Akasha System
Last updated 2026-09-09
The Akasha System, usually shortened simply to the Akasha, was developed by Greater Lord Rukkhadevata by using her Gnosis and expanded on by Sumeru Akademiya after her death. It allows for the transfer and sharing of information via a device called the Akasha Terminal.[1][2]
Following the events of Chapter III, the Akasha System has been shut down, and the Dendro Gnosis handed over to the Fatui.
Abilities
The Akasha System's primary purpose is to compile and distribute information. If a user concentrates on a subject which they wish to know more about, the Akasha delivers the relevant information, insofar as the user's clearance allows. If their clearance level is insufficient, the inquiry will be met with silence. Clearance is determined by the user's identity, age, demographic, and other unnamed criteria.[3]
Aside from retrieving information from the Akasha's database, major announcements can be made through the Akasha, replacing the need for some bulletin boards — although plans to discontinue them were cancelled after the Akasha was terminated.[4][5] Users can also send messages[6] or transfer data, such as documents, to each other through the Akasha. However, this sort of activity is closely monitored by the sages.[7]
The Akasha is capable of predictive modelling if given enough information on a particular subject or person. The Akademiya used this to predict Cyno's investigation path, allowing their personnel to evade capture until he learned of this ability and changed his behavior accordingly.[8] An anonymous message on the Akademiya Public Message Board suggested using the Akasha to manage the Kalimi Exchange.[9]
While the Akasha can be used anywhere within Sumeru's borders (aside from Devantaka Mountain, where it receives no signal[10]), its potency is best achieved in larger settlements such as Port Ormos or Sumeru City.[3]
Usage Risks
Prolonged use of the Akasha System and Canned Knowledge diminishes the user's ability to think, causing knowledge obtained from these methods to assert itself as true to the user and making it difficult to correct if the knowledge turns out to be wrong.[11] Even when Grand Sage Azar correctly doubted that Lesser Lord Kusanali escaped confinement, the mere act of checking the Akasha's announcement made him expect her absence, so he initially failed to perceive her when he entered the Sanctuary of Surasthana.[12]
Operations
Most of the Akasha's information comes from Knowledge Capsules created by scholars in Satyavada Life, who gain knowledge by connecting to Irminsul.[13][14] Other types of information — such as new research developments, legal decrees, or the activities of persons of interest — can also be transcribed into Knowledge Capsules and entered into the Akasha. This typically happens during an event called Jnagarbha Day.[12]
Unbeknownst by most people, the Akasha's computational power is derived from its own users. Their dreams — known as Jnana Energy — are harvested by the Akasha for the great amount of wisdom they contain (since dreams occur while brain activity is at its highest[6]), then aggregated into what is likened to a "single, massive brain."[14] This is why the people of Sumeru have a reputation of not having dreams, and the sages after the Cataclysm slowly stigmatized dreams to prevent the populace from growing suspicious.[15]
The Akasha's ability to take people's dreams is a manifestation of Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's power,[6] and it is powered by the Dendro Gnosis.[14] Originally, the Akasha was only operable by the Archon; at some point, the sages obtained permissions over it, and imprisoning Lesser Lord Kusanali meant they effectively monopolized the Akasha. After she was freed, she revoked their permissions so that she would be the only person able to control it again.[12]
There is an extensive system manual for the Akasha, which provides detailed instructions on how to use it and adjust its settings. Few people have access to it, with Scribes like Alhaitham being among that number.[16]
Jnagarbha Day
Jnagarbha Day is a special occasion when the Akademiya enters new information into the Akasha System.[8] The Knowledge Capsules containing information to be transferred into the Akasha are linked to the Grand Sage's console, located in his office above the House of Daena.[12]
Jnagarbha Day occurs multiple times a year on a regular, but unknown, schedule. It is treated as a deadline of sorts, and is considered a major event for members of the Akademiya.[12] However, reports can be added to the Akasha outside of Jnagarbha Day; one bulletin board message specifically states that the results of an investigation would be posted on the Akasha before the next Jnagarbha Day.[17]
Akasha Terminals
Akasha Terminals are how end users connect to the Akasha. It takes the form of a leaf-shaped earpiece which hovers over the user's left ear. The device is activated by reciting the phrase "May the Mighty God bless us with their voice of wisdom," which causes a holographic green visor-like shield to appear over the user's eyes.[3] This visor disappears while the Akasha is not actively in use, and reappears if the user calls on the Akasha's abilities.[18] The shield offers some level of physical protection and its position can be adjusted, although only those who have read the system manual would know how to do that.[16]
Originally, Akasha Terminals were only given to Sumeru citizens and long-term residents; shortly before the start of the Sumeru Archon Quests, the sages opened it up to all visitors.[3] It is implied that this change was implemented to maximize the amount of Jnana Energy that could be extracted during the Sabzeruz Festival samsara, which was a scheme to elevate Scaramouche to godhood.[19]
As Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's successor and the First Akasha Terminal, Lesser Lord Kusanali's consciousness has always been able to connect to the Akasha, allowing her to perceive the outside world even without physical freedom by moving through people's Akasha Terminals.[15] She also displays the singular ability to transfer consciousnesses (both her own and the Traveler's) through the Akasha, and these activities cannot be monitored by the sages.[7][15] However, her innate connection to the Akasha also made it possible for Dottore to trap her consciousness in the Akasha System and effectively incapacitate her.[20]
To assist in the battle against Shouki no Kami, Lesser Lord Kusanali creates a weaponized upgrade of the Akasha Terminal called the "Neo Akasha Terminal." After obtaining simulations of the battle by putting Scaramouche into a dream samsara, she sent the data to all of Sumeru via their Akasha Terminals, allowing them to process Shouki no Kami's combat abilities and find a way to defeat him.[2]
Knowledge Capsules
Activated Knowledge Capsule
Knowledge Capsules, also known as Canned Knowledge, are objects containing a fixed quantity of information and can be used by anyone with an Akasha Terminal, bypassing the clearance levels imposed on the Akasha. To use it, one must link it to their personal Akasha Terminal.[13]
Knowledge Capsules are meant for inputting new information into the Akasha and are supposed to be destroyed immediately after Jnagarbha Day. However, some inevitably escape destruction and get leaked to the public; in the last century, a great deal of Knowledge Capsules have made their way into the market. Between the risk of bringing users harm, and their fear of losing their monopoly on information, the Akademiya has banned the possession, sale, and usage of Knowledge Capsules.[13] Those found guilty of circumventing the ban will have their right to study at the Akademiya revoked.[21] Despite its illegality, extensive smuggling operations have been formed to create Canned Knowledge and sell it on the black market. Canned Knowledge is used by those who are dissatisfied with the information provided to them by the Akasha, like the Eremites, commoners, and some Akademiya students.[13]
Some Knowledge Capsules are higher in quality than others; more valuable ones are richer in Dendro energy and thus tend to show up brighter when using Elemental Sight, though this is not always completely accurate. For example, once-useful knowledge may still shine brightly even when it has become less relevant in the modern day.[13] The contents of Knowledge Capsules can be relatively obscure, ranging from "An Analysis of the Sociological Ideology and Dialectics of the Hilichurls" to "An Introduction to Traditional Sumeru Brewing Techniques." Much Canned Knowledge has been leaked from the Akademiya itself.[13]
Most Knowledge Capsules are created via written information,[12] but there is a secret method which extracts knowledge from a person's mind.[8] Lesser Lord Kusanali also displays some unique uses of Knowledge Capsules, such as using them to restore the Traveler and Paimon's dream-memories of the Sabzeruz Festival samsara while inside the dream, and later, using one to hold Moseis' consciousness to return it to his body after he placed it within the Akasha.[22][23]
Divine Knowledge Capsule
Divine Knowledge Capsules glow bright red and supposedly contain the wisdom of the gods. They contain knowledge extracted from scholars that went mad trying to link their minds to Irminsul,[19] which contains remnants of Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's consciousness,[15] due to Irminsul's forbidden knowledge contamination. Users of Divine Knowledge Capsules are likewise driven insane, as seen with Mizri.[18] The Sumeru Akademiya's sages planned on infusing the Divine Knowledge Capsules into Scaramouche,[19] but failed to do so before the archon-saving operation freed Lesser Lord Kusanali and arrested the sages.[2]
Story
History
During the Cataclysm, forbidden knowledge, an extension of the Abyssal rampage stemming from Khaenri'ah, infected Irminsul. Realizing that her power alone was insufficient to resolve this issue, and calling upon her experience in dealing with forbidden knowledge during King Deshret's incident, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata created the original Akasha System using her Gnosis so that the knowledge of all Sumeru's people could be used to find a solution.[2]
After her death and the imprisonment of her successor Lesser Lord Kusanali in the Sanctuary of Surasthana, the sages of Sumeru Akademiya gained control over the Akasha System. To uphold the Akasha System as a part of everyday life, the sages after the cataclysm stigmatized dreams, declaring them to be irrational and the antithesis of wisdom. Eventually, people in Sumeru began to see "outgrowing" dreams to be a badge of honor, unaware that it was an abnormal phenomenon caused by the Akasha System.[15]
Present Day
After Kusanali was freed from the Sanctuary of Surasthana, she chose to halt the usage of the Akasha System, as it had fulfilled its purpose in restoring Irminsul and she deemed it not beneficial for her people's well-being, even though it was pointed out that some may resent her for it. The system is no longer operational, as she gave up her Gnosis to Dottore following an information exchange. This in turn has also allowed the people of Sumeru to dream once more.
Before the Akasha System was shut down, Moseis was able to create imaginary, hyper-realistic models of people within a dream, requiring only a miniscule portion of the Akasha's Jnana Energy supply to do so. By transferring his consciousness to the Akasha, Moseis was able to become the dream's host while still being fully awake, ensuring that it would never collapse due to him waking up. Thanks to signaling devices which he implanted on specific individuals, Moseis was able to continue harvesting Jnana Energy from them to fuel his dream, even after the Akasha was turned off. Additionally, those with the signaling devices planted on their bodies were thus connected to a network that allowed them to enter the dream.[22]
Gallery
(3/4 View)
(3/4 View)
Knowledge Capsules
Trivia
- The effects of Akasha overuse resemble various cognitive biases, including the Semmelweis reflex (instinctive rejection of information which contradicts established beliefs) and inattentional blindness (failure to perceive something supposedly obvious because the viewer's attention was focused elsewhere and did not expect to see it).
Etymology
- In Sanskrit, akasha (Sanskrit: आकाश ākāśa) means "sky," "space," or "aether."
- The Akasha System may draw inspiration from the Akashic records, a collection of "memories" of every thought, feeling and event since the beginning of time. The records are imprinted on the akasha (aether), and are said to be accessible to select individuals.[24]
- Jnagarbha is likely derived from the Sanskrit compound jñānagarbha (Sanskrit: ज्ञानगर्भ, lit. "knowledge-womb"); which can be translated to mean "filled with knowledge," or "knowledge matrix."
Other Languages
| Language | Official Name |
|---|---|
| English | Akasha System |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 「虚空」 "Xūkōng" |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 「虛空」 "Xūkōng" |
| Japanese | 「アーカーシャ」 "Aakaasha" |
| Korean | 「허공」 "Heogong" |
| Spanish | Akasha |
| French | Akasha |
| Russian | Акаша Akasha |
| Thai | Akasha |
| Vietnamese | "Akasha" |
| German | Akasha-System |
| Indonesian | Akasha System |
| Portuguese | Sistema Akasha |
| Turkish | Akaşa Sistemi |
| Italian | Sistema dell'Akasha |
Change History
References
- ↑ Archon Quest, Chapter III, Act I - Through Mists of Smoke and Forests Dark, Part 4: Silent Seeker of Knowledge
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Archon Quest, Chapter III, Act V - Akasha Pulses, the Kalpa Flame Rises, Part 4: Where the Boat of Consciousness Lies
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Archon Quest, Chapter III, Act I - Through Mists of Smoke and Forests Dark, Part 5: The Trail of the God of Wisdom
- ↑ Point of Interest, Akademiya Public Message Board: Introduction
- ↑ Point of Interest, Mahamata Bulletin Board: Bulletin Board Abandoned
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Archon Quest, Chapter III, Act II - The Morn a Thousand Roses Brings, Part 6: The Empty Illusions of the Sabzeruz Festival
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Archon Quest, Chapter III, Act III - Dreams, Emptiness, Deception, Part 1: Like a Triumphant Hero
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Archon Quest, Chapter III, Act IV - King Deshret and the Three Magi, Part 2: Cry From the Eleazar Hospital
- ↑ Point of Interest, Akademiya Public Message Board: Akasha and Mahamata
- ↑ Point of Interest, Bimarstan's Proverb Column: Pir Kavikavus' Quote
- ↑ Story Quest, Cyno, Lupus Aureus Chapter: Act I - Sands of Solitude, Part 1: Suspicious Smuggling Case
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 Archon Quest, Chapter III, Act V - Akasha Pulses, the Kalpa Flame Rises, Part 3: Jnagarbha Day
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 Archon Quest, Chapter III, Act I - Through Mists of Smoke and Forests Dark, Part 6: Lost in Prosperity
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Archon Quest, Chapter III, Act II - The Morn a Thousand Roses Brings, Part 3: The Continuation of the Sabzeruz Festival
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 Archon Quest, Chapter III, Act II - The Morn a Thousand Roses Brings, Part 8: Dawn
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Alhaitham's Character Story: Character Story 2
As for how he had managed to do that, it was all thanks to his role as the scribe. As a scholar lucky enough to have read the Akasha's system manual, he had studied the headset and Canned Knowledge, such that he knew how to alter the status signal of the Akasha. He had even once thought of reversing the holographic shield of the Akasha Terminal and projecting it to the back of his head to offer protection from attacks on that front. - ↑ Point of Interest, Akademiya Public Message Board: Canned Knowledge Smuggling
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Archon Quest, Chapter III, Act I - Through Mists of Smoke and Forests Dark, Part 7: Ever So Close
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Archon Quest, Chapter III, Act IV - King Deshret and the Three Magi, Part 3: Secret of the Scorching Desert
- ↑ Archon Quest, Chapter III, Act III - Dreams, Emptiness, Deception, Part 2: The Gaze From a Certain God
- ↑ Point of Interest, Puspa Café Message Board: Matra's Message
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 Story Quest, Nahida, Sapientia Oromasdis Chapter: Act I - Lingering Warmth, Part 2: Dream of Falling
- ↑ Story Quest, Nahida, Sapientia Oromasdis Chapter: Act I - Lingering Warmth, Part 3: Dream of Farewell
- ↑ Britannica: Akashic Record
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