Man is a blind, witless, low brow, anthropocentric clod who inflicts lesions upon the earth.
—Ian McHarg

images undergoing recoloring!

Preface

I'm not human. I am, according to them, an alien. They have no idea that I am, though, and I've been living with them for ten years now. I am the leader of the Skopen, a race of "aliens" that look like humans with a small difference: we have round, completely white eyes. We have no pupils.

Humans are my creation. I created the Land (what they call "Earth") and all the creatures on it as an experiment to show my race's superior intellect and desire for equality to all the other "aliens" in the universe. We're the peaceful race, a peaceful planet, while those from the planets around us are bloodthirsty, vicious, and greedy. I thought that if I showed them that another race could be even better than mine, they would rethink their ways. Maybe become like us: harmonious. My people agreed with this plan, and we began to work on creating humans and the other creatures to live on this new planet.

Unfortunately, humans have destroyed the Land too quickly. So many creatures have gone extinct, and so many others are on the brink. When the coal industries basically took control of the Land, they got rid of all the environmental laws. With no laws to protect the endangered ones, humans took whatever they pleased, whenever they pleased. They care little about the consequences of their actions so long as it fills their bellies and gives them pleasure. The environment is suffering because of humans' over-consumption of the Land's resources. My favourite areas that I had created, the Artic and Antarctic, were destroyed when the average temperature of the Land rose to 90°F. The Land is brown, dusty, and pretty much inhospitable to all life except the adaptables.

I'd decided to come back to the Land after my last check-up showed the complete and utter destruction of this place. My creation was no longer functioning correctly. They had become greedy and self-serving, just like the inhabitants of the other planets around my planet, Planet Skop. I guess it's partly my fault for not checking up on them as often as I should have, but I thought I'd created a utopia where every creature was equal. The different human colors were to show them that even if you look different, you are all equal. I hadn't noticed when they left some humans starving while others bathed in riches. Rats and mosquitoes were just as worthy as humans and apes. I thought I could leave them to grow alone.

I was wrong. Humans ended up the same as the Invaders from Planet Vad, the Kylies from Planet Kyl, and the Oppis from Planet Opp. Even though my race created them, our peacefulness, our sustainability didn't rub off on the humans. I couldn't show the other races another planet that wasn't perfect. They would laugh and say, We told you so, Stronghammer. You can't create a perfect race! Your own race isn't perfect; you have killers and over-users in your planet, too. Why do you Skopen try so hard to be "fair"?

They would be right. Planet Skop does have its fair share of "monsters", but very few. We Skopen understand that the resources the natural world gives us is limited and that everyone should be equal, but unfortunatley we do have some Skopens that don't follow that. Even so, I wanted to create the perfect race and show everyone that peace, perfection, and sustainability could be achieved through equality. Every race would then demand for peace.

I haven't created it yet. I came back to fix this place, but the only way I can is if the humans actually want to live in harmony with everything in the Land, including the Land's resources and every creature on it.

Otherwise, I'll have to destroy them and start all over again.

Chapter One

Peasant people ... don't have a chance to share in the riches that the planet can offer because some people are taking off so much of the pleasures of this world, and there's only so much to go around. —Sister Dorothy Stang

The ground was hard and dry, and even though the early morning fog was still blanketing the forest, it was hot. Stronghammer's feet were bruised and worn. Plumes of dust followed behind him as he continued down the path. He was almost there; just another mile of walking and he'd be home.

Small bugs were flying and buzzing around his head. They were actually peaceful. They weren't annoying; they were some of the few things still thriving around the Land, and Stronghammer enjoyed any signs of life.

Hunting hadn't gone as well as Stronghammer had hoped. The berries were wilted from the drought and most of the forest was brown. Everything was dead. This place needed rain, but the rain isn't forgiving; the Land itself isn't forgiving. It's like that saying that you can only beat a dog so many times before it turns against you.

The clear material gleamed off of the trees as Stronghammer walked by, even covering the small daisies that wanted to bloom and give their beauty to the Land. The Land has been destroyed by Man's greed, their never-ending bottomless pit of a need for more. This Land will never be beautiful again. Humans have doomed themselves to a world with no beauty. He laughed bitterly, kicking the dirt.

A few birds chirped, singing songs about how life had been until Man's greed decided to show its ugly head. The birds slow, lulling songs were making him tired, but Stronghammer had to get home tonight. The village needed all the resources that they could get.

And no matter how much he hated them for what they have done, he couldn't let his creations die.

***

It was a few hours before he saw the lights up ahead, and he sighed with relief. Finally. The sun was sinking behind the hills as he jogged the last few yards to the entrance where Kline was guarding it today.

Ahoy, Stronghammer! Find anything good? he asked, raising his spear up in greeting.

Just a bag of blackberries, Stronghammer said, motioning toward the bag on his back. Everything is still pretty much dead, he added. He arched an eyebrow, wanting Kline to retaliate. He just wanted to see someone to feel some type of repentance, just a little, even after all these years.

Kline just shrugged, his silver metal armor clinking together. Anything is better than nothing. As long as Bao caught some meat for us. He rubbed his stomach longingly and pointed his spear toward the Kitchen. Go give the berries to Lily. Maybe she can make us a good dinner with those things.

Stronghammer felt the anger rise within him again. No one felt responsible for killing the Land; no one felt sorry for the other inhabitants of the Land. They couldn't care less that they've doomed every creature, everything that he created. It wasn't their fault, really; they had no idea what he'd done for them.

Humans were his creation; he made them like this. It was his fault for trying to create the perfect race. Nothing is perfect.

He shoved past Kline and walked to the Kitchen.

***

He walked inside, closing the door gently behind him. The Kitchen was warm and smelled wonderful. Fresh bread scent lingered in the air, and he instantly relaxed. The countertops were messy with flour that had been spilled all over the place. Stronghammer laughed quietly; Lily might be a great cook, but she's horribly messy.

Rusty pots and pans were in the sink. No new pans could be made, so all the humans had to work with were old and dirty. The sink couldn't actually work; running water was no longer available. If someone needed water, they had to go out to the well and get it themselves.

Stronghammer grabbed the backpack from his shoulder and set it on the wooden table before sitting down in the chair. He closed his eyes and leaned the chair back against the wall, waiting for Lily to return from the storage room.
When the door opened, he sighed and opened his itchy eyes. The fake eyes were so uncomfortable, but he had to stay in disguise when around humans. He silently wish it was night so he could take them off and let his real pupil-less eyes breathe.

Stats

Name: Stronghammer
Alias: Stronghammer
Gender: Male
Race: Skopen (Krawk)
Eye Color: Light Green when disguised as a human; pure white when normal
Appearance: Very dark brown skin color
Hair: Bald

{ image on left is Stronghammer disguised as a human; on right is him as a Skopen }

Synopsis

tl;dr the actual story? Here's a summary!

Stronghammer's story is slightly depressing: it's about the destruction of the Earth (Land).

It's the year 2120; the humans had been creating technology at an extremely quick rate, and in the process they've killed all sorts of life and even the Land itself. Most of the animals have gone extinct—-polar bears, silverback gorillas, panda bears, whooping cranes: they're all gone. They're all distant memories, only talked about in textbooks. If someone is lucky enough to find a textbook from the year 2012.

Even though Stronghammer's story is set in the future, it's as if the Earth as turned back in time. There is no technology; no televisions, computers, the Internet, phones. Anything having to do with electricity has gone. Vanished. To hunt, they use hammers, spears, and bows and arrows.

Why is this? It's such a simple reason that it's almost insane: they became greedy. Oil, coal, and even natural gas reserves ran out in the year 2035 because of humans' need for more. This was unfathomable to many scientists of the time; reserves were predicted to last at least until 2100! But, as it seems, the world had used up resources faster than even themselves knew.

Why didn't they just use renewable resources like solar, wind, or hydroelectric energy? Easy answer: they didn't make enough of these plants to provide energy to create more, and the only ones left were destroyed by the coal industries in the year 2054.

The coal industries also introduced a clear, gooey substance into the environment that same year. No one knew what this was, but it killed many animals that went near it. It still exists in Stronghammer's world today. Earth's average temperature in 2120 is 90°F. Yes, this includes the North and South Poles, which, by the way, no longer exist. This explains why very few species have survived so long. Only the adaptable could survive.

The Earth is brown and dusty, but rain still does fall as often as it used to. It's just more acidic and killed many plant species when the pH level reached 1.5. There is very little stratospheric ozone left in the atmosphere, but humans have adapted to this: they're all dark-skinned. Problems like skin cancer and eye cataracts are things of the past.

Everyone is unequal--the rich are just getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. No human cares about the fate of any species but themselves. Inequality plagues Planet Earth.

So basically, the Earth is dead and life as we knew it has gone. Technology ceases to exist. Endangered animals finally have gone extinct. And yet, no one seems to care that it was the humans fault in the first place. Except Stronghammer.

How does he know that they caused this mess?

He has a book from the year 2060, the last textbook known to be created. The book that he wrote. It's torn, tattered, and barely readable, but all the information is there: the pollution, degradation, the coal industries' schemes, the ancient animals.

Stronghammer has shared his book with the people of the village, yet they don't care. They don't remember the actions of their great-grandparents, so why should they care?

And yet, Stronghammer can reverse this mess. He knows he can fix everything, make it how it was but better. Healthier. He can bring back the creatures of the past, and fix the climate. He can make everything better.

But the only way he can fix this is if the people of today feel guilt for the actions of the past. So he went back to Earth in disguise to save his creation.

Stronghammer is an alien that has come to Earth to fix the actions of human beings. His race, a very peaceful race, doesn't want to witness the destruction of a planet so similar to their own.

What am I talking about? Well, the Earth was actually created by Stronghammer. His race, the Skopen, of which he is the leader, created Earth. Humans are Stronghammer's creation, as are every other creature that used to live on Earth—-from annoying mosquitoes to the majestic tigers, Stronghammer created them. He can understand every creature; he knows their every desire.

No scientist wants to see the destruction of something he created, but he will let the inhabitants of Earth die if he finds that they aren't worth saving. ]

Screenies

Painted on July 2nd, 2012 at 3:05 PM NST with my second FFQ. :)

Thank you, Rose!

I want to give my biggest thanks to Rose for trading for then gifting me Stronghammer. There still aren't enough words to convey my thanks to you. ♥

Art & Things

Links

Credits

Hammer gif made by Steven! Thanks so much! :)
Thanks to this guide for help on the layout.
Background image from a desktop image website. Right click + view source for full credit.