
An Isu Codex
Isu codices were excerpts of information found in Aletheia's simulation of Atlantis. These codices, which were scattered across the city and could be found on certain walls, provided information about the city's past and present inhabitants through their personal logs.[1]
Codices[]
The Father of Atlantis[]
The Father of Atlantis, I of II
Location: Repository of Iris
Dikastes Basileus Poseidon
Cycle 44.91
I have outlawed experimentation on humans for its innate cruelty, and it is the first of my laws that will carry through every coming cycle. I see now that lust for power corrupts the pursuit of genetic engineering in Atlantis. Either the Isu wield technology to control the humans or the humans end up trying use technology to surpass the Isu—as foolish as that is.
In both cases, the results are catastrophic. Thankfully, I know Atlas safely confiscated every DNA manipulator.
The Father of Atlantis, II of II
Location: Repository of Iris
Dikastes Basileus Poseidon
Cycle 10.92
Of course, I want to find one of my sons worthy. But wanting it does not make it so. Perhaps Atlas could bear this responsibility in time, but this role must be filled long before he is ready.
The Failed Experiment[]
The Failed Experiment, I of IV
Location: Doma of Elasippos
Assistant to Aita
Cycle 16.11
Not long ago, Aita showed me an underground area I never knew existed. As he opened the hidden entrance, what first struck me was the stench. It spewed from the enclosure, and even in the fresh air it overwhelmed me. As we descended and my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I saw one larger room and eight smaller ones–all completely enclosed and separate. Aita showed me that within each was a human. Four male. Four female.
They had spent their entire lives here. He explained that the only way to perform his tests was to have specimens who know nothing of the outside world. They would ultimately and suddenly be shown all they never knew existed. I respected the foresight required for such an experiment, but I now see how flawed it was.
The Failed Experiment, II of IV
Location: Archive of Hephaistos
Assistant to Aita
Cycle 16.11
Aita asked me to purchase adamant from a merchant and to take Otus, who would both observe and be observed.
As we stepped outside, Aita departed and I began my study of the main in front of me. If he was overwhelmed, he showed no trace of it. Perhaps he simply couldn't understand all he was seeing. I asked him questions, but got no response. At the time, I wasn't sure if he understood language at all. Aita had told me very little about him, and I came to wonder if I was being tested all well.
No matter the questions I had about Otus, I gained all the answers before long, including one I never asked for, and one I wish I had never received.
The Failed Experiment, III of IV
Location: Archive of Hephaistos
Assistant to Aita
Cycle 16.11
Unfortunately, his lack of interaction with others became abundantly clear when he insulted the merchant to his face. Having never been dealt a consequence, it was a lesson the merchant taught him quickly. Before I knew it, Otus was bleeding profusely from his nose, but thankful the merchant stopped after the first punch.
Otus was curious about why he was attacked, and after my explanation, he told me this was not the first time he had been hit. Apparently, Aita would let him and the seven other experiments out into the large open room. Otus often ended up bruised and bloodied from those moments of freedom.
He expressed his interest in understanding violence and its uses, so I decided to take him to the Arena. This mistake would nearly cost me my life.
The Failed Experiment, IV of IV
Location: Archive of Hephaistos
Assistant to Aita
Cycle 16.11
He was energized by what he saw and plagued me with questions about violence. He wanted to know when it was appropriate, why it was necessary, and what he had done to make the others hit him. I did my best to answer, but he jumped from question to question, hardly giving me enough time to respond.
He said again and again how strong he wanted to feel, so that none would ever hurt him again. That he knew now what he had to do.
I led him back to the underground entrance, but he began to protest, shouting "No!" what must have been one hundred times.
I awoke long after the sun had gone down, sore and bloodied at the bottom of the stairs. In the main room was a scene I won't soon forget. Seven twisted and mangled bodies were strewn across the floor, most of them hardly recognizable though the beatings their faces took. Streaks of blood led from every room to the middle of the floor. Otus had dragged each experiment out from their cage, one by one, after he'd killed them. Then he fled, of course, and I assume he only left me because he thought I died like the rest of them.
Aita was furious when I told him what Otus had done, but he can only blame himself. Aita will never see his own faults. In fact, he'll simply start from the beginning and try again.
I.A.O.P.[]
I.A.O.P. Cycle 44.160
Location: Insight of Blessings
Report from the Embassies of Atlantis
So we're left with one king lusting for carnage, a queen who accepts no truth but her own, and the Trident King, who locks himself away in his tower. It would seem solar instability is the least of our worries.
I.A.O.P. Cycle 52.031
Location: Insight of War
Report from the Genetic Splicing Facility
- Cycle 52.031: Test subjects fail to metabolize genetic modifiers through nutrients.
- Cycle 52.154: Test subjects lost. Rehabilitation and replacement to proceed.
- Cycle 53.115: Test subjects responding well to certain DNA combinations.
- Cycle 53.201: Test subjects hostile. Security systems compromised. One subject missing.
I.A.O.P. Cycle 40.238
Location: Insight of the Titan
Report from the Solar Dynamics Observatory of Atlantis
- Cycle 40.238: Unusual electromagnetic activity detected on the sun's photosphere.
- Cycle 41.267: Sudden appearance of small, dark spots scattered across the sun's surface.
- Cycle 42.149: Sunspots have increased in size, and are gravitating toward each other.
- Cycle 43.331: Sunspot trajectory projections indicate imminent cluster formations.
Personal logs[]
Diaprepes' Musings
Location: Atlantis Latomia
Diaprepes, personal log
Musings on Mneseas
Location: Basilike Garrison
Isu General, personal log
Melitta's Musings
Location: Garden of Triton
Melitta, personal log
Only too late would they discover their hubris."
Azaes' Musings
Location: Doma of Azaes
Azaes, personal log
And worst of all: What's next?"
Mestor's Musings
Location: Fortified Doma of Mestor
Mestor, personal log
It is grim. Persephone and Hades have both ceased contact.
It won't be long before the laws of my xenophobic father force Atlantis into utter irrelevance. Someone must do something."
Autochthonos' Musings
Location: Fortified Doma of Autochthonos
Autochthonos, personal log
Neokles' Musings
Location: Garden of Benthesikyme
Neokles, personal log
Musings on the Arena
Location:Arena south of Tower of Judgment
Arena Champion, personal log
Gadiros will leave his Arena sated, as will the legions of humans cheering for blood. I give my life for them. One life for the safety of many. Goodbye, Atlantis..."
Poseidon's logs[]
Elasippos: Archon of Affairs
Location: Tower in Poseidon's Woods south of Basilike Garrison
Dikastes Basileus Poseidon
Cycle 18.249
Ampheres: Archon of Defense
Location: Tower in Poseidon's Woods north of Basilike Garrison
Dikastes Basileus Poseidon
Cycle 18.245
But I won't hear it. I've seen his compassion. Ever the noble soldier, he has vowed to never to let another soul suffer the same losses he has.
Evaimon: Archon of the Hunt
Location: Tower in Poseidon's Woods north of the Palace of Poseidon
Dikastes Basileus Poseidon
Cycle 18.250
Azaes: Archon of Welfare
Location: Tower in Poseidon's Woods northwest of the Palace of Poseidon
Dikastes Basileus Poseidon
Cycle 18.246
This cycle has seen improvement in both productivity and human happiness. I could not be more proud of him.
Atlas: Heir to the Trident Throne
Location: Tower in Poseidon's Woods west of the Palace of Poseidon, northern of the two
Dikastes Basileus Poseidon
Cycle 18.243
Being the future leader of Atlantis requires a broad range of skills, and Atlas has learned from his siblings and their specialities. He trained with his war-loving brother Ampheres, studied the arts with Gadiros, and even spent time learning the work of Consus with the contemptuous Juno as a boy.
Mestor: Archon of Ports
Location: Tower in Poseidon's Woods west of the Palace of Poseidon, southern of the two
Dikastes Basileus Poseidon
Cycle 18.248
Diaprepes: Archon of Invention
Location: Tower in Poseidon's Woods southwest of the Palace of Poseidon
Dikastes Basileus Poseidon
Cycle 18.251
Mneseas: The Lost Archon
Location: Tower in Poseidon's Woods south of the Palace of Poseidon
Dikastes Basileus Poseidon
Cycle 18.247
Gadiros: Archon of Culture
Location: Tower in Poseidon's Woods southeast of the Palace of Poseidon
Dikastes Basileus Poseidon
Cycle 18.244
His events have created a common ground between Isu and humans in the mutual enjoyment of his work—though I wonder if the humans can fully grasp his talent. Without the influence of Gadiros, our city could not shine as brightly.
Autochthonos: Archon of Agriculture
Location: Tower in Poseidon's Woods east of the Palace of Poseidon, southern of the two
Dikastes Basileus Poseidon
Cycle 18.252
Aita: The Great Mind
Location: Horus Repository
Dikastes Basileus Poseidon
Cycle 16.111
As he worked under the school of Consus, Aita was pivotal in developing new and advanced medical technology still used today. However, due to his refusal to stop human experimentation, Aita was banished back to Feyan.
To my knowledge, his genius has produced no new revelation since, though if directed properly, his great mind will continue to innovate—for better or for worse.
Encrypted messages from Phanes[]
Encrypted message from "Phanes", I of IV
Location: Archive of Hebe
If you are reading this, It means we were discovered and I have been dead for several years. But, if you are reading this, you should know we succeeded in creating a miracle. And that miracle, my precious one, is you.
You must have many questions. I wish I could answer them. Unfortunately, by abandoning Project Anthropos, I lost access to our technology—specifically the blueprints of the lost work done by the scientist Consus. I knowingly gave up any chance of consciousness preservation, and it was the best decision I've ever made. Your existence is evidence of this.
– FILE END –
Encrypted message from "Phanes", II of IV
Location: Archive of Hebe
I'll do my best to explain how and why you exist, but I must be brief. They can trace my brain signatures. Concentrating for extended periods of time alerts them to my location.
My name is irrelevant, but you can call me Phanes. I was the first scientist to successfully create a human being. The other Isu have already wiped my name from the records. Our aim was to create a species in our own image. They were to be resilient, self-aware, and ultimately, subservient. I had succeeded on all fronts except subservience.
The Isu authority in Eden, the city from which I come, threatened to terminate the project and destroy the lives we created. I could not let this happen.
Footsteps approach. I must hide.
– FILE END –
Encrypted message from "Phanes", III of IV
Location: Horus Repository
I should be safe for a few moments.
Yes, humans weren't obeying Isu and the project was under threat of termination. Fortunately at this time, new technologies were in development incorporating the incredible properties of a metal known as adamant. I implanted neural controls which we could then manipulate with our new adamant-powered devices.
I very quickly became the most highly-regarded scientist in all of Eden.
But this came to an end when I fell in love with a human woman. She was brilliant, beautiful... So I did the unthinkable. I surgically removed her neural control and we escaped.
– FILE END –
Encrypted message from "Phanes", IV of IV
Location: Horus Repository
We were driven from Eden, hoping to find refuge in Atlantis.
Despite having to constantly look over our shoulders, I never felt more alive than during my time with my love. Especially when we discovered she was pregnant. I never in my wildest calculations imagined this to be possible. She had a little girl growing inside her, and she was to be named Eve.
We both knew the offspring of human and Isu parents would immediately be confiscated and experimented on. Our situation became even more dangerous. You were to be protected at all costs. Of all the humans I helped create, you, Eve, were the most exquisite. The most precious. To look into your eyes is to find... They've located me, I must—
– FILE END –
Historian[]
Musings on Juno's Expulsion
Location: Repository of Iris
Historian of Nobility
Cycle 9.332
Mistrust of humans grew, and out of fear, Poseidon forbade Juno, her husband, and their few Isu followers from entering his shining city.
Though exile would not be enough, as they went from the Sister Realms back to Feyan, and to Saturn's open arms."
Musings on Ampheres
Location: Doma of Ampheres
Historian of Nobility
Cycle 9.333
Musings on Evaimon
Location: Doma of Evaimon
Historian of Nobility
Cycle 9.334
Consus' Shroud of Eden
Location: The Consus Archive
Historian of Technology
Cycle 9.338
In the face of an ever-rising death toll, he worked obsessively to create a device which could restore bodies devastated by war to their previously-healthy state. He eventually succeeded in creating a prototype, and as he approached the end of his natural life, he uploaded his consciousness into the new device.
Unable to communicate with the outside world, however, he and the prototype disappeared into obscurity for centuries. Many failed attempts were made by fellow Isu scientists to replicate Consus' invention.
During the previous cycle, rumors surfaced about the discovery of Consus' original prototype, but evidence of this discovery has yet to be revealed.
Various[]
Letter from Diaprepes
Location: Doma of Diaprepes
A Tale of Brothers
Location: The Consus Archive
Cycle 18.192. Archivist's note: This is my personal account of the familial relationships connected to the Dikastes Basileus. For the official statement, reference Codex statement 905.107.
My official document will read that Hades, brother to Poseidon, is a mastermind of leadership. On the contrary. His immaturity should bar him from any realm above his underworld. Matters unique to the Isu don't concern him, for in his realm, the quality of blood his subordinates have are inconsequential. The word "progress" means as much to him as the dirt on his sandal. Other than a love of games of chance, Poseidon and Hades are opposites.
However, they do share common ground on one subject: Zeus. Their other brother, golden child atop Mount Olympos, has been a taboo topic for more cycles than have been recorded. If the brothers had it their way, their brood would have stopped at two. One myth tells of a time Zeus came to Atlantis personally to reprimand his brother. As soon as he left, Poseidon destroyed the cycle just to get his stench out of the air. That is truly bad blood.
Musings on Gadiros
Location: Doma of Gadiros
Isu General
Duty of the Dikastes
Location: Palace of Poseidon
Poseidon, the Trident King, has decreed these rules be followed without discretion throughout Atlantis.
I. Rulings made by the Dikastes must be followed.
II. The Dikastes will act as impartial judge, and has authority over all except the Dikastes Basileus.
III. Isu experimentation is prohibited on all humans, and the Dikastes will see to its adherence.
IV. Matters of Isu and human concern must be considered without bias.
Barriers erected in Atlantis
Location: Garden of Kymopoleia
Persephone on the Great Dikastes
Location: The Tinia Archive
You don't belong here.
Hades on the Great Dikastes
Location: The Tinia Archive
But I have no time to mourn. It's time to face your killer. And I'll be hanged if she sees me cry.
Mneseas' Musings
Location: Fortified Doma of Mneseas
Mneseas
Isu Foreman's Musings
Location: Adamant Metallon
Project Olympos. Clearance Required.
Location: Rebel farm southeast of the Fortified Doma of Autochthonos
Project Olympos Results 54.304
I. Human will proving difficult.
II. Current genetic combinations unstable.
Atlas Sleeps Alone Tonight
Location: Doma of Atlas
Atlas' Herald
Cycle 10.146
Atlas is the master diplomat, juggling the needs of his father, his many brothers, and their many agendas. Should a dispute erupt between them, Atlas is the one who breaks the stalemate and reaches an amicable conclusion for all.
So how, then, has he managed to live his life alone? Is there no bride good enough to stand by his side?
Non-Codex notes[]
An Alternate Dikastes
Location: Underground Tunnels leading east from the Garden of Triton
Aletheia
Cycle 8.12
Will Isu and human coexist peacefully? Or does our technology always corrupt human? Will the Isu ever stop seeing the humans as an inferior race?
I thought I could bring balance between our races. But one step closer to the humans bring me one step further from the Isu.
The balance may not exist the way I once thought. Or in the way I expected.
Atlantis is supposed to be a perfect society, but so many prejudices still exist. Even if humans aren't bred to be subservient, it will take many cycles for before the story of human creation fades.
At the end of this cycle, I am meant to judge whether Atlantis is worthy. I could never judge a society that treats humans this way successful. Still, maybe starting over is not the answer. Maybe building on what little we accomplish is.
Note from the Unnamed Human
Location: Underground Tunnels leading northeast from the Garden of Benthesikyme
Following Project Olympos lead me to the palace itself.
I heard growling.
At first, I thought it was a wolf. But then... Something like a stampeding bull.
I'm frightened, but Poseidon has assured us that we're safe. Can he be trusted? Can any Isu be trusted?
Confession of Guilt
Location: Underground Tunnel leading southwest from the Garden of Kymopoleia
Letter from the Chicken Victim
Location: Underground Tunnel leading northwest from the Archive of Hebe
Letter from Mneseas
Location: Underground Tunnels leading southeast from Polyorophos Gardens
Mneseas
Atlas,
Project Olympos. Clearance Required.
Location: Hidden room in the Repository of Iris
Project Olympos Results
Cycle 51.116
I. Test subject unable to maintain Olympos genetic form.
II. Weaponized variants of the halfbreed terminated.
Appearances[]
References[]