Haelborne#
interdimensional space rats
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Governance#
Authoritarian theocracy.
Motives#
The Haelborne are a civilization of sentient humanoid rats that strip-mine universes just like the Immortals, in their own quest to achieve transcendency and use that to overthrow the Great Immortals and bring back their Elder superiors. They are a theocracy ruled by the Rat Lords as their High Priests and worship the Elder Immortals, to which the Rat Lords are said to be messengers.
But it’s all a big ruse. The Haelborne were created by the Six as an alternate means of acquiring reality fabric, left to run wild and believing they are truly aiding the cause of the original immortals. The chief Rat Lord is actually a plant left by the Immortals who gives them the results of the fabric-mining. Whether they can throw off these fate-bound shackles remains up to time.
Recent Events#
Turbulent Faith#
Haelborne are indoctrinated from birth, but there has been some recent contention in the faith. There hasn’t been any actual progress for a long while – just more and more reality mining and the occasional scientific breakthrough from on high. With the lack of substantial results, the population has recently grown sceptical of their purpose.
Kaaldenvale Expedition#
The Haelborne recently undertook an expedition to Kaaldenvale, seeming like any other reality mining operation. However, this time they have a special mission in mind, warranting the dispatch of a dysphorium.
They want to retrieve the Firmament Glass and use it as a divine catalyst to destroy the Governance, heavily weakening the Dawne Kingdom and open the kingdom to invasion. They need to invade the kingdom for a chance to take more of the remnant Immortal artifacts located there as well as capture the weakened Chaos for possible inside information.
However, acquiring the Glass requires Ari to willingly relinquish it- which she won't, as it's a very important family heirloom that she's been warned not to give up at all costs. Given that the dysphorium couldn't intimidate her into giving up the Glass, they've got to leverage her into giving it- with hostages.
Conveniently, Lloyd is friends with Ari and also a Haelborne member.
A secondary reason as to why they need the Firmament Glass is because the Great Immortals have been attempting to accrue all surviving remnants of the Elder Immortals, to abolish any hope of their return.
Society#
Their society is heavily based around hard work in aid of the faith. All haelborne are driven by their faith for the Elder Immortals to a zealous degree. Civilian haelborne will participate in expeditions like all the rest, the only sedentary people being those who raise the newborns and their scientists. Everyone else works in the field.
The Haelborne are ruled by the six Rat Lords. The Lords have been alive for millennia and are trusted almost irrationally due to their age and their authentic dedication to the faith. No new Lords have been elected since the initial formation of the council at the beginning of their civilization. They spend most of their time using their wisdom to plan expeditions and various operations while also advising the scientific division.
The scientific division is an incredibly important part of their society, as they are the ones responsible for engineering transcendence – one of their main goals, a prerequisite to stand up to the Great Immortals.
Biology#
Haelborne usually present as humanoid rat-headed creatures. They are extremely tall and possess long, branching antlers that can grow and sever at will. Haelborne are born at a high power level and can utilize that power in many different ways, the most intuitive being spontaneous kinetic energy and manifesting items that they understand well enough. They also project this energy passively, the resulting aura incurring an instinctual reaction of respect from weaker-willed beings in its range.
Other more esoteric uses of this energy is usually done through rituals like everyone else, though the Haelborne possess a unique ability to absorb and obtain the abilities of some magical artifacts, including ritual-enscribed energy matrixes. Say one absorbs a matrix containing a ritual for summoning a hurricane – they can now summon a hurricane at the cost of metaphysical energy (mana).
Relations#
Interdimensional Authority#
The Haelborne are considered a crime syndicate by Amirlith and other interdimensional factions due to their reality mining habits, which have often caused world deaths. Taskforces have been sent out to hunt them down multiple times, but their interdimensional moving cities are well stealthed.
Kaaldenvale#
The Haelborne had infiltrated Kaaldenvale long before AOH. They used various mystical methods to influence fae, building up a cult long before they arrived. Usually they would just waltz down and bust heads, but this time was a special mission and required finesse and reconnaissance. Ancient cultists grew dynasties that integrated into governments, set up arrival sites, and limited the metaphysical discoveries of faevinity.
Specialties#
The Haelborne often practice reality mining and have the best technology for it – not that they’re sharing, of course. They only do it for their religious purposes.
They also possess a massive fleet of voidships used for their various operations, sporting formidable weaponry including concentrated aura cannons and nukes, as well as premier speed.
Territory#
The holy city of Rattesse is one of the Haelborne’s many dimensional vessels, and it is their capital city. The city is spherical, with varying directions of gravity and towers sprouting from each side. Notable buildings include the massive council hall, the scientists’ lab vault, and the expansive voidship docks.
Aside from Rattesse are their various other interdimensional cities, as well as their expedition ships that could carry and support populations from small cities if needed.