One might ask, what do the Thaetauri do for fun? Are they all work and no fun aliens?

The answer is, mostly. The Thaetauri race has evolved so that scientific discovery and advancement is like art to them. Their quest to unlock all the mysteries of the universe drives them, it shapes their culture and their society. For an immortal race, they waste very little time.

However, they do have the Virtual Reality Network. It was originally conceived as a way to preserve species and even worlds that were dying out. It allowed scientists to study environments and animal and plant life that had gone extinct.

Over time, the VR evolved into a place where some leisure time could be enjoyed. A Thaetauri could go in and spend a few hours enjoying the sights of some exotic, forgotten world. Of course, usually they couldn’t stop themselves from making notes for possible implications for their research, but it was still relaxing.

From there, it took on the task of training Thaetauri for field work. With the Fade bearing down on them, every Thaetauri is precious and not to be risked. Planets were surveyed and automatons were sent along, but accidents did happen. The VRN let Thaetauri train on how to deal with dangers in a manner that was completely safe.

It also became an educational tool for the few Thaetauri being born. They could live their young lives inside the VR, learning everything they needed to know and emerge ready to take their place in Thaetauri society. The generations that grew up in the VR saw it as more than an educational tool, though. It was a gateway to adventure and excitement that the real world couldn’t provide.

These Thaetauri started creating environments whose only purpose was for enjoyment. Most of traditional Thaetauri society frowned on this at first, but the adventure VR environment have grown in popularity in spite of this.