Starlight Commons

“If we are to learn our origin scientifically, we need to look past The Goddesses and focus on the materials they used. They may give us thought, form, and soul, but it was the stars themselves who clustered together in different life stages and conditions that started our journey.” - Berhael Ingotbrand

Written by the Coreologist Berhael Ingotbrand, this textbook details the procedures used at Clusterfall Dig Sites as well as the scientific knowledge surrounding Astral Cores.

Although the Stellaborn connection with The Goddesses is nearly as important as the next step we take, researchers and scientists have always wondered about the history and origin of the Astral Core. From its impenetrable star glass to the liquid galaxy that resides in it, the true nature of the material has been a mystery to all scientific professionals. It was not until the year 131 AL, when the first Clusterfall was intercepted that researchers were given a chance to explore the mysterious material intimately. This chapter examines the basic procedures and information surrounding Clusterfall Dig Sites.

Finding a Dig Site

Although it is commonly believed that a Dig Site is found by looking at the ground, it is actually seen by watching star activity. One of the first lessons coreologists are taught is how to determine whether a star falling to the surface is either a new Stellaborn or an unrefined Astral Core marking the beginning of a new Clusterfall event. When examining these falling objects, it is essential to watch out for the 'gleam of life' that researchers call it. This 'gleam' is seen only on falling Stellaborn, mimicking the look of a shining piece of polished metal as the Deity touched Core makes its way into Kunvadis's atmosphere.

If an object does not have this gleam and it is a lone faller, this is quickly identified as a raw Astral Core beginning its descent to where the Clusterfall event will occur next. By following the object's directory and computing its fall speed, a Clusterfall dig team must be sent out to its fall location to begin preparations for the incoming fall event.

Preparing a Dig Site

When an Raw Astral Core hits the surface, it often buries itself deep in the dirt and rock from the impact, so that when coreologists arrive it can be difficult to find the initial material. However, the first is always just the beginning of the Clusterfall event, which means that the time to prepare a large area to be scoured, searched, and unearthed to find the jewels fallen from the stars.

Clusterfall events usually always happen within a similar radius, allowing coreologists and assistants ample time and preperation to create a perimeter. This perimeter is to keep the attention of the researchers to the zone that raw astral material will fall, while also keeping those without the proper credentials into such an important research and harvest site. Once the perimeter has been created, it is time to begin flagging buried astral material with the use of ground penetrating astral radar's developed by engineers and scientists in Goldbrook.

For the first twenty four hours of a Clusterfall, no shovels or tools will break the soil. During this time, several coreologists take shifts to watch and mark how many pieces of raw astral material falls from the sky to ensure that most, and in best cases all, artifacts are found. After an entire Vara cycle, coreologists take to the dirt following the order's of that Clusterfall's lead, who uses scanning and measurement tools to help create a three dimensional map of the site.

Understanding the history, purpose, and design of a Clusterfall event are all important stepping stones to understanding the excavation process. From the time the raw astral material first hits the surface to the time it has been uncovered, sifted, and cleaned, coreologists have already learned several new layers of information and ways to look deeper into the void of our pasts. However, the largest point of new information comes from the items hidden within the meteors that carried them to Kunvadis. This chapter covers the process coresmiths take to uncover the astral meteors