My guess is Gaia is a super-computer (like ZAX from the Fallout series) that lost the majority of its fuctions due to a bug or virus. Goes in line with some of the info we can find out concerning the state of the Old World and the cataclysm that took place. The Virus could have been designed to sever Gaia’s connections to external devices, potentially the spires and tunnels. It could be the reason of why she is far more powerful in her chamber, but has no power to affect the rest of Iudia outside the implants.
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That would be the “eye” i assume, after all we see julia communicating whit her, the thing is that the goddes may be seeing through it. When we teach augusta sorcery the goddes imterced when julia opposes whit out julia asking her apparently
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She seems to have control of a physical facility that can generate holograms and change temperatures. Essentially like some sort of entertainment/experience arena, like the Globe in Las Vegas but with more advanced technology. Perhaps she was able to take control of this space to create the illusion of her divinity. I see no reason for a structure to natively have such an advanced intelligence system.
Is she like the Wizard of Oz, smoke and mirrors? Some AI gone rogue over millennia trying to secure her own power? Or is she really trying to save the world from some threat?
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I mean, the smoke and mirrors in the facility could also be a direct-neural-connection VR (we did see that kind of thing in action in the demon scenario she showed us after all) instead of a full-blown holodeck. Seems like a simpler thing to accomplish at least.
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Simpler, but there’s no need for a giant dome underneath a giant skyscraper for that sort of thing. Plus, the signals could extend outside of the “Axis Mundi” chamber, just like how Julia could communicate with Gaia even in Gruthungia. The fact that the Goddess can only affect physical phenomena inside a chamber indicates that her effects are to the physical chamber, not the neurological systems of people within that chamber.
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This story has become the love child of 2001: A Space Odyssey and The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, and it works very well. Ancient Aliens believers would kill to have such a coherent narrative.
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The name Julia is misspelled here as ‘Juliu’.
Perhaps “every night” instead of “on every night” would be of use here?
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I have so many crazy theories after this chapter that I’m having trouble keeping my own conspiracies straight. Going crazy in an enjoyable way, at least!
Ending Stats:
Victory Clock (Battle for the Spire): 2
Victory Clock (Battle for Kyro): -2
Arcanii Battle Strength: 52
Kyro Status: 3
Stats Page Stats (had a few that went over 100% during chapters) :
Summary
Veteran origin, current Motivation Augusta, formerly Duty
Imperial Favor: 100%
Senatorial Favor: 17%
Legionary Favor: 37%
Barbarian Favor: 100%
Public Favor: 31%
(The stats evened out at the Chapter Break, but at one point during VI, I had a maximum 120% with the Barbarians.)
Empire
Stability 51%
Resources 55%
Power 46%
Personality (pretty much “true blue”)
Dutiful 85%
Skeptical 90%
Empathetic 100%
(My bleeding heart MC hit -2% Callous mid-chapter in IV, -4% in V, and -9% in VI, before evening out at the VI-VII Break.)
I really enjoyed this chapter, and I’m going to re-read with different characters ASAP, because they all seem to have different insight into current goings-on!
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Since we’re talking about it, I won’t fret over spoilers. My theory is a virus causing a widespread AI rebellion. Gaia and the force behind the Witch King are two remaining superintelligent AI. The power behind the Witch King may be a “rogue” AI, Gaia may be the “rogue”, or both have been here for so long it doesn’t matter anymore.
Gaia has been cut off from her external systems, while the AI behind the Witch King still has some weapons available. The Key of Heaven will allow Gaia to access some of her weapons systems and fight back. Until then, she’s limited to influencing her holodome and ocular implants.
Oh, as an aside, I loved the characterisation of drones, mines, and turrets as “demons”. I thought that was so freaking cool I nerded out to my wife about it.
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Witch King from all the lore i manged to get together is a man, who once visited gaia and talked with her. there are few places where these is alluded to if not directly said. one is that gaia says that one other male has visited her in past and second is her saying Witch King dose not has long time to live because hes old and dying
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Oh yeah, the witch king himself is definitely a man, I just suspect he has another AI backing him - but maybe he just got into a stockpile of ancient weapons.
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How the hell does AI exist in the bronze age?
Roman Empire isn’t the bronze age, but also read the story!
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Oh shit it’s the iron age isn’t it?
Spend as much time as possible with Darius and learn the language with him so that he’ll show you his secrets in Chapter 4. Then in Chapter 5 he’ll tell you all the lore he learned about AI.
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Something I said above, one of the tags for this game is science fantasy for a reason
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Early Roman history is Iron Age, most of the Empire is considered Classical Antiquity. This story would be set in the equivalent of the line between Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages (the line being defined as the fall of the Western Roman Empire).
But also, do a run with high scholarship and talk to Darius every chance you get. All is not as it seems.
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Guys, I meant it as a joke 
.
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That was one of the coolest parts to me. The subtle hints that this is an automated turret with a firearm while still sticking to the idea that it is a living creature shooting metal out of its mouth.
Though it is concerning that this seems to be a relatively common sight in Hadat. Is this just an area full of former military bases? What are so many sentry turrets doing centuries, if not millennia, later?
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It isn’t. Uksem says as much, I believe, that what he calls demons are uncommon even in the dead and dry Lands of Mut, which are south of Hadat proper and not often traveled. Of those, the steelspitter is the rarest (and deadliest).
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