Transcension Maze
Hemel Deur
Image from Chris Shaeffer
The Hemel Deur, a famous Transcension Maze

The majority of transcension mazes take the form of large arcology structures or space habitats and are designed to assist the user in ascending from their existing toposophic level to the level above. However, a few mazes are much larger constructions (up to near solar system scale) and offer the seeker the opportunity to ascend through two or more levels, assuming that they are willing to dedicate the time required. The world of Path in the Sophic League offers users the option of ascension to the Second Singularity, while the Transcension Hyperline topopoli and the Strange Attractors in the Keter Dominion offer ascension to the Third singularity, each by different paths.


Transcension Maze
Image from Steve Bowers
A Strange Attractor transcension maze in the Keter Dominion

When a user travels through a transcension maze, they are exposed to a series of tests, exercises, and augmentation procedures that gradually increase their mental and physical capabilities until they are finally able to make the leap to the next highest toposophic level. During the course of their journey through the maze, the structure employs a combination of nanotech, biotech, and occasionally godtech technologies to provide sustenance and compatible environments for each user so that they do not need to leave the maze or concern themselves with anything other than the goal of ascending to the next toposophic. The resources for these technologies are generally extracted from the local planetary or solar environment by automated systems associated with the maze (the Transcension Hyperline topopoli employ stellar extraction and deep well technologies to mine the local star for raw materials) although in the NoCoZo several mazes require the user to provide the raw materials for their transcension as a condition for entrance into the maze.


Hemel Deur 2
Image from Chris Shaeffer
The Hemel Deur from 'above'

Finally, a number of virtual transcension mazes have been created in the last several millennia. Readily accessible across the Known Net and easily downloaded into a modest sized processing core these software devices offer users the option of attempting to transcend without the need to travel to the location of a physical maze (although significant life support and nanoconstruction resources are required for most such applications). The Irali Overcode Environment is one of the more well-known virtual transcension mazes extant in the Terragen Sphere today.
 
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Appears in Topics
ApotheonicsPostbiont (Po)Third Toposophic - Highest Transapients
ToposophyTransapientech / Godtech / ClarketechTransapients
 
Development Notes
Text by Todd Drashner with additions by Mike Parisi and Chris Shaeffer
Hemel Deur graphics by Chris Shaeffer; Strange attractor by Steve Bowers
Initially published on 01 April 2007.

Page uploaded 1 April 2007, last modified March 19 2008