Ricinus

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Dance, O Freest Aeon

This content is a part of Cosmoria.

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Index / Lexica / Timeline

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Ricinus

Meta Info

Scope

Scope:Cosmoria

Setting

Cosmoria

Author

User:Duodecillionaire

Location Info

Region

Zalanthium

System

Slonovaya Kost

Designations

Demonym

Ricinan

World Type

Terra

Orbital Info

Parent Body Type

Red Dwarf

Satellites

Number of Artificial Satellites

10,000

Biosphere

Native Life

Fungi

Primary Native Solvent

Water

Estimated Number of Species

< One Million

Biosphere Origin

Panspermia

Native Sapient Species

Cynadus

Society and Politics

Nations

• Ricinus Directorate

International Groups

• Greater Celestial Concord
  
• Lockley Group

Leader

Director Exnull Gray

Government

Concordial Directorate

Population

7,200,000

General Development

Moderate

Official Languages

Indaric

Economy

Economic Value

Low

Production Value

Low

Major Imports

• Food
  
• Water
  
• Mining Equipment
  
• Environment Control Systems

Major Exports

• Metallic Coal
  
• Metalloids

Ricinus is a wet world home to the extinct Cynadus. It is the fourth world around Slonovaya Kost and the second largest planet in the system. The recent mass-extinction killed off 95% of autotrophs, and decaying biomass consumed over half of atmospheric oxygen without autotrophs to replenish it. In the past, anywhere from 200 billion to half a trillion called the planet home, only to succumb to the rare process of auto-omnicide. Currently, several million miners reside on Ricinus and specialize in extracting metalloids from the planet, its once-flourishing biology extracted unfathomable quantities of the substances from deep in the crust, only to leave rich deposits in the form of metallic coal.

Ricinus is currently under the control of the Lockley Group, a massive conglomerate from Martial Space named after a religious figure in the Cynadan faith. Numerous myths and stories from the Cynadus have outlived the species—the religious system of a species that destroyed itself caught the cultural imagination. In popular culture, Cynadan figures and stories had become synonymous with the occult. The notorious cult Arsenida, embraced Cynadan symbolism and iconography, only to attempt destroying themselves in a similar fashion, creating widespread panic throughout the early ninety-ninth century.

History

The Cynadus established remote contact with the Triumvirate Civilization just a decade before its fall. A scout ship and a civilian craft mostly of linguists bore witness to the end of Cynadan history from the outer Slonovaya Kost system. These incomplete records were crucial in understanding the archeological record and, in particular, the meticulous records kept throughout the system. All known history is from these written sources, with little for archeologists to uncover due to Ricinus' circular economy.

Natural History

The life on Ricinus arrived one billion years ago; fungi spores managed to coast in deep space for millennia before landing on the planet. The entire planet's biosphere is monophyletic, meaning it all originates from a single species. While modern colonization has introduced other domains and even microbes from other spheres of life altogether, the bulk of the ecosystem is composed of fungi of all descriptions.

Evolution quickly took hold, diversifying the mold-forming fungus into millions of forms. Without plants, the fungi evolved autotrophy, whether as single cells similar to algae or lichen-like patches on the ground. With the evolution of photosynthesis, oxygen quickly took over the atmosphere, allowing for more complex organisms to emerge. One phylum, the mycozoa, evolved locomotion 150 million years ago, becoming something like the familiar animals found on other worlds. Since then, they had diversified into one of the most diverse taxa on the planet, reshaping its entire surface.

The Cynadans evolved one million years ago, but by this point in the fossil record, decomposition had become so refined that fossilization became exceedingly rare. This date is derived from the discovery of stone tools, something the ecosystem more slowly reintegrated.

The Origin

One of the most iconic tales from the Cynadan historical records is their origin. Well-preserved and simple, likely due to the need to teach the tale to children, it is the only tale that has been fully translated. It follows the story of Oh, the founder of their species. The ancestors of the Cynadus spent their days in the Hyphae, the roots of colossal fungi, something like an internal microbiome but at a much large scale. They were apex "predators" if such a term could be used to describe the stationary creatures they were. The Cynadus evolved intelligence to manipulate the Hyphae through complex chemical signals. This story seems to imply that the Cynadus were originally colony organisms.

They communicated in a complex series of chemicals analogous to how neurons communicate with one another. This communication also involved trading plasmids, seemingly adapted from Viroids entering into a symbiotic relationship with the fungi of Ricinus.

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The first of the Kind emerged by chance. If you were to talk to them, they would tell you how it happened. In truth, they have said the story so many times that it has changed over the years. Do not trust The Eldest, trust The Cynadus.

The Eldest had awoken and simply remained awake. The crucial chemical, the ambrosia that sustained them, never depleted. This was the result of [Literal Genetic Code Sequence: 500 base pairs]. The new method unlocked infinite quantities of Selenium, dissolving microbes to get at their selenium hearts. The Eldest had time to feed, excrete, and communicate but also time to simply be, with nothing to do. The Cynadus are the beings who have nothing to do at times; all others are in a constant state of doing. A Cynadus will respond instantly when asked; all others take time to get to other concerns.

Beyond Biochemistry

And so the Cynadus needed to know what to do with time. Every toxin could be routed, leading to eternal life, in fact, there was nothing to do but route toxins.

Oh

A small number of Cynadans in an experimental orbital habitat were forgotten and left in space. As society collapsed, they desperately signaled the Triumvirate craft still weeks away in the outer belt of the system. They sent everything they knew, whatever wisdom, art, techniques, anything that could be transmitted at the speed of light that had value. This is where the story of Oh comes from.

Oh was one of the last of the kind. The kind had discovered the wonder of arsenic-selenium, truly something that lead to their destruction. Without any evil intended, the knowledge spread on how to coax arsenic, filling themselves with pleasure. It was easier to get arsenic-selenium than eating, and so the kind starved, ignorant of their hunger. Truly the element of 33 protons is tempting, but with that of 34, the kind faced near extinction.

Spending 1,000 years of his drunken life, Oh consumed a fragment of the Warlock, giving him the ironic ability to control arsenic.

He sobered slightly as his ship finally returned to his now developed home. Highrises littered the surface as countless trade ships dashed between ports and the blackness of space. Though Oh had just lost his family and friends, all he could think about was drugs. Through the countless thoughts of brain altering pills, a message came into his shriveling mind. It was like a call or an order. It was as if a god-like voice, similar in tone to his own had spoken to him. This voice that may or may not have been an auditory hallucination commanded him to seize control of Ricinus. Oh squinted in confusion as he took more pills. With each drug he ingested, the divine voice in his head grew louder. It told him that he would become the most powerful on Ricinus, working as the prophet of this world.

That could all be possible with his power of arsenic. A semi-nauseated smile crept across Oh’s powdered stained face as the villainous voice residing in his skull provided him with intricate instructions as to how to take over the planet.

The detailed nature of the plans that were spat at Oh could only make you wonder if the voice talking to him was an actual separate entity. Or maybe the voice is just Oh’s wicked suppressed desires. Intelligence is by nature immoral after all.

Oh’s so called god continued to feed him information and plans. He began to craft masks of clay, plaster and crudely scrapped paper. Costumes of glued fabric and textiles were hurriedly put together by Oh’s shaky hands. Through this process of admittedly unskilled work, Oh used his ability to consume arsenic in mass amounts. His brain swiftly became dependent on the metalloid.

Countless days past as Oh’s health deteriorated. His body craved for water and food but his want for arsenic overcame his survival instinct. The voice was but a whisper when he ate normally anyways. It was nothing but a waste of time to step away from the arsenic or his god’s plans.

The Arrival of the Warlock

Oh put on his poorly built mask with a similar look to a skull. A haphazardly stitched cloak rested on his shoulders as he stepped outside. Arsenic leaked out of the ground, vaporizing and moving through the surface atmosphere as Oh raised his arms.

Arsenic began to enter every living being’s bloodstream, diluting their thoughts and rational thinking skills. Just as Oh’s inner voice told him, he attacked news and journalism outlets as his new persona, Lockly, the Son of the High-Warlock.

Rational thoughts being trapped by arsenic laced air, the civilians allowed Lockly to do this. They saw not a man in a costume but a prophet in prestigious robes and a crown composed of unimaginable materials.

• “My name is Lockly, Son of the High-Warlock. I have been sent down from the cosmos to lead the Cynadus with my brethren. Oh, the God of Sight has opened your eyes to the world. If you don’t want to live by our rule, you by extension, don’t want to live.” –Lockly’s message broadcast across the world.

For a small moment, people panicked before quickly becoming addicted to the arsenic that hugged the planet’s surface. People who initially ran for help or safety came back almost immediately for that sweet taste of 33 protons. Oh laughed at the once esteemed public figures or scientists on the verge of creating something magnificent; all of them served him now. They almost mindlessly completed tasks, not even realizing their actions.

Religious Figures

Lockly, the Son of the High-Warlock

The first prophet to arrive on Ricinus. Lockly, though one of the more famous prophets to the High-Warlock, possessed no powers or abilities. This lack of power did not speak weakness however. At the mere sight of Lockly, citizens of Ricinus bowed and praised without even an ounce of hesitation. It was as if Lockly leaked his respect for the Warlock onto those around him. Lockly is the head figure and ambassador for announcements and orders from the High-Warlock.

Oh, the God of Sight

A seemingly omniscient individual with a mass of eyes for its head. Oh is known to be the main protector of Ricinus, being able to control the Cynadus' ability to see as well as full control over an unknown metal that he could utilize as fast moving weapons. Below is Oh's most famous speech that spanned the course of six hours.

"CITIZENS OF RICINUS! My name is Oh, the God of Sight. I am the one that lets you see the prophets, gods, goddesses and divine children. I am what opened your eyes. The purple mist that blocks out the light every week was caused by me. That euphoric fog is what allows you to see. It is what opens your mind. It is the delectable ichor, the divine blood, the forbidden nectar, the most delicious fruit. And I gave it to you. Remember that! You are all below me and all of the beings that I so graciously let you see. Your eyes are caused by me, yes, but that is not all. In addition to your amazing gifts of visual prowess, I am the one that is protecting all of you from outside influence. Those fools from Limehold that were supposedly giving us 'innovation'. Yeah, those idiots are gone now because I am protecting you with MY power; with MY abilities. And no, no, no, I am not just stopping them from attacking us. I shoe off so many threats every week by just flicking my wrist in their direction. That's right! Interplanetary civilizations run from ME when I tell them to. Actually no, they run from me and I don't even have to say a FUCKING WORD. They all turn tail and run away like bugs and I don't even have to get up from my throne. Do you all understand? Scream it at me! Let me know that you care! YEAH! That's what I'm talking about. This crowd of people, all of your families, they are here and protected. All of your children, every time you got up to eat your four course meals, every time you felt any happiness is because I got out of bed and decided that I was feeling a tiny bit generous that day. When you awake at the purple sky of MY new Ricinus in the morning and you feel your feet touch the floor, speak my name. Scream at the top of your awakened lungs, 'All hail Oh, the God of Sight'. Be my voice, bystanders! Echo my name throughout my red kingdom. Sinister will be renamed after me. The great God of Sight is your savior. Oh! Oh! Not only are the women of this planet moaning my name without me even being there, but they are moaning my name WITH me being there. You know what? That is probably why you are all here. There is such a phenomenally high chance that most of you are all my children. Cause I am just THAT guy. At noon when you all kneel to pray to me, I want you all to know that I am not listening. I don't grant any of your wishes. I don't listen to any of your problems. You sit down and pray because you all love me. You get on your knees and shake your hands at the sky to thank me for what I've given you. And I want to add a couple lines to your prayer. At the end of each call and at the end of each session of worship, I want you to screech to the clouds that I AM BETTER THAN YOU. At the beginning and end of every meal you eat, say grace by expressing how worthless you are compared to me. Remember that I am faster, stronger, smarter, prettier, stealthier, more skilled and better than ALL of you. Every single one of you are barely atoms when compared to the dust left on my boot when I walk through my palace's red carpet. Fuck. I'm out of breath. Just give me a second. Everyone stay here. Don't move a muscle. I am just gonna shut my eyes for a second."

(Oh proceeded to sleep for an hour)

"Ugh. Fuck. Okay. Back to where I was. Actually, guys, what are you doing? I'm awake. Fucking cheer for me. YEAH. OH! THAT'S ME! OH HAS AWOKEN! You know what? I want you all to fall to sleep to a recording of me snoring. Someone print out a tape of me snoring and throw it out into the crowd. It'll be like a prize or something. I don't fucking know. Though you guys don't have my attention during prayers, you at least have audio recordings of me snoring. YEAH. You guys like that eh? We need to produce more of that. I mean anything about me is bound to garner attention. I bet if I sneezed people would cry for me. No, no, no. If there was a recording of me sneezing or actually even coughing, everyone would burst into tears upon hearing it on the spot."

Puro, Symbol of Lust

Not many things are known about Puro. Not a single soul on Ricinus have ever heard him speak a word. However, Oh, the God of Sight often speaks about him on the news. Oh makes it a point to say that all women on Ricinus should have sexual relations with Puro at least once in their lifetime because "he is just that attractive". Puro is often seen in clubs or pool houses after Oh's usual speeches. His face is covered in leather straps and buckles while he wears absolutely nothing other than that.