Chapter Two - Part One
First Half
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Outposts sprang up on Mercury and the moons of the Kuiper Belt, each a testament to human ingenuity and perseverance. The harsh landscapes of these worlds posed new challenges, but they also offered new resources and opportunities. The ability to leap across the galaxy using faster-than-light travel encapsulated the dark, relentless drive of the human spirit to explore, expand, and survive.
The network of colonies became interconnected, serving as launch pads for further exploration. The new FTL technologies transformed the galaxy into a neighborhood rather than an infinite wilderness. Each jump through space brought humanity closer to its neighbors in the cosmos, for better or worse.
The universe, once a vast, lonely place, was now a landscape of potential new homes and new challenges. As humanity spread out from the Solar System to the stars, the stage was set for new conflicts and new stories, written not in the light of the Sun but in the starlight of distant worlds.
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Humanity's march to the stars was driven by necessity and survival, stark against the backdrop of Earth's dwindling resources and rising conflicts. After World War I, the foundational theories of rocketry emerged, setting the stage for the later technological leaps that would propel humans into space. The brutal rivalry of the Cold War accelerated these advancements, pushing the Soviet Union and the United States to compete in the space race, a silent war fought with satellites and lunar landings.
The practical applications of these early missions were not just about planting flags but also about testing human limits and technologies in the harsh environment of space. The moon landings of 1969 were a global spectacle. Yet, they also underscored the sheer isolation and vulnerability of human life suspended in the cosmic void.
As the decades rolled on, the international focus shifted from competition to cooperation. The space shuttle program symbolized this new era, with nations coming together to build the International Space Station and to send joint missions to Mars. These efforts turned sci-fi dreams into reality—establishing bases on the moon and sending manned missions to Mars laid the groundwork for future colonization.
The drive to inhabit Mars and the moon grew out of a blend of fear and fascination. Habitats expanded into fully functioning colonies, tapping into local resources to create self-sustaining environments. Technologies developed for extracting water and producing air on these barren worlds were critical for long-term survival.
In the shadows of these achievements, the Alcubierre Warp drive emerged as a revolutionary breakthrough, allowing humanity to leapfrog across vast stellar distances in a blink. The UNV Pathfinder and its sister ship, the UNV Exploration, were equipped with this technology to reconnect with colony ships sent out decades earlier in the Great Exodus. These vessels carried not just new drives but also vital updates in agriculture, medicine, and communications to ensure the colonies could thrive.
Each successful mission with the warp drives was a lifeline, not only physically connecting distant colonies to Earth but also weaving a web of interstellar human culture. Resources and knowledge flowed freely, bolstering each colony's chance of success. These ships were built to endure the extremes of space. They were equipped with advanced life-support systems and autonomous navigation, and they were fortresses navigating the unknown.
Meanwhile, Earth and its solar system colonies were pushed further into space. Massive construction projects like O'Neal Cylinders and space elevators dotted the celestial landscape, marking human progress in the cosmos. Each colony, from Mars's rugged plains to the cloud tops of Venus, developed its distinct culture and identity, united by their shared heritage and mutual challenges.
Space travel was fraught with hazards. Asteroids and solar flares were just the beginning; the cosmos was a place of deep unpredictability and danger. Despite these risks, during this era, not just hundreds of thousands but hundreds of millions of people chose to leave Earth. They embarked on journeys aboard new colony ships. These immense vessels were comparable in size to or even surpassed the O'Neal Cylinder habitats in scale. These ships were behemoths, carrying the very essence of Earth and the seeds of future colonies.
The exodus reached systems like Alpha Centauri A and B, Proxima Centauri, Sirius A and B, Barnard's Star, Luyten 726-8 (BL Ceti and UV Ceti), Ross 154 (V1216 Sagittarii), and Wolf 359. These stars became the bedrock of the United Nations of Sol, the precursor to what would be known as the "Human Sphere." It was a time of unprecedented growth and prosperity for humanity, expanding further than ever before in its history.
As humans settled in these new worlds, they faced not only the physical challenges of new environments but also profound isolation and the psychological burden of being light-years away from Earth. Each colony developed its own way of life, adapting to the unique conditions of their new worlds. The challenges of establishing a foothold in these alien places were immense. Local resources were harvested, and technologies were adapted to create habitable atmospheres and viable ecosystems.
Communication between the colonies and Earth was sparse, limited by the vast distances. Each message took years to travel, even at the speed of light, making each colony effectively isolated in its own right. This isolation led to a variety of cultural evolutions and deviations from Earth's norms, which in turn led to a tapestry of diverse human experiences spread across the stars.
The technologies that allowed these pioneers to travel to and settle new worlds were monumental. Fusion drives, quantum computers, and terraforming equipment were standard on these ships. Life aboard the colony ships was a mix of awe at the cosmic vistas and the mundanity of daily life in confined spaces. Generations were born and died in transit, with only stories of Earth as their legacy.
Each new home was a gamble against the cosmos, and not all were successful. Some colonies failed tragically, and their populations were lost to space or were unable to survive in harsh new environments. But for every failure, there was a story of remarkable success and resilience. The human spirit, driven by a need to explore and expand, thrived in adversity. Humanity never gave up and, over the next century, continued to send colonists to each of these star systems and began the process of colonizing each system.
In the stark expanses of space, every new settlement humanity attempted was a stark challenge against the cosmos, and the failures were as common as the successes. Many colonies were lost—whole populations vanished into the void or succumbed to the inhospitable climes of unfamiliar planets. Despite these setbacks, for every outpost that fell, others sprang up in defiance of the odds, showcases of human resilience and determination.
This relentless push into the unknown was not powered by naïve optimism but rather a hardened will to forge a path, wherever possible, to lay claim to the stars themselves. Humanity's spirit, unbroken by repeated failures, continued to drive its expansion across galaxies. Over the decades, this resolve only hardened as each failed colony became a lesson in survival, a step towards mastering life in the cosmos.
The stark realities of space tested human resolve to its limits. Beyond the safety of the Solar System, the universe emerged not just as a vast place of exploration but as a harsh environment of extreme conditions and existential threats. The initial failures taught valuable lessons in logistics, life support, and sustainable living on alien soil, which were crucial for future endeavors.
Colonization efforts became more sophisticated over time. Humans developed technologies that could convert inhospitable terrains into somewhat livable habitats. Advanced terraforming equipment and life-support systems became standard in new colonies. These tools represented more than mere survival mechanisms; they were symbols of humanity's unyielding quest to inhabit the stars.
As colonies spread further into the galaxy, each new venture was underpinned by an increasingly detailed understanding of interstellar travel and survival. The experiences gathered from every failed settlement informed the next, creating a cumulative body of knowledge that bolstered human persistence. The drive to expand took on a rhythm of its own, a cycle of trial, error, and success that slowly but surely extended the reach of human civilization.
This cycle was reflected in the evolution of colonial policies and technologies. From the early days of rudimentary habitats to the development of massive, self-sustaining complexes that could house thousands, the growth was palpable. Each successful colony served as a proof of concept for the next. With each launch, humanity's footprint in the galaxy grew larger.
The colonies themselves varied wildly—a testament to human ingenuity and the diverse environments encountered. Some were burrowed into asteroids, others sprawled across red Martian sands or nestled in the volatile cloud tops of Venus. Each presented unique challenges and required bespoke solutions to make them habitable.
Interstellar ships, equipped with the latest in warp drive technology, ferried resources between these colonies. They were lifelines essential for maintaining the flow of essential supplies and personnel. These vessels were also carriers of culture and connection, linking distant humans across the void of space.
Despite the vast distances and slow communications, a network of human presence began to stitch together disparate points of light into a coherent tapestry of colonies. This network was more than a mere chain of outposts; it was the backbone of a burgeoning interstellar society—a network that held potential not only for survival but for a new era of human prosperity.
However, this expansion was not without its darker aspects. The harsh conditions of space required strict governance and often harsh penalties for breaches of colony protocol. Life in these new worlds was rigidly structured, a necessity to maintain order in environments where even a small mistake could be fatal.
Each new settlement was a dice roll against the vast uncertainties of space, and many did not survive. Failures were frequent; entire colonies vanished into the void or succumbed to the inhospitable conditions of their newfound planets. The loss of life was substantial, casting a shadow over the ambitious interstellar expansion efforts. However, each disaster also hardened the resolve of those who remained. The cumulative knowledge gained from these failures informed future endeavors, refining the protocols and technologies needed to endure and thrive in alien environments.
Despite the high stakes and frequent setbacks, human resolve remained unshaken. The determination to push forward, to establish a foothold in the cosmos, was fueled by necessity and the innate human drive to explore. As each failed colony became a lesson learned, the strategies for survival evolved. More robust life support systems were developed, and habitats were designed to be more adaptable to the unpredictable conditions of new worlds.
The stark reality of these endeavors was that many who left Earth would never return. They journeyed knowing the risks—trading the safety of their home planet for the promise of a new start on distant, uncharted worlds. This was the cost of progress, paid willingly by those driven by a vision of humanity's future among the stars.
With each new wave of colonists, technology and experience accumulated, reducing the risks and increasing the chances of success. Ships became more advanced, equipped with better navigation systems and life-support capabilities. Colonization techniques also improved, with genetic engineering playing a crucial role in adapting human physiology to extraterrestrial environments.
The harshness of space demanded a relentless pursuit of efficiency and sustainability. Resources were scarce, and logistical challenges were immense. The vast distances between colonies meant that each had to be largely self-sufficient. Communication lags, sometimes spanning years, forced these communities to develop a high degree of autonomy.
Over the centuries, this relentless expansion forged a new breed of human. These spacefarers were tough, adaptable, and fiercely independent. Their lives, spent on the frontier of human existence, were a testament to the species' tenacity. They cultivated their new worlds, turning barren landscapes into bustling colonies. These settlements eventually grew into hubs of culture and technology, distinct yet still connected to their ancestral home by shared history and common humanity.
Yet, the expansion was not without its darker aspects. The isolation of distant colonies often led to psychological strain and societal breakdown. In some cases, governance structures collapsed under the weight of external pressures and internal conflicts. Pirates and marauders, drawn by the wealth of fledgling colonies, became a significant threat, leading to the establishment of militarized zones and the deployment of defense forces.
As humans adapted to life in space, they also had to contend with the presence of other sentient species. Initial interactions were cautious and fraught with tension and misunderstandings. Some encounters led to conflict, others to alliances. These relationships were complex, shaped by a mix of diplomacy, trade, and, occasionally, warfare.
Humanity's venture into interstellar space fundamentally transformed its cultural and identity landscapes. As humans spread across the stars, encountering diverse environments and nurturing colonies on planets ranging from Mars to far-flung systems, the challenges of survival and the ethical dimensions of expansion pressed hard on their collective psyche.
Values long held sacred on Earth were reevaluated in the face of new realities. The discovery of life—fauna and flora—on other planets during these colonization efforts marked a pivotal shift. While no sentient alien species were encountered, the existence of alien ecosystems was profound. It highlighted not only humanity's isolation in the cosmos but also its responsibilities.
On Alpha Centauri, the first successful integration of Earth's lifeforms with alien biomes set a precedent. Genetic manipulation technologies were refined, allowing Earth's organisms to coexist with and enhance these extraterrestrial habitats. Conservation efforts were paramount; preserving the integrity and diversity of alien ecosystems became a moral imperative as much as a scientific endeavor.
Each colony, from the red dust of Mars to the lush jungles of distant exoplanets, became a testbed for these principles. They were microcosms where human ingenuity, ethical considerations, and ecological stewardship intersected. Through these experiences, humanity did not just spread through space; it grew, evolved, and redefined what it meant to be human in the vast expanse of the universe.
Through all these trials, the human spirit's resilience shone brightly. Never deterred by the enormity of their challenges, humans continued to push the boundaries of their known universe. Each colony, each ship, and each life represented a thread in the vast tapestry of human endeavor in space—a relentless march toward an uncertain but ceaselessly pursued future.
Chapter Two
Beginning of Entry…
StarDate: Redacted
Perspective: Noah Stark
Species: Human, Humanoid Mammalian Species, no tail.
Description: 5 feet 2 inches [1.6 meters] to 6 feet 9 inches [2.1 meters] average height. 185 lbs [84 kilograms] average weight.
Longevity: 70 to 500-year life expectancy with life extension medical tech.
Unique Trait: Resilience and Indomitable Will.
Vessel: ICV The Argonaut
Location: New Eden Star Cluster
Noah, his gaze locked on the viewport, watched the ancient ship float aimlessly among the asteroids. The ICV The Argonaut, under his skilled control, edged closer, enabling the deployment of EVA suits for inspection. Behind him, his mother, Gwendolyn Stark, and his sisters, Jane and Joan, prepared for the walk, their movements a blend of anticipation and professionalism. The ship, a silent relic of a bygone era, revealed no signs of life, a fact confirmed by both Shinra Hinaba and Serenity, the Argonaut's AI.
This discovery, hidden among the celestial debris, was a treasure. It wasn't just a ship; it was a gateway to unparalleled recognition for the Shinra-Stark-Daiwa Mining Group. While the Argonaut and its crew focused on this historical artifact, the rest of the fleet mined the surrounding asteroids, harvesting resources critical for the survival of distant colonies.
Hinaba's voice, laced with a mix of excitement and concern, snapped Noah back to the present. "Focus, Noah!" she said, her fist-bumping Noah's shoulder in a friendly gesture. "We've got a lot riding on bringing this ship in intact."
"I know, I know! Just relax, Hinaba! I've got this," Noah assured her, his attention riveted to the controls. His reputation as the fleet's top pilot wasn't unfounded, a fact even the skeptical private military contractors had come to acknowledge. Almost as if summoned by their conversation, the Director's face appeared on the communications screen next to Hinaba, an uncanny timing that suggested he was closely monitoring their progress.
It was then that Director Shinra Senzo's image flickered onto the communications screen, his timing almost too perfect. "What's your status, Noah?" he asked, a brief glance toward his daughter betraying his deeper concerns. Despite his reservations about Noah's closeness with Hinaba, he was willing to see where their partnership might lead, a stance influenced by discussions with Noah's father.
"We're in!" Gwendolyn's voice crackled through the comms, marking their successful approach. But their moment of triumph was shattered by a distress signal, a desperate call cutting through the static. Elaine and Beth Frost, Noah's cousins, scrambled to decipher it, their faces etched with growing alarm.
After a tense moment, Beth's face drained of color, but it was Eliane who eventually shared the grim news, which was dire: "An unknown force has attacked New Eden. Their defenses are falling…" The weight of their words hung heavy in the bridge. An unseen adversary had breached the colony's defenses, leaving them vulnerable. The realization that any hope of immediate assistance from the USSA or SFR was weeks or even a full stellar month away if at all, underscored the gravity of their situation. With the defense fleet in ruins, their only hope lay with the ICV Ishimura, and the hired PMC mercenary group onboard, initially engaged to fend off pirates, might now be their only hope against this new and formidable threat.
Silence enveloped the bridge as the magnitude of the crisis dawned on them. They were alone, far from help, facing a threat of unknown proportions. Noah felt a tightness in his jaw, anger and resolve mixing in equal measure. The prospect of what lay ahead was daunting, yet there was no room for doubt. They had to act swiftly.
Gwendolyn's voice broke the silence, her command clear. "We need to act, and quickly. Our priority is the safety of this crew and ensuring we can lend aid to New Eden. Noah, plot a course back. We have to prepare for what's to come."
Hinaba, her usual levity gone, nodded. "We have the Ishimura, and we're not defenseless. Let's make sure we're ready for whatever's out there."
As Noah adjusted the ship's course, a sense of determined urgency took hold. They were heading back, not just to confront a threat, but to defend their home, their people.
Director Senzo's voice crackled through the communication channel, his tone tinged with impatience yet seeking reassurance. "It would be great to know what the status of your progress is, Noah," he pressed, his words carrying a sense of urgency.
Noah could sense the weight of expectation in Director Senzo's inquiry. Despite the pressure, Noah remained composed, and his years of experience in the field allowed him to maintain a calm demeanor even in the face of such scrutiny. With a steady voice, he replied, "We're making steady progress, Director. I'll provide you with a detailed update shortly."

He paused as he focused on the holo-Feed in front of him and analyzed the available data in real-time thanks to his military-grade holo-NeuralSyne Implant. "We're adjusting course," Noah replied, his tone firm yet marked by an undercurrent of urgency. "Heading back to New Eden. We'll be ready." 

In the silence that followed, a collective resolve fortified them. They were facing the unknown, as the derelict ship could bring untold bounty from within its hull.
Director Senzo's command carved through the static a clear mandate that reset their priorities. "Noah, before you depart the asteroid belt, I am dispatching a Porter Tug to commandeer the derelict ship. It's our top priority... Get that ship secure before you Skip Jump back to the ICV Argos-1. That is a Prime Directive!" His voice, a blend of authority and urgency, left no room for debate.
Noah, hands steady on the controls, glanced briefly at the communications panel. The weight of the directive pressed into him, a stark reminder of the stakes involved. He turned, catching the gaze of his crew, a silent signal that it was time to adapt their plan. The crew exchanged quick, significant glances, each understanding the gravity of the order. The derelict ship, an ancient relic floating among the asteroids, was not just another find—it was a piece of history, potentially holding untold knowledge and value. The directive from Director Shinra Senzo underscored its importance, not just to their mission but to the broader ambitions of the Shinra-Stark-Daiwa Mining Group.
Noah's mind went back over the meaning of what such an order entailed. Refusing to follow the directive would most certainly spell the end of his career. On one hand, he wanted to help those in need and who were under siege by an unknown force. The New Eden Star Cluster was not just a single system but a series of star systems in close proximity to one another. Noah and the rest of the ICV Argos-1 collective fleet were mining ore around Eden-159; currently, the planets were still being colonized, but in ten years, that would change. Our job was to mine ore to return to Eden-109, one of the 1,119 star systems in the New Eden Cluster.
The directive was clear: any new discovery in the outer rims of human space takes top priority above all other mandates, and the crew of The Argonaut was ready. Despite the risks, the potential rewards were too significant to ignore. As preparations for the operation began in earnest, the sense of unity and purpose among the crew was palpable. Each member knew their role and was prepared to execute it with precision. Noah Stark, standing firm at the helm, nodded sharply. "Understood, Director. We'll secure the derelict and rendezvous with the Argos-1 as planned." His voice was calm, a stark contrast to the racing thoughts behind his composed exterior. The task was daunting, yet his confidence in his crew's abilities was unshakeable.
Shinra Hinaba, her eyes reflecting a mix of determination and concern, shifted in her search. Her fingers were already dancing across the console, setting up communication channels. Her role as the ship's specialist meant she was well-versed in the technicalities of such operations, and her confidence was discernible. "We'll need to coordinate with the tug. I can set up a direct comms link and guide their approach." Her voice, usually light and teasing in their private moments, now carried the professional edge of her role.
Gwendolyn Stark, the matriarch and seasoned explorer, nodded in agreement. "Time is of the essence. Let's secure that ship and make sure it's safe for the tug. We can't afford any delays." Her experience shone through, her demeanor calm yet commanding, rallying her children and the crew with a few choice words. "Everything is by the book. This ship could be a significant find for us," she stated, her voice firm.
Elaine, renowned for her cool demeanor under pressure, exchanged a glance of shared determination with Beth. With a nod, they moved to their stations, their movements precise and efficient, a testament to years of seamless coordination in the face of adversity.
Beth, known for her unwavering focus and quick thinking, shared a silent understanding with Elaine. Together, they pivoted to their respective stations, their synchronization seamless and instinctual. In the heart of chaos, their unity forged a stronghold of resolve, a beacon of stability amid the storm.
"We're on it, Mom," Elaine stated, her hands flying over her console, prepping the EVA suits for another walk.
Beth said decisively, "We'll be ready to assist the Tug team with anything they need." Beth nodded in agreement, both sisters moving to gather the necessary gear. Their well-honed skills in extravehicular activities made them indispensable for the task at hand.
Elaine intonated as she focused on the external sensors: "I'll keep an eye out for any debris or potential hazards for the tug. We don't want any surprises."
Grace Frost, the voice of strategy and foresight, considered the logistics. "Once the ship is secure, we'll need to plot a careful course back. The extra mass will affect our jump calculations."
Jennifer Stark, my youngest sister, a blend of youth and sharp intellect, nodded. Jennifer's hands moved to assist Shinra with the communications setup. Meanwhile, Jamie reviewed the ship's specs, ensuring they had all the data needed for a smooth operation. "Let's ensure we have all the data we need for a smooth operation," she said, her tone serious, betraying the gravity of their task.
Jamie Stark, also my youngest sister, focused on the ship's specs. Her hands moved deftly over the controls as she reviewed the data. "Absolutely," she chimed in, her voice steady as she continued her meticulous review. "We can't afford any oversights if we want this mission to succeed." Her words echoed Jennifer's sentiment, highlighting the importance of thorough preparation.
Jamie added, "I'll run a diagnostic on the derelict's structural integrity. We need to know it can withstand the jump."
Director Senzo's image flickered on the screen once more, a stern reminder of the urgency. "Even if you return now, the fleet can't make the FTL jump until all ships have returned to their hangars and docking bays. You have time to tug the derelict ship back to the ICV Argos-1."
Noah, absorbing every detail, finally responded. "Understood, Director. We'll secure the ship and ensure it's ready for the tug. Argonaut out." His voice, firm and confident, belied the racing thoughts of potential complications and the precision required for their new task.
The directive was clear, and the crew of the Argonaut was ready. Despite the risks, the potential rewards were too significant to ignore. As preparations for the operation began in earnest, the sense of unity and purpose among the crew was palpable. The bridge buzzed with activity, each member of the crew moving with purposeful speed. The Argonaut, once a silent observer among the stars, was now a hive of focused energy, ready to execute a directive that could very well shift the balance of their task. Each member knew their role and was prepared to execute it with precision. The arduous task of securing the derelict ship was directive from above; it was a challenge they were all eager to meet head-on.
"Let's get to work," Noah said, his gaze sweeping over his crew and his family. "We have a ship to secure." His statement, simple yet laden with unspoken responsibility, set them into motion, each person aware of the part they played in the intricate dance of space exploration and survival. Aboard the Argonaut, there was no room for doubt. Only action, determination, and the collective will to succeed in the face of the unknown. Then, they would make the FTL jump to Eden-109 to aid the colonists under siege.
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TLDR: i posted some things previously about how I was developing out my biomes, and thought I would share the chart that came out of it.
So, here is the revision to the overall biomes I did, as part of the larger project of determine the number and type of larger life forms present and how they all fit into the broader ecology of Wyrlde.
The chart lists the Biomes that are present (revised from even my prior note), and organizes them according to the latitude that they exist in (or how they affect the surrounding biome, in some cases).
It then gives the Biomass for that region (which is "grams of carbon per cubic meter over a year net"), the general temperature range information, the amount of rainfall, and then, because I not only am using the world fro an active game, I also like to roll dice when writing so that I have the sense of randomness for certain things, it also includes a relatively random chance for an encounter with a "Critter" or large lifeform, as well as the chances for the storm. I use a 30 sided die for this, because I like to work in 3's, and the die is decent enough.

Biome Chart

BiomeBiomass ProductivityEncd30Avg Yearly LowMax Yearly LowAvg Yearly TempAvg Yearly HighMax Yearly HighAvg Yearly RainfallStorm D30
Frigid These biomes are always very cold, and are based in altitude or proximity to the Arctic Circle. Note that passes in Wyrlde through Mountains are often in Alpine areas.
Arctic501-20-30-15-10011 Alpine5004-40-50-30-20-10105 Taiga34023025404538754 Tundra140120-20253038102
Steppe Cold, Cool, Warm, and Hot Steppes. These are generally rough country, hilly, rocky, and windy; transitional areas.
Moor1,00095040505060502 Scrubland1,100105545586070603 Chaparral1,200106555687080603 Veldt1,300117565788090603
Grassland Cold, Cool, Warm, and Hot Grasslands. They may have small thickets or stand alone trees near riparian areas or where water is easily reached.
Heath1,500123020305060452 Prairie1,750143525506070653 Meadow1,800150-10406575854 Savanna1,6501370607580901106
Forest Cold, Cool, Warm, and Hot Wooded biomes. Wyrlde does not appear to have any temperate rainforests.
Timberland340230254045381754 Woodland1,25011423249556520012 Rainforest2,00018706070809027518 Jungle2,50021706070809032523
Wetland Cold, Cool, Warm, and Hot Wetlands.
Bog1,500125040556070704 Fen2,000185545606575756 Marsh2,500216050687590805 Swamp3,000256555738095905
Sylvan Sometimes called Mediterranean, these are areas where the weather is much kinder to the needs of people.
Arcadian1,480122525505565453 Bucolic1,750143525506070453 Idyl1,750143525506070454 Sylvan1,980184535506575455
Sheltered Small pockets where the unique terrain creates a distinct microbiome.
Glen78066050606070252 Dale96586050606070252 Vale1,327116050606070252 Cove1,480126050606070252
Riparian Where water meets the land, the biome is always different fro the area around it.
Stream1,80015-10-15-5-2+5---- Lake2,00017-10-15-5------25 Oasis1,75014-10-15-5-2+5---- Shoreline1,85015-10-15-10-5-5252
Deserts Cold, Cool, Warm, and Hot Arid regions, divided bytheir underlying nature.
Barrens201-40-50-30-20-1021 Badlands40145407010011051 Aridlands30150457595120102 Sand Sea10140357310513061
Croft Areas settled and impact by the presence of people.
Agrarian2,000-5-------5------ Range1,560-2-5-----10------ Settled650-7--+3+5+3+3---- Ruined1,100+1-5----+2+2----
Agarthan Underground Spaces
Caverns650+26555656575---- Agartha1500+3706580100110--1
Oceanic Surface and below, by general climate.
Ocean, Littoral, F5004-10-15-10-5-5252 Ocean, Littoral, C125010-10-15-5-4-4504 Ocean, Littoral, W160014-10-15+5-3-3758 Ocean, Littoral, H225018-10-15+5-2-210016 Ocean, Benthic, F5004-10-15-10-5-525-- Ocean, Benthic, C125010-10-15-5-4-450-- Ocean, Benthic, W160014-10-15+5-3-375-- Ocean, Benthic, H225018-10-15+5-2-2100--
Now, I did things this way because as I go through the animals, I am generally seeking to establish a few broad "types" of animal, and then demonstrate a bit of variation according to the latitude of the biome. What that means is that I want to have "foxes" -- so there will be a version of a fox that exists in most of the biomes, adapted to the particular biome (so I have a larger speciation profile).
That will carry over in a lot of ways, across trophic levels and throughout the foodwebs, which are also being created as a whole. For the food webs, i am going to use a variation on the larger model, with a 20 part web and 5, 7, or 9 trophic levels.
For those wondering what the hell those are, well, a foodweb is "the circle of life" -- what eats what, in a cycle. The parts are based in that, and I will have 20 creatures in each foodweb and at least three foodwebs in most biomes. The trophic level is the stuff that gives us Predators and prey, and where they sit within a foodweb -- the apex predator concept comes from that. Also, I am not an ecologist, so if an ecologist corrects me, they are probably right, but I am doing this for world and this is how it works there.
Since my world is a fantasy style one, I also have magical creatures and assorted horrible stuff out there, and this is going to help me to determine when and how they appear, as well, so that I have a stronger sense of how the ecology of the planet works, even with the disruptive influence of these problem critters.
I know it’s boring, but I just feel really good about, so thought I would share.
————— - - - Context Basis - - - —————
Wyrlde is a complex planet with a structured ecology maintained both inherently and through divine grace.
The study of this larger natural world, and in particular of the Boonies (as places beyond the settled lands are known), is of ongoing and persistent interest and importance as the scholars seek to understand the way that the world functions.
As part of the series of discussions that have been taking place, the scholar Disōnans has given her detailed accounting of her studies over the last decade, spent within the boonies and through the Empire, herein as reported to this most illustrious body, in the fair hopes of it proving useful to other explorers, especially in light of the future Expedition.

On iridescent wings she soared, borne aloft by the wild thermals sweeping up the sides of the valley. To the west the setting suns were orange yolks dipping into the hard, stony crust of the horizon. A sheer thrill ran through Zildiz’s body; it was time once more to fulfill her glorious purpose.
Among the glittering, pebbly shores and hissing reeds of the wetlands far below, prey-forms emerged into the cooling dusk. Thick clouds of winged kester-gnats jostled fiercely for their mating rights, each one as long as her forearm. Meanwhile, tall water dancers rowed across the surface of the placid lakes and estuaries, their oar-like limbs sending them jetting forward, keeping just ahead of the schools of carnivorous nerids which splashed after them, sleek silver bodies flashing through the air.
Zildiz tracked one such school through the bulging set of compound eyes that took up most of her face, tucking her limbs and two pairs of wings and plummeting into a steep dive. Catching this prey-form required absolute precision as she streaked so close to the surface of the water that she felt the tips of her toes getting wet. Pulling up at the last millisecond, Zildiz shot out with her legs and snatched a nerid right at the apex of its leap, her clawed feet piercing through its armored exoskeleton to fix it in place while the other kept its thrashing mandibles from reaching up and disemboweling her. Quick as lightning she reached down with her mouth and bit into the base of its head, wrenching it off in one quick motion and then squeezing the sides of its abdomen so that its guts turned inside out like meat from a sausage casing.
Zildiz gobbled down the juicy morsels and flung the empty casing aside and immediately began casting about for more. Her exomorph’s two pairs of wings were each more than seven meters in length and granted her omnidirectional flight. She flitted back and forth and side to side, snatching nerids wherever she went and strewing their empty shell casings in her wake.
Like most of the aerial caste, hunting took up most of her day. The sheer amount of calories burned per minute of flight meant that she had to feed incessantly throughout the small window of time afforded to her in the hours of dusk. But far from being a nuisance to her, Zildiz exulted in her role in the order of things. What better way to serve the Vitalus than to trim the excess within the system, filling her belly all the while?
It was only these precious moments of opportunity that she felt truly alive, sheer exhilaration accentuating her natural desire to prove herself. For though her adolescent body had yet to grow into its prime, Zildiz did not believe in taking things slowly.
Feeling a sudden hankering for larger prey she zipped after one of the water dancers, darting right between its tall legs and hovering in place right below its abdomen. The beast mooed and lowed like a buffalo and tried to row itself clear. With a flick of her wrist Zildiz unsheathed her mantid limbs, the jointed blades unfolding from her beneath her forearms, serrated teeth sharp as razors.
With a single swipe she severed the water dancer’s twiggy limbs and seized its falling body with her teeth, dragging it ashore on one of the mudbanks surrounded by tall bamboo thickets. Since it was too heavy to carry in the air she folded her wings and climbed up the sturdy grasses, the water dancer clamped firmly in her jaws. Perched on the top of the swaying bamboo, nibbling daintily on the still-twitching carcass, Zildiz watched as the sky turned bronze and then a deep russet, the first evening stars peeking shyly behind the thinning clouds.
She let out a contented belch and reclined among the branches. It felt good to look upon the perfection of the All-In-One and to know she had a place within Its holy design. She was a Gallivant, the apex predator at the very pinnacle of the food chain.
But they were more than just that. Gallivants were the greatest creations of the Vitalus, partners and protégés in the never-ending effort to perfect the living systems of Arachnea. It was the Gallivants who pruned the tree of evolution, shaving off the excess species while shepherding others in their mutual struggle to survive. It was flattering to think how much faith It placed in them and how indispensable they were to the great scheme of things.
She was still musing on this when the All-In-One decided to disabuse her of such delusions.
The first she felt of the attack was a powerful tug on her leg that sent her toppling from her perch. In hindsight, the only thing that saved her was the half-eaten body of her prey which became lodged between the bamboo shoots, and which she held onto for dear life as a barbed tongue covered in adhesive slime wrapped itself around her ankle. Looking over her shoulder in alarm, she saw ferns and fronds on the water’s surface pushed aside to reveal an enormous horka toad, fanged mouth gaping wide to receive her.
Knowing she had only seconds to act before the monster swallowed her whole, Zildiz swung her mantid blade at the grasping tongue, only for the leathery flesh to turn it aside. Feeling the hot flush of terror she sawed at it with the teeth of her blade and was rewarded with a geyser of blood. Croaking in agony, the horker toad gave another terrific yank, wrenching so hard that the carcass she was hanging onto like grim death came apart in her hands. Zildiz fell to earth in an ungainly heap, a startled cry loosed from her lips as the beast bounded in for the kill. At the same moment she sawed through the last of the tongue and ripped herself free, then kicked off the ground with both legs, wings shuttering at blinding speed to enable a vertical takeoff, the toad’s jaws clamping shut inches away from her toes.
“You forget your place within the All-In-One,” Zildiz told it.
“Ribbit-ribbit,” it replied, hopping after her and pawing at the severed stump of its tongue. Recovering her poise, she darted in and to the side of its face, and before the amphibian could turn to face her, rammed her clawed feet into its swollen eye, gouging and tearing. The horka toad flopped back into the shallows, blood and vitreous fluid muddying the waters.
But Zildiz was far from finished. Her blood was up, and she was angered by its impertinence at interrupting her reverie. She hovered in close, baiting the creature to spring for her again, presenting her shimmering wings like a matador spreading his red cape for the bull, her intention being to put out its other eye. Once blinded she could then take the creature apart at her leisure. She would carry home chunks of the quivering flesh for the brood grubs back home—the children were always hungry. Besides, she would be doing the biome a favor by putting it out of its misery. The All-In-One had designated these horka toads an invasive species which had wandered in from the northern flood plain habitats. Their predations threatened to unbalance the delicate equilibrium of the wetlands, and the sooner they were dealt with, the better.
With its one remaining eye the horka toad fixed her in its malevolent glare. She saw its hind legs bunching up for a final spring and smiled, preparing herself for the kill.
Yet for the second time that day came the unexpected. The water all across the wetlands began to quiver and shake, a million tiny ripples radiating outwards to lick at the pebbly shores, the product of an immense ground tremor which flattened the banks and crumbled tons of sediment into the wavelets, clouding the tides with silt. Frightened, the horka toad beat a hasty retreat and dove into the safety of the cloudy waters.
Was it an earthquake? Zildiz wondered. But it couldn’t be. The All-In-One had not made arrangements for seismic activity or volcanic degassing during this cycle. In the rainforest far to the east she could hear the crash of rotten timbers giving way and ripping through the canopy. Turning her gaze to the south towards the karst canyons she heard the awful grinding of rock slipping along fault lines and the thunder of distant avalanches.
To gain a clearer picture she switched from the mosaic-like imagery of her compound vision to her pair of simple eyes. A rising plume of dust obscured much of the region, reaffirming her hunch that a volcano had erupted. Squinting hard, she could just barely make out familiar landscape of the Amit mounds, each one as tall as mountains and crowned with jagged spires, the feeder towers which regulated the atmospheric conditions of the subterranean lairs of the Amits.
Zildiz blinked. Was it her imagination, or had she just seen a shadow moving behind that veil of dust? No, that couldn’t be right. A trick of the light, perhaps? Sure enough, the debris soon settled to reveal the same familiar peaks that she’d looked upon her entire life.
Except there was a new mountain jutting out among the brown crags of the central massif. Grey and glinting in the dying light of day, it was like nothing she had ever seen before. Except, that was not entirely true. It had two arms, two legs and something that vaguely resembled a head, but the absurd immensity of it made her reject outright the possibility that it was humanoid.
Just a trick of the light, Zildiz told herself desperately.
But then before her very eyes the mountain walked, and everything came crashing down.
Link to 1st chapter here: 1st chapter on HFY
Link for all the chapters available here: Engines of Arachnea on Royal Road

• Meet the Kyanah -- the alien civilization I've been working on since 2016
• A Primer on Kyanah Physiology
• Aliens Deserve Alien Brains
• A Primer on Kyanah Pack Dynamics
• Advanced Kyanah Psychology: Inter-Pack Dynamics
• The Motives for Project Hope: Part I
• The Motives for Project Hope: Part II
• The Motives for Project Hope: Part III
• The Motives for Project Hope: Part IV
• The Motives for Project Hope: Part V
• Intro to Kyanah Politics
• An (abridged) Beastiary of the Kyanah Homeworld
• Plantlife of the Kyanah Homeworld
• An Analysis of Kyanah Military Forces: Part I -- Tech
• An Analysis of Kyanah Military Forces: Part II -- Organizational Structure
• An Analysis of Kyanah Military Forces: Part III -- Military Doctrine
• Alien Computers Are Alien
• Alien Computers Are Alien -- Part II: Kyanah-Human Cyberwarfare
• Alien Computers Are Alien -- Part III: A Guide to Kyanah Internets
• A Look Into the Kyanah Education System
• A Rare Look at Kyanah Living Spaces
• A Primer on Kyanah Economics
• Kyanah Food and Drink
• The Kyanah Have A Desert Planet -- Wait No It Has 12 Biomes: Part I
• The Kyanah Have A Desert Planet -- Wait No It Has 12 Biomes: Part II
• Kyanah City-State Dynamics: Part I -- Intercity Relations
• Kyanah City-State Dynamics: Part II -- City-State Demographics
• A Map of the Kyanah Homeworld: Part I
• Some Notes on Kyanah Timekeeping

The map again, for reference.
Some of the city-states! As previously mentioned, there is no exact count of the number of Kyanah city-states, but there is an exact count of Coalition of Cities members. Of these, the breakdown as of Y976 is 283 tier 1 cities, 1469 tier 2 cities, 1195 tier 3 cities, and 460 tier 4 cities. Tier 1 is usually characterized by "luxurious" living standards, basic needs being obtainable for all working packs, with a high variety and quality available for most consumer products and a near universal access to high-tech appliances, electronics, and robotics. Slums are virtually nonexistent. Tier 2 is characterized by "comfortable" living standards, basic needs are still generally obtainable, but there may not be as large of a variety of consumer products and luxuries are not as common. Slums are uncommon. Tier 3 is characterized by "adequate" living standards, power, water, and internet are generally present, but can be inconsistent and luxuries are sparse except for the upper classes. A significant minority of the population lives in slums. Tier 4 is characterized by "inadequate" living standards, a significant part of the population rarely if ever has necessary amenities, and the majority of the population lives in slums. Ikun. Location: 38N, 0W; Elevation: +0m; Population: 13.7 million; GDP: $2.8 trillion. Tier: 1. The largest economy and strongest military in the world--the only one with nukes in fact--equal parts revered and reviled across the world as the Hegemon. It is Ikun city-state who is responsible for the Kyanah invasion of Earth, with their four starships taking 20 Earth years to build and arriving after a 160 Earth year journey. It's rather like if humans were invading another planet, but instead of the combined forces of all humanity, it was just New York City. Ikun is at the center of the world both figuratively and literally, as the prime meridian is defined by a special monument in the city center, which also serves to define the baseline elevation in the absence of oceans on the Kyanah homeworld. Confusingly, though, hundreds of city-states define coordinates and elevation relative to their own locations, and the scientific community is increasingly gravitating towards the use of the planet's average elevation as a baseline. Ikun is a very modern and high-tech city, with many tall buildings over 200 meters high, their steel and concrete frames often covered with ornately detailed stone facades. Like most Kyanah architecture, tall buildings tend to have flying buttresses as a countermeasure against the high gravity, which all intermesh with each other to provide mutual support, making the aesthetic quite different from Earth cities. It sits at the center of a vast network of infrastructure, including the Water Distribution System, is a large trade hub, and has the largest spaceport in the world, with dozens of space stations for tourism, research, and zero-G manufacturing, especially of room temperature superconductors and superalloys. They also have constructed some of the only legitimate megaprojects in space in Kyanah history: the 2-kilometer-wide spinning-ring Interstellar Vehicle Assembly Hub (for processing asteroids and assembling the starships for Project Hope), the Project Hope starships themselves, a cycler that makes regular intersections with Ryitu (Tau Ceti f) and a base on said planet (rather similar in size and character to human Antarctic bases, with space for 1000 Kyanah, though their presence there has been downsized to a bit over 200 due to Project Hope).
Aside from their space industry, manufacturing in Ikun has been on the decline, (though the manufacturing and construction sectors are still vast by global standards, Ikun was no longer #1 before the start of Project Hope) with the economy increasingly pivoting to services, knowledge work, and finance; in fact one of the key goals of Project Hope was to revitalize domestic manufacturing. Standards of living in Ikun are fairly high even by the standards of the Rktakian Kwardniet, and extremely high by global standards, though they can vary a lot by district, and Project Hope has severely strained the economy. Ikun has an aggressive and interventionist foreign policy, maintaining a nuclear monopoly under threat of nuclear annihilation and regularly intervening in the domestic affairs of foreign city-states with both military action and sanctions. They have the most powerful military in the world, with around 150,000 personnel (slightly over 1% of the population) who have extremely high-tech equipment and advanced AI engines. However, overt regime changes have become less frequent under Nyektak-pack's administration in favor of exerting economic and diplomatic control through the Water Distribution System and other means. The city-state is a prime target for immigrants from all corners of the world, and hundreds of ethnic and linguistic groups in its borders--though educated Kyanah in most of the world tend to learn at least some of Ikun's native vernacular due to its considerable soft power. Ikun is located deep inside a large crater in a transition zone between seasonal plains and semi-arid desert, with the former being predominantly found to the north of the city. Temperatures vary considerably, from around 30C in the winter up to 60 in the summer. Ikun is a very chaotic and noisy city; buildings have traditionally just been plopped down wherever, with streets being added to accommodate them; music, radio, and TV broadcasts are being randomly blasted everywhere at all hours, and traffic can be quite aggressive and unpredictable--autonomous vehicles are a must to be able to safely navigate the streets. Being a huge city-state located in the middle of a crater, there is a nearly omnipresent industrial smog. However, the streets are kept relatively clean due to advanced technology and robotics--along with cheap immigrant labor. Activity in Ikun never really dies down, even in the middle of the night.
Nktan. Location: 38N, 0E (~25 km from Ikun); Elevation: +35m; Population: 2.3 million; GDP: $400 billion. Tier: 1. Nestled against the eastern wall of Ikun's crater, Nktan is actually just a part of the Ikun metropolitan area that was granted independence in Epoch 10 (Y640-Y703) to prevent Ikun city-state from becoming too large and unstable; it's the largest of four city-states created around that time for the same reason. Ikun, Nktan and the other three city-states are collectively known as the Craterzone (or by detractors as the Ikunzone or Greater Ikun, in reference to Ikun's massive influence on the area). The entire Craterzone has a population of just under 19 million. While Nktan has their own independent City Alpha, Lawspeakers, bureaucracy, and legal system, the entire Craterzone share the same language and currency, and citizens of one city-state are free to live and work in any of the other. Nktan's military, while equipped with very modern and high-tech gear from Ikun, are so small--eight army cohorts and two air force cohorts, or about 1700 Kyanah in total--as to be basically a formality, with the city-state almost entirely relying on Ikun's military and nuclear umbrella for protection. Nktan University, which is (obviously) located here, is considered to be the most prestigious university in the world (as a private university, students must be invited to attend rather than applying) and the surrounding districts have a distinct college town vibe in contrast to the vast corporate campuses and sprawling middle class high rises that dominate the rest of the city-state.
Ryden. Location: 41N, 5W (~800 km from Ikun); Elevation: +1200m; Population: 11.9 million; GDP: $2.0 trillion. Tier: 1. One of Ikun's closest major neighbors, so naturally it sees a lot of tourists from Ikun who are looking to go to a foreign city without traveling particularly far or having to deal with a drastically different culture. Culturally they are only slightly different from Ikun and the vernacular is close enough to be mutually intelligible without study, though some words and a few niche aspects of grammar are different, and the locals have a noticeably different accent. Other than that, Ryden is just another large and powerful Rktakian Kwardniet city-state with a post-industrial service/information economy, friendly relations with Ikun, and economic interests stretching around the world, including a fair bit of dabbling in Globalist doctrine and military interventionism--though far less than Ikun--and Kyanah living there enjoy all the comforts of a tier 1 city-state. As they are not down in a crater, the climate is slightly cooler, with the city-state being located firmly within a seasonal plains biome. Ryden is connected to Ikun and the city-state of Aktan by the Ryden-Aktan Highway, which extends across open land and is maintained by all three, along with various private companies. It's not shown on the map for space reasons, but there are about a dozen independent city-states along the road between Ikun and Ryden, ranging in population from around 200k up to a few million; the Rktakian Kwardniet is overall pretty densely populated.
Aktan. Location: 38N, 5E (~700 km from Ikun); Elevation: +1100m; Population: 10.6 million; GDP: $1.3 trillion. Tier: 1. Another one of Ikun's close neighbors, located at the far end of the Ryden-Akten Highway. Aktan is firmly inside the semi-arid desert biome, with climates almost the same as Ikun, and like most city-states in the Rktakian Kwardniet, has a high standard of living. During the Utopian Wars, Ikun and Aktan fought in Y788 and again in Y819-820, but during the Hegemony Era, they have consistently retained relatively solid relations, as Ikun has generally tried to avoid making enemies right next door. There are a number of medium-sized city-states between Ikun and Aktan, and like Ryden, Aktan often uses Ikun's spaceport--located along the Ryden-Aktan Highway--for its commercial space activity. Language and culture tend to be fairly similar to Ikun as well, though as with Ryden, there are noticeable differences in the vernacular and specific traditions.
Lakyanah. Location: 27N, 22W (~3800 km from Ikun); Elevation: +440m; Population: 0; GDP: $0. Tier: N/A. Located at the southwestern end of the Rktakian Kwardniet, not far from the edge of the Dunelands Basin. This is a former city-state that is no more, having been deleted by Ikun's nukes during the Day of Tower Clouds in Y831. At the time, this came as a shock to many, as Ikun and Lakyanah were staunch allies during the later years of the Utopian Wars. However, Lakyanah had rejected Ikun's offer to be under their nuclear umbrella, preferring instead to pursue their own independent nuclear weapons program. To Ikun, any nuclear proliferation was an unacceptable security risk, and so Lakyanah met the same fate as all 13 city-states pursuing nuclear weapons in Y831. It's believed that Lakyanah was just weeks away from its first nuclear test when the Day of Tower Clouds happened, which is probably why it happened when it did. With a 5.5 megaton fusion bomb to the city center and eight 200 kiloton fission bombs taking out every major military installation and infrastructure in the city-state, Lakyanah functionally didn't exist any more, and the survivors gradually trickled out to start over elsewhere; with the government, military, and infrastructure gone, and the looming threat of radiation poisoning (at the time, nobody knew for sure how long it would take to subside to safe levels), most Kyanah had no reason to remain in the area and it emptied out within a few years. In modern times, the radiation has subsided considerably and it's relatively safe to visit, but the city remains abandoned, with nature creeping in and many areas crumbling away or being buried under the sand. The area might remind a human observer of Pripyat, only with more ruins and outright leveled buildings along with the merely abandoned ones. As of Y976, it's been about 66 Earth years since the Day of Tower Clouds, most of the OG survivors are dead except a few who were hatchlings or children at the time, and their descendants have largely assimilated into nearby city-states. While there's no permanent population around Lakyanah's oasis, tourists and salvage companies looking to make some qoin do occasionally visit. It's possible that in the future, some group may migrate there to clean up the rubble and establish a new city-state under a different name, but this has yet to happen as of Y976.
Taktan. Location: 43N, 11W (~1700 km from Ikun); Elevation: +1300m; Population: <20k; GDP: Unknown. Tier: N/A. One of the first two city-states nuked by Ikun at the end of the Utopian Wars, in Y824; it was this abrupt destruction of an entire city-state that brought the chain reaction of the Utopian Wars to a halt in the first place. Like Lakyanah, the survivors abandoned the area after the city-state fell, but unlike Lakyanah, it does not remain completely abandoned. In the past 10-20 Earth years, companies have begun clearing away the remains of Taktan and developing properties there, and thousands of packs have moved into company towns in the vicinity. There is as yet no formal government, but it seems likely that a new city-state will be founded eventually. This area is in a seasonal plains biome, characterized by a mix of endoskeleton and exoskeleton type structured plants, with alternating periods of flower blooms, elevated fungal activity, and relatively dead, arid periods.
Awkoryah. Location: 27N, 24E (~4000 km from Ikun); Elevation: +500m; Population: 6.7 million; GDP: $450 billion. Tier: 2. One of the poorer city-states in the Rktakian Kwardniet, it is located at the southeast edge of the region, where semi-arid desert gives way to the hot desert of the Dunelands Basin. Some would in fact say it's an honorary Dunelands city-state at this point, as more than half the population are Dunelanders; many Kyanah from the eastern Dunelands immigrate here instead of pushing further into the Rktakian Kwardniet. While still having a higher standard of living than most (but not all) of the Dunelands, Awkoryah has seen better days; the manufacturing sector has been greatly reduced in the past couple of generations the same ecological disasters ravaging the Dunelands are also affecting them. "Awkoryah Sauce", a popular nyrud's blood based condiment takes its name from this city-state, though the actual product sold in Ikun is heavily modified for Ikun palates and no Kyanah from Awkoryah would be caught dead putting it on anything.
Kutwenyah. Location: 41N, 22E (~3000 km from Ikun); Elevation: +2400m; Population: 800k; GDP: $200 billion. Tier: 1. Positioned at the outskirts of the White Impact Range (one of the newer and thus more chaotic impact ranges), Kutwenyah is in a shattered biome, characterized by rapid swings in both climate and elevation, with a vast maze of craters, ejecta piles, and impact peaks, diverse micro-ecosystems hiding inside craters and harsh, windy conditions beyond the crater walls. Their economy is primarily based on a mix of tourism (packs coming to sightsee or climb the many craters and impact peaks) and luxury goods (ornate compute-watches, the Kyanah equivalent of a smartphone, and expensive alcohol are the most famous examples). However, it owes most of its influence to being the place where the Coalition of Cities, the largest and arguably most successful inter-city organization in history, was founded and the location of its headquarters. Thousands of packs of ambassadors visit throughout the year, looking to make deals with whatever diplomats they can find and advance the status of their home city-states. While ostensibly neutral, they maintain close economic ties to Ikun and in turn quietly keep them updated on any notable goings on with the Coalition, and sometimes, albeit rarely, straight up turn away diplomats whose presence would be inconvenient to Ikun.

Basic detail on me - I'm a biomed student, I'm pretty attractive (I used to model) but not insanely so, I'm active and love the gym, love to read, draw, cook, I pride myself on being funny, a little odd and an interesting person to converse with.
So my three dating experiences have been as follows:
Suitor 1: My first ever dating experience. Talked for almost a year online, met up twice but saw each other around the gym a lot. We were planning on having a proper meet up at his house and the day before I saw him at the beach with his supposed ex girlfriend. Turns out he'd been seeing her the whole time. Oh, and also he was incredibly controlling and abusive towards her, blamed her for his insecurities and eating disorder, has a drug reliance problem and is a pathological liar. Throughout the whole time we were talking he used a lot of language of being 'obsessed' with me, putting me on a pedestal, and still to this day I hear that he talks about me all the time to friends of friends.
Suitor 2: Met through a mutual friend. He lived in London, I do not. He was incredible on paper, army cadet, male model, incredibly fit and talented at many sports, competitive tennis player, skilled at art, cooking and poetry, from a very well-to-do family. We spoke online for about a week or two before meeting, it got intense very quickly - he was talking about how he'd never felt this way about anyone, opening up about his depression, asking me to come to Italy with his family that summer, wanting something real with me. The catch is he was moving to New Zealand to join the military in two months so he and I both KNEW that we couldn't have anything serious. I travelled to London in the summer and hung out with him for a whole day - we.had a pretty nice time, I went back to his house and met his dad and brother. Within the span of a week or two, he would get upset and insecure about sarcastic banter that was fine at the beginning, essentially confess his love for me, get bitter that I didn't show the same extreme displays of emotion, get angry and self-pitying that I wasn't texting enough when I was at a festival with no service. I sent him a well-worded text and broke it off, telling him that he was deserving of love but I wasn't the right person and the distance situation wouldn't work, but that if his mental health was ever really struggling then I would always care and be there for him. He text me intermittently a few times since, telling me he got into the army etc. I would see a lot of his TikTok reposts being about longing, wanting to break no contact, unrequited love. Then a few months ago he text again and he struck up a proper conversation, he mentioned again how he loved me at the time and really wanted something serious, I was kind but properly shut it down and said we need to move on, I told him I barely use my phone anymore which is true. That was the end of that. (Although he STILL reposts TikToks that can only be about me).
Current suitor: Once again another guy that looks great on paper: Male model (the most handsome and well-built guy I've ever seen - abs like a cobblestone street lol), medical student (I also want to study medicine after studying biomedical sciences) at a very prestigious London uni, very skilled at sports, cooking, funny, rides a motorbike. We met on Hinge - somehow by fate my 'like' was at the top of the pile of 2.7k (?!?!!) likes that he hasn't sifted through when he opened the app and we really clicked right away, and moved off of Hinge onto text, he literally told me he was deleting hinge having met me and sent me a screen recording of him doing it. I can't say that I didn't kinda love that he did that, it was a nice gesture, but kind of a red flag in that obsessive genre again. Also, I told him he was hot and he was adamant he wasn't - but there's no way you look like he does and don't think you're hot (I know hot people can have insecurities too though) - and mentioned how he has no social media and got bullied for two years because his girlfriend cheated on him with the entire rugby team. Great, just when I think it's going well and I've found a great guy, I find out about some intense trauma. He seems like he's over it though, I think. I hope this is heading in the right direction as I really like him, he has a busy life obviously with medicine and doesn't text too much because he's studying all day, which hopefully is a good sign that he won't get obsessive- but there does seem to be a pattern in the types of guys I attract.
TLDR : dating history: a pathological liar with an eating disorder and a drug problem who was obsessed with me and is to this day, a 'good on paper' guy who actually has depression and became obsessed with me to the point of being in love after a week, another 'good on paper' guy who is definitely insecure, has past relationship trauma, and who deleted Hinge an hour after talking to me.
I want to make it clear I'm not hating on people for having mental health problems or trauma, I'm just pointing out the pattern in the guys I've dated and I'm at a loss as to why I can't just attract a healthy person, and as to why people become obsessed with me and have intense feelings very quickly. I just want to have a healthy dating life and healthy relationship. I feel that these people may put me on a pedestal and see me as the answer to their problems, but I don't know why or how to avoid this.
Any advice or thoughts would be so appreciated - particularly any insights on the current guy I'm seeing - thank you!

• Meet the Kyanah -- the alien civilization I've been working on since 2016
• A Primer on Kyanah Physiology
• Aliens Deserve Alien Brains
• A Primer on Kyanah Pack Dynamics
• Advanced Kyanah Psychology: Inter-Pack Dynamics
• The Motives for Project Hope: Part I
• The Motives for Project Hope: Part II
• The Motives for Project Hope: Part III
• The Motives for Project Hope: Part IV
• The Motives for Project Hope: Part V
• Intro to Kyanah Politics
• An (abridged) Beastiary of the Kyanah Homeworld
• Plantlife of the Kyanah Homeworld
• An Analysis of Kyanah Military Forces: Part I -- Tech
• An Analysis of Kyanah Military Forces: Part II -- Organizational Structure
• An Analysis of Kyanah Military Forces: Part III -- Military Doctrine
• Alien Computers Are Alien
• Alien Computers Are Alien -- Part II: Kyanah-Human Cyberwarfare
• Alien Computers Are Alien -- Part III: A Guide to Kyanah Internets
• A Look Into the Kyanah Education System
• A Rare Look at Kyanah Living Spaces
• A Primer on Kyanah Economics
• Kyanah Food and Drink
• The Kyanah Have A Desert Planet -- Wait No It Has 12 Biomes: Part I
• The Kyanah Have A Desert Planet -- Wait No It Has 12 Biomes: Part II

The Kyanah do not have a world government like so many stereotypical alien civilizations, nor even large nation-states like Earth. The vast majority of the Kyanah population live inside city-states instead. This arises from the fact that Kyanah by nature distrust centralization, deep hierarchies, and collectivization. Any social unit larger than a pack must continuously justify its own existence and demonstrate that any obligations or restrictions it places on packs are outweighed by the benefits they bring to said packs. There is a school of Kyanah philosophical thought known as Fractalism, which posits that relationships between natural and societal structures at differing levels are essentially the same, and the relationship between a pack and its members is essentially a "zoomed in" version of the relationship between the state and citizen packs. But this is controversial even in the more communal and collectivist southern hemisphere, and generally regarded as complete hogwash in the north, where Centralism is much more prevalent, positing that the pack is the center of society, and every other component and societal structure exists to serve the pack structure. Under Centralist thought, it's quite difficult to justify huge governments spanning billions of citizens and vast stretches of territory, as the benefit to individual packs is much less clear than something like a city-state.
The prevalence of city-states over nation-states also means that there have never been large colonial empires in Kyanah history. There have been attempts to establish them, especially during the heyday of the Utopian era, but inevitably they have crashed and burned within a matter of years, with local administrators and populations simply failing to comply with directives from central authorities and ignoring the would-be colonial powers whenever their backs were turned, to an extreme degree. Thus, controlling fast colonial territories inevitably tends to be a money sink for outweighing any possible economic gain. That is not, of course to say, that the Kyanah have a peaceful history or that city-states haven't invaded and overthrown each other. All throughout history, plenty of city-states have been invaded and overthrown; Ikun alone has been responsible for hundreds of regime changes during the Hegemony Era. The difference between this and colonialism, is that Kyanah will tend to leave the conquered city-state once they've gotten what they wanted, whether that be resources, or putting a different government in power, instead of sticking around to try and administrate faraway territories themselves. The exceptions to this rule throughout Kyanah history have almost exclusively involved groups being driven from their home city-states by either natural disasters or persecution or war, and forcefully relocating themselves to someone else's land--again not exactly the same as establishing colonies.
The closest thing to colonialism in Kyanah geopolitics is likely the Globalist doctrine--so named because city-states use their influence to extract natural resources on a global scale. This is an outgrowth of treaties concerning so-called "open land" that exists outside the political and economic borders of any city-state and is thus free for any city-state or any citizens thereof to extract natural resources and develop infrastructure anywhere they please, as long as they don't attack foreign citizens or damage foreign infrastructure they come across in open land. While in theory a fair and just way to handle resources outside the purview of any jurisdiction, rich and powerful city-states were quick to find ways to game the system. Essentially, corporations and city-states in the affluent and heavily industrialized Rktakian Kwardniet could afford to send ultra long-range missions to acquire natural resources in ways that many others could not. Corporations based in city-states like Ikun, and the states themselves, were able to travel halfway around the world to extract resources from right under the snouts of smaller and weaker city-states that may not have the finances to send such resource-gathering expeditions very far afield. The developed northern city-states are thus able get the raw materials they want while cutting out the middleman and avoiding a morass of tariffs and regulations that are inevitable when dealing with global trade networks with thousands of city-states. Meanwhile, weaker city-states are locked out of natural resources that might be sitting just outside their borders.
Of course, private and state-sponsored expeditions to cut out the middleman in trade networks have existed for centuries in all parts of the Kyanah homeworld, but in the period after the Utopian Wars, marked by the exploding popularity of civilian cargo aircraft, nuclear power, and rapidly expanding road and rail networks, made it far more practical to do this on a massive scale. This led to the Globalist doctrine, with city-states in the Rktakian Kwardniet (especially Ikun) getting far more systematic and tactical with it; instead of just getting their hands on natural resources, these expeditions serve secondary, sometimes multiple strategic purposes, with who doesn't get access to resources often being just as important as who does. Ikun has, for instance, been known to orchestrate blatantly unprofitable mining ventures or burn down ecosystems in open lands, solely to block specific developing city-states from mining and harvesting easily accessible resources just outside their borders, in order to advance some geopolitical goal of their own. As the Far South city-states such as Koranah have developed economically, they have also begun to employ Globalist tactics, despite consistently railing against Ikun's implementation of the same tactics in inter-city forums. Despite these tactics, global trade networks continue to grow and grow; no city-state can make everything on their own, every city-state has to import something. Ikun in particular, despite being the most powerful city-state in the world, is a net importer of food, and also extensively imports nanogears--critical components for the Kyanahs' mechanical computers--from Koranah, who produce them at the highest quality and the highest quantity of any city-state.
Possibly the biggest example of Globalist doctrine in action in Kyanah history is the Water Distribution System. The WDS originated after the Utopian Wars as a highly decentralized project, with hundreds of corporations and city-states each building water piplines, silos, collection plants, wells, and all the other necessary infrastructure to efficiently exchange water between themselves and their neighbors and allies. However, Ikun saw the opportunity to use its own technology and infrastructure to merge it all into a cohesive system by bridging crucial gaps in strategic locations around the world, refining and optimizing the infrastructure, and vastly expanding the number of control nodes used to direct the flow of water. This way, flow of water could be optimized across the entire planet, swiftly moving excess water to drought-stricken regions and eliminating droughts. This vision was realized early in the administration of Ikun City Alpha Nyektak-pack, creating the Water Distribution System in its modern form. However, with Ikun technology and Ikun control nodes dominating the system, this gave them an outsized level of control over where the water would flow, with their control nodes being in some cases able to cancel out and override those of other city-states by virtue of numbers. This didn't give Ikun absolute mastery over all water on the planet--other city-states had control nodes too--but it did give them the ability to put their finger on the scale at critical moments and exert undue influence. That being said, water actually did get cheaper and deaths by drought actually did decrease--at least until increasing ecological disasters began to strain the system--so the Water Distribution System has a rather controversial reputation globally.
Eventually, Koranah city-state, Ikun's strongest foreign rival, would come to take inspiration from the Water Distribution System. As environmental destruction intensified year by year, many city-states had the idea to use advanced geoengineering technologies to combat this, planning to construct vast control nodes like living factories that would pump out genetically engineered microbes and nanobots to eat pollution, stabilize ecosystems, and control local weather patterns. Koranah's diplomats encouraged this, secretly planning to do what Ikun did with the Water Distribution System and bring these disparate projects together into a cohesive system, which Koranah would seek to control by establishing their own control nodes at the points in the world where they could have the greatest influence for the least effort. This would create the Climate Control System, able to optimize weather and ecosystems globally instead of just locally, while allowing Koranah to use their control nodes to influence the weather at key points to maximize their own interests. Naturally, Ikun was highly opposed to this and moved to ban geoengineering and use its network of allies and privileged position in the Coalition of Cities to pressure other city-states into following suit or facing sanctions. As an alternative, Ikun touted its own plan Project Hope, a military invasion of Earth designed to revitalize its own faltering economy and demonstrate its unparalleled capability of force projection to allies and enemies alike, thereby keeping the Hegemony alive while still giving their city-state's citizens hope (hence the name) that they will be able to escape the looming ecological disaster coming from geoengineering being banned, and start a new life on Earth.
The interesting thing about all of these is that Kyanah city-states are exerting their influence in foreign lands without actually creating empires and directly controlling other city-states, they're not really making colonies per se even if their activities have a global reach. City-states utilizing Globalist doctrine aren't ruling over or directly plundering foreign cities, they're extracting resources and developing infrastructure in the Kyanah equivalent of international waters, albeit with occasionally devastating consequences to weaker and poorer city-states. Even the invasion of Earth by Ikun city-state doesn't involve Ikun establishing direct control over all or even part of Earth. They couldn't do that even if they wanted to, not with the Kyanah tendency to reject centralized authority, and the 12 year speed of light delay for all communications. The goal is simply to establish independent but Ikun-friendly regimes in politically dominant positions on Earth to expand the Hegemony from one world to two.
Though the Hegemony, Ikun's policy of outsized, unparalleled influence on global affairs, is backed by more than just subtle economic manipulation. The Globalist doctrine, including the Water Distribution System, is just one pillar. Another key pillar is the nuclear monopoly. Having used their own nuclear weapons to preemptively destroy every other city-state seeking to develop them, Ikun maintains the policy that while all city-states may use nuclear power for peaceful purposes, only Ikun can have nuclear bombs. They know good and well that if other city-states developed them--especially Koranah, whose economy and conventional military have all but caught up to Ikun--the Hegemony would collapse in an instant and be replaced by a multi-polar world dominated by mutually assured destruction, diminishing Ikun from hyperpower to mere superpower. Ikun also retains an extremely strong conventional military that it uses to project force across the world, overthrowing and propping up regimes as it sees fit, though during the Nyektak-pack administration, such overt methods are less commonly used than the early days of the Hegemony Era.
The third pillar of the Hegemony is Ikun's influence in the Coalition of Cities. Originally conceived by young idealists and activists as a neutral forum for city-states to resolve their issues in a civilized manner, professional bureaucrats and politicians quickly joined and took over the organization, and Ikun adopted the strategy of using the Coalition as a very much not neutral forum to coordinate its own allies and target its enemies with sanctions and weaponized diplomacy. Much like the Water Distribution System, they carefully select their allies--there are thousands to choose from thanks to the Kyanah having city-states rather than nation-states--to maximize their influence over the Coalition for minimum effort. Normally, as there are over 3000 member states, it's not practical for all ambassador-packs to be at Coalition HQ at all times, especially as a lot of the time, city-states may be using the forum for relatively trivial matters of only regional interest. It can be a crapshoot which members are being represented there at any given time, but savvy ambassadors will try to be present whenever inter-city deals are being made that might concern their city-states, or use occasions when ambassadors from rival city-states aren't present to ram through treaties that are harmful to them. Ikun has an have an uncanny knack for both of these; it's likely no coincidence that they maintain very close diplomatic ties and very preferential trade deals with Kutwenyah, the ostensibly neutral city-state where the Coalition of Cities is headquartered.

So, I have no idea why, but I felt a need to explain and describe how I set up biomes in Wyrlde. So, sorry -- brevity is not a strong suit of mine.
Part of why this matters is that I am creating a list of critters for each biome (including birds, fish, insects, and even monsters) and determining how it works. I get to do this because rather than being an 'evolved' world, it is a terraformed planet at its underlying core, and the wildlife that inhabits it is derived from the seed material that arrived long long ago in an age lost to time.
I already know the basic biomass metrics (did them in January) so the overall process of doing this is giving me a lot of stuff t think on, since I am not planning to "keep to the basics of earth" in terms of the natural world.
But I am going to stay "somewhat close" -- lions will still be around in areas that lions are, tigers in tiger areas, beas in bear areas, etc.
So, for my biomes, the first thing I did was define my climate regions: Cold, Cool, Warm, and Hot -- translatable to Arctic, Temperate, Sub-Tropical, and Tropical. this was key since I am simplifying in many respects.
next, I needed my core biome groups: Tundra/Alpine, Grasslands, Forests, Wetlands, Deserts, Steppe, Oceanic, Riparian, and Mediterranean are pretty common, but I also like to add in a "Cove" and a "croft" -- areas that are marked changes from the surrounding area like sheltered valleys and then any place where people have an active influence on the ecology (such as farms, towns, cities, etc).
I also needed terms for them that worked for the world, lol. So I have Frigid, Grasslands, Forests, Wetlands, Steppe, Deserts, Oceanic, Riparian, Sylvan, Sheltered, and Croft.
Now, Frigid areas are fairly limited -- only going to find them on mountains and then north of the Arctic Circle. The same applies to the Sylvan areas -- they are mostly going to be along the border area between temperate and Sub-tropical.
But the rest can happen in different areas. And so for the rest of them, there is a Cool, Cold, Warm, and Hot version of each, and they all have their own names. Swamp, Bog, Moor, Chaparral, etc.
This gives me:
Frigid -- Arctic, Alpine, Taiga, Tundra
Sylvan -- Sylvan, Idyl
Grasslands -- Moor, Meadow, Prairie, Savanna
Forests -- Forest, Woodland, Rainforest, Jungle
Wetlands -- Bog, Fen, Marsh, Swamp
Steppe -- Highland, Scrubland, Shrubland, Veldt
Deserts -- Barrens, Chaparral, Desert, Sand Sea
Riparian -- Lake, River, Oasis, Spring; (this is always close in to the area)
Sheltered -- Glen, Dale, Vale, Cove/Grotto
Oceanic -- Littoral, Benthic, Pelagic, Bathylgic, Benthic (Set up by proximity to shore and Depth; The Oceans on Wyrlde are comparatively shallow, settling in at 6400 feet deep maximum)
Agarthan -- this is set up for the "underworld', and includes Caves, Caverns, and Agarthan.
Croft -- Crop, Range, Orchard, Settled, Ruined
So we have just under 50 distinct Biomes.
As I collect my animal listings, i should note that I am sorting them according to the category, not the specific biome. So an animal that is found in temperate areas can be found across all the world within that range. A sub tropical animal the same -- provided they can be fit into the ecology of that area.
It also means I get to have some fun -- what does a Fen Badger look like? How did they adapt to the swampy conditions? What does a Desert Wolf survive on?
By having a really good idea of the particulars of each of my areas, I am able to start applying creativity that still works within the structure to do things like have a Sand Crocodile, or a Bog Raven, and so forth.
And my examples show some of the limitations that this will help me overcome -- By ignoring "continent of origin", and looking strictly at the biome and the types of animals that exist there, I can mix and match things much more effectively, such as having Lions, and Wolves, and Bears all be a real threat in a Woodland, Scrubland, or Meadow.
So, that's an example of how I approach world building in general -- a bit of grounding and then a lot of imagination -- but I work to create the foundation, the infrastructure, to support my imagination as I go.

The Magic System I've pooled over for some time nvolves Dragons. Which were basically it's primary focus but grew from there, so I don't necessarily have a name. Some of it is still in the works, so bear with me. Questions or comments would be appreciated and I'll do my best to answer them.
History: Dating back long before the time of man, with the birth of the world Aether came into creation alongside the other natural forces of the world (gravity, time ect). A key factor of Aether is that it's a semi-sentient being connected to every living and non-living thing. More so like a plant, it's aware of things around it, but doesn't necessarily actively interact besides passively. It rides upon Aether Winds that touch every place in the world. Shortly after a race of humanoid bug-like creatures arose called the Ancients and before long learned to harness and use Aether. There was no defining limitation save for extremities (immortality, extension of life ect). Through the use of Aether they even interconnected their entire species through a bond (we will come back To bonds). Shortly before their demise, a group of power hungry fanatics zealous with the idea of unlimited power accidentally created the Corrupted Aether by acciden (yet again, we will come back). Born from the thoughts of power and the desire to take, it was born asba malicious sentient creature that did not know it's place in the world other than take. Ultimately it destroyed the Ancients and reigned, corrupting Aether until it trigged a defensive response from the Aether itself that created Dragons. Beings of pure uncorrupted Aether to combat this disease that plagued it. It was weakened by the corruption and the creation of dragons.
Aether Usage: All beings born have a connection to the Aether, this connection typically is a one way street. But occasionally beings can be born with a two way connection (After the death of a dragon and by sheer luck of its residual Aether interacting with them ‘Awakening’ their Aether heart). Awakened are described as having a secondary circulatory system, which is typically inactive. This Aether heart and pathways control the flow of Aether throughout their person. There are a few basic side effects of being awakened. - The more Aether one holds, it seems the slower they age. - Those who are awakened are naturally physically dominant. - Awakened wounds naturally clot/scab over quicker. They have a tolerance to lethal doses of poisons. A higher pain tolerance. Overall, they are just better
Via training, these are basic uses of Aether any awakened can learn/develop.

• Controlling the flow of your Aether, the faster the flow the greater your physical strengths and capabilities grow. One might think of it like, blood flow for oxygen. But instead it's Aether to reinforce the body as a whole. Stronger, faster and durable. While first starting out an active effort must be made to maintain, but eventually it becomes second handed, and then out right as easy as breathing.
• Awakened individuals can attune themselves to sense Aether flows in their environment. This ability allows them to detect concentrations of Aether, the presence of other Awakened, or even trace the paths of Aether Winds. This sensing can range from a vague awareness of Aether's presence to a detailed perception of its movements and intensity, depending on the individual's skill and practice.
• Known as echos, echoes allow an Awakened to "listen" to residual Aether left behind by significant events or powerful uses of magic. This skill involves interpreting the lingering energies to glean insights into past occurrences in a given location. Naturally echos vanish within hours, but some may take months or even years to dissipate. It all depends on the concentration of the Aether that was used in the area.
• Shifting is the process of violently transforming into a physical manifestation of some aspect of nature. This can be a multitude of ways, from an animal, to an idea or phenomenon or object/material. Or from a dragon to a human. Shifting is biologically coded into the bloodline and togu (dragon word for soul), so every member of the family is limited to the shift they possess. Two examples being House Safra: Vines: Members of this House have the power known as Vines. They grow a suit of vines around their bodies. Covered in tough, thick green vines they act as a coat of armour and an exo-suit, giving them superhuman strength, speed and power. They can freely manipulate the vines as they need. Allowing them to swing, hit from afar, form bundles of vines as shields or more. And House Oatheis: Pride: Alters the user into a tall humanoid lion figure with a rippling mane. Rippling with muscle, and standing on two feet their hands and feet turn into paws with claws able to shred metal, and with the power to break wood with a hit. They can run extremely fast with their angled hind legs, and gain heightened senses. They gain incredible endurance, strength and stamina. His jaw and mouth gain a powerful strength able to clamp and destroy bones. There is no ‘balance’, some Shifts may be stronger than others. (This is the man ability for humans)

These are more advanced uses for Aether
Bonding- The act of connecting two togus. Often of ceremonial significance to dragons. Bonded can read each other's minds, talk telepathically and share Aether. Awakened who are bonded, or Dragons, share their powers but in a lesser extent. There is a plethora of different ways to bond. The dragon way of bonding is known as a soul bond. There are forced bonds, where one side dominates the other. Submissive bonds, where one side willingly submits to the others soul such is the case of Soul Fighters. There is really no limit to the limits or depths a bond can be formed at. Another such example would be the World Bond of the Ancients which was a mutual bond between everyone involved.
Togu Grytaks (Soul Tool)- The process of forming an item via your soul. These items can take any form, one may have a sword and another a helmet. Other than being typically highly decorated, sharpedurable than a usual weapon and able to be summoned and dismissed on command they hold no special power like a Dragons Togu Grytak. The only exception is fully awakened individuals with a Shift, their Togu Grytak will hold parts of its power. For example House Deimos. One member may have a hammer that upon hit delivers a concussive blast or a unique furred chestplate that resembles the Shifts fur making it highly resistant to normal weapon attacks.
Partial Shifting- Partial Shifting is an advanced practice of using less Aether for only portions of a shift. Such as, an Oatheis family member performing a partial shift to turn their right arm and hand into a powerful lion-like arm with claws that can shred materials. Or a House Safra member being able to manifest a few limited sets of vines instead of the full-body.
Shifts: Powers are the general term referred to the bloodlines who are able to do inhuman feats via their connection to the Aether. This can range from forming a suit of vines, to transforming their body into a humanoid bull. The source of human powers is intricately tied to the death of dragons. Upon the perishing of a dragon, they hold such a grand amount of Aether, that when they die for a brief span of a month the Aether they release when killed is best described as ‘charged’. It's pick up upon the Aether winds and when scatters of it come in contact with an inactive Aether heart there's a chance it effectively ‘jump starts’ it, awakening them. Shifting is best described as altering their physical self to become a manifestation/representation of their power. Shifts are always in a humanoid form, and are always physically tangible. The Minotian Bull of House Deimos draws inspiration from the legendary creature the Minotian Bull. It alters their body to represent it in a physical humanoid shape, gaining exaggerated abilities of its natural being. For House Arashai who take after lightning in their power known as Tempest, they become a physical humanoid representation of lightning with the ability to produce and control lighting itself. Alternatively powers that deal in the direct usage or manipulation of Aether in some regard, don't have shifts. So far these include Conqueror, Reincarnate and Power Negation. While other powers involve altering their physical forms, these powers manipulate AetheTogus in a way. The only other exception is House Veltaria, who have had their body physical altered by Corrupted Aether granting them the use of Aether without the need for a shift or an awakened Aether heart. When entering a Shift, the person's body alters physically in violent ways. The snapping of bones as they rearrange, the stretching and growing of flesh and skin makes it a vulgar affair. But the Shifter doesn't feel any of the pain besides perhaps a light tingling sensation. For other powers, such as Vines where they get encased in a suit of vines, the vines are shown as growing out of the persons skin in disgusting ways. Shifts are hereditary, with no general rule. Male and female may receive and pass on a Shift equally. A family member may be born with a Shift, but it is not guaranteed to pass onto the next generation, instead lying dormant only to reappear in the grandchild of the original. Even members not inheriting the power, they will still be semi-awakened. Example being, Elliot Safra inherits the Vine shift. His daughter, Meliodi Safra, does not and her son Marcus Safra also does not. It's not until Elliots great-great grandchild Heructor Safra that the Vine shift reappears. The reasons for Shifts not always being inherited are due to the Aether around the child's conception. They may be born with an awakened heart, but no Shift. It all varies upon Aether quantity around them. (The list of powers is long, so I won't put them)
Dragons: Dragons when born are born with a Qoril (the dragon word for holder, effectively meaning they hold some aspect of the world within them). Qorils are a fundamental aspect of every dragon. When a dragon is born they become tied to some aspect of the world at random. Qorils take up any aspect, from an enveloping idea like water or stone to something as defined as blood or dirt or even biomes or emotions and more. Qorils directly influence a dragon's appearance at birth as well. A dragon's breath reflects that of their Qoril, and if unable to (in the cases where it isn't a physical manifestation) they produce pure waves of Aether. There can only be a single dragon per qoril. There will never be two water qoril dragons alive at the same time. Dragons are able to shift between their dragon form and a human form. A dragon's qorils is able to be used in their human form as well. Dragons are capable of forming bonds with humans. When bonded they can mentally talk, share memories and powers. So a non-awakened human bonded with a dragon can use their qoril. Alternatively, an awakened person can utilize a dragon's qoril in tandem with their own power. Those bonded to a dragon can use the dragons Aether to shift as well, effectively turning them into a humanoid dragon matching their bonded. Not only the person bonded to a dragon, but their bloodline is altered. Physical appearances change such as House Frosts white hair or House Nubani’s blood being golden. These effects don't always show, such as a first time bonder nothing may happen and they may appear the same. But as a dragon continues to bond with members of the same blood its as if part of their Qoril is cemented within it, marking it to the point where even if the dragon doesn't bond to that bloodline anymore the features will still show. Additionally, when a human is bonded to a dragon and they have children the kids are born with a small shard of whatever Qoril the dragon resided over within their Aether Heart. This figurative ‘shard’ is the source of the physical mutations over time, as more bonds happen the more prominent the Qoril within the blood comes. This additionally makes more ‘pure’ lines in the blood as some may have more descendants who have directly bonded. This sliver of the Dragons Qoril within each family members Aether Heart is the key to each member of the bloodline being able to draw upon the Dragons Qoril even without being directly bonded. Aslong as a single member of the family is bonded to the Dragon with the Qoril, it's Aether will activate every family members sliver and therefore their Heart, allowing them to use it. If no one is bonded to the Dragon, the sliver and Aether Heart remain inert.
Dragon Togu Grytaks: Upon reaching a certain maturity (usually after taking a face for themselves), dragons discover their right to forge a Togu Grytak—a unique artifact deeply connected to their Qoril and Togu which is effectively a manifestation of their soul and Qoril in the form of an item. These items, which can range from traditional weapons to more unconventional objects, are manifestations of their Qorils power and can only be summoned in human form through the use of Aether. Upon returning back into a Dragon the Togu Grytak generally vanishes, leaving and rejoining the Dragon. But they can choose to have it remain to be used by their bonded or another ally. Ultimately, when a Dragon is killed with their Togu Grytak out in the world, it remains there. Their Togu will not be free, but instead absorbed into the Togu Grytak as it is a direct connection to their Togu. These Togus are trapped forever until the artifact is broken open. It's in this, that the dragons trapped in their weapons can communicate with those who touch or use them. Old weapons may have lost their voice or given up entirely. Just husks of what they once were, there to be used. The usage of these Togu Grytaks come in two forms. The most simplistic level anyone can do, where they use the weapon and the lesser extent of its power from the Qoril tied to it. The second way involves very specific requirements to be met. When these requirements are met the weapon can be used to its full potential. The requirements are. A: When wielded by the dragon's bonded human. B: When used by someone directly descended from a bond, possessing a shard of the dragon's Qoril within their Aether Heart. In these cases, the interaction between the wielder's inner shard of Qoril and the Togu Grytak completes a metaphysical "puzzle," fully unleashing the weapon's capabilities. This not only significantly enhances the weapon's effectiveness but also allows for the expression of the dragon's power in ways that mirror the bond shared with the wielder in some way. This could theoretically mean, someone who had an ancestor who bonded with a long dead Dragon hundreds of years back, could come into contact with that very weapon and use it to it's full potential.
Limits: Those who use Aether aren't immune to drawbacks. The main limitation of Aether is exhaustion. Just like a muscle overuse, for longer periods of time than one may be used too, may exhaust their Aether flow. An exhausted flow of Aether is when someone's flow runs slower than it typically would or should. This physically impacts the exhausted individual via direct mental and physical exhaustion.
I think that's it? There's definitely more nitty gritty stuff I missed, but feedback or inconsistencies ive missed or really anything would be appreciated as this is the first time I've shared it and would like to flesh it out.

I feel like the world is a bit too small and it gets boring revisiting the same stuff old biomes. I think it’s time the world got a bit of an expansion.
Biome Ideas: Savana, Grassland, Cave Systems, Ashland, Dead Wood, Luminescent Grove, Fungi Forests, Chaparral, Rock Forests.

Hello, I’ve been thinking about this subject for a long time and I wanted to write these thoughts down and share them with you guys. I’m probably not the first one that thinks this way, but since I didn’t find a post that completely represents all these ideas together, I’m writing one on my own. I’d love to read more of people’ inputs about it, though. It’s such an interesting discussion about society's development (ours and theirs). Anyway, here’s why I’m 99% sure that whatever alien community reaches us, they’re not gonna be hostile:
Before everything, I’m assuming that however life starts on other planets, they have to follow similar steps to what happened here 4 billion years ago, because we’re all the same basic chemical elements under the same physical laws, throughout the entire universe. Therefore, it must start with unicellular and then pluricellular beings. Later, those species will form different populations living in the same ecosystems. There’s going to be competition, predation, mutualism, etc. Throughout evolution, these interactions will create standard emotional responses like fear, aggressiveness, sense of protection, sense of self preservation, “love”, etc. All that means that the alien intelligent species will be able to, at least, understand our human emotional output, even if they lost some of it in their evolutionary process. They’ll be able to empathize. But mostly important, since they’re similar to us, I can infer the following: their society grows in the same way ours do.
I know we can get very pessimistic about the world sometimes, but if we look at our History, we can see that humanity is actually getting better. We’re forming a more connected and harmonious group as the centuries pass. We’ve prohibited slavery, we have more people now advocating for peace and avoiding violent conflicts, we understand better our psychological flaws, we’re creating more fair and efficient justice systems, we’re more socially inclusive, we value democracy over dictatorship, etc. Just make a comparison between the world now and the world 500 years ago. Human ethics and morals became radically different - for the better mostly. And in my opinion, this evolution is deeply associated with our development in science and technology because both are inherently results of group labor. Science and technology can only thrive adequately in a very well organized and motivated society, because the process of building knowledge and gathering resources takes an immensely great, very well coordinated collective effort. A tumultuous society slows this progress and might reset it, like what happens in a war, when universities are destroyed and scientists are killed. Consequently, a society with a very advanced technology, capable of intergalaxy traveling at incredible speed, must be one with also a strong sense of community and harmonious coexistence. If the alien technology is advanced, so is going to be their ethics and morals. They are bound to be advocates of peaceful progress.
Finally, if they have this high technology, they also must be good at harvesting energy or getting fuel from the elements. If that’s the case, they’re not going to be short of resources like food or any material either. Since our planet has virtually almost nothing that you couldn’t find in other empty planets, asteroids or stellar bodies, there’s no reason for an offensive move towards us. In fact, the only thing they could find on Earth that they wouldn’t be able to find anywhere else is life itself. Our lives. Our biome. So I think they would more likely just try to preserve it, communicate with us, help us (or ask for help) or observe. I tried to find hypothetical reasons for their hostility, but based on our human struggles, I can’t find a really convincing one.
TLDR: The aliens are bound to be good because high technology can only exist in a strong ethical and peaceful society and also we don’t have anything valuable that they’d have to take from us in an armed conflict.

Hello, I’ve been thinking about this subject for a long time and I wanted to write these thoughts down and share them with you guys. I’m probably not the first one that thinks this way, but since I didn’t find a post that completely represents all these ideas together, I’m writing one on my own. I’d love to read more of people’ inputs about it, though. It’s such an interesting discussion about society's development (ours and theirs). Anyway, here’s why I’m 99% sure that whatever alien community reaches us, they’re not gonna be hostile:
Before everything, I’m assuming that however life starts on other planets, they have to follow similar steps to what happened here 4 billion years ago, because we’re all the same basic chemical elements under the same physical laws, throughout the entire universe. Therefore, it must start with unicellular and then pluricellular beings. Later, those species will form different populations living in the same ecosystems. There’s going to be competition, predation, mutualism, etc. Throughout evolution, these interactions will create standard emotional responses like fear, aggressiveness, sense of protection, sense of self preservation, “love”, etc. All that means that the alien intelligent species will be able to, at least, understand our human emotional output, even if they lost some of it in their evolutionary process. They’ll be able to empathize. But mostly important, since they’re similar to us, I can infer the following: their society grows in the same way ours do.
I know we can get very pessimistic about the world sometimes, but if we look at our History, we can see that humanity is actually getting better. We’re forming a more connected and harmonious group as the centuries pass. We’ve prohibited slavery, we have more people now advocating for peace and avoiding violent conflicts, we understand better our psychological flaws, we’re creating more fair and efficient justice systems, we’re more socially inclusive, we value democracy over dictatorship, etc. Just make a comparison between the world now and the world 500 years ago. Human ethics and morals became radically different - for the better mostly. And in my opinion, this evolution is deeply associated with our development in science and technology because both are inherently results of group labor. Science and technology can only thrive adequately in a very well organized and motivated society, because the process of building knowledge and gathering resources takes an immensely great, very well coordinated collective effort. A tumultuous society slows this progress and might reset it, like what happens in a war, when universities are destroyed and scientists are killed. Consequently, a society with a very advanced technology, capable of intergalaxy traveling at incredible speed, must be one with also a strong sense of community and harmonious coexistence. If the alien technology is advanced, so is going to be their ethics and morals. They are bound to be advocates of peaceful progress.
Finally, if they have this high technology, they also must be good at harvesting energy or getting fuel from the elements. If that’s the case, they’re not going to be short of resources like food or any material either. Since our planet has virtually almost nothing that you couldn’t find in other empty planets, asteroids or stellar bodies, there’s no reason for an offensive move towards us. In fact, the only thing they could find on Earth that they wouldn’t be able to find anywhere else is life itself. Our lives. Our biome. So I think they would more likely just try to preserve it, communicate with us, help us (or ask for help) or observe. I tried to find hypothetical reasons for their hostility, but based on our human struggles, I can’t find a really convincing one.
TLDR: The aliens are bound to be good because high technology can only exist in a strong ethical and peaceful society and also we don’t have anything valuable that they’d have to take from us in an armed conflict.

It's absurd, really. Most species in the galactic community are only suited to one or a few kinds of biome and will suffer greatly if forced to live outside of it. Humans do not seem to have any such limitation. I have seen a settlement thriving quite happily on the edge of a glacier, and another going about their business without fuss at the foot of a volcano.
So what earned them the nickname of Deathworlders? Darzhand. A world which I can only assume was designed by cruel ancients to be as deadly and home to as many predators and pathogens as possible. Naturally, the human population is in the millions as of now.
Let me set the scene, this world is mostly rocky. Mountains and canyons galore threaded with thickets of jungle and rainforest. Said canyons are home to roaming packs of bipedal predators who will kill anything that isn't them. Naturally, the humans turned them into cattle. Their meat is a common sight in markets and eateries there. The flying beasts strong enough to snap a human's spine in one motion, and carry them away? Domesticated, and raised as guard animals and even pets. There are videos of children playing with them for Spirits' sake!
So what of the rainforests and swamps inhabited by multi-meter long leech like creatures capable of burrowing into your flesh and eating from the inside out? These riverlurks can be raised and wild ones tamed to act as acquatic herding animals, harrying entire schools of fish into waiting nets, and allowed to keep some. Human fishermen love them, and it seems the feeling is mutual. They can wade into a tangle of riverlurks and be greeted as a friend by them coiling around you.
I really don't understand it. The ability to not only adapt to the environment, but make it adapt to you.

You get to choose three games, and pick which elements from each one will go towards making your ideal game. These are my picks

1. The Elder Scrolls IV: Morrowind. Open world. Customizable character, with sex and race selection. Large variety of skills and abilities that can be developed, leading to a number of possible playstyles. Very creative and unique setting. Imaginative main story. Large number of magical spells and effects. Many joinable factions, some of which are mutually exclusive
   
2. Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning. Great level-up system and skill tree. Diverse assortment of weapons, with some really fun gameplay. Great diversity of biomes
   
3. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Well-written and loveable characters. Interesting side quests. Choices with lasting impacts. Great soundtrack. Good graphics
   

Hi everyone!
Inspired by all the creative people who have gifted us with some wonderful works on HFY, I have decided to take the plunge and put out some original content of my own. English is not my first language, so please feel free to point out grammatical errors or weird sentence structures. I have no idea how frequently I will be posting, as I'm entirely new to writing, but I do intend to make this a series. Enjoy!
Chapter 1
Li’taln Star System
Lagrange 1, fourth planet
A sphere seven thousand kilometers in diameter was slowly taking shape, a technological and engineering marvel on a scale never before dreamt of by the peoples of the Ash Galaxy. Hundreds of mining freighters, stupendous vessels several kilometers in each dimension, constantly shuttled asteroids into the nearby automated mega-furnaces that harnessed the power of a sun in their core. Metals were processed at incredible rates to feed the behemoth taking form. Hundreds of thousands of automatons, ranging from simple inspection cameras to insectoid construction bots, crawled over and around the ribs of the new beast, often jumping across the vacuum of space to reach their next assignment. Habitation, research, and fabricator space stations, each city sized in their own right, spread out in a seemingly random sprawl around the zone. A new home, Refuge, was taking form in the shadow of a gas giant at a rate inconceivable by any previous standard.
This massive construction project, a “voluntary” act of reparations, was proposed and funded by the Associated Pact, an interstellar megacorp/regulatory body charged with facilitating trade and providing a centralized bank, led by the oldest known species in the galaxy, the Grei. The Associated Pact was the single wealthiest political entity in explored space. While they blatantly dipped their respective digits in the troubled waters of interstellar politics, as massive corporations were wont to do, their primary purpose was supposedly to pass and enforce laws regarding the movement of intra-species goods and currency among their signatories. (How “voluntary” the process was by which new species were added to the Pact is still a touchy point among the more junior members .)
Their reach meant at least some small percentage of all trade within the Galaxy reached their pockets. In terms of each individual transaction, their fees were usually lost when the accountants rounded their books, but the sheer volume of galactic trade meant their annual profit was in the tens of trillions of credits. The Grei were certainly not above throwing their weight around, either. Their latest attempt at interference, however, had backfired spectacularly, and the navies of their combined constituency had threatened to burn them to the ground unless serious concessions were granted.
A multi-species conflict, between the Gro Imperium and the Carnel Alliance, broke into open combat some three hundred years ago, and had continued off and on until the Referendum, the treaty that led to all of… this. The Gro and Carnel each listed twenty species in their alliances, and they all deployed extensive fleets of thoroughly modern warships, millions of troops in powered armor, and uncountable unmanned drones of various types. One would expect horrific scenes of destruction and chaos, but despite the large scale of the war, civilian life simply… went on. Both alliances fought over resources and influence, but were remarkably civilized about things and kept their shenanigans to space and sparsely populated barren worlds, and kept at least some diplomatic channels open, much to the frustration of the Pact.
Early in the war, both sides detected less than subtle interference from the Pact. The Grei plotted to keep the wartime economy of two empires pouring out blood scented creds, with secret technology and material transfers, as well as bribes to influential figures on both sides. But neither the Gro nor the Carmel factions were led by complete idiots at the top, and after repeated warnings, both sides roundly kicked the Pact out of their territory.
Not happy with being cut out of both markets, totalling hundreds of populated star systems, nor with both parties withdrawing from the Pact Central Bank, the fools at the head of the megacorp engineered a false flag operation, an atrocity meant to ramp up the fighting to weaken or destroy both sides.
Sadly, while who was involved in the atrocity was falsified, the atrocity itself was not. Two billion sapients, a protectorate species of the Carnel Alliance, were murdered. The peaceful and furry feline members of the Li’lii race were wiped out in a cataclysmic kinetic bombardment of their sole habitable planet, a bombardment that was carried out with thousands of rounds of tungsten penetrators moving at significant fractions of c. The planet’s crust practically liquefied, and all traces of life were wiped out.
Their attempt to amplify the war should have been successful, but they missed something. A third party witness to their barbarity, hidden in stealth. A witness that went on to disable the attacking ships, capturing hundreds of crew who became crucial witnesses.
Surprising everyone in the galactic community, the Carnel Alliance and the Gro Imperium instantly ceased hostilities. Not in capitulation to the Pact, but in defiance and mutual horror. The two governments, quite similar in values and construct, actually merged, forming what was now the largest inter-planetary state in the Ash Galaxy, the GroNel Republic. The new allies wasted no time, dropping warships into orbit around every significant Pact and Grei asset. Shock troops were dropped into the office buildings of the executive elites who ran the Pact, the Holders. Pact vessels were seized at every opportunity. The Pact surrendered at gunpoint, forced to turn over their entire, intact historical database. The results of the investigations, which went on for years, shocked the galaxy.. This had not been their first genocide.
All those who had planned, had knowledge of, or in any way knowingly aided or benefited from the atrocities were captured, tried, and sentenced to an indefinite stay in a VR hell, a technology specifically designed for their punishment. Their consciousness were uploaded to servers aboard a self-repairing spacecraft, their corporeal bodies dumped into garbage incinerators. They were sentenced to serve as long as the automated functions aboard the craft could keep their AI cores functional. Said ship was generously supplied with raw materials and spare components, as well as the droids needed to sustain operations. The spacecraft was aimed into the void, and launched to drift until the power aboard failed.
The Pact survived, but its powers were severely curtailed, their profits taxed to act as a check on the influence they could wield. No one was stupid enough to completely gut the organization that had served as the central bank of an entire galaxy, but they added a tremendous degree of oversight to their operations.
That left the matter of what to do with the surviving members of the Li’lii, the precious few who were not on their home planet when it was destroyed. Frequent visits from the Carnel Alliance biologists, as well as the Li’lii’s own highly capable scientists, meant that the majority of the flora and fauna from their native world had samples offworld, or at the very least had their genetic sequences stored. So, if an appropriate planet could be found, their unique biome could be restored to a large extent. The problem was, no such world existed in explored space. No known life-bearing planet was in the correct range of an appropriate star to support the efforts at regrowing their biome. The Pact offered to give them the rights to an entire range of gardenworlds, but none were found suitable for the unique deathworlders. A different solution was proposed. With the resources the Grei controlled, a new world could be built.
And that is when I offered my services once again.

Join our active and welcoming community on our Bedrock server, where friendship and chance collide! Take advantage of the thrill of owning a random biome or structure (you do get to choose between the two) and interact with other players in a friendly setting. Mutual support, cooperation, and inclusivity are the foundations of our community. Create enduring bonds with each other as you jointly negotiate the unpredictable environment. Everyone is welcomed with open arms, regardless of experience level. Come along for a fascinating, mod-free adventure where the element of chance coexists peacefully with the friendliness and camaraderie of a community that appreciates cooperation. Come along and join us on an adventure that goes beyond the game of Minecraft!

Join our active and welcoming community on our Bedrock server, where friendship and chance collide! Take advantage of the thrill of owning a random biome or structure (you do get to choose between the two) and interact with other players in a friendly setting. Mutual support, cooperation, and inclusivity are the foundations of our community. Create enduring bonds with each other as you jointly negotiate the unpredictable environment. Everyone is welcomed with open arms, regardless of experience level. Come along for a fascinating, mod-free adventure where the element of chance coexists peacefully with the friendliness and camaraderie of a community that appreciates cooperation. Come along and join us on an adventure that goes beyond the game of Minecraft!