Psychovore

PSYCHOVORE
A species which is found on Bromeliad, but probably not native to there. Their normal appearance is a semi-amorphous quadruped with blue-black skin about the size of a medium to small dog. They have no apparent eyes, but do have some photosensitivity in their skin, allowing them to "see", as well as sense Near IR (body heat) and their own Psi senses. The Psychovore name comes from their unusual "diet", which is to make physical contact with the brain or CNS and parasitize the neuroelectric and neurochemical energy there, killing the host. To assist in this, they are effectively boneless, with variable tension in their outer skin and internal fibers, making them fairly strong and fast moving. They can grip to surfaces and their "limbs" can sub-divide up to the nanoscale level like fractal digits - a capability beyond Transhuman biology. Their limbs can even stretch and flex, giving them some surprising reach. Other internal structures are flexible and adaptable. They self-repair quickly with healing organelles which are as efficient as medichines, and their internal composition is very variable - with "storage" organelles halfway between power plants and neurons. They are also resistant to vacuum and do not need to "breathe" for their metabolism. Combined with the fact that they reproduce asexually by fission after large meals, the complex internal structure, this all around hardiness means it is highly likely Psychovores are artificial creations - some kind of alien bioweapon. Initial studies indicate they may have been on Bromeliad for upwards of 100,000 years.
Behaviorally, Psychovores are solo or small pack hunters. Their skin is chameleonic, and they can climb fast and well, so they tend to hide out of line of sight and ambush, utilizing their Psi abilities to sense even through solid material. They can also fit through or in small spaces as needed. They have a pronounced range of senses. They tend to immediately go for wherever the brain is located with a pounce or drop, but if they don't have easy access, they can grapple or even use Psi Sleights to try and stun the target, both on contact and remotely. If threatened, they will try and provoke a fear response or "disappear from perception" of observers. Psychovores are hostile to drones and synthmorphs, destructively attacking them when spotted - possibly due to their inability to sense or attack them with Psi.
Initial examinations of their structure is that they're basically all "brain" equivalent, and digesting brains of others allows them to grow new neural tissue - which is also all their other tissues, and divide or grow in strength. While they are not actively sapient, they do have animal cunning and appear to be able to "learn" by consuming animals to know their behaviors. Given their chamelonic and adaptive abilities, this gives great concern if they should ever be able to consume a large number of Transhuman brains. What might they learn about hunting us?
Threat Level: Orange
Numbers: 1-4
COG 5 COO 20 INT 15 REF 20 SAV 5 SOM 15
WIL 20 INIT 7 SPD 2 DUR 25 WT 5 DR 38
Tendril: 1d10+1 DV, AP 0, Reach, Subdual
Fractal Stab: 1d10+4 DV, AP -8
Psychic Vampire: After making a successful Subdual attack, the Psychovore can spend a Complex Action to perform a Psychic Vampire attack, which is an opposed WILx3 test. If the Psychovore succeeds, it deals 1d10/2 DV which ignores normal armor (but not Psi Armor). It will latch on until the target is dead and they are removed and deal 1d10/2 DV this way each round. The target must have a biological brain.
Fray/Armor: 50, 2/3
Perception: 40
Move: 4/20 Walker
Skills: Climbing 40, Control 40, Infiltration 40, Sense 40, Psi Assault 40, Unarmed Combat 50
Ware: Chameleon Skin, Infrared Vision, Grip Pads, Fractal Digits, Medichines, Squishbot, Vacuum Sealing
Traits: Limber (2), Small Size, Psi (2)
Psi Sleights: Agony, Confusion, Drive Emotion, Ego Sense, Extend Range
Absorption: When the Psychovore successfully makes a Psychic Vampire attack, it heals a number of DV equal to half the DV it deals with each attack. If it kills a sentient creature it gains a +10 to COG, INT and WIL for 1d10 Hours or can divide to form 1d6/2 Psychovores.
Stress Test: 1d10/2 +3

[SIDEBAR: Psychovores Of Unusual Size]
Theoretical simulations based on examinations of their physical structure and preliminary survey reports indicate there may be larger Psychovores out there - some kind of mature stage when they fail to divide - or perhaps upon many divisions. These forms are more flexible, some may even be able to walk upright or have even more multipurpose limbs. When upgrading the Size Trait of a Psychovore increase all it's Attributes by 5 (and make sure to also increase derived stats and skills appropriately). If it is Medium Size, it has a DUR of 35, if it is Large size it has a DUR of 50. Psychovores of this larger size also begin displaying more complex behaviors as they absorb knowledge and skills from victims. They can add any skill (including Knowledge skills) they like when they kill a victim, and can also copy any of their Psi Sleights. They can mimic the form and shape of other things, akin to Skinflex/Shape Adjusting wares but do not normally gain the Disguise or Impersonate skills, so their ability to pretend to be something complex (like a Transhuman) is limited. Their physical forms can also mimic any Bio or Nanoware they consume, particularly sensory and mental augmentations. The more they consume, the smarter and more adaptable they get. At a GM's discrecion they may even being displaying Psi Epsilon abilities.

Psyche

Harker
Type: Rocky Moon
Satellite Of: Bromeliad
Gravity: .15 g
Diameter: 3275 km
Atmospheric Pressure: N/A
Atmospheric Composition: N/A
Surface Temperature (Mean): -60 C
Day Length: N/A
Orbital Period: 36 Days
Gate Access: Martian Gate (vis Psyche Station)

Bromeliad

Type: Terrestrial (Tundral)

Primary Star: M5V (Red Dwarf)

Gravity: .8 g

Diameter: 11313 km

Atmospheric Pressure: 1 atm

Atmospheric Composition: 65% Nitrogen, 21% Oxygen, 6% CO2, 4% Hydrogen Sulfide, trace other gasses

Surface Temperature (Mean): -5 C (26 C in Volcanic Regions)

Day Length: 28.5 Hours

Orbital Period: 

Satellites: Harker

Gate Access: Martian Gate (vis Psyche Station)

The Harker/Bromeliad system is the classic example of "dirty little secret" exoplanets. It should be of intense interest to the public, and scientific data from it of utmost interest to all researchers - but it is incredibly unknown. The gate, now named "Psyche" for the station built around it, stood in the LaGrange point between Harker and Bromeliad. Harker is named after the Gatecrasher who explore the system first - and is a mostly unremarkable terrestrial moon, a rough analog for Luna. It has a decent amount of metallic and silicate elements which are drawn on for mining projects, and some water ice in frozen pockets which has been also utilized for settlers. It is not of major interest.

Bromeliad on the other hand, is quite interesting. A tundral terrestrial, slightly smaller than Earth with a slightly toxic atmosphere due to lots of volcanic activity - this geothermal heating is the only thing which keeps it remotely habitable on the far edges of its dim star's habitable zone. Most of it's surface is bare rock, or layers of water ice and other volatiles. But, large volcanic activity has cut through glacial zones in certain regions, in valleys, dormant or extinct craters, geothermal vents and hot springs and sinkholes. These regions, which give the exoplanet it's name, have a bearable (and hot even) temperature, enough humidity they have rain or mist and standing liquid water. And it is here that life has evolved on this planet.

Microbes flourish of course, both chemo and photosynthesising living in otherwise acidic or toxic pools, leeching elements from standing water or geysers, etc. While their biochemistry is slightly different, they do not lend any serious research opportunities to Transhumanity. Complex organisms do, and Bromeliad has them. Exoflora is decently diversified. Their structure and chemistry is sufficiently different from terrestrial plants most of them are indigestible to humans, but otherwise they're roughly analogous to Earth plants. Their chlorophyll analog is called "erythrophylla" because it is a majority reddish in color to our eyes, with slight tinges of orange. Many of them also process sulfur and other volcanic gas elements and secrete them to avoid toxicity, so they smell unpleasant and would be poisonous for even some of the local animals to eat. 

Initial surveys by probes launched from Harker or directly through the Gate did not indicate much interesting in the way of Exofauna. Almost all larger life on Bromeliad is semi- or fully amphibious. They exist in various pools and flows of water, or stalk overland from pool to pool, filtering microbes, eating the less toxic plants or even engaging in predatory behavior. They have a sophisticated DNA/RNA analog which makes them very resistant to diseases, parasites and carcinogens, and they have a slightly acidic biochemistry compared to Terrestrial life. Most of them are limbless or quadrupedal, or just have gripping forearms. While not considered aesthetically pleasing, they are similar enough looking to Earth animals for familiar names. Eelsnakes, Bromeliad Salamanders, Frog-monkeys, Craterskippers and Fanged Toads are examples of these identified species. Smaller life includes amphibious insect analogs, who pollinate or try and parasitize plant and animal life to survive. These can have between 4-8 limbs, and are exoskeletal, while the other macrofauna is endoskeletal - though they seem to be more like sharks with a cartilage-like substance providing most of their internal structure. 

This should make Bromeliad a prime place for colonization. With minimal mods or equipment, transhumans could visit to study the lifeforms, even see them like some kind of nature preserve or zoo. And the volcanic activity means there are valuable heavy metals in the crust to exploit, along with large volumes of water ice. And yet the Gate is mostly locked down, and there are no permanent settlements on the surface of Bromeliad. 

This is because of the other residents of Bromeliad. First discovered when a manned mission was sent to try and find a good place to set up an initial outpost by Pathfinder. Mission logs were heavily classified afterward, but if you know where to look, they can be found. The mission was wiped out to a man by an exofauna form now called "Psychovore". Pathfinder was ready to black out the address for a hostile alien life form, or possible TITAN activity, but this is where the Trinity Foundation stepped in. Officially, Trinity is a group dedicated fostering cooperation between Hypercorps in similar industries to promote the growth of the Planetary Consortium and it's Four-Point Plan. Their name is derived from their motto "Mind. Body. Soul.". But in reality, they are a shell company. Their majority stakeholders are all tied into Cognite, with the rest of their executive slots filled by people tied to corps like Ecologene, Skinaesthesia and NanoSys. 

Trinity vastly overpaid to buy exclusive rights to the Gate destination over Bromeliad, and used it to establish a largely unknown research base, Psyche Station.

Psyche

Station Type: Cluster

Allegiance: Trinity Foundation (Hypercorps) 

Primary Languages: English, Cantonese, Russian

Population: 1,200

Psyche is the variable configuration cluster habitat built by Trinity around the Gate, thus located in the LaGrange point between Harker and Bromeliad. The station's primary purpose is research and development, though it has some business elements and quarters for visitors to scope out Bromeliad, though they are rarely used. Officially, Trinity Foundation uses it as space for it's "cooperating hypercorps" to launch joint research projects based on unique conditions of the Harker/Bromeliad system. Again, the reality is that it is a black box lab, connected to major hypercorps, who can perform exotic research away from prying eyes, under conditions of total control. While the labs and their projects are frequently modified and rotated, ultimately a lot of their research is based on the data of the Psychovore species.

What Trinity has been able to determine about the Psychovore is that they are a complex, amorphous or semi-amorphous species, with usually dark coloration. Their internal structure is more advanced and complex than most other species on Bromeliad, and due to their external appearance many think it is similar to the Factors. However, their internal components and behaviors are different enough to posit they are not directly related. Additionally, Psychovores do not appear highly intelligent or sapient. They are called "Psychovores" because of their unique form of gathering metabolic energy. The flowery way to put it is they "feed on consciousness", but the most accurate way is to say that Psychovores gather metabolic energy by lethally parasitizing the nervous system. They invade and "feast" on brains and CNS systems (or analogous) and absorb neuroelectric and neurochemical energy. More complex organisms with larger brains like Transhumans have more of this energy stored and thus are more nourishing, and a more desirable prey. While feeding on less-complex organisms is enough to sustain them for extended periods, eating large entities means that they can initiate rapid cellular analog division - this allows them either to grow in size and complexity or to reproduce via fission, adding anywhere from 1-4 new forms. This reproduction is aesexual completely, and akin to the growth of a virus or bacterium - mutation and adaptation seems to occur naturally in response to environmental pressures. The worst part of the Psychovore is that appears naturally Asynchronous - that is it possesses what we call "Psi" abilities, in addition to flexible and adaptive biochemistry. Small Psychovores can create a psychosomatic "shock" in the target at a touch, and generate some kind of psychic field which provokes fear responses in large sophonts. Larger forms show more exotic abilities, able to lure targets toward them, or cause them to ignore the Psychovore from their perception. This element seems to be what peaked Cognite's interest. 

Thus, Psyche is built to contain and study these entities.

Psyche, being a large cluster, has all the normal functions you might expect from a space habitat. Given that primary access is via the Gate, there is a large central sphere built around it, which serves as a primary customs access point, with round the clock security and support shifts to move cargo and people. This area is immediately connected to central spar which provides primary support to the station's structures. Along this spar first is the Administrative modules, which handle all command and control stations, and house primary nodes for station infrastructure to be managed. They also have central security offices. It has a permanent residence of about 1200, and this number can balloon as high as 1800 for specific project rotations. This of course means quarters and support for all these people - mostly in the form of habitat modules just beyond admin, connected directly to the gate via transport tubes, some of which are lightly spun for lunar-level gravity. However, some labs have overflow or extra habitat modules attached to them so researchers don't have to go far from their projects. As expected from a group mostly backed by Cognite, the decor is surprisingly detailed and even gaudy - a Neo-Victorian stretching to Art Nouveau style.  

Beyond this point, access is all controlled, which has made it very hard for Firewall to examine the labs closer. Most of this data is based on reports and schematics back in-system, not first hand HUMINT. Access to areas beyond the public ones are handled usually by some form of two-step authentication. Station employees carry physical token IDs or have nanotat IDs which are matched to Ego ID data recorded in the central hab servers. Tokens and Mesh IDs are rigorously tracked by internal security, and logged by various sub-networks. Access points are paired with the Ego ID authentication, which means only authorized personnel with their proper entry materials can enter a given section, which is primarily done to prevent people from accessing areas off-shift or when they have been reassigned, but they cannot be accessed by just stealing the right token access cards. Infomorphs utilize Digital ID codes instead, which are checked when logging into or transferring to certain devices. Coupled with many isolated or outright air-gapped internal networks makes Mesh access also limited. 

General purpose of sections is originally related to Psychovore phenomena, but this has branched out into several covert research operations under these strict security measures. This is similar to the function of the Aten station in the Solar Corona in-system, but there is no involvement with groups like Direct Action, and minimal interference from Oversight. Instead, internal security is handled by an in-house Security division, and primary oversight comes in the form of (well paid) Pathfinder reps. 

The central spar sections are primarily infrastructural. Hooked into and extended from main habitation modules is public services modules, with medical and resleeving facilities as well as psychological care stations. Past them is mostly a network of storage modules and inventory management. From here a lot of repair and reconfiguration ops are run. Opposite side of the spar from Admin and Habitation is the primary infrastructure sections. First is Life Support, with primary water-treatment and atmospheric and environmental control modules, though sub-modules are embedded in various strands of the cluster. Past this is the Power Plant and Resource Refinement modules. Primary power output is a DPF fusion reactor, which provides power via hardened transmission lines or wi-tricity transmitters. Backup power is provided to individual modules by large nuclear batteries or supplemental solar, though solar efficiency is weak due to the dim local star. Resource refinement combines waste management with mining and harvesting operations conducted by ALIs and teleoperation on Harker. Access to these modules is limited to technicians mostly. Both ends of the spars are capped off with shuttle and drone bays, where ops can be launched to Harker and Bromeliad directly.

Out from the spar are the lab clusters. Many of them are designed to be reconfigurable and expanded or contracted as needed. They can also be jettisoned or quarantined easily in case of some emergency. While the exact labs and projects can vary at any given time, there are a few major internal departments which almost never fully close. 

• Exobiology is the largest and oldest - they directly study the Psychovores as well as other flora and fauna on Bromeliad. They make observations both on carefully contained "live samples" and surveys of the planet. They are also attempting to deeper understand their physical structure. Notable modules within this department include Genetics and Behavioral Analysis labs. There is also the "Paleontology" module, which is more like a Xenoarchaeology section - studying the history of Bromeliad to look for clues about the appearance of the Psychovores and the common theory that they are some kind of artificial bioweapon deployed by an earlier species. 
• Parapsychology is the next oldest and largest, but by far the darkest lab. Almost nobody knows what goes on there, other than reports back to Cognite indicate that their primary purpose is to study Psi phenomena. Originally, it seems like their purpose was to study the effects of Psi on transhumans, as well as detect and interfere with psi and asynchronous brain-waves as per the Psychovores, but has since expanded. They now appear to conduct research on Transhuman Asyncs and their capabilities, as well as run complex simulations on the limits of psi phenomena exhibited by exsurgents and xenofauna. As the only known way for transhumans to develop async abilities is to be exposed to certain strains of the Exsurgent Virus, this is deeply troubling research. 
• Neurogenetic Hardware Labs are a small, permanent and prestigious posting - which appears to be the open face of Parapsychology. Trinity promotes their work the hardest, which is mainly on development of morphs and cyberbrains to ever expand the transhuman limits. Covertly they also appear to be working on cultivating morph lines which are resistant to Psi. They have notable sub-divisions, an AI lab, a Forking lab and Psychosurgery lab. The AI lab seems to focus on standard AGI generation from neural maps or ALI generation from pruning to suit station needs and research tasks. Forking, however, is more dangerously experimenting with exotic fork-hives and merges into Transcendant forking. Psychosurgery works closely with Human Augmentation (see below) to perform skill grafting, scanning as well as developing new techniques and hardware tools. 
• Human Augmentation is the most volatile division. While almost always up and running, it's various departments are constantly swapping, closing and reconfiguring modules. It is probably one of the most active departments on Psyche. Their three primary wings are Implants, Pharmaceuticals and Software. The Implant group is self-explanatory, working on new ware, primarily bio and nano based on other researches. Primarily cognitive and sensory enhancements, but they also have built some mods from exotic xeno-life samples. Software is primarily focused on skillsofts, particularly exotic skills or knowledge bases. While high quality, many of these are esoteric, projects which couldn't survive normal working conditions at places like Cognite or Experia. They also work on software plugins and upgrades for infomorphs. Pharmaceuticals is probably the largest consistently, working on nootropics and supplements derived from xenosamples. They also are notable for the development of various Psi Drugs. 
• Remaining labs come and go as projects and funding run through them. Exotic Particle labs have opened and closed several times when they weren't cost-effective. The Planetary Science lab was opened at the same time as Exobiology, but was shuttered only months after and has never been reopened, but also never reconfigured. Resources from other labs and infrastructure are occasionally repurposed to construct Robotics or Nanotech testing labs. An "uplift division" cluster of modules tends to drift from major department to department as they focus on particular projects. The Computer Science lab was subject to some kind of accident and several modules were breached, after which it was quarantined and ejected, only to be stripped down to basic modules re-attached to other labs. And various scientists and department heads have "pet" modules which cover small personal projects, such as Astronomy, Quantum Physics, Linguistics and Memetics. 

Case TARKIN DOCTRINE

Cetus
Type: Artificial Satellite
Primary Star: M3V (Red Dwarf)
Gravity: .75 g
Length: 2,500 km
Atmospheric Pressure: 1.5 atm
Atmospheric Composition: 2% Water Vapor, 3% Methane, 10% Carbon Dioxide, 15% Oxygen, 68% Nitrogen, 2% Argon
Temperature (Mean): 2 C
Day Length: N/A
Orbital Period: Variable
Satellite Of : Jonah
Gate Access: Cinder Gate

The short version is: We know what Cetus is. Questions of who, why and how elude us. And we're not entirely sure we want to know. The Cetus Gate was discovered by a routine check of library addresses for the Cinder operation, to ensure that nothing particularly dangerous was waiting just a quick wormhole away. While Cetus is probably very dangerous, it's probably too large to come through the gate. Initial reports indicated the discovery of an artificial structure, a bit like Wormwood, but this one clearly artificial. The walls were formed of some exotic polymers and carbon nanomaterials. It also seemed to indicate a gravitic force like a small terrestrial planet, and has an oppressive, humid atmosphere (which is, in turn, toxic to humans by default). The first assumption was that it was a structure built by an alien species to hold the gate. This both is, and isn't true. Long periods of scouting using drones and sensors have indicated what Cetus really is. This was confirmed by a scout team of Sentinels who were not pleased by what they saw, and several of them requested to be restored from backup after the mission. Firewall has classified this as Case TARKIN DOCTRINE. 

The long version is that Cetus is like a thing out of an old twencen sci-fi series. It appears to be a massive "ship" or artificial satellite, a couple thousand kilometers long (meaning it would cover a noticeable chunk of small planets like Mercury). And what this ship does is, for lack of a better term, eat planetoids. The sentinel team discovered this by finding what appears to be an observational window on the fore of the ship, and witnessed it's process. Currently consuming a dwarf planet Firewall has codenamed "Jonah", Cetus was named after the legendary sea monster (despite the fact that astronomically, it does not appear to be anywhere neat the constellation, Cetus). The ship is roughly cylindrical, with one end forming a giant "mouth", and the other end is a narrower port which seems to function for ejection. Exact details are hard to get however, as there does not appear to be a way to access the exterior from the passages connected to the gate, or the central span running through the ship. These interior passages almost seem like they were created by an organic algorithm, and seem to have some kind of arterial function - but nothing passes through them except the dense atmosphere. They have variable size, the largest being 4 or more meters across and roughly tubular in their own right, others are smaller than one meter and have undulating interior surfaces. The polymers the ship's interior is made from inhibit penetrating sensors, including X-rays, though passive electrical sense indicates some kind of power infrastructure which moves through the area around the tunnels. 

How it works, though, is probably the most unnerving (read: terrifying). As far as can be told through the observation windows and sensors, Cetus is powered by some kind of exotic gravitational drive. It latches onto and eats planets via a gravitic bessel beam technology, not dissimilar to the alien bots Firewall has been calling "Slouches" but on a much larger scale. It generates a shearing force in excess of the planetoid's own gravity and simply begins drawing up pieces of it's crust and then interior. Once inside the core axis, Cetus seems to seperate out what it wants, burning it as fuel or otherwise storing it, then matter it isn't interested in is discarded out the rear via repulsion beams. Since exterior instrumentation is not available, we can only make minimal optical guesses but it looks like Cetus prefers volatiles, rare metals and carbon compounds. The ejecta appears to be, oddly enough; radioactives, noble gasses, and certain metalloids, as well as other compounds we can't identify. Cetus appears to be able to propel itself through a combination of riding "tides" of gravity and somehow pushing itself using it's own manipulation. It's gravitic axis is also evenly cylindrical - even if you stood on the front, you'd be pulled down (or "up" if you were on the apparent underside) toward the center. Best guess for how the gate came to be inside it is that one of the bodies it "ate" had a Gate on it, and as we know they are particularly hard to destroy. The gate is almost like a parasite, or an infection on the interior of the craft. 

Details of Cetus' age, construction, creators and so on are all a mystery. Based on what can be seen from "observation windows" in the surface, there are several debris fields in this solar system which could be consumed planets - as many as four or five, depending on their size. From this range and our limited windows of observation, there also appears to be a partially destroyed terrestrial planet, possibly of previously Earthlike dimension, closer to the star, in what might have been a habitable region. It does appear, based on simulations of the debris clouds, that Cetus has a limited speed at which it can impulse itself around the system and has a cap on how much power it can use - this means that it probably cannot easily jump itself out of the system, nor defy conventional physics to arrive in another solar system in a timely manner. Based on this projected speed, it has been in this solar system for a few centuries. This, of course, makes the question of how it got into it's system a bit of a mystery nobody particularly wants to answer. Nor do we want to know how Cetus knows where to "feed" next. It has no wireless transmissions or any particular readings which indicate a central intelligence point or command center. And the only thing audible inside the ship itself is the steady, pulsing thrum of the bessel engine working. Firewall has developed several contingency plans should Cetus or any new subjects for Case TARKIN DOCTRINE be found to be an imminent threat. This might be hard, however, as the exterior is projected to be very hardened and the gravitic drive seems to warp local gravity which might deflect projectile energy. 

In conclusion, Cetus is existentially terrifying, but unlikely to cause any Transhumans other than my research team any serious problems - it's just further evidence we're small fish in a very, very large pond, and Cetus probably isn't anywhere close to the biggest fish. 

Though some of my pragmatics colleagues on Cinder have wondered if a TITAN world-brain project like Iapetus seemed to be would be able to do much vs a TARKIN DOCTRINE subject...

-Blue Mab, Firewall Crow

SIDEBAR: TARKIN DOCTRINE SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT

OP NECRONOMICON EYES ONLY

Well, it cost us a few asyncs and some resources, but the little "think tank" circle operation was a success - in a sense. We've got new intel about Cetus which might be useful. For opsec the six members brought in will use codenames, Alpha through Zeta. 

Gamma was the most immediately helpful, probably should have tipped me off. He was able to make predictions about the pattern of the arterial passages which we verified with mapping drones. He also said that it seemed like the structure was based on a mathematical principle, but not an original one, it was mimicking something else. No way to prove it, but might be relevant. He said he was going to try and walk the passages to see if there were any more clues. Could hours later we lost his signal. Turns out he smuggled in a plasma cutter and tried to get into the walls. All that was left was a blackened corpse, just a carbonized shell. We didn't tell him we knew it had a self-defense mechanism like a bug zapper. 

Alpha was the most cryptic. She kept touching the walls with her bare hands, speaking in bad poetry. Something about how Cetus would eat the stars, and through it flowed the blood of planets and it being a life-drinker or something. She seemed to think Cetus was partially organic, or had an organic mind in it. Well, she called it a soul but claimed it was something she could sense, psionically. Unfortunately somebody else will have to pick her stack for more details, as after a while she seemed to break. She got a nosebleed and started ranting about the "Worldeater's brood" and that it's sire would come hunting for those who "bled it" and it "feasted on civilizations melancholia". Since she was getting violent and disturbing the other operatives, security dropped her and took her back to the gate. 

Beta and Zeta weren't very helpful, but at least stayed reasonable. I guess this was outside their normal areas of expertise. They marveled a lot at Cetus symmetry though, but also on it's non-symmetrical portion. I'm not sure how much is supposition and how much was Psi, but they both agreed it was probable that Cetus was designed, at least, by an organic race or if it was built by an alien AI, they were clearly mimicking something known to their own creators. Possibly something aquatic? They couldn't agree between themselves if it was some kind of war-machine or just a ludicrous mining drone. 

Delta has straight up vanished. Security has been advised to treat them as a risk if they run into Delta. Supplies in particular are being closely watched. I expect drones will find a corpse in a few days unless they can acquire some water. What exactly was Delta's MOS again?

Epsilon stayed close to me most of my survey. She insisted on telepathically linking to me, and it was an... unusual experience. Never felt like that outside of infomorph working groups. Her insights flowing straight to my mind helped me concept some things, but I think she was probing for something from me as well. I lost track of her while disposing of Gamma's body. Last we got was a transmission which appeared to emerge from the core axis, where the gravitic beam was. The message was about as useful as "my god it's full of stars" and is cut off part way - we think she was destroyed by gravitic shear. I've had forensic drones trying to find out how she accessed the core area, something we haven't been able to do, but have so far not been able to find any sign of her. It was progress in a sense, but I can't figure out what data she had to make it on her own. Do I have it and just don't know it?

I think I need some time off the case, too. I've been dreaming about Epsilon. She tries to speak to me, but I can't understand her - it's like we're trying to talk underwater. Last night, I took some stuff which is supposed to help make dreams lucid - I tried to speak back. But when I did, I tasted the liquid we were in, it tasted like blood. I still couldn't understand, or be understood. Don't know what it means. Then my dream got esoteric: I dreamed of sharks made of starlight swimming through the Milky Way. Their stomachs were singularities, and their teeth were plasma. They kept swimming, devouring all the smaller, more sedentary fish they came across. Only the fish were alien worlds, with architecture and technology like I'd never seen. But they could not stop, because something was hunting them. The only thing I can think about the dream is "What the fuck scares sharks?"

-Blue Mab, Firewall Crow

Simulacra

Simulacra
Type: Terrestrial (Reducing)
Primary Star: K9V (Orange Dwarf)
Gravity: 1.22 g
Diameter: 15099 km
Atmospheric Pressure: .84 atm
Atmospheric Composition: 59% Methane, 28% Nitrogen, 12% Argon, trace others
Surface Temperature (Mean): 6 C
Day Length: 23 Hours
Orbital Period: 423 Days
Satellites: None
Gate Access: Portal Gate
Notes: Alien Microbes, Planetary Rings, TITAN Artifacts
Simulacra should be an entirely boring planet. It is a "reducing" terrestrial, with a volatile atmosphere which is poisonous to transhumans, a low temperature and an arid landscape except for some ice caps in the polar regions. The natural terrain is dry and relatively flat, occasionally differentiated by geologic activity. It does appear to have some extremophile microbes, very basic prokaryotes, but they are comparatively uninteresting in their early evolution - only a source of concern for greater preservationists. Or, it would be more accurate to say it would, if "preservation" of Simulacra was still a concern.
This is because the extremely notable feature of Simulacra which lends it its name is the fact that on it's surface around the Gate is a perfect replica of 1920-era London UK. Based on historical data available to Gatecrashers, the replica appears to scale and 100% accurate to the information that is to be had, though while some facades and elements are artificially weathered to match pictures in history, dating them has assumed that the constructs were all built within the past 10 years or so - presumably after the Fall.  Additionally, while materials appear to be generally correct, close examination shows that they were obviously built using advanced manufacturing techniques and nanofabrication tools to produce and assemble the materials. This project would have taken immense time and energy, even for TITAN capabilities (the assumed builders) and has no apparent purpose. While buildings have a roughly correct layout and floorplan, they have no distinct interior features apart from the architecture, such as furnishings or appliances. No utilities are networked in the buildings at all, and as of yet no living creature or construct has been confirmed to exist in the structures. It also appears to be incomplete; as it nears the edge of the nearly 1500 sq. km area historically associated with Greater London, buildings appear to be unfinished or unpolished. On the fringes, some of them are clearly partially assembled from the bottom-up, and the pattern in which they are made does not follow the street pattern but an exotic fractal one.
Upon being discovered several years ago, Simulacra was briefly a point of intense interest for the Gatecrashing Guild and many associate corporations and governments, but the fervor of scanning the planet has died down as investigation has mostly turned up things which are strange as opposed to interesting or useful. Experts in X-Risk analysis and archaeology frequently argue over the subject of the "replica city" and what it's purpose could be, but have yet to reach a solid consensus. After delays, news of Simulacra broke on Titanian public media several months ago and rapidly spread through the Solar System due to it's open nature - leading to an influx of many amatuer Gatecrashers interested in hunting for artifacts or capitalizing on Earth nostalgia for rep and fame. While some hope that more eyes will make efforts to "clear" the vast construct city for anything of note, the more serious academics are concerned that any valuable data may be destroyed or muddled by the influx - and have petitioned Isra to more strictly monitor those who are allowed though the gate to Simulacra. The Gate itself is located in the replica of Charing Cross - in the location where a statue of Charles I historically stood.

Void Reef

Void Reef
Type: V-Type Asteroid
Primary Star: M8V (Red Dwarf)
Gravity: .03 g
Diameter: 530 km
Atmospheric Pressure: N/A
Atmospheric Composition: N/A
Surface Temperature (Mean): -50 C
Day Length: N/A
Orbital Period: 368 Days
Gate Access: Discord Gate, Tempest Gate
Notes: Alien Traces, Resources Available, Exhuman Settlement
Visibly, Void Reef is a striking Gate locale. It is named because the gate is settled into a family of V-Type asteroids which exist in a relatively small population system, with a couple of uninhabitable mercurian terrestrials in the inner system, and a large out system gas giant with a few moons which has mostly swept the area clear. Thus, the local region somewhat resembles a rocky shoal or reef - exemplified by the presence of some minor nebular gases which lend a slight violet tinge to the region. Go-Nin is deeply interested in this area for many reasons - rare V-Type asteroids are loaded with resources as they are stratified, often thought to be a destroyed planetoid. Also, the Factors have expressed an interest in V-Type asteroids, and Go-Nin hopes to parlay some of their research to them for technological favors, perhaps not counting on the Factor's reluctance to deal with Pandora Gates. Additionally, there are signs on Reef-1 (the primary asteroid which is the gate location) and the closest visible asteroids that other Gate travellers may have visited and the past, doing their own surveying and sampling.  Go-Nin's eagerness got even stronger when they encountered another unusual factor - that Reef-1 appears to have a fossil record, small coral like creatures and other forms are buried in the strata of the asteroid, along with signs of decayed organics and small macrofauna exoskeletons. Was the original planet destroyed by some force after it had evolved life? It is a great mystery Go-Nin is eager to turn a profit on.
Unfortunately for them, their efforts to categorize the entire Void Reef formation have hit a major stumbling block. There is a group of Exhumans here, believed to be allied with the Rortians, who call the Void Reef their "Shattered Nest" and lurk in some of the more far-flung asteroids, and have begun preying on explorers who move through those areas. They appear to be a clade of Adaptives and Soul-Eaters, who use hive-minded technology similar to Rortian dreadnoughts to share processing among several morphs in packs - which resemble insectoid bodies and are vacuum adapted, and may utilize Long-Term Life Support. This makes them very cunning and dangerous in large packs, and they are clearly more familiar with the terrain. Intelligence suggests they are taking some of the researchers and workers hostage to peel their Egos and gain new skills and information, possibly engaging in ascendant forking. This has in turn caused a large number of Ultimate "Purifiers" to move in and begin conducting patrols and raids in the area. All while Go-Nin keeps shipping in miners, surveyors and scientists to keep research and production moving forward as their expected pace.
This has turned Void Reef into an exotic frontier locale, with Ultimate Mercenaries and Raiders striking at Exhuman settlements, Exhuman pirates and soul thieves jumping workers who stray too far, and humble workers and scientists just trying to get their job done caught in between. All while several mysteries about the Reef itself persist.

Cairn

Cairn
Type: Terrestrial (Venusian)
Primary Star: G1V (Yellow Dwarf)
Gravity: .93 g
Diameter: 12,507.2 km
Atmospheric Pressure: 20 atm
Atmospheric Composition: 53% Nitrogen, 19% CO2, 15% Sulfur Dioxide, 12% Methane, trace other gasses
Surface Temperature (Mean): 52 C
Day Length: 15 hours
Orbital Period: 294 Days
Satellites: None
Gate Access: Vulcanoid Gate, Ascension Gate
Notes: High Population of System Bodies, Dangerous Natural Terrain, Alien Ruins
Cairn is a burial ground. An ancient alien civilization, at least to a tech level equivalent of the early Industrial Period, died out as their planet hit a greenhouse effect similar to Venus and they were killed by a massive shift in temperature and pressure, along with all other major life on the planet, leaving only traces of their civilization. As far as anyone can tell, the locals of Cairn were a probably insectoid race who lived colonial lives, similar to ants or termites, and mixed underground and aboveground structuring. Very little physical remains of their species has been found (though some samples appear to have made it back to the rim and into the prototype designs of the Samsa morph), but Genehackers from both TerraGenesis and Pathfinder are eager for more samples. Sadly, in addition to territorial disputes between the two Gate corps, Cairn is difficult to traverse due to the extreme pressure, high temperature, poisonous atmosphere, all of which is compounded by the rough terrain of Cairn, which is filled with unstable tunnels underground, shifting sediment layers and unsettled rock formations, in addition to fierce sandstorms and other erosive forces. This makes Cairn highly unsafe to explore. Cairn is also of interest as, despite the very thick atmosphere, its system is estimated to hold as many as 11 other major planetary bodies, which would be highly interesting to study, if possible. The Cairn Gate is located atop a wide, relatively stable mesa, part of a cluster of such structures which rise high above a sandy desert formed by the collapse of many structures of the local civilization (perhaps a city built near the Gate), who are usually referred to as the “Formics”.

Case UNLIMITED CLOCKWORK

<<CLASSIFIED TOP SECRET - BERZERKER VOID, IRON WIND & NECRONOMICON EYES ONLY>>

The case dubbed "UNLIMITED CLOCKWORK" by Firewall analysts is an interesting one. At first blush, this substance appears to be an actual silicon-based lifeform, a simplistic, naturally replicating microbe which resembles a few extremophile forms formerly found on Earth, or which exist in certain other Exoplanets. It was reported in small clusters through several Gate networks on [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] before it got Firewall's attention. Unfortunately, this spread kind of turned it into a jurisdictional clusterfuck in terms of major servers and operations, until some high level Crows were able to get real data on it, and sort it into it's proper classifications. This means there may have been some de-compartmentalization among Sentinels investigating, which may even have spread to non-Firewall friendlies and contacts. It's also still up in the air which other agencies and groups may know of this.

Original reports from the field indicate that at certain exoplanet sites, gatecrashers were locating strange silicate deposits which A( appeared to "grow" or change shape over time, and B( had active radiating emissions which could resemble active tech or even lifeforms - the exact emissions reported depended a lot on what gear the crashers were actually carrying. Initial reports from experts (Including Firewall ones) in the field was that apparently there was some kind of silicon-derived microform, not quite a nanoscale worker, which naturally replicated and assembled more of itself into large colonial deposits, almost like coral - but with semiconductors. "Large" in this case refers to the macrofauna scale, very few colonies of UNLIMITED CLOCKWORK were initially spotted larger than a small shrub or a large dog. Samples were taken by a few groups following normal protocol - who also noted the system seemed to heal itself over the next couple days.

Complex examination of the samples is what really got Firewall interested, and further probing. The best way to describe it is "self-replicating silicon". By current definitions of transhuman science - it isn't quite "alive", in the same way viruses often miss technical definitions of "life", but it does self-replicate, consume resources, and its semiconductor colonial growths structurally resemble many other forms of xenofungus. It doesn't interact strongly with many organic compounds, or carbon-based life, and thus also doesn't harm nanoscale "rod and pin" computing made from dimondium compounds. So, it is not a direct "grey goo" risk to transhumanity, but it can be the source of a couple of unpleasant scenarios.

The first is that, while not as potent or sophisticated as some of the exotic materials used by the TITANs or some alien relics, or being developed in secret black labs - the structures formed by UNLIMITED CLOCKWORK are an idealized computing strata. If carefully boxed or even if cut off and sterilized, it makes great computers - the source of which heals itself back in days if properly resourced. If combined with a solid source like a silicate asteroid, this could produce a significant hellfarm rig without much effort by the creators. Observations at Firewall's HOTFIRE labs have also indicated if given new resources, a colony can fairly explosively grow in a short amount of time. Luckily for us, the UC itself has no apparent sentience or "programming". and do not actively use their own structure for much "thinking". Since it is not a conventionally organic compound, it can lie dormant for quite some time before reactivating. The second risk is that it could pose an informational problem. While ideal computing in of itself, it can also "eat" extant computers based on silicon semiconductors if they're put into direct contact, effectively reformatting the machine to become part of the UC's structure. While there are alternate computing materials in use, a lot of machines are still based on silicon chipsets, and dumping a load of this into a server farm could lead to an unpleasant result. It also can work on ceramics, which might cause structural damage.

Firewall immediately began tracing UNLIMITED CLOCKWORK, securing or destroying whatever samples or instances of it we could find. Best guess is that this was some kind of colonizing method of a long-dead alien race who needed ways to build computers fast - perhaps a heavy automated or digitized society which did not reach nanofabrication first. The other, less accepted, theory is that this arose naturally on a world with a Gate, and that visitors accidentally or intentionally propagated it through several systems. Through multiple network connections, Firewall has found what may be UC's source, but the exact Gate Address is classified with "need to know", and scattered and heavily redacted reports only referring to it as "[The] Clocktower". The reports indicate it to be a bleak, terrestrial planet with a barely breathable atmosphere, with massive colonies of UNLIMITED CLOCKWORK which grow to be the size of buildings and heavily cover the surface, the only other remnants being shattered and broken metallic objects, some even resembling primitive weapons, scattered across the surface, and ominous storm clouds circling the largest UC colonies. Through friendly contacts in Gatekeeper and the Titanian Science Ministry, Firewall has managed to cover up the Clocktower's addressed - though it's always possible an alternate gate chain will lead there. Some reports of UC colonies through Mars-connected Gates were not suppressed in time, and were picked up by Pathfinder - who has since locked out those locations and put them under supervision of Oversight for possible TITAN activity, which means Project OZMA is now probably involved.

Standing field order from the Server(s) studying UNLIMITED CLOCKWORK is Destroy or Contain, Firewall has enough samples to Study. The material should be fairly easy to neutralize. Guardian swarms will treat the UC microforms as hostile nanotech, though Bio Defense Swarms do not seem to recognize it. Disassemblers and Saboteur nanobots treat it as normal computing material to work on. While Silicon has a relatively high melting point, it conducts heat very well, which seems to still disrupt the delicate structure of the UC itself without destroying the colony structure. The material is also still fairly brittle, and can be destroyed with explosives or physical force - though be careful of spreading particulates. Sterilizing radiation also appears to "harm" the underlying microform. However, acids, caustics and other chemical methods which typically harm organic compounds have minimal effect on the UNLIMITED CLOCKWORK colonies.

Venom

Venom
Type: Terrestrial (Vitriolic)
Primary Star: K1V (Orange Dwarf)
Gravity: 1.15 g
Diameter: 14,420.88 km
Atmospheric Pressure: 12.31 atm
Atmospheric Composition: 77% CO2, 22% Argon, trace other gases
Surface Temperature (Mean): 125 C
Day Length: 23 hours
Orbital Period: 268 days
Satellites: None
Gate Access: Portal Gate
Notes: Volcanism, Sulfuric Acid Oceans, Alien Life (Microbes)
"Ever wanted to visit a planet with literal oceans of acid? Now you can!" - ExploreNet article on Venom
Venom is a hellhole of a planet. Classified as a "vitriolic" type, it was once a world which was blessed with large water oceans, but underwent photodissociation where it's water divided back into oxygen and hydrogen, leading to formation of sulfuric acid with high levels of sulfur and a carbon dioxide heavy atmosphere. Venom is thus molten hot, with a very thick, poisonous atmosphere, strong gravity, and frequent volcanic activity which perpetuates the "sulfur cycle" of the world. Yet, exotic, extremophile life is believed to exist in microbial form in some "calm" pools or springs of the acid, living off chemosynthesis. Due to the fact that vitriolic worlds are very rare due to specific circumstances, there is a keen interest from nearly every major learning institution in the Solar System to study the planet, despite its incredibly harsh conditions. Venom is also of potential economic value, as it is theorized that part of its inherent volatility is due to higher than average concentrations of radioactivity in it's composition, an incredibly valuable resource if true - tempered by the fact that it would require complex mining most likely via Q-Morphs to work. There also may be valuable precious or semi-precious stone mining to be had. The Gate is located on a low clay plateau over some sulfurous springs, which have eaten away at materials to form deep pools and channels.

Sparkian Biology

As noted earlier, the exoplanet Spark has an unusual biology which often harmonizes with uses of electricity due to natural elements in their environment. This is an unusual circumstance which has led to many fascinating species to be studied by transhuman explorers. However, many species on Spark are not docile or peaceful, and due to their sensitivity to electricity, many of them regard transhumans and their equipment as an annoyance or hostile intruder, and may be territorial. Below are listed several species which may prominently threaten the life or limb of an explorer on Spark.

THUNDER-LIZARD
Thunder-lizards are a common pack hunter on Spark, most dominant in the areas of thin, low forests and plains near the terminus region - and thus one of the most commonly encountered by explorers. Their biology appears to be somewhere between a reptile and a mammal, with live birth and warm blood but their physical structure internally and externally also has similarity to large lizards - and no mammary gland analog. They are hexapeds, with sharp multi-purpose claws, a very fast overland speed and dappled grayish scales, and are the size of large dogs. While they appear to have decent spectrum of vision and smell, their most interesting feature is a pair of conical horns on top of their heads which integrate with their bioelectric senses. They can use this to hunt, to sense the location of nearby packmates and even oscillate their bioelectric fields to perform rudimentary communication - like how other animals would use audio or scent cues. Unfortunately for explorers, Thunder-Lizards are territorial, and the use of electronic equipment by some transhuman gear and morphs strongly alerts them to it's presence, which can cause them to be violent and aggressive in response.
Threat Level: Yellow
Numbers: 2-6
COG 5 COO 15 INT 15 REF 15 SAV 5 SOM 15
WIL 10 INIT 6 SPD 1 DUR 25 WT 5 DR 38
Claws & Teeth: 50, 1d10+3 DV AP -2
Fray/Armor: 30, 3/4
Perception: 40
Move: 4/20 Walker
Skills: Freerunning 40, Infiltration 30, Intimidation 30, Scrounging 40, Unarmed Combat 50
Ware: Bioelectric Sense, Shock Tolerance
Native EMF: An individual Thunder-Lizard can alter its own electromagnetic field to perform simple communication with packmates at 5 meters in close conditions, 50 meters in open. This can be used to relay an emotional state, or basic commands or details like "come here" or "run away".
Stress Test: 1d10/2 SV

SALT VAMPIRE
The "salt vampire" is an aggressive parasite common to forested or otherwise covered regions in the terminus and dayside regions of Spark. While most of the local fauna has 6+ limbs, the Salt Vampire only has four, but makes up for it with a short, prehensile tail and a long, flexible neck which ends in a mouth ringed in hollow, hypodermic-like teeth. In general, it resembles a giant leech with legs, a gray-green creature about the size of a small dog. It has no visible sensory apparatus, and appears to sense purely by bioelectricity. While they somewhat resemble amphibians, they do not perfectly analog any terrestrial classification. They appear to be opportunity "hunters", striking prey fast to siphon blood or other fluids (and hopefully associate metals and salts) before the prey can properly dislodge them. If the target is too large to kill in one sitting, they will often detach and scuttle away, using their incredibly flexibility. Salt Vampires have ambushed several transhuman explorers, including some synthmorphs - much to the perceived disappointment of the vampire. If threatened, they will use teeth and claws to scrabble at an enemy before leaping away.
Threat Level: Yellow
Numbers: 1-2
COG 5 COO 20 INT 15 REF 15 SAV 5 SOM 10
WIL 10 INIT 7 SPD 1 DUR 20 WT 4 DR 30
Latch On: 40, Subdual. If successful, next Action Turn the Salt Vampire will bite with it's mouth inflicting 1d10/2 DV (round down)  AP -1 (no defense). After that, the Salt Vampire will suck blood and other fluids from the target for 1d10/2 Turns unless dislodged, dealing an automatic 3 DV each turn which ignores armor and cannot be defended against.
Claws: 40, 1d10+3 DV, AP -2
Fray/Armor: 30, 0/0
Perception: 30
Move: 4/16 Walker
Skills: Climbing 50, Freerunning 50, Infiltration 60, Scrounging 30, Unarmed Combat 40
Ware: Bioelectric Sense, Grip Pads, Prehensile Tail
Traits: Small Size, No Eyes, Limber (1)
Stress Test: 1d10/2 SV

BUZZBEES
These are a colonial, insectoid species which appear to be an analog for eusocial insects, such as bees, colony wasps, ants or termites. Buzzbees have a variety of interesting qualities about their physical structure and behavior that interest researchers, but their defensive measures makes them hard to study. While roughly analogous to many terran arthropods, the Buzzbee and similar species are slightly longer over all, with bodies which have a "centauroid" configuration - they possess four limbs primarily for locomotion on their middle body section, and then on the fore-body behind the head they have another four multipurpose limbs which make them very dexterous. While they do seem to collect nectars and other analogs from plants (and thus help with pollination equivalency) Buzzbees are omnivorous like ants, and will collect scraps of any edible resources they find and return to their hives, though some of this they catalyze or ferment with their own enzymes into a honey-like paste (which is observed to be slightly salty) for long-term storage. They have glittering, almost metallic shells in what may be warning colors, and multiple EM-sensitive eye organs in a configuration which gives them 360 degree fields of view. Most importantly, however, is their electrical adaptations. Buzzbees possess antennae which are capable of minute radio transmissions similar to nano- or microbot swarms, which they can use to communicate positioning and basic information like a threat or resource. They also have stingers like many eusocial insects, but these come in the form of a two-pronged stinger which relies not on venom, but on a small electrochemical charge which they can utilize to arc electricity between the prongs, making a painful shock. Several concurrent stings can even cause disruption to the body similar to a taser.
Threat Level: Orange
Numbers: 1-2 Swarm Units
COG 3 COO 15 INT 15 REF 20 SAV 2 SOM 5
WIL 15 INIT 7 SPD 1 DUR 50 WT - DR 50
Swarm: Buzzbees follow all the normal rules for Swarms. Stats are given for a single swarm.
Shock Sting: 40, 1d10+Shock, Half Armor applies.
Fray/Armor: 50, 0/0
Perception: 30, 50 Vision
Move: 4/30 Winged, 1/4 Walker
Skills: Flight 60, Infiltration 30, Intimidation 20, Scrounging 40, Unarmed Combat 40
Ware: 360 Degree Vision, Enhanced Vision
Natural Radio: Buzzbees have a natural form of radio communication, and can communicate at a range of up to 500 meters in open terrain, or 50 meters in dense terrain. This also means they have an unusual response to EMP grenades. While they do not harm them, if in the area of a grenade they must make a WILx3 test. If they fail, they are stunned for 3 Action turns plus 1 action turn for each full 10 MoF. If they pass, they take a -30 to all their actions, which is reduced by -10 each turn until it passes.
Stress Test: 1d10/2 SV

SPITHIAN
The Spithian is a vicious predator which appears analogous to a scorpion or some kind of land crab. These long, low creatures range in size from a small to medium dog, and have hard carapaces made with metallic elements to absorb and conduct away electricity. They have twelve, multi-jointed legs for great climbing and land speed, multiple mouthparts/mandibles and very advanced and sensitive optics. They appear to be solitary or breeding pair hunters, who live in the dense jungles and rainforests on the edge of the dayside, and thus are rarely seen by explorers. They do not actively hunt transhumans, but view them as threats or competition, and will engage in intimidation tactics or self defense. Their primary weapons are a set of large crushing or pinching claws which can grow large enough to encircle a transhuman limb, but they also have a long, stinger like tail. However, instead of venom, the Spithian is able to create a natural build up of electricity which arcs to nearby targets with a force similar to modern electrolasers. They use this to stun prey and scare off competing predators, or for self defense.
Threat Level: Orange
Numbers: 1-2
COG 5 COO 10 INT 10 REF 20 SAV 1 SOM 15
WIL 5 INIT 6 SPD 1 DUR 20 WT 4 DR 30
Claws: 40, 1d10+2 DV, AP -1. If the Spithian scores an Excellent Success, it may choose to pinch the target and hold on, similar to a Subdual attack. The Spithian deals 1d10/2 DV per Action turn while pinching the target, half armor applies. If the Spithian is gripping a limb, if it deals a wound it may sever the target limb entirely.
Shock Tail: 50, 1d10/2+Shock DV, 0 AP. Only works on targets inside 5 meters. The Spithian takes a -20 on this attack if the target is Shock-proof or otherwise insulated against electricity.
Fray/Armor: 30, 11/11
Perception: 30, 50 Vision
Move: 4/20 Walker
Skills: Exotic Ranged Weapon: Shock Tail 50, Freerunning 30, Infiltration 50, Intimidation 40, Scrounging 50, Unarmed Combat 40
Ware: Enhanced Vision (Zoom only), Ultraviolet Vision
Traits: Small Size
Stress Test: 1d10/2 SV

Spark

Spark
Type: Terrestrial (Tidally-locked)
Primary Star: K5V (Orange Dwarf)
Gravity: 1.09 g
Diameter: 13445 km
Atmospheric Pressure: .97 atm
Atmospheric Composition: 73% Argon, 27% Oxygen,
Surface Temperature (Mean): 1 C (terminus)/-40 C (nightside)/33 C (dayside)
Day Length: N/A
Orbital Period: 217 Days
Satellites: None
Gate Access: Pandora Gate
Notes: Alien Life, Resources Available, Dangerous Local Phenomena (high winds)
Spark is a "Vesperian" planet, a habitable tidally-locked terrestrial, like Sunrise. It's Sun is slightly larger and brighter, but in turn this means that Spark can be a little farther away. Even so, it still has extremely harsh temperatures - the "cold pole" (to use the terminology of Sunrise) has temperatures of around -80 C, and the hot pole can be closer to 70 C. The severe temperature differential means winds are incredibly high on the planet, and anything that wants to live and grow must be tough or utilize the terrain to survive. But life on Spark has evolved in it's own way to the environment, which is of great interests to many researchers. Spark as a planet has an unusually high and diverse concentration of metallic salts in it's composition, which the local life has evolved to take advantage of and naturally grow with. This means that the local wildlife, both flora and fauna analogs often store or generate electricity to utilize in a wide variety of functions not seen in terran biology. Plants release hive volumes of current when the tension of their leaves is broken to deter animals from eating them are in turn preyed upon by species of herbivores which can safely store electricity to prevent being harmed. Pack hunting "thunder lizards" use electrical senses to track prey and can oscillate EM fields to produce a kind of communication. Local colonial insect analogs have tiny radio antennae to navigate, track and communicate, and their multi-pronged stingers act like tasers instead of relying on toxins. Omnivorous "salt vampires" leach salts from plants and animals to live, and parasitic vines act like natural high-power cables. On the night side, plants use electricity to gain heat and melt water to survive much further out than they would otherwise, and on the day side some plants convert excess heat to electricity then discharge it away - leading to a very bizarre and active biosphere. The use of naturally occurring electricity occasionally poses hurdles for researchers to study both the planet and it's life.
Like other tidally-locked terrestrials, Spark has fairly differentiated terrain. Around the terminus is forests of several breeds of low, heavy "statictrees" which passively generate current to prevent their leaves from being eaten, or cool marshes with reeds which store power generated in deep roots and bulbs so they can regrow if their tips are destroyed. Toward the dayside it rapidly becomes thick rainforests, filled with a variety of plant types which live in symbiosis with huge metallically barked trees or tall bamboo-analogs which catch native lightning as it is generated - on the floor deep below the canopy plants and animals often use current to substitute for low light, and can spark to defend or hunt and supplement nutrients. Closer, the terrain gives way to savannahs and rocky deserts, before ultimately becoming a barren, flat salt plain. The night side has some similar tundral or taiga forests, before giving way to extremely low grasses or "aerostat plants" which gather heat, light and power from tall bundles which are anchored to deep roots, before life becomes limited to pools created by geothermal activity or other exotic cases.
The Gate and the small research base of a few thousand on Spark is set up in the shadow of a short mountain range, which is formed by a river valley. The terrain is too uneven and steep for the local plants to deeply colonize, barring a few ground-covering colonies. The settlement has been unofficially named "Conductor" and very carefully settled itself as to avoid distressing or disturbing local xenobiology while still keeping researchers and potential colonists safe.

A Note On Sparkian Biology:
The xenoflora and fauna of Spark are similar to Earth animals in many ways, still carbon-based, but have many subtle chemical differences in their analogs. This means that generally they are unpleasant for humans to consume, both for incompatibility and in general because they have a very "salty" quality which skews how they taste and can have health impacts. Conversely the local wildlife is much more tolerant to salt content in many forms than earth biology. Almost all forms of life on Spark can be considered to have Eelware, and may have any number of other electricity related qualities, most frequently Shock Tolerance and (Bio)Electrical Sense, but also possibly emulating Radar, radio communication on a scale similar to Mesh Inserts, possibly even producing ranged "blasts" of current similar to a Stunner. This may interfere with several kinds of technology, or technology may interfere with local creatures causing them to behave in unexpected ways. Known species on Spark: Rubbernecks, Thunder-Lizards, Salt Vampires, Sparkbugs, Buzzbees, Spithian, Plugfish, Viola's River Shark, Conduit Vines, Statictrees, Lightningrod Tree, Aerostat Plants, Sparkgrass, Broad Shockleaf (and several "Shockleaf" subspecies), Battery Reeds, Broadcast Plant, Tesla Tree

G'harne

G'harne
Type: Terrestrial (Icy)
Primary Star: M5V (Red Dwarf)
Gravity: 1.3 g
Diameter: 19768 km
Atmospheric Pressure: 1.35 atm
Atmospheric Composition: 78% CO2, 22% Methane, Trace other gasses
Surface Temperature (Mean): -50 C
Day Length: 44 hours
Orbital Period: 528 Days
Satellites: None
Gate Access: Fissure Gate
Notes: Alien Life (macrofauna), Possible Alien Artifacts, Resources Available, Dangerous Natural Phenomena (cryovolcanoes)
G'harne seems like an oversized Titan. While cold, it has a thick enough atmosphere to keep some heat and pressure in, and has a high volume of carbon content in the air and ground, as well as heavy volumes of atmospheric methane, and volatile ice - interspersed with surface liquids of ammonia. While the mixture of gas, liquid and solid forms of volatiles combined with occasional tidal effects cause intermittent and occasionally violent Cryovolcano activity G'harne is a relatively safe, if cold world rich in resources which are valuable to gather and share for many Autonomist leaning gatecrashers. The fact that liquid ammonia under higher pressure can etch some impressive canyons into the glacial continents also makes it very picturesque.
More importantly, however is that G'harne's rich concentration of volatile and organic compounds has apparently given rise to life - and not just microbes but macrofauna animals who all function on ammonia-solvent biochemistry. This makes them much more resistant to the cold than water-solvent life (like humans), though which much slower metabolisms - and thus less disposed toward intelligent, fast-paced life. Most organisms survive via chemosynthesis, processing methane or inorganic carbon compounds in the icy crust to gain energy. Slightly larger microbes or even small macrofauna or fungi analogs will consume smaller organisms to obtain chemical energy, usually through passive filtration or "trap-like" processes. The largest organisms and most successful macrofauna appear to be a segmented worm analog which are called "bholes" (not to be confused with a Dhole - a terran canid). The largest and oldest seem to be just over a meter long, and live by slowly burrowing their way through ice to find ammonia pools, which they drink for nutrients, both in the ammonia itself, and in smaller organisms which might be inside it. Bholes work slowly, utilizing minimal energy to maximum return when they find the pool - they appear to have little in the way of self defense but little need for it, and are effectively the apex of the food chain for the time being. Reports by some of seeing massive bholes, anywhere from several meters in length to ones the size of mountain ranges are dismissed as wandering explorers drunk on moonshine or improperly filtering toxic gasses from the air.
The Argonauts, with their open source focus, have taken a keen interest in G'harne and with the blessing of Love and Rage set up a small series of research bases in the icy surface to study bholes and other of the unusual life here, and make regular reports back to the Solar System, which are publically shared through several networks. In addition to scientists, some surveyors and prospectors come to G'harne in order to try and find a good deposits of hydrocarbons or a new ammonia lake formation or another alien species to try and capitalize on the fame and reputation it will bring - occasionally these individuals go missing - probably killed by poor planning and rough terrain. However, deep penetrating ground-scans have noticed some anomalies deep below, objects which are unusually hard or difficult to scan when according to planetology there should be little discernible differentiation in these specific coordinates - and some over-eager scientists have jumped the gun that they are alien in nature - possibly external to the planet via the gates. More measured and cautious Argonauts profess that this is but one theory, and that several other explanations are equally reasonable, such as impacts, violent seismic or cryovolcanic activity due to external bodies in the past or just rare occurrences in nature - the anomalies have such depth as to make precise study difficult for the time being. Some unusual features seem to occur, though, such as these large, long objects being the source of some seismic activity, or possibly having incredibly ponderous motion relative to to the natural movement of the terrain...

Cocytus

Cocytus
Type: Terrestrial
Primary Star: L1V (Brown Dwarf)
Gravity: 1.3 g
Diameter: 16110 km
Atmospheric Pressure: .85 atm
Atmospheric Composition: 62% Nitrogen, 20% Helium, 17% Oxygen, trace other gasses
Surface Temperature (Mean): 18 C
Day Length: 21 hours
Orbital Period: 95 Days
Satellites: 3 moonlets
Gate Access: Portal Gate
Notes: Alien Life (Small Organisms), Dangerous Natural Phenomena (Ionizing Radiation), Alien Sky, Impressive Natural Terrain
Cocytus is an interesting terrestrial planet a "Night-world" on the inner fringe of the habitable zone of a Brown Dwarf formation (Colloquially called "Nightstar", but officially Hades). The star emits almost all of it's light in the infrared range, which means that Cocytus is a very dark and cool planet, though it has "day" if you have Enhanced Vision or similar. Tidal forces and the star are able to keep it heated enough to have habitable temperatures - though the night is very cool, with weak heat retention. This means Cocytus is windy and cold. It is not, however, suited to unassisted transhumans - the atmospheric pressure means that the oxygen balance isn't enough for most morphs, but more importantly is that Cocytus heavily reacts with the magnetic output of it's star and magnetic elements in it's own crust. While the high presence of aurora effects against a permanent "night" sky is very pretty, even synthmorphs cannot survive under the ionizing radiation without additional shielding. But, Cocytus still appears to have a biosphere, possible through something the xenobiologists have been calling "magnetosynthesis". It's plant analogs (Called "Magnemites") form semi-organic spires loaded with magnemite and other ferrous compounds which can grow up to a kilometer in height at their oldest and largest. These utilize the magnetic interference to gain energy which is then converted to chemicals using nutrients drawn up from the ground. Scanning and some sampling have indicated that simple xenofauna forms live deep under the ground, including both microbes of surprising diversity, and the beginnings of simple macro-scale organisms which are analogous to early Earth arthropods and annelids. These live by consuming other organisms, drawing nutrients directly from the ground and grazing or parasitizing on the Magnemites from below (though several colonial symbiote species have been noted on one of the planet's continents). Sampling and deep study is difficult due to the depth of many of these organisms, and their hardy structures - as well as natural conditions, so the complete nature of Cocytus' biosphere is not known. It does seem that complex, limbed organisms favor 8-10 multipurpose limbs, and their main forms of sensation appear to be vibrational, or oriented around magnetic fields, though some may have sensitivity to infrared radiation.
The terrain of Cocytus which is not covered in the Magnemites is rocky, with occasional volcanic activity. Instead of oceans, it has shallow lakes of varying sizes - most of which are fresh though some contain metallic salts. The magnetic fields makes use of instrumentation and certain technology difficult - radios are often unreliable and sensor equipment may be disrupted or unusable. External nanotechnology (like nanoswarms) are almost completely suppressed by it. It has three small moons or capture asteroids (data is difficult with telescope interference and low light levels), which have been tentatively named "Caina", "Antenora" and "Ptolomea". While scientists are eager to study Cocytus and learn more about it's life and possibly what knowledge can be derived from it, setting up on the planet has been incredibly difficult. Primary research base is an expanding set of prefab shelters equipped with radiation shielding at the top, where hardened drones and synthmorphs can be deployed to survey the planet and collect samples which can be studded in shielded labs. This is built over the original Gate location, a broad impact basin in a hard iron-salt flat which is devoid of life.

Splinter Grenade

Scientists have been studying and sampling the exoplanet known as Wonderland for beneficial research and technology. So far, not very much has come back, but some genehackers and specialists in organic construction have been able to develop a rough analog to the defense mechanisms of the local fungus - integrating the large, fruit-like growths which explode into sharp spines with electronic components which can mimic a conventional grenade. This showcases Pathfinder's mentality very strongly, efforts to make profit from a planet any way possible. Rumors and development of a conventional ranged weapon which can fire the splinters have so far led nowhere due to such designs being "impractical".

Splinter Grenade: This heavy, spined fruit-looking explosive is derived from the defense mechanism of a macro-scale fungus on an Exoplanet. It has a hardened, almost chitinous shell covered in sharp, micro-barbed spikes. Inside is a chemical compound which explodes in reaction to electricity, and a small interface has been inserted into it so it can be utilized like a normal grenade. When it explodes, it does 3d10+4 DV with an AP of -4 in an area of 5 meters. While not necessarily more effective than other grenades, the weapon is very unusual and surprising, and some scanners may not be able to identify it as a weapon. This type of weapon is only available as a grenade, not a seeker. [Moderate]

Wonderland

Wonderland
Type: Terrestrial
Primary Star: G9V (Yellow Dwarf)
Gravity: .7 g
Diameter: 8919 km
Atmospheric Pressure: 1.9
Atmospheric Composition: 45% Oxygen, 41% Nitrogen, 4% Methane, 2% Water Vapor, 2% Argon, 1% CO2, trace other gasses
Surface Temperature (Mean): 30 C
Day Length: 32.4 Hours
Orbital Period: 274 Days
Satellites: None
Gate Access: Martian
Notes: Alien Life (Xenofungus), TITAN Traces
Wonderland is an extremely odd little terrestrial world. It's atmosphere is thick, causes severe oxygen toxicity in standard Earth biology and is characterized by a light greenhouse effect - though volcanic activity seems very minimal. It is also noted for having over twice as much Water Vapor in the atmosphere than Earth, making it extremely humid and prone to rains. Wonderland has a particularly bright star (White Queen) which warms it and bathes it in radiation which is mostly absorbed by it's thick ozone layers.
What's most curious however is that the entire "biosphere" of Wonderland appears to be colonized by a single species or collection of subspecies of xenofungus. It is unknown if these are a singular mega-fungus, like some theorize the organisms of Tanaka are, or if there are discrete colonies - what is known is that other than some passive microbes, there are no real other lifeforms on Wonderland. The Wonderland Fungus itself is very differentiated, probably the most complex and advanced xenofungus every encounters, though luckily it appears colonial and not parasitic. It forms several very large structures of a wide variety and functions as part of large colonial structures. Tall umbrella like formations shield smaller fungus from rain, and absorb materials from the water and air (and may interact with the light), spiny "mine" formations send roots and channels deep down to absorb needed minerals in the ground, broad and tiered fungi grow and distribute spores via airflow in areas on the edge of a colony, and spindly web-like fungi seem to act as rudimentary sensory organs - detecting bioelectric fields and air disturbances, sending pheromone or electrical cues to nearby fungi clusters. All of it connected by a fibrous, lichen-like ground covering which seems to send electrochemical signals between macro-fungus forms almost like neurons - called "Croach". Not everything is passive on Wonderland, however. Evolution (possibly through other species or via alien invasives from the Gate) has prompted the fungal colonies to be able to defend themselves with tree-like formations which grow spined "fruit" filled with explosive compounds that when activated send a spray of chitinous spines of hardened carbon and metallic elements at nearly supersonic speeds - which will cause serious injury to an unarmored transhuman. These defensive formations appear to operate via cues from sensory formations, or local disturbances. Some researched also seem to have encountered "suicide" forms near particularly large clusters of croach which burst into pyrophoric explosions when people get too close. There has been some concern raised if the fungus (usually called "Phantomwise") is actually sapient, but leading tests indicate that while the xenofungus and it's croach layer process a decently large volume of information, the complexity of that information is very limited, and it is currently unknown if they have any kind of "storage" organ for that information - so it is assume they are sub-sapient and probably not more intellectually complex than colonial insects. It isn't yet known if the Phantomwise fungus is originally one specie of xenofungus which adapted to different forms, or if several similar groups of fungus evolved together to form a large colonial relationship. They do, however, heal damage at an astonishing rate comparable to medical nanotech.
The name from Wonderland comes from the exotic structures of fungus, the thick cloud layer offering unusual lighting, and the fact that Phantomwise Xenofungus appears to be bioluminescent or otherwise fluoresces for some as yet undetermined purpose. This may simply be a byproduct of it's alien metabolism, or an evolutionary throwback which has not been phased out by natural selection. Either way, the tall fungal formations, which can grow over 3 meters in height, often produce a wide spectrum of bright colors and reflections of light across both the visible and UV spectra - creating an unusual "backlight" off the cloud cover. What portions of Wonderland which are not covered by fungus appear to be mostly metamorphic rocks piled on top of jagged volcanic rock formations from the planet's earlier history, or sedimentary formations caused by water erosion. Wonderland has several large lakes in lowlands, and also shallow seas in the polar region where it gets cooler. The Gate and it's small research complex are in some manner of impact basin in the northern hemisphere, which has been cleared and now cleanly marked by biodefense units.
However, the phantomwise fungus is not the only thing of note on Wonderland. Ground-penetrating scans indicate several artificial tunnel networks under the surface, which appear to show signs of nano-scale tool use in patterns similar to those caused by titan nanoswarms and bots - indicating possible signs of their presence. With nothing confirmed, however, Pathfinder is still open to exploration.

Phantomwise Fungal Forms:

Umbrella Form/Gatherer Form
The Umbrella and Gatherer forms are the most common formations of the Phantomwise xenofungus. Umbrellas grow tall, with broad rounded tops which resemble earthy mushrooms but upwards of 3 meters in height - and gather resources from air and rainwater, and interact with limited UV radiation which filters through Wonderland's atmosphere. Gatherer or Miner forms grow under Umbrellas or at the edge of the "croach" biomass and are short, hardened spines at most a meter in height and are connected to deep "root" systems which seek minerals and nutrients in soil and rock below. Both forms are completely immobile and harmless - though their rubbery surface is slightly caustic to the touch. They have a Durability of 10 total each - but are highly flame retardant, gaining 10 points of armor for fire and fire-based attacks.

Sensory Forms
The second most common form, these fungal types form clusters of long, thin filaments which spring directly from the croach and resemble some sea creatures. They extend in all directions, sometimes up to a meter, but are too thin to stand straight up against gravity. These forms can sense electrical fields as Bioelectric Sense up to 20 meters. They can sense nonliving electric fields as well, but just distance and relative position. They have a Durability of 5.

Breeder Forms
Breeder forms are tall, conical towers which reach about to the Umbrella forms in height and are tiered or segmented. These forms produce spores which can grow other specialty forms from the croach, and tend to appear on the edge of Phantomwise colonies or in areas which are distressed or have been damaged. The spores are not parasitic, but are a skin and eye irritant and can cause an allergic reaction in biomorphs. Any morph not environmentally sealed who comes within 5m (or 20m if "blooming" and actively spreading spores) must make a SOMx2 test. If they fail they take -10 to all actions while they remain in the area of the spores. On a Severe or Critical failure, they have an extreme reaction, and take -30 to all actions as they develop severe symptoms and even begin to hallucinate - and must make a current DUR test or pass out. Toxin Filters and Medichines are immune. The forms have a Durability of 20, and like Umbrellas are Fire-proofed.

Antibody Forms
Antibody forms are Phantomwise' active defenses, which spring up in areas where the fungus is being disturbed or harmed. They look similar to trees or shrubs, a central stalk at most a couple meters in height, with many branches from its crown and upper body which produce spiny "fruits" which are actually their biological weapons, filled with explosive compounds which react with an electrical signal to fire hardened, chitinous spines in clusters at those who get too close. Some of these appear even to be beginning to adapt to transhuman invaders with secondary "munitions" which are like reactive rounds and explode on contact with the enemy.
Threat Level: Yellow
Numbers: 2-6
COG 1 COO 5 INT 10 REF 10 SAV 1 SOM 5
WIL 5 INIT 4 SPD 1 DUR 20 WT 4 DR 35
Splinter Spore: 55, Cone. 2d10+4, AP -4. 5/10/15/20
Sensory Spotter: The Antibody Form can perform Indirect Fire/Blind Fire attacks at no penalty on targets which are outside their sensory range but inside the range of a Sensory Form.
Natural Ammo: A single antibody form has 2d10 spores on it to use as ammunition. They regrow them at a rate of 1d10/2 a day.
Fray/Armor: 0, 2/2 (+10 Armor against Fire)
Perception: 40
Move: 0/0
Skills: Exotic Ranged Weapons: Spores 55
Ware: Bioelectric Sense, Medichines
Stress Test: 1d10/2
Shatter Spore Variant: This type can also perform a shatter spore attack where pressure activated fluids inside the shard explode on contact with the target, 45. This deals 2d10+10 damage, which is reduced by armor, but the AV of that armor is reduced by that amount until repaired. 2/4/6/8

Node Forms
Node forms are probably the closest Phantomwise comes to having a "brain" (though their intellect is still very simple). These spherical or otherwise rounded bodies only appear deep in the xenofungal colony, where the croach is very dense, and are often ringed with antibody forms. They can be upwards of a meter across and a meter or more tall, and sometimes are supported above ground-level by thick bundles of croach. They contain organelles which produce and store electrochemical energy, and which produce and coordinate the signals to various other forms in a local area. They have thick, rubbery surfaces and very amorphous insides, and they are reported to be quite caustic to the touch. If endangered, they appear to be able to release their energy in a burst to destroy themselves as a defense against something trying to steal their resources.
Threat Level: Yellow
Numbers: 1
COG 5 COO 5 INT 10 REF 1 SAV 5 SOM 1
WIL 10 INIT 2 SPD 1 DUR 30 WT 6 DR 45
Caustic Surface: Touching a Node Form causes 1d10 DV from it's acidic surface. Armor negates this damage, but it's AV is reduced by the damage dealt until repaired.
Coordinator: All fungal forms roll using the COG, INT, SAV and WIL of the Node Form if they are within 100m of it.
Self-Destruct: If threatened or heavily damaged, the Node can activate its stored chemical energy to ignite and rupture as a Complex Action, damaging everything in a 5m Area. This deals 2d10 damage, and those in the area must roll REFx2, or be set On Fire and take the damage ongoing.
Fray/Armor: 0, 2/4 (+10 Armor against Fire, take minimum damage from Kinetic weapons)
Perception: 50
Move: 0/0
Ware: Bioelectric Sense, Medichines
Stress Test: 1d10/2

Tempest

Tempest
Type: Terrestrial (Venusian)
Primary Star: K7V (Orange Dwarf)
Gravity: 1.3 g
Diameter: 18,762 km
Atmospheric Pressure: 20 atm
Atmospheric Composition: 48% Argon, 27% CO2, 24% Oxygen, trace other gases
Surface Temperature (Mean): 42 C
Day Length: 12.43 Hours
Orbital Period: 204 Days
Satellites: None
Gate Access: Fissure Gate (?), Sunrise Gate
Notes: Dangerous Natural Phenomena (The Storm)
Tempest is one of many oddity planets found in the early days of Gatecrashing. Other than it's distinctive environment, it really has nothing going for it. A wet Venus, Tempest had enough water content in it's atmosphere to form a large, world-covering ocean but still undersea volcanic activity has created a runaway greenhouse effect which makes Tempest too hot, to toxic and too high pressure for Transhumans to settle there normally. The high pressure keeps water supercritical, and at times the actual surface water can be above boiling, but general temperatures are tempered by the massive amounts of water to absorb all the heat. Early tests revealed carbon-based microbes may exist way down in the depths where conditions are mild. There are only two more things of note about Tempest initially. The first is that the Tempest Gate is somehow mysteriously suspended in the air at a seemingly random point on the planet, riding the wind. The second is what the Gate is facing, something the gatecrashers who surveyed the planet just called "The Storm". A massive hurricane force storm which is several thousand kilometers across. This massive formation is caused by the high heat of the planet, combined with it's rapid rotation, forming a near constant vortex of high wind, disturbed water and lightning and can be "safely" and impressively observed from the Gate coordinates. With nothing else going for it, the Autonomist crashers who first explored Tempest did little with this information.
Now the story of Tempest becomes the story of a gatecrasher named Sa'di, though lots of his fellows just called him "The Prospector" because he was always looking for good exoplanets. Shortly after the discovery and cataloging of Tempest, Sa'di became interested in it, he negotiated the favors to colonize it himself (though obviously he would offer hospitality to any passing gatecrashers). For the next couple of months, Sa'di would regularly return to Fissure to gather supplies needed to build a small bathyscaphe or aerostat hab. But then he stopped arriving altogether. By the time someone at Chat Noir bothered to check for him, they discovered that Tempest had mysteriously vanished from their library of addresses - marking Tempest as a lost colony. Then, very recently, only a few months ago, crashers from the Sunrise gate complex made a connection to a world they have confirmed to be Tempest. It was hard, however, because of the altered state of things after so many years.
It appears that Sa'di was quite successful in his colonization, building a small (but notable) Aerostat which contains millions of square meters of space. But it appears completely abandoned, with no physical signs of Sa'di, and environmental processes preclude normal forensic examination. What there are are scattered ectos and portable storage devices, in all places of the aerostat. These contain years worth of audio logs, poetry collections, journals and digital art - all of which are on the same theme; the Storm. When not meditating on the Storm as some metaphor for life, Sa'di appears to have had some other unusual hobbies; such as using drones to map the seafloor, assembling and printing physical copies of many books - particularly western classics and various Abrahamic theological works, and the construction of many dolls, synths or even pod morphs of similar shapes and looks - all female but also all apparently unused. Sa'di may also have had a hobby in AI development, random clusters of operation servers are scattered throughout the hab - clearly not being used to run it as they all appear powered down and dormant. One unit was found with it's core processor physically destroyed by what looks like energy weapons' fire, with some kind of ID written on the outer casing mostly damaged with only "M R ND" left visible. It's not entirely apparent how Sa'di got the resources to build all this, but the common theory is after he lost connection (or deliberately disabled it) to Fissure, he set about exploring other Exoplanets, as his journals reference trading with other "people" and his art occasionally depicts the Storm in alien landscapes. Still, however, the question of where Sa'di has gone and what he was doing remains. Rediscovery of Tempest has raised several questions and a bit of a "legal" snafu in the Solar System. Gatecrashers over at Chat Noir are lighting up ExploreNet saying that Sa'di's records and works need to be released for the public to digest as part of his initial agreement with Fissure and just in-general part of the Autonomist spirit, but TerraGenesis via Sunrise is much more cautious about the approach to Tempest, and unwilling to let just anyone access data coming out of it until they have investigated possible security risks. This conservative attitude is being aided along by Firewall Filters assigned to Operation GEHENNA FORTY, who very much wish to figure out what happened on Tempest and why.

[The following are excerpts from Sa'di's notes and journals]
//Excerpt #1
I have seen the Storm. It is beautiful and terrible - I wonder if ever a more apt metaphor for the Universe has existed. I wonder at its purpose. Did happenstance place it here, or good fortune? Did God intend it to be this way, or was it made by a Devil. I wish to look upon it and ponder the Universe for all my days, to see if I can solve the great mystery of the Storm.
//Excerpt #37
Grow quietly like a cold home.
Why does the breeze die?
Gods fall like lively suns.
Why does the reef fall?
Never view a home.
//Excerpt #168
My home is coming along nicely. My view of the Storm is well placed, I wonder again if the Gate was built here just to view it. Or was the Storm placed by the maker of the Gate? I may never know. Construction time is slowed by my daily meditation upon the Storm. I still have many questions about it I may not solve on my own. I have taken to painting the Storm as it appears in my mind, to compare it to the real thing. I hope similarities and differences might help my soul in its journey.
//Excerpt #193
Meditation is a lively Tempest home.
Winds travel!
//Excerpt #223
I have lost track of the Fissure Gate. I cannot tell if this is just the mercurial nature of the Gates, or if I on my own have removed it in a fit of pique. My sleep is restless here, day and night are meaningless before the Storm. Time ebbs and flows and I lose track. While my own housing is comfortable, it feels inadequate. My home must grow to challenge the Storm, be a worthy front from which I can observe it. My desire for knowledge and memory grows - I need more space to work, to store, to grow. This home is insufficient for my needs, as words are insufficient for the Storm. Only by building and seeing it will this house match the vision in my soul.
//Excerpt #229
God has smiled on me. Or perhaps it is the Storm? Is the Storm like unto God? Does God make the Storm, or do Storms make Gods - or maybe Devils? My thoughts diverge. I spend so much time studying the Storm it does not take much for my mind to go back to the unanswered questions I have. I have found other worlds through the Gate, some of which have materials I need. I can send drones through to gather the resources I need to make my vision a reality. And, while they work to gather, I have more time to study the Storm.
//Excerpt #419
Creation, courage, and endurance.
The breeze sails like a fiery cloud.
God, desolation!
Grow swiftly like a dead Tempest.
Where is the stormy cloud?
//Excerpt #494
My meditations grow lonely. My thoughts fill volumes, just as the thoughts and words of those who came before me do. But I cannot help but think this will all be in vain. With no connection back to Sol, I cannot share my knowledge with anyone. While I am sufficient to live for some time, my body and mind may eventually die and no-one here to revive me as is now our way. I need an observer for myself, just as I observe the Storm. It's risky, man made his own Devil this way, but I think I can build the link. A successor to observe and learn from myself, as I have learned from the Storm, as the Storm has learned from the Universe. I will struggle to build it, but my trade with the Others on the Plateau will give me the knowledge and materials I need.
//Excerpt #536
Another failure. But is the failure in my child, or in myself? Have I spent too long from others to be able to interact with them properly? The "people" of the other Gates, like the Plateau, the Icy Grave and the Ancient City do not interact with me as I must my observer. But as I contemplate the Storm again, as so many children have failed to do, answers begin to coalesce. As I learned from the first mistakes, a purely digital instance will not work. Even using the slow method I bartered from the Mind-maker Machine to prevent the creation of a Devil I cannot truly grasp the form of the soul to make it work in my world. Some digital children remain, to serve me and guide the others, but they cannot break their limits. So I set about to build a physical instance. After much practice, I have made robotic forms and suited the mind to life in a simulacrum - but these too fail. I mixed machine and nerve, but again though they lived and breathed they could not stand to contemplate the Storm. I sent the strongest to the Dream Drinkers and their Shattered Nest - so others might learn from my folly. I have begun the long path to merge the mind ephemeral with the body biological - but this will take much time. But, as I wait, a new answer and a new question are sparked. I am flesh and faith, I see the Storm through analog eyes. I have never remarked on it's pattern until now. Maybe the lightning and the thunder are not random?
//Excerpt #914
My enemy persists. While the path of my observer, my new child grows clearer, I worry even more about the interference of the Witch. I have no clues as to her "real" nature, only the nature of her soul and the character of her actions. I feel now, after years of study - she is like me. The Witch came to study the Storm, and in doing so study herself and the universe. But as her thoughts and deeds have scarred my attempts to form an Observer and poisoned the hearts and minds of many visitors before me, I also question if perhaps she seeks not to become one with the Universe/God, but to make herself into God/Universe and control the Storm? Such hubris appalls me. I cannot contemplate mastering the Storm - I only hope that an observer can learn from me as I learn from it, to pass this knowledge on to others. Over the eons, I may eventually come to understand it, to work with it. But perhaps the Witch has been at this longer than I, and in her time studying the Storm, she has reached a point where she feels the natural step is to become it? Such a thought is seductive, but I know this is her Will against mine. If we combined our knowledge, we would both learn so much more, maybe reach a new level where our ideals are possible. But I can think of other ways to bridge the gap between myself and the Witch, that are not of her design.
//Excerpt #946
The Witch has sent servitors against me again. The Observer/Child is close now, and I have found how to correct the corruption the Witch has sent, and thus lay out a path for one who can learn from and observe us both. A child of me and the Witch, imbued with the knowledge we have gained from the Storm, and the power God has given all men to face the Devil. But my patience runs thin. I have left behind so much knowledge - I wished to pass it along in person, but I fear I cannot. My will grows weak in isolation, I wish to seek the Witch and the Storm. The attacks grow fierce, I have been unable to send out drones to find new worlds for more resources. I fear they may come for the observer, and all my work will be for naught. I shall consult my servants, and make preparations. I thought to study the Storm for decades more - and truth be told maybe I have, and simply have forgotten? But now I feel like I must confront my enemy to protect those who may observe in the Future. May God go with me.

Plot Hooks:

• The Witch is a TITAN or other powerful ASI which has come to study the Storm, which is artificially generated by some kind of ETI construct. They are able to effect certain minds (e/g Infolife only or cyberbrains only) and subvert or damage them akin to a Basilisk Hack, in order to scare away other AIs, but has no effect on Sa'di which has it curious about him and trying to subvert him. The Observer's Ego is cultivated in a biomorph explicitly designed to be resistant to this effect
• The Witch is some kind of powerful Async mind, such as a DNA computer or other entity which has encountered the Storm and found it profound or enhancing their abilities in some way. The Witch can infect others with Async powers, causing non-biological morphs to get morph fever and go insane. Sa'di has gotten around this by using a biomorph to cultivate Psi abilities naturally
• Sa'di himself is an async, infected by WML or a similar strain while exploring new gates. The Witch and other observations on the Storm are his own disorders combined with sleights he's developed. Using his own ego as a base has corrupted attempts to use infomorphs or cyberbrains, but a biomorph based on him would naturally be an Async.
• Sa'di was tortured or otherwise subverted by an alien or Exhuman group, such as the "Mind-Maker Machines" or "Dream Drinkers", who have placed some strange delusion of introspection and challenge on him to study and try and surpass the storm as a path to their own eccentric enlightenment. The Observer is made using the philosophies of this group to overcome them and Sa'di himself, unbeknownst to them.