A Cultural Overview of Carcosa

 

The words "Carcosan society" rendered by the Gallifreyan Translator (resized) courtesy of BBC Studios

Idealized Eternities

At first glance, Carcosa seems to be a sci-fi Utopia dedicated to fantasy and indulgence - and there are good reasons for that. Their worlds are wonderfully terraformed, gorgeously engineered, and designed for comfort. Those who work also have plenty of free time, and many don't have regular jobs at all. Given their technology, minimal crews are needed in many - if not most - fields. So inhabitants often don beautiful bespoke bodies and fashions because why wouldn't they? With their basic needs fulfilled, they can focus on what they want out of eternity.

Learning how they govern may deepen the impression of an impossibly ideal culture. There are no castes, though there is structure. Teams generally handle different aspects by committee. Leaders rise if they're needed, prove themselves through merit, and step down when their tasks are done. If they don't, others simply stop following and move on without them. This keeps institutions from becoming top-heavy and top-down. Even their famous Queens, Camilla and Cassilda, continue to serve because they're the only ones fit for their roles, though tales exist of others who tried and failed.

But what allows for these advancements can horrify many mortal beings and make Carcosa seem like a decadent hell.

Identity Across Aeons

Most who dwell in Carcosa began their existence somewhere else. They left their original bodies behind and their souls (known as Actors) journeyed to their new home. Somehow, they Resonated in harmony with Carcosa until they found their way to it. No one knows entirely how this is possible or why. Not all who start on the path end up at the gates, but those who do are greeted, educated, and given new bodies (called Masks) to begin their new lives. While some natives of Hastur's aeon still exist, immigrants have been received from every universe thereafter except for one.

What Is Abandoned

Life in Carcosa lacks many features others find essential. First, Masks created for use inside The Shell (the black hole shield that surrounds the last remaining Carcosan star system) are infertile. This practice began as a way to shepherd resources for an immortal population, but it continues because time doesn't function normally inside the barrier. Pregnancy, birth, and childhood cannot proceed as they should, so infants and children are not permitted, natural-born or otherwise. While they can breed elsewhere and their children might find their way home, Carcosans are invariably adults within their pocket universe.

Although Masks develop signs of wear over time and must eventually be replaced, they don't age. Outside of accidents and actors who are expelled after losing Resonance, Masks hardly ever "die." And other than rare incidents when some actors vanish or leave, Carcosan souls don't perish. Thus many of the usual landmarks of life - birth, development, sickness, decline, and death - are missing or negligible. Blood ties are also fairly rare and limited: most arrive alone and aren't joined by relatives later.

So for many reasons, Carcosans don't identify themselves by physical traits. After all, none of them retain their original forms. Generic Masks can be obtained with little difficulty; custom Masks take longer but much about them can be tailored to order. Either way, no single model has everything one could desire, so trying new ones is encouraged. And Carcosans know they are much more than bodies for a fact: every time they leave a Mask, they still exist. Having flesh just allows them more fun experiences.

What Is Embraced

With so many pillars of identity gone, how do Carcosans define themselves? The short answer is: purposefully.

The Great Houses

Most Carcosans gravitate toward one of the ten Great Houses. This isn't simply a metaphor for the experience: their Resonance actually shifts and pulls them toward their new House. The personal change helps them bond with other members and collaborate in teams quickly. And while they don't have to live with other members, many of them do at various times. Either way, they spend a lot of time in their comrades' company doing fascinating things.

The Great Houses embody the highest aspects of Carcosan society, and they offer special ways to engage in it. Along with education, each House offers unique and incredible powers; mastering them takes a long time, which is good for such long-lived beings. House roles and projects not only benefit the whole society but offer opportunities that wouldn't be available otherwise. They also provide a divine pleasure - something members relish even more than they did before. Finally, every House has a special location known as a Great Hall, which is usually only available to members.

And when they've spent more than enough time in one House, a Carcosan may Resonate into another.

Relationships

Survivors of Hastur's universe live alongside immigrants from nearly every aeon since, but differences that cause friction elsewhere usually inspire fascination instead. First, Resonance draws them to one another, which can be a heady experience. Then, with so much to learn and experience together, it can take a while to grow bored. Without cruelty, moving on is rarely resented and with enough time, old companions might reunite in new ways.

Along the way, Carcosans choose the terms of their relationships with a freedom many others would envy. Transplants leave their former connections behind, so it no longer matters if those people would approve of their new ties. And old norms based in fear, greed, and jealousy quickly fall apart in the face of their new reality. Resonance helps build and maintain trust, and there's enough companionship for everyone. They just need to find the right people at the right time.

As long as everyone involved understands and agrees, they are allowed to enjoy their compacts in peace. And as long as there's no lasting disharmony, others would rather not interfere. They know how vital connections are to their sense of self. Wherever they come from and whatever they do, who they are and how they spend their time is heavily influenced by the people in their lives. So even if they partake in casual flings, they tend to choose their approach to relationships carefully.

Revelry

At its heart, Carcosan society revolves around pleasure. Carcosans don't exist to suffer and struggle but to innovate and savor the fruits of their cleverness. They wear Masks to enjoy physical sensations and celebrate because it's fun. On any given day, a party is happening somewhere and everyone is invited, whether or not a special occasion calls for it. Anyone who wants a taste can have it because you never know when you'll meet someone who will change your life.

But their revelry isn't rooted in escapism or entitlement; satisfying themselves and others is paramount. Resonance lets them know when they begin to harm someone else, and the discomfort it causes urges them to stop. Though Carcosans can take substances to heighten their enjoyment (known as euphorics), they aren't made with harmful or habit-forming ingredients. Any addiction is psychological and likely to draw the attention of the House of Mists (and thus, likely to be remediated and short-lived). And euphorics are never necessary for a good time.

Roles

Carcosans choose their own social roles, so it's easy for them to embrace what they do wholeheartedly. Since their basic needs are provided for through well-honed systems, relatively few have to labor. And those who labor are widely respected and valued because of what they provide for everyone else. As a result, pressure to choose or perform is replaced with encouragement to experiment. Finding what suits them best may take time, but Carcosans have plenty of that. But because they're without vanity or greed (more on that shortly), they have no drive for grand personal success. Exercising skills and serving others is more fulfilling than any applause or currency could be.

Their Essential Being

A Carcosan's core form is made of energy coalesced into a small spiritual constellation. Most have nine stars, each one corresponding to various aspects of existence. These energies are embodied in their Great Houses, but every Carcosan contains all of them in some measure. Brighter, more intense stars reflect forces that are more influential in their lives; stars closer to the center reveal the same. As their personalities and values change, their constellations shift. Some Carcosans learn to see and read each other's constellations, which helps them understand each other. But ultimately, they learn how mutable Carcosans are. Over enough aeons, anybody can become just about anything while retaining a core of selfhood.

A small number of Carcosans possess a tenth star. The Ten-Star Carcosans are special in their rarity but also in their talents. They are often capable of far more than others, without the use of advanced technology and House powers. This is because they were gifted in their previous universes to such a degree that it became part of their souls. They may lose access to some powers temporarily as they settle into new Masks but once they're fully synced, they regain their abilities, even if Masks must shift to accommodate them.

The Seeds of Vice & Virtue

From the beginning, Carcosa was different, but then every aeon is. By Hastur's design, it was created without certain vices - namely greed, sloth, and vanity - and their absence has shaped Carcosan society ever since. From its earliest days, it was easier for sentient beings to work together peacefully. Eventually, they reached out across the stars, found other species, and embraced them. And as new souls join, they leave those old vices at the gate, whether they want to or not. This keeps a great deal of strife at bay and helps the party continue.

While other civilizations live for command or righteousness, Carcosa persists for charity and celebration. This doesn't mean Carcosans are without vices, but their types and degrees vary. For them, pleasures of the flesh aren't shameful so long as they're mutually desired and shared. Wanton destruction is distasteful, as are desires to make others feel and do worse. But the taboos of other peoples and places mean little to beings who live indefinitely and can switch bodies on a whim.

An endless amount of time to live and learn does come with costs, however. The first price they pay is a penchant for obsession. What often begins as curiosity can quickly spiral out of control for the average Carcosan. Novel experiences can be potent and addictive when you've lived so long, and anything that gets in the way can become an obstacle. And when nothing else matters as much as what you want, it's easier to lash out at what you don't. If this goes on long enough and runs deep enough, one may lose Resonance and be expelled from Carcosa. This is something most don't want to risk because there's no knowing if they'll be able to Resonate again.

Despair is another serious threat to peace. Even in such an advanced society, boredom can curdle into sadness, hopelessness, and disgust. This is especially true for those who pull away from their community (or vice versa). Ultimately, loneliness is the worst part of the disease because those who suffer cannot see a way out on their own. This is why Carcosans see despair as a failure of others, not the one whose light is fading. If left unchecked, it leads to worse than exile - it leads Carcosans to give up on life entirely and fade away. For a culture as averse to entropy as theirs, this fate is regarded with alarm and dread. Just about anyone will drop whatever they're doing to help someone avoid it if they can, and will mourn the loss if they can't.

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