On a mysterious colonized planet, humans study an alien ecosystem by linking themselves to the local flora and fauna through IV drips. They call their hosts the Core - living organisms that sustain them in an atmosphere that is breathable yet slowly toxic. Wrapped in padded jackets, the colonists rely on this fragile symbiosis to survive. But not all effects are predictable - some discoveries alter not just the body, but the very nature of humanity itself.

Garden Wardens – originally trying to survive through symbiosis with both flora and fauna, they quickly realized that connecting with local creatures was too unstable and dangerous. They shifted focus solely to plants, studying their chemical signals for more predictable and safer interactions. Through specialized drips they enhance their connection to plant life. Some see them as guardians of nature, while others view them as isolated idealists who rejected evolution through more complex organisms.