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The Order of the Outsider
Affiliation: Void Serpents ◊ Palatine: Eris Morgana ◊ Stationed: Zakuul Cluster
Heirophant: Jisang Mentacova ◊ High Almoner: N/A ◊ ArchChaplain: Varcolas ◊ Grandmaster: Evelyn Tenebris
History
First Contact:
... In the beginning, there was naught but the infinite potential before creation. Primordial nuclear chaos of waxing sentience outstretching across the universe as a new god, growing outward over the void as it stretched in within the absolute nothingness. Eventually, the deity lay across the universe, its many arms reaching out in every direction as sleeping death called to it at the end of its reign, ushering in the first law of the universe; that nothing truly ends. From the giant's many hands formed the many galaxies seen in the night sky, within them its blood formed nebulas, stars, systems and planets which would slowly but surely begin to harbour life upon them. Its nerves broke apart into limitless fragments creating the potential for all the sapient species of the universe, while its soul its soul became magic, it became The Force. What spawned from the grand titans death was the age of giants, it is proposed that godlike beings and monsters existed in this era, as before the celestial titan had fully broken apart, larger accumulations of its mass and essence gathered and incarnated beings of immense strength and power, easily capable of calling worlds and life into existence as well as manipulating the laws of nature, space and time with the sheer force of their seemingly absolute willpower.
... The gods and monsters of this era, knew no peace, tearing each other apart in a limitless fight to survive, consuming each other with an insatiable hunger. Those of meek natures quickly annihilated, their power and essence scattering to the winds as one by one the chaos broke down the Primordials parts until they were bit miniscule fading embers of their former greatness. The beings which formed from the cinders were sapient life, while that which came from the ash were the animals of the world, the non thinking sentience which knew naught but the base instincts of their primogenitor. Of all of these beings, humanoid races became the most dominant, crawling from millions of years of evolution to sit upon the top of the food chain, but to think for a moment that they had seen the last of the previous era, was a fools thought. As, in any combat, there is always a winner one who outlasts the others, and there are those lucky few, who never had to fight at all.
... It was one of these beings from the era prior, titled The Outsider by those who came to know it, who had made its way to the known galaxy. With seemingly no ill will, and a vast understanding of language and science, it had made itself known to beings within the outer rim, each in hopes of bringing unfathomable knowledge and understanding to their people. By advancing the hominids into a technological golden age the Outsider hoped that they would raise up to slay the last spectre that haunted the vast nothingness that it had left in its trail. Thus the first planet the Outsider came to, was Zakkul
... In the beginning there was a huge amount of suspicion surrounding the entity which had touched down onto their world with its temple. The primitive hominids of Zakuul were skittish and unruly, having developed fire and steel in the earliest of stages they had a culture and language which the Outsider seemed to have intimate understanding of without consul. The being proclaimed itself peaceful, but the cowardice and distrust of man ran deep, they sought to slay the being and take its technology, but as they surrounded the Outsider and his temple, he surrendered himself willingly, raising a hand to the sky, the people watched in wonder as he terraformed the moon into a deep temple a hollow maze where the knowledge of flight, energy, matter and more was laid out before visitors to the moon. But, the act of power it took to perform the act, had even the most critical observer kneel before the Outsider. Least it turn that awesome power on them in anger...
Under the Outsider:
... Onder the guiding hand of the Outsider, life was easy for his followers, pilgrims to the grand temple in the planet's sky came back changed men who with their leader would rocket their people into a technological golden age. For hundreds of years the outsider walked among the people, supposedly moving their nation from a civilization who had only momentarily scratched the surface of welding metals, into a space faring people within but a few short decades. The progress bought a huge sum of people from around the world to the location, uniting under the mantle of progress, true peace was known for a short time. However, as the nature of work under the wisdom of the outsider was practical and based in infrastructure, it was only artistic pursuits like painting and sculpting which created any depiction of the outsider itself, many of them coming from more artistic minds
... As the Outsider continued to play a pivotal role in society, the longer he stayed and shared his wisdom, it became noted that the Outsider became more and more concerned with his presence amongst these people. Restless to the point of developing a deep seeded paranoia, it felt it apparent that he would have to leave after but a couple centuries after his enigmatic appearance. More and more he began preaching about the independence of people, that they should seek to empower the wisest and strongest of their ranks as their leaders and continue the path to progress studying the vast labyrinth of information that he had lain out before them. This narrative continued for years before it was finally bought to its inevitable climax. The Outsider had to leave.
... The occasion was mourned by all, though the Outsider did not leave without one final parting gift. Its said that reaching into himself, he drew out the artifact which was then given to a child whom had grown into an adolescent at the side of the cosmic being. Implanting it within the mind of the boy, the Outsider proclaimed that he would leave his child here to continue his work while he was gone. It was the child after the implantation was complete that looked to the Outsider and asked his purpose upon their planet Finally the knowledge of the adversary was revealed. The outsider told a parable of the universe's creation, of monsters and gods and that one such monster still remained, though it was far off, it would one day come, it shared knowledge that others might rise up to challenge it, but they could not hope to do it alone, so, it would move onto the next world, and the next, until it could unite all life against the terrible force to come. The Zakuulians held a massive celebration to thank the Outsider, so grand it was said to be heard from the temple moon up above, it was at the end of the Festival, that the Outsider, simply vanished. Never to be seen or heard from again by the people on Zakuul.
Age of the Palatines:
... The childier of the outsider following in his footsteps enshrined the great story of the being into history as the Order grew and grew to massive power and influence over the planets surface. The direct line of the Outsider would rule their people, the artifact that was implanted within each of them would be extracted upon their death and replaced in each subsequent leader as had been directed by the Outsider. Following the implantation, the leaders, who came to be known as the Palatine, would begin to have visions, and know information that was previously known by former Palatine. It was through this evidence that the Order came to the conclusion of the truth of their leaders reincarnation.
... The Heirachy of their society would soon bloom around this factor and their ultimate goal, quickly becoming a warrior culture, the Palatine when they grew to age was almost always assured to be the leading candidate for leadership, it was just a matter of allowing the apostle to reach that point, and deciding which apostle would take the artifact within themselves in cases where there was more than one. The hand-chosen tutors of the aspiring Palatine were robbed of all political power due to their potential influence early, while commanders and leaders of sacred duties as well as training and learning were appointed quickly as the Order expanded. Citizenry was something earned after a stretch of mandatory service for each person after they became of age to serve. Under the rule of the Palatine, the culture around them continued to progress. But support was fading.
... A strict rigidity in the Order began to form within the Palatines, debates began to spark in the learned as they realized they could likely improve upon the technology of the Outsider had gifted them knowledge of, and whether or not to do so was considered a blasphemy. Stagnation began to take root with no clear sign of the adversary to unite them under the common banner the Order of the Outsider began to fissure. Once the cracks began to form in their culture, there was no stopping what came next, like the flesh of the titan they splintered, the many races which composed the grand order divided based on race and ideals, moving to their own corners of Zakuul to fend for themselves as pirates or nomadic peoples. The freedom of Zakuul allowed other forces to take control and move on, the throne of the world would change hands multiple times in the following millennia, from diplomatic, to anarchic, to sith, and occasionally without leader at all. All the while what little members of the Order there were would rise to numbers and fall to near extinction repeatedly.
Until one palatine changed everything...
The Star~Haired Child:
... Palatine Angelina Atreides, a true and trusted visionary of the Order foretold of a star blonde haired child who would be born on the day the Outsider arrived to their world. The vision foretold that the child would be trialed by flame as hot as the hair on their head. Atreides believed that the vision stated, this chosen child would lead the Order of the Outsider to the stars and follow in the footsteps of their true leader, a goal which she claimed was his divine mandate from the beginning, as The Outsider had stated it had gone in search of others to join together in service against the adversary. To the Palatine, made sense that their task was to find and unite with those other disciples, and learn what they had learned. Who, knew, they could find the being once again...
... Many within the Order and even those who had long left it trusted the vision, some due to the belief in the force, while others believing the reputation of Angelina. The prophecy, called the star child prophecy brung in its wake a massive resurgence of activity towards the Order, making them stronger than they had been in many generations. With the unity came hope, and with the hope came peace as ties long severed and broken were mended with the addition of a new unified goal and purpose for their people to strive towards. Though the concept of interstellar flight was still beyond the people of Zakuul on any grand scale, they had seen pirates travel between worlds, some even gone themselves, yet their engineers were simply not advanced enough to develop hyperspace drives in any mass produced capacity.
... Once again, generations passed, and with time faith was lost. But just as all hope seemed to wither away to its final tether, the date the Outsider had graced their lands came by as every year before it. But unlike the others, this year, a notable pair of twins were born, each of them with hair as silver as the stars above them. Word of the star children spread like wildfire, immediately culling the herd so that they became the only two apostles under the aging palatine. The Palatine decided that the twins would each be given a master and run the trial of the Palatine as any other generation would. But unlike the other Apostles, they would be brought up separate from one another, knowing their purpose and knowing the responsibility that they must uphold for not just the future of their faith, but potentially the future of their worlds But finally, knowing that one would have to conquer the other.
... Of the two, the daughter conquered the brother, raising to the title of Palatine, joining with the faction known as the Void Serpents. Choosing to lend them their blades as they used the faction as a means to spread their numbers, learn about the alien galaxy around them and perhaps even find tale of The Outsiders travels.
Philosophy
General:
The order of the Outsider have few tenants that would seem simple to the outside world, in preparation for the cosmic war to come, many of their core beliefs surround the need to prepare one's self, mind, body and spirit for the conflict that is to come. Many of the beliefs of the Order circle around borderline Darwinian ideals, intending to become smarter, stronger, better in one way or another in an attempt to create a superior or perfect state of mankind which aspects itself in an idea similar to Zen Enlightenment attained through action.
Entropy, Complacency and Nihilism are considered among the greatest sins of the order due to their infinite ability to cripple a nation, leading it to the path of Atrophy and eventually, annihilation. It is thought that those who do not have the capacity and will to fight in order to survive and improve in order to ensure their survival, should be left behind with the meek to meet the fate nature would intend. While in stark contrast, Instinct, Discipline and Willpower are seen as the prime virtues of the faith. Whether these virtues incarnate as the will to seek simple self improvement such as: learning new skills and adapting the use of another language, or, more commonly; perfect one's body through mastering and honing martial skill, and physical attributes. The result is strength, which, they believe is passed onto your descendants, much like reincarnation.
The Spirit:
The concept of the soul is not something that ever came into being within the Order of the Outsider. The closest concept they would consider parallel to it, would be the spark of cinder within the essence of their being. The shard of spirit or energy or consciousness from the primordial titan which fractured to ultimately give hominids after a long line of grander beings the potential to think, reason and deliberate. This soul to them, while special, is no different than the blood that created matter, or the soul which manifested the seemingly supernatural powers of the force. Though to many the tale of the Primordial Titan is simply a measure of the unknown creation of all things, the allegorical moral of the story is its insignificance, as everything is, it matters little where it comes from other than the need to satisfy childlike curiosity. The goal of the Order of the Outsider, is to ultimately move forward, never back.
The Force:
Of all of the things one would assume to be considered a gift of the Outsider or a Symbol of power, the force is not one of them. Not to say that it is shunned or looked down upon by any members of the Order, it is simply seen as a tool, a natural part of the cosmos that can be harnessed and made to a person's advantage should they have it, like an animal adapting to its environment. The only downfall is; because not all men have use of the Force, dedicating large resources to learning about and training it is often difficult, time consuming, and only benefiting the few among them at any time whom are force sensitive. Thus, within the order, learning and mastering the way of the force, is often seen as a personal goal or
achievement, rather than a community one. However, past Palatines who have been force sensitive have
in the past, put much more emphasis on seeking it out and harnessing it.
The Cycle:
Reincarnation is an interesting idea within the Order of the Outsider, to them, there is no life after death, but that does not mean they believe in the concept of death. No thing can simply end. It is believed within the culture that a man or woman lives on through their descendants, thus, members within the order often have one child at very young ages to secure their lineage. In so doing, it is not uncommon for a child to learn the names, lives and deeds of their notable ancestors while they are young, passing the torch and mantle of their family onto them so that they may be inspired by their greatness and their strength. It is to the deeds of the past, the young and the faithful look to in order to surpass, to become greater than the deeds of those before you, to prove you have become stronger, and thus, have grown. The pressure, of carrying ones entire ancestry on their backs, can be difficult or even stressful, especially for those whom have performed great deeds, but processing and conquering that stress is a right of passage many are taught to go through, coming out stronger for it in the end.
The concept becomes interesting should a couple have multiple children, as they are all seen to be incarnations of the same person. Multiple children are often seen as a parting of ones spirit, where one child may inherit one strength from certain ancestors while the other would inherit others. The decision to have a second child in any family is a serious decision to be made, and is extremely difficult in the culture. As fissuring a bloodline is thought by many to weaken the children over-all, putting far more stress on them to succeed. The more children a parent has, the more he has considered to have broken up his lineage.
Cosmology:
While the nature of the Cosmos and the Celestial heirarchy is vast in potential for the Order of the Outsider, it is at its very core Duotheistic, but not in origin. They believe that there is the Outsider, who is a cosmic being representing wisdom and knowledge, while then there is The Adversary, who is a being of pure malice, hunger, and void. Its said that there was once potentially a pantheon of beings similar to that of the Outsider and the Adversary, but, due to their nature they found themselves killing one another. Those who were kind and peaceful fell quickly, while those who fought were eventually devoured by a more powerful opponent. The Battle left only two, the Outsider, who, with his great knowledge and wisdom managed to evade the fight and the Adversary, the being who won it.
Some scholars consider the two to be intimately related be it in story or by blood, while others contest the idea due to the nature of the Outsider as a cosmic being much like a god, while The Adversary is often depicted as more of a Monster or Eldrich horror, thus mindless or mad. Each of them were birthed from potentially massive fragments of the Primordial Titan before they had broken and divided to the extent required for the basic life which exists today. Some would claim that they were, in that respect, fathered by the Titan, but the greater consensus is, they are parts of him, its wisdom, its potential ruthlessness, its power. There have been some records found detailing other beings in the grand temples made by the outsider, but even during his time on Zakuul, speaking of other entities like himself led it to become distant, as if it were guilty, or lost in reminiscence.
Casual Beliefs:
... General: While the active beliefs of the fundamentalist order are varied within their own ranks, ranging from metaphorical interpretations in the abstract to far more literal ideals. There are many thousands of people in the greater galaxy who bring the ideals of the Order of the Outsider down from the level of fantastic to the level of the mundane and ordinary. Focusing less of their attention on the spiritual specifics of the religion and more on the individual themes and morals crafted within them. However, it’s to be noted that for every core belief held within the Order of the Outsider, there are hundreds if not thousands of interpretations of their sacred lore with little to determine whom would be correct or otherwise. The fact of the matter is, at the heart of the Order of the Outsider, it is a faith centered around creating a moral standard so that a society can function together rather than eat each other alive.
... Common Interpretations: Many of those who have a more casual belief in the order, believe that the many of the elaborate stories spouted by the religion, such as the creation of the universe and god-like beings are more like metaphorical folk tales, each of them intricate in their own right, but are nonetheless fictional tales meant to inspire and teach moral lessons to children and adults alike.
... Those who follow these base ideals all surround a few basic foundations, the first of these is that the Order is the faith of Unity; that the galaxy would be stronger and more at peace were everyone to come together under one united banner, and that a common enemy, even in the abstract, may be required for that level of peace. Many people use terms like ‘the great disaster’ or ‘the coming enemy’ as vague terms used to describe some unknown trial in the distance, which would be great enough for the galaxy at large to need to be together as one to overcome. For, in a universe with infinite possibilities, there is an infinite chance of at least one such force existing.
... The second founding ideal, is that inaction, atrophy and entropy are the enemy at the heart of mankind in one form or another. Meaning that people should strive to achieve higher goals than the last they achieved to unlock and come into their true potential and be everything they were meant to become. Unlike the fundamentalists, many don’t think combat is the sole means to achieve this goal of personal strength and accomplishment, but it is rather more widely accepted that overcoming ones struggles and hardships counteract this ephemeral enemy.
... Thirdly, The concept of the universe once being a single centric entity is in many cases considered to be a metaphor for the celestial being before the big bang, where all its parts and energy fragmented to construct the universe.
... Finally the laws and tenants at the heart of the Order of the Outsider, to the common woman outline morals and standards that are virtuous and important in everyday life. That people are stronger together than they ever are apart, but also to endeavour that you make the collective stronger, not drag them down. That one should not dwell on ones’ failings or limitations and look to your strengths and goals. That your family are your foundation, and your ancestory is something to be proud of. And finally that every man is accountable for all of his actions, the good as well as the bad.
... The Outsider: The Outsider, by those who would casually think of him, is often thought to be a representation to be the first alien to encounter primitive human life. Many people consider it was at that time that people began to worship the nomadic entity due to his advanced technology, as many would have considered him to be godlike at that point in time. While others believe that the Outsider himself is more of a metaphorical unknown, for a long time ago in a Galaxy far away, the knowledge of the mundane has long been lost to history. Who invented the single celled battery? Who discovered electricity? Who invented the wheel? The theory of the Outsider postulates, that the spark that spurred man on the road to where they are now, was that of intervention of some kind, a simple yet kind act to otherwise savage men. However, as the entity at the heart of the faith, there is likely more varied interpretations of the Outsider’s nature and existence than any other aspect of the Order’s entire constitution.
... The Adversary: But if the Outsider represents forgotten progress, the Adversary represents the opposite. Darkness, loss, the fear of the unknown and all those forces that would pressure a man into inaction. To many, the adversary is a very real force within the heart of all people. Others believe that the Outsider and the Adversary are the same entity, but two sides of the same coin and more commonly, that the Adversary is simply a metaphor for some coming danger in a distant future… a predicted apocalyptic event that all people must unite to overcome. Whatever his interpretation, it is the greatest threat to mankind in the eyes who believe in it, however he manifests.
General:
The laws of the Order of the Outsider are few and simple to those who would perceive them, but within them is a sort of inner complexity and philosophy surrounding the nature of why the law is in place. The Order of the Outsider understand that rules and laws are a necessity to create a society which can function, however they relish their freedom, and abhor arbitrary laws of convenience or those which would cement an elite or ruling class over anything other than merit and potential. By and large, the Order of the Outsider follow four major doctrines or commandments which they hold as sacred truths or gnosis from the Outsider.
Strength Through Unity:
There is a simple truth to be learned that not every battle can be won alone, but while this tenant is about standing together against ones foes or uniting to achieve a common goal. It is not about strictly relying on one another, its about being able to be relied on. The doctrine asks the member of the Order; Are you going to make a meaningful difference in this group? If called on, will you provide aid, or simply get in the way? Together we may be strong, but we are only as strong as our weakest member...
Look to the Horizon, Never your Shadow:
The foe of any standing army is idleness, the Order above all know that well due to their loss of numbers and prestige during times of peace. While that damage may be being undone in recent times, it nevertheless highlights the danger of complacency or Entropy. This tenant reminds those that whats done is done, and it is impossible to undo what has already come to pass. The more noble path is to overcome failure, and look toward the future where you are now better prepared. But more subtly, it speaks against the concept of looking toward the light ahead of you, rather than the darkness you cast. Sometimes evil deeds or crippling decisions need to be made to reach a far grander far away goal.
Blood is Thicker than Oil:
Blood and lineage are heavy themes within the Order of the Outsider, this line determines oil to be a corruption, a taint, and that ones great and noble deeds through their lineage will always be remembered over ones failures. As there is no death, one must revere all as still alive. Also, using oil as a corrupter once again, and blood as a metaphor for kinship or brotherhood, its this tenant thats used to enforce the idea that one should not harbour hate for ones kin, especially should it lead to striking at them. The murder of another kinsman outside of a ritual arena is a grave offence, especially if theyve yet to have a child. As youre not merely killing a man, youre allowing his lineage to erode and break down into a lesser form.
Nothing Ends:
The final, and singularly most important law of them all, a term used to mourn or send off a fallen warrior, celebrate a marriage or success adding to a persons greatness. The full quote being; Nothing ends, everything is remembered. It encapsulates the idea that there is no death, only transformation. That no progress is truly meaningless or wasted. That all things in some way mark the universe be it the rewards of a great deed or the consequences of a great failure. So it is, one must act as though every deed they commit, will be remembered eternally.
General:
Rituals and celebrations of the Order of the Outsider are many and varied. From grand feasts and parties to celebrate the coming of the Outsider, to gladiatorial bouts to the death.
Celebrations:
There arent many sacred days for the Order of the outsider, each Palatine often holds a celebration of one sort or another to commemorate the day they rose to their station. There are smaller sacred days for the deaths of great palatines such as the first child of the Outsider and those who have committed great or legendary deeds. Most of all, the grandest celebrations which have always been upheld are the commemoration of the day the Outsider came to Zakuul, and one on the day he was considered to have left. Grand feasts, martial entertainment, storytelling, singing and dancing take place on those two days in particular more than any other.
The Arena:
The Sacred Arena is said to be the place where a fighter not only fights as themselves, but channels the power and lineage of their family line within them. The Order of the Outsider use the Arena for cultural rituals, mainly involving combat where warriors would channel the energy of their family line to aid them in defeating monsters or sacred beasts to resemble the adversary, all for status and glory. The act is not one solely for entertainment or strength gathering, but it is considered a ritual like any other, where movement and power would replace the words or incantations of other rituals. There are many specific techniques which are considered to have deep and meaningful significance if used in the arena as each battle often tells a deep tale about an ancestor or even potential futures. Warriors in the arena many a time have claimed to feel possessed as if they were acting at the inclination of some other will feeding more and more into the culture. Members of the honor guard often undergo battles in the sacred arena, and must have done at least one against a notable sacred beast to earn their position.
The sentencing of criminals in the Arena is also commonplace, where the culture settles many of its grievances though trials by combat in which opponents may be handicapped or advantaged based on the severity of their crimes or other outlying factors. Advantages or handicaps could involve restraints, limited to additional access to weaponry and armour or even allies to aid them in combat. Victory in the arena is always considered just, should a criminal succeed in their trial, even if handicapped greatly, they are treated as if they had done no wrong by the society.
So strong is this gladiator culture that combat skill and ability within an arena is considered sacred, an energy source and even an art form. Olympic competitions where men and women compete in speed, dexterity, strength, stamina, endurance and strategy are commonplace outside of the arena. Men and women are very seldomly separated as they compete, going head to head with men as they would themselves in any and all confrontations. These events are more done to honor past lineages than for ones own status, but pride can be a component.
The Unwalked Path:
... The unwalked path is the name of philosophy surrounding those who follow the Prophecy of the Star-haired child. The unwalked path refers to the path the Outsider took to either reach Zakuul in the beginning, or the path he took to other worlds after he left. So, those who follow the Unwalked path are those who attempt to seek out The Outsider, his origins or teachings that he had left behind to other people after he left Zakuul. While not for everyone, and many think of the Unwalked path as a dangerous quest which could divide the faith. Those who dedicate themselves to the Unwalked path are seen to be noble, taking a step into the unknown in order to become stronger and bring back knowledge so that others may become stronger in turn. The unwalked path is a path few take out of fear or a sence of alien unfamiliarity with the greater galaxy, but those who do quickly find themselves changed by the experience forever.
... The Origins of The Outsider are unclear to most, other than what the being defined itself as, its hotly disputed to whether or not the being was a god, the incarnation of the force or simply an advanced alien race that long preceded their own who used metaphors and allegories to teach a primitive people. What is known and is abundantly clear, is that the being was exceedingly powerful, capable of performing grand actions through the sheer might of its willpower, leading many to believe it had some connection to the force in one way or another. The outsider crafted the ancient deep temples that lay on the moon while upon the planet of Zakuul, engraving its knowledge upon the walls in a massive display of power which single handedly bought the army of Zakuul to its knees and assured their subservience.
... Contrary to the those who would argue that the Outsider was Tyrannical, it worked tirelessly and constantly to ensure that the people of Zakuul thought of it as little more than a teacher rather than a leader. Though it was an act of power that opened the ears of the Zakuulians, it was the later continuous acts of kindness and selflessness, healing the sick and spreading peace and unity which truly bought people under its banner. Many believers of the alien theory compare the entity to the celestial race or something similar who had been destroyed by something grander, leaving it alone to access the greater galaxy.
... While the true nature of the Outsider was considered to be supremely honest with those who worked underneath it, wise and philosophical should there have been an ulterior motive to its allegedly selfless actions. Historians assert that disputing the nature of a being that has come and gone means little considering the good it had done for their civilisation, giving them order, peace and skyrocketing their technological advancement into a golden age that had never been seen before.
... The outsider, although it has many artistic depictions, the most commonly accepted is depicted by many to be a construct of the science and machines that it gave to people. Hooded and cloaked, what skin could be seen was composed of eternally shifting and moving devices and complications, a veritable rorschach of impossible machines, steels and energy folding in on itself infinitely within a humanoid form.
The Adversary:
The Adversary as it stands, has no form to speak of, as it has never been seen by mortal eyes. A single mural found in the deepest room within the gigantic temple of the moon of Zakuul depicts the only attempt at an actual or accurate representation of the Adversary. The mural shows a massive, wraithlike being of cosmic blood and an internal nerve or circulatory structure blackened and dying within it. The only solid mass on its person in this depiction seems to be bone-like ravenous talons and what seems to be like a massive proto-avian skull it wears as a headpiece. Whether the bone like decoration is its own bone or some relic or weapon from a conquered god or titan is never defined. But even the bravest of the Order who look at the tapestry are said to have their sanity quake at the thought of the enemy they ultimately face.
Simply put, the Adversary is the one true enemy of all creation in the opinion of the Zakuulians who subscribe to the Order of the Outsider. Whether it is merely a metaphor or allegory for some grand calamity, enemy or apocalypse of another kind that a civilisation should unite to prevent is yet to be made clear. But for those who follow under the Star Haired Palatine, the Adversary is a very literal force of evil who threatens to consume the galaxy. Jedi who have managed to clear past the sacred sites and view the tapestry have thought of the Adversary to be perhaps the purest depiction of the Dark side they have ever seen, shaking even their resolve as the depiction seems to have a presence in the force, like something within it looks back at the force sensitive who observes it.
Ranks & Structure
Leadership:
Palatine:
The Palatine of the Order of the Outsider is its leader, always chosen among those who have a blood lineage to the first Palatine, or child of the outsider. Little distinguishes them from others, aside from the fact that many of them display genetic rarities at a far more common rate. Such rarities as blood which never looks oxidised, white hair, vibrant eyes of unnatural colors or unprecedented force potential. The Palatine has executive command over all areas of the order, however how that command is used often changes from Palatine to Palatine, some governing as an equal to the people, while others from a much stricter and more absolute position of power. Any given Palatine is always overseen and guided by their Heirophant and undergo a procedure where a small stone called the artifact is implanted among their nervous system at the back of the neck. The artifact is known to give visions to the palatine, and hold some manner of the knowledge and learning of the Palatines who had it implanted before. Working very similar in theory to genetic memory on some level. In the stories of the Arena, the Palatine is often considered to represent the Outsider.
Heirophant:
The Heirophant is the former master of the Palatine when they were but an apostle and have absolutely no political power to command or order anyone within the Order, even with the express permission of the Palatine herself. An effort to stave off corruption. It is the duty of the Heirophant to seek out apostles for the Palatine so that they could succeed her should she fall and continue the faith, as well as choose the masters who would see to each of them and guide them so that they would be ready for their trials. Should the Heirophant grace the Arena, he is considered to represent Destiny's’ hand.
Apostles:
Apostles are those found to be the next in line for the role of Palatine, they can be the children of the Palatine or related distantly, so long as they bear a genetic marker of the Outsider in some form. Its up to the Heirophant to judge whether or not an applicant has the right to become an Apostle to the Palatine or not. Apostles are considered reincarnations of the Child of the outsider, and as they come to power they are trialed by combat in the sacred arena, a ritual titled; the merging. Apostles enter combat until there is but one left standing. Its believed that the survivor of the trial is the rightful incarnation of the palatine, and takes on the lineage of the others who had broken it apart. Within the Arena, Apostles are considered to represent the first chosen of the Outsider, or great heroes/ past palatines depicted within the faith.
High Almoner:
A lesser known and not as renown position within the Order, The High Almoner is a librarian of sorts. The duties of the High Almoner include sifting through relics, knowledge and technology in the hope of aiding the Order to develop to a higher level of technological advancement or cosmic understanding. Often stationed on the Temple moon above Zakuul, the High Almoner leads tradesmen specialising in language, engineering philosophy and more with the intend of putting any word discovered to the most practical use... those who serve and work under the High Almoner often have advanced technologies on their person, from weapons which are considered holy relics due to their Origin leading back to the Outsiders knowledge. Should the High Almoner enter the Arena, he represents the former Emperor of Zakuul, who rallied against the outsider.
Arch Chaplain:
The Arch-Chaplain is one of the two major military commanders aside from the Palatine, governing over the chaplaincy, the only elite group to rival that of the honor-guard. It is the sworn duty of the Arch-Chaplain to uphold traditions and the culture that they had developed. Unlike the Grand-Master, the Arch-Chaplain is more of a spiritual figure, the master of ceremonies, rituals and most importantly the arena. The Arch-Chaplain and his men are forged through gaining honors in the arena in the truest expression of overcoming monsters in great dances telling stories of reported other gods who fought valiantly against the Adversary, some winning, many losing. Within the Arena, the Arch Chaplain represents none other than the adversary himself, it is in his battles that the crowds often find themselves cheering for the monsters… inverting the meaning of the duels.
Grand-Master:
The Grand-Master of the Sect is the military leader who commands the cells on the ground, usually chosen for his capacity for brilliant tactical abilities more than his own combative ability, though they tend to go hand in hand with one another. The Grand-Master is in direct command of the Legatine forces underneath the Palatine and is considered to have an equal voice to the Palatine in times of combat. The Grand-Master has a duty to his or her men to train them in a manner that would see them survive and recruit those from the citizenry for manditory service as a Legatine. The Grand-Master represents a general who struck a blow to the Outsider when they rallied against him, though the blow meant little to the outer being, many consider this to be the mark that had the Outsider deem the people of Zakuul worthy of his teachings. The Grand-Master can also assume the roles of other Heroes or gods who fought against the Adversary.
Ranks:
Honor Guard:
The high-elite of the Legatines who have distinguished themselves or shown themselves to be the greatest warriors in the Order are recruited by the Palatine herself into the Honor-guard. Members of the Honor Guard are only commanded by the Palatine herself, and much like the Apostles, are trained under her guidance in tactics, advanced weaponry and combat skills so that they may accompany the Palatine on many of their missions. To be chosen for the guard or even to train with them is considered one of the greater privileges that a soldier can hope to attain. The Honor-guard in the Arena take the roll of benevolent beings of power and skill, the narrative often constructed around their equipment.
Chaplaincy:
The Chaplaincy similarly to the Honor Guard is an exclusive order which hire its men directly from Legatines that take trials in the sacred arena. Learning the dances and sacred significance of battles against certain monsters or men, and what they represent based on the arena layout as well as their potential equipment to ultimately become the judges of their faith. The Chaplaincy uphold law and order within other groups within the faith, oversee battles in the arena and ultimately, only take their orders from the Palatine and the Arch-Chaplain. Chaplains of the Order of the Outsider are assigned to most squads, even within the Honor-Guard at appropriate skill levels in order to act as a pillar for morale and uphold sacred doctrine and law within the groups. Chaplains are easily seen within any group due to their more ceremonial appearance and fancified equipment, but they are never to be underestimated. Each and every one of them has toppled monsters. The Chaplaincy within the arena take on the role of villains in almost every case, and even monsters in some.
Praeteans:
The Praeteans are the names of the venerable commanders within the Legatine forces, named and honored heroes, veterans in combat and in the arena. While its considered to be the greatest, most prestigious, pious or talented who are drafted into the Honor-Guard or the Chaplaincy, it is the most loyal who take the roles of Praeteans within the army. With wills of iron they are forces to be reckoned with on any battlefield they are sent into. Praeteans wihin the arena take on the roll of commanders of the military, often supporting rolls to major figures who are deemed to be skillful or great on some level.
Legatines:
Every army has its main body, and the Legatines are just that. As a mandatory custom for those within the Order, when a child comes to bodily age, often 15 for men or 17 for women, they are recruited into the Legatines for service, there they are given their education on faith, classics, skills trades and combat. Early Initiates are not conscripted for combat until they are older, ensuring that most if any are no longer green by the time they would. The Legatines undergo trials in the sacred arena, though they are entirely optional either for their own spiritual reason or to attempt to attain a position in the Chaplainry. Life in the Legatines is not all about combat, it is about gaining experience to become a pillar of any community, much like a university of war. Those who retire or are wounded to a point they can no longer serve, move to become Tradesmen. Within the Arena Legatines represent youth and brashness, they are often considered the underdogs in stories they play out. They are spirited men, green in the art of war seeking to prove themselves. Underdogs each and every one, who carve their own stories out as they do the characters they play. Of these rolls, the hardest is playing the fool, foolish or unintelligent or undermined characters who earn very little renown with a single performance, though few Legatines have made their livelihoods and become chaplains by taking on the downtrodden mantle.
Tradesmen:
Unlike many cultures, Tradesmen are not to be confused with a peasentry. Tradesmen, either through honorable discharge through deeds of great merit, or being wounded in battle, are an honored position that many men earn their way into. Because of the cultural stress on reincarnation, Trademen are in a time of rest where they can continue to work for their community and aid in production, building, learning etcetera at leisure and seldom through necessity. Its thought that after earning great rewards in battle or making great achieve, the individual has created the groundwork to achieve even greater heights in the next life, but first must prepare. Without the tradesmen, society would not function, so it is often the young soldiers who applaud the farmers when they return from the crops, not the farmers applauding the soldiers returning from battle. Tradesmen within the Arena should they enter it, always take on a venerable roll, whatever it may be. It may be the reenactment of a role they once played while they served in the military or that of a grand strategist, philosopher or wise man. But always they are honorable positions worthy of respect and admiration.
Equipment and Technology
The domestic technology of the order of Zakuul and the Order of the Outsider are somewhat up to date with a lot of the rest of the galaxy when it comes to certain areas. Their ability to cultivate crops with the use of green-houses and hydroponics are fairly advanced. This allows them to keep up with their wildly fluctuating and growing population centers. Domestic Vehicles like the rest of the galaxy upon the planet’s surface are a variety of speeders which utilize the same repulsorlift technology as the rest of the world. The advantages which hovering transport presented in transport allowed them to travel with some relative haste across the uneven ground of the forests and swamps of Zakuul and its moons. The advancement single handedly revolutionized transport overnight.
Medical Technology on Zakuul is often in the form of dosed localized sprays administered under the tongue if it’s to be consumed or to afflicted areas rather than balms, pills, syrups and other means of administration. However, while the methods of administration are somewhat basic yet advancing, the chemicals that are used are largely all natural. Herbal or natural remedies have for the longest time been considered the most effective within the order and on Zakuul and little has been done to change that simply because of how well it has worked for their people over the years.
When it comes to space travel, the people of Zakuul have yet to develop the hypermatter drive required for hyperspace travel on their planet. Though that is not to say that they do not have access to galactic flight. Through the purchase of other ships through traders and others they have a wide array of access to basic freighters such as the Oceansprey and others which the galaxy at large are able to purchase.
Quite unlike the domestic technology, Military Technology on Zakuul is less advanced, though they’ve had many wars, they have largely been fought with slug throwers and vibroblade variants as well as what little blaster technology had been recovered from other races on the planet. However, the idea of a ‘zakuulian blaster’ was not something that had come to fruition until very recently upon the planet. It was within the last hundred years that blasters and plasma based weapons began to be made to be able to penetrate the metallic armour of their enemies and finally be on par with the rest of the world. Though, the rudimentary blasters of the world appear to be far more similar in nature to that of bowcasters than advanced blasters save for additional quirks. Unlike the armour of the Order, weapons are far less symbolic outside of events such as the arena. Though there are exceptions to the rule in the higher echelons of the Order, there is no ‘strict’ uniform amongst equipment, so long as a soldier earns their wargear, at any rank, they are able to don it. Regardless of the normal process or implications.
While armour is somewhat standard, they’re known to integrate some amount of weapons and armaments into the suits which differ from soldier to soldier. Armour in the Order of the Outsider is usually an identifier of rank and importance. The armours of the Legatines are often spartan, though still uniform when it comes to physical protection and colors. While the armours of the Honor-Guard, though similar are far more ornate, depicting their position as important. The Chaplains likewise stand out from the crowd, their heavy armour a symbol of strength to those around them as they are expected to train and battle powerful opponents in an armour which weighs approximately a third of their overall body-weight. One would never see a soldier wearing an armour that was mis-matched from their position in the order, as the armour itself has great social meaning within festivals and the storytelling medium of the arena. Legatines often representing soldiers or the underdogs in any fight, great youths representing strength. While, in contrast, the Arch Chaplains armour, is a direct representation of The Adversary within the Arena, compared to the Palatine being the Outsider himself.
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