User:SilverCrono/Nine Heroes

THE NINE HEROES CHRONICLES

A series of novels / stories revolving around NINE HEROES. '' "Sleep, and dream of nine heroes." "Dedicated to the immaculate heart of the Empress." "Dedicated to the long journeys of the Emperor." "Dedicated to the undying loyalty of the Knight." "Dedicated to the boundless ambitions of the Queen." "Dedicated to the endless hunger of the King." "Dedicated to the passionate dreams of the Queens." "Dedicated to the loving tears of the Watcher." "Dedicated to the vicious grace of the Lord." ''

The main idea of the overarching series is that the Chronicles are a series of stories revolving around Nine Heroes and their reincarnations. Far in the distant past of the mythos, the Nine Heroes were all powerful pseudo-immortal beings that challenged the Goddess and battled her for control of the known universe, for the Goddess was apathetic about the universe she had created and her creations were beginning to know suffering. Of course, the Heroes lost, and they only managed to turn the Goddess away from creation in more disgust. Before abandoning the universe entirely, she cursed each of the Heroes with the shackling of their souls to her abandoned creation, forcing them to consistently reincarnate after their lives ended and to experience some form of suffering or tragedy during their lives for their hubris.

Though the 9HC involves a mythos behind / linking together many otherwise different stories and novels / novellas, it also involves many other inventions and concepts, such as a religion, a subspecies of humanity, and more.

Characters
The Hero most tied to the concept of Ruin. Most brooding of them all. King Silverius was a ruthless, power-hungry ruler that fought his way to his throne rather than been born nobility. Of all the original Heroes, he was most hungry for the possibility of divine power. Due to his strength, he was a great loner and abandoned or even killed many that were close to him. As a result, all of his incarnations tend to lead strikingly similar lives. The Hero most tied to the concept of Discovery. Most lonely of them all. Said to be borne from a flaming womb, Emperor Vikrayama was extremely powerful and noble, but led a tragic life with little personal happiness. Is usually homosexual in his incarnations, though some of his tyrants have at least been bisexual. The Hero most tied to the concept of Ambition. Most bodacious of them all. In her original form, Queen Nolstuvainia ruled the largest nation of all the Heroes and was very powerful and almost impossibly influential. Her incarnations tend to be very headstrong and selfish.
 * SILVERIUS, King of Ruin – The first hero with a Soul of Wind. Manifests in KoS as Singun Crono Silverius.
 * VIKRAYAMA, Emperor of Discovery – The second hero with a Soul of Fire. Manifests in KoS as Vikcent Hyusei.
 * NOLSTUVAINIA, Queen of Ambition – The third hero with a Soul of Sea. Manifests in KoS as Nolstuvainia Sestrum.

After attempting to become immortal, Queen Nolstuvainia’s rebirth efforts were botched and she was half-reincarnated into a body made of her own magical energies. The process drove her somewhat insane and caused her to lose her humanity, so she is eternally immortal alongside Taurisvaan’s tyrant Gin Taoris. At this point, she refers to herself only as the Queen of Eternity before re-discovering her true name. The Hero most tied to the concept of Eternity. Oldest of them all. Knight Taurisvaan was from a nation whose population tended to have extremely long lifespans, and he was an outlier even amongst them. Among the Heroes, Taurisvaan was easily the oldest, and he was even reputed to be immortal. Though he was wise at first, his incarnations tend to go mad from their long lives and invulnerability, leading them to become berserkers entirely unconcerned for their safety. The Hero most tied to the concept of Illusions. Most beautiful of all. Queen Kornelia had the most magical power of all the original Heroes, and was gifted with the ability to alter reality itself with her powers. She was very close to Queen Noltiavati, and the two enjoyed a long love affair in their original incarnations, but it fell apart when Kornelia fell in love for Silverius. The Hero most tied to the concept of Love. Most passionate of them all. Though she was compassionate, supporting, and very benevolent, Queen ;Noltiavati was also a prodigious warrior who was constantly challenged and despised by the very people she wanted to rule. It was this tragedy that led her to challenge the Goddess in order to fix the tainted nature of mankind. She was horribly heartbroken when Kornelia abandoned her for Silverius, but she was unable to hate either one of them. The Hero most tied to the concept of Sorrows. Most cultured of them all. She had the most advanced and intelligent kingdom, and she was known for being talented in all the arts, but she came from a very abusive family and was surrounded endlessly by sycophants. No matter how hard she tried to eliminate the corruption from her nation and return it to its glory days, she was constantly manipulated and defeated by her enemies.
 * TAURISVAAN, Knight of Eternity – The fourth hero with a Soul of Immortality. Manifests in KoS as Gin Kama Taoris.
 * KORNELIA, Queen of Illusions – The fifth hero with a Soul of Dreams. Manifests in KoS as the Chosen Knight.
 * NOLTIAVATI, Queen of Love – The sixth hero with a Soul of Desire. Manifests in KoS as the Lance Knight.
 * VARANNIAV, Empress of Sorrows – The seventh hero with a Soul of Memory.

Due to her disillusion in her nation and her love of the arts, Empress Varanniav’s incarnations tend to take less action and prominence among the worlds compared to the tyrants of her peers. She also tends to have more tyrants of the opposite sex than any other Hero. The Hero most tied to the concept of Yearning. Most envious of them all. Though he was very powerful and had a large kingdom, Lord Aranavyst always wanted more than he had, and he was the one who came up with the idea of attacking the Goddess.
 * ARANAVYST, Lord of Yearning – The eighth hero with a Soul of Strength.

The Hero most tied to the concept of Time. Most honorable of them all. Genderfluid and pansexual in every incarnation, and always childlike and pure of morals, though inexperienced in various worldly ways. Watcher Cidolayus was more of a wise figurehead in his nation than a ruler, and they were always fascinated with the motions of time and the actions of the Goddess. They wanted an empire that would last forever, but in a different, less authoritative way than Queen Nolstuvainia.
 * CIDOLAYUS, Watcher of Time – The ninth hero with a Soul of Protection. Manifests in KoS as Cidolas Teftah.

After failing to prevent the creation of the Crystals, Watcher Cidolayus’s reincarnation process was damaged and multiplied with the memories and humanity of each body having only a fraction of Cidolayus’ true consciousness. The resulting “Cidolas bodies” retained only the most basic pillars of Cidolayus’ original personality, such as a desire to protect the other Heroes and genderfluid characteristics.

There are often recurring themes or ideas behind the reincarnations of the Nine Heroes. For example:
 * Silverius and Kornelia are star-crossed lovers,
 * Silverius and Vikrayama are rivals – sometimes enemies, sometimes the best of friends,
 * Nolstuvainia and Taurisvaan are always close friends or bitter enemies, but their relationship never becomes romantic,
 * Aranavyst and Cidolayus are always enemies,
 * Kornelia and Noltiavati are always in love, but their relationship never works out or is unrequited on one end,
 * Cidolayus tends to sacrifice himself for the sake of the other Heroes,
 * Tyrants of Varanniav tend to remember parts of their past reincarnations, stay out of the conflicts of the other Heroes, and are thematically associated with the image of having multiple arms.

Ever since the creation of their curses, the Nine Heroes were made known of their ultimate fates, though each of their incarnations are blinded of them. Just as much a part of the legend as the names of the Heroes themselves, the fates are as follows:
 * KING SILVERIUS and QUEEN KORNELIA reunite in the twilight of the second universe, leaving behind the QUEEN NOLTIAVATI to sacrifice herself for their happiness;
 * EMPEROR VIKRAYAMA travels to the ends of time and the galaxy alone, but eventually finds happiness with his inhuman lover once he remembers his true name;
 * QUEEN NOLSTUVAINIA and KNIGHT TAURISVAAN curse themselves into immortality and wander the galaxy together, forever doomed to love and hate each other at once;
 * EMPRESS VARANNIAV, unable to find peace or love without the ruin of all she cares of, embarks on an exploring adventure through the stars and disappears;
 * LORD ARANAVYST alone tries to summon enough power to emulate the state of the Goddess he once challenged, but is consumed by it and in part causes the extinguishing of all known life;
 * And WATCHER CIDOLAYUS, forever cursed to be alone and helpless, watches his fellow Heroes suffer and endlessly fails to help them, until his final failure results in him being destroyed along with Aranavyst.

Settings
Systems / Larger Settings = Planets / Smaller Systems =
 * Terra System - Original home of mankind. Very similar to the solar system of Earth, if Terra were to replace it. Destroyed in SC ????? due to warfare and the advancement of weapons.
 * Successor System - Second home of mankind, largely populated after being discovered in SC 6500. The vast majority of the system consists of four massive planets (the smallest being 6 times larger than Terra) revolving around two suns: Elder Star, the older, larger, and cooler star burning a bright magenta, and the Younger Star, which is many millions of years younger, many times smaller, but burns a striking violet and is exponentially hotter than the Elder. Though the Successor System is one of two known systems that are hospitable for life as Terran humans knew it, it is a system that has an (admittedly far off) expiration date - for one day, the Elder Star will collapse and the Younger Star will grow too hot for its size, resulting in a double supernova that will wipe out the Successor System and every other nearby star system for thousands of light years in every direction.
 * Terra – The original home planet of the Nine Heroes, where the Crystals were created. Setting of KoS, KoS II, and 10,000 Years.
 * Info hub for Terra pre-Separation
 * Info hub for Terra 20 years post-Separation


 * Etro - The first planet in the Successor system. Boasts a magenta sky during the day due to being relatively in between the Elder and Younger stars.
 * Malynpaa - The second planet in the Successor system, and the system's largest planet (20X larger than Terra). Boasts a red-maroon sky due to its proximity to the Elder Star, and has very long nights and days on opposite ends of the planet.
 * Sevenless - The third planet in the Successor system, and the one that is most similar to Terra (though it is still 6 times larger). Boasts a sky that is usually blue-violet or some nearby hue, thanks to its proximity to the Younger Star.
 * Bride of Sevenless - The larger of Sevenless' two moons. Its huge size (it is only a little smaller than Terra) brings researchers to the conclusion that it was formed of a planet colliding with Sevenless before and its wreckage forming Son of Sevenless, with both satellites becoming trapped in the planet's gravity.
 * Son of Sevenless - The smaller of Sevenless' two moons. Functions mostly as a research and technology facility, as well as a popular place in the galaxy for education of the rich. Home of Zeta IV Academy.
 * Postmetropolis - Setting of MOS. A city-state that both is and is not similar to the Earth of our real world, and is on the planet Sevenless in the Successor system. It is ruled by the genderless and omnipresent Emperor, who actively commands the police-like Guard and passively watches over every single space and home in the entire city. Named for the Postmetropolis written about by urban theorist Edward W. Soja.


 * Dellenchus - The fourth planet in the Successor system. Boasts a reddish-pink sky due to its far distance from the Younger Star. Has rings made of ice and a scientifically advanced nocturnal race (non-human, but possibly humanoid) that existed on it pre-humanity.

Religion(s)

 * THE NINE SORROWS OF THE GODDESS:


 * 1) The uprising of the Nine Heroes.
 * 2) The Heroes' refusal for mercy at the hands of the victorious Goddess.
 * 3) The Fall of the Heroes' blessed kingdoms upon their return and death.
 * 4) The creation of the Seven Crystals.
 * 5) The splitting of Terra and the creation of man-made Rosaries.
 * 6) The choice of three Heroes to forsake death.
 * 7) The ruin and destruction of Terra, the Goddess-blessed cradle of humanity.
 * 8) The creation and endless expansion of the God-Emperor's Coffin-Tower.
 * 9) The final Tyrant's Ascension and subsequent sleeping.

The Sorrowful All-Mother formed and abandoned us, but she will come again when the greatest of her children fail her for the final time, and all of creation will weep with Her.

Before Abandonment
Little is known of the past world that existed before the Nine attacked the Goddess, as absolutely no records or remains from that time still exist in any of the current stories. It is known that humans existed for some time, long enough for them to reach a state of magical power and innovation that has yet to be reached again since. All creation was ruled by the Goddess, who ruled over the universe – though it is unclear if she was metaphysical or had an actual, concrete existence. At some point in time, the Nine Heroes became rulers of the nine nations on their home planet (thought to be Terra, though there is no proof of such) and collectively drove humanity to even greater heights. The Heroes became named as such after each one of them achieved almost god-like lifespans and magical abilities.

At some point, the Heroes became unsatisfied with the situation of their existences and seek to usurp the Goddess’ power to rule creation for themselves. (Some historians and theologians believe the Heroes were influenced and stirred up by some third party, though of course this is unconfirmed.) It is said they fought alone against the Goddess for a thousand years, but ultimately failed and were cast back down to the world (symbolized by the Ninth Starfall).

Abandonment
The failure of the Heroes only convinced the Goddess to leave behind that which she created, and she left the universe forever in what became known as the Abandonment. This act immediately lessened the power of all magic available (causing many to believe all magic is residual from the presence of the Goddess, and thus is inherently finite / limited) and put an expiration date on the known universe.

The Abandonment made all the Nine Heroes become hated on all of the earth, and it also came with a curse from the Goddess – each of the Nine Heroes would reincarnate endlessly until the universe she creates ends, at which point their souls will die and be denied access to any kind of afterlife. This curse, coupled with the backlash of all the people they ruled over, drove the Nine Heroes to despair, and in their sorrows they started wars with one another and caused untold amounts of destruction. Their wars ruined their kingdoms uniformly and ended with them all killing each other, starting off their cycles of rebirth with tragedy.

Post-Abandonment
Almost nothing is known about this era, as it happened without a single incarnation of the Heroes and likely was a time of horrible ruin and degradation. Considering the next era occurred in a time of magical flowering and a complete revival of civilization, though, it is extremely likely that the Post-Abandonment era lasted for an extremely long period of time, perhaps hundreds of thousands of years.

Crystal War / Inusian Empire Era (SC 0000 - 4976)
The first War for the Crystals lasted for 2000 years, and after that the Inusian Empire was formed in the ashes of the world once the final creator of the Crystals disappeared and the Crystals were hidden from the world. By subjugating any other group of peoples, the Inusian Empire was able to force peace upon the world and ruled for another 2000 years before conflict grew again (thanks mostly to Nolstuvainia Sestrum, an incarnation of Queen Nolstuvainia, along with the other 8 Heroes who were on the same planet at once again for the first time).

2nd War for the Crystals (SC 4976 - 4977)
See: Kings of Strife. With the Nine Heroes on the same planet again, they are inevitably drawn to seek the Crystals and their own ambitions, which cause the Inusian Empire to splinter and the long-established World Government to fall apart. What follows is a war on a global scale.

Great Separation (SC 4977 - 4978)
When 6 of the 7 Crystals are brought to the same location and a tyrant incarnation of one of the Heroes holds them again, the resulting surge of magical energy is strong enough to scar the surface of Terra and force a large chunk of its crust to rise into the air as a floating continent. This natural disaster wrecks the planet and sends it into a new ice age, and kills more than half of the global population. After a brief year of chaos, a group of heroes (including many incarnations of the Nine) find a way up to the floating continent and defeat the person controlling them, thus saving the world from an era of magical tyranny. As the floating continent begins to fall down to the earth again, one of the Heroes seizes all 7 of the Crystals and unleashes all of their magical energy, manifesting a massive pillar of pure unbreakable crystal that holds up the floating continent safely in the sky as well as trapping himself and the enemy leader within the Tower.

Dual-Terra Period (SC 4978 - 14999)
The name for the era post-Separation, in which Terra exists with the Raised World as its connected satellite.

At around SC 6300, space travel is pioneered, coinciding with the perfection of Rosary creation (along with the acceptance of Rosaries as less than human beings). With the new focus on exploring other worlds and the cultural obsession with Rosaries, the rapid technological advancement of mankind (and the overall growth of magic) begins to stagnate rapidly. In SC 7777, the techno-planet Auvvis-IX is destroyed in a freak accident that is never explained; destroyed along with the planet is the galaxy-wide factory for creating and raising Rosaries, leaving only a single scientist in the entire known universe that can create Rosaries. The next year, the scientist disappears, and Rosaries begin to emerge approximately once every thousand years.

Fall of Terra / The Spreading (SC 14999)
The event in which Queen Nolstuvainia is revived in a body of her own magical creation on Terra. For the very first time, an incarnation is forced into a specific vessel and with all of the consciousness of its previous life; the result wrecks the Queen's psyche, transforming her into an immortal being that despises everything she cannot rule. She easily destroys the Crystal Tower keeping Terra alive, and as the Raised World begins to fall and begin an extinction event, Knight Taurisvaan's incarnation from ten thousand years before is freed from his prison and reunites with Queen Nolstuvainia.

Timeline

 * Note: "SC" stands for "Seventh Calendar"; the term both refers to the creation of the Seven Crystals, the date at which SC 0000 is, as well as the implication that the universe's whole history is innumerable and ultimately unknowable.

Concepts
CRYSTALS=
 * CRYSTALS

One of the main facets of the 9HC. Originally manifestations of the souls of seven of the nine Heroes, they eventually grow separate from their souls and become artifacts of pure magical power that can induce miracles and strengthen magic exponentially. The unified power of all seven Crystals with a tyrant’s abilities rivals the power of one of the original Nine Heroes. TYRANTS=
 * TYRANTS

The name for avatars / manifestations of the Nine Heroes, who consistently reincarnate over the ages. Notable for their universally golden glowing eyes, superhuman strength and reflexes, and tendency to gravitate towards each other. They also tend to either have extremely long lifespans or extremely short ones. ROSARIES=
 * ROSARIES

The name for artificial / genetically controlled humans that are designed to emulate or have the same talents as the Tyrants of the Heroes. Named for Rosaria Hyusei, first known Rosary and sister of Vik Hyusei (tyrant of Vikrayama) that was psychologically broken and magically controlled to be able to hold her own against her brother. As time went on and the Crystals were forgotten, Rosaries lost much of their magical ability but were still distinctive for their golden eyes (not glowing), unnatural beauty, long lifespans (200 ~ 500 years when fully developed), and psychological instability. The Rosaries are perhaps one of the most tragic parts of the 9HC, besides the Nine Heroes themselves, as they tend to be flawed individuals that have huge self-diaspora and psychological issues.

After Rosary #1's death, the creation of Rosaries absolutely exploded in popularity for about 3000 years; after around SC 7999, though, a great accident caused the most foremost Rosary creators to go missing only after swearing off the creation of the beautiful masterpieces. It was around this time that Rosary rights plummeted. For the next 6999 or so years, Rosaries only appeared about every 150 years. NIGHTKIN=
 * Rosary #0 – Rosaria Hyusei, sister of Vik Hyusei and the first known natural Rosary, a being that could emulate the powers and reflexes of the Tyrants. : SC 4977.
 * Rosary #1 – Nyna "Noja" Vahlart. Birthdate: SC 4998.
 * Rosary #77 - Arteria Iorchesis. One of the artifically created Rosaries, who are no longer considered human.
 * Rosary #92 - Millennia 6V-77347. The "weapon" that the crew of the Astral Century in TL are searching for.
 * Rosary #99 - Klaytaza PAON-303. The final Rosary, and the "key" to the Ninth Sorrow and the return of the Goddess. Birthdate: SC 14999.
 * NIGHTKIN

(Homo nocturnis) - The primary species found on planets Malenpaa and Sevenless. Very similar to humans originating from Terra, nightkin have evolved - as their scientific name implies - to be nocturnal, a trait that is only sustainable due to the very long nights on both planets. There are various differences between nightkin and humans that make them only passably similar in appearance. These traits include:
 * Weaker constitutions - Nightkin evolved to be one of the few wide-spread nocturnal predators on their planets; that means, while most other animals slept for the long nights, nightkin were mostly free to hunt and flourish in the dark. As clever, lonely creatures, nightkin rarely found themselves in direct or extended conflict, leading them to be speedy and light in constitution. They are taller and thinner than humans with lighter bones and longer appendages / necks. Visibly, their skin colors range from iron-gray to bone-white; their eyes reflect light and can appear to glow; their hair tends to be very light, and they are naturally very hairy, in order to retain body heat.
 * Horns aiding in night-sensing - Nightkin have larger eyes that are optimized for night vision rather than daytime, but they also evolved horns atop their heads to aid them for sensory purposes. Unlike animals on Terra, which would often have horns for mating-related ornamentation or as a carnivorous weapon, the horns of nightkin are somewhat-hollow bone structures with radar-like sensory organs within them, allowing for nightkin to detect danger and sense presences of organisms near them without the need for sight. As a result, it is very common for nightkin to close their eyes when in deep concentration or thought and rely solely on their horns for sensing. (That being said, they have very strong eyes, with night-vision almost twice as clear and accurate as 20/20 daylight vision for humans.) Horns usually grow from the temples (in men) and behind the ears (in women); most commonly, they curve straight upwards (men) or at a 45-degree forward angle (women), and can be up to half a foot long in adults. Modern, civilized nightkin still use their horns regularly, and they have even become symbols of fertility and social status; a better diet leads to larger, more curving horns, which are seen as attractive and alluring. Nightkin mutants born without horns rarely live to see child-bearing age, and in modern times they are seen as cursed pariahs, and almost always are killed at birth.
 * Colorblindness - Due to their eyes evolving to work best in the dark, nightkin are almost always colorblind when it comes to anything not a shade of white, black, or gray. In addition, they are much more prone to severe sunburns or blindness upon exposure to the sun for extended periods of time. (Nightkin of particularly weak constitutions have been known to die in the course of a single day of summer heat.)
 * Longer lives - Nightkin live around three times longer than humans. The average nightkin lifespan is around 250 years old as their development is many times slower than humans, due to a much longer childhood and generally slower cognitive and physical development (likely as a result of receiving so little sunlight and essential light-related nutrients). Where humans are adults in their prime from ages ~18 - 60, nightkin primes range from ~ 70 - 180. Put in layman's terms, one human year of development is roughly equivalent to three for nightkin, even though the rotation / calendars of Terra and the Successor System do not differ much.

SOCIAL QUALITIES:
 * Religion - Somehow, in an act that many consider to be the inarguable actions of the divine, for thousands of years nightkin have believed in the same basic religion - the faith of the Sorrowful Goddess - as humans.

HUMAN-NIGHTKIN RELATIONSHIPS: Upon their first encounter of human colonists landing on the planet Sevenless, the relationship between the two species began as strained and aggressive, yet curious. Armed conflict between the two species initially appeared inevitable on a large scale, considering nightkin were technologically inferior to humans (they had discovered small-scale space travel only, whereas humans by this point in time had figured out how to travel at speeds faster than light), but the differing biological schedules of the two and the natural inter-species curiosity within them both soon led to a permanent cease fire only a hundred years after first contact. Since then, humans have enjoyed a very high respect and admiration for nightkin (bordering on fetishization for some; also, unfortunately, a minority of humans still hold nightkin in disdain), while nightkin have been accepting of humans, but still prefer to keep them out of the upper echelons of their established societies. THE ETERNAL CORPS=
 * ETERNAL CORPS

An organization founded by Vainia Sestrum in SC 4976 to aid in her revolution and subsequent ruling. After the Great Separation and the passing of Queen Vainia over fifteen years afterwards, the Corps segregated from her Eternian Empire and became a neutral military force that ruled over Tlerius City, a neutral city-state in the middle of the ruined Lower Lands. Somehow, though the Empire fell into decline with the passing of time, the Corps endured and was one of the first larger organizations to move entirely to space in SC 6900.
 * First Leader: Tlerius Rin (SC 4933 - 4977). Founding member and namesake of Tlerius City. Killed by Inusians in the fall of Shorekeep right before the Great Separation.
 * Second Leader: Moritaka Posmos (SC ?? - ??). Founding member and protege of Tlerius Rin.

Home bases: THE MARGRAVES=
 * TLERIUS CITY - SC 4987 ~ 6400 - A neutral city-state in the Lower Lands of Terra. Abandoned as the Eternal Corps took to space.
 * Space Colony "VYVARA 3" - SC 6404 ~ 8975 - One of the first human space colonies ever, completed as the third system of the distant Vyvara asteroid belt.
 * Space Colony "VYVARA 9" - SC 8975 ~ ????? - The third and final headquarters of the Corps, created and commissioned on order of Leader Mes-Nall after the long decay and corruption of Vyvara 3. One of the largest space colonies in the known universe.
 * MARGRAVES

An organization originally founded in the wake of the Great Separation that existed to seek out and eradicate traces of the Tyrant Eyes / the radiation and magical powers that resulted in the Great Separation scarring Terra. Somehow, over the course of history, the Margraves became a rogue corporation dedicated to subjugating, trafficking, and even destroying Rosaries. After the mysterious accident of SC 7777 and the subsequent disappearance of regularly made Rosaries, their creators, and their crimes, the Margraves grew into a bubble and almost collapsed under their own bureaucratic weight. For thousands of years after that, the Margraves exist as legends and a skeleton of its former self, moving about the galaxy in secret, handling clandestine business and assassinations, and (according to whispers in the darkest corners known to man and nightkin) preparing for the rise of the "Sleeping Queen" and her army of golden-eyed nonhumans. LA DOLORE=
 * ORDER LA DOLORE

Also known as the COSMO CHURCH. Founded as a show of peace and intergalactic alliance between human and nightkin when it was discovered (circa SC 6600) that both have been practicing largely the same religion separately for thousands of years. It has many facets beyond simple organization of worship and charity; the Order is also renowned for education opportunities, salvation and protection of historical artifacts, medical advancement and aid, scientific research, colonization, and many more. Main home - Holy Colony "SORROWFUL".

Though humans and nightkin practice largely the same beliefs, there are actually quite a few major differences in their philosophies and customs, which the creation of one great Order cannot possibly erase. The two main sides of the religion are known as Ealogists and Royaltists.

The biggest differences in the two sides relate to beliefs regarding the relationship between the Nine Heroes and the Goddess. Ealogists (derived from "genealogy") believe that the Nine Heroes were direct blood descendants of the Sorrowful Goddess, which helps to explain their superhuman lifespans, magical abilities, and influence over the otherwise immutable cycle of soul-reincarnation and rebirth. Because they believe the Heroes (and therefore all their Tyrant incarnations) are directly related to the Goddess, Ealogists idolize and in some ways even worship the Heroes, and those with their features or Tyrant-like abilities are revered and seen as miraculous godsends. Ealogy is the main belief of nightkin, whose Tyrant incarnations throughout their histories have always gone on to become leaders, conquerors, and otherwise noteworthy people.

Royalists, on the other hand, believe that the original Nine Heroes were in fact normal humans that were just superbly talented and gifted, without any direct relation to the Goddess. Royalists (named for the royal status of the original Nine) do not revere the Heroes or their incarnations - on the contrary, they despise all such people for their sins against the Goddess. Because it was humans that discovered the Sorrowful Stone in SC 6259, which listed the Nine Sorrows of the Goddess and prophesized the ultimate end of all life, it is mostly humans that persecute Tyrants and consider them responsible for the Goddess' inevitable return. Royalist believers are much less concerned with ceremonies, rituals, and prayers to Heroes than Ealogists.

Coexistence between the two sides was possible from the beginning of the Order, but became difficult as time progressed and figures of authority began to argue about the extent to which Ealogist rituals and Nine-centric prayers and holidays should be ingrained as official parts of the Order.

Stories
Established= Possible= Feel free to let me know what you think of these / encourage any you find interesting.
 * 1) Kings of Strife – (SC 4976-4978) - One of the only two times in the history of the universe that the nine heroes are all alive at once. Chronicles the first realization of the heroes to their powers and the unification / destruction of the Seven Crystals on Terra, as well as the Great Separation. The only story to directly involve all nine Heroes. The biggest planned story besides a possible endpoint. By the end of the novel, 3 Heroes are trapped in the planet and thus unable to reincarnate.
 * 2) The Father of Silence - (SC 4982) - After the return of Queen Vainia to her empire, there are rumors of an insurgent plot rising that plans on assassinating her. She trusts only her most powerful adviser to quash the insurgents - and in doing so the Baron of War learns a little more about fatherhood, his own motivations, and his Queen.
 * 3) Kings of Strife II – (SC 4998) - A direct sequel to KoS, involving a further tale of Alstromya Silverius, offspring of Silverius and Kornelia. Details the aftermath of Terra’s Great Separation and the origins of Rosaries, and foreshadows 10,000 Years. Involves three Heroes: Kornelia, Noltiavati, and Varanniav. (Vikrayama and Cidolayus make appearances too, but these are little more than cameos). Much of the story is about the fragmented relationship between the two Queens, the behind-the-scenes actions of the Empress, as well as investigations into the actions and plans of Queen Nolstuvainia.
 * 4) In Defense of Destiny - (SC 5035) - In the twilight of her lifetime, Queen Kornelia commissions a small squad of the Margraves to investigate a sudden spike of magical energy in the depths of an under-city ruin in the Lower Lands. In this short story, the squad travels to where they are commanded and must grapple with the question of their duty; for is it truly protecting the world's safety from magic when it comes to killing children with a terrifying potential? And are the powers of the Rosaries as destructive as the world would have it seem?
 * 5) 10,000 Years – (SC 14999) - A short sequel to KoS and KoS II that details the botched reincarnation of Nolstuvainia that traps her insane consciousness in an immortal magical body, her reunion with Taurisvaan, and Nolstuvainia’s destruction of Terra. Takes place ten thousand years after the end of KoS. Involves two Heroes: Nolstuvainia and Taurisvaan.
 * 6) Millennia of Sorrows – A novel set long, long after the destruction of Terra, in a world remarkably similar to Earth. The main character is an incarnation of Varanniav that becomes trapped in an almost incomprehensible postmetropolis after attempting to kill herself. Involves one Hero: Varanniav.
 * 7) The Liberator – A novella describing the destruction of the Terran star system and Taurisvaan’s escape from it. (Directly) involves zero Heroes, being that this is a side-story.
 * Weeping Stars - (SC 4977) - A short narrative detailing the fight of a soldier in Vainia's army during the last hours of the Defense of King's Town, one who thought he was finished with fighting after the Nneonian Civil War ruined his life. Ends with the advent of the Great Separation. Merits: A new perspective for the KoS universe, as the protagonist is entirely normal in a world of insane anime fights and magic powers. Cons: Might be boring. Will be short. Likely same tragic grim-dark tone as OG KoS.
 * The Atropos - (SC 4980) - Two years have passed since the Great Separation, and the Queen of the newly established Eternian Empire is nowhere to be found. Missing with her is the Baron of War Tasshon el Divrus and the Queen's best friend and confidante, Asearya Jyukyu. Already preoccupied with the struggle of holding together Vainia's Empire in her absence, Razmid Arensten - Baron of Treasury and heir to the great Arensten banking conglomerate - finds himself investigating why one of the first Under-Cities of the Lower Lands mysteriously collapsed and buried hundreds beneath the shattered earth. Short-ish.
 * A Sea of Stars - (SC 12466-12600) - A potentially long, epic-scale story about an incarnation of Vikrayama (possibly the last?) and his star-crossed journey to reunite with a Rosary that he has fallen in love with. Would probably be long because it would involve lots of dimension/time travelling, battles, and ANGSTRAGEDY, as a cronostory tends to have. One of the few stories in the 9HC that would have a happy ending (lulz).
 * The Deep and the Silent - (Dual-Terra Period) - A mid-length drama about a Biology student in Zeta III Academy that begins to grapple with the ethics of killing a Rosary. Psychological and focused on characters, not action-based at all. Has potential, but would probably be very challenging for me to write. Namesake.
 * Untitled 1 - (Dual-Terra Period) - In the future, after humanity has taken to the stars, the Eternal Corps has become an interplanetary police force of such that handles all sort of tasks, from exploring new worlds for colonization to forcefully peacekeeping. This is the tale of one small squad of Corps members.
 * Untitled 2 - (Galactic Era) - A story about the long-established feud between the Eternal Corps and the Margraves. Probably mid-length, with a large cast of characters.
 * Untitled 3 - (SC 15000 - ??) - An epic poem about revived!Nolstuvainia and Taoris, mostly focusing on the suffering of Vainia.
 * The Ninth Sorrow - (SC ?????) - The final tale of the Chronicle, telling of the last of the Nine Sorrows of the Goddess. At the end of the universe, when the two sister stars begin to blink and burn, the Goddess suffers Her final sorrow and finally closes Her eyes over creation - and at the same time, the 99 Rosaries, the last inhuman life forms created in Her image, open their own eyes. This is the story of the True End, the Last Weeping, and the final Tyrant that will decide - or simply observe - whether the Rosaries lead creation to a new try at grace, or whether they close their eyes as the Goddess does, and end all with a final Sorrow. Novel-length, epic in scope, hopefully not epic in actual size. Sorta redo of Eoe with retcon of 999 Keys -> 99 re-risen Rosaries.