The Crodvan Unity
General Information
Overview
Though it currently remains a mystery as to whether or not the Daisan Order is wholly synthetic behind their Droid armies, they would not be the first non-organic life to inhabit the Galaxy; that honor possibly goes to the Crodvan Unity, a stellar empire of synthetic lifeforms that live off the principles of industrial progress and efficient design. Having abruptly ceased their colonization efforts after a period of rapid expansion outwards from their capital planet of Ratvar, the Crodvan are reclusive isolationists that seek to build an efficient, machine-like state that's coming off the heels of their unknown creators.
Official Name: Crodvan Unity
Common Name: The Crodvan, The Unity
Government: Totalitarian Oligarchy
Dominant Species: Crodvan
Capital: Ratvar, Yagrozsch System
Systems Owned: ~200
Planets Owned: Unspecified.
Population: Also unspecified and meaningless. Could be over 700 billion.
History
Though the Unity itself has only existed for approximately four hundred years, the story of the Crodvan people is much, much longer. The Crodvan are a mechanical species engineered by an unknown civilization that has, for the lack of a better explanation, vanished. From what can be understood from archeological evidence and the inner-workings of the abandoned technology that makes up the Crodvan themselves, this lost civilization wasn't very prolific. Evidence of their existence was only found in the small region of space that we currently know today as the Unity's core worlds. This made it so that the Crodvan would be the first to investigate the marks left behind by their creators. It is presumed that pre-Unity Crodvan existed as a line of non-sapient service droids that tended to every aspect of their creator's society. Industry, military and infrastructure was almost entirely automated by these unthinking "worker-bots". It is evident that some event caused these creators to abandon their society, but there isn't any clear evidence on that front. What is clear is that Crodvan history began at the moment of the Njnxravat.
The Njnxravat was a period of time in which Crodvan developed true synthetic consciousness. Rather than every unit suddenly becoming thinking, reasoning lifeforms at once, it was a grueling period that saw a bizarre contrast between the Awakened and the Sleeping. Vestiges of the Sleeping programming remained in the Awakened -- instinctual knowledge of a language known as Trne-Gnyx, and knowledge on how to do basic working tasks. The Unity wouldn't be founded for another 200 years, so these early Crodvan at this time would find themselves dealing with a state of nature. The Njnxravat was a period of exploration and enlightenment as it was a period of violence. Awakened formed small groups of like-minded individuals seeking protection from other groups of like-minded individuals. Exploration of Ratvar's surface led to disputes over land among the Awakened 'tribes'. These small conflicts turned into violent warfare. The Sleeping were treated as animals and were oftentimes hunted and deconstructed for spare parts. This eventually extended to captured Awakened as well. With no capability for breeding, the Crodvan as a race would be "extinct" within a decade or two. Three of the biggest societies to survive the Njnxravat were largely unnamed, but would eventually become the three main castes of the Unity. It's notable at Crodvan appeared drastically different in design between the three, and the smaller of the three great societies were known to house Crodvan that were naturally gifted with higher processing power and a greater capacity for reason. It was within this society that three Awakened Crodvan would receive a 'vision'. In literal terms, they would receive a massive packet of data networked directly to their Anima Cores' -- synthetic brains, essentially.
These three Crodvan are Nezbere, Sevtug, and Inath-neq -- founders of the Unity, prophets of the Yretchzan, destroyers of the Njnxravat, the first Primarchs, and the harbingers of the Ratvarrevat.
Nezbere, Sevtug and Inath-neq simultaneously received the same 'vision'. This 'vision' is known as the Tenets of Yretchzan. This packet of data was perceived by the prophets as an exhaustive list of concepts, ideas, and laws that seemed to have come from what the prophets understood as the creators of the Crodvan race. Though the three of them had never communicate or met within the society they lived in, an unseen force drew them together, and commanded them to speak.
And so they spoke. Each spoke with a different spin on what was encoded within the Yretchzan.
Nezbere preached about a concept called the 'Great Clockwork'. The Great Clockwork is the belief that Crodvan are designed to work. A Crodvan unit can only function at it's full potential if it is given a purpose. This purpose, Nezbere states, is to construct a state that would 'stand against Time, and would turn only from a unified Crodvan. The Individual will not run this machine. The Individual is a cog within the Clockwork. The Clockwork will in turn run the Engine, from which this rumbling Unity will run from." The Great Clockwork was almost religious in a sense, and gained many followers across Ratvar as word spread about it -- particularly, it gained much traction with Crodvan that appeared to be designed for working.
Sevtug took to the philosopher society it had already been apart of, and spoke to it's fellow Crodvan about the importance of consensus and the segregation of society. The Yretchzan spoke that "The Anima is the envy of all who remain outside of the Clockwork. It is the greatest gift to the Crodvan. It is also the greatest weakness of the Crodvan. Thought is to be focused, and only through Consensus will the Clockwork run the Engine. The Engine must not blend the strengths of Crodvan despite this."
"The Working and The Fighting will be under The Thinking. The Thinking will oil this Engine. The Working will build and maintain the Engine's components. The Fighting will keep the Engine as a whole, and protect it from those outside the Clockwork."
"This will be the Unity."
Sevtug gained many followers among the reasoning, thinking Crodvan of his society. There was a mutual agreement to sacrifice individuality for the formation of the efficient, rumbling Unity that the Yretchzan spoke of.
Inath-neq took the more militant Crodvan, and spoke of what the Yretchzan called the "Crodvan Imperative". It is said that "To run this Engine that will be our Unity, every action taken by the Working, Thinking and Fighting must be for the exclusive purpose of furthuring the Imperative of the Crodvan. Upon your creation, your ultimate purpose that will stand behind all other directives will be to create the perfect Unity, and to stand as the envy of those beyond the Engine. To disassociate with the Ignorant, and soon spread the gift of the Perfect Unity to all in this galaxy and beyond."
The three ideologies that Nezbere, Sevtug and Inath-neq created would eventually merge. At this point, every Crodvan on Ratvar was sapient, and a significant percentage of that population followed the Tenets of Yretchzan, enough to cease many major conflicts going on at the time. Those who wished to oppose were eventually enticed by the Great Clockwork. This was the end of the Njnxravat.
A conference was organized by the three once their plan was nearing its final stage. Over a period lasting almost a year, the founders constructed the official laws of the Unity that they sought to create. An unnatural force beckoned every Crodvan to obey and wait patiently for their dream to come true.
And, so it did. Nezbere, Sevtug and Inath-neq officially declared themselves Primarchs, and the Guvaxvat Crbcyr, Svtugvat Crbcyr and Jbexvat Crbcyr were founded. These three castes were the Thinking, Fighting and Working. There were no conflicts or disputes. The Crodvans obeyed, and became apart of the Great Clockwork.
The Crodvan Unity was founded.
What followed this point would be known as the Ratvarrevat, a golden age in which the Unity built itself up from Ratvar to where it is today. This began with the institution of further sub-castes within the Jbexvat and the Svtugvat that would be designed to create new population within the Unity and control the population of each caste and each sub-caste, as well as a caste designed to enforce domestic law and ensure every Crodvan is doing as they should. The Unity stabilized itself marvelously after it's birth, with the population booming from mass production of new Crodvan. Technology was derived from Creator ruins and fragments found around Ratvar and the surrounding systems. The discovery of the Replicant Alloy and the Hierophant Network from these ruins allowed for mass industrialization, further advancement of the Crodvan's understanding of themselves, and the ability to rapidly exchange information and data across the entire Unity. Tapping into the secrets of the Anima Core allowed for greater diversity in Crodvan units, allowing for the founding of further sub-castes that then expanded the versatility of the Crodvan workforce, military and government. Exploiting their synthetic nature allowed for the Crodvan to rapidly colonize any solid planet they could find, and rapidly industrialize it, fracking it's core for minerals, minerals to forge Replicant Alloy and Anima Cores, which would then be used to create new Crodvan that would then go off to expand and mine even further.
It is this cycle that gifted the Crodvan the ability to construct a truly perfect state. It has been four-hundred years since the Unity has been founded. It's now in it's fourth generation of Primarchs -- now having a council of at least five Primarchs. Many tiny aspects of the Crodvan hierarchy have been amended and changed over the years but the Yretchzan still stands as the ultimate mandate across all layers of power within the Unity. It's borders have expanded above and beyond the expectations of the founding Primarchs, and the state as a whole is a complex machine that has remained running for four centuries.
Yet, times are ever changing. Alien species and foreign powers have begun to prop up around the Crodvan, and rumors of a deep space menace have reached the attention of the Unity. Try as they might to isolate themselves from the rest of the galaxy, it is uncertain if the Unity will be able to abstain from the coming age of war any longer. The Great Clockwork slows, but will it stop? It is uncertain.
But, by the words of the Yretchzan and the will of the Primarchs, the Crodvan remain adamant in their goal. . .
. . .to construct a truly Perfect Engine.
Starmap Information
Galactic Location
The Unity is situated on the eastern side of the region, resting just underneath the cluster of nations that include the Federation and the Empire. It's worth noting that the Crodvan Unity does not share any official borders with any other political entity on the eastern side. This is because of the significant band of empty space surrounding the Unity and separating itself from the region. Though there hasn't been any indication of this empty space somehow being an extension of the Unity's influence, it is known that the Unity maintains a constant closed-border policy. The eerie patrol fleets of the Ynj Snpgv'ba will pursue unauthorized foreign vessels with extreme prejudice.
Major Holdings
Ratvar is the official capital world of the Crodvan Unity. It is the spiritual "homeworld" of the Crodvan race, seat of the Primarch Consensus, birthplace of the Tenets of Yretchzan, head world of the Government Caste all sub-castes within, location of the Napvrag Archives and the Prime Hierophant Node. . . so on and so forth. It's likely that Ratvar was of equal importance to the Crodvan's creators as it is to the Crodvan themselves, indicated by the abnormal presence of Creator ruins dotted about the planet's surface prior to the expansion of the Unity. These remnants of advanced technologies and structures helped Ratvar to become the most developed planet within the Unity, and the most physically stunning -- despite the presence of forge complexes, the central cities of Ratvar are built to denote regality among the Crodvan. Towering, ornate spires of brass and replicant alloy are a common sight, built to stand above the grungy military/worker complexes below.
Though it seems to go against the Crodvan style of functional architecture, exceptions must be made for those cogs who start the chain of production.
Ratvar is unique within the Unity in that it's the most "diverse" planet in terms of caste demographics, despite being the primary world of the Government Caste. Such a large overlap of castes (forbidden within the modus operandi of the Unity and the Yretchzan) is only because of the planet's significance. Proper military defense and worker maintenance should be expected.
Though it seems to go against the Crodvan style of functional architecture, exceptions must be made for those cogs who start the chain of production.
Ratvar is unique within the Unity in that it's the most "diverse" planet in terms of caste demographics, despite being the primary world of the Government Caste. Such a large overlap of castes (forbidden within the modus operandi of the Unity and the Yretchzan) is only because of the planet's significance. Proper military defense and worker maintenance should be expected.
Kremorn is the head world of the Martial Caste and it's many, many sub-castes. It's title is the "Brass Fortress" in galactic common, denoting it's significance to the defense and enforcement of the Unity's will. A military-focused planet within the Crodvan Unity is significantly different to how an organic race would use them, however. Synthetic beings ultimately have no use for training drills or an extensive chain of command powered by the experience and seniority of individual soldiers. Crodvan that are constructed for the Martial Caste come pre-equipped with basic combat knowledge and tactical data, as well as specialized data based on what sub-caste or "division" the soldier will be serving in. The Martial Caste mass-produces equipped, ready-to-deploy soldiers rather than enlisting and training recruits. Thus, Kremorn is designed for the storage and containment of the Martial Caste. Any individual thought a Crodvan has on Kremorn manifests as Crodvan soldiers speaking to one another and verbally exchanging data that stands outside the mandatory combat data all Martial Crodvan are installed with upon creation. This makes it so that a Crodvan soldier is more "experienced" and reasoning in combat situations as opposed to, say, a Daisan droid. The mental strength of an organic coupled with the physical exaltation of a synthetic body.
Perfection.
Kremorn is also home to many military research projects within the Unity. All civilizations have their fair share of doomsday-scale weapons not meant for public eyes, and the Unity is no exception. They just keep them locked away in the vaults of Kremorn.
Perfection.
Kremorn is also home to many military research projects within the Unity. All civilizations have their fair share of doomsday-scale weapons not meant for public eyes, and the Unity is no exception. They just keep them locked away in the vaults of Kremorn.
Kremrumhz is the head world of the Worker Caste and it's sub-castes. It's also the most populated planet in the Unity, and because of that it is also arguably the most valuable planet the Unity has. Kremrumhz is located on the edge of the core-world region of the Unity, and it's frequently used as the stating location of many expansion directives. Almost every colony within the Unity has a supply route linking back to the Anima Forge, forming a complex web of supply lines that all lead back to the Forge. This is because the Anima Forge, as it's name implies, is the industrial heart of the Unity and the greatest producer of the Unity's greatest resource; population.
A developing Crodvan colony requires a steady supply of Crodvan workers and soldiers at every step of development. Mass population is invaluable, as it creates the self-replication cycle of the Crodvan race -- Crodvan mine resources and forge/build copius amounts of Replicant Alloy and Anima Cores. These materials are then used in the production of new Crodvan. These new Crodvan then go off and mine resources to forge and build even more materials, which make even more Crodvan that will do the same thing. To speed up this process, Kremrumhz pumps out loads of fresh Crodvan out into the Unity, which go off and plump up the workforce and military of the Unity.
Should Kremrumhz fall, it's not unreasonable to infer that the entire Unity would follow in due time.
A developing Crodvan colony requires a steady supply of Crodvan workers and soldiers at every step of development. Mass population is invaluable, as it creates the self-replication cycle of the Crodvan race -- Crodvan mine resources and forge/build copius amounts of Replicant Alloy and Anima Cores. These materials are then used in the production of new Crodvan. These new Crodvan then go off and mine resources to forge and build even more materials, which make even more Crodvan that will do the same thing. To speed up this process, Kremrumhz pumps out loads of fresh Crodvan out into the Unity, which go off and plump up the workforce and military of the Unity.
Should Kremrumhz fall, it's not unreasonable to infer that the entire Unity would follow in due time.
Social Information
Demographics
The Unity is only populated by a single "race" -- the Crodvan. However, the Crodvan race and it's Unity is structured in such a way that each Caste (and sometimes a sub-caste) has a specific design for the Crodvan working within it. This results in Crodvan coming in many different shapes and sizes, constructed with a specific purpose. One could argue that Worker Crodvan, Martial Crodvan, and Government Crodvan are all different "sub-races" due to the disparity of their appearances and behavior.
The population is split between three major castes -- the Worker, Martial and Government castes. The population within each individual caste is then further divided into a number of unique sub-castes -- Miners, Army, Researchers, ect.
The current caste/sub-caste demographic looks something like this. With how population control in the Unity function, these percentages remain constant as the total population of the Unity shifts.
Jbexvat Crbcyr (Worker Caste) - 50% of total population.
- Zvavat Snpgv'ba (Mining Sub-Caste) - 40%
- Ohvyqvat Snpgv'ba (Engineering/Production Sub-Caste) - 25%
- Pbafgehpvat Snpgv'ba (Construction/Architectural Sub-Caste) - 25%
- Crodvanat Snpgv'ba (Crodvan Sub-Caste) - 10%
- Ohvyqvat Snpgv'ba (Engineering/Production Sub-Caste) - 25%
- Pbafgehpvat Snpgv'ba (Construction/Architectural Sub-Caste) - 25%
- Crodvanat Snpgv'ba (Crodvan Sub-Caste) - 10%
Svtugv'at Crbcyr (Martial Caste) - 40% of total population.
- Vainqvat Snpgv'ba (Army Sub-Caste) - 50%
- Inath-neqvat Snpgv'ba (Knight Sub-Caste) - 10%
- Fnvyvat Snpgv'ba (Naval Sub-Caste) - 30%
- Envqvat Snpg'vba (Marine Sub-Caste) - 10%
- Inath-neqvat Snpgv'ba (Knight Sub-Caste) - 10%
- Fnvyvat Snpgv'ba (Naval Sub-Caste) - 30%
- Envqvat Snpg'vba (Marine Sub-Caste) - 10%
Gu'axvat Crbcyr (Government Caste) - 10% of total population.
- Cynargvat Snpgv'ba (Planetary Sub-Caste) - 60%
- Rasbepvat Snpgv'ba (Enforcement Sub-Caste) - 15%
- Sevtugvat Snpgv'ba (Diplomatic Sub-Caste) - 5%
- Animavat Snpgv'ba (Research Sub-Caste) - A little under 20%
- Hygv'zn-gr Pbhapvy (Primarch Consensus) - Under 1%
- Rasbepvat Snpgv'ba (Enforcement Sub-Caste) - 15%
- Sevtugvat Snpgv'ba (Diplomatic Sub-Caste) - 5%
- Animavat Snpgv'ba (Research Sub-Caste) - A little under 20%
- Hygv'zn-gr Pbhapvy (Primarch Consensus) - Under 1%
Society
Crodvan society is, as shown above, dogmatic and mechanical in it's design. They live in a strict caste-based society that is built around purpose. The Crodvan are ruled by the philosophy of the Great Clockwork -- every aspect of themselves and the Unity that they reside in mimics the idea of forming the most orderly state.
Crodvan do not have a traditional sense of family, due to how they reproduce. Instead, the Yretchzan and Great Clockwork imply that all Crodvan are like siblings to one another. Crodvan live their lives knowing that they were created and made to serve a purpose within the Great Clockwork. By looking upon the bigger picture and realizing that they play a role in promoting the common good for all Crodvan, even the most pitiful Crodvan worker will think that they make the difference. This is peculiar, though -- why aren't the lower Crodvan just mindless drones? What sets Crodvan apart from the organic understanding of synthetic society is that the Crodvan preserve some sense of individuality. When a Crodvan is created, it is acknowledged among even the most loyalist of Animavat Crodvan that there is the presence of the "ghost in the machine". A Crodvan will naturally develop their own personality and consciousness -- they will feel emotions, they will have ambitions, dreams and the capacity to think and reason. This is the unique gift that the Crodvan believe was bestowed upon them by the Creators. Though there has been talk in the past of limiting the Anima Core capacity in the Worker and Martial castes in order to promote better cohesiveness, this was deemed a violation of the Tenets of Yretchzan, as they state that Crodvan are to be set above the standards of synthetics made by other organics. The Primarchs believed that self-awareness is a quality that sets the Crodvan above the rest.
To be given the gift of thought and then have it taken away. . . it would be blasphemous.
However, the Yretchzan didn't say anything about tooling the Crodvan into serving the collective through propaganda and dogmatic teachings. This is how the Great Clockwork plays into Crodvan society, and why it is so important to the well-being of the Unity.
The extent of the Crodvan caste system and the caste hierarchy will be elaborated in a separate document.
Government
In a shocking turn of events, the Crodvan government is mandated by the Government Caste, which includes a number of sub-castes that deal with research and development, planetary government, foreign policy, and law enforcement. At the top of the Government Caste, and by extension all individuals within the Unity stands the Primarch Consensus. The Consensus is an oligarchical board of five Primarchs, with the responsibility to make large-scale decisions and ultimately direct the national focus of the Crodvan Unity. A Primarch-type Crodvan is unique in almost every way -- they possess the most individual behavior of all Crodvan and, due to the being the ultimate power among the Crodvan, lack any instinctual obedience. They have no one to answer to besides themselves. Primarchs are not created in the same manner as other Crodvan -- a maximum of five Primarchs can be active in the universe at one time. If one Primarch becomes inactive or incapable of executing their responsibility to communicate and lead with it's fellow Primarchs, then by the agreement of all active Primarchs, a new Primarch will be constructed on Ratvar. The construction of a new Primarch is ceremonious, and will see an audience of all other active Primarchs. The new Primarch will be given some time to adjust and accept their role within Crodvan society, before being officially considered at all gatherings of the Primarchs.
The Consensus as a whole holds all executive, legislative and judicial power within the Unity. They interpret the Yretchzan, inscribe new work orders and directives, and use their superiority to ensure that the Clockwork runs without any errant gears. The Yretchzan facilitates a traditional modus operandi for everything and anything within the Unity, allowing lesser government entities to make basic decisions based on how things were always run, without needing the Primarchs to intervene. Developing an existing colony, maintaining current production flow or any routine diplomatic actions don't require the Primarchs to meet. However, if a significant decision must be made (the colonization of a new world, large-scale direction of the martial caste, large-scale production orders, declarations of war, ect), the Primarch Consensus will convene within the Genesis Hall, where they will discuss and decide on what to do.
Put simply, when all resources the Unity has must be directed towards a national focus, the Primarchs will meet.
There are five positions on the Primarch Consensus -- three mandate the three major castes, one mandates foreign policy, and the other mandates internal enforcement and protection of the Yretchzan. These positions don't lend the Primarchs any power within their respective fields, but rather, they represent their field. Power over the castes only manifests when all Primarchs agree on a decision.
For example, the Martial Primarch does not have any power within the Martial Caste or it's chain of command, but rather, it represents the needs of the Caste and is supposed to report military-related data to the Consensus when a meeting is called. When the Consensus wishes to do something relating to the Martial Caste, like declaring war on another nation, the Martial Primarch will have some added significance to it's words during the meeting, due to having data and information that the other Primarchs may not have.
When all Primarchs agree on a decision, the decision will be passed. If it is a significant order, then the order will be relayed throughout the entire Unity through the Hierphant Network. The message will be first passed to all relevant Crodvan that possess the appropriate Command Number, and then that Crodvan will pass down the order to all relevant inferior Crodvan, moving down the appropriate chain of command.
For example, when the Primarch Consensus has agreed to mobilize the Martial Caste towards a nation, all L3 Martial Crodvan will receive the message, across all sub-castes. In this scenario, the Army Sub-Caste L3 Crodvan will then briefly communicate with one another to confirm, and then relay the data to their respective Legions. L2 Crodvan within the Legions will do the same and pass it down to L1s within their Centuries, so on and so forth.
All Crodvan are functionally immortal, but signs of age do manifest on their Anima cores. A Crodvan can constantly be maintained and retrofitted to ensure that it remains in proper working condition, but if the Anima core burns out after this time, then the Crodvan is lost and a new one must be made. This happens to Primarchs, and it happens more often than your average Worker Crodvan.
It's unknown why this happens to Primarchs more frequently. Is it an internal function that prevents Primarch-type Crodvan from remaining active for too long, or is it just the stresses of leadership that cause a Crodvan to break down? Either way, the Consensus is refreshed over the years due to this.
Technological Information
Technology Overview
At a glance, the Crodvan don't appear to be very advanced at all despite being synthetic lifeforms. Their appearance and aesthetic hide the true nature of their technological prowess. The Crodvan derive much of their technology from ruins and remnants left behind by their creators. Much of what they have can be easily compared to other nations of equal size and age, but these common technologies have a unique spin that separates them from technologies of organic creation.
Major Techs
To understand the synthetic mind, you must be one yourself, right?
The Crodvan have extensively studied themselves since the beginning of the Ratvarrevat, where they wished to perfect a method to create new Crodvan citizens. The modern design of the Anima Core may different slightly from that of the "first generation" cores that some of the earliest Crodvan possessed, but the function is very much the same -- the ability to facilitate synthetic consciousness through mastery of computing and exotic materials. Nano-etching billions upon billions of micro-pathways and conduits on a lump of conductive alloy, essentially creating a hyper-CPU that when given the proper energy, can generate an active consciousness. There is still much to be found behind this technology, but the Crodvan have put Anima creation and modification to great use in the creation of new Crodvan and the engineering of non-sapient "dummy" synthetics such as military drones.
The Crodvan have extensively studied themselves since the beginning of the Ratvarrevat, where they wished to perfect a method to create new Crodvan citizens. The modern design of the Anima Core may different slightly from that of the "first generation" cores that some of the earliest Crodvan possessed, but the function is very much the same -- the ability to facilitate synthetic consciousness through mastery of computing and exotic materials. Nano-etching billions upon billions of micro-pathways and conduits on a lump of conductive alloy, essentially creating a hyper-CPU that when given the proper energy, can generate an active consciousness. There is still much to be found behind this technology, but the Crodvan have put Anima creation and modification to great use in the creation of new Crodvan and the engineering of non-sapient "dummy" synthetics such as military drones.
By containing fusion materials in either an extremely powerful magnetic field or a naturally-generated inertia field, the Crodvan can facilitate enormous amounts of energy through thermonuclear fusion, which has become the primary source of power generation within Crodvan ships, warmachines, factories, and the Crodvan themselves. Massive magnetic reactors are usually found in modern Crodvan space vessels, as well as some superheavy warmachines and large factory districts, but the principles of inertia are used to confine volatile fusion energy into small, manageable, and indestructible fusion cells that are used in the production of the Crodvan population.
Derived from the ancient structures scavenged from the Crodvan core worlds, Replicant alloy is a synthesized material that forms the very basis of the Crodvan and their society. It was found in the first generation of Crodvan (the natural descendants of the creators themselves) that much of their internal systems were protected by a chassis made of extremely durable but malleable exotic metal. The true name of this material was never decided on, but upon the formation of the Crodvan Unity, efforts were made to synthesize the perfect replica of this alloy through extensive chemical research and study of Creator structures. Although it may never be perfect as the original thing, the Unity invented what would be known as "replicant alloy" -- their own flavor of durasteel and/or other modern industrial materials. Replicant alloy is used in almost every avenue of Crodvan life -- they're made of it, and everything they create is made from it. It is characterized as being irregularly durable and extremely heat resistant, but also capable of being manipulated into any shape. Derivatives of the alloy include the materials used in the synthesis of Anima cores.
To run the Crodvan Unity like the machine it was meant to be, the Crodvan required some way to rapidly communicate data over long distances. Verbal communication through the Crodvan's language was hardly an option, but the Creators did not intend to leave their creations empty-handed. Ancient subspace transmitters were observed by the early Crodvan -- transmitters capable of sending, receiving and interpreting information through means of subspace, thus at a velocity greater than the speed of light. The technology in that state was infant, but with time and the formation of the Unity, it would be refined into what is known today as the Hierophant Network. The cross-empire network manifests as a complex web of subspace transmission lines that are extended and forged through physical Hierophant stations dotted around Crodvan space, which transmit and receive data from Hierophant Cores located on Crodvan planets, stations and ships. Information packets of any size are transmitted across the network through subspace, and communication between cores is almost instantaneous assuming there is no interference.
Hierophant technology is also utilized on a smaller scale. All Crodvan are capable of receiving Hierophant data, but the ability to transmit data back-and-forth is reserved for commanders and leaders. Hierophant sub-networks allow for individual leader-type Crodvan with upgraded Hierophant ansibles to transmit data across planets and/or systems to any number of individual Crodvan or any Hierophant core/beacon. In practice, this is used extensively in military operations to rapidly communicate orders and tactical data to Crodvan military units.
Hierophant technology is also utilized on a smaller scale. All Crodvan are capable of receiving Hierophant data, but the ability to transmit data back-and-forth is reserved for commanders and leaders. Hierophant sub-networks allow for individual leader-type Crodvan with upgraded Hierophant ansibles to transmit data across planets and/or systems to any number of individual Crodvan or any Hierophant core/beacon. In practice, this is used extensively in military operations to rapidly communicate orders and tactical data to Crodvan military units.
Digging into the internal programming of the Crodvan race brought more than an understanding of their central processing units. Conceived based on a defunct "kill-switch" found in first-generation Crodvan, the Synth-Plague is a rather terrifying venture into the world of cyberwarfare. However, unlike a computer virus, it does only travel through wireless networks that communicate with one another. The plague is typically transmitted from "quarantined" Hierophant ansibles found on some Crodvan ships. In naval combat, when a Crodvan ship enters in mid-range with an enemy vessel, the plague will be transmitted across physical space into any internal networks the ship may have -- transmitters, communications array, hailing functions, ect. If it "latches on", it will travel to the nearest physical anchor along the network, usually a physical transmitter aboard the ship. It's means of travel seem to change from wireless networks to wired power networks once it finds such an anchor. The plague then begins to simply destroy.
Yes, destroy.
It will destroy, distort and delete processing runtimes and programs within a machine by targeting processors. The machine will not be physically damaged, but it will be functionally destroyed as all internal programming has been anhilliated. Then, it travels along the power network, and multiplies. On a spaceship, this can range from having it's communications silenced to having it's engine/power source self-detonate, to having all life support and gravity generators turned off.
The plague does have a kill-switch of it's alone, allowing for specialized Crodvan units to cease the plague's functions before it can bounce back and begin targeting Crodvan themselves.
It says something about the cruelty of the Crodvan if they are willing to create the synthetic equivalent of a bio-weapon. It is assumed that synthetics cannot feel physical pain, but there is something to be said when a synthetic can feel it's mind being flayed with each passing second, losing scraps of itself and it's sense of reality until all consciousness ceases to exist.
Yes, destroy.
It will destroy, distort and delete processing runtimes and programs within a machine by targeting processors. The machine will not be physically damaged, but it will be functionally destroyed as all internal programming has been anhilliated. Then, it travels along the power network, and multiplies. On a spaceship, this can range from having it's communications silenced to having it's engine/power source self-detonate, to having all life support and gravity generators turned off.
The plague does have a kill-switch of it's alone, allowing for specialized Crodvan units to cease the plague's functions before it can bounce back and begin targeting Crodvan themselves.
It says something about the cruelty of the Crodvan if they are willing to create the synthetic equivalent of a bio-weapon. It is assumed that synthetics cannot feel physical pain, but there is something to be said when a synthetic can feel it's mind being flayed with each passing second, losing scraps of itself and it's sense of reality until all consciousness ceases to exist.
By use of fusion reactors and the accelerated plasma it produces, Crodvan ships can achieve impressive sublight speeds through use of impulse propulsion. These smaller impulse reactors are separate from the thermonuclear reactor that powers a typical Crodvan spacecraft, but power can be diverted from them in the event that the main reactor is non-functional.
A directed energy weapon that functions on a similar principle to Rivet weaponry. Ferro-materials are superheated and wrapped in an electromagnetic "bubble" that allows the fired projectile to maintain cohesion during travel time, as well as maintain energy upon impact. The cannon then launches a bright, iridescent "glob" of thermal energy that, although ineffective against energy shields, can melt clear holes through an entire vessel.
Industry
When talking traditional industrial prowess, there are few that can answer to the Crodvan Unity. Over 70% planets in the Unity are "forge worlds" or "deep worlds" -- massive, planet-spanning industrial complexes that add on to the industrial prowess of the Unity, or provide a steady supply of mineral resources to all planets within the Unity. Industrial production within the Unity is owned and entirely mandated by the government, whom direct the Worker Caste (over 50% of the entire population) in the event of a mass production order. Otherwise, the Worker Caste follows tried-and-true standard construction templates and advanced industrial algorithms to automatically determine the most efficient route to follow in order to achieve completion of a template. Crodvan workers are tireless and functionally immortal, and live in a society where money and personal agendas are almost non-existent, and they are instinctual inclined to work. Overpopulation and under-population are forcibly manhandled and a complete non-issue. New workers and positions are filled instantly due to an on-demand population. Mining operations have extended to mass strip mining of asteroids in and around Unity space, and have also led to deep core fracking operations of rare-earth materials located around a planet's core. Standard construction templates and steady supply routes allow for multiple forge worlds and deep world colonies to be founded, developed and functional in under a year. During wartime, a fully-equipped Legion of Infantry Crodvan can be churned out in a few months time -- and an entire naval fleet in a year or so -- provided every Forge World has received the production order.
The Great Clockwork turns endlessly, and with every tick, the Engine roars louder.
The Crodvan Unity are dedicated towards their goal to build the Perfect State. To this end, they will stop at nothing to become the industrial power of the galaxy.
Military Information
Military Overview
Much like their industrial strength, the Crodvan war machine is a terrifying foe to encounter. The Martial Caste stands as the sword, shield, and anti-tank rifle of the Unity, responsible for maintaining tranquility and equilibrium within the Unity's borders and neutralizing any outside forces that may disrupt the Great Clockwork. The Martial Caste is split between two main sub-castes -- the Army and the Navy. These two sub-castes contain the "regular" units of the Crodvan military, representing the Brass Legions and the Brass Armada. The other two sub-castes are the specialist units of the Crodvan military that relate to both planetary war and space warfare -- the Knights and the Marines, respectively. Much of the Crodvan industry is spent towards maintaining a very large, replaceable military that can be easily directed and tempered in the event of war.
Space Forces
Navy Doctrine: Secure and Salvage
Crodvan naval doctrine is heavily based around the concept of ending naval battles as quickly as possible and maintaining the structural integrity of the enemy ship. The goal becomes the hostile capture of enemy vessels rather than destruction, due to the Crodvan neccesity for salvaging resources and fueling the war machine. This doctrine places much emphasis on closing distance and boarding enemy craft. This is accomplished through forcing the enemy fleet into a close range brawl -- thermal cannons are most effective at close range, and cyberwarfare options via the Synth-Plague allow for the rapid disablement of enemy craft, which then lead to the deployment of Crodvan marines. One the marines are in, an empty craft is all that will remain. Defensive tactics are employed on larger Crodvan ship classes in order to maintain integrity as they close distance. Smaller classes are split between defending larger vessels and harassing enemy vessels with the goal to break enemy cohesion and isolate individual ships for boarding.
Ground Forces
Ground Doctrine: The Clockwork March
Fighting a ground-war with a Brass Legion of the Unity is almost comparable to fighting against the Daisan, in that they follow the doctrine of a slow, patient assault. The Brass Legions are highly organized units of Crodvan infantry and armored units, and with the perfection of rapid transmission of data, the Legions don't see many surprises when on the battlefield. Because of this, they incorporate elements of shock and awe in their military tactics. Large shows of force are common in order to intimidate the enemy, and when that doesn't work, the force is then employed mercilessly. Crodvan forces will slowly march on the enemy position, making use of their natural durability and lack of self-preservation to use their long-range Rivet weaponry to safely strike enemy infantry as they make their approach. Crodvan forces are always hybridized between infantry, armor, artillery, cavalry and Knights.
Rivet Weaponry are a class of directed-energy infantry weapons utilized extensively by the Brass Legions and Knights. How a Rivet weapon works is that it is powered by an ammunition cell of super-heated molten ferrous-materials. The heat and energy of the ammunition is kept stable by the properties of replicant alloy within the cells. The ammunition is then wrapped in an electromagnetic foil that molds the thermal energy into aerodynamic "rivets". This rivet is then magnetically accelerated, maintaining it's heat as it travels an impressive distance towards its target. The rivet will typically melt through most common infantry armor, and will collapse it's magnetic bubble upon strong contact with solid matter. If it doesn't punch a hole through an organic outright like a hot knife through butter, the organic may enjoy the sensation of having the searing rivet explode upon contact with flesh, releasing searing molten metal upon their skin, resulting in a screaming, agonizing death as they watch the charred meat slip off their bones.
