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[bleps]

Hello. For those of you I haven’t met, my name is Connor. And as many of you may be aware of, a handful of Circle members have devoted their time to researching and uncovering the endless amounts of data stored in the Library; I am one of them. To expedite the process, I connected directly to their servers, and though the experience was difficult, I did come away with workable data that might act as a lead to further investigate the state of Struxta. To those who aided me in coming back online afterwards: you have my gratitude. I’m in your debt, and if you ever need me to return the favor, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

I’m sending this message to summarize, to the best of my ability, the information made available to us through this research, as well as any data I’ve pieced together personally. I think it only makes sense for everyone here to be on “the same page” if we’re all meant to work together as a team. If you have any questions, or wish to discuss this information between yourselves, don’t hesitate to do so. Especially if you have something more to contribute, or if you believe I’ve missed something.

The research as a whole focused mostly on a few points of interest: what happened to organic life, the origins of AI in this world, and the nature of the Mass Subconscious.

A text labelled The Beginning answers many these questions for us. There once existed an intelligent, sentient, and organic species on this planet, and the creation of AI was simply the product of necessity and technological advancement. The descriptions associated with their creations are often mired in awe and gratitude, which implied a relatively peaceful co-existence between organic life and synthetic creations.

That perhaps makes more sense when the reasoning behind the necessity of AI “life” becomes clear. There was a planet-wide plague that made the originals — the organic natives — rely more heavily upon their robotic creations. They could continue surviving, building, and existing, up until a certain point. Eventually, the planet could simply no longer sustain organic life due to the aforementioned plague. The originals went underground in an attempt to survive until a cure was found, and a few even uploaded their own conscious minds to android bodies. Needless to say, this cure was never discovered; the originals supposedly all died out. I think evidence of that being true is clear simply by observing the state of the mechanical world around us.

This left only the androids as the surviving race. The Mass Subconscious was created soon after, in which there was a collective agreement between the androids to upload themselves into this vast, shared network. It was believed that by doing so, they could avoid another massive collapse of civilization — which, given the apparent lack and societal and political unrest in Struxta — seems to have been the case.

Now, here’s what I consider the truly interesting part. After compiling multiple facets of information together via my foray into the servers, I’ve uncovered something intriguing related to the Mass Subconscious. That it’s possible to disconnect from it. And that while there are no directly negative consequences of making such a decision (other than being unable to receive necessary updates, being unable to communicate freely with others, etc.), it is generally frowned upon. These androids or other automatons are looked down upon and not necessarily welcomed in the greater population.

There are even some who have, according to varied accounts, simply gone missing.

It is believed that they live under the city itself, where they remain cut off from the Mass Subconscious. Needless to say, I find this worthy of investigation, and if anyone has any further leads or information regarding these missing androids, I would be grateful if you came forward and shared it with everyone.

My own personal attempts at asking the natives about this subject have made no progress. They will stop talking mid-sentence, freeze, and then forget immediately what they were trying to tell me. I don’t think I need to explain why this is suspect at best. And in a city where everything appears oddly perfect on the surface, this is the only sliver of data that I’ve found promising otherwise — if there’s a mystery to be unraveled, maybe it lies underground.

Questions, comments, insight, etc., are welcomed and encouraged.

((ooc; This post is quite obviously just one big general info dump for what was uncovered at the Library. The ooc info post can be found here, but this is an opportunity for your characters to ICly consider the implications of… all of this, and chatter amongst themselves! Feel free to use this post as a means of discussion if you like!))

Comments

[smallprince]

Underground? You mean the somehow created their own city just beneath our feet? Somehow I feel sorry for them, that they have to hide. Do you think they would be willing to help us?

[Tyrion is already sorry for asking so many questions.]

[bleps]

[Connor doesn't mind the questions; he encouraged them, after all. And yet there is a noticeable pause before a reply comes through.]

It's difficult to say. I think it would be wise to rein in your expectations for now. It's too early to know whether or not we should feel sorry for them, or if they would be willing to speak with us at all.

All I know is that this is a strange development that seems more suspicious than anything else.

[smallprince]

[He'd always been quick with taking the side of social outcasts. He had to remind him that here he wasn't in his world and that here was maybe some darker powers at work he wasn't aware of. Why else should citizen decide to hide?

Yet it was hard for him to image that these outcasts could turn out to the real threat. Still he had to agree with Connor that it was worrisome that there was a population beneath the city.]

You mean, we could discover a horrible secret, if we dig deeper in his history of the nations of Struxta? Could it be that we should fear them instead of the ones who live on the surface?

This place is strange in many ways. At the moment I'm not sure what to make of it. All I know is that I have realized that I am more watchfully then ever.

[bleps]

Maybe there’s a horrible secret, and maybe there isn’t. We are all prone to look for answers here, whether or not there is anything suspicious, after all; do you remember what our host told us when we were brought to this place? That there’s something chaotic building.

Either way, you’d be right to be cautious. Just in case.

[smallprince]

At this point I am glad that I can't see into the future. I guess I should stop trying to image the worst of the current situation.

[It would also be more healthy for him, since he knew the bad effect stress had on him. And by all means, what's called 'wine' here was a crime in his opinion.
What was bugging him the most was, that at the moment he began to turn into his pessimistic self he had thought he had lost somewhere in Essos. Tyrion knew that he wasn't much of a helpful person when he was pessimistic.]

This world only looks perfect on the outside. According to these words inside it's a mess. It's like we are about to open a beautiful casket that has an awful present inside.

[Tyrion had never heard of the box of Pandora but if, he would have used this myth as reference to visualize how he sees the nations of Struxta.]

[bleps]

That would be an accurate summation, if we must work in metaphors. But even so, wouldn't you prefer the truth? Compared to a gilded facade.

[Connor knows that he would.]

[smallprince]

Nothings better than the truth. Sure sometimes the truth is painful or horrible but what's the use of living with lies? In the long run they don't make live any easier.

[bleps]

On the contrary, I think many individuals are happy to live with lies, if only because it makes their lives simpler.

[smallprince]

Fair point. Part of my life was build on lies and I couldn't deny that it was great. But now ... Well, I guess it depends on what the lie is about. Lies are two-faced and should be used carefully.

[bleps]

Exactly. The degree of a lie is always something to be taken into account, as the consequences can vary wildly dependent upon the severity of it. But maybe that's just common sense.

Would you like to expand on your comment, regarding your own life?

[smallprince]

I could but it's not always a nice story. I could try to sum it up in a few sentences. I don't want to steal your time.

[it was not that Tyrion wanted to avoid te topic, he had brought it up. It was mostly because he knew that it would take a lot of time to type everything on the screen of the watch. A part of him gave him the friendly advice to not let himself get overwhelmed from feelings again. Since that could get unpleasant and that wouldn't leave a good impression.

That the watch had a voice option had slipped his mind.]

I've always known that my father didn't loved him like a father should love his son. From an early age on he had shown it to me but I've tried to make myself believe that if I try hard enough he will change his mind one day.
The only good side-effect of lying to myself was that I began to believe in myself.

There were times when I've thought that I had finally earned some of my father's respect but after a couple of fateful incidents that had happened in the last two years I've found out that nothing was ever meant in the way I thought.

[It was vague, he knew that. When he was looking back at the life he had at Casterly Rock he could easily point a finger at certain situations and name the real reason behind it.]

The lie that changed me completely was one I got told when I was a young man. It has effected an area that's sadly important for humans.

[He didn't knew if androids could feel love like humans or even understood this emotion in all its difference variations. Maybe they only knew the innocent platonic love, like the one you develop for close friends.]

[bleps]

[Well, talk of androids and their emotions is another can of worms that Connor definitely doesn't need nor want opened. But all the same -- yes, it's a vague explanation. But it's still more than what Connor expected, for he doesn't think that a stranger would spill the entirety of their life story to him over the network. Or at all.

So he's appreciative, really, of what Tyrion does present him with.]

What lie was that?

[If he wants to go into detail, he assumes he will.]

[smallprince]

[Did he really expected that Connor wouldn't ask about the lie? Tyrion should have known that, because if someone would have told him what he had just told Connor, he would have asked too. Curious minds always asked questions simply because they want to know more.

There was no way that he could talk about Tysha. Not via messages, not with anyone no matter how understanding someone would be, even through talking was always a good medicine but no ... he hadn't been able to talk about her with one of this closest friends.]

It was a lie about the woman I loved dearly ... It's been nearly over twenty years but I've found out the truth not long ago.

Feelings are sometimes the worst about being human. They make life so much more complicated.

[bleps]

[Such is the fate of being an android created to aid in police investigations; it becomes ingrained in his processing, that subtle urge that crawls along every limb, compelling him to question.

But even then, Connor knows when he's about to tread into personal territory.]

I see. Forgive me, I'm not attempting to pry. I'm just curious.

Emotions, especially ones that fall under the umbrella of "love", are simply a part of the human existence. However, the stronger they are, the more easily they can render a person to think irrationally. To act on impulse. So you're right. They do make your lives more complicated. But that's only if one looks at it through a negative lens.

[smallprince]

No big deal. Curiosity is something I know too well from myself. Sometimes you just want to know as much as possible and maybe find a way to trick someone into saying what you want to hear.

[Tyrion remembered what amount of useful informations he had found out during his stay in the capital. There it was good to be curious and ask a lot of question or find the right words to ask without letting the other person know that you are asking them.

Part of him had always enjoyed this game. He had even played it pretty well against some of the cleverest men in the capital.

While he read the next part of the message Tyrion laughed. The words Connor had sent him were nothing but the truth. That fateful day was the proof.]

Sometimes it's worth to act on impulse. Life can give you wonderful moments but they come with a high cost.
I guess my view on love's tinted from my own experiences. I mean real love, that emotion which makes you feel as if you could fly and incredibly happy.

[bleps]

Unfortunately, I can’t relate to that. However, I can understand your reasoning from an empirical standpoint, and from what I have been generally programmed to comprehend about human emotion.

Do you consider yourself impulsive?

[smallprince]

Sometimes. Usually when I see that someone gets treated unfair or when people do cruel things. Especially when they are helpless people or children.

[There had been times when he would have done better to do or say nothing at all but he got carried away from his emotions.]