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

[worthallthis]

[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.

Comments

@Grandmaster

[paletteswap]

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?

[worthallthis]

[It was just a couple chats with a friend. The Soldier is still kind of sheepish about the praise, here. Maybe more people need to learn Morse Code to have better conversations with their spirit friends.]

They really don't seem upset at the idea of dying. Specifically told me not to be sad about it. I'm not sure they have self-preservation instincts like we do. That may be because they have been dead longer, or because they are a different kind of dead than we are.

I have not talked to Daylight specifically about it, no.

[paletteswap]

It may be a different thing for them. Or they don't view death as the end of things as many do.

I hope that's the case, as we definitely need their help.

[worthallthis]

My contact at least did not. We should absolutely ask others though. Those who can communicate better, or once we have more of their language.

[They really should use those who know Morse to help them translate more. They're gonna bring that up with Day next time it comes up.]

[paletteswap]

There's a sound program on the tablets now that we can use isn't there? I haven't tried it, but I will. I've talked to a few of the spirits prior and they all seemed interested in helping, or at least curious.

So it's a good start. We'll have to learn more.

[worthallthis]

Yes. I use the voice recording part of the network app to collect music. If we find a spirit with enough patience we can probably record more phrases using it, too.

[Yet another thing to ask Owl Friend. They might have enough patience, and enough goodwill, to help with the project.]

[paletteswap]

Maybe eventually we can have something that translates their speech the way it does all of ours. I know not everyone here is speaking the same language, but the tablet converts it into something readable.

[worthallthis]

Possible the tablets might already do that. I don't know if the spirits using it during the attacks were actually speaking any of our languages or if the tablet was translating for them. But the spirits have not tried to use tablets in that way since.

[So it's hard to tell. Another thing to maybe try later with Owl Friend: get them a tablet and see if it translates when they try to use it.]

[paletteswap]

True. I wonder why they used it once and then not again. It would be far easier to communicate with us that way than what we've been trying.

[worthallthis]

It happened while there was a green-eyes in the lighthouse. Maybe they could only use her equipment to access it. I don't think they have tablets like we do. If there are extra tablets anywhere we could try.

[paletteswap]

I wonder what happened to Winters'. I seem to recall that Rosinante said someone had it, but I don't remember who.

[Maybe it was Rosinante himself, Kuai can't remember, it hadn't seemed important at the time.]

Will's was broken and replaced somehow.

[worthallthis]

I think we get new ones when they break. Not sure who delivers. If it's spirits, why do they not have their own? Rastus maybe.

[There's a pause, then a second text:]

Winters the guy from the last group who didn't get reset, but who died. His tablet could have been interesting.

[paletteswap]

Correct. When he died with the group that hooked Robin up to the network someone brought back his items. And Five's as well I believe. I'm unsure about Five's tablet since he was a new arrival like us but Winter's did have a lot of information.

[worthallthis]

[And no one knows who has it. So not helpful.]

If we can't find it, it won't be much use. Would have to rely on Robin otherwise.

[paletteswap]

And trust that Robin is telling us the truth.