[hider=The Elysian Empires] [color=lightgreen][center][h2]"1000 Worlds, 1000 Kingdoms, and not enough to go around." [b]Elysian Empires[/b][/h2][/center][/color] Mortals have evolved in Elysia. Meeting new races and dealing with ideologies and cultures is something that every new planet that arrives in Elysia, regardless of means, has to contend with. This leads to a number of different results. If the race survives first contact, and every contact there after, they can adjust themselves, learn, and adapt to the new universe they find themselves in. They can claim planetary bodies and grow their territory. They could be passive isolationists. All kinds of cultures, governments, and ruling bodies have found a way to live in Elysia. Some empires are a mishmash of other receptive races, others are puritans, suffering not the alien. [hr] Below are an example of some of the more prominent mortal Entities in Elysia [center][h2][b]The Tiger Dominion[/b][/h2][/center] [url=https://www.etsy.com/shop/JamesNgArt?ref=l2-shopheader-name]An Example of Tiger Dominion technology and theme, James NG Art[/url] Primary Race: Human The Tiger Dominion survived the calamity a thousand years ago, and survivors clinging to what remains of South East Asia. The landmass would not have been able to support life were it not for the quick actions of the god Father and his pantheon of spirits. The humans here became dependent on the spirits to keep them alive, and thus the populations broke apart into dozens of tiny cults, each praying to their own god. These were the ancestors that eventually formed the Noble Houses, the ruling body of the Tiger Dominion. The Tiger Dominion is an Ogliarchy, with the heads of the Noble Houses all having a say in how the Dominion conducts itself. The Emperor acts as mediator when the Noble Houses cannot agree on matters of policy. Outside of these acts of governments, the Noble Houses have set up a system where they obtain a monopoly on all aspects of life for its citizens. One cannot get two separate things without negotiating with the merchants and suppliers of two houses. The actual Nobles are almost above the laws, and will flaunt their wealth often by creating custom robots, altering their bodies with cybernetic enhancements or getting mutations that show aspects of Earth's old animals. Those that are not sponsored or adopted into the Noble Houses are barely considered citizens with very little of their own rights. The create a culture of competition and efficiency so that those that are talented rise above those that are meant to wallow in the dirt. Aliens are also considered outsiders until they can prove their usefulness. The Tiger Dominion are opportunist and expansionist. The recent power vacuum of Elysia has put the Dominion on a path of conquest. Anything to benefit the Houses. The Tiger Dominion stance on Exalted are one of two ways, they will be bribed into loyalty and be adopted by a Noble Family, or they will be hunted and killed, to keep them from becoming a threat in the future. Even when a noble house manages to secure an Exalt into its ranks, the House's rivals would rather see that Exalt dead. Assassination is a properly accepted tool in Dominion diplomacy. [hr] [center][h2][b]The Lunar Confederation[/b][/h2][/center] [url=https://best-sci-fi-books.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/hard_blog.jpg]An Example of a Confederation City[/url] (Inspiration is Very similar to Mass Effect) Primary Race: N/A Earth's Moon actually survived the calamity, being taken by Father moments after the Demon weapons devastated the Earth. The Moon was set adrift, it's hab blocks and hub cities actually supporting the population as it floated on the currents of Elysia before it was set to orbit over a gas giant. Materials for survival were mined from nearby asteroids and bartered for by sympathetic spirits. Religion was never as important as industry and survival since resources to maintain the old systems were always in critical supply. And then the refugees of the Castian Seven Currents War reached their door step. Their first contact with xenos came in the form of Frigates filled with refugees, fleeing the conquering armada of the Castian, a militaristic race seeking to become an empire. After some time to learn how to speak to the other, the Lunar Humans learned of the coming problem. They were instrumental in the counter attack and defeat of the Castians as it was their leader (possibly one of the first human Exalted) that managed to gather and create an alliance with six other smaller empires and coordinate them to become a fighting force. Since that day, the Lunar Confederation was born, and the fates between the Lunar Humans and those aliens have been entwined ever since. Lunar Confederation Space is a combination of a number of different species and acts as a council Democracy, with each representative acting in the 'best' interest of their species or planet. There stations and cities are crowded and homogeneous as different needs require different facilities. Bureaucracy's are in place to establish order and regulation, but it takes a long time and things do get lost. Its an inefficient system, but all are welcome in their space. The Lunar Confederation view Exalted as more trouble than they are worth, as danger tends to follow them. Still there are politicians, species leaders, the military, and the industrial organizations would be happy to hire such a potent assets. Exalts are generally quite publicly known in Confederate territories, for good or ill. [hr] [center][h2][b]The Fae'Rin Ascendancy[/b][/h2][/center] [url=https://www.boredart.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/village-art-4.jpg]A moderately intact Fae'Rin Observation Post[/url] Primary Race: [url=https://vgy.me/x7pYuR.jpg]Fae'Rin[/url] The Fae'Rin are one of the first races to have inhabited Elysia. They have been involved in every major conflict, and were the favorited species of a particular potent god. They had a culture of rigid order and discipline, with portions of the population born into specific tasks and purposes and meant to fulfill that purpose. Their technology was incredible, almost to the point that it can not be replicated. Their magitech can almost be considered alive, buildings and skyships almost grown rather than made. Their legions of intricate golems and awakened intelligence automatons fulfilled all the purposes of labor, meaning that the Fae'Rin could focus on artistic pursuits. There is very little in Elysia that has not been touched by these curious and enigmatic peoples. Then Oblivion happened, the largest Demon Elysia had ever seen that hunted the Fae'Rin wherever they tread. It took every major empire and a scores of the most powerful gods to halt Oblivion's advance. In the After math, all of the gods of Fae'Rin's pantheon were killed, and the civilization was brought to near extinction leaving only their cities and tech behind. Empires pick through their achievements like vultures on a corpse while the survivors struggle to cope with their loss and keep their shattered culture together. The cities and stations however are not entirely uninhabited. Fae'Rin Automaton still patrol and defend these places of wonders untold- and where Oblivion had touched, it left its taint behind in the form of terrifying Void Walkers. Tomb Raiders beware. [/hider]