Sampo Mill

The Sampo Mill is a sacred historical relic of the Hyperborean era. According to popular knowledge, it is a lost device that can only be reactivated by the heir of Elysium and will yield unending gold, grain, and salt.^[1]

Based on earlier surviving Frostmoon Scion records, the Sampo Mill concept is a bastardization of the SAMPO (Subatomic Assembling Mass-energy Patterning Orb), a high-level Mekhaneikos construct created by Anacharsis. It was sealed due to being unfunctional, causing its location and original purpose to be forgotten over time.^[2]

Overview

SAMPO

The SAMPO was forged by Anacharsis and is classified as a "highest-tier" Mekhaneikos construct, whereas a similarly surviving relic, the Arrow of Terpikeraunas, is a low-tier construct. The SAMPO has two possible uses:^[2]

1. Reconstruct matter at a subatomic scale
2. Transmute matter into stable energy to be released in an unknown form (relevant description has been lost)

While the SAMPO's structure survived the fall of Hyperborea, a formal evaluation by Acting Archpriestess Spargapiris determined that the SAMPO had been rendered unusable due to the loss of its collaborative control module. The control module could not be recreated with existing technology, while a theoretical bypass protocol using Light Realm or Void Realm energy (presumed, the exact text has been lost) was deemed too risky to attempt, so the SAMPO was sealed away indefinitely to prevent any further wear and tear to its structure.^[2]

Sampo Mill

Over time, both the SAMPO and the Arrow of Terpikeraunas came to be revered by the Frostmoon Scions as religious symbols rather than practical devices. The SAMPO became known as the Sampo Mill, a device that would bestow "blessings" of "unending gold, grain, and salt." Saredne, the 13th Archpriestess since the fall of Hyperborea, wrote several decrees adapted from the protocols written during Spargapiris' era, including Decree VI: Offerings to the Sampo Mill.^[1]

According to Saredne, the Sampo Mill was sealed away to protect it from taint and desecration. Only the prophesied heir of Elysium could unseal the Sampo Mill, using its blessings to bring eternal prosperity to the Frostmoon Scions. The Sampo Mill could only be approached by those of the priestess rank or higher; anyone else would have their bloodline cursed for a total of 14 generations. It would require offerings of "wheat, goat's milk, and salt" lest famine befall them, and priestesses would be assigned to chant prayers to it around the clock.^[1]

Story

Pre-Cataclysm

The Frostmoon Scions' Archpriestess 500 years ago, Lovia, believed that the Sampo Mill would bring paradise to the people of Nod-Krai and wrote to Rotwang about working together to find it. While informing Lovia about the suicide of the woman meant to bear the sacred heir, Rotwang expressed his interest in the Sampo Mill^[3] while hiding the fact that the woman had already bore a son, Avrelian, who was adopted by a soldier. Many years later, Avrelian graduated from the Snezhnayan Royal Military Academy as a non-commissioned officer, but supposedly died in the line of duty; several years later, he reappeared as "Reed Miller," founder of the Treasure Hoarders and champion of the common man.^[4] Unbeknownst to Avrelian, his fall from rank and turn to thievery were all part of Rotwang's plan to gain his trust and convince him to steal the Sampo Mill.^[5]

Rotwang approached Avrelian, informing him of his heritage^[6] and convincing him that they were both chosen by fate.^[7] Through Rotwang's influence, Avrelian went to Hiisi Island and stole the Sampo Mill, recruiting Alia — the older of the twin sisters chosen to replace Avrelian's mother as the sacred heir's mother — in the process. Despite Alia's doubts about Rotwang's plan to have Avrelian turn himself in to the authorities and gain audience with the Belyi Tsar, Avrelian expressed his faith in Rotwang, steadfastly believing he would surely return safely if he was truly the prophesied Ruler of Elysium. His faith proved misplaced, and he was executed without ever meeting the Belyi Tsar.^[4][6]

Cataclysm

With the Sampo Mill delivered to his hands and Avrelian eliminated, Rotwang proceeded with his plan to ascend to the heavens, break through the false sky, and usher in the Abyss. To do this, he created the Pillar of Embla, planning to use the Sampo Mill to siphon the land's energy, which fueled his ascent from the Pillar into the "Elysium" that lay beyond the skies.^[8] He is implied to be the reason why Nod-Krai was the worst affected by the rampage of Abyssal monsters during the Cataclysm.

Rotwang's plans were narrowly averted through the intervention of Alia^[8] and Solovei, Avrelian's childhood friend who sought vengeance on Rotwang.^[9] To prevent Rotwang from using the Sampo Mill, Alia threw herself into it, using her flesh and blood to "ignite it" and kill Rotwang in the process. The Silver Lampwick was then sealed at the top of the Pillar of Embla to stave off the Abyss. However, Rotwang was prophesied to revive twice more, and he indeed revived soon after Alia's sacrifice. Solovei, with the help of Alia's twin sister Aila, sealed Rotwang at Kipumaki Cliff and established the Lightkeepers to keep the Abyss at bay.^[8] Aila also gifted Solovei the Arrow of Terpikeraunas,^[10] which he built into Piramida's structure for the day that Rotwang would revive one final time.^[5]

In between Alia's sacrifice and Rotwang's revival at Kipumaki Cliff, Aila assassinated Lovia and assumed control of the Frostmoon Scions. To guide them on a new path which did not fixate on rebuilding Hyperborea, Aila sealed away information about the Sampo Mill inside the Sanctum of the Oathbearer.^[11]

Around a decade after Alia's sacrifice, Brahe popularized distorted legends about "Reed Miller"^[12] which included mentions of the Sampo Mill.

Present Day

Some of Brahe's influence can be seen in the book The Legends of Reed Miller, Thief Extraordinaire, a popular anthology of pulp fiction harem work stories based on the Reed Miller legend.^[13] Both Netochka and Rahetar are both able to quote the book by heart.^[14][15] In the book, the Sampo Mill was seized by Prokhor Trubetskoy, the fae governor of Nod-Krai, and kept in his palace. Seeking to correct this injustice, Miller stole back the Sampo Mill and all the governor's other ill-gotten gains; he also "stole" the hearts of various female characters, including a Frostmoon Scion maiden, the governor's daughter, and a fellow thief named Wagtail. While Trubetskoy was never involved with the Sampo Mill in reality, he was robbed once by Avrelian and once by Alia, the latter of which caused his adoptive son Brahe to fall in love with Alia and join her.^[4]

After failing to revive ten years ago and another time three years ago, Rotwang comes close to reviving and successfully carrying out his plan for the Sampo Mill during the World Quest Series Nightingale's Song. Through the combined efforts of the Traveler, Illuga, and the Lightkeepers, with guidance from Alia — who lingered in the seam between time and space thanks to the Sampo Mill — Rotwang is finally destroyed for good. The Sampo Mill's current status is left unaddressed.

Trivia

Etymology

• In Finnish mythology, the Sampo or Sammas is a magical device or object described in many different ways, constructed by the blacksmith, inventor and originally the sky god Ilmarinen, and which brings riches and good fortune to its holder, akin to the horn of plenty (cornucopia) of Greek mythology.

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References

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