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“For the sake of brevity, I have separated out the history of the Pact from the main body of their more relevant information, Sir. I’m sure you will see why, as it is a long and storied tale. I may further subdivide other pieces information, depending on how much can be unearthed on each.”

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Pre-Aruzian Events

The Creators
Somewhere during the time of 12,000 to 10,000 PA, a species whose name has been lost to time achieved interstellar travel by subluminal means. What we do know about them is that they were extremely large and plant-like in nature, though their internal biology was mainly composed of many smaller species of symbiotes that served purposes analogous to internal organs. We also know that their perception of time was glacial compared to other known spacefaring species; what we see as years passed as mere months for them.

This fundamental difference in perspective frequently put them at odds with their galactic neighbours, to the point these “plantoids” (as they shall be henceforward referred to as) began plotting a war against them. Direct conflict was quickly ruled out, as it would’ve been tantamount to mass suicide. Instead, they developed a bioweapon on a scale never before seen, and arguably hasn’t been seen since. A whole species, designed from the ground up to combat humanoids, from their physiology to their thought patterns, wholly sentient and yet dutifully subservient to their plantoid masters.

By around 6,000 PA the weapon was ready, now all that was needed was the delivery method, and it was this where perhaps they had their greatest stroke of genius. Mass colonisation or cloning facilities would’ve attracted too much attention, not to mention the creation of the actual weapons they’d need. In place of this, but a small ship was needed, one easily branded as a “research vessel”. When it found a suitable world, it’d burrow deep within it, and through many miracles of technology would manipulate the whole planet to sow the seeds of life; seeds that it would ensure resulted in a whole society of these bioweapons, fully capable of creating and supplying their own military.

By 1,000 PA, the plantoid’s armada was ready. Over 100 worlds each with whole populations of weaponry, and yet it was all but folly. In the time it had taken to amass this force, the plantoids opponents had greatly surpassed them in technology. When war finally did come, it was a bloodbath for all involved.

The War Before Time
The vast numbers the plantoids commanded were enough raze dozens of planets to the ground, with hundreds more more being heavily damaged in brutal surface combat, but this couldn’t hope to compare to the damage they themselves were beholden to. The enemy fleets eliminated the bioweapon threat one planet at a time, glassing their surfaces, if not just cracking them open, and during that discovered their masters. The forests the plantoids had grown around themselves were engulfed in flame, and it didn’t take long to bring them to the brink of extinction, securing a decisive humanoid victory.

There was one who survived however, one who evacuated early having seen the tide of war, and one who’d been at the forefront of the whole bioweapon program. For a time, they drifted aimlessly, before stumbling upon one of the seeded worlds, a late starter that would later be named Aruz by its inhabitants. The creator made their way to the terraforming devices, and for whatever reason began adjusting the settings, changing the target resultant creature to be less a living weapon and more of a proper species in their own right.

Aruzian History

Evolution
While the end result of the devices’ meddling was almost universally the same, the methods by which they were reached differed greatly depending on the planet in question. In the case of Aruz, the creatures’ evolution was very much a trial by fire. The high gravity and frequent harsh blizzards that swept much of the planet’s surface favoured large hulking beasts, often the size of a house if not larger, that could withstand the harsh conditions. The creatures of our focus adapted to be opportunistic pack hunters, ambushing their larger contemporaries while they rested or fed, the meat of but one kill being enough to feed a pack for weeks. Such tendencies were not without cost, and oftentimes at least 4 in 10 of those on the hunt would be left dead by their prey’s hands.

While the males went off to hunt and die, the females stayed behind to raise the young. While this was no small task given the large sizes of their litters, it still left them with more free time than their mates, and thus they slowly began creating the social structures that would later form the basis of society. The usual frailty of life lead to rather communal mindsets, since it was unlikely for an individual to solely complete a task within their own lifetime. Be it constructing a sufficiently large shelter, raising a litter, or anything in between, it simply made more sense to do so as a whole rather than an idividual. Menial and disposable labour was usually the charge of males, while more administrative duties was the job of a female, which over the years was compounded into largely matriarchal societies.

The First Nations
Along the equator of Aruz runs a continuous ring of sea, neatly separating the northern and southern hemispheres, and flanked by the largest concentrations of vegetation and wildlife. Whether or not this unusual geographical feature is the result of the plantoid device’s tampering remains unknown. What is known is that the earliest recorded civilisations began to appear along this equatorial band, notably on both sides of the massive body of water. This is unusual by the fact that the creatures are not naturally buoyant, nor are any naturally formed materials present on the planet, leading some to speculate a drowned-out land bridge may have once existed. Regardless, these civilisations rose and fell in the way they tend to, and eventually one rose to prominence in its colonial efforts, one that bestowed upon itself the name “Karrash”, and unto its people, “Vaiaelons”.

The high gravity and the biology of Vaiaelons meant waterborne transport was considered just as impossible as flight for much of the species’ history. Consequently, the invention of both happened around the same time, namely the species’ equivalent of the industrial age. The first to field any water going vessels was the very same Karrash Empire, achieved through the use of sturdy foam-filled ballast tanks. At first this bought on a new age of exploration, Karrashian sailors eager to see what awaited them on foreign islands, but after a few decades passed, rumours began cropping up of strange metallic beasts that roamed the skies. Another nation, Vif’Ream, had come about to an altogether different method of crossing the great seas, much to the surprise of both. This was but the first instance of what would be a lasting age of asymmetrical technological development, divided along the hemispheres.

Initial relations were apprehensive if not cordial, neither nation having been aware of life or even land across the equatorial sea, let alone each other. Unfortunately, as time went on it became further and further apparent that a lasting peace may as well have been impossible between them, as not only were they radically different in their governance and society, but almost directly opposed. Karrash was a highly materialistic and decadent empire, prizing individualistic leisure above almost all else. Vif’Ream meanwhile was theocratic and socialist in nature, valuing cooperation above the desires of the individual.

The First Age of War
When conflict did finally and inevitably emerge, both sides were eager to say the least. There were many a rousing pieces on the backwards savagery of their enemies, tosses of holy war and liberation of the people, et cetera and ad nauseum. The opening of the war saw both sides using primarily landing craft to attack the other, by air or by sea. As time went on however, the drive for victory lead Karrash to develop very early artillery cannons they mounted to their waterborne ships, and Vif’Ream began dropping explosives from their dirigibles onto Karrash cities. The war dragged on for several decades, slowly but surely losing momentum as both sides grew short on resources and manpower, until the conflict fizzled out entirely, a shaky ceasefire being declared with no clear winner. This conflict is retroactively referred to as the First Aruzian War, or AW-I.

Both powers were severely weakened by the war, with years of famine and poverty following. Vif’Ream eventually turned to its most likeminded neighbours for aid.
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“The reason this is notable at all is that Vaiaelon mentality has a level of naturally coded populistic xenophobia. If you are considered to be part of the same group, they are loyal to the end, but if you outside of that group, you are a mortal enemy.”

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The Karrashian reaction to this event was largely one of disgust, and was seen as confirmation of the inferiority of the religious fools. Karrash instead chose to tough through the crises on their own, the people taking the brunt of the issues, such was life in Karrash.

Another two major wars occurred between these two superpowers, allies of both coming and going, ceaseless espionage and the likes were ever-present. This lengthy period of conflict stretched on for several centuries, and while each event therein possessed its own minutiae of details, largely their inclusion or exclusion has little impact on the overall narrative. The main things to note are that a lengthy period of disunification and conflict came to pass, and that the collective consciousness of the species was deeply impacted and shaped by this.

This era of warfare is largely agreed upon to have ended at the conclusion of AW-IV, the fourth major conflict between the two sides. While conflict had become a hallmark of society, it was at this time that both considered their military might and technological level sufficient to finally defeat the other once and for all. Compared to previous conflicts, this one lasted a blink of an eye at only 4 years. Rampant mobilisation tactics by air and by walker rendered previously impassable terrain as brief distractions at most, allowing vast swathes of land to be taken in mere weeks. Ultimately, the competition-driven society of Karrash enabled a faster development of new technologies, culminating in the dropping of nuclear weapons on 5 of Vif’Ream’s largest industrial sectors, and thus forcing them to capitulate.

The Karrashian Civil War
At this point it is worth mentioning the general perception of the two superpowers at the time. To spite the other, both had gradually doubled down on their international standpoints, Vif’Ream co-operating more with smaller nations, and Karrash becoming ever more isolated. Furthermore, while Vif’Ream had once been a theocratic and indifferent state, the religion had come to take a backseat, and the socialist outlook had shifted from “die for the nation and your gods” to improving the quality of life of the average citizen. Meanwhile Karrash had become much of an aristocracy, the wealthy upper class essentially parading the barely alive corpse of the government around like a puppet.

In light of this, in the aftermath of the most devastating war in history, a mythos emerged of the brave and honourable Vif’Ream soldier that campaigned the rights of the people against the cruel and evil Karrash menace. This swung international support firmly in the direction of Vif’Ream, especially after the nuclear atrocities committed against them. Combine this with the aforementioned populist outlook of Vaiaelons when faced with the ever-growing class divide in Karrash, and it’s not difficult to see why the Karrashian Civil War occurred not long after.

Many revolutionary and counter-revolutionary militias sprung up across their vast territory, threatening the very existence of the nation. The conflict was largely limited to the outermost territories, the pervasive presence of the military keeping the order further in. The collapse of order turned what should have been a triumphant superpower enforcing its dominance over weaker opponents into an empire falling to its knees and fighting amongst itself. This gave Vif’Ream ample time to close the tech gap left over from the previous war.

AW-V, The Cold War
Once the conflict cooled down, Karrash was about 35% smaller in size, its previous territories sprinkled with enemies and puppet states alike, and its greatest enemy back to an equivalent strength with its own nuclear arsenal to boast. Thus, a cold war emerged. Proxy wars and subterfuge became the new norm while the world pretended to be more civilised.

The preceding age of warfare, as mentioned, had a deep impact on culture and mentality, and many societies, not just the superpowers, came to place a high value on martial achievements. However with full-scale warfare all but an impossibility, countless millions flocked to wherever guns were ablaze as mercenaries or volunteers. It is because of this that many believe “proxy wars”, while technically the correct term given the circumstances, do not properly do justice to the scale involved. It wasn’t just numbers either, cutting edge weaponry was widely distributed, sometimes even before it was approved for service in parent nations. Notably an entire airship fleet was donated at one point, bringing a swift end to that particular conflict.

This naturally unstable arrangement came to its logical conclusion when nuclear weapons came into the possession of both sides of what started as yet another unremarkable proxy war. Neither did so through official or legal means, and the world was forced to watch with baited breath. The stalemate barely lasted a week before the first warhead was set off, and despite frantic international intervention, all that was left of either state was a crater blasted hellscape not long after. It was nothing short of a diplomatic miracle that the nuclear exchange did not extend much further, but the damage had been done. The spreading of radioactive detritus had rendered 1/12th of the upper hemisphere uninhabitable for centuries to come.

AW-VI, The Second Age of War
This tragedy put a great many things into a new perspective. Many treaties and agreements were put into action to prevent the complete annihilation of the Vaiaelon race. In contrast to the charade that nations had paraded previously, a period of actual lasting peace settled in for a short while. The standard of living improved globally, and technology continued to advance, though granted not at the same pace it had during the cold war. All good things must come to an end however, and either through fluke or genuine maliciousness, a device was created that decisively sealed the fate of lasting peace.

The Quantum Uncertainty Regulator, affectionately called the Landfill by its parent company, restricted the maximum size of what particles could undergo quantum tunnelling within its area of effect. The notable effect of this device was almost entirely preventing fission reactions within its area of effect, and reducing the potency of fusion reactions, coupled with a myriad of other minor side effects. The mutual threat of nuclear annihilation essentially removed overnight, it was less than a year before the armies of Aruz were at each other’s throats once more.

Combat erupted on a previously unheard of scale, even overshadowing AW-IV. The skies were blotted out with airships, and the seas ran grey with steel. Entirely new theatres of war were created and viciously battled for, from space to cyberspace. Desperate to regain the edge previously afforded by nuclear arms, both sides turned to new and unproven technologies that were rushed into service. Karrashian supersoldiers clashed with Vif’Ream power armour troops. Heavily armoured bombers trundled by overhead while tanks zipped about with guided cruise missiles below.

Notably during this time, a handful of religious sects in Vif’Ream, which had held on to their power over the years, sent generation ships out to the stars. They feared for the future of life on the planet, but more importantly to them, the survival of their beliefs. Four known vessels were sent, though only one is fully accounted for, the rest presumed lost.

Fighting raged on for decades. Frontlines ebbed and flowed back and forth, and every time one side seemed on the verge of defeat, a breakthrough on some other front would diverge resources away, prolonging the conflict. It seemed as though the war would rage on forever more. Though given the protracted nature of the conflict, eventually a whole wartime generation emerged, born and raised amidst the war they were sent to fight in. These “war babies” largely grew infatuated with the preceding era of peace, alien concept that it was, and by association, why it ended. The casus belli declared years ago had been outlined by those with time to love their culture, though with the constant threat of attack looming over all regardless of origin or location, people found more in common with those on the other side than those who came before them.

Founding of the VWP
It took many years and much more bloodshed, but eventually, small local ceasefires here and there snowballed into full scale peace talks. The Vaiaelon collective consciousness had had a taste of what perpetual conflict amongst itself in the modern age felt like, and decided it wasn’t all it had been cracked up to be. A tentative peace was declared with no real winner of the war, both sides instead pledging to shared goals to rebuild all that had been destroyed.

Things were shaky at first, neither side fully trusting the other, but not having the resources or willpower to re-open conflict. As time passed, the older warmongers simply grew too old to hold onto their power, and the younger wartime generation rose to take the reins. From there things progressed far quicker than even the most optimistic of estimations had dared to guess, largely thanks to Karrash, Vif’Ream, and several other nations agreeing to operate under a new federal authority to better co-ordinate their rebuilding efforts. Recognising the turbulent period it was founded in the wake of, the promise never to repeat it, and the unification for the good of all, the Vaiaelon War Pact was finally founded. It is worth mentioning that the nation was initially named in the Vif’Ream native language, and more literally translated to something along the lines of “The Vaiaelon Race’s Promise to end War” though when Karrashta was later chosen as the official language, the streamlined translation changed the name to what we know now.

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“This concludes their history up until spaceflight became a more common occurrence. That information will follow shortly™, please stand by.”

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