I just wanted to check to see how you're settling in. Hythlodaeus-san came by my office for a chat and mentioned you two are living together. If either of you need anything while you're adjusting to life in Somnius, please call on me any time.
On the contrary. You've told me quite a bit about your reality. [ A lie ♥ ] If you don't remember me, then finding out what your last memory was will help me understand what sort of manipulation this reality currently has you under.
[You got mail from an unlikely source. Saelfen has been missing for several days, since the last Sleepr post. However, Vaeros' sudden absence, along with the Network as a whole, has prompted him to take action.]
Forgive the sudden intrusion, but we must talk. It deals with Vaeros' disappearance and the loss of a rather...useful feature.
I remember you claiming to be both a man of both science and sorcery.
I'd like to speak with you about establishing new lines of communication using the crystals we have. I'm confident that it is possible to create something that has the same functionality as the network we previously used.
At this point, all that remains is to figure out "how". I believe we could use some method to convert mana into the energy required to reform such communication, but even my knowledge of this is limited.
However, I firmly believe we don't need Vaeros to complete such a task.
I agree that it should be possible to recreate the power source. I have little familiarity with how these devices were powered, but I can speak to how such a thing would be powered in my own world.
However, neither can I offer more than the explanations of the theory involved. My own powers are yet to return; as such we would require something to serve as a suitable source even simply for testing such matters.
A reliable source of power, hmm? So how about the Crystal itself? The main one, not the small shards they gave us. If the Crystal is powerful enough to split our reality into multiple timelines, it can power a whole new network.
It's simply a matter of "how" once more. I'm bereft of all my abilities, outside of my ability to enchant mundane items with various properties.
Crystals are frequently used as sources of power on my world. Though I would wonder if it expended any of that power in splitting this reality as it had. If so it may not currently have enough energy to power the network. Though should it work like the ones of my own reality, it would similarly be capable of recharging itself. It is merely a question of how long it might take.
That said, should you wish to speak in person I could offer rough sketches of how such a thing might be used in my own world.
Are they? In my world, only certain crystals are valuable for reasons other than cosmetics. They are usually shards with an elemental charge, such as lightning or fire.
True, the Crystal itself may be weakened as a result of the shattering process. However, if we use my ability to encapsulate just a fraction of the Crystal's powers into smaller crystals, we may be able to offload some of the power required to rebuild a new network.
This is just an idea, one that I'm not even certain would work. However, what do we have to lose?
Yes, let us speak in person. You name the place and when. I'm available the entire day.
My workshop is currently under construction and feels a little cramped. Therefore, your place of residence will suffice.
Make sure to prepare a pot of tea for us. We'll need refreshments as we plan to accomplish the nearly impossible: create something new for the masses to enjoy as they will.
[Lahabrea will unfortunately be getting this absolute monster of a text at approximately three in the morning because what is restful sleep and Harry Du Bois.]
I've been thinking a lot recently about that conversation we had when we were looking for dragons. I remembered this story I read about how rabbits were introduced to a country they were not native to a few centuries ago, and the results were catastrophic; they had no predators there so they just took over everywhere and out-competed native species. It's still an ongoing ecological problem.
How does your research prevent something like that? Species evolve over millions of years in specific environments. Do you just... test out animals in simulated environments somehow, like some sort of way too involved zoo? I know there's some experiment going on in Graad that involves domesticating foxes and I think it's been fairly successful, but even that's not so great. What's the point of trying to turn an animal into a pet if it just spends its entire life in a cage?
I also don't really understand what you meant by "concept". I've been mulling over it, and I honestly don't know what you mean.
You're definitely not breeding animals just to see what happens on a farm in the middle of nowhere, right?
[There's a brief pause as Lahabrea considers how to begin.]
When someone manifests a new creation, or the idea for a new creation, it must then be approved if it is to see either widespread use or otherwise released into the world. In order to so, the concept - the blueprint you may call it - for how that creation is to be created is stored within a crystal and given to those at the Bureau of the Architect for its initial testing. I cannot speak to what criteria the Bureau uses to any great detail, though you may speak to Hythlodaeus on it if you wish.
Assuming the concept to be a living being, once it has passed its approval at the Bureau of the Architect, it would then be sent to Elpis for further testing. I cannot speak to the precise nature of how the researchers of Elpis would conduct their research, but as it is a series of floating islands there is ample room to test a creation's affect on a specific environment as well as how it interacts with any other creations that may share its space.
lahabrea is staring sadly as harry plays 50 questions at three in the morning
Sorry, let me see if I'm understanding this correctly.
One person approves this?
Don't get me wrong, Hythlodaeus is a great guy, but that seems like a flawed way to go about it. Not that voting by committee is any better. I don't know, this just sounds like a fancier version of breeding foxes on a farm. Floating islands at least mean the ecological impact is limited, but it doesn't sound like a great place to study animals. How do people, and animals, avoid falling off the edge?
lahabrea just wondering if it's worth going back to bed
No. The Bureau of the Architect employs a sizeable number of individuals. However, of those, Hythlodaeus is the only one physically present. While I have been to the Bureau a number of times to submit concepts, I know little of the details of what the testing process looks like.
As for Elpis, the edges are clearly marked and even a concept in testing ought to be able to understand the danger of a lack of ground, should it not be one with the power of flight. However, spells to safeguard all those present are simple enough to maintain.
[You'd think that first bit would have occurred to Harry, but it did not.]
I don't know, I feel like that's still a bad idea. I mean I guess the whole floating island thing does mean that you're less likely to create invasive toads on accident.
But I take it you're not part of this research place. What do you do, if you don't mind my asking?
I'm a cop, it's pretty mundane compared to creating new animals.
I - and those who have held the seat I occupy before me - serve as the final authority on creation magicks and its principles as well as overseeing all that falls into the field of phantomology.
As well it should. Phantomology is the branch of creation magic that covers those creations that would not readily fit in another classification. Spirits among them.
No more so than any other branch of creation. While spirits fall under phantomology, so too do elemental creations of various sorts as well as all manner of arcane entities.
Your world is a lot different from mine, I think. A place where the government spends a lot of time caring about such specific aspects of the world is comforting.
Where I'm from? We lost a war so badly our government was disbanded.
I do not know enough of other worlds to say for certain. Nor have I left my own world at a time where it would be considered to be at its best, though the crisis that has come is not one we ourselves have caused.
Maybe because I'm aware of a coming calamity in my own world, though "calamity" makes it sound like it'll be violent, and it won't be. Though I guess it'll be triggered by something violent.
I cannot speak to yours. But through effort, we have found what may yet prove a solution to ours. It is possible the same may hold true for your world.
[ At some point during the week, Lahabrea receives an invitation:
I'll be hosting a dinner party on March 22 and would love to see you there!
Feel free to come to the Horizons farmhouse any time after 5 PM.
Please do not bring anything! No food, no drinks, nothing but your presence. I appreciate the thought, but for me, the joy of this is being able to cook for a group of people, and I would like to handle it myself.
Hope to see you there!
Dr. Maruki
One gets the impression that if you go against his wishes to bring something anyway, it might stress him out...
When the mingle log goes up on the 22nd, please feel free to come tag around! ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
CHRISTENS YR INBOX!? text; un: doc0203
I just wanted to check to see how you're settling in. Hythlodaeus-san came by my office for a chat and mentioned you two are living together. If either of you need anything while you're adjusting to life in Somnius, please call on me any time.
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Ah... if you don't remember that we've met, then I can guess that you're not quite yourself at the moment.
What is the last thing you remember from your reality, Lahabrea-san?
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[Or so he currently believes.]
Nor do I imagine the details of my own world will mean much here?
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[It might not be a lot, informationally speaking. But it is precisely what he would offer to his coworkers, had they asked.]
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You don't have to tell me what you were up to there, but can I ask what it's like, at least?
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text ✧ un: the silver spider
Forgive the sudden intrusion, but we must talk. It deals with Vaeros' disappearance and the loss of a rather...useful feature.
I remember you claiming to be both a man of both science and sorcery.
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I have noticed the first.
[He doesn't use the network regularly enough to notice the other, though he has seen the change in the devices themselves.]
And you remember correctly. What had you wished to speak of?
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At this point, all that remains is to figure out "how". I believe we could use some method to convert mana into the energy required to reform such communication, but even my knowledge of this is limited.
However, I firmly believe we don't need Vaeros to complete such a task.
no subject
However, neither can I offer more than the explanations of the theory involved. My own powers are yet to return; as such we would require something to serve as a suitable source even simply for testing such matters.
no subject
It's simply a matter of "how" once more. I'm bereft of all my abilities, outside of my ability to enchant mundane items with various properties.
no subject
That said, should you wish to speak in person I could offer rough sketches of how such a thing might be used in my own world.
no subject
True, the Crystal itself may be weakened as a result of the shattering process. However, if we use my ability to encapsulate just a fraction of the Crystal's powers into smaller crystals, we may be able to offload some of the power required to rebuild a new network.
This is just an idea, one that I'm not even certain would work. However, what do we have to lose?
Yes, let us speak in person. You name the place and when. I'm available the entire day.
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I am likewise available. My place of residence should suffice, unless you would rather another location?
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Make sure to prepare a pot of tea for us. We'll need refreshments as we plan to accomplish the nearly impossible: create something new for the masses to enjoy as they will.
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[Tea, at least, is not particularly difficult, even without his abilities.
Are you aware of where I reside or will you require further directions?
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Hell, we might be neighbors for all I know.
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[There follows a description of where he lives.]
text; un: harrydb I'd apologize for this wall of text but I'm laughing too hard
I've been thinking a lot recently about that conversation we had when we were looking for dragons. I remembered this story I read about how rabbits were introduced to a country they were not native to a few centuries ago, and the results were catastrophic; they had no predators there so they just took over everywhere and out-competed native species. It's still an ongoing ecological problem.
How does your research prevent something like that? Species evolve over millions of years in specific environments. Do you just... test out animals in simulated environments somehow, like some sort of way too involved zoo? I know there's some experiment going on in Graad that involves domesticating foxes and I think it's been fairly successful, but even that's not so great. What's the point of trying to turn an animal into a pet if it just spends its entire life in a cage?
I also don't really understand what you meant by "concept". I've been mulling over it, and I honestly don't know what you mean.
You're definitely not breeding animals just to see what happens on a farm in the middle of nowhere, right?
no, it's great and I love it
[There's a brief pause as Lahabrea considers how to begin.]
When someone manifests a new creation, or the idea for a new creation, it must then be approved if it is to see either widespread use or otherwise released into the world. In order to so, the concept - the blueprint you may call it - for how that creation is to be created is stored within a crystal and given to those at the Bureau of the Architect for its initial testing. I cannot speak to what criteria the Bureau uses to any great detail, though you may speak to Hythlodaeus on it if you wish.
Assuming the concept to be a living being, once it has passed its approval at the Bureau of the Architect, it would then be sent to Elpis for further testing. I cannot speak to the precise nature of how the researchers of Elpis would conduct their research, but as it is a series of floating islands there is ample room to test a creation's affect on a specific environment as well as how it interacts with any other creations that may share its space.
lahabrea is staring sadly as harry plays 50 questions at three in the morning
Sorry, let me see if I'm understanding this correctly.
One person approves this?
Don't get me wrong, Hythlodaeus is a great guy, but that seems like a flawed way to go about it. Not that voting by committee is any better. I don't know, this just sounds like a fancier version of breeding foxes on a farm. Floating islands at least mean the ecological impact is limited, but it doesn't sound like a great place to study animals. How do people, and animals, avoid falling off the edge?
lahabrea just wondering if it's worth going back to bed
As for Elpis, the edges are clearly marked and even a concept in testing ought to be able to understand the danger of a lack of ground, should it not be one with the power of flight. However, spells to safeguard all those present are simple enough to maintain.
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[You'd think that first bit would have occurred to Harry, but it did not.]
I don't know, I feel like that's still a bad idea. I mean I guess the whole floating island thing does mean that you're less likely to create invasive toads on accident.
But I take it you're not part of this research place. What do you do, if you don't mind my asking?
I'm a cop, it's pretty mundane compared to creating new animals.
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[He has some passing familiarity with it, yes. But that is more so for the fact that sometimes he must pass through it than anything.]
I serve as one of the members of the Convocation of Fourteen. The... governing body of Amaurot, it would be best considered.
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Though it sounds different from the governing systems I've heard of.
What's your role?
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What's phantomology? It makes me think of ghosts.
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Gonna go out on a limb here and say it's highly dangerous if there's an entire branch of government dedicated to it.
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Your world is a lot different from mine, I think. A place where the government spends a lot of time caring about such specific aspects of the world is comforting.
Where I'm from? We lost a war so badly our government was disbanded.
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Not in an angry way? I'm glad it seems your people get along. If only my world could do the same.
I know it's not a perfect place, since nowhere is, but it sounds like a far better one.
[It's difficult to convey in text how much he means it. Though, Harry has always been the honest sort.]
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That was pretty bad of me, assuming.
It's even worse if it's not something in your control.
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Maybe because I'm aware of a coming calamity in my own world, though "calamity" makes it sound like it'll be violent, and it won't be. Though I guess it'll be triggered by something violent.
Never mind. I'm rambling again.
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Me neither. It's a terrible thing.
I'm sorry it's something our worlds have in common.
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invitation - no need to respond!
One gets the impression that if you go against his wishes to bring something anyway, it might stress him out...
When the mingle log goes up on the 22nd, please feel free to come tag around! ]