Theories

• Fairies and Constructs
• Squirming Coil Timeline
• Lever and Its Owner

Fairies and Constructs

Theories on Fairies, spiritual awakening and communication, the ancient civilization's use of souls, adaptive roles of Fairies and constructs, and the fulcrum and The Far Shore in Tunic.

1. Fairies as Caretakers and Preservers

Core Idea: Fairies aren't just aggressive defenders; they play a crucial role in maintaining and preserving constructs like the Siege Engine.

• Evidence: The maintained state of the West Garden compared to the overgrown East Forest suggests ongoing care. Fairies, found in strategic locations like the garden, likely contribute to this upkeep. Their behavior and placement indicate a dual role of both protection and maintenance.

• Supporting Points:

  • Fairies appear near well-kept areas, implying active efforts in preservation.

  • Their tools, which could double as weapons and maintenance equipment, support this dual function.

  • The pristine state of the Siege Engine suggests it is being cared for, possibly by the Fairies, during its dormant phases.

2. Spiritual Awakening and Communication

Core Idea: The player's journey in Tunic is deeply spiritual, symbolized by actions and interactions that highlight a connection with the ancient civilization's spiritual realm.

• Evidence: The yawn at the start of the game symbolizes a physical and spiritual awakening. This sets the tone for a journey that involves both discovery and spiritual growth.

• Supporting Points:

  • The Fossil of Self speaking in Tuneic, understood by the player, highlights the character's innate ability to connect with the spiritual entities and understand the ancient language.

  • The idea that the player can hear and understand the Fossil of Self underscores the depth of spiritual connection and communication throughout the game.

3. Ancient Civilization's Use of Souls

Core Idea: The ancient civilization used living souls to power their constructs, adding a darker layer to the game's lore.

• Evidence: The sophisticated design of the constructs and their ability to recharge and sustain themselves hint at a life force or spiritual energy being utilized.

• Supporting Points:

  • Constructs like the Siege Engine exhibit behaviors suggesting they are more than just mechanical; they might be infused with spiritual energy.

  • The aggressive defense mechanisms of constructs and Fairies could imply a need to protect the spiritual essence within them, supporting the notion of soul usage.

4. Adaptive Roles of Fairies and Constructs

Core Idea: The roles of Fairies and constructs have evolved over time, adapting from their original purposes to meet the changing needs of their environment.

• Evidence: The Fairies' ability to switch between caretaker and defender roles depending on the situation reflects their adaptability.

• Supporting Points:

  • Fairies found in the West Garden, maintaining and defending it, show their dual-purpose nature.

  • The design and functionality of their tools suggest an original role in maintenance that has adapted to include defense as needed.

5. The Fulcrum and The Far Shore

Core Idea: The fulcrum is both the central idea of the ancient civilization and The Far Shore that shatters, symbolizing their achievements and fragility.

• Evidence: Page 41 and 42 of the instruction manual, depicting The Far Shore and where the player can teleport, is in what looks like a silver shard, symbolizing the fulcrum's central and fragile nature.

• Supporting Points:

  • The Fossils of Self as a lever: both physically and spiritually significant, acting as conduits for maintaining balance and power.

  • This duality highlights the tension between creation and destruction, stability and chaos, within the ancient civilization's achievements.

Squirming Coil Timeline

The theory of the squirming coil timeline in Tunic.

Core Idea: The concept of time in Tunic is a squirming coil, indicating a non-linear progression that still moves forward, with no beginning and no end.

Evidence: Page 4 of the instruction manual states that there is no beginning and no end, supporting the idea of a cyclical timeline that intertwines past, present, and future, tuning into a coil rather than a simple loop.

Supporting Points:

Lever and Its Owner

The theory of the lever and its owner in Tunic.

Lever

The world of Tunic is the "lever," and the lever has a connection to the player's world, which is why the player plays as the Ruin Seeker and can control their every move. The "lever" is metaphorical, as while there may not be a physical lever, it functions as a connection to the player's world.

The Canonical Plane, the world of Tunic, is also the bar for the "lever." In science, there are three type of levers, and this would function as a first class lever. The effort force is the player controlling the Ruin Seeker, the load is the Ruin Seeker themselves, and The Far Shore is the fulcrum (the point at which one pivots the lever bar). This is the connection on how the player is able to control the Ruin Seeker.

Potential Prequel

When the player begins to control the lever too much, The Far Shore (fulcrum) breaks. There is proof of this with the map of The Far Shore, as it looks like a broken shard, and most of the map is not there. Because of it breaking, the player was unable to control the Ruin Seeker, so a war broke out between the ancient foxes and the Disquiet Beings.

This suggest there will be a game prequel, because there needs to be someone controlling the Ruin Seeker before the events of the game so that the lever becomes overworked. The world which the player is unable to control is in ruin, and the fulcrum is restored via The Heir. The player can have control again as the future Heir, or as the Ruin Seeker they typically control.

Supporting Evidence

Page 4 of the instruction manual substantiates this theory, by stating "the" lever rather than "a" lever when describing "the lever overworked," but stating "a" lever" rather than "the" lever on page 3, describing "a lever in the Canonical Plane."

The Lost Echo description on page 39 states: "An ECHO-OF-SELF from a past Ruin Seeker whose owner gave up. Watch and listen closely and release it from its agony." Lost Echoes have owners, so the player is the owner through the lever. Both the Ruin Seeker and the original hero are referred to as the "hero" in various cases, so this can mean that the player controlled the hero before the game, giving a reason on why the lever was (or is) overworked.