Competition: Caperion Legends: Hollow World

Finished
Caperion Legends: Hollow World

The Caperion system is CSP’s new home - worlds full of wonders and the stories told about them.

In this month’s episode, you are tasked to create a legend, story or rumor about the Ulress, a hollow moon that became a hive of scum and villainy. Whether you set your story in pressurized habitats on the outside, the inverted surface of the inside, or the old mining tunnels in between is completely up to you.

Submission Formats: PDF or text box submission
Word Count: Minimum 500, open maximum
Grading: Fiction Rubric

Competition Information
Organized by
Jorm (The Jester) Na'trej
Running time
2018-04-05 until 2018-04-30 (26 days)
Target Unit
Clan Scholae Palatinae
Competition Type
Fiction
Awards
Third Level Crescents and Clusters of Ice as per VOICE guidelines
Participants
6 subscribers, of which 3 have participated.
Results
1st place
Adept Xantros
Member
Adept Xantros
File submission
Augur_Xantros__11518__Caperion_Legends_Hollow_World.pdf
Placement
1st place
Member
Alara Deathbane
Textual submission

Legend has it when Ragnath peaks over Ulress' sky on the 4th day of the 10th month every five years, a shooting star will circle around the planet three times. This is to indicate the birth of a new wyrm.

Long ago in the ancient of days of Ulress, wyrms would crawl from their nest at the core of the moon to attack and swallow any species that attempted to dig its grounds. During the initial construction of Ulress, this became quite a problem as men kept dying left and right. An ewok, who was quite young and handsome at the time, was helping with the initial construction of the inhabitable planet when he came across a wyrm attacking the men with him. With a deep breath, he called upon the Force and shot electricity through the ground to destroy every single wyrm that came within a 2 mile radius of the area. He launched up in the sky with a bellow of victory and immediately spun towards the ground's surface and made his way towards the core of the moon.

When he got down to the core, and found the Wyrm Queen, the pair had a rather unusually polite conversation. After they came to terms, the Wyrm queen agreed to allow men and specie to come under the moon's surface if and only if a wyrm could be born every 5 years on the 4th day of the 10th month. This was the queen's birthday, you see, and her husband was never home in time to celebrate with her. If a wyrm child were to be born at that time each year, the queen would never be lonely again. She only sent her babies to attack the construction workers because she was afraid they would harm her, but the Ewok agreed that no harm would come to the nest if the wyrms stayed out of their way. A truce was agreed upon, and the ewok shone his staff high in the air. He spoke the magic Force words and allowed the queen to have a child every 5 years as she had asked.

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"So did that really happen, Gregryck?" Alara's ears swiveled with curiosity after hearing the old ewok storytelling to the younglings of Ulress.

"Legends say it did, M'lass," the ewok grinned at her.

"And I wonder who could have been a young and handsome ewok way back then with the capabilities to do that," Alara winked.

"Well, I would only know a few," Gregryck responded earnestly.

"So why on earth would an ewok be in the middle of nowhere here in Ulress to ensure that the construction of the underground cities could be fulfilled?" Alara smirked again.

"Well, perhaps he was paid to." Gregryck picked up his loose scrolls on the ground near his storytime carpet and placed them neatly back into his sack which he had on his person almost all the time now.

"Lately, pops, you've been quite the storyteller to the children of Ulress. Ever think this is what you'd be doing with your retirement?"

"Okay, first of all, Lass, who said anything about retirement? Secondly . . . I thought I'd possibly have grandchildren by now to spoil." The ewok glared up at his apprentice.

"Hey! I'm far too busy taking over a city here to even think about children. Do you really think Jorm is ready to be a father now anyways?" Alara held her hands on her hips and pursed her lips at her adopted father.

"Well, I understand that, but I didn't know you would be up to so much trouble at this stage in your life way back when I was planning retirement." the ewok replied. "Be careful lass, a child entering your life might come a lot faster than you think."

"Uhhh, wannabe Gramps, we are on the pill. We're okay in that region," Alara lifted her hands in the air.

"As if that has ever stopped the gods from displacing a young woman's life before." the ewok rolled his eyes and started heading towards the cafeteria. "Are you coming to join me for coffee at the cantina or what?"

"We all know that you spike your coffee, Pops." Alara nodded and walked beside the shortened teddy bear.

"Well I need *something* to keep me going when I'm busy following you around, lass." Gregryck admitted. "But mark my words, I'll need some more spikes in my coffee yet. That kid is coming whether you like it or not. The gods have told me so."

"HA! Tell that one to Jorm. I'd love to hear his response." Alara chuckled.

Placement
2nd place
Member
General Kell Palpatine Dante
Textual submission

Moon of Ulress
City of Ulr Uvi

Dante sipped on his caf as he looked around at the multitude of people who were walking down the main corridor. It felt nice to just be able to sit and just people watch after the events of the past few months. As he took another small sip, a pair of uniformed individuals sat down at his table.

"Gentlemen... nice to see you," said Kell as he looked the two over as he placed his right hand on his thigh holster while keeping his left hand with a firm grip on his mug of caf.

The Duros started off with "Always nice to see you, Kell... How are your step-mother and siblings handling the transition to a new world?"

"Decently, I suppose, Xantros.... the loss of Petitor Umbrarum was probably hardest on the youngest, but they are making do. How do you like being back with the clan?" asked Kell as he glanced over at the other two.

Lucyeth seemed more concerned with the crowds around them, but he was still keeping his focus on the Obelisk before him.

Xantros shrugged and said "I came back, and I am here to stay... that is about it.... so why have you graced us with your presence here on Ulr Uvi?"

With a smile, Kell simply replied with "I'm here on vacation..."

That elicited a snort from Lucyeth who said "C'mon, Dante... No one comes up here for a sight seeing trip."

Kell just continued smiling and said "Honestly.... I wanted to see what this moon had to offer. Would you be interested in having me expand Big Daddy's up here?"

That got Xantros chuckling a bit. "Still trying to spread across the galaxy with your father's gentlemen's clubs? I remember the first one of those he dragged me into many years ago." The Duros looked around again and said "So you are simply here to look around to see if there is a need for more high end strip clubs?"

"Yep.... pretty much.... and to see how the caf is up here," said Dante as he took the final sip from his mug. "It's not too bad, but I definitely think I should open up a restaurant here too."

Xantros shook his head and said "I'm sure that those are not the only reasons why you have come to our moon, but I will tell you that you need to stay out of trouble here. It is a rough place, and we do have some semblance of control here. But.... I would still advise against any open action here."

Dante nodded and responded with "I understand.... Really, I am really only here to do some business and to have a look around at what they have on the moon." He waved to the waiter so that he could get the check delivered.

"Alright... just remember that we have eyes on you at all times," retorted Lucyeth as the waiter brought the bill over.

Kell pulled out some credits and put them with the bill on the table then he said "Well, it is time to head out.... You guys have a great night" as he got up and walked out of the restaurant.

Xantros looke at Lucyeth and said "He's here for something else.... make sure we keep a tail on him the entire time he is on the moon."

Nodding, Lucyeth pulled out his comm and started relaying orders.

Placement
3rd place