Calram



Calram is an alien structure orbiting the Ninth World. It is the birthplace of the calramites.

Background
About 8 km in diameter and covered in jagged spikes, curling tendrils, and weapon-like protuberances, the alien structure of Calram circles tightly around the Ninth World Earth. Technorganic in nature, Calram houses an interior filled with creatures locked away for years at a time in cryogenic slumber pods. Most of the so-called "calramites" will awaken once every 7 years at a time to either observe the world below, socialize, or even take part in other strange rituals that lie beyond human understanding. A few may never sleep at all while some groups will actually wake up according to a different calendric system.

Because Calram will sometimes openly send embassies to them, alongside secret expeditions mounted in other parts of the planet, the Order of Truth is well-aware of their existence. Suspecting that they might be insane, the Aeon Priesthood nevertheless acknowledges how advanced and otherwise "tech-savy" the calramites appear more so than humans currently are on Earth. Those Earth Natives who come to Calram usually do so through the assistance of a servitor drone sent by the inscrutable "Seven" for questioning, through kidnapping by the renegade "Dissenters" for specific tests, or even by the alien intelligence Mozck for its own experiments. One chamber on Calram actually contains several pod-shaped vehicles large enough to hold about 10 humans that can be used for interplanetary travel and which are often used by calramites to travel down towards the Earth's surface. Either by accident or on purpose, humans or other creatures from the earth tend to activate onboard systems that steer the pod back to its home in Calram. These pods can travel to one of the other sun's children like Urvanas or even Naharrai, but only as a one-way trip, considering that all their power would be drained by the time they've landed at their destination.

Any spacefaring vessel that tries to dock or interact with Calram's exterior will be met by the curling white tendrils that dot its surface. Once connected with one of them, it will instantly inquire in various languages to the travelers inside the vessel as to its purpose for visiting Calram. If peaceful, a calram drone will initiate the docking sequence, if not, explorers will need to interface with the station's machinery in order to open the exterior doors while also trying to deal with Calram's myriad self-defense mechanisms.

Atmospheric Conditions
A specific machine generates an internal field of artificial gravity which allows for creatures and objects within Calram that is slightly heavier than that of Earth's surface, after a few hours, normal humans will begin to notice the strain. The air inside is breathable by human beings, but has an odd leathery stench combined with the scent of an unfamiliar, sharp spice. Unfortunately, while calramites onboard will enjoy the really hot and humid temperatures of Calram, many humans will consider it to be uncomfortable.

Inhabitants
See Article: (Calramite)

Mozck on Calram
Even the Viral artificial intelligence of Mozck has spread its trouble to the orbiting abode of Calram. So far, many of the calramite's attempts to purge Mozck's effects from their home's machinery has ended in failure, as with the downing of every possessed automaton, another takes its place. Mozck is usually most active when most of its residents are fast asleep, where it possesses a couple of the many servitor drones and sends them to the Earth below to kidnap some native specimens to imprison in one of the medical theaters featured within Calram.

Unlike the tests conducted by the Dissenters, the experiments that Mozck performs on its subjects mainly involve slowly transforming a creature into another, both mentally as well as physically. However, despite using advanced techniques to do its work, none of them have been perfected, resulting in botched transformations with its victims often dying halfway through the process from either strokes, heart attacks, or seizures. What's usually left over are rotting piles of mutated flesh with extruding bones and a splatter of blood. The rare few that do survive the experience decry their existence and are left aboard Calram rather than being returned to Earth.

Ninth world Notice:
A group of Aeon Priests on Earth has become aware of Calram after one priest that was abducted but then later returned by the Dissenters regained shards of her memory about her experience within the testing arena.

Missing Calramite:
A native of Calram named Ardolana left the habitat inside a pod vehicle and went down to Earth without eave. IT's not quite clear what she plans to do, but her companions swear that she doesn't intend to compromise Calram - Ardolana just doesn't want to live out her existence within cryo-suspension, waiting for some future change that may never occur. However, the defection is one thing that the Seven and the Dissenters agree can't be allowed to stand, and thus they've dispatched hunters to retrieve her or, if all else fails, eliminate her.

The One:
The Seven are excited about some event that hasn't existed in the memory of any living calramite. Rumor has it that a particular human on Earth is showing signs of being "the one." Pod ships have already been deployed to collect said individual; however, it's quite possible that the Dissenters have commandeered a few pods of their own, possibly in an attempt to eliminate the target.

Cryo-Worm:
Some calramites wake up from cryo-suspended animation and claim to have dreamed of blood-red worms chewing through their bodies, eating real tissue and leaving behind duplicate material in its place.

Strange Sculpture:
In the wake of one of Mozck's experiments, an ivory sculpture of a beautiful human male was found. Apparently crafted from a strange combination of synth and human bone, the sculpture will sometimes activate for unknown purposes. It has a way of showing up in the possession of seemingly randomly selected calramites, much to both their surprise and worry.

Miscellaneous
Calram natives are usually referred to as calramites. If they do have another species name, they have yet to reveal it.

While the calramites might be able to eliminate a particular mozck automaton that's infiltrated their home, inevitably, the Mozck intelligence will simply appear elsewhere in the structure inside another machine.