To all of you from post-1776 America, happy Fourth of July. [Thoughtful pause.] Well, I suppose it's the fourth of July for everyone else too... I hope you're all having a nice day
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Yes - the Fourth of July is when Americans celebrate gaining their independence from Britain. Even though, historically speaking, it isn't a very significant date.
[Ironically, she can't help but think Don would make a fine teacher himself.] Ahh, I see. They must've been quite relieved to gain their independence, if it was turned into a holiday.
Honestly, that's kind of up for debate. The Americans declared their independence in the year 1776, but it was only some signatures on a piece of paper and it had no political effect. There was a war, for real independence, which ended in 1783. As for when the colonists first arrived... British settlers started establishing themselves in the early 1600s. But before that, there had been settlers from other European nations, as well as many tribes of native peoples. It's pretty complicated.
Interesting. It seems political disagreements are a trait shared by quite a few worlds. It makes me a bit glad this village isn't under any sort of official rule.
My country... is part of the Malkuth empire. It's a fairly peaceful place, though war was always just on the horizon. You see, the world of Auldrant is divided into Malkuth, the kingdom of Kimlasca-Lanvaldear and the neutral country of Daath. Tensions between Malkuth and Kimlasca have existed for many years now, as they're both very intent on getting their hands on Fonstone fragments. [She pauses for a moment.]
Fonstones are large tablets on which the Score, the planet's future is documented. The Holy Order of Lorelei, which rules over Daath, is dedicated to reading the Score, upholding it and keeping peace between the two countries. However, the people of Auldrant live their lives according to the Score's predictions. If the Score ultimately predicts war, that is what will happen and the Order or Lorelei will do nothing to stop it.
[Donatello will listen intently, absorbing all this. Then he'll ask a question:] Professor, I don't understand. How can your world have a record of its future?
Our world is composed of elementary particles called fonons. By using the seventh fonon, the fonon of sound, one could read the future. A powerful fonist called Yulia Jue used her abilities to read the planet's future for millennia to come. All her knowledge was documented on the Fonstone tablets Kimlasca and Malkuth would later be arguing over. Though, no doubt, that in itself was already a part of the future Yulia predicted.
Professor, that's fascinating! In my world, there's a theory that if we knew the future, we would have no free will. Are you saying that the people in your world have to do what these tablets say?
... No, I wouldn't say that. They believe in the Score, which promises to ultimately bring prosperity to the world. It's their belief that makes them walk the path the Score has laid out for them. To divert from the future that's already been predicted would be like heresy.
[She pauses for a moment.]
Though I've been told that roughly twenty years in the future, the people of Auldrant have learned to reject the Score and live their lives freely.
[She knows she read something about it, but it was a long time ago and there's just so many holidays out there...]
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What about your world, Professor? What is your country like?
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Fonstones are large tablets on which the Score, the planet's future is documented. The Holy Order of Lorelei, which rules over Daath, is dedicated to reading the Score, upholding it and keeping peace between the two countries. However, the people of Auldrant live their lives according to the Score's predictions. If the Score ultimately predicts war, that is what will happen and the Order or Lorelei will do nothing to stop it.
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[She pauses for a moment.]
Though I've been told that roughly twenty years in the future, the people of Auldrant have learned to reject the Score and live their lives freely.
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On a science side of things, though... the future of your planet is encoded in these particles? But not deterministically so?
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