Waste systems

[Quantus]

um, what?   Where is this quote?

Well damn, spent 20 minutes looking and I cant find it.  It was very recent, I think somebody asked him if the outer gates could gain sentience over time in the way that things like the Athame apparently do, and he said that even if it did it would just become more aware of it's 'Here-ness'.  I think it was the same one where he says the Outer gates dont actually look like that, but that what we saw was how Harry's brain had to interpret what it was seeing into simple concepts. 

EDIT:

(click to show/hide)

from the Q&A with Grid Scifi:

Q: The Gate seems like something that, if it didn’t start with a consciousness, would develop it over time.  Is that the case?

A: It probably is, but the consciousness of an inanimate object like that is mostly like that of a mountain.  “I AM HERE.”  And it’s just increasingly aware of its here-ness.  The Gate actually exists very differently than what Harry saw, but that’s how Harry has to interpret it because it’s far out in the Nevernever.  Your mind has to put things into terms it can understand or you go squirrely.  Harry’s got a very good mind for reducing things to simple ideas.  Which most of the Senior Council would say with a roll of their eyes.

[knnn]

Oh yeah, I think I recall that one.  It's suggestive and interesting, but oh so open to interpretation.

[Quantus]

Oh yeah, I think I recall that one.  It's suggestive and interesting, but oh so open to interpretation.

I know right?  All it takes is a single "probably" and it all becomes as solids as jello.   

[knnn]

The way I would interpret that WoJ is that *if* the Gates were a regular "construct" (like demonreach?), then the amount of energies involved would have given it some form of sentinence.  But, since the Gates are actually something else entirely (a "living" creature?  A mantle made solid?  A physical manifestation of one of the fundemental laws of the universe?), then this rule doesn't apply.

Note that this interpretation somewhat contradicts Harry's impressions of the gate -- that is actually is a physcial object (need to recheck who he talks to about this Rashid/MS and what their response is).

[Quantus]

The way I would interpret that WoJ is that *if* the Gates were a regular "construct" (like demonreach?), then the amount of energies involved would have given it some form of sentience.  But, since the Gates are actually something else entirely (a "living" creature?  A mantle made solid?  A physical manifestation of one of the fundamental laws of the universe?), then this rule doesn't apply.

Note that this interpretation somewhat contradicts Harry's impressions of the gate -- that is actually is a physcial object (need to recheck who he talks to about this Rashid/MS and what their response is).

I tend to lean that way as well, with this as a more general statement about Sites and large inanimate objects with Power/awareness.  Those first three words give me pause though; I think they imply that the Gates are indeed Aware, but for different reasons than are being implied by the questioner. 

[Keith_w]

I've just finished the book, and was thinking that they use an awful lot of resources.  Recycling is a fine first step for waste and water, but successful cloning in vats, as well as the manufacture of crystals and who knows what else requires much greater resources I am sure.  They create steel weapons coated in copper and copper cannon.  Since they do not utilize the surface of whatever planet they are on, where do the raw materials for them come from?

[Brightbane]

I've just finished the book, and was thinking that they use an awful lot of resources.  Recycling is a fine first step for waste and water, but successful cloning in vats, as well as the manufacture of crystals and who knows what else requires much greater resources I am sure.  They create steel weapons coated in copper and copper cannon.  Since they do not utilize the surface of whatever planet they are on, where do the raw materials for them come from?

They have mines, that's a punishment for higher crimes.

[kazimmoinuddin]

how do they mine? If they dig underneath the spire they reissue destabilizing it. How would they even locate new site if the surface is so deadly?

The waste systems are likely linked to the meat vatteries and the water gardens, that are likely in some form in each Habble. They must have some really advance hydroponics or at least a magical version.

[Brightbane]

how do they mine? If they dig underneath the spire they reissue destabilizing it. How would they even locate new site if the surface is so deadly?

The waste systems are likely linked to the meat vatteries and the water gardens, that are likely in some form in each Habble. They must have some really advance hydroponics or at least a magical version.

Didn't they have caravans that go between the spires? It's dangerous but instant death. It's like walking through any wild place

[Quantus]

Didn't they have caravans that go between the spires? It's dangerous but instant death. It's like walking through any wild place

I thought so too, but I looked back on that passage recently (for a similar conversation) and they'd only traveled a mile or so on the surface and were implying that they'd crashed an airship and been required to hike about a mile on the surface. 

[kazimmoinuddin]

Unless they have roads on the surface, traveling through a mist drenched jungle with lots of goods would be next to impossible.

[Quantus]

Unless they have roads on the surface, traveling through a mist drenched jungle with lots of goods would be next to impossible.

Not impossible necessarily, but certainly suicidal

[kazimmoinuddin]

I think it depends on just how many spires there are in their world. If they exist in high numbers, then there can't be a limited number of mines, as that would allow the spires that control them unprecedented power over the others.

[Brightbane]

I think it depends on just how many spires there are in their world. If they exist in high numbers, then there can't be a limited number of mines, as that would allow the spires that control them unprecedented power over the others.

I mean, there's a spire whose entire economy is driven by its honey monopoly. I wouldn't be surprised if other spires had monopolies over various mined materials

[kazimmoinuddin]

Spires likely force an extra ordinary level of recycling. If one spire has a honey monopoly, could another have certain stone monopolies? People have paid a lot for certain types of stone when designing stuff specificly.