AsteroidQuest/Intermission

The AsteroidQuest Intermission is an individual story arc within the larger AsteroidQuest. The intermission takes place on the neumono homeworld (rather than the asteroid for which the quest is named) .

This article contains spoilers! You were warned.

Characters

Polo

Our player character, a neumono out on her first real mission, a hunting trip to recover a moton egg. Trained in stealth and an expert sharpshooter, Polo is a rarity among neumono- an experimental espionage unit.

Polo has an unprecedented and unmatched ability to silence her own empathy. Her silence can be turned on and off at will, can be maintained indefinitely, comes at no cost, and requires no external aids (such as a needle or jammer). While silent, Polo can still hear the empathy of others.

Rikek

An offworld tourist visiting the homeworld and hosted by Polo's hive. He volunteered to accompany Polo on this mission. He has some prior military experience, and is ostensibly the best of his hive, but has since found himself somewhat of a small fish is a very big pond.

Rakae

A member of Polo's hive. She's trained as a driver and pilot, and is supposed to be providing the helicopter ride home.

She's also pretty good at hand to hand combat.

Spoiler: dead

Dead Stripes

The first neumono predator Polo encounters, a dangerous creature that hunts neumono by actively manipulating their empathy to pacify and control them. As his unfortunate moniker indicates, he didn't last very long.

Three Stripes

The second neumono predator encountered in the spire. He makes a point of keeping his pacified neumono happy.

Considerably kinder, less aggressive, and more accommodating than his peers. He's even willing to try talking to the strange, dangerous neumono who have appeared in his home, although there's the small problem of a language barrier.

Four Stripes

The last of the three predators encountered in the spire.

The meanest and most aggressive of the bunch. He and Three Stripes don't really like each other.

Kiiu

A salikai, a particularly dangerous and intelligent native species, and natural enemy of the neumono, pushed to the bring of extinction. Encountered in the spire, he offers to work with Polo against a common enemy, the warhive moving into the area.

We wouldn't actually learn his name till much later.

Kara

A soldier of the hostile warhive. She commands a three person unit that enters the spire.

Prone to anger and defiant in the face of danger.

Rokoa

She's back, and just as insane, violent, explosion-happy, deadly and all-around dangerous as ever, grin and all. Only this time we're not on the Asteroid, or playing as the CAI, and Rokoa's not on our side. She's a member of the hostile warhive, and a QI, a select rank reserved for their elite units.

Crown

A member of a group of tribal neumono living inside the spire.

She wears an heirloom crown made of moton feathers, passed down to her from her mother.

Giant

Queen of the tribal neumono hive, and exceptionally large. Bigger than Rokoa, even.

She wears the teeth of other tribal leaders she has defeated in her ears as trophies, and has an aggressive personality.

Kork

A warhiver, and member of Kara's squad.

She holds the dubious distinction of being the flattest neumono in the cast.

Tirrik

Another warhiver, and the final member of Kara's squad.

Generally friendlier and more cooperative than the rest of his group.

CAI

Yes, the salikai have their very own compilation AI! Turns out the babbling is less fun and more annoying when you're on the receiving end.

Speculation aside, there is no proof if this is or is not the same CAI Hok finds on the asteroid, or that plays a role in Unnatural Selection.

Ohidi and Sigira's avatars, left and right respectively

Sigira

One of Kiiu's several siblings. He offers to trade Polo weapons for the purpose of killing Rokoa. He controls the snow and volcano sectors of the spire facility.

Ohidi

Another of the salikai siblings. He offers Polo shelter and protection within his territory, in exchange for staying put and out of the way. He does not specify which sectors he controls.

Rosotski

The last of the salikai siblings, and foolhardy enough to try and use Rokoa for his own purposes. He wants Polo dead, and controls the tropical sector.

He loves it, really

The Prettiest Arkot

An adorable little guy Polo kindly helped tie a bow for. His little arms were too short to reach!

He was ever so grateful for the assistance, and lead us to an armory to repay the favor.

Korli

A member of a subterranean science hive working for slash enslaved by the salikai, and a reluctant source of help.

The Red Queen

The Queen of the Warhive. Despite a stated intent to get her hive to turn over a new leaf before they're destroyed in an unsustainable, endless series of wars, she is the driving force behind her hive's involvement in this conflict.

Hates Rokoa. It's mutual.

Emere

A belenosian secretary employed by the off-word military corporation with a contract to supply the warhive.

She's not terribly happy with her current posting.

dem eyes, dem ears

Pilon

A member of the warhive, and a QI. Notable for being perhaps the only warhiver willing to attempt negotiation or diplomacy over violence as a first resort.

Also notable for having big beautiful eyes, absolutely enormous fluffy ears and being an all around awesome person.