Singularities
Singularities (특이점, teugijeom) are the unique, fantastical technologies the Wings makes use of and thoroughly exploits in order to conduct their business. Many Wings hold the rights more than one Singularity, whether invented by them or purchased from a fallen Wing. Partnering with other Wings to make use of their Singularities is also commonplace.
The details of a Singularity are incredibly valuable information that tend to be guarded deep within the Wing. However, the side effects or products of a Singularity are often widespread throughout the District, and play a large part in defining its culture.
Singularities are said to work "inexplicably" and defy all known laws of physics,[1] making them a mystique of the City.
Overview
Prided as the precious "egg" to be protected by the Wing's Nest and feathers, Singularities possess absurd capabilities and appear to break conventional laws of physics to consumers. Singularities may be applicable for multiple uses.[2]
Every Wing personally owns the rights to at least one Singularity, as patenting such technology (through approval from A Corp.) is implied to be necessary for becoming a Wing in the first place.[3] Wings rarely use just one Singularity, rather, they often possess multiple patents to use in conjunction with their main Singularity.[4] They may also conduct a partnership with fellow Wings in order to make use of their Singularity. For example, L Corp. made use of T Corp.'s time-based Singularity as part of its Seed of Light scenario in exchange for supplying T Corp. with an energy source. The use of other Singularities can also be a convenient disguise of a Wing's true function, such as in the way W Corp. uses a bought Singularity to advertise itself as a transportation company, while its actual Singularity lies in body restoration technology. When using another Wing's Singularity, one must pay them.[5]
Singularities are kept strictly confidential in order to obscure how they work. There is little potential for a patented Singularity being replicated, rather, the risk is in having the information sold to a larger faction such as a Wing.[6] From there, those who own the information will hang it over the original Wing's head to extort money from them.[6] Extortion is used, as opposed to trying to recreate the Singularity, due to the consequences of dealing with technology patented to another party.[6] However, investigating Singularities is a risky practice in and of itself.[7]
When a Wing is destroyed, the patent to their Singularity becomes void. Afterwards, the patent may be bought up by another Wing, or the technology may become public domain and spread freely across the City.[8][9]
Patent Wars
Patent wars are spats fought between Wings and other megacorporations where they sue one another for patent infringement or accuse one another of stealing their patent.[10] Third parties are usually the sole beneficiaries of these conflicts, as the intense resource drain caused by the patent war are often so disadvantageous that even Wings who win such disputes can be irreparably crippled by the legal endeavors.[10][11]
According to Nemo, there are unspoken rules that important for parties involved in a patent war:
- A corporation must patent their technology separately for areas outside of the Nest or any other domain under their jurisdiction.
- Avoid admitting to copyright infringement before carefully reviewing the lawsuit.
- The rights to a technology cannot be protected if its details were publicized through advertisements or such before the patent was registered.[10]
Ethics
Every Singularity relies on human suffering to at least some degree, whether through subjecting a Wing’s workers to inhumane working conditions or literally utilizing human life as a resource for the technology. Human experimentation for the purposes of testing a Singularity is very common among corporations, either for the purposes of improvement at the cost of human lives or developing a technology to become a Singularity in the first place. Abducted test subjects are often dumped into the Outskirts once their purposes have been fulfilled,[12] and may be irreversibly changed not only from the inflicted psychological trauma but, also the physical ramifications of the experiments.[13]
The unethical nature of Singularities is another motivator for Wings to keep their Singularity under wraps. While to-be feathers seem vaguely aware of the difficult times to come, they tend not to be properly informed of the specific cruelty they'll face working in favor of their Wing's Singularity.[14] The average citizen is even more out of the loop, demonstrated by Roland's continual surprise over the workings of technology like WARP trains and Enkephalin production. Nonetheless, the basic idea that Wings and Singularities function by making "ethically morbid compromises" is something of an open secret.[15]
Known Singularities
| Wing | Description |
|---|---|
| F Corp. | F Corp.'s Singularity revolves around manufacturing Fairies, which have the ability to "open" anything, whether it be in a literal or conceptual sense.[16] Fairies have to be recharged after use.[17] |
| G Corp. | G Corp.'s Singularity involves spheres that can control gravity.[16] One use of this Singularity is the creation of weapons whose weight can be freely controlled.[18] |
| H Corp. | H Corp.'s Singularity revolves around the creation of "Boluses" which serve as a general cure-all for injuries and illnesses. The Bolus can be applied in various methods, and generally induces rapid recovery. The main side effect is excessive mutation induced via heavy and frequent use.[19] |
| J Corp. | J Corp.'s Singularity revolves around producing Locks, which keep anything "locked", whether it be in a literal or conceptual sense. J Corp. is a casino corporation, and its Nest is known as a gambling haven; the Wing uses its Singularity to keep its assets secure.[16]
The wishpower technology seen throughout the District 10 Backstreets is a pseudo-Singularity of J Corp., one which does not qualify as a Singularity according to Faust, yet acknowledged as a second Singularity of the Wing by other characters. This technology sucks up wishes from people and stores them as a form of energy. The wishpower tends to be used as a valuable, tradable currency within the District. |
| K Corp. |
K Corp's Singularity is The Tearful Thing, a giant eyeball-like being that produces the fluid when exposed to tear-inducing narratives. Multiple "versions" of it exist, and the one which the Sinners visit in Canto IV: The Unchanging is stated to be only a "child entity". The Tearful Thing's fluid has the effect of reverting things to their original state, and is processed for use as healing items.[20] These items, sold under the name Helapoiesis or HP and disguised as healing nanobots, come in several forms, such as HP bullets, ampules, and tablets. They have the ability to regenerate even fatal injuries as long as the brain is intact.[21] [22] K Corp. also produces decay ampules that melt individuals to their embryonic state.[23] K Corp. had entered into various partnerships with other Wings due to their potent technology, supplying SP Bullets which can heal sanity to R Corp's Reindeer Team and the HP-N Bullets for use in L Corp's main facility. The Singularity is also used for meat production.[21] |
| M Corp. | MDM Entreprise’s Singularity is the moonlight stone, a material emitting a golden glow which mitigates psychological affliction induced from mental attacks, pressure, and interference. It's frequently integrated into clothing, protecting the wearer from mental harm perceived through sight, hearing, physical sensation, or direct assaults to the mind. It is said that it amplifies a single purpose or thought to protect the mind.[24] |
| N Corp. | Little is known about the Singularity, except that it allows N Corp. to compartmentalize experiences and then sell them as canned experience.[25] One such canned experience allows its consumer to experience suicide without actually going through it and is available in vending machines.[26] |
| P Corp. | P Corp.'s Singularity allows for "Expansive Space Warping technology". Items using the Singularity can be impervious to external damage, aligning with P Corp.'s aim of creating the "safest place in the world".[27] Within the District, the Singularity is used in the construction of buildings, resulting in them being highly elastic and resistant to damage.
It is also used to create a variety of gadgets, such as the Devyat Association's Poludnitsa cases.[27] |
| Q Corp. | Little is known about Q Corp.'s Singularity, but it revolves around "Talismans" that are capable of inducing spells or hexes on those they are applied to. The Singularity also allows the construction of structures that melt away when certain conditions are met.[28] |
| R Corp. | R Corp.'s Singularity is their Clone Hatcheries. Through the cloning process, thousands of clones of one individual are created from 'Hatcheries'. These clones fight for survival in a TT2-accelerated environment, in which the last clone standing becomes a soldier for R Corp.[29] |
| T Corp. | TimeTrack's Singularity revolves around collecting and controlling time, including locally speeding up or slowing down time, or creating time loops. The Singularity was developed thanks to cooperation with L Corp. TimeTrack "repackages" time collected from W Corp. for its Singularity.[30]
This Singularity also collects and controls the colors of light, causing the District to appear in monochrome or sepia tones depending on how far one is from the source of the discoloration.[31] |
| U Corp. | U Corp. has two Singularities. The first, Stasis Preservation Boxes, allow for the long-term storage of items[32] and canned food.[33]
Their second Singularity has the ability to merge the essence of two objects. It is primarily used via the Resonance Tuning Fork, which will resonate with two affected objects and merge them into one.[34] This Singularity is likely sourced from Whales living in The Great Lake as whale oil exhibits resonant and assimilation properties.[35] |
| W Corp. | W Corp. Uses two Singularities. The first is a "Singularity of Restoration" that remembers a specific state like a save point and reverts people or objects to their previous state, undoing any changes that happened in the meantime. The second Singularity has the ability to create portals between dimensions and rip space, which can be applied to weapons for combat purposes or used to send WARP trains between dimensions.[36]
WARP Corp. advertises its Singularity as WARP, or near-instantaneous teleportation for transportation purposes, no matter the distance. In actuality, due to an agreement with T Corp., the transport takes a near immeasurable amount of time.[36] [37] |
| X Corp. | Their Singularity is presumably related to the manufacturing of especially durable and light metal alloys, such as the materials used to build The Indigo Elder's skiff. This alloy appears to extracted from mines within the district, where the source material is extracted in the form of various artificial objects.[38] |
Singularities of Fallen Wings
| Wing | Description |
|---|---|
| L Corp. | Lobotomy Corporation’s Singularity was the ability to manifest the human subconscious in physical form,[39] allowing for the creation of Abnormalities and extraction of E.G.O equipment. The energy which Lobotomy Corporation sold to support its status as a Wing, Enkephalin, was also extracted from the Abnormalities.
The deliberate creation of Abnormalities was an ability exclusive to Lobotomy Corporation, performed through the injection of Cogito, a substance which no longer has any means of production.[40] However, E.G.O extraction is a replicable process, as demonstrated by Limbus Company's LCE Department. |
| Old L Corp. | A Singularity that produced energy while creating smoke or fumes as a byproduct. This smoke had mental and physical adverse health effects.[41] |
| Space Ripping Wing | A Singularity which created spatial rifts between dimensions or otherwise ripped space. The wing collapsed because it was unable to find a commercial application for its Singularity, and the patent was bought by WARP Corp.[36] |
| Tattoo Wing | A Singularity that allowed the creation of augmentation tattoos. Now that the patent has expired, augmentation tattoos are some of the most common body augment procedures in the City.[9] |
| Human Silk Wing | A Singularity which turned humans into high-quality silk for use in making fabric that maintained traits of the individual it was created from. Currently, The Carnival uses this technology to operate as Tailors.[42] |
Trivia
- Singularities are based on the concept of a technological singularity — a hypothetical moment in time when artificial intelligence and other technologies have become so advanced that humanity undergoes a dramatic and irreversible change.
References
- ↑ Library of Ruina Tiphereth, Episode III - Tiphereth: "…I don’t know! What’s the point when Singularities violate all the known laws of physics anyway."
- ↑ Intervallo 4.5-6 - Rain: "Some Nests have more than one way of using their Singularity, in case you didn't know."
- ↑ Lobotomy Corporation Day 1 - Angela: "Our corporation became one of the Wings of the World for this discovery that benefits humanity in two ways."
- ↑ Library of Ruina Cane Office post-Reception - Angela: "How about the Singularity of another Wing? Has R Corp. tried to get a hold of any?"
Roland: "I bet every Wing thinks the same way about that matter. Few Wings use their Singularity on its own." - ↑ Library of Ruina Cane Office post-Reception - Roland: "R Corp. must be using a Singularity or two that doesn’t belong to them, you know what I mean? And they gotta pay the owners a fee whenever they use them."
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Library of Ruina Gaze Office pre-Reception - Angela: "Can a Singularity be stolen if its secrets are exposed?"
Roland: "Nah, that’s not how it works. Those guys are probably just looking for some clues to how the Singularity functions so they can sell that info to another Wing or a big Syndicate. After that, the party with the secrets will use that to extort money and stuff from the Wing. Singularities are patented, so it’s too risky to just use ‘em even if you know how to make it work." - ↑ Library of Ruina Gaze Office pre-Reception - Bono: "If we get caught trying to uncover the secrets of a Singularity, we’re done for. No insurance is gonna protect us."
- ↑ Library of Ruina The Carnival's Page: "We merely took hold of a technology that came off patent when a Wing was broken."
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Library of Ruina Dino's Page
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Library of Ruina Nemo's Page
- ↑ Library of Ruina Cane Office post-Reception - Roland: "Patent wars are waged over those technologies, but in truth, neither side really benefits from them. It ends in a Pyrrhic victory at best."
- ↑ This is mentioned in Library of Ruina as part of Angelica and Argalia's backstory.
- ↑ This is seen in Limbus Company through the stories of Gregor and the Old G Corp. veterans.
- ↑ Branch D-02/Floor 3 - Gregor: "Did the people in L Corp. consent to offering themselves up to Abnormalities?"
Yuri: "That’s… I heard that was written on the contract. We were never properly informed, though… They said such routine procedures should be skipped for efficient management…" - ↑ Lobotomy Corporation Day 49 - Adam: "Every single person just stays silent, even though each and every one of them knows how many ethically morbid compromises the Wings are making."
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Library of Ruina Emma's Page
- ↑ The Distortion Detective Chapter 3, The Photographer - Ezra: “Don’t you know how expensive it is to recharge the Fairy?!”
- ↑ The Distortion Detective Chapter 7, YuRia Atelier
- ↑ Intervallo 7.5-16: The Duel
- ↑ Canto 4-47: Screening Room
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Canto 4-9: Regeneration Ampules
- ↑ The Distortion Detective Chapter 14, Psychoment
- ↑ Canto 4-12: Decay Ampules
- ↑ Library of Ruina Mei's Page
- ↑ N Corp. Großhammer Meursault/Voicelines
- ↑ Leviathan Book 16, Family (FAN TRANSLATION)
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 Intervallo 7.5-3: The Vehicle
- ↑ Intervallo 7.5-22: The Heishou Pack
- ↑ Library of Ruina R Corp. II pre-Reception
- ↑ Lobotomy Corporation Day 46 - (Abel): "TimeTrack’s technology could only reverse time in a very limited area. (...) However, when combined with our energy tech, this small technology could bloom into something bigger. (...) That’s how TimeTrack’s second invention came to life."
- ↑ Canto 6-5: Colours
- ↑ Library of Ruina, Prologue, Episode 1
- ↑ Intervallo 4.5-6 - Rodion: "I used to eat a bunch of their canned food…"
- ↑ Canto 5-3: Resonance Tuning Fork
- ↑ Canto 5 - Into the Dark, Right Ventricle Ishmael: "Whale oil makes a sound as it quivers and reverberates. The reverberating oil tries to become one with everything it touches. Some City folk talk about this phenomenon using big words like ultravibro-fusion, oscillation frequency… How such elements are used to produce the resonance tuning forks, their wavelengths and fuel…"
- ↑ 36.0 36.1 36.2 Library of Ruina Sen's Page
- ↑ Intervallo 6.5-16: First Class
- ↑ Zwei Assoc. West Section 3 Ishmael/Identity Story
- ↑ Library of Ruina Yesod, Episode III - Yesod: "Lobotomy Corporation’s Singularity was physically manifesting the human mind, an abstract concept. Converting human emotions to physical energy, in the same vein as the Library."
- ↑ Cogito was produced through the Bucket, or the remains of Carmen's body. Following her assimilation into the Light and destruction of the Lobotomy Corporation headquarters, this should no longer exist. Read more here.
- ↑ Library of Ruina Maxim's Complete Page
- ↑ Library of Ruina The Carnival's Page
External Links
- Singularity - Library Of Ruina wiki
Wiki Navigation
#1 
#2 
#3 
#4 
#5 
#6 
#7 
#8 
#9 
#10 
#11 
#12 
#13