I have some questions
start
self
I have some questions
moth
let's hear em, i'll do my best
Responses
RESPOBJ::
RESPONSES::self
who...<+>who
what...<+>what
why...<+>why
what do you think of all this?<+>mothep1end
SHOWIF::[["ep1_end"], ["ENV!!ep3", false]]
thoughts on the collapse?<+>ep3thoughts
SHOWIF::[["ENV!!ep3", true], ["ENV!!ep4", false]]
thoughts on the collapse?<+>ep4thoughts
SHOWIF::"ep4__entrancefinal"
leverage acquired<+>leverage
SHOWIF::[["leverageq", true], ["ozo__council-task", true], ["ozo__fairy_intro", true]]
SHOWONCE::
that's all<+>CHANGE::++moth
FAKEEND::(back)
Who...
who
RESPONSES::self
you<+>who_you
akizetesche<+>who_akizetesche
SHOWIF::"hub__funfriend-purposeq"
gordon<+>who_gordon
SHOWIF::[['citystreet__envoy-end']]
velzie<+>who_velzie
SHOWIF::[['dullvessel__fixed-how']]
nevermind<+>loop
FAKEEND::(back)
You
who_you
self
Who are you?
moth
lol
ok but really do you have any questions?
RESPONSES::self
probably<+>loop
FAKEEND::(back)
Akizetesche
who_akizetesche
self
Who is Akizetesche?
moth
she's probably one of the better documented early obesk contacts
the story goes is, she led a team investigating the thing that led the obesk here
kept doing these interviews where she talked at length about it, they named it 'the call'
and then they all went missing a few years after first contact
spooky shit
insane that this corrucyst managed to survive that long
RESPONSES::self
interesting<+>loop
FAKEEND::(back)
Gordon
who_gordon
self
Who is Gordon?
moth
good question
not finding a solid match, but he's clearly an FBX agent
it'd help if akizet's corrucyst actually remembered his face correctly
i'll have to get back to you on this, maybe if we can snag a last name it'll be easier
RESPONSES::self
good luck<+>loop
FAKEEND::(back)
Velzie
who_velzie
self
Who is Velzie?
moth
velzie is like roughly their word for 'god'
there's more to it than that but i assume you're asking about <em>the</em> velzie
like the one the pilot cyst was talking about
i noticed that when it mentioned that name, it didn't have any context
like, the word "velzie" was separated from its meaning for some reason
not sure what's up with that...
pretty sure it had an encounter with that face you've been seeing
maybe a thoughtform got messed up by incoherence and thinks it's god
RESPONSES::self
weird<+>loop
FAKEEND::(back)
What...
what
RESPONSES::self
corru<+>what_corru
corrucysts<+>what_corrucyst
the call<+>what_thecall
SHOWIF::[['interview1__firstchat-behonest']]
smiling face<+>what_smile
SHOWIF::[['hello__sentry-posthello']]
corrucyst fuel<+>what_fuel
SHOWIF::[['hub__funfriend-fuelthanks']]
eye of velzie<+>what_eye
SHOWIF::"exm|embassy|unkind eye"
mindcores<+>what_mindcores
SHOWIF::"embassy__d3_person_enable-end"
veilk<+>what_veilk
SHOWIF::"exm|embassy|veilk models"
secri<+>what_secri
SHOWIF::"embassy__d2_bozkocavik-end"
masks<+>what_masks
SHOWIF::"ozo__council-task"
dull plane<+>what_dull
SHOWIF::"ep4__contact"
...if knowing all this puts us in danger?<+>what_fbxlist
SHOWIF::[["ep1_end", true], ["ep4__h2h", false]]
nevermind<+>loop
FAKEEND::(back)
Corru
what_corru
self
What is corru?
moth
interesting time to ask that, i don't blame you though
most people start to really ask themselves that once they get a close look, even if they've read all the documentation on it
beyond the "supercell superorganism" buzzword soup, what it really is in the big picture is still really unknown
i've read pretty much every transcript of every obesk interview ever and they don't ever seem to mention its origin or how they got their symbiosis with it
like, if the "larval" obesk really do look almost exactly like us, and then they shift into corrucystic bodies, where does that put us?
idk you could go crazy thinking about this stuff long enough, no time for waxing philosophical right now though
RESPONSES::self
i see<+>loop
FAKEEND::(back)
Corrucysts
what_corrucyst
self
What are corrucysts?
moth
it's a pretty general term, "corrucyst" and "corrucystic" are catch-alls for most obesk technology
because the organism tends to ball up and form a hard outer wall like the corrucyst you're connected to
it's why corrucystic things are usually spherical, but that's not always the case
like with how they use a similar process to form the bodies the qou obesk use
if you mean what spherical corrucysts are, they tend to be storage or computational devices
RESPONSES::self
i see<+>loop
FAKEEND::(back)
The call
what_thecall
self
What is 'the call'?
moth
it's a pretty important part of human-obesk history that gets overlooked a lot
supposedly the reason they were able to find earth was because something was sending a signal their tech picked up
they were trying to figure out what it was for a little while after first contact and were pretty verbal about it
and then they just never talked about it again after akizet's team went missing
...and then all that other shit happened
that really is sort of where it all went wrong
____SHOWIF::"ep4__entrancefinal"
and at this point, it's starting to look like the tip of the iceberg lol
____SHOWIF::["ep4__entrancefinal", false]
maybe this corrucyst will finally shed some light on what happened
____END
RESPONSES::self
i see<+>loop
FAKEEND::(back)
Smiling face
what_smile
self
What is that smiling face that I keep seeing?
moth
i'm not seeing anything in the logs here, unless you mean the little assistant dude in the hub
self
I think it was what helped me in
moth
oh, so it looks like a smiling face to you?
maybe my malware theory has some weight after all
in short, i still have no idea what that rogue friend of ours is
but i'm pretty sure it's calling itself 'velzie', going off what the pilotcyst said
SHOWIF::[['dullvessel__fixed-start']]
RESPONSES::self
worrying<+>loop
FAKEEND::(back)
Corrucyst fuel
what_fuel
self
What is corrucyst fuel?
moth
in interviews they always just said it's something they grow...
most theories are that it's some metallic-based fungus that corru can consume
going off what funfriend said, it seems like they can use a bunch of different metals to create it
SHOWIF::[["hub__funfriend-essentialmetalq"]]
i guess it makes sense that they'd use metal to grow it, but i have no idea how that could work
SHOWIF::[["hub__funfriend-essentialmetalq"]]
RESPONSES::self
worrying<+>loop
FAKEEND::(back)
Eye of Velzie
what_eye
self
what is the eye of velzie?
moth
it's a feature of the gas giant obeski is tidally locked to
the obesk use its visibility for time
some parts of obeski worship or despise it as the eye of god
given how dark their world is,
and they have this giant glowing eye-looking thing in the sky at all times,
it's no wonder that they came to that conclusion
although, we don't really know whether it's a storm, or something else
because the obesk say that it glows during regular intervals
of course, that could just be their star reflecting off of it...
but without pictures or anything, we can really only guess
RESPONSES::self
i see<+>loop
FAKEEND::(back)
Mindcores
what_mindcores
self
are all obesk actually these weird little spider things?
moth
no, just the qou
the "larval" obesk go through some procedure that makes them into those
we got a few descriptions of it before they pulled back
but they're all really abstract, like...
"climbing through their receptors into a mindcore", leaving an "empty vessel" to its "peaceful death"
nothing scientific, but they always emphasized it not just being a copy
then they build themselves bodies out of corru to drive around
that's what those qou-bodies are
RESPONSES::self
oh ok<+>loop
FAKEEND::(back)
Veilk
what_veilk
self
what are veilk?
moth
they basically cover the inhabitable surface of obeski
kinda like how grass is all over earth i guess
and... they can grow to the size of skyscrapers...
they're apparently able to walk,
uhh... they have a lot of legs...
and when one dies, a whole ecosystem forms around its corpse
which the obesk are a part of somehow
...
sorry, i don't know that much about them honestly
obeski ecology is not even close to my area of expertise
i mostly study corrucystic stuff and obesk-human interactions
a little culture here and there
and don't get me wrong, the veilk are really important to them culturally,
practically all their clothes are made out of veilk skin
and their cave-cities rely on veilk-felling for food staples
but we don't really have a great idea of how they actually work
or even really how they actually look, outside of stylized sculptures
RESPONSES::self
ok<+>loop
FAKEEND::(back)
Secri
what_secri
self
what is a secri?
moth
cmon, you've never seen the <em>secri</em> films?
true masterpieces of the 40s
man, i hope the obesk never saw any of them, they must be so insulting
if you're actually serious, they're one of the creatures i actually know a bit about
they're basically the apex predator on obeski
like pretty much half of all obeski fauna, they're a parasite
or some kind of fungal infection... we don't really know for certain
and they're microscopic, but once they infect one of the surface critters, or a larval obesk...
well, we've only had verbal descriptions since the exchange initiative was never forthcoming with recreations,
but apparently they can rapidly reshape the flesh of most critters, and hijack their brains to spread more
nasty stuff
RESPONSES::self
ok<+>loop
FAKEEND::(back)
Masks
what_masks
self
what are masks
moth
that's new ground you're discovering buddy
best i can tell from context is that they're like tools and weapons
something these thoughtforms carved from akizet's memories somehow
they don't have an actual physical presence, because otherwise you couldn't have received them
also, they passed right through the connection and only to you
and it's like my machines ignored them or couldn't see them at all
this is probably some entire new field of science we just stumbled into lol
thoughtform technology or something
whatever it is, it's way beyond my scope
RESPONSES::self
ok<+>loop
FAKEEND::(back)
Dull plane
what_dull
self
what do you know about the dull plane?
moth
oh, dude, you are not ready for me to rant about the dull
we'd be here all night
it's so frustrating how little we really know about it
but... if i condense down what we know for certain,
and this is all like, stuff from interviews i've watched,
there was an ekivik engineer, dullzkovik jut, uh, something,
who discovered that there are at least two states of, like, reality
what they call velzie's stage - this one - and what ended up being named the dullzkovik plane
or just dull plane for short
anyway, we don't know the specifics of how he came to discover this, but...
hang on, i'm getting too into the history part, aren't i. i see that look you're giving me
ok. to really, truly condense this,
we actually know more about its history than any of its physical properties
this was one of those things the obesk weren't able to effectively share with us before it all broke down
or maybe they just didn't want to
they did tell us that organic life can't go through it without being annihilated,
but corru can apparently survive it without major issues, with a little preparation...
huh... what else...
there are lots of wild theories about what it actually is
like a parallel universe, another "dimension" or something, but...
imo, that all gets into unrealistic movie shit
it's probably not that simple
we just don't have the means to interact with it in any meaningful way to find out
and the obesk aren't helping very much anymore
the only thing we know for certain is that physicists are very angry about it
so... i guess that's all of the useful insight i have for you here
sorry dude
anything else is either classified over my head,
or waiting for us in this cyst
RESPONSES::self
all right<+>loop
FAKEEND::(back)
...if knowing all this puts us in danger?
what_fbxlist
self
What if knowing all this puts us in danger?
moth
i wouldn't worry about that
the FBX isn't like the CIA or FBI
worst thing that happens is that we have to sign NDAs and other legal stuff
judging by what we've seen, that's pretty much an inevitability
but they aren't going to disappear us, if that's what you mean
RESPONSES::self
all right<+>loop
FAKEEND::(back)
Why...
why
RESPONSES::self
...can i render incoherent areas sometimes<+>why_beneath
SHOWIF::"beneath"
...is no one else involved yet<+>why_involved
SHOWIF::"ep1_fed"
...did you call me<+>why_callme
...am i able to connect to this<+>why_connect
SHOWIF::[["EXEC::page.dialoguePrefix != \`fbx\`"]]
...can i understand these thoughts<+>why_thoughts
SHOWIF::[["EXEC::page.dialoguePrefix != \`fbx\`"]]
...do i hear music<+>why_music
SHOWIF::[["EXEC::page.dialoguePrefix != \`fbx\`"]]
nevermind<+>loop
FAKEEND::(back)
...can I render incoherent areas sometimes
why_beneath
self
why can i render incoherent areas sometimes
like the one you thought was really strange
moth
well i can't be totally certain, but you remember my theory?
you're running <span definition="INTERNAL CONTEXT::'first release mindspike operating system'">tonga</span>, and it puts a lot of processing on your brain
the system has checks to make sure you don't render incoherent stuff
cause it could hurt you or cause <span definition="INTERNAL CONTEXT::'altered time perception';'sign of imminent stroke'">chronos misalignment</span> or something
not that i think <em>this</em> would, of course, this is different from human incoherence
anyway--it relies on your brain sending a signal back being like "something is fucked up" for it to block things a lot of the time
but since you entered whatever this is <em>from</em> an already kind of incoherent place,
your brain was already kinda warmed up to the incoherence
like the old frog in the boiling pot analogy, right?
...
to be clear, though, your brain is not in a "boiling pot"
pretty sure everything happening in those incoherent areas is totally fine for you
RESPONSES::self
ok<+>loop
FAKEEND::(back)
...is no one else involved yet
why_involved
self
Why are we the only ones who still know about this?
moth
oh
umm...
well, i haven't put in the report yet
look, if we get to the bottom of this whole thing ourselves, do you know how huge that'll be?
if i told anyone what we were up to in here, they'd snatch it out of our hands
...then give it to some higher-up researcher, who would take all the credit
this could be our "make it" moment, dude
self
Aren't there cameras watching us? What about the data?
moth
not in the basement
this is an analog-only zone, or at least it was when it was busier years ago
it's a little more lax now, but they never really changed the tech in the walls
especially since every find like this usually ends up being a dud
so... they don't get the data til we send it up
you and me are the only ones in on this for now, buddy
RESPONSES::self
ok<+>loop
FAKEEND::(back)
...did you call me
why_callme
self
Why did you call me for this?
moth
what, are you that unhappy that you get to be the first person to ever connect to a personal corrucyst?
just kidding, a lot of our mindspike contractors have been out of service recently due to that big disaster update
god i can't even imagine what mindsci was thinking lmao, traffic has been so bad
you're the only psycho i know who never updates stuff, so i figured you'd still be up for it
RESPONSES::self
thanks<+>loop
FAKEEND::(back)
...am I able to connect to this
why_connect
self
Why am I able to connect to this so seamlessly?
moth
well in case you forgot, you definitely installed that fbx patch i gave you
mindspikes usually can't just do this
apparently corrucysts give off and receive almost identical signals to nervos slots
it's a pretty incredible coincidence, honestly a miracle that it works at all
the science of it all goes over my head, you'd have to ask someone in the dev dept
RESPONSES::self
ok<+>loop
FAKEEND::(back)
...can I understand these thoughts
why_thoughts
self
Why can I understand these obesk thoughts?
moth
well you're dealing with raw thought
the corrucyst isn't literally thinking the words you're receiving from it
your brain is just interpreting the concepts that it's outputting in a way you understand
RESPONSES::self
cool<+>loop
FAKEEND::(back)
...do I hear music
why_music
self
Why do I hear music sometimes?
moth
you're hearing music? that's wild, but it makes sense
some of the mindspike contractors i've worked with say similar stuff when they try to connect to corrucystic devices
my theory is that it's inherited context from the cyst, vague feelings that can't be translated into words
sometimes people hear voices, or just kinda "know" how to feel
your brain is just reading it in a way that makes sense to you
that's my best idea
anyway, i'm not hearing anything, i just see the readout on my end
is it good?
RESPONSES::self
it's ok<+>loop
FAKEEND::(back)
What do you think of all this? (EP1 ending)
mothep1end
self
What do you think of all this?
The embassy, Gordon's involvement...
moth
i think we landed ourselves a security level increase
never heard anything about internal strife with the obesk before this
they've always had this image of total harmony, despite their homeworld
and you know, with the call...
i think it's only a few years until the call is "complete" if all this is true
or... maybe even less?
idk just some quick headmath
if we can get to the bottom of this soon and bring it all to the higher ups...
could you even imagine the kind of renown we'd both get?
RESPONSES::self
aren't you afraid?<+>mothep1afraid
ok<+>loop
FAKEEND::(back)
mothep1afraid
self
Aren't you afraid of what will happen when the call is complete?
What if it's something really bad?
moth
yeah, it's spooky, but...
we've both lived through too many "world-ending" crises for this to be the "real" one
besides, what if they can't even decode the call?
either cause it's too big, or because they didn't get the very start of it...
like, what if they need the whole thing?
and hey, what if whatever's down there in the ocean is just as friendly as the rest of them?
basically... whatever happens, we'll deal with it
RESPONSES::self
if you say so<+>loop
FAKEEND::(back)
Thoughts on the Collapse? (EP3)
ep3thoughts
self
what do you think of the collapse?
you said you had some thoughts?
moth
oh, yeah!
so, i always thought it was a tragedy
especially since it was the cap on the golden age of human and obesk relations
like, truly golden age... but man, looking back at the news from those days makes me so sad
videos, news, everything, everyone felt like everything was going to change
and, i mean, things did change, but, i'm talking space age change
apparently everyone really thought we'd be exploring the stars with the obesk
like, they'd uplift us, or whatever...
all right, i'm off topic and i haven't even gotten to the topic yet
basically:
when the collapse started happening, people reported some truly strange events with obesk machines
golems started acting erratically, but never actually hurt anyone
like, i was watching this video of some annoying vlogger who was trying to interview one near a polygonation spire
pretty sure it was the one close to new zealand actually
but right in the middle of him harassing this golem, its face flickers and it nearly falls over
then, it just starts floating past him, right into the ocean, and disappears beneath the surface
so the vlogger turns the camera back on his face and he's doing that surprised thumbnail thing they used to do back then
and in the background, you can see other golems doing it too,
just before the spire starts collapsing and everyone has to run
spooky shit, man... even golems further inland apparently started going for the coast too
oh, and--there was this article i found, there was this one engineer qou that had an "accident" with a golem
it didn't say their name, but there was a picture of the aftermath
they totally minced this golem they were working with, then apologized to everyone and ran off
it's pretty clear that whatever seized all of their tech had literally zero intent to harm a single human
so what the hell are these golems attacking the embassy for?
...
all right, i know i'm rambling, but one more thing
no matter where i looked, even using those new net filter tools,
after the collapse news cycle settled
there was not a single mention of akizet or her team anywhere - no photos, videos, nothing
i mean, sure, a little historical paper here and there, but... well
i'm a little worried we may not have a whole lot of time left with akizet's memories if this is anything to go by
RESPONSES::self
...<+>loop
FAKEEND::(back)
Thoughts on the Collapse? (EP4)
ep4thoughts
self
so what do you think of the collapse
now that we've seen it all
moth
i knew they weren't going to just, stop it
but i had no idea it would get that fucked up
there were things happening in there that i'm still trying to make sense of
vekoa choosing to kill qou, when she's from a world where intraspecies murder basically doesn't happen
not just using her golems, but making monsters with the fucking ceremony thing??
and could you imagine what would have happened?
like, if vekoa actually managed to make a dull contrivance?
assuming it was a temporary contrivance, not like the big one in space,
the whole embassy, the whole island, it would have just blipped away somewhere
and nobody would have any idea what happened...
so they didn't stop the collapse,
and sure, tozik majorly polluted up the ocean around it,
but somehow, i think in another world, if they failed-failed,
things would be much worse
self
maybe
what about the meteorite?
FBX involvement?
moth
the meteorite, i don't know, that's...
that's something on a scale that's really hard for me to grasp
it makes sense, really
i know this sounds sick but i'm almost not surprised at this point
it's the only start to an explanation for the call that makes any sense, right?
where it comes from is some other shit we'll have to figure out
still, you'd think we would have found it by now,
even before the obesk showed up...
maybe knowing it's there will have a larger impact when i'm trying to fall asleep tonight
but you know what really freaks me out?
the FBX involvement
cause we know that akizet and her team disappeared completely after this
and now we know for sure that the FBX probably had a hand in sparking the collapse
dude, if this ever got public, the media would crucify us
and knowing all that, with how long it's been
we've totally fallen into <span definition="INTERNAL CONTEXT::'special access program';'sensitive compartmentalized information';'highest classification level'">SAP</span> territory here
i'm talking like men in black who don't legally exist rolling up to your apartment type of shit
i know i said this wouldn't happen but i really wasn't expecting it to get this bad
SHOWIF::"++mothglobal-what_fbxlist"
self
i'm just a contractor
moth
yeah, and now you and i both know some of the most dangerous obesk history, ever
this isn't the kind of thing where they'd be happy with just a regular NDA
even thinking about what this is going to turn into is making me kinda nauseous
but... it's not like we can back out now
and frankly, i don't want to
because as scary as it is...
the potential upside here, for us, is crazy
just be careful, all right? i really mean that
if this isn't handled right, you don't want to know what happens
RESPONSES::self
got it<+>loop
FAKEEND::(back)
Leverage acquired
leverage
self
leverage acquired
EXEC::change("leverage", true)
moth
huh? what do you mean?
self
these ozo mask things
they're not just in the cyst
i feel them in my mind now
moth
ok, well, that's not good, i think
but...
no, maybe it is, for our needs
i get what you're thinking, actually...
you know how much comes through here without any results?
how much just gets hazard binned, tossed into a corrucystic waste storage plant?
if your mask things work on <em>other</em> corrucysts...
like, you can get into things that no one else can,
that could be it
and we don't need to mention that it came from this cyst, either
never mention your mask shit to anyone. i'll scrub it from my report too
let's do a blood oath right here dude. i have a pocket knife
self
ok
moth
ok??
dude, i'm kidding
that would never get past the entry detectors
anyway, i guess the only thing to do now is wait again
either till funfriend repairs something, or those other pieces come in...
so, just chill for now, all right?
RESPONSES::self
ok<+>loop
FAKEEND::(back)
What's our next move?
//please forgive how ugly this is
//i'll change it eventually
//NOTE FROM DEV LIKE 9 MONTHS LATER: no i won't lol fuck you
//NOTE FROM DEV LIKE 11 MONTHS LATER: this is actually kinda ok for what it needs to do, idk if u guys get a better idea let me know
env.dialogues.mthglobalresp.whatnext = ()=>{
if(!check('interview1__firstchat-behonest')) { /* before velziebreak */
if(check('visited_localcitystreet') && check('visited_localoceanshipinterview') && check('visited_localdullvessel')) return "it seems like the interview area is preserving memory stream progress, it isn't resetting completely. maybe run it through to its end and see if any neural paths open up in there"
else if(check('visited_localcitystreet') && check('visited_localoceanship') && check('visited_localdullvessel')) return "that ship area seemed pretty empty for the amount of data your spike pulled, check it again"
else if(check('visited_localcitystreet') && check('visited_localocean') && check('visited_localdullvessel')) return "i'm seeing a lot of data in the ocean area for what we saw, did you check everything there?"
else if(check('visited_localcitystreet') && check('visited_localorbit') && !check('visited_localdullvessel')) return "i'm seeing what could be another place in the orbit thoughtspace, try and track that down"
else if(check('visited_localcitystreet') && !check('visited_localorbit')) return "think there's a pathway to another thoughtspace you missed, i see something in the non-spatial city area but i couldn't tell you exactly where. seems like it's moving, probably floating around somewhere"
else if(!check('visited_localcitystreet') && check('visited_localorbit')) return "pretty sure there's more to the corrucyst in the city area, i'm seeing enough data volume to where it doesn't seem like we saw all of it"
else /* scroll to the right if you don't see anything */ return "what are you asking me for? you just connected, do your thing dude. don't forget, thoughtforms might extend past your field of perception - think of it like 'scrolling'"
} else if(!check('ep1_showmaterials')) { /* post velziebreak, pre ep1 */
if(check('ep0_epilogue', 'done')) return "now we just wait for our container-opening tools to arrive. you could take a break if you want to, i'll let you know when i've got the stuff"
else if(check('ep0_epilogue', 'started') && check('hub__funfriend-fuelthanks') && check('dullvessel_container_examined')) return "it seems like we could use the stuff in the dendritic container to keep the cyst alive, but i have no idea how we could open it without destroying it. check with funfriend and see if it's got any ideas"
else if(check('ep0_epilogue', 'started') && check('hub__funfriend-fuelthanks')) return "well, now we just kill time until my copper tubing order gets here. don't worry, I'll let you know as soon as it's in"
else if(check('ep0_epilogue', 'started') && check('dullvessel_container_examined')) return "so that container has 'processed metals'... damn, i was really hoping that'd be our lead. try talking to that funfriend thing in the hub to see if it has any ideas"
else if(check('ep0_epilogue', 'started') && !check('dullvessel_container_examined')) return "we need to figure out a way to keep this thing alive. maybe try talking to that funfriend thing in the hub to see if it has any ideas"
else if(check('depths_depth') && !check('ep0_epilogue')) return "there's some really strange activity in that depths thoughtspace, like it's constantly being changed. your mindspike isn't alerting you to it because it's happening like a thousand times a second. look for anything at all in there"
else if(!check('depths_depth') && check('dullvessel_dive')) return "i saw some activity when you told the vessel to 'dive', something is definitely changing in the ocean. try and find what it is"
else if(check('dullvessel_position', 'ocean')) return "well there has to be a reason the dull vessel can move between space and the ocean. there's no way the rogue entity in here would just make a random change like that"
else if(check('dullvessel_position', 'orbit') && check('dullvessel__fixed-hello')) return "seems like our friend fixed up the pilot cyst... and it offered to move the ship somewhere. why not give that a shot?"
else if(check('dullvessel__pilot-end')) return "check the pilot cyst on the ship, i remember there was some garbled data there before"
else return "well your spike reported activity in the dull vessel thoughtform, why not check that out? our friend seems to have changed something there"
} else if(!check('fbx__ep2intro-end')) { //ep 1, after materials have been shown to the user for the first time
//special check for if someone's looking for hints in the embassy days
if(check("PAGE!!embassy_day")) return "if you're talking about this thoughtform, try interacting with akizet--you'll need to be zoomed out"
if(check('hub__funfriend-ep1comms')) return "seems like we just have to wait for more repairs from funfriend. take a break i guess"
else if(check('ep1_end')) return "definitely talk to funfriend about repairing communications, even if velzie wasn't threatening us it'd still be my first choice"
else if(check('embassy_d2_complete')) return "i'm reading that there's been some increase in data to the city street area... definitely check that out"
else if(check('embassy_d1_complete')) return "there's still more to see at the embassy from what i can see on my end"
else if(check('hub__funfriend-ep1fed')) return "head to the embassy, funfriend said it fixed some of it up for us"
else if(check('ep1_fed')) return "let's check in with funfriend, see what it thinks of the job we did"
else return "still gotta feed the cyst, up to you when you want to go ahead with it but i'd do it now"
} else if(!check('fbx__ep3intro')) { //ep 2, has done sitdown intro
if(check("embassy__d3_movefriend_finish-end")) return "nothing for now, just gotta wait for funfriend <span definition=\"NOTE::'advance log'\">to finish more of the memory</span>"
else if(check("embassy__d3_start-end")) return "just keep working your way through the collapse memory, we've got more to see"
else if(check("hub__funfriend-mothframe2")) return "looks like we're all set with the framing device, go check out the collapse memory again"
else if(check("embassy__mothframe-end")) return "gotta talk to funfriend about installing my framing device"
else if(check("hub__funfriend-ep2start")) return "let's go check out the embassy, funfriend said it fixed some stuff in there up"
else return "we gotta see what's new! talk to funfriend, it'll probably tell you what's up"
} else if(!check("fbx__ep4intro")) { //ep3!
if(check("gol__bossclear")) return "we're on the wait again. can't do anything till funfriend fixes <span definition=\"NOTE::'advance log'\">more of the memory</span>"
if(page.name == "golem-maintenance") return "just keep looking around in that memory! it looks like the framing device added an <span definition=\"NOTE::'top right when not speaking'\">objectives list</span>, take a look at that"
else return "there's more to see in the embassy now, let's follow that thread until we can't anymore. it's the single most important event in obesk < - > earth history, imo"
} else { //ep4!
if(check("ep4__entrancefinal") && check("leverage")) return "just chill for now. we either need more memories repaired, or for those new pieces to come in. take a break if you want, <span definition=\"NOTE::'indicates end of current main content';'observe @corruworks for updates'\">i'll let you know</span>"
else if(check("leverageq") && !check("leverage")) return "we need leverage, remember? something to make us invaluable to the work on this cyst, so they can't just replace us. there's gotta be something <em>outside</em> the embassy, somewhere"
else return "well, we just need to see everything we can in that last embassy memory. anything else is secondary right now"
}
}
I feel weird
start
self
i feel weird
is something wrong
moth
what? weird how?
can you elaborate?
self
not sure how to
it's in the back of my head
moth
well, maybe it was something you ate dude idk
i doubt you got the "contact affliction" if that's what you're worried about
SHOWIF::'ep4__contact'
that would've shown up sooner, based on what we saw
SHOWIF::'ep4__contact'
looking at your os stats, the GAD has been in the negative
i know other mindspike ops have had issues with corrucysts when that's the case
____SHOWIF::['mask', 'hunger']
actually, weirdly, it's been in the negative since you activated that hunger mask
not seeing that on the global measurement though, it's just affecting your device
try deactivating it or something
____END
RESPONSES::self
what is GAD<+>gad
ok<+>END
gad
self
what is that
GAD
moth
what? you don't know?
the GAD value dude
global ambient dissonance
it's literally in your system menu
in the top right by default i think
you've really never heard about it?
self
maybe mentioned a few times
it's never been an issue
moth
well i guess it doesn't really affect that much usually
i just work in a weird field where it does lol
fortunately for you, i know the story!
so, back when mindspikes were in development and first being tested,
they started noticing these occasional rendering and recording bugs
like they'd run things that should always output one thing, got tiny deviations instead
mindsci could NOT figure out wtf was going on
so someone set up this tiny component, something fjortoft, forgot their first name
the little fjortoft box runs a constant and predictable signal through an input into the OS, then compares the output
basic troubleshooting, right?
turns out - the signal would come back changed
not just that, but it was the same change on every mindspike if you tested multiple at the same time
despite not being connected at all
like... we're talking the same on different sides of the world
when the value came back way weaker or way stronger,
the memory deviations were more severe
pretty crazy, right? they never did figure out what was causing it
so there's now just this little box in every mindspike to measure the GAD value
some people online think this is evidence of the noosphere...
but the popular theories are that it's something with earth's magnetic field
also read once that it could be electromagnetic interference from the dull contrivance but idk about that one
self
what does that have to do with corrucysts
moth
no clue tbh
i just know that when the value's in the negative,
people report headaches and sometimes rendering errors
but don't worry too much, pretty sure it doesn't cause any damage
RESPONSES::self
ok<+>END
Beneath first entry
start
sourceless
beyond your connection, moth's shoes scrape against the concrete in panic
EXEC::change("beneath", true)
moth
oh shit
you all right? what are you doing in there?
____SHOWIF::"EXEC::env.pagePath == \`/local/beneath/parasite/\`"
self
fine
i just entered the parasite board somehow
____SHOWIF::"EXEC::env.pagePath != \`/local/beneath/parasite/\` && env.pagePath != \`/local/ocean/ship/interview/\`"
self
fine
i just entered a thoughtspace through a weird gate
____SHOWIF::"EXEC::env.pagePath == \`/local/ocean/ship/interview/\`"
self
fine
i just tried to render the interview again
____END
moth
wtf
that's all?
ok, i don't know how this is working
maybe it's something to do with those 'mask' things
SHOWIF::['mask', 'hunger']
but you actually aren't inside any one thoughtspace right now
my readout is fucked, it looks like it's reading in multiple thoughtspaces
you're still rendering something?
self
yes
can you still see the output
moth
well kinda, but it's surrounded with error spam
mindspikes would usually eject with this amount of incoherence
...but lucky you, you're running <span definition="INTERNAL CONTEXT::'first release mindspike operating system'">tonga</span>, right?
i always forget if that was the third one or the first one
self
first one
moth
ok, right, i know what this could be then
you remember the <span definition="INTERNAL CONTEXT::'early mindspike scandal';'hard removing memory sources mid-render to induce hallucination';'first cases of chronos misalignment'">memory pulling</span> stuff?
tonga offloads most processing to your brain
and the system won't let you render incoherent stuff outright,
but since you entered whatever this is <em>from</em> an already kind of incoherent place,
your brain was already kinda warmed up to the incoherence
the difference wasn't big enough for it to run another check
so i think you're like, getting signals from bits of thoughtforms floating around
probably won't find a lot here
but it's worth a look anyway
so carry on, i'll just try and filter stuff on my end
RESPONSES::self
ok<+>END