Emerging 15 years after the discovery of Kai, a mysterious phenomena began to appear as dark, wispy lines across the surface of Kai-infused technology: the Vines.
It soon became clear that this was communicable to humans and began to spread among all those who had come into contact with the new energy source. At first the virus caused a gradual hardening of the skin, which was seen as a worrying but manageable affliction.
However, soon after the spread of the Vines began to accelerate and the first appearance of what would become known as Aberrants would emerge.
The exact origins of the Vines remains a mystery, despite decades spent trying to uncover its cause.
KPCO has been at the forefront of research, much of it hidden behind their corporate walls, but what they have determined is that the Vines seems to defy many of the fundamental laws of biology and known pathogens. Its growth patterns, adaptive capabilities and the acausal manner in which it emerges are unlike anything seen in the natural world.
The use of advanced AI diagnostics to help determine the cause of the Vines has only deepened the mystery. Classified memos, leaked by anonymous researchers at KPCO, have highlighted that analysis from their scientific intelligence systems indicates that the only logical explanation for the behaviour of the pathogen (if that is indeed what it is) is that it originates from outside the known universe.
Despite a clear correlation to the discovery and use of Kai energy, further research conducted by an alliance of governing bodies indicates that the Vines is not simply a byproduct. It appears to be a parasitic lifeforce that reacts to the presence of Kai and seeks it out, but remains distinct from it.
Some theorists speculate that the Vines might have entered our reality due to unintended consequences of experimentation with Kai energy and its properties.
There is a growing theory that the manner in which Kai was rapidly adopted and focused into inefficient human technologies, requiring extremely high amounts of energetic consumption, may have weakened a previously unknown universal substrate – and by doing so, allowed something invasive to take root.
The world came close to finding out the truth. They were close to seeing that it was because of our exploitation of Kai that the Vines virus emerged. Not organically, but through our own hubris and attempts to play God. We reached through the veil and brought back a living nightmare.
If they knew the truth, there would be no turning back. We must ensure that the glimpses of it are forgotten. In a few generations it will be merely a fleeting image lost to time.
Aberrants are violent, monstruous creatures that are the result of infection with the Vines. They are known to take on many forms, both humanoid and animal, as the mutation is able to have an effect on all sentient creatures.
The exact source of the Vines and how it causes Aberrants is not fully understood, however these creatures seem to be closely related to the discovery and use of Kai as a central form of energy following its discovery in 1978.
The first symptoms are dark, pulsing lines that seem to spread just beneath the surface of the skin. Extreme irritability, sensory distortions and a growing sensitivity to Kai energy soon follow.