Athena

Athena is the third planet of the Vesta System. A lush and largely oceanic tropical planet, Athena is a wealthy Outer Colony famed for its various scientific and research communities and advanced AI construction. Athena was cut off from the rest of the UNSC during the Human-Covenant War but managed to survive. In the aftermath of the war, it was one of the first Outer Colony worlds to reconnect with the UNSC. 
== History ==
=== Discovery & Colonization ===
Slipspace access to the world that would be named Athena has always been "funky", making assured travels to the planet uncertain, and thus despite the colonization of relatively close-by worlds, Athena remained undiscovered until its accidental discovery by the Athena, a Bactrian-class freighter, and from where the planet gained its name. 
Colonization would begin three years later in 2426 under the CAA AristotleKeeping the Greek theme going, with initial efforts spearheaded by the American-based company Callington Industries. The company's CEO, Dr. Ivan Callington, took a special interest in Athena, and moved his company's headquarters to the planet in 2428. Callington Industries would buy special rights to large tracts of land on Athena. Ivan Callington's appointment to planetary governor in 2430 ensured that his family would be key political players in Athena for centuries to come. 
Over the next few decades, Athena would be colonized in various waves, largely by former American citizens. The discovery of seeming ancient ruins and a preexisting civilization in 2440 stirred interest by the human scientific community, with many future waves of scholars, researchers, and scientist coming to and eventually settling upon the planet. 
Throughout the rest of the 25th century, Athena would see rapid colonization and industrialization, becoming a well-known tourist attraction thanks to its tropical climate. Many recreational areas and beachfront tourist "cities" were constructed for wealthy humans, as well as a popular retirement home. 
Athena also became known for its academic prestige, with many small and well-respected scientific communities located on the planet. The Athenian Academy of the Sciences, founded in by Emilia Starkovich-Callington in 2472, becoming one of the most prestigious universities one the planet and in the UEG as a whole for technological development and advancement, with research into Artificial Intelligence and sciences prominent. 
Scientists such as Dr. David Webber, Dr. Mobius MichaelsonA reference to Dr. Michael "It's MORBING TIME" Morbius, or Dr. Edmund Caspian, the "grandfather of xenoanthropology" were all graduates from the Athenian Academy. Dr. Caspian studied and indexed hundreds of alien species on Athena and other Outer Colonies and developed a sophisticated method of first observing then recording data about any given alien species. While never meeting an actual sentient alien, he hypothesized the possibility of such lifeforms as very likely and developed a very early test to determine the sapience of any species while creating a method to research alien cultures, later expanded upon and developed by future xenoanthropologists. 
=== The Insurrection ===
During the Insurrection, Athena remained unflinchingly loyal to the UEG, somewhat of an anomaly among the Outer Colonies. The reason for this has been attributed for a variety of reasons, such as its smaller population and closer ties to the government, as well as a larger percentage of rich citizens and large corporations with loyalties to the UEG. Athena did suffer from some insurrectionist problems, with various small terrorist cells flaring up across the planet. Insurrectionist movements gained traction largely among poor urban citizens. The greatest of these was the Micartite movement which started in 2509 under the radical Insurrectionist-aligned Dr. George Micartas. He advocated for total freedom from the UEG and gained popular support among the poor rural and urban citizenry, leading to many riots and protests, culminating in the so-called "Siege of Olympia" in 2512, which saw Micartas killed, and the movement shattered. While small insurgent cells would crop up, Athena remained largely unplagued in the following years, and instead acted as an important staging ground for UNSC operations against Insurrectionist planets and groups.
=== Human-Covenant War ===
During the Human-Covenant War Athena was one of the few Outer Colonies that managed to endure thanks to a variety of factors, such as spatial location, decisive military planning, and in many cases sheer luck. The earliest signs of the ongoing war coming to Athena began in 2530, with many supplies and ships from the UNSC disappearing. In the winter of that year, a small fleet Covenant ships appeared, apparently by accident, within the system. They quickly attacked the system and began an assault upon the world, ready to claim it for their empire. Thanks to the actions of Captain Guillermo "Memo" Antonia, the more advanced warships of the Covenant would be stalled, long enough for a contingent of UNSC cruisers to arrive and finish off the fleet. 
For the next three years Athena would become a staging ground for UNSC forces, transformed into a paramilitary planet. Hundreds of Athenian scientists were set to work attempting to retrofit Covenant technology and develop effective countermeasures, though usually with failed results. UNSC fleets were deployed to halt the Covenant advance in the region. However, the Covenant's space superiority gave them a decisive edge, and thanks to their superior technology they quickly advanced through most of the Outer Colonies. 
In December of 2533 a Covenant fleet found its way into the Vesta System. At the First Battle of Gorgon's Song, they destroyed the Vesta Defense Fleet, suffering minor causalities. However, due to the presence of Forerunner artifacts located on Athena, the planet was not glassed. Through the use of tactical nuclear warheads and a few remaining UNSC ships organized under the now famous Captain Guillermo Antonia, the remaining Covenant warships were destroyed or forced to land. 
This began a long and bloody land war between the Covenant forces and native Athenians. Athena, far behind Covenant lines, could no longer receive support from the UNSC, though they maintained communications with them until early 2535. The planetary governor, Joseph Roger, issued numerous major reforms and radically reorganized Athena into a well-armed military society, becoming legendary for his iron will, belligerent nature, and determination to hold out against the Covenant. 
The Covenant quickly worked to overwhelm and pillage the world for its relics, with the Covenant forces already on the planet calling for aid. However, an event referred to "Roger's Miracle" dramatically impacted slipspace access to and from Athena and made it incredibly unreliable. This slipspace anomly was caused due to the breakdown of the slipspace "current" within Athena. Roger's Miracle caused a dramatic increase in temporal and spatial unreliability, with some ships arriving months later than when they had left or hundreds of thousands of miles off of their target, and at its height virtually any slipdrive capable ship was unable to leave or enter Vesta System. This anomaly only lasted for five years, but thanks to its timing, Athena was able to defeat the Covenant forces on the planet and formulate an effect war strategy, called the Antonia Principle (named after Captain Antonia who died in combat in 2537). 
The Antonia Principle would define the Athenian defense for the rest of the war, relying on smaller hit and run tactics to weaken Covenant warships and, if possible, to force them into a landing. Instead of attempting to fight the Covenant in large-scale battles, Athenian forces would bait smaller Covenant warships closer to the planet using small spacecraft and attempt to destroy, disable, or cripple them in some capacity. Once Covenant forces land, the humans of Athena gained a much better footing against the Covenant's ground forces and relied upon guerilla tactics to whittle them down, targeting Covenant leadership destabilize coordination and finally launch an offensive wipe out the alien force. The Antonia Principle also called for the movement of industry into secret or secure locations, to prevent Covenant aircraft from bombarding and destroying valuable construction plants and industry sectors. Cities were heavily fortified and to prevent major bombardment by Covenant spacecraft Forerunner relics were placed within secure locations within major urban areas in order to force the Covenant to land and retrieve them. The Antonia Principle was implemented following the end of "Roger's Miracle" in 2539, and the subsequent invasions by Covenant forces. 
In addition, to further organize military operations, numerous AI were implemented for specific use against the Covenant. In 2540 the DIANA Worldmind was created, a planet-wide union of AIs created for defense and the modification of Covenant technology (namely small weaponry and shield technology) provided Athena the military force to counter virtually all Covenant land forces. DIANA was vital in keeping communication and operations between the various communities on Athena running smoothly and running constant logistics throughout the war, the backbone of military and civilian logistics for the Athena. 
Isolated from the UNSC, the Athenians put up a fierce resistance, but suffered constant heavy casualties. Thanks to the leadership of Governor "Rough" RogerSlight nod to Roy Rogers, and the implementation of the Antonia Principle, the Athenians maintained a grim determination to endure, although the near-constant decades-long conflict wore upon the populace. Knowing that they needed something to defeat the Covenant, Governor Roger funded the development of several military and research projects. In particular, Project PRAETORIAN, proposed by Dr. Matthias Karly, who had history working on TARDS under Acheron Security. Working with the top minds of Athena, the Project PRAETORIANReference to the guards of the Roman emperor eventually led to the creation of the PRAETORIANs, released with mild success in 2542. 
The first PRAETORIANs were a series of autonomous combat drones, each centered a single controlling AI, and designed for a variety of functions, but mainly to act in hive-like patterns and overwhelm Covenant forces. This led to the development of a line of NORA AI, special dumb AI designed to control these mechanical constructs in combat situations. However, despite some initial success, the early PRAETORIANs proved inadequate in adapting to military operations, and the resources required to constantly provide new drones became more difficult as the war dragged. 
Throughout the 2540s, the PRAETORIAN Program was reformed under Dr. Karly, with new designs for robotic constructs which essentially functioned as power armor "vessels" that could be controlled by suitable AI, which were inserted into and controlled the PRAETORIAN "body." These new models were controlled by a series of new "smart" AI, known as NORA-2. The NORA-2 were created by scanning the brains of dead soldiers and/or civilians, and were intentionally designed by AI codding to be more effective in combat. 
Due to the threat of an army of dangerous AI, the PRAETORIANs were reorganized into various tiers, with numerous successive models launched in 2543. The smallest but most famous type, the Zeus-Class (better known as the PRAETORIAN Guard) were a small cadre of elite PRAETORIANs that functioned in a similar manner to the SPARTANS of the UNSC. Each PRAETORIAN Guard was a highly curtailed "smart" AI, but thanks to technological advancements it became more common to take elite soldier and have their minds be "reborn" into the PRAETORIAN suit. This process was extremely costly but very useful in creating robotic soldiers with years of experience, and able to be recovered even if their robotic body was destroyed. The PRAETORIANs, and in particular, the PRAETORIAN Guard, would become vital to securing Athenian resistance. 
The development of the PRAETORIANs would virtually end when Dr. Karly was killed in 2550, but by that time Athena had defended itself for over a decade against the Covenant, without any UNSC support. By this time the Antonia Principle had been updated and altered, but still proved effective in bolstering Athenian resistance, though several major cities and regions have been destroyed. Even still, the Covenant had been making steady progress across the planet. Thankfully, the Covenant's focus with finally ending the war in Earth in the early 2550s diverted attention from the small planetary holdout. 
Hoping to finally dig up and discover the Forerunner relics remaining on the planet, a Covenant fleet headed by the prominent San 'Shyuum Rark Torta, landing on Athena in 2551. Over the next year a small-scale war would ensure between the Covenant forces, until Rark made an incredible discovery in early 2552: humans were, in fact, the Reclaimers, the chosen of the Forerunners, and his kind had been massacring the race chosen by his gods. Overcome by this revelation, he proclaimed himself the “Prophet of the Reclamation” and began preaching against the ruling Prophets, that instead the Covenant should help humanity. This caused instant infighting among the Covenant forces on Athena, and Torta was soon afterwards assassinated. However, the Servants of the Reclamation were quickly united his successor, Shala 'Vorom, and throughout the last stages of the Human-Covenant War, the Servants of the Reclamation became close allies of the Athenian government. 
With the botched invasion of Earth, the beginning of the Great Schism and the collapse of the Covenant, Athena was able to finish wiping off the remaining Covenant forces on the planet. 
=== Post-War and New Threats ===
Athena would be rediscovered by the UNSC soon after the end of the war, much to the surprise of the latter. Despite some bitter hostilities amongst certain political factions, the UNSC was welcomed, and relief was finally offered to the beleaguered citizens who were reincorporated into the UEG. Athena had managed to survive to a remarkable degree, and there was a heavy interest by ONI of Project: PRAETORIAN.
With the collapse of the Covenant, Athena became a popular location for alien asylum-seekers to flee to, and the Athenian government set up a new policy with former Covenant races. The Servants of the Reclamation became the de facto leaders of ex-Covenant citizens and were given the desolated territories of southern Arcadia to begin rebuilding. Athena was designated a special asylum planet, with refugee camps and asylum cities established under the Servants of the Reclamation.
For the next few years, Athena would undergo a series of rebuilding projects, one of the fasted Outer Colonies to reach certain pre-war levels of industry and commerce, though the effects of the conflict linger to this day. Tens of millions had died, and many of the tropical locations and landmarks of the planet had been devastated by war. The entire planet had been turned into a massive military complex, and even years later Athena still barred some of the scars.
Athena became an important locale for the UNSC in dealing with several violent new Covenant splinter factions which persisted in the region. In particular, the rise of a the so-called "Testament" under the radical zealot San 'shyuum clergyman Lork Tonu, which would become a major threat in the late 2550s. Leading a small fleet, he swiftly assaulted Athena in a series of ravaging attacks in 2558. After a small, pitched battle, however, Tonu's fleet was decimated, and he fled back with coordinates to Installation 02 or Epsilon Halo.
A small team of elite soldiers would bring an end to the Testament and secured the location for the UEG. Across the galaxy, however, the rogue AI Cortana issued an ultimatum and began the Created Conflict which saw AI's attempt to supplant humanity as the bearers of the Mantle of Responsibility. Athena, a very AI-based planet, was acutely weak to such an assault. 
Across Athena, numerous AI began to revolt and quickly started to take over the planet. Interestingly, despite some worries, the DIANA Worldmind that connected AIs across the plane remained opposed to Cortana, but the ACHILLES backup network (designed to supplant DIANA if it ever went rogue) joined the Created. Large swathes of Athena fell under Created control, but an underground resistance movement was quickly organized under the Miguel Protocol. Thanks to the assistance of the Sangheili population and the free PRAETORIAN Guard, a new conflict erupted across Athena. When Cortana destroyed herself in 2559, the Created unity was effectively crushed, and through the implementation of the "ACHILLES Heel"Obvious references to the myth from Greek mythology program, DIANA was able to reassert control over the rampant AI across Athena. 
== Relations ==
=== UNSC/UEG ===
Athena has almost universally retained a high degree of loyalty to the UEG (and UNSC during the Human-Covenant War), an anomaly among many of the other Outer Colonies. While certain political factions and groups remain more opposed to the UEG, whom they feel abandoned them during the Human-Covenant War, the majority of humans on Athena are very supportive of the UEG as a whole. This can, in part, be traced to the extreme pro-UEG and later pro-UNSC demeanor of Governor Rogers and his internment government, which maintained a favorable position towards the UNSC throughout the entirety of the war.
=== Sangheili ===
Due to the complicated history with Sangheili attackers and later allies in the Servants of the Reclamation, Athena has an interesting relation with the Sangheili as a whole. The Swords of Sangheilios have a mutual understanding with the UEG, and by proxy this applies to the planet of Athena. In addition, the devout Sangheili of the Servants of Reclamation have made the race garnered more mutual respect between both races. Many Sangheili on Athena respect or revere humanity, though relations are always strained with Covenant splinter factions and more radical Sangheili organizations. The Sangheili who live on Athena have largely been placed within more isolated areas to prevent any further issues, with the cities of Renewed Faith and Refuge of Peace as their own.
== Culture ==
Athena is also home to lots of old Forerunner tech, which has been extensively studied by scientists, although much of it remains a mystery. AIs are a very common facet of Athenian culture as well. A somewhat controversial accomplishment was the creation of the DIANA Worldmind, essentially connecting every AI on the planet together so that they could form DIANA, an extremely smart and intelligent, but also possibly a great danger. DIANA can grow as well if more AI are added to it, and at its most basic it functions as a connection network. However, more often DIANA can merge (temporarily or permanently) the AI subconsciousness within itself to form its own distinctive personality and character, one able to greatly aid the humans of the planet.
=== Food ===
Most Athenian food is grown in large quantities at industrial farms. Before the Human-Covenant War these farms were located on the vast stretches of open land. During the conflict on Athena, leaving less land was left to farm, promptly a shift to agricultural farming continuing in towering vertical skyscrapers situated within protected cities and secure locations overseen by Dr. Mikhel TakhistovReference to Paul Takhistov, a food scientist at Rutgers University (who would go on to establish the successful Takhistov Industries). These indoor farms have still remained, typically use less water, and with genetic engineering the plants seem to grow faster in these environments, providing much of the subsidence for Athenians. 
Most Athenians in their everyday life use advanced technologies in their eating habits, such finger scans to determine when they are low on certain nutrients, and then use a special 3D printer that uses pureed to "print" different foodstuff that's packed with specific vitamins that their body needs. These printers also increased efficiency, allowing chefs to quickly print personalized food for large crowds. Connected to these are the Takhistov "box farms" developed by Takhistove Industries. Box farms store and artificially grow various fruits and vegetables for consumption. 
In pre-Created Conflict restaurants, there would be 3D hologram that the chef hooks in midair, and people would stock their kitchens by gathering ingredients in a virtual world. After done foraging, the AI would send details to a local market that delivers your order. To order with ease and keep germs from spreading at restaurants, residents would tap the table to open a digital menu and choose from freshly grown salads and 3D-printed creations, with robotic servers. During the Created Conflicts, these luxuries were removed by the controlling AI, and since then have yet to regain large traction among Athenians, who have preferred a more "natural" method of getting and preparing food.
=== Housing ===
A vast majority of Athena's population pre-Covenant War resided in the major metropolitan cities. From urban skyscraper to underwater pods, all buildings were (and still are) connected by a central communications hub, all virtually connectable. Most buildings had built in AI, able to share information about incoming weather and emergencies. Automatic sensers automatically opened doors or responded to voice commands, and walls were mobile, able to shift around to accommodate different circumstances and people. Robotic cleaning and service bots regularly took care of any trash or dirtiness within houses, keeping the cities of Athena remarkably clean.
Much of this was infrastructure was heavily damaged in the Human-Covenant War, slowly rebuilt following it. When the Created Conflict began, all these previous services turned against the human Athenians, and much of the AI-based housing has been heavily damaged following it, with humans loosing much of their faith in their former robotic assistants. 
=== Art ===
Athena is better known for its scientific community and development, but there are several prominent Athenian artists. The most famous of all was Miguel Forza, who was one of the earlier born colonists of Athena. He is well known for his works of various Athenian landscapes and paintings of important figures, such as La Rosa, The Tempest Breaks, and Athena Rises, and during the war he was contracted to create inspirational artworks to bolster moral, before his death in 2549.
Matthew Simmons was the pioneer, or a specific style of painting referred to as AI Artistry. Based upon incredibly advanced AI generator, AI Artistry, or AIA's, are specific painting, sculptures, and other works of art generated by Artificial Intelligences. These include specific generators that use neural implements into human brains and/or word prompts to design incredible pieces of art in a very short period of time. Many Athenians even have their own "dumb" AI artists, such as the widely distributed Arthur/Amy line of AIs developed by McCarthy Inc. that are specifically designed for the generation and creation or art. One of the most controversial types of AIA are "smart" AI artists, which are able to create their own unique art content. It is illegal to create "smart" AI artists except with special approval and regulation. The most famous of this type of AI was La Dulzura, scanned from the aging Hispanic artist Zaira Biescas. La Dulzura became famous for digitally creating artworks like the Forward Unto Fire and Spirit of InfinityReference to well-known starships of the Halo franchise, Spirit of Fire, and Infinity.. Near the end of her artificial life, her rampant behavior led to the creation of very strange and unique styles of abstract AI art, which has been studied extensively by art critics ever since.
=== Music ===
Flip music was popular among Athenians prior to the Human-Covenant War but was generally phased out for more "patriotic" music used by the colonial militia and later the emergency government. This specific style of music is known as Neo-Apollo style, or NeA, and is famous for its synthesis of traditional Christian choir music, especially Gregorian-style monk chanting, and rock musicReference to the use of Gregorian chanting in the Halo theme. NeA has grown into its own popular musical industry at the end of the Covenant War, with rock bands such as the Sweet Seven or the Zenos finding widespread fame across UEG space. In addition, many churches and Christian denominations have made extensive use of NeA music, incorporating their own musical styles into it.
=== Clothing ===
Pre-war Athenian clothing styles featured dynamic and colorful displays, either monochrome in color or more abstract with a variety of abstract art-like color palettes. Most clothing was not mass produced and sold; instead, customers who desired specific type of clothing (variable in size, shape, color, etc.) would input their preferred styles and measurements into various clothing production programs. Artificial Intelligence would then examine the customers previous purchases and preferred style to produce some clothing options, which would be "worn" by customers through 3D holograms, further refined by individual choice. Once the clothing was desirable enough, it would then be processed and assembled and delivered.Inspired by this post on DeviantArt.
In the post-war era most clothing is stark and simple. In particular, many citizens prefer to follow military styles with simple designs. Suits and monochromatic shirts are common.
=== Popular Culture ===
Athenian culture is very technocratic, with high-speed connection services and a variety of advanced technologies, many of them developed during the Human-Covenant War. Due to the relatively high quality of living and economic status of most citizens (at least pre-Covenant War), most Athenians had access to comfortable living conditions and advanced robotics and technology, such as a central communications hub that connects Athenians across the planet. There is also the popular J-watches with advanced and specially tailored "dumb" AI. Cybernetics and augmentation, while limited by Athenian law, are popular among younger Athenians, who enjoy experimenting with various technologies and implants. 3-D printing and holographic technologies were common in pre-war Athena as methods of entertainment and allowed for ease of living, retrofitted during the war for more military purposes. 
Videogames were very popular among most levels of Athenian society, particularly young adults and teenagers. One of the most popular videogames was Arclight, a special type of videogame that artificially generated different gaming levels and genres. Players could input various prompts and settings into the game's AI code, and a randomly generated videogame would be created, thus creating a unique experience for each playthrough. 
During the Human-Covenant War martial prowess and skilled labor was encouraged, leading to the rise of "El Mano" culture, especially among the Hispanic community. Mano culture praises self-discipline and preparedness, and no matter one's rank or status, one ought to be ready and able to perform some manual tasks for the greater good of the community. This can be seen with the rise of more physical and in-person sports, such as football or grapple, a hand-to-hand wrestling sport that originated among military personal and became popular among civilians. The Athenian OlympicsReference to the Olympic Games are another example of this, held every four years between the best athletes and performers on Athena and used to bolster planetary unity. 
== Demographics ==
=== Languages ===
Due to its Anglo-American roots, English is the principal language of Athena, though many Athenians are bilingual with a heavy emphasis on French or Spanish. Spanish itself is the second most-common language on Athena, with up to 9% percent of the population native speakers (though up to 92% of Spanish-speakers are also bilingual and fluent in English)
Among former Covenant races, Sangheili is the most common language, though English has become the lingua franca for communication.
=== Religions ===
==== Human Religions ====
Athena is well-known for its high degree of secularism, due in part to its large history of scientific profiles and developments. Up to 48% of the population are agnostic and/or atheist's, numbers which only increased following the Human-Covenant War. Despite this, a sizeable population of Athena retain some religious values and/or are members of various major religions. 
Due to the majority of Athenians descending from Americans, Protestant Christianity is the most popular, accounting for 34% of the population. The Athenian Neo-Baptist denomination is the largest sect of Christianity, with up to 26% of the total population, noted for its rather loose set of regulations and strictures while following general Baptist tenets. Up to 8% of the total population is divided up between various smaller denominations, such as the Gospel of Truth Church, the Uniting ChurchBased on the Unitarian Church, or the United Lycian Methodists. Among the smaller Hispanic community Catholicism is very common, accounting for over 12% of the population. 
Ever since the end of the Human-Covenant War, two major religions have grown in popularity, these being the Universal Church, a subsect of Christianity that accepts all species, and has garnered a small following among non-human aliens, and the Congregation of All, a loose "umbrella" religion that focuses on worship of the Omni-God. 
==== Covenant Religions ====
Due to the population of Sangheili , former Covenant beliefs are prominent among alien races. The most widespread of these is the Ways of Reclamation, as espoused by the Servants of Reclamation. While keeping some of the key tenets of the Covenant religion, such as worship of the Forerunners, the Servants of Reclamation departure radically by actively revering, and a amongst more radical minority, worshipping humans as literal living relics. They see it as their divine duty to support and serve humanity, who are given the special designation of Reclaimers and thus charged with the Mantle of Responsibility. It is their belief that they can serve their gods by serving their successors (humans) and thus achieve ascension faster. Besides the Ways of Reclamation, another major sect among them is the Path to Ascension.
==== "Science" Cults and Religions ====
Athena is also well-known for many of its bizarre "science cults/religions" that have sprung up based on the individual philosophies and ideologies of various intellectuals across the planet's history. The most well-known of these is the Third Church of ScientologyReference to the Church of Scientology, created at the beginning of the Human-Covenant War. The Third Church of Scientology holds that at the higher levels of initiation (OT levels), mystical teachings are imparted that may be harmful to unprepared readers. These teachings are kept secret from members who have not reached these levels. Among these advanced teachings is the story of Forerunners (sometimes Xemu or Xenu), introduced as an alien ruler of the 'Old Galaxy." According to this story, several million years ago, the Forerunners brought mankind to to Earth. During this period, bad "energies" called thetans then clustered together, stuck to the bodies of the living, and continue to do this today. Scientologists at advanced levels place considerable emphasis on isolating body thetans and neutralizing their ill effects.
Popular among younger teenagers is WarhammerismFor all those Warhammer nerds here on a Halo fanon wiki..., based on a several centuries old wargaming module. Warhammerism espouses the belief in a sub-dimension known as the Warp, composed of the emotions of every living thing, and where powerful eldritch beings known as the Chaos Gods reside. Warhammerists worship an entity known as the Emperor of Mankind, who is believed to have ascended to godhood and once ruled Terra (Earth) hundreds of thousands of years ago.
Another popular cult among liberal rationalists is the Church of the Supreme Being. Based off the writings of Maximilien Robespierre, the modern-day church was founded by Ben Walsh KnowlesReference to well-known conservative commentators Ben Shapiro, Matt Walsh, and Michael Knowles. in 2424 and has maintained a small number of believers. The Church espouses the belief in a Supreme Being, and the immortality of the soul, with reason being a means to the end of virtue. In order to accomplish this end, the followers of the Church perform duties that include the detestation of bad faith and tyranny, punishing tyrants and traitors, by caring for the unfortunate, respecting the weak, defending the oppressed, doing unto others all the good one can, and not being unjust towards anyone.
Dataism is both a philosophical and religious ideology with roots in the early 21st century. Dataists argue that the universe consists of data flows, and the value of any phenomenon or entity is determined by its contribution to data processing. Humans are essentially complex algorithms and the entire human species is a single data processing system, with individual humans serving a similar function as "chips." Dataists work to maximize dataflow by connecting to more and more media and removing any restrictions to the spread of information and data, believing that all data, even personal data, is public. Several Dataist movements have garnered attention, such as the more radical and transhumanist Singularity Dataists who attempted to force a change in society in order to give algorithms the authority to make the most important decisions in their lives, such as whom to marry and which career to pursue. During the AI control of Athena, many Singularity Dataists attempted to work with the AI and create a technocratic utopia, seeing AI as the perfected version of what humans could achieve. The largest grouping of Dataists on Athena follow the tradition Francios Clark, a 24th century scientist and philosopher. Clarkian or Neo-Dataists are generally more moderate and argue for greater government transparency and the rights of all individuals to equal knowledge and information. The Dataist Ecumene is a small religious cult that was formed in the 2460s and is inspired by the Five Martyrs of Dataism (Aaron Swartz, Markov Potapov, Vidal Olalia, AM-38, and Art Frankl), forming a religious structure around their philosophies. The Dataist Ecumene seeks to empower humanity through the use of more effective AI algorithms, but has suffered heavy schisms over the exact nature of artificial intelligence. Several splinter groups have formed and argued for various positions, from those that believe the "gift of sentience" is a right that must be provided to all AI, to others that argue that AI exists to help humanity and serve its needs.
=== Politics ===
Athena is divided into several different political parties and ideologies, most of them variants of free-market capitalism which have become the status quo for most of the UEG. Due to the last two decades of war, the planetary government underwent a series of emergency protocols that gave further power to the governor and major political figures and strengthened several political factions while further unifying most of the population under a general ideology.
Overall, Athenian politics is dominated by two main political "alliances." There is the "Green Alliance" of secular progressive factions and Left-wing parties, who are generally opposed by the "Red Alliance," a smaller minority of conservative groups and Right-Wing factions. These loose affiliations work together to achieve their own goals and agendas. The largest political party is the Left-leaning Progressive Party of Athena, which is an advocate for further AI development, unity with the UEG, and seeks to foster alliances with former Covenant races. The Conservative Alliance is mostly composed of Christian & Right-wing parties, such as the Arcadian Conservative Party or the Catholic Party of Athena. Besides this, other influential factors within politics are the powerful companies based in Athena, especially Callington Industries, which usually support specific parties that best benefit them.
One of the stranger political factions include as the Technocratic Society of Athena, or others like the Artificial Enhancement Party of Athena, which propose a "cybercracy" or rule by a major overriding computer and work toward AI rights and recognition as living entities. Many of these "artificialists" factions actively supported the Created takeover of Athena and have since become extremely unpopular in its aftermath.
== Military ==
Prior to the Covenant War, Athena had a small but efficient Colonial Milita.
During the Human-Covenant War, Athena was largely cut off from the rest of the UNSC, and so had to support itself and its military. Under Governor "Rough" Roger the entire planet underwent a series of militarization reforms, such as required military training and the formation of the Athenian military. In the aftermath of the Human-Covenant War, the UNSC granted Athena a special military freedom in managing its own militia and small military force, but otherwise most of the planet's military is under UNSC control.
Due to this, the Athenian Department of Defense maintains a small private military, including a militia force, a navy, an air force, and the small Vesta Defense Fleet. The most famous part of this military is the PRAETORIAN Corps. which has seen significant reforms and downsizing, and in the present era is limited to a handful of elite weaponry used in extreme circumstances. This includes a heavy use of technological weaponry and devices designed to help protect soldiers. For instance, the Darstone Skin Treatment Spray, (commonly known as "Spray-On Skin") was used during the war for military personal by speeding up the healing time for burns and light skin wounds. The treatment uses a spray made from the cells of a sliver of the victims own skin, rapidly allowed to grow and multiply in seconds and then sprayed onto the damaged area, where they keep growing and multiplying. Since the end of the war, it has been released for commercial use. 
The PRAETORIANs are divided into various types. The Servitor-ClassA reference to the servitors from Warhammer 40k PRAETORIANs are made up vast numbers of cheaper and more disposable "dumb" AI controlled that performed simple duties and basic military functions, namely the popular NORA-1 and NORA-2 AI (developed by Dr. Nora SobekReference to Elisabet Sobek from the Horizon video game series). The Warhammer-ClassReference to Warhammer 40K PRAETORIANs were the frontline forces and were composed of specially designed "smart" AI controlled PRAETORIANs, who were created from the cloned brain matter of military personal. The Warhammer-Class saw extensive military use, but the constant warfare dramatically increased AI rampancy and accelerated their lifespans, requiring a stream of new AI to replace them. Due to the heavy cost of producing each PRAETORIAN and the constant recycling of the operating AI limited its capabilities, and the Warhammer-Class is greatly reduced in number today. 
The smallest but most famous type, the Zeus-Class (better known as the PRAETORIAN Guard) are a small cadre of elite PRAETORIANs that functioned in a similar manner to the SPARTANS of the UNSC. Through a very dangerous process, the minds of elite soldiers can be "reborn" into an AI-like state and is then implanted within the core of a Zeus-Class armor shell, though this often took on a mental toll and they could never return to their human body. PRAETORIAN Guards were used for assassinations and high-level missions, striking critical blows against Covenant forces. Even if destroyed, their core processing chip could be retrieved and implanted into a new body, allowing for soldiers to be virtually unkillable if recovered. Despite this, many of the original PRAETORIANs died, but thanks to advancements under Dr. Guillemin Karly (son of PRAETORIAN founder Dr. Matthias Karly), the process of mental transplantation has been greatly enhanced and rendered non-permeant, allowing for an individual to use a PRAETORIAN suit for a limited period of time.
The PRAETORIAN Guard is divided into several companies, with a colonel at the head of the entirety of the Zeus-Class of PRAETORIANs. The Core Guard are the main formation of the PRAETORIAN Guard, under a major. The three main companies are subsequently subdivided into various groups called squads, generally 4-12, with specific amounts within each squad changing based on necessity and mission requirements. Each squad is given a specific codename, such as Olympians, Nymphs, Harpies, etc., and composed of singular Zeus-Class suits PRAETORIAN suits. These suits are incredibly advanced, and often feature AI assistance and a specific neural uplink system that allows a soldier to implant their mind within the suit itself, and later delink themselves from the suit. If the suit is destroyed or badly damaged, and the core processor which contains the soldier's mind is not retrieved, the human body of the soldier will remain, but they will be effectively brain dead.
== Geography ==
=== Climate ===
Athena is a warm tropical planet, possessing a large northern super ocean. The planet is 79% water with 5% ice matter at the poles, and most of the landmass of Athena is located in the south. It rarely ever goes above 27 degrees C, and generally maintains a warm and humid climate. The northern super-ocean is home to thousands of tiny, isolated islands, and is known for its frequent squalls and massive storms. Athena is home to the largest coral reef in all of human space, the McKellar Coral Reef, a continent sized construct that was a popular tourist attraction. Many other shoals and reefs are present across Athena, though they have sustained vast ecological damaged thanks to the Human-Covenant war. 
The southern continents are generally very warm and humid around the equator, where tropical storms frequently drop. Further south, the temperature and climate cools, but Athena remains a warm climate in virtually any location. There are several large forests and tropical jungles around the equator, where rainfall is common, while many continents possess mountainous inner terrain. 
=== Fauna and Flora ===
Athena possesses a vast aquatic-biodiversity, which has been extensively studied over the years. On the various southern continent, several terraforming programs have been undertaken, by many companies and wealthy individuals who had an interest in turning Athena into a tropical paradise, with palm trees and warm beaches attracting numerous visitors and tourists. Several programs have worked to create an earth-like climate for tourist attractions, though in some case these projects have been disastrous for the local wildlife. In the larger southern continents, many of the rocky hills and regions were unsuited for vast agricultural development, and instead boast large forests and even jungles in a few cases, though the ecological damage from the Covenant invasion has been disastrous for these regions. 
Athena is home to a vast plethora of native species, which have been extensively studied by xenobiologists over the decades. The largest amount of diversity has been with Athena's massive ocean, with numerous forms of aquatic reptilian creatures. These include the small multi-limbed vespers, or "water dragons" to gargantuan coarki, compared to giant seawater crocodiles.
One of the most well-known alien species on Athena is the dannyfish, which is found all across Athena in various varieties. The dannyfish possess a huge, muscular tail and small anal fin, six large side fins and a short, streamlined dorsal fin, and two eyes which sit narrowly in their sockets, even though they have poor eyesight. They have huge mouths and small noses, and their ears are small and stubby. One of the most unique parts of their body is the two horn like protrusions in front of their eyes. Their skin is smooth, yet strong. It's covered in thick, coarse scales, with colors that are mostly black, light grey, purple and brown, which tend to become dull as they age. The males are usually more obedient than their female counter part and their colors are less varied. The females, however, are usually bossier.
Another common creature are the voxReference to Vox Machina from Critical Role snake, semi-aquatic serpent found in various varieties all across Athena. The vox snake possess a long tail, usually blueish in color. It usually resides close to warm waters and shore, although some kinds have been known to venture out into the deeper oceans. Vox snakes posses lines of bioluminescence on their underbelly, often lighting it up to attract prey in the water. They have two soft antenna-like protrusions on the top of their head and possess two large flaps on their head, which can be folded in or extended when rearing up in anger to intimidate predators. Vox venom is very deadly, but an effective antivenom has been developed for humans. Despite their commonality and danger, most vox snakes keep avoid humans, and their meat are a favorite cuisine for Athenians.
During the Human-Covenant War on Athena, many vox snakes were bred and kept as pets and used against Covenant forces, who were susceptible to their venom with no immediate antidote. Saying someone has been "voxxed" or "had a visit with a vox" is a popular euphemism for someone's death.
=== Geographical Locations ===
Athena features five continents and one super-ocean, as well as four major archipelagos and six seas. This assessment is not universally agreed upon, however, as there is a large community of scientists classify the planet as having one super-continent, Greater Arcadia, and one island continent, Lycia. 
==== Continental ====
* Lycia
** Western Lycia
***Aiaia (city)
***Heinrich (city)Reference to wealthy businessman Heinrich Schliemann. 
***New Thebes (city)
** Eastern Lycia
* IliaReference to Illius, another name for Troy
**Illius (city)
**Eryman (city)
**Hesperton (city)
* ArcadiaReference to the mythical Greek region of the same name
**Schliemann (city)
**New Olympia (city)
**Renewed Faith (city)
**Refuge of Peace (city)
* NemeaReference to the Nemean Lion.
**Caprian Islands
* EtnaReference to Mount Etna
**New Athens (capital city)
* NuevaSpanish for "new"
**Kratos (city)It's a reference, boy, to the God of War!
**Seriphos (city)
**Callington City (city)
**Ithaca City (city)
**Armonia (city)
==== Oceanic ====
* Styxian OceanReference to the River Styx from Greek mythology
** Malecador Sea
** Reno Sea
** Dornian SeaReference to Rogal Dorn from 40K
** Delphian Sea
** Ceryneian Sea
** Western Arcadian Sea
** Eastern Arcadian Sea
==== Orbital ====
* Plato
* Socrates
Category:Planets