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

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Flittermice.

[Sketches depict several species of mice, rats, and squirrels working in mutual cooperation with one another in a collective fashion, building nests in trees and treelines. They come in a wide variety of colorations and shapes, all unified by the leathery wings sprouting from their backs.]

[A note is attached. It reads 'They're so cute! But like, rodents are cute by default. Unless they're uninvited to your homes. Then I'm sorry little rat, but then you have to go. Thems the rules.']

Scientific Name Translation: Varies on species.

Average Size: Varies on species, between 5 inches to 1'6 feet.

Average Weight: Varies on species, between half a pound to 20 pounds.

Notable Sexual Dimorphism: Varies on species, most common being that females have longer tails than males.

Habitat Range: Continent wide.

Summary:​

There are numerous species on our world that, whether through evolutionary pressure, convergent evolution, or a species splitting into several distinct subspecies, that have different members exhibiting extremely different morphological traits from one another. Of mammalian order of Rodentia on Null, one of the most extreme examples of this occurring is the wildly varied divergences between various distinct species collectively known as Flittermice. Contrary to popular modern day belief, Flittermice do not have to be actual mice. Indeed, the family line of Flittermice includes, but are not limited to, mice, rats, squirrels, and mythological dire chinchilla. The unifying feature that distinct this family line from other rodents is their small, but functional bat-like wings on their backs. Indeed, Flittermice receive their name directly from a now long extinct species of bat. [A note is attached. It depicts a cartoon bat placing a crown on a cartoon Flittermice, the species name written on the crown.]

The unifying factors for these species is not only physical: While much debate continues to rage on as to whether their evolution was natural and convergent with other non-Flittermice rodent species, or the end result of a mystical event as is too common with the formation of such 'mixed' species on Null, there is conclusive evidence that Flittermice of all subspecies cooperate with one another in mutually beneficial cross-species communities to better survive. Each species contributes in ways best suited to their kinds strengths, and each cover the others weaknesses, leading to a eusocial way of living usually only seen in insects.

Ranging from 5 inch long mice to one and a half foot tall squirrels, Flittermice lack a central leader figure, lacking any form of 'queen' often seen in Nullian insect hives such as the Spider-Ants or the Bullet Bees. However, research by Flittermice biologist Sosyia Kapoora indicates that a form of communal forum of sorts exist where adult Flittermice trade information of food sources, dangers and threats, as well as locations of other Flittermouse communities amidst the trees, making them eusocial in the same way other hive-breeds such as most regular ants and several bee species on our world. These nests are built into and out of trees, with each tree in a given area housing segments of the wider Flittermouse community. Initially, this was seen as odd due to the fact that Nullian trees is notoriously ruthless in their defense against incursions by small animals. However, it was quickly discovered that this is in fact a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship: The Flittermice receive shelter and protection against predators, while they in turn protect the trees of Null from parasites and herbivorous insects that are a threat to their continued existence. [A note is attached. It reads 'Lucky little punks! >

']

This is not to say that Flittermice are totally defenseless, however. Mouse and rat type Flittermice, like other rodents of their kind in other family lines, are able to coat their tails in a matter disruption field, giving them incredible cutting power in their defense against smaller predators or the grubbing mitts of curious creatures, while the larger squirrels are capable of coating their claws in typical plasma coating to enhance their strikes in a flurry of vicious mauling to anything foolish enough to give them an opportunity to defend themselves. Their communal nature means they are quick to come to one another's aid, regardless of specific subspecies, and they always rally to the defense of their home-trees if needed and able. If all else fails, their small but functional wings allow them to glide and even fly for a short amount of time to escape danger.

Despite their communal nature and advanced eusocial behaviors, as well as the Aleph Xara's animal counterparts in the case of the mouse-types, it was discovered that Flittermice are not, in fact, Sapient, and thus not a Civilized race unto themselves. Sentient, but lacking culture or history of their own, the innate intelligence and communal bonds of their species did earmark them as objects of interest in some circles of Null's scientific community. Namely, they are the species with the distinct honor to be part of research efforts by Median scientists to create the fist Uplifted species in modern Nullian history, a project which is housed in Yang Quartz. Whether the project has borne fruit yet or not, however, remains a closely guarded secret. [A note is attached. It reads 'I really, really hope if it succeeded, they were able to survive the attack that took out the city....']

In terms of relationship with Civilized Nullians, contrary to popular belief, Flittermice do not make for good pets. Their instincts to build networked communities in trees makes housing them in a normal home virtually impossible, and their desire to be in large communities of their kinds also means that no manageable amount of them can feasibly held within any one household for long anyway. Despite this, Flittermice are considered good luck charms for communities living near or around Flittermice tree-networks, though a popular misconception that originates from the Aleph Xara's 'book mouse' nickname means it is not uncommon for Flittermice to be used as iconography for libraries across the Median. [A note is attached. It reads 'Aleph Xara aren't just icons of scholarly pursuits. They are also very common scribes attached to Median soldiers of renown, to archive their adventures and the things they learn and fight along the way!']

When it comes to reproduction, Flittermice are genetically compatible between their various species, however they exclusively pair up and produce offspring in same-species couplings. To avoid genetic oversaturation of the same genes in any one community, is common for young adult Flittermice to break off from their parent networks in search of new homes to find mates with. Young Flittermice of all species are defenseless for the first few months of their lives, thus necessitating careful care and sanctuary within the most well fortified depths of their tree homes. Needless to say, during pupping season, Flittermice are extremely protective of their homes.

Though the sight of Flittermice has grown uncommon in recent centuries for city-dwellers, especially within the Great Walled Cities, they remain a staple part of scholarly culture due to their Aleph Xara connection making them iconographic staples in places of learning. Only time will tell if the Uplift project in Yang Quartz will work and allow us to interact with these amazing little creatures as equals, or if we will just have to continue on as a society and scientific community without them. In this writer's humble opinion, I can only hope for the latter. [A note is attached. It reads 'I hope so too.']

 

[TripleMRed]

Cheshire.

[Sketches depict a furless feline species coming in various sizes, covered in smooth skin with marking covered skin. Various subspecies, differentiated by different skin and color patterns as well as phenotypical changes to morphology separate them from creatures as small as a house-cat, to twice as large as a tiger. The biggest unifying factor across all species is the fact the tail splits apart into three segments ending in sharp barbs at the tips, which sketches show it using like a poison laced scourge for defense by swiping it at the faces of hostile animals.]

[A note is attached. It depicts a well drawn Cheshire cat with a collar sitting on a bed, with a name underneath reading 'Mr. Stretch.']

Scientific Name Translation: Displacement Cat.

Average Size: Varies based on subspecies.

Average Weight: Varies based on subspecies..

Notable Sexual Dimorphism: Females have longer ears and tails than males.

Habitat Range: Across most biomes of the Arisa Continent, but particularly found in the forests, jungles, and rainforests.

Summary:​

Null is home to a wide variety of creatures, of various Genuses and family lines. The Felines of our world are generally split into two distinct groups: The first is the Armored line, which includes the Rock Cats of the mesas and deserts, the Armored Fang, and the Fireiron Tiger associated with the Erui Tiger Spirits. The other, larger family line of felines are the Cheshires, furless cats covered in marking laced skin with forked tails and signature toothy grins they use for psychological effects on their prey. While the Armored line is the stronger and more durable of the two kinds of felines, the Cheshires stand out for being the more mystically imbued.

Evolved on Null through millions of years of natural selection and exposure to the magics of our world, the Cheshires are a home-grown, naturally occurring native of Null. Their power, biology, and psychological characteristics are therefore all perfectly geared towards not only surviving on our world, but thriving in it. As a result, they have a long and storied history with the various Nullian natives, but of are particular import, ironically enough, to the Cerberi, who were the first to domesticate the Cheshires thousands of years ago. [A note is attached. It depicts a cartoon Cerberus throwing a stick at a cartoon Cheshire cat, the stick bouncing off their head. Words follow underneath, reading 'Lesson 1: Cheshires don't play fetch.']

Found across most biomes, but particularly thriving in forests, jungles, and other such environments, Cheshires come in a wide range of subspecies, from the small Pygmy Cheshire Cat whose domesticated offshoots have become popular pets and pest-control measures in Nullian society, to the massive, hulking King Cheshires that are known for their hulking sizes and physical power on top of their mystical abilities. Their wide variety of subspecies means they have a form that fills every niche in the Nullian ecosystem as predators on every level, though as with most things on Null, their status as predators is precipitated on the fact that they are not caught by surprise by other creatures of more vicious temperaments.

One cannot talk about Cheshire biology without getting into their suite of powers and abilities. One of the biggest abilities that give the Cheshire an infamous reputation is their ability to turn invisible by altering the flow of light around them in order to appear as though they aren't there. Even to the sharp eyes of a Normal type Oros, nothing appears to be there if the Cheshire remains unmoving, with only movement causing a subtle distortion on movement, a distortion which is easily hidden by canopies rich in flora and darkened by shade. This, combined with their species wide ability to climb up and down trees, make them excellent ambush predators, allowing them to strike at unaware prey with ease. However, while they can indefinitely hold their invisibility when staying still, movement proves draining for them to maintain their optical cloak. As such, when crossing far distances, patrolling territory, or making threat displays, they phase out of their invisibility in order to conserve energy, reserving it for tactical uses to avoid exhaustion. [A note is attached. It depicts a blank spot inbetween two trees, with words underneath reading 'Lesson 2: Cheshires are great at hide and seek.']

Their skin and color patterns are also able to naturally change color and texture, however rather than being for camouflage, this color changing is used to show the current mood and emotional state of the Cheshire in question. As a result, color changing is combined with their vocalizations and emotive facial expressions in order to communicate with one another, allowing for Cheshires to hold conversations with one another, though research is inconclusive if this form of communication is universal in that all Cheshires of all subspecies can communicate with one another or if each subspecies is limited to only their own kind for conversation. As a direct result of this, although Cheshires live and hunt alone, they are able to form communities with one another spanning entire territories, sharing information on the locations for food, the best sunning spots, and areas of danger. [A note is attached. It depicts two cartoon Cheshires meowing at one another while a cartoon Oros with an eyepatch is trying to go to sleep. Words underneath read 'Lesson 3: Cheshires are chatty.']

In addition to invisibility and communication, as well as the usual plasma coated claws, Cheshires also have multi-tipped, poison covered tails that they use to target the eyes of an attacker in order to blind them. Smaller Cheshire species use this as an opportunity to escape, while others use the momentary blindness of their enemy to attack and kill them. The Oros cultural habit of wearing masks has, for the longest time, meant that outside of the largest and most powerful Cheshire species, their ability to blind has been a non-factor for our species. The Cerberi that have domesticated various Cheshire lines have bred different species to have less effective and more effective poison for use in pet and attack animal lines respectively.

One rare ability that is very uncommon among all species of Cheshire is the ability to teleport. What should be an energy intensive ability is, through some unknown arcane means, easy and repeatable for use by the Cheshires to inherit this rare ability. Those that have this ability use it in everything from hunting, to battle, to even sport, with a common 'game' for these Cheshires to scare a prey animal into running before teleporting in front of them over and over again until the animal drops from exhaustion. Extensive research has actually managed to find that the Cheshire's ability to do this is due to what is, technically, a genetic disorder that triggers their mystical abilities in a way that allows for teleportation as an act of instinct rather than concentrated spell-craft, though the disorder is recessive which results in it only occurring as a result of double-recessive expression. As such, the ability is, and will remain, rare in the wild. [A note is attached. It depicts a Cheshire with its lips curled back in a big, threatening grin.]

In terms of temperament, the size of the Cheshire is a factor as smaller Cheshires are more relaxed due to their ability to better hide in smaller, harder to reach places, while larger Cheshires ironically are more aggressive due to an increase in conflicts for survival. As a result, in the wild, smaller Cheshires are unlikely to attack creatures larger than themselves save to escape and rarely approach Civilized Races as a result, while the larger, more aggressive species can and will engage in combat if they feel threatened or if their territory is trespassed against. In combat, Cheshires use ambush to begin the conflict before making use of their invisibility cloak in hit and run attacks. If the target remains standing and unblinded after they have exhausted their cloaks, then they will engage in intense tackles and body slams, with occasional wrestling down of the target to the ground before moving in for the kill. This fighting style, while highly aggressive, is predictable if you already know how they operate, and as such various tricks, tips, and suggestions to survive or win encounters with larger Cheshires are common.

Breeding year round, Cheshire mated pairs stick to their own subspecies, producing kittens that grow to maturity every two years. As a result, the Cheshire population remains somewhat stable despite a, very relative, fragility, allowing them to compete with other predators in their respective size brackets. Young Cheshire kittens follow their parents under their instinctively activated cloaks, observing and learning from their hunts via a safe spot to observe from. Once reaching maturity, Cheshires break off from their family units to hunt on their own, often not taking on a mate until they have lived on their own for several years.

In popular Nullian Culture, Cheshires are known as mischievous creatures, both for the domesticate versions playful natures as well as for the wild counterparts telltale hunting tactics. Their likeness is often used in symbols and charms among the Yayai Fox Spirits, Mortalized or otherwise, for this association with mischief, making them the most common owners for Cheshire pets outside of the Cerberi who first domesticated them. In the modern day, feral Cheshires are a common sight in cities, considered a boon as free pest control in keeping unwanted rodent and insect populations in check, with their own population being kept in check via careful applications of sterility initiatives to allow for the breeding population of the animals to remain at a manageable size. [A note is attached. It depicts a well drawn sleeping Cheshire with a collar, curled up in a ball. Words underneath read 'Lesson 4: Cheshires are tired little guys who just want to sleepy.']

 

[TripleMRed]

Psychoraptors.

[Sketches depict a species of feathered Dromaeosaurid with particularly large claws on their front hands. The feathers range in coloration to match the environment they are in, with a major unifying factor being their large, wide open eyes and their 'grinning' muzzles.]

[A note is attached. It reads 'I'm so glad I never lived in any places with these freaky things around.]

Scientific Name Translation: Dread Eater.

Average Size: 7-10 feet/2.1-3.05 meters in length.

Average Weight: 500-850 pounds/226.8-385.6 kgs.

Notable Sexual Dimorphism: Females have longer feather crests than males.

Habitat Range: Select forests and jungles spread across the Arisa continent.

Summary:​

During the long evolutionary processes on our world, most Dromaeosaurid life of the most ancient of times to avoid extinction have long since evolved into modern forms as the birds of our world, with the most successful lines being the ones that were mystically fused into the first Gryphons in Null's history. However, just as there are living fossils such as the Mud Skimmer or certain family lines of Crocodilians, a handful of these original Dromaeosaurids, for one reason or another, never made the full evolutionary leap into modern day avian status. Indeed, those that remain to this day stand out for being remarkably unchanged compared to the fossil records of their ancestors, at least on a superficial level. [A note is attached. It reads 'Why couldn't they turn into normal ass birds like the rest? Was that too much to ask?']

The most common, widespread, and successful of these remaining family lines are what are commonly referred to as 'Psychoraptors'. This unflattering name is not without precedent or reason, however. Where other, less common family lines focus more on survival, the Psychoraptor's size and intelligence combined with their physical strength and strong pack dynamics affords them the ability to develop emotional intelligence that often leads to a level of sadism not often seen in the wild. Where most creatures stalk, hunt, and kill to feed or to drive off threats, Psychoraptors have been known to toy with potential prey over a period of hours, isolating them and wearing them down with hit and run attacks for the sake of entertainment before finally moving in for the kill. While the Jaco Killer remains more hated, lone Civilized Race members in Psychoraptor territory are known to feel a deep dread at potentially encountering these ruthless creatures when they are in a 'playful' mood.

The armaments of the Psychoraptor are many. In addition to wicked toe-claws that allow them to do great damage with a powerful leaping attack, penetration of armored hides aided by the usual Nullian animal's ability to coat their attacks in a plasma field. Additionally, their large and powerful tail, used primarily for balance, is also suited for strong swipes and strikes, with the tip of the tail being coated in quills laced with toxin. The Psychoraptors do not naturally produce this toxin, but rather create it by harvesting various kinds of toxic materials, mixing them together, and dousing their tail quills with them. [A note is attached. It depicts a cartoon Psychoraptor in a salon getting their tail quills attended to by another, words following: 'Oh honey, you'll knock 'em dead with this, you'll see.]

The most standout weapon of the Psychoraptor family line, however, and what sets them apart from most other remaining Dromaeosaurids, is their multi-inch long sharpened claws tipping their hand's digits. Giving them additional weapons to tear into armor with the added benefit of limited but functional dexterity to grab and grapple, Psychoraptors are adept close range combatants who are more than willing and able to swarm targets they have set their sights on. More than one Civilized Hunter has fallen believing they could outgrapple a Psychoraptor, only for its packmates to interupt the duel to attack the distracted Hunter before they had a chance to win.

The intelligence of these creatures allows them to plan, coordinate, set up ambushes and crude traps, or even direct other animals to attack while they sit back and watch the ensuing battle for their own entertainment. This similarity to Spider-Ant behavior has not gone unnoticed in the scientific community, and it is a common debate in some academic circles as to which species developed these behaviors first and which the other learned through observation. Furthermore, they have an uncanny ability for vocal mimicry, allowing them to mimic the voices of their prey to lure others in for the kill, or to psychologically attack more sapient targets. [A note is attached. It reads 'They love to say 'Who is a pretty bird.' and I don't know why. Creepy.]

In spite of their often-sadistic love of bloody entertainment, Psychoraptors are dedicated parents who raise their offspring communally with the rest of the pack. The young, hatched from eggs laid seasonally every year, are well taken care of and taught every trick and skill their pack knows until they are old enough to head out to find a new pack for themselves. This causes a spread of knowledge amidst the various Psychoraptor packs, so whenever one pack learns something new, it is only a matter of time before it spreads to more and more of them.

Historical enemies to many towns and villages in, near, or around select forests and jungles across Arisa, the Psychoraptor has made quite the name for itself in Nullian culture with their distinct, often psychopathic love for carnage. Encounters with them almost always ends in a fight, which has soured the image of the raptor for many, even those species that lack the more horrific traits of this particular species. A shame indeed, but not unexpected given the traumatic violence many in these more far flung settlements have to endure with such volatile and brutal neighbors. Only time will tell if the Psychoraptor's days are numbered, or if the increasing movement to live in the Great Walled Cities will see these places abandoned by Civilized Races in favor of newer, safer pastures.

 

[TripleMRed]

Scorponid.

[Sketches depict a large scorpion like creature with 8 legs, two large pincers, a long tail ending with a trident like three pronged stinger, and an armored face with jaws surrounded by mandibles and 5 piercing eyes. The Sketches show the creatures tunneling through the sand as if they were swimming through it, living in burrows and often laying in wait for prey to come near their hiding spots before springing into action. Their carapaces show various colorations, from the striated looks of those in the Great Banded Desert to the red hued shells of the ones in the Red Desert, and more.]

[A note is attached. It reads 'When I was little, I heard people kept pet scorpions, but I didn't realize at the time only the small ones were kept as pets. So growing up, I would imagine Scorpanids on leashes and it wouldn't be until I was in college where I found out the truth. XD']

Scientific Name Translation: Sand Crawler.

Average Size: 7-12 feet/2.1-3.65 meters in length.

Average Weight: 500-800 pounds/ 226.8-362.9 kgs.

Notable Sexual Dimorphism: Females are distinguished by their orange markings compared to the males' red ones..

Habitat Range: Most Desert regions in Arisa.

Summary:
​

Across Arisa, the Arachnid branch of life has seen many varieties and species come and go over the eons of evolution, from the primitive Pseudo-Spiders dated back 150 million years ago in our worlds' history, to the modern day and prospering Migo's Forest Scorpion. One particular species, however, have come to dominate the deserts of Arisa compared to other arthropods, having out competed all but the most powerful or numerous other species. The Scorpanid, also known by the native peoples of the deserts like the Skyrunners as the Dune Swimmers, is a family of large, hulking scorpions adapted to the harsher conditions of our world's deserts, finding plentiful food in the form of wandering bands of desert creatures moving from one oasis to another, and their competitor rival species, the Desert Spider-Ants.

The Scorpanid's evolution can be traced back roughly 23 million years ago, where their earliest known ancestors still lived in the inland sea of what is now today the Great Banded Desert. Living an amphibious lifestyle, when the Great Inland Sea began to dry up thanks to shifting continents and climate, these early creatures were forced to adapt quickly to the increasingly hostile landscape. While several different family lines would branch out to try and survive, the one that would directly lead to the Scorpanids were able to adapt the best to the new status quo, having grown to become the apex predator of its era. [A note is attached. It depicts a cartoon scorpion wearing sun glasses telling several other kinds of Scoprions in water 'You guys are dumb, water is for losers.']

Compared to most other ground scorpions, the Scorpanid is notable for its large size. Powered by a complex set of expansive internal lungs even by Nullian insect standards and a robust skeleton, the Scorpanid is protected from both the elements and most forms of attack by their hardened, chitinous armor. Difficult to pierce even with modern day, non armor piercing rounds, the Scorpanid's biggest limitation to their dominance in the deserts is their relative lack of social bonds. While cunning hunters, it is rare to see more than a handful of Scorpanids in the same area, and even then, usually only to feed on a large enough kill or when there are packs of prey near by.

With hunting strategies ranging from stalking hit and run tactics, ambushes on well walked prey routes, and using their ability to 'swim' through the sand to perform coordinated take downs of largest prey animals, the Scorpanid has a reputation among the peoples of the desert as a common hunter of livestock and pets. As such, culling's of their populations are common whenever they make their way to Civilized lands in any large numbers, though a more common tactic is to lead them into known Spider-Ant colonies to have the two mortal enemy species fight. [A note is attached. It reads 'During my time fixing up military gear at work, I once got to see a live cam footage of just one such fight breaking out. Words can't describe how cool it was to see live!']

In battle, the armor of the Scorpanid increases its survivability by an incredible degree, allowing them to ignore all but the most powerful of attacks. Crushing damage, such as that inflicted by the Hammertail of the region, makes short work of them, but their agility belied by their large size allows most to dodge out of the way. In terms of armaments, the Scorpanid is a living weapon's platform: Their legs are edged with sharp spines, their massive claws are capable of crushing almost anything that they can fit between them, their venomous stingers are stung with such force as to pierce modern military powered armor, and they are able spit out a burning corrosive stomach acid up to 50 meters away with great accuracy. Dangerous both to wild life and Median military units, dealing with Scorpanids is not something to be handled lightly as the powerful beasts can just as easily turn the tables on their attackers and inflict severe injuries or worse. [A note is attached. It reads 'It's almost like it's a living biological tank. I can't imagine why fighting one on foot would be dangerous. ']

During the mating season, Scorpanid males have their red markings brighten to a flamboyant bright red, to help them attract females. Rather than compete in feats of strength or hunting, Scorpanid mating rituals are unusual in that they involve what can only be described as an intricate, ritualistic mating dance. Interestingly, each dance is unique to each Scorpanid, who must learn to develop their own dance on their own. Initiated by a hopeful male suitor, if the female is uninterested she will simply go away. If the male does manage to catch her eye, however, she will respond to his dance with one of her own.

The ritual is considered complete and successful only once both parties have danced up to 4 times each and begin to dance in unison. Once completed, the two mate, and then the pair go their separate ways. Females lay large eggsacs in their burrows which take several weeks to gestate before hatching into a swarm of young that follow their mother around, learning from her how to survive and what hunting tactics to use against what prey. At around 3 years of age, the Scorpanid young have grown to a sufficient size to survive on their own, and the cycle of life begins once again. [A note is attached. It depicts several tiny scorpions taking notes as a larger scorpion in a moo-moo is holding a Spider-Ant in one claw. Words follow: 'Now pay attention class, this is how you crush your enemies and drink in their dying lamentations like a can of soda.']

Tenatious creatures, Scorpanids are respected by desert cultures for their lethality, power, and overall level of danger, with a common saying among the Skyrunners about a foolish act as being 'Hitting the Dune Swimmer in the face instead of in the back.' Popular icons in both the military and as the representative animals for numerous tribes, the Scorpanids are held in high regard in spite of their danger and often frustrating attacks on local farms due to their tenacity and predatory cunning. To be compared to one is among the highest honors Skyrunner soldiers can give to another.

 

[TripleMRed]

[Greetings to all of my readers. I know it's been a while since the last update, to which I profusely apologize for. I have been busy behind the scenes handling something important, and have come to make an announcement for it:

We are rebranding!

Who cares about silly deathworlds, complex lore dumps, and intricate histories? Nobody gives a toot about stuff like that these days. You know what people like? Sports ball! As such, I am proud to announce my Totally Legit and Absolutely Official Partnership with HBO to bring you Magic Johnson's Slamdownverse, a Totally Canon prequel to Space Jam.

Join MJ as he takes on the greatest B-Ball players in the universe to learn the secrets of the Cosmos and help the Fellowship of the Slam to dunk on the competition of the Dark Jam Masters!

This partnership will be fruitful for all parties involved, and I am proud to say that absolutely nothing can stop it from happening!






































Update: I have just been informed that Warner Bros has written off and completely destroyed all seventeen pre-recorded seasons of the would-have-been hit animated series to start this new multiverse off for a tax write off of half a baloney sandwich and a pocket full of lint.

However, due to not signing off the rights to my first ideas to them, I retain full power over everything written up to this point and can continue to do so in the foreseeable future.

Updates will return on a semi-regular basis starting with a Sidestory update to get us back into the groove!]

 

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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 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!"]

---

[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'.]

 

[TripleMRed]

[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?​

 

[TripleMRed]

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.']

 

[TripleMRed]

[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 socio-political 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 Counciler 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.

---

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.

---

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.

---

Finally, and the society farthest from the Median while still being on [Stasis] is 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 ot acquire on them.

Comprised of the 'Peoples of the Sun', the species appears to be a form of primate divided between several distinct subspecies who arose to form their own society and civilization in the relatively calm West. They are 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.

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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.]