Infinity Circuits are the carrecenad[6] psychocrystaline soul-matrixes which network Wraithbone together imbuing it with animus, both in Wraith Constructs and at the heart of every Craftworld. Soul Stones implanted into the Wraithbone of a craftworld join the infinity circuit.[1]
Overview
Within this matrix, the souls of all the Craftworld's dead reside in a form of group consciousness, providing both a well of psychic power for the ship and a massive ancestral mind to advise and guide the living. With the rise of Slaanesh, the Infinity Circuit is the closest thing that the Eldar have to an afterlife; if their souls are not caught and integrated into it, they will be lost to the warp and devoured by the Great Enemy. For this reason the Eldar will defend their Craftworlds with a fury and tenacity almost unrivalled: they risk losing not only their home, but the souls of their ancestors as well.[Needs Citation]
Although the Eldar souls preserved in the Craftworlds' Infinity Circuits can muster only a tiny amount of energy compared to that of Slaanesh, the Eldar hope that one day there will be enough souls to unite to fight and overthrow Slaanesh. It is a faint hope, but the only hope for the Eldar, who otherwise face damnation and extinction from their own racial daemon. Early Infinity Circuit technology on Iyanden is said to have been mastered by Mehlendri Silversoul in M33.[3]
Upon a Craftworld, the Infinity Circuit can be accessed at any time by any citizen via an Infinity Terminal. These terminals nodes in the infinity circuit that take the form of a slender pedestal, strewn with crystal thread, atop which sits a gently pulsing gem that an individual places their hand upon to interact.[5a][5b] This allows psychic interface with the Circuit, and the user can identify the present recent past locations and emotions of any Eldar within the Craftworld, as well as, exchange instant messages with individuals in the form of telepathic visions. They can also seek guidance from past friends or ancestors.[5b]
The infinity circuit emanates light from its spirits that is referred to as the will o' the wisps[7] (or will-o’-the-wisps).[5b] These lights are the spirits contained within. The presence of a Spiritseer gives off an aura of focus that returns some sense of sentience to the glowing and bobbing orbs of ghost light, each being a individual spirit. This returned awareness agitates spirits into activity, often flocking to orbit around the spiritseer.[7] The will o' the wisp reveals locations where ancient souls are clustered in the infinity circuit's wraithbone.[8]
The Exodite equivalent of an Infinity Circuit is known as a World Shrine[4], which contains the heart of the World Spirit.[Needs Citation]
Trivia
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Will-o'-the-wisp in British folklore is a atmospheric ghost light that often fools or mislead travelers. These ethereal lights are also referred to as 'Spooklights', among many other names in various folklore internationally. The name for the light known as a jack-o'-lantern is a similarly derived to describe a different kind of light, as a 'wisp' is a British term describing a small torch.
See also
Sources
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- 1: Codex: Eldar (2nd Edition), pg. 6-7
- 2: Warhammer 40,000: Compilation,
[Help] - 3: Iyanden: A Codex: Eldar Supplement (E-Book) - Iyanden's Rise and Fall
- 4: Psychic Awakening: Phoenix Rising, pg. 22
- 5: Path of the Warrior (Novel):
- 6: White Dwarf 110 (UK), pg. 61
- 7: Rise of the Ynnari: Ghost Warrior (Novel), Chapter 8
- 8: Gathering Storm: Fracture of Biel-Tan, pg. 44
