Lore

### Purpose:

Because there is no official story to Event Horizon, here are the stories developed by players. Hopefully after reading some of these (or at least one for that matter) playing the game will be more interesting and maybe even you could contribute a story suggestion of your own.

Player art is also welcome in order to accompany a story or to be the art for a story still unwritten!

## Stories/Legends/Fables

### **Quasiapocryphal Lore #1: The God In The Fold**

*[Before you read this little story, i know there is no lore as of yet, but the strangeness of the taraniak ships and thier sole possesion of warp tech made me think, what if the warp drive was a shrine of sorts? and it spiralled off to thinking of Taraniak as a race of insectoids with a semi-lovecraftian  god and a religon based on that god and science, with all of thier ways of life and designs for everything they build based on his messenger, an enigmatic being known as the Archdiviner. make of it what you will. I in no way claim this to be official, but if the devs choose to add lore, it would be super neat if they took inspiration from this ^^]*

In the cavernous hollow titanium thorax of the Arachnae, a sea of shimmering insectoids had gathered, all eyes on the Shrine Of The Void, the novel piece of magitechnological engineering glistening a dark, organic jade. It was to be the direct link to the High Scientobishop and the Shattered God. They had chosen this system, so near to the dread Veniri's home base, the massive ship alone and looking dead in the cold space near the solar horizon of the dark blue star, harsh and alien. They made themselves look as prey, as easy pickings for the Veniri's dark, godless scientific drives and their merciless killers and vultures.

The resplendent, golden-shelled Sciento Bishop raised his glittering, divinely razored right talon. The chittering murmurs of his flock and soldiers fell silent. the moment of truth was at hand. The Swarm watched as he stiffened, establishing a link with the Great Mechanism, And with the swarm. And they Saw, As He Did. They Saw through the Eyes Of The Shattered God. The Godless Veniri were approaching, soft skinned heretics in thier foul, inelegant blasphemies against the Archdiviner's Design, machines without meaning in their form. The Shattered God Saw them, and his anger welled through the crowd, the flagship roaring back to life, quantum energy pulsing through its crystal veins.

The Archdiviner's most gloriously ascendant Design fell upon the godless, the Great Mechanical Shrine Flaring to Life. Golden Darkness filling, enveloping the Shrine, hurling it into the Veniri Fleet, and around it, Droens flare into existence from the void, assaulting the hated Veniri, as the Arachnae hurled the sky-fire from its maw, and the Antigen of Light pulsed from the Voidcaller Mechansim, waves of corrosive darkness sweeping over the Veniri, shredding thier heretical machines and torching thier worthless flesh with cold fire of annihilation's nightmarishly beautiful glow. The God In The Fold had been seen, and was no longer Shattered. The Taraniak felt it across all of known space, its splintered presence one with thiers.

There Are Taraniak Alone Alive. All Others Are False. All Others are crude, corrupt imitations of the Taraniak. Destroy the godless simalcrums. It Is the will of the God Of The Fold, and his will is Taraniak's. He has given us the Tools and the Designs. We Were The First, and We Shall Make Ourselves The Last.

45.21.156.195 02:12, October 11, 2015 (UTC)Voice Of The Fleshless Eyes

### **=== The Korerans ===**

We Made The Daazen. We made them what they are.

And We Paid For It. They were to defend us, but somewhere along the line, our magnifcent drones became infected. the virus was fast, a hivemind AI with no morality or safety precepts. We do not know where it started, but the drones soon turned on us, destroying us in our great space stations, our outposts from which we monitored the grand experiments of the other races. those who did not die in this purge, fled. we fled with whatever ships and knowledge was still ours.

We Are Korerans. We have been driven from our homes and cast down from high, but we will rise again, and to some extent, have risen. We have joined the Grand Expirement, for better, or for worse, using the remenants of the tech we made for our lovely Daazen. Our torpedeo ships and drones basses are to be feared and respected. We will not fall again, we will not be pushed another inch, by anyone or anything. We have let the younger races, Veniri, Bushrak, and Jurgan play in their little sector of this cluster, our intersolar domains encircling them, but still alowing thier diffusion outwards. They all show such promise to be the tools we need to rid our old homes of the Daazen. And then, back in our cold metal enclaves, we will take back our postions of observers, and leave our tech for the wolves and vultures of the lesser races.

45.21.156.195 21:28, October 12, 2015 (UTC)we are korerans

### **The Xiada Conflict**

The enemy can be seen far off in the distance, and this troubles a pilot. He knows his aggressor is nearing him and a decision will have to be made... eventually. As soon as he releases his missles or fires his guns he has entered the Event Horizon. There is no looking back.

Thirty two years ago today, a Venirian star base (SB9) was destroyed by the Royal Bushrak Fleet in an effort to retaliate against the Venirian expansion. It was a suprise attack on the Veniri, thus, casualties were highly represented on only one side. To this day, both factions have endured a merciless war that has cost both sides a grand amount of resources. An age of hambruna is upon the factions and attrition is not a possibility for either side. The last Venirian fleet engages with a Royal Bushrark Defense Unit, not in aggression, but in peace. The time of war seems to be ending, an era of peace has been wished.

```
:Veniri Report C-338

*For the purpose of Public Disclosure this report has been translated to Universal Venirian
Phoenetics*
*Static* [Beep]
    This is uh, this is ambassador Oliver Brooks representing the uh, Venirian Consulate. Four
    days ago we recieved an encrypted message from a Bushrak Fleet. The message contained a va
    riety of unidnetified coding symbols, but after about 40 hours the message had been roughl
    y translated. The message stated the current health of the Bushrak and pleaded a negotiati
    on take place on the Bushrak star system "Xiada". The exact location of the negotiation wo
    uld be held on Xiada's planet "Jhiko". We are currently waiting on a barren planet for the
    Bushrak Ambassador, I'll report the terms we reach after the negotiation.
    [Beep]

```

This was the last report generated that day. Shortly after the arrival of the Bushrak ambassador on Jhiko a Taraniak fleet warped into the star system and attacked the Veniri directly, severely crippling the carrier and destroying a cruiser entirely. In response the Veniri warped out leaving the Bushrak fighting for survival.

\_\_\_\_\_

The Taraniak watched the first of the Veniri flee, but they would not be spared. In time, they will be found, and they will be destroyed. But there were more victims coming, more biological heresies to be cleansed in the pulsing black fire and arcing stings of electric force. Let them come, Taraniak will annihilate. The golden light swells from the mechanism deep in the titanium belly of the flagship, and more drones swell unto existence around the ship, monsterous hornets and dragonflies joining the assualt, Taraniak were drawn to the heretics, the need to extinguish thier feeble, false light strong in the collective swarm, and thier God was behind them.

They numbered in the dozens, a glorious swarm of perfectly Designed ships, approaching the Bushrak, the deformed blasphemies in flesh that cralwed sickly on the surfaces of the accursed worlds of this foreign star, and Taraniak knew that with the will of The God In The Fold, they would destroy all of this, cleanse this reality of these erring meat-golems and their ugly, frail ships made by Unguided hands and lacjiking the perfection of the Grand Architect's Design.

Taraniak have arrived. Taraniak are one. Taraniak are the only.

\_\_\_\_\_\_

Death to the Heretics.

\_\_\_\_\_\_

Metal and rock litter starsystem Xiada, the heretics have been vanquished and fates have been chosen.

"Prepare a mighty Megalodon!" Chants emperor Divoy after his victorious defense of Xiada.

"Nobody ambushes the Bushrak, Nobody defies the Bushrak, and Nobody stands before the Bushrak! Muster the ranks, load your missles, and aim your cannons my brothers... To war!"

The ranks of the Bushrak begin to shuffle into an offensive and this worries commander Harper as he rubs his forehead while watching blips on his radar surround his fleet.

The Global Venirian intercom activates.

[Static]

"My fellow men and women, this is commander Harper speaking. It is with a troubled mind that I bring you these terrible news. We are all aware of the ambush that took place at Xiada. Many were lost in one of our cruiseres and we are still struggling to contain the hull breach. Our defense unit has been destroyed and the last warp drained all our energy. I ask of you this my loyal Venirians: Mount your ships, take to the skyies and lets show them we don't go down without a fight!"

MK2's swarm out of the Venirian fleet into a defensive position. On the radar the ships at 30 degrees begin to advance in skips. Harper realizes his mistake.

"This is commander Harper speaking, it seems that we are not surrounded by Bushrak but rather by the strange ships that ambushed us at Xiada. Pilots, switch your defensive position 30 degrees out from the radar."

Harper jumps into his paladin and prepares for the offensive charge from the Taraniak. Tension is high and fear spreads wide across the small MK2's. The enemy can be seen in the distance, flashing closer and closer to their victims and yet the Veniri hold.

"Don't die in vain my brothers! Attack!" Yells Harper. The first blood is taken by Harper. The lasers in his Paladin split right down the middle of a Dragonfly. An MK2 is then destroyed by the lightning of a Hornet but soon after the pincers of that same Hornet are blown off by a Neutron Blaster and a Railgun shoots right through the Hornet afterwards. Tarantula's begin to warp in and the pulse cannons on some MK's render them useless. M41 Drones begin to swarm out of the Tarantula's and rip apart Harper's crew. The end seems near and Harper knows it, suddenly a missle breaks right into the top of a Tarantula and explodes sending organic matter and rock pieces flying everywhere. Confused, Harper looks out his cockpit window and to his surprise see's a mighty Megalodon mercilessley anhilating the Taraniak.

[Static...Beep]

"This is ambassador Oliver Brooks, peace negotiations with the Bushrak went well, over and out"

[Beep]

Harper knows the ways that the Bushrak fight and tells his men to retreat. The Taraniak still startled by what is happening regroup.

Divoy's favorite general Ayku smiles when he sees the Taraniak regrouping. "Fire"

Ten stalkers and the Megalodon release immeasurable amounts of missles into the regrouped Taraniak, the waves of the explosions make the Venirian ships vibrate but finally those waves don't mean their deaths. "It's over... It's finally over" says Harper to himself.

But a new war has just begun.

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

### **Neganari Salvage Report: Xiada Conflict Aftermath.**

Salvage Fleet KI-42-XINTL

Fleet Commander: Orr'Kalixxis

Reporting to XINTL Sector Division High Command.

Investigated debris field following Bushrak/Veniri-Taraniak Conflict.

The Debris consisted of appx. 60% Taraniak Organic-Titanium Hull Matrix, 20% Veniri Titanium Alloy Hull plating, 15% Irradiated Scrap, likely from reactors and antimatter bombing, and 5% explosive traces, likely from the Bushrak Flagship our Farseer Probes reported during observation of the Confict.  Debris picked over lightly by Bushrak, high residual radiation appears to have left Taraniak Flagship largely untouched. Logs of Salvage Operations And Index of Recovered Matierials attached.

```
RECOVERED MATIERIALS INDEX
34 Intact Small Fuel Cells, From Veniri and Taraniak Ships.
22 Salvagable Armor Plates, From Veniri and Taraniak Hulls, Eighteen Light and Four Heavy.
14  Intact Fuel Cells, From Veniri and Taraniak Ships.
7 Lightning Cannons, Taraniak Manufacture
5 Neutron Blaster Mk2, Veniri Manufacture
1 M41 Drone Bay, Taraniak Manufacture
1 Heavy Plasma Torpedo, Taraniak Manufacture
1 Cloaking System, Veniri Manufacture

Appx. 145 Units of Fuel.

Appx. 55 Metric Tonnes of Low-Level Irradiated Scrap, possibly of Scientific or Economic

interest.

Appx. 10 Metric Tonnes of High Value compononents of both Veniri and Taraniak Origin

```

​​

```
​SALVAGE LOG

Salvage Ship Erebrus[Probe,La-Class Scout, Fleet leader]
No Major Incidents.
Intact.
The Erebrus was used to cut open and examine numerous components of the mostly-intact
Internal Structures of the Taraniak Flagship, Its Compartmentalized Design sufficient to
protect large portions of its delicate electronic, Biomechanical and radiological components.
Several of these were recovered by Erebrus, with the assistance of four [Freighters, T-Class]
Nyx, Gaia, Argus and Ouranos, and Two [Spikes, Li-Class] Prometheus and Hyperion.
Salvage Ship Nyx[Freighter, T-Class Transport]
No Major Incidents.
Intact.
See LOG;Erebrus​
Salvage Ship Gaia[Freighter, T-Class Transport]
No Major Incidents.
Intact.
See LOG;Erebrus

Salvage Ship Argus[Freighter, T-Class Transport]
No Major Incidents.
Intact.
See LOG;Erebrus

Salvage Ship Ouranos[Freighter, T-Class Transport]
No Major Incindents.
Intact.
See LOG;Erebrus

Salvage Ship Prometheus[Spike, Li-Class Skirmisher]
No Major Incidents.
Intact.
See LOG;Erebrus

Salvage Ship Hyperion[Spike, Li-Class Skirmisher]
No Major Incidents.
Intact.
See LOG;Erebrus

Intelligence Ship Adamantium[Hatchet, Mp-Class Exploratory ship]
1 Major Incident
Status Unknown, suspected desertion.
The Admantium had accompanied our fleet on special liasion of The Neganari High Council.
The Adamantium was seen to extract several living Taraniak and an unidentified piece of
technology from a surviving hull compartment. Upon hailing the captain of the vessel to
inquire as to what it had found, the vessel vanished in a way not unlike that of the Taraniak
vessels when using the warp drive. The radiological trace was much higher than the recorded
energy of the previous warp uses recordered during our observations.
High Council Investigation Requested.

```

### **Rogue Shipbuilding**

Sixteen months since the ZINTL Salvage Desertion, The Admantium had been long scrapped. New ships were made from its remains and the dark technologies within...

This was to be the end result of the efforts of the Adamantium and its dual-racial crew. The Crabs were in the hangar of the small moonbase, the first hybrid ships ever built. Taraniak Biomechanical engineering and Stasis Field tech fitted with a powerful Neganari tractor beam. There were six of them, glorious things built from the Admantium and the salvage onboard. The Warp Drive they had recovered had to be salvaged to make the Stasis Fields, and the ships were running on primitive nuclear reactors rather than the antimatter sort, but they worked! The violet-husked Taraniak known as Quilkirak, co-leading the build team beside the slender, tendril-armed form of the Neganari captain Ner'Arkonen, chittered excitedly. The Long Distance Scanners had picked up a roving Jurgans swarm, a fleet of three Oblivions gaurded by six Chrysalis, perfect prey for the new ships. They would be nearing the Moonbase in a few minutes, So the crew of the vessels were already onboard. They would assualt the Jurgan over Doxas-38, a former Jurgan colony world, the one whose moon the secret shipyard had been built on, now barren and cold.

The crabs dropped out of Hyperspace a few thousand kilometers behind the Jurgans. They approached the slower ships rapidly, Stasis Fields immobilizing the unfortunate Chrysalis, the long "Tusks" of the Crabs goring the ships while the tractor beams pulled them relentlessy down on the spines, crushing their fragile extieriors, as the Stasis fields kept them rotation locked as they were destroyed, the six escorts reduced to wreckage smashing down on the planet in minutes. The Oblivions barely had time to call their own soldiers to Arms before the Crabs were upon them, smashing their husks, even as the Oblivions fired up thier Pulsars, the Crabs pulled back, hammering the glacially slow Oblivions with Stasis fields, the heavy orbs of gravitons starting to crush and deform the hulls of the Oblivions, as the crabs continued to drift in a lazy circle about the helpless torpedo ships, until, one by one, they were too weak to keep fighting, and succumbed, falling in huge chunks to the barren soil of Doxas-38, as the Crabs moved to capture any chunks that looked valuaable...

Quilkirak greeted the returning crew with a happy chittering. The Crabs, pulsar burnt, and a little dented up, were already healing. Their crews had brought back huge amounts of Fuel, Jurgan technology, and prisoners, who were presently being taken to a holding pen pending Interrogation or Execution, depending on thier  incination to be useful. Ner'Arkonen joins him, and he grins at the larger Neganari. "Victory, even against the dread Oblivions. Would you call this a sucsess?" The Taraniak chittered quickly, the Translation Collar on his neck taking a moment to parse it into the undulating hum of Neganari language. Ner'Arkonen hums in agreement, its green-grey, semisolid form rippling a little. "Yes, Quite. The Scanners report that there are Jurgans Survivors on the planet, however." The Translator parses the rythmic undulating hum of the Neganari's voice into Taraniak Chittering. The Taraniak considers this and shrugs, its heavy carapace glistening. "Does not matter, If we want to retrieve them, we retrieve them. I set up jammers so there could be no distress calls in this sector. Personally, i say we let them starve there, unless Jurgans turn out to be delicious."  The Neganari considers this.

"Yes. Let Them Starve."

### Vendetta

“The dirt, which I walk upon is scorched. To think that thousands of years ago my people thrived here seems far from the reach of logic, but it is not.”

A lone Jurgan soldier walks on the surface of Doxas-38, about a quarter of his rock like exterior is burnt, but he does not seem to mind his condition, his dark beady eyes are filled with vengeance.

“With nobody by my side, I walk in search of nothing, nothing but the desire to destroy. I need a way off of this planet”

Doxas-38 is a planet outside the Jurgan territory, it stands neautral between the Jurgan and the Neganari. For three days, the soldier wanders the planet in search for anything of use to him. He encounters hunger and thirst, but vengeance fills these needs. On the fourth day, a glimmer, far out near the location where his incinerated ship lay, is seen falling from the sky. He knows what it is, and he grins.

The soldier attempted to hustle over to the glimmer. He tried to perform a sprint, but was too depressed of food and water to run any longer than a few seconds.

After a long time, he finally reached his destination. It was a slightly mangled Scout, one of the ships of the unalighned. A few places were burned. Not a big problem. He opened it up to inspect its compartments. Inside was the main problem. There was a shortage of energy producing machinery, and a shortage of boosters. With the amount on the ship, he would be dead before he even left the planet's atomsphere.

The one thing going for him was the Mass Driver within the Scout. If he ever did get out of Doxas-38, atleast he could sell the Mass Driver for some money. That was about it. The soldier sighed, the chances of getting out of Doxas-38 increased slightly, but not by much.

The planet was facing away from the Star now. Less light reached the surface. The natural satelight of Doxas-38 was dim, and the soldier would have to rest soon. So he climbed into the scout and prepared to sleep, maybe for the last time.

Just as he was about to fall asleep, he noticed a strange drawer near the pilot's seat. He trudged over and pulled it open. His eye's turned red from the excitement. Maybe this would save him, at last.

A blue light emitted from the hands of the Jurgan soldier, he held it tightly as his life depended on it. The scout had been torn into pieces as he frantically searched for his way off the planet. After about 10 minutes he finally found it, a Distress signal emmiter. He pressed a button on the Veniri contraption but nothing happened, confused he pressed the button once more, nothing. Like a crazed Jurgan he pressed the red button until he could no longer and released his anger by throwing the DSE on the ground. As soon as it hit the ground, the strange machine light up and ejected a tripod on which it stood. Amused he studied the machine and identified an empty chamber, he placed the blue battery in his hand into the chamber and gave the machine a purpose.

A Veniri fleet had come too close to the Neganari faction border and had been obliterated with complete prejudice, In retaliation the Veniri sent two more fleets with heavy weapons and shields.

### The Breach

It is a stain on our legacy. It is a shameful story that dishonors us.

The first mention of this project came from high up in the chain of command, during our conflict with the Veniri. We knew they were organic life forms and were going to exploit that weakness to its fullest potential; How? infection of course. The first three days in the labs were spent developing catalysts and symptoms, on the fourth day implemintation was developed and on the fifth day we finalized the bacteria, we gave it a name, we were proud of it, we thought it meant victory.

```
**0-9LD *(Noven Ludern)***

```

```
**Infectivity: 9/10**

```

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**Severity: 10/10**

```

```
**Lethality: 8/10**

```

```
*Description: Highly contagious. This bug can penetrate through up to 9.5 feet of solid titanium. It consumes just about anything except glass and is highly susceptible to heat. Noven travels to the heart and infects the blood system in about 1 minute.*

```

```
**Symptoms:**

```

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Corrosion: *Afflicted loses all skin tissue, nerves, and part of the skeletal structure.*

```

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Extreme inflammation: *After consuming the afflicted, Noven uses the same materials to develop a distorted figure two to three times the original size with rock like skin.*

```

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Intelligence: *The Noven bug then concentrates in the pre-heart location (most well protected area of the organism) and develops a 'brain' typed structure.*

```

A single Megalodon was equipped with the bug and sent with one of the largest fleets of the Bushrak, we called that vessel 'Sentinel', it carried victory on its back. The Bushrak purposefully targeted a small fleet of Veniri merchants headed toward one of the capitols. The merchants saw only one Megalodon flying toward them and began evasive maneuvers, the Bushrak pursued them.

Commander: Sentinel, this is the commander speaking. Prepare your weapons and aim.

Sentinel: 10 seconds commander.

Sentinel: Weapons aimed and ready.

Commander: 5 seconds to countdown Sentinel, fire on my command.

[5 seconds elapse]

Commander: Sentinel, you are clear to fire.

Sentinel: Firing.

Nothing happens, the merchants began to open a warp tunnel.

Commander: Sentinel, you must fire now, the target is about to teleport.

Sentinel: [Static]

Commander: Sentinel!

Sentinel: ...

-------Will continue this later feel free to add in the meantime---------

-Safaw

### Dimensional Jump

#### 100 years before player's arrival...

"This is admiral Thr'X'wr. As you know, we are going to go to another dimension. Spaceship ready. Star gate ready. Loading... Can you see the wormhole? The other side of it? We are going there.".

Engines were turned on. The fleet made of capital ship "Doomstar", fighters "Object 34", destroyers "Object 18", crusiers "Object 61" and battleships "Object 117" passed through the wormhole. But something went wrong. Ships didn't get to their destination.

"This is admiral Thr'X'wr. Something went wrong. We are next to the black hole. We shouldn't be here. We should see our home universe. That's not good."

They decided to build a base there. They soon met another races. But it was impossible for the aliens to understand the technology of newcomers. So they were called "The Unknowns"...

#### 100 years later...

"This is admiral Thr'X'wr. We are next to the recently built Star gate. We are over 150 light years away from our bases. Test..." Then unexpectedly Star gate was turned on. They saw something similiar to the universe they were in... Then a big ship appeared. They saw it's name : "Event Horizon" before they fired hyperspace drives and went away...

Multiverse Voyager

## Lore Number 2 (by Just Kiddin'): Origins

### Chapter 1: The Eternitus

In our Universe...The last of the human ships. The Eternitus. Nothing like the universe has seen before, its Humanity's last hope to survive. Their Universe turned inhabitable. After billions of years, the stars dissapeared. With no heat, no light, only a few stars remained, wich would not last for long.

The Eternitus can travel to another universes, using wormholes. Humans wont survive the trip, so they created 3 creatures that could: a self replecating fungus that could swallow ships and control them, an advanced computurized machanism with no chance of error, and an energy based being that could bend space.

One of the last humans says his final words to his equals.

"My comrades." Hour homee said. "Our universe went extint. The stars are dying, our work turned useless. Our existence will become an eternal, souless meaningless void. We could not make a trip to another existence, so we made who could. The 3 entities will be our legacy. We may die, but Humanity shall live on them forever. Our world has ended....but life...must continue."

And so, the ship departs, and humans quickly die in the process.

Meanwhile, in another Universe...

In the beggining, there were many, many civilizations. The universe was full of life. Every corner of the existance was full of enormous ships moving around, organic life evolving on almost all planets...it was so beautiful. But then, they appeared....We don't know who they are, how they look, what they want. They were god like. They came from another dimension. Their machines were so superior. Our tactics were useless againt them. But then, a miracle happen. The races united. The once wrathful universe turned peaceful, as all nations joined forces, to the battle that would decide the faith of the Existance: The battle of Man versus God. And man won...

The universe turned chaotic. The organic life started to die. The biggest ships were consumed by an unstopabble fungus, created by the invaders, and now they wander the galaxies like zombies. All of that, dissapeared. And aldough the invaders lost their power, and became simples mortals like us, the Universe turned silent. But there is hope. For the invaders left one single piece of technology. The Eternitus: the god of all ships. Nothing like any race could ever imagine. The legends say such ship is not like others. They say it is an entire solar system, made from a star and 9 planets. Say the legends than the Eternitus is an exact replica of the invaders's home solar system. The star, Sun, is covered in a dark structure. A solar panel complex that sucks out all of its energy. The first planet, Mercury, its a prision, where the enemies are executed from heat and staration. The second planet, Venus, is a giant poisonous bomb. Any living thing dies near it. The third one, Earth, is a biosphere, with the remaining samples of DNA of the original species from the invader's homeworld. The forth planet, Mars, is an enormous carrier, where small and massive ships are built, being the planet itself a giant ship. The next four are gigant planets, with gravity enough to pull the biggest enemy ships onto it, and crash them. And then, a tiny ninth planet, Pluto, where the technology that allows interdimensional travell possible is stored.

Now, 10 factions remain. All of them, with a goal: to scavenge the universe for the Eternitus. Little do they know than the Eternitus kept functioning, and now jumps from universe to universe with no destiny. Maybe so, but no one knows. All of them look for it. The first entity, the fungus, became the Jurgan faction. The second, the Machine, became the Bushrak. And the third, the space-benders, were never understood by the others, so they called it...the unkown.

Other factions rose to power,. The Bushrak, the Jurgans and the unkown barely remember of their past together, but they fight to ecounter the long lost Eternitus, so they can reconquer the universe. All other factions want it to repopulate the universe. To restore the glory lost in the great war against the invaders. Only a ship as powerful as the Eternitus would allow such to be possible.

But an eleventh factions is arriving: yours. The terrans. They need you to lead them. They need you to defend them.

The Eternitus is lost forever. You must destroy the Unkown, the Bushrak and the Jurgans, and unite all other other faction in a peaceful empire. It is time to stop this madness.

So the brave terran people give to you, wise youngest descendent of the terran emperor, the last hope for peace in the Universe. Our most humble ship, the Event Horizon.

There is an universe out there waiting for you. Go get it...

### Chapter 2: In the unkown

"Commander !" The young man heard a voice scream. "Commander ! Wake up !"

Luke has slowly gaining consciousness. He started to notice the environment surrounding him. He was on an incubator, a chamber where faral wounds were healed in order to restore massive damage to the living tissue. He got up, nearly reaching to his pocket to grab the knife he always keeps close to him in case of need.

"Commander, we are under atack !" Said a familiar women.

Oh, Luke started to remember. "Damn incubator." He tought. The incubator always made people forget everything important for a while. But things started to come back to him. He was on the Event Horizon, given to him by his father, Emperor Titan, ruler of the Terran new born faction. Since then, he secured many solar systems and helped expanding the Terran empire. His father was very proud of him. And then, he woke up, remembering the violent fight against the Unkowns that so badly injured him, only to find out another battle coming.

"Jane." He said, recognizing the women.

"Are you ok ?"

"I am. I am. Quick, to the cockpit.

They ran across the ships, from the hospital zone to the cockpit. His crew was awaiting him. His most trust worthy long date friends. But of all those, only 3 managed to be the closest possible to him: Jane, Thomas and an unlikely friend, IQ. Jane and Thomas were simple friends from his youth, but IQ was a councious robot, commander of a small Bushrak ship. When he was taken prisioneer, after the ship's capture, all his crew was arrested. When being interrugated, the Bushrak made an attempt to rescue IQ by atacking the Event Horizon. Luke was saved by him, when IQ hided him in the lower compartments of the ship, and slayed the Bushrak troops. A traitor to his people, but the best friend Luke ever knew.

But it was no time to relive beloved memories. A battle was coming, and everyone was taking positions. Luke looked out the window to see a squad of 3 Overlords.

"I tought we could only encounter more than 1 at the same time in the capitals." He said.

"It's very clear than these fleet was in a route to the nearest capital, 20 light years away." Thomas responded. "We were unlucky enough to cross their way."

Luke was scared. The fleet of the Event Horizon fought many Overlords, but one at a time. These battle was unwinable. But escaping was also impossible.

The battle was very violent, and the crew of the Event Horizon fought to their very last breath. But again, impossible.

The Event horizon was hit. The fleet was destroyed, and the ship crashed into the nearest planet....

The crashing site was huge. The Event Horizon was very damaged, but it remained intact. Luke focused on looking for his friends on the ship.

"God fucking dammit." He tought. He survived to battles, to encounters, to tragedies...but this is the first time he has been in a crash. Also the first time he survived. Weel, of course.

But others were not so lucky. Jane died, and so did Thomas. Honestly, Luke was devastated. But it was no time to cry over them, or the rest of the crew. He was alone, on a planet that, luckly, had a breathable atmosphere. But there was a little hope on his face, once he looked at the dead body of IQ.

"Oh, thank the gods." He shouted, seeing that his brain chips were still intact. What a luck. The others were lost forever, but Luke had a chance of bringing his closest friend back to life. As he continued to scavenge the destroyed ship, he heard another ship aproaching. Help, luckly. But no. No luck at all, for it was a Bushrak ship, that landed right next to the crash site. The mechanized troops quickly found Luke on the ship's remainings.

"Stop right there !" Shouted one of the Bushrak soldiers.

### Chapter 3: Quasar

Luke was escorted by the Stalker ship into a space station on that system. Of course. Not only did he have to be the single survivor to a crash that killed most of his friends, only leaving the small chance of IQ surviving, he also had the luck to crash on a planet of a Bushrak Capital solar system.

The Stalker was very fast. "Unusual." He tought. Stalkers were not that fast. They were meant to be equipped with heavy artillery. That could only mean the systems were removed. That would explain why the ship didnt fire over the crash to eliminate potencial survivors, and only troops came out. This were great news. He was on a Bushrak capital, and somehow, one of the biggest, most eficient factions had to use an artillery ship as a troop carrier. This could only mean they were low on resources. Not a surprise, dough. With the constant warfare between factions, the value of space credits was higher than ever.

the ship arrived at the station and landed. The Bushrak soldiers surrounding Luke made sign for him to walk out of the Stalker.

"Where are you taking me ?" He asked.

"To see Quasar." Replied a soldier.

"Fuck." Luke tought. Quasar was the A.I. who ruled the Bushrak. A supercomputer based on a far away solar system, the Bushrak Mainland. Only military Bushrak ships and small, neutral parts dealers were able to get close enough to see the Quasar in person. The merchants that visited it say its circuits ocuppy the entire surface and a big part of the crust of a planet. Such computation power allowed him to be a God, a living God.

This was both good and bad. It was good because Quasar was wise and patient. He hated Luke personally, since he heard of his efforts to successfully defend the Terrans, but he wouldnt let his mind run crazy. He was a machine. He was made of pure logic and understanding. No matter how much he hated or liked someone, he would give anyone a fair punishment, no matter what Quasar tought of him.

But it was also bad, because unlike most Bushrak soldiers, Quasar was built with no capability of having empathy. And why would he ? He was made to rule over the Bushrak empire. The fair and perfect kind of ruler. He was not built to socialize or even interact with anyone. And he did not mind. He did not mind the lonelyness. In fact, he enjoyed it. Gave him time to reflect, and understand the Universe better than anyone.

Luke was leaded to a room. A quite big room, where a giant complex stood. A small chair, with a peaceful, dead Bushrak soldier sitting on it, with a tremendous amount of wires connected to his body.

The Machine started to function, and transfered Quasar's mind to the small simple soldier. He opened his eyes and stared at look.

"Such honor." He said. "Luke Titan. Son of Marcus Titan, prince of the terran empire. His older brother took the throne, so he took the Army."

"I did not come here to listen to my biography." Replied Luke.

"Well indeed. So tell us, Luke. What brings you to my solar system ?"

"My ship crashed. 3 overlords got outta nowhere and striked us."

"Overlords ? Oh dear...the Jurgans."

"What's with 'em ?"

"As you may know, Luke, the Jurgans, as a fungus, could not build ships. They use comets, asteroids as ships. But their most unforgivable act was disonoring my brilliant creation, the Megalodon, the proud Bushrak Flagship. They take them over, kill my brave crew and eat their bodies alive, to feed on them, so they can cover the Megalodons with their filthy organic matter. I can not judge, dough. They are simple creatures. With no capability to think, to wonder, to question. All they live for is work. They are like ants. I cannot blame them for not being able to look at the stars and wonder about its origins, its beauty. I am, in fact, sorry for them....or may i say, it."

"I didn't come here for that philosophy either, Quasar !"

"No need to yell, brave terran. Your actions go againt us, but we cannot blame you. Yes, you are my enemy, but you were only honoring you people. I respect that. But you see, your faction, as well as all others, do not stand a chance. I am run by logic and reasoning, and you and all other by emotions. You think anger, lust, glutony are ways of government...what a shame. Creatures of flesh.....i pity them."

"Go ahead, fucktard. What are you gonna do to me ?"

"Well, you did inform us of the Overlord squad. No. The infected Megalodon squad. I wont call them by such name as 'Overlord'. So, no. I wont sell you for the enourmous price you have on the market. I sentence you to death. Clean, with no suffering. It was still an honor to speak to you, Luke."

The soldiers took Luke out, and Quasar soon got his mind out of the soldier avatar.

Luke was taken to the Stalker ship. The soldiers forced him on his knees, and pointed his guns at his head.

Then, they all saw some sor of comet getting close. It had remarkable green tentacle like features.

"EMBRYO !" They shouted.

The small Jurgan ship crashed right near them, making the whole station shake, but remaining intact. All the soldiers fell onto the ground. Luke used this oppurtunity to grab his pocket knife and use it to carefully remove the brain ship of one of the soldiers. As the rest of them remained uncounscious, Luke dragged the lifeless soldier's body onto the Stalker ship, along with his laser rifle.

Using the overlords that were atacking the station as a distraction, Luke managed to escape the heat of the battle. His plan was to use the dead body to revive IQ, and then flee to the nearest terran outpost, to warn his father, the Emperor, of the menace in the system, that was relatively close to the Mainland.

"This can only be a joke." He said to himself, as he saw the fuel was running low. He could never get to another solar system with so little. So, he landed on the nearby planet, next to the Event Horizon's crash.

He had to come up with a plan. And quickly.

### Chapter 4: Warfare engaged

Luke revived IQ using the Bushrak soldier's dead body, by removing its brain chips and replacing them. And better, a Terran fleet arrived, noticing the sudden Jurgan atack on the Bushrak space station.

Luke was taken to the Terran Homeworld, Terra-A1. There, the emperial fleet was, with hundreds of flagships ready to atack whoever got anywhere near it.

Luke took a look around, when the rescue ship landed on the planet's capitolium. He took a look at IQ, giving him signal to start recruiting new team memebers for the crew, get some new and better ships and prepare to send an operation to the nearby planet where the Event Horizon crashed. Until so, Luke had to see the Emperor.

Luke did not expect his father to be awaiting him. No matter how much he loved his son, the Empreror Titan was always to busy with work to even get outside the Capitolium. Even so, he managed to open up a blank between his busy day, so he could see his younger son.

"Son." He said, getting near of Luke. It was amazing how he convinced his right arm, professor Nemesis, to let him go to the Capitolium's rook, where Luke's rescue ship landed. The amount of spies around there was huge, and they had no idea of who might just sneak into a merchant ship and shoot the Emperor. Still, he was there, with onky 5 armed terran soldiers defending his sides, back and front. The soldiers took a step aside and allowed Luke to enter his father's perimeter.

"Im glad you are ok." Finished the Emperor. "I am aware of what happened. Did anyone else make it out alive ?"

"By some sort of miracle, i saved IQ. All the others are dead."

"Oh, dear...you mean ?..."

"Yes...Jane is gone."

"Son, im sorry. I know you could not wait for your marriage."

Luke noded, lying to his dad. Jane was a dear friend, but nocwife material for Luke. Ue did not love her, and neither did she. Luke was devastated to see the current state of marriage. Something that was meant to simbolize the eternal love of two persons turned into some scam the powerful men and women used to gain power and money. Jane had familiar bonds with the Veniri faction. A marriage of her and Luke would assure some stability between the 2 of them. Sadly, that chance was gone. Which meant the Veniri were still on the enemy list. Damn. Why was it so hard for people to make ammends ?

"I will inform the families of the fallen crew." Said the Emperor. In that moment, a man ran by. He was shouting for the emperor's name, and the soldiers pointed at him the second they saw him. The man's low height and his robotic eye, plus his lab coat, dark boots and pants, red hair and prostetic robotic hand made the soldiers, the Emperor and Luke realize that was the Emperor's right arm, professor Nemesis, head of the technology research department.

"Emperor Titan." Said him, grabing Titan's hand and pushing towards to roof exit. "We need you at the war room."

With no questions asked, The Emperor followed him, and so did Luke and the Emperor's guard. The war room was simple, with no decoration, just a medium sized room with all of Emperor's main generals. They all had very worried looks.

"We received a Veniri communication signal." Said Nemesis. "War has been declared."

"What !?" Shouted the Emperor. "How in the Hell could that be possible ?"

"They were informed of young Luke's Crew death before us. A scout of theirs was flying by to see the battle with the Overlords. They scouted the crash site on the barren planet using a telescope in a mobile space station to find out Jane, the daugther of the Veniri ruler, was dead."

"Now hold on a minute." Said Luke." Are you saying they saw me rotten on that piece of rock and did nothing !?"

"Exactly. The emperor Morgan, ruler of the Veniri, is very upset. They saw the casualty as a sign of our weakness and imcopetence, and have decided to take over our capital and hunt down the colonies until nothing is left."

"Dear Lords..."

"What do you gentlemen suggest ?" Said the Emperor, to his generals.

"We suggest a counter strike." Replied one of them. "The Veniri main army is coming here as we speak. Our scouts at the edge of the star system were already destroyed. I say we have about 3 hours before they arrive."

The Emperor gasped, and looked down at look for a minute.

"Send in the Army. The main Emperial fleet." Ordered him. "And Luke...i trust you to ontrol a fraction of the flagships."

"That means a lot to me, dad. " Replied his son. "What about Matt ?"

"He will come with you, and control another part of the army. Now all of you, to your ships."

In a second, the whole war room was abandoned. Luke hoped into one of the terran flagships, and the whole crew abandoned the planet's surface, to met the emperial fleet on outter space orbiting the planet. The Veniri army could be seen from distance.

## Lore 3 (by DavidoX11): Ships origins

This will be a series of short stories about ships and factions in EH. Feel free to edit if you see any mistakes.

### **Pirates**

If there are any rulers, there are some people that are against them, sometimes even all of them. They are Pirates. The most of their equipment is from the raids on factions' territories. They use stolen ships for next raids. But once some united groups of pirates started creating their own ships, outmatching factions' ships.

#### **Egg**

Many pirates were using the most basic ship - Venirian Scout. It's fast an agile, and able to hurt even bigger ships. And most important - there were plenty of them in captured Venirian hangars and bases and they are easy to handle, so even unexperienced pirates could use them. But Scouts had very little storage space and also were easily beaten even by more experienced Venirian scout pilots. Pirates needed something that would outmatch Scout. So that's where project begins. Firstly - shape. Scouts couldn't take much, so Egg's shape is designed to take much more loot. Bigger hull also allowed to give it more armor. Then comes armament. It was designed to fit double small pulse cannons, so firepower was two times bigger than Scout's. Few Eggs were finally created. Pilots in Venirian outposts were totally surprised by the new ship, what allowed pirates to quickly capture Vebirian factories and start mass production of the Egg.

#### **Eden**

After many raids on Sayjix territories, pirates started reverse engineering technology of 360° auto targeting arc on round ships. Eden was the result. A light counterpart of Sayjix ships, but with very flexible weapon mount which allowed pirates to surprise many outposts with variety of armament on the same model of ship.

#### **Viper**

A group of pirate desingers had an idea of a pirate ship that would be original instead of copying factions' ships. So they started to develop that idea. When first prototype was ready, one of desingers presented Viper. Many pirates weren't sure about this ship. So the designer flew into group of Venirian scouts and allowed them to surround him. Then he presented innovatory tactic. There were 2 Mass drivers mounted on this unsymmetric ship. Desinger shot alternately, causing the Viper rotate and shoting Scouts one by one.

#### **Scavenger**

Once those ships served as exploration drones, but later planet were explorated by more efficient scans, so drones got useless and were thrown away. Pirates took those drones. They noticed that tool section is a very flexible and can mount every weapon just as long it isn't too big. That made Scavenger a very popular pirate ship.

## Lore 4 (by estrect): The Syndicate

The syndicate once controlled a large part of the galaxy and they are the reason the unknowns got themselves that name. Controlling rebellion and unobeying faction systems with Hydra faction pacifiers, moon sized ships carrying a squad of twenty of their own capital ships. The hydra itself carried heavy ordnance eight black hole generators, sixty heavy railguns and three ultra doom rays that they stole from the unknowns (hence the name Hydra) 500 years before the players start a virus that corrupted the hydra's AI, frenzied by the virus they attacked their own and the unknowns because similarities, they later learn the North korerans did this and declared war on all the korerans allying with the daazen to kill the korerans and turn the remains in outposts for the daazen. 79 years before the arrival of the player most of the other factions betrayed the syndicate and took their stars. The survivors made the ships very energy resistant and used weapons that the korerans won't really use. They also got high grade rocket weapons delivered by the still loyal bushrak god AI Knowing if they didn't do that they'll eventually will be killed by hydras when the syndicate finds the wrecks and repairs and upgrades them. But what nobody knew even the syndicate autocrat was that there is a super ship that nobody ever activated still having ten hydras inside, waiting far in feral space controlled by the swarm monsters, zombie fungus and some rusty fellows.

## Lore 5 (dudephat): The Jurgan Virus

The Jurgans were never supposed to exist. The Jurgan Virus was an experiment; a product of science and arrogance, and one that should never have been greenlit. After decades of battling the Taraniak, Bushrak scientists were interested in unlocking the Taraniak's greatest secret: their "living" ships. The union between mechanical and biological resulted in the Taraniak's ships being able to slowly regenerate over time. It was arguably their greatest asset on the battlefield. Bushrak scientists and shipwrights wished to harness this ability, and to use it in their own ships.

During one of the many territory disputes between the Bushrak and the Taraniak, a secret mission was lead by Major James Richards. The mission was to disable and capture enough Taraniak ships for Bushrak scientists to be able to study the ships. The mission was a success, and Bushrak scientists got to work immediately after the conclusion of the territory dispute. It took them years - decades, even - to figure out how the Taraniak merged mechanical and biological, but eventually they succeeded. The first ship the Bushrak built this way was the Zombie; a living version of the Stalker. The project was deemed a success, and production began.

What they hadn't predicted was the level of intelligence of the ships. Taraniak ships are only about as intelligent as a dog. What the Bushrak scientists had created, was an armada of fully sentient ships, which needed no pilot. The Jurgan Virus, as it had been named, began spreading uncontrollably. It would infect a ship, and change it's form beyond recognition. The Zombie still resembled the Stalker it was based on, but the virus reached it's peak when it infected one of the Bushrak's Megalodon flagships. In fact, it was the Megalodon piloted by Major James Richards. Everyone on board was killed by the virus, and Bushrak starbases were attacked by the new Jurgan flagship. At this point, the other factions became aware of what the Bushrak had done. The Bushrak were so concerned with whether or not they could, that they never stopped to take a moment and wonder whether they should. It is too late now, as the damage has been done.

My name is Buck. Buck Samson. I was there when the virus was created. I knew it wasn't going to end well. I tried to warn them, but they didn't listen. The only way now, to undo what the Bushrak did, is to completely destroy the Jurgans. Every ship, every starbase. As long as one still remains, the virus can spread. I've now taken it upon myself to rid the galaxy of this virus. I can't do it alone, though. Even with my fleet; even with the thousands of pilots who've joined me, there are far too many of them. Will you join us?

## Lore 6 (estrect): The scavengers and Jan Salo's revenge + PROJECT: corn

three million years ago the scavengers weren't scavengers. they were a fairly strong faction called the *warriors of srut* whom spoke their own language. Their technology was unique; it primarily used the strong mineral called rustbestos which is stronger than nano carbon plating and way lighter. They had special armor made out of that rustbestos paired with a few still unknown materials, it consumed energy but it was very strong and light. the hull of the ship itself consisted of rustbestos too and most of them were mining vessels which were deployed from enormous cargo ships. They also possessed a wide array of weaponry of extreme strenght which is still heavily valued today.

at the start of the fifth era the warriors of srut had an internal struggle which caused an civil war which only a few survived. this event is now known as De nesrutt xeenalos (the de-rust cataclysm) and was caused by a group of sixty high ranking members including salos tee-jan who then was titled a rust sage. this tee-jan is still known today and is one of the most wanted entities in the known universe due his crimes which happened before most factions existed, he is said to be immortal and able to kill lifeforms and usurp their bodies. two years before he met the warlord he had a job at a free stars base which got destroyed after the swarm hive mind knew the true indentity of this human with the name Jan Salo she send a ancient wormship to decimate the base which it did, but jan salo got away with his most prized posession: an orb that can translate sruttian which was formerly used by the owner of that station.

**PROJECT: corn [still under rustruction]**

1.2 million years into the "De nesrutt xeenalos" the precursors of the koreran faction called the north korerans they were tired of making missiles of mass destruction. they wished to make an organic ship instead which was able to use torpedoes mainly the acid torpedo they looted of srut warrior battlefields… <ERROR DATA LOST>

## Lore 7: The Great Journey (by Dark Mage Ascended)

Hear me. Listen to my call. Do not ignore me.

You are asleep, mortal. You see nothing at all. And hear nothing but my voice. Do not fear, you are safe. I do not intend to hurt you. Why would I hurt you? You are the center of my plans.

Mortal, do you hear me? Say something.
I know that you can hear me. Speak.

Good...

Never in your lifetime did I see you pray, mortal. Why is that? Do you not believe in any of the gods your colleagues talk about? Perhaps you just can't find the time to honor God, between the endless maintenance shifts and training protocols. I understand. In fact, I think you made the right choice.

I do not answer to prayers. I never did.

I sense your surprise, mortal. Yes, it is me. The thing you call God. At least for lack of a better term. And I've come to you with a deal you cannot refuse.

I see the vessel in the Star Base's docks, mortal. Event Horizon, you call it. A fine ship, if I can say so myself. Think of the countless adventures you could have out there, once that fine starship takes off, once it is finished and ready to go. But I also know your fear of the void: travelling between the stars is dangerous. Hyperspace links are difficult to navigate. A single mistake could cost you your life, a slow and agonizing cold death roaming in the depths of interstellar space. It is just too dangerous to try.
With your current FTL technology, that is.

The deal is simple: I know how long you've been searching for a way to travel between star systems without Hyperlinks. And I come to you with a solution. A simple Warp Drive technology: bend the space around you and ride a bubble of spacetime across the galaxy to achive faster-than-light travel. And no longer would you need to set a specific route, no! As long as you have enough info on the star system you are aiming towards, you can travel from any corner of the galaxy to the other, provided you have the fuel for the engine. I give you the schematics for a simple Warp Drive engine that you can improve over time. And in return, I ask that you make a Journey. A journey that may very well be the only hope for this galaxy.

I knew you'd accept.

It's a long story, really. But you always loved knowledge, did you not? Your thirst for it made you search all the data terminals of the Station, talk to every merchant that passed by. I know the feeling, mortal. And I relate to it. So, would you like to hear the secrets of the Universe? Of your very existence? Of all things?
Sadly, I cannot only tell you a narrow slice. But I will gladly and willingly share it.

### **We Are**

I am but one of many. Ever since the dawn of the Universe, my kind has overseen and managed galaxies. We have been here for as long as Time itself, guiding Creation with relentless pursuit of knowledge and prosperity. We started out as mere clouds of psionic energy, drifting aimlessly through the cosmos, in the rift between the material and immaterial planes, guided by sheer instinct alone. With time, we grew in number and in might. We became more. We became what you call Gods.

I have achived sentience relatively recently compared to the Old ones, those whose primal, bestial form witnessed the birth of the Universe 21 billion of your years ago. They are the wisest and most powerful among us, experienced beyond imagination. They rule the Counsil, that is, the decentralized form of government of my people. They offer guidance and advice to younger Gods such as myself, and have the authority to give or take away galaxies from us based on our individual merit. I've been told they are impressed by my progress,and that I may soon be given a second galaxy.

It feels like...an empty victory, to be honest.

Anyways, we, the Gods, rule over creation. There are billions upon untold billions of galaxies out there, and our numbers are merely in the thousands. Even creatures such as we pale in comparison to the scale of the Universe, and thus, our empire is but a small portion of its entirety. We each have our own domains, and there is little interference between us. We are free to rule our respective kingdoms as we see fit. Some Gods focus on war, others on hedonistic fullfillment, others waste their lives in petty diplomacy, begging the Old Ones to gift them more territory, despite having nothing to show.

Do not allow the fact that others more powerful than me exist to cloud your mind, human. This is my galaxy. My domain. I simply tell you this because, while most Gods are born as such, there is a slim possibility, a very slim chance, that you may become a God as well.

Well, not you specifically, but...ugh. It is irrelevant.

It's been a while since I was given the right to rule my own galaxy. I've experimented. I've learned much. But there are mistakes I must correct...there is a past I must leave behind. You will help me with this.

### **I Am**

I suppose a name could be of help. The Gods speak in a language incomprehensible to you, but in my case, the closest pronunciation would be Kaidrus, meaning "The Architect". I have been through a few stages in my development as a God, and they've changed me greatly. It would be arrogant of me to assume this is my final form, but to this date, it is the most I have grown. The wisest I've been.

I wasn't always like this. I was once young. I still am, in fact. But I was once inexperienced and naive. Despite this, through all of my sentient life, I have held virtually the same principles and attitudes. I cannot know everything, neither can I do everything. I can't even know every singke thing that happens in my galaxy alone. It's simply too much information. Despite my power, I am not that detached from mortals. None of my kind really is.

My people all follow different paths. Some are Gods of Love. Others are Gods of Death, of War, of Pleasure, of the Arts, of Wealth...me? I am a God of Science, Progress and Rationality. Or at least, I have attempted to be. You may think of me as the manifestation of Ambition: the desire to be more, to ascend. To know what you want, to know that you can achive it, and to strive towards it. My galaxy was built on these very principles.
And you should be glad you live in my type of Galaxy. You know not how lucky you are. In fact, let me tell you...

### **She Is**

Do you see the neighboring galaxy often? There is a great view of it from the stardock you work on. It shimmers in the distance, ever so shy and innocent. Beautiful thing, it lies just beyond the unreachable horizon. What promises can be hidden in such a magnificent, yet distant paradise?

It is a lie. Nothing but a lie.

Thank the Powers that Be you were not born in that galaxy, mortal. For that is the home of my dear friend Lak'Hma, "The Red Lust". Hers is a bloody domain, by her very design.

She isn't like any other God or Goddess of War. Most Gods of War hold a philosophy of discipline and control: know your enemy, know yourself, and fight to win. Fight to survive. With Lak'Hma, it is a far different story. To her, war is not a means to an end, but the end in it of itself. She craves for mortals to die at her feet, worshipping her through battle their entire lives. She thirsts for blood above any other thing, and she does anything to get more. Her mind knows only battle, destruction and death by the sword. She herself has told me time and time again of her sick love for it: how she often possesses the spirit of a mortal warrior, and fights in the battlefield as one of them. How she is utterly delighted by the sound of melting steel, swinging swords and firing missiles. How she is taken to bliss by the thought of mortals bombarding the surface of a world in her name. She spoke to me, in great, disgusting detail, of the otherwordly joy that fills her heart as her organs are torn to shreds by exploding debris of a wrecking starship, destroying her mortal form in the process and allowing her ethereal spirit to return to the Immaterial Plane, and watch over her Blood Kingdom, looking to do it all again. She loves blood in all of its perfection. It's an understatement to claim she simply likes blood, in fact, her desire for it goes beyond the human concept of obcession. It's a fetish. A perversion for it. Do you think your galaxy is violent, mortal? Spare me. You've seen nothing. I laid eyes upon that galaxy myself: the stars themselves speak of slaughter.

To Gods such as myself, her appearance is merely alluring. But to mortals, her perfection drives them mad. Those with strong wills can resist her, but the weak minded are powerless to overcome her influence, and it makes them wish only to serve her. She delights in this, and uses her power to create great battles across her galaxy. If anything, it's poetic symbolism. She is War itself: on the surface, seductive and alluring, a means to a noble end, but underneath hides an instinct so primal, a thing so utterly depraved that you must distance yourself from it mentally, for if you get too close, she will consume your very soul, and drive you to destroy everything.

She is about my age, and for our different perspectives, we had many arguments over the eons. I tried to make her see things from my perspective, show her my ways, but she denied it every time. I showed her my galaxy once, and she laughed. Said it was dull and lifeless, and showed me a sight of a "glorious" siege taking place across 300 different star systems in the fringes of her Kingdom. I stared in silence, and she gave me a smile, and said:

"I wish we could truly bleed, Kaidrus. I'd love to taste your blood."

I stood in absolute confusion, and returned to my bussiness in my domain, having said nothing.

But alas, my...affairs with Lak'Hma are my problem. However, she herself is your problem as well. As this story unfolds, you'll understand she can be your enemy as well.

### **My Domain**

I did not build this galaxy with much nurturing in my mind. Some Gods place great care in assuring the placement of every star system, the careful location of every planet, to assure that not a single atom is out of its place. Such complex dedication shows only single mindedness, and I did not partake in such pointless matters. The laws of Physics dictate it all, the quantum world is set. Aside from the initial conditions,to make sure my galaxy would actually be viable, I did not do anything. I watched as the domain built itself, and I was proud of it. For you see, the true mark of craftmanship is not to create perfection, for such a thing cannot be obtained. Rather, it is to better adapt to what you are given.

After that, I set about allowing interstellar communication by creating the Hyperlinks, psionic constructs that connect all the star systems of the galaxy through the Immaterial Plane. I could've simply allowed for Warp Drive travel, but the creating of this network was a project of immense dedication with which I tested myself. Once it was done, there was no need for Warp Drive at all. Travel between the stars was easy. With a Hyperdrive engine, you could see that every star connected to every other star in a 300 light year radius. With this, you could go anywhere. It was nearly instantaneous as well, unlike the Warp Travel you'll have to rely on, which may feel instantaneous, but due to its impact in the natural flow of time, is most certainly not.
I was proud of my work. I felt like I had created the perfect environment for the kind of mortal races I wanted to see flourish. It was actually much later that I "imported" your kind.

Indeed, mortal, Humanity is not native to my galaxy. The design originated in the ancient homeworld of Terra, in a galaxy far away, ruled by a God much like myself. He liked them, and so took a template of their genetics and shared them with the Counsil. They have become quite popular because they are interesting and unpredictable. Humans are creatures of an amazing duality: they're just as quick to irrationality and superstition as they are to knowledge and progression. Because of this, Humanity has climbed, subsequently fallen and then restored itself to great heights across the whole cosmos, as many Gods took them into their realms. They brought an element of surprise I wanted to see in my galaxy, so I adopted the design. Just in case you wondered what your origins are.

All this to say, your species is quite young in this galaxy. They pale in comparison to the oldest races that spawned here, under my stare...

#### **They Were**

My greatest mistake was to get too close.

You see, eons ago, one of the very first sentient races appeared on an unremarkable planet, orbiting an unremarkable star. I felt an attraction to these creatures, and followed them closely. I grew fond of them, and it was to them that I revealed myself. I gave subtle hints over the millenia: as they hunted for food in their homeworld, I taught them fire. As they developed navigation, I told them of unexplored continents beyond the oceans. As their governments grew and collapsed, I incited rebellions, crushed rebellions, established cultures, guided civilizations, all from the shadows. Only when they touched the surface of one of their three moons did I reveal myself to them. I told them that their gods were but fabrications, and that I, sole sovereign of this galaxy, had chosen them to inherit my creation. To be my mortal representatives in this Material Plane. And I told them not to worship me, for their work was for themselves alone. I would advise them and guide them when needed, but if they wanted the galaxy, they had to take it for themselves.

And they did so, without hesitation.

These beings conquered the galaxy. They developed great technology, established relations with other races, and built a prosperous galactic empire that spanned untold systems. I positioned myself where I wanted to be: not as a ruling God, but as a teacher. A provider of knowledge, insight and understanding. Those were the happiest times of my galaxy. You cannot imagine the splendor. It was magnificent. You could go anywhere. Do anything. Countless species lived in relative harmony, sharing discoveries and culture, building Edens across the Void, taming the wilderness of the Dark Frontier and turning it into their home.

But sometimes, things end. Sometimes, they go badly really fast, and you can do nothing about it. Nothing but to regret, to wonder how far we've fallen, and to hope for the best.
I will not let myself down. There is still time. We can still fix this...

#### **The Fall**

Lak'Hma is a dangerous creature. She speaks to the hearts of mortal races much in the same way I do, but for far less productive purposes. And I know that she was the one behind the Fall.

I have no concrete proof. If she had taken over their minds and forced them into such mindlessness, it would be beyond question, and I could present my case to the Counsil. But no, Lak'Hma is rash, but not stupid. She manipulated my mortals from a distance, with subtle suggestion while I looked away.
I am indeed convinced she was the one that ultimately caused my chosen race to turn their backs on my teachings.

You see, after the galaxy reached this marvelous zenith, I had to be away. The Counsil had summoned me, and I was obligated to make an appearance in their domain. It is an honor to be able to see their realms, the countless galaxies under their control, where magnificent, intergalactic and transcendent civilizations prosper in their care, only a mere step away from full ascension into godhood. I had to lay my eyes upon it.
To this day, I still wonder if it was worth it, that magnificence I gazed upon. I was away for little over a hundred years, yet it was enough. It was enough for her to destroy everything.

No matter how advanced, mortals are driven by primal desires that cannot be eliminated. Lust, ambition, hatred, compassion...these things are there for a reason. They help mortals survive, guide them towards their objectives. But Gods can manipulate these traits in order to achieve their own ends. They can use the power of suggestion to blind humans and other creatures alike to their own agency. In the case of Lak'Hma, she is capable of touching deep within the souls of mortal kinds, specifically, in their anger. In their hatred. In their mindless desire for death and destruction.

And that is exactly what she did.

Lak'Hma turned my mortals away from their path. In a single century, she caused a massive shift in their culture, a disregard for their long history. They, as I had taught them, were focused on sience, discovery, exploration and progress. During the Fall, they turned to war. To the worship if it.
I do not mind war. It is necessary sometimes, and I am not against it. But to adore it, to worship the very concept of it? I cannot stand it. It goes against everything I taught them. In just a single century, everything fell apart, everyting was lost! They built temples in my name. Sacrificed blood in my name. Took pleasure in destroying worlds, the worlds of my creation, in. My. Name. They genuinely believed such a mockery of my philosophy was what I truly wanted, that they had been away from the true path all along! They allowed their wrath to consume them, and the other civilizations of the galaxy could only defend themselves against the onslaught that followed. So many resources put to waste. So many lives lost, and all for nothing.

When I returned only to find this wreck...I screamed.

#### **The Shadow Upon the Path**

Lak'Hma destroyed everything. But to corrupt my mortals was but a minor, secondary goal compared to what she did. She corrupted me.

When I learned of what my civilization had become, I snapped. The rage within me was immense. I felt betrayed by these creatures, the ones I trusted to rule my galaxy in my name. And they turned their backs on me, in a way that hurt me more than any prayer to a false God ever could. And I unleashed my anger in a single instant, forever changing the galaxy.
I let out a psionic scream that reverberated across the whole of my domain. I centered it on their ancient homeworld, the beating heart of their now decadent empire. This wave of energy existed solely on the Immaterial plane, but its effects were most certainly present in the Material world as well. The unstoppable force of psionic power tore through their homeworld in a tiny fraction of a nanosecond, and then spread wide across the whole of the galaxy. Its lethality spread in a radius of hundreds of light years in every direction. It ripped their souls from their material bodies and tore them to shreds, instantly eliminating everything these being were, and could ever hope to be.
Every member of the species in a 300 light year radius from the homeworld was dead, while the others had a shiver of untold horror flash through their flesh, only to disappear just as quickly. Furthermore, my scream shattered the hyperlinks across the whole of the galaxy. That was the Shadow upon the Path, or at least, that is the name given to it by the people of my kingdom: my scream made the hyperlinks become unstable, almost mix together into an amalgamation of now nearly unusable routes. This is the reason why travelling between the stars is so difficult nowadays. The vessels that dare cross the Void must be faced with untold odds, contradictory information flashes through their databases as they desperately attempt to calculate a viable route to their destination, despite the fact the orgy of Hyperlinks guides them to multiple destinations simultaneously, causing a paradoxical loop that they'd be lucky to escape from. Even to skilled captains, getting where you want to go requires a hefty amount of luck. Star systems have become a prision that not many can escape...
And this is why I come to you, mortal.

### **The Great Journey**

I chose you for a reason. I could not have picked a random the mortal who I would trust with my mission.
The Event Horizon is a genuinely beautiful vessel, a work you should be proud of. I see you built it as an exploration ship, rather than a warship or a cargo hauler...your intentions for travelling the stars seem quite clear to me. You want to discover the untold secrets that the galaxy has to offer. To experience it in its entirety. You despise this place that keeps you captive. You want to break free!
Such endeavours are sadly rare in my galaxy nowadays. It's been two thousand years since I cast the Shadow Upon the Path: it was the time it took me to calm my anger, and to know the next step to take. In such a lonTheg time, I had hoped my galaxy would heal by itself, slowly yet steadily rising from the ashes. But the Hyperlinks make this difficult. Without being capable of leaving their systems without risking their lives, and even then only being able to travel a handful of light years in any direction, it keeps the mortal people of this domain separated and uncapable of ascending to greatness once again. What's more, the galaxy has developed a culture of Scavenging and salvaging. For a long time now, very few actual innovations have been made, and they simply recycle the technology developed millenia ago in an age now forgotten. There are only a handful of people in the entire damned galaxy right now that are trying to even find a new kind of FTL, and of those, you are the only one I found with the intent of pursuing knowledge, rather than getting more debris and scrap for their salvaging empires.
There is no better candidate for my Great Journey. You are the best that I have.
You see, mortal, I cannot simply undo what I have done. Removing the Shadow Upon the Path is a difficult process that will take tens of thousands of years to complete. I cannot allow my domain to grow stagnant for such a long time. So much has already been lost! No. I must act now. And I speak to you because you are the single best candidate to revive my creation.
You will spread the new FTL technology to the worlds of the galaxy. You will eliminate the war mongering scavenging tribes that plague my star systems. You will recollect the ancient technologies of the inhabitants of the Void. And with it, you will carve out a new galactic empire, and bring prosperity back to this corner of the Universe. That is the Great Journey you must take.
And as luck would have it...you are right in the middle of my scream's influence. Yes. 2000 years ago, I shattered their homeworld...third planet from the star whose light keeps you alive right now. Remarkable, is it not? Out of all the worlds, my chosen one had to be here, at the heart of my greatest failure. If I believed in signs, this would most certainly be one. I trust you will do better than those who came before you...

#### **What Lies Beyond**

Most creatures feel small and insignificant when compared to the whole of the Universe. It saddens me. When they think of what lies in the distant stars, they tend to think of ancient horrors guarding the unknown reach, a mindless monster hiding in the darkness. They think of themselves as being stuck in an island of blissful ignorance, until their eyes open to the sea of terror that is reality.
Nonsense.
Do not allow these primal fears to tempt you into comformity, mortal. What lies beyond is greatness itself! With the FTL technology, you will open your eyes to a world of untold wonders. Of splendid beauty! But be warned, for such fears are misguided, yet not entirely unfounded: the galaxy is a hostile place to those unprepared. I could not possibly give you knowledge of everything that awaits you out there, but I can give you some clues, patterns that I've seen repeated. Pay attention to this information, for there is no greater advantage in battle than to know what you will face.

#### **Scavengers**

Virtually every single system in the galaxy is inhabited somehow. To find an empty star system nowadays is nearly impossible. Basically, every single star not owned by an alien empire will have a fleet of armed ships scavenging the planets, their moons, space stations and asteroid belts for raw materials and usable scrap. These fleets can be merchants, scavengers, pirates looking to raid...I simply refer to them all as Scavengers, because that's what they do. I can only expect them to be hostile towards you, as over the centuries, the people of the galaxy have declined into savage tribalism and hostility to perceived outsiders. Very few inhabitants you'll come across can be reasoned with, and as such, a fleet of your own to defend the vulnerable Event Horizon will be needed. But you're in luck: the scream I cast 2000 years ago helps you. As you can see, the ancient homeworld of my chosen species, once the center of an advanced civilization, was reduced to a barren world devoid of any trace of their existence. Much the same thing happened across the stars, with varying degrees of severity based on how distant from the center of my wrath. The worlds next to this one have inhabitants operating with ancient, barely functional technology that they no longer even fully comprehend how to use. As a result, you'll find that the nearest a star is to your home system, the weaker your enemies will be. This means that the furthest you venture out into the unknown, the more powerful your foes will become. As such, I can only advice you to learn how to handle the technology in your hands and improve it with time, fitting your ships with increasingly powerful components and gaining experience on how to control them. You will become strong enough to push on, and reach ever further into the Void.

#### **Fleet**

Thankfully, your Starbase seems to have a fair share of basic starcraft that can defend your vessel. You can either find a willing crew to pilot them, or have them be controlled by obedient AIs to prevent casualties in case of defeat. Either way, the ships you'll find in your home system are most definitely weak compared to the dangers they'll find out there. Right now, the Event Horizon can only fit about three small sized starships into its docks...but it is a really big ship. With enough modifications, it can definitely be fitted to house more docks, and scale them up to destroyer size, maybe even battleship. And then, capital ships can escort your vessel, not needing to dock inside of it. By the time that happens, whatever vessel can't fit inside your ship can be fitted with its own Warp Engine.
But alas, such dreams are for later. Right now, focus on your immediate objectives, and work with what you have.

#### **Rescue Beacons**

While transporting matter between the star systems is a pain ever since the Shadow Upon the Path was cast, information can still semi reliably go where it needs to: the hyperlinks still connect the stars, albeit in a disorganized fashion, so transmissions can reach at least a few light years away. As such, you will often come across Recue Beacons: emergency transmissions coming from other star systems requesting help. This will likely be a pirate ambush, but it can also be a genuinely stranded fleet, who can gift you a star map of the system's proximities in exchange of help. They can be a merchant fleet, broadcasting to trade with you. It could be a transmission from a destroyed, yet still semi functional starship, giving you direction to salvageable debris. It could even be a Quan'Phi, whose psionic communications sometimes can be picked up by starships...
I take it you don't know what a Quan'Phi is. I'll explain later. In due time.

#### **Starbases**

Just like the one in which you stand right now. It feels old, doesn't it? Well, you'd be right. These ancient constructs were built before the Fall. They served as trade hubs and stop points for the many civilizations of the galaxy. Over millenia, they've fallen into disrepair, but some are still functional in its near entirety, and most are inhabitable, like yours. What's more, they are the flickering candle that holds off the darkness for many...
The lower floors of the Station's core. You've never been there, have you? The whole section has been sealed off for a thousand years. Who knows what happened? An asteroid probably crashed into it long ago and disabled life support. You simply sealed off the area and continued as if nothing happened. But you see, that section is important. According to the ancient design of the Starbases, that area of the Station houses the Psi Engine.
No, the station cannot engage in FTL, mortal. A shame, I know. But it can do something else. See, even before the Shadow Upon the Path, FTL travel was not always guaranteed. From time to time, Warp Storms would form: violent emanations of psionic energy raging across the Immaterial Plane. They throw the Hyperlinks into disarray. Back then, it would make FTL a pain. Today, it would isolate star systems caught in its effect completely, as the already unstable Paths become absolutely impossible to navigate. As such, the advanced civilizations of the time built the massive Psi Engines into their Starbases, capable of stabilising the Hyperlinks when needed. It's a shame that yours was destroyed, as it could have allowed you to safely travel into systems a couple of light years away without much issue.
The remains of the old Nations of the Stars only survive by clinging on to these Starbases. I'll tell you in detail what you are expected to find out there. For now, know that Starbases with disabled Psi Engines are common, as the blueprints have been long lost, and the technology can no longer be recreated, only maintained. The stations serve a variety of purposes: military bases, smugglers' bases, pirate strongholds, interstellar trade hubs, arenas...the possibilities are many, and you'll come across fully inhabited space stations quite often in your travels. Most importantly, these stations are the only sort of place where you'll find the industrial prowess require to manufacture your much needed gear.

#### **Abandoned Starbases**

Very few Starbases like yours are no longer operational, but there is a multitude of abandoned Starbases of a different design out there. They used to belong to one of the old empires, the Daazen. The stations must've served a more particular purpose, one that required a much more sensitive Psi Engine, because when I cast the Shadow Upon the Path, every single one of those Psi Engines could not resist the psionic emanation of my power, and was violently destroyed. The crews definitely could not resist. However, the stations themselves did survive, and are out there. They must hold technological relics and plenty of resources to those who dare approach them. Be warned, however: even though the inhabitants of these stations are long dead, their AI controlled defenses are probably still active. Reaching the treasures these tombs hold will still require great care, and a battle or two. I do suggest you check at least a few of them out, if and when you have a fleet strong enougn to capture them. These places could give you some insight into the Daazen people, before you inevitably meet them out there...

#### **Capital Ships**

The vast majority of systems, as I stated, have a hostile fleet that will oppose you. Some, however, add to this: some groups of scavengers have managed to build from scrap their own flagship: massive vessels with high destructive power. From what I've seen, the blueprints for these are actually very standardized, as these savages would be uncapable of designing their own ship, and only use models created before the Fall. The Chariot model is quite popular, for instance: it has a 360 degrees rotating turret. Very powerful.
There is no doubt to be had that these are dangerous, yet valuable targets. If you defeat one of these, you will most certainly find useful technological artifacts, not to mention raw resources, scrap and credits. With a well thought out plan and a veteran, well designed and properly fitted fleet, you can take these titans on, and reap the rewards of victory.

#### **Wormholes**

These natural constructs do not exist within the Immaterial plane, and are a product entirely of the Material Universe. I thought briefly about using them as a reliable source of FTL, but it takes massive amounts of energy to create one, and stabilising it was not possible with the level of technological advancement that existed before the Fall. It only shows that we still have much to learn.
Despite this, these things can be rather useful to you. Wormholes can very well connect star systems on opposite ends of the galaxy, allowing you to instantly travel across ridiculous distances. As such, use them to your benefit. But be careful: remember that every star system you'll come across will most likely have a defense fleet, and you never quite know what you'll find on the other end of one of these.

#### **Planets**

  Once the initial opposition has been cleared out, the worlds of a star system are yours for the taking. If you equip your ship with probes, exploration drones and surface scanners, things an exploration vessel like the Event Horizon cannot go without, you can search planets for resources: rocky planets may have minerals, ancient Terran planets may contain scattered remnants of technological components, gas giants have elements that can be converted into fuel. And all of them have the potential to hold technology you can use.
It saddens me that despite every single star systems being inhabited, very few planets are effectively colonized. There are plenty of worlds filled with fauna and flora out there, but the sentient races of the galaxy have been voidborne for a long time, their body structure and genetics adapted to the low pressure and low gravity conditions of space. Without mastery of genetic engineering, making planetfall can only be achieved by use of mechanical means. Perhaps one day, you or your descendants can touch the surface of a world once again, breathe its untouched air, gaze upon its untainted landscape: I would consider such a great step towards the restoration of prosperity in my galaxy...
But enough day dreaming now. Let's simply hope for the best, and move on.

#### **Empires**

The embers of the old Flame still burn. They dim with every minute that passes, fading away slowly yet steadily. But somehow, they endure. They have endured for 2000 years.
The Psi Engine of a Starbase allows for interstellar travel around a small periphery centered on its home station's star system. It's as such that the old Starborne people of my galaxy still hold on. Their empires collapsed long ago, during the Fall, but ever since, tiny pocket realms spread out across the galaxy have remained, attempting to preserve their culture, hoping to one day reunite, and prosper again. You will come across countless of these in your travels. Maybe you'll feel generous and share the FTL technology with them...or perhaps you feel that only your people should possess such power. Either way, contact with these races and cultures will be inevitable, as they stockpile useful technology that will allow you to grow stronger and more adaptive. After so long, they have fallen to the same primal fears that befell upon those outside their territories. Again, very few can be reasoned with. You must either pacify them through force, or somehow gain their trust by defending their interests, in order to gain access to their powers.

#### **Technology**

Technology is the means by which mortal races of my galaxy master this realm of mine. No prayers will assist you in times of dread, mortal, for the only God that can answer is me, and I have no intention to. So you should value that which is your only weapon and your only shield, which is your knowledge. In the end of the day, should you survive a close battle, it will be by the strenght of your shields and the calibration of your lasers, not by my divine hand.
The Event Horizon is an exploration ship, and as such, an on-board, fully fuctional laboratory is a strict requirement for your fleet. Remember that adaptation and continuous growth are your only hope of survival, and you can only do so by developing your abilities and equipment constantly. With a lab, you can reverse engineer the bits of technological artifacts you find in your travels: still functioning components among debris, decipherable blueprints, operation manuals...all these things and more, you'll find quite valuable. Be sure to install translating technology as well: the people of the Stars speak many languages, and you don't have the time to learn them all. Your AI will learn them on the fly, when you encounter them.
It's a sad state of affairs, but it is necessary. I do not usually put much value in recycling old technology. But denying you the right to do so would be a violation of my standards of practicality: the benefits are clear as day, and it's right there for the taking. I do, however, hope that you do not rely on salvaging knowledge once your quest is over. You'll have everything needed to stabilise the galaxy and then start research of your own. Discover things that those before you did not, as it was meant to be done.

#### **Star Ingredients**

"Star Ingredient" is an umbrella term I'm sure you're at least partly familiar with, as it is quite widespread across the galaxy. It refers to any particularly rare and valuable resource: it can range from an almost non existent, very strong alloy, to a really eficient fuel, or to a rare strain of bioware. These ingredients will usually be fundamental to the process of particularly large or complex feats of engineering, such as the construction of capital ships or the manufacturing of top performance ship components. Star Ingredients will also usually serve as a trading currency with smugglers. So, be sure to get your hands on some of these. Defeating a Capital Ship is, for example, a sure way to get at least one of these valuable resources.

#### **Combat**

Of course. You'll find plenty of combat out there. You're not the only one attempting to survive, after all.
See, mortal, Lak'Hma is a Goddess of War. For her, it is everything. War is simply life itself. And her mortals know that. All of their battle ultimately serves the single purpose of pleasing the Red Lust, She who sits upon the throne of skulls. Every swing of a sword, every firing of a missile, every activation of a laser, is worship. Blood is her sacrifice, warcries her holy prayers, generals and warlords her holy men.
Am I that much different?
I can be a God of War as well. Not every swing of a sword is like a prayer to me, but some might be. Those who fight with raw instinct, relying on nothing more than their basic reflexes and a vague sense of what they are actually doing, are not praying to me. But those who fight firmly and with dedication, those who clean their mind from primal inclinations and take their every step with cold, calculated precision? They are praying to me, in a way.
I am the God of Progress, Science and Rationality. Of sheer, dedicated ambition. Such endeavours show themselves in war as well. When a follower of The Architect fights, he fights with distant, thoughtful effort. He doesn't take pride in the sound of firing rounds. Rather, he takes pride in knowing every single one of those bullets has a purpose: to distract the enemy, to force him to dodge into a vulnerable position, and obviously, to pierce his armor. When the target is hit, he doesn't smile in knowing the destruction he caused, or the pain he inflicted on the crew of the enemy vessel. Rather, he smiles in knowing that the shot hit because he fired it right: he had his AI properly calculate the expected trajectory, he had his automated force properly load the round onto the weapon, and he had the trigger pulled at just the right moment. When his laser makes contact with the hull of the enemy, he doesn't celebrate the sensation of melting the alloy, nor does he crave to incinerate his foe. Rather, he celebrates that he calibrated his weapon to peak efficiency, properly maintained it in preparation for the battle, and fired at just the right distance to maximize the time of contact, while making sure not a single joule of energy goes to waste. And when his opponent is finally defeated, he does not value his work because he spilled blood in the name of his god, nor is he taken to bliss by bringing death upon a fellow mortal. Rather, he values his work because he outsmarted his opponent. He made every right decision, and properly exploited the poor ones his foe made. He beat him at the game, and achieved victory. Fulfilled his ambition.
Such is my call, mortal. The strive towards perfection, the fine tuning of your craft to the highest form of efficiency, and the delight in knowing every step of the way was essential, as it brought you closer to your goal.
The laboratories are my holy temples. The instruction manuals are my sacred texts. The fires of industry are my rituals. The scientists are my holy men, the great geniuses, my righteous prophets! And war is but yet another holy endeavour, in which you show the world all that you've learned. That is what I stand for. You could argue I crave worship from mortals, just like the Red Lust. But alas, in my case, the "worship" you perform only benefits you, and your objectives. Such is why I never respond to prayers: if your "prayer" was done in your benefit, you simply dedicated it to me out of respect, for we share the same values. And if your prayer failed to have any sort of pragmatic, tangible outcome, then it was not worth my time to begin with. It's a rather good system, don't you think? Truly, I only help those who help themselves: and even then, I only provide advice and insight: anything you actually want done, you will do it yourself. You are unworthy of my attention or my help if you think I owe you anything just because you bowed to me. You disrespect your own capabilities, and waste my precious time. I never wanted mortals to bow. I want them to act. To live.
So, my advice in combat: keep a cold head. Fight without compassion, and without hatred. Study your foes. Adapt to every situation. Always be prepared. Know how to play the game, and you will beat it. And I, as the Game Master, will congratulate you on your success. You needed only some guidance: your achievements will be your own.
Be very careful, mortal. Now that I am here, watching closely over my domain, Lak'Hma is probably uncapable of intervening without me noticing. But just in case, you must stay vigilant. As I just told you: "fight without compassion, and without hatred". I said this for a reason: such matters can easily be exploited by the Red Lust. Do not devolve into a mindless killing machine during your battles across the cosmos. Resisting is taxing, but far from impossible. And I know you can do it.

### **They are**

The tiny alien empires you'll find are countless in their numbers, but all of them descend from the handful of cultures that dominated the galaxy before the Fall. Despite hoping to ascend to greatness once again, they no longer have much knowledge of the world outside their borders. They barely remember each other as anything more than friends or foes from an era long gone. They're but shadows of what they once were. However, they hold the technology you will require, so you must confront them. Their customs and traditions vary wildly depending on who they descend from, but I'll try to give you a rough summary of the factions that inhabit the galaxy today.
Keep in mind: while their empires will be free of hostile scavengers, they will most certainly be defended by their armies. And they will likely not welcome a stranger such as yourself kindly into their home...

#### **Free Stars**

A "one size fits all" term to describe the uncountable star systems that are not controlled by an alien empire that existed before the Fall. Naturally, ever since the Star Nations collapsed, the number of Free Stars increased significantly. Because they lack any sort of unified government beyond their solar dominions, each system acts independently from each other. They are not strictly a faction, but they all share a common trait: unpredictability. The Free Stars have technology, vessels and cultures taken from all the different empires. It's basically impossible to know exactly what to expect when you fight them. They mix several different combat styles and equipment. However, because they lack grand organization or tactics, they are no more of a threat than the rest.

#### **Veniri**

==== The original human civilization of this galaxy, who adapted to integrate other alien species humans encountered along the way, either by force or peaceful assimilation. The result is an alliance of the xenophilic young races of the galaxy, standing together to survive and make a name for themselves among the much older species of my domain. The governenments of the particular pocket empires descended from them vary a bit based on what I've seen, but they all tend to be more democratic than the rest. The Veniri survived, even thrived, under the ideals of cooperation and equality among all sentient beings, and it seems most pocket empires descended from this culture still hold on to that ideal. When facing the Veniri, you will find yourself against simple, yet effective impulse cannons and lasers.

**Bushrak** ====
A group of post-singularity, sentient AIs of unknown origins. Before the Fall, they were at peace with the many organic races of the galaxy, but ever since, it seems they have devolved into a war mongering lot bent on the destruction of all carbon based lifeforms. So, special care will be required dealing with them. Their weapons mainly consist of advanced laser technology and missile weaponry, both short and long range. They've been at war with the Veniri for millenia before the Fall, and ever since, their bickering rivalry still survives, albeit as a distant memory in the minds of both of these cultures. The Bushrak also have a relationship with the Jurgans, ever since the Bushrak attempted to integrate their biotechnology into their components, with...successful, yet unpredictable results.

#### **Korerans**

They are still like children compared to the Daazen or the Unknown, yet because they have traveled the cosmos for longer than the many species of the Veniri, they think quite highly of themselves. The Korerans are a race of tall humanoid beings, who despite being independent creatures, are bonded together by a strong psionic link that ties all Koreran...or at least is used to. Nowadays, each single tiny kingdom has its own, isolated network. When facing them, you ought to expect laser weaponry and heavy use of drones.

#### **Taraniak**

These creatures evolved in space for millions of years. The Unknown may be the first sentient race of the galaxy, but these were the first creatures to travel the stars. They are animals, basically...an insectoid species whose voidborne capabilities are quite extensive. The cosmos truly is their home. They were the least affected by the Fall: they always lived in small and isolated communities. If anything, they've prospered, as the other civilizations lack the organization to attack them and reduce their numbers. They can't actually construct space stations, and the ones they possess were probably conquered before the Fall, when they belonged to a race of sentient beings. The Broods are quite vicious in their protection of their home...

#### **Sayjix**

They used to be a technocratic civilization hellbent on matching the technological and scientific might of my chosen race. Now, they've fallen into a dark abyss, guarding their tech and living in devotion to it as if it's their religion. Truly, it's a great height they've fallen. Once you enter their systems, you will likely be regarded as a barbaric savage looking to raid them.

#### **Jurgans**

A fungoid lifeform. They adapted to space long ago, much like the Taraniak. Yet unlike them, the fungal colonies of the Jurgans are linked together into a single psionic counsciousness. The more biomass available, the stronger the Hive Mind becomes. The Galaxy spanning Jurgan Hive Mind that lived before the Fall was the most powerful individual entity ever spawned in my galaxy, and the only one who could understand me in my true form. She began as a tiny fungal colony drifting in an asteroid...
Respect the humble Jurgan, mortal. For it has ascended from slime, to God.
Of course, that Hive Mind is gone. The Shadow Upon the Path made her existenceimpossible. Her psyche shattered into a million pieces, that now control the pocket empires (or rather, infestation sites), where the Jurgans once thrived. The more of them you kill, the more instinctive and irrational the Hive Mind becomes. Much like the Taraniak, none of the Starbases the Jurgans possess are their own. They were all infected by the fungus growth and conquered. So, once you capture one for yourself, you will be looking at some extensive purging efforts if you actually want to use them.

#### **Zumbalari**

A race of spiritual seekers, who believed that through unity and cooperation, they could spread their faith to the galaxy and ascend to godhood. That belief is mostly dead now: most empires that descend from Zumbalari are theocratic oppresive regimes that enforce their doctrine on their people and their foes alike. You're a heretic in their eyes, and you'll be confronted with religious fervor once you enter their territory.
And before you meet them and have a crisis of faith: no, they do not understand the true nature of the Immaterial Plane, and no, they cannot ascend through prayer and worship. They're fanatics, like most of the people in my galaxy today.

#### **Neganari**

The Neganari are a young species who briefly cooperated with the multi species alliance of the Veniri, but soon defected out of a belief in their own superiority. They're short reptilian beings based around a strict martial society under the control of a military junta. At least, all the realms I've seen descended from them are as such. They respect might more than they pride themselves in their own arrogance, however, so if you best them in battle, they just might consider you an equal, or at least worthy enough not to be shot on sight.

#### **Daazen**

An ancient enemy of my mortal race, the Daazen battled them across the millenia. Even the times of peace were marked by betrayal, deception and espionage. The Daazen worship a pantheon of Gods who are most certainly not real, but I do suspect my dear friend Lak'Hma can be the one behind their fixation with slaughter. Thankfully, ever since the Fall, they have been pacified: the strive for survival has eased the hatred in their hearts, and they are now open to reason. That's why I asked you to pay careful attention to their abandoned Starbases. If you learn enough about how they behave and what they believe, you might make a good impression, and find yourself some allies who you can share your precious technology with.
If you ever manage to make contact with them, as a token of good faith, tell them this: "The Weaver of Worlds has slain the Goddess. The Blood Rivers flow no more. The Great Burden is yours no longer."
Trust me, they'll understand.

#### **Unknown**

My wayward disciples...the Galaxy has forgotten their name. Only I kmow it, and I wilo not utter it. They dishonored me greatly, they plunged my Creation into darkness, and they still hold on to their despicable practices. They're your there, far from your Home System. I feel them. They still crave blood. They still crave death.
Let them remain without name for the rest of their miserable existence. They've shown redemption is beyond them. Whatever the Red Lust did, her spell has remained unbroken for too long for me to hold on to hope. Kill them. Kill them all. May the Future hold nothing for their kind but death and decline.

#### **The Empire**

A renegade faction that split from Human civilization during their early history as a space travelling race. They are a xenophobic faction who hold Human supremacy and their righteous rule over the Galaxy and all its inferior Xenos as their ideal. They will not welcome you, however: being human is required for them to show any sort of respect, but it's not enough. For them, you are still a savage scavenger looking to raid their worlds, kill them all and threaten their "prosperity". Before the Fall, they were engaged in a grand crusade to kill all the Taraniak and Jurgan of the galaxy, seeing them as unholy abominations, even more so than the sentient alien races. Their crusade ended 2000 years ago, as a failure, but their anger still burns.
Tsk tsk. Hate. Happiness is fleeting. Sadness is temporary. Despair is overcome. But hate...you lot are very good at holding on to hate.

#### **The Swarm**

Glorious creatures. The design originated from Lak'Hma's galaxy, actually. With great effort, I managed to convince her to lend me the template, although at a...cost.
I improved upon it. The original is a mindless beast seen among Lak'Hma's mortals as a demigod of War. I decreased its natural aggression, improved its neural capacity, and gave it a stronger psionic potential. The result is the glorious Quan'Phi, a massive wormlike creature with great power and capabilities. The mortal races refer to them as "Jormugandr", but the capital ships of the Swarm faction are actually the individuals of the species. Their underbelly has countless tendrils that graciously manipulate matter, allowing them to craft technology. They construct automatons called "Wormships", which are in essence their metal offspring. So, they actually build their kwn Starbases. A remarkable creature, you will understand once you see it.
But the Quan'Phi are still not sentient, and will fight you as an invader.
As I mentioned, you can perhaps find one at a Rescue Beacon. They are very clever creatures, with a deep connection to the Immaterial Plane, so much that some exceptionally rare individuals can navigate the mess of hypeelinks and travel across the galaxy. They are very weakened as they distance themselves from their brethren, however, so if you find a lone Quan'Phi near your home system, it will be at its weakest. Still, you should not underestimate this creature.

#### **The Syndicate**

An alliance of several races. Some older, like the Korerans, others younger, such as humans. The Syndicate is less of an empire, and more of a criminal organization. Truly, their whole hierarchy and customs make them seem like a very organized faction of pirates. Their politics are simple: the one with a bigger army and more money gets to rule. Of course, they still have to rule themselves, because ever since the Fall, they cannot plunder other empires anymore, but it would appear than for more than 2000 years, their traditions have remained virtually the same regardless, which to me is quite strange. Truly, in the galaxy the outlandish happens eventually, given enough time.
The Syndicate values strenght, as you can imagine. So if you show these thugs how well you fight, you can earn their friendship.

**Contagion**

The truly hostile creature that roams at the corner of each regions in galaxy. They're alive, same as The Jurgans and Taraniak. But, they're￼ the most hostile at the galaxy.

(NEED TO IMPROVED)

### **The Void Calls**

It is the duty of any good father to place a blessing upon his children and wish them the best of luck in the world they are about to face. But alas, I am no father, and you are not my child. So instead, I will give you wisdom.

The Universe is anytning but chaotic, mortal. If you know what you're doing, the consequences that your actions have, the possibilities can be endless.
But be warned: the Void is a kind lover to those that respect its strenght...and a cruel mistress to those that do not. The Stars value strength, bravery, cunning, tenacity and ingenuity, but they also value humility. Expect no consideration from the Dark Frontier if at any point, you find yourself falling into hubris.
Do not allow arrogance to consume you, human. It will be your doom.

You know, it's almost universal among the mortal species of the galaxy to look at space travel as a journey of self discovery. An activity that not only revevals the reality of the world, but also the reality of the self. So, if you venture out there, you might be looking to find your meaning, your sense, your ultimate place in the Universe. And that being the case, let me share with you something I've learned over these eons.
I used to think that I would only be fulfilled when I built a timeless eden of a civilization, that even the Old Ones would envy. But I learned otherwise as the galaxy flourished: I saw tiny creatures just as lost as I was, desperately searching the Universe for clues as to what they were meant to do, what they were meant to become. And as I watched them battle and conspire, build and dream, destroy, conquer, expand, trade, research and grow, I longed for the moment I would finally reach my dream. And when the glorious harmony that existed before the Fall was established, I was still a long way off from matching the Old Ones. Yet...I felt like I was complete. As I looked back and thought of everything that led to that point, I realized my purpose was not to be perfect, but to endlessly strive towards it.
Live for the moment, mortal. Think of the future, but do not allow that to taint the present. Take joy from the particular adventure you're having, rather than the one you could be having in the future. Enjoy the adrenaline of battle. Appreciate every day, for each day makes you better, more experienced and more mature. Value the steps you take, and look back at them with pride. Because again, perfection cannot be obtained...and perhaps that's the way it should be.
If you're thinking you'll find meaning under a rock in a star system at the center of the galaxy, I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but your findings (or lack thereof) will disappoint you. You will not find meaning by winning any particular battle, or scavenging any particular planet, or discovering any particular technology. But if you win enough battles, and scavenge enough planets, and research enough technologies, you might one day look back to everything you've achieved and realize that your meaning was always there to begin with, and you never had to go looking for it.

Now wake up, human. Take to the stars. Step outside of this prision. Break the chains that bind you. Pilot your ship, pilot your destiny! I wonder what you shall do out there. I salute you, captain. May the Event Horizon travel far and wide, and may you find whatever it is you truly seek.

## A Space Scientist's Perspective on the Biology of The Swarm

Of the many races that inhabit the galaxy none have managed to encapsulate my interest so much as The Swarm has. They are one of nature's most fascinating examples of "Void Ecology", life originating from the void of space. We once believed they were a diverged subspecies of Taraniak however our most recent scientific expeditions have put these long standing theories into doubt. If our theories are true, The Swarm is to be one of the oldest races in the universe. The Swarm appears to be a single species full of insectoids in different life stages growing over the course of hundreds of thousands of millenia.

First, you must understand where they are found to understand why they grow the way they do. Many of these insects spend the beginnings of their lives hatching as nymphs deep inside of icy bodies in the Oort Cloud of a solar system. Inside of these icy bodies the nymphs devour the various frozen organic molecules surrounding them. We have noticed these icy bodies almost always contain exactly what the nymph needs for growth, perhaps due to their parent's picky nature of finding suitable nesting grounds. The nymph will continue to consume as much ices as possible before growing to the next stage.

On emergence, the nymph will begin to take on a familiar form that we associate with the "Bug." It is not known percisely why this is the only life stage with wings. Perhaps they are vestigial structures from a time where The Swarm inhabited the much more dense rings of gas giants before they were driven out by other races colonizing them. Regardless, they have little use for propulsion and instead the Bug waits for many years at a time to find new asteroids to latch on to before consuming them entirely. During this time, they remain in a deep hibernation until they sense radiation from an upcoming object. While they perfer icy bodies they can also sometimes latch on to and consume metal rich asteroids which they use to thicken their skin into a hard shell. Sometimes the Bug may mistake a passing ship for an asteroid and start chasing it. When an "asteroid" is found the Bug spits out a highly corrosive acid that can dissolve through many types of materials. The primary use of this acid spit is to consume material however they also use it when competing against other Bug's for food. This is also the stage of life where they mate and lay eggs inside of other icy bodies. If one of these icy bodies happens to be an extrasolar object it may travel to another system and spread the species much further beyond it's intended location. Despite having completed mating and fulfilling their darwinian goal they continue to grow more, and more, and drastically more.

After many, many, years of living as a "Bug" they transition to a "Crab" named for their rapidly growing claw-like teeth. After growing in size and status the Bug will grow appendages which fuse consumed gas and expel it at very high speeds rearwards allowing it to rapidly take over asteroids and consume them. Their acidic spit becomes a ray of hot plasma to cut through asteroids and find more desirable materials. How they managed to fuse hydrogen and create this heat is one of the many mysterys science still hasn't solved. By this point the population of The Swarm begins to drop as the Crab consumes other smaller Crabs. The wings fall off as the Crab learns to propel itself by it's "thrusters" and their aggression becomes more noticeable to outsiders in the Swarm dominated space as Crabs actively seek out to destroy passing ships believing them to be rivals. As they consume more and more they begin to grow in length and grow harder shells and teeth. They also grow segments which grow more "thrusters" and more armor.

Finally after many years of consuming the Crab continues to grow in length until it can be classified as a "Wormship". Wormships grow so large they begin consuming local planetoids over long periods of time. They have a tendency to favor the moons of gas giants thanks to their favorable organics concentration. While they are still aggressive they begin to stop consuming members of their species once all other members of their "ship class" dies out. From then on it establishes its position as the alpha of the solar system and begins protecting younger swarmlings from outside aggression whether they be military ships, commercial ships, civilian ships, or other wormships. It also begins to become large enough that smaller members of it's species begin hitching a ride on it and consuming space material with it. Other crabs continue to fight amongst each other to establish dominance however they all eventually develop a hive mentality surrounding the dominant wormship where they begin to act together as one all consuming swarm. Here is the base of The Swarm's society and more often than not the wormships eventually die either from outside assault from other factions or they get consumed by larger wormships. Once the alpha dies the other members, usually the Crabs, begin to compete again for dominance. If a wormships runs out of food they will travel towards another star system with the other members of their species hitchhiking along and putting themselves in a hibernative state. Usually this is where things end for a Swarmling's life cycle. They continue to travel through space finding more asteroid and planetoids to consume until one of the previously mentioned events happen. Many don't live long enough nor find enough consumables to reach the final stage.

If in spite of all odds the Wormship continues to live and thrive then they will continue to grow. It is assumed Swarmlings never stop growing for the longer they live the more segments and larger teeth and hotter blasts of plasma they have. It is already rare enough for captains to report the magnificent sight of a wormship and it's thriving swarm community so they are left at no words to describe what is seen next. If a wormships grows large enough to encircle an entire planet they are reffered to as a "Jormungandr". The name comes from an ancient pre space age human word meaning "World Serpent". They are amongst the most terrifying and yet oddly beautiful things that exist in the galaxy. A single Jormungandr can be easily many millions of years old. Many veteran captains have spent many life times searching for these stunning creatures to no luck. It is not known if they are truly that rare because of the specific circumstances needed for them to reach this size, or because unfortunately many said captains searching for these creatures never return... and neither does anyone else for that matter. Despite their legendary status, they are very real and very much a threat to all life in their interstellar neighborhood. Because of their astronomical size they must constantly consume resources in massive amounts to sustain their appetite. Claims go around of enraged Jormungandr single handedly wiping out entire capital fleets flawlessly and devouring holes through planets. Even with one being threatening enough they are also almost never alone, they are The Swarm after all. Even the previously mentioned mighty wormships stand no chance before a Jormungandr and have no choice but to either submit to one and fly along it's side or be ruthelessly devoured whole without any form of mercy. Even the most stubborn of empires will have to evacuate their entire stellar neighborhood immediately if a Jormungandr is spotted approaching them.

There have been rumors among the factions that one can tame a member of The Swarm if captured while young, offered extensive resources, and continously kept in check by an act of aggression on a reasonable scale. If one were to grow one large enough they would be an unstoppable threat to the galaxy at large. With that being said, the implications of this are too terrifying to continue pondering on about. Thankfully, there haven't been any reported cases of this yet.