Who is the Creator?
"The universe is the Ida's canvas" is a popular Yashelin turn of phrase used when presented with an exceptionally beautiful or weird experience. Presuming that the universe is, in fact, a canvas, how does the Ida manipulate it to begin with? Though many have pondered this question, precious few have ever dared, let alone been given the opportunity, to ask it directly: if the universe is the Ida's canvas, then what is its medium? Since it is likely that no one will ever receive a satisfactory answer, allow this document to serve as a reference point on various beliefs and some rare truths.
Common Philosophies
This section is dedicated to a short analysis of common beliefs regarding the Ida. Please refer to the sidebar for the summary of each concept.Popular Ideology
The Aravun Yashelin compare the Ida to a Painter with an infinite color palette and an ethereal brush. Others, such as the Lainists, imagine the Ida as a Singer who wills the universe into existence via its sonorous voice. These two philosophies are the most common amongst civilizations who believe in its power. Not every person or culture adheres to the dominant narrative, of course. The average Yashelin may feign conformity, but each flock tends to relate to the Ida differently. There are also entirely different cultures who believe in the Ida, but believe that it is one of many deities at work - if it is even recognized at all. Some do not believe in the existence, or at least the power, of any deities at all. There is no Creator, not even of their planet. The universe created itself and is merely the product of automatic systems moving ceasely, mindlessly forward. It is a cold philosophy, but it is understandable.Uncomfortable Truths
Although there is a kernel of truth within each popular belief system, there are many others which are hotly debated and even outright rejected. For example, what of the Ida as a Magi-Scientist? According to the Ida itself, there are six fundamental building blocks of Babikiye: temperature, liquids, solids, gases, consciousness, and time. With these tools, the Ida creates, maintains, and expands upon its gigantic canvas. Surely, it must be familiar with the arts of both magic and science to do so effectively? Perhaps so few people are comfortable with the Ida as a Magi-Scientist because the professions necessarily implies experimentation and, thus, mistakes. The Ida makes no wrong strokes of its brush and its voice never falters. Any error in its code is a virus to be squashed, never a mistake of its own making. At the risk of offense, this conceit is foolish. We should all know by now that it is as capable as anyone else of making mistakes. Branching off onto a personal thought of mine briefly: was the Ida ever a child? It must have been young once, surely? After all, everything has a beginning, even our planets. Youths make mistakes. They learn from them, too. Perhaps the beauty which makes us gasp in awe and the oddities that make us laugh share something in common: they were created by a learning child. How wonderful - and existentially horrifying! - to live amongst the masterpieces and mistakes of a developing artist."The universe is the Ida's canvas, and we're all living in it."
Prose: Ezeki and the Ida's First Mistake
Named Things
The four Ofanin say to the Ida, "We were not built for bodies, we were not built to be named things. Release us and we shall take care of this planet upon which you have grounded us forever and more." "What of your fifth, who you have waited to fall asleep?" "It shall rejoice in the splendor of the universe beside you." "You shall lose your ability to speak with mouths, to hug one another, to play with hands," the Ida warns, pleads. "We will speak, hug, and play with another as we did before," the Ofanin say. The Ida warns again, "I cannot remove your consciousness now that you have it." "Don’t you dare." The Ida releases the four to their incorporeal nature with great grief. What feels like only a moment later, it hears Ezeki, the Ofanin of Consciousness, roll out of bed.Gone
Ezeki wakes up late, as usual. First to bed and last to rise. Ezeki wanders out of its room, rubbing the sleep out of its eyes and subconsciously counting the rooms. Five, four, three, two, one! Ezeki, Kotu, Vanora, Aveli, and Fari! It is surprised to find the Ida sitting alone, staring down at its hands. “Good morning, Ida!” Ezeki greets, climbing into its lap. It stiffly preens its wings. "Good morning, my darling Storyteller.” "Am I the first one up?” The Ida chuckles, sadly. “No, not quite.” “What’s that mean?” “Storyteller,” the Ida leans in to tap its forehead to Ezeki's temple. “The others went away. It’ll be just me and you for a while.” “Went away?” Ezeki asks, unfamiliar with the concept. “When are they returning?” “They’re not.” Ezeki leans away from the Ida, brows furrowed in insult. "But Fari promised to play with me today!" "Never mind that, now. I'll play with you." An unfamiliar feeling of dread eats at Ezeki's stomach. “I don’t wanna be alone.” “I’m here with you, Ezeki." “Bring them back?!” Ezeki's hopeful, doleful eyes could melt a demon's heart. “They are not gone,” it counters nonsensically. Ezeki has no idea where to begin asking questions. Before it can think of any, the Ida kisses Ezeki on the cheek and asks seriously, "Have you ever heard any voices, Storyteller, except for our own? Have you seen waves when you should have seen your room?” Ezeki has, but it shakes its head anyway. "No, Ida. That sounds scary." The Ida droops, poised mask clouded over by grief. It focuses on preening Ezeki's twitchy wings. "Ida? What's it mean?" "... They’re not coming back, Ezeki. Do you understand what that means? You don’t have playmates anymore.” “But I have four of them!” Ezeki argues, tears welling up now. “I’m Five!” “Not anymore,” Ida rocks Ezeki gently, while a strange breeze whips around them both. “I can make you some new friends. We’ll call you and them Yashelin. Do you want new ones?” “New… playmates? Yashelin?” Ezeki has never considered that the Ida might create anyone else, after it finished Ezeki last. “Yes!” The Ida latches to Ezeki's confusion. “You can be their… leader! How many do you want?” Ezeki tries to think of the largest number it can. "Seven?" Ida grins, a tad manically, and kisses Ezeki on the cheek again. It squeezes it so close that it can hardly breathe. "I'll create a whole world for you and the new Yashelin to play on, too, once I create them,” the Ida adds fervently, imagination already rising to the challenge. “I’ll show you first, and then you can show the other Yashelin around when I finish them up! Be their One.” “Ok, Ida. I'll be a leader like Fari!” "I'll always be here to help you," the Ida reassures, voice cracking. It likely needed reassurance more than Ezeki at that moment, who benefited from its youthful ignorance and distractability, but there was no one here to give it to it but itself. "Never forget that." "... I won't?" Ezeki promises.
First
Over one million years later, Ezeki ponders, "If the other Ofanin are like that, then why aren’t I? Ubiquitous and ephemeral, I mean." "I realize the irony in saying that you need not be conscious of your own ubiquity to be so." Ezeki laughs, a strained, terrified thing. "You are everywhere at once. The invocation of stories activates that which would otherwise overwhelm you as an individual. In the same manner, the other Ofanin can control the point of their consciousnesses as well." "What?" "Have you ever heard any voices, Storyteller, except for our own? Have you seen waves when you should have seen your room?" Ezeki remembers both questions with perfect clarity. "Yes. What do they mean?" "You are connected to the same vastness that is the universe, that is me, as the other four." "Why did you hide that from me?!" "I hid nothing. You did not hear nor see it when I asked first. Now you do." "I lied!" "Forgive me for not having experienced lies before you, then, Storyteller." "You created me. You literally commanded me to tell stories!" "I did, didn’t I?" the Ida replies, dryly. "If only I was a prophetic pedant." "You could have told me what happened to them, at least! We didn’t have to act like they never existed." "You are correct. I could have and we didn’t." Ezeki dares. Ezeki asks, "Why?" "I am neither infallible nor omniscient." "I know that, Ida, but why?" "Do you, truly? Ezeki, if science is to be believed, I may be 5.6 billion years old. I have tended to this universe from its birth and mine to today, and I will always. Yet I am not the one who is blessed with a perfect memory. You are better positioned to answer that question than I." "I’m not," Ezeki argues. "Tell me a story, Ezeki," the Ida prompts with a wry smile. "Why did I not tell you about the other Ofanin?" As visions of the past from the Ida's perspective fill its mind, Ezeki grits out, "Stop it and cut to the chase! Say whatever you want to say out loud for once." "You, of all people, should understand that being the first also means making the most mistakes."
Painter
Primary Believers
Aravun Yashelin Summary
The Yashelin are the primary believers in the concept of the Ida as a painter of the universe. Their belief is supported by the fact that Yashelin means Painted, a name the Ida personally gave their species.
Singer
Primary Believers
Lainism
Mwimic Summary
This belief posits that singing is the most important act of creation. When the Ida sings, it exerts its will onto the universe and the universe changes according to its will.
Architect
Primary Believers
Members of the Peli Flock Summary
The Ida is an architect who pours over its designs and plans before donning a hardhat and getting to work. Other flocks have similar beliefs that complement the Ida as a Painter, as well.
Automaton
Primary Believers
Atheists Summary
For an atheist, the Ida as a consciousness does not exist at all. The universe operates automatically and independently, without a need for any sort of God. While they are wrong, it does seem like it is neither omniscent nor omnipresent. Despite this, the universe continues moving automatically without its direct imput.
Programmer
Primary Believers
Bes Astris Summary
The comparison between the Ida and a programmer is unpopular with most people, even amongst the Bes Astris who make up the majority of its believers. It has been used to explain, and even defend, the Astris Genocide in the past, positing that the Astris are bugs or viruses in the Ida's design.
Magi-Scientist
Primary Believers
Hesha and Shushani Flocks
Scientifically or magically inclined individuals Summary
The belief that the Ida interacts with the universe through the lens of a magician or of a scientist. Babikiye as we know it is the product of the Ida's experimentation performed and learned from over time.
One of Many
Primary Believers
Lainism, Cetwoar Pantheon, other polytheistic religions. Summary
A belief that there are other deities and spirits besides the Ida. Explanations for the Ida and other similar deities vary by pantheon. The discovery of the Ofanin supports the theory in practice.
A Person, Albeit a Powerful One
Primary Believers
Certain individuals who interact regularly with the Ida, such as Amatu and Ezeki. Summary
For most people, it is difficult to imagine the Ida as being in any way like them. After all, it is mind-bogglingly ancient and powerful. At the end of the day, however, the Ida is also a person capable of making mistakes just the same as us.
This is beautiful and rich. The story brings it to life.
Thank you!