Exhatch

suddenlyhats asked: What plane are you on exactly? I mean, are you in the Physical world like Baralys and co, or are you in the Ether, or somewhere else?

Our plane lies within the physical universe, correct. Perhaps such a term is misleading…there are so very many examples of non-physical things in this “physical world” that don’t have even a hint of Ethereal relations.
Dreams, for example. And emotions. So intangible, yet so integral to the daily functioning of sentient beings.
For a species who claims not to sleep, the Kiarta are particularly enslaved to their subconscious. This is one of the reasons gaining Soma or Cephal can produce such… interesting reactions within them. Their caliginous feud with the Rel’ech makes this situation even more difficult for them to accept, of course.

They should really get over that.

suddenlyhats asked: So, from what I understaand, a second rite will turn a wisp into a sun, correct? Is there such a thing as a third rite?

A Wisp’s ascension in becoming a sun is the primary function of the Second Rite, yes. If a Third Rite exists, it would be reasonable to assume the process is performed by suns. I have never heard of such a process. This, I feel, makes it highly unlikely to exist, and sufficient evidence against the existence of a so-called Third Rite.

antonm1107 asked: Cont. Anyway, It seems that you haven't answered my initial question? Just in case you aren't keen on translating it again, I wanted to know if it was possible for wisps (or other ethereal beings, for that matter) to die. Also, and I'm going on a tangent, but are you ethereal? Another question I've been meaning to ask is why psions speak on different frequencies. Thank you for your time in asking these questions, and sorry for your troubles.

That appears to be three questions, but as you have been adequately polite, I will concede in answering all of them.

Ethereal beings do not have physical bodies, obviously, so therefore they cannot die. This includes Psions, though they aren’t truly Ethereal. About half, I’d say.
It is of course possible, however, for these beings to cease existing in a number of other ways; most commonly by being broken down and absorbed by a stronger Ethereal being. This most often happens to Psions via Wisps, though cannibalism is not unheard of.

Now, as to whether or not we are Ethereal… in a strict sense, no, we are not. We have nothing to do with the Ether and all it holds dear. We do, however, hold a number of similarities, and our forms may be considered Ethereal for many practical purposes.
Just don’t let me catch you saying it.

Every Ethereal creature has its own frequency; one can easily deduce this by observing their visible color. Psions… due to the elevated mental stress they have undergone in the process of their birth, their communication method has been somewhat muddled. One may learn to understand each Psion individually by learning their frequency code, though this will not allow you to access their frequency as a whole.

Does that adequately answer your questions?

antonm1107 asked: I'd answer in that language again, but it took me quite a while (almost an hour!) to both decode and write in the language of the cyan psion. I'm sorry about the trouble finding it may have brought; I was wondering if you could understand the language of psions. Seeing that you had to find a frequency, I assume that you used technology to aid you? Anyway, to answer your question, I had simply guessed what the cyan psion said based on the number of letters used and what they could possibly say.

Ah, so you manually extricated the frequency code through exhaustive search. Brute force, to coin a phrase. Intriguing.

Yes, I- …my apologies. “Technology”? By that, do you mean physical devices fashioned into shapes fit for complex purposes? The very idea that a being of our stature might resort to such primitive methods is utterly laughable. Surely you are in consent.  

In any case, yes, I understand the language of every Psion there is, so don’t waste everyone’s time trying to test me, hmm?

antonm1107 asked: K Czn nls xpdak (ghpd) gnd lznbjzbd lv gnd chzn pxkln. blc k nzgd kg; kg'x xl clnvjxknb! znhszh, mh ajdxgkln: kx kg plxxkbld vlf skxpx gl ckd?

…

Excuse me but a moment.

…

…

…

…Kmpfdxxkvd. Kg gllk md ajkgd z snkld gl vknc gnd zppflpfkzgd vfdajdnch gl gfznxlzgd gnzg. Nls mkbng hlj nzvd clmd bh kg, kv hlj cln’g mknc mh zxkknb?

Anonymous asked: Kaamos, do the creatures do as they please, while having actions suggested by Baralys, or is everything they do a direct thought of Baralys?

Ah, the question of the free will of those bound to a Wisp. This is a large topic, and one that interests me greatly. I will consent to speak briefly upon it.

From what I understand, some Wisps do indeed attempt to control every single aspect of their links, arrogant species that they are. Most fail, some succeed: it takes great mental effort. I suppose if, hypothetically, a Wisp recruited only one creature and spent all their time possessing it, the goal would be accomplished… but no Wisp would ever fail to have less than two links. With two or three links, the customary quantity, a highly mentally powerful Wisp could theoretically use them like puppets. I can absolutely guarantee you, however, that that is not what Baralys is doing. My doubts concerning his mental capabilities aside, he has far too many creatures linked to him to control them 100% of the time. Instead, they are no doubt guided by some constant subconscious ideas (“Mel, Swifle is not food”) and some direct commands (“Mel, carry Wrayt up the ledge”).

The Wisp, however, isn’t even the only telepathic influence on these creatures. Depending on their level of resonance with their Wisp and with each other, a group of links will begin to subconsciously push on one another. Looking at this group in particular, Mel and Aven have a particularly high resonance for each other, and less surprisingly, Swifle does with both Derb and Baralys. I suspect, in fact, that she’s progressed far enough to begin to see a bit of Ether. She can probably see and recognize Baralys, and at least observe other Ethereal beings such as Psions. Wrayt, a sapient being already familiar with psychic powers, could see Baralys outright… but his resonance with the Wisp isn’t high enough to allow him to view Psions as well.

There is a form of direct control used often by most Wisps, one must mention, and that is of course possession. However, the exact details of this process are… sketchy. What appears to happen is that the mind of the physical creature and the mind of the Ethereal Wisp are merged. Is one or the other really in control, or have they combined to form one single entity? If the latter is the case, what triggers a split? Many Wisps swear that they are in full control while in a possessing state, but I wonder.

I do indeed wonder…

Anonymous asked: Kaamos, be ye a true buccaneer? Or be ye what we name a God? Stop wastin' me time an' put somethin' in th' box, if ye don't be wantin' t' end up in Davy Jones' Locker. Arrr!

I’m afraid I’m not familiar with the term “buccaneer”, nor with your unfortunately outlandish method of speech. If you wish to inquire about my identity, then I have already told you that despite your loss of memory you all and I are the same. If I seem Godlike to your limited gaze, that is quite alright. One might say being Godlike is somewhat of a long-term goal of mine.

Now, to which “box” and “locker” do you refer? I’d love to meet this Davy Jones entity.

antonm1107 asked: Baralys: In the very beginning, it said that you had begun your 1004th iteration; what does that mean? You seem to be completely new to this, so how could you be in your 1004th iteration? Were you turned into a psion 1003 times, or turned into a sun 1003 times, or what? I take it you don't remember your other iterations, but how do you know this is your 1004th iteration? Also, what's it like being possessed Wrayt?

I suppose I’m somewhat qualified to answer these questions.

Being possessed is, I would imagine, a highly unpleasant experience. I shudder to think what turning over one’s will to another would entail.

I believe iterations are the pretentious idea used by Wisps to measure time. They cannot conceive of anything other than in terms of how it relates to them. I am unsure how you reached the conclusion that Baralys was on his 1004th, but it most certainly does not mean he was ever a sun or a Psion.
If a Psion can become a Wisp, I would take an utmost interest in learning of the process.
Similarly, if there was a way I might discover what happens to stars when they die, I would also take an utmost interest in learning of the process.

suddenlyhats asked: Kaamos, eh? How well aquainted with the stars are you?

I have not had the oh so exquisite pleasure of becoming acquainted with any stars.

Other than, of course, the one we orbit… and that was, luckily, quite a very long time ago. Don’t worry, my protective measures keep us all very safe.

Anonymous asked: Are you watching from above? Or should you be looking from the abysses? Perhaps your presence lies within one of these intriguing creatures? Nice to meet you.

Ah, my dear friends… you don’t remember anything, do you. I had suspected as much, but to see my suspicions confirmed… it pains me. I am, of course, one of you.
…I suppose I have no choice but to, for the time being, bear the transient burden of leadership.

My “presence”, as it were, lies in the same location as yours and our fellows. Most definitely not from “above”, and the abysses are not places with which I am well acquainted. We are as free to wander our domain as we’ve always been, though you may not recall how to do so. Our minds are not as constrained as those of these intriguing, as you put it, creatures.

Nice to meet you, I suppose, though I’m sure we have crossed paths before. 

I am Kaamos.