With developments currently happening in various worlds, it feels as though the Devokan Trust might be entering a new phase. So, what would be more appropriate than to start a fresh new thread here, in the re-opened Creativity section?

I'm hoping that this thread might become a shared weaving together of stories by explorers, much as happened in parts of the first Developments in Devokan thread. Of course, the tales might become a little knotted or convoluted in places, but that's all part of the fun.

For new readers, in the spoiler is a table of contents to the story so far, with a brief summary of key events and dates, as well as where journals have been placed in Uru fan ages.

Lockhouse code quest -- 23 Jun 2009
Village renovations, including tree village; linking with other Myst/Uru areas and groups -- 3 Jul 2009
Lost Pages sphere; Guild of Healers Ride for Joy -- 23 Sep 2009
Discovery of Selenitica -- 19 Oct 2009

The Devokan Story
An expanded version is also available in Neolbah.
Winter comes to Devokan -- 9 Nov 2009
The strange spheres -- 27 Nov 2009
Tracing the source -- 10 Dec 2009
The tree village -- 1 Jan 2010
The evacuation -- 10 Jan 2010
Farewell to Devokan; return to the Cavern -- 1 Feb 2010

Subsequent events 17 Feb 2010 to May 2010
The journal in Serene also covers this period, but from Quin's viewpoint.

Working across multiple worlds; foundation of the Devokan Trust
These next entries are covered in journals in Neolbah.
Discovery of Neolbah -- 9 Jun 2010
Andy's discovery of Eder Tomahn -- 23 Aug 2010
Quin's visit to the sky islands of Kamali (OSgrid) -- 30 Aug 2010
Starting work on Shell 415, Ahra Pahts -- 26 Sept 2010
Who is Elspeth Sorrelwood? -- 9 Oct 2010
Andy links to an unknown world -- 30 Oct 2010
Strange letter from Elspeth Sorrelwood; celestial clock? -- 3 Nov 2010
Completion of Phase 1 of Shell 415 -- 7 Nov 2010
Andy explains about Descriptive and Linking Books; Quin disappears -- 17 Nov 2010
Andy's anguished discovery -- 26 Nov 2010

Expansion of the Devokan Trust
Journals in Shell 415 document the period from December 2010. It includes the discovery of new areas in Restoration (OSgrid), and expansion of the Devokan Trust in personnel and infrastructure. Read on from the entry for 2 Dec 2010.
Mysteries of time -- 26 Jan 2011
Completion of Shell 415 -- 3 Mar 2011

At this point the story moves to the thread: The Devokan Trust

So, without further ado, let's see what story tapestries we can create together...

_________________
Resources for open-source Uru: OpenUru; rel.to
Cross-world story and project planning: Devokan forums

I had just linked to the Devokan Trust's office in Touchstone House, Winterfell, in order to catch up with paperwork. There, on top of the pile, was an envelope addressed to me. I recognised the handwriting -- Ghaelen's.

ghaelen wrote:

September 24, 2011
Dear Dot,

Once again I have neglected my promise to visit you more often. I believe, however, you will be pleased to know what I have been up to. You can see some of the fruits of my recent labors at Opportune Spirits or in a very nice display at the Guild of Healers new Garden Gallery in our Outreach Retreat. It occurred to me recently that I could donate some art to the Retreat for fund raising. I have a few pieces in the Garden Gallery now, and am working on more to add. I hope some other GoH members also display their work as there are plans for an open house some time in October. Our explorer community is so very talented, and I am always amazed. Not at my own work, of course, as that is nothing compared to the works of others. No, you and I have discussed the marvelous creations surrounding us in images, sculptures, architecture, even botany. The new ages appearing are most interesting, and I feel guilty that I have visited only a few. The new work at the Devokan Trust is ... well, you know what it is.

But I digress...

I do have a reason for writing to you other than to issue an apology. As you know, I have been working for the Professor now for almost one year. Until recently, I have remained rather quiet about this position. I suppose part of that was because I was so busy finishing the program I was in at the time and was also publishing my manuscript. I admit I then spent most of my time painting -- something I had not been able to do for years. The work with the Professor has been interesting, as I've been allowed to watch as the ruins slowly emerged from their graves and write down my observations in my own style. The students are enthusiastic, sometimes to the point of tiring me out. The Professor herself seems to have limitless energy, and her theories were (and are) still controversial. She does love to debate with her detractors! Thank goodness that is something I don't have to take on.

You know also that I had been invited to the Revnekan Institute of the Healing Arts some years ago for advanced training in various healing methods. It has proven helpful both for myself and for others. This program, my work at the Emporium, the Herbarium, the Guild restoration, and my publication has kept me very busy; consequently, I've said less about this than I could have. And what can one say when asked to listen to breathing and inner intuition as authoritative guides? "Seriously, what nonsense," I hear myself say even without soliciting opinions from anyone else. Jurel is ever cautioning Institute students against saying too much. Yrs. Solaken would prefer we kept everything in the Institute Guild Hall as if it were all still a secret. I know I should not have continued to read his correspondence once I realized who the journal belonged to.... But he seems to hold on to such outdated traditions! You will believe me, then, when I say it is such a relief that our Guild gatherings in the Cavern and the Retreat allow for freedom to discuss multiversional realities. Anyone interested can come to join us and speculate to their hearts content. Without such debates as the Professor allows, of course. But I digress again.

My apologies.

I do promise I will visit very soon, for something odd happened just ten days ago and I would like your opinion on it. As if they knew each other and had discussed the subject, both the Professor and Jurel suggested I make my observations and conclusions public. In fact, in their different ways, each insisted that I do something new to publish -- and soon! I am slightly dismayed, because I am about to begin the autumn herb harvesting and drying at the Herbarium. And that woman -- oh you know the one I mean. The Baroness. She is so very important.... Dot, she is positively annoying. I know she's making another attempt to "guide" our progress at Opportune Spirits. What is it to her, I wonder, since she never owned the property? Why should she care so very much how the project takes shape? My teeth are beginning to grind, I must admit. I am about to... oh, Dot, I am sorry.... I'm off on a tangent again...

Here, then, I will come to the point. I have place abstracts of some of my initial articles on the Information Board at the Devokan Trust. I do hope you don't mind. They and links to the articles are listed on the information board at the CavernScents Herbarium, but I know you don't come out that way very often. If you'd like I'll add links to the Devokan board. I realize I could have simply said this without so much preamble (or verbo ambulo in medio), but the sequence of events it is rather surprising, don't you think? Ruby will also be surprised, I am sure, although I'm not certain she took the time to read my letter closely enough to understand what it really means. I only say that because I've not received a KI-call or an unannounced visit even though she is tremendously busy with her new responsibilities. It is rare I have eventful news to tell her, and she would normally have been asking mountains of questions by now..

I hope also you do not mind I sent this to your office in Winterfell. It seemed.... safer.... than sending via KI-mail. I’ll explain more when I see you.

My Best Wishes,
Ghaelen

Hmm... what's going on here?

_________________
Resources for open-source Uru: OpenUru; rel.to
Cross-world story and project planning: Devokan forums

While I'm no longer part of the Guild of Maintainers (I left to join the Devokan Trust a little over a year ago now), I do like to keep in touch with friends still in the guild. For, although the GoMa forum itself might seem quiet, there are projects going on behind the scenes.

During a recent conversation, a maintainer friend expressed concern that one of her guild colleagues is missing, and has been for some time. We discussed all sorts of reasons for this, of course, but the idea that they might be on some private, undercover project seemed to me to be the most likely.

I didn't get the impression she was convinced, however.

_________________
Resources for open-source Uru: OpenUru; rel.to
Cross-world story and project planning: Devokan forums

It was so nice to meet with Dot last week and talk about things. I was so surprised that both my employer and mentor separately asked me for research drafts and healers' articles that I was concerned they were thinking about something other than publications. At Dot's suggestion, I asked them what the situation was. Surprise again! The horrid great-aunt Baroness D'Landria had made it known that my work was of interest to her, and though it would be to my advantage to increase my "sphere of influence" as she put it. That my drafts were mostly drafts seemed not to matter. That the articles published were short and included images of my meditation artwork seemed also not to matter. The point was that I was publishing. I still cannot imaging that she has my best interests in mind.

Then again, she is very old, and rather bitter about life. I would feel more settled about it if she urged me to publish in order to spite someone she didn't like. Well. No matter. It did give me a reason to put my notes in order.

My conversation with Dot also yielded the answer to another difficult situation. Byron has decided to remodel the shoppe completely. He has asked me to continue preparing artwork for display, to be ready as soon as it reopens. I've used the upper floor, which now is torn up again. Dot very kindly allowed me to make use of the upper floor at the Devokan Trust Office in Touchstone House. I am glad there are several windows and that the weather is not yet so cold I can't keep them open while I paint.

Dot wrote:

During a recent conversation, a maintainer friend expressed concern that one of her guild colleagues is missing, and has been for some time. We discussed all sorts of reasons for this, of course, but the idea that they might be on some private, undercover project seemed to me to be the most likely.

I didn't get the impression she was convinced, however.

Hmmm. Interesting. I suppose with all the new experimental ages being written, the poor maintainers are likely to find themselves in all sorts of odd places.

_________________
We are the shapers and the caretakers of this metaverse. How we honor ourselves and others largely determines what we bring into being.

A story: CavernScents Journey

Ghaelen: KI# 23059

Never assume lack of posts implies lack of activity. As ever, there's plenty going on.

First, I needed to make the upper floor of the Trust's offices in Winterfell ready for Ghaelen's use as a studio. It was lovely to welcome her -- the place has felt peculiarly lonely since Quin's disappearance.

Then DMom has invited me to join the team behind the revived D'ni Voice blog. I'll be reporting on Intersections, thinking of them as follows:

Quote:

Each time the D’ni Cavern closed, Uru communities have found ways of keeping in touch with each other, whether through forums or shards or 3D worlds or games or …

Now Myst Online: Uru Live (MOULa) is back again, and we have returned to the Cavern.

And yet many of us maintain a presence in other venues, active in other communities and games. This is where the intersections are — where different ideas and stories meet, and creativity blossoms in unexpected directions.

Because communities can be scattered, it can be difficult to keep track of what is going on elsewhere. So here’s a place for snippets of news, information, photos — what have you.

And if it inspires further exploration, so much the better!

And then there are the "behind the scenes" activities, the sort that hark back to my time as a maintainer. Perhaps I'll get to write about those one of these days...

_________________
Resources for open-source Uru: OpenUru; rel.to
Cross-world story and project planning: Devokan forums

Speaking of "behind the scenes" activities, one of them involves helping to check the alpha stage of the Windring MOSS shard being worked on by Filbert Holmer.

Accordingly on Thursday several of us met up in the hood to test the egg room facilities. As I walked up from the main link-in space, a name on the hood imager caught my eye.

I've just gone back there to check in case I was imagining it:

Windring shard hood Imager, 29 Oct 2011

Quinquifid? Is this a joke? Or what...?

_________________
Resources for open-source Uru: OpenUru; rel.to
Cross-world story and project planning: Devokan forums

Over the weekend the realm of Winterfell was celebrating a milestone date in its founding, with races on foot and horseback, spectacular concerts, formal balls, parties, … I attended some of the events, including the races.

To my surprise I won the one on foot, and was leading the horse race until the horse I was riding was spooked at the Nepenthe Gate bridge over the main waterway.

The concert that followed was an astonishing spectacle: fire dancing by the Changhigh Trinity Sisters.

But work always piles up during any time off, so in the twilight after enjoying the show I made my way back to the Trust offices in Rosehaven:



A letter was waiting for me:

Elspeth Sorrelwood wrote:

My dear Ms Macchi

I have some news for you. Quinquifid will shortly complete the process of Renewal. The Council has sanctioned his re-entry into standard space-time via Windring.

Now, when you see him, do not be alarmed by changes to his countenance. He is still the same individual, but this changed appearance seems to be one of the unavoidable side-effects of Renewal.

And do try to be patient with him. While Quinquifid has achieved much over the past weeks and months, he has not made as much progress in renewing aspects of his character as his friends and colleagues might have hoped for...

With my sincere best wishes
Elspeth Sorrelwood

_________________
Resources for open-source Uru: OpenUru; rel.to
Cross-world story and project planning: Devokan forums

Elspeth may well have been correct when she wrote: "Quinquifid ... has not made as much progress in renewing aspects of his character as his friends and colleagues might have hoped for..."

In the intervening weeks, I've not seen hide nor hair of Quin, nor has he bothered to get in touch -- his old behaviour patterns writ large.

It isn't as though I have been impossible to contact. A group of us have been doing some work on the Windring Shard -- my KI has been playing up, so that calibration markers no longer register. But Quin's name hasn't appeared on the hood imager since that last time.

And there's not much to report from Winterfell either. I did see from Ghaelen's note of 10 November that her time at Touchstone House was coming to an end. Unfortunately, the one time we were both in the same world at the same time was during the Guild of Healers' meditation session, so we were unable to discuss matters as she had hoped.

It's all rather frustrating.

_________________
Resources for open-source Uru: OpenUru; rel.to
Cross-world story and project planning: Devokan forums

Dear Dot,

Pardon the sloppiness of my script - my hands are shaking with excitement! I have seen and spoken with Quin! We had been worried about Quin's long absence so I knew you would want to be informed right away.

I ventured to your cottage in ellipsis this morning to check on our favorite feline, Pepper. She purred her satisfaction with her new living quarters to me, so I continued through to the back entry. As I left a familiar voice broke the silence. I know this will sound fantastic, but when I looked up there stood a man of middle years. Confused, I stared at him, and he broke the silence again. Quin's voice! How can this stranger have Quin's voice?

As the stranger greeted me again with my given name, I studied him. His appearance though different, seemed natural and right to my eyes. It was Quin! I'm afraid I may have offended him a bit initially, since I couldn't contain my surprise at his altered appearance and demanded that he stand still so I could "look him over". He was patience itself (another change in him) as I studied him. It was him. Satisfied of his identify, I asked him what had happened during his absence that could account for his new appearance.

He spoke to me of Renewal, Time Dilation within something called a Tardis, the Sisters, and other things beyond my understanding. I suspect you will understand his meaning. We spoke of other things as well that brought memories of Devokan and chats by the Inn's fireside to mind.

He told me to leave his experiments untouched in the future since some were very important! I told Quin I had grown more careful in my habits than in years past. He actually chuckled at me! If I had any doubt of the stranger's identity, that superior chuckle erased them.

Quin has returned. I await your reply with anticipation!

Paislee

Hello Dot,

I am so sorry I haven't made it back to Touchstone as I said I would. I had those few lovely hours during which I talked to you and then, it seemed, every moment has been taken up with the new teaching job and with preparations for our Gallery Open House. It is this Saturday on the surface, and the exhibit will be brought into Winterfell during the next few weeks. It will simultaneously arrive at the Healers' Retreat (with luck!). So I beg your indulgence for a little while longer as I make yet another transition from age to age to surface.

On a side note -- Jurel has been behaving in a very strange way. She is far more nervous than I've ever seen her before. I am certain she is not eating. I've coaxed her into drinking a tonic I blended on the pretense that it would soothe her headache. Her nervousness began when I published the abstract regarding Er'cana and the Creosote bushes. I couldn't swear to it, but I feel certain that there is a correlation there. She said something strange two days ago as well. It was about the Professor's archeological site, or could have been (my imagination again?). It was something I feel she could not have known...

My concerns are unfounded, I am sure. Nevertheless, my publishing is paused for a time until I have more evidence. I find myself observing more carefully as I travel from age to age. It is a strange sensation, but I believe it is necessary.

Ghaelen

P.S. I have just seen the news about Quinn! Huzzah! I am so glad for everyone!

_________________
We are the shapers and the caretakers of this metaverse. How we honor ourselves and others largely determines what we bring into being.

A story: CavernScents Journey

Ghaelen: KI# 23059

I finally caught up with Paislee in Restoration. She is sure that it was Quin she met -- and the further details she supplied certainly suggest it to me.

However, in spite of looking in all the places I can think of where Quin might be, I still haven't found the man. I am beginning to suspect he might be avoiding an encounter with me (it wouldn't be the first time).

Yet there are further signs that he has been around. For example, my friends from the SL Eder Gira region mentioned that someone answering to his name had briefly visited their farewell event (which remarkably turned into a celebration when a new landlord was found for the area at the very last minute).

Most tellingly, a new destination has appeared on the portal system. It links to a small, isolated factory in the Art Deco style I know Quin likes. And there I found evidence of renewed, ongoing experimentation.

I'm also concerned about Ghaelen's latest letter regarding Jurel -- I wish our respective time clocks made it easier to discuss matters face to face.

_________________
Resources for open-source Uru: OpenUru; rel.to
Cross-world story and project planning: Devokan forums

Last edited by Dot on Sun Dec 25, 2011 7:00 am; edited 1 time in total

It seems I was right about Quin. The following has just appeared on the Winterfell forum:

Quinquifid wrote:

Ms Dot's intuitions, for once, are correct. For the time being, I am avoiding contact with her.

Miss Paislee, with her sympathetic manner, drew more from me about the years I spent in Renewal than I had intended. It is most fortunate that she misunderstood my account and gave a garbled report.

The experiment, though a mere proof-of-concept, is in its final stages. After that, should it be successful, then ...

But that is just as well. The Trust's monies are nearly spent: for a man must live, even in Renewal.

What is the man up to?

_________________
Resources for open-source Uru: OpenUru; rel.to
Cross-world story and project planning: Devokan forums

Look at what greeted me when I checked the Trust offices in Winterfell today!


Moving on?

I hope Quin has an explanation for this -- somewhere!

_________________
Resources for open-source Uru: OpenUru; rel.to
Cross-world story and project planning: Devokan forums

I suspected something like this might be coming...

Quinquifid Oddenfen wrote:

Dear Ms Macchi

I regret to inform you that, due to the parlous state of the Trust's finances, your contract with the Devokan Trust is hereby terminated.

While we may not agree on every matter, I do hope that you might consider offering your services to the Trust's important work in the future, as a volunteer of course.

Yours faithfully
Quinquifid Oddenfen
Founder: The Devokan Trust

_________________
Resources for open-source Uru: OpenUru; rel.to
Cross-world story and project planning: Devokan forums

Finally...

Quin was in Serene -- the Age originally developed by Andy Legate that Quin had drastically rewritten in pursuit of his own goals just over a year ago now.

A year ago? That was as I experience time, of course. But Quin?

As he began to speak, he looked tired, almost defeated. "The money is gone. In the end, it all comes down to money."

"But what of the experiment, the one you mentioned on the Winterfell forum?" I asked. "Was it successful? Did it work?"

"Yes, but..." At that point his eyes finally met mine. "You have been to Illusion, in Restoration?"

"I have, Quin. A strange place, with echoes of past Ages and places. What of it?"

"That was the result," he stated flatly, "the culmination of all my research to date -- in your time, and in the decades of my Renewal. An incomprehensible mess of metaphor and memory. And the money is gone."

"You keep saying that, Quin, as though it mattered."

At that point he turned away, tight-lipped, and a few seconds later linked back to his Relto.

There seemed to be no point in my lingering there in Serene -- I was beginning to feel the cold even through my leather jacket -- so I decided to return to Illusion...

_________________
Resources for open-source Uru: OpenUru; rel.to
Cross-world story and project planning: Devokan forums