Glossary

The Galactic Webbing - 

All of society, and its various colonised systems, are represented on a map with lines connecting star systems. This is often likened to the appearance of a (extremely haphazard) spider web. Space stations sitting in dead space, every place where a major city or minor settlement may reside is part of the Galactic Webbing, a line mapping the star-paths between major star systems and all but forgotten mining colonies.

Strands -

A Strand is like the mediaeval concept of a realm and is sometimes used interchangeably. It is the domain of any major body of government, such as Atlas (see: The Atlas Strand). A Strands tends to have control of various planets, some of which are not geographically close, and so their territory acts as a thread of the Galactic Webbing, a 'strand.'

Deep-Fire / Umbra-Arcana -

Fire that is produced by stars. An element (etherium) usually only produced during nuclear fusion in stars gives them a property that can atomise most anything, including Draconae hide. The large amounts found in the death and subsequent supernova of appropriately large stars break the barrier of belief, and can harm Gods without the mandate of man.

Planetary Category -

The planetary categories refer to how developed a particular planet is. A Category 1 (or Cat. 1) planet is considered the most developed, and a Category 5 is considered the least. This might appear when someone refers to one of the Atlas Strand’s Category 1 planets, or the empire’s Category 5 planets.

Freelancer -

A mercenary who takes jobs that involve interstellar travel.

Primal Gods -

Gods originating on Draconem (meaning the Court).

Exo Gods -

Gods originating on planets other than Draconem.

The Empyrean Era -

The current age, referring to the 'space age.'

The Atlesian Era -

The age before the Empyrean Era, dating from the rising of Atlas in 0 A.R. to 990 A.R.

The Star-Scape -

Outer space.

The Ink -

The far-out unexplored cosmos, especially in dead zones in which there are no stars. Slang for the middle of nowhere.

Exo-Planet -

Typically meaning a planet that is not Draconem, this phrase has evolved to mean a planet that people do not live on.

Star-Watch -

Space-station or starship-based communications control centres, as opposed to ground control.

Paragon Vessels -

A paragon vessel is a starship that grew a degree of fame for incredible feats that are canonised by the DUSC into their hall of fame. A starship is always canonised with her captain, who becomes a star saint.

Star Saints -

A star saint, usually expressed as simply ‘saint,’ is a ship captain who was inducted into the DUSC’s hall of fame alongside their starship for varying feats. The feats of a vessel and her captain might include a long career in freelancer work, the kind that earns fame and attention from the general population. It might also mean that the captain and crew sacrificed themselves and their vessel for a greater good, especially for the life or liberty of others. It can also be a long military career, a captain having served upon their ship for decades. The feats vary in type, but never importance.

Operator -

The trained individual who pilots a mantle-mail suit of armour.

ASC -

Standing for ‘Atlesian Space Command,’ the modern ship prefix for a spaceship registered within Atlas, or owned by an Atlesian citizen.

VAC -

Standing for ‘Vessel of the Atlas Crown,’ an antiquated ship prefix for spaceships of the Atlas military, or personal vessels of government officials. This is also the prefix that was given to ships that were gifts from the Crown.

OTS - 

Standing for ‘Of The Stars,’ a ship prefix meaning a sovereign vessel that not only doesn’t claim allegiance to any Strand in the Galactic Webbing, but vehemently rejects it.

MSF / Main Sequence Fuel -

Main Sequence Fuel (MSF or MS Fuel) is harvested and stored star-fire, usually in canisters of varying sizes that interface with different appliances/implements. Sun-cells are often used in weaponry.

Sun-Core -

Sun-cores contain miniature, synthesised stars with shorter life spans that allow for constant, powerful energy output - they also require special maintenance as they are highly radioactive, as stars tend to be.

Mantle-Mail Suit -

A catch-all term for a type of advanced armour, ranging from Halo’s Mjolnir MK4 to Anthem’s flight-capable javelin suits.

Company -

A corps of 99 Mantle-Mail Suits, often owned or sponsored by a military, corporation, or private individual.