Tag: aerian

#Lore24 – Entry #350 – Sci-Fi Month IV #15 – Tightening Fists, Growing Discontent

Transcribed From the Personal Recording Implant of Andra Ganim, Chronicler of the Codex Infinitum

AG:  “I take it that the spread of the Elvish Imperium’s control would hinder your further exploration of the draconic ruins that had been discovered since the expansion from Andyllion?”

RV:  “It would, yes.  There was a specific something I was looking for, had been looking for since the Age of Legends, in fact; I’ll get back to this soon enough, I promise.  I could travel mostly where I wished, being an elf, but I didn’t want to have the many eyes of the emperor upon me.  I learned quickly that I was as much of a threat to Halaxaes as any of his enemies, for I was a power he couldn’t control.  There were several attempts on my life as I came out of my seclusion and learned of the new state of the galaxy, even rating the attention of one of the Hands of Mausolus when more mundane methods had failed.  This one was the newest Hand, Twilight Tokikatsu, not the legendary Korvalis Nightrunner, who was still active at the time, and would be so for a while yet before he would “retire”.  Still, I very nearly met my end at their hands at least twice. 

Sending the Hand of Mausolus after me was the second strike Halaxaes would earn.  Now, it’s common that you allow three strikes before retaliation, but I long ago lowered it to two.  I resolved upon my second escape from the Hand of Death that Halaxaes would need to be dealt with.  As much as it pained me, I would have to put my research on hold for a time and see this little struggle for ultimate control of the galaxy ended in a way that would satisfy me.  I could have perhaps simply eliminated him then and there, but I’ll admit to being rather incensed at his actions, so I vowed to make him suffer.”

AG:  “I see.  How exactly did you go about this?”

RV:  “I would remain in hiding, and let the story spread that I was afraid of Halaxaes.  I would do nothing directly to him, not at the time, anyway.  Rather, I would do what we elves do best, plant seeds and watch them grow over time; I had played this game centuries upon centuries longer than him, after all.  I would let the fool continue his expansion, let him tighten his grip to the point he could tighten it no more, to allow a proper discontent to grow upon the many worlds he would oppress with his military might.  The many space citadels he would create would help to ensure that discontent, as would the creation of the Sentinels.”

AG:  “You refer to the massive space stations that were capable of destroying an entire planet, yes?”

RV:  “That’s correct.  Sentinel Prime was the first and largest of them, supposedly the only one that still survives in fact.  Halaxaes was nothing if not insistent that bigger was better, and the idea of building a station capable of hyperspace travel that could easily match an entire fleet and still have enough left to obliterate a planet was the pinnacle of his power.  It shows how small minded he was, in my opinion; I can think of at least a half a dozen measures that would be more efficient when it comes to destroying a planet or laying waste to a system, in terms of manpower, resources, and time.  But, all are more subtle and hardly as blatantly obvious a threat to intimidate the populace into compliance, so his ways were not entirely without merit.  I just prefer more subtle methods of control, I suppose.”

AG:  “A more corporatized method, would you say?”

RV:  “I would.”

Note:  Rivalle seemed quite smug at that response.

AG:  “So you would allow Halaxaes to continue expanding his empire; what did you do in the meantime?”

RV:  “I helped encourage that discontent, helped to shift funds and resources to the growing rebellious groups in various systems, all under different identities I developed.  I even worked with several groups of Malvaxor worshippers to help start plagues and famines throughout many worlds where the Imperium was at tis strongest, just to keep Halaxaes and his people distracted, keep that little bit of discontent simmering within those most loyal to the emperor.  This would of course spread to other systems as resources were pulled from them to compensate, further growing the hatred against the Imperium.  It would only be a matter of time before the cracks would grow too wide to cover up.

I would also begin working on another golem during this period, quite a special one in fact, with a particular purpose in mind.  Halaxaes had a most beloved son, you see, Ruvaen, who was his right hand, a most devoted boy with no small arcane talent himself, a master swordsman and seasoned soldier, too, though he notably lacked his father’s ambition, otherwise he likely would have tried to wrest control of the empire from him some time before.  So, he would be my next target, and it was for him that I built this special golem.”

AG:  “Was the golem to assassinate him?  Was that what attacked him during the raid on Auralus that would spark the war against the Imperium in earnest?”

RV:  “Oh no, not at all, quite the opposite in fact.  This golem was meant to save his life.”

 

#Lore24 – Entry #349 – Sci-Fi Month IV #14 – The Great Elvish Imperium

Transcribed From the Personal Recording Implant of Andra Ganim, Chronicler of the Codex Infinitum

AG:  “How did Halaxaes manage the remarkable growth of the Elvish Imperium during their rise?  Why would so many worlds fall under his sway?”

RV:  “A combination of factors, really.  Initially it was plans that had been laid by the old Dominion upon Andyllion centuries before that the shorter-lived races simply wouldn’t be able to trace that would be the Great Houses’ way back into power.  Destabilize a nation here, cause a crisis there, and have the solution ready to go and paint yourself as the hero.  Rather standard operations, really.  In spite of the advancement in technology and much further spread, the old ways of manipulating the races still worked, even on those worlds that had civilizations all their own, completely independent of Andyllion’s history.

Once sufficient wealth and resources had been secured, Halaxaes began working against his detractors through subterfuge and magic that had likely not been used for centuries, clouding or even breaking minds to his will, painting the image of a growing threat of an unknown attacker from deep space that would have to be dealt with, specifically a second demonic invasion from the Demon Sector, which had only been discovered recently back then, and only mapped out as far as finding seventy-two stars within, though our detection methods were hardly as sophisticated as what we possess today.  As an aside, I dislike the name “Demon Sector”; the region is far too large to classify as a single sector, composed of thousands of star systems; we know today that it composes an entire arm of our galaxy, so it really should have a more accurate name in my opinion, but “the Demon Arm” just sounds rather lacking. 

Anyway, once the idea of a possible demonic invasion had been firmly established and fear heightened through a massive propaganda campaign and said mind-altering magic used upon world leaders, Halaxaes had nearly everything he needed to see Elvish dominance over known space.

Truth be told, I am rather impressed with his success in building such a vast empire in a period when so many worlds were reaching out to the stars and seeking independence or to remain unbothered in their own regions.  As I recall, we of the Andyllion sector had already encountered other space-faring worlds by this time, though none possessed the TK-Drives that we had developed, exploration beyond their own systems limited mostly to generation ships or the rare alternate high-speed engine that simply wasn’t nearly as fast as the TKD’s hyperspace traversal, so there had already been some minor conflicts here and there, so I imagine that Halaxaes had some greater difficulty convincing these worlds to join, but once they did, they received the secret of the TKD in return for loyalty.”

AG:  “What can you tell me about the leadup and aftermath of the Massacre of Tollinda III?”

RV:  “Oh, this was well-planned, no doubt, by Halaxaes and his loyalists.  By this time, I’m sure they were looking for ways to secure their power in a manner that would insure it would be nigh impossible to break going forward.  I do believe he had something of a chip on his shoulder about the dissolution of the former Elvish Dominion, for he would have likely been in charge of the Great Houses as that group was originally structured.  He needed a verified example of the demonic threat to ensure his control would be unquestioned.  For as slow as some races are on the uptake, there were rumors finally breaking through the propaganda wall that threatened his lofty position.

Chief among these was the Tollinda system, specifically the Tollinda III colony, well, it had become a properly functional world on its own by this time.  It made the perfect sacrifice for the cause, really.  One, it had a large aerian population, hence the high resistance to elvish control, two it was the most civilized system on the edge of known space at the time, placing it closest to the Demon Sector boundary, and three, the world had established a rather formidable defense force and had claimed that it was quite secure without the help of the Elvish Imperium.  A devastating attack here would serve to eliminate challenges to Elvish rule and convince other worlds that the threat from beyond the Demon Barrier was indeed real.”

AG:  “There has been some question as to the nature of the attack group that assaulted Tollinda, and of the weapons which they brought to bear upon the world.  Do you have any knowledge of them?”

RV:  “The ships were simply Elvish vessels that were heavily modified to look alien and demonic.  Since the threat didn’t actually exist, the ships could look like anything, really, so they simply went with garish exoskeletons bolted to the hulls, and lots of red paint, then masked their drive signatures through higher radiation output while using magical constructs to spread “demonic foulness” into surrounding space which was little more than a smokescreen combined with a highly inefficient comms and sensor jamming field.  It only had to look good for the long-range sensors and what camera footage they would allow to leak, after all.

Now, as I recall, the Tollinda defense force put up a rather impressive fight, and actually looked like they might have succeeded in fending off the “demonic” invasion once they had brought the aerian Star Sabers into the fight.  Nothing quite like an aerian ship barreling toward you at full speed, piercing your hull, and deploying boarding parties into the heart of your ship to ruin your carefully laid plans.  Those must have been newer additions to the Tollinda fleet, because it seems that Halaxaes’ forces weren’t aware of them.  Had the decision not been made to scuttle the ships and destroy the aerian boarders with them, the secret may have been found.

As to the destruction of the world itself, it was nothing new, rather quite old.  Halaxaes and his arcanists had simply recreated the transplanar bombs I had devised centuries before, altering certain properties of course, to limit the planar damage while making it look suitably terrifying.  The attack on Tollinda III hadn’t gone to plan, so there might’ve even been a chance the plan would have failed had the devices, like had done before upon Andyllion, not already been smuggled into the cities on the surface.  In the end, Halaxaes got what he wanted, that rallying cry to face the demonic threat that didn’t exist, and worlds clamoring to his side when footage got distributed of the Imperium’s fleets destroying the invaders in an act of revenge for the fallen world.

This was also the first instance in which Halaxaes would cross me.  By destroying the world, he also destroyed several draconic ruins I had yet to study.  I likely wouldn’t have found anything I hadn’t found elsewhere, but there was always that chance that the breakthrough I needed would have been there.  It was the first strike he would earn.”

#Lore24 – Entry #341 – Sci-Fi Month IV #6 – The Great Cataclysm of Andyllion

Transcribed From the Personal Recording Implant of Andra Ganim, Chronicler of the Codex Infinitum

AG:  “History is rather dubious about Marcon Shadowmist to say the least.  On the one hand he was reputed to be something of a boogeyman, living deep within the Shadowmist Swamp where his manor house served as the bane to many an unwary adventuring party.  On the other, testaments and evidence have been uncovered that paint him in a more benevolent light, his machinations serving to better the world.  What was your impression of him?”

RV:  “I was young enough at that time to have been rather awed by him approaching me.  I’d heard tales of him going back centuries; he was a legend even in those times.  I suppose I was rather intimidated by his presence upon our first meeting, for I could sense a particular power about him that was at once frightening yet…somehow familiar.  He seemed to know more about me upon our first meeting than even I knew at the time; it was actually our working together in this that would lead me to my future studies, in fact.  He was a dangerous man, a dangerous entity, but if you treated him with at least some respect and didn’t attempt to invade his domain, then likely you would never run afoul of him.  I am fairly convinced that most of the rumors swirling around him were in fact created by him and his loyal followers just so that he could enjoy some peace and quiet.  I can absolutely relate to such methods’ effectiveness, for I have used them from time to time when I wished for privacy.”

Note:  The historical record relating to Marcon Shadowmist still remains mysterious and incomplete, and there are theories that certain details have been either omitted or removed intentionally.  I would like to press Rivalle more about him, but must tread carefully, and remain on task in questioning her about her past.

AG:  “Could you elaborate more upon the plan that he had come up with to save Andyllion?”

RV: “Well, if you can call it that, certainly; some would argue, especially those who lived through the Great Cataclysm, that what we did was hardly saving the world.  But yes, his plan was quite inspired, honestly, and I still don’t know how exactly he managed to perform his side of it.  My task was much simpler in comparison; I and those I trusted… imagine using a word like that with my people at the time… was to create a series of linked, arcane matrices filled with as much energy as we could store in them and align their resonance to the demons’ home realm.  That was the rather simple part; the more difficult part was distributing them around Shinsei Daitoshi and other demon-controlled areas without their knowledge.  Still, a brilliant mind loves a challenge, and I certainly was intrigued by his proposal.  Given the arrangement which he proposed for setting out these devices, I could immediately see what he had planned.”

AG:  “Which was?”

RV:  “Oh, it’s rather simple, if you think about it for a moment.  We created a network of transplanar bombs, my dear girl, which would, when detonated, rip the very fabric of reality asunder, with most of the power being funneled directly back through the planar rifts and into the heart of the demon realm.  Of course, it meant that severe damage would result on our side too, but all things considered, it would be relatively minor compared to what the demons would see on their side.  Our hope was that the explosions would only devastate our world, not completely destroy it, you see, for dealing with demons once they have a foothold in your world is much more difficult than even I understood at the time. 

Their very presence is not unlike a virulent cancer once it has set up in a world, corrupting and twisting everything to their own nature, and this happens faster and faster the more there are physically within our realm.  You can get away with summoning a few of them at a time and sending them back, but once they’ve established a foothold, it’s much more difficult to handle.  And they had quite the foothold on Andyllion back then.”

AG:  “I see… So the destruction off the kerryn capital was actually due to the bombs you helped to create, at the behest of Marcon Shadowmist?”

RV:  “Not entirely, but mostly, yes.  There were other factors in play, for Marcon had several teams working on fixing that particular mess, placing dominoes all around the world that would topple once the fuse had been lit and the transplanar explosions began.  It was the fuse that I found most fascinating during all this, for it is that factor alone which I still cannot clearly comprehend how exactly he did it.”

AG:  “And what was the fuse?”

RV:  “The very divine essence of Saressh herself, born from the suffering of her and her people, distilled into raw, angry power.  It could only have come from the goddess herself after she had been deposed and captured by the demon lords, so how Marcon Shadowmist obtained it, I can only begin to surmise.  Regardless, he gave this to her chosen upon Andyllion at the time, one of the younger members of the kerryn royal family by the name of Shibari Sukimori, who had, at that time, was married to the aerian prince Maltizar Skyrider.  Though we had been at war, even I was struck by their willingness to do what must be done, for they ventured into the very heart of the demonic invasion to face its leader, Suzu’reitani directly.  Upon Shibari’s death, the detonation occurred, as did the detonation of all the bombs my people had created and secreted away. 

Though I was on the far side of the continent at the time, it was not far enough away.  I still witnessed the explosions even at that distance, still felt the world shake as it was torn asunder and reformed.  I had intended to relocate myself to another realm for a time, but by then planar travel was far too dangerous even for me, so I had little choice but to endure.  Deserts became oceans, mountains became as plains, entire cities vanished and reappeared on opposite sides of the world, others were lost forever, while the deepest dwarven strongholds were thrust upward into the sunlight.  It was a wonder that we survived at all, really, but survive we did.  Only those closest to the site of the main detonation were lost, the remaining aerians were wiped out, for they were absorbed in a futile battle at the kerryn capital to assist the heroes who faced the demon lord, and we would not see their kind upon Andyllion again for a long time.  The kerryns themselves gained their rather unique ability to reincarnate themselves during this time, I believe, for I had never heard of such a thing previously, possibly due to the blood curse placed upon them by the demons, possibly an alteration brought on by the eruption of Saressh’s power, perhaps a combination of both. 

The demons themselves would be mostly obliterated, seared away by the power of an angry goddess combined with my arcane brilliance, though quite a few would remain behind, their physical forms destroyed, their dark essences still intact and safely hidden away inside mortals they would possess, not the least of which was Suzu’reitani herself.  They would be the least of our concerns for a long while, though, for we had a world to rebuild, civilizations to reform, though their corruption would remain a permanent feature on Andyllion, specifically with the mazoku, well, they are usually called succubi these days. 

I essentially had to relearn how to use magic during the first few centuries as well, for the very essence of the mystic forces that fueled Andyllion had changed.  It was an…interesting period, I would say.”

#Lore24 – Entry #340 – Sci-Fi Month IV #5 – The Calling of Demons

Transcribed From the Personal Recording Implant of Andra Ganim, Chronicler of the Codex Infinitum

RV:  “I am most certainly NOT saying that, Ms. Ganim.  I am saying that I was responsible for discovering the methods of contacting the realm of demonkind and developing the methods by which we could gain access to their power.  Any irresponsible use after that cannot be placed upon my shoulders.”

AG:  “Of course, of course.  Could you explain how this line of research came about?  What were you researching at the time?”

RV:  “Interdimensional, planar travel, even the concept of parallel realities, the “multiverse” if you will; truly few minds were capable of grasping the concept in that era.  My initial research had focused upon improving the ability to transport our soldiers and supplies long distances through magical gateways, in concordance with the use of scrying to perhaps arrange for surprise attacks upon our enemies.  For as idiotic as they are, the aerians were wise to our methods, thanks to their kerryn allies, primarily, so finding a workaround to their detection and countermeasures was naturally a priority. 

It was during my studies of a particular draconic ruin and the ancient portal there that I pieced together the early concept of my multiversal theory and began to theorize that perhaps the dragons that we have so long sought could have not only left Andyllion and our galaxy, but they could also have left our reality entirely.  My unique brilliance has led me to many such radical theories over the centuries, and I have, more often than not, been proven correct.”

AG:  “Were you the first person on Andyllion to make contact with the demons, then?”

RV:  “I was, yes, quite possibly the first outside the Demon Barrier and the Demon Sector, in fact, but that’s something we’ll have to circle back to later.  It was during one of the many jaunts I took through the planes during that time.  I had taken precautions, of course, to hide my trail, and had not shared my ability to shift amongst the planes with my fellow arcanists at the time.  In those days, you see, only the priests were considered capable of such a thing, should they travel to the realm of their gods, and that was seen strictly as a reward for their devotion.  What I did then transgressed the commonly held beliefs at the time, for it was assumed that all magic called upon the “aether” present in the world, that elementals were summoned from the four elements, that sort of thing.  I could go on at great length about ancient arcane theory, but I don’t think that’s what you’ve come for.

To answer your question more thoroughly, I had found a trail of corruption in certain planes and realms I had visited, and with some deduction and insight, I followed that trail and puzzled out the particular ritual methods that must be performed in order to bridge the gap into the demonic realm.  Not knowing any particular demons at the time, I was fortunate to have encountered only a minor one that was well within my ability to slay, for it was quite hostile with me.  My future attempts to contact them would be within the most controlled of environments, with strong wards and multiple layers of protection spells designed specifically to deal with beings not native to our reality.”

AG:  “How did matters escalate to the point that the demons were allowed to invade the world?  Did something go out of control?”

RV:  “Only the ego of my people.  Once I had solidified my knowledge of planar shifting and the rituals required to deal with the demons, and a mostly concrete understanding of their hierarchy and ways, I revealed my knowledge to my fellow arcanists and the leaders within the Elvish Dominion.  By this time, things had escalated to full blown war between our forces and our allies and those led by the aerians and kerryns, and the tide had already turned against us.  I will admit that my attention was elsewhere, and I had not paid due attention to the situation.  It was a decision I made in the interests of self-preservation of myself and my kind.

We originally sought only to augment our forces to fend off the advance of our enemies, to push them out of our lands.  But, once the full extent of what I had learned in the intervening centuries was understood, a plan was formulated that would break our enemies and see the Elvish Dominion returned to its proper place atop the world.  So, instead of using the demons directly as our soldiers, we would discredit our enemies and tear them apart from the inside.

Through a series of planar jumps, we were able to infiltrate deep into enemy territory without their knowledge, and once we had established our base of operations beneath the kerryn capital of Shinsei Daitoshi, we enacted our plan, coordinating with the lord of demons known as Suzu’retani, the Queen of the Succubi, the Bringer of Calamity.  Oh, don’t give me that look, Ms. Ganim; she was destroyed thousands of years ago; if any demonkind still remembers her name to even hear it uttered, they can do nothing about it within my domain. 

Now, then, the invasion started subtly enough, with her forces causing all manner of disruption amongst the enemy.  A deal was made with the demons; in return for elvish dominance over Andyllion, they could have all the aerian and kerryn souls they could possibly want.  Though I led the initial operation to bring the demons to Andyllion, I would be well away from Shinsei Daitoshi when the Demonfall occurred.  I must admit, even I was caught by surprise when Suzu’reitani subverted the kerryn faith and managed to capture Saressh.  Even I don’t know exactly how she managed that feat, but it was the madness that filled the kerryn priesthood that signaled the beginning of the Demonfall, and soon enough, the beasts ravaged our enemies, taking souls as if they would never end. 

Their taint spread, and soon enough those who had once allied with the aerians and kerryns turned to us, and against them.  The aerians, without the help of their longtime kerryn allies, were wiped out and driven from our lands.  However, though the Elvish Dominion had made a clearly defined bargain, we had not taken into account the nature of the corruption that spilled forth from their incursion in the kerryn capital.  The very essence of the demons began to corrupt and taint the world, and seemed to affect the elves more quickly and fiercely than other races.  This was initially how we garnered so much sympathy from our former enemies, in fact, for we played it off that the kerryns had summoned forth the demons, set the corruption against us, and then lost control of the monsters they had brought forth.

My own corruption was significantly lesser than my peers due to the time I spent in realms beyond our own, though even I could see that something had to be done to reverse course.  I’ll admit that I played my part in the atrocity, but I likewise did what I could to save Andyllion from the destruction that my overeager brethren had wrought upon it.  I would find myself in strange company in this endeavor, for the being known as Marcon Shadowmist would seek me out to right the situation.  Not even I can understand his way of thinking, why he had waited this long, but it was his plan that we followed to restore the balance and stop the demonic invasion.  This was what led to the Great Cataclysm, and somehow, that was the better choice, not just for Andyllion, but for the rest of the galaxy, though we certainly could not have known that at the time.”

#Lore24 – Entry #339 – Sci-Fi Month IV #4 – The Elvish Dominion

Transcribed From the Personal Recording Implant of Andra Ganim, Chronicler of the Codex Infinitum

AG:  “So would you say you specialized in destructive magic at the academy?  Would seem fitting going to war.”

RV:  “At the time, yes.  As I said, rebellious young blood.  It was my first specialization, though I have since mastered all recognized disciplines…and perhaps some that aren’t.”

AG:  “Most intriguing; I will circle back around to this later.  For now, could you describe your first experiences upon the fields of battle?”

RV:  “I would call them positively invigorating.  After being confined to the stuffiness of the academy as I had been, being in a setting where things were actually happening was a most welcome change.  I was not possessed of the fear that often overtakes someone during their first real battle, rather, I found myself in my element, almost as if it were a natural state.  Though our engagements were limited at first, I relished the chance to rend my enemies asunder through my command of the arcane.  I do believe that this was the first time I truly recognized that I had a sadistic side to my nature.  I can’t recall any specific examples, but I know I would leave many aerians in various states of dismemberment and see if I could coax some screams from them.  They are dreadfully stubborn creatures, you know, even more so back then than they are now, and it was a rare treat to make one scream in pain.”

Note:  The casual manner in which she related this sent a chill down my spine, and I am quite disturbed by the look of fond reminiscence upon her face.

AG:  “I see…how did your battlefield experience lead you to improve your house and to the formation of the Elvish Dominion?”

RV:  “It was the lack of unity I saw.  For all our enlightenment compared to the lesser races, we elves tended to stick to our own blood for whatever reason, well, back then, at least.  I daresay that was why we could never truly control the world as we so often dreamed of, because we always saw a plot against us, usually from others of our kind, for we were the only ones to be able to think that far ahead, you see.  The shorter-lived races were of no real concern except in the moment; they could always be dealt with in some form or another, but the threat that was always there was our own kind.

Even though the aerians were quite brutish and backwards in their ways, they were tenacious and had an excellent ability to work together for a common cause, namely the eradication of any elves that crossed them, and more on top of that for good measure.  For all of my brutality in slaying them with my magic, they would return the favor in kind with their own barbaric methods and had been for some time.  I noticed early on that my people would make decisions that would benefit their houses over the greater good of the entirety of the elvish nation, resulting in losses that didn’t have to happen. 

I do believe this was likely when my natural ability to lead and inspire first manifested, for I began to create alliances that broke down some of the barriers between the houses, forged in the fires of war.  After a handful of years on the battlefield, I would return to my homeland with my inner fire burning quite hot and pushed the leadership of House Volcari to change their ways.  I won’t say that it was entirely the force of my personality that was responsible for these changes and growing alliances, however much I would like to say that was the driving factor.  No, there was no small amount of subterfuge and arcane methods employed, and no few people had to be made to disappear.  Luckily enough we had an enemy that was more than capable of being manipulated into doing the work for us, exploiting the opportunities that I and my loyalists would create for them.

It was the loss of many of the elder leaders of the various houses that spurred them to action, to lay aside ancient feuds and oft-imagined plots against one another and join together to form the Elvish Dominion.  As expected, this unification, and the formation of the twelve Great Houses that would lead the entirety of the elven people caused quite the stir amongst the people on the outside.  Most saw this as a threat to their own peoples, and perhaps it was.  Some would ally with us, and some would try to remain neutral or come to the defense of the aerians, seeing the elves as a real threat for the first time. 

Quite a tumultuous period, really. 

Though I would be prominent as a force of change for some years, I would eventually return to my arcane studies, firmly established as the true power of House Volcari.  It would not be without its own dangers, certainly, and I made it a point to master my protective warding magics during this period, for there were many attempts on my life during the early days, something that has continued to this very day, believe it or not. 

In spite of the relative unrest that would prevail during this period, my studies and experimentation would lead to several remarkable advances in the magical arts, born of the study of the ancient and long-lost draconic race that likely seeded Andyllion.  I would become quite fascinated with uncovering all that I could about them, driven by a desire from deep within my very soul, as it were.  Though I had little proof of it at the time, I would eventually come to learn the nature of this fascination and how my unique nature was related to it. 

During these scant few centuries, I would likewise uncover a plethora of previously lost sources of power that would prove quite literally earth-shattering in the coming years.  You know of what I am referring to, yes?”

AG:  “You speak of the Demonfall, correct?  Are you saying that you were responsible for calling the demons to Andyllion?”

#Lore 24 – Entry #102 – Sci-Fi Month II #11 – Security Systems Analysis 02 – The Unpredictable Factors of the Fleshy Sentients Within the Hull of the Great Ship that Explores the Deep Space of the Region of Demonic Beings

 

From Personal Logs of Gadri “Burnout” Quickbyte, Cybersecurity Specialist / Security Systems Analyst, assigned UEF-04 Maharani Morgiana, decryption algorithm successful, translated from original Gnomish script.

Translation Note:  Possible issue with either the translation or decryption algorithm relating to Gnomish script; subtitle of this entry is accurate but manual translation yields something more sensible: “Suspicious Persons Aboard the Maharani Morgiana“.  Further translation of this entry has been reviewed manually and properly translated to Common in proper fashion for readability; original version is attached for further review in case I missed something, though it is at least fifteen times the length.

Continuing the requested analysis of the Morgiana’s security systems, as I continue the deep dive into the system architecture, some further concerns have come to light during the review of personnel aboard the ship.  Below are people of interest who my algorithms have determined to have red flags on their records which could indicate possible security concerns.  Please review and act accordingly.  Not organized in any particular order, judge each risk as you will. 

Sorisana Kelvaris – Female Elf, Starfigher Pilot assigned to 1st Squadron – Signs of tampering with her personnel records, possibly significant alterations or pure fabrication.  Exceptionally well-done manipulation, done by an exceptional talent; doubt many would have caught the discrepancies on this one.  Cannot verify authenticity, however, as communication between here and the other side of the Barrier is currently unavailable due to Barrier radiation fluctuations.  If fabricated, could indicate a sleeper-agent level false identity.

Szoreth Delyl – Male Dark Elf, Under-Warden, prisoner work division – Another long-time prison employee, his records have a sealed section, from the company, following a period of military action approximately two-hundred-fifty years ago, lasting for another eighty years before he began working at the prisons.  May indicate nothing aside from state/corporate secrets that need to be maintained, could mean some clandestine operations that have further reaching consequences, could mean nothing. 

Brawnik’ush’Fangren AKA “Devil Dog” – Male Feradogian, assigned to scouting and recon division, ground operations.  Records are spotty, typical of the Ferians due to constant periods of warfare between their peoples.  Has tattoos and ritual scarring that indicates involvement with guerrilla factions on Feria known to value brutality of the old ways.  Outwardly easy going and personable based on other crew interactions, seems to be developing relationship with kerryn arcanist Kiara Mizutani, but loyalties cannot be easily determined, nature is somewhat chaotic and suited to being a loner. 

Provissh Longtail – Female Kobold, Technician, assigned to Engineering section.  Has served on over two-dozen ships in her time.  No direct evidence of misconduct on her part, but each ship suffered severe mechanical failure during her time aboard.  Could be coincidence, unlikely.  May be blessed with bad luck, possible actual jinx.  Technical abilities are solid, supposedly. 

Chiasa Charity Chiasakaniki – Female Kitsune, IT Specialist, assigned to IT Department.  Excellent coder, has talents that meld her natural magical abilities with her technological talents.  Known hacker, exceptionally curious, very likely she will be attempting to access backdoors and give herself heightened access to the Morgiana’s computer systems.  No indications of intentional harm, but possible she could be manipulated into threatening actions. 

Kourtney Bradigan – Female Human, Priestess of Erisaya.  Native of PLANET, has known ties to political factions there, and has confirmed involvement in violent revolution there.  Has a tendency to manipulate people with her charms and stoke fiery passions.  Unconfirmed ties to both the weapon-smuggling organization known as the Church of Violence and the militant historic society, the Seekers of Hidden Truths; would fit her personality and record. 

Donerail Wintergreen – Male Equinarian, Inmate, Prison Work Division.  Mercenary by trade, wound up on the bad side of an attempted coup on Odrade III.  Took down a lot of combatants but was captured when he decided to save some children caught in the messy evacuation.  Has been bouncing around the prison system since.  Could be useful, could be dangerous; was listed as non-violent, but has been confirmed as a combatant in unsanctioned prison fights.  May have unknown triggers that get him riled up.  Psych profile is outdated, so cannot verify.  Assigned to Under-Warden Delyl’s heavy construction unit.

Gragnesh Cracktusk – Male Orc, Inmate, Prison Work Division.  Also assigned to Under-Warden Delyl’s heavy construction unit.  Another mercenary, involved in space-based operations, trained as a ship’s gunner and for hostile boarding actions, possible links to pirate groups during time as a mercenary.  Has been a model prisoner on paper since incarceration, but also known to take part in the prison fights when he’s not been working the porno shoots.  Will dig into other prisoners assigned to that detail; may have some kind of secret combat unit here, or some very serious muscle loyal to Delyl.  Does Delyl have plans on something?  Recommend observation and a look at the gap in his records that was mentioned previously.

Vyrlesska “V.V.” Verlucia – Female Succubus, Entertainer and Procurement Specialist.  Runs one of the cantinas aboard the Morgiana, sings and dances there as well.  Known to be quite capable of obtaining often-illegal goods for her clients.  Could be useful to have someone like this aboard, certainly, but she’s a free spirt, and may not be too discerning about what items she’s procuring.  Likely has many contacts in many areas, again, useful, but she appears to be out to make a profit for herself first and foremost.

#Lore 24 – Entry #101 – Sci-Fi Month II #10 – Incarcerated Workforce (Aboard Ship)

 

From Personal Logs of Gravius Scharaiden, Chief Security Officer, assigned UEF-04 Maharani Morgiana, decryption algorithm successful, translated from original Aerian script.

 

Whoever approved this idea is an idiot.  Complete moron.  Must have come from that dark elf in charge at RestranTech who stopped by with the Veylani girl the other day. 

Or is this some terrible decision from the ASC?  Some corpo with a bleeding heart?

Doesn’t matter who is responsible in the end.  I’m the one who will have to deal with the problems it’ll cause down the line.  Having prisoners working the loading docks at Aphelion Station is one thing but incorporating them into the Morgiana’s crew long-term is something else entirely.  I don’t care if they’re wearing that SealTech shit 24/7; all it takes is one fuck up and all hell is going to break loose.  If there’s an uprising against the command structure, I’d put money on these lifers being involved with it. 

Oddly, the RestrainTech rep in charge is a female dark elf, Vyrmeth Rashryth.  Thought they only let their men be in charge?  Maybe she’s a problem case and they wanted to get rid of her?  Former security guard at one of their max-sec prisons, now granted the title of “Expeditionary Over-Warden” upon getting the assignment, mostly clean record, no major infractions, just a few write-ups for cruel treatment of prisoners.  Cruel treatment?  The hell does that mean?  Thought those rubber suits were bad enough, not to mention the personal prison cubes they use, or their porno work-release bullshit.  What constitutes cruel treatment in a dark elf prison?  Can respect the need for order and discipline, sure, but she’s an elf, and tied to a very shady corp; will have to dig deeper, find out more about this operation they’re running.  She’s got a dozen Under-Wardens with her, plus a support team for the SealTech systems; whole damn thing is already integrated into the ship’s security systems, so anyone with access can track the prisoners at any time. 

Handy that, screams backdoor access, though; need to look long and hard at that.  Will assign Burnout to it; he’s good at the computer thing, worked with him long enough to trust him as much as I can a non-Aerian.  Will make it sound spicy, get that gnomish mind of his turning; he’ll root out any security issues.  Have a meeting with Rashryth scheduled for tomorrow; going to push for full access to the SealTech control systems and a full demonstration of their security procedures.  Big ask, see what she’s willing to give up.  Going to be friction between us, I’m sure. 

Have some concerns with the prisoners themselves, too.  No psycho killers or rapists or others that should’ve been executed, but some have violent incidents on their records, armed robbery or assault and the like, a minority, but still red flags to me.  Few ex-soldiers turned mercs who took up the wrong job and wound up on the losing side.  Most are white collar types, a lot of those are cybercriminals and technician types, but some records seem off to me.  Assuming these are a lot of political prisoners, or corpo types who got the shitty retirement package.  People who the system wants disappeared.  Supposedly they’re all volunteers, but if your only other choice is a four-by-four cube and being a cog in the porno industry, who wouldn’t take the chance for something else?

Prisoners should be isolated as much as possible and are isolated to “prison” blocks on their downtime, but they aren’t otherwise restricted from interacting with other crewmembers while on duty.  Multiple reports of casual conversations going on already, some getting too close to the prisoners for my liking.  They won’t try anything before we set out, but how long until something sparks up?  Going to have to discuss this with the Captain directly. 

#Lore 24 – Entry #98 – Sci-Fi Month II #7 – Potential Threats (Aboard Ship)

 

From Personal Logs of Gravius Scharaiden, Chief Security Officer, assigned UEF-04 Maharani Morgiana, decryption algorithm successful, translated from original Aerian script.

Clusterfuck doesn’t even begin to describe this stupidity.  I would prefer a clusterfuck to this any day.

Captain Silvercask has expressed his concerns to me about the personnel assignments aboard the ship.  I share these concerns.  He has tasked me with analyzing the personnel assigned and requested a report on possible security issues.  Guessing this will take a few hundred pages.  Copy of important details follow.

Report Summary, Highest Threats:

  • The Elves – Personal biases against elves aside, elves should always be considered suspect and treated with sufficient caution. Too many worked under DSM previously, many more are associated with the Great Houses in some way.  Always scheming, always plotting, always running long games to twist things to suit their whims.  Can’t trust any of them.  Reports of malfunctions and sabotage have come from previous UEF missions.  No proof, but makes sense that DSM wouldn’t take being left out of the ruling council lightly.  Always suspect elvish involvement.  See Section 2 for information on suspicious individuals.
  • Corporate Entanglements – The idea that multiple corporations could function together successfully was ludicrous. They like to spout cooperation and equality for the media, but each of them are vying for a bigger piece of the pie than the others.  Dozens if not hundreds of corporations of every size and type, too many possible dangers.
    1. Veylani Transport is in charge of the ASC; somehow that girl has managed to keep the top spot and pulled several other big names around her to keep her there. She’s romantically involved with a dark elf though, Fenrou Varmyrl, big name in their for-profit prisons, suspected he’s much more than that, though.  Likely she’s compromised, though partnership with the prison corp kept DSM away during hostile takeover attempt.
    2. A3 wants resources, and they want their people securing them. Dwarves are greedy, they’ll do whatever it takes to make sure they get first rights to mine whatever we come across.  Trust them to prioritize these resources over any other concerns, though it’s likely they’ll sacrifice others before any of the dwarves onboard; at least they still value loyalty to their own kind.  Hopefully they’ll start with the elves when it comes to sacrifices, at least.
    3. ASC – The Aphelion Station Council has become unstable. Lots of arguing since it expanded from the Big Three it was initially founded with.  Basically your typical nightmare bureaucracy now, composed of over a hundred entities.  Expect conflicting orders from the top.  They will test loyalties, try to extort compliance in some way or another.  Agree with shifting personnel around; some will need to be watched more closely.
  • Racial Tensions – Expect frequent arguments at least, violence more likely. Elves don’t get along with anyone, can barely stand each other.  Dwarves, orcs, and kobolds have long-running hatred that hasn’t died yet.  Kerryn, equinarians, and halflings are hard to provoke, but tend to band together against threats.  Ferians are loose cannons, likely to fly off the handle at the slightest provocation; watch the male ‘dogians and female ‘katians especially.  Aerians and orcs get along better than some, don’t expect two warrior societies to get along all the time, though.  Rattenvolk keep mostly to themselves and the bowels of the ship, so if sabotage is going to happen, they’re likely the ones to do the dirty work.  Gnomes are wildcards, can’t predict them.  Succubi will entangle themselves with whoever gives them the best offer, then try to manipulate others to their side. 
  • Religious Conflict – There is a reason aerians usually don’t have faith in the gods. They’re like anyone else, always squabbling, pushing conflicting beliefs.  Those serving the whore goddesses will cause trouble just by their nature, stoking passions and twisting people one way or another.  The Mausolians will seek death at any opportunity, wouldn’t trust their recommendations on most things; expect any sudden deaths and assassinations to be their fault.  Expect the orcs following their war god to want a fight whenever possible, even if peaceful solutions would be best; can’t really fault them there, always prefer a fight myself.  Wouldn’t even trust the followers of the librarian goddess not to cause problems, either; probably some militant ones there who will start trouble if they smell a secret to uncover. If any followers of Saressh happen to have a prophetic vision, though, might actually pay attention to that.  Studied history enough to know that goddess at least has an above average success rate on her predictions, so I guess maybe she’s not entirely useless.
  • Untested Tech – This ship’s an accident waiting to happen. Pushed it through trials too fast, too many hands have touched it during the refit.  Last shakedown had some issues that were supposedly being fixed, but don’t count on it.  That docking frame on the hull, that’s just asking for trouble; one ship goes up, and the rest of them are not far behind.  Don’t like the idea of those robot drones being onboard, either; haven’t been tested enough, still likely to suddenly develop a killing impulse like previous robotics; keep the AI on a short leash, or dump them into deep space the first chance we get. 
  • ASD – Can usually trust an arcanist more than a priest, not that that says much, but the Arcane Support Division is as big a mess as anything else. Too many ties to too many corporations, too many old loyalties, too many abrasive personalities.  Division lead, Tallfoot, she’s unstable; not sure how she managed the spot.  Guess maybe pickings were slim by now.  Lots of new blood, too many straight out of school to be counted on in a crisis.  They’ve got their own dress code; should be in uniforms like everyone else.  Special treatment is bad for everyone. 

 

Report continues…

 

#Lore24 – Entry #73 – Fantasy Month #13 – Saressh, Fallen Goddess of the Kerryns

 

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos:

Though hard for your average person to comprehend, the idea of something more powerful than a god is rather sobering and indeed frightening, but the example of the fallen Saressh is one that more people should be aware of, were it not for the standing decree by the first Emperor that her name shall not be spoken, lest another calamity be put in motion.  Can dead gods hear their names when spoken by mere mortals?  Do gods truly die when the faith of their followers is lost, or do they simply take on other forms and evolve into other deities?  Does the mere speaking of their name hold power, even if they no longer exist?  I’m hardly a theologian and certainly not a priestess of any sort, but I can still discuss the topic somewhat, from a historical perspective, at least.

Historically speaking, gods and goddesses come and go.  Historical records are replete with examples of such vanished deities, though usually not such recent examples as in the case of Saressh, mother of the Kerryns, goddess of protection, good health and procreation, pleasure, prophecy, and cats.  Most often, we’ve found remnants of lost civilizations and along with them, at best, scattered carvings alluding to the existence of the lost deity, vague hints of their nature, little in the way of daily practices or rituals.  This is especially true in the case of those lesser deities worshipped by the monstrous races, though some conjectures exist that lean toward the idea that the same deities simply take on different names through the ages, given the similar natures and domains shared by many deities we have recorded.

Such is not the case with Saressh, however.  Though mostly seen as a dark goddess who guided her people into demon worship, and was later consumed by said demons, records would, in my opinion, indicate something far more insidious at work behind the scenes.  As the Deep Archives are filled with preserved examples of Saressh’s teachings, priestly paraphernalia, and records of many of her followers, I have had some chance to study her ways, and without dedicating myself to diving deeper, Saressh absolutely does not seem the type to have her children turn to worshipping demonic forces.  Quite the opposite, really.

It is my opinion that Saressh was defamed during the period preceding the Great Cataclysm, when tensions between nations were high and wars were common, likely by agents of the Elvish Dominion, known for their extensive and masterful use of propaganda, lessons the current Empire still makes use of.  The Elvish Dominion was far more powerful than it is today, at least on this side of the world, and had great influence over many of the human-led nations, for humanity still saw them as mostly a benevolent force, wisest amongst the long-lived races of the world.  During this period of great unrest, it came to be that the Aerians were on the verge of extinction through the combined efforts of the Elvish Dominion and the growing human nations, and when things were at their darkest, the Kerryns stepped in as a neutral group, brokering a peace that would give the war-hungry Aerians a chance to recover and try to change their ways; kerryns of the day were certainly optimistic.  This alliance, born of compassion from the Kerryn people, would perhaps ultimately lead to their downfall and the destruction of the Aerians who had dedicated themselves to the defense of the Kerryn people for their act of kindness.

Circling back to the topic of Saressh, it is known that during the years preceding the Great Cataclysm, when the wars had somewhat settled and tensions were beginning to cool, something happened to her faithful clergy.  Madness began to spread throughout their ranks, and the power of their magic began to wane.  Some theorize that Saressh had been slain in the divine realm already, and it simply took time for her death to be felt within the realm of mortals, while other theories indicate that perhaps she was beset on all sides by her enemies, chiefly among them the demonic forces of the Demon Lord Suzu’Reitani, whose power served to corrupt the very flow of power from Saressh to her people, before she was ultimately slain.  Regardless, it was soon after the madness began to spread through her clergy and the faith of her people began to wane that war once again broke out when the Aerians led an offensive against the lost desert nation of Al Sisamanah when they had enslaved a kerryn princess that would eventually marry the Aerian prince who led the campaign (this is entirely a topic unto itself, and I shall not delve into it further here).

It was during this time that demons began to travel more freely between their realm and our own, and the records of other churches of prominence during the era, namely those of Lashanna, goddess of Justice, and the twin goddesses of desire, Erisaya and Yurisaya, and the god of death, Mausolus, confirm this with the sharp increase in reported cases of demonic possession and outright manifestation of them within our world.  Though, curiously enough, records on the subject from the Elvish Dominion are entirely lacking in detail, there is more than enough evidence from other sources during this time to at least create a plausible case that the elves were responsible for allowing demonkind into our world, and simply shifted the blame to the kerryns and the aerians, as they were their primary enemies at time (the might of the Aerians, reinforcing the more peaceful kerryns, with their formidable diplomatic talents, may well have led to a new age of peace, though with the Elvish Dominion in a much smaller and less influential role as nations were slowly but inevitably turned against them as their underhanded methods were repeatedly exposed).  Curiously enough, such conjectures are as forbidden to discuss aloud as that of the topic of Saressh herself; some may call this mere coincidence, but I am not among their ranks.

I could continue for some time further about Saressh and the many topics surrounding her mysterious death (is she even dead?  Perhaps she still exists in some form or another, her power dispersed amongst the demonic forces of Suzu’Reitani?), but my duties must take precedent.  I am to assist General Loukas Kormides with a study of historic battles in the northern regions on the morrow, and have much study and preparation to perform today.