Ourum

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Object Name: OURUM (ORR-umm)

Celestial Classification: Class C Planet, Dust Plains

Planetary Size: ~28032.358464 kmd or 2.2 times the size of LE

Number of Moons: 0

Rotational Period: 29 ESH (29 hours per day)

Orbital Period: 315 PRY (planetary rotations per year)

Atmospheric Conditions: Category I

Population Size and Diversity: Unknown (Ourans, Unknown)

Technology Level: Unknown Technology Level, Possible III-IV 

Ourum is a medium-sized, dust-filled desolate world. Its entire surface is completely covered in layers of sediment and dust, with only the echoes of long-dead civilizations piercing through the powdery dunes. Intermittently, small mountain ranges, caverns, and canyons provide slight refuge from Ourum's sooty conditions, but even they cannot escape the power of Ourum's dust-storms. Nonetheless, the remainder of Ourum’s surface is relatively unstable, as the soft top soils frequently shift under the strain of periodic earthquakes and high velocity windstorms. It is believed that the remainder of Ourum’s inhabitants have retreated underground, creating large cities that rival the ancient remains of those aboveground. However, none of these speculations have been absolutely confirmed, and one can only theorize how Ourum still seems to be supporting life despite the incredibly inhospitable conditions of its surface. 

Ourum is a silt-swept world that opposes any and all life attempting to spawn or settle on its surface. The rough, arid soil and continuous dust storms plaguing the uppermost layer of Ourum’s exterior make substantial subsistence impossible. No crops can withstand the high-velocity winds sweeping across the planet, much less the barrages of salts, sediments, and minerals that assault everything on Ourum’s surface. Moreover, Ourum’s ever-shifting terrain makes permanent settlement on the planet improbable, and landing space-traveling vessels near impossible. As such, it is ill-advised for anyone to attempt to land anywhere on Ourum’s surface for an extended period of time. Otherwise, one risks their ship being swallowed by rolling piles of dust as the planet’s windy tempests sweep by.

The Ouran (OOH-rann)

The Ouran, the only sentient species on the planet, are an incredibly secretive people. Though it is documented that they live underneath Ourum’s surface, the knowledge of who the Ouran once were or what their practices were before Ourum’s dusty demise is a close-kept secret. What is known is that the Ouran retreated beneath the planet’s surface as living upon the planet’s dry surface became unsustainable. These tunnels, presumably used for mining and transportation operations in the past, now appear to span thousands of kilometers underneath the planet’s surface. It seems that as Ourum’s dust storms increased in both frequency and intensity, the Ouran have expanded this subterranean network immensely. It is hypothesized that this older system of interconnecting tunnels and mine shafts now represents only a fraction of the gigantic grid of subterranean highways, caverns, and roadways that connect the larger Ouran settlements together. However, there is little documentation to support these theories, as the only available evidence for Ouran Subterranean Cities is the rumors spread by experienced intergalactic miners and from cooperative Ouran interviewees. 

Ouran Culture

While little is known about the Ouran underground dwellings, there is more speculation about the species’ culture. Theories stipulate that the Ouran are members of a technologically advanced society, who have retrofitted and supposedly improved upon the machinery used by their industrial predecessors. Ourans appear to be a four-limbed species, though their features are indistinguishable as they have never been known to remove their protective gear, even in a sterile environment. Visible Ouran garments appear to consist of a pair of goggles, an advanced respirator, and a helmet-like piece of headwear that covers every other part of their faces and upper features. Every other piece of clothing is covered by a series of rags and wraps of cloth, topped with a long, billowing cloak that obscures the rest of the Ouran body. Though not much is known about the origin or makeup of Ouran outerwear, what has been confirmed is that Ourans consider their clothing their “outermost skin” and have intimate ties with what they wear. It is also rumored that Ourans consider the unwarranted removal of their cloaks, respirators or goggles tantamount to sin, and thus only remove any garments around those they most trust. In any event, queries about Ouran clothing and tailoring have consistently been deflected or ignored, with only the most rudimentary answers provided.

Ourans claim that they live within a series of separate townships, each with their own distinct governments, cultures, and social expectations. However, it seems that the majority of Ouran society is organized under egalitarian rule, with minimal gender expectations or norms present. Ouran claims further stipulate that they (most likely) live within a meritocratic society, where skillfulness, expertise, and success are championed above all other actions. In other words, an Ouran only achieves success and prestige through their actions, not through any arbitrary political or familial ties. As such, it seems that there are few ruling organizations within Ouran society, and no individual is exempt from the scrutiny of the people. 

It also appears that the advents of corruption, political scandal, and/or abuse of power are virtually non-existent within Ouran society. It is therefore theorized that the Ouran justice system is brutally efficient, utilizing one of two possible enforcement methods. Either one, they have an incredibly strict police force that has zero tolerance for crime, corruption or failure to adhere to societal rules, or two, Ouran culture enforces the mentality that the collective supersedes the individual. In other words, Ouran society apparently dictates that self-service is illogical. It seems that the Ouran operate with a collective mindset, where every Ouran has a duty to do as much as they can to help every member of society. If they cannot do so for whatever reason, then they are abandoned, left to die in silence and solitude.

Although much of what makes up Ouran society is loosely supported speculation, the basics of their economy is definitely known. The Ouran economy is structured around the cultivation and harvesting of rare chemiluminescent cave formations scattered within Ourum’s subterranean landscape. Known as Riöchanschläff (reh-OH-kan-shl-AAFF)—which roughly translates to “Sinderstones”—they are used as the primary light source for all of Ouran dwellings, mining operations, and tunnel systems. Considered an incredibly rare and valuable resource, their glow is said to never waver and that they only require a special fuel to fully recharge. As such, shards of these “Sinderstones” are used as the main currency of the Ouran people, with the value of each stone measured on a scale according to its particular hue. It is rumored that the white Sinderstones, called Völkanschläff (VOOL-KAN-shl-AAFF) or “Sparkstones” are the rarest and most valuable of their kind due to their high conductivity. It is theorized that these Sparkstones are used for generating, collecting, and storing power for the all of Ourum’s subterranean electrical components.