. A woman grasps his hands tightly.
“Greetings, people of Oerth. My name is Arthur MacKeppoch. The people with me are members of the Guardians of Earth. Earth, my world, is much like Oerth and Toril. However, there is a key difference. Magic was never a part of this world. While many of us honor a deity or deities, we do not derive power from them. Indeed, our civilization – and what is left of it – is based on science and technology. Additionally, we were all of the same species. Homo sapiens. Wise man. A name that proved to be ironic, if not a bitter joke.”
“I have lived centuries. I was born after the first use of atomic weapons, to end a horrific war. I saw the nations of the world unite to solve their common problems. The weapons were disassembled or put aside. We thought war was banished forever. We were wrong.
“Behold my world at its height:
Cities, more marvelous than the City of the Gods appear. A crowd is standing in front of a giant video screen in a great city. They are indeed a diverse lot. No illness or infirmity is seen in any of them.
An image of a starship in orbit of Earth appears. It begins accelerating away from the planet.
“The Starship Warden is on its way to its maiden voyage to colonize the worlds of the Alpha Centauri A and B system. The first interstellar journey of humanity will reach their destination in 8 years.”
The crowd cheers.
Other images appear. Flying ships. Orbiting space stations. Cybernetic implants. A man steps on a silvery pad and vanishes, appearing on a similar pad a 100 feet away.
“All needs of the people of my world were meet by an advanced society and a benign global government, which its member nations formed. Within a few decades of what you saw, we even found a way to move ships at speeds faster than light. Except for one ship, they were never built. Disaster struck.”
An image is shown of people protesting and police officers separating two separate groups of protesters. A blinding flash is seen. Smoke rises, and the shadowy outlines of where bodies once were are seen. Others are burned and mutilated almost beyond recognition. A few horribly disfigured people.
“My wife Sarah died that day. Only Hazen’s actions - impossible by anything but the magic your world and others possess - brought her back. I doubt many of you know what is like to love someone for centuries, raise a family, and work towards building a better world. I pray that none of you ever know what it is like to have that torn from you.”
“The peoples of the world, their physical needs meet began to squabble amongst one another on many issues. Who had the best culture or economy? How should the world be governed? And of course, there were ancient hatreds that were only half buried. They fought amongst themselves. Terrorists bent on the destruction of the world struck and fanned the flames of war.”
“I sought to be a force for peace. Peace failed. The global missile defense system was sabotaged. One nation attacked another. Within hours, billions of people died. Hatred destroyed my world.”
Images appear of weapons far more horrific than the City of the Gods exploding. Cities and civilians vanish, are mutilated and burned. People howl in pain, as they are burned alive and others vanish. Mountains collapse. A sea boils. Forests burn. A cloud of dark soot, smoke, and ash covers the globe. Later, a few people huddle in ruins over a darkened sky. Their faces are portraits of terror. Many are badly burned.
“Many of the survivors perished in the cold and the dark. However, radiation proved a lingering threat for many. As did hunger.”
An image is shown of a newborn lying down in a crib in a brightly lit room. Where its mouth should be is a third eye, overly large, turned 90 degrees from where it should be. A woman howls in grief.
Another image is shown of a ruined building in a darkened sky. It should be noon, but it appears to be twilight. Haggard survivors desperately dig through the rubble, until one screams in delight at finding a single can of food. The survivors are seen fighting each other, the faces a mixture of shame, anger and joy at finding food. One man lies dead as his companions eat the canned food, and some eye the body with hungry expressions.
“Millions more died. Many births were altered by radiation, and people died young of cancer and other diseases. As was written in my youth, the living envied the dead.”
Images are shown of horrifically altered people, plants and animals. Some beings are barely recognizable from their ancestral stock.
“ In time, some beneficial mutations showed up. Telepathy, the ability to gather and use energy as a weapon, and even stranger abilities manifested among people, animals, and even plants. Sentience blossomed riotously through out the wreckage of the world. The price was only the deaths of more than 95 percent of all living things, and the destruction of a civilization that took millennia to build. Some of you may consider that a small price for such power.”
“Slowly, new nations and tribes formed. Of humans, mutant humans, animals, and plants –even androids, artificial life, that is. They fought amongst themselves and wondered at the remnants of a lost world. New threats emerged.”
“In time, I and my allies secured a continent and began world wide operations to rebuild what was lost and restore the dignity of Earth. Our work has taken centuries and will take centuries still to complete.”
“In a time of darkness, when the survival of Earth was imperiled, Hazen and several of his allies appeared. They did things that we believed were impossible. They resurrected people from ash. The best our science could do was to try to revive the recently dead. Because of the efforts of some people of this world and Oerth, was Earth spared.”
“Therefore, I urge you to consider the course that lies ahead of you. The antimatter bombs that destroyed many of your great cities were clean of the deadly and mutating radiation that struck the cities of my world. Please, for the sake of your world, we urge you to have great care with these weapons. They may be used mistakenly or seized by terrorists.”
“We cannot help you, only advise. Your world faces many perils, many of your own devising.”
“There are some who would ask all “off-world” powers to leave, even those that originally came from Oerth. It is our suspicion that this is being asked so that a great empire – now calling itself the Union of Oerth - can merely move against its weakened neighbors, conquering all. Indeed, the only decision that would be left to that empire would be whether or not to attack another world. The presence of the Angels of Hope Island may deter this. We are uncertain of claims by some of having reformed are true. Let it be proved by deeds, not words. I should let you know that I have been active in politics, military strategy, and science for centuries. The plans of the powers of your world are rather obvious. Also, I played chess against Kasparov, Karpov, Fischer, Zhou, and Hawthorne – and won against each.”
“The Solistarim are racists, seeking to conquer and annihilate all. Anabstercorian seeks to build a force to take revenge on his native world – for not fighting his vision of what it should be. And to rebuild the Illithid Empire, which never touched our universe. And never will.”
“Acerak seeks to conquer and devour all. His claims of devouring souls to save them from damnation sounds like a bad public service commercial. I suppose it soothes what is left of his conscience – and completely justifies any actions. How convenient.”
“The Church of Shade seeks domination of all. We find their attempts at diplomacy almost amusing. If you were not so hateful, we would forward the book “Diplomacy for Dummies” to you.”
“You are also threatened with the break up of your own planet. If you cooperate with the one power left on your world with 10th level magic, and help him achieve 11th level magic, you may survive. We suggest that you cooperate. It is your decision.”
“I find the claims of some factions to be all powerful amusing. Power. None of you have any idea of what power is. Evil. I know of an evil that makes the Illithid Empire of old seem like a band of schoolyard bullies and Lord Melkor a paralyzed tyrant on a life support machine.”
“There are powers for good and evil beyond your comprehension. One of those powers of good shields our universe from yours. They also oppose a power of evil that has destroyed worlds and suns. Had they encountered the Illithid Empire, they would have enslaved it or killed it depending on their whims. The same also for Acerak or Lord Melkor, or even Ilsenine himself.”
“That power is far greater and more evil than any power ever known to Oerth and Toril. Perhaps that threat is what Toril faces now. In which case, I believe Acerak, Anabstercorian, and the Church of Shade should pray that Toril triumphs. If not, Oerth is likely to be the next target.”
“Sometime after Hazen left, we found a ship that could swiftly reach the stars and found one of the powers opposed to the threat that I believe now faces Toril. That power shields Earth, allowing us to rebuild. I suggest you do not try to provoke them by attempting to come here. You will be hurled back to your world in pain.”
The next message is sent telepathically, the voices of thousands, if not millions ringing as one in the minds of all the people of Oerth. Any mind bent towards hatred of Earth or a desire to possess it feels pain beyond belief:
“It is up to you to choose your own destiny. Choose wisely. We of Earth wish you well. This is likely the only time you shall here from us for quite some while.”
The image vanishes and the device disappears.
Hazen speaks as a frown forms on his face.
“The door between universes is closed again. I suggest that none attempt to pry it open.”
“It is up to us to choose what to do with these weapons of mass destruction. I would urge all to consider not using them. I do not dictate, but merely advise.”
“Kessel Gnomeworks is as a brother to me. I will respect his decision, even if I disagree with it. We must be cautious even in considering the construction of these weapons, let alone their use. However, I fear there are those who would use such weapons brazenly. What do we wish for our world? To take our people to the stars, in power, glory, and nobility of spirit, or to fall further than we did long ago.”
“The choice is yours. The hour is late. The multiverse is waiting.”
A gold dragon weeps by Hazen’s side. “This is worse than what I saw in my youth. How could they survive such catastrophes in a world without magic?”
“They almost did not survive. Only through courage and great sacrifice were a handful of Earth’s people saved. Let us pray that Oerth does not share the fate of Earth, a world some call Terra, and some have even called Gamma Terra, that is Gamma World. The third world, a world of wonders amid great sorrows.”
