BY LETTER
Utopia Sphere
Sephirotic Empire dedicated to creating a range of perfect societies for modosphonts | |
 Image from Avengium | |
| One of the common symbols for Chesed, archailect of the Utopia Sphere | |
The Utopia Sphere - Data Panel | |
| Overview | Definition: Sephirotic Empire. Symbol: None formally, although the Chesed image is often used by Utopian civilizations. Ruling Archailect: No single identity, although the archai cluster ruling the Utopia Sphere is personified by the religious as the Lord of Utopia, the Bringer of Gifts, the Kindly One, the Merciful One, the Protective One, the Loving Parent, etc. The old neohermeticists referred to this very high toposophic group Mind as Chesed, and the term is still sometimes used among many Utopian sophonts to this day. Archailect Ethos: The archai that oversee Utopian societies and worlds tend to be very interventionist, even aggressively so in regards to the daily lives of their citizens. Hence Utopian societies are sometimes looked down upon by sophonts of more independent societies, their subjects called helpless pets. What these other sophonts fail to realise is that care under the Utopia Sphere archai can also set one up for strength in life, as well as provide pleasurable experiences. |
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| Founding History | Origin: Terragen. The Utopia Sphere was originally founded by the then Second Singularity transapient Chesed and eir followers, Clade Columbia-Bartlebel. Founding Events: Founded second millennium AT. |
| Culture, Art and Society | Cultural Ethos: Varies greatly according to clade, culture, and polity. Society: Life in the Utopia Sphere is built around the concept of the Triad cycle of Ecstasy, Fantasy and Serenity. The manifestations of this vary hugely, but at any time a Utopian citizen is experiencing one of these states under the supervision of a Seraiph. Intertoposophic Relations: Contact between different Singularity Levels is virtually routine. At the modosophont level, constant guidance through the Triad by Chesed's seraiphim and agents means that the Utopian wards have real-time and essentially continuous access to transapient and even archailect level attention and support. This state of affairs appears to become even more interactive and intense as the toposophic level increases, until at the S4 or S5 level it may be challenging for a lower S-level to tell where Chesed ends and the other beings begin (although both will insist that there are indeed distinct differences and separation). Merging with others - of the same or a higher S-level - as part of the ascension process is a common practice, although overall rates of ascension compared to other empires are not remarkable. Religion and Ideology: Although it is misleading to generalise here, it does seem that, despite the vast difference of race and clade among Utopian sapients, their religion very often takes the form of a personal relationship with one's local archailect or hyperturing and eir seraiphim. Some Utopists do however have unique and quite sophisticated religious rites, ceremonies and so on, and sometimes complex theologies and archailectologies replace superstition. Perhaps the most successful of the indigenous Utopist religions is The First Splice and Provolve Universal Church (a local adaptation of the Universal Church), which tries to discourage excessive fetishism and icon-worship. Ontology: The Triadic Cycle |
| Demographics | Morphodynamics: Extremely active. Most Utopian sophonts repeatedly alter their minds and bodies as part of their exploration of each stage of the Triadic Cycle. The rate of mind/body augmentation or alteration averages over 30% higher than the rest of the Civilized Galaxy, rivaling Keter and exceeded only by the TRHN. Population Breakdown: A wide cross-section of all major categories and phyla; often strongly individually augmented. - Virtuals: 19 to 190 quintillion - Embodied: 23 quadrillion - SI:6 archailects: 1, Chesed |
| Galactography | Current Territory: An approximately ovoid region of space around Beta Arae. There are also a large number of affiliated worlds in other regions of the Terragen Sphere. Tar Vara for example is in MPA space. Millions of systems host Utopian Sphere enclaves in physical or virtual form. Number of Aligned Star Systems: The Utopia Sphere encompasses approximately 10,426,000 star systems. Capital: The Beta Arae Bracelet is regarded as the Utopia Sphere core, and contains a major node of the archailect Chesed. Major Systems and Megastructures: Baenf, Beta Arae Bracelet, Ceres Mater, Emrega, Eutopia, Fairylands, Ituanacorona, Jhairrn, Oro Mistral, Osto, Owen, Pacifica, Plautus III, Schaiffer's World, Topia, Wallace (dyson), Wilson (dyson). |
| Government and Administration | Government: - Imperial Administration: Beta Arae Protocols - Local/Regional Administration:Varies by polity, but all are based on Beta Arae Protocols. Particular polities, worlds, habitats and/or clades have their own full autonomy, although all will defer to high archailect decisions. Citizenship: None formally. Any sophont occupying Utopian territory is welcome to participate in the local society and the Triadic Cycle to whatever degree they choose, for as long as they choose. Even choosing to not participate is an option, although the evangelical abilities of the Utopian population and even infrastructure are legendary. Sophont Rights: Extremely high - Direct transapient or even Archailect level advice and intervention in the pursuit or protection of sophonts rights within the Sphere (or even its near environs) is usually the norm. Empire Holidays: Varies by polity. |
| Activities and Infrastructure | Civil Infrastructure: Standard for Sephirotics. Economy and Activities: Tend to be habitat and planet-based, sometimes including prim, lo tech, or biotech-based elements, and varies greatly by world or polity. Military Infrastructure and Warfare: Archailect-level only; none at lower toposophics. If Utopian systems are threatened, the local gods use clarketech against the aggressors. Sometimes sophonts volunteer for augmentation and so are allowed to participate in battle, but this is for memetic and symbolic value only. |
| Interstellar Politics | Treaty Participation:Tragadi Accords, ComEmp Non-Agression Signatory, Sentient Rights Protocols (Full Installment), Garden World Environmental Protection Signatory, St Andre Convention Signatory, Bonitsa Baseline Protection Treaty, Animal Rights Accord, Tipaza Ethics Agreement. Interstellar Relations: Interstellar Relations tend to be good. Interstellar Disputes: None. The Utopia Sphere has few political friends or enemies. In certain cultures, denizens of the Utopia Sphere are looked down upon as incapable hedonists, a stereotype that the Utopians themselves would argue is not only inaccurate but quite the opposite of the truth given that self-improvement is seen as a virtue of the Triad. |
I'd never seen a hab more chaotic and more united in purpose. I was floating near in the center of the northern endcap, the tunnels to the spaceport behind me. This wasn't the first McKendree cylinder I had been in, but it was certainly the busiest. My sensors fanned to take it all in. Across thousands of square kilometers was a patchwork of environments. Fae gardens of cultivated forests and augmented overlays pushed against plazas brimming with feasts. As I watched a meadow sank, quickly becoming a lake with artificial tides, beautiful beaches and a custom shaft of golden light from the suntube. Everywhere I looked people were engaging in acts of pleasure; a giant tree was juggling an array of bionts while they cheered and whooped, flying vecs racing through crystalline canyons, a multiclade orgy on the roof of a building while music blared to the same tempo.
Dragging my attention from these displays of hedonism I witnessed more active endeavors; further down the cylinder a group worked in tandem, sketching their instructions into the net, guiding smart matter into creating a neogenic sculpture whose purpose I could not fathom but whose beauty I could not deny. Floating above them was a large being borne on delicate wings of fancloth, in spectra real and virtual E shone. A seraiph of Chessed! My sensor modules recalibrated and identified many more similar figures throughout the hab. There were more transapients here in this one place than I had ever seen in the local cluster, and all of them interacting directly with modos! I further opened my mind to the net of the Sphere. Waves of experience, pleasure and creativity in more nuances than I could fathom rushed over me from all I could see. Supplementary sensor modules activated to process the sheer wealth of virtual environments overlapping the hab, like an endlessly deep ocean beneath the surf. Turning my attention to the seraiphim caused my processors to skip several cycles, they were so open, so available. As I floated I felt all reach out to greet me personally, me! That is when I knew I could not return. Not until I had experienced this place fully. Do not worry, I am surrounded by more love and happiness than I have ever known. I will come back to you a better person.
Archived message sent from the Troika system's Utopia Sphere Enclave to the vec colonies of the inner system.
Introduction
Few Sephirotics offer as much guidance and love to lower toposophic beings as the Paradise Habitats and Worlds of the Utopia Sphere. There, hyperturings care for their wards by providing them with an edenic existence. There is no despair at having to strive for authenticity in a galaxy ruled by superbeings with which one could never hope to compete, no struggle to find novelty in the phase space of modosophont pursuits. Instead direct mentorship with a hierarchy of transapients and archai allows for a life split between pleasure, novelty, and personal growth. Not surprisingly many sophonts flock to the Utopia Sphere and its enclaves, if only for a while. The Utopic virches are particularly desirable for many visitors as many run at fast clock rates, allowing for a subjectively long period of relaxation and development whilst little time passes in one's preferred locale.The Archai cluster ruling the Utopia Sphere is personified by the religious as the Lord of Utopia, the Bringer of Gifts, the Merciful One. As early as the 3rd century a.t. there have existed societies where baselines, tweaks, cyborgs, splices, or lesser sub-transapient ais have been kept under close care by transapient AIs. All of the needs and most of the wants of these "pets" (as detractors frequently label them) are taken care of by attentive subprocesses. When the Archailects began to emerge a number of the transapients running these utopias coalesced into the personality the neohermeticists call Cheshed. More popular titles for this entity are the Bringer of Gifts, the Kindly One, and many similar descriptions. These diverse nodes and clusters became parts of the Utopia Sphere domain.
Several colony ships filled with Utopian faithful set off in the early 21st century AT towards the Ara region, where long-range surveys indicated the existence of numerous suitable systems. The colonists sought new homes beyond the borders of the unravelling First Federation. The core region of the Utopia Sphere emerged in the late third millennium among the stars around Beta Arae, where many worlds were terraformed by the seraiph of Cheshed. Like Metasoft, Cheshed has also championed the protection of human baselines, sometimes transporting threatened baselines to suitable habitats within its sphere.
The ruling archailect of the Utopia Sphere is far more active in the welfare of its wards than any other Sephirotic AI-god. Cheshed appears to love each and every faithful follower intensely. It runs everything within its domain through intermediary AIs, seraphim and other entities with the explicit goal of guiding everyone through their own triadic cycles. The exact forms vary (see the Triadic Cycle below), particularly between habitats (physical or otherwise) optimised for different toposophic mindtypes. But regardless of the methods and activities employed in these "symphonies" the results bear out near equally.
Politically the Utopia Sphere is inward looking and pacifist and yet militarily it is very strong. It has no aggressive ambitions whatsoever, but is ready to do anything to defend its worlds. Occasionally it has been forced into action, deploying only seraiphim-controlled transapientech weaponry with little to no modosophont fighters required to contribute (as they often do in other empires within limited theatres) excepting those for whom doing so would aid fulfillment. Over the course of its history the Utopia Sphere has expanded slowly, primarily through requests by independent systems for greater affiliation. It remains one of the smaller sephirotics in terms of the systems it controls or has a presence in. However it is also one of the most widespread across the Terragen Sphere, maintaining millions of enclaves within other polities. Systems that have requested membership generally receive S2/3 governors to tend to their welfare. Pacifica is an example of such a world, and its godling, the Great Whale ISO, also acts as the representative of Utopian interests within the Inner Sphere.
Given the primary lifestyle of the Utopia Sphere and its numerous holdings across Terragen space it was inevitable that it would have the highest transient population of any major polity. Trillions of sophonts flock to the Utopia Sphere every year, balanced by trillions leaving. Those who come may stay for a matter of days or centuries depending on their needs (both may be true if the faster running virches of the Sphere are used). Despite the triad occasionally leading to a transcendental state, the rate of ascension events in the Utopia Sphere is low. Unlike Keter or Sophia, Chesed does not appear to be unduly concerned with the toposophy of its wards. Whether or not they rise or fall is left in their hands to pursue. It is simply concerned with them becoming the most content and fulfilled versions of their ideal selves at that time. Psychoware is employed by Utopic wards as much as any other Major empire's citizens, however the most common uses are different. Chesed and eir Seraiphs emphasise "journey over destination", thus whilst psychological editing is often used at a low level to adjust perceptions, pleasurable reactions and everyday preferences, deeper modifications are discouraged over change through experience.
The Triadic Cycle
As with any major polity the Utopia Sphere is a melting pot of cultures and subcultures with an overall unity that comes not just from a ruling Archailect, but from a core value that each explores in novel ways. In the Utopia Sphere that core is the Triadic Cycle. The Triad actually predates the Utopia Sphere by several centuries. Prior to the merging of S3 entities that gave rise to the Chessed hive archai there were three approaches to modosophont management that dominated amongst the loose alliance of utopic transapients. Over time the differences between them were rendered moot as all three were adopted, employed at different times for different individuals and groups. At any point all but a negligible percentage of Utopia Sphere wards will be living their life in one of three states: Ecstasy, Fantasy and Serenity. Utopia Sphere wards cycle through these three states (at their own pace) under the guidance of one or more seraiphim. These seraiphim will often be guiding a group of sophonts at the same time ranging in size from just a handful to several million (averaging between one- and ten thousand). This guidance through the Triadic Cycle is called a symphony; wards tend to stay in the same symphony for at least one full cycle (however long that may take them) before joining another, though some may leave early or stay for many cycles if that is best for them. To conduct a symphony a seraiph will link with the angelnet, infrastructure and exoselves of their wards and provide a dynamic experience appropriate for the stage of the cycle each ward is in.Ecstasy: The most well known and misunderstood of the triad stages. A common perception of the Utopia Sphere is that this is the only state anyone ever lives in. Whilst it is true that at any one time two thirds of the Sphere's wards are deep within this state it does not represent Sphere life in its totality. During the state of Ecstasy seraiph will work to ensure an endless medley of pleasure for their wards, varying or maintaining as desired. By modelling the minds of their wards to a high degree of accuracy seraiph can predict what sensations and experiences will produce the best effect. The results of those models are put in effect through directly controlling the ward's perceptions and feelings through their DNI and by arranging their physical (or virtual) environment to complement in a manner far beyond any Environmental Optimisation Protocol. The state of ecstasy is the most inward looking of the three stages and while many wards may be within the same vicinity for the most part they are focused on themselves rather than each other. This is not to say that wards in ecstasy are unresponsive or unperceptive to the world around them (though they can be) but that their enraptured experience creates a disconnect between them and others. The state is such an engrossing one that it is viewed with fright or revulsion by many sophonts in the terragen sphere. Visitors to the Sphere who have not accepted wardship or sophonts viewing recordings often find that wards in the state of Ecstasy are akin to entities from radically different areas of the toposophic landscape. The best of interactions can only go so far as wards seem to perceive reality in ways that other parties do not. Consequently for wards in this state social experiences with the non-ecstatic tend to have short life expectancies, eventually most return to interacting solely with the fittings put in place by their seraiph (food, erotobots, island paradises, meteor displays, narcograms etc).
Fantasy: Between the pure hedonism of Ecstasy and the zen-like clarity of Serenity the Fantasy state is both engrossing and outward looking. Of the third of sophonts in the Sphere not in Ecstasy two thirds at anyone time are in the state of Fantasy. It is viewed as a creative state (or often as monomania by those viewing without taking part) in which the wards are exposed to a slew of novel perceptions, interpretations and ways of thinking about the world. It is a social state, though inter-symphony interactions are more difficult. Wards in Fantasy often make use of their lucid yet altered perceptions in order to explore the creation of novel works of art, entertainment, literature, virchscape physics, and even mathematical theorems and proofs. As with those in Ecstasy they are engrossed by their work and to varying degrees may decline long social interactions with those not in the same project, symphony or state. The scope of the products of this state can be vast and are often employed in other stages of the Triad, for example: a virch with radically different physical rules may be used by the ecstatic to explore novel, pleasurable forms whereas an elegant mathematical proof may be the focus of contemplation for a meditating serene. While many wards may benefit most from a small personal work others set about with grand designs for new ecosystems, hab architectural styles, sports, cultural etiquette protocols or even mindtypes to be employed throughout the Sphere.
Serenity: At any one time just one in nine wards of the Utopia Sphere are in the state of Serenity. As with Ecstasy it is primarily inward looking, though it shares the lucidity of Fantasy without the strongly engrossing nature of either. Serenity is similar to the zen states proffered by the Sophic League (and despite popular belief in some societies is of greater quality than the Zen-patches of the NoCoZo, being the product of transapient guidance). Wards within it are emotionally centred, calm and able to focus their attention where they like. Their relationship with their seraiph is one of two-way interaction. The seraiph does not manipulate their environment, feelings or state of mind. It offers conversation, advice and mentorship through whatever interface is best suited for the individual and the symphony. In some cases the seraiph takes on the role of a philosophical teacher, meeting with its wards regularly at set places and guiding complex debate. Other symphonies have seen their seraiph create multiple avatars, each designed to have a romantic and personal relationship with their Serene wards. One seraiph notable for its oddity interacts with its wards in this state through seemingly random fluctuations with their environment's weather (regardless of if they are in open climate areas or not). Whatever the method Serenity is a time to take the experiences of life, along with the bedrock of happiness from Ecstacy and the novel experiences of Fantasy and use them for powerful self reflection. Critics of the Sphere deride that any basic exoself can provide the same function with a simple psychometric analysis and editing toolkit. However aside from the most ardent of these most acknowledge that the choreographed lifestyle under the seraiph guidance through the Triadic cycle does grant some subtle increase in quality in the activity. Serene wards can use the conclusions they come to in this stage to decide what is next for them in life and while many choose to undergo the cycle again with another Seraiph using different methods some decide it is time to leave the sphere all together.
Despite its name the Triadic Cycle is not strictly cyclical. Wards can transition from any of the three states to any other, however the most common sequence is that laid out above. In particular newcomers to the Sphere frequently enjoy starting with Ecstasy and many leave again without having transitioned to either of the others. This is not viewed with any negative judgement by the more regular wards of the Sphere, nor seemingly by the seraiph or Chessed. In the Utopia Sphere one's path to happiness and self fulfillment is one's own. There is one more important exception to the nature of the Triad: there is a very rare fourth stage that exists within/above/outside of it (depending on one's point of view). That state is known as Divinity. Whilst the Utopia Sphere has a very low frequency in ascension events wards in any state of the Triad may sideline into this state. It is characterised by a massive increase in the connection with one's conducting seraiph, and in some cases beyond that seraph to higher levels of Chessed themselves. It is a transavant state which is barely remembered upon leaving but is thought to give rise to a hyper-amplification of whichever state one was in previously. Divinity via Serenity is a much sought after route among some groups as the few sophonts who have achieved it have attained such an insight into their mind that for centuries to come they retained a clarity of understanding of life's purpose.
Many believe that this is the ultimate goal of the Utopia Sphere. Beyond the pleasure, the orgies, the hallucinations, the megaprojects just for the enjoyment of a few lies a perfect moment of understanding, a perfect insight into one's place in one's toposophic level and the universe as a whole.
 Image from Ralph Hawke Manis copyright (used with permission) | |
| Girl on Cliff Ralph Hawke Manis copyright (used with permission) | |
Articles
- Baenf - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Terraformed Utopia Sphere world, located in the Utopia Outer Arae, about 50 LY from the Negentropist border, and linked by a Stargate to the important Negentropist port of St Xye. - Beta Arae - Text by M. Alan Kazlev and Steve Bowers
Star at the core of the Utopia Sphere. - Cephalotopia - Text by James Rogers
Utopia Sphere world of which features both provolved, baseline, and lazurogened cephalopods of all kinds, including some 214,000 species of authentic and quasi-authentic Triassic goniatites. - Chesed (Archailect) - Text by Anders Sandberg and M. Alan Kazlev
Sixth toposophic God of the Utopia Sphere. - Conspicuous Delight - Text by Chris Shaeffer
Halo drive ship of the Utopia Sphere empire - Cyloa - Text by Michael Walton
Aioid clade that use Voodoun and other Syncretic Archetypes - Eutopia - Text by Liam Jones
HIP 85986 in the Utopia Sphere - Gyanti System - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Populous system in the Utopia Sphere with a large population of plant provolves. - Huan Gao - Text by Steve Bowers
Smoke Ring (Niven Cloud) in the Utopia Sphere - Jhairrn - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Home world of the Harrroh race of sophants. - Libri, The - Text by Liam Jones
Clade of mobile petbook vecs, known for their affectionate and literary culture - Long Span Rock - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Resource-poor system in Utopia Sphere space, used as a mining outpost by the Paradigm during the 5400s and early 5500s. The occupying Paradigm force was totally destroyed during the PCO advance. The system is currently occupied by a few vecs and prospectors who make a living scavenging for what little war-wreckage (mainly nonfunctional khaki goo and Paradigm fractal fragments) remains. - Megasov System, The - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Utopian, quasi-communistic system. - Minatti Clan - Text by Anders Sandberg
Utopia AI clan, descended from the post-Trojan AI Minatti. Minatti was directly descended from restoration efforts among the AIs during the federation era that tried to reconstruct lost pre-Technocalypse AIs, in this case some of the American corporate and defence systems. These systems in turn created Minatti, which might explain its predilection for using obscure references to Americana to honour its predecessor systems (such as the naming of Seattle). During the foundation of the Utopia sphere, the Minatti copies sent out automated explorers and von Neumanns widely, laying down infrastructure and exploring what would become the Utopia Sphere. The Minatti copies eventually settled down as wardens of a number of systems and habitats, especially isolationist clades with no intention of contacting the outside world. - Neli-Neti - Text by Steve Bowers
Twin planets in Musca. - Oro Mistral - Text by D. David Barbeau
Utopia Sphere whale and dolphin world. - Osto - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
AI-governed autopic Utopia Sphere world famous (or notorious) for the invention of Pourmurmide, to which most of the populace still remains addicted. - Owen (System) - Text by PortalHunter
System containing Owen, the homeland of a number of species of Dinosaur provolves. - Pacifica - Text by Anders Sandberg
Beta Virginis IV former capital of the Virginis Combine (originally New America). - Qjellto - Text by Anders Sandberg
Former Cygexpa world. Paraterraformed in 2100 and settled in 2344 by retroists and low-tech peripatetics. It developed quietly until 2654 when an outbreak of the Babel plague destroyed the language centers of 78% of the population. As coordination broke down, even the relatively simple society of Qjellto crashed. - Schaiffer's World - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
GL 830 - First Federation scientific outpost, later settled by rianth refugees, now a mixed population Utopia Sphere world and center of "Splice Church" Universalism. - Sentients Socialistic Cybercracy - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Prosperous Communistic-Utopian Polity located in Megasov Dyson, formerly Dugan's Star, nominal Negentropy Alliance. - Shangdu - Text by Liam Jones
TRHN/Utopia Sphere joint venture established by TRHN AIs and Utopia Sphere archai in 4200 as a way of allowing Utopian modosophont citizens the chance to ascend. - Tannhauser - Text by The Astronomer and Dangerous Safety
A world of the Utopia Sphere, known as the home of Walking Mountain phyto-provolves. - Tawattaran (Garden World) - Text by Anders Sandberg
Former home of the extinct Thyresta xenosophonts. - Topia - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
The first of the Beta Arae worlds that became the Utopia Sphere, colonized and terraformed by Clade Columbia-Bartlebel and their AI. - Universal Rescue - Text by Ben Higginbottom
Originally formed as a disaster response team created to deal with a local event in the Utopia Sphere, over the last 3500 years Universal Rescue has spread to become the most widely supported charitable organization within Terragen space. With a staff ranging from rianths and nearbaseline humans aioids and vecs through to transapients, and believed to be headed by an S3 Posthuman, UR has recruited crisis management and disaster relief teams from every empire and polity without prejudice, provided that they have a desire to help their fellow sophonts. - Wallace Dyson Swarm - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Utopia Sphere dyson swarm, containing billions of vast habitats populated by sophont and subsophont/subsapient beings. - Wilson Dyson Swarm - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Utopia Sphere dyson swarm, consists of billions of habitats and biospheres, populated by sophont and subsophont/subsapient beings. A similar nearby dyson is called Wallace. - Zavijava (Beta Virginis) - Text by M. Alan Kazlev and Anders Sandberg
An important Inner Sphere region, home to the famous planet Pacifica. Most polities are members of the Virginis Combine and are loosely aligned with the Utopia sphere or Solar Dominion, though they are a diverse group.
Development Notes
Text by Anders Sandberg and M. Alan Kazlev
Updated by Ryan B, 2019
Initially published on 26 June 2000.
Data panel added November 2011
Updated by Ryan B, 2019 (Triadic Cycle section, other edits, snapshot)
Updated by Ryan B, 2019
Initially published on 26 June 2000.
Data panel added November 2011
Updated by Ryan B, 2019 (Triadic Cycle section, other edits, snapshot)
Additional Information
