networkinthenight | [text] @ Soldier; Belated Spirit Data-Dump [open, backdated slightly to 12/26]

[Christmas is over, gifts are delivered, and the Soldier finally has the time, completed set of intel, and mental space to do this. They've been working on editing it into something readable off and on for a couple weeks now.]

Posting at Cao Pi's request. Notes on the spirits from the town hall (thank you Misty) and after. For everyone to know. Collected from personal experience and from contact with one of the spirits that live outside the village who knows Morse Code. Words in quotes are direct quotes from contact. Conjecture labeled.

First point. Spirits know they made a mistake in attacking us. Said "we wrong, learn new". Spirits have different idea of danger. Spirits do not consider dying danger because we are all already dead. Conjecture: might not feel pain the same way we do either. Painful wounds did not hinder them during the attacks the way they would hinder one of us. So they did not understand that dying hurts us.

Second point. Green-eyed spirits are bosses of other spirits. Green-eyed spirits are "different" from the other spirits, called "good and bad" and "nasty". Green-eyed spirits give other spirits jobs. Attacking the ones who didn't eat was a job, called "good but hard". Some of them did not want to do it so they hid, said "scared too".

Sub-point. Talking to green-eyed spirits in person may not be viable. Daylight and I tried. They did not respond to spoken words or Morse Code except to grab us and try to separate us. Conjecture: talking to other spirits is a better option. They may be able to communicate with green-eyed spirits for us if need be. Maybe also wait for spirits to get back on network since that seemed to work for them during the attacks.

Third point. Spirits are dead like us. Nothing is actually alive here even if it looks alive. The world is dead, not just without light. Spirit said "All dead in dead world".

Fourth point. If the light comes back and we stop the World Eaters, the spirits will cease to be. Said "with light comes we die". Said "dead stay dead", "only live or only die, not both". Said not to be sad if they die. Was not upset at prospect of us stopping World Eaters, only curious. Said "What is death to a dead thing?" Conjecture: they may be former residents of Beacon with the purpose of stopping the World Eaters. Cannot move on until purpose complete and world freed?

Sub-point, also conjecture. This may also be true of us. Did not ask about that at the time. But if all dead things will cease to be if the world comes alive, and we are also dead things, then it could apply to us too.

Fifth point. Spirits want us to lead them. Said "Lead. Follow we." "All you choose" where and to what. Could not get a clearer answer on what that means. If people can talk to other spirits, they might have alternate ways of explaining that to help make clearer. Conjecture: this is important to our purpose here? Spirit was very firm in this.

That's what I have. Don't know if I can answer questions on details. But I will try.

Threaded | Flat

[ This is validating. There's still the question of trust for many people regarding the spirits, but this is a really important step. Learning more about the spirits, learning about what they want. ]

Thank you, Soldier, for sharing everything that you and Daylight and Misty put together with all of us.
Want this added into the log books?

Thank you for the update. This is impressive work.

One suggestion for leading the spirits might be to enlist them in helping us explore, rather than hindering us. We just need to make sure they understand how it would benefit them also to collaborate.

[straight and to the point:]

Perhaps I could speak to them more successfully than others.

Edited 2019-12-30 22:45 (UTC)

This is impressive.

I had thought that perhaps the return of sunlight would mean the end of the forest creatures, but it's unfortunate to be correct about that. It seems that they still want to help, but that help may wane once they truly grasp what it means for them.

Daylight will not be pleased about this development. Does he know?

Huh. Well that changes some things. Yet, it kinda makes sense...especially given all that we learned from experiencing those dreams. We've been asking questions since we arrived and that was their way of helping...I guess.

It's an interesting theory that the spirits might be some version of former residents. There was definitely indication of experiments and trials prior to this world dying. Some of us wondered if maybe the spirits were from somewhere else, but what if part of Beacon's change into what it is now also changed the residents.

Of course, I'd feel better if we had more than just conjectures, but they're good theories to try to prove or disprove as we set out further. Thank you for sharing.

I've spoken to Robin about the possibility of the spirits being former residents. She said she didn't think so, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's established fact.

( not here just to naysay, he just wants to put an alternate perspective out there. it's unsettling to think that the spirits are some fractured remnant of all the people that had died, after all. )

If they stop existing, won't we? We're dead too.

@riku; text

@silent

voice; @mewtwo

@Grandmaster

@m.hughes ; text

@HK

@cuttingedge; text