Ignaiar

History

Era 0 – Pristaxy (???-1000 Years Ago)

• The Mass Sinkage is an event that occurred at some unknown point for unknown reasons that caused a majority of the world to sink, or raise the water levels. It has been questioned by many scientist and historians, however no one has come to an agreed answer.
  • Some believe it was done by something called a Krueger God, which is something that receives it's power through the feared belief. If this is the case, it must have killed all of it's followers during this event and has been completely forgotten.

Era I – The Fracture (1000-700 Years Ago)

The destruction of Seleos reshapes the planet, causing global disasters and permanently altering Ignaiar’s atmosphere and environment.

• ~1000 YA – The Shattering of Seleos
  • The moon violently fractures into hundreds of orbiting fragments, causing mass devastation.
  • Tides disappear, leading to the collapse of any pre-existing oceans.
  • Seismic instability lasts for decades—massive earthquakes reshape continents, burying ancient civilizations.
  • Anoxic conditions emerge, as dust and debris from Seleos blanket the atmosphere.
  • The Growths appear, slowly rising from the crust as the planet begins adapting to its new state.
• ~950 YA – The Silent Centuries Begin
  • The planet stabilizes, but extreme temperature shifts and a lack of surface water make most of Ignaiar uninhabitable.
  • Wildlife mutates or dies out. Only deeply buried life survives.
  • The Growths expand, creating isolated, hidden ecosystems containing strange aquatic life.
  • Any prior knowledge of Ignaiar before the disaster erodes over time, and the planet becomes an unknown frontier to anthrals.

Era II – The Arrival (700-600 Years Ago)

A colony ship, launched by the Anthals, lands on Ignaiar, unknowingly entering a world radically different from its original mission parameters.

• ~700 YA – The Colony Ship ‘Peregrine’ Arrives
  • A generational colony ship, launched centuries earlier, reaches Ignaiar expecting a habitable planet.
  • Instead, they find a hostile wasteland—no oceans, no breathable atmosphere, and extreme weather conditions.
  • The landing fails, and the ship crashes, but survivors establish a settlement using what remains of their technology.
  • The original mission logs and planetary data are quickly deemed useless, as Ignaiar is unrecognizable from its previous state.
• ~680 YA – The Struggle for Survival
  • First Generation: Survivors mine underground ice deposits for water and attempt to grow food in sealed biodomes.
  • Terraforming fails due to unknown environmental factors—growth outside controlled environments is impossible.
  • Harsh planetary conditions begin shaping a new culture, with strict resource rationing and rigid societal structures.
• ~650 YA – First Encounters with the Growths
  • Explorers reach the Growths, discovering contained oceans and bioluminescent ecosystems inside.
  • The first Growth-derived materials are harvested, showing strange, regenerative properties.
  • Conflicts arise between those who see the Growths as a lifeline and those who fear their unknown nature.

Era III – The Foundation of Aechelis (600-400 Years Ago)

Survivors transform their colony into a fortress-city, evolving into the strict hierarchical system of Aechelis.

• ~600 YA – The Conurbations Belt Begins Construction
  • As Ignaiar proves too hostile for surface expansion, the settlers begin building upwards, stacking structures atop the crashed colony ship.
  • The Apex Tier is first established, housing leadership and technological elites.
  • The lower tiers, including what will become the Trenches and Depths, begin forming as labor forces grow.
• ~550 YA – The Rise of the Caviidians
  • In response to population strain and leadership failures, genetic engineering programs create the first Caviidians—anthral-animal hybrids designed to govern efficiently.
  • The Caviidians, possessing longer lifespans and superior cognitive abilities, slowly replace anthral leadership.
  • A belief takes hold that anthrals are inherently flawed, while the Caviidians are necessary for stability.
• ~500 YA – The Codification of Society
  • Aechelis formalizes its tiered structure, reinforcing the divide between the Apex and the lower classes.
  • The Depths become a furnace, as geothermal plants expand to power the upper tiers.
  • Surveillance networks begin, tracking resources and population movement.

Era IV – The Catalyst Incident (400 Years Ago)

The discovery of the Catalyst phenomenon changes everything, leading to the militarization of the government and a crackdown on anthral potential.

• ~400 YA – The First Catalysts Emerge
  • Children born with strange abilities appear in Aechelis, sparking fear and scientific inquiry.
  • Many are captured and studied, leading to the first experimental programs designed to control or replicate their powers.
  • These experiments fail catastrophically, killing many subjects—except for a few who escape into the Depths.
• ~380 YA – The Suppression of Catalysts
  • The Caviidians declare Catalysts a threat, implementing the Omni surveillance network to track and eliminate them.
  • Sentinels, elite government enforcers, begin hunting Catalysts who refuse to submit.
  • A growing underground resistance forms, believing Catalysts represent anthral evolution, not a threat.

Era V – The Age of Control (300-0 Years Ago)

Aechelis reaches its dystopian peak, leading to the events of Rowan’s story.

• ~300 YA – The Sealing of Aechelis
  • Contact with the outside world ceases, and the Anoxic Tract is considered forbidden territory.
  • Government-controlled airships and gravity rails become the only means of long-distance travel.
  • All history before 500 YA is officially erased—very few even know of the Peregrine or their origins.

• ~280 YA – The Warden Project
  • The Caviidians attempt to replace anthral Sentinels with semi-autonomous bio-constructs, fusing technology and Growth-based tissue.
  • The project fails violently when the first generation of Wardens rejects control implants, turning on their creators.
  • Most were destroyed, but a few vanished into the Anoxic Tract—leading to rumors of feral, biomechanical Sentinels still roaming the wastelands.
• ~250 YA – The Collapse of Tier 87
  • Official records claim it was a geothermal fault that caused the disaster.
  • Survivors claim they saw something moving beneath the ground before the collapse.
  • Entire families were lost, and the event was buried under layers of bureaucracy.
  • Omni wiped all security footage, deepening the mystery.
• ~220 YA – The Last Skyship Rebellion
  • A group of renegade scientists and defectors attempted to launch an airship beyond the Growths, aiming for an unknown destination.
  • The mission failed when Omni drones destroyed the ship mid-air, ensuring no one could leave Aechelis’ control.
  • The remains of the ship are still out there, somewhere in the Anoxic Tract.

• ~200 YA – The Growth War
  • A faction of rogue scientists attempts to harness the Growths for power, leading to a civil conflict.
  • The government purges the faction and bans any independent research into Growth biology.
  • The surviving scientists go underground, their knowledge becoming legend.
• ~180 YA – The "Gravestone" Incident
  • Thousands of workers from the Trenches went missing overnight—no bodies were ever found.
  • Those who spoke about the event were later found dead or “relocated”.
  • A monument in the Depths, known only as the Gravestone, was left behind—but no one remembers why it was built.

• ~100 YA – The Catalyst Purge
  • A hidden faction of Catalysts, organized in the Trenches and Depths, nearly overthrew the Apex government.
  • They had discovered an underground water source, which would have made them independent of Aechelis’ rationed supply—freeing them from government control.
  • Before their movement could gain traction, Omni agents infiltrated their ranks, turning Catalysts against each other.
  • The uprising was brutally crushed, and entire bloodlines of Catalysts were systematically erased.
  • The event was scrubbed from history, and those who survived were labeled as traitors or lost to time.
  • Some fragments of their knowledge still exist, buried in encrypted archives or passed down through secret channels.
• ~70 YA – The Aether Project
  • Scientists tried to create Catalysts artificially, hoping to control their abilities from birth.
  • The project ended catastrophically when the test subjects developed uncontrollable powers and had to be executed.
  • Official records say none survived, but whispers persist of one experiment that escaped.

• ~Present Day – The Catalyst Rebellion Begins
  • Rowan Harker, a new-generation Catalyst, comes into conflict with Draven Solis, Aveline Ziegler, and the power struggles within Aechelis.
  • The balance of power begins shifting, as secrets of the Growths, the Caviidians, and Aechelis' true origins come to light.

Older

Ignaiar is a planet ravaged by catastrophic events that stripped it of its oceans, transforming it into a harsh, desolate landscape. What little water remains is found deep underground, locked in polar glaciers, or contained within the enigmatic Growths that rise from the earth. The destruction of its massive moon, Seleos, shattered it into countless fragments that now orbit the planet as glowing satellites, creating an eerie, star-like canopy.

This catastrophic reshaping of Ignaiar’s environment has given rise to an oppressive and stratified society centered around Aechelis, the planet’s most significant city-state. Beyond Aechelis lies the Anoxic Tract, a vast expanse of uninhabitable terrain that tests the limits of survival.

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Aechelis: The Conurbations Belt

Aechelis is a city-state of unprecedented scale and design, built within a wall that encircles the entire planet. This massive structure, known as the Conurbations Belt, serves as a haven for humanity amidst Ignaiar’s unforgiving conditions. The city itself is divided into distinct tiers, each reflecting the stark social and economic divide of its inhabitants:

• The Apex: The pinnacle of wealth and power, reserved for the Caviidians and the most elite anthrals. This tier is shielded by a transparent dome and features artificial lakes, lush gardens, and palatial estates. The Apex is the heart of governance, where laws are made and resources controlled.
• The Gilded Sector: Home to the upper-middle class, this tier is characterized by moderate luxury. Gravity rail hubs connect residents to the Apex and lower tiers, while bustling markets provide access to high-end goods and services.
• The Middling Sectors: A dense and utilitarian zone where workers and civil servants reside. Housing is functional but cramped, and surveillance by Omni Nodes ensures compliance with strict regulations.
• The Trenches: The industrial backbone of Aechelis, this sprawling zone is filled with factories, refineries, and assembly lines. The air is choked with smog, and illicit black markets thrive in the shadows of its towering structures.
• The Depths: The lowest tier of Aechelis is a labyrinthine network of shantytowns and geothermal plants. The heat is stifling, the air barely breathable, and natural light never reaches this level. Desperation fuels rebellion here, making it a hotbed of unrest.

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The Anoxic Tract

Outside the safety of Aechelis lies the Anoxic Tract, a deadly expanse that is uninhabitable for most life forms. This region is defined by extreme environmental conditions:

• Toxic Air: The atmosphere is thick with metallic dust and sulfur, requiring specialized respirators to breathe.
• Geological Instability: Frequent earthquakes, shifting fault lines, and geothermal vents make the terrain unpredictable.
• Temperature Extremes: The equator is unbearably hot, while the poles are frozen wastelands. These conditions further limit human activity.
• Mutated Lifeforms: Creatures adapted to the Tract’s conditions pose significant threats, some originating from the Growths or remnants of ancient experiments.

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The Growths and Seleos

The Growths are towering, organic structures that rise from Ignaiar’s surface, connecting to fragments of the shattered moon, Seleos. These Growths house ecosystems within their interiors, containing oceans, marine life, and alien flora.

• The Growth Ecosystems: These ecosystems are self-contained, with bioluminescent organisms, Growth-derived materials, and strange, adaptive species.
• The Fragments of Seleos: These moon shards orbit Ignaiar, casting an eerie glow across the planet. They influence Ignaiar’s tides and weather, creating phenomena that remain poorly understood.

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The Caviidians

The ruling class of Aechelis, the Caviidians, are a hybrid species created through the fusion of human and Caviidae DNA. Engineered to guide humanity through the water crisis, they possess superior intellect, enhanced longevity, and a cold pragmatism that often translates into oppression. The Caviidians oversee all aspects of Aechelis’ governance, including resource distribution, historical erasure, and technological control.

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Technology and Weaponry

• Communication and Computing:
  • Ground-based systems like fiber optic cables and relay towers replace satellites.
  • Localized mesh networks allow for decentralized communication in the lower tiers.
  • Omni Nodes double as data routers and surveillance tools, monitoring all digital activity.
• Weaponry:
  • Melee weapons dominate due to resource constraints, with innovations like shock mauls, thermo blades, and grav halberds.
  • Modifications include energy cells, toxin reservoirs, and sonic emitters, enhancing their utility in combat.
  • Growth-based materials provide unique weapon properties, such as self-repair and bioluminescence.

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Themes and Dynamics

• Oppression and Rebellion: Aechelis’ tiered structure reflects extreme inequality, with resistance movements simmering in the Trenches and Depths.
• Erasure of History: The Caviidians have systematically erased records of Ignaiar’s past, suppressing knowledge of Seleos’ destruction and other cataclysms.
• Survival and Adaptation: Life in Ignaiar is a constant struggle against environmental and societal challenges, fostering innovation and desperation in equal measure.

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Key Storylines and Characters

1. Rowan Harker’s Journey: A young Catalyst who uncovers the cracks in Aechelis’ oppressive systems, confronting Dr. Aveline Ziegler and her chaotic experiments.
2. Kade Verran’s Alliance: A pragmatic antihero whose brutal methods clash with Rowan’s ideals as they face shared threats.
3. Darik Vannor’s Transformation: A scavenger bonded to a parasitic organism from the Growths, grappling with the loss of his humanity.
4. Elira Caviis’ Descent: A disillusioned Caviiidian who ventures into the lower tiers to connect with humanity, inadvertently sparking rebellion.

Oldest

Ignaiar, otherwise known as Earth, by ignorants, is the sentient being that the setting takes place on. It is a whalian sized sphere that rests within the Lacuna. Resting between it's celestial parents, the scorching Solare and the mysterious Seleos.

The various satellites that make up the sky are also considered children of the great celestial pair, with the five known Ignaiarian Children, raising questions of what exactly are the other bulbs.

The top half of Ignaiar, which rests closer to it's father, Solare, is extremely hot and contains only heat deserts and rocks, with the heat too hot for even water to rest, while the bottom half of Ignaiar rests closer to it's mother; Seleos, is extremely cold and contains cold deserts and ice, with the cold too cool for life to properly live.

Ignaiar's Biome Climate

Arid-Deserts
Rocks
Savannas
Deciduous Forest
Conurbations Belt	A line that completely wraps around Gaia's mid-section, the Conurbations is the largest collection of towns, cities, and suburbs that exist. It is the primary place that holds a semi-stable society, with most agreed to hold borders of sixty miles wide. The long Conurbation belt of Gaia was originally built by the Great Caviidians, who now only make up it's top councils. The belt is broken into forty-seven borders, which make up a majority of the world's population.
Tropical Forest
Taiga
Four Oceans
Arctic-Deserts

Anoxic Tract

Name comes from 1) initially you couldn't breath in this area and 2) due to most dying shortly after entering, it's unknown just how large the area actually is. An Anoxic Tract is any hazardous zone, it doesn't necessarily have to not have oxygen, but anywhere considered too dangerous for life.

Life

placed within four primary categories for life; these include Sapience, Sentience, Oblivitence, and Lamentence, with each getting less and less intelligent.

Life

Sapience	Sentience	Oblivitence	Lamentence
Entities who're fully aware of themselves and others. Capable of human-level intellect.	Entities who're aware of life, but are uncapable of intricate thought.	Entities that aren't aware of life, purely living through instinct with no understanding.	Entities who are questionably alive.

Major Species

Sapience	Sentience	Oblivitence	Lamentence
Caviidian: The Great Caviidian genus built the Conurbations