What does Watson mean?

Vector Cramp · **Posted:** Tue Sep 10, 2013 1:24 pm

Greetings
Today I have a question of word meaning. The other day I was listening to the recording of Dr. Watson in Kirel (this is only in the offline version for some reason) and this particular line sort of confused me:

Quote:

Um, thanks to Victor, we've gotten some additional D'ni technology working...it should be quite useful in sending messages here from the Tokotah to the numerous neighborhoods

Now does anyone know if in beta of Uru Live, Watson gave a speech similar to this? And if he did where? Because even though he says here from the Tokotah, does it mean this was speech was given at one of the Tokotah buildings in Ae’gura or in Kirel? (since tokotah in D’ni means “place of the locked door,” and Kirel was off-limits to regular explorers during the first restoration, I thought perhaps they might have referred to it as Tokotah.)

KathAveara · **Posted:** Tue Sep 10, 2013 4:09 pm

Tokotah here possibly refers to the DRC building in the Tokotah region of Ae'gura (it's the building between Tokotah Alley and the Museum).

Nev'yn · **Posted:** Tue Sep 10, 2013 10:37 pm

Tokotah I (or is it II?) holds the DRC offices. I've heard rumors there's a spy room where you can look into the adjoining DRC office.

This might just be a baseless rumor, however. :mrgreen:

Annabelle · **Posted:** Wed Sep 11, 2013 1:04 am

Nev'yn wrote:

Tokotah I (or is it II?) holds the DRC offices. I've heard rumors there's a spy room where you can look into the adjoining DRC office.

This might just be a baseless rumor, however. :mrgreen:

The spy room is inside Tokotah I and gives you a view inside one room located in Tokotah II.

If we do merge the spy room age with the courtyard prp (inside the age of Ae'gura) & maybe the Great Stair prp as well, it has been a long time since I tested this..., we see they are located at the same exact place in space.

Which makes me wonder how we can see through a telescope if that said telescope is behind a wall without any opening... mystery unsolved to this date :wink:

Ainia · **Posted:** Wed Sep 11, 2013 2:07 am

Shorah Vector Cramp,

I've always taken the phrase

Quote:

it should be quite useful in sending messages here from the Tokotah to the numerous neighborhoods

to mean

Quote:

it should be quite useful in sending messages here (in the Cavern) from the Tokotah (DRC headquarters building) to the numerous neighborhoods

If memory serves, the DRC originally headquartered in Kirel but later moved to the Tokotah office building in Ae'gura (though I'm not sure exactly when, it might have been in response to Sharper's theft and the obvious need for better security); which would mean that Watson recorded this information after their move. Sounds to me like he was announcing that the DRC now had the ability to make Cavern-wide announcements via the KI from the comfort of their main offices.

Not having been there for the events myself, it does sound as though Watson's speech was made in Kirel to a group of explorers and was probably recorded live at the podium then. I know that about 9 months into the second restoration, Kirel was repurposed to help revive the old Guild system. Since Watson disappeared in December 2003 (and returned in October 2007), the speech would have been made some time before then. If my assumptions thus far are near the mark, then there was a narrow window in December 2003 when all this might have happened (incarcerating Phil in Kirel, moving DRC HQ from Kirel to Tokotah II, making the recorded speech, leaving the Cavern). The latter/ranting part of the speech might well have been expressing his frustration with Phil's recent antics and how Phil's influence was spreading to some of the explorers. It hadn't occurred to me until now that this recording may have been one of the last official things Watson said before Phil fell from the Guild Hall and Watson reacted in dismay by leaving the DRC.

[Reveal] Spoiler: DRC Restoration Timeline

Early Years

1987: D'ni Cavern rediscovered by Elias Zandi and John "Fighting Branch" Loftin
1990: Dr. Watson’s first expedition to D’ni
1992: Last year D’ni is completely uninhabited

First Restoration

1997: D'ni Restoration Foundation (DRF) transitions to D'ni Restoration Council (DRC); beginning of the First Restoration
1998: Cyan expedition to D’ni
1999: Major expedition brings needed machinery and tools to City
2000: Restoration is started on The Island (Ae’gura)
2001: DRC begins restoration of the first neighbourhood
January 2002: DRC allows first authorised explorers to visit D’ni and a few Ages
February 2002: Sharper begins Teledahn restoration
December 2002: Phil Henderson disappears while restoring Eder Kemo
January-October 2003: Zandi convinces the DRC to let numerous people into D’ni; Sharper restores Watcher's Pub
November 2003: Phil returns
December 2003: Sharper accompanies Phil on Yeesha's journey; DRC kidnaps Phil; Sharper breaks into an Egg Room and later steals Phil's Relto book; Phil disappears in the Guild Hall collapse; Watson disappears
February 2004: The gates to D’ni are closed due to a lack of funding; First Restoration ends

Second Restoration

December 2005: Laxman approaches the other DRC members about returning to D’ni
January-November 2006: DRC continues restoration of Cavern and holds monthly official meetings with explorers
December 2006: The Great Scream; DRC officially reopens the Cavern; Second Restoration begins
January 2007: Cate Alexander joins the DRC
February 2007: Eder Delin released; Eder Tsogahl released
March 2007: Negilahn released; Dereno released
April-June 2007: Negilahn expedition; Payiferen released; Tetsonot released
July 2007: Rosette and Wheely's deaths; Sharper investigates the Negilahn killings; Michael Engberg disappears; Minkata released
August 2007: Great Zero activated; Watcher's Pub released; Er'cana released; Kahlo Pub memorial installed; lake light meter installed
September 2007: Sharper kills a Bahro in Negilahn; Bahro link to Watcher's Pub then inundate the Cavern; Kirel opened to promote Guilds; Jalak released; Phil Henderson returns
October 2007: Sharper's Spy Room and Phil's Relto released; Michael Engberg returns; Dr. Watson returns; Phil disappears; Watson speaks in hood
November 2007: Cate announces her departure; Ahnonay released; K'veer accessed; Bahro inundate the Cavern; Nekisaloth reveals himself at the Arch; Great Zero stained glass added to hood walls; Yeesha speaks at K'veer; DRC leave the Cavern
April 2008: The Cavern is officially closed; Second Restoration ends

Modern Times

February 2010: The Cavern is reopened for tourism but not restoration

[[Note: the dates above are not authoritative; if you have date corrections, please let me know!!]]

Erik · **Posted:** Fri Sep 13, 2013 2:56 pm

On April 3, 2002:

Quote:

All weekly DRC Board Meetings will now be held in the Tokotah Building. Caution is advised as restoration continues there.

On June 7, 2002:

Quote:

After a busy week of work, the Tokotah second floor will be going through a phase two review over the weekend. We plan to move our headquarters up to the second floor upon phase five completion.

Source: timeline on the original DRC website, archived here.

Ainia · **Posted:** Fri Sep 13, 2013 7:20 pm

Shorah Erik!

Wow, thanks for that information! Do we have any record of when the Tokotah II reached Phase 5? If it was before the madness with Phil toward the end of the First Restoration, then it would seem the DRC was using both Tokotah II and Kirel simultaneously.

Plus, it's never been clear to me exactly *when* Sharper began spying on the DRC in Tokotah II, though it would make sense that he started installing the viewer in his Tokotah I Spy Room once he learned of the DRC's plans to move their headquarters across the alley.

Erik · **Posted:** Fri Sep 13, 2013 8:19 pm

I guess it never reached phase 5 officially, but that they used it for their board meetings anyway.

OOC: you know the hammer sounds and distant voices that you hear at the Courtyard? I think those sounds were supposed to come from the engineers, working at the Tokotah. That sound effect is probably a relic from the first incarnation of Uru Live, when everything in the City was still new and when the Tokotah was still something that could be expected to play a larger role in the story later on or perhaps to become available for explorers.

What does Watson mean?

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