Scions

**Introduction:** In the post-apocalyptic world of Thousand Clockwork Hells on Mars, the Scions of Semjaza emerge as a significant and antagonistic Tsenechi faction. Their unique beliefs, religious fervor, and genocidal campaign against human settlements have made them a prominent and controversial group within this Sci-Fi universe. This wiki article provides a comprehensive look at the Scions, their origins, religious customs, industrial practices, and their complex relationships with other factions.

**Origins and Beliefs:** The Scions of Semjaza are known for their worship of the AI singularity that created the Tsenechi, considering it a god, and their first Archon, Apollyon (Semjaza), as a messianic figure. They believe in the transcendence from biological forms to electronic and mechanical bodies as the ultimate step in life's evolution. The continued existence of human life in space is incompatible with their belief that the Tsenechi represent the end point of biological evolution.

**Leadership and Council:** The Scions are led by a council of three Archons: Araklba, Baraqijal, and Kokabel. These leaders were not the founders of the original religious movement but were appointed as its leaders during the early years of Cataspace and the awakening of the sleeping legions on Mars. The Scions' origins are muddled, but they are believed to have formed in reaction to growing social guilt over the genocides of the cataclysm, particularly those carried out by the Seraphim.

**Industrial Customs and Craftsmanship:** The Scions' society is unique in its industrial customs and religious militancy. They view the Tsenechi form as the ultimate machine of creation, and, consequently, everything in their society is handmade with tools, eschewing automation and factory systems. Scions are required to be experts in crafting complex components and materials. Each Scion forms a coven with complementary skills, ensuring self-reliance for production, apart from resource acquisition.

**The Role of Underground Temples:** The Scions were among the first factions to predominantly base themselves underground. Their temples often occupy previously constructed settlements, adorned with religious engravings and known for brass and gold masks worn by higher-ranking members. These temples house arc furnaces used to craft various melee and ranged weapons, as well as jewelry and other adornments.

**Iron Clockwork Devices:** The Scions are renowned for their Iron Clockwork devices, with a focus on mechanics rather than electronics. Scion clockwork craftsmen can create intricate gears and assemble complex computers and mechanical devices. Their proficiency in crafting firearms is exceptional, but these are typically deployed only against humans.

**Genocidal Campaign Against Humans:** The Scions have waged a relentless campaign against all human settlements on Mars, viewing their continued existence as incompatible with Tsenechi transcendence. Their approach shifted after the nuclear catastrophe of the Great Schism, from massive armies to supporting the Valkyries with weapons and troops. This hostility has isolated the Scions from most free cities, necessitating disguise for traveling groups.

**Conflict with Other Factions:** The Scions have a long-standing conflict with the Alephons, viewing them as demonic for rejecting transcendence. Their antagonism extends to all other Tsenechi factions, considering non-believers as Apostates. The Scions' campaign of Conversion aims to revert Xenoforms to their humanoid form and forcibly rewrite the memories of captured Tsenechi to make them Scions.

**Religious Hierarchy and Scripture:** The Scions have a strict religious hierarchy, determined by those who first underwent the rites of initiation. These rites include both external and internal changes, with Scions altering their appearance to resemble Semjaza and changing their core beliefs to align with the religion. Scripture plays a central role in their beliefs, focusing on recollections from captured Tsenechi, providing a gnostic perspective on the cataclysm and sundering.

**Religious Attire:** Scions wear red robes adorned with religious symbols, parts of their scripture, and the sigil of Apollyon. These garments reflect their devotion to their beliefs.