ariadne - Network

#WordWeavers “What would a travel guide about your story's world advertise as a must-see?”That’s easy, Tethyne Polo hands-down....

#WordWeavers “What would a travel guide about your story's world advertise as a must-see?”

That’s easy, Tethyne Polo hands-down. You know Polo, and Water Polo, but have you ever seen it played by teams of 2 million-ton biomachine-entities across an 80km field, best seen about 15 degrees away inside the titanic rotating cylinder they call home? They’re allowed to jump on part of the field! But wait, there’s more! Did we mention a part of the audience thinks these entities (and the passionate, competitive, and so-violent-they’re-also-the-army people who dive them) are the actual, living gods? That would make the tea at 50-by-5 some kind of nectar of the gods! Preposterous, but if you happen to overhear the story, it really did cure their cancer. In the End, it’s all framing.

#AmWriting #SciFi #MaidenHeretic #C8y

#WordWeavers “What would a meeting between the MC and the author look like?”Somehow I feel it’s more likely Saki’s universe is a...

#WordWeavers “What would a meeting between the MC and the author look like?”

Somehow I feel it’s more likely Saki’s universe is a base reality rather than this one, so if we met it would involve her delivering some bad news for all of us…

#AmWriting #SciFi #C8y #MaidenHeretic

So #OpenAI’s new model with “reasoning capabilities” is probably just reflecting variants of prompts back at itself and iterating,...

So #OpenAI’s new model with “reasoning capabilities” is probably just reflecting variants of prompts back at itself and iterating, using that much more energy? Are these people going to realize they’re pushing against, perhaps, some sort of unknown fundamental information-theory limit? Maybe after the number stops going up 😅

#WordWeavers What is your MC’s daily fear (not worst fear?)At the beginning of Maiden-Heretic, Saki’s just spent six years as a copy of...

#WordWeavers What is your MC’s daily fear (not worst fear?)

At the beginning of Maiden-Heretic, Saki’s just spent six years as a copy of herself in Simspace, more precisely in the exact biocomputer environment her world was melted into. Despite killing her in combat they kept her, part experiment and part bargaining chip for when the Arcaelits come. Now that they have, Saki 3’s back under physics.

However, the problem with Simspaces like that is they’re literally indistinguishable from life. About every day, usually in the morning, Saki has the thought:

“I’ll never really know.”

#C8y #MaidenHeretic #SciFi #AmWriting

#WordWeavers 26 August: “If your MC received a gift basket, what would be in it?”For Saki, she’d love some seeds or cuttings from tea...

#WordWeavers 26 August: “If your MC received a gift basket, what would be in it?”

For Saki, she’d love some seeds or cuttings from tea species similar to ones lost with her original world’s life. She might be happy to see various toiletries and everyday items, implemented by the Arcaelits from automat of course, but in shapes more familiar to her. Also, someone would throw in shoes other than the mirror-finish thigh-high spacesuit boots she wears almost constantly. It’s a showy habit she and Sinóle share, but then again Hylaeoi are known to bond with their tools, using Exo gear for everyday purposes.

#C8y #MaidenHeretic #SciFi #AmWriting

#PennedPossibilities 415: "Does your MC have a strong morality? Does this cause trouble for them?"Saki never had to develop a true...

#PennedPossibilities 415: "Does your MC have a strong morality? Does this cause trouble for them?"

Saki never had to develop a true morality: life as a public, visible tool of fascism from age 5 Does It For You. Hers are gut-and-blade morals, the constant fear that only the most vigorous strugglers live in their moment, quickly subsumed by the dark flow of history as they relent. Sinóle, our other MC and Saki's new roomate, has lived in the Arcaelit for awhile. An obligate orphan with almost no raising, she's been a full-throated TTMA signatory since arrival: chaos is her only mother, whose only law is death. From there, though, she takes the brave Arcaelit leap, believing all from chaos, everything and one, must flow in its own way with no coersion. To the Arcaelits, the gardeners of chaos, facilitating this radical freedom at a spacetime level is the highest moral. Just don't try and direct their efforts...
https://wiki.canonicity.org/index.php/TTMA
#C8y #MaidenHeretic #scifi #AmWriting (again!)

A calendar recording a possible event so old, today is closer to Dune. Literally epic!...

A calendar recording a possible event so old, today is closer to Dune. Literally epic! https://www.eng.ed.ac.uk/about/news/20240807/carvings-ancient-monument-may-be-world%E2%80%99s-oldest-calendar

#PennedPossibilities 225: "Does your MC or SC know how to swim?"Saki can swim for utility’s sake. She’s been trained to escape...

#PennedPossibilities 225: "Does your MC or SC know how to swim?"

Saki can swim for utility’s sake. She’s been trained to escape and evade across many terrestrial environments, albeit she has little experience with alien worlds. Always check local G before jumping in!

Sinóle, as a Tethyan enjoyer, has fold-out flipper inserts in all her boots. When not in her whole spacesuit, she usually has her diving mask rolled up in her wallet too.

#ScienceFiction #C8y #MaidenHeretic #AmWriting #Mecha

#WordWeavers February 15: "What does your character think their greatest achievement is?"Saki puzzles over you, as she’s done...

#WordWeavers February 15: "What does your character think their greatest achievement is?"

Saki puzzles over you, as she’s done for most of these questions, but this time her gaze locks onto yours. Her brow straightens and her expression disappears as if taking cover. Her right pointer finger lifts from its perch on her teacup handle and points generally at your neck.

“Sometimes,” she starts, “I can’t tell if you’re interviewing me, or *fucking* with me. This one’s between me and the Psych Board. Next question.”

#ScienceFiction #C8y #MaidenHeretic #AmWriting #Mecha

I’d bet that, if you got your laptop solely by scavenging in a major world city, you’d have a newer machine than the Median more than...

I’d bet that, if you got your laptop solely by scavenging in a major world city, you’d have a newer machine than the Median more than 50% of the time. That’ll flip eventually…

(2/2)The cheery energy leaves her eyes for a moment, and she winces. “We’ll kill you, we really, really will. It’s the only time we...

(2/2)

The cheery energy leaves her eyes for a moment, and she winces. “We’ll kill you, we really, really will. It’s the only time we kill our own. Anyways, Leonan fulfilled his mandate in a battle we saw through the sunports, then bullied the cult into helping him resupply, and something in me saw a chance. I don’t remember much about convincing him to take me, I sort of just... asked him to take me.”

Sinóle leans in, and her voice lowers.

“You should’ve seen it, Dad actually filled out the paperwork! They were terrified the whole time, while he jumped through their hoops. They didn’t want me anyway.”

She shakes her head, flares her nostrils, and turns to spit.

“Sorry. I have a whole kinhouse now, a real community, and ever since that last day at central office I’ve called him dad and he's called me daughter.”

#WordWeavers January 4: "SC POV. How do you feel about family? Who do you consider family?"(1/2)Sinóle's doing double-duty as...

#WordWeavers January 4: "SC POV. How do you feel about family? Who do you consider family?"

(1/2)

Sinóle's doing double-duty as a side character. Don’t tell her...
 
Sinóle flips her hair back with her left hand and digs against her scalp in thought. Her brow un-scrunches, and with eager aquamarine eyes she says,
 
“Capital-F-family, huh? Not a common topic around here, you must be dhekene! Arcaelits have no “official” relationships, just like we have no Law or permanent formalisms. Does that scare you? I was always fine with it; I grew up in a cult. I was nine when Leonan came, pursuing his former Stratarch to the ring system those assholes are still holed up in to this day. That guy (would you believe I don’t know their name, they lived here for decades and only went down seven years ago!) didn’t want to give the mantle back after the operation. Not that you’ll get the chance, but never do that.”

#C8y #MaidenHeretic #ScienceFiction #AmWriting

#WordWeavers January 3: "MC POV: Are you a fan of anything?"Pictured are Saki (left), and Sinóle (right), our deuteragonists.Saki...

#WordWeavers January 3: "MC POV: Are you a fan of anything?"

Pictured are Saki (left), and Sinóle (right), our deuteragonists.

Saki looks straight at you, and until her expressionless mouth twists into a mischievous grin it seems like you might've finally piqued her interest.

“What a great way to phrase that question! No.” she replies, holding her smirk.

As her drop partner yields the conversation, Sinóle practically shouts, “Tethyans! Literally everything about them. Ask me anything.”

Raising her eyebrows, Saki adds, “Go ahead, I dare you. You'll hear it all eventually. She's not even crazy, Tethyans are why we're here.”

#C8y #MaidenHeretic #ScienceFiction #AmWriting

#WordWeavers January 2: "What scene in your current WIP are you proudest of?"So far? Probably the emergency landing at the end of...

#WordWeavers January 2: "What scene in your current WIP are you proudest of?"

So far? Probably the emergency landing at the end of Chapter 2, smack in the middle of our MC’s getting-to-know-each-other trip that ends up being a trial by fire, as well as Sinóle's coming of age. It sets the tone for the first months of their relationship, at least! An excerpt:

---

Their transport flipped end-over-end with a loud thruster bang and lit its main engines at full power, slamming Saki and Sinóle against their crash couches while Inofrei swayed back and forth like reeds in the wind. Above the rumble Inofrei called out, "a positive opportunity for you, Sinóle, recall your last unknown planet excursion."

Sinóle responded with an unintelligible growl.

"Intara…" Saki pushed.

"I passed out. Big deal!"

*I died last month, and I'm about to do it again, aren't I?* Saki thought.

---

From The Maiden-Heretic of Laclathan: https://canonicity.org/tmhol/chapter_2

#C8y #MaidenHeretic #ScienceFiction #AmWriting

Alright, Happy New Year's, let's do some catchup!#WordWeavers January 1: "What are your writing plans for the coming...

Alright, Happy New Year's, let's do some catchup!

#WordWeavers January 1: "What are your writing plans for the coming year?"

Last year I tightened up a bunch of worldbuilding, finished an outline, and started on some visualization. This year, I aim to complete the first draft of Canonicity’s first Webnovel, The Maiden-Heretic of Laclathan! That’s the WIP I’ve been using for WritingWonders, the one with two chapters soon to have company: https://canonicity.org/works/TMHOL

#C8y #MaidenHeretic #ScienceFiction #AmWriting

I haven't been posting much recently, but I'm excited to say these new sets of pixel art backgrounds and character portraits will...

I haven't been posting much recently, but I'm excited to say these new sets of pixel art backgrounds and character portraits will soon be coming to a writing hashtag game near you!

#C8y #MaidenHeretic #ScienceFiction #PixelArt

#WordWeavers 4 October: “Character development, world-building, plot — how much attention do you pay to each?”I try to give each of...

#WordWeavers 4 October: “Character development, world-building, plot — how much attention do you pay to each?”

I try to give each of those elements equal attention, but Canonicity is inherently a #WorldBuilding project. That being said, having a system of interlocking communities with a history of interactions at many scales has helped tremendously with both plot and characters! Far from constraining me, the availability of answers to things like “what might happen if they do that?” or “how does this person generate their values?” Helps me notice a ton of connections I wouldn’t otherwise make. In turn, those connections lend extra clarity to worldbuilding in a virtuous cycle.

The main drawback is that progress on my drafts has been slow. This year I’ve made fewer changes and more observations, so I’m optimistically considering that a light at the end of the tunnel in terms of foundations…

#C8y #MaidenHeretic #ScienceFiction #AmWriting

#WordWeavers 26 September 2023: "Is your antagonist or protagonist more fashionable?"Saki wears a combination of athletic wear and...

#WordWeavers 26 September 2023: "Is your antagonist or protagonist more fashionable?"

Saki wears a combination of athletic wear and spacesuits, whereas the character closest to being the antagonist wears a multilayered garment designed to obscure all their movements, especially body language and speech. The visual effect is like a rough cone of translucent drapes hung from an 18-inch pole, the outer layers holding themselves apart like flower petals, and an occasional floor-length sleeve-shape jutting out when they reach for something.

Sinóle, on the other hand, enjoys prowling around town with her girlfriend in a finely-curated all-black wardrobe with bright, multi-spectral accessories and makeup. In any non-military capacity, she wins this one!

#C8y #MaidenHeretic #AmWriting #ScienceFiction #Mecha

#PennedPossibilities 83: SC or MC POV: What keeps you awake at night?For this, we’ll ask Leonan. (He’s the adoptive father of our MC...

#PennedPossibilities 83: SC or MC POV: What keeps you awake at night?

For this, we’ll ask Leonan. (He’s the adoptive father of our MC Sinóle, and ends up central to our other MC Saki, my profile pic.)

Leonan turns the question over in his head, never breaking eye contact while his Legionary bulk audibly strains the cafe chair. His right hand flies from the table into a loose pointer-and-thumb gesture so quickly he could startle someone. He starts abruptly, as if following a faster cadence than you:

“Saki, right? From a nonfree world, unethical childhood conditioning, and to top things off she’s been remade by the Itayohkon, who we know like to tamper with bodies. My sleep’s been fine, thank you, but she’s the main problem I’m working on, absolutely. Can we trust her? I believe there has to be a way. But, how close am I gonna need to get to find out?"

https://wiki.canonicity.org/index.php/Itayohkon

#C8y #MaidenHeretic #AmWriting #ScienceFiction #Mecha

I'm finally getting back into gear after slowing down all Summer! Canonicity's worldbuilding wiki (https://wiki.canonicity.org) has...

I'm finally getting back into gear after slowing down all Summer! Canonicity's worldbuilding wiki (https://wiki.canonicity.org) has had some recent love, including a better summary of the project:

"Known Universes is meant to be a shared fictional world. So far, it is far-future Sci-Fi with heavy influences from Space Opera, Solarpunk, and Mecha. Philosophically, it takes the assumed physical and biological necessity of our world's power structures and inverts them at an ontological and, at times, spiritual level. We believe commentary about our world's injustices has largely served as fuel for the very ones who benefit from the existing concentration of power, making them seem inevitable or natural. Known Universes is an attempt to imagine an alternative world, fantastically more free and powerful than the one our collective imaginations are building now."

#C8y #AmWriting #Worldbuilding #ScienceFiction #TormentNexus