these are Gloaming Mourners. despite their intimidating appearance, they are one of the most amicable arrivals from the Starfall Event.
Mourners live mostly in large cave systems. they are sightless and navigate using a form of echolocation. they also have precise and powerful telepathic abilities that allow them to perceive the thoughts of Cosmics and mortals alike. because of this, Mourners are sympathetic to humanity, and most Mourner populations either avoid humans in order to reduce conflict or, in very rare instances, try to foster cooperation between their community and any local humans. Mourners can communicate across the entire globe via a telepathic network, and their energy stores, analogous to fat deposits, ensure their neural hub is constantly fuelled, even in times of scarcity.
despite their telepathic abilities, communication between humans and Mourners is still complicated and fraught with trial and error, as any attempt to “speak” to humans will damage or destroy fragile mortal nervous systems. because of this, most Mourners have learned to use a modified form of the local writing system to have conversations or leave messages.
even when dealing with rocky starts and sometimes outright hostility based on misunderstandings between humans and Mourners, at this point post-Starfall, most Mourner populations are tolerated and even welcomed by the human survivors. notably, Mourners consume many of the smaller and mid-sized Cosmics and pests, including the dreaded swarms of Devil’s Dandelion, and community groups discourage larger predators from settling in the areas they patrol.
local names for Gloaming Mourners are Miner’s Hands, Cave Spiders, Greater Horta, and Fingercreeps.
