World Lore

General information about the world where Centaura takes place in. The timeline document can be found here.

World

Forma

Forma compared to Earth

Forma is the planet in which the events of Centaura takes place on, the solar system is the same as the real world, but Forma takes the place of earth.

Forma is 2.3x larger than Earth, however its contents is less dense than Earth, thus possess a similar gravity to earth. Majority of the land continents resides in the perimeter around the calmer Libran Ocean, while the Inanis Ocean possesses massive tectonic activity which hinders any travel. There are 4 known continents in Forma; Centaura, Hydra, Ursa and Libra. The majority of Forma is uncharted, with the massive Inanis and Southern Oceans unexplored.

Forma rotates on its axis at 3864 km/h and each day has a period of 24 hours.

Forma Characteristics

Click on this link here to read more about Forma's size to Earth

Characteristics	Système International Unit	Imperial Unit	Ratio to Earth
Circumference	92500 km	57500 miles	2.3x
Radius	14500 km	9100 miles	2.3x

Geography

Map of Forma with labels

Libra & Inanis Ocean

There are two main oceans on Forma – the Libran Ocean and the Inanis Ocean. The Libran Ocean is where almost all ships and watercraft travel. On the other side, the Inanis Ocean is believed to be completely void of any islands or stopping points, hence the name “Inanis,” which in Latin translates to “empty.” In this world’s timeline, no boat has ever crossed the Inanis Ocean; it is thrice the size of the real-world Pacific Ocean.

Oculum Sea

The Oculum Sea as seen in the Centaura Continent Map

The Oculum Sea is a body of water located on Centaura. It is not a sea by technicality, but a freshwater lake. With multiple scattered islands, this area has been a hotspot for imperialism and territory disputes throughout history.

Initial map drawings depicted the sea as an eye shape, with islands drawn like a pupil— the name Oculum was given as the body of water looked like a human eye. With further refined versions of maps in later centuries, the "eye" shape was lost; however, the name was kept.

As of 1908, the Oculum Sea was surrounded by four nations: Corvus, Cetus, Columba, and Riaa. All four of these countries have some claims to the small islands in the sea, alongside a sizable naval force.

A quarter of Cetus' navy before 1908 had been stationed in the Oculum, safeguarding their trade assets and harbors. Corvus' fleet had also presented a threat, however it was decided that fighting Cetus' ships in the region would not end well for the Corvuns.

Columba had only smaller vessels in the sea, as most of their naval assets were positioned in the Annulus Sea across the continent. Riaa hosted an even smaller navy in the Oculum, with only a single destroyer and several patrol boats available. The Oculum Sea is also the reason why Riaa has a panhandle to the west— freshwater access to the lake.

Digitus Trail

The Digitus Trail is the name of the shortest and least difficult route through the Columban mountains when entering from the direct north or south of the region. It was charted around 395 BCE after the Libran Empire explored for a way through the ranges for centuries.

After the fall of the Libran Empire, the trail was not under the control of any one nation, but rather splintered inside different territories. One part of the route could be under the control of a northern kingdom, while another part could be under the control of a small but violent tribe. The ownership of the trail remained separated for the first few centuries of the Common Era.

Some time around the 12th century CE, the path came under the control of the Noachi Guild for the purpose of connecting southern towns to the north with ease. The Guild's complete ownership of the Digitus Trail would not last long, however, as the valley kingdom of Quar expanded in the 1300s. The Quarites held the southern section of the trail, profiting from trade and taxing merchants until the unification of Columba in 1702.

Throughout history, the trail had been an extremely guarded and populated zone, and many battles between medieval nations were fought on the nearly 500-mile-long stretch.

In the industrial era, the Digitus Trail underwent much construction to widen the roads and accomodate more people. Many of Columba's largest mountain towns were situated along the route, and it was the only direct path between North and South Centaura.

The trail would later be demolished on purpose during the Centauran War. In 1916, engineers of the Columban Army intentionally triggered massive rockslides throughout the southern portion of the path to obstruct hostile advances by the Antareans. It was also heavily littered with landmines.

The restoration of the trail in the postwar era would take almost a decade to complete. Multiple countries worked together to clear the path and rebuild it as it was before. In 1970, the Digitus Trail was completely redeveloped and is considered one of Forma's most impressive engineering feats.

The Spires

The Spires are a series of structures scattered across continental Riaa. Their origins are unknown, but they are presumed to be related to ancient Riaan civilizations. No historical documentation has been found on the creation of the Spires.

In each location, there are several “spikes” made of stone protruding from the ground, reaching almost 50-70 feet tall in height. There are no plaques or anything written in the stone; the structures merely exist and nothing else. More strange, however, was the absence of trees or natural foliage in the surrounding area. No grass, no bushes, nothing. Only a dirt surface with stone spires reaching into the sky.

Because of their assumed significance as a “holy place,” the Spires were off-limits for any new constructions. Yet, during the Centauran War, some of the Spires were used as lookout posts and served as a “natural” defense against low-flying attack aircraft.

A few unknown artifacts were also recovered from roughly a quarter of the known Spire locations over the decades, but even these objects were unknown in purpose and function…

POST-AKTION REPORT LIEUTENANT-II MABEL KIMBER, JANUARY 9, 1936

. . . enkountered dug-in Riaan force at a spire site two miles due northwest of Mogila . . . armored support from 1-4-4 kleared fortifikations . . . high-explosive shell kaused kollateral damage to a spire strukture lokated in the center of the array. Soldiers under my kommand kame into kontact with unknown liquid from damaged spire . . . promptly ordered to stay away from the strukture due to fears of poisonous elements . . . two men who touched the liquid reported it was blood, more specifikally a thikk, koagulated and viskous blood oozing from the spire. Medikal personnel konfirmed it was blood soonafter. . .

Continents

There are 4 main continents in Forma; Centaura, Hydra, Ursa and Libra.

Centaura is the largest continent and where the game's events take place in. The Columban Range is a series of mountains that divides the Centauran continent between north and south.

Culture

Population

The global population of Forma in 1908 was around 2.1 billion. By 1945, it was around 3.2 billion, and in 1961, it was about 3.9 billion.

The Centauran continent had the most people; about 60% of the world lived in Centaura, 25% lived in Hydra, 8% lived in Libra, and 7% lived in Ursa. These are the median percentages from 1908 to 1961.

The total deaths caused by the Centauran War was around 100-million to 135-million deaths, though these estimates vary by country. The Forman War’s death toll, excluding the previous Centauran War’s count, was 50-million deaths. This is the official death toll from Orion. In total, the Centauran and Forman Wars combined cost around 150- to 185-million deaths over the span of 53 years.

The country that lost the most population percentage-wise was Riaa, losing about 21% of its people during the Centauran War.

1908 Population

Territory	Population	Mean ratio to entirety
Forma	2,100,000,000	100%
Centaura	1,260,000,000	60%
Hydra	525,000,000	25%
Libra	168,000,000	8%
Ursa	147,000,000	7%

1945 Population

Territory	Population	Mean ratio to entirety
Forma	3,200,000,000	100%
Centaura	1,920,000,000	60%
Hydra	800,000,000	25%
Libra	256,000,000	8%
Ursa	224,000,000	7%

1961 Population

Territory	Population	Mean ratio to entirety
Forma	3,900,000,000	100%
Centaura	2,340,000,000	60%
Hydra	975,000,000	25%
Libra	312,000,000	8%
Ursa	273,000,000	7%

Population demographic increase

Date	Population	Percentage increase per year
1908	2,100,000,000	0.0412%
1945	3,200,000,000	0.0762%
1961	3,900,000,000

Ethnicity

The ethnicities of Forma obviously vary by region. Displayed below is a skin tone map of the world.

Infographic of Skin tone Demographic in Forma

The Librans are dominantly black, and throughout their world conquest in the ancient period, racial interbreeding occurred more often in areas closer to the Libran home islands. As a result, skin tones in territories between the Libran islands and the furthest lands were more “tan,” but the further the territory, the whiter skin tones became.

Dark skin tones are associated with areas affected by high ultraviolet (UV) radiation levels. On Forma, the ozone layer, which protects humans from the sun’s UV radiation, is slightly thicker than Earth’s (this is the reason why most races before the Libran conquest were white). One spot in the ozone layer, named the “burn hole” by scientists, is significantly thinner than the rest of the atmosphere. The burn hole affects the southern part of the Libran Ocean, including the Libran islands. With much less protection from UV radiation, inhabitants of the Libran islands evolved with darker skin tones.

Not all bloodlines would mix with the Librans in the ancient era (one prominent example is the Tau family of Antares). These white bloodlines were nicknamed “shiners” in regions where non-white skin tones were more common; white individuals were conspicuous within a darker-colored crowd.

Similarly to the societies of Earth, racism is a factor to be considered on Forma. As stated before, racial discrimination was not as large of a problem on Forma as xenophobia, but it did exist. The black Librans were the least prejudiced against because of their previous stature as the “masters of the world,” while most cases of racism were against shiners in non-white regions. Besides those statistics, the level of racism depended on the individual person. Most of the human population on Forma did not care about discriminating based on skin tones, but rather the countries that a person came from.

Racism

In the world of Forma, racism is almost non-existent but rather, Xenophobia, or the fear/hatred of foreigners from other countries/cultures is more prominent amongst themselves because slavery of black people did not exist in this world. Most black people on Forma come from Libra, and most cases of racism came from the Librans since the ancient Librans held control of most of Forma at some point in history. The black Librans would show racism towards the other races of former territories and not the other way around. However, only few extremist Librans held the belief that they were racially superior. Black people in DA do not come from an underdeveloped country like most of Africa as Libra is technologically on par with the rest of the world.

Eye Coloration on Forma

The most common eye color on Forma was brown, found in every continent on the planet. However, low light environments would cause Formans living in the northern Hydran region to develop low melanin levels within their eyes, giving rise to blue colored eyes. Similarly, a more extreme version of this mutation would become more widespread in Ursa, with even lower levels of melanin causing green eye color to originate in the Ursan continent. Finally, unknown conditions in deep south Centaura caused red eye colors to emerge, a similar type of mutation to blue and green eye colors.

Green and blue eyes both became more widespread over millennia within their respective regions, with Rodinese settlers bringing the mutation over to regions of northern Centaura, whilst blue eyes became more widespread throughout north Hydra.

Red eyes, however, did not become as widespread. Many in the region saw the red eyes as a sign of divine blessing, and families carrying this mutation were often carried to higher positions of power within society.

This superstition would carry out through the years, even up to the Forman War. Many members of Antarean royalty and nobility have red eyes, including the Tau and Arden families. Green eye color is still found throughout Ursa, and some parts of Riaa and Tucana. Blue eyes are very widespread among Hydrusite populations.

(These strand of red eyes aren't related to Albinism).

Generations

Like our real world, there are collective groups of people living in the same period— generations. For the CENTAURA world, the only difference is the years of each group and their names.

Stillmen (1852-1877)

Also known as the “still generation,” people born during this timespan grew up during a relatively peaceful era in Forma’s history, an era without the war that the next few generations would experience.

Early Infernals (1878-1904)

After the Stillmen comes the first generation to experience war: the Early Infernals. People belonging to this generation lived through the Centauran War in its first phases, particularly those of the southern frontier and Columba.

Reversers (1905-1923)

The Reversers were named for their actions during the second half of the Centauran War. The war that was initially begun for peace had "reversed" itself with the reign of Emperor Aran Tau, who did not uphold his predecessor's goals for peace. In the post-war era, Reversers of Antarean descent were looked down upon with disdain because of their implicated actions during the Northern campaign.

Later Infernals (1924-1943)

Individuals born during this period are referred to as “Late Infernals,” having been brought into the world during the heat of the Centauran War. Most people of this generation fought during the Northern campaign, where many would also die. The Infernal Generation is the smallest proportional to history, with many of its descendants having been killed in the late stages of the Centauran War and the Forman War.

Generation Alpha (1944-1961)

The first people to see the liberation of Centaura and the end of the war were Generation Alpha. These individuals lived through the Reconstruction era and began a new, flourishing society with peace as an important value.

Economy

Currencies

List of all named currencies used by each country. Some use the gold standard and some use the fiat money system.

Northern Centauran	Eastern Centauran	Southern Centauran	Non-Centauran
Centaurian dora Columban solid Riaan republican chev Tucani chev Vulpan imperial chev	Vegan doura Grusan dora	Antarean imperial aure Aquilan corona Cetan aure Corvun pound Lacertan aure	Aurigan mark Hydrite mark Orion republican mark Ursan chev Libran mark Muscan kult

Infrastructure

North & South Express System

The North and South Express Systems (NES and SES respectively) are road networks spanning the width of Centaura.

The South Express System connects the countries of South Centaura (excluding Columba) with a multitude of highways for faster international travel. All vehicles are required to drive on the right side of the road regardless of which territory (Ex: Cetans, who drive on the left, must drive on the right on the SES). This project was started in 1901 and was halted by the Centauran War.

The North Express System, in comparison, connects all the countries north of the Columban Range with the same right-side highway system. There is no connection between the two road networks except via Corvus, where the mountains do not obstruct the construction of such a roadway. This system began to be built in 1907 and was developed much better than its Southern counterpart, due to the Centauran War being delayed for them until the 1930s.

Both expressway systems continued development after the Centauran War, paused again because of the Forman War, and finally completed in its final form in 1970.

Language

Language Map of Forma

History

The rise of the Libran and Rodinese Empires would saw the domination of two distinct groups, Romance and Rodinese. The Libran Empire in particular embraced the concept of assimilation, destroying much of the linguistic culture and replacing it with their language, Ancient Librae (Latin). By the time of Centaura and DEAD AHEAD, the list of languages in Forma is reduced to 7 distinct languages.

Romance Languages

Librae

Librae (English) is the merger between the post-Libran Empire languages Parlibrae (French) and Orilibrae (German), previously spoken on the western and eastern sides of Libra respectively. For simplicity purposes, English (“Librae”) is the main language spoken on Forma (derivatives of English and dialects can differ throughout each region).

Though Librae is the primary language in most countries, some countries like Riaa and Ursa speak it as a secondary language, preferring other languages as their primary. Musca likely has very few Librae speakers, owing to their desire to preserve their culture and language, though it is certainly not unknown to them and they have been mentioned to use Librae during their time conquering the Hydran continent.

Antarean Librae has one distinct difference as a merger between Old Librae (Latin) and Librae (English), with the alphabetical hard C replaced by K.

Ancient Librae

Ancient Librae (Latin), commonly known as Old Librae, was the language of the ancient Libran Empire, and thus the most common lingua franca in the empire, due in part by the Libran Empire's ruthless policies that stamped out other cultures, religions, and languages in favor of their own. Most of the other Romance languages in Forma are derived from Old Librae.

While once the most ubiquitous language in Forma, Old Librae was eventually superseded by Librae and, in some nations, their own languages for a variety of reasons. As a result of this, Old Librae is no longer an official language in any country by the 1900s, not even in the current Libran Federation whose official language is now Librae.

In spite of Old Librae's death as a spoken tongue, it is still widely used in modern day Forma for ceremonial, decorative, and military use, such as the Corvun officer hats being written in Old Librae and the name of the Cetan marines written in Old Librae. It is also used in titles and for honorifics. Many Old Libran roots still likely exist in Librae as well, not unlike English and Latin in real life.

Grusi

Grusi (European Spanish) is the language of the Grusan Empire and its successor states, Grusa, Tucana, Centauri and Vega, likely based off Old Librae. Though Grusi is spoken in the the latter three countries, other languages are also spoken as well.

Vego

Vego (European Portuguese) is the language of Vega. It derives from Grusi, both being romance languages developed from Old Librae, created as a spite to the Grusans. Vegans can also speak Grusi due to the extreme similarity between the languages, though Vego is preferred by the majority due to nationalism and xenophobia.

Vego also has a regional dialect known as Aridan Vego (Brazilian Portuguese), presumably spoken in regions closest to the Grusan border and the Arida. It is not a common dialect however.

Aurigan

Aurigan (Italian) is the main language of Auriga, presumably heavily influenced by Old Librae. It is also spoken heavily in the Aurigan district of southern Orion. It is said by HandsnDeck that Aurigan is based off southern Italian dialects.

Ursan

One of the major hurdles to ancient Libran domination of Forma was the presence of their rival, the Rodinese Mandate. This empire ruled over most of northern Forma, encompassing most of northern Centaura and some parts of the Canis-Hydrus region. As such, Rodinese language and culture was also spread across these lands. After Libra's grand victory over Rodinese lands, much effort was taken to impose a cultural takeover of the people who lived there.

The Rodinese mainland was renamed Ursa, a testament to their historic strength and size, while their other previous territories were named after other constellations for various reasons. However, the vast lands of northwest Centaura were especially stubborn to Libran rule, rejecting much of their attempts to spread Astranism. Although teachings of the Libran language did spread to a degree, these lands retained much of their original language and identity. The Rodinese name of the region is unknown, but the ancient Librans named the general area Riaa, the signature war cry the native warriors would shout.

All of Ursa speaks Rodinese, now known as Ursan (Russian). Most of northern Ursa writes in traditional Ursan cyrillic, but the southern parts write in a romanized version of Ursan, due to Libran influence. The government also underwent a change to embrace romanized Ursan in the modern age.

All of northern Centaura also speaks Ursan. Particularly Riaa, who speaks it primarily, and Librae secondarily. Tucana and Centauri also both speak Ursan, but its dominance heavily varies by the region, as many southern provinces primarily speak Grusan due to influences from the less ancient Grusan Empire. All of Riaa, Tucana, and Centauri write in romanized Ursan. Columba speaks Ursan with Librae as well, mostly in the north, due to them being in between northern and southern Centaura.

Ursan is spoken as a minority along the coasts of Canis and Hydrus.

Muscan

Only Musca (Uralic) is able to retain its distinct language as it is furthest and hardest territory to control for the Libran Empire, being successful in keeping their language from being wiped out. It is the language of the Kirjat. Though used extensively by the Muscans, when Alvar and Valde expanded into the Hydran mainland alongside their men, they did not use Muscan but rather Librae, as was used by the Hydran people, in order to reach people to their religion easier.

Politics

Imperialism

In the world of Forma, regional politics is dominated by 'imperialism', the countries as we know them in 1908 were previously multiple smaller nations throughout history (more pre-1880’s lore to come). This is just a general idea of how countries get their names. The concept of sovereignty of a minor nation is not prevalent, with countries in Forma practicing expansion over small neighbors. By the southern corvus war, the sovereign nations in Forma is reduced to 17 nations (20 nations pre-1906).

Spectrum

In the world of Forma, monarchies dominated the Centauran continent with republics dominating in the Hydran continent post-grease war. Ideologies present in the real world are not fully developed; communism and other far ideologies does not exist; with the most radical experiment (progressivism) being the charter government of Hydrus and the populist movement of the nationalist in Riaa.

Sports

On Forma, sports and sport competitions are the same as our real life. Gridiron football, however, is played only in Orion and Hydrus. Soccer is the most popular sport on Forma, with international competitions occurring every year, hosted by a different country annually. Nation- and state/district-wide competitions also take place between professional organizations and high schools in local areas. Cheer leading is globally associated with soccer, also included within Orion’s gridiron football games. Also hockey only exists within the northern countries (Riaa, Ursa, Tucana, Centauri, Hydrus and North Orion).

Some of the best-known professional sports organizations in Forma are:

• International Football Association (IFA)
• Hydran Association of Baseball (HAB)
• Hydran Hockey League (HHL)
• North Libran Hockey League (NLHL)
• International Association of Tennis (IAT)
• Hydran Gridiron Association (HGA)
• World Cycling Federation (WCF)
• Centauran Rugby League (CRL)
• International Women’s Softball Association (IWSA)
• Tournament of Nations

Foreign Correspondents and News

Between the Centauran nations, foreign news reporters were treated as brave people in their country of origin, and treated as scheming liars in the country they were assigned to. Many citizens did not like the idea of journalists from other empires taking notes of their daily lives, perceiving them to be almost like spies. They believed the journalists were nothing but propagandists who would exaggerate the unfavorable aspects of their country.

Most Centauran nations, however, took lightly to journalists from Orion and the Hydran continent. They believed the Orionites were unbiased, seeing as they traded with nearly everyone. At the beginning of the Centauran War, Orionite correspondents were thought to be useful in spreading Antares’ ideals to the Hydran continent. It was hoped that the casus belli could persuade Orion to help Antares, but as time progressed, the Orionites at home were split on the decision to intervene in the Centauran War.

As communications between Antares and Orion were cut off in the late 1920s, Orion war journalists were decreasingly welcomed by the Antareans. They began to perceive the Orionites the same as any other Centauran reporter — liars and propagandists. After the Grusan campaign ended, Orionite correspondents were barred from working in Antares and soon deported back to Orion. However, the Orionites were still allowed within the other unoccupied Centauran nations.

In Orion, Centauran journalists were seen as sketchy or suspicious by the public. Antarean correspondents were despised, especially after Antares deported Orionite journalists. There were some protests demanding that the Orion government deport the Antarean correspondents in retaliation, however this was never acted upon.

Humanitarian Aid Groups

The Red Staff

Formally known as the Imperial Society of Medicine, it was established by Kalvin Tau as an effort on improving the country’s healthcare system due to the guilt he had for his wife’s passing and he knew that the war would see an influx of wounded.

Starting from the Cetan campaign, major assaults against cities and populated centers had been followed by a mass of medical personnel to treat wounded soldiers and civilians from both sides. Whether this was a propaganda effort made by the Antareans, or genuine humanitarian aid, was up for debate.

The enemies of Antares, not wanting to lose their citizens to foreign assimilation, frequently spread false rumors of Antarean aid camps being nothing more than testing grounds for chemical warfare. Thus, they tried to convince their citizens that it was better to fight and die quickly rather than to be subjected to a slow, grueling death by unknown chemicals.

The Bellhouse Pantry

The Bellhouse Pantry was a non-profit organization founded in Orion in early 1929 for the sole purpose of humanitarian aid. It was supported by pro-war advocates who believed Orion should intervene in the Centauran War against Antares. At this time, the country isolated itself from the problems of the Centauran continent.

The Bellhouse Incident

Soon after its founding, Bellhouse collected food donations from neighborhoods across Orion, collecting almost 8,000 tons worth of canned items, non-perishables, and rations to be shipped across the ocean. Many anti-war politicians warned against the idea of sailing through contested waters, believing the Antareans were unpredictable when it came to cargo vessels. In addition, communication lines between Antares and Orion had been cut earlier in the year. Despite this, a single cargo ship (SS Bellhouse) was sent out in the summer of 1929 to deliver food to Columban cities in the Annulus Sea. Its hull was painted with the emblem of Orion to depict its neutrality.

Upon arriving at the Sagittarius Strait, the Bellhouse steamed in without major problems. A few Antarean patrol gunboats from the Grusan coast came close to the ship but later pulled away. On the other side of the strait, Centaurian coastal guns were trained on the Bellhouse as it sailed through.

It was unclear who fired the first shot; the Antareans blamed Centauri, but Centauri claimed the Antarean gunboats fired first. No matter the case, the Bellhouse was struck and promptly sank. All 8,000 tons of food were lost with the ship, though most of the vessel's crew were able to evacuate to the lifeboats. The survivors sailed toward the Centaurian coast.

In the same year it was founded, the Bellhouse Pantry went bankrupt and closed down. The incident would later serve as a basis for cutting off all trade between Orion and Antares in 1930 during the First International Conference.

Ironically in 1962, a postwar exploration of the sunken ships near the strait revealed the SS Bellhouse had two blast holes on its starboard side, which had faced the Centauri coast.

Religion

Arborism

Arborism is a religion that originates from northern Centaura, in an area that is now considered Riaan territory. It is the third largest religion after Astranism and Unism.

Between its different denominations, it is considered both a monotheistic and polytheistic faith. The main deity is named Venya, or just God depending on the branch. The two most popular denominations are called Odynism and Vetism.

Odynist Arborism depicts Venya as a single entity split into four spirits that represent the god's emotions over the course of a year. For the Odynists, they believe that their purpose in life is to persevere through Venya's emotions, and that life is a test. No other gods or angels exist within this denomination. Some theologists believe Odynism deifies fate, destiny, and the universe as a whole.

On the other hand, Vetist Arborists believe that Venya is the king of gods, with four lesser gods that serve under him. They are named Vesna, Leto, Oseni, and Zima. They all have their own mythological stories, but followers of this branch live their lives to appease the gods through offerings and hard work rather than to endure through Venya's wrath.

In general, Odynists have hardened personalities and are traditionalists, while Vetists are more likely to be kinder and accepting. When it comes to the other religions of Forma, Odynists are more likely to resonate well with Unism, and Vetists with Astranism.

Riaa's flag depicts the four spirits or gods in a simplified version of what is called the yedinstvo stance, or the "unity stance". Historically, the symbol has had different iterations and designs, yet the modern symbol is only four three-sided rectangles formed together.

Astranism

Astranism (“astra”, latin for “stars”) is a religion based on the stars and constellations. In short, each constellation represented a god, and the people would serve the god corresponding to their nation. For example, Antares would serve the god of Scorpius, the parent constellation of the Antares star. This does also mean that each country is named after a god in Astranism, with the exception of Riaa.

THE SUN IS ALIVE

The general belief of Astranism revolves around the concept that the Sun is alive. Astranist readings detail the Sun's semi-sentience, and how it requires the life energy of planets to grow, and sustain itself. To aid in this process, celestial Gods sent from the surrounding stars are present amongst the Sun's planetary system to nurture planets to be fed. Generally on the third planet from the Sun, these Gods work to cultivate life and energy on the planet, but also compete for dominance.

Whichever God that achieves this "dominance" had the privilege of bringing its subjects onto the new world, and seed that world in its vision. The planet and life left behind would serve as fuel for the Sun, and that planet would be stripped down into an uninhabitable state, left only with rock to be slowly broken down and incinerated millions of years later.

This overall process can be observed within the current Solar System. It is said that in 3,750,000,000 B.C.E. the Astranist God Cetus had completed its dominance and preparation of life energy on Venus, which had been brimming with life and habitability. As part of an event called Itermundae, Cetus brought its followers to Forma, and began to seed the planet in it's vision, creating a vast water world. This day is known as Constellation Day, and is celebrated at the beginning of every year.

While Cetus used its power to breathe life into the planet, its dominance weakened, allowing the other Astranist Gods to regain their power, and once again setting the stage for life, development, and the preparation of this planet for the Sun.

It can be inferred that life on Venus followed this same process, having originated from Mercury, which is even more stripped from life than Venus as the billions of years had went on. Additionally, when the next Astranist God achieves dominance on Forma, it would then move to Mars, which is currently a "blank" planet. The gas giants of the solar system are currently in the long process of forming into solid planets, to be then breathed life into in the far future.

The Astranist ambition for dominance is one of the main driving causes for conquest on Forma, its people wanting their God to dominate Forma, and be "chosen" to cross over onto the new world that awaits, while those left behind would be consumed by the Sun. While the belief of crossing over from worlds had always been a staple of Astranism, discoveries of the solar system's planetary makeup only confirmed and fueled religious zealotry.

Astranist priests are more akin to teachers, they devote the majority of their lives studying their specific God so they understand how to "communicate/interact" with their Gods, instead of acting as direct divine representatives. Community members often approach their priest, asking to pass along a message or give a direct prayer to their God, as only priests had the innate understanding to do so.

All Astranist nations have their own religious scripture, which goes as follows (only countries with Astranism as their official religion are listed, including their denominations):

• Antares: Divine Creed (Reformist)
• Aquila: Book of Saints (Reformist)
• Auriga: Writings of Erichthonius (Reformist)
• Cetus: Doctrinae (Classical)
• Centauri: Book of Man (Reformist)
• Columba: Sermons of Columba (Reformist)
• Corvus: Testament of Corvus (Classical)
• Grusa: Declaration of God (Reformist)
• Lacerta: United Writings (Classical)
• Libra: Book of Light (Reformist)
• Tucana: Universal Scripture (Reformist)
• Ursa: Chronology of Polaris (Reformist)
• Vega: Testaments of Saint Eurydice (Reformist)

Astranist Denominations

The religion of Astranism has several different branches, but there are only two that are most popular:

Classical Astranism

Classical Astranism is the oldest denomination of the religion. It revolves around the concept that the Sun (Sol) is alive and requires the life energy of planets to grow and sustain itself. Different gods, manifesting in the form of constellations, nurture the planets of the Solar System to be fed; they work to cultivate life and energy on the planet, but also compete for dominance.

Whichever god that achieved this "dominance" had the privilege of bringing its subjects onto the new world, and seed that world in its vision. The planet and life left behind would serve as fuel for the Sun, and that planet would be stripped down into an uninhabitable state, left only with rock to be slowly broken down and incinerated millions of years later. The current "cultivation period" is called the *Third Cycle*, with the feeding of Mercury and Venus being the First and Second Cycles, respectively.

It is said that billions of years ago, the Astranist god Cetus had completed its dominance and preparation of Venus, which had been brimming with life and habitability. As part of an event called Itermundi, Cetus brought its followers to Forma and began to seed the planet in its vision, creating a vast water world. This day is known as Constellation Day, and is celebrated at the beginning of every year.

While Cetus used its power to breathe life into the planet, its became weak, allowing the other Astranist Gods to regain their power, and once again set the stage for life, development, and the preparation of Forma for Sol.

The Classical Astranist ambition for dominance is one of the main driving causes for conquest on Forma. Followers of this denomination believed that the purging or outcasting of people who followed different gods other than their own was necessary, and often showed prejudice or violence to such individuals. Discoveries of the solar system's planetary makeup only confirmed and fueled religious fanaticism.

Reformist Astranism

The *Reformation* marked the split of Astranism into the Classical and Reformist divisions. While still similar to the Classical branch in that it believed in Itermundi and the Cycles, Reformism differed in the treatment of "non-believers".

Instead of the exclusion or purging of non-believers, Reformists aimed to convert or subjugate others into their own beliefs. Whereas Classicalists believed it was their duty to eradicate other gods and their people, Reformists sought to integrate them as “lesser” or “minor” gods. They treated these lesser gods as essential parts of a larger system, but not as important as their primary god.

Majority of the Astranist nations converted to Reformism by the 1900s, save for a few such as Corvus and Cetus. Some branches of Reformism were also derived from pre-existing faiths; for example, Columban Reformist Astranism holds a relation to Corvun Classical Astranism.

Solism

A soli priest.

Solism is one of Forma's religions that exist alongside Unism and Astranism. Believers of Solism are called Solies, or singular Soli, and their belief differs from the other two main religions in that it deifies the sun.

In summary, Solies believe the sun is a god— the only god for that matter, and their activities throughout life depend upon the sun. For example, during the day, they will behave normally in society, only becoming conserved at night, when the sun is no longer out. It is one of Solism's main beliefs that daily work must only be done when the sun is shining in the sky, and that it is a sin to work when it isn't. Days with extreme weather or heavy clouds that may blot out the sun are treated the same as night.

Solies are regarded as "lazy" and "useless" people by those who do not believe in the religion, usually causing persecution against them throughout Forma's history. Some Astranist countries outright ban the practice of Solism with the punishment of death or forced conversion into another religion.

The main concern of Solism by non-believers is the conflict between Soli beliefs and jobs, considering Solies do not work when the sun is not out. This can cause problems for workplaces, with Soli employees unable to meet their quotas or not giving enough effort for whichever occupation they worked at. Thus, some jobs do not allow Solies to be hired.

Most of the countries in Centaura have a very low Soli population due to persecution. The religion has more freedom across the ocean in the Hydran continent, specifically Orion and Hydrus.

Unism

Unism (“unus”, latin for “one”) is a monotheistic religion that originates from Musca and is predominantly practiced on the Hydran continent. Followers of Unism believed that there is only one God, Jatkaa, who created the universe and all living creatures. Over centuries, Unism spread across Hydra and morphed into two primary sects, Model and Restored Unism.

History & Spread of Unism

The beginning of Unism came about when two brothers named Alvar and Valde received a divine message from Jatkaa, the divine entity that created the world. Jatkaa revealed to the brothers the tale of creation, in which the deity used its limbs to form parts of the planet. Helpers had been created, known as the Auttaja, who would watch over the completed planet as Jatkaa rested. The Auttaja would later betray Jatkaa and tricked early humans into thinking them to be the true gods, bearing the image of animals to represent their powers. On the hundredth year of Jatkaa's rest, the deity awoke and discovered the Auttaja's betrayal. Jatkaa then banished them from the planet, imprisoning them in the sky, who can still be seen as the stars. Jatkaa would bestow Alvar and Valde the Mortal Creed, a set of principles that outlined values such as integrity, altruism and honor to guide them away from the lies of the Auttaja.

Adapted Map of the First and Second Struggle

Yet, despite their banishment, people continued to pray to the Auttaja, believed to have evolved into Astranism, while few remained free from its influence. Upon reaching the isolated corner of the world, the ancient Libran shipmasters looked upon a desolate, tiny piece of land, and named it Musca, the Fly, out of pity. The indigenous people there were few, and rooted in tradition, but would eventually submit to the ruling and customs of the Libran Empire.

The supposed existence of other Astranist deities never sat right with the deep rooted beliefs of the people there, and never fully undermined the existing culture, language, and beliefs all throughout the reign of the Librans. In 24 BCE, the brothers proclaimed the message of Jatkaa in their hometown of Harmaa-Metsa, before it circulated across Musca. These events would coincide with the decline of the Libran Empire, and many began to adopt Unism in defiance to the Astranist propagators. Musca would be one of the first to break free from the Libran Empire, without much fuss on the Libran's part, who instead had much hotter issues to handle.

5 BCE would mark Musca's complete conversion to the Unist faith, with Alvar and Valde appealing to the high chieftains of Kylma Kivi, the then-capital of Musca. With their influence and collapse of the Librans, Musca would emerge as an independent nation, with the first Unist temple being constructed in the town of Majakka. The belief would officially bear the name of "Unismi" before being simply known as "Unism" later down the line.

In the same town, Alvar and Valde would be proclaimed as the Pavelija of Musca, spiritual leaders that would guide the nation from thereon, and below the twin Pavelija was the Istunto, a council of chosen disciples and experts. Their first duty was to compile the Mortal Creed and the brothers' teachings into a single document, creating the first iteration of the Kirjat in 8 CE. The book began to be distributed to schools and houses across Musca, further entrenching the faith.

Musca's relative stability and prosperity during the period was interrupted by a series of raids by groups on the Hydran and Ursan continent, which continued to uphold Astranism. In response to these attacks, the Istunto would form the Vartijoita, a volunteer army placed under the command of Valde, who took the title of Sotilaspalvelija. Thousands would join the Vartijoita and their successful battles against the disparate raiders discouraged further attacks.

Despite their victory, Valde was concerned about Musca's position on the continent and so convinced Alvar to allow his army to expand Unism's presence on the Hydran mainland, hoping to create more Unist states. Soldiers and religious scribes alike embarked on a journey across Hydra, landing in Hydrus, Lepus and Gemina. A decade would follow and locals in the area began converting to the belief as their own Astranist nations began to decline, while Musca continued to thrive in their corner of the planet.

Their foothold on the continent would be contested when Astranist kingdoms banned the practice of Unism, with discrimination and violence becoming common between the two religions. The issue was hotly debated in the Istunto, before Alvar and Valde themselves intervened for deliberation. Alvar sought a peaceful resolution with the Astranists, seeking to expand Unism peacefully through education while Valde argued any concession would mean betraying Jatkaa and argued for a war against the Astranists.

In 42 CE, Valde arrived on Hydra when news of raids against Unist communities broke, assembling a local army alongside a contingent of the Vartijoita. In the same year, Valde would declare the opening of the First Unist Struggle, beginning a two-decade long campaign against Astranist states in Gemina and Pisca. The instability of these kingdoms played into Valde's favor, successfully replacing their monarchies with Unist councils named the Sali.

However, Valde would not see the end of the war as he died of old age during the Siege of Castor Hold in 47 CE, having encircled an Astranist force in southern Gemina. Upon news of his death, Alvar declared a period of mourning for his brothers, before he too succumbed to age three years later. A new temple would be constructed in Harmaa-Metsa, housing their bodies in a vault beneath the building, becoming a popular site for Unist pilgrimages. The prophets' bodies would be positioned with their right hand on their forehead and left placed above their heart, the posture of a Unist prayer.

The First Struggle would quickly close in the following two years, and many in Musca opposed the idea of launching similar campaigns due to its bloodshed, with even the Istunto and local Sali considering banning the movement. The pacificist values of Alvar would gain wider traction to expand Unism's influence and many new Unist temples and schools began opening across Hydra. This period would mark the defining split between Model and Restored Unism, the former following the Alvar's initial teachings and the Mortal Creed while the latter developed under Valde's influence during the First Struggle and believed that Unists should play a more active role in strengthening Unism. Its name refers to the idea of "restoring" Jatkaa's control of the planet through force, with its followers are referred as Valdii in reference to the late prophet or "Restorites" as a broader term.

Restored Unism and the Valdii gradually attracted a larger following when Valdii oracles began ambitious expeditions into central Hydra. It would not be until a Valdii mercenary named Risto claimed to have been visited by Valde's spirit, telling him to continue the Struggle and granted him the title of Solitaspavelija. Though many doubted his premonition, many others were eager to join Risto in declaring the Second Unist Struggle in 247. When word of the Second Struggle reached Musca, Risto and his followers were excommunicated by the Istunto and Pavelija Kaino as it went against the Unist doctrine.

Disregarding Majakka, Risto amassed a force to march on central Hydra though one much smaller than Valde's own. Risto's lighter force was able to outmaneuver the Astranists by luring them into heavy forests and ambushing them. Although initially successful, Risto was blinded by his initial victories. Risto attempted to scale the Lynx Mountains to surround an escaping Astranist force, resulting with half of his soldiers perishing due to the harsh environment. Defeated, Risto returned to lowlands of the continent and died at the Battle of Linse in 255, having been chased away from modern-day Delphinus.

Restored Unism and the Valdii gradually attracted a larger following when Valdii oracles began ambitious expeditions into central Hydra. It would not be until a Valdii mercenary named Risto claimed to have been visited by Valde's spirit, telling him to continue the Struggle and granted him the title of Solitaspavelija. Though many doubted his premonition, many others were eager to join Risto in declaring the Second Unist Struggle in 247. When word of the Second Struggle reached Musca, Risto and his followers were excommunicated by the Istunto and Pavelija Kaino as it went against the Unist doctrine.

Disregarding Majakka, Risto amassed a force to march on central Hydra though one much smaller than Valde's own. Risto's lighter force was able to outmaneuver the Astranists by luring them into heavy forests. Blinded by his initial victories, Risto attempted to scale the Lynx Mountains to surround an escaping Astranist force, resulting with half of his soldiers perishing due to the harsh environment. Defeated, Risto returned to lowlands of the continent and died at the Battle of Linse in 255, having been chased away from modern-day Delphinus.

The Second Struggle would end a year later as the Valdii were unable to elect a new leader, with many debating the success of the campaign. In the following centuries, Unism would grow to be the dominant religion on Hydra while Astranism continued to be practiced in southern regions, notably around Auriga. The division between Model and Restored Unism also remained, with the latter gaining popularity in western Hydra. Separate Model and Restored temples were constructed, each dedicated to Alvar and Valde, with different values of the Mortal Creed being emphasized in schools and within the clergy itself.

Regardless, temples of both sects are overseen by an Exarch, historically the head of the Sali councils, and carries out religious rites. These include marriage ceremonies where the Exarch recites values of the Mortal Creed while the bride and groom join hands on a scepter known as the Valtikka, formerly used by members of the Istunto to ordain sessions of the Sali. Exarchs are also tasked with opening of celebrations regarding Alvar and Valde's birth, death and revelation. Some communities of the Valdii also commemorate the First and Second Struggles where followers gather and pray on an open field, mirroring Valde's battlefield prayers, though his practice has garnered some scrutiny by the Model sect as "militant" worship of the religion.

By the 1900s, both Unism and Astranism were commonly practiced throughout the Hydran continent, moreso in Orion as Ursan rule had tried to suppress Unist beliefs in the north, to minor success. Musca's status as a holy place left it untouched from Ursan rule, as well as within the Grease Wars. At the time of the Forman War, both the Hydrus Commonwealth and the Orion Republic had pledged their protection to Musca.

World Events

Firefighter's Strike of 1929

Volucris, Aquila

On the afternoon of January 12, 1929, the fire precincts of Volucris organized a strike in protest of unfair pay. On top of normal fire calls, they had often dealt with fires from resistance attacks, some of which were extremely dangerous as unexploded ordnance could be present. The servicemen were not being paid enough to deal with these near-daily hazards.

Firefighters marched in the streets of Aquila's once-capital, facing against the Territorial Police, a branch of the Antares law enforcement program in occupied territories. What began as a non-violent protest turned into a riot throughout the day, with some buildings being purposely set alight by the firefighters. Water hoses were used against the police, who had donned riot shields by nightfall. A few buildings continued to burn throughout the night, and none of the firefighters would help extinguish them.

"YOU BURN US, WE BURN YOU!" they chanted, referencing the Scorch which had occurred more than a decade prior.

The riots continued into the next two days, with Antarean Army troops from a nearby garrison deploying to quell the commotion. Firemen were forced to extinguish the fires under the threat of execution, and by January 16, the strike had ended. The riots had caught the attention of the mayor; in order to prevent such a strike from happening again, he signed a bill increasing the hazard pay for the city's fire department.

A rare success— the firefighters got what they wanted, but only time would tell whether they would continue to serve the Antareans. Most believed they should continue doing their job for the sake of all the Aquilans living under the Scorpion's banner.

Flags and Emblems

Antares Imperium

Flag	Emblem	Variation

Red triangle = "Pincer" of a scorpion (Scorpius constellation), Orange circle = Antares star, Gold = Prosperity, Maroon = Valor.

Riaan Republic

Flag	Emblem	Variation

Corvus Confederation

Flag	Emblem	Variation

Empire of Cetus

Flag	Emblem	Variation

Kingdom of Aquila

Flag	Emblem	Variation

Dominion of Vega

Flag	Emblem	Variation

Emblem derived from a depiction of a muse goddess playing a lyre.

Columba

Flag	Emblem	Variation

Phenomena

Unnamed Phenomena 1

The following is a diary entry of a Cetan soldier in late 1910. The handwriting is messy, likely written in a panic:

12/27/1910

They won’t believe me. I saw something out there. A beast. A bird. I don’t even know what it was. It was as tall as three men. Nothing like I had ever seen or heard of before. It was out there, in the middle of no man’s land, eating a body. Its beak was as long as two men. It ate the corpse in one swallow. And then it looked at me. At least I think it was looking at me. It was dark, but I’m extremely certain its eye was locked onto me. It flew away as soon as an illumination flare was fired. Yet, no one had called it out. Maybe it was to conceal their positions. Oddest part of it was that the Corvuns weren’t shooting at it either. That creature stood in the middle of the field, towering over everything else. You couldn’t miss its silhouette, even in the darkness of night.

Three years later, in the midst of the Aquilan campaign, an Antarean soldier has a conversation with his squad.

12/27/1913

S-II AFRA: "I thought it was a fighter comin' to strafe us." S-I MARCELLUS: "Don't'cha know if it was shooting at us, it would'a done so before we saw it?" KPL FLORENCE: "Lay off the kid, he's never seen a plane before." S-II AFRA: "I have... just not... like /that/." KPL FLORENCE: "Like what? It was flying past us, toward the Aquilans. It was a friendly scouter." S-II AFRA: "That didn't look like a scouter..." KPL FLORENCE: "It's not like we see aircraft all that often anyway. The smoke from the fires really blocks their view. Might be a new model." S-I MARCELLUS: "Fuckin' fires blockin' /my/ view too." S-II AFRA: "Are planes supposed to flap their wings?" KPL FLORENCE: "Do I look like I know how planes work?"

A third excerpt is shown below, this time from a Columban report in 1928:

POST-ACTION REPORT MAY 17, 1928 CAPTAIN RICHARD DELECTA
ROUTINE CLIFFSIDE PATROL ... SIGHTED A LARGE CREATURE ON THE PEAK OF STONEWALL MOUNTAIN ... BINOCULARS COULD NOT GIVE A CLEAR SIGHT FOR THE DISTANCE ... WINGED, BEAKED CREATURE. SIZE UNDETERMINED ... TURNED ITS HEAD TOWARD PATROL GROUP ... INTERRUPTED BY ANTAREAN SCOUT AIRCRAFT ... CREATURE DISAPPEARED WHEN WE CHECKED THROUGH THE BINOCULARS AGAIN ...```

The rest of the report goes into the events proceeding the sighting. It does not mention the creature again.

Unnamed Phenomena 2

Following Extract details a telegram conversation between 2 outposts from top to bottom.

Incoming telegram from forward post 253A.

253A.
ANTAREAN BOMBER FORMATION SPOTTED WESTBOUND STOP PAYLOADS DROPPED STOP TARGET UNDETERMINED STOP BOMBS HIT NOTHING STOP AIRCRAFT RETURNED SOUTH STOP HOW DO WE PROCEED STOP 253A

Outbound message from Fort Olivae.

Fort Olivae.
INVESTIGATE BOMB TARGET STOP KEEP AA ON FULL ALERT STOP DO NOT ENGAGE UNLESS AIRCRAFT HEAD NORTH STOP OLIVAE

Two hours later, another telegram is inbound from 253A.

253A
SITE INVESTIGATED STOP ANTAREAN CORPSES STOP ANTAREAN VEHICLES BURNING STOP FEW SURVIVORS CAPTURED STOP NO SIGN OF COLUMBANS STOP INCONCLUSIVE FINDINGS STOP BELIEVE THEY BOMBED THEMSELVES STOP 253A

Fort Oliave.
QUESTION CAPTURED STOP REPORT FINDINGS STOP OLIVAE

A different forward post, 252B sends a telegram as soon as Fort Olivae replies back to 253A.

252B
ANTAREAN BOMBER FORMATION SPOTTED WESTBOUND STOP PAYLOADS DROPPED STOP TARGET UNDETERMINED STOP BOMBS HIT NOTHING STOP AIRCRAFT RETURNED SOUTH STOP HOW DO WE PROCEED STOP 253B

The operators at Fort Olivae are confused as they receive the exact same message from two different forward posts. Was it a coincidence?

The fort replies back to 252B, requesting the password for Columban operations.

Fort Olivae
IDENTIFY STOP PASS WORD STOP OLIVAE

Forward post 252B does not reply within five minutes. Immediately, the commander of Fort Olivae sends a telegram to all forward posts in the area.

Fort Olivae
ALL OUTPOSTS STOP DO NOT SEND WIRE MESSAGES STOP THEY ARE LISTENING STOP OLIVAE

Unnamed Phenomena 3

Inbound message from AR89:

AR89:
CAUTION ANTARES AIRCRAFT INBOUND STOP MIRRORS A AND B DETECTED ENGINES STOP HEADING UNDETERMINED STOP AIRBURST DETECTED PRESUMED FROM SILVESTA STOP AR89

Outbound from the command post at Ilvacaster:

COM ILVACASTER:
INTERROGATIVE ANY MESSAGE FROM SILVESTA STOP

Inbound reply:

AR89:
AFFIRM STOP SILVESTA REPORTS FIRING AIRBURST STOP AIRCRAFT PASSED THEM STOP AIRCRAFT IDENTIFIED AS 72 BOMBER GROUP STOP HEADING ESTIMATE 345 NNW STOP RECOMMEND DEFENSE PREPARATION STOP

Outbound:

COM ILVACASTER:
AFFIRM STOP BATTERIES ALERTED STOP

After ten minutes of waiting for the bombers to arrive, a new message comes.

Outbound:

AR89:
AR95 REPORTS BOMBER HEADING CHANGE STOP NEW HEADING ESTIMATE 70 ENE STOP KEEP ALERT STOP

From AR89, a message was relayed to the command post at Tunsead.

AR89:
CAUTION ANTARES BOMBER GROUP INBOUND STOP START IMMEDIATE DEFENSE PREPARATION STOP BEARING ESTIMATE 250 WSW STOP

From Tunsead:

COM TUNSEAD:
RECEIVED STOP BATTERIES ALERTED STOP COM TUNSEAD

Seven minutes later, AR89 receives two messages simultaneously from AR95 and Ilvacaster.

AR95:
RECEIVED STOP BATTERIES ALERTED STOP COM TUNSEAD

COM ILVACASTER:
AIRBURST FIRING OVER ILVACASTER STOP BOMBERS DID NOT CHANGE HEADING STOP

The operators at AR89 were receiving conflicting reports. AR95 had reported the bombers were heading northeast to Tunsead, while Ilvacaster, in the opposite direction northwest, reported they were under attack by the same bombers.

Then a message arrives from AR95 four minutes later:

AR95:
TUNSEAD REPORTS ANTI AIR ENGAGING BOMBERS STOP

It was not possible. Those same bombers could not have hit two different cities within four minutes.

AR89 sends a message to AR95.

AR89:
INTERROGATIVE HOW MANY AIRCRAFT DID YOU SEE STOP

A quick reply from AR95:

AR95:
VISUAL REPORTED 36 AIRCRAFT STOP

Cyricus-Geard Theory

THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF THE INANIS AND SOUTHERN OCEANS

The Cyricus Gerard theory, conceived by and named after marine biologist Eugene Cyricus and oceanographer Louis Gerard, is a scientific constructive theory that was published in 1932. In this point in history, the Inanis and Southern Ocean had not been properly documented past ~4,000 miles from any coastline. So far, no landmasses had been reported in that range.

The theory concerns the state of marine life in the Inanis and Southern Oceans. With no known landmasses on the southern axis of the planet, the far reaches of the Southern Ocean were determined to be the coldest temperature waters on Forma. In addition, a different scientific theory (Bergmann's rule in real life) correlates cooler temperatures with larger species sizes. Thus, animals in these oceans are thought to be much larger than their inshore counterparts—a trait described as gigantism.

With the little information the scientists had, additional factors were considered which were theorized to multiply the effects of gigantism. The undiscovered marine species in the far sides of Forma, according to Cyricus and Gerard, could reach sizes as large as a battleship—or even larger. Sea creatures once thought to be myths and legends now potentially exist in Forma's unexplored oceans.

One sea creature that had been seen and documented on numerous occasions throughout history is nicknamed the *Bluerock serpent*. Despite being named a serpent/snake, it was observed by scientists to have features similar to that of an eel. The Bluerock serpent wanders about 2,000 miles away from the Centaura's west coast, far from all commercial shipping lanes. Full-grown Bluerocks are reported to be at least 300 meters long (~1,000 ft) and are capable of eating the largest of known whales. It is presumed that Bluerocks reside in the Southern Ocean, but occasionally hunt in the Inanis.

Sketched depiction of a Bluerock serpent with a human for scale. (Credit to 506950817484505098 for the drawing)

Despite the information gathered, the Bluerock serpent is only one example of a species that was studied close to shore. The Cyricus-Gerard theory opens up the possibility of even larger creatures roaming in the deep Southern Ocean, and whether scientists want to venture that far to discover the unknown and risk their lives has remained a controversial topic for decades.

Military

Forman Army rankings in Forma as of 1908

(Ranking is based on performance + size, grouped into tiers by relative strength with levels of Tiers)

Tier 1	Tier 2	Tier 3	Tier 4
1. Riaa 2. Antares 3. Orion 4. Ursa 5. Tucana 6. Libra	7. Vega 8. Grusa 9. Hydrus 10. Aquila 11. Centauri	12. Columba 13. Corvus 14. Cetus 15. Vulpa	16. Auriga 17. Lacerta 18. Musca

Centauran Navy Ranking as of 1908

Centauran Navy Rankings 1908 (in terms of skill and performance)

1. Cetus
2. Antares
3. Grusa
4. Centauri
5. Riaa
6. Tucana
7. Vega
8. Columba
9. Vulpa
10. Corvus
11. Aquila

Warship Name Prefixes

• Antares: Antares Imperial Ship (AIS)
• Cetus: Cetan Imperial Ship (CIS)
• Corvus: Confederate Ship (CS)
• Aquila: None
• Vega: None
• Grusa: Barco del Rey (BdR)
• Columba: None
• Riaa: Riaan National Ship (RNS)
• Vulpa: Vulpan Imperial Navy (VIN)
• Centauri: His Majesty’s Ship (HMS)
• Tucana: None
• Ursa: Federal Ursan Ship (FUS) or корабль федерации (кф)
• Libra: None
• Orion: Orion Republican Ship (ORS)
• Hydrus: Hydrus Commonwealth Ship (HCS)
• Auriga: Nave del Regno (NR)
• Musca: None
• Lacerta: None

Law of war

General Rules Regarding Laws of War

On Forma, there is no Geneva Convention-type guidelines that exist. Instead, each country has their own war laws, and between two warring nations, the losing country would be subject to the winning country’s war laws. For example, the laws of “Red Nation” claim that civilians and medical personnel are not to be killed, while “Green Nation” claims that only civilians are not to be killed. If Green loses to Red, Green’s war criminals would be put under trial for the murder of civilians and medical personnel. Vice versa, Red’s war criminals would be criminalized only for the murder of civilians. Attempts had been made for international rules on war but failed, due to the fact that imperialism continued in many countries of Forma by the mid 1900s. Each country had their own self-interests rather than to become united under peace.

The reason why Shokk medics wear bright white aprons and helmets is because majority of the North Centauran countries have war laws against killing medics. Riaa and Centauri have their own designated medic uniforms too. For Tucana, Shokk medics ditched their white helmet covers and aprons since Tucana had no combat medic laws. Antares only "plays along" with Riaa and Centauri's war laws to make it seem they're playing "fairly", and thus the population back home would not see the invasions as immoral.

Kalvin's Order

Formally titled the Pax Edict and commonly known as Kalvin’s Law, it was founded through his faith in Astranism after consulting with various priests, self-meditation and stories from his mother from previous wars. He would come to the conclusion that he would need to minimize the cruelty of war on the common people, with the renew goal of not just fighting the continent for conquest, but to unify them.

Shortly after the start of the South Corvus War in 1908, Kalvin issued a memorandum to his officers that there would be a new set of regulations imposed upon them. These regulations, formally titled the Pax Edict and commonly known as Kalvin’s Law, consisted of two parts:

• The first was a codified set of regulations that were integrated into Antarean military law, carefully stipulating the actions that troops could not take.
• The second was from his address given in 1912, shortly before the invasion of Cetus. This address explained the spirit of the regulations he was imposing, why they were being imposed, and how officers and NCOs should seek to enforce them.

Initial responses to Kalvin’s Law were mixed. Most officers accepted their Emperor’s will, while others saw them as micromanaging. Kalvin countered these accusations with claims that the men were using brutality as a crutch and that doing so perpetuated hatred for them from defeated populations. He believed, sincerely, that benevolence would ensure a smooth occupation.

Kalvin’s Law was first put to the test in 1912 when the Imperium intervened in the South Corvus War. As the first Antarean troops stepped foot onto the Pistris Plains, Kalvin held his breath… Aside from a handful of incidents, most officers were willing to uphold the Law out of respect for their Emperor. However, Kalvin was particularly vindictive towards those who disobeyed his regulations, believing that failing to uphold them was to mock Scorpius itself and delay the grand unification of the continent. Officers caught breaking the Law were often relieved of command and reassigned to a lesser position, while enlisted troops could expect harsh punishments. Much of the military’s discontent towards Kalvin’s Law stemmed from what they considered unrealistic stipulations being implied any time there was an attempt to do something that could potentially endanger civilians.

Throughout the campaigns in Grusa and Vega, Kalvin continued to have his loyal officers in the Imperial Army Direktorate monitor incidents of his Law being broken. However, many of the younger officers began showing discontent with the progress of the two campaigns. The old guard, led by Arbiter Earl Markius, did its best to stymie these issues. The worst backlash against the Law began to emerge in the Columban Campaign. Columban irregulars proved to be a highly disruptive force against Antarean forces, cutting off supply lines, bombing roads, and retreating far into the mountains where they couldn’t be reached. Officers on the frontline demanded that the Law be partially relaxed so that the Imperial Army could target villages suspected of assisting Columban forces. Kalvin steadfastly refused, ordering any officer who violated the Law to be dismissed.

Emperor Kalvin’s wits were said to have begun fading sometime in the early 1920s, evidenced by his approval of Lacertan weapons experiments on criminals and his approval in 1926 that allowed bombing runs against cities. However, in the case of the latter, he stipulated that bombing raids should only be directed towards industrial districts, something that bomber crews found utterly impossible to implement with the technology of the time. This led to high Aircrew casualties as each one was expected to photograph and log their bombing runs, ensuring they were over the industrial area of their target when they dropped bombs. Failure to do so could, and often did, result in consequences.

By the time the emperor’s health forced him to take on a lesser role, the military establishment was reduced to a stubborn old guard trying to enforce his Law, while the bulk of the officer corps and troops actively wished to undermine it for the sake of military efficiency. After the death of Kalvin, the old Arbiter who is a steadfast keeper of Kalvin’s ways, was given one message from the soon-to-be Emperor: “Resign, or else.” Marking the end of Pax Edict.

Oversimplified reasons on how Antares won against each Centuran Nations

Cetus	Aquila	Vega	Grusa
Cetus was occupied with Corvus It became a 2v1 once Antares entered the war Cetan army was undermanned and exhausted by the war with Corvus	Aquila did not fight a major war in a long time They were also less technologically advanced because of their lack of combat Outdated doctrines By the time they actually started upgrading their equipment it was too late	Antares flanked Vega’s hard fortifications and split their forces into two	Antares performed coastal attacks and surrounded the inland areas Major use of trains and rail systems
Columba	Riaa	Tucana	Centauri
Hard flank around the east mountains. Also had Corvus helping out in the west to cut off supplies to the mountains Ignored the mountains entirely because it was a meatgrinder Antares steamrolled through the north lowlands	3v1 lol Very brutal war of attrition Riaa did not invest much into their military. not enough equipment to go around for their immense manpower	Steamrolled by Ursa	Constant bombardment to take out hardpoints Naval blockade No fly zone 2v1

Technology Progression in Centaura

This is a list of what to expect in-game for the next major updates. All info are subjected to change

1908-1910 (Southern Corvus War)

• Tech similar to IRL early WW1 (1914-1916)
  • Machine gun tanks
  • Armored cars

1910-1914 (SCW + Aquila campaign)

• Tech similar to IRL late WW1 (1916-1918)
  • More heavily armed tanks
  • Aircraft
  • Anti tank rifles

1914-1919 (Vega + Grusa campaigns)

• Tech similar to IRL early interwar period (1919-1920s)
  • Multi-turreted “heavy” tanks
  • SPGs (Self Propelled Guns)
  • SPAAs (Self Propelled Anti-Aircraft)
  • More light/medium turreted tanks
  • Troop transports (trucks)
  • Anti tank grenades

1919-1930 (Columba campaign)

• Tech similar to IRL early-mid interwar period (1920s-early 1930s)

Note: Not gonna see a lot of vehicles during this part of the campaign bc most of it is mountain fighting and vehicles can’t really fight through mountainous terrain

• More SPAA types (flakbus)
• Bomber aircraft

1930-1939 (Columba + Riaa + Tucana campaigns)

• Tech similar to IRL late interwar period (1933-1939)
• More medium tanks
• Tank destroyers
• Heavy tanks
• Assault guns (infantry support tanks, example Stug III)
• Halftracks for transport
• Rocket propelled anti tank
• Dive bombers

1940-1944 (Riaa + Centauri campaigns)

• Tech similar to IRL early WW2 (1939-1941)
  • A lot more heavy tank/SPG designs (think derp cannons like KV2 or ISU152) (NOT EXACT DESIGNS)

How was Antares able to conquer Centaura by themselves?

A lot of people think it’s not realistically possible for Antares to be able to win against the entire Centauran continent, but one main factor that they forget is that Antares mostly fought their enemies one at a time.

Fighting multiple countries would have definitely caused the Antareans to fail, but fortunately for them, no opposing countries allied with each other during the Centauran War (with the exception of the northern nations, which I’ll explain). In addition, the Antareans had the help of the Corvun army.

The reason why most countries did not ally with each other was because they were all enemies of one other. They all sought to expand or defend their territory, which is why there are so few nations on Forma compared to the real world. In short, every country having xenophobia is the reason why Antares was able to come out on top. Do note that every Centauran country is not underdeveloped; these are developed empires with great technology and civilizations.

The nations south of the Columban mountains were easily defeated by Antares, who spent decades (1860-1900) upgrading their equipment, specializing in espionage, and stealing technology from their neighbors. The Antareans observed and took notes from battles which occurred in history, improving strategies and creating new technology to help them win. Once they were ready, it was no wonder how they conquered South Centaura so quickly.

But once Antares reached the Columban mountains, that’s when problems began to arrive. For all of mankind, the Columban ranges have posed as the “great divider” between North and South Centaura. Throughout history, the northern countries have rarely interacted with the southern countries because of Columba.

The longest campaign of the Centauran War was the Columban campaign. Antares had an extremely difficult time getting through the natural barriers, even with Corvus’s help from the west. The Northern Centauran Alliance was created to fight against Antares, but even they would have the same difficulty fighting in Columba’s mountains. In the end, the Antareans were victorious in the Columban campaign.

Technology and adopting strategies was ultimately what helped Antares win the Centauran War. It’s not about plot armor, but the fact that every other nation on Centaura was not as militarily competent as Antares. Antares had great strategists in their ranks, quality soldiers like the Shokktroopers, and advanced technology like better vehicle and weapon designs.

Winners/Losers of Battles

None of the maps in the Centaura game are major battles. They are not battles that have turned the tide of their respective campaigns.

For example:

• Although Blackton may have been the first town hit in the war, it saw smaller fighting compared to the invasions of other northern towns and cities.
• Whitemouth Estuary wasn’t the only landing done by the EM. There were other battles that were more intense and consisted of bigger capital ships.
• Roland’s Prairie (Battery Liberius) was only one of several other batteries that were breached during the Aquilan campaign.

Regardless of who won the battle, the winners of the war in the lore (Corvus or Antares) will always come out victorious.

• Example, even if Cetus wins Whitemouth Estuary, a counterattack from Antares will occur that will lead to Cetus losing in the end.

Military Roles

Paratroopers

The first paratroopers appeared during the Centauran War in 1912, used by none other than the Antareans. The usefulness of the airborne unit would not be realized until the Columban campaign, however. Paratroopers were extensively deployed across the Columban mountain ranges, reaching places where conventional foot troops couldn’t. The Shokk divisions were the first to have a paratrooper unit, but by the mid-Columban campaign, the imperial army began having its own paratroopers. The Orion Army also started to use paratroopers sometime in the 1920s. By the start of the Forman War, paratroopers made up an eighth of the entire Orion military.

Sweepers

(Note: Sweepers are a fictional military role that do not exist in real life)

Beginning in the 1700s, when firearm designs became more efficient and artillery became deadlier, trench systems were adopted as a simple yet effective form of defense.

The “sweeper” was a role first created by the Orionites in the late 1700s during their expansion in Hydra. These were soldiers similar to those assault/shock troop roles, but specialized heavily in close-quarters combat.

Sweepers were the soldiers for clearing trenches, usually conducted during night when sneaking into enemy lines.

In the 1800s, this role was usually equipped with metal armor covering the upper body and head. Their weapons consisted of nothing but a pair of brass knuckles and a medium-length blade or blunt club. In essence, they were almost like lightly-armored knights.

Starting in the 1860s, most sweepers had ditched their armor because it proved to be too clunky and hindered mobility, which was far more useful in hand-to-hand combat than protection. Their helmets also reduced vision, a major disadvantage when in melee combat. In place of armor, sweepers usually took up a pistol or carbine that was light enough to handle. However, they still relied on their melee weapon for most fighting.

Later on at the turn of the 20th century, the use of shotguns proved to be a great weapon in trench fighting. Sweepers were issued shotguns in place of pistols/carbines and were the most prized units in the event of a trench raid. They had also kept their iconic brass knuckles throughout the centuries.

After the Cetan and Aquilan campaigns, trench warfare became increasingly obsolete with advancements in armored vehicles and aircraft, causing interest in sweeper roles to decline across all nations. However, the Antareans instead repurposed their sweepers to work in tandem with assault units, with much of their success taking place in urban environments where the level of close quarters combat reflected those seen in the trenches.

The shotgun and brass knuckles became the staple weapons of sweeper units since the 1930s.

Weapons and Technology

Asset Designation Prefixes

Below are the most common desgination prefixes for military weapon or vehicle models. Excludes company-manufactured technology.

Example year 1930 or example model number 14

Orion: Model 1930 (M.1930 or M.30) Antares: Exemplar MCMXXX (E/XXX) Cetus: M1930 (small arms) or Object 14 (vehicles) Corvus: Type 1930 (T1930 or T30) Aquila: Model 14 (M14) Vega: Modelo 1930 (M1930)

Grusa: Modelo 1930 (M1930 or M30) Columba: Model 1930 (M-1930 or M-30) Riaa: Type 1930 Tucana: Model 1930 (M30) Centauri: Type 14 Libra: Version 1930 (V1930 or V30)

Chemical Weapons

Chemical weapons will be referring to gases like mustard gas, chlorine gas, or any other deadly vapors. These were first used in the Southern Corvus War by the Antareans. Gases quickly wiped out Cetan positions as they had no counter at the time. It was not until Aquila had fallen that countries began manufacturing gas masks. With the mass production of gas masks and other air filtration devices (like the ones used by Orion during the Grease Wars), the effectiveness of poison gas in combat became less and less potent. By 1933, all nations had gas masks as standard-issue equipment. Further research into anti-chemical warfare garments (similar to hazmat/NBC suits) developed, but it was soon halted due to the sufficiency of gas masks on the field. The Antareans began to use chemical weapons less often during the late stages of the Centauran War. The only effective application of the poison gases was to drop it from bombers. Chemical weapons were heavily affected by wind patterns, which made it risky to use in many situations. The gases could blow somewhere else of the intended target, or even blow back towards the user. By the end of the Centauran War, the use of chemical weapons was dropped in favor of advancements in other military equipment. In 1941, a designated Antares research team was assigned to experiment with chemicals on an island south of Antares.

KF Gas

One of the deadliest chemical weapons that was used in Columba was created in 1928. Kompound F, or KF gas, was extremely volatile and corrosive to organic matter. Exposure to KF would produce blisters and acid burns on the skin within seconds, while inhalation would almost certainly liquify the lungs. In addition, the gas caused permanent blindness, chemically burning the eyes away if not covered. This was an extremely dangerous chemical that caused immense pain to anyone affected.

The Antareans were not comfortable handling KF, as an accidental leak could devastate the host unit. Many storage guards feared a KF leak more than an accidental ammunition detonation; at least an explosion would be instant.

During the testing of KF gas, and all the test subjects were decimated. Not a single person survived the chemical test, and observations after the gas had dissipated saw the inhabitants in a horrific state. Corpses had their skin chemically burned off, muscles had curled up and shrunk, and bubbles had appeared under the flesh, presumably pockets of KF gas that had been absorbed by the body.

Melee Weapons

Melee weapons are commonly found throughout the militaries of Forma. While their combat use is limited, they are a very important part of ceremonial usage as well as status indicators. Swords in particular, are very popular in Ursa and Libra, and almost religious on the Centaura continent. Orion/Libra do not use swords.

Centaura

Swords are extremely important in Centauran military culture. Typically, every squad leader+ would carry an ensis, although higher ranking officers would embroider their blade more stylishly. There are two styles of ensis, based in the northern and souther sides of the Columban mountains. The southern ensis was used characteristically by Antares, whilst the northern ensis was found throughout Riaan forces. Swords were very important symbolically, from being used to induct new members of a squad, in executions, to offering up a squad/company's sword to surrender. Wrapping a white flag around the highest ranking officer's sword was customary when indicating surrender.

Ursa & Hydrus

Ursan blades were also commonly found throughout the military. Cutlasses were given to guards stationed at bases and ships, as well as higher ranking officers. These swords are more decorative, but still made of quality material and can be used in a close quarters scuffle and can be used against targets of guardsmen. Hydrus uses cutlasses in a similar fashion, one of Ursa's lasting influences on their culture after gaining independence.

Auriga

It is customary for Aurigan youth to craft their first tomahawk as a passage into adulthood. Orion military command permits Aurigan volunteers to bring their personal tomahawks as part of their field kit. They are often adorned with small tokens from the soldiers' personal lives, and are aerodynamic enough to be thrown at distance as well as a tool for survivalist purposes. They proved to be a reliable stealth alternative, and a fear tactic throughout the Libran campaign.

Radio Detection and Ranging (Radar)

The military application of using radio waves for detection was not done during the Centauran War. However, radar was first put into practice by Orion; their Bastion Towers in 1948 were installed with the very first radar systems. Orion, despite being the first to apply the technology on a large scale, was not the inventor of radar. The potential for radio-based detection was conceived during the early stages of the Centauran War but was never seriously considered by the higher-ranking officers of each military.

By the time that aircraft was realized to be a serious threat after the Grusan campaign, Columba had other methods to detect aircraft, namely acoustic detection with special structures designed to pick up the noise of engines. These “acoustic mirrors” were extremely reliable as sounds often echoed through the mountain ranges from far distances. Special instruments at these mirror stations would amplify the sounds and be able to detect aircraft up to 30 miles away.

In 1926, Dimitri Morozov, an Ursan scientist, had been living in Riaa when the Columban campaign was in its middle stages. He was inspired by the acoustic mirrors of Columba and attempted to apply the same concept of reflecting sound waves to radio waves. His project was completed by 1930 with limited funding, and the very first experimental radar system would be created. However, Morozov’s system had a weak transmitter and thus did not have a great range. He proposed his concept to the Riaan military in 1931, hoping to receive more funding and proper equipment, but was turned down by officers who were confident in the current acoustic detection systems.

Dr. Morozov’s machine, a radio interceptor as he named it, was nothing more but a gimmick that would most certainly be a waste of our budget. The Army is no place for school science projects to be considered for its arsenal.” (Lev Evandrus, Army of the Republic Research Board, 1932)

The Riaan military would continue to use their traditional method of detecting aircraft despite Morozov’s repeated attempts for recognition. He fled the country by boat in 1937, headed for the Orion Republic across the ocean. There, he would continue to improve his radar system under the funding of the country’s laboratories. With the help of other scientists, the first operational radar systems were installed on the Bastion Towers in 1948.

Morozov’s old works in Riaa would also be discovered by Antares during the occupation, resulting in the production of their own radar models in the same year.

Rocket Launchers

The need for shoulder-fired rocket launchers came during the early Columban campaign in 1919. By this time, the official war against Columba had been going on for four years, but it was not until after the Grusan campaign that all military efforts were focused to the mountains.

During that four-year period, the Columban army increasingly upgraded their fortifications. By the time the Antareans went up against these defenses, they had a difficult time destroying them due to a lack of tank support— the mountainous terrain was unsuitable for vehicles, and thus units rarely received heavier support.

A design for a shoulder-fired rocket launcher was invented in 1920, though not for the purpose of destroying tanks like in the real world. It used a regular high-explosive rocket as its ammunition and was capable of destroying concrete emplacements as well as lightly-armored vehicles.

This new weapon was extremely useful during the Columban campaign as it provided a means for the average soldier on foot to counter hardened fortifications. It was not meant to be used against tanks since it did not use high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) ammunition, though in any last-ditch effort, the rocket launcher could be used to blow off the tracks.

Designs for HEAT rockets were proposed in the mid-1920s, but the lack of tank encounters in the mountain ranges regarded them as a waste of material and money. In addition, by this point in the war, tanks were still able to be countered with anti-tank rifles. HEAT ammunition would not be reconsidered until the early 1930s.

Complementary to the shoulder-fired rocket launcher was the recoilless rifle, developed as a lightweight artillery piece mainly used with airborne units. Man-portable versions of the recoilless rifle with 2 ¼-inch caliber shells were also employed in the same way as rocket launchers, though the latter were much more common. The concussive force of launching a rocket compared to firing a projectile was a lot more preferable to infantrymen. Some rumors were even created that firing recoilless rifles on uneven ground could cause a landslide from the backblast force, though this was disregarded by veteran soldiers and was used to scare newer recoilless rifle operators as a joke.

History

Libran Empire

Largest extent of the Libran Empire, including the tribes and regional powers it conquered

The Libran Empire is the precursor to much of the nations in Forma. The Libran Empire was, for simplicity, almost exactly like the Romans, albeit the Librans were a different race. The Empire had a religion that praised the stars in the night sky, and constellations were named accordingly.

Over centuries, the Libran Empire slowly gained territory toward the west and the east, eventually gaining world dominance. During their rule, the Empire began to eradicate the different cultures and languages in the lands they controlled. One exception was the Ursan territory, which had the least imperial influence.

The language Old Librae (Latin) managed to spread across Forma through Libran conquests, eventually evolving into numerous languages including Parlibrae (French), Orilibrae (German), Grusi (Spanish), Vego (Portuguese), Aurigan (Italian), and Common Librae (English). The dating system of Forma is calibrated by the collapse of the Libran Empire, BC [Before Collapse] and AD [After Dissolution/Destruction].

The Empire’s world dominance, however, was short-lived. The Librans were stretched thin, and the furthest territories (Riaa, Hydrus, and Ursa) began to collapse. With continuous waves of uprisings throughout the continent, the Librans were pushed back to their home islands. The year of the Empire’s collapse is marked at 0 CE (Common Era).

After the collapse of the Libran Empire, outside of the island chain, 15-foot stone walls (eventually reinforced with concrete) were built as the Libran emperor feared retaliation from the outside world. After the invention of gunpowder and cannons, the walls were fortified to keep foreign navies away.

Origins of Countries

The names of most countries on Forma root from the Libran Empire.

In the ancient times, each region of a continent was named in honor of a constellation in the sky, which the Librans thought were a physical and celestial form of a god or creature from their mythology. They believed the constellations were gods watching over them. Each region that was under Libran control was headed by a *prospicius*, a sort of governor who oversaw society in their region. In Libran customs, each prospicius had a “mother constellation” which they were able to choose. The god or creature correlated with the constellation were believed to give protection and blessings to the prospicii, and so each region was named after the prospicius’s constellation. This is how some star systems only seen in the southern sky have their names attached to countries in the northern hemisphere of Forma, like Hydrus.

However, many countries in the 1900’s had a different name in history. Antares is a modern name. Previously, it was four different countries which later unified to form Antares. These were Ara, Lupus, Norma, and Scorpius. Orion was never just Orion in the past. In fact, each district in the country take the names of the previous nations which had resided in their respective regions. These were Circinia, Arca, Pavos, Gemina, Delphinus, Venatia, Pisca, and Mintaka.

Riaa was an exception for the Libran naming convention. The region was not under the control of the Librans for as long as the other regions south of the Columban mountains, and much resistance was met. Nobody knows who named the region “Riaa,” as it’s not even a word in the Librans’ language (Latin). The only theory most agree on is that “Riaa” was a war cry made by ancient tribes who fought the Librans. The countries as we know them in 1908 were previously multiple smaller nations throughout history (more pre-1880’s lore to come).

• Centaura was named after the centaur, a mythological creature that was half-man and half-beast. It was used to describe the temperament of the tribes that lived on the continent during ancient times—many were violent and brutal, yet all were human. Some may argue that it lived up to its name throughout history.
• Hydra was named after the mythological multi-headed creature in reference to the multitude of different empires and kingdoms on the continent. When one of them fell, the following splinter states would become their own powers, and so forth.
• Ursa was named after the bear, considered by many to be the most brutish animal of the north. The corresponding constellation also included Polaris, also known as the North Star.
• Finally, Libra was named for its position in the world; an island chain balanced right between the two main continents, and arguably, the center of human society.

Ignis Plague & The Great Purge

IGNIS PLAGUE

Ardebacillus sanguia was an ancient bacterium that emerged from a small island chain north of Libra. It has made its mark on history as one of the most dangerous diseases that Forma had ever seen. This necrotizing and hyperthermic plague stood out amongst other dangerous diseases as a fatal, airborne, and adaptive bacteria with an extremely low survival rate. In most cases, it liquefied the host's organs, causing ancient societies to believe the infected melted from the inside out. The Libran Empire first encountered the disease during its early years while conquering tribal islands in the ocean. However, it would not devastate the Librans since a different bacterium from the same genus (Ardebacillus febris), which had milder symptoms, provided a sort of immunity. Before the Libran Empire set their eyes on the other continents of Forma, the Ignis Plague was merely seen as a common disease. Many were unaware of its true potential and devastating lethality. As the Librans expanded their territories in later decades, so did the Ignis Plague which followed the legions to war against the tribes of South Centaura and Hydra. Entire villages and cities were devastated as the plague became widespread. Larger empires and kingdoms would be weakened or collapse, much to the benefit of the immune Librans, who began to take notice of the effects the plague had on their foreign rivals. By 325 BCE, the Ignis Plague had spread to most regions of Forma, killing tens of millions of non-Librans over the years. Under the reign of Imperator Tertius, the Ignis Plague would be turned from a disease into what many would consider the first bioweapon.

THE GREAT PURGE (325—40 BCE)

Over three centuries, the Libran Empire eradicated various foreign peoples, cultures, and histories in its territories with the assistance of the Ignis Plague. By 40 BCE, 90% of the the original non-Libran natives in the empire’s territories had died from the Plague. New generations during the purge became immune to the bacterium, however. The destruction of most cultures in the Libran Empire paved way for the implementation of Astranism. With scarcely any substantial historical records surviving, nearly all subjects of the Librans were forced to adopt the new religion and culture (this serves as an explanation to how many of Forma's countries are Latinized). After the fall of the Libran Empire in 1 CE, the Ardebacillus genus became extinct over time. It is theorized that the Ignis Plague completely died out some time in the first millennium due to a lack of new hosts to infect.

The "Whale" sighting

During the Libran Empire’s occupation of the Cetus region, the Libran navy garrisoned on the coasts reported several sightings of a “sea monster” in the horizon of the Inanis Ocean.

Some sailors described the creature as a large whale with teeth like a shark, while others claimed it had one eye directly on the tip of its head. A few described the latter as a gaping mouth with teeth, and that the creature had no eyes.

One thing was common among these descriptions: the creature had a whale’s tail fin. Most accounts describe only seeing the tail flipping up before the creature disappeared into the sea.

Libran search boats that hunted for the creature were unable to find it. Due to the sightings of the creature only happening on the coast, the region was named “Cetus”.

The sightings continued through to the present, but no individual person had ever encountered the creature while out at sea. It seemed to be visible only from a distance before it disappeared into the water.

Common tales tell that the sea creature acts as a guardian for people living on the coast, protecting humans from whatever lies deep in the Inanis Ocean.

The "Kreofaia" sighting

Kreofaia (KREY-OF-AYE-AH) — a creature said to be thousands of years old. It has been sighted many times throughout history, yet little information is known about it. Self-proclaimed hunters have tried searching for this legend to no avail.

It is known by different names to the western nations of Centaura: Corvus, Aquila, and Columba. In these respective countries, the creature is believed to be the physical embodiment of their god. Elsewhere, it goes by Kreofaia.

The main things known about the Kreofaia is its appearance. It is a large bird-like creature, towering at about fifteen to eighteen feet tall, with a beak half as long as its entire body. Witnesses have had varying accounts of its color, claiming it to be white, gray, or black. Some said it had eyes like an owl, while others said it was like a pigeon, staring sideways with only one eye.

1997 Kreofaia Depiction, by Classicmasternoob.

Sightings of the Kreofaia have reported it as a carnivore, mostly eating the dead carcasses of animals and humans. There have been no accounts of the creature attacking living organisms, however some disappearances of inhabitants near the Oculum Sea in the 1800s have been attributed to it. This claim lacked hard evidence, though.

The closest encounter with the Kreofaia was recorded in 1877, when a soldier of the Cetan Army stumbled across it eating a dead deer in the woods. Only thirty feet away, the soldier fired his trapdoor rifle, scoring a hit to its back. The creature quickly flew away in panic before he could reload his rifle. Strangely, the Cetan soldier disappeared one day later without a trace before he could be questioned for more information.

As of 1948, the Kreofaia is still a relatively unknown subject. Attempts to find its nesting spot have been unsuccessful, leading most to believe that it does not have a nest.