﻿Cradle World: The Abidan (Part 3)

Cradle World: The Abidan (Part 3)

3/29/2017

(Remember, this isn't in the books yet, so I could change my mind on a whim! Don't hold me to this too closely!)

The Seven Judges of the Abidan Court
(The Ghost and the Spider)

Darandiel, the Ghost
Just as the other Judges supervise the life and health of a world, someone must oversee the process of universal death and rebirth. The Ghosts watch over the broken fragments of worlds, guiding the development of new Iterations and protecting them from malign influence during the vulnerable cycle of destruction and creation.
   As Hounds tap into the power of Fate and Titans into the power of protection, Ghosts manipulate the force that binds existence to the Way: conscious will. This is an esoteric power that, depending on the situation, can be either overwhelmingly powerful or totally useless.
Darandiel is rarely seen in Sanctum, the headquarters of the Abidan. She and her Ghosts spend most of their time beyond the Iterations, shepherding the birth of new worlds and defending old ones from the chaos of the void.

Telariel, the Spider
The Spiders essentially function as the Abidan intelligence network. They spread their awareness through the Way, sensing deviation and disorder all throughout existence. Spiders maintain the system of Sector Control, through which Iterations are divided into sectors in order to make them easier to manage.
Inter-universal communication between Abidan is also handled by the Spiders, so they have a reputation as the busiest Division. However, they are also known as the weakest in combat, so they are usually left to roles in support and management.
A Spider may be hard-working, but the Spider is lazy, disreputable, and prone to leaning on the perks of his position. Telariel has long ago reduced his personal responsibility to only handling communication between Judges, which rarely requires his personal attention.
   When Ozriel vanished, Telariel cast his laziness aside and bent his full attention to the search. He was soon forced to admit defeat. Ozriel took steps to hide himself from the detection of the Way, and the Spider's skill is nothing next to the Reaper's.
   (After receiving the blow to his pride, Telariel retreated back into seclusion. To sulk.)

***
I had all of the information for the Judges long before I began writing Cradle, but it was loose and disorganized. I thought these posts would be as simple as copying and pasting information I already had, but uh...they weren't.

Anyway, I had all these posts about the Judges written before I put up the first post. Took me about 3-4 hours total, which doesn't sound too bad until you realize that I thought it would take me twenty minutes.

I have no ability to accurately estimate how long a task will take me. You should know that about me by now.

-Will

Next Time: the Wolf and the Phoenix...and also the Fox.
She snuck in there somehow.

74 Comments

James A.

4/5/2017 03:38:24 pm

Awesome. Can't wait until we get to the Reaper...

Sir Wolpertinger

4/5/2017 03:40:06 pm

So Will
1. If The Ghosts decide where the fragments of iterations go does that mean they pick which territories Amalgam can access?
2. You mentioned before that it once a person leaves their iteration they can't use that magics iteration any longer, but since Valinhall travelers summon the magic into themselves does that mean they still can, and if they can, are other travelers able to?
and finally
3. Have you ever considered writing a story wherein the main character is a villain? It's obviously been tried many times, but with your unique writing style I think it could be really awesome.

Will link

4/5/2017 07:23:15 pm

1.) They could if they wanted to, yes.

2.) They can, and most of Ragnarus' magical weapons would still work too. If another Traveler took their creatures to a different world, like the Avernus birds for instance, their powers would probably stay intact (it depends on the magic system in their destination, but usually yes).

3.) Instead of Elder Empire, I almost wrote a story about a girl on a quest to become a dark lord while a guy is trying to trick people into thinking he's the hero destined to oppose that dark lord.

There were a few cool things about the story and the setting, but now I don't think I'll ever write that particular story. Too much of it went into Elder Empire and Cradle instead.

But yes, I would like to write a villain story. The trick is finding the sweet spot between "totally evil and therefore unsympathetic" and "effectively just a hero in black armor."

Fifty nifty United States from thirteen original colonies; Fifty nifty stars in the flag that billows so beautifully in the breeze. Each individual state Contributes a quality that is great. Each individual state Deserves a bow, we salute them now. Fif

4/5/2017 04:03:11 pm

So what is Suriel is she just Suriel and that's it?

Also in case you wondering my name was as easy as copy pasting

4/5/2017 04:04:07 pm

Aaaaand it cut it off

4/5/2017 04:05:09 pm

No she is the Phoenix

Jack

4/5/2017 04:19:33 pm

I'm loving all of these posts Will. Thank you for doing this! Couple of questions though.

1) You said each world had its own magic system. Does Amalgam have its own system seperate from the territories or is that all it had from the beginning?

2) Some iterations have galactic colonies. Are there aliens in the Willverse?

Adarsh

4/5/2017 09:06:59 pm

I think will mentioned that non-human sapients such as the inhabitants of Elysia or the Nye were once human and thus their consciousness is human. So aliens would probably be descendants of a type of humanity.

Kurt Ambrose

4/7/2017 07:48:33 am

My hypothesis is that Amalgam's magic system is the ability to use the magic systems of other worlds and to bind fragments of broken worlds together. This would explain how they obtain their abilities and how Valin managed to forge Valinhall.

4/10/2017 12:09:12 pm

1.) Amalgam's magic system is its unique property that allows it to collect and draw power from Territories. Kurt called it.

2.) There is alien life, but the only sentient non-human life was either once human or gained sentience from humanity in some way.

The Elders, for instance, were never human, but they gained the ability to interact with the world in a way we recognize as intelligent from humanity.

Devin

4/5/2017 04:30:16 pm

You said in part 2 that Ozriel was skilled enough to fill any position save for Suriel, does that mean Ozriel is equal to or stronger than the other Judges in their spheres of power?

Or is the Spider just unfamiliar with using methods not involving The Way to find something he is looking for, while Ozriel, being newer, doesn't rely on The Way as much as other Judges?

4/5/2017 07:25:28 pm

That's the question!

The other Judges aren't really sure how Ozriel managed to elude them. If Telariel wasn't good at his job, he wouldn't have ascended to the position in the first place, but Ozriel somehow managed to completely evade all detection by the Way.

Some of the Judges have wondered if Ozriel actually obliterated himself.

4/5/2017 10:33:46 pm

Would hiding somewhere not governed by the Abidan have something to do with why he can't be found THE Spider?

ALPHA READER

4/6/2017 05:23:58 pm

That devin below is an imposter, and not the almighty ALPHA READER.

4/6/2017 09:03:35 pm

@Devin

Could be! That's one explanation. It's also why Suriel was hanging out in Cradle, so FAR from Iterations the Abidan don't control: she was stalling, trying to order her thoughts in the last place Ozriel would come back to.

She has a long journey ahead of her.

@Other Devin

Why even use a psudonym if you're just going to make it clear what your name is in context? Now a bunch of rabid Internet trolls are going to track you down to your house and tear you limb from limb, demanding tolls.

Sean K

4/5/2017 05:36:21 pm

First, Will, you are awesome! I almost want to ask you to raise the price of your books by a dollar or two as you work so hard on them. I'm actually more excited for Blackflame than I am for Oathbringer (although it is VERY close)!

That aside, it seems like Eithan might have the makings of a great spider one day!

4/10/2017 12:10:06 pm

Thanks, Sean! But I'm way more excited for Oathbringer, and you should be too. There's no substitute for Stormlight.

And yeah, I think he would!

Jerry S Wieder

4/5/2017 05:50:32 pm

This is like reading blue balls.

Killing us here Will...

4/10/2017 12:11:04 pm

You're right, but I had a choice between "reveal what story information I can in order to placate the hungry beasts" and "tell them Blackflame isn't ready and that's it."

I am spending all of my time working on it, though.

Daniel

4/5/2017 06:03:28 pm

So human sentient consciousness holds iterations together, while semi-humans may be enough to hold a fragment together (as you established with the Nye and other denizens keeping about a House-worth of reality together for however long). So there is a certain amount of "reality-ness" that a given sentient has. What I'm wondering is, do all humans have the same amount of this reality-ness? In other words, do all humans increase the influence of The Way an equal amount? Or is there a weighting system in play? Is the power of the sentient a factor, like would a Gold provide more than a Jade in Cradle? How about the level of observation of the world, like between a Reader and a non-Reader in Asylum?

4/5/2017 06:11:16 pm

Are you copying my name on purpose or did I write this while drunk?

Daniel Preparing For An Obligitory Highlander-Style Battle To The Death

4/5/2017 07:23:13 pm

There can only be one!

Daniel preparing for combat while listening to duel of the fates

4/5/2017 09:36:40 pm

You cannot match the power of the dark side!

Daniel young

4/6/2017 12:30:42 pm

But in all seriousness I'll just do this as a name from now on.

Young Daniel

4/6/2017 05:06:46 pm

Aaand I'll use this to be slightly confusing....and look youthful :P

4/7/2017 01:31:50 am

Haha:) that's perfect:)

Joe

4/5/2017 07:24:25 pm

This isn't necessarily related to this particular post, but thinking of the immortal nature of the Abidan Court got me thinking about this. Are there any beings in any iterations that have not ascended and yet are inherently immortal (at least apart from being killed)?

The Nye are partially what made me think of this, as the Eldest Nye has evidently been around since before his world was splintered and has been living in that splinter for some time. So even if the Nye aren't immortal, are there any naturally immortal beings?

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut; Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana; Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan; Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, N

4/5/2017 08:03:33 pm

Snail are immortal

4/6/2017 12:31:38 pm

So are sea turtles

4/10/2017 12:11:48 pm

Yes, there are immortals in the Iterations.

But the Eldest Nye hasn't been around since before his world was splintered. He's telling tales that have been passed down for generations.

4/5/2017 09:04:40 pm

So if an iteration is tied to the way by human consciousness, could an iteration be severed from the way if a significant amount of their population was "hidden" from detection the same way Ozriel is currently hiding? Because if the Way can't sense them, they are effectively "Dead" right?

Also, what happens if someone in the spider division eventually becomes more suitable to being the head Spider than the current Spider*? Is there a peaceful transfer of power? A secret assassination? Lots of paperwork? A duel to the death?

*Assuming the current Spider wants to keep his job.

4/10/2017 12:15:26 pm

1.) Yes it could, and that's an insightful thought.

2.) The other Judges vote to determine whether a current Judge needs replaced, either because there's someone more suitable or the current person isn't fulfilling their role to the satisfaction of the Court.

If that person wants to resist, they have to decide whether they want to fight six other Judges. Plus, the Court as a whole has control over all the mantles, so if one person tries to rebel, they won't be able to amplify their power. They'll be fighting alone against a bunch of Judges all mantled up.

An armed rebellion has never happened among Judges for several reasons. For one thing, Makiel can see it all coming and prepare accordingly. For another, high-ranking Abidan tend to be ordered, rule-abiding people. Even the Fox, who's considered something of a rebel by Abidan standards, doesn't violate the spirit of the law.

Rhys

4/6/2017 02:26:19 am

Will, you said the spiders can sense through all of existence, is that all of the Abidan controlled existence or ALL of existence, ie even the bits they don't rule?

4/10/2017 12:16:54 pm

It's complicated, but the Way does extend through other inhabitable universes, not just the ones the Abidan control. So they can get some information from beyond their sphere of influence.

However, it doesn't literally mean that they can sense everything that exists at all times forever.

Elizabeth

4/6/2017 06:40:59 am

All of this talk makes me think ONCE AGAIN that Ozriel is hiding in plain sight somewhere.

#conspiracytheories

4/6/2017 12:33:28 pm

What if he disguised himself as a statue in a court yard somewhere in the abidan palace in order to have time to think?

Isaac Xander

4/8/2017 07:05:52 pm

He could be doing the one thing that the stone angels (can't for the life of me remember the actual name) from Doctor Who do. Actually quit "existing" while someone (The Spider) is looking for him.

Rohan

4/6/2017 08:24:51 am

Will, is it possible for a person to learn to manipulate chaos in the same way they manipulate the way?

If the way is connected to order and Ozriel cannot be found by using the way, could that mean he has found a way to manipulate and hide in chaos? This will also support his motivations to find an alternate solution to erasing entire worlds from existence by venturing into chaos to see what other options are available.

Mestama

4/6/2017 08:51:37 am

We have some evidence that this is possible from EE. One of the Elders does this and readers can use pieces of it to do the same.

4/7/2017 08:09:16 am

Yes, it is possible. It's also possible that this is what Ozriel has done.

Jon

4/6/2017 01:34:18 pm

I was wondering if there was a difference between ascending beyond an iteration and traveling between iterations? Also, do the magic systems of some iterations predispose a person to ascending?

The reason I ask is that there are quotes in the beginning of a few EE chapters attributed to the unknown wanderer, which I'm assuming is Valin. This implies that he traveled between amalgam and asylum. I tend to think of ascending as directly relating to power level because the only people we know for sure that have ascended are crazy powerful (Li markuth, Suriel, Ozriel). Valin doesn't really seem to be in the same category, yet he has been in two different iterations. On the other hand, probably the most powerful person we know well, the emperor, definitely did not ascend or travel between two iterations. This makes me think that either ascension is not directly correlated to power level but also depends on the magic system/iteration of the person, or there is simply a difference between ascending and traveling between iterations.

Shane

4/6/2017 05:31:46 pm

While the Emperor in Asylum is relatively powerful in Asylum, he is not that powerful in the grand scheme of things. I think it was mentioned, somewhere in the dark depths of the blogs, that the Sword Sage would beat the Asylum Emperor up and down the street. I think it was mentioned that he would be beaten by the Blackflame Emperor too, though not as soundly, and he's supposedly only a rank or two above underlord (from what I can remember of the blog post anyway). Someone correct me if I'm wrong here.

Another blog post asked about how the Abidan look upon Valin and I think Will's answer was along the lines of...like he's a mischievous child who goes where he shouldn't really be going. Presumably, he's found a way to access The Way so he can travel between iterations. He may be an individual who is particularly talented in accessing The Way in this manner, like Gadrael is a particularly talented Titan (I'm not sure which group of the Abidan this falls under). That, or he's found another, more mysterious, method to accomplish the same thing.

4/10/2017 12:19:42 pm

Yeah, Valin didn't ascend, he just wandered out the back door and got lost.

The Emperor would be capable of ascending from Asylum, were it possible to leave Asylum under normal circumstances (it's a prison, so he couldn't leave).

Cradle's requirements for ascension are higher than a world like Asylum's. The Sword Sage COULD have ascended, had he the necessary knowledge and skill. And, of course, the desire to do so.

But if he had gotten too much more powerful, the Abidan would have removed him before he affected the course of the world.

Crimson Red

4/6/2017 03:59:53 pm

Ready to read some info on the Wolf. I find myself waiting in anticipation of them the most.

On another note, I get that Ozriel is rather "jacked" in power, but is it not possible that another of the Abidan aided in his concealment. Seems likely. I get Ozriel is all powerful, but surely he would require assistance in the level of concealment require.

4/10/2017 12:19:56 pm

It is possible, yes.

Reddan

4/6/2017 05:34:09 pm

Will, I’m really enjoying these summaries. Helps sketch in the underlying structure of the Willverse, give a greater sense of depth. Thanks again!

(1) So the Ghosts manage fragments of worlds that died naturally, while the Reaper (Reapers, plural?) is called in when a world gets corrupted? Before Ozriel became the Reaper, were the Ghosts busy dealing with corrupted fragments too?

(2) Is there any overlap/connection between the Spider’s intelligence gathering and the Hound’s investigation of Fate?

(3) Does Suriel’s Presence draw information from the intelligence network of the Spiders, or is it capable of detecting all of it on its own?

(4) In your original post you said, “Any universe that the Abidan recognize as capable of sustaining human existence and living out a complete life-cycle.” Are there places that aren’t recognized by the Abidan (but are still capable of sustaining humans)? Are there any places that are excluded out of spite or other bad feelings among the Abidan?

Minor theory time:
the Wolves are the combat arm of the Abidan (none of the divisions discussed so far seem well suited)
the Phoenixes (Phoenices? Phoenies? Does anyone know the correct plural of Phoenix?) are the healers and fixers of problems, in line with what we’ve seen Suriel do so far.

4/6/2017 09:21:23 pm

1.) Yes they were! They actually deal with corruption and chaos more than most Abidan ever have to, as their job takes them far from the Way.

2.) Yes there is, but the Spiders kind of work with everyone.

3.) Suriel's Presence is capable of drawing and processing information on its own, but it is also (usually) connected to the Spiders' network. Right now it's disconnected, with results that I hope to show in Blackflame (I might end up having to cut the scene, but I hope not.)

4.) There are pseudo-Iterations (and there should probably be a name for that status) where fragments combined but not fully. In that case, they wouldn't be a full universe, or the fragments would have combined in such a way that the universe will be unable to support life.

--Phoenixes. Also, in my head but nowhere else, Phoenii.

Diego link

4/6/2017 09:44:48 pm

1.) Are all your books happening roughly around the same *time*? (If yes any chance of a crossover series?)

2.) Can Immortals have kids? (If both parents are immortals are the kids immortal too?)

3.) I know this is weird but if you ever do a time skip will your main characters ever have kids? (At least some of them? Just curious I'd where that came from)

4/7/2017 08:08:34 am

1.) Can't tell you.

2.) Depends on the nature of their immortality. People achieve immortality in different ways.

3.) Yes, at least some of my main characters will end up with kids.

Hopeful Romantic

4/7/2017 12:30:27 pm

Simon+Leah

Lindon+Yerin

These ships need to be launched!

4/7/2017 04:28:29 pm

I doubt the Simon+Leah. Simply because Leah seems to put the country first over her personal feelings (Also Will doesn't really add much romance so it's hard to actually judge if they like each other more than just close friends). She will probably marry someone whom will benefit Damasca in some way.

Garbagiel the Raccoon

4/7/2017 07:09:43 am

1. If reaching copper allows you to see the madra around you, what would a copper see in the worlds of House of Blades or Elder Empire?

2. With a mixture of madra and intent, could someone create an invested or awakened object that followed a path?

3. During his travels, did Valin get mocked a lot for his nye cloak?

4. You mentioned that it is very difficult to awaken a gun, but how difficult would it be to create a gun/gunpowder based path?

4/7/2017 08:07:34 am

1.) Nothing. Copper's change allows you to see aura, which (for the most part) only exists in Cradle.

2.) If a Reader and a Soulsmith joined forces, they would be able to create some crazy self-aware objects, yes.

3.) He didn't wear one.

4.) Unnecessary. Why would you need chemical accelerant when you can launch projectiles with your mind?

Captain Nemo

4/7/2017 08:16:06 pm

Ok, so this is kind of related to answer 1). In the death match short story with the emperor and the incarnations, the emperor saw the incarnations' power as intent. Was this just something you allowed for the death match, or are Amalgam and Asylum's powers similar enough to be "compatible"?

4/9/2017 01:21:58 am

I personally see it as the emperor being dominant because he was well equipped to deal with the opponents at hand. If he had per say 8 TRAVELERS with the ability of the mask Simon has.( from each territory along with practice working together) He would probably have had a harder time. (He would probably still have won because really he's just too OP to kill apart from sneak attack)

4/10/2017 12:22:44 pm

There's usually some overlap. For instance, a Reader in Cradle would see aura as a weird kind of Intent, and a sacred artist in Amalgam would be able to sense vague danger and power from Travelers, even if they don't know what or why.

@DIEGO

Yeah, a large part of the reason the Emperor won so easily was because the Incarnations were instinct-driven rather than coordinated.

But he is still overpowered and would still have won. He didn't even have his armor and weapons with him.

Nosna

4/7/2017 09:05:40 am

If iterations are destroyed be under population, which creates corruption, then how are uncorrupt worlds created? In other words, iterations are created from pieces of other destroyed iterations. But iterations are destroyed from under population, and under population creates corruption. So how are uncorrupt worlds created?

Jay

4/7/2017 09:42:52 am

I don't think under-population necessarily equals corruption. It seems more like under-population creates a scenario where corruption can more easily take hold, unless actively tended to/guarded by the Ghosts from Abidan.

From the description of Darandiel, "guiding the development of new Iterations and protecting them from malign influence during the vulnerable cycle of destruction and creation."

4/7/2017 09:57:31 pm

^

Jay's got it!

You're not automatically corrupt as soon as you fall within a certain population range. It just makes you vulnerable.

4/7/2017 10:48:52 am

You know Will, I really enjoy your writing and I'm glad you seem to be doing well with it.

4/10/2017 12:23:14 pm

Thanks, Daniel! I'm glad I get to spend my time doing this instead of something boring.

4/7/2017 02:35:09 pm

Does Lindon create his own weapon with the soulsmith things he took from pyramid? Cause so far he hasn't used a weapon beyond a spear.

Does being a soulsmith require a specific talent in madra uses?

Looking forward to find out soon more on the next book. So hoping this coming week!!

4/10/2017 12:25:17 pm

1.) Read and find out!

2.) Essentially yes. We touch on this in Blackflame a little bit, but you have to have madra that's compatible with a lot of other aspects.

For instance, the Fishers make good Soulsmiths because they have madra that mimics gravity. So it binds two things together. Not a whole lot conflicts with that.

But if you were a Sandviper Soulsmith, every construct you made would be poisonous or acidic, so it would either hurt the person holding it, fall apart, or neutralize the madra you tried to use to build it.

4/14/2017 09:40:11 pm

Huh so the greatest soul smith would theoretically have to have pure madra because that would conflict with nothing. Unless their is a path of anti madra somewhere

4/16/2017 11:33:17 am

Not necessarily pure, just widely compatible.

Kaileonis

4/7/2017 06:58:50 pm

Hello Will,

You have created an awesome world and thats what I love about my favorite story tellers. I love to stick to a good story with an awesome background, going through the journey all the way to the end. I have only one concern; and that is, no matter how awesome and vast the background is, I hope that Lindon would actually save his village/hope from the original reason of him to leaving to find power to beat the oncoming darkness. That would make the journey worthwhile for me.

With that said, i look forward to the oncoming journey, oh storyteller! Gonna reread the first two books again soon, to get me ready for the third book.

4/7/2017 09:56:27 pm

Thanks for reading! I'm glad you're enjoying it!

Don't worry; I wouldn't set up a goal like that and then have Lindon wander forever without any resolution. The story of Sacred Valley will have an ending, I promise!

George

4/9/2017 02:26:46 am

Why is Ozriel being hunted again?
I thought he simply left the Abidan, or is this, actually, the crime?

4/9/2017 05:34:09 am

Ozriel basically abandoned his post. As I understand it, the Abidan were able to expand their scope dramatically because of Ozriel's ability to cleanly remove worlds (especially corrupted ones). They're trying to find him because they can't support all the worlds they've been watching over without him.

4/10/2017 12:27:31 pm

^ Yep, that's it!

Since Ozriel came along, the whole strategy of the Abidan has basically hinged around his personal ability. But he wanted to change the way things are done, so he didn't have to kill as many people, and they resisted.

So he just left.

WITH the ability to cleanly remove corrupted worlds, they can control ten thousand Iterations.

WITHOUT that ability, every corrupted world becomes a virus, and every world they control is potentially another point of infection. They can't hold nearly as much territory.

4/9/2017 09:12:24 am

Hey Will

While reading other 2 books....got a couple q's..

Does Lindon use the riverseed sylvan in book 3 for something? Or do we get to find out what it can be used for?

Does being a soulsmith mean you have a specific talent type in madra use?

Do we get to see the duel in book 3 with jai Long?

So looking forward to next book...crossing fingers this week.

Thanks!

4/10/2017 12:28:14 pm

1.) Read and find out!

2.) I answered this one on your other post just now.

3.) Read and find out!

Darryl

4/9/2017 05:02:49 pm

So is the progress for blackflame still at lowgold or have you just forgotten to update it?

4/10/2017 12:28:31 pm

Both.

In which we ramble on.
And by we, I mean me.