Eris : Goddess of whatever-it-is-you-name-it Wrote:'I have come to tell you that you are free. Many ages ago, My consciousness left man, that he might develop himself. I return to find this development approaching completion, but hindered by fear and by misunderstanding.
[...]
I am chaos. I am the substance from which your artists and scientists build rhythms. I am the spirit with which your children and clowns laugh in happy anarchy. I am chaos. I am alive, and I tell you that you are free.'
The Illuminatii
Illuminatii form a small kabal, mostly located in Pueblo Bonito, and are a few individuals who believe Eris needs to express herself fully and constantly to mankind.
Those people take Discordianism [too] seriously. Most of them dedicate their whole life to understand better Eris's plans.
Maybe some Erisians would consider they consulted their pineals too much and went beyond any kind of perspective.
Where a regular Discordian would wisely shrug and conclude 'the sacred chao keeps on spinnin'', thus letting the wisdom sparkle, an Illuminatii will hook on it like a donkey with the last banana on the old earth.
Most of them are considered 'weirdos', even by the Legion of Dynamic Discord standards. Often living as hermits, spending most of their time in meditation, they usually pay little attention to outside world affairs.
They want to understand the Truth. They wish to be one with the Goddess.
therefore, consulting their pineal to hear her whispers became insufficient to them.
Principia Discordia Wrote:'With our concept making apparatus called "mind" we look at reality through the ideas-about-reality which our cultures give us. The ideas-about- reality are mistakenly labeled "reality" and unenlightened people are forever perplexed by the fact that other people, especially other cultures, see "reality" differently. It is only the ideas-about-reality which differ. Real (capital-T True) reality is a level deeper that is the level of concept.
We look at the world through windows on which have been drawn grids (concepts). Different philosophies use different grids.
A culture is a group of people with rather similar grids. Through a window we view chaos, and relate it to the points on our grid, and thereby understand it'
Illuminatii realized they will always be bound to see the universe according to a grid and, instead of accepting that fact as something inherent to mankind, they decided to take the only grid that would matter to them.
That grid being the Goddess's one, it would always change according to her mind, thus allowing Illuminatii to understand way better aspects of Reality.
That conception is at least Illuminatii's one, and who knows what level of fnord that bloody thing actually reached.
Illuminatii love secrecy, and only a few Erisians are aware of the existence of that kabal. Even less people have any clue about their projects. Whether or not the Polyfather is aware of their existence is unknown.
The kabal completed several projects successfully since its creation.
Lately, the Illuminatii worked on a project they call 'The Shining Path' that may allow them to reach their ultimate goal.
Projects
Pineal gland amplifiers
The Illuminatii made several experiments on the main thing that allowed them to hear Eris whispers, their pineal gland.
Those experiments, firstly consisting in surgical operations on their pineal gland, had mixed results, rarely allowing the subject to increase his link with the Goddess, most of the time resulting in adverse effects, in particular more or less critical alteration of the subject's circadian rhythms.
This explains why several members of the kabal almost never sleep at all!
Lately, the Illuminatii worked on others ways to increase the link. The most successful one came with the discovery of the Geode's crystal properties by zoner prospectors, leading to the creation of various amplifiers, such as pineal amulets.
The Shining Path
Long since, Illuminatii are looking for a medium/vector allowing the Goddess to communicate directly with apes.
They studied several ways to achieve this.
The Starchilds
Their last plans involve the use of an individual 'hosting' the Goddess. They call that phenomenon 'Starchild'.
This is plain theory however, and actually, Illuminatii never met any starchild. In fact, some of them believe the thing to be impossible.
A Starchild is but a regular human. Nothing objectively differentiates him from any other human being.
Only Illuminatii may consider him as something different, that is, able to host Eris psyche, or at least access to some of her thoughts.
Such a goal is calling for radical actions, and the decision to work on it forced several members of the kabal to depart, the implications being in contradiction with their ethics.
The Illuminatii distinguish two types of Starchilds.
- Natural born
The first type, being a regular human, would be naturally permeable to the Goddess's waves. The members of the kabal searched during decades an individual matching that description. However the task seemed to be difficult at best.
Illuminatii have calculated one individual on 23^23^5 humans may fit the ratios of the five Erisian elements (SWEET, BOOM, PUNGENT, PRICKLE and ORANGE).
Due to the difficulty to find a natural one, they came up with another idea.
- Altered
The second type corresponds to an individual altered before and after his birth. During his youth Illuminatii make his mind permeable using various methods, such as meditation, senses deprivation, extensive learning of Erisians books and so on.
The alteration of the subject genome is made using the five Erisian elements. Illuminatii searched for a while in Sirius, trying to figure out what those elements could be. After many researches, they found them :
- Orange = Cardamine. They found the dangerous Malta lifeform plant, known as Cardamine and used as a drug, could serve as a catalyst in the process.
- Prickle = Geode's crystal. Increasing the subject's mind permeability, the crystal molecules becomes parts of his blood stream.
- Pungent = Nomad genome. Strangely, infinitesimal quantities of this genome, inoculated in the feutus, seems to increase the link. Seeing this, some Illuminatii came to think Nomad lifeforms may hear Eris whispers, somehow. This information was however heavily hidden.
- Boom = Plutonium 555. This very rare isotope, having an half-life of 23^5 years, is used to increase the mutation of altered cells.
- Sweet = golden apples. A rare hybrid, cultivated in the temple biodomes. Erisians believe those apples to be the same as the one the Goddess used to do shizzle.
A couple of attempts were made. They both failed.
Either the subject didn't survive to all the steps or he survived but went out of his mind. Literally.
The nascent one
The last attempt, however, seemed to be promising. The subject was one of the Illuminatii's child.
Mnemosym, a pillar of the project, offered her own daughter. Even today, the origins of this child are shrouded in mystery, since the mother never told anything about her relashionship.
The girl came into existence and survived the successive experiments made by the kabal.
She was a strong and beautiful child, curious about everything, talking to everyone she would meet, and soon wandering around, most of the time giving hard times to the templars supposed to keep an eye on her.
Most Erisians treated her respectfully, as her mother was an elder of the sacred sanctum. Others, being the members of the kabal, were keeping her under surveillance.
However, the strangest for that child was certainly to be considered with a cold eye by her mother, ensuring above all the kabal project was going as planned.
In the end, the girl had enough of all those meditations sessions, Discordian studies and strange experiments she had to contend with; She decided to see what was outside, bought a ship and mischievously escaped.
Maybe it was the Illuminatii plan to let her go. Only Eris knows. Since then, they are monitoring her moves, when they are able to.
Her behavior puzzles them most of the time.
Some believe that experiment was a failure, since the experiment was interrupted. Her mind could have been critically altered, and thus unable to hear Eris whispers anymore.
Others consider she is a starchild, but an unactivated one. Those call her 'The nascent one'.
A somewhat aged man entered in the main room, taking off his hat. He took a look at the people consulting their pineal there, thinking 'Well... This place didn't change much'.
However, the man had something specific in mind and wasn't there to meditate. He kept looking around until he found what he was searching.
He headed towards an old lady who was meditating in the corner of the room, her eyes closed.
'Hello...'
The woman kept her eyes closed. 'Yes, pope? Speak...' 'It's me'
She nodded imperceptibly. 'It's you... Good...'
The man remained silent during a few seconds, looking at her, then talked again, with a slightly impatient tone. 'Listen... I'm sorry to interrupt you, but i really need to talk to you. To talk to you all.'
She raised her head slowly and looked at him.
- 'Kallisti. Well...That's... Unexpected.'
- 'That's important'
- 'Very well... Very well...'
She sighed and got up, putting the hood of her robe on, then walked to leave the sanctum 'Follow me...'.
The man followed her, thinking about how he would express his feelings in front of them.
As they were walking on the corridor of Pueblo Bonito, the woman took a comm-unit and whispered some quick words on it.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
After a few minutes, they entered in a room where half a dozen people were waiting, their face hidden by the hood of their holy robes.
The woman talked 'Brothers... I'm sorry to have disturbed you. I called you because he wanted to talk to us' She pointed at the man, then took a sit, along with the others.
Someone in robe said 'Well, let's hear it then. I have others matters to attend. what is the matter, pope?'
The man studied them during a few seconds, then started to speak. 'I wanted to tell you this cannot continue.'
He had the feeling their eyes were all aimed at him although he couldn't see them. One of them asked : 'Is their a problem with the last results?'
'It isn't about this. I mean things are going too far.' He stared at each one of them, one by one. 'You all know me. You know what i do and what i believe in. The way you are reaching your objectives went in contradiction lately with my ethics, as a doctor and as a man.
I helped you and i kept my mouth shut, because you are part of my people. But the more it goes, the more your decisions become immoral, to the extent that i can't accept the existence of that 'project' anymore.'
- 'We are doing what we must, and you are well aware of the reasons and the benefits of the project.'
- 'I'm unsure of what you talk about, as i have no objective proof.'
A man leant forward, staring at him. 'Ahhh... Here we go again... This is not something you can comprehend using your mind, or science. This is something different, related to your faith in Eris.'
He sighed. 'Eris. She is somewhere. But not here. I'm here to ensure my people stay safe and prosper, in peace and harmony.'
One said 'That's exactly what we do. We are ensuring Erisians will grow in understanding and power with that little... Experiment. And besides... Don't you think the spiritual well-being is more important that the physical well-being? This is exactly what our project is about... Increasing significantly Erisians spirituality... By giving them a reference point.'
The man felt he was losing his patience, little by little. 'Please, i'm not here to speak about metaphysics... Or spirituality. I'm humbly asking you to reconsider what you are doing and the way you are doing it'
Another man in robe made a disdainful sign. 'Did you forget it is thanks to our researches on esoteric amplificators a lot of people in Baffin have enough flax to leave decently?'
'I didn't forget. But we are talking now about experiments. Experiments on sentient beings, for Eris sake!'
The woman talked 'It doesn't matter, if this helps to make the Goddess thoughts alive'
He shook his head 'How can you say that. How can YOU say that? She is your daughter!' 'I'm glad she was chosen. I'm proud she can serve the project.'
He really started to be upset. 'You are her mother, and this should prevail over every consideration. I can't actually believe you were the one who asked me to raise the level of.. Erisian catalysts... in the injections'
The woman shrugged softly in her robe. 'The process is slowing down. This has to be done.'
He tried to contain himself. 'You are all losing the notions which make us what we are, as Discordians, as Zoners. Can't you see the more it goes, the more you are taking extreme decisions?' He looked at them, with an expression shared between pity and disgust.
'And all this secrecy... Look at yourselves... Hiding your faces as if you were part of some random conspiracy. This is ridiculous...'
Everyone stayed silent during a while, then a man in robe spoke 'So, you are leaving us. This is understandable. But unfortunate. Your help was appreciated.'
Another one talked. 'We will continue what we started, with or without your help. The shining path will be. Hail Eris!'
- 'I know she is not your first guinea pig. Think of it. Are you sure all those experiments -all that suffering- are a necessary thing?'
- 'Definitly. It doesn't matter in the end as long as we all can hear Eris and understand fully her teachings. We serve Discordia. And even if the current experiment fails, i'm convinced we learnt well enough to succeed the next one.'
They weren't willing to listen, as he was afraid of. Much to his shame, he was realizing quite late how determined and unscrupulous they could be.
He sighed and opened his mouth to say one more thing, but instead turned around and started to walk out.
As he was about to leave the room, the woman said with a command tone 'Pope John Henry!'
He turned around again reluctantly and looked at her.
'Remember you promised. You sweared you would not reveal anything about our projects.'
He remained unmoved 'I remember' 'You will do what is right.'
He left the room, saying 'As we all should do!'
The man was quite angry after this meeting. He decided to go for a walk in one of Bonito's biodomes to calm his nerves.
As he entered in the biodome three, he was surprised by the flora diversity. 'Erisians engineers did a great job there, it's a shame i didn't check that earlier', he thought.
He stopped to take a closer look at a tree nearby, and when he turned around, he noticed a young girl with a broom and a long robe staring at him.
Pueblo Bonito Biodome, ~16 years old.
She seemed to suddenly recognize him and scampered along towards him. 'John?' She laughed 'Woa... That's really you? Ages you didn't come to see me!'
He smiled softly 'Well... Look who is here... How are you young lady?'
She smiled back 'I'm okay!' She then stared at him mischievously 'Ehhh... Tell me... Did you bring me a present?!'
He laughed 'I'm sorry. I forgot.'
The young girl made a sad face 'Awwww...'
'Anyway...' He looked at her, his expression changing to a rather sad one for some reasons she wasn't able to understand 'You seem to be fine. How is the life in the temple, miss?' 'Oh, it's okay i guess!' She grinned 'Yesterday, Jake showed me how to pilot his falcon! It was so funny!'
He smiled 'Jake...?'
The girl looked around 'Ehh... You won't tell this to Mom', right?'
His expression changed again 'I won't' 'Anyway... The annoying part is all those things i have to do...' She shrugged 'Meditations and all those weird things...' She then looked straight in his eyes, wondering 'All the children are learning that?'
He was about to answer when he noticed two men approaching them.
The girl followed his look and shook her head 'Oh come on! They never give me a break!'
The two men gave a sidelong look at John 'The young one is required in the temple'
She pulled her tongue and laughed 'Hell i know i'm supposed to be there!' She then rolled her eyes 'But it's too boring out there!'
The two men kept an expressionless face. 'Follow us, please'
She chuckled 'Ah! That would be too easy! You will have to catch me first!' She then started to run.
John sighed 'She is still a child...Give her a breather...'
One of them looked at him scornfully 'You know damn well what she is' They then started to run after the girl, leaving him alone.
Once they were all gone, He shook his head and laughed 'Well... At least she is giving them hard times'
He then started to walk again, thinking about the last events. Suddenly he stopped, whispering to himself 'Yes.... I have to do what is right...'
- Orange : 99% of altered samples were destroyed.
Critical state reached...
- prickle : All destroyed. Source reachable.
Non critical state...
- pungent : 100% of altered samples were stolen.
Critical state reached...
- boom : Isotope stocks missing. Probability to find enough matter for another experiment : 11.111~%.
Critical state reached...
- sweet : Source reachable.
Non critical state...
Computation :
- Probability to gather all the Erisians elements to continue the current experiment : 0.0000023%.
- Probability to gather all the Erisians elements in the next 55 years : 23.23232323~%.
A ceiling... An unknown ceiling.... With lights... Bloody bright lights... She closed her eyes, moaning.
Her head was killing her. She wanted to massage her forehead but realized she was tied up.
Opening her eyes, she took a look around. A cell... A nice cell...
She felt the panic coming over her. After a short while, she breathed in and out, forcing herself to calm down.
She would find a way.
She just needed a second of inattentiveness... And they would learn it was a bad idea to annoy her.
But who were they? She thought for a while, trying to remember what happened to her lately...
Yes...
She was trying to escape her persecutors... And heard about a restricted area where she could be safe..
Did they got her before she succeeded to get there? No... She remembered clearly now she was able to reach Shasta Skyhook.
She then succeeded to hide in a freighter en route to that Bonito she wanted to reach... And...
Ahhh.... She remembered it all now...
She walked out of the docks after the freighter docked and wandered in the station, trying to melt into the crowd...
Following a few strange men, she entered into a vast room... The place was quite weird... It looked like a church... Somehow.
But then, she ran into a few guards who asked her strange questions about greyface...
It seems she didn't answer correctly. Then they tried to stop her and she broke a few arms and a couple of legs before she fell unconscious...
And here she was... She suppressed a smile when she remembered how pathetic those guards were.
She suddenly heard footsteps approaching and closed her eyes, pretending to be still unconscious.
"I know you are awaken"
That was a feminine voice... as far as she could tell. She remained unmoved. "Stop pretending, i came here to have a talk with you... You violated the privacy of our sanctum and therefore, you should be killed. But i thought we could find some arrangement"
She sighed and took a look at the speaker. That was an aged woman, wearing a brown robe. She could see little mercifulness in her eyes. "Speak...." She said, staring at her.
The woman studied her, looking at the scars and her right ear "You seem to be in trouble..." "None of your business"
The woman nodded "Probably... Now why did you come to Bonito"
She sighed. Was she supposed to trust that old woman? Hell no! "Why should i tell you?"
"Because i could help you... If you are willing to help us"
She tried to shrug "Depends..."
The woman studied her again "You could live here... You would become one of us and i would teach you... If you want to be taught" "Taught what?" She said, suspicious. "Discordianism. Our ways."
"Fine. Whatever. And what would i need to do for you?" "We will talk about this later. Do you accept?"
"Untie me already" Joanna looked at the woman. As soon as she would release her, she would break her nose and find her way out... Or... She thought quickly.
Maybe she could accept the deal and take what could be taken... Then walk away, if it became too annoying.
Yes... She would do that... For now...
The woman untied her and Joanna got on her feet quickly. She stepped in front of the lady, giving her a cold look "Where are my clothes"
She just pointed at a case and Joanna opened it. She got dressed and put her hood on quickly.
The woman already turned around and walked out, saying "Follow me"