@Silen Syanka Liandrich could feel it. She was right. Yet so wrong. But he could understand why she was wrong. She was right that animals thank you in their own special way. But they thank you in an animal way. Animals lick you, waggle their tails and play with you. But only humans can express pure respect and adoration. To be seen as the greatest among them, that was the gift only humans can give. All be it a gift difficult to obtain. In Liandrich's eyes, it was well worth it. Remembering the cheers and shouts when he won his first tournament. The crowd loved him. And he loved that feeling.
"If you like helping people. Why have you imprisoned me then?" he finally asked. As blunt as he always was. Though he did need an answer. And being blunt seemingly helps getting the right answers. For now. Though in the back of his mind he began to realize how paradoxal his situation was. The girl swimming here was so naïve. So innocent. She could not possibly have made up the idea to get him in this stony prison alone.
@Alfhedil@Willy Vereb Thank both of you so much for the constructive critism. I'll update and change my NS right away! Again, I cannot thank both of you enough.
We are born through Eden. We live with Eden. We ascend by Eden. And pass our Eden. So all could reach Ascension and See.
Head of state: The Divine Council Capital System: Attica System, with Uru-station and Atroch, the home planet of the Archons. Home Galactic Arm: New Outer Arm.
Race Name: Archons Race Information: Archons look like swirling masses of gold-like particles. These particles are kept together by the Archon Crystal. Formed in the middle of the Archon. The Crystal has a gold-orange glow and has a high electromagnetic signature. While it never happens, an Archon can be killed. If you even scratch the crystal inside, it will become unbalanced and implode. Leaving a cloud of Eden quickly scattering around.
They remain sentient. Yet often try to explain ‘lesser’ races that they are super-sentient. That they can ‘sense’ stars, organic life, the flow of the cosmos and each other. They believe that Eden elevates all sentient and even insentient life.
Abilities: The Archons manipulate Eden with their sub consciousness, consciousness and super-consciousness. They can manipulate the particles into discharging their energy with ease. And they possess a great amount of Eden each. Thus they can create near-impenetrable shields and discharge rays and orbs of pure, golden plasma.
Disadvantages: They are infertile. Meaning they cannot reproduce. There will always be a set number of Archons. Or less, if one would be killed.
History: The Archons’ history is kept quite secret. Even for those within the Union. They were once an organic race. Though how they looked is unknown. On Atroch, Eden was everywhere. This mysterious substance held a tremendous amount of energy. Through evolution, most creatures on the planet developed a brain capable of using Eta waves. A special kind of brainwaves. The Eden obeyed Eta waves, and thus most of the planet could manipulate Eden.
The Archons, just like humans, would rise fast on the evolutionary ladder. Mostly with the aid of Eden. The eating of Crystalline-Eden became a habit for most. This in turn mutated their bodies. Crystalline growths began to show.
Their space age began, as they started to explore both of their moons and not much later their neighboring planets. Gravity was manipulated through large quantities of Eden, and several Pilgrimages were set up to discover other planets, searching for more Eden. Their search was in vain. Eden only appeared on Atroch. And what was even stranger was that no scientist could explain how it was created. It simply appeared.
With FTL other, habitable planets were found. Though often, with other living, sentient beings. Often in an earlier stage of civilization. Through Eden, the Archons uplifted several of them. Slowly though, so no race would ever overtake the Archons. Though some species developed faster than the Archons. Eventually Archon scientific and technological advancement began to level out. Fearing they reached their full potential a cult-like group began to create what most now see as ascension.
The ritual of Ascension is a brutal act. First a large quantity of Eden is gathered. The one who desires to ascend must focus to keep all the Eden around him. At which point the room is filled with a flammable gas and ignited. Melting the flesh away from the crystalline growth within the Archon. Slowly but surely the Eden imprints the Archon’s mind into these tiny crystals. Whom in return keep the Eden around. Eventually the tiny crystals are pressurized and ‘forged’ into one big crystal, thus creating an Ascended Archon. The entire process is so painful that a great deal of Archons did not survive. And even then the result could be extremely unbalanced. Making a newly Ascended Archon implode only days after the ritual.
The unified government of the organic Archons were abhorred by these new creations. They commanded to imprison or kill them all. Sadly, the Magisters saw the Ascended Archons as truer gods than the Organic ones. They joined the side of the Ascended ones and, together with the Hurën who were being uplifted at the time, began the First Crusade. A genocide that whipped out all organic Archons.
In theory, a specie could go down the same path. Ingesting Eden crystals to systematically grow crystalline growths within and then melt away their own flesh and imprint their consciousness into those crystals through Eden. Though the Ritual is kept hidden from all other Union species, even the Magisters. Race name: Magister Race information: The Magisters mainly depend on their brain and are not often seen on the battlefield. They appear as thin beings with almost no muscles. They have 4 arms and 3 pairs of eyes. But a massive head. While they are bad at fighting, even with Eden. The Magisters have a talent in diplomatic situations and art, often using Eden to create impressive creations.
History: The Magisters were the first race found by the Archons and were gradually uplifted with the help of Eden. They were found during their ‘bronze’ age, making bronze weapons and armor, having basic societies, different cultures and believes. The Archons descended upon them and were immediately seen as the local equivalent of gods. Each began to worship an Archon, who at that point still had their organic form. Slowly but surely the Archons manipulated the genes from the Magisters, merging it a little with their own. Thus, over generations, giving the Magisters the ability to control Eden.
This act was often seen as magic at first. Even when they’d arrive the gunpowder era, they each still believed that the Archons were gods. Though an ironic thing happened. At the early stages of globalization, wars began to break out among distant culture. Fighting over which Archon was more powerful than the other. Wars were often fought for a matter of fact and Archons never made them stop. Though the God Wars, as it was called, was the first war with large scale Eden manipulation. The Magisters, who were still very much in infanthood considering Eden use, did not know the consequences it would have. Several genocides past, until the Archons saw that the Magisters were fighting their own race into extinction. The Archons intervened during an even called the Magister Unification or First Unification. Several Archons banded together and with their vast amounts of Eden linked their own minds with the minds of all still surviving Magisters. Thus creating understanding and peace among the race.
Not long after that the Magisters started their space age. Again with the aid of the Archons. They formed the administrative branch of the newly formed Eden Union. Only then did they actually gain the name ‘Magisters’. Though now, many centuries after the Unification, their original name is all but forgotten. Race name: Hurën Race Information: Big, lumbering giants. They stand a massive average of 3 meters tall. Often fully armored and armed, these brutes are mostly used for ground attack and as guardians of Magisters or Archons. Feared and used by their bloodlust. Most look like oversized, deformed, human body builders.
Just like with the Magisters, the Hurën were slowly adapted to be able to manipulate Eden. The Hurën appear to be extremely adapt and the offensive purposes of Eden, while ignoring all other aspects. This is probably because of their aggressive nature.
History: The Hurën were found just after the Magisters created their own version of FTL. In fact, the Hurën were the first challenge of the Magisters. With noticeably less Archons around, the Magisters had to convince that the Archons were indeed gods. At first this seemed to work, little by little tribes renounced their own gods and worshipped the Archons. Of course until the Archons began to get killed by their won brethren. The Magisters who quickly realized that the glowing clouds of Eden were still Archons, but Ascended ones, used their divine image as further proof that they were gods. The ironic thing is that this sealed the fate of the biological ones. Because on the Hurën home planet, they were all slaughtered. The Hurën were then quickly uplifted into the space age to help hunting down the remaining few Archons. With great success. Race name: Intacs Race Information: Grey skinned, with 2 pairs of eyes and 4 arms in total. Intacs are relatively skinny and show no promise in the field of muscle. Though they have a bit of a large head, not as big as a Magister, but still pretty big. They stand 2 meters maximum.
They have a gift for logical thinking. With a small talent for Eden.
History: The uplifting started at the same time as the Hurën. Mostly because both species’ star system weren’t that far from each other. They were at a modern age when the Archons and Magisters discovered them. Therefor it was a lot harder to convince them of the ‘Divine’ power of the Archons. For a matter of fact, several Archons were forced to show their true, personal power. One time an Archon was pushed a little to far into showing his power and destroyed an entire city block. Though after a few generations passed, the Intacs began to accept their overlords. Though the Intacs had a harsh rebellion to be exterminated. This species suffered little under the transformation of the Archons. In fact, their disappearance and reappearance only served to increase their faith into their gods.
Intacs are now used as builders, technicians but also as advanced Eden manipulators. Utilizing the substance to a very wide range of fields.
Head of state: The Divine Council Head of government: The Divine Council Government Type: Absolute dictatorship. Description of Government: The Divine Council exists of all Ascended Archons. In theory each Archon can voice its concerns and vote on certain, inter-planetary laws and actions. Though it is but a select few who exercise this right regularly. As they are still seen as Gods by every specie they uplifted, their decisions are absolute and unquestionable. Of course there are every now and then a few who doubt. These people are ‘convinced’ that the Archons are in gods.
Lesser or more local problems are often handed over to the Magister Caste, who work as middleman between the uplifted races like the Hurën and their Archon overlords. If a problem is deemed important enough, it passes on to the Archons. If not, the Magisters will solve it themselves.
Economy: A controlled trade system. Species and planets are free to trade among each other. Though there are regulations that prohibit certain substances, objects or creatures.
The society within the Union defers a great way. I think the greatest example of the polar opossites is Atroch and Uru-station. Atroch is the greatest example of a peaceful, cultural and calm planet one could imagine. After the Genocide the Archons allowed nature to reclaim great parts of the land. Monasteries were build, but in union with nature. Housing mediation gardens, natural pools and zen-platforms high up the mountain whom also serve as nests for birds. All monks of all races are tasked as guardians of the balance of life on the green planet. Industry is forbidden and farming is not automated. Food is produced in the exact quantity that is needed. And most time on a planet like Atroch is either serene discussion or silent mediation. Gathering up the Eden of the world. There are very few people on Atroch, as the life style is far from what one would expect from galactic civilization. Never the less, those with great talent for Eden manipulation are send down here. And often return to space a decay later tapping into their true potential.
Uru-station truly is the polar opposite of this. It’s a cramped, bustling space station filled with markets, factories and people. Technology is everywhere and one can never truly find silence. Most species within the Union are to be found here. The lower rings of Uru-station are used as slums. Where people live in makeshift tiny apartments and where the ugly black market is every so present. Higher up the hygiene and space grows. Middle classes live here within and are mostly kept safe by the patrolling Uru-station guards. The upper ring is kept for diplomats and high-ranking citizens. It is clean and noise dampers and isolators try to keep this place as peaceful as possible. Though you can always hear the slow humming of the ventilator pushing oxygen around.
Class within Uru-station is determined by wealth and the talent of using Eden. Of course, if you have too much talent, you get shipped off to Atroch. Rich families often attempt to keep their oldest on Uru-station through connections. But in return, if the second and third born shows equal or more talent, they are prohibited to go to Atroch. This practice is exercised across most of the Union. But resisted the most within Uru-station.
Across the Union you will often find more industrialized advanced planets with large metropolis cities. With slums and rich districts and shipyards. Other planets are purely used for mining and reduced to several large pit mines for resources. That is often done with barren or hostile planets. On green planets you will more often than not find massive farms, producing food for the Union. And a very few habitable planets focus on innovation and scientific research.
Among the Union, they believe that overpowering an enemy as soon as possible is the best way of defense. Thus they create their ships in a way that it can deliver a massive punch in a very short period of time, though at the cost of defenses. A quick explination of the ship classes: Frigates are small and agile ships. Most being just over a mile long. Cruisers are larger ships and house a greater array of anti-fighter and anti-frigate ships. Cruisers are considered capital ships. Dreadnaughts are vessels build around 1 giant weapon. Often a Eden Plasma Projector or a Railgun. They are used as anti-capital ships. Dreadnaughts are also considered capital ships. Carriers have no large weaponry. Though they do have an array of anti-fighter batteries. Carriers rely on fighters and bombers. They are also used to bring in ground forces if required. Super versions of Dreadnaughts or Carriers are oversized versions. Simply put: everything about them is bigger.
The Immortal Fleet originally started out as the First Pilgrim Fleet. It was also the first fleet that uplifted a specie: the Magisters. Soon their small ships joined the First Pilgrim Fleet. Who still mainly existed out of civilian vessels. When the Archon Civil War broke out, the First Pilgrim Fleet stood under control of Ascended Archon Commander Itrach. In the end it was Itrach who finalized the genocide. Launching a savage attack on the Attica system and Atroch. With the help of the Magisters and the Hurën, he completed the Archon Genocide.
Currently the Immortal Fleet exists out of 4 separate pieces. The first and frontal piece is the Vanguard Section. Composed out of fast Frigates and FTL possessing advanced fighter squadrons. This section is often used for initial harrasement, allowing the second Section to power up. The Ward Section is composed of mostly Cruisers and Dreadnaughts. Manuverability is not so much their strongest point. Instead they rely on heavy hitting weapons. The Ward Section is controlled by the 2 Super-carriers: the Eliona and the Axci. While both lack the firepower of Cruisers and Dreadnaughts, they house hundreds upon hundreds of squadrons, ready to deploy. They also carry landing vessels to start conquering planets. The Third Section, often called the Executor section, counts but a fraction of the ships within the Ward Section. The Executor section houses a few Super-Dreadnaughts. Nothing as big as the Reaper-classes. But still, it takes only 2 shots of these Super-Dreadnaughts to punch through the armor of most standard Dreadnaughts. Finally, the Enkindler. The heart of the Immortal fleet. Built after the uplifting of the Ictans. This ship is so big it could easily pass as a space station. Its central crystal dominates the ship. The Enkindler is designed and created with one idea in mind. If hostile space-faring races are discovered, to erase them from existence. The final section exists mostly out of freighters, supply vessels and others. Guarded by a few cruisers and frigates.
The Immortal Fleet is under command of Commander Itrach. He knows that there are few facts when the Immortal Fleet is called. First of all, suffering a surprise attack is nearly impossible. The Immortal Fleet remains within the borders of the Union and changes system every 2 years. When needed, they are called into action. A second fact Commander Itrach knows is that to win a fight you hit first and you hit hard. His flagship and pride, the Enkindler if the prime example of his doctrine. When the Immortal Fleet, arrives on scene. No diplomacy will save you from being erased from existence.
A fleet composed mostly of Hurën ships, who are each designed around an Mass-Accelerator, whose sole task is to protect the Attica system. Most certainly not as impressive as the Immortal Fleet, it none the less has a very important role. The fleet mostly travels between Uru-station and Atroch on patrol. Though it’s heart, the super-carrier: Lyan’s Tear, remains posted at Uru-station.
Pilgrim fleets are the scout fleets of the Eden Union. Their size and location is extremely variable. Ranging from a few Magister Scout ships to a true fleet with a Hurën Dreadnaught in its heart. Though the largest Pilgrim fleets often exist out of none-combat ships.
The First, Second and Third Crusader Fleets These fleets are remarkable similar and often work together for joint operations. If a pilgrim fleet discovers a world whom immediately shows hostility towards the Union, one of these 3 are brought in. A Crusader Fleet can often be recognized by the Archon Reaper-class Dreadnaught. Which at first has a distinct, pillar like shape. Through when in position it opens up like a star. Its main weapon is a plasma beam so powerful it can even drill through a world’s atmosphere and still deliver a deadly strike on the ground.
Heavily armored Hurën often form the front line. Carrying weapons most other species within the Union cannot. Their offensive Eden capabilities are often used among the ‘Heroes’ of the Hurën to erase the enemy. Though the true use of Eden on the battle field happens with the Intacs Divisions. Who deploy automated turrets, cannons and project shields over advancing Hurën to protect them.
Eden Eden is the foundation of the Union. Eden are particles can turn into force carriers like Highs Boson particles, Photons, gravitons and even several anti-version like anti-gravitons. Though this change is extremely temporarily and the particles revert to their original Eden state. Though seemingly discharged and unusable for some time. The Eden particles must ‘recharge’. Often by being exposed to the forces it can create. Like heat, light, gravity or electro magnetism.
Eden particles are often converted into their force carriers to be useable. Mostly because using pure Eden particles is highly dangerous and Eden has a tendancy to be somewhat unstable when used in its pure form. Therefor the Hurën, the Intacs and the Magisters often convert the Eden into a more manageable force carrier on board of their ships, where the Eden is present in large quantities. Archons defer from this. More about this subject in ‘weapons’.
Eden has so far only been found on Atroch. A lot of research has been poured into the discovery of this strange substance’s origin. It is theorized that the substance comes from deep within the planet. Left behind by a previous civilization who synthetically created this particle. So far the Archons have refused to set up a scientific investigation. Though the theory might have a basis of truth. As some Archon have observed the flow of Eden for ages and saw that it seemingly pours out of the cracks of the earth like deep sea trenches or during earthquakes.
There is no conventionally mechanized way of harvesting Eden. Eden is collected at Atroch Monasteries, where all Eden-sensitive species can join and meditate. When a large quantity of Eden has attracted to these places of mediation, it is collected in man-size glass tubes. Who are then transported up to space, for whatever use deemed necessary.
Eden on the battlefield is manipulated in much smaller quantities, often by Intacs carrying a personal supply of the substance. Controlling Eden in these small quantities is much easier and therefor more often done. Intacs especially use Eden in many ways. Ranging for blasting lasers from their concentration of Eden or creating shields. Some extremely gifted Intacs are able to use the Eden with the Archon Way. In other words to discharge the Eden particles in various unstable forms ripping enemy to shreds. Though this use of Eden is often prohibited and extremely difficult. Warp gates The discovered and used version of FTL is often considered still to be lacking. It’s not fast enough and most certainly not Eden Efficient. So in order to go from major cluster to major cluster, the Intacs developed Warp Gates. Through the high energy output they are capable of creating a wormhole. And then, with Eden, they stabilize this wormhole. Though there is 1 disadvantage. A gate is a one way connection. This means that around hub systems (like the Attica System) there are many gates. Both leading away and into the system. Weapons As said before, most Eden-sensitive races use force carriers to power their weapons. They convert Eden quickly in photons or charging nearby conductive material with a charge. Hurën are use the electrical charge to accelerate metal at 0.01% of the speed of light. Creating an enormous amount of kinetic energy. Intacs, who are young at the use of Eden but show great promise, transport the created force carriers over a short distance. Often in the form of photons or an electric charge. But through an insulator. Thus creating heat which cooks a gas so hot it becomes plasma and then fires it. In both ways there is no wasting of Eden. And the recovered Eden can be recharged by exposure to sun, electromagnetism or gravity. Thus Intac, Hurën and Magister ships, who employ both ways, are only limited to gas or metal pellets to fire.
A way often used in large Dreadnaughts is less Eden-cost efficient. For example: Reaper-class Dreadnaughts transform the Eden particles in large quantities of photons and then focus those focus into a beam, creating a laser. However, once the laser hits its target, the photons return to depleted Eden.
There is another way. A way that costs a great deal of Eden to utilize and the Eden is every difficult to gather again. The Archon is based around the idea of firing the Eden particles in a state of transformation. The transformation is seemingly random and can have horrifying effects upon the target. Electric charges form and disappear. Gravitons pull together as anti-gravitons push apart and Highs Boson particles rip apart the very atoms of creation. In other words space-time continuum is temporarily distorted. On a large scale it was a theoretical science so far. Until the construction of the Enkindler, who is the only ship to have successfully been able to perform this act. And while the effect was much less severe as scientists had calculated, it still had a frighteningly lethal effect.
@Silen Syanka Liandrich sheeted his sword. He would have no use for it now. In fact, he was convinced that this girl wouldn't and couldn't hurt a fly. The prince could see the irony in that. Him, a bred warrior and heir of the great Varren dynasty, encountering a mermaid girl who was the exact opposite of him. Kind, caring and gentle. For a second what might pass for a smile appeared on his face, breaking his icy mask for a second. But he composed himself quickly and looked at her with his serious face again. "And helping people? Doesn't that make you happy?" He asked. It was something he'd promise himself when he'd take over from his father. A good king should help his people. Though he was never told exactly how. So he just assumed that fighting for his people might be the easiest option. Though not necessarily the right one.
Thalassa's talking about helping animals made him remember that he too cared for different species. He remembered when he was young, when he played with the hunting hounds. They were big animals. At first he was frightened of them. But soon he learned that they were just giant loving balls of fur and licks. He had almost forgotten how much he loved them. But then again, love became a useless emotion back then.
@Silen Syanka Royalty! Liandrich thought amazed. Not for a single moment he'd imagine she was merpeople royalty. She looked to frail. Too skinny. Too not-princess-y. As if she did everything not to appear as one. Quite contrary to the playful 'ladies' of the court back home. Who'd do everything to look, act and talk like a princess. Just to conquer his heart. During some balls he'd leave early, just so he could go up the balcony overlooking the hall and look down on them. Up there he'd wonder how long I’d take until they realized that dressing like a princess wouldn't do it for him. He knew others wouldn't believe Thalassa. If you don't look the role, you don't play the role. And when you don't play the role, you get used as a puppet by those who can. But there was something odd about her. "You don't look like a princess." he bluntly told her. "And a princess surely doesn't dwell in caves like these, with a seal and an unchained prisoner. So what do you do really?" He was sharp as always. Sharp as he always had to be. The edge of his sword always reminded him on that fact. He didn't ask the questions because he didn't believe her, he asked them because he still needed more.
@Silen Syanka Hey, np if the quality of the post is a little less. I know sickness can be horrible. So please, take all the time you have a don't force yourself. Get well soon!
Liandrich examined how she entered the water. How life seemingly returned to her skin and hair. She became a little more 'shining' after she resurfaced from the water. Though it didn't make any sense to him. At that point, Liandrich realized he lost himself again for a second. She shook himself awake and forced him to focus.
When she told him his name, he concidered for a second to tell his. But no, she didn't know his name, title or what he really was. That made him realize that she could be lying too. He had to check. He needed to have the upper hand everywhere he could. Because his situation sure did seem dire. Almost as a prisoner of some mermaid."Talassa " he began saying, making a small change in the pronunciation of her name. He wasn't sure if it would work. Though if he corrected her, there was one more reason to believe that it was her name. "Talassa who?" he then added, hoping to get some more information. Maybe a job she does. Or what her parents do. He just sincerely hoped she wouldn't just give him a surname, as that would be useless.
Okay I'm interested. But I got a few ideas to run by you so I know they are allowed (or which ones are and which ones aren't)
So my first idea was to make a none-organic life form. They would look humanoid to a point though would mostly form around a central crystal emitting a strange kind of energy (magic). They aren't completely made out of energy, so they can still be killed. Though 'destroyed' might be a better term.
Another idea is pretty much a completely synthetic life form. AKA robots. Though they wouldn't be after killing every organic civilization out there. If you're familiar with Mass Effect, I'd make them like the Geth.
Lord Zee
Vec
Rekkuza
Iwannabeyours
princess
Cmmelody
Necrodancer
ActRaiserTheReturned
Timemaster