Cosmic Prehistory (BSD100,000,000,000-100,000,000)

Before Standard Date, 100 billion years ago: Everything began with the Big Bang when the immense explosion of energy birthed all that we know, and it was all due to a massive leak of Void energy. The Void is the space of nonexistence that cushions the multiverse - it's the matter that fills the infinite dimensions that surround us. For reasons unknown, an interdimensional rift was created but instead of simply pouring Void energy into our dimension, it built up like a balloon and eventually burst to become the Big Bang. It is not known how much Void Element was actually built up, but current estimates place it between one or two hundred metric tonnes.

Created from the unimaginable eruption was three incalculably powerful entities known only as the Proto-Ethereals. It is impossible to know what their motivations were or how they thought but it was clear that they had grown bored with their empty universe and wanted to apply their vast power to something more interesting to them. The first (known as Proto-Rea) decided that the universe needed sources of energy and created the stars and 'children' to feed upon that energy -- the planets. The second (known as Proto-Yan) desired for its powers to be given away as it wished to experience death and thus everything was given a dosage of mana, kickstarting the cycle of life, but Proto-Yan also ensured that some things were able to receive more mana than others and birthed the Ethereals who were the original gods and goddesses of the universe and there were six. However, the final entity (known as Proto-Igni) simply did not like that there were such grand ideas and that there was no consensus as to what they should do, it also believed they should not have to wait billions of years to see the fruits of their labour and wanted something to play with immediately.
This, naturally, led to the three beings to quarrel for centuries. Eventually the trio decided to end the stalemate: The trio would leave the the majority of the universe alone and focus their manifestations onto one galaxy - ours. There would be experiments and dabbling in other galaxies, but they took particular interest in ours. They gave special treatment to exactly one thousand planets which have extremely high concentrations of mana and named them the Apex Worlds. Each planet in our galaxy would have a Nature Spirit to govern the life and death of each world without much interference from the Proto-Ethereals. They also created the Cosmic Emperor who would be the absolute authority governing the entire galaxy and protect it from outside interference and even to intervene if there were a galactic catacylsm.

The three entities were happy to play around with their various worlds and watch civilisations grow and die, races spawn and become extinct. But, they were ignorant of one small aspect of the universe: universal entropy. Their hubris forbade them from even conceptualising that they were able to decay in some way and did not understand that they were slowly losing their vast abilities. One billion years into the past, the three gave their final vestiges of power back into the galaxy itself to concentrate the flow of mana into this one speck in the universe thus ensuring its entropic end to be halted.
They had astonishingly detailed plans and schemes for how they wished their galaxy would turn out and grow, however, and entrusted the six Ethereals to see to it that their vision were accomplished for eternity. If an asteroid collided with a world and caused extinction, it was their doing. If a star went supernova, it was the Ethereals once more. There was not a single thing that was not manipulated by these six. They, too slowly began to suffer from universal entropy - the fundamental balancing of all mana in the universe that ensures no one entity can hold too much power, thus allowing for the capacity for more life to grow. As the galaxy would prosper and worlds would develop, their powers would sip themselves away. They did not know that this was, in fact, the Cosmic Emperor doing its duty to ensure that the galaxy was a stable and prospering place with minimal interference.
One hundred million years into the past, the six Old Ethereals were no more. The new generation of Neo Ethereals were borne: the Goddess of Time; the God of the Afterlife; the God of Darkness; the Goddess of Balance; the God of Virtue who were still immensely powerful, but as they had less significant concentrations of pure mana, they would be permitted to exist for a longer period of time.
Eventually, most Ethereals would destroy each other in bitter conflict. The last of the ancient civilisations began around two hundred thousand years ago when the grasp of the Ethereals were truly beginning to weaken and vast empires were sprouting up everywhere. The Goddess of Time is one of two only remaining Ethereals from the second generation (or, as they call it, the second epoch) and she is at only one quarter of her original strength, whilst the other Ethereal formerly known as the God of Darkness remains nearly as powerful as he was primarily due to a unique loophole in the universal entropy discovered solely by himself. Both Ethereals would sew seeds of their power and schemes into mortals in an effort to extend their reach and influence.

Ancient Era (BSD100,000-2,300)

The beginning of the third Ethereal epoch saw the birth of the God of Magic, the God of Wisdom, the Goddess of Corruption, and the God of Vengeance. This Epoch also saw the birth of Lesser Gods, the Feline Goddess of the Skies, the Vulpine Gods of Justice, Truth, and Spirit, and the Lizardfolk God of War. These Lesser Gods were still unfathomably powerful, but their scope of control and influence were limited in comparison to their greater siblings and generally were not as strong usually only 60% as powerful.
Early in ancient history the galaxy saw the rise and fall of the most significant civilisations in the universe and the most incredible wars. The notable ancient races were:

• Nyx, an intelligent race of telepathic and telekinetic animal-insect hybrids typically used as labourers by more powerful races, but also as pets by nobility, although 'wild' Nyx enjoyed a form of society on their own. They found themselves spread far across the galaxy for their usefulness and prized pelts

• Qalaxians, hyper-advanced people who conquered the organic form and masterfully melded machine and flesh. They were the first space-faring people in the galaxy. The Qalaxians held thousands of worlds and had incredible war machines to crush anyone that decided to combat them

• Primordia who are the progenitors of three entire races - the Iguine, the Dragons, and the Lizardfolk, two of which survive their ancestors. The Primordia were the most powerful and feared of all of the ancient races and lived to destroy everything that was not of their own blood. Their two leaders were the Goddess of Corruption Jazeel-Zaio and the God of Magic Ryn-Kovex. They pillaged, defiled, and conquered anything in their path but they also turned on each other, with half of their people on Ryn-Kovex's side, and the other on Jazeel-Zaio's side. It was this, combined with the defeat of Ryn-Kovex by the Drugir, and a fierce defence brought by the Lupine and the God of Vengeance that they were at last defeated but the damage was done and the Qalaxians, Forestwalkers, and Drugir were all destroyed. Even though they did not have advanced technology like the Qalaxians or fantastic magic like the Drugir, the elders were innately and physically so massive and strong that the even one scale could survive the centre of our sun and their progeny were incredible warriors too.

• Amharo were what we would label as 'dinosaurs'. They were the least technologically advanced but managed to evade the bulk of conflict throughout the galaxy and slowly spread themselves far and wide, eventually leading to some of their descendants ending up in the Avian Federation, and the Alliance of Magnus Creaturis.

• Forestwalkers were an unusual race of people who actually managed to exist and evolve entirely separately from the Drugir, despite living on the same planet as them. For reasons known only to the Forestwalkers, they existed in a gargantuan forest of 200,000 square kilometres which was protected by the Nature Spirit itself and thus, insulted from all outside interference. They lived in vast cities all built within tremendous trees, some with trunks up to a kilometre in circumference! But they were not an ignorant race or one without advancements of their own. They offered their services to the Drugir, especially in matters relating to healing magic, something that they were uniquely gifted with. Even with their protection, they eventually succumbed to the tireless crusades waged by the Drugir and the Primordia. Not more than one thousand of them remain and their forest is a fraction of what it once was.

• Drugir were a race of people who created and mastered the art of alchemy, the ancient art of weaving magic into materials and forging incredible machinations. They would also create from alchemy the foundation of modern chemistry. They were another warring species with hundreds of conquered worlds and thousands of colonies. They were nearly unstoppable due to their virtually unlimited military power drawn from the strength of necromancy which gave them access to billions of additional soldiers and make them incredibly potent in even a skirmish. The most powerful of the Drugir were known as the Druids, ruled at first by the Gold King as he wore the first suit of adamantine armour, and then by the Silver King, famed for his discovery and mastery of starsilver. Both Kings were immensely strong, scholarly, and cunning but were both slain by the Primordia in battle. The Druids also had created necromancy, and had the God of Wisdom as the right hand of each King, who is known as the Oracle.

• Wyverns who were the involuntary ancestors to Dragonkind (whereas the Iguine were the same to the Lizardfolk). They had no interest in conquest or war, but were strong people possessing immeasurably high innate Elemental talent. They and their progeny were used as footsoldiers to the Primordia. They now exist solely in the Plains of Ruin.

Distant Past (BSD2,300-400)

The age of prosperity and progress. There was no new Ethereal epoch yet which was for good reason: there would be no more. This marked the first mortal epoch where the influence of the Ethereals were at its weakest. Mortal philosophers would debate for centuries about fate, destiny, predetermined paths, and gods but what they were discussing were only the last vestiges of the hands that once controlled them. True free will was at its strongest that it had ever been and more powerful mortals were beginning to rise up, some powerful enough to instill fear among even the Ethereals. The first demigod would rise, the first Devils and Nephilim. For the first time since the creation of the universe, the gods did not know what would happen next. Although the last epoch had a weak Ethereal grasp, there were few surprises by the cosmic schemers and now they had to think about self-preservation, something brand new to all of them.

The oldest of the civilisations after the Wyverns, the Dragons, would find themselves embroiled in bitter conflict and torn to shreds from within. Each of the five races would find their own world to inhabit away from each other and there they would be locked in seemingly endless toil for centuries. The second of the eldest races are the Lizardfolk and they were the first to settle on new worlds but are slow to move and slower to trust due to their extremely abusive former masters.
First discovery of a new species would be in 1537 when an experimental teleportation spell would find a Lupine exploratory team on Terra (or Earth as it was once known), and again in 1889 when the Avian Federation would make contact with the Leporid Conglomerate. Throughout these centuries the galaxy would see to a number of amazing advancements and a decreasing ferocity of conflict as well as a lesser frequency of war. Without the meddling of unseen entities the mortals were free to do as they please and that generally involved improving themselves and, eventually, trying to discover new worlds and new species.

Age of the Union (SD2060-Current)

The formation of the most powerful unified force in the galaxy. Unprecedented progress was being made at a pace never before conceived of. Each century brought incredible advancements, new species to discover, and new legends birthed.

But powerful forces still brewed in the background - this time stemming from mortal roots. Clan Red Claw is the oldest criminal faction in the galaxy originating on the Lupine homeworld as direct opposition to the King's rule. They now exist as the largest group of mercenaries and have considerable influence over the galactic criminal underworld. The smallest faction to defy the peace and stability of the Union are Ouroboros, a gang of the most dangerous terrorists alive. Although its founder is in prison, a new leader refounded the group with a new and mysterious goal. Finally, the most unknown but potentially dangerous threat to the Union are the Sancus Enclave founded as a group of fanatical technophiles that worshipped everything electronic and found flesh to be not only revolting but sinful, and spurred on by a particularly enigmatic and evil force, they were able to exile themselves and form what could be the end of days for all of society. Many more would coil around the newfound mortal epoch and it was squarely up to themselves to get out of their own trouble.

Species and Races

There are hundreds of different species creatures which possess an advanced level of sentience, sapience or both. Across the ages of the Milky Way, there have been a healthy array of different species and races of such which have survived to build a wondrous civilisation, many of which have only become extinct in recent history due to a particularly challenging millennium.

Modern Species

In the modern era of the 24th century, there are a great deal of species whom have built vast empires and righteous republics.

What constitutes a species as being 'modern' are those that have access to intergalactic communication or trade, and some modern faculties such as interconnected computers, personal automotive transportation, advanced medical access. Naturally, what a particular species considers as modern necessities varies, however, most consider this as possession of effective medical technology to treat the majority of ailments and some form of non-magical capability to traverse their local cosmic corridor.

A modern civilisation does not need to be part of the Union of Galactic Species, but the majority are members.

Independent Species

These species may be comprised of a few races, but typically are able to stand on their own as a people without outside assistance.

• Avian

  • Races to be named

• Canine

  • Many dozens of races to be named

• Chimera

• Dragon

  • Diamond Dragon

  • Emerald Dragon

  • Fallen Dragon

  • Ruby Dragon

  • Sapphire Dragon

• Feline

  • Many dozens of races to be named

• Human

  • African

  • Anglo-Saxon

  • Exastos

  • Caribbean

  • Latino

  • West-Asian/Middle-Eastern

  • South Eastern Asian

• Mustelid

• Leporid

• Lizardfolk

• Lupine

• Vulpine

• Neosapian
  

Aquatic Species

There are hundreds of races that exist as part of the various water worlds but here are the majority of the aquatic species (who are also all a part of the world Neos).

• Lophotrochozoa

• Chondrichthyes

• Echinozoa

• Cnidaria

• Parazoa

• Cyclostomata

• Osteichthyes

• Cetacea

Group Species

These species are too dependent on the efforts of others to be a truly modern species. They may be part of a larger alliance where each race has a specialised role, or they may have a very trade-heavy relationship with a more developed civilisation.

• Arachnida

• Equine

• Glires:

  • Castorida

  • Chinchillida

  • Cricetin

  • Hystricid

  • Sciurid

  • Murin

• Laurasiatherian:

  • Chiroptera

  • Erinacein

  • Cetacea

• Lepidoptera

• Porcine

• Rhinocerotid

• Ursine

Minor/Ancient Species

Colloquially known as the Union, is an alliance of various sovereign species or organisations within the galaxy. Contrary to popular belief, which would have you think it is a singular galactic government, it serves three purposes: to unite military forces under a common banner in order to promote and enforce peace across the galaxy; to allow free cultural growth and inter-connectivity between the civilians of the Union members along with truly free trade and; to allow scientific and technological progress and stability for all Union members.

The Union actually has little direct influence over any one species though they may strike agreement for some matter. For example, one representative may urge another to split land into provinces in order to create peace in a civil war. However when it comes to wartime, they are granted far more power, though are ever cautious as not to tread too deep.

The population of the entirety of the Union is currently 15,356,100,000,000 citizens strong.

Membership Into the Union

Acceptance into the union comes with a strict contract which must be upheld during the entirety of a member's duration. Failure to abide by the contract can evoke forceful revocation of membership or even war. In either event, when a member species is forced out of the Union, all of their military personnel are immediately and systematically arrested and become POWs. Civilians are simply deported

In order to be accepted into the Union, the species or organisation must have a clear head of state or head of military. The Command Council will then vote on whether or not the prospective member should be accepted or not and must have 2/3 majority (previously it was 3/4). Only then do they get to see the contract. There are no penalties for declining to sign the contract and may change their mind at any time prior to becoming a signatory.

Membership Contract

The following ultimatum is presented upon successful Council vote:

The people and their leaders must, under no exceptions, abide by the following regulations

• Strive for peace and prosperity at all times and at all parts of the galaxy.

• Devote 75 per cent of all military forces to the Union and its goals.

• Devote at least one colony for military recruitment.

• Devote at least 10 per cent of all science personnel to the Union and its goals.

• Adopt credits as their official currency.

• Adopt Basic as their official language (or one of).

• Allow unhindered cultural, scientific and military trade between all Union members and their territories.

• Allow complete integration of all Union associated technologies and agencies.

• Permit an unlimited amount of recruits to join the Union via conscription during desperate wartime events.

• Never declare any form of embargo, pact, contract or sanction toward any Union member or its associates without prior Council vote.

• Forfeit absolute authority to the Union Command Council at all times, including during wartime as per the War Measures Act.

• Adopt official law as per Unified Police Network specifications (also known as Union Law).

Member Species, Allies, and Enemies

Union Member Species

• Alliance of Magnus Creaturis

• Avian Federation

• Aquatic Collective

• Canine Confederation

• Dominion of Humanity

• Feline Hiveclan

• Imperial Wolf Kingdom

• Leporid Conglomerate

• Lizardfolk Republic

• Holy Vulpine Order

Allies

Some species or organisations may wish to associate with the Union, but may not wish to be as involved. They hold no seat in the Union Command Council.

• Allied Prædam Republic

• Mustilidae Civility

Enemies

• Clan Red Claw

• Elluvia

• Fallen Dragons

• Forces of Ruin

• Ouroboros

• Sanctus Enclave

• Space Pirates

• Sapphire Dragons

Non-Union Military / Associates

Many species maintain its own, personal corps of armed forces. Though the demand for being a Union member is 75% of your total armed forces, each species is free to do as they see fit with the rest. Most simply dedicate that to PDFs and Reserve forces. These such forces are not under Council command, but are treated as an ally and are under that species' own chain of command.

Planetary Defense Forces (PDFs)

These are simply troops stationed on a planet. Note that GDUs occupying a planet are not considered a PDF unless there are less than 5% of the remaining current PDFs and that the GDUs have been on said planet for a minimum of one year. In which case, the planet is then claimed abandoned and is put up for auction. Planetary Defense Forces are not considered Union military, but Union officers and equipment are common in supporting local units.

Unified Police Network

The UPN is the governing body of law and order within the Union and is essentially an intergalactic entity for police, intelligence and investigative services. It controls the Extranet as well as the primary database and communications hub for the police forces on all planets within the empires of the Council species. The Union does not have any explicit control over the UPN, however, only Military Police can enforce law and order against Union Navy servicepersons. Flag Officers and Military Police are considered of higher authority than UPN officers.

Being a criminal on one world is almost always the same on another, due to the standardization of the Network, and as such has made it extremely difficult to stay a fugitive for long.

History of the Union

The Union was officially conceived in 2060 as the successor to the Wolf-Human Alliance, it was heralded by Odessus Naito and the United Nations with support by the European Commission, British Commonwealth, Central Asian Pact, South Korea and the Pacific United States.

The Union was intersolar by 2107 and encountered its first new civilisation in 2118, the Leporid Conglomerate. They were considerably more advanced at the time but were highly welcoming and friendly, with talk of trade agreements very early on. The Leporidae officially joined the Union at the time, then the Leporid government introduced the '''Avian Federation''' to the Union who was already part of a similar alliance between the Leporidae and the Avians.

Eleven years later, an Avian science vessel encountered the homeworld of the 'Alliance of Magnus Creaturis, a generally peaceful people of enormous stature. They are the least populous of all Union races.

During the last month of 2140 the Canine Confederacy was facing gruelling times attempting to recoup their losses from the Sector 15 Crusades that brought the civilisation to light after they contacted the Navy for assistance. They joined the Union of Galactic Species as their best hope for survival. It would take at least another 100 years before they recovered the damages from the 22nd centuries' events.

In 2188 the Vulpine Holy Order seceded from the Canines and, in an act of desperation petitioned to join the Union so that they can have stability in their endeavours. Once the Vulpine settled Hakuna, the Union accepted their petition at the dawn of the new century.

The Lizardfolk Republic was among the most challenging to convince to join the Union. After 11 months of discussion and meetings, finally, in 2216 joined the great organisation.

Within the middle of 2230, the Allied Prædam Republic stumbled upon a Union outpost and had a similar character to the Leporidae, being very forthcoming and friendly. However, they ultimately decided against joining the Union and instead accepted an alliance status.

During the same year, the Aquatic Collective of Neos was also encountered, however, due to difficulties in communication and a cultural disconnect, it took eight years for the Collective to join the Union as well as the fact that there are so many groups of people on the planet that it took a long time to rally as many people as necessary. As the Collective are entirely aquatic people, their presence in space is severely limited, but are most frequently found on largely aquatic worlds, many of which emigrate from Neos when a suitable climate is discovered.

The Feline Hiveclan originally was only interested in allying with the Lizardfolk Republic but was later persuaded to become a member of the Union instead. In 2234 the Hiveclan completed the process and became the last species to join the Union. The Hiveclan was only recently considered a unified people.

Draconic Conflict

In ancient times, the Primordia ruled the cosmos. Some were mere tyrants and others malicious conquerors and their legacy has been passed down throughout the aeons. Dragons are now a distinct race after thousands of generations of evolution combined with interbreeding.

Their ancestry is what primarily holds them back as a united people. Each race of Dragon has their own desires and needs, they each believe thoroughly different and often opposing ideals and destinies for their people and as thus, are almost constantly warring. To that extent, their lineage also has a great and terrible impact on public perception, and the many citizens of the Union find it difficult to trust and want to live among their people although the knowledge of the Dragons are not widespread and the media coverage is limited by design. A Dragon in Union society would be faced with intense scrutiny at worst and confusion at best.

Admiral Janus del-Montiva personally made contact with the King Cyrus of the Emerald Dragons due to the delicate and dangerous nature of their people once they were re-discovered in 2367. The Emerald homeworld, Starfall one of the last bastions of Dragon civilisation. Through Cyrus, Janus learned of planet A'karu which is home to the Ruby Dragons and is suffering from a horrific plague. The Sapphire Dragons are actively at war with their Emerald cousins, and thus with the Union for having intervened. Both races appear technologically capable, albeit that which is considered centuries old in some cases. Their constant warfare has stifled technological innovation in most areas of their society, focusing everything on their combat tech.

Military

Often times when people refer to the Union, they are referring to the Union military. There are eight compartments of the Union military that comprise the whole: the Navy; Planetary Forces; the Internal Review Commission which oversees military integrity and performance; Union Science & Engineering Bureau (USEB), which oversees all infrastructure, upkeep, construction, research, and training of the non-combat service people; the Internal Resources Department, which handles materials & equipment, people resources, supply management, and real estate; Public Affairs which deal with military journalism, marketing, and damage control; the Officium Experimentis which is the governing body of the USEB but also engages in the most cutting edge, and the most classified of scientific projects; and Military Police.

There over 1,875,343,600,000 individuals employed under the Union military or a monumental 12% of the entirety of the Union

Union Command Council

The Union Command Council is the governing body of the Union. It is where all executive decisions are carried out, as well as where a court-martial is carried out. The Command Council's headquarters is located on the Human world of Mars. It has no chief representative, as does the now-defunct United Nations had. Instead, it relies upon a council of representatives from each species, almost always it is the person in the highest position of power, as it is necessary to have leverage in all forms of parliament. These individuals are the de jure as well as de facto leaders of the entirety of the Union.

The Union deals heavily with Naval warfare and, as such, focuses highly on space combat and orbital shock troops. There are 12 Fleets in total, each under the command of an appointed Admiral, who take orders directly from the Command Council equally as well as the Admiral of the Navy. Though not many species still possess a dedicated Army (ground troops), some do, and those forces are not under the direct command of the Council and can operate somewhat independently of the Union. The most notable examples of this are planetary defence forces and militia groups. Within the Union, all Naval ranks of Commodore and above and uppermost GDU ranks require an above-average combat ability, the greater the officer's capabilities, the greater the chance of their promotion. Tenure is also valued, but many officers served complete careers in other militaries before accepting a commission in the Union. It is not mandatory to have previous military experience. Admirals are considered some of the most capable fighters in the galaxy and should never be underestimated. Each Admiral must pass a rigorous examination and face strong competition which comes only after glowing recommendations from other individuals. The admiralty would be an extreme galactic threat when tightly coordinated and if desired, could theoretically stage a coup with little resistance. It is for this reason that there have been contingencies in place for such an event.

The Command Council consists of the following structure:

• Marshal

  • This individual is tasked with ensuring that the Council is held accountable for its actions, order during sessions, and that there is a final authority for any stalemate in decision-making. They are also the judge for a court-martial against anybody within the organisation.

• Councilmember

  • Every member has this rank by default. It is the highest authority in the entirety of the Union, outranking even the Fleet Admiral.

• Fleet Admiral / Admiral of the Navy

  • The highest-ranking flag officer for the Union Navy. The Fleet Admiral can also arrest and/or court-martial any member of the military below their rank.

• Chief Delegate

  • Those that are chosen as a particular Councilmember's primary assistant carry this title and serve the dual purpose of being an emergency replacement and to help act as a proxy. If the Councilmember they stand for is not available then the Chief Delegate takes their authority. There can be up to two Chief Delegates.

Naval and Planetary Forces Rank Structure

Naval Rank Structure

• Fleet Admiral (Ft. Adm. Kira Naito)

• Admiral

• Sub-Admiral

• Vice Admiral

• First Rear Admiral - Officers begin to become truly distinguished as fighters, tacticians, and so forth, your name is likely well known in the Navy.

• Second Rear Admiral - the highest rank the majority of officers attain before they retire provided a minimum of sixty years of service.

• Commodore - the earliest rank a Task Force may be entrusted to lead. The most common rank among AMA instructors.

• Captain - Chiefs of flotillas and typically first officers of Demon or Ethereal-class vessels.

• Commander - The earliest rank that a vessel may be commissioned to an officer. Commander is the most common senior rank in any vessel.

• Lieutenant Commander - Senior officer of small vessels, many science ships, and away missions. Typically the first officer in most vessels.

• Lieutenant - the most versatile and most common officer rank. The majority of one's career will be spent at this level. Has the greatest variation for their duties and expectation, and Second Officers are typically this rank.

• Flagsman - Flagsmen are junior officers, generally with a few years experience. They are often employed to oversee small camps, lead away missions or command. This is also the first rank given to graduates of the AMA.

• Ensign - Recruits who enlist into the Navy for a combat role will be granted this rank.

• Operator - Operators are strictly non-combat junior officers; senior Operators are called 'Lead Operators'.

Ground Deployed Units (GDUs)

The GDUs are the standing army for the Union by way of the Planetary Forces. All Naval ranks are considered the superior authority. These are troops that are stationed on planets and occasionally space stations. They are also the troops that are delivered to a world's surface for battle.

• Commander General/General of the Planetary Forces (General Ibis)

• Lieutenant General

• Major General

• Brigadier General - Enlisted begin to truly distinguish themselves combat-wise.

• Colonel -

• Lieutenant Colonel - Most enlisted retire at this rank given sixty years of service.

• Major

• Lieutenant Major

• Field Captain

• Master Lancer

• Lieutenant - the first rank given to graduates of the AMA. Senior Pathfinder rank, they're able to operate solo at this level as well.

• Corporal First Class - Minimum rank required to join the Pallaeus Dragoons.

• Corporal Second Class

• Operative - It's possible to start out as this rank with exceptional marks during Basic Training (10% chance with a 1d100). Junior Pathfinders start out at this rank.

• Private

• Recruit - Conscripts and anyone currently undergoing Basic Training.

Horizontal Hierarchy

Within each ship and each unit exists its own internal structure. For Privates, Ensigns, and Operators, they are permitted a horizontal hierarchy independent of their Union rank. This means that each detachment is capable of organizing itself to play to its strengths, and permits a healthy environment where there is room for talent to flourish and order is kept. Commanders are free to create as many horizontal ranks as they desire and name it anything they feel descriptive, or are free to follow a distinct lack of horizontal schemes. The Chain of Command will still follow the vertical hierarchy as written above. Officers may not have a horizontal hierarchy because they are expected to perform well at all levels and under any role. The Operative and Flagsman ranks exist as a stop-gap arising from a need for more qualified personnel but also to prevent an abundance of senior officers.

For example, 707th Heavy Mechanised may have 22 Privates, but their most skilled and trusted group leader is Technical Specialist First Class, Private John Smith, and their second go-to-person is Weapons Technician Third Class Private Jane Doe. They are paid the same and have zero authority over a Private of the 40th Diving Brigade, but do have authority over the other Privates in the 707th. Eventually, Jane Doe may be promoted to Corporal Second Class and would outrank John Smith even though his horizontal rank was higher, but the unit would have to find someone else to become the Weapons Tech Third Class.

Special Forces

Pathfinders are elite soldiers whom specialize in cloak and dagger tactics and other covert operations. Most typically, they're used for reconnaissance and where a trained sniper is needed. They can also be used for infiltration, surveillance and much more. Capital ships usually carry at least one or two squads, and high ranking officers will employ one or more squads as bodyguards. A squad is comprised of two Pathfinders but may operate in squads as large as six, or multiple squads.
Pathfinders are selected based off of two merits: excelling during Basic Training and attaining the Operative rank, or during regular service with exemplary combat prowess and technical aptitude. Pathfinders do not undergo formal training but are placed under the tutelage of a senior Pathfinder who will ensure they are well tested and meet the rigour of promotion, else they would be returned to the rank of Private to resume a typical career. Colonel Bastille Grann leads the Pathfinders after Balthior famously defected.

Scarlet Pathfinders are the best of the best, combat masters, experts in counter-terrorism, counterespionage, and leaders as duelists. They are pure combat specialists, veterans of wars and skirmishes a dozen over anyone else, and while Admirals are typically extremely powerful, Scarlet Pathfinders are deployed when surgical precision is needed against insurmountable odds. There are no defined criteria for joining, nor are there any known policies for recruitment, but only established fighters of the galaxy are permitted membership, beyond that of ordinary skilled soldiers. Pathfinders are the best among soldiers, but Scarlet Pathfinders are the best among supernatural warriors. Major General Faerun Centus is currently their chief. The Scarlet Pathfinders function under the direct authority of Fleet Admiral Kira Naito.

The Pallaeus Dragoons are a division of top-tier soldiers who prove themselves in other units first. They do not have access to the same hardware as the Pathfinders but are considered equal or almost equal to their combat efficacy. Originally founded by Admiral Terson Pallaeus, this division prides itself on superior discipline, tactical acuity, marksmanship, and a high concentration of special abilities. Brigadier General Rena Attelier holds command here.

Scarlet Pathfinders

The outfit began in 2368 with the appointment of the new Admiral of the Navy. She decided that the Union Navy required a stronger, more nimble special forces division. She created the Scarlet Pathfinders under her personal direction.

The Union Navy Scarlet Pathfinder unit has no official member count but is entirely comprised of the Union's finest fighters. Unlike the standard Pathfinder unit, applicants do not need to have established Navy experience, much like that of the ranks above Sub-Admiral. Anyone may apply however the examination process is rigorous. The current leaders of the Scarlet Pathfinders will evaluate an applicant's martial prowess, strategy, combat knowledge and their particular effectiveness within their unique skills and abilities. Not all Scarlet Pathfinders are equally capable, but each is significantly greater than even elite soldiers.

The minimum rank to join the Scarlet Pathfinders is Field Captain or equivalent so therefore all members begin at that rank. The commander-in-chief is Maj. Gen Faerun Centus, his second-in-command is Brigadier General Nova Titanheart. Other notable members include the lab-grown supersoldier Iota.

The UNSP commands a mobile headquarters, they reside entirely within Deck 2 of the UNS Lightening Beast and have a complete suite of amenities available to them - a modular training facility, lounge area, leisure centre, barracks, armoury, independent elevator systems, command/communications centre, and even their own small hangar bay for their exclusive use. Deck 2 is thus restricted only to those with Level 6 Security Clearance (Special Admittance/Sub-Admiral and above).

The UNSP was deliberately granted autonomy so as to ensure the security of classified and dangerous intelligence. A member of the outfit can disobey orders if the authority is outside of the unit itself. Each Scarlet Pathfinder functions on its own and is expected to do so with little to no backup or support. Most Scarlet Pathfinders are given the chance to change their name and obscure their identity. Their records and dossiers become classified.

Special Task Forces

A Task Force is a compartmentalised unit with specialised skills and equipment and would have a specific goal to achieve. Some Task Forces are ongoing but others have strict windows to accomplish their goal. There are three designations of task forces: 'K' for Naval units; 'C' for ground units; 'S' for research units.

There are currently four major operating naval task forces, most of which fall under the jurisdiction of Sub-Admiral Sylvas Prenche and the Special Tactics Fleet:

• Task Force K12, a unit dedicated to the patrol and exploration of the outlying Union territory

• Task Force K19, a unit dedicated to antagonizing and exposing Ouroboros operations, headed by Commodore Yilani O'Toro.

• Task Force K6, a unit dedicated to being a fast-response team.

• Task Force K21, a unit dedicated to stabilizing insurrection, pirate activity, and monitoring Red Claw movement.

There is one major declassified operating army task force:

• Task Force C30, a sister unit to K19.

There are 53 minor or classified task forces to service highly particular situations.

Fleet Units

There are millions of vessels and warships organised under 12 fleets. Fighter craft is ubiquitous across all fleets, but are not counted toward the total ship count. There are five Capital Fleets and six Lower Fleets, with Lower Fleets being more specialized and smaller.

Whilst each Fleet are organised under smaller flotillas, a Superflotilla is an independent unit much like the Fleets themselves. However, a Superflotilla is larger than an ordinary flotilla but smaller than a Lower Fleet. Of the Union's 512 Commodore maximum, 128 of that command a Superflotilla. These units comprise heterogeneous vessels whilst an ordinary flotilla would have around homogeneous vessels.

Capital Fleets

• Dawn: Fleet Admiral Kira Naito.

• Dragon: Admiral Janus del-Montiva

• Hades: Admiral Azota Frostheart

• Phoenix: Admiral Ao-Nas Tirvrunaak

• Hydra: Admiral Eve Skyrend

Lower Fleets

Note: Only notable chiefs will be named.

• Alpha Fleet; Special Tactics Fleet - Commands all special forces and the majority of task forces currently operating. Matters of intense precision or priority are handled by Alpha, under the banner of Sub-Admiral Sylvas Prenche.

• Beta Fleet; Expeditionary Fleet - The fastest and most widespread of all Fleets, Beta are experts on counter-attacks, reinforcement, border patrol, and alert response. They have the highest concentration of speciality ships for speed, thus have the greatest concentration of smaller vessels. Sub-Admiral Ranua O'Toro commands Beta Fleet.

• Delta Fleet; Artillery Fleet - This fleet specializes in long-range warfare and early detection with advanced sensor technology.

• Gamma Fleet; Titan Fleet - Gamma are juggernauts, they have huge, defensive ships primarily of carriers, and deploy tremendous siege engines and support equipment to planetary efforts.

• Theta Fleet; Supply Fleet - Theta primarily assists larger fleets wherever necessary, and are in charge of the security and delivery of all cargo in the Navy.

• Psi Fleet; Ghost Fleet - Psi focus on espionage, stealth, and surveillance and are the smallest of all fleets. They are largely responsible for intelligence gathering and other duplicitous activities, including stealth transport.

• Omega Fleet - The highly secretive 12th fleet. Directly under the command of the Admiral of the Navy and kept as a special reserve. It operates under the guise as a traditional reserve unit, in the event of service depletion for the majority of deployments - however, this is not the true purpose. Omega Fleet exists specifically to act against a civil war within the Union of Galactic Species, or the Navy, else it will act as a fail-safe mechanism in the event that the majority of the Union Command Council and Naval structure is destroyed. Much of this fleet is kept hidden and does not officially exist anywhere. A select few officers are sleeper agents, directed to take their posts in such events. This fleet is designed to operate with minimal support and supervision, thus is very autonomous, right down to the technical support staff. Their ultimate goal is to quell insurrection and rebuild the Naval command structure, restoring order.

Naval Vessel Class Types

Unlike most navies, the Union Navy rarely changes the classification of vessels and does not base it off of a particular design or starship. One class is likely to remain with the same name and design for centuries. The ship designations in order from largest to smallest are:

• Ethereal - without reservation, the Ethereal class starship is the most powerful and largest of all in the galaxy. A small handful exists and only those with the rank of Admiral or higher are chosen to command such massive vessels.
  These ships are at a minimum of 100 kilometres long 25 kilometres wide and 35 kilometres tall. They function as a mobile base of operations for the Navy and can be used to transport large numbers of civilian evacuees or be used as a troop transport of at least three divisions. The Fleet Admiral's vessel (the Lightning Beast) is considered 'Ethereal+' class as it is 120 kilometres long, 35 kilometres wide, and 45 kilometres tall

• Demon - Generally Demon class starships are used as planetary defence platforms but are also used in all-out-assaults for homeworlds. Each Fleet has at least one Demon class ship as its flagship, although the Dawn fleet has three of these classes. They measure 70 kilometres long by 15 kilometres wide and 25 kilometres tall

• Lord - A speciality carrier-type starship. Its hangar capacity can deploy tens of thousands of fighter craft, bombers, drones, and even smaller starships. It has limited offensive capabilities but is designed to defend itself against enemy missiles, torpedoes, and small craft. This vessel measures 15 kilometres long by 10 kilometres wide (20 at the centre) and 50 kilometres tall.

• Duke - Main battlecruiser-type starships. These are extremely offensive focused and are therefore vulnerable to sabotage or small craft assaults and are usually found with defending vessels. They measure 10 kilometres long by 6 kilometres wide and 6 kilometres tall

• Dutchess - The Navy's mainstay battleship. This class also emphasizes firepower but has a much smaller crew count and has more powerful engines. They are considered more expendable than any other vessel and are sent to lead most flotillas. These ships are 7 kilometres long by 4 kilometres wide and 2 kilometres tall

• Master - A destroyer-class vessel with a greater focus on durability and battle longevity. It sacrifices firepower for shields, armour, and hangar space for fighter craft and drones as well as being granted greater anti-fighter craft capabilities. These ships are 1 kilometre long (occasionally 1.4 kilometres for ships along the borderlands), 600 metres wide and 340 metres tall.

• Halberd - Corvette warships were designed to keep flanks secure and function as the lead ships in smaller flotillas. Their focus is more combat-oriented than the Blade class while still being more support-oriented than the Master class. These ships are 660 metres in length by 450 metres in width and 300 metres in height.

• Blade - the most common ship in the Navy. These frigates are designed less for combat and more for general usage and exploratory purposes. They have a balance of firepower, defensive capabilities, cargo, and hangar space. This is the smallest combat vessel that can be commissioned. They have a length of 320 metres, a width of 250 metres, and a height of 190 metres.

• Dagger - Exclusively used as either science vessels, diplomatic vessels, or heavy transport. They are 250 metres long by 185 metres wide and 150 metres in height. They are entirely defence focused and possess large cargo capacity and modularity.

• Hellion - Heavy gunships meant to support ground troops but are also capable of defending light warships against enemy fighter craft. They are 100 metres in length, 12 metres in width, and 9 metres in height. They can carry a complement of up to three hundred troops

• Knife - the primary troop transport. The Knife class are dropship vessels capable of both spaceflight and terrestrial flight but are more suitable for the latter. They carry up to 20 troops and can tow heavy tanks. Although not nearly as devastating as Hellion class ships, they can be used for fire support with rockets, chainguns, and a small cannon, and especially if they carry heavy infantry who can attack through several firing ports.

• Claw - Interceptor fighter craft. They are extremely agile and fast, designed to take out individual hardware points such as turrets or torpedo launchers and to destroy enemy mines, missiles, and buoys. Can operate terrestrially or in space.

• Fang - Bombing fighter craft. Much more durable than the Claw class and carries huge payloads that are capable of damaging even medium-sized warships (such as Master-class). Can operate terrestrially or in space.

• Tanto - Light terrestrial support craft designed for anti-infantry fire support or to move a squad of up to six troops short distances, but can also be used for supply dropoff.

• Viper - Tiny craft with no weaponry designed solely as boarding pods. They have powerful thrusters and plasma drills that can tear through all but adamantine plating. These carry up to twelve fully loaded troops, two EVO-suit troops, or one light EVA-suit mech.

Capital Starships

Only notable chiefs will be named.
Not every Capital ship is in use at any given time. During wartime they are all to be ready for action but not deployed, however, they primarily exist as portable space or orbital stations used for all manner of purposes. The exclusion is the Fleet Admiral's ship, where she has made her ship her primary office and personal abode.

• Endless

  • The UNS Endless was the first Ethereal class ever built.

  • Commission date: 2160 (original) 2240 (Mark II)

• Virtue

  • Commission date: 2251

• Colossus

  • Commission date: 2272

• Triumph

  • Chief: Admiral Azota Frostheart

  • Commission date: 2288

• Singularity

  • Comssison date: 2290

• Celestial

  • Commission date: 2207 (Original) 2300 (Refit)

• Starbreaker

  • This ship is currently testing the experimental Apocalypse Cannon

  • Chief: Admiral Janus del-Montiva

  • Commission date: 2310

• Overlord

  • Chief: Admiral Eve Skyrend

  • Commission date: 2321

• Nova

  • Chief: Admiral Ao-Nas Tirvrunaak

  • Commission date: 2330

• Lightning Beast

  • The largest and most advanced of Capital ships

  • Scarlet Pathfinders have their HQ within this ship

  • Chief: Fleet Admiral Kira Naito.

  • Commission Date: 2368

The Unified Police Network (UPN) is a paramilitary galactic entity dedicated to upholding civil obedience and enforcing laws across the galaxy. It is occasionally perceived as a mercenary organisation due to taking on contracts and charging for their services. However, the UPN maintains their stance as a traditional law enforcement agency by operating only through official governmental channels and cannot be privately contracted. The UPN commands a formidable number of employees and a great deal of sophisticated special units and they possess strong authority over many civilisations, as virtually no Union world is without a UPN presence. Due to their widespread integration and capabilities, they have a pact with the Union to aid the military in the event of a total war scenario.

Shortly after the founding of the Union, it was concluded that a much more versatile police presence would be necessary to properly maintain such a tremendous group of planets. Originally named the Trans-solar Police Group 'but the name was dropped as the Union expanded. The primary concern was facilitating a diverse portfolio and species-neutral outlook. This demanded active participation of every species within the Union, not only to build a healthy proactive environment but also to provide strategic insight and political clout. Thus, the UPN established a policy that mandates executive members rotate based on species every 13 years and no police chief can hold tenure for more than six years.

Early adoption of the UPN was met with mixed feelings. Some governments deplored their cities being filled with an external organisation, believing that only a local group could have the wherewithal to do the job effectively. Others embraced the idea of having a powerful entity with lots of resources and experience at the helm of law enforcement. Over time however with quiet support from Union officials, the UPN became more integrated with galactic society.

Command Structure

The typical paramilitary structure is akin to almost any other law enforcement agency, Rookies earn their badge through a six-month-long training period known as Depot where they are tested in physical aptitude, application and theory of law, threat de-escalation, weapons handling, and specialised training, general education in areas relating to social services, criminology, ethics, diversity, racial sensitivity, and more. Once completed Depot, they earn their promotion to Constable and must fulfil field and office experience before being put out on their own. There are two ranks of Constable to indicate when an individual has passed their one- year initiation with the latter entitled 'Special Constable'. Sergeants are veteran officers who deal with more serious incidents, such as holdouts or raids, and are responsible for large neighbourhoods. Lieutenants are senior staff, It's at this point that an officer may elect to join one of the special units within the UPN, otherwise Lieutenants are typically deputies of divisions. A Captain leads the entire local police detachment within a city and serves as an advisor and assistant to the Chief of Police within a planet. A Commander between the rank of Captain and Deputy Chief and operate much more independently than other ranks. The Chief of Police represents a particular country's entire law enforcement capacity and can act in an official capacity on behalf of the government. In matters of global urgency, the Chief of Police will advise parliamentary leaders. In particularly high-density cities or worlds, a Police Chief may have up to two Deputy Chief of Police assistants, and there may be an overarching Global Police Commissioner given certain circumstances.

Special Police Units

Since the dawn of the third Ethereal epoch, there have existed two eternally axiomatically and diametrically opposed factions, the forces of Ruin who are unequivocally dark and evil beings that thrive off of conflict, and the forces of Paradise that wish to preserve mortalkind and allow them to be truly free of the Ethereal's long tendrils.
The two realms exist parallel to the Material Realm and the Spirit Realm as they are gateways to either. The Goddess of Life and Death determines whether or not a soul will be judged as malicious, self-serving, and greedy and be delivered to the Plains of Ruin to be reborn as a Demon, or if they were wholesome, earnest, and compassionate so as to blossom into an Exemplar within the Paradise Isles.
Determinate upon the overarching personality and character of the soul is the form they would take once a permanent member of the Plains or the Isles as they each have a particular species of one or the other with specific tasks and expectations.

Demonkind and the Plains of Ruin

The Plains of Ruin sometimes called the Underworld, Hell, the Abyss, the Sanctuary of Sinners and many more names, is the dimensional plane created by the Elder Fiend and the home of all Demons and Devils. It's commonly misunderstood that those who die after living a life of vice or otherwise not carrying a wholesome lifestyle would be sent to the Ruined Plains. This is simply not the case as all that die are taken to the Spirit Realm for the rest of time, but souls are regularly taken from their resting place to be judged and transformed into a Demon.

Archdemons

The Plains are ruled by several Archdemons who are all-powerful beings that wholly embody an element of malice and evil. They are the undisputed masters of causing chaos and strife and each has the capacity to annihilate billions of lives with ease.
The most significant divide between Archdemons and Archemplars is how they're created. The Elder Fiend has uniquely curtailed the universal entropy that befalls all immortal beings by recycling his own power. Each Archdemon possesses a large fraction of his own strength that was gifted to them after some particularly impressive display of vicious cunning or unfathomable power, such as usurping a current Archdemon or amassing power in some other way.

• Elder Fiend; God of Darkness, the dictatorial leader of all Hell

• Lilith; the Archdemon of Lust and Envy / Goddess of Life and Death

• Interitus; the Archdemon of Annihilation and Chaos

• Faust; the Archdemon of Suffering and Hubris

Entrance to the Plains

Mortals are able to enter the Plains through the Plains' physical connection to the Material Realm if they are not able to enter through the precipice of the Spirit Realm. Doing so, however, is certain doom for all but the strongest of mortals. On Apex World 016 exists Mount Exodus where the entrance sits at its peak.

The first stop is climbing the largest mountain in the galaxy. This is a 554-kilometre high monstrosity filled with hundreds of smaller and active volcanoes. The weather on Apex World 016 is inhospitable on its own, but as an adventurer reaches closer to the peak they find the climate becomes ever more hostile with rapidly changing temperatures ranging from minus 100 degrees centigrade to over four hundred degrees centigrade, hurricane-force winds, and even heavy seismic activity.

Once at the peak then the adventurer would need to enter the Gate of Sacrifice. Anybody that enters automatically forfeits their soul to the Elder Fiend if they are killed within the Plains. This area is surrounded by Wyverns, an ancient species infamous for their stupendous magical ability and elemental affinity. They will destroy anything that is not their own and are astoundingly difficult to slay as each is as large as skyscrapers, have scales tougher than titanium, and are also fully intelligent individuals who have no qualms about team play or fighting dirty. This is also why it is not a simple feat to land shuttlecraft on the peak to skip climbing the mountain. These Wyverns function to keep Demons in as much as mortals out. Once through the Gate, comes the Tower.

The Tower of Pain is a portal and a gauntlet of sorts, in order to enter the Plains of Ruin one must first enter the Gate of Sacrifice in which one will find the Joker's Labyrinth, a structure designed to cause all who enter to become mad and lost. Many poor souls wander here endlessly looking for a way through or even a path to return to the surface world but never do. What's more, is that the Gate will lead to one of many Towers of Pain that are scattered throughout the Plains. Their sordid existence fuels the morbid energy for the Tower to provide for the rest of the Plains as a macabre source of sustenance for minor Demons and the retched wild denizens by either their blood flowing through rivers of crimson or their pure negative mana emanating from their souls.

Races of Demon

The Forces of Ruin are theoretically innumerable, they draw upon the limitless supply of the souls of the Spirit Realm. However, in practice, they are limited to the type of servants the current Archdemons desire. As with any good army, a strong chain of command is necessary, this also provides a clear line of succession. Unlike mortal armies, however, rank among the Forces of Ruin are very few and mostly depend on how much strength and power one has as well as their accomplishments. Aside from Archdemons, there are several classes of Demon that exist, many have no other place but to be used for battle.

• Champion

These are enormously powerful and often very ancient infernal warriors and servants. Most Champions are specially selected to join an Archdemon's entourage and will commonly lead prime assaults, the most powerful are right-hands to an Archdemon. Some Champions are infamous enough to have cults of their own. Champions are very independent and are so feared that they can easily find themselves able to live however they please. Three Champion Demons have successfully escaped the clutches of the Elder Fiend and have are considered rogue agents - the Demons Diablos, Yobal, and Khys Gravelord.

• Devil

Devils are incredibly varied and unpredictable. Devils are born as strong and hardy as an Imp but more intelligent and can grow to the power level of a Champion if they are given the right training and guidance. Devils are the spawn of Acolytes or Champions and a mortal. The particular Demon that sires the Devil will determine what kind of demonic abilities and personality the child will carry over as part of its bloodline. Some bloodlines such as Faust's have unique powers (Hemomancy and Osteomancy in this example). Typically, a mortal woman is raped during some campaign of destruction or by a Demon managing to sneak out of the Plains and the result of which spawns a Devil. The women are cursed via Infernal magic so that they are unable to prevent the Devil from being born, even via even suicide and any child they bear for the remainder of their life will be tainted with Demon blood, plus their soul will also be forfeit thus much of a Devil's long lifespan is spent fighting to free themselves. On rare occasions, a mortal woman volunteers to have themselves impregnated. It is also possible for a female Demon to carry a mortal seed and also spawn a Devil.

Imp

This class of Demon sometimes referred to as minor Demons, are some of the most common. They're fairly large, usually between 7-10 feet tall and have a moderate variety of features, usually, they have multiple limbs of some kind. Imps usually are treated as sergeants to lead large groups of Flayers and Fledglings.

Acolyte

Acolytes are usually highly honed in their abilities, they typically have a great deal of agility and immense strength, most carry special Infernal weapons and usually act as Lieutenants to Champions. Even one Acolyte can terrorise thousands of mortals, being impervious to most conventional weaponry and far too strong for ordinary fighters to combat.

Fledgling

Essentially, slaves. They exist only to serve the bidding of their dark masters. They are typically used as cannon fodder hordes to wither down the opposition with sheer numbers. Fledglings have about the same capabilities as the average person, some might be more trained for a specific purpose. They are not very intelligent and only a small fraction show enough intelligence to lead a group of other Fledglings.

• Flayer

They're slightly larger than the size of a Human but have prehensile wings and large, broad, sharp scythe-like arms, huge powerful jaws with rows of razor-sharp teeth and sharp talons for feet which they use for climbing. They're somewhat intelligent, able to speak very basically and understand commands.

• Terror Glider

These malevolent engines of evil are a horrifying amalgam of creature and machine, powered by unholy energies. Its purpose is as a gunship-transport, capable of loading approximately thirty average-sized Demons within its stomach. Gliders must be communicated to like you would a soldier in order to direct it to your destination. They appear as flying stingrays with mechanical components and feature a differing array of weaponry.

• Core Golem

Towering stone giants infused with magma from the core of its world, these 15' tall Infernal contraptions have a single large cannon on their left side which fires an infinite amount of the same magma. Its right arm is used to defend itself.

• Fiend Serpent

These creatures are 10-125 feet long depending on age and are usually used to bore tunnels through which the Forces of Ruin may travel through, they're also used to swallow vehicles or hordes of people.

• Incubi and Succubi

One of the only types of Demon that is found more commonly among mortals than on their own world, these Demons are men and women who serve a specific purpose: to lure mortals into a trap or to draw out their negative mana through long term torment. They look and act like ordinary folk, but will seduce and beguile members of any race, species and gender in order to use them as a sacrifice or pawn. Through their intimate death, their soul is bound to serve an Archdemon, sometimes however their soul may be absorbed in order to make the 'ubus more powerful.

• Hydra

These flying creatures resemble enormous feral Dragons, however, they are immortal and feature multiple heads, one head for every 1000 years of life. These creatures can die, but not in the usual sense. When slain, their bones must be scattered and bound, else the Hydra will regenerate and be reborn. The Hydra can fire projectiles of Infernal energy.

Exemplars and the Paradise Isles

The battle between the Divine and the Infernal has lasted for countless eons. Known by such monikers as 'Heaven', 'the promised lands', and 'the Garden of Eden', the Paradise Isles is the dimensional plane that was created by both the God of Vengeance and the Goddess of Time as a reaction to the Elder Fiend building his own plane. This one would be the gathering place and residency of the most powerful beings devoted to protecting mortals and the Material Realm. All souls that pass on are not, in fact, automatically assigned to the Isles simply because they are virtuous or pious but instead a selection of souls are given a second chance regardless of how they lived and provided the opportunity to join the Isles. What they become after is determinate upon their life, however.

As with the Plains of Ruin, the Paradise Isles are also accessible via a physical entrance from within the Material Realm, found on Apex World 114 a lush world full of millions of islands just like their own. The Isles are obfuscated by a Divine curtain making all who look toward it via mechanical, technological or even magical means unable to discern anything meaningful about the Isles and cannot view its inhabitants. There is nothing preventing adventurous mortals from searching for and entering the Isles, but they will be discovered immediately upon passing through the curtain.

Archexemplars

The direct antithesis to Archdemons, these are the most sacred and holy of all spirits, all are ascended mortals or ascended Nephilim that have received the highest honour of a Nature Spirit: that to become an Ethereal guardian. Most were once heroes or have done other magnificent deeds in life and have shown an unwavering conviction to fighting darkness. The Archexemplars are specially selected from the many pantheons that exist to form the best possible opposition to the Forces of Ruin. Unlike Archdemons, the Archemplars do not need to represent a particular embodiment of some element, concept or emotion.

• Monachum, God of Spirits; the original Nephilim and leader of the Isles

• Dea Caelum, Lady of Dawn and Dusk

• Tempest, Lord of the Sky

• Omni, Lord of Justice and Balance

Entrance to the Isles

The Blissful Falls is the portal to the inner world that hold the Archemplars and it can only be found if one has an Explorer's Amulet. The Paradise Isles is home to the remainder of the Exemplars and can only be discovered by physically moving through its protective curtain. Finding the Isles is a challenge because they are never in one location on the planet. The curtain also hides the true scope of the Isles which are thousands of islands but occupy only one square kilometre of real space.

Once passed the curtain, the adventurer finds themselves on any of the many islands and filled with the inhabitants of many Exemplars and wisps. Every island differs from the next - some are wondrous forests, others are wetlands, some are grassy knolls, and others still are beachy flower fields. The weather is always flawless and all animals are friendly here. If an adventurer has the ability to communicate to animals, they would be able to help guide them.

Races of Exemplars