Metamo Ark Wikia
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Thirnova - Oddest of Lights

It is often discouraged to visit Thirnova, which comes to a surprise to many would-be space travelers; its intriguing origin and unique appearance often appeals to many. It is also, however, one of the most radioactive locations in the known universe, let alone of all the inhabited planets.

Every observable particle in Thirnova is inundated in seemingly-infinite light radiation, in a manner far distant from Lastar’s light emissions. This light, full of energy and charged ions, gives life to the Thirnovan populace, and simultaneously endangers the rest of us with carbon-based bodies. With such a danger involved in the simple of act of observation, very few people outside of Thirnova really understand the physics behind this constant radiation, as Thirnovan scientists themselves remain secretive about its inner workings. To prepare an outsider to survive and properly study Thirnova’s properties is both an expensive and risky undertaking.

If one can imagine the hazards of going there, one might also imagine the Thirnovans’ initial horror when they first looked beyond their skies and saw the endless black expanses of the universe, a stark contrast to their luminescent homeworld. They quickly learned that in this dark, low-energy space outside of Thirnova, their physiologies couldn't retain the energy that made up their bodies, leaking out over time with dire consequences for both themselves and any carbon-based lifeforms in their vicinity. Observing nothing more appealing than the light of relatively-dim stars, the Thirnovans found that such a dark and inhospitable universe had little to offer in comparison to their homeworld's eternal glow. Whatever races first reached Thirnova after its birth found a population more willing to leave the rest of the universe to its own devices.

As with any sentient species, the Thirnovans eventually found themselves a little more curious than skeptical about the universe, and a bold few journeyed forth beyond their world to re-establish contact with the other races. Their solution to the problem of their physiologies was the creation of specialized recharging chambers, capable of emulating Thirnova's environment for a short time to restore any energy they'd lost. Such an invention, which could be built into either a space ark or any port or city of consequence, made it possible for Thirnovans to live away from Thirnova for as long as they were able. These Thirnovans would later discover how to control the energy emissions of their bodies, allowing some of them to even interact with other races without dangerously irradiating their surroundings.

Even in such a time of "open" communication, majority of Thirnova's population still saw little reason to expand their world's influence in the galaxy. Many of those who left Thirnova did so more out of either diplomatic obligation or personal cases of individualism, finding niches for themselves due to their uncommon presence. The confirmation that there were no other planets (or even stars) with Thirnova's properties--no place they could adequately terraform into a colony--meant that expansion wasn't an option for them to pursue. Recharging chambers also took significant amounts of energy to work, simply to keep small groups of Thirnovans recharged, while Thirnova itself already easily supported the lives of billions by itself.

It's important to understand the circumstances that initially made Thirnova such a distant member of the galactic community. After the initial Meteos attacks, Thirnova displayed a gradual shift in its diplomatic interactions, sending both physical aid and new technology to assist the war against planet Meteo. Although no one truly expected Thirnova to contribute so much, especially given that Thirnova wasn't a physical planet that could be battered into annihilation by the Meteos, the aid was nevertheless welcomed, as was the Thirnovans' apparent desire to better integrate themselves into the alliance.

Still, after an entire diplomatic history of mere basic courtesy, this change of heart from the Thirnovans seemed inexplicable beyond common empathy. That was, until the more technlogically-advanced races, in their observation of all known inhabited planets, noticed what could only be described as a gradual destabilisation in Thirnova's form.

No one yet understands what exactly is occuring, given the world's anomalous nature, and few yet see a need to try and understand it either, when both so much else is already at stake and Thirnova itself is so poorly understood. Whatever fate awaits Thirnova should the Meteos attacks continue is anyone's guess, but the drastic shift in Thirnovan diplomatic behaviour--between currying favors and pushing for more intergalactic reliance on their technology and workforce--suggests that the Thirnovans aren't eager to face it alone.

(- May pale light shine upon these words.)
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