I still have my encyclopedia from that thread. Though I stopped participating somewhat early on in it and there was never any consensus as far as I was aware.
thought would make for a good story.
I saved it in BBC code. Let's see if this sticks...
Species Bug
Planet Apocrite
Online-chattingThe bugs use a messaging program of the name “InterFacilitator,” a play on the words “Inteface” and “Facilitator.” Every “interfacelog” is marked by indicating that an individual 'has began interfacing with' another individual. Every user has a two-word handle with the first letter of each word used in the program to indicate who is who; for example, scarletChronologist is masked as SC. Every user can be identified by the two-letter acronym representing their handle, their particular color text, and their particular typing quirk. Formally, one would say they are 'interfacing' an individual. However, informally, this is known as 'bugging.'
Sked: scarletChronologist ; SC ; FC0307 ; primarily ends sentences with '.'
Ikti: emptyLexicon ; EL ; A9BF01 ; primarily ends sentences with '?'
Kesh: lightningEngineer ; LE ; 02CA32 ; primarily ends sentences with '!'
Taza: fireflyRomantic ; FR ; 7402E8 ; primarily ends sentences with '~'
Atri: reticentFreelancer ; RF ; 31B2B2 ; primarily ends sentences with '...'
Shie: covertSomnambulist ; CS ; DE02AB ; doesn't use punctuation to end her sentences.
GuardiansEach and every bug has a 'guardian' responsible for guiding them into their session and protecting them before they start playing Scarb. While most bugs have guardians that are in some way related to them, not all do. It is important to make a distinction between the social relationship presented by the guardian and the actual genetic relation. For this section, the social relation is used. Presented first is a description of how each of the bug kids were found after landing on Apocrite. After this, each guardian is detailed from what is known of them.
How each bug was foundSked: He was found in a meteorite by his father. Raised by his father until he was six seasons old, Sked was then taken in by his grandmother due to his father's death.
Ikti: She was found in a meteorite by her mother.
Kesh: He was found in a meteorite by his uncle.
Taza: He landed in a meteorite a month after Kesh landed. The meteorite landed near where Kesh's uncle had decided to raise Kesh and Kesh's uncle decided to take care of Taza as well. While Taza lives in his own nest, Kesh's uncle would often provide food and otherwise care for Taza. Shortly before the start of Kesh's transitory, Taza found his younger brother in a meteorite. As Kesh started his transitory, Taza tagged along and stayed close while raising his little brother.
Atri: She was found in a meteorite by her older sister. She was raised in the primary homospacial city, located near a large tree. Later, at the time her transitory should have started, she left her sister and began adult life early.
Shie: She was found in a meteorite by an Aphicat.
Although not a guardian, Sked and Shie also had a mother. She was a great Heroine in the world of Apocrite 680 seasons before any of the bugs were born.
GuardiansFather: While alive, a member of a police force tasked with hunting down and bringing to justice swarms (gangs) that would terrorize villages and cities.
Grandmother: She adopted Sked's father and helped raise Sked as his father was often away during the day working as a police officer. She has a love of clocks and is fond of her adoptive grandson.
Mother: She is aggressively heterospacial; as shown by her insistence on Ikti's eight circleseason that they start her transitory instantly.
Uncle: A famous scavenger who is rare for heterospacials in that he both scavenges for and adapts/tinkers with the technology he finds. Among his better known adaptations is Scarb, which he adapted together with Atri's sister (who was the primary adapter). One of his many developments is a mechanical flight device he wears in lieu of his wings which are damaged. Whether he decided to wear the machine because his wings were damaged or that his wings were damaged because he decided to wear the machine is unknown.
Brother: Enjoys playing with blocks; although young he has a heavy sense of adventure due to his early transitory. Months before the start of scarb, brother captured a *animal flying creature thing* which he has forced Taza to take care of. Taza... only slightly minds.
Sister: Considered the most beautiful of all bugs in the homospacial city in which she lives, she is famous for her adaption of the technological remnants forming the game 'scarb.' For her wealth and fame, she lives in a tower near the tree located at the center of the city. It is considered a spot of privilege.
Heroine: Famous in the past for her defense of nests and villages against some evil force.
Ectobiological relationsSimilar to the kids' session, the bugs were formed by the combined DNA of paradox clones of their parents. While some parents are the guardians of the bugs, not all necessarily were. Listed by social-relation but specified by genetic relation.
Father: Sked's and Shie's father
Mother: Ikti's and Kesh's mother
Uncle: Ikti;s and Kesh's father
Brother: Taza's and Atri's father
Sister: Taza's and Atri's mother
Heroine: Sked's and Shie's mother
SocietyThe bugs are primarily a migratory species who have an intense interest in discovery and exploration. There exists both villages and cities. Villages are permanent fixtures against the landscape who are inhabited by different individuals at different times at a high frequency. In any village, one can find any of three possible familial situations based on what age the individuals involved are. A year is specified as a 'season' while a birthday is called a 'circleseason' (with 13 years = eight seasons). There are two biological sexes, although either sex may be sterile (see 'spaciality'). An adult bug is migratory, moving from village to village in accordance with their natural urge to migrate and explore. A male and female adult bug may copulate and create a younger bug. However, once the younger bug is made, a fight is had over who takes care of the young bug. The losing bug must take care of the bug and remain stationary while raising the bug. For a young bug, they live with their single parent in a stationary dwelling in a village until they reach their eighth circleseason. At this point starts their transitory. The parent and child begin to migrate. While the young bug is still raised by the parent, the parent begins to teach the young bug of the migrational lifestyle; somewhat akin to puberty. At their tenth circleseason, bugs are fully adults and begin to migrate on their own. In sum, one may find in any village 1) single, migratory, adult bugs; 2) a stationary adult bug raising a child who has not started their transitory or 3) a migrating adult bug raising a child who is experiencing their transitory.
Bugs are a highly polite species. This, in part, is a reflection of their migrational tendencies. While normally a species would take advantage of the temporary relations formed by a culture based on constant-migration, if such a civilization was to strive and develop, the only way in which it could would be if the species itself was intensely polite. Relationships are often temporary and bugs often have many partners (which is not to say that all result in sexual advances). As such, bugs have developed a fascination with relationships, although only in a limited way. While who is dating who is a frequent topic of interest, deeper relationships aren't understood due to the temporary nature of any relationship.
Information is casually passed by antennae touching between individuals. While not a comprehensive list of every thought ever had, certain important information such as who has dated who (and familial relationships) are passed along. The previous description is not limiting; other important information is passed as well. Antennae touching may be thought as analogous to hugs or kisses.
SpacialityAlthough the above describes the average bug, it relates only bugs that are heterospacial. Migratory urges are important enough to bugs such that they are categorized based on whether they have the normal urge to move constantly (heterospacial) or lack such an urge and wish to stay in the same place permanently (homospacial). In addition to lacking migratory urges, the homospacial also lack the ability to copulate (no can has the fun sexy times). However, the homospacial have their normal migratory urges to explore new lands redirected into wanting to explore their thoughts. As such, homospacials are incredibly intelligent and are renowned for their interest in science, literature, and mathematics. A number of cities exist throughout the world where homospacials have gathered. Compared to villages, homospacial cities are high-tech wonders and the buildings themselves more sturdy and permanent. Although outcast by the heterospacial, the polite tendencies of the culture have enabled the two groups to coexist and thrive. Heterospacial individuals gather technology (see 'planet history') and minerals found throughout the land and exchange it with homospacial cities for technology and processed goods. While unable to reproduce, homospacials still have sexual urges. Often, they form life-long relationships with other homospacial individuals and are active in foster-care for orphans. However, it is rare for a homospacial couple to adopt an orphan as they would be hesitant to begin the child's transitory. Individuals often realize they are homospacial during their transitory. While living with their parent in a stationary nest, along with other children, there is no noticeable difference between homospacial and heterospacial individuals. While experiencing their transitory, homospacial individuals realize their dislike of migration. It is often difficult for homospacial individuals to admit their spaciality to their parent but most parents are understanding. While males or females may be specified as being homospacial, it is considered enough to say an individual is 'homospacial.' This also applies to sexual orientation as, since they can't reproduce, it is considered irrelevant.
Heterospacial
Sked: Heterosexual
Kesh: Bisexual
Taza: Homosexual
Atri: Heterosexual
Shie: Heterosexual
Homospacial
Ikti
PhysiologyThis section only details a portion of the bugs' physiological reality. While books could be written in order to detail a realistic physiological system; due to constraints of this guide, time needed to fully develop the concept, and 'not giving a shit,' only 'interesting' or otherwise noteworthy designs are included. This section could expand fairly easily depending on what is decided as warranting inclusion. For example, details need to be gathered on the bugs' eyes which I have not gathered (as it is detailed on a page I don't remember. I skipped it at the time as irrelevant).
Antennae: Varying in size and design according to each individual. Design is in part influenced by the sex of the individual in question but it is not an overriding influence. While females generally have bent antennae and males straight antennae, there are occasions of males with bent antennae (Sked's father) and straight antennae (Atri's sister) for males or females, respectively. Antennae have the ability to exchange simple information by touching other antennae (see 'Society' for further description).
Eyes: Whoops!
Mandibles: While a mandible is closed, it blends in seamlessly with the face of an individual and is otherwise hidden. However, the mandibles are able to unfold outward. Mandibles are connected to the inside of the mouth by muscle tissue similar to that in the arms and legs, and are fairly flexible. They have about the jaw strength of a human mouth. Bugs can open their mouths a small amount to drink through the proboscis, or all the way to bite down on solid food. Their mandibles are built for crushing rather than chewing.
Tryphite (derived from Tryphe, the Greek word for “Soft”): Softer chitin sections connecting either forearm with the shoulder and either foreleg with the hip. Tryphite areas develop as the bug does; initially non-existent while a baby but developing as one tyrphite for each of the four areas (connecting either forearm to the shoulder of foreleg to the hip) and, later, as the tryphite widens, it divides in two for either forelimb connection to the torso. Compared to the carapaced areas, tryphite is thinner, allowing for greater malleability. Although not called tryphite, there is a similar malleable substance connecting the fingers and toes with either hand or foot; allowing for digit mobility.
Planet HistoryThis section uses the start of the bugs playing Scarb as a base-line relative to all other events. While lacking in its comprehensiveness, this section mainly seeks out to list events important to the bugs.
6.8 billion seasons ago: Apocrite created. A seed, thrown through space, is buried deep within the planet.
68 million seasons ago: A large meteor storm wipes out most life on Apocrite. An intelligent species had dominated the planet but died out as a result of the meteor storm. Although this species went extinct, remnants of their high-tech society have survived to the present day and been adapted by the bugs in their own technology. Some heterospacial bugs scavenge the world looking for this higher-tech, which they then trade with homospacial cities. Much of this technology is under water which has led to speculation that the previous species was underwater based. Kesh's uncle is a noted scavenger famous for finding designs on a 'game' that the previous species hoped would save their species. This is interesting both in that the previous species failed and that they seemingly were aware that a meteor threat would arrive at some time in the future. Whether they were aware of the exact date is unknown, as are any aspects of the species itself.
6.8 million seasons ago: A simplistic form of the bugs species evolves. A massive white tree also began to sprout at this time from the seed which fell deep within the planet 6.8 billion seasons ago.
680,000 seasons ago: First nomadic settlements start to form, largely stationed by collected homospacials who are beginning to gain acceptance as a part of society.
680 seasons ago: An industrial revolution starts; the age of exploration and piracy. Sked and Shie's mother lands in this time and becomes a noted heroine.
68 days after the start of scarb: A large leviathan which has long lived on Apocrite dies; inside its belly a frog temple.
680 seasons after the start of scarb: A group of carapaced exiles from Scarb gather together at the frog temple.
ScarbThe bugs' equivalent of sburb. It is played by 6 bugs, all of which are eight seasons old. Software is stored in data-crystals which can be refracted to load up onto a computer. Scarb was adapted by Atri's sister who received remnants of the technology from Kesh's uncle.
Entry-orderSked ← Ikti ← Kesh ← Taza ← Atri ← Shie
WeaponsSked: Bladekind
Ikti:
Kesh: Pistolkind
Taza: Flaikind
Atri: 2xspearkind
Shie: Daggerkind ; polekind
While Sked takes an interest in guns (after his father), he choose to wield blades instead. After his father's death, Sked began to lose confidence in himself and thought blades were safer than guns. Kesh's small gun collection has been built up through donation/trade with Sked.
Shie is the only bug to use two strife specibi. She works primarily with poles which have wire or string attached (as if a fishing pole) with a long hook or other sharp weapon at the end of the string. She uses this pole to ensnare or otherwise capture enemies which she then pulls in and kills with a quick slice of their arteries with her daggers (which are scalpel like). Before scarb, she'd also use the tight wire of the pole to strangle her enemies and force them to pass out. This way, once their main arteries were cut, minimal damage was done to their hide which could be repurposed into trophies. Shie has been known to use her trophies or other 'statues' she's constructed to trick opponents by dangling them from her pole by attaching them to its hook.
PrototypingsSked: Shed Exoskeleton (pre-entry) ; Shed Exoskeleton (post-entry: twice as Sked)
Ikti:
Kesh: Shark remains (pre-entry)
Taza:
Atri:
Shie:
LandsSked: Land of Snow and Bells
Ikti: Land of Dunes and Abyss
Kesh: Land of Emeralds and Polarity
Taza: Land of Cliffs and Hearth
Atri: Land of Glacier and Spoils
Shie: Land of Static and Spectre
AccessoriesSked: Alarm-clock time traveling device
Ikti:
Kesh:
Taza:
Atri: Shield
Shie: All the sheddings; all of them
TitlesSked: Heir of Time
Ikti: Seer of Void
Kesh: Mage of Life
Taza: Knight of Heart
Atri: Thief of Space
Shie: Witch of Mind
Confirmed events1) Everyone but Sked dies in an alternate time-line; he uses time-powers to reverse before everyone died. This alternate-future Sked continues to help secretly in the background.
After Sked gets in with Ikti as his server, it's time for Itki to get in. I thought it would be funny if Sked and Ikti spent hours figuring out the game mechanics before trying the pre-punched card. Instead of having 6 minutes and 80 seconds left, they only have 6.8 seconds left before the meteor hits. I can't imagine they'd get caught up with bath-tubs or toilets or other nonsense like that; their potential doom is wasting time trying stuff out.
More importantly though, I thought that Ikti could ask Kesh to wait until AFTER the timer had hit 0 to deploy everything. They've tried breaking the item before the timer expired, they need to test out what happens if they wait until after it goes off. Of course this would kill Ikti. If Ikti dies, the only person who entered the medium was Sked. Since Sked has time powers... I thought this alternate time-line Sked could continue the adventure all alone until he finds his time powers and then travels back in time (since Sked was in the medium before Ikti died, it would be possible) and tell Ikti NOT to go forth with the experiment. I had it in my mind this humorous pesterlog of Sked getting confused on why Ikti was acting like she was responding to things he was saying but that he hadn't typed. Alternate-reality Sked could then hide out and help them throughout the adventure while making sure to never cross paths with Sked. I know alternate-selves always die but who says they have to die right away? I just love the idea of a phantom-Sked helping them all the time while keeping his distance. It could be a big final reveal. Oh shit! There was a second Sked the entire time, etc etc... Taza quickly affixes his shipping chart with gutso.
2) Sked prototypes his kernelsprite with his shed exoskeleton before entry. It was a mistake which occurred after Sked had to quickly reach shelter during an attack by the molecule (gang) The Blue Beetles who, in the process, speared Sked's shed exoskeleton which was left behind.
3) Shie constructed a scarf based on one worn by a heroin years before her time that she discovered from reading a history book lent to her from Atri. The heroin was actually her mother, who would later take the very scarf Shie made back in time with her as a baby.
4) Atri has an unusual interest in books, for heterospacials, as she grew up in a homospacial city and had frequent access to books. She has taken a particular interest in history.
First guardianWorld-tree: The bugs' session, and their universe, is guided by a world-tree acting as their first guardian. During their adventure, a genetic code containing the potent DNA of all first guardians was combined with a seed. This seed traveled to the distant past of the bugs' universe, just as Apocrite was being formed, and crashed deep into Apocrite. It later sprouted 6.8 million years before the bugs' session started. Unlike other first guardians, the tree guardian is largely reflective and reactionary. It primarily influences the world through use of leaflets; leaves which, once dropped, may warp space and time such as to appear wherever the tree wants. They can be used to alert individuals of important information or, also, to act as a portal illuminating said information if needed.
Leviathan: Not much is known about this giant whale-like creature which has been rumored to have long swam across Apocrite. Some believe it is a myth, others that it has been on the planet as long as the giant world-tree. Inside the leviathan is the frog temple which usually accompanies the first guardian of a session's planet. It is speculated that, as some time before the bugs existed, that the leviathan swallowed whole the frog temple and took it away from the first guardian. Shie finds it later.
Edit: YES! It worked.
Man, one thing I really loved about the idea was having two guardians and homospatiality. The tree was a homospatial guardian while the leviathan was a heterospatial.
Shouldn't be long to do, but it's weird when you have the pictures and don't actually remember exactly what you wrote under them.
