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The faction known only as The Congregation were an immensely powerful 'cryptotheocracy' that dominated much of the First Gigaquadrant until comparatively recent history. The Congregation was a semi-sovereign entity that presaged the existence of several cults that spawned in its wake; including the Legion of Therus Argent Dominion and Devourer's Chosen. Though ultimately a theocratic cult at its core, the Congregation operated in a much more complex manner; the brainchild of the Ultraterrestrial god-tyrant Lord Zhuleshxi.

Though The Congregation no longer exists officially, the countless enumeration of atrocities committed by them is still felt in the Gigaquadrant, even a century or so after their dissolution. The Congregation was the belligerent force that began the War of Ages, which marked the contemporary age of the First Gigaquadrant as well as sparking some of the most recent calamities in Gigaquadrantic history; most notably the re-emergence of supernatural presences such as the Samut'angar and the resurgence of followers of the Xhodocto.

History[]

The Congregation began life as a rapidly growing movement in the Tuuros Galaxy, following the re-emergence of Lord Zhuleshxi some 21,000 years before the present day. The exact cause of Zhuleshxi's awakening remains unknown; many suggest that it was stray artefact of ancient Zhulultu technology that communicated with Zhuleshxi's place of slumber in unknown regions of the First Gigaquadrant. Little is known of the details of the Congregation's rise in Tuuros, other than what can be surmised; Zhuleshxi's influence rapidly spread over the distant sectors of the galaxy, indoctrinating multiple fledgling races into his dominion. It is known however, that Zhuleshxi never conquered Tuuros in its entirety - it remains a subject of debate as to whether Zhuleshxi lacked the capability to overcome Tuuros' unnaturally resilient life, or simply looked elsewhere; however, it is known that the Asilaphean Grid proved to be a formidable force against the Congregation. Few other details of this time survive; Zhuleshxi's failed attempt in indoctrinating the Vranntan Order resulted in the outright destruction of their homeworld. The Congregation was thought to have controlled a number of Tuuros' satellite galaxies before seemingly annexing both the Andromeda Galaxy and Milky Way Galaxy from nowhere; though The Congregation faced considerable resistance in both galaxies, they placed firm strongholds in the galaxy that remained in place until after its dissolution.

The Congregation's annexation of the Tigris Galaxy began the bloodiest conflict in recent Gigaquadrant memory; the War of Ages. Most war historians suggest that Zhuleshxi's causus belli was to seize a Zhulultu superweapon which awoke in the depths of Tigris; however, others suggest that Zhuleshxi's ultimate goal was to seize this weapon at the right time. Though the Congregation was severely weakened during the events of the war, the casualties within the Tigris Galaxy was exponentially greater. Despite the collapse of the Congregation's attack forces in the latter stages of the war, Zhuleshxi succeeded in his goal of claiming the weapon - a Scourge Device - which almost entirely razed the Tigris Galaxy beyond repair. However, Zhuleshxi's goal extended beyond that of the genocide of the galaxy - in activating the Scourge Device, Zhuleshxi had also summoned the appeasement of the Xhodocto Angazhar, and in doing so, unleashed an overwhelming demonic incursion upon the Gigaquadrant. Though this act culminated in Zhuleshxi's apparent death, the Congregation were pyrrhic victors of the war in Tigris.

Zhuleshxi's control of the Congregation proved to be its downfall; without the god-tyrant, the Congregation rapidly fell to infighting and a total collapse of its infrastructure. However, in the decades after the seeming evaporation of the Congregation's influence, one of the primary lieutenants of Zhuleshxi's regime, Hez'Kalka, wrought control of the shattered Congregation and reformed it into an even more ghastly force - the Legion of Therus. Though it lacked the complexities of Zhuleshxi's dominion, the Legion of Therus' brief existence was marked by some of the most violent acts of war in Gigaquadrantic history.

Characteristics[]

Government[]

The vastly complex, seemingly rhizomatic network of the Congregation was controlled almost entirely by Lord Zhuleshxi. Therein lied an immediate chain of command of Warlords underneath Zhuleshxi who oversaw the active operations of the Congregation, while Zhuleshxi himself remained an obscure figure to the lower ranks of the Congregation's militia. A total of seven warlords existed at one time, each one in command of an incredibly vast resource of the Congregation's armies. To all, Zhuleshxi was known as the Harbinger.

The Harbinger
Seven Warlords

Society[]

Despite the long existence of the Congregation, surprisingly little is known of their society. Zhuleshxi's almost molecular control of the Congregation suggests that those underneath the Warlords had very little autonomy; likely by design. Several theories suggest that the populace of the Congregation became bioengineered at some point in history - thus, they were conditioned and perhaps even repurposed to serve Zhuleshxi's will without a will of their own. Others suggest that Zhuleshxi himself was puppeteering each and every living entity in the Congregation, while another popular theory is that a compiled artificial intelligence operated on Zhuleshxi's behalf. Congregation soldiers that were captured and interrogated gave very little information regarding their operations, and most often executed a self-destruct function before anything integral could be shared.

Technology[]

Ultimatum2022

The Ultimatum was a Zhulultu megaconstruct that was the base of the Congregation's operations.

With the Ultraterrestrial influence, the Congregation employed technological advancements that appeared almost mythically bizarre to others. However (and likely deliberately), much of the encountered technology by the Congregation's lower ranks appeared no more advanced than that of the Gigaquadrant's standards of the 28th Century. There were few insights into the hyperadvanced nature of the Congregation's technology - most of which were at a much more 'subcutaneous' level than military application. If the theory of an artificial intelligence governing the Congregation is to believed, then the Congregation was host to one of the most advanced intelligences ever designed.

Religion[]

Despite being governed by Therusism de jure, the Congregation employed an irreligious facade in conjunction to its seemingly sparse culture. The heavy imbrication of Therusism in the Congregation's culture was exposed during the formation of the Legion of Therus.

Relations[]

Allies[]

Purified face "..."

  • N/A

Neutral[]

Purified face "..."

  • N/A

Enemies[]

Red face "You are merely dust; and to dust you shall return."


Notes[]

Quotes[]

Tuuros is no newcomer to war and bloodshed, that much is true. Though in my youth, stories of the one they called Zhuleshxi were stories you did not tell your children. Zhuleshxi was only stayed out of pure luck; his dominance of Tuuros would have spelled the end of the Gigaquadrant as we know it.

- Tuk Nijusi

Among our people, they are named only as demons. One day, Nammud Xar will turn again, and return to life as it was once was. And then, we will put the memory of the Tyrant God behind us.

- Hrantaec

My ships often countered the soulless black hulls of Congregation vessels. Those that we destroyed, we prized open; the remaining crew often simply ceased to exist on the spot, dropping like dead meat. There was a ghost in their bodies, once that peered into your soul.

- Axshuai


Galaxy Colonisation - Closed

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