Mael;197099 said:
whoa whoa whoa there. Re-read it. He is referring to different pieces, not the machine pieces. The Rich Archeologist dude finds the pieces crafted by Icarium that are models of the larger machine. He shows bugg these pieces which bugg confirms something is missing (Icarium maybe?). Then he shows bugg other pieces that he specifically states seem unrelated which bugg confirms after his little vision upon looking at one of the non-machine related artifacts. The Eres did not help build Icarium's machine.
Whoa, whoa, whoa there.
I did re-read the part (pg. 172-173), and if you re-read it too, then you'll notice that Bugg first takes that Eres'al made thingy into his hands and has this vision of the Eres'al couple who made it before they died, long ago. He finishes the story of their deaths with words:
"But Icarium said there would be no end, that the cut thread was but an illusion - in his voice, then, I could hear his father."
Then, still holding THE SAME OBJECT, he says:
"This artifact - you will find it is identical to the massive object at the inn, baring scale." (...)
--> object at the inn = Icarium's machine
"Are you certain of all this?"
"Yes." Bugg gestured at the array of items on the table. ""A central piece is missing, as you suspected, sir. Alas, you will not find it, for it is not physical. The framework that will hold it together is one of energy, not matter. And it has yet to arrive."
So, to make this clear, although I was maybe inclined to think so at the beginning, after the discussion in the other thread (thanks for constructive comments, guys!), I do not think anymore it was the Eres'al who built the machine, and I also do not believe any of them were physically present while Icarium was putting it together. BUT: my theory (crazy as it seems) would be that the Eres'al in a way made a blueprint for the machine (or at least for some vital parts of it) - a simple plan or maybe even set of instructions, not in a written form, but in form of those artefacts the funny guy (who's name is Rautos Hivanar btw) discovered burried beneath the city in some kind of pattern he couldn't figure out.
Now: We all know that Eres'al in one way or other have certain degree of control over time. Man of Shadows above just threw in this remark that the machine might have taken Icarium back in time. This theory might seem a bit crazy, but I do think it is one possible and plausible option. I also agree with Agraba that the Eres might have restored Icarium's memory of the machine and has given him so to say a "hint" what to do with it. Still, I'm obviously not smart enough to figure out what it would bring Icarium to travel through time (if we assume that is what the machine does), so that's why I wanted to hear your suggestions about this.
And even if the machine, as originally suggested, has the sole purpose of restoring Icarium's memories, still there IS an obvious connection between the Eres'al - Machine - Icarium, and that's also something I'd like to hear your thoughts about, because all the brainstorming didn't get me further than this, and I couldn't find any other clear references in the book that would explain this connection in any way.
And if you think I'm on a completely wrong trail... Well... Errm... Say so - that's a constructive comment too...
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