Foundryside

“All things change, my dear. Not always for the better, not always for the worse, but always, always change.”

— Sancia's internal reflection on the nature of reality and the world's impermanence.

“A lie is a tool, not a truth. It can be shaped, sharpened, used to cut through the toughest problems.”

— Sancia considering the utility of deception in her work.

“The world is not as it seems, nor as it should be. It is as it is made.”

— A foundational idea in the book, spoken or thought by a scriver, emphasizing the constructed nature of reality.

“Every object has a soul. Or, if not a soul, then a purpose, a nature, a way it wants to be.”

— A scriver's understanding of how scriving interacts with the inherent properties of objects.

“To truly know something, you must break it apart. See the pieces. Understand how they fit, and how they can be made to fit differently.”

— Sancia's approach to understanding complex mechanisms and scrived objects.

“The greatest prison is the one you build for yourself, brick by brick, lie by lie.”

— A character reflecting on the self-imposed limitations and deceptions.

“Power isn't about having the biggest army or the most money. It's about knowing how the world works, and how to make it work for you.”

— A discussion on the true nature of power in a world where reality can be re-scrived.

“Fear is a useful emotion. It tells you what to avoid, what to prepare for. But it is a terrible master.”

— Sancia's internal monologue about managing her own fear in dangerous situations.

“Every secret comes with a cost. The longer you keep it, the higher the price.”

— A character warning about the burden of hidden truths.

“The past is a story we tell ourselves. The future is a story we try to write.”

— A philosophical reflection on time and agency.

“A true scriver doesn't just change an object; they understand its fundamental nature and then persuade it to be something more.”

— A description of the art of scriving, going beyond simple alteration.

“It's not about what you're born with, but what you make of what you're given.”

— A character's belief in the power of agency over inherent traits.

“The biggest lies are often the ones we tell ourselves to make the world make sense.”

— A reflection on cognitive biases and self-deception in understanding complex realities.

“There are always other ways. Always. The trick is finding them.”

— Sancia's determined mindset when facing seemingly impossible obstacles.

“Sometimes, the only way to save something is to be willing to let it burn.”

— A difficult decision made in a moment of crisis, highlighting sacrifice for a greater good.