T H E U N I V E R S E
LORE AND LYRICS
AQUILEGIA IN PERIL
"THE END OF A STORY"
This is the end of a story
One filled with prowess, triumph and divine magic
For even the greatest of stories must succumb to the insurmountable power of time
So too, must Aquilegia fall
And yet the brave people of cold stand their ground,
swearing to do so until there is no more ground to stand upon
Thus allowing their great leader to escape
DEPARTURE
"A LIFE LIVED IN CHAINS, A DEATH MET UNBOUND"
After the first attack, waves after waves of enemies kept on flowing through the massive vortex opened up in the Aquilegian skies. But after almost a full day of endless barrages, the waves suddenly stopped coming. This gave some much needed time for the defenders to gather their ranks.
Right then and there, Rahqel denounces her faith, suggesting the others do the same. She claims they are better off without a misguiding and incapable god, even if it means travelling through the realms of death in darkness. She takes one last look into the skies, where just a few hours ago his beloved brother was sent, and cursed the day she let his faith lead her into this predicament.
Stuck in a dying planet, in an overtaken solar system, with a rag-tag group of soldiers left to defend a legacy once so grand, against a seemingly insurmountable force she decides that she will no longer live or die for no one or nothing else but her own glory. Suddenly the skies turn bright-white, engulfing the horizon in a blinding light.
ADMOREAN MONOLITH
"ADMORE EITER, ADMOREA STRUMER"
Since the beginning of their society, Aquilegians have mined a strange mineral found through out the planet. This mysterious resource seems to be able to capture the energy of the stars, giving access to the secrets of the cosmos. Some areas are more dense with the substance than others, especially the northernmost part of the planet having the largest concentrations, with the pinnacle being a massive natural monolith consisting of this mineral.
Due to this magical monument being so instrumental, the area it's located in got the name "Admorea", an ancient Aquilegian term roughly translating as "Everything, everywhere". The enormous monolith stands as the religious and cultural icon for Aquilegia, an effigy to their legendary undertakings in both technology and agriculture. At the base of it, a festival is held at the end of The Great Pilgrimage. During this event a convoy is formed on the opposite side of Admorea, where a new effigy is constructed, which they then drag through the insurmountably harsh landscape of the deep north, all the way to the massive monolith.
The effigies are then swapped and a grand festival is held to bless the upcoming eon. However, when the parade arrives at the sight of the holy stone, something seems off about the monolith. This causes great distress in the society, and inspires great deal of prophesies to be made regarding the future of Aquilegia.
​
AS WAS SEEN BY AUGURERS
"A MOTHER'S SACRIFICE"
Rumors regarding the curse of Admorea begun spreading. While augurs have always been a integral part of Aquilegian culture, this specific event seemed to have inspired more epiphanies than any other historical occurrence. This caused the then-government to become suspicious towards auguring in general, leading to the eventual downfall of the Sages Court as it had been known through-out history, reducing it to a mere formality in government.
One of the more credible prophesies however, was written into a collection of auspices authored by a well respected member of the Sages Court. Dubbed "The Book Of Kings", it was a highly valued piece of information in court.
Following the events at the Admorean Monolith however, his visions became more vague and distressing in nature and also seemed to revolve around a specific Great Leader instead. His health also begun rapidly deteriorating, leading to his untimely demise. His final auspice was ominously called "The Warning" which, in short, consisted of nonsensical ramblings about vortexes in the sky, and a strange sentiment of this Great Leader being the last of his kind. This, in addition to the Sages Court loosing its general credibility, caused The Book Of Kings to loose its value and eventually become forgotten by all but those most gifted in the arcane arts of augury.
SHIMMERING, PULSING GLOW
"THE SHADOW TO THE BRIGHTEST FLAME"
First there was nothing
A crushing pressure of inexistence
And then the first light came Cutting through the all encompassing
Evermurk leaving nothing but shreds behind
But even a single shred of immortal darkness can possess the power to call upon those in the shadows Such is the destiny of a tiny shred planted inside the Monolith of Admorea
Signaling the reavers with its shimmering, pulsing glow
Calling the name of their darkness inducing father
EVERMURK
"DARKNESS HAS BEGUN IT'S REIGN"
While there's a plethora of different deities in the universe, not all of them are created equal. Starting from little known demigods and ending in the architect behind the creation of everything, the pantheon is too large for any mortal being to possibly comprehend. Especially when it comes to the upper echelon of godhood, it is simply too much to grasp for even the most advanced civilisations.
This may be why the Aquilegians, despite being exceptionally in tune with the cosmos, have seemingly misinterpreted the dark energy felt beyond their skies as the "father", a name given to what they believe to be the god of death, bringing the chariots of death to any Aquilegian deemed deserving of a divine escort into the afterlife.
While technically not wrong as of where it will eventually take them, the Evermurk is not a divine chariot sent to them by a benevolent god of death, but rather a senseless hivemind consisting of all the civilisations it has ensnared within itself.
​
REAVERS MARCH
"THE TIME HAS COME FOR ME TO EARN MY EXISTENCE"
The collectors moved into formation, aligning themselves in a specific way so that the sonic waves emitted from the ancient one could be maximally enhanced. "This will be the one", they thought in unison. A massive explosion occurred in the dead of space, as they finally managed to tear open the first layer. Swirling around the orifice, the photonic remnants of what used to be a glorious star ran their last lap before fading to black. In a somber glow they died off as the reavers watched them shimmer in and out of existence.
Once there was nothing but darkness surrounding the vortex, the first scouting mission into the luminous sector begun. Small bands of Shardbearers were sent through, with a mission to burrow into the brightest areas of the sector and to stay there in hibernation. In their slumber they would send out a weak signal to match the frequency of the vortex they came through. Once the signal reaches the ancient one, they would know where the reavers should go, to prepare for the arrival of the ever growing murk that spreads through the cosmos.
EPHEMERAL STREAM
"THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING"
What an agonizing state of existence it must be. Trapped in a loop of neverending death and reincarnation, all alone as the sole particle. As the ephemeral rivers of time carry the particle around, it gained sentience. It decides not existing at all is a better faith than being chained to this torturous limbo. But with nothing else around, there can be nothing to free it from its shackles.
It looked outwards from the ephemeral streams, seeing nothing but darkness. "This darkness is my son" it decided. Then it looked inwards, to the blinding light that stemmed from within itself. "This glimmer shall be my daughter" it added, creating the first two entities to ever exist.
I grant you, my son, all the knowledge I have of the darkness surrounding the rivers of time. The sound of the ephemeral streams. The veil which covers all. I grant you, my daughter, all the knowledge of the light that shines through me. The wisdom to find your path. The sword that breaks the dawn.
These two shall rule their domains, and do with them as they please. To forever grow, until one day one will became all. Perhaps then I will be no more. Perhaps then I will become free.
EMANCIPATION
"END MY LONG WAIT, MY MIGHTY DESCENT"
After the Architect was done creating, there was one more thing it needed to do. It decided to give sovereignty to his offspring. Sovereignty and sentience. With this sentience, they received the power to create beings in their image, much like their creator had created them. And just like their creator had given them all the knowledge it had, they could only give their offspring what they knew. This was to become the first cosmic law of the universe: To be is to know.
As its last act, the Architect decided to let go of its own powers of creation, thus forfeiting its ability to alter the course its offspring will take. And so, the Architect succumbed to the whims of the ephemeral streams, becoming one with time, becoming the one who knows.
I am one with time. I am the one who knows.
KEEPERS OF THE STARS
"NIGHTFALL HAS COME"
"This is the moment I was born for. This is the pinnacle of my destiny. Everything we are, everything we will become, it all comes down to this battle. All these people are here because they believe in me. Because they believe in the love of our mother. I will not let you down. One way or another, I will save Aquilegia."
As Olgrim stepped on the pedestal to have his speech, the crowd erupted into a frenzy. They really loved him, trusted him. Rahqel stood tall in the back as her beloved brother spoke to the masses. They are ready, she could tell it. Ready to die for a cause much bigger than any of themselves. In that moment Rahqel was the proudest she's ever been.
Then a strange feeling filled her head. As if all the light in the world focused into a singular beam and pierced her head. She felt anxious, and couldn't move. This is exactly what Olgrim has always described what his seizures felt like. "It can't be, I don't have the sight!" She exclaimed, now terrified. But no one heard her exclaims.
EMPRESS
"THE MOTHER OF FIRE"
While the Aquilegians might be the most well known civilisation in their sector,
others also inhabit the near vicinity. One of these civilisations, known as the
Hlyddar, also recognize the gods known in the Aquilegian ethos, primarily the
gods of light and darkness, life and death.
​
They do have a slightly different apporach to interpreting them however; Where
the Aquilegians see the two eternal gods as rivals to each others, both existing
simultaneously in the same plane, The Hlyddar, only see one god in charge of
each plane of existence.
​
According to them, this realm is ruled by The Empress, who is in charge of both
igniting and extinguishing the flame of life. So while she is to thank for getting
to exist in the first place, she is most importantly to be feared as she is both
the judge and the jury to whatever sins one might commit.
At least according to the Hlyddar.
​
LAST LINE OF DEFENCE
"A DIVINE INTERVENTION"
"We are the last line of defence. What happens in the next few moments will define the future of our world. We, the sons and daughters of Aquilegia. Wardens of the Admorean Monolith. We will not stand down, until every last one of us dies."
Those were the last words uttered by Olgrim, the Great Leader of the people of cold. Just moments before the reavers launched their most devastating attack. One that would wipe out all living things from the face of the planet.
However, as a fall back option, the Aquilegians had devised a plan to keep their legacy alive long after they themselves are gone. They would send their Great Leader away with all their collective knowledge, in hopes that he would land somewhere safe to start rebuilding. So when the skies were torn by the colossal vortex, and the reavers begun charging through, the Aquilegian warriors prepared to fulfill their destinies. Olgrim bid his beloved twin his farewell, as she stayed behind to sound the warhorns.
GALACTIC ORDER
"SOUND THE HORNS"
Olgrim was so focused into his speech and the crowd so enticed by him, that no one
noticed Rahqel, as she writhed on the floor in pain. Then as suddenly as it begun,
the seizure ended, giving Rahqel a vision. In this vision, there was what seemed
to be trillions of soldiers, flowing into a vortex.
​
When she came to, Olgrim was about to finish his speech. Above the cheering crowd,
a vortex had appeared, just like the one in Rahqels vision. The violent shaking of
the ground and the thunderous noises above were enough to finally interrupt the
mass.
​
Knowing the amount of enemies attacking them would be millions of times more than
they could handle, Rahqel ran to Olgrim and told him what she saw, and that he
would have to leave immediately. Before Olgrim had time to protest, the first waves
started pouring through the vortex.
​
Massive explosions ensued, and panic spread through Aquilegian ranks. Olgrim
realized his sister was right, this is not a fight they could win. Begrudgingly
he waved Rahqel goodbye and approached the chariot which was to launch him away,
into the cold, dark space.
​
EQUINOX
"THE CHARIOTS OF DUSK AND DAWN"
The air is running thin, the whirring of the machinery has died down and it is pitch black everywhere. Only a days length has passed since Olgrim took off, so something's wrong. His chariot was outfitted with the clearest high-grade crystals and should not face power related shortages anywhere in the luminous sector. And yet, here he is, stranded in space, running out of air to breathe.
The sole window at the front of his chariot had been facing the dead space for the majority of his journey, but a subtle solar wind managed to reach him, causing the chariot to turn around. What Olgrim saw from the window explained the predicament he was in:
The Aquilegian sun was covered by a massive veil of darkness, thus inhibiting his chariot from getting its energy. The very next thing he saw was his home planet, swarmed by the same dark mass.
Olgrim is trapped. Forced to stare into an apocalyptic chaos, watching everything he ever knew or loved, be destroyed by this dark mass. Feeling like he betrayed his kin, Olgrim falls into a state of despair, praying for their matron god to save them.
Maddened by sorrow and the nearly unbreathable air, he started experiencing hallucinations. He felt surten these hallucinations were a message from deep within their sun. But before he could interpret the messages further the skies turn bright-white, engulfing the horizon in a blinding light.