Alpha and Omega: The Shadowstar Emperor (Parts 3 & 4)
12 Mar 2024Argon Shadowstar
Part 3: The Age of LegendsThe early years of the Imperium were rough and heady days where the pioneer spirit filled all who lived and worked under the crimson star-shot banner. It was a time of hard work and great obstacles that were overcome. The government had all the problems inherent to any government that is built upon a foundation of idealism and good intentions, and there were many who exploited that. But these nefarious evil doers would have to contend with both old and new heroes, living by the spirit of the law rather than the letter of it. Through these legendary first heroes, the Imperium went through a series of reforms, some more disruptive than others, but gradually went from poorly executed idealism to streamlined justice, though many of the best concepts did not get fully implemented until the Age of Heroes. This age was one of frontier justice, bordering on anarchy, but reliant on human beings being their best to defeat the schemes of those who were at their worst. Many villains met their end, but many fled into the unexplored stars beyond, where they might stand a better chance against the elements than they did against the seemingly superhuman guardians of the Imperium. And, many incredible stories, tales, and songs of valor, justice, and glory were written during this age. Even Argon Shadowstar, Emperor of the Imperium, was among those heroes who visited his people and spoke to them in person, battling the forces of evil when they threatened, and it was said that he fought with the fury of gods and wielded the power of the black hole which inspired his name. Though he did not claim the greatest of legendary stories, he was among the greatest of the legends, and the leader of not only his nation, but the League of Heroes who battled evil in their great chrome starfighters. It was a time of greatness and tales to stir the heart and the soul, and it was a strong foundation for the building of the great society that would follow.
But, it did not happen overnight. The reality of it was that the government often struggled under the weight of its administration, and many times simply failed to provide the order that it strived to. Were it not for the League of Heroes, and their fair and balanced judgement, the Imperium would have collapsed into anarchy in those days. In fact, some historians claim that it had, but nobody who lived there seemed to be aware of it. Such was the way of life in those tumultuous early days, but what it lacked in security and stability it more than made up for in excitement and adventure. The Age of Legends was the most popular setting for adventure fiction throughout the lifetime of the Imperium, its many conflicts and way of life inspiring countless poets and artists to create the works that made the Imperium rich with culture.
Although it was thought that the Imperium was the only civilization in this region of space at this time, soon they would learn that this was not to be. It turned out that other groups had undergone similar expeditions, each seeking to establish their own nation away from the interference of the rest of humanity. Often, when these groups discovered each other, relations were not pleasant. Typically, the only thing that kept them from declaring war on each other was the distance between them and therefore the expense of waging a war for little to no gain. But few shared ideologies and many refused to even trade, unwilling to admit reliance on anyone else. This was a prevailing mentality among those whom had left humanity behind. If they wanted to trade or play nice with their neighbors, they wouldn't have traveled so far. And so the far frontier was a cold place, full of colonies that mostly all held isolationist policies and the few that were willing to work with others were often stalled into introversion by xenophobic neighbors blocking any potential trade routes. A little like how today's remote enclaves like Robigo were, at least until recently, unwilling to trade with the others (although apparently they never had a problem with smuggling). But the Shadowstar Imperium was different. Their reasons for colonizing so far from the bubble were very different from those of their distant neighbors, and the sprawl of the Imperium drew attention from many others. The fact that colonists from the Imperium would travel outside its borders to claim territory in what was seen as no man's land presented problems for nearby colonies looking to expand. With the Imperium itself going through governmental reforms every several years, and believing they were isolated, there was little in the way of foreign relations, and their closest neighbors did little to draw attention, fearing the heroes of the Imperium, which to foreigners looked like dangerous adventurers looking for trouble, bound by no borders and beholden to no law. This could not last.
Eventually, as fate would have it, villains and pirates expelled from the Imperium in the Age of Legends found their way into either doom or independence, and some stumbled upon other colonies. Some of these villains infiltrated the colonies they found, eventually gaining power over them and enslaving them into personal armies, while others found refuge among them and chose to join forces, agreeing to help them attack the Shadowstar Imperium when they had marshalled enough forces. All throughout the Age of Legends, while great adventures were being had, these dark forces were accumulating beyond the sight of the Imperium, biding their time and building their resources. When at last the first of these great warlords launched their attack, the Age of Legends gave way to the Age of War.
Part 4: The Age of War
The attacks came as a surprise. Warlord Zahn had long ago betrayed the Imperium and battled the combined forces of Adon Starserpent and Haldir of the Ringed Moon. The heroes eventually drove the evil Warlord Zahn into exile far beyond the borders of the Imperium, but alone in space he did not perish, but rather grew stronger, learning hard lessons about survival and letting his hate and anger stew into a deadly poison with which he would oil the blade of his revenge. His first great victory came as he discovered the colony of Ayala's Rest over a hundred light-years from the heart of the Imperium. The colonists had no idea that anyone else lived so far from the bubble and were unprepared for his arrival. He easily manipulated them with his wily ways and engineered a coup which would put him and his loyal supporters in control of the colony. That completed, he turned the colony into an automated soldier factory, using despicable cloning technology to build vast numbers of cheap troopers for his army. These beings, despite being technically human, were barely so. Genetically weak, possessing only traits useful to a soldier, they nonetheless made ideal foot soldiers for Zahn's armies. He used the same technology to mass produce slave workers which built starship factories, though their designs were plain, uninspired, and ugly. They were at least cheap and functional. His strategy was not a brilliant one, it merely involved great swarms of cheap units which he intended to overwhelm the Heroes of the Imperium, few in number as they were. The military of the Shadowstar Imperium was skilled and well equipped, back then supplied with arms by House Shadowstar, but the equipment was expensive and the training was extensive. The warriors of the Imperium were far superior to any others, but the one weakness of this strategy was that they could be easily overwhelmed by one who was so morally bankrupt as to employ the methods that Warlord Zahn did. And so, when Zahn's forces swarmed over the borderlands, no-one in the Imperium was prepared. There were many losses, and when the military finally engaged the clone armies, even the Heroes of the Imperium found themselves overwhelmed. Several of them fell in battle on that terrible day, and it was clear that a new strategy was needed if Zahn's armies were to be defeated.
The War Council of Shadowstar convened in an emergency session as the battle was lost. There were many voices there, but the loudest and most reasonable by far was that of Hammer-Lord Horadrius Vorduli, Master of Crafts. He knew that no matter how well designed his weapons were, the sheer numbers of Zahn's armies required a sizeable force to match it. This meant that the artful, expensive, and opulent weaponry that Vorduli was known for could not counter the enemy for they could never be mass produced. Likewise, House Shadowstar was already pushed to its limits with its many responsibilities, and could not afford to become a full time arms manufacturer. Keeper Kalada Vorduli stepped up at that moment with a proposition. She was well versed in the ways of weaponsmithing but her peers looked down on her because she worked too quickly. They said that a true work of art needed time, thought, and introspection. "Now is a time for action, not art.", she said. And with these words she renounced the Vorduli name in the midst of the council chamber and founded a new house: House Gunstar. The other council members expected rage and offense from the great Hammer-Lord, and the chamber was quiet with anticipation. A slow clap cut through the silence, and it was Horadrius himself, with a smile on his face and pride in his voice. "Now, you have found your way." He said, referring to her peers who had called her a wayward acolyte. In truth, Horadrius had always respected her unique viewpoint, which is why she was one of his favorite students, despite her apparent failure to grasp the central concepts of Vorduli crafting.
With this, House Gunstar was born, and began mass producing weaponry, utilizing master techniques of the Vorduli weaponsmiths but for use by the military. Gunstar weapons lacked the artistry of Vorduli weapons and were not nearly as powerful, but they were much cheaper and could be produced quickly using resources plentiful in the worlds of the Imperium. This marked the turning point in the war and enabled the Imperium to reclaim the territory Zahn had occupied. Though the Zahnites still outnumbered the Imperium armies, such was the quality of Gunstar weapons that eventually Zahn was defeated and taken into custody. But though the war was over, the Age of War had only just begun.
No sooner was Zahn defeated than another, Razorscreech, the Mad Warlord, appeared on another border with a fleet of dilapidated scrap ships crewed by psychopaths afflicted with radiation sickness, among other ills. Initially dismissed as a minor pirate bound to find his doom at the hands of the up-and-coming hero Tvist Asterton, that assumption died with Tvist themself. In retrospect, general Amberstar mused that it was pure luck that Zahn and Razorscreech arrived separately, for if they had attacked together, the Imperium might not have survived. In fact, the Razorscreech Onslaught was devastating enough all by itself. Many of the Imperium's greatest heroes died in the conflict, while the psychotic barbarians rampaged throughout the realm. New heroes would be needed if the Imperium was to survive. The first, and arguably the greatest of these new heroes was known as Equinox, the Twilight Knight.
The world known as Crepusculos is a strange, mountainous world. The colonies there intersect huge mountains and ridges, half underground and half open air. The thing Crepusculos is best known for is its environment. The atmosphere is breathable but has poor thermal retention at ground level and intense high altitude convection. With a sweltering midday temperature of 397K at the equator, and nights as cold as the day is hot, it was a harsh place for a colony. Each day is 51 hours long, so the colonists adapted by retreating underground, where the climate is easily controlled, and sleeping during the hottest and coldest parts of the day cycle. This led to a workday typically spent during the dawn followed by one spent during the dusk, the two times of the planetary rotation where temperatures were tolerable. It was from this world that the hero Equinox rose, like the Death Sun of Crepusculos, his first fame was his ability to withstand both of his planet's extremes, and with this ability he served his people, rescuing those unlucky souls who found themselves outside during the dangerous times. In time, he trained others and developed gear that helped them brave these temperatures. Of course, such technology is ubiquitous nowadays, but back then, it had to be custom built for the environment. And he was one of the pioneers of that technology. Without him and others like him, we might not have the wonderful suits we have today which allow us to breathe easy even in temperatures exceeding 700K. Equinox eventually left his home to quest, and during his adventures collected an entourage of skilled and valiant heroes. Together, they would battle the forces of Razorscreech and joined forces with House Gunstar to challenge the Mad Warlord himself. Equinox's ability to survive extreme environments was crucial to fighting the Mad Warlord's minions, as they typically operated ships without proper environmental controls.
Equinox had also developed a unique type of laser weapon which burned bright enough to temporarily burn a shadow on the vision of those who witnessed it. The way the beam modulated, it appeared to be made of both bright light and the deepest shadow at the same time. This weapon became known as the Dark Light, the Blade of Twilight, and it's image became the crest of Equinox's party, the Circle of Light and Shadow. When the Razorscreech horde faced the power of the Dark Light, it utterly ruined them. It was said, "So mad were they already, that the beam shattered their minds and left them unthinking and blind.". But the materials needed to build the Dark Light were so rare that it could not be mass produced. Thus, it was left to the Circle of Light and Shadow to face the Mad Warlord himself. And so they did. But he had heard of them and was ready for them. During the final battle, many of the Circle fell, and as Equinox himself was about to fall, the forces of House Gunstar, taking advantage of the distracted Warlord, arrived to save the day. But Razorscreech, in a final act of defiance, sacrificed himself by setting off an energy bomb, which destroyed his space fortress and all within it, including Equinox and General Truesight, leader of the Gunstar Marines.
It was a costly peace, and it did not last long. Other opportunistic groups sought to take advantage of the weakened Imperium, and several more wars occurred in this time. However, compared to the Warlords, they were a lesser threat. Their only successes came from a war-wearied Imperium, still recovering from the significant losses suffered at the hands of the Warlords. And yet, still no foreign power could defeat the Imperium. Heroes following in the example of Equinox and his friends rose up to meet the challenges and defend the realm, even leading raiding parties into hostile space to finally eradicate the threats at their source, until there were none left to dare challenge the might of the Shadowstar Imperium.
Equinox, his friends, and countless more heroes and warriors who fell during the wars, were memorialized on multiple worlds, but the greatest monument was built on Crepusculos, in Equinox's home town of Duskwillow. Songs of glory were written and sung for posterity, that they may never forget the glorious deeds and righteousness of the heroes who died so that future generations may live. Those songs and stories inspired many to take up the mantle of adventure and soon, a new age of heroes would dawn upon the Imperium.
To be continued.