diff --git a/compiled/dat/ChisoPreniv.loc b/compiled/dat/ChisoPreniv.loc index 2b1c13b2..98969b48 100644 --- a/compiled/dat/ChisoPreniv.loc +++ b/compiled/dat/ChisoPreniv.loc @@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ Brian Fioca was described by Douglas Sharper as "an eventual leader" of the expl <font size=10 style=b><p align=center>Yeesha<font size=10 style=n><p align=left> -Yeesha was born almost 200 years ago to Atrus and Catherine, the main characters in the Myst series. Currently, one of her journeys is accessible in Myst Online: Uru Live; however, she made two others that have been released in the earlier games with a fourth one that was played out in real life. She made her first live appearance along with many Bahro on November 5th, 2007. There she confirmed that "destruction is coming," identified the enemy Bahro leader, promised to draw the Bahro War away from the Cavern, and challenged all to "find a way... make a home." +Yeesha was born almost 200 years ago to Atrus and Catherine, the main characters in the Myst series. Currently, one of her journeys is accessible in Myst Online: Uru Live; however, she made two others that have been released in the earlier games with a fourth one that was played out in real life. She made her first live appearance along with many Bahro on November 5th, 2007. There she confirmed that "destruction is coming," identified the enemy Bahro leader, promised to draw the Bahro War away from the Cavern, and challenged all to "find a way . . . make a home." <font size=10 style=b><p align=center>The Bahro<font size=10 style=n><p align=left> @@ -235,9 +235,9 @@ One of those comments was along the lines of, "It's not like they have red and b Before people went to bed that night, Laxman visited a Neighborhood somewhere. He announced that he had rigged the imagers to display people's pellet scores for a bit of friendly competition between Neighborhoods. -Despite the excitement of this, it wasn't enough to quench the worry from people's minds... +Despite the excitement of this, it wasn't enough to quench the worry from people's minds . . . -Lunch time rolled around on day two, and Sharper and Nick were in Watcher's Sanctuary again. Sharper talking about his Noloben trip when, suddenly... +Lunch time rolled around on day two, and Sharper and Nick were in Watcher's Sanctuary again. Sharper talking about his Noloben trip when, suddenly . . . "GET BACK!" Sharper yelled out. @@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ In any case, Sharper showed up in Watcher's Sanctuary that day, wearing a Yeesha The day was topped off with Cate announcing Reteltee as the DRC's Guild advisor. It was all just boring Guild stuff. -On the final day of Familiar Voices... +On the final day of Familiar Voices . . . You remember the memorial imager in Kahlo Pub, right? Well, one name on it is important. Because he is not dead. @@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ This was a warning, a capstone of the weird and bizarre. A storm, titan in mass, Who was "He"? The Great King who was sealed in his tomb? The very one that Phil had mentioned before his "death"? Or was it the strange D'ni man from Noloben that Cyan Worlds had based Esher off of for the Myst V game? -Or perhaps... Was it someone else entirely? +Or perhaps . . . Was it someone else entirely? Strangely, though, due to that strange dream, many of us knew that Yeesha herself would come as well. It was a comfort to some, but until she and he and they arrived, we would never know. @@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ Part II<PB><img src="activity007.hsm" align=center resize=no blend=alph <font size=10 style=n><p align=left>Shortly after 11PM, Dr. Kodama appeared near the DRC tent in the Tokotah plaza, having apparently stopped to pay his respects at the memorial by the Kahlo pub entrance. "Good evening. Ms. Sutherland promises that you won't bite," he said to JWPlatt, who had wandered back there some time earlier. -"Heh, I appreciate her assurance to you. Some people wonder...," he replied. "Did you just get in, or have you been here a while?" +"Heh, I appreciate her assurance to you. Some people wonder . . . ," he replied. "Did you just get in, or have you been here a while?" "I've been here a few hours. I was catching up with Ms. Sutherland." @@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ The Doctor continued: "I prefer to stick to the job at hand, usually. But consid "Explorers being explorers, I imagine." -JWPlatt was puzzled: "We've been looking for those sensors... haven't found any. We'll keep looking." +JWPlatt was puzzled: "We've been looking for those sensors . . . haven't found any. We'll keep looking." "They're around. Surprised they haven't been tripped earlier, actually. Maybe Laxman was ignoring those in areas explorers frequent. As long as I'm here, I'm going to stay the weekend. It's been too long since I've visited the Cavern." @@ -407,7 +407,7 @@ Kodama joined in the fun: "I'll find Victor's ejection button." "I have no doubt that others will find their way here as you have. I'm just an explorer at the moment. But I will defend the Cavern if it comes to that. I trust that it will not," warned Kodama. "For that matter the Bahro are very quiet now, but I trust that they would defend it as well." -"If we encounter any Bahro what do you advise? Aside from total respect..." asked CrisGer. +"If we encounter any Bahro what do you advise? Aside from total respect . . . " asked CrisGer. Clearly in a jovial mood, Dr. Kodama replied "I hear that they like 'Reese's Pieces'," causing the whole group to laugh. @@ -536,7 +536,7 @@ The others nodded agreement, remembering what had happened to Wheely below the K "Good to hear." -"We saw the memorial was updated... did you do it Sir?" asked EthanEver. +"We saw the memorial was updated . . . did you do it Sir?" asked EthanEver. "I believe Mr. Laxman is able to update it from the surface. I did not update it," replied Kodama. @@ -647,7 +647,7 @@ JWPlatt asked the question that was in everyone's mind: "Are we in trouble?" "Like us? In what way?" quizzed Tai'lahr. -"Oh, a certain 'shroom Baron' came to mind first. Then a former Noloben inhabitant crossed my mind... In any case, I'm happy it is you." +"Oh, a certain 'shroom Baron' came to mind first. Then a former Noloben inhabitant crossed my mind . . . In any case, I'm happy it is you." The explorers were keen to learn what had happened to the DRC members over the time since they left the Cavern, and Mystdee asked if anything had been heard from Sharper. @@ -669,13 +669,13 @@ Responding to a barrage of questions, Marie observed that the DRC were not expec "We won't be kicking you out." -"There are so many out there, waiting to return... Can we talk to the others?" asked Dadguy. +"There are so many out there, waiting to return . . . Can we talk to the others?" asked Dadguy. "If word gets out that you have found a way down, I'm sure others are bound to follow. They just need to understand that there is no DRC restoration going on. No new Ages from us. No Restoration Engineers, etc." The relieved and excited group thanked Marie, and assured her that they understood the situation they found themselves in. -Marie continued: "It will not be a place that some will care to be interested in. Those who are Called will come even knowing that. Who knows what the future holds? I certainly do not. I think there's a reason that 'You never know...' is a motto of our friends at Cyan Worlds '...until the last Bahro howls'." +Marie continued: "It will not be a place that some will care to be interested in. Those who are Called will come even knowing that. Who knows what the future holds? I certainly do not. I think there's a reason that 'You never know . . . ' is a motto of our friends at Cyan Worlds ' . . . until the last Bahro howls'." Dr CrisGer wondered if access to ages would be limited in any way. @@ -800,7 +800,7 @@ He warned us again about the Bahro, and told us that the hostile ones showed no I'll quote what I consider to be the most important parts of Watson's speech: -"The 'good' bahro protecting us have created a grand Deception for our peace of mind--an illusion that all is well here in the Cavern and the Ages..." +"The 'good' bahro protecting us have created a grand Deception for our peace of mind--an illusion that all is well here in the Cavern and the Ages . . . " "We have been told that 'destruction is coming'." @@ -909,9 +909,9 @@ The creatures of Dereno were far more populous than those of Negilahn. And they Michael Engberg's daughter visited the cavern back then. Her name was Willow, but we all called her Wheely. She was just a teenager. The day after Dereno came out, Wheely showed up in the cavern. We'd seen her plenty of times before--she was very popular among the explorers, who took her in as a kind of pseudo family member. -That day she wanted to see the Pods, which she'd never visited. So we took her to Negilahn, and then to Dereno. She liked Negilahn best... +That day she wanted to see the Pods, which she'd never visited. So we took her to Negilahn, and then to Dereno. She liked Negilahn best . . . -Talking about Wheely is... difficult. +Talking about Wheely is . . . difficult. The decline of the Negilahn animal population had become a serious concern for the DRC, and it was decided that a small expedition would venture outside the Pod to try to solve this mystery. @@ -953,7 +953,7 @@ Something had to happen to break the tension in the cavern and unite us.<cover src="HeritDoc1Dflt.hsm"><font size=12 style=b face=courier color=000000><margin right=56 left=56 top=40 bottom=40><PB><p align=center> Preface -<font style=n size=10><p align=left>Each journey to D'ni begins with Jeff Zandi's favorite song... Listen to it well and then find your path to the City below. +<font style=n size=10><p align=left>Each journey to D'ni begins with Jeff Zandi's favorite song . . . Listen to it well and then find your path to the City below. Straight as an arrow @@ -1117,7 +1117,7 @@ Zandi. What a man, that one. He greets each and every one of us as we come. Even if you don't see him, he sees you. He lives on the land, after all. -When you see Zandi, you see a man who has been here since the beginning. It's a strange thing, but knowing somehow that there's one man who has not changed... That is reassuring. +When you see Zandi, you see a man who has been here since the beginning. It's a strange thing, but knowing somehow that there's one man who has not changed . . . That is reassuring. Jeff Zandi has not changed one bit in all the years I've known him. Every time I see him, I give a wave, and he asks me if his steak's done yet. @@ -1185,7 +1185,7 @@ And then Phil's KI appeared twice. The first time briefly, the second time for r While at first people assumed no one had gotten to Eder Kemo in time, it turned out that an explorer had, and that he had talked to Phil. -Phil said he was OK, but he wasn't coming back... The liar. +Phil said he was OK, but he wasn't coming back . . . The liar. From there, restorations continued on as scheduled. Things returned to their quiet state. @@ -1233,7 +1233,7 @@ Despite Phil's return, he soon left again by going back into the door. Days late Days later, he finally came out. An explorer by the name of MrM3FaN coordinated efforts with Victor Laxman and managed to get Phil to the City. -Phil and Laxman talked and the conversation was... Jumpy to say the least. Eventually, Phil ran off again, this time loose in the City. +Phil and Laxman talked and the conversation was . . . Jumpy to say the least. Eventually, Phil ran off again, this time loose in the City. All five DRC members soon were searching for the man. And throughout Phil's daily pop-ups, Sharper continued to protest against the DRC. @@ -1244,11 +1244,11 @@ As you might be able to see, things were not going well. The Age of Chiso Preniv, aka "another library" in D'ni . . . or so we think. The name seems a bit blunt and basic and not the usual elegance of D'ni names. The translation team seems to think it may be more of a slang name. So far, we haven't found the proper Age name, so until we do, we'll just have to go with what we've got. -When first Linking in, you can tell it's a D'ni Age. Rows and rows of shelves for what could hold thousands of Books. Only one problem...the library is completely empty. Any Books, Ages or otherwise, appear to have been removed entirely from the complex. It's definitely a contrast to the library on Teshafee, where we found Chiso and some notes pertaining to it. +When first Linking in, you can tell it's a D'ni Age. Rows and rows of shelves for what could hold thousands of Books. Only one problem . . . the library is completely empty. Any Books, Ages or otherwise, appear to have been removed entirely from the complex. It's definitely a contrast to the library on Teshafee, where we found Chiso and some notes pertaining to it. The mosaics when you first Link in seem quite familiar. They, along with the tree mural and Guild of Writers symbol on the floor, seem quite symbolic. The tree itself leads to nine pedestals at the other end of the building, which themselves have "branches" surrounding the metal pedestals themselves. Perfect to display Age Books for easy Linking. -Strangely, most of the inner structure is not made of nara as usual, but of a rather durable redwood. The bookshelves and book stands set into the walls are also made of this wood...and the design of the latter seems oddly familiar. +Strangely, most of the inner structure is not made of nara as usual, but of a rather durable redwood. The bookshelves and book stands set into the walls are also made of this wood . . . and the design of the latter seems oddly familiar. While we weren't able to find an exit to the outdoors, they were clearly visible through the large ornate windows at the opposite end of the library. The blue skies and rolling green fields, while beautiful, humorously reminded many of us of a certain default wallpaper for a certain computer operating system. Even so, we're anxious to get out and explore the land! @@ -1258,7 +1258,7 @@ What could have cause it though? All in all, we'll need to do some more searching around here. More later.<pb>4-10-17 -After some preliminary searching, we've been unable to find an exit from the building yet...aside from that hole. We've now made plans to use the opening in the ceiling to venture outside and explore, but other Ages and the work therein means it'll have to wait awhile. +After some preliminary searching, we've been unable to find an exit from the building yet . . . aside from that hole. We've now made plans to use the opening in the ceiling to venture outside and explore, but other Ages and the work therein means it'll have to wait awhile. On the plus side, we've begun to move some of the archived Book and texts here from Teshafee to free up more room in the latter's library while we catalog everything. Our desks there were beginning to pile up with the proverbial "in" and "out" piles!<pb>6-21-17 @@ -1270,7 +1270,7 @@ Outside, we found that the building was situated on top of a large hill overlook Exploring outward, we even found evidence of a primitive civilization, long gone from these lands! It appears to be a temporary camp set up near the library for some as-yet unknown reason. We've taken some writing samples that I hope our translators will be able to decipher and figure out who they were. -Most interesting was their tools...or rather, their weapons. Crude in fashion, surprisingly, they contained chunks of NARA! They appear to be D'ni-made, which further adds to the confusion. Did the D'ni give them these materials for some reason, and if so, why? +Most interesting was their tools . . . or rather, their weapons. Crude in fashion, surprisingly, they contained chunks of NARA! They appear to be D'ni-made, which further adds to the confusion. Did the D'ni give them these materials for some reason, and if so, why? Also, why use it for weapons? To what end? @@ -1278,7 +1278,7 @@ Need to think more on this. Like many other Ages we've stumbled upon, something Our translation team truly is remarkable! They've been able to piece together most of what happened through the basic writings of the indigenous people of the Age and more documents we were able to uncover in Teshafee. -It seems, in 7349 DE, the Caltauc, a tribe of people native to this area of the Age, had approached the D'ni while they were building the library...and were none too happy that the latter were destroying and spoiling this patch of land for their own ends. The Age's Writer and head of the expedition to build the library, Relsahn, did not want to start a war with these people, so he worked with them to strike a bargain: they would trade the tribe a small batch of nara, the strongest stone work they had, for their people to use however they see fit. This would be along with a few other supplies, such as food and medicines that were found to improve the health of the Caltauc. +It seems, in 7349 DE, the Caltauc, a tribe of people native to this area of the Age, had approached the D'ni while they were building the library . . . and were none too happy that the latter were destroying and spoiling this patch of land for their own ends. The Age's Writer and head of the expedition to build the library, Relsahn, did not want to start a war with these people, so he worked with them to strike a bargain: they would trade the tribe a small batch of nara, the strongest stone work they had, for their people to use however they see fit. This would be along with a few other supplies, such as food and medicines that were found to improve the health of the Caltauc. For a time, there was peace, until an accident occured during the final days of construction. A boy from the tribe, curious about what was going on, had wandered into the unfinished structure to explore. Tragically, he caused the collapse of one of the heavy wooden pillars and was crushed. He died instantly. @@ -1300,21 +1300,21 @@ Almost a year and a half and we've slowly made Chiso our own. Books are tricklin I'm starting to think this would be a perfect place to accumulate not only our own work, but other groups' work as well if they so choose.<pb>8-07-18 -Success! We've finally found an exit to the library...and quite by accident! +Success! We've finally found an exit to the library . . . and quite by accident! -Who knew this library was someone like a haunted mansion...as in actual secret passages. I guess it makes sense given the tense relations with the Caltauc at the time. One of our volunteers was doing a bit of dusting (something that is constantly needed, it seems) and stumbled upon the mechanism that opens up one of the bookcases to reveal a passageway leading downward further into the hill's rocky interior. +Who knew this library was someone like a haunted mansion . . . as in actual secret passages. I guess it makes sense given the tense relations with the Caltauc at the time. One of our volunteers was doing a bit of dusting (something that is constantly needed, it seems) and stumbled upon the mechanism that opens up one of the bookcases to reveal a passageway leading downward further into the hill's rocky interior. This "basement" is about the same size above, but contains many private study rooms an only a few shelves. This looks to be where the D'ni did quite a bit of Writing. We discovered more blank Books and the precious ink that goes with them. I guess, in their haste to evacuate, the D'ni had forgotten them. Good to know we're not the only ones that forget something important during a big move! As such, we took all we found and have stockpiled them in the usual place, as well as donated some to the other groups working in the cavern. Hopefully, they'll be of some use someday.<pb>9-19-19 -Wow, that's a whole lotta nines in that date...and quite a bit of time since I last wrote in this! +Wow, that's a whole lotta nines in that date . . . and quite a bit of time since I last wrote in this! I've come to the decision that this library should be open to all of our friends in the cavern. It's selfish to just limit it to our group and those working in Teshafee. I'll consult with our usual people to make sure this place is ready for the public.<pb>2-10-20 -So busy with other projects, but the work here is important too. It's been discussed, and we'd like to turn this library into a hub for a new restoration of sorts, led by the Called...the explorers who have come to D'ni to seek adventure, enlightenment, knowledge, belonging...and fun, of course! +So busy with other projects, but the work here is important too. It's been discussed, and we'd like to turn this library into a hub for a new restoration of sorts, led by the Called . . . the explorers who have come to D'ni to seek adventure, enlightenment, knowledge, belonging . . . and fun, of course! I should probably get in touch with members of the DRC again to consult them on this and get their advice. If anyone knows what should go into a restoration of this magnitude, it's them. @@ -1324,7 +1324,7 @@ With all that's going on on the surface, it's good to get away to what is litera For now, I'll be adding Books to our own works, namely the Guild of Messengers Pub in Ae'gura and Veelay Tsahvahn. They're both perfect showcases of the fantastic work many have done over the years and should both be ready for the foot traffic releasing them to the general public will entail.<pb>8-20-20 -It's come down to this. Tomorrow...finally...Chiso Preniv will be open to the public! I've also "come out of the shadows", so to speak, and done a bit of public relations by chatting up explorers in the Watcher's Pub, where we've opened up a new Book room to house the Linking Book here. Their enthusiasm is so infectious...but also makes me even more nervous for tomorrow! +It's come down to this. Tomorrow . . . finally . . . Chiso Preniv will be open to the public! I've also "come out of the shadows", so to speak, and done a bit of public relations by chatting up explorers in the Watcher's Pub, where we've opened up a new Book room to house the Linking Book here. Their enthusiasm is so infectious . . . but also makes me even more nervous for tomorrow! Time to get back to my speech! Wish me luck, inanimate journal notebook! Ha!<pb>8-23-20 @@ -1340,29 +1340,29 @@ After ten thousand years of history, a catastrophic event that nearly destroyed "In that endeavor, I believe we have been very successful over the years. You've made this place your home away from home and have gone forth on the adventure of understanding the D'ni people, how they lived, and, of course, the worlds they visited via the Art. We have also forged bonds with one another that have remained strong throughout the often joyous and occasionally troubled times. -"Good or bad, we have faced it together, and because of our strength of character, persistence...and most importantly, those aforementioned bonds... +"Good or bad, we have faced it together, and because of our strength of character, persistence . . . and most importantly, those aforementioned bonds . . . -"...after almost two *decades*... +" . . . after almost two *decades* . . . -"...we are still here! +" . . . we are still here! "The D'ni Restoration Council admirably led the modern efforts to bring D'ni back to its former glory, and for that and the assistance they have offered over even these last few years, they have our gratitude. They will always have a seat at the table should they ever choose to return. -"But now...finally...it's our turn. +"But now . . . finally . . . it's our turn. -"Today, we officially begin a new restoration...*our* restoration...to continue what our predecessors started and to expand our knowledge of the D'ni through their home in the cavern and the incredible Ages contained here. It is with that in mind that we are here today...to open the door to a new era in D'ni. +"Today, we officially begin a new restoration . . . *our* restoration . . . to continue what our predecessors started and to expand our knowledge of the D'ni through their home in the cavern and the incredible Ages contained here. It is with that in mind that we are here today . . . to open the door to a new era in D'ni. -"A new path...a new chronicle...a new journey. +"A new path . . . a new chronicle . . . a new journey. -"Chiso Preniv, the Age you're about to visit, will be the first gateway to a new gathering of Ages and points of interest here in the cavern that have been restored...or in some cases, Written...by us, the explorers of D'ni. The Books you find there now are just the beginning. I'm hoping, as the months and years pass, fellow explorers will present more of their work to the library, and their contributions will be most welcome there. +"Chiso Preniv, the Age you're about to visit, will be the first gateway to a new gathering of Ages and points of interest here in the cavern that have been restored . . . or in some cases, Written . . . by us, the explorers of D'ni. The Books you find there now are just the beginning. I'm hoping, as the months and years pass, fellow explorers will present more of their work to the library, and their contributions will be most welcome there. "This is, and will continue to be, the culmination of years of work by our fellow explorers, all contributing their time, efforts, and talents to making things ready for you all to see. This is the fruit of their tireless labor. For that, from the bottom of my heart, I thank them. *All* of them. -"There are too many names to mention...but each and every one has been an important part of launching this new era. If they would like to make themselves known...I leave that decision to them, as I would respect any choices of anonymity...but if they do speak up, be sure to give them thanks! They are often the unsung heroes here in the cavern. They put in untold weeks, months, and even years of labor on an entirely volunteer basis to bring us all the amazing things we will see and experience. +"There are too many names to mention . . . but each and every one has been an important part of launching this new era. If they would like to make themselves known . . . I leave that decision to them, as I would respect any choices of anonymity . . . but if they do speak up, be sure to give them thanks! They are often the unsung heroes here in the cavern. They put in untold weeks, months, and even years of labor on an entirely volunteer basis to bring us all the amazing things we will see and experience. "Put simply, we would *not* be here today without them. -"There is one more group I'd like to turn our thoughts to today: our friends that are no longer with us. They too are an important part of why we're all still here today. They are with us now in spirit...and as we go into the future, they will always be with us. +"There is one more group I'd like to turn our thoughts to today: our friends that are no longer with us. They too are an important part of why we're all still here today. They are with us now in spirit . . . and as we go into the future, they will always be with us. This is as much for them as it is for us. "We've all come a long way and experienced much. Yet there is still *so* much more out there for us to explore! @@ -1370,9 +1370,9 @@ Now, more than ever, these words ring true: "'The ending has not yet been written.' -"With all that said...I give you Chiso Preniv...the first step towards a new future in D'ni!" +"With all that said . . . I give you Chiso Preniv . . . the first step towards a new future in D'ni!" -Wow...rereading that, I can't believe it was me who wrote that! Ha! +Wow . . . rereading that, I can't believe it was me who wrote that! Ha! I've given some well-earned time off to my team. They could use the break, as could I. Off to vacation!<pb>12-10-20 @@ -1406,7 +1406,7 @@ On that note, the two Ages and one cavern location we've been focusing on lately Thankfully, the swells in Tre'bivdil have subsided. Now we just need to dry things out and make sure there's no toxic mold or anything. People would be surprised how much scrubbing with disinfectant is involved. LOTS of scrubbing, in fact. -Serene seems the most...well, serene...after the storms subsided. We'll probably be able to release that Age first. As a born and raised Minnesotan, I was NOT keen on shoveling that walkway...but it had to be done! +Serene seems the most . . . well, serene . . . after the storms subsided. We'll probably be able to release that Age first. As a born and raised Minnesotan, I was NOT keen on shoveling that walkway . . . but it had to be done! Now to head to the Ae'gura Messengers Pub to let my arms fall off. Ha!<pb>3-17-21 @@ -1542,11 +1542,11 @@ Greetings and pleasantries exchanged, the conversation continued: "All recovered "I think so, Mr. Platt," Marie responded, smiling. -"Just in time to... what, go back to the surface again?" +"Just in time to . . . what, go back to the surface again?" "Yes, I'm going to be leaving soon. Dr. Kodama may stay a while longer, he said." -"Dr. Kodama said you hadn't found anything other than us that might have set off the sensors," commented Mystdee. "I hope we didn't cause you to make an unneeded trip... But it's so good to see you again." +"Dr. Kodama said you hadn't found anything other than us that might have set off the sensors," commented Mystdee. "I hope we didn't cause you to make an unneeded trip . . . But it's so good to see you again." "It's good to see you all again, too. Glad to confirm it wasn't anything serious." @@ -1619,13 +1619,13 @@ Mac had already moved to the best listening point and beckoned the others to joi "Yes, woof, woof," offered Mac. -"Hmm... Maybe flappers make that noise?" Katva suggested. +"Hmm . . . Maybe flappers make that noise?" Katva suggested. -"Maybe I am imagining things... almost a honking like geese," added Mystdee. +"Maybe I am imagining things . . . almost a honking like geese," added Mystdee. -"Ooh, baaaaaa," said Katva, now finding it easier to make out the sounds. "And... a gorilla? You really have a menagerie here." +"Ooh, baaaaaa," said Katva, now finding it easier to make out the sounds. "And . . . a gorilla? You really have a menagerie here." -"But... you all agree we never noticed these sounds before?" asked EthanEver. +"But . . . you all agree we never noticed these sounds before?" asked EthanEver. "I'm going to have to check my own Teledahn now," replied Mac. @@ -1659,7 +1659,7 @@ Ken and Mystdee answered that they had, but Dadguy and Mac hadn't, so JWPlatt ex JanB arrived and soon the hut roof was covered with explorers. Dadguy tried to use the elevator and complained that there was no power. -"No... Shroomie doesn't want to be disturbed," answered EthanEver. +"No . . . Shroomie doesn't want to be disturbed," answered EthanEver. "Maybe that is why he has the animals!" remarked Mystdee. @@ -1693,7 +1693,7 @@ Suddenly, there was a linking sound followed by a loud, Bahro-like call, but not "Did you see anything?" asked Tai'lahr, nervously scanning the rooftops. Eventually she pointed: "On the Tokotah roof." -"Oh yeah, I see him," said Dadguy. "He is watchful..." +"Oh yeah, I see him," said Dadguy. "He is watchful . . . " Tai'lahr knelt down. "If I remember correctly, kneeling demonstrates to them that you mean no harm. Maybe if we all kneel, it will respond." @@ -1810,7 +1810,7 @@ That week is known as "Scars Week" because of the physical and emotional scars t The first scar was a physical one. -The first scar... was a crack. +The first scar . . . was a crack. The week began normally. Victor Laxman, one of the four remaining DRC members, was making the rounds from Neighborhood to Neighborhood. He was talking with explorers about the next Age the DRC planned to release, which he said was almost ready. @@ -1818,7 +1818,7 @@ Suddenly, while talking with explorers, he received a message on his KI. After r We didn't think it could be anything important. After all, the Great Scream had destabilized everything months before. -We forgot about Laxman and spent our time gossiping about Nick White, who'd just been fired from the DRC. I won't go into too many details about why he'd been fired, other than to say that... well, that Nick was something of a ladies' man. And I mean ladies in the plural. +We forgot about Laxman and spent our time gossiping about Nick White, who'd just been fired from the DRC. I won't go into too many details about why he'd been fired, other than to say that . . . well, that Nick was something of a ladies' man. And I mean ladies in the plural. At any rate, he was still here, but as one of us, not as a DRC employee. And we were all very concerned for him when he told us that he and Sharper were planning another expedition to Negilahn. @@ -1978,7 +1978,7 @@ By various means, word was beginning to get through to the explorers waiting in Rand laughed. "I'll go and sneak into quiet hoods from now on. Just to get my name on the imager." -"OK... You'll be coming back later?" asked Dadguy. +"OK . . . You'll be coming back later?" asked Dadguy. "I'll stay here for a while--see some newbies." @@ -2161,7 +2161,7 @@ She had something they wanted. Some assumed the piece of skin that Esher had car "Destruction is coming. It is almost here. I will delay it as long as I can, but, in the meantime, you must find a way. You must find a home." -She promised to return in the future, and if things went well, she would offer her aid. But if things didn't go well... You get the picture. +She promised to return in the future, and if things went well, she would offer her aid. But if things didn't go well . . . You get the picture. Regardless, she said we had to be ready for her return. Destruction was coming no matter what, and when it arrived we must have found our way. We MUST have found our home. @@ -2173,9 +2173,9 @@ The next day, Sharper announced that he was heading to the surface too. Suddenly In the months that followed what I've come to call the "Day of Yeesha", the DRC did not return. -We learned through other sources that Cate was not the only investor to cease funding. GameTap, the other major investor, was pulling the plug as well. (Why a computer game company was funding the restoration at all, I'll never know...) +We learned through other sources that Cate was not the only investor to cease funding. GameTap, the other major investor, was pulling the plug as well. (Why a computer game company was funding the restoration at all, I'll never know . . . ) -We tend not to blame them. Cate, however... +We tend not to blame them. Cate, however . . . At any rate, we all remained in the cavern for a little while. But one by one we made our Exodus back to the surface, back to our jobs and schools and families. Back to our lives. @@ -2224,11 +2224,11 @@ To jump into our story, Phil Henderson was back. He appeared in a hood. Sharper It was asked where Phil had been. -"I've been Exploring" he said. "So many..." +"I've been Exploring" he said. "So many . . . " "So many what?" someone asked. -"Areas of the city." Phil replied. "So many people... So many minds... So many journeys." +"Areas of the city." Phil replied. "So many people . . . So many minds . . . So many journeys." Many asked Phil about Yeesha. @@ -2294,7 +2294,7 @@ A few days later, Phil continued his escapades. He claimed that we were all on a Sharper himself was growing increasingly anti-DRC. Michael Engberg was more hopeful about it all, although it worried him to see these sides being made and taken. -An explorer, Tweek, said this on the matter: "The sides choosing thing is annoying me... people are being sneaky trying to get others in trouble... and being rude and impatient." +An explorer, Tweek, said this on the matter: "The sides choosing thing is annoying me . . . people are being sneaky trying to get others in trouble . . . and being rude and impatient." Engberg replied, "Like I have said before, we are all family down here, and even in family you will have people who disagree." @@ -2302,7 +2302,7 @@ Engberg replied, "Like I have said before, we are all family down here, and even "Exactly, I think if we agree that we can disagree, life will go a lot easier." Engberg said. "I know people are not always going to agree with the DRC, but if you get to know us, and understand us better, I think you will see that we are all not bad." -Of course, things wouldn't go that way. Perhaps, had Phil not done what he would soon do... Perhaps, had Phil not been as elusive and mysterious... Perhaps, just maybe, if the DRC wouldn't have reacted as they did... Things might have gone differently. +Of course, things wouldn't go that way. Perhaps, had Phil not done what he would soon do . . . Perhaps, had Phil not been as elusive and mysterious . . . Perhaps, just maybe, if the DRC wouldn't have reacted as they did . . . Things might have gone differently. Phil and Sharper soon left on the journey, and any qualms the DRC had with them would have to wait until they got back. @@ -2324,7 +2324,7 @@ Days passed. Things escalated. Finally, something tipped the scales. Phil had climbed up into the Guild Hall, right over the Great King's tomb. People advised him to climb down from there. He didn't listen to us. -Maybe... If he had just stayed there...? +Maybe . . . If he had just stayed there . . . ? When Dr. Watson arrived, he and Phil chatted over the City. Watson near the bridge, Phil on the Hall. @@ -2356,7 +2356,7 @@ He didn't listen. This was where his journey led him. Explorers didn't get it. The DRC knew, even Phil knew that the building he was on was not safe. Very unstable. -But you could see him climbing up the side of the building... Everyone kept saying that they should just go up there, saying, "Let us help!" +But you could see him climbing up the side of the building . . . Everyone kept saying that they should just go up there, saying, "Let us help!" The DRC couldn't do anything. The place was that unstable. Not even the Nexus Link worked. @@ -2370,7 +2370,7 @@ There was a rumble. And a noise. And smoke. Phil's KI went offline. -The last thing anyone could see on the Age Players list was a single string of two characters: "????????........." +The last thing anyone could see on the Age Players list was a single string of two characters: "???????? . . . . . . . . . " The DRC rushed into action, but Phil was gone. The only thing the DRC ever found was his KI, smashed in the rubble. Everyone assumed he was dead, and rightly so. After all, the whole structure had collapsed. @@ -2386,7 +2386,7 @@ More months passed. The Great Zero was restarted many times, but it was not enou Puzzles were solved. Journeys were taken. One in particular, when retold to Cyan, inspired their last game: "Myst V: End of Ages". -We waited and we gathered. And one day... We had a spark. +We waited and we gathered. And one day . . . We had a spark. <cover src="HeritDoc1Dflt.hsm"><font size=12 style=b face=courier color=000000><margin right=56 left=56 top=40 bottom=40><PB> @@ -2620,7 +2620,7 @@ September * Games * Missing * Sharper -* Moving on... +* Moving on . . . October * Preparation for Arrivals @@ -2896,7 +2896,7 @@ I grinned, the beginnings of common ground established. "That's the one! No, no, I realised I was blithering. Trying to stall to make less awkward of a departure. But to my surprise, the painter broke into a laugh. It was a gentle laugh, one without scorn or malice. -"I suppose I'll keep this one," said the painter, beckoning to her easel, "although I don't think I'm much of an artist. It's just.... a reminder." +"I suppose I'll keep this one," said the painter, beckoning to her easel, "although I don't think I'm much of an artist. It's just . . . . a reminder." There was something about the tone of that last word that piqued my interest. "It's the bridge, isn't it?' I asked. I instantly regretted the redundancy of the observation. Of course it's the bridge. Damn foolish thing to say. @@ -2912,11 +2912,11 @@ There was a moment's silence, and I shifted uncomfortably from one foot to anoth The question was sudden, almost hurried, as though the painter had been keeping it within her for some time and could hold it no longer. My hand moved away from my Relto just as she turned once again to face me. -"Empty? I suppose you could say that. Apart from us nosy lot, of course. Not that there's many of us about at the moment..." +"Empty? I suppose you could say that. Apart from us nosy lot, of course. Not that there's many of us about at the moment . . . " It was true. Aside from the group of half a dozen or so explorers sitting on the top steps of the Great Stairs, and the tiny clustering of the more braver of the marker hunters congregating on one side of the bridge in the distance, the city was quiet. The Deep City was breathing more steadily than it had been in recent months, but it still remained a far cry from what it had once been barely two centuries ago. -As if my thoughts were being read, she continued. "People don't see what it used to be, how it ended. I thought maybe if I painted it... it would be easier to see. For me, at least." +As if my thoughts were being read, she continued. "People don't see what it used to be, how it ended. I thought maybe if I painted it . . . it would be easier to see. For me, at least." At that moment the distant chattering from the direction of the bridge ceased. As we both watched, another explorer (this one clad in goggles and a pith helmet several sizes too big for him) took a flying leap from the edge of the bridge and plummeted downwards. But before his body could be dashed by the rocks below, he had vanished into the welcoming pages of his Relto, joining the ranks of the hundreds of other explorers who had succeeded in this more daring element of the calibration procedure. @@ -2924,15 +2924,15 @@ I shook my head in disbelief, amazed at the lengths some of my fellow explorers "And has it?" I asked. "Made it easier to see, I mean." -"It makes it easier for me to look at somewhat," she replied cryptically. She turned away from the bridge and brought her gaze to mine. "Tell me, Mr...?" +"It makes it easier for me to look at somewhat," she replied cryptically. She turned away from the bridge and brought her gaze to mine. "Tell me, Mr . . . ?" "Lavisham. Professor Julian Lavisham," I smiled, glad to be on more familiar ground. "A Professor? How interesting." There was no trace of insincerity in her tone, at least none that I could detect. "Pleased to meet you, Professor Lavisham." -"And likewise, Ms...?" +"And likewise, Ms . . . ?" -"Echo," the painter said with a smile. "Echo McKenzie. Tell me, Julian..." +"Echo," the painter said with a smile. "Echo McKenzie. Tell me, Julian . . . " She gestured with her brush over the canyon. @@ -2946,19 +2946,19 @@ Echo leaned against the railing, closing her eyes for a moment. When she opened "The bridge, it's a grand construction, the only path to the Great Library. Thousands of people crossing it every day. They think nothing of it. It, like D'ni, is set in stone. When the earthquakes start, it is only natural that people flee for the Library, to the safety of the ages." -"But the gas... the gas is there too. It is crawling across the lake, a malevolent, seeking death. People are crowded on the bridge, pushing, shoving, the panic in the mob increasing... they can hear the cries of the dying as the poison cloud reaches the ferry terminal. The press of bodies on the bridge as people race for the Library grows." +"But the gas . . . the gas is there too. It is crawling across the lake, a malevolent, seeking death. People are crowded on the bridge, pushing, shoving, the panic in the mob increasing . . . they can hear the cries of the dying as the poison cloud reaches the ferry terminal. The press of bodies on the bridge as people race for the Library grows." She paused, closing her eyes. An expression of pain crossed her face, and I could tell she was struggling to speak. -"Another tremor comes. The bridge shakes, twists... it's not made to handle weight and torque. It begins to crumble. So, so many fall... and the poison cloud reaches up seeking tendrils to meet them... they die before they even hit the water. Some try to cling to the ruin, the gas reaches up and takes them, too. Others try to flee back, to the Hall of Kings, but it is too crowded..." +"Another tremor comes. The bridge shakes, twists . . . it's not made to handle weight and torque. It begins to crumble. So, so many fall . . . and the poison cloud reaches up seeking tendrils to meet them . . . they die before they even hit the water. Some try to cling to the ruin, the gas reaches up and takes them, too. Others try to flee back, to the Hall of Kings, but it is too crowded . . . " Tears began running quietly down her face, despite the tightness of her clenched eyelids. And yet, she continued her story. -"There is a woman... she is just at the edge when the bridge cracks... she starts to fall, and in desperation, throws her little daughter upwards to the crowd. She is caught, held close; people are running for the library holding her... she is reaching back screaming for her mother." +"There is a woman . . . she is just at the edge when the bridge cracks . . . she starts to fall, and in desperation, throws her little daughter upwards to the crowd. She is caught, held close; people are running for the library holding her . . . she is reaching back screaming for her mother." Her voice was close to breaking, each word almost a sob that seemed to rise up from the very depths of a soul. -"They don't know... they can't know... that even the Ages won't save them. There's too many... just too many..." +"They don't know . . . they can't know . . . that even the Ages won't save them. There's too many . . . just too many . . . " She sunk to her knees, head resting against the railing, face in her hands. She seemed exhausted, as though she had been through the most horrific physical ordeal that could be subjected upon a person. In between her laboured breaths she softly whispered the words: @@ -2970,19 +2970,19 @@ Throughout her story, I had found myself enraptured by the words that this myste Wordlessly, her eyes remaining shut, she nodded. -"... I wish I could see the things you do," I said finally. +" . . . I wish I could see the things you do," I said finally. Echo opened her eyes and looked up at me. "No. No you don't, Julian." She was still clearly distressed, but her breathing had become more even, slowed to a less frantic pace. -"But I do!" I insisted. "So many historians look around at this ancient stone and see just that. Buildings, masonry, walkways, everything that time hasn't managed to tear down. It's certainly all I was able to see just by looking at that bridge. But you... you can see it all. People, events happening in real time, the ability to see history playing out, right before your eyes. Echo, if what you're telling me is true, you can see how the D'ni lived!" +"But I do!" I insisted. "So many historians look around at this ancient stone and see just that. Buildings, masonry, walkways, everything that time hasn't managed to tear down. It's certainly all I was able to see just by looking at that bridge. But you . . . you can see it all. People, events happening in real time, the ability to see history playing out, right before your eyes. Echo, if what you're telling me is true, you can see how the D'ni lived!" -"All I see right now is how they died. It's like watching a murder, over and over again," she sighed, forcing herself to stand before her painting again. She brushed her fingers against the now dried canvas. "And when people go jumping after that marker under the bridge... I see new bodies with the old." +"All I see right now is how they died. It's like watching a murder, over and over again," she sighed, forcing herself to stand before her painting again. She brushed her fingers against the now dried canvas. "And when people go jumping after that marker under the bridge . . . I see new bodies with the old." The full emotional implications of what she was describing came rushing in. I had a hundred questions on my lips, but right then I knew all that mattered was being present in this moment with her. "I can only begin to imagine what that must be like. To see the death of a society play out before your eyes. We know so much about how D'ni fell, the years of their kings, all of the big events. But there's more to it than that, more to here than that. History isn't just dates, or buildings, when eras began or ended. It's people, it's their lives, it's their drives and struggles, their pain, their passions. It's their dreams. And their stories." -"Take those people you saw. Any one of them. The mother, the daughter, the people in the crowd who caught her... each and every one of them has their own story to tell. It could be something trivial, something grand, something that changes the life of everyone or just something that changed them. But it's those stories that truly reveal how a person lived. The bad... but also, the good." +"Take those people you saw. Any one of them. The mother, the daughter, the people in the crowd who caught her . . . each and every one of them has their own story to tell. It could be something trivial, something grand, something that changes the life of everyone or just something that changed them. But it's those stories that truly reveal how a person lived. The bad . . . but also, the good." Echo stared ahead thoughtfully, absent mindedly rubbing at a speck of dry paint on her face. @@ -2998,7 +2998,7 @@ She swiped her brush beneath the painting as if to likewise underline her words. "Thank you." -I immediately took on an expression of bewilderment. It was one which came naturally to me and found myself using a lot in recent years. "I... did something?" +I immediately took on an expression of bewilderment. It was one which came naturally to me and found myself using a lot in recent years. "I . . . did something?" Echo nodded. "You listened. You didn't laugh." @@ -3006,7 +3006,7 @@ Echo nodded. "You listened. You didn't laugh." "I'm not sure what's happened to me," was all she could say. -"Is this the first time something like... this... has happened?" +"Is this the first time something like . . . this . . . has happened?" She nodded, and looked down at the ground. "I've never had anything like this, until I came here." @@ -3022,11 +3022,11 @@ Her trembling stopped, but there was still a hint of reservation in her next que I blew out my cheeks in mock exasperation. "Ms McKenzie, we are currently conversing many untold miles beneath the surface of the known world. We regularly use magic books as a means of getting around. This morning, I cooked up some mad science in a silo on an entirely different plane of existence to our own which, if all goes to plan, will somehow light up this entire cavern. At this point, your guess as to what passes for sane is as good as anyone's." -"True. But this... this all feels different. And if it keeps happening, I don't know what it's going to do to me." +"True. But this . . . this all feels different. And if it keeps happening, I don't know what it's going to do to me." And here I paused. Moments like these rarely fell into place for me, so this one I was determined to savour, regardless of the outcome. -"I guess it's just going to take a... leap of faith." +"I guess it's just going to take a . . . leap of faith." Her brow furrowed as what I considered the dramatic weight of my words failed to land in spectacular fashion. "Professor Lavisham, that was either insightfully profound, totally pretentious, or the biggest load of cheese this side of a Hallmark card." @@ -3038,7 +3038,7 @@ At this point Echo held her hand to her mouth, suppressing a quiet giggle. Echo made a show of looking innocent. "Yes. Yes it was," she smiled. She blinked, and then seemed to cross her eyes. "I have paint on my nose, don't I?" -I was stone-faced. "I... didn't want to say anything." I couldn't help it. The side of my mouth twitched upward. +I was stone-faced. "I . . . didn't want to say anything." I couldn't help it. The side of my mouth twitched upward. She rolled her eyes and began rubbing the smear with her finger. "Some first impression. "Hi, I'm Echo, and I paint with my nose and hallucinate dead people!"' At this point I was beyond keeping a straight face, and proceeded to double up in fits of hilarity. @@ -3046,7 +3046,7 @@ She rolled her eyes and began rubbing the smear with her finger. "Some first imp Finally the two of us had calmed down enough to form complete sentences once. "Ms McKenzie", I said, "you are by far the most interesting person I've met down here in a long while." -"Why thank you. I think!" she snorted, wrinkling her nose at me. She sighed happily, and as she did so the faintest traces of a shadow returned to her face. "I... should go rest. I always feel a bit off after it happens." +"Why thank you. I think!" she snorted, wrinkling her nose at me. She sighed happily, and as she did so the faintest traces of a shadow returned to her face. "I . . . should go rest. I always feel a bit off after it happens." "No, quite right, I need to be doing the same actually", I nodded as Echo knelt down to gather up her paints. "I've a little project of mine running back in my Relto with a colleague of mine. We've scavenged some of the boilers from the desert Eder in an attempt to distil our own wine. We've got the principle of the thing sorted, but there's one or two kinks need looking at." @@ -3117,7 +3117,7 @@ Once I get a chance to get out there and visit the place. YEP. -...Good grief, Calum, why can't you just stick to a single journal for this stuff? + . . . Good grief, Calum, why can't you just stick to a single journal for this stuff? --- @@ -3127,7 +3127,7 @@ Okay, let's see if I can find where this book is and get to there. Tiam is, uh. Quite sandy and bright on first impression. I can't tell if it's the sun or the glare. -Interesting initial area, structural foundations look well... locked door and a puzzle? Fascinating! +Interesting initial area, structural foundations look well . . . locked door and a puzzle? Fascinating! Handy link back to Chiso right at the getgo. Benches! Very nice. @@ -3295,11 +3295,11 @@ Time to link. It's Definitely D'ni alright. A very stained glassy roof hangs above me. Someone's set up a bunch of bright spotlights for visibility while we work, hard to say how much light's coming through the ceiling just yet. -Lots of fountains, hallways... not quite sure where to go just yet. +Lots of fountains, hallways . . . not quite sure where to go just yet. --- -Of course someone's left that door locked. Okay, not going that way... +Of course someone's left that door locked. Okay, not going that way . . . --- @@ -3322,7 +3322,7 @@ Hmm, the noises through this door sound familiar. Can't find my way through it, --- -Hazado and Scharminius have joined me here. We're taking a group examination of the place... +Hazado and Scharminius have joined me here. We're taking a group examination of the place . . . --- @@ -3362,7 +3362,7 @@ I suspect soon that'll be two out of every three visits, and then every visit pe The fireflies also chose to make an appearance, too. I honestly didn't know there were fireflies here. -I never saw them during my earlier visits, all those many years ago when Andy first released the age. Did something change? ...Actually, come to think of it, was that hut even here originally? +I never saw them during my earlier visits, all those many years ago when Andy first released the age. Did something change? . . . Actually, come to think of it, was that hut even here originally? The fireflies're rather harmonious sounding- a tad electricish too. @@ -3415,7 +3415,7 @@ Mirphak's joined me for this run. Patrick's running late. Elevators are presently nonfunctioning, I'll be using my camera drone to survey the elevator rungs for damage. -Or I would be... If I remembered to charge the battery first, that is. Later, then, I guess. +Or I would be . . . If I remembered to charge the battery first, that is. Later, then, I guess. --- @@ -3454,7 +3454,7 @@ About 8 rings down now, it's surreal to be walking all this way and still barely Patrick called me braver than him for even attempting this, hah! -Some mild debris on track about 9-10 rings down, near elevator struts. Same, next row. Ditto next row... +Some mild debris on track about 9-10 rings down, near elevator struts. Same, next row. Ditto next row . . . Shining a flashlight and Peering over edge, looks like there's a lot of debris that's piled up near the struts of the elevators for the next several rows down, actually. Might explain why the first lift isn't working. @@ -3462,19 +3462,19 @@ Shining a flashlight and Peering over edge, looks like there's a lot of debris t I've lost count of the loops. I'm so far down now I can barely see the top of the shaft. -It's... surreal walking this path now. +It's . . . surreal walking this path now. Here I am, walking this path that Ti'ana walked. The path that Gehn and Atrus walked. Did Yeesha walk this path downwards? -I am water, seeking the roots, flowing downwards, always downwards... +I am water, seeking the roots, flowing downwards, always downwards . . . --- hark! i see an elevator's glow! beams of light spear through the fog below! -...And I'm nowhere near the danged thing yet. I'm not even going to *count* the rings I have left to go. + . . . And I'm nowhere near the danged thing yet. I'm not even going to *count* the rings I have left to go. --- @@ -3482,13 +3482,13 @@ Eight rings above the mid-way rest stop. Hoo, what a journey so far. Not done ye --- -This climb is intense, and I'm near the end now. It's... man. When they say this whole trek is a two day journey i'd believe it after this hike down. +This climb is intense, and I'm near the end now. It's . . . man. When they say this whole trek is a two day journey i'd believe it after this hike down. Time to resume my descent. --- -I stand now at the very bottom of the Great Shaft, and despite being here earlier today (Yesterday?) via linking... +I stand now at the very bottom of the Great Shaft, and despite being here earlier today (Yesterday?) via linking . . . It's a difference having walked all this way down. @@ -3500,32 +3500,32 @@ I've spent so much time descending to this point, and now I want nothing more th The path seems stable, other than the bits and pieces I've forwarded to Patrick, who went to bed at one point. -This is a Journey. I can't describe how surreal it is to have done this. To have walked from the Surface to D'ni, even in part, and found myself somewhere grand and majestic... +This is a Journey. I can't describe how surreal it is to have done this. To have walked from the Surface to D'ni, even in part, and found myself somewhere grand and majestic . . . -The floor is so shiny, I can see myself in its reflection and I... do I even recognize my own reflection? +The floor is so shiny, I can see myself in its reflection and I . . . do I even recognize my own reflection? The me that stares back seems so different from the me that begun this climb, and yet here I am. Descent. There's so much more to this journey that I've yet to do, yet to see, yet to experience and yet being here. -Being Here. Having DONE this first step among many... +Being Here. Having DONE this first step among many . . . -I know I am not the first to have walked this path. The D'ni, Aitrus, Anna, Gehn, Atrus, Yeesha... +I know I am not the first to have walked this path. The D'ni, Aitrus, Anna, Gehn, Atrus, Yeesha . . . -Loftin, Elias, and Watson... the DRC... Who knows how many other Explorers over the years? +Loftin, Elias, and Watson . . . the DRC . . . Who knows how many other Explorers over the years? -And yet I feel that I am still experiencing this for the first time. This path, this journey, this... +And yet I feel that I am still experiencing this for the first time. This path, this journey, this . . . -This Spiral, yet unwalked by so many, yet seen by just as many, if not many more... +This Spiral, yet unwalked by so many, yet seen by just as many, if not many more . . . Descent. -Watson wrote about a leap of faith, but... this? This experience? This path this journey this-- +Watson wrote about a leap of faith, but . . . this? This experience? This path this journey this-- This goes beyond a leap of faith into the unknown. This is boldly stepping foot after foot into the dark, hinging hopes on there being something infront of you. -For so long you can peer down and not yet see the bottom, and yet once you get there- ONCE YOU GET THERE... +For so long you can peer down and not yet see the bottom, and yet once you get there- ONCE YOU GET THERE . . . This goes beyond the Books. Beyond Linking. @@ -3575,7 +3575,7 @@ Will see if it works out. 9/9/21 -Had a strange bug with the internal network KIs for a bit- it was, ah... +Had a strange bug with the internal network KIs for a bit- it was, ah . . . It was replacing every Space Character with the first letter of the line above it. KI looked bizzare for sure. Danged things even shifted text in real time as you messed with the interface. @@ -3621,9 +3621,9 @@ Could be something, probably nothing. Needs further testing. --- -It all comes back to the Overpop'd heek-Hoods, in the end. Chogon's dove through the Lattice server Backend, and we've dove through the KI client front end... +It all comes back to the Overpop'd heek-Hoods, in the end. Chogon's dove through the Lattice server Backend, and we've dove through the KI client front end . . . -In the end, this is the only conclusion that seems to make sense. And so we're testing some fixes, and... +In the end, this is the only conclusion that seems to make sense. And so we're testing some fixes, and . . . If things go well, we push it live this week or next. Then comes the unenviable task of shoving people out of the giant overpop'd hoods. Once again, I apologize, Mary Sue. I really hoped it didn't come to this. @@ -3676,7 +3676,7 @@ Going to go get some chicken sandwiches for dinner. More testing, trying to hunt down the Net2s. Not much luck, got some horrifying ideas as to the causes though. -Some polish work on Descent done- someone suggested we throw up some tarp nets around the shaft for safety reasons... Did a test. And Said tarps are just getting folks caught in them. Wind blows slightly and woosh!- trapped! +Some polish work on Descent done- someone suggested we throw up some tarp nets around the shaft for safety reasons . . . Did a test. And Said tarps are just getting folks caught in them. Wind blows slightly and woosh!- trapped! We're taking those down asap. @@ -3684,13 +3684,13 @@ Some doors are working better now, and things are looking snazzy. Patrick says w That's good. -Now to just try and figure out what's going wrong with the KI network... +Now to just try and figure out what's going wrong with the KI network . . . --- Hrm, interesting. Seems we should have had a Net2, but the KI system didnt push the bootoff notif? -...Weird. + . . . Weird. Dinner time now. @@ -3708,12 +3708,12 @@ Apparently the disabling did nothing for system stability, so not the Markers. D Update on the Serene Journal Sitch. It Looks like the *actual* Serene Commentary Book was left in a place called Neolbah, another of Andy's work projects. -A case of mistaken cover identity. Looks like we'll be swapping them out after giving it a proper review to ensure, well... +A case of mistaken cover identity. Looks like we'll be swapping them out after giving it a proper review to ensure, well . . . To Ensure we didn't mistake yet ANOTHER book for the Serene Commentary that should have been there. This is why we need to mark covers differently. -At this reminder, I'm going to poke Patrick again about the Heritage Doc's and their... Sameness. LOL. +At this reminder, I'm going to poke Patrick again about the Heritage Doc's and their . . . Sameness. LOL. At any rate, I hope this'll appease vid's repeated reminders about the present journal. @@ -3723,11 +3723,11 @@ We really should have caught that before it hit the public eye. Oh well. Hopeful Reviewed the journal text. At first I was confused, though I understood why this Journal was in Neolbah and not Serene, originally. -The bit about the Shaft was interesting, but... not related? And then it got to the part about Serene. And Oh. +The bit about the Shaft was interesting, but . . . not related? And then it got to the part about Serene. And Oh. Oh, Chezahcen, what did that fool do? -Not Andy. Discovering Serene was entirely his own original work is... well, it's astounding. +Not Andy. Discovering Serene was entirely his own original work is . . . well, it's astounding. Except then someone modified the book. @@ -3739,25 +3739,25 @@ Oh, Andy. I can only imagine the hurt you felt on that discovery. Serene feels wrong. Knowing what I know now. -The stone under my feet. The trees hanging around... the 'temple' with the light... +The stone under my feet. The trees hanging around . . . the 'temple' with the light . . . -There's no fresh snow at the moment. Good for me, I guess, but... +There's no fresh snow at the moment. Good for me, I guess, but . . . This isn't the Original Serene. Did I *EVER* See the Original Serene? -... I don't know if I ever have. + . . . I don't know if I ever have. --- Veelay is quiet, and tranquil in a way Serene isn't right now. Jules is hammering to try and get some forums set up. -I just... +I just . . . Bluh. -My stomach churns. Between the Net2s in the KI network (Adam has some ideas he's investigating privately) and now discovering this? To think about how we look at an Age could change just because someone grabbed the wrong commentary journal... +My stomach churns. Between the Net2s in the KI network (Adam has some ideas he's investigating privately) and now discovering this? To think about how we look at an Age could change just because someone grabbed the wrong commentary journal . . . -If I ever meet this Quin guy, I... I don't know what I'll do. +If I ever meet this Quin guy, I . . . I don't know what I'll do. I need to talk with Patrick. @@ -3794,7 +3794,7 @@ We might have just found it. --- -...It's the right exception code, but it handed down Net6s instead of Net2s. WOW. Okay. + . . . It's the right exception code, but it handed down Net6s instead of Net2s. WOW. Okay. More testing, but WOW. Okay. This feels like prgress! Woo! @@ -3816,11 +3816,11 @@ I need to confer with Adam and Patrick. --- -Messaged Patrick, checked with Adam... This guy was visiting a bunch of unreleased, unworked on areas. -Places we've surveyed, but not really touched any... Kahlo, "Jellyfish," Todelmer... +Messaged Patrick, checked with Adam . . . This guy was visiting a bunch of unreleased, unworked on areas. +Places we've surveyed, but not really touched any . . . Kahlo, "Jellyfish," Todelmer . . . Among the worst offenders: Rebek and Noloben. The Disrespect!! The- The- -We haven't touched those areas for a MULTITUDE of reasons and this guy went and... GOD. The sheer AUDACITY. +We haven't touched those areas for a MULTITUDE of reasons and this guy went and . . . GOD. The sheer AUDACITY. This goes beyond Yeesha giving us access to areas the DRC had already vetted or restored. This goes beyond-- @@ -3832,7 +3832,7 @@ By Chezahcen, this fool could have gotten himself killed or worse. I'm not sure what to make of this situation yet. I'm still processing it. -I find myself more and more every day in the shoes of the DRC before us. Not just in terms of the locations, but... +I find myself more and more every day in the shoes of the DRC before us. Not just in terms of the locations, but . . . I've even notif'd the DRC rep for KI Network management on their end of things. @@ -3844,7 +3844,7 @@ I was confused by "Jellyfish" as an age designation and looked it up. Some small Apparently, it's some kind of shooting gallery for the Jellyfish native to the age. -Fun. Not sure we'll ever release that, but fun. Going to have to do a Deep Dive and see what lore the DRC have stashed away... +Fun. Not sure we'll ever release that, but fun. Going to have to do a Deep Dive and see what lore the DRC have stashed away . . . --- @@ -3854,7 +3854,7 @@ Well, we pushed the Fix for the Net2s. Fingers crossed to see if it works. Meanwhile, Adam, Briggs, Patrick, and a few others are talking football on Discord. -...Get Sharper in the mix and we'd have a real 'fun' time LOL. + . . . Get Sharper in the mix and we'd have a real 'fun' time LOL. --- @@ -3913,7 +3913,7 @@ I am so going to regret this late night in the morning, even if we do manage a c --- -...Well, we brought down the KI Server but that was decidedly NOT a Net2. IDK what the heck that was. + . . . Well, we brought down the KI Server but that was decidedly NOT a Net2. IDK what the heck that was. Filing it under "We broke it, but it wasn't what we were after." @@ -3976,7 +3976,7 @@ Onto Elonin next. Work lamps are gone. It's much nicer in here, lighting wise. -...Can't recall how to open this danged door. + . . . Can't recall how to open this danged door. --- @@ -4026,11 +4026,11 @@ Wayne Todd. I asked some of his friends and apparently he said he was going on a Probably safe on the surface, in that case. -Going out on the lake now... +Going out on the lake now . . . --- -Just got a message from Kelsei... Right. I'd forgotten we were supposed to hang out today. +Just got a message from Kelsei . . . Right. I'd forgotten we were supposed to hang out today. Sorry, Kels. @@ -4044,7 +4044,7 @@ Several hours out now, not finding much of anything. My group has stopped at the Hoping the others have had more luck so far. -Fil Live soon... shame I'm going to miss it this week. Ah well. +Fil Live soon . . . shame I'm going to miss it this week. Ah well. --- @@ -4058,7 +4058,7 @@ Yikes, what a way to go. --- Light levels out here are starting to dim. I'm advising the others to turn back now. -I'll be staying out for a bit longer. Just for today... got a few more places to check on this quadrant. +I'll be staying out for a bit longer. Just for today . . . got a few more places to check on this quadrant. --- @@ -4085,7 +4085,7 @@ Thus, I'll be scheduling the search for the Industrial areas tomorrow, aiming ne Wayne. Damn it, man. Tell folks when your camping trips are in the CAVERN and not the Surface. -Turns out the guy went to some pumping station and climbed around in some machinery, lost his Relto to the gears, and had it dumped into the lake... +Turns out the guy went to some pumping station and climbed around in some machinery, lost his Relto to the gears, and had it dumped into the lake . . . And then didn't contact anyone about it. @@ -4137,7 +4137,7 @@ Kelsei went running around, and saw a nice view out of K'veer on the lake tonigh The Lake seems very healthy from some angles right now at some times of day. -Other views are very... not so bright. +Other views are very . . . not so bright. We're getting there, though. That's for sure. Just taking a while for the algae to synch up with itself. @@ -4183,7 +4183,7 @@ In other news, apparently we had a spike in heavy metal content in the lake wate I might need to visit the Overflow station. -...Not today though, maybe not even this week or weekend. Bluh. Got too much on my plate right now. + . . . Not today though, maybe not even this week or weekend. Bluh. Got too much on my plate right now. --- @@ -4253,15 +4253,15 @@ Beyond that, it seems Kelsei's interest in Eder Naybree is nearly contageous. Fo Overgrown, but beautiful. -I think it shouldn't take too much work to push over the finish line- just a lot of heavy trimming of the 'hedges' as it were, and a refix of the stone pathways... +I think it shouldn't take too much work to push over the finish line- just a lot of heavy trimming of the 'hedges' as it were, and a refix of the stone pathways . . . Ah, regardless. I'm happy tonight. Hopefully with this brought back into play we'll start seeing Wall Climbing Competitions like the Door Run competitions! Oh, that'll be a BLAST! :D -I know the Wall has worked in some limited, private capacity- folks with TOC Network KI's were running private Gahreesen Wall uses for years, and I believe that a majority of the work we're running on is based on that work- but to bring this thing to a full, public use after all this time... +I know the Wall has worked in some limited, private capacity- folks with TOC Network KI's were running private Gahreesen Wall uses for years, and I believe that a majority of the work we're running on is based on that work- but to bring this thing to a full, public use after all this time . . . Feels like we're coming full circle again. Harta Choylahnaytahv, Literally "Complete Cycle" in D'ni, or "Anniversary" as an idiom. -Honestly, I feel like 2022 is off to a good start here in the Cavern... +Honestly, I feel like 2022 is off to a good start here in the Cavern . . . Now if only my Surface Life were as peaceful. @@ -4270,7 +4270,7 @@ Now if only my Surface Life were as peaceful. 1/8/22 -Sometimes I have to wonder what Patrick is thinking. Announcing potential restorations like this... +Sometimes I have to wonder what Patrick is thinking. Announcing potential restorations like this . . . Todelmer, Tahgira, Laki? Sure, fine. Okay. @@ -4354,7 +4354,7 @@ Briggs and I did a second test at Hazado's prompting, purple chute didnt work th Well, I'm about 30$ poorer, but atleast I'm not squished inside of a Maintainer Helmet. -We managed to replicate how poor Briggs kept getting caught in his Maintainer Suit tonight, and... then everyone left before I got out of it. Sooo... +We managed to replicate how poor Briggs kept getting caught in his Maintainer Suit tonight, and . . . then everyone left before I got out of it. Sooo . . . I went to ask Kelsei for help and decided, poorly, at the last minute to prank her by pretending to be a ghost. @@ -4408,7 +4408,7 @@ Kelsei found me conked out on a cliff in Naybree this morning. Brought my attent Kelsei's got something of a nose for sniffing out hidden secrets, it seems. Can't blame her enthusiasm, at any rate. More and more I just feel exhausted to the point of colapse. -Naybree is a project. This Book, though... +Naybree is a project. This Book, though . . . More on that in another journal. @@ -4512,9 +4512,9 @@ More tomorrow. I'm realizing this journal has meandered quite a bit from its supposed Descent Focus. I guess it really is just a field journal, eh? -Elonin's release is around the corner- so's the Wall. Naybree... maybe being held back until next Quarter with Highgarden and- potentially- Direbo. I guess we'll see how the DRC decides to handle things with that. +Elonin's release is around the corner- so's the Wall. Naybree . . . maybe being held back until next Quarter with Highgarden and- potentially- Direbo. I guess we'll see how the DRC decides to handle things with that. -Carl Palmner's back in D'ni, which is always a fun time for everyone. Had a few chats with him since he came back- about a lot of things. Wheely among them. I still can't get over the idea of Visitng Noloben in any official capacity, even with Maintainer Suits, the idea just... +Carl Palmner's back in D'ni, which is always a fun time for everyone. Had a few chats with him since he came back- about a lot of things. Wheely among them. I still can't get over the idea of Visitng Noloben in any official capacity, even with Maintainer Suits, the idea just . . . Well, that's a bunch of stuff to talk about at therapy tomorrow, atleast. @@ -4558,7 +4558,7 @@ Grandma's back from her trip. Always good to have her company again. Kelsei does --- -Had a nice chat with Jules this morning in the Pub. Discussed the upcoming Subtitle feature and how the KI manages the voice-to-text stuff. Potential in the idea of if the KI's record and save that audio- possibly whole years of important historical data locked away in some long forgotten KIs... just gotta figure out how to access it, if it's there. +Had a nice chat with Jules this morning in the Pub. Discussed the upcoming Subtitle feature and how the KI manages the voice-to-text stuff. Potential in the idea of if the KI's record and save that audio- possibly whole years of important historical data locked away in some long forgotten KIs . . . just gotta figure out how to access it, if it's there. --- @@ -4566,7 +4566,7 @@ Had a nice chat with Jules this morning in the Pub. Discussed the upcoming Subti Tired. That's really all there is to say on the matter. -Haven't heard anything about the Wall, but I suspect we'll be pushing for another round of testing this week. Got a meeting to schedule once we know where that's going... +Haven't heard anything about the Wall, but I suspect we'll be pushing for another round of testing this week. Got a meeting to schedule once we know where that's going . . . Tired tired tired. @@ -4574,7 +4574,7 @@ Tired tired tired. 3/29/22 -I'm not the only one tired, it sounds like. Kelsei apparently has had a pretty rough week too... Hm... +I'm not the only one tired, it sounds like. Kelsei apparently has had a pretty rough week too . . . Hm . . . She's mentioned once or twice about wanting to get a motor scooter in a greenish color. I wonder if I can find a toy, atleast, with the right color scheme? @@ -4598,7 +4598,7 @@ We've lost Different Dave now? :( 4/7/22 -Wall should be ready soon. Got the parts for the Nexus Terminal, just gotta get time to do it... +Wall should be ready soon. Got the parts for the Nexus Terminal, just gotta get time to do it . . . BLUH. Tired. @@ -4697,7 +4697,7 @@ In 4 player games: Torturers must take opposite corners from eachother to cover full range of map. Game resets when one Torturer is dethroned, winner is first Torutred Player to dethrone. -...Okay so you can see how this game scales up now, right? Time for the FUN ones. + . . . Okay so you can see how this game scales up now, right? Time for the FUN ones. HEEK MODE: @@ -4724,7 +4724,7 @@ General Ruleset was standardized for Torture to allow for some edge cases. HEEK mode and SPIRE mode for Torture were created by me for this ruleset compilation.) - <font size=16 face=Lucida><margin left=62 right=62 top=48>...ahrg, where are my documents again? I can’t find them. + <font size=16 face=Lucida><margin left=62 right=62 top=48> . . . ahrg, where are my documents again? I can’t find them. Sorry if I'm appear a bit messy, I've always been more a woman for the rough stuff. It's a miracle that I got a place to study archaeology. And that I have been assigned a table here in the sanctuaries of Chiso makes me proud beyond measure. As you can see, I'm just setting myself up. @@ -4739,22 +4739,22 @@ Luckily, I was wearing my new blue helmet, which I bought especially for my upco Well maybe not on this day. Well, the little pebbles that occasionally hit my helmet didn't really bother me. So, undaunted, I set off. As luck would have it, I also had my Polaroid with me and occasionally snapped what I saw. -Of course I know what you want to say. Archaeologists draw their objects and don't take snapshots... +Of course I know what you want to say. Archaeologists draw their objects and don't take snapshots . . . Don't blame me. A photo is faster. Over time, the small pebbles turned into thick chunks of earth. I can only remember one violent blow, then everything around me went black. I was lying on the floor in front of the bookshelf, the helmet was still on my head, polaroid cam in hand. Was it all just a dream? Had I just a little fainting spell. -Probably not, because the pictures next to me on the floor say something else. Wonderful polaroid, so much about drawing.... +Probably not, because the pictures next to me on the floor say something else. Wonderful polaroid, so much about drawing . . . . Nevertheless, i can't believe that all. -Did I really see it all? A model of a boat in a small workshop. Was that really a boat? Some abandoned cave constructions...... it seems like a dream to me. If it weren't for the photos. +Did I really see it all? A model of a boat in a small workshop. Was that really a boat? Some abandoned cave constructions . . . . . . it seems like a dream to me. If it weren't for the photos. I asked my friend Lillo from Italy to make me a 3D model of what I call boat. Oh, I already have some of his models in a display case at home. Lillo is really an artist at what he does. -I'll be happy to give you the address... where is my address book again... +I'll be happy to give you the address . . . where is my address book again . . . You're probably wondering what happened to the book. They have closed immediately it. It's too unsafe, they said. Luckily, they let me get away with a warning. -Ok, I should move on. The other tables already look so tidy...... +Ok, I should move on. The other tables already look so tidy . . . . . . <margin left=62 right=62 top=48 bottom=48><font face=Michelle size=18> diff --git a/compiled/dat/ChisoPreniv_District_Chiso.prp b/compiled/dat/ChisoPreniv_District_Chiso.prp index 07db33c0..7d2488ef 100644 --- a/compiled/dat/ChisoPreniv_District_Chiso.prp +++ b/compiled/dat/ChisoPreniv_District_Chiso.prp @@ -1,3 +1,3 @@ version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1 -oid sha256:2204d85d7c50fc179c5f5dd630ea51de4df633f7278b9e8a119dc0b78da119ff -size 9607291 +oid sha256:3c56209d3393c6190fa6751bd608bff874d08caada6180a0ae6aadb28cadede1 +size 9579139 diff --git a/compiled/dat/ChisoPreniv_District_FanContent.prp b/compiled/dat/ChisoPreniv_District_FanContent.prp index 076e4a51..cf34031f 100644 --- a/compiled/dat/ChisoPreniv_District_FanContent.prp +++ b/compiled/dat/ChisoPreniv_District_FanContent.prp @@ -1,3 +1,3 @@ version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1 -oid sha256:cd7bab3a5367df3d36c6e56139284f09d0fd52f84aa324ca8825eecfc7764e2a -size 104583 +oid sha256:f1371d66dd6f1d2a5b09264af01d2e5a1a11a4017094553e223e4980eba3f680 +size 132976 diff --git a/compiled/dat/ChisoPreniv_District_LowerLevel.prp b/compiled/dat/ChisoPreniv_District_LowerLevel.prp index a228f800..84381982 100644 --- a/compiled/dat/ChisoPreniv_District_LowerLevel.prp +++ b/compiled/dat/ChisoPreniv_District_LowerLevel.prp @@ -1,3 +1,3 @@ version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1 -oid sha256:adf98064e4b0a5a56679e553d94e815c30dc965927ef1a331c4eb75586bf2b7c -size 5939144 +oid sha256:15289173164b4324631bfa32b381cbd4fa3cabecf7eaccc84eb87bd5542d79be +size 5956449 diff --git a/compiled/dat/ChisoPreniv_District_Textures.prp b/compiled/dat/ChisoPreniv_District_Textures.prp index 42510d37..bdc70ec3 100644 --- a/compiled/dat/ChisoPreniv_District_Textures.prp +++ b/compiled/dat/ChisoPreniv_District_Textures.prp @@ -1,3 +1,3 @@ version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1 -oid sha256:a35b5c8d6993614c753a93a7bd958bac2568a153dc247e048882a517b9d7d82b -size 133889362 +oid sha256:f4c0f7351187852b31d3c2926c93c258658313b850f192c8e8da11d5bec73b7b +size 133886236