Reinhart Novan

 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.

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.

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.