Zeroth Directive

Archive III

The vast majority of the Sami tribespeople undergo a kind of divination known as tsoavttsom to get an idea of what the future may hold. Qanipalaat is no exception to this tradition. 'Guolldo.' The light showed that he would encounter tremendous difficulties and trudge through a lifetime of adversity. Of course, as with all forms of divination, tsoavttsom is never limited to just one interpretation. Qanipalaat's tribe is located near a bog. He encountered a Columbian expedition when he was a child, and that contact made him aware of the fragility of life at too early an age. In the harsh, unfamiliar lands of Sami, countless ambitious explorers find themselves flash-frozen into snow-covered mounds. The loss of life made him sad, and when he was grown, Qanipalaat insisted on joining the tribe's search and rescue team, using their skills to help those in need. The explorers had told him a little about the world outside of Sami, and he believed it was a peaceful place, far less dangerous than Sami. At the time, he could not know that not all dangers to life were so apparent. Coming face-to-face with the invisible threat known as disease left him feeling helpless for the first time. Originium Arts could only alleviate symptoms, and while he could save people from snow and wind, he could not stop disease from consuming lives. It wasn't until Columbian explorers brought advanced medical equipment that many of the tribe's illnesses were cured under the care of the doctors who accompanied them. Since then, Qanipalaat has become aware that people outside Sami also suffer under various threats. They have developed different medical treatments over the course of their long struggles, warding off disease with the benefit of their experience. If only the tribe could have such medical prowess, how wonderful! Qanipalaat had the idea to reach out to the outside world, and later, his mother's illness pushed him out of Sami. 'Contribute to the outside world and bring medical technology back to the tribe.' That was the idea with which Qanipalaat stepped out of Sami. And things really did play out that way. Since joining Rhodes Island, he has traveled back and forth between the tribe and the outside world, working toward a better future for both sides. In a sense, the divination was right. 'Guolldo,' the snowstorm, does loom over Qanipalaat's path. But he has always broken through the guolldo, to open the way and bring in hope.

Archive IV

Qanipalaat's tribe is a favorite base camp for Columbian explorers, not only because of its proximity to the mysterious northern mountains, but also because of the tribe's search and rescue team. They are a group of warriors who battle against the dangers of nature, and with their knowledge of the ancient lands beneath their feet, they have rescued many imperiled explorers. To the northern explorers, the SAR team became a beacon of hope. But that hope belies a high casualty rate among the team. Unless they decide to quit, they do the job for life. Many SAR team members end up sick and broken after years of trekking through the harsh environment. And if an operation encounters extreme conditions, the risk of injury or death to the team skyrockets. According to Qanipalaat, his two older brothers were both wounded and quit the team, while his father, also on the SAR team, went missing during an operation in a blizzard and never returned. The team operates under extreme danger for extended periods, no less than the expeditions. What is even more surprising is that such an organization was established among the Sami tribes. They do not ask anything in return, completely selflessly volunteering as rescuers. Qanipalaat's attitude towards the team he was once a member of is representative of the general attitude of the tribe, to a certain extent. 'I often dream of the snow whistling in the north, the fear of it makes you want to run. Of course, I knew the danger, but this was my purpose.' He spoke without fear, revealing the Sami qualities of courage, kindness, and respect for life. It is from these qualities that the Sami search and rescue team was born, an origin that is widely recognized by the outside world. However, a recently discovered clue has muddled the once-clear origins of the search and rescue team: a Columbian explorer recorded in his notes that when his expedition first came to the tribe, it had already seen organized rescue workers. This shows that the SAR team is not a product of the tribe's contact with the Columbians, and in fact has a much longer history. And so we have a mystery: why does such a group exist with a long history and such high risk? Does the rescue team truly exist only to rescue? And if not, what is their real purpose? What is it that makes them willing to risk their lives to bring back those in distress? Maybe their real purpose... is the very act itself?

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Qanipalaat

Archive I

Promotion record

Outfits

Operators

Archive II

Archive III

Archive IV