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Could the inner circle push the old Terran fed tech along?

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Re: Could the inner circle push the old Terran fed tech alon
Post by evilauthor   » Sat Jul 28, 2018 6:06 pm

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Weird Harold wrote:
The writ doesn't say, "no electricity or the Rakuri will strike you." iow, Being #1 on the Prohibition hit parade isn't evidence that the OBS can act autonomously.

There is a very strong implication that nobody in the CoGA had discretionary control of the OBS. Clyntahn would definitely have used it if he could have. A corollary of that implication is that the OBS won't act unless it does act autonomously -- aka unpredictably.


If the OBS can't act autonomously when it detects and offending electricity source, then the alternative is possibly even worse: waking up some "angel" that's sapient enough to make rational (or irrational) decisions that can play on the same technological level as the Inner Circle and has far less restrictions on doing so.

Having an "angel" return to Safehold and tell everyone to stop what they're doing before the Inner Circle has everyone primed to tell him no? That's basically the worst case scenario just shy of the Gbaba showing up.
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Re: Could the inner circle push the old Terran fed tech alon
Post by runsforcelery   » Sat Jul 28, 2018 7:19 pm

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Randomiser wrote:People on Safehold have experimented with electricity in the past according to RFC (it was posted somewhere) and they received prompt and unpleasant visits from the Inquisition. It suggests that a trivial use of electricity will not trigger the OBS. Widespread use of less basic applications, now ... ??



Um. I don't believe I ever said a word about past Safeholdian experiments with electricity. just saying.


"Oh, bother!" said Pooh, as Piglet came back from the dead.
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Re: Could the inner circle push the old Terran fed tech alon
Post by Weird Harold   » Sat Jul 28, 2018 7:31 pm

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evilauthor wrote:If the OBS can't act autonomously when it detects and offending electricity source, then the alternative is possibly even worse: waking up some "angel" ...


Wouldn't "waking up" the TuTT be an autonomous act?

The best case scenario is that the OBS doesn't have any autonomous function other than self-defense from orbital debris.

The Worst Case is that some unspecifiable level of technology greater than water, wind or muscle will trigger the OBS to eliminate all traces of technology greater than WWoM -- at the end of the first series, that would mean leveling just about every country on Safehold that uses gunpowder.

The reality is probably closer to your, "wake the TuTT," scenario, but the consequences of being wrong about that level of response from the OBS aren't worth the risk. Everything up to, but not including, electricity seems to be below any response threshold. Electricity and the particular emphasis in the Proscriptions seems to draw a logical "Thou Shalt Not Cross" line for the Inner Circle to observe until the OBS and TuTT can be neutralized.

runsforcelery wrote:Um. I don't believe I ever said a word about past Safeholdian experiments with electricity. just saying.


Actually, I think you have in one of your very old posts about the Prohibitions and/or Inquisition.
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Answers! I got lots of answers!

(Now if I could just find the right questions.)
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Re: Could the inner circle push the old Terran fed tech alon
Post by Direwolf18   » Sat Jul 28, 2018 10:09 pm

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Weird Harold wrote:
runsforcelery wrote:Um. I don't believe I ever said a word about past Safeholdian experiments with electricity. just saying.


Actually, I think you have in one of your very old posts about the Prohibitions and/or Inquisition.



I believe the reference was to any poor souls experimenting with static electricity. I can't remember the exact wording but it seemed to imply a couple particularly foolhardy souls lived to very very much regret that decision.
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Re: Could the inner circle push the old Terran fed tech alon
Post by Erls   » Sat Jul 28, 2018 10:11 pm

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My recollection is that the comment re electricity and the inquisition was that a few people were getting close to asking questions/moving in that direction and were then warned off.

Which would make sense if it occurred while the Archangels were still around. SNARCs and advanced tech would have given them the intelligence to know when someone was "in the ballpark" and thus suitable for intervention.
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Re: Could the inner circle push the old Terran fed tech alon
Post by Direwolf18   » Sat Jul 28, 2018 10:16 pm

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Always wondered what the inner circle would have to do if someone started playing with electricity completely independently. They have been hell bent on setting up a scientific revolution, but so far its one they have "generally" controlled and directed, ensuring it followed avenues that they wanted. Sure there have been plenty of surprises along the way by all the innovators that they have nurtured, and that is very much a good thing. But sooner or latter someone is going to start down the path of electricity, you CANT ignite the spark of human curiosity and innovation this way without some soul deciding to investigate.

I forget the gentleman name, but there was the one professor in the college dealing with oil refining, that they more or less already acknowledge that he would pursue his research even if they came into conflict of the proscriptions.
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Re: Could the inner circle push the old Terran fed tech alon
Post by Randomiser   » Sun Jul 29, 2018 8:47 am

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Direwolf18 wrote:
I believe the reference was to any poor souls experimenting with static electricity. I can't remember the exact wording but it seemed to imply a couple particularly foolhardy souls lived to very very much regret that decision.


That's the kind of the context I think I remember as well. I can't recall if someone asked or RFC volunteered, but the question being addressed was the idea that with static electricity and basic batteries being so easy to come up with, surely there had to have been at least a few people in 900+ years whose curiosity had got the better of their piety. RFC effectively said 'Sure, but only a few and the Inquisition dealt with them promptly as soon as they found out.' I can't find any trace of it, though.
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