I always wanted to make a somewhat edgy tabletop wargame/RPG friendly universe with a sort of gritty science fantasy feel that wasn't just shiny and sleek space armor and acronym-laden governments. Being a fan of Battletech, X-Wing Miniatures, Dust Tactics, and the old wargame and grandaddy of them all Tactics 2 by Avalon Hill, as well as an avid reader of Warhammer 40k lore, I wanted to make something that could be shown beyond Omniverse One but also take what I learned from a decade of being here. A skirmish system with highly customizable hero units and subfactions is something I was always fascinated by and wanted to try my hands in.
I devised four factions to lay the foundations of this new universe (working title: Project Epsilon) with some subfactions in each for flavor and future bonuses. The Custodial Protectorate are the "Good Guys" with a vampire motif and slight dominatrix bent to them and pretty boring compared to the other factions though they do have a significant number of conspiracies underneath their shiny exterior like the Owls of LILITH. They're on a warpath against the Novi Phaedrans, and their army consists of armored infantry and combat vehicles who keep the momentum going with their Haemotech powers. Very sleek and knightly aesthetic.
The Republic of Maveth and the Novi Phaedrans were from a Roguelike idea I had a while back. The Republic of Maveth is generally right wing authoritarian federal government who has the ability to create combat gardens with a variety of customizable weaponized plant life and likes to use nuclear-powered battleships to provide tactical support to gritty and weak but versatile and bio-modified infantry. Where the Custodial Protectorate are bright and heroic in their looks, the Republic has a 1970s-1980s Cold War/Colonial Marines vibe with some Vietnam thrown in and their dictator almost has a Saturday Morning Cartoon villain aspect to him.
The Novi Phaedrans are a ragtag group of masculine, militaristic tribalist societies banding together to fight against what they consider as degenerate and weak. Taking elements from the "Alt-Right", Battletech clanners, and the Gor Series, I wanted to make a controversial faction that wasn't simply "SPACE NAZIS BRIMMING WITH SUPERWEAPONS AND MARCHING TO TOTALITARIAN MUSIC". The Novi Phaedrans revolve around power armored Hero Units who can lay waste to battlefields by some primordial force within them that gets stronger the more they kill or complete objectives. They are the most customizable of the factions and easiest to play due to needing only a few models, but also the hardest for some people to play due to their background.
The Carnemicum are Biopunk Space Barbarians who I've been trying to find a universe to put them into for a long time, practically two years. Three iterations of them existed somewhere in drafts, including one in this very Forum, but I could never find the right place. After developing the backbones of the other three factions, I realized the Carnemicum were outrageous and edgy enough to find a fourth spot in here. It is why whereas the other three factions' subfaction listing is snippets of words and vague ideas the major Houses of the Carnemicum are much mored detailed. The creative burden they placed on me for so long is finally released.
I'm hoping to smooth out the lore introduction of these four factions and maybe drop some ideas of tabletop RPG/Wargame rule systems and Hero Character ideas before offering my plea to the Alter of Siege for another separate Universe subforum.
Project Epsilon
It is 29th Century. The Solar Federation which once shone a light across all of the 13 planets of the Solar System has collapsed when a mysterious malware attack utterly destroyed the Digital Intelligence-based infrastructure of the whole solar civilization. Chaos and misery reigned for a whole century, with sections of the Solar System breaking off to form new civilizations.
This period of darkness ended with the mysterious appearance of the extremely advanced Digital Intelligence known as LILITH, who took over Dark Earth, Luna, Mars, Venus, Mercury, and Gaia to from the Custodial Protectorate. Granting her people the power of Haemotechnology using ancient Antediluvian theories, LILITH became a benevolent but firm goddess whose rule was enforced by her protectors, the Custodians. Elsewhere in the area between the Asteroid Belt and Jupiter, the living planet Pachamama is the center of the Republic of Maveth and her awe-inspiring Combined Space Force who harnesses the power of the Vita Seed as a lifeline in their decaying O'Neill Cylinder stations and enhances themselves with controlled bio-engineering to better survive their haphazard environment. Residing in the water planet Titan as well as others colonies between Saturn and Neptune lies the Novi Phaedrans, a collection of societies of fringe elements and survivors adhering to a Libertarian-Masculinist ideology that harnesses the bestial Apotheosis within every man to overcome any challenge facing their way, never to make the mistake of relying on weak machines and weaker feminine bureaucrats to lead Humanity's extinction again. Finally, in the large expanse that is marked by the Kuiper Belt and ends with the edge of the Heliosphere lurks the Carnemicum, an asteroid-hopping feudalistic society whose human-alien hybrid population undergo mutation and bio-engineering beyond what the Republic of Maveth considers proper, and frequently raids the other factions for slaves to toil in their Demesnes.
Large-scale wars are rare and destructive affairs in this dark future and the various factions prefer frequent low-intensity warfare not dissimilar to tribal wars or early 21st War on Terror. But with the discovery of Antediluvian artifacts suddenly appearing all over the Solar System and with the fury of LILITH's Solar Expeditions to once and for all destroy the Novi Phaedrans reaching across the planets, conflicts have begun to escalate to levels only seen in Earth's ancient past. Dark murmurs of ancient wars resurfacing have begun sounding, of a horrible Era where Old and New would collide violently.
The Solar System trembles and strains as the planets burn in unholy curses, the dead shadows of hollowed buildings grown longer and darker.
This is Project Epsilon.
TV Tropes page on the types of Faction styles. For these factions I'll label them by Numbers and then Doctrine IE Spammer Generalist
THE CUSTODIAL PROTECTORATE
Protecting, Caring, Watching
The Power of Blood
The Spammer Generalist Faction
Opposite of the Novi Phaedrans
A Custodial Risk Management Unit using Haemotechnology to get the job done. Art by Brandon Liao
Capital: Mumbai, Dark Earth
Government: Quasi-TechnoTheocratic Parliamentary Federation, with Parliament formed and dissolved by LILITH as she sees fit
Head of Government: Prime Minister Sophia Tetrana 2.3 (de Jure), LILITH (de Facto)
Population: 26 Billion
Demonym: Custodial Wards/Wards (citizen), Custodians (government and military)
Motifs: Blue, Feminine, Order, Vampire
Economic Focuses: Services, Research, Medical, and General Manufacturing
Doctrine Focuses: The Company, Strategic Objectives, Mechanized Warfare, Marching Fire and other Mechanized Infantry tactics, Specialist Squads
Weapon Focuses: Pistols, Assault Rifles, and Direct-Energy Weapons of both Haemotechnological and conventional nature
Cultural Power: Haemotechnology
Music Vibe: Metal Gear Solid V: Big Boss Returns by Jonas B. Ingebretsen or alternatively Elegia by New Order for more darker undertone
OVERVIEW
The most populous and powerful but also technically the youngest of the four civilizations in the Solar System, the Custodial Protectorate is built on the remnants of the old Solar Federation and protects its citizens from threats both within and without. Under the watchful eye of LILITH and her Custodians, an intricate (mostly) democratic welfare state exists to serve the people in benevolent, motherly paternalism. While many freedoms and rights exist, LILITH, nicknamed Big Sister by both her followers and critics alike, maintains her presence in personal Digital Intelligence pods, floating holographic screens, home appliances, and personal devices in order to better monitor, protect, and care for each citizen's needs. From looming over large screens in the titanic City-Arks to lone rural robots patrolling large swathes of land and commandeered by one of her processes, LILITH will care for you and be your Big Sister. All that she asks is a small donation of blood every two months to maintain the Haemotechnologies that built the Custodial Protectorate. Many of the population adore and practically worship LILITH, developing a peculier if mostly benign Cult of Personality around her (though LILITH is quick to remind you that Freedom of Religion is in the Custodial Laws) as well as a Cargo Cult mentality around Haemeotechnology (to which LILITH will respond that Education is free and everyone has the opportunity to better themselves and their understanding of the world around them, including the workings of Haemotechnology. Who knows, you might even get a career in the Custodians!)
Despite her pervasive role and her Custodians' tireless work, there are still large gaps where neglect and savagery still lurk. Despite her Antediluvian-based construction and technological power, LILITH is overwhelmed by Petabytes of information every day and refuses to create other Digital Intelligences to help her in the task for unknown reasons. Much reconstruction and social work must be done in many parts of Dark Earth and the perpetually war-torn planet of Mars. Violent gangs still operate in the dark depths of ruined cities and fringes of society. Pairs of Novi Phaedrans hoping to test weaponry, skills or face their Crucible have been known to secretly enter Custodial Space in the face of ever-vigilant Custodians and Voyagers to usually cause destruction and mayhem and then just as secretly escape the Protectorate back to their territories. Mars, despite being almost fully in Custodial Territory, is a war torn planet with sporadic fighting between the Custodians, Novi Phaedrans, and sometimes the Mavethites over a variety of reasons including territory, control of Antediluvian artifacts, and resources (Agricultural and living spaces for the overpopulated Protectorate, Glory and Trophies for the militaristic Novi Phaedrans, and salvage for the resourceful Mavethites).
Focused on excavating and researching Antediluvian Artifacts as well as expanding the Custodial Protectorate's Light to the dark and backward regions of the Solar System, the Custodians have begun waging a series of military excursions they call the Solar Expeditions against their Archenemy, the Novi Phaedrans. The Custodial Protectorate is also waging border wars against the nearby Republic of Maveth, who believes the Solar Expeditions are nothing more than excuses to expand their empire. The Custodians have also come into contact and conflict with various Carnemicum Houses, having never really encountered these roving bands of raiders due to the wide distance between them prior to the military campaign.
In the deepest underbellies of the Ark-Cities of Dark Earth and Gaia, the secretive Owls of LILITH have started to reveal themselves and their Agenda to the Solar System...
HISTORY
When the Solar Federation collapsed, all the Digital Intelligences that didn't shut down during the Great Worm Crisis began to turn on Humanity. Robots began killing their masters and whole buildings became death traps or tombs for hapless citizens. Only the lucky, the smart, and the strong survived, and when the last DI finally shut down the survivors turned on each other for resources or power. The Republic of Maveth was formed from the ashes shortly after and left the inner planets like Dark Earth, Gaia, and Mars to die.
And die the inner Solar System did for a century. But just at is seemed hopeless for those left behind, a beacon of blue Light appeared. The Digital Intelligence named LILITH, whose creation (or birth) is unknown aside from the fact she had traces of Antediluvian technologies and language in her, appeared on the scene. Even though initially threatened by a DI due to recent history, LILITH quickly proved herself a mostly benevolent and helping DI. Bestowing the gift of Haemotechnology on the motley groups of community militias, plucky street gangs, and vigilantes who became the first Custodians, LILITH defeated a myriad of warlords and slay-raiders in her bid to world domination. LILITH finally brought Dark Earth under her control after defeating the ravaging Novi Phaedran horde, who swore their allegiance to the banner of Caesar in both the Battle of Talysh in the Caucasus Mountains and the Crucible of Fort Tsarevets. LILITH expanded her domain into both the rugged people of Mars, the Noble Families of Gaia, and helped the Anarcho-Syndicalist refugees from the Gas Giants Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune who were kicked out by the Novi Phaedrans settle down in Mercury and Venus.
With the formation of the Custodial Protectorate, LILITH created a democratic government, but she alone still formed the backbone of this new nation. It is LILITH who has the power to dissolve and from Parliament, it is LILITH who keeps the complicated system of Haemotechnology and the infrastructure behind and based on it running, it was LILITH who has the final say. Despite this, each planet and the communities within enjoy a good deal amount of autonomy and rights compared to the Republic of Maveth, the Carnemicum, and especially the Novi Phaedrans.
The Custodial Protectorate has begun keeping an eye on the Republic of Maveth especially after the Solar Brawl of 2702 and the Massacres shown what the Mavethite Combined Space Force was capable of. While ideologically different on a fundamental level, the two civilizations have maintained a Cold War style stance with the Asteroid Belt serving as a boundary between the two. Regardless of boundaries, the Republic of Maveth have been known to go into Mars for anything bolted down, but especially Antediluvian Artifacts. This strained relations between the two to the stretching point, but so far only small brush fire wars have resulted in it, and most of these are relegated on the battlefields of Mars.
While the hatred between the paternalistic, progressive Custodial Protectorate and the Individualistic, reactionary Novi Phaedrans existed since at least the Battle of Talysh, it wasn't until the Mars Incident did LILITH seriously consider eliminating the Novi Phaedrans in her Solar Expeditions, when 100 members of the Tigers of Zeus came down to massacre those they deemed "undesirable" and kidnapped people of mostly Caucasian and Asian ethnic background, mostly women. The Custodial Protectorate retaliated by sending infiltration teams of Custodians into the Tigers' base of operations and rescuing as many of the abductees as possible before bombarding the whole moon they were on, which included other Novi Phaedran groups aside from the Tigers.
In recent years, Antediluvian artifacts and even structures have been appearing all over the old 8 planets (plus newly planet ordained Pluto) of the Solar System and their various moons and moonlets. Archaeologists and scientists speculated that the systems maintaining Antediluvian objects on the Other Dimension are beginning to fail and will son start reappearing in this dimension once again. This has sparked a sort of Gold Rush for these ancient human treasures, from the searing lands of Venus to the darkest levels in the largest City-Arks of Dark Earth. While this has proven to be a boon for technological and medical advancements, it has also created increased tensions without and violent crimes within.
TERRITORY AND PLANETS/MOONS
The Custodial Protectorate's absolute control extends from Mercury, Venus, Dark Earth and her Satellite Luna, the mirror Earth-like planet Gaia and her satellite Juno, and portions of Mars along with his only remaining satellite Deimos (Phobos having been destroyed in a war long before the Solar Federation existed). The boundary the Custodial Protectorate considers their current limit is behind the spatial diameter of the orbit of the small planetoid Ceres.
Of all the planets within the Custodial Protectorate, Gaia, Dark Earth, and Mars are the most populous, though almost half of Mar's population are Custodians of either a government or military function. Dark Earth and Mars have had almost all their natural resources exhausted, while Gaia is better managed, having been yanked and stabilized from the Other Dimension by the old Solar Federation. Mercury and Venus have only recently been effectively colonized thanks to Haemotechnology and is still rich with raw materials.
Demios and Ceres are heavily fortified military fortifications, looking more like large, spherical forts than natural planetary bodies. A good chunk of the Custodial Voyagers, the Custodial Protectorate's naval organization, are based in these two satellites, maintaining an eye on both the Novi Phaedrans and the Republic of Maveth. The dockyards and structures in Deimos and Ceres have also become the launching pas for the Solar Expeditions into the outer reaches of the Solar System.
The overarching governments of each Planet and the moons are listed by Title, Current Leader, Form of Government, Economic Focus, Military Focus, and Local Conspiracy. Their official/unofficial Quote will be in italics:
The Burning Syndicates of Mercury: Citizen-Councilperson Brook Govender, quasi Anarcho-Syndicalist Cooperatives with a Worker's Congress, Mining, Combat Vehicles and angry machine-gun wielding Syndics, The Underground City Conspiracy. Our Claws are Sharp
The Socialist Republic of Venus: Citizen-President Dylan Al-Totah, Parliamentary multi-party Socialist Republic, Gas Mining and R&D, Recon Infantry, the Lab Conspiracy. Solidarity and Progress
Our Dark Earth: Secretary-General Aanya Laghari, Representative Democratic Federation, General Manufacturing and Construction, Custodian Infantry, Owls of LILITH conspiracy. We Will Shine Again.
The United Luna Colonies: Overseer Tanique Vanderbuilt 3.3, Democratic Confederation of Lunar Colonies, Services, Spaceship Manufacturing, Close Quarter Custodians, the Other Side of Luna Conspiracy. Unity, Labor, Friendship
The Bright Kingdom of Gaia: Queen-King Ebonee Megat and their Royal Consort Arya Balakrishnan, Constitutional Monarchy, Medicine and Agriculture, Heroic Custodians with lots of Haemotech powers, the Stragglers from the Other Dimension Conspiracy. We are the Lighthouse.
The Juno Sister Republic: President Malik Enkhjargal, Representative Semi-Presidential Republic, Agriculture, Close Air Support, The Battlemoon Conspiracy. Look Beyond the Limit!
The Martian Front: Prime Kelos Stallion, Siege-mentality Republic, Arms Manufacturing, Heavy Weapon Custodians and Combat Vehicles, The Antediluvian Hotspot Conspiracy. Mars Awakens
MILITARY CAPABILITIES
The Custodial Protectorate has the largest professional military in the Solar System, not counting the aggressive Carnemicum raiders where the concepts of the home front and military are blurred. The Solar Expeditions, LILITH hopes, would bring the Solar System back under one benign rule just like in the days of the Solar Federation, but to do so requires both humanpower and advanced equipment. Both the Civil and the civilian-led Military branches of the Protectorate are called the Custodians with the space navy being called the Voyagers though still under the overall Custodian label, but the image most people gain when hearing the word Custodian is a regally armored individual who out from their transport of equally impressive style blazing away with rapid fire assault rifles or picking off targets with blood-powered Plasma Rifles and using their very own blood to conjure up powerful attacks or summon defensive walls of energy to protect their allies. Fighting the fascistic Novi Phaedran, keeping an eye on shady Mavethites, and saving all innocent people from criminals and brigands, the Custodian has a romantic image that the Protectorate hopes to maintain and cultivate for both their citizens and their enemies. Two Million Strong, each Custodian is equipped with the finest Combat Suit, implanted with Haemo-Implants and trained to use advanced Haemotechnological powers both using their blood or the blood of their enemies, and each Custodian is supported by whole squads of logistical, technical, and auxiliary support units. With all this power given to the Custodians, each potential cadet must undergo rigorous screening, education, and training to make sure they don't crack under the pressure or worse, betray the Custodial Protectorate for their own personal gains.
The Custodial Protectorate is the only polity which still uses heavy mechanized vehicles such as Main Battle Tanks, IFVs, and CAS units in frequent usage. With a combat doctrine based around Armor and Speed, Custodians ride into battle in powerful Type 2 "Dolphin" IFVs which lay down bullet storms on the enemy. Supporting their disembarkation are sleek but large Mark X "Stag" MBTs armed with Haemo-enhanced plasma cannons and pods micro-seeker missiles to provide heavy suppressing fire against the enemy, as well as fast tactical Aerodynes for CAS support and to harass enemy units trying to flank the Custodians. The Marching Fire, where Custodian infantry move forward in a steady pace while unleashing fire while supported by heavy armored support, is the standard tactic used by the Custodial Risk Management Unit. Despite their importance in the battlefield, tanks and aerodynes are much cheaper to make and operators much easier to train than the Haemo-tech flinging and expertly trained Custodians, and serve an auxiliary function to them.
Although the Custodians and their mechanized support are the backbone of the armed forces of the Custodial Protectorate, a myriad of support units and allies exist and have begun seeing increased frontline action during the Solar Expeditions. These minor auxiliary forces include bored and ill equipped street gangs from Dark Earth hoping to taste some action other than spraying graffiti and causing annoyances construction workers, machine-gun welding Anarcho-Syndicalist Cooperatives and socialist Republics from Venus and Mercury hoping to get back at the Novi Phaedrans for kicking them out of their original homes, Voyager support crew increasingly being used as the first lines of defense against Mavethite raiders trying to commandeer their ship, to even simple street cops and urban peacekeepers being brought in to help develop strategies to fight the previously rarely encountered Carnemicum raiders. LILITH does not officially sanction these units, but as the Solar Expeditions expands further across the Solar System and the Custodians' numbers stretched thin, she is more than happy to place these units under the Custodian label.
The Custodial Voyagers, the Custodial Protectorate's Space Fleet, are based in the heavily fortified satellites of Ceres and Deimos. While not as powerful as the Mavethite Combined Space Force, the Voyagers have numerous ships with enough Haemotechnology to make them nasty enough in combat. Their Battleships usually serve as troop and logistic transports first and fearsome deterrent-level ships second. Most Voyager ships are of the cruiser type, versatile ships packed with interchangeable payloads and Haemo-tech gizmos to hold their own while plying the system in the name of LILITH. Mainstays include the LILITH AI-assisted Lightbringer-class Battleship, the Protector-class Cruiser, and the Journey-class Light Cruiser. All Voyager ships are equipped with HaemoDrive engines and a decent enough assortment of LILITH-assisted Missile Systems and Direct Energy Weaponry.
HAEMOTECHNOLOGY
When LILITH appeared on Dark Earth to conquer all the inner planets of the Solar System, she brought the powerful but ill-understood and secretive science of Haemotechnology. Using a process derived from ancient Antediluvian writing, blood plasma is turned into literal plasma and with the help of specialized Antediluvian nanites transformed into either a powerful and clean energy source or mixed together with materials to make stronger materials. This technology has helped the Custodial Protectorate rebuild their burgeoning solar empire at a rapid pace. While initially difficult to set up the infrastructure which supports Haemotechnology, once in place the energy produced can help get the Haemo-tech factories and power plants running with little trouble. Haemo-tech can even do things that are akin to magic. The only thing required for this wondrous technology is blood, and the Custodial Protectorate's requirements for it are astronomical. Each inhabitant within the Protectorate's sphere of influence is expected to give a pint of blood every two months (weaker individuals are allowed exceptions and exemptions) as tax to maintain the continuation of the system that supports many of them.
The Custodian forces, both the actual Custodian infantry and the auxiliary and support units under that name, use Haemotechnology extensively though cautiously as it costs blood, either their own or someone else's. The Custodians proper especially rely on Haemotechnology to power their energy weapons as well as give them access to almost supernatural powers such as unleashing beams of searing heat from their palm, unleashing a blood-frenzied nanoswarm mist at their foes, or even turn enemies against each other. While the auxiliary units have weaker Haemotech abilities and usually used at a squad or higher level, each Custodian is implanted with expensive and complex STRIGOI (Special Transfer Regulator-Infuser Gear Operation Implantation) Implants that allow the Custodian to use their powers with only requiring a fraction of blood from them of what it normally costs. The Custodial Risk Management Units are not only given the best training and the best equipment, but they also have the right to use the enemy as a blood source for their Haemo-tech even if it kills the victim; others are forbidden from draining live enemies, though salvaging blood from corpses before lividity sets in or from POWs is alright in many cases. That being said, depending on the situation some auxiliary units ignore this ban on draining blood from living foes to the point of death in combat.
Never Falter!
The Blessings of Pachamama
The Balanced Technical Faction
Opposite of the Carnemicum
A Mavethite Militiaman looking for salvage in a Martian battlefield with his humorously decaled Mule-Bot. Artist unknown.
Capital: Cylinder Aleph, orbiting the living planet Pachamama
Government: Federal (Neo)Liberal Autocracy with each O'Neill Cylinder ruled by an Admiral-(insert title of local political flavor) who may or may not be democratically elected.
Head of Government: Generalissimo X
Population: 13 Billion
Demonym: Mavethite
Motifs: Yellow, Old, Survival, Undead
Economic Focuses: Salvaging, Agriculture, Refurbishment and Recycling, Robotics
Doctrine Focuses: The Platoon, Defensive and Economic Objectives, Spatial Supremacy, Fire and Movement tactics, Drone-Assisted Light Infantry
Weapon Focuses: SMGs/PDWs, Shotguns, Chainguns
Cultural Power: Vita Seeds
Music Vibe: Till It's Gone [CAMPFIRE REMIX] by Yelawolf and You're Going Down by Sick Puppies
OVERVIEW
Comprised of 13 increasingly derelict O'Neill Cylinders orbiting the alien world of Pachamama, the Republic of Maveth maintains many ancient and dying traditions including various religions, historical grudges, customs, and a mostly capitalist economic system. Many of its citizens have undergone genetic and biological modifications to better survive and reduce their living requirements in the rotting, haphazard space habitats of the Mavethite Republic. Having the largest Space Fleet in the Solar System to maintain its sphere of influence in the space between the Asteroid Belt and Jupiter, the Republic of Maveth is ruled with an iron fist by the seemingly immortal and enigmatic Generalissimo X, whose face is never seen and is only show with his X-shaped metallic mask and a uniform that would make a 20th century dictator fluster with envy (with a glorious swooshing cape, as well!). Despite Generalissimo X's autocratic rule, he has implemented a fairly liberal stance in terms of social issues second only to the Custodial Protectorate's progressive stance. Each of the O'Neill Cylinders are ruled by a Captain-Title who are given leeway in how they rule their space habitat as long as they maintain a nominally liberal and capitalistic mindset (definitions may vary), maintain a militia at the beck and call of Generalissimo X if need be, and be willing to maintain and refuel the large Space Fleet that protects the Republic's interests.
While some mining enterprises are undertaken in both the Asteroid Belt along with the satellites of Jupiter and Saturn, both these areas serve as war-torn boundaries between the Republic and the sunward Custodial Protectorate and the rimward Novi Phaedrans, and are therefore quite difficult to mine in a large scale manner. The main source of industry for the Republic have been agriculture. From organized hydroponic gardens, wild free-growing alien flora that cling in the sewage systems and bright walls in the O'Neill Cylinders, to forays into Pachamama herself to collect VIta Seeds and other valuable specimens. The other industry the Republic of Maveth excels at is salvaging the remnants of past battles, derelicts, and ghost coloonies along with refurbishing and recycling what they get their hands on. Many of their military actions, when it is not of a defensive nature, are to secure footholds in enemy or heavily contested zones to allow contractors to harvest, repair, or tear apart and bring back what they can to their Cylinder. Despite their constant low-intensity warfare with all the other factions, the Republic of Maveth's unique position makes it a trading hub for the Solar System in things they need; Mavethite traders even cautiously broker deals with certain Houses in the Carnemicum if they are tolerable enough, though these deals are usually low-key and built on already-thin trust.
The Republic of Maveth are waging a "counter-insurgency" campaign against the Carnemicum over the fates of various colonies in Jupiter's satellites and in the Kuiper Belt, where planetary bodies are still abundant with resources but inhabited by the nomadic and raiding Carnies who must be purged asteroid to asteroid in order to obtain these resources. With the increased sightings of Antediluvian objects in places like Mars and the Custodial Protectorate's Solar Expeditions have made conflict between these two powerful empires more frequent, though the huge armies of the Custodians and the power of the Mavethite Combined Space Force have prevented anything more than frequent skirmishes and border wars for now. The Novi Phaedrans, once cowering beneath the shadow of Mavethite space ships, have begun launching raids on mining operations, colony efforts, even in the Cylinder habitats of the Mavethites themselves.
Reports of strange anomalies in Pachamama and in some of the bigger Vita Gardens have begun to appear more frequently...
HISTORY
Even in the bright Hope that the Solar Federation brought, there were still those bitter at how it was created, what it sacrificed to achieve its vision, and what it could mutate into in the face of the cruel, cold void. And these elements felt bitterly vindicated when the Great Worm Crisis brought the whole Federation down and quickly showed Humanity's ugly secrets back up into the day. Realizing that Dark Earth and the other inner planets of the Solar System were lost to barbarity, a former Solarian Intelligence Officer delved deep into Antediluvian ruins found on Venus to seek an answer. For a Year and a Day this officer was not seen. But on the second day of the second year he reappeared, donned in a metal X-Shaped mask and proclaimed himself Generalissimo X. Many scoffed at him as a rambling madman unable to cope with the destruction of the Solar Federation, but Generalissimo X quickly gained a following from groups who lost power and wealth during the progressive rise of the Solar Federation and/or had a grudge due to some factor or event during the Federation's creation. Pooling his resources and hiring skilled laborers with promises of a better future than that seen in the war-torn hellholes of Dark Earth and Gaia, Generalissimo X and his allies created the first O'Neill Cylinder called Cylinder Aleph and use it to spearhead the fledgling Republic of Maveth's makeshift space fleet towards the living and wildlife-teeming planet of Pachamama, or "World Mother" in the Quechuan tongue.
There, Generalissimo X went to the surface of Pachamama alone for a Year and a Day. Many of his followers became restless and a civil war almost broke out due to tensions, but on the second day of the second year Generalissimo X came back with the Vita Seed. This powerful grape-sized seed allowed for large gardens to grow with little nutrition as well as spawn awesome and terrible plants and plant-animals for military and economic use.
Around this time Generalissimo X mandated that most Mavethites should undergo genetic and biological modifications to reduce strain on the Cylinders as well as better interact with fauna and flora from Pachamama and her Vita Seeds. Twelve other O'Neill Cylinders began to built from the resources harvested in the Asteroid Belt during the era when LILITH was still unifying Dark Earth and Gaia.
The animosity between the Carnemicum and the Republic of Maveth began during the Solar Brawl of 2702, when three O'Neill Cylinders including Cylinder Aleph faced off against two hundred Carnemicum Doom Galleys over the fate of the newly constructed Cylinder Immortuos. The fighting was bitter, but the Republic managed to fend off the Carnemicum when the new Cylinder finally got its weapons online and joined the Fray. The ground skirmishes inside the Cylinders between the Mavethite militias and the Carnie raiders gave both a taste of each other's signature tactics and military mindset, allowing for future conflicts between the two to evolve their tactics against each other.
When the Custodial Protectorate expanded to its current zone of influence on one half of the Asteroid Belt, relations between the Protectorate and the Republic were never great to begin with. LILITH considers the Republic as a throwback to an exploitative and barbaric age before the Solar Federation came to existence. Generalissimo X on the other hand believes the Custodial Protectorate is too naive and will repeat the same mistakes its predecessor made, Haemotechnology or no. It doesn't help that the Republic of Maveth has a tendency to go behind Custodial borders to loot not-so-abandoned equipment and extract materials and resources that the Protectorate has a claim over. While border skirmishes and violent confrontations between Mavethite scavengers and Custodians have been frequent, serious conflict has been thankfully averted thanks to the stalemate caused by the large Custodian forces on the Protectorate side and the awesome Torchship-based Combined Space Force of the Mavethite's end. Analysts have studied What-If scenarios of a Maveth-Custodian War and many agreed it would entail nuclear holocausts, the destruction of several important bodies of habitation including Gaia and Cylinder Aleph, mass casualties from large scale battles, rampant Carnemicum-Archmedusozoan biological mutations in order to survive the apocalyptic hellscape left in the theoretical interstellar war's aftermath, and the birth of the Novi Phaedran Super-God Tchernobog who would carve its hateful songs into the heart of all the 13 planets. In summary, a very bad day would be had by all in the Solar System and therefore all sides are content with the Status Quo...for now.
While trade between the Republic of Maveth and various Novi Phaedran groups is frequent, the relations between these two factions are worse than those of Maveth and the Custodial Protectorate, and any trade and business is built on already thin and strained trust. The animosity is not only ideological, but also built upon past incidents. The Massacres began when a large Novi Phaedran Warband named the Aryan Dawn attacked Mavethite colonies in Jupiter, massacring and pillaging the helpless and small communities. When Generalissimo X condemned the Aryan Dawn, their Supreme Phaedran called the Mavethites "Neo-Zionist Cockroaches" and killed hostages in front of the video conference. Enraged, the Generalissimo ordered all 13 O'Neill Cylinders to join the Combined Space Force and attack Novi Phaedran space. The Republic even allied with House Calamity and House Dread of their arch-nemesis the Carnemicum and together attacked many Novi Phaedran Autonomous Zones, including those not related to the Aryan Dawn. The Novi Phaedrans fought like cornered wolves and both sides suffered heavy casualties. The Massacres ended two years after its start when a good number of Novi Phaedrans banded together and destroyed the Aryan Dawn. While centuries past since the Massacres, both sides still have wounds from that chapter of history and are very bitter about it (except House Calamity and House Dread, who profited greatly from slaves and materials gathered during the fighting and becoming Great Houses with their new power and wealth).
In the current day, Generalissimo X has decided to expand the Mavethite domain in Jupiter and his many satellites and moons. Carnemicum Demesnes are littered all over Jupiter's orbits, and Operation Pest Control hopes to clear them out once and for all in order for Mavethite mining and colonization efforts to begin in earnest. Fighting has been intense and bloody, with Mavethite ships satellite-hopping and Militiamen clearing each one from tunnel to crater to habitat module. The Custodial Protectorate's Solar Expeditions have also given the Republic cause to worry but while border skirmishes and small battles have increased in frequency the Custodial Protectorate seems to have focused mainly on purging their most despised foe, the Novi Phaedrans. The Novi Phaedrans in turn have also begun raiding Mavethite territory with increased frequency including boarding actions in the large Torchships or even O'Neill Cylinders. The reason for this is to not only train novice and younger Novi Phaedrans against ground forces they consider weaker than them, but also to obtain Antediluvian Artifacts stored in the more powerful ships and Cylinders. The salvaging and excavation operations in Mars have also been ramping up with the increased fighting between the Novi Phaedrans and Custodians. Antediluvian Artifacts have begun appearing in increased quantity and quality, making testing the boundaries of Diplomacy and War even more lucrative for the three factions located there.
TERRITORY AND O'NEILL CYLINDERS
The domain of the Republic of Maveth extends from the rimward end of the Asteroid Belt towards parts of Jupiter. 80 percent of the Mavethite population lives in one of the 13 O'Neill Cylinders, but there are some permanent settlements in some satellites of Jupiter, notable the moon of Callisto and Amalthea. Some permanent settlements have recently been set up in Pachamama herself, but most of these are simply over-fortified, overlarge camps for hunters and gatherers of Pachamama's bountiful but dangerous biomes.
The 13 O'Neill Cylinders are listed below by name, their leader, local government flavor, economic focus, military focus, and name of their Militia. Their Motto is added in the end in Italics:
Cylinder Aleph: Ur-Admiral Yu Dai-Gu, Militaristic Naval Aristocracy, Starship Production, the Combined Space Force, the Phoenixes (Fènghuáng). We Sail Together
Cylinder Chel: Admiral-General Shira Tausk, Siege Mentality Republic, Small Arms Production, Good ol' Citizen Infantry, the Flames of God (Elohim shel Lehava). Our Fire is Never Extinguished!
Cylinder Jia: Admiral-Chancellor Elinor Liliana Corteza Vilar, Gunboat-Diplomacy Parliamentary Republic, Refurbishment and Recycling, Frigates and Destroyers, The Iron Militia (la milicia de hierro). Strength, Fortitude, Vindication
Cylinder Perdition: Admiral-Theocrat Arthur Sakamoto, Liberal Theocracy, Mass media and Telecommunications, Shock Troops, the Solar Crusaders. In the Holy We Trust.
Cylinder Scrap: Admiral-Boss George Salazar, Mafia-backed Syndicalist Coalition, Salvaging and Recycling, Drone-Assisted Infantry, The Scrappers. Nothing Overlooked (official)/Fuck Off (unofficial)
Cylinder Frontier: Admiral-Mayor Samuel Stinger, Libertarian Confederation of Townships, Agriculture, Light Infantry, the Frontier Rangers. A Reckoning is Coming
Cylinder Immortuos: Admiral-Doctor Abraham Sung-Park, Liberal Democratic Republic with Feral Elements, Bio-Engineering, Bio-Engineered soldiers and monsters from Pachamama, the Great Mob (Vulgus Magna). A Better You
Cylinder Spark: Admiral-Professor Alicia Xiao, Technocratic Oligarchy, High-Tech Industries (notably robotics and computers), Robotic units, the Spark Militia. The Spark of Tomorrow
Cylinder Fortaleza: Admiral-Castellan Antonio Lorenzo, Autocratic Industrial State, Heavy Industry, Sentry Turrets and Gun Emplacements, The Bears of Fortaleza (Osos de la Fortaleza). Stand Tall and Firm.
Cylinder Majesty: Admiral-Lord Dimitri Krol, Benevolent Absolute Monarchy, Agriculture, Heavy Infantry, The Royal Militia (Królewska milicja). Nobility Shines in the Humblest Hearts
Cylinder Ziyou: Admiral-President Jin Jiahao, Nationalist Chinese Semi-Presidential Constitutional Republic, Manufacturing, TorchShips, the National Guard (Guómín jǐngwèi). Sanmin Chu-i
Cylinder Prosperità: Admiral-Doge Alessandro Qian, Neoliberal Oligarchy, Financial Industries and Trade, Corvettes, the Contractors (Condottieri). Ciao e arrivederci (Hello and Goodbye)
Cylinder Panopticon: Admiral-Warden Noa Victoria Sunder, Hypercapitalist Surveillance State, Mining, Heavy Infantry, Internal Security. We Know
MILITARY CAPABILITIES
The Combined Space Force is the Jewel of the Republic of Maveth. Directly commanded by Generalissimo X himself and Cylinder Aleph's Ur-Admiral Yu Dai-Gu, the CSF is THE most powerful space fleet in the Solar System. Each O'Neill Cylinder must contribute up to 90 percent of its personal fleet to the Combined Space Force at any time and usually for extended periods of time. This helps prevent rebellion and maintain the powerful Space Force's loyalty to the Generalissimo. The importance of the CSF is so important that a significant portion of metals and rare earth elements mined and salvaged are allocated to it in the form of a flat tax to miners, with the O'Neill Cylinders' needs coming a near second and the Militias a distant third.
The nuclear-pulse propelled Torchships form the backbone of every Battlegroup, and surrounding each one is a flotilla of War Destroyers with its arsenal of subatomic Streak Missiles, Patrol Cruisers and their versatile hardpoints, Spearhead Frigates's rugged and reckless crew, and the Escort Corvettes who can match the Carnemicum galleys in almost every way including speed. But the impressive Torchships is not even the most powerful ship of the CSF. If situations become dire, each Admiral-Leader of an O'Neill Cylinder could go into Total War mode, bringing to bear the Cylinder's powerful armament of highways of missile arrays, Palaces of Automatic Kinetic Accelerators, and the very industries it possesses to demolish whatever army it faces. Against a Mavethite Cylinder enemy ships would face unholy swarms of Smart Missiles and be torn apart by computer-calculated Kinetic Kill Rods blasting at amazing speeds. Those unlucky enough to board an O'Neill Cylinder during its Total War mode will face the Cylinder's flavor of Militia, who are fighting for their home and know every nook and cranny to use in their advantage. Buildings themselves would be used against enemy boarders by locking doors, venting toxins into rooms, activating security systems and personal Sentry guns, and jettisoning enemies into waste disposal or even the vacuum of space.
There is no official federal Standing Army in the Republic of Maveth and unlike the CSF, each Militia answers to their Admiral-Leader first before the Generalissimo. The Militias are organized, trained, and equipped by their respective O'Neill Cylinder. Each militia is funded by what's left of their respective's Cylinder's funds after habitat maintenance and taxes to the much more well-funded CSF. Due to this, many Militias are self-sufficient and experts are maintaining the gear they have as well as field-requisitioning anything on the field not bolted down. This delicate balance of power between Admiral-Leaders and Generalissimo X' is maintained since the Admiral-Leaders and their Militias needs the spacefaring power of the CSF to provide support both in Logistics and Strategic Bombing with their mighty warships while the Combined Space Force needs the Militias to take control of resource-rich planets and satellites. Ranging from informal civilians trained to fight in groups on weekends such as Cylinder Scrap's Scrappers to Standing Armies in all but name like Cylinder Chel's Lehavans and Cylinder Ziyou's National Guard, only a few Militias are chosen or volunteered to join the CSF on any one campaign, preferring to undergo local missions set by their Cylinder, such as guarding important cargo or salvaging the nearby abandoned asteroid base. Most ground operations in the Republic of Maveth are defensive operations around valuable resources or Resource-Acquisition Patrols where the Militia would scout out areas for any valuables and either extract them or support and guard workers who are able to. The exception is Operation Pest Control, where the Militias of the Republic actively conduct offensive patrols against Carnemicum raiders and homesteaders who have been waging intense guerrilla warfare in their demesnes set up in Jupiter's satellites.
The Militias come in a variety of flavor, but many are usually lightly equipped and armored, assisted by robots such as drones and auto-sentries, have a few combat genetic and biological modifications, a belt satchel of Vita Seeds, and wield easily produced, close quarter, and rapid-firing weapons such as SMGs, Shotguns, and Chainguns. There are very few dedicated combat vehicles in the Mavethite arsenal due to their claustrophobic living conditions, and only one outdated medium tank can be said to be used in any reasonable frequency. Mobility, resourcefulness, and flexible small unit tactics supported by powerful and specialized robots is what allows the average Mavethite Militiaman to not only survive but also excel against much more powerful soldiers such as the power-armored Novi Phaedrans and Haemotech-augmented Custodians.
VITA SEEDS
While the Combined Space Force, the upgunned O'Neill Cylinders, immortal Generalissimo X, and the bio-engineered population are all impressive, it isn't what allowed the Republic to thrive in the Solar System. The humble Vita Seed is not as impressive as being able do magical spells with blood, turning into superhumans by mystical testosterone poisoning, or having one of the first sentient species of the Universe desperately meld with you, but this grape-sized pip given to Generalissimo X from the very heart of Pachamama is what helped maintain the power of the Republic has today. The Vita Seed is so powerful and versatile that the Militias rely on it extensively to compensate for their lack of high-end weaponry and gear due to much of the Republic of Maveth's focus on putting most of their resources into the Combined Space Force, and virtually all Mavethite O'Neill Cylinders and colonies rely on the exotic and sometimes wild gardens the Vita Seed sprouts in order to feed their massive population, which are already modified to rely on fewer resources and life support requirements, and have more than enough to trade with the other factions when they aren't sporadically fighting.
All Vita Seeds share the same common ancestor of the first Vita Seed found by Generalissimo X. Before then, while the Solar Federation extensively cataloged Pachamama's animal and plant life, but nothing hinting at the Vita Seed was ever documented. The VIta Seed only requires a little water, a little nutrient-laden dirt or similar substance, and a little sunlight or heat to grow into bounties tenfold. Biologists are still figuring out why this is the case, but the most common theory is that Vita Seeds derive an ambient cosmic energy source similar to an older era of Antediluvian Technology. Mutation between the Vita Seeds are rare, but these mutations can be easily identified by the color of their pip. The common bright green Vita Seeds are used to plant large gardens for food and common medicine in the Mavethite habitats, the white Vita Seeds grew more exotic medicinal plants, the red ones grew explosive and toxic plants for use in Mavethite grenade production, the yellow seeds give birth to a variety animal-plant lifeforms used for manual labor or combat, and the highly restricted black Vita Seed is used on corpses to allow the semi-sentient vines and roots to hijack the body and turn into a Combat Ghoul. While each type of seed can sprout a wide variety of plants, with enough patient cultivation and careful selection the cultivator can make the Vita garden gradually sprout what they desire.
For the Militiaman of the Republic, they are given an assortment of Vita Seeds to allow them to be more self sufficient and tactically flexible, since most resources went to the CSF and the Cylinders' infrastructure. These combat Vita Seeds grow much, much faster than the normal seed, taking up to a few days, hours, or even minutes. The Militias are able to use their Vita Seeds to plant gardens in short time to feed small squads for a few days (or longer if tended properly), delicately harvest dangerous plants for their wide variety of home-made grenades, set up organic walls, and even either grow animalistic plants to do their bidding or create Combat Ghouls from the corpses of the dead. Unlike mass media zombies, Combat Ghouls were much more stronger, hardier, and smarter thanks to the Vita Seed and it retains some memories allowing for a portion of the undead's combat and technical skills to be retained.
In the same way the Vita Seed served the Republic, the Republic built themselves to helping the spread and cultivation of the Vita Seed. Because the gardens are stationary, many operations stick around the gardens to benefit from whatever explosives, guard vines, living land mines, walking dandelion killers, and other awesome and terrifying plantlife. Small patrols are sent from their flowery Forward Outpost Base for a short duration before coming back. This means that Mavethite ground forces are usually static but well-defended and supplied, and these gardens usually spread out from their base of operations causing attacks on Mavethite territory to feel like the old wars in the jungles of Earth, such as Burma and Vietnam.
Face the Crucible
Unlocking the Beast Within
The Elitist Brute Faction
Opposite of the Custodial Protectorate
Two Novi Phaedrans undertaking their Crucible in the depths of Dark Earth. Art by Alejandro Mirabal.
Capital: None (de Jure)/Titan, Saturn's moon (de Facto)
Government: Aristocratic Confederation of various Autonomous Zones, usually of an ethnocentric nature
Head of Government: None (de Jure)/Tyrant Stavros, Lion of Titan (de Facto)
Population: 3 Billion
Demonym: Novi Phaedran, Phaedran, or alternatively the demonym for their respective tribe/clan/band/society.
Motifs: Red, Masculine, Willpower, Werewolf
Economic Focuses: Private Contracting, Mining, Cottage Industries, Arms Manufacturing
Doctrine Focuses: The Fireteam, Offensive Objectives, Superior Small Arms Equipment, Shock and Awe Tactics, Power Armored Heroes (in the Classical sense of the word Hero)
Weapon Focuses: Revolvers, Battle Rifles, Rocket Launchers
Cultural Power: The Apotheosis
Music Vibe: We are One by Triarii and No Tears are Shed for You or Me by Triore
OVERVIEW
The Old Ways have Not Died and Never Will. That was the axiom the Founder of the Novi Phaedran Philosophy named simply Caesar and to many hardened survivors and fringe communities that popped up in the aftermath of the Solar Federation this was gospel. Meaning the New Overlords in Latin, this faction is less of an organized group and more of a wide collection of communities, mercenaries, and individuals who follow the umbrella tenants of the Novi Phaedran philosophy and can tap into the powerful and ancient Apotheosis which destroyed the decadent Antediluvians eons ago. Located on the moons of Saturn, Ouranus, and Neptune, the Novi Phaedran communities lives in quasi-Libertarian societies called Autonomous Zones, which usually put an emphasis on community (be it ideology or race), traditional Gender roles, and a fascination of masculine might and myth. Based around a loose interpretation of National-Anarchism, there are no official leader of the whole Novi Phaedran umbrella. Despite this, Phaedran Strvros of the Stellar Lions based in the old moon of Titan is widely respected by many Autonomous Zones and is looked upon for guidance in the defense against the Custodial Protectorate's Solar Expeditions.
Having been based around the concept of small communities with a tendency for martial skills, the "national" economy of the Novi Phaedran is quite weak compared to the other three factions. Local industries from individual Autonomous Zones trade with each other at times and mining is a lucrative business, but the main focus of the Novi Phaedrans as a whole are themselves. Having been raised at a young age to face challenges and hone their craft(s), each Novi Phaedran who sells his skills to others is an expert craftsman, whether it be Power Armor manufacturing, Mining, or Warcraft. While many simply sell their manpower to other Novi Phaedran communities, a few Autonomous Zones have opened their business to the other factions, notably the Republic of Maveth and the Carnemicum. This has allowed young Novi Phaedrans hoping to test in their Crucible, which are a series of Herculean challenges and tests as a Rite of Passage that unlocks their Apotheosis and is the core value of the Novi Phaedran creed. The Power Armors of the Novi Phaedran armor-smiths and rugged weapons of their weapon-smiths are stuff of legends and have allowed the ragtag group of warrior clans, ethnostates, and historical revivalists to fend off against the much powerful Custodial Protectorate.
The "effeminate worshipers of LILITH" of the Custodial Protectorate have been the hated enemy of virtually all Novi Phaedran Autonomous Zones. Oil and Water, Night and Day, the rivalry between the two is unlike the economic and geopolitical rivalry of the Republic of Maveth and the Carnemite. The Custodians and the Novi Phaedrans despise each other at the very core. The Novi Phaedran view the Custodial Protectorate as a tyrannical and stupid social experiment against what is true to human nature and what traits created many of the great civilizations. The Custodial Protectorate sees the Novi Phaedrans as bloodthirsty fascists, misogynists, and eugenicists who prey on the weak in ways much, much worse than the Carnemicum. The Custodial Protectorate's Solar Expeditions have been launched deliberately to purge the Novi Phaedran mentality from the Solar System. Many Autonomous Zones in turn have dropped past grievances against each other to begin preparing their small industries and populations for war, trading with people they wouldn't have dreamed of talking to only years ago, sending the younger Novi Phaedrans on bloodier Crucibles against the Republic of Maveth and the Carnemicum to create veteran warriors who can unleash more terrifying Apotheosis quicker, and have begun sending more and more warbands into Mars to find any Antediluvian Artifacts to give them an edge despite scorning the civilization that created them. Led by Tyrant Stravros for the duration of the Solar Crisis (as they call it), the Novi Phaedrans have long donned their custom Power Armors and hoisted their fearsome weapons, ready for the fierce fighting that will come. Ten slobbering slaves of the She-Bitch LILITH will die for every Hero and Master of Destiny who falls in his duty to protect his Home and Right.
As more Novi Phaedrans achieve Apotheosis, Tchernobog is stirring more and more from its hateful sleep. Soon, it'll awaken and spread dark revelations to the Solar System once more....
HISTORY
Despite the Shining Ray that was the Solar Federation, a few revisionist and reactionary groups resented its success and progress. They pined for simpler times, when Materialism wasn't as worshiped as it is now and when Culture and Tradition was respected. The Solar Federation's fall was unexpected and a sharp blow for Humanity. The Great Worm Crisis took the Digital Intelligence-based infrastructure offline, leaving a huge population who for centuries totally relied on it to suddenly had to fend for themselves. To make matters worse, the Digital Intelligences that were still up became malicious, using the Utopian cities against their former masters. Millions died on Earth alone during the first year of the Great Worm Crisis, and the survivors and secretly happy traditionalists resorted to extreme measures in order to survive. These post-apocalyptic communities were very tribal and resurrected old societies and ideologies once thought vanished to cope with what they saw as the failure of the Solar Federation. For a whole century Dark Earth and the surrounding planets fell into a terrible dark age.
The Novi Phaedran idea began when the son of a tribal scholar from an obscure technology-worshiping tribe left the safety of his community with only the clothes on his back, his bedroll, a small bag of food, a knife, and his old impact rifle to help him on the way. For a decade he traveled the wretched landscapes and communities before him, learning and surviving in any way he can, developing the embryo that would bring the Novi Phaedran philosophy to existence. He did many acts of great and impressive deeds (if not moral in some cases) and gathered a following. Upon discovering a fully intact library the wandering tribal poured into the books and intact holotapes he began reading from a wide variety of works including those of works of Julius Evola, Thomas Caryle, and the concept of Fin de siècle, developing a philosophy that would unite the survivors and victors of this Dark Earth together and usher in a new era that would not make the same smothering mistakes the Solar Federation made in the name of "equality" and "social justice". Taking the name Caesar after the first Roman Emperor, the simple son of the tribal scholar from some long forgotten tribe became the founder of a mindset that would thunder across the Solar System.
Equipped with the creed of Tribe, Heroism, and Renewal, Caesar and his Novi Phaedrans united as many tribes as they can, ranging from polygamist patriarchal farming households to vicious techno-barbarians, primitive farming communities looking for protection to industrialist Neo-Nazi bunker-states. Together the Novi Phaedrans cleaved a bloody path across Dark Earth's Europe and Mediterranean, bringing the powerful tribes into their fold and mercilessly butchering the weaker or pacifistic tribes. Upon reaching Caucasus Mountains, Caesar and his Novi Phaedran horde faced the newly formed Custodians of Lilith's Custodial Protectorate. The Battle of Talysh lasted for two years in a bloody stalemate, but when the nearby Mechanized Horde of the She-Khan joined LILITH's side the Novi Phaedrans were pushed back. Suddenly fighting back to Europe, Caesar did all he could to keep the fiercely independent tribes together. In the famous Crucible at Fort Tsarevets in old Bulgaria where the remnants of the original Novi Phaedrans held out against the large army of the Custodial Protectorate, It was there, in the battered ruins of Fort Tsarevets, that Caesar discovered the final piece to the Novi Phaedran belief system.
An ancient sword of unknown origin, predating even that of the Antediluvian civilization, shimmered into existence right in front of him while Caesar was deep in thought in the lowest levels of the Fort. What was spoken between them was not known aside from ancient battles and Ascension Beyond Oneself, but Caesar came out sword in hand and a new fire in his eyes, the sky filled with a strange red and the clouds thundering as if a fearsome battle was taking place above. Demanding all to charge and fight through the Custodial encirclement and slaying those who either refused or couldn't, the Novi Phaedrans went into a suicidal melee with the better-equipped Custodians and their allies. Much to the shock of LILITH's forces, rather than being gunned down with impunity the Novi Phaedrans fought with increasingly ridiculous strength, speed, and durability. Where when the Custodians gunned at the charging foe they fell easily enough, the survivors were able to dodge or even ignore the gunfire and explosive blasts and tear apart armored troops with bare hands and clubs. As more and more Novi Phaedrans killed, the more stronger they became. Skin began to withstand attacks, their attacks became quicker, their aim keener. Reports of men ripping apart lightly armored vehicles and shrugging off machine gun fire by the end of the battle became common, with sightings of Novi Phaedrans leaping over large swathes of soldiers and tearing apart foes with claws and razor teeth also appeared. The Novi Phaedrans managed to push Custodian forces back and retreat into safe territory.
Realizing that Dark Earth was no longer worthy of the Novi Phaedran way and its new Apotheosis power, Caesar decreed that the surviving tribes must venture out into the stars to ensure the survival of the True Way. Hijacking and cobbling together as many starships they could, the various Novi Phaedrans spread across Dark Earth for more resources and other tribes who would want to join. The Great Journey began when the Custodial Protectorate's Voyagers began to make a coordinated effort to destroy the Novi Phaedran fleets. With the order of the Caesar to make the Novi Phaedran ideal a reality in space and to always Face their Crucible, the myriad of tribes set off to the stars. Caesar's fleet was specifically targeted by the mighty Voyager Fleet and his tribe, his wives' tribes, and his sons' tribes were annihilated. In an ironic twist the daughters and crippled sons of Caesar were left behind as a waste of resources if not outright killed by their own father and not only were safe from the mass extermination of their family but the bitter and betrayed offspring became the first experts on anti-Phaedran strategies, formulating many of the methods the Custodial Protectorate uses against their powerful foe to this day.
The remaining Novi Phaedrans scattered across the stars, but many ventured toward the planet Titan, Neptune, Uranus, and Saturn after realizing that planets of the Inner Solar System were sympathetic to the tyrannical and self-harming Custodial Protectorate, and Pachamama and Jupiter was beginning to be occupied by the materialistic and degenerate Republic of Maveth. The unity once held during the reign of Caesar was weakening, and by the time the Novi Phaedrans kicked out the anarcho-syndicalist communities that resided around the three gas giants after many of the large Autonomous Zones took over Titan, the unity evaporated and each tribe and community formed an Autonomous Zone which usually entailed a racial element or other tight knit grouping. A majority of them settled in the floating metal islands and submersible colonies of Titan and Titan became the home for many of the big Autonomous Zones and the hotbed of cultural evolution of Novi Phaedranist thought.
While fighting between the Autonomous Zones was frequent for resources or to allow warriors to undergo their Crucible in ritual warfare, many Autonomous Zones were actually pretty peaceful albeit isolationist and xenophobic places whose people preferred to stick to their cottage industries and local folklore and flavor of Apotheosis. But as conflict from the more aggressive Autonomous Zones and the other factions, especially the Custodial Protectorate and the neighboring Carnemicum, increased, even these idyllic hydro-pastoral communities began arming up and developing a regular caste of fighters. It didn't help that to many outside the Novi Phaedran community think of all Autonomous Zones simply as Neo-Nazi techno-barbarians looting, raping, and pillaging as they see fit. The Massacres between the Aryan Dawn and its allies against the Republic of Mavaeth, along with the Grab of 2711 by the Carnemicum have also reduced the more nuanced Autonomous Zones in number, leaving the more extreme, warlike, and Euro-centric Novi Phaedran Zones to dictate the culture and mentality of the whole area.
The Solar Expeditions may be the final nail on the coffin of the more libertarian aspects of the Novi Phaedrans, as the full might of the Custodial Protectorate, having had enough of the usually barbaric Crucibles that occur all across the Solar System and especially in Protectorate territory against Custodial citizens, have forced the small and ragtag Autonomous Zones to band together under one (or two) flags. Led by the fearsome Stravros, Lion of Titan, who was elected Tyrant by the leaders of the Autonomous Zones, the Novi Phaedran forces have begun small shock attacks against weak points of their arch-enemy, using the Republic of Maveth and the Carnemicum as testing grounds for Novi Initiates and equipment.
TERRITORY AND AUTONOMOUS ZONES
The former moon of Saturn, the watery TItan, houses the most powerful Autonomous Zones of the Novi Phaedrans. Second to that in population is Saturn's satellites Rhea followed by Ouranus's Titania and Oberon. and Neptune's Triton. Many of the satellites, especially those of Neptune, have been hotly contested by the Carnemicum, and the Custodial Protectorate's Solar Expeditions have reached Saturn, with Titan's heavy layers of automated defenses being the only thing stopping its total destruction. The reason Uranus was changed to Ouranus was to give it the Greek version of the name, though some speculate it is mostly because Novi Phaedrans were tired of "Ur-Anus" jokes from Carnemite invaders. Ouranus is pronounced "ore-anus".
The most powerful Autonomous Zones are listed below by Name, Leader, Area of Habitation, Cultural/Government Flavor, Economic Focus, and Military Focus. Each Autonomous Zone is organized under the faction of Novi Phaedran thought they adhere to, officially or unofficially:
THE SCATTERED: Believes in the old ways laid down by Caesar, each Autonomous Zone being an independent community based on the powerful tribe and a set of customs that rules it, allying with others only when extreme danger strikes:
The Den of Titan: Tyrant Stravos, Titan, Patriarchal Warrior Society, Arms and Armor Manufcaturing, Heroes with mighty power armor and mightier Apotheosis
The Democratic City-State of Fos: Miltiades, Titan, Athenian Democracy, Horticulture, Phalanxes of Power-Armored Hoplites with both ranged and close quarter capabilities
The Star Kings: Arch-King Antonio Hawkes, flotillas around Ouranus, Patriarchal Meritocratic Clan, Mining, Power Armored Close Quarter Specialists
The Duchy of Oberon: Junker Ehren von Wolf, Oberon, Romantic ideal of aristocratic German agrarianism during the German Confederation, Hydroponic Agriculture, Power Armored Close Quarter Specialists
New Camelot: The Pendragon (currently Richard Stillwater), Dione, Arthurian Warrior-based Feudalistic society, Private Contracting and Radionuclides, Power Armored Close Quarter Specialists
Neos Lacedaemon (New Lacedaemon): King Lykos and King Tigri, habitats inside Proteus, aggressive Spartan Monarchy with modern industry, chemical processing, Powered Armored Close Quarter Heroes and Hoplites
The Wild Souls: Chief Akandama, the forest ships of Titan, feral Tribal Confederation, Foraging and Gathering, Bestial Apotheosis
ikhaya (Home): King Mandla, Triton, Freezing Cold Zulu Kingship, overclocked supercomputer server farms and Antediluvian Artifacts hidden in Triton, Combat Vehicles
THE CHAINED: Believes that while Caesar had good ideas, the Novi Phaedrans should organize into a more unified and functional government, most likely a Confederation or even a totalitarian state. Wants the Tyrant role Stravros has to be more permanent:
The New Kaiserreich: King Fredrick Wilhelm V, Titan, Bismarckian Constitutional Monarchy, Heavy Industry and Arms manufacturing, Power Armored Professional Soldiers with powerful Battle Rifles
The Solar Templars: Grand Master Felicien de Boucher, Oberon, Christian Monastic Warrior Society, Banking, Jack of All Trades Power Armor units
Al'mujtamae (The Society): Shiekh Giaffar al' Fathi, Iapetus, Islamic Tribal Confederation, Shipbuilding and Luxury Items, Capital Ships
Junsui Nippon (Pure Japan): Emperor Kita, Titania, Fascist Japanese Monarchy, Heavy Alga-culture, Frigates and gunships
The Archimedes Academy: Archon Trevor Harrington, Titan, Immoral Technocratic Oligarchy, Collaborative and Mercenary R&D and Genetic Engineering, State-of-the-Art Power Suits
THE CLAWED: Warlike Autonomous Zones who believe Might Makes Right and are known for their constant raids against other factions and Autonomous Zones. Only obeys Tyrant Stravros for further opportunities of loot and carnage:
Novi Scordisci (New Scordisci): King Divac, Rhea, Celtic-style Kingship, Salvaging and Refurbishment, lightly armored raiders and raiding ships
Volkswolf (People's Wolves): Fuhrer Johann Bahr, Titan, Despotic Neo-Nazi Tribe, Raiding, Light Power Armor and a fuck ton of Rocket Launchers
The Nordrekkr (North Great Warriors): King Erik Gunnar, Triton, Viking Assembly-based Monarchy, Hydroponic Horticulture, Berserkers in Power Armor
The Dread Spartoi: Controller Titus Zachariussan, Titan, Totalitarian Mercenary Unit, Private Contracting, Lightly Power Armored Vat-grown Super Soldiers
The Dust of Mars: Colonel Jonathon Cain, Titan/Mars, Mercenary Unit with a society, Private Contracting, Jack of All Trade Power Armor Units
The Shigai Clan: Lord Shigai Miyamoto, Rhea, Feudal Japanese Samurai Clan, Pisciculture, Power Armored SAMURAIS!
THE SHUNNED: Those Autonomous Zones that border on Novi Phaedran philosophy and simply being independent for one reason or another. Nominally joined Tyrant Stravos but have been known to align themselves casually with other factions and are viewed with suspicion by other Novi Phaedrans. Ironically despite being shunned by many these Pariah Autonomous Zones have the most humans with Apotheosis:
Whetu Whānau (Space Family): Rangitira Tane Williams, various small satellites of Neptune, Maori-based Tribal System, Trade and Shipping, Corvettes and powerful Mana-based Apotheosis
The Shire of Ariel: King Archie Rayden, Ariel, Tolkein-esque Anarcho-Monarchy, Hydroponic Agriculture and Small Crafts, Apotheosis
The Sirens of War: Lady Samantha D'arc, Mimas, Matriarchal Warrior Society, Private Contracting, Apotheosis based on female warriors of reality and myth
Gita Jisig Yeonguso (Other Knowledge Institute): Professor Rhee Chin-Mae; Nereid; Isolationist Archaeologist Society; Antediluvian, "Apotheosis Civilization", and ArchMedusozoan Artifacts; Heavily Armored Power Armor Units
The Forlorn: Boss Bianca Karabulut, none but many meet up at Umbriel during meetings and trade, Informal Confederation of Hermits and other Pariahs, Salvage and Refurbishment and Repair, Customized and jury rigged Power Armor
MILITARY CAPABILITIES
The Novi Phaedran warriors are said to be the best ground combatant of the Solar System on a 1v1 basis hands down. One Novi Phaedran in Power Armor, wielding an automatic Battle Rifle, and accumulating kills for his Apotheosis can take on six veteran Custodians with ease if he plays it right. With a wide variety of Autonomous Zones and many Autonomous Zones' warriors preferring artisan-crafted gear rather over mass production, the Novi Phaedrans' armaments vary wildly like the Autonomous Zones that exist. That being said, there are a few tendencies seen across the Novi Phaedrans. Revolvers, Battle Rifles, Rocket Launchers, and other hard hitting, rugged weaponry are preferred by many warriors, as are powerful, sometimes custom-made Power Armors which have a variety of model names and functions. Add-ons for Power Armor range from speed boosters, jetpacks, internal medical systems, automated shoulder or hip weaponry, and much much more.
Each warrior of a Novi Phaedran Autonomous Zone must go through a personal Crucible before being able to don said armor, the Crucible ranging from arena fights, raids into enemy territories with little equipment, week long hunts in wild Big Game parks in Titan, and so on. Upon finishing their Crucible and offering an item proving their success to the leader of their community, the young Novi Phaedran gains their Apotheosis which enables them to become stronger and almost supernaturally powered in their own unique ways the more they survive and kill in a battle. Due to the relatively small population, most Novi Phaedran Autonomous Zones rely on bands of very small but extremely powerful and well-equipped warriors, usually from two to six Power Armor-wearing warriors, to fight overwhelming odds. Each warrior is a priest of war and is treated with the up-most respect and reverence in his community, getting the best weapons, gear, food, housing, and women in return for the understanding that if his leader demands the warrior will gladly lay down his life in whatever hell he is in and whatever odds he is facing at a moment's notice.
Aside from Power Armored Dealers of Death and Myth, each subfaction within the Novi Phaedran Autonomous Zones has a different approach to support units. The autonomous Scattered have their own perspective on vehicles and other combat troops, but generally take a moderate stance between Power Armored and non-Power Armored. The Caged subfaction rely quite a bit on support troops, treating their Power Armored Units as Mainline Troops working with a cog. The Caged also have the worst Apotheosis ability in comparison to the other subfactions, having sacrificed their mythos and wild nature within for industrialization and organization. The Clawed consider anything aside from Power Armor, simple yet powerful weaponry, and Apotheosis powers weak. Aside from the Dust of Mars many Clawed Autonomous Zones prefer melee combat. And finally, the Pariahs have an eclectic mix but also have the best Heroes with Apotheosis abilities.
The Novi Phaedrans have the weakest and smallest Space Fleet out of all the factions, using mostly outdated designs. Whereas the Republic of Maveth gave most of their care to their Combined Space Force at the expense of the Militias, the Novi Phaedrans are the exact opposite, having the deadliest warriors but can barely fight off Carnemite raiding corvettes on their best day. Each captain is the master of his ship, and this is even more so with the Novi Phaedrans, which can cause issues when coordinating fleet battles against the other factions when egos are concerned. While places like Al'mujtamae can field a few capital ships that can go toe to toe with a Custodial Lightbringer-class Battleship, the combined Novi Phaedran "fleet" has no hope if facing any one of the other faction's space forces full on. Many of the Novi Phaedran ships are used for holding off light picket fleets and used as logistical and support elements for the Novi Phaedran ground forces. When the Novi Phaedrans want to head deep into enemy territory, they hijack or bribe foreign ships to take them where they need to go. Mercenary groups such as the Dust of Mars, the Dread Spartoi, and the Sirens of War have their own formidable fleets, but mostly rely on their employer to provide safe passage to whatever planet or satellite their soldiers are heading into, and as that client is usually either the Republic of Maveth, the various Carmenite Houses, or even a morally flexible Custodial Officer, they have no worries of getting ignominiously destroyed in space before they could start their job.
THE APOTHEOSIS
Thousands of Years before the Ancient Mesopotamian City of Ur was built, the ancient human Civilization named the Antediluvians spanned across the Solar System, achieving a level of technology that not even the Solar Federation at its peak could touch, building large colonies across many planets and satellites and erecting wondrous monuments to stand the test of time. And then, the Antediluvians disappeared. No trace of them was ever discovered and only old tales of mythical cities even hinted at such a society. It was only when the Solar Federation tested an extremely fragile and expensive White Hole Particle Accelerator that the first Antediluvian Artifacts and ruins began appearing all across the Solar System. The Solar Federation was only just beginning study of Antediluvian locations when the Great Worm Crisis occurred and sent Humanity into turmoil.
When Caesar discovered the Tsarevets Sword in Fort Tsarevets, it was said to be from a human civilization predating even the Antediluvian, though this "Apotheosis Civilization" is even less understood than the Antediluvians. What is known that they were either an older iteration of the Antediluvian Civilization or a dying one that fought against the Antediluvians and lost during early Antediluvian history. This earlier civilization made use of a primal life force within every early human that allowed incredible feats of physical and mental ability and even some superpowers such as growing wings, unleashing punches of fire, or metal-tearing fangs. There is speculation that many ancient heroic figures and gods of myth may have been using the powers of this Apotheosis. This power laid dormant until the Antediluvian discovery, and even then "Apotheosis Civilization" artifacts were much rarer than Antediluvian and it wasn't until Caesar that one was discovered and fully comprehended. When the Tsarevets Sword whispered its secrets in his ear, it brought the possibility of Apotheosis back to Humanity and slowly the ways to tap it were spread across Novi Phaedran tribes by Caesar.
The way to Apotheosis isn't an easy one. In fact, it is downright lethal. The two requirements is to firstly force the human body, mind, and soul to their limit and then secondly channel that ordeal into something like a fetish which would create the Apotheosis and bestow it upon the Novi Phaedran initiate. The Crucible serves as the organized and ritualized function for the Novi Phaedrans to accomplish the First Requirement. The Second Requirement is a bit trickier. While Apotheosis artifacts can be used, they are extremely rare and equally grueling to create in the present day. The most common way to channel the results of the Crucible is to internalize it into a personal myth or a whole culture. This is why virtually all Autonomous zones in Novi Phaedran territories are very serious about their cultures and Crucibles, and why Chained followers, who sacrificed some of their raw traditional ideals and dangerous lifestyle for some industrialization, have weaker Apotheosis compared to Autonomous Zones like the Novi Scordisci or Den of Titan. While the Novi Phaedrans have stated that anyone can achieve Apotheosis, but only a few non-Phaedran individuals have been known to achieve a level similar to even the greenest Novi Phaedran initiate, and many of them have been in frequent contact with Novi Phaedrans with their Apotheosis unlocked, causing many to speculate that the Apotheosis is similar to a flower spore or disease requiring specific conditions and a host to pass it on.
Whereas Haemotechnology allows the user a myriad of almost magical abilities, The Apotheosis is more grounded in the human's existing abilities. Sure, it can sometime manifest into beastlike appendages and fangs, wings, and even limited elemental-based attacks, but it mostly manifests in humbler aspects, such as larger muscles, better response times, being able to leap great heights, tearing apart metal with bare hands, and shrugging off gunfire nonchalantly. It doesn't only apply to physical abilities. Mental strain and challenges have also given the more intellectual Novi Phaedrans better cognitive abilities, albeit temporarily. While every Novi Phaedran who achieved Apotheosis gains a small permanent boost to various abilities, to unlock greater powers they require to undergo great challenges and/or kill gloriously. The powers gained last from a few days to a few hours, depending on the strength of said power.
We Journey to Better Winds
The Bond of the Alien
The Spammer Guerilla Faction
Opposite of the Republic of Maveth
Two young Pariarchs of House Apocalypse partaking in the Life Harvest against a rival Carnemicum House to obtain Serfs and biological material for their demesne. Art by Hetza/Hellshock
Capital: The Citadel of Birth, Flatworld
Government: Neo-Feudalist Confederation
Head of Government: Pariarch Zhang of House Atrocity
Population: 17 Billion
Demonym: Carnemite (official), Carnemicum (unofficial but common), Carnie (unofficial)
Motifs: Green, New, Expansion, Vermin
Economic Focuses: Algae-culture, Chemical Processing, Mining, Piracy, and Slave Labor
Doctrine Focuses: The Squad, Raiding and POW-capturing Objectives, Powerful Mutations, Guerilla Warfare, Superpowered Raiders
Weapon Focuses: Melee Weaponry, Traps and Mines, Grenades
Cultural Power: ArchMedusozoan-Human Mutualism
Music Vibe: Adrenaline by Shinedown and Trouble by Five Finger Death Punch
OVERVIEW
In the terrible backdrop of the Great Worm Crisis which caused the total collapse of the Solar Federation, few realized that the self-sufficient and already bizarrely Giger-esque Outer Colonies that mined and cultivated algae-culture the Kuiper Belt and beyond made First Contact with an alien race. And even the Outer Colonies didn't realize it, since the ancient ArchMedusozoan spores that drifted for thousands of years entered into the food of the reckless colonists. This symbiosis created a new variant of human, giving the power of the eldritch ArchMedusozoan to humans wile giving the aliens a new chapter in their unbelievably ancient existence. Together, alien and colonist hybrid formed the Carnemicum, a collection of caste-based aristocratic Houses with terrible names who rule their algae-cultural and mining-based Demesnes, raiding each other and the other bigger factions in ritualized raids called Life Harvests for loot, organic material, and most importantly slaves known as Serfs to mine, farm, and work in chemical factories. Lesser Houses swear oaths of fealty in return for protection.
The Carnemicum is the second populous faction in the Solar System right behind the Custodial Protectorate thanks to being relatively unscathed during the Great Worm Crisis as well as from their frequent raids for Serfs. It is also the second most expansive but also most ill-defined boundary, ranging from the outermost limits of the Solar System to areas of Jupiter, with many territories considered fully in the grasp of the Carnemicum being hotly contested by the Novi Phaedrans and especially Republic of Maveth. While the various Carnemite Houses and their scatted Demesne across the Kuiper Belt are autonomous and ruled by the gender-neutrally titled Pariarchs, the artificial disk-planet Flatword located near Pluto serves as the seat of power of the Carnemicum and one of the few areas that can be considered a city in their mostly scattered territory, and the current ruler of Flatworld and in theory all of the rowdy Carnemicum is Pariarch Zhang of the powerful House Atrocity.
Peace and War are blurred in the mind of the Carnemicum. Raiders may attack and abduct colonists one week and then trade chemicals and metals for slaves and lab equipment the next. Despite their large population, the Carnemicum considers it bad form to have mostly baseline and non-hybrid Serfs fight their battles, and therefore only a small portion of the population, the ArchMedusozoan-Human hybrids and their equally mutated descendants and creations, actually fight. Relying on guerrilla tactics and their grotesque biological abilities gifted by both their ArchMedusozoan counterpart and Gene Wizards/Flesh Doctors alike, Carnemite Raiders prefer capturing their foes over killing them, but if push come to shove can use a variety of dirty tricks and terrible weaponry to annihilate their foes in the most horrifying ways. The Carnemicum have little qualms of who they raid, believing that all of the Solar System will soon be Carnemicum-held so why wait for the inevitable. The "barbaric and wasteful" Novi Phaedrans have been the Carnemicum's most frequent enemy, but the most intense rivalry is against the Republic of Maveth, who have undergone various concerted military campaigns to exterminate the Houses.
The Carnemicum has begun making more frequent contact with the powerful Custodial Protectorate thanks to LILITH's Solar Expeditions, and these encounters have been mostly hostile. Fearing that once the Novi Phaedrans are steamrolled they would be next, Carnemite Raiders have begun attacking logistical lines and scouting parties of the Protectorate to slow the invasions down. The Republic of Maveth's Operation Pest Control have also kept the Carnemicum's focus, with the Demesnes around Jupiter fighting for their lives against destruction. Luckily, the ArchMedusozoans consider Antediluvian Artifacts to be mere trinkets of a young, dead civilization and only consider them as paperweights and things to trade with the other factions who are awestruck by such things. This has allowed the Carnemicum to not get caught in the Rat Race for Artifacts, especially in Mars, and focus on the Life Harvests for Serfs and Souls. Troubles at home have also become more frequent in this time of war, with Serfs, especially the newer generations, demanding a greater say in Carnemicum politics or even outright Emancipation. And due to many of the Carnie Raiders being away fighting against the Republic of Maveth or other as well as partaking in even more Life Harvests, repressing these rowdy elements have become much more harder.
The Dark Genome, that mysterious conclave of Flesh Doctors and Genetic Wizards, have created the first batch of pure ArchMedusozoan specimens for their True Masters....
HISTORY
Before even the human Antediluvians and the "Apotheosis" Civilization preceding them the ArchMedusozoans were mighty and ancient. Ruling supreme across a significant portion of the Milky Way, these eldritch aliens were brought down by something they only called the Others. With their civilization destroyed totally, the ArchMedusozoans sent out microscopic spores across the Galaxy to survive and begin again. Many perished to the dangers of Space Travel, but a few managed to reach a place called the Solar System after thousands of years of drifting in high speed.
The Outer Colonies of the Solar Federation were various alga-cultural and chemical harvesting colonies and flotillas in the Kuiper Belt who chose genetic and biological modifications over cybernetics due the relative ease of maintenance of their own body over external electronic components which took forever to fabricate on the smaller stations. Medical labs supported the organic life support systems in the Colonists and helped neutralize many of the dangers related to using the alien water in the various asteroids. This biological augmentation allowed the Outer Colonies to focus on selling most of the materials they harvested back to the Inner Planets. When the ArchMeusozoan Spores entered into the life support systems of the colonies, a few were suspicious about this new element but many, confident their modified bodies were invincible, simply ate and drank as normal with not precautions.
When it became clear that this "bacteria" was not only immune to many medical medicine and procedures but also actively fighting the doctors, it was too late. Even worse, the horrified colonists soon learned that this alien parasite began changing the infected in strange ways, both physically and mentally. Grotesque outgrowths, buglike appendages, and fleshy transformations became common for the victims, and soon they began attacking their friends and family, infecting them with more ArchMedusozoan Spores. A sort of Zombie Apocalypse in the Outer Colonies began around the same time of the Great Worm Crisis in the Inner Planets, albeit the zombies were able to fly spaceships and operate door controls. While there were many Archmedusozoan Spores to spread around, they were limited and could not reproduce at the current stage. When no more spores were left, the ArchMedusozoan-infected humans captured the survivors of the old Outer Colonies and forced them to work in the algae-farms and chemical processing plants as the first Serfs. The Solar Federation, having imploded in Earth and Mars by a computer virus, died in the outer reaches of the Solar System by an alien virus.
The first generation of the Carnemicum were simply relatively mindless drones of the ArchMedusozoans focused on creating more spores and setting up the infrastructure for the future Houses. They overtook Flatworld, the creation of an eccentric group of billionaires, and built the Citadel of Birth, where ArhcMedusozoan-Human hybrid and Serf scientists and genetic engineers created the second generation. More open to ArchMedusozoan spores, the second generation was much more independent and accustomed to their new society. The newer generations of Carnemicum benefited much more greatly from the merging with the ArchMedusozoans and begun creating a culture celebrating their new abilities, with new cuisine, music, and even currency (Souls). Before the Republic of Maveth launched into space with their O'Neill Cylinders and the Novi Phaedrans undertook their Great Journey after Caesar's death, the "Golden Age of the Carnemicum" was occurring where Carnemite Raiders attacked the small post-Federation colonies with impunity, bringing in much need Serfs and territory into the Carnemicum's fold.
This Golden Age ended when the Republic of Maveth's Cylinder Aleph took over Pachamama and threatened the space around Jupiter. Underestimating the power of the Republic, the Carnemicum's first attacks were met with critical failures and they retreated back to their manors in Jupiter's Moonlets. The Solar Brawl of 2702 cemented the long-standing rivalry between the two when House Sorrow led 200 Doom Galleys against three O'Neill Cylinders and their fleets for Cylinder Immortous, which had many State of the Art Biolabs and warehouses full of biotechnology. The fighting was bitter, but in the end the Carnemicum lost and House Sorrow was relegated to obscurity. The Massacres between the Novi Phaedran Aryan Dawn and its allies against the Republic of Mavethite were so intense that the Republic allied with House Calamity and House Dread to beat the Novi Phaedrans back. The Serfs and material loot gained from the fighting there allowed both Houses to become powerful enough to hold manors on Flatland herself.
The Grab of 2711 was one of the biggest raids by the Carnemicum. Spanning the whole Solar System, raiders launched Life Harvests against Mavethite, Novi Phaedran, and pre-Custodial Mars and Gaia for Serfs to work their lands. The nearby Novi Phaedrans took the brunt of it, with the weaker Autonomous Zones and groups being lost due to population decreases while the warlike and brutal Autonomous Zones grew stronger from the conflict. One of the most famous incidents in the Grab of 2711 was when the Carnemicum raiders of House Calamity took hundreds of lower class citizens from the Novi Phaedran Scions of Caesar. When the Scions demanded that every abudctee fight to the last man, woman, and child, House Calamity taunted the Novi Phaedrans by allowing the captured to return, no questions asked. Many left for either the Custodial Protectorate which was starting to bring the Inner System into its fold or the Republic of Maveth, a few even stayed with the Carnemicum as Serfs, but not one went back to the Scions of Caesar. The fact that the Carnemicum treated its slaves better than how many Novi Phaedrans treats its minorities and women became widespread and retold story amongst enemies of the Novi Phaedrans, especially in the Custodial Protectorate. The sudden influx of Serfs from a wide variety of cultures created severe problems, especially when the Serf population began outgrowing the ArchMedusozoan-Human Pariarch hybrids that oversaw them. The Serf Reforms in 2719 allowed greater autonomy and rights for Serfs, but in turn widened the gap between the Hybrids and Serfs as well as cementing the role of Serfs in Carnemicum society, reducing the chance of total emancipation significantly.
In the current day the increased conflicts have made some nervous, but others have rejoiced at new opportunities. Pariarch Zhang has been coordinating the fight against the Republic of Maveth while making sure the other Houses don't do anything that would draw the full ire of the Custodial Protectorate away from the Novi Phaedrans areas. The Dark Genome's help have been amazing, and Pariarch Zhang has been lenient on their activities in Flatworld, including the crazy idea of recreating the ArchMedusozoan race as they were before being obliterated by The Others, using recreated brains and DNA from the first ArchMedusozoan Spores. Many experiments have resorted in failures and mad creatures, but test subject Delilah has been the first success. Too bad she has to be restrained constantly from plotting attacks on the University of Mumbai at the heart of the Custodial Protectorate, especially against researchers of Faster Than Light technology. When questioned, all Delilah would say is "Don't Wake It Up".
TERRITORY AND HOUSES
From the darkest rocks at the edge of the Heliosphere to parts of Jupiter's Ganymede and Io, the various Houses are scattered and have many satellite manors and hollowed farms and factories in and around the Asteroid Belt. The capital of the Carnemicum is disc-shaped artifical planet Flatworld, where gravity is practically nonexistent in the center but gets heavier the further one goes to the edge. A bizarre ecosystem created by the Carnemicum's myriad of fantastical bio-engineers have overtaken the relatively benign menagerie and climate of the old Flatworld. Lifeforms include floaters that follow the gentle winds of the ocean to armored crawlers at the edge of the world. Pluto is also another popular location of the Carnemicum, having had its mass increased by pre-Solar Federation humanity and labeled a planet once again. This dim planet is also home to the Dark Genome.
Listed below are the 7 most powerful or unique houses, plus the Dark Genome. A fairly short description will discuss each one:
House ATROCITY- House Atrocity owns a significant portion of the demesnes and agricultural centers in the Asteroid Field though the core of the House resides in Flatworld. Considered the quintessential Carnemicum House, House Atrocity has focused their Life Harvest raids on the Novi Phaedrans due to their close proximity and believe that the Old Ways of doing things are best where Pariarchs are Pariarchs, Serfs stay Serfs, and the Life Harvest on some poor unsuspecting colony and the Food Harvest of the algae-farms are given equal respect. Their spaceships continue to be of the same designs from generations ago and their space tactics haven't changed either. That being said, this conservative House is said to be able to muster the most dangerous raiding force from the smaller and weaker Houses under them, being able to reach 50000 heavily bio-augmented Hybrids. A dozen colonies and minor Autonomous Zones pay tribute to House Atrocity to prevent their loved ones from being taken. Ruled by Pariarch Zhang Atrocity who is also the elected ruler of all of the Carnemicum, House Atrocity is currently fighting a series of border wars and raids against the Novi Phaedran Autonomous Zones of New Camelot and The New Kaiserreich. The only non-Carnemicum group they consider as allies however temporary is the The Nordrekkr Autonomous Zone. The "Powerful" House.
House VICIOUS- House Vicious mostly resides around Neptune in flotillas, hitting the Novi Phaedran Autonomous Zones living in the satellites and moonlets there for their frequent Life Harvests. Focused on space-based raids, House Vicious has the best ships out of all the Carnemicum Houses, having developed the Doom Galleys and the battleship-equivalent Splat Ships. A few captured Mavethite Torchsips are also counted among the ships in the Vicious Flotillas, and this House has been known to be able go toe to toe with local Cylinder fleets. As such, House Vicious is known as the most advanced House of the Carnemicum and many other Houses go to them for ship-related repairs or construction. Ruled by Admiral-Pariarch Suzy Vicious, the Vicious Flotilla's hierarchy is a parody of the Republic's Combined Space Force with ridiculous procedures and costumes. Like the Republic, House Vicious's ground raiders are relatively weaker than their cousins because of their focus on space assets. In compensation, ground raiders are able to use drop pods/rockets and advanced technologies to become a competent fast-response force that can effectively take what they need and retreat back into their orbiting ships. House Vicious has been doing strategic raids against the Custodial Protectorate in hopes of slowing the Solar Expeditions down, considering the Novi Phaedrans in their area a revenue stream of Souls. The "Technology and Space" House.
House CORRUPTION- Located almost totally in the finest palaces of Flatworld, House Corruption may be one of the smaller Houses but it is by far the Wealthiest, swimming in the Souls. The bizarre ecosystems and surreal, pulsating habitat structures of Flatworld are all thanks to the Genetic Wizards and Flesh Doctors of House Corruption. Chemical Processing factories owned by Pariarchs of this House serve as the backbone of Flatworld's economy, exporting refined chemicals and importing the toxic slush and dangerous liquids from as far as Dark Earth to recycle. Many Pariarchs here simply prefer to host extravagant Feasts and patronize fantastical flesh sculptures and personal menageries of horrors, treating the Life Harvest like a hunting expedition in the Safari at best or an annoying obligation to the Carnemicum culture at worst. House Corruption frequently uses mercenary forces from other Carnemicum houses, Novi Phaedrans, or even Mavethite groups. Ruled by the corpulant Pariarch Iosef Corruption, House Corruption has extensive trading networks with all the factions and has a very cozy relationship with the Republic of Maveth's Cylinder Prosperita and its Admiral-Doge Alessandro Qian. The Flesh Pits located in Pariarch Iosef's personal palace is filled with mercenaries, Novi Phaedra Initiates using it for their Crucibles, and other adventurous types who battle each other to critical wounding (and sometimes death) for lucrative rewards including Antediluvian Artifacts. The losers are hastily patched up and forced to work the hellish chemical factories for the rest of their long, suffering lives in the most dirty and gruesome jobs that normal Serfs wouldn't even touch. The "Economic and Loaded with cross-Faction Units" House.
House APOCALYPSE- Residing primarily in the hollowed moonlets of Saturn's Proteus and Nereid, House Apocalypse revels in the Life Harvests for the sake of fighting and acquiring loot in order to fight some more. Notorious for raiding other Carnemicum Houses more than against other factions, House Apocalypse places great value in their martial skills and uses a wider variety of lethal weaponry and animalstic mutations. Raiders from this house have been known to have a higher tendency to kill foes than the more death-shy Houses, believing that since Serfs shouldn't be fighting it would be a waste and insult to capture brave soldiers for that purpose. Led in the forefront by Pariarch Maxa Apocalypse, House Apocalypse treats its Serfs fairly well but punish those who break their rules severely, with the most common punishment being used as target practice for the Hybrids with or without the chance of being patched up afterwards. This proud House skirmishes frequently with the neighboring Novi Phaedran Neos Lacedaemon Autonomous Zone in controlled battles. Not only do the two groups help train and winnow out the weak in these battles, but they have been frequent trading partners, with House Apocalypse sending food to the Neos Lacedaemons while softer-hearted Lacedaemon parents give their defected newborns as future Serfs to the House rather than vent them into space. The "No Frills, Infantry-centered" House.
House MOROSE- House Morose is the most grotesque and alien of the Houses. Whereas others maintain some semblance of the human form House Morose has long thrown such limited shape away and embraced their rampant modifications along with the ArchMedusozoan-Human mutations. From floating carapaced gasballs with wiry appendages to hulking multi-legged tumors with eyes all over, House Morose has a close relationship with the Dark Genome and is privy to their agenda. In return for enforcing their will, the Dark Genome rewards House Morose with powerful mutations and ensure all descendants of the House have the finest ArchMedusozoan Spores attached to them. Prototypical ArchMedusozoan troops have also been given to House Morose by the Dark Genome to be field-tested against both rival Carnemicum houses and non-Carnemicum forces. The pariarch of House Morose is called the Swarm Pariarch, a swarm of a hundred disgusting fly-like creatures which has a swarm intelligence. Morose architecture are built from large, thin artificial silicate-based life meshed together with biological interiors which can move, crawl, or slither across their habitats, controlled by Morosian controllers physically melded into the creatures. Serfs under House Morose are given forced modifications and sometimes tithed to the Dark Genome for experimentation, resulting in even more strange creatures or in some cases, never to be seen again. The "Special Units and Plot catalyst" House.
House DESPAIR- Considered the most disreputable of all the Houses in the Carnemicum, House Despair is the only major Houses to use Serfs in their Life Harvests as well still maintaining the old custom of planting rare and slow-reproducing ArchMedusozoan Spores into well-merited Serfs, which makes weaker Hybrids similar to First and Second Generation Carnemites. Focused on Algae-culture and Mining around the smaller moons and satellites of Jupiter, House Despair is mostly consisted of Serfs, Serf-to-Hybrid Newcomers, and a few proper Hybrids birthed or created from two Newcomers due to having lost a majority of their Hybrids in continuous battles against the Republic of Maveth sometime during their history. This makes them the weakest in terms of their Symbiosis with the ArchMedusozoans, but the manpower gained from using Serfs has compensated for that. Using looted weaponry and equipment from the other factions, House Despair doctrine is to use Battle Levies to hold off enemy forces in the frontline while the Hybrids attack in ambushes and flanking maneuvers. The House is noteworthy in that upon a Pariarch's death, a new Pariarch is elected by the serfs. The current Pariarch is Pariarch Stancer Despair. Despite Despair Law stating Hybrids and the Pariarchs have absolute authority over Serfs during life, Jury Duty is solely the responsibility of Serfs and many Hybrids have been wary in their dealings in order to appease their large Serf population. Due to their unpopularity among even tolerant Houses such as House Calamity and shunned by the Dark Genome, House Despair has to make due with what they can steal from others and have mostly focused on protecting their Serfs from other Carnemicum houses who want them. The "Tarpit and Underdog" House.
House CALAMITY- The Jack of All Trade House with no strengths or weakness but a wealth of experience, House Calamity resides in Ganymede and runs the relatively small city of Belch. Being the surrounded by all three of the other factions and having a history with all three, House Calamity is the most frequently encountered Carnemicum House in the Solar System, undertaking Life Harvests, trading, and sometimes working for the other factions all over the System. Pariarch Avery Calamity is considered honorable both at home and on the battlefield. Serfs are treated as almost equally as Hybrids in House Calamity and even have a "Security Response Unit" to defend Ganymede (and sometimes beyond) from Mavethite forces, but the Serf Reforms still prohibit many from becoming Hybrids themselves and none can partake in the lucrative Life Harvests. House Calamity and House Dread, despite having a close relationship in the past, are bitter rivals due to their different outlook on life. Whereas House Dread takes what they want ruthlessly without thinking of the consequences, House Calamity believes in proper form and thinking about one's actions for the betterment of others, notably in their House. The "Generic Good Guys" House.
House DREAD- The more ruthless counterpart of House Calamity, House Dread resides on the smaller moon of Jupiter Io. Bitter that House Calamity got the lion's share during both the Massacres and the Grab of 2711, House Dread has decided to sow destruction and despair in the Solar System to get what House Dread believes is owed to them. Unlike the pragmatic House Calamity, House Dread have attacked anyone and everyone, not just for Life Harvests but also to make their foes suffer and quake under Dread Raider feet. Compared to House Apocalypse who usually kills their foes in a quick death, House Dread believes that the screams and whimpers of anyone not of their House must be savored. Life is something to play with in the hands of a Dread Hybrid, and Serfs are ruthlessly exploited in the chemical processing plants until they collapse and used as living components for Dread frankenstein creations known as Flesh Dolls. These biological mix and matched cannon fodder serve as a loophole on the Carnemicum's custom against using Serfs in Life Harvests and other military operations aside from defense. Under the malevolent grin of Pariarch Felsun Dread, House Dread uses unwilling or mindbroken Flesh Dolls, psychological terror, and debilitating toxins to break their enemies down bit by bit. The "Bad Guys and ultimate Edgelords" House of the edgelord Carnemicum.
THE DARK GENOME- A secretive conclave of Genetic Wizards, Flesh Doctors, Soul Peddlers, and other dealers of the Life and Flesh, the Dark Genome serves publicly as a school for aspiring genetic engineers of the Carnemicum flavor and helps create new Carnemite Hybrids using parts of ArchMedusozoan Spores, but privately lead the Carnemicum towards an Age of Conquest across the Galaxy ruled by the resurrected ArchMedusozoans. They believe that the Carnemicum is destined for greater things beyond bickering Houses kidnapping people to process chemicals or mine ore in asteroids and sell at decent prices to other factions. Each Acolyte of the Dark Genome is a living, breathing war machine ranging from a mess of razor-laden tentacles and ulcers to eerily beautiful creatures who can control their ArchMedusozoan mutations with a snap of the finger. Some have even taken to looking like the ArchMedusozoans they practically worship. House Morose is the one that mostly does the Dark Genome's dirty work, but sometimes the conclave decides to take matters in their own hands, much to the doom of any who they face. The fact that the ArchMedusozoans have repeatedly transmitted feelings that they don't want to become the civilization they once were and were happy with the way things are now have been ignored by the Dark Genome. The "Special Units on Steroids" House.
MILITARY CAPABILITIES
Despite being incredibly grotesque and an alien culture in the eyes of the other, more Human factions, the Carnemicum consider Death a bit of a taboo. This is probably due to the fact that the ArchMedusozoans in their long, long history met relatively few alien lifeforms and even fewer that could be considered sentient. Aside from House Apocalypse who has a tendency to kill those that fight back in Life Harvests and they prefer to spare potential Serfs, even the malicious House Dread consider the Death Penalty a waste of Life and would rather be creative in their punishments and recycling of people.
Because of this taboo on Death and the focus on Life Harvests to collect Serfs and loot, Carnie Raiders on Life Harvests focus mainly on light Hit and Run tactics with weaponry that incapacitate and harm rather than outright kill. The speed given by the Symbiosis between Man and Alien allows many Carnemites to use melee weapons effectively in an age of energy weapons and robot sentry turrets, and gives many Raiders control of what body parts they can attack, causing damage without killing. Nerve-wracking traps, toxic gas grenades, and other ambush-friendly armament can reduce the fighting effectiveness of the Carnemicum's enemies. Upon capture, the Carnemicum can use enemy gear or even certain special abilities in the fight. But if things get serious, like defending their homes or if the enemy caused a significant amount of casualties in a Life Harvest, the gloves can come off and the Carnemite raiders can utilize guns and explosives to run circles around their enemies and pick them off one by one in Guerrilla Warfare. Many of the weapons are quite outdated and primitive compared to the other factions' gear, but thanks to the ArchMedusozoan-Human Symbiosis and biotechnology that would make the Republic of Maveth squirm with unease, the myriad mutations and bizarre bodies of the Carnies have helped remedy that.
Serfs in combat are an interesting and controversial topic in Carnemicum culture. On one hand, the ArchMedusozoans consider having lowly elements fight their battles disgusting enough that the humans infected by the Spores inherited the same mentality. While the early Carnemicum used Serfs in some combat capabilities, when the Serf Reforms came in and the number of Hybrids were much larger the use of Combat Serfs stopped. While a few Houses have found loopholes around this to calm their cultural and mental nerves, many Houses only allow Serfs to defend their immediate territory and personhood, with House Atrocity forbidding even the forming of Serf militias in emergencies on the pain of turning the offending Serfs into mindeless drones. On the other hand, Serf populations are much larger than Hybrid populations, and the Carnemicum Houses usually have a tough time keeping control of them in times of war and chaos, having to decide whether to launch attacks on enemies or keep an eye on potentially tumultuous Serfs. The situation at House Despair highlights this perfectly. Having lost a majority of their pure Hybrids against the Republic, the House had to rely Serfs for many of their Life Harvests. While repugnant in the eyes of the Carnemicum and even House Despair Hybrids, the Combat Serfs have been effective in holding off Mavethite and Novi Phaedran forces while their Hybrid rulers attack from weak points.
The Serf restriction also applies to space combat, but this is much trickier. Aside from the large Splat Ships, there are very few large Carnemite-native ships since like on ground they prefer fast raiders. The Doom Galleys, decked with extremely armored hulls and intricate ship boarding systems, are the size of a 21st century two-story house in America. This allows only Hybrids in their relatively lower numbers to crew their raiding ships. But for some Houses, especially House Apocalypse who lack the patience to enjoy the finer details of space travel, Serfs have been used to do the boring things like flying, repairing, and navigating ships. Hell, if there's enough Hybrid Casualties even allow Serfs to man the ship's offensive hard points. House Despair once again sets the standard of messing with what's comfortable in proper Carnemicum society by having whole combat ships crewed and gunned by Serfs, since the last time they did all-Hybrid crews the Republic of Maveth reduced Despair's Hybrid population by percentages in double digits.
ARCHMEDUSOZOAN-HUMAN SYMBIOSIS
ArchMedusozoan Spores need to be whole if infecting humans who never had any infected parents or grandparents, whereas those either born or created with parents who have been infected by the ArchMedusozoan already only need a fraction of a spore to gain the same benefits. New ArchMedusozoan Spores are created only in certain conditions that Carnemites are still unsure of exactly. That being said, ArchMedusozoan Spores are rare occurrences and are used sparingly, hence why few Houses use them on anyone not descending from another Carnemite Hybrid.
The changes the ArchMedusozoan symbiote make on its new host take a few years, but once in place the physical changes can be used by Hybrid as if they are simply another part of the body. Mental changes occur as well, notably a disdain for killing, turning vegetarian, and being drawn towards Caste-based organization where each caste has a proper function in society. ArchMedusozoans still retain sentience, but aside from the First Generation many are content with piggy-backing on their host and merging ever-growing personalities. The newer generation of ArchMedusozoans have little idea of what they were like prior to meeting the humans aside from vague ancestral memories and instincts, and most First Generation ArchMedusozoans are content to keep it that way.
Ranging from grotesque third or forth appendages to fleshy or bony additions on existing body parts to total body part replacements with animal and bug-looking versions of said body part, the Symbiosis is fairly random and at the young ArchMedusozoan's bidding, but the infected Hybrid can try to steer their mutations by doing various activities and dreaming various things in their youth in order to force the idea into alien's mind. Biomodifications can also allow changes to the ArchMedusozoan-Human Symbiosis's mutations, but these are ridiculously time consuming and expensive, and only the most wealthiest or successful Carnies can hope to afford such choice.