Across the 51 worlds of the Peldak Protectorate there is a vast diaspora of ethnic sharads. This is natural since their homemoon of Sharashado is constantly beset by horrific beasts, and the sharad caste system is so rigidly enforced that it created nine distinct sub-species.

When sharads flee Sharashado, they mostly do so without official documentation, choosing to smuggle themselves inside cargo ships. They don’t keep in touch with the Sharashado Kharaks, and the mountain fortresses don’t bother to document those who leave. Kharaks are independent city states who only have a lose confederation with other kharaks. They don’t have the time, resources, or integration to keep track of sharads who leave their moon.

Regardless, when the Sharad Embassy on Arcadia heard it was most likely one of their kind who stole such an important artifact, they sent a team of Hunter Castes to help track the culprit down. The Kharak Confederation sees the Protectorate as a vital trading partner, and Sharashado’s biggest export is mercenaries.

The Protectorate Marshall in charge of the investigation, a veteran arcadian named Ionnes Birides, released a statement.

“The Hunter Caste is famed among the sharads for slaughtering the dangerous beasts that plague the dark moon, and for being the kharaks’ law enforcement. I’ve worked with Hunters many times and they’ve never failed to meet my expectations. Over the coming nights we will execute an operation to hit every known sharad criminal and hideout on Arcadia. Sharads love building brands and flaunting their expertise in the criminal underworld, and the Protectorate Marshals have recorded an extensive network of aliases and associates over the years. Quick Finger, Lady Smoothstep, The Pocket Picker, they love to brag about their accomplishments, so one of these infamous characters will have heard something about the Starlight Thief.”