I'm troubled by Ghaelen's message. I'm not sure what she's getting herself into.

Modified KIs? Is this anything to do with the rumours that I heard back in October?

Quote:

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.

And Giloveelay -- I have seen that name on the maps generated by the KI's cousin communicator in the world of Restoration.

I'm beginning to think we misnamed that world. Elspeth said it was a place of intersections. Do we 'restore' anything? Or merely glimpse something beyond the normal dimensions of our shared reality?

For in the space of a few days Deepwater has been transformed...


Deepwater 12 July 2012

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Over the past week or so, both Paislee and I have revisited the 'new' Deepwater, trying to make sense of its change.

My own feeling is that we might be seeing the Deepwater of the future -- but unfortunately Quin is still on his ever-extending study leave in the Steamlands Universities, or we might try radio-carbon dating a sample of the rocks.

His study leave is beginning to cause problems. It seems that I've been left to carry ALL the Devokan Trust's business on my own for months now -- and M. Shenn recently starting a sabbatical from his consultancy work has added to the tasks.

But when Paislee bumped into a gentleman explorer on one of her visits to Deepwater, serendipity came into play.

In later discussion, we learned a little more about the gentleman -- a Mr Fu Barr. He has an interest in anthropology and discovering new cultures, plus a more general interest in science, architecture and engineering. His clothes looked late Victorian to me.

Anyway, to cut a very long story short, he was looking for a landscape designer for the country retreat and workshop complex he was currently building. And that, as you know, is where Paislee's skills lie.

We were given the tour of the complex. All looked neat and tidy, with a smell of fresh sawdust lingering in many of the areas. But surprises awaited in us in some of the more finished rooms.

First, in the gallery bridge (Mr Barr called it his 'trophy room'):

Gallery, or Trophy Room

Notice the small structure in the right-hand alcove? That I recognised as a model of one of the 'sentinel' buildings on Starfyre. What sort of explorer was Mr Barr?

We continued on the walkway alongside steep-sided hills. Turning the corner, we were greeted with this...

Workshop complex

Mr Barr was obviously not letting little things like building work get in the way of his tinkering (a tendency I have observed in other males, I am afraid) -- the workshop was the only room finished in this part of the complex. But look at what was being engineered...

Submersible from above

Might Mr Barr be a fellow explorer of Ages?

More later...

====
Edit: Removed spoiler tags to reveal photos.

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Last edited by Dot on Fri Jul 27, 2012 5:52 am; edited 1 time in total

Today I returned to Lynne Island, Mr Barr's retreat. It seems good progress has been made over the intervening days, in that the library and study is weather-tight and usable.

Lynne Library 27 July 2012

I peered through the window. What's that on the library table? And that rather odd-looking statue?

Through the window


Letter 1


Various devices


Letter 2

================
To visit: Log on to OSgrid and search on the World Map for Lynne. Watch out for developments over the days to come!

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Mr Barr is making remarkable progress with his devices. On today's visit I found a completed valve, together with a cistern for testing.


New devices 28 July 2012


Close-up of valve

And a new note!


Note from Mr Barr, 28 July 2012

============
Apologies for the lack of shadows on these pictures -- Firestorm viewer crashed badly, so I had to use Imprudence viewer to capture these, and Imp. isn't quite so sophisticated in terms of rendering.

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Dot wrote:

I'm troubled by Ghaelen's message. I'm not sure what she's getting herself into.

Modified KIs? Is this anything to do with the rumours that I heard back in October?

Quote:

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.

And Giloveelay -- I have seen that name on the maps generated by the KI's cousin communicator in the world of Restoration.

It was good to see you last week, Dot. I very much enjoyed meeting Mr. Barr. He is quite a traveler, and very kind.

I wish I could alleviate your worry, but I'm not sure I can alleviate my own. Yes, Giloveelay is the Age that houses the Revnekan Institute of the Healing Arts. The Ancient Healer's Guild governs the Institute and Guild Hall there (really, it's a Temple, but Yrs Solaken so very much wants the designation of "Guild Master.") Strange things are happening on Giloveelay, and not just at the Revnekan Institute. The arrival of the returned healers set off a chain reaction that I haven't even begun to understand. I have only been able to watch and try to record what I observe.

Good news, in a small way. My Mentor, Jurel, is safe -- or at least still able to send a message from her KI. I don't know where she is, and Guild Mentor Kridash said little more after passing on her message to me. I can only wait for the ceremony to arrive and see if she does as well.


He did, however, give us all a glimpse of his personal situation. I've talked to Drinia a few times since she and her group returned. She is very sweet. Kridash allowed Troiana to put up one picture from the new neighborhood after Drinia's arrival. He seems to like Delin -- I'm glad, for I believe it's time to soothe the wounds from the past. I think I can safely say Kridash is happy again.

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A story: CavernScents Journey

Ghaelen: KI# 23059

Ghaelen wrote:

Yes, Giloveelay is the Age that houses the Revnekan Institute of the Healing Arts. The Ancient Healer's Guild governs the Institute and Guild Hall there...

Coincidence? Synchronicity? Planets in alignment? I'm not sure, but I've been hearing bits of stories from our friend Ktahdn. Things he has never mentioned before. You know how skittish he is. I'm not sure how much more I'll hear from him, but I'll report as I'm able, if he allows.

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To the north of Lynne is a smallholding, complete with a simple two-room thatched cottage. Paislee is using that as a base while she works on landscaping the grounds around Mr Barr's new building complex. I've set up a temporary office in one of the rooms.

So when concentration wanes, I take a walk across to Lynne to check on progress. Today brought evidence of a breakthrough, as proclaimed by one of Mr Barr's notes...


Devices 1 August


Note 1 August

And walking out of the library into what will become a power room, I find that progress has gone beyond mere prototyping to a full-size installation.


Power Room 1 August

Unlike the prototype valve in the library, I don't think these are yet connected to the Metriculator. But remarkable progress indeed!

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Taking a break from transcribing a remarkable set of documents found by a friend (more of which possibly later), I was enjoying a mug of coffee in the cottage on Ellipsis when the communicator beeped.

It was Mr Barr, sounding rather excited.

His work on the power supply for his complex was going well. He'd completed the various components and was now carefully wiring them together.

What is more -- they were working! I was to come over immediately and see for myself. Sighing inwardly, I set aside the coffee, and started the long trek across to the power room on the neighbouring island of Lynne ...

As I walked through the doorway of the power room, I saw the Metriculator on a small shelf opposite. The three large glass and brass valves on mahogany stands at one end of the room now had small metal ladders to enable easier access to their controls. At the opposite end was a table with various coloured crystals.

Mr Barr was there, waiting, impatient to demonstrate his machinery.

To be honest, I was impressed, as he chose particular crystals from the table and placed them in the valve receptacle, then closed its lid. The Metriculator, as intended, registered their presence. All this was proof-of-concept at the moment, he said; his real work was just beginning.


Valve detail, 7 August

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Lord Chaos wrote:

Ghaelen wrote:

Yes, Giloveelay is the Age that houses the Revnekan Institute of the Healing Arts. The Ancient Healer's Guild governs the Institute and Guild Hall there...

Coincidence? Synchronicity? Planets in alignment? I'm not sure, but I've been hearing bits of stories from our friend Ktahdn. Things he has never mentioned before. You know how skittish he is. I'm not sure how much more I'll hear from him, but I'll report as I'm able, if he allows.

I am always happy to see Ktahdn, and am glad he came to visit last week. Do let him know he's welcome at the Gallery Shoppe and Garden any time. We have lots of room. From what I hear, the Revnekan mentors are happy with my work in the garden so far. I have a few more beds of herbs to plant and an archway to install.



This coming Sunday is a meditation in the garden, if he'd like to join us. I am hoping to talk to him further about a music festival there during the next few months. Oh yes, and there is a Roof behind those trees. You just couldn't see it from where I was standing. Construction on a set of stairs is also underway.

Here's a link to the Garden just in case he needs one.

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Ghaelen: KI# 23059

Lynne Library Chalkboard, 16 August 2012

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A new story thread, started by an old friend from Winterfell, Mr Danko Whitfield. It seems that we have not heard the last from Quin, though for months he has been as elusive as ever...

Offer from Quin

Arrival Age

Selenitica

The Outer Regions

Dinner with Quin

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I've just received a note from Danko, with a report attached. It seems Quin sent him the coordinates of a new Age(?): Future Past. Since Danko is an explorer at heart, albeit from a very different community, of course he went to check things out.

His report is here: Future Past.

I've asked Danko if he might pass on the coordinates to me -- I'll add them here when known.

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I knew it, I just knew it!

Yet again Quin has been experimenting with elements he does not fully understand -- nor do I for that matter, though I suppose if he did understand there would be no point in conducting the experiments.

I just wish that I wasn't always left to deal with the consequences.

"Future Past" is indeed accessible. In the end I tried using the search facility that Danko mentioned in his report.

I don't what happened, but while I was there something seems to have gone wrong with the Ages I was taking care of -- Waysmeet, Deepwater, Touchstone. I could not return there.

I managed to find a way to Danko's current base, in Evergreen.

There he showed me a note from Quin:

Quote:

Mr Whitfield, my friend:--

I regret to inform you that my experiments, yet again, have had unforeseen consequences.

When we last enjoyed a meal together, I mentioned my intention to attempt to extrapolate the timeline that runs through the Ages of Primordium and Deepwater. As you know, the results of that part of the experiment were most encouraging: the Age of Future Past, of which you published a detailed description of your own explorations there.

In the intervening weeks, I have been monitoring and stabilising that Age -- and herein lies my difficulty. Honing down uncertainties in the extrapolation has had a cost. The experiment hit an unexpected saddlepoint, and the Age of Deepwater was catapulted (there is no other term for it) out of the current universe, taking Waysmeet and associated Ages with it.

I do not think Ms Dot will be very pleased with this. She was planning to develop those lands. That will no longer be possible, because I do not know where they have gone.

You are a better diplomat than I. When you next see Ms Dot, could you pass on my apologies? I am sure she will be reasonable about her loss given time.

With my sincere best wishes
Quinquifid Oddenfen

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