Mierese¶

Every Mierese has THREE names:

Biology & Physiology¶

• Skin: Lavender/lilac, high puncture resistance (armor rarely needed)
• Build: Slim, slender frames, pointed ears
• Motor system: Much richer spectrum of voluntary muscle control than humans (more motor neurons)
• Strength: Weaker than humans — system evolved for constant movement, not weight-bearing
• Heat tolerance: Withstand up to 45°C without biological performance loss
• Poison resistance: Naturally resistant to many toxins (adapted from Neuno's environment)
• Cybernetic vulnerability: Due to their biological composition, Mierese are susceptible to hacking, EMPs, and other cyber-electronic attacks that target integrated technology. Their biology resists poisons but not electronic warfare
• Diet: Can digest almost anything except inorganic matter
• Favorite food: MUD ice cream (to soothe Neuno's heat)

Head Tentacles (The Tail)¶

• Multi-functional muscle/organ on the head
• Functions: body balance, fine physical control, memory repository
• Divided into many parts with different functions
• Lore Keepers tend to have even longer ones than average

Dimorphism¶

• Male: Extremely long dreadlock-like head tentacles
• Female: Shorter braid-like tentacles with elaborate cranial crest

Personality¶

• Free-spirited, improvisational, cheerful
• Perceived as chaotic by orderly species (Ustur)
• Perceived as cowards by honor-bound Sogmians (Mierese view dying for a cause as purposeless)
• Cope with stress through humor ("Ok, this is how we die")
• Love bets (like their god, but always aware of every detail)

Naming Convention (Three Names)¶

Every Mierese has THREE names:

The Six Regions of Neuno → Third Names¶

Examples¶

• Doop Moda Valel | Jank Jogo Eko | Volmik Vaor Scarka
• Mierese love nicknames

Founding Myth: The Grand Tale¶

Chapter One — Onato and Juriko¶

• Onato: Most beautiful and powerful god. Talented (singing, dancing, storytelling, fighting). Prideful but good-hearted. Accepted any bet and never lost
• Juriko: Envious god who plotted against Onato
• Juriko organized a competition of challenges among the gods
• Final round: Juriko dared Onato to escape a prison — a cell with a password lock
• The only hint: the answer is a good story, perhaps one that hadn't occurred yet
• Onato tried everything — memories, word combinations, invented words — nothing worked
• Juriko offered surrender (admit he's not the most powerful) — Onato refused out of pride
• Onato recognized the trap but his pride wouldn't let him quit

Onato's Solution — The Creation of the Mierese¶

1. Created a record of everything he'd tried
2. Separated part of his essence and breathed life into it → first Mierese
3. Made a pact: live freely, but upon death, tell Onato at least one new story
4. If the story is new → paradise
5. If not → stay with Onato helping crack the puzzle

The first Mierese recited everything Onato told them → this became the Grand Tale

The Grand Tale Today¶

• Living document updated by generations of Lore Keepers
• Incorporates the most relevant characters and events of the galaxy
• Being featured in the Grand Tale is the supreme honor
• Functions like a blockchain — distributed across Lore Keepers' memories

The Living Planet Neuno¶

A singularity — defies the laws of creation.

Nature¶

• Literally a living entity the size of a planet
• 3000+ years old (carbon dating)
• Origin Truth: In the galaxy's primordial era, a colossal space parasite collided with Neuno and "infected" the geological structure.
• Mechanics: The planet seems alive because the parasite is alive, using the planet's crust/mantle as its organs.
• Organs/vital functions originate from the southern pole (suggesting growth started there)

Biology of Neuno¶

• Photosynthesis: Gathers nutrition from its radiant blue sun
• Immune system: Reacts to Mierese expansion — tsunamis, droughts, diseases, poisoned crops
• Hibernation: Sleeps for months each year when planet is distant from the blue sun
• Verdant jungles → desolates of dust and grass
• Enormous animals shelter underground
• Pace of life slows across entire ecosystem

Environment¶

• Hostile jungles, high temperatures, deadly species
• Forced Mierese to organize in small, mobile groups
• Core mentality: everything outside your group is dangerous and trying to get you

Native Species & Resources¶

• Arevok: Grazing animals, prized meat
• Irvilyings: Flying creatures with rare essence (from nighttime flowers)
• Azul grass: Blue plant from cold mountain peaks
• Herbritids: Rare cave mushroom
• Luminous flora and deadly predators throughout wild regions

The Benevolent Explorers (~2377)¶

• When Mierese were nearly annihilated, unknown alien explorers arrived
• Terraformed part of Neuno, advanced Mierese science
• Set the basis for first interstellar travel
• Left and were never seen again
• Taught the Mierese the value of helping others and cooperation
• Who were they? — remains one of the great unsolved mysteries of Mierese history

Chronological History¶

• ~2377: The Benevolent Explorers arrive and uplift the Mierese (see above)
• ~2392: Atheist Mierese found the Democratic Order of Kamec in Kamec Sector
• ~2396: Mierese dream of a mineral-based flora — leads to discovery of Glowhaven (MRZ-31)
• ~2399: Mierese begin exploration of dangerous Coral Nebula (MRZ-18)

Culture & Values¶

Core Principles (from the Grand Tale)¶

1. Danger of pride — Onato is imprisoned by his pride; Mierese remind each other of this
2. Value of freedom — Onato freed them to live however they wish
3. Stories over possessions — "Only your memory and intelligence will help you before Onato"
4. Humility — "Being humble will keep you free from your ego"
5. Substance over form — Self-expression, secrets, adventures, skills, intelligence matter
6. Irrelevance of protocol — Possessions, details, protocols, dogmas, precision are dismissed

Language¶

• No written language — believe written words fail to convey emotions and sensations
• Some Mierese learn common written language for inter-faction interaction
• Consider written communication "severely lacking, almost useless"
• Heavy reliance on oral tradition and prestigious memory

Clothing¶

• Light, mobile clothing providing some protection
• Different leathers from hunted animals; practical fibers
• Dark tones preferred in unsafe environments (stealth)
• Will use other species' clothing if practical
• In safe environments, individual personality dictates style

Sports & Entertainment¶

• Motion control, personal skill, hand-to-hand combat, weapon combat
• Favorite game: Narrative Battles — bard face-off (similar to rap battles)

Society & Government¶

Structure¶

• Small groups and villages spread across Neuno's six regions
• Local leadership handles common affairs — never intrudes on individual sphere
• No central government until the Convergence War (forced by ONI Consortium pressure)
• Government = loose coalition of notables with an elected Speaker (quasi prime minister)
• Speaker's functions are limited — avoids general rules/laws unless necessary
• Government viewed with suspicion — if Onato freed them, why should anyone dictate behavior?
• Only viable because of Lore Keeper support
• Currently leading the ONI Consortium — Central Space Station shows Mierese architecture/style

The Hikibashi (Elite Special Forces)¶

• Elite special forces unit of the Mierese
• Trained assassins and spies, skilled in multiple combat arts
• Think of them as extremely capable espionage operatives
• A separate military institution from the civilian government

Social Status (Story-Based)¶

• Success = number of stories you appear in
• Everyone belongs to: family story, possibly city story, craft story
• Regional Lore Keeper selects who is worthy of bigger stories
• Formal introduction requires reciting the stories you're part of

The Non-Existent (Worst Punishment)¶

• Being erased from all stories = worst fate in Mierese society
• Non-existent cannot formally introduce themselves
• Viewed as "worse than dead" by Mierese standards
• Historically had no rights (could be killed); COP intervened to protect their lives
• Religiously: non-existent never meet Onato, simply vanish after death

The Lore Keepers¶

The foundation of Mierese society.

Role¶

• Special class trained from childhood by elder Keepers
• Guardians of the Grand Tale and collective memory
• Religious support for communities
• Select which stories enter the Grand Tale
• Act as representatives of Onato in the physical realm
• Only institution giving the government legitimacy

Selection & Training¶

• Potential candidates chosen by elder Keepers at young age
• Learn the Grand Tale + memorization techniques for vast quantities of information
• Young Keepers start with small community religious instruction
• Earn voting rights on Grand Tale additions through merit

Annual Grand Tale Assembly¶

• Elder Lore Keepers reunite in an unknown location each Neuno year
• Share collected stories
• Vote on which should be incorporated into the Grand Tale
• Distributed memory = if any Keeper dies, information survives with others

Religion: Stories as Living Entities¶

Core Beliefs¶

• Stories exist in another plane with the gods — they are living entities
• Stories exert influence over reality — the more famous, the greater the impact
• "Stories are vessels for the universe's moral themes"
• Both planes (divine and physical) influence each other cyclically

Afterlife¶

• Upon death: recite a new story to Onato
• New story → paradise
• No new story → stay with Onato, helping crack the puzzle
• Non-existent → never meet Onato, simply vanish

Spiritual Communication¶

• Lore Keepers can communicate with spirits and their stories (medium sessions)
• Souls of good/bad intentions inspire participants through indirect means
• Excludes non-existent beings

The Possession Risk (Onato Trap)¶

• Extreme identification with a story can make a Mierese "possessed"
• Becomes an avatar of their idea/story, willing to die for it
• Can develop alternate personalities — the character they envision themselves as
• May enable acts beyond their normal capabilities
• Also causes problems: depression, despair, flipped moral values
• Rare but always has significant historical impact when it occurs
• Named after Onato's trap — pride imprisoning the self

Known Characters¶