The Cosmological model universe
For a long time Ive seen a number of systems which always made me think of John Miltonâs concept of Hell and importantly his cosmological model universe.
John Milton wove various geospatial references into his work, not only to extol science and astronomy but importantly to enable the reader orientation, to comprehend the vastness of the cosmos.
Studying Raxxla I obviously became aware of Michael Brookes passion for this text, it only seemed logical that in relation to Raxxla that certain references might be repeated in game, and if so they likewise could be used for a similar
orientation.
In Paradise Lost, Milton outlines a large number of geographical locations by name, or indirectly via metaphor or allegory. I now believe that similar constructs exist in game, and the author Brookes utilised various aspects to outline layered zones, creating a cosmological micro-cosmos, bringing together and highlighting a number of mythological realms into one harmonious entity.
The ultimate purpose remains an unknown, but my speculation is that Michael integrated his unpublished book into the game directly, I presume this formed part (maybe still does) of an archeological narrative, now retconned. I now without any shadow of doubt believe that architecture does exists in game; and it is this architecture that the Codex reflects upon.
I am very well aware the following associations may be the result of cultural or pattern bias, and many of these aspects do share an archeological shared heritage; however, the fact they are not random, but in alignment and sharing links to associated fiction, namely that attributed to Michael Brookes and
Robert Holdstock; is enough to establish in my experienced opinion, that these are all highly likely placed intentionally.
In no necessary order then; I will begin to outline these various zones, some of which are known to us already, where applicable I wonât go into detail but simply reference or condense previous investigations.
Please note: these findings are not definitive and may change over time as new data is identified or expanded or corrected.
Older Gods
Within game there exists a large but a distinct area populated by systems named after deities.
This zone doesnât extend outside the bubble, and the systems are divided clearly into an upper and lower zones (above / below Sol).
The upper area is populated by systems named after âhigher godsâ such as parental or creation gods. The lower area is likewise populated by gods named after water, death or the underworld.
Of interest in relation to this area and Raxxla is the associations which can be drawn to John Milton and Robert Holdstock. Firstly in Paradise Lost John Milton; attributed all non Christian gods or his âolder godsâ as
fallen angels, ergo demons. Therefore from a Miltonian model universe perspective, such deities would be positioned correctly in the underworld.
Secondly this alignment could be said to fit a link back to Robert Holdstock book The Lost Realms where he used the phrase â
as above so belowâ.
Post in thread 'The Quest To Find Raxxla'
Layers of Water, storms and death
Similarly these older gods can be identified to relate specifically to various
sub-groups which fall into prescriptive layers, namely deities linked to
Storms, Water and the Underworld.
As well as organising these âOlder Godsâ into intentional uniform groups, such categorisation defines clear boundaries, especially the Storm gods, which notably form a
spherical bubble, which likewise can now be distinguished as separate and to be sitting upon top of systems named after
water deityâs and those similarly separated are on top of those designated as being identified as the
underworld.
This theory is of importance because it links to the concept of â
the waters of creationâ and the â
waters of deathâ within the story of Gilgamesh, specifically it also links into the concept in John Miltonâs cosmological model which identifies similar layers such as in the
realm of Chaos within Paradise Lost.
These zones likewise can be ascribed to the concepts outlined by Robert Holdstock, namely as water being a
boundary which had to be traversed to gain entry to the Celtic â
Otherwordâ a concept Iâve covered previously in relation to the
Lost Realms.
Of specific note as in other zones Michael Brookes wrote a Drabble about one of these systems, namely
Lei Gong.
Post in thread 'The Quest To Find Raxxla'
The Greek compass
A number of systems do exist named after various wind gods, denoting the classical Greek compass. Not all are present and there appears to be no direct uniformity except that of North and South.
I believe such omissions are intentional, as a method to obfuscate theyâre true meaning, because when this compass is layered over other identifiable systems or zones whose biography is likewise attributed to a north / south relationship, a correlation occurs which identifies an intentional orientation.
Post in thread 'The Quest To Find Raxxla'
The epic of Gilgamesh
The story of Gilgamesh covers a number of stories and in game many of the entities and locations are actually named in game, and within relative close proximity to each other inside the bubble.
Initially there are the deities linked to the waters of creation
Tiamat (the waters above) and
Apsu (the waters below). When compared with the other zone identified above Apsu is below the identified zone of water, in the zone for the
Underworld.
Note this alignment correlates to other zones identified in my hypothesis, namely that of the âmountainsâ which are covered below.
Notably the goddess Tiamat was the subject of one of
Michael Brookes drabbles; associated with the creation of the stars, and I speculate that Michael used his public writings to drop indirect hints, and such information adds significance to this and other systems.
In some texts Tiamat is described as embodiment of primordial
chaos, or the the glistening one, or a dragon or sea beast, its thought she may also have been a prototype for the dragon of
Delphi. Tiamat was translated via Biblical Hebrew into
Tehom meaning "the deep" the waters which existed before creation.
âAnd the earth was without form and void and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the spirit of god moved upon the face of the watersâ.
I suspect given her locality, upon the outer rim of these âstorm godsâ she is one potentially strong candidate amongst others for either the
Mother of Galaxies or/and in game a reference to John Miltonâs deity
âChaosâ.
â
From my loins and the seed of Abzu I birthed the gods and still they betrayed me. Like cowards they murdered their father, so I created creatures to support my son Kingu for vengeance.
The gods trembled at their approach, but Anu plotted and convinced the fearful to exalt his status.
Anu felled me with a club to the head. Before I recovered he split me in twain and from my ribs formed the heavens while my falling tears made the two great rivers. In the sky he cast my tail to become the band of stars across the sky.â M Brookes.
And of those gods above, these gave birth to other gods, including the great gods, Enlil and Anu, who were too afraid challenge and fight Tiamat, and so employed Marduk to ultimately kill her.
Enlil had a sister, Aruru who made Enkidu (not in game?) the good friend and companion of Gilgamesh.
Gilgamesh ruled over the kingdom of Uruk, which in turn was set upon by the deity Anu. Gilgameshâs mother was named Ninsun, who as with her son, prayed to the god
Shamash.
Shamash is of course of importance in ED because of its recent association with
Thetis and the mysterious
whispering signal. An association I now suspect is linked to Raxxla
Considering Shamashâs link to the story of Gilgamesh, there are potential academic concepts that link her to Thetis in a parallel between
Achilles and Gilgamesh.
https://www.thecollector.com/achilles-gilgamesh-similarities/
When Gilgamesh prays to Shamash, she tells him to travel through the
Cedar mountains (not in game) to the blessed land of Mashu (not in game) passing via a tunnel to the realm of Dmun (not in game) which was situated by "the Waters of Death". Where the deity Ishtar later appeared to Gilgamesh.
When seen in relation to the zone of storms, these systems all fall within this sphere of influence. Of note Gilgamesh journey is reflected by Holdstock as a Celtic prototype referenced in The Lost Realms and more so in his story Ragthorn, which likewise references his mythological attempts to obtain a magical thorny plant of immortality from the underworld!
Itâs possible then the current narrative involving the two systems, Shamash and Thetis is linked to Raxxla, given Gilgameshes wider narrative involvement which mirrors that of Holdstocks works and John Milton, involving journeys to the underworld, and likewise the references to Gilgameshâs journey to obtain the â
thorn of youthâ I speculate is referred to in the Codex by the clever use of â
Art Tornqvistâ or âthorny branchâ.
There is another parallel where a deity called Ereshkigal was forcibly abducted not just to the Underworld similar in that respect of
Persephone. This element of the story is now thought to be a miss interpretation of the text, but nevertheless in game an assortment of systems do exist, namely that of Irkalla which is either an alternate name for Ereshkigal - the queen of the underworld - or the demon who dragged her there, never the less Irkalla is in game just below
Pandemonium and when drawn is shown to have an unusual alignment with Ereshkigal.
Noticeably a number of these stories culminate at certain named locations, suspiciously these key locations are obviously omitted from game!
I propose therefore that the systems of Gilgamesh are included in game as another intentional Robert Holdstock easter egg, and that Gilgamesh is like Miltonâs Satan another prototype for the â
vagabondâ mentioned within the Codex.
Lost Realms Zone
The segment within the Codex makes mention of the lost cities of Gold, Atlantis and Prester John. This Iâve already established is an allegory for the Robert Holdstock book â
The Lost Realmsâ as many of those locations exist in game, and all within a tight focal area, around systems named after the Axis Mundi or the Greek Underworld, and specifically at the base of Norse world tree
Yggdrasil.
This correlates with the collective concept of a shared cosmological â
Otherworldâ described by Holdstock in many of his works, especially that of â
Ragthornâ.
Of note this zone is also within the hypothetical â
Mountainsâ zone, this is of importance because Holdstock refers that in various cultures access to the Otherworld was via water or through mountains, a similar mechanism potentially first established in the Epic of Gilgamesh, also referred to by Holdstock in The lost Reams and Ragthorn.
Of note this zone falls inside the Underworld zone, and in comparison I identify this area as a combination of Celtic and the Miltonian underworld.
In considering
Ragthorn itâs also notable to identify there exists a two systems of
triad goddesses, one above and one below. In Holdstocks Ragthorn such gods were utilised to denote a secret location!
In game I believe these triad goddesses denote the extremis of this cosmological model, in certain lost zones they are linked and collectively identify the zones of
heaven and of hell.
Of note: Michael Brookes wrote a Drabble about one of these goddesses
Badb.
Post in thread 'The Quest To Find Raxxla'
Shibboleth and the Sampo device
The Shibboleth system is an interesting addition, granted this is very close to tin foil and I identify a certain level of bias toward this hypothesis, I like elegant complex puzzles, and some of this is just too peculiar to be concrete enough for anyone else to put together so, Iâm unsure of its versatility.
The Shibboleth is linked due to the naming of one of its planets to the story of the
Finnish magical Sampo device, itself an unusual example described as an Axis Mundi; in the story it was potentially lost at sea in the realm of the sea god
Ahti, that system is not only suspiciously close to the half way point in this cosmological model, but is also extremely close to the system LTT 606 noted for its unusual named station
Marianne's Journey to Arcadia. You can see where weâre going here!
The alignment between these two systems when extended falls interestingly close to the upper and lower triad goddess identified previously via the Lost Realms systems in game.
How very odd.
This is doubly intriguing due to the close proximity and similarly aligned
Brookes Galactic Tour along a similar path!
These systems are also suspicious due to their spatial alignment with my concept below in relation to the zone of â
Chaosâ. Which I believe identifies them as some type of central axis point that links the two triad goddesses.
The system Shibboleth is equally suspicious because of an alignment with certain systems referenced in Micheal Brookes Drabbles namely
Tiamat, Lei Gong and Badb.
When these systems are triangulated the system Shibboleth looks to be along or equal to the relative centre of this zone?
Equally weird is if we also triangulated the midpoints of the Norse Norms and the Greek Fates and align our point of view along this axis; that same midpoint between Shibboleth and the Drabbles align⌠and one of the closest systems (amongst others) is the system
SirenâŚ.
This alignment points to a place between Shibboleth and Siren.
Likewise the location of these Morrigans falls typically upon the Western axis if we take into consideration the Greek Wind Compass. In Celtic traditions the mythology of the âOtherworldâ associated with these Morrigans was indeed to the
West.
How incredibly percular!
Post in thread 'The Quest To Find Raxxla'
Mountains
There are a number of systems with bodies named after various mountains or hills, the majority have Hindu, Norse or Celtic origins.
Robert Holdstock talks specifically of mountains, within his book the Lost Realms, including a concept for a â
world mountainâ as potential passageways towards the âotherworldâ, and Micheal Brookes likewise had utilised the term in relation to a Celtic otherworld on a few occasions.
Likewise in the story of Gilgamesh (in game) involved the protagonist travelling through the
Cedar Mountains of Mashu (not in game) passing via a tunnel to the realm of Dmun (not in game) to "the Waters of Death".
When these mountains are over-layered with all the other zones, they do advocate a correlation with the zone of waters and may act as a barrier to the Otherworld, in relation to the various historical references identified Ive come to speculate that this is now intentional, a great deal is still an unknown but they visual associations I feel cannot be denied.
Post in thread 'The Quest To Find Raxxla'
The boundary of Chaos
Within the Lost Realms zone is a realm denoting the Greek underworld, this encompasses Pandemonium as the capital of John Miltonâs Hell.
Of interest is that Milton notes it was not the actual centre, but it was upon a southernly direction away from the central a lake of fire.
If we apply the identified Greek compass, upon a shifted axis
Pandemonium does look to be within a southern position, relative to the hypothetical centre of hell.
Milton further establishes the boundary of hell by identifying how the gates of hell were upon a southernly direction, away from Pandemonium, this is important because from this position we are then presented with the location of another key realm of Paradise Lost, that of the furthest area of
Chaos.
Within the story of Paradise Lost, Satan travels to Eden out of Hell upon a well documented route from these gates. If we establish that Eden is metaphor in game for Raxxla, based upon the FD Milton quote about the
Pendant world, and the Codex use of the â
jewel that burnsâ then if we can establish the boundaries of Miltonâs universe in game, it might help our
orientation.
The following map then identifies Hells Gate as being on the outermost zone of John Miltonâs Hell, beyond a cold frozen zone encircled by the
Lethe.
Previously I misquoted Milton, believing that Hells gate was in the vaulted roof of Hell, but this was an error on my part, and the following passages actually helps to clarify where Satan flew and in what direction.
â
Meanwhile the Adversary of God and Man, Satan with thoughts inflamed of highest design. Puts on swift wings, and toward the Gates of Hell. Explores his solitary flight; sometimes. He scours the right hand coast, sometimes the left,
Now shaves with level wing the Deep, then soars. Up to the fiery concave towering high. As when far off at Sea a Fleet descried Hangs in the Clouds, by Ăquinoctial Winds. Close sailing from Bengala, or the Iles. Of Ternate and Tidore, whence Merchants bring
Their spicy Drugs: they on the trading Flood. Through the wide Ethiopian to the Cape. Ply stemming nightly toward the Pole. So seemed. Far off the flying Fiendâ J Milton.
In this passage Milton is describing the optical illusion called Fata Morgana, where a far off object upon the horizon actually looks to be much higher up in the sky. The translation means
Morgan le Fayof Arthurian legend.
In this respect Satan is simply flying over and along the surface, in particular not upwards but within a direct southerly direction, and this optical illusion is s applied to advocate he had reached the outer rim of Hell because the vaulted ceiling arose from this far off exterior wall; obviously this matches the historical image shown above.
I wanted to understand this, to affirm the direction of a suspected zone I felt had some contextâŚbut until now had not fully identified. We have an underworld, but supposedly no Miltonian Chaos. If we could identify that we might identify the gates, and likewise a perimeter.
Then the next passage goes on to describe the gates, but no distinction is actually made of their exact location. However, within the text a location is later conveyed in context to the reverberation of sound of the gates make when being opened. The name of
Erebus is given as resonating with that sound, I had missed this previously!
In Greek mythology Erebus is described as a region one must pass through to reach the underworld, as a synonym for Hades or Tartarus. In game I thought this highly unusual, because Tartarus is some distance away, and never attributed it as being as an entrance.
â
Th' infernal dores, and on thir hinges grateHarsh Thunder, that the lowest bottom shook of Erebusâ. J Milton.
So here Erebus is being described as shaking, yet it is likewise described as having a shape, and itâs lowest area is that which resonates⌠in Miltonâs Hell there is no lowest realm, and above it is only the realm of Chaos, so I initially thought why would this be used so, if not to say the lowest part of hell shook, yet in game it is very far spaced from the Greek named systems?
Similarly in game, and relatively close by to Erebus is the system
Nyx, which in Greek mythology was denoted as the personification of
Night and like Erebus the offspring of Chaos, likewise
Eris the personification of Discord
is in game, and very close in fact to
Nyx, albeit itâs not a system but a body, in the system Minerva.
Interestingly as a side note: between these two systems exists the African deity Mulungu, the highest of sky gods, the creator, but who has removed themselves totally from the tribulations of man, in some cultures they are thought to be a âsleepingâ god or that they reside in the underworld. I find it perplexing because one of its minor none player factions is called â
The Independent Nation of Yggdrasilâ - how odd.
So Erebus in terms of Milton must mean
Chaos, in Miltonâs universe the primordial turmoil from which our world was formed, which sat beyond those gates of hell.
To those not aware in Paradise Lost, our universe exists in an enclosed orb, hanging from the walls of heaven, between heaven and hell (which sits below) is the realm of Chaos.
Satan travels through the gates of hell and up through Chaos with no real clue as to where to go except up. He actually gets a little lost, but by accident finds the deity Chaos on her throne, who kindly tells Satan where to find ParadiseâŚ
When these systems are highlighted and the zone of Stormâs overlayed we see they actually fall neatly upon its circumference at its southern region.
Now if we reapply the Greek compass Erebus looks to be at the southern most part of this alignment. This zone also ends by the system
Lethe, Erebus and Nyx therefore these either denote the location of the boundary of or the
Thrown of Chaos from Paradise Lost?
The Path of Satan and the axis of Chaos
Taking the central point of the zone of chaos, if we extrapolate an axis line through that of the lowest zone of chaos, this line intersects the path of Jacques.
A bridge to the Empyrean
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threads/the-quest-to-find-raxxla.168253/post-10304929
This alignment corresponds with many systems named after sun gods, and likewise aligns the Greek Wind Compass.
The Thargoid Maelstromâs
As part of this investigation it has become apparent there is a additional data identifying this zone of Chaos.
In a previous investigation into the Thargoid Maelstromâs a focal point was identified to be in or around that to
Mat Zemlya.
Combining the above data it is my assessment that the Mealstroms are pointing to
some aspect of the Raxxla mythology.
Post in thread 'The Quest To Find Raxxla'
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threads/the-quest-to-find-raxxla.168253/post-10138410
Assessments
I postulate these zones do correlate to identify a central area namely the spherical realm of
John Miltonâs Chaos.
Far above this zone of Chaos sits the Norse Norns and the Greek Fates, as well as numerous Northern deities identified via my âolder godâsâ and âYggdrasilâ hypothesis, of importance the triad goddesses, and
Tiamat who was described and associated as the embodiment of the primordial waters of
chaos. and who in game does sits within the outer rim of the zone of storms/chaos.
Drawing a sphere of influence from Sol to Erebus identifies all âstormâ gods do fall within this zone. This zone also ends at the northern system
Danu, part of the Morrigan system or triad goddesses, the âmother of the gods" or "
mother of all things".
Just off from there is also
Sheela Na Gig, historically linked to mother goddesses or fertility but also tied to being above doors or high places.
This zones circumference also alignes with that of
Mat Zemlya a protective mother deity, itself very close to the focal point of the Thargoid Maelstroms!
The Greek compass also aligns here, establishing a
clear north and south divide. This upper zone I feel identifies the realm of heaven the
Empyrean.
We now know in game where Miltonâs zone of
Chaos exists in game, relatively below from the Empyrean and above the
Underworld just as to does as in John Milton Paradise Lost.
I believe this is a map of John Miltonâs cosmology, which is rather spectacular not only because it identifies a supporting architecture, but it potentially identifies a number of areas for considering Raxxla.
Considering the various associations and obvious relative placement of these systems I believe all were intentionally hand placed to construct a wide cosmological model universe, reflecting the story of John Milton, Gilgamesh and various aspects championed by Robert Holdstock.
Firstly in reflection of Paradise Lost the locational information from that text identifies âEden/Paradiseâ the pendant world aka Raxxla, ought to hang from the
wall of heaven, or as Milton also describes it, as the âbrow of heavenâ outside the zone of chaos.
Of note this location is likely to be close to the roof of this cosmological model, in this context - this in game is relatively the centre around of the
Norse Norns, and
Greek Fates which suspiciously sit relatively together directly upon the circumference of Chaos which I also believe is identified by the location of
Tiamat as the deity
Chaos.
This zone is conspicuous as well as it is in the general area linked to the northern axis drawn through the zone of Chaos from Hell. Of special note, the Celtic Morrigans sit in relation to the Greek Wind Compass in the West, in Paradise Lost and many theological of that period, itâs established that God, or the Gates of Heaven, or the holy light emitted from the East.
Theses systems denote a focal point in this general direction, which ought from a Miltonian perspective,
cast Heavens Gate to the East.
Upon this alignment is another peculiar system
Purisaz, which is a a weird mis-spelling of a Norse Rune linked to â
Thornsâ.
Purisaz is aligned with another Norse Rune system within the Lost Realms zone⌠and is of interest because Robert Holdstock used the â
Rune of Thornâ to denote the location of a mystical secret in his book
Ragthorn!
From this speculation I asses Raxxla to be within this sphere of influence!
The intersection of the Shibboleth system in alignment with Ahti, draws a line of sight between the
two triad goddesses.
Ahti a deity of water, also sits directly upon the mountain range, it also sits upon the circumstance of the new zone of ChaosâŚ.
From this speculation I asses Raxxla to potentially be within this sphere of influence which places it above the
North axis and someplace to the
East.
Equally around this area there is the peculiar alignment of the Greek Fates, the Norse Norns, and the Gilgamesh system of
Shamash.
A line of sight can be extrapolated from the triangulated centres of these systems that pointed equally to the centre of systems attributed to M Brookes
Drabbles and that of
Siren and of
Shibboleth.
This zone is likewise directly above that of
Tiamat denoting the outer rim of the zone of
chaos.
To the jewel that burns of the brow of mother of galaxies = Eden (Raxxla) is upon or above the outer rim of the zone of Chaos (Tiamat). To the whisperer in which space (Shamash and Thetis), and the siren of the deepest void (Siren).
From this speculation I asses Raxxla to be
very likely within this sphere of influence, which places it within the northern axis and directly between
Chaos and the
Empyrean, closer towards the North West.
The Lost Realms Zone sits below the zone of Chaos, and comparably is in opposition to the zone of heaven.
As previously mentioned the Lost Realms represent the âOtherworldâ and also fall squarely inside and below the zone of mountains, which in mythology had to be traversed to get to the otherworld. Within this zone is the system Axis Mundi falls along the hypothetical path of Satan falling from heaven denoted by the system Fall, and that path identified by Demeter and Persephone.
Of note if a line of sight is drawn from the Fall to Axis Mundi it passes through Chaos. Below the zone of Lost Realms exists the zone linked to triad Goddesses, which align via the Shibboleth and the Brookeâs Tours, higher up the alignment of Tiamat and Apsu likewise align. These collectively identify another potential area for investigation.
From this speculation I asses Raxxla to be within this sphere of influence which places it in polar opposites to the Northeastern aspect, around the system associated with a triad goddess and a system named after an Eastern gate, which I attribute to a direction as South East.
Oh, My Stars: A New Map of the Universe in Paradise Lost.
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threads/the-quest-to-find-raxxla.168253/post-10332137
Transmission endsâŚ
