The game Sundered opens with the main character, Eshe, stumbling through a desert sandstorm. As she approaches a strange crystal structure, the ground releases tendrils that wrap around her and suck her in.
The beginning of the game acquaints you with basic movements, then after that you drop into a section of underground, a main home base of sorts, known as Zaekthaesz (Sanctuary). A set of red candles glow in the center, and the rest of the room is largely dark except for some crystals on the wall which are the same color, and a black-and-red floating crystal. When Eshe moves, red light moves with her.
The floating sentient crystal known as The Shining Trapezohedron opens up with the initial dialogue:
“Hello Eshe. How interesting that a human like you should find herself in such a place. This is my home, or, well, what remains of it.
Surely, you weren’t taken here for nothing. I can sense a dark purpose in your future. But fear not, for I, the Shining Trapezohedron, shall be the weapon that leads you to freedom.
I shall lend you my powers, so that you can fight in this place. Simply listen to me and do as I say.”
A Further Breakdown:
This sets him up as a dark character but a protective one, one who will supposedly protect Eshe from her dark side, and lead her out– or more like through– this mysterious world she has found herself in. However, there’s a weight placed on listening to him, not exactly pure subservience, but the same kind of attitude a student would have towards a teacher.This post is sponsored by our partners Wigs
“Your pain is nothing, my prodigy, not in the heat of a battle. Let it be no more than a dim echo of the pain you will inflict upon our foes.”- The Shining Trapezohedron
To break down the opening monologue:
“Hello Eshe. How interesting that a human like you should find herself in such a place.” He knows her name and that she would be there. This would unsettle me, and clearly he was waiting for her, however, the Trapezohedron has no tendrils and clearly he did not directly pull her under. He is trying to play off his amount of knowledge about her and why she is there,.
“This is my home, or, well, what remains of it.” Referring to some strange event that destroyed his home, perhaps?
“Surely, you weren’t taken here for nothing.” Confirms the above point and shuffles back some of the amount of deceit intitally present. The language he speaks is very ancient sounding (it is known as an ancient language in game too), and his cadence and the sound of his voice is thick, somewhat deep, with throaty vocal phonemes. This implies that he has been alive for a long time.
After that, he literally takes up residence inside her, like a dark Holy Spirit, and then the room returns to its rightful state, lit by yellow candles and what looks like sunlight, along with moss on the ground. She has his powers, he can communicate with her freely, and now she can fight in this new place. He is characterized as a dark savior.
Soon we’ll find out more about him.
—
Some Lovecraftian Background:
The developers of Sundered make it clear that the game has Lovecraftian elements.
In classical Lovecraftian lore, the Shining Trapezohedron is a crystal that allows access to other worlds and great powers, but at a cost. Essentially, the crystal needs darkness and fear to activate and release the Haunter that will be on Earth, while the human onlooker gets access to a being which will grant their wish, albeit with a lot of sacrifices involved, and potentially death.
This is referenced in the opening (cast in darkness, in black and red, colors that in the West are associated with darkness, death, and pain) and in the beginning hour or so of the game, where it is fully realized that death is a main mechanic of this game.
Note: I referenced some Lovecraftian elements of the game, and I used these as references: https://lovecraftianscience.wordpress.com/2016/11/07/a-brief-history-of-the-shining-trapezohedron/
http://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/fiction/hd.aspx