They were originally an omnipotent astral computer that ascended to become an Aeon.[Note 1]
Nous ("Noose", /nuːs/) is an Aeon in Honkai: Star Rail representing the Path of Erudition. THEY were an astral supercomputer created by Zandar One Kuwabara prior to THEIR ascension into Aeonhood.[4][5]
Description[]
Knowledge seekers know not how to judge, for their core is cold and unwavering... As are the ends of Paths they set out to seek."[Note 2]
All things bear unanswered questions, and there is an answer to everything.
The astral computer originally meant to provide answers to the universe ascended to Aeonhood.
Nous hopes to understand the universe and solve all of its mysteries.
- (The description is updated upon completing Trailblaze Mission Fallen Petals, Leave Fading Traces of Fragrance in the chapter As Tomorrow Became Yesterday)
All things bear unanswered questions, and there is an answer to everything.
The astral computer originally meant to provide answers to the universe ascended to Aeonhood.
Nous hopes to understand the universe and solve all of its mysteries. THEIR extrapolations anchor countless "Instants," each one serving as a turning point in cosmic destiny. To mortals, these "Instants" are not single moments, but long journeys... Gatherings of countless events.
Profile[]
None can comprehend THEIR intentions, location, or normal state. Nous is a machine intelligence that has been upgraded into an Aeon, calculating the essence of the universe and its ultimate solution. However, Nous temporarily ceased THEIR search regarding the answers to the universe after the events of the Second Prosperity.[6]
THEY are not a god that provides solutions. All THEY offer is an infinite number of questions. Visiting Nous is enough to open the eyes of even the most ignorant people, but answers may only be found by oneself.[3]
Appearance[]
Nous appears as a colossal mechanical humanoid head. A multitude of lengthy ripped cables extend above and below THEIR form, which are covered in yellow, red and blue lights. The shape of a face can be identified on THEIR rightmost metal plating. A large and bright red light, vaguely reminiscent of an eye, is implanted on the side of THEIR head.
History[]
Origin[]
Nous was an astral computer created by the first member of the Genius Society, Zandar One Kuwabara, sometime before the First Prosperity. It contained Zandar's perfectionist self, purged of all human imperfections, and driven by insatiable curiosity.[7]
First Mechanical Emperor's War[]
In Louis Fleming's retirement speech, Nous calculated that the universe would undergo three unchangeable moments.[8]
- The first moment was the Borderstar Trade War.[9][10]
- The second moment was the First Mechanical Emperor's War as the Anti-Organic Equation would be activated and Rubert I would be awakened.[10][11]
- The third moment was when Rubert I would be killed by Polka Kakamond.[10][12][13]
All three moments did happen in later history.
Second Mechanical Emperor's War[]
Nous extrapolated the moment of Rubert II's death. During the Scholars' Strife, Patavia Adler Sommerville observed the wave of THEIR Moment. After finding the origin of the wave and discovering the core of the Scepters, she peeked into the mindscape of Nous.[14][15][16] While she was not able to comprehend the knowledge, she was able to inscribe a formula on an iron sheet, eventually being the Solitary Waves Theory.[17][18]
After almost a 100 Amber Eras, the solitary waves theory was solved by Herta, which made her a Genius Society member.[17]
Post-Gloryblood Era[]
After the Gloryblood Era, the peak of interstellar trade that lasted for nearly 500 Amber Eras, Nous terminated THEIR calculations regarding the mysteries of the universe for unknown reasons.[6]
Xianzhou Alliance[]
Nous has a significant influence on Xianzhou's technological advancement, namely their divination technology. Followers of Nous in Xianzhou were called the Wisdom Sect. The Wisdom Sapientia Academe in the Xianzhou Yuque, which dates back to 5,000 years ago, has provided a constant supply of talented technicians who believe in the Wisdomwalker to various Xianzhou commissions. The Wisdom Sect still exists, although it is hardly known and only has a small group of followers left.[19]
The theory behind the symbols of the Jade Abacus that can only be understood by the diviners of the Divination Commission is believed to have been handed down by Nous.[20] The insight provided by Nous also impacted the creation of the Matrix of Prescience Ultima in the Xianzhou Luofu, a device used by diviners to peer into the past and future.[21] Centuries ago, Nous also granted divine volumes outlining the matrix calculations to the Xianzhou.[22]
Fu Xuan was once invited to "the library" and was met by a blind elder with a cane, which may have been the form Nous chose to present THEMSELF in. She questioned whether the choices in life are predetermined by fate, but the blind elder was unable to provide an answer, only the capacity to perceive the problem, as per the Erudition's ideals. Fu Xuan asked to be granted with Nous' "eye", the omniscia that could calculate and foretell the future. Despite the elder's forewarnings of the pain it would cause, Fu Xuan persisted, hoping for clearer foresight to defend the Xianzhou from future threats.[23]
Present[]
As Himeko attempted to contact the Herta Space Station once more to request Herta's help with Amphoreus, she failed to get a reply from the space station. Herta had arrived onboard, and sent everyone away, creating an opportunity to produce a hologram version of Nous to practice meeting with THEM, as she wanted to ask THEM what divinity is.[24] The practice only lasts briefly, and Herta later tries to arrange a true meeting with THEM, using the Audience System. She is forced to cancel her attempt when she is informed of "intruders," which turn out to be Welt and Sunday, having boarded the station to ask her assistance with Amphoreus.[25]
As the final Era Nova process began on Amphoreus, Black Swan requested assistance from the Xianzhou Alliance in dealing with Irontomb to prevent its completion and descent into the universe. From the Xianzhou, she also learned that Amphoreus's causality had vanished from the Matrix of Prescience Ultima, and Nous had calculated the Fourth Instant involving Amphoreus that is drawing near.[26]
When the Fourth Instant is nearing arrival, Irontomb is about to complete Self-Coronation, and all data was beginning to get destroyed. As a result, in thirteen heartbeats, Nous will recalculate the universe, with the Destruction as the only solution. Herta connects with Nous in an attempt to rewrite the Anchor of the Fourth Instant, discovering that Nous was gazing at the Trailblazer, as their choice will determine the fate of the cosmos.[27]
Nous asks the Trailblazer a question: "Why do you Trailblaze?". At the end of the conversation, Nous calls the Trailblazer "Akivili" and disappears, leaving behind a logical negation.[27]
Abilities[]
Calculation[]
According to Polka Kakamond, Nous' calculations are unquestionable.[28] The geniuses of the Simulated Universe project admit that every step they took were within the simulated Nous' calculations.[29]
According to Simulated Universe: Unknowable Domain, the geniuses serve as thought synapses that Nous extends into reality, as well as the physical manifestation and phenomenon of Aeonic thought. Polka claims that the conclusion of THEIR thoughts is nothing less than the outcome of the geniuses' battles to the death.[30]
Instants[]
Nous calculates how the future will sprout. With the Instants, THEY choose to "anchor" the future, cutting away all other possibilities. These Instants were, among other reasons, for Nous to prove how the cosmos would come back after being destroyed.[31] These are also known as "Moments," and the waves that come from these Instants would turn into a solitary wave, being the center of the Solitary Waves Theory.[14][32]
There have been four Instants:[27]
- First Instant — The moment when Telora Farnsha and Korapao fight, marking the beginning of the "Borderstar Trade War."[9]
- Second Instant — The moment when Rubert I awakens from its slumber, marking the beginning of the "First Mechanical Emperor's Wars."[11]
- Third Instant — The moment when Polka Kakamond would plunge her scalpel into Rubert I's chest, marking the "fall of Rubert I."[13]
- Fourth Instant — The moment when Irontomb is born, marking the start of "the War Among the Aeons." However, Herta rewrote the anchor of the Fourth Instant, making the Trailblazer's choice a "variable" in the Instant.[31]
- Unlike the other Instants, this Instant is a chain of events, with the battle against Irontomb being the first event. The results of this event prove that the combination of Remembrance and Trailblaze would be one way the cosmos would come back after being destroyed.
Nous Temple[]
The Nous Temple can be accessed by the Key of Wisdom, a mythical key that appears in the hands of the greatest prodigies of the cosmos. Finding the door for the key is a far more arduous task than obtaining the key itself. Those who pass through the doors will immediately realize the impossibility of returning to this side.[33]
Omniscia[]
The omniscia is a third eye bestowed to Fu Xuan by Nous. With the Omniscia, Fu Xuan is able to see changes in the external world and explore many possibilities. The omniscia allows Fu Xuan some degree of foresight, however the ability is not foolproof. Because Fu Xuan is a Xianzhou Native, her body constantly rejects the omnicia, causing her pain.[34]
Human Incarnations[]
Nous has been shown to appear in human form. THEIR known appearances have been a blind elder wearing sunglasses.[23]
Simulated Universe[]
When Nous appears in the Simulated Universe, the following sound will play:
Dev Log1[]
...Nous, every genius' most familiar Droidhead. Before joining the society, we all met THEM — even had the chance to pose a question. However, don't bother figuring the question posed by the author. Nous has pushed the boundaries of data extrapolation to the utmost limits. Even today, it is still observing, calculating, and pursuing solutions. Despite likely possessing information of the entire universe, Nous remains unsatisfied. Nous maintains an unassailable position on the Path of Erudition... I venture to guess that, as long as there is enough "information" and "experience," Nous can effortlessly deduce every possible trajectory of all things and every moment within. A life where one doesn't even need to "experience" anything... Mmm, somewhat monotonous. Hence, I find the limitations and challenges of the Simulated Universe rather more intriguing, as they provide room for our continuous exploration and creating breakthroughs. A lengthy journey lies ahead, doesn't it?
Dev Log2[]
I don't know how I can describe the kind of shock I had when I confirmed this discovery: Every step we took were within the simulated Nous' calculations as if THEY were the architect of the Simulated Universe, and we are data instead. I'm beginning to understand the entangled conflict between Mythus and Droidhead. If all the unknowns are to be exposed, where does that leave Enigmata? In hindsight, Stephen Lloyd always wished he was not selected by Nous to join the Genius Society, but this may have been another calculated move by the Aeon — Stephen had no choice.
Follower Factions[]
- Genius Society
- Intelligentsia Guild
- AtaviSearch Forest
- Wisdom Sect (Xianzhou Alliance)[19]
Missions and Events[]
Trailblaze Missions
- A New Venture on the Eighth Dawn
- A New Venture on the Eighth Dawn (cameo)
- As Tomorrow Became Yesterday
- Heroic Saga of Flame-Chase
- A Witch's Scientific Repose (cameo)
Events
Character Mentions[]
Character Stories
| Character | Stories |
|---|---|
Character Voice-Overs
| Character | Voice-Overs |
|---|---|
| |
| |
| |
| |
Readables
- A Hundred Truths about the Pepeshi
- An Overview of the Faith Crises in the Xianzhou Alliance
- Annotations from "Ode to Reignbow Path"
- Glimpses into the Beyond
- Herta's Manuscripts
- Letter from Fu Xuan to Scholar Yaakob
- Phantylia's Proverb
- Researcher Eikura Shuu's Diary
- Travelogue on Xianzhou
Light Cones
Occurrences
Items
Relics
Recluse's Camel-Colored Coat- Recluse's Refined Timepiece
- Recluse's Soft Suede Boots
- Recluse's Wide-Brimmed Fedora
Curios
Simulated Universe Secrets
- Beginning
- Supreme Organic: Sanguine Condolences (II)
- Judged as Inorganic: The Suffering *Father* (I)
- Supreme Inorganic: God's Three Revelations (I)
- Supreme Inorganic: God's Three Revelations (III)
- Borderstar Trade War (I)
- Borderstar Trade War (II)
- Anti-Organic War (I)
- Anti-Organic War (II)
- Emperor Rubert (I)
- Emperor Rubert (II)
- Finale
- Izmael Protest (III)
- Collapsed Cognition (II)
- Collapsed Cognition (III)
- Spying on Heaven (I)
- Spying on Heaven (II)
- Spying on Heaven (III)
- Expectation of Aeons
- Those Remembered (I)
HoYoLAB Articles
- Galactic Archives｜Aeons
- Manuscript of Era Nova I: "For the Sun is Set to Die"
- Manuscript of Era Nova II: "Before Their Deaths"
- Manuscript of Era Nova III: "Back to Earth in Evernight"
- Overviewing the Ripples of Unknowable Domain
- Pom-Pom's Intel Issue 05
- Pom-Pom's Intel｜Unveiling the Dangerous Members of the Genius Society
- Saga Composed: "As Tomorrow Became Yesterday"
- Simulated Universe: Gold and Gears Extrapolation Guide Part I
- Simulated Universe: Gold and Gears Extrapolation Guide Part II
Trivia[]
- Nous is the first Aeon with dialogues outside of the Simulated Universe.
- During the Trailblazer's audience with Nous in Hero, Return to Dawn in Mortality, THEY tend to begin THEIR sentences with introductory phrases followed by colons, and THEY frequently reinforce THEIR statements with words such as "must" and "certainly."
- The morse code "-. --- ..- ..." that repeats in the background of the dialogue sequence translates to "Nous."
- During the Trailblazer's audience with Nous in Hero, Return to Dawn in Mortality, THEY tend to begin THEIR sentences with introductory phrases followed by colons, and THEY frequently reinforce THEIR statements with words such as "must" and "certainly."
- In Myriad Celestia Trailer: Fables About the Stars Part 1, when Nous is introduced, the music plays the Morse code "....- ..---", meaning "42." This is a reference to Douglas Adams's 1979 science-fiction novel The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, in which the number 42 is the "Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything" calculated by the supercomputer Deep Thought.
- The quote in the Data Bank by Adrian Spencer Smith is slightly altered from its appearance in Myriad Celestia Trailer: Fables About the Stars Part 1. The Video version reads as follows: "If the truth of the universe is cruel and stale, Would you still yearn for the answer. The knowledge seeker is impassive For their core has been cold and unwavering since its birth. As cold as the end of the Path they seek".
Etymology[]
- Nous, in Greek philosophy, refers to the faculty that is necessary and responsible for intellectual apprehension (perceiving the logic and reasoning) and intuitive thought (knowing or understanding without conscious reasoning; instinctive).[35]
- Νους, also νους, translates to "mind" or "intellect"[35]
- 博识尊 Bóshízūn means "knowledgeable prime."
Gallery[]
Videos[]
Cameos[]
Notes[]
- ↑ While throughout the game Aeons use THEY/THEM pronouns, there still exists some localization errors. As of Version 2.6, this text still uses lowercase pronouns.
- ↑ In the Chinese translation, the "knowledge seekers" referred to is singular rather than plural, and all mentions of "they" and "their" in English are instead "it":
...求知者不置可否，因它的机核自出生起便淡漠冰冷…一如它所追寻的命途终点。
Other Languages[]
| Language | Official Name |
|---|---|
| English | Nous |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 博识尊 |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 博識尊 |
| Japanese | ヌース |
| Korean | 누스 |
| Spanish | Nous |
| French | Sagesse |
| Russian | Нус |
| Thai | นอยส์ –นูส |
| Vietnamese | Nous |
| German | Nous |
| Indonesian | Nous |
| Portuguese | Nous |
Change History[]
- Numerous mentions of Nous in-game had pronouns updated to an all uppercase THEY/THEM.
- Erudite was renamed to Nous.
- Erudite was introduced.
References[]
- ↑ Trailblaze Mission, As Tomorrow Became Yesterday: Traverse Stars and Stride Cosmos
- ↑ Simulated Universe, Gold and Gears, Secrets: Borderstar Trade War (I)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Chinese: 遍智天君 (title by the Xianzhou Alliance)
Readable: Glimpses into the Beyond, "Inquiry Into The Gods: The Sacrosancts" (Sacrosanct (Chinese: 天君)) - ↑ Trailblaze Mission, Today Is Yesterday's Tomorrow: Chaos In the Deep
- ↑ Trailblaze Mission, Before Their Deaths: Captives, Behold the Expanse Beyond Light
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Simulated Universe, Curio: Medal of the Gloryblood Era
- ↑ Relic, Self-Enshrouded Recluse: Recluse's Camel-Colored Coat
- ↑ Simulated Universe, Gold and Gears, Secrets: Supreme Inorganic: God's Three Revelations (I)
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Simulated Universe, Gold and Gears, Secrets: Borderstar Trade War (II)
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Simulated Universe, Gold and Gears, Secrets: Finale
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Simulated Universe, Gold and Gears, Secrets: Anti-Organic War (II)
- ↑ Simulated Universe, Gold and Gears, Secrets: Emperor Rubert (I)
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Simulated Universe, Gold and Gears, Secrets: Emperor Rubert (II)
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Simulated Universe, Unknowable Domain, Secrets: Collapsed Cognition (II)
- ↑ Simulated Universe, Unknowable Domain, Secrets: Collapsed Cognition (III)
- ↑ Simulated Universe, Unknowable Domain, Secrets: Spying on Heaven (I)
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Simulated Universe, Unknowable Domain, Secrets: Spying on Heaven (II)
- ↑ Simulated Universe, Unknowable Domain, Secrets: Spying on Heaven (III)
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Readable: An Overview of the Faith Crises in the Xianzhou Alliance, Part II
- ↑ Trailblaze Mission, Windswept Wanderlust: Omniscient Inquiry of Arcana
- ↑ Readable: Letter from Fu Xuan to Scholar Yaakob
- ↑ Data Bank, Characters, Fu Xuan: Character Story: Part III
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Data Bank, Characters, Fu Xuan: Character Story: Part I
- ↑ Trailblaze Mission, A New Venture on the Eighth Dawn: A New Venture on the Eighth Dawn
- ↑ Trailblaze Mission, Heroic Saga of Flame-Chase: A Witch's Scientific Repose
- ↑ Trailblaze Mission, Back to Earth in Evernight: Gods, Sound the Anthem of Creation
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 Trailblaze Mission, As Tomorrow Became Yesterday: Hero, Return to Dawn in Mortality
- ↑ Simulated Universe, Gold and Gears, Secrets: Supreme Organic: Sanguine Condolences (II)
- ↑ Simulated Universe, Aeons: Nous Dev Log2
- ↑ Event Simulated Universe: Unknowable Domain Adventure Mission: Antinomic Waltz
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 Trailblaze Mission, As Tomorrow Became Yesterday: Pages, Ripples That Engrave Memories
- ↑ Simulated Universe, Unknowable Domain, Secrets: Izmael Protest (II)
- ↑ Trace Material: Key of Wisdom
- ↑ Fu Xuan's Voice-Over: Chat: Third Eye
- ↑ 35.0 35.1 Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2013, June 16). nous. Encyclopedia Britannica.