Apocalypsa Galaxy

## *Overview*

*Apocalypsa is the most widely accepted name given to the galaxy wherein reside Humankind, numerous demihumans, an abundance of Star Spawn races, and various other non-Human species. Because only around a quarter of the Apocalypsa Galaxy has been thoroughly surveyed by baseline Humanity, modern scientists are uncertain as to the true number of intelligent species. There are currently 100 recognized intelligent species, mostly including Humanity and their Demihuman and distant Star Spawn cousins. Though with relatively recent contact with sapient alien civilizations hailing from the largely unexplored regions of the wider galaxy, including Faar Space, Phyrr Space, and even vast swaths of Wyld Space, it is mathematically accepted that galactic civilization has yet to discover a large number of species. Humanity, being very xenophobic due to the many dangers of the greater galaxy, have very little contact with other species and the most they have managed has been with those races which descend from baseline Humanity.*

*Although even such interactions as these are done tenuously. Throughout much of the history of Apocalypsa, the most dominant race has been Humans and their cousins. Originating from their long lost homeworld simply called the "Old World", Humans are believed to be the most populous species in the galaxy and so tend to form the basis of the major governments. Despite their own beliefs and refusal to acknowledge the Star Spawn as ever having been human, the varied peoples of Humanity have not in recent millennia come into contact with "nonhuman" sentient life. While they've discovered many forms of lower life, humanity has yet to encounter true aliens native to the Apocalypsa Galaxy. The closest they have come to such beings would be the Saphirons, a race whom invaded from another galaxy much like the ancestors of humanity had millennia ago. All other forms of intelligent life which humanity has had to deal with since the fall of their great empire have in fact been created by the hands of humans.*

## *Fabricated-Xenos Races*

*The Arts of Fabrication were much more sophisticated during the time of the Old Empire and their creations, many of which were designed to fight against their enemies, can still be found in remote places of the galaxy or having established themselves to a greater extent than humanity.*

### *Orogs*

*Examples of this would be the Orogs, a race created by the Old Empire to serve as warriors and a living biological weapon. A role these creatures excelled at to devastating effect, surviving not only the Great Calamity and its aftermath but also countless wars with humanity, the demihumans and the Star Spawn in the years since. The Orogs are a violent and savage race that live among the galaxy's darker and more dangerous locations. Known for their aggressive behavior, the rest of galactic civilization regards them as beasts and their presence is generally treated as a blight to be purged. Worlds dominated by the Orogs tend to be unpleasant places to live. Most are overcrowded planets which have been largely stripped of natural resources by successive generations of this fast-breeding, savage species. Orog society is one of struggle and war in which every member of society must contribute. Most Orogs live almost entirely for the thrill of the carnage they cause and the loot they capture. The Orogs are asexual, reproducing by laying hundreds of fertilized eggs. During this process the backs of the reproducing Orogs become riddled with very painful blister-like growths that contain small Orogs, which quickly break free and quickly grow to adult size. A Due to a very high birth rate, Orogs are the most wide spread species in the galaxy, outnumbering every other intelligent race.*

### *Scrin*

*Others include the Scrin, a collection of insectoid races which dominate a huge swath of the galaxy and are hostile to all whom encroach upon their territory. The Scrin were designed for use as disposable biological weapons similarly to the Orogs and like them have endured into the modern era. The Scrin have conquered and colonized many thousands of planets across Faar Space and rule over a domain that is very likely larger than that controlled by Humanity. Scrin society is based on a caste system in which they can coexist prosperously and it is believed they don't have emotions, at least of the human sort, and they never retreat unless they know they can't win. The individuals of the lower castes, such as Warriors, are telepathically connected to the hive minds. The Scrin are considered to be one of the greater threats to human dominance and are always hostile when encountered. Their numbers being so vast, the Scrin can be found virtually anywhere in the galaxy and inhabiting, if not thriving in some of the most perilous environments. Though considered to be an "intelligent" race, to some degree, most other factions within the galaxy treat the Scrin as an infestation to be exterminated. And yet more examples of fabricated alien life exist all across the less explored regions of the galaxy.*

### *Crux*

*A notable spacefaring species which is not outright hostile to Humanity and all other sentient life include the Crux, a simian-like species who have long since began carving out their own empire, originating in Faar Space and having settled countless colonies. Unlike many of the others, the Crux actually remembers that they were created by the Old Ones and so are less hostile to humans, being far more willing to initiate peaceful contact with those whom are willing. However, the Crux are warriors at heart and when threatened will defend themselves savagely.*

### *Homunculus*

*A more recent addition to the list of fabricated races created by Humanity are the extremely aggressive Homunculus, now called the Dushkaari. In appearance, they are tall and muscular humanoids. Despite any superficial similarities, they are barely human at all, having been made superior in all respects to a normal human by a harsh regime of genetic modification and rigorous training. Dushkaari are untouched by plague or any natural disease and can suffer wounds that would kill a lesser being several times over, and live to fight again. They are able to control every muscle and nerve in their body. These abilities include being able to enter a state of hyper-alertness in times of potential danger or shut down parts of their nervous system so as to not feel pain. They also possess superior hand-to-hand combat abilities and are trained to be unrivaled in their fighting skills. Dushkaari tend to look very attractive due to selective breeding over several generations.The practice of fabricating Human-like beings has long been completely outlawed due the disastrous rebellion of such fabricated warriors millennia ago. This rebellion ending with the extermination of an entire space faring civilization at the hands of their vengeful creations and the loss of the knowledge to replicate their accomplishment.*

### *Scilians*

*Also of note are the mysterious Silians of Faar Space. These are a sexually aggressive alien species intent on spreading itself throughout the universe by infiltrating, breeding with, and annihilating the intelligent populations of other planets. They are capable of rapid growth and can bond their own DNA to that of other creatures through copulation, reproduction and other forms of genetic contact. The Scilians appear to be bipedal humanoids in form with the exception of the males of the species. Male Scilians seem to have two types of alien forms; Bipedal and quadrupedal. The quadrupedal form is for combat and is more massive and brutish. The female of the species are the most prominent as well as decidedly the most dangerous, as they are able to shapeshift to a degree that allows them to pass for human. Scilian females act as infiltration agents and are able to quickly adapt to their surroundings, showing an incredible cunning as they blend into society. This race was created 30 thousand years ago by a long forgotten cult that had been obsessed with their own perfection and had tried to achieve this through fabrication arts. Whether or not they succeeded is... up for debate. All that is certain is that the Scilians seek to infiltrate humanoid societies and eventually replace all other intelligent life. A task which is made more difficult for them due to their genetic incompatibility with all Star Spawn, an obstacle they've yet to overcome.*

### *Machine Carthodox*

*The most intelligent of the fabricated races are the secretive Machine Carthadox, an extremely aggressive and yet curious race of cybernetic monstrosities. The Machine Carthodox are a race made up of genetically engineered, fabricated mutant Anatomica Engines who were originally created to be an improved version of the older Anatomica currently in use. They unexpectedly developed sentience and would flee from their Human creators whom not only rejected them outright but also reacted violently to this revelation. They were forced to flee human dominated space for Faar Space where they have been able to grow and expand in isolation. As a result of the collective experience of their exile nd near genocide, the Machine Carthadox have come to harbor a profound psychic trauma as they evolved, leading to a cold resentment of Humanity and their prejudicial attitudes toward nonhuman life. The will of the Carthadox is to one day return to their original homeworld to fulfil their prophecies of dominion. The Carthodox are a very curious race and seek to learn as much as possible about the other factions. To this end, they are willing to dissect still living subjects and carry out cruel experiments on others. Although the Carthodox aesthetically look entirely robotic to the untrained eye, they are, in fact, cybernetic lifeforms, with an inhumanely large, living, fabricated brain encased in and supported by an armed and mobile outer shell of protective metal armor.*

### *Leviathans*

*The Leviathans are believed to be a race of monstrous creatures bioengineered by a long dead, sentient race. While their exact origins are unclear their intentions are not. As biological weapons of warfare on a galactic scale, they are extremely hostile and toxic creatures designed with the intention to wipe out all life they encounter on a planet. These terrifyingly savage beasts can be colossal in size, averaging hundreds of feet in height and thousands of tons in weight. Their bodies allow them to adapt and dominate on land and water once they enter a planets atmosphere. They are able to breathe and survive in multiple types of environments, which include land, underground in extreme heat and high pressure, underwater and environments with no air, such as the void of space. As biological weapons, their anatomy is designed to be useful on a tactical level. Their cell's can function asexually and the species has an unlimited potential for maximum evolution. If the situation demands it the Leviathans can sprout wings or evolve into smaller forms for worldwide colonization. However, the Leviathans are very few in number, continuing to decrease in population due to humanity and other races actively hunting these beasts, so encounters with such legendary monsters are quite rare.*

### *Necrospawn*

*However, the most dangerous and outright terrifying of all the fabricated races which plague the galaxy is the Devourer's Plague, also called the Necrospawn by many others. These are parasitic, predatory creatures that were awakened during the Age of Wrath. The origins of these terrifying monsters are unknown to the galaxy's human inhabitants but what little is certain is that they are the cause of the devastation of over a thousand worlds and have devour entire planetary populations. Claiming these worlds for themselves as breeding grounds and forcing the remnants of the surviving population to flee or enclose themselves in fortress cities. The sole purpose of almost all Necrospawen is to acquire more bodies to convert and spread the infection, a task at which they have excelled for thousands of years. The Necrospawn communicate with one another via chemicals which allows them to pass along information at a genetic level. Memories learned from the host onto the new generation of Necrospawn allows them to read and understand different languages and the species excels at observational learning. Through this method they are able to use firearms, operate ships, and employ complex strategies using the memories of their unfortunate victims.  While the other rogue fabricated creatures of the galaxy are feared rightfully, non invoke the same level of terror and disgust as the Devourer's Plague.*

## *Current State of The Galaxy*

*The human race dwells in a world of darkness. A galactic dark age propped up by sorcery and science. The survivors barely made it through the horrors which preceded this age. Their numbers totally insignificant in comparison to the many monsters which preyed upon them, they shunned the galaxy outside of the regions their ancestors had already mapped and exploration came to a halt. The centuries of ceaseless war with eldritch horrors had taken its toll on the worlds of humanity as well. Weapons of incalculable destruction were deployed without a thought to the cost of future generations, their ancestors simply wishing to drag as many of their hated foes into the abyss along side them as possible. Humans living upon the most terribly effected planets shunned the surface world and its toxic atmosphere, being left with no choice but to seek shelter in underground complexes and vast fortress cities protected by fortified domes for the next few centuries. When they finally returned to the surface, their mechanized civilization was in ruins.*

*With no way of contacting survivors in other distant planets and systems, any thoughts these isolated pockets of humanity might have had of things returning to the way they'd been before the destruction, or even of rebuilding to the point where it could be called a civilization, were flights of fantasy, and nothing more. With generation after generation striving merely to survive, memories of the past grew dim. Though the birthrate of humanity and its ability to adapt being what it is, the population increased steadily after a thousand years, but civilization itself plunged back to the level of the Middle Ages. Dreading the mutant creatures spawned by radiation and cosmic rays, the humans formed more militant civilizations and continued to further fortify what their settlements. Slowly over the years forest and plains had gradually returned to verdure on many worlds where such sights were previously just a distant memory, enabling the survivors to further expand and grow in numbers.*

*In their struggles with the cruel environment, at times they had to kill their newborn babies to keep what little food they had. Other times the infants went toward filling their parents' empty bellies. That was the time. In that pitch-black, superstitious world they appeared. It was during this time that Humanity first encountered the races of the Star Spawn whom they would come to battle against relentless for generations to come. How the Star Spawn maintained high levels of technology and lived on in the chaotic maelstrom of the Aethyrium-Sea was unclear. All that is known is when the many Star Spawn returned to their ancestral home of Near Space, they brought only carnage, destruction and war. As when the fox hears the rabbit's scream, he comes quickly... but he doesn't come to help. Most prominent among these assailants were the vampiric Sanguinarians, who quickly became known for stealing away entire settlements, leaving no signs of life.*

*These creatures would quickly become legend among the many superstitions races of mankind, the sources of countless myths and stories meant to frighten. However, even in this pathetic state, humanity would continue to resist these foes and fight bitterly to survive. From the end of the fourth millennia A.D., the Sanguinarian civilizations as a whole started to show a phenomenal decline in energy, and that brought on the start of mankind's great rebellion. Weakened by one great uprising after another, the Sanguinarians entered dozens of armistices with the humans, each of which maintained the peace for short periods. Ultimately they scattered before mankind's pursuit. Many of these mysterious races retreating back to their native region of Phyrr Space. In their bloodlust fueled ignorance, the humanes would pursue the Sanguinarians and other less well documented Star Spawn warbands into the realms of Savage Space, this initiating contact between the techno-barbarian Demihumans.*

*Unfortunately, Humanity would see their distant cousins as no different from the Star Spawn whom had preyed upon them for so long and attack the Demihuman civilizations as well. Tribal and warlike due to their own even more harsh environment, the Demihumans responded in kind, cementing distrust and prejudice between the two for millennia to come. The damage had been done as humanity fostered legends about these enemies of mankind that persist to the modern day. Though most humans remain unaware that they had merely fought off raiding parties and warbands, the true devastating spender of the Star Spawn civilizations remaining a mystery to them. During these years of near constant raids from Phyrr Space, these vicious Star Spawn barbarians being nearly indestructible themselves, weren't so eager to exterminate the mutant creatures humanity feared so much. Quite the contrary, the Star Spawn loved the vicious beasts, nurtured them, and even created others like them with their own hands.*

*The Star Spawn unleashed one legendary monster after another into the world of man. Though their creators were forced out of human dominated space, the creatures they had spawned still ran rampant on countless worlds that had been victimized. The humans studied the nature of these artificial monstrosities for generations, learning their powers and their weaknesses. In time, some people came to work exclusively on weapons and ways to kill these things. Of those people, some specialized in producing more effective weaponry, while those of surpassing strength and agility trained themselves to use those weapons. These exceptional warriors are the origin of the earliest Quaarymen. As time went by, Quarrymen became more narrowly focused, specializing in killing Orogs or a specific breed of Star Spawn. The Quarrymen were a product of the people's fear. Universally recognized as possessing strength and intellect beyond the rest of humanity, as well as an ironclad will impervious to the fear their inhuman enemies inspired in others.*

*By the time of the present age, the vast majority of humans believes that the Star Spawn, Demihumans and other monsters serve no purpose beyond terrorizing Humanity. For the children of Mankind, the Apocalypsa Galaxy is a post-apocalyptic wasteland inhabited by humans, mutants, demons and various other strange creatures. The worlds within its confines are as diverse as its inhabitants, including small farming communities which dwell inside walled enclaves, weapons and warrior training citadels, mobile city-szided fishing communities that remain at sea and many remnants from the Great Calamity such as the techno barbarians and techno cults. The Apocalypsa has many descriptions some conflicting about its scope. What is not conflicting is that it is mainly broken up into 6 main regions. Near Space, Wyld Space, Savage Space, Phyrr Space, Faar Space and Kursed Space.*

*Aside from the numerous biological dangerous present throughout the galaxy, the strains on the fabric of local space-time created by the apocalyptic conflict between the nearly forgotten ancient ancestors of Humanity and the reviled demonoid onslaught over 120 thousand years ago have had many unimaginable effects upon the greater galaxy. For example the barriers between the otherworldly Astral Realm and the Mortal Realm have been significantly weakened across the galaxy, allowing for the flow of arcane energies and the birth of the galactic anomalies known as Chaos Stars. As well as resulting in the creation of smaller, permanent warp rifts in space time across Apocalypsa, including the Gods Eye Gate. Bathing countless nearby worlds in a sickly red glow, this nebulous tear in space-time represents far more than a navigational hazard or obstruction to communication. It is a cancer upon the fabric of time and space, and entire star systems have been lost to its baleful influence. Even more terrifying than its existence, the erratic behavior of the Gods Eye has caused many scholars to believe that it may, in fact, have a mind and sentience of its own. Although any efforts to fully catalog or study the effects of the Gods Eye Gate for prolonged periods of time have all ended in utter disaster.*

## *Peoples & Cultures*

*Even after tens of thousands of years since the Great Calamity, a considerable percentage of worlds dominated by the persistent descendants of the Old Empire have managed to maintain some ancient technological artifacts and advance technologically. Displaying the knowledge to maintain and create impressive industry and infrastructure. Although they have been forced to work with a very limited understanding of past achievements, much at that knowledge having been lost during the long millennia. Despite these grievous setbacks, of all the types of human settlements that can be found, these worlds are often commonly considered to be the most civilized and ideal. Upon these worlds, the main population centers tend to be astonishingly colossal fortress cities and other urban environments that are supported by the planet's own industrial capabilities and refined methods of agricultural production. Such worlds are able to maintain more stable planetary societies, most often cultivating a global community, marked by a noticeably quick dispersal of information to all inhabited planetary areas.*

*These comparatively "civilized" worlds are generally entirely self-sufficient in terms of their food production and have varying manufacturing, technological and industrial capabilities. Some may have managed to achieve atomic-power, much more efficient mass production and manufactured goods are easily available on almost all societal levels. Space travel and transportation is not common though neither is it a rarity, with interstellar and in-system space travel being a relatively frequent sight. Modern medicine, communication, and privately owned business are also common. The most advanced tools are created through mass production by specialized factories or workers. Electricity is produced from harvesting and refining dragonist fuels. Cultivation and transportation are motorized, automata robots and energy weapons are used and anti-gravity technologies, while exceedingly rare, are utilized to some extent. As one of the most common and stable incarnations of civilization in the Apocalypsa galaxy, these industrial societies makeup the backbone of much of galactic life.*

*Over the countless centuries, their populations have grown to be enormous, with billions of people living crowded together within impoverished ghettos. The sheer numbers of people upon these worlds makes them hard to control. Gangs form and carve out fiefdoms, fighting among themselves while millions subsists on scraps. Advanced weaponry dominates warfare, and power generation is extremely well regulated. The most advanced technology is restricted to the highest levels of society, with the lower classes living more akin to peasants. Most of the lower classes have very little understanding of the intricacies of the technologies utilized throughout their homeworlds. The myriad peoples of the Apocalypsa galaxy live in a place of various otherworldly wonders and unimaginable terrors in equal measures. Because of this accepted reality, the vast majority of the human population on any given world lives within heavily fortified urbanized structures known as Fortress Cities, which provides them with relative security.*

*These enclosures come in a broad variety and have just as many names. A Fortress City can span dozens, if not hundreds of miles, and are surrounded by towering walls which can reach upwards of 50 meters in height from bottom to top. How these Fortress Cities are governed can often vary greatly from world to world and sometimes system to system. Many acting essentially as semi-independent city-states, most usually characterized by entrenched class inequity; the upper classes residing inside geodesic domes, known as Enclaves, and middle and lower classes, living outside of them. Each dome within a Fortress City has its own artificial “sun”, a powerful source of light energy that orbits, rising and setting to mark the passage of time. This is accomplished through the utilizing of an ancient spellpowered machine capable of creating a miniature sun that slowly dissipates overtime. Due to centuries of pollution many of these immense cities live under a constant climate of cloudy overcast, leading to bright and natural sunlight to be considered something of a luxury.*

*The largest of these Enclaves is always located within the city center and it contains the Fortress City's ruling government headquarters. Be it the luxurious, yet very heavily defended, palace of an absolute monarch or a more democratically elected governor of their city. The distribution of technology is not handled fairly and so the standard of living can differ immensely. While devices such as televisions do exist, they are always in black and white color, and are used only by the upper class. This discrepancy in technology is clear to all upon entering a Bastion City. With whole "districts" living in what can best be described as an enforced "dark age" when compared to the nobility of the cities. The lower classes often lack basic knowledge of technology and view it with suspicion or outright fear. Often living without many forms of modern utilities, they travel by torches, gaslights and other primitive means. Although this is not always the case, and the availability of advanced forms of technology to the masses can differ immensely.*

*Automata robots coexist with the human inhabitants of a Fortress City, however their overall numbers are fairly low and they’re seen as something of a rarity. Due to the untold devastation wrought by the nearly mythical Great Calamity which heralded the return of magic into the Mortal Realm and saturated the galaxy in unnatural arcane energies, many forms of advanced technology simply do not function so well anymore. This has basically forced Humanity and all the other races into a "stuck in the middle" type of situation wherein humans have had to seek out new methods for allowing mundane technology and magic to function in conjunction with one another. Sometimes this works out reasonably well, oftentimes it does not. Dragonist stone fueled machines and devices are the most common that can be found, ranging from massive airships to motorbikes. Alongside dragonist fueled technology there are more mundane devices, such as typewriters and slide projectors, which still work much the same as they always have.*

*Telephones and radios are in fairly common usage to varying degrees. The rarer technologies that can be found are holographic generators and energy based weapons. These devices are restricted to the ruling classes and military forces. Most of the labor within Fortress Cities is done utilizing machines and other forms of advanced automation, which are all operated and maintained by numerous human workers. The countless millions who live within the Fortress Cities often providing the much-needed industrial labor forces, producing mountains of war materials and other necessities to meet the constantly growing demands of these ancient metropolises. Life among the common citizenry of a Fortress City can often be a very harrowing experience. The crime-ridden, poverty-stricken areas, almost always found in the most ignored and decrepit districts of the Fortress City, are home to violent gangs, criminals, cults and assorted scum as well as mutant tribes who hide there from the authorities.*

*Fortress Cities are often based on a very obvious class system, with a ruling noble class and a bureaucratic middle class, while the rest of the population are often treated much like hereditary serfs. This entrenched classism has clearly caused friction between the various groups and also spawned counter cultures, such as underground movements against the established powers. Although most inhabitants of these massive cities simply desire to live their lives as peacefully as is possible and do not seek any great changes to the prevailing status quo. However this is not always due to the often volatile nature of the city-states. Fortress Cities are home to the largest concentrations of baseline humanity that can be found anywhere throughout the Apocalypsa galaxy, with populations in the hundreds of millions being the norm, and for this reason Fortress Cities tend to be much more heavily defended than any other civilian population centers. Indeed, each Bastion is capable of housing and supplying whole armies within their formidable fortress walls, while also employing gravity or electrically-charged energy fields for protection.*

*The Citadels are the military installations of a Fortress City, which can be found either as extensions of one of the larger Fortress Cities, housing their military forces, or as a lone fortress. They have a considerably large military presence, being built with waging war in mind over any other purpose. Heavily militarized to the point of absurdity, they serves as bastions of defense against the most constant and persistent threats to the inhabitants. These fortresses are extremely well-defended, usually with large numbers of soldiers and armored vehicles, even if the rest of the city were to fall, the Citadel would still be able to hold out for months or even years. The battle hardened defenders selling their lives as dearly and as slowly as possible. So fanatical are they that only when slaughtered to the last man can the city be considered taken. Even still, the relentless foes of Humanity have managed to breach these considerable defenses on more than one occasion. Be it the mythical might of the superhuman Star Spawn or the numberless barbaric hordes of Orogs. Sanctums are a common sight and can be found in almost every Fortress-City.*

*A Sanctum functions as a small town-sized temple within the larger cities which house them. They are always established for reasons of divine spiritual devotion and are most often usually dominated by a particular religious group. These enormous temple structures are directly controlled by religious authorities and form the recruiting centers of a specific religious sect. Despite the limited territory, the Bastions have extensive industry. There are fields contained within special domes where crops are grown to feed those within, such as fields of wheat and tomatoes. The technology for genetic engineering is also somewhat widespread, with the vast majority of meat consumed by their large populations being a result of the fabrication arts. As is to be expected, Bastions have access to many different ways of traversing their labyrinthine passages. Many old underground subway tunnels and maintenance systems exist throughout the cities inner workings, some so old as to be forgotten by the inhabitants and have since fallen to ruin.*

*These "uncharted" subway tunnels remain a mystery to most, as everyone is too afraid to go below the surface of the city and explore properly. Many believe that hidden secrets from before The Fall of Mankind lurk in these unexplored tunnels. Secret laboratories and other installations from before The Fall are located in the underground. However, there are many tunnels which have been slowly reclaimed by Humanity and are used for use as public and private transportation. These tunnels were mapped out by various groups of urban explorers known as Tunnel Raiders, who accomplish this task at great risk to themselves. They are generally unafraid to use the old subway system as a means of quickly transporting themselves around a Bastion City as needed, utilizing immense tank-like vehicles that contain heavy weapons for defense against the mutant creatures which thrive in such conditions. However, even these brave bands of explorers have only mapped out the basic subway grid for the use of the Bastion's population.*

*Even to them the vast majority of the underground is an entirely separate world that many are afraid to go into. Those brave enough to explore the deeper levels, returning with both their lives and sanity intact, have found that they not only house countless dangers but also exotic technologies that are unknown on the surface. These rare items are hauled back to the surface where they can fetch a high price, being sold to the highest bidder. And thus any knowledge they can grant greater human society is hoarded away in a private collection or only attainable by those with the wealth to purchase it. A Tunnel Raider's life expectancy is very low, so those who venture into the unexplored tunnels must be either thrill-seekers or suicidal - in the lawless underworld of a Bastion City, either is a possibility. Due to the danger of their chosen profession, Tunnel Raiders are considered as insane by the other inhabitants of the Fortress Cities.*

### *Archeo-Tech Societies*

*Throughout the endless expanse of the Apocalypsa galaxy there exist many societies and cultures which function under societal systems which other factions might consider to be "outdated" or archaic when compared to their generally high level of technological advancement. Many Star Spawn and monster-blooded peoples can most commonly fit within this category, although baseline Humans are by no mean an exception. Such peoples normally tend to utilize a combination of ancient traditions, religious beliefs, superstition, employing melee weapons along side a more advanced arsenal, and combine these with the common use of extra-system colonization, automata-robots, personal energy weapons such as plasma cannons, efficient industry, limited anti-gravity technologies, sophisticated devices for communication and more. How these societies came to be varies wildly, with some peoples regressing from a more advanced technological state to that of a more primitive one, but still managing to hold onto some scattered remnant of their old way of life.*

*Others having been uplifted by a more advanced alien species at some point in their past but still maintaining a grasp of their original culture. This often lends to a very unique aesthetic, with some worlds being dotted with massive pyramid like structures similar in appearance to those found upon the Old World during ancient times, and walled cities of immense size which are reminiscent of the stone citadels of the distant past, while at the same time housing supremely advanced weapons systems for defense. These are industrialized civilizations, their populations, normally numbering in the high millions to low billions, are split between manufacturing and agriculture. Commonly employing agricultural methods which consist of herding bred animals or farming planted crops, occupying most of the surrounding communities while more modern means of manufacturing advanced plastics and metallic alloys are present elsewhere. A common practice among these cultures is the infusing of objects with hieroglyphs or runic spells that distorts their reality. For example, a piece of wood can be made to be as powerful as concrete or steel.*

*Communication includes the use of a writing system, with the mass production of written text and electrical messages. And despite being seen as "primitive" in many aspects, scientific and philosophical knowledge are still emphasized. These civilizations are just as intelligent and efficient as any other when one looks close enough to see it. Although these more isolated worlds tend to be completely self-sufficient, interplanetary trade between these peoples does occur whenever the opportunity for peaceful interactions is presented. However, such planets also tend to be much more militant than others, being seen as easy targets for pirates and worse due to their perceived primitive lifestyles. This having resulted in an entrenched warrior culture. These factions also tend to have surprisingly open minds when it comes to having dealings with the Star Spawn and Demihumans, whom are encountered so rarely when compared to the more commonly hostile human pirates and slavers.*

### *Techno-Barbarians*

*Tech-Barbarians hail from the darkest and most remote places of the galaxy where civilization has failed or has yet to tread. From desolate wastelands, ominous jungles, and barren tundras these mighty warriors brave both beasts and climes to earn their place among the stars. Some have been warped by either arcane or extraterrestrial energies and inhabit the most desolate and dangerous environments that can be found. Because of this, many tech-barbarians use an inborn rage to gain an advantage over their enemies. Brutally strong, tough, and resourceful, a tech-barbarian is to be feared in individual combat, even by the most well trained of warriors. However, though tech-barbarians are widely considered to be uncivilized, many among their number aren't savages. They maintain complex social structures and codes that might seem strange to an outsider, however, are no less culturally important to them.*

*These various tech-barbarian tribes and nations come in a vast plethora and are by no means uniform in how they have developed during their long millennia of isolation. Tech-Barbarians wear clothing native to their home regions; colder places, for instance, mean thick furs and many layers of leather and skins. In most cases these tech-barbarian tribes are strongly ritualized, using bones and tattoos as symbols. However, as the designation implies, tech-barbarians have within their possession considerably advanced forms of technology which they have managed to meticulously maintain during their extensive periods of isolation. Often employing Power Armor and a selection of the advanced weapons. Some peoples classified as "tech-barbarians" utilize technology which, despite its archaic appearance, easily rivals that of any of the "civilized" factions.*

*Despite this, they continue to preserve what outsiders often considered as "barbaric" cultural practices. While Baseline Humans and Demihumans make up the large majority of "known" tech-barbarians inhabiting the galaxy, tech-Barbarians from other species are not unheard of, especially among the more primordial regions of the galaxy. Those few explorers and treasure seekers who have managed to return from Phyrr Space know this better than others. Tech-Barbarians are most usually found in those regions wherein which the environment makes everyday survival a deadly struggle. Their lack of "modern" civilization among tech-barbarian cultures does not mean that they lack a strong sense of faith. While tech-Barbarians venerate ancestral and nature spirits, they frequently worship deities of the Astral Realm.*