Aut'akh

Contents

Overview

"Behold, the kings of this world.
Look upon the glory of their works; a graveyard called empire."
-Emzal Paossini, founder of the Aut'akh faith

The Aut'akh are a decentralized, leaderless religious movement and society. Formed by a group of scientists and engineers on Ouerea after the Contact War, they took the Th'akh faith to extremes through ritualistic augmentation in the pursuit of self-actualization. After revealing themselves to the Spur, these transhumanists seek to carve out a small space for themselves wherever they can seek refuge. Many disabled and elderly form these religious communes that seize and control their own spiritual destiny, and others who feel displaced by society such as Guwan.

However, this cultish movement does not go unanswered: the Sk'akh faith publicly ridicules these tech worshipers, calling them "soul mutilators" and "a disgrace to sinta" while most if not all Th'akh shamans adamantly denounce the religion as honorless Guwan. Their anarchist philosophy has made enemies of both the Izweski Hegemony and the megacorporations, and they are often viewed as seditious troublemakers by both. Finally, each commune faces unique challenges in trying to fulfill their own lifestyles and adapt to different climates.

Due to their anti-capitalist politics, Aut'akh are barred from command roles aboard the SCCV Horizon.

Doctrines and Worship

Though largely in line with Th'akh belief, Aut'akh embrace a brand of new-age mysticism - combining scraps of knowledge about the ancient Sinta'Mador with new, progressive technology to create a hybrid philosophy, reinforcing their burning drive to adapt with any circumstance while holding as true as possible to their ideals and the mystic arts. The Mador are an ancient culture which dwelled near the northern pole of Moghes, which was rediscovered by archaeologists shortly prior to first contact. To many Aut'akh, the Mador are more of a symbol than anything else, with very few knowing more than half-recalled myths about the mysterious peoples of ancient Moghes.

The Aut'akh believe that spirits inhabit all things and can reincarnate in various ways, much like the Th'akh religion they are based on. They also believe in the common ideals of spirits (usually evil and good, or some hybrid of multiple) and the differing Zyola pantheons. However, they also believe the weakness of the flesh also hampers the soul, and thus evil spirits can manipulate people's minds and souls to do evil acts through the flesh. These zo'zyola are given power within a being when the person succumbs to greed, anger, or other emotional vices. Aut'akh preach that the Contact War was the result of Sinta being so consumed by the demons within them that they brought the world to ruin. Unlike Si'akh, the Aut'akh believe power is the source of evil within the world, not ourselves, and that all powers, whether that of a government, major religion, or corporation, are inherently corrupt due to the influence of evil spirits.

Doctrines

As with other Unathi religions, the foundation for Aut'akh belief is that the body is only a vessel for the soul. However, where they differ is that the Aut'akh believe— while the flesh is animated by a soul, it is not strong enough for a soul to exert complete control over it. All spirits become stronger when their bodies pass. To combat this weakness, Aut'akh believe that proper augmentation not only appeases the soul, but allows more strength of willpower and resolve. Magic is a force that strong souls can use to turn opinions or even force events to give an outcome in their favor through Mador.

For robotics, the Aut'akh doctrine takes a hard turn away from orthodox Unathi beliefs. It holds the spirit is happier within a stronger vessel in which it has more control. They also believe that without their original body, they can more easily resist temptations of the flesh.

Shamans tend to frown on those who refuse augmentation or prosthetic limb, seeing it as embracing weakness, temptation, and vice. Burial rites involve a funeral, during which friends and loved ones offer stories of good times with the departed to help the soul retain its form and ward off evil spirits. Afterwards, a body is stripped for useful parts, though this is frowned upon by more conservative Aut'akh.

Aut'akh say the spirit must be kept pure to ensure virtue is maintained and the soul within is kept happy and pure. They claim the body is tainted and imperfect as it is easily maimed or given in to temptations of the flesh. As a result, all Aut'akh strive to augment and enhance their bodies with technology, which they say is the perfect vessel for the spirit within. A Unathi who augments their body only strengthens the bond between their body, mind, and spirit.

Unlike other religions, Aut'akh believe souls do not have the same limitations and labels Unathi do. As a result, it is not uncommon for Aut'akh to identify with gender similar to how humans and Skrell do. Similar to the other major religions, however, this means that a female soul can be born into a male body and vice versa. Aut'akh bodies tend to be so augmented that it's almost impossible to visually distinguish the gender of an Aut'akh anyway. Despite these views, stubborn Unathi conservatism lingers in that Aut'akh still face patronizing behavior from their peers should they try to break conformity.

Non-traditional relationships are largely irrelevant to the Aut'akh because the clan-less and leaderless communes prevent anyone to hold real power, and a dutiful and honorable relationship is simply one that both people agree on and stick to. There are still mechanisms for marriage, with two or more engaged members ceremoniously gathering the commune for a day of festivities. In a rebuke to feudal customs, there are no laws mandating that the parents must be asked permission before courting their child, but some few still continue this practice.

Lifestyle

The Aut'akh religion has aspects that deter from more conventional and traditional faiths. The faith, due to its polarizing and radical nature, doubles as a form of lifestyle for everyone who truly prescribes to its philosophies.

Each group of Aut'akh, formally referred to as communes, are clan-less and leaderless societies that seek to avoid putting power into any one individual. Responsibilities that require consolidated power are never solely on one person; any specific role has a rotation of people from the commune that pass off responsibilities after a certain period of time. Such roles might be managing and keeping track of credit stores, managing community projects, or even jobs that lack any true form of power over others but need to be done regardless, such as delivering and sending mail. Aut'akh shamans are the only considerable people of power, and are usually go-to figures when a commune needs representation in a matter. However, many Aut'akh are divided on whether or not these shamans are truly necessary outlets of the faith.

Besides such roles, each person leads a simpler life in the commune, where everyone is technically responsible only for themselves. Communes often have a very tight sense of community in a way that resembles how clans operated before. Trading is normalcy for each commune as most people do not have the skills or time to perform each task they need done themselves. These trades usually come down to routine due to familiar interactions with a small populace. While credits are still held by the commune as a whole for purchasing power with the outside world, material wealth is something that is sometimes avoided; most wealth goes towards attempting enlightenment via augmentation.

Usually, most prosthetics are made painstakingly slow from scrap and various items that other people throw out. Due to the lack of resources each commune utilizes, a given commune usually waits for the Factory to ship out requested replacements and simply "fit" them to Aut'akh in the commune; however, due to struggles in communication in tandem with other problems, Aut'akh must each wait in turn to receive new biotech.

Finally, Aut'akh that seek to liberate themselves from the bounds of society often experiment and partake in unorthodox practices for unathi, only solidifying these groups as cults. Forgoing labels is rather common, yet it goes far into extremes such as non-monogamous relationships and even nudity within the commune, though many "traditional" Aut'akh frown upon these considerably more radical practices.

Becoming an Aut'akh

Connecting with your spirit requires true emulation of a spirit's nature. In addition to living a life devoid of authority wherever possible, commune denizens put great effort into art or shows of self-expression. The truest form of self-expression, however, is connected to an Aut'akh's choice of limbs, augments, and similar. Much like how people commission artists for paintings, Aut'akh request prosthetics from a capable roboticist in the commune. Such figures that are able to make prosthetics are sometimes the shamans themselves; however, most communes cannot cheaply produce the main body of an augment or member, and thus requests are sent out to other communes, namely the Factory.

The process of creating or fitting a limb for an Aut'akh is involved and painstakingly done, as there can be no room for error. The flesh can be flawed, inert, or disabled; prosthetics should only ever be an improvement, not a downgrade, as a house for the spirit. However, the spirits have petty squabbles and disagree upon a myriad of issues, and similarly, different communes have grown apart on how perfection in mechanical limbs is displayed, with even some more minor disagreements within the same commune. An Aut'akh's first responsibility, however, is making sure that new tech is made to their own liking, and nobody else's.

The most popular tech among Aut'akh is the soul anchor due to its reputation to cause "baffles." "Baffles" are moments where unexplained figures from the individuals memory randomly appear. Many who experience these often describe seeing themselves in a different way, in a different life: past, present, or future. "Baffles" are said to be moments where someone should self-reflect and attempt to commune with their spirit.

Challenges of the Commune

Due to striving towards being a self-sufficient society, communes encourage and promote useful hobbies like aquaculture, sewing, and artisan crafts. These communities, regardless of how many people being productive, often still lack certain necessities or goods. Communes often face difficulties such as shortages of food, lacking proper medicine, hygienic supplies, and construction materials. While some communes rectify this with shared stores of credits to purchase these materials, many unathi die due to illnesses that could be easily avoided elsewhere. NanoTrasen and other mega corporations have taken great advantage of the need of these communities, often enticing pay not in credits, but discounted supplies to provide for a commune. This is a helpful pursuit for any in the commune, especially for roboticists, but this can often strip a commune of an important figure.

Rarely do non-Aut'akh know any concrete information about these communes; as a result, lies and rumors are spread about Aut'akh, and while helpful for keeping these communities hidden, this only demonizes and alienates Aut'akh further. "Aut'akh," due to the radical religion itself, has become a catch-all derogatory term for troublemakers, dishonorable sinta, and even just those simply with augments or limb replacements. Extreme rebuke isn't uncommon on Moghes, but due to the mixed environment and gradual change on Ouerea, the movement is scorned less actively. Aut'akh still draw gaze and suspicion heavily on this sister planet, though. The Aut'akh Valley and the Underbelly communes often find raids done by more zealous worshipers of other religions that try to hamper their efforts. Though they try their best to defend themselves and protect the community, most warriors deter from actually killing, especially on Moghes; one wrong move from these societies can lead to a raid, an angry mob, or worse. This results in attacks on buildings, stores of food, and communication relays.

Even within communes, discrimination runs rampant. Though shedding formal titles, affiliations, and other aspects of their old selves, unathi still end up facing discrimination they tried to avoid in their past life from more "traditional" Aut'akh. This group, usually comprised of elders or former warriors, still hold onto some of their old values partially if not entirely, and thus a fight is as internal for this religion as it is external.

Commune Shamans

The various shamans of each commune are either one of the original Aut'akh, or one of the first roboticists and biomechanical engineers to join this secretive religion. Each shaman, often known as paradigms or vikneza in Sinta'Unathi, usually can agree on the core tenets of the Aut'akh faith. These shamans do their best to not command actual power within a given commune, but merely offer "humble guidance" that suggests a course of action they think reasonable.

Much like the decentralized Th'akh faith, Aut'akh shamans generally differ on views regarding different matters. The shamans of Moghes may think it fine for unathi to keep credits for personal pursuits, while those of the Factory may be inspired by local dregs, seeing anyone that is "riccy" as being corrupted by evil spirits. These shamans also have varying views on rituals, communing with your inner spirit, and vary in extremity on how to protest governments and mega corporations.

Community Consensus

Typically if an individual commune is going to perform a large action that affects the commune, the community comes together for a vote called Consensus. The most common Consensus is whether or not to risk a public march or strike for augmented unathi to be respected in society. Some vocal minorities in the communes advocate for cutting off the hands of other unathi and see if they'd listen to their cries then - however, they are often berated by the elders.

Consensus is not needed for every single decision that an individual or group might make, but on matters that affect an entire commune. Individuals know their job and how to do it without needing to call for an entire consensus. Consensus is for major projects, such as development for a new community building, an activity that can affect the fate of the commune, or if a commune is low on credits.

Aut'akh Rituals

Aut'akh find that, through trial and error, different things appease and displease the spirits they come into contact with during day to day life. As most spirits are free and chaotic in nature, Aut'akh emulate this and are hardly slaves to routine, unlike their Th'akh worshiping cousins. However, what unique routines they do keep are very important to them.

Cleaning

Cleaning and maintaining prosthetics is arguably the most important thing for every Aut'akh. As augmentation is committed to a unathi to appease the spirit inside of oneself, it is important to make sure they are kept clean and shiny. Aut'akh develop their own ritualistic activities for before, during, or after one of these maintaining events. Aut'akh usually have unique rituals that are either passed down from parents, or developed over time for themselves. However, even though all Aut'akh have prosthetics, most still lack the advanced knowledge to fix them. The few dedicated artisans who help fix cybernetics are busy and rarely have time to teach the commune much of their trade. As a result, most Aut'akh aren't versed in fixing their prosthetics outside of minor dents and damage. It is the important role of the shaman to be the one to repair and fix these technological members in a way that will appease the spirit housing these mechanical augments.

Communing with Your Spirit

Unlike Th'akh, most Aut'akh believe that, since the flesh and blood are imperfect, there is a disconnect between what the mind wants and what the spirit wants. All Aut'akh, in their striving to attain enlightenment, attempt to commune with their inner spirit whenever an important decision needs to be made. Whether a new augmentation, finding a partner, or something as major as leaving the commune for any reason, Aut'akh attempt to commune with their spirit as best as they can. These events are rather varied; they can usually include traditional methods such as meditation, but also have the potential to carry into extremes, like overindulgence (giving into desire, as what the spirits often do) or keeping away from the outside world for several days.

Ritual of Shards

While the commune embraces anyone that accepts their teachings, the reality of resource management means that they cannot provide the augmentation that all its members strive for. Priority is given to Unathi that are maimed or otherwise physically handicapped, an the steady stream of Wastelanders means that the waiting list is very long for healthy initiates. However, a fully healthy Unathi of at least 14 years old can ask any shaman to initiate the ritual. What it is varies by the shaman, but the requirement is always the same: it is difficult, dangerous, and typically selfless. Most early initiates were sent hiking the frigid cold in basic gear to deliver food to a reclusive shaman in the more extreme north. In modern times they are typical quests, large or small in importance, that would try the abilities of any Unathi. If the initiate survives, they are given their first prosthetic.

Ritual of Rebirth

This is the process a Unathi undergoes after receiving a certain amount of augmentation. Individuals who have already experienced great pain in their life, such as being maimed or disabled, may be allowed to more quickly receive their Ritual of Rebirth due to getting attaining many prosthetics.

Unathi who are undergoing this process will be put into a Sk’au in a ritual chamber to begin the process. The individual is kept unconscious within the Sk’au as appropriate runes and magic symbols of Mador are placed along it. These runes usually carry some significance to the person undergoing this ritual; people of importance to this lucky individual are permitted and encouraged to watch. An Aut'akh shaman, completely covered in energy harnessing runes, will assist in powering the Sk’au during the process to aid and guide the process of clearing the soul. It is claimed by many that, during such a period of unconsciousness, Unathi undergoing the Ritual of Rebirth are visited by Sinta that have passed, they currently know, or even individuals they haven't met yet.

The original Sk’au were known as Sepulchers by the Mador, but this term has been replaced with Sk’au Sarcophagi, or just simply Sk’au. These strange structures of stone and bronze were used as burial chambers by the Mador, and in the final days of their civilization many were believed to have entered their Sk'au to await the end. Modern Sk’au bear little resemblance to these ancient crypts, resembling cryotubes made of metal and glass. When filled with cryoxadone and aided with 'Mador magic', it allows anyone inside the Sk'au to be put into a comatose state as their soul is cleansed.

The Old Mador

Sinta’Mador (or just Mador) are an extinct group of Unathi who lived in the north polar region of Moghes until around three thousand years ago. Before their extinction, they were technologically advanced for the time with an understanding of masonry, steelworking and primitive engineering - having used volcanic hot springs to heat their cities. What surviving cultural and religious elements about them has been re-appropriated by the Aut’akh.

The Fall of the Sinta'Mador

The nature of the Mador is largely unknown. Modern scholars debate if they were another species entirely, or simply a culturally isolated group of Unathi. Ancient poetry from the Tza Prairie makes mention of wars with an unknown northern power described as "corpse-scaled devils" and "the hatchlings of Travakh, who sing as they kill." Whether this refers to the Mador remains unclear. Archaeological studies of the Mador remain limited, with few intact ruins having been found. Emzal Paossini was one of the leading experts on the Mador before they moved to Ouerea, and many rites and rituals practiced by these enigmatic ancients would be reappropriated as part of the Aut'akh faith.

What caused the fall of the Sinta'Mador is unknown. Many Aut'akh believe that, limited as they were by their primitive technology, evil spirits set into their society, leading them to chaos and ruin. The stance among Unathi archaeologists is largely that a period of global cooling isolated the Mador, preventing them from roaming beyond the confines of their heated vault-cities, until they slowly ran out of food. Much of their culture and society is shrouded in mystery, with many Aut'akh treating them as a race of enlightened ancients, who understood the true nature of the world - a belief with little grounding in fact.

Mador Runes

Runes and rituals are a large part of Aut’akh culture, with the origins of their runes coming from the ancient runic language uncovered in the Temple of the Mador that is now the homeland of the Polar Commune. The Aut’akh believe these runes have intrinsic, ancient power in them. When assembled properly, these runes are capable of amplifying or channeling the power of an individual’s soul into whatever they are crafted on. It is believed these runes can allow inanimate objects to house a soul; this is where their heavy belief in the perfection of augments and prosthetics comes from. This also lends credence among Aut’akh that synthetics are capable of housing a soul too, should they be imbibed with similar magic, as reincarnation is a common belief among them.

There are 28 letters in the traditional Mador runic alphabet, and the Aut’akh have through intensive study, divination and invention expanded the alphabet to 33.

The lack of extensive evidence on per-historical use of the runes has not stopped modern Aut’akh from claiming entire systems of divination from what few examples are available in the Mador ruin, based on the reconstructed names of the runes and additional outside influence. The runic language has also been translated into a coding language, which is what they use to wire their prosthetics. This has the added benefit of keeping a large sum of communications and coding tactics within the commune difficult to replicate by outsiders, and renders most of their technology and augments incompatible with the technology of the other factions.

Artifacts or modern devices that Aut’akh want to imbue with magical power are labelled with words of power. A mech would have words of power scrawled on it in important locations which are meant to amplify the pilot’s spiritual energy and empower the mech's abilities. Aut’akh that frequently go into battle would chisel runes of power on their weapons or augmented bodies to channel their own spiritual energy or amplify the strength given by their ancestors.

Aut'akh and Gender

Aut’akh conceptions of gender are vastly divergent from the ordinary Unathi view, and in many places much more influenced by human understanding than other religions. Most Aut’akh communes hold gender to be a much more individual matter than other faiths do, being a matter of personal choice among the faithful - though one that shamans will offer consultation and guidance in. Some Aut’akh, in particular among the Luthien Pact, have come to view notions of gender as antiquated things of the flesh, and that through their cybernetic upgrades they have become something that is warrior, healer, fisher and something entirely greater than the separate sum of their parts. Generally, the traditional roles and societal structure still hold in communes on Moghes and Ouerea, while those outside Unathi space tend to have adopted more human ideas of gender as something separate from one’s position in society.

Organization

Aut'akh by and large are anarchist communes that preach amicability and cooperation over the placement of leaders. However, even though they are considered radical by Sinta standards, like all religions, most Aut'akh are not extremists and do not automatically resort to violence. Violence is actually frowned upon by the majority for a couple of valid reasons. Firstly, Aut'akh, who are already ostracized and despised Unathi already, would certainly be lynched if they were caught harming or killing another Sinta. Secondly, most shamans believe that giving into violence will only empower evil spirits and thus should be avoided when possible.

Aut'akh, though opposed to the power of mega-corporations, are not entirely uncommon among them. Zealots often see working for them not only as an opportunity to indoctrinate others but also to obtain resources to send back to the commune. Corporations still hire them since Aut'akh are seen as a niche, powerless cult due to lacking a leader, and a lack of experience with human society makes them more exploitable. Unfortunately for them, this can only reinforce an Aut'akh's radical beliefs or give fuel for recruiting others.

Shamans of Magic and Tech

The engineers and founders of the religion are by and large the shamans or "paradigms" of this religion. Each one to a degree helps with guiding individuals on religious matters, hosting any important rituals, fitting prosthetics for Aut'akh, and even recruiting new members. Shamans are usually recognized only by individual communes, though some prominent founders of the religion enjoy recognition by most if not all the Aut'akh societies.

The only formal process for becoming an Aut'akh shaman is by a Consensus. Only a majority of four out of five Sinta or more allows for someone to become a commune shaman. Those that are inducted into the clergy of this spread-out religion are quickly taught the secrets of the rituals for Mador, as most of their time will be needed to learn the engineering aspect for robotic limb and organ creation, repair, and maintenance.

Notable Communes

A handful of notable communes exist with their general location known to some. For now, most remain hidden, but perhaps more will come into the light with time. The decentralised nature of Aut’akh means that the various communes differ greatly in terms of spiritual and political beliefs, with argument and debate being common between Aut’akh communities. Despite their differences, however, the Aut’akh do still recognise one another as the same faith, and the disparate communes maintain strong ties with one another even across the vastness of the Spur. Some have found this perplexing, as many of the communes have deep theological and ideological differences - but to the Aut’akh themselves, it is a simple matter. Despite being scattered across the stars, the Aut’akh are still one people, and the faith’s philosophy of mutual aid holds true - they must aid other Aut’akh as best they can, so that all enclaves of the faith may thrive free from persecution. The theological disagreements are, while heated, generally taken as part and parcel of the faith’s individualistic nature - the widespread belief is that seeking understanding of the spiritual world is a personal journey, and that only through the synthesis of different experiences and perspectives can a true harmony be reached.

The Aut'akh Valley, "the Originals"

A large commune on Ouerea surrounded by mountains, the Aut'akh Valley is birthplace of the Aut'akh religion - a place for specifically augmented unathi to find sanctuary from the violence often found against their kind in cities and towns. It is largely disconnected from any government and is heavily guarded by the Aut'akh defending the clans there with their lives. Life here is simple, and more than half of the population is elderly or disabled with augments. The area is foggy and filled with natural lakes, and the area gets cold enough to snow in the cold season. The Aut’akh Valley commune is the oldest Aut’akh commune in existence, and many of the elder shamans living there are some of the original scholars and scientists who worked beside Emzal Paossini from the founding days of the religion.

The government of Ouerea largely ignores the Aut’akh communes on the planet, which has allowed Aut’akh Valley to prosper in relative safety, without the persecution the faith faces elsewhere in the Hegemony. Many Aut’akh converts from Moghes or other Hegemonic colonies attempt to flee to Ouerea, in the hopes of finding a safe haven - though Aut’akh Valley is not without its own problems. While the commune is sufficient enough to feed itself, it relies on hunters and fishers roaming the Ouerean wilderness to do so - a wilderness that is increasingly disrupted due to the efforts of Hephaestus Industries. Some particularly zealous Aut’akh have taken to striking against Hephaestus, destroying their equipment and stealing their supplies to help the commune prosper and craft new augmentations.

Hephaestus has not sat back and taken this, hiring mercenaries from organisations such as the Fighters’ Lodge and Dagamuir Freewater Private Forces to secure itself against attacks from the Aut’akh, with some rumouring that the alien megacorporation intends to see the Aut’akh scourged from Ouerea due to their opposition to its presence. Despite this, however, Hephaestus does not prohibit Aut’akh from working for them, and some from the Valley have taken jobs with the corporation to send money back to the commune. Many Aut’akh find this shameful, and those who do take jobs with Hephaestus can expect to be under close watch in order to ensure their ideology does not drive them to sabotage company operations.

Ouerea is a cosmopolitan planet, and the Aut’akh of Ouerea are no strangers to the human and Skrell presence on their world. While none of the aliens are known to have converted, a small population of them can be found in Aut’akh Valley, having made alliance with the strange cult in their opposition of Hephaestus Industries. These humans and Skrell often act as middlemen between the Aut’akh and alien smugglers, who often bring shipments of augments from offworld communes, as well as illegal weaponry to secure themselves against any future threat from the Hegemony or Hephaestus.

The Ouerean communes’ exposure to synthetics has not been a positive one, with the only ones encountered being Hephaestus-owned robots and IPCs - which are often destroyed and salvaged for parts by Aut’akh hunters. This has led to some disputes among the communes as to whether or not synthetics are truly alive, or whether the soul is something that remains unique to organics. Some believe that the machines of Hephaestus are spirits of evil, bound into steel to carry out the will of their corrupted masters; some believe they hold the potential for true life within them - and others simply see them as tools, no more alive than a hammer.

The augmentations of Aut’akh Valley are viewed as being very personal and specific - the creation of a body that truly reflects and shields the soul. Each augmentation is highly customised to fit the individual, though there are a few common elements - the inscription of Sinta’Mador runes being the main one, with the shaman-engineers of the Valley etching each augmentation with symbols of protection and power.

The Undercity Communes, "the Underbelly"

Beneath many cities on both Moghes and Ouerea is a small commune of Aut'akh, created by one of the original Aut'akh from Ouerea. These communes have become safe havens for some individuals. Unathi, regardless of being Aut'akh or not, come to these communes when they are in dire need - a new prosthetic, a repair from an assault, or simply for a place to sleep for a night. These communes are often heavily guarded by Aut'akh warriors set on keeping these people safe, and because of the possible danger of attacking these communes, they rarely see attack. It is not unheard of, though; whole communes have been arrested by city garrisons or lynched by mobs led by nobles.

The persecution faced by the communes of Moghes is harsh, and they have become insular as a result - increasingly relying on criminal activity to survive. The Undercities are deeply tied to the Unathi underworld, receiving augments smuggled in from the Factory and being forced into dealing in other illicit goods to survive. In some places, the Aut’akh communities of cities operate similarly to organised crime syndicates, with a strict code of silence regarding their activities. The fact of preying on others to survive clashes with the Aut’akh philosophy of mutual aid, with most communes attempting to only harm the wealthy and powerful in their criminal activities. This has led to a tense relationship with existing criminal organisations such as the Shortclaw Clan. While some Hegemony authorities suspect that the Shortclaws may be assisting the Aut’akh in smudging augmentations, several of the unsolved murders reported by the Skalamar City Watch in recent years have been Aut’akh found weighed down by their augments at the bottom of the Moghresian Sea - or associates of the Shortclaws found in alleyways with bones broken and throats cut.

These actions have given Aut’akh an unusual status, bolstering a reputation as folk heroes among the lowliest of the Hegemony - taking from the rich and giving to the poor. This reputation is leveraged extensively to gain recruits from the most desperate of Izweski society - Guwan, peasants and Wasteland refugees. Communes in more developed regions such as Skalamar also often assist in people-smuggling, helping Aut’akh faithful to get to other communes - as well as selling these services to those who wish to flee the Hegemony’s might, but cannot do so legally.

The augmentations of the Undercities look similar to those of Aut’akh Valley, but they are often painted to match the skin tone of the individual Unathi as closely as possible, in order to minimise the chance of discovery by those who would wish to do them harm. To protect themselves against persecution, there are significantly more combat augmentations made in the Underbelly - actual weapons are much harder to acquire and conceal in the crowded urban centres of Moghes than in the Ouerean wilderness. These augmentations are usually makeshift things, designed for melee combat - weighted knuckles on a prosthetic hand, blades concealed in the arms or legs, or a favourite among many, electrically conductive pads in the hand to stun an opponent. The Aut’akh of the Undercities largely abide by Unathi ideas of honourable combat for the most part, and the synthesis of traditional Unathi fighting styles with cybernetics has led to a complex and unusual martial art known as Is’elliah - in Basic, “Steel Claw”.

The Aut’akh of the Undercities are not known to have much contact with aliens or synthetics - though they do continue to receive augmentations, which some Izweski law enforcement officials suspect is a result of contact with alien smugglers. Some of the Undercities bordering on the Wasteland are known to have contact with Queenless K’lax groups wandering the desert. As a result of this, opinions are divided - with many Aut’akh who hail from the former Traditionalist Coalition clinging to their distaste for humanity and the Skrell, believing them to hold a share of the blame for the hell of the Contact War. As for synthetics, there is no real consensus among the Underbelly as to their sapience or possession of a soul - some believe that it could be possible for a spirit to be reborn into a positronic intelligence, while others still hold to the Th’akh roots of the religion - that despite the strength of steel, it is only creatures of flesh that are endowed with true life.

Those few Aut’akh of the Undercities who are able to conceal themselves among society often seek to gain work assisting Izweski archaeologists, in the hopes of further studying the mysteries of the ancient Sinta’Mador. Researchers from the Skalamar Academy of the Natural Sciences have grown increasingly frustrated with this, as the Aut’akh will often steal historical artifacts to treat as objects of worship, rather than letting them remain for scientific study.

Life in the Underbelly

The Undercity communes are usually called the "Underbelly" or Alpagozo in Sinta'Unathi. They are often located in warehouses, beneath market squares, or otherwise hidden from general sight. The best way to learn about these places is word of mouth, when an Aut'akh finds someone potentially in need of a spot to stay. If someone seems to be missing a limb or struggling to move in public, an Aut'akh may attempt to speak to them - often sought out for their desire to be more able-bodied. The Aut'akh will continue to be suspicious until after they are augmented or trustworthy. Until proven trustworthy, locations of these Underbelly communes aren't disclosed. Unathi that join communes to escape the pressures of obligation and society often seek others like them to join the cause.

An Undercity commune can range in sizes, though usually there is only one per city, however spread out. The largest known one is in Skalamar, the Izweski capital, where it manages to keep itself safe in the expansive sewer system. Leaving the commune's protection requires cloth coverings, which do well enough to hide scale-colored prosthetics. Failing to leave in "improper dressing" sometimes results in detainment until they meet the requirements to leave. Some unathi even go so far as to take the scales from their dismembered limb and implant them onto their new limb - some do this from nostalgia, but many more do it to survive.

Eridani Underworld Commune, "the Factory"

In the depths of Eridani I under the city, a small commune of Unathi have made some order out of the chaos. The first Aut'akh to come here didn't have the credits or the legal standing to make it on top in the corporate over-world; however, they did have enough muscle to clear out a mining drone factory of drug-addicted dregs. A few years is all it took for a community of Aut'akh to grow, walling off the Factory and setting up a safe spot for them to fit. Over time, the surrounding local dreg community came to accept the Aut'akh in. Even still, some have treated the augmented Unathi as just another gang they have to deal with.

The Factory, also called the Ti'kaoula or "Crankshaft" in Sinta'Unathi, still respects the rules of honor, and have made promises to never leave behind unathi or even local dregs who are in need of augments. Jury-rigging the factory with the help of dreg locals, Aut'akh-fabricated augments are being made by unathi, for unathi, across the galaxy. The augments are shoddily made at first, shipped to one of the other communes on Moghes or Tau Ceti, and then customized to fit by a shaman on location. When the Aut’akh first arrived to Eridani, it was viewed as living proof of all that Emzal Paossini preached - a society ruled by nothing but wanton greed and lust for power, where life was treated as nothing more than a devalued currency to be spent and thrown away freely. This reflects to this day in the politics and spirituality of the Factory, as their ideology has been influenced greatly by the anarchic viewpoint of the local Dreg population. The spiritual aspect of the commune has shifted over time, with less of a focus on individual spirits of ancestors or the world around them, and more towards the spirit of the Eridani Federation itself. To the Unathi of the Factory, the power of the corporations acts as a kind of spiritual rot - a decay that arises from one choosing to set themself above another and sinks into every person, place and grain of dust throughout all of Eridani. It is viewed as a place of true evil, a Chained Waste in the material world forged by sickness, power and greed.

To many of the more devout Aut’akh of the Factory, they are almost crusaders - descending into what may as well be hell and surviving there, in the hopes that someday the entire rotten edifice will be brought down, and a new and better world can be born among its bones.

The Eridani commune is where most Aut’akh augmentations are manufactured, but nonetheless they place their own aesthetic flair on their usage of cybernetics. The Aut’akh of Eridani have synthesised half-remembered Mador symbolism and spirituality with the punk aesthetics of the Dreg population. The favoured style among these Unathi is heavy, industrial and terrifying - every augmentation a cry of defiance at the slick, sanitised and corporate aesthetic of the Suits who poison the world around them.

The Aut’akh of Eridani cooperate well with other species, having extended their philosophy of mutual aid to the local Dreg communities. They work closely with the group of Vaurcae known as the ‘Zinos’ often, with their work in similar fields leading them to cooperate for mutual gain. These exiled C’thur are known to be skilled cyberneticists, and often Aut’akh of the Factory will seek them out when even their best shamans and machinists are incapable of making a certain repair. However, not all Dregs have proven so welcoming to the Aut’akh, and as such the Factory is somewhat insular. They will provide their services to those who ask, but aliens must be considered to have proved their trustworthiness before they are allowed to enter the Factory - lest some rival gang decide to try and take the fragile existence the Unathi have built.

Life on Eridani is hard - the Factory has one of the highest mortality rates of any commune, only rivalled by the Razortail Enclave on Biesel. As such, many of the Aut’akh on Eridani will often take up work with the megacorporations, in order to help the commune to purchase the food and medicine it often runs desperately short of. The combat augmentations often favoured by Eridani Aut’akh lead them to often seek work with Eridani PMCs such as Ringspire or Eagle Corp - work which can be harrowing to the conscience, and which is viewed by many in the Factory as placing one’s own soul at risk.

The synthetics of the Eridani underworld are often close friends and allies to the Aut’akh, with many of them coming to the Factory seeking repairs, upgrades or maintenance. However, there is a darker side to Eridani synthetics, with Aut’akh often having been caught in raids by the machines of PMCs such as Index Security Solutions. This has led to a perception of synthetics as reflections of Eridani itself - the ownership of IPCs is reflective of the desire for control and power that rots at the heart of the system, and the freedom of the IPCs in the underworld is viewed as a sign of hope that another world is possible.

The Razortail Enclave, "the Ruffians"

Considered a bunch of ruffians by their sister communes, the Razortail Enclave is a commune located in District 7 of Mendell City: Sin City. In order to survive in Biesel, Aut’akh participate in organized crime as hired muscle, allured to the practice by the prospect of stealing from the megacorps and Biesel’s own government to help the slums of the district. Similar to the Factory commune on Eridani I, the Razortail Enclave is stuck in the poorer regions of the city, trapped there by a lack of wealth and a conviction to not stray too far from their ideals; however, unlike their sister commune, these sinta do not ignore the gang conflicts of the streets, and often themselves get involved to prevent their rank from kidnappings and having their prosthetics stripped from them—a barbaric practice in the eyes of these fanatics.

The Aut’akh of the Razortail Enclave are, more than any other, pushed into a criminal life to survive. The natural size and strength of Unathi makes them appealing as muscle for the criminal syndicates of Biesel, with many Razortail Aut’akh being hired as enforcers, bodyguards and hitmen by larger organisations. These Aut’akh are often provided with deadly and highly illegal combat augmentations as payment for their services - which prevents them from seeking legal employment with the corporations in Biesel, leading them into further criminal activity. The commune’s name comes from a common augment among these enforcers, consisting of razor-sharp blades concealed within an Unathi’s tail. The majority of the Razortail Enclave, however, while understanding the necessity of crime, turn to less violent means to make ends meet. Some turn to running scams on the streets of Mendell, some engage in pickpocketing or petty theft, and some wind up swallowing their pride and seeking employment with megacorporations. Due to its dominance in Biesel’s economy, most Razortail Unathi who seek legal employment wind up working with NanoTrasen.

The anarchist politics of the religion have somewhat taken a back seat to the simple matters of survival - while the Razortail Aut’akh still stand in opposition to both the Bieselite state and the corporations that loom over it, there are no grand dreams of revolution here of the kind held by Aut’akh in the Hegemony or Eridani communes. For the Razortail Enclave, surviving another day is victory enough. However, their disdain for the state remains clear, and many of their number will prefer to target the Republic’s government in their crimes wherever possible - during the chaos of the Second Solarian Invasion of 2462, a group of highly augmented Unathi believed to be affiliated with the Razortail Enclave attempted a robbery on an Idris Incorporated bank in District 10 of Mendell City, making off with nearly thirty thousand credits. The Mendell City police force was unable to track down the robbers in the chaos, and if Idris was able to conduct their own investigation, they never breathed a word of it.

Despite the cosmopolitan nature of Biesel, and Mendell in particular, relationships between the Razortail Enclave and other species are often tense. Only Unathi are allowed into the Enclave, and unlike their cousins on Eridani, they do not seek to help or build ties with the equally impoverished and desperate aliens around them, focusing solely on their own survival. While they do often work with alien gangs and crime syndicates, they work against them equally often, and Razortail Aut’akh are slow to trust outsiders, especially non-Unathi.

The Razortail Enclave does hold that synthetics can have souls - but that does not endear them any more than it does other organics. More extreme members of the Razortail Enclave have been arrested in the past for brutal attacks on IPCs in Mendell City, leaving them near-destroyed as their chassis were stripped of valuable or useful components. The Enclave is reportedly divided on this matter, with some viewing it as an atrocity and others considering it just like everything else the commune does - a necessary evil for the sake of survival.

Augmentations tend to be practical among the Razortail Enclave, as they use a blend of Factory-made prosthetics, stolen or purchased corporate designs, and black market augments provided as payment for their services. Combat augments are at their most advanced among this commune, with a rare few Razortail enforces for organised crime syndicates being equipped with military-grade combat cybernetics. Razortail Aut’akh can largely still be recognised by the Sinta’Mador runes carved into their augments - though some still hide their cybernetics in order to conceal their affiliation.

The Luthien Pact, "the Pacters"

The Luthien Pact is one of the more prosperous communes, having secured work with the megacorporations on the desolate world of Luthien in Tau Ceti. The titular ‘Pact’ refers to an agreement signed between Aut’akh refugees, NanoTrasen and Zavodskoi Interstellar. In exchange for their labour assisting the corporate scientists on the planet, the corporations would provide the Aut’akh with a biodome of their own and supply them. This agreement, however, means that the Aut’akh workers on Luthien are paid very little, with corporate charges for accommodation, food and the air they breathe all being deducted from what would ordinarily be a decent-paying position - leading to many of them taking jobs offworld to send funds to the commune.

The Luthien Pacters work closely with IPCs in many aspects of their work - both corporate-owned and free. This has led to them being the commune with the most positive view on synthetics, believing that a wholly synthetic form is one free from spiritual corruption, and that such a thing is aspirational - that true freedom from spiritual evil will only come about when the distinction between the organic and the synthetic is eliminated completely. The struggle for IPC liberation is a core part of the Luthien Pact’s beliefs, and this has led to NanoTrasen choosing not to assign its owned IPCs on Luthien to work with Aut’akh out of concern that the Aut’akh ideology could ‘corrupt’ the synthetics. Zavodskoi does not engage in such measures, however, trusting in the programming of their Z.I units.

The views of the Pact that a synthetic form is something to aspire to have led to a close relationship forming between the commune and the synthetics they work with, with a small but noteworthy number having converted to the alien religion. This belief is also fairly similar to the beliefs of the Trinary Perfection, which has led to the church in Mendell attempting to recruit from among the Aut’akh - though to little success so far.

Their augmentations are largely practical ones - the isolated nature of Luthien means they do not receive as many shipments from the Factory as other communes might, and their close work with megacorporations has led to many of the Pacters bearing human-made augmentations purchased from their employers. These augmentations are still customised to the best of their ability, inscribed with Sinta’Mador runes and blessed by the commune’s shamans. The Aut’akh of Luthien tend to possess corporate-manufactured augments moreso than Aut’akh made ones, and this has led to a solid number of them finding employment outside Luthien in the employ of NanoTrasen or Zavodskoi.

Due to their close work with and reliance on corporations, the anti-capitalist politics of the Aut’akh faith are less prevalently expressed by the Luthien Pact - it is difficult to speak out against corporate dominance of the Spur when corporations provide the very air you breathe. The Pact still largely shares a distaste for both the Hegemony and Hephaestus, but much like their cousins on Biesel, revolutionary ideals have taken a backseat to simple survival.

Politics

The Aut'akh faith is an inherently political one, base around anarchist beliefs. Aut'akh are opposed to hierarchal society, whether the traditional feudal power structures of Moghes or the capitalist interstellar society of the Orion Spur. Aut'akh prescribe to the belief that, to appease the soul within, one must emulate the free spirit of a soul. In doing so, the radical religion has stepped away from the traditions and practices of Unathi society, though almost all of them struggle to truly leave them behind. The biggest point of contention for Aut'akh is the clan hierarchy. These Aut'akh believe the spirits all view each other as kin should they act kindly to one another, and thus Aut'akh view each commune being closer to one big clan. After this, a majority of Aut'akh believe the caste system to be flawed. Simply put, it is used to keep power over others, and spirits do not have any rules or advisors they have to listen to, according to Aut'akh. The result is Aut'akh avoiding authority wherever they can, especially when it is used to their detriment. Lastly, a smaller number of these Unathi dislike how society ostracizes those that do not fit into its rigid ideals. Guwan and those that feel they do not truly fit within Unathi gender norms are often targets for Aut'akh recruitment, which only helps bolster their numbers.

While many Aut'akh have engaged in acts of either bold revolution or callous terrorism, depending on one's perspective, most Aut'akh are not extremists and do not automatically resort to violence. The megacorporations would not take to hiring extremists or those who openly spread anti-corporate view, so avoid direct conflict and lean on minor acts of disobedience, expressing your ideals to others (as any good cult should!), and perhaps not being too friendly with command, though even security and command might just be seen as cogs in the corporate machine. This said, some extremists do manage to slip through the cracks every now and then.

Aut'akh is viewed as a rebel ideology in the Hegemony, and Aut'akh on Moghes are frequently persecuted by Izweski law enforcement. The communes of Ouerea survive due to the planetary government's general indifference to them - though as Hephaestus Industries consolidates power in the nation the Aut'akh have found themselves increasingly clashing with corporate mercenaries as they attempt to sabotage the megacorporation's growing presence. The communes of Moghes largely survive through hiding in the criminal underground, with law enforcement frequently attempting to stamp out this dangerous cult.

History

Aut'akh came to prominence around the 2440s as more and more Unathi caught wind of these unorthodox zealots.

Damage from the War

The scholar Emzal Paossini was not a warrior - they spent most of their life as an archaeologist, and were one of the foremost scholars of the ancient Mador. When the Contact War began, they were on Ouerea, having leapt at the chance to observe the human and Skrell cultures that had taken root on the planet. In various memoirs, they have recounted the Ouerean experience of the Contact War - watching Moghes burn from afar. This disillusioned many of the Unathi on Ouerea, seeing the Hegemony and the Traditionalists tearing the world apart, all over who would be king of the ruins.

Aut'akh was shaped from this, the sight of how power had led the rulers of Moghes to madness and slaughter - which would only be reinforced with the Hegemony retaking control of Ouerea. Immediately, the new culture growing there was crushed, forced into the old feudal ways that had damned one world already. Eventually, they would begin to gather others who thought that way - some of their fellow scientists, warriors left scarred from the Contact War, Ouereans who resented the Hegemony occupation - and formed a community which would become the foundations of Aut'akh.

A Cult is Born

Led by the newly reborn paradigm Emzal Paossini, Ouerea proved to be an effective staging ground for the budding cult. With their fascination with the old ways of Sinta'Mador, paired with this new technology and "golems of metal," Paossini combined their knowledge of the two into the first understanding of the Aut'akh cult. Due to conservative views being softened, most people of the planet did not actively work to remove or punish the first few of this religion for their ideals. The founders chose a spot to settle in a relatively discrete corner of the world: Hinshaw Valley, commonly known now as Aut'akh Valley. Construction started on a settlement by the more laborious Unathi, while the rest went into nearby towns to preach the word of their revelation.

Appropriately, most Ouereans rebuked this message, and for a couple years this religion failed to pick up any momentum, remaining banished to an old valley. However, after a small handful of roboticists and zealots were recruited, they quickly taught each other the fundamentals for either role: the shamans taught these mechanics essentials for being a pillar of faith, while mechanics began the arduous process of teaching biomechanical engineering. The religion truly began to blossom when those preaching its ideals could show off their work and revitalized bodies.

Outsiders Welcome

Over time, Aut'akh began to develop their ideals. They saw that power was not solely corrupt: society itself was trained to keep people down due to this power. They learned anecdotally from fellow Aut'akh, that clans were ruled by powerful matriarchs who kept the clan under their thumb; nobility simply despised the idea of others gaining their status; ultimately, these evils were the result of powerful spirits manipulating weak, frail flesh, and thus detaching a body from the true desires of their soul.

These beliefs led to a variety of outsiders finding these radicals as appealing. Firstly, Wastelanders make wonderful additions to the cult; many already resent the Hegemony usually, and their opposition to this power provides a good point of relation for indoctrination. They also usually are impaired in some way, and the promise of being restored or even placed beyond their former body's limitations can be an appealing aspect. Next, those that feel they are ostracized from society due to their strict views on the sexes also find home here, due to that group and Aut'akh both being outsiders. Finally, even Guwan are allowed to join since these communes adopt clan-less structures.

Regardless of who joins and what they believe, Aut'akh still face discrimination from other Aut'akh, usually subtly. It takes time to train behavior and prejudice, and due to the religion being fairly new, traditional unathi within these communes often look down on various sinta who are normally considered in different castes.

The Forsaken Sinta

Unathi originally thought prosthetics to be helpful and game-changing: who wouldn't want to be in a fully capable body? A large portion of Unathi, Izweski or traditionalists, were scarred by the Contact War. This was originally seen as the solution to restoring the workforce. The negative perception of Aut'akh largely led to the Sk'akh church decrying the use of prosthetics, claiming they "poisoned the soul and caused irredeemable damage." The church viewed and still views the Aut'akh communes as a threat to their power. Through talks with Hegemon S'kresti, they managed to convince the leader of the time to speak out against their use as well based on religious grounding, associating these "robotic replacements as a sign of the Aut'akh cult".

This turn in Unathi belief did little to hamper the growth of the religion; Aut'akh had already spread to most major cities and towns, and weeding them out would be a large-scale, and brutal ordeal. In light of this, Unathi started to develop behaviors and society learned to hate communes and their denizens. Anyone caught being unfaithful to their spouse, in a non-monogamous relationship, rebuking their clan, having a prosthetic, or even talking about their discontent with the Hegemony or other rulers was accused of being an Aut'akh. The term to most became synonymous with anyone who was a perceived troublemaker or heretic, more so than even Si'akh.