Empyrean Dynasty Game 1, Turn 6, 100 years of Post Earth History!

 The sixth turn of my 23 players grand sci fi strategy game Empyrean Dynasty is done! Here is the turn report for interest and posterity! 

Go check out the previous posts or the PDF if you are interested in more Empyrean Dynasty: 

• http://lizardmandiaries.blogspot.com/2021/12/empyrean-dynasty-grand-freeform-sci-fi.html
• http://lizardmandiaries.blogspot.com/2021/12/the-automated-empyrean-dynasty.html
• https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/381363/Empyrean-Dynasty 

Also, go join this blog's Discord server if you are interested in seeing the game unfold/the in character banter from the players!

Turn 6, 32'000 - 32'100 PE: 

And so 1000 years pass in the universe! This is a record of what happened during that time!

 •            Employing, with permission from The Cavalerie Centuriate (@middlecyclone), ancient intergalactic broadcast stations scattered throughout the known universe - The Szarstern Union (@gran) streamed, near endlessly for 100 years, anti war propaganda. The seemingly immortal Bobbins hosted these broadcasts, endlessly extolling the virtue of peace through the lens of Super-Astrology. While unable to cease conflict for the century all those that were to fight in the “Vilofan War” had to be bloodthirsty and aggressive enough to overcome centuries of Super-Astrology indoctrination weighing down their conscience. All those who did not take part in the Magel War felt utter disgust at all combatants, aggressor or defender…

•             Seemingly aware of the danger ahead of time, The Szarstern Union (@gran) instituted incredibly strict quarantine procedures for getting on or off Heinmani just before the outbreak of the “Arcturus Plague”. These procedures have so far kept the horrific sickness away from their home planet.

•             Singlemindedly devoted to a descendant of the ancient Loudong clan, the warriors of The Liliang Entomo (@papyrus1) ignored the anti war propaganda of The Szarstern Union (@gran), and launched a war against The Sigmaites (@Scarius). Their human vassals, marching under the banner of The Martyr King, the many clans of the Arcturus Bloodline also declared war on The Sigmaites (@Scarius). While unrest due to protest against the war was rife throughout the Dominion of Arcturus for a century  - the love of battle was too great in the leaders of the bloodline, the anti war siren call of Bobbins would not cause them to falter!

•             The historical records note that the Liliang Entomo and Arcturus forces at the outset of the what became known as “The Vilofan War” seemed disorganized and harried - as if the target of their invasion forces had suddenly changed at the last moment before action…

•             The “Vilofan War” got its title from a Sigmaite butchering of the Liliang Entomo hissedclattered names for the first units of troops that began fighting on SIgmaite planets.

•             While  the Sigmaites Clan (@Scarius) were well prepared for the Lilliang Entomo and Arcturus onslaught, and prevented any landing of enemy units on their planets for about a decade, eventually stealthy Lilliang Entomo transports ferried some of the monstrous ant-spider-roach warriors onto their planets. On planet defenses - prepared for centuries before the invasion easily kept the Lilliang Entomo at bay.

•             The Sigimates appeared unbreakable for the first 15 years of the war, and then the “Arcturus Plague” began to ravish across the planets of the Sigmaite empire. The collapse of the Sigmaite defense happened fast, with millions dying of sickness within the heavy neo-coral structures that otherwise would have kept the Lilliang Entomo at bay.

•             With the space based line of defense crossed, both Lilliang Entomo and Arcturus Bloodline units began landing en masse across Sigmaite planets.

•             While the monstrous ant-man warriors surged on unabated, the units of Arcturus Bloodline were also affected by the devastating “Arcturus Plague”. Sickened warriors sent home to Kharkiv spread the sickness there - where it swiftly killed billions. The Dominion of Arcturus collapsed slowly over the century.  Kharkiv near emptied of sentient life due to the plague. Now, only a tiny handful of Arcturus Bloodline warlords and their vassals exist, quarantined in terror across the remaining space based structures of the Bear Forts.

•             With the collapse of the Arcturus Bloodline hordes of empty and abandoned bear meches were left rotting across SH1, SH3, SH4 and SH6 - towering like metallic quadruped sentinels.

•             While Sigmaites (@Scarius) awe inspiring neo-coral citadels and fortresses may have withstood the Liliang Entomo attacks, those inside them were unable to overcome the rot of the “Arcturus Plague” - their defense collapsed around half way through the century.

•             Deaths to illness and ant man attacks were in the billions - by the end of the century the “Vilofan War” was over with the Sigmaite empire collapsed to a single planet - their homeplanet of Sigma 6. On Sigma 6 the remaining Sigmaites remain, only those utterly devoted to defense against the Lilliang Entomo and the Actrurus Plague remain alive, a grim core of Olympe and clan fanatics (about a million souls living in quarantined neo coral fortresses)    

•             The Liliang Entomo were unaffected by the “Arcturus Plague”.

•             The grand and ancient planet Juzur Mushajara, once the supply of much of the universe’s food, wetly crumbled into blackened sludge this century - clearly a victim of a “Spear of Death” attack. Millions perished - but a large number of Alburtuqaliu Fylí (several billion) were able to relocate across the planets the peaceful Hermeya (@roshlev).

•             A large and important component of the universe’s food production has now been lost - the coming decades are certain to bring mass starvation, alongside mass death due to the loss of Magel 2 and its spice supply.

•             Their homeplanet lost, the War King and his Jaraz Commandos continue to operate from the “Legion Ring”, available for hire to for use in the universe’s conflicts.

•             Though several important and lucrative contracts were sent to the War King this century an unhealthy obsession with peace overtook the Legion Ring this century, brought on by the endless anti war propaganda of The Szarstern Union (@gran) and the grief from the loss of Juzur Mushajara, as such - no outside missions were taken on by the War King.

•             Severe quarantining restrictions were put in place at the Legion Ring to curtail the spread of the Arcturus Plague there - the remaining Alburtuqaliu Fylí warriors under the War King mostly unaffected by the sickness.

•             Somewhat detached from the larger events of the universe this century, The Zhandou Albayanat Clan (@NondairyGiant) continued as they have for millennia - providing the digital backbone for most of the important intergalactic organisations spread out across the star. A large number of Zhandou Albayanat  spacecraft were observed nearby the Zhivos Spawn Mass Celestial River for extended period of times over the last few decades.

•             As a member of the STARF cluster  The Zhandou Albayanat Clan (@NondairyGiant) was prepared by the astrologers of the The Szarstern Union (@gran) of looming biological danger and they too instituted incredibly strict quarantine procedures for getting on or off Heidong just before the outbreak of the “Arcturus Plague”. These procedures have so far kept the horrific sickness away from their home planet.

•             High Prophet Harlow Redspear of The Black Room Clan, established the cult of “Statera Synthetica” behind Armatrum’s shield in the Yishpugnae Empire (@finnice). This religion is a codification of the ancient and widespread practices of Yishpugnae hallucinatory mysticism. This cult further meshed the Yispugnae and Black Room clans together, as well as enshrining the importance of both digital and organic sentient life forms living together in harmony and balance. While the Statera Synthetica celebrated the use of a variety of holy substances (The gas of Zhulorum and the spice of Magel both), other faiths were evicted from the Yishpugnae empire over the century. Due to the implosion of these faiths elsewhere because of the “Arcturus Plague” there was no resistance to this process - As such the Yishpugnae Empire is a place purely devoted to  Statera Synthetic and its tenets.

•             Protected by Armatrum’s shield, the Yispugnae empire was less affected by the “Arcturus Plague” as elsewhere in the universe. Quarantine procedures were also extremely effective as the large population of digital sentients in the empire were able to work tirelessly in this area without spreading or being infected by the plague. As such, the Yishpugnae Empire is one of the most well populated places in the universe.

o             Of note was that important individuals in the Yispugnae empire were able to be kept alive even after “Arcturus Plague” infection - the virus having a near 100% mortality rate everywhere else in the universe.

•             While the Yispugnae Empire appeared to be readying itself for warfare this century (with countless Yishpagnae vessels sighted in the systems of Magel 1 and 2),  the danger of the Arcturus Plague spreading else where in the universe, coupled with the ever streaming  anti war propaganda from The Szarstern Union (@gran) stopped any such campaign beginning in earnest.

•             The House von Sacher Sariyah (@fjav) bio scientists across the Great Heavenly Reef devoted themselves to addressing the concerning biological substance that forms the  Zhivos Spawn Mass Celestial river. Through a century of research they were able to lace the Neo Coral ships constructed in The Great Heavenly Reef with a sheeting of living biological matter that makes such craft invisible to the aggressive components of the Spawn Mass - making travel much easier to and from the STARF cluster for Neo Coral craft. As such, trade and living standards had begun to improve within the STARF cluster by the end of the century (@gran)

•             Led by the holy re-incarnation of Olympe, Duchess Lail, herself, House von Sacher Sariyah (@fjav) launched both super powered Ifrit and Bahamut battlefleets into orbit above Magel 1. Here, they waited to intercept any unauthorized vessels with overpowering force but encountered none other than a single and ancient Qalb Occulta colony ship (@symbolic city). The craft was destroyed after refusing several hail signals. Investigation of the wreckage, cross referenced with historical records revealed that the craft was at least 20’000 years old and had a “Spear of Death” planet killing device when it was destroyed. The wreckage was safely contained, quarantined and stored under heavy security.

•             Under the oversight of the Duchess Lai and her fleets, a stockpile caches were exported out from Magel 1 to the various Olympe temples across the universe. Additionally, once the horror of the “Arcturus Plague” revealed itself the Duchess and the Fleet maintained strict space travel quarantine for Magel 1 - largely protecting it from the illness.

•             With the Ifrit and Bahamut fleets, led by Duchess Lail, based in space, in orbit around Magel 1, they have managed to avoid contracting to “Arcturus Plague” as yet. The resurrected Olympe in the form of the duchess no doubt was aware of the coming of the plague and knew the vacuum of space to be the best place to quarantine her holy form.

•             Of historical note was a deadly flare up of the Arcturus Plague about half way through the century, impacting specifically residents of the Sea of Lail and The Great Heavenly Reef (@fjav @xaosseed ). Analysis of the victims revealed that they had been killed by an older permutation of the virus - one that was positively ancient in viral life spans - being identical to the version of the virus observed in the initial waves of Arcturus Bloodline patients. The population of The Great Heavenly was already living under strict quarantine conditions at this time so the impact was not as devastating as it could have been. The Sea of Lail and the Holy School there have unfortunately been largely abandoned - the ancient pale krakens solemnly keep guard until the return of other life forms.

•             The Great Heavenly Reef became extremely overcrowded this century, with the devastating loss of (the once glorious and pristine) Ognos and SH5 due to “Spear of Death” attacks (@xaosseed).

o             As the Arcturus Plague ravished through the overpopulated Great Heavenly Reef (killing billions) (@fjav @xaosseed), the leadership of the Jamaexina planned war against the Liliang Entomo unfortunately (or fortunately), the plague and ever streaming  anti war propaganda from The Szarstern Union (@gran) stopped any such campaign beginning.

By the end of the century, the spread of the plague had been stopped due to severe quarantining methods adopted throughout the Great Heavenly Reef - greatly impacting the productivity of those aboard it. 

•             Under the guidance of Queen Alexandra CXIV the entirety of the Chatikrate Dynasty (@arkbrik) who have so far managed to escape death due to “The Arcturus Plague” retreated to the  Holy Oneiros Cylinder as the planets of Artaganax,  Oide d'Olympe, Phlogeille and Shinka-9 slowly rotted with the effects of a “Spear of Death” attack.

o             In the chaos of the calamity of multiple Spear of Death attacks the Chatikrate Dynasty was unable to respond to the spreading “Arcturus Plague” as well as other organisations and mortality due to the illness was devastatingly high.

o             While only a tiny population of several million, the remaining Chatikrate Dynasty clan members, still under the rule of Queen Alexandra CXIV, live a blessed, holy and quarantined life in the Holy Oneiros Cylinder, heavily supported by the grand robotic labour force imported from the dead Shinka-9.

o             Outsiders are rarely permitted aboard the holy cylinder, these largely being dignitaries representing the The Orthodox Church of the Immortal Resurrected Olympe.

o             At the beginning of the century, before the outbreak of the Vilofan War and spread of the Arctrus Plague, a very sizeable stockpile of the Spice of Magel was transported to Holy Oneiros Cylinder, meaning those millions aboard the cylinder will avoid death from old age for as long as the substance allows.

•             While APEX solutions (@Revenant's Quill) began working on prototypes for powerful and important defense hardware, this century was wasted in indolence with the arrival of The Naurey (@Altchester) Ark of Pleasure above APEX’s homeplanet of Meridian. Workers and managers alike were spoiled with a century of hedonism - the Naurey opening up the undeniable endless pleasure to the APEX Corporation. Coupled with the devastation of the “Arcturus Plague” (which affected mortals and immortals alike), APEX released no new product lines for 100 years.

•             APEX also hosted the gladiatorial tournament "Ultimate Immortal Warrior", attempting to find the best fighter in the universe! Unfortunately due to the utter disgust at conflict prevalent across the universe due to the The Szarstern Union (@gran) anti-war propaganda, and the general distress and chaos caused by the “Arcturus Plague”, the only organisation to send a competitor was The Liliang Entomo (@papyrus1). A veteran of the Vilofan war, who had killed several thousand sigmaites with their own claws, was granted the title by default. The warrior was also granted immortality and then returned to the front lines of the Vilofan war to continue terrorizing sick and dying Sigmaites!

•             Devoting their century to learning to live their lives totally encased in the “Halo of Tears” defensive suits, the people of Ounjẹpupọ Olominira Eniyan (@gendernihilist) were largely unaffected by the “Arcturus Plague”, their population among the few that continued to grow as so many others perished to the sickness.

•             While a craft carrying a “Spear of Death” was intercepted above Magel 1 by the Ifrit and Bahamut battlefleets (@fjav), Magel 2 was not under the same protection - the planet was slowly corrupted over the century - ultimately becoming uninhabitable by the end of 100 years. Recognising the tell-tale signs of a Spear of Death attack, the planet was evacuated before mass genocide could occour to the sentient lives aboard the planet, but the rich flora and fauna of the planet were not so lucky.

•             While a great stockpile of the Spice of Magel was shipped out of Magel 2 (to the Great Heavenly Reef (@xaosseed) , for safe storage, production of the life extending substance is now cut in half - the potential for a soon to be cut short life is a looming reality for billions across the universe.

•             The Naurey (@Altchester ) cemented their eons of pleasure seeking into a codified philosophy that definitely outlines the secret to everlasting happiness for sentient lifeforms. With intergalactic travel reduced due to STARF quarantine restrictions, and most of the universe’s sentient life being mostly concerned with not dying to the Arcturus Plague - the philosophy has not spread beyond Monteer Apisri Invict. Those who were lucky enough to travel to the planet during the century did comment on the absolute state of bliss their hosts appeared to be in though.  

•             As a member of the STARF cluster The Naurey (@Altchester )  was prepared by the astrologers of the The Szarstern Union (@gran) of looming biological danger and they too instituted incredibly strict quarantine procedures for getting on or off  Monteer Apisri Invict just before the outbreak of the “Arcturus Plague”. These procedures have so far kept the horrific sickness away from their home planet (but has greatly impacted the profits of The Naurey Corporation).

•             A century of unproductive unrest for the various planets belonging to the Zhàngtùs Biolōxué / Arcturan Zhivos (@Trent B)! While political and military leaders demanded endlessly to launch an offensive of the planets Magel 1 and 2 - and spent long decades preparing to do so - the enormous mass of the civilian population did not allow this to happen! The impact of the The Szarstern Union (@gran) Bobbins led anti war propaganda was felt strongly across the Bioluxe! The Knights of Zhivos in particular were instrumental in leading the anti war factions over the centuries! The end result was wasted plans, and angry and disappointed warhawks and mass desertion of the various Bioluxe military forces!

•             With the collapse of the Arcturus Bloodline, the various planetary lords that had ostensibly (though  distantly) ruled over the planets of the Bioluxe, also disappeared. As such the  “The Dominion of Arcturus” vanished during this century. After several decamillenium (of admittedly lax) colonial rule the Bioluxe were free!

•             Also, most joyously to the squid-fungi folk of the universe, they “Arcturus Plague” did not infect their moist forms, nor negatively affect them in any way! Praise Shēngvìvìfǐcanzhě!

 

 

•             Led by the mutagen induced Maqead Neo, Deia Maqead, the Qalb Occulta (@symbolic city)  spent the century avoiding mindless bio mass spawn craft attacks to shape in the void of space a tributary of the Zhivos Spawn Mass Celestial River (@Trent B). A contingent of Balaenis Elasthera (@wrongtube) accompanied the mission and soothed the surrounding spawn mass with calming astral songs.This stream was ultimately formed into a moon sized, brain like structure connected to and formed of formed of the Zhivos Spawn Mass Celestial River. Sung endlessly lullabies by the Balaenis Elasthera , the green, living planetoid eventually began to emit its own melodious vibrations. The vibrations grew in volume and complexity - eventually being understood as the sonorous language of the Zhivos Spawn Mass, transmitted through its central consciousness formed within the super concentrated complex structure of the planetoid.

•             The  Zhivos Spawn Mass planetoid identified itself as “River, Son of Mother”, and it has thus far mostly sungspoke of Flow and of Grow and of Swim. Conversation with River has to this point not been the most interesting of pursuits. The area close to River, is generally free of bio mass spawn craft attacks (depending on River’s mood).

•             While  Qalb Occulta (@symbolic city) were immune to the “Arcturus Plague” the Qalb Occulta’s unaltered human membership was devastated by the sickness, additionally, the Qalb Occulta lost a number of monasteries and their associated populations due to the several Spear of Death attacks over the century.

•             Once the delegation of Qalb Occulta (@symbolic city) and Balaenis Elasthera (@wrongtube) formed the Zhivos Spawn Mass Celestial River (@Trent B) into the distinct, sentient and utterly enormous cosmic being known as “River, Son of Mother”, one Balaenis Elasthera in particular devoted their existence to conversing and singing with it. Immensus Bubu, the Unctuous One, spent decades with River, singing and conversing and growing the spawn mass being’s personhood. River became increasingly aware of their own distinctness as sentient being, in terms of creation and form, and was not enamored with what it was told of other life forms. It bore outright anger and hostility to its “creators” (@Trent B) alongside those who ripped parts of itself for their own violent uses, The Cavalerie Centuriate (@middlecyclone). As such, River sent several attack forces of spawn craft on childish, but deadly, missions to attack Bioluxe and Cavleriate planets during the last decades of the century. These attacks, while easily thwarted, did result in tens of thousands killed. River calmed and matured over the century,eventually coming to admire and respect the Qalb Occulta and Balaenis Elasthera (while remaining ambivalent or outright aggressive towards the rest of the universe's sentient life)

•             The 5 million strong herd of Balaenis Elasthera dispersed their enormous forms across the stars, floating through space or hitching rides on vacuum chamber equipped craft, until by the close of the century tens of thousands of Balaenis Elasthera were swimming around each of the known sentient inhabited planets of the universe. The “Song of the Balaenis Elasthera” had begun - bathing every inhabited planet in endless vibrations of peace, love and understanding. The new year celebrations of 32,100/1 PE were a moment of universal bliss and happiness, as all sentients were able to come together in celebration, regardless of the war and sickness of the last century. The “Song of the Balaenis Elasthera” coupled with the endless anti war propaganda of The Szarstern Union (@gran), has lead to all conflicts, large and small, grinding to a halt at the outset of the decade!

•             The Balaenis Elasthera were not affected at all by the “Arcturus Plague”.

•             A Knight Commander of The Cavalerie Centuriate (@middlecyclone) filled the  Knights of the Flame of Peace’s fleet with spawn mass weaponry from the the celestial river to better protect the STARF cluster from outside threats. Unfortunately the Knight Commander was corrupted by the constant exposure to spawn mass, and the voice of River, Son of Mother that he said he could hear through it. By the end of the century the Bio Mass Knight Commander had comandeered the fleet and swore fealty to River, Son of Mother - the Bio Mass sentient planetoid now having its own personal bio mass modified fleet (originally composed of Naurey constructed pleasure craft @Altchester )

•             Though the loss of their great fleet was a tragedy for The Cavalerie Centuriate (@middlecyclone), their status within the STARF cluster was greatly restored and increased through their tireless work in helping defend and quarantine against the “Arcturus Plague”. They worked through the  Knights of the Celestial River (formerly Flame of Peace) in various humanitarian projects within the cluster over the century. This led to a glorious  renaissance and resurgence in neo chivalry within the STARF cluster! The mutated Cavalerie Centuriate seemed immune to both spreading and being infected by the “Arcturus Plague” and as such they were the only group allowed to freely travel between the planets of the cluster, this imbued them with a glamour of knightly protectors, green bio weapon coated frog knight angels! The STARF cluster thanks Neo Chivalry and  the  Knights of the Celestial River for keeping them safe during these most troubling of times!

•             A bastion of edenic order in the universe,The Hermeya (@roshlev) focused on maintaining peace and production on their Stegno-Omchi  protected planets. The cosmopolitan populations of Hermeyan planets grew, as did living standards. The planets of The Hermeya were the first outside of the STARF cluster to begin to adopt the Reform Church of Olympe as a major form of worship. This is due to the clan’s conscious effort to move away from Magel Spice consumption and begin to produce and consume Bioloxue Biobrew in great abundance. Outside of Zhàngtùs Biolōxué / Arcturan Zhivos  (@Trent B) controlled worlds Hermeyan planets are now the largest producers of the biobrew. The movement away from the Magel Spice consumption couldn't be timed better, as at the end of the century production of the dust will be halved due to the Spear of Death attack on Magel 2.

•             Unfortunately, the high amount of interorganizational intergalactic traffic across Hereyan planets meant they were hit extremely hard by the outbreak of the “Arcturus Plague”. Billions were killed on each planet - near emptying most of the clan’s worlds.

•             A terrifying upcoming decade faces most who have survived this century.  The “Arcturus Plague” continues to spread, widespread starvation is a reality for many with the destruction of many of the universe's most food productive planets and the loss of Magel 2 means instant death due to spice of magel addiction is also coming for many!