Archaeology Research Logs
Archaeology is a thriving profession in the Starmourn Sector. All across the wildernesses of the Sector, spacers can uncover archaeological finds which have the capacity to reveal the prehistoric ecologies and material cultures of the Sector's diverse celestial bodies.
Findings come in two main categories: fossils and fragments. Fossils contain records of prehistoric ecologies, whereas fragments are bits and pieces of material culture. In museums, the former can be reconstructed into a DNA sequence, and the latter can be restored into full-fledged antiquities more than the sum of their parts.
In this system, players work with NPC teams to excavate digsites in search of antiquities and fossils, then conduct free-form RP research sessions in museum back rooms to unlock discoveries about these items. Their logs are documented below, and are available in game for voting.
Access Archives
The research sessions below have been submitted for public review by the players who completed them. These boards are also available in game, along with ALL completed research, via the MUSEUM RESEARCH BOARDS syntax.
Session 01 - Tabby Outpost Fossil Research
Researchers: Picram and Meera
Picram fetches a tray from a nearby rack and retrieves the fossil from a nearby crate, then places it on the central table in the room, careful not to jostle the precious disc of petrified wood. "Alright, is this recording? This is the first recorded research session on a fossil found in a dig site at Tabby Outpost. Present in the laboratory: Lord Commander Picram, and Curator in training Meera", adding, "congratulations on that recent promotion, by the way."
Meera gives her tail a gentle lash, careful not to hit any of the nearby tables or devices. "Thank you, Lord Commander!" She leans in closer to the petrified disc of wood. "Such a simple remnant of the past, yet it can tell us so much. I am so excited to begin."
Picram leans over the table, looking at the object on the table, "the fossil in question appears to be a disc of petrified wood, very well preserved, and of about thirty centimeters in diameter. On the exterior, a different texture is visible, possibly the bark of a long-extinct tree."
Picram says to Meera, "Do we know anything else about it?"
Meera says, "Its similarity to other similar fragments suggests that this species was probably quite prevalent in the region in the past. While this is by far the most impressive sample collected, there are others bearing similar banding patterns and textures."
Meera carefully adjusts her goggles, the glass in them shifting hue slightly. "No additional detailing that I can detect outside of the visible spectrum at this time."
Picram carefully runs its tendrils across the fossil, feeling the structure of the growth-rings. Reaching into its toolkit, Picram retrieves a laser measuring device and begins to measure each of the rings. "Look at that... they all seem fairly even, but some are just a bit more on the slim side. I suppose that means whatever climate the planet saw at the time mostly worked well for this species."
Meera gives her fingers a brief flick, and a tiny cloud of nanites breaks free from the cloud behind her. They hover towards the barklike exterior of the fossil, projecting a magnified version above it. "The even banding pattern you identified suggests a steady growth and plentiful resources. Yet the ridges on the bark are irregular. It probably branched early, and often, exhibiting low apical dominance."
Picram nods and says, "Makes you wonder just how old this is. And if successors of this tree still grew when the surface of Song got devastated. Didn't someone label the species recently?"
Meera nods, brow wrinkled in thought. "Once we have more abundant genetic material, it would be quite informative to cross reference its genetic markers with those of known samples of modern flora in Planet Song."
Picram walks to the small box that held the fossil and fishes out a little slip of paper, reading it out aloud. "You will find what you...", then crumples it up and discards it. "That was the slip from a fortune cookie one of the dig site team requested. There's another here..."
Meera lifts her hand to her mouth and does her best to hide the grin now spreading across her lips.
Picram pulls a similarly sized paper slip from the box, reading aloud "Kicew tree."
Meera says, "Interns can be a remarkably supersitious bunch."
Picram says, "Do we know anything about kicew trees?"
Meera ponders the name, her eyes flicking sideways as they access the commsphere. "The word does sound familiar, but I am finding no such records. It might be that whatever we are able to deduce from these samples will be a helpful rediscovery of the planet's past."
Meera says, "There was, amusingly, a chewing gum brand of the same name. But this is likely coincidental, and the reviews on it were terrible anyhow."
Picram says, "If the chewing gum was as old as that fossil, I can certainly see why."
Picram says, "The museum records on that species are... apparently rather sparse, but I found they reached up to ten to twenty meters. Given the diameter of this disc of roughly 30 centimeters... do you think this was a fully grown specimen?"
Meera pulls out a handheld datapad from her pocket, quickly scribbling 'finely aged chewing gum?' on it under a list of similarly dreadful ideas, then puts the datapad away. She returns to the matter at hand. "I'd be inclined to think, given those proportions, that we were looking at a cross section of a smaller branch. However there appear to be traces of far too many nodes on the bark for that to be the case." She idly brings a claw to her chin, running it gently across her scales as she ponders the situation.
Picram nods slowly, "so you're suggesting this was a piece of the main trunk, and thus likely not a fully grown specimen?"
Meera says, "I believe so, yes. It will be helpful to compare this one to other samples to estimate the girth of a fully mature organism."
Picram says, "We may also try cross-referencing it with existing trees on other planets with similar gravity."
Meera nods slowly.
Picram looks at the crumpled paper on the ground, adding, "I think I know an intern who just won a tree-measuring trip across the sector."
Picram says, "But... considering my own diameter exceeds 30 centimeters at a mere three meters in height, I think it's safe to assume the fully grown 20 meter tree would be wider. I've been to plenty of worlds without collapsing, so that width to height ratio certainly works, at least for Decheerans."
Meera nods, adding, "A good point. Thankfully, we'll have plenty of data points to compare it to soon enough." She grins at the crumpled up fortune in the ground.
Picram says, "Alright... let's close this for now. Summary: the fossil was identified as a piece of a kicew tree, possibly a younger specimen, and growing in a rather abundant time for kicew trees. Cross-referencing with existing tree species is going to be used to verify that. Further fossils are in store to await examination. This examination was conducted by Curator in training Meera and Lord Commander Picram."
Picram carefully returns the fossil and the label to its box, then shuts off all recording devices.
Session 30 - A Fossilized Claw or Fang
Researchers: Shulamit Moonchild and Sutherin Ironbound
Shulamit says, "Hoo! So we have decided to do a bit of research on...this!"
Shulamit holds up a fossil: Pressed into sedimentary stone, the curling and hooked shape of a claw or fang of some kind has been immortalized in veins of shimmering milky opal and preserved chitin. Though its color is pale and its fire is muted, it nevertheless strikes a rather eye-catching contrast to the dull stone around the specimen.
Shulamit says, "This is the serrated sakirtana. We think, hoo."
Shulamit nods its head slowly, looking very wise.
Shulamit says, "What we know of it so far is...it was waterbound, and looked a bit like such."
Shulamit brings up a visualization of the sakirtana, what is currently on display in the museum: Armored plates bristling with protective spikes, this elongated crustacean crawls along the sea floor on four powerful pairs of segmented legs, or swims with surprising agility using a fat.
Shulamit says, "Using a fat...tail? Leggies?"
Sutherin says, "I would say it was probably lower on the food chain with many natural predators, given the spikes."
Shulamit says to Sutherin, "Sutherin is here! Yes yes!"
Shulamit nods at Sutherin.
Shulamit says to Sutherin, "A good observation. It is a very spikey being, isn't it?"
Shulamit looks closely at the wire-frame visualization of the sakirtana. "Plates and spikes. If it does trundle along the sea floor, perhaps it could also hide in the silt!"
Shulamit says to Sutherin, "Do you think it would work in a seafood fry?"
Sutherin says, "It could be, other sea creatures with protective shells seem to taste very good."
Shulamit nods solemnly at Sutherin . "This is very true. Perhaps when we have enough DNA we can convince the nice Atarsids to create a new one."
Sutherin says, "Hmm, the hiding in the silt actually makes me think another way about the spikes, perhaps it could hide in the silt and await prey they may not notice and land on the spikes."
Sutherin says, "So perhaps not prey at all."
Shulamit says to Sutherin, "This creature also brings up a question...when the heck was there an entire ocean on Golpur? It is all desert now, I believe!"
Shulamit says to Sutherin, "Ooh hoo, true! It mike spike prey!"
Shulamit purses its lips together thoughtfully.
Shulamit says, "Might spike."
Shulamit nods its head slowly, looking very wise.
Shulamit says, "It seems agile, perhaps it waits and then...hoo!"
Shulamit tries to spring up, as though scary and big and large. Which it already is. But it is not very fast at pretending to spike fish.
Sutherin says, "Since it's elongated I think it definitely was agile, would make it easier to move through the water."
Shulamit coughs and settles down. "The fossil itself is very pretty. Look at that opalization too."
Shulamit says, "Oh hoo, yes!"
Shulamit says, "I suspect it was a long being, with a very thick tail that it could use to propel itself through the water."
Shulamit says, "Lots of water beings will have a strong propulsion system. And while we don't know exactly yet how it...did that, it stands to reason for now."
Sutherin says, "With the amount of weight the spikes and outer protection put on, I agree it had to have some type of strengthened movement system."
Shulamit taps on the fossil case with a tendril very gently. The fossils do not move. It holds up the singular specimen outside the case, nodding at Sutherin. "Very strong and agile. I wonder if they went onto land when the water went away? Or just died out."
Sutherin ponders the situation.
Shulamit carefully arranges and rearranges the various museum research tools, thoughtfully pondering the fossil and Sutherin.
Shulamit says, "I think they likely died out. I know I would have, with the lack of water."
Shulamit acknowledges the point with a grave nod of its head.
Sutherin says, "I'm not sure it would have worked out for them, I can't imagine them having much speed on land."
Acknowledging Sutherin's point to be true, Shulamit nods its head gravely at him.
Shulamit says, "While land based crustaceans must exist...somewhere in the galaxy, hoo hoo, I don't think they did too well in the Golpur desert."
Sutherin says, "The weight of the spikes and armored exterior would definitely have a different effect on their mobility without the water to help."
Shulamit says to Sutherin, "Excellent point! The buoyancy of water helps many creatures make interesting choices in regards to their safety."
Sutherin says, "I suspect though they would be fairly protected from predators in or out of the water though."
Acknowledging Sutherin's point to be true, Shulamit nods its head gravely at him.
Shulamit says to Sutherin, "Perhaps they existed for a time out of water. Perhaps they shrunk down, and are now hiding in the desert sands!"
Shulamit seems unconvinced by that idea.
Shulamit says, "Perhaps...not."
Shulamit acknowledges the point with a grave nod of its head.
Shulamit says to Sutherin, "Perhaps we should wrap up our research for today. Next time perhaps we can chat about where the water went."
Sutherin nods.
Shulamit places the fossil gently back into the fossil case. "Thank you muchly, friend Sutherin! More research yields more info, hoo yes! It was a delight to look at this fossil with you!"
