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

[fridgeninja]

For science.

[youandyoualone]

And so it was. If dreamstuff tastes as marshmallows and soda do, what does ectoplasm taste as?

[fridgeninja]

Well, after a moment, it tasted a little like pork.

[youandyoualone]

................

[He read the paper that Thorne put up on the network. He knows what happened to the ectoplasm in Souji's mouth.]

And before that?

[fridgeninja]

It tasted like Yukiko's omelette...

[youandyoualone]

Hm. What style of omelette is that? It is not one I have heard of.

[fridgeninja]

It was a one-time thing.

It tasted like... paper. Or dry water. Or oatmeal, if you took away all the oats.

[youandyoualone]

I see.

Thank you, Souji. That does make for a more enlightening description.