Vaena Askari
Lady Cadalthor
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Intent: Expand on Eldorai and Vaena's assets.
Image Credit: Here.
Canon: N/A.
Permissions: N/A. They can use the Asur Worldship since I own Firemane. Moreover, Firemane built the Asur for the various Eldorai groups my characters are associated with.
Links: Ashiranism, Eldorai, Eldorai Exodus from Kaeshana, Firemane, Qadiri, Xioquo, Inexorable, Four of a Kind, Shadow Knights, Denouement, Choir of Angels.
SETTING INFORMATION
Starship Name: Pious Deliverance
Starship Model: Asur Class Worldship
Classification: Colony/Exploration Ship.
Homeport: Arx Aeternae.
Travel Route: Visits Tygara, Arkas and other free worlds on the outer rim as well as wild space. Also makes stops at the Arx Aeternae. However, the worldship has no set travel route and is thus not bound to the aforementioned areas. Its purpose is to discover new worlds to trade with and settle on. Thus it will often deviate from known hyperspace routes to explore uncharted star systems.
Affiliation: Righteous Way, Vaena, House Cadalthor.
Crew Complement: Moderately Manned. There is a lot of staff needed, but many of them are droids. The city population would be Heavy.
Notable Crew Members:
Name: Vaena Cadalthor. Known to her friends as Vaena Askari.
Age: 58.
Species: Eldorai
Role: Duchess, political leader and patron of the worldship.
Description: Vaena Cadalthor, known to some as Vaena the Unlikely, is the patron of the Pious Deliverance. In short, it is her ship. Vaena Askari is a noble by birth, though she was disinherited even before being born. Her mother was Mylea Cadalthor, an aunt of Tarissa Cadalthor, who's an influential duchess today. However, Vaena's conception was an accident. Her father was not someone who'd be considered an 'appropriate' match for an Eldorai matriarch, but a male courtesan. One might note that it is common among Eldorai noblewomen to hire surrogates for their husband to impregnate and then raise the children as their own.
In short, her conception was quite scandalous. So Vaena was raised in an orphanage of the Church of Ashira. The girls were expected to be disciplined, say their prayers regularly and obey the rules. However, though the rules were strict and corporal punishment was used on offenders, they were not cruel. Vaena was revealed to be a Sciian when a fire broke out and she was caught by flames while trying to help a fellow orphan get out of the danger zone. Flames scorched her, but she was miraculously unharmed and the flames seemed to recoil from her, allowing her to save her friend. After she was subjected to a scan, it was discovered that she possessed the gift. Vaena was sent to a special school to be trained and eventually became an Angelii. Her romantic notions of service to the Goddess were soon put to the test.
Vaena remained a soldier till after the Battle of Kaeshana, fighting Dark Eldorai rebels, Xioquo, pirates as well as Imperials. Now she has been ennobled. Vaena was reluctant to have anything to do with her birth family after learning of her heritage, for they lived in different worlds. However, the disgrace of her family after her cousin Tarissa's treasonous schemes compelled her to accept the Queen's offer. Vaena has a somewhat idealised view of her ancestors, but very little respect for most of the living members of House Cadalthor. She views many as decadent and shallow. In her view, they worship gold, not the Goddess. Thus she prefers to promote outsiders who share her conservative, martial values.
Though she started out with very patronising on the Eldorai's cousins, she has since adopted pan-Ashiran beliefs. Personally, Vaena is quite affable, albeit extremely pious. She has a good singing voice and is fond of Angelii battle songs. However, she's more reserved and less trusting when in the presence of nobles or non-elves. Force-wise she focuses on elemental fire abilities. Vaena is principled and not a career politician. This means she is not the most experienced at intrigue. She prefers straightforward solutions. However, she is liked by the soldiers and her servants and is a bit of a social reformer.
Name: Servilia Lakalva
Age: 109
Species: Eldorai
Role: Cleric. Abbess of the Church of the Goddess Ardarvia.
Description: Servilia is a cleric of Ardarvia, the Eldorai goddess of law, justice and honour. Her parents were fishers, a profession many Eldorai looked down upon since no proper elf would go out on a boat. For the sea was considered to be the realm of the Goddess Tythe, wild and untamed, and populated by monstrous beasts such as the Behemoths. Servilia was discovered to be Force-Sensitive after she used her mental powers to drive off a sea monster.
As dictated by Eldorai law, Servilia was sent to a special school to get control over her powers. Her combat powers were weaker than those of many of her fellow students, but this drove her to practice harder and harder, determined not to fail. This won her a place among the Angelii's youth cadre. However, she was simply not good at being a Force warrior because her powers were too weak. When she and some of her battle sisters were on patrol, they were ambushed by rebels. Servilia fought bravely, but her recklessness got her injured and one of her battle sisters killed. She was banished from the corps. As a mark of shame, part of right ear was cut off.
As the failed Angelii packed her bags, she happened upon the unit's Ardarvian Chaplain, who was a cross between spiritual counsellor and commissar. The meeting with the stern priestess changed her life. In the eyes of Ardarvia, pride was a cardinal sin. However, there was a chance for atonement, if she dedicated herself to service instead of following her ego. Servilia chose to join the Repentant Sisters, composed of those who had sinned and tried to redeem themselves through service to the Church.
It was a cloistered life, dominated by prayer, penance and service. However, over time Servillia managed to win the trust of the cult. She became a full cleric after calming a riot. Servilia made herself a name as an incorruptible enforcer of orthodoxy, unmasking a faux priestess who was actually a male, and bringing a corrupt baroness whose goons had murdered a servant in a holy sanctuary to justice. She has accompanied Eldorai soldiers on campaigns as a battle chaplain, such as during the Battle of Kaeshana.
As her name implies, she is severe, commanding and has conservative beliefs. At the same time, she is a rather ambitious woman. This has motivated her to attach herself to Vaena's cause. Servilia has never warmed to Tirathana VII's regime or her so-called 'nampy-pamby liberalism', but refused to participate in conspiracies. Her view of Vaena is not entirely positive, but she finds her the best of the bunch who is available at the moment. Servilia is a Force-User, but a specialised one. Her elemental ice and water abilities and telekinetic powers are miniscule. However, she has an aptitude for Sense powers, mind tricks, empathic abilities and illusions.
Name: Ariawyn Eloris
Age: 96
Species: Eldorai
Role: Captain of the Draconian Guard, bodyguard and confidante of Vaena.
Description: Ariawyn is a Master level Force-User and one of Vaena's closest friends and confidantes. Like Vaena, she is a former Angelii, though her past is a bit checkered. Born into a family of poor peasants who were oppressed by a local noblewoman, she ran away from home at an early age and joined a gang. A robbery gone wrong changed Ariawyn's life when she manifested her Force powers after being abandoned by her comrades and cornered by militia.
She was given a simple choice that had a long tradition in the lives of social miscreants: Army or jail. Ariawyn chose the former and was inducted into a penal legion. Service in such units was considered a way for convicts to repay their debt to society and restore their honour. Discipline was brutal, and enforced by commissars. Unlike many of her comrades, she survived the forlorn hope charges her unit was often ordered to conduct. She distinguished herself fighting foreign raiders and the rebel army of a charlatan who tried to usurp the throne. Her skills were noticed and she was inducted into the Angelii.
There she met Vaena. The two bonded. When Ariawyn killed the local matriarch in retaliation for the murder of her parents, Vaena helped her and covered things up. This made the former penal legionnaire loyal to her. When Vaena was ennobled, Ariawyn left the Angelii to support her friend, despite - or perhaps because of - her disdain for the duchess' family. She jas proved herself a severe, but effective commander of the guard. She's taken the time to familiarise herself with Qadiri culture, as many of the guards have been recruited from that Eldorai subrace.
Ariawyn is strong and rigid in her beliefs. Firm and unyielding, she views compromising on them as weakness. She has a strong sense of discipline. The soldier can show a more lighthearted, even amusingly crude side in private. Ariawyn is religious and particularly devoted to Valora, the Eldorai War Goddess. She distinguishes between the goddess and her mortal servants though. Ariawyn is distrustful of humans, but sympathetic to the Qadiri, particularly those who come from low class backgrounds like her. She is physically blind, having lost her physical sight while protecting Vaena from traitors. She has refused artificial replacements, preferring to use Force Sight to see. Ariawyn is a capable duellist. Force-wise she focuses on physical enhancement, elemental earth abilities and buffing powers.
Name: Elaith Ilidan
Age: 92.
Species: Eldorai
Role: Media person, manager of the Righteous Way.
Description: Elaith is responsible for managing the Righteous Way, an Ashiran-based media network. The business is based on the Pious Deliverance and has been quite important for funding the worldship in the first place. While it espouses an Ashiran message, Elaith is not a cleric herself. Her being in charge may seem odd, but it is a deliberate choice because an actual cleric might get ideas about her station. Instead she is a businesswoman, broadcaster and holofilm producer. She serves as primary host of the network's flagship programme Praise Ashira.
She has been a long-time employee of the Righteous Way, working as part of the behind the scenes staff. She eventually became the producer of many of the network's productions. But the Righteous Way was run by an old girls' network. Elaith was not a cleric and lacked the necessary connections, which prevented her from rising to the top. As a result, she was quick to jump ship when Vaena took over the business and started cleaning house.
Indeed, she used the opportunity to angle for the top job, which meant she was very cooperative. After the old gang was pushed out of power, Elaith was put in charge. Vaena is not a businesswoman, so Elaith manages the Righteous Way for her. In addition to managing its day-to-day operations, she is a visible presence on many of its programmes. She has been quick to reorientate the network's message to something more in line with Vaena's beliefs. Detractors attribute this flexibility to her lack of clerical education.
She has also been accused of censorship, though this is par for the course when one considers that her boss is not a democrat and the Eldorai Matriarchy as a whole is an autocracy. Elaith has a keen eye for business opportunities and promotion. This has sometimes led to arguments with Vaena, who is not an extravagent spender, but has somewhat old-fashioned views on merchants and capitalists. Elaith has taken steps to modernise the Righteous Way's portfolio, taking inspiration from human holo-media.
Name: Karina Cadalthor
Age: 55
Species: Eldorai
Role: Aristocrat, socialite.
Description: Karina is Vaena's half-sister. In theory, they have the same mother. However, in practice there is no biological relation between the two. As mentioned above, it is common among Eldorai noblewomen, especially from conservative families, to hire surrogates for their husbands to impregnate and then raise the children as their own.
Vaena's conception was an accident that Mylea Cadalthor did not want to repeat. So she did the conventional thing. Karina was the result and became a new addition to the vast, sprawling mangrove thicket of a family tree for the Cadalthor family. While Vaena was brought up by the church and then conscripted by the army, Karina wanted for nothing, for she was raised in the lap of luxury. The result was a rather spoilt woman who was used to people doing what she said and worshipping her. However, Mylea was sidelined by her sister Mikela. The scandal caused by Vaena's conception played a role in this. Later Tarissa temporarily placed her under house arrest. Denied the status she craved, Karina grew resentful. Then Tarissa was executed and Vaena became the new duchess.
The relationship between the two women is a strange one. Karina comes across as an intellectual lightweight who is more given to parties, pleasure and luxury than statecraft or warfare. This has led many to dismiss her as an arrogant buffoon. She is casually xenophobic, though this has not stopped her from sleeping with non-Eldorai. Her speciecism is reflexive. However, there are indications that her behaviour as a vapid aristo might partly be an act. When a group of Cadalthors banded together against Vaena, regarding her decision to impose austerity policies and sell off various assets as a way to infringe on their freedom, Karina seemed to back them. Indeed she was quite vocal in criticising Vaena at a family gathering. However, she was spared during the subsequent purge.
Karina is a very good source of gossip, which may be one of the reasons Vaena keeps her around. Indeed, she is oddly knowledgeable about most things that go on in the noble house, including matters she has no reason to know about. Karina is good at socialising and ingratiating herself. She has established herself as a major socialite. The aristocrat is not a fighter and a bit of a coward in combat, but a solid pilot. She is generous with gifts and donations, though a bit patronising about it.
Name: Caius Cadalthor
Age: 58
Species: Eldorai
Role: Cadalthor noble, pilot.
Description: Caius Cadalthor is an example of an Eldorai male who wants to break the glass ceiling and get recognised for his skill instead of his ability to perform as a breeder. Unfortunately for him, he was born into a conservative noble family. House Cadalthor is a bastion of conservatism. As a result, the family is not accepting of the idea of male emancipation. A male Cadalthor must marry a lady of high birth to increase the influence and power of his house. Then he must provide his lady with children, which is usually accomplished through intercourse with a surrogate. Within House Cadalthor, his role is subordinate to that of its female members. Eldorai females are physically larger and stronger than their male counterparts, and hold most of the important leadership and command roles. Males on the other hand tend to share secondary roles. Caius is a cousin to Vaena and the brother of Tarissa.
Caius had a very poor relationship with Tarissa, who was extremely reactionary and considered his views to be heretical. Indeed, she had him locked up once. It did not help that he had some indiscreet associations and liasons. His relationship with Vaena is complicated. She notes that he is skilled, but feels threatened and confused by his attempts to play a role in politics. In response, she has shuffled him into the military to sidetrack that ambition. Putting him in an important role there also makes her look progressive. Regardless of her motivations, Caius has displayed great talent as a fighter pilot, showing his worth in dogfights, organising recon patrols and expeditions. So far he has managed to avoid marrying, but Vaena has been looking for an advantageous match for him.
Name: Rinnea Cadalthor
Age: 120s
Species: Eldorai
Role: Military commander.
Description: Rinnea is the overall commander of the worldship's garrison and the forces accompaying it. Obviously Vaena is ultimately in charge, but she was only a junior officer in the Angelii, while Ariawyn never rose beyond the rank of sergeant due to her past in the penal legion. So the Pious Deliverance needs someone more experienced in commanding a large force. Rinnea fulfils this role. She is a distant relative of Vaena, but belongs to a minor branch of the Cadalthor family. It was founded by a legitimised bastard. As a consequence, she lacked prestige or connections of notre and tried to make her mark by joining the military. She was originally a pen-pusher in Santaissa, serving in a staff role, but was actually good at it and was promoted during the failed coup against Anya. Her quick response to traitors and skill at organisation contributed to thwarting the insurrection. She organised the arrest of her superior and several mutinous officers, then dispatched reinforcements to the besieged royal palace. Later Rinnea fought against the Xioquo and the First Order, serving with distinction. By then she was a general officer, though by no means a high up.
Rinnea did not like Tarissa much. She correctly suspected that the new duchess had framed Mikela in order to seize power for herself and become the new head of the family. Fortunately for her, she was not part of Tarissa's attempted coup d'état. Thus she survived the clean-up after the Duchess' execution. Although Rinnea did not care for Tarissa, she disliked the way she was executed. This is because the treasonous duchess was killed by Siobhan Kerrigan in front of the entire Council of Nobles. Siobhan's actions were legitimised by the Star Queen, but this occured after the fact. Rinnea did not object to her relative being put to death for her crimes, but the sentence should have been passed and carried out by Eldorai.
Moreover, her family had become a disadvantage in the Eldorai military hierarchy. This motivated her to transfer her services to the new head of the house. Rinnea is of an older generation than Vaena. She also reached a higher rank in the military and has more experience commanding large forces. Compared to Vaena, Rinnea is less pious. She is no atheist or nonconformist, but sees her role as a job with the family and the Eldorai. She attends church services and makes donations as is expected of her, but is not extremely zealous about the faith.
Name: Taiya Star.
Age: 60s
Species: Eldorai
Role: Cleric
Description: Taiya's story mirrors and contrasts with that of Vaena. Like the latter, she is a Cadalthor bastard. To keep her from inconveniencing the family, she was sent to a monastery to become an acolyte. Taiya is Vaena's cousin, as she is the illegitimate daughter of Mikela, the sister of the duchess' mother. This is very ironic since Mikela used the fact that Mylea had embarrassed the family by having a bastard against her, but hypocrisy was nothing new to her. House Cadalthor essentially 'owned' the temple Taiya was sent to, as they had provided the holy order with land. Moreover, several abbesses had been Cadalthors. Unlike Vaena, Taiya became aware of her heritage rather early. Her family did not want her around because she could disrupt the succession, but a the same time they wanted to make use of her.
The inhabitants of the monastery had to forsake lands and titles, but the institution itself owned property. They had goods to sell, performed spiritual work and provided charitable services. Aristocrats gave huge swaths of land to Church. In exchange, the 'handmaidens of the Heavenly Mother' might pray for the donor's soul and offer her burial in the temple's cemetery. The holy house Taiya lived in also provided banking services. Beneath its facade of piety of devotion, the Church was very corrupt.
Of course, the towering cathedrals and opulent apartments of the prelates were just gifts handed to the church and it would be a sin to refuse such piety. Indeed, the Church had introduced and commercialised the practice of indulgences, which promised remission from sin. An enormous cathedral commissioned by the Queen was funded by money raised from the sale of indulgences. Intrigue was common behind the scenes and accusations of heresy were a convenient way of removing competition, especially after a fiery priestess called Sahome Tyral nailed 59 theses onto the door of the Grand Catheral of Ashira. As a young acolyte, Taiya had to help sell indulgences and witnessed Sahome's trial. Today, the Church has prohibited the practice. Taiya has of course naturally denounced it. For a while she served as a steward of sorts, managing various holdings.
Unlike Vaena or Servilia, Taiya is not particularly passionate about the faith. She used a combination of cunning, guile, organisational skills and connections to rise in rank. Good works might be the duty of a priestess, but they did not get one further than ground level. Thus she learned how to navigate the mine field of doctrinal disputes that characterised life in the clergy. Taiya is resentful of the fact that her family essentially banished her right after she was born and then tried to use her as a resource once it turned out she could be useful to them, without accepting her as one of their own.
This is what has motivated her to hitch her wagons to Vaena. Taiya finds her relative quite a bit naive when it comes to matters of the faith, but there is some kinship between them due to their shared origins as bastards and fellow outcasts. If she cannot be Duchess herself, Taiya can settle for being the Duchess' chief counsellor. The fact that they detest the same people, albeit for different reasons, help. Taiya has risen to become the senior Ashiran cleric on the Pious Deliverance.
There is some friction between Servilia and Taiya. Servilia grew up poor and thus believes that Servilia was privileged. After all, while she was a bastard, she was a blue blooded one. This gave her connections someone who was born in the very bottom of society did not have Moreover, she regards Taiya's devotion to the Goddess as insincere. Both clerics are also quite ambitious and want to make their mark in the Church as well as in the community as a whole.
Name: Jamasa Jai Kashara
Age: 64
Species: Qadiri
Role: Warrior priestess.
Description: Jamasa is a priestess of Kashara, the Qadiri goddess of the skies and the head of their pantheon. She is not the type of cleric who hangs back and supports the warriors with blessings and invocations. Rather she is a travelling warrior priestess who considers it her calling to smite the servants of evil and enemies of her patron deity. She preaches fire and brimstone, and calls upon equally fiery powers in combat. She prays to her goddess before every battle and dedicates her victories to her. As is common for Qadiri clerics, she has taken the last name of her patron as a sign of giving up her family. One could liken it to how monks and nuns would change their names when they enter into the habit. Kashara is her inspiration to perform good deeds, and in her belief system is embodied by the sun and the light.
When Firemane and the Eldorai came, she offered her services to the Star Queen with a group of zealous knights. The crusading warrior priestess heeded the call for the campaign against the Xioquo, considering it her duty to the goddess. She and Vaena got to know each other during the fighting. It was one of the reasons for the young Angelii to take more of an interest in the Qadiri and move away from her hitherto rather patronising, if not racist views on them. The two had a longer reunion when Vaena accompanied Countess Serene Tarai and Kaida Taldir on a diplomatic mission to the Qadiri states of Khajwar, which was Jamasa's homeland.
The two have had many theological discussions about their respective pantheons. Jamasa has joined the worldship due to their friendship, but also to bring her crusade to the stars. to this end, she has brought her group of crusaders with her. The cessation of large-scale warfare between the elf groups means she needs new battlefields. The priestess is skilled in telekinesis, support powers such as healing and Force Valour, Force Light and elemental air abilities. The latter also include the ability to summon elemental lightning. This can confuse passing Jedi when she uses both lightning and the Light. She often provides training for soldiers, especially Force-Sensitive ones.
Name: Nai'Vaslasa
Age: 92
Species: Xioquo
Role: Administrator.
Description: Every society needs organisation. As a worldship, the Pious Deliverance is essentially a city on the move. Millions of people live in this city. Supplies need to be distributed, taxes collected, laws enforced and lawbreakers punished. Likewise, someone needs to come up with colonisation plans. In short, this means there is a bureaucracy. Nai'Vaslasa is not an Eldorai, but a Xioquo. She has left the subterranean Underealm to seek out a brighter future in the stars.
She used to be a minor bureaucrat put to work as a noble family's bean counter. She tried to keep her head down during the war. When the Underealm fell, Vaslasa bent the knee to the new regime. She had kept very thorough records and 'forgot' to burn documents her bosses wanted to disappear. Instead she turned them over to the prosecutors of the war crimes tribunal. This led to many family members being sentenced to death, forced labour or a lifetime sentence in jail.
Vaslasa comes across as rather shy and unassuming. She is someone who is used to being overlooked and also used to being domineered by the authority of the family. Intrigue and backstabbing were common in the upper crust of Xioquo society, so her survival strategy consisted of appearing obedient and harmless to the major power players. She was Force-Sensitive, but deliberately underperformed during training instead of developing her powers. This reduced the chance of her sisters viewing her as a threat.
However, she has been starting to become more assertive ever since stepping out of her family's shadow. Her experience as a courtier of sorts makes her a good person for Vaena to have around to read people. Soft-spoken and polite, she is also more diplomatic than her liege lady. Moreover, she is a lot more knowledgeable about courtly etiquette, which means she sometimes has the task on coaching the duchess on how a proper noblelady should behave. She wears rather baggy, unassuming clothe and little jewellry. In contrast to many Xioquo noble ladies, who prefer flamboyant and often impractical hair styles, she wears her hair conventionally.
In contrast to many Eldorai, Vaslasa is quite comfortable around droids and other forms of artificial life. One of her family's enterprises was creating golem. She was responsible for organising the acquisition of reosurces and ensuring the rituals went smoothly. It was what made her doubt the Xioquo's slavocratic system, since artificial servitors were far more efficient and less likely to rebel against their creators. She was not an abolitionist, but concluded that slavery existed less for practical reasons and more because the mistresses wanted to have someone to oppress because it made them feel powerful. As a result, she does not regard machines as abominations that violate the Goddess' precepts on life.
Name: Hakul Jal Vazan
Age: 65
Species: Qadiri
Role: Navigator.
Description: Hakul is the highest-ranking Qadiri crew member. He comes from a military family and served the Saoshyant as a royal captain, commanding one of her warships on the seas of Tygara. However, he became dissatisfied with his mistress and sought out the Eldorai instead. He was motivated by a mixture of ambition and religious beliefs. Hakul is quite pious and a strong believer in the Goddess Kashara. Broadly speaking, she is the Qadiri equivalent of Ashira. This helps him get on with Vaena. Hakul had to deal with racism and sexism on the part of the Eldorai. Interestingly, his own people are more progressive in gender matters than Eldorai, as they practice enactic-cognatic succession. Under this system, a female will inherit before a male sibling, but the male sibling will not be passed over beyond that. Compared to this the Eldorai are quite regressive, which is ironic since they are more technologically advanced.
However, he was a determined sort and secured a position as a translator and advisor on Qadiri matters for the Queen's court. The Queen showed him favour, perhaps because this was a way for her to stick it to the old guard who derided her liberal reforms. For a while he worked with Selene Tarai, the Queen's chief diplomat, who was an open-minded, pragmatic sort. Then he transferred to Vaena, who had taken an interest in the Qadiri and was eager to recruit more of the 'cousins'. Today, Hakul acts as the worldship's navigator. Like all Qadiri, he has inherent navigational talent. His people seem to possess a form of internal compass. This makes them good sailors in space and in the oceans and rivers. He is quite eager to discover new worlds in the vast 'void-ocean'.
Name: Yaramar Saravoth
Age: 90s
Species: Eldorai
Role: Captain
Description: Yaramar is the Captain of the Pious Deliverance. Unusually for an Eldorai in his position, he is male. He must balance his responsibility to the crew with the interests of the central leadership and the city population. In this capacity, he answers to the Duchess, carries out her instructions and ensures the readiness of the crew. Yaramar was born to middle class parents from a rural town on Kaeshana. At the time when he joined the military, the Matriarchy's space fleet was a fairly new branch. By necessity, it was more influenced by modern concepts, as it was set up with the help of advisors from the Protectorate and later Firemane. This meant there was less sexism, though there was still a considerable glass ceiling. This was one reason for him to join the navy. The other was that his family had suffered from slaver raids. The Matriarchy had the Angelii, but it needed a defence in space. For a while he was part of an Eldorai flotilla that helped the ODF patrol the so-called Omega Neutral Zone, which served as a buffer between the Lords of the Fringe and the Protectorate. He also saw action against the Klaxxi, First Order and the Kraal.
Yaramar still believes in the old ways, rejecting the heretical and 'inclusive' ways of splinter groups and rebels such as the Shadow Knights. His conservative values helped him get this command, as did his experience as a naval officer. On the one hand, Caius Cadalthor looks up to him a bit, as Yaramar succeeded in a 'woman's world', but on the other dislikes his conservative beliefs. He probably wishes that the Captain would be more of an iconoclast, but then that would have prevented Yaramar from getting this position in the first place.
The Captain is a disciplined, dutiful individuall and a military man at heart. He is a tough fellow and has no tolerance for nonsense. Yaramar is not a fan of groups such as the Masculine Anti-Defamation League. Steady and slow progress is his ideal, not radical agitation. As a result, he wants to work within the system, rather than trying to tear it down. He regards many of the activisits as shrill agitators and responds negatively whenever he comes across one of their pamphlets.
Accessibility: The Pious Deliverance is not closed off from the rest of society. However, it is heavily guarded. Those aboard subscribe to the principle that vigilance is the price of freedom. Outsiders are treated politely, but there are security checks and the ship has a strong garrison. Slavers, Sith and the like are treated as hostile. The colony ship can be found traversing known hyperlanes, but many of its ventures will take it beyond known space. Outsiders may have to deal with xenophobic sentiments on the part of the resident. It is pertinent to note that a good number of the inhabitants do not speak Basic or only with a heavy accent. This especially applies to low class residents. This can impede communications with foreigners. However, translation software and protocol droids are available to help overcome linguistic barriers.
Description: The Pious Deliverance is an Asur Class Worldship. Built by Firemane at the request of Star Queen Tirathana VII, this type of vessel is a large, safe non-combat worldship for exploration, colonisation, and migration. It is a non-combat ship with limited weapons, but plenty of defence systems, an impressive amount of cargo space and the ability to provide living space for a huge amount of passengers and their families. It is essentially a city on the move, carrying millions of people in a fully self-sufficient environment. It has the people, materials and supplies to establish a new permanent colony.
The Pious Deliverance was commissioned by House Cadalthor, an Eldorai noble family. To be precise, it is associated with Vaena Cadalthor, the bastard daughter of a Cadalthor noblewoman. Once known by the bastard name Star and then as Askari, the former soldier was ennobled by the Star Queen after the previous head of her House, Tarissa Cadalthor, was executed for treason.
Vaena is a very pious woman of the faith. She is driven by strong Ashiran values. Moreover, she feels disdain for the luxury many Eldorai nobles, such as her own relatives, live in, regarding it as decadent and sinful. This has affected daily life aboard the vessel. It is not without its amenities, for there are shopping and entertainment areas, but overall it is quite utilitarian. There is room for off-beat things, but not for idleness and certainly not for laziness.
Prayer and worship of the deities is seen as an important part of daily life. There is no religious police, but quite a bit of social pressure. Vaena is of the belief that the Eldorai grew haughty and forgot the true word of the Goddess, and that they must return to the faith. Religious festivals are major events. Civil liberties are a bit of a mixed bag. Burning heretics is prohibited. Vaena considers it not only impractical, but a violation of Ashiran morality. There is no secret police that carries out door-to-searches or arrests people at random for 'heresy'. 'Constructive criticism' is allowed, but there is still censorship, though it tends to be indirect. Theocratic persecution is forbidden by law, but there is indirect social pressure for people to profess faith in the Goddess and be devout, though they have more freedom to decide which form their devotion takes.
This means that things are less progressive than on arkships controlled directly by the Star Queen or more liberal nobles. Discrimination of the Eldorai's Qadiri, Xioquo and Vashyada cousins is forbidden, for they are fellow sisters in the cause of peace, prosperity and war. Eldorai society is traditionally matriarchal, with men being treated as second class citizens. Things have liberalised in the last couple years, with more positions being opened up to men. However, the top jobs are still monopolised by women and men cannot join the clergy, the Angelii and the idea of a 'Star King' is unthinkable.
Vaena has conservative values, believing that the Goddess assigned men and women 'separate but equally important spheres'. Both are partners and must work in harmony to create a stable, prosperous community. However, the public sphere is the domain of women. This is a very sexist position, but looks progressive compared to what say her mother and her late cousin Tarissa preach. Nonetheless, the Masculine Anti-Defamation League has complained about harassment of its members, censorship and suppression of its publications. The worldship has males in officer positions, but being connected to activist groups like the League is bad for their career.
The community is governed autocratically. The Duchess can obviously not micromanage every aspect of the ship, and so she has a council to assist her in ruling. But major decisions are made by her. She also controls the budget. Vaena's main frame of references are her church education and the years she spent in the army. Democracy is something she neither likes nor really understands. Indeed, she regards it as the rule of 'money-lenders' and 'usurers'. So she is used to command and obedience, though being responsible for the fate of millions of people is very new to her. After all, an infantry company is a hell of a lot smaller. While the duchess is not a rabid fundamentalist, the worldship has attracted people who are. Some try to ingratiate themselves with her, playing on her devotion to Ashira. Others choose a less subtle course of action, and engage in scalding fire-and-brimstone rants, commanding the faithful to smite heathens and heretics in the name of the Goddess. Some are connected to Cadalthors disenchanted with the duchess, others are radicals reformers. In response, several agitators have been banished or even executed.
Military readiness is highly valued. Every adult civilian is expected to serve some time in the militia and participate in regular exercises to keep their skills sharp. A notable proportion of the residents aboard the ship are former soldiers. Like all Asur ships, the Pious Deliverance lacks capital armaments and is not suited to serve as a warship, but its size means there is a lot of room for provisions and equipment.
Efficiency is the key of the design, and so no space has been wasted. Buildings five hundred metres high tower above the streets, monorails circle and pierce the layout and each 6th of the city has its own suite of amenities. Every building has recreation areas and many have parks on top of them, as no space can be spared at ground level. Getting used to this takes time, but it is not a bad way to live. The manufacturing capabilities of an Asur worldship are limited, so it is accompanied by some factory ships. The most radical design of an Asur worldship is the dome of the ‘sky’.
With huge glasteel plates tessellated together, those on the ground and every apartment get a view of space in all its glory. It is a sight worthy of the project and prevents the citizens getting claustrophobic. The worldship is not a bad place to live and people do not have to stand in line for bread or other necessities. However, it is not a luxury cruise either. The utilitarian way of life is partly by choice, but also the community is not that wealth. House Cadalthor was in dire financial straits when Vaena took over and she had to impose an austerity programme to put it on a solid footing. Many in her house are still unhappy about this.
One of the ways in which Vaena differs from most of her relatives is that she lacks their virulent racism, especially against the Eldorai's Tygaran cousins. Instead she follows an ideology that could be described as Pan-Ashiranism or Ashiran Modernism. Postulating that all the elves were created by Ashira, this new school tries to include all the various cultures into a single philosophy. Of course, this belief can also give rise to the patronising of the Eldorai being the Tygarans' 'elder sisters', but it is a lot more tolerant than what Eldorai reactionaries, who view their cousins as lesser beings, preach.
As a result, Tygaran elves have been allowed to settle on the worldship. Qadiri are the most common. This is partly because they are culturally closest to the Eldorai. Moreover, Vaena has ties to the Qadiri of Khajwar. The Duchess employs Tygarans in her household, including as advisors and bodyguards. Indeed, her personal bodyguard unit is mostly composed of Qadiri. Eldarai, as the Eldorai language is called, is the lingua franca. It is followed by Zandri, the most common Qadiri language. Other Qadiri dialects are spoken as well. The same applies to Xio, though it is rarer. Relations between the population of the Pious Deliverance and Firemane Industries are complicated. The Star Queen of the Eldorai is a de facto vassal of Siobhan Kerrigan, Firemane's leader. It was Firemane that organised and provided the massive exodus fleet that enabled most Eldorai to escape Kaeshana before the cataclysm. As a peer of the realm, Vaena is subordinate to the Queen.
However, the recent calamities have weakened royal authority. Vaena is a conservative woman who regards the Star Queen as Ashira's emissary in the material realm, but critical of the present monarch, who sees herself as a secular ruler. Likewise, she dislikes the Eldorai Matriarchy's dependence on Firemane, viewing the human magnates as foreign overlords. While not a rabid fundamentalist, she is opposed to secularism and atheism. Vaena is averse to palace revolutions and intrigue, viewing both as treasonous, but she is more devoted to the spirit of the Matriarchy than its present government. She plays lip service to the Star Queen's authority, but conducts herself as an autonomous ruler. The justice system operates on the basis of a three strikes principle. However, capital crimes such as treason and murder are punished with the death penalty from the get-go.
POINTS OF INTEREST
Broadly speaking, the worldship consists of two parts: The usual facilities such as crew quarters, bridge, reactor, engineering, jail, living areas and the city itself. The Pious Deliverance is essentially a mobile city on the move. The following areas in it are of particular interest:
Righteous Way Broadcasting Studios: Righteous Way is based on the Pious Deliverance. It is a religious broadcasting service, whose portfolio focuses on the disseminatin of media content that is intentionally of a religious nature. One might call it an Ashiran televangelist company. It also creates holodramas, publishes leaflets, holojournals and books that support its message.
It has been controlled by Vaena since she bought out the original owners. It helped that they were under investigation for alleged involvement in treasonous conspiracies against the Crown. It used to be the platform of the Eldorai ultra-right, spewing incendiary rhetoric that was directed against 'human monkeighs', secularists, atheists, male rights activists and 'Cultural Maerkists'. This did not stop its founder from growing fabulously rich by marketing herself as a faith healer. Under the new management, the Righteous Way has toned down its rampant racism and moved to a more inclusive, pan-Asuran stance. However, it is still very nationalistic. Its offices on the worldship are the hub for its operations. The media network maintains a number of hyperwave relay stations and communications ships.
The Duchess' Manse: Despite several orders to change the name it has stayed the official designation. it is the most ornate thing about it. All things considered, it is a fairly Spartan abode. The interior design is utilitarian rather than opulent. Vaena dislikes excess and is used to the life of a soldier. Some of her peers have told her that this creates a bad impression since a noblelady is supposed to show off her wealth. If she does not, she looks like a pauper. But the young duchess has dismissed these claims.
Her frugal, austere and militaristic life style stands in stark contrast to her predecessor's lavish court. Most of the precious artwork, jewels and furniture have been sold. This particularly applies to works of art Vaena deems offensive to the Goddess. She has some servants, but not that many. Because it is expected of her, Vaena sometimes has to entertain dignitaries and other nobles. She did not trust Tarissa's chefs, so she hired a Qadiri cook recommended to her by the Nawab of Surani.
Processional of the Faithful: Barracks, training facilities and parade grounds. Here soldiers can come together, train and drill as well as enjoy certain amenities. There is a lot of religious iconography. Valora is the Eldorai Goddess of Battles and Honour, and soldiers who go into a fight invoke her name. Of course, the degree of zeal among the individual soldiers varies. Vaena has a martial background and while she is a noblewoman now, she trains with the troops when she has the time so that she can keep her skills sharp. Clerics are assigned to the units as battle chaplains. However, they are there to minister to the soldiers, inspire them and smite the enemy, not act as political commissars who shoot the 'faithless'.
Monument of the Conquering Star: The statue depicts Anais II 'the Conqueror', also known to her soldiers as the Dragon. Zealously and famously brave, she launched several successful campaigns against the Kar'zun and rival elf leaders, bringing almost all Eldorai of Kaeshana under her rule. However, revisionist scholars see her reign more critically. She was an extremely successful conqueror and when she died the Matriarchy's power was at its greatest crests. But at the same time, her warmongering set in motion dangerous forces that would trouble her people for generations.
Incidentally, the Cadalthors claim to be descended from one of her cousins, Caerys Kaldis. This is impossible to prove today, but it is the story they stick to. The statue shows her as a warrior, but also a woman of the faith. It is a statue of a crowned Eldorai, clad in armour, holding a sword and the rod of leadership. Her crowned head is gazing at the sky and she is kneeling, signifying her devotion to the Goddess. Her right to rule is through might and law; the crown shows the favour of Ashira and her pose displays humility before the Heavenly Mother. The blades of her fallen enemies lie before her.
Originally it was considered to have statue seated on a throne, on horseback or standing. However, Vaena decided that Anais should be kneeling. She was the Goddess' lieutenant in the material realm, so she would look up to receive her divine grace, but kneel before her in submission. Just as everyone else would bow their heads before her.
Domus of Ferrano: Though the name might imply otherwise, this is a series of structures rather than just one. Ferrano is the Eldorai god of agriculture and fertility. Hence the greenhouses have been named after him. They are enclosed and have miniature suns. The station will often venture deep into uncharted space, so it needs to be able to grow its own food. Advanced biodomes have been built. They are kept running by both organic and droid labour. This ensures that the inhabitants will not starve if trade or supply convoys are disrupted.
Warriors of Light Cenotaph: A memorial dedicated to all Eldorai who perished during the desolation of Kaeshana, as well as those who were enslaved or killed by foreigners and Eldorai soldiers who were killed in action. It is dominated by a towering Cenotaph and Memorial Walls.
The walls bears the names of all known Eldorai who perished during the calamities or died serving their nation. They also bear the names of the lost cities and villages. Sculptures depict lost Eldorai. This is accompanied by verses of Ashiran scripture. Lately, there has been a push to add something that acknowledges the sacrifices of their Tygaran cousins, though there is institutional resistance. However, recently Tygaran names have been added to the wall. The memorial has an honour guard.
The Goddess' Little Angels Orphanage: Conceived as a haven of hope for children who have been orphaned, who are homeless or without a guardian. Originally set up to house Forsaken children, in other words young elves who were left behind on Kaeshana during the Exodus, and later evacuated after the battle.
However, it also gives Tygaran orphans, particularly former slaves, a home. Many slave families were broken up by their masters, and finding the parents is difficult. Many of the orphans have known nothing but war, disease, and abuse. A good number of the young Forsaken were forced by warlords to serve as child soldiers. Other children have been rescued from pirates. This place is supposed to offer them hope, a home and an education.
Many of the staff members are priestesses. There are also a few former soldiers who have put down the sword due to age or injury. Because many of the orphans have endured horrible trauma, there is a counselling staff. Donations have allowed the orphanage to expand and build a children's clinic, a school and a garden. The orphanage also teaches vocational skills for those who are not able to pursue a formal education. The home is funded by a combination of private donations and the public purse. The institution encourages adoption. It helps that the elf civilisations make little distinction between biological or adopted children.
Shrine of the Mother's Mercy: A temple dedicated to the Great Goddess and the deities of the Eldorai pantheon. With the push towards a more pan-Ashiran message, the sacred place is also dedicated to Tygaran deities. In Vaena's view Kashara, the supreme goddess of the Qadiri, is an aspect of Ashira, so worship of her does not transgress against the Heavenly Mother. Not all are this tolerant, and her syncretic stance has been the cause of tension. There is a lot of religious art, but without ornamentation. Stained glass windows tell the story of the Heavenly Mother and her children. Religious ceremonies take place here, priestesses bless and minister to the faithful. The Eldorai believe that Ashira fashioned heaven and earth, and that she is their heavenly mother. Officially the Star Queen is her emissary and viceroy in the mortal world, though the modern monarchy prefers to present itself in a more secular guise. Vaena has a small, personal shrine in her residence, but regularly attends church.
Meditation Gardens: Amidst all the metal and machines, this is an oasis of nature. Designed by Qadiri gardeners, these gardens provide the inhabitants of the worldship with some respite. Set up to simulate a natural landscape, they also contain statues and areas for contemplation of the stars.
Liorre's Marketplace: Named after the Goddess of Craft and Trade. Though not the only one, this is the main communal market and commerce area of the worldship. Many shops have been set up here, though certain goods and items are carefully rationed by the authorities. A guild system has been set up to regulate trade. This area is rather multicultural, with traders from the various elf races offering their wares to the inhabitants and visiting outsiders.
SECURITY
High.
- As with all Asur worldships, the external armaments are low. The vessel has some fast-mount turbolasers, few ion cannons and turbolasers. These weapons are mounted on the front/rim area.
- However, the defences are very extensive. They include heavy redundant shield generators, heavy armour plating, quad lasers and point defences distributed evenly around the rim and front/rear. It also has few flak cannons. Against attack craft the vessel can unleash a veritable storm of flak fire. Internally, it has extensive on board security forces and defences. These include ray shields, auto-turrets, security cameras etc.
- A force of ten thousand soldiers is permanently stationed aboard the ship. Units of note include the Draconian Guard and the Excoriators as well as a force of Eldorai Sciiac Reservists. A few of the Valora's Fists are stationed here as well, though only in very small numbers. This garrison is supplemented by a militia composed of all adult civilians. Many of them are former soldiers themselves. Each family is required to keep a weapon at their home and participate in regular drills to ensure they are fit to defend their home if need be.
- The worldship is populated by elves, many of whom do not speak Basic. This impedes infiltration, as outsiders will stick out like a sore thumb.
The Eldorai are a proud people - often to a fault. For centuries they were convinced that they were the only form of intelligent life in the Galaxy. When they encountered non-Eldorai, they dismissed them as barbarians. Humans might be more technologically advanced, but they were soulless. Eldorai had pure souls, for they were the children of the Great Goddess Ashira, who had fashioned heaven and earth. Their arrogance bred complacency. And so the Eldorai fell behind while most of the Galaxy advanced. Past Star Queens isolated the Eldorai, rightly fearing that contact with the outside world would undermine the ancien régime.
This left the Eldorai Matriarchy vulnerable to outside incursions. Most of their weapons were outdated and their starships were primitive. When it finally tried to catch up, it became dependent on the humans it had once scorned. This fuelled resentment and nationalistic sentiment, further weakening the Eldorai by dividing them. Regardless, their isolation had forcibly come to an end. In order to gain protection from outside threats, Kaeshana entered the Omega Protectorate as a member state. At the time the Protectorate was a great power.
Star Queen Silaqui III and her successor Tirathana VII built close ties with Tegaea Alcori and Siobhan Kerrigan, both senior leaders of the Protectorate. This working relationship endured when Tegaea stepped down as Lady Protector after suffering near-fatal injuries at the hands of a Sith Assassin. The power couple's new company, Firemane Industries, set up its headquarters on Kaeshana and helped the Eldorai advance. For a while, things went well. However, then the Protectorate crumbled during the Netherworld Event.
Eldorai troops were deployed to various hot spots such as Sullust in support of the Protectorate, but the nation dissolved. Moreover, the Eldorai learned that within a year, a huge asteroid would devastate Kaeshana. It was too large to be destroyed, so they turned to Firemane. The corporation directed considerable resources to building a massive exodus fleet. Most Eldorai could be evacuated to the lost world of Tygara before Kaeshana's destruction. However, some had to be left behind and were forced to eke out a primitive existence in a post-apocalyptic wasteland.
Today, the Eldorai find themselves adrift in the Galaxy. They have been thrust onto an infinitely greater stage than they could have possibly imagined, having lost their homeworld and realised that they are outnumbered and outgunned by the rest of the Galaxy. Their homeworld Kaeshana is now an uninhabited tomb world. First it was destroyed by an asteroid, then it a war zone and occupied by the First Order, before finally being turned into a hellscape by being dragged through the Netherworld.
Moreover, the once ironclad unity of the Eldorai has come to an end. The first destruction of Kaeshana was the catalyst for the scattering of the Eldorai. As a result, the Eldorai are divided into different factions. Some still obey the Star Queen or pay lip service to her, others have put a different queen in power and others again reject the ancien régime entirely, such as the Shadow Knights. As a consequence, the Eldorai have been forced to adapt.
The Eldorai Matriarchy is still in the best position in terms of resources due to its alliance with Firemane and the simple fact that it has the largest population, but its authority and legitimacy has diminished. Never wanting to be caught out again by an event like the cataclysm at Kaeshana, the Eldorai commissioned large Asur worldships as soon as they were settled on Tygara. The Pious Deliverance is one of them.
It was commissioned by Vaena Cadalthor, also nicknamed 'choir girl' and 'Vaena the Unlikely'. This is a reference to her origins as a noble bastard, who was given up to the church after birth. After the discovery of her Force-Sensitivity, she was conscripted by the Angelii. Young Vaena was a pious, patriotic girl, but soon discovered that the life of a soldier of the Star Queen was less romantic than the songs told her. She served in the prestigious Valora's Chosen Great Company, rising to the rank of Host Leader and second-in-command of the unit.
Vaena discovered her heritage in the days leading up to the Exodus from Kaeshana, but wanted nothing to do with it. Nonetheless, her cousin Tarissa kept her under surveillance, suspecting that Vaena could develop ambition or be used as a pawn by her rivals. The Host Leader fought in the assault on the Underealm and the Battle of Kaeshana. The forced retreat from the Eldorai homeworld affected her strongly, but there was no reprieve as unrest broke out on Tygara in response to the defeat.
Once again she was drawn into the game of thrones and, much to her irritation, it turned out her birth family, the one that had scorned her and treated her as an embarrassment, was involved in. Tarissa had tried to harness Eldorai nationalism, religious zealotry and popular discontent to propel herself to power. To this end her followers incited riots, aiming to purge humans and non-believers. However, her plot was thwarted and she was executed by Siobhan in front of the Council of Nobles.
This left House Cadalthor in disgrace. Unexpectedly, the Star Queen offered to ennoble Vaena. Her relatives protested since she was a bastard, but they were out of favour with the Court. After agonising over the decision and seeking spiritual counsel, Vaena accepted the Queen's offer. Henceforth, she would be known as Vaena Cadalthor, Duchess of Galondrona. The first order of business for the new duchess was trying to mend fences with House Kerrigan-Alcori.
The clan as forced to pay reparations, which covered about forty percent of their assets. While a serious blow, they were not crippling. It helped that new duchess favoured a rather Spartan life style and was disgusted with the opulence the clan lived in. Until now, Vaena had only known the life of a soldier. Inexperienced in politics and openly contemptuous of most of her relatives, she had an uphill battle and a steep learning curve ahead of her. She distrusted courtiers, so she came to rely on allies who were of low birth and not connected to the aristocracy.
This included former comrades in arms from her days as an Angelii, as well as Tygarans. She also implemented an austerity programme to curb extravagant spending. This caused disconcent, and she was faced with a cabal of disgruntled family members who wanted to impose limitations on her authority. In response, Vaena carried out a purge. A number of members of the cabal were executed, banished or put under house arrest. The assets of these renegades were confiscated. While many of her relatives, such as her mother, looked down on 'human monkeighs' and other aliens, they had no qualms about embezzling funds and stashing them away in foreign banks. Hypocrisy is a sin many Eldorai nobles love to cultivate, much like racism. To become less dependent on Firemane, Vaena tried to build a partnership with ArmaTech and the Royal House of Alderaan. Not all of her choices were apt, as she was inexperienced. For instance, her not so secret relationship with a Force Dead warrior from Alderaan undermined her status. But she stuck to her course and sought to present herself to the Eldorai public as a more approachable, martial-minded noblewoman with the common touch, who disdained pomp and circumstance.
With the Eldorai moving into space, Vaena decided her house needed a worldship of its own. It would give her a more autonomous position and allow her to found colonies that followed the true word of Ashira. Moreover, it could serve as a base for Ashiran crusaders, allowing them to avenge the indignities inflicted upon her people. The Pious Deliverance represented a significant investment for her. Funds acquired from the acquisition of the Righteous Way as well as the confiscation of assets from certain family members and disloyal courtiers helped.
Siobhan distrusted House Cadalthor, as she held a grudge against them due to their betrayal. In keeping with this, she disliked Vaena, whose conservative values made her suspicious. Indeed, she expected the young duchess to be toppled quickly. This did not come to pass, but Firemane's intelligence service sought to plant agents in her court. Nonetheless, Firemane still sold a worldship to her. This might seem counterintuitive, but to Siobhan it was a way to get elements she distrusted out of her bailiwick. After all, she had also sold a worldship to a group of Eldorai ultra-reactionaries, who proceeded to try and colonise Raevana. However, their settlement efforts ended in disaster, for while the planet resembled a paradise, it was actually a death trap. Thus the Deliverance set its metaphorical sails and began its voyage through the 'void-ocean'.
Last edited:
