A World of Monsters. (An Encyclopedia on the creatures of the world of Null, Original Writing.)

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[A new digital poster is visible, showcasing an array of different branded drinks. 'Sylo's Drink Emporium, Dreamhold's newest Native-Displaced drinking franchise! Enjoy classic Median brands from Pop-Pops, Sip's Up, Soda Jerks, Wine 'N Dine, and Suuki's Shake Shack, to iconic brands including Neo-Sunset's Sorry Sake, Buzz On, and O'Nell's New Eirland Whiskey. Step on in and meet new folks with a drink in hand and a smile on your lips!']

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[An old, worn out poster depicts a war scene out of a science fiction setting, showing heavily armored soldiers firing at one another with energy weapons as a star ship comes down in flames in the background. Words underneath read, 'Strained: Crimson Orchestra, Volume 4 Coming Soon. Catch the climactic finale of the critically acclaimed dark science fiction war series that have captured Nullian minds and thoughts for decades.'

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[A holographic display showcases what seems to be a promenade at Dreamhold's residential area for aquatic species, the Pond. It scrolls through several mom and pop establishments, as well as some more mainstay Nullian eating establishments, including fast food staples like competing pizza franchises, the sun icon clad Dominus Ignus and Nullian predator themed Apex Den, as well as iconic staples such as the not-officially-endorsed Burger Mediator, the officially-endorsed Harley's owned by Mediator Media's right hand jester of the same name, Dreamhold's own native Byr-Byre Burger, and the all encompassing Soup Palace.]

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[A new holographic poster is visible, depicting a Median aerial cargo ship traveling to the West, with words following stating 'LongLong-Tehemon Shipping, the shipping company with exclusive rights to private trade with the Sun Kingdom on the West Coast! Apply your company for a trading space on our cargo liners now! Space limited, first come first serve!]

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[A Median military recruitment poster showcasing a Hunter, a Knight, and a Guardian planting a flag upon a strange creature of craggy stone like flesh and blue ichor spilling out of its wounds as words underneath read 'We need you to fight against their celestial tyranny! Join the Median Armed Forces today to take the fight to Yarah Dam!]

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[An online video advertisement begins to play, depicting a crazed looking Empusa in disheveled office clothes standing in front of an enormous assortment of various items and objects.

"Come on down to Maggie's Madhouse, the only approved source for extradimensional media, games, toys, and assorted garbage the Artist's Quality Control Union didn't take behind the shed and put down like a mad Clucken!" Walking around, the Empusa woman takes out various items including, but not limited too: A singing plastic wall bass, a tacky lamp designed to look like a hairless female's leg, an archaic game system with a odd, trident shaped controllers plugged in, and a poster depicting a group of fantasy adventurer's journeying to destroy an evil ring. "If you want to experience the oddities and wonders of the multiverse, but lack the ability to travel the distance and/or are forbidden from doing so, we here at Maggie's Madhouse can become your one stop shop for all manners of foreign, alien media and wonders!"

"Have you always wanted to reexperience the disappointment of never amounting to anything?" She took out a packet of cigarettes. "These lung-cancer sticks can make you die inside physically as well as emotionally! Have you always wanted to keep a pet, but don't want the responsibility of a real animal?" She then lifted up a surprisingly very robust and advanced dynamic robot dog. "We've got all kinds of mechanical friends to keep you company! Have you always wanted to experience never ending dread and fear for your life as you are watched in your sleep by a horrific nocturnal predator?" She proceeded to bring in a Furby from just off screen. "Now you can experience that and practice your staring contests with this Godless crime against goodness!" Tossing the thing aside with barely contained disgust, she smiled widely at the camera as she spread her arms wide, the camera pulling back to see the whole of the store.

"Maggies Madhouse, new locations opening in Dreamhold, Bloodmount, Ceárta Iarainn, Long Lotus, and Orehaven soon!"]

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[A poster advertising a convention of some kind is present, the word 'MonCon' at the top. It is split between three sections: On the left is 'EcoMon', depicting an armored Oros commanding Nullian animals to fight an off screen enemy. The other on the right is 'ManaMon', which depicts a more wholesome scene of a Chimera eating ice cream with a floating creature of Nullian urban legend allegedly confirmed to be a myth. At the bottom is 'HighBound' a spin off of ManaMon that depicts a legendary powerful creature, in this case an extremely muscular ghostly dragon, behind a sitting Oros with a buckler connecting the two of them through an etheral link. Words on the bottom state 'Opening Fabius 32nd'.]

 

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[The following is a Transcript from the Grimoire of the Magi Order, unknown author.]

The Old Gods of Null: The Pantheon of Violence.

'Before there was the World of Null, there was the Old Lands, the old spaces when the universe was young and new. Gods of all breeds settled into their own corners of burgeoning reality, and laid down the foundations for what were to be their worlds. And in what would one day be the location of Null, there was what can only be described as a Pantheon of Violence.'-Excerpt from the Chapter Before The Beginning, The Book of the Great Spirits.

The World of Null which we Mortals call home is old. Even before its physical foundations were laid in the early universe, the blueprints for its make were woven into the cosmic tapestry by the Weaver Null. Indeed, much was planned from the onset for our world, from its lethality to its carefully chosen location. One aspect that did not survive to the modern day, however, is the pantheon that calls its Spirit World home.

Before the Great Spirits, there were the Old Gods.

The Pantheon of Violence.

Where other pantheons were woven of tales of drama, familial affairs, and a variety of misadventures, the Pantheon is notable in that it lived up to its namesake. Violence and brutality was the order of their day, be it in the swift and ruthless execution of Elder Gods that thought them easy prey, or in the ruthless and absolute power that Ha, Queen of Spite, rule over her fellow gods.

The Pantheon of Violence was once thought to be but a myth, the oldest known religion among the Oros and their kin once believed to have been constructed as a way to explain why our world was as harsh and brutal as it is. Over time, however, we would find evidence to suggest that the legends and tales past down over the ages were, in fact, truth, stories of this primordial age bleeding into modern Nullian memory as the final remnants of our spiritual forefathers.

What is known for sure is that the Pantheon is long dead, or that if any of the Old Gods survived they have either left or have gone deep into hiding. Indeed, it is believed that the reason the Great Spirit Pantheon came into being is because our intended gods, the Pantheon of Violence, had died out in ages long past and that they were brought in as replacements for our now missing divine component to our world.

The Old Pantheon is known to have been originally comprised of 8 individuals.

At the top of the pantheon was the brutal, merciless, and all powerful feline like Queen of the Old Gods, Ha. The Queen of Spite, it is said that Ha was cursed with being the vessel of Divine Wrath itself, and that as time went on, all that remained of her was Perfect Hatred for all that existed, which if true would explain much. Ruling with an iron fist, Ha gained her title as the Queen of Spite for carving every slight, no matter how small, against her unto her own flesh. Indeed, according to legend, once Ha ran out of space on her skin, she peeled herself apart to carve more slights underneath her flesh-muscle, organ and bone-until even her marrow was etched with grudges.

Directly beneath her in power and status was her brother, the canine like Ra, her enforcer and who is agreed upon to be the spiritual forefather of the Oros family line. Compared to his sister, Ra was far less consumed by rage, though was as quick to battle as any within his pantheon. Technically, Ra was weaker than the other Old Gods in terms of raw power, something he made up for with incredible cunning. An inventor by nature, Ra would construct tools using his own molten blood as the ore for weapons, armor, and more. Irony of ironies, it would be Ra who would lead the rebellion against his sister in the end of it all and would be the last one standing against her in the Mutiny of Old Heaven.

After them was La, the Jackal esq Shadow Mistress. La was tied with Pa the Scholar as the most level and cool headed of the Old Gods, using cunning and a sharp tongue to deescalate situations before they could become battles. Though not lacking in power, La as the others paled in strength to Ha and thus used her wit and tongue to secure her place in her court. Unfortunately, for all her intellect, La miscalculated just how deep the strength Ha's Perfect Hatred ran within her, and her very strengths became all the reason Ha needed to assail her. Losing an eye, La escaped into the Shadows and is believed to be the only one of the Old Gods still alive, albeit far from us. Indeed, her still being alive is believed to be the reason why no direct replacement for her has arisen among the Great Spirit, though this is purely theory.

Ga, the enormous serpentine Old God of the Sea, was proud and arrogant, though the irony of being God of the Seas in a realm that was volcanoes and shifting tectonic realities was not lost upon him or us. The fiercest rival to Ra, Ga often engaged his smaller opponent in battle to claim his place as the enforcer of Ha's will, though Ra always bested him in the end to his great frustration. He was not weak by any measure, however, for in all their battles, Ra always won by outsmarting and out-maneuvering the larger, stronger deity.

Ya, the draconic Old God of the Skies, spent almost all of his time flying high above. Aloof and haughty, Ya believed himself safe from the affairs of his land-bound kin by remaining in the skies above, something that was one day proven incorrect when Ha, having grown tired of his flaunting ways, leapt up and brought him down to the dirt for the first time in his long life, a humiliating humbling that led to him being first in line to join Ra in the eventual rebellion.

Fa, the Jailer, a hulking goddess assigned to guard and watch over any prisoners who had earned the ire of Ha enough for long term imprisonment, was methodical in her book-keeping and was said to be able to recognize one grain of sand out of place within her domain. She was the last and hardest to turn against Ha due to relative lack of bad blood between them, becoming convinced with the idea of being able to apply her trade to more than one world if they could depose Ha and open up their borders to other realms.

Pa, the Scribe, was the least aggressive of the Old Gods and, as his title would suggest, was tasked with all of the duties of writing down and maintain the ledgers and codices of the Pantheon at Ha's command. It is said it was he who turned Ra against his sister by pointing out that her attack against La was provoked only by pettiness, a trait not befitting a ruler, though if this is the actual truth has long been lost to time. During the Mutiny of Heaven, if it said that Pa sacrificed himself to give Ra the opportunity to deliver a killing blow to his sister.

Finally, Ta, Mother of Monsters, the smallest and weakest of all of the Old Gods and said to be the mastermind behind the primordial proto-forms of what would one day become the biosphere of Null. Relatively tiny and angry, Ta notably had no allies, only varying degrees of enemies among her kin, hating them as much as they hated her if one believes the tales. Knowing her weakness, she used her incredible intellect to create her 'children', the proto-monsters whose spiritual descendants we know as the flora and fauna of our world today. Despite this quality, modern interpretations often portrays Ta sympathetically, seeing her as an underdog surrounded by those far more powerful than herself. Among the Old Gods, she was the easiest to turn against Ha, hating the Queen of Spite more than she hated the rest of her kin. Though many believe her to have been among the first to die in the Mutiny of Heaven, some stories tell that Ta was the only survivor of the great battle, and would go on to shape the world into what it is today with some believing her to be the literal mother of the Great Spirit of Mortal Life on Null, Xarara.

The Pantheon of Violence is a tragic tale of brutality and internecine conflict that ended in total destruction, it is also something of a relief among our people that they died out and that the Great Spirits arose in their place. Our world is horrific enough as it is without them. Who knows what horrors would have awaited under the tyrannical heel of one like Ha?​

 

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Noxagon.

[Sketches depict a large, quadrupedal creature with a mixture of mustalid and draconic traits, with large, muscles limbs and a hardy body. A black and white color scheme is apparent, and a large hunch like portion runs down its back from the back of its neck to the small of its back. Sketches reveal this hunch is home to one-to-three large, muscled tendrils with openings on the tips, which they are shown launching either streams of some sort of burning substance or globs of explosive matter depending on if they are one or three tendriled.]

[A note is attached, reading 'Their name comes from a portmantau of 'Noxious Dragon'. If you've ever been unlucky enough to smell one, you'll know exactly why.]

Scientific Name Translation: Rotfire Drake.

Average Size: Depends on subspecies..

Average Weight: Depends on subspecies..

Notable Sexual Dimorphism: Females have longer ears and longer digging front claws than the males..

Habitat Range: Wooded areas, plains, and hilly regions.

Summary:​

It is no secret that in ancient times, the True Dragons and their Stone Eye Elder allies crafted many creatures to help protect the world when it was still young and they still ruled. While many such creatures would go extinct over time, others have survived into the modern day to form common family lines such as the Dracoequines, the Dracoursines, and other varieties of wild draconic creatures. One notable example of these surviving, purpose crafted creatures, however, is the Noxagon. Named after the foul odor agreed to be worse than that of rotting flesh, the Noxagon is a fascinating look at the lineage of extinct 'Weapon Creatures' from the bygone time of the True Dragon's rule. [A note is attached. It depicts a couple of dragons staring down at a small animal with a knife strapped to its back. Words read 'The Weapon Creature R&D Department.']

Ranging in size from the humble Pygmy One Tailed Noxagon to the hulking Three Tailed Bombadier, Noxagons share one trait in common: On their backs is an armored, hump like growth that opens to reveal either one or three 'tails'. These tails serve a distinctly different function depending on the species. One Tails fire a burning, toxic acid spray capable of eating through even an Ironwood tree in a matter of moments, while the Three Tails fire long distance globules of explosive bioplasma that at their most powerful can level a small building with a direct hit.

The reason for these unusual features is that the Noxagon, as a 'Weapon Creature' was purpose designed by the True Dragons with the intention of being living, breathing tanks and artillary. This is neither metaphor nor exaggeration, as even after millions of years of evolution into the modern day, modern Median tanks getting into close range combat with One Tails are at legitimate risk of severe crippling damage to its systems from their spray, while many artillary duels between Three Tails and Median artillary pieces have occured throughout our civilization's history. [A note is attached. It reads 'I've had to help with tanks that got blindsided by a Noxigan spray before. We basically had to just throw out all of the armor plating, there was no salvaging it without Deep Recycling procedures we're not equipped for, and most of the surface level systems and electronics weren't even there anymore, it was all useless molten slag.']

Quadrupedal and covered in a thick hide with strong, segmented armored coating over their durable flesh, the Noxagon is built for durability and endurance, capable of taking hits as strong as they deliver them. Indeed, anti-tank and vehicle scale weapons are the only equipment that can reliable injure one among the Civilized Races, and they still require a continuous application of this level of weaponry to kill. This durability served these living combat vehicle analogs well in ancient times, and now serve as a problem when encountered in the modern day, an unforeseen consequence of their durability and survivability allowing them to endure the eons.

Omnivorous by nature and design, Noxagons will eat just about anything that is edible while also supplementing their diet with a mixture of ores and elemental crystals. The ores in their diet contribute to maintain and repairing their durable bodies, while the elemental crystals are one ingredient in the process of producing more 'ammunition' for them to use with their intended weaponry. A fully satiated Noxagon has enough 'ammunition' for anywhere from dozens to hundreds of shots before needing to 'refuel', depending on the size of the subspecies in question. While in the past this led to conflict with Civilized Races seeking to mine easily accessible outcrops of elemental ores and building material, in the modern day, modern deep mining capabilities in mountain ranges developed by the Stonecutters allows these conflicts over resources to be a thing of the past. [A note is attached. It reads 'This is way before my time, but back in the day us Stonecutters basically had a small monopoly on the northern trading of resources due to the amount of trouble there was mining ore veins in the wilds with Noxagon's around.']

In terms of armaments, their back-tails are the most obvious and dangerous weapons at their disposal, with them possessing a heightened regenerative capability that allows them to regrow on the fly in the event of removal or damage, making removing their main weapon a temporary solution at best. Their powerful, digging forearms allow them to cleave through hardened metal as easily as the ground, making close range combat a dangerous affair to say the least, with more than a few overconfident Mech pilots facing an early grave or being forced to abandoned their destroyed vehicles. Additionally, they possess a breath weapon that can best be described as a short ranged, predigested version of their ammunition for their tails, meaning they always have a deadly ranged option on hand.

The Noxagon's signature foul odor is a result of the final form of their bioammunition stored in their humps. The toxic, corrosive substance known by many names but commonly called 'Corpse Oil' is foul smelling enough to actually be debilitating to any in close proximity without a class three air filtration mask or above. This also means that there are virtually no predators that can stand their smell enough to hunt or feed on them, even for creatures with the strength and power to reliably kill one. The most common natural death for a Noxagon is a fight with another Noxagon over territorial disputes, as while they are immune to their own Corpse Oil, the distinct composition of another Noxagon's Corpse Oil is able to damage and eat through their hides and bodies. As Corpse Oil rapidly decays in a biological half-life of hours without a living host to sustain it, a Noxagon corpse attracts scavengers approximately two to three months after all their Corpse Oil has gone inert and stopped stinking. [A note is attached. It reads 'So like, anyone else find it ironic that Corpse Oil only keeps when the critter is alive, and goes away when they're dead? Come on, that's kinda funny!']

In terms of reproduction, Noxagon's lack any real form of monogamous relationships, and so every breeding cycle females and males will breed with whichever is closest to them regardless of prior interactions. Once impregnated, a female Noxagon engages in a feeding frenzy to fatten up massive stores of energy before digging herself into the ground, leaving only her hump visible. She remains in this hibernating state for about 4 months before finally giving birth to a littler of anywhere from 4-6 offspring. As young Noxagons are both relatively fragile compared ot their adult forms and do not yet have the ability to produce their own Corpse Oil, the mothers nurse and protect their young for up to a year and a half before they have grown enough to begin producing their own signature noxious odors. At this point, they are weaned off their mother and left to fend for themselves, making their ways into the wild to live and grow until they reach adulthood and begin the cycle anew.

Noxagons are terrifyingly powerful, which is why they have historically been used to represent armored units known for their durability. Many modern day armored regiments of tanks, artillery, and mech units often have a stylized Noxagon logo emblazoned upon them to represent their own strength and power. As we no longer have any need or reason to compete with them over resources, conflicts with Noxagons have dried up over the centuries and so far it only occurs as a result of accidental territorial incursions. [A note is attached. It reads 'Fighting Dragon Artillery Badgers for metal and fuel would kinda freakin' suck to be the norm.']

 

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[The following is a transcript of a portion of a report by a party of foreign origin that was caught being sent to the Continent of Nod several decades prior to the outbreak of the Moon War, with terms translated to local parlance.]

Blessings of the Ancestor Goddess be upon you, Honored Councilor Nefet.

Your humble servant sends this report to you in good health, my long term infiltration of the local superpower of the continent of [Word translates to 'Stasis', is believed to be their name for Arisa. Further instances of Arisa being mentioned will be maintained as 'Stasis' going forward.] having been successful. The locals continue to believe I am a [Displaced], which their welcoming nature has allowed me to maintain this cover without issue. As per your instructions, I will report on all I have managed to learn on the local powers as well as their component species and the lands they inhabit in that order.

To begin my report with this superpower I reside in, the 'Median of United Nations', as I believe is the official full translated name comes out to in our tongue, is the dominant nation-state upon the Eastern Coast of [Stasis], and, in your servant's most humble opinion, all of the continent. I fully admit I may be biased in making that claim, as this Media was founded by the 'Oros', a species I was surprised to learn through my rigorous studies are our distant relatives, proving live confirmation of Skolar Isim's theory of our most distant ancient ancestors having split off in the days of the [Wolf-Seal] to other lands.

The Median is a super-state comprised of the union of several component 'Great Nations', who each themselves are unified powers of component 'Nations' of genetically related, but culturally distinct, subcultures. Each of these 'Great Nations' has their own distinct and vast history, society, culture, and relationships with one another, having unified some 1600 years or so ago under the banner of a [Goddess-Ruler] known as 'Media the Mediator'. While I was initially skeptical to these claims, as shown in my attached files in my report, I have confirmed that this is, in fact, truth, and that this Media may in fact be the elder sister to [Weaver Null], the Great Architect of our world Herself. The implications and ramifications of this revelation are beyond the scope of your humble servant to postulate in this report and which I leave in you and the rest of the Honored Council's hands.

The Median, despite its diverse history and component cultures, is a democratic society, with the specifics varying from Great Nation to Great Nation from constitutional monarchies to representative democracies. My files on the specifics of their sociopolitical schema are also attached in this message. I was chosen to begin my long term infiltration and research mission based on prior information from scouting drones that indicated that the peoples of the Median are matriarchal, which would give my sex an advantage.

In actual practice, this information is both extremely outdated and only partially correct. In the distant past, many Oros societies were divided between War Queendoms and Forge Kingdoms, back when internecine warfare was common. War Queendoms, ruled by Warrior Queens, cooperated with Forge Kingdoms, ruled by Forge Kings, in a mutually beneficial arrangement during this era, and both kinds were subservient to whatever the leading unifying force of their respective Nation was dominant, which ranges vastly from Great Nation to Great Nation. By the time my spy mission began, this information is as stated grossly outdated and the current cultural practice among the Median is a egalitarian, merit based system, though I would stress that the specifics vary between the various Nations due to varying cultural beliefs on what qualities make for good leadership.

Technologically, on paper the Median is woefully behind our own accomplishments back home, with direct energy weapons still in a relative infancy. In practice, however, what they lack in raw advancement they make up for in variety, as each culture's unique historical development and the ongoing cooperation between them have led to many fascinating creations. While not as advanced as our own, as an example, they managed to invent, refine, and perfect [Float Stone] based contra-gravitic technology in little under three millennia, an astoundingly rapid rate of advancement by our leading scientist's measures on how fast this technological progress 'should' go.

Based on my observations, the reasons behind these rapid advancements is that, while Oros make up the majority of the population numerically, they are cooperative with other species they live alongside rather than dominative. I am aware that there are those back home that would find our cousin's egalitarian approach to inter-species relationships naive to a humorous extent, I cannot argue against the evidence that their cooperative efforts working with various different technological bases and abilities to advance have born great fruit for their troubles. Any further comment on this I will leave out of my main report as it is up to the Honored Council and Her Holy Majesty Herself to decide the viability of this approach.

In terms of biology, the Oros are still made of organic cells rather than our own transition into nanite based cellular biology. The single most fascinating, and mind boggling, aspect about our cousins however is their bones. I have provided as much evidence on the subject as I dared risk installing into the files below my report, but I say this, Honored Councilman, without lie or exaggeration, our cousins are in possession of unbreakable bones. The Sleeping Cult may well have the confirmation they need on the whispered of 'intended people' they claim to seek, which is why I now break protocol to directly urge the Honored Councilor to be very selective and cautious to whom you reveal this knowledge to as if the Sleeping Cult learn of this, I fear it would trigger them sending their fleet to interact with our cousins long before we are officially ready to open communication channels with them.

Outside of their bones, our cousins are similar to us in that they have several [body-types], racial and cultural [Nationalities], and a sturdy, redundant biology. In the name of science and potential future cooperation with our cousin species, I took the initiative to begin a relationship with a male member of their kind, a [Normal] type of mixed Nationality who is a low level functionary in the bureaucracy of the 'Great Walled City' of Bone's Borough. My experience so far with him and his family members has been most pleasant, and at risk of allowing my personal feelings bleed into this report, I believe that his kind nature is emblematic to how their kind would treat us if we approach them with open hearts and minds.

Having said this, one thing I found fascinating is the composition of the life forms within the Median. While the Oros are a majority in terms of numbers, the next most common astounded me. Just as Skolar Isim's theory on us having relatives in other lands were confirmed, so too was the similar theory that the Ophio of our lands have relatives.

The 'Chimera' and 'Empusa' are a fascinating set of races to observe due to the vast differences, yet glaring similarities, they have from our own homeland's counterparts. Most of the in depth specifics are in the related files, but I must say that never would I have suspected Ophio relatives to be such elegant, scientifically minded scholars rather than imperial conquerors. Though, research into them does confirm a long dreaded theory based on genetic analysis that the Ophio are, too, our relatives, just as these Chimera and Empusa are relatives distant relatives of the Oros. I once again leave these implications and their ramifications up to the Council to decide upon. Additionally, a unique hybrid form of life mixing Oros and Chimera traits, the Cerberi, also exist here in these lands, which I'm sure will be bewildering to those back home as to the specifics of how this is possible.

The next most common life forms are the 'Mortalized Spirits'. While the existence and veneration of the [Great Spirits] of [Lacuna] are known and occur, the existence of flesh and blood descendants of exiled Spirits was never dreamed of in our homeland until I saw them with my own eyes here. Friendly and welcoming as any flesh and blood beings, they are as diverse in biological life as they are in the Spirit Realm and I'm certain some of the [Great Spirit] Cults back home would find themselves weak in the knees to speak to them.

The least populous, not counting members of other [Stasis] races native to our world who migrated to the Median, are the 'Displaced'. While we understand the term in our own language and what it entails, our experiences with these Displaced is minimal, as our encounters have been limited to individuals or small groups appearing in our lands. It would appear that the Eastern seaboard of [Stasis] is something of a dimensional nexus point relative to other locations on our world, which makes Displacement and Displaced a much more common occurrence here than in other parts of the world. Too diverse in range and variety for any kind of extensive breakdown, Displaced find themselves a welcome, if extreme minority population wise, addition to the Median.

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To the east of the Median, in a series of archipelagos and large islands in addition to floating continents, is the 'Lasarna Republics'. While Displaced individuals form a minority population in the Median and a meager token novelty here in our homelands, the Lasarna are comprised of almost entirely Displaced peoples who arrived to our world thousands of years ago and lived to establish their own society here. The related files and details on their history is attached, but it's generally agreed upon that their initial arrival influenced the ancient development of the Warrior Queen system in ancient times among Oros scholars. Culturally, they share some aesthetic similarities to the [Translation difficult, roughly 'Wine Makers'] culture within our own species' history.

Biologically, they are mammalian with feathered wings, fish like traits on their outer appearances, and wyvern esq limbs due to what is believed to be a pact with one of the [Great Spirits] themselves. Split between females and intersex of the hermaphroditic variety, they make heavy use of the mystic arts and much of their technology is directly derived from innovation and evolution of mystic-tech over the centuries. This would make them, in this servant's humble opinion, the closest analog [Stasis] has to [Term hard to translate, closest analog is 'Fae'.] of our homelands, using Mana based technology rather than [Void, IE Aether] based tech. Today a democratic coalition of numerous aligned republics, the Lasarna are seen and treated as close allies to our cousins despite early troubles in the distant past between them, something I believe the Council should make note of in planning for opening relations with the peoples of [Stasis].

The most striking population among them is a recent inclusion to their society in the form of [War Dragons]. I already know the shock it will be for our people back home to learn the troops of our people's old rivals survived to the modern day, but I would like to stress the danger they pose is minimal compared to the wars of old and that this lack of threat to us should be taken into account going forward.

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To the West of the Median, past the 'God's Spine' mountain range and leading into the 'Land of Giants' exist two distinct civilizations. Those inhabiting the ground are known as the 'Ogra', and their Displaced protectorate species the 'Gobbs'. It is difficult to put into words to describe the Ogra clearly without resorting to less refined and more oppressive language, but I shall try. The Ogra are a people whose history is mired by war and conflict, often among themselves, but have in recent centuries begun to move away from their violent past to more advanced and civilized forms of living. This warlike history makes them the closest analogs I can think of to the Ophio back home, but despite this, their various nations have become trade partners with the Median despite a rough history between them, which I believe sheds the light of hope to our own future in finding a peaceful solution to the Ophio wars.

Biologically, the Ogra are fast breeding and physically large and powerful, with an extremely strong family instinct and dynamic that stays with them all their lives. While crude by our standards, their technology is advancing at a rapid pace thanks to a mixture of trade, war time development, and research contracts between themselves and their allies.

The second main power in this region are the Sky Island bound 'Striga-Hyto'. Another Displaced civilization, the 'Hyto' as they are often shortened to are a mercantile culture of avian mammals who have extremely advanced, by [Stasis] standards, directed energy weaponry they loan out and sell to other nations in the region. Their mercantile nature and the heavy usage of mystical energy weapons makes me compare them roughly to the [Difficult to translate, roughly 'Sea People'] living in the shallows around our home continent. They honor their deals and contracts making them a reliable and steadfast trading partner, which has made them allies all across their home region.

Additionally, their sky living way of living brings to mind our most ancient allies, the [Term hard to translate, closest analog is 'Moon Rabbits'], though they lack the nomadic space fairing live-ships our old allies lived in.

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Finally, and the societies farthest from the Median while still being on [Stasis] are the 'Fahn Empire' past the Ogra regions, the 'Mohga Collectives' in a region known as the 'Deep Lands', and the 'Kingdom of the Sun' in the far West, on the opposite coastline of the continent. They have only recently been discovered and begun trade with the Median, having only begun doing so within the last millennia or so, a paltry time-frame I know, but despite this short amount of time there has been much information I have been able to acquire on them.

The Fahn Empire claim to be descendants of the Old Goddess Fa, and their caprine like appearance gives credence to this. They have been at war with the Mohga Collectives east of them for centuries at the latest, and have even conquered and integrated several specimens into their armies as auxiliary, through conquest unlike how the peoples of our lands have adopted the Displaced of the Exodus Peoples into our various nations through peaceful integration. They keep to themselves and seem to have a low opinion of most other native civilizations of our world and are tight lipped on their culture and technology, slow to trust others as they blame the other Old Gods for the death of their 'Great Grandmother'. More research is required.

The Mohga Collectives, meanwhile, are an evolution of the armies of the Stone Eye Elders who allied with our Dragon enemies so long ago. Originally mystical war beasts, they have since evolved through the guidance of their hive-mind elements into their current form, mimicking the appearances of their neighboring nations. While evolved, their old directives appear to still be functioning, and they have been engaged in war with both the Fahn and the Sun Kingdom for an unknown extensive period of time. Interestingly, they are supposedly all female yet have no troubles being able to reproduce, though the means which they do so eludes my understanding due to my host nation lacking the information on their particulars.

The Kingdom of the Sun, meanwhile, is comprised of the 'Peoples of the Sun'. They are a collection of various species led by what appears to be a form of felinoid-primate divided between several distinct subspecies who arose to form their own society and civilization in the relatively calm West. They are an alliance between a representative democracy and a constitutional monarchy ruled by a set of royal houses who change leadership after the term of the current monarch runs out in a cyclical manner, believing in a philosophical belief they call 'The Wheel of Life'. Above the monarchs are the 'Great Sages', which I was alarmed to learn may in fact be surviving Dragons from our wars many eons ago. However, these 'Great Sages', of which I have compiled all I learned about form available information in the data files below, do not appear hostile or interested controlling in other polities, which I believe should be mentioned and stressed upon by your Honor within the Council to avoid any unnecessary conflicts that could be avoided.

From what I could learn, the Great Sages selected the distant ancestors of the Sun People to raise them, and a selected number of other species, in an uplift project which led to their current civilization. Despite our people's poor history with the Dragons, I believe that, our relative proximity to them offers us a unique position to become trade partners with them, in order to begin opening relations with the peoples of [Stasis]. If nothing else, as they seem to be the only surviving remnants of the old Dragon civilization that still possess a society we can understand, we could use this opportunity for a morale boos to our people by making an official peace treaty with the remnants of our former enemies, though as always this is up to your Honor and the rest of the Council. In terms of equivalence, the only thing I can thing of even close to this civilization is a mixture of the Ophio's uplifted lower populace making up the majority of their civilization combined with the familial monarchical society of the [Name directly translates to 'Mantid'.] peoples in our home land.

---

As I have gone over the known civilizations of [Stasis], I would like to add information on the actual biosphere of these lands. An extended, detailed breakdown on all factors is in the files I send with this message, but in short terms, Stasis is a land that I cannot help but find troubling. While all who where alive before our Great Sleep eons ago can attest to, our world has always been hostile, no matter the continent or region. However, where our homeland of [Flow, their name for the continent of Nod] is home to the Cyclical Forest whose never ending lifecycle brings and takes life across our continent in a constant rate, [Stasis] is one with a stable, still biosphere. While evolution still takes place, it does so at a relatively slow, even pace. At least, that is what is supposed to happen in theory.

In practice, [Stasis] may well be more hostile to life than our own homelands. While there is no end of dangers in our wilds, all major civilizations on [Flow] have been able to find their footing relatively quickly and our biggest hurdles have not been our ecosystem, but constant warfare with one another. In [Stasis], while it has been no stranger to war as we understand it, by and large the first and greatest enemy our cousins and their peers have faced is nature itself. It is the only land I am aware of where actual, literal wars against wildlife have taken place by technologically advanced civilizations and it would be an actual war. I have lived in these lands for several decades at this point as part of my infiltration, and I have had no less than three dozen near death encounters in my time here. My pre-mate, Founder Goddess bless his heart, claims I've been lucky to have had so few in my time here. I'm afraid he was not making a jest.

I believe, with my own pedigree as a biological and sociological researcher, that this incredibly hostile environment is what bred such a strong sense of community and open-mindedness among the peoples of the Median. In the simplest, most basic of terms, they have had no choice but to evolve to be unified and cooperative in order to survive, with wars between civilizations being devastating yes, but rare compared to surviving against nature itself. Our cousins do not care what you are, who you are, your standing, your beliefs, your creed or identity or passions. All they care about is that you can fight and do so standing by their side. That is my professional diagnosis on them, and which I believe my peers in my socio-strata will agree with my assessment of them.

It is therefore why I must once again break protocol to directly urge you, Honored Councilman, to stress to the Council that our cousins, despite lacking our advanced technology, are not to be treated as simple, primitive, or 'less advanced'. The crucible of evolution they have undergone has forged a strong, powerful civilization with equally strong allies, and it is in the best interest of our Ecumene to learn form them and open up trade and communications as though they are our equals, for if left alone, it is a matter of 'when', not 'if' that they will reach our level of advancement on their own terms.

[The message ends here and is followed by numerous attached data files on countless subjects related to the civilizations of Arisa.]

 

[TripleMRed]

[The following is a transcript of a public database entry on 'The History of Modern Median Weapons.']

Since the dawn of tool use, weapons have been a part of sapient cultures the world over, with the members of the Median being no different. From the simplest spear to the most cutting edge ranged weapon system, we have gotten very good at finding new and exciting ways to fend off or destroy hostile forces that would threaten us and our kin. In the current chapter, we will be going over a brief summation of the history and function of existing weapon systems developed and used by the Median, as well as a small selection of weapon systems produced by our trade partner states that are notable imports to our civilization.

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Melee.

The grandfather of all weapon systems, from knives to spears to hammers, melee weapons have been in use since the first tool based weapon was developed. The historical development has been shaped by both necessity, available resources, and what is most practical to use in a given situation. If one is fighting a duel, a sword is considered ideal. If one is hunting or otherwise favors reach, pole arms such as spears and pikes are favored. If one is dealing with a heavily armored opponent, the crushing power of a hammer or maul is the way to go. The forms melee weapons take are as varies as are their niches, with every culture having their own distinct favorite National weapon famed in their historical use.

In the modern day, most military grade melee weapons are differentiated from 'civilian' weapons by the use of a technological advancement of some kind. The two most common are 'stun' and 'sear' based weapons. Stun weapons, typically blunt such as bludgeons, one handed hammers, and so forth, are covered in an electrical power field specifically designed to impart a debilitating shock on impact. This is most commonly used as a form of subjugating dangerous, resisting animals, criminals, or salvageable but malfunctioning machinery. Searing based weapons, however, are specifically designed for lethal purposes and are most commonly used in bladed weapon systems. Searing systems work by coating the sharp edge of their blade with a plasma field to aid in cutting, stabbing, and piercing attacks by increasing penetration and damage done on a direct blow. Whether it is a common combat knife, bayonet, or dueling sword, the searing function is wide spread and widely used.

In terms of notable historical weapon designs, some select notable ones include:

-The Chopper. Said to be the unifying weapon system across all Nations, the specific design of the Chopper sword varies wildly from Nation to Nation both in time period and in what individual cultures sought to gain from their combat weapon. Used by some cultures as their primary weapon while others used it as a secondary side arm, the Chopper gets its name as the most common unifying feature across all designs is that it is built with a large blade that excels in chopping attacks. While some models are capable of stabbing, the Chopper's primary mode of attack was designed around making the swords multi-purpose tools, allowing them to be used to clear their way through forests, jungles, and other foliage heavy environments, as well as to cleave open the throat-the most common weak point in Nullian biology-and even to be used as an emergency butchery tool on animal life when scrounging for food.

-The Great Knife's origins are debated, but the most commonly agreed on theory is that they originate in Firebrand culture and history and became widespread during the centuries where the Royalbacks briefly took over and ruled the Orosoid sphere of Arisa. The Great Knife is so named because of its large size for a knife, with the generally agreed requirements to be considered one to be the size of a Normal Body-Type Oros' forearm, but no longer than this and to have a specifically knife shaped blade. Considered something of an emergency weapon, it has been known that more daring Nullians have historically mastered Great Knife combat so as to use it as their primary means of melee combat rather than as an emergency weapon or side arm. In modern day terms, it is most commonly mastered by Hunters and stealth operatives seeking to sneak up on their targets.

-The Axe is one of the oldest tools known to exist, and one of the most diverse in design and ubiquitous in multi-utility. Useful in both utility roles such as chopping wood as well as combat, Axes have something of a certain cultural view due to their use as a common executioner's tool whether by beheading those put to death or, in the case of Oros, cleaving their throats open. As such, Axes have something of a certain reputation in symbology outside of specific uses such as with lumber companies, which most are careful to avoid unless they are looking to make a specific statement about themselves or their organization.

-Where the Axe is said to be a tool of death, this is half true for the signature weapons of the Handmaiden's of Media, the Axe-Scythe. Mystic weapons forged in the Aether, and the signature weapon of Media herself, the Axe-Scythe is a tool that combines the fondly regarded agricultural tool with the deadly executioner's weapon, the blade able to hinge between a scythe and axe configuration. This gives a certain authority to the Handmaidens of Media, who are sent out rarely to deal with problems that normally cannot be resolved by conventional, Mortal means. As much a symbol of hope as it is dread, it's generally considered both a good and bad omen all at once if one is seen for a simple reason: If you see it, the good news is help is here and you will be saved. The bad news is, if you see it, the problem is bad enough that you were in need of help and rescuing in the first place.

-The Hammer is one of, if not the most widely respected tool in Oros culture the continent over for a reason that species with breakable bones would see as unusual, but for the Oros makes perfect sense: The Hammer is seen as a weapon of mercy. As their bones cannot be broken, Oros hit with a hammer can be concussed and non-lethally subdued, which led it historically being used as the premier tool for non-lethal subjugation of dissidents and criminals alike among Oros. As such, the Hammer is often seen as the symbol of justice and mercy in law and healthcare, a symbology whose irony is not lost for those whose bones can be broken.

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Ranged Weapons.

While we may never know what the first tool after the rock and spear were, we do know that as soon as the first melee tools were invented, tools for dedicated rangecraft swiftly followed. The resulting evolution, from the first throwing spears and slings to the increasingly complex nature of bows and fire arms, has led to some of the most recognizable and widely used weapon systems of the modern day. Indeed, gone are the days of ranged weapons being specialist tools, and in the modern day a ranged weapon is the norm for most fighting individuals of the Median, with melee being reserved for specialists, CQC, or enthusiasts. Due to the complex and extensive nature of ranged weapon variety, the Median uses the 'Milo's ID System' for classifying ranged weapons by their method of operation and ammunition.

-Arrow weapons are some of the oldest surviving examples of ranged weapons. Gone are the days of the humble composite bows and in are the modern day compound bows, automatic crossbows, and other specialist weapons. Despite the name, an 'Arrow' weapon is classified not by literal arrows being fired, but by how the munition does damage. Namely, Arrow weapons are classified by launching any munition designed not to completely enter the target, but to stick into a target and prevent regeneration by blocking the means to do so. As such, literal arrows are fired alongside specialist rail flung serrated shards designed to cause bleeding causeways while keeping the wound from healing. While seen by most gun enthusiasts as a niche form of dealing damage, Hunters and their like have found Arrow weapons highly useful in their capacity to launch tracking munitions that cannot be removed by the target, in addition to the often quieter report of bow fire than the booms of even a suppressed gun.

-Bullet weapons are the first, and thus oldest, firearm family on Null. The secrets to black powder has been known for thousands of years, but the simple fact of the matter was the black powder lacks the raw power necessary to be a threat to Nullian life forms, especially with the fact that things have gotten more durable as time has gone on. Today, black powder is exclusively used in the market of fireworks, pyrotechnics, and niche sports shooting competitions. However, in 500AA, a way to safely shape Solarite crystals was discovered. From this innovation came the first mass produced Solarite based gun, the Solar Wheel Musket, entered widespread use. As new ways to better make use of Solarite were discovered, including the invention of a way to safely grind the crystals into the first batches of Red Powder, bullet based firearms entered a enlightenment period of developed between the 1400's-2000's, rapidly groing from breech loaders and lever actions to caseless pulse fired munitions.

Eventually, however, Null's life forms grew in durability as they always did, and the lethality of bullet based weapons began to wane and new technologies needed to be developed. However, despite this, bullet weapons continue to see use in the modern day as a new niche has been discovered for them. Utilized large, dense and heavy rounds at high speeds designed to squash on impact to impart all of their energy on the target, Bullet based weapons on Null now find use as 'concussion' weapons designed to disorientate tougher creatures via continuous application of concussive bullet impacts to armored skulls.

-Immediately after the discovery of how to weaponize Solarite, explosive munitions using the elemental crystal began to be developed by every Nation for every niche from mining to explosive weapon systems and beyond. The first mass produced infantry rocket was the incredibly crude, inaccurate, but cheap and easy to produce Disposable Solar Rocket V1 by the Royalback Nation. Little more than a Solarite Crystal in a shaped casing to direct its backblast as propellant that detonated on impact with something, the DSR would be the forefather for future explosives weapon development as everything from grenades and more advanced rockets began to evolve from its initial simple design. Modern day military grade explosive munitions very in payload based on mission parameters and purpose, but the most common warhead for grenades and infantry rocket systems is a weaponized Solarite Plasma battery designed to detonate violently on impact with a target or on a fuse if no viable target is immediately present in the respective blast zone.

-Rail weapons were the first new technology discovered after Red Powder weapons, completely by accident. While exact accounts very, the tale goes that a Chimera scientist in around the mid 700's AA was experimenting with the electro-magnetic properties of Fulgerite when she discovered its ability to magnetize metal and, by chance, accidentally sent a metal ball baring going at high speeds to be embedded in a near by wall. Shortly after this discovery, research began on how to weaponize this magnetic phenomena, and around the 800's, the first mass produced rail weapon was created, the Electro Driver Bombardment Cannon. Since then, miniaturization has resulted in rail weapons becoming increasingly more and more man-portable, until we reach their modern day forms as rail infantry weapons.

Rail weapons in the Median focus on a specific combat niche for most of their designs: Defeating armor, with the biggest design hurdles over the centuries being to find the perfect medium between the right sized munition that was both dense enough to punch through armored plating and skulls, while being small enough and light enough to be used in rapid succession. Most infantry based Rail rifles are semi-automatic guns launching a standardized 5mm sabot round meant to breach armored targets and attack the flesh beneath the plating. These Sabots, as with any ranged weapon system's munitions, come in a variety of different ammo types, with the two most common being 'splinter' rounds against organic targets-splintering after breaching the armor to have a shotgun like effect on the intended flesh-and 'AM' anti-material rounds designed to remain solid in order to reach sensitive components deep within mechanical chassis'.

-Sluggers are, in the modern day, the most widely used ranged weapon in the Median, and is our biggest export to our trade partners in terms of weapons trading. The successor to the Bullet weapons as the de-facto 'standard issue' munition, Sluggers are highly advanced micro-missile munitions averaging at .50 caliber sizes for most infantry variants. Designed to breach lighter armor and explode to deal maximum trauma inside the target, even centuries after their introduction, Sluggers remain relatively highly effective against Nullian life forms, though the number of rounds needed to kill the average creature has slowly but steadily increased over time.

Starting life as experimental rocket assisted 25mm under barreled grenades for bullet rifle systems around the 2200's, Sluggers slowly developed their modern forms over the next 4 centuries as experimental variants were made to test their effectiveness as stand-alone fire support systems. Initially cased munitions, the first modern day caseless Slugger microrocket was created in 2645, a 25mm heavy weapon's system that, through ensuing decades of miniaturization and technological advancement, slowly began to morph into the current day sizes used by infantry the Median over.

-Energy Weapons are still in their infancy within the Median, as much of our historical weapon's focus has been on the perfection of kinetic based designs combined with the difficulties to make ranged energy blasts based on known Nullian scientific principles. The earliest energy weapons of Median origin were the single use Solar Blast Cannon, a short ranged plasma lance using a carefully directed and harnessed Solarite Crystal shard as its one use munition. Legally speaking for taxation and trade purposes, only energy weapons that are powered, fueled, and operated using an internal energy source can be classified as a 'Directed Energy Weapon'. Weapons that fire energy but utilize elemental crystals as non-reusable expendable ammunition is legally classified as 'Energy Assisted Solid State Firearms'. As such, no native Median energy weapon can be classified as a true DEW, though those produced by the Lasarna and Striga-Hyto that follow this definition can be.

In terms of these weapons, the most common for the Lasarna are the Plasma Bolt Launcher systems, typically stylized in the form of crossbows. Harnessing elemental energies into a launchable bolt format, these weapon systems are extremely powerful but tend to overheat if used consecutively and thus trade rate of fire for raw damage. The Striga-Hyto, meanwhile, are famed for their battery powered Beam Rifles, though what this beam is varies between different manufacturer models, with armor piercing models being particle based and common anti-organic models being a dispersing plasma plume.

---

Countless models of weapon have been invented and used over the centuries, which every Median citizen has access to and can benefit from to stay safe in our hostile world. In the next chapter, we will go over the evolutionary history of support systems that improve weapons from simple range finders to genetic locks for theft prevention.

 

[TripleMRed]

Hydra.

[Sketches depict various breeds of large, reptilian creatures of various breeds, the unifying features being their armored plated hides and seemingly eyeless faces with armored plates where the eyes would be. Interestingly, one sketch indicates they have an extremely heightened regenerative capability compared to the norm on Null, even able to rapidly regrow a lost head.]

[A Note is attached, reading 'No wonder the Chimera have these things as one of their signature animals, they're bad ass looking!']

Scientific Name Translation: Eyeless Serpent Emperor.

Average Size: Varies based on phenotype.

Average Weight: Varies based on phenotype.

Notable Sexual Dimorphism: Females have sharper, horn like edges to their plating..

Habitat Range: Continent wide across all biomes of Arisa.

Summary:​

Throughout much of Nullian history, the True Dragons reigned supreme as the dominant species of our world. However, in every family line there is a steep divergence, and the Dragons are no exception. While the specifics have been lost to time, oral history states that at the dawn of the Mortal World, the First Dragon, the King on the Mountain, created the first sapient species, the True Dragons, from his fire. However, from his spilled blood arose their physical counterparts, the Hydras. Since then, the two sibling species' have been at odds forevermore.

Apocryphal legends aside, the Nullian Hydra is one of the oldest family lines of creatures to live on land, having been around in a time where Saurians still roamed the surface of Arisa. Ancient and having diverged into numerous offshoot species like the theropod like Smashhead and the ironically draconian like mountain dwelling Cacklers, the original core Hydra species remains to this day, hardly changed in the eons since their first appearance on the fossil record, not unlike the similarly little evolved Crocodilians. [A note is attached. It reads 'I mean, kinda hard to top perfection for your role, evolution wise.']

Historically, wild Hydra have rarely been threats to the Civilized races of Null, though the times members of their kind have attacked civilized settlements were calamitous affairs still remembered and taught about in the locales of their rampages. One family line, however, the Chimera and Empusa, have historically been well known for finding ways to tame and ride upon Hydras as powerful mounts which, given their incredibly individual physical power, made them the first tanks in early historical wars before the innovation of the vehicles proper. [A note is attached. I depicts a stick figure of an eyepatch wearing female Oros riding a majestically drawn detailed sketch of a Hydra, reading 'I want a frickin' Hydra mount, then I could destroy all of my enemies! If I had any. I don't have enemies, but it would be a cooool friggin' mount!']

Known to be as sapient as their True Dragon kin, Hydra's possess a very alien viewpoint compared to their ilk or other sapient life forms. Where the Dragons are believed to have been stewards to the mythological 'Plan' for our world by Weaver Null, and where normal sapient Civilized Races are unified by relatively similar concepts of mortality and morality, Hydra seem to have a veneration for the Natural world of Null and its lethality. While calling them 'primitivist' is not accurate due to their distinctly alien approach to 'civilization', Hydra believe in making themselves part of 'The Crucible', a translation for the concept that the lethality and dangers of Null is meant to unify and forge the Civilized Races that grow and develop upon it.

As such, Hydra intentionally keep themselves to be a part of the ecosystem as a cog in its machine rather than attempt to grow into conventional forms of civilized society, though it is believed that once every hundred years, the eldest surviving Hydra congregate to designated meeting spots to form 'conclaves' to make their reports on the state of the biome's they call home. This also explains their long-standing feud with their Dragon kin, believing them to be 'meddlers' and that the Plan requires no 'stewards' and their continued interference in Nullian history remains a sore spot between the two family lines to this day. [A note is attached. It reads 'I wonder what the Hydra think of the Dragons now that they're basically peaced out from their whole 'steward' thing and are now just sleeping in the wild.']

Interestingly, unlike many other species including their Dragon kin, Hydras do not have distinct subspecies in any traditional sense. Rather, outside of the true divergent offshoot races like those previously mentioned, true Hydra are biologically distinct from one another via phenotypical differences not unlike the differences between pet dog breeds: All the same species, simply adapted to different environments. Varying wildly in specific size and appearance based on phenotype, the 'default' Hydra form is four limbed, with segmented armored plates from snout to tri-pronged whip tails, lack eyes and are of a purple-pink hued color scheme. Moving on powerful, muscular legs armed with grasping digits on all four appendages, Nullian Hydras differ from those of most other worlds in that the Nullian Hydra only has a singular head. While Hydra's with multiple heads are known to exist, they are the result of rare genetic mutations rather than the norm.

In terms of shared biological functions, Hydra's are known for having one of the best regenerative capabilities of any organic Mortal life form on Null. Indeed, the loss of a head results in its rapid regrowth, with the fastest known recorded instance taking under thirty seconds for full regrowth to complete. This makes Hydra extremely physically durable and difficulty to kill, with extreme heat being required to cauterize the wound to prevent healing. However, it should be noted that their regenerative capabilities are extreme enough that a cauterized wound is not permanent and, if not killed in short order, will begin to heal within a few minutes. [A note is attached, depicting a sketch of a drowsy Hydra next to several decapitated heads, with the words reading 'Dude, i have the world's worst freakin' headache.']

Hydra are well armed between their powerful, armored limbs, bodies, and long tails and necks giving them reach and range. Their jaws, armored as everything else, open to reveal rows of backward facing teeth and they possess an organ not dissimilar to a Dragon's own breath weapon, producing and launching balls and streams of concentrated bio-plasma large distances over elemental attacks. While far from invincible, between their typically large sizes, durable armor plating, regenerative capabilities, and potent attacks, the average Hydra when provoked requires several whole heavy weapon teams working in tight coordination to bring down reliably.

The lack of eyes has also been a matter of debate among scientists for many years, as despite the physical lack of eyes on their armored heads, they do appear to have some form of vision. Study of decapitated Hydra heads recovered from the battlefield indicates that under the armor is an extensive network of sensory organs that allow them to see in some form, though the manner which they percieve the world is unlike the conventional visual perception eyed' creatures utilize. Among the sensory organs includes the ability to detect light, movement, and even heat. [A note is attached, showing two Hydra head sketches, one with a metal plate over its face, the other with a pair of black shades on. Words follow reading 'If a Hydra was blind, would it wear a face plate or would it wear black shades? ']

In terms of reproduction, Hydra have complete control over their biological forms and sexes. Typically genderless and sexless, when enough Hydra in a given region are confirmed dead, the oldest surviving Hydra take on a biological sex varyingly male or female before reproducing. While fully capable and known to take on hermaphroditic forms, particularly in situations where more rapid re-population is necessary, it is considered extremely egotistical and narcissistic among themselves to reproduce asexually, a fact that not so coincidentally is known to be one of several grievances they have with their dragon kin.

Similar to their control over their biology and sex, Hydra have control over whether they will lay eggs or give live birth based on circumstances and situation. Regardless of the method chosen, Hydra parents keenly watch over and teach their young the ways of their people and the optimal hunting strategies of their particular region, as well as instilling their kind's core values and cultural practices into their youth to continue their traditions and ways of life. Young Hydra are much more docile and playful compared to their older kind, as they have yet to completely adopt or assimilate to the strict norms their kind is expected to follow. [A note is attached, reading 'I wanna hug the super death noodle babehs. :C']

As a result, young Hydra that are socialized with Civilized Races early tend to be less of a threat as they grow older, something which causes the more hard-line traditionalists among them to try and raise their young as far from Civilized lands as possible. Not so coincidentally, the Hydra that were tamed and used as mounts by the Chimera family line tend to be seen with a dim-view by more traditionally minded Hydra. In recent years, reports of rare 'Socialized' Hydra have been reported to have moved into towns and villages whose populace have largely moved into the Great Walled City's. They seem to specifically move into towns and villages that still have some population left and live alongside and protect the residents in order to keep them all from moving away into the GWC's.

The Hydra is a fearsome and intelligent ancient predator that has made its mark on Nullian cultural history, particularly with the Chimera and Empusa who once rode them into battle. Seen as a symbol of power and combat prowess, Chimera and Empusa soldiers and huntresses often use the Hydra as their icons and symbols. As for the rest of us, the Hydra is a rare threat, though one that when encountered demands the utmost attention and respect to deal with. As 'socialized' Hydra begin to make their ways to unused homes in the slowly depopulated towns in the outskirts of safety, hopefully in time a true, long term peace and cooperation between us and them will become the norm rather than a rarity. [A note is attached. Its depicts a sketch of a Hydra in a comically oversized cap and T-shirt awkwardly splayed on its body, the words reading 'Hydra House Buddies?']