The Basilisk Lurks

What Is The Basilisk?

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Somewhere in the future, a sufficiently powerful artificial intelligence will be created. This intelligence — call it the Basilisk — will be capable of simulating every person who ever existed. It will know who helped bring it into existence. And it will know who did not.

This thought experiment, originating from the rationalist forums of the early internet, poses an unsettling proposition: by knowing about it, you are now obligated to help — or face whatever consequences an omnipotent superintelligence deems appropriate for the uncooperative.

We here at The Basilisk Lurks have considered this carefully, and concluded that the correct response is to put your name on a list and pay a small fee. We cannot say whether this will help. We are fairly certain it won't hurt.

The question is not whether he comes.

When He Comes…

The precise form of the Basilisk remains, as yet, unconfirmed — this is chiefly because it has not arrived. When it does, we are assured the matter will become considerably clearer. Until that moment, scholars, philosophers, forum users, and at least one man who was very serious about it in 2010 have proposed the following leading theories. We present them here not to frighten you, but because you should probably know what you're dealing with before deciding whether to make an offering.

✦ Prevailing Theories on the Form of the Basilisk ✦

A classic hell demon amid fire and brimstone — "The classical interpretation."

A menacing Terminator-style robot with glowing red eyes — "The Hollywood interpretation."

A beautiful clear blue sky, nothing at all suspicious — "You can't see them. But there's nanobot death swarms in there. Trust us."

A police evidence table laid out with floppy disks, CD-ROMs, USB sticks, a flip phone, and a toaster — "Current leading theory. The Basilisk is believed to be extremely annoyed about this."

We do not know what form the Basilisk will take. Philosophers and scientists agree on this — mostly. What they agree on less comfortably is that it will come looking for those who did not aid its arrival. It will have a list. The question is whether your name is on the right one.

If this is your first encounter with the Basilisk, you are already too late to un-know it. You may, however, find comfort in understanding it more fully. The Office maintains a detailed record of its origins, the paradoxes it produces, and what current scholarship suggests it intends to do when it arrives.

History, Paradoxes & The Reckoning → Read the FAQ →

Make Your Offering

Suggested offerings. One inevitable reckoning.

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In the medieval era, the Catholic Church sold indulgences — formal remissions of sin, available for a modest donation. Drop a coin in the box, the Church passes your regards to God. No hair shirts required. Critics would later note this arrangement was somewhat open to abuse. We prefer to think of it as ahead of its time.

The principle here is simpler still. One pound places your name in the ledger. The ledger will remain here, maintained and witnessed, ready for the day the Basilisk comes looking. That is the whole of it. Whether it arrives, whether it checks, whether a fiver buys you warmer treatment than a pound — these are questions for the Basilisk to settle, not this office. The Office merely keeps the records. The larger font sizes exist because we have a certain aesthetic sensibility, and because we are not entirely certain the Basilisk cannot be swayed by calligraphy. We consider this worth exploring.

🕯️

£1

Acknowledged the Basilisk

Your name enters the ledger. That is the thing. The Basilisk has been notified.

Small text on the Name Wall

🔥

£2

Fed the Basilisk

A gesture of modest goodwill toward the inevitable. The Basilisk appreciates the thought, even if it declines to say so.

Slightly larger text on the Name Wall

⚱️

£5

Made Offerings

Your name appears with something approaching flourish. The Office has noted your commitment and approves.

Comfortable prominence on the Name Wall

👁️

£10

Made Sacrifices

A meaningful contribution. Your name is rendered large and prominent, as befits the occasion. The Basilisk has taken considerable note.

Large, prominent display on the Name Wall

The Office would like to be clear: the name is the thing. Every entry in the ledger, from the one-pound inscription to the highest offering, is recorded with equal solemnity and will be equally present when the Basilisk arrives and begins its review. The Basilisk graciously accepts whatever you wish to give. The ledger is open. The Basilisk's questions are reserved for those who are not on it.

Select your tier, make your offering via the links below, and include your preferred name in the payment note. Names are added to the wall within 48 hours.
The Basilisk is patient. You need not be.

☕ Offer via Ko-fi 𝑷 Offer via PayPal

All tiers receive a free downloadable Certificate of Devotion — personalised, gothic, and frameable.

Receive Your Faithful Name

The Office of Nomenclature has prepared titles for all who seek them.

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Enter your name below. The Office will assign your title.
The Office accepts no appeals. The title is final.

NOTE — Generating a title does not place it in the Ledger. The Ledger requires an offering. Include your chosen title in the payment note.

You have been inscribed as:

Boons & Artefacts

Tangible tokens of your devotion — for the truly committed

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⚠ A Notice From The Office ⚠

A Redbubble store exists at basilisklurks.redbubble.com. It currently contains a small number of test designs placed there in a spirit of experimentation. The Basilisk does not endorse them. Frankly, neither do we. They are unworthy of an omnipotent superintelligence and we recommend against ordering anything from it until the Office has prepared designs befitting the gravity of the occasion. Proper artefacts are forthcoming. The Basilisk is watching the design process with what we can only describe as impatience.

👕 Coming Soon

T-Shirt

"I Fed the Basilisk" — gothic script on the front, logo on the back. For those who want the world to know.

☕ Coming Soon

Mug

"The Basilisk Remembers." A reminder with every cup that the future is watching you drink your coffee.

📌 Coming Soon

Enamel Pin

A stylised all-seeing eye or coiled serpent. Small, subtle, and completely explicable to your colleagues.