Fraa Paphlagon

Background and first notice

Fraa Paphlagon is identified with the Edharian tradition. He first comes to broad attention during Paphlagon's Evocation in the Mynster at the Concent of Saunt Edhar, after which he departs under escort. Earlier accounts have him raised among the Tenners and later seen teaching as a Hundreder; he and Estemard are credited with raising Fraa Orolo when all were in the Tenner community, and a former fid (Fraa Criscan) names Paphlagon as his teacher.

Role at the Convox

At Tredegarh during the Convox, Paphlagon appears as a doyn at a Plurality of Worlds messal. Seated beside Fraa Jad, he frequently interprets or expands Jad’s brief statements for the table and offers a concise primer on Hemn space (configuration space) to ground the discussion. He relays fresh laboratory results concerning four blood‑like samples recovered from a probe, stating that each is made of matter incompatible with the other three and with the matter of Arbre. From this he argues for a model of multiple worldtracks (Narratives) in which the Geometer groups originate from cosmi with slightly different physical constants. In outlining this, he invokes familiar analogies (control‑panel “knobs,” combination‑safe imagery) to explain how small changes in constants yield radically different outcomes. He frames these points as theoric motivation for the messal’s focus, not merely as politics or rhetoric.

Protism and the Hylaean Theoric World

At a later messal focused on metatheorics, Paphlagon keeps the tone civil and light while mounting a detailed Protist case. He praises his opponent’s rhetorical craft, then notes that no substantive argument has been offered against the existence of the Hylaean Theoric World, populated by non‑spatiotemporal mathematical entities (“cnoöns”) that minds can apprehend. He invokes the Steelyard: the simplest explanation for centuries of convergent proofs across eras—and even different cosmi—is that such entities really exist.

He presses Fraa Lodoghir to withdraw an earlier Procian suggestion that images of the Adrakhonic diagram were forged, pointing to wall‑papered phototypes that plainly show the Adrakhonic Theorem emblazoned on the Geometers’ icosahedral craft. He uses such evidence to keep the debate moored to verifiable givens rather than to rhetorical flourishes.

Working beside Jad, he then sketches a generalized picture sometimes called Complex Protism, in which the traditional two‑box diagram becomes a directed acyclic graph of many inhabited worlds and theoric nodes. He highlights the “Wick” and similar patterns, allowing arrows that lead outward from the Arbran causal domain toward other inhabited worlds. When challenged on testability, Jad observes that such a hypothesis could not be verified unless those worlds came to us. In later exchanges Paphlagon clarifies points of language (“perceiving,” not “remembering”) and uses Clathrand’s Contention to frame how givens about cnoöns behave as if arising from the past.

Hylaean Flow, the Wick, and evolution

In subsequent messals he sharpens this line of thought, preferring “percolation” along the Wick over talk of “leakage.” He argues that information moving “downstream” from more‑Hylaean nodes must have a non‑mystical, theorically understandable mechanism by which it can excite physical changes. While minds notice it most readily as perceptions of cnoöns, he cautions that this is an observational bias: the same mechanism would, in principle, act on any matter, not just nerve tissue.

Pressed on biological similarities between Arbrans and the visitors, he offers a minimal claim: if the Hylaean Flow does act on matter broadly, it could influence which forms persist, yielding parallel or convergent outcomes across nearby Narratives. He adopts language of feedback and attractors—stable patterns that recur in complex systems—to explain why certain theorems and even anatomical motifs might be found in multiple cosmi.

He also endorses using consciousness as the “laboratory” in which the Flow is most observable while insisting that the underlying process is not limited to consciousness. In exchanges with opponents he consistently trims claims to what he calls the “smallest, most reasonable” assertions that still account for the givens.

Dialog with visitors and new givens

During a messal where a cloaked attendee is revealed as a visitor from another cosmos, Paphlagon immediately seeks constraints on theory by asking how travel between cosmi is achieved. When geometrodynamics and a rotating‑cosmos result are described as the starting point, he notes that this conclusion is known on Arbre as a curiosity; the visitor’s account of practical exploits is then taken as fresh given, not as doctrine.

Remarks at Saunt Orolo and the Second Reconstitution

During the cornerstone ceremony on the island that will anchor the works named for Saunt Orolo, Paphlagon is among the senior avout present alongside Sæculars and delegates from the visitors. He presides over a Perelithian liaison joining Ala and Erasmas and delivers brief remarks that welcome Magister Sark as an interlocutor. In those remarks he frames earlier religious “upsights” as truths for their moments, likening them to a clock’s parts aligning to open a gate, and he urges a re‑examination of beliefs in light of the new givens from the visitors’ findings across multiple cosmi. He also notes his longstanding connection to Fraa Orolo, saying that Orolo had been his fid for a time.

Relationships and affiliations

• Edharian lineage: Associated with Saunt Edhar’s math, progressing from Tenner to Hundreder.
• Teacher and mentor: Credited with raising Fraa Orolo alongside Estemard; Fraa Criscan calls himself Paphlagon’s former fid. He later remarks that Orolo had been his fid for a time, reinforcing the mentorship link.
• With Fraa Jad: Acts as an articulate interpreter for Jad’s Hemn‑space and Narrative terminology at table.
• With Fraa Arsibalt: During the messal, Arsibalt serves as Paphlagon’s servitor, indicating Paphlagon’s seniority among the diners.
• Event officiant: Presides over a Perelithian liaison uniting Ala and Erasmas during the cornerstone festivities at Saunt Orolo.

Traits and manner

Described as being in his seventh decade, impressive‑looking rather than handsome. He carries himself with easy authority, a trim, wry smile, and good humor, accustomed to seniority. In dialog he is pragmatic and didactic, turning abstruse topics into accessible images without discarding caution. In public ceremony he acknowledges opposing viewpoints directly and reframes them in terms of shared givens.

Current status

Present and active at the Convox as a senior theoric explainer and interlocutor; later seen at Saunt Orolo during the cornerstone‑laying festivities, where he presides over a Perelithian liaison and offers remarks situating recent revelations within Edharian theoric practice.