Part 1: Peace
Carronia
2200.01.01
It is a great honor for me to be chosen to lead our people in these historic times. With our new technology finally in place, our first manned spaceships are scheduled to leave our home system before the end of the year. Not only will we be able to explore the galaxy from up close, but we will finally have the opportunity to visit our allies and (until now) pen-pals, The Assembly of Troidom and The Grand Duchy of Ucrichi. We will most assuredly build a great future together as we explore the galaxy and meet new species.
Great news. It didn't take our explorers long to find signs of alien life. Unfortunately, the artifacts they recovered are over two million years old. They seem to have belonged to an ancient federation that called itself the "First League". Being in a federation ourselves I'm sure we can learn a lot from our foremothers. I almost want to propose to change our federations name to the "Second League", but I don't think it would be accepted. So the "Galactic Peace Initiative" will have to stand for now.
2205.12.11
After our initial success five years ago I had hoped we would have met more civilizations by now, or at least signs of more ancient ones. We finally did meet one though, and speaking of ancient, these guys seem to be. They are an old spiritual species that call themselves the Sorann Protectors. And whilst I want to be excited for our first meeting with like-minded people who know how important the Divine is, their first message to us left something to be desired. And I quote: "Another child. Know that we are the Sorann Protectors, the chosen people of this galaxy. Respect our holy places, and we may refrain from annihilating you." We've tried to open communication with them, but they flat out refused our envoys entry to their territory.
2206.08.14
I guess the galaxy is a more dangerous place than we had initially hoped. We have found evidence of yet another extinct civilization. A planet the explorers dubbed Ruinous Core was found not long ago. It is a planet covered in irradiated, rusting remnants of demolished buildings, infrastructure and vehicles, with decaying orbital stations circling around it. There also seem to be several other planets like it in the same and neighboring systems that we should investigate.
2207.12.02
We've finally found alien life. A while ago our ships encountered a creature that lives in space. They were named Space Amoeba by its first observers, though further study shows that they are as complex a life form as anything we can find here on Throne. And the size! They are larger than any ships we have yet to construct. Hopefully, we can learn to co-exist. Our scientists are working on developing some means to communicate with them.
*****
2210.01.01
Once again I am honored to be elected as our Revered Elder.
2210.01.02
No rest for the Tarblac as they say. Just yesterday I was sworn into office again, and today we have opened communication with a new species. They call themselves the Mirocandia Devourers. Despite the name I have faith we will be able to become friends. Their Warlord Feron ka Jatek ensures me that Honor is the most important creed for their warriors, and as long as we don't encroach on their territory we will not have any problems.
2214.02.01
Our explorers have found a shipwreck floating in space. An analysis of their logs reveals that they were on their way to a previously uncharted (by us) system to retrieve an important artifact called The Rubricator that had been stolen from them. We have no information of where the ship came from, but we will go and investigate the new system to see if we can meet the people living there, or maybe even find this mysterious artifact.
2218.01.10
As the galaxy is most assuredly a dangerous place our priests have started an initiative to make it safer for us all. They have divined a ritual to Consecrate Worlds. If we can find some places that are more holy than others and perform this ritual, it will make them into beacons for the Divine. In fact, we already know just the place for our first consecration: a Gaia planet in the Bokrimar system. We will keep an eye out for more holy places.
Has it already been twelve years since we discovered the systems filled with ruined planets? Our scientists have concluded that most assuredly the destruction was the result of a war against some unknown assailants. Yet again proof that war leads to nothing but ruin. The final analysis of the planets states that we can re-inhabit them. Or, we can't, but our friends the Assembly of Troidom can, since their people the Praku are a mineral-based lifeform and therefore not as affected by the planet's irradiation. We're making a deal with them as I write.
Our first colony ship has landed. Or rather it crashed? Our deal with the Assembly of Troidom was swiftly completed. We would pay all costs for the colonization and they would supply us colonists. A good deal all around. But they insisted that we make the ship by their specs. So we made what is basically a big hollow rock with an engine attached to it. And when the ship arrived, rather than landing, they smashed the ship into the surface of the planet. Luckily the ship was built for this and everyone survived. We look forward to seeing if they can get a colony going on Lost Encampment, and then we'll see about colonizing the rest of the ruined worlds too.
*****
Haghonona
2200.01.01
I am our new Revered Elder, Haghonona.
I will lead our people for the next 10 years.
In this time I vow to rectify a big oversight by my predecessor, it is time to spread the Eldar beyond Throne. It is time to populate a planet of our own, instead of creating new ones for the Praku.
2225.03.26
A device has been found in the Bokrimar system. We've given it the name "The Atomic Clock".
It is counting down to something 42 years and 3 days from now.
We will keep an eye out for it. Hopefully, it won't have any ill effects on our Consecrated World of Bokrimar IIIa.
2228.01.12
I have kept my promise. Today the first colony ship crewed only by Eldar has landed on Afrmyke B III.
This is a great moment for our species.
2228.09.29
One of our explorers has found a shrine of Eldar likeness floating in space.
*****
Katrilla
2230.01.01
I am your new Revered Eldar, Katrilla.
Honestly, I have campaigned heavily in order to be elected, and it is with great joy that I take up this mantle. And why did I want this job so much, you ask? You see, one year, two months, and two days ago I was the lead Science Officer on the explorer that discovered the "Eldar Shrine" floating in space. And since then Revered Elder Haghonona did nothing about it! This is perhaps the single most important discovery in our history! And she dismissed it as a curiosity.
There will be no more of that. I promise I will spare no resources to get to the bottom of this. But first, let me tell you about the initial find.
The Shrine we found was previously an asteroid that had been laser-chiseled into the likeness of an old Eldar Shrine, more specifically to a Warrior Goddess of an old extinct faith, named only as The Untold. And it is much, much older than we've had space flight for.
2230.05.29
We've found another shrine in the Ziris system, similar to the first one. Investigations are underway. The scientists have named them "The Shrines to the Old Gods". This one seems to worship The Undaunted.
2231.07.21
Seventeen years ago we found a ship floating in space that was looking for something called the Rubricator. We have finally found the system they were heading for and investigated it. There is an inhabitable planet there, but it doesn't seem to actually be inhabited as we had initially hoped. Our archaeologists are more than eager to land and start excavating. But, of course, they will have to be patient a bit longer. Even if we had the means to claim the system right now, our explorers are all busy looking for ancient shrines.
2231.09.30
After a lot of careful work on the shrine to The Undaunted, we have retrieved a scroll from inside made from a sturdy plastic polymer. It seems to be a list of her doctrines. It's being sent home to Throne for further analysis.
2231.10.13
We've met another federation! This one was built on militaristic policies rather than peaceful ones like ours. But the United Birnathi Imperium, leader of the Glorious Birnathi Dominion, seems reasonable enough and has accepted our envoys. We do however need to step up our search for the shrines. The area we're searching is right outside their borders. We must find them before they expand.
2232.02.22
We've found another shrine in the Enim System. This one seems to be worshiping The Benefactress.
2232.07.11
I feel that I should make a note of this day. One of our most ambitious projects has finally been completed. With the help of the Assembly of Troidom, we have managed to settle all of the ruined worlds we discovered twenty-six years ago. Seven in total. Truly it is wonderous what we can manage to accomplish together. We hope this can serve as an example to other species that cooperation is far preferable to conflict.
2234.06.11
The entire inside of the shrine to The Benefactress was covered in pictograms. Copying them down took longer than I would have hoped, but the work is finally complete. They are being sent back to Throne for further analysis.
Around the galaxy, our explorers have found inoperable portals, or Gateways, that we assume could be connected if activated. However, in the Yannok's Maw system we have just found a gate unlike the others. This one seems to have been altered after its creation and has been disconnected from the network. Instead, it seems to lead to a cluster of stars outside of our galaxy. We have designated it the L-Cluster, and this new portal the L-Gate.
2235.03.13
We have found what we believe to be the last Shrine; this one worshiping The Percipient. Investigations are underway.
2236.01.02
Today we met yet another species. And I have to wonder how they managed to develop spaceflight. Or maybe it was given to them by someone else? They don't seem to have a complex society or economy, all they have are fleets. Lots and lots of fleets. They threatened to eat us if we came too close, but also offered to eat others if we paid them. Needless to say, we're going to stay far away from these people.
2236.06.15
After some initial failure, the shrine to The Percipient has finally been decoded. With text from all four shrines gathered we can now start piecing it all together.
2236.06.20
We have the complete doctrine of the gods!
Every hole in our previous doctrine has been patched. Every misinterpretation has been fixed. It is clear from these texts that we walk in the footsteps of the Divines!
2236.07.01
Allow me a moment of contemplation. The doctrine we discovered is one of the most significant findings the Eldar has ever uncovered, of that I have no doubt. Nor do I doubt that the Divines themselves have put us on this path.
And yet I fear for our future.
After the doctrine was released to the public a new fervor for spiritualism has gripped our people. And as more and more people read our religious text, there are more and more people who realize that they do not, in fact, prohibit violence; instead, Holy wars are actually encouraged. We've had our share of wars in the past, but when our planet was finally united behind a single religion we no longer had any need for them. And four hundred years ago when we also united into a single nation it was written into the constitution that no Eldar was allowed to bear arms. Now that we face new dangers in the galaxy our people are questioning whether this doesn't actually go against the will of the Divine.
The Senate has today received a request that our constitution should be amended. That we should abandon our pacifist ways.
May the Divines shelter us.
2237.04.04
It has been twenty-seven years since we first met the Mirovandian Devourers, and today I am happy to announce that our friendship is building. The Galactic Peace Initiative has signed them on as an associate. Hopefully, this will only be the first step in a greater future cooperative.
2238.12.21
Just as things were starting to look up on our diplomatic front, the galaxy bites our ears. We've met yet another species that is impossible to deal with. The Prikkiki-Ti calls themselves Purifiers and are apparently out to destroy all life in the galaxy. We'll try to keep our distance from them too.
*****
2240.01.01
I, Ketrilla, am happy to announce that I have been re-elected as our Revered Elder. I hope to continue to give our people no reason to regret their faith in me.
2241.01.01
Today is a turning point for all Eldar. Our constitution has been amended. Pacifism is no longer a driving force for our people.
May the Divines shelter us.
We've met a good number of alien empires by now. And we are, of course, not the only ones. Diplomats from around the galaxy have banded together and proposed the establishment of a new organization where different species can meet to talk about important galactic issues. We Eldar are fully behind this endeavor. This is assuredly the first step in lasting galactic peace.
2243.01.01
It took no more than a year. On this historic day, empires from across the galaxy have come together to form a Galactic Community. This supranational organization will serve as a forum where matters involving the entire galaxy can be discussed and decided upon. As one of its founding members, we can take pride in this milestone of galactic history.
2243.06.21
We have met many strange things in the galaxy, though this latest one is an abomination. In the Intham system, our explorers encountered a ship of unprecedented size, controlled by an AI. The system it operates in seems to have been destroyed in some ancient conflict, leaving debris everywhere, and two of the planets have broken apart. The autonomous ship, which has been named the Scavenger Bot, is going around the system picking up scraps and using them to make itself bigger and bigger. Quick scans that the explorers did before fleeing the system indicate that the ship has many times the fleet power of both our allies combined.
2245.10.30
It has now been fourteen years since we found the system which was said to contain an ancient artifact called the Rubricator. And we have finally found it. Which should have been great news. But as soon as our explorers picked it up a huge, and I mean HUGE, dragon-like creature appeared out of the void and snatched up the prize. While it seems everyone covets the artifact, I'm inclined to leave it to the Dragon. Despite some rudimentary speech, she did not seem to be someone we can reason with.
Once again I am humbled by the faith our people place in me. I have been re-elected for my third term.
2255.09.13
True unity is achieved only when the ultimate goals of an empire and its people are one and the same. After all, a house divided against itself cannot stand. With the rise of spiritualism, we the Eldar have united under One Vision.
One of the oldest projects of spacefaring Eldar is coming to a close. We have managed to locate the home system of the First League, a system they called Fen Habbanis. I have sent an expedition to investigate.
2258.07.16
On Fen Habbanis III we've found the First League Headquarters. The planet was so densely populated that when the League collapsed it had no way of keeping its people fed. Starvation and wars of desperation seem to have wiped out its entire population in time. A cautionary tale to be sure. There is much we can learn here.
2260.01.01
I, Revered Elder Katrilla, have been granted a fourth term.
2267.03.29
The Atomic Clock found forty-two years and three days ago has finished its countdown. And the result was... more devastating than we had hoped. As it reached its deadline it transmitted a signal to Bokrimar IIIa, triggering a thermonuclear explosion of such devastating power it laid waste to the entire planet. It being our first consecrated world I immediately sent priests to investigate the planet, but despite it now being a toxic wasteland they assure me that it has not become any less holy.
The Praku citizens of Silent Colony, one of the ruined worlds, have found a vault deep underground. Unfortunately, there was nothing but bones and dust to be found inside, as the inhabitants ran out of food approximately two hundred years ago. We've recovered logs and libraries from inside, and while the people are gone, they will not be forgotten.
*****
2270.01.01
I, Revered Elder Katrilla, have been granted a fifth term.
2271.01.03
The Galactic Community has come through for us. It has been agreed that it is time to create a new commercial forum to centralize trade. Everyone has mobilized their diplomats to be allowed to be the ones to build and house this new hub. We, of course, are no different.
It is done! The Galactic Community has agreed that the new centralized Galactic Market shall be located on Throne. While this will, of course, have a major impact on our economy, this is hardly the only benefit. A large number of alien species will now be visiting the heart of our empire, and while they are here they will pick up not only our goods but also our culture. When they see how prosperous we are as a result of our peaceful ways they will surely become more inclined to peace themselves. We stand as an example to the galaxy, and now we have the means to make it listen.
2277.12.06
Why is it that every time things start to look good, someone feels the need to throw grass in our eyes? The borders to our neighboring Purifiers have been nothing but tense from the start, and now they see fit to send insults our way! But I will remain calm. They might insult our culture, they might insult our appearance, but
they are not loved by the Divines.
2278.05.22
Treason! Pirates! Actual Eldar pirates. Where did they even get military-grade ships from?
We don't have any military-grade ships. For now, we made a deal for the Grand Duchy of Ucrichi to deal with them for us. The merchants are not happy though and demand protection. We have commissioned some new starbases we plan to station patrol fighters on, but we're still lacking military personnel to crew it with. That's why we've made another deal with the Grand Duchy. They will supply us personnel in exchange for ten percent of our trade income.
2279.02.11
Empires are starting to band together. Unfortunately not with us. The Glorious Birnathi Dominion, the militaristic federation, has gained a new member, the Cyggan Coalition. This is a huge boon for them, and might have been worrying for us. However, the United Birnathi Imperium, leader of the federation, and our closest neighbors to the north are becoming our friends. Just recently we agreed to a mutual immigration treaty with them.
*****
2280.01.01
I, Revered Elder Katrilla, have been granted a sixth term.
2282.06.04
Our relation with the Prikkiki-Ti is at an all-time low. At this point, it would not be unthinkable for them to declare war on us. Several Elders have suggested it is time for us to start building a fleet. But are we ready for that step yet? Though we removed the restriction on bearing arms, making platforms of war seems like a giant leap.
2285.01.19
A resolution has been passed in the Galactic Community to create a council consisting of the three most influential members of the community. No doubt we Eldar will claim one of those seats for our own.
2285.07.12
The seats on the Galactic Council have been filled! The Eldar did, of course, get one of them. Together with the Jhennlot Industries and the Democratic Entheri States. We are looking forward to working with them to lead and safeguard the Galactic Community. Now we will finally be able to get things done in an expedient manner.
2287.05.29
We have at long last finished consecrating all the Holy places inside Eldar Space. There was some debate over whether we could get it done or not, as the Spiritual ancient empire warned us off any planet they had claimed as their own Holy places. But despite their reluctance to talk to us, we did manage to have them agree that as long as we only performed our ritual and then left again, we would be allowed to do so.
And we've noticed an immediate effect on all our citizens. With the Divines' protection blanketing us, we are more united than ever before.
*****
2290.01.01
I, Revered Elder Katrilla, have been granted a seventh term.
2291.08.04
Today is a sad, though not unexpected, day. Elder Scientist Tirrana has died at the young age of 103 in the Hauer System. She is the first Eldar Elder to have died outside of our home system of Throne. We have yet to determine how she died, but it seems it might not have been entirely unexpected for Tirrana herself, as in her Ascension notes she expressed a desire to be buried in the system she died in. We will, of course, comply with her wishes.
2291.09.18
The Divines guides us! As we were searching the Hauer system for a place to bury Elder Tirrana we came across an Ancient Tomb. It looks to have stood untouched for several million years camouflaged behind a chameleon field. It was pure luck that we found it as we only did so because a stray meteor struck the field just as we were scanning the area. Or was it luck?
Elder Tirrana dying of unknown causes? After having expressed her desire to be buried in the system she died in? And then a chance stray meteor showing us a hidden location unseen for millions of years? I have no doubt that there is something in the tomb that the Divines want us to find.
2291.10.05
The alien glyphs above the door to the Ancient Tomb have been translated. And they read:
"I am ZARQLAN, the Guardian of MOZ-TARB, the Prophet of ZVA. In a galaxy awash with spite and hatred, I have chosen to seclude myself here. Proceed, if ye be worthy."
As a species that embodies the opposites of spite and hatred, there is no doubt that we are worthy. And we have the Divines to guide us.
2292.08.06
The second chamber of the Ancient Tomb holds little interest. Only an inscription that reads:
"Petty kings issued edicts in my name. Empires waged war in my honor. Fools sang my praises. I would have none of it."
2293.03.18
In the third chamber of the Ancient Tomb another text reads:
"Those who wish to parlay with ZARQLAN must first find their way. There is, in each chamber, a hidden key that must be turned to proceed. The purpose of these challenges will soon be revealed."
2294.06.26
In the fourth chamber, over the entrance to the fifth, there is more alien writing that reads:
"There is none. The challenges are as meaningless as these words. That is my lesson. I am ZARQLAN, the pawn. Swept along by the currents of history against my will. Proceed and an audience shall be yours, should one still be of interest."
The final chamber of the Ancient Tomb has been unlocked. Inside the archaeologists found the giant decaying body of Zarqlan. Which is remarkable considering it's been several million years. The rest of the chamber found no interest, but as we know we were guided here by the Divines it was decided that it was the body itself that was to be our relic. The body was too far gone to be moved, but the head was surprisingly well-preserved. We had it removed and sent to Throne.
2295.04.30
No sooner than Zarqlans Head was removed from his tomb, I was contacted by the Sorann Protectors, the ancient spiritualists. It seems the Divines has informed them of our discovery. And now they are calling us the chosen of the great Zarqlan. (Considering how Zarqlan viewed himself he would be turning in his tomb if he was still there.) Since we've been chosen they now grant us ownership of their Holy worlds, and should we accept, many pilgrims will come and fight under our banner.
But we have no wish to settle their Holy worlds as we have already consecrated them, and we do not fight.
2298.01.09
We've had a breakthrough in the field of biology. We've always had a policy of open borders with other empires, and now after almost a hundred years of we have no less than seven species living on our planets. It's been inevitable that sometimes interspecies love would blossom. And now we have a new revolutionary medical procedure that will allow any two species to create children together. We call it the Xeno-Compatibility patch.
I, Revered Elder Katrilla, have been granted an eighth term.
We Eldar are connected to the universe, to the Divine, in a way no other species we've met can boast. Our scientists have come up with a theory that we can make this connection even deeper. More research is needed to see if there is something to this Psionic Theory.
Despite our best efforts we continue to come into conflict with some of the other species. The Democratic Entheri States, no doubt looking to gain more influence and taking the top Galactic Council seat from us, has started claiming that some of our systems rightfully belong to them. The Divines will surely punish them for their audacity.
2301.07.27
The Mirovandia Devourers have long been our friends. Unfortunately, they also border the Prikkiki-Ti, who is not anyone's friend, and who they have been at war with several times. After the last disastrous war, Mirovandia finds itself too weak to fight more wars against the purifiers in the future. Today a representative of their War Council came to Throne to ask us for protection. I can only imagine how hard it must be for them to ask such of us. But I can see no other course than to accept. We must hold out our hands to those in need, and extend our Divines' protection to them. We have agreed to take them in as our vassals.
2302.01.01
Our scientists have done it! Their research into our deep connection to the Divine has come through. Since the early days of our civilization, there have always been tales of sorcerers who could wield supernatural abilities. And now our scientists have managed to unlock these latent psionic abilities in the Eldar. There are still few in numbers who can use their psionics in a meaningful way, but I have been assured that this is only the first step. That in time we will be able to unlock the true psionic potential in not only all living Eldar but also every Eldar that has yet to be born. May the Divines guide us.
The Divines guides us! The Eldar species has experienced what can only be described as a Great Awakening. Almost overnight, one year after we awakened the first Eldar psionics, Eldar everywhere has suddenly unlocked their full psionic capacity. It is as if some sort of communal pool of Eldar psychic energy finally reached a critical tipping point, collectively awakening the latent abilities of our brains. With our entire species now being telepaths, we are more united in thought than ever. It is like a veil has been lifted off our minds.
Like a muffled whisper in a dark room, the Shroud calls to us from within our minds. It is a primordial realm of pure psychic energy that came into being at the dawn of time. All creatures that have been gifted with psionic abilities tap into the Shroud in some way to draw power, even if only subconsciously. Since our transcendence, we have begun to see the Shroud with greater clarity. There are patterns where once even our strongest telepaths could see only a formless mass of swirling energy. There are... other things as well. Spirits of a sort, that gaze back on us from the other side. Sometimes with curiosity, sometimes with kindness... and sometimes with malice. We are still in the process of learning the extent of our new powers, but it may be possible for us to commune with these spirits. It will require the combined efforts of our most powerful telepaths. But for certain, we must explore the Shroud.
