Saturday, October 20

The Riddle Solved



With much trepidation, I have returned from the Congo after exhausting the innoculation supplies. When I came home I learned that my son Koen did indeed solve the Hydra's riddle, which unraveled Jeremiah's spell imprisoning Miss Elvejhem.

"Where Castles collapse in tears"

Tears are made of salt water..just like the ocean. And what sort of castles collapse in the tides? Sandcastles. So the hideout was by a shore.

"and Facts guarded by unfinished Thought and half Truth"

The last four words are like a rebus.

Unfinished THOUGHT - T H O ...

Half TRUTH - Jeremiah divided the word by morphemes. T R U / T H

T H O + T H = THOTH

So the answer to the last phrase of the riddle is Thoth, Egyptian god of knowledge, the Cosmic Librarian, the Guardian of Facts.

And where are tablets and papyrus stored and guarded in his name..at least on the Grid?

The Temple of Thoth, on a sandy corner of a lightly traveled sim, by the water's edge.

With my father vanquished..for now..I took some time to recuperate after stopping by Miss Burton's rezday party long enough to send my well wishes.

I tried to explain what happened to my youngest daughter, who I had just finished upgrading for the third time. She started as ARI, then rebuilt as Kohine, but now named Casey (short for Constructed AEtheric Self-Expressing Youth).

She asked me how someone can like Jeremiah could live without a conscience. I told her I wasn't sure..but that may be why he's always stooping to conquer..because he's missing something vital, but doesn't realize what it is he truly needs.

I tried to explain to her how a simple cylinder of glass and metal recovered from my father's lab is more horrifying to me than any abomination he could grow..because I am one of them..one of Him.

After he attacked me in the mansion I scoured the lab looking for clues to his entry. How could he have so effortlessly bypassed all my security systems? I opened the crates of items recovered from Mason estate immediately after it burned to the ground. I found my father's ivory pipe. He never let me touch it as a child. So I analyzed the cells found on the pipe. They were identical to my own. The cylinders in my father's hidden lair contained the remains of..failed experiments. Except for the one labeled D, with the added line CONTROL, and dated with his scrawl: Completed and Released The date..is the date I always celebrated as my birthday.

The traces of life contained therein..were also identical. I am now faced with the existential horror of knowing that I am a clone of the monster who created me!

12 comments:

Fuzzball Ortega said...

You're a CLONE?!?!? And to think, we just got rid of Keenly.....

(TotalLunar Eclipse whispers in Fuzz's ear)

Ohhhhh...ok....that's totally different.....Nevermind.

itsdavidvc said...
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Baron K. Wulfenbach said...

Ah, no wonder you were able to dance so blithely at the Consulate party - aside from your disturbing origin, good news all around. Congratuations to young Koen on his quick wits.

itsdavidvc said...

Herr Baron,

Yes, it was a wonderful event, thank you so much for inviting me! You have a refreshingly different choice in music from what I hear at most Colonial events. I admit I was a bit disconcerted when hearing Wierd Al's I Think I'm a Clone Now but got over it quickly.

As for Koen..yes his current form is that of a neko teenager, but he was Bloodwing's firstborn long before his present incarnation.

(Whenever I try to build a family tree for the Bloodwing and Mason line, it keeps collapsing.)

P.S. Bloodwing..thank you for keeping everyone posted during my absence, but now that you have your own body will you please get your own aethernet address?

~Dr. Mason

Eladrienne Laval said...

Dear Darien,

I do mean what I told you the other night--that although your genes are identical, the very fact that you care about others makes you different from him...*smiles*

Elle

Qlippothic said...

Father,

Miss Laval is correct. I was at first upset to find that Aunt Flea was mass-producing my original frame. But even if Caledon were filled with Qlippothics I would be confident in the unique identity I have assumed, along with the relationships and responsibilities that I have developed.

~Qli

Anonymous said...

Don't you mean Mr. Ortega, or Sheriff Ortega or even Sheriff Fuzzball, former Sheriff Bloodwing? In my case I call him snookums...

Frau A. S. Lowey said...

I am glad to see you are returned well, if not entirely settled. Please do remember that the individual is the sum of not just their heritage, but their experiences as well. A lesson I had learned though less harrowing experiences than yours, but one I hope you take to heart.

Bloodwing said...

Well done Koen!

Like I said before, my former Deputy..There is only room for one white-faced, crimson-lipped lunatic in Steelhead, and that would be Yours Truly.

~Bloodwing

Bloodwing said...
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Fuzzball Ortega said...

Seeing as how I've always served the city of Steelhead, it's people, and Lady Katt....I'm not your former deputy. If anything, I'm Lady Katt's former deputy...although I'd prefer the fact that I'm Lady Katt's Sheriff.

(Now.....will everyone who's been sending me aether messages complaining about how inconsiderate the silly demon is, and how he shows no respect towards others, I finally said something about it. Now...Shhhhhhh)

Bloodwing said...

Point..taken, Old Friend.