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Post by Malefact on Dec 8, 2003 11:21:04 GMT -5
Thanks and well done for sticking with the course for this long. This is the final lesson of this term. We shall learn how to destroy a universe.
Remember a few lessons back when we discussed SHUNT and probability? Well, this lesson will use similar principals but adapted slightly to fit the magic we wish to perform.
A universe is determined by the events that occur within it. An Event may have two outcomes (as far as we are concerned, anyway - things get rather complicated with a non-binomial model) which we shall code as either 0 or 1. Using combinations of these, each moment in time of every universe has a unique identification code. Allow me to demonstrate:
......000 ..00 ......001 0 ......010 ..01 ......011
......100 ..10 ......101 1 ......110 ..11 ......111
Time is horizontal and the universes, as they multiply, are vertical on this diagram. So, as I say, it is possible to isolate a single moment in time of a single universe because it has a unique number code.
However, what if we prohibit the formation of a particular number code? If we disallow, say 11 then a quarter of the above table vanishes. All universes stemming from 11, as well as 11 itself, no longer exist. Banning 0 halves the table.
So, to destroy a universe, specify the number code and cast the appropriate spell. The next installment of this lesson will give details on how this is done exactly, plus information on how to protect yourself if the universe you are currently occupying is inadvertantly removed through the cascade effect.
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Post by ringmasterrob on Dec 9, 2003 10:26:57 GMT -5
Ah a very good lesson here, pay attention to this and it can save your life many times over. (by the way Malefact, well done on getting all 5 lessons done, I am only on lesson 2! Which is now up as you wanted to sit in for it)
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Post by Malefact on Dec 9, 2003 12:01:14 GMT -5
(Thanks, rob! Think I'll boogie on over and have a look.
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Post by ringmasterrob on Dec 9, 2003 12:05:57 GMT -5
(in the word of the song "Be My Guest!"
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Post by Malefact on Dec 10, 2003 14:04:37 GMT -5
OK, here we go... The alias used to remove a universe from existence is BLOCK. This is because is prohibits the universe with the specified code from forming (and therefore all the universes subsequently formed from it). To demonstrate this, I will destroy universe 01 (the act of which will also destroy universes 010, 011 and all their offspring). Btw, just to make sure we're clear about this, the table given in the first post illustrates 8 separate universes (formed as a result of three t-units having elapsed). The maximum number of universes that can exist (assuming binomial Events) is equal to 2^t, where t is time (measured in t-units - the shortest possible length of time that can be supported). So: Set 01 BLOCK. The new table is: ......000 ..00 ......001 0 ......100 ..10 ......101 1 ......110 ..11 ......111 The number of digits in an identification code is equal to the number of t-units elapsed. Therefore, the shorter the code, the further back in time you refer to. Consequently, more universes are destroyed. It is possible, therefore, to specify a universe you think is quite far away but, in fact, is linearly connected to the one you are currently residing in. As a result, you would eliminate your own universe, too. For example, if I were in universe 010 (impossible, but let's assume that it's true for now) then I would be destroyed. However, since 010 would not get a chance to exist, 01 would not be destroyed, therefore it would get a chance to exist etc. A rather cute little paradox emerges. This is never very pleasant. The way the continuum deals with it is to treat it as an Event in its own right - one outcome for survival and one for destruction. I would be put in the survival universe and it would be the destroyed one that I destroyed. Paradox avoided. If however, this is unsatisfactory (it effectively means that your efforts count for nothing except for skewing a portion of the continuum into a two-dimensional binomial causality frame instead of the usual one-dimensional one) there is a way to force complete destruction. The final installment of this lesson will document this.
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Post by ringmasterrob on Dec 10, 2003 15:27:23 GMT -5
Very good lesson
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Post by Malefact on Dec 11, 2003 9:11:59 GMT -5
Thanks! The final installment will be up very soon indeed.
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Post by ringmasterrob on Dec 11, 2003 13:04:20 GMT -5
Excellent, I cant wait. I need a bit of refreshing on doing this. Deatroying a universe iss not something I do everyday
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Post by Malefact on Dec 16, 2003 12:17:58 GMT -5
So, how can you destroy a universe that you are residing in and avoiding paradox? Well, the solution has already been covered before. The user must enclose themselves in a Certainty System and an Existential Shield. The combination of these will enable the user to survive the removal of their universe. The Certainty System will allow the user to continue to exist by overriding the Events associated with their existence which would otherwise be wiped out in the cascade effect. The Existential Shield protects the user against the nothingness the universe would be replaced with. A ready-made spell for this commonly takes the alias SYSTEM - because it isolates the user through the time line and encloses them in a self-contained system such that external changes will not have any effect. The SYSTEM spell is the combination of CERTAIN (the incursive version, regressed back to t=0), DISSOCIATE and INTEGRATE. Where do you go, though, once the desired universe is gone? You would be safe but you wouldn't be able to do very much at all. You would need somewhere to go. Therefore, you must specify a destination universe. The INTEGRATE spell will insert you into that universe. So, if I resided in universe 001 and I want to destroy universe 00 (resulting in my universe, dependent on 00, being destroyed too) I would do the following: Set 010001 SYSTEM Set 00 BLOCK This is complicated - I have chosen 010 as the universe I end up in (just at random, mind). The additional digits are 001 (the code of the universe I just came from). The number of digits in the destination universe must be greater than the number of digits in the source (I have to be able to fit in - there must be sufficient numbers of Events to support my presence). The result is that if I leave a universe, destroying it as I go, I must emerge in another (independent) universe far into that universe's future. Let x be the age of the source universe. Let y be the age of the destination universe. I would have to appear at least x+y t-units into that destination universe's age. Phew! No wonder I saved this one until last!
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Post by ringmasterrob on Dec 19, 2003 11:51:38 GMT -5
I understand this well, very hard to do. I have only ever done it once on the Shadow-Dark World, this required all my powers and I very nearly was wiped out, not one I would advise using often let me tell you that for starters!
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Post by Snowwiewolf on Dec 19, 2003 11:53:41 GMT -5
its a first time for meh, but I think I understand...
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Post by ringmasterrob on Dec 19, 2003 15:06:22 GMT -5
well i suppose we will find out in the simulator room. (by the way, does anyone play FF7? I always imagine the universe and space simulator room would look like Bugenhagen's (old guy in Cosmo Canyon) observatory with all the floating planets as demonstrations)
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Post by Malefact on Dec 20, 2003 13:13:33 GMT -5
Hi! Well, since this lesson is the most difficult and since it's the final one, house points will be awarded to all successful participants in the simulator. Good luck.
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