The Full Story of Obduction

An in-depth explanation of what occurred before, during, and after the game.

Introduction

Obduction is a video game rich in story. Due to the nature of the game, however, much of the story must be inferred through documents and events that occur in the game. This essay is an attempt to explain the story of Obduction in a coherent and straightforward manner. But before diving into the main story, it is important to understand the featured story element and gameplay mechanic: Seeds and Trees.

Background: Seeds & Trees

There is a natural process in the universe whereby special “Seeds” swap spheres of matter and energy instantaneously between different times and locations in the universe. All Seeds come in pairs, and there are at least three types:

Mother Seeds originate at a “Mother Tree” somewhere in the universe and travel to different planets and times to initiate a “swap”. With the Mother Seed as the center point, a large sphere is swapped between each location. Seed A is transported with its sphere of matter and energy to the location and time of Seed B, and vice versa. Once the swap is completed, each Mother Seed begins to grow into a “Tree”.

A transparent membrane is located at the edge of each sphere, and the sphere and the membrane together make up a “Cell”. Light may pass through the membrane from the outside to the inside, but not from the inside to the outside. From the inside, it appears as if the Cell has been transported to a completely different location. From the outside, it is unknown if it appears as if the Cell is in its original location, or if a new landscape appears. (For example, if a town is swapped away by a Mother Seed, does it still appear as if the town is there, or is a blank landscape created?) The membrane does not allow matter to pass through it in either direction. Instead, passing “through” the membrane takes one to the exact opposite side. Thus, those inside the membrane are forever trapped inside, and those outside it are forever trapped outside.

Collector Seeds originate at a Tree in the center of a Cell. One drops from the Tree in Cell A and stays in Cell A, and the other either drops from the Tree in Cell A and travels through time to the planet from whence the Cell was swapped or drops from the Tree in Cell B and traverses the Cell membrane while also traveling through time. Either way, the traveling Collector Seed approaches an individual who will soon perish. A swap is initiated, though on a much smaller scale than the Mother Seeds. Whatever was on the home planet is now within the Cell, and vice versa. No membrane is created within the Cell, and an out-of-place sphere appears on the home planet. Collector Seeds are permanently discharged after one use.

About every 400 days, Ambassador Seeds originate at a Tree in the center of a Cell, though one originates in Cell A, and the other originates in Cell B. When an individual from each Cell is touching its Ambassador Seed, a swap occurs between each location, and each Seed is discharged. Each Seed eventually recharges, allowing individuals to return to their home Cells. Recharging time increases with each use, so “visits” become longer each time a swap occurs. In addition, Ambassador Seeds may be manipulated with appropriate technology to allow swaps between Seeds even if no one is touching them.

Trees, as previously mentioned, grow from Mother Seeds in the center of each Cell. When properly cared for with water and nutrients, their trunks open to reveal a passageway to a shared “Heart”, which allows free travel between the Cells. Pairs of Mother Seeds also come in pairs, so each Heart links 4 Cells (or 2 pairs of Cells). Thus, while Cells A and B have been communicating via Ambassador Seeds, and Cells C and D have been doing the same thing with each other, the Heart below the Trees allows communication and visitation between all four Cells.

The Seeds and Trees all work together to form a natural process:

1. Four Mother Seeds seek out four intelligent species on four planets with similar atmospheres and resources. The species on these planets face imminent extinction, even if they don’t know it.
   
2. Mother Seeds A and B swap with each other, as do Seeds C and D. Each seed begins to grow into a Tree.
   
3. Collector Seeds drop from each Tree and fetch additional individuals and resources from the home planet. Individuals are saved from imminent death, even if they don’t know it.
   
4. Ambassador Seeds drop from each pair of Trees, allowing individuals from Cells A and B to interact, as well as individuals from Cells C and D.
   
5. Once the Trees reach a certain level of maturity, their trunks open and grant access to a shared Heart beneath them. Travel between any of the four Cells becomes possible so long as the Tree in a specific Cell is healthy. Individuals from all four Cells may now intermingle.
   
6. Once the Trees reach their final maturation, all four Cells swap together to a new healthy world. The membranes around each Cell dissolve, allowing all of the species to move out into the new world together.

Background: Species and Planets

Humans are not the only intelligent species in the universe. In Obduction three more intelligent species are featured, and an additional two are mentioned.

The Mofang (moe - fayng) are the most physically similar to humans, at least on the outside. They are the closest species in Obduction to a stereotypical space alien: one head, two eyes, two arms, and two legs. The color of their skin ranges from yellow to red. Their language is almost completely unpronounceable by humans, but they are able to mimic human speech. Fundamental differences in the languages, however, makes it difficult for Mofang to form 100% correct human sentences. Mofang technology is simple in appearance, advanced in features, and elegant in design.

The Mofang homeworld is Soria (sore - ee - uh), the most different planet from Earth in Obduction. A purplish oozing/flowing landscape is dotted by round “vegetation” with glowing blue dots. Several rocks on Soria, even massive ones, hover in the air. Mofang technology, consisting of smooth pieces of metal “cemented” by glowing red light, is also scattered about.

The Villein (vi - lihn) are very large compared to humans. They have an amphibious appearance, with one head, two eyes, two strong legs, and four arms (two larger and two smaller). They absorb oxygen through microscopic pores in their skin, allowing them to live indefinitely above or below water. Their speech is generated through vibrations in their skulls, making it impossible for humans to reproduce. (They also can’t speak human languages.) The Villein are a spacefaring species, having launched themselves to several different worlds, meeting at least one intelligent species before being abducted. They control all of their technology through their speech, but they have developed simple control panels to allow other species to use their technology as well. Villein technology allows them to extrude objects and structures of enormous complexity and exact precision. The Villein use a quaternary (base 4) numeral system, as opposed to the decimal (base 10) system humans use.

The Villein “homeworld” is Maray (muh - ray), a lush paradise. Small, large, and massive trees are everywhere, surrounded by rivers and pools of water. A species of bird flies through the skies.

The Arai (uh - rye) are most easily described as a cross between humans and bees or ants. They come in three variants: polyarch, beetle, and barnacle. Polyarchs are the intelligence of the species. They have stocky bodies with hard shells and do not communicate verbally. They do not move much themselves, but they control the beetles, which act as their “eyes and ears, hands and feet”. Barnacles are an egg-like development state. They will never turn into beetles unless they are in the proximity of a polyarchy and are fertilized by beetles.

The Arai homeworld is Kaptar (cap - tar), a world of cliffs and oceans. There is very little vegetation, and the Arai don’t build much, if anything at all. (Their only visible constructs are their hive and their beetle living spaces.) Instead, the work of two other intelligent species is seen throughout the planet.

The two additional species are unnamed by humans, but both were from Kaptar. They are extinct by the time Obduction starts. The first was an ancient species who worshipped the Arai, building temples to them. The second came much later and built complicated machinery. They used this machinery to catch giant flying “Whaegons” and used the Arai beetles as bait.

Background: Hunrath Dating System

Abductees (also called “New Arrivers”) arrive in their Cells in any order, regardless of when they were abducted on their homeworlds. For example, someone abducted from Earth in 1977 might arrive in Hunrath before someone who was abducted from Earth in 1890. For this reason, the humans in Hunrath adopted a new dating system based on Sorian days. (Since the Hunrath Cell was placed on Soria, it experienced Sorian days, not Earth days.) This system includes a zero date (0) and counts the days before (BH/“Before Hunrath”) and after it (AH/“After Hunrath”). To better aid the understanding of time in this essay, YBH and YAH are also used, where 1 year is 365 Sorian days.

Story: Hartnell, Arizona

On the night of 27 June 1903, a Mother Seed arrived in Hartnell, Arizona, a small mining town with a population of 163. It swapped with the Mother Seed that had traveled to Soria, and it arrived sometime before 104 YBH. It included all of the town, its cemetery, and several nearby mines. The Mother Seed began to grow into a Tree, which became very important to the people. The grandson of John Hartnell, Sr. (the founder of Hartnell) took it upon himself to write briefly about these experiences.

In approximately 104 YBH, Ambassador Seeds were documented for the first time by Alima Hamsa. It is possible they were around before then.

Story: From Hartnell to Hunrath

Luther Roscoe became the unofficial leader of the town on approximately 500 BH (1.37 YBH). For unknown reasons, he stopped leading on 3 BH, and Karl Hunrath became the official mayor on 0. Karl’s arrival is shrouded in mystery, but he must have been a very important person because the name of the town changed from Hartnell to Hunrath, and the dating system was based on when he became mayor.

The people of Hunrath eventually established a more organized society. They developed a community garden and established an “entry point” where they would take all the dropped Collector Seeds so that entry into Hunrath could be more controlled. They constructed a wall between the “north” and “south” parts of their Cell to help divide the areas and protect against possible hostilities.

Karl Hunrath ceased to be mayor on 10,220 AH, exactly 28 years after he began serving. John Farley became the new mayor. John had been abducted in April 1983 from an unknown location. (His house has been referred to as a “Kansas farmhouse” by Rand Miller, but it is unknown if it is actually from Kansas.) John was abducted with his daughter Caroline and either his mother or mother-in-law.

Story: New Arrivers

Around 11,300 AH (30.96 YAH), a girl named Sarah arrived from the year 2055.

Sometime before 12,000 AH (32.88 YAH), the Farley house became a welcoming center for new arrivers. Caroline, who eventually was usually called by her last name, took on the task of welcoming new arrivers and helping them understand what was happening. Farley started keeping a guestbook where new arrivers would check in and explain where they came from and under what circumstances they were abducted.

John Farley stopped serving as mayor of Hunrath on 13,140, exactly 8 years after he began serving. He was succeeded by Benjamin Sims.

On 15,257 AH (41.8 YAH) a man named Samuel Caron arrived in Hunrath from the year 2017, and a man named Uzziel Regenbogen arrived on 15,841 AH (43.4 YAH) from Germany in the year 1942. Uzziel was probably saved from the destruction wrought during World War II. A woman named Maria Gallego arrived on 16,023 AH (43.90 YAH) from the year 1988.

A woman named Ji Eun (a Korean name) died, and her funeral was held on 16,333 AH (44.75 YAH). After the funeral, Farley watched a Mofang approach their Cell from the outside, and it passed instantly from one side to the other without noticing. It was then that Farley learned no one could see Hunrath from the other side of the Cell membrane.

Story: The Bleeder

Sometime before 16,609 AH (45.50 YAH) John Farley died under mysterious circumstances. Mayor Sims thought he may have been murdered (possibly by the Mofang), and he became worried that when the Tree reached full maturity, the Cell wall might dissolve, and the Mofang on Soria might destroy them. Mayor Sims asked C.W., an abductee, to begin work on the Bleeder, a machine built with the help of the Villein that would prevent the Tree from becoming fully mature.

During Bleeder construction, a man named Jaing Qiuyu arrived in Hunrath from the year 2042. Farley became convinced that all of the abductees had been saved from imminent death, and on 16,786 AH (45.99 YAH), she spent most of the day meditating with the Arai. That night, after discussing the nature of the Trees and Cells with C.W., Farley had a dream about a garden. She came to understand that the garden was not meant to be controlled by humans, and that human control would ultimately hurt it, even if it meant more fruit for the humans. Farley applied this reasoning to the Trees and Cells and concluded that the Bleeder project should be stopped and that the Trees should be allowed to mature. She was, however, unable to convince C.W. to abandon the project.

C.W. completed the Bleeder on 16,879 AH (46.24 YAH), and it was turned on on 16,920 AH (46.36 YAH). Mayor Sims ceased to be mayor on 16,945 AH (46.42 YAH), probably because he died or was unable to continue serving. Farley became the interim mayor until Josef Janssen was elected 30 days later on 16,975 AH (46.51 YAH).

During Bleeder construction, C.W. also worked on a machine to directly control the swapping ability of the Tree. This machine was very similar to those used to control Ambassador Seeds, but on a much larger scale. He finished this machine on 17,041 AH (46.69 YAH).

Story: The Mofang War

Sometime before 17,115 AH (46.89 YAH), the Mofang decided that they were the superior species out of the four and that they wanted to move on with the Tree maturation by themselves. They devised a plan to destroy the other three species: On 17,148 AH (46.98 YAH) they would swap massive bombs into the other three Cells and destroy them and their inhabitants.

Several Mofang opposed this plan, but they were outnumbered. They warned the humans about it, and the humans began planning a counterattack: A member of each species would wait at the swap points on the specified day, and they would swap the bombs back to Soria. The rest of the individuals, including the “good” Mofang, would enter cryostatis in the Maray Cell because the Villein already had the technology, and it was agreed that was their best chance of survival if they were unable to send the Mofang bombs back to the Soria Cell.

On 17,125 AH (46.92 YAH), the town council in Hunrath agreed to this plan, and the humans began working with the Villein and Arai to get ready. The Cells were set up to make movement around and between them more difficult, and several roadblocks were constructed in the Maray Cell to keep the Mofang away from the cryostatis chamber.

On 17,148 AH (46.98 YAH), everyone but the “Remainers” were successfully “podded”.

C.W. chose to remain in Hunrath to swap back the Mofang bomb, but several days after the bomb was supposed to come, he concluded that everyone else must have been destroyed because no one came back from the Maray Cell. He began the process of putting together the pieces of the machine to swap Hunrath back to Earth.

In Kaptar, a single Arai beetle was ready to swap the Mofang bomb back to the Soria Cell. The Mofang bomb came as planned, and the beetle sent it back, destroying the Soria Cell and everything in it except for the Tree.

A Mofang had swapped to Maray at about the same time, though, so it and its bomb were not destroyed. It came disguised as Mayor Janssen, which threw off the two Villein who were waiting there. The Mofang managed to shoot and kill one of the Villein, but the other Villein, Trar, forced it away from the bomb before it could arm it. They were both armed, and they remained in a stalemate until the player arrived. Trar was able to kill the Mofang but was seriously wounded. It directed the player to disarm the bomb and began “waking up” everyone in the cryostatis chamber after the bomb was safely destroyed.

Story: Diaspora

The player returned to Hunrath after disarming the bomb and reconnecting all of the Trees to the Heart. C.W. was determined to swap Hunrath back to Earth, though, so he directed the player to destroy the Bleeder to allow the controlled swap to take place. The player first disconnected an important part of the system, though: C.W.’s battery. After destroying the Bleeder, C.W. began the controlled swap, but discovered he was not in control after all. The Hunrath Cell swapped to a lush new world along with the other three Cells, and all of their membranes dissolved. Farley returned to Hunrath to inform C.W. that everyone was safe, and he became satisfied with what had happened. The four species then began their new lives together in their new world.

[Floydman]

@milestyle The introductory voice-overs are just creative license meant to set the atmosphere. You, as the player, are indeed abducted from the campsite, which is why it is transported with you when you are taken to Hunrath.

[milestyle]

@floydman "While it's never explicitly laid out, it's probably related to the immediate surroundings and/or weather. So a lightning strike, drowning, forest fire, or wild animal attack are possible scenarios for the player's would-be death."

The pre-game introduction is the story of another character, not us, as the player. The cassette recorder in Farley's house, if you turn the cassette around and play it, is the recording used in the pre-game section. Therefore, not the reason for the player's imminent death, but some other Hunrath abductee, and the player's reason for being there, is never stated.

[Wild Matsu]

The cleanest solution to the puzzles that seem to violate the way Ambassador Seeds are "supposed" to work is that all of the seeds involved in such puzzles are unpaired. There just so happens to be another unpaired seed at the same location in the other world, which may lead you to the initial assumption that they are paired, but when you experiment with them, you determine they are not.

[dmitryme]

@tscChazz, re Maze in Maray, I have a guess: there are actually only 2 seeds - one in Maray, and one in Hunrat, and they are paired. When you rotate the superdisk, it rotates only the tops of the spheres, the ones which are part of the maze. The bottom part with the Maray seed just sits on its place while the superdisk is rotating.

[chandramaybe]

A great overview. One additional angle to this is story is the alternate ending. In Soria, there's a spot where you can look out beyond the Cell wall at a decimated Earth landscape. I think this is a clue that helps the player decide to disengage C.W.'s battery. If they fail to do so, the controlled swap works, and Hunrath returns to a desolate post-apocalyptic Earth. A cloud of dust envelops the town, and it’s unclear if anyone survives.

One interesting take I heard is that the Mofang decided to bomb the other species because they witnessed the humans' capacity for destruction on Earth, and figured they and their friends were too barbaric to keep around. The obliterated Soria landscape juxtaposed with the ravaged Earth is really thought-provoking, as it shows that the Mofang ended up bringing the same destruction on themselves that they may have been trying to avoid.

[Kabamaru]

Thanks, I had all these pieces of information in my head and I just couldn't put it all together. Playing this game in multiple sessions across several weeks made it really hard to form an idea of the whole story.

[Chazz the Elder]

Okay - we've spoken before about ambassador seeds. And I have to admit to having hit a point of confusion in my thinking. And that is the Maze (Puzzlisismo, the labyrinth). The thing there is that there are five Ambassador Seeds, and the one in Hunrath changes places with the one that is congruent to it in Maray space, rather than the one that it initially seeded alongside. The stated way Ambassador seeds work basically makes the puzzle mechanic fail, unless there is something that moves the seed, and only the seed, from one disk to another when you rotate the superdisk. (The transporter mechanism handle changes position when you rotate the disk... ) That, and the fact that a number of Ambassador Seeds will swap worlds without there being a matching Seed on the other world, leads me to believe that paired seeds are engineered, not grown.

[Tyrael]

This is such an interesting story and without relying on any relevant characters or worldbuilding at all. Just pure plot with some rules beforehand, that satisfingly explains what seems like random nonsense at first. Real min-maxing by the author there. A shame though that the game doesn't really present it at all. Most of this flew right by me when I played it, partly because it was the last thing I expected.

One thing really bugs me though: If mankind faced imminent extinction in 1903, how can the seeds bring in people from 150 years later? Can't have been that imminent. The mining people would have been long dead anyway when mankind got killed off sometime after 2055. That leaves a sour taste for me on this species-preserving "benefactors" that supposedly only "rescue" people from dying when they needlessly robbed those miners of their old lives and then have a tree that, again, only dissolves the sphere 150 years later, after they are all long dead.

[Floydman]

@kalkstein While it's never explicitly laid out, it's probably related to the immediate surroundings and/or weather. So a lightning strike, drowning, forest fire, or wild animal attack are possible scenarios for the player's would-be death.

[kalkstein]

Are the player's would-be death circumstances specified anywhere? I'm refering to the fact the seeds move people who are about to die, so the player must have been in that situation too.