Thread:Deathstalker666/@comment-1915529-20140121210201/@comment-3547390-20140127203822

Sweet, the saber cuts off arms!

So I guess you didn't find the book in the treehouse of Escape (it is written in pagan language anyway). Okay, let's go back and explain the Trickster.

--Backstory--

The Trickster is the god of the pagans (also known as the Order of the Vine). Victoria is basically the one bringing the Constantine his contacts (his fence), getting the connections and such. As both are not of this world, they have little background and the nobles (who like to keep tabs on everyone in the city) are unable to find any information on them. Victoria was actually connected with one of the big Downwinders called Raputo and the Grand Library. Donal (the Downwinder who had the safe with the vase) also mentions a Victoria, so she might have even had contact with him. She was collecting various exotics and medicinals (such as you saw in the cutscene before the Haunted Cathedral). I have told you most of the details on Constantine before, he is eccentric and keeps to himself. Not much else was known, he just collects objects such as the Eye. His house was chaotic (just like the Pagan religion) and covered in grass and other such plants.

A good question to ask is what was in the brandy that Constantine gave Garrett. Perhaps a further reason for his folly might have been intoxication, the drink had plants in it (shown growing in the cutscene). He also told Garrett to get the Eye at that time, which is named as it is a stone Eye. Constantine also made sure Garrett was not friendly with the Hammerites, therefore expecting them to remain apart when his plan came together (which is where he made his mistake based on what happened in Strange Bedfellows). Garrett did not believe in the Trickster, thinking it to just be the word of fanatics.

The Pagans are in constant conflict with the Hammerites as their religions are basically opposites, one for man's progress (and therefore since you help the Hammerites you doom yourself to the Metal Age) and one for man's return to nature. The Keepers, in the middle, try to keep both from gaining too much power over the other.

Years ago, the Keepers sealed the Eye in the Haunted Cathedral after a zombie outbreak caused that part of the city to be contained. Doing more would have upset their whole thing of balance, yet they knew they had to control it and lock it away lest it destroy the city. They were also very sure to act with as little notice as possible, to remain concealed. As you saw at the beginning of Escape, they were at the ready for a resurfacing and had been watching Garrett. The Wards, held for years by the Keepers for just a reason such as this, sealed the Cathedral and the Talismans were placed across the city. The Hammerites even had one of the Wards as you know, but the others were placed far away to prevent even their meddling. The Mages noticed how the world would be destroyed and tried to get the talismans, yet mostly accepted their fate.

The Trickster has remained a presence since, not just in the form of Constantine, but as a fear. Many are afraid to say the word Trickster, while others have used it as an insult (that is where the word Taffer comes from).

Constantine also gave you a sword. Know in Thief 2 you will no longer have it. It is assumed that the powers of it died with Constantine.

---The Dark Project---

Okay, all that probably didn't help for the actual Dark Project and what that has to do with the Eye.

Garrett returns the eye, only to have Constantine say that it is blind. Garrett, of course, does not understand as it is just a rock. In order for the Eye to work, it turns out that you need a Eye of flesh binded to the Eye of Stone. As you saw, Garrett's eye worked pretty well for the occassion. Once the Eye was taken from Garrett, Constantine was to go to the Maw of Chaos and bind the two together (this was done prior to your arrival).

The Trickster was angry with the world due to the rising religion of the Hammerites. They carry hammers and promote forging a new way of life instead of praising him. So he wanted their destruction, as well as the destruction of all who appose the Pagan religion (meaning anybody not a Pagan). He let his beasts prey upon the manfools while he went to the Maw of Chaos where his judgement would spell the doom of mankind. See, they are somewhat friendly with those that state they are Pagans, but just use the in order to obtain more sacrifices to the Trickster. That is why the Pagan religion is only followed by the uneducated, those not intelligent enough to realize that they are wishing about their own doom.

The Keepers used Garrett to shift the balance back. They are not ones to get involved, even in the face of destruction, but to do the minimal needed by sending one who is no longer part of the order. Garrett needed them to free him though from the vines, but they would not stay around to help him as that would be doing more than was needed.

The Trickster had a personal grudge against Garrett. Though Garrett was a pawn, he also did something the Trickster never had the ability to do. He was able to get the Eye.

The reasoning behind the whole Trickster's hatred for humanity in the current age is due to their desire to eliminate mystery through technology. We used to never know what was in the woods, now we can without difficulty. We used to live with fear, then we got technology and all fear went away. Mankind imagined and dreamed, but all that they did was due to that darkness, no matter if it was good or bad. With progress they can no longer imagine, they can no longer fear. The night becomes almost like the day, except for a lacking sun which is being fixed with technological lights. It is called the Dark Project as Constantine's ritual is returning the world to darkness.

Okay, here is probably the hardest part to understand on a first time playthrough, the actual usage of the Eye. The ritual starts with the drawing of a star. It is very like the compass and is constantly referred to as such. On each of the eight points is an element (which is a ball of color). In the center of the compass is the Eye itself beside  a portal to the Earth. He then walks to each of the elements, performing a ritual which allows them to be seen by the Eye. Once all are binded together, Constantine must then walk to the center to open the full potential of the Eye. Doing so would cause any world seen by the Eye (in this case the Earth or trueworld) to see that it is covered in blood and death, with the elements dominating the world, and chaotic. Though the elements already exist, they are basically making the world of raw materials again. The fake eye basically redirects its energy that is being drawn into it back at the conjurer, therefore why the Trickster died to it.

Orange ( Borning) - I am guessing this refers to the starting point of the compass.

Green (Leaf) - Connected to anything green such as vines and leafs.

Grey (Storm) - Basically connected to any storms such as snowstorms, rainstorms, lightning, thunder, ect.

Red (Flame) - Connected to heat and fire.

Blue (Tidestream) - Tides, rivers, sea, sewer water. Basically, anything connected with water.

Brown (Stone) - This is connected with stone and earthquakes.

Black (Darkness) - This is connected with night and darkness, pitching the world in shadow.