Empire of the Aucindreth

=Introduction= The Empire of the Aucindreth is based in the Purgatum Cluster on the outer Rim. In the First Age the cluster was the primary location for prison colonies of the Terran Empire, namely due to the environments of two of the three systems in the cluster, which were less than desirable but still habitable.

Some time before the Imperial collapse, this cluster was the apparent source of an incursion by a race suspected to be native to a different galaxy (although this was never proven), named Aucinar. Contact was lost with these systems long before the gates shut down, and it was assumed that all life in the cluster was extinguished by either the invaders or the plague that came years later.

At the start of the Second Age, however, a fragmented holo-projection from the Purgatum Cluster's link was projected across the Helios Network. A tall, black-skinned creature with sharp projecting horns, dressed in robe-like battle armour, presented itself before the factions. He(it?) named itself an Aucindreth, and asked simply if anyone else had survived the cataclysms.

=Physical characteristics=

Superfically, Aucindreth are similar to most humanoid races. Height averages at just over 6 feet for females and 8 feet for males. Both genders appear to be powerfully muscled, although the systems producing this visual effect bear little similarity to what we would classify as muscle tissue. Skin tone is black, with variations going into dark blues and purples. Greenish-black skin tones are rare, but not unknown. Aucindreth also have a pair of sharp (very sharp) horns running along the sides of their heads. Notably, Aucinar lack these horns.

However, beyond the superfical similarities, there are a number of crucial differences. For a start, they share less than 1% of the genetic code of the other humanoid races in the galaxy [Unproven science states that all life within the galaxy would share about 50% of more of the genetic code. Don't ask me what led them to that conclusion, but.]. Also, unlike most known life forms, they are not carbon based (nor are they silcon based, the second most common root element). Unfortunatly, exact catagorisation of the element they are rooted from proved impossible. Aucindreth 'skin' is reinforced by a substance similar to chitin. This is not permanent, but is excreted swiftly when the subject feels threatened. Given Aucindreth culture currently, this is the majority of the time. This reinforced skin is roughly equivilant to standard terran non-powered infantry armour. Furthermore, Aucindreth are all incredibly strong for their size, with the strongest of the race capable of lifting (just) small military vehicles. They are notably resistant to disease, although it is unclear whether this is a racial trait or a simple result of their physiology being incredibly alien to the area of space they now occupy.Even the Plague had a difficult time damaging the Aucinar. It is theorised, however, that this disease would eventually have mutated to affect them, even without the accidental creation of the Psionic Plague.

Beyond the significantly super-human physical traits, the Aucindreth display a very high level of latent psionic power. They appear to be incapable of producing psionic effects with no aid, but their mental powers when combined with appropriate technological means are formidable. Noted psionic traits so far include psychically manifested weaponary, personal healing, and a pheremonal attraction to others. Many of the race also have precognitive abilties, but only Weaver house is reputed to utilise this to any great degree. (It should be noted that Teller House frequently also utilises this talent, but they do not advertise the fact). Other than this advanced psionic capacity, most Aucindreth display mental capacities on par with high human intelligence, with almost no known demonstrations of the higher end of human capabilities. Essential, the average is that of a low-genius level intellect, but with almost no Aucindreth displaying higher than that (unlike most other races, who display a larger scale. It is theorised their mental states are heavily damaged, essentially creating an entire race of neurally disabled psionic savants). Oddly, their children display a form of racial memory, but this fades by the age of 5.It also only extends back to the time when the Aucinar contracted the plague. It is assumed to be an aid to learning, and adds heavily to the myth that the Aucindreth are eternally ressurected. [NB 'myth' is NOT from Aucindreth perspective. They believe it. Most of the Purgatum humans believe it. It may even be true, in its fashion]

Finally, Aucindreth have a deep-seated need to be in battle (hunts being an acceptable alternative). They will visibly wither if kept away from combat for too long. This is rarely a problem unless the Aucindreth is confined, as even stylised duels will satisfy this need. However, it goes a long way to explaining their zealous crusades.

Perhaps luckily for the other galatic races, Aucindreth are not a quickly breeding people. Indeed, their numbers hold stable at the 10,000 that were left behind by the Aucinar. Due to the device at Ellipsis point, no Aucindreth will be concieved unless one has recently died, and no Aucindreth will die without another being concieved. Oddly, Aucindreth can be concieved by a pairing of one Aucindreth and a purgatum human, perhaps a residue of the Cure, as well as the more normal assumption of two Aucindreth.

=Current traits and organisation=

Culture and organisation (N.B - most names here translated for sense) The Aucindreth are organised on a semi-feudal ground. They are ruled by the Justicar, who is currently (and usually) the ruler of the First House. Each House has a lord, called a Castellan, and under him or her are ranks of knights who oversee the assigned tasks of the house. Most of the houses are given a specific role to accomplish The names here are the names humans have given to the houses based on the symbolic references. The Aucindreth have adopted the names since they are incapable of remembering what they really mean. 1st House (Dragon) is responsible for the collection and defence of the Ka-an crystal from Primus' surface. 2nd House (Basilisk) is responsible for the defence of the Infernus system's planents 3rd House (Firebird) is responsible for the system's space based defences 4th House (Griffon) and 5th House (Hippogriph) are responsible for civil protections - Police as well as the voluntary farming. 6th House (Gorgon) - Ground based armies intended for use out of system 7th House (Leviathan) - Assigned defence of Mortis system. 8th House (Behemoth) - Assigned defence and control of the Vigilus system 9th House (Hydra) - responsible for most fleets dedicated towards external assualt 10th House (Fury) - Runs mercenary fleets dedicated to aiding other races.

The 11th and 12th house are not military houses and so do are not assigned planets, and have specialisted functions 11th House - Teller House - This House is exclusively female, and produces the Aucindreth diplomats. The pheremonal attraction is strongest in members of this house. However, this is not its only function, as all of its members are trained in the arts of espionage, counter espionage, and assisination. The Justicar's wife is always a member of the 11th house (whether he knows this or not...). Teller house has agents established in all of the 10 Houses, almost all of which are known agents placed there as advisors. WEaver house has no Teller agents within it, although most Weavers will take a Teller bodyguard with them when needed, and the two houses co-operate strongly on many covert projects 12th House - WEaver House - the smallest house, consisting of only 43 Aucindreth. The weavers are the scientists and engineers of the Aucindreth, and represent the least tainted members of the race by the Psionic Plague. As such, they have smaller horns, and weaker psionic powers. However, they are also among the few Aucindreth capable of understanding the Aucinar technology (although most 'dreth can understand it well enough to follow instructions on how to make it work when it stops), and as such are incredibly well protected. Each one of the Weavers is assigned a large bodyguard, consisting of 7 Knights and usually one Teller at all times, as well as the human Prostraters to power their armour.

With the exception of Weaver House, all Aucindreth are incredibly violent, although due to their codes of honour, this tends to be kept in check, only to be unleashed on those they consider to be 'evil'. Still, hunts are held on the feral worlds for dangerous animals - and if these hunts should stray close to aggressive human settlements, so much the better. There are rumours that some Aucindreth have taken to delieberatly hunting humans, but shortly before the war against vigilus, Teller, Fury and Basilisk House combined their resources and almost annihilated Gorgon House - the house that had espoused that particular failing most strongly. since then, rumours have surfaced occasionally, but with no evidence. Aucindreth children born since then have been extensively asked if they 'remember' any human-hunts post-dating their last 'death' (in most cases, they would be the ones born after the assault on Gorgon). This has led to a number of slightly traumatised children and no real answers. It is assumed that these rumors are false, yet they continue to surface. Tellers are invesitigating the possibility this is rogue Human propaganda.

'Dreth display little interest in art or learning (hence the importance of Weaver House) other than in modes of combat - and in a few cases, how better to rule. Weaver sees this as a sign of a partial recovery and the possibility that the 'Dreth will re-evolve, given suffiencent time, to Aucinar. Most 'dreth spend their days either engaged in their assigned tasks or practicing with whatever weaponary they favour. While this has led to a very stong military force, 1st House has had to face a growing problem of a large, unoffical, bored army.

The most critical point about Aucindreth culture is their zealousness, combined with their need for combat. Aucindreth litterally live to cast down evil. It can only be theorised what their race faced the first time they went through this evolutionary period to have created such an unshakable need for righteous violence, but nevertheless, it is there. Aucindreth would rather die than allow evil to flourish, hence why the Gorgon House incident was so traumatising for the race as a whole. Many Aucindreth have adopted images associated with human crusading zeal (having learnt these from their human subjects), although their is little commonality of period or place in these symbols. Organised armies are banned from bearing these symbols, unless they are offically granted heraldry.

Humans withing the Purgatum cluster are placed in an odd position. They are undeniably far better off under the Aucindreth rule than they could possibly have been otherwise. They may travel freely between planets (unless they are psychically latent or pregnant), allowing them to choose to live in the utopian middle worlds or the free-er feral worlds as they wish. They enjoy far more freedom than most humans elsewhere, because for the most part, the Aucindreth don't actually care what the humans are doing. Monatary taxes tend to be low, because the Aucindreth don't rely on hard cash much, instead using psionic energy. On the other hand, the Aucindreth are unwavering in punishing those that break the few laws they enforce, and for those who happen to be psionic, the life of the Prostrater awaits - a task that while it ensures the livelyhood of the Prostrater him/her self and his dependants, is one that makes earth-monks look like wild students.

The cluster is very religious, following a credo that places the Aucindreth as descended agents of Righteosness, and the humans as devoted servants and squires. This religion promises many things to its followers, and surprisingly, delievers on a number of them (Prostraters leave a fragment of their personality in Ka-ve crystals, allowing a form of life-after death, which they state to their tearful descendants is blissful. )

=Constituent Systems=

Purgatum Infernus
A system of ten planets, discovered and claimed by the Terrans in the year TE 299. The planets themselves vary in type. However, the system itself has a very small temperate zone, meaning that only Infernus 4 and 5 would be considered habitable planets. Nevertheless Infernus 2 through 8 were classified acceptable for human inhabitation, within acceptable limits.

The system has two jump gates, designated Infernus Alpha and Beta (leading to Purgatum Vigilus and Purgatum Mortis), and a further gate inside the sun's corona, designated Celestis Episilon(leading to Ellipsis point Epsilon).

Due to its isolated position, inhabitation was low, and several of the worlds were quickly converted to penal use. When the empire began destabilising, the system as a whole was classified a penal system, and appropriate measures taken. Prisoners who were guilty of offenses of less than a capital nature were sent here - indeed, a small handful were redeemed each year (often by a process known as 'contemplating the void'). More serious prisoners were sent to Purgatum Mortis.

Infernus suffered terribly from the plague, with death tolls at worst reaching 4 in 5. However, the Aucinar presented the human population with a cure (unfortunatly for the Aucinar, this created the psionic plague that was their bane)

Current status
Having undergone significant alterations by the Aucinar (it is suspected for their blighted compatriots more than the human populations), all planets in the system now support some life. Each is designated under the control of a great house of the Aucindreth - the 1st house maintains biodomes underground on the scorched Infernus Prime, the 2nd holds the second planet and so on. The fourth planet has grown into an apparently urban utopia. The fifth, similarly, an aggrarian paradise (note, the fifth planet produces the majority of the food grown in the system, but all planets are within sustainable produce to population limits). The 2nd and 6th planets appear to have been left feral, but certain critical points are overseen as training grounds - the extremes of climate and temperature make them suitable for difficult training, but not lethal. These planets are also inhabitanted by those who did not wish to follow the Aucindreth's strict life-codes, and instead exist in relative barbarism here. Critical crimes are still punished by Aucindreth law, but mostly these humans are left alone, except to provide Faciltators for the houses. The 6th planet and beyond were in the process of terraforming when the Aucinar left, and are such inhabitated mostly by small groups in secure shelters.

Purgatum Mortis
A binary system, Purgatum Mortis has only two planets. It has a large proffusion of asteroids, implying that at one point, there were several more. Both of these planets were considered inhabitable, although temperatures and radiation made them less than hospitable, even by the nature of prison worlds. The prisoners sent here were those the empire wished to make a lasting example of, mainly those who inspired rebellions, as a sentence here was considered far worse than simple death.

Indeed, such proved to be the case. The plague came to Mortis, and proved its name correct. Before the Aucinar incursion, the death toll was already at almost 95%. The Aucinar attempted to extend their cure (as yet unaware of the costs) but several of their members sent were infected with the Psionic plague. The Aucinar team joined the dead, unable to aid the humans, and the planets were declared off limits (indeed, a joint decision between the Auciar and the commander of the fleet sent by Terra to oppose them). Mortis' woes did not end there, however. Whether due to the psionic plague, or the radiation, the disease mutated, growing to affect even the almost invulnerable life of the planet. Before the year was out, all native lifeforms, down to the bacteria, were gone. The only surviving organism was an Aucinar-brought microsm - one which hosted itself in the brain, and psioncally controlled the host body. This too was affected, driven to devour life. Devoid of anything to break the corpses down, and the impossible gravity preventing climatic erosion, the bodies of the dead lie on Purgatum Mortis, twitching occasionally as the psionic virus examines its surroundings futily for prey.

The system has three jump gates, leading to the other two systems in the purgatum cluster and....

Current Status
The 12th house has banned all inhabitation on either of the worlds of Purgatum Mortis - by any race. They have recently cleared the 7th house to establish space and asteroid borne defenses in the system, mostly to ensure other less cautious races do not attempt to colonise the dead worlds.

Purgatum Vigilus
The garrision system for the other two systems in the Purgatum cluster. this system has only 6 planets, but they are unusually, all within temperate parameters. As such, all were inhabitated, allowing for a significant garrison to be deployed here. Most of these were recalled to deal with more pressing matters than a group of prisoners, but a single regiment remained. This regiment maintained its loyalties throughout all the events following the fall of the empire, surviving the Aucinar incursion by hiding, and much later, the Aucindreth by standing and fighting. Indeed, this regiment so impressed the 8th house, who were detailed to explore and claim the system, that they were offered their choice of a position of honour in the 8th, or to be allowed to return to Sol, having been granted ships, and with colours flying. They chose the latter. Contact was not maintained.

Vigilus was largely spared the plague. Military discipline combined with a very low population level kept the death toll at 1 in 5.

The system has 4 jump gates, leading to Purgatum Infernus, Purgatum Mortis, and to......

Current Status
The Aucindreth have only begun to consolidate their presence in Vigilus. Several years passed unused as they honoured the resistance of the unknown regiment, and building work was further delayed by the need to either remove or repair the shattered remains of the Imperial fortications.

Ellipsis Point Epsilon
Ellipsis points are gate exits in which probes sent through cannot garner any relevant data as to their location or the location of further gates. There are several examples of such, mainly within clouds of dark matter or in the vicinity of black holes. It is believed (without evidence) that Ellipse point Episilon is some distance beyond the galatic rim, as telemetry sent back indicated zero light sources, but the probe did not sustain damage. The Point is presumed to have other jump gates, but none were detected.

While Ellipsis points are incapable of sustaining life, it is believed that the original Aucinar incursion took place via this gate. Further reasearch was obviously halted by the rebellions, the Aucinar, and the plague.

Current status
The Celestis Episilon gate was damaged signficantly by the shut down of the network (and probably damaged fatally by the interference of the Aucinar Weavers holding it open for their fleet to withdraw. It is thought to be permanently closed. This is not, entirely, the case. It is still capable of transmitting signals from the device left by the Aucinar at Ellipsis point before their incursion. This device maintains the birthrate of the Aucindreth at precisely the mortality rate of the species, regardless of the location of the death. This is a psionic device, and is far beyond any technology the Terrans (or indeed, the Aucinar themselves) otherwise displayed. The debased Aucindreth have no real knowledge of this device (or Ellipsis point, although they know of the gate), other than mentions of a Divine Engine in the confused memories of their elders. They believe they simply reincarnate, which is in a way, true.

= History= The Aucindreth are a break-away faction of a larger alien race (the specifics of their breaking away will be addressed later). This larger race called itself the Aucinar, and sent a large fleet into Terran held space in TE 440. This incursion fleet (although the Auciar themselves claimed it was an exploratory fleet) decimated the Terran fleets in the area (unsurprisingly, as if witnesses are to be believed, the fleet held the firepower of multiple imperial class-fleets. This is likely exagerated). A unifed response was sent out, and scheduled to meet and engage the enemy in 445. However, the rebellions changed this, and the forces designated to combat the Aucinar were sigificantly reduced. Aucinar forces engaged the Terran fleet repeatedly, usually to the detriment of the massively outnumbered terran fleet, but not without their own losses. Rebel forces did not view these new aliens kindly either ,reasoning that they had lived under one overlord, and that these Aucinar seemed uncomfortably similar. An ad-hoc alliance in 460 caused the Aucinar to retreat back towards the Purgatum cluster, where they held position.

Then the plague came. Aucinar weavers created a cure by 468 - this cure was psionic in nature, and involved an intimate link via Koralei (a type of crystal) with an Aucinar. Strong Aucinar were needed for this, as they were required to remove the infection via martial endevour. This cure was indeed succesful. By 479, Purgatum Infernus was free of plague, and expeditions were sent to the nearby systems. However, the side effect had not been predicted. The plague, otherwise incapble of affecting the Aucinar, altered the minds of those that had cured it. While it had the benefical effect of strengthening certain psionic talents, it had numerous negative mental effects. Firstly, it sealed off all non-latent psionic abilities - those affected could only use their enhanced powers through devices. Secondly, and much more worryingly, it altered the mindset of the entity affected to a much more primitive level. Most of those affected began acting in a manner the Aucinar had not used since their equivilant of the Medieval. Thirdly, it created an amnesiac effect - none affected could recall anything from before they were affected (as usual in these cases, this did not affect institicual abilties or learned skills, just memories). Worst of all, these new plague was contagious - but only to Aucinar.

Those suffering were relocated to the planets in Purgatum Infernus, and dubbed the Aucindreth (People who were martyred, Aucinar meaning 'People'). The Aucinar attempted to help their infirm brethren, but before any answer could be arrived at, the Helios network failed. Aucinar weavers managed to hold the Celestis gate open long enough for the Aucinar fleet to withdraw (in surprisingly good order), but the Aucindreth were, willingly or not, abandoned to the whims of the milky way.

Over the interveneing two decades, the Aucindreth established the 12 Houses (10 of which representing the fleet they came from, while the 11th and 12th houses are specilised agencies), and gained total dominace over the human population (for the most part, not hard, as the former prisoners had gained much for the Aucinar), setting down iron laws for the few items that mattered, and for the most part, allowing the humans to act as they wished. The 4th and 5th planets were an exception to this, and the governing houses here wished significant stability, and so produced longer law codes. Regardless of which house a planet was governed by, they all uniformly stated that punishments for any crime universily considered a law was death or 'voluntary' labour until death. Since the list of these crimes was very short, this appears to have worked well (although a large number balked at the first 'Obey the Aucindreth'), and relocated to the 2nd and 6th planets.

The Aucindreth were largely uninterested in the reopened gates, until they detected signals coming from Vigilus, at which they set off to smite the 'evildoer'. Other than the conflict in the Vigilus system, and minor skirmishes in the Mortis system, the Aucindreth have largely not joined the galatic community as yet (the holographic imaging system having only recently been brought from Vigilus to Infernus Prime, they are only just aware that there still IS a galactic community)

=Political=

Prominent figures:- Tanath, Castellan of the 1st House. Daeral, Lady Teller, of the 11th House Orveln, Master Fury, of the 10th Asurel, Lady Weaver, of the 12th House.

Politically, during the second age, the Aucindreth were at something of a remove from the rest of the galaxy. Refusing the authority of the senate, they acted largely as determined by their own sense of justice. While the actions of the 10th house as a mercenary force at large, and the skilled work of Teller House somewhat mitigated this, all too often Justicar Tanath required their services at home, as House Gorgon periodically descended into the madness it eventually became known for. The worst incidence of this erupted into a full scale civil war that would have shattered any other culture, but merely weakened extra-system activities for a time.

As the second age drew to a close, a disturbing cult began to circulate amongst the Aucindreth, especially amongst Griffon and Hippogriph houses - prophesing that the time of their martyring was ending, and the Aucinar would return for their lost brothers.