BY LETTER
Watched, The
The Watched is a phenomenon limited to sophonts and, it is suggested, even lower level transapients who aren't in the know. They're like the Luckies in some respects, but at other times they're like the Unluckies. Their lives are filled with very dramatic events and weird occurrences that defy the odds. Also, their lives seem to move at a record pace, doing a lot of things in a short amount of time, followed by brief rest periods rarely for more than a month. Their lives seem blessed and cursed and they have no real idea why this is happening to them. Often most go with the flow, for their lives are usually filled with just as much of the good in life as in the bad. Others try to find reason to the chaos in their lives, rarely with good answers, but many attractive theories.
The real reason behind this, is a form of entertainment for higher level transapients with nothing else better to do. This higher toposophic mind has decided to create his own "virchtainment show" out of the lives of people under his influence, or in his sphere of influence. The watching intelligence keeps an eye over the events and drama of the life of his entertainment, and throws in weird events to spice up the action or slow it down. He may give great gifts to his "star" or cause great tragedy. E may manipulate travel and jobs and the lives of others to bring interesting people in contact with their "stars", or if they have others in a similar situation, bring them together and see what happens. Almost never will they allow their star know that they are being watched, for that will "break the fourth wall" causing the show to become less interesting or predictable. Usually a show will last for months, years or decades, until the watching mind gets bored and moves on, causing the lives to go back to a normal ebb and flow, but the Watcher may come back years later and have a "reunion show" just to watch what happens.
To some this may seem cruel, and others, silly. Depending on how entertained the Watcher is, they may go to great lengths to spice up the action. A collection of watchers may pool their resources and form a group of Watched and see what happens, each independently controlling and being involved in the events of the lives of their stars.
This form of entertainment will cause great tension and consternation among more totalitarian Archai, for to interfere for or against their star's lives, the watcher may have to hack military systems, ship's hardware, and angelnets at times just to have fun or keep their stars alive.
Sometimes, favorite stars will gain such a place in the mind of the Watching Archai, they will help them transcend and or reveal themselves to their star and let them in on the joke after their "show" is over. This of course may just be a legend, but is based on a common folk saying that "someone's watching over you".
The real reason behind this, is a form of entertainment for higher level transapients with nothing else better to do. This higher toposophic mind has decided to create his own "virchtainment show" out of the lives of people under his influence, or in his sphere of influence. The watching intelligence keeps an eye over the events and drama of the life of his entertainment, and throws in weird events to spice up the action or slow it down. He may give great gifts to his "star" or cause great tragedy. E may manipulate travel and jobs and the lives of others to bring interesting people in contact with their "stars", or if they have others in a similar situation, bring them together and see what happens. Almost never will they allow their star know that they are being watched, for that will "break the fourth wall" causing the show to become less interesting or predictable. Usually a show will last for months, years or decades, until the watching mind gets bored and moves on, causing the lives to go back to a normal ebb and flow, but the Watcher may come back years later and have a "reunion show" just to watch what happens.
To some this may seem cruel, and others, silly. Depending on how entertained the Watcher is, they may go to great lengths to spice up the action. A collection of watchers may pool their resources and form a group of Watched and see what happens, each independently controlling and being involved in the events of the lives of their stars.
This form of entertainment will cause great tension and consternation among more totalitarian Archai, for to interfere for or against their star's lives, the watcher may have to hack military systems, ship's hardware, and angelnets at times just to have fun or keep their stars alive.
Sometimes, favorite stars will gain such a place in the mind of the Watching Archai, they will help them transcend and or reveal themselves to their star and let them in on the joke after their "show" is over. This of course may just be a legend, but is based on a common folk saying that "someone's watching over you".
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Development Notes
Text by Michael Boncher
Initially published on 14 May 2004.
Initially published on 14 May 2004.
