Twist
"You’d think the ones who spent their lives studying vanished aliens would have learned something about caution. But no—give them enough wine and a lecture hall, and next thing you know they’re talking about ‘how to call the gods back’ like it’s a weekend hobby."
Origins of Twist
Twist emerged from the niche field of xenoarchaeology dedicated to studying the ruins of the Twisted Men, an apparently extinct alien species whose architecture still dots the Orion Spur—including scattered sites in the Sol System—but whose biological remains have never been found. The Twisted Men earned their name from the disorienting, spiral-heavy designs of their structures, which seem almost antagonistic to human physiology. Their sudden disappearance from an interstellar footprint spanning countless systems has long puzzled researchers.
The prevailing academic consensus is that they were wiped out or vanished due to some combination of war, ecological collapse, or unknown cosmic event. Twist rejects these explanations outright. They believe the Twisted Men achieved an ascension—a deliberate, species-wide transcendence beyond three-dimensional space. This belief, while fringe, has found fertile ground among a small cadre of highly intelligent but increasingly unstable scholars who have allowed fascination to become obsession.
Ideology and Motivations
Twist’s ideology is contradictory, even to its own adherents. At its core is the conviction that the Twisted Men’s disappearance represents the highest possible achievement of a civilization: abandoning physical existence to become beings of incomprehensible power and scope. What divides them internally is how this ascension was achieved, and how—if at all—humanity might replicate it.
Some cells see it as a purely intellectual journey, a puzzle of mathematics, philosophy, and physics waiting to be solved. Others fixate on ritualistic or esoteric methods, convinced that ascension requires metaphysical preparation or even the involvement of Redspace Entities. A particularly dangerous fringe believes that violent or destructive acts—sacrifices of life, culture, or technology—might “call” the Twisted Men back or draw their attention to humanity as a worthy successor.
These contradictions create tensions within Twist, but also make them unpredictable and potentially dangerous when they move from theory to action.
Methods and Activities
At their most benign, Twist’s activities are confined to the academic sphere. They form hidden networks of influence within universities, particularly the Academy of Titan and affiliated institutions. Through peer review manipulation, departmental politics, and selective funding, they filter out research that challenges their doctrine, fostering a self-reinforcing intellectual bubble. Members mentor one another, creating patronage chains that run counter to the meritocratic ideals of the Pan-Solar Consortium’s scholarly culture.
When a Twist cell radicalizes, their methods become more direct—and more dangerous. This can range from theft or sabotage of alien artifacts to destruction of competing research projects, all the way to elaborate and destructive “ascension trials” intended to replicate the Twisted Men’s supposed final act. None of these endeavors have ever yielded results, but they have caused loss of life, damaged priceless archaeological sites, and strained relations between academia and the authorities.
Law Enforcement and Rivalries
While civil authorities keep a wary eye on Twist, they are often more a bureaucratic nuisance than a direct security threat—until a cell tips into extremism. When that happens, jurisdictional boundaries between academic oversight and law enforcement blur, and the damage is often already done before action is taken.
Twist’s most consistent opposition comes not from the PSC but from the Crowded Tomb, whose fatalistic view of alien “gods” sees the Twisted Men as a cautionary tale rather than a model to emulate. The two groups clash both ideologically and, in some cases, physically, particularly over contested archaeological sites.
To most outsiders, Twist is a cautionary example of what happens when unrestrained intellect meets unchecked obsession. To its members, it is a fellowship of visionaries preparing humanity for the most important leap in its history—no matter how many eggs must be broken along the way.
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