Crazy Ass Speculation Thread

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Wilshire

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« Reply #105 on: March 11, 2015, 07:49:15 pm »
But that leaves open the possibility that it was a coincidence, which I dislike.
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The Sharmat

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« Reply #106 on: March 11, 2015, 10:33:22 pm »
Coincidences can happen. Too few coincidences make a plot rotten as easily as too many.

Francis Buck

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« Reply #107 on: March 12, 2015, 04:16:19 am »
In general I think it's important to remember that, so far as we know, up until Moenghus left Ishual, the Consult probably thought their skinspies were rock solid. Why not? It seems like the Dunyain's ability to identify a skinspy is more a side-effect of their training to read human faces, rather than needing any practice at doing it. Kellhus noticed it instantly, though of course he didn't know the cause.

Another thing to note is that we don't actually know how long the Consult has had them, but only that their numbers are dwindling. Could earlier historical figures actually have been skinspies? Perhaps Anaxophus, which is why he mimicked the No-God's voice along with the Sranc? Who knows. Regardless, I think the remaining skinspies are very strategically placed in a way that makes them valuable, but unlikely to be killed and/or revealed. It's why they don't make skinspy out of say, Xerius or Conphas, but do so with Istriya. And, of course, why wouldn't the Consult put their (perhaps only) ensouled-spy within the Mandate? The Mandate is only bullshit to the ignorant masses --  to the Consult, they're the only enemy they have that's actually aware of them (aside from perhaps the Nonmen).

Wilshire

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« Reply #108 on: March 12, 2015, 01:14:24 pm »
Yeah but the issue isn't why the Consult placed one there, or for how long it was there, its whether or not Maithanet/Moenghus knew about it before Maithanet showed up on their island.
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Simas Polchias

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« Reply #109 on: March 12, 2015, 01:49:07 pm »
Another thing to note is that we don't actually know how long the Consult has had them, but only that their numbers are dwindling.
As far as I remember, Mandate's recent reputation as mad weepies & myth-chasers was caused by a sudden lack of clear, constant & known enemy. Both in their own & in great names eyes it was like Consult just ceased to be. Grumpy-happy end, no second apocalypse for anyone, go home gnostics, you're drunkards. That's a possible time point when mangaeccans deployed skin-spies, thus consealing Consult's activities to a non-detectable level.

If that guess is correct, skin-spies as we know them is a technology with 2-3 hundred year history at best. But, of course, there could have been ancient prototypes and/or neighborhood concepts.
« Last Edit: March 12, 2015, 01:51:13 pm by Simas Polchias »

Wilshire

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« Reply #110 on: March 12, 2015, 03:32:43 pm »
That was my interpretation as well Simas Polchias. The two scenarios, creation of skin-spies and Mandate falling from grace, seem like they should be connected.
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The Sharmat

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« Reply #111 on: March 12, 2015, 10:14:44 pm »
Yeah the Mandate actually skirmished with the Consult as recently as 300 years ago. The Skin-Spies are new. Which is what's so terrifying about them. They're a very elegant and novel creation, implying the Consult has finally attained fundamental mastery of the Tekne again.

And Anaxophus didn't repeat the No-God's words at Mengedda. That was an artifact of Akka's dreams changing (He even repeatedly says at that point "This isn't how it happens!"). Anaxophus KILLED the No-God. Why would a Skin-Spy do that?

Simas Polchias

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« Reply #112 on: March 15, 2015, 10:49:43 pm »
Why would a Skin-Spy do that?
Don't mind me, I`ve catched a cold and am just making chibi-crackpots in the corner.

The nice part of sorcery is a trait that can be called an elegant durability.
But that's not true about Tekne, whose creations are in fact badass cripples.
Post-cunuroi loose their memories, Aurang body suffers from a cancer etc.
So, it's just fine to imagine a broken Skin-Spy gone rogue.

Let's say someday Maëngi, a thing called Sarcellus, becomes too good in impersonating.
It's model of a certain shrial knight is so perfect it "reigns" upon a basic skin-spy urges.
It births a self-concience, it forms a soul, it suffers from D.T.C.M. (skin-spy wrath & lust).
It will do everything a shrial knight would do, from conquering Shimeh to hunting Shaeonanra.

mrganondorf

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« Reply #113 on: March 15, 2015, 11:32:18 pm »
@ FB - i love the idea of skin spies way back when!  since this is a crazy ass speculation thread: warring factions in the Consult have been employing skin spies for thousands of years often running at cross purposes!  Moenghus/Kellhus have only uncovered the most inferior type of skin spy, the really subtle ones are absolutely undetectable to gods and men and nonmen and they live in the mountains and they run a breeding program of humans and they are called pragma

while we're at it, double down on the skin-spy-- metaskinspies: these guys have skin spy faces that conceal an even deeper face .... which is a bunny

also, aurang/aurax - their mouth faces are skin spy faces too

The Sharmat

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« Reply #114 on: March 16, 2015, 02:48:30 am »
Cnaiur's left testicle was a skin-spy, and it outlived its host.

SilentRoamer

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« Reply #115 on: March 16, 2015, 01:04:15 pm »
Did Anaxophus actually kill the No-God though?

TS - you seem to be coming from the perspective that Akkas original dreams are true and the latter dreams are a lie. What if the reverse is true? What if Achamian is now dreaming real dreams?

I recall a scene where Mimara calls Achamian a prophet of the past? What if this was true in the strictest sense - Akka really is the one showing the true dreams? I also think this most likely to be the case, the reason being the mundane aspects of Seswathas life which are revealing themselves.

Simas Polchias

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« Reply #116 on: March 16, 2015, 01:49:10 pm »
metaskinspies: these guys have skin spy faces that conceal an even deeper face .... which is a bunny
Aww & lol.

H

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« Reply #117 on: March 16, 2015, 02:20:15 pm »
TS - you seem to be coming from the perspective that Akkas original dreams are true and the latter dreams are a lie. What if the reverse is true? What if Achamian is now dreaming real dreams?

I'm inclined to believe that the dreams are becoming more truthful in general, not less.  However, I think there is more at play though, that somehow something is changing things too.
I am a warrior of ages, Anasurimbor. . . ages. I have dipped my nimil in a thousand hearts. I have ridden both against and for the No-God in the great wars that authored this wilderness. I have scaled the ramparts of great Golgotterath, watched the hearts of High Kings break for fury. -Cet'ingira

mrganondorf

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« Reply #118 on: March 16, 2015, 07:42:49 pm »
Lets say kellhus is trying to save the world and that he knows his death is inevitable. Maybe he's trying to live just a certain kind of life so that his heart can be used in a new grasping ritual. Maybe he can totally outdo seswatha--the initiates need only have the gift of the few and grasp and they instantly become a mini-kellhus with metagnosis already loaded. This could help if kellhus thinks its going to take centuries more to finally defeat the Consult

Wilshire

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« Reply #119 on: March 17, 2015, 04:39:05 pm »
Why would a Skin-Spy do that?
Let's say someday Maëngi, a thing called Sarcellus, becomes too good in impersonating.
It's model of a certain shrial knight is so perfect it "reigns" upon a basic skin-spy urges.
It births a self-concience, it forms a soul, it suffers from D.T.C.M. (skin-spy wrath & lust).
It will do everything a shrial knight would do, from conquering Shimeh to hunting Shaeonanra.
Have you read Dune? A perfect Face Dancer...


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