Fiction:Oikoumene

"All this has happened before and all of it shall happen again."

- Unknown

The Oikoumene, also known as the Thirteenth Tribe, are a race of enlightened that held a presence throughout the universe millions of years ago, centred in what is now known as the. Originating countless years ago, the Oikoumene quickly attained a level of technological, biological and sociological superiority over their contemporary species, naming themselves the caretakers of life.

The Oikoumene were hailed as gods by their "Patronois", the name given to the races in which they protected and despite some fleeting rebellions made against them, they were generally held in high esteem. The Oikoumene mysteriously disappeared during the end of the Era of history, with only one individual, (with the exception of surviving AIs) known to be active in modern times.

The Oikoumene's legacy has a significant impact on the universe, in particular the, where they are still worshipped as gods by civilisations such as the.

Early History
The origins of the Oikoumene are steeped in mystery. Many historians believe that the Oikoumene evolved naturally in the billions of years ago while others claim that they existed for as long as time itself. What is known however, is that the Oikoumene soon became the mightiest superpower in the universe, eventually attaining a level of technological, biological and sociological superiority over the billions of species the Oikoumene swore to protect. Over millions of years, the Oikoumene spread across the universe, having a hand in the creation and manipulation of countless species, including the of the, the  and the  of the  and the  of Cyrannus.

Universal Protectors
The Oikoumene's centre of operations was located over the Galactic Core of the Cyrannus Galaxy in a massive, physics defying construct known as "the Capital". From the Capital, a council led by a "Primercer" ran the day to day matters of the Oikoumene while military matters were handled by the "Warriors of the Revelation" under the all-powerful. Under Antediluvian, the Oikoumene's warriors became the enforcers of Oikoumene law throughout their vast space, efficiently putting down rebellions whenever they might have surfaced. Despite this however, the Oikoumene were highly regarded by their contemporaries, with a key part of their culture being the protection and continuity of all life in the universe. The Oikoumene's many scientists saw this vital task through, with their individual legacies surviving even to the present day. Two of the more notable Oikoumene scientists include, known for her work to categorise all life in existence and Andrin-draco, known for his exploits in the.

Apotheosis
Note: This period of history is currently being explored in the storyline.

During the beginning of the Apotheosis Era in Oikoumene history, countless of the Oikoumene's protectorates began to rise up against those who first gave them life. Leading the assaults on the rebels was Antediluvianás who pledged to place the rebellious races under Oikoumene protection once more, as opposed to utterly annihilate them as the current Primercer suggested. Jealous over Antediluvianás' power and popularity among the Oikoumene, the Primercer sought to end his threat. However, Antediluvianás soon learnt of this betrayal. The results of this conflict have been lost to history.

Meanwhile on the world that became known as, Libraé, the scientific leader of the Oikoumene began to experience visions of a being even she (or indeed a god could not explain. This vision claimed that both Libraé and her husband Antediluianás had a great role to play in an unknown plan by a much higher power.

By the end of the Apotheosis Era, the Oikoumene mysteriously vanished, though continued to regularly interact with the universe below them, having a hand in the development of many species from afar.

Unseen Hand
For millions of years after the Apotheosis, the Oikoumene continued to influence affairs in the Gigaquadrant through the use of archived personality imprints and highly advanced artificial intelligences. Together with their longtime Atlantican allies, the Oikoumene's unseen hand continued to construct many of the wonders and scientific marvels that grace the galaxy today. Hundreds of thousands of years before the second rise of Antediluvian, an alien race known as the Temoin rose up to challenge the Oikoumene's phantom presence. Though even these hyperpower aliens were powerless against the Oikoumene.

By the time of the, the galaxy was littered with Oikoumene objects such as and , though only one small group is believed to be active. Though in a very profound way.

Legacy
The legacy of the Oikoumene is profound and far-reaching, not just in the, but across the cosmos. Oikoumene artifacts, constructs and megastructures litter the in particular, with races and civilisations such as the  and the  revearing the artifacts left the Oikoumene as remnants of the gods. It was the historic connection between the Oikoumene and their great Atlantican allies that led to the increase of relations between the and, an alliance that would dominate the Cluster much like the alliance between the Oikoumene and the Atlantica eons ago.

The discovery of Oikoumene artifacts have been major catalysts in many recent conflicts including the, and the Battle of Amemoriam.

In the, the legacy of the Oikoumene primarily lives on in the form of Commutum Drakon'Mipthum, a religion centred around a set of philosophical guidelines imparted by the Oikoumene member Aldrin-draco to the living on the planet  sometime around 160,000 BNE. The religion is presently one of the largest and most prevalent Oikoumene-derived religion in Andromeda and a major religion of the Xonexi cluster. Of particular note, the have taken on a similar role in Andromeda to the Oikoumene; documenting, uplifting, protecting and even creating life where they see fit.

More obscurely, the Oikoumene had a hand in the uplifting and development of the, an Andromedan precursor race and the known progenitors to the s as well as numerous other Androemdan species. It is unknown for certain whether the Rades' fascination for biotechnology and species creation came from their reverence of the Oikoumene as patrons or if it was curiosity given new life. Unlike in Cyrannia, Oikoumene artifacts are rare and knowledge of them in Andromeda is even more scarce aside from dealings between the factions of Cyrannus and Andromeda.

Technology
The technology used by the Oikoumene is almost without parallel in existence. Examples of their technological experience include the ability to create and maintain countless individual universes from the ancient installations known as and Altranaya.

Megastructures
Altranaya=


 * Location - Unknown Regions of Cyrannus
 * Purpose - Arc for Caprican life

Altranaya is an Oikoumene megastructure that had been overlooked for years, regarded as an uninteresting failed star, however, during the 's exploration, they discovered that it was in fact an ancient ringworld, a bit less wide that the Styx's orbit around Heron Alpha, the home system. It was very unusual, it had life brought from, even prehistoric life that had evolved again, and had a small artificial sun in its center, squashed flat.

Soon the, the and the  came to colonize and explore, before the  began. Ultimately, a battle raged on Altranaya's surface, and many curious things were learned by the different factions. However, when the battle ended, an AI activated its defenses and attacked the warring factions with exotic weaponry, forcing them to retreat.

As of the, Altranaya was recently conquered by the , and it now serves as one of the headquarters of.

Amemoriam=


 * Location - Galactic Halo
 * Purpose - Manufacture of factory universe

Amemoriam is a megastructure sitting 100,000 light years away from the nearest inhabited world, situated in the ancient galactic halo surrounding the Cyrannus galaxy. When the light finally reached the outer worlds of the, the new star was analysed. It was discovered that the absorption lines of hydrogen come from light produced in conditions impossible for a star, absorption spectra emitted by light from an object with an altered 'Fine Structure Constant'.

Spotted by both Remnant and Imperial fleets, ships flocked to Amemoriam and discovered they were not the first. Like moths to a flame, the space hulks of previous expeditions from civilisations many thousands of years before lay preserved orbiting Amemoriam.

It was discovered that Amemoriam would only accept the 12 other Capricornian tribes and their allies. Amemorian turned out to be a pocket universe laboratory, and could download individuals into avatars to enter each one. A Higg's-less universe; a perfect, uniform and structureless universe; Neutrino-less universe; a universe of dark energy stars; a hyperbolic universe with two dimensions of time were discovered. But most intriguing of all, a universe capable of greater chemical complexity than the current universe had been created, proving that the Oikoumene could control the ratios of physical constants and dimensions during the initial conditions of each pocket universe they created. It was revealed than the final heaven universe will one day be available for all 13 Tribes.

After a devastating battle, the duplicated himself and instructed his copy to remain to protect Amemoriam.

Fosepíst=


 * Location - Unknown Regions
 * Purpose - Unknown

 is an Oikoumene research station currently occupied by the the. The station itself, an ancient laboratory that engaged in various unknown experiments, is currently the nexus of the hermitage. It is a place of pilgrimage and the beating heart of the hermitage's quest to understand the secrets left behind by the Oikoumene.

The original construction and purpose of Fósepist Station is still an uncertainty even within the highest echelons of the Orothil'Tastran Hermitage's Loresages. What is known is that the station may have been built by the Oikoumene as a focus to research into various lifeforms due to the large expanses of the station reserved for artificial biomes.

Despite all the time the hermitage has spent studying records, much of the station's full capabilities are still unknown. What is know is that ,asa laboratory, the station was not intentionally designed to be a battle station. While the station has only been under threat a few times, attempts to physically attack the station have been met with retaliatory emplacements and defensive shielding beyond the power of all but the most advanced nations of the galaxy.

Other Structures
Caprican Portal=

The ancient Caprican Portal was constructed by the Oikoumene millions of years ago in the hopes of aiding their successors. It is known that the portal holds a deep religious significance to the and that a very similar structure was built on the Rambo Capital at around the same time. The portal was discovered during the final days of the, when the Cognatus began excavating the region, searching for the portal. When the portal activated, the entire Cognatus Armada disappeared and the allied forces celebrated. Today, the portal is of keen interest to the scientific community.
 * Location - 
 * Purpose - Constructed to aid their successors

Theories about the portal run wild, from ideas that the Portal holds some sort of protection over the Capricornian group of species, which explains the Cognatus vanishing, to a type of gateway to the Realms of the Gods, in other words the path of transcendence, like the Thirteenth Tribe before them.

The Caprican Portal recently revealed its true origins when Ekrillum discovered that the portal links to the Rambo Capital. This new found purpose led the Imperial Fleet to the, where a massive battle began.

Koerbandian Artefact=


 * Location - Koerband
 * Purpose - Landing Pad

The Koerbandian Artefact is believed to have been constructed by the Oikoumene tens of thousands of years ago on the Rambo Colony of Koerband, a world littered with Atlantican/Oikoumene relics. It is currently unknown what this artefact is, but it is believed that it serves as somewhat of a landing pad to a large ship, buried underneath the planet thousands of years ago. It came to the light of the Gigaquadrantic community in the year 2 ATC, when the CAS discovered it during the Great Cyrannus War.

However, with the help of Admiral Cretacea they prevented the CAS from gaining control over the artefact's vital technologies which would have surely ended the war in the CAS's favour. However, one of the Republic troopers accidentally activated it, alerting the to it's location. The newly peaceful Cognatus were given permission to study the relic in peace alongside the Rambo and the URC.

However, by the time the came about, the Rambo permitted only scientists native to the Nation to study the relic.

Military


The Oikoumene military was hardly an armed force the likes of which can be seen across the universe today. Instead, when the Oikoumene faced a threat they would sterilise it with their advanced technology in the blink of an eye. The main military arm of the Oikoumene were the Warriors of the Revelation, more commonly known as the. Striking from the shadows, the lethality of the Apocalypta was well known across the Oikoumene with the Apocalyptan leader, being considered the most powerful Oikoumene in existence, not only due to the vast military might under his command, but because of his mysterious powers that defy even Oikoumene knowledge. However, some within the Oikoumene such as Chaneonix and Libraé have campaigned for the dissolution of the Apocalypta in the hopes of taking a more benevolent approach.

With the exception of fleeting interventions by Chaneonix, the Apocalypta were believed to be the only remaining active Oikoumene in existence until the Primercer was reawakened during the.

Ships
Coming Soon

Warriors of the Revelation
Antediluvian=

"No matter how loud the battle's din. Live, Die, Antediluvian always wins."

- Unknown poet


 * Name - 
 * Position - Herus (Dark Lord)
 * Status - Active

Antediluvian is an incredibly powerful Oikoumene, known and feared across the cosmos as the mysterious and scheming Galactic Emperor of the and the manipulative and vastly intelligent Dark Lord of the. The details of how this dark figure came into existence remains unknown, however he was revered and even feared among his fellow Oikoumene, with the knowledge that he was the most powerful member of the Tribe being well known.

When the rest of the Tribe mysteriously vanished, Antediluvian had his subordinates sealed on planets scattered across the universe, before finally locking himself away on an unknown world, all the while forming an intricate and dark plan. When he finally awakened during the, he set this plan into motion, eventually forming the , one of the greatest hyperpowers in history. This however, is only the first stage in his "Plan".

Apeligateza=


 * Name - Apeligateza
 * Position - Monaus (High Ranking Official)
 * Status - Active

Apeligateza was one of Antediluvian's foremost commanders during his struggle against the fiendish Primercer. Apeligateza is one of the most powerful Oikoumene in existence and has benefited much from his position as one of the Dark Lord's most trusted servants. When Antediluvian was reawakened, he soon reawkened Apeligateza, tasking him to recruiting new acolytes to their cause. However, while Apeligateza followed Antediluvian's wishes to the letter, he believed the use of acolytes was unnecessary.

Later, during the, Apeligateza infiltrated the as per his master's orders and managed to turn the tide of war in the favour of the Republic. However, when he was defeated in combat by Mormuadáin, he lost favour with the Dark Lord.

Ekrillium=


 * Name - 
 * Position - Monaus (High Ranking Official)
 * Status - Active

The Apocalypta known as Ekrillium is an old and ancient member of that dark order. Though by far not a warrior by nature, he is more of a scientist and an (unwanted) advisor to his master, Antediluvian. However, his power is quite immense as he managed to even kill one of the Atlantica. Ever since his awakening he aids Antediluvian in his master plan.

Ekrillium is also considered unstable, a bit mad and unpredictable. However he remains fiercely loyal to the Dark Lord and wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice himself for his master's plan. Ekrillium is also notable for disliking the use of Acolytes and as such didn't choose one for himself nor does he want to be involved with one of them. Nor does he really sees the other Apocalypta as allies, he only sees his master as that what is worth living for. In fact, it can be said that the concept of allies and enemies is a bit alien for Ekrillium, he either likes your, dislikes your or can tolerate you.

Artificial Intelligences
Adjunct=
 * Designation -  453
 * Role - Caretaker of Amemoriam

The Adjunct is an ancient Oikoumene construct that serves as Amemoriam's caretaker for a countless number of years, protecting it's endless secrets from the prying eyes of alien species. When and the  happened across Amemoriam, the eccentric AI, though initially alarmed, welcomed the newcomers, showing them the secrets he guards.

He eventually joining with what "he" saw as his "Creators" during the. However, not before creating a copy of himself to continue overseeing Amemoriam. Now, he exists alongside and his family, regarding them as something special.

Others
Chaneonix=


 * Name - Chaneonix
 * Position - Vosaus
 * Status - Active

Chaneonix is an Oikoumene who served as a protector of sentient life. Often resembling a fiery phoenix, Chaneonix symbolised new life and hope across Oikoumene space. He is known as a protector of all lifeforms, but does not hesitate to aid individuals against the Oikoumene's enemies, much unlike other Ultraterrestrials. Chaneonix possesses great power over reality, much of which appears like magic, but is actually the labour of countless years of technological advancements.

Unlike many other Oikoumene, who prefer to manifest themselves similar to Capricornians, Chaneonix often appears as a unique phoenix. Chaneonix came to prominence in the modern times when he saved from  and, later removing Apollo's memories regarding his involvement in his rescue. It is unclear what his relationship is with Antediluvian, but Chaneonix clearly couldn't stand for him acting against Apollo.

Chaneonix is believed to be the only non-Apocalyptan Oikoumene active in the Gigaquadrant in modern times.

Individuals
Undergoing retcon

Members
Antediluvian=

Antediluvian was once a great figure of peace and harmony, while being second in command of the tribe itself. However, he grew jealous of the power that was possessed by Apol'eus and attempted to kill him to gain power over the tribe. However, before he could, he was sealed in a dimensional prison by Apol'eus, only to be resued by the nearly formed Apocalypta. A bloody war raged, and Antediluvian was once again sealed away.

However, he was later reawakened by Republic soliders, accidently of course, and began on a plot to return the Apocalypta to power. His first act was to kill Asdras, the messenger of the Tribe, which he succeeded in doing, with his advanced abilities, much more powerful then before. He embarked on a journey to destroy the Tribe until he learned that the two, the Apocalypta and the Tribe cannot exist without the other. Content with this information, he went on to establish his dominion, creating the and instructing his acolytes to cause as much damage to the Tribe as possible.

Apol'eus=

The leader of the Thirteenth Tribe is known as Leader Apol'eus, which means the Warrior of the One, displaying his faith in the One God. Apol'eus has existed since time immemorial, being leader even during the time when the Apocalypta split from the Thirteenth Tribe, starting a dreadful civil war. The war's origins came to be, when Antediluvian, the second in command, plotted to kill Apol'eus in order to gain command over the Tribe, however, he was stopped and sealed in a dimensional prison, only to be rescued by his Apocalypta followers.

Angered, Apol'eus attempted to hunt them down and seal them away for eternity. However, the war dragged on, damaging the very foundations of reality until eventually, the Thirteenth Tribe used their combined strenghth to seal away the Apocalypta. Glad that this worked, he led the Tribe to prosperity. However, recently, after Artemis' defeat at the hands of his friend, the Ultimate God of the Rambo he began to feel a dark presence in the universe...

Chaneonix=

Chaneonix is an ultraterrestrial member of the Thirteenth Tribe. Often resembling a fiery pheonix, Chaneonix symbolizes new life and hope across the Thirteenth Tribe. He is known as a protector of all lifeforms, but does not hesitate to aid individuals against the Tribe's arch enemies, much unlike other Ultraterrestrials. Chaneonix possesses great power over reality, much of which appears like magic, but is actually the labour of countless years of technological advancements.

Unlike many other members of the Thirteenth Tribe, who prefer to manifest themselves similar to Capricornians, Chaneonix often appears as a unique phoenix. Chaneonix came to prominence when he saved from the dark forces of  and.

Aldrin-draco=

One of the tribe's scientists, Andrin-draco has become the subject of reverement by the Andromeda-based over last 350,000 years. His efforts at enlightening them have become the focus of their culture. He is one of the more radical members of the tribe, evidenced by the the direct involvement he took which led to the cult of Drakon's foundation and for taking a practical interest in the Draconis leader Uriel Ultanos. While dissapointed at the diefication the Draconis gave him the progress and tolerance thy have shown has offset this.

During the battle for Alcanti Andrin-draco was partially involved in Uriel's ressurection and since then he has comitted himself to keeping Uriel safe from anything his bodyguards cannot handle. Not the most imposing of tribe members, he is deeply caring of all life and shows great passion and love for all living creatures.

Esdras=

Esdras was the messenger and foremost warrior of the Tribe, whose main function was to protect the beings and installations of the Tribe from dark threats like the Apocalypta and the Xhodocto. During the Great Civil War, he was the one that caught Antediluvian before he managed to kill Apol'eus. Using his powers over reality, Esdras banished Antediluvian to a pocket dimensional prison, until his real judgement could be given. However, Antediluvian's followers managed to free him, and a massive civil war began, with Esdras fighting on the front lines, cutting down many Apocalypta.

When the Apocalypta were defeated and Antediluvian sealed away, Esdras continued his duties as warrior and messenger of the tribe. However, during the Intergalactic War, Esdras sensed a dark presence once more, and immediately teleported to Antediluvian's prison world, where he once again encountered his old friend. However, Esdras underestimated the Apocalypta's new found strength, and unfortunately was killed.

The Librarian=

The Librarian is a compassionate and wise scientist within the Thirteenth Tribe devoted to cataloging all sentient life in the universe, the Librarian sought to document and index all sentient beings of the universe, and protect them from being corrupted by evil, primarily from the Apocalypta. She was known as the most intelligent being in all the Thirteenth Tribe, and she has a love for all life, it was she that wanted to increase the chances of the Caprican Libertus surviving by placing tribal Libertus on ships that brought them to 11 other nearby worlds for them to settle, these worlds became known as the Twelve Tribes.

During the March of the Apocalypse, Warlord Kilnok was ascended to a higher plane, as a sacrifice. However, she informed him that she would let him leave the plane due to his bravery and courage.

Relations
The Thirteenth Tribe, as a general rule, never communicates directly to lesser sentient beings, and prepares to aid in their advancement and protection without the mortal's knowledge, to avoid being known as gods by these races. However, they often open communication with other godraces and even gods themselves, the strongest of which between the Thirteenth Tribe and the Rambo Gods, which eventually formed the Atlantica.

Protections
"We will devote our existence to the protection and continuity to these species."


 * Beings of the Cyrannus Galaxy
 * Other twelve Capricornians

Alliances
"We shall stand together against the darkness. And we will defeat it."
 * Gods of Rambo Nation

Enemies
"We shall send you back to the shadows from whence you came!"


 * Apocalypta
 * Artmyris, dark god of the Rambo

Quotes
"This will happen again."

- Antediluvian

"We are here. We are Chaos."

- Xhodocto

"DEM GODS IS A BUNCH OF LOSAS"

- Zr'Ahgloth

"Ah, the Thirteenth Tribe, beings we can really relate to. They are like us in the way that they are sympathetic to beings lower than them, too."

- Vyro'Narza

"It has been postulated that some of the Milky Way's Ancients might really have been the works of the 13th Tribe. We will never know if they were the same for sure, they are thought to appear in different forms to different races."

- Human Xeno-archaeologist

"We...shall...prevail..."

"We... shall... arrive... No name, no face... Annihilation... all of you... yes... Death... Prevail... Prevail... Prevail..."

"Enough of your mystery...and fade with blood and death."

- Anzilanarus

"Oh, our old friends. We miss your visits to the Database. Watching the races with you was such a pleasant passtime."

- Cyrannian

"We are in your debt, great Teachers."

"YOUR QUOTE IS STUPID AND YOU SHOULD FEEL STUPID"

- Agent Nu