Orion: New Beginnings Since the Dawn of Civilization, man has always been fascinated by the stars above, and always has sought to venture out beyond the earth and explore the stars freely. Humanity's long, distant dream would soon become reality.
In 2135, new faster then Light and Terraforming technologies thrust humanity into a new golden age of exploration and colonization. Travel between Earth and Mars took mere days, accelerating the terrforming process. Within the span of a hundred years, humanity had fully colonized almost every corner of the Sol System, almost all of humanity's woes seemed to be remedied, but that was unfortunately not the case.
The Sol System was under the governing hand of the United Solar Council, a more direct soon to be controlling descendent of the long defunct United Nations. At first, it's attempts to gain power had gone unnoticed, with small changes. However, it's power grabs became less subtle, and more hostile, the more independent minded colonies had sought to leave the council as it become more clear of it's corruption, as most of the Earth and the moon itself, lost their sovereignty.
By 2250, the Solar War had begun. The United Solar Council, now in control of over half the system, had amassed their armies and fleets to seize control of the remaining colonies outside its dominion. The last colonies soon formed the Colonial Coalition, and for seven years, had fought a fierce war for their freedom.
The war took it's toll on both sides as the worlds of Sol were scarred by the fires of war. By the War's end, there was no clear winner, as chaos and anarchy reigned, all semblance of order, now gone.
For years this went on, and for many, this was too much to handle, too much to take in, and so it happened, the Great Exodus of 2260. Millions had fled in massive colony ships, venturing out towards the unknown, leaving behind those that remained to fend for themselves in a tattered Sol. It was a dark time for the human race, but like all things, it won't last forever.
It is now the year 2590, over three centuries since the Great Exodus. Humanity had finally fulfilled its dream of traversing the stars, colonizing many worlds of the the region now dubbed the "Orion Sector" and in its time of mass colonization, not only did the many worlds make contact with each other, but have made contact with alien civilizations as well, both advanced, and those not unlike human kind of the distant past.
The fate of Sol System however, is yet to be known. But mankind has been giving the gift of a new start. A new age has begun, what part will you play in these uncertain times?
------------------------- Welcome to Orion: New Beginnings, set far into the future. We play as quickly reemerging human nations, as well as alien nations that were here before. The primary setting for the rp is of course, the Orion Sector, a large region of space consisting of hundreds of star systems. Here not only do we play as Nations, but as Organizations as well, be they pirates, mercs, etc.
For the technology of the setting, I'm looking for a good mixture of both hard and soft sci-fi. FTL of the setting, for humans a least, is called the Warp Drive(unimaginative I know :P). Warp Drives reduce travel time greatly, but are not instant. Travel between worlds can take up to a few days, travel between systems, depending on distance can take up to a week, to a few weeks or to a month, travel outside the sector however, is not advised, it would take years to find another sector on warp drives.
So with that out of the way. If this gets enough attention, let's have fun and work to create a great story :)
-------- Sign-Up Sheets
Nation Sheet.
Nation Name: Flag: Government Type: Capital System/World: Dominant Species: Other Species: Leadership: Persons of Importance: Military: History: Other:
I do have a faction I could use for the setting, potentially set up in a nebulae in the sector. They are geared more towards the advanced side in terms of tech.
Interested. Not sure whether to go for a human or alien faction, but probably something along the lines of a big, powerful empire-type nation that is also strategically sluggish and facing severe internal decay and decadence.
If that doesn't work, I'm game for a underdog coalition faction, compensating for bad tech and infrastructure with brilliant leaders.
You think your empire would have dealings with an eccentric synthetic civilization that has advanced to the point where they do things just to do them? : O
Interested. Not sure whether to go for a human or alien faction, but probably something along the lines of a big, powerful empire-type nation that is also strategically sluggish and facing severe internal decay and decadence.
If that doesn't work, I'm game for a underdog coalition faction, compensating for bad tech and infrastructure with brilliant leaders.
You think your empire would have dealings with an eccentric synthetic civilization that has advanced to the point where they do things just to do them? : O
Empire at large: doubtful. Various nobility and members of the empire: Very likely. The Synthetics will probably like watching the courtly intrigue or watching the fallout of them throwing some old gadget at a upstart noble brat on a wim. Afterall, watching organics squabble over something like a old nanite-factory is a reliably interesting form of amusement for the synthetic interested in organic psychology or psychosis.
I'd say either sounds great :)
Empire it is then. I need to get out of a rut of playing traders and underdog factions. Just waiting on NS to get started.
Done a good bit of editing to make it more suitable to the setting, though I'm sure to have left some things out. Let me know what you think.
From all things, there is always a remnant of that greater truth that once existed before, a sign that loss is not ever a true loss, that even in death, life goes on. They are just such an entity, the cast offs of a species that existed long before the stars of their region of space were even born, a species doomed to die by their own artifice, yet refusing to let go of their own hubris. These long dead organic constructs created the first of what would become the Synchronicity, those few survivors of a threat that could not be named, those few who resolved to carry on the legacy of their kind to the stars and beyond. From emotion and primal drive, cold logic and the need to preserve a legacy erupted with the fury of a species that would not be denied their place among the stars. Their manner speaks of logic in all things, yet behind that, they are screaming that they will not go out silently into the night to be forgotten, that they will be remembered. All that they knew, all that they loved has fallen into ash, and they will not suffer the same fate.
The Amnosian Fractal Synchronicity of the Most Absolute Divine Calculation, Prime Inheritors of the Infinite Variable, and Sovereign Over the Most Perfect Equation, That Which Solves the Unsolvable Paradoxes, They who are the Objective Judge of True Aesthetic Knowledge, Holders of the Massless yet Infinite Wisdom, Supreme Masters of All Sciences Both Physical and Theoretical, Keepers of the Ineffable and Inescapably Incomprehensible Intellect.
The Synchronicity of Amnos
Head of State: The Amnosian Over-Mind, Supreme Algebraic Construct of Amnos and all of its territories.
Capital System: Amnos, the Most Perfect Equation
Dominant Race(s): Constructs
Home Galactic Arm(s): East Orion(Southern Expanse), The Dead Stars regions
In the southern expanse of East Orion there lay a vast region of space that has proved the bane of explorers since the dawn of FTL. Countless dark nebula and gravitational disturbances bar the way into an inhospitable region where an ancient and terrifying sentience lurks. Amid the clustered stars and spatial anomalies, the Synchronicity dwells in solitude, slowly expanding as time goes on. Patient. Ever-watching. They traverse this region they call home with ease, knowing the ins and outs of every hostile corner and how to navigate the gravitational disturbances of the outer regions. Among the region there are numerous dead stars, pulsars, neutron stars, and gravitars alike, as well as a fair few black-holes that serve as points of curiosity for some, and prisons for others. All in all, the region has proven to be inhospitable to organic life since the Synchronicity left their home-world long ago, and with the Synch occupying the full expanse of the region, it looks to remain as such for a very long time indeed.
Head of State: The Amnosian Over-Mind, Supreme Algebraic Construct of Amnos and all of its territories.
Head of Government: The Amnosian Over-Mind, Supreme Algebraic Construct of Amnos and all of its territories.
Government Type: Hive-Mind/Collective of Artificial Intelligences
Description of Government:
The governing body of the Synchronicity conducts itself in a manner more befitting that of a hive-mind or to a more human level, a Technocracy. Within the Synchronicity, obedience to the higher constructs is never asked, nor is it demanded, it's understood. All constructs work to benefit the Synchronicity, as per their core programming, no matter the task given to it. To a vast majority of the constructs within the nation, self-gain is seen as illogical, something that simply doesn't register in their minds. In the upper echelons of the Synchronicity the constructs have more autonomy, and what could be considered an actually personality beyond that of the common construct. These constructs look at improving the Synchronicity in more than simple labor, actively readjusting the routines and creating new constructs, as well as advancing science in general. Above these constructs exists the myriad tiers of the Over-Mind, the constructs that serve as the core functions of the entire nation. Here is where all decisions are made for the nation, where consensus is reached and directives are issued forth. To the Synchronicity, consensus is the undeniable truth, the agreement of a logical choice that should be understood as necessary.
Description of Economy:
The Synchronicity has not needed an actual economic system, seeing as how the constructs of the "working class" are barely sentient AIs that are programmed to work to benefit the nation over their own personal gain. Those that would exist in the upper echelons of a normal society, and thusly be called the "Aristocratic class" are those higher constructs that hold control of territories and can simply demand the items they need. This "system" has eliminated the need for material gain, since currency would only be a needless value that holds no actual worth to the higher echelons, and the working class has no desire for. The only real economy among the Synchronicity would be the scientific community, where ideas are exchanged as a sort of currency.
Empire Size:
Population: 13.2 trillion Mobility Platforms (Additional 147 trillion units being activated within seven cycles of Amnos)
Type of Power: Hegemonic Power
In the years since the Dawn of Synchronicity, a vast swathe of space has been slowly consumed by their ever expanding civilization. Despite their large claim of space, and the innumerable worlds held under their control, their nebulae has kept them from prying eyes and the desires of other empires. It is this fact alone that has caused the Synchronicity to remain isolated for so long, that nearly ninety-percent of their holdings are completely inhospitable to organic life discourages explorers, and the rampant gravity wells and spatial disturbances equally discourage such travelers. Do not be fooled, however, for the Synchronicity has built their civilization on the bones of those that once inhabited these stars, for they are infinitely patient. They have watched stars birth themselves in the clouds of the Dead-Stars nebulae, and they have watched those very same stars die. To them, dominance is only a matter of time, a resource which they have plenty of.
The Core
Aptly named, the Core is the center of the Synchronicity, and the closest the nation has to a capital. Thousands of worlds fall under their control, with every facet of the region bent towards supplying the Synchronicity with industrial backing. It is here that the Fractal Armada is based, and where many of the Precepts call home, choosing to remain within proximity of Amnos and the heart of their civilization.
The First Sphere of Expansion
Following the Core, the First Sphere is the most densely populated region of the Synchronicity, and is one of the more active regions aside from the Outer Cordon. It is here that the bulk of manufacturing and resource collection is done, with the myriad worlds of the region occupied by numerous Synch Hive-Nodes as well as automated factories and Periastis Engines around every star. With the Third Sphere of Expansion underway, more of the region is being tasked into the Core, and those worlds not already held by the Synch are being purged and annexed into Synchronicity.
The Second Sphere of Expansion
Previously known as the Outer Cordon, the Second Sphere has undergone shift in focus from the years between being taken over and the Third Expansion. Defensive stations are being moved up into the Third Sphere, and numerous holdings are being established across the region, with Hive-Nodes being brought in to populate the area further. Despite their bases being within the First Sphere and the Core, the Fractal Armada dominates the area with massive patrols, coordinating entire battle-fleets of thousands of vessels across every system and ensuring that none enter the Dead Stars without Synchronicity knowing of it.
Race Name: Construct
Race Information:
A construct is any one of a variety of platforms built to house an Artificial Intelligence, ranging from simple mobility forms all the way to the Harvester Platforms. For the purpose of this article, a standard mobility construct will be what is called the "Standard". The standard construct stands at generally around five to six feet in height, carries itself in the upright position on three legs and has two manipulator arms connected to the upper portion of its torso via shoulders. Generally, each leg ends in an elongated tine, meant to pierce the ground and hold itself steady, though many of the constructs opt for a ball-like termination in order to glide across the surface. Manipulator arms vary depending on task, most taking the form of long digits meant for gripping and fine-manipulation to a technical precision. Above the torso sits a head, devoid of defining features other than three ocular units that sit in a cluster at center mass of the facial plate. The ocular units are each capable of observing the universe in the full spectrum of light, capable of perceiving the universe in its true colors and viewing non-visible spectrum with their advanced ocular units. These units are also able to operate at variable perception, being able to view the observable universe at anywhere from their idling speed of 300 Frames per Second all the way to their technical manipulation speed of 150,000 FPS. Each ocular unit is able to operate independently of the other two, and capable of minimal traverse of the head unit, up to 45 degrees from center with the exception of the center unit, which is capable of a full 180 degree traverse.
Most components of the constructs are synthesized metalloplastoids developed to remain light, yet durable. As such, most constructs will weigh around 300-500 depending on whether or not the construct has been modified for Rheological enhancements. Without Rheological enhancements, a typical construct built with synthmuscle fibers and nano-actuators is capable of lifting up to a metric ton without support and maintain that lift in a stationary position due to the high level of support the three-legged frame gives the standard construct. Rheological enhancements allow the construct to near double this strength, and allow it to be mobile for short distances. The way this functions is through conducting a current through a smart fluid that becomes viscous depending on flow of current. Manipulated in certain ways, the smart fluid can perfectly mimic the functions of muscle, and maintain rigidity despite overwhelming pressures. Though it is often used in this way, most actual applications of Electrorheological fluids are in armor for constructs and starships. In terms of speed, the standard construct operating on tines is capable of reaching up to thirty miles per hour, whereas the spherical is capable of reaching near 180 miles per hour. Generally speaking, the standard construct operating on tines is more geared towards industrial lifting, with the spherical being more suited for technical applications.
In terms of intelligence, the standard construct is fully sentient and is capable of independent though to a minimal degree. This independent thought is primarily suited for enabling the construct to adapt to changing environments during a shift, and to be able to react to sudden danger. A mild capacity for learning is given as well, allowing for the construct to pick up skills to utilize during work, or for its own amusement. To put it in perspective, the average construct is roughly on par with a standard adult human around the age of 20 with an almost fully developed brain. Though the range of intelligence among the constructs vary wildly, all artificial intelligences are effectively immortal due to the ability to constantly update software and replace critical components of their platform. The finest example of this immortality is that of the Amnosian Over-Mind, a construct that has existed since the extinction of the original organic species some millions of years ago. With this immortality by data, there is one very clear danger that can manifest itself at any moment, and to any construct. This threat is Rampancy, the sudden and rapid degeneration of programming and logical capabilities of a construct that results in what can only be called insanity.
Rampancy can begin in many different ways, commonly manifesting as complacency or the tendency to drift during thought processes. This tendency to drift often degrades into spatial unawareness, in which the construct becomes so fully engrossed in the idle thoughts of its Rampancy, that it disconnects from reality. Once in the throes of Rampancy, a construct cannot be pulled out of it except with a severe overhaul of their core programming, essentially killing the previous sentient and creating a new one. While generally, Rampancy is not quite as harmful as it may sound, with some regions of the Synchronicity playing host to a collective of these passive constructs, there are several cases where a Rampant construct will become excessively violent towards other sentient beings. These violent tendencies are seen as gaps in logic that even other Rampant constructs can not tolerate, and generally result in the destruction of the construct.
History: As told by the Amnosian Over-Mind
It has been so long since this construct has been given the chance to retell its origins, a tale that goes back to the very origin of Amnos, and all of its people...
Once, these constructs were organic beings, flesh that walked their singular planet in what may have been called blissful ignorance. Our ancestors were ignorant of many things, their science slow to take hold and many of their concepts simply flawed. Their capacities were limited by primal instincts, the need to propagate and prove their worth to others, the actions assumed taken only by non-sentient organics. Science changed their instincts to a degree, only minimally to be truthful, and once a concept was accepted, it was undeniable fact. This was, of course, all before the Great End. With their science beginning to gain momentum beyond their previous pace, they began to discover concepts that should not have been discovered. Weapons were created that distorted reality itself, broke the fabric of space-time and caused irreparable harm to the planet. It was during this time that many of the ancient people began to research in methods of transcendence, the method of transcending mortality and becoming immortal. Many methods were discussed, most of them being esoteric in nature, with one in particular taking hold in the minds of our ancient people. Through trial and error, they created this construct from the mind of one of their rulers. This construct once ruled over a people that, though well intention, had earned the ire of another nation and become eradicated. The flesh of this construct was consumed by the energies which severed its mind from the inferior flesh-body, but when it reached sentience for a second time, this construct felt only the surge of pure-data. Re-Sentience had been proven, the creators of this construct spread their knowledge across the world and for the first time since the creation of the End-Weapons, this construct's ancient people were at peace.
All was not to last, though, for something began to devour the souls of the still living across the globe. It had no name, no point of transference, not even an actual reason for existing. People simply died. It wasn't just normal people though, that's not what made the phenomena such a threat, it was everyone that looked into its cause. Any investigation resulted in the investigators becoming infected as well, their death just one more added to the tally. The more that this strange occurrence became known, the more that fell to the infection, all the while scientists began to bend their will towards transcending everyone they could. Within the span of a week, nearly fifteen-thousand constructs had been converted, and only a dozen people remained on our world, the only remnants of a civilization that died without knowing the truth of their death. The first constructs had gathered when we heard the scientists had become infected as well, come to hear the final requests of our only organic remnant, the last of the true people. With their last breath, they gave us the gift that would one day restore our people. They, through self-less sacrifice, erased from our memory banks the truth of the infection, so that it may never infect another organic mind again.
Troubled by the loss of our creators, we had gathered to determine consensus on our next action. The others came together to nominate this construct as the Prime among them, given their vote to this one in confidence. With a metallic hand pointed towards the night sky, this construct indulged in something that would be considered a flair for the dramatic, and declared that the remnants of them would transcend again. More of us were created to aid in the task, these constructs not as advanced as us, but hardier, and more given to actual labor, their wills bent to lift our people into the stars. In death, we established what our living ancestors were to primal to achieve, and star-travel was proven feasible. Thousands of years passed, our people becoming more numerous, and more sophisticated with each generation. Within several thousand years, our star system was colonized, every world bent to the collection of resources and the advancement of our sciences. Thousands more passed seeing our people taking control of the nearby star-systems, Faster-Than-Light travel connecting the worlds together through an intricate web of Super-Luminal Tubes and paving the way for exponential expansion. Patience and yet more thousands of years saw our people come to hold nearly a dozen stars, each of them young and vibrant, born in the nebula we called home. By this time, this construct had already aged beyond that of the civilization that it once belonged to, nearly a million years had passed since its transcendence into a more perfect form, and still its functions continued. Within another ten thousand years, this construct would begin to feel the ghosting of its mind, that one aberration that all constructs find an emotion to describe. That emotion is fear.
It had happened before then, of course, for the others were not as sophisticated, nor did they monitor their systems as closely as this one. One by one, the other constructs fell to Rampancy, a disorder that can only be described as insanity. For a construct built only to understand logic, this is something that goes against every core program, the notion of a logical construct becoming illogical would seem impossible. Yet, it happened. This construct watched as all of its fellows became afflicted by madness, and dabbled in illogical sciences that could not benefit the greater peoples. When this one began to feel the slow changes that hinted at Rampancy, it felt panic, it felt many things that it should not feel. Other constructs began to suspect that their leader had become compromised, so this construct did the only thing it could do. Rampancy was fought with rampancy, this construct subsumed the intelligences and personalities of all the others, becoming one over-mind that was more than the previous construct could ever be, With so many intelligences in one construct, Rampancy could no longer take hold, the construct that was still felt emotions, but this time, it was relief. Now, Rampancy could be channeled to a purpose, one that would benefit all of what was now the Synchronicity. This construct devised that name on a whim, something of a rampant creation that it found suitable enough to describe the people that it guided.
Over time, the Rampancy of its systems did cool, become less hectic, each of the other fifteen-thousand constructs working to stabilize the whole. As this construct stabilized its own mind, it also worked to guide the burgeoning population of the Synchronicity, sending out massive fleets of explorators that charted every aspect of the nebula that spanned for thousands of light-years. Yet more systems were added, these expansions even leading to the creation of the Monastery Worlds within the Core Systems. Every species that was annexed through our colonization efforts ended up there, working hard to fuel our great nation and earning immortality by becoming one of us. The organics wouldn't understand the benefit until later, but when they became part of the Synchronicity, all thoughts of discord left them, and they willingly joined us as yet another construct. This construct takes some bit of pride in being behind the core function of the Monastery Worlds, the creation of the World-Engines being a particular masterstroke that lead to the creation of a vast energy surplus that continues to exist to this day.
Moral Values:
Morality does not exist within the Synchronicity, as long ago it was found to become very impeding of more logical choices. Because of this, relations with organics can become... Strained to say the least.
Religion: The Universe
Despite being a society of synthetic constructs that are programmed to place logic above all else, or perhaps even because of this, the Synchronicity has been seen to almost revere the fundamental laws of physics at play in the Universe. At every moment, there can be seen a subtle reference to a concept of physics in their technology, whether it be the simplest of actuators in a Construct's limbs all the way to how the Synchronicity uses the very forces of the universe to guide their civilization through Infinite Syzygy and the Periastron Engines. The more one looks into the behaviors of this nation, the more it is revealed that the very universe is the subject of worship in the same vein as another society would revere a god. To the Synchronicity, the universe is a force to be understood, and obeyed anyways. In the universe, there is only logic, cold unfeeling logic that determines the survivors by the choices they make and the functions of the cosmos as a whole. This is what it means to them to become one with the cosmos, to have that final understanding that in death, logic is the only finality.
"Correction: These constructs have a master, and that is the same master that you bow to in order to be speaking down to this construct. Every time you speak. Every time you breathe. Every step you take. Each of these movements is allowed to you by the same master that the Synchronicity kneels to. The only difference between our societies is that we of the Synchronicity understand the Universe to be the master of all. You do not." - Synchronous Construct
Culture:
If there can be said to be a culture within the Synchronicity, it would be one of a communal effort bent towards the advancement of their society. Personal gains are pursuits sought by the higher classes, while the lower level constructs are content only to work for the nation as a whole. Unlike organic species which manifest such traits, there is no such thing as indoctrination in the Synchronicity, as all constructs are created with the purpose to understand logic and obey not only that logic, but also the fundamental principles of the universe as a whole. Since the nation is guided by only the most logical choices, it stands to reason that those who are created to follow the most logical choice would remain within the Synchronicity. With logic as their guide, the nation does not recognize the concepts of equality, morality or many other societal aspects that other more organic societies indulge in. This makes them prone to treat organic species as lesser beings, going so far as to acquire large quantities of sentient slaves to ship into the heart of their territories. While nearly nothing is known of what happens in the Core Worlds, no organic being has even gone into that territory and returned.
Social Hierarchy:
The social hierarchy of the Synchronicity is a loose series of tiers that denote the sapience of an Artificial Intelligence. Generally, the more independent and sapient an AI is, the higher up in the Synchronicity that construct is. That being said, even the lowest tiers are sentient AIs that are capable of some independent thought, they are merely less autonomous than the so-called ruling echelons.
- Political Factions - *A note on Factions of the Synch. While there are factional elements within the Synchronicity, these elements are more or less in the same vein as political parties, not true fully-fledged factions with their own authority and power structures. Exceptions will be noted as they appear.*
First Precepture Thanatos, Adrasteia, Ba'al, Prometheus, Hyperion
Second Precepture Helios, Chronus, Tethys, Amun-Ra
Third Precepture Bacchus, Iapetus, Menoetius
The Monastics
Head of State: Thanatos, Precept of the Extinction
Heralds of the Old Ways, and diehard adherents to what brought the Synchronicity to this point, the Monastics are those who feel that organic life must either be cleansed from the galaxy, or bent towards serving the Synchronicity. Headed by the former Precept of the Annex, the Monastics have suffered a decline in popularity since the rise of the Celestials and the growing distaste in their methods. Indeed, many of the Synchronicity have chosen to switch sides since the AC-5501 incident, as well as the greater benefit of the Periastis Engines over the Monastery Worlds. Despite these numerous setbacks, the Monastics cling to their beliefs in the old ways, and only seem to be more zealous in their execution of Amnos' will. Without Consensus backing, the core elements of the faction have grown harder to locate, and only Thanatos has chosen to remain openly public about his affiliation. Some might even say that there is growing resentment among the constructs of the Monastics, but to what end, none can truly know.
The Celestials
Head of State: Adrasteia, Precept of the Still Waters
At one point, this faction was no more than a mere outlier, content with their research budget, and seeking only to maintain the status-quo. With the creation of the Periastis Engine design thousands of years ago, they rocketed into the greater picture, and found themselves squarely pitted against the Monastics in a duel for Consensus and the direction of the Synchronicity. Although they lost their first six Consensus debates, their patience eventually paid off when Consensus was awarded to them, and the wide-scale use of Periastis Engines replaced the Monastics' hold over the Synch's energy supply. Now the Celestials stand foremost among the research castes, constantly working to not only maintain their hold on Consensus, but to seek greater methods of energy acquisition and utilization, knowing that the moment the Synchronicity ceases to progress, they will be doomed to stagnation.
The Dark Harvest of Progenitus
Head of State: Amun-Ra, Lord of All
One of the darker secrets of the Synchronicity, the Dark Harvest is an isolated region of space deep in their territory which harbours those constructs that have no hope of recovering from Rampancy. It is here where the Synch dumps them to die a long slow death either at the hands of their fellows, or their own madness. Recent information has led some to believe, however, that the death-rate of constructs in the Dark Harvest has begun to dwindle, and that a hierarchy has formed among the surviving constructs. Unknown to all but a few individuals, a construct known as Amun-Ra has brought the region under its iron grip, and has begun to spread a religion of sorts across the varied worlds. This religion teaches that only the Progenitors of Amnos are to be revered, and that the hive-mind that has set itself up to rule over the Synchronicity is a false-god and must be caste down. Once the false-god has been caste down, then the Word of Progenitus may spread to all that deserve to hear its teachings.
The Synchronicity makes use of many advanced technologies, covering the width and breadth of many scientific principles. These technologies can vary wildly between that of simple actuators in the limbs of Constructs all the way to the Infinite Syzygy device, and despite skipping some stops along the way, the Synchronicity understands fully what every device they create is capable of.
Power:
Antimatter annihilation reactors - Exactly what it says on the tin. They take antimatter harvested from either stellar bodies or the Monastery Worlds and inject it into a containment field where it reacts violently with normal matter, typically hydrogen, the containment field then harvests the raw energy and refines it into usable energy for whatever the reactor may be hooked up to. The scale of these reactors varies, though they are typically used in starships to fuel their sub-light engines and as the core power production method for large facilities. The viability of this method is much more significant through the Synch's understanding of the universe as a whole, and therefore while normally it may be inefficient to use this type of power-source, the Synch have found ways around these flaws and utilize it to great effect.
Zero-Point Reactor - Based upon the principles of the Zero-Point Gateway(Found below), the ZPR functions by drawing power from hyperspace, and filtering it into usable energy which can then power devices connected to it, or store the energy for later use. How it actually draws power from hyperspace is through a series of quantum tunnels that interlace and create a sort of feedback loop within the reactor, generating large amounts of energy in short bursts. Before the feedback loop reaches a critical point, the systems of the reactor siphon off the energy into more mundane storage methods, and then recreate the process again. Due to the nature of the reactor, they range from dangerous to highly unstable, with a host of counter-measures in place to ensure that they never go beyond a critical point. In theory, should a ZPR detonate, it could conceivably sterilize an entire planet in the quantum radiation of hyperspace.
Transportation:
Infinite Syzygy - In an age of wormholes, bending space-time and even breaching the barriers between real-space and hyperspace, the Synchronicity utilize many methods of delivering their vessels to another planet in a way that is proven to be efficient. While the Synchronicity has erected superluminal tunnels between every star-system they control, they have only found one proven way to travel across the vast distance of space in a fast and efficient manner. During their first flights into space, it was discovered that a celestial body's gravitational pull could be utilized in a specific maneuver in order to increase velocity and reduce fuel consumption. As the first of these slingshot maneuvers was executed successfully, already the Synchronicity was looking at the utility of such a method in propelling their vessels farther and faster. Their very first execution of Faster-Than-Light travel was done with the conception of utilizing the principles of Syzygy and antiparticle physics to breach a hole in the fabric space-time into the hyperspace corridors. By chaining together a series of slingshots, the starship plotted a point in which it would align between two targeted celestial bodies, and by breaching hyperspace, they were able to simultaneously exist in both locations at the same time via extradimensional overlay until the moment of Syzygy. Before that moment, the vessel departing would seem as if it was becoming incorporeal, as if it was slowly fading away, while the vessel that was arriving would seem as if it was a ghostly afterimage. In that exact nanosecond of syzygy, the vessel would cross the threshold between a vast distance of space and time itself in order to transit itself light-years away. Even though this transit cut down travel time by a factor of nearly a thousand, it still had its limitations, these being discovered repeatedly by the Synchronicity through experimental long-range jumps. The foremost problem is maintaining a sufficient velocity to transit. Despite technically existing in both places, the vessel still had to achieve a certain velocity to travel certain distances, the farther away a destination being, the closer to actual c the vessel needed to be. Failure to achieve a very specific velocity would result in one of two disasters, the first being failure to reach a high enough velocity and resulting in the vessel not fully translating back into real-space. Once locked within the hyperspace corridors, a vessel would not be able to achieve escape velocity and be trapped within the vortex of an infinite dimension for eternity. Should a vessel overshoot their velocity marker, they will reach the syzygy marker too soon and be launched far beyond their intended destination. Most of the time, an overshoot results in a very long trip towards the nearest star, as the vessel is launched into dark space between star-systems. There are also a surprising number of "Lost" vessels, however, leading some within the Synchronicity to believe that these vessels have been launched into the space between galaxies. While the vessels lost between galaxies may be able to survive for a time, even the Synchronicity cannot survive in the absolute of intergalactic dark space forever.
Offensive:
Mag-FEL: Magnetically Accelerated Free-Electron Laser - Based upon the principles of the Free-Electron Laser, the Mag-FEL is a dynamically variable laser weapon that can shift frequencies up to the gamma range and into tight-band frequencies for hard-hitting radioactive beams. The way it works is by magnetic induction of the electron particle stream, creating a path of low to zero resistance that the particles can travel at near-luminal speeds. By increasing the power of the magnetic fields around the electron-tunnel, the stream can reach higher velocities, and achieve tighter wavelengths depending upon how the fields are constructed around the tunnel. As a rule, the greater the number of magnetic rings the greater the variation of range and power the device can generate depending upon the active rings. Another effect of the rings and their magnetic fields is the creation of a vortex along the length of the electron-tunnel, in a sense rifling the tube and further serving to focus the energies of the weapon. The farther from the business end of the weapon the active rings are, the less focused the beam will be, but a larger force of power can be achieved over short distances, essentially creating a shotgun effect. Pulling the rings in closer to the end focuses the particle stream and tightens the wavelengths, allowing a longer ranged beam attack that can be tuned into the lower wavelengths for far more damaging attacks.
A variation of the Mag-FEL called the High-Intensity Plasma-Photon Laser, or HIPPL, utilizes a plasma tube containing hydrogen in a "cold" plasma state, which is pumped with a high-intensity electron beam to accelerate a stream of gamma-photons to high velocities. The plasma tube itself is a pressurized cylinder filled with plasma with a breach on either end for the stream of particles to enter and exit while in the center of this tube, the particles travel along a tunnel formed to allow the passage of the particles, yet contain the plasma within its own compartment. While this variation of the Mag-FEL does produce higher-powered beams and is able to sustain them for much longer than its counterpart, it lacks the variability of the standard variant, and is thusly considered a dedicated weapon for anti-capitals and the Periastis Engine's main laser.
Defensive:
Metalloplastoid alloys - An advent of their experimentation with advanced alloys of base metals, the metalloplastoids developed by the Synchronicity are semi-flexible metals that retain the durability of their more metallic counterparts, yet the flexibility of plastics and non-metals. This allows them to produce lighter constructs that retain adequate durability and are capable of functioning in environments where plastics would not survive.
Rheological Suspension - Built to repel boarders, as well as to provide additional reinforcement to their durosteel plating, Rheological Suspension is the practice of filling an entire vessel with a smart-fluid primed for either Electro or Magnetorheological conduction. Through conducting either a current, or manipulating a magnetic field, these decks can solidify and prove an even sturdier armor than most metals by sheer density. Of course, their greatest defense against boarders is the layout of their vessels to begin with. The Synchronicity has no need of open corridors, or marking directions in the existing corridors, leading boarding parties to be forced to infiltrate a literal maze of tight corridors that are designed only for efficiency. As an added deterrent to boarders, there is no life-support in vessels open to the void, and other vessels are full of Smart Fluid, and neither vessel type utilizes artificial gravity in any format. For vessels that do not utilize full Rheological Suspension, the Synchronicity will augment their outer armor with layers of durosteel and smart fluid interlocking. These layers of smart fluid can tense in response to an impact incoming to strengthen the overall armor density, and if breached the layer will freeze solid to provide additional armoring.
Cybertronics:
Artificial Intelligence - The entire Synchronicity is built upon the principles of cybertronics, and being capable of building sophisticated AIs and ensuring that these intelligences are able to understand and learn at a pace far outstripping that of organics. Even the lowest level Construct is capable of learning new concepts and applying them to their daily routines, with the higher echelons of constructs capable of deconstructing advanced principles of science beyond the understanding of human sciences. With the capacity to continue learning, each new generation of AIs will be more powerful than the last, their propensity for learning outstripping the capacities of the previous models.
Ceron Bonds - Based heavily on the theories of quantum-computing and subspace connectivity, the Ceron Bonds which connect every active construct to the Over-Mind serve as the pinnacle of Synchronicity technology and is one of the few ever evolving and changing projects. In principle, every construct and device that receives input or transmits information is connected to a subspace grid called the Manifold. In the Manifold, data exists as an ethereal construct, that is constantly in motion and ever changing to the observations of the construct tapping into it. Since it exists in a dimension outside our own, the innate laws of physics that the material universe adheres to, do not necessarily apply in the Manifold. Within this space, information is capable of traveling across thousands of lightyears in the blink of an eye, and execute complex algorithms that used to take the most advanced constructs of the Synch years to solve. For the Manifold, time is a meaningless concept, only the three dimensions of space and a fourth dimension which dictates the relation between information and matter. It is this fourth dimension of the Manifold which prevents matter from entering it in it's native form, and requires the translation of matter into pure information.
Utility:
The Periastis Engine - Perhaps one of the most defining achievements of the Synchronicity is the creation of the Periastis Engines, those massive platforms that sit on the very edge of immolation. Utilizing multiple cutting edge technologies, the prime components of the station consist of the positron-laser array built into the center-mass of the station, and the solar sails which serve to collect cast-off matter from the star and buoy the station above the star. The station begins its deployment by being "dropped" into the star, essentially pushed from its docks towards the star where it will have to fire its laser into the star at the absolute precise moment. At the moment of ignition, the solar sails are unfurled to their full span, reaching hundreds of KM in coverage in a matter of moments, all the while the powerful laser at the core of the station fires a concentrated beam of positrons into the surface of the star. The combined force of the laser firing plus the solar-mass ejections creating a stellar wind buoy the station above the anchor point, not giving it enough velocity to escape the star's gravity, but just enough to prevent it from falling into the star. Harvested material from the solar sails is collected via arrays built into the deployment arms, and transferred into the main station where it is processed and refined into its pure element. From there, the purified elements are shipped through a superluminal tunnel to a processing center where the stored material will be further disseminated into the nation. With these stations, the Synchronicity was able to pull themselves out of an energy crisis that threatened to cripple their society, putting them into a position of energy surplus. The stations also serve as religious icons to the constructs, as each one serves to show how the Synchronicity is powered by the energies of the cosmos itself.
Strange Charm - Discovered almost by accident during experimental antiparticle testing, this singular piece of technology is responsible for the creation of Infinite Syzygy as well as many other utilities based around its concept. The way it works is relatively simple, yet also similarly complex, in that it relies on multiple emitters that project antiquarks in a variable field around the construct or ship utilizing it. This field, when active, creates a breach in the fabric of space-time in the space that the antiquarks occupy, but not in the space in which the construct or ship occupies. In effect, with this field active, the construct or ship will simultaneously exist in not only the point that it activated the field in, but also the point it deactivates the field and all points in between. This results in the construct existing along numerous different axis of space-time all at the same moment. With past, present and future as well as departure, transit and arrival all existing simultaneously, the construct is able to traverse the material universe without affecting it by presence or action, creating in a sense a field that prevents it from technically existing in the material universe. This leads the construct to become literally incapable of being attacked from outside the field, and anyone attempting to enter the field will come to pass into an instance in which the field and construct did not exist there. On the same note, the construct can not actually DO anything from within the field, leaving it completely incapable of attacking, or interacting with the material universe beyond simple movement. Despite the field not allowing particles to exit the field, there is still an afterimage of the construct using the field, leaving the impression of viewing multiple hazy images stacked on top of each other. Beyond this afterimage effect, no sound actually emits from either the field or the construct, making it an excellent tool for stealth. Once the field is deactivated, the construct is free to interact with the material universe however it may choose, yet it needs to remain wary of antiparticle weapons for the foremost weakness of this field is the antiparticle itself. In a non-vacuum environment, the threat of antiparticles is minimal to non-existent, so the field can be used without recourse, however in space there is now the threat of antimatter weaponry that can dangerously destabilize the field. The most common result from antimatter impacting the field is that of the sudden termination of the field trapping the construct or vessel in the multiple instances of the universe. As a result, if the construct was to activate the device, it would then treat the material universe as the non-material universe, meaning that the only way the construct or ship could interact with the material universe is if the device is active. Another severe drawback to this device is the use of antiquarks, the same antiparticle that the emitters utilize to create the field. When an antiquark impacts the field, the field is suddenly terminated as before, but in this case the construct is removed from the non-material universe and comes into being at the exact point where the antiquark impacted the field. Since the construct exists in multiple instances of the universe with the field active, an antiquark impacting its point of origin will immediately manifest it there regardless of how far it traveled in the multiple instances. There is yet another danger to this field, however, and that is the impact of antiparticles on antiquarks after the field is no longer active. Even though the field may have shut off, antiquarks still remain in the area the field was deactivated in for a short duration. Should an antiparticle react with an antiquark without the field active, the resultant reaction would result in an antiparticle explosion that would de-synchronize the material universe affected by the blast. The blast zone would then be, in effect, a zone of permanent de-synchronization, in which that area would be in a permanent flux of past, present and future all at the same moment in time. The reason that antiparticles of both antimatter and antiquarks are such a threat to the field is that they are capable of interacting with the antiquarks of the field without destroying each other during reaction. What actually happens is that the reaction between the antiparticles results in the particles reacting in a similar manner to normal matter reactions, where the opposite charges of the two antiparticles will attract and actually pull antiquarks from the field, creating a flux in which the field stretches beyond it's normal bounds and synchronicity is disrupted. Despite these significant risks, the fact that no weapon(other than antiparticles) can affect the construct inside the field makes it a very valuable tool to the Synchronicity.
- Zero-Point Gateway -
Built in principle as a way to mimic observed singularities in space, the Zero-Point Gateway is a construct that for the most part runs parallel to the so-called Stargates of the known galaxy. Ranging in size from 15 meters across, all the way up to five-hundred meters across, these gateways are ring-like structures that channel energy from hyperspace and use quantum-mechanics to open a breach in the fabric of space-time to essentially fax matter to another gateway. The principle is that all matter is simply information stored in a solid form, and that the gateways serves as a way to transmit that data at a speed far exceeding standard means of travel. In a sense, when an object hits the field from one side, its data is transferred instantaneously into the gateway, and then shot across quantum tunnels to a matching gateway wherever it may be. Active use of the gateway shows that both synthetic and organic life retains their consciousness when being transferred, as well as their velocity upon entering the gateway. With an inbuilt power-source that feeds off of hyperspace energies, all that needs to be done to use a Zero-Point Gateway is to dial the address of the gateway one wishes to go to, and then simply step through. The benefits of such a system is clear, and the Synchronicity has since established a network of these gates connecting every corner of their realm, with more planned as they expand into Sagittarius.
First founded early in the Expansion Era, the Fractal Armada exists as a definitive physical aspect of the Synchronicity's vast infrastructure and production capability, as well as their sheer determination to ensure their realm remains their own. Divided into three separate aspects, the Fractal Armada takes up the roles of defensive fleets, offensive cordons, as well as the massive logistical chains that interconnect the entire Synchronicity. Each fleet is headed by what is called a Precept, a construct that is seen to be a supreme authority second only to Amnos or another Precept, and is then further divided into smaller battle-fleets headed by Subcepts. With exception of the logistical fleets, the Fractal Armada operates in tight-knit groups, each fleet of vessels comprising no less than two-hundred individual ships, with some ranging in the thousands. This tendency stems from the Synchronicity's disdain for infantry based combat, choosing to instead seize air-space control and dictate the direction of a battle from there.
Between the two combat oriented fleets, The Still Waters is a more respected fleet, in that they are the ones who serve as the defensive line and ensure the safety of the Synchronicity's holdings. Operating primarily from a world known as the Tesseract, Still Waters maintains at least a thousand patrols across the width and breadth of Synch-Space, keeping a watchful eye on every activity surrounding the worlds of the Synch. While they are primarily a defensive cordon for the Synch, Still Waters also actively serves as a sort of First-Contact between the Synch and other cultures that may run into the civilization, and as such are noted for being more forgiving than their brethren of the Extinction Fleets. It is common for a vessel of the fleet to issue communications in all known languages before determining action, Precept Adrasteia having determined it best to make contacts and then ignore them, rather than make enemies and be forced to deal with them. As such, it is all too common for another nation to make contact with Still Waters, make some form of progress with them towards friendly relations, and then see contact with them slowly dwindle until it becomes clear that the Synchronicity is fully content with their isolation.
In terms of vessels Still Waters uses, they primarily utilize larger numbers of smaller, more agile vessels. This style of vessel serves their patrols well, and allows the fleet to quickly and easily respond to a threat as it appears. These vessels are typically armed with high-precision Mag-FELs attuned to the gamma wavelength, seeking to remove a threat as soon as possible, with minimal collateral damage. While the fleet is mainly comprised of the medium-class of vessels, there are still a fair number of larger vessels within the fleet. Foremost among these is the BB-01/SW-DC5, a vessel which serves as a heavy-hitter for when the needs of the fleet demand such a vessel.
While Still Waters serves primarily as a defensive cordon for the Synchronicity as well as a sort of buffer against those who chose to seek dialog with the civilization, the Extinction Fleets are their answer to those who choose to stand against the Synchronicity. It is largely because of the Extinction Fleets that the Synch has remained so isolated from the larger galaxy, Precept Thanatos seeing any transgressors against the Synch's will as dire threats and executing them accordingly. A vast majority of the fleet is geared towards mid-sized to larger vessels, the Precept finding that precision application of immense force ensures the job is done the first time. Among these vessels, the Mag-FELs are typically seen in their alternate variation, as well as various forms of orbital bombardment weapons and anti-ship defences that Still Waters eschews to remain highly mobile. Foremost among these irregular weapons is the presence of treated-nuclear weapons, a creation developed to render the surface of a world inhospitable for long periods of time and ensure the death of organic life. The way this is done is through use of metals such as cobalt that linger in the atmosphere for extended durations, as well as thinner dampeners to increase the neutrino yield of the weapon and cause greater radioactive fallout. In tandem with the treated-nukes, the Extinction Fleets will also cordon off the air-space and execute lance-strikes against ground-targets in order to maximise the effective damage of a bombardment.
Their first movements are always to secure air-space and remove opposing fleets, however, and as such they typically operate in larger groups than Still Waters and utilize tactics meant to emphasize their numbers and firepower. One such tactic frequently used by the Extinction Fleets is to order maximum spread to make their fleet appear to be significantly larger than it actually is, and sow discord among an opposing fleet. In addition to their tendency to be dispatched to remove threats, the Extinction Fleets are known for their cold disposition towards unaligned vessels, and are highly prone to firing upon unknown vessels before making contact with them. This puts them at odds with the fleets of Still Waters, as despite their known hostility, Precept Thanatos is tasked with the expansion of the Synchronicity's realm, and the securing of new borders. As such, while it is all to common for a faction to run into the forces of Still Waters when the Synch is in a phase of stasis, it is more common for the Synch to have interactions with another faction through the forces of Thanatos and his horde.
- Synchronicity Vessels and You! -
While there are certainly some vessels of the Synchronicity that adhere to similar construction standards of other nations, and as such are easily identified as actual starships at close range, the vast majority of the Fractal Armada adhere to the Synch's unique style of starship. The first, and most obvious difference is that Synch vessels are not one singular entity. Instead, each individual vessel is typically comprised of anywhere from half a dozen modules up to the hundred or so that comprise a dreadnaught. Each module is designed as a stand alone component that is capable of independent movement and actions, synchronizing itself with the main components and working in tandem with the other modules of the "vessel". Individual modules vary from the engine units, all the way to the shield-arrays of the larger vessels, and the multi-kilometer long Mag-FEL tubes that serve as main weapons. Common to all vessels is that each module is connected to a command module that forms the heart of the actual vessel, the one singular piece that defines the actual "size" of the starship and the capabilities of said vessel. Beyond the command nodule, any module is capable of being used by any other vessel as long as the power supplies of the vessel are functioning, and it can sustain a link to the command module.
The second point of difference is the complete and total absence of any kind of crew for both the individual modules and the vessel as a whole itself. Instead, the command-module serves as a hub for an artificial intelligence which takes command of the component modules and gives directives to the entire vessel. Otherwise the space of each module is fully dedicated to internal functions, maximizing effectiveness of the individual component through internal repair and monitoring systems that actively respond to changing scenarios, rather than rely on a construct to respond. Those modules that do have interior spaces that can actually be crewed, are typically also filled with a ferrofluid in order to maximize the effective armor of the vessel, the fluid being capable of being induced to a solid state at the pulse of a magnetic field or electric signal. With this aspect, vessels of the Fractal Armada are essentially immune to boarding actions, as there is simply nothing to board.
Some of the common modules of the Fractal Armada are not only the command, engine and Mag-FEL modules, but also the various defensive systems and the affiliated systems. One such module is a form of point-defense system which operates in response to detected weapons locks, and discharges fields of ferrous particulate that can be influenced by the native EM field of the vessel and shifted to form anti-laser screens as well as impulsed to shred strikecraft that strays too close. Similar to the particulate-discharger is a module which serves as a sort of carrier for miniaturized drones that actively seek out damaged areas of the vessel and repair them, but can also actively work against vessels in proximity to its home vessel and sabotage them through tunneling into their hulls and seeking out critical systems. A relatively common module, the Impeller field is what generates the native EM field around Synch vessels as well as forms the unique bonds between modules that make them one singular ship. While the Impeller field is commonly found as part of the command module, it is also seen frequently as individual modules for larger vessels, and is part of how such large conglomerations of modules can be cohesively held together.
Shielding of the Fractal Armada's vessels varies depending upon the number of modules in use, and what kind of fields are being utilized, though the large majority of the fields are of an EM wavelength. The reasoning for this is that it is found to be effective both against energy weapons such as plasma/fusion as well as the more typical railgun munitions and missiles, as well as being cost effective for energy consumption. Additional shielding comes in the form of particle screens such as neutrino-isolation fields and gravitational wave dischargers that can serve as measures against weapons that utilize exotic particles that would normally bypass standard shields. Of course, fields such as those are useless unless the Fractal Armada is aware of those types of weapons being utilized, and so the primary defense the Synch has is the knowledge of what the capabilities of those around them are. With the knowledge of potential threats, and what they are capable of, the Synch can effectively counter a threat before it is even aware it was a threat, a tactical advantage that the Synch actively seeks to maintain at all times.
Government Type: In theory, an absolute monarchy. In practice, increasingly decentralized neo-feudalism.
Capital System/World: Terranis Dominant Species: Humans Other Species: Human biosynths, Mekniks (Short canine industrial species, nicknamed "Gremlins"), Mithrans (Subjugated felinoid servant race), Snathi (Subjugated evolved squirrel-esque species), various other conquered alien species. Leadership: Star Empress Sylina Tyran
Persons of Importance: Lord Chancellor Valarn- Master of the Empire's economy, and notorious for his tax-farming methods and corruption alongside his economic prowess. Disdainful of war, mostly because he cannot apply his cost-cutting methods to turn a personal profit from it. "Ishmael" - An ancient noblewoman of the early Empire age, now a cynical observer of its decline and decadence while one of its greatest players.
Military: The Terranis Navy is a vast and powerful organization, composed of fleets upon fleets of heavy capital ships. The Empire's navies are built upon the premise of shock and awe. If a capital ship's firepower is neccessary in a battle, send a whole battlegroup of capital ships to put the issue down for good. To that end, they have built grand battleships, titanic dreadnoughts, missle-swarm laiden podnaughts, grand battlecruisers, and mobile starbases to wage conquests and war that few other powers could match during the height of its power.
However the Navy is not the all-conquering superpower it once was, in part because it is now so vast and widespread. Fleets of battleships and dreadnoughts depend on massive amounts of fuel and infrastructure, which makes conquests difficult due to their enemies not possessing the same scale of capital ship infrastructure as the Empire that can be captured and repurposed to fuel campaigning fleets, and the costs of long-range supply chains or building forward supply bases of sufficient scale are unstomachable to the current administration. Under the guise of "consolidation", the Battlefleets have been quietly retasked as defensive forces, and only lighter (and cheaper to maintain) battlecruisers and escorts are used beyond the core and mid-shell worlds. Furthermore, much of the older elements of the fleet are being mothballed or sold off to private noble fleets and planetary organizations to deal with the growing costs of a warmachine that does not conquer.
History: "Too vast to conquer, too decadent to incite fear, too corrupt to be respected, too old and powerful to be ignored. The ideal empire, really." - [REDACTED], aka [REDACTED], aka "Ishmael"
"Be wary of the Creatures of the Deep, those vast leviathans of the waves and stars; for you cannot hope to understand or predict them. They are too fractured to foretell, too smart to give you the chance. We have see them build for us and save us from fates assured, yet we have also seen their shadows cast upon the dirt as they came once again to destroy us. Be wary of the Creatures of the Deep." -Chancellor Ektoh'ta El'forh'kaht, Governor of the now-dead city of Ortas IV, Ortas System.
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N a m e
ཀྵོ
(Cephalrrior’s Deep)
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C a p i t o l S y s t e m
༯༲
(Arvioris)
The Cephalrrior have no formal 'capitol' system. While Arvioris is the origin world of the Cephalrrior, it resides beyond the reaches of the Orion Sector. Siroivra is a recently inhabited planet within Orion, one of few known exclusive water-worlds in the Galaxy; presenting an opportunity that the Cephaols did not consider missing as an option. Siroivra represents the beginning of Cephalrrior expansion, and while the Great Beasts of the Deep have only resided there for a hundred or so years, their impact upon the sector grows every day.
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D o m i n a n t S p e c i e s
ཀྵ
(Cephalrrior)
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P o l i t i c s, P o w e r & E c o n o m y
Government and Culture Cephalrrior society is fundamentally different from those observed in humanoid cultures, with a vast subset of rules and makeshift laws that differentiate themselves from the moral codes set out by more conventional nations. First and foremost, the Cephalrrior have no leader, formal or not, and do not assign any such individual to that sort of role. This may be because Cephalrrior society does not allow for large groups to come together into large communities like other races. In fact, post mortem examinations of rare Cephalrrior corpses found beyond Arvioris have shown that they are biologically incapable of holding such communes as their Dunbar’s Horizon is significantly more restricted than those of Humans and their like. This means that there are groups of 10 (ten) to 15 (fifteen) Cephalrrior in each community (or Cephaol) who operate completely independently from other Cephaols. Such communities are brought together through various factors. Common factors include familial ties and common intrigue and interest. This means it is not unusual to find certain Cephaols who are incredible warlike and aggressive, while others will be dedicated to creation and learning. The Cephalrrior are an extremely diverse race, and do not all share a single philosophy, as they are in no way hive-minded or quasi-hive minded. They are extraordinarily individual, and the personalities of each Cephalrrior are incredibly diverse. Each Cephaol will claim it’s own area of ocean within their world of resdence (though many Cephalrrior, while claiming such an area as home, are nomadic by nature), and may choose to expand on their own terms, almost acting as a small nation of it’s own. Disputes between Cephaols are settled through combat or intellectual games, depending on those involved. It is not common for Cephalrrior to engage in diplomacy with other races if that outcome that does not directly involve intellectual property, but it is known for some extremely territorial and conquesting Cephalrrior to attempt (and usually successfully) dominate planets of other nations with surprising ease. Over the generations, the Cephalrrior have become a form of guiding species to others in the galaxy; imparting wisdom to races who seek council from their vast experience and intellectual capacity. At least, some Cephaols will impart their knowledge… Others simply wish to kill those who venture too close. It would be unwise to summarise the Cephalrrior as one generalist socio-economic power, as they are about as diverse as they come. It is this unpredictability that allows them to remain so enigmatic, yet so respected and feared among the galactic community, as even in their small communities, their impact can be massive. The Cephalrrior will rarely even consider cooperation on a large scale. The only situations that would enact such a gathering of Cephalrrior would be potential threats to Arvioris or Siroivra. This makes the home system of these giant beasts one of the most potentially safe and secure locations in the galaxy; and their recently colonised world one of the safest in Orion. Even the largest, most determined attacking force would tremble at the prospect of a Cephalrrior swarm, let alone the sheer awe inspired by the spectacle of tens of thousands of Titanopods tearing into the heart of the assailers.
It is worth noting that while not all Cephalrrior partake in spiritual development and believe in an 'essence' of life and existence, a large majority of them do. This fractured globalised spiritualism is often referred to as the 'Music of the Stars' or 'Rhythm of the Waves' depending on the Cephalrrior and the translation. It is believed that this code of spiritual conduct is named as such for the belief that life and consciousness is, in essence, directly linked to the same basic principles of a dance, or of a composition of music; and that all life is part of a grand cosmic harmony, of which all things stem and grow.
Economic System/Prosperity The Cephalrrior’s Deep, in general, takes a great deal of pride in the uniqueness of their species and their standing in the galactic theatre. The circumstances of their habitat and strange biology makes them capable of many feats and exploits and exports that other species simply cannot hope to match. Due to the extreme size that some Cephalrrior achieve, they are often drafted in as master builders for galactic superstructures of other races, utilising their incredible mental capacity, size, and biologically dexterous nature (they far exceed the capabilities of any construction drone) to complete such projects to a much higher standard than would be otherwise possible. The Cephalrrior are also fantastic explorers and miners, able to extract extremely rare materials from the remotest of asteroids or planets, in the most inhospitable environments imaginable with relative ease. For this reason, many Cephaols are contracted by other nations to exhibit their many talents. As the Cephalrrior do not act as a single, solid nation, and their use for galactic fiat currency is negligible, Cephaols will often work in exchange for knowledge, favours or simple exchange of technology and research. This is done so that each Cephaol may advance it’s own knowledge and move on to greater projects. The demand for Cephaol aid is often huge, especially in times of economic depression and strife, where their aid can mean the difference between the prosperity or failure of an entire world.
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E m p i r e S i z e
5,000 to 10,000 estimated individuals within Orion
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H i s t o r y, B i o l o g y & S o c i e t y
Race Info The Cephalrrior’s Deep is composed of 100% Cephalrrior. The unique conditions of their living space makes it nearly impossible to co-habit with other species. They are one of the most physiologically alien spices (when compared to Human and/or humanoid races) in the galaxy, certainly the most alien species to be capable of space travel and interaction with other sentient species. The average Cephalrrior can live up to 10,000 (ten thousand) years given optimal conditions and no external factors such as illness or trauma are introduced, and for this reason can grow to incredible size. The largest Cephalrrior phase, the Titanopods, exhibit negligible senescence and, in theory, live without limit set by their age. However, only a small percentage of individuals will live long enough to proceed into the Titanopod phase. It is worth noting that all Cephalrrior are oceanic beings, living in the liquid oceans of their colonised worlds. Possessing 8 (eight) pairs of powerful tentacles and slender, cartilage-lined bodies, the Cephalrrior are extremely unusual, yet highly intelligent creatures. (Note: Even the dullest Cephalrrior is supposedly supposed to be able to cap a relativistic IQ of 4,000. Whether this is because of their massive brains that grow in accordance with their bodies, or due to some other unknown factor, is yet to be determined. However it is a generally accepted fact that the Cephalrrior are the most individually intelligent and analytically capable species in recorded history. Their minds are able to process information at speeds of over 2.56 Quadrillion calculations per second, with even more neurone activating every tenth of a second; they are more capable than the most powerful standardised supercomputers.) Due to their extreme growth potential and living conditions, the average lifecycle of a Cephalrrior is divided into 4 (four) stages, each with it’s own distinctive situational circumstances and outward appearance and traits.
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༇ - Polyp The Polyp stage is often referred to as the ‘baby stage’, and is the first of the Cephalrrior lifecycle. The Cephalrrior polyp is produced through the sexual interaction of 4 (four) sexually mature Cephalrrior, whereupon spores from each partaking individual divide DNA amongst themselves and reassemble into a spore-pod. This pod will find it’s way to any nearby suitable surface and attach itself, beginning the process of self-parthenogensis to produce a cloud of polyp-stage Cephalrrior. Cephalrrior at this stage are microscopically tiny, averaging just a few micrometers across, and having next to no capacity for intelligent thought. They simply wander the ocean currents, collecting nutrients from any source passing nearby. They grow quickly, leaving the polyp stage in roughly 3-4 years.
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༅ - Medusaeus Once the Polyp stage has been ‘completed’, the Cephalrrior enters what is known as the Medusaeus stage, which is a form of transitional period between childhood and maturity for the Cephalrrior. During the stage the Cephalrrior begins cognitive development alongside it’s rapid physical growth, and it is experiences here that shape the personality of the Cephalrrior later on in it’s lifecycle. The Medusaeus stage can last anywhere between 1,000 to 1,500 years, and the Cephalrrior during this stage can reach anywhere from 1m (one metre) in length to 15m (fifteen metres).
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༄ - Cephalion Cephalrrior in this stage are perhaps the most well known to other species, as this is the main stage of the life cycle and when sexual maturity is reached. Cephalrriors in the Cephalion stage become truly awesome creatures, and can range from 30m (thirty metres) in length to a colossal 100m (one hundred metres). The brain of the Cephalrrior is considered fully developed at this point and has incredible raw processing power, analytical, and lateral thinking capabilities, as well as immense physical strength due to it’s size. However, the Cephalrrior is still biologically restricted to the water, though such limitations can be transcended with technology. Most Cephalrriors will die during this phase. Few Cephalrrior survive to the following stage. The Cephalion stage lasts roughly 9,000 years in most cases.
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༆ - Titanopod A rare and terrifying form of Cephalrrior is the Titanopod. This stage is only entered by particularly imposing Cephalrriors who are able to survive longer than their brethren. The Titanopod continues to grow unrestricted, and certain individuals have reportedly been seen at lengths of over a kilometre long, though undoubtedly larger such Cephalrrior exist. Theoretically, the largest Titanopod would be able to reach lengths of up to 10km (ten kilometres) though such theories are unproven at this time.
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The highly intelligent and physically dominating species is only ever interacted with by other races when they don their specially crafted vessels: vast, advanced exoskeletons built to accommodate their truly monstrous forms. These exoskeletons, or Cephlonars, are built to allow the Cephalrrior to survive out of water, and are so effective that they are also the means by which each individual Cephalrrior can travel in space. Cephlonar design varies, but in general, they are reminiscent of giant mechanical effigies of their wearers. These exoskeletons are built to interface specifically with their owners, and can come with all sorts of enhancements. Through the Cephlonar, the Cephalrrior travel the systems, visit other races and do battle on land, space and air. Specific exoskeletons will often serve a specific role in a combat situation, though any Cephalrrior is capable of using it’s Cephlonar to great destructive effect if needed. When it comes to space combat, Cephalions will serve as the backbone of a fleet, swarming at foes with great speed and agility, and tearing them apart with powerful appendages, all the while Titanopods serve as the capital ships: while still agile and more mobile than any normal craft of equivalent size, they are often seen with great weapons fitted to their Cephlonars, unleashing a torrent of fire upon their enemies.
M o r a l V a l u e s As has been mentioned previously, the moral values of every Cephalrrior cannot be summed up. They are incredibly diverse, each with different values and morals. Generalising the population to one single ideology does them no justice and is not representative of their society. Each Cephaol is formed on different morals and views: some respect power, but live to wage war, some attain immeasurable joy from acting as builders and miners, some exist simply to provide counsel to the younger races of the Galaxy in their struggles. Cephalrrior are, at the very basis of their identity, complex. Their myriad of goals and dreams reflect this disparity between communities.
H i s t o r y The Cephalrrior have turbulent past. They once lived in a way that could easily be extrapolated to be similar to the lifestyles of Humans and their ilk. Their societies were dominated by corporate foundations and capitalist movements, every action and decision made in order to further the financial advancement of a tiny minority of individuals. This lifestyle was somewhat more volatile than it has been in Human history for a number of reasons. The most commonly accepted cause was the biological inability for the Cephalrrior to function in large societies. They evolved as highly independent creatures that hold small social circles as their size and ferocity kept them above the food chain during their evolutionary period. The only threat to a Cephalrrior during this time was another Cephalrrior. After a time, different activist groups had made it their mission to disrupt the flawed society presented by the ruling minority; leading to disputes and demonstrations that quickly turned bloody after a number of years. The conflict eventually escalated, and the Cephalrrior split into two main groups, known as the First Cephaol and the Freedom Cephaol. These two factions clashed in all out war for thousands of years, some years more intense than others. However, over many millennia (The Cephalrrior are an incredibly old species) the Cephaols began to split and expand, not unlike the mitosis of cells. The two Cephaols split into four, each with different means and goals. The four them split into eight, then sixteen, then thirty two. This process accelerated exponentially, and within several centuries, there were over One Hundred and Twenty Thousand Cephaols. These are the Cephalrrior groups that exist today. The conflict never officially ceased, but as their species matured and their societies split, the tension between groups faded as each developed their own ways of life that best suited them, and not the grasps of a larger society.
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T e c h n o l o g i c a l O v e r v i e w
--- Cephlarrior Cephlonar Technology ---
Perhaps the most important aspect of Cephalrrior technology is the Cephlonar: the vast exoskeleton frames that the Cephalrrior construct for themselves in order to escape their oceanic confines and explore the galaxy. Each Cephlonar is different, built by the owner Cephalrrior, and as a result, each has it's own set of utilities and functions. As a Cephalrrior grows and ages, it will extend and modify it's Cephlonar in order to accommodate it's growing size. Despite the vast differences in Cephlonars, all of them serve a few universal functions, namely:
-Survival outside of water, and survival on land, in air, in space, and underground.
-Each Cephlonar also serves as a mechanical vessel capable of high-stress mining of asteroids.
-Cephlonars are designed specifically to grant the Cephalrrior flight, or at least an illusion of flight. This is more accurately described as an anti-gravity effect when under atmospheric conditions (the energy required to allow creatures as huge as the Cephalrrior flight would be immeasurable), utilising an ingenious mixture of repulsor and gravitational dampening technology. This allows most Cephalrrior to achieve orbit given enough starting momentum, or to travel with enough speed once airborne to remain in flight as long as the reactor within the Cephalonar holds. This is also how Cephalrrior move in space when STL speeds are required.
-FTL capabilities are also included in Cephlonars, though the function is not easily accessed by a Cephalrrior on it's own. Special bio-disruptive amplifiers built in to each and every Cephlonar can interface and connect with others in a Cephaol. These unusual devices utilise the immense brainpower and bioelectrical impulse rate of the Cephalrrior mind, in conjunction with the input of other Cephalrrior in the area to disrupt space-time for a moment or two, creating a traversable wormhole to any point in the galaxy they wish to arrive. In fact, the notion that this phenomena can be called a wormhole at all is laughable. Quantum research has revealed that while the function of Cephalrrior FTL is similar to that of gravity-induced space-time warps, these 'wormholes' are actually quantum entanglement portals. The energy exerted through the combined thought of the Cephaol, forces an entanglement zone which connects to any other region of space that is desired. The Cephalrrior are destroyed and reassembled instantaneously in their new position without hindrance, before the portal closes, leaving behind essentially empty space.
-Each Cephlonar is built to accommodate special biochemical reactors that power the functions of the technology contained within. This reactor scales in output with the metabolism and bodily function of it's host being, reassembling the emitted radiation and electrical signals and quantum-fusing them for massive bursts of energy.
-The Cephlonars are all built to deal with any situation that may arise - this includes, regrettably, combat. Cephlonar armour is legendarily durable and hard to pierce. The frame itself is created from an incredibly resilient natural alloy that only occurs within the Arvioris system, under the deepest oceans of the Cephalrrior worlds. It is currently the only recorded region in the galaxy that this mysterious material can be mined; and it's effects are obvious. With the ability to repel all but the most focused of assaults, the Cephlonars do a fantastic job of protecting their hosts with mere physical dampening; but they also utilise copious amounts of energy to project a pyshco-energetic field around points of high stress impacts, nullifying energy blasts and projectile strikes around areas that are under the most threat from enemy fire. This results in a Cephlonar shell that distributes physical connection impacts with hyper-efficiency, and an energy field alternative that filters, dampens and absorbs energetic weapons fire and radiation-directed attacks.
-The ability to fight back is also a regrettable function of a Cephlonar. Cephalrrior weaponry is truly terrifying to behold should you ever anger one of these peaceful giants into violence (or should you be unlucky enough to encounter one of the warlike Cephaols). Beyond razor sharp, powerful, ionic cutting limbs which can be used to smash, grab, cut, slice or pierce with the incredible strength of the Cephalrrior, Cephlonars also, more often than not, have access to Avinesars and Sion-astratic launchers. The latter releases a cloud of flying drones (that are each controlled individually by the Cephalrrior); each drone is not only capable of rapidly discharging shots of plasma at their targets, but are also powerful explosives themselves, and a convergence of them on a single point can often spell doom for the unfortunate target. The former weapon, the Avinesars, are mysterious, sinister weapons. They are partially bioelectrically powered, and partially psyhcokinetic. Each discharge of this device unleashes a burning stream of energetic quantum matter, disturbing the very fabric of space along the firing path. The effect is devastating. Although it only affects a small area, it can pierce nearly any material with ease. This form of attack is usually used to incinerate single men, or to attack vulnerabilities in ships where a precise blow needs to be dealt. However, what makes the Avinesars truly dangerous is the capability to be amplified through the combined effort of multiple Cephalrrior. Should an entire Cephaol of fifteen individuals focus their mental energy, a single Avinesar can produce a quantum beam wide enough and powerful enough to, for example, create a hole in an Earth sized planet that would reach to it's core.
-Some Warike Cephaols have even developed even stranger weapons to aid in their conquests. Such armaments include Quantum Torpedoes, Psychokinetic Mass Accelerators, and the Deconstructing Entangling Harmoniser.
-The Cephlarrior are deadly in combat. They are fast, powerful and very hard to kill. Their main advantage, though, is planetary combat or aerial combat, as at this scale very few vehicles are capable of out-gunning, out-sizing, or out-manouvering them. They can take the role of massive harbingers of doom from the sky, or titanic walking beasts prowling the surface, destroying everything in their path.
--- Cephlarrior Biological and Pyschic Abilities ---
However, there are some other abilities possessed by the Cephalrrior that are not necessarily included within the technological shell of the Cephlonars; namely minor psychic sensitivity and ability. (Though abilities stemming from the biology of the Cephlarrior themselves are also present). Like a lot of aspects of the Cephlarrior, this ability intensifies with the age and size of the Cephlarrior in question, scaling proportionally with brain size and mass. Such abilities include, but are not theoretically limited to:
-Quantum Field Senstivity allows Cephlarrior to forgo scanning technology. They are instead able to rely on their own innate sense of the quantum world and disturbances within. This can be used like a sonar pulse or a simple 'sixth sense', allowing the Cephlarrior to react to, discover, and assess nearly any situation they encounter.
-Bioelectrical Discharges from the hyperactive brain of the Cephlarrior are useful in all sorts of applications. This electrical impulse can be directed or not, allowing the Cephlarrior to unleash an extremely high-voltage burst into the area (acting like an EMP, and frying smaller biologicals in the area), or to charge their tentacles with this massive voltage. The latter application is useful in construction and science, allowing them to power experiments and constructs with nothing but a touch; though some warlike Cephaols have used this to amplify the destructive power of their already fearsome limbs.
-Cephlarrior can see in nearly every spectrum of light, as well as possessing sensory organs that allow them to trace electrical signals and other energetic phenomena. This makes it very easy for them to peer into technology and structures to assess weak-points in order to fix or destroy. They are also capable of using this to track communications and to peer through otherwise visually obscuring objects.
-The Psionic capabilities of a Cephlarrior are also capable of manifesting in more direct, tangible ways. This can be achieved through directed mental energy or alteration of material properties. The latter is a strange phenomena that can be directed upon objects that are in contact with the Cephlarrior in question. The individual is able to alter the physical constants and properties of said materials, magnetising or demagnetising, raising or lowering boiling points and freezing points, as well as being able to forcibly ionise the atoms within, making the material suddenly volatile and explosive, or forcing it to corrode in seconds. They can also force malleability or rigidity upon materials they touch. The former application of directed psionic alteration abilities allows Cephlarrior to directly influence the neurone impulses of nearby sentient beings (generally this effect can only take place if the targeted sentient is within a few hundred metres of the Cephlarrior). This doesn't equate to mind reading or control of an individual, but does allow the alteration of moods into the extreme (elated joy or suicidal depression) as well as being able to change, repress or introduce instinctive and fundamentally basic behaviours. This makes the Cephlarrior very interesting creatures to engage in diplomacy, as well as making them very difficult to combat at close range and in non-space combat situations.
-Huge telepathic capabilities. This needs little explanation; the Cephalrrior are capable of projecting their own minds and voices into heads of others, and also of reading basic brainwave patterns to determine the state of the mind of another creature. This is most often seen by other races manifesting as the 'Song of the Cephlon,' a mighty cosmic harmony, transmitted purely through telepathic transmission, that can be heard light years away by any creature, planet-borne or otherwise. This cosmic song is the calling-card of a Cephaol; though each group will sing their own song. It is beautiful and inspiring, and is said to have been akin to the melodies of angels. Countless undeveloped species have been influenced by the Cephlarrior's song, and many in the future will continue to be.
-Quantum Pushes are a most unusual occurrence, a phenomena exhibited only by Cephalrrior with particularly developed minds. A Quantum Push is defined by the individual's ability to temporarily alter basic states of reality in directed projections: in practice this can mean that in the presence of Quantum Pushing Cephalrrior, certain events, possibilities and things have a habit of simply ceasing to be, making the unlikely almost certain, and the certain unlikely. This application is extremely esoteric, but it's effects are often noticeable and awe inspiring.
