Fifty years after the first contact with the ancient theocratic civilization of ӧssean, earthlings are unsuccessfully trying to come to terms with their mentality, for the sake of incredible mycelial technologies, turning a blind eye to bloody sacrifices, fungal spores that penetrate the veins, and ritual potions that can completely break the human will. Assen religious fanaticism, their customs, language, and culture are gradually changing earthly society. Lukas Hildebrant, a long-time ambassador to Assa, understands that soon the process will become irreversible, and the Earth will completely lose its independence. He is looking for a force capable of resisting the power of aliens, and finds it, but it has its own plans. And the payment for them will be very cruel. Five sacred substances. Five levels on the road to Illumination - the most beautiful and most terrible thing that the ӧssean civilization brought to the planets of people. Gӧmershaul, called Amber Eyes in Terron, will break through the barriers of consciousness. Layogur, Ice under the skin, will focus thoughts on a distant goal. Ӧkryo, Falling into darkness, will destroy with flame everything that was; and Yantrun, Vision, will open the door to a new world and a new reality. And, finally, the river, Voices and stars will call to the soul - and unite the chaos of doubts into a single and unique whole, into the Cosmic Circle of Perfect Existence. This is the faith of ӧssean. However, there are others. People like Lukas Hildebrandt, who, although they understand what they want from them, still will never do it properly. They fundamentally call the Cosmic Circle of Perfect Being the Comic Spirit of Frank Whining; and instead of moving towards God, they stubbornly wander in the opposite direction. For them this is a real hell. Or at least a struggle for life. Five levels of bondage, addiction, madness.