Disclosure Notices:

  As per United Nations resolution 2143/14, all sentient species’ home systems are to be left uncolonized. This restriction only lifts when the species is either wiped out by non-human caused event or the species makes a well-informed deal for granting a human party the right to settle. Any who violate this resolution willingly will be forced to resettle in a different system. This will be enforced by the settlers home nation though so enforcement may vary.

  As per United Nations resolution 2143/15, it is illegal to transport any sentient species without permission, the necessary supplies and proof of immunization. To transport a fully mature individual, you must obtain permission from the individual you will be transporting. If the individual is under their species' adult age, you must also obtain the permission of their parental figure and bring said parental figure. Secondly, you must ensure you have the all necessary supplies both for the trip and for emergency scenarios. Lastly, you must ensure that they and you are vaccinated against any transmissible diseases. Some or all of these conditions may be waived in the case of an emergency scenario, though it is recommended that you obtain as many of the aforementioned requirements as possible in case of legal action.

  As per United Nations resolution 2143/16, all sentient species hold a number of rights including, but not limited to, the right to advocate for themselves, the right to defend their home system, the right to self-govern, the right to refuse help, the right to free life-saving technology and the right to exist. Any breach of these rights can and will result in punitive action against the violator within fringe territory.

  Any discrimination or exploitation of a sentient species (also known as a Dick Move) in the majority of nations can result in punitive measures. As such it is recommended that you check with a lawyer before implementing any such measures. I also recommended that you do not implement such measures as they would be highly unethical.

  Original Discovery:

  Text log of first entry to the Drekmurea system:

  Date: 11/19/2698

  Location: Long-Range Expiration Ship 6A756D70 (Seeker)

  Log Begins:

  Charles Everston (Captain): “Begin Report. This is Charles Everston, Captain of the Seeker. The date is Nov-”

  Elizabeth Everest (Comms officer): “You know the computer automatically inputs all that, right?”

  Silence for three point two seconds

  Charles Everston (Captain): “...Yes, but I like how it sounds. Like we are some characters in one of those old sci-fi shows. Now may I speak without being interrupted this time?”

  Silence from Elizabeth Everest

  Charles Everston (Captain): “Anyways. This is Charles Everston, Captain of the Seeker. The date is November nineteenth twenty-six ninety-eight aboard the Seeker. And in” Countdown timer is accessed “five minutes and ten seconds, we will complete the jump to the 6-F-6-E-73 system. Once there, we will begin surveying the system, starting with the celestial body 44-72-61-67 as it is positioned in the habitable zone. While out of system scans show no sign of life, protocol requires scans from less than a light year away before colonization can begin.”

  Elizabeth Everest (Comms Officer): “You know, I never understood that. I mean, what life could go from not even having photosynthesis to sentient life in under a millennium?”

  Charles Everston (Captain): “Beats me, but command is nothing if not thorough.”

  Irrelevant conversation continues for the next three minutes and forty six seconds

  Charles Everston (Captain): “Alright, brace for exit from the jump in three, two, one.”

  Jump ends

  Charles Everston (Captain): “You know, I’m always a little disappointed by just how smooth the transition is.”

  Luke Ruthaford (Head of Engineering): “I could always toss a wrench into the jump core. It would add some turbulence and only have a slight chance of blowing up the whole ship.”

  Unidentified snickering

  Charles Everston (Captain): “No, I'm all set, don’t blow up the ship.” slight pause “Well, anyway, congrats everyone! We are now officially the furthest out manned ship in the whole fleet!”

  Cheering

  Trisha Evanaglene (Scanning Technician): “Um, captain, the planet shows signs of civilization.”

  Pause for two point one seconds

  Charles Everston (Captain): “...oh. What are the chances of that?”

  End sound log

  The crew of Long-Range Expiration Ship 6A756D70 (Seeker) then began the surveying of body 44726167 in the 6F6E73 system. This would result in the discovery of the sentients known as drekmurians.

  Stories:

  These stories are not pure works of fiction, nor are they accurate accounts of the past. Instead they are stories which have been passed down from parent to child to teach them and guide them. Here is recorded a pale imitation of the masterful works of storytelling so that they may be seen by all given to us by an anonymous drekmurian.

  Disclaimer this section has depictions of hunting, possible scopophobia trigures, injury, suicidal thoughts, death and self mutilation. If you do not wish to read about any of these, I would recommend skipping this section.

  One Day in the Jungle:

  The jungle was damp and quiet but that was nothing new. As Leiha jumped from branch to branch, she looked for any sign of the kerilzip which she had been tracking. She had been following its subtle trail of claw marks as it climbed and jumped from tree to tree, but just a few hundred feet back she had lost its trail. Anxiously, she gripped her spear a little tighter as she slowly used her tailblade to test a branch for hidden sap traps. Finding it clear, she slinked to it and once more regained the trail. Slipping past a patch of strangler vines, she spotted her prey feasting on its latest catch.

  Suddenly from behind her she heard a branch strain and creak. On pure instinct she jumps, narrowly avoiding the kerilzip’s mate which she had missed hidden in the vines. Though it manages to catch part of the membrane of her wing making flying much more difficult. Suddenly what had gone from a relatively easy and routine hunt had turned deadly. But that just made it all the more fun.

  As she and the pair of kerilzips locked eyes and sized the other up she recounted under her breath a quick SPELL. “Using only enough to stop their bite, protect my scales for this fight.” And as the incantation was finished, she reeled back and with all her might hurled her spear at the first beast. The beast barely manages to avoid being skewered but is pinned to the tree it was on as the spear goes through its wing.

  The second kerilzip pounces aiming for her neck but only manages to grab her arm due to her quickly bringing it up to defend. Luckily her SPELL holds as she feels her mana begin to drain but the SPELL does nothing against the kerilzip’s claws as they leave long gashes in her stomach. She quickly brings up her tail blade and skewers the kerilzip through the neck killing it instantly.

  She then looks back to the first kerilzip but luckily it is still pinned to the tree and with a throwing dagger she kills it as well. But the danger is not yet passed as she quickly uses a SPELL to stop the bleeding and carries the two kerilzip back to her tribe. And while it is a difficult journey especially with only one functional wing she has done this many times before.

  Eventually she reaches her village and drops her hunt off at the cooks tent. Finally she collapses on a cot in the healer's hut, exhausted but proud and successful knowing that today would be a story to tell her grandchildren. And indeed one day she would along with many others but those are not my stories to tell.

  Dermon’s Daughter:

  Deep in the tundra forest under the light of two full moons two figures walked searching for respite; one so small that they could not be more than a year old, the other a towering column laid low by cold and mana depletion. The larger stumbles and falls as she is at last overtaken by the cold but she would fall alone and when Devon would eventually come he would take only one core. because the smaller figure would be claimed by another that night.

  Why exactly Dermon would claim that lost child on that night is impossible to know. Maybe it was the two full moons, maybe they called to them like no other or maybe they simply could not let the story end in such a boring manner. But either way on that night something completely unheard of happened, Dermon got a daughter.

  She would be raised in those woods for years to come ever seeking to learn more, luckily Dermon was a good teacher. From them she learned stories and histories of the past, the present and some would claim the future as well with no difference made between them. She would also learn many secrets, some as benign as a guilty secret to as powerful as how a core truly works. But she could not stay and learn forever and so one night she struck out on her own to discover just what civilization was truly like.

  She would give the world many gifts from the secrets of how to manipulate one's core to the arts of poetry but it could not last forever. As she spent more and more time around people her true art began to surface as in her dreams she started to see how those around her would die. She of course prevented it most of the time as the future is anything but fixed but it got harder and harder and eventually she saw one death which she could not stop. So she cried out to that which raised her, what was said no one will ever know but she was never seen again. Some say she gave herself to save them, others that she was finally taken like she should have been years before, but some whisper of a new traveling companion accompanying Dermon.

  Whatever happened to her that day she did disappear never to be seen again, at least that is what they say.

  A Tired Samaritan:

  Justef sat looking down at the lava below him, it had not been a good day not for a long time. He was so tired of waking up every day and having to keep going pretending the world had anything good left in it.

  As he sits there he is surprised to hear a voice behind him ask “Is this seat taken?”.

  Turning around he sees the small figure of a Sky Singer “No” he replies “but I don’t think this is somewhere you should sit.”

  Now sitting the Sky Singer replies “Then where would you have me sit, you are the one who sought me out after all.”

  “Ah. There is fine than. So why are you here early?” Justef asks one more looking into the volcano.

  “I wanted to know why.” Devon replies.

  Justef sags and lets out a long breath before replying, “I have nothing left to live for, I try and just keep going but I am exhausted.”

  “I see” Devon replies, “What about your work? You were always the best blacksmith around.”

  Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

  “There will be others and I can’t even light the forge without thinking of her anyways.”

  “Allright, your friends then. They surely will miss you.”

  “I barely even know them anymore and who would want to be friends with someone as broken as me anyways.”

  “Justef, you're not broken, just hurt.” Devon said as he placed a wing on Justef’s back.

  “You sound just like her, you know that.” He said as tears began to flow.

  “I suppose the sanctity of life argument wouldn’t work then.”

  A light chuckle comes from Justef between tears.

  “Alright then if you're not going to live for yourself then what about all those you helped? What would they say if they saw you like this?”

  Justef turns back to Devon confusion plain on his face. “Who did I help?”

  “Plenty of people. Take Ms.Ruthski for example. You fixed her pot free of charge because she couldn’t pay.”

  “How much can one pot relay do?”

  “Without it she would have needed to have given up her dream of opening a restaurant.”

  “Oh” Justef replies “I didn’t realize that. But I can’t help people with my forge anymore.”

  “You did more than just work, take your friend Charles for example, you helped him meet his partner.”

  “I did? How?” Justef replies thinking back.

  “When you went for drinks for your birthday.”

  “Oh, yah that was a wild night.” Justef said remembering very little of the actual event. “But it's not like my life was worth that much. I never saved anyone.”

  “Yes you did.”

  “Wait what, who did I save?”

  “Nearly everyone” With that Justef looks confused as Devon continues “When you flew day and night to get those visitors from beyond the stars you saved the lives of the entire village.”

  “But I failed to save my wife and child.”

  “But you saved everyone else.”

  “I guess I did, didn't I.” Justef replies, wiping away a tear.

  “So do you still want to go or will you stay and see who else you might help?” Devon said, offering Justef a hand up.

  “I guess I can wait, you know for Devon the end of all you are very good at preventing people from reaching their end.”

  “I just have a lot of experience” he replies as Justef walks back to town.

  When Peace was not but a Dream:

  It was a quiet morning as if the city was holding its breath. But Jarico heard none of that as he slept unaware of the calamity which was to come as a pair of pots hovered above his unconscious form. Suddenly he was awoken with a start as the pans wielded by his youngest clanged above his head. “Ugh, what time is it?” he groggily replied “time for you to get up and make us breakfast!” Easton, his youngest, shouted with joy. “Alright I will…in five more minutes.”

  “Nope, wake time!'' Easton said, tugging at Jarico’s blankets. “Fine you little rascal.”

  Jarico gets up and chews a caka bean chasing off his sleepiness as he begins preparing breakfast for his family. The smells of cooking food one by one awakens the members of Jarico’s household as they congregate at the dining table. Eventually food is ready and just as everyone is sitting down to eat someone knocks on the door. “I’ll get it,” Jarico says as he stands up and goes to answer the door. Opening it he sees an army messenger and his blood turns to ice. “I’m sorry sir but you have been called to serve.” The messenger says as they hand him the official letter and quickly depart. Jarico just stands there stunned, he knew that they were at war but he never imagined he a father of three would be recruited just for having a violet core. Jarico slowly turns back to his family “Kids I have some bad-” the world explodes seemingly in slow motion as the wall flies towards him faster than he can move.

  Pain, so much pain as Jarico wakes with a start finding himself in a bed? His family, what happened?! He tries to get up but falls as he realizes he is missing his leg. The noise alerts a nurse who helps him back to his bed where it is explained that he was found in the rubble of the city after it had been destroyed. “My family, where are they, are they safe, are they here?!” He asks frantically “no, they didn’t make it.” And for the second time today his world shatters.

  The next week is a blur as he fades in and out of lucidity all the time his grief mutates into a burning hatred. How dare this Ekodeck forsaken war take his family and over what? Some misplaced hatred which blinded the core. That is when he swore to bring an end to the war no matter the cost so that no one else would need to pay the price his family had paid.

  But he was broken, unable to even stand so he remade himself. His lost leg once too slow to respond and place him between his family and death. Replaced with one of cold metal strong enough to shatter stone. His wings which had failed to protect his family. Covered in runes carved with his own claws to make him impossible to spot or stop. His hands which once held his children. Turned to claws to slit the throats of those who perpetrated the war. His scales which hadn't stopped him from being knocked unconscious and unable to act. Replaced with plates of copper thick enough to protect from any assault. But what he changed most of all was his core. Into it he himself carved runes so that with every life he took his core would absorb the fallen’s core making him ever more powerful. And with that nothing was left untouched as he disappeared into the night never to be seen alive again.

  Years later when the war was over and all that remained was devastation and statues of the fallen he was seen once more. Unrecognizable in the form he eventually took if not for where his statue slept, on the graves of those he lost on that first terrible day. With his purpose having finally been fulfilled.

  The Factory of Sweets and Stories:

  Every child dreams of a place where sweets flow as freely as water and where even the ground you walk on is delicious, but their parents know the truth. For such a place does truly exist and is far more than any child could dream. But when you look past the candy coatings and whimsical nature of the factory you find a trap primed to bring change to the lives of all who enter.

  Rarfac and his friends Lasan, Eseck and Ikon hurried across the plains as they raced to see who was the fastest. “Last one to the river is a rotten egg!” cried Rarfac as he briefly took to the air to spot the river again. The rest of the group quickly catches up and then over takes Rarfac as despite his early lead he is by far the slowest. “You know I never got why you always turn this into a race, '' Lasan said as she glided above Rarfac on her large wings. Grinning, Rarfac replies between breaths “well, where is, the fun, in running, without, anyone, to run, with?” “You're a little insane, you know that right?” Lasan replies, shaking her head with a smile teasing across her snout. “Better insane than boring” Rarfac replies, finally reaching the river. “Well done Rarfac you almost beat Ikon that time” Esech said without an ounce of malice in his voice. “Next time, next time.” Rarfac replies “So what do you all think about exploring that cave Lasan found yesterday.” And after a few noises of assent the group begins to make their way toward the new cave on the bank of the river.

  The cave was strange. It hadn't been there for more than a week but it looked perfectly integrated into the environment. The grass was growing all the way up to where the stone began and if it wasn’t for the steps with a door at the bottom you would have thought it was entirely natural. “It’s strange” Eseck said as he examined the cave “who in their right mind would build something below ground level this close to the river?” “Maybe they wanted to be able to swim whenever” Rarfac said as he began descending the steps “and anyways I smell something sweet from behind the door.” Careful of the damp steps, the rest of the group follow Rarfac down into the strange cave.

  Barely waiting for the rest of the group to reach the bottom Rarfac knocks heartily on the wooden door. “Hello” he calls out “is anyone home?” Only a few seconds pass but to the excited children it feels like hours have gone by before the door opens to reveal a drekmurian with light green scales and colorful clothes. “Oh hello, what can I do for you today?” The stranger asks in a joyful voice. Surprisingly Eseck is the first to speak asking “why did you build this in a cave by the river?” “To better cool the factory of course, it gets rather hot in the burning months.” The factory owner replies easily. “If it’s a factory what do you make?” Eseck asks taking the lead in the conversation. “Wondrous things to delight and savor, have you heard of spreading tree sugar suckers? This is where they were invented.” The inventor said with pride clear in his voice. They had, spreading tree sugar suckers were one of the many sugary treats which they sometimes earned through doing chores and one of the best ones at that. “Wow, you're the one who invented those! Can I see how you did it!” Eseck asks with a sparkle in his eye. “Only if you get permission from your parents first and if you promise to follow all the rules.” The inventor said looking stern for the first time in their conversation. “All right we will be back in a minute, don't go anywhere!” Rarfac said quickly, beginning to climb the stairs and motioning for the rest to follow, which they do, each saying farewell as they go.

  They shortly return with permission and one parent who volunteered to act as a chaperone. Knocking on the door they don't need to wait nearly as long this time as the door swings open almost immediately. “Welcome back, I see that you all are ready for your tour.” The inventor said as he swung the door open before pausing. “I am so sorry but what are all of your names I forgot to ask when you first stopped by.” “No worries sir, my name is Rarfac, this is Lasan, Eseck and Ikon my friends and this is Secak Eseck’s father.” Rarfac said, speaking for the group. “Well it’s nice to meet all of you, you can call me Prometheus. Now follow me and don’t touch anything unless I tell you that you can.” Prometheus said, stepping back and allowing the group into the hall.

  Stepping through the door the group took a moment and looked down the hall seeing what looked like a fairly normal hall with one notable particularity, the walls. Despite seemingly being made entirely out of solid stone they contained colorful murals depicting many a story. “Well come along one everyone, the tour continues this way” Prometheus cheerfully said as they strode down the hall. Quickly the group hurries on not wanting to be left behind. “Now through this door the factory truly begins!” Prometheus excitedly declares, throwing open the large double doors.

  Through the huge doors is a vaulted room filled to the brim with whirling machines pipes and so much more. With awe on his face Eseck is the first to speak “Is that a steam powered taffy puller!? I thought that they were still just a theory!?” “On I Intavic maybe but in this factory they are reality.” Prometheus replies with pride clear in their voice ”Just be careful and make sure to stay behind the line, the machines move very quickly.” Looking down, Eseck notices a pink and black striped line on the ground and quickly takes a step back. Just a moment later a blast of steam engulfs the place where he was standing just mere moments before. “Close call. Anyways let's continue onto the next stop of the tour where you can see how the laughing lozenges are made.” The group quietly follows as the realization sinks in that they almost witnessed Eseck be steamed to death and that this factory was anything but a laughing matter.

  Piling into the elevator cautiously everyone is silent other than Prometheus who is humming a strange tune. Secak is the first to speak up “why wasn’t there a barrier to prevent people from accidently getting too close to that machine?” “Why would there need to be one if there was already a warning line and who would get close to an active machine anyways.” Prometheus replies not even looking back at him. “Well clearly-” Ding “Ah, we're here!” Prometheus said, cutting him off and stepping out. In the long hallway in front of them along the walls are flower beds with the flowers facing the door at the far end. As they step into the room the flowers slowly turn around revealing that in their centers they have two eyes and a grinning mouth. “Ah the laughing flowers once they start laughing they just won't stop! Here tell them a joke.” Prometheus said signaling to Lasan to speak. “But that would be cruel! No one wants to laugh uncontrollably!” Lasan replies with shock and horror filling her face. “Well, don’t come crying to me than when they start pelting you with their tomatoes.” Prometheus replied, turning away as the flowers began to spit tomatoes at Lasan. “Eek'' she sais as she began to be pelted by the fruit. Quickly from the back Rarfac yells “Why was the math book crying? It had lots of problems!” Causing the flowers to break out into laughter and begin crying lozenges. “Well there we go, not that bad was it?” Prometheus replies ignoring the crying Lasan as she is comforted by Rarfan.

  “Well onwards and upwards as they say, next you will get to see where all the sugar ice is made!” Prometheus declares beginning to walk towards the door at the end of the hall. “No” From the back Secak speaks up in a voice only a stern parent can truly make “the tour ends here I refuse to let this go on any longer we are going home.” “But you will miss out on seeing so many more exciting things.” Prometheus said with a frown on their face, Secak just stares them down, a tough task when you are a Night Singer. “Fine, I'll show you to the exit. We just need to go through one last room, this way” Prometheus said, leading them back to the elevator.

  The elevator ride is very quiet with all eyes on Prometheus as the elevator slowly goes up until finally, Ding. The doors open to reveal a bridge extending across a pit too deep and dark to see the bottom of. But the worst part is the countless floating eyes which hover watching the groups every step. “As here we are the exit, just walk past the guards and out that door. Unless of course you would rather we take some other exit.” Prometheus said with the fresh grin plastered across their face and a glint in their eyes. Rarfan and Secak just glare at them as the rest of the group prepares to cross the bridge. For all but one this will be an easy task, all but Ikon who is slowly shrinking into themselves from all the eyes staring directly at them. For a moment they feel as though they are on the verge of a panic attack until they feel their friends take their hands and gently begin to lead them across the bridge. Together they all finally reach the door on the far side and push it open to reveal the night sky. But they were barely in there for a few minutes and they entered at midday, how could it already be dark?! Oh well that was an issue for another time and so they left to go home and tell the town of just what had happened. And that is how the factory of sweets and stories was born.

  The Girl who Found Herself:

  Outside the storm raged sounding like the screams of a hundred voices but inside the trio slept. It was not the first nor would it be the last time the frozen plains made their discontent with their presence known. And while they slept the youngest of the three had a dream. In this dream she found herself lying on a vast empty plain of silver. She looks around as she gets up confused as to where she is. It is then that she hears a knocking from below her as if someone was gently knocking on a plain of glass. Looking down she is surprised to see herself grinning with a cheshire grin.

  With a start she wakes and looks around quickly realizing it was only a dream and so she returns to her bed and once more falls asleep. In the morning the storm has begun to clear and the girl tells her parents of her dream. To which they comfort her telling her that “It was just a dream.” And so they leave her alone in the igloo as they go out to hunt for breakfast. For a while the girl spends her time practicing her sewing but eventually decides she needs to stretch her wings. So she takes to the air flying as high as she can before trying to spot anything with her sharp vision and swooping down onto it.

  During one of these ascents she notices a small amount of movement from a snow drift near the igloo and naturally swoops down to check it out. She is surprised when under an overhang she spots herself. Overcoming her momentary confusion the girl speaks up, “hello are you alright down there.” The second girl jolts upright seemingly having been sleeping, “Um, yes, I'm alright. Who are you?” She asks hesitantly. “I’m Silvac nice to meet you.” Silvac responds offering a hand and a smile to the stranger. “You can call me Esther.” The other girl said, taking Silvac’s hand and getting up. Still holding her hand Silvac begins to lead Esther back towards the igloo. “Come on, I have a great idea of how to introduce you once my parents get home, but we need to start preparing now!”

  And that night the family gained a new daughter while it was not something they had ever expected, they welcomed her nonetheless. For years to come Esther and Silvac would go on many adventures and see many wonderful and amazing things together. And while their life was not quiet and was not always easy they made it through together.

  When Two Angels became One:

  Deep in the void an angel played it spun from not but blood and earth an insect and let it free watching the chain reaction it set off. And just as it seemed as though all which had been carefully set up would collapse it set something else free reestablishing the system into something new. For long eons it played mixing and changing, poking and prodding all to see just what would happen. But during one of these explorations the angel was interrupted by the arrival of a second. They both just looked at one another clearly not having expected to see another of their kind.

  Eventually the new arrival was the first to act, giving her name as Osala before asking the other for its name. The other is at first unsure having never known a name much less possessed one. So Osala gave the first a gift bestowing the name of Ekodeck upon him. He treasured this name, never before had anything given him something and so Ekodeck gave Osala a gift in return. He gave her one of his most special creations: a seed which once planted could bring to life an entire world. Osala immediately accepted and made for it a holder so that she might always keep it neer. And then they began to create.

  At first they worked separately, each having their own space to play and create. But slowly over uncountable eons they began to more and more tweak the others' creations. Osala would see one of Ekodeck’s creations struggling and she would slip it some food or create it a partner, unknowingly messing up Ekodeck’s plans. Or Ekodeck might see some factor which Osala overlooked and which would lead to collapse and subtly change it, unaware of the fact that it was set that way for a reason. Eventually they started to work together, each making up for the others' oversights and through this they grew ever closer.

  When eventually the time came and the stars once more called to them they decided to go together. And so as one they ventured out to create ever more wonderful and beautiful creations together. Or at least that is what the stories say.