Saand

Saand is a Punaab, who is adventurous, enthusiastic, and ever-hungry.

The Never Alone Story

Space exploration in the Galia Expanse leads to the discovery of a distress call from the desert planet Anueyeu.

A faint reading from the planet's surface reveals a survivor from a crash, a Punaab, who is suffering from memory loss. The Punaab, covered in sand, is temporarily named Saand. The ship that Saand crashed in explodes, erasing any clues to his past.

Saand and the explorer decide to seek medical support at the nearest space station to address Saand's amnesia.

At the space station, they interact with several different species, including Mieresians, MUD humans, Sogmians, Usturs, and other Punaabs. An Ustur doctor examines Saand and uses a neuro scanner, a device that tracks memory recovery, to diagnose his condition.

The doctor suggests that Saand's memory can be recovered by exposing him to different environments and tasks. Saand's bracelet AI is synced with the neuro scanner to monitor his progress.

A plan is conceived to follow the Council of Peace armada in search of hidden treasures, in the hope that the exciting adventure will help Saand regain his memory. Saand agrees to the plan, promising to protect the explorer and share 40% of the loot found during their journey.

The pair set off on their adventure, named 'Scraps and Spoils', with Saand running in the wrong direction initially, adding to the humorous and unpredictable nature of their partnership.

Saand is a Punaab, who is adventurous, enthusiastic, and ever-hungry. He gets fascinated with trivial things like social media. He's also a fitness enthusiast who idolizes Cataclysm, a legendary bodybuilder in the Galaxy.

Cataclysm, a 2.3m tall Sogmian from the noble house Lutavira, is renowned as the strongest being in the Galaxy and a notable figure in various dangerous expeditions.

Saand and the protagonist visit the Council of Peace Sapient Species Resources Department (SSRD), where they interact with a MUD officer named Seykel Ohmson. They aim to generate a new Council of Peace ID for Saand.

Saand struggles to select a career and provide family origins due to memory loss, with the protagonist stepping in to assist and create a cover story about him being raised in a Mierese orphanage.

The duo have to choose a faction to align with in the Galia Expanse. Despite Saand being a Punaab, the faction isn't predetermined by species, as confirmed by Seykel Ohmson who, although a MUD, is officially registered with the Ustur Faction.

After completing all formalities, they become official citizens of the Faction order, easing their travels through the faction-controlled space of Galia.

Upon leaving the SSRD, they're approached by a young MUD intern who requests to make a social media post about them. Despite the protagonist's reluctance, Saand agrees, happily posing for pictures and ensuring he gets tagged in the post.

The protagonist and Saand visited planet Verube, watching the news and subscribing to the Council of Peace channel to keep informed about happenings in the Medium zone. Saand enjoys shopping for various cultural goods, including Rochinol stones, Sogmians candies, and Ustur chakras.

Saand and the protagonist plan their journey through the Medium zone, dividing a star map into a grid to strategize their route. They decide to avoid warping blindly across the galaxy, especially given the swarms of other adventurers looking for the same spoils after the Council of Peace Incursion.

By tapping into the Council of Peace fleet network, they gain access to information about every civilian fleet, enabling them to plan their route more effectively. While waiting for the Council of Peace to finish an inspection on a space station, the protagonist and Saand encounter two aggressive humans and a strange Mierese.

The Mierese, after thanking them for their assistance, provides them with a cryptic prophecy about finding answers "at the wings of a mythological human bird" - the ECOS Superphoenix. The protagonist and Saand warp to a system filled with floating metal debris, a testament to the destructive power of the Council of Peace.

They start scanning the wreckage for potential spoils, marking the beginning of their treasure hunt. During another hunt for spoils, they find themselves pursued by a group of Fimbul Mambas, who mistake their ship for potential loot. Despite the protagonist's objections, Saand opens fire on the raiders, explaining that Jorvik raiders only negotiate with captains. After a high-speed chase through the debris, they are saved by the sudden appearance of the Dawn Vanguard, a large C11 ship. The commander of the Dawn Vanguard demands they turn off their engines and wait for a tractor beam.

The Jorvik raiders are obliterated by the Dawn Vanguard after they attempt to flee, and Saand and the protagonist are taken inside the C11 ship. Saand appears to have some prior knowledge of the universe's norms and species behaviors. The protagonist and Saand seem to have a strong bond and work together effectively in high-stress situations.

The Mierese's prophecy about the ECOS Superphoenix appears to be guiding their journey, though its exact meaning is currently unclear.

Saand and the protagonist continue their search for the ECOS Superphoenix, a crucial location in their quest for answers. They remain wary of the Council of Peace, who would surely seize an opportunity to attack the outlaw faction.

The protagonist insists they must heed the prophecy from the Mierese, despite Saand's skepticism. The protagonist convinces Saand that their destiny is tied to the prophecy, and they must follow where it leads.

Against all odds, they locate the Superphoenix, the flagship of the ECOS Fleet. They're amazed by its grandeur, symbolizing the last line of defense of the ECOS in the medium zone. After facing numerous hardships to reach the Superphoenix, they contemplate whether their adventures together will end once Saand regains his memory. However, they resolve to remain friends regardless of the future.

They explore the city within the Superphoenix, participating in various activities, immersing themselves in the culture, and embracing the eco-friendly ethos of the ECOS. At a lake, Saand recalls a memory of being there with someone important to him. They discover a tree with handprints matching Saand's and another smaller one, with the word "Etira" carved below them. Saand, unable to remember who Etira is, is filled with a desire to find them.

They decide to utilize the power of social media to search for clues about Saand's past, hoping that someone might recognize him if he becomes famous. They create content and work to engage with followers, even attempting viral challenges. The protagonist and Saand also raise a virtual banner, symbolizing their unity and shared adventures.

Saand shows interest in a reporter named Punaab Whisper, who covers stories about the galaxy. The protagonist decides to subscribe to his channel for updates.

They visit the Scriptorium of Lumikir, the largest repository of knowledge in the galaxy, in hopes of finding information about Saand's past. Despite the daunting amount of data, they are hopeful about finding a lead. Saand hastily signs the contract to access the information, driven by his curiosity and a strange sense of familiarity with the place.

Saand and his companion, the player character, establish a claimstake on an unclaimed planet, setting up initial infrastructure. Saand is reminded of past memories related to mining and planetary development. The player character advises Saand to let the memories come naturally.

After a long day of salvaging, the pair arrive at Ahkavorah, a planet colonized by the Ustur in the medium zone. The residents seem unusually focused on Saand and the player character, stirring suspicions.

The pair stay the night in a local inn, but are awakened by the sound of machinery. Investigating, they discover a strange phenomenon: a stream of floating purple liquid emanating from a large crater on the outskirts of town.

They meet an Ustur researcher named Caolany.eldr, who explains that the substance is highly dangerous and unstable, especially for non-Ustur lifeforms. He leads them to a field tent equipped with protective equipment and isolation measures.

Caolany.eldr explains that the crater was an old Ustur outpost during the Convergence War, recently discovered when the strange substance began leaking and killing non-Ustur residents. This substance is only visible during the night and dissipates under sunlight, which led to its delayed discovery.

The Ustur researcher sends Saand files from an artistic project called CORE that details the history of the Convergence War, including hidden secrets in Ancient Ustur.

The pair leave Ahkavorah, but Saand expresses a feeling of connection to the Convergence War, despite it ending more than a century ago. The player character dismisses this as impossible, but Saand insists on investigating further and starts reading the CORE files.

Saand and the protagonist share a small room on planet Vergilia. Saand is engrossed in reading CORE transcripts, fascinated by the story of the Convergence War, which he feels resonates with his past.

The protagonist suggests that they utilize the Iris Academy application, which contains a repository of questions about the Convergence War, to help Saand trigger his memories.

They travel to planet Carvum, home of the famous Iris Academy, where the protagonist has arranged an interview for Saand with Commander Goe, a MUD veteran of the Convergence War.

Upon meeting Commander Goe, Saand triggers an unexpected reaction from the veteran when he shows interest in an old Ganz Industries laser pistol. Goe reacts with fear and starts shouting for guards, believing that Saand has come to steal from him.

The protagonist and Saand leave Goe's house, with Saand feeling sorry and shaken for causing distress. The protagonist reassures him that it wasn't his fault and that they will continue their quest to find answers about the war.

Saand suggests visiting Mondra 8, a ludic museum that recreates the Mondra 7 space station and the events of the Convergence War. The protagonist is initially skeptical but agrees to go.

At Mondra 8, Saand reveals his affinity for the character Timpo from CORE, seeing similarities in their quests for self-discovery. The protagonist humorously dismisses their own importance in this quest, but they both remain determined to help Saand uncover his past.

The group's tour of Mondra 8 ends, and each visitor is given the opportunity to participate in a quiz with a mysterious prize via a holographic display.The quiz proves to be a challenging one, with questions scaling in difficulty, primarily revolving around the Convergence War and CORE, subjects that Saand has extensively narrated.The final question promises a limited customized Timpo plushie for the correct answer - a prize Saand would be thrilled to receive. This motivates the participants to focus even more.

Concurrently, in the Council of Peace’s Sapient Species Resources Department (SSRD), Saand is asked to take a general test to gauge his level of knowledge, conducted by Mister Seykel Ohmson. The SSRD test includes a wide variety of topics, including history, economy, politics, logic, and galactic charting. It's a challenging endeavor, and it's hoped that the questions might help trigger Saand's lost memories. As the test nears its end, the questions become more difficult, designed to identify individuals with expertise in various fields. The pressure is on, with less than an hour to complete the test.