I must try to summarize Reinhart Novan’s efforts.
His search for the Ametat and Avetat took place six years ago. He had become rich and powerful, but unsatisfied with his life. He went on a spiritual retreat, and this was where he first started searching for God in his life, letting Him in. In doing so, he found his calling: to use his resources to find the Holy Relics. I am happy for him: God is always waiting to be invited in our lives, but most of us are too busy with ourselves to see that he is in waiting in the lobby of our heart.
He also first followed the Toth lead. His conclusions are that the Toth expedition was most likely attacked by the Jovians, or by some forgotten colony or outpost. The trail seems to have gone cold for him.
And, again mirroring my own journey into this mystery, he next focused on the Takmahl lead. He mentions a research society focusing on the Takmahl, called “Project Revelation”. They are part of a group called the Arek’Jaalan, based in a place they call “Site One” in the Eram system, Metropolis region. By the time Novan reached Site One, the group was already in decline. Nevertheless, he obtained many records, and decided to focus on the Araz constellation. He mentions finding cryoship remains in the lowsec worlds near Araz, but the location is not clearly revealed.
Next, he mentions dr. Valerie Valate as a source for information on the Takmahl and the archivist of the Arek’Jaalan. My frist impression was that she was just vain when she called herself the greatest expert on the Takmahl, but she indeed turns out to be a leading scholar on the matter. I will have to meet her in person, but she is a heretic of the worst kind: a Sani Sabik. She has texts and lost pieces of the Sani Sabik text, the Apocryphon, that could prove invaluable. But a researcher must be strong and overcome his loathing of heretics, especially Sani Sabik. Sometimes, you must reach trough muck to unclog a drain.
This was more difficult for Novan, as his actions reflect on SFRIM. Throughout his records, I found that his obligations to the corporation – especially given his wealth and power – were hampering and delaying his research. I understand now much better why Tal-Romon made me take the triple vows of poverty, non-aggression and celibacy. Only “Devoid of distractions” will my soul be “free to soar and be close to God” (Missions 42:5).
Novan’s final entries concern his trips to the Museum Arcana in Zimse and and the Labyrinth in Aphi. I have already reported on these places of interest before, and I am glad to find this confirmed by a separate source.
His final leads concern the links between the Takmahl and the Talocan, he surmises that the latter may have caused the end of the Takmahl empire and that the Takmahl rose to prominence because they found Talocan data. This seems to undercut the Takmahl lead, since it would mean they did not have to rely on the Avetat to give them their wisdom.
The cluster was undergoing great changes at that point, as Catherine’s Star appeared. He then seems to have taken leave from the corporation. I guess he did this to focus more fully on the search. But, it also entails that the records that the corporation kept end there. I hope one day to meet this adventurer, I get a strong feeling that our paths will converge at some point.
