The lake city

Today I took the "fast" land transit to Nizunpaska, the city by the lake. I put fast in quotation marks since it took most of the day to get there, crossing a large and desolate mountain range. Nizunpaska (its Napanii name as indicated in the stations is not the local name) is not a large city by any planetary standards. 

While its core districts are still markedly Caldari in the way we know it from Jita, the old lakeside part has a different feel to it. It is more relaxed and less efficiency-focused. The remoteness of the city with respect to major metropolitan areas also shows itself in the demographics: there are markedly less Deteis and Civire here than in the main hub I was yesterday.

The city is located at the eastern tip of the lake, so the sun sets over the lake. Right in front of the city, there is a small islet in the lake, deemed a holy place by the inhabitants. In the evening, they gather at the lakefront to watch the sunset. Even though it was a bit cloudy, I took a picture to remember this place.

After sunset I went for dinner, and had a simple meal, the local soup. It is a fish stock with fermented soybean, to which they add small clams from the lake and local vegetables. I was explained that there is quite an art to serving the soup, as the serving (in a bowl) must balance greens and non-greens in the soup, as well as balance floating elements (a kind of fungus) and parts that sink to the bottom of the bowl. Also the clams must have opened in exactly the right way. I hope I did justice to the dish...

Arrival on Achura

I traveled to Achura today, third planet in the Saisio system. Eager to start this adventure, and wondering about my counterpart heading to Mehatoor. For sure, he will have a more easy travel - he can just dock up and walk to the library, where mr. Jensen awaits him. 

Me, I have to travel to a mountain monastery, in a more remote part of the planet. Today, I stay in the large metropolis where my shuttle made planetfall, and where border officials checked my paperwork. I got a free Sukuuvestaa Mass Transit pass, allowing me to travel around for the duration of my stay.

The city is immense, but it and reminds me more of Jita than of Dam Torsad. Things are geared towards efficiency and industry, and there is less emphasis on historical relevance and of religion. The Sukuuvestaa corporation and its subsidiaries appears to be present everywhere. There are billboards and advertisements everywhere, and they try to personalize them to those who walk by. Mass transit is very well organised. I had difficulties orienting myself, but a mass transit employee went above and beyond in his efforts to show me exactly where to go.

I will rest up at a hostel for pilgrims. Tomorrow I will take the fast rail system to the city closest to the monastery. The town's name can be loosely translated as "water city". It is located at the top of a large inland lake, right at the mouth of the main river that feeds the lake. This will require me to take a long trip over land, over a mountainous range.

New recruits

Only a few days left before I leave for Saisio III. I am curious what I will find there. I am also thinking of my counterpart, who must be preparing now for the trip just as I do.

In the last couple of days I met several new recruits, the alliance appears to be growing at an accelerating pace. It seems to me that almost every time I enter Gottin's lamp bar for a coffee, there is an interview going on. One of the new recruits, Zohra Ismayil, spent time in a monastery before joining, and I felt a kinship even though she is very young. She is interested in exploration and books, so there's common ground. 

Another new recruit appears to be a former member of the order of St. Tetrimon. They have grown in importance. The recent troubles with Equilibrium of Mankind infiltrators -as highly placed as Alar Chakaid in the Theology council- have started inquisitions and purges to remove heretics from positions of power in the Empire. The Tetrimon, who from the very start suspected and apprehended Alar Chakaid, have proven themselves useful in the purification of our ranks, and I expect their power to increase further.

The Tetrimon also hold old manuscripts and old parts of Scripture, which are no longer the official canon but which may hold clues to the fate of the Avetat and Ametat. When I get back, I must find our Tetrimon corp member and talk to him.

Ishta's manumission part 2

It was a beautiful ceremony, in the SFRIM chapel. So many people were gathered, all supporting Ishta and being happy about her bright future. 

Lord Pitoojee delivered a magnificent speech, a mix of rejoicing and warning. Indeed, life as a free person comes with responsabilities and duties that you have to set yourself. No longer are you told what to do, you have to figure out all that yourself...

Ishta's family was also there. I met young Arne, Ishta's half brother if I'm correct. He is interested in the ministry, and feels the calling. He is still young, so his calling will meet tests of faith, but I plan to support him. I'll give him a little job in the library. He can prepare himself for the seminary and study scripture in the quiet hours.

There was a nice surprise at the end of the ceremony, one that further propels Ishta towards her future. So many developments are happening all at once...

Ishta's manumission

Later today, Ishta's manumission ceremony will take place. I am quite curious to see how it will go. I confess that I don't quite remember from my theology studies how these ceremonies work... back in the days it was just some sort of footnote.

You see, when I was young, it was a time when not many slaves were set free. Manumissions were rare, and I can't remember ever attending any. This was in Heideran's days, but it was well before the Pax Amarria. That was published while I was secluded in the monastery. The same goes for empress Jamyl's decrees, these occurred while I was not in touch with worldly affairs.

I came back to a changed Empire. Yet I think it is a change for the better. Manumissions show to those that are still enslaved that there is hope and a real goal to work towards. Praise be to exemplary holders such as lord Pitoojee who guided Ishta from a very dark place towards the light.

Rens incident

A few days ago, I was transiting in Rens, in Heimatar. The warp core of the Indigatrix was giving me warning messages, so I docked up for quick repairs. You don't want a warp core malfunction in between gates. I was waiting in a small bakery shop, with a coffee and a book, while the repairs took place.

In the Republic, it is not uncommon for us, Amarrians, to get yelled at and insulted. Never accept coffee that you did not see being brewed in front of your own eyes, unless you like the taste of spit. Now especially the tempers run high, as Minmatar pilots are all riled up by these foolish reenactments of battles against Amarr for Republic "liberation day" celebration. Like every year it ends up being a celebration of violence.

As I was waiting, a man came up to me menacingly. Judging by his clothes and demeanor, he was military. Pale skin, dark hair, rather tall. He had a Sebiestor face, with scars on his face but no visible tattoos. Maybe he didn't take the Voluval, maybe he was born in Empire space. He somehow knew I was in LUMEN, because he addressed me as "Lumen". He yelled it as he came towards me and looked quite disturbed. 

At that point I was trying to remember when I had last made a clone backup.

He did not draw a knife or gun, though. He just shouted at me, confusing language. About how I should tell Tamiroth that Howdahri was attacked and killed. Now, I know Tamiroth as the fourth planet of the Amarr home system. And I have no idea how I have to pass on a message to a planet. I concluded he had mental problems, and frankly, at the moment, I was too stunned to respond.

He added an accusation about the murderess of this Howdahri. I will not repeat it here as I do not want slander another member of LUMEN. The man turned and left before I could respond.

As I said, I thought these were the ramblings of a madman. So while I was a bit shocked I gave it no further thought.

That is, until I found out that Tamiroth is not only a planet, but also the name of one of our SFRIM members, apparently on leave now.

Preparations

I have started with the preparations of my visit to Achura. The advice, kindness and help of many Achur in our alliance has been invaluable - I am especially thankful to Franco, Aria, and Therese.

I plan to leave as soon as I can, but certainly not before Ishta's manumission ceremony on the 11th. Lord Pitoojee has deemed she is ready to be freed. Although she is still a bit a diamond in the rough I would humbly say I agree with his lordship's evaluation. 

Great changes are coming for her, and they come all at the same time. She also got her capsuleer licence, and will be acceding to the illustrious house deSilvestris. I hope she can cope with all these momentous changes in her life. My impression is that she starts with a lot of energy and idealism in her new life, with plans to make the Empire (or at least Nakri, the deSilvestris homeworld) a better place. I hope the cynicism of veteran nobles will not dissuade her.

The go-ahead

I met with Lunarisse and Franco today. Not in the context of their freshly minted marriage, but to ask their support and help for my plan to visit Achura (Franco's home world). 

I received permission from Lunarisse, as Directrix, for this exchange.

Franco gave me advice, supplementing the advice I also got from Aria and Therese. He would also look into the monastery that I chose, and see if he can find more information on it - maybe it is linked to the monastery close to where he lived! If that is the case, he was willing to recommend me, and that would certainly help me get a glimpse of the relic of the 'Rod of the Creator'.

So, I will go forward! And in a few days, enroll in the exchange. I am a bit anxious but mostly curious to what I will find there.

Beach barbeque

I was able to talk to Aria about the exchange with Achura. Lunarisse was also around, but the setting was not ideal. She had just returned with Franco from honeymoon. SFRIM had organised a beach BBQ in an picturesque atol with solitonic resonances leading to large waves. She was attempting to surf them. This is apparently a tradition after concluding wars.

It is unclear why this relaxation must envolve exposure to ionising solar radiation and corrosive fluids, but all seemed to enjoy the sun and sea. Aria shares with me a certain discomfort with such relaxation, or at least that is how it appeared to me. 

She reassured me that there will be no security concern to let an Achura monk take my place for a short while. But Aria also explained to me that Caldari society will not tolerate proselytizing. The silver tongued poison of Federation propaganda has made them wary of any foreign influence. So, while I am visiting, I should definitely lay low and keep my own rituals and practices very private. I will heed these wise warnings.

Monastery of the Seeing Blind

I looked more closely at the ACRE program, and found that I can apply to one of the monasteries that has a piece of the Rod of the Creator relic. 

The possibility that caught my eye is the "Monastery of the Seeing Blind". I would be able to visit them for about two weeks, staying in the monastery and learning about their rites and the relic. In exchange, a monk from their ranks would take my place in the library. It would be a capsuleer monk, trading places with me, a capsuleer friar. 

I haven't seen Aria around when I was in the library, but I hope to see her or Lunarisse tomorrow, for her approval of the exchange, or maybe a suggestion for a better exchange partner.

Collapse of the Takmahl empire

Yesterday I have been mulling over the question posed by dr. Valate: could the Takmahl have found Abyssal space? I concluded that they would not have done so while settling in Araz, nor do I think it is plausible that they did in the golden age of their civilization.

That of course leaves out the period of the late Takmahl empire. The downfall of their civilization was as meteoric as its rise to prominence was. The reasons for their quick demise are unknown. From an advanced civilization, in the timespan of merely a century, they collapsed to a pre-industrial state of barbarism.

Indeed, when scouts and explorers first reached the region, they found a backward stone age cannibalistic people that did not remember any of their former technology. The population had dwindled to a few semi-nomadic settlements in a decaying urban wilderness they no longer understood. The tools and edifices of their ancestors, the Takmahl, were venerated as relics left by ancient gods. Only the rites of the blood remained in practice, true to their long-lost Sabik origins.

What apocalypse befell the Takmahl? 

The standard theory followed in Hedion and other universities in the Empire is that at some point, the falsehood of their Sabik religion caught up with them. The depravities got worse and worse and collapsed their society, perhaps aided by the abuse of cyborgs in their cults. 

Another popular theory is ecosystem collapse. Most worlds in Araz are barren, and they relied on hydroculture in the ocean worlds in the constellation. Concurrent asteroid storms, inferred from cratering studies, appeared to have struck these worlds around the same time as the decline of their Empire.

Here now we may have a third theory. It is a variant of the theory formulated before by Valate once before in the context of Drifters, at the fourth SeyCon conference. That theory states that the Takmahl encountered a civilization much more advanced than they are, and perhaps unwittingly started a war with them. The new version of this theory would then involve Abyssal space. Maybe at some point they were able to reverse engineer the spatial rifts at the Labyrinth site enough to tinker with them and reached Abyssal space (or wormhole space). If they started looting it, who knows what they might have triggered. A reprisal by the Drifters? Or maybe the Triglavian's ancestors?

Takmahl in Abyssal space

Today I came across an interesting article by prof. Valate, a prominent Takmahl scholar whose works I track. Quite provocatively, she asks:

"was [it] possible that the Takmahl were able to create portals to abyssal realms, and made contact with someone or something there, not necessarily the Triglavians, during the time the Takmahl were active, some 1500-2000 years ago [?]"

Previous works (among which also those of Valate herself) assume a link between the Takmahl and the Talocan. The Sabik who fled Amarr at the height of Queron I's persecutions had technology no more advanced than cryoships. In a short timespan after they settled in the Araz constellation, they developed advanced cybernetics and ship fittings that still today we marvel about. Takmahl artefacts and materials are used to this day to produce advanced ship modules. 

So how could they so quickly go from refuguees to an interstellar empire? The consensus is that they stumbled upon Talocan technology left in Araz. The influences of Talocan technology on their society is visible through the artefacts and relics that are found in the ruins of their cities and space installations. It has always been implicitly assumed that they found this Talocan technology in deepspace pockets in Aphi and the other systems of the pentagram constellation.

I wonder about the track that is being explored - so far as I know without proof. Is dr. Valate suggesting that the Takmahl actually met the Talocan or their descendants in Abyssal space? It seems doubtful that in the initial stages, when they settled down, they would know about Abyssal space, let alone have the technology to go there. Filaments as we know them require more advanced ships than what they had.

Maybe the question is whether during the golden age of their Empire they would have found a way to go to Abyssal space. As ms. Jenneth suggests, traces of Isogen-10 would reveal this - but as far as I know there have been no such traces. Also, if they would have an influx of new knowledge and the ability to exploit Abyssal space, I would think this would give them a second boost, a second rapid expansion if not in territory then in technology. Again to the best of my knowledge there is no trace of that second spurt.

The Rod of the Creator

The Achura are a deeply spiritual people, which I find a bit at odds with the rest of the Caldari State. The Achura homeworld, Saisio III, is also the home of many relics. 

Those who believe that some long-lost civilization colonized our cluster through the Eve Gate often point to Saisio III as an important planet for that lost civilization. In their minds, the relics of the Ancient Gods are nothing but leftover technology from a thriving world before the Dark Ages.

There is one particular relic that interests me a lot - the Rod of the Creator. It is not one piece, rather it consists of different relics scattered over several monasteries. Some of these pieces have been stolen, some even hunted down and returned by loyal Caldari capsuleers. I've been fascinated by this relic, and in my mind I have come to link it to the Ametat, the Sceptre.

Now that my road forward with the Takmahl corpse is blocked, as I can't legally obtain a clone from someone else's DNA, this is the next route of investigation that I will pursue. Layla Accadis' corpse has been waiting for a thousand years, she can wait a bit more.

Could it be that the Sceptre, through some winding and mysterious path, at some point made it to Achura? They barely left the iron age a few centuries ago, so they would not have known its significance but surely they would have felt its power. How did it become fractured? Do the Achura have myths or tales of how it got there? I want to find out.

The monasteries on Achura are not readily accessible to visitors, at least not the interesting ones. But I have a plan.

To strengthen the ties between the Empire and the State, especially since the fall of Niarja, there are several cooperation and exchange programs. ACRE is one of these programmes, the "Amarr - Caldari Religious Exchange". The idea is that monks (friars are also eligible) from the Empire and the State trade places for a while. I would spend time in an Achura monastery, and an Achur monk would come to Mehatoor. 

I'll have to discuss this with Directrix Phonaga (yes, she took Franco's name). She'd be reluctant to let strangers into the SFRIM offices in Mehatoor, I think. So, maybe I'll first get Aria on my side. She is also from Achura, and linked to the monastic tradition. I have time, I suppose Lunarisse is now enjoying her honeymoon.

A wedding and a victory

They say misfortunes never come alone, but apparently that is also true of good things.

The wedding yesterday was magnificent. The Farthest Star chapel, usually a quiet place, was filled to the brim. Many Gallenteans came, to my surprise. The Gate seemed particularly active, throwing its whisps of light as if it was celebrating with us. 

The ceremony too was beautiful, the sedevacantist protesters from my nightmares were absent. There was only an interruption by Amadin, who mock objected like a jealous fool. The bride and the groom looked fantastic! There was a reception afterwards, but I may have dozed off a little. Maybe it was the release of the tension that I had felt officiating this wedding that made me sleepy afterwards.

Today, more good news arrived, probably the best wedding gift of all that were given. 

Our war with the Kybernauts comes to an end! God has given us victory! The fall of the Wirashoda Azbel was indeed the turning point, our victories multiplied afterwards. Their resistance crumbled before the onslaught of the unlikely alliance between LUMEN, Electus Matari and PNS. In their hasty retreat, the Kybernauts abandoned or burned down their own last fortresses. None remain, after yesterday's final mopping up operation.

Alas this was but a stage in a much longer war. For the Kybernauts are but the henchmen of their Triglavian overlords. The Triglavians are still strong, even if their servants have been defeated. With all their talk of proving, it stands to reason the Triglavians will not like failure. So, while some Kybernauts now try to seek refuge in the arms of their masters, hoping punishment will not be too harsh, others have chosen to run away and turn to piracy. 

Let us be gracious in our victory, and try to guide these wayward capsuleers back into the fold.

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.

Welcome mr. Jensen

Mr. Jensen arrived and took up his job as assistant librarian. He immediately made sure we acquire copies of the works of the laureates of the New Eden Literature contest. He is also applying the formalism that he invented, the Jensen index, to our book catalogue. Who would have known that octonion number geometry would be so convenient in library science?

I am glad to hear that mr. Jensen is adapting well as assistant librarian. Some of our customers have a hard time dealing with the disability that makes his slow in comparison to our neurological clocks, so I might consider hiring an additional "Overseer of the Shelves" - the rank just below assistant librarian to help mr. Jensen interacting with our customers.

There was today also an interesting question on the forums by prof. Valate. She wonders if the Takmahl may have knowledge of the Triglavian conduit portals. Probably the Triglavians were around in abyssal space then, but did they ever get contact with the Takmahl? This suggestions appears to me as thunder in a clear sky. I have not seen anything indicating it, but I am intrigued...

Naming ceremony

Yesterday there was a callsign naming ceremony in SFRIM. I think the idea is that a slight humiliation keeps capsuleers grounded, or humble. We had to tell embarrassing stories or failures, and then others would pound on it suggesting silly names. 

With drinks flowing profusely, I knew I had to be fast before the whole thing would degenerate. So, I volunteered first, and told the story of how my Abott called me Dozey, a play on the middle syllable  of my name, Theo-doze-eus. 

It appears that during sermons I meditate so deeply that other misconstrue this and think I doze off. The light humming I sometimes make, prayer during meditation, is also often misunderstood as snoring. Dozey will thus both remain and become my callsign during fleet operations.

I was right to go early in the evening. Some people who fell asleep got pounced on by their fellows and now will be known as Zonk. There's an Onion. There almost was a Fluffy. 

I think now of the joint fleet operations with Electus Matari and Phoenix Naval Systems, against the Triglavians. The proud Amarr fleet that joins our erstwhile enemies in a fight against a common threat. And insists to be called flitter, zonk, onion, ipsy and snoopy.

Stuck

I seem to be somewhat stuck. I finally obtained permission to examine the corpse of Layla Accadis and experiment on it, but I cannot get a clone. At wit's end I talked to a man of the Serpentis pirate faction. I was brought into contact with him by a low-level cryogenics engineer from Lai Dai who works at a clone facility.

I was hesitant. The man, Elaziel Sols, only wanted to meet me at some shady bar. I stood out like a sore thumb in that place. Mr. Sols had no difficulty identifying me. I explained my case, and he told me he can provide exactly what I want: a genetically identical body, without consciousness. I don't trust him. I think I want to talk to lord Garion about this first, he has been my moral lodestone.

In other news, I have decided what to do with my prize money. To keep it related to books, I have set up a skillbook fund. Up till the exhaustion of the fund, I will grant anyone from LUMEN who asks money for a skillbook the ISK to do so (up to a maximum amount of 65 million per applicant). That way, I can adhere to my vow of poverty and help our friends at the same time.

Conflicting emotions

Yesterday evening was the gala for the literature prizes. Even though such social events with famous people and parties and receptions are definitely not my biotope, I had planned to attend this event since it focuses on books. It warms my librarian heart to see writing celebrated, and I was amazed at the quality of the submitted works, and at creativity and wit of their writers.

But given the events of the past days I could not bring myself to partake in the festivities. Moreover, I had promised some families of our fallen soldiers to visit them. I cannot cut such visits short to go indulge myself. No matter how strongly I support this initiative, I couldn't make myself go.

I was happy to learn that my modest scribblings have earned me a prize! I am grateful to my promotor, lord Garion Avarr. Now I feel that I did the jury a grave disservice by not attending. Conflicting emotions, joy and vanity and a bit of guilt. 

I think there will be a monetary reward, and I have to think what to do with it. I fully intend to keep my vow of poverty, and at this moment I do not need more money to pursue my quest. I will reflect on how to put this to good use.

Bringing our fallen soldiers home

Even with all the learning, all the clerical training, even with my ordination to perform rites, I was not prepared for this. Not prepared for its weight, nor for its impact on me.

One of the Kybernauts reached out to us, with an offer to retrieve our dead. Our Directrix contacted me to help. I agreed to meet this compassionate Kyber in Hek, in Republic space close to the faction warfare zone. We easily demonize our enemies during war, but I was reminded by this action that Kybernauts can be honorable persons, who just like us worry about their families and honor the dead.

I was given access to a hangar where the Kyber had stored the remains of our fallen. The hangar had been purged of its toxic atmosphere and disinfected from mutaplasmids. My contact appeared only via holodrone. 

All the caskets and urns were there. I was shocked at the sheer amount of them. Thousands. I was overcome for a little while, and the Kybernaut let me pray in peace as I reached out to God for strength.

I barely could fit all of them in my cargo hold, I had to strip some stuff and leave probes and other material behind in Hek. Faced with this problem, to my own surprise I had switched from a state of disarray to a mechanical state of duty to be performed. I had turned into a kind of numb robot. I remember thinking about the optimal stacking problem in my cargo hold as if it was some abstract mathematical question.

I managed to fit all of them in my hold, and brought the most precious cargo I have ever transported back to Mehatoor, and from there it went forward to Nahyeen, to the memorial garden.

My "numb robot" state passed when the memorial ceremony began. It was as if, when I saw that I had completed my task, I could finally once again go back to experiencing feelings. They came over me as a shock wave. A wave of row upon row of flag draped caskets and urns. I said a few words during the ceremony, I cannot even remember what I said clearly now, I let my training and clerical instinct take over.

As I cannot fall asleep, I pray. I pray for strength. I pray for the fallen that journeyed home with me. And I pray that I may never get used to such missions.