Lore Database: The Living World

1. The Aethelgardian Civilization

Society & Culture

The Aethelgardians are a symbiotic civilization integrated into the geode-like cities of Teegarden b. Their society is a matriarchal hierarchy where spiritual dominance and mastery of the “Spire Arts” determine leadership. They value lineage, oral history, and honor above industrial progress.

• The Circle of Aethelgard: The ruling council that governs the capital.
• The Spire Arts: A form of advanced bio-geological engineering that allows them to “grow” structures and armor. It manifests as Ethereal Fire (Cold Fire), a weaponized entropy that erases targets at the molecular level without generating heat.
• The Song of the Origin: A rhythmic planetary resonance that Aethelgardians are biologically attuned to, linking them directly to the planet’s defense systems.

Physiology

• Skin: Ranging from deep indigo to pale violet with bioluminescent streaklines.
• Eyes: Reflective with vertical, cat-like pupils for low-light vision.
• Durability: Adapted to 1.05G gravity with high bone density.

2. Key Figures: Aethelgard

Matriarch Valerius

Leader of the Aethelgardian Council Valerius possesses a beautiful, unmistakably human face despite her alien traits. Her skin is a pale, almost translucent violet, covered in high-intensity bioluminescent streaks that mark her as the most powerful wielder of the Ethereal Fire. She has striking, cat-like eyes that glow with an amethyst hue. While initially cautious, she is a pragmatist who sees the Terrans as a potential alliance against the “Antibody” response of the planet.

Champion Kaelen (“The Tectonic Lance”)

Heavy Support / Defender A mountain of a man clad in matte-black rune-etched armor. He wields “Seismic Arts,” allowing him to manipulate gravity and terrain. Stoic and weary, he represents the physical might of his people. He is deeply connected to the “rhythm of the world” and has spent decades holding the terminator line against the Hollow tide.

Champion Ignar (“The Burning Gale”)

Strike Specialist Brash and young with hair like copper wire. Unlike the typical “Cold Fire” of his people, Ignar produces orange, high-heat fire that vents from his armor as steam. He is aggressive and views the Terran “Sky-Metal” with open suspicion.

Champion Vesper

Assassin / Reconnaissance A grey blur masked in bone. She moves through an unnatural dampening field that swallows all sound. As an assassin of the Silent Veil, she is the most skeptical of the “Star-Men,” believing their arrival might be a new form of Hollow mimicry.

3. Key Figures: The Epilogue (Terrans)

Dr. Sibyl

Lead Geneticist & Architect of Hope The brilliant mind behind the Altamura Protocol. Sibyl successfully cracked the “Cascading Genetic Entropy” that doomed Earth by implementing the Iteration 1080 synthesis. She is responsible for the successful integration of Neanderthal markers into the modern human genome, effectively “fixing” the human code. She created the Epilogue’s AI using her late husband’s intellect as a template and entered stasis only after ensuring the survival of the first stable clone.

Ambrosio III

The First Successful Synthesis A clone created from Dr. Sibyl’s research, carrying the Altamura Y-chromosome. He is the literal bridge between eras—possessing modern human intellect paired with ancient Altamura physical resilience. He is unblemished by the Gene Rot, with dense musculature and a “predatory” grace. He serves as the primary scientific observer and the biological proof of humanity’s potential rebirth.

Commander Dan

The Iron Ghost The last tactical commander of Earth. 90% of his body is consumed by the Gene Rot or replaced by cybernetics, leaving him skeletal and reliant on stasis or neural-link combat frames. He represents the industrial-scale violence of Old Earth, operating through the Centurion-X and other heavy machinery. His doctrine is one of “Scorched Earth,” a stark contrast to the elegant Spire Arts of the Aethelgardians.

4. The Great Filter (Planetary Defense)

• Eigen’s Paradox: The theory that planets induce an “Error Catastrophe” once a civilization strains its biosphere’s carrying capacity.
• The Reset: A planetary command for an invasive organism to cease reproduction and die.
• The Synthesis (The Cure): The merging of Aethelgardian X-chromosome stability with the Altamura “Legacy Code” to create a lineage resistant to the Filter.