A notice for sentient stars
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r/worldbuildingu/JustAnotherPenmonkey (8109)

Comments (143)

"Its orbit was decaying it was self defense!"

"I swear it looked like a comet!"

"It was infested with atomic age sapients I was doing the neighbourhood a favor!"

ā€œItā€™s my right as a luminous spheroid of plasma!ā€

"No it had nothing to do with him having a retrograde orbit, some of my best friends are retrograde"

This one got a highly audible nose air expulsion out of me lol. You win.

"Whaaat? His orbit was highly eccentric? I truly had no idea. I don't see circularity."

Hahaha thats a good one

"It's my god giving right to shoot this anti planetary laser wherever and whenever I like. Here is my concealed carry permit, you space alien."

"it was mostly ice so who cares anyway??"

Stars are not as lifeless as is widely believed. Space is a kingdom, and the stars are its monarchs. Each rules over their own domain ā€” what we would call planetary systems. Those who manage to cultivate life there are regarded with great jealousy, and must always be watching for an attack. Stars have strict laws, and are forbidden to kill another of their kind, but there are always loopholes: they are not considered responsible for the actions of their servants, Comets, for example; and if another star is convicted of a crime, theyā€™re fair game, no matter the severity.

Amongst the adepts of earth, stars are regarded as deities ā€” ancient, powerful, unknowable. Many pray to them, and sometimes their prayers are answered, though this is usually a starā€™s attempt to gain more influence in Solā€™s domain.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed, consider checking out my subreddit, r/CuratorsLibrary, where I post stories, lore and imaginary posters. Have a nice day!

[deleted]

We're an anacho-syndicalist commune!

ā€œIm thirty seven, Im not old!ā€

Well I can't just call you man.

"well you could say Denis"

This is an intriguing story. I want to hear about the bad stars.

Thanks! Thereā€™ll be more stories on my subreddit in the future. In the meantime, check the subreddit directory pinned to see whatā€™s already available!

Fredrick Pohl's "world at the end of time." Is about a very bad star.

If you find OP's world intriguing, I'd highly recommend checking out the works of Failbetter Games (Fallen London, Sunless Sea, Sunless Skies, and Mask of the Rose). They're set in a world with a similar premise.

Those who manage to cultivate life there are regarded with great jealousy, and must always be watching for an attack.

Behold, the infinite malignity, of the stars!

On a more serious note, how does a binary star system handle its kingdom?

Usually the duties of a star are shared out equally between the two ā€” something other stars find very strange.

Binary stars are actually the majority; they might find the loners to be the strange ones...

However, it must be easier to cultivate life if you are a solo star; binary systems are very variable for their planets...

Iā€™m no physicist, but I thought the leading theory is now that thereā€™s more single stars than binary/multiple (~2/3 to ~1/3). But either way, binary stars definitely struggle to cultivate life in their systems, which is seen as proof by a lot of other stars that duel ruling isnā€™t the way to go.

That's only if you figure in all the red dwarfs; its still true that more than half of the brighter, more massive stars in the sky have companions.

In your star society, wouldn't red dwarfs be sort of looked down on as stars who've done all the significant stuff they'll do, and are now in the final decline of old age...? They can't form or sustain planets at that point...

And how would a brown dwarf that had deteriorated even further be looked upon? Are large gas giants somewhat sentient also?
What about neutron stars, or black holes...?

Longer-lived stars such as red dwarfs are actually generally respected for having ruled over their systems for such a long time. They donā€™t have as much political (for want of a better word) power, though. Most stars are of similar intelligence, regardless of stage, though I believe itā€™s red giants that are stars reaching the end of their cycle.

Neutron stars, strange stars and the like are ā€˜once-deadā€™ stars. They are of similar intelligence to stars, but have very different abilities ā€” for example, they sometimes break the laws of physics a bit by accident and pop up in peopleā€™s dreams.

Black holes are ā€˜twice-deadā€™, and are seen as grim reaper figures by other stars. Even they cannot control themselves, and mourn the destruction that is all they can cause.

Now I'm wondering at the relationship in a type 1b supernova... It would seem like a case of a rogue white dwarf literally tearing a star slowly to pieces over the course of thousands of years...

An abusive relationship

Galactic center must be an interesting place, ten million stars dancing perilously close to each other and a grand specter of death who holds the entire galaxy in their grasp.

Shhhh, do not anger the blind idiot god who sleeps at the galactic center.

Imagine the terror of being those innermost stars still with stable orbits, orbiting a massive maw like Sagittarius A*.

Sagittarius AZATHOTH... :O

That makes me wonder..

So if Lovecraftian mythos lore is detailed as cosmic horror to us because we're not even dust mites on the cosmic scale and level of knowledge, what would be the equivalent for actual sentient cosmic bodies? Universal horror? Dimensional horror?

Imagine something so utterly incomprehensible that it far exceeds cosmic horror, the gods to the cosmic beings. The things that keep Cthulhu, Shub-Niggurath, and the stars up at night. lol

Red giants are the old dying stars, red dwarfs and brown dwarfs are are just object that were born small. Brown dwarfs straddle the line between planet and star, briefly burning rare isotopes of hydrogen before quickly fading into a role more similar to a gas giant. Red dwarfs however are just massive enough to be true stars and sustain true hydrogen fusion in their cores. They are red not due to being in their death throws but because their small size and low pressure has them burn slowly and cooly, glowing with a duller redder flame rather than white hot incandescence of their larger kin. This slow and stately pace lets them sip on their small amounts of fuel, allowing them to live for trillions of years.

Most red dwarfs are flare stars, because all red dwarfs are in their infancy. The universe is not yet old enough for any red dwarf to have died of age.

Hmm, that seems like it would make them either some sort of handicapped star, basically stunted into perpetual childhood, OR, elflike beings that live forever (compared to other stars), but never grow or change...?

I imagine the petulant flare stars would be childish, but the few who have moved passed that phase already might act mature beyond their years and have a certain air of wisdom about them. They are some of the oldest stars in the universe after all. A being, still a child really, who has already seen so much, whose childlike innocence has been tempered by the passing of so many old friends. Do they remain carefree and still make what new friends they can? Do they become morose and detached? Is that why so many of them scream out into the dark, lashing out at anyone near them?

Though given they make up the majority of stars they are not short on old friends either. I imagine some clusters of red dwarfs might become a bit insular, not bothering to associate much with the shorter lived generations. It just becomes a bit draining.

is this pulled somewhat from the Sunless Seas/Fallen London/Sunless Skies? If not might be a good source for inspiration.

I have played the Fallen London trilogy, and theyā€™re all great games! I only got to the star-related lore after Iā€™d come up with this concept (which was inspired mostly by Dogsbody by Diana Wynne Jones), but itā€™s definitely shaped my worldbuilding since.

Don't forget Cultist Simulator ;)

Same devs, Similar lore

. . . Interesting concept. May I delve further into this topic of Space's hierarchy?

How intelligent are they? How do they communicate or see to each other?

How are these laws made, and who or what enforces these laws?

How do these stars regard other massive celestial objects, or more unique, or exotic forms of stars? Supergiants? Black holes? Quasars? White Dwarves? Neutron Stars? Quark Stars? Thorneā€“Zytkow objects? Quasi-stars?

Thanks for your questions!

Stars are extremely intelligent, though in a way humans probably wouldnā€™t recognise. Most stars believe themselves to be much more intelligent than they are.

Stars have servants ā€” usually comets ā€” who can carry messages for them. In my project, there are also different ā€˜levelsā€™ of reality (dreams, waking life, etc.). Stars can meet in levels of reality where physics is looser safely. This story is an example.

The laws are made and enforced by councils of stars who achieve their status by a combination of vote and blackmail. Most stars are very careful to obey them because fights between stars tend to end with both parties dead at least once over.

Stars treat each other fairly similarly regardless of type until you reach ā€˜once-deadā€™ stars ā€” neutron stars, quark stars, strange stars and the like. They are regarded with fear and suspicion, particularly strange stars, who pose the most threat.

ā€˜Twice-deadā€™ stars, like black holes, are seen as grim reaper-esque figures.

I havenā€™t fleshed out how other celestial objects and their relation to stars yet, but itā€™s something Iā€™m working on!

What do you imagine "unusual" stars like neutron stars, pulsars, and black holes to be like in your world? Are binary stars siblings or mates?

Thanks for your questions!

Neutron stars and pulsars are ā€˜once-deadā€™ stars. They are of similar intelligence to stars, but have very different abilities ā€” for example, they sometimes break the laws of physics a bit by accident and pop up in peopleā€™s dreams.

Black holes are ā€˜twice-deadā€™, and are seen as grim reaper figures by other stars. Even they cannot control themselves, and mourn the destruction that is all they can cause.

Binary stars are dual monarchs ā€” not partners romantically, but in rule. Stars can fall in love, though. Thereā€™s a story about a star in love here

I see. So then what do the stars of the Milky Way generally think about the supermassive black hole at the centre of the galaxy, Sagittarius A?

As the ultimate finality. Stars donā€™t fear mortality in the same way we do, but their fear of it is comparable to existential dread.

This reminds me of Menzoberanzan and the dark elves. I love this kind of shit

Brilliant and inspirational concept

Whatā€™s a black hole then? Demons?

Theyā€™re ā€˜twice-deadā€™, and are seen as grim reaper-like entities.

This is hugely creative!!!

I'm curious, what happens when a star dies? As you might know, they grow several times their original size, engulfing their planets.

Would there be a trial for the dead star? An attempt to relocate the planets before they get killed? How is this kind of situation dealt with?

The death of a star is usually seen as a suitable death for the planets too ā€” the other stars do not think they would wish to be kept alive without the light of their monarch.

Thanks for explaining!

[deleted]

Mostly other stars will mourn the loss of both the star and their system, and move on. If a star was large enough to become something else upon death, they are regarded as undead and avoided.

If the Stars are the monarchs of kingdoms , then what is a Galaxy?

What is a black hole?

A galaxy is a council of stars. A black hole is a twice-dead star, seen as a grim reaper figure.

Wait so is the Galaxy just an alliance , or is it like a Federal Government?

A very loose alliance. Stars donā€™t tend to like other stars, but they work with them to avoid fighting.

^^^Nobody ^^^wants ^^^star ^^^wars

stars are its monarchs

Then what about Supermassive Black holes?

Black holes are seen as grim reaper figures by other stars.

I read that as ā€œa notice for sentient stairsā€

Length must be greater than height at all times.

All escalators are subject to regular step counts. Prime numbers are strictly forbidden after the events of Incident 4

When interacting with one or more escalators, DO NOT attempt to make conversation. They will attempt to distract you while they suck you into the cracks in their steps, and you will be absorbed.

Sunless Skies

Was my thoughts too

I love this but at first I didnā€™t realize it was a video and I couldnā€™t tell if I was hallucinating or not with the lettering lmao

Thought I got higher than intended for a minute, scared the shit outta me

For a sign to be made, someone has to do something. So what the hell happened for them to need a sign saying, "don't blow up small planets, moons, ect."

Well, they blew up small planets and moons.

Stars used to be left to manage their solar systems in isolation. Some did so benevolently. Othersā€¦ didnā€™t. Eventually, it was decided that celestial bodies shouldnā€™t be hunted, as killing your own planets is one step away from killing someone elseā€™s, and thatā€™s only a step away from killing other stars.

Geologist

This feels like a Local 58 situation, except, the celestial bodies in question arenā€™t malevolent by any means.

[deleted]

Iā€™m glad you like it!

Loooove this.

"Planetoids of the realm unite! All you have to lose are your rings!"

Shades of "Dogsbody" by Dianna Wynne Jones - a must read if you haven't.

I have read it ā€” itā€™s a great book!

Did Princess Rosalina post this notice after losing too many luma?

Weird shit like this is what I continue to live for.

Downright tyannical

this implies the existence of non-sentient stars

I just did a bump of ketamine, and it took me a long time to realise this is a gif

You should post that logo in /r/LSD

Sheesh.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/If_the_Stars_are_Gods

Is this some Local 58 stuff?

This is a really interesting concept I don't think I've seen before...good work!

Nobody tell Kyle

Itā€™s a really neat idea to have stars be sentient beings in themselves. Are there anything bigger than stars in this series? Any great threats? How do they deal with black holes?

Thank you!

Black holes are certainly more powerful than stars, though they have little control over themselves. Most stars just give them a wide berth ā€” itā€™s actually a lot easier to avoid black holes than is often portrayed. However, if one became openly hostile, it would be a terrible danger. Stars would likely try to defend themselves by throwing smaller celestial objects at it until it ā€˜burns itself outā€™. Not a great plan, but thereā€™s not much else they can do.

Besides black holes, a particularly great threat are beings from before the universe began. They arenā€™t bound by the laws of physics, and so the stars have little power over them.

The idea of beings prior to the universe existing is also a neat idea; very extreme timescale weā€™re working with but I suppose it was already grand when we started with the Stars as the main characters. Does this mean that their signage has to be trillions of light years long?

Those entities see no need for rules ā€” in their mind, itā€™s their right to do as they please.

Ah so what is this post in universe then? Cause I thought it was a sign. But itā€™s clearly a warning to the Stars.

It is ā€” the stars have laws, the primordial entities donā€™t.

Ah okay u meant the Primordials. Are black holes considered primordial?

Theyā€™re close, but not quite primordial.

A bit to the side of what you just said, but you haven't already, you should check Failbetter's games, especially Sunless Skies, it deals with notions like this.

I played Sunless Sea so Iā€™m familiar with the company but not skies; Iā€™ll look into it!

It's actually mentioned in Sea if you poke around enough. The Haunted Doctor actually talks about the sentient stars, and about how the Neath protects you from their power, which is why things are so strange there.

That is trippy, good job! Just this post alone has got me really interested in any lore there may be!

Thank you! You can find out more about the world Iā€™m working on on r/CuratorsLibrary

Wow, thanks for letting me know!

"IM I AM SINISTAR RUN COWARD!"

This seems incredibly interesting, but if it isnā€™t too much I have a few questions

  1. Are there any dividing lines between the star classes? Ex.) O-Stars are highly aggressive and brash, M-Stars are more passive and generally just observe, etc.

  2. What do the stars think of Brown Dwarfs? Are they viewed as failures or more like sidekicks / little brothers?

  3. Have any other non-star sapients found out that the stars are alive? If so, what would their relationship be?

Thanks for your questions!

Starsā€™ personalities donā€™t change between classes, but level of power does. A starsā€™ standing is based partly on its strength and partly on wether it can support life in its system.

Brown dwarfs tend to serve as advisors to ā€˜properā€™ stars. They donā€™t have much power, but their word is still respected.

A lot of adepts on earth worship stars ā€” and so do some on other planets, too. There are also entities from before the universe began, who are as eldritch to stars as stars are to the adepts.

Are minor celestial bodies alive? Are they sentient?

A reckoning is not to be postponed indefinitely.

*sad palpatine noises*

How would these beings communicate? I imagine itd be something odd like radio waves or some other kind of exotic energy, used to create a kind of programmable message.

I also think the messages wouldnt be like how humans speak - not instant, but instead very long and very big phrases, transmitted over the course days, months, years, centuries and eons. Because of this, the messages would probably be either very simplified or have details heavily compacted in the message.

So something like an entirely new law being transmitted to ALL stars would probably be one of those very compacted messges, sort of like an urgent message.

For messages intended to be quickly received, stars can communicate in spaces of semi-existence where the laws of physics are wobbly and they can be in close proximity safely. Longer messages are either sent using light or by servants of stars, such as comets.

Thats super neat! Using the concept of bending space (and maybe time) to do things isnt something I would have thought of initially. Do they use their own gravity to do something like that?

Also

Sometimes to talk they just fling rocks at one another, dope lol

Thank you!

Stars are a relatively new addition to my project, and I havenā€™t got much further than ā€˜stars do weird stuff with physics in real life, so they do weird stuff with physics here tooā€™. Iā€™m working on it though, and Iā€™ll be sure to post an update about it on r/CuratorsLibrary.

Looking at you Galactus!

Unicron, I'm looking in your direction.

Planet Eaters gotta Eat too.

I was just designing planet eaters today and a planet eater eater.

As well as a star who destroys stars, and a star that absorbs stars and travels system to system.

www.starfightergeneral.com

I need to do the best proceedural generation work first run, or 3 billion stars will be boring... you can't just add stuff easy to em later, messes with generation.

r/HumansAreSpaceOrcs

Sapient you mean?

Dogs are sentient, humans are Sapient. Common misconception, but a misconception nonetheless.

All sapient creatures are also sentient. Itā€™s not a mistake, just a broader term. But sapient also fits, yes. I chose not to use it because in some applications of the word it has specific connotations to human thought processes, and the stars in my setting donā€™t think in a human way, despite being more than intelligent enough to.

But it doesnt convey the same meaning at all.

If you mention them as sentient, I assume they dont really think, are instinctive and simple minded, not very intelligent, they just feel. If you use Sapient, then it means they can actually create laws, have opinions and strategize, be rational, etc.

The only way the word ā€œSentientā€ is correct in this case is if there are both celestial bodies thar are merely sentient, and others that are fully Sapient. If they are all Sapient, you should use Sapient so people actually correctly grasp your intent.

Sapient specifically relates to as smart as or relating to homo sapiens. There can be lots of in universe reasons for things to have non human like sentience so sapient would not apply. Sentient could easily be the most specific term we have for these intelligences in English. I imagine that in stories about sentient celestial bodies those sort of distinctions are quite important. Is the planet in Solaris sapient? It is almost certainly vastly more intelligent than humans in some sense but is unlikely to be sapient in any understandable way.

Youā€™ve given youā€™re feedback, and Iā€™ve explained my choice. I appreciate your input, but I will not be making any changes.

oooo i like this

*Burns the memo* My good sir, we're a privately owned organization, and compared to how much we're making sucking out hydrogen from the local star and cracking its planets, the fine every cycle is poultry. Get out of my office, or I'll see to it that you see the process... up close and personal.

Good cycle to you.

Iā€™m glad to see one of these mysterious world posters thatā€™s actually good. They were getting real repetitive.

I actually liked a lot of the propaganda-style posters. But Iā€™m glad you like this one!

I would love to hear how you made this animation

I used Canva! It only allows you to make simple animations, but itā€™s fairly intuitive.

This is damn near a r/replications post

what about white dwarfs?

Fading stars. Theyā€™re still considered living, and are respected for what they did in their previous stages, but no longer have any power and are left to cool alone.

Doesn't do much about the sun eaters now does it?

Fortunately for me, I reside within Super Deep Space, so my children are safe

Unicron: That sign can't stop me because I can't read!

Would be useful in The Black Cloud, that Hoyle Novel, haha.

So is this a sing or a poster? How big is the printer.

literally 1984.

If planets are sentient, then Hellstar Remina is basically a serial killer/cannibal... Great Lovecraftian horror manga by Junji Ito, check it out!

It was mutating nearby planets and attacking ours with Natureā€™s Mockery!

I'm running a spelljammer campaign where this does match the evil machinations of the tyrannical Queen of the elves. There's a couple of moons she wants to keep around for ritualistic purposes, even though those moons are traveling around spreading death and destruction with Alacrity.