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Sweetwater

Lurker — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 00:33:18 GMT

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	Sweetwater is the second planet from Focus after Hearthside. The world was the next planet to be terraformed ~~afterNewhome~~. Early in Focus's history, the planet was bombarded by dozens of large comets, giving it a surface completely covered in ocean. Unlike Newhome, Sweetwater was founded as a sort of planet-sized gated community for the ultra rich. Think Dubai but wetter. The original scheme was to build a massive system of interconnected underwater cities. Impractical? Of course! But this is the 1% we're talking about. Unrealistic utopian nonsense is their bread and butter.		Sweetwater is the second planet from Focus after Hearthside. The world was the next planet to be terraformed after Newhome. Early in Focus's history, the planet was bombarded by dozens of large comets, giving it a surface completely covered in ocean. Unlike Newhome, Sweetwater was founded as a sort of planet-sized gated community for the ultra rich. Think Dubai but wetter. The original scheme was to build a massive system of interconnected underwater cities. Impractical? Of course! But this is the 1% we're talking about. Unrealistic utopian nonsense is their bread and butter.

	There are a few large islands, but Sweetwater's claim to fame is the massive free-floating rafts of matted vegetation that serve as mobile terrestrial ecosystems. They have no fixed topography, and undulate along with the waves. A hill one moment may be a valley the next. These exist on a much smaller scale on the waters of Yih, but various ecological processes keep them from growing to the massive scale they do on Sweetwater. They're large and firm enough to support entire forests. With such unstable foundations, these mobile islands are completely unsuitable for building most artificial structures, which makes them perfect for Atavists, Primitive Wayfarers, and others seeking to "return to monke fops" as it were. In fact, an entire genre of Robinsonade-esque stories concerns the adventures of hapless travelers washing up on the mossy beaches of these massive plant rafts.		There are a few large islands, but Sweetwater's claim to fame is the massive free-floating rafts of matted vegetation that serve as mobile terrestrial ecosystems. They have no fixed topography, and undulate along with the waves. A hill one moment may be a valley the next. These exist on a much smaller scale on the waters of Yih, but various ecological processes keep them from growing to the massive scale they do on Sweetwater. They're large and firm enough to support entire forests. With such unstable foundations, these mobile islands are completely unsuitable for building most artificial structures, which makes them perfect for Atavists, Primitive Wayfarers, and others seeking to "return to monke fops" as it were. In fact, an entire genre of Robinsonade-esque stories concerns the adventures of hapless travelers washing up on the mossy beaches of these massive plant rafts.

Meanwhile, in an Alternate Universe...

Lurker — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 23:25:34 GMT

Massive rewrite

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The Spacer Confederacy

Lurker — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 13:34:23 GMT

rewrite

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	"Gentlemen, my dame," the councilman addressed the pair of envoys from the Allied Worlds along with the hearthkeeper floating by their side. "Would you allow Graypelt and I a moment alone?" He moved toward the docking port where a shuttle was stationed, beckoning Graypelt to follow.		"Gentlemen, my dame," the councilman addressed the pair of envoys from the Allied Worlds along with the hearthkeeper floating by their side. "Would you allow Graypelt and I a moment alone?" He moved toward the docking port where a shuttle was stationed, beckoning Graypelt to follow.

	Graypelt started as the inside airlock door shut behind him. The federal councilman had floated across the threshold of the airlock separating the colony's hull from his docked shuttle craft.		Graypelt started as the inside airlock door shut behind him. The federal councilman had floated across the threshold of the airlock separating the colony's hull from his docked shuttle craft.

	"Why did you shut--" Graypelt began, but the councilman raised a paw to silence him.		"Why did you shut--" Graypelt began, but the councilman raised a paw to silence him.

	"~~What did the envoys from the Allied Worlds tell~~ you ~~about the Spacer Confederacy?~~" ~~he asked.~~		"I hear Wayfarers' Haven is sponsoring an interstellar missionary journey once you get settled."

	"~~The laws are few, but the penalty for transgressing them is severe~~."		Graypelt's ears perked up. "Yeah. It's a huge part of our cultural--"

	"~~So far~~, ~~so good~~," said the councilman, "~~and~~ what are those laws?"		"When will you hearth-lickers give it up already?"

			Graypelt's ears wilted. "I'm sorry?"

			"The Partisans are right about one thing, at least. The skies really are empty, we really are alone. Face it, your pathetic attempts to find 'fwiendship' among the stars is a fool's errand. And if there really is any kind of supreme being, it doesn't care about you or me or any of your hypothetical starfolk any more than you care about a particular carbon atom at the end of your snout."

			Graypelt reached for the lever to open the inner airlock door. "If you're just going to belittle everything I stand for--"

			"Two things, actually," said the councilman as graypelt's paw hovered over the lever. "Partisan Territory makes better Outlander stew."

			Graypelt wheeled around. "Now you listen here you pile of crap wrapped in fur, you don't put cream in--"

			The councilman raised his paw again. "Good, good," he geckered. "Let the hate flow through you. Rule zero of the Spacer Confederacy: everybody hates everybody else, so get used to it.

			"What did the envoys from the Allied Worlds tell you about how we do things here?"

			Graypelt took a moment to calm down. After heaving a sigh, "The laws are few, but the penalty for transgressing them is severe."

			"So far, so good. And what are those laws?"

	Graypelt thought for a moment, then began ticking off items on his claws. "Each colony gets one perch on the federal council. The council is responsible for assigning asteroids for colonies to mine. The council levies a tax of twelve per gross on all revenue earned through the sail of the minerals. Colonies may only mine the body they have been assigned. There's a six year mandatory conscription into the federal police for all eligible males upon reaching the age of majority. Any interaction between colonies within the Confederacy must be mediated by the council."		Graypelt thought for a moment, then began ticking off items on his claws. "Each colony gets one perch on the federal council. The council is responsible for assigning asteroids for colonies to mine. The council levies a tax of twelve per gross on all revenue earned through the sail of the minerals. Colonies may only mine the body they have been assigned. There's a six year mandatory conscription into the federal police for all eligible males upon reaching the age of majority. Any interaction between colonies within the Confederacy must be mediated by the council."

	The councilman tilted his muzzle up in affirmation. "Now let me tell you what those ~~glossy~~-pelted stooges from the AW won't. We get all sorts of kooks coming here to the Inner Belt looking to set up half baked social experiments or off the wall cults."		The councilman tilted his muzzle up in affirmation. "Now let me tell you what those greasy-pelted stooges from the AW won't. We get all sorts of kooks coming here to the Inner Belt looking to set up half baked social experiments or off the wall cults."

	"We're not--" Graypelt objected, but the councilman raised his paw again and resumed his lecture.		"We're not--" Graypelt objected, but the councilman raised his paw again and resumed his lecture.
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	"Uh--" Graypelt began, but the councilman cut him off again.		"Uh--" Graypelt began, but the councilman cut him off again.

	"Freedom!" he barked. "You want to start a gel head parlor? Go ahead. You want to run a tree-dweller baiting ring? Be my guest. Wanna start making mind candy?" He flicked his left ear back, leaned forward, and whispered, "I'll even give you the name of a supplier."		"Freedom!" he barked. "You want to start a gel head parlor? Go ahead. You want to run a tree-dweller baiting ring? Be my guest. Wanna start making mind candy?" He flicked his left ear back, leaned forward, and whispered, "I'll even give you the name of a supplier."

	He slapped the inner hull of the colony with a rear paw. "Whatever you do inside these walls is your own business. But if you so much as stick a whisker outside with whatever nonsense you get up to, then that becomes our problem." he tossed his muzzle back, toward the federal shuttle behind him. "And you do not want the federal police paying you a visit."		He slapped the inner hull of the colony with a rear paw. "Whatever you do inside these walls is your own business. For all we care you could've killed me for my little comment about Outlander stew. But if you so much as stick a whisker outside with whatever nonsense you get up to, then that becomes our problem." He tossed his muzzle back toward the federal shuttle behind him. "And you do not want the federal police paying you a visit."

	"Is that a threat?" Graypelt stammered.		"Is that a threat?" Graypelt stammered.
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	"You folks wanted freedom, and you've got it, but freedom isn't free."		"You folks wanted freedom, and you've got it, but freedom isn't free."

	The councilman pulled the release for the interior airlock door with his tail. He began floating into his shuttle, adopting a cheerful tone for his parting words. "On behalf of the Federal Council, I'd like to welcome you and the citizens of Wayferers' Haven to the Spacer Confederacy."		The councilman pulled the release for the interior airlock door with his tail. He began floating into his shuttle, adopting a cheerful tone for his parting words. "On behalf of the Federal Council, I'd like to welcome you and the citizens of Wayferers' Haven to the Spacer Confederacy."{{DEFAULTSORT:Spacer Confederacy}}

	{{DEFAULTSORT:Spacer Confederacy}}
	[[Category:Stories]]		[[Category:Stories]]

Hearthside

Lurker — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 23:23:52 GMT

added picture

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			[[File:Hearthside render2.png\|thumb\|Hearthside]]
	Hearthside is the innermost planet of [[Focus]]. It is tidally locked, and its capital, the City of Eternal Noon, is located at the substellar point. Hearthside is the center of religious government of the [[Bright Way]].		Hearthside is the innermost planet of [[Focus]]. It is tidally locked, and its capital, the City of Eternal Noon, is located at the substellar point. Hearthside is the center of religious government of the [[Bright Way]].

File:Hearthside render2.png

Lurker — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 23:23:12 GMT

Lurker uploaded File:Hearthside render2.png

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Hearthside

Are We as Mayflies?

Lurker — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 16:15:03 GMT

fairly substantial rewrite

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	The hot Texas sun beat down on the two people sitting outside the root beer stand~~. Only one of them was a human~~. Bob ~~the human~~ looked ~~to his right~~ at the half wall next to his chair. There, lying on his belly, straddling the wall like a raccoon resting on a tree branch, glossy black pelt shining in the sun, prehensile tail hanging off the opposite side of the ~~wall, was~~ the ~~other person. His six-fingered paw held an ice-cold root beer, which~~ the ~~waitress had thoughtfully poured into a bowl to accommodate this strange patron's canine muzzle~~.		The hot Texas sun beat down on the two people sitting outside the root beer stand. Bob and Stormlight looked at the cars driving down the street and the people walking along the sidewalk.

	Stormlight ~~Blackpelt~~ looked ~~down~~ from ~~his perch at the sidewalk, where two elderly~~ humans, ~~who looked about Bob's age~~, ~~were pushing a wheeled cart containing a human infant. Bob followed~~ his ~~friend's gaze. "Looks like grandma~~ and ~~grandpa are giving mom and dad some time off~~.~~" Bob said~~, ~~waving at the couple. They smiled back~~ and ~~continued~~ walking.		Stormlight had always enjoyed people-watching, especially now that the people smelled and looked so different from himself. Here went an older puppy or whatever humans called their offspring, her dry whiskerless nose buried in the screen of one of those glass rectangular communication devices. Next came a man in his prime, thick brown fur covering his upper lip and hanging down from his chin. Then an older woman, head fur white and face wrinkled, hobbling along with a walking stick to support her remaining good leg.

	Stormlight ~~turned to Bob again~~, ~~regarding his human friend's bald crown~~ and ~~wrinkled face. He grabbed his tail and began running his claws along~~ it ~~as though brushing out a knot. Bob looked up and noticed the alien's fidgeting. "Well go on and ask." Said Bob. "You do that whenever you're fixing to ask me an awkward question~~."		By her scent she could have been seven dozen years old, but Stormlight had a good five dozen on her, and he was still young as monkey foxes reckoned it.

	~~«Does it bother you that we live so much longer?»~~ Stormlight ~~asked~~. ~~«I've been reading~~ a ~~lot of human stories and myths: Fountains that make you young again, stones that grant immortality, things like that~~.»		Stormlight turned to Bob, regarding his bald crown and wrinkled face. He grabbed his tail and began running his claws along it as though brushing out a knot.

	~~"If I'm honest, maybe sometimes," said~~ Bob. "~~But Earth has trees that live for millennia~~ and brainless jellyfish that can live pretty much forever. It's not like humans were breaking longevity records until y'all came along. Besides, we already live twice as long as our closest animal relatives. ~~I'd say~~ that'~~s pretty nice~~. ~~And what about you? Don't the yinrih have legends about people living for five thousand years?~~"		Bob looked up from his drink and noticed his fidgeting. "Well go on and ask. You do that whenever you're fixing to ask me an awkward question."

	~~«Of course. We fear our mortality but hope in the hereafter.~~»		«Does it bother you that we live so much longer?»

	"~~Don~~'~~t start getting preachy on me now~~." ~~Bob chided.~~		"If I'm honest, maybe sometimes, but Earth has trees that live for millennia and brainless jellyfish that can live pretty much forever. It's not like humans were breaking longevity records until y'all came along. Besides, we already live twice as long as our closest animal relatives. I'd say that's pretty nice."

	Bob ~~thought for~~ a ~~moment, then asked,~~ "Does it bother you that we don't live nearly as long as you?"		Bob took a few sips of soda. "Does it bother you that we don't live nearly as long as you?"

	~~«It~~'ll ~~take at least~~ a ~~year for the High Hearthkeeper to pick the legates who will come after us~~, ~~and~~ then ~~another two~~ and ~~a half centuries for them to get here. That's a long time even for us~~, and ~~several of your lifetimes~~. ~~You aren~~'~~t getting any younger,» said Stormlight, tilting his muzzle up slightly~~ to ~~point at Bob's balding scalp~~.		«You're not getting any younger. When you're gone I'll have to find a new human friend, then he'll be gone before I know it. We finally found bone not of our bone and flesh not of our flesh, but we never counted on that bone and flesh being so ephemeral. It's all like trying to hold water in my paws.»

	~~Bob reflected on his friend~~'s ~~concern~~. ~~Stormlight~~ and ~~his fellow missionaries were around~~ one ~~hundred fifty earth years old~~, ~~that is if you didn't~~ count ~~the centuries spent in metabolic suspension~~ on ~~the way~~ to ~~Earth~~. They ~~were already older than every human alive~~, but ~~still young as the yinrih reckoned it~~. ~~Bob couldn~~'~~t even name a single relative of his that was born before~~ the ~~twentieth century~~. By the ~~time~~ the ~~missionaries would lay eyes on their fellow yinrih~~, ~~Bob would~~ be ~~just a name on a tombstone, forgotten even by his descendants~~.		After a few moments, bob said, "It hurts to say goodbye for the last time, and y'all are going to be saying a lot of last goodbyes as long as you hang around us humans. But think of it this way. You're already a big hit with my grandkids. You can help them grow up, and again with their children, and their children's children. You can tell them all about how their great great great grandpa Bob got to be the first human to shake hands with an alien. You and Iris and Tod and Sunshine and Lodestar and Pascal can be the one constant in their lives, the one thing they can count on to be there no matter what. They'll have to say goodbye to me soon enough, and by and by their parents, too, but not you. Y'all can be the one thing they'll never have to say goodbye to. And after you've said your last goodbye to me, you can pray for the repose of my soul, or speak my name among the living, or do whatever it is you critters do for as long as you feel like doing it, which will sure be longer than any human will remember me.

	~~After a few moments, bob said,~~ "~~It hurts to say goodbye for the last time, and y'all are going to be saying a lot of last goodbyes as long as you hang around us humans.~~ But ~~think of it this way. You~~'~~re already a big hit with my grandkids~~. ~~You can help them grow up, and again with their children, and their children~~'~~s children. You can tell them all about how their great great great grandpa Bob~~ got ~~to be the first human to shake hands with an alien. You and Iris and Tod and Sunshine and the others can be that one constant~~ in ~~their lives, the one thing they can count on~~ to ~~be there no matter what~~. ~~They'll have to say goodbye to me soon enough, and by and by their parents, too, but~~ not ~~you. Y'all can~~ be ~~the one thing they'll never have to say goodbye to. And after~~ you~~'ve said your last goodbye to me~~, ~~you can pray for the repose of my soul, or speak my name among the living, or do whatever~~ it ~~is you critters do~~ for ~~as long as you feel like doing it, which will sure be longer than any human will remember~~ me.		"But I'm in good health. I've got at least twenty years left in me if my family history is anything to go by. That might not be very long for you, but it's a while yet for me. Don't go mourning me until I'm actually six feet under.

	"Besides, I'm in good health. I've got at least twenty years left in me if my family history is anything to go by. That might not be very long for you, but it's a while yet for me. Don't go mourning me until I'm actually six feet under. It's a wonderful day out~~...~~ if a little hot." Bob added as ~~the sophont next to him~~ noisily lapped up some soda ~~from the bowl~~. "Let's just enjoy the day."		"It's a wonderful day out, if a little hot." Bob added as Stormlight noisily lapped up some soda. "Let's just enjoy the day."

	~~Bob looked up at his yinrih friend.~~ Stormlight tilted his ears back, relaxed his jaw slightly, and let his tail hang loose again. «Thanks, Bob. Sometimes I worry so much about the future that I don't appreciate the present.»		Stormlight tilted his ears back, relaxed his jaw slightly, and let his tail hang loose again. «Thanks, Bob. Sometimes I worry so much about the future that I don't appreciate the present.»

	The two looked back at the cars driving down the street and the people walking along the sidewalk. "It sure is a nice present," said Bob.		The two looked back at the cars driving down the street and the people walking along the sidewalk. "It sure is a nice present," said Bob.

	~~[[Category:Stories]]~~

Mundane Utility

Lurker — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 12:14:55 GMT

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	One of those paws sailed overhead as the mech strode forward, dusting Ron's upturned face with a fine shower of loose earth. The array of force projector plates on the palm and digits of the massive metal paw mirrored the arrangement of pads on a yinrih's forefeet. Other concessions to zoomorphism had been made as well. Two heat sinks were positioned like erect ears atop the mech's head, and whiskery antenna arrays framed its metal snout. What were the odds that the only two sapient species in the galaxy would independently think to themselves "Let's build a giant robot shaped like a person and stick a guy inside it!"		One of those paws sailed overhead as the mech strode forward, dusting Ron's upturned face with a fine shower of loose earth. The array of force projector plates on the palm and digits of the massive metal paw mirrored the arrangement of pads on a yinrih's forefeet. Other concessions to zoomorphism had been made as well. Two heat sinks were positioned like erect ears atop the mech's head, and whiskery antenna arrays framed its metal snout. What were the odds that the only two sapient species in the galaxy would independently think to themselves "Let's build a giant robot shaped like a person and stick a guy inside it!"

			Well, that isn't exactly how monkey foxes came up with mechs. They started out with conventional body armor, then powered armor, then kept building bigger and bigger until you weren't wearing it so much as piloting it. Some serious advances in materials science made the concept feasible for them, not to mention having four legs.

	THUD!		THUD!
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	"Watch where you're standing!" countered a booming synthetic voice echoing from the mech's head. Ron darted out of the way as the armored left rear leg rose to take another step.		"Watch where you're standing!" countered a booming synthetic voice echoing from the mech's head. Ron darted out of the way as the armored left rear leg rose to take another step.

	More tremors passed under Ron's feet as the mech ~~trotted~~ over to a tall pine tree. "Watch out," thundered the synthetic voice. The machine positioned its aft end toward the tree and wrapped its serpentine tail around the trunk. The tree cracked in protest as the mech dug its bladed claws into the argillaceous ground and reared up on its hind feet, but the trunk managed to support the mech's weight.		More tremors passed under Ron's feet as the mech walked over to a tall pine tree. "Watch out," thundered the synthetic voice. The machine positioned its aft end toward the tree and wrapped its serpentine tail around the trunk. The tree cracked in protest as the mech dug its bladed claws into the argillaceous ground and reared up on its hind feet, but the trunk managed to support the mech's weight.

	A sharp electric crackle issued from the mech's now freed forepaws as claws of violet plasma erupted from its fingertips. The smell of ozone drifted to Ron's nose on the breeze. The mech swiped upward, effortlessly cleaving a massive limb from the tree, leaving a smoking black stump behind.		A sharp electric crackle issued from the mech's now freed forepaws as claws of violet plasma erupted from its fingertips. The smell of ozone drifted to Ron's nose on the breeze. The mech swiped upward, effortlessly cleaving a massive limb from the tree, leaving a smoking black stump behind.
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	"Well, you're only as old as you feel, and I feel too old for that stuff," she responded.		"Well, you're only as old as you feel, and I feel too old for that stuff," she responded.

	The hatch on the mech's belly opened. Lodestar was lying on his back in the pilot's ~~seat~~, gripping a keyer in all four paws, eyes hidden behind a HUD visor. He doffed the visor, uncoiled his tail from around a lever at the base of the ~~chair~~, and hopped out onto the grass. He trotted up to the two humans just as the lady planted a kiss on Ron's cheek in gratitude. She repeated the gesture between Lodestar's ears. He muttered a complaint in Outlander about his personal space that went unnoticed by the elderly human.		The hatch on the mech's belly opened. Lodestar was lying on his back in the pilot's couch, gripping a keyer in all four paws, eyes hidden behind a HUD visor. He doffed the visor, uncoiled his tail from around a lever at the base of the seat, and hopped out onto the grass. He trotted up to the two humans just as the lady planted a kiss on Ron's cheek in gratitude. She repeated the gesture between Lodestar's ears. He muttered a complaint in Outlander about his personal space that went unnoticed by the elderly human.

	"Thanks again," she said as the pair turned to leave.		"Thanks again," she said as the pair turned to leave.
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	Ron turned to Lodestar. "Aren't you supposed to be a monk?"		Ron turned to Lodestar. "Aren't you supposed to be a monk?"

	~~«_Warrior_ monk~~,» ~~he corrected.~~		«The Knights of the Sun are _warrior_ monks, yes.»

	"OK, granted, but what do you need a giant robot for?"		"OK, granted, but what do you need a giant robot for?"

User:Lurker

Lurker — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 20:45:35 GMT

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	~~{{Category~~:~~Stories}}~~		[[file:Commonthroat impression.wav]]

File:Commonthroat impression.wav

Lurker — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 20:40:49 GMT

Lurker uploaded File:Commonthroat impression.wav

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Everybody Poops Together

Lurker — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 00:19:57 GMT

Massive rewrite, including integrating the prologue

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User:Lurker

Lurker — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 14:42:04 GMT

Replaced content with "{{Category:Stories}}"

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Force Projector

Lurker — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 14:28:37 GMT

Lurker moved page Force Projector to Force projector

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Force projectors consist in a molecule-thin sheet of crystalline material that experiences a reactionless force normal to its surface when a voltage is applied across it. The higher the voltage, the stronger the force.

Force projectors convert surrounding oxygen to ozone when running, which is why very large projectors that run continuously like you see in spacecraft cannot be used in atmosphere. The projector plates on the paws of large mechs are the largest practical terrestrial application for them.
[[Category:Science and Tech]]

Force Projector Brainstorming

Lurker — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 14:28:15 GMT

Lurker moved page Force Projector Brainstorming to Force Projector

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	Force projectors ~~ground Newton's third law to its room without supper. They~~ consist in a molecule-thin sheet of crystalline material that experiences a reactionless force normal to its surface when a voltage is applied across it. The higher the voltage, the stronger the force.		Force projectors consist in a molecule-thin sheet of crystalline material that experiences a reactionless force normal to its surface when a voltage is applied across it. The higher the voltage, the stronger the force.

	Force projectors convert surrounding oxygen to ozone when running, which is why very large projectors that run continuously like you see in spacecraft cannot be used in atmosphere. The projector plates on the paws of large mechs are the largest practical terrestrial application for them.		Force projectors convert surrounding oxygen to ozone when running, which is why very large projectors that run continuously like you see in spacecraft cannot be used in atmosphere. The projector plates on the paws of large mechs are the largest practical terrestrial application for them.
			[[Category:Science and Tech]]
	From a Doylist perspective, I can remember vehemently not wanting force projectors to be used for aircraft or to allow things to hover in midair, while still using them for powered armor and spacecraft, but I honestly can't remember why. I think it had to do with the absence of artificial gravity in this universe, but if anyone has any suggestions I'd love to hear them. I also don't want them to be what keeps Welkinstead's floating cities aloft.


	[[Category:Science and Tech~~]] [[Category:Megathread Uploads~~]]

Yinrih astronyms

Lurker — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 14:19:46 GMT

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	Originally, there was a taboo against giving names to stars and planets. When the planets were assumed to be "stars" in the sense meant by the Great Commandment, it was assumed that they bore sapient life and that the local sophonts would have their own perfectly good names for where they lived. To give them names would be tantamount to unjustly claiming ownership over them. The yinrih would just have to wait and see what those names were.		Originally, there was a taboo against giving names to stars and planets. When the planets were assumed to be "stars" in the sense meant by the [[Great Commandment]], it was assumed that they bore sapient life and that the local sophonts would have their own perfectly good names for where they lived. To give them names would be tantamount to unjustly claiming ownership over them. The yinrih would just have to wait and see what those names were.

	As astronomy advanced, it became clear that the local planets were lifeless, but cultural inertia kept the taboo in place. After [[The Shakeoff]], the Neoshamanists gave them names as a way of rejecting the Great Commandment, and as the Lifebringers' terraforming tech became more and more feasible, indeed claiming ownership over them. They were drawn from the then-popular genre of planetary romances. In these stories a band of missionaries or party of adventurers would meet the local sophonts and learn their name for their world. It would be like humans deciding to call Venus Paralandra and Mars Barsoom. Most authors didn't give much thought to the etymologies of these names, so most were simply euphonious strings of sounds.		As astronomy advanced, it became clear that the local planets were lifeless, but cultural inertia kept the taboo in place. After [[The Shakeoff]], the Neoshamanists gave them names as a way of rejecting the Great Commandment, and as the Lifebringers' terraforming tech became more and more feasible, indeed claiming ownership over them. They were drawn from the then-popular genre of planetary romances. In these stories a band of missionaries or party of adventurers would meet the local sophonts and learn their name for their world. It would be like humans deciding to call Venus Paralandra and Mars Barsoom. Most authors didn't give much thought to the etymologies of these names, so most were simply euphonious strings of sounds.

The Mechanists

Lurker — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 13:09:21 GMT

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:09, 1 August 2026
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	The Mechanists were a group of Neoshamanists who formed the first group of colonists on Newhome. At this particular time in yinrih history, the Bright Way was still on the rise. It wasn't yet a cyberpunk-esque megacorp, but it was very much an "established" religion on Yih. Minority faiths were not actively persecuted, but pride of place was given to the Bright Way in public life. Its holy days were national holidays, the deaths or accessions of political figures were accompanied by Bright Way ceremonies, and many countries' education systems explicitly or implicitly taught from a Claravian* perspective. There were some who chafed under this system, and saw an opportunity to found their own polities as planetary colonization became technically and economically feasible.		The Mechanists were a group of Neoshamanists who formed the first group of colonists on Newhome. At this particular time in yinrih history, the [[Bright Way]] was still on the rise. It wasn't yet a cyberpunk-esque megacorp, but it was very much an "established" religion on [[Yih]]. Minority faiths were not actively persecuted, but pride of place was given to the Bright Way in public life. Its holy days were national holidays, the deaths or accessions of political figures were accompanied by Bright Way ceremonies, and many countries' education systems explicitly or implicitly taught from a Claravian perspective. There were some who chafed under this system, and saw an opportunity to found their own polities as planetary colonization became technically and economically feasible.

	Neoshamanists subscribe to the belief known as Panpsychism: the idea that consciousness is a latent property ~~of matter itself, or of the very fabric of~~ the universe. This is in contrast to the doctrine of the Bright Way, which professes mind-body dualism. The Mechanists in particular believed that consciousness can manifest in any system of sufficient complexity. In their new home~~, which they dubbed, uh, Newhome~~, the usual fonts of consciousness were missing--no living matter, no complex meteorological phenomena, no geological activity. The only complex systems besides the colonists themselves were the machines they brought with them.		Neoshamanists subscribe to the belief known as Panpsychism: the idea that consciousness is a latent property the universe. This is in contrast to the doctrine of the Bright Way, which professes mind-body dualism. The Mechanists in particular believed that consciousness can manifest in any system of sufficient complexity. In their new home, the usual fonts of consciousness were missing--no living matter, no complex meteorological phenomena, no geological activity. The only complex systems besides the colonists themselves were the machines they brought with them.

	Frontier life is hard on both yinrih and machine, and the colonists' equipment frequently broke down. Combine the ~~flakey~~ machinery with the colonists' particular flavor of animism, and it's not hard to see how this little cult got going.		Frontier life is hard on both yinrih and machine, and the colonists' equipment frequently broke down. Combine the flaky machinery with the colonists' particular flavor of animism, and it's not hard to see how this little cult got going.

	The following are some highlights of their beliefs and practices.		The following are some highlights of their beliefs and practices.
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	The first wave of "mainstream" yinrih to arrive on Newhome largely consisted of military personnel representing governments from the homeworld seeking to establish claims on swaths of virgin territory. Since the Mechanists were still somewhat active at this point, some of their quirky rituals were passed on to the grunts stationed there.		The first wave of "mainstream" yinrih to arrive on Newhome largely consisted of military personnel representing governments from the homeworld seeking to establish claims on swaths of virgin territory. Since the Mechanists were still somewhat active at this point, some of their quirky rituals were passed on to the grunts stationed there.

	~~-----~~		[[Category:Culture]]

	* Of or relating to the Bright Way. From Latin ''clara via'' a calque of Commonthroat ''sGKqg qCb'' /yip, long rising strengthening growl, huff, short low weak growl. huff late low weakening whine/


	[[Category:Culture~~]] [[Category:Megathread Uploads~~]]

Everybody Poops Together

Lurker — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 12:53:05 GMT

File:Welkinstead city.png

Lurker — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 12:38:02 GMT

Lurker uploaded File:Welkinstead city.png A city floating in the atmosphere of Welkinstead

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== Summary ==
A city floating in the atmosphere of Welkinstead

Yinrih astronyms

Lurker — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 23:14:20 GMT

Created page with "Originally, there was a taboo against giving names to stars and planets. When the planets were assumed to be "stars" in the sense meant by the Great Commandment, it was assumed that they bore sapient life and that the local sophonts would have their own perfectly good names for where they lived. To give them names would be tantamount to unjustly claiming ownership over them. The yinrih would just have to wait and see what those names were. As astronomy advanced, it beca..."

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Originally, there was a taboo against giving names to stars and planets. When the planets were assumed to be "stars" in the sense meant by the Great Commandment, it was assumed that they bore sapient life and that the local sophonts would have their own perfectly good names for where they lived. To give them names would be tantamount to unjustly claiming ownership over them. The yinrih would just have to wait and see what those names were.

As astronomy advanced, it became clear that the local planets were lifeless, but cultural inertia kept the taboo in place. After [[The Shakeoff]], the Neoshamanists gave them names as a way of rejecting the Great Commandment, and as the Lifebringers' terraforming tech became more and more feasible, indeed claiming ownership over them. They were drawn from the then-popular genre of planetary romances. In these stories a band of missionaries or party of adventurers would meet the local sophonts and learn their name for their world. It would be like humans deciding to call Venus Paralandra and Mars Barsoom. Most authors didn't give much thought to the etymologies of these names, so most were simply euphonious strings of sounds.

When the Neoshamanists began their terraforming efforts on a neighboring planet, and especially after other groups began staking their own claims to swaths of the planet's surface, it became necessary to refer to it in official documents. The taboo was still somewhat in force, so the Claravian majority gave it the non-name of "Newhome". By the time Newhome became livable, planetary romance had been a dead genre for a few generations, and some of the stories the names were sourced from were seen as painfully out of date if they weren't forgotten altogether.

Eventually, a numeric system was settled on for designating large bodies yet to be terraformed. Hearthside was given the number 1, Sweetwater 2, Yih 3, Newhome 4, Welkinstead 5, and Moonlitter 6. Secondaries to these bodies would be numbered from innermost orbit outward. Welkinstead's innermost moon would be 5-1, the next 5-2, and so on. Bodies such as dwarf planets and asteroids that orbited Focus itself were given serial numbers from a catalog. Whatever group terraformed a given body was given the right to name it and its numeric designation would be retired.

When the technologies to allow crewed interstellar voyages became feasible, about 10 thousand years after the Kindling, the newly founded missionaries came up with a different system for naming prospective habitable worlds. The naming taboo was still relevant to some degree, but they needed a way to refer to specific missions. The numeric system used for naming bodies at Focus had long since been extended to other stars. It's likely that Sol and Earth were given such numbers long long before they were identified as habitable by the missionaries. When a planet was marked for a visit, it would be given a flowery title that, it was hoped, would flatter any local sophonts. Such titles included "Beautiful Country", "Land of the Wise", "Breathtaking Vista" and so on. Earth's title was "Place of Unmet Friends".

The House of Friendship

Lurker — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 22:46:30 GMT

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:46, 27 July 2026
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	Aurora sat politely at the door, ready to greet any passing visitors, human and yinrih alike. She always found it interesting how differently the two species reacted to this little library. Her fellow yinrih would hurry inside, passing the facade of grinning alien skulls without comment, but eager to peruse the shelves, learning as much as they could about these large tailless creatures. Humans would stare open-mouthed at the outer walls encrusted with the skulls and bones of their conspecifics with a mixture of disgust and fascination. Or at least that's what she gathered from their comments. The nuances of human body language still escaped her.		Aurora sat politely at the door, ready to greet any passing visitors, human and yinrih alike. She always found it interesting how differently the two species reacted to this little library. Her fellow yinrih would hurry inside, passing the facade of grinning alien skulls without comment, but eager to peruse the shelves, learning as much as they could about these large tailless creatures. Humans would stare open-mouthed at the outer walls encrusted with the skulls and bones of their conspecifics with a mixture of disgust and fascination. Or at least that's what she gathered from their comments. The nuances of human body language still escaped her.

	~~There~~ was one memorable exception. He was a cleric, or at least he looked like the pictures Aurora had seen of human clergy. He approached her, teeth exposed in the way humans did to show they were not a threat, extending his arm to grasp her forepaw in a greeting gesture. After quickly remembering not to expose her own teeth, she reared up on her hind legs to better meet his gaze, wrapping her tail around the pillar behind her for balance. She politely refused the handshake. The human was positively drenched in that pungent excretion, "sweat", she thought they called it. The unforgiving heat of the nightless desert apparently did not agree with this alien visitor. It was just a brackish solution used to regulate body temperature, exuded by glands just under the surface of the skin, odorless on its own. It was the bacteria living on the skin that caused the smell. Whatever it was and however it smelled, she was not eager to get it on her pelt.		Today was one memorable exception. He was a cleric, or at least he looked like the pictures Aurora had seen of human clergy. He approached her, teeth exposed in the way humans did to show they were not a threat, extending his arm to grasp her forepaw in a greeting gesture. After quickly remembering not to expose her own teeth, she reared up on her hind legs to better meet his gaze, wrapping her tail around the pillar behind her for balance. She politely refused the handshake. The human was positively drenched in that pungent excretion, "sweat", she thought they called it. The unforgiving heat of the nightless desert apparently did not agree with this alien visitor. It was just a brackish solution used to regulate body temperature, exuded by glands just under the surface of the skin, odorless on its own. It was the bacteria living on the skin that caused the smell. Whatever it was and however it smelled, she was not eager to get it on her pelt.

	"Good, uh, morning?" said the human, quickly glancing up at the star perpetually frozen at the zenith. "Sure is hot today."		"Good, uh, morning?" said the human, quickly glancing up at the star perpetually frozen at the zenith. "Sure is hot today."

File:Focus crowsfoot2.png

Lurker — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 18:09:37 GMT

Lurker uploaded File:Focus crowsfoot2.png A possible arrangement for the orbits of the planets in the Allied Worlds.

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== Summary ==
A possible arrangement for the orbits of the planets in the Allied Worlds.

An Alien Through Alien Eyes

Lurker — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 11:36:03 GMT

Lurker deleted redirect An Alien Through Alien Eyes by overwriting Deleted to make way for move from "Stories:An Alien Through Alien Eyes"

Stories:An Alien Through Alien Eyes

Lurker — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 11:36:03 GMT

Lurker moved page Stories:An Alien Through Alien Eyes to An Alien Through Alien Eyes over redirect

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← Older revision		Revision as of 12:53, 31 July 2026
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	It had taken a considerable amount of effort to tune out that incessant thumping. I was sharing the waiting room with a handful of monkey foxes, a family by the looks of it. Three adults—two sires and a dam, travelling with three of their pups, all girls, one of whom was the source of the noise. They had already been waiting for a bit when I came in. All three girls started yipping excitedly upon seeing this hairless ape duck through the doorway, all twelve paws scrabbling on the slick tile to be the first to interact with me.		It had taken a considerable amount of effort to tune out that incessant thumping. I was sharing the waiting room with a handful of monkey foxes, a family by the looks of it. Three adults—two sires and a dam, travelling with three of their pups, all girls, one of whom was the source of the noise. They had already been waiting for a bit when I came in. All three girls started yipping excitedly upon seeing this hairless ape duck through the doorway, all twelve paws scrabbling on the slick tile to be the first to interact with me.

	~~The three pups managed to approach~~.		«Wow, wow,» said one, peering behind me. «Lookie, they really have no tail.»

	~~«Wow, wow,» said one, ducking behind me to stare at my backside. «Lookie, they really have no tail.»~~		«See,» said the second, her nose pointed at my stockings. «No thumbs on their rear paws. Is it true you're up on your hind feet like that all the time, mister?»

	«See,» said the second, her nose pointed at my stockings. «No thumbs on their rear paws. Is it true you ~~stand~~ up like that all the time, mister?»

	«Just that patch of fur on top of your head?» queried the third. «Is that why you wear those covers like a healer?»		«Just that patch of fur on top of your head?» queried the third. «Is that why you wear those covers like a healer?»
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	«I don’t think—» she said, but Calmwind snapped back as though venting years of pent-up frustration.		«I don’t think—» she said, but Calmwind snapped back as though venting years of pent-up frustration.

	«Look, It’s not the network, okay? I swear it’s always the network with you people. Noisy heat pump fan? Network must be down. Light flickering in the bathroom? Better call Calmwind, it’s the network again. What does he get paid for anyway?» ~~he mocked.~~		«Look, It’s not the network, okay? I swear it’s always the network with you people. Noisy heat pump fan? Network must be down. Light flickering in the bathroom? Better call Calmwind, it’s the network again. What does he get paid for anyway?»

	I made my way up to the front of the room, ducking my head to avoid various ceiling fixtures. This building wasn’t built for someone who stood over 30 inches at the shoulder. The sire gave me an unreadable look which I chose to mean “Is this seriously happening right now?” Then he shot a glance back at the other two members of his childermoot. The remaining sire and dam hopped down from their perches and herded their pups out the front door~~, doubtless~~ to spare them this public display of office politics.		I made my way up to the front of the room, ducking my head to avoid various ceiling fixtures. This building wasn’t built for someone who stood over 30 inches at the shoulder. The sire gave me an unreadable look which I chose to mean “Is this seriously happening right now?” Then he shot a glance back at the other two members of his childermoot. The remaining sire and dam hopped down from their perches and herded their pups out the front door to spare them this public display of office politics.

	Meanwhile, Calmwind had plucked the HUD specs from the receptionist’s muzzle. «See, I told you, you’ve been browsing the internetwork this whole time. It’s not a problem on our end. You need to send a message to the payment processor.»		Meanwhile, Calmwind had plucked the HUD specs from the receptionist’s muzzle. «See, I told you, you’ve been browsing the internetwork this whole time. It’s not a problem on our end. You need to send a message to the payment processor.»
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	«I’m a receptionist, not an office manager, I get one paycheck but everyone expects me to do the work of two people!» she hissed.		«I’m a receptionist, not an office manager, I get one paycheck but everyone expects me to do the work of two people!» she hissed.

	“What can you do.” I said in English, shrugging at the sire standing next to me. He flicked his ears back~~, returning my shrug with his species’ own gesture of~~ resignation.		“What can you do.” I said in English, shrugging at the sire standing next to me. He flicked his ears back in resignation.

	A loud grumble issued from my gut, catching the attention of all three yinrih.		A loud grumble issued from my gut, catching the attention of all three yinrih.
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	«It’s a bit down the hall and to the right,» he said, tossing his muzzle to one side indicating the hallway nearby.		«It’s a bit down the hall and to the right,» he said, tossing his muzzle to one side indicating the hallway nearby.

	I ducked into the hallway and started jogging, I ~~heard~~ one last snatch of conversation from the waiting room before turning the corner. The sire, in an attempt to de-escalate, changed the subject. «Amazing how fast they can run on just those two long hind legs of theirs.»		I ducked into the hallway and started jogging, I caught one last snatch of conversation from the waiting room before turning the corner. The sire, in an attempt to de-escalate, changed the subject. «Amazing how fast they can run on just those two long hind legs of theirs.»

	«I know, right?» answered Calmwind, «and with no tail for balance and as tall as they are, you’d think they’d be falling over all the time.»		«I know, right?» answered Calmwind, «and with no tail for balance and as tall as they are, you’d think they’d be falling over all the time.»