Honkai: Star Rail
Description
Based on the game
Entry
People know very little about the mysterious existence that dwells in the vast stellar seas. With the limitation of knowledge, intelligent lifeforms can only faintly discern that Aeons tread upon paths imperceptible to mortal beings and execute unfathomable powers via some form of belief. In the end, the Aeons became an embodiment of highly condensed concepts of philosophy through the word of mouth spread of their legends.
If anyone finds themselves treading on the Path of an Aeon, they will be inundated by a distant sensation, like being struck by a gaze from light-years across the cosmos. Many believe that this is the only connection the Aeons and mortals can ever have.
They call them, “Aeons” in this cosmos. They construct reality, erase stars, and leave their marks on countless worlds. Together with your companions, you’ll travel across the cosmos on the Astral Express, following the path once traveled by the Aeons. From here, you will explore new civilizations, meet new comrades, and begin new adventures among countless fantastical worlds. All the answers you seek will be uncovered among the stars.
The birth of an Aeon gives rise to a Path, which the Aeon then has power over. Aeons also have the ability to bestow access to THEIR power, making a mortal an Emanator of THEIR Path. Aeons can only operate according to THEIR “Primum Mobile” in such that THEY are incapable of doing anything contrary to THEIR Path. The gazes of the Aeons can be felt by those that have been gazed, and a few consider their gazes as a blessing.
Mortality
According to Kafka, there are three known ways for an Aeon to die. She escapes before she can say the third.
Through the collision of Paths stemming from overlapping concepts. — This is how Ena was assimilated by Xipe, in a process Herta compares to a “survival of the fittest”. However, there have examples of “similar” Paths co-existing for different lengths of time, such as the Preservation with the Remembrance, and the Abundance with the Propagation.
An Aeon killing another Aeon. — While she used Tayzzyronth as an example, it is later revealed that Tayzzyronth was merely sealed in amber and imprisoned, therefore disproving this method.
Appearance
The forms of the Aeons that is visible to the mortal eye are assumed to be THEIR projection from a higher-dimensional plane. This is further supported in Dan Shu’s diary when she describes how Lan “descended onto the physical plane,” which suggests that Lan had not been present in the mortal realm until THEY were summoned by distress signal sent by the previous Yuque’s Master Diviner.
Categories
The Xianzhou’s Divination Commission sorts Aeons into three categories:
“The Arbiters” — who determine mortal births and deaths, and are highly connected to the rise and fall of civilizations. Lan and Qlipoth are among these.
“The Sacrosancts” — who are difficult to predict as good or evil, with THEIR ultimate destinations often unknowable. Nous, Akivili, Aha, and Idrila are among these.
“The Authors of Calamity” — who are the main culprit behind all disasters. Yaoshi, Nanook, and Tayzzyronth are among these.
Pathstriders with power directly granted by the Aeons. They are incomparably more powerful than mere mortals. They are typically enforcers of Aeons’ wills.
An Emanator is a term referring to those who have attained the permission of an Aeon to draw power from the Aeon’s Path.
If mortals receiving the grace of Aeons and grasping the power of Paths are viewed as a singular shattered foam, then the mighty feats of Aeons driving their Paths onwards can be likened to a towering tsunami that engulfs mountains. In this empty stellar vastness, a small number of favored mortals can also draw upon the power of the Paths with the permission of the Aeons, creating huge waves that erode the coast. They are referred to as “Emanators.” While not completely subservient to the Aeons, Emanators are as good as emissaries of the Aeons’ wills in everyone else’s eyes.
Different Aeons have different attitudes towards their Emanators, so the degree of the power they share also varies. Some Aeons regard Emanators as an extension of themselves, and as such, generously open their Path to the Emanators completely. There are also Aeons who have no intention of creating Emanators and have no interest in worldly squabbles. Other Aeons just do as they please. It is said that Aha the Elation will randomly give mortals the power of their Path, and toy with humans according to their mood.
The Wingweavers allot their positions in Muldrasil strictly according to their social structure. The one residing at the topmost branch is the master of the holy celestine nest, the Wingperor of the wingweavers. Traditionally, he (or she) is considered an Emanator of Abundance. They are responsible for guiding Muldrasil’s growth and making it thrive, and for nurturing all the winged people.
Lord Ravagers are selected by Nanook among those sprouting destructive impulses from worlds THEY have destroyed and brands them with a mark, granting them powers. These powerful beings obey the will of Nanook or even relish the path of Destruction. A Lord Ravager is an executor of the will of Destruction, and they implement the practice of returning all things to entropy. They command interstellar warfare, and control the might of Destruction bestowed by the Aeon. Academics believe that Lord Ravagers were elevated as emissaries of Nanook due to this absolutely obsessive and intense destructive aesthetic.
Aha has no sense of self-consciousness, is utterly unpredictable, does everything on a whim, and plays mortals and the universe like a fiddle. Aha once turned a Noblesse Worm into THEIR Emanator and granted the worm fathomless intelligence. The Elation gave the entirety of THEIR Path’s power to a worm that didn’t even have a fully developed brain, and then discarded the creature once it had outlived its purpose. Without the Aeon’s blessing, the worm died instantly and tragically. There is also an Emanator of Elation who is said to bear a resemblance to “those clowns”, likely referring to the Masked Fools.
HooH and THEIR Emanators influence the universe surreptitiously, trying to achieve an ideal balance. The Arbitrators admired HooH’s ideas. But universal laws have no control over time and space, and mortals can only pursue the beauty of Equilibrium in a secular world by the elimination of radical extremes: with countless opposing concepts were created and interpreted to satisfy the Arbitrators’ obsession with a zero-sum universe. But the rules of mortals are always riddled with flaws. Out of desperation, the Arbitrators were constantly forced over the inexorable passage of time to patch up past fallacies and mistakes, forever shifting the hopes of Equilibrium onto the next “patch.” HooH watches on in silence, knowing that the restoration of order could never be shaken in the slightest by such vulgar mortal drama.
The concept of Harmonic Strings is defined in the Harmony Hymns — They are the multiple embodiments of Xipe the Great One, the down-to-earth virtues that enable harmony. Regardless of whether you place yourself under The Family’s rule, the Aeon will look favorably upon you as long as you carry out these good deeds. Harmonic Strings do not follow any specific individual but are facets of Xipe, and can assume the form of any Family member when necessary. Family members have returned to a system of differentiation based on scales, with only those above scale degree IV being eligible to serve as the tuner of the Harmonic Strings, such individuals are called Chordmasters.
Due to IX’s complete apathy towards the universe, THEY never glance at anyone, so it is a common belief that it is impossible for Emanators of Nihility to exist. However, Emanators of Nihility do exist, although IX does not deliberately create them. IX takes no deliberate actions, but IX and the Path of Nihility envelop everyone equally, and some who have gone under IX’s “shadow” can become “tainted” with more Nihility, becoming Emanators and Self-Annihilators.
As the largest financial body of the cosmos and a disciple of Qlipoth, the Amber Lord, most believe that the Preservation’s Emanators exist within the IPC. However, according to the Astral Express’ current databank intel, only two Emanators of Preservation are confirmed. The Ten Stonehearts are an elite team led by Diamond of the Strategic Investment Department, who were each personally selected by him and conferred the name and status of a “Cornerstone.
An Emanator’s mandibles were directly inherited from Tayzzyronth, its death ray could fragment celestial bodies, it used its giant scythes to harvest planets for its nest, and it made shattered stars incubators for procreating offspring. An Emanator of Propagation was described as “primitive and pure” in contrast to other Emanators, likely due to belonging to The Swarm.
There is evidence that History Fictionologists are a group of Emanators that were enlightened by Aeons. They often plunge into the sea of stars alone, traveling planet to planet with the sole purpose of fabricating, obscuring, destroying, and erasing the local history. However, their Data Bank entry has been edited and the veracity of its information is ambiguous. Emanators of the Enigmata would also be capable of creating dreamscapes from memoria.
The Generals who command each Xianzhou ship, along with the Marshal of the Alliance, take up arms themselves, embarking on the irrevocable path of pursuit and becoming the sharp arrows of the Reignbow. The Seven Arbiter-Generals possess formidable spirits bestowed by Lan and wield great power.
The Vidyadhara, also known as Long’s Scions, are a humanoid long-life species with draconic features descended from Long, the deceased Aeon of Permanence. They are primarily found within the Xianzhou Alliance.
Biology
A Vidyadhara’s most telling and distinctive feature is their pointed, sharp ears. A long-life species, Vidyadhara molt after living for six or seven hundred years, repairing their bodies, then hatching anew from pearl-like eggs with their past memories gone. Powdered hatching rebirth eggshells can be used for medicinal purposes. Injuries may also prematurely trigger the process of hatching rebirth. Vidyadhara typically go to Scalegorge Waterscape for the self-reincarnating process. There, Vidyadhara Pearlkeepers will assist and protect their newly-reborn kin. Pearlkeeper teams may have members that specialize in combat, cloudhymn, and egg-nurturing. The Xianzhou Fanghu occasionally sends inspectors to check on the condition of Scalegorge Waterscape. Once born, a teacher is assigned to instruct young Vidyadhara in the art of cloudhymn and various life skills.
There may be certain disorders or diseases that affect the hatching rebirth cycle, such as Jinyu’s condition, which causes her growth to be a hundred times faster than a normal Vidyadhara and undergoes her cycle of hatching rebirth every few months. Bailu states that this is an extremely rare, one-in-a-million condition that she is unfortunately unable to treat. Another such condition is Everdream Syndrome, which is caused by inefficient energy conversion during the hatching rebirth period. This syndrome once caused a female Vidyadhara patient to enter a comatose state for 100 to 150 years after her hatching rebirth, requiring her to take lifelong qi-supplementing medication. Only upon her next hatching rebirth could the results of the treatment be observed. The actor Shiyun mentions being unable to grow past a child form, possibly meaning he possesses a similar, though inverted, condition to Jinyu.
It is possible that Vidyadhara may be born any sex regardless of whether their previous incarnation was male or female. Vidyadhara are unable to have offspring, and therefore any Vidyadhara deaths lead to a permanent decrease in their overall population, which they take very seriously. However, this also means the Sky-Faring Commission’s travel reviewers are fairly lenient on them, which allows Vidyadhara many opportunities to travel to other worlds compared to the other two long-life races, as they cannot uncontrollably propagate like Xianzhou Natives and Foxians might. Their life cycle relies upon continuous cellular transdifferentiation. This is the reason why Vidyadharas do not face the ailments of immortality, namely mara, that many other long-life species have to contend with.
Some Vidyadhara like Ling Jie or the Sad Woman leave diaries, information, or heirlooms for their next incarnations to inherit, while others like Jinyu prefer not to. Vidyadhara who wish to leave personal belongings for their next incarnation can do so with hatching rebirth managers like Lingling. However, many newly reborn Vidyadhara are unable to identify sentimental items belonging to their past selves, and any discarded items are often resold as trinkets.
Foxians are a humanoid long-life species with vulpine features, primarily found within the Xianzhou Alliance. Born with keen senses, great dexterity, and a natural sense of eloquence and shrewdness, many Foxians become Starskiff pilots or end up maintaining Xianzhou’s trade networks. The Xianzhou have a common saying that goes, “Foxians are born to do business.”
Foxians are identifiable by their fox-like ears protruding from atop their heads. Most Foxians have fluffy tails of varying thickness while a few like Yuan and Feixiao have none. Yuan considers this a genetic disadvantages though it doesn’t affect their daily lives. Foxians are said to be synonymous with the quick and the agile. They have lightning-fast reflexes and keen senses, and juvenile Foxians often have cheeky, playful personalities. Despite lacking the Borisin’s constant mutating and transforming bodies, they possess keen adaptability and wit. Foxians can pick up the scent of borisins from extensive distances.
Lifespan
Foxians have a lifespan of 250-450 years. The median age of natural death for Foxians is 307 years, making them relatively short-lived compared to the other species that inhabit the Xianzhou. Similar to canids, chocolate is toxic to Foxians and will make them sick should they consume it.
During the vast majority of a Foxian’s life, a large number of all-powerful stem cells are stored in numerous organs of their body. These all-powerful stem cells will continuously repair the physical body of Foxians, allowing aging and damage to be healed in a short period of time. Until a few years before their end of life, the number of these all-powerful stem cells gradually decreases, but still remains sufficient to maintain their ageless appearance. Between 250 to 450 years, the median age being 307 years, these all-powerful stem cells come to a complete halt and lose their ability to divide freely.
What ensues is a death that comes with multiple organ failure. Natural death comes quickly, with patients often dying within 3 to 4 days after the all-powerful stem cells have lost their ability to divide. The good thing is that most Foxians are prepared for the various age-related diseases that begin to develop in their organs, so it is typically not too late to prepare for the aftermath. Although Foxians typically do not succumb to mara because of their shorter lifespans, they are still susceptible to it through unnatural means, such as the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus’ medicinal pellets.
Pheromones
Foxian pheromones can be used to create controllable illusions in Butterfly Immersia and is the base of Foxian magic, and Butterfly Immersia is even said to be a cultural relic of Xianzhou Foxians.
Moon Rage
The ability to shapeshift (known as “Moon Rage” by the borisin, whom they share a common ancestor with) has been observed very rarely in some Foxians, apart from the Foxians of the Yaoqing, who are said to be genetically similar to the borisin. It may be due to the fact that foxian warriors of the Verdant Knights often rescued worlds ruled by the borisin. These foxians born in “fallen territories” have mixed bloodlines, occasionally producing individuals exhibiting atavistic mutations. Although the war slaves possessed strength and speed comparable to the borisin, their mutations also depleted their life and sanity. Shapeshifting is accompanied by intense hyperplasia of the bone and muscle structure, such as a protruded snout and jawline, and the twisting in of the foot structure.
Despite their phylogenetic relationship with borisins, when the entire liver of a Foxian is completely removed, there has never been a record of a Foxian turning into a “cancerous mass” as is the case with borisin. Foxian stem cells are not generated in the liver, but gather there for some reason, and their regeneration rate slows down if the liver is removed. The wingweaver Xili implied that the Zhuming Foxians look similar to borisin. A Foxian that took pills from a Disciples of Sanctus Medicus transformed into a werewolf before being apprehended by Xueyi.
The nurturer of all beings and the Aeon of paradise. THEIR aim is the continual proliferation of life.
Yaoshi presides over the Path of Abundance and is the sworn enemy of Lan, Aeon of The Hunt.
Yaoshi’s benevolent nature led THEM to grant THEIR blessing upon anyone who seeks immortality. However, the consequences of these blessings often result in a fate worse than death.
Appearance
Yaoshi is described as a figure with six arms and a scorpion-like hooked tail, along with hair similar to that of a magpie’s feather in the Simulated Universe. THEY have antlers resembling branches sprouting from THEIR head and slits of red eyes with black sclera on parts of THEIR body.
Yaoshi is described wielding a staff in Foxian culture.
Swarm Disaster
The Aeon of Abundance did not exist at the time of the Swarm Disaster.
Xianzhou Alliance
The Xianzhou Alliance, a fleet of nine ships, embarked on a Lone Voyage to seek out Yaoshi for immortality. After finding Yaoshi, the Xianzhou Luofu was gifted with the Ambrosial Arbor, a giant tree that took root on the ship. The ancestors of the Luofu people ate its fruits and became a long-life species. However, this came with a heavy price. What followed was population expansion and diminishing resources. Other beings attacked the Xianzhou to take their sacred artifact and countless atrocities were commited. Those who survived the war realized they were susceptible to “Mara,” a condition long-life species suffer, turning them into “Beasts.” They began to resent it. Other plaguemarks, also known as Traces of Abundance, include the Lunar Embryo on the Yaoqing, the Primordial Flame on the Zhuming, the Miniature Myriads on the Fanghu, and the Fallow Earth on the Yuque. According to Sushang, the Yaoqing’s plaguemark is a moon. Five High Elders of the Vidyadhara descended to keep watch over the plaguemarks.
Disciples of Sanctus Medicus
The Disciples of Sanctus Medicus continued to worship Yaoshi as other Aeons like Qlipoth the Preservation, known as the Firmamend Arbiter among the Xianzhou, and Lan the Hunt, became ascendant in the Xianzhou Alliance. Although sharing the same name, the Disciples consist of two distinct groups. The first group, known as the Old Disciples of Sanctus Medicus to differentiate them from the more recent group, believed that the Denizens of Abundance deviated from Yaoshi’s will and the mara-struck only existed because Yaoshi’s will was improperly executed. The Old Disciples were not a notorious group for a long time and accepted skepticism with an open mind. They built apothecaries to help the poor and needy. They were treated with pity by those who had long abandoned their belief in Yaoshi but were not particularly detested. They existed in secret for thousands of years and eventually became the Cold Springs sect, which overhauled the entire Xianzhou healthcare system.
After the Three Sufferings era, the Xianzhou completely banned belief in Yaoshi. The more recent group of Disciples, considered criminals in the Xianzhou, is less than 30 years old and arose in the wake of the Third Abundance War. Some blamed the Alliance and the Hunt for the suffering they endured. They used the same name as the old group, gathered around a “master primus”, and claimed to have inherited the knowledge and legacy of the Theophany Era. They sought to lead the Xianzhou into the embrace of Yaoshi. In response, the Cold Springs sect published a statement clarifying that they no longer believed in Yaoshi.
Planet of Verdant
The Foxians and Borisin share a common ancestor. Foxian epics tell how the races were divinely inspired by a Lord of Longevity from beyond the stars. Drinking from the Redspring, they were granted immortality. But later historical developments saw the borisin consider the Foxians as slaves or cannon fodder, fueling their desire to conquer the stars.
Both the foxians and borisins came from the “Planet of Verdant”. The foxians inhabited the riverlands while the borisins were herders who inhabited the grasslands. The foxians saw the borisins as savage while the borisins saw the foxians as deceptive merchants. Despite their animosity, they cooperated with each other during the extreme climates of the “Vulpesummer” and “Lupuswinter”. In the summer, they would set down their weapons for the rich harvests, but during the winter there would be unceasing conflict due to hunger.
One Lupuswinter lasted far longer than usual, causing mass starvation. A prophet saw the end of the world and made a wish to Yaoshi for sustenance. This person is known as lady Tushan in foxian legends while the borisins believe it was a man named Duran. Yaoshi split the mountains and the divine nectar of the Redspring poured forth. Those who drank from the Redspring gained vitality and strength from the meat of beasts they ate. Their bodies became increasingly bestial. The Redspring transformed the the Planet of Verdant, which experienced a population explosion and ecological collapse. The canine races prayed to Yaoshi for help but THEY did not respond. As a result, the borisins and foxians left for space. The borisins became spacefaring conquerors who brought the “Lupuswinter” to other planets.
Foxians
According to Foxian Drum Chanting Lament of the Six Follies Foxian Drum Chanting Lament of the Six Follies, the Foxians came from a world known as the Old Verdant Home. Their home world was ravaged by the borisin and they sought the help of gods to stop the borisin’s rampage. Among the Foxians who fled from war, there were six brothers who fell into particularly dire straits. Their lamentations shook the mountains and sea, echoing into the skies. The Master of Immortality descended and asked them why they were wailing. The eldest brother cried because he feared the borisin’s blades. The second brother sobbed due to the pain of disease. The third brother lamented out of cowardice and fear. The fourth brother was weak and powerless. The fifth brother witnessed the slaughter of family and friends and the enslavement of the living. The sixth brother longed for peace. The Master of Immortality granted gifts to each brother: to the eldest brother regeneration, the second brother freedom from disease, the third brother endless courage, the fourth brother wings on his back, the fifth brother freedom from all concerns. Only the sixth brother was given nothing.
The five brothers bestowed with powers drove back the borisin, but their powers came with a price. The eldest brother’s wounds festered and rotted, the second brother spread disease to his kin, the third brother’s mind was twisted with hate, the fourth brother grew feathers all over his body, and the fifth brother lost all consciousness. Only the sixth brother was untouched, but as he raided the borisin bands seeking death, the borisin Warmuhtar showed him a reflection of his image in the mirror. Only then did the sixth brother realize he had transformed into a canine beast like the borisin.
Borisin
According to borisin folk songs, their first Warmuhtar, Duran, obtained immortality from the dew of a tree guarded by Foxians tasked by Yaoshi to protect it. The song claims that Yaoshi only blessed the strong and used the Foxians as a test. After Duran and the beast, Taowu, slaughtered the Foxians, Duran asked Yaoshi to bless the borisin with immortality. However this narrative is a fictional myth created by the borisin to justify their enslavement of the Foxians and to solidify their racial identity through their worship. Yaoshi does not bless only the strong and it is evident that the borisin interpret “Abundance” based on their own cultural norms and values. Based on the level of borisin civilization at the time of their unexpected rise, it is implausible that they initiated contact with Yaoshi, who probably bestowed THEIR gifts indiscriminately.
Ruan Mei’s home planet is an icy snow world blessed by the Abundance.
Nanook, also known as The Blemished One, is an Aeon in Honkai: Star Rail representing Destruction, and the leader of the Antimatter Legion.
Witnessing the destruction in Adlivun as the world was marred by The Swarm and the Mechanical Empire during their birth, Nanook sees the creation of the universe as a mistake and seeks to destroy everything. After ascending to Aeonhood, Nanook allegedly ignited THEIR home world.
Despite being the most recently ascended Aeon, Nanook and THEIR minions may already be considered the greatest menace in all the galaxy.
Appearance
Nanook often appears as a human male that has long white hair with long braids and brown skin and golden eyes. A giant scar, along with multiple scars, is seen on THEIR chest as golden liquid seeps out. A quarter of THEIR arms are floating, and half of THEIR lower body is golden flames and black smoke, indicating THEIR path of destruction.
Swarm Disaster
Nanook is the youngest Aeon and did not exist at the time of the Swarm Disaster.
Adlivun
Nanook came from a star system called Adlivun. Adlivun was a world marred by the Emperor’s War and was also in the path of the Swarm. Akivili visited Adlivun when it was still fighting a war with the descendants of the Imperator Insectorum. Adlivun was destroyed and Nanook probably ignited it THEMSELF.
Lord Ravagers
Lord Ravagers are Emanators of Destruction recruited by Nanook from the worlds they have destroyed. They are remade by Nanook in the world of the Warforge and each represent a different aspect of Destruction. There are seven Lord Ravagers, five of whom have known names: Phantylia, Zephyro, Celenova, Irontomb, Sun Devourer. There also used to be a Lord Ravager called Zulo who was replaced by Celenova.
Fetora
Nanook destroyed a White Star named Fetora. The flames of the White Star coalesced with the power of Destruction to give birth to plasmic lifeforms. The fire demon Ifrit also known as Duke Inferno was born and has been obsessed with destruction and slaughter since birth. The embers left behind from the star’s destruction were clasped in Ifrit’s own hands, molded into the shape of Fetora’s crown, and worn to this day. Ifrit would later go on to lead the Ever-Flame Mansion, a subgroup of the Annihilation Gang.
Present
During the Antimatter Legion’s attack on the Herta Space Station, when the Trailblazer protects March 7th from the attack of Doomsday Beast, Nanook gazes at the Trailblazer.
After Fu Xuan interrogated Kafka aboard the Xianzhou Luofu, Kafka revealed to the Trailblazer that they will eventually face Nanook in the best and the worst cases. When that time comes, the Trailblazer will need all the help they can get, and it will be a brutal struggle of Aeonic proportions. In the vast majority of futures, that’s when destiny ends. But if they follow Elio’s plan, there may be a glimmer of hope on the horizon. Kafka suggests that even Aeons can be killed.
The borisin are a humanoid species with canine features who are the most dominant race among the Denizens of Abundance. Distantly related to the Foxian species, the borisin have long been arch nemeses to the Xianzhou Alliance.
Origin
The borisin share a common ancestor with the Foxians, yet the two have diverged onto very different paths. Foxian epics tell how the races were divinely inspired by a Lord of Longevity from beyond the stars. Drinking from the Redspring, they were granted immortality. But later historical developments saw the borisin consider the Foxians as slaves or cannon fodder, fueling their desire to conquer the stars.
According to borisin folk songs, their first Warhead, Duran, obtained immortality from the dew of a tree guarded by Foxians tasked by Yaoshi to protect it. The song claims that Yaoshi only blessed the strong and used the Foxians as a test. After Duran and the beast, Taowu, slaughtered the Foxians, Duran asked Yaoshi to bless the borisin with immortality. However this narrative is a fictional myth created by the borisin to justify their enslavement of the Foxians and to solidify their racial identity through worship of Yaoshi. Yaoshi does not bless only the strong and it is evident that the borisin interpret “Abundance” based on their own cultural norms and values.
Physiology
The borisin have a distinct canine anatomical structure: Broad, lean skeletons; powerful jaws and neck muscles; well-developed canine fangs; pointed beast-like ears atop the skull; and sharp claws on hand and foot. Some borisin have large and fluffy tails while others have short and thin tails. The borisin worship the concept of a strong body, seeing strong physique as a blessing from the gods. The wingweaver Xili implied that Foxians on the Xianzhou Zhuming look similar to borisin. Within the broad classification of long-life species, the borisin can be said to have the greatest healing ability. Alongside this hyper-healing is their ability to shapeshift, known as “Moon Rage.” This ability has also been observed very rarely in some Foxians, apart from the Foxians of the Yaoqing. The Yaoqing Foxians are said to be genetically similar to the borisin.
The Eclipse borisin are able to consume the flesh of their enemies, allowing their bodies to quickly mutate and enhance itself.
Shapeshifting is accompanied by intense hyperplasia of the bone and muscle structure, such as a protruded snout and jawline, and the twisting in of the foot structure. This damaging deformation process is eventually completely restored by the borisin’s rapid healing ability. During battle, the borisin emit a pheromone known as Lupitoxin, which stimulates fear in the amygdala. To counteract these effects, the Cloud Knights either have to wear a breathing mask with filters that can resist it, or consume a poison-proof pellet. When the livers of borisin are removed, it was found that they turned into a huge, aggressive “cancerous mass” within a few hours. The coloration of their blood is pitch-black.
Borisin tissues can be implanted into machinery, as shown with the Howling Casket, a combat machine built by the Intelligentsia Guild which is supplemented by borisin tissue. These combat machines are capable of utilizing Moon Rage and can even put their kin in a frenzy faster.
Borisin fur can be used to create strong rope.
Technology
The borisin are masters of biotechnology, and use it to manufacture weapons, armor, and spaceships, as well as modify their own bodies. Their weapons and armor have some characteristics of living beings, while their spaceships, called mechabeasts or beast ships, are living beings with the ability to feed, attack, and reproduce. They have been known to enslave and modify members of other intelligent races to attack and plunder planets.
With the Redspring as a medium, everything that the borisin needed was made from this miraculous source. The fields no longer grew grain but viscorpi instead, and borisin garments were no longer of linen or fabric but of embryonic flesh. Even the chilly snowlands that once terrified The Old Verdant Home civilizations were no longer a concern, for the borisin cultivated biological membranes in the polar regions to craft into warm dome-shaped tents, blocking the Lupuswinter beyond this barrier. Their birdles use neural spike whips to stun and tame mechabeasts.
The Chiseltooth Pack’s genetic shamans produce nearly all of the borisins’ biotechnology, while the Bloodwind Pack have the largest fleet of the main packs. Unlike the other packs, the Rhinohound Pack do not rely on biotechnology, but instead take more interest in industrial technology. During their coming of age ceremony, Rhinohound pack members are given a set of exoskeleton resembling a divine beast from borisin lore.
Mok Tok’s pack was shown to take a pill that allowed them to assume the forms of Xianzhou Natives or Foxians, though it is not known if they made it themselves. The pill was potent enough that it could visually trick people, but a keen Foxian could see through the disguise with their sense of smell.
Society
The borisin have a tribal council system, and have a culture that reveres strength and preying on the weak. A single tribe is called a “Pack,” while a coalition of tribes is called a “Great Pack.” The leader of a Pack is called a Brood Lord, typically the strongest and most cunning among them. In a Great Pack, the Brood Lords of each pack fight each other and are ranked based on strength, with the strongest of them being called the “Father Wolf” or “Warhead”. The Warhead is both the spiritual leader and the strongest warrior of the tribe, commanding its tide-like army, and dominating life and death on the battlefield. It is borisin tradition for the chief’s partner to act as the leader of all officials.
An unknown rank among the borisin is Great Erkhan, also known as a top military officer.
The borisin despise settled civilizations and roam the galaxy bringing all-consuming war with them. Their harsh beliefs in survival compel them to fight incessantly and devote themselves to a life of bloodshed and conquest. The former Warhead, Hoolay, took pride and joy in ravaging other civilizations. In order to surpass former leaders, the new Warhead had to lead his soldiers on an expedition in order to make a name for himself and affirm his position in the tribe. When put on trial by the Ten-Lord Commission, Hoolay was confused by the sentence, as he saw his crimes as nothing more than him following the laws of survival. Borisin who choose to lead non-violent lives generally looked at with disdain, though they are all equally vital to borisin culture.
Despite this, some borisin view “strength” as not just meaning physical strength, as Dr. Zongguang remarked that a physically strong borisin would not dare mock a frail but genius poet without careful consideration, lest they be shunned due to “disrespecting the strong.” Zongguang also noted that on the planet Pisdo, Chiliyan and fourteen other people rose from war slaves to positions of power, indicating that borisin place more importance on capability than birthright. He also notes that due to borisin valuing strength, they would always be at their best, not slacking off or relaxing from their previous successes.
Well-trained sorya don jellyfish-like membranous armor under the leadership of a yonda. They then board the beast ships that can warp between stars, explore different worlds, and swear in the name of Duran and the Yaoshi to make the stars into their herding ground.
While borisin look at Foxians with disdain, a unique outlier is the Whitewolf Pack, which is not led by borisin but instead by Foxians. These were former slaves who revolted against their borisin masters following Hoolay’s capture, and the borisin were unable to quell the rebellion. It is implied that they were eventually accepted, though most of the borisin outright fear the Whitewolf Pack foxians due to their savagery and ruthlessness.
Borisin Groups
According to information complied by the scouts of the Verdantia Fleet, there are currently six major borisin packs. The authors of the Yaoqing Recruit Handbook: Borisin Pack Overview acknowledge that there are other borisin packs that they have not identified.
Both the foxians and borisins came from the Verdantia, the “Planet of Verdant”. The foxians inhabited the riverlands while the borisins were herders who inhabited the grasslands. The foxians saw the borisins as savage while the borisins saw the foxians as deceptive merchants. Despite their animosity, they cooperated with each other during the extreme climates of the “Vulpesummer” and “Lupuswinter”. In the summer, they would set down their weapons for the rich harvests, but during the winter there would be unceasing conflict due to hunger.
One Lupuswinter lasted far longer than usual, causing mass starvation. A prophet saw the end of the world and made a wish to Yaoshi for sustenance. This person is known as lady Tushan in foxian legends while the borisins believe it was a man named Duran. Yaoshi split the mountains and the divine nectar of the Redspring poured forth. Those who drank from the Redspring gained vitality and strength from the meat of beasts they ate. Their bodies became increasingly bestial. The Redspring transformed the the Planet of Verdant, which experienced a population explosion and ecological collapse. The canine races prayed to Yaoshi for help but THEY did not respond. As a result, the borisins and foxians left for space. The borisins became spacefaring conquerors who brought the “Lupuswinter” to other planets.
Under the borisin, the Denizens of Abundance were involved with three large-scale wars with the Xianzhou Alliance. The borisin once invaded Thalassa but driven out by the High-Cloud Quintet of the Xianzhou Alliance. After the capture and imprisonment of the Abundance Axis’s last Warhead, Hoolay, the coalition has greatly declined in strength, and the borisin political landscape was plunged into a state of extreme instability.
At some point, the Brood Lord Aksin lead his hunting pack into the Echidna skywall, struggling to fight off the hostile Shepherds Fleet. Their fleet consisted of 16 beast ships and 325 battleships. The Xianzhou Yuque planned to observe the borisin’s internal war and send out a battle report afterward.
In 7900 Star Calendar, the Cloudpeer Telescope detected Reignbow Arbiter’s manifestation at three coordinates in the Consternation Starzone: The Yadav variable star; the Cerulean Nightmare; and the Knucklebone. It was predicted to be plagued and the Cloud Knights’ Rainbow Orbit Fleet successfully dealt with the borisin Bluefang Pack who had plundered everything.
In the year 7992 Star Calendar, Yewliho was born into a Bloodwind Pack beast ship operator family. The Bloodwind Pack “inspired awe across the universe” with their gigantic fleet of beast ships. Within a society like borisin that honors strength above all, beast ship operators from this generation, like Yewliho, naturally held a relatively high level of political influence.
By 8023 Star Calendar, Yewliho already had her own personal fleet, the “Preta,” at only age 31. She had already independently planned and completed dozens of plunder and ransack missions. As far as Xianzhou pilots at the time were concerned, Yewliho was an unparalleled nightmare. She was renowned for her fearless attacks and many schemes, and could be said to lead the most brutal and efficient fleet at that time.
Before long, thanks to her many military exploits, Yewliho’s rank among the pack skyrocketed. In 8025 Star Calendar, Yewliho and the Bloodwind Pack Chief Hosing Khan were married. As it is borisin tradition for the chief’s partner to act as the leader of all officials, Yewliho had suddenly risen to the second-highest rank within the Bloodwind Pack. In 8032 Star Calendar, Yewliho gave birth to a child named “Cherluwoo.” If everything went as planned, Cherluwoo would become the next leader of the pack. However, there was an unexpected development the year that Cherluwoo turned 5.
Originally, Hosing Khan had already exceeded 400 years of age without bearing an heir. If the regular route of succession were to be followed, the title of chief would go to the next “Duran descendant”… Hosing Khan’s nephew, Kobo. However, the birth of Cherluwoo had shattered this plan. After having prepared all his life to inherit the pack, Kobo led the 3,000-strong beast ship fleet that had sworn loyalty to him to reclaim his power and attacked the chief’s great beast ship. Hosing Khan had no time to react before he was murdered by his bodyguards that Kobo had bribed. Naturally, Kobo’s next targets would be Yewliho and her son.
Fortunately, Yewliho had always retained her own fleet that vowed loyalty to her, the Preta. Although they only boasted 300 ships, every member was a trusted ally that had accompanied her on pillages for many years. Yewliho and her fleet successfully forced their way out of Kobo’s encirclement. However, with the huge beast ship fleet that pursued them like locusts, there was no way for her mere 300 ships to escape. However, “Kobo Khan” called off his manhunt a short while later and returned to the Bloodwind Pack, successfully becoming the next chief. Yewliho would never say how she managed to escape that lethal pursuit, it is only known that her only child, Cherluwoo, died during that escape.
In the year 8038 Star Calendar, Yewliho led the Preta (with 127 men remaining) to the Fanghu, determined to submit and pledge allegiance to the Alliance. After two long years of careful deliberation, the Alliance decided to pardon these borisin for their crimes and allow them to live inside the Fanghu under strict surveillance. This was on the condition that they comply with all Alliance research on borisin, as well as submitting all beast ship-related technology to them. This was also the time that Zongguang met Yewliho. As a cultural anthropologist, they were ordered to interview these 127 borisin, in order to deepen the Xianzhou’s understanding of borisin society.
Throughout the course of her research, Yewliho and Zongguang developed a deep friendship. She was an intelligent, frank, and courageous warrior who was able to summarize the complex and chaotic world of borisin society and logic to Zongguang in concise, clear language. Likely because of her hatred towards Kobo, Yewliho always hoped that she would be able to lead her Preta to fight for the Alliance. However, a request like this was unlikely to receive approval. Yewliho made this request again and again and was rejected every time. After 30 years, she could bear this cycle no longer and began to seek Zongguang’s assistance.
They suggested that she write a long letter explaining her life and background in detail. This would allow her to explain her hatred of her enemies to the Seven Arbiter-Generals and why she longs to fight for the Alliance. When she did this, Zongguang would be willing to put their personal reputation on the line to vouch for her. Two years later, Yewliho wrote My Return to the Path.
During the Third Abundance War of 8072, the Denizens of Abundance had assembled again with revival of Ketu Mirage, the roaming star. The borisins invaded the Xianzhou Fanghu and were nearly successful in winning the battle. With the Fanghu serving as the main battleground, it quickly descended into a terrifying bloodbath. Pressed with their backs up against the wall, no one was free to keep watch over Yewliho. So, without receiving permission from the Alliance, the Preta launched their final assault.
It is unknown just how many Abominations of Abundance the Preta wiped out in the war. However, they managed to transport at least 4,000 civilians to safety. Just as the Xianzhou faced defeat, the Reignbow Arbiter descended onto the physical plane and annihilated the Borisins’ fleet using THEIR Lux Arrow. And during this process, all 127 borisin warriors of the Preta, including Yewliho perished.
Reports from the Xianzhou Yaoqing revealed that Phantylia, taking on the guise “Mangas”, was organizing the borisin groups into larger packs following her defeat at Scalegorge Waterscape, who believed that she would bring them back to greatness. A large pack of borisin, led by Mok Tok, infiltrated the Xianzhou Luofu to break Hoolay out from prison, taking on the appearance of Xianzhou natives or Foxians through a unique pill that allowed them to get through undetected. Due to various concerns about Jing Yuan’s conduct, Feixiao was sent to the Luofu to pick up Hoolay so he could be moved to The Xianzhou Yaoqing. Aware of an IPC transport carrying borisin-infused machinery, several borisin attacked the ship to force it to seek shelter in the Xianzhou Luofu, knowing that its contents would have to be inspected.
Led by Mok Tok, the borisin were able to infiltrate The Shackling Prison while also gaining the assistance of mara-struck soldiers. They were successful in freeing Hoolay and escaped the prison, though the Alliance is quickly in pursuit of the fugitives, as they have yet to find the ships they need to escape.
The Masked Fools are an intergalactic organization devoted to Aha the Elation. They operate out of The Tavern.
The Masked Fools tell a parable of the birth of their beloved Aeon. When the Aeon of Elation climbed to the highest branch on the Tree of Existence, THEY saw the cold and despicable void, the stars operating like machinery, and how the meaning of all things bows before nothingness. THEY continued looking until THEY saw a baby fall to the ground and cry because it had been wronged. The Aeon burst into laughter, laughter so clear it tore through the cold universe and still reverberates through the universe today.
The Fools believe that the truth of the world is a joke, and that the ultimate meaning of all things lies in mere laughter. The universe is merciless, but there is joy to eliminate pain, dilute sorrow, resist nihilism, and heal wounds. Laughter, the gift of intelligent races, is the only answer.
Masked Fools are extremely radical when it comes to their beliefs among the followers of Elation. In their pursuit of pleasure, they do whatever it takes to find it, often causing havoc wherever they go. They laugh at heroes for self-righteousness, kings for their lust of power, lovers for their infatuation, and scholars for their overthinking. The Fools’ objective is to stir the stagnant pool of life to create surges and change, because change is a source of mockery and amusement to the Fools. It would be a welcome sight if someone could turn the tables on them.
he Masked Fools possess the most radical philosophy out of all the followers of Elation: they believe that the ultimate truth of the world is nothing but a joke, and the profound meaning of everything lies in simple laughter. While they enjoy pursuing and obtaining joy, each member appears to have their own limits in doing so. They leave a trail of trouble and chaos wherever they go, and their goal is to bring about change in the stagnant pools of life.
Each member possesses a unique “mask” belonging only to them, a “mask” bestowed by Aha. These masks allow them to obtain power from their Path. Caution is advised when interacting with individuals wearing masks, as their true intentions can be challenging to discern from their words and actions.
Hosea Lazaro mentions having spent a great deal of time in bars run by the Fools. The Strange Plant claims that a Masked Fool has infiltrated Herta Space Station, and that they’re planning something huge.
When the Astral Express Crew landed on Jarilo-VI, Sampo was the first person to greet them. He later introduced the crew to Wildfire and guided them between the Overworld and Underworld.
On the Xianzhou Luofu, the Trailblazer encountered a Masked Fool named Zhongshan who sabotaged and stirred up chaos among the members of the Unshackled.
The Masked Fool Sparkle, among several others, was invited to the Charmony Festival on Penacony in 2158 AE. She assisted Aventurine and the Astral Express Crew in uncovering the conspiracy within The Family. It is later revealed that she was hired by Stellaron Hunter Silver Wolf to ensure that Firefly’s prophesied three deaths would happen in the safest way possible.
Stellarons are mysterious objects that spread across the universe like a cancerous growth, which led them to be nicknamed the Cancer of All Worlds by the Interastral Peace Corporation. They are considered seeds of disaster which cause massive changes to civilizations and ecosystems, and result in the appearance of Fragmentum.
According to Herta, Stellarons are a type of lifeform with a special property that tethers them to a certain Path or Aeon’s power. They respond to the desires of the world to which it is tethered. However, the cost of fulfilling those desires often brings great disaster to the world. There is no known way to destroy a Stellaron; currently, the most that can be done is contain its energy.
Stellarons have been known to be capable of communication with a particular person of interest, an example being Cocolia, likely in order to carry out the desires of the world. The Trailblazer, who holds such a Stellaron within their body, is able to hear its voice as well.
The Stellaron Hunters, who serve an enigmatic individual known as Elio, scour the world for Stellarons and have obtained several. Their intentions are currently unclear — Kafka appears to know the Trailblazer’s background and implanted a Stellaron in their body for an unknown reason.
The Antimatter Legion and Nanook the Destruction may have a connection to Stellarons, due to the frequent appearance of new Stellarons shortly after these destroyers of universes appear on worlds. It is currently unknown if these occurrences are related or just coincidence.
Various factions had started to notice a phenomenon since a specific time. A vague, imperceptible matter was disrupting the flow of Imaginary Energy along the interstellar routes created by Trailblaze. Like a mountain climber meeting a cliff or a long-distance ship encountering tsunamis and whirlpools, interstellar travel changed from being unobstructed to being dangerous and unpredictable.
This phenomenon is remarkably aggressive. It continues to encroach upon neighboring worlds in the form of a mysterious object, the Stellaron. It keeps spreading all over the universe like a cancerous growth, leading the Interastral Peace Corporation to call it “Cancer of All Worlds” and warning interstellar travelers not to take it lightly. The worlds swamped by the Cancer of All Worlds were soon beyond saving, and very few people survived.
There are many speculations regarding the Cancer of All Worlds, and most are related to Nanook the Destruction and the Antimatter Legion. These cosmic destroyers often seemed to appear together with Stellarons. We do not yet know if these occurrences are related or are only coincidences.
The Ten-Lords Commission is also known as the Long Life Supervisory Authority. It is not included among the Six Commissions of the Xianzhou Alliance, although this is not common knowledge. The Ten-Lords spiritfarers and judges are responsible for matters related to mara and long-life species that violate the Ten Unpardonable Sins.
The Ten-Lords Commission is responsible for guiding those who succumb to mara, dealing with vicious criminals, and managing life and death. It is not restricted by the Six Charioteers. There are four divisions within the Commission: the Detention Division, Incarceration Division, Interrogation Division, and Punishment Division. The fact that it is not included among the Six Commissions of the Xianzhou is not well known; furthermore, no one outside the Commission knows where its base is, who controls it, or how many members it has. However, Huohuo claims that their temporary office at the Pavilion of Cessation, which was set up to suppress the heliobi which had escaped when the Artisanship Commission’s Creation Furnace was damaged, is more spacious than their base in the Netherworld.
The Astral Express is a large train that was created by the Aeon Akivili the Trailblaze, and used to transport them and the Nameless across the galaxy. After Akivili’s disappearance, it fell into disrepair and eventually crash-landed onto an unnamed planet. Himeko discovered the wreckage and repaired the Express, becoming its navigator and forming a new group of Nameless. The Astral Express Crew’s goal is to retrace Akivili’s steps, repairing the star rail they laid down thousands of years ago and sealing the Stellarons threatening the galaxy.
The Astral Express was created by Akivili, the Aeon of the Trailblaze, to transport them and the Nameless across the galaxy. Legends claim that Akivili’s heart powers the Express’ core, although Himeko has found no evidence to support that claim.
Shortly after the fall of their Aeon, a loyal group of Nameless took Akivili’s trailblazing legacy upon themselves. However, the star rail became overly obstructed as Stellarons began spreading across the galaxy, preventing the Express from running. It eventually fell into disrepair and was abandoned.
Some time later, the Astral Express crash-landed onto an unnamed planet, where it was discovered by Himeko. She successfully repaired the train after many years and began retracing Akivili’s steps through the universe, eventually recruiting Welt, Dan Heng, March 7th, and the Trailblazer to the Astral Express Crew.
As The Astral Express done their trailblazing expedition in Penacony, Welt revealed that the Astral Express getting fuel from Trailblazing expeditions and the current state of The Astral Express is left with enough energy to do two warp jumps. However, as Black Swan overheard their short of energy, she revealed a place that even Akivili had not visited before, which is The Eternal Land: Amphoreus.
Herta Space Station is a space station founded by Herta, member #83 of the Genius Society. Researchers from different planets comes to work here as a researcher and most of them are faithful followers of Herta. Qualifying for a researcher role in the Herta Space Station is a hard process and is a cherished goal of the scientific community.
The Master Control Zone can be detached from the station, capable of traversing the Cosmos on its own. It serves as the brain of operations when attached to the main body of the space station. On both sides of the master control zone and at its entrance is a huge wall consisting of numerous screens for surveillance. This system offers visuals on everything happening on the parameter of the space station with no blind spot. The system also boasts a sniper platform with roadblocks, capable of handling unknown threats, and a defense projection platform that can generate an anti-gravity shield over the space station.
The watcher zone is used to monitor the real-time status of the station’s energy supply and the conditions of other zones. Together with the master control zone, these two areas form the core of the space station, offering an integrated system with strong capacities for observing, monitoring, defense, and attack.
The Base Zone is the core section between the two-stage structure separating the starship and the space station. It is the section where researchers partake in their primary daily activities. The reception center is located in the base zone, at the back of the space elevator. It is the first room to greet the station’s visitors. Many people come here to see its splendor for themselves, but they are not allowed any further, and can only watch the proud researchers with admiration. The Medical Cabin is the medical facility and pride of the space station, said to be able to drag anyone back from the brink of death. Research projects in the station are always accompanied by unknown risks, and therefore the medical cabin is packed at all times.
The Storage Zone is used to house curios. Gigantic pathways can be found in the center, snaking through the upper and lower level rooms where different departments store their collections. The Gallery of Shadow is Madam Herta’s personal gallery, sealed away all year round, and only Herta herself has access to entry. To the researchers, the gallery is no more than something to base their stories on, but it was opened by the Stellaron Hunters in order to place the Stellaron being stored there inside the Trailblazer during the Antimatter Legion attack.
The Supply Zone is the logistics hub of the space station. It has all manner of resources stored within its confines, supervises an energy core, and its equipped with a fully established railway platform. It stands as an essential junction for operations and maintenance aboard the space station. If things ever got out of hand and the master control zone was doomed to be destroyed, researchers would take the evacuation route and rush towards the supply zone, where all the external relief ships are docked along the Railway Platform.
The Seclusion Zone used to be a major research facility for cutting-edge experimentation, offering convenient conditions for high-risk experiments conducted between the shuttles, laboratories, and the greenhouse. The zone sealed off after Ruan Mei began to conduct her experiments, which resulted in a Swarm outbreak along with a clone of the Emanator of Propagation, Skaracabaz. The Trailblazer investigated this zone on Ruan Mei’s behalf during one of her rare visits to the station, during which the clone emerged from the incubator and fought them. However, it died off after 56 seconds, unable to sustain its own existence. While the Swarm still has a small presence in the area, it is now primarily occupied by Ruan Mei’s Creations, who mostly reside in the Breeding Ground and Pharmaceutical Room.
Jarilo-VI is a planet that is frosted over due to the Eternal Freeze as a product of the Stellaron’s effect on the planet. Its name may possibly be a mistranslation that has a poetry stanza number. Belobog currently stands as its only bastion where humanity thrives amidst the harsh climate.
Any lands engulfed by the Eternal Freeze surrounding Belobog were referred to as the Snow Plains. East of Belobog is a vast inland plain that contained a few dozen old territories on Jarilo-VI. Situated at the furthest east of the inland plain were some small settlements. Further northeast contains nothing but barren lands while southeast of the inland plain is a deserted region isolated by canyons. The path to Kandor Valley can be found in the Outlying Snow Plains west of Belobog. The mountain winds in the valley are usually the harbinger of a blizzard and it is advised to never stay in the canyon at night. West of Belobog lies a great ocean that is yet to be permanently encased in ice by the Eternal Freeze. Scattered among the northwestern part of the ocean are a few unnamed isles while the southwestern part of the ocean contains a region with an oceanic vortex.
Located South of Belobog is a giant basin, where the whole region was decorated by many forests, lakes, and wetlands. Further south was a greenish lake with a warm climate before the Eternal Freeze. Among the fauna that resided there were dragonflies with wings that span six feet to giant crocodiles that weighed dozens of tons, though they are likely extinct like a majority of the Fauna on Jarilo-VI. Further southwest is an incredibly large forest comparable to the size of an ocean while southeast was a desert very close to lakes and forests with a peculiar landscape. There were a few named cities scattered in the desert that were likely sustained by trade fueled by the rich Geomarrow resources found underground. The Silvermane Guard Restricted Zone is located in northeastern Belobog, with the Corridor of Fading Echoes and Everwinter Hill located further north from there. Northwest of the Corridor of Fading Echoes are the Pillars of Creation, which contains a ruined city from before the Eternal Freeze and an Engine of Creation.
North of Belobog are stunningly high mountain ranges that extend all the way further north. Located north of the northern mountains is a summit called Zarathustrazapala Iskandra, the tallest known mountain on Jarilo-VI. Northeast of the northern mountains were even more mountain ranges.
Belebog’s subterranean Underworld is cavernous and has been extensively developed since the advent of the Eternal Freeze in order to mine the Geomarrow that keeps Belebog warm, and is sent to the surface via the Furnace Core. The Great Mine is the source of the largest known deposit of geomarrow. Several settlements have been founded in the Underworld since it’s inception, including Boulder Town, Rivet Town, Moletammerville and the Robot Settlement. Of these, only Boulder Town and the Robot Settlement are still viable to reside in.
Among the flora on Jarilo-VI are several species of flowers including the Marquise, First Snow, Sunshine, Ball Peony, Rainbow and Summershade Bamboo. Some of the botany that is widely extinct on Jarilo-VI is preserved at Eversummer Florist in Belebog, and are considered luxury items. Fauna that have survived the Eternal Freeze into present day include the Olm, Plains Bear, Mimic Snow Slugs, Crystal Lizard, Rock Crab, Direwolf, Snow Radish Rabbit, Tuna and Frostweave Salmon. Though frostweave salmon are mostly bred inside Belebog’s city walls, their taste is miles off from the ones fished from the wilds outside the city. Well-preserved specimens from before the Eternal Freeze 700 years ago can be found.
The Xianzhou Luofu is one of the six Flagships owned by the Hexafleet of the Xianzhou Alliance. It sails like a one-way arrow through the galaxy, with the goal of eradicating Denizens of Abundance. The Luofu stands out among the other ships for it’s medical treatment and trade. People on the Luofu are considered laid-back compared to other ships.
From the outside, the Luofu resembles an enormous Starskiff, its deck covered with several large, connected domes - each containing a different delve of the ship. 3/4 down the hull is a large ring which circles nearly the entire ship, save for a gap at the top. Floating between this gap is the “Jade Gate”, the main point of entry and exit for anyone visiting the massive ship.
The inside of the Luofu comprises of delves which total space exceeds the ship in size. This is possible due to the Xianzhou’s space-folding technology. These delves all varied in size and shape, but they were all on a scale that was just too large for any normal ship to contain. Some of the delves could hold up entire residential and commercial districts, such as Exalting Sanctum, while others could even contain vast luxuriant prairies like the Ever-Hunt Plains, which hosts fauna such as monkeys and fawn.
The Xianzhou also rears several other animals in the Ever-Hunt Plains such as the Fungus Boar, Yellow Boulder, Tuskpir, Gentle Halcyon and Downy Antler. Depth crawlers were a type of creature that was similar to void song whales that once lived on the Luofu, but have been extinct for thousands of years. While plants of the Tian Dong genus typically grow on land, Tian Dong plants of Scalegorge Waterscape stand out by extensively inhabiting the coastal areas of the Lunarescent Depths. Scalegorge alginate, Lunarescent Sea mint, and Dragon Scale Coral can also be harvested for medicinal purposes.
Strange planets can be seen high in the sky, though some of them may be a projection of the delve’s artificial sky dome. The Realm-Keeping Commission’s weather pavilion manages the environmental conditions on the Luofu, including the artificial wind, clouds, rain, and fog. Heat is extracted from the core of the planet the ship is carrying to keep some of the delves warm.
The visible space in the bustling skyport of Central Starskiff Haven is enough to fill up the entire Luofu. The bustling street of Starwatcher Avenue can also be found here, where shops line the road for as far as the eye can see, and their lights are lit for perpetuity. The Sky-Faring Commission’s headquarters on the Luofu is the Palace of Astrum, which also acts as the ship’s bridge. Cloudford is the trade cargo port of the Loufu. With the arrival of numerous Outworlders, Starskiff Haven is alive with people from all walks of life. Goods from various worlds are delivered by transport starskiffs and unloaded at Cloudford, and every day it unceasingly handles huge amounts of port traffic.
Starskiffs on the Luofu are manufactured in Stargazer Navalia. Aurum Alley is the Exalting Sanctum’s signature food street where tourists come to enjoy delicious food, from traditional dishes to roadside snacks, and experience street culture. The freight dock managed by the Aurum Alley Merchant Guild is mainly used for distributing commodities and logistics transportation. Fyxestroll Garden is garden delve created centuries ago by Foxian crafters temporarily occupied by the Ten-Lords Commission as the imprisonment site for Heliobi that escaped from the Artisanship Commission’s Creation Furnace.
The Divination Commission hosts the Luofu’s Matrix of Prescience Ultima. Conclave Hall is the official location in the Divination Commission delve where issues are discussed publicly. The Seat of Divine Foresight is office of the Arbiter-General of the Luofu. The Luofu’s Alchemy Commission borders the Vidyadhara delve of Scalegorge Waterscape which hosts the sealed entrance to the Ambrosial Arbor, the Luofu’s Plaguemark. The Alchemy Commission’s medical texts are kept in the Elixir Research Terrace, a building looking out over the sea. Medicine and traders flock to Healer’s Market. In the past, only Elixir Seekers with permits could enter here to buy divine medicines. Healers gather to conduct medical research in the Medicine Bureau. The tree in its garden is one of Ambrosial Arbor’s roots.
A statue of Imbibitor Lunae can be found at Dragonvista Rain Hall, which sits the entrance to the Ancient Sea Palace Ruins. The enormous dragon palace of the Vidyadhara is buried in the seafloor valley, along with many Vidyadhara eggs preparing for hatching-rebirth. Hindered by the seal, the Ambrosial Arbor’s roots curl into a dragon-shaped wood gall at the Palace Ruin Depths, and no longer grows. Desalinated Lunarescent Seawater and Scalegorge Spring Water are potable. Beneath Scalegorge Waterscape is the entrance to the Luofu’s Shackling Prison, which is spread out throughout multiple delves.
Aside from the above mentioned delves, there is also the Polar Delve and Cold Springs delve.
Penacony, also known as the “Planet of Festivities”, is a planet currently administered by The Family in the Asdana star system.
Reality
Although called the “Planet of Festivities”, the actual physical structure of Penacony in reality is that of a colossal artificial space station-like megastructure which houses The Reverie Hotel, surrounded by two small Alderson disks orbiting it. The alderson disks have several landmasses and bodies of water, which were said to be once barren deserts.
City buildings can be seen jutting out on both from the “top” and “underside” of the alderson disks. Charmony Doves are a species of bird that inhabit Penacony. Penacony is located in the Asdana, a star system brimming with memoria, which has historically been one of the Macro Voids that leaked out from the Memory Zone. The memoria concentration surrounding Penacony is above normal levels.
Dreamscape
Penacony’s Dreamscape is divided into twelve main discrete dream worlds, each corresponding to a “moment” on the clock:
Moment of Midnight, the starting point of all dreams.
Moment of Serenity, when the first ray of sunlight shines over the horizon.[4]
Moment of Morning Dew, the start of a day.
Moment of Daybreak, presumably based on the early morning.
Moment of Gilded Hour, presumably the moment before noon.
Moment of Sol, the moment that strikes noon.
Moment of Oasis, presumably afternoon.
Moment of Scorchsand, presumably the moment before dusk.
Moment of Dusk, presumably dusk.
Moment of Blue Hour, presumably the moment after dusk.
Moment of Stars, based on the 11th hour of the clock.
Moment of Golden Hour, based on the moment before midnight.
Golden Hour is said to be the most prosperous “Moment” in Penacony, showcasing an entire city bathed in luxury and is the location of the Penacony Grand Theater. Morning Dew is where the majestic Dewlight Pavilion stands, providing a place for high-level members of the Oak Family to discuss business and is where one would go to meet the Family. Scorchsand has vast fields, wild winds, taverns, and a “festive choice” of venue. It also hosts the SoulGlad™ Scorchsand Audition Venue. Dusk is said to be a shopping paradise of chic, luxury and consumerism, and includes the Penacony Auction Hall among other places. Sol is steeped in Penacony’s history and civilization and contain’s Penacony’s Grand Museum, the Primal Waking Library and the Paperfold Academy. Serenity is said to be where the most terrifying convicts and “interesting people” are held and the jail can be seen on the Nightmare’s edge. Daybreak is where the Dawn Factory is located, one of the many “imagination factories” which processes the foundation of the dreamscape and where workers create all kinds of whimsical works day in and day out in their dreams such as garments.
Gilded Hour is Penacony’s Currency Center where the exquisitely dressed Pepeshi people of the Alfalfa Family keep fortress-like financial city that is the economic heart of Penacony running, always in a hurry to deposit the Alfalfa credits that they earned into the bank’s vault and sending blood that is made from money everywhere on Penacony. Blue Hour is said to be very romantic, featuring a dock, a large boat called the “Eventide” anchored along the Sea of Dreams where extravagant balls and marriage services are organized, and an airship called the Radiant Feldspar that sails through all dreamscapes. Oasis has natural scenes such as Sunshine Park and a beach while Stars has an amusement park, clubs, casinos, and various competitions, including Spheroid, Roboball, and Unicycler. The Moment of Midnight is the starting point of all dreams. People tend to overlook this moment, believing there’s nothing beyond the inky darkness it presents. Chuckles and laughter can be heard from entering the dream.