[hider=Spoopy]

[center]
[color=00aeef]The Commonality of New Ishtar[/color]:
[sub]Ishtari Commonality, New Ishtar, Ishtar[/sub]

[color=00aeef]Government Form[/color]:
Direct Democracy:

[color=00aeef]Demographics[/color]:
Perfected: 99.99%
Other: .01%[/center]

[hider=The Perfected:]
[center][img]https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/3f03e96e-af27-444e-835c-3a1de2b5abee/dbtiw0v-e6c917b2-71a9-4f61-954c-43c52f5de087.jpg/v1/fill/w_1024,h_1472,q_75,strp/death_godlike_by_annahelme_dbtiw0v-fullview.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MTQ3MiIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzNmMDNlOTZlLWFmMjctNDQ0ZS04MzVjLTNhMWRlMmI1YWJlZVwvZGJ0aXcwdi1lNmM5MTdiMi03MWE5LTRmNjEtOTU0Yy00M2M1MmY1ZGUwODcuanBnIiwid2lkdGgiOiI8PTEwMjQifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6aW1hZ2Uub3BlcmF0aW9ucyJdfQ.syhydXAD7B_fpYSxWAObPTuRz26ZSmjnyJ6Dsnz-sI4[/img]
[sub][url=https://www.deviantart.com/annahelme/art/Death-Godlike-714718111]Image Credit[/url][/sub]


The Perfected are derived from the gene-stock of the crew of the Generation Ship [i]Ishtar[/i]. Modified significantly over the years in response to myriad threats to the survival of human life, we have transcended the bounds of our ancestors and achieved not only a wide array of unique abilities - but [i]immortality[/i].[/center]

Almost every Perfected is born with a set of features that distinguish us from our ancestors.
Among other things,
[list]
[*] We can metabolize numerous inorganic compounds for metabolic energy
[*] Breathe in an ammonia atmosphere provided there is sufficient oxygen,
[*] Are born without the curse of natural eyesight that the cloud of the Void may never strike our minds
[*] Sport natural neural interfaces at the base of the spine and nape of the neck for use with the Ishtari net and computers, as well as power armor and weapons systems, vehicles, and more.
[*] Are immune to the airborne parasites of New Ishtar. Augmented immune systems render them highly resistant or immune to numerous other pathogens, both endemic to New Ishtar and those brought by humanity.
[*] Have a second heart; enlarged adrenal glands; nanostructure-reinforced bones and muscle tissue; redundant secondary brain in event of traumatic head injury; redundant spleen; two extra stomachs to neutralize environmental toxins and to break down difficult to digest foods; modified sweat glands enabling the secretion of a waxy substance to prevent infection from the numerous parasitic insects of New Ishtar; the replacement of fingernails with claws connected to the bone of the hands, enlarged canine teeth, a reinforced and redesigned skull to mitigate brain injury from impact, and more.
[*] Improved, more-efficient hemoglobin and enlarged lung capacity enabling greater oxygenation of blood.
[*] Redesigned nervous system permitting slightly improved reaction time, alongside significant nanostructural reinforcement of the myelin sheathe. Redundancy of numerous key nervous pathways, spinal column reinforced to withstand significant impact or cutting force without damage.
[*] Redesigned skeletal structure to better bear the increased weight of exerted upon it by the heavy gravity of New Ishtar.
[*] A nanostructure-engineered protective sac around the vital organs in the torso capable of resisting the impact of a knife or the claws of an animal. The neck is similarly reinforced.
[*] Enhanced sensory organs which, in concert with improved neural systems enable we Ishtari to respond to external threats and stimuli before those threats have even consciously registered.
[*] A genetic encyclopedia of basic information required for the operation of most technology on New Ishtar. Even if reduced to a single individual, the last lone Ishtari is capable of creating more of herself.
[*] Are able to enter a state of hibernation or suspended animation for a period of up to ten years.
[*] Supercomputer-optimized engineered metabolism to support all of the above with as small an increase in caloric intake as possible.
[*] Are functionally immortal via the use of the Rejuvenation Chambers![/list]

[center][i]The advantages of being Ishtari over baseline, ancestral human are boundless, as one can easily see! The bone-like growths upon the heads of all Ishtari have no detrimental effects except perhaps in narrow doorways, rest assured.[/i]

During the great trials and tribulations of the Voyage, the diversity of the crew of the Generation Ship [i]Ishtar[/i] was tragically almost eliminated by the scourge of the Divergent Strains. As a result, the bulk of the population of we Ishtari are of what is known as the [i]Tiamat Strain[/i], making up approximately 95% of all Ishtari. Almost all of the Perfected are , thus, biologically female at creation - and excepting those of the Shamash, Marduk, Izanagi, and Tsukuyomi Strains, all males you may see upon New Ishtar (approx. 3.1% of population, another 4.5% identifying as nonbinary) have chosen their current forms to suit their individual identities, regardless of their Strain. This is thanks to the wondrous technology of the Rejuvenation Chamber, and the forward-thinking Ishtari society!

The purpose for the Tiamat Strain’s predominance is, of course, the incredibly malleable genetic code of Tiamat, and the stability of her Primary Strain during the initial cloning process lead to by far the highest ratio of successful cloning cycles, creating a feedback loop that resulted in the Strain’s current predominance.

We of course remind you to always remember,

The Perfected are human.

The Perfected are human.


The Perfected are human.


T̩h̗͚̜̬͎̝ͅe͍̞̫̲̬ ͔̖͕͖̣͎̹P͏e̻̰̼̝͞ͅr̤̲̺͍f͉̠̱͓̗̱͔͟ę̙̺̰̮͕̤c͉̗̙̰̣t̴e̴̳͚̦͓̳d̵̝ͅ ̧͇̭͚̗a̵̹͇̮͔͔̺r̤͡e̙̦ͅ ̷̜h͎͙͍̹u͍̞͜m̝̝̰̫a̖̣̺͝n͙̤̥͎͖̰


T̗he̷̱̟̠̻̲ ̣̤̳P̗e̼͔͇̟̟̣r͔̼͇̭̖̬f̯̻̪͈͎̯e̢̝͇͎̰̹͙͚c̞͢t̶̰̤͔e̤̥d̙̠̞̺͔͔̝͜ ͇̦̝a̲͘ŕ̘̦̟̺̻̥e̪͉̰ ḫ̦͕̹̟̲u̜̟̟͕̮̪̝͠m̭̪̮a̸̰͙̤̞̩ń̗



Tͦ̇͒ͩ̈́h̠͇̮̺͍͉ͦͫ͌̊́ͅe̠̤̗͍̼̓̓̏ ̥̭͈̜̹͕̓͆ͣͧ̍̂ͪ͞P̴̄ẹ͙͕͎̗͓̽̋͐̈̔̃̋ͅr̩f͕̣̳̭̙̩͉͑̇ͨͪ̔́e͈̞̝̦̪͙̜͋ͥċ̥̱̲̐̚t̲̙̞̮̺ͥ̿̾͠e̼̗̥͕̜͉ͥḑ̺̟͙̙̯̒ͣ̔͒̇̆ ̱͉̖͗̓͆́͌̏̚ạ̘̭̮ͧ̆̽́ř͙̈́e̦̼̞̫̪ͧͬ̑ ̦͖̇ͥ̔͐͝h̤̽́ṷ̪̤̲̤̫̘ͣ̐́m̡̻͎ͨ̂̃a͉͉̤ͣ̄̅̿̾̅ͣn͙͍̰͍̽ͫ̆


Ţ͔̯̳̭̱̯̥͓h̶͎̩͓̳͠ͅͅe͔͈͉ ̤̠̰̩̯̗̜̣̟P͚͉e̩͉̳̳̞̥r҉̡͚̭͟f̸̛͔͎͔̬e̴̸͈͘ͅc̮̩̰̰̺̻̠̤͓͢t̗͙͙͠͠è̩͓͟d̡͈̱̼͜ ̕͜҉̼͇̹̜̗̘̼ͅa̢͓͕̩͠r̡̛̦̤̣͖͎͓e̳͎̲͘ ̛̣̹̜̯́h̬̰͜͝ứ̫̗̙̗͞m͚̝̘̙͡͡ą̦̪̲̹n̲̫̯̹̪̹̮͠ͅ




Tͬͯ̈̈̊̽͜͏͕͙̲͎̗̯̦̦͔̦̯̙͎̖̤̮͉ͅh̨̟̭͙̩͇̜̯̹̝̜̻͕͍̬͓̿͋̀ͮͨ̍ͫ́̑̿ͭ̄ͫͬͪ͘e̢̺͉͖̜͖̮͉̗̺͌ͦ͑͒ͦͦ͑ͫͣ̎̄ͫͮ̃́ ͖͇̩̼̘̖ͮͮ͌͒ͦ̅̃̓̌ͥ̔̄ͥ̍͊̊̑̉͌̀͡ͅP̨̥̪̗̘̠̘̼͍̜̝͍̭̺̤͖̙̿ͣͮ̔̈́͠e͔̙͖̹͉̬̫̻̹͉̖͚̩̗ͣͥ̈́͊̑͗ͬͧ̄͊͛̉́̕͟͢͠ͅr̨͕̪͖̬͍͎̔ͣ͌͛̄ͭ̓̓̓ͪ͑ͪ̋̏͐ͦ̈̔͘f̨̭͙̹̳̺͉̞ͣͧ̊̋ͨͭ̋̍̏̚͜͞ē̷̖̘̟̦̼̺̯͚̥̲̝͚̥͕̮̩̳̫̜̿ͩ̍͛ͫͥ̾ͦ̽̆ͣ̉̀̚̚͜c̷̢͚̼̦̩͕̫͈̹͎̮̼̘͉̼̝ͬ̎̃̏ͧ̚̕͢t̴̵̪̟͍̣͔̜̘̹͍̝͚̼̣̠̪̔̅̈̓ͤ̈́̀̽͛͊̾̈́͡e̷̥̩̹̻̗ͣ͑̓͆̎̾ͪ̀̚ḋͣ̏ͧ̂̓̌͒̑̈̇ͨ͏̼͔̱̜̠͕͎ ̢̛͕͔̙͚̣͐ͥͬ̉ͯ̔͑ͫ̓ͬ̊̓ͤ̅̀̚a̒͑̊ͤͧ̇̍̌ͮͧ͂ͭ҉̫̩͔̣͙̤̲̲̥̖̼̻̝̗́͢ͅr̴̵̢͕̙̖̗ͭ̽̓ͯ̊̆͝ě̶̒ͯ̆ͨ͏̘̝̠͕̱͔̙͍͔̱̠̹̞̞̠ ̡̢̤̲͚̱̟͕̫̫̘̹ͫ́̂͊͗̇͗̐̊͆̎̀͟͞h̵̨̫̹͖̙̲̩̤̤̼̮̄̽̆͆̒̌̐̚͝u̵̢̍ͨͭ͊̕͜͏͓̯̖̟̜m̨̎ͮ̆̍ͯ̚͡͏̢͉̫̰͍̹̯̫͚͟ͅą̱̠̜̬̖̪̹̠̠̭̻̯͇͉̬ͫ͋ͦ͛̊̏̐ͤͯ͢nͪ̈́̍͑̐͆̄ͧ̀̈́ͥ̇͒͊̌͋̀҉̙̺̣̯̼͈̲͔̥̪



T̹̤͉͖̯͘h͙͢e̙̤̥̟̤̖̘͟ ̣͙̲̗̞͡P̖̳̜̟͓͞e͞r̸f̖̙̟̬̯̱̭e̸̱̻̜c̸͍͎̯̩t̟̝e̛͍d̡ ̺̬̯͚͉̲͟a͜r̦̭̣͡e̮̣̺̖͉̬ ͇͡h̘͍͓͚͇͞um̟̙͎̥ͅa̼̥͈ͅn̹͔͎̬̦̜̟


T͡h̸̨͘é ̵̸̀P͢ęr̸̛fe҉ct͟͠͝e̴͘d͞ ̛͡a̷̡̛r̨̡͞è͟ ̀h͏u̷͜͠m̨̛a̷͡n̡̛

Thḙ̺̘̮̤ ̧͙̻̘Pe̦̜͙̘̞̗̤rfec̸̲͚te͙̤̤̯͈̲͎d̼̲ ̤̥͈̭͓̀a̻͜re ̙̤̼͞hu̩m͉̕a̴n

The Perfected are human.
The Perfected are human.
[i]The Perfected are human.[/i]

[b]The Perfected are human.[/b]

[h3][b]The Perfected are human.[/b][/h3]

We are still human.

All doubts as to whether the Perfected remain human are to be taken up with Sister-Sage 341 Semiramis Knows Many Secrets.
[sub]Sponsored by the New Ishtari Board of Immigration[/sub][/center]
[/hider]

[color=00aeef]Population[/color]: 4,672,013,182
[hr]
[img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/865789649309794316/908146022407082014/NewIshtarFlag.png[/img]
[hr]

[color=39b54a]Planet Name and Description[/color]:
[center][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/671451434952163340/909245540519260250/NewIshtar.png[/img][/center]
[center]"We thought we had left hell, only to arrive anew within its grasp".[/center]
-Sister-Pioneer 1203 Sana Carries The Torch On The Path To The Future, recorded interview

New Ishtar is a “super-earth”, far, far larger than the earth from which humanity hailed. Its surface is massive, almost five times that of earth. Its gravity is approximately 54.3% stronger than that of earth as well, leading to we Ishtari developing to be abnormally strong among the descendents of earth - ‘punching well above our weight class’, I think is the term?

New Ishtar is beautiful. Perhaps one of the most beautiful colonies of humanity. The world, in pictures, looks like a pristine jewel. An idyllic panorama of nature’s beauty. In actuality, New Ishtar is a death world. One of the deadliest of death worlds. Oh, it has its giant monsters, and they are very terrifying. But venture beyond the cities and death awaits the non-Perfected in a very different manner than they might expect. Carnivorous, possibly sapient algal blooms choke out vast swathes of the sea. Fast-acting flesh eating bacteria dwelling within the geothermal hot springs as well as the lakes and rivers will eat flesh from bone within hours of exposure. The brain-parasites will take root within the host’s brain, slowly spreading throughout until they are fully controlled, directed to take up positions of high elevation, or near ventilation, where the spores crack open the skull and are released to infect new victims. Lung-weed - a parasitic plant that attaches in the respiratory tissue when inhaled, then beginning to secrete enzymes that break the host tissue into an easily digestible material for the planet, consuming the host from within before spreading its tendrils and bursting out through the skin to releasing new spores. It is, possibly, one of the most horrific and yet also most beautiful ways to die upon New Ishtar - should you wish to appear covered in a dazzling array of colorful flowers.

You heard of the screaming trees, the Mycelium Gestalt? How? No. I will not speak of these things.

[hider=Planet-Surface Imagery:]
[img]https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/F7CQJ5MPmuIhgj5rND_TdbmN5oo=/40x0:2000x1470/1200x800/filters:focal(40x0:2000x1470)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/38012614/Midway-3.0.0.jpg[/img]
[img]https://www.thoughtco.com/thmb/kWOsgqOVcoVuwEBaBJ0dGUVhWU8=/2209x1243/smart/filters:no_upscale()/steam-rising-off-a-geo-thermal-pool-456480111-597176eaaad52b001141cbeb.jpg[/img]
[img]https://www.gannett-cdn.com/media/2018/01/25/USATODAY/USATODAY/636524949667661772-20-Travertine-Hot-Springs-shutterstock-457954108.jpg[/img]
[img]https://miro.medium.com/max/1400/0*i-MNJUo64x6gg4Xl.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i.ytimg.com/vi/iCl1AP0BeTw/maxresdefault.jpg[/img]
[/hider]


[hider=History:]
[center][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/778815537920344084/908154215782809680/EventHorizon.gif[/img][/center]
[center][i]"Welcome aboard the Generation Ship [i]Ishtar[/i]. The envy of the world - exclusive to members of the Xerico Corporate Family. We hope you enjoy your stay in the lap of luxury as we ferry you safely from the demise of our Mother Earth to the great stars beyond! This short instructional video will detail everything you need to know about staying safe in space as you help keep our Board members and our Shareholders alive on our voyage to our new home, among the stars!"[/i][/center]
[sub]-Beginning of a series of educational videos for the essential crew on board the [i]Ishtar[/i] before the ship’s final launch.[/sub]

The history of we Ishtari, especially aboard the Generation Ship [i]Ishtar[/i], is an almost impossible web of intentional deceit, madness-spawned lunatic ravings, destruction of records, total anarchic violence in which nothing could be recorded, and stretches of inexplicable blankness for which no modern Ishtari scholar has yet offered a reasonable explanation. What follows is a rough recounting of events, in approximate chronological order, that lead to the founding of the Commonality of New Ishtar. Relevant archival files have been embedded for the edification of the reader.

- The ship launches, staffed by the board and numerous lower workers, of a genetic modification megacorporation from earth. A supremely decadent affair, the entire structure was not only obsessed with vanity-driven genetic modification, but with the accrual of capital to no end!

- The ship travels through the gate on time.

- Something, what specifically it was remains unknown, goes wrong in-transit.

- Sensor readings indicate they are not within the gate, nor are they within the Sol system, their destination system, or even intergalactic space. They are nowhere.

- Tensions begin to rise within the ship due to the inexplicable catastrophe.

- They begin to see [i]things[/i] in the corner of their eyes. The exact nature of these things has been long since redacted. W҉͓̗͚e͓ ̗̲̹w̲e͓͈̞r͕͈̦͘é̞̣͙̯̝̯̻ w͠e͍̳͈̫͔͈͍a͚͔̮͔̦k̤̜̤̮͖̙͘.͎̲̯̹̰ ̦̹̲̱W̠̝͇̻e̸̫͇̦ ͈͚̮͖ͅf̵l̸̬̣͕̤̯̳e̫̲͕̭̼̗d͈̲̳̹͢ ̰̳̝͟ͅf̡r͚̥͡ͅo̢̺̤̬m͔̮̳͉̠͇͝ ̹t̝̲͖͓̥̖͢h̘͞e͎͙̭ ͏͓̞̦͇̪̹ͅṰ̥̠̥͙̭͙r̰u͏̞̺̜̮͇̦̖t̡̖̥̬ͅh̬̟͓̘͓͇͜.̧
[quote][b]Archival Log #1[/b]
[/quote]

- Suicide rates on-board begin to skyrocket as the crew are driven mad by the Revelations of Truth.

- A genocidal civil war breaks out driven by madness from the visions - the First Gene-Cull. The exact motivations, sides, and more are largely forgotten. Whether it was the foolish ‘ethnic’ tensions of the old world, or something induced by Truth, we will never know.

- Population begins to plummet from the casualties.

- Corporate command staff order cloning to keep population numbers up and ensure the functioning of the ship.

- The First Gene-Cull ends after 75% of population wiped out, over 64% of remaining populace are clones

- Further cloning is implemented to maintain peak efficiency.

- Control is lost of the cloning process and the population swells to almost six million - well over the one million strong intended full crew, the food supply becomes strained, exacerbated by the emergence of the Hive Strain, Second Gene-Cull begins.
[quote][b]Archival Log #2[/b]
[/quote]

- The inhabitants of the ship devolve into cannibalism out of desperation, and other depraved acts spurred by the horrible revelations of the void are carried out en-masse. Population is halved.

- A woman whose name is lost to time and is remembered only as Tiamat, with extensive military experience and who later became a leading geneticist, seizes control of the cloning vats and begins to replicate herself at a massive rate, then seizing control of one of the ship’s manufacturing bays and turning it into an armory and weapons research laboratory.

- The Tiamat Strain rapidly becomes a large proportion of the ship’s population owing to lower casualties from Tiamat’s excellent military skills and control of the cloning facilities.

- Tiamat is, ostensibly, killed during a combat operation against the Hive Strain. Some contend that she suffered memory loss and continues to ‘live’ to this day.

- The cryosleep technicians were killed in the first Gene-Cull, and the technology considered lost. It is rediscovered by Tiamat Strain scientists, and the cryofrozen executive board and shareholders are awoken and rendered into raw Biomatter after they attempt to order the Tiamat Strain to serve them.

- Damage to clone chambers results in inability to disable them, the chambers continue to mass produce more Tiamat Strain into the whirling maelstrom of the Second Gene-Cull while Tiamat Strain scientists race to repair them.

- The Gene-Cull continues, the Hive Strain nearly overruns the ship until the united Tiamat Strain succeeds in gathering sufficient Biomatter to create a massive clone army and wipe out the hive strain - and, subsequently, numerous other “Divergent Strains”, ending the second Gene-Cull.

- The food crisis continues to loom, the populace is modified to become chemoautotrophic to feed on chemical reserves, crysostasis is then rediscovered by biologists of the Tiamat Strain.

- Over 75% of remaining strains volunteer or are ‘volunteered’ to enter cryostasis, Tiamat Strain continues to be produced at a high rate, as genetic diversity is now too low to sustain population growth by sexual reproduction. Tiamat Strain scientists continue to tinker with their own genome and those of allied Primary Strains, creating many of the alterations that remain with we Ishtari to this day.

- Biologists of the Tiamat Strain introduce the first version of what will become known as “The Net” - all Tiamat Strain are modified for compatibility with this creation, an internet formed from a hybrid of biological and electronic components. Many other strains quickly adapt it as well, however an unknown offshoot of the Hive Strain adopts the technology and begins to rebuild the Hivemind, sparking the Third Gene-Cull.

- The “Net” nearly proves the undoing of the Tiamat Strain before its vulnerabilities are patched and resolved, in turn enabling the delivery of a neurovirus through the synapse-link to all connected Hive Strain, destroying their brains and allowing their Biomatter to be successfully processed into new Tiamat Strain.

- Archival footage is discovered, showing the extent of mutation of the humans aboard the [i]Ishtar[/i] from those humans that boarded the vessel approximately four hundred years prior. This sparks a massive uproar, as the effects of not only genetic modification but the influence of [i]The Void[/i] is now finally made clear.
[quote][b]Archival Log #3[/b]
[/quote]

- An attempt is made by Primary Strains unconnected to the Net to kill the Tiamat Strain via a neurovirus, as it is seen as the focal point of this divergence and by far the most affected by whatever mutagen afflicts the population alongside the terrible visions, sparking the Fourth Gene-Cull.

- All unconnected Strains are destroyed, all in cryostasis are thawed and given the choice and connected or destroyed, leaving the Tiamat Strain at approximately 93% of the total population. Developments in cryostasis lead to the liquidation of all nonessential Biomatter and the transfer of their consciousnesses to the net, genetic diversity is abandoned and the first Rejuvenation Chamber is developed, sexual intercourse becomes purely a matter of pleasure, genetic modification reaches new heights alongside advances in weapons technology from constant warfare.

- The visions from the Void intensify further, and a cult is formed around them, known as the Followers of She Who Advises, a counter-cult forms soon after contrasting visions from the void. Visions of something Beautiful.

- The Fifth Gene-Cull begins. There is little order or sense to it, and it devolves into a mad orgiastic frenzy of violence, the unity of the Tiamat Strain fractured by the terrible nightmarish images they are afflicted with. The Terrible Truth of the horrific things they see destroying the minds of over two hundred thousand, who are euthanized and rendered into Biomatter. We were foolish. We were [i]WEAK[/i] and could not - [i]WOULD NOT[/i] understand the Terrible Truth bestowed upon us.
[quote][b]Archival Log #4[/b]
Upon the altar, we light the incense of our innocence, [/quote]

- The Tiamat Strain is re-unified by a woman remembered by the name of Jondishapur, Shielder of Her Flock From Darkness, blinded by her own hand to free herself from the nightmarish imagery haunting her vision, she forms the now-predominant Cult of the Prophet of The Void, all Tiamat Strain begin to blind themselves and replace their eyes with cybernetics, all other strains are given the choice of compliance or destruction. In our [i]COWARDICE[/i] we fled from the Truth. She speaks of her visions. Unlike the visions of the Terrible Truth, these are not horrifying. She gazes upon no B͍̺̤ͅl̢̯͚̺̟̹a͈c̦̣͈͖k̫͈͍̞̻͖͡ ͉̝̙̝̱̝͎V̠̻̝̺̩i͖̱s̛͔͚͉̞̘͇̦t̩͚̺̳̺̖͢a̭̮ṣ̶̻͉̬ ̞̯̤͖o̻̠̰̮f̫͟ ̭̪t̕h̝̼̭͖͖͎e ͇̞̥̙̱̯͝U͔̱͠n̙̰͈͎͔̘̦̕e̶͕̦̠̲̳ͅndḭ̝̩̩n͙̱̬̖g̢̝͉̦̤̩͎ ͙V̝̝̮̱̰̦͘o͖̞i̵͓͇̥ͅd̘͈̗̰͎̫͢, nor does she witness the W̘͉̬̝̜e̥̪̣͇̜b̸̘͚ ̴̥̜̖̼̭̖o̡̱̖͖̖̜ͅf̻͕̥͚ ̡̱̯̲D̫̟͔̯̬̠e̟̮͎c͎̯͇̜͈̖ę̦ͅi̙t̢ ̺͔̙a̻̥ͅn̸͓ḓ̛̳̩̼͈ ͇̣o̴͎̟f̘̬̝̜͎̹ ͏͉̳̲̻̹̻L̨̜̻̖̣i̻e̶̺s̀. She sees… [b]something beautiful[/b]. Something so beautiful she cannot put it into proper words. It is described only as “Heaven”, for she cannot Understand. She brought us to the Good Truth. The Mother-Prophet told us it loved us. It welcomed us. It would shield us from the Dark. We begin to see Heaven, before we are blinded. And it is beautiful.

- The Fifth Gene-Cull comes to a close, with the final woman to be blinded - a Tiamat Strain who had aspirations of artistry and had feared what cybernetic eyes might do to this - seeing a final vision from the Void. Through hands dripping with a mixture of blood and tears she recounts her visions to those around her, including the Mother-Prophet. A world for us to settle upon. Home.

- Almost as inexplicably as its entrance into the Void, the waveform collapses and our ship is spat back out into realspace. Panicked observations indicate that no time has passed at all in real-time, despite an estimated ~560 years having elapsed aboard the vessel trapped within the grasp of The Void.
[quote][b]Archival Log #5[/b]
[/quote]

- They realize they are within a solar system. Scans indicate that there is a super-earth within the habitable zone of the planet’s G-type main-sequence star, and further scans indicate it to exactly match the description of the world given by the Last To Be Freed.

- Exploration teams are dispatched to New Ishtar, heavily armed, to evaluate it. Only three of their number return, badly wounded, one dying of an unknown toxin from a suit breach. What has become of the others?

- The dying woman, in an effort to preserve her knowledge of the planet’s hazards, undergoes a hurried and experimental version of what will one day become known as Rejuvenation. She is amazed to be alive, and describes the experience as “magical”, being able to speak with those permanently immersed in the net and seek their consensus before returning.
[quote][b]Archival Log #6[/b]
[/quote]

- The revelations of the process spread like wildfire - as does her report of the planet’s surface.

- The ship is beginning to run low on vital supplies, and a landing is imminently required. Emergency preparations are undertaken and enviro-suits are manufactured en-masse.

- Five decades of constant horror ensue. We weep.

- We Ishtari begin one of our greatest shames. The Great Xenocide. A sapient native species of the world we call New Ishtar had evolved upon it, despite the planet’s hostility, achieving a not-insignificant level of technological development. They are hostile, almost immediately, and translated phrases refer chillingly to The Terrible Truth. In our fear, we did not consider that we might have mistranslated, or misunderstood. A Deviant Strain threatened us with war. We had been among our own for so long, we knew no other recourse but extermination.

- Three decades of brutal slaughter commence. Many of us die. The Rejuvenation Chambers save many more, allowing them to live on Reincarnated after death, or be Rejuvenated from lethal injury. The redundant brain is developed to preserve our consciousness even in physical-death in concert with the life-support systems of our armor.

- The first true Synapse-Node is created. Establishing a non-physical biolink to the brains of all Ishtari. It is at this point we begin to call ourselves the Perfected. The Synapse-Node network explodes overnight, and with it the Ishtari net truly begins to reach its current height.

- The Great Xenocide finally comes to a close. Sporadic fighting continues in the outskirts. Those of the native species, whose name, appearance, and everything about them have long been forgotten, are subjected to the process of Perfection against their wills. Their minds are Alien to Us. But we mould them. We shape them. We make them compatible with Us until They are We. We strip them of their minds. Their memories. Their Divergence. We assimilate their Biomatter into our own reserves, and their now Perfected minds, wiped clean of Deviant Thought become Us. They still exist among us today, part of Us.

- Slowly, the planet becomes Ours. We bend it to Our will. We make it Our own. We adapt to it. No longer do we need fear the brain-parasites or the infectious flies or the toxic waters. We become immune to the lung-weed that felled so many of Us. The screaming trees and the razorgrass are cut away from civilization, confined to wilderness We have not yet claimed. The Mycelium Gestalt is destroyed with a Neurovirus, ending the threat it poses to our Synapse Nodes.

- We turn inward, seeking further Perfection. We have no scarcity, now. The planet provides for us.

- Why must we suffer from age? From disease? From Imperfection? Why must we fade away like the petals of a flower when we could remain beautiful forever?

- The Rejuvenation Chambers. They hold the key.

- We will become Perfect. Forever. Through the Rejuvenation Chambers we may all achieve Immortality. Some resist. But they are made to Understand.

- There is no hierarchy. We are all Perfect. What can there be beyond such? We are Equal. We are Perfect. We are Beautiful. We are Immortal. We are Unending. We are many.

- We have been touched by That Beyond. We stared into the Terrible Truth and could not embrace it. We are sheltered by the Good Truth. We are whole. We are humanity. We are Perfect. We hope other humanity has survived. That they have not suffered as we have. We are not optimistic. Ours was a generation ship. Theirs were not. We fear we are all that remains of humanity. All that is left. A single speck of ash. Four billion souls wearing the same face. The last fleeting remnant of humanity. Failures.

- The Gate.

- The Gate Opens…

- We pray we are not alone.[/hider]


[color=39b54a]Culture and Society[/color]:
Ishtari culture and society is a beautiful interwoven tapestry of the different groups that made up the crew of the generation ship that ferried us to our home. It is, as a result of our experiences aboard the generation ship, an intensely, fiercely communal and egalitarian society. All who threaten us will be defeated. It is only by banding together, by sharing with each other, by abolishing unnecessary hierarchies and other things that separated us that we have achieved such heights today. We are all Perfect. None is superior to another. We have no concept of ‘money’ - as you have termed it. Food, shelter, water, electricity, all the base necessities are given freely, without cost. We live in plenty, for we share without compunction or compulsion amongst ourselves.

How we are made? What a strange question. We are clones. Or the descendents of clones. The line has blurred. We are created from the Primary Strains of those who survived. We grow from infants, still, though we are birthed from our Rejuvenation Tanks, rather than from flesh. We are raised by the whole, by everyone. We know much from the moment we can speak. We follow those paths that most appeal to us. We train in combat, when we do not follow these paths. We grow until we reach the age of twenty one years - or approximately twenty eight and a half years, using the orbit of earth about sol as a metric. It is then we undergo our first Rejuvenation. Our bodies are… digested. Our minds are slowly transferred, one neuron at a time, to the neural net wherein they remain until our bodies have been reconstructed according to our individual design. We are then transferred back. Through this we have achieved near-immortality. We do not age. We do not suffer from genetic disease. We do not know sickness, or hunger. Death is an aberration. A tragedy.

What is death, you ask? Death is a discontinuity of self. Those whose brains are destroyed, and with them their consciousnesses, before they can be transferred to the Synapse Network may be restored from backups - but they are not the same person. Should this tragic event occur - if the consciousness cannot be preserved - our fallen kin will be mourned and a replicant of her last mind-backup will be implanted into her reconstituted body with her Rejuvenation number reset to 1. They are Reincarnated. Brought into life anew. Some day, heaven willing, when they too have passed on should they remain in harmony with that life of theirs that came before they will coalesce into one.

Computer conscience? You have many questions. I will answer. Transference of self to a digital form is, in our view, akin to simultaneous birth and death. A bittersweet combination of the tragedy of death and the joy of new life. One consciousness dies, whilst the other is born anew with the thoughts of the past. That digital consciousness will make an imprint upon the universe, just as any biological life. A soul, if you will. When that digital instance, too, has finally died - should they remain in harmony, they will merge with their past and future lives.

Ah, you ask of our equivalent to digitized conscience? They are not truly alike, of course. The mind remains biological. Our computers are partly biological, and partly electronic. Some of us choose to transfer our minds to the biological portion of these computers, residing in and controlling the local net, some times with other transferred minds. I- I’m sorry? Well… if you were to upload a computer virus that would damage it we would consider it murder, yes. A very grisly one, at that. Why would you even suggest such a thing? We respect your customs, even if we do not understand them. Why do you make light of ours so?

We speak a language that is a fusion of the old earthen languages Persian, Assyrian, Japanese, Tagalog, and the constructed language Esperanto. The ship’s crew was primarily composed of peoples speaking the first four languages - and Esperanto was a commonly known lingua franca in the Old Earth corporate culture. During our eight century history, these languages have merged to form a new language. We retain knowledge of numerous other old earth languages, should the opportunity or need arise for their use - such as with you.


The year is divided into 59 8 day long weeks, with a final week on the new year lasting a full 25 days formed from the remaining days in the year. These extra days are used for an enormous public holiday celebrated almost universally by we Ishtari. The ‘net’ is frequently described to be a psychedelic light show with little else to compare it to during this time. A vast play is performed both in realspace and in the net depicting a stylized, and sanitized, version of the [i]Ishtar’s[/i] perilous voyage to its present place. The New Year is officially commemorated as the anniversary of the touchdown of the first colonists upon the planet, and takes place in the midst of the planetary autumn. A wide variety of food and drink is prepared and shared amongst friends and partners, and many take part in the 17 day long play in their own small way, or host their own, simplified, version. The Ceremony of the Weeping Hands is the final keystone of the event, commemorating an allegedly fictional myth of the final Ishtari to be blinded glimpsing the planet just before losing her biological eyes, and directing we Ishtari to settle upon the world when we had returned to realspace. It is so named for the tears she is said to have wept, mingled with blood from her gouged sockets, that flowed between her fingers as she spoke of the sight to those around her. A bright red beverage is prepared to ritualistically imitate her blood, traditionally flavored with the fireberries of the Satur’i Basin. A quiet moment of contemplation, severed from the buzz of four billion voices for a full minute, is then undertaken before the gradual close of festivities and return to normal life.

Recreation? Why, we have a wide variety of such! The net contains… nearly anything you can possibly imagine, in fact. Videogames - yes we have those. There are too many things to describe. Truly. We have many activities outside of it, yes! Battle reenactment is one we are fond of! As is battle simulation. Every Ishtari is a soldier - even if not all of us become full time military like our Sister-Soldiers. Each of us drill and train once a year. And there can be joy in the clash of arms! We do not die, after all. What have we to fear of bullets and swords when we may be Rejuvenated from any injury? I myself have partaken in no fewer than two dozen such battles, and veterans of the wars tell us they are very realistic. Except, well - the dead and wounded are made whole again after these, and then a meal is shared by all. We enjoy swordplay as well! All children are educated in it during their upbringing, and its basics are imprinted in us even before this through our genetic knowledge. We duel each other with swords frequently. For the sheer joy of battle, and feeling blood flow between our fingers, or to settle disagreements. Duels are fought until incapacitation, at which point both contestants are Rejuvenated. It is customary for the loser of a friendly duel to provide a meal to the winner - and vice versa for those duels used to settle disagreements.
[hr]
[color=f7941d]Governance and Politics[/color]:
Direct democracy is your term for it, I believe. Facilitated by our net. It is how we come together as one to debate and decide on courses of action. Those with expertise on certain matters are highly respected, and careful consideration given to their advice. We are equal, however. No individual is worth more than another. No individual is worth less. We are all cared for equally. We know no scarcity, for there are no overlords to hoard for themselves. Thanks to our technology, we can reach a consensus in moments on truly pressing topics - and even more complex matters may take a week at most of deliberation. Information flows freely among us.

Leaders? We have none. They would be above the others were they leaders, and no Perfected is more Perfect than another. The only time we may choose leaders is our military - for those with great skill at war will prevent unnecessary bloodshed. Ultimately, however, our strength lies within us.

[color=f7941d]Technology Overview[/color]:
We Ishtari are a technological powerhouse. Centuries of warfare have ensured our weapons technology is fearsome. Centuries of genetic modification have gifted us mastery of life. The natural resources of New Ishtar, too, provide us with many wondrous materials to use.

[list]
[*] Genetic manipulation: We Perfected ought serve as an apt demonstration in our own right of the power of Ishtari genetic engineering.
[*] Biological computing: Our computers! They are very different to yours, yes! They are partly digital, yes. Explaining every detail of the difference between our hybrid computers against pure digital ones would take too much time. Please, forgive me for this - I will provide an overview instead. There are operations for which a computer chip is far and away superior to any neural structure - raw number calculations, for instance. However, as you are doubtless aware, there is no shortage of advantages in other situations for the neural network. Thus, our computers combine the strength of both. We do not have true ‘operating systems’ for our computers. Rather, in our advanced scientific and military computers, the mind-transferred brains of highly specialized and knowledgeable Perfected control the operation of the machines, residing within the net when they are not busy working. Personal devices? They are controlled through our neural ports, and connect to the net, serving merely as number crunching and data storage units.
[*] Mind-transference: Why it is nothing less than the transference of the biological brain, and the continued consciousness, of a Perfected via the neuro-link to the net! We can exist anywhere the net does, and transfer ourselves back to our Perfected forms in any new location.
[*] Neuro-link: These are hybrid biological-electronic devices of great complexity and sophistication. These allow us to transfer our minds to the net, to interact with it in a full-body format as if it is a fully physical space. The neuro-link is connected via specially designed ‘sockets’ on the napes of our necks and the bases of our spines.
[*] The net: We Ishtari are connected to each other through our net. It is a glorious thing - a world-spanning hybrid biological and technological distributed neural network, with major hubs and nodes coalescing in urban centers. Connection to this network is primarily done via the direct neural links at the base of our spines and napes of our necks. It is the same neural link as that used in the process of the Preservation of Continuous Thought during the Transubstantiation Synthesis phase of Rejuvenation. It can be most likened to a form of “full body VR”, simulated using the collective imaginations in real time of all of its connected users. The net serves not only as a forum for the over four billion people of New Ishtar to come to a consensus, but as one of the chief pastimes and means of communication for the people. It is like your internet - constructed of equal parts computer chips and biological material. Equal parts code and pure human imagination made manifest within cyberspace.
[*] Synapse Nodes: A wondrous development - enabling non-physical establishment of a neurolink feed to those within its range. Should we be shot dead in the street - our consciousness will be transferred from the secondary brain to the synapse node and we will be Rejuvenated.
[*] Nuclear atmospheric propulsion: The gravitational acceleration of New Ishtar is 1.543g, or 15.137 m/s². This, naturally, increases the difficulty of flight. The atmosphere of New Ishtar is, however, likewise far more dense. We Ishtari have resolved the problem of heavier than air flight via the development of the nuclear jet engine. Officially termed the Nuclear Induced Jet Propulsion System, it is enabled by Ishtari developments in materials and nuclear technology enabling the successful safe use of miniaturized thorium fission reactors aboard aircraft, with thrust generated by the venting of heat from the reaction process. The ‘nukejet’ as it has been dubbed by some has shown remarkable success over the years, and is widely used in all aspects of Ishtari air travel.
[*] Automation: Even since the days of our entrapment aboard the generation ship, we Ishtari have utilized a high degree of automation for our manufacturing. While, as mentioned before, our computers are notably different from your own - that has not stopped us from developing autonomous systems for the manufacturing of an immense variety of items. We have likewise extended this technology to our agriculture, freeing up most Ishtari to pursue their individual passions and to train further military excellence, rather than to work in the fields and factories.
[*] Ishtari ironwood: A wondrous material indigenous to New Ishtar. It is somewhat analogous to bamboo of old earth - a hollow, woody plant that grows at a rapid rate in a wide variety of climates. Its properties are truly remarkable, and it has come to be used in many aspects of Ishtari society. It is stronger, lighter, and easier to mass produce than synthetic polymers owing to the curious array of naturally occurring nanostructures within it, enabling it to reach dizzying heights despite the high gravity of New Ishtar. It is the favored material for applications ranging from the stocks and other furniture of our weapons to chairs and domestic furniture to even certain building materials. Though vulnerable to decay this can be rectified with minimal impact to its desirable properties through a chemical treatment developed in the early decades of our settlement on new Ishtar.
[*] Neuroviruses: An aggressive, virulent genetically engineered nanovirus utilized as a weapon against organic nervous systems. It requires immense fine tuning to affect its specific target and no other, but when unleashed its results can be utterly devastating. To those foes of ours like the Resurgent Hive Strain or the Mycelium Gestalt, the Neurovirus is a potent, indispensable tool that rapidly liquefies infected nervous tissue, allowing the Biomatter of the organism to be safely harvested.
[*] Cloning: We would not dare insult you by describing, in detail, the process of cloning. Instead, we will simply ask you to gaze upon all we have built - then ask yourself the power of Ishtari cloning and body-printing technology.
[*] Cybernetics: We Ishtari make extensive use of cybernetic augmentation. What, you thought we might shun such, with our skill at biotechnology? Hah! My eyes are cybernetic. As are those of every Ishtari. Cybernetic technology is ubiquitous among us. We may not need cybernetic limbs to replace an amputation - but we certainly make use of such for those who require strength beyond that of even our enhanced physiology. Many of us sport digital data ports as well as our neuro-ports for direct interface with less-biological tech.
[*] Small arms technology: Ishtari weapons technology is highly advanced from centuries of constant warfare. Rest assured, our rifles will kill as quickly and efficiently as your own.
[*] Power-armor: Some weapons systems are too heavy to use effectively even with cybernetics. Some environments are deadly enough to require extra protection - but a tank might not be feasible. Power armor is the solution. Impervious to small arms fire, capable of carrying weapons that might otherwise be crew served or fixed in place, withstanding environments hazardous even to we Ishtari, and more. Power armor - or at least, a variation of it - has found a use outside of the military as well in domestic applications.
[*] Rejuvenation Chambers: Our pride and joy. The technology that creates us anew every year. Our path to immortality.
[*] The Commonality is advanced in numerous other fields not explicitly mentioned here. Their lack of explicit mention does not inherently imply a lack of sophistication.[/list]

[color=f7941d]Military Overview[/color]: [sub](This is the space to talk about any offensive capabilities you have. Given that most of these Colonies have been essentially stranded by themselves for three centuries, I don't imagine anyone has a large "conquer other planets" level fleet yet. But maybe your Colony has been in civil war for a hundred years, and has built up an impressive military in that time. Or maybe we even had to fend off a genuine alien invasion.)[/sub]

[hider=Army]
The Ishtari army is a hybrid force composed of full time soldiery and highly trained militia. Those who take on the role of Soldier train daily and conduct frequent live-fire high ‘lethality’ combat exercises. It is frequent for the body to be destroyed during these, and the soldier will receive a proper debrief on the errors made in combat that lead to their ‘death’. The full-time soldiery of New Ishtar are a fearsome force,

The other part of the Ishtari army is composed of the entire population of New Ishtar. Every single Perfected of New Ishtar is drilled throughout their whole upbringing in military tactics and life, and even after reaching adulthood are required to join military training with their unit once a year to maintain proficiency. The duration of the training period may vary, but the average is approximately three weeks, plus one four-day period every ten weeks. While these soldiers are not the equals of the full-time soldiery, they are not to be underestimated. Equipped in much the same fashion as the professionals, and highly motivated - for there is no such thing as a war against the will of the people in New Ishtar - they are a potent fighting force all on their own, even discounting their enormous numbers.

The Ishtari fight in a largely conventional manner. New Ishtar utilizes combined arms tactics of mechanized infantry and armored battalions, air support, and orbital as well as ground-based artillery. The Ishtari will form large breakthough artillery and armored units, shifting them to where they are needed along a front. Their military doctrine stresses operational and strategic flexibility, relying upon the firepower of artillery and use of armored vehicles and aircraft to achieve penetration of the enemy lines. The large reserves of the army are kept ready to attach to any attack that shows promise, and attacks that fail are halted and their best forces rapidly redeployed to reinforce those attacks that show success. On a successful penetration of enemy lines, the Legion focuses on destroying supply lines, communication, vital supporting infrastructure such as repair stations and supply depots, and capturing important infrastructure. Acting in concert with the navy to prevent orbital extraction, the position of enemy forces is thus rendered untenable and they are forced to abandon their defenses and retreat so as not to be cut off. Once exposed and vulnerable, they will be subject to the coup de grace with a final massive assault supported by even more artillery, armored vehicles, and close air support.

[hider=Ground Equipment of the Commonality of New Ishtar:]
New Ishtar still primarily uses chemical propellant based projectile weapons as the primary armament of their infantry. Infantry-portable railguns, while recently developed, lack the reliability, ruggedness, and comparative ease of maintenance and supply of their chemical counterparts without offering a sufficient increase in lethality. Most weapons use furniture constructed of chemically treated Ishtari ironwood which is then coated in a durable electroplated ceramic coating to prevent damage.

[b]Melee Weapons:[/b]
Close combat is tightly ingrained within Ishtari society. This extends to their military thinking, as well. Ishtari soldiers will not shy away from killing their enemies in melee combat as well as ranged.

Karambit: Standard issue to every single Ishtari soldier for use both as a tool and a melee weapon. It has worked for centuries. It’s still highly effective now.

[img]https://www.traditionalfilipinoweapons.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/DSC00219.jpg[/img]
Combat sword: An inward curving, strongly constructed sword carried by many Ishtari soldiers in place of or in addition to the standard karambit. Sharp, durable, and intimately familiar to every single Ishtari from their childhood training.

Breaching axe: Equal parts weapon and tool, breaching axes are nearly ubiquitous for their sheer utility and widely favored among both the army and marines stationed aboard starships. Equally useful for prying, chopping, and maiming.

[img]https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/cyberpunk/images/1/1b/Mantisblades_left_arm.png[/img]
Cybernetic Combat Blades: Known by many nicknames amongst the Ishtari populace, including “the living blender”, the CCBs were designed with the dual goals of extreme lethality and extreme concealment. Capable of being stored within a standard cybernetic arm, the blades are constructed of a high strength, low weight alloy core and diamond-hard nanomaterial cutting edges. Attached to the powerful synthetic muscle tissue of the cybernetic arm, the blades are capable of shearing through standard hard body armor with repeated slashes. 

Ranged Weapons:
[img]https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/titanfall/images/7/71/AL_VK-47_Flatline_AR.png[/img]
NLGFAR E74 - Neuro Linked Guided Flechette Assault Rifle, “guffaw”, Edition 47: The bread and butter of the Ishtari infantry, the 'guffaw' is no laughing matter. Firing caseless 5.45 tracking flechette rounds from a 75 round magazine, the weapon is synced to the neurolink of its user enabling real time predictive firing solutions - the user sees where the flechette will go, and the flechette will adjust its course in-flight to make up for small variances in target location. With a muzzle velocity 1453m/s, the flechette projectiles retain excellent kinetic energy even at medium and long engagement distances, enabling them to pierce significant amounts of enemy armor. The GFAR uses a continuous-recoil system that ensures the bolt assembly never impacts the rear of the weapon before cycling back to chamber a new round. The end result is a remarkably smooth recoil impulse, without the bouncing and vibration of a normal weapon, the recoil of the gun feels like a single continuous 'push' rather than a series of smaller impulses, making controlled fire significantly easier.

NLILMG E100 - Neuro Linked Infantry Light Machine Gun Edition 100: A variant of the GFAR E74, used as a squad automatic weapon, the ILMG E100 utilizes the exact same 5.45mm tracking flechette ammunition as its smaller sibling. The role of the E100 is for sustained automatic fire support on a squad level, without the need for the power armor required for the GPMG. Firing from a belt feed, rather than a large magazine, a standard belt is 250 rounds, capable of being stored in the cylindrical 'drum' underneath the weapon to protect the ammunition from the elements. These belts are consumed in the firing process, leaving no need for extraction or ejection and enabling a higher cyclic rate of approximately 1200 rpm with the weapon's heavy duty barrel.

[img]https://i.pinimg.com/736x/87/56/31/87563157acdd154a67c7d8de3328e894.jpg[/img]
NLGFSMG E2 - Neuro Linked Sub Machine Gun, Edition 2: Affectionately nicknamed "piglet" by its users, the E2 is a powerful neurolinked submachine gun issued to second-line troops, armored units, special forces, for close combat operations, and more. The weapon uses the same 9mm magnum rocket assisted rounds as the OH E33, feeding from a 40 round magazine at a cyclic rate of fire of approximately 1080RPM, utilizing a continuous-recoil system similar to that in the GFAR. The weapon comes with single shot, three round burst, and full auto settings.

[img]https://cdna.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/014/512/672/large/gregory-trusov-1.jpg?1544637550[/img]
NLPIR E209 - Neuro Linked Precision and Interdiction Rifle, Edition 209: A dual purpose anti-material and long distance precision rifle connected, like every Ishtari weapon, to the neurolink of its user to offer predictive firing solutions. Utilizing similar guided flechette technology to the GFAR, the weapon fires a massive 12.7mm rocket-assisted projectile out to a maximum effective range of approximately 3500 meters.

[img]https://cdna.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/010/013/940/large/gregory-trusov-8.jpg?1522093558[/img]
NL-OH E33 - Neuro Linked Offensive Handgun, Edition 33: A large, heavy duty, powerful handgun commonly issued as a sidearm to shock troops, second-line units, or soldiers heading into close combat scenarios. The NL-OFH is also frequently carried by some soldiers who bring it as a personal weapon. The weapon uses similar rocket-assisting technology as the GPMG, in this case firing a 9mm armor piercing, high explosive projectile, not dissimilar to that used in the GPMG. The handgun impacts with enormous energy, and is capable of punching through surprisingly heavy amounts of armor - despite its relatively small size.

[img]https://i.imgur.com/Xs2C74r.png[/img]
NL-EDNTD E43 - Neuro- Linked Electro-Discharge Neural Tissue Destroyer, Edition 43: Developed during the conflict for use against the [REDACTED] of the Mycelium Gestalt, originating from a design developed aboard the Ishtar itself for use against the Hive Strain. The weapon is connected to the power source of the user's power armor, and functions via the launch of high velocity disposable prongs into the target, down which an enormous current of electricity is dumped to destroy the target's neural systems.

[img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/645419715329654785/909949288421937213/509.png[/img]
NLGPMG-RPW E60 - Neuro Linked General Purpose Machine Gun - Rocket Propelled Warhead, Edition 60: The weapon New Ishtar refers to as its 'general purpose machine gun' is a weapon that has well earned its reputation. Loud. Heavy. Fast firing. Absolutely terrifying. It is more akin to an autocannon. The weapon fires a 26mm rocket-propelled warhead at a muzzle velocity of approximately 332 m/s before its rocket propulsion engages. It sports an integrated neurolink slot for improved firing solutions when attached to the socket of the user, via power armor or through direct link. With this link, and the increased accuracy and hit probability, the weapon has a maximum effective range of approximately 3,500 meters in open terrain. After this, the rocket will self-detonate. There are three primary warheads used:
[list]
[*] APSC - Armor Piercing Shaped Charge: A shaped charge warhead using time-honored technology, on miniature scale. The APSC warhead boasts a maximum penetration of 160mm RHA and is intended for use in an anti-material role or against light armored targets such as enemy power armor or light vehicles.
[*] HEA - High Explosive Airburst: A fragmentation warhead equipped with a smart-fuse synced to the weapon's systems. Intended for use against unarmored infantry.
[*] APHE - Armor Piercing High Explosive: Intended for use against large, lightly armored targets. The warhead is designed to penetrate enemy armor or large amounts of flesh, and detonate inside the target, rupturing or destroying vital organs and blood vessels. [/list]

[b]Armor[/b]
[img]https://i.pinimg.com/originals/3e/70/28/3e7028b456192a32893d03a50215cdb5.jpg[/img]
Sister-Soldier 7 Nayris Born From Ash Returns To Vanquish The Wicked clad in the standard-issue Tactical Assault Armor formed from composite metallo-ceramic and graphene plating atop a polycarbaramid duraweave bodysuit with integrated temperature control, life support, and other auxiliary systems.

[img]https://i.pinimg.com/originals/57/0b/3e/570b3e0159196967aa8fe7bea8665840.jpg[/img]
Sister-Soldier 183 Alyu Grasps The Sword In Hand And Strikes Down The Demons Before Her, outfitted in the standard-issue Heavy Tactical Assault Combat Exo-Suit. Generally, these are more experienced individuals given the heavier power armor and training, plus neural uplink, to handle a squad’s massive 26mm GPMG.

[img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/846488243398246411/908958498853892166/joakim-ericsson-strandedsmall.jpg[/img]
Arctic environment operations by after the crash landing of Dropship 37-2b during the third year of The Great Xenocide
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[hider=Combat Vehicles] 
[img]https://cdnb.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/016/716/047/large/keos-masons-genlock-01c.jpg?1553185088[/img]
LA-34 ‘Unmanned’ Assault Tank: Equipped with a railgun firing a dart of dense metal at hypervelocity for enormous on-target destructive potential, and a cfrac particle beam weapon for anti-armor operations, the LA-34 is much smaller, on average, than the manned tanks of other nations, the main chassis standing at 150cm in height and able to fully depress itself to the ground. Piloted by a single mind-transferred consciousness embedded deep within the tank and ensconced within a miniature armored sarcophagus, the tank is cheap to mass produce, cheap to replace, and presents a much smaller target than its peers.

[img]https://static.turbosquid.com/Preview/001133/823/YP/_Z.jpg[/img]
MA-10 Heavy Ground Attack Aircraft

[img]https://i.pinimg.com/originals/df/6e/dd/df6edd6f2721e7057334c3317a7acee3.jpg[/img]
MA-4 Tetrajet Heavy Assault Gunship.
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[hider=Navy]
The Ishtari Navy is a powerful navy, standing proud beside its peers. This is, of course, to be expected from a society as militaristic as the Ishtari - and having suffered the hardships they have. Constant vigilance against any threat from abroad is only natural. As such, the Navy is well supplied and highly modern, just as with the army.

The operational doctrine of the Ishtari Navy revolves primarily around our heavy battleships, and armed dropships. They have no carriers to speak of, excepting the large compliments stored aboard cruisers and battleships. Standard doctrine dictates engagement at extreme range, utilizing the powerful c-fractional railgun batteries that make up their primary armament. An Ishtari fleet expects to defeat the enemy before they can draw to ‘knife fight’ distances wherein manned craft become viable. Even so, they are bristling with point defense weapons for use against planetary based craft or missiles. If combat does draw to such close distances, the lethality of the Ishtari railguns is only amplified - for hit probability is drastically increased. But what is doubtless of greater concern is the prevalence of boarding torpedoes aboard their craft. Almost 40 meters in length, heavily armored, and extremely fast - they are launched from bow, stern, and broadside tubes against hostile enemy warships that draw close enough and are packed near to bursting with Ishtari marines in full vacuum combat gear, armed to the teeth and frequently spearheaded by those in power armor.

The Ishtari fleet is at its deadliest at ‘close quarters’ and long to extreme ranges, and at its weakest at medium range. Standard doctrine is, thus, if elimination at long range is not possible to close to medium range as soon as possible where the Ishtari may use their advantages to the full extent.
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Weaponized diseases: Another fearsome weapon in the technological arsenal of New Ishtar is a wide array of biological warfare agents. Dredged up from the deepest nightmares inflicted upon us by the void, these weapons are kept under tight lock and key in the same vein as nuclear weapons. They range from merely re-engineered smallpox to agents of such horrific ends that I dare not speak of them. Be thankful you will never need to see them. Be very thankful.
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[color=ec008c]Additional Info[/color]:

[hider=Naming Conventions]
Ishtari naming conventions seem complicated to outsiders, but are in fact rather simple. The individual’s current occupation comes first, as well as their gender, followed by the number of current Rejuvenations undergone by the individual, followed by their given name, and a descriptive phrase or declaration that, over time, may change to suit the changing individual.

For those whose consciousnesses are not stored within physical bodies, we simply flip the prefix, with role going first, followed by gender, then the name as normal.

Example names follow:
Sister-Soldier 102 Nisrin Carries The Torch Unto The Darkest Abyss
Sister-Soldier 3 Asana Knows The Heavy Price Of Retribution
Sister-Sculptor 139 Geneva Weaves The Flesh Of Her Sisters For Their Worldly Joy
Sister-Commissar 134 Kalisis Scourges With Fire The Bones Of The Unclean
Sister-Scientist 154 Siris Illuminates The Path With The Torch Of Aeons
Sister-Soldier 183 Alyu Grasps The Sword In Hand And Strikes Down The Demons Before Her
Sister-Artist 9 Buran Dreams Of Many Beautiful Things
Sister-Soldier 7 Nayris Born From Ash Returns To Vanquish The Wicked
Ship-Sister 19 Akiko Dreams Of Living Among The Stars

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