Xyon

**Xyon**, officially known as the **Mikaean Directorate of Xyon**, is a sovereign state spanning the entire surface of the planet of the same name. Xyon is a federal multi-party state run as a totalitarian democracy, with its seat of power located in the capital city of Blackstone. The government exercises its authority over thirty-seven sectors and three federal sectors, which are under the direct control of the Mikaean federal government. The official language of Xyon is Mikaean English. The nation has a total land area of 28,069,408.51 square kilometers (10,837,659.21 square miles), not counting total surface area, making it one of the largest sovereign states ever recorded. Furthermore, Xyon also had an estimated population of 3.331 billion people as of 3985 YM, making it the most populous state known to humanity. The planet of Xyon itself is located in the orbit of Chara, a relatively small yellow dwarf star some twenty-seven light-years away from the Earth. The planet of Xyon itself has no satellites and is about the size of Mars, and revolves its parent star in a slight elliptical orbit. Furthermore, Xyon is the only planet within the orbit of Chara, giving rise to the belief that the planet itself originated as a rouge planet several hundred million years ago.

Very little about Xyon's prehistorical era is known aside from that told by the Mikaeans, who claim that their forefather, Mikael O'Neill – after whom they take their namesake – traveled to the planet from another period of time, and establishing the Mikaean civilization nearly some four thousand years ago. Whether or not that claim is true, it is acknowledged that Mikaean society developed over a period of some four thousand years with little or no evidence of habitation on the planet prior to the purported arrival of Mikael on Xyon. Mikaean society grew from then on out, originating in the Verdant Plains of western Xyon, and spread across the rest of the planet over the next two thousand years during the Blossoming era into a series of familial entities known as households. These houses, consisting of a handful of fertile male Mikaeans and their millions and often tens of millions of female offspring, took over large portions of Xyon, and begin fighting over land and resources in a time known today as the Tribulation era in Mikaean history. This period of conflict lasting from 2000 YM to 3200 YM, resulted in the deaths of countless tens of millions of Mikaeans, and provided insight into the callous nature of the Mikaean psyche. Xyon experienced irregular population growth as a result of these conflicts, as the households on the planet warred on endlessly.

With the beginning of the Great Awakening in 3100 YM by Judas the Great, the Tribulation era had been ended setting off the beginning of the Unification era nearly a century later, during which time much of about Mikaean culture and society would be defined, giving rise to the many philosophical and ideological beliefs of the Mikaeans as a species. Talented artists, musicians, writers, and poets such as Bidina the Elder, Fanchea, Tyrone IV O'Neill, and Marta, were crucial to the formation of the Mikaean arts and literature, ushering in the Mikaean renaissance which came at the end of countless centuries of warfare. Mikaean technological growth and progress advanced steadily in the next nine and a half centuries, as the efficient and productive nature of the Mikaeans had been allowed to grow outside of the battlefield, allowing for many technological innovations to appear long before they had in human society. Xyon was unified during the Unification Wars in the 38th century YM, giving rise to the Mikaean Directorate following the ratification of the Treaty of Chernaya by all of the major Mikaean households. A weak federal government took over the planet, leading to the century-long Shadow Wars, in which crime and corruption blossomed on Xyon. However, with the adoption of the Blackstone Constitution in 3842 YM, true peace and unity had been established across Xyon. Developments in the field of medicine and communications were made at stunning speeds, and the already rigid and inflexible nature of Mikaean culture had been allowed to truly coalesce into a single, homogeneous entity.

In 3921 YM, Xyon developed interstellar flight, allowing them to travel between stars at relatively quick speeds. Xyon discovered no habitable worlds outside of its solar system, with the exception of Earth in 3942 YM. By 3942 YM, first contact had been established with Earth, and official lines of communication opened up between the two worlds. However, tensions remain high between the two worlds, as Xyon, being the more advanced and populous of the two, often asserts itself aggressively in human political affairs. Currently, Xyon is regarded to be at least a full century ahead of humanity technologically, though it relies heavily upon manpower instead of automation. Xyon is major economic and political juggernaut, and classed as a highly-developed country which wields the largest economy by power-purchasing parity and nominal GDP. The nation wields power on a level that classifies it as a hyperpower, and is an active supporter of foreign interventionism. Xyon is a recognized nuclear weapons state in human political circles, and possesses the largest military budget ever recorded. Because of Xyon's overwhelming technological and military strength, preparation against a potential Mikaean invasion of Earth has often dominated many areas of human media and literature.

## Etymology

The name *Xyon* is a corruption of the Hebrew word *Zion* by the first Mikaeans on the planet; a major hill outside of the city of Jerusalem and mentioned in the Bible. The name had been selected by Mikael O'Neill in light of the world's mountainous nature and its pristine environment, almost regarded as holy in O'Neill's eyes, though this information eluded Mikaean historians for centuries until contact with Earth, providing the Mikaeans insight into the meaning behind the name of their planet. Thanks to information providing by religious authorities on Earth, the Mikaeans came to understand Mikael's decision for the name of the planet. Prior to that point, the planet had no name nor a native population, prompting O'Neill to select his own. He had never expected the Mikaeans to call the planet "Xyon", though he adopted the name as the official pronunciation for the world, believing it to be more unique in his view. Before the Mikaeans inhabited the planet, the world was one of a handful of planets colonized by humanity in O'Neill's timeline. During this time, Xyon was known as "Chara Primus", given its location within the Chara star system. After successful temporal travel experiment, O'Neill renamed the planet Xyon, and that has been the name ever since. In the common manner of Mikaean culture and society, the name has not changed from its original spelling and pronunciation, and has remained current throughout the thousands of years of Mikaean history.

Alternatively, the Mikaeans have historically referred to their homeworld as *Family Pride*, as a consequence of their culture and civilization, as well as the methods of their species' reproductive cycle. Though mostly reserved for a liturgical and colloquial usage by Mikaeans, the name Family Pride has typically been utilized by Mikaeans on Earth when referring to their home planet, as well as by homeworld Mikaeans speaking of Mikaean civilization as a whole. Because of the historical reference to the planet by the name of Xyon, the Mikaeans use the term Family Pride to distinguish between their homeworld and the federal government in Blackstone, though this is only common within the general population. Within the government and on all official government papers and documents, both the nation and the planet are referred to by the same name of Xyon. Another traditional name for the planet was *Mikael*, or using the female alternative, *Mikaea*. These two names vary based on the context upon which the Mikaeans speaking of the planet; either when the Mikaeans speak of Xyon as a manifestation of Mikael and his authority over all Mikaeans, or when referring to Mikaean civilization as his daughter in the traditional father-daughter dynamic known to all Mikaeans. The latter is typically utilized when Mikaeans supportive of the federal government are referring to the state as a whole, rather than the planet.

## History

*Main article: History of Xyon*
*See also: Timeline of Mikaean history*
### Embryonic era (1–40 YM)

#### Antiquity

Before the settlement of the planet by the Mikaeans around 1 YM, no evidence of habitation by intelligent life on Xyon has been discovered by archaeologists. The first centers of dwelling sprung up on the western coast of Xyon along the Bay of Mikael, where modern-day Blackstone, Oxida Nova, and Karus are located. Several hundred ancient dwellings are located all along the coastline, and thousands of artifacts such as cooking utensils, statues, and weapons, have since been unearth at those locations, giving rise to the common understanding that the Mikaean Coast was the center of early Mikaean civilization. In accordance with Mikaean history and religious tradition, the oldest of these dwellings was the home of Mikael O'Neill, the father and creator of the Mikaean species. The Blackstone Estate is the earliest known permanent dwelling on the planet, and was built around -32 YM, the same time Mikael was reputed to have traveled to the planet from another point in history, seeking to create the Mikaeans in his image. For the next thirty or so years, Mikael explored the planet, recorded information about the geography, resources, and the flora and fauna, using it to prepare for his original goal of founding a new civilization on Xyon. Likewise, he utilized the time to assemble the equipment, materials, and assorted resources necessary to create the Mikaeans themselves.

Very little information outside of the *Ebon Chronicles*, written by Mikael himself, exists regarding the origins of the Mikaeans. All that is stated by the chronicles, is that Mikael had arrived from another world, with the description given of that world placing it on a similar level as Earth. The Mikaeans were created on Xyon as part of Mikael's desire to set up a civilization that thought and felt as he did, and shared the same philosophies and ideals he had long held throughout his left. One of the more outlandish concepts mentioned in the *Chronicles* is that of temporal manipulation, better known as time travel, which helped to explain the presence of the Mikaeans in a period of time preceding that of their creator's. While little evidence has been found to validate this potential myth, the fact that the Mikaeans refer to humanity directly without having come into contact with them prior to 3942 YM, has given rise to many theories supporting the claims made in the chronicles. Aside from these, the origins of the Mikaeans and their colonization of Xyon come entirely from the *Ebon Chronicles* and whatever records kept by Mikael himself. From these documents, all information linked to the prehistorical periods of Mikaean civilization were recorded to a significant degree.

Colonization of the surrounding lands took place in later periods, with most centers of trade outside of the coastal region, having sprung up during the First Great Diaspora – the time in which the Mikaeans began to spread out; and therefore after Mikael's presumed death in 40 YM. Several ancient tablets and scrolls recording the history of the Mikaean people were unearth outside of Skye, and also carried records of a thriving silk trade from Blackstone to Skye, clearly indicating that the western-most part of the Mikaean Coast had been colonized by at least 480 YM. Evidence as to the settlement of the northern portions of the coast was eventually discovered in 3891 YM, by a group of soldiers assisting a town following an earthquake near the city of Kessler. A bundle of smelted copper dating back to the years following the Embryonic era was forced to the surface following the quake, and was stamped with the seal of the city of Karus and bound for the north according the records found nearby, indicating the existence of a copper trade to the region during the era. Indicative of the growth of Mikaean civilization at the time, much of that growth had been spurred by the actions of Mikael during the time of his direct intervention within the Mikaean population, ensuring that his work was for wasn't for naught. As such, his role was instrumental in the early successes of Mikaean civilization.

The first members of the race, known as the First Sons, were created by Mikael as the catalyst for his Mikaeans. The First Sons would be made up of eight male Mikaeans, each created by Mikael in his physical, mental, and emotional image, all spawned a total of one thousand female Mikaeans each, who became the members of the Aleph Mikaeans, the first existing members of the entire species. With Mikael's intervention, these Mikaeans would be nurtured and their growth accelerated so as to minimize the potential handicap of raising eight thousand Mikaeans with just nine adult individuals. Over the next six years, these Mikaeans would mature into the first contributing members of Mikaean civilization, as farmers, teachers, scientists, and philosophers. All of them would congregate around Mikael's residence, and turn Blackstone into the first true settlement on the planet at the steps of the Blackstone Estate. With the existing technology Mikael possessed, many of the hurdles originally faced by civilizations at the same age of development, were avoided by the Mikaeans and allowed them to be highly productive within a decade of their creation. Rice farming was the first form of agriculture on Xyon due to its highly fertile grounds, constant rainfall ensuring good harvests, and the need for a crop that would serve the particular needs of a potential runaway population growth of the Mikaeans.

The history of the first households is known to have begun immediately after Mikael's death, in line with his instructions that his sons spread out and settle the land. Though these instructions would not be immediately followed due to the political and geographical realities faced by the High Patrons and their daughters, steps would be taken in that direction in harmony with Mikael's final wishes. The first major settlement outside of the coastal region was Ashland in O'Neill, founded in 98 YM, along with several other settlements as time progressed and exploration of the land by scouts returned favorable results. Records kept by House O'Neill show that the first High Patron of the household took time to gather the resources he needed for the journey outside of the modern-day Capital Region. Ashland was the first of several major settlements established outside of Mikaean Coast, and highlighted an important transition in the history of the Mikaean species. This transitional period span from the time of Mikael's death to the formation of the first households outside of the coastline, and the beginning of the later Blossoming era. House O'Neill, House Morgan, and House Arceneaux were the first households established immediately following Mikael's death, and would define Mikaean history as the ancient era of Mikaean civilization drew to a close.

#### Rise of Mikaeanism

During his life, Mikael had been keen to leave the Mikaeans to their own devices with regards to their personal beliefs. During his life, Mikael never truly addressed the issue of faith and religion among his offspring, generally content to leave them to find their own spirituality. In line with that course of action, Mikael wrote the *Mikaean Codex* to serve as a guide to life, though not a set of scriptures for Mikaeans to abide by. With these information, the Mikaeans keenly adhered to his wisdom, though some took a more fundamentalist approach to their belief. In the 17 YM in the settlement of Bastion, an Aleph Mikaean serving as a rice farmer in the hilly regions of the Blackstone Mountains, Anais O'Neill, had risen to a position of prominence as a moral authority on the edicts of the *Mikaean Codex*, using her deep knowledge of the texts to guide her younger sisters in how to live and act as Mikaeans. Anais and her sister, Saint Genevieve, who served as the personal doctor to Mikael himself, had come to believe that Mikael was a divine figure whose personal acts where those of divine providence. Both sisters and their early followers believed that Mikael was an agent of a higher power who was gifted the godlike power and authority to create life in his image, and was worthy of their worship and devotion – not just as his children – but as his devout followers as well. Though records show that Mikael was aware of rumors about the movement's growth, he was ignorant of the true extent of the new cult, as Anais believed that Mikael would deny his godhood, and give the facade of a humble individual so as to avoid worship of himself.

Anais and Genevieve founded the Cult of the Father in their home settlement of Bastion in 17 YM, where Anais gave her first sermon proclaiming the divinity of Mikael under cover of darkness, as the First Sons who had eyes and ears everywhere, were not yet aware of the two sisters and their religious movement. Having imprinted upon them genetically the need for faith, the issue of religion had been a fiercely debated one within Mikaean society of that time, as records recovered from the older regions of Blackstone, Oxida Nova, and Karus have proven. Such was the matter's relevance at the time, that the event known as the Great Convocation took place in 24 YM, involving 350 members of the Cult of the Father, meet in the hilly regions of modern-day Bastion to discuss the possible divinity of Mikael and the manner in which he should be honored or worshiped. With Anais at the lead, the Zealots argued for the establishment of a religious personality cult, while the loosely-organized Materialists under Genevieve, argued that they should follow their father's lead and worship as he did; quietly and privately. The complete details of the topics discussed during the Great Convocation were secretly filed away by the successor Church, though it is known that Anais and her followers won the debate, and moved to establish the religion that would dominate Xyon and Mikaean civilization down to the modern day.

With her victory secured, the movement Anais created began to spread across Mikaean civilization within a few years of its foundation, with its membership exploding in size shortly after Anais and Genevieve wrote the first chapters of their holy text, the *Verunomicon*, which outlined the doctrine of the Cult of the Father. Later on, Mikael would compile and published the *Ebon Chronicles*, an autobiography of his life and works, which also contained a physical proof of his existence, as well as an image of himself and his signature beneath. The text also contained his personal requests to the Mikaeans and the ideals he wished them to follow, effectively and unwittingly giving the cult Anais led, another holy book from the hands of their newly proclaimed deity. Many years following Mikael's death, Mikaeanism would be adopted as the official religion of the several households as per an agreement between several High Patrons and the early Black Cross Church, founded as the organized religious authority based upon Anais and Genevieve's teachings. The religious authority of the church would help to bolster patriarchal power and ground the Mikaeans as a spiritual people. The religious nature Mikael programmed into his children prior to their creation, would ultimately see him become the god they would worship, and has remained so down into the modern day.

#### Death of Mikael

In 40 YM, Mikael O'Neill finally succumbed to a natural death in his sleep in the city of Blackstone. His death shook the very foundations of early Mikaen society, as for the last forty years – the entire history of the Mikaeans at that point – Mikael was the only leader they knew and respected universally. Mikael had deliberately and tactfully avoided giving any order of succession throughout his lifetime on Xyon, seeking to have the Mikaeans find their own path after his death. He kept the Mikaeans within the modern-day Capital Region for four decades so as to guide them until they could create a self-sufficient civilization, with laws, customs, and social ladders. It had been his plan all along to equip them for a life after his had ended, and when it did, as far as he was concerned he had accomplished his objective. Mikael planned no major funeral or memorial for his death, and instead left all matters of how to deal with his body and collection of work and research following his death in the hands of the sons he had created to spawn the Mikaeans.

Though he had died, Mikael had planned out how best aid his children, even after he was gone. Three decades prior to his death, Mikael compiled a list of instructions, edicts, proverbs, and wishes into a book known as the *Mikaean Codex*, which came to serve as the guiding text throughout Mikaean society. This was supplemented by the *Ebon Chronicles*, which Mikael wrote about two years before he died. Within this book, Mikael had compiled all of his wishes, beliefs, actions over his life, and details about the man he was and had been as an autobiography for his children. Mikael wanted his creations to know who he was centuries and even millennia after he died, as well as the ideals he wished them to strive for. Likewise, he also included a strand of his hair and a drop of blood in the original copy he produced, an image of himself, and a signature of his name and the date it was written in, all of which would help to confirm his authenticity as a historical individual. Later copies would all bear his image and signature, and a print image of the bloodstain and strand of hair within a box he left on the first page. The original copy of the *Ebon Chronicles* would be sealed away within a mausoleum built for Mikael not long as his death, to be preserved for posterity.

Among other precautions taken, Mikael created a system that would led, if not to partly help to guide, the Mikaeans after his death. Fully aware of the potential bickering of his eight sons, Mikael had already organized them into a high council known as the Council of High Patrons, which managed the day-to-day affairs of the young Mikaean civilization, specifically when breeding would occur for a new generation of Mikaeans, where cities would be established, and mediating the economic affairs of the new settlements of the region among others. All of the First Sons would be responsible for taking over the reins of Mikaean civilization after Mikael had begun to withdraw more and more from public life as he grew older and frailer. After Mikael died in 40 YM, the council would persist and govern all of the Mikaeans in a unified manner for several decades until the time of the First Great Diaspora. The council would later serve, until the end of the Unification Wars, as an influential if not largely powerless governing body over all of Xyon, and an important counterweight to the power of the Black Cross Church for the centuries to come.

Mikael's death was, given the Mikaeans' ignorance at the time, completely unexpected and unthinkable, even amongst the ranks of the original High Patrons themselves. Following the announcement of Mikael's death in 40 YM, Mikaeans everywhere flocked to Blackstone filling the streets throughout the city. Most estimates of the Mikaean population at the time put the number somewhere around two million, effectively giving Blackstone a population that would not be matched again for some nearly three centuries after. The mourning of Mikael's death lasted for nearly a year, until the eldest son of Mikael and the most senior of the High Patrons, Xavier I O'Neill, abruptly ended the mourning period and ordered his brothers, their offspring, and his own children, to leave the city to return to their homes and normal lives. Mourning of their creator could not blind them to the wishes he left for them to follow in his loss, and had to be accomplished as a way of honoring his will. It would be at the end of Mikael's life that the Embryonic era came to an end, giving rise to the Blossoming era that would dominate Mikaean history over the next two thousand years.

#### Rise of the Households

*Main article: High Patron, Household, and Coterie*
The concept of households, massive families born from and governed by a single patriarch, was established in the wake of Mikael's death. Prior to Mikael's death, the idea of belonging to a distinct family within the population was commonplace, though all Mikaeans viewed themselves as the children of Mikael, rather than the First Sons. However, after his death, household affiliation became an increasingly important concept. Considered a necessary institution, households were created with the aim of helping control the resources of the High Patrons offspring as they grew in size, as well as managing the population of the species in an orderly manner. Though the idea had always existed thanks to the highly singular nature of Mikaean reproduction, all Mikaeans viewed themselves as the children of Mikael, not of his sons. However, with no leader with Mikael's commanding presence to guide them, the teeming masses of Mikaeans turned to their fathers, who each wielded power over hundreds of thousands subservient and utterly devoted offspring, totally willing to follow their father's every command even if it meant their deaths. The eight sons of Mikael each established their own household, consisting of all the children they produced, and any lands where they were the majority. Naturally, this excluded the lands of the Capital Region, where no single house held a majority.

Laws pertaining to the affairs of a household, known as the Patron Accords, were created and agreed upon by the Council of High Patrons in 53 YM, establishing the laws and regulations regarding the use of creches, the formation of smaller familial units known as coteries, and administration of the household's holdfast – the household's administrative center – house guardians and militaries, and customs revolving around the naming and treatment of their offspring. The accords would come to establish what a household was, how it was to be governed, and what rights a household had within the new social order. Naturally, the laws regarding the creation of new households was not included, that it would become a topic of heated debate throughout the coming decades until the rise of the Rouge Fathers in 337 YM; a group of five archons who abandoned their households and founded their own in the yet unknown regions of Xyon. Households such as House Devereux and House Archambeau would be established a consequence of their actions. Until then, the households, the most important and globally impactful institution in Mikaean history, had been established for all posterity.

#### First Great Diaspora

*Main article: First Great Diaspora*
*See also: War of Usurpation*
No sooner had Mikael died paving the way for the Blossoming era, had his sons and their offspring begin to bicker with one another for supremacy. With the death of the only leader their species had ever known, the Mikaeans had begun to fracture and compete for land and resources in the virgin territories beyond the Mikaean Coast. Though the Council of High Patrons was the undisputed authority in all of the lands, its members, all the existing patrons of Mikael at that time, sought to strengthen their own positions in the council and on the planet as a whole. House O'Neill had already begun to expand beyond the coastline, establishing the first settlement outside of the Capital Region, Ashland, in 98 YM. Beginning with the Patron Accords in 53 YM, the households saw their chance to establish powerbases outside of Blackstone and free of the Council of High Patrons. With the move by the O'Neills to begin moving into the neighboring lands, other households saw the opportunity to do the same and claim as much land as possible for themselves, and legitimize their claims. As a consequence, the actions of House O'Neill set off a chain of events that would lead to the War of Usurpation in 107 YM and the First Great Diaspora that took place concurrently, spreading the Mikaeans throughout the entirety of the Western Region of Xyon.

Following the establishment of Ashland, the Mikaeans began to wonder as to how the planet and its resources would be divided among the First Sons. Most assumed that given the creation of the Council of High Patrons by Mikael, surely he planned to have a unified species of offspring on a unified world free for all to live on governed by the council. However, there were others who believed that the eldest son and leading authority on the council, Xavier I O'Neill, was to take up the mantle of "High Father" and rule over all Mikaeans and their lands in much the same way Mikael had, though under the aegis of House O'Neill, the house of the original High Father of the Mikaeans. And yet there existed others still who believed the council was nothing more than a symbolic governing body that helped to mediate disputes between households, but that it was ultimately the High Patrons themselves who ruled independently and autocratically over their offspring and whatever lands they claimed for themselves. Given the fact that the First Sons had already established a set of rules for their members to abide to in the realm of politics, it was acknowledged that no one would rule in Blackstone, and the First Sons would strike out from the city and rule themselves independently across the planet.

These "disputes" as they appeared in the eyes of the Mikaean populace, would ultimately lead to violence, as the Mikaeans began to compete over the new lands beyond the coast. As they did not share the information revolving around their agreements within their daughters, the High Patrons ultimately and unknowingly fomented strife and distrust within the general population. Prior to the conflict, the rate of colonization of new lands had been slow, as there was no public consensus as to who could or would claim what. After the O'Neills broke this status quo, there was an increase in bold moves to colonize regions along the coastline. When both House O'Neill and House Morgan claimed the region now known as Payne, both households prepared for war over the disputed territory. Though it had been agreed upon that the land would go to the Morgans within the Council, resolving the dispute, this information was unknown to the Mikaeans themselves. This would spark the War of Usurpation, as the council in Blackstone broke down, and peace could not be achieved. Thousands of Mikaeans were killed in the first battle for the region. Seeing an opportunity to advance their own claims in the region, the other households resorted to violence for their preferred acquisitions.

The Navarovs and the Veilleux came to blows over the southern basin region of the Verdant Plains, with the Veilleux gaining the upperhand and forcing the Nazarovs into the Seryya Basin. Pushing south, the scions of House Arcenaux established themselves in the region south of the Capital Region, and established a truce with the forces of House Duran agreeing not to cross the Carbon Mountains into Durani territory. The Kanians, however, avoided any conflict with their cousins, and instead migrated beyond the two southern households to take up settlement in the far western entrance to the Gulf of Mikael. Having been the smallest of the eight, the Kanians were neither greedy nor voracious in their claims, establishing for themselves what was and still is, the smallest household territorial claim on the planet. House Kordan on the otherhand, suffered what may be considered the most painful migration of the eight original households. Overstepping his hand, High Patron Darek I Kordan thought to take advantage of the conflict secretly permitted by his brothers, to violate the prior agreement regarding Blackstone, and claim it for himself.

Seeking to conquer the Capital Region for themselves, House Kordan violated what even the Mikaeans considered to be an unspoken but widely understood law. Even without insight to the arrangement made in the Patron Accords, the Mikaeans knew that no house, not even House O'Neill, would lay claim to the region of their birth, but leave it to the houses as a group to govern as one. Violating this most basic and most sacred understanding at the time, the scions of House Kordan attempted to besiege and conquer the five major cities of the region, and slaughter all non-Kordanian Mikaeans. This violation of what most saw as sacred law and land, enraged all Mikaeans against the Kordanians, and resulted in the combined might of other seven households crashing down on House Kordan. Practically wiped out as a household, the Kordanians swiftly fled the Capital Region seeking refuge from the rage of their fellow households. Appealing to the kindness of House Kane, the most passive of the eight, the Kordans were allowed passage through the lands of the Kanians, and into the far western coastal regions of the continent, which would become their new home, and bring an end to the Great Diaspora.

#### Birth of Sakranism

As the centuries passed and the households settled down, the growth of Mikaeanism had spread to all corners of the world settled by Mikaeans. The influence of the Black Cross Church had frightened the High Patrons away from Blackstone, and the missionaries of the church became increasingly bold, demanding conversation to the faith away from the noble yet formless teachings of Mikael. The reach of the Reverend Mistresses had become all-encompassing, and they had no rivals in the realm of theology. However, this was soon to be challenged in the lands of Kordan, where the inhabitants had chafed under the power of their hostile siblings. The Kordanians had established for themselves a somewhat unique culture and civilization based on the tragedies they suffered in the past, and had long believed themselves to have been wronged by the actions of the other Mikaeans who forced them from Blackstone, even though the Patron Accords had agreed no one house would rule it. In spite of this knowledge, it was believed that it was the fate of the Kordanians to suffer, and that that may have been Mikael's will for their household, and the chief proponent of this belief would be a young Mikaean warrior named Iravan Ishraqi, who had seen many of the battles bringing Kordan to its present state.

In 988 YM, Iravan began to espouse the idea that Mikael had created the Mikaeans to undergo pain and suffer as a means of revealing greater spiritual truths and knowledge hidden in a realm that few could reach. Only those who had witnessed true pain and released their attachments to the physical world, could see beyond the physical and into the realm of spiritual light where Mikael and the vast knowledge he had accumulated resided. Though they had gone through much pain and loss, the Kordanians sought to find a silver lining which justified their losses, and it would be Iravan's teachings which provided that outlet. Though spiritual tribulation was deemed the most effective means by which to undergo the process of anguish, Iravan promoted the use of self-inflicted harm as a means of using pain as a catalyst for reaching beyond the physical realm and out to Mikael in realm of knowledge and light. She likewise spoke of being proud of one's defiance in the face of tribulation, and instructed her followers to use traditional Kordanian tattoos and piercings to stand out from the less enlightened Mikaeans around them.

The rise of Sakranism as Iravan's teachings had become known spread rapidly among the Kordanians, who had no desire to affiliate themselves with the institution of their oppressors. Within a few years, Sakranism was being practiced by countless members of House Kordan, with even the High Patron himself, Kaveh I Kordan, condoning of its growth and practice. The Black Cross Church was horrified by the growth of this new religion, and ordered the members of the church in Kordan to strike out against the "heretics". In what became known as the Righteous Controversy, hundreds of Mikaeanist parishioners under the leadership of their priestesses, attacked Sakranite worshipers throughout Kordan to punish them for defying the Church. Iravan led her fellow Sakranites in protecting the faith, and violence began to spread throughout the cities and towns of Kordan unchecked. As the fighting between sisters grew out of control, a riot between Mikaeanists and Sakranites at the footsteps of the High Patron's residence would prompt his involvement to put and end to the fighting. Though he cared little for religious conflict, High Patron Kaveh I was outraged by the idea that the violence was literally at his doorstep, and decided to handle the issue once and for all.

All Mikaeanists who had been involved in the Controversy were to be cast out from the household, while those Sakranites protecting themselves would be absolved of any wrongdoing. For her role in helping prevent the spread of religious strife in Kordan, Kaveh I honored Iravan by granting her lands, a pension, and titles within the house. The Black Cross Church was sanctioned for its role in the fighting, and its protection within Kordan was officially removed. Sakranism was officially endorsed by the High Patron as the faith of the Kordanians in 1018 YM on the thirtieth anniversary of the faith's formation, granting it an array of privileges now denied to the Black Cross Church. The the adoption of Sakranism as the state religion of Kordan, Xyon had now witnessed the recognition of the Mikaeans' second and newest religion. This would have major consequences for the species in the future, especially during the Tribulation era, but for the time being, the Kordanians and the Sakranites in particular, would revel in their victory.

#### Late Blossoming Age

The diaspora event would end some four hundred years later in 512 YM, as the natural borders defining much of the modern-day Western Region would come to slow an ultimately halt the migration of Mikaeans beyond the region, leading the way for a period of demographic stabilization and political consolidation by the households. Outward migration from the Mikaean Coast had also decreased, with members of the Black Cross Church and Mikaeans well-established in the region, remaining behind in the major cities of Blackstone, Oxida Nova, Karus, Defiance, and Bastion. With these developments, the Concordat of Blackstone, which established the early borders of the first eight households of the Mikaeans, and set in stone the spheres of influence and control of the high patrons. This would set off a period of rare peace in the history of the Mikaeans, and lead the way for a period of demographic and intellectual growth across the Western Region of Xyon. This era of Mikaean history would be likened best to the classical period in human history, with philosophical knowledge, scientific breakthroughs, and military triumphs defining the history of ancient Xyon.

Major cities such as Aspera, Saint Makylograd, Englewood, Jacmel, and Rane, had been established in the period during the great diaspora, and a period of trade and prosperity began to take hold of the households and their lands. The bronze weapons and cloth armor which had typified the Mikaean warriors of the diaspora, were replaced with iron weapons and copper shields and armor, while the dirt roads and gravel pathways became permanent trade lanes with stone foundations and milestones. Cities such as Princeton, Rane, Dajabon, and Drexel, all came to boast populations well in excess of 100,000 permanent residents, supported by a strong and well-organized rice cultivation system. By the turn of the millennium in 1000 YM, philosophers such as Bidina the Elder, Fanchea, Tyrone of Kenwood, and Marta, had become well-established and respected figures in early Mikaean society. Tyrone of Kenwood's *Tuiscint*, an analysis of the political climate and social structure of Mikaean society, provided much of the insight and understanding of the Mikaeans of that time and their sociopolitical concerns and issues.

Mikaean art, literature, music, and architecture, flourished during the period, and the sciences were spearheaded for as much as intellectual growth as for military expansion and strengthening. In the Verdant Basin, known as the cradle of advanced civilization for the Mikaeans, literacy and education had become a major aspect of the culture in the region, granting the Oneillians, Morganites, Nazarovs, and Veilleuasque an edge in agricultural and architectural pursuits, securing their domination of Mikaean society for centuries. In other regions of the west, the Kordanians lagged significantly behind the rest of the known world, leading to their adoption of a hostile and survivialist stance toward the rest of their kin. The Kanians on the otherhand found themselves a center of trade and religion, as many leaders of the Black Cross Church visited and endorsed the peaceful pursuits of the Kanians who sought friendship with the other households rather than war. The Durani and Arceneauxasque came to be known for their handiwork and forge skills, and produced many fine pottery works which defined the rest of the Mikaean world not represented by the households of the Verdant Basin.

By the time of the ninth century YM, most of the High Patrons, which had once been based in the Capital Region, had relocated to the lands settled by their offspring, bringing with them the administrations which ran their territories. Much of this had to do primarily with the increasingly totalitarian rule of the Black Cross Church in Blackstone, which had come to view the division between the households has a threat to the unity of the species, and actively worked to counter this perceived danger. The Reverend Mistress of the Black Cross Church, TBD, passed the Edict of the Patrons in 817 YM, that all members of the male population still residing within the region west of the Blackstone Mountains would be "harbored" by the Black Cross Church for their own protection. The move was aimed at keeping as many of the men within the region under the control of the church, granting it control over the rest of the species as well. The edict of the Reverend Mistress was enough to prompt the remaining High Patrons in the region to relocate to other areas of the Western Region of Xyon, finally ending eight centuries of patrimonial rule in Blackstone.

#### Expansion eastward

The growth of Mikaean civilization into the rest of the continent had historically been restricted by two important factors. The first was the crippling influence of the Metian Empire, consisting of four households under the hegemonic control of House Archambeau. The Metians had grown wealthy off of the control of the Ebon Basin, forcing any eastward trade to flow through Metia and the Crimson River. Serving as the only known eastward passage, the Metians exacted high tolls on travelers seeking to pass through their lands, and their might as a nation rivaled that of the Oneillians and Kordanians, who chaffed under the power of the Metians in central Xyon. The second factor was the lack of alternative routes on the continent known to the Mikaeans. For centuries, all Mikaeans had assumed that the only effective means by which to move east were either through Metian territory, or over the violent storms and tumultuous waves of the Great Ocean. As a consequence, eastbound travel was rare and fraught with danger, limiting knowledge of the area for centuries. In spite of these issues, the desire to move east remained present in all Mikaeans, who aside from the increasing lack of space in the west, and the pressure on existing resources threatening conflict with the other households, wished to claim all of Xyon as given to them by Mikael.

At the time, small settlements of successful explorers to the region who paid their way through Metians lands or braved the dangers of the ocean, lined the eastern coast of what is today modern-day Marshall. These settlements traded all sorts of goods and minerals back west, though they never grew to the point of developing their own industries. Seeking a means of settling this affair once and for all, the High Patron of House Arcenaux, Regnault II Arcenaux, commissioned the exploration of the lands north of Oneillia in 1717 YM to search for an eastward passage rumored to exist in the area. High Patron Kathel V O'Neill, supported the venture, seeing an opportunity to expand his own wealth and power should the rumors prove to be true, and sponsored the Arcenauxiot venture into his lands. Dozens of explorers under the leadership of Abrielle Mariette entered the northeastern reaches of Oneillia, and moved into what became known as the Azaran Corridor. Over a period of about two years, Mariette and her explorers documented all of their findings, and surveyed the region for the planned expansion of their households along the corridor's width and length.

The corridor passed north of Metia and was accessible through Oneillian territory, removing Metia as a major influence on west-east trade. Mariette and her explorers charted the entire region, and found the corridor to be expansive, fertile, and sheltered from Metian forces by the presence of the TBD Range. Upon presenting her discoveries to the two High Patrons, both agreed to make their findings public, though only after they had secured the region from Metian aggression and the expansionism of the other households. For their role in discovering the passage, High Patron Regnault rewarded Mariette and her sisters with riches and granted them lands in the region of their choice. Regnault and Kathel got to the business of dividing the lands along the corridor up for themselves, and immediately sent several of their sons to the region to establish households under their influnece, founding House Hayes and House Boyd under O'Neill, and House Vandame under Arcenaux. All three households would later be known as the The Canonicals, for the era of their founding. Once their claims had been secured, the Oneillians and the Arcenauxiot authorities released the information in 1719 YM, with both households calling for a meeting of the High Council of Patrons in Ashland to determine the status of the region.

Though there was preparation for a frenzied rushed eastward, the patriarchs forestalled this rush into the unknown, and enforced calm among their offspring. Most of the major household leaders agreed to meet in Ashland as requested; House Kordan boycotted the meeting in the belief that it would only benefit the O'Neills, while House Duran opted not to attend for its own obscure reasons. At the Ashland Conference in 1720 YM, the six attending households debated as to which lands would go to whom. Arcenaux, satisfied with its acquisitions prior to the conference, made no claims. O'Neill took the largest portion, claiming that it was entitled to the region based on birthright. With little land left and not willing to fight the O'Neills over it, House Vellieux and Nazarov took the rest of the land on the continent, while House Kane opted to colonize the island of Calvin. With the lands divided and the debates settled, the great houses sent out their archons to begin the process of settling the land in the name of their households, and bringing the Eastern Region of Xyon into the civilized world. Over this period of time, the Pioneer Houses would be established, first as outgrowths of the father households, and later as their own households.

No conflict would be permitted by the archons by order of the High Patrons, who wished to secure their claims before any clash of the sword took place. Under this enforced peace, the Pioneer Houses would grow rapidly and prosper under the conditions placed upon them. Indeed, by the standards of the Mikaeans of that time, the Eastern Region was peaceful and fruitful, avoiding all of the major conflicts that were the visit the Western Region within just a few centuries. Until then, the archons would abide by the rules of their father, and oversee the conquest of the east. These houses would remain at peace, even when their father houses warred against one another. Given their shared history and desire to avoid the bloodshed of the west, the Pioneer Houses would remain bonded to a degree that put the First Sons, the houses who knew what the wishes of Mikael had been – for peace and unity among his children – to shame and dishonor over the course of history for failing to live up to Mikael's dreams for the Mikaeans. The great cities of Darkwater, Thayer, Meridian, Majestueux, and Edgewater would be founded during this era of peace, and the wellspring of philosophy once restricted to the halls of Princeton and Duval would extend to these cities in time.

#### Waning of prosperity

As had been expected to take place, the rapidly expanding population of the Mikaeans in the lands of the Western Region had been stretched to the limit. Rice production in Oneillia and Edenia could not keep up with the nearly 250 million Mikaeans of the two households, and in the southwest, the demand for meat and fruit were stretching the capacity of Sichelia to provide for the tens of millions of hungry mouths the daughters of the High Patrons. Peace and prosperity had allowed for the rapidly spawning of Mikaeans who could be rapidly fed without the natural population check of war to prevent the Western Region from reaching critical mass. Without the wars of the past to consume the lives of Mikaeans, advances in agricultural technologies and the breeding of more fertile crops and animals meant that the already rapid reproduction of the Mikaeans had no limiting factor to prevent an eventual Malthusian catastrophe. As a consequence, households which had once been at peace with one another for centuries, began to chafe as the realities of food insecurity began to rear its ugly head. If the Mikaeans had any weakness, it was their demand for vast quantities of food.

Consequently, as the populations of the largest nations continued to increase, the price for food skyrocketed, leading to bread and rice riots across the western half of the continent. The Kordanian bread riots of 1878 YM were some of the most violent of their kind in history, while the century-long Sichelian Salt Wars during the 20th century YM involved houses O'Neill, Arcenaux, Veilleux, Duran, and even Nazarov, for control over the Sichelian salt fields. As the Late Blossoming period waned, it was clearly obvious to the most observant members of society, that so to was the prosperity enjoyed by the great houses waning as well. War was becoming increasingly commonplace, and famine scares were becoming more and more of a reality. The failure of the wheat fields of Drexel in 1966 YM, and the accompanying failure of the wheat fields in Payne, were the first crop failures in recent Oneillian and Morganite history. Mikaeans everywhere began to adopt the belief that Mikael was punishing them for their failure to measure up to his standards, and their rampant hedonism during the Blossoming period.

The Black Cross Church issued piety warnings, and religious zealotry spread through Oneillia, Sichelia, and Surgia at a rampant pace, only worsening matters. Seeing an opportunity to punish the "heretical" Sakranists of Kordan, the first of the bloody Black Harvests were waged by the Black Cross Church with the backing of the Oneillians and Surgians, resulting in the deaths of millions on both sides. The violent crusades into Kordan drove up the price for food in the rest of the Western Region, and the lack of farmhands – now away at war or death on the field of battle – saw the loss of vital harvests, leading to famine in the largest cities of Xyon. Matters were only made worse by the death of High Patron Kathel V of Oneillia in 1978 YM, who had been seen as the main stabilizing influence in the region. Having died at the venerable age of 318, Kathel's death rocked the world, and saw the separation of the Pioneer Houses from the First Sons, weakening all of the great houses. Blaming one another for the loss, the various archon's of Xyon's largest and most powerful house began to fight one another, beginning the Great Oneillian Vendetta, weakening House O'Neill.

With the collapse of Oneillia under its own weight, and no longer haunted by its specter of power and influence, the other households let go of any preconceived notion of peace, and began to wage unrestricted wars against one another for prominence in the west. The Metian Incursions through the coming era of unbridled death and violence would see the loss of millions to the advanced weapons of the scions of Rogue Fathers of the Ebon Basin. House Morgan would, from its position of security, attempt to invade Oneillia time and time again during the Iconian Wars, and Sichelia and Surgia would take up the mantle of defender of the faith, and attempt to hold back the tides of Metia, Kordan, and Morgan, at the while attempted to keep Oneillia from getting back on its feet. Famines would strike the region for centuries, as Xyon's greatest breadbaskets and fertile lands were ravaged by war. And pestilence in the form of brain rot would lead to the rise of millions of half-feral Mikaean females swarming the land and killing all who fell into their grasp. With that, no doubt was left in the minds of scholars, Xyon's Tribulation era had begun.

#### Collapse of Oneillia

*Main article: Great Oneillian Vendetta*
*See also: First Great Depression and Great Western Famine*
The collapse of Xyon's greatest and most powerful nation, Oneillia, had long been predicted by scholars of the period, who saw and understood that the excesses of the household and the vast resources it consumed to remain afloat, would be its undoing. In 1978 YM, High Patron Kathel V O'Neill of O'Neillia died at the age of 318, having ruled over his lands for more than a quarter of a millennia effectively, but having failed to quell the infighting between his numerous sons who had been jostling for power for decades. Knowing that their father would not live forever, the various archons of Oneillia had been building up their forces under Kathel's nose, waiting for the time where he would die and leave them to their own devices. When Kathel finally succumbed to the fate of all living creatures, the vacuum in power dreaded by all Mikaeans across the globe had come into being. Without wasting a moment's time, Kathel's sons immediately began to fight over his body and seek the title of High Patron of Oneillia. The country had collapsed under its own weight, and without the unifying influence of a single great father to corral his sons, the archons had no one to answer to, and their vast hordes of staunchly devoted daughters answered their every call to fight their siblings throughout the former nation.

Thus, with the collapse of Oneillia in 1978 YM, the start of Xyon's greatest period of death, famine, and warfare would begin. With the start of the Tribulation era during the death throes of Oneillia, various households were horrified by the potential spillover of the conflict into their lands, and what the fighting would mean for the planet as a whole. Prior to the Great Oneillian Vendetta, Oneillia had been the single-largest exporter of food, industrial goods, and medicines on Xyon, and its vast wealth was responsible for bankrolling all of the major ventures undertaken by the various households across the globe. With its fragmentation, a financial collapse known as the First Great Depression began in 1981 YM, just three years after Kathel's death. Just a year later in 1982 YM, a crop failure in Edenia compounded the ongoing crop failure in Sichelia and Zveria, both of which bordered the imploding disaster that was Oneillia. The Great Western Famine that spread across the Western Region, would grip the land for the next two centuries, and would spark several conflicts over the few regions still capable of producing food in vast quantities needed to sustain the equally vast numbers of hungry Mikaeans.

It was never expected that the fall of a single nation would effect the rest of the planet in the manner in which it did, and with the growing fragility of the west, the east began to feel the impact of the disorder of the planet. Though it suffered from its own set of flaws and shortcomings, the Eastern Region of Xyon had always been the more peaceful, more stable half of Xyon's populated areas. The nations of Aurora, Muria, and Aluxia, among others, had proven themselves capable of overcoming various obstacles in a level-headed manner than their father households in the west. But when refugees fleeing from the violence and famine in the west began to overburden and overtax the resources and economies of the Pioneer Houses, they too began to buckle under the weight of the growing instability of Xyon. By 1990 YM, the effects of the depression finally impacted the economies of the Eastern Region, and the Auroran economy, the largest of its kind outside of the Western Region, completely evaporated as inflation destroyed the value of the Auroran dollar. Food rations were imposed throughout the country, and refugees were forced into concentration camps to prevent them from raiding farmlands in the countryside.

By 2000 YM, it was accepted by all members of the political and academic circles across Xyon, that the planet was entering into a dark age yet unknown to the population of Mikaeans. At no other point in their history up until that point, had the Mikaeans ever witnessed such a slide from prosperity into disaster almost overnight. All it took was the collapse of Xyon's largest nation to reveal the deep decay and structural weaknesses of Mikaean civilization. Mikaeans had taken for granted the concept that they had a system of governing that was stable and unified, as all members of any given state were kin, and their leaders were none other than their fathers. However, none had ever truly reasoned as to how to deal with the death of their father, and which of his sons would take his place; the eldest simply being granted the title of High Patron for no other reason than the fact that he was the eldest child. But when factoring in greed and distrust between the highly independently-minded males of the population, and the fact that all had their own armies of self-sacrificing daughters, a civil war was always lurking behind the corner. The collapse of Oneillia revealed these flaws in Mikaean society, and worse yet, there was nothing the Mikaeans could do about it.

#### Metian Incursions

*Main article: Metian Incursions*
By the time the Tribulation era had gone into full swing across the planet, the only nation standing untouched by the effects of the First Great Depression and the fallout from the great famines and warfare across the planet, was Metia. Long regarded as the second or third-most powerful nation on the planet based on how bad of a day Oneillia or Kordan were having, Metia had always been stalking the international stage seeking its shot at glory and power. Historically, it had been the combined forces of Oneillia, Surgia, Zveria, and Edenia, who kept the Metians from marching into the Western Region from their secure homeland in the Ebon Basin. However, with the fall of its greatest champion, the west had neither resources nor the manpower to withstand the might of the Metians, and both sides knew this fact. Seeking to exploit the weakness of the great households of the west, High Patron TBD sought to exploit the weakness of the Oneillians and the infighting of the other major powers, and invade the Western Region to acquire living space for his household and those under his rule. Such an opportunity had not come at a better time as the Metians had just emerged from a bloody civil war aimed at toppling the hegemonic influence of House Archambeau, tired of its unwillingness to share power and greedy attempts to take all of the fertile lands within the Ebon Basin. With the chance to redirect that anger into a foreign enemy, TBD was more than happy to go through with an invasion of the Western Region.

In TBD YM, more than 300,000 Metian soldiers; 140,000 from House Archambeau, 90,000 from House Shaw, 43,000 from House Mason, and 27,000 from House Ward, assembled at the banks of the TBD River, and prepared for their crossing into Zverian territory. Though the Zverians had been expecting an invasion of their lands by the Metians, the concurrently running Tripartite War between Zveria, Edenia, and Surgia over the fertile southern banks of the Rose River, had distracted the one nation that may have been able to blunt the Metian advance before it had even begun. High Patron TBD's youngest son, TBD, was tasked with managing the invasion of Zveria and paving the way for future colonization of the land by the four households of Metia. Entering into the lands of Zveria, TBD attained the first victory of the incursion at the Battle of Zhelnina, opening up the Zver Basin to further Metian expansion. With the initial momentum established by TBD, the Metian armies completely overwhelmed the greatly weakened and distracted Zverians, High Patron TBD's forces swept through the region conquering countless settlements and cities within Zveria. Indeed, the capital city of Saint Mayklograd fell in TBD YM, and the second-largest city of Chernaya fell the following year. All Zverian defenses in the lowlands of the country had collapsed, forcing High Patron TBD of the Zverians to flee up the Rose River with the Metians in close pursuit, first to Igarka and later to Yuzhnaya deep in the mountains.

With the Zverians all but defeated in the swift conquest of nearly than half their lands within the first two years of the invasion, the TBD turned his attention to Surgia and Edenia, both of which had been watching and preparing for the eventual arrival of the Metians. Having observed the Metians rapid advance through Zveria, <HIGHEST MILITARY RANK> TBD of Surgia had been probing the behavior of Metian forces for weaknesses to exploit to help the defenders counter the vast numerical superiority of Metia on the battlefield. In her studies of the Metian invasion, TBD had come to realize that the Metians had come with the intent of stay in the region, and were simultaneously killing off any Mikaeans of non-Metian origin within Zveria. For this task the Metians had to devote huge amounts of manpower to the needs of industrial-scale genocide behind the frontlines. Consequently, because the Metians were not a single unified force, many of the households within Metia were squabbling for lands that had yet to be cleared of their original inhabitants. Likewise, TBD had foolishly invaded Oneillian lands, finding himself quickly bogged down by the even greater numbers of Oneillia and fighting a war of attrition. Because of these flaws, the Metians found themselves fighting one another behind the advancing forces of their empire, crippling their ability to consolidate and defend their newly conquered lands. Taking full advantage of this information, TBD instructed her forces and her Edenian allies to allow the Metians to move deeper and deeper into Surgia and Edenia, stripping them of manpower and supply trains, allowing the infighting of the Metians to do the rest.

By TBD YM, the Metian forces had crossed the TBD River and captured the Surgian capital of Jacmel, something which the latter had been preparing for and evacuated days in advance. Taking no heed of the coming calamity, the Metian forces under TBD continued to advance deeper and deeper into Surgia, which rearguard units reported that no sign of the enemy army could be found. In TBD YM, the Metians faced a tiny Surgo-Edenian army at Ruisseau, which halted the advance of the Metians and managed to feign a retreat northward where the much larger army of TBD had been awaiting them at Duval. At the same time TBD's forces faced off against TBD and his Metian invasion force, a second largely Edenian army marched up the Rose River, liberating L'Asile and Chernaya within the following two weeks, before converging upon Saint Mayklograd and laying siege to it. To prevent a Metian counterattack from the south, the Edenian army of TBD was dispatched from Chernaya to liberate Igarka, and split the Metian invasion force in half, separating TBD from his armies back east. While engaged at Duval, Archon TBD was mortally wounded in a pitched battle with TBD, who beheaded the archon and used his head as a rallying point during the rest of the battle. With TBD slain, Saint Mayklograd besieged, and the rest of his western forces scattered, High Patron TBD was forced to acknowledge that the invasion was lost and withdraw back into the Ebon Basin, bringing the rest of the war to a swift end.

#### Great Conflagration

Though Mikaean history had been a long, cruel, and bloody one, few conflicts in the history of the species matched the sheer terror and horror of the Great Conflagration. Surpassing the later Unification Wars in terms of bloodshed and cruelty, the Conflagration was a global war which involved all of the major households of Xyon, as well as the important power-brokers and armed groups on the planet. Few historians know the true cause of the conflict, but acknowledge that the primary source for its origin was linked to the rivalry between the O'Neills and the Kordans, and the various alliances the two had developed to contain the other. Though such alliances would be responsible for the course of the Unification Wars, the alliances of the Great Conflagration broke down far faster than anyone had expected, due mainly to the weaknesses the largest powers of the war possessed. Beginning with an inconsequential naval battle off the coast of Kania, a wayward shell fired off by a vessel neither side would claim as their own later in history, landed in the winter residence of High Patron TBD Kane, killing him and seven of his visiting sons.

Traditionally, an attack on the Kanians had been regarded as an attack on all Mikaeans, who viewed the Kanians as a peaceful and harmless household who only wished for the success of all their siblings. However, with neither side claiming responsibility for the action, both the Oneillians and Kordanians attempted to use the tragedy to blame the other for the loss of life, and direct the fury of the Mikaeans against their rival. However, this had not been the first time such tragedies had been politicized for personal benefit by either household, and the others could see clear through their ploys. As such, the alliances both Oneillia and Kordan had carefully cultivated over the course of decades, collapsed within the blink of an eye, as their former allies blamed both sides for what the Mikaean species viewed as an act of genocide. Given that the murder of a male Mikaean was considered killing millions of unborn Mikaeans, and the Kanians only had about twenty males in their population, the murder of nearly half the men in their household was viewed as an unforgivable action.

Fearing that they would not be able to fend off the combined armies of all the other households, the Oneillians struck first, attacking the Morganite and Azaran forces on 7 TBD TBD YM. The Kordanians would join the Oneillians by preemptively striking out against Surgia and Sichelia later on that year, hoping to knock the twin powers out of any potential conflict. However, as with their political backstabbing, neither household's actions were considered a surprise, and the other houses had been planning for their offensives. Consequently, neither Oneillia nor Kordan were able to break the moral of their opponents, leading to a complete rout for Oneillia, and a sloppy retreat and massacre for Kordan. Oneillia instructed its child household, Aurora, to render assistance to it in the west, but was horrified when Aurora refused to join in its war. As far as alliances are concerned in Mikaean civilization, the households of loyal sons have always come to the aid of their father households. What Aurora did was a first, and was emblematic of the great wrong of Oneillia and Kordan against the Kanians.

Over the course of fifteen years, the Mikaeans would wage war against the two largest and most powerful households on the planet. However, as various households grew in power, their original goals would shift from the imposition of justice upon the offender, to the pursuit of strategic assets that had been made available by the vast glut of resources and manpower now available to all the parties. In XXXX YM, the Murians who had long chaffed under the high tolls of Azara for passage through the Azaran Corridor, attacked the districts of Kenwood and Midnight with the intent of securing the TBD Gates at the narrowest region of the corridor for themselves. With the Oneillians to the west and the Murians to the east attacking them, the Azarans pleaded for forgiveness from their father household Oneillia, which immediately came to its defense and drove the Murians away from its most valuable cities. Fearing that the swift change in alliances would open a new front in the war against it, Metia turned on Zveria.

It was believed that with the Azarans now fighting on the side of Oneillia, Zveria would flip to Oneillia's side, and within a matter of days, Edenia would follow. Hoping that it could secure its open southern flank and then redirect its forces to the north to secure itself from an Oneillian invasion, Metian soldiers attacked their former allies, dividing their alliance against Oneillia and Kordan. With the third-largest power on the planet turning against its own, the other households abandoned their cause, and turned to waging war against one another. From this point onward, the goals of the households would disintegrate, and fighting for the sake of fighting became the rule of the day. Though such a swift collapse of political and military goals would be unthinkable to human leaders, who would rather compromise rather than fight on without reason, the Mikaeans had no such feelings. Once it became clear that the wargoals of the alliance were untenable, the various High Patrons simply pursued other pointless goals, prolonging the war more than needed. All of the households began to fight over inconsequential things, attacking on another for no reason other than for the sake of fighting itself.

When the feral and houseless Mikaeans became involved near the later stages of the Conflagration, any semblance of self-control disappeared. Political leaders left their forces unchecked, military leaders ignored the crimes of their soldiers, and soldiers rampages across the battlefield using new and horrible weapons. War rape, always a major issue in the past, became the pestilence across Xyon. Atrocities such as the Rape of Valen, where millions of Mikaeans were raped within the span of three weeks, were committed at alarming frequency. Mass murder within the cities in the absence of law enforcement, and the introduction of powerful drugs and stimulants, destroyed entire communities during the conflict. The conflict only came to an end when the Third Great Depression struck Xyon. By the time the Great Conflagration came to an end in XXXX YM, 200 million Mikaeans laid dead, 10 million were missing, and countless millions had been raped, robbed, or otherwise crippled by the war.

#### Collapse of civilization

With the death of nearly 12% of Xyon's total population, the economy of the planet had been shattered to pieces. The Great Conflagration lasted for almost a century, and wiped out most nations as functional institutions during the conflict. All of the major nations of Xyon had collapsed yet again, and unlike the past where great leaders such as TBD and TBD rose to lead their people back to some semblance of civilization, the scions of Mikael had no such leaders to save them from their rampage. Due to the fact that Mikaeans inherit the personality and traits of their fathers during spawning periods, the weakened, demoralized, and crippled state of the High Patrons and their archons resulted in millions of violent, feral, rapacious daughters at every corner of the planet. Crime waves griped the planet, and rape gangs and marauders who move by the thousands across the ruins of Xyon unchallenged. Xyon's economy imploded and the industries that once drove entire regions and their populations disappeared. The advent of various technologies such as TBD, TBD, and TBD, battles grew incredibly more violent and destructive than they had been in centuries passed, resulting in the complete erasure of entire urban and population centers on Xyon.

## Geography

The nation of Xyon spans an entire planet of the same name, often called "Chara Primus" by human astronomers. The planet of Xyon itself is the largest terrestrial planet in the Chara system, with only a vast dust cloud located in the solar system, leaving the planet as the only celestial object in the immediate vicinity of the star. On Xyon itself its landmass consists of a single continent, and two large islands to its east and west. Collectively, these landmasses comprise a total area of 28,455,796.32 square kilometers (10,986,844.38 sq mi), out of a total surface area of 59,282,909 square kilometers (22,889,259 sq mi) on the entire planet. The total land area of Xyon is about 15% larger than the continent of North America, giving some relative comparison of size for those studying Xyon's geography. The largest continent, Frederick, makes up more than 97% of the total landmass on the planet, with the islands of Mitchell and Calvin, to the west and east of the continent respectively, as well as their neighboring island groups, making up the other 3% of the land area. Both islands are home to less than 2% of the total population of Xyon.

As a whole, Xyon is heavily forested and highly mountainous and rugged, with the rest of the land either consisting of urban areas or farmland, and little flatland left undeveloped given the lack of available arable land on the planet. The population of Xyon is primarily located in the two lowland regions of Xyon, overwhelming those found in the Western Region of Xyon, where the Mikaean civilization originated. In this region, the bulk of Xyon's cities, lakes, and industrial centers are located, as well as the majority of the population. This contrasts greatly with the northern and southern regions of the planet, which are extremely mountainous and even impassible in some regions. However, in spite of these, many large towns exist within the numerous valleys and plateaus in the mountains, and serve as centers of trade and industry along the mountain passes transiting the region. The largest of the mountains on the planet is Mount Onyx, at a height of 8,857 m (29,060 ft) and located in the southern hemisphere of Xyon.

Because of the size of the planet itself, Xyon lacks very few tectonic plates, and geological actively is low. There are four plates on the planet, two for the northern and southern hemispheres, and two for the central equatorial region of Xyon. These tectonic plates are similar to those found on Earth, but general lack the same level of activity, those Mikaean geologists have determined this to be a recent phenomenon. Xyon's geological aspects were once originally incredibly activity about fifty million years ago, and have declined in activity in only the past one million years. However, these is no conclusion as to whether or not Xyon is slowing becoming geological dead. Earthquakes in the north and south near the rugged regions of the planet are still commonplace, though the more settled flatland regions remain stable and free of high levels of geological activity. All known volcanoes are located in the regions where preexisting geological activity remain present. The last volcanic eruption on Xyon took place in 1964 in the Northern Region, though there were no casualties given the isolated location of the volcano.

The water bodies of Xyon are clustered into two area, the western and the eastern flatlands, where the major rivers on the planet drain into the massive Great Ocean. The largest of the inland lakes are Lake Obsidian in the west and Lake Hyperion in the east. The rivers of Xyon are divided into two groups, those flowing into the oceans, and those flowing into the lakes. Of the rivers flowing directly into the ocean, the Sable River in eastern Xyon is the longest, followed closely by the Crimson River to its northeast. This distinction exists solely based on the fact that lakes of Xyon are hemmed off from the ocean by surrounding highlands near the coasts, preventing additional rivers from forming and flowing from the lakes into the seas. Both of Xyon's largest lakes are cut off from the ocean, instead forming as giant freshwater lakes on the mainland. It is around these two bodies of water where the majority of Xyon's population reside and the bulk of the planet's industrial centers are located.

### Climate

Due to the lack of an axial tilt for the planet, Xyon's climate is largely monotone in its variety. Almost all of the planet's surface is covered by the same climate with the exception of regions where the terrain plays a major part in the development of the local biome. The climate on Xyon is best described as an oceanic climate and a mix of the humid subtropical climate according to the Köppen system. The planet-wide temperatures are relatively cool, with the average temperature hovering around 12°C (53.6°F) in most locations, with a high of about 18.2°C (64.9°F) during Xyon's perihelion with Chara, and 10.7°C (51.4°F) as the planet approaches its aphelion. Thanks to these traits, the temperatures on the planet between the latitudes away from the poles remain at a constant, allowing for a consistent and predictable weather pattern. Cloud cover on Xyon is permanent, with a constant grey overcast on the planet leading to most native Mikaeans having never seen the sun in their lifetimes. From space, Xyon appears quite similar to Venus, covered by perpetual dense fog, though grey in coloration.

Fog is omnipresent on the planet, due no small part to the relatively cool conditions on the planet, combined with the large amounts of moisture present in the air and the ground, as well as the generally stable climate on the planet allowing for a worldwide blanket of fog to remain for centuries. The presence of extensive mountain chains across the width and breath of the planet help to amplify the extent of the fog, trapping it into the valley networks of Xyon and helping to redirect the flow of air moisture into this valleys, sustaining the lifespan of the fog banks. The combination of the cool climate, high moisture, and warm air trapped by the greenhouse produced by Xyon's clouds, have produced a permanent layer of fog on the planet that Xyon has never once been free of throughout its history of habitation. The clouds of Xyon have helped to regulate the planet's temperature, as well as maintaining the consistent humidity levels on the planet leading to heavy rainfall and dense fog.

As a nature by-product of planet's consistent humidity levels, rainfall and thunderstorms are common occurrences throughout Xyon. The rainfall becomes intermediate and replaced by heavy snowfall during the two winter seasons, Winter and Harvest (Mikaeon–Wintertide and Miasma–Evergreen), but picks back up during the two monsoon seasons, Deluge and Monsoon (Midthaw–Siphon and Cloudburst–Maelstrom). The humidity levels on Xyon have never dropped below 90%, with barometers on Xyon typically record air pressure between 711.2 mm (28 in) and 812.8 mm (32 in) on a typical day, leading to iconic fog widespread throughout the planet. The low-visibility combined with the ever-present danger of flooding are chronic issues for Xyon, leading to traffic accidents and fatalities being one of the leading causes of death in the country. Despite this issues, the presence of a massive groundwater reservoir constantly replenished by the planet's farmlands, have gifted the populace highly fertile lands and abundant crops. As a whole, Xyon receives a shocking 2,362 mm (93 in) of rainfall every year, leading to the aforementioned flooding afflicting most parts of the planet.

### Biodiversity

Xyon is classified as a megadiverse country, with more than 80,000 species of flora and fauna throughout the planet's ecosystem. All plant and animal life that exists on Xyon was introduced into the ecosystem when the planet was originally terraformed in its original time period by humanity. Interestingly, the overwhelming majority of plant and animal life hailing from just the alpine and temperate forest regions of Earth, which typifies the overall environment of Xyon as a whole. The general similarity of climate and geography across Xyon is also deemed one of the primary factors for the narrow range of species in the environment, though still numerous enough to have the planet declared a megadiverse region in human environmental institutions. Species such as the black bear, deer, coyote, moose, grey wolf, and racoon, among many others, are all native species to the particular environment of Xyon, all introduced into the ecosystem for their preference of the climate and temperature of the planet as a whole. Xyon is infamous for its vast range of arachnid species which are endemic to the vast forest regions of the planet.

The majority of Xyon is heavily arboreal in nature, covered with tightly-knit pine and redwood forests of the temperate coniferous forest regions of Earth. These are broken up by large wet grasslands, lakes, swamps, mountain ranges, and extensive rivers. The coastline of Xyon are line with light brownish-white sands, which serve as a major tourist destination for Mikaeans and humans alike. The high saturation of water in the ground and humidity in the air have allowed the planet to bolster a wide range of blooming plants and incest life, though the somewhat cool temperatures of Xyon balance out the latter to prevent them from becoming uncontrollable in size and number. Because of the high water content on the planet, many undeveloped regions on Xyon are marshlands and swamps, and impassible in some areas. In some regions of the planet, such as the TBD Forest, the exist species of trees which have grown to enormous size, with the tallest more than 85 m (279 ft) in height, and 13 m (43 ft) in diameter, rivaling even the largest and tallest trees on Earth.

### Environment

Historically, the Mikaeans have traditionally sought to maintain good care of their planet, more out of the desire to help maintain the ecosystem required to sustain the extraordinarily high population Xyon has possessed for centuries. Given that harm to the environment would negatively impact the tenuous balance in the fragile agricultural industry prior to the Fusion Age, it was in the interest of the states of the time to ensure the land was taken care of in the best manner. However, as with all industrial societies, the rise of coal mining, oil and natural gas exploitation, industrial and commercial development, and power production, took its toll on the ecosystem and resulted in widespread pollution across the planet. Likewise, the age of warfare that resulted in scorched earth policies and the industrial needs to sustain the military conflicts, ravaged many regions of the planet in a drastically negative manner. With the new world government was established in the city of Blackstone in 3842 YM, there were immediate moves to tackle the matter of pollution under the Directorate of Resources and the Directorate of Agriculture, which worked together to limit the spread of pollution and environmental damage in the state-sponsored project known as the Cradle World Program (CWP).

Under the CWP initiative, more than 200 fossil-fuel power plants which were contributing to the production of waste heat and toxic materials, were shut down by the government. Likewise, several factories and industrial complexes which failed to meet the new federal regulation standards were either shut down or renovated up to code by the state. Waste management became a state priority to such an extent, that at one point, the newly established Bureau of Environmental Protection, accounted for about 2% of the government budget in 3802 YM, making it the most expensive federal bureau for about three years between 3802 to 3805 YM. The level of industrial pollution was greatly limited and renewable fuel sources and electricity generation plants were developed and promoted, directly leading to the beginning of the Fusion Age in early-39th century YM. Hydroelectric facilities were built or expanded to take advantage of the many powerful rivers on Xyon. The advent of green technologies was developed enough that the low energy output had been counterbalanced by advances in technology, though the spread of fusion power ultimately reduced overall dependence on all other forms of energy on the planet.

Water pollution which had been a major source of concern for the government, was partly responsible for the high level of funding directed to the environmental agencies of the government. Given the high water table of Xyon and non-stop, on-and-off rainfall across the entirety of the planet, the spread of toxic materials on Xyon was always a threat to public and environmental health. The high levels of pollution on Xyon, combined with the high water table, heavily saturated the soil of farmlands to a point where crop failure was routine. Water was flammable in some regions of the planet such as the industrial centers of Kordan, Duran, and Grayson; and some rivers such as the Sable River in O'Neill, could not be crossed at some points due to high levels of poisonous content within. Xyon's tap water only became drinkable as recently as 30-40 years ago due to the policies of the Bureau of Environmental Protection, which restricted certain chemicals from being released into the water cycle of Xyon, allowing the planet to effectively process and remove the chemicals from the vast water supplies of the environment, allowing the water to become filtered enough to finally be classified as potable.

Overall, the environmental policies of the federal government have allowed Xyon to heal from the centuries of war, pollution, and commercial waste which drastically harmed the planet, and with the advent of fusion power around 3800 YM, the destruction of waste products became much cleaner for the nearly two billion inhabitants of the planet. New restrictions on the disposal of waste, construction of industrial centers, and expansion of power production facilities are in place, and the BEP responsible for the enforcement of clean energy production and industrial development, has been on top of all recent activities throughout the various sectors. These policies and regulations have since made Xyon one of the most livable places on record, with a widespread resurgence of plant and animal-life recovering from the long history of environmental pollution by the Mikaeans. Environmental protection is regarded as a culturally, socially, and morally good thing to do, though Mikaean environmentalists are markedly different from their human counterparts in terms of popularity and the more reasonable and presentable manner in which they get their points across to politicians and citizens.

### Government

*Main article: Government of Xyon*
The government of Xyon is a federal multi-party state, and officially defined as such in the constitution. The Constitution of Xyon defines the government of Xyon as a "multi-party state united under the banner of traditional Mikaean ideals", and officially bars the High Patrons from holding political offices. A semi-patriarchal government instead rules in the place of the old patriarchal governments of Xyon's past, with the patriarchs spawning the offspring who ultimately enter politics, and serve as "advisors" to their peers, who in turn provide "advice" to the politicians related to the house. The government is dominated by the ruling Xyon Federalist Party, the oldest and largest political party on the planet. The head of the ruling party – and by extension the government of Xyon – is the Supreme Director, who serves as the highest-ranking political authority on Xyon. The Supreme Director wields all major executive powers, and works in conjunction with the Advisory Council of Xyon, the nation's federal cabinet. The Supreme Director is elected to the post for a term of five years by the Supreme Federal Congress, and may be re-elected to the office without any term limits.

The Supreme Federal Congress is the nation's unicameral legislative body, and is made up of representatives elected from throughout Xyon from the districts of the country. The Congress consists of 570 members, each representing one of the 565 districts of Xyon, including the capital city of Blackstone, and the four special districts consisting of Xyon's largest city of Oxida Nova, and its largest port and fourth-largest city, Karus, and their companion cities of Defiance and Bastion. In theory, the Supreme Federal Congress is suppose to create, ratify, and vote on laws for the nation, as well as counter the power of the Supreme Director. However, in practice, the Congress serves more as a rubber-stamp committee during times of a political party's domination of the legislature, simply passing any laws the Supreme Director proposes. The Supreme Director utilizes the Congress to gauge the needs of the people by taking part in the meetings of the legislature to moderate the debates of the Congress every five years. During the meetings of the Supreme Federal Congress, the needs of the state are evaluated, and goals selected to be accomplished within the next five years, which each politician is expected to met or exceed.

Corruption within the government is rampant, with competing households vying for a position of power within the federal government of Xyon. While policies and decisions within the individual households are made with little issue or fanfare, actions to deal with minor affairs on the federal level often take weeks to resolve as the representatives from the houses of Xyon bicker with one another over pointless details as they maneuver for political gain. This has led to gridlock within the government on most issues, and outright conflict on issues pertaining to the planet as a whole. Coalition governments are commonplace as the houses attempt to prevent one house from gaining too much power, however, this has not been the case under the current administration. Historically, there have been numerous attempts by House O'Neill to dominate all major senior executive positions, as an attempt to push its status as the eldest and most dominant house of the Mikaeans. There has been significant backlash against the O'Neills for this, leading to a high degree of anti-Oneillian sentiment across the planet. Politicians from the other households have likewise utilized this disdain for House O'Neill to secure many positions of prominence at the expense of House O'Neill.

Officially, all politicians on Xyon follow a strict yet unspoken "up or out" policy, in which each politician must meet or exceed the goals for their office within their five-year term, so as to justify promotion within the political ladder of their government, unless they can also justify remaining within their current political office, or they are booted from their office to make way for a younger, better-equipped citizen to take over. However, in practice, most politicians hold onto their seats and keep younger aspirants from moving up the ranks. All of the members of the Supreme Federal Congress are directly elected by the citizens of Xyon from their local districts to a five-year term, from a roster drawn up by the Bureau of Merit and Advancement, from the best performing politicians in each district. The same was originally true of the Supreme Director, who was elected from three of the top performing members of the Congress, though the politics of rival households prevents this practice. In spite of this, Xyon is never in short supply of competent leaders and politicians thanks to the original edicts the federal government was founded upon.

### Administrative divisions

*Main article: Administrative divisions of Xyon, Regions of Xyon, Households of Xyon, and Districts of Xyon*
Xyon is divided into thirty-seven semi-autonomous sectors and three federal sectors, each of which is governed by an elected official known as a sectorial commissioner. Each sector is based off of the historical boundaries of the Mikaean households which once governed themselves as independent nation-states before the formation of the federal government under the Blackstone Constitution in 3842 YM. The sectors themselves are further divided into districts, of which there are a total of 570, including the five federal districts of Xyon. Because of the vast size of Xyon's territory, the nation's sectors are all grouped into six regions, each of which is governed by a regional overseer directly appointed by the Supreme Director of Xyon. The terms of the constitution are such that all sectors are governed by the leaders or representatives of their traditional household. In most cases, the sectorial commissioner of a sector is often the patriarch of the household or his eldest son.

Each sector of Xyon is generally free to govern its internal affairs independently of the federal government, which concerns itself only with matters pertaining to the collection of taxes, construction and maintenance of inter-sectorial expressways, and the defense of territory. Districts have no special powers and serve simply to execute the laws of the sector and maintain public services at the local level. The largest sector on Xyon is O'Neill and the smallest sector is Karus. It should be noted that in spite of the wide range of freedoms afforded to the sectors of Xyon, they are all still beholden to the federal authorities in the capital city of Blackstone, which runs the nation according to a federal system as defined by the national constitution. However, because of the terms of the federal constitution, all sectors are governed by members of its traditional household, leading to old feuds and in-fighting between sectors to sprout up when left unchecked by the government.

### Law and justice

*Main article: Law and justice of Xyon and Supreme Court of Xyon*
*See also: Law enforcement on Xyon, Crime on Xyon, Incarceration on Xyon, and Capital punishment on Xyon*
Because of the vast size of Xyon, the constitution establishes a three-tier legal system in the country to deal with legal issues in a comprehensive fashion. The system is broken down into federal, sectorial, and districtual courts, each addressing legal disputes throughout Xyon. The highest court in the nation is the Supreme Court of Xyon, which operates independently of the national legislature and the executive, but is subject to the oversight of the Supreme Director. There are nine justices who make up the body of the Supreme Court, with the Supreme Justice of Xyon serving as the head of the court. Members of the Supreme Court are either directly appointed by the Supreme Director, or nominated by him should he be so inclined, and their nomination either accepted or rejected by the Supreme Federal Congress following a two-thirds majority vote. Supreme Court justices are elected or appointed by the federal government, hold their offices for life, though they can be removed from their position by the Supreme Director or on the recommendation of the Supreme Federal Congress following a two-thirds majority vote.

As a whole, the judicial system of Xyon is often criticized by its human counterparts on Earth, given its high conviction rate, and the often harsh sentencing of defendants on trial. It is not unknown for individuals going through the Mikaean court system to wait four or five years just to get a hearing before even passing on to a trial, and bribery of judges is commonplace. Suspects are often incarcerated long before any evidence is collected or presented by a prosecutor, and forced confessions are considered standard practice by Mikaean law enforcement. The prison system on Xyon is far worse than many of those found on Earth, with terrible living conditions, brutal beatings by prison guards, and an uncontrolled level of rape and murder reported in almost all of the prisons located throughout Xyon. Prisoners are legally stripped of all civil liberties and protections, and the constitution of Xyon as well as the nation's penal code state that prisoners have no rights under the law, and are treated accordingly. Abuse within the prison system between prisoners is rampant, and murders per capita within the corrective institution exceed those within the general population.

The laws of Xyon are enforced by the Xyon Security Forces, which function as the national police force of Xyon. The XSF is divided into sectorial operation areas, and maintains operation centers in every district of Xyon. The force is noted for its use of lethal force in almost all instances where suspects may be armed, leading to shoot-outs in the streets of major cities, and typically resulting dozens of fatalities. Xyon has what many call a "runaway crime epidemic", with high rates of crime and violence across the planet, rivaling or even exceeding that of many unstable nations on Earth. Because of this, a strict "zero tolerance policy" exists in the Mikaean law enforcement system, with heavy-handed tactics utilized by Mikaean police to deal with the nation's crime waves. Suspects are often executed by officers for misdemeanors, and a blind eye is given to extrajudicial rapes and beatings by the government. Corruption is often encouraged within the ranks of some XSF districts, though as of yet, there has been no concrete evidence of a wider network of corrupt officers across the planet. The desire to deal with the crime issue has also seen the government maintain lax gun ownership regulations in the country, leading many to blame such policies for the crime epidemic.

All law enforcement agencies are under the supervision of the Directorate of Love, which controls the XSF and coordinates operations with the near-omnipresent Vanguard for Peace and Security. The Vanguard serves as a national militia and volunteer force, which assists the security forces in policing neighborhoods and monitoring suspicious behavior in their areas. Serving as a vast "morality police", the Vangaurd keeps tabs on nearly all Mikaeans its members come across, and has volunteers ranging from teachers, to students, to clergy, and simply office clerks, making the government's oversight in the cities inescapable. The force also provides extra manpower to the police through its uniformed members, who are typically assigned to low-end responsibilities such as breaking up fights, apprehending thieves and low-level gang members, as well traffic duty. Members in good standing with the Vanguard can see themselves fast-tracked through Xyon's labyrinthine bureaucratic system, or given many government privileges for their work and loyalty to the state. It is often the most zealous defenders of the federal government who join the Vanguard, and their devotion to the state has resulted in some claiming they serve as a personal army of thugs for the Supreme Director of Xyon.

### Foreign relations

*Main article: Foreign relations of Xyon*
Xyon's foreign relations in comparison with the nations of Earth are rather young and untested. Establishing direct contact with humanity in 3942 YM, or 1974, the Mikaean government has only had four decades of experience with diplomacy with a non-Mikaean civilization with vastly different ideals, beliefs, and cultures. As a consequence of these realities, the Mikaean government is deeply wary of human influences and political behavior, avoiding pacts, alliances, trade deals, and unions, as it has little understanding of the political aims of the human nations. Currently, Xyon does not have many diplomatic relationships with the many individual nation-states on Earth, and has a single embassy which manages its ties with the United States and Canada, who both defend the Xyon-Earth Void Gateway in the Cascades Mountains. In spite of this, the Mikaean government does possess and maintain consulates in 194 countries on Earth, where Mikaeans are known to frequently travel, and there are UN-backed embassies from Xyon in the cities of New York City, London, Hong Kong, Cape Town, and São Paulo; one for each of Earth's five major continents.

Because of the balance of power between the Mikaeans and their human counterparts, the foreign policies of Xyon have been adjusted to that of enforcement over compromise, with the Mikaeans simply forcing Earth to adopt any political stance on a subject it desires. As such, Mikaeans have been widely unpopular on Earth for their government's behavior and heavy-handed actions, leading to members of the population deemed *persona non grata* in some nations, such as Israel, China, and Russia. However, as a rule of thumb, most human governments have been wise to avoid stepping on the toes of Xyon too often, so as not to invite the planet's attention to its actions and the ire of its often volatile inhabitants. On the otherhand, however, the Mikaeans have a good working relationship with the nations of the Non-Aligned Movement, which has been the primary benefactor of Mikaean support and intervention at times in defending member states from the aggressive interference of the much larger and wealthier great powers and superpowers of Earth.

### Military

*Main article: Xyon Armed Services, Obsidian Guard, Xyon National Guard, and Vanguard for Peace and Security*
*See also: Conscription on Xyon and Military history of Xyon*
The Mikaean military forces are known as the Xyon Armed Services, which itself is broken down into three service branches; the Obsidian Guard, the Xyon National Guard, and the Vanguard for Peace and Security. The Obsidian Guard is the premier military wing of the armed services, and represents the best-trained and equipped combat units available to the government of Xyon. It consists of three branches and 4,184,455 active personnel, though it is unique in that it lacks reserve force. The Obsidian Guard recruits all of its members from the two other service branches of the military, ensuring a high level of professionalism within its ranks. It is the only combat force permitted to operate within the borders of the Capital Region of Xyon, and may freely operate in any of the sectors of Xyon without having to request the permission of the sector's government. All high-tech equipment such as direct-energy weaponry, shielding, anti-gravity technology, and advanced robotic systems, are reserved for use within the Obsidian Guard, and only the Obsidian Guard. It owns its loyalty to the office of the Supreme Director, and ensures the security of the government, serving as Xyon's "praetorian guard". When speaking of the advanced military capabilities of the Mikaeans, it is more often the Obsidian Guard one is referring to, as it boasts the deadliest equipment and weaponry known to either humans or Mikaeans, and has a long record of victory to its name.

The Xyon National Guard is the second branch of the Xyon Armed Services, and the second-largest in terms of size and equipment. In spite of its name, it is a fully-fledged combat formation, and operates as the primary conventional military forces of the Mikaean government. Consisting of 29,051,297 active personnel and 43,576,945 reservists, the National Guard is responsible for tackling any military operations the Obsidian Guard refuses to waste its elite personnel on, effectively handing the MNG the bulk of the work related to Xyon's defense. The soldiers of the National Guard are typically poorly trained and lack discipline, notoriously corrupt in its dealings, and have a dubious record of combat effectiveness. It is further crippled by incompetence at the command level, which has contributed greatly to the poor discipline of the troops. Unlike the Obsidian Guard, the National Guard is instead equipped with kinetic weaponry, ballistic mesh armor, and wheeled or tracked vehicles, all cheaper and easily replaceable alternatives more in accordance to the sort of equipment available to most Western militaries on Earth, rather than the ultra-futuristic equipment of the Obsidian Guard. Mikaeans tend to join the National Guard when they cannot pass the stringent tests and background checks of the Obsidian Guard, leading to criminals filling many of the ranks of the second-largest combat forces in Xyon's possession.

The next branch of the military is the Vanguard for Peace and Security, which is a paramilitary force responsible for policing the neighborhoods, schools, and businesses of Xyon. Though it is not a truly combat-ready force, the Vanguard's role as a massive asymmetrical army and rearguard unit cannot be underestimated. A total of 62,162,095 Mikaeans are members of the Vanguard, though only 3,253,363 are full-time professional members. The Vanguard consists mainly of young Mikaean volunteers who serve as the military and security forces eyes and ears at home, helping to tackle corruption and criminal activity where the security forces cannot operate safely or openly. Established to help augment the numbers of the security forces of the federal government, the Vanguard eventually grew into a force of its own, and was officially inducted into the Xyon Armed Services as its own branch with organic air, land, and sea capabilities. Similar to the Basij of Iran, the Vanguard operates cells of up to 200–400 members in areas all throughout Xyon as "morality police", keeping tabs on Mikaean civilians and military personnel, and even has cells operating on Earth in the Mikaean enclaves located there. During wartime, it would be the responsibility of the Vanguard to serve as a quasi-police force at home, freeing up forces of the Mikaean military and security forces to operate elsewhere.

As a whole, the total combined strength of the Xyon Armed Services is 36,489,115 active personnel, not counting the 43,576,945 Xyon National Guard reservists and 58,908,732 part-time volunteers of the Vanguard, or the 16,712,788 members of the Xyon Security Forces, the militarized national police force of Xyon. The budget for the military is ∇11.309 trillion (US$22.528 trillion), far greater than the combined military budgets of the nations on Earth. In the event of a Mikaean invasion of Earth, it has been agreed upon by several military analysts, that a Mikaean victory would be inevitable. The ability of Xyon to quickly replace its troops during times of war, combined with the Mikaeans natural resistance against radiation and therefore fallout of nuclear strikes, have long been a great boon to the planet's combat capabilities. However, the military is consistently handicapped by the unwillingness of the patriarchs who govern the households of Xyon, to contribute their resources to a war they do not wish to partake in. In spite of this fact, the XAS is undoubtedly the most powerful military force ever encountered by humanity, and the ability for Xyon to crush any human military coalition in a direct conflict has been the source of much fear by governments on Earth. This has resulted in a tenuous "peace through strength" policy by the Mikaean government toward Earth and humanity.

### Transport

*Main article: Transport on Xyon*
The road network on Xyon is the most extensive system known to exist, with the planet's highway system spanning a total of 314,683 km (195,535 miles). The network of highways is divided into federal and sectorial systems, allowing for division of maintenance within the various sectors according to their local transportation needs, while the federal government supports cross-planet, cross-border transportation. Xyon likewise boasts the largest known market for automobiles, with 753 vehicles per 1,000 Mikaeans as of 3985 YM. Purchases of new vehicles has also been strong on the planet, with some 87.7 million auto sales in 3984 YM alone, and expected to increase to more than 100 million by the turn of the century. There appears to be some division of the sorts of transportation utilized by Mikaeans depending on age, profession, and location, with Mikaean youths relying upon motorcycles and rail transport, while older Mikaeans tend to stick with traditional sedans and SUVs.

All of Xyon's railways are privately-owned and managed, with the federal government only providing regulatory measures to ensure quality standards and practices by the major railway companies. Given the vast population of the planet, and the affordable accommodations for transport on the planet, Xyon's railway network is the busiest on record. As of 3985 YM, Xyon had a total of 640,854 km (398,208 mi) of rail, all of which has since been electrified, most of this carried out following unification. All of Xyon's sectors, with the exception of the two island sectors of Devereux and Blair, are connected to the planetary rail network. During the Mikaean New Year, the railway systems on the planet are overtaxed by millions of Mikaeans traveling across the planet to holy sites and religious events. In the previous year of 3984 YM, the Mikaean railways delivered 7.662 billion passenger trips, as well as 8.913 billion tons of freight along the length of the network.

Xyon has a mature and robust high-speed rail system, which was introduced two centuries ago in 3717 YM, by TBD in the sector of O'Neill. Today, the system covers a total of 91,818 km (57,053 mi), nearly five times larger than the largest such network on Earth in China. The network of "aerotrains", as they are known on Xyon, had an annual ridership of 3.492 billion passengers in 3984 YM. Of note is the Blackstone–Princeton–Absalom–Darkwater Aerotrain Line, which is the longest east-west high-speed railway on the planet; the Aspera–Oxida Nova–Armitage Aerotrain Line, which is the longest high-speed railway in the Western Region; and the Galvan–Jacmel–Maddox–Junction Aerotrain Line, which is the longest north-south high-speed railway on the planet. The fastest commercial train line on Xyon is the Blackstone–Edgewater Maglev Line, which is the second-largest railway by length, and the fastest at 447 km/h (278 mph). All of the high-speed aerotrains on Xyon are "wheeless", reducing friction and increasing the speed of the train, as well as lowering maintenance costs and improving control over the speed of the train.

As for the airline industry on Xyon, all of the airlines operated on the planet are owned by private companies, and as with the railway industry, has been deregulated by the state which only provided quality control standards for the benefit of consumers. Xyon had 553 commercial airports, the largest of these being Oxida Nova Continental Airport and Armitage Continental Airport; the first having the largest number of passenger flights, with some 573.9 million passengers handled by the airport, and the second having the largest number of cargo flights, delivering some 172.3 million tons of cargo in 3984 YM alone. This isn't counting the 23,904 civil and local airports for private aviators and local airline providers. Almost all of the districts on the planet have their own civilian airports for rapid transportation by flight, only in the poorest and most mountainous districts are airports still unavailable locally. The five largest airline companies on the planet were TBD, TBD, TBD, TBD, TBD, which collectively made up 60% of the airline provider market share.

### Science and technology

*Main article: Science and technology of Xyon*
Xyon boasts the most advanced society known to humanity, far ahead of Earth in virtually every existing scientific field, from natural sciences to engineering, and even in the realm of metaphysics. Scientific research spending is well-funded, both by the government through the Directorate of Science, as well as through various private investors and institutions. The government alone spends more than ∇1.946 trillion (US$3.876 trillion) on R&D, and employs tens of thousands of scientists and engineers throughout its various military and civilian research schemes. Corporations have a major role in the advancement of technological developments and breakthroughs, with the sponsorship of Pravus International credited with the ability of TBD to make their breakthroughs with the commercialization of fusion power in 3794 YM. Xyon boasts a vast pool of scientists and engineers with advanced degrees, with scientific experts making up 332 per 10,000 inhabitants on the plant. Of interest was the existence and prominence of the Mikaean religion known as Katanism, which is centered around scientific endeavors based on the background of Mikael O'Neill, a scientist himself by profession.

Advancements in the fields of electronics, robotics, optics, telecommunications, semiconductors, and even faster-than-light travel, once thought to be impossible by the greatest minds of Earth and Xyon alike, have collectively contributed to the superior technological standing of Xyon over its neighbor. As of 3895 YM, most scientific experts concluded that Xyon possessed a two and half century lead over humanity. The Mikaeans today possess the means, though not the will, to colonize other planets, though due to the lack of habitable worlds found by the federal government bar Earth itself, interstellar colonization has remained on hold for more than half a century. On a more planetary level, communications technology has advanced to the point where even the poorest segments of Xyon's population have access to the fastest UniGrid connections on the planet, and Mikaeans are able to download entire libraries worth of information within mere minutes. Advancements in energy-storing technologies have resulted in the creation of so-called "hyper-dense" batteries (HDBs), which store days worth of power for large vehicles such as trucks and tanks, and are small enough to be used for standard equipment. The most significant factor afforded by energy dense batteries, was the realization of practical energy weapons, which are readily available within the most advanced districts on the planet, though rare in the backwater regions of Xyon.

In the field of computer sciences, binary code was placed into obsolesce by the introduction of quantum computing, allowing for the most complicated of calculations to take place. The development of quantum computers was the main reason FTL travel was made possible, calculating the vast numbered needed to make successful transitions between planets and stars. Another factor introduced by the use of quantum mechanics into computer sciences was the effect on hacking and cryptography. With the ability to move through trillions of bits of data seamlessly, Mikaean computers effectively neutered widespread hacking, making it more of a coalition effort to break into a system by Mikaean hackers. Consequently, the power of Mikaean computers effectively removed humanity as cybersecurity threat, while simultaneously opening all human networks up to Xyon, who's cybersecurity precautions simply aren't advanced enough to block Mikaean decryption software. Finally, in the other fields of science, such as robotics, the Mikaeans yet again reign supreme. Cybernetic implants are widespread and relatively affordable, while robots, though not left the wayside, have generally taken a backseat to other technologies due to the Mikaean biology rendering cheaper automated labor rather moot.

### Energy

*Main article: Energy on Xyon*
Almost all of Xyon's power is generated by TBD fusion power plants located across the planet surface. The electricity grid for Xyon underwent a massive retooling some two hundred years ago when the first commercially available fusion power was produced by TBD in 3794 YM, and the first purpose-built fusion power plant for general public consumption was constructed almost a decade later in 3802 YM. Since the introduction of fusion power on Xyon, all major cities, facilities, and industrial centers are powered by the energy source. The fuel required to run the various fusion power plants is produced across the planet by various corporations, the foremost of which, TBD, controls 27% of the global market for deuterium and tritium. The hydrogen isotopes for the reactors are bred by the companies and sold to the various plants through government agencies to ensure the safe acquisition and transfer of the isotopes. The technological advancements made by the Mikaeans over the last two hundred years since fusion power came into common usage on the planet have allowed them to develop more efficient methods of producing deuterium and tritium, especially the later given its rare occurrence on the planet and the short half-life of tritium. Overall, more than 90% of the planet's energy needs are covered by the consumption of fusion power. The other 10% of electricity supplied to the planet is produced through renewable energy sources such as hydroelectricity, which remains dominate in the less developed northern and southern regions of Xyon.

## Demographics

*Main article: Demographics of Xyon*
*See also: Mikaeans*
According to the Bureau of Census and Allocation, Xyon had a total estimated population of 3,331,604,633 as of 3985 YM. This places Xyon as the largest nation on record, with a population significantly larger than that of the most populous human nation, China. This was a 1.3% increase in the total population from 3,286,412,544 in 3980 YM, when the last census took place. The sluggish population growth of Xyon has been attributed to the combined forces of the patricians having fewer children, Xyon's high homicide rate, and the dangerous working conditions for laborers on the planet. Despite this, Xyon's population is classified as "stable" by the federal government, and programs to maintain this level of growth have been launched by the office of the Supreme Director. Comparatively, Xyon is the most homogeneous political entity known to humanity, with 100% of its population being Mikaeans, barring the exception of the 1.3 million permanent residents from Earth, though these humans are not counted in the census, and not regarded as citizens by the federal government of Xyon. All humans residing on the planet are largely restricted to the area of the Capital Region as per legislation passed by the federal government in 3951 YM, and their movement regulated and activities monitored by the state. As a rule, all humans visiting Xyon are forbidden from bearing offspring on the planet.

Of these human residents, half of them hail from the United States and Canada, where the Xyon-Earth Void Gateway is located. Another 300,000 are from the European Union, and consist of scientists, industrialists, and skilled laborers working on the planet as part of an cultural exchange program with Xyon. 130,000 are Chinese nationals who are also working on Xyon as part of the cultural exchange program, along with a further 100,000 Japanese citizens, 80,000 Russians, and 35,000 South Koreans. The remaining 10,000 or so humans on the planet hail from several other developed or newly industrialized nations, taking part in an array of training programs offered by the Mikaean government. Many Mikaean organizations have held a hostile view of the humans on the planet, though they have often protested peacefully, and through the legal system of Xyon, though the government maintains a neutral on the issue. Some twelve million Mikaeans reside on Earth, almost all of whom are located within the nations of the OECD. At the time of first contact between the two planets, the major developed nations of Earth were far more willing to allow the "alien" Mikaeans to reside within their borders, in comparison to the then extent Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc, as well as the unaligned nations of the Third World.

The sex ratio on Xyon is often regarded as one of its most famous features. The Mikaean population consists almost entirely of females, with only two thousand Mikaean males on the planet, or one male for every 1.6 million females–just about 0.00003% of the Mikaean population. Having its roots in the reproductive crisis the creator of the Mikaeans was faced with, all reproduction on Xyon is taken up by the men, who alone are capable of producing offspring. Given the unique position of Xyon, minorities, with the exception of the token Mikaean male and human populations, do not exist on Xyon. One notable consequence of this sex ratio was that homosexuality as a concept was long unknown to the Mikaeans, who instead see their unique biology and psychology as being unrelated to the act of homosexuality. As such, there is no common cause found between Mikaeans and LGBT groups on Earth who often look to the Mikaeans as an example for their causes. The government and the population's stance on such groups is that of outright hostility, and on many occasions, the Mikaean government has aligned itself with anti-LGBT forces on Earth, such as those in Russia, Uganda, and Nigeria in the wake of those countries' anti-gay legislative actions.

### Urbanization

*See also: List of districts on Xyon*
Xyon is heavily urbanized, with approximately 92% of its total population, more than 3.331 billion people, residing in urban areas of the country. Mikaeans, as a people, live a distinctly urban lifestyle, with more than two-thirds living in high-rises and apartment buildings. There are a total of 570 urban centers – known as districts – on Xyon, with 322 of them boasting populations exceeding more than a million permanent residents. Of these, 84 districts boast populations exceeding ten million residents. Because of the nation's stabilized birth rate, all districts are expected to only witness marginal growth rates, as new residents either move into the urban limits are typically migrants from other areas of Xyon. Mega-cities are common sights on Xyon, leading to a method of demarcation where districts are divided into numbered zones, and serving as the second to last administrative division on Xyon for time-saving reasons. As a result, censuses taken by the government tend to be highly accurate, and the planning of urban expansion a far less expensive operation than it would have been without the current system.

### Languages

*Main article: Languages on Xyon*
The official language of Xyon according to its constitution is English, in particular the variant known as Inland Northern American English, the dialect spoken by their creator Mikael O'Neill. The language was passed down by O'Neill after he settled on Xyon, and wrote into the Ebon Chronicles, a comprehensive phonological system encompassing his particular pronunciation of words in his language, ensuring that all Mikaeans would speak the dialect as he did. Notably, the Mikaean lisp is present in the speech of all Mikaeans, making it relatively easy to distinguish the dialect from other English dialects. The language's consistency throughout Xyon has been secured by the psychological imprinting of the Mikaeans by their creator, making the language the natural form of verbal communication for the race, and preventing dialects from forming over time and distance. It is, however, not unknown for foreign words to be found in the Mikaean version of English, as in all languages using loanwords.

The Mikaeans recognize no other languages within their government, and only the languages spoken by the human population consisting of visitors, business-people, and expats, are acknowledged by the state, with translators trained by Xyon to assist those visitors needing to deal with the government. The writing script of Xyon for English, however, is completely different from that for English found on Earth. The Mikaean script is the dominant script used by the government of Xyon and the native Mikaeans for writing English, as well as for signs and advertising. O'Neill sought to replace the Latin script with his own, originally to conserve ink while one alone on the planet, as well as to make his "clumsy" handwriting easier to read for others with a simple writing system, thus cutting back on any potential misunderstandings in his writings. Consequently, the script grew in both usage and detail, with a cursive form developed for writing, and its original print form used for publishing and computer fonts.

### Religion

*Main article: Religion on Xyon*
Following the unification of Xyon and the adoption of a federal constitution in 3752 YM, freedom of religion was enshrined in federal law, and covered the entire planet surface and all Mikaean citizens. According to the most recent religious identification poll carried out in 3854 YM, the Mikaeans identified themselves as following a total of seven major religions. The largest of these was Mikaeanism, the oldest of the seven religions; its largest religious institution being the Black Cross Church, founded in 48 YM by Saint Genevieve. With more than 1.3 billion members worldwide, the Black Cross Church is Xyon's largest and most influential religious body, with its leader, the Reverend Mistress, widely regarded as the second-most powerful individual on the planet and the leading authority within the Mikaeanist world. Overall, 60.7% of Mikaeans identified as Mikaeanists. According to the same poll conducted in 3985 YM, 51.9% of Mikaeans identified themselves as Zealots, with another 7.2% identifying themselves as members of the Materialist denomination. Another 1.6% of Mikaeans identified themselves as members of the Militant branch of Mikaeanism.

The second-largest religion was Sakranism, with 18.4% of Mikaeans identifying as such. Sakranists are predominately located within Kordan and the surrounding sectors traditionally connected to its development. Historically, Sakranism was persecuted across Xyon for its promotion of Kordanian supremacy and defiance against the power of the Black Cross Church, though today, it has a mainstream following and is protected under constitution. Erinism is the third-largest of the seven Mikaean religions, covering approximately 10.1% of the and boasts the highest degree of internal unity and stability, as well as a good reputation on the planet. Most of its members are employed within the child-rearing sector on the planet, as well as within the medical professions, and are notable for their promotion of green politics and peaceful resolutions to conflicts and debates. The other major religions on Xyon are Asranism (5.53%), Katanism (2.71%), Havism (1.83%), and Aikyanism (0.73%). The other Mikaean religions, such as Khajism, account for 0.06% of the total population. As of 3985 YM, there were no other religions on the planet of Xyon aside from the belief systems identified above.

Unique to Xyon, the concept of atheism or irreligiousity do not exist within the mind of the Mikaeans; virtually the entire population believes that "there is a God". All Mikaeans believe in a higher power of a spiritual or otherwise metaphysical nature, due in part to the fact that religious belief was hardcoded into their genetic and psychological structure by Mikael nearly four thousand years ago. When first contact was established with Earth in 3942 YM (1974 AD), it came as a culture shock to the Mikaeans the widespread disbelief in a higher power present within a large segment of the human population. Overall, the vast number of religions and their differing belief systems were also considerably disconcerting to the Mikaeans, as all Mikaean religions have a shared connection to the *Mikaean Codex* written by Mikael in 15 YM. In spite of these issues, the Mikaeans are remarkably tolerant of human faiths, and show respect for the religions of Earth to a wide extent, insofar as they are required to. As for the population of human students, doctors, and engineers residing primarily within Blackstone, they are permitted to practice their religions in peace, though religious-based violence is not tolerated by the state.

As for the proselytizing of Mikaean religions on Earth, the Mikaeans believe that their religions are unique to them, and that the will of Mikael, regardless of the means by which they are interpreted via faith, cannot be truly appreciated by non-Mikaeans. As such, missionary work on Earth by the Mikaeans to humans is non-existent. However, there have been attempts by humans to spread their religions to Xyon, if not to the Mikaeans presently living on Earth. These attempts have been abject failures, due in part to the robust nature of Mikaean religions in repelling conversion attempts on their adherents, and also in part to the psychology of the Mikaeans, as any religion not linked to the *Mikaean Codex*, and which does not expressly venerate their creator, is flatly ignored. Overall, Mikaeans are deeply religious, though they follow a separate set of moral laws and structures than their human counterparts. A Mikaean may dress, act, and speak in a manner thought to be highly unbecoming of a theist, though it should be remembered that Mikaean morality exists, but not in the same sense known to human theists.

### Education

*Main article: Education on Xyon*
The majority of education on Xyon is supported and managed by the federal government, with all other educational institutions such as those run by the Black Cross Church, registered with the government through the Directorate of Education. Education is compulsory for all Mikaeans, beginning at the age of six at primary school, up until junior secondary school at the age of fifteen. Education on Xyon is divided into five sections: six years of primary schools, three years of junior secondary school, three years of senior secondary school, one year of vocational school, and two to four years of tertiary school. Kindergarten is managed exclusively by the government of Xyon, through its control over the creches where the Mikaean children are born and cared for until they join a coterie at the age of six. The standard for the Mikaean education system is that all schools adhere to the same length of education, though the quality of the education varies of district to district, sector to sector, and the type of school.

The curriculum for most schools are created and approved by the federal government, while that of private schools and church schools are typically set by their own institutions. Historically, the curriculum for state-run primary schools have focused on reading, mathematics, science, and history, while secondary schools focused on more advanced subjects catering to the students desired career track. All students are required to take a year of vocational school to learn a trade, which they can always turn to in the event they cannot find stable employment out of tertiary school. The goal of acquiring a trade skill to support oneself has traditionally been the norm in Mikaean society, with most Mikaeans typically opting to start working out of junior secondary school rather than pursue a tertiary degree. About 60% of Mikaeans pursue a vocational education out of junior secondary school, and immediately enter the workforce thereafter.

Education remains cost-free to the student until tertiary education, at which point most Mikaeans typically work their way though college or university. Student loans do not exist on Xyon, with the culture of the Mikaeans being that education should remain affordable but not free following one's secondary education. Because of the affordable cost of college education on Xyon, many human expats on the planet are enrolled in the many tertiary institutions of Xyon. In 3985 YM, more than 250,000 humans were enrolled in universities on Xyon. Currently, the literacy rate for Xyon's adult population is 100%, with this differing from the typically 99.9% literacy rate of developed nations on Earth. The difference has to due with the lack of elderly individuals from a period of accessible education, and the period of culling mentally unfit Mikaeans from the population following the period of spawning by their patriarch. With the removal of deficient Mikaeans from the population prior to birth, the negative factor contributing to the lower literacy rate has been removed altogether. Combined with the fact that all Mikaean youth spend their first six years of life at creches, their education is ensured by the state.

Overall, Xyon boasts a high degree educational attainment throughout all levels of society. Nearly two and a half centuries of federal oversight and regulation assisted with the education system's development along standardized lines that catered to the basic needs of all Mikaeans, redirecting resources and financial assistance to sectors and districts requiring teachers and textbooks for schooling. As a whole, the majority of Mikaeans possess some degree of tertiary or vocational education, and student grades are typically ranked highly, with most achieving passing grades at a rate of about 83%. The high standards placed on teachers and their own education have also played a role in the quality of education provided to Mikaean students, with all teachers requiring a four-year tertiary degree to qualify for basic education roles, and a two-year tertiary degree in the field they seek to teach in if they seek to teach at secondary or tertiary schools.

### Healthcare

*Main article: Healthcare on Xyon*
Xyon possesses a highly-advanced and robust healthcare system, which in the nearly two and a half centuries of global unification, has managed to resolve most major illnesses and pandemics that plagued the planet throughout its history. All Mikaeans are covered by a universal healthcare system though the Xyon Healthcare Service (XHS), which Mikaeans are automatically enrolled into as a service by the state. The XHS was established in 3757 YH as one of the first group of federal institutions devoted to the improvement of the living conditions of Mikaeans across the planet, and was received with much support by the population. Prior to the introduction of the XHS, no state healthcare system outside of the military forces of the various households existed for the average Mikaean. However, as a rule of thumb, no medical service is provided free of charge, regardless of the coverage provided by the state. Though the system, 75% of all healthcare costs are covered by the state, while the other 25% is covered by the beneficiary. The aim of this system is to prevent over-utilization of healthcare services and materiel. This method has been highly successful, and at many times in the Xyon Healthcare Service's history, the government managed to make a profit which it rolled into facility growth and improvement in services.

The average life expectancy for a Mikaean female was 121.6 years, and 252.4 years for a male Mikaean as of 3985 YM. For the female population, this figure more than three times greater than the pre-unification life expectancy of 37.5 years for the Mikaean women, largely due to the naturally limited lifespan for females of the species and the internecine conflict throughout Xyon's history. Though males have always boasted a centennial life expectancy, with the introduction of gene therapy, cybernetics, and organ growth facilities, the Mikaean lifespan has far exceeded the original length they were created with. Xyon boasts a high number of hospital beds per members of the population, with 14.4 beds per 1,000 people, and healthcare costs out of pocket are relatively low by human standards. Likewise, each of the 570 districts of Xyon possess at least one hospital or medical center within their borders. Ironically, in spite of the great advancements in healthcare, the leading cause of death on Xyon aside from natural causes was homicide. Smoking is not uncommon within the population thanks to the introduction of alternative substances to nicotine, while obesity is unknown to the population due to biological and lifestyle differences in the Mikaeans which prevent its occurrence.

### Family structure

*Main article: Household and Coterie*
The Mikaeans boast a radically different form of family structure and kinship, a system which has largely defined the unique character of the Mikaeans as a species, with the primary point being that each and every Mikaean is directly related to one another, either as a sibling or a cousin. All members of the species are born through the nearly males of the population, of which there are about two thousand. Of these, slightly more than a quarter of them are permitted to produce the offspring which currently inhabit the planet, due to federal restrictions passed following the adoption of the Blackstone Constitution. All of the males and females are organized into bodies known as households, which constitute the entirety of the species' populations. These households are further divided into cliques and coteries, which are the mirror equivalent of extended and nuclear families in human civilization and familial units. Each of the households is governed by a High Patron, who in practice, is the eldest male in the household, as well as though not always, the father of all the other males in the household. In the past, all Mikaeans are spawned from the High Patron himself and handed over to his sons, known as Archons, to be governed by and serve as subjects within the household.

Currently, there are a total of thirty households, each associated with a sector which it traditionally presided over prior to the unification of Xyon. These households are constitutionally barred from playing a political role in the government of Xyon, and serve solely as a means of population growth and organization. The constitution of Xyon mandates that all High Patrons hand over the responsibility of spawning Mikaeans to their sons the archons, each of which is tied to a district where he is responsible for maintaining its demographic stability. High Patrons today only producing the males of the species, and are themselves barred from playing any political roles on the planet. As a consequence of the Mikaeans unique reproductive method, the concept of marriage is no known to them, and loyalty to the family as a whole is the most important driving factor in one's life. Various laws related to sexual activity such as incest, are not in force on Xyon, as the taboo directly related to the possibility of impregnation is non-existent. Females play no role in the reproductive cycle of the species, and thus concepts such as virginity, adultery, and homosexuality are not shared with humanity.

## Culture

*Main article: Culture of Xyon*
The character of Xyon has for decades been compared to Western culture since first contact was established between Earth and Xyon. Though there is truth to that sentiment with Western concepts such as the defense of democratic institutions, promotion of civil liberties, and strong work ethic, Mikaean culture stands apart in its human counterpart in many ways; namely the widespread disdain and disinterest for high culture, opposition to liberal values and policies, and deeply religious nature of Mikaeans. Furthermore, in a drastic move away from even the most liberal societies on Earth, Mikaean culture is driven more by the carnal and lecherous desires of the Mikaean females on the planet, who account for virtually 100% of the global population. Veneration of the creator of the Mikaeans is another major aspect of the culture on Xyon, both for his historical role in Mikaean civilization and the fact that his personal traits served as the framework and template for Mikaean culture, in many ways driven by the beliefs and ideals he held. Deeply religious yet not superstitious, individualistic yet not narcissistic, and culturally conservative yet not puritanical, the character of Mikael and thus the Mikaean species, could best be described as an oxymoron of sorts, "excessive yet moderate".

Mikaean culture, more than anything else, is defined by loyalty to father, family, and faith, the "Three F's" of Mikaean civilization as historically spoken of in Xyon's academic circles. Having been established along the framework of households and coteries, the Mikaeans are a deeply familial species psychologically, biologically, and ideologically, a natural consequence of their creation. In the past, supporting one's father and household was an automatic decision all Mikaeans would make regardless of whether that decision was right or wrong. Blind obedience to one's family was the law of the day, and had a marked effect on the culture of the Mikaeans, with statues, paintings, and music venerating the accomplishments of the given High Patron and the sons and daughters he commanded. Likewise, faith played an important role in the organization of a household's culture, as all had their own interpretation of the laws and edicts passed down to them by their first and greatest father, Mikael O'Neill. Though arts and sciences blossomed, Mikaean culture was most of its history driven by a desire of one household to outshine the other for the glory of its High Patron.

Today, the culture of Xyon is somewhat defined as a mildly "classless society", with the patriarchs of the species no longer wielding active political authority over the population, house-based discrimination outlawed for two centuries, and all Mikaean females starting from the same background as a neophyte handled over a coterie based on lottery. Due to the disdain for high culture and therefore the "neo-aristocracy" associated with it, as well as the random nature in which Mikaeans are assigned to coteries, one's background – unless they are male – is of no interest to the Mikaean population. The accomplishments one has achieved of their own accord
is considered the most interesting, as displays the wealth and power a Mikaean has attained in spite of being no different from any other Mikaean on the planet. Given that social mobility within Xyon is largely limited based on the sector of one's upbringing, and the fact that all Mikaeans start off with more or less the same traits as one another, accomplishing any feat that set's one apart from her sisters and elevates her status is a desirable outcome and a defining feature of Mikaean culture.

### Architecture

*Main article: Mikaean architecture*
Architecture across Xyon has traditionally varied based on the house and location of the structures constructed by the Mikaeans. As a people, the Mikaeans have no single "organic" architectural style that grew as a consequence of the Mikaeans culture and civilization, mostly due to the lack of unity within the species for the majority of their history. Rather, each of the various households developed their own styles of building based on the environment and available materials in their regions. For instance, the great cities of Oneillia were typified by large blocks of buildings surrounded by great avenues which sat below sea level, transforming into canals which prevented flooding in the city. In the lands of Metia, the cathedral cities of the inhabitants were notable for the great arches, flying buttresses, stained glass windows and mosaics which composed the majority of the Metian buildings regardless of their function. Consequently, given the wide number of households, the range of architectural styles have varied throughout history.

Vernacular architecture is credited with forming the basis for future architecture styles across Xyon, though given the stability of Xyon's geography and environment, almost all of the households had access to the same building material as the other. As such, it is widely accepted that the personal fancies of the High Patrons and their archons defined the architecture styles which emerged throughout Mikaean history, rather than the outgrowth of local needs and available materials as evidenced by the numerous cultures on Earth. Great works of art in the form of architectural engineering feats, such as the ancient tree villages of Carpenter, and the great underground city of Brink, which were built by Mikaeans on the orders of their patriarchs. Other feats of engineering such as the Blackstone Cathedral, the largest free-standing building on the Xyon for centuries after its construction in TBD YM, were constructed for religious reasons on behalf of Mikael O'Neill and the Council of High Patrons.

During the industrialization period of Mikaean history, the Mikaean population exploded to critical mass within a few decades, forcing the adoption of high-capacity housing to an extent yet unseen by the Mikaeans, even during the times of high population stress. Architecture became a means of keeping up with demand, leading to the spread of the low-cost, high-capacity concrete apartment buildings known as TBDs, which consisted of prefabricated materials and had low rents for the overwhelming majority of the population. The structures provided little protection from the elements, maintenance was difficult, and often, it was cheaper to tear down the whole building and replace it, than it was to fix issues that had mounted up over the years due to the use of poor materials in construction. TBDs became iconic representations of the rampant crime and poverty during the later stages of the Tribuation era, and the failure of the patriarchs to care for their tens of millions of daughters. Mikaean architecture was widely derided during the era as having fallen from the great age of architecture centuries prior, to the ugly, lifeless, and decrepit shells which plagued all of the households across the planet.

Eventually, following the Unification Wars in 3752 YM, architects across Xyon were commissioned by various government officials to help resolve the ailing housing crisis on the planet, while helping move away from the failure of the TBD era. The ultimately resulted in the formation of Style Ebon in 3783 YM, the creation of the Blackstone Arts Academy and its pupils. Though it was ridiculed as "dressed up and modernized" descendant of the old TBD style, the sectorial government in O'Neill commissioned the academy to design the new O'Neill Administrative Center, with the resulting structure gaining many new supporters of the style. Style Ebon would be officially sanctioned by the federal government as the new "international style" that would represent all Mikaeans in the new unified period of their history. During the reconstruction of Xyon's major cities, Style Ebon was utilized to replace all housing and industrial centers, leading to the "Ebonization" of entire regions. Though the naysayers existed and had a loud voice, the benefits of the new international style could not be denied, and the effect was clearly felt across Xyon.

Today, Style Ebon has replaced virtually all other architectural styles on the planet, with the sole exception being "old style" buildings and cities which were spared the devastation of the Unification Wars or explicitly shielded from reconstruction by the archons of the new districts. Regardless, all of the major Mikaean cities are typified by their lack of architectural diversity, and the monotone black and white colors of the cities, large window panels, perfectly trimmed trees and grass, and the large number neon lights called upon by Style Ebon. Austere structures, angular features, and highly modern statues with an astonishing lack of character or feeling, dominate the reshaped landscape of Xyon due to the implementation of Style Ebon two centuries ago. In terms of housing, the prefabricated housing blocks of TBD were redesigned in Style Ebon, boasting a more "modern" look while maintaining the cost and ease of construction, but are nowadays better to look at and provide more protection from the elements.

### Media

*Main article: Media on Xyon*
*See also: Music of Xyon, Television on Xyon, and Cinema of Xyon*
### Cuisine

*Main article: Mikaean cuisine*
Mikaean cuisine is well noted for its lack of diversity, no doubt due to the homogeneity of crops and wildlife on the planet of Xyon, and therefore presenting few options for a wide range of dishes to choose from. However, this is not to say that the Mikaeans lack a highly refined culture of dining. When O'Neill arrived on Xyon, he seeded the planet with flora and fauna from the temperate rain forests of Earth, mostly from the Pacific Northwest of North America, and introduced into the many lakes and water bodies of the planet freshwater fish such as salmon and catfish. Mikaean cuisine is largely built around meats such as beef, poultry, fish, cheeses, grains, stews, and rich desserts. Mikaean dishes revolve around heavily spiced meats and a large broth base with other ingredients added for flavor. The near absence of fruit and vegetables as part of the meal is likely due to the shared traits the Mikaeans share with their creator, who despised plants as a food. In spite of this, the Mikaeans do consume editable plants as part of their diet and cuisine, though it is typically rare as a main dish or as part of an *entrée*, and more common in the ubiquitous Mikaean dark stews.

Mikaean desserts are generally very sweet and sour, though richer ingredients such as chocolate are very popular within Mikaean desserts. Desserts are brightly colored and presented in a wide range of flavors, mainly those shared with the ancestor of the Mikaean people. Citruses and berries are the primary ingredients utilized in Mikaean confectioneries, lending the Mikaean desserts their signature sweet and sour flavors. Mints are extremely commonplace within Mikaean cooking, especially as part of drinks and remedies. Alcoholic beverages tend to follow the same course as Mikaean desserts, with focus on sweet and sour flavors for the drinks popular on Xyon. As is the case with the desserts, alcoholic drinks tend to have a citrus or mint taste to them, while fruit wines draw from the berries which are growth virtually everywhere throughout the planet. Mikaean drinking culture is omnipresent throughout Xyon, with Mikaeans drinking excessively; the average Mikaean drinks about 20 liters of alcohol per capita, more than any other nation on Earth.