Post by The Kortl Rheus on Oct 28, 2014 13:47:35 GMT
Traditionally, the Inner Septs only met after each orbital pass of Vekk and Tero, the two rocks comprising the bulk of arable land within the gas giant Aso. However, since the other species had taken to the stars, the Inner Septs had begun meeting every few weeks to discuss the many first-contacts they were having. In addition, the Rheus had begun to stir again.
It had been predicted that the Rheus would rise from the chamber around this time, but the Rheus had rarely been so prolific in it's wandering. It had been seen sitting in a library consulting with student septmates, walking across the great hydrogen falls of lower Tero, a feat that would have meant certain death for any actual Kortl, and as usual the Kortl regularly appeared during the Inner Sept meetings. It was reassuring that the Kortl could consult with the Rheus, but as usual, the Inner Septs asked the wrong questions.
The two hundred speakers, one from each sept, sat on the richly carpeted floor of the meeting chamber, a cavern carved from the natural caves which wound deep within the plane. Stained wood, richly coloured fabrics, and gold and silver spiral pillars adorned the large room. The Rheus, a fourteen foot tall illumination of almost pure light, save for a blue crest of skin which seemed to hold the light within the core of it's giant humanoid body. The light was not brilliant or overpowering, but the glow was strong, and required some rest from the eyes from time to time.
One of the middling Vekk provincial septs had just finished a line of questioning regarding jurisprudence, directed at the Rheus which rested against one of the pillars. While the Rheus couldn't directly act as an agent for the Kortl, it was able to speculate on any number of subjects of philosophy, law or politics. The Rheus held within it the entire knowledge of the species. It knew every act every Kortl had ever done, crime or charity, could recall any legal precedent, and perfectly speak any of the low languages. However, there was only one, and it rarely answered the questions with direct satisfaction. It would sometimes issue answers in puzzles that would only later be worked out. Many of those puzzles simply went unsolved. Whole university departments had been dedicated to studying the nuance and riddle of the Rheus. Luckily, the Rheus had been more direct lately, somehow understanding the crucial moment the Kortl now faced in the cosmos.
When it spoke, it did so in a deep thrumming voice. Although, now that the current questions were over, it remained silent, observing the many speakers of the Inner Septs, each representing a grouping of Kortl that acted as elected coordinator for their geographical region.
The middling speaker from Vekk didn't seem quite done, and began another question, but the Rheus, seemingly had spent its attention. It gazed dutifully for a moment, and then simply turned and walked off, passing through solid stone.
There was no protest as it left, although it was frustrating to some when the Rheus seemingly lost interest.
The Inner Septs decided they were done for the day and retired to smaller conversation and private chambers.
The Rheus, avatar for the Kortl, stopped briefly at a traffic intersection to answer some questions of an abrupt senile old Kortl about how his children were doing. The Rheus then jetted upwards into orbit where it stopped to speak with planetary station managers who nervously questioned it about physics and alloy construction methods. It stayed for some time there, giving unusually thorough and reliable information and answers before floating into the hull of one of the just departed corvettes, where it took to resting in an empty bunk next to a suddenly very nervous rookie space captain.
It wasn't every day that the avatar of your species came to bunk with you.
And he'd thought it was going to be a boring two year trip.
It had been predicted that the Rheus would rise from the chamber around this time, but the Rheus had rarely been so prolific in it's wandering. It had been seen sitting in a library consulting with student septmates, walking across the great hydrogen falls of lower Tero, a feat that would have meant certain death for any actual Kortl, and as usual the Kortl regularly appeared during the Inner Sept meetings. It was reassuring that the Kortl could consult with the Rheus, but as usual, the Inner Septs asked the wrong questions.
The two hundred speakers, one from each sept, sat on the richly carpeted floor of the meeting chamber, a cavern carved from the natural caves which wound deep within the plane. Stained wood, richly coloured fabrics, and gold and silver spiral pillars adorned the large room. The Rheus, a fourteen foot tall illumination of almost pure light, save for a blue crest of skin which seemed to hold the light within the core of it's giant humanoid body. The light was not brilliant or overpowering, but the glow was strong, and required some rest from the eyes from time to time.
One of the middling Vekk provincial septs had just finished a line of questioning regarding jurisprudence, directed at the Rheus which rested against one of the pillars. While the Rheus couldn't directly act as an agent for the Kortl, it was able to speculate on any number of subjects of philosophy, law or politics. The Rheus held within it the entire knowledge of the species. It knew every act every Kortl had ever done, crime or charity, could recall any legal precedent, and perfectly speak any of the low languages. However, there was only one, and it rarely answered the questions with direct satisfaction. It would sometimes issue answers in puzzles that would only later be worked out. Many of those puzzles simply went unsolved. Whole university departments had been dedicated to studying the nuance and riddle of the Rheus. Luckily, the Rheus had been more direct lately, somehow understanding the crucial moment the Kortl now faced in the cosmos.
When it spoke, it did so in a deep thrumming voice. Although, now that the current questions were over, it remained silent, observing the many speakers of the Inner Septs, each representing a grouping of Kortl that acted as elected coordinator for their geographical region.
The middling speaker from Vekk didn't seem quite done, and began another question, but the Rheus, seemingly had spent its attention. It gazed dutifully for a moment, and then simply turned and walked off, passing through solid stone.
There was no protest as it left, although it was frustrating to some when the Rheus seemingly lost interest.
The Inner Septs decided they were done for the day and retired to smaller conversation and private chambers.
The Rheus, avatar for the Kortl, stopped briefly at a traffic intersection to answer some questions of an abrupt senile old Kortl about how his children were doing. The Rheus then jetted upwards into orbit where it stopped to speak with planetary station managers who nervously questioned it about physics and alloy construction methods. It stayed for some time there, giving unusually thorough and reliable information and answers before floating into the hull of one of the just departed corvettes, where it took to resting in an empty bunk next to a suddenly very nervous rookie space captain.
It wasn't every day that the avatar of your species came to bunk with you.
And he'd thought it was going to be a boring two year trip.