Difference between revisions of "Delver"

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{{quote

|Ancient things stirred. And in that moment between heartbeats, they not only saw me, but they '''knew''' me.

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== Appearance ==

Delvers can be seen by cytonics who attempt to use their powers. Initially, they appear as hundreds of pinpricks of light across a vast blackness, which open to reveal small, white eyes that watch the cytonic.{{book ref|sky1|43}} The effect is often compared the the attention of the entire universe suddenly focusing on the cytonic.{{book ref|sky1|40}} The longer one observes the eyes, the larger they seem to appear.{{book ref|sky1|52}} Perceiving them leaves a person with a sense of cold that persists for hours afterwards.{{book ref|sky1|epilogue}}

 

 

=== In physical space ===

The inside of a delver is extremely chaotic, with the particulate cloud in a state of perpetual storm, crippling both vision and communications. Any person that enters the maze will start to hallucinate, seeing passages and objects that aren't there. The hallucinations are different for every person -- as such, they are generally ineffective against groups capable of coordination, or [[dione]] drafts.{{book ref|sky2|43}}

 

 

The delver mind resides within the heart; while its true shape is uncertain, it seems to take the form of the person who interacts with it.{{book ref|sky2|44}}

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=== Tangibility and deadliness ===

Delvers have a strange relationship with tangibility -- while the delver maze has discernible, unpassable walls and floors, the delver itself can seemingly pass through physical matter, allowing it to envelop entire planets.{{book ref|sky2|4}}{{book ref|sky2|43}} However, standard shields, such as ones mounted on starfighters, can stop the delver from passing through, at least for a time.{{book ref|sky2|21}}

 

 

=== Cytonic abilities ===

Despite their hatred of [[cytonics]], delvers seem to have at least some of their abilities, including:

 

* '''Sense''': delvers do not possess any discernible eyes; rather, they perceive cytonic and radio signals as sounds.{{book ref|sky2|44}}

* '''Teleportation''': delvers are capable of FTL travel while in physical space, and can jump between star systems in an instant.{{book ref|sky2|42}}

 

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The chief safeguard, maintained both by the people of [[Detritus]] and by the [[Superiority]], is to abandon all but the most crucial cytonic abilities and technologies, and surrounding inhabited spaces with '''cytoshields''', which clamp down on and limit cytonic activity. Cytonic communications have likewise been abandoned, and radio usage is greatly limited, with cables replacing it where possible.{{book ref|sky2|10}}{{book ref|sky2|11}} Artificial intelligence has been banned, and in the present times, AIs are regarded with fear by the people of the Superiority.{{book ref|sky2|45}} However, it seems that, much like few scattered cytonics don't pose a threat, lone AIs are capable of functioning without drawing the delvers' ire.{{book ref|sky2|55}}

 

 

== History ==

 

=== First appearance ===

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In total, thirteen delvers emerged into the physical world. They rampaged throughout the galaxy for the next few decades, destroying world after world, before eventually fading away one by one. From then on out, however, they were a constant presence in the [[nowhere]], observing all visitors. For this reason, [[Superiority]], as well as human enclaves, drastically cut down on the use of cytonics and wireless communication, so as to avoid drawing them in again.{{book ref|sky2|10}}

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With rumours of delvers being close to reemergence -- possibly fuelled by Winzik's propaganda -- Superiority set up a program to train people to fight them.{{book ref|sky2|10}} They also developed a supposed weapon that could get rid of them, though in reality, the "weapon" was a cytonic device that would lure a delver to a different planet. This was the primary method by which Winzik would "control" the delvers: set up the lure with coordinates to whichever place he wished destroyed.{{book ref|sky2|31}}

When Superiority arrived over [[Detritus]] for a decisive battle, [[Spensa]] quickly realized that [[Brade]] intended to summon a delver right there and then. She advised Detritus to cut off all radio communication in anticipation of the event before pursuing.{{book ref|sky2|39}} She, and eventually others from her training flight, chased after Brade, hoping to kill her before she could suceed. Eventually, they managed to pin her down, although in her would-be final moments, Brade managed a summoning.{{book ref|sky2|40}}

 

 

== Trivia ==

* The name "delver" is mentioned once in ''[[Skyward]]'' before being properly introduced in ''[[Starsight]]''; whenever the delvers are referenced in ''Skyward'', [[Spensa]] uses "the eyes" instead.

* There is a deliberate similarity between the appearance of the delver heart and the communication chamber from ''[[Defending Elysium]]''.{{wob ref|13427}}

* Much like [[Calamity (Epic)|Calamity]] from [[The Reckoners]] series, delvers are extradimensional beings from a dark and quiet place that hate the noises of our world and the people who make them. When asked about this similarity, Brandon said there is a "very, very loose connection" between them and that [[The Apocalypse Guard]] series was originally intended to be a bridge between these things, though he was unsure if that bridge would remain after he finished fixing the first Apocalypse Guard book.{{wob ref|13608}}

 

== Notes ==

<references />

{{Skyward}}