Conduits

The Art of the Conduits Originated in Desperation: The Conduits' art was born out of desperation in a universe where strength and intellect are often the only ways to stay alive. It all started on a planet where the ever-changing balance of energy and matter captivated the wonder-seekers who sought to understand and control the universe's fundamental dynamics. As a result of their willingness to sacrifice their lives, the most precious commodity, the Conduits, gained access to this boundless power.

The Price of Power: Conductors are not born but made, and that requires years of hard work and devotion to a demanding craft. They bear a significant cost for their capacity to channel, tapping into the boundless reservoir of energy present throughout the universe. Their longevity is reduced, and their deterioration is accelerated with every instant that this energy is channeled. As they channel more and more, they accelerate the aging process on all levels (physical and spiritual), becoming a conduit in the most literal sense, where their life energy acts as a conduit for cosmic power.

Being a conduit is a life-altering decision that requires self-sacrifice. People on the fringes of society often partake in this behavior because they have nothing else to lose. Knowing that their downfall is inevitable, they exchange time for power. Their immense power to control energy can alter the very structure of reality. However, there is one law that cannot be changed. They cannot become immortal or grant themselves a longer life span.

As Conduits, their lives are brief but intense, leading them down the path of obsession. They develop a craving for the surge of power as their channeling skills improve. Their addiction compels them to channel with more recklessness, allowing themselves to be consumed by the rush of energy they control. As they near the end of their lives, this obsession takes over, and many end up dead in a chaos of their own making.

In A History of Triumph and Disaster, both awe and sympathy are elicited by their formidable might and their inevitable downfall. The quest for power in their story leads not to control or immortality but to a short burst of fame, and the eventual sacrifices that follow are tragic. The story depicts the Conduits as bearers of power, which is portrayed as more of a burden than a blessing. Where their demise is imminent no matter what they do.