Network announcement backdated to day 6

[levelthreehooligan]

So, well. What an interesting last jaunt huh?

I've been talking to Grant and I went to go and do some investigating of my own. I know a lot of you have already had talks with Questing Country's own Pepe Silvia so if you've learned anything I don't say here, please do share.
I managed to glean a little bit more detail; though I've pared it down to make it more understandable. [There was so much guys, so much. How can one man think so much about this one thing for so long?]

[The following document is formatted familiarly to some. It's how a G.R.I.D's disk would look if it was entirely textual.]

•  Spirit Companions are hiding something. From all of you. They have a monopoly of power in QC. They feel threatened by the Arcana, in the long past they put Adversaries on leashes, and, no matter how optimistic they pretend to be, they’re terrified of Guiding Stars and Tesserae. They want to keep their monopoly on whispering in Champions’ ears, of brushing aside the basic questions. 
•  Guiding Stars are just Starmovers. They’re not Spirit Companions at all. The Travelers have their own fake Spirit Companions. That means that Tesserae aren’t really Spirit Companions, either. And they’re making an army of Dreamers who all dress alike, think alike, don’t even challenge or question their system. But the Spirit Companions can’t admit it, of course. Because that would mean admitting they really are manipulating everyone, and they’re not going to let go of their control enough to do that. 
•  There’s a core of unshakable hope at believing the powers of the dreamworld are conspiring against you and have pulled the wool over everyone’s eyes - but thinking that’s no reason to give up, that you can make everyone see and save them all. 
• All Transformed Lands are Linked. Theoretically this ties to them all being created by the same Starmover. Alternatively you don't understand the links well enough to differentiate between them. 
•  No new Harbingers since Conductors started appearing. This is unlikely to be more Starmover activity, but could be something of the same power tier as Starmovers and Arcana breaking into QC. 
•  You know what Sanctions are. Forcibly applied True Bonds used to keep the original Adversaries in line and under control. 
•  Conductors all have matching, perfectly form-fitted uniforms. However, Ace Striker has a loose crown. This could imply that she has or continues to be blinded by the cult presence. 
•  This could possibly be the first time something has managed to successfully Sanction/apply a Bond/Link to a Spirit Companion besides the ones they choose to bestow themselves. You assume this is strongly related to their terror at Tessarae, and also corroborates your theory on there being something out there strong enough to corrupt, remove or otherwise dampen their original bond to QC. 
•  "Seek a Link you have but cannot see and grasp it." Oracle Rubelite seems to be under the impression you have invisible links connected to you, but did not give a reason as to why; Paraiba insinuated he had it explained to him. This requires further investigation. 
• The previous point could be potentially related to the phenomenon that Conductors retain their previous Links - which you know because you've seen fully functional Links coming from their once partners - but are unable to see or benefit from them, effectively unmooring them and leaving them singularly linked to other Conductors. 
•  Conductors and Tessarae are all connected to their private network on an individual level, and not directly to each and every other creature involved. This is noteworthy in its difference. 
•  The companions of Travelers, while recognisably a Companion Link, is sufficiently different enough from a Companion, Guiding Star or Tessarae Link to be worth noting.
•  Conductors are capable of forcing their Bond onto people. You were witness to an attempt by two Conductors to forcibly change Titan's role, in their attempt to restrain you. This was terrifying.
•  Oracle Rubelite seems fairly certain that your theories and Paraiba's Mysterious Nightmare hunt are related.
•  Your lack of faith in Companions extends to your own. Zygi Protium Cation has not given you advice or riddles since maybe a week after you met him. You're aware this causes him some distress, but so long as he continues to not give you advice, you find you actually enjoy his company.
   

So there's that. Grant's unshakable faith would almost be inspiring if it wasn't so- Misguided? At least, I hope it's misguided, but there's a lot to unpack there and for us to work on. 

This leads onto my second point. I went to the Spirit Oasis to try and talk to the Spirit Companions that hadn't yet bonded. Grant had said they were scared of the Tessarae but they had refused to tell them why. 
It's because they can't talk with them anymore. Spirit companions are meant to be attuned to Questing Country itself, and Tesserae, well. They used to be, and now they're not. They've had all their previous bonds severed and the Companions just can't tell if they're on the same page anymore. 

[She sighs, and shares a feeling over the network for people to tap into if they want to. The feeling of heartbreak and confusion when someone you thought you knew dearly disappears or wasn't who you thought they were. The sour sadness of betrayal.] 

Like that. Seems like a real big miscommunication issue to me.

Oh, also this:

>You went Adversary on your second night in Questing Country. You’ve asked around, and you’re pretty sure that’s a record.

Comments

[crouching_sin]

[He's privately impressed but he's not going to be a big softy where other people can see.]

... Is there a reason that the Conductors can't translate for their Tesserae? I suppose it's not the same and there's bound to be accusations of mistranslation, but... it could be a start.

[levelthreehooligan]

I have a feeling that because the Conductors are also cut off that nothing there is going to help either.

I think we need to start back up a form of communication between the two parties that allow them to talk directly to one another again, but I know it won't be the same as being able to feel each other out, you know?

It also involves Getting them to talk to each other.

[crouching_sin]

It sounds like someone who's good at diplomacy needs to sit them down.

... Someone who isn't me.

[levelthreehooligan]

Dimplomacy at the very least.

I could certainly try, but there'd be a lot of people at this table. We'd need- ha

We'd probably need representatives for each faction and a council of some sort.

That, and Neutral Grounds.

[finalizes]

[That's a LOT.

He just squints at it for a very, very long time. Which is why Saffron overtakes him, her tone very alarmed.]

What, what, what is wrong with companions? I help!

[levelthreehooligan]

Hey, Saff!

Nothing is wrong with the companions, don't worry! It's just that things are changing and they're scared of that. It's probably something that we're the cause of, so we have to work hard to make sure that things don't get worse, I think.

Also yeah, this man has more mad theories than a drunk Garlean scientist.

[finalizes]

[She settles down slightly, but only slightly.]

...The companions are not a problem? So Grant is the problem?

Will he make people angry at companions?

[levelthreehooligan]

No no, honey. Grant also isn't the problem, although his doom-saying isn't helping the matter.

Understatement, honestly.]

The problem seems to be that no one is listening to one another, and so they've all made up these massive problems in their heads while not actually seeing the real issue, which is something that we need to be able to identify before it gets too big.

[eldritchwheelies]

...did you swipe his ID Disk!?

While he's not a PROGRAM!?

HOLY CRAP, Pinya!

[crouching_sin]

[Okay fine he'll be publicly a little proud.]

She's very clever.

[eldritchwheelies]

I guess so! I've heard of identity theft but this is a bit much.

Which galaxy-brain takes are you betting on not being smallbrain takes in a glittery hat?

[crouching_sin]

Let's see... in order...

Spirit Companions are, almost by definition, hiding something. You don't hand all of the information of a world over to literal children or to people who lack finesse. I don't know enough about Harbingers for the second. He almost definitely has hope or else he'd be a Pillar.

I doubt all the Transformed Lands are linked, but if they are I don't know how we'd prove or disprove that. I don't think the 'no new Harbingers' is an effect of anything other than our actions last time. Something of the same power tier is possible, but I'm not banking on something of that power level so late in the game. Sanctions kind of... are that. I haven't met Ace - to be honest I've stayed away from the Conductors in general.

I'm not so suspicious at the Spirit Companions being uncomfortable if the Tesserae are so different. And again I can't see the links so we can't confirm or deny that. "A link you have but cannot grasp" is likely a connection to one of us, but it also sounds like a personal problem.

The Conductors having their own network is suspicious, I have no explanation for that. And obviously our links are different. Again I've been keeping my distance from the Conductors so I have no idea what happened with Titan. It sounds like we need to speak to this Paraiba. And I'm not surprised his own Spirit Companion isn't being helpful to him.

... Honestly the Conductors creep me out on some level, and that's hard to do. There's something somewhat angelic about them in a way, and it makes me not want to go near them. It's... different, but the almost intentional separation is disturbing, as is their apparent efficacy at what they do. Literally nothing is that efficient without being suspicious.

[levelthreehooligan]

I'm not sure I'd call it that...

[crouching_sin]

Oh? Then what would you call it?

[levelthreehooligan]

I -uh.

Do you remeber Pic0? The no good very bad slightly unhinged thief?

That was me and I uhhhh kept her abilities so, yeah actually kind of

[eldritchwheelies]

So I have good news and bad news.

The good news is that I am absolutely not judging you by your worst moment as someone you aren't, because hell, I was Doctor Michelle Effin Madison and you didn't deserve being Pic0, either. I'm not complaining that you stole her stealing from the Grid and used it for awesome instead of evil; I'm impressed.

The bad news is holy shit, that's a lot of conspiracies. Pick your conspiracies. That's too many conspiracies, put them back. A lot of this stuff is maddeningly close to being true and useful, but his biases...

God, I'm going to volunteer to babysit this guy so I can help him put things in his pinboard, aren't I. Goddamn it.

[levelthreehooligan]

Thank you for the assurance.

[She really does sound relieved, because that was a dark period in her time here]
I'm just glad that I'm able to use it to help instead of hinder.

It's why I'm glad I was able to share them with everybody because Twelve take me it's so many! I know what I think of some of them, but I'd also like to know what the people with more experience with QC thinks of these.

Your opinion would be most welcome, Madoka!

[razorblade_empress]

Raidou did say before the Jaunt that things were changing backstage and the Spirit Companions knew but hadn't told the Oracles. So paranoia and bad faith aside - and those are admittedly big things to put aside - that first point isn't entirely wrong.

[levelthreehooligan]

Mhmm, I don't doubt it is either.

I think that perhaps we should look into how large of a point it is, though?

Ideally I'd like to look into all of these points but Twelve only know if half of them are even-

Well. Actually. If Bismuth ends up taking up their Silver, perhaps we can research it...

hm.

[razorblade_empress]

Yeah, there's a lot.

[And she has opinions about Bismuth becoming a Conductor, but she should probably keep those to herself.]

[vrepit_no]

Some additional things Grant mentioned to me:
∙ Companions can make a temporary Link with Questing Country itself.
∙ Harbingers are also Linked with Questing Country, but with a different Link than Companions.
∙ Questing Country itself does not instigate Links with anyone or anything.
∙ Nightmares do not form Links except if the person who is the source of the Nightmare is within a certain proximity.

Those seem to be the facts on which parts of his theories are based, anyway. I'm not sure how to corroborate that, since no one else sees Links. Links are not always True Bonds, apparently, so anyone with Bonds may not be able to see all of these other options.

[levelthreehooligan]

Perhaps then we should be investigating how these Links occur?

It;'s unfortunate that the only person that explicitly has that ability is crazier than my family at a Starlight's celebration.

Perhaps...

Perhaps those of us that are Aetherically inclined could see if we could research it?

[awitchdidit]

You're really just posting the contents of a man's soul to the psychic network?

I'm impressed!

I've dealt with conspiracy theorist types before but I've never really understood the inner workings of their mind...it's like a religion, isn't it? An unshakeable belief in an unseen order to the universe, a strong sense of right and wrong, that anything against your beliefs is wrong...still, he does have some points worth investigating, doesn't he? It's doubtful all of this is true, but there's no harm in debunking any of it for investigation's sake.

[levelthreehooligan]

Hey! Look!

It's not his soul, it's just all his batsquatch-shit crazy theories! Or at least, the amount of theories he has is crazy, jury's out on whether they're all actually as mad as they sound.

And yes, it's easily enough compared to a religion, or at least a blind faith in a religion; I almost pity him, there's clearly something unfulfilling enough in his life that he feels that this is what he's going to pour most of his energy into.

Which ones do you think are the most important ones to look into right now?

[awitchdidit]

I think it's worth investigating how much control the Spirit Companions actually have here, and what they know. The Starmovers' motivations are also important, as while I doubt they're doing anything harmful, if they have a major project going, it would be smart to get out of the way of it.