The One Piece

The One Piece is a mythical artifact supposed to be able to "steer" Vorago through the cosmos.

Summary

According to the myth, Vorago was created artificially by powerful mages (, or deities, the originator varies by the storyteller) with the purpose of travelling the physical cosmos. The original mages supposedly lost control of Vorago and all died (or were left behind), but their steering mechanism supposedly still exists on the planet. Whoever finds it could, with good star charts, direct Vorago to planes it has previously visited, or even destroy the whole planet. Now you just have to find it.

Historical Basis

There is moderate evidence that Vorago is at least partially artificial; the Druidic Nexuses, the nature of the Sun, the shifting stars, etc. The only pieces of evidence toward the exxistence of steering mechanism, though, are that it's existence would "make sense", and that Alhammarret spent a few years seraching for it.

Spread

This myth is widespread in academic and adventuring circles; discredited in the first and hounded in the second. The Worldsingers like to seed it as well, and it is especially popular among relatively new "immigrant" groups from recently closed Seamelds

Variations & Mutation

There are three major variations, each changing the original creators of Vorago. In Cratic regions, the founders are said to have been wizards, and Vorago was said to have gone rogue. Elves tend to say the founders were elves trying to create a paradise world but they were interrupted or hijacked by something, and that the founders are still out there somewhere. Especially devout groups like Palpariel often claim Vorago was created by one or more gods as a blessing, experiment, or punishment.

In Literature

There have been multiple endeavors, both from singular madmen and state-funded exploration parties, to locate the One Piece in places like the Mak'ik Mountains, deep caves, the bottom of the sea, or elsewhere. None have succeeded, but they have boosted the (supposedly) nonfiction exploration novel as one of the most popular genres of literature thanks to their thrilling side adventures.