Vakonawa

> "You wish to inquire of the genesis of the Amaya Paradoxia, that which you call the Vakonawa? I am afraid that I do not know much about their provenance, other than the certitude that they came into existence during the Era of Radiation, of which it is during the Era of Matter that they had consolidated the forms which have become familiar to you."
>
> Dynast of the Anastari Realm of Nëarya, Tar-Fenya III

Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads.

## Biographical Information

### Titles

Metus Humanitatis, Amaya Paradoxia, Devorator Ameno

## Physical Description

### Height

Planetary Height

The **Vakonawa** (Standard Corsair: *Lamon Nahas*; Stanislavan: *Sognuteyya Zmey*), infamously known in Imperial Records as the **Dread of Civilization** (Oratio Ecclesiastica: *Metus Humanitatis*), in Anastari Records as the **Children of the Serpent** (Reshamayen/Amayaresh: *Amaya Paradoxia*), and in Federation Records as the **Devourer of Moons** (Federation Standard: *Devorator Ameno*) is the oldest member of the supra-reptilian family of Cosmic Serpents which are endemic to the Exodus Diocese of the Milky Way Galaxy. The Vakonawa is by far the largest species of supra-reptiles known to humanity, with the shortest recorded absolute height of Vakonawa being around 3,000 ft tall, that being of an infant. The Vakonawa is also one of the few non-humanoid species capable of Psionics through the Preternaterium.

As a result of their enormous size and strength, the Vakonawa dominates over every ecosystem they had ever inhabited, devouring any creature and even devastating any environment it sees fit. It is unclear how the Vakonawa are able to sustain the enormous dietary needs its body requires, though some speculate that the Vakonawa feeds off of dark matter, a component which encompasses much of the known universe. Some even go further as to state that the Vakonawa is able to breathe by consuming dark energy, and hence is classified as an Omnidweller. a living being which can live in most, if not, all environments.

The origins of the Vakonawa are spectacularly unknown, especially for being a creature of its caliber. Given their name, some Chelovayyans have speculated that the Vakonawa were created by the Great Anathema, which has been dubbed by Imperial Anthropologists as the Serpent Progeny Theory. Damning evidence of this theory is that the Anastari themselves have referred to them as the "Amaya Paradoxia", which is translated to Anglian as the "Children of the Serpent". However, the Vakonawa are not considered to be explicitly evil by their nature. Instead, it has been surmised that the Vakonawa see themselves as part of the Cycle of Life and Death of the Universe. Regardless, the Vakonawa are believed to have free will, and act in accordance with the total capacity of their mental faculties.

During the First Epoch, the Vakonawa have become a near-extinct dying species, with very few of its members surviving to the Third Epoch. It was once believed that the Galactic Federation, through force-of-arms, had caused their decline in the region. However, access to the records of the Federation Archives has proven that the Vakonawa were already nearing extinction by the 9th Galactic Mandate, hundreds of thousands of years before the Age of Apocrypha. The last known surviving member of the Vakonawa species is Nihline's Cherished, a Familiar of the dreaded Matriarch Nihline who caused the Marring of the Norma.

## History

The Vakonawa lived most prominently during the Anno Ante Revelationem, the Age Before Revelation. They came into existence some time at the end of the Era of Radiation, eventually transforming into the familiar serpent-like beings during the Era of Matter. According to extrapolations of certain events, the Vakonawa are said to have migrated to the Exodus Diocese billions of years ago. The Urus-nim, first known humanoid civilization, has left behind ancient relics and artifacts which have depicted the King Amaya-Nār IV leading his armies to fight against what is believed to be a Vakonawa named Nazirvil, which in Amayaresh means "Dreaded End". It is believed that the term "Children of the Serpent", or "Amaya Paradoxia" was actually first used by the Urus-nim, which the Anastari later used as they had no name for them.

It is unclear whether the Great Deceiver actually created the Vakonawa. The leading theory within the Universal Magisterium is that the Great Deceiver bred them into existence to serve as his powerful beasts of war who would wreak havoc across the physical universe, causing ruin and despair to interstellar civilizations which had advanced far enough to attain a higher sense of spirituality. However, some dispute this, claiming that aside from the Anastari, they were the first lifeforms to ever evolve naturally within the Universe.

## Characteristics

The Vakonawa lived near-immortal life spans, similar to that of the Anastari. Some say that even a long millennia is only a mere year in Vakonawa age. The Vakonawa were reptilian beasts that emerged from the mythical past of the Universe. They showed the greatest of physical strengths, and the smartest of intelligences despite their beastly natures. They possessed scales which matched or even outclassed that of the greatest armours of Chelovayyan space vessels. Though they were not invincible, they were near impenetrable to pierce through. The Vakonawa are believed to have rational souls, in spite of their behaviors mimicking that of lesser animals. As they were able to outsmart many of the brightest scholars of countless civilizations, they are noted for being exceptionally intelligent.

It is believed that every Vakonawa by its adolescent years is capable of devouring moons, and some have even been recorded as having devoured stars and entire star systems. The Vakonawa possesses a powerful mouth which can convert all types of matter and energy to feed itself and grow stronger. Unlike other Cosmic Serpents, the Vakonawa were not capable of exhaling energy, only inhaling it. Hence why the Vakonawa have been described as Devourers, as Consumers, and as Eaters. They especially delighted in consuming celestial objects which had lifeforms relying on them to live. However, though as vile as many were, some Vakonawa had no intentions to harm other living creatures, which it had judged as morally reprehensible to do so. As such, it is implied that the Vakonawa has not an inherently ill-nature.

The Vakonawa were most fond of challenging interstellar civilizations with many different tasks. Some of the tasks given by the Vakonawa to these civilizations were to transport large celestial objects to feed them. Others, such as the task given by Nazirvil to the Urus-nim, were to defeat him in combat, as the mighty serpent had the desire for battle at all times. In even rarer cases, some Vakonawa were asked to be worshipped as deities and immortalized in writings by lesser creatures.

Eerily, the Vakonawa were able to learn and speak in any language, especially that of the Seraphic Speech, and utilize several of the language's commands, such as the Persuasive Command, the Forceful Command, and the Foreseeing Command. As such, they could in practice, subjugate lesser creatures by their voice alone, and even have foresight into the future. Nazirvil was the first recorded Vakonawa to be able to utilize the Seraphic Speech. Nihline's Cherished was able to fully learn the Tongue of Anathema just by the touch of Matriarch Nihline's head on his forehead.

## Notable Vakonawa

* **Nazirvil** - The Mighty Serpent who challenged King Amaya-Nār IV to slay him. It is unclear whether Nazirvil was actually defeated in battle by the King's Armies.
* **Paraluman** - The Drake of Great Beauty who is believed to have been the Mother of All Vakonawa. Unlike her descendants, she was believed to have been on friendlier terms with civilizations who were aware of her presence.
* **Black Serpent of Earendea** - The Darkest Vakonawa who terrorized the Star System of Earendea, one of the many former capitals of the Galactic Federation. The Black Serpent of Earendea was slain by the 5th Aelven Expeditionary Fleet led by Admiral Cercass of Aelveya.
* **Nihline's Cherished** - The Last Known Vakonawa Alive. He was the Familiar of Matriarch Nihline, protecting her in combat. He served as the Acting Commander-in-Chief of the 4th Defiant Legion when Matriarch Nihline was not present.