Carens

## Overview

Carens are a now-peaceful late Type-I civilization originating from the planet Daylie. Their only colony lies on the planet Pyreen.

Carens are very humanlike. Most stand around one and a half meters in height but it is also common for a Caren to grow two meters tall. They have four limbs, two arms and two legs. On each hand are four fingers with the largest index finger having an extra fourth joint. Communication is normally performed orally, but a complex series of hand and finger gestures makes up the bulk of Caren language. They hear with more flat ears and see with eyes about twice as large as a human’s.

## History

Caren civilization in the sense of permanent settlements first appeared around 1100 BCE in a region of Daylie known as the Caeyein peninsula, situated just behind the day-night terminator. Located in the center of this peninsula lies a handful of large mountain clusters and a massive river. With the mountains too large and plentiful to get around and the river cutting off access to the larger portion of the continent, as well as the high gravity making the less-evolved peoples not as capable of travelling long distances before exhaustion, Caren civilization remained in the secluded region of the peninsula for over a thousand years. These years are referred to as the Isolated Era, since during this time no Caren could travel pass the physical barriers and all knowledge of the world beyond was nonexistent. Today it is hypothesized that it was during this period that Carens evolved their large eyes so they could be more sensitive to light in their darkened environments.

Eventually, however, around 1700 CE a small colony created the first sea- and river-faring boats. A massive movement to conquer new lands and increase personal wealth then began. Carens moved on to inhabit the larger continent towards the day-night terminator, being the first to witness the endless sunrise and sunset of their tidally-locked planet. While explorers and savages did not voyage past the point of daybreak (since the light would have been too strong), they did discover large islands that would soon become largely-populated agricultural centers due to their immensely fertile soils and easy access to water. Carens seeking profit and new opportunities flocked to these islands.

While government and stratification of society did begin after agricultural advances, the reason why is different than humanity's. Larger and more influential colonies similar to the human city-states of Athens and Sparta appeared, but borders were much less distinguishable. This was because the use of iron and the craft of metallurgy, originally adopted for farming practices, led to vastly more dangerous weaponry. As populations grew exponentially (thanks in part because of the boom in population on the agricultural islands), the frequency of mass violence grew as well. Conflict between city-states were so common and so brutal it was often lost track of where a colony would begin and end. Meanwhile, settlements were undergoing violence within themselves. Weapons were regular tools for Carens of any social status, and this allowed them to take a deadly position against their leaders. Overflowing with citizens and a lack of the means to spread to another part of the world, unhappy residents revolted when leaders failed to solve rising crises.

Even though these revolts were done in anger, they still caused the common form of government into a much more advanced state. After cities had been overthrown and rulers taken out of power, naturally the people created a government that would benefit themselves. This is known as the Caren Republic system, and it is still in wide usage across Daylie. This government is very similar to human republics, except for the Carens new senators would be chosen before every meeting session depending on the subject. During the case of the population crisis, senators were often experts on the issue and thus as a whole governing body could come to a more critical decision. This system was most effective in massive problems, and it allowed a more trustworthy and dependable authority to control the people. Thus, around 1900 CE, less riots broke out as people grew comfortable with their leaders and a new peace began to settle in across Caren civilization.

Carens began to explore the day side of Daylie in about 2100 CE. At this point all of the night side had been charted and settled upon. The first explorers to pass the day-night terminator struggled to cope with the large amounts of sunlight. Nevertheless, they pushed forward and traveled further than any other before them. Soon cities were founded, and one of the first and oldest settlements on the day side, Nolnexesear, can be translated as “City of Light.” Communities began to develop. However, these cities were small, so the most influence on Daylie came from the night side. Day cities were heavy on imports of food, material, workers, and other goods. Over the next couple centuries Carens evolved a resistance to regular levels of sunlight and became more capable of operating normally during the day. A shifting in power began to take place. The day side grew less reliant on the support of the night side, and eventually the two halves of the planet spawned very different cultures. The night inhabitants created a culture of strictness and complete obedience to one’s duties, while daytime dwellers were much more casual, friendly, and imaginative. These differences led to conflict between the two halves, but never did a serious war occur.

Around 2450 CE daytime expansion had come to a complete halt. A massive hurricane caused by Daylie’s tidal-locking grew in strength exponentially the further inwards one would travel. At the point at which travelers could no longer stand the storms, winds blew at around 210 kilometers per hour and the clouds caused all land below to be shadowed in complete darkness. Whatever parts of the world beyond remained a complete mystery until the 3440s.

Over the next 800 years Carens would invent technologies similar to what was available to humans in the twentieth century: computers, automobiles, aircraft, and most importantly spacecraft. Caren space programs began in 3442 CE, and their first goal was to explore the regions of Daylie rendered untraversable by the planet’s hurricane. Unlike humans, Carens focused mainly on spaceplanes. The first major hurricane mission was carried out as such: fly out of the atmosphere, enter the air above the hurricane, land within the peaceful eye of the storm, perform recordings and measurements, take off, and return to civilization. Although gravity made breaking out of atmosphere a difficult hurdle to overcome, the mission was a massive success. It was not long until better spaceplanes were being demanded, built, and flown not just to the distant half of the planet but to their first couple moons. Carens first landed on another celestial body in 3266 with their first moon, Daylenyn, a tiny asteroid in a low orbit. This was accomplished by launching multiple spaceplanes across Daylie simultaneously and rendezvousing them in orbit. They would dock and form a larger, more advanced spacecraft. This technique carried Carens as far as their fifth moon, Daitendn, after which rockets similar to the human Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft had to be launched. Carens completed landings on all eight of their moons by the year 3527 CE.

Plans were made to complete fly-bys of their large planetary neighbor, Skdinde, but in 3531 CE a global war exploded cross Daylie, hugely hindering support for space exploration and lessening its funding. For two decades governments fought to protect themselves from rogue forces. With superpowers losing the war, rockets made to launch Carens to their moons were weaponized, crowned with a nuclear warhead, and sent to detonate on or near populated cities. Two other nuclear weapons were launched but failed to explode. When the war finally ended, Carens realized the horrors of their actions. When space exploration resumed again, the public began to follow progress more acutely than ever before. The elegance, the struggle, and the incredibility of space exploration captivated the world. Funding skyrocketed and support reached new records. With all this Carens quickly performed a fly-by of Skdinde in 3568 CE. The capabilities of Carens in space grew rapidly as they expanded their reach across their solar system.

Carens began exploring Nortesx A in the early 4010s. A century of research was required to build the spacecraft that would take them across the almost 80 AU journey. This was more difficult than it would be for a “normal” civilization. As it is with orange dwarf stars such as Nortesx B, planets are much closer together. In their missions to Skdinde, astronauts were never more than 0.85 AU in distance from Daylie. Their longest interplanetary journey took Carens just over one AU from their homeworld. Making such a huge jump was unheard of and seen as impossible by many at the time. Nevertheless, a mission to explore Nortesx A was launched in 4012. The second mission would bring knowledge to the Carens that they were not alone in the universe; extensive studies revealed life existed on Pyreen as primitive flora. Pyreen’s famous purple coloring was not due to a rare mineral but instead a single species of plantlife that dominated the entire surface of the planet. The remaining several Nortesx A missions were reworked to learn more about this planet and its moon, Tarsen. After much debate and extensive studies, colonization of Pyreen was announced in 4125 CE. It took a global effort to assemble, launch, and land the modules to construct the first colony of Pyreen in the Hymend Stretch, or as it is known to humans, Marlow Flat. The first wave of astronauts arrived in 4189 CE, and ever since an extensive crew of biologists, engineers, surveyors, pilots, electronic experts, mission planners, and communication workers lived in this base. It remains to the Caren civilization as their proudest accomplishment achieved solely by themselves.

Eventually their radio signals were detected by another civilization, and in the year 4251 CE humanity discovered the Carens. Initial contact was made by the colonists of Pyreen, since humans did not know any better that this was not their homeworld. After a reliable translation between English and native Caren tongue was created, the colonists welcomed the humans into their colony and taught them everything they should know about their solar system, their history, and their culture. The Carens continued to express incredible intrigue towards humanity. Once knowing about Daylie, humans arrived at the planet not much later. Carens told them how they wished they had FTL technology, so humanity turned their knowledge of creating and utilizing warp drives over to the Carens as a sign of gratitude. It is said that it was this act that sealed the fate of the two civilizations as close partners in the exploration of the universe. Humanity assisted the Caren colonists in how to better maintain their colony. Humans worked with Caren space programs to create more efficient designs, which would in turn help them to land upon worlds otherwise out of their reach. Humanity also taught Carens how to stabilize their planet’s climate, rid corruption out of government, improve public education, and most of all maintain peace between themselves. In return Carens inspired humanity during the 4000’s CE by showing how intercivilization relationships could be both positive and beneficial.

Today the total Caren population lingers around 28 billion. They have spread about 100,000 light-years from their home system by traveling on human FTL spacecraft. Pyreen remains their only colony, however more bases have been built and in much larger sizes.

## Culture

Carens are notably stronger than humans since they evolved on a world with higher gravity. This has made them excellent hunters and warriors in the past, which carved a violent history in the civilization. Like ancient human civilizations, war was an integral part of the expansion of a settlement’s influence and wealth.

Society has changed to a much more peaceful and scientific state ever since they began exploring space. Strategists, engineers, scientists, astronauts, colonists, mathematicians, and others skilled in productive fields are often hailed as much or even greater than athletes or popular individuals. This has led to blossoming in Caren technology and science over the millennias, and the average intelligence of a Caren is increasing with more efficient education and enrichment programs across their worlds.

Being a member of the Confederacy of Humanity, Carens have a deep respect for humanity. Carens often assist humans with any sort of exploration endeavor and also help retain peace throughout the Milky Way Galaxy .