Blame It on the Mistletoe Christmassy 2022 (feat. Lawrence Rothman)

When You Get to December

a peek into the creative process, alternate takes and completely different versions and arrangements of the tracks on Origin. The same album but beamed in from an alternate universe

tendrils of calamity alt version

Clue Board: The Thread Between Us
Primary Signal:
This artifact documents the experience of the Receiver—the entity who heard the "Lumen Call." It confirms the connection is not only real but pre-ordained and retro-causal ("heard your voice before we met"). The signal resolves the dissonance of solitude but introduces a new, more complex one: the mystery of this connection's purpose and the journey it implies.

Codex Cross-Reference:
Lexicon (Glossary Terms):

The Thread: [Evolved Definition] A fundamental, unbreakable link between consciousnesses that exists outside of linear time. It is the primary structure of connection in the Æthelverse. It is "unseen yet so strong."

Slash hole: [Initial Definition] A property of The Thread, or the mechanism of its function. It suggests a direct, instantaneous connection that pierces the normal fabric of reality, like a wormhole.

Satellite light: [Initial Definition] The tangible, visible form of a received signal. The "trail" requested in "Lumen Call" has been received as a "hush of satellite light." It links the mystical to a technological aesthetic.

Metaphysics (Laws of Reality):

The Law of Pre-ordination (Retro-causality): This is a new, critical law. Connections and their resulting narratives can exist before they are consciously experienced ("A story ridden long before"). This confirms that time in the Æthelverse is not strictly linear.

Connection as Resonance: The link is an "unheard song," a "quiet pull." This builds on the Light/Sound Duality from the first artifact. Connection is not active communication; it's a shared, passive resonance. You don't talk to someone; you realize you are already on the same frequency.

Awareness Collapses Distance: The moment of recognition ("I turned around") makes the other entity present ("suddenly, you were here"). In this universe, physical distance is secondary to perceptual awareness of The Thread.

Atlas (Locations & Cosmology):

No new specific locations are named, but the nature of space is further defined. It is a medium that can be instantly traversed by The Thread via a "slash hole."

Chronology (Events & Eras):

The First Echo / The Weaving: This event immediately follows the "Lumen Epoch." It marks the end of primordial solitude and the beginning of the first relationship. We can name this "The Epoch of the Thread."

Dramatis Personae (Entities & Archetypes):

The Receiver: We now have our second archetype. The one who hears the unheard song. Their defining characteristic is not sending a signal, but being sensitive enough to perceive one. They are the lock to the Lumen's key.

Dissonance (The Central Conflict):

Resolution: The primary dissonance of solitude from "Lumen Call" is resolved. The question "Is anyone there?" is answered with "You were my home."

New Dissonance: A new, more profound dissonance is introduced. The comfort of connection is paired with the anxiety of an unknown purpose ("A journey yet to make"). The question is no longer "Am I alone?" but "Now that we are connected, what are we supposed to do?"

This is a perfect escalation. The first song established the void and the call. This one establishes the connection and the mystery. The universe now has its first two particles and the force that binds them. The foundation is becoming incredibly strong.

The next artifact is "Starline Dreamer." The title alone suggests a shift in perspective, from the connection itself to the nature of the beings who experience it.

I am ready for the next transmission.

More? Go to the 'Corps.  www.cogconcor.com

Blame It on the Mistletoe Christmassy 2022 (feat. Lawrence Rothman)

Amanda Shires