The rise and fall of the Goners

Finally, my expedition to New Eden can draw to a close. Through the sparse interactions with the Goners and their former associates, and through a study of their manuscripts, I can now form myself a more or less accurate and complete picture of their history.

Brother Sarachem indeed wrote the main scripture that started the Goner movement. He received his revelations in a vision and wrote it down while he was working at Hedion University. It is a rather apocalyptic vision, those that use violence in New Eden will be struck down, and those that reject it will be saved and allowed to return to Mother Earth, guided by Goner Father who is an earthling that gave Amarr its technology.

 

His manuscripts were found to be heretical, and soon enough Sarachem found himself dismissed from his position at Hedion. Since he did not publicly recant, he was banned and exiled from Amarr. An inquisitor initially came after him, but Sarachem was deemed rather harmless, and other pressing matters at the time took precedence for the Theology Council Tribunal. So, after that initial interest, the council seems to have altogether forgotten about him, or chose simply to ignore him.

He fled to New Eden, the only logical place for him to go, as his revelation is about Mother Earth. This is a planet as well as a mythical protector goddess. The way to reach her and find redemption is to go through Eve gate – and use the “anticipator” key to open it. This key is stored at a hidden location somewhere in a Jove system with dense asteroid belts. The mythical Goner Father, an immortal person born on Mother Earth, is supposed to have access to it, and to use it occasionally.

Others joined Sarachem in exile, like Father Sartorius, the self-styled "Mentor of Eve constellation". Through preaching, their movement grew and soon they had a sizeable congregation. In addition to the pilgrimage to the gate, the Goners introduced a pilgrimage in nullsec in which the pilgrim must circle all the way around Empire space. During the pilgrimage around the rim of the cluster the Goners will take confessions of any nullsec passerby who talks to them. From this they received more donations and outside help, and with that influx of ISK a golden age began.

With the donations they constructed a home, a space station that was to be their Temple. To manage it, they started associate corporations for lay sympathizers. That way, they could continue to concentrate on prayer and preaching, while their lay corporations would handle worldly affairs for them. But, not all those that enlisted were as pure of spirit as the Goner monks. They started to accumulate wealth, used the station to trade in all sort of contraband. They grew greedy. They made enemies.

At some point, the Goner monks were betrayed and attacked. They cast out the traitors, but due to their vow, the monks could not fight. Luckily many loyal sympathizers still helped them, and in a fierce and valiant battle they were able to drive back the unholy horde that had laid siege to their home. However, their resources were rapidly depleted in comparison to the war coffers of the enemies aligned against them. They had won a battle, but not the war.

Their enemies regrouped and struck again. This time, their Temple was destroyed. Dejected, many left their congregation and joined other alliances, such as Red Alliance. Other monks remained in the station as fire blasted through it, and they disappeared into oblivion along with their burning Temple. Those that remained alive continue the pilgrimages to do penance for mankind. My impression is that they mainly do penance now for the acts of their apostate associates.

As for my own quest: they do believe that the ancient relics are not lost, and that the crown could have given Toth the insight to go to Mother earth. However, they could not offer evidence of that.

 

I'll wrap up my expedition and in a couple of days move back to the 24th Imperial Crusade station in Mehatoor and its very comfortable library.