Curators

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"Intelligent, locomotive-sized chiroptera, able to pry an engine apart with their claws, or pummel it with their hellish shrieks. Curators accumulate hoards, which they guard violently. Each hoard collects artefacts or creatures themed to the Curator’s particular obsession."

Curators are a race of space bats that hoard treasures in the High Wilderness.

An Anatomy Lesson

"The Masters wouldn't care for you saying so. But the wings, the arms and legs, all fit."

While The Curators have many qualities similiar to their earthly counterparts, they also have many important differences; the most obvious being their additional pair of humanoid hands which allow them to hold things while in flight. The Curators also have a dual nature- meaning that almost every member of the species possesses both types of sexual organs. The exceptions to that rule are called Runts and are often seen as outcasts.

Some Curators can possess even more interesting and bizarre traits, such as horns or even semi-sentient teeth which can move independently from their owner.

As a result of their bat-like nature Curators tend to be pretty sensitive to sound; they can even enter a state of intoxication when exposed to the sounds of music.

Merciless Pedlar-Magnates

"Once, we gathered here. We held our bargains and boasted of our chiefs. Our bands displayed the finest of goods. Our magnanimity was sharp as knives. All knew our worth. Then the light came. They made of our grounds sport. A dancing place. A laughing place. They made bargains of their own."

A Curator formerly known as Mr Hearts.

Every Curator possesses an inherent craving to acquire and hoard a unique type of thing. This obsession is present even before birth; in fact, the child's parent can experience its obsession as a unique form of pregnancy cravings.

Curators spend much of their time alone or in small groups called flocks, travelling and hunting in The High Wilderness, but occasionally they congregate in large numbers to trade and socialise with each other. During that time they follow a strict system called The Order of Days- Curators's activities being dependent on the Orders's current "Hour", which are as follows:

• The Day of the Hunt, a time for killing lesser creatures and showing off trophies.
• The Day of the Feast, a time for eating and socialising.
• The Day of Council, a time for discussions and debates.
• The Day of Bargain, a time for trading.
• The Day of Slaughter, a time for murder between Curators.

Some Curators can become very successful during their long life, achieving the ranks of band leaders and magnates amongst their comrades.

Crimes and Messengers

"Charity is a crime. The punishment severe."

The Curator society is harsh and there are many actions and situations which can result in an individual being ostracized and becoming an outcast. Some of those include:

• hoarding
• light-bringing
• impersonation
• delivery of false testimony
• perpetration of the crimes of knife and of candle
• idleness
• the dwelling-on of dreams
• runtery
• aberration
• pursuit of a Treachery
• failure and defeat; a fall from king to beggar
• glass-whispering
• charity
• truth-strangling
• violation of the Order of Days, “which determines the hour of the hunt, the feast, the council, the bargain, and the slaughter”

Outcast Curators can sometimes enter into servitude to the Messengers, for protection and a chance to escape their previous misfortune. One such group can be found serving their Master in The Neath. A different flock once served The House of Rods and Chains, although they have been disbanded since it's death.