ornithologist: (232)
Harold Finch ([personal profile] ornithologist) wrote in [community profile] etraya2026-02-23 02:58 pm

text | un: finch | subject: notes left by 'scylla'

I have collected all the notes left by the individual Scylla after Mission 012 that I could find available and uploaded them to the shared data repository.¹

According to Ms. Won in her post here, there are 10 in total, meaning that one note remains missing. If you are in possession of this note, please contribute it to the data repository. These notes are the biggest credible lead on getting to the truth of things that I've seen in my time here; I cannot emphasize enough how imperative it is that you share the missing document.

There are two sides to these pages, one side being narrative journal entries and the other complex higher-order math. I have been working with Accelerator (un: accelerator) on deciphering what we can of the mathematics, and we have drawn the following conclusion with reasonable certainty:² this is a mathematical representation of the inevitable decline and resulting destruction of the fabric of reality. In other words, it demonstrates proof of Echo's claim that worlds are falling apart from natural causes.

Based on my own knowledge of 20th century Earth scientific discoveries, this is plausible. The universe is infinitely expanding and at an accelerating rate, and though we have a poor understanding of the eventual consequences of that, that is a measurable fact.³ It appears whoever took these notes was working through the implications on their own with far more advanced instrumentation available than what is familiar to either Accelerator or myself.

Reviewing the text of the pages leads me to several further conclusions:

    (1) These were most likely written by Echo themselves as they came to the mathematical conclusion I just described.
    (2) The author demonstrates sincere remorse and went to incredible lengths to attempt to resolve this problem, but it was beyond their capabilities. If these are written by Echo, then they have become some kind of god-like being in their pursuit of saving worlds, but that still was not enough.
    (3) Ultimately, they placed their hopes in the idea that if they could buy time, someone else could find a solution, whether it be a mysterious blacked-out name referenced in the entries or someone from a different world entirely.
    (4) It is possible that our task to prove the 'worth' of our worlds is being measured on this scale, that of how likely our societies are to be able to address this problem, making it a pragmatic determination and not one based on any inherent qualities of 'worthiness' otherwise.
    (5) The time scale on which this is all taking place is likely literally astronomical.

Furthermore, reports of conversations had with Scylla indicates it is highly likely that Scylla personally knows Echo. He stated in one conversation that the math was intended for our receipt and would have been provided by Aurora, but the journal entries were not, and he deliberately intercepted them and ensured their distribution throughout Etraya. Scylla intimated to Ms. Won that the pages reveal something about what he and Aurora are cursed not to speak of. What that might be, I'm unsure.

Most importantly, Scylla provided verbal confirmation to Ms. Won that he also believed the worlds are unraveling. All of these facts combined, I think we must take that as true going forward.

Please share in the comments any other inferences you feel could be reasonably drawn, and we may discuss further.

¹This was posted about recently, but if you haven't seen it, there is now a data repository available for communal use. It is maintained by Sunday (un: sunday) and myself (un: finch). Please contact us if you have any questions on how to make use of it.
²Certainty would, of course, increase with the final note included in our analysis.
³For further reading on the topic, I suggest Barbara Ryden's Introduction to Cosmology published in 2003. It is available at the library.
twin_blade: (13)

[personal profile] twin_blade 2026-02-24 03:03 am (UTC)(link)
[ Vax isn't completely unreasonable. Although he can be stubborn just for the sake of it. Comes from growing up always fighting for his own identity. ]

Fine. But what is the risk? If what you say is correct, the missions aren't judging horseshit.

Whether true or not, it sounds like we can do fuck-all about it. Just wait for the right math-lete to walk through the revolving door and save us all.
twin_blade: (46)

[personal profile] twin_blade 2026-02-24 03:22 am (UTC)(link)
[ One doesn't travel the roads and the wilds and the city streets of Tal'Dorei minding their manners. It's more about the situation and feeling helpless about it.

That and Harold reminds Vax of the high and mighty tutors who lorded over him as a boy back in Syngorn. It's nothing personal. He doesn't know Harold enough for that. ]


It's the orgies, isn't it.

[ That was a joke about Harold's mission motivations, but he doesn't know if Harold can take a joke yet. He'll find out. ]

At the very least, I don't think you need to doubt most peoples motivations to go home. If you could give any of us a place to look, that would be a start.
twin_blade: (17)

[personal profile] twin_blade 2026-02-24 03:44 am (UTC)(link)
Well, maybe the next mission will have a better one.

[ Vax is not actually an orgy kind of guy.

And although Vax doesn't commit to being cooperative, Harold's willingness to explain himself does increase the odds Vax might actually do it. ]