The Arcane Order

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The Aegis of The Arcane Order Sientaritennari’nemiatin'yeat'
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Map pending, currently the Núlne Galaxy.
Aegis Systems
Capital and largest world	Salvation, Promise
Official languages	Kyrion Luon Lo'Ath Terrassian Shadentiri
Ethnic groups	<1% Kyrion <1% Luon <1% Aspion <1%Asenion 82.5% Terrassian 7.8% Shadentiri 5.7% Lo’Ath <1% Ravnikai 4% other
Religion	Laws of Aegion Robotics
Demonym(s)	Aegion/Aegian
Government	Three-tier democracy
• The Coalescence	State
• The Coalescence	Society
• The Coalescence	Singularity
Legislature	The Consanguinity
• Upper house	The Consanguinity
• Lower house	The Consolidation
Ascension of the Aegion
• Outer World Settlement	5900-5600 BF
• Outer World Independence	5408-5314 BF
• Fall of Origin	4218 BF
• Discovery of Terrassia	714 BF (absorbed 561 BF)
• Creation of the Luon	610 BF
• Ascension of the Order	603 BF
• The Withdrawal	490 BF
• Discovery of Lo’Ath	467 BF (absorbed 452 BF)
• Discovery of Shadentir	104 BF (absorbed 74 BF)
• Peace of Amity	0 PA
• Present Day	84 PA
Population
• 84 PA census	145,000,000,000

The “Aegis of The Arcane Order”, also known as the “Aegis” or “The Order” is a state comprised of organic sentients under the overall control of machine intelligences known as Aegion. The polity spans 24 systems and is primarily populated by Terrassians, Shadentiri and Lo’Ath. It does not directly share wind connections with any other polity, but is closest to the Kingdom of Kasmari. Technically the capital is the Shrineworld of Aegosta, but in practice all governmental functions are conducted from Salvation, both within the Promise system.

The original Kyrion civilisation expanded from the world of Origin some six thousand years before the Peace of Amity, occupying the Outer Worlds. The early pioneering spirit saw huge advances in technology amongst the Outer Worlds who gradually severed ties with Origin, become a commonwealth of independent system-states. Origin eventually collapsed on itself, as demand for an ever-increasing population outstripped the capabilities of the planet. Meanwhile, the technologically advanced Outer Worlds became increasingly reliant upon machines known as Asenion, which catered for their every possible requirement.

The utopia created by the “C/Fe State” (Carbon and iron integration - organic Kyrion and manufactured Asenion) led to stagnation– one would never leave paradise. The endless pursuit of perfection led to an increasingly narrow gene pool and culture. The Arcane Order was formed to counter this stagnation, and eventually took the place of the System-State governments of the Outer Worlds, but too late to counter the downward spiral.

The Luon, now known as Aegion and created by the Order just prior to their ascension, have replaced the Kyrion.

Terminology

“Kyrion” are the original organic sentients responsible for The Arcane Order and the creation of the polity. They were originally known as Aegion.

“Asenion” are machine intelligences bound by the Three Laws, created up until the Ascension of the Order in 603 BF.

“Luon” are generalist machine intelligences bound by the Four Laws who reflect Kyrion in appearance and are now referred to as Aegion.

"Aspion" are specialist machine intelligences bound by the Four Laws and can sometimes be referred to as Aegion. All Aspion are Aegion, but not all Aegion are Aspion.

The term “Aegion” can, depending on context, refer specifically to Luon or to both Luon and Aspion; in rare cases the term can also include Kyrion.

"Aegian" can refer to anyone or anything from within the Aegis.

Astrography

Aegis Astrography

The Aegis straddles the boundary between the Mid Region and Inner Rim of Núlne. There is a five-node gap between the Aegis and its nearest neighbour, the Kingdom of Kasmari.

Promise and the Kyrion System-States are located on the inner edge of the Inner Rim. The majority of Aegion expansion since the Withdrawal has been coreward, and the client states of Terrassia, Lo'Ath and Shadentir are coreward of Origin and Promise.

Shrineworlds

The eight Kyrion systems are home to the Shrineworlds. These were the homeworld and planets of the Kyrion before the Withdrawal.

The Coalescence and Consanguinity have forbidden exploitation of these worlds, and they are sheltered and protected as garden worlds against the eventual return of the Kyrion. They are populated primarily by Asenion and servant-machines, who maintain the worlds and the residences/mausoleums of the Kyrion.

The Shrineworld Aegosta was the capital of the Commonwealth of System-States, the forbear to the Aegis, and is technically the capital world of the polity. In practice it serves this role in a symbolic purpose only, with all governmental functions run from the planet Salvation.

Government and politics

The Coalescence

The Coalescence is the executive body of the Aegis. It comprises three Kyrioniform Aspion who form a machine (not psionic) groupmind. Each is responsible for the wellbeing a different aspect of Aegion culture under the principles of the Zeroth Law. Each was designed with subtly different positronic pathways and different core mathematical underpinning to best serve their respective focus area.

One Aspion is responsible for the betterment and efficiency of the state, one for the advancement of society, and one for the advantage and protection of the individual.

The three Aspion of the Coalescence are known as State, Society and Singularity respectively.

Decisions are made by simple majority decisions, although most decisions are unanimous.

The Consanguinity

The Consanguinity is the parliamentary chamber of the Aegis. The voting membership is entirely Aegion and Aspion, but there are a number of formally selected observers from the client states of Terrassia, Lo'Ath and Shadentir, as well as Sanctuary. The chamber is open to the public.

The Consanguinity debates laws and proposes them to the Coalescence for approval. It also makes a range of decisions where there is deemed to be a requirement for a broader consensus than the Coalescence, or where the Coalescence has referred a decision back to the Consanguinity.

The Consolidation

The Consolidation is the lower house of the Aegis. It is populated by those species or groups that are not Aegion/Aspion, excluding the Asenion.

The Consolidation makes recommendations to the Consanguinity, but has no specific powers of its own. As a political body, it is considered to be the mechanism for the client states to express their wishes and opinions collectively, rather than through independent representatives.

Military

The Aegis military is divided into two parts, the Aegis and the Contributor. Aegis forces are comprised of Aegion, Aspion and lesser machine intelligences (where required), and Contributor forces are those provided by client states or elsewhere.

Aegis warships are Aspion, normally incorporating small quarters for visiting/advising Aegion, and so have no requirement for an internal atmosphere, food storage or any of the other peripheral requirements necessary for organic life. This means that all space can be prioritised toward energy generation and military output.

Aegis ground forces are predominantly lesser machines with limited intelligence or judgement (slightly below true sentience), controlled and directed by Aegion or Aspion. On rare occasions Aegion may become directly involved (such as during the Shadentiri uprisings), but this is very much seen as for symbolic effect rather than as a practical feature of warfare.

Contributor ships and troops vary hugely by contributor state. The Lo'Ath are particularly notable for their warships being strictly regulated by the Aegis and requiring a crew comprised of personnel from both Lo and Ath, as part of the Reconciliation Programme.

There is a significant "merchant navy" of decommissioned Aspion warships, disarmed following the Treaty of Ravnikor. Were these ships to be armed as they were prior to the Treaty, the superheavy aspect of the Aegis fleet would increase dramatically, and there remains a great deal of suspicion within the Interstellar Assembly that re-arming these ships would be far easier than the Aegis has suggested. The Aegis, in contrast, remains deeply distrustful of the Assembly and the Elder Races for what they see as the forced mutilation of sentients.