Ring Realms Cosmos Master Glossary

Though the Kriar did not actually destroy other races, their invasive studies created massive disruptions in the development of hundreds of alien cultures. By the time dasta Daergon encountered the Jyril, they had defeated thousands of resisting cultures. So, when the Jyril warned the Kriar to stay out of their territory, the Daergons took it as another empty threat posed by yet another powerless race.

Their push into Jyril space netted the Kriar with their first combat losses in millennia. The Jyril had craft that not only matched the power and speed of Kriar star-vessels, but surpassed them in firepower.

Unfortunately, this did not deter the Daergon or his followers. It simply meant that for the first time in eons, there must be some really significant knowledge to be obtained. Daergon Surr continued to press the invasion, escalating the conflict into the first war that the Kriar had been involved in since the Fabrista/Karanganoi conflict.

The conflict did not last long. The Jyril moved en-mass and were quick to crush the Kriar vanguard before it got within striking distance of their home planet.

The Curse

When the Kriar were forced to retreat. The Jyril leadership were divided on what would deter the Kriar's disruptive behavior. They decided that only the harshest of punishments would really break the cycle of arrogance. They Jyril inflicted a race-wide "curse" on the Kriar, making them not only infertile but unable to feel or experience pleasurable sensations or emotions. This was deemed an appropriate punishment for their "unfeeling" and "insensitive" invasions into the sanctity of other cultures.

This loss was devastating to the Kriar in more than the obvious ways. It was a stunning rebuke to the arrogant and superior attitude carried on by Daergon and his followers. Limping away from Jyril space, the kriar retreated to the inter-universal void to lick their wounds, analyze the lessons learned, and try to undo the damage done to their race by the Jyril.

The Kriar researchers were soon to discover that the Jyril curse went beyond even their eons old super science. The genetic infertility and "numbing" could not be engineered away, even when manipulating the genes at the atomic level. Somehow, inexplicably, the cells would revert. No detectable radiation or change other than those wrought by the Jyril magic could be discerned.

The "Perpetual Life" Program

This set most of the leadership into a panic. The Kriar had given rise to their last generation and they as a race would have no more progeny. The only continuance the Kriar would have lay in the then living individuals. A continuance project immediately ensued, and all living Kriar went through engineering to effectively make their lives "perpetual". A renewal procedure was scheduled for all members so that psychotic ennui would not set in from over-long lives. At the time, there were already members from the second generation of Kriar who were already involved in a "perpetual life" program so it came as no shock to the general population when this course of action was chosen as a intermediate solution to the infertility conundrum.

The Jyril curse became a new and powerful motivation in the lives of the Kriar. The resources of an entire race were now focused on discovering a means to defeat this disastrous attack. Plans to revisit an attack on the Jyril were immediately dismissed because it was deemed that there simply was too big a gap in the capacities of the two races, and any losses experienced would be permanent and irreplaceable. It was decided that the search for lore to rectify their problem would be sought in other universes.

As one would hope, the ruling body had learned something from its mistakes, and was careful with the initial forays seeking information that might lead to a solution. The next cultural contacts were cautious and resulted in a minimum of disruption. An thus was begun "the great seeking". Agents of the Fabrista Homeworld scoured civilization after civilization looking for the choice bit of knowledge that would give them the key that would unlock the Jyril curse. With prime-directive protections back enforce the process was painfully slow and research stretched into decades, centuries, and millennia. Several hundred thousand fruitless cycles had passed when the Kriar found themselves entering a new universe. The universe of the Ring Realms.

Unfortunately, Azir's ability to elude pursuit did not prevent him from getting lost amongst of the thousands of parallel worlds of the ribbon realms. He moved from place to place, doing odd tasks to get food and shelter, and looking for a way back home to help his family. After a few seasons spent plane hopping he did eventually find his way back to Cosmodarus, a little older and more determined.

After several aborted attempts to free his parents and barely eluding capture, he went to the world of Titaan, and the city of Corwin, following the trail of his kidnapped sister. He learned that the temple of Hecate there had recently been over-run by the Justicars and most of the prisoners freed. His inquiries with Justicars bore no fruit, as none of the warriors involved in the raid recalled seeing a young girl. It was during these inquiries that he met his school friend Laramis De'Falcone, a well-connected Coormeerian paladin of Ukko, who had just been admitted to the ranks of the Justicars. Laramis' funds helped finance a wider search of Corwin, but the efforts netted no leads or any evidence that Azir's sister Liandra still lived or was even still on Titaan.

Azir turned his attention back to trying to find a way to free his parents from Mishaka. He turned his attention to the Elven land of Malan, his parents being longtime friends of the T'Evagduran royal family. It was Malan where he and Laramis had attended academy together learning everything from academic subjects to war-craft. His attempts to garner the help of the royal family were frustrated by a border war between Malan and the neighboring lands of Ironwood, and the Dwarves at Blackstar. The conflict had grown to the point that the T'Evagduran royals were involved and unable to be contacted much less assist in Azir's family crisis.

Azir then turned his attention to higher powers and his Grandmother Idun, the pantheon lady of the Aesir. He found it strange that the powerful goddess had not already come to the aide of her daughter and grand-daughter already. It was during his attempts to contact her that he learned of a wider conspiracy by the court of Odin against Euriel and her mother Idun. For more than two summers his efforts to contact Idun or get into Gladshiem were blocked by various "coincidences" and "happenstances" that he knew were anything but. It was shortly after that agents of Set and Hecate began pursuing him. He also began having run-ins with the black-winged Valkyrs called the Bloodguard. It was only incredible luck, his powers as a savant, and chance alliances with warriors of the All-World's Tournament that kept him from getting killed or captured.

With such forces mobilized against him, Azir could do little more than run. He spent several years only steps ahead of the agents of the pantheon lords. Eventually they gave up the pursuit and Azir was free to turn his attention back toward freeing his parents. Azir returned to Titaan, and located his friend Laramis, who, over the seasons, had risen considerably in the ranks of the Justicars and the faith of Ukko. Hardened by cycles spent on the run, skills honed by constantly being hairs from death, Azir decided to make one last ditch effort to free his parents with the assistance of Laramis and a few of his retainers.

Azir's efforts were to be short-lived by a chance and detrimental encounter with the avatar Hethanon, who would capture the man and give him into the hands of Mishaka. It is shortly after this time that Azir's sister Wren Kergatha would finally find her identity and her way back home after more than a decade spent in the streets of Corwin where she was a member of the Brethren guild of thieves. Wren and her friends would eventually succeed in their efforts to restore the Kergatha family, and Azir could finally end his cycles of torment and exile.

At age 7, Liandra was captured by the followers of Hecate for the purpose of succorunding (forced avatarism). Taken to the main temple of Hecate in the city of Corwin, the ritual to make Liandra and avatar was interrupted by an attack. She escaped into the streets with no memory of her former life as the daughter of the Baron and Baroness. Eventually she was taken in by house of prostitution where she did odd jobs for food and clothing. Not knowing her name or former life, it was while working for the courtesans that she received her street name, "Wren", from her propensity to crouch perched in windowsills like a bird.

As Wren grew older, she fell in with a guild crowd and discovered her talents for burglary, particularly tasks that required climbing or balancing. At around age 15 she meets a girl dancing with gypsies and they become friends. She and Ziedra Skyedoom hang together for several cycles but grow apart when Ziedra's dancing success leads her to overconfidence in her influence in the Corwinian royal court. Ziedra is forced to flee when displeased lady of the courts sends assassins after her.

After the departure of Ziedra, Wren teams up with Grahm Tuffala and they are a successful hiesting duo at the top of the Brethren guild's charts.

Wren is approximately 26 when the guild is attacked by the Cult of the Dagger lead by an avatar of Sett named Hethanon. Most of the guild is slaughtered, Grahm is killed and Wren narrowly escapes being raped by the avatar.

Wren seeks the assistance of a priest of Ishtar named Jharon Ko who helps her get to Ivaneth to seek the Brethren guildmistress Desiray Illkaren. She runs into the wizard of Ivaneth -- Cassandra Felspar who unites Wren and Desiray. Together they confront Hethanon and both end up victims of jikartandak poison (magical concentrated hate). While in a coma Wren makes contact with savant Damay Alostar who is imprisoned within her phoenix amulet. Before waking up, Wren promises to bring Damay back to life.

With Wren stricken by god-poison Jharon Ko accompanies her back to the Felspar freehold where Wren makes friends with most of the Felspar family including Loric Felspar who as a "gift" soothtells her true name "Liandra Kergatha".

Liandra makes friends with Sindra and Drucilla Frielos, D'klace assassins and ancient daughters of Aarlen Frielos (The Ice Falcon). In freak incident, the Frielos twins are with Liandra and Jharon when the priest is called back to his temple. The arrive at the precincts of Ishtar to find everyone within the temple massacred and the avatar of Hecate Mishaka waiting for them. In the ensuing fight Jharon is slain. Wren also learns the Mishaka is holding her parents captive in Cosmodarus.

The Felspars decide to side with Liandra in finding her parents and the subsequent investigation brings the ire of Hecate down on the family. It is during this period that she begins G'Yaki training with the house-maid Vera (Su'ko Hoshihana). She also gets the attention of Gabriella Sarn Ariok (The Dragon Queen) and ends up getting infected with bloodsong. Shortly after, she and Desiray open one of the keys of the Firsts and make their way into Starholme Prime where Liandra makes contact with Gaea. She becomes connected to the ancient artifact before being sent back to Ivaneth. It is on their return that she is reunited with an older, heavier, and slightly wiser Ziedra. Who immediately joins with Wren and follows her back to the Felspar citadel. After some maneuvering, Wren persuades Dorian Degaba to make a body for Damay.

Wren is in the process of restoring Damay to life when she in unexpectedly drawn into the "Great Game". Forced to compete Wren comes into conflict with Aarlen Frielos and her daughters. Ultimately, as the game winds down Hecate sends most of her avatars after the entire group of players including Aarlen. Loric also caught up in the conflict gives the First weapon Mon'Istiaga to Liandra, who merges with the world splitter and annihilates Hecates avatars.

This last act of resistance puts everyone on Hecate's list. The Felspars are forced to abandon their citadel. Seeking somewhere remote, they retreat to the jungle refuge of the myrmigynes of Jhandris'Kul and the great tree of Duran'Gravar. During her stay with myrmigynes, she meets Irodee Skyesteel.

It is with Irodee and Ziedra, Liandra finally manages to locate Cosmodarus, confront Hecate, and free her parents. She alse meets her brother Azir and her grandmother the pantheon lady Idun Yggdrasil.

Engineers are required to be flight certified on all vessels up to 100,000 tons. They must have combat certification on three classes each of ground armor, flight armor, tactical and strategic fighter craft. To qualify above Thane rank, Engineers must check out as at least level 5 certified in all time-diving related skills. Engineers must also be checked out on all classifications of portable weaponry, and able to perform field strip and repair on said same. They must also be proficient with biomedical units, and fluent in the programming/hacking of cybernetic a.i. Because the Engineer track emphasizes flight and technical knowledge, Engineers have much looser martial requirements.