--- --- # General --- The Elder Ones, also known as the Dul-Wrathki, are an ancient race of highly advanced silicate life form who formed a vast, multidimensional empire in the early years of the galaxy. Though they spread their empire to many plants across multiple dimensions, the Elder Ones were not a space farring race, having mastered the art of folding space such that they could merely step from on place to another in a moment The Elder Ones were particularly known for their propensity and extreme skill with the creation and modification of organic life, being capable of the creation of complex and miraculous life from inert and inorganic materials. With the race known as The [[Formless]] being one of their most notable client races. The Elder One's empire eventually fell after a prolonged revolution of their client race, with a final cataclysmic mutual genocide being the presumed end of both races. Although increasing rare as the eons since their fall continue to pass, rare examples of their work have survived into the present day, as high a praise of their mighty crafting abilities possible. # Description --- <div class="content-box-sheet-alt-black"> <div img src="Elder One - 01.jpg" align="center" class="internal-embed" name="profile" > </div> </div> The Elder Ones were a silicate form of asexual life. Taking the form of large humanoids seemingly carved by expert hands from dense and resilient living black stone. Elder Ones often modified their own appearances using their technology, with the additions of crystals and other decorative or functional changes across an individuals lifespan being common. # Society --- Elder One society was somewhat unique when compared to other existing societies. Due to their asexual nature individuals tended to form groups based on ideological similarities and interests rather than familial or reproductive pairings. One of the unique aspects of Elder One society/mentality was their reaction to debate and being proven wrong. As a result of the high level of importance education and knowledge held within their society, Elder Ones exhibited a near universal obsession with debate and discussion. Being proven wrong was treated as a joyful occasion on the premise that the removal of counter factual information was equally important as the acquisition of new information and thus being proven wrong moved an individual closer to perfect understanding. ## Government --- The Elder Ones appeared to have practiced a form of Socialized Technocratic Theocracy, with an extreme reverence for science, math, and learning serving as the core of their society. General needs of all citizens were provided through specific government branches, with a primary central government overseeing several tiers of increasingly more localized systems that both distributed physical resources and provided extensive access to a variety of general services. A significant emphasis on the importance of education, learning, and research existed at all levels of society and reached firmly to the level of religious fervor for much of their history. Jobs focused on one or more of those concepts carried significant prestige in Elder One society, with roles such as teacher and scientist obtaining nearly holy status. Branches of government were structured into a hierarchal system where priority was shown to those with the most education/experience, something which all were required to verify and prove on a regular basis. The central government was broken up into four separate branches, each of which focused on a different aspect of Elder One society, and was overseen by a tribunal whose members were periodically selected from the ranks of the Arcanium. ### The Arcanium <div class="content-box-sheet-alt-black"> <div img src="The Arcanium.jpg" align="center" class="internal-embed" name="profile" > </div> </div> The Arcanium was one of the three original branches of government and served as both an executive branch and a judicial branch. The Arcanium consisted of, the educators, researchers, and librarians of the empire.. The Arcanium was directly responsible for conducting and recording all of the knowledge and secrets the Elder One's uncovered in their quest to understand the universe. The Arcanium was responsible for a variety of functions within the empire, including the operation of the empire education system, performing, documenting, and implementing research in all areas, overseeing the operations of the other three branches of government, and providing the judiciary needed for grievances between the government and a citizen of the empire, including instances of crime. ### The Militarium <div class="content-box-sheet-alt-black"> <div img src="The Militarium.jpg" align="center" class="internal-embed" name="profile" > </div> </div> The Militarium was one of the 3 original branches of the Elder One's central government. The Militarium oversaw the defense and protection of the empire and served as the enforcer of the will of the Arcanium. The Militarium served as the military body of the empire as well as both providing law enforcement and corrections functions, The most important role of the Militarium was supervising the [[Formless]] during their time as a slave race to the Elder Ones, and later, to handling their revolt. The smallest of the branches of government for most of the Elder One's history, the successful revolt of the Formless granted the Militarium a meteoric growth of power and influence within the empire that lasted until its fall. ### The Popularium <div class="content-box-sheet-alt-black"> <div img src="The Popularium.jpg" align="center" class="internal-embed" name="profile" > </div> </div> The Popularium was one of the 3 original branches of the Elder One's central government. The Popularium was responsible for overseeing the needs and general governance of the citizens of the empire. It included functions including medical care, utilities, housing, food and resource distribution, and the settling of disputes between one citizen and another. The Popularium created and administered the various laws and statues which governed day to day life and, in terms of employees, it was the largest of the branches to a significant degree. The Popularium served as something of a face for the empire, being the branch of government the majority of citizens interacted with. ### The Comercialairy <div class="content-box-sheet-alt-black"> <div img src="The Comercialairy.jpg" align="center" class="internal-embed" name="profile" > </div> </div> The Comercialairy was the last of the branches of government and, unlike the other three, was not part of the original government of the empire, having been added late in the history of the Elder Ones. The Comercialairy is responsible for monitoring and regulating all commerce and industry within the empire. Originally part of the Popularium, the Comercialairy became necessary as a result of the creation of the Tetragami engines and the opportunities and effort that managing such a system created. The weakest branch in terms of influence, the Comercialairy is often treated as little more than bureaucrats while being expected to jump to the need of the other branches. ## Architecture --- <div class="content-box-sheet-alt-black"> <div img src="Elder One Hallway.jpg" align="center" class="internal-embed" name="profile" > </div> </div> #### General Elder One architecture is characterized by complex and often overly ornate designs that often favored straight lines and geometric shapes, often featuring a golden metal inlayed into a dark unknown stone of incredible resiliency. #### Building Design In parallel with their preferences for aesthetic decorations, the Elder One's architecture (what little of it has survived) similarly favored long straight hallways with subordinate branches being placed and exclusively 90 degree angles. External dimensions, topography, and decorative elements varied significantly from one building to another, even within buildings of similar purpose/intention/function in same or similar zones and appeared to be coordinated at a high level. Internal layout of structures depended significantly upon their intended function, but general patterns tended to favor large, open spaces arranged around a perpendicular hallways radiating out from a central point. The center of most structures was a large open chamber that ran the length of the building and was often open to the outside at the top. Buildings were placed in distinct, and separate, complex groupings that favored on esoteric geometric shapes on the surface level, with multiple seemingly unrelated structures being formed in complementary, and unique, external configurations to create striking visual effects. Although seemingly separate at the ground level buildings tended to be highly interconnected as they extended both deep into, and high above ground level. #### City Planning City planning was extensive and favored concentric circles, or bands, radiating out from a central point, with specific bands being subdivided as needed. The general pattern placed civic/government buildings in the center, followed by a residential band, followed by a commercial band, followed by an industrial band, with a military/defensive band being outermost. Each band was subdivided further with buildings tending to be grouped together based on function. Like their buildings, Elder One's roads favored long straight lines radiating out from the central point, but also included major roads around the circumference of each zone as well as many smaller pathways throughout. Cities utilized a widespread system of mass transit throughout the city and instances of individual vehicles was almost wholly isolated to purpose built vehicles serving a specific function. No roads connecting separate cities appeared to have been used, though each city tended to have a surrounding network of roads and walking paths, as the Elder Ones extensively used the Tetragami drive and its concepts, making travel between cities all but instant. Below the surface of the city, typically in parallel to the major road system, was a system of utility tunnels and corridors that stretched out from each building, forming a living web throughout the city. # Technology --- The Elder Ones learned and applied many of the most esoteric of the universe's secrets during their existence, creating many notable pieces of advanced and powerful works. Elder One technology was primarily notable for two things above all others, their ability to fold space, and their ability to craft life, both of which they did with profound skill and precision. <u><h2> Notable Examples</h2></u> The technological feats achieved by the Elder One's a many and varied over the vast epochs of their empire, but some of the most notable discovered includes: <u><h3>Tetragami Based Technology</h3></u> Referred to as the *"Tetragami Effect"*, a unique technology developed and used the Elder Ones which allowed them to selectively fold the four lowest dimensions for both temporary and enduring effects. This property was one of the primary cornerstones of Elder One technology and was used in many varied implementations. Some of the most notable noted below. <u><h4>Tetragami Engine</h4></u> <div class="content-box-sheet-alt-black"> <div img src="Tetragami Engine.jpg" align="center" class="internal-embed" name="profile" > </div> </div> Possibly the pinnacle of Elder One Technology, the Tetragami Engine (TE)'s represented the most complex as well as the most profound use of the concept as a whole. TE's ranged in size for different applications, but all of them involved selectively modifying one or more of the lower dimensions. TEs are capable of not only modifying dimensional topography on a temporary basis, but could also establish a more lasting effect when used correctly. TEs utilized pure arcane energy to function and are capable of utilizing both a pre-prepared power source, or pure energy channeled directly by a user(s). In their smallest forms, TEs half the size of a standard [[Gold]] coin have been found, capable of acting in a precise but highly localized context. Larger units powered the so called Janus Gates while the largest and most powerful of them could move entire planets between stars. ### Stasis Pods <div class="content-box-sheet-alt-black"> <div img src="Elder One Stasis Pod.jpg" align="center" class="internal-embed" name="profile" > </div> </div> Stasis Pods came in a wide array of shapes and designs, based on its intended function and local décor. Like much of <div class="content-box-sheet-alt-black"> <div img src="Wandering Window.jpg" align="center" class="internal-embed" name="profile" > </div> </div> ### Wandering Windows Appearing to serve as both a decorative and functional object Wondering Windows were arcane devices made by the Elder Ones for their underground cities. These devices, which took the forms of windows in all shapes and sizes, utilized Elder One space folding technology to display far off vistas, bringing the best views from across their vast empire at the touch of a button. ### Tetragami Engines Tetragami Engines represented the peak of Elder One technological prowess, as well as a core element of their society on which many other aspects of their day to day life depended upon. These massive engines utilized obscure arcane processes to fold space to a degree and precision that have never since been matched. # History --- <div class="content-box-sheet-alt-black"> <div img src="1735096857256.jpg" alt="A Formless in its unshaped state" align="center" class="internal-embed" name="profile" > </div> </div> In the earliest days of the galaxy, shortly after the first planets coalesced out of molten gases and accumulated dust, intelligent life arose on a small barren rock orbiting an indifferent star. This race of beings looked up at the galaxy arrayed across their skies and asked the first questions, told the first stories.