[hider=Ullevan United Star States][h1][b][color=662d91]Ullevis[/color][/b][/h1]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/OOTKYLe.png[/img][h3][b][color=662d91]Ullevan United City States[/color][/b][/h3]

[color=662d91][b]Name:[/b][/color] Ullevan United City States
[color=662d91][b]Capital:[/b][/color] The holy wandering city of Ullevis
[color=662d91][b]Government Type:[/b][/color] Confederation
[color=662d91][b]Dominant Species:[/b][/color] Aesir (space elves)
[color=662d91][b]Population:[/b][/color] 77 million

Ullevan are one of the numerous space nomads wandering through the Orion Arm of the galaxy. Aesir are an enigmatic civilization with no documented origins who periodically raided imperial assets. With the Empire's fall and the breakdown of the jumpgate network their already nebulous existence became a myth in the Sol System until a few decades ago when Clan Ullevi ventured near the Kuiper Belt. In spite of the return of once mythological elves the Sol System at large reacted with general apathy. Ullevans are isolated from the rest of the Sol's civilization and their culture is alien to anyone from the former Empire.

[H2][color=662d91][b]HISTORY[/b][/color][/H2]The roots of the Aesir trace back to long forgotten past of human history, before even the invention of jumpgates. Project Ragnarok was envisioned as a daring mission undertaken by the most faithful of a certain neopagan cult, Odin's Chosen. During this time Alpha-Centauri only had a minor research station and mankind was limited to a singular system. With extreme ideologies finding numerous hotbeds it was only a matter of time until another, far more devastating world war than the last one. Convinced the world will be burnt the chosen of Odin amassed all their wealth to construct a giant sleeper ship meant to find a new home for mankind. With almost 250,000 inhabitants the giant ship Yggdrasil set forth towards the stars. Yet the colonists never reached their destination. In imperial records this event stands as a foolish journey by madmen who met their doom. Turns out the gigantic war never occurred and sanity reigned over the Solar System once again. Humanity discovered jumpgate technology and they spread across the stars. Nobody ever found clues to Yggdrasil's fate and history books remember Project Ragnarok as a cautionary tale against man's ambitions to explore the unknown.

Yet the truth is even weirder. The ship entered unknown space and eventually crashed with the wreckage of another craft, created by a long lost civilization. Tough Yggdrasil remained mostly intact they were short on fuel and way off their intended destination. The crew of the ship thus attempted the impossible and after decades of effort managed to reactivate the ancient systems of the alien vessel. Choosing to call the aliens as Jotunn the advanced and unique alien technology opened up a rare opportunity and the Chosen took it. Using the Jotun technology they manage to turn their comparatively humble ship into a gigantic mobile colony, capable of supporting entire cities. At the same time the already extremist Chosen developed something else, a method to transform from mere humans into a new race, one viewed as "perfect" in their eyes. They became "space elves", in most aspects indistinguishable from the modern Aesir.

For a long time the elves remained space wanderers, traveling through space in their large spaceship-cities. Yet their ultimate objective remained the same: find a new home for their kind to prosper. Eventually they found the perfect place, a gaia planet rich with life. Calling it Gimilé the elvish settlers quickly established their new homeworld and thrived in peace. Yet some elves were so accustommed to their former lives as space wanderers they refused to participate. Though it took century to take form this happened to be the source of the Aesir-Vanir divide. The Aesir remained space wanderers while the Vanir chose to enjoy their life on Gimilé. Eventually these two groups developed entirely different cultures and became rivals. Aesir and Vanir fought many wars with never any decisive result. Then the Empire swept in. The Vanir put up a valiant fight but it only forced the Empire to be even harsher. They seared entire planets and reduced them to almost nothing. Yet their final betrayal came from their distant relatives. Ready to settle their centuries of grudge the Aesir were merciless and their genocidal campaign left no planet-bound elf alive.

Of course the Aesir had nothing to compete against the Empire's might. Nor they intended to. The Aesir fled into deep space, avoiding the Empire's prying eyes. They become enigmatic raiders, fighting the Empire to acquire some resources for survival. This gave elves a somewhat mythical status, a piece of fairy tale rather than something the average imperial citizen thought to exist. Given their fragmented state the Aesir grouped into clans with each its own unique culture and leadership. Sometimes fought in war, other times helping each other. While the relationship between Aesir clans were diverse the species as a whole had a strange sense of unity. Each clan was different yet compared to the humans who surrounded them, encountering elvish clans was like meeting between long lost siblings.

After centuries of struggles the unexpected happened, the Empire collapsed. With no jumpgate reinforcements, no central control and no universal flow of resources the human settlements were ripe for the plunder. The starved elvish clans were unleashed like locust and their wrathful greed might've crippled untold number of minor systems. During the midst of their voracious feast the Aesir received an unusual prophecy of their long lost homeland, Midgard. The Star Clan of Ull (Ullevi) was one of these pious zealots, excited to find their one and only holy land. Filled with religious fervor most clans abandoned their pillage and chose to wander the stars again, seeking the long lost holy land. About 50 years ago they reached the Solar System. Given its status as a constant powder keg the disruptive presence of elvish raiders were almost unnoticeable and Ullevans quickly integrated to the chaotic politics which defined Sol. Currently they exist as a strange and enigmatic force which either presents blight for Solars or unexpected source of mercenaries.


[H2][color=662d91][b]CULTURE & GOVERNMENT[/b][/color][/H2]Aesir are space nomads who spent most of their time in dark space. They enjoy harmonious lives aboard their citycrafts as they wander through space. The almost idyllic peace is enforced through strict rules and millennia of traditions, outright violence within their cities is considered one of the highest sins. Their aggressive impulses are instead channeled into competitive sports and sacred duels. It does worth noting though that outside the city premises the Aesir fully acknowledges the harsh world and rivaling groups have deadly feuds in the coldness of space. Elves are known for their longevity with the average lifespan of 200 and legendary sages recorded to live past 3000 years. Most of their lives are spent traveling between the stars, migrating from one dark spot of the universe to another. They never utilize sleeper pods, stasis or other means to preserve themselves. For elves the sometimes decade-long journey is more like an extended trip. There are even clans that never leave dark space and manage to establish a conservative yet sustainable lifestyle way out of the range of stars. Elvish longevity does impact their perception of time and decades may feel like years to a lot of Aesir. They desire to experience all that life has to offer and as such many elves learn multiple professions, moving onto the next after just reaching mastery. Aesir are deeply spiritualistic and believe that the universe is governed by gods who are beyond mortal understanding. Every clan has their own patron deity but otherwise the Aesir does follow a pantheon minted after ancient Norse gods. They have a firm belief in the existence of souls and are religiously averse to ever settle down on planets. They think gravity weighs down the soul and leads to damnation. This goes to the extend the Aesir holy cities refuse to be even effected by the gravity well of stars in order to safeguard the resting souls. Every Aesir wears a special rune-enchanted trinket called the soulgem which interacts with the Aesir's psionic powers. These amulets are supposedly protecting the soul upon death, allowing their comrades to recover the gems and carry them home. These lost souls find peace at the clan's holy city where the World Tree resides. Effectively the collective burial place of the entire clan the World Tree's role is only temporary. According to their holy text Midgard, their original birthplace, is the sole planet with sanctified gravity, a zone where Aesir souls may get their final rest. The location of this Midgard is long lost and many undertook the holy task of rediscovering it.[hider=Aesir (Space Elves)][img]https://i.pinimg.com/236x/e4/e6/64/e4e6643d32223d0d5856599bc4cd040e--character-inspiration-character-design.jpg[/img]
[b]Average Height:[/b] 5'3" (160cm)
[b]Average Weight:[/b] 72lbs (33kg)
[b]Average Lifespan:[/b] ~ 200 years

The Aesir are distant descendants of the human race yet by now they became an entirely new species. Made to be the perfect race utilizing excavated Jotunn technology the elves are unlike any demihuman the Empire ever designed. The Aesir has slender and frail bodies with tough yet very light skeletal structure. They are meant to be wandering space for extended periods, not for hard labor. Aesir are known for their grace and lightning-fast reflexes. They have great spatial awareness and could move with agility humans may never dream of. At the same time they are physically weak and most humans can beat any elf in arm wrestling. As said they were meant to live in the perils of space and with the assistance of technology. Aesir are generally attractive and never appear to grow old. Yet their most famous characteristic are their innate psionic powers. Using the power of their mind the elves can manipulate the fundamental forces of physics. The average citizen only has mediocre talents but those with particularly high skill can be considered living weapons.
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[H2][color=662d91][b]TERRITORY & ECONOMY[/b][/color][/H2]Clan Ullevi arrived to the Solar System about 50 years ago. They penetrated the Oort Cloud and currently the holy citycraft of Ullevi floats 120 AU away from Sol yet also billions of miles from the Kuiper Belt. Ullevi does not orbit the Sun as its anti-gravity technology negates such forces. The citycraft merely follows along the Sun, always remaining at the same distance. While Ullevi is the clan's capital it's hardly the sole citcraft they own. Ullevans have 47 cities total, all spread out in the outer reaches of the Solar System. In addition numerous small stations, resource operations and temporary hideouts are spread through the Solar System. Aesir are very frugal and efficient folk. Though small in numbers they are very well versed in making use of what little they have. Though elves are better known for their "magic rocks" this doesn't make them exempt from conventional mining and resource collection procedures. If anything these unique materials require great resource investment. Compared to the almost barred realms of interstellar space the Solar System is fairly abundant which led to the clan's prosperity.

Aesir use exotic technology which developed in isolation from the Empire. They never experienced the Jumpgate Age and instead their technology is heavily inspired by the long-extinct Jotunn. Aesir delved into scientific concepts foreign to the Empire and likewise there are entire rows of human scientific accomplishments not replicated by the elves. Though it's common to refer to Aesir technology as "wondrous" or outright "magical" their science is merely exotic rather than being straight ahead of Mankind. A lot of Aesir devices rely on their race's innate psionics (effectively "space magic") which only makes their technology harder to decypher.[hider=Notable Techs]
[b]- Runecraft:[/b] Using unknown procedures the elves can allow technology to interface and even conduct psionic powers. Runic technology is widespread and hence psionics is the bare minimum to interact with Aesir devices. Runecraft can be also be used to amplify psionionics via external power, the so-called Runic Core.

[b]- Pseudo-Souls:[/b] While the Aesir has sophisticated computing technology they never developed true AI, and even actively forbidden such. Instead they rely on the practice known as soul-etching. This creates a vague imprint of one's psionic profile containing fragments of the original's memories, skills and even bits of personality. The resulting "pseudo-soul" then undergoes multiple stages of refinement to fit its designed role. The end result is a robot with actual mind and consciousness.

[b]- Aether Drive:[/b] Primary form of starship propulsion utilized by the Aesir. Unlike chemical and torch engines the Aether Drive does not require fuel and produces far less heat. It generates pure force without any sorts of medium. This makes much harder to track Aesir spacecraft from the distance. On the other hand Aether Drives produce a constant stream of hadronic radiation which is easy to detect and distinguish from ordinary sources of heat.

[b]- Photonic Reactor:[/b] The most typical high-energy power generation plant used by the Aesir. At its core the device appears to be a nuclear reactor but instead of converting heat it breaks down material into pure light and converts it to motive force or generate electrical energy. 

[b]- Pulse Barrier:[/b] Aesir shielding technology finding widespread use. It very much resembles the Empire's energy shields but way more sophisticated and utilizes runic technology.

[b]- Metastable Matrix[/b] Also referred as the M-Matrix, this unique material has no fixed form and instead can alter its form and properties via Runic powers. While quite versatile the production of M-Matrix is expensive and would never replace conventional construction methods, only finding utility in very specific uses.

[b]- Compressed Space Technology:[/b] Aesir runic mastery combined with aether technology allows them to use space itself as power. Compressed space squishes space-time at an infinitesimally small region which is borderline 2-dimensional yet stretches over the 3-dimensional space. Compressed space can have a wide range of uses including barriers, energy storage, explosives or even as a method of propulsion. By releasing the compressed space in a direction the restored space-time stretches out within an instant. As a result the vehicle suddenly accelerates to breakneck velocities, the so-called Blink Catapult effect. Compressed space technologies consume extreme amount of energy and thus they aren't fit for constant use but their benefits can be seen.

[b]- Signstones:[/b] Borderline arcane devices which allows to link with another device over potentially limitless distances. Signstones are runic technology which allows quantum superposition between a similar Singstone thus in a sense allowing FTL communication. They are immensely expensive and almost irreplaceable. Each holy city has singstones connected to the other holy city thus allowing communication in spite of the lightyears of distance. That being said the Signstones are delicate and preparing them for communication can take time. 
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[H2][color=662d91][b]MILITARY[/b][/color][/H2]
Aesir are warlike scavengers who frequently fight for resources. Though living in a seeming harmony the elves highly value martial skills and consider fighting practices an elementary part of their culture. Those with exceptional dueling skills, psionic talents or sports performance often manage to rapidly climb up in the usually strict social order. It comes as no surprise that nearly all elves have some skill at fighting and they aren't shy to demonstrate it. Families with long lineage of exceptional fighters form the warrior caste, an elite which has massive influence over the military and even society. Aesir developed myriads of fighting styles, many unique to only specific clans. They fight with grace and blinding speed, at times further enhanced by psionics, shields and anti-gravity tech. A masterful elven warrior may seemingly defy the laws of physics with their movements and could attack almost too fast for humans to follow. It does worth noting though that the Aesir are space nomads and almost all combat they experience involves space warfare or boarding vessels. So it comes as no surprise that combat vehicles proper are almost foreign to the elves. They never needed tanks or even proper artillery. The nuances of ground combat is almost entirely lost to them. They have transport shuttles and flying mechs that can come close to function as ground vehicles but they aren't optimal. Instead of mechanizing their forces the Aesir just mounts more equipment on their troops to compensate. Infantry jetpacks, assault shields and so forth can all be utilized by elvish troops in combat.
[hider=Glossary of Military Technology]
[b]- Pulse Gun:[/b] Typical small arm firing bursts of plasma energy. They are simple to make and plentiful but Ullevans don't consider these worthy to be a warrior's weapon.

[b]- Firgand (Plasma Staff):[/b] A quarterstaff-like weapon typically assiciated with the Warders. The Ullevan variant can freely collapse or extend to the desired lengths and has dozens of different firing function ranging from pulse gun like rapid bursts of energy to powerful energy blasts or even shotgun effects. Both ends of the staff are capable of fire and there are some styles where the weapon is fired while being spun around. Firgand can also manifest shock or plasma blades for either stunning or lethal use. It's an incredibly complex weapon with immense reputation to it. Some Firgands may even project shields or be enhanced with runic technology to enhance the wielder's use of psionics.

[b]- Bogaster (Starbow):[/b] Creates a virtual bowstring with the combination of forcefields and psionics and formulates an ultradense particle arrow meant for destructive effect. Bogaster basically uses a derivative of what starship main batteries do and with great result. Energy arrows from the Bogaster can be immensely destructive, often capable of punching through tank armor. Since psionics are versatile it's also possible for the arrow to just explode, turn into multiple tiny arrows or disperse into molecule-thin shrapnel. Bogaster is characteristically the weapon of choice for Rangers although some other martial arts also teach its use. Firaboga (Plasma Bow) is a way cheaper and less intense type of energy bow, frequently used for hunting and recreational purposes.

[b]- D-Edge:[/b] A very rare and quite expensive type of melee weapon which instead of plasma or dense particles relies on compressed space. These armaments are reputed for their ability to cut through practically anything, and for a good reason. On impact the blade's energy is partially unsealed, expanding space-time at a rapid scale. The resulting acceleration is so great it rips apart almost anything in its path. In comparison plasma swords are abundant and starblades of various size may also be utilized. While personal D-Edges are hard to find, when scaled up they are the signature melee weapons of Ether Liners known as Distortion Blades.

[b]- Starcannon:[/b] Powerful cannon which similar to the Bogaster concentrates particles to a dense needle prior to firing. They are powerful but not that versatile but its relative simplicity and raw power makes Starcannons widespread. Starlance is an even more specialized variant which focuses on pin-point firepower over any other aspects and usually has a relatively slow recharge rate.

[b]- Faybolt:[/b] A kind of energy bolt imbued with psionic guidance, turning it into something closer to a "missile". They are usually unleashed en-masse against multiple light targets and they are often the prime anti-missile and anti-starfighter defenses in Aesir use. Weapons launching faybolts are usually referred as Constellation weapons.

[b]- Whisp:[/b] Tiny psionically guided tiny flying devices used for various purposes. Since they are chiefly made out of metastable matrix they can alter their functions on the fly which can range from tiny weapon platforms to, auxiliary field generators, capture devices or just overloading them and turning them into missiles.

[b]- Missile Warheads:[/b] Aesir still utilizes missile weaponry in good variety. Aside from the Aether Drive and pseudo-soul replacing the AI they aren't that significantly different than those used by the Empire. Photonic warheads are effectively nukes with Photonic Lance denoting its sub-family of nuclear shaped charge explosives. Anything lesser is usually taken over by the usage of Faybolts. Runic Warheads are borderline arcane devices which could have varying effects depending on the psionic energies invested in them. That being said they are absent for all but the most niche applications.

[b]- Blink Drive/Catapult:[/b] Blink is a mechanism when the compressed space is unleashed, resulting in rapid space-time expansion. When this expansion gets shaped it rapidly catapults an object to blinding speeds. While this method seems convenient it consumes huge amounts of power hence it has a far more limited usage. Blink Catapults are special devices launching comparatively smaller objects, allowing them to reach interplanetary velocities almost immediately. Yet for the select few Blink technology also promises unparalleled mobility. Ether Liners are often equipped with Blink Drives that allow these mechs to instantly accelerate and change their vector which normally would be unthinkable for a spacecraft. Blinking like this has considerable cost but can have immense tactical use.

[b]- Varg Launcher:[/b] The elvish equivalent of torpedoes this device is unique in using compressed space technology not once but thrice. The spherical projectile (Varg) is unleashed via Blink Catapult, allowing it to cruise rapidly towards the target without any heat signatures. Once close the pseudo-spirit awakens and activates its own internal Blink Catapult to shoot a projectile at even greater speed, the so-called D-Bolt. This projectile also has its own compressed space mechanism to disrupt shields and punch even harder on impact. Vargs match the function of conventional torpedoes albeit with a lot of peculiarities. For starters they are a bit faster, reducing the time before they reach the target. On the other hand once reaching the target the D-Bolt behaves more like a railgun projectile rather than having any sophisticated evasion measures. The D-Bolt also relies on direct hit instead of explosive power which makes it more fiddly to deal damage. Yet since the D-field rips through any but the most concentrated shielding when a Varg succeeds it tends to punch holes through the entire vessel. Granted, sometimes even a successful hit only does superficial damage thanks to it failing to hit any critical components.

[b]- Nova Battery:[/b] The primary armament of most Aesir starships. Rather than having multiple weapons across the hull they have a central weapon system that shoots superdense energy bolts in short bursts. Said bolts can be deflected by the shield system to circle the ship and fly out towards any direction. The bolts also have very limited ability to maneuver and go in directions other than a straight line, although their trajectory has to be determined prior to firing. The runic interface also leaves option for psionic enhancements, though it appears to be rare. The bolts themselves can behave in various ways, in some sense akin to how arrows released from Bogaster do, only at a far bigger scale. They can be penetrating dense needle of energy, semi-penetrating energy which explodes after piercing armor, shaped charge, general explosive, fragmentation charge (spreading countless micro energy bolts) and more. 

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[hider=Notable Warrior Classes]Aesir warriors can choose from a myriad of paths where they can express their desire for combat. Different styles popular in different clans and there are some fighting styles that are barely if ever seen outside of their origin.

[url=https://i.pinimg.com/564x/a3/30/05/a33005c2149fd4646ea131a4aef6a453.jpg][b]- Voteor (Warders):[/b][/url] The most popular and overall versatile style of military arts practiced among Ullevans. Warders wear medium armor and always carry Firgand (plasma staff) which can be utilized both as gun and close combat weapon. Warders are very agile in combat and near-constantly on the move. They fight without much of a formation and rather they rely on speed and combined effort to overcome the opposition. They are masters of using gravity belts to seemingly defy physics and catch less prepared enemies off-guard.

[url=https://i.pinimg.com/originals/1a/5d/73/1a5d7376fadf41b2b9ad9ae58e7f3567.jpg][b]- Flakeor (Ranger):[/b][/url] Aesir has many legends about wandering rangers traveling the stars and offering their services to various masters. They are expert marksmen trained in the use of starbows (Bogaster) and often raining sudden vengeance from ambush. The "true" Rangers are famously trained in Ullevis, the clan's holy city. What these legends rarely mention that rangers like these are the minority, adventurous vagabonds who choose to journey rather than safeguard their home. The Ranger Corps proper is a strict organization which trains excellent archers who are meant to support the rest of the military. While rangers wear light armor and prefer stealth, they aren't meant to be some sorts of elite commando. Starbows are quite versatile weapons with firepower sufficient to pierce even MBT armor. The arrows can be also guided via psionics and Rangers are frequently recorded to shoot down enemy aircraft if given the opportunity. In contrast the starbow is relatively slow firing, allows less mobility and near-useless in close combat. Instead the Rangers use starblades of various sizes to defend themselves. Given the requirement for above average psionics and immense skills the Rangers are only making up a fraction of Ullanor's military and operate more as force multipliers.

[url=https://i.redd.it/4vwkoroefj601.jpg][b]- Oracles:[/b][/url] Psions with especially high potential receive special training to achieve great power. They are the Oracles whose psionic abilities are nurtured to the limit. There are numerous disciplines in the Art and as such the Oracles' abilities vary wildly. In combat the Oracle wears special outfit to amplify their psionics. Oracles are protected by a constant psionic barrier hence they can discard armor almost entirely. Even weapons only have a backup purpose as their powers tend to be way more destructive. Oracles often equip "micro-wisps", these tiny floating devices are controlled via psionics and can relay the Oracle's power more efficiently. 

[b]- Ether Knights:[/b] While more known for piloting their mechs the Ether Knights are also elite psionic warriors with peerless skills. They commonly wield runic blades in combat to channel their psionic powers to the weapon's edge. Ether Knights are well aware of their power and there aren't many foolhardy enough to challenge them in a duel. As an unspoken rule an Ether Knight can be only challenged by another.
[/hider][hider=Guardians][img]https://merlinsmusings.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/suisei-no-gargantia-chamber-drawing.jpg?w=320[/img]

Guardians are humanoid machines meant to patrol Aesir territories and capable of fighting in all environment. It's 8 meters tall and equipped with decent armor, shields and wide range of weaponry. The most typical variant in Ullevis is the Berkanan-0331, a relatively old yet sturdy model with no outstanding features. In battle the Guardians freqiently equip large shields and starlances and behave akin to a mix between assault, fighter and strike roles. Guardians are slower than space fighters but can be surprisingly nimble when in the middle of a fight. On the ground they are the closest to the Aesir owning combat vehicles and they often support the rest of the army. While the base model of Guardian has no frills, specialists like aces and leaders may modify their mechs to shocking degree.
[/hider][hider=Ether Liners][img]https://i.redd.it/9am73e77n7b21.jpg[/img]

While Guardians are dime in the dozen and commonplace, the Aesir made further steps to advance their art of warfare which created the Ether Liners. These 11-14m tall mechs are each like a work of art, made without any expenses sparred. They use Etheric Reactors and manifest psionics via their Runic Core. Ether Liners sport extreme performance which can be traced back to two sources. First, they utilize cutting edge technologies like Compressed Space almost regularly while the Runic Core enables them to further bend physics. The end result is a machine shockingly strong for its size which can easily take on a small army. Extraordinary technology also requires extraordinary operators and the Ether Knights definitely fit this view. They are all gifted psions who are trained to be masterful combatants and often dedicate their whole lives to the art of piloting Ether Liners. Calling the Knights as celebrities is hardly making them justice, they are often warrior nobles with a lineage dating back to the early history of the Aesir. Ether Liners are the pride of every clan and losing even one of them could be considered a major blow.
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[img]https://i.imgur.com/2uKtr4t.jpg[/img]
TBA
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