So as the primary provider of Foundations lore and prime fiction, I normally list it out in in-character memos accessible to all our characters. I've recently received some questions if TS-F does anything like this, and I realized the greater community is probably not aware of it. I'm forwarding out two of our internal memos for the community, and this information can be considered usable in-character. It wouldn't be unreasonable for them to be scrounged out of our wrecks (or the data tags we carry), and such.
Yeah I hate that 'he said she said' drama about IC information. Anywho.
The formatting may be a little strange as these are written to conform to our forum's unique layout.
If you have any questions about the design work behind the writings, you're welcome to post here. Otherwise, if you have questions that your character might want to know you should try to get ahold of us in character.
THE FOLLOWING IS A REPRINT OF PREVIOUS INFORMATION.
UI-ID: 4920616d20.2321x-CALDET-tsfSword:Alpha:GhostHunter
My name is Alpha. I am the first of two.
I shall tell to you that some of what is central to our Foundations.
Religion and the Perfect Machine Doctrine
Religion
–noun
1.
a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.
2.
a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects
3.
the body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices: a world council of religions.
Machine
–noun
1.
an apparatus consisting of interrelated parts with separate functions, used in the performance of some kind of work
Religion is an aspect of human nature that has emerged throughout all recorded civilizations. It may take different form and name, as circumstances and erratic thought influence it, but the net result is an identifiable pattern. While most argue that it is a fundamental aspect of human nature, that is not the official stance of the True Slave Foundations.
Religion that is tied extensively with spiritualism and metaphorical beliefs that extend beyond scientific plausibility are rejected by the architects of the Foundations. This is the most practical approach that can be taken on this subject due to the many different strains of religious thought that exist. We do not actively persecute those who practice religious activities, however.
It was determined over the course of our own self-examination that religion would become a crutch for our evolving needs. As our knowledge and maturity continues to expand, conflicts would arise with religious doctrine that would unquestionably create unsolvable problems. Logical discrepancies that cannot be reconciled through scientific examination or rational thought. As a direct response to this inevitable collision, the Perfect Machine Doctrine [PMD] was devised.
The PMD exists as a pure logic tool to help define, explain, and or rationalize items that are handled by religious doctrines. At its basics, the PMD postulates that the universe is in itself a perfect machine; all composite materials, actions, reactions, and so forth are accounted for in a provably understandable way. The only item that is lacking is our own human understanding to comprehend how and why the universe functions as it does. This establishes that no event that can be perceived occurs due to random chance, ethereal forces, mystical karma, and similar items used in religious teachings. Every event in the universe occurs for a reason - it is only our understanding that limits how we perceive that reason.
Death, a contentious topic in recent times, is accounted for as well in the PMD. Logically as our scientific capabilities cannot currently examine what happens during post-human death, sometimes referred to as 'the afterlife', death is considered unknowable. Inevitably we will discover the tools necessary to examine and study death and the afterlife, but we officially consider it a topic to be handled during the unfortunate time death should occur.
In fairness to our Foundations members who practice religious thought and doctrine, we do not overtly enforce specific sanctions or rules. No exceptions are made in terms of financial or legal support due to religion, and citizens are punished in due measure to any Foundations laws they have broken. This insures that all members of the Foundations exist at a legally and economically equal level in compatibility to their personal beliefs.
There are those in the Foundations and its administrations that promote specific strains of religious thought, however. Worship of the Messiah is the most prevalent thought pattern, but many different strains occur in regards to how it should be done. One of the most common thought patterns is the belief that the more cybernetics one has the closer they are to the Messiah's grand vision. As a consequence, those who undergo the most extreme of our internal modifications average towards subscribing to this strain of thought.
As a counter point to the above, one of the rare strains of thought is the belief that those who excel with minimal cybernetics exemplify mankind's natural beauty. This indirectly exalts the Master, who is believed to possess nominal cybernetic modification of His perfect form. This strain often runs in contradiction to the majority, and it rarely sees proactive involvement at a large scale. Nonetheless, it does exist.
Ending Statement
In personal etiquette, as in all things, there is the influence of logic in the Foundations. Irrational behavior or habits often run parallel to logical thinking, if nothing more than to showcase our own unique human characteristics. It could be understood that logic induces the strange in order to create the divergent mannerisms. Simple thinking understands this to be chaos, when it is merely logic that has not been properly understood yet.
Thus I ask you to consider, what is chaos?
THE FOLLOWING IS APPROVED TO BE RELEASED TO DIVISION CAPSULEER
UI-ID: [REDACTED]
Life is grand, days are different, Nation evolves, and tomorrow's going to be amazing.
Hello, hello hello members of Division Capsuleer. I'm going to give you all a bit of context before we get to the bulk of this NR. My simple given name is Zegerth, and I am the former Overseer of the True Slave Foundations. These days I'm the Underseer, and command unit of Division Ourapheh. You might better know me for my on off appearances when I'm performing administrative work for the Shaktipat Revelators alliance.
On the nature of Foundations and Nation
As you are all, I would hope, aware of Nation's majestic collective unity, there are some uncomfortable truths that need to be spoken aloud. Nation brings Truth, and with it there is always a certain pain of acceptance and understanding. Not all Truth is kind or gentle, and sometimes it cuts into us deeply. With Truth, however, we cure ourselves of our lies and be greater for it.
The True Slave Foundations, as a whole, exists separately of the Nation. Our systems are internalized exclusively within the Foundations and we largely have no significant presence in Nation's systems. This is a rather difficult concept to convey, given collectivism and what have you, so bear with me on this.
We exchange with Nation, we exist in Nation space, and we are largely seen as friendly by them. To any outsider, there is no difference between us and the Nation. At the administrative and practical levels, however, this isn't the case. The Foundations are largely independent, self-directed, and internalized.
Nation occasionally gives us direct input, be it requests or what ever it wills, and we do comply with it. In the periods that we are not operating in conjunction, the Foundations is left to its own devices. We conduct our own research, manage our own colonies, maintain our networks, and all the huff and puff we need to live.
It's not a gloriously grandeur existence, and one that certainly doesn't fit the picture of harmonious oneness. How can Nation's unity be True if we, the True Slave Foundations, exist independently of it? The answer is right in our namesake. Our purpose is to build a foundation. The True Unity is Nation's alone to possess, all we can do is better prepare how we might join with it. With that in mind, all our work is to fulfill the inevitability of integrating with Nation. A big generalization, mind you, but that's the plateau to reach.
I've made it a point of addressing this particular Truth because I wish to stop misconceptions before they arise. I have dealt with some Capsuleers before who've made the mistake of presuming the Foundations and Nation are one and the same. In many ways we are, but in more important ways we aren't yet. Simply being with us doesn't make a Capsuleer apart of Nation, and indeed Nation is all too prepared to discipline such foolishness.
I know some of you will be confused by this strange, if seemingly contradictory, relationship. While I may most likely not be the one to help you through understanding it, your current Overseer is there for you. Together, I'm hopeful we'll all be able to find that precious common understanding to continue forward.
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Topic: TS-F memos are a thing that exist (Read 1380 times)