Timeline Mark 01 - the past, approximately now.
When Mankind was still there, a certain archeologist dug at some unknown location and
unearthed unidentified, fossilized bones belonging to a monstrous creature. He wasn't aware of it yet, but those remains belonged to a deity that had been put to sleep more than a few millennia ago if not way longer: Uitsuarunemitea - one of the firstborn of this world. For some reason, an unknown person attacked and mortally wounded the archeologist, leaving him dying in front of the holy carcass, blood seeping out of his stomach and
towards the bones.
As the fluid entered in contact with the skeleton, the slumbering god awakened and made a covenant with the dying archeologist. In essence, the god wanted to trade the man's survival for his body, which he (Uitsuarunemitea) would use as a vessel for his own soul. The archeologist, too much in pain, could only utter, 'just let me sleep'. Content with the answer, Uitsuarunemitea granted the wish - the man became an avatar (a reincarnation of a god) and was put to sleep, just as he (figuratively) requested. He was eventually encased in ice - earning himself later the appropriately coined nickname of 'Iceman'.
Yep, dying archeologist, Iceman and Hakuoro are the
same person.
It was, I believe, at
that time that he received a
mask made out of the god's bones and became Uitsuarunemitea's vessel. The god's slumber resumed, and both him and the archeologist fell into oblivion, as the murderer had been killed in a scuffle with the archeologist shortly before the covenant.
And so begins the story behind Utawareru Mono.
Timeline Mark 02 - the far future, date unknown.
Fast forward to a desolate world - due to some worldwide cataclysm or a global war, the world has become a more or less barren land utterly hostile to the last remnants of Mankind, whose bodies were so deteriorated they were forced to confine themselves inside hermetically-sealed and biohazard-controlled laboratories to prevent their bodies from falling ill to the bacteria outside...which once were completely benign (to normal humans) but now are even a dangerous threat to their failing inner defense mechanisms. As they mutated and their state worsened, they started feeling the desperate need to not only find
a cure to their illness but also a way
to repopulate the now deserted planet. Only a few thousands of them (I believe) were left and they needed something to return back to normal. The problem? They had no template for their research as their bodies were too damaged to sacrifice for experiments. Somehow they lost all data on what the human body once was, in all its forlorn glory.
It was then that they made a golden discovery: by digging deeper to expand their labs, they found an unknown entity trapped in a shroud of ice and apparently plunged in a deep sleep. Seeing the godsend that was the Iceman's discovery for what it was, they immediately took him inside their labs since the frozen archeologist's
was a perfect specimen of the human body as it once was in its unblemished form. Moreover, the mask on his face seemed like a Holy Grail as attempts to replicate the item yielded extraordinary results like better health and mind (once you wear the said mask) - but it was still not enough. From there on (and Iceman was reawakened in the meantime) the scientists started creating prototypes of the new, improved Mankind, using shards of animal DNA to reinforce their bodies towards the now hostile environment a dying Mankind couldn't live in anymore. Called Multis, those artificial life forms were varied and had different features (dog ears, wings, etc) inherited from the animal genome parts they were given in their DNA.
Two creatures from the experiments came to the fore:
Mikoto, first of the animal-human (dog ears) species and
Mutsumi, the life form closest to Iceman's nature (she had wings and some impressive powers, although she cannot compare to Iceman or Uitsuarunemitea herself; she also considers herself as Iceman's daughter). A flock of other species were created but one day the scientists decided to refreeze Iceman and the other Multis for 'thorough studies'. One researcher, Mizushima, taking pity on the specimens, told Iceman to run away and the avatar chose to take Mikoto with him, leaving a disconsolate Mutsumi behind. They fled the lab and eventually
had a child together.
This is when the scientists interrupted their new life
with their Av Kamu power suits (the one you see in ep20's preview) and took the two back. Back in the lab, Iceman inquired about Mikoto and was horrified to hear that 'the precious sample of a pregnant Multi had been dismantled and stored for further research'. Understandably, Iceman snapped and let the soul within him - that of Uitsuarunemitea - break free and go on a full-out rampage. The staff predictably panicked and ultimately begged for the god's mercy. In ironic response, the deity made a SECOND covenant with his former captors...a quite twisted one, to tell the truth
They wanted immortality? Very well, they shall get it, but there will be a price for it - they will have to spend the rest of their incredibly long lifetime
as piles of slimy, red goo and not as human beings - a cursed form of immortality.
However, Uitsuarunemitea's rage didn't stop there and at that moment, Iceman, who was now inside the god, emitted conflicting thoughts within the gigantic body. While Uitsuarunemitea longed for destruction and revenge, Iceman pleaded for someone to stop him, and if that was not possible, then have someone
kill him. This was when the first signs of split personalities first arose inside the god.
However, Mutsumi heard his call and returned, 'if that's what Father wants, then so be it.' She tried to kill Uitsunaremitea with the
lab's Amaterasu weapon (a satellite cannon, if I'm not mistaken - it's not really specified but she manages to hijack it). The attempt however failed and Mutsumi had no other choice
but to seal Uitsuarunemitea (BTW, ep21 is reportedly titled 'Large Seal'
). This time she succeeded in her endeavor and the god was put back to sleep, although the chasm in its soul was already there. There were now two different, opposite personalities dwelling inside the god's body - an evil and a good one. Mutsumi later escaped with the other Multis and 'created' her own race. She eventually made a covenant of her own with her descendants in exchange for her magical powers.
Know who her descendants are? Yep, got that right - they are the Onkamiyamukai. In exchange for her powers (she excels at
sealing - this tip is very important for the show's end, by the by), she asked for one of the Onkamiyamukai to become her own vessel so that her soul could survive and pass from one generation to the other, living on till the ends of time (theoretically). Do you know who her
current vessel is?
...It's Kamyuu.
And what happened to the other countries? Well, should the Japanese lab fall silent, the other compounds around the planet were to team together and activate Amaterasu so as to destroy the Japanese complex. However, when Uitsuarunemitea was busy destroying things left and right, one dying researcher selfishly wished for everyone to die...the enraged god heard the wish and, predictably, the other stations around the planet ceased to exist, now devoid of life. BTW, the scientists changed into red goo
should still be there. At least, they were still alive in the game.
The gears of time are now turning full force marking a new turn in history. And a new world arises. We're now fully into the story's forgotten core.
Timeline Mark 03 - Mankind's new era. Date unknown.
Earth has changed. Its land are now repopulated although the relics of the now inexistent Mankind have disappeared. New creatures, half-animal, half-human, have started spreading wide and building countries, creating Ainu-like technology and lifestyle. The separate species congregated into communities then nations: Evenkurugas, Onkamiyamukais, Giriyaginas, Shakukoporus, etc, etc. All stood for themselves and more or less found a way to cohabitate save one - the Shakukoporus.
Those rabbit-eared people were once favored by the scientist (and not slated for dismantling and refreezing, unlike the others) and the other species grew jealous because of the 'unjust' attention. When the said researchers disappeared (the Shakukoporus called them the 'Great Fathers', as if they were gods), the other races let their resentment break free and shunned the Shakukoporus - hence why Kuuya said that nobody wanted to help them (as I explained in an earlier post). Since Uitsuarunemitea was the one who killed the researchers who were benevolent to them, the Shakukoporus blamed the great god for their newfound ordeals and renamed him Nuguisomu-kami, an evil god that chased them from paradise.
However, thanks to Mutsumi, who retold the true tale from her standpoint to her descendants, the tradition that Uitsuarunemitea is the true, great god of this world (after all, she considered herself his daughter so she owed him that at least), lived on throughout the Onkamiyamukai, contradicting the 'biased' tales from the Shakukoporus' side.
They just lived the same story but from different sides and with opposing feelings - therefore weaving contradicting legends.
Iceman's child (gender unspecified) survived and led a presumably peaceful life and had descendants of his/her own. Care to know who're the two latest ones in date?
...
Aruruu and Eruruu! Yep, not joking - and this is why Hakuoro believes they are family. It's because
they truly are relatives and he instinctly feels the bond between them. As a matter of fact, Iceman is related to everyone in this world (not necessarily 'bloodline'-wise) and this is the reason he can befriend other people. There is some sort of hidden link between everyone and all unconsciously feel it.
BTW.
Iceman was still sealed, although the earlier inner battle had caused the god to split asunder into its two personalities. As one corresponded to the archeologist's own soul, the Iceman/archeologist claimed that side and became the good/light side, while the other splinter retained all the negative, belligerent feelings that Uitsuarunemitea once harbored. If you want, you can consider that 'evil side' as the Nuguisomu-kami. However, since the 'holy' mask was already on the archeologist/Iceman's face and sealed the 'good' soul inside
that body, the other part needed an avatar of its own. And it seemed that throughout History's newest chapter, Dark!Uitsuarunemitea went through multiple vessels.
The latest one was named
Dii - an Onkamiyamukai scholar who once worked as Urutorii's teacher. He had wandered into the cave where Uitsuarunemitea's soul dwelt and became possessed by the deity's dark side. While Iceman longed for a higher existence by
cooperation and friendship, Dii/Dark!Uitsu and its earlier vessels desired its beloved children to attain greater levels
through war. As such, to implement his plan in this world, the avatar travelled far and wide and stirred up wars hither and yon. Dii also befriended the Shakukoporus and gave them
the abandoned, derelict but still efficient Av Kamu power suits from the destroyed lab.
At some point or another, Iceman was freed from Mutsumi's weakening seal and
confronted Dii using his celestial body (the BIG, big, demonic one). Unfortunately for Iceman, who instinctively fought against his evil counterpart (both sides seek to destroy each other), he was gravely wounded and the battle between the two half-deities caused a large earthquake in Tousukuru (or Kenashirukouru before it was renamed).
In a village known as Yamayura, a faraway descendant of Mikoto, Aruruu was busy climbing a tree to catch a beehive and its honey when the earthquake caught her unawares, causing her to falls to the ground and be mortally wounded.
A hysterical Eruruu then hugged her younger sister to herself and pleaded Uitsuarunemitea to save her sibling in exchange for herself. The beaten half-god (Iceman) somehow heard her and made another covenant with Eruruu: he'd heal Aruruu, but Eruruu would belong to him like a servant of sorts. As the contract was sealed, Good!Uitsu reverted to its human form, Iceman, forcing Eruruu to immediately fulfill her oath and take care of the wounded God...now in its mortal body.
Note that the contract binds her to do his bidding but she still has some will left in her. She's not really a slave and the archeologist/Iceman's benevolent personality prevents the contract from getting out of hand. She knows
who he is but doesn't tell it.
But there's a cinch.
A big one.
Timeline Mark 04 - Utawareru Mono game/anime arc. Ep01.
Due to his wounds, Iceman doesn't remember anything - he completely lost his memories and doesn't remember how to use his godly powers (well, he even
forgets about them and his true nature, just like that). To himself, he's just a simple human being with no past and a goddamned mask plastered on his face for no visible reason. And now the anime/game begins and Iceman gains a new name, Hakuoro (the 'White Emperor' in Ainu). It's only when he's about to lose something he
really holds dear (and it will start somewhere around mid-game since he will start to care about other people after getting to know them) that his powers resurface but it will take a time till he'll get used to them and remember his past.
Hope this helped.
Graphic Designer
that could have been nice
