Symbology in Upbounds' Antagonists

Symbology in Upbounds' Antagonists

SKULLS

----St'e (native) Use: Bones are used in the St'e "farming" form of growing new young, a way to pass on traits to the next generation and spread the spores inside their bone marrow. Skulls have very very few spores yet can be grown into, so saving skulls for young to grow into or saving the skulls of revered dead are common practices among them. Skull face plates and skull themed helmets are used as ways to retain skull reverence without fully discarding the useful aspects of planting skulls and they're often used by more recycle prone factions or those who find wearing real skulls distateful. Sometimes, skulls are intentionally grown a little oversized on their own to be worn, but this is a rare practice on the whole of the species. St'e also collect and store skulls of notable hunts in many of their cultures and may join, present, or bury them with their dead as a sign of respect.

PIRATES -- Sometimes confused with the above use, especially due to the prevalence of St'e pirates. Pirates use skulls as a tie to st;e roots in many circles, but the more broad interpretation comes from a bit of cultural appropriation and exploitation of the fear and warding the image produces. The idea is to show the skull as a sign to surrender without a fight or to alert an enemy that they are to be boarded. Neutral areas may sport pirate skulls as a sign of shared allegeance against intercessors or as the signet of a specific captain or pirate group. The cross signifies a pair of arms crossing, the universal sign of comradery in the Free Galaxy. It's unclear if this is a Deon, Gahbolin, or other species' tradition first, but it's spread to be rather interspecies and prolific. It's a sign of cooperation or identification on the pirates' end and a warning and warding on the other side.

SKULLCREST/FALCONS -- Skullcrest, as one might expect from the name, has a logo with a human skull in the center surrounded by wings. This is based of the star-signed shield with wings borrowed from the Unyan/Riversie falconry (Armed Forces). The skull here denotes the common mask and insignia drawn on US/Riversie military assets and personnel of a grim reaper's skull. The skulls of skullcrest are a threat. "We are controllers of death" -- They were worn as masks, printed on tanks, anything and anywhere the falcons saw fit. -- Back when robots were cool for them, they had skull faces and/chests. When the scourge occured, robots and synths were blamed. The neurology institute specializing in brain to technology was sought out as computers were still youknow, needed. SO they get there just as stuff starts to get a little oofy. -- They offer a rescue of the guy or a support of the seige against him and his resources as long as someone can pay for their services. The rioters scrounge up and fight for enough money to pool together while the facility toys with the ramification of submission (sry btw this is a good pilot)

OMG a 2nd-coming era story of Skullcrest forming the Iron Falcons by swallowing up and allying with the local worlds and stuff, oppressing and eventually destroying the outer worlds.

"An Iron Crusade... what a ring to it."

Saint Jackson Kestrel: The Man With the Iron