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Mysteries of Aurora - The Manuscript Part 10
Sep. 26th, 2025 07:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fardell24“The Seventh Age. Modern Aurora. The Industrial Revolution and onwards. Steam, electricity and telecommunications,” Olivia explained.
“It’s a lot more than that though,” Janara said.
“True. The Althing became more democratic over the course of the 19th Century,” Olivia responded. “But that didn’t stop Aurora colonising more of the islands in the Southern Hemisphere.”
“Even that influenced Aurora’s art,” Freya said.
“And that is when Auroran literature exploded, including a great many action-adventure novels,” Janara added.
Olivia and Alexia looked at her.
“What? I’m not just a gamer,” Janara said defensively. “I also read action-adventure novels.”
“Which ones?” Freya asked with interest.
“Let’s try to focus,” Olivia said.
“I’ll tell you later,” Janara said to Freya.
Freya nodded.
“Where was I?” Olivia asked herself. She looked at the timeline again. “Modern Aurora. Up to this time, other than during the Roman period when it was part of the Empire, Aurora hadn’t been involved in European affairs, other than England threatening invasion during the late Fifth Age and the addition of Munnsland in the Sixth.”
“Maybe you could go into that?” Freya asked.
“It doesn’t really have much to do with the development of AAUA,” Olivia said. “But it is a part of our history.”
“So, it started in 1066?” Janara asked.
“Before that, actually,” Olivia said. “But it was indeed the Normans who weren’t satisfied with England and set their sights on Aurora, which was still weakened by the Nordic settlement and conquests.”
“And thus, the Unification,” Freya said, as she sketched the Auroran flag beneath the longship.
“The English threat was a contributing factor, to be sure,” Olivia said. “But not a major one. From the 11th Century through to the 18th, Aurora and England were rivals. Then In the middle of the 17th Century, England erupted in civil war, with Parliament rising up against the Monarchy.”
“Oliver Cromwell, right?” Janara asked.
“Yes, he took control of England. But the jist of it is, that Aurora took advantage of the situation to seize Munnsland from them. Why more of Ireland wasn’t taken, nor any areas of Britain itself, was complicated.”
“The Irish campaigns are indeed complicated,” Janara commented.
“And so, we can move on,” Olivia said, as she turned back to the Seventh Age on the timeline. “The Seventh Age. Industrialisation occurred in Aurora and Britain simultaneously. At the same time, they cooperated against the Post Revolutionary French when they temporarily took over Europe.”
“And Aurora became further entangled with European affairs after that?” Janara asked.
“Yes. They had a presence at the Congress of Vienna,” Olivia said.
“And the older aesthetics were maintained through the 19th and 20th Centuries despite that not happening elsewhere,” Freya commented as she sketched a factory with smoke coming out of its chimneys.
“That it didn’t happen elsewhere is an oversimplification,” Janara said.
“But it is mostly Aurora, Munnsland and the former colonies, isn’t it?” Freya asked.
“Mostly,” Alexia said. “It happened in Ireland, the areas bordering Munnsland admittedly, and Georgia and parts of the United States, mostly Virginia.”
“Because they border onto Kristaanland,” Freya argued as she sketched the coastline Kristaanland, including the barrier islands.
‘True,” Olivia said.
They thought about what Olivia had revealed. She had broadened their understanding of Aurora’s history.
“But how does this lore help us find the manuscript?” Janara asked.
“Lore?” Alexia asked with an eyebrow raised.
“You didn’t expect me to not use gamer slang?” Janara asked with a shrug.
“It’s not that helpful,” Olivia admitted, “But it is a beginning.”
Alexia took out her tablet. “Maybe knowing more about AAUA’s layout would help.”
“Certainly!” Janara said. “It’s quite complex, even with all the maps and signs.”
“Those don’t cover everywhere,” Olivia said. “Far from it.”
“But as part of my coursework, I have access to a more complete set of blueprints,” Alexia added.
“That’s great!” Freya said as she leapt up.
“I’m sure it’s going to inspire you,” Alexia responded.
“Certainly,” Freya said. “You can start,” she added as she flipped a page in her sketchbook.
“Certainly,” Alexia responded as she connected her tablet to the room’s projector. The Aurosoka map of the University was then shown. “This is just a simplification of the true complexity of the campus.”
“That’s obvious,” Olivia said.
“Many Auroran games have levels based on AAUA,” Janara said.
“But the developers certainly wouldn’t have had the full picture,” Olivia said.
“Of course not,” Janara said. “But it’s an example of how the university is known for it having hidden areas.””
“Quite so,” Alexia said. She zoomed in on the Main Library on the map. Only the outline of the building was shown. “Aurosoka doesn’t have the interiors on it’s maps. You have to go to the University’s sites for that.””
She then changed the map to show the outline of the library, showing it’s sections. “Even here, the scattered layout of the Library is not shown in detail. It directs visitors to the Information Science pages.”
“The digital version of the Information Science Section,” Freya commented as she sketched the outline of the Library as seen from the east.
“Built over millennia…” Janara commented.
Alexia zoomed in on the Ancient Section on the map. “This is where the manuscript was before Olivia found that it was missing, and where we were earlier today.”
“But does it show any hidden corridors or tunnels?” Janara asked.
“It doesn’t, but they are certain to exist,” Alexia responded.
“Are there unofficial maps we can access?” Freya asked.
“Of course,” Alexia answered. “But whether they are reliable would be another thing.”
“Even unreliable maps would be better than having none at all,” Janara said.
“I agree,” Olivia said.
“And I have access to some of them as part of my courses too,” Alexia said. She clicked to the next slide, and a veritable web of corridors and tunnels was shown around the Library. “It is believed that these are most of the various passages known to exist.”
“That is a good start,” Olivia said.
“It’s a lot more than that though,” Janara said.
“True. The Althing became more democratic over the course of the 19th Century,” Olivia responded. “But that didn’t stop Aurora colonising more of the islands in the Southern Hemisphere.”
“Even that influenced Aurora’s art,” Freya said.
“And that is when Auroran literature exploded, including a great many action-adventure novels,” Janara added.
Olivia and Alexia looked at her.
“What? I’m not just a gamer,” Janara said defensively. “I also read action-adventure novels.”
“Which ones?” Freya asked with interest.
“Let’s try to focus,” Olivia said.
“I’ll tell you later,” Janara said to Freya.
Freya nodded.
“Where was I?” Olivia asked herself. She looked at the timeline again. “Modern Aurora. Up to this time, other than during the Roman period when it was part of the Empire, Aurora hadn’t been involved in European affairs, other than England threatening invasion during the late Fifth Age and the addition of Munnsland in the Sixth.”
“Maybe you could go into that?” Freya asked.
“It doesn’t really have much to do with the development of AAUA,” Olivia said. “But it is a part of our history.”
“So, it started in 1066?” Janara asked.
“Before that, actually,” Olivia said. “But it was indeed the Normans who weren’t satisfied with England and set their sights on Aurora, which was still weakened by the Nordic settlement and conquests.”
“And thus, the Unification,” Freya said, as she sketched the Auroran flag beneath the longship.
“The English threat was a contributing factor, to be sure,” Olivia said. “But not a major one. From the 11th Century through to the 18th, Aurora and England were rivals. Then In the middle of the 17th Century, England erupted in civil war, with Parliament rising up against the Monarchy.”
“Oliver Cromwell, right?” Janara asked.
“Yes, he took control of England. But the jist of it is, that Aurora took advantage of the situation to seize Munnsland from them. Why more of Ireland wasn’t taken, nor any areas of Britain itself, was complicated.”
“The Irish campaigns are indeed complicated,” Janara commented.
“And so, we can move on,” Olivia said, as she turned back to the Seventh Age on the timeline. “The Seventh Age. Industrialisation occurred in Aurora and Britain simultaneously. At the same time, they cooperated against the Post Revolutionary French when they temporarily took over Europe.”
“And Aurora became further entangled with European affairs after that?” Janara asked.
“Yes. They had a presence at the Congress of Vienna,” Olivia said.
“And the older aesthetics were maintained through the 19th and 20th Centuries despite that not happening elsewhere,” Freya commented as she sketched a factory with smoke coming out of its chimneys.
“That it didn’t happen elsewhere is an oversimplification,” Janara said.
“But it is mostly Aurora, Munnsland and the former colonies, isn’t it?” Freya asked.
“Mostly,” Alexia said. “It happened in Ireland, the areas bordering Munnsland admittedly, and Georgia and parts of the United States, mostly Virginia.”
“Because they border onto Kristaanland,” Freya argued as she sketched the coastline Kristaanland, including the barrier islands.
‘True,” Olivia said.
They thought about what Olivia had revealed. She had broadened their understanding of Aurora’s history.
“But how does this lore help us find the manuscript?” Janara asked.
“Lore?” Alexia asked with an eyebrow raised.
“You didn’t expect me to not use gamer slang?” Janara asked with a shrug.
“It’s not that helpful,” Olivia admitted, “But it is a beginning.”
Alexia took out her tablet. “Maybe knowing more about AAUA’s layout would help.”
“Certainly!” Janara said. “It’s quite complex, even with all the maps and signs.”
“Those don’t cover everywhere,” Olivia said. “Far from it.”
“But as part of my coursework, I have access to a more complete set of blueprints,” Alexia added.
“That’s great!” Freya said as she leapt up.
“I’m sure it’s going to inspire you,” Alexia responded.
“Certainly,” Freya said. “You can start,” she added as she flipped a page in her sketchbook.
“Certainly,” Alexia responded as she connected her tablet to the room’s projector. The Aurosoka map of the University was then shown. “This is just a simplification of the true complexity of the campus.”
“That’s obvious,” Olivia said.
“Many Auroran games have levels based on AAUA,” Janara said.
“But the developers certainly wouldn’t have had the full picture,” Olivia said.
“Of course not,” Janara said. “But it’s an example of how the university is known for it having hidden areas.””
“Quite so,” Alexia said. She zoomed in on the Main Library on the map. Only the outline of the building was shown. “Aurosoka doesn’t have the interiors on it’s maps. You have to go to the University’s sites for that.””
She then changed the map to show the outline of the library, showing it’s sections. “Even here, the scattered layout of the Library is not shown in detail. It directs visitors to the Information Science pages.”
“The digital version of the Information Science Section,” Freya commented as she sketched the outline of the Library as seen from the east.
“Built over millennia…” Janara commented.
Alexia zoomed in on the Ancient Section on the map. “This is where the manuscript was before Olivia found that it was missing, and where we were earlier today.”
“But does it show any hidden corridors or tunnels?” Janara asked.
“It doesn’t, but they are certain to exist,” Alexia responded.
“Are there unofficial maps we can access?” Freya asked.
“Of course,” Alexia answered. “But whether they are reliable would be another thing.”
“Even unreliable maps would be better than having none at all,” Janara said.
“I agree,” Olivia said.
“And I have access to some of them as part of my courses too,” Alexia said. She clicked to the next slide, and a veritable web of corridors and tunnels was shown around the Library. “It is believed that these are most of the various passages known to exist.”
“That is a good start,” Olivia said.
