The universe is filled with experiments that originate with the disk-shaped world known as Griddish. Each experiment, also known as a Var, is intricately bound to its own Slipshot. Every Var comes into existence when a Slipshot Silo is first initialized—anchoring itself somewhere in the cosmos and initiating a cascade of evolutionary development. As the Slipshot infuses the Var with Griddish DNA, a unique universe unfolds—a process that continues until the Var matures enough to exist independently, at which point the Slipshot is decommissioned.
For those following our journey, you might recall our earlier exploration of the Slipshot itself in “The Slipshot: A Universe Building Marvel With Often-Dark Results.” Today, we delve deeper into the very fabric of these experimental worlds.
Genesis of the Vars
In Griddish, the initialization of a Slipshot Silo marks the beginning of a cosmic experiment. Each Silo—ranging from sleek, needle-like structures (such as those for Var 7 and Var 8) to ancient, ornately carved obelisks—serves as the birth origin for a Var. The process is both deliberate and dynamic:
- Initialization: When a Silo is activated, the Slipshot anchors itself in the universe and a Var is born.
- Nourishment and Growth: The Slipshot infuses the Var with Griddish DNA, sparking an evolutionary process that transforms it into a thriving world.
- Independence: Once the Var reaches a certain threshold of development, the Slipshot is shut down, leaving behind a fully-fledged universe.
Notably, Var 7—known as Farth—and Var 8—known as Earth—are two of the most significant in the Slipshot series. They are part of a much larger mosaic, with countless Vars each linked to a unique Slipshot Silo. The Silos themselves are scattered across the surface of Griddish. As Cythiria reflected in Vol 2.0:
"She glanced along the horizon of Griddish, if Griddish could be said to have a horizon. It wasn’t like Farth here. This place was flat, a wide, endless disk that somehow strayed aimlessly through space. Yet, that horizon was littered with tall, slim Slipshot Silos. Endless rows and clusters of Silos as if they themselves could constitute a forest of trees. And each Silo, linked to some distant world. Like Farth."
Beauty Worlds and the Ingenious Engineer
At the heart of the Vars’ creation lies a visionary: Matere Sonnggaard, an Engineer Class Citizen hailed as the most brilliant mind in Griddish. Matere is the mastermind behind the Beauty Worlds—a class of Vars that includes both Farth and Earth. His innovative designs transformed a landscape of experimental failures into a system of living worlds within our universe.
A pivotal moment in his story is captured in an upcoming excerpt from Vol 3.0:
"Rive sat back and cast her feet onto a stool in front of her. She took a deep breath of the musty, oily air into her lungs and tried not to cough. “So,” she started, scornfully as she spoke, “This is what has become of the most brilliant Engineer in the Griddish Realm, the designer of the Beauty World Variations and all their immense glory. The one who started it all! When all the other experiments of the Engineers were utter failures, it was you who changed everything! Made the universe into what it is today! You could have had it all, Matere. Glory, power, wealth!”
Matere’s legacy, however, is a double-edged sword—one that has ignited both awe and hostility.
The Council, Deconstruction, and the Slaves’ Burden
The Vars, while marvels of creation, are also living experiments subject to the whims of a higher authority: the Council of Engineer Class Citizens. This governing body oversees the evolutionary trajectory of every Var. Should they deem a Var no longer useful—or worse, a threat to cosmic stability—they order a deconstruction project. For the Varlings, the inhabitants of these worlds, such an event spells utter annihilation.
When deconstruction is decreed, the work falls to the Mechanic Class Slaves, assisted by the Vérkatrae (particularly the Sleeper and Constructor classes). For these Mechanics, each deconstruction is not merely a technical task but a profound moral burden, fueling dissent and a desire for change.
Resistance in the Griddish Realm
The oppressive oversight of the Council has sown the seeds of rebellion. Matere Sonnggaard, along with his partner Betel Longshrew Piper—a former Council member—has taken a stand against this technocratic rule. Now in exile on Var 8, they are at the forefront of a growing insurgency aimed at toppling the entrenched power structures.
Adding to this revolutionary tide is Rive Amber, a figure whose ambitions resonate deeply with the Mechanic Class Slaves. As dissent swells among the Griddish rank and file, Rive champions a radical vision: to dismantle the dual hierarchy of the Engineers and the Council, liberating the Slaves from their imposed moral and existential burdens. Her fight is not just for freedom—it’s for the right of every being to shape their own destiny.
Fredrick Munchen: A Reluctant Hero
Amidst this cosmic upheaval, one Varling finds himself unwittingly thrust into the heart of the conflict. Fredrick Munchen, an everyman among the Varlings, encounters Opal Fremmitty in a dark alley of San Francisco’s Tenderloin District. That fateful meeting exposes him to the mysterious, far-reaching plans of Griddish—plans in which his reluctant involvement might just tip the scales in a battle for the future of the Vars.
A Universe in Flux
The story of the Vars is one of ceaseless creation and potential destruction—a delicate balance between the visionary work of Engineers and the brutal reality of cosmic experimentation. As the conflict intensifies between the ruling Council and those daring enough to resist, the fate of the Vars hangs in the balance. Will the legacy of Matere Sonnggaard and his Beauty Worlds usher in a new era of freedom, or will the weight of the Slaves’ moral burden plunge the cosmos into irrevocable darkness?
Stay tuned as we continue to unravel the epic saga of the Vars—a universe of wonder, conflict, and the relentless quest for liberation.