Nitooni Kaupp Nia, called Toon by those who knew her, was a prodigy. At an age when most were still in basic training, she worked alongside Zamani himself on the Letellian Tablets and helped develop the theories that made the Axis functional. Two decades after Zamani opened the passage to the second world, Nia had her choice of prestigious postings, opportunities that would have secured her place in the Order's highest ranks. Instead, she requested assignment to "the Haunted Castle," a massive but dormant tower in one of the Hub's most remote sectors. Kai, an atmospheric engineer with no such illustrious history, was assigned to maintain the environmental systems and keep Nia's research station operational. For months, their reports were routine: atmospheric readings, seal integrity checks, minor equipment maintenance. Then the reports stopped. The investigation found their habitat intact, equipment missing, and no trace of either researcher. In her final logs, Nia had written about sounds in the structure at night and movement outside their pressurized bubble. The investigators dismissed it as irrelevant. But Nia's notes suggested something else: that the Haunted Castle had earned its name, and she had gone to find out why.
The Priory Machines sent Granska to investigate the Hub. As he turns his eye to all records he was pointed to in the long and inconclusive task assignment he came about the story of Nitooni Kaup Nia and her experiences and reports at a tower outpost in the fringe of the pressurized areas of the Hub. The only semy dissassembled tower in the vicinities, the so called "Haunted Castle" cast its large ominous shadows over the security camp both she and Kai, the atmospheric engineer share in their duty.
THN Kai & Toon: Kai waited on the cushion in the habitat, watching the ration blisters. Toon was late from her shift. Kai liked to eat with…
THN Kai & Toon: … Think with me,” Toon proceeded, “if someone managed to von Neumann the entire galaxy, wouldn’t it be wiser to only…
THN #22: The citadel in Zamani had been a source of wonder and curiosity for many hundredays, but soon the Lauds would have a more…
SU48 Pictures of Toon - Nitooni Kaupp Nia and her partner, atmospheric engineer Kai, worked in a newly pressurized, remote section of the…
Since this is quite old most of the tools with storytelling are offline now. I did post a few with more recent concept art that I may add here. For now this is an older trailer that links the Granska investigation with the Kai and Toon story. I believe it is past due to a remaster/ regen.