The Dark Side of Spawn

You may be relieved now that the Great Leviathan is gone, but just you wait. You have not seen what manner of monsters inhabit the back side of Spawn, but there you will find the mother of all leviathans. Venturic Farmer

Summary

This myth concerns the monsters and wildlife on the back side of Spawn, also known as the Dark Side, even if it isn't truly dark but merely unknown. The myth describes a range of possibilities, all of which have little evidence other than speculation. Some theories are ridiculous, others terrifying. All have in common that whatever is back there must be moving quite fast to remain on the Dark Side.

Background

Spawn is the much larger twin planet of Ropla and is inhabited by mostly spirits and monsters. Many are so large that they can be seen from the side of Ropla turned in that direction. The part of Ropla which is currently closest to the surface of Spawn is called the Dark Zone, which multiple monsters over time have crossed to reach Ropla. This has led to fear amongst Roplan citizens about what could possibly be hiding on the back of Spawn and eventually move to reach Ropla across the Dark Zone.
No Roplan residents have managed to travel to Spawn across the Dark Zone. Flying to begin with is uncommon, and humanoids and most Roplan animals are not suited to even a small trip through space. Some residents though, have been to Spawn using the many Spawn Gates hidden around Ropla in hard to reach places, which connect the twin planets by magic. Animals used these portals many years before the first humans. This is why similar species inhabit both planets, though only the toughest or most fit of Roplan creatures might survive on Spawn. The existance of Spawn Gates is not known to residents on Ropla, and people claiming to have been to Spawn are considered liars or madmen.
*sketch showing the twin planets with the dark zone and the dark side of spawn marked*

Historical Basis

This myth has been around for as long as anyone can remember. Creatures have been seen from Ropla, moving around on the surface of Spawn since the beginning of time. This has always led to people wondering what could possibly be on the other side.
Creatures were seen moving around the edge of the planet and this led to speculations. Perceived movements and lights at the edge of Spawn were seen as a sign that something was indeed there. Others argued that it was the shadows and projections of limbs of already known creatures, simply moving around the planet.
The Leviathan Crisis, where the Great Leviathan descended upon Ropla and caused great destruction, led to the theory and fear of an even greater leviathan hiding or waiting on the Dark Side of Spawn.
*leviathan hiding behind Spawn*

Spread

The myth is widespread on all of Ropla, especially amongst humans. Some variations are told in drunken pubs and barracks, others are told as bedtime stories as described below.

Variations & Mutation

Variations have changed and been added to over time, with no specific version being accepted as the solution, though some are taken more seriously than others.

The Mother of all Leviathans

We have to do something! The great leviathan might turn out to be nothing compared to its mother, which is waiting just on the other side of Spawn! What if it descends upon us for revenge? It could swallow Ropla whole! We must send out a party and find a way to kill it before it attacks, or we could be eradicated!Soldier after The Leviathan Crisis

After The Leviathan Crisis massive panic spread on Ropla due to the fear of an equally large or even larger Leviathan being present on Spawn and simply waiting to descend. This threat was taken very seriously by soldiers and common people, especially those personally affected by The Leviathan Crisis. It was said that the Mother of Leviathans was vengeful after the killing of her babies and merely awaited the right moment for a sneak attack.

Gem Puffers

Aaaah, whoever could get their hands of those Gem Puffers puffing away on the back of Spawn, always just out of sight. One of these days i will find a way to get en expedition over there, and we will all be drinking and chattering in the halls of the Golden Spire by nightfall, and then, i will sleep in covers of gold and jewels at the very top of the palace, and watch as the last rays of sunlight fades as it moves below the horizon and only the dark seas of Brunden remain. Merchant of Capita visiting the Golden Spire

Rumors in Capita long mentioned so called Gem Puffers, which should move a bit like jellyfish (like other Puffers on Spawn and few smaller species on Ropla) but covered by gems. They were said to hide on the back side of Spawn to avoid attracting the attention of greedy adventurers, but this only made their loot even more valuable. Some claimed to have seen the gems sparkle in the sunlight at the edge of Spawn. It is doubtful however, whether any puffer could possibly puff fast enough to stay on the back side of Spawn for generations.

Antijust

Far away on the back of spawn lives the antijust. They are naughty creatures, eager to spread havoc upon the world. Luckily, one thing keeps them away. They cannot stand the power of goodness within young children. If they come near a good child they vaporize into thin air. That's why it's really important to not act naughty like the antijust, because if the power becomes too weak, the antijust will emerge from the back of spawn and cause chaos on Ropla. Sometimes at night, you can see their hands reaching out over the edge of Spawn to test if the power is still too strong. Now stay still and sleep, so that the antijust will stay where they are. Goodnight. Mother in Vitu

This story was mainly told to children and rarely believed by adults, unless their parents firmly insisted on their existence all the way through childhood. It caused many children to have nightmares, but also resulted in most being fairly "manageable" children in a city where no kind of law breaking was accepted, not even from children.

Cloud of Aggerdust

Daddy, what's on the other side of Spawn?
A large cloud of Aggerdust.
What's Aggerdust?
It's dust that makes monsters aggressive. That's why they like to travel across the Dark Zone and cause trouble when they get back to this side. Boy and distracted father

A less popular theory often mentioned as a joke is that a cloud of Aggerdust moves in the opposite direction of the turning planet, keeping it on the backside, but causing the creatures and monsters that pass through it as the planet turns to become extremely aggressive, and leading to the attacks over the Dark Zone. Aggerdust is an actual material of shining brown colour that does induce aggressiveness in all creatures on Ropla, humanoids included.

Cultural Reception

Some non-human humanoids such as the Dryads and the Skaga consider the myth ridiculous. To them, there has been no evidence of something scary actually being there and as such they refuse to fear without good course. The myth is mostly accepted amongst humanoids with vivid imaginations.

Come on now, there's nothing on the back of spawn that isn't also on the front. Why on Ropla would they work so hard to stay out of sight? And if there was a giant leviathan, why would it stay hidden when it would be huge enough to just come down and destroy us? How can you believe such nonsense?Dryad in the corner of a tavern losing his patience after listening to multiple variations.

In Literature

Many scholars, fortune tellers and other truth seekers have made their guess at what is there and written it down in books, notes and letters. Very few have been proven or disproven, as such most remain legit possibilities.

In Art

The mother leviathan is the center of a cult which worships it in the hope that when it descends, the cultists will be shown mercy. Therefore, the mother leviathan shows as a symbol on clothes and banners of this cult. A much more general symbol used a purple planet with tentacles and other monster limbs sticking out behind it. This symbol is found on most objects and books related to the myth. *myth symbol, purple planet with tentacles*

Related Locations

• Spawn

Short on Planet Movements

The planetal system of Ropla is centered around the twin planets pictured below, Ropla and Spawn. The twin planets rotate around themselves, around each other, and around the sun.

The Dark Zone Explained

The Dark Zone is a smal area between the twin planets as shown on the image above. In this area, the distance between the planets is small enough that flying creatures might travel between the planets. This has led to multiple catastrophes when monsters migrated from Spawn and caused chaos and destruction on Ropla.

The Dark Side Explained

The Dark Side is the part of Spawn opposite the Dark Zone. It is the part of Spawn not visible from Ropla . Like the Dark Zone moves because Ropla rotates around itself, the Dark Side moves as Spawn turns around itself. This is why myths always contain creatures or object able to move or fly, they must keep moving to stay on the back side of Spawn.

Related Reading:

Confused about the Dark Zone and Planet movements? The battle giving birth to the Mother Leviathan Cult: How do they still keep their hopes up with a planet of danger so close? With a festival: