Preparations

I must admit I am somewhat nervous. I officiated weddings before, but never anything so high-profile.

Luna and Franco are getting married, and I have been given the honor of officiating their wedding. This is not merely a wedding, and not merely a capsuleer wedding! No, it is the wedding of our directrix! The wedding of someone I hold in high esteem and like to call my friend.

Everything is prepared, I went over the liturgy and ceremony with the couple. Scriptures are chosen, music is set, traditions picked among the many in the cluster.

And yet I had a nightmare that, as I was asking if anyone objects, a sedevacantist would stand up and start slandering the marriage as the groom is not of the faith - Franco hasn't converted yet. Franco has selected a paranymph - a member of the faith who will vouch for his character and ensure the children are raised in the faith. So there is no religious obstacle whatsoever to this wedding. But still, undercover agents under the influence of Nauplius would no doubt use the occasion to make a ruckus. And I know Aria would quickly take care of any heretic objecting, immediately helped by Ishta. But still.

The fallacy of insult

I'm afraid our dear Directrix made a terrible mistake.

I realized this when I was studying background literature for my treatise on the history and customs of the Khanid. I came across a bulky tome, Tullius Ranin's famous "Heathens in heat: courtship rituals of the pre-reclaiming Khanid tribes". I read that it was common to impress potential partners by gifting cattle, to show off one's wealth and power. 

It seems this tradition still holds today, Nauplius apparently gifts livestock to those he deems worthy of his romantic affections. I also learned that Lunarisse was the recipient of thousands of head of cattle. She had the dung collected and delivered right into Nauplius' quarters in Mehatoor. However, dung was not without value in the ancestral homelands of the Khanid. It was dried and kept as fuel for stoves in the cold winter months. When a potential partner would send dried dung back, it meant not only that he/she had accepted the gift of cattle, but also conveyed the lewd message "I will keep you warm at night".

To me it comes as no suprise any more that Nauplius applied for membership of SFRIM.

Renewed doubt

Goner Sarachem was in the New Eden system today, and I set out to locate him with so-called combat probes. I warped to the location shown to me by Lunarisse Aspenstar, hoping that this would bring me closer to him. I thought it would already indicate a direction in which to look, extrapolating the location in a line away from the star. As I arrived, I almost immediately received the following message on local:

"This is a distress call to anyone listening in the vicinity! We are a Guristas research and trading facility that's under heavy attack! Please come to our aid before lives are lost!"

Almost instantly after that message, I received again a message, directly on-screen this time:

"Stay out, capsuleers! This is a private matter and your interference is not welcome. If you engage our forces, interfere with our task, or do anything else except leave immediately, we will have no choice but to attack you."

Though I did not engage, I was scrambled and subsequently attacked, and my humble frigate was destroyed. I barely managed to warp my capsule back to Farthest Shore. I weep and pray for the lost lives of the crew.

I met shortly after with professor Moriarty. We had a wonderful discussion on quantum physics and on the ways to warp without having to set an end point to the warp. I always thought I could only warp to a destination that is in the overview, but apparently, warp velocity can be reached by other means, and in the direction of one's own choice without any anchoring point at the end. I will exercise his technique when I get a new ship.

However, there was a more worrisome discussion point. Professor Moriarty told me that I was most likely lured into a so-called “combat site”. Whomever warped me there fully intended me to die. But, the thing is, I warped to the exact location shown to me by Lunarisse Aspenstar on our previous meeting in New Eden.

 

I came to trust Aspenstar quite completely. Who would not, after all the help and kindness she showed me? The docking rights at Farthest Shore? And the other archeologists she buried, were they not heretics? Was she not righteous to take law in her own hands? 

 

But then, why would she bring me to the stage of my own death? As she showed me the place, she fatefully mentioned "This is the place where we bury capsuleers." I made nothing of it at the time. 

 

I was wrong.

More on the Aspenstar interview

I spent the day in the library, reviewing expedition logs. But I must also write down some notes on the interview with Lunarisse Aspenstar, now that it is still fresh in my head.

We met two days ago, in evening, when she was ready with her tasks. I was invited to the offices of SFRIM – as I learned, the corporation ticker refers to the Sefrim. It should have been obvious…

As tense as I was, I think at first Aspenstar was even more tense. I had to pass security screenings and these guards took their jobs very seriously. There is security personnel everywhere, and I think that was not a display just for me. 

We held our discussion in the corporation’s chapel, a most beautiful place that invites meditation. It turns out that, unfortunately, Bathana’s archives were lost during the attack that took his life. This is a setback. But, as I reported yesterday, I was offered a new lead, namely the research of Reinhart Novan. 

I asked about the attack on Nauplius’ expedition. She says she attacked him because he is a heretic who is wasting people’s lives on his expedition. She also mentioned that he has a case pending for the Theology Council, which Nauplius failed to mention to me. I did not press the matter, as it seemed to irritate her. Also, their personal conflict is not of interest to me in my quest. My gift to her, a holoreel copy of a lecture her father gave a long time ago, took away her irration and she graciously offered me the use of the corporation’s library.

Although I miss the expertise of the librarian at the Imperial History Museum, I can access most of its collections from the SFRIM library. And on top of that is has information that is not in the IHM, such as telemetry and flight records of Novan’s expeditions. But what I like most is the tranquility of the place, in sharp contrast to the hectic bustle in Amarr.

It is a good place to work.

Aspenstar meeting

I had it upside down.

Lunarisse Aspenstar is not against archeological investigations, on the contrary, she has been most helpful and even allowed me access to the research done by her corporation. They have not only done purely academic research: one of their capsuleers, Reinhart Novan, ventured out on a quest for the Ametat and Avetat and kept meticulous records. This treasure trove of information was shared freely, spontaneously and in the spirit of advancing science. On top of that, I can use their library, a hidden gem.

Grateful for all this openness I decided to reciprocate and share my own research with Aspenstar. This may be naive but I choose to trust my instinct after our meeting.

And let it be a lesson to me – distrust galnet forums and impressions gleaned from the press, even from IGS discussions. Meeting people in person is the only way to judge their character. I had thought Nauplius was the scientist and Aspenstar was only out to possess the artifacts, after my meeting I have come to believe it is the other way around.

I will write more about the meeting, but I am eager to spend the day in that library and study their records.

Nauplius interview

Last evening, I waited till nocturns, reviewing my archives and reading. There is always a stack of “to read” papers ensuring that I do not lose time by idling. Aspenstar contacted me briefly to say that there was an emergency with one of her pilots requiring her attention. She did not return that evening before I went to sleep. 

Today, again Aspenstar seems busy. But, once again I saw Nauplius docked at the station. Today, I took the opportunity to talk to him. He kindly answered all my questions. Firstly, why Gamdis III? His only reason was that Aspenstar was digging there. He did not do research; he just picked the spot that others were investigating. And thus, he could give me no additional information that can explain why Gamdis III is of interest. I think he is an opportunist rather than a real archaeologist.

Then I asked him why his expedition was attacked. He tells of the official claim: Khimi Harar attacked him because the slaves doing the digging were illegally acquired. I don’t get it, why did they not use the official institutions for that? Why attack an expedition? His explanation is that they are after the relics themselves. Under the cover of a “family business” in sand sailing on Gamdis, Aspenstar continues the excavations.

I also wondered at him being in the same station that Lunarissa Aspenstar proposed to meet. He says it is coincidence, he lived here a long time. Finally, he accused not only Aspenstar but her entire corporation of heresy: wanting to free all the slaves, regardless of whether they are ready. He says she wants to use the Ametat and Avetat for that wicked purpose. But he also said: “She is pretty secret and equivocal about her abolitionism”. Yet another heretic on my path to Ametat and Avetat? But why then does she accuse Kernher of heresy? Maybe heretics accuse each other of heresy, just like madmen can call out the madness in each other but not recognise it in themselves?

Lunarisse Aspenstar reaches out!

Lord, I was trembling and quaking, and now much later the trembling has not subsided yet!

As I was lurking in the comms channel "The Good Word", Lunarisse Aspenstar reached out to me and wanted to make contact! I had not planned to contact her for quite a while, but I had not understood that everyone is visible in these channels. She looked up my biography and obviously was triggered by my interest in archeology... 

I am not sure whether she wants to kill me or help me.

I will not copy the entire conversation here, but just summarize how it went. There was first a bit of chat about my vow of non-agression, a foul-mouthed girl called Ishta Maleto wondered at that. But soon after I confessed my interest in archeology, Aspenstar appeared to help. She sent me some basic stuff on Ametat and Avetat even though I had not mentioned these artifarts yet! I found that suspicious. It was information everyone can readily find, and I am sure she knows much more. She did confess having an interest in archeology. She also mentioned one of the first directors of her corporation was also involved in this search. I must find our who he is (male, since she uses directrix for a female). And, I must also find out whether he died a natural death.

Lunarisse Apsenstar then pointed me to Aridia and Genesis. She did not mention Kador, where the Araz and Kakol constellations are, as she must know very well. Is she trying to divert my attention?

She also revealed that Kernher was stricken from the Book by her Holder, became a heretic and is in exile somewhere in the Federation. That would explain why she does not answer my letter. However, she is still alive and remains a person of interest because of her Toth collection.

Finally, we agreed to meet in person. She proposed the chapel at the 24th Imperial Crusade station in Mehatoor. Apparently, that is the headquarters of her corporation. I will meet her there in two days time. If there are no log entries after that, then the finder of these logs will know who murdered me.

This first meeting was a momentous event for me. I would almost forget to add that I found another person of interest in the IGS comm channels: Valerie Valate. She is an archeologist and proclaimed on the channel: “Valerie Valate > what with me being the greatest sani sabik capsuleer philosopher of the modern era, and all that jazz.” 

Since the recent explorations focused all on the Takmahl lead, interviewing a Sani Sabik archeologist with vanity issues, could be useful, however revolting it may seem. Ah, why are so many of the persons of interest heretics?

Historical records on Ametat and Avetat

 No reply yet from Kernher.

I hired a personal assistant to help me get around in Dam-Torsad.

I spent my time wisely in the Imperial History Museum’s library. The Caretaker of Archives is a most kind and helpful woman. She has pointed me to the works of ancient historians who mention the disappearance of the Ametat and Avetat, and to the works of modern historians on the matter. I learned a great deal, which I must try to summarize here.

Below is a reproduction of the oldest depiction of the Ametat. It is also the only depiction that predates its disappearance. It is a gold-on-wood icon with inlaid gems showing a golden-masked Sefrim holding the Ametat. Not very visible on the reproduction is the red crystal close to the top of the Ametat. The icon is part of a diptych, and there was an accompanying icon showing a Sefrim holding the Avetat. This second panel is now missing.

The oldest depictions of the Avetat show it as a halo with something like crossbars surrounding the Emperor’s head almost like a helmet. It is only much later that depictions show a crown in the usual sense. The oldest written descriptions are fragmentary. They describe the items as made of a light, strong material that did not show sign of wear or rust.

The most complete early historian on the matter is Ashot of Iphria. He is also the first historian in the modern sense of the word, in that he not only relates one side of the story but tries to include different opinions and compiles different sources. However, he lived around 18500 AD, nearly two thousand years after the disappearance of Avetat and Ametat, situated around 16900 AD.

In “De Aurora Imperii”, Ashot lists the most common theories in his days, relating to the disappearance of these artifacts. The main theory – still today I believe – is that God took these items back because he was displeased by the behavior of us Amarrians. If that is true, then most certainly in this era we will not earn them back.

The second theory is that the Avetat is held in secret by the Speakers of Truth – and it is what gives them their wisdom. In this theory the Ametat was kept by the Council of Apostles, to keep it safe from the then warring heirs and to keep the power of the Emperors in check. If that is so, the Avetat may still be in the possession of the Speakers, but the Ametat has probably been moved during the Moral Reforms.

The remaining theories only agree on the fact that there was a theft. But they do not agree on the thief: some claim the Court Chamberlain, others claim this or that heir or warlord.

Several works from after the Reclaiming (so after 20078 AD) mention that the artifacts fell in the hands of the Sani Sabik. This theory of course does not explain what happened to the artifacts in the millenia between their disappearance and the origin of the cult in the early days of the Reclaiming.

The Sani Sabik think they are the only ones destined for greatness and worthy of immortality. If they’re worthy of immortality, the idea goes, they are also worthy of the other gifts of the Sefrim.

The group that absconded the artifacts ran away with them to create a New Amarrian Empire. They used primitive cryo-ships to escape and settle in the Araz constellation. They founded the Takmahl empire, which rose to some importance before collapsing. The flight of the Takmahl and the founding of their empire is well documented history, but the fact they would have taken the Ametat and Avetat with them remains speculation.

I believe now that Tertius Ausonius Bathana (Aspenstar’s father) adhered to this latter theory, which would explain his extensive research on the Takmahl.

I also take note that Lord Aslan focuses his search on the Araz constellation and neighboring Kakol, where Gamdis III is located. Probably he also researched the Takmahl lead.

The pieces of the puzzle start to fit.

SFRIM corporation

How could I have failed to notice this? Aspenstar's corporation is called "Societas Imperialis Sceptri Coronaque", the imperial society of scepter and crown. This is a direct reference to the Ametat and Avetat! To be honest, the ticker "SFRIM" does not hint at it. Thinking of it, neither does "Khimi Harar" directly associate to LUMEN. 

Gamdis III and previous expeditions

 I learned that about a year ago, an expedition was sent to Gamdis III in the Kakol constellation, by a wealthy capsuleer and Khanid commoner that goes by the name of Nauplius. He built a research station, the Ametat Archaeology HQ, which was soon after destroyed by an alliance called Lumen. 

The reasons for this destruction are not clear, it appears Nauplius is in a race with Lunarisse Aspenstar (aka Lunarisse Daphiti) of LUMEN to find the artifacts. This lead points to Anath V, as is clear from this fragment on the background of Aspenstar:

Anath V is a storm planet known for an unusual population of indigenous wildlife colloquially named “Sefrim’s Veil” floating through its tulmultous skies. Killed during the attack were many colonists, administrators, soldiers, gas miners and their families, including Tertius Ausonius Bathana, a noted archeologist from Hedion University, known for his study of the ancient Takhmal and his quixotic pursuit of the Ametat and Avetat, and his Ni-Kunni wife Mairi Beaumonte, the-then heir to a Ni-Kunni trading clan. Perhaps the most famous survivor of the attack is the couple’s then four-year old daughter, now known by the call-sign of Lunarisse Aspenstar of the loyalist capsuleer alliance Khimi Harar, who later came to maturity on Mishi IV in the care of her mother’s extended family.[https://forums.eveonline.com/t/rumors-gossip-tabloids/130182/91]

Another explorer involved in the search is Lord Jude Benayahu Aslan, searching also in Gamdis III in the Araz constellation:

Lord Aslan’s expedition is rumoured to be visiting both the more well-known Araz constellation, known for many historical sites and ruins, as well its lesser-visited neighbors, such as the Kakol constellation, perhaps in the hopes of discovering sites overlooked by others. The expedition is well equipped, with specialists from Hedion University and the Royal Amarr Institute, teams of mechanics and technicians, as well as security, numbering close to a hundred souls.[https://forums.eveonline.com/t/rumors-gossip-tabloids/130182/93]

However, Lord Aslan’s expedition seems to have ended in disaster on 5-9-YC121, due “to catastrophic technical mishaps with excavation equipment and the site’s unstable geology.” It is interesting that he is also a suspected leader of the Purity of Throne cultists. And again, Lunarisse Aspenstar was close by the accident:

The MIO spokesperson expressed gratitude to Khimi Harar for their tireless Search and Recovery efforts, and other assistance in the aftermath of the disaster. The Executrix of Khimi Harar had been on vacation in the world and was among the first on the scene to render aid and mobilized response forces. [https://forums.eveonline.com/t/rumors-gossip-tabloids/130182/94]

Why is Gamdis III a candidate system for the relics? There is a mention of “local legends” for salespeople paddling false souvenir relics. And why does Aspenstar try to stop these expeditions? What did her father Bathana look for or find in Anath V ?

Aspenstar seems too dangerous to approach. I will start with the others.