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Vaurca History

2019-09-23T22:06:14Z

Bygonehero: /* The Era of Augments */

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{{Navbox Vaurca Lore}}

===Early Nomadism===
The earliest records of Vaurca civilization gained from limited access to Zo'ra records range from some time starting between 737,000 and 887,000 years ago. Due to the hostile climate of their homeworld caused by the thin ozone allowing radiation to blast the planet daily, many Vaurca were forced to live nomadic lives inside the vast underground cave networks to gain access to edible fungus.

Almost all conflict originated around control of food. Warfare was a matter of survival after a hive exhausted its food supply. Warrior castes became the most dominant caste within Vaurca society and nearly all hives were in constant conflict with one another. Due to the innate deadliness of Vaurca mandibles and claws warfare was fought in melee. Prisoners of war tended to be decapitated by the mandibles of the victor while the surviving hive was enslaved. The mindset appears to be an unwillingness to spare extremely limited resources with enemy warriors.

===The Agricultural Revolution===
Approximately 567,000 years ago agricultural methods that allowed hives to cultivate fungus had proliferated throughout the planet. No longer a resource that could be easily exhausted, many hives found an abundance of food to be a boon. The population exploded as the hives continued to operate as they always had. Unfortunately, fertile territory (in the context of cave fungus) was uncommon and conflict still broke out between hives.

Other avenues of change proliferated through the Vaurca hives, as well as an explosion of art. For understandable reasons living in caves constantly grew tiresome for many unbound Vaurca and they began to experiment with ways to spruce up the place. With an abundance of food, Vaurca were able to spare manpower to begin ambitious feats of masonry and architecture. According to secondary sources, the Vaurca Homeworld eventually developed elaborate and massive feats of subterranean engineering, with aqueducts, sewage, and entire cities being carved out of the rock. The walls and floors of the cave were smoothed out and covered in engravings, creating a form of art that wouldn't be blasted away by radiation. Thousands of years of trial and error with countless incidents of cave-ins in the early years have allowed the Vaurca to become masters of masonry and architecture.

Along with traditional warfare, queens of many hives had begun an arms race of architecture to show up one another. Massive engineering projects would be undertaken for the glory of the queen of the hive, such as a huge subterranean temple, the rerouting of an entire underground river, or a subterranean road being carved out to connect dozens of spread out subterranean cities all being commissioned. Queens at the time had also begun to develop a cult of personality around themselves, with the queens that managed to succeed in becoming the most powerful and influential on the planet. Information on this is difficult to gather due to obvious bias or mixing of legends and facts within Vaurca records. However, xenoarchaeologists are in agreement that Vaurca queens managed to retain a vital position in Vaurca society by inflating their status as mothers to a spiritual level. As the only ones in Vaurca society that could give birth to new generations, they had become mystical gardens of life and fertility in an otherwise dead and barren world.

===The Era of Augments===
The development of Vaurca continued down paths similar to the development of other space-faring species. The major split from the norm occurred around 50,043BCE Galactic Standard Time. The Vaurca had managed to achieve a technological level similar to Earth in the late 20th century. However the Zo'ra, who had emerged before this time, had a breakthrough in augmentation technology. Zo'ra began augmenting its drones with simple cybernetic enhancements. Worker drones would have their limbs replaced with more sturdy prosthetics, and later advancements in genetics had even more Vaurca hives beginning to experiment with altering workers with genetic and cybernetic enhancements.

This technological advancement continued until the Vaurca achieved a version of technological singularity with the technology in 37,650 BCE. The technology had become miniaturized and advanced enough that Vaurca hives could cybernetically engineer any aspect of a Vaurca drone. By this time Vaurca drones had become Bound, creating the early forms of the Vaurca we see today.
By 36,500 BCE the working caste of bound drones could work 24/7 stopping only to eat. Soldiers were augmented with all sorts of experimental weapons and abilities. However, the augments and genetic alterations forced those altered into very specific castes. A worker raised and given augments for battle wasn't an effective mason or diplomat. While previously Vaurca society was stratified, the 'worker' Vaurca of old at least had a chance to enter into different fields. The modern Vaurca society saw a caste system where Vaurca were literally defined from birth and built into that role. This also created the modern definitions of bound and unbound: bound vaurca are members of the worker caste, literally bound to their role and station. The unbound are Vaurca above the working caste that would be allowed to seek their own destiny in society, forming a form of noble caste.

Eventually, the Unbound, supported by a limitless supply of slave labor, began to form a more and more secluded society separate from the working caste. From Human and Skrell xenoarchaeological discoveries, it is known that Unbound Lii'dra scientists and artists eventually unlocked the technology behind virtual reality, and specialized it to create entire virtual worlds for themselves. Sharing their discoveries, Unbound with access to VR would lock themselves away for hours or even days at a time, sometimes leaving VR for only a few minutes at a time to let their bound workers feed them without having to even having to leave their seat.

Eventually, the VR technology pervaded all aspects of Vaurcan society. Co-opted by the Queens and Lesser Queens of each hive they made the technology achieve a religious symbolism and importance unequaled by any technology before or since.

It is near the end of this Era that most scholars agree that the original conflict between the Lii'dra and Zo'ra first began and that the nature and scope of the war caused a technological regression that continues to this day.

===The First Hive War===
Occurring around 30,000 BCE, The First Hive War began.It was not the first modern War, it was, however, the first conflict to involve every single hive, both minor and major. According to records obtained from Titan Prime, the conflict began during a technology summit at Xtykt'lotec after which the entire city was taken by Lii'dra forces. This brazen act dissolved the Court of Queens, launching old enemy hives against each other with the breakdown of diplomacy, as well as the Lii'dra themselves, who blitzed through the first half of the entire war virtually unopposed by the resulting chaos. Like a plague that swept across the planet, entire tectonic plates would go dark, and embattled hives would focus much of their defenses at the edges of their respective territories to protect themselves rather than each other.

Because of the scope of the war, this was the first real industrialization of war. It brought together entire hives for the one purpose to make conflict. It is in this time that many of the current Lesser Queens were born, with some individual Vaurca emerging from this conflict as heroes in their own right. The turning point of the war began with the first Lii'dra defeats. At the hands of Klax, Lii'dra were unable to breach their plates defensive network, a complex set of machines that prevented any lifeform from approaching within miles of their territory. This resulted in forcing the Lii'dra to attack the Zo'ran plate through the Ryitu’kya Abyss. This battle is considered the single most important in Vaurca history. Such was its importance that even some Queens themselves participated in this conflict. It is from this battle that the Zo'ra emerged victorious, halting the Lii'dra scourge so they could be routed by an assembled force of many hives, brought together by the C'thur.

The Lii'dra defeat here signaled the beginning of the end of the war. From here, increasingly bloody battles would blanket nearly every tectonic plate. Forced to attack the K'laxan positions after their defeat within the Ryitu'kya Abyss, the Lii'dra broke the K'laxan defensive line with nothing less than a billion lives. By some accounts, in the aftermath of the Siege of the Kol'axta Plate, entire underground caverns were filled to the brim with corpses from both sides. The First Hive War officially ended August 27th, 29,930 BCE after the sinking of the city of Illuau'tia, the historic Lii'dra capital, and seat of their hive. With just over 80% of the planets Vaurcan population slain in the conflict, a mass depression blanketed the survivors in their pyrrhic victory over the Lii'dra, that not even the surviving Queens themselves could mend. It was from this bleakness and death that the Vaurcan idea of the Afterlife spawned. Envisioned and proclaimed by High Zo'ra the Afterlife technology was gifted freely to all surviving hives, she declared nevermore would such death haunt their species. For truly, based upon their newest technology, the Queens relieved their hives of death and despair by making real the idea of life after death, that the death witnessed here would never again be an issue for the generations after.

===The Great Evacuation===

After the Lii'dra conflict, The proliferation of VR and bound labor created a lull in conflict on Sedantis I. Farming techniques had become advanced enough that the populations could be reasonably fed, and all other desires were being filled in virtual worlds. By all accounts it would have been completely possible that the Vaurca never left their homeworld due to the development of VR. However a combination of push factors forced the great Vaurca hives to embark on extensive plans to expand into space.

The extremely thin ozone layer of Sedantis I had begun to be measured since the start of their modern era in the early CE era. By 150 CE the Vaurca's version of a scientific body between hives had conclusive evidence to show that the ozone would be completely stripped off the planet within another 200 years. While the planet had been bombarded with radiation, life had still managed to etch out a living, but when the ozone layer was completely gone all life on the planet would be killed by the excessive amounts of radiation, rendering it a barren, lifeless rock.

Hives took different approaches to the impending apocalypse. Many hives felt they could simply increase the depths of their subterranean cities to avoid the increase of radiation, and that the subterranean eco-systems would continue to thrive beneath the surface, while other hives began to try to look past the taboo of the deadly sky and consider expanding their hives into space.

Hives devoted massive amounts of bound labor to both projects. For the next 50 years some Vaurca hives constructed the massive hive-ships we see today. In another display of the sheer ingenuity of Vaurca engineering and architecture they had managed, after very heavy losses in early failures, to create and utilize an orbital industry to work on the hive-ships. These ships are also called ark-ships, and were used to transport thousands of Vaurca to other star systems. While fusion power was available to Vaurca at the time they did not yet possess warp or bluespace capabilities, meaning travel to other systems was extremely slow.

This reality meant that hive-ships had to be capable of supporting a population in deep space for hundreds or even thousands of years. They became battleships, colony ships, mobile incubators, carriers, refineries, and production facilities all in their own. They spread through space similar to the Vox, as nomadic wanderers occasionally settling on habitable worlds, but the pace of it was was incredibly slow due to the lack of bluespace technology.

Despite being years or even hundreds of years apart bound drones were still unquestionably loyal to their original queen, and followed directives given by her during their travels to the letter and without compromise. Lesser queens were brought on the hive-ships to help keep the population stable, and others left on habitable planets with a group of Unbound and Bound to settle on the few habitable planets they passed along the way, but the original High Queens of the hives on Sedantis remain legendary religious figures, with the lesser queens taking on a ceremonial role as mothers. Unbound present in the hive-ships were almost entirely connected to VR, which allowed them to function in their worlds, which may have been the only reason they managed to function as a society in deep space for so long.

The ultimate fate of Sedantis I is unknown to Vaurca encountered in human space in 2458, as contact is still impossible.

===Contact with Humanity===

None of the civilized species of the galaxy had any idea that the Vaurcae existed until an eventful day in November, 2456, when the drive plume and heat signature of a massive ship burning its engine in order to slow down for an approach was detected near the Romanovich cloud in Tau Ceti. While the galaxy was taken aback by this information, the Republic of Biesel acted immediately. A small scout vessel was dispatched to the ship, which was revealed to be a 30 kilometer (18.23 mile) vessel, mostly engine and radiator. Dubbed 'Titan Prime' by the media, Tau Ceti and news places over the known galaxy were bubbling with excitement as the object approached its apparent destination: Biesel.

After a few weeks, the object passed the Romanovich cloud and dispatched over twenty drones to key locations in Tau Ceti. Some of these locations included the NMSS Odin, the NSS Von Braun, NSS Arcadia, NSS Aurora, NSS Exodus, and NMV Retaliation, and one to each planet. Although all drones dispatched to the location turned back immediately, one did not. The one that was headed for the NSS Aurora stayed, and in fact, contacted the station through use of the station's own intercommunication system; displaying a single, unintelligible message. After a period of three hours, the crew were dispatched to the probe and entered, finding a hollow vessel. In the middle was a single alien computer, and in a corner of a room were Vaurca eggs, presumably for use in early colonization.

Research crew of the NSS Aurora, including Dr. Phoebe Essel and team were able to interact with the computer, painstakingly finding ways to translate the cryptic language it was attempting to speak in, and after usage of a pAI, were able to teach the machine Tau Ceti Basic. After some conversation, the computer detached itself and was brought aboard the NSS Aurora for first contact. It had been sent in order to document the indigenous species of the solar system. The computer tapped into the bluespace connection of the Artificial Intelligence of the station, uploaded core data files onto its hardware, and then departed, causing a minor panic on the station as the security forced feared an intelligence leak.

First radio contact was established with Tau Ceti President Joseph Dorn and Titan Prime, which was filled with Zo'ra. It was learned that the vessel was sent approximately 2 thousand years ago and had only now entered human space to find habitable planets to colonize. It was also learned that Titan Prime housed six million Vaurca on it, a staggering number.

Titan Prime eventually reached Biesel, settling into a stable orbit around the planet. Observation showed that the ship was worse for wear after traveling for 2,000 years of relative time, having launched from Sedantis in 32,000 CE. Many of its systems were failing or had already failed. The life support was barely working and the hull had lost most of its integrity. After heavy negotiation with the Tau Ceti government, it was agreed that in exchange for being allowed to settle on Biesel the Vaurca would agree to 'pay rent' in the form of providing Nanotrasen and the Tau Ceti government with a quota of their bound and unbound for Nanotrasen's workforce. Due to the complexity (and pointlessness) of paying bound Vaurca they would instead earn 'credit' towards their continued stay on Biesel to pay back the cost of housing them.

==== Settling in Tau Ceti ====

Ferries, re-purposed cargo ships, and civilian shuttles evacuated 2 million inhabitants of Titan Prime, ferrying them mostly to New Gibson and Biesel, respectively. Evacuations are still undergoing, and most Vaurca live in refugee camps or state-provided housing in special sections of the two planets. The [[Interstellar Aid Corps]] has performed most of the work evacuating and housing Vaurca, and they are critical of the government's treatment of them.

Roughly 1.5 million Bound and Unbound Vaurca live in scattered underground ice caverns or within crowded biodomes upon icy New Gibson, and 3 million live in squalid ghettos upon Biesel. After NanoTrasen's forced eviction of the majority of Vaurca living on the Titan Prime in June of 2458, the slums of Biesel experienced an influx of nearly 1 million additional Vaurca contributing to a famine that has lasted to this day. In January of 2459, IAC Officials began moving yet more Vaurca to Luthien and Caprice, making Biesel authorities extremely worried about the cost of the continued evacuation of Titan Prime,and the ultimate fate of the ship itself once completed. The integration of Vaurca into a cultural and socio economic system not designed for them is ongoing, and is confounded by the growing hostility towards them upon all sides.

The fear of further hive ships entering known space has lead to Tau Ceti and the Sol Alliance working to actively suppress attempts by Vaurca to construct FTL capable communications or ships to contact their homeworld and potentially spread the information to more Vaurca hives in their home systems. While the Zo'ra of Titan Prime managed to leak secrets of these technologies from the Aurora, they remain unable to build FTL communication that's capable of interacting with the STL communications presumed to still be in use in Vaurca home systems. As well, many Vaurca are unsure of the ultimate fate of their homeworld, as their two thousand year travel has had them pass the time predicted to have brought the ultimate death of Sedantis...

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[[Category:Vaurca]]

Vaurca

2019-08-25T01:00:34Z

Bygonehero: /* Mechanics */

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{{Navbox Vaurca Lore}}
{{Infobox Species
|Species = Vaurca (Vaur'uyit'zir)
|Scientific = V. esseli / V. sapiens
|Image = Vaurcaduo.png
|System = Sedantis (Sc'theth'stak, "Blinding Light.")
|World = Sedantis I (Vaur'avek'uyit, "Home.")
|Language = Vaurcese, Zo'rane, K'laxane.
|Politic = Zo'ra Hive, K'lax Hive, C'thur Hive.
}}
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==Overview==
Vaurca, ''(Vore-Kah, Vaurca in singular term and Vaurcae in multiple)'' are an arthropodal species that naturally organize themselves into eusocial groups, the Vaurca are one of the oldest surviving civilizations in the known galaxy, with a civilization whose history can be traced back 730,000 years ago. Originating from [[Sedantis I]], their civilizations are separated into three castes, with members of each caste having their biology, psychology, and education determined before an individual is even born. Vaurca are mostly asexual, viewing reproduction as a duty to the hive, and as such see it simply as a job one can have because of their caste. That being said, Vaurca often bonds with a group that they commonly interact with, forming 'family' units within a hive known as cells.

The Vaurca life cycle begins, ends and continues on in a shared virtual afterlife. Deceased Vaurca have their minds transferred into this paradise simulation that follows the will of each Vaurca lesser queen, with different landscapes, features and physical laws between them. Between all hosted VR constructs, there is an interstice connecting them. The primary purpose of this interstice is to transmit the massive volumes of data between all members of the hive. Entire perceptions can be shared with individuals by their use. With it, a Vaurca could share its entire life's history from its own perspective in no time at all. Within the interstice itself, the physicality of simulations tends to break down, becoming less indicative of reality at all. Collectively, this hive shared Afterlife is sometimes referred to as the Tenth Paradise, Aether, or more simply, VR.

Vaurca are heavily influenced by smells and produce complex phenomenal responses that reinforce hive and cell groupings naturally.
Vaurca government can be understood as a type of collectivism, with each member of a hive working to ensure the continued existence of the hive. This underlying principle is true for every member of a hive, regardless of their caste. In manners that involve entities that exist outside of the hive, corporative arrangements are common-place.
Vaurca within the Orion Spur originally came as colonists. These three hives of Vaurca, The Zo'ra, K'lax, and C'thur have different situations, each being hosted by a different species with wildly different approaches to the problems had with integrating Vaurca into galactic society, with varying degrees of success for each. Meanwhile, the Lii'dra, a largely unknown and hostile hive has scourged the Spur and its inhabitants since their arrival.

To apply to be one of the insect-like Vaurca, apply [http://aurorastation.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=28 here].

'''Important Notes:''' Vaurca can't be any Heads of Staff. In addition, make sure to read the Vaurca Fundamentals pages in the Navbox.

==Mechanics==

*Global hivenet, accessible via ;9 and heard only by other Vaurcae and station-bound synthetics.
*Pressure & Cold resistant, allowing them to survive in space with internals.
*Unaffected by Phoron gas but require it to breathe
*Have natural insulation.
*Immune to slipping.
*Can only healthily consume food consisting of K'ois paste and byproducts.
*Do not self-heal.
*Takes 2x the toxin damage.
*Suffer from additional blood loss
*Can be permanently rendered blind by flashing them several times in a row.
*Cloners will not clone their non-organic organs.
* Vaurca Warriors can bite and are more resistant to burns.
* Vaurca Workers cannot bite but are more resistant to radiation

Non-mechanic traits:
* Dislike light.
* Generally very specialized, often no inter-department knowledge.
* Face severe discrimination in human space.

==Information for Whitelisted Players==

====Playable Factions/Types/Castes====
Vaurca can come from the [[Hive Fundamentals|Zo'ra, K'lax, C'thur or Lii'dra hives]]. The Lii'dra are exclusive to antagonists and events, though an antagonist Vaurca can be from another hive, or pretend to be from another hive while being from Lii'dra.

Playable Vaurca can be either Bound or Unbound, and their playstyles are drastically different.

=====Playing Bound=====

Bound, or as humans sometimes call them, Drones have a lot in common with station synthetics in personality and playstyle. They are members of a slave caste trained to obey orders without question. They have no concept of the self and can only act independently in matters of personal survival, maintenance, or self-defense. The Vaurca drones probably speak slowly and have trouble speaking Basic.

Bound are barred from security and science jobs. They are free to take civilian, medical and engineering jobs. They are also free to be menial lab assistants.They do not need to be formally promoted before taking these jobs.

Bound typically focus on performing their duty.If asked to do something outside of the scope of their duty a bound will always use their duty as a reference to the task at hand.Because they are working under the decree of the hives queen, only with good reason would a unbound Vaurca ask a bound from its respective hive to deviate from their duty. Otherwise, bound are taught and expected to follow station protocols to the best of their ability as it is their duty to do so. Only their hives unbound, and heads of staff can order a bound to deviate from its duties.

=====Playing Unbound=====

Unbound are the human-like part of the Vaurca species and are capable of playing any non-command role in terms of ability. They can either be unique individuals having lived out of their Virtual Reality for some time, or can be similar to drones; fresh from the hive birthing chambers and or from their Lesser Queen's virtual heaven, barely knowing anything. They almost universally hate being outside of VR, as the extended stay within an environment free of strife, hunger and death have sensitized them to the presence of such things in the real world. Despite having the emotional ranges of a human, Unbound do not share humanities capacity for ambition or competitiveness. Likely because of their biology, Vaurca are generally passive and hold more value in a groups opinion rather than their own.

'''Unbound are currently restricted to only civilian-level jobs, including lab assistants, security cadets, medical interns, and engineering apprentices'''. NanoTrasen has introduced a "Peer Review" system to accommodate promotion to higher positions - Read the "Avowal of Responsibility" form available in form dispensers for more information.

====Speaking like a Vaurca====

Unbound Vaurca have augments that allow them to have an easier time speaking the Languages of the Orion Spur. Otherwise, Vaurcae typically expresses an unfamiliarity with the language, preferring to use basic words and sentence structures over more complex ones, and often may be unaware of the exact meaning of words, or the names of objects, instead describing them. Because of this language barrier with other species, Vaurca may speak more deliberately, using overtly descriptive language to convey an emotion or idea to another species.

Unaugmented Vaurcae can expect difficulty pronouncing certain sounds due to their stiff mandibles. Many Vaurca have difficulty producing sounds related to the letter "s", and instead substitute with a harsh buzzing in the throat. ("Phoron gas is fine!" becomes "Phoron gaz iz fine!"). Some Vaurca may have difficulty producing soft consonant sounds such as those produced by "f" or "ph", and instead substitute them with a more guttural "vh". ("Phoron gas is fine!" becomes "Vhoron gas is vhine!". Some unfortunate specimen may even be plagued with both impediments at once. (Phoron gas is fine!" becomes "Vhoron gaz iz vhine!"), or even further, more exotic impediments.

====Help with Naming====

The traditional naming system is complex, with first names being made of three parts. The first part is either '''Ka''' for workers, '''Za''' for soldiers, or '''Ta''' for breeders. The second syllable is Viax for Bound, or Akaix for Unbound.

Finally, the last syllable of the name is a masked number, however players are free to choose how this may be represented, with the only restriction being that it should not be longer than a single syllable - at the very most two syllables. For a worker Unbound it might be: "Ka'Akaix'Siith Zo'ra." With 'Siith' being created by the player. The surname is the hive that the Vaurca is a part of, in the example's case "Zo'ra".

====Choosing a Brood====
Choosing which hive, and then which brood your Vaurca belongs to will shape many of the opportunities and problems that your Vaurca character could face. Each hive has different circumstances, with some involving different species altogether. General Information about each hive can be found on the [[Vaurca Hives|Vaurca Hives]] page. Overviews of each brood can also be found here, with additional information available under each broods queen. By default, a hive must be chosen, but if for whatever reason your Vaurca does not hail from the most common broods, then your Vaurca would be a [[Vaurca#Queenless|Queenless]]. Queenless is an catch-all term ascribed to Vaurca of the same hive, but born outside of the broods of any current lesser queen. More information upon the Queenless can be found in their section of the main page.

==Biology==

To the average human, the Vaurca seem to have the appearance of terrestrial prawns. However, they act closer to ants or termites. Their biology follows a similar structure to something like a termite; scientifically, this description is largely superficial. The most obvious and striking feature of this species is their exoskeleton. It is composed of a complex polymer chain involving sulfur and phoron as a key catalyst with silicon, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen forming a much stronger polymer chain than similar exoskeletons found on earth, thus explaining their increased size, despite having an exoskeleton. More information on Vaurca biology can be found [[Vaurca Biology|here.]]
====Life Cycle====
The Lifecycle of a Vaurca is fairly complicated when compared to other species. Each stage of a Vaurca's development is clearly regimented by biological developments or the introduction of augmentations.

Vaurca eggs are laid by a hives high queen, naturally entering a state of suspended animation when they are outside of a Queen's ovipositor locking the egg in its initial stage until being received by its surrogate [[Vaurca#Breeders (Type C)|CB]]. This is compounded with cryogenics to effectively transport vast amount of eggs between the Queen and their surrogate [[Vaurca#Breeders (Type C)|CB]]'s. Every [[Vaurca#Breeders (Type C)|CB]] within a hive specializes in the creation of many different types of Vaurca. [[Vaurca#Breeders (Type C)|CB]] themselves are living biological factories, capable of controlling nearly every aspect of their progeny via genetic manipulation, a process that has great cultural importance attached to it.

Before a larva is hatched, its purpose is determined by a [[Vaurca#Breeders (Type C)|CB]] in a process called imagotis, in this imaginal stage, the [[Vaurca#Breeders (Type C)|CB]] can hold in its mind the image of its completed offspring, releasing gene expressions to mold the larva into its desired form. Larva destined to become Bound are born without parts of their brain, and their organs are undeveloped, preparing them to receive implants as soon as they are hatched. These implants grow with the Bound, and it will have them throughout its entire life unless replaced. Bound Vaurca reach maturity within six months. Upon fully maturing, they are implanted with a neural socket and begin work immediately. A Bound's lifespan is theoretically infinite, provided that the hive keeps its augments well maintained. In reality, however, Bound are rarely maintained and thus can expect an operational lifespan of around ten years on average, provided they experience no work-related injuries. Upon the death of a Bound, the augmentations they possess are removed and repurposed, and the body is typically incinerated.

If a larva is destined to become an Unbound, it is given six months of organic development, which allows for its brain to mature fully. After this six month period, it is implanted with a neural socket, experiencing Virtual Reality for the development of its personality, and training. These six months are the closest thing to childhood that could be approximated to other species. At the conclusion of this one year period, the Unbound is fully matured, and prepared for whatever purpose it may have been given by the hive. It will receive several augmentations depending on circumstance throughout its life, unlike the Bound who receive all of their augments at birth. Unlike Bound, Unbound are always more flesh than augmentation, and thus they cannot simply be "maintained." An Unbound experiences a lifespan of twenty years on average, at the conclusion of which their neural socket containing their mind is uploaded into VR and their augmentations are then reclaimed by the hive, and their body is generally incinerated. Years spent in VR tend to not subtract from this lifespan, meaning that an Unbound could be several decades old, if it spent most of its time in VR.

====Sleep Cycle====
The Bound follow a predictable sleep pattern. Specialized augmentations control chemical precursors that induce sleepfulness within Bound that causes them to sleep. While predictable, the times that a Bound sleeps typically depend on its duty within the hive, with the most physically demanding jobs having the longest periods of sleep.

Unbound Vaurca spends 98 hours active on average before experiencing drowsiness. Some Unbound may change this sleep cycle depending on their work or needs, similar in scope to change their habits in ways similar to humans. To sleep, Vaurca adopts a leaning position that uses specialized joints and hinges in their exoskeletal plates to sleep standing upright.

===Ka, The Workers (Type A)===

Type A are the most common and can be seen as the 'backbone' of Vaurca societies. Their most prevalent feature is their hardened exoskeleton, varying in colors in accordance to their hive. It is approximately half an inch thick among all Type A Vaurca. This exoskeleton provides protection against harsh radiation, solar and otherwise, and acts as a robust pressure-suit to seal their soft inner core from the outside world. This allows most Type A Vaurca to have extended, several day-long EVA expeditions, assuming they have internals. They can be bipedal or quadrupedal, with bird-like talon toes. Their hands consist of two middle fingers with small talons at the end, and two opposable thumbs, a left and a right, on either side of their hand. Type A ranges from 5ft to 7ft tall on average, though outliers of both spectrums are not unheard of for the more specialized tasks.

===Za, The Warriors (Type B)===
Type B are the second most prominent of Vaurca society, taking the form of heavily augmented warriors. Type B can range in size from 6ft tall to 8ft tall, with Za Bound rising to as much as 20ft tall. They can be bipedal, quadrupeds, or hexapods, which are called types BA, BB, and BC respectively. They usually have weapons physically attached to their bodies, making them unwieldy or impractical for any situation other than combat.

Warriors, unlike other types of Vaurca, are not typically passive. This means that they tend to be more suitable for combat orientated positions, while worker and breeder types tend to be poorly suited for the disposition these types of occupations demand. Unlike workers, their exoskeleton is not as well equipped for such extended EVA expeditions, however it can withstand a few hours long excursions.

The majority of warrior caste Vaurca employed by NanoTrasen are drone tier type BA, meaning that they are deprived of most advanced augments and mostly differ from other types simply in that they are more mentally suited for combat or are involved in the function of something that could be considered a weapon.

===Ta, The Breeders (Type C)===
Type C are rare among Vaurca, in that they make up around 2-3% of their entire species. They are the only individuals in Vaurca hives that are fertile except for the Queens and Lesser Queens themselves. The males are raised as bound while the females are raised as unbound, and both of them historically served little practical purpose beyond ensuring that their respective hive-cells possess the resources they need to function and to fertilize eggs or to replace a dying Lesser Queen or to even become an additional Lesser Queen if the hive needs more growth. The males are considered CA and the females CB. Lately, Breeders have been used as representatives for their respective queens, a departure from their traditional duties of overseeing eggs and maintaining the numbers of the hive cells they oversee.

This extension of their duties comes about from their keen social intelligence, making them ideal candidates for negotiating with aliens on economic and political matters. They easily grasp the nuances of social context, contracts, and systems that other castes have difficulty navigating.

It is possible to play as a Ta as the [[NanoTrasen Liaison|Liaison/Representative role]].

====Playing a Hive Representative====
As a Ta, you are more valuable than workers and warriors, simply due to the virtue that you are capable of making them. You aren’t a logical thinker or a fighter, however, you are the head of the hive cell you produce, providing emotional support and advice, like a mother would. Sometimes you will be called to represent your Queen of your brood, perhaps speaking their message or sharing their ideals.

Below are rules for playing a Ta. Any bends of these rules must be clarified with the species maintainer prior to playing the character. Failure to adhere to the guidelines may result in punishment.

*No height taller than 11 feet tall.

*Auto-hiss basic (s becomes z(zzz) or not at all. You’re made to work on a station full of aliens that speak Basic, so you’d have a vocal implant aiding this significantly due to your status.

*Avoid combat, avoid doing any labour or specialised work. You are neither warrior nor worker, do not act like them. You can, however, inspire others to do so.

*Avoid social ignorance. You possess a high social intelligence, being literally made for this job, so you’d be knowledgeable on whether trying to clean a unathi’s horn would upset them or not.

===Cephalon (Type D)===
The Cephalon is the strangest of all Vaurcan beings, if it can still be considered such. They are bombarded from birth by special hormones designed to expand their brains. In this case, however, their bodies are bombarded with special treatments designed to hypercharge their thyroid and pituitary glands. This results in a brain that will continue growing far, far beyond the needs even of the Unbound - it will grow so much that they the Cephalon's handlers can cut live samples, spread them across trellises and racks, and treat them with more hormones and chemicals to ''keep them growing further.'' After a decade of pruning, racking, and tanning, and some cybernetic wire-work besides, the end result is a new Cephalon - a biomechanical supercomputer that houses a large portion of the Virtual Reality Network, and will live for hundreds of years. Its processing power is somewhere in the tens of zettaflops, if it can even be measured that way. Each Lesser Queen tends to keep several of these, acting as servers from which their Virtual Reality is hosted. Cephalons are not generally considered Bound or Unbound, but inert, motionless equipment. As such they hold no name or designation to any hive at large.

== The Unbound ==
The Unbound make up the upper castes of Vaurca society and form the only sentient and self-aware parts of its greater population. Their eggs and larva are given more graceful care by bound workers and they are born with fully developed organs, though Unbound not meant to become Ta or Lesser Queens are still sterilized. They are perfectly capable of making rational, thinking decisions, and are naturally intuitive and curious, much like a human. However Unbound are not raised in a traditional manner. While in its early years VR was meant as an escape from reality, for modern Vaurca in known space it's become every aspect of their lives and supposed afterlife.

Although Unbound are sentient and self-aware, they still typically maintain unwavering subserviency to the respective hierarchy of their hive, due to a combination of pheromone excretion and indoctrination methods imposed during the growing process of an Unbound. However when they are not under the direct instruction of a Lesser Queen, they will typically pursue their own or their own hive cell's interests.

Unbound disconnected from VR can still connect themselves to the 'internet' of a hive, called the Hive Network, where the Unbound all connect their consciousness. Unbound Vaurca can share their knowledge, memories, and even feelings through the Hive Network. The Bound are barred from most non-utilitarian aspects of the Hive Network, due to biological constraints.

The Unbound take up jobs that require more critical thinking skills or greater abstract thought than simple Bound. In this respect, Unbound Vaurca can simply be considered on the same level as any human. Integration in the Orion Spur and other alien communities has some of them living alone or in small groups in their own apartments like any other citizen or family, working to support themselves. Rarely having monetary aid from their Hive.

The Unbound can be any of the types mentioned above except for Type D.

==The Bound==

Bound Vaurca are chosen even before their egg is laid. Eggs designated to be Bound are put in a warm, moisture-rich environment while Worker Bound oversee their care. The larva that hatches from the eggs is then taken to another specialized, moist environment to be raised and slowly augmented before the Bound are then quickly and efficiently sterilized.

==Social==

===Language===
With the learning of Tau Ceti Basic and other languages, some Vaurca have been forced to simplify their names. Naming is based of a numbering system, determined after birth. This name includes a caste and biological designation, the number they are, and finally what hive they are from.

Vaurcae language structure, to non-Vaurca ears, sounds extremely archaic and cryptic, like simple clicks and grunts more than a language. However, to a creature that knows the language, all types of Vaurcese is extremely complicated and each syllable has many thousands of different connotations it could convey. Combined with subtle antennae movement and pheromone release, it is not hard to say that it is a language that can never be spoken or understood by another species. While each hive has their own small variations of Vaurcese, the language can be universally understood.

It is produced by clicking the mandibles and mouth pieces together, while sending air through the mouthpieces as well as the vocal chords. It is described as sounding like clicks and high pitched squeals. The Vaurca, however, utilize synthetic throat implants that synthesize a very alien-sounding, but intelligible, Tau Ceti Basic or any other language.

===Inter-caste Relationships===
Relationships between each type and each caste tend to be a universal constant among Vaurcae hives. The Bound are thoroughly exploited by the Unbound whenever an opportunity for such arises. It is typical for an Unbound to delegate any menial labour to the nearest Bound whenever possible. While especially "lazy" Unbound are not prevalent on human stations, all Unbound tend to display this mindset towards the Bound to a degree. When encountering a dangerous situation, the response is similar - the Bound are expected to attempt to make the situation safer for the Unbound in any way possible. Bound are perfectly subservient to the whims of the Unbound, and do not begrudge this exploitation.

Worker Vaurcae tend to be esteemed more highly than Warrior Vaurcae, especially in Unbound circles, and especially in these difficult times when the value of labour to the Vaurca is more important than the value of defense. Unbound Breeder Vaurcae are esteemed very highly, especially those at the top of the hierarchy. Bound Breeder Vaurcae tend to rarely interact with other Vaurcae, except for Bound caretakers.

As for different types of the same caste, Unbound Ka or Za of the same 'duty' tend to organize themselves into hive-cells. For example, a worker who works in construction may live, sleep and work with the same people within their hive-cell. A hive-cells size can vary drastically, but ultimately, they tend to organize the labor of Ka and Za into the most efficient means, with each hive cell reporting to a particular Ta, usually their birth mother. Vaurca tend to be closest to those that they work with, and so many Vaurca consider their hive-cell their closest relatives.

===Inter-hive Relationships===
The Zo'ra and K'lax hives maintain warm relations, while officially the diplomatic tension between the C'thur and K'lax hives is tenuous at best. The Lii'dra hive is universally hated. The Zo'ra percieve themselves the rightful rulers of the K'lax and C'thur, and the K'lax have thus far made no official statement against this. Meanwhile, the C'thur changes their announcements constantly. The Bound of each hive serve other Vaurcae of their hive firstly and are completely subservient to the will of their hive's rulership. The K'lax Bound however will also serve Zo'ra Vaurcae should there be no conflict with the desires of K'lax hierarchy. The same can be said to a lesser degree with the C'thur. Zo'ra Bound will rarely ever service K'lax Vaurcae, and only when instructed to do so by Zo'ra Unbound. Zo'ra, C'thur and K'lax Unbound typically do not intermingle except on an individual basis and remain subservient to the desires of their respective hierarchy.

===Inter-species Relationships===

The Zo'ra tend to be cooperative with humanity out of necessity, but on an individual level, opinions vary between each Unbound. This approach is largely shared in reference to all other aliens, viewing them as potential benefits to their hives. Perhaps in response to, or as a result of this, the Zo'ra hives have begun to reimagine themselves as something aliens can identify with. Supporting cross-species initiatives that further increase cooperation between each species feeds into this idea of ultimately benefiting all species involved. Besides this, the servitude that Bound abides by is a topic of concern for humanity in particular, because Bound are hard-wired to satisfy the needs of other Unbound of their hive firstly, it creates the possibility for conflicts of interest between the humans that use cheap Bound labor, and any Unbound Vaurca of the same hive. However, such situations are unreported if they do occur, and the cheapness and effectiveness of Bound labor tend to surpass potential dangers.

Skrell of the Jargon Federation have taken to using a work drafting system to assign duties to Vaurca of the C'thur hive. The Federation or an empowered representative would requisition an amount of C'thur for a particular job, which would then be supplied by the hive. These C'thur would complete this assignment and then return to their hive. This entire process is overseen by a legal counsel comprised of both species, providing fair and equitable exchanges for all parties. The largest orders of labor come from the Federation itself and the Nanotrasen corporation.

K'lax tend to maintain terse, but warm relations with the Izweski Hegemony, sharing cultural and sometimes technological advances for the betterment of both species. Beyond this, they maintain little contact with the galaxy at large, save for their begrudging but needed trade relation with the human owned Nanotrasen corporation. Due to their unfavorable circumstances within this deal, the K'lax tend to view humans in a negative light.

Overall, the approach all hives have taken when sending their populations to work with aliens is to treat their 'workplaces' as an adopted hive cell. All hives encourage the development of social bonds that normally come with working closely between Vaurca in the same hivecell. This has led to some Vaurca considering their co-workers a second family.

===Queenless===

The Queenless are simply Vaurca that do not fall into the lineage of any current queen or lesser queen but remain from the same hive.For whatever reason, these Vaurca were sourced for the hiveship outside of the lineage of the lesser queens, perhaps for different traits only found within their line or brood. In the case of the four hives, The Queenless is only an issue within the K’lax and Zo’ra hives. Cut off from the high queens, these 'Queenless' Vaurca may believe that the lesser queens currently in command of the hive have gone outside of what the High Queen originally intended for them. Other broods may view them with pity, or see them as restless servants of the hive without a queen to call their own. In general, they are often ignored by the larger hive populations, with many having little to no oversight by the other hive-cells or broods within their own hives. Despite this, the Queenless are still supplied eggs, albeit at a greatly reduced amount than other cells, and given access to their hives VR when available, though, they are the most likely to be denied access, if limited. It's partly because of this that most Queenless Ta tend to hide within the interstice, VR worlds hewn from the vast data streams of the hive. These VR realms are small in comparison to the queens, and vary in their multitudes.

Instead of the queens, these communities of Vaurca tend to build themselves around their mother Ta, and try to be as self-sufficient as possible. They may idolize Xakat'kl'atan brought with them when they first left Sedantis. Indeed, it is these two pillars, the Ta and Xakat'kl'atan, that define the Queenless Vaurca populations. No matter which hive, however, the Queenless recognize the authority of only the true high queen or their own nonexistent lesser queens, and to that end, seek above all else to recontact Sedantis.

In reality, the Queenless of Tau Ceti’s Zo’ra and K'lax hive is amongst the poorest, and secretive of the Vaurca upon Tau Ceti. Some may resort to crime, drugs and other less than legal means to maintain any comfortable standard of living they might possess. Typically the mother Ta of a Queenless Vaurca is the highest authority one can go to, but there have been documented cases of multiple Queenless Ta working together, though, for what purpose, none can say. As for the Ta themselves, they are comfortable with ignoring and being ignored by the lesser queens as a whole, recognizing the shadow that they live under, and the roles that they must carve out for themselves and their spawn if they are to survive. Above all else, they believe that the light of their high queen will never truly be lost, that out of the horrible illumination of the unknown, The High Queen will return to right the direction of her wayward daughters, and to align all surviving broods under her will.

== History Overview ==

[[Vaurca History | More in-depth information on the history of the Vaurca can be found on their history section. ]]

Vaurca civilization traces its roots to at least 730,000 years ago. They developed on Sedantis, a violent and barren moon where life struggled to survive. Vaurca lived underground in diverse and productive hives.

Vaurca successfully cultivated k'ois 560,000 years ago, growing it en masse and causing explosive growth.

Cybernetic augments entered Vaurca society over 50,000 years ago. The hives augmented each caste of their hive extensively, leading to the modern caste systems. Around this time Vaurca also discovered and perfected early Virtual Reality, allowing them to withdraw from their harsh daily lives into a virtual paradise.

33,000 years ago Vaurca came to realize that their world would soon come to an end from the ozone layer being completely stripped away. The Vaurca showcased their astonishing skills in adaptation and engineering by constructing the venerable Hiveships that carried entire Hives off-world in the Great Evacuation. Since, only 2000 years of relative time for the traveling Hiveships have passed for the hives that have arrived within the Orion Spur.

The Vaurca first encountered our known species in 2456 CE. Their arrival has become a source of tension and growing problems as the refugees continue to arrive in their huge ships by the millions. Each major galactic government has struggled to respond to these refugees adequately.

===Modern Day===

====Hives====

For most hives, cohabitation with the other species they have encountered has led to large changes to their way of life. Already suffering a shortage of resources, their advanced weaponry has lead to a lot of fear regarding their potency and supposed ease of mass production. While it is unknown how rumours circulated that the vaurca had large-scale means of producing weapons, and the materials to do so, no one can deny the military domination a war-ready hive would impose. From tachyon-based weaponry, gauss cannons, condensed thermal energy and the infamous warforms, most believe it to be a miracle that the vaurca have yet to attack and seize control of the galaxy.

However, all hives (barring the unknown machinations of the Lii'dra) do not have the potential to do this. Weaponry was a lower priority on the list of supplies brought on hiveships, as though while large, there needed to be space for broods as well as materials. Figures such as [[Vaurca_Hives#Zoleth.2C_The_Herald_of_Scars|Ta'Akaix'Zoleth'akeh Zo'ra]] were insistent on bringing a plethora of weaponry, to ensure their survival among the unknown threat of the stars. Their pleas, however, only resulted in minor increases to ship defenses. During their long journey, the majority of resources they had brought were used for maintenance of the ship, and by the time they arrived in the Orion Spur, their lack of materials, and subsequently, repairs, have resulted in the pitiful states the three known hiveships are in. Their food supply was limited in terms of places to grow aboard the hiveships, and as a result, a high majority of warforms and the larger bound workers were culled, due to being unable to sustain many of the cryogenic storage pods used to contain them.

Politically, all but the '''Zo'ra''' have yet to make any substantial political hold in Tau Ceti. The C'thur and K'lax are being used primarily as either labor or military by their allies, with the K'lax as vassals/tributaries to the Hegemony, and the C'thur reliant on the Federation for the survival of their High Queen. However, especially with the recent investment into the [[Tau Ceti Foreign Legion]], the Zo'ra have begun their ascension into the political web that connects the inhabitants of the Orion Spur, despite being locked into debt with Tau Ceti. Though some may attribute this to certain queens over others, the Zo'ra hive as a whole is benefiting from their increased power.

Technologically, all but the '''K'lax''' have failed to make much progress in terms of adapting to their lack of advanced materials. In recent years, batches of new-generation thermal drills developed by the K'lax and manufactured with common materials were shipped and often cheaply sold across the Orion Spur, with mining facilities seeing huge increases in yields as a result. This was inspired by the hive's collaboration with the unathi on Moghes, their agreement to help terraform the planet. Requiring terraforming technology to efficiently carry out this task, the K'lax have been attempting to re-create the machines of old using newer parts and materials. The '''Zo'ra''' hive's most notable technological advancement was the hybridisation of the [[Tau Ceti Foreign Legion]]'s current weaponry and their own personal designs. These resulting weapons are currently employed by the Foreign Legion, and while not the most high quality or effective weaponry, many agree that it is a certain improvement compared to their last.

Economically, all but the '''C'thur''' have struggled to make any real money, reliant on collective money pools brought in by employed bound and unbound. Being harboured by the generous Jargon Federation has opened up a large amount of opportunities. Queens often hold a share of the total funds of a hive, an example being [[Vaurca_Hives#Athvur.2C_The_New_Goddess|Ta'Akaix'Athvur'zekt'azi Zo'ra]] recently investing the majority of her saved personal funds into the reformation of the [[Tau Ceti Foreign Legion]]. The C'thur have bought a significant portion of [[Einstein Engines]], opening a connection to the [[Eridani Federation|Eridani Corporate Federation]], and many job opportunities. These factors have resulted in the C'thur being the most economically progressed out of all hives.

====Individuals====

For many unbound, adapting to their new lives has been a tough ordeal, but one that is short suffered. Once settled, most hive cells are capable of sharing a single bedroom apartment due to their tolerance of confined spaces and their tendency for practicality over personality. Personal possessions are not uncommon, however, but usually serve some sort of purpose. An unbound may purchase a refrigerator, but instead of preserving food, it may instead use it for the construction of an experimental device.

'''Workers''' mostly shifted from serving the hive to employment well, with only a few incredibly specialised unbound finding difficulty. While confusion was apparent at the complicated process of the simple act of going to work, once clarified, many vaurca brought their specialised knowledge and pragmatism into like-minded fields, typically able to share their intricate knowledge with great practical success. On a social level, however, many unbound are prone to varying levels of discrimination. Such acts can be extremely discreet, such as being made to do a less desirable task. On the other hand, some overtly voice their dislike - often showing their ignorance of how vaurca operate and live. The recent incidents involving tajara gangs reacting violently to the Lii'dra invasion, going as far as to murder, have demonstrated a more obvious dislike.

'''Warriors''', however, did not have such an easy transition - while there were some who could transition as well as most workers, many of the unbound purely bred for combat struggled to find applicable work. Some of these soldiers slowly managed to trickle into work as private security, bodyguards, and alike, while some found trivial work doing menial or laborious tasks. K'lax warriors mostly serve in the Hegemony. Recently, many Zo'ra Za, and a few of other hives, finally found a place doing what they do best in the [[Tau Ceti Foreign Legion]].

{{Navbox Vaurca Lore}}
{{Navbox Lore}}
[[Category:Vaurca]]
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Vaurca

2019-08-17T15:37:56Z

Bygonehero: /* Ta, The Breeders (Type C) */

Vaurca

2019-08-17T15:36:19Z

Bygonehero: /* Ta, The Breeders (Type C) */

Vaurca

2019-08-17T15:33:58Z

Bygonehero: /* Ta, The Breeders (Type C) */

Retroactive License List

2019-08-13T21:34:35Z

Bygonehero:

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BygoneHero

Sedantis I

2019-08-13T18:22:15Z

Bygonehero: /* K'ois - The Substance */

{{Navbox Lore}}

{{Navbox Vaurca Lore}}
[[File:Sedantis1.jpg|thumb|350px|alt=The origin of the ''[[Vaurca|Vaurcae]]''.|Sedantis I, the first moon of the gas giant Sedantis. Its primarily phoron atmosphere gave it a vibrant red hue when viewed from space.]]
Sedantis I was the first moon of the gas giant Sedantis and the origin world of the [[Vaurca|Vaurcae]]. It was a desolate and largely lifeless world. While Vaurcae narratives contend that the moon was once verdant, at some point several millennia ago it suffered some great ecological disaster that wiped out most of the alleged life it fostered. Its surface was barren, and bathed constantly in solar radiation due to the weak ozone. The atmosphere of Sedantis I was primarily gaseous phoron.

The majority of information concerning Sedantis I comes from the recovered records of Vaurcae hives that humanity has encountered, primarily the Zo'ra. The majority of these records are post-Augment Era records of fact, however much information of ancient Sedantis I can only be gleaned from the often poorly kept records and myths of the ancient Pre-Augment Era Vaurcae, records that were more like histories and traditionally disdained by modern Vaurcae. Much of human understanding of this fascinating planet is thus conjecture.

==Environment==

===Atmosphere===
The gravity on Sedantis was strong enough to keep a rather substantial atmosphere, which was primarily composed of gaseous phoron. The prevailing theory amongst human scientists with a focus on Vaurcae is that the aforementioned ecological disaster was naturally predicated by rising oxygen gases and phoron, two highly combustible gases. Vaurcae accounts tell of great infernos that would periodically sweep across the land, which contributed heavily to their subterranean society. The natural conclusion reached thus is that the atmosphere eventually burned itself out, allowing the surface to be bathed in the radiation that killed the earth and eventually resulted in the Vaurcae abandoning their world.

The exact science of how a primarily phoron atmosphere came into existence is yet another matter of debate. The temperatures required to vaporize solid phoron on such a massive scale indicates that the world was once rich in solid phoron and underwent a great tectonic upheaval. The exact geological history of phoron is relatively unknown, making it difficult to predict whether such a thing could naturally come to be.

The nature of Sedantis' atmospheric conditions made aero-travel and in fact any overground travel difficult, supporting the primarily subterranean lifestyle of its inhabitants and their disinclination toward space travels. Ancient pre-Augment Era Vaurcae legends tell of Outsiders - a common character in ancient Vaurcae mythos - vaporizing with beams of heat the foolish hives that attempted to abandon the subterranean lifestyle, which modern xenoarchaeologists interpret as mythological explanations for the natural phenomena of flash phoron fires. Presumably, these fires were initiated commonly via electrical discharges such as lightning.

Weather on Sedantis I is a matter of conjecture, as there is a dearth of data concerning the meteorological conditions of the planet. Precipitation was typically in a liquid or more often vaporous state, with heavy, hot, and dense fogs of water rolling across the landscape periodically. Solid precipitation was at best an extremely rare phenomenon. Winds and storms were particularly frequent, especially after a phoron fire. The aggressive winds only further made surface dwelling an unattractive prospect.

===Lithosphere===
To the Vaurcae, the lithosphere - or the first geographic layer of Sedantis I - was of immense importance. The majority of all life on Sedantis dwelt in the massive subterranean caverns, and later the artificial hives of the Vaurcae, that the lithosphere hosted. Serving as the only sure shelter from the hostile surface, the lithosphere was of great mythological significance to ancient Vaurcae, and great pragmatic significance to the modern Vaurcae.

[[File:SedantisCave.jpg|thumb|350px|left|The massive subterranean caverns that populated the middle lithosphere of Sedantis I were once supposedly oasis of life on a lifeless world. Now their fate is unknown.]]

Oceans and major bodies of water on the surface of Sedantis I were virtually non-existent, creating a very uniform lithosphere. The heat of the lithosphere near the surface infrequently approached the heat of the lithosphere as it approached the mantle, making inhabitation near the surface a very risky prospect. The majority of all life dwelt in the middle sections of the lithosphere, in great caverns carved out by unknown geographic forces - perhaps the same forces that vaporized the phoron that contributed to the atmosphere of Sedantis I.

The majority of the lithosphere was composed of metamorphic rock - presumably igneous rocks of the tectonic age of Sedantis I converted by the extreme heat and pressures exerted by the phoron fires of the surface. Sedimentary rock was virtually nonexistent due to the low deposition rates induced by the lack of surface water. The surface was largely homogenized in its mineral variety. However, as one descended the mineral diversity increased exponentially, and many valuable ores were to be found deep beneath the surface, to the benefit of the Vaurcae that dwelt there. Indeed, Sedantis I was the only known world that fostered both sentient life and the invaluable solid phoron deposits that drive the modern economy. Of little practical value to ancient Vaurcae, phoron has nonetheless been a crucial element in their society. Once a subject of almost religious reverence, phoron was nevertheless dug greedily by modern Vaurcae, and was used to fuel their departure from their radiation blasted world. Other minerals such as iron, copper, and platinum were relatively common as well.

The ambient temperature of the subterranean caverns was frequently very hospitable, warmed on both ends by the harsh surface and the heated mantle, the underground served as the perfect kettle for fostering life among all stages of Sedantis' lifetime. Liquid water abounded and oxygen levels were frequently much lower than on the surface, making phoron fires and other dangerous calamities much rarer.

Volcanic activity was relatively frequent in the lower portions of the lithosphere, spurred by the tectonic activity of the mantle. Areas of great volcanic activity were rarely ever settled by ancient or modern Vaurcae, and served as natural borders between hives. Seismic activity was less common, but still a significant danger to early hives, further shaping the development of the "nations" that would dominate modern Vaurcae society.

==Fauna==

Fauna on the surface of Sedantis I was nonexistent. All non microbial organisms dwelt in the vast underground networks. The geographic barriers posed by the insular nature of these caverns lent itself to great biological diversity. However, as Vaurcae became the dominant lifeform on Sedantis I the diversity of fauna on their homeworld took a steep nosedive - unlike humanity modern Vaurcae did not concern themselves with artifically preserving biodiversity, and often callously extincted species if they got in the way. While the insular nature of the cavern systems made fauna on Sedantis I highly diverse, it also made it very limited. Species were often found only in a single network of caves, and had no bastions or reserves to preserve their genetic tree should the Vaurcae set their eyes upon the same network.

The majority of fauna were omnivorous, and capable of thriving alone and in packs. A rare few fauna fed off the flora of the caverns, and often led sedentary lifestyles, cultivating their fauna group by their existence. Many fauna were unimportant to the Vaurcae, and thus were only briefly mentioned in records, and often only in mythological records. Some of the more important fauna with a larger wealth of information pertaining to them included:

=====Sk'yau - White Worms =====

One of the few rare scavenger creatures, the white worms were also one of the few ubiquitous creatures of the caves, found in nearly every cavern system with only slight variations. Their role was invaluable in the formation of ecosystems, as they recycled the cavernous soils and enriched them with the phoron they burrowed through, creating a suitable environment for the growth of K'ois. Varying in size from nearly microscopic to several feet long, the Sk'yau were fast-breeding and a common prey for larger fauna. Pre-Augment Era Vaurcae however rarely hunted Sk'yau, despite them being perhaps the only species with sizeable populations to serve as a food base. The reverence for their role in the development of K'ois spared them from Vaurcesian destruction, and they were once a common sight in Vaurcae hives and agriculture centers.

They were almost universally albino, as indicated by their name, and fed primarily off of the nutrients left by the more ambitious fauna of the caves, and off of phoron deposits which they circulated throughout their excrement, creating a rich soil perfect for the development of K'ois. They were commonly bred by ancient Vaurcae for the exact purpose of developing K'ois agriculturally, in the times before technological development allowed for the genetic modification of the staple fungus.

=====K'yi Yol'ax - Beaked Stalkers=====

Information pertaining to the beaked stalkers is found primarily in the ancient records of proto-hives, as they were one of the first species systematically wiped out by the Vaurcae. An intelligent biped, they lurked in the upper caverns and primarily hunted individual Vaurcae. Vaurcae mythology equated them to what humans would call demons. They were supposedly very intelligent and gifted with a predatory cunning. Legendarily, they used tools just as the Vaurcae did, and breathed foul gases that could kill a Vaurcae in an instant. As their name indicates, they were typically depicted as beaked predators. It is unknown how much of the K'yi Yol'ax is myth enlarged to compliment Vaurcae capabilities, and how much of it is fact. It is unlikely that they were particularly more advanced than any other fauna, as they were as mentioned one of the first species extinguished by the Vaurcae.

It is possible that they were entirely mythical, much like dragons to Earth society. Many of their features are almost certainly exaggerated - it is stated by myth that they were unable to consume both K'ois and the natural gas of Sedantis I, likely narrative tools to cement them as a foreign evil to Vaurcae society. Their ability to use tools and their ability to breathe noxious fumes is almost certainly merely intended to make them seem a more threatening foe, thus elevating Vaurcae prowess for defeating them, and their ability to communicate between one another along with their tendency to hunt only individual Vaurcae likely meant to inspire fear and encourage hegemony in Vaurcae populations.

Alternatively, some theorize that they were perhaps a genetic off-shoot of Vaurcae, much like neanderthals to modern humanity. Similarly, these individuals believe the Vaurcae wiped them out in competition for resources.

Whatever the case, they serve as a fascinating piece of Vaurcesian mythology, and are typically cited as one of the primary non-environmental reasons for the formation of hive-based societies.

=====V'krexi - Tunnel Wasps=====

Perhaps one of the most primordial organisms on Sedantis I, they are also one of the strangest. Along with Vaurcae, they are the only species of Sedantis fauna capable of flight for any period of time. They are also one of the only fauna available for active human study, as several hundred were recently discovered on the Zo'ra hiveship Titan Prime. The exact relationship between V'krexi and Vaurcae is unknown, although many theorize that they are in some way genetically related. Vaurcae seem unusually well-inclined towards them, keeping them historically as domestic companions. Accounts indicate that ancient Vaurcae used them as reconnaissance aids, and often released them in unexplored tunnels to gauge the hostility of the system.

Primarily carnivorous, they would often wipe out any dangerous fauna in the caverns before the Vaurcae arrived to settle, using their venomous stingers and flight capability. Their vibrant colours and their rancid meat often protected them from predation, and they typically lived a symbiotic life with the ancient Vaurcae. As the Vaurcae grew to be more independent and civilized, they were kept due to their practical value, and in the final stages of Vaurcae society for their scientific value.

V'krexi lived a similar life to proto-Vaurcae, focused on hive-styled relationships. They were extremely large, larger than dogs, and capable off light for extended periods of time.

==Flora==

[[File:SedantisSurface.jpg|thumb|350px|right|The surface of Sedantis I was mostly devoid of any life. What little flora and fauna inhabited it tended to live in subterranean caverns and other insulated environments.]]

Diversity of flora declined far more rapidly than diversity of fauna as Vaurcae grew to become the dominant species of Sedantis I. The Vaurcae reliance on K'ois induced them to introduce it in a genetically modified state to virtually every cavern they inhabited. There, it tended to destroy the native flora which the Vaurcae were typically unconcerned with.
What little flora did exist to modernity were typically either to large or hardy to be strangled by K'ois, or adapted to be symbiotic with it.

=====K'ois - The Substance=====

K'ois is perhaps the single most important lifeform to Vaurcae society, and wherever Vaurcae are found so too is K'ois. A staple of their diet, it was the only species of flora capable of being developed on an agricultural scale, and thus Vaurcae society revolved around it in every stage. Proto-hives scoured the caverns in nomadic groups, struggling against both the environment and other proto-hives for even a few day's worth of the substance. Early hives rose to dominance or fell to starvation based solely on the fickle growths of the fungus. The impetus of science was dedicated to ensuring the survival of K'ois, and then the surplus of K'ois. It is the only flora to accompany the Vaurcae on their great exodus, and it has proven more than able of surviving in human environments. It is vital to the Vaurcae as both a nutritional food item and a source of liquid phoron. Once dependent on Sk'yau, it was developed to thrive in any environment under the watchful eyes of their new caretaker - the Vaurcae.

A translucent, bulbous fungus, it glows a sickly yellow and produces both the vital k'ois paste and trace amounts of phoron, both essential elements to the Vaurcae diet, especially in the foreign worlds of man. It proves more than capable of beating out most native flora in any environment, and situating itself in their place.

=====Ak'aya - Venom Grass=====

Another ubiquitous flora in the Sedantis caverns, it thrived also in virtually any environment, and succeed primarily because it was capable of adapting to the K'ois infestations that strangled other, less hardy plants. Of little interest to Vaurcae, it commonly served as a food staple in ecosystems not yet introduced to K'ois, and ultimately spread to most caverns via the artificial tunnelways constructed by the Vaurcae. A cavern of tunnel grass was in actuality a colony of clones all rooted to the same parent organism, which burrowed deeper and deeper underground with the production of further growths, deep away from the strangling growths of K'ois.

==History==

There is a dearth of data concerning the geological history of Sedantis I. Heavily influenced by the gravitational forces of the gas giant it orbits, who some xenoarchaeologists consider the "spark" whereas others consider it representative of the "Outsiders" in proto-Vaurcae myths, Sedantis I was an anomalous moon due to its phoron-rich atmosphere and crust. However, this same value was a double-edged sword, and the planet grew increasingly hostile over the millenia due to the highly volatile nature of phoron, culminating in the elimination of its ozone layer, and ultimately its presumable destruction. Its tectonic activity heavily influenced its formation, and while it did not have large enough pools of water for substantial erosion it still reportedly had a complex geography.

Proto-hive Vaurcae likely enjoyed only a moderately inhospitable environment, but as the ages grew long they were forced to flee deeper and deeper into the lithosphere. With the advent of industry, Vaurcae perhaps overindulged in their newfound luxury, and probably accelerated the planet's destruction through excessive harvest of the lithosphere, and callous extinction of other species, severely gimping biodiversity. Their overgrowth of K'ois probably oversaturated the phoron atmosphere, creating a perfect recipe for a final, apocalyptic burn that nailed the coffin of the ozone. It is ironic then that it is likely the Vaurcae who destroyed their precious homeworld.

Samples of Sedantis Rock, large chunks of rock brought by the Vaurcae hiveships, indicate that the world itself was very very old. Its presumed distance from the galactic core substantiates the theory that it is probably older than most planets humanity dwells on today. It is possible that all of the Sedantis system has extinguished itself - in the interim between the Vaurcesian exodus and their arrival on Tau Ceti, their star could have consumed their world - an alternative theory being that the star itself stripped the ozone as it grew increasingly unstable, independent of Vaurcae industrial actions.

Altogether, despite the extreme hazards that Sedantis I posed for organic life, it seemed the perfect home of the Vaurcae, who themselves seem almost designed for its harsh landscape. A marvel of natural evolution, truly. It is not so difficult to understand why the Vaurcae of Tau Ceti seem so eager to return back to their homeworld, despite all the trouble it has caused them.

The peculiar case of Sedantis I is to some a warning - that we must tend well to our own worlds, lest they suffer a similar fate. To others it is a message of hope and wonder - what marvels might be found as we drift farther and farther away from the galactic core, towards the truly alien frontier.

{{Navbox Vaurca Lore}}
{{Navbox Lore}}
[[Category:Pages]]
[[Category:Vaurca]]
[[Category:Planets and Systems]]

Vaurca History

2019-08-08T19:20:34Z

Bygonehero: /* Contact with Humanity */

{{Navbox Lore}}

{{Navbox Vaurca Lore}}

===Early Nomadism===
The earliest records of Vaurca civilization gained from limited access to Zo'ra records range from some time starting between 737,000 and 887,000 years ago. Due to the hostile climate of their homeworld caused by the thin ozone allowing radiation to blast the planet daily, many Vaurca were forced to live nomadic lives inside the vast underground cave networks to gain access to edible fungus.

Almost all conflict originated around control of food. Warfare was a matter of survival after a hive exhausted its food supply. Warrior castes became the most dominant caste within Vaurca society and nearly all hives were in constant conflict with one another. Due to the innate deadliness of Vaurca mandibles and claws warfare was fought in melee. Prisoners of war tended to be decapitated by the mandibles of the victor while the surviving hive was enslaved. The mindset appears to be an unwillingness to spare extremely limited resources with enemy warriors.

===The Agricultural Revolution===
Approximately 567,000 years ago agricultural methods that allowed hives to cultivate fungus had proliferated throughout the planet. No longer a resource that could be easily exhausted, many hives found an abundance of food to be a boon. The population exploded as the hives continued to operate as they always had. Unfortunately, fertile territory (in the context of cave fungus) was uncommon and conflict still broke out between hives.

Other avenues of change proliferated through the Vaurca hives, as well as an explosion of art. For understandable reasons living in caves constantly grew tiresome for many unbound Vaurca and they began to experiment with ways to spruce up the place. With an abundance of food, Vaurca were able to spare manpower to begin ambitious feats of masonry and architecture. According to secondary sources, the Vaurca Homeworld eventually developed elaborate and massive feats of subterranean engineering, with aqueducts, sewage, and entire cities being carved out of the rock. The walls and floors of the cave were smoothed out and covered in engravings, creating a form of art that wouldn't be blasted away by radiation. Thousands of years of trial and error with countless incidents of cave-ins in the early years have allowed the Vaurca to become masters of masonry and architecture.

Along with traditional warfare, queens of many hives had begun an arms race of architecture to show up one another. Massive engineering projects would be undertaken for the glory of the queen of the hive, such as a huge subterranean temple, the rerouting of an entire underground river, or a subterranean road being carved out to connect dozens of spread out subterranean cities all being commissioned. Queens at the time had also begun to develop a cult of personality around themselves, with the queens that managed to succeed in becoming the most powerful and influential on the planet. Information on this is difficult to gather due to obvious bias or mixing of legends and facts within Vaurca records. However, xenoarchaeologists are in agreement that Vaurca queens managed to retain a vital position in Vaurca society by inflating their status as mothers to a spiritual level. As the only ones in Vaurca society that could give birth to new generations, they had become mystical gardens of life and fertility in an otherwise dead and barren world.

===The Era of Augments===
The development of Vaurca continued down paths similar to the development of other space-faring species. The major split from the norm occurred around 50,043BCE Galactic Standard Time. The Vaurca had managed to achieve a technological level similar to Earth in the late 20th century. However the Zo'ra, who had emerged before this time, had a breakthrough in augmentation technology. Zo'ra began augmenting its drones with simple cybernetic enhancements. Worker drones would have their limbs replaced with more sturdy prosthetics, and later advancements in genetics had even more Vaurca hives beginning to experiment with altering workers with genetic and cybernetic enhancements.

This technological advancement continued until the Vaurca achieved a version of technological singularity with the technology in 37,650 BCE. The technology had become miniaturized and advanced enough that Vaurca hives could cybernetically engineer any aspect of a Vaurca drone. By this time Vaurca drones had become Bound, creating the early forms of the Vaurca we see today. While Vaurca records make no mention of it, human and Skrell xenoarchaeologists theorize that Vaurca drones had incidents of rebellion or insurrection against the mass augmentation and prosthetics, which explains why today bound are all lobotomized, mindless drones.

By 36,500 BCE the working caste of bound drones could work 24/7 stopping only to eat. Soldiers were augmented with all sorts of experimental weapons and abilities. However, the augments and genetic alterations forced those altered into very specific castes. A worker raised and given augments for battle wasn't an effective mason or diplomat. While previously Vaurca society was stratified, the 'worker' Vaurca of old at least had a chance to enter into different fields. The modern Vaurca society saw a caste system where Vaurca were literally defined from birth and built into that role. This also created the modern definitions of bound and unbound: bound vaurca are members of the worker caste, literally bound to their role and station. The unbound are Vaurca above the working caste that would be allowed to seek their own destiny in society, forming a form of noble caste.

Eventually, the Unbound, supported by a limitless supply of slave labor, began to form a more and more secluded society separate from the working caste. From Human and Skrell xenoarchaeological discoveries, it is known that Unbound Lii'dra scientists and artists eventually unlocked the technology behind virtual reality, and specialized it to create entire virtual worlds for themselves. Sharing their discoveries, Unbound with access to VR would lock themselves away for hours or even days at a time, sometimes leaving VR for only a few minutes at a time to let their bound workers feed them without having to even having to leave their seat.

Eventually, the VR technology pervaded all aspects of Vaurcan society. Co-opted by the Queens and Lesser Queens of each hive they made the technology achieve a religious symbolism and importance unequaled by any technology before or since.

It is near the end of this Era that most scholars agree that the original conflict between the Lii'dra and Zo'ra first began and that the nature and scope of the war caused a technological regression that continues to this day.

===The First Hive War===
Occurring around 30,000 BCE, The First Hive War began.It was not the first modern War, it was, however, the first conflict to involve every single hive, both minor and major. According to records obtained from Titan Prime, the conflict began during a technology summit at Xtykt'lotec after which the entire city was taken by Lii'dra forces. This brazen act dissolved the Court of Queens, launching old enemy hives against each other with the breakdown of diplomacy, as well as the Lii'dra themselves, who blitzed through the first half of the entire war virtually unopposed by the resulting chaos. Like a plague that swept across the planet, entire tectonic plates would go dark, and embattled hives would focus much of their defenses at the edges of their respective territories to protect themselves rather than each other.

Because of the scope of the war, this was the first real industrialization of war. It brought together entire hives for the one purpose to make conflict. It is in this time that many of the current Lesser Queens were born, with some individual Vaurca emerging from this conflict as heroes in their own right. The turning point of the war began with the first Lii'dra defeats. At the hands of Klax, Lii'dra were unable to breach their plates defensive network, a complex set of machines that prevented any lifeform from approaching within miles of their territory. This resulted in forcing the Lii'dra to attack the Zo'ran plate through the Ryitu’kya Abyss. This battle is considered the single most important in Vaurca history. Such was its importance that even some Queens themselves participated in this conflict. It is from this battle that the Zo'ra emerged victorious, halting the Lii'dra scourge so they could be routed by an assembled force of many hives, brought together by the C'thur.

The Lii'dra defeat here signaled the beginning of the end of the war. From here, increasingly bloody battles would blanket nearly every tectonic plate. Forced to attack the K'laxan positions after their defeat within the Ryitu'kya Abyss, the Lii'dra broke the K'laxan defensive line with nothing less than a billion lives. By some accounts, in the aftermath of the Siege of the Kol'axta Plate, entire underground caverns were filled to the brim with corpses from both sides. The First Hive War officially ended August 27th, 29,930 BCE after the sinking of the city of Illuau'tia, the historic Lii'dra capital, and seat of their hive. With just over 80% of the planets Vaurcan population slain in the conflict, a mass depression blanketed the survivors in their pyrrhic victory over the Lii'dra, that not even the surviving Queens themselves could mend. It was from this bleakness and death that the Vaurcan idea of the Afterlife spawned. Envisioned and proclaimed by High Zo'ra the Afterlife technology was gifted freely to all surviving hives, she declared nevermore would such death haunt their species. For truly, based upon their newest technology, the Queens relieved their hives of death and despair by making real the idea of life after death, that the death witnessed here would never again be an issue for the generations after.

===The Great Evacuation===

After the Lii'dra conflict, The proliferation of VR and bound labor created a lull in conflict on Sedantis I. Farming techniques had become advanced enough that the populations could be reasonably fed, and all other desires were being filled in virtual worlds. By all accounts it would have been completely possible that the Vaurca never left their homeworld due to the development of VR. However a combination of push factors forced the great Vaurca hives to embark on extensive plans to expand into space.

The extremely thin ozone layer of Sedantis I had begun to be measured since the start of their modern era in the early CE era. By 150 CE the Vaurca's version of a scientific body between hives had conclusive evidence to show that the ozone would be completely stripped off the planet within another 200 years. While the planet had been bombarded with radiation, life had still managed to etch out a living, but when the ozone layer was completely gone all life on the planet would be killed by the excessive amounts of radiation, rendering it a barren, lifeless rock.

Hives took different approaches to the impending apocalypse. Many hives felt they could simply increase the depths of their subterranean cities to avoid the increase of radiation, and that the subterranean eco-systems would continue to thrive beneath the surface, while other hives began to try to look past the taboo of the deadly sky and consider expanding their hives into space.

Hives devoted massive amounts of bound labor to both projects. For the next 50 years some Vaurca hives constructed the massive hive-ships we see today. In another display of the sheer ingenuity of Vaurca engineering and architecture they had managed, after very heavy losses in early failures, to create and utilize an orbital industry to work on the hive-ships. These ships are also called ark-ships, and were used to transport thousands of Vaurca to other star systems. While fusion power was available to Vaurca at the time they did not yet possess warp or bluespace capabilities, meaning travel to other systems was extremely slow.

This reality meant that hive-ships had to be capable of supporting a population in deep space for hundreds or even thousands of years. They became battleships, colony ships, mobile incubators, carriers, refineries, and production facilities all in their own. They spread through space similar to the Vox, as nomadic wanderers occasionally settling on habitable worlds, but the pace of it was was incredibly slow due to the lack of bluespace technology.

Despite being years or even hundreds of years apart bound drones were still unquestionably loyal to their original queen, and followed directives given by her during their travels to the letter and without compromise. Lesser queens were brought on the hive-ships to help keep the population stable, and others left on habitable planets with a group of Unbound and Bound to settle on the few habitable planets they passed along the way, but the original High Queens of the hives on Sedantis remain legendary religious figures, with the lesser queens taking on a ceremonial role as mothers. Unbound present in the hive-ships were almost entirely connected to VR, which allowed them to function in their worlds, which may have been the only reason they managed to function as a society in deep space for so long.

The ultimate fate of Sedantis I is unknown to Vaurca encountered in human space in 2458, as contact is still impossible.

===Contact with Humanity===

None of the civilized species of the galaxy had any idea that the Vaurcae existed until an eventful day in November, 2456, when the drive plume and heat signature of a massive ship burning its engine in order to slow down for an approach was detected near the Romanovich cloud in Tau Ceti. While the galaxy was taken aback by this information, the Republic of Biesel acted immediately. A small scout vessel was dispatched to the ship, which was revealed to be a 30 kilometer (18.23 mile) vessel, mostly engine and radiator. Dubbed 'Titan Prime' by the media, Tau Ceti and news places over the known galaxy were bubbling with excitement as the object approached its apparent destination: Biesel.

After a few weeks, the object passed the Romanovich cloud and dispatched over twenty drones to key locations in Tau Ceti. Some of these locations included the NMSS Odin, the NSS Von Braun, NSS Arcadia, NSS Aurora, NSS Exodus, and NMV Retaliation, and one to each planet. Although all drones dispatched to the location turned back immediately, one did not. The one that was headed for the NSS Aurora stayed, and in fact, contacted the station through use of the station's own intercommunication system; displaying a single, unintelligible message. After a period of three hours, the crew were dispatched to the probe and entered, finding a hollow vessel. In the middle was a single alien computer, and in a corner of a room were Vaurca eggs, presumably for use in early colonization.

Research crew of the NSS Aurora, including Dr. Phoebe Essel and team were able to interact with the computer, painstakingly finding ways to translate the cryptic language it was attempting to speak in, and after usage of a pAI, were able to teach the machine Tau Ceti Basic. After some conversation, the computer detached itself and was brought aboard the NSS Aurora for first contact. It had been sent in order to document the indigenous species of the solar system. The computer tapped into the bluespace connection of the Artificial Intelligence of the station, uploaded core data files onto its hardware, and then departed, causing a minor panic on the station as the security forced feared an intelligence leak.

First radio contact was established with Tau Ceti President Joseph Dorn and Titan Prime, which was filled with Zo'ra. It was learned that the vessel was sent approximately 2 thousand years ago and had only now entered human space to find habitable planets to colonize. It was also learned that Titan Prime housed six million Vaurca on it, a staggering number.

Titan Prime eventually reached Biesel, settling into a stable orbit around the planet. Observation showed that the ship was worse for wear after traveling for 2,000 years of relative time, having launched from Sedantis in 32,000 CE. Many of its systems were failing or had already failed. The life support was barely working and the hull had lost most of its integrity. After heavy negotiation with the Tau Ceti government, it was agreed that in exchange for being allowed to settle on Biesel the Vaurca would agree to 'pay rent' in the form of providing Nanotrasen and the Tau Ceti government with a quota of their bound and unbound for Nanotrasen's workforce. Due to the complexity (and pointlessness) of paying bound Vaurca they would instead earn 'credit' towards their continued stay on Biesel to pay back the cost of housing them.

==== Settling in Tau Ceti ====

Ferries, re-purposed cargo ships, and civilian shuttles evacuated 2 million inhabitants of Titan Prime, ferrying them mostly to New Gibson and Biesel, respectively. Evacuations are still undergoing, and most Vaurca live in refugee camps or state-provided housing in special sections of the two planets. The [[Interstellar Aid Corps]] has performed most of the work evacuating and housing Vaurca, and they are critical of the government's treatment of them.

Roughly 1.5 million Bound and Unbound Vaurca live in scattered underground ice caverns or within crowded biodomes upon icy New Gibson, and 3 million live in squalid ghettos upon Biesel. After NanoTrasen's forced eviction of the majority of Vaurca living on the Titan Prime in June of 2458, the slums of Biesel experienced an influx of nearly 1 million additional Vaurca contributing to a famine that has lasted to this day. In January of 2459, IAC Officials began moving yet more Vaurca to Luthien and Caprice, making Biesel authorities extremely worried about the cost of the continued evacuation of Titan Prime,and the ultimate fate of the ship itself once completed. The integration of Vaurca into a cultural and socio economic system not designed for them is ongoing, and is confounded by the growing hostility towards them upon all sides.

The fear of further hive ships entering known space has lead to Tau Ceti and the Sol Alliance working to actively suppress attempts by Vaurca to construct FTL capable communications or ships to contact their homeworld and potentially spread the information to more Vaurca hives in their home systems. While the Zo'ra of Titan Prime managed to leak secrets of these technologies from the Aurora, they remain unable to build FTL communication that's capable of interacting with the STL communications presumed to still be in use in Vaurca home systems. As well, many Vaurca are unsure of the ultimate fate of their homeworld, as their two thousand year travel has had them pass the time predicted to have brought the ultimate death of Sedantis...

[[Category:Vaurca]]

Vaurca History

2019-08-08T19:19:48Z

2019-07-10T14:30:11Z

Bygonehero: zundy isnt on staff

{{JobPageHeader
|headerbgcolor = blue
|headerfontcolor = red
|stafftype = ELITE
|imagebgcolor = gray
|img = Tcfl9.png
|jobtitle = Tau Ceti Foreign Legion
|access = All
|difficulty = Medium to Hard
|superior = The Biesel Government
|duties = Make sure the station is secure.
|guides = No external guides.
}}

[[Image:Tcflposter.png|thumb|400px|A recruitment poster for the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion.]]

The Tau Ceti Foreign Legion is a military force employed by the Republic of Biesel consisting of mostly volunteers of all recognized sentient citizens. It primarily comprises of immigrants and external parties seeking citizenship or stakes in Tau Ceti, which the Republic offers in exchange for participation. It can often be seen working with NanoTrasen assets wherever possible, extending operations slightly further than most NanoTrasen ERT officially reach. As such, the Foreign Legion can be seen regularly patrolling areas nearby the N.S.S. Aurora and the Romanovich Cloud.

Currently, the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion is called either manually through utilizing a station fax machine (in a valid state of emergency,) or at a 50% chance (currently) at a command authorization swiper's ERT swipe.

==Who am I?==
You are a volunteer or officer of the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion, a sparsely trained government official given the authority to respond to and solve issues in and around Republic space. '''You are a member of Task Force XIII - Fortune.'''

Upon spawning upon BLV The Tower, you will be given a number of choices. So let's talk you through them:

The first pop-up you will get is to enter your name, don't forget your rank though!
For your first time it is advised you label yourself as a '''Volunteer Officer (Vol. [name])'''. As you become more experienced you may well get a chance to be a squad leader, known as a '''Prefect (Pfct. [name]).'''

The full rankings and their abbreviations are:

Pfct. [name] - Prefect Melons
[[Image:Biesel calls.png|thumb|400px|Another recruitment poster for the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion, showcasing the benefits Synthetics gain when enlisting.]]
Lgn. [name] - Legionnaire Melons

Vol. [name] - Volunteer Officer Melons

All species found on the Aurora can be a member of the Foreign Legion emergency response team. There is no species restriction on TCFL lead officers.

==Who else is in my team?==
Alongside you will be other officers, generally 2 or 3, but depending on the situation we can have multiple teams working together. In addition to volunteers, there will be the senior officers responsible for leading the team.

You can identify who is who by three separate visual representations. These are distinguished by accessories provided to the specific members of the team that can be pinned to your armor's chestpiece by holding the accessories in your hand and clicking on the chestpiece. This works for the normal vest armor as well.

'''Volunteer''' (Vol.) - Your armor has no ribbons or specialist pins and is a bright blue across its entirety.

'''Legionnaire''' (Lgn.) - Your armor has two bright yellow markers, an accessory able to be placed on the chestpiece of your hardsuit/vest.

'''Prefect''' (Pfct.) - Your armor has a long ribbon across your right shoulder wrapped around your arm and a solemn pin across your left breast. It is an accessory placed on the chestpiece of your hardsuit/vest.

==What do I do?==

As a member of the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion, your objective is to handle the emergency situation that the station has reported by any means necessary, and return the station to normal operations.

You have a selection of moderately powerful equipment and a set of ID cards with basic access to most departments and maintenance across the station. You carry the authority of the Republic government, however, note that this may very well be deemed irrelevant in the face of NanoTrasen or the crew given circumstance. One should use this authority to assist in remedying the situation on board and to further any set objectives in place by the team lead. You can get to the station via either the Dropship (BLV Chariot), or the individual drop pods.

Once the emergency is contained, your team is expected to depart, or at worst, facilitate an evacuation or emergency crew transfer.

As a member of the team you have a choice of three specializations:

'''Volunteers''' - Drawn from on-call volunteers, these are moderately versed in weapon handling drills, hand to hand combat, arresting procedures as well as other skills such as basic first aid. Unmarked hardsuits.

'''Engineering Legionnaires''' - More specialized team members who are more often than not paid, these are well versed in most engineering procedures and can get the team wherever they need to go. Marked by specialist medallions.

'''Medical Legionnaires''' - Also specialized team members, well versed in most field treatments and surgical procedures to keep their team or the crew alive. Marked by specialist medallions.

==What tools do I need?==
The specific tools you will need will vary by situation, but can be split into 2 categories, your essential tools and your task specific tools.

=== All ===
Every Tau Ceti Foreign Legion volunteer dons the same uniform and sets of armor with ranks distinguished by accessories mentioned previously. These are as follows -
* Retrofitted Military Hardsuit Control Module: A refit of a very old construction hardsuit. Essentially your only EVA gear so take it if there's any chance you're entering vacuum.
* Foreign Legion Armored Suit: A set of armor and a helmet with much the same protection of the hardsuit without the massive slowdown.

=== Volunteers ===
* Tactical Shield: A collapsing tactical shield.
* Black Webbing Vest: A webbing vest.
* Night Vision Goggles: Standard night vision goggles.
* Handcuffs: Self explanatory.
* Combat Belt: Holds grenades, ammunition, C4 and other things. Always get one.
* Stun Baton: It's a stun baton.
* Flash: A standard flash.

Now, onto the weapons you can pick.

* Plastic Explosives: Precise explosives that blow up the wall or airlock or floor you place them on. Self explainatory, bring one or more if you need to break into an area you have no access to, such as a bolted AI core.
* Bolt Slinger: A long blaster rifle that must be wielded to fire accurately. Has a scope and a large ammo capacity.
* Blaster Carbine: A short, inaccurate blaster which can be fired with one hand and stored in backpacks. Has burst fire.
* Blaster Pistol: A tiny blaster pistol meant for self defense. Has burst fire.
* Gauss Thumper: A huge unwieldy ballistic rifle and the only ballistic weapon available to the TCFL. Seven shots, decent damage, can be loaded with ion slugs for pesky synthetics.

You will have access to a vendor - the SecTech which sells the standard things such as flashes, pepperspray and handcuffs.

=== Engineering Legionnaire ===

The engineering area has a lot of things, but most of them won't be used often. Let's look at the things you'll be using often.

* Insulated Gloves: Essential for any manipulation of powered wires. Don't hack anything without these.
* RCD: Useful for deleting doors, floors, walls or making them.
* Tool Belt: Get one. You'll need it for the tools.
* Superior Welding Goggles: Pretty useful when you aren't wearing a hardsuit, as the hardsuit already provides eye protection.
* Emitters: Sometimes you will be called to deal with blobs, or you'll need to get into the AI core. Emitters are useful for this, so if you need them, bring them.
* Stun Revolver: Grab one if the volunteers stole all the blaster pistols.
* Specialist Medallions: Pin these to your chestpiece.

There are various vending machines, and you'll need those. Let's take a look at them.

* Vendomat: Sells proximity sensors, igniters, remote signaling devices and such. Not really useful.
* YouTool: Sells the tools you will need.
* EngiVend: Sells multitools, mainly. Also sells various electronics.
* Robco Tool Maker: Sells everything that the YouTool and EngiVend sell, in addition to other things.

=== Medical Legionnaire ===

* A freezer with bloodpacks.
* On the table next to the freezer, you will find all the medkits you will need.
* Hyposprays: There are 6 total hyposprays. Grab however many you need.
* Medical Belt: Grab one to stuff your trauma kits and hyposprays in.
* Your chem dispenser 3000 is one of a kind. It's able to instantly distribute pretty much every chemical you will ever need. Fill beakers and hyposprays using it.
* IV Drip: Self explanatory.
* Stun Revolver: Grab one if the volunteers stole all the blaster pistols.
* Specialist Medallions: Pin these to your chestpiece.

=== Prefect ===

The Prefect's room contains a lot of useful things. Let's look at everything.

* InteliCard: It's an intelicard for carding artificial intelligences.
* Death Alarms: Distribute to your team if you need to.
* Seniority Ribbon: Pin these to your chestpiece.
* Energy Knife: This is a better tactical knife. Shove it in your boot.
* Energy Barrier: It's a massive shield, can fit in your pocket.

== The Garage ==
Beyond the standard Armory, there are three vehicles that can be chosen should the situation warrant it, defer to your Prefect for permission should you desire to take one. They are located in south eastern portion of the base. They are:
* Retrofitted Speeders: Slow in atmosphere, extremely fast in EVA. Useful for moving across the surface quickly and not getting lost forever.
* Combat APLU: A slightly intimidating APLU with a welder laser, additional armor, two passenger compartments and a drill. Useful in most any situation, though slow.
* Odysseus: This one is much more useful if the Medical specialists were to decide to take it.

== Assault Armory ==
On top of the normal armament available to the TCFL, there is a special equipment storage reserved for Admin and Event use, locked behind unlabelled blast doors. Inside is:
* Jotun: An aging Alliance main battle tank which is impervious to mostly any armament obtainable on station. Uh oh.

== Working On The Aurora: Weekend Legionnaire ==

It is possible to be a member of the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion and also work on the Aurora, with some stipulations. '''Be sure that you get an admin to sign off on your character!'''

1) Working for the Legion is like taking a 2nd job. The split in responsibilities, and the split in loyalties to a government agency and the private corporation of NanoTrasen, means '''you cannot be a Legionnaire in security or Command.'''

2) All rules on escalation and emergencies still apply. You should not use your status as a legionnaire to self-antag, hunt down antagonists, or otherwise throw yourself into station emergencies.

3) Don't cryo or ghost as your character then spawn in as that character in an incoming Legion squad. It's embarrassing and would make you look desperate.

4) Don't ask incoming Legionnaires to give you weapons or gear when they're coming in. You can help in your current job by doing that job - or staying out of the way unless asked.

Generally, the Legion is a militia. It is not a Spec Ops team and you are not made a martial arts expert who does not fear death by being in it. That said, the spirit of these rules is to not valid antagonists - helping respond to other emergencies like fires or venting situations can be fine! If you are unsure, ahelp!

The highest rank you can be as an on-station Legionnaire is a Volunteer or Legionnaire. If you are a Legionnaire, try picking a job that compliments your specialty, like engineering or medical doctor.

In terms of special skills, a Legionnaire has a reason to have the knowledge to use voidsuits or hardsuits, and anything in the basic first aid kits.

{{Jobs}}
[[Category:Guides]]
[[Category:Pages]]
[[Category:Military]]

New Player Lore Guide

2019-07-08T17:24:00Z

Bygonehero: /* Vaurca */

{{Navbox Lore}}
== The Aurora Galaxy ==
<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
The Starmap
<div class="mw-collapsible-content"><imagemap>File:Starmapv2.2.jpg|
circle 203 643 11 [[Notable_Skrell_Systems_and_Locations#Nralakk:_The_Home_system|Jargon IV circle]]
circle 336 680 14 [[Dionaea#Epsilon_Ursae_Minor_shell|Epsilon Ursae Minoris circle]]
circle 413 655 13 [[Eridani_Federation#Planetary_Overviews|Epsilon Eridani circle]]
circle 418 630 10 [[Sol|Sol circle]]
circle 438 642 14 [[Tau_Ceti|Tau Ceti circle]]
circle 602 596 14 [[The_Frontier_Alliance#Xanu_Prime|Xanu circle]]
circle 543 747 15 [[Republic_of_Elyra#Perispolis|New Ankara circle]]
circle 756 618 12 [[Empire_of_Dominia#Dominia|X'yr Vharn'p circle]]
circle 726 682 16 [[Moghes|Uueoa-Esa circle]]
circle 879 681 13 [[Adhomai|S'rand'marr circle]]
rect 26 112 222 138 [[Sol|Sol square]]
rect 236 114 438 140 [[Eridani_Federation|Epsilon Eridani square]]
rect 450 114 648 138 [[Empire_of_Dominia#Dominia|X'yr Vharn'p square]]
rect 22 144 224 170 [[Notable_Skrell_Systems_and_Locations#Nralakk:_The_Home_system|Jargon IV square]]
rect 236 144 436 168 [[The_Frontier_Alliance#Xanu_Prime|Xanu square]]
rect 452 144 650 168 [[Moghes|Uueoa-Esa square]]
rect 24 176 222 202 [[Tau_Ceti|Tau Ceti square]]
rect 238 178 436 200 [[Republic_of_Elyra#Perispolis|New Ankara square]]
rect 450 176 652 202 [[Adhomai|S'rand'marr square]]
rect 22 208 222 234 [[Dionaea#Epsilon_Ursae_Minor_shell|Epsilon Ursae Minoris square]]
rect 22 272 222 296 [[Sol_Alliance|Sol Alliance square]]
rect 236 272 436 296 [[Republic_of_Elyra|Republic of Elyra square]]
rect 450 270 650 296 [[Empire_of_Dominia|Empire of Dominia square]]
rect 24 302 222 328 [[Skrell#Recovery_and_the_Second_Federation|Jargon Federation square]]
rect 238 304 436 326 [[The_Frontier_Alliance|Frontier Alliance square]]
rect 450 302 652 326 [[Minor_Factions|Human Frontier square]]
rect 22 334 222 360 [[Notable_Skrell_Systems_and_Locations#The_Traverse:_.E2.80.9CThe_Skrellian_Frontier.E2.80.9D|Skrellian Frontier square]]
rect 774 4 906 78 [[Nanotrasen_Corporation|NanoTrasen square]]
rect 676 118 980 416 [[Timeline|Timeline square]]
#
</imagemap>
</div></div>
The year is [[Timeline| 2461 CE (Common Era)]] in [[Galactic Standard Time]], and since the late 21st century, [[Timeline of Humanity|Humanity]] has been spreading out among the stars. Leaving behind their homeworld of [[Earth]], humans proliferated throughout space, expanding hundreds of light-years in all directions under the banner of the [[Sol Alliance]]. After a century, flourishing cities had been established in nearby systems such as [[Tau Ceti]] and [[Eridani Federation]], and in the centuries that would follow, hundreds of systems would fall under the control of humanity. Outposts on Garden worlds became metropolises in the span of decades, entire asteroids and moons were mined out and hostile worlds were terraformed and subdued by growing corporations that began to become the dominant economic powers of human space.

At the end of the 22nd century, the power and influence of the Sol Alliance was at its height, but this soon came to an end as an economic collapse found Trans-Stellar corporations picking away at Sol Alliance authority piece by piece.

In the middle of the prosperity and strife, transtellars have for centuries embarked to make massive profits. The major corporate players had managed to establish a stable, if shaky peace between themselves, with no single corporation able to completely dominate the others. Any semblance of equilibrium between the mega-corps was shattered with NanoTrasen's discovery of the element Phoron in 2417.

Humanity is not alone in this vast sea of stars. Numerous alien races have been discovered in the past 50 years, some peaceful, some hostile and some just plain weird. The brilliant [[Skrell]], the crafty [[Tajara]], the proud [[Unathi]] and elegant [[Dionaea]] are but a few of the races of this extremely diverse galaxy. Many more exist, and while most are simply apathetic to humanity, others are openly hostile.

If one thing can be said to unite the various species, it is the drive to control the powerful element Phoron, which not only has revitalized space travel but also holds untold capabilities. Humanity, specifically NanoTrasen, has taken control of the vast majority of Phoron deposits, drawing the interest of many alien species, extremist cults and even more mysterious forces. Within humanity, a divide has begun to form: What is NanoTrasen's role not just economically but in human society? Are they the benevolent corporation that keeps the engine of human interstellar civilization alive or are they the greedy suits dedicated to manipulating galactic society through their stranglehold on the Phoron market?

Recently the Syndicate has emerged as an organization dedicated to stopping NanoTrasen. Decentralized, secretive and efficient, the Syndicate has attacked NanoTrasen installations, mining outposts and personnel. Some decry them as terrorists, others see them as the only force with a chance to overthrown NanoTrasen.

==Your Workplace==

Welcome to [[Tau Ceti]], a star system approximately 12 light-years away from [[Sol]], under the joint control of the [[Republic of Biesel]] and the trans-stellar corporate conglomerate [[Nanotrasen Corporation|Nanotrasen]]. You have been assigned to work aboard the NSS Aurora, a state-of-the-art research and mining facility orbiting Tau Ceti within the Romanovich Cloud at the very edge of the system. Even after several centuries of being inhabited by human colonists, and flourishing into a central trade hub for human space, the edge of Tau Ceti is still considered to be a frontier of sorts, as are the outer areas of most other star systems.

After the discovery of a substance known as [[Phoron]] in this system, Nanotrasen quickly established a monopoly that granted them control over Humanity's fuel source and established them as the most powerful corporation in human space.

=== Education and Qualification Requirements ===

NanoTrasen hires only the most exemplary of employees with the finest [[education]].

University education isn't enough - NanoTrasen also trains its employees with up-to-date [[Guides]]!

==The Economy==

The most common currency in human space is the [[Economy| Standard Credit]], originally issued by the Sol Alliance in the early 22nd century. Despite the decline of the Sol Alliance, the Standard Credit remains the reserve currency of many polities, and it is accepted on most worlds throughout human space. The Standard Credit is represented by '''cr''' (e.g. 5,000 cr). The galactic economy is divided amongst the handful of transtellar corporations that have earned the title of "Mega-Corporations", which are monopolies of vast sizes with the entire economy of known space divided amongst themselves.

==Known Space==
===[[Sol]]===
The home system of humanity, Sol is by far the most populated and, arguably, the most developed system in human space. It has seen great scientific process, prosperity and development but also great upheavals and bitter divides.

At the end of the [[Timeline of Humanity|First Interstellar War]], The Sol system was ravaged by economic recession. It has slowly rebuilt itself over the past century, but the recovery remains unstable. Earth occupies a place of prestige as humanity's symbolic homeworld.

[[Luna]] has become something of a mishmash of galactic society: glittering skyscrapers within pressurized underground caverns share space with slums.

[[Mars]] has seen small scale terraforming efforts take hold, with the once "Red Planet" now tinted with green.

The administrative center of the [[Sol Alliance]] is the Unity station, in orbit around Earth. It was built after the First Interstellar War to show the Sol Alliance represents all of humanity.

===Inner Colonies===
Also known as the Inner Sphere. The inner colonies lie within 100 lightyears of Sol. The inner sphere is home to 50 billion people. Inner Colonies are the oldest in human space, typically between 200 and 350 years old. These worlds form the heartland of the Sol Alliance and are the technological and economic hub of human space, with endless streams of trade ships flowing through the Bluespace Gates connecting the most developed systems.

Life here is the best in human space. Much of the population lives in relative comfort, although the average wage tends to be lower than that of the middle and some outer colonies. Towering arcologies, massive city-stations, and great multi-tiered metropolises which can reach over a kilometer tall can be found on the most populated of these systems. The Inner Colonies are home to the greatest cultural diversity in human space, with distinct colonial identities in many of the older systems, and several hundred spoken languages. The average lifespan ranges from 90 - 120 years.

===Mid Colonies===
Also known as the Mid Sphere. The Mid Colonies lie between 100 and 200 lightyears from Sol. The mid sphere has a estimated population of 38 billion, and contains hundreds more systems than the Inner Colonies. Three of these systems have populations of at least a billion. Colonies here are typically 100 to 200 years old. The Sol Alliance remains the dominant power in this region of space, though it's clear the people here share their loyalties between them and their home systems.

Life here is good, though not quite as nice as in the inner colonies. Metropolises and mega-cities are a rarer site here than in the Inner Colonies, infrastructure tends to be less developed and the lack of direct access to the Bluespace Gates means trading is more expensive. Inhabitants of the mid colonies are more likely to be skeptical of the Sol Alliance, resenting the control the inner colonies exert over the Alliance. The mid colonies are widely considered to be the edge of "developed" space, much to the consternation of the inhabitants of the outer colonies. The average lifespan here generally ranges from 90 - 100.

===Outer Colonies===
Also known as the Outer Sphere. The Outer Colonies lie between 200 and 300 lightyears from Sol. The outer sphere is home to 29 billion people and contains over three hundred systems with more than 100,000 residents. New colonies are still regularly founded in this sphere, and most settlements are less than 100 years old. These worlds lie just beyond the reach of the Sol Alliance, and the power of the Mega-Corporations begin to replace it.

Life here is harder than in the Mid colonies, though many see independence from the Sol Alliance as being worth the price. People here generally live in towns and cities of around 5,000-50,000 people. The 'Spacer' culture is especially strong in the Outer Colonies as countless migrants mine the asteroid belts in search of fortune. Millions of Outer Colonials live in simple orbitals, many relying on centrifugal force rather than gravity generators. Technology is generally a decade or two behind that of the inner and mid colonies. The average lifespan here ranges from 80 - 100.

===Frontier===
The Frontier consists of all space more than 300 lightyears away from Sol; it is the very edge of known space. Frontier space contains at least 50 inhabited systems with an estimated, combined population of 16 billion, although these numbers are extremely difficult to determine.

The affairs of the Inner and Middle Colonies are nearly irrelevant to these hard-spun settlers, although many remain resentful. People are often forced to make do with equipment decades or even a century behind that of the inner worlds. The largest political entities are a few united systems, but most 'governments' are confined to a planet or city-state.

'Frontiersmen are born in a hardsuit', so the saying goes, and live or die by their skill and luck. Life is harsh and comparatively short here, with life spans ranging from 60 - 90. Those that do survive can often attain extensive technical knowledge. Here you will find the outsiders of Human (and alien) society; cults, fanatics, Earth supremacists, political exiles, outlaws, rogue AI’s, and radical exhumans. Outside the systems that somehow managed to remain independent, the mega-corporations control swaths of the frontier and are completely independent from any form of oversight.

==Main Spacefaring Races==

===Humanity===

[[image:Human_fem.png]][[image:Human_Male.png]]

*'''Home System:''' [[Sol]]
*'''Homeworld:''' [[Earth]]
*'''Majority Languages:''' Tau Ceti Basic, Sol Common
*'''Major Political Entities:''' [[Sol Alliance]], [[The Frontier Alliance]], [[Republic of Biesel]], [[Republic of Elyra]], [[Empire of Dominia]], [[Eridani Federation|Eridani Corporate Federation]]

'Homo Sapiens', or as they're more commonly known, Humans, are the most prevalent species in known space. Collectively, they have more territory under their control than all other known species combined. Most trans-stellar corporations and conglomerates are owned and staffed by humans, giving them significant economic pull in the galactic community.

However, despite their collective achievements, humans are fractured into hundreds of independent factions, severely limiting their ability to organize as a species. Additionally, ideological differences further deteriorate relations between human factions.

Highly advanced technologically, humans are one of several known races to independently achieve viable, interstellar space flight.

A detailed history of humanity can be found on the [[Timeline of Humanity]].

===[[Skrell]]===

[[image:Skrell_Fem.png]][[image:Skrell_Male.png]]

*'''Home System:''' [[Skrell| Jargon (Nralakk)]]
*'''Homeworld:''' [[Skrell| Jargon IV(Qerrbalak)]]
*'''Majority Languages:''' Skrellian, Tau Ceti Basic
*'''Major Political Entities:''' Jargon Federation‏

An amphibious species whose passion lies in the field of the combined sciences, the [[Skrell]] are the oldest and most advanced species present on the galactic stage. The Skrell evolved on a planet covered in vast swamps and freshwater seas, hence their amphibious qualities, such as moist, pliant and nearly translucent skin, as well as their vestigial gill slits.

Skrell are largely asexual, with most seeing reproduction as a process necessary to continue their lineage and nothing more.

While humanity has largely overtaken the Skrell in the area of system colonization, the Skrell maintain a strong confederation of colonies roughly three-quarters the size of human space. They are also the most technologically advanced species in known space, and possess the strongest and most highly trained military of any spacefaring species.

===[[Unathi]]===

[[image:Unathi_fem.png]][[image:Unathi_Male.png]]

*'''Home System:''' [[Uueoa-Esa]]
*'''Homeworld:''' [[Moghes| Moghes]]
*'''Majority Languages:''' Sinta'Unathi, Sinta'Azaziba
*'''Major Political Entities:''' Izweski Nation

The Unathi Race is a highly honorbond and clan based species. Unathi hail from their home world of [[Moghes]] and their colony planet [[Ouerea]].

The Hegemony is a feudalistic government that has been struggling to survive and consolidate power after the brutal Contact War in 2439. With their second planet Ouere liberated from the former Colonial administration of the Sol Alliance and Jargon Federation, many Unathi believe the Hegemony may soon expand beyond Uueoa-Esa to flee the death of Moghes, while others demand their ancestral homeland is saved. Moghean culture has strict gender roles, and breaking them is highly taboo. Many Unathi struggle with the competing cultures of human space with the strong connections they feel to their home culture.

Ouerean Unathi number in the millions, and are ruled by a planetary Overlord. Just a few years ago they were ruled by humans and skrell who funded their initial growth as Moghes tore itself apart in war. While the society is more lax, unathi stubbornness prevents true reform from taking place, on top of the new, much more conservative colonial government.

Unathi religion emphasizes respect, loyalty, and worship of their ancestors.

===[[Tajara]]===

[[image:Tajara_fem.png]][[image:Tajara_Male.png]]

*'''Home System:''' [[Tajara| S'rand'marr]]
*'''Homeworld:''' [[Adhomai| Adhomai]]
*'''Majority Languages:''' Siik'maas, Siik'Tajir
*'''Major Political Entities:''' People's Republic of Adhomai

The Tajaran are a feline race, and the most recent to make an appearance on the galactic stage. They are also the second most populous species in known space, behind humans in terms of population. Most of their early history is a story of indentured servitude to their own people, having been governed by a oligarchy composed of blood line rulers. Approximately two years after they were discovered by humans, they revolted against the ruling class and successfully claimed their independence.

===[[Dionaea]]===

[[image:Dionaea.png]]

*'''Home System:''' Epsilon Ursae Minoris
*'''Homeworld:''' N/A
*'''Majority Languages:''' N/A
*'''Major Political Entities:''' N/A

The [[Dionaea]] are a peaceful, plantlike race that were discovered by the Skrell in 2294 CE. Each individual dionaea is in fact an amalgamation of millions of smaller organisms operating as a single unit. Gentle and even-tempered, the Dionaea have no official government and have no military force to speak of. They possess good relations with the governments of most other sentient species.

===[[Vaurca]]===

[[image:vaurcafemale.png]][[image:vaurcamale.png]]

*'''Home System:''' Sedantis (Ske'hazik'staza, "Blinding Light.")
*'''Homeworld:''' [[Sedantis I]](Vaur'azek'uyuz, "Home.")
*'''Majority Languages:''' Vaurcese (Vaur'uyit'yaza, "The Old Speech.")
*'''Major Political Entities:''' Zo'ra Hive, K'lax Hive, C'thur Hive

The mostly bipedal, insectoid creatures hailing from the moon known as [[Sedantis I]], [[Vaurca]] (Vore-Kah, Vaurca in singular term and Vaurcae in multiple), were discovered after the first Hive-Ship contact in human space, December 21, 2456. They have a complex caste system based on three types, and many even lack sentience. Although barely tolerated on Tau Ceti stations (mostly owned by NanoTrasen) many have found homes in Tau Ceti, whether in isolated and concentrated camps, barren lightless caves below sun-scorched earth or even actual houses. The largest, and most common hive in Tau Ceti is the Zo'ra Hive.

===[[Synthetics|IPC]]===

[[image:IPC.png]]

*'''Home System:''' N/A
*'''Homeworld:''' N/A
*'''Majority Languages:''' N/A
*'''Major Political Entities:''' N/A

An [[IPC| Integrated Positronic Chassis]], or IPC, is a positronic artificial intelligence inside of a bipedal, humanoid frame. These IPCs are not bound to any master AI or activity-restricting components. Some have collected enough currency to purchase their own freedom from their owners. The existence of IPCs is still a highly inflammatory subject, and as of yet, they lack the basic rights that members of most organic races possess. While gender neutral, individual intelligences may develop personality quirks to further their "uniqueness."

===[[Vox]]===

[[image:Vox Lineup.jpg]]

*'''Home System:''' Unknown
*'''Homeworld:''' Unknown
*'''Majority Languages:''' Tau Ceti Basic, Vox Standard
*'''Major Political Entities:''' Unknown

A coalition of several different species and subspecies of avian aliens, the [[Vox]] are known throughout civilized space. They are usually in the role of raiders or swindlers. While most other sentient races have some individuals that turn to a life of piracy, it seems that with the Vox, piracy and theft are important aspects to their culture. They raid shipping convoys and newly established colonies for resources, before retreating back into interstellar space, where most governments do not have the jurisdiction, nor the military power to pursue them. Not much is known about the Vox, despite their ubiquity in known space. Despite the average Vox not being extremely intelligent, extreme caution is still advised if one is encountered.

==Governing Entities==

===Trans-stellar Corporations===

The massive corporations, uniquely human entities, rose to prominence during the advent of space travel, allowing entire planets to be claimed as corporate assets. Trans-stellar corporations normally cooperate with local governments and frontier colonies to establish trade agreements and gain the rights to utilize certain resources. Extremely powerful, most have established their own colonies and exert power over them like any regional government would. Trans-stellar corporations usually employ private military contractors and security consultants to police the areas under their control.

There are a number of major trans-stellars, almost all of which are owned by humans. The six major ones in known space are the [[Nanotrasen Corporation| Nanotrasen Corporate Conglomerate]], [[Einstein Engines]], [[Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals]], [[Hephaestus Industries]], [[Necropolis Industries]] and [[Idris Incorporated]].

Not everyone was in favor of the formation of trans-stellar megacorporations, and many smaller companies [[The Syndicate| allied themselves against them]]. However, these alliances were met with stunning and repeated failures, and by the end of the 23rd century, they had collapsed due to economic ruin and internal intrigue.

===Minor Human Factions===

These are former colony worlds that declared independence from the Sol Alliance. As the Alliance's influence has waned over the centuries, many of these flourished and grew in power, often laying claim to the entirety of their star system. However, not every nation gets along with its neighbors, and sometimes interstellar war can occur between two independent states, just as conventional war happened on Earth up to the late 21st century. These groups include (but are not limited to) the [[Empire of Dominia]], [[Republic of Elyra]], [[Republic of Biesel]], and the Eridani Federation

===[[Sol Alliance]]===

Once the central government of a unified Humanity, the [[Sol Alliance]] is now a shadow of its former glory. Reduced to the human home system of Sol and the inner and mid colonies surrounding it, the Alliance has lost authority over a significant portion of humanity. While most transtellars publicly support the Alliance, and many of their corporate profits flow back into the Inner-colonies, some wonder at what point will these megacorporations start threatening (or outright buying) the weakened Alliance. Nanotrasen has gone so far as to establish a foothold within the center of Alliance space, a move some are calling a bloodless coup.
{{Navbox Lore}}
[[Category: Lore]]

[[Category:Pages]]

Vaurca

2019-06-30T14:17:09Z

Bygonehero: /* Inter-species Relationships */

C'thur, Queen of Masques

2019-06-27T15:54:59Z

Vaurca History

2019-06-15T13:35:26Z

Bygonehero:

{{Navbox Lore}}

{{Navbox Vaurca Lore}}

===Early Nomadism===
The earliest records of Vaurca civilization gained from limited access to Zo'ra records range from some time starting between 737,000 and 887,000 years ago. Due to the hostile climate of their homeworld caused by the thin ozone allowing radiation to blast the planet daily, many Vaurca were forced to live nomadic lives inside the vast underground cave networks to gain access to edible fungus.

Almost all conflict originated around control of food. Warfare was a matter of survival after a hive exhausted its food supply. Warrior castes became the most dominant caste within Vaurca society and nearly all hives were in constant conflict with one another. Due to the innate deadliness of Vaurca mandibles and claws warfare was fought in melee. Prisoners of war tended to be decapitated by the mandibles of the victor while the surviving hive was enslaved. The mindset appears to be an unwillingness to spare extremely limited resources with enemy warriors.

===The Agricultural Revolution===
Approximately 567,000 years ago agricultural methods that allowed hives to cultivate fungus had proliferated throughout the planet. No longer a resource that could be easily exhausted, many hives found an abundance of food to be a boon. The population exploded as the hives continued to operate as they always had. Unfortunately, fertile territory (in the context of cave fungus) was uncommon and conflict still broke out between hives.

Other avenues of change proliferated through the Vaurca hives, as well as an explosion of art. For understandable reasons living in caves constantly grew tiresome for many unbound Vaurca and they began to experiment with ways to spruce up the place. With an abundance of food, Vaurca were able to spare manpower to begin ambitious feats of masonry and architecture. According to secondary sources, the Vaurca Homeworld eventually developed elaborate and massive feats of subterranean engineering, with aqueducts, sewage, and entire cities being carved out of the rock. The walls and floors of the cave were smoothed out and covered in engravings, creating a form of art that wouldn't be blasted away by radiation. Thousands of years of trial and error with countless incidents of cave-ins in the early years have allowed the Vaurca to become masters of masonry and architecture.

Along with traditional warfare, queens of many hives had begun an arms race of architecture to show up one another. Massive engineering projects would be undertaken for the glory of the queen of the hive, such as a huge subterranean temple, the rerouting of an entire underground river, or a subterranean road being carved out to connect dozens of spread out subterranean cities all being commissioned. Queens at the time had also begun to develop a cult of personality around themselves, with the queens that managed to succeed in becoming the most powerful and influential on the planet. Information on this is difficult to gather due to obvious bias or mixing of legends and facts within Vaurca records. However, xenoarchaeologists are in agreement that Vaurca queens managed to retain a vital position in Vaurca society by inflating their status as mothers to a spiritual level. As the only ones in Vaurca society that could give birth to new generations, they had become mystical gardens of life and fertility in an otherwise dead and barren world.

===The Era of Augments===
The development of Vaurca continued down paths similar to the development of other space-faring species. The major split from the norm occurred around 50,043BCE Galactic Standard Time. The Vaurca had managed to achieve a technological level similar to Earth in the late 20th century. However the Zo'ra, who had emerged before this time, had a breakthrough in augmentation technology. Zo'ra began augmenting its drones with simple cybernetic enhancements. Worker drones would have their limbs replaced with more sturdy prosthetics, and later advancements in genetics had even more Vaurca hives beginning to experiment with altering workers with genetic and cybernetic enhancements.

This technological advancement continued until the Vaurca achieved a version of technological singularity with the technology in 37,650 BCE. The technology had become miniaturized and advanced enough that Vaurca hives could cybernetically engineer any aspect of a Vaurca drone. By this time Vaurca drones had become Bound, creating the early forms of the Vaurca we see today. While Vaurca records make no mention of it, human and Skrell xenoarchaeologists theorize that Vaurca drones had incidents of rebellion or insurrection against the mass augmentation and prosthetics, which explains why today bound are all lobotomized, mindless drones.

By 36,500 BCE the working caste of bound drones could work 24/7 stopping only to eat. Soldiers were augmented with all sorts of experimental weapons and abilities. However, the augments and genetic alterations forced those altered into very specific castes. A worker raised and given augments for battle wasn't an effective mason or diplomat. While previously Vaurca society was stratified, the 'worker' Vaurca of old at least had a chance to enter into different fields. The modern Vaurca society saw a caste system where Vaurca were literally defined from birth and built into that role. This also created the modern definitions of bound and unbound: bound vaurca are members of the worker caste, literally bound to their role and station. The unbound are Vaurca above the working caste that would be allowed to seek their own destiny in society, forming a form of noble caste.

Eventually, the Unbound, supported by a limitless supply of slave labor, began to form a more and more secluded society separate from the working caste. From Human and Skrell xenoarchaeological discoveries, it is known that Unbound Lii'dra scientists and artists eventually unlocked the technology behind virtual reality, and specialized it to create entire virtual worlds for themselves. Sharing their discoveries, Unbound with access to VR would lock themselves away for hours or even days at a time, sometimes leaving VR for only a few minutes at a time to let their bound workers feed them without having to even having to leave their seat.

Eventually, the VR technology pervaded all aspects of Vaurcan society. Co-opted by the Queens and Lesser Queens of each hive they made the technology achieve a religious symbolism and importance unequaled by any technology before or since.

It is near the end of this Era that most scholars agree that the original conflict between the Lii'dra and Zo'ra first began and that the nature and scope of the war caused a technological regression that continues to this day.

===The First Hive War===
Occurring around 30,000 BCE, The First Hive War began.It was not the first modern War, it was, however, the first conflict to involve every single hive, both minor and major. According to records obtained from Titan Prime, the conflict began during a technology summit at Xtykt'lotec after which the entire city was taken by Lii'dra forces. This brazen act dissolved the Court of Queens, launching old enemy hives against each other with the breakdown of diplomacy, as well as the Lii'dra themselves, who blitzed through the first half of the entire war virtually unopposed by the resulting chaos. Like a plague that swept across the planet, entire tectonic plates would go dark, and embattled hives would focus much of their defenses at the edges of their respective territories to protect themselves rather than each other.

Because of the scope of the war, this was the first real industrialization of war. It brought together entire hives for the one purpose to make conflict. It is in this time that many of the current Lesser Queens were born, with some individual Vaurca emerging from this conflict as heroes in their own right. The turning point of the war began with the first Lii'dra defeats. At the hands of Klax, Lii'dra were unable to breach their plates defensive network, a complex set of machines that prevented any lifeform from approaching within miles of their territory. This resulted in forcing the Lii'dra to attack the Zo'ran plate through the Ryitu’kya Abyss. This battle is considered the single most important in Vaurca history. Such was its importance that even some Queens themselves participated in this conflict. It is from this battle that the Zo'ra emerged victorious, halting the Lii'dra scourge so they could be routed by an assembled force of many hives, brought together by the C'thur.

The Lii'dra defeat here signaled the beginning of the end of the war. From here, increasingly bloody battles would blanket nearly every tectonic plate. Forced to attack the K'laxan positions after their defeat within the Ryitu'kya Abyss, the Lii'dra broke the K'laxan defensive line with nothing less than a billion lives. By some accounts, in the aftermath of the Siege of the Kol'axta Plate, entire underground caverns were filled to the brim with corpses from both sides. The First Hive War officially ended August 27th, 29,930 BCE after the sinking of the city of Illuau'tia, the historic Lii'dra capital, and seat of their hive. With just over 80% of the planets Vaurcan population slain in the conflict, a mass depression blanketed the survivors in their pyrrhic victory over the Lii'dra, that not even the surviving Queens themselves could mend. It was from this bleakness and death that the Vaurcan idea of the Afterlife spawned. Envisioned and proclaimed by High Zo'ra the Afterlife technology was gifted freely to all surviving hives, she declared nevermore would such death haunt their species. For truly, based upon their newest technology, the Queens relieved their hives of death and despair by making real the idea of life after death, that the death witnessed here would never again be an issue for the generations after.

===The Great Evacuation===

After the Lii'dra conflict, The proliferation of VR and bound labor created a lull in conflict on Sedantis I. Farming techniques had become advanced enough that the populations could be reasonably fed, and all other desires were being filled in virtual worlds. By all accounts it would have been completely possible that the Vaurca never left their homeworld due to the development of VR. However a combination of push factors forced the great Vaurca hives to embark on extensive plans to expand into space.

The extremely thin ozone layer of Sedantis I had begun to be measured since the start of their modern era in the early CE era. By 150 CE the Vaurca's version of a scientific body between hives had conclusive evidence to show that the ozone would be completely stripped off the planet within another 200 years. While the planet had been bombarded with radiation, life had still managed to etch out a living, but when the ozone layer was completely gone all life on the planet would be killed by the excessive amounts of radiation, rendering it a barren, lifeless rock.

Hives took different approaches to the impending apocalypse. Many hives felt they could simply increase the depths of their subterranean cities to avoid the increase of radiation, and that the subterranean eco-systems would continue to thrive beneath the surface, while other hives began to try to look past the taboo of the deadly sky and consider expanding their hives into space.

Hives devoted massive amounts of bound labor to both projects. For the next 50 years some Vaurca hives constructed the massive hive-ships we see today. In another display of the sheer ingenuity of Vaurca engineering and architecture they had managed, after very heavy losses in early failures, to create and utilize an orbital industry to work on the hive-ships. These ships are also called ark-ships, and were used to transport thousands of Vaurca to other star systems. While fusion power was available to Vaurca at the time they did not yet possess warp or bluespace capabilities, meaning travel to other systems was extremely slow.

This reality meant that hive-ships had to be capable of supporting a population in deep space for hundreds or even thousands of years. They became battleships, colony ships, mobile incubators, carriers, refineries, and production facilities all in their own. They spread through space similar to the Vox, as nomadic wanderers occasionally settling on habitable worlds, but the pace of it was was incredibly slow due to the lack of bluespace technology.

Despite being years or even hundreds of years apart bound drones were still unquestionably loyal to their original queen, and followed directives given by her during their travels to the letter and without compromise. Lesser queens were brought on the hive-ships to help keep the population stable, and others left on habitable planets with a group of Unbound and Bound to settle on the few habitable planets they passed along the way, but the original High Queens of the hives on Sedantis remain legendary religious figures, with the lesser queens taking on a ceremonial role as mothers. Unbound present in the hive-ships were almost entirely connected to VR, which allowed them to function in their worlds, which may have been the only reason they managed to function as a society in deep space for so long.

The ultimate fate of Sedantis I is unknown to Vaurca encountered in human space in 2458, as contact is still impossible.

===Contact with Humanity===

None of the civilized species of the galaxy had any idea that the Vaurcae existed until an eventful day in November, 2456, when the drive plume and heat signature of a massive ship burning its engine in order to slow down for an approach was detected near the Romanovich cloud in Tau Ceti. While the galaxy was taken aback by this information, the Republic of Biesel acted immediately. A small scout vessel was dispatched to the ship, which was revealed to be a 30 kilometer (18.23 mile) vessel, mostly engine and radiator. Dubbed 'Titan Prime' by the media, Tau Ceti and news places over the known galaxy were bubbling with excitement as the object approached its apparent destination: Biesel.

After a few weeks, the object passed the Romanovich cloud and dispatched over twenty drones to key locations in Tau Ceti. Some of these locations included the NMSS Odin, the NSS Von Braun, NSS Arcadia, NSS Aurora, NSS Exodus, and NMV Retaliation, and one to each planet. Although all drones dispatched to the location turned back immediately, one did not. The one that was headed for the NSS Aurora stayed, and in fact, contacted the station through use of the station's own intercommunication system; displaying a single, unintelligible message. After a period of three hours, the crew were dispatched to the probe and entered, finding a hollow vessel. In the middle was a single alien computer, and in a corner of a room were Vaurca eggs, presumably for use in early colonization.

Research crew of the NSS Aurora, including Dr. Phoebe Essel and team were able to interact with the computer, painstakingly finding ways to translate the cryptic language it was attempting to speak in, and after usage of a pAI, were able to teach the machine Tau Ceti Basic. After some conversation, the computer detached itself and was brought aboard the NSS Aurora for first contact. It had been sent in order to document the indigenous species of the solar system. The computer tapped into the bluespace connection of the Artificial Intelligence of the station, uploaded core data files onto its hardware, and then departed, causing a minor panic on the station as the security forced feared an intelligence leak.

First radio contact was established with Tau Ceti President Joseph Dorn and Titan Prime, which was filled with Zo'ra. It was learned that the vessel was sent approximately 2 thousand years ago and had only now entered human space to find habitable planets to colonize. It was also learned that Titan Prime housed six million Vaurca on it, a staggering number.

Titan Prime eventually reached Biesel, settling into a stable orbit around the planet. Observation showed that the ship was worse for wear after traveling for 2,000 years, launched from Sedantis in 400 CE. Many of its systems were failing or had already failed. The life support was barely working and the hull had lost most of its integrity. After heavy negotiation with the Tau Ceti government it was agreed that in exchange for being allowed to settle on Biesel the Vaurca would agree to 'pay rent' in the form of providing Nanotrasen and the Tau Ceti government with a quota of their bound and unbound for Nanotrasen's workforce. Due to the complexity (and pointlessness) of paying bound Vaurca they would instead earn 'credit' towards their continued stay on Biesel to pay back the cost of housing them.

==== Settling in Tau Ceti ====

Ferries, re-purposed cargo ships, and civilian shuttles evacuated 2 million inhabitants of Titan Prime, ferrying them mostly to New Gibson and Biesel, respectively. Evacuations are still undergoing, and most Vaurca live in refugee camps or state-provided housing in special sections of the two planets. The [[Interstellar Aid Corps]] has performed most of the work evacuating and housing Vaurca, and they are critical of the government's treatment of them.

Roughly 1.5 million Bound and Unbound Vaurca live in scattered underground ice caverns or within crowded biodomes upon icy New Gibson, and 3 million live in squalid ghettos upon Biesel. After NanoTrasen's forced eviction of the majority of Vaurca living on the Titan Prime in June of 2458, the slums of Biesel experienced an influx of nearly 1 million additional Vaurca contributing to a famine that has lasted to this day. In January of 2459, IAC Officials began moving yet more Vaurca to Luthien and Caprice, making Biesel authorities extremely worried about the cost of the continued evacuation of Titan Prime,and the ultimate fate of the ship itself once completed. The integration of Vaurca into a cultural and socio economic system not designed for them is ongoing, and is confounded by the growing hostility towards them upon all sides.

The fear of further hive ships entering known space has lead to Tau Ceti and the Sol Alliance working to actively suppress attempts by Vaurca to construct FTL capable communications or ships to contact their homeworld and potentially spread the information to more Vaurca hives in their home systems. While the Zo'ra of Titan Prime managed to leak secrets of these technologies from the Aurora, they remain unable to build FTL communication that's capable of interacting with the STL communications presumed to still be in use in Vaurca home systems. As well, many Vaurca are unsure of the ultimate fate of their homeworld, as their two thousand year travel has had them pass the time predicted to have brought the ultimate death of Sedantis...

[[Category:Vaurca]]

Vedhra, Princess of Configurations

2019-06-01T00:40:26Z

Bygonehero: /* Ta’Akaix’Vedhra’rept’ylanze K’lax, Princess of Configurations */

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===Ta’Akaix’Vedhra’rept’ylanze K’lax, Princess of Configurations===

::Unbound of any type: (RGB 130, 150, 20)

::Bound Warriors: (RGB 50,160, 50)

::Bound Workers: (RGB 20, 170, 20)

[[File:Asteroids.jpg|thumb|350px|alt=|Simulations of combat within the outer reaches of Tau Ceti are only a few of the scenarios simulated in preparation for the Endwar.]]

Seeing the stark technological disadvantage their hive has over what forces they have seen from the Lii’dra thus far caused Ta'Akaix'Zkaii'xay'yil K'lax to birth Vedhra with one goal in mind, to prepare for continued war with the Lii’dra. Vedha’s and by proxy, her brood are fatalistic by design, flirting with or passing alien and Vaurca ethical boundaries for the sole purpose of winning a prophesied conflict simply called the Endwar. Born in 2461, she is the youngest Vaurca Queen, and also the first Vaurca Queen born within the Orion Spur. To advance the development of her brood, she laid the first of her eggs before being fully born herself.

So ingrained is their mission to win this conflict that her brood have revitalized an ancient sect of Vaurca religious canon to explain the role of aliens in the Endwar. All children of her brood believe to some degree in Preimminennce, a religion that can trace its beginnings from the first age of Vaurca history. The canticles of the faith are simple, and decree that the Goddess does not exist, but could exist should all beings align to their predetermined destiny. Once all pieces of all beings are aligned, the Goddess will exist. It is the belief of modern K’lax in this brood that they are to witness the end of days come time of the Endwar, that the Goddess will emerge from the breaking of the universe should they succeed in their conflict against the Lii’dra.

To overcome their technological limitations compared to their enemy and to prepare aliens for their role in the Endwar, Vedhra has began to canvas the biodiversity of the Orion Spur, seeking the biological traits necessary to bridge the technological gap of the Endwar in their favor, as well as ways to bridge the differences between each species themselves. Vedhra and her brood see any conflict with aliens or other hives as a waste of resources and time, a fatal one if not corrected come time of the Endwar. To this end, she seeks to evolve every species beyond their differences, so all may play their part come the appointed conflict against their united enemy rather than each other.

On Tret, Vedhra’s brood of Ka and Za are often secluded in small, newly formed hive-cells busy developing and creating augments with the intent of bypassing the species barrier, and to ever prepare for the prophesied conflict.

Her VR is one of constant conflict, with endless battles and permutations of the Endwar running at any time. Larva born in this virtual world are trained in this armageddon, with each larva thrust into different theaters of the war to experience. Aliens of all known species are simulated, with entire battles being held together against their common Lii’dra enemy. She allows her spawn to modify their own avatar within the construct, as well as the avatars of other simulated beings. Particularly religious Vaurca in her brood adopts the role of Shapers, seeing it as it is their religious belief that they must discover the best way to conform themselves and others into the plan of the Goddess design.

==Recent Events==

Vaurca Hives

2019-06-01T00:35:59Z

Bygonehero: /* Vedhra, Princess of Configurations */

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[[File:VaurcaQUEEN.jpg|thumb|350px|alt=One of the only pictures allowed to be taken of the current high Queen of the Zo'ra, Ta'Akaix'Vaur'skiyet'sca Zo'ra.|One of the only pictures allowed to be taken of the current high Queen of the Zo'ra, Ta'Akaix'Vaur'skiyet'sca Zo'ra.]]

There are four major Vaurca factions present in human space, and it is presumed that these hives were the most capable of producing or acquiring Ark-Ships. It is currently unknown how many hives there were on Sedantis I at the time of the Great Evacuation. Every hive ship contains a number of Lesser Queens, who act as overseers for the entire population. '''Here listed is general information, that Vaurca from other hives or broods would commonly know. Click On A Queen for more detailed and specfic information.'''

==Zo'ra==
Zo'ra - "Unstoppable."

Zo'ra, the largest and most powerful hive, and also the first one discovered by Humanity following their Hive-ship 'Titan Prime.' Information gained through contact with Vaurca present in Tau Ceti has lead to unconfirmed projections putting their population in Vaurca space at 77 billion (17.1 million in known space). Zo'ra believe themselves to be the Alpha of the Vaurca and the face of their species. They make up the majority of the Vaurca present in Tau Ceti and human space. Zora have cold relations with other hives. In Tau Ceti, this has lead to confrontations between them and the other hives arriving in the system.

They are ruled by 5 Lesser Queens who organized a ruling caste shortly after contact with humanity, due to the necessity of someone representing the Vaurca in the Hiveship. They each had claimed to be direct representatives of the Zo'ra High Queen, but ever since the revelation of her death, Ta'Akaix'Vaur'skiyet'sca Zo'ra was made the new High Queen. Despite this, each Lesser Queen has spoken less and less of each other, often overseeing very different parts of Zo'ra's population. More information upon each Queen can be found on their respective pages.

===[[Zoleth, The Herald of Scars]]===

The proclaimed 'Warrior' Lesser Queen of the Zo'ra, she embodies the Zo'ra ideals of warfare and has stylized herself as one of the hive's greatest commanders. She is known by many names, The Queen of Warfare, The Herald of Scars, Mother of Victories. Stories are told of how other Lesser Queens are often aloof and untouchable, but Zoleth'akeh is on the front, calling for war. She has been labeled a warmonger by some because of this. Indeed to the galaxy at large, it may seem that way, but Zoleth'akeh does not hate peace. She is just not stymied by its disruption. To her, it is the height of wisdom to make war when it is needed and to make peace when it is not, to not cling to idealistic notions that cannot exist. Even before the exodus from Sedantis, Zoleth'akeh was legendary among the Court of Queens, one of the only cross-hive diplomatic bodies to exist upon old Sedantis.

===[[Scay, The Hidden Queen]]===

The Zo'ra Lesser Queen placed upon frozen New Gibson. Of the five Lesser Queens that have arrived at Tau Ceti, Scay’extiih’aur is the most rarely seen, even amongst other Zo'ra. Upon the hive ship, she oversaw the ship's entire population. She was responsible for keeping the larger whole of the hive inside complex growth projections. Yet, none of her calculations could have foreseen the events of the last five years. Her brood largely encompasses Ka, and most of them oversee birthing procedures, as well as a complex catalog of body forms and DNA sequences. These body types range wildly from hexapod body types to the traditional biped. The DNA sequences kept include traits that the hive have determined is useful to instill into its populations. Eggs from all remaining Lesser Queens are stored and cataloged here. No larvae or DNA is left without the practiced care of Scay’extiih’aur's gene weavers. She and her brood remain undaunted and have taken a keen interest in the various species of Tau Ceti, as a new opportunity to document and collect new DNA. Experimentation is the norm for Scay’extiih’aur's brood, with the Lesser Queen even to be rumored to experiment on herself.

===[[Vaur, The Liminal Queen]]===

Vaur'skiyet'sca is the eldest Vaurca within Tau Ceti space, and more recently, the Zo'ra hive's new High Queen. In diplomatic human settings, she is often referenced by titles which translate poorly into basic. Titles like High Praetor, First of Mother Zo'ra, Grand Executor, Liminal Queen, are all common references to her authority. She oversees the largest Vaurcan settlement, District Nine. Being the Lesser Queen originally chosen to represent the hive, to the galaxy at large, she is the face of Zo'ra. This was not always the case however, as she was originally responsible for ship-navigation upon Titan Prime. Procedure for succession is virtually nonexistent and the revelation of mother Zo'ra's death has catapulted Vaur'skiyet'sca to this status to the displeasure of some Lesser Queens. Vaur'skiyet'sca's time overseeing District Nine has been fraught with peril. Facing famine, human exploitation as well as militant extremists, life in District Nine is uneasy but Vaur'skiyet'sca approaches these problems with long-term goals in mind. She sees the levers of galactic power that revolve around Tau Ceti and the potential if all levers were under her control. In this, she has proven to possess a keen political intelligence, evidenced in handling Sol's occupation with minimal effort. She has brokered deals with countless human corporations, as well as governments and maintains the largest amount of monetary capital of any Vaurca alive.

===[[Xakt, Queen of Corpses]] ===

Placed upon the desert planet of Luthien, Xakt'yagz'isk's brood has quickly monopolized the planets cheap labor work-force. Xakt'yagz'isk originally oversaw all matters concerning tech and tech implants aboard the Hive-ship. Xakt'yagz'isk's brood contains mostly bound, a much higher percentage than any other Lesser Queen. She also supervised Reclamation, the process of reclaiming the implants of dead Vaurca, making many Zo'ra associate Xakt'yagz'isk with death. Upon Luthien itself, her brood has thrived, creating massive kois fields that pose little risk to their surroundings. The fungus burrows into the silt-like sand of the desert, and finds little purchase, but grows all the same. The sands make it harder for the plant to grow uncontrollably, allowing large-scale cultivation. Armies of bound Ka work tirelessly in the sweltering heat of the blooming desert, exporting tons of kois throughout the system. Unbound Ka and Za also find work with several exotic florae, or weapons testing labs scattered throughout the planet, respectively. Others may field massive scrap yards, full of debris from across the galaxy, searching for exotic tech that may catch the Queens' eyes. The single largest employer of Vaurca however, would be the Getmore Corporation, who source their refined kois products here. The massive plantations that cover the desert sands of Luthien are dwarfed only by the processing plants themselves. Since landing, Xakt'yagz'isk, with support from her Getmore suppliers has created several ''Uta'ka'yat'' or ''All-Factories''. According to Vaurca claims, these All-Factories can fabricate any complex or simple part using revolutionary mass production techniques and are limited only by their size.

===[[Athvur, The New Goddess]] ===

The youngest of the Zor'ane Lesser Queens, she molted into a Lesser Queen soon after Titan Prime left Sedantis. Born of Ta'Akaix'Vaur'skiyet'sca Zo'ra, she seeks to fill in the void created when her mother ascended to High Queen. Currently, she sees day to day operations planetside upon Biesel, overseeing a small population of Vaurca within Phoenixport. Of Athvur'zekt'azi amongst Lesser Queens, much is unsaid. She has yet to prove herself towards any of the other Lesser Queens. To the Zo'ra at large, they see Athvur'zekt'azi as a reminder of the past and a new hope for the future. Athvur'zekt'azi shares her mother's ideals towards humanity, and have taken steps to integrate her brood. She takes delight in many human traditions, often showcasing Vaurca adaptations of human fashion. What Athvur'zekt'azi finds fashionable is known to Vaurca even beyond the Zo'ra hive. Unlike her mother or any of the other Lesser Queens, she believes that past allegiances and vassals should remain such. To her, past obligations ended with their exodus from Sedantis. Athvur'zekt'azi and her brood seek to learn from their shared history and move forward together. Not because of a romanticized sense of idealism, but rather a practical one. To her, the Zo'ra are not what they once were. She understands that change is needed. That to continue forward pretending otherwise is to invite disaster within the political spheres that the hive is ensnared in.

==K'lax==
K'lax - "The Deceivers."

K'lax, the second most powerful hive and second faction discovered by humanity after an additional Hive-ship Klo’zxera appeared in the [[Skrell#Political_Structure|Jargon Federation]] system Glorashi. The K'lax hive is a client state to the Zo'ra, but since contact with the Vaurca homeworld has been lost, both factions in known space are completely cut off. This has lead to a sort of fuel for independence, with many K'lax outright rejecting the claims of leadership the Zo'ra in known space have over them. Based on secondary accounts it is believed that they have 33 billion individuals in Vaurca space. (14.3 million in known space.) After arriving within Skrell space, the Kloxa'xia or the Fortoken as it is called by the Unathi, quickly moved into Izweski Hegemon space. Following a tense first contact situation, the K'lax became the newest vassal of the Izweski Hegemony and settled Tret, the second planet of Uueoa-Esa system. They maintain subtly warm, if terse relations with the Hegemon as a whole, and have committed to its terraforming agenda, being instrumental in the implementation of such a monumental undertaking.

Similar to the Zo'ra, the K'lax Hiveship is represented by three Lesser Queens who once claimed a divine connection to the High Queen of K'lax. This claim is disputed by most of the Zo'ra, who claim to be the only rightful rulers of the K'lax. Unlike the Zo'ra however, they have not been purposefully decentralized, leaving the machinations of each Lesser Queen more aligned with one another.

===[[Zkaii, The Sleepwalker]]===

The current High overlord of Tret, and the de facto representative of all K'lax to the Izweski Hegemony. Zkaii'xay'yil and her brood have been largely busy with expansion and colonization efforts over the last few years. Ever the tinkerers, her brood are known for their natural curiosity for all things mechanical, much to the chagrin of local mining companies who prefer their equipment in one piece. In the year since news of the Zo'ra high queens ultimate fate, Zkaii'xay'yil has been under pressure to assume the role of High Queen by her fellow Lesser Queens, a subject that she is quick to change, should it arise. For perhaps more than any other brood of K'lax, Zkaii'xay'yil's spawn share a deeply spiritual connection to their High Queen, that even surpasses what is experienced in VR by other Vaurca.

===[[Vetju, Iron Queen]]===

If Ta'Akaix'Zkaii'xay'yil K'lax could have a polar opposite, it would be Ta'Akaix' Vetju'tenx'sil K'lax. The oldest K'laxan Vaurca within known space, pragmatic Vetju'tenx'sil and her brood do not busy themselves with the expansion of the hives colonies. Instead, her brood recycles and melts down parts of the hive ship as well maintain the technology that all K'lax enjoy. It was Vetju'tenx'sil who plotted the great hive ship Kloxa'xia to its final resting place. Much as they did when they entered the system, Vetju'tenx'sil used Trets environment to land the gargantuan craft on the ground. The Kloxa'xia impacted the northern pole of Tret, obliterating its ice cap and cushioning the impact of the monolithic vessel. It is from here that Vetju'tenx'sil makes her home. Within the bowels of the earth and the ship, billions of tons of plasteel and technology are melted down into lakes of molten metal heated by the miles long dismembered engines of the great Kloxa'xia. Though the ship may have landed, its engines burn still at the center of a sea of ice. Ignited with residual heat and flame from two thousand years of travel.

===[[Leto, The Seeker]]===

The second youngest of the Klaxian queens, Leto'yahkt'zor's brood is home to the hives general Ka population. Food production and logistics are common duties for the bound. Still more bound and unbound get shipped out of system for work throughout known space. To other broods amongst the Klax, Leto'yahkt'zor spawn share a furtive mania of digging up the past that is often seen as annoying. Even 2000 years removed from their native area of space, Leto'yahkt'zor and her brood still try to trace any artifacts found back to the Era of Augments or even further. Citing a long discredited and disbelieved theory that ancient aliens interfered with their species so long ago. While dueful to their hive, the Ka and Za of Leto'yahkt'zor's brood tend to share her obsession with the past, seeing it as the only way to return to the glory of old. Letyk'aht'zor herself believes much the same, and has come to the conclusion that older races of the galaxy need to be examined.

===[[Vedhra, Princess of Configurations]]===
Seeing the stark technological disadvantage their hive has over what forces they have seen from the Lii’dra thus far caused Ta'Akaix'Zkaii'xay'yil K'lax to birth Vedhra with one goal in mind, to prepare for continued war with the Lii’dra. Vedha’s and by proxy, her brood are fatalistic by design, flirting with or passing alien and Vaurca ethical boundaries for the sole purpose of winning a prophesied conflict simply called the Endwar. Born in 2461, she is the youngest Vaurca Queen, and also the first Vaurca Queen born within the Orion Spur. To advance the development of her brood, she laid the first of her eggs before being fully born herself.

==C'thur==
C'thur- "The Weavers"

'''The C'thur hive's unbound Do not require an avowel before taking a station role. They are still prohibited from taking command roles.'''

The third hive that the species of the Orion Spur have been able to communicate with, the C'thur and their arrival has been a closely guarded secret of the [[Skrell#Political_Structure|Jargon Federation]] for the last few years. The revelation of their survival has re-ignited diplomatic disputes between the K'lax and Zo'ra, with outright hostility met by some K'lax towards the C'thur. Historically a minor hive, the C'thur were instrumental in developing inter-hive diplomacy upon Sedantis, often acting as neutral third parties to delegate issues. Indeed for much of their history, the C'thur wove complex political alliances to protect themselves as well as acting as a sort of information broker for many of the larger hives. Prior to their exodus from Sedantis, they maintained relations with both the K'lax and Zo'ra.

The C'thur arrived within [[Notable Skrell Systems and Locations|Glorashi]], a system within skrell space only two weeks after the Klaxian hiveship, the Klo’zxera left the area. It is now known that C'thur hiveship, the Kloxa'xia was originally A Klaxian hive ship meant to rendezvous with the Klo’zxera within Glorashi, but left soon after detecting incoming Jargon Federation vessels. The C'thur continue to report that they secured the hiveship in diplomatic negotiations with the K'lax upon Sedantis, but the validity of this claim is yet to be proven. The C'thur have quickly integrated into Skrellian colonies within Glorashi and are predominately accepted in skrellian socioeconomic systems.Unlike all other hives, the C'thur are led by their original hive queen, who, with a council of three other Lesser Queens leads the hive in this new age. In this effort, the hive has begun dealing with the multitude of governments and corporations of the galaxy, all under the auspices of their skrellian saviors.

===[[C'thur, Queen of Masques]]===

High Queen of the C'thur, she is one of the oldest beings known to exist amongst the Vaurca and indeed the rest of the Orion Spur. C'thur has borne the C'thur hive since its inception, taking careful first steps with her brood in the then war-torn Sedantis during the closing of the Agricultural Revolution. The C'thur hive began as a birth vassal of the Zo'ra hive, being produced from the absorption of T'yat, another hive of conquest within the Zo'ra hive. With firm biological roots in both hives, history would think that the C'thur would be another nameless lesser hive, forgotten by all with the slow passage of time. This would have likely been the case if not for clever maneuvering by the high queen that saw the founding of the Court of Queens. However, the biggest contributor to their prominence would be the original Lii'dra and Zo'ra conflict, nearly 6000 years ago. Through their efforts in that conflict, the C'thur brought to arms hundreds of lesser hives that would otherwise be consumed by the Lii'dra assault. Their contribution as a unifying force to the Zo'ra was apparent, who rewarded the hive with independence contingent upon their continued diplomatic forays. C'thur succeeded in this and more, creating the modern power structure of hives that is known today through various mergers and vassaldoms.

===[[Mouv, The Recondite Queen]]===

Mouv'lek'tanta is the oldest daughter of C'thur and has quickly developed political alliances within and outside of Federation space. Indeed, As the oldest lesser queen, Mouv'lek's brood has thrived under the care of Jargon, with thousands of her unbound Ka and Za working in tandem with scientists from the Jargon federation to develop new technologies, as well to provide information about the enemies the federation may face. Upon planet Diulszi most of her bound spawn has taken to the sea, assisting the skrell with dozens of underwater construction projects.A practitioner of mutable biology, her brood, especially the bound, possess a wide variety of body forms, with new ones being developed continuously. Typically lightly colored, Mouv'lek's brood used this to their advantage historically as the hives primary diplomats. By virtue of being clearly visible in the darkened chasms of old Sedantis, it was harder to mistake them as hostile or armed. She has kept this mutation alive in her spawn, holding onto the hope that perceptions of her hive remain disarming to those that view them. Diplomacy aside, she has made inroads within Eriandi, buying a significant portion of Einstein Engines through various skrellian intermediaries by selling off some of the more complex Vaurcan virtual reality technology. Perhaps more than any other of her hive, Mouv'lek realizes the power of money in the new society the C'thur finds itself in and has done all she can to acquire more of it.

===[[Vytel, The Just Queen]]===

A gregarious queen, Vytel, and her brood maintain the C'thur's hives warriors. Vytel was lauded as a champion amongst smaller hive vassals upon Sedantis. She crafted an image of neutrality and fairness that remains to this day. The youngest of the lesser queens brought with the C'thur hive, little was ever expected of Vytel beyond her peacekeeping missions, who maintained her brood in such numbers more as an afterthought in the consensus of the hive queens. Still, they were historically small brood, as the C'thur made a point of using as little force whenever possible. In what her brood lacked in numbers Vytel made up for it with profound charisma. Her broods duties typically concerned peacekeeping and as such many of her brood interacted regularly with other hives. Ever since the exodus from Sedantis however, Vytel's brood has been pressed the hardest. For the length of their 2000 year journey to the Orion spur, Vytel and her brood would be tasked with investigating the function of unknown devices and areas of the massive Klaxian hive ship. Through almost 2000 years of trial and error, as well as many bound and unbound deaths she was able to approximate the functions of every device and room upon the hive ship. This unexpected use that the hive has called her for has colored her perceptions of the other lesser queens, sanitizing their relationship.

===[[Xetl, The Voracious Queen]]===

Xetl'jyatk'yatu is the middle daughter of high queen C'thur. Tales of Xetl's excess are legendary, and it is with pride that many C'thur of her brood recount stories of such. Despite her hedonistic lifestyle, Xetl'jyatk maintains her hives implants, overseeing the process of Reclamation and development of new implants. She takes pride in her broods work, a trait that most of her spawn share. Her brood primarily consists of bound, and it is these bound that tales of excess stem from. Perhaps more than any other brood of Vaurca, the exploitation of the bound here has reached new heights. Bound from her brood could be born for something as trivial as being a chair that moves on its own, as well as countless other superfluous examples. When compared to the exploitation of bound from other broods, Xetl'jyatk's is the exception to the standard. Unbound from her brood are often desensitized to pleasurable experiences, causing them to look to ever greater highs to satisfy their needs. Prone to taking risks, her brood is largely left out of diplomatic dealings within the hive, leaving her brood to fill the void of many utilitarian duties that the hive may need. Unbound of her brood are primarily Ka, with tens of thousands of them currently developing the hives new colonies. As for the few Za of her brood, they primarily guard their queen, who remains aboard the Kloxa'xia. The broods VR is actively edited on a whim by Xetl'jyatk, who may change its very nature on something as simple as a feeling or the day of the week. As such, those few that live within it are often swept into her machinations for better or worse and are used to stark changes in their very reality. As for Xetl'jyatk herself, she is obsessed with sensation in all its forms, and as such, some static features within her realm remain.

==Lii'dra==

Most of what is known about their hive comes from Zorane records discovered upon Titan Prime. The few Vaurca alive that would possess direct information about this time tend to describe them reluctantly, often in the most foulest terms. Indeed, this is how much of the populations in the Zo'ra, K'lax and C'thur hives view the Lii'dra, a contempt and hatred born from centuries of second hand accounts. Primary sources do exist however, and several human and skrellian scientists have uncovered new information regarding the Lii'dra hive, its history, and possibly a motive for the destruction and hostility they exhibit to the galaxy at large. A recording, dating back to 36674 BCE Galactic Standard Time depicts a sort of assembly, with several Vaurca from several hives in attendance. From what can be inferred from Vaurcan accounts and translations, this was a meeting within the Court of Queens, a type of inter-hive regulatory body. In it a Lii'dra representative details the revolutionary technology of Virtual Reality, making a case for the allotment of resources to the assembled major hives, most notably the Zo'ra. A small hive then, the Lii'dra representative succeeded in securing the resources needed to begin serious research and development, provided that this technology was made available to all member hives, with the Zo'ra first amongst equals.

The video ends at the conclusion of the meeting, and it would be nearly 700 years before any further mention of the Lii'dra hive is found within the Titan Prime databanks. A video of the meeting begins much as it did 700 years prior, with representatives of each hive in attendance. It's clear that by now some measure of VR has prevaded within Vaurcan society, with many hives congratulating the Lii'dra upon their success, and questions about their next project. The Lii'dra details an even greater form of VR in its presentation, transmitting more than just sensory information, but thought itself. It proposes that with enough interconnectedness, individual thought ceases to be. The Lii'dra representative details horrifying experiments performed on smaller, nameless hives, consuming their entire populations within the Lii'dra VR intelligence, a type of overriding mind that is speaking to them, even now through its own body. This VR intelligence explains to an increasingly silent assembly the potential of uniting all thought of a hive into one, of all thought of all hives into one and truly unifying their entire species into one supreme intelligence before the video cuts to static. The video is too corrupted to make out further detail, but the best estimates place the original conflict between the Lii'dra occurring not long after this recording.

Observing Lii'dra specimens themselves is difficult, but the few observed seem to go into a type of shock when isolated from all forms of wavelengths within anechoic chambers. Thought patterns are still present, but prolonged stay within such chambers cause death from apparent circulatory shock. Similar experiments to willing Vaurca from the Zo'ra and K'lax hives reveal a much more muted response, with each describing extreme discomfort within a anechoic chamber. While still being researched, it's clear that the Lii'dra are more biologically dependant upon VR than the other Vaurca of their species, but the ultimate reason for this is unknown at this time.

[[Category:Vaurca]]

2019-02-19T15:40:28Z

Bygonehero:

{{Navbox Lore}}
{{Navbox Vaurca Lore}}[[File:Jigsaw.jpg|thumb|350px|alt=Perimmients believe that the Goddess can only exist once all beings align to their destined roles. |Preimmients believe that the Goddess can only exist once all beings align to their destined roles, and that under an infinite span of time, the existence of the Goddess is guaranteed to happen.]]
=Overview=

The Vaurca possess one of the oldest civilizations within the Orion Spur. Vast stretches of their history sought, like humans, to explain the world around them, as well as themselves. Countless Religions have formed across the ages of their history, but only a few remain in any significant practice today.

Unlike human religion, Vaurca theology is completely absent of great prophets or spiritual leaders. There are no organized temples of faith and organization amongst the faithful is spontaneous, arising out of an unconscious system that comes with their species eusocial biology. Similar to ripples in a pond, or more biologically, how a school of fish or a flock of birds follow a direction, leaderless and without a figurehead, so to does Vaurca faith steer itself.

= Hive Pantheon =

Hive pantheons are the most prominent religion amongst Vaurca. To put simply, it would be the veneration of a hives own Queen and Lesser Queens. Not unlike deities, Vaurca commonly beseech their queen for guidance, or in shock. To their credit, and whether they are aware of it or not, The Queens themselves may believe in this faith too. All Vaurca of this faith call Virtual Reality the Aether and often view it as a literal heaven, created by each Queen and Lesser Queen to house the souls of their progeny. It is the belief of adherents to this doctrine that every Queen, greater or lesser work in a kind of hive pantheon that ultimately serves to continue the hives existence.

Traces of this religion are as old as Vaurca recorded history, and has ties in their biology as eusocial creatures. In a sense, it is less of faith of attributing a force or concept to each and every queen or lesser queen as humans did with their pantheonic gods, but more of worshiping a Queen's capacity to perpetuate life. The Queens are the harbingers of blossoming life, sowing it in their otherwise hostile homeworld with a hives High Queen chief amongst all others as a Primordial figure, with Lesser Queens direct extensions of her power to bring life.

Adherents to this faith may often try to stylize themselves and their lifestyle after a Queen, covering their body in markings to appear more like the worshiped queen, and their dwellings in things associated with them.

= Preimminennce =

The faith of the Preimminent Goddess is another religion that is relatively uncommon to find amongst Vaurca populations. Unlike the Hive Pantheon, adherents to this faith believe that God, or Goddess, does not exist but could exist, should all parts of themselves align in their predestined roles. They believe that all members of a hive or in some cases, several hives are pieces of a greater entity that would be god. Queens and Lesser Queens are still seen as important, but only in that they are a larger part of the Goddess than others.

This faith used to be the primary religion for all Vaurca, Queens included, before the first Hive War. The wars survivors blamed followers of this religion as a primary instigator to the war and culled those that kept the faith out of fear of another conflict. The religion has not recovered since then, but its status as a taboo has faded. Vaurca that follow this faith believes that it is their duty to help others align to their designed shapes, using their feelings, skills and psychology to determine their destiny.

Unlike other Vaurca faiths, this one had historically included the existence of aliens amongst its teachings and teaches that they too have a part to align themselves to allow for the existence of god.

Extensive writing has been accredited to this religion, often citing the harmonious checks and balances of the universe as evidence of some divine agency. While also attempting to explain that such uniformity did not always exist in the past, more entrophic universe.

=Pilot Dream=

The newest major religion amongst Vaurca, Pilot Dream Theory, or Simulation Theory believes that all things that exist in the universe are simulations. They believe that reality itself is holographic, using the hidden information of particles to hide simulated interactions that would otherwise reveal the simulation to the simulated beings. They believe that the universe beyond this simulated universe may also itself be simulated, a factor of information compression that follows an infinite algorithmic scale only dependant on how much-observed information must be observed at any single moment. They attest the proof of their theory by the very nature of cephalons themselves.

Adherents to this faith believe that it's their duty to continue the nested iterations of simulations and show their faith by continuing development of ever newer methods of information compression with the ultimate goal of simulating a universe that may once again, continue the cycle of nested simulations.

This particular faith is seen mostly in Vaurca that have already died. They largely ignore the happenings outside of their own virtual reality and see their existence within VR as the 'more real existence'

====Mother Dream====

A branch of belief stemming from the Pilot Dream faith, adherents to this faith exclusively belong to the K'lax hive. Like Pilot Dream theory, K'lax adherents to this faith believe the universe to be simulated, possibly itself existing in nested simulations. Unlike the religion it mutated from however, believers in the Mother Dream think that the nested simulations is escapable and that by living a life of useful action to their hive, they may advance to higher simulations.

The belief in this is validated by the knowledge that a person knows that they are real, and if a person meets criteria set forth by Mother K'lax, they may advance in the nested simulation with the ultimate goal of living with her physically in the real world, instead of a simulated avatar. Even amongst the K'lax, this religion is seriously followed by only one brood.

Bluespace

2019-02-17T00:32:00Z

Bygonehero: /* Bluespace Drive */

{{Navbox Lore}}
==History==

Bluespace is a form of pocket dimension that was discovered in 2413 by Doctor Samantha Tigard and an anonymous Skrellian research team, who at the time was conducting a theoretical physics experiment to test the probability of a resonance cascade scenario, in which a portal to an alternate dimension would be opened. Tigard's experiments, when coupled with some theoretical models contributed by the Skrell, discovered Bluespace. She later went on to pioneer the first Enhanced Warp-Bluespace Drive. Powering the drive proved difficult until the discovery of phoron in 2417, which could easily power a bluespace crystal compared to more traditional power sources.

The first drone sent into Bluespace was constructed by the Einstein Engines corporation, and traveled to the edge of the Alpha Centauri system in less than ten minutes. However, using Doctor Tigard's experimental 'drive' system would not work for traditional travel, as it could not be focused and it was only large enough for objects smaller than the average human. Selling her designs for a record 234,000,000 standard Credits to the Einstein Engines corporation, the first Bluespace Gate began construction in 2420. Finished in 2425, the first Bluespace Gate, orbiting Mars, spanned the size of fifty meters, and had seven fusion reactors built into it. The existing, inefficient Warp Gates were quickly converted into Bluespace Gates, allowing them to be powered much more efficiently.

==How it works==

Bluespace is a very strange form of pocket dimension, that is largely unpredictable and completely unexplored. While there is speculation about the possibility of celestial bodies existing in Bluespace, it is highly unlikely. Travelling in the Bluespace dimension without a proper gate or Bluespace drive has thus far been proven to be incredibly dangerous, with probes either appearing in unintended locations or never returning at all. Travelling in the Bluespace dimension, depending on the power of the gate entered or the drive used, varies considerably. As of 2457, there are two methods of utilizing bluespace for galactic travel: Bluespace Gates, and Bluespace Drives.

=== Bluespace Gates ===

Bluespace Gates (or just "Gates") are generally used for travel between distant star systems for the mass majority of ships which don't have their own Bluespace Drives. They form the 'highway' of galactic travel, and are the basis of FTL transportation, as they allow fast travel to any other Gate regardless of its distance. Gates are generally 1 km by 1 km and are ring-shaped with projectors facing inwards. Gates are completely automated, and activated with a transmission to the gate's communication system. In this communication, you must include your ship ID, faction, and intended location. Gates will refuse to open for wanted persons, and will alert the closest authority if an attempt at access is made. Gates will do the same for unregistered ships.

Gates are used by virtually all ships without their own bluespace drives. Due to the size of gates and how much they are used, incoming ships enter the gate on the right side, causing them to 'exit' on the left in the mirrored gate, making gate travel much like a drive on Earth. Most Gates are constructed by NanoTrasen, who charge a small fee for each use of a Gate; 20 standard credits.

Originally bluespace gates were built as [https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Timeline_of_Humanity#The_Warp_Gate_Project|far inferior warp gates]. While advanced for their time, they were far slower and much more expensive than current bluespace travel. The warp gate project was and remains the most ambitious, far reaching, and expensive construction project in the known galaxy. The debt from this project is still being paid off to this day by the [https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sol_Alliance| Sol Alliance], who shouldered most of the cost. Thus, when NanoTrasen swept in with Bluespace, they were able to monopolize the rights to retrofit the now-defunct Warp Gates almost immediately after the mega-project was finished.

=== Bluespace Drive ===

Bluespace drives are generally reserved for military ships, or for civilian ships that have the luxury of affording a drive. Bluespace drives are limited by the size of any given vessel, and require Bluespace Crystals to function, as well as enough phoron to power the crystal. Each bluespace Crystal provides a certain amount of 'jumps' per type of drive. It is NOT recommended to use a Bluespace drive to jump to any place not sustained by a Bluespace Gate or Jump Beacon (such as those utilized by the NSS Aurora for incoming and outgoing shuttles). Travelling in the Bluespace dimension, depending on the power of the bluespace drive, varies from 10x the speed of light, to 1000x the speed of light. Ships that fail to jump to the appropriate points or fail to log a jump flight path with a traffic controller run the risk of colliding with another object at the exit point. On rare occasions, two objects become 'entangled' upon exiting bluespace at the same location, causing the two bodies to meld in bizarre ways - which has thus far always been fatal for the inhabitants of the vessels.

Bluespace Drives project a field around a certain meter distance around the ship itself, enveloping it into the bluespace dimension, and then 'jumps' it to the plotted destination. Drives can be used to jump to ''any'' location within range, but this is incredibly dangerous. High Quality drives are more efficient in plotting exit coordinates and can be used for virtually any place to travel with minimal risk, but these drives remain incredibly expensive and used almost exclusively by the militaries of the major factions, or the adventurous wealthy.

=== Bluespace Interdiction Drive ===

Interdiction drives are designed to overload bluespace drives and force vessels to drop out of a bluespace jump. Operating alongside bluespace targeting systems, the interdiction drives lock onto vessels in the midst of a jump and interfere with their ability to produce bluespace fields, degrading and eventually "bursting" them, forcing the vessel violently out of a jump. The strain the interdiction drives place on opposing drives almost always causes them to overheat and require not only a full reset but maintenance as well if not outright rendering them inoperable.
There is only one way for a vessel caught in an interdiction system to break the interdiction and that is to dive deeper into bluespace. Most ships are incapable of doing this as they operate on pre-plotted co-ordinates. Those that have the capacity to "tweak" jumps in real time are able to move deeper into the bluespace dimension, strengthening their bluespace field and increasing their speed allowing them to potentially outrun their pursuers.

Diving deeper into bluespace carries its own risks. Vessels navigate "light bluespace", a region in which material travel is increased. Going too far into "light bluespace" may cause a vessel to enter "deep bluespace". Little is known of the region but for one truth - vessels do not return from it. It's common for ships caught in the throes of an interdiction system to skim deeper into bluespace briefly, and then move further towards realspace. This repetition allows the victims bluespace field to regenerate and its bluespace drive to cool down. The sudden jarring increase and decrease in speed can cause extreme fatigue to a ships superstructure and the crew within.

All known interdiction drives are larger in comparison to the bluespace drive it is trying to overcome, usually in a 2-1 ratio. It is rare for a small shuttle to carry an interdiction drive though some pirates may strip out their own ships interiors to install one. Larger capital ships are all but immune to interdiction drives due to their mass and gigantic bluespace drives.

'''Capital Interdiction Drives'''

Extremely rare and extremely expensive and power hungry. Capital interdiction drives are the only known sentient-made object that is capable of pulling capital space ships out of a blue space jump. Their size means they require a tremendous amount of energy and to this end have space stations built around them. The only known capital interdiction drive in human space is located in a defensive platform orbiting Unity Station - the Sol Alliance capital.

'''Interdiction Nets'''

Usually a setting available on a standard interdiction drive but sometimes stand alone, interdiction nets are wide projections intended to capture objects travelling through bluespace in its scanning zone. When a vessel utilising bluespace passes through a net it is immediately struck with a high powered interdiction system. Stronger than a standard interdiction system, any ship caught is brought straight out of a jump more often than not. This is a common addition to space stations to avoid accidental collisions caused by ships dropping out of bluespace and utilising standard propulsion too close or to prevent/soften direct attack from bluespace weapons such as bluespace artillery. Interdiction nets are popular with pirates who use them to cover shipping lanes, literally using them as one would use a fishing net in a stream. [https://forums.aurorastation.org/viewtopic.php?f=95&t=2981&start=110#p88936| An attack] on travellers around Biesel was believed to have been carried out using these devices. The NSS Odin utilises three overlapping interdiction nets.

'''Beacon Pinging'''

Carried out by most vessels, beacon pinging is that act of sending a bluespace communication to a beacon one is planning on travelling to and waiting for a response signal from the beacon. It is especially useful in picking up suspicious activity as interdiction nets, whilst not blocking normal communication, will block a beacon ping. If a ping doesn't bounce back, the beacon is either not operating for whatever reason or pirates are "fishing" nearby.

==Mysteries of Bluespace==

A small segment of the scientific community have become increasingly alarmed at how fast the known galaxy have invested in bringing Bluespace into society, while there are still several major mysteries surrounding this new dimension and its interactions with our own. Since the discovery of bluespace, humanity has managed to discover several strange artifacts and lifeforms not known to follow the laws of our reality, including slimes, which were originally discovered in areas along with artifacts.

These new discoveries - which often ended in tragedy as the artifacts hold mysterious, dangerous powers - has prompted Nanotrasen to create an entirely new field of study: Xenoarchaeology. The leading station for this field is the NSS Aurora, where a research outpost was created on an asteroid filled with xeno fossils and artifacts.

Two leading theories have emerged from initial speculation: Either an advanced race exists in bluespace and they have made moves into our own in the past, leaving these artifacts behind, or the second theory that the bluespace mysteries and fossils are entirely separate, and that the "precursors" are not related to the strange, exotic mysteries surrounding bluespace.

See also: [[Providence Foundation]]

=== Golems ===
One of the most startling discoveries from Xenobiology was the accidental discovery of what are now known as Adamantine Golems. The bipedal creatures are actually made of the gelatin slime substance solidified completely until it has the resilience of iron. It is theorized that they are in the same family as slimes, and are used to accomplish tasks too complex for the regular slimes.

Currently golems exist for 24 hours after creation, after which, the golems spontaneously teleport away in a brief bluespace anomaly. Many attempts have been made to tag golems in order to track them. Only 12% of golems have managed to be recovered, with the other ones being lost the moment they bluespace away, the tracker becomes unresponsive. Recovered golems are almost unanimously found near bluespace artifacts or slime colonies. After bluespacing away, the golems exist for another 48 hours before suddenly expiring.

Due to being mostly harmless and possessing limited intelligence but a desire to work and please their creator, golems have recently been granted allowance to work very basic civilian or assistant roles under supervision on NanoTrasen research stations.

{{Navbox Lore}}
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