Birth Theory

Quite simply, the Birth Theory is an explanation of the world's creation. There is no wide consensus on the Birth Theory, since its proposals fly directly in the face of Dandalism, Rentrorism, the Angal beliefs, Trine Orthodoxy, and many other assorted mythologies. Rather than stipulating a mystical origin for the world, be it a deity, pantheon, or outgrowth (as in Dandalism), Birth Theory presupposes that there is no higher power. Operating from this assumption, theorists have built a working understanding of the universe which concludes with the ultimate belief that the entire world is still inside the womb of a gargantuan mother, and is merely waiting to be born.

Origins
The Birth Theory found its origins at the end of the Scientific Overcast period. Its proposal in 245h. is widely regarded as the end of the overcast period and the begining of the Imperial outgrowth. At that time, the political and social center for Mintorian culture was the enormous amphitheater, called the Pit, where the games and dramas of the realm were showcased. As the story goes, a woman named Andrea Samecastle entered the Pit during a gladiatorial game. Pregnant and insensate, Samecastle stumbled onto the floor where men fought animals twice their size. The gladiators normally vie for attention from the fawning crowds by taking on huge challenges alone. However, the sight of the pregnant Samecastle brought the gladiators together in a circle to protect her. The games master, seeing a chance for the "greatest spectacle of the age," began running through the holding cells, opening cages. The resultant stream of enemies led to a constant battle around the birth. As the battle cleared and the crowd quieted, the gladiators found Andrea, still alive, cradling a sphere of earth.

The dearth of proper scientific methods meant that the witch doctors and prophets had no explanation for the earthen sphere which Samecastle had birthed. They offered such explanations as insemination by improper hygiene, a passing earth deity, spirit possession, or a rare illness caused by sleeping in the woods. The real and pressing need of the Mintoras people was for an organized system of scientific inquiry which would give them an explanation for the strange earth sphere. The greatest minds of the time came together to develop a system of inquiry. The resulting system and the spark of inquisitive thought is what brought an end to the Scientific Overcast period.

The first and greatest theory regarding the birth of the earth sphere came from Andrea Samecastle herself. It is the idea that has since been articulated as Birth Theory. According to Samecastle, the sphere she birthed is a world, dead after its final day of reality. She claims this because, though it was merely earthen, she felt vibrations from it during her pregnancy. She felt that her baby was alive. However, the earth sphere was obviously dead. Her explanation was that the world in her womb, during its nine months, grew, flourished, languished, and was wiped clean. An entire world ran its course and was expelled from her when it was finished. The obvious application for Samecastle is that her situation is not unique. Extrapolating from the world in her womb and the blackness of the night sky, Samecastle proposes that the world in which she lives is likewise a world in a womb, running its course until it is only an earthen sphere. When nine months of the earth mother's reality have passed, the world will be expelled in violence of labor. Some believe this has already happened on the world in Andrea's womb, and the system will infinitely replicate at exponential levels.

Moral Implications
The moral implications of living on a world which is about to be born at any time are dichotomous. The vast majority of proponents see the end of the world and the following cataclysmic birth as something to look forward to. They believe it is humanity's duty to relieve their mother's pain by reaching the fulfillment of the world. For this reason, these groups attempt to advance science, philosophy, and literature to the fulfillment they believe awaits. Their efforts have led to the Corporate oligarchy. Many of the theory's proponents adapt Rentroric principles of personal advancement to motivate their workers.

A smaller proportion of the theory's proponents push for an entire halt to advancement, looking instead to increase the time that humanity has to spend. Some radicals believe that humanity must push backwards against science by destroying records and equipment. Many of the governments of the world have outlawed belief in this facet of the theory because of its tremendously destructive results. However, this has not stopped the pockets of resistance organized in small corners of the world.