Aquila is not the obvious place for preparing for battle, but it does have water, and Thorne's navy is very formidable. It would take a long time for their ships to get across the continent like that, if there was an attack.
His family moved into the castle, he's often with his niece now, I think he is trying to control her, although it's hard to say. We don't know much about him outside of his rank. He's slippery.
The cunning ones usually are. I suppose we're stuck sitting on our hands until someone makes a move.
[ The second part of this message comes at a slight delay, as if Cid is just remembering. ]
Actually — there's something else I wanted to ask you about, if you'll indulge me.
During our time in the dream, you seemed to know much of the Singularity and its workings. I read your notes. Do you still believe that the Singularity's connection to all of these worlds is of a benign nature? Do you have some experience studying this sort of thing?
I have reason to be weary of it, but I wouldn't be unhappy to be wrong.
Yes, I spent most of my life studying something similar, called monoliths. Monoliths are powerful conduits that connect between worlds, creating portals of a kind. The Singularity is different as it is sentient, but I believe it is similarly connected to many different worlds. Thorne's studying of the Singularity and their research toward it indicates that the Singularity is the center, or something similar to that, of the multiverse, the combination of all possible timelines and worlds in the universe. Its connection to us doesn't seem that of an alien, it greets us as if it knows us, as if our existence from other worlds is nothing to it.
As for whether it is benign or not, it is hard to tell what it feels, but those who have a connection to it say that it is positive toward the Summoned and doesn't intentionally mean us harm. I think that true of it in general, it is a powerful entity just trying to exist in the multiverse the same as us. It has the power to destroy this world and it is a quiet presence instead, our most recent experience notwithstanding. In that case, it was provoked and reacted defensively as many people would.
I don't believe it malicious. There are ways it could have done that to us and other realms. What experiences people have had with it directly are overall positive. Just because we cannot personally understand or communicate clearly with it, doesn't mean it is malevolent and should be treated as a villain. Not to mention that with so much of it unknown, and it proved aggressive if feeling defensive, it would be unwise to attack something with so much power when it's done nothing to call for that.
Existing more powerfully than us is no reason to seek to destroy a living being. It is essential to this world to survive. I have done tests on the soil and its magical properties when tied to the Singularity and the rest of the planet. The very lifeblood of this sphere requires the Singularity because it is a natural part of it, as a sun or gravity. I believe that it is connected to many other worlds, without established proof yet, so harm to it may be harmful to many, but it is demonstrated that the Singularity is essential. Destroying it would be destroying the fundamental properties of life on this sphere. It would be dooming potentially every living soul here, and that should never be decided by one person or by one group.
Apologies again for the rambling, as you can tell, I am passionate on this subject and have made it my primary source of study and interest since arriving. I've personally been to the Singularity twice during its weakest state and felt it.
-Istredd
Edited (just adding one thing) Date: 2024-06-22 01:23 pm (UTC)
Not at all — I only regret that I've nothing to offer in return for it.
We have nothing quite like this where I'm from. I was once charged with researching the cause of a magical blight in my own world, and I learned that it stemmed from our very own ancient Mothercrystals, what we thought of as the source of all magic. I worried at first that the Singularity might be similar, but I've learned fairly quickly that their similarity is superficial at best. Thus, I hope to conduct my own inquiries to gain a better understanding of the Singularity.
From what little that I do understand, I find myself in agreement with many of your own conclusions thus far. I don't think that it means to harm the Summoned, or that it has especially malevolent intentions — if it can be said to have intentions at all.
For what it's worth, you have my word that I've no desire to act rashly or threaten it without good cause, and I'll see to it that others from my world stay their hands. I get the feeling you may have encountered a couple of them.
However... I don't like that it can be 'provoked' to such drastic ends, and I'm concerned about exactly who's doing the provoking. It seems like it isn't just the territories who are interested in it, and in us. My guess is that the gods of this world have also seen fit to use it to make a play for our attention... but it could be that there are other factions I'm as yet unaware of.
Thank you again for sharing your work on the matter. You've given me much to think about.
Can I ask — what drew you to the subject in your own world? I can't deny that it's fascinating, but my experience has been that sadly a rare few people are interested in learning for the sake of it. In the dream we shared, and even now, it seems as if you are one of those few.
I do understand people always take their personal experiences wherever they go. It is normal to react when being triggered but I do encourage people to engage with it on new terms. While it has never spoken or felt anything toward me, I visit and speak to it, to continue establishing positive connections.
I agree it was very concerning what happened with the storms. The helplessness on our part in particular was painful. Even those close to the Singularity were unable to calm it down, and that is always a risk. Before we came here, it was quieter from what I can tell. The Summoned have woken it up, for good or for ill, and we've gained the attention of the gods too.
From what I can glean from the clown god we came across and his messages, he does appear to be informing us that he considers us gods rather than humans. The possessive 'you belong' says as much. The gods I'm afraid I have no access too, they only seem active daily in Solvunn, but they are very present there. I think the gods are more poentially dangerous than the Singularity. They've done more harm to us than it has.
The monoliths are ancient artifacts and I find historical accuracy immensely important. History being written by the victors only means no one ever learns from the past, so I sought to find truths about what's come before. The monoliths did have a story to tell, being gateways to other worlds, but no one knew that until recently.
And after I found out about their purpose, I was hoping to use them to bring the elves from my world to a safer sphere to live on. They have been hunted nearly to extinction, I thought it might be their only chance, but I'm afraid it didn't work out.
I'll do what I can to reach out to those in Solvunn, then. You and I are of an accord about the Gods. Regardless of the Singularity's power, I can't be certain that I have any understanding of the way it "thinks", but if the Gods would claim that we're like them, then it stands to reason they're something like us. Dangerous, yes, and fallible.
You remind me of a friend of mine. A man named Harpocrates, who also sought to find the truth of the world and its history, in order to help us forge a better tomorrow. I'm sorry to hear your plan didn't succeed. I attempted something far less ambitious, but with much the same hope — hiding Bearers who escaped the Empire's persecution, in the hope that they might be able to live and die on their own terms.
Do the elves still remain? Have you any hope of them finding some respite?
My friend Wanda is an endless source of assistance in Solvunn, and she is close to one of the gods herself. As is Himeka who lives there. They may have more personal experiences with the gods to draw on and discuss. The gods, much like we were in that fantasy, seem to come when they are called mostly. Including the most recent experience with the clown, he was called by the thief. What he did next however was all his own choice.
I can't tell if they have their own motivations or goals, but I think they are as complex as the rest of us. I don't trust any of them. My first experience with them was when the three heralds showed up and burst into all of our minds and lives, bringing destruction and twisted minds with them. They were officially 'called' by a blood sacrifice in Solvunn, however.
They remain, but I couldn't convince them to leave even if given the chance. They wanted to stay and fight. I gave them information, hoping it would help them, but they used it the wrong way. I suppose that is a running theme for my existence.
-Istredd
[ Meaning as Cid knows from the AU, Istredd has a tendency to give information without thinking consequences through. He regrets now what he told them about Cirilla but at the time he meant well. ]
In my experience, gods rarely have our best interests at heart — even in the dream, when we may have had the best of intentions, that distance from humanity made it so that the scale of our involvement and our limited understanding of peoples' lives often led to as much harm as it did good.
The things that are done to Bearers as a matter of course are monstrous, but I can't tell you the number of them who have refused my aid over the years, and remained within the familiar confines of their chains instead. You can't force people to be saved, as much as you might like to. For many, even terrible familiarity is preferable to the unknown.
Don't mistake my meaning, you're right in thinking that it would be wise to have care about what information you choose to share... after you've done it, there are few ways to control it. As gods, we lived to repeat our mistakes. As men, perhaps we will do better.
I may not trust them but I don't rush to assume the worst out of them either. They've done what we didn't, which is on the whole stayed out of people's lives in this sphere. They only show up when called and mostly in Solvunn. In that fake future we witnessed, we were the ones who more aggressively intruded into the lives of the people.
I do think Thorne and the Free Cities ignore the gods at their own peril though. They are capable of doing a lot of damage if they want to. Lack of belief isn't going to save anyone.
It was wrong, ultimately, for me to think as an outsider I had any say in where they should go. It made sense to me to escape to another sphere, but the one we were on, it was theirs first. They have a right to stay there, even if it felt like folly. As an archaeologist, I should have been more cognizant of cultural needs over survival instincts.
Belief isn't going to save anyone either. Perhaps it's different for you, but I've only seen it bring out the worst in people. [ He's letting his emotions get the better of him, rather than looking at this particular thing more objectively. The crystals, despite all the terrible things they've been used for, are only objects. Ultima was the one who used them, and and perhaps countless others before Barnabas, before Clive had been able to save the rest of humanity. And that's to say nothing of Great Greagor and her ardent followers. ] Ignoring them is a mistake, aye, but only because it means that the Free Cities and Thorne both lack information.
My friend, I mean this with all the affection in my heart, you can't compare everything you've been through to the situation here. If you do, you'll act irrationally at the smallest of provocations, and that won't help anyone. I know you will always be the sum of your experiences, but this sphere is not ours. You must take it as it is to get anywhere.
I was raised in a toxic organization of mages, so I too have projected at times my negative experiences onto Thorne. It's best to judge them on their own merits and mistakes. Which are many. I can bitch with the best of them about this place, believe me, but it is its own mess.
Look... You're not wrong about why I feel the way that I do. My concern is — I forgot my past in that dream. What it led me to was happy enough, but it was... complacent. I'm not yet convinced that it was the right choice, even if the lens I look through now is colored by my past.
I'll not act without a firm understanding of what's at stake. I mean that. I'll do my best to see things as they are. Perhaps we will come to agree on all things, or perhaps it will make us bitter enemies in the end... but you have my respect. I'll not try anything without seeking your council, at the least. With equal affection — that's all I can promise.
I'm not saying we have to forget everything we experienced or what made us who we are. It's just not always helpful to the situation at hand. There may be times when what you've gone through will directly solve situations here and be for the best. It's mostly about pinpointing when it is us being reasonable or being reactive.
And I'm not saying this is a you only problem. I've had this conversation with myself, with everyone I know, probably with the next group of Summoned when they arrive. We are stuck in this world for now and it is imperative to me not to make it worse intentionally.
It makes sense to be unnerved at how much we lost in that strange future, but if anything, it has been a warning we can learn from.
But please don't indicate we could be enemies, I am already too tired and stressed to worry about that!
[ Unlike his usual messages, this is a more instinctive response, so Cid doesn't frame it up like a letter as he's accustomed to: ] Istredd... When was the last time you got some sleep?
All the more reason to not wear yourself into the ground. At the very least, get away from the books for a spell and go for a walk — you might just manage to take your mind off it all long enough to rest.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2024-06-17 11:13 pm (UTC)Aquila is not the obvious place for preparing for battle, but it does have water, and Thorne's navy is very formidable. It would take a long time for their ships to get across the continent like that, if there was an attack.
His family moved into the castle, he's often with his niece now, I think he is trying to control her, although it's hard to say. We don't know much about him outside of his rank. He's slippery.
-Istredd
no subject
Date: 2024-06-21 10:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-06-22 01:21 pm (UTC)Please pardon me for the long response.
Yes, I spent most of my life studying something similar, called monoliths. Monoliths are powerful conduits that connect between worlds, creating portals of a kind. The Singularity is different as it is sentient, but I believe it is similarly connected to many different worlds. Thorne's studying of the Singularity and their research toward it indicates that the Singularity is the center, or something similar to that, of the multiverse, the combination of all possible timelines and worlds in the universe. Its connection to us doesn't seem that of an alien, it greets us as if it knows us, as if our existence from other worlds is nothing to it.
As for whether it is benign or not, it is hard to tell what it feels, but those who have a connection to it say that it is positive toward the Summoned and doesn't intentionally mean us harm. I think that true of it in general, it is a powerful entity just trying to exist in the multiverse the same as us. It has the power to destroy this world and it is a quiet presence instead, our most recent experience notwithstanding. In that case, it was provoked and reacted defensively as many people would.
I don't believe it malicious. There are ways it could have done that to us and other realms. What experiences people have had with it directly are overall positive. Just because we cannot personally understand or communicate clearly with it, doesn't mean it is malevolent and should be treated as a villain. Not to mention that with so much of it unknown, and it proved aggressive if feeling defensive, it would be unwise to attack something with so much power when it's done nothing to call for that.
Existing more powerfully than us is no reason to seek to destroy a living being. It is essential to this world to survive. I have done tests on the soil and its magical properties when tied to the Singularity and the rest of the planet. The very lifeblood of this sphere requires the Singularity because it is a natural part of it, as a sun or gravity. I believe that it is connected to many other worlds, without established proof yet, so harm to it may be harmful to many, but it is demonstrated that the Singularity is essential. Destroying it would be destroying the fundamental properties of life on this sphere. It would be dooming potentially every living soul here, and that should never be decided by one person or by one group.
Apologies again for the rambling, as you can tell, I am passionate on this subject and have made it my primary source of study and interest since arriving. I've personally been to the Singularity twice during its weakest state and felt it.
-Istredd
no subject
Date: 2024-06-26 08:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-06-27 08:37 pm (UTC)I do understand people always take their personal experiences wherever they go. It is normal to react when being triggered but I do encourage people to engage with it on new terms. While it has never spoken or felt anything toward me, I visit and speak to it, to continue establishing positive connections.
I agree it was very concerning what happened with the storms. The helplessness on our part in particular was painful. Even those close to the Singularity were unable to calm it down, and that is always a risk. Before we came here, it was quieter from what I can tell. The Summoned have woken it up, for good or for ill, and we've gained the attention of the gods too.
From what I can glean from the clown god we came across and his messages, he does appear to be informing us that he considers us gods rather than humans. The possessive 'you belong' says as much. The gods I'm afraid I have no access too, they only seem active daily in Solvunn, but they are very present there. I think the gods are more poentially dangerous than the Singularity. They've done more harm to us than it has.
The monoliths are ancient artifacts and I find historical accuracy immensely important. History being written by the victors only means no one ever learns from the past, so I sought to find truths about what's come before. The monoliths did have a story to tell, being gateways to other worlds, but no one knew that until recently.
And after I found out about their purpose, I was hoping to use them to bring the elves from my world to a safer sphere to live on. They have been hunted nearly to extinction, I thought it might be their only chance, but I'm afraid it didn't work out.
-Istredd
no subject
Date: 2024-07-01 05:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-01 06:56 pm (UTC)My friend Wanda is an endless source of assistance in Solvunn, and she is close to one of the gods herself. As is Himeka who lives there. They may have more personal experiences with the gods to draw on and discuss. The gods, much like we were in that fantasy, seem to come when they are called mostly. Including the most recent experience with the clown, he was called by the thief. What he did next however was all his own choice.
I can't tell if they have their own motivations or goals, but I think they are as complex as the rest of us. I don't trust any of them. My first experience with them was when the three heralds showed up and burst into all of our minds and lives, bringing destruction and twisted minds with them. They were officially 'called' by a blood sacrifice in Solvunn, however.
They remain, but I couldn't convince them to leave even if given the chance. They wanted to stay and fight. I gave them information, hoping it would help them, but they used it the wrong way. I suppose that is a running theme for my existence.
-Istredd
[ Meaning as Cid knows from the AU, Istredd has a tendency to give information without thinking consequences through. He regrets now what he told them about Cirilla but at the time he meant well. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-07-04 02:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-06 01:52 am (UTC)I may not trust them but I don't rush to assume the worst out of them either. They've done what we didn't, which is on the whole stayed out of people's lives in this sphere. They only show up when called and mostly in Solvunn. In that fake future we witnessed, we were the ones who more aggressively intruded into the lives of the people.
I do think Thorne and the Free Cities ignore the gods at their own peril though. They are capable of doing a lot of damage if they want to. Lack of belief isn't going to save anyone.
It was wrong, ultimately, for me to think as an outsider I had any say in where they should go. It made sense to me to escape to another sphere, but the one we were on, it was theirs first. They have a right to stay there, even if it felt like folly. As an archaeologist, I should have been more cognizant of cultural needs over survival instincts.
A mistake I won't make again, and strive not to.
-Istredd
no subject
Date: 2024-07-09 02:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-09 04:26 pm (UTC)My friend, I mean this with all the affection in my heart, you can't compare everything you've been through to the situation here. If you do, you'll act irrationally at the smallest of provocations, and that won't help anyone. I know you will always be the sum of your experiences, but this sphere is not ours. You must take it as it is to get anywhere.
I was raised in a toxic organization of mages, so I too have projected at times my negative experiences onto Thorne. It's best to judge them on their own merits and mistakes. Which are many. I can bitch with the best of them about this place, believe me, but it is its own mess.
-Istredd
no subject
Date: 2024-07-13 04:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-13 07:55 pm (UTC)I'm not saying we have to forget everything we experienced or what made us who we are. It's just not always helpful to the situation at hand. There may be times when what you've gone through will directly solve situations here and be for the best. It's mostly about pinpointing when it is us being reasonable or being reactive.
And I'm not saying this is a you only problem. I've had this conversation with myself, with everyone I know, probably with the next group of Summoned when they arrive. We are stuck in this world for now and it is imperative to me not to make it worse intentionally.
It makes sense to be unnerved at how much we lost in that strange future, but if anything, it has been a warning we can learn from.
But please don't indicate we could be enemies, I am already too tired and stressed to worry about that!
-Istredd
no subject
Date: 2024-07-15 02:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-16 03:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-20 05:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-20 08:49 pm (UTC)wrapping? 🎁
Date: 2024-07-22 02:40 pm (UTC)Just look after yourself, is all.
BOW
Date: 2024-07-22 06:02 pm (UTC)