Shopping for the mind (Calleigh)

[Anastasia]

You fly on off there. Atop the tower you find Tepen and Sylvie sitting, a basket full of food between them. They're eating and chatting, though keeping their conversation rather low.

[Yuthirin]

"Hiiiii!" Calleigh grins as she circles the pair, clearly not catching on to the low tones.

[Anastasia]

Both look up, Sylvie's gaze half lidded while Tepen smiles politely, "Ah, Calleigh and Tryll. A fine day under Water, isn't it?"

[Yuthirin]

Calleigh stops, hands on her hips. "Yep yep! Drena said you two were doing a...conspiring. Told us we could help! He's a nice guy for a big bag of wind!"

[Anastasia]

"We're not quite conspiring," Sylvie retorts, "Closer to planning, without the connotations."

"So you chose to volunteer yourself?" Tepen asks back, "Do you even know what we're planning?"

[Yuthirin]

"No idea!" she beams, "But if you need help, we can probably help! And hopefully without violence! We're good helpers."

Halping!

[Anastasia]

"We're discussing making a constant connection to the theoretical ideal of a library that can be over-connected to multiple minds at once, and in turn allow them to successfully collaborate together," Sylvie says with a sweet smile, "Did you follow any of that?"

[Yuthirin]

Calleigh cocks her head. "Like a real-time neural network, or just a mind link? Across the Aurora, or multiplanar? You'll probably need powered relay crystals either way, but you're best off talking to Hamogan about that. I think he was working on something similar when we went looking for him."

Calleigh bobs her head, clearly thinking hard. "A mind link would probably be easier and more cost-effective, but it wouldn't have a lot of range and it's easier to interfere with. Also, someone would probably have to actively maintain it, like Tryll does all the time. A neural network would be maintained by the relay crystals themselves and would exist as a static semi-sentient quasi-intelligence that could be used as a repository for knowledge and research. Gotta be careful you don't give it too much leeway or intelligence though, or it can start influencing the minds connected to it. Next thing you know you've got a big crystal brain controlling a bunch of librarians with brain tentacles coming out of their ears, thinking they're the next big thing since mindflayers."

She makes a face, "Bleh blurg bleh. That's how mindflayers sound."

[Anastasia]

Both Sylvie and Tepen just stare at you, "More of an interconnected and limited hive mind," Sylvie says, "The main hub is the ideal of a library, which in same focus for a powerful spell Sage Vul'lath and Elder Magi Tepen developed. We're considering a deep crystal based node structure along with powerful book foci embedded into it, as well as filters to keep it properly limited."

"Our main concern is regulating it properly. Some form of proto-mind, soulless of course, and properly configured to act as a natural buffer. Not one that could join into the impromptu hive mind or influence it, essentially an invisible protective filter." Tepen considers, "Suffice to say, the mechanics of it aside, we'll need a great deal of money to construct it."

[Yuthirin]

Calleigh nods along, blatantly ignoring their stares. "A hive mind, huh? You're planning to have everyone involved connected all the time? It could work, but it's pretty dangerous. Intercognitive bleed is a real thing and not fun! You would need some pretty big safeguards to keep everyone from turning into the same person. And keeping them from becoming emotionless psychopathic automatons. That's bad, too. But you're right! It would be expensive! Which is good, because we need money too! Do you have an idea how we could get some money? Or lots of money? Or even more than lots?"

[Anastasia]

"That's why we have the filter, since zombies are bad." Sylvie glances at Tepen, who nods. "We were thinking of going with Ithea to a dungeon. There's a slaad who regularly invites her to them and they're extremely lucrative."

[Yuthirin]

"Neeeeeh," Calleigh hedges, "we were hoping to avoid violence..."

[Anastasia]

"Treasure raiding?" Sylvie suggests, "Selling something worthwhile for money? Finding a rich mine and extracting ore?"

[Yuthirin]

"Those sound better! Can we do those instead?" Calleigh asks, "Blowing stuff up is fun and all, but we try to limit the amount of violence we cause. It's bad for business. Nobody buys art from people who blow up other people!"

[Anastasia]

"Really?" Sylvie says, "Then if your art is so important, why not make money through that instead?"