Starless Horrors

Starless Horrors: The Starless are a mysterious, genocidal, and eldritch race of biological abominations. Responsible for the Cataclysm and driving out the people of the galaxy from what is now known as the Dead Zone, disappeared twenty-seven years after they first appeared. They are ever-mutating monsters, forming counters to any opposition.

Scourge Ships: Starless Horrors capable of space flight. They are subdivided into size classes: Fodders, Hunters, Marauders, Titans, Colossi, and Leviathans. They also specialize in four roles: Commander, Brawler, Siege, and Psionic. Anything else is categorized as Miscellaneous or Utility. Note that this is only a generalization. The nature of Starless is incredibly malleable and prone to mutation.

Fodder-class: As the classification says, these are the uncountable peons of the Starless. They saturate space battles with their numbers and are there to soak up attacks or be a constant unending annoyance. This class can be compared to starfighters to corvettes.

Hunter-class: Slightly larger and more heavily armed than the Fodder, Hunters are designed to scout, seek out, and engage enemy vessels in direct combat. They are equipped with advanced sensors and tracking systems that allow them to hunt down and pursue their targets relentlessly. Their size and tonnage can range from a few hundred to several thousand. This class can be compared to frigates.

Marauder-class: The typical space-capable grunts of the Starless. These are larger and more heavily armed than the Hunters, designed to break through enemy lines and engage in close-quarters combat. They are heavily armored and equipped with powerful organic weapons capable of destroying even heavily fortified targets. Their size and tonnage can range from several thousand to tens of thousands. This class can be compared to destroyers

Titan-class: These are massive creatures capable of engaging an entire fleet. Their mutations are premium and bred solely to brutalize the enemy or to command their lesser kin. Examples include Low Abyssals, Ravagers, and World Seeders. Typically, they weigh between the tens and hundreds of thousands. This class can be compared to cruisers.

Colossi-class: Colossi are even bigger than Titans, weighing hundreds of thousands or more. They are essentially mobile organic space stations, capable of commanding entire armies of Starless Horror ground troops and serving as command centers for the fleet. Colossi ships are varied and unique existences. They are the hive minds, the generals of entire legions of Starless. Examples include High Abyssals, Juggernauts, and Dominators. This class can be compared to battleships.

Leviathan-class: A single superorganism that outclasses and outweighs any Scourge ship observed by the Galactic Legacy Federation. A myth of terror said to be capable of destroying an entire superpower civilization by itself. There have been no known records or proof of a Leviathan. In theory, Leviathans are the largest and most potent of the Starless Horrors. They are essentially living weapons of mass destruction, capable of destroying entire planets and wiping out entire civilizations. Leviathan ships have a tonnage of several million and are armed with various devastating weapons. They are also equipped with robust defensive measures and extreme regeneration. They are horror incarnate, unfathomable, eldritch things. This class can be compared to dreadnoughts.

Commander-type: These act as a hive-mind for raids or incursions. Intelligent and capable of basic strategy and tactics, though the degree is mainly based on the creature's size. A Marauder class can typically command a small group of hunters. At the same time, Colossi-class can direct entire campaigns across multiple star systems—such creatures can utilize the Dead Zone Miasma as a means of communication.

Brawler-type: Typically have extreme regeneration, highly lethal close-quarter capabilities, and surprising mobility.

Siege-type: Scoure-ships that fight in medium to extreme ranges. Employs a variety of organic weaponry of all types: kinetic, energy, missiles, etc.

Psionic-type: An esoteric and rare type of Starless Horror that typically uses mental attacks to flood the minds of living beings with oppressive and terrible thoughts. It is also capable of stunning people's minds or employing mind control. Usually seen in Colossi-class Scourge Ships.

Miscellaneous: Anything from support biovessels, mobile hive nests, and superorganisms that infect entire planets to convert into breeding worlds.

Nightmare Portals: Eldritch rifts in space that tear a hole into reality and bridge our dimension and whatever home the Starless originate from.

Races/Species/Civilizations

Kurskann: An insectoid slave race that the old Kurskann Empire oppressed. When the Cataclysm came, they overthrew their tyrants and took their empire for themselves, rebranding it as the Reborn Kurskann Empire. The empire is made of many powerful clans led by Patriarchs or Matriarchs, with the Royal Clan being the first among equals. Their naming system follows Given/Birth Name + Clan Name + Family Name. For example, Tov Garesh'Ynt, the Patriarch of Clan Garesh, was born to the Ynt Family. They evolved from ambush insectoids on a marshy planet. They have wasp-like qualities, and their wings are primarily decorative. They have four arms and stand at 5'9" on average. Both males and females have fluffy collars around their necks, similar to moths, with the males having larger fluffs and sometimes coming with stripes. Despite their menacing appearance, they have a slight psionic ability to read emotions and intent. Because of this, they are regarded as effective therapists.

Jotex: A highly psionic race of large floating jellyfish. Their abilities, by default, include levitation and voice projection. They are resistant to mental attacks and intrusions. On average, the Jotex are incredibly intelligent and tend to move towards academic paths. Their colorful bodies also display what emotions they are currently having. Many Jotex are socially awkward and introverted but highly passionate in their field.

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Iexian: An avian race with a wide range of vocals. The Eternal Choir consists primarily of Iexians due to their incredible singing ability and ease of incorporating psionics into their voices, making them more powerful and capable of shielding those who hear them from mental intrusions.

Onin: A large and broad race of amphibians. Burly beings are highly sought-after military personnel, security contractors, or mercenaries.

Human/Homo sapiens: They're humans.

Android/Homo synthetica: A race of sapient machines created by a single human genius and accelerated scientific, cultural, and political progress. Through them, humanity ushered in a golden age. Legally classified as part of the human race, scientifically coined as Homo Synthetica.

United Nations of Sol: The governing body of humans and androids, encompassing the entire Sol System, its nations, and colonies. It was at the cusp of setting up a new colony on Alpha Centauri when the Starless came.

Referential

Wider Galaxy

Cataclysm: A galaxy-wide event that lasted for twenty-two years. A period of nightmares and death, where the Starless Horrors ravaged the galaxy and genocided trillions of people and ruined hundreds of civilisations.

Exodus: An event during the last quarter of the Cataclysm and the lowest point of the galaxy. Countless people uprooted themselves from their homes in a rush to the other side, away from the Starless Horror advance. As a result, nearly two-thirds of the galaxy was left abandoned and would eventually be quarantined, called the Dead Zone.

Dead Zone: A region that encompasses two-thirds of the Galaxy (Milky Way) that has been abandoned during the Exodus. It has remained abandoned for a century and is a source of many horror stories, lost civilizations, ancient and powerful technology, ruined worlds, pockets of Starless, and cabals of cults and pirates. No form of electronic or quantum-based communication system is possible due to the phenomenon known as the Dead Zone Miasma.

Dead Zone Miasma: The Dead Zone Miasma is an unseen fog that covers the Dead Zone. It prevents all forms of electronic communication and makes hyper-tunneling much more difficult.

Grand Expedition: The Grand Expedition is a galaxy-wide event where hundreds of Expeditionary Fleets lead the first wave of explorers into the Dead Zone. It is a declaration of a new age where the galaxy's people can retake their legacy. The Galactic Legacy Federation and other neutral organizations sponsor these fleets.

Expeditionary Fleet: An Expeditionary Fleet is one of a hundred fleets leading the first wave of the Grand Expedition. The sailors and officers are composed of heroes, war veterans, the best scientific minds, engineers, doctors, philosophers, and others. They are tasked with exploring potentially dangerous and crucial locations. They are also responsible for deploying dead drops of information to be picked up by the second wave.

Galactic Legacy Federation: The current leading organization of the wider galaxy. It was established after the Cataclysm and is made up of the surviving civilizations and nations. The ruling body is known as the Remnant Council.

Remnant Council: Composed of the leaders of the many star nations of the galaxy. They are referred to as Chancellors. Some seats remain empty in honor of the civilizations lost during the Cataclysm.

The Three Seats: An unofficial title for the chancellors and leaders of the three main superpowers. Prime Unrex Mora Keiladal of the Dagatar Supremacy. Mighty Bors, Lord Marshal of the Warrior Enclave. And Stellar Emperor Jarinn Taz'Arel I of the Reborn Kurskann Empire and the Greater Kurskann Hegemony.

Galactic Accord: The old galactic organization before the Cataclysm. Rife with old rivalries and unmoving bureaucracy that ultimately became a major factor in the significant deaths during the Cataclysm.

Eternal Choir: The Eternal Choir is a galactic-wide religion that preaches the harmony of the universe, led by the High Cantor and his loyal Harmonisers and Lead Harmonisers. Their teachings revolve around the Grand Symphony, the celestial melody that binds all cosmic life. They believe that upon death, the souls of the departed return to the great rivers of songs and are reborn anew. The Choir played a crucial role in the Exodus, guiding the people of the old Galactic Accord to safety amidst the chaos of the Dead Zone. The clergy of the Eternal Choir are known to be psionic, using their voices to heal the soul and protect against mental intrusion.

One Mind Initiative: The One Mind Initiative is an ambitious undertaking, a league of some of the most brilliant minds of the galactic community. They have made it their mission to bridge the gap between the technology and knowledge lost during the Cataclysm and the modern era. With the advent of the Grand Expedition, they scour ancient ruins and study old records to uncover any forgotten secrets that could be the key to unlocking innovations. The Initiative comprises scholars, archaeologists, scientists, philosophers, and anyone passionate about pursuing knowledge. Their ultimate goal is to restore the galaxy to its former glory and push it beyond the limits of what is currently possible.

Sol

Omni Mind: The official title of the Eldest when the androids of Humanity converged and formed the gestalt digital consciousness that she is.

Sol Defence Network: The name for the entirety of the automated defences of Humanity's home. The Omni Mind controls it using the Central Nexus. Further tasks are delegated to Sub AIs if the situation isn't critical.

Central Nexus: Theprimaryn CPU/Brain of the Eldest, capable of controlling the entirety of the Sol Defence Network with perfect efficiency.

Sub AIs/AI Overseer: Fragments of the Eldest. They embodied specific personality traits and were made solely to prevent insanity due to isolation. Luna is logical, surgical, and efficient. Jupiter is bold, rebellious, and defiant. Mars is courageous, jovial, and warlike. Venus is compassionate, warm, and nostalgic. Mercury is perseverance and weariness.

Inner Zone: Everything from Jupiter to the solar system's center.

Outer Zone: Everything from Jupiter to the perimeter of Sol.

Sunward: To go toward the Sun or the closest star if there are multiple.

Raid: A small raid by the Starless to keep constant pressure on the Sol Defence Network. Usually led by Titans and dealt with by one or two AI Overseers.

Minor Incursion: A medium-sized invasion force usually led by Colossi.

Major Incursion: A large invasion force. Usually led by Leviathans. Demands the full capabilities of the Eldest.