WOLFSBANE ARTICLE 10: 'EMPIRES'

“One of many, and many of one.” ~ Dante 'Fenris' Vulfuris, when asked to sum up the SWORDS with as few words as possible.





AN OFFSPRING OF SORTS...

- It was mentioned in the previous Article that the Ternion of the Wolfsbane Network, the Azegan Hegemony, and the Grim Renaissance have something special that they 'share'. It isn't something they have divided among themselves, like resources and powers. Rather, they have all contributed tidbits of their 'selves' to its creation. The individual amounts of such components may seem disproportionate to each other, but their significance and frequency of usage ultimately balances out.

- It has been revealed that Wolfsbane has created many civilizations. The Fringe Empires: Network States, also known as the FENS, are based of the Azegan Hegemony's way of life, namely the unique usage of multiple 'States' that designate a style and flavor of Empire, as well as the War Games Ceremonies that force such Empires to advance at rates more rapid than others.

- Wolfsbane War Games are different from the Hegemony War Games; the Network takes the worst losers from each session, confiscates everything useful, demotes them into non-Wolfsbane versions of their real selves, and then discards them from its collection of Empires that exist by the borders of Firsgate-Earth. These former FENS have united and formed their own nation, one that may be considered a special offshoot of the Ternion, since it bears elements from its three members.

- So, to recap: first, there was the Triumvirate. Then, there was the Ternion. Now, while they are called the 'Troika' by members of the Wolfsbane Syndicate, they are more commonly known as the 'Severed Wolfsbane Outermost Rogue Detachment States'. The SWORDS, for short.

- As this series has focused on Firstgate-Earth, also known as THRESHOLDS-35, the SWORDS that has spawned from it is going to be the subject of focus. Therefore, although 'SWORDS-35' is the proper name of the Empire in question of this document, it will simply be referred to as the SWORDS.

- The SWORDS draw from their Ternion roots in different ways. From the Network: a sort of patronage. From the Hegemony: their essence and heritage. From the Renaissance: a force that drives them onwards harder than War Games. These topics will be elaborated on further down this Article. Expressed by way of simple analogy, Wolfsbane would be the Papa, the Hegemony would be the Mama, and the Renaissance would be the Psycho Killer With Rabies that forces the SWORDS to run down the street as fast as they can.





...WITH AN EXTENSIVE REACH

- Despite making their home within the field of Firstgate-Earth's Target Zone, the SWORDS reside in a collection of realms they have personally constructed called the Hyperkingdom. While the total extent of their territories is smaller than the 'skin' between the Doorway Layer and the Target Zone, the former of which is where the FENS reside, the SWORDS do not want for space. In fact, the individual Superkingdoms making up the SWORDS Hyperkingdom are inconceivably larger than the most massive Existences. It is said that, size-wise, beyond-infinite sets of 'Cosmic-Type' Omniverse Clusters wouldn't even begin to make the notion of forming a 'building block' of a SWORDS Superkingdom, of which the tiniest 'Sub-Component' would need to be manufactured out of innumerable such 'building blocks'.

- The resources needed to create vast macrocosms of SWORDS Superkingdoms is undoubtedly immense. The SWORDS manage because Wolfsbane treats them like Outsider Employees, due to a document called the SHIELDS Treaty. Outsider Employees receive Theoncell Harvests as their payments, which means 'Omnipotent Creator-Type' Higher Entities are probably loose change in the wallets of SWORDS higher-ups. Judging from how extreme Theoncell Harvests can get, it probably wouldn't be a farfetched guess to say that Hyperkingdoms are probably one of the lesser assets created by the SWORDS.

- In a very Wolfsbane-like gesture, the Hyperkingdom is separate from the Target Zone and all its Realities and Fabrics of Creation, but it has extensions into many other places. The wandering tendrils of the Hyperkingdom don't actually 'penetrate' any Realms. Instead, they form a system of links and connections that sprout SEEDS, which are 'platform domains' for incursions into a selected destination. The SEEDS Web may then be considered as the SWORDS gateway into places it did not create, and those shall be referred to as Foreign Grounds.

- A SEEDS is created to be a 'superior clone' of the Foreign Grounds the SWORDS want to establish a presence in. Once the SEEDS has been designed, it creates a Ultraportal into its designated Foreign Grounds.

- After the Ultraportal has been stabilized, the SWORDS are able to insert a display of their power, creating a foothold from which to spread their influence all over the Foreign Grounds. The aforementioned 'foothold' can be anything. Sometimes, it's an Entity that travels the Foreign Grounds. Sometimes, it's a Construct. It depends on what the SWORDS have in mind. Such footholds are called SHEATHES, and those are designated 'Numbers' that reflect on how rapidly they have been meant to develop.

- In turn, SHEATHES are able to create expansions of their own within Foreign Grounds, much like a regular Empire would. Any territories claimed or made by a SHEATHES are called STABS.

- Now, even if SEEDS Platform Realms are precisely less than nothing compared to the smallest Superkingdom, they are full-fledged places. They don't technically exist, since they're creations of Monarchs that were made to be non-existent, even to those who are non-existent. There will be some who will say they've been to a SEEDS, or know what's going on inside a SEEDS, but it's all according to the decoys and detours Monarchs have set in place. Sound familiar? It's something Wolfsbane did with the Doorway Layer of Firstgate-Earth. SEEDS also don't have any standard size or form. Since they are made to 'mirror' the Foreign Grounds that the SWORDS want a presence in, they can literally be anything. If the SWORDS want to create a SHEATHES within a universe, the SEEDS Platform Realm is created to be a universe. If a multiverse, then the SEEDS created will be a multiverse. Incomprehensible Voids of Nothingness, Fictional Domains, Nth Level Dimensions, Omniverse Superclusters, Eldritch Habitations, Reality Amalgams beyond the reach of Logic: nothing is beyond the reach of the SWORDS. Once again, this has been 'learned' from the way Wolfsbane makes incursions into their Target Zone. The only reason why some Foreign Grounds might not play host to a SHEATHES is because a SHEATHES 'Number' is already in use. There is only one SHEATHES-55 because there only needs to be one SHEATHES-55. There only needs to be one SHEATHES-55 because the Monarchs can at a whim create Cosmic Infinities of SWORDS Superkingdoms for each subatomic particle making up any 'place' or 'species' one might care to mention or conceive. Since the SWORDS can expand with leisure, SHEATHES are pretty much a recreational act. Like the Hegemony, the SWORDS believe there's no harm in being courteous enough to meet up with other factions aside themselves.

- Two of the more well-documented SHEATHES are SHEATHES-70, within the 'Jormugandr-10' Omniverse Grid, and SHEATHES-10, within a Universe codenamed by its SEEDS as 'Chupacabra-4'.

- Next up, the underlying essences of the SWORDS:





DESCENDANT STATES

- The Machina State: A society revolving around Science. The Machina State bases itself off all knowledge. They cover precepts ranging from Technology to Electronics. Although the last of the Three States to be created, signifying how science comes after everything else has been established, it is by no means the weakest. As Technology is the act of taking whatever is lying around oneself and using it to solve a problem, so does this State convey the ability to reshape everything with great authority and pride. Even the other two States know this: much like a hunter using something as natural as a branch to slay a predator, the Machina state can take anything they throw at it, and turn it into its own tool. If Science is the Art of gathering and utilizing Knowledge, then the Machina State boasts its ultimate grandmasters.

- The Natura State: A society revolving around Nature. The Natura State bases itself off the living universe. They cover precepts ranging from Flesh to Natural Disasters. Probably the eldest and most straightforward of the Three States, it bases itself on all that exists, has existed, or will exist. This State is not just limited to concept of Biology. Everything from Black Holes, to the Laws of Time and Gravity are things that are part of Existence. While the Machina State 'manipulates what exists', and the Arcana 'defies what exists', the Natura 'embraces what exists' to advance. That doesn't mean it places little emphasis on Flora and Fauna. The Natura State holds Birth and Life, Death and Decay as among the most precious aspects of Existence, adding elements of beauty and worth to an otherwise barren and stagnant Fabric of Reality.

- The Arcana State: A society revolving around Magic. The Arcana State bases itself off the supernatural. They cover precepts ranging from Enchantment to Necromancy. Unlike most others, the Magics wielded by the Arcana state are utterly beyond the reach of Science; they have been tailored to be untouchable by any form of Logic. However, as the practice of True Magic had been outlawed by Siegfried, whether within Wolfsbane or within its associates, the Bosses were forced to create a unique alternative called Cozen, which may still perform anything Magic can, namely the warping of Reality to produce a desired effect. As Cozen is not really Magic, it will remain functional even when taken into places where Magic does not exist. Any targets normally immune to Magic, or any 'unnatural forces', are not immune to Cozen.

- The Three Basic States may be merged with each other into the Three Fusion States.

- The Cybora State: The mixture of the Natura and Machina States. Cybernetic organisms, creature and machine in one, may be found in this State, and this applies to everything from gear, to technologies, to constructs. The Cybora State brings to bear nature's wrath and science's ingenuity against the foes of the SWORDS, and their products are both high-tech and highly-evolved.

- The Divina State: The mixture of the Machina and Arcana States. Essentially, this is what is known to most societies as Magitek. The difference is that instead of genuine Magic, it is fabric of Cozen being used. The products of the Divina State are similar to what one would find to those who've used Magitek, but they have been known to take things to a whole new level of crazy.

- The Bellua State: The mixture of the Arcana and Natura States. This is the State of Myths, and one of the many things it may be employed to unleash are beings that are both Creature and Magic, where Magic has been replaced with Cozen The Bellua State creates gargantuan ecosystems, using strengths of what is 'real' and 'unreal' to fix or eliminate the weaknesses of both.

- The Three Basic States may also be combined altogether into the Three Regal States.

- The Totala State is largely undocumented for now, but it is the result of a Harmonious Fusion of all Three States, each one joining with the other in fullness and completeness. The might of this State is outrageous, put lightly. The joining of Science, Magic and Nature into one force puts puts to shame the capabilities of any single or dual State, both in sheer potency and versatility.

- The Obscura State is largely undocumented for now, but it is the result of a Conflicting Fusion of all Three States, each one negating with the others to form a State that is not Machina, Arcana, or Natura. What exactly this dark and enigmatic union produces is something only the Monarchs can fully comprehend. But, one thing is for sure: it equals the Totala State in all its aspects.

- The Fabula State is largely undocumented for now, and it is unique among all the States. Some say it is the State of Art and Imagination, a 'middle road' between the Totala and the Obscura States; it is the Grey in between the Black and White. It is not a basic State like the Natura, Machina or Arcana, neither is it a mixture. A Fusion, yet not a Fusion; it is something all to its own.

- It is unknown what happens when the aforementioned States perform more complex types of merging beyond the Fusion States. Some believe the 'products' will resemble those Wolfsbane's current FENS. This seems to be the best theory, as the SWORDS are allowed and required to manufacture all their units after Wolfsbane and Azega's own, as per the SHIELDS Treaty.





DESCENDANT LEADERS

- The SWORDS are ruled by Semi-Entities called Monarchs. These beings are based mostly off Azegan Regals, with some influence from Grim Artists.

- Like Azegans, Monarchs are the 'Sum Collective' of their Empires, Assets and Subjects. They quite literally a part of their underlings, and their underlings are a part of them. They are called Semi-Entities, because while they can assume the form of a 'Person', they are also one-hundred percent 'Construct', 'Concept', 'Item', 'Place', and more. They are the soil upon which their cities are built upon. They are the minds and wills of their people. They are the vehicles and ships that bombard an enemy's planet from orbit. They are the Superkingdom and the Hyperkingdom. They are all of the SWORDS, and all of the SWORDS are them.

- Monarchs are divided into Emperors and Empresses, but this separation of genders is purely cosmetic. What isn't cosmetic is the ranking of Emperors and Empresses:

- Lesser Monarchs rule over any footholds of the SWORDS within Foreign Grounds, like SHEATHES and their STABS. Greater Monarchs command actual SWORDS territories, from SEEDS to the Superkingdoms. Supreme Monarchs preside over all the SWORDS, including the Hyperkingdom and anything bigger they've created.

- Every SWORDS leader is the inheritor of a special power given to the Azegan Hegemony by the Grim Renaissance. The 'Monarch's Authority' is a heavily watered-down version of the 'Regal's Authority', but it functions along the same principles. Under their Authority, Monarchs are able to enforce a sort of 'Copyright' on everything that belongs to them. This capability is obscenely complex, so its mechanics will not be glossed over. However, it can be demonstrated, and it is most commonly seen through what Monarchs are able to do with their Subjects when faced with the challenge of usury.

- For example, demonically possessing the body of a Natura State soldier is a futile endeavor. In the event that a Monarch permits an possession to happen, it is always for the purpose of creating a mole, a spy of sorts that is allowed to be assimilated into an enemy faction. Once the Monarch has gained what he or she wants, Authority is exerted once more and the possessed unit, which should have remained under the thralls of the demon within it, falls back into the command of its Monarch. Mind Control is even more useless; the Monarch's Authority always succeeds in enabling their Subjects to shrug off everything from psychic to magical assaults. Hijacked assets are probably the worst things an enemy could employ. There have been reports of guns being taken from SWORDS caches by secret agents; they opened fire, only to be killed by a hail of bullets that curved trajectories in mid-flight.

- Another example is the protection of SWORDS assets, from blueprints to trade secrets, from being stolen. Since Monarchs are also 'Concepts', they exist on a Conceptual Level and are fully capable of affecting their belongings as such. Attempts to record, duplicate, or duplicate and then modify SWORDS designs and powers are a lost cause. Empires with all-powerful Magics and Technologies have attempted to run structural scans over SWORDS ships before, and the most such actions have ever yielded were Rickrolling Videos. Snatched data itself may be false, or it could be a functioning 'half-truth' where the opponents are given a design from something that works, but is still not the 'real deal'.

- Thus far, Monarchs have demonstrated four Authority categories, with many more up their sleeves. The Assimilation Authority allows Monarchs to continue controlling their assets in the event of anything infringing on their Copyright, regardless of whether it was permitted or not; an example has already been given in terms of what happens to stolen ammunition. Furthermore, if an enemy has the ability to copy, retain, become, and create opposing/stronger versions of the a mimicked Subject, Subject Ability, or the Monarch Authority itself, Monarchs can simply asset their right over the finished products as if they were the ones who came up with it. The Avaricious Authority of the Monarchs is what prevents any loss of control in the first place. Their Avenging Authority is special, even among their many types of Authorities. It allows the Monarchs to create or trigger special effects as if in response to any infringements. For example, if a ship of the Machina State is infiltrated and commandeered by pirates, all nearby vessels somehow gain the ability to split into multiple replicas when opening fire upon said pirates. Going back to the scenario of an enemy duplicating Monarch assets, Monarchs can simply immunize themselves against any goods they've permitted foes to makes off with, and if said foes can mirror such actions, the Monarchs can automatically do the same even better than any infringing parties could ever hope to. The Annihilation Authority allows Monarchs to order stolen assets to weaken drastically or self-destruct anywhere they may be, through any attempt to cut them off from communicating, and with varying degrees of catastrophic power. It is a simple and cost-effective method of deterring enemies from mimicry, made all the more fearsome when an enemy finds out that the Annihilation Authority applies to any copies made from the original. Even the distribution of salvaged parts is a dangerous thing to do, and just because ideas are easier to steal, doesn't mean the Monarchs aren't capable of turning a few heads into showers of brain matter. Either way, copying or replicating anything that belongs to the Monarchs is the least effective thing one can do to fight them.

- There are loopholes to the Monarch's Authority, and those will sometimes bypass their more offense-oriented influences. Original concepts inspired by the SWORDS in SHEATHES below the Number 300, not necessarily mimicked or taken from the Monarchs, are able to slip through their Avaricious, Assimilation and Annihilation Authorities. However, that doesn't guarantee safety. Their Avenging Authority remains very much intact, and their troops will gain a slough of beneficial effects against anything that they may have inspired others to make. Even if an empire denies or provides proof that their designs were not based off the SWORDS own, the very pride of the Monarchs will trigger the Avenging Authority. If it even lightly resembles something that the SWORDS have been exclusively using, then the Monarchs will not be denied their justice. The Monarchs are not trigger-happy with their Authority, but that's not to say they aren't vigilant about it.

- Perhaps the biggest drawback to the Authority of the Monarchs is where they may use it. Unlike the Prerogative of Grim Artists, the Monarch's Authority only exists within the 'borders' of their official Territories. That means that if it is outside the designated boundaries of the SWORDS Hyperkingdom, or the SEEDS Web, or any SHEATHES and STABS within Foreign Ground, then such a place is beyond the Monarch's control. The exception to this rule is their Subjects. Everything from troops to fleets are considered mobile 'pieces' of the Monarch's territory, and these may be equipped with an aura that extends the Monarch's Authority to the immediate vicinity.

- Like their Authority, Monarchs themselves can only exist within their domains. If others desire a chat with them, it will have to be via communication devices. They are unable to venture out of their realms, or from within their people. Their Subjects, being part of them, have the same problem. The only way for Monarchs and Subjects alike to venture outside their Territories is for them to 'expand' their borders from within; Manifestations of the Wolfsbane Bosses, being their Patrons, may also do that for them via Protocol. Border-extension is especially required whenever Monarchs want to mount an attack or explore, and they have many methods and styles for enlarging their boundaries.

- While Monarchs cannot use their Authority over Foreign Grounds, what they can do within their own domiciles is limitless and absolute, redefining Beyond-Omnipotence. Monarchs themselves are Above-Cosmic in their own right, and their vast power only grows with each reward they are given by the Bosses. Granted, Monarchs have varying degrees of might. For instance, Lesser Emperors and Lesser Empresses are at the bottom of the ladder. Yet, there is an undeniable level of might with each display of their Authority. Fate, Space, Time, Logic and Fact are theirs alone to control and know where their royal rights apply.

- STABS Colonies are the odd one out concerning Monarch Authority. They are protected, but since they are located within Foreign Grounds, over which the Renaissance did not allow the Monarchs true control, the Authority covering them is extremely diminished. STABS Colonies are only 'partially owned' by the Monarchs, unlike their SHEATHES Headquarters.

- Speaking of the Wolfsbane Syndicate, they have a few conditions in place in exchange for continuing to treat the SWORDS properly.





DESCENDANT PROCEDURE

- An honored tradition that is a way of resolving politics and a whole host of other issues. While a requirement by Wolfsbane in order for it to enact the SHIELDS Treaty, the SWORDS view this practice as a way to speed up their advancement as well. They believe it to be the easiest item to obey on the SHIELDS Treaty, and it is treasured greatly as it is one of the few things they have been allowed to keep from their time as part of the Network.

- Unlike a lot of SWORDS data, only the War Games within the SWORDS Territories are confidential. The War Games held within SHEATHES are actually open to the public, so there is a lot of outsider documentation on how those are performed.

- SHEATHES War Games have five stages to them: the Opening Ceremony, the Battle Phase, the Ceasefire Phase, the War Phase, and the Closing Ceremony. There is a period of total peace between each Session of War Games that all the States use to develop themselves; expansions and such continue regardless of whether there are War Games going on or not.

- The Opening Ceremony is a massive parade that introduces each State and their participating Banners. The forces, gear, and upgrades they bring to this War Games Session are shown off, either to fool or intimidate the competition. Showing off better assets brings more points, but doing so allows opponents to analyze them early on, which is why Banners must be extremely judicial of the situation. This simulates the initial tension prior to the conflict, where nations size each other up and form initial strategies. Opening Ceremonies counts for 20% of a State's total score and 20% of their Banners total score. Many other traditional and cultural gestures later, the War Game program and rules are declared and accepted. The Monarchs then transport the competing Banners to a sanctioned War Zone. The moment they arrive commences the fighting.

- The Battle Phase counts for 20% of a State's total score and 20% of their Banners total score. This stage is the initial bout of army-fighting, empire-establishing, resource-gathering, and it simulates the event of two sides meeting for the first time. One can choose to play it safe, one can be more aggressive, or a mixture of both. Each strategy has its ups and downs. Playing it safe, for example, earns fewer points as Banners are unlikely to destroy or produce anything when concentrating purely on defending themselves. Note that each death that happens is real, but not permanent. As mentioned earlier, the War Zone is a sanctioned place, and the Monarchs are doing the sanctioning. Units killed may not be brought back to participate by their Monarch (albeit Subjects with the ability to resurrect may still do so) but are revived during the Closing Ceremonies. Depending on the War Zone session, unforeseen circumstances, and the power of the competitors, each Battle Phase may last from mere weeks to countless centuries. The Battle Phase may be ended either by a winner dominating all others or a set time limit.

- Contrary to its name, the Ceasefire Stage is not a period of peace. It simulates a 'Cold War' between enemy parties, which occurs under the pretense of ceasefire. Battles are not fought on the field of brutalities and carnage, but on the field of espionage, intelligence, and subterfuge. Each State and their Banners retreat into fortifications and encampments built during the Battle Phase, but while open conflict may not be found in the open due to severe score penalties, the shadows teem with strife. Data is stolen, stolen back, hidden or faked. Commanders and important targets are corrupted, assassinated or controlled via a plethora of ways. Agents, whether they be spies or contract killers, dominate this Phase. Some even become Double-Agents, Triple-Agents, and so forth, to the point that no side knows who they work for. There is no such thing as unsportsmanlike conduct here, or in the other Phases for that matter. This is a brawl of minds, and it is no less important than a physical melee, which is why the Ceasefire Stage also counts for 20% of a State's total score and 20% of their Banners total score.

- The War Phase is the penultimate stage of the War Games. It simulates renewed, pitched and/or sequel battle wherein those involved have been used to each other some time. Everything is resumed, from capturing resources to the repairs of fortresses. However, this is the stage where new and revised strategies are implemented, trump cards are revealed, some of them already sabotaged as a result of the previous Phase, and the fighting reaches a massive climax, with everything from superweapons to reserves being deployed. This Phase counts for 20% of a State's total score and 20% of their Banners total score, and it is not uncommon to lose many referees and spectators to collateral damage. Fortunately, they too will be resurrected in the following stage of the War Games.

- The Closing Ceremonies award the final 20% of a State's total score and 20% of their Banners total score. This is decided via a ton of criteria lists, like unannounced factors, or the rise and fall of heroic individuals during the other Stages, which can all play a huge role in attaining victory, both in the long and short runs. Even successful and unsuccessful attempts to win outside Tournament Parameters are factored in; while the Monarchs see everything going on, points are subtracted only if the referees personally catch the cheaters. Successful evasion of the rules is not frowned upon because thinking outside the box and playing dirty are considered valid weapons to use against foes of the SWORDS. Once the scores are tallied up (and there will be no calculation errors due to the omniscience of the Monarchs within the War Zone) the winners are declared, their lost forces are returned, and prizes are issued.

- From trophies, spoils and power, the rewards of the War Games are various and hefty. They can range from economic prizes, like taking over a company, which is awarded only to victors who have displayed fitting levels of competence and skill in this area, elevated positions in the military, or even favors/wishes to be granted by the Monarchs themselves. But no matter the result, it is certain that the SWORDS or SHEATHES hosting the War Games will have gained the most overall benefits. The Three States have reached a new level of strength, and they will be doing all they can to surpass their former selves and each other; that will be evident the next time they meet.

- Note that the War Games of the SWORDS are more Azegan than Wolfsbane. They do not eliminate the lowest of the losers; they are instead sent into training, and the winners are divided into reserve troops and active troops. This is done because the SWORDS cannot afford to simply toss assets aside, unlike Wolfsbane with its FENS, even if any one of Wolfsbane current FENS could eliminate the entirety of the SWORDS were it not for the SHIELDS Treaty. Because of the notion presented in the previous sentence, newcomers command a great deal of respect. They may not be veterans of the Rogue Detachments, but it is certain that whatever the Network has most recently discarded has advanced at a much greater rate, despite the fact that most of their assets are stripped off them on their way out the proverbial door.

- Aside the directive will of the Monarchs over their Subjects, this is basically the only other form of Government followed by the SWORDS.

- All FENS transferred out of the Wolfsbane Network are divided up among the SWORDS States, sometimes sent into preexisting Banners. Technically, the latest batch of discarded FENS is free to do as it pleases, but there is a certain document that makes unification with the SWORDS their only viable option:





THE SHIELDS TREATY

- An agreement through which Wolfsbane states that it will not consider the SWORDS as an 'ostracized' faction in exchange for a presence within it. The SWORDS have all authority to govern themselves as their own civilization, but the Bosses may still have a say in their matters. Wolfsbane has also declared that it has no intention of usurping too much control; that would defeat the purpose of granting the SWORDS independence in the first place. In return, the SWORDS have sworn to uphold the requirements listed within the treaty itself. As there are a lot of those, only a few key points will be mentioned.

- First is the production of Hosts for Wolfsbane Bosses, Hegemony Emissaries, and Grim Artists to Manifest through. The Bosses play the part of Mentors to the SWORDS Monarchs, similar to the way Siegfried, Delmorte and Vidan are. Azegan Emissaries, no matter what their true rank is within the Hegemony, are just there to record and observe the SWORDS. Grim Artists make appearances for the sake of causing all sorts of problems for the SWORDS, weeding out any weak links. Any Subject of the Monarchs who survives an encounter with a Grim Artist, even if it is just a Manifestation, is guaranteed to survive an encounter with anything else.

- Second is the continuation of the FENS' main tradition. See War Games.

- Third is to respect and revere humanity wherever they may be found. Whether they are part of the SWORDS or are enemies to it is irrelevant. Humans are to be upheld above all other lifeforms.

- Fourth is to maintain a standard of superiority to others, and this is maintained by SWORDS gauging their might and comparing it to everyone else. They must achieve a certain level, and to drop below acceptable margins is to lose the attention of the Bosses, which automatically dissolves the SHIELDS Treaty.

- Fifth is the requirement of the SWORDS to imitate its three parental organizations. It is to mimic the revealed FENS of Wolfsbane, from nomenclature to unit designs. The Monarchs are to use their Authority with the clout of a Grim Artist. The Azegan way of raising up Empires is to be an everyday thing. This is done in honor of the SWORDS' roots, and it is why their States name and model their units directly after the FENS' own. Note that despite bearing similarities, sometimes to the point of being identical, anything the current FENS possess will still outclass that of the SWORDS. A 'Brontosaurus' born to the Natura State of the FENS will always be inconceivably more powerful than one from the Natura State of the SWORDS.

- The previous point is why Emperors and Empresses have a constant fear that the Wolfsbane War Games will throw away a FENS with no intention of joining up with the SWORDS, or worse, it might aim to conquer them outright. Even if the SWORDS are the culmination of all previously-trashed FENS, all of them still continuing to progress rapidly, the newer FENS are always very capable of taking out the SWORDS (including their direct predecessors) even if they've lost a lot of their power in the process of being cast aside. This is where the SHIELDS Treaty comes in handy: the Bosses have assured the Monarchs that they will only sign one such document, meaning any rogue FENS not aligned with, or fully-cooperating with the SWORDS, are in danger of being consumed by Wolfsbane.

- While it seems self-contradictory that the Bosses would be interested in something they've already placed within the metaphorical trash can, one must realize that it isn't the Bosses who pose the threat but their Outsider Mercenaries. They may be ranked as even lower than Wolfsbane Beginner Operatives, who are at the very bottom of Wolfsbane hierarchy, but they still benefit from being employed by the Network. Therefore, Mercenaries have enough power and freedom to 'salvage' whatever the Bosses have decided to leave behind. As history has revealed many times, dictators don't make very good leaders if they have no clue on how to run a nation, or are only invested towards selfish gains. Wolfsbane Outsiders are great at what they do; it's just that they don't usually take well to guiding Empires, otherwise they wouldn't have signed up to be a hired help in the first place. And it is a fact that those who are on the lookout for FENS not covered by the SHIELDS Treaty are often in it just for fun.

- The SHIELDS Treaty was, unsurprisingly, Scheidel von Eisenhower's idea, him being one of the more considerate members of the Wolfsbane Syndicate. It creates a special haven that FENS who have lost the Wolfsbane War Games may retreat into, but they may only stay there if they play by the rules of those who got there first. This creates a balance of power that everyone happily adapts to, mostly because it's worked out so far.





IMPERIAL DETAILS

- None, really. While specifics exist with almost every other Empire, details cannot be presented about the parameters of the SWORDS. The immensity, potency and variety of their economical, military, political, cultural or developmental prowess is reputed to be greater than even nexuses of Beyond-Cosmic Computers, Power or Minds dare make educated guesses about. The Monarchs would know; they've tasked many of those to try, and each attempt has been a failure, no matter how many eternities they allot for calculations. Because of this, the Hyperkingdom, and every single Superkingdom that comprises it, cannot be the topic of discussion; for all sakes and purposes, those are moot points. What aren't moot points, though, are SHEATHES, and the STABS colonies they create.

- The Monarch's Authority, and their status as Semi-Entities, creates a unique situation. There are ups and downs to their predicament. On one hand, they are always in tune with their Subjects, and their dominion over their Assets is impossible to truly remove. Multiple groups of enemies working in perfect unity will always need to call upon their fullest strength to overwhelm Lesser Emperors and Empresses; tricks and subterfuge are about as effective as trying to destroy them in one fell swoop. On the other hand, Subjects are not easily transferable from one Monarch to another. This is because the Subjects of Monarchs being 'part' of them, theoretically and actually. They make up the Monarch's body exactly as much as they make up his or her willpower; this applies both ways. To transfer a Subject to a Monarch it did not originate from will have two results:

- From a SHEATHES Monarch with a 'Lesser Number' to a Monarch with a 'Greater Number': The Subject is ground to nothingness by the receiving Monarch's Authority. The more 'fragile' pieces of a 'weaker' Monarch cannot sustain an existence within the crushing grasp of a 'stronger' Monarch. Therefore, the Arcana State Empress of SHEATHES-10 sending an Ifrit to the Arcana State Emperor of SHEATHES-55 will result in a colossal waste of resources. Sometimes, the backlash is so strong that the transfer itself is destroyed, creating a time paradox.

- From a SHEATHES Monarch with a 'Greater Number' to a a Monarch with a 'Lesser Number': The Subject is too incompatible, and safeguards instantly click into place that reduce said Subject into it's closest 'variant' within the receiving Monarch's SHEATHES. Therefore, the Machina State Emperor of SHEATHES-2275 sending a HyK-Omega Corona Drone to the Machina State Emperor of SHEATHES-55 will result in an automatic demotion of the Subject into an AiB-Beta Corona Drone. If no 'variants' are close enough, the Subject implodes, causing havoc.

- There are no SHEATHES with 'Equal Numbers'. The SWORDS Supreme Monarchs intended to create SHEATHES with varying degrees of development, for the sake of interacting with realms on a similar 'level' of advancement. A SHEATHES with too high a number often causes extreme disruptions where it is planted by SEEDS, and while this is great for wars it does nothing to aid exploration or forming alliances with others. If such a transaction is forced by the Empress of SHEATHES-49's Natura State, she will only be sending 'Comets' back to herself.

- So how is this a glaring handicap? It means that SHEATHES cannot reinforce each other, and this is often the downfall of Lesser Monarchs who attempt an invasion recklessly. Yes, they might defeat hundreds of opposing Empires or so, but when the entire universe and its neighbors (or wherever the SHEATHES exists) unites against them, it's often too much to chew at once. Furthermore, if an enemy is too strong for Lesser Monarchs to handle right off the bat, then it's curtains for them; no SWORDS Empress or Emperor is going help. That's, for all sakes and purposes, an impossibility, as Monarchs are invincible in their primary headquarters; that last part can't be said for STABS Colonies, though.

- This is primarily why the many SHEATHES are peaceful establishments called Exploration-Oriented SHEATHES. If there was ever cause for them to panic, they will have friends to call upon in their time of need. However, Conquest-Oriented SHEATHES are more than capable of dominating their Target Area.




FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION

- There is another name the Wolfsbane Syndicate calls the SWORDS aside the 'Troika'. The Delegates of the Halo-Ringed Wolf's Head is a wordy title, but a worthy one. Yes, the SWORDS are a representative of the Ternion, but since Wolfsbane is their direct progenitor it is with the Network that the Monarchs affiliate themselves the most. While their Azegan roots are placed on equal regards, it is not to the Regals of the Hegemony that the SWORDS have directed their loyalties to.

- The Bosses also feel that Manifesting through SWORDS Hosts, after invoking the proper Protocols from Siegfried, is the best method for making appearances within any non-Wolfsbane places. It works for them symbolically and practically. The Bosses are Manifesting through a Faction so closely affiliated to them without actually being part of the Network, and their Manifestations will be perfectly tailored to a level that their destination can take without breaking. This lets the Wolfsbane Syndicate have a genuine presence within their Target Zone.

- Finally, the Troika creates a third layer to the chain formed by the Triumvirate and the Ternion. It stands as a testament to the Bosses' capacity and domination to all within Firstgate-Earth's Target Zone. More importantly, to take 'trash' and turn it into 'treasure' impresses 'Aurora' more than a blatant display of the Bosses' power, which is why the SWORDS were the first 'token' the Wolfsbane Syndicate presented to her as a demonstration of their progress. What was once no better than refuse is now an unshakable titan. The Troika that is also known as the SWORDS plays second fiddle to nobody. They will never be conquered. They will never be denied. They will never stop transcending...just like the Ternion, and just like the Triumvirate.





WOLFSBANE SERIES

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ARTICLE 10: YOU ARE HERE

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