Reference:Gehn, Lab journal (Riven (2024))

From Guild of Archivists
Gehn, Lab journal (Riven (2024))
Journal Gehn Lab Riven 2024.jpg
Location Riven, Book Assembly Island, Gehn's lab
Author Gehn

3467 ( 79.6.7 ) I have been cataloging the natural elements of this Age for many years now, yet I still continue to find evidence of the number Five. As a boy, it was very clear to me that it held a place of special significance in the D'ni society; from the ancient heraldic emblems of the ruling elite to the humble homes of the commoners, it was ubiquitous. Its presence here is clearly a direct reflection of the minds that authored the texts I used to compose this Age—further proof that through their Art the D'ni Masters were indeed creating the marvelous worlds they wrote, and not, as many have mistakenly thought, merely forging links to pre-existing worlds. While all of my Ages have been based on D'ni designs, I see now that the ones most vested with the power of Five are also the most beautiful, the most perfect—and, undoubtedly the most structurally sound.

I still have yet to determine how the D'ni color symbology reflects this superior design principle. While ostensibly a six color system, I am convinced that there must be some deeper connection to the number Five. I will continue to investigate.

351% ( 80.1.15 ) The ytram traps have been particularly fruitful this year; apparently the breakup of the islands has not adversely affected the subterranean ecosystems. Unfortunately, I imagine the rebels are also experiencing a generous harvest—no shortage of poison for their darts this season. Such vexing issues aside, this unexpected windfall has allowed me to refine a particularly pleasant extract for my pipe, one that is smoother than any other in recent memory.

35612 ( 80.6.27 ) I have reluctantly decided to suspend my inquiries into the unusual behavior of the water of this Age, as there are more pressing matters that now demand my attention. For future reference, however, my investigations have revealed the following: I believe the remarkable properties of the water to be caused by a microbe that resides within it. I am imagining a mobile, unicellular organism; but one with a structure that allows it to manipulate bits of water, the aggregate effect of which is that the composite body of water is able to deform itself in response to threatening conditions. Prolonged exposure to extreme heat—a period of extended boiling, for example—seems to kill them off; which would explain their dramatic aversion to even moderate rises in temperature. There is still much to learn, however, regarding this peculiar phenomenon—and its possible uses.

365$ ( 81.5.14 ) Construction of the imagers has proceeded without fault. Remarkable how easy it was to adapt the D'ni technology to mimic that of the Amad. The two cultures must surely have crossed paths at some point in their histories. It may even be that Keta was a direct descendant of the D'ni. How else to explain the redemptive depth of our connection?
But that is all pointless now. [ink on this last phrase has been swiped away]

[Illustration: Imager diagrams]

372) ( 82.2.10 ) Maintenance on the steam vent caps completed. I am extremely pleased with the continued success of the system—another example of the superiority of D'ni technology. Ironic that Atrus & Catherine's meddling unwittingly provided me with such a convenient source of power.

[Illustration: Steam vent caps diagram]

I am certain, now, that the Fissure was an unexpected by-product of the changes they wrote into this Age as part of their machinations to trap me here—and that Atrus never intended for the Book to be lost among the stars in the process. Better that a Linking Book be destroyed, than to risk it falling into unknown hands. Had they foreseen the creation of the Fissure, they surely would have sought another solution, as the ensuing cataclysm may well have consumed the entire world had I not managed to intervene. Katran Catherine would never have knowingly taken such a risk. And surely my son, given his won dearth of vertebrae, had only meant for Riven to become my prison, and not my tomb.

3758 ( 82.5.8 ) I am discontinuing regular observations of the expanse beneath the Fissure. I have tracked the stars and have proven that their paths are cyclical, but without proper instrumentation there is nothing more I can learn. My theory, however, remains unaltered. The fabric of this Age was breached in a way that permits matter to be hospitably exchanged between two discrete yet overlapping spaces. Yet the attendant paradoxes defy the laws of conventional physics—the great column of wind that formed when the rift first appeared suggests a vacuum as one might expect in space, yet my early experiments seemed to confirm the presence of the breathable atmosphere. That Atrus momentarily threw himself into the void is further evidence that it might possibly be safe to venture into—but without knowing its true nature, I simply cannot take the risk. It is also difficult to say what would happen where I to reopen the Fissure, now, but it is highly probable that the results would be disastrous.

3771 ( 82.7.1 ) My hopes have been dashed again! The latest Ink formulation has proven to be yet another in a long list of failures. Frustrating to expend so much effort constructing a Linking Book, only to end up destroying it when it refuses to function! Too often has this lab grown uncomfortably warm by the flames of these neverending disappointments. Without my reference library back in D'ni, a properly orthodox Linking Book may simply be beyond my means—but I simply cannot burn another book! There must be another way.

3776 ( 82.7.6 ) Pens of fate! Late last night, while pondering these interminable setbacks, I went to light my pipe. The fire marble got away from me, however, and rolled across the Gateway Image of the open Book before me. If the consequence of this had not been repeatable, I would not have believed my eyes—as the marble left a faint yet definite trail of increased clarity in its wake! The change did not last long, but it was unmistakable. If I could find a way to boost the energy output of my fire marbles, it might be possible to suppress the variance enough to facilitate a stable link. But how?

3796 ( 82.9.6 ) A spatial anomaly occurred yesterday, about five spans above the north shore of Temple Island: a breach of stars seemingly identical to the one beneath the Fissure. It began as a small, cloud-like hole, which then commenced to expand in random surges. With some effort, I was finally able to contain it with runic plates, similar to the ones I devised for the Fissure. I believe it will hold, but the appearance of a new rift is troubling. And yet—it has also left me with the most uncanny feeling... that something fundamental has shifted in my favor. I believe it may be time to give this inexplicable mystery a second look.

3796 ( 82.9.6 ) I have erected a small dome—a pressurized airlock—mounted upon the contained breach. This has allowed me to safely conduct tentative forays into the expanse without subjecting Riven to further invasion and the destruction that would certainly attend it. It is a bafflingly improbable space—yet surprisingly more accomodating [sic] than my initial observations had led be to believe. Breathing is indeed possible within it, yet I cannot say that it is respiration as I am used to it. Rather—as nonsensical as this is going to sound—it feels, at times, as if the expanse was breathing me... and in the process imbuing me with a sense of endless possibility.

379# ( 82.9.13 ) At last, the breakthrough I was hoping for! After my first full day of experiments in the Expanse, I was astonished to discover that the fire marbles in my coat pocket had come to fluoresce! A quick strike test confirmed that their energy levels had increased significantly—and their charge has lasted longer that I would have thought possible. In a clear act of divine providence, the Expanse has given me the final piece of the puzzle: an apparently boundless energy source that should be more than sufficient to rectify my Linking Books. But I must work quickly; two more breaches have occurred in the interim—each one more aggressive & difficult to contain than the last. Time, I fear, is running out.

3828 ( 83.2.8 ) The breaches now number Five—a sure sign that I am on the right path. I have connected the domes on each of them via a nexus of pathways within the Expanse, which will also serve as an inter-island shortcut as I continue my work on my enhanced fire marble complex.

3833 ( 83.3.3 ) The loss of two more men yesterday has made it clear that the full spectrum of energy is too great for even my finest fire marbles to contain. So I've decided to break it up into five discrete frequency ranges, which will later be recombined for application to the Book. I have installed five charging stations within the Expanse—each one calibrated to imbue a blank fire marble with a separate band of the total energy needed. A pnematic [sic] tube system will then convey the charged marbles to the great gold dome on Riven for recombination. Freedom is nearly within my grasp.

[Illustration: Pressurized dome, gold dome and island symbols diagram]

3857 ( 83.5.7 ) The problem of how to return to Riven has been settled. Reken has proven his usefulness over the years, at times nearly rivaling my own engineering prowess. He and his team will have the honor of being the first to link to the new Age, bringing with them the necessary materials to build a vastly simplified version of the Book apparatus—which I have personally designed. If they do not return within a reasonable amount of time, I will revise my design and send additional men until they get it right. Should they founder, however, I am prepared to sacrifice every last man on Riven on continue the effort—this cannot fail.

389! ( 83.9.11 ) At long last, a viable loop has been established.

After an eternity of toil and sacrifice—and an unconscionable preemption of the Ages I might have fathered—

I have finally linked to a new Age!
98

It is a bleak and barren world—perfectly suited for my purposes. By closely comparing the real with the written, I believe I will soon be able to create a more appropriate Age from which to relaunch my mission. For now, however, I will move my office & living quarters there, so that I may safely continue my endeavors without distraction.

[Illustration: Age 98  lab drawing]

Although it is but a stepping stone, 98  is an utter triumph. To think that I have accomplished in a matter of years—under extremely adverse conditions—what it took my D'ni ancestors centuries to achieve!

3)67 ( 85.6.7 ) I caught one of my assistants thumbing through this journal today. He will certainly never do it again—but I'm glad I chose to write this in a language these people cannot decipher.

Perhaps it's time I reviewed security measures with each Guild Master. No problems expected from the Builders, Maintainers, and Surveyors, but the Bookmakers and Educators may need a bit more... motivation.

3!)} ( 86.10.24 ) More reports of "spirit" sightings. It seems that under Catherine's leadership, the rebels (or "Black Moiety", as the villagers stubbornly insist on referring to them) have attained a new level of sophistication in their terror tactics: renewing their campaign to intimidate the weak-minded into joining them by preying upon their cultural superstitions. I suppose I should be concerned by this, but it strikes me as almost laughable—if the rebels wish to dilute their ranks with dimwits, then who am I to stop them?

3@314 ( 87.3.29 ) Chemical analysis of one of the rebel knives has yielded curious results: the metal contains elements that are unlike anything I've encountered on the islands. It appears the rebels have access to a resource that I am unaware of—perhaps a mine, or an uncharted island?

[Illustration: Moiety dagger]

Most of these knives have been found on the south side of the village—the same region that reports of people "mysteriously disappearing" have emanated from. I think a closer inspection of the area is warrented [sic] .

The fact that the rebels deliberately leave these distinctive knives as a sign of their presence is concerning: they're growing bolder, as if they no longer fear discovery of their hideout.

3@612 ( 87.6.27 ) Recent measurements indicate that the movement of the islands has slowed dramatically. My previous estimates predicted a total collapse in approximately three months, but with the new figures I am no longer certain. I have nearly finished writing the 99 th Age—and have every confidence it will be a safe place to relocate to—but it would still be useful to know what has caused the sudden halt in Riven's breakup. Is it possible that the Age is stable, after all? If so, I must discover how it differs from 98 , which has already shown troubling signs of decay—though further tests are needed. And yet...

There is something about this that gives me pause... Could it be that someone is attempting to repair the damage to the Fifth Age at its source? I cannot help but think that the hand of Atrus is behind this somehow.