LostKnightsRPG.org

[rydi]

for all things teras.

i think we should start out with why its called teras...

[Avilister]

I found a few definitions.

The most common one is medical terminology. It describes "a grossly malformed and usually nonviable fetus". This doesn't seem to fit much except in the sense that many of the definitions mention extra appendages.

Also found were this one, part of taxonomic nomenclature: (taxonomy) A genus of tortricid moth whose larva makes a nest by fastening the edges of a leaf together with silk.

Then I found this one, because I remembered something about the word supposedly being greek:
http://www.studylight.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=5059
Definition
1. a prodigy, portent
2. miracle: performed by any one
This seems to be the most likely defintion being refered to by the name, despite (or perhaps even because of) its biblical connotations.

Further research along this angle led me here:
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/terato-

Which describes that the root of the work 'teras' now meaning a malformed fetus, has its root in the Greek teras, meaning monster. It also, however, connotates 'portent'

Finally I found the following on Meriam-Webster's dictionary site. Terat, the word for members of the Teragen: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/terat

Etymology:
Greek, from terat-, teras marvel, portent, monster

Thus, as you can see, the very root of the word embodies the philosphy.

[Avilister]

Next. Why does it seem prudent to use these archtypes as a vehicle for autoevolution?

[rydi]

good work. i wonder though, is the free dictionary a wiki? someone could have just filled in that last one, marvel/monster/portent if so. seems too perfect, unless that is where wod took it from in the first place.

hmm...

all are transcendent archetypes, and all represent a type of freedom.

the portent transcends the now, living in all time through their understanding, and transcends the limits of mere sentience as well. they become something around which history revolves, rather than being trapped by history
portent=
1. An indication of something important or calamitous about to occur; an omen.
2. Prophetic or threatening significance: signs full of portent.
3. Something amazing or marvelous; a prodigy.


the marvel transcends the laws governing reality to become its master rather than its slave. they are removed from the chain of causality, becoming the prime mover. similarly their role in society changes focus, with the marvel losing their feer of the unknown, but rather becoming it.
marvel=
1. One that evokes surprise, admiration, or wonder. See Synonyms at wonder.
2. Strong surprise; astonishment.
synonyms=
miracle, phenomenon, curiosity; see wonder

the monster transcends society to become a world in itself, rather than a slave to others. it is fulfilled in itself, and transcends the flesh that birthed it to become something more, something better. it becomes a legend around which societies are built, its very alienness and independence causing fear and dark wonder in those that witness it, something larger than the understanding of mortal minds.
monster=
1.
a. An imaginary or legendary creature, such as a centaur or Harpy, that combines parts from various animal or human forms.
b. A creature having a strange or frightening appearance.
2. An animal, a plant, or other organism having structural defects or deformities.
3. Pathology A fetus or an infant that is grotesquely abnormal and usually not viable.
4. A very large animal, plant, or object.
5. One who inspires horror or : a monster of selfishness
and
1. an imaginary beast, usually frightening in appearance
2. a very large person, animal, or thing
3. an exceptionally cruel or wicked person
4. a person, animal, or plant with a marked deformity [Latin monstrum portent]

[Avilister]

The Merriam-Webster dictionary is not a wiki, or at all user editable - I think it just duplicates the book. In that case it seems that the M-W definition of Terat is where WW derived the archtypes from.

Back to semi-IC discussion:

The archtypes, then, and Teras through them, is a method of freeing oneself from history, from social bondage, and from society itself. Each Terat then embodies some measure of all three archtypes.

They function as a vehicle for autoevolution by helping a Terat to free their mind from the restrictions that growing up in a world with limits imposes.

In the aspect of the Portent, a Terat learns to be what could be, rather than to be what is, or has already gone. One learns to explore potential, to tap into the power granted by virtue of their Node and draw out and expound upon the abilities it grants. A potent's goal is both breadth and depth of understanding, both of their own evolution and of the scope of humanity's destiny.

A Marvel learns greatness. Just as humanity's genetic heritage as apes is important, so too is a nova's genetic heritage as a human important. Just as humans have risen above apes to create a society with culture and technology, a Marvel shows that the novas' destiny is to rise above humans. What is not yet clear is what replaces 'culture' and 'technology' here. Those who embody the Marvel will lead the way in this regard. They demonstrate the power and the glory that come with being a nova and should embody that which other novas seek to aspire to.

A Monster learns to break the chains that bound him to society. Monsters rapidly learn that humanity's evolutionary destiny is not bound strictly to the shape and form that humans now take. They boldly walk a new path, exploring their terrible power, heedless of the price it takes on their flesh, for they recognize that their shape, like their other powers, is mutable and evolves as their understanding of their state evolves. Who is to say that their new body, often considered grotesque by those with more baseline sensibilities, is not a better vehicle for evolution than the one he was born to?

What of the side effects that nova's often display? Not all novas have demonstrated any side effects. Many of the Europeans, for example, are externally normal. Eyes seem to be a common aspect to change. This may be because of the Western world's perception of the eyes being a window to the soul. Our meeting with the Ohioan nova seems to indicate that there may also be mental side effects.

The question then becomes, why do these aspects of ourselves change? Furthermore, what determines the form these changes take? While many have displayed similar alterations, the eyes in particular, none are identical. Could these changes have their root in the subconscious mind? Are they wholly random?

This also begs the question 'what determines the origin of the powers we manifest?'. For example, many have demonstrated the ability to fly, but as we've demonstrated, we fly in different ways. While I manipulate the local gravitational fields to lift myself in to the air, you instead exert a kinetic force of unknown (possibly quantum energy itself?) origin on yourself to lift yourself in to the air. Our... tiny companion... simply flies, for no readily aparent reason, while Daphine, our young invicible friend, seems to shape the unconscious force-field she generates into functional wings.

Speaking of Daphine brings up another good point. She developed the ability to fly and I developed the ability to rend space after a great deal of effort, trial, and error. This seems to indicate that, given enough desire and some vehicle for improvement, we can develop further abilities beyond the scope of those with which we originally 'erupted'.

Daphine threw herself from buildings, cliffs, or asked us to drop her from great heights dozens or hundreds of times until she was able to fly on her own. Her only other aparent abilities are an uncanny resistance to all known forms of damage and a rapidly accelerated rate of healing. Is desire alone enough to expand our repitoire?

By contrast, I discovered my ability to rip space through the scientific method. It went something like this:
Observation: I control gravity.
Fact: 1) Gravity is genereally assumed to be a warping of space created by mass, sufficient gravitational fields are able to bend the course of light by warping space. 2) A nova from Europe is capable of warping space in such a way that she generates a portal through which people may move.
Hypothesis: By generating a focused gravitational field, I can warp space.
Addendum: Gravitional singularies are sometimes thought to connect to one another, if two are intentionally created and somehow connected by bending space, they may allow for rapid transit.

I then proceeded to attempt to do this in the lab for nearly two months before finally succeeded. While it was exceedingly difficult to accomplish the first few times, it rapidly grew to be second nature and is now relatively easy to perform. Additionally, it has had the side effect of enlightning me towards other forms of spatial manipulation by generating extremely specific fluxations in the local gravitational field. So, to echo the above question, is desire alone enough, or is will and a semi-sound hypothesis sufficient?

[rydi]

well stated. better than i could have done. but... aren't you a portent? thats your job

and you are the right track i think regarding both our strange alterations and our powers.

for my part... my powers seem to allow me to feel the flow of energy in and around myself, pulling in power to alter and enhance my own physical potential, and to push power out to alter the physical world. you did not know me before the transformation, but i find that it is interesting that my powers manifested in ways that were... well, exactly what i would have wished for. the power to become invulnerable, to fly and alter the world through force of will alone... and it seems that the my body has filled in all its imperfections, not just losing unsightly blemishes and wieght, but also moving to peak physical performance. my mind is sharper, and more clear, my already above average faculties enhanced.

is the scope of our desire and imagination the limit of our power? daphne simply wanted to avoid being hurt... so she became invulnerable, but she was only a child, and had no real conception of "superpowers" before her eruption. the others we've met didn't manifest with as much power seemingly... was it because i had integrated some of these concepts into my subconscious before hand?

but if such is the case, why can't we simply just decide to do new things, display greater power, and so on? it seems to me that a parallel exists in athletics. take a quick look at the history of athletics why don't you...

as you'll see, athletes as a population tend to peak at a given point, and maintain it for years. then one person erupts forward, shattering old records and setting the bar higher. suddenly, its as though some sort of mental barrier breaks as people realize that the impossible is now possible, and athletes push the record a bit further and then stabilize again.

there are multiple explanations for this, such as better training, better genetics and so on. but those don't fully explain the phenomenon. you can look at scientific fields for something similar, though not exactly the same.

perhaps then, it isn't just believing it or wanting it, but instead knowing it to be true, or in the case of the first person to break through, losing your idea of what is possible and simply moving forward. mystical and religious traditions the world over speak of "losing oneself" in ones actions, and the freedom that comes with such loss, the ability to achieve far more than normaly possible...

i don't know. what do you think?

oh, i almost forgot. our... changes. as i think i'm one of the more aware of our kind as to the effects of these energies on the body, i have a few things to say about that as well.

i think that our minds shape this energy, and that without proper control and without the form, or limits perhaps, that we seem to display, this energy becomes... destabilized, or perhaps tainted? by our touching it. it feels... different somehow. and if our ideas are correct, and our subconscious ideations do impact our powers manifestations, what do those same thoughts and desires do to this energy flowing through us, especially when we lose control of it?

if we are on the right track here, the implications are quite profound... and potentially disturbing as well. it means that other novas will manifest their powers in terms familiar to them in their human lives. and their disfunctions as well. all the human fuck ups and frailties will play out on a larger scale... potentially breaking this world apart.

we need to transcend our origins if novas, and the world itself are to survive...

[Avilister]

Agreed. Certainly those of us who erupted at the assassination of the governor of California have desplayed far-ranging and extremely powerful capabilities. We are all, also, relatively well adjusted - thankfully.

The Ohioan nova worries me greatly. He was extremely powerful, even compared to us (as contrasted against the Euronovas). He was also obviously volitile, unstable and, perhaps, quite mad.

So far this gift doesn't seem to favor any ethnic group over another or target people that are obviously related in any way. We cannot possibly predict who will erupt. Further, we don't know yet who is 'eligable'. Can the physically or mentally retarded erupt? Or flying dwarf friend tends to indicate that the physically handicapped certainly can (though he's implied that his inability to walk was inflicted rather than inherited).

The last thing we need is for some psychopath to erupt and kill a lot of normal folks. That will only further sour relations between us. They already don't like us, but things could be much much worse. Even a small amount of power would be sufficient in this case, but a broken mind may be able to manifest powers that even exceed ours - such as the Ohioan.

[rydi]

he may just have to be removed.

but that raises another question: who enforces law upon our kind? granted, we are above human law, and represent a new beginning of sorts... but there must be some sort of restrictions unless we just want survival of the fittest and anarchy, which i am personally not in favor of.

we walk a fine line here, because not only do we have to have some sort of code to live by, and a way of enforcing it, but we must also have a method of limiting the power of violators. death may be the only option in the case of the most powerful of our kind, unless we can find some other option.

but back to the nature of our powers, how do you think we can test what we've hypothesized, and if its true, how can we use it?

[Avilister]

That is perhaps one of the best questions. It seems to me that one of the best ways to continually attempt to improve ourselves is similar to how an athlete trains themselves. Constantly push your own limits. Given that we have demonstrated some degree of being able to explosively push past our original limitations (spontaneous flight and wormhole creation) it seems reasonable to expect that similar 'exercise' can assist in shaping continued evolution.

Again the archtypes we've defined come in to play. They provide a vehicle of focus for that exercise. That said, I'm not certain what form that sort of evolution takes without some sort of goal in mind. So far we've only had two examples of trying to do fairly specific things. What happens if the goal is more general?

[rydi]

true. although i was able to permanently aquire your adaptation abilities it should be noted, and i learned in short order how to increase both my endurance and my coordination with the same energy i originally could only use to enhance my strength.


but what would a more general goal, or even shift in ones mental paradigm, produce? would it result in a shift of ones powers? new powers? would it guide the tainted energy to warp us differently?

[Avilister]

This begins to raise some other questions that may only be answered by medical research. Questions like "Are our powers innate or learned?"

I'd forgotten your own expansion of abilities, I appologize. That only tends to lend evidence towards these abilities being learned rather than innate, though. As a result, I think it is unlikely that our current abilities will change, though we may be able to pick up additional capabilities.

I suspect a more general self-improvement goal might only result in an expansion of our already existing capabilities. Evidence that each case of being able to do something new or different required a conscious act of will in order to accomplish with a set goal in mind. This is not necssarily a bad thing. We've all discovered limitations on our abilities so far, even compared to one another. I fly slower than you do, for example. It is possible that a more generalized goal like 'meet my potential' or 'grow in power' would simply result in the intensification of our current abilities, perhaps making them easier to use or increasing the degree of control we have.

The real question becomes 'How do we do it?'

[rydi]

*thinking to self:
if only we could stablize the tainted energy by influencing it with some underlying conception of self growth, these archetypes perhaps, we could then pull that energy in until it hits a critical mass, at which point it would rebound and expand outward, surrounding us in an energistic coccoon in which a second, controlled erruption could occur, but guided instead of random...


Huh? sorry, i was running through outlandish possibilities. you're right. that is the key question. we may just have to try things out, as i can't think of any way that we could jumpstart our evolution, or radically change our underlying expectations (if you prefer that explanation better).