It can’t be all bad, right?

If you don’t mind giving up your basic humanity and freedoms, at least. If you don’t mind being subjected to a totalitarian government that can do with you as it pleases.

Aedolian Culture	Pilot Candidate Program
Government	The Prophet and the Gospels
The Network, Dragons, and Pilots	History

AEDOLIAN CULTURE

1. The City
The entire way Haviah, Aedolis' largest city and the capital of the nation, is set up is reflective of its culture. Rather than be built outwards like most cities, Haviah was built upwards and sectioned off into three levels. There is the ground level, home to lower caste citizens, a dark and corrupt place no one would willingly wish to live; there is the middle level, home to middle caste citizens that live comfortable, if oblivious, lives; and there is the upper level that opens up to the sky, with aeries built on the roofs of the buildings to accomodate the dragons. The upper level is home to upper caste citizens in charge of the other castes' lives. The higher up a person lives, the higher on the social ladder they are. Movement between these three levels is virtually impossible, however, as access to other levels is restricted.

Another interesting fact about the city's structure is that due to all the buildings and skyways in the way, it's impossible (or at least exceedingly difficult) for a lower caste citizen to look up and see the higher levels and for the higher caste citizen to look down and see the lower levels. There's simply too much stuff in the way. As can be imagined, this has been the source of many a lower caste citizen's paranoia as it gives a constant sense of being watched, but not actually being able to see the people in control of their lives. It's very unlikely that a lower caste citizen would have ever even seen a dragon; again, with all the skyways in the way, dragons are simply much too big to get down into the lower level. They need humans for that.

The city's set up does pose a potential hazard to its citizens. If there ever were an emergency, while it would be easy for upper caste citizens to evacuate, middle and lower caste citizens could wind up trapped.

2. The Caste System
The restrictive nature of the city is reflective of the static nature of the caste system itself: citizens are born into their castes and stuck there for life, stuck not only because their birth determines their place but because they are also kept, physically, from moving any higher. Even if it were physically possible to move among the castes, socially...that would pose a problem. There are prejudices that exist between the castes, naturally. If you were born into the upper caste, received a good education, and had a good job working for the government would you really want to associate with, much less marry, a nigh illiterate sewage worker? Even reversing that, if you were a nigh illiterate sewage worker, would you really want to associate with one of those crazy bigwigs at the top that's making everyone else's life miserable? These prejudices are encouraged by the government to keep the caste system working, for the system is just one way the government controls its people by limiting where they can live, what sorts of jobs they are eligible for, and by ensuring that those with different levels of education are kept separated. If the more educated higher castes were to mingle with the lower caste factory workers, they might also educate them, which could be dangerous. Thus, these prejudices are rather useful.

The upper caste has access to the best education (second only to the education Pilots receive), the best jobs, and the best living conditions. Jobs include government jobs (the military is the exception; you do not have to be born into the military to join it and, thus, this is the one area where you can actively move from a lower caste to a higher one) and corporate positions. Celebrities would also be upper caste, and this would be another exception to the static nature of the castes, in that celebrities are often made rather than born (they are also rather adored by Aedolis’ government as they serve as yet another frivolous distraction for their citizens; idols are good). Technicians, scientists, and CEOs would all be upper caste. Upper caste citizens have access to all the best technology, housing, and diversions. Obviously they are the richest caste. The Citadel is located on the upper level with an expansive, decked out aerie for the dragons to use.

The middle caste is the middle ground and includes jobs like medics, secretary positions, architects, game programmers, whores, massage therapists, things like that. Education level is fairly basic (think high school), and there are trade schools available for them to enter into once they graduate so they can persue a specialized career in a focused manner without all the fluff. They are the heart of Haviah. The Advanced Training Complex (ATC) is located here, with access to both the top and bottom levels.

Lower castes include all the undesirable jobs: janitors, clean up crews, factory workers and the like. The conditions are not pleasant, and the only education they receive is that which allows them to do their job. Citizens are kept dumbed down in the hopes that they won't protest too much, but even if they did there really isn't anywhere else for them to go; they are virtually trapped down there. Yet citizens down here can gain a little freedom if they're smart by flying under the radar, so to speak. Aedolis' surveilance cameras are not perfect, after all, especially not down there.

3. Aedolian Culture
A hedonistic and materialistic society, the government takes pains to make sure its people (well, the middle and upper castes, at least) are happy and content—because that ensures they won’t ask questions or cause trouble. As such, the cities are filled to the brim with diversions of all sorts ranging from virtual arcades, cyber cafes, and shopping malls to bars, brothels, and spas, and the pursuit of pleasure is fully encouraged. Drugs are legal and backed by the government, as are brothels (many of which are also spas), and citizens are encouraged to spend what credit they make on all manner of material goods.

Aedolis’ citizens are not bad off—well, again, not the middle and upper caste ones. The country encourages hedonism, takes pains to keep its citizens happy, and so it also pays its citizens well for their work. That is not to say that poverty does not exist, however; most middle and upper caste civilians just wouldn't really be aware of the conditions the lower caste, a sort of silent population, lives in.

While the pursuit of pleasure is encouraged, the pursuit of knowledge is discouraged, regarded as pointless, frivolous, and boring. Why stuff your head with useless facts when you could be surfing the Network or buying the latest game? And when everything is all about fun, who cares about that other stuff? This is the attitude the government loves for its people to have. It’s safe. As such, very few people actually get more than a basic education, and only those in the upper caste, or those who opt to join the military, can receive higher education.

The currency in Aedolis is credit. Microchips are implanted in the right hand of all citizens at birth or, in the case of newer citizens, at the time that they receive their citizenship. This microchip contains all personal information relating to said citizen and it is only with this microchip that any and all purchases and transactions can be made. When a citizen receives their paycheck, the amount is automatically credited to their account. All of Aedolis runs on credit; without that microchip, you don’t get anything. It’s a person’s wallet, identification…everything.

Aedolis’ society is, ultimately, one of absolute control and absolute power. The goal is for citizens to be kept under control by being kept perfectly happy, yet at the same time the activities of Aedolis’ citizens are carefully monitored. While citizens may possess computers and have access to the Virtual Communication Network (this game’s version of the internet), their access is restricted and certain channels, especially those that originate outside Aedolis, are blocked by Aedolis' own Network.

Citizens are not allowed to leave the country and they are also not allowed to possess weapons—which includes magic. If you are a mage, even if you’re just a simple healer, you are automatically drafted into the military because possessing such an ability outside of a controlled environment is simply viewed as far too dangerous. If you possess psychic skill, you are also automatically drafted, only in that case you end up in a very different military program: the Pilot Candidate Program.

Not all mages and psychics that are drafted actually get to serve. While being in the military has its benefits, including access to a higher education and more rights, benefits, and higher pay, the military is brutal. If a psychic breaks during their Pilot conditioning, the military no longer has a use for them and, more often than not, the broken psychic is quietly sold to TRIM. This same gruesome fate awaits any mages and psychics who prove too unruly and uncooperative, rebellious, or even harbor traitorous thoughts.

At the top of the government are the Pilot/Dragon teams. There are four Pilot/Dragon ranks that form a hierarchy with the highest rank being Cant Imperial, which is made up of a single Pilot/Dragon pair. The other three ranks all have more Pilot/Dragon teams in them, with the number increasing the further down the ladder you go. So after Cant Imperial comes Cant Royal, Cant Noble, Cant Echo, and finally Cant Cardinal with the highest number of Pilot/Dragon pairs.

While it may seem to the untrained eye that the Pilot is the one in control, it is truly the Dragons that call the shots. In fact, even Cant Imperial receives orders from the Dragons, and the lowest ranking Dragon is still higher ranked than the highest ranking Pilot. Dragons receive the same titles as their Pilots. That is to say, a Dragon whose Pilot is in Cant Echo would also possess the rank of Cant Echo. But even a Dragon that is in Cant Echo is still higher ranked than the Pilot Imperial his or herself.

When addressed, Pilots are commonly addressed as "Pilot + Last Name". For example, Roman Rosales could be addressed simply as Pilot Rosales. To get really fancy and respectful, one would address a Pilot by their full rank and name. For instance, instead of just Pilot Rosales one would address him as Pilot Royal Roman Rosales.

Below the Pilot/Dragon teams is the rest of the military, with the ranks following the usual hierarchical set up of Commander, General, etc. all the way down to the ground soldiers and new recruits. There are branches in the military dedicated to ground, air, sea, and space combat.

Aedolis is an empire that is interested in spreading its influence across the globe—and even into space. It has a history of conquering and absorbing other nations, and it is rumored that it has had its eye on Edanith for some time now, interested in the country's terraforming technology—the one thing that could possibly heal the planet.

Every computer in Aedolis is hooked up to the Network, though only a select few can directly access it. The Network monitors all computer activity throughout the country and keeps track of how its citizens use the Virtual Communication Network (RotE's internet), blocking out channels here and there and basically ensuring that citizens cannot use it to contact the outside world. The Network is maintained by Aedolis’ Dragons, powerful creatures that make up the actual hardware of the Network. With that said, it is impossible to actually hack the Network because it is impossible to hack a Dragon. Imagine trying to hack a computer system that can think and is fully conscious in addition to being a powerful, intelligent and ancient organism; the Network is simply not vulnerable to the things a normal, non-sentient computer is.

2. The Axis Point
Also known as the Imperial Seat, the Axis Point is like the CPU of the Network. Typically, the Pilot Imperial is the only one with access to this Citadel room, and access to it is strictly controlled by the Dragons. In the center of the room is a terminal that the Imperial can then hook up to via needles and plugs that attach to the body and brain, and around it are a series of other terminals that the Dragons can hook up to themselves. Connecting to the Axis Point is a horrible experience that often leaves the summoned Pilot exhausted and sick for days. Horrendous migraines are common. As can be imagined this takes quite a toll on the Pilot Imperial, who is summoned there more than any other Pilot.

The purpose of the Axis Point? To test Pilots for knowledge and loyalty, to pick break through their psychic shields, apart their mind and get at their most hidden thoughts. Basically, to interrogate Pilots. Any Pilot could potentially be summoned to the Axis Point, but the Imperial is summoned the most. However, it is completely up to the Dragons to chose who to summon, when, and why.

3. The Dragons
In ancient history, Aedolis had close ties with the dragons of the land and the military actually used them in warfare, riders forging a unique bond with their chosen animal. This hasn’t changed over the millennia, though some details have. Aedolis began to conduct experiments on the creatures, began to genetically engineer them, and after countless successes and failures they produced the Dragons of today: biomechanical, part organic materials, part inorganic, but still part of the evolutionary cycle and perfectly capable of reproducing on their own, though their method of reproduction is a far cry from the mating process of “natural” dragons; in fact, how they reproduce is still a mystery. They are a long-lived sentient species so while reproduction isn’t something that occurs often, they will see that another of their kind is created when it is necessary.

For a while, the relationship between Dragon and rider remained unchanged; there was respect and trust between both parties, but it was the rider that was truly in control and it was the Dragons that chose to submit. Yet as Dragons continued to be genetically engineered, that all changed. The Dragons began to take on a life of their own, began to change, and the relationship between rider and Dragon began to reverse. But this role reversal wasn't complete until much later, when the Dragons saw their chance to truly take over.

It was the Dragons that saved Aedolis from destruction. As the conditions on Earth degraded and whole nations were wiped out by the elements, it was the Dragons that stepped in to preserve Aedolis, erecting electromagnetic domes, stabilizing power supplies, and providing access to clean water and food. The people that once used the Dragons became utterly dependent upon them and, as a result, it seems that Aedolis is more a slave to the Dragons than the other way around.

Imbued with powerful magic, superior technology, psychic prowess, and an impassive, almost mechanical attitude (quite unlike their ancestors) the Dragons provide Aedolis with safety. In return, they keep the nation under their control by threatening to cut them off from the Network if they don’t comply with their wishes. After all, it was humanoids who destroyed the planet; it is the Dragons who can set it right again while keeping those destructive humanoids on a leash. For the most part, Dragons wield a subtle sort of control over their humanoids. They are mostly content with allowing humanoids to deal with their humanoid issues and leave them to their own devices, but they also never let those humanoids forget who is truly running the show and sometimes a hard reminder is necessary.

So why do Dragons even keep humanoids around in the first place when it might just be easier to get rid of them? There are a number of possibilities, and the answer varies from Dragon to Dragon. Humanoids are simply good company. Dragons and humans have shared a special bond since Aedolis was Adela, and this bond, while changed, is still strong and important to them deep down in their collective memory. Humanoids likely amuse and fascinate Dragons in the same way an ant hill entertains a child. And as much as some Dragons might deny it, Dragons need humanoids, too, for humanoids can do things Dragons cannot. They have small, nimble hands quite unlike a Dragon's and can create and build things Dragons just can't.

One interesting fact about Aedolian Dragons is that they display a hive mentality that is directly connected to the Dragon Imperial. They need an Imperial to lead them, and they are essentially "programmed" to follow that Imperial, regardless of their individual personalities. Connected together as they are, all Dragons are constantly aware of each other. If one of them dies, the others will instantly know. That said, Dragons are eternal; they don't just die, but they can be killed. Killing a Dragon is extremely difficult, and one of the few ways to do so is with an Electromagnetic Pulse device. For a creature that is half machine, a high-intensity energy blast like that is intantly fatal. However, even killing them that way is difficult; there are safeguards in place, magical and mundane, to protect the Dragons and the only person with any knowledge as to get around those safeguards would be a Pilot.

The Dragons themselves are a varied bunch with a range of personalities as complex and different as any humanoid's. There is also no set naming pattern for Dragons; once again, they are just as varied as humanoid names. Dragons can communicate with their Pilots telepathically, but they are also quite capable of regular speech. As for what they look like, there is a lot of variation there, too, both in terms of colors, build, size, appearance, and features. Some are more dragon than machine, while others are the opposite. Each Dragon is unique, and some can even "absorb" their Pilot into them as opposed to being ridden. Ultimately, every Dragon is an individual, though they all share one trait in common: they all are some percentage of inorganic materials. That being said the Dragons of Aedolis, while biomechanical, are not yet capable of surviving outside the Earth's atmosphere. However, there is talk that scientists are trying to create a Dragon that can do so.

As a final note, it must be stressed that it is indeed the Dragons who are in control of Aedolis. The Dragons act as a collective, and even the lowest ranked Dragon is higher than the highest ranked Pilot. Dragons are not pets to their Pilots; the Dragon essentially owns the Pilot and commands him/her. They do not exist in pens; they are ancient and intelligent creatures and they are free to roam as they please. Aedolis exists only by their will.

It should also be noted that while normal, natural dragons that have not been tampered with or infused with machinery might still exist on Earth and in other places, they cannot connect to The Network, nor can they bond with another creature in the same way an Aedolis Dragon can. That is to say, a person cannot be a Pilot in Aedolis if they simply bond with a normal dragon, and it would likely be very dangerous for a normal dragon to be found in Aedolis. If a regular flesh dragon was discovered, the Dragons of Aedolis would see to it that the new, "fresh" dragon was assilimated. Flesh dragons provide fresh genetic materials that Aedolian Dragons sorely need. For this reason, normal flesh dragons are very, very rare anymore. There may not even be any left on Earth.

4. The Pilots
Just as ancient Adela had its riders, Aedolis has Pilots who form a partnership of sorts with the Dragons; the strong bond between humanoid and Dragon has yet to be severed. These men and women are at the top of the military and, thus, at the top of the government. The one trait they all have in common, and the one trait that is necessary to be a Pilot, is that they are psychic. In fact, if you’re a psychic you really have no choice—you’re going to be a Pilot if you can survive the intense training program.

No one actually wants to be a Pilot. While it sounds great because of the benefits (top of the government, your word is law, the freedom to act on any whim you please), people actually fear it. The common view is that the military corrupts, most especially the Pilot program which involves intense conditioning and desensitization, a program intended to beat the weaknesses out of each individual, a program which includes brutal mental probing by the other established Pilots in order to ensure each individual is loyal and free of traitorous thoughts. If a Pilot candidate survives the training, by the time they complete it they may barely even be humanoid anymore—in a figurative sense, of course. The program breeds brutal, distant people.

When they complete their training, each Pilot is chosen by a Dragon, a process that can also be stressful as the Pilot is mentally probed and screened by a Dragon that could very well kill them if dissatisfied with the training results. Once the Pilot has been chosen, the two forge a powerful bond, though it is the Dragon that is most in control of the Pilot as opposed to the other way around.

Just as Aedolis is dependent upon the Dragons, Pilots become addicted to their Dragons. Pilots are the only ones who can actually directly connect, or plug into, The Network via the hardware in the Dragons, and a Pilot soon learns that plugging in is highly addictive, like a drug. The Network is a source of infinite knowledge, and to directly connect to that source is highly euphoric. Such is the power of the psychic bond that’s forged between the two, and if a Pilot loses his or her Dragon (either because the Dragon has been killed, the two have been separated, or the Dragon has simply decided to release the Pilot from service) they tend to go mad, suicidal, or depressed from the withdrawal.

Dragons have been known to discipline their Pilots by denying them access to The Network for a period of time, and higher level Pilots also have the ability to lock lower level Pilots out, which they also do to discipline other Pilots.

5. The Connection
Pilots can connect to both their Dragons and The Network, but both require different methods. While a Pilot is always connected to their Dragon, no matter the distance, via a psychic bond that can only be severed by the death of the Dragon, Pilot, or by a Dragon intentionally releasing a Pilot from service, the same is not true for The Network. The Network cannot be accessed via a psychic connection, for humanoid brains are not naturally equipped with what is needed to surf The Network on its own.

So how exactly do Pilots connect to it? Well, once a Pilot is chosen, they are "marked" by their Dragon. The mark? Each Pilot has a device connected to their temple and leading to their brain that acts as a modem of sorts and facilitates the connection. Most connections are "wireless", though some Dragon models do require a physical connection. Some Pilots have been known to grow ports on their body in order for such Dragons to connect to them via cables.

During their time as a candidate, candidates may find themselves paired up with a Pilot mentor if an eligible Pilot takes an interest in them. However, some candidates may go months without having a mentor while others may be snatched up right away. Mentorship is an extra and informal part of the program, and Pilots choose their candidates at their own leisure.

As can be expected, training is brutal. However candidate death, whether by physical trauma or suicide, is very uncommon and is considered a failure on the Pilot's part. Any Pilot who kills a candidate purposefully or by accident would be harshly disciplined for destroying the nation's investment, and other Pilots would look down on them for their lack of self control. Pilot's are responsible for candidate suicide as well. It takes great skill to break down a candidate's personality and build it back up again, taking them to the brink of despair and then bringing them back from it. Any Pilot who fails in this and loses a candidate to suicide would be considered grossly incompetent. In either case, a Pilot whose candidate dies would never be allowed to train again.

Only a small percentage of Pilots are cleared to train candidates, as they are considered valuable resources and there is much more to training them than just tormenting them. It takes self control, patience, and a keen grasp of psychology and behavioral analysis to successfully train candidates.

All Pilots have a keen, unspoken understanding that you do not discipline another Pilot's candidate too harshly. Corrections and minor discipline is acceptable, but the candidate is ultimately the responsibility of their assigned Pilot, and it is only proper etiquette for the other Pilots to remember that and to, essentially, mind their own business. The exception to this rule is outright insubordination, and this is the only case in which another Pilot may punish a candidate that isn't theirs by whatever means seems fit.

Candidates are typically addressed as "Candidate + Last Name" (for instance, Candidate Archer). Their uniform consists of a short gray coat with long sleeves, cuffs, a medium collar, and matching gray pants.

2. Training Regimen
All Pilot candidates go through a standard training program designed to cull the undesirables and ensure only the best and most loyal become Pilots. The following is the basic framework of the candidate program, however, a candidate's experiences and training tend to be highly individualized, especially if they have the benefit of a Pilot mentor. Stage 1 is the only stage with a specific time frame. Candidates will pass the other stages when and if they are deemed fit. The responsibility of deciding who passes to the next stage and when falls on the Director of Candidate Affairs, though the recommendations of the Pilot mentors are taken into account. Stages are denoted by colored stripes on the collar and cuffs of the candidate uniform. The youngest age at which a psychic can be entered into the Pilot program is thirteen, and they must be at least eighteen years old with a minimum of four years of training to graduate.

Stage 1
A six-month grace period that all candidates receive. During this time, "gracies" participate with the regular military recruits in the harsh Aedolian Basic Training program and cannot be sent to TRIM. At this point they are considered the lowest military rank. Training is not limited to the physical, as candidates must also pass the classroom portion of the course, most of which consists of basic subjects such as Aedolian history, the sciences, and mathematics. Little to no psychic training occurs during this stage, as its purpose is to determine who is even worth psychic instruction in the first place. This stage exists to weed out the truly hopeless cases. Its color is green, and on average 80 percent of candidates pass to the next stage.

Stage 2
Having finished Basic Training, candidates will move on to Intensive Training, which is more physically and mentally demanding than Basic. Classroom work includes much instruction on the histories of Edanith and Seruna, plus classes on Aedolian government and politics. They will also be required to pass courses on psychic theory and brain anatomy, the goal of which is to give them a knowledge foundation upon which to build their psychic abilities. With increasing frequency, they will begin to receive instruction and training apart from the regular military personnel. Pilots make intensive appraisals of a candidate's strengths and weaknesses during the course of this stage. This is the most difficult stage to pass, and the criteria for moving on is vastly more challenging than in Stage 1. Pilots are far less forgiving of faults in this stage, and are looking specifically for candidates with the potential and desire to become loyal, useful Pilots. Only an average of 50% will make it through this stage. The color is sky blue.

Stage 3
Physical training still occurs at this stage, but the focus shifts to special ops and the time spent for it is pared down while time spent on the candidates' intellectual training increases. They take extensive courses on the anatomy and functional biology of the brains of over a dozen sentient species. There are psychic theory courses coupled with practical application of powers. At this point, candidates are almost fully separate from other military personnel in their training and are now higher ranked than most soldiers. It affords them a level of power previously unknown to them. As the number of candidates has greatly decreased by now, they receive much more one-on-one training from their Pilots and the Director of Candidate Affairs. An average of 70% of candidates pass this stage and the color is white.

Stage 4
This stage focuses almost entirely on the psychic aspect of being a Pilot. Candidates are expected to adhere to a physical fitness regimen to maintain their bodies and combat skills, and this regimen is almost identical to the one Pilots themselves are held to. Most of the candidate's time will be spent putting the knowledge they gained in previous stages to work as they apply what they know to controlling and utilizing their psychic powers. They work closely with the Pilots throughout and receive personal instruction to overcome their difficulties. The time necessary to pass this stage varies greatly from candidate to candidate, and some have been known to skip it completely if their mastery over their psychic abilities is considered adept enough. The only candidates likely not to pass this stage are those who, for whatever reason, are simply unable to learn to control their abilities. The color for this stage is yellow.

Stage 5
The final stage. Candidates who reach this level are moved out of the Advanced Training Complex and required to live in the Citadel where they will act as personal assistants to the Pilots. This is to immerse them in the life of a Pilot so that they may acclimate themselves to the lifestyle and learn things that just cannot be taught in a classroom. In addition, it allows the dragons to familiarize themselves with the candidates at their leisure and get to know them as potential Pilots. Candidates in this stage are second in rank only to the Pilots themselves, and a large part of their duties entails teaching lower candidates. Their color is red, and they pass this stage when a dragon chooses them as a Pilot.

2. The Gospels
Even though Aedolis takes pains to control its citizens and weed out those with rebellious and/or traitorous tendencies, no system is so perfect that it’s foolproof. In fact, one of the greatest rebel factions is also located right at the head of the government—Pilots who work from the inside against their fellow Pilots. These Pilots call themselves the Gospels, a name only known to other Gospels and the select few people they dare to contact.

It’s not easy to be a Gospel. With other psychics around, a Gospel has to be extremely skilled at masking their thoughts and resisting the psychic probing of their comrades, and even before that they have to be able to survive the intense training program without revealing any of their traitorous tendencies. Even more importantly, they have to get through the training with their humanity and compassion still intact. Many who would otherwise become Gospels are weeded out during the training phases simply because they were too readable. As such, there are very few of them, and even if they get through the training program, they still have to survive the military itself.

For some, it can simply be too difficult to play the role of loyal Pilot while secretly going behind the scenes to work against their people—and keep all the information tightly locked away for fear of outing themselves and their fellow Gospels. This means that a Gospel, no matter what they truly believe and no matter what cause they serve behind the scenes, still has to act and even think like your average Pilot. This means that a Gospel may still have to do some terrible things and fight battles they don't believe in just to keep their identity hidden. To add an even more twisted layer to the pile of complications and difficulties, there are also the Dragons. A Gospel not only has to keep information away from his or her fellow Pilots, but the Gospel also has to essentially lie to the very creature he or she is bonded to—and addicted to. Just being opposed to the government is not enough to be a Gospel—you have to also be willing to deal with all these other added stresses and dangers and be aware of the fact that even the smallest mental slip-up could not only endanger your life, but the lives of all the other Gospels. In short, you have to have guts, determination, and the courage to risk everything…and you have to have some serious psychic skills.

The Gospels keep in contact with the outside world, particularly with Teinar and Space Station Cancer, coordinating missions and operations with them—but never letting them know their real identity.

3. The Secret Everyone Knows About
The other Pilots know the Gospels exist; they just don't know who they are. There is a tension there among all the Pilots, a constant feeling of knowing that someone among them is a traitor, but just not being able to put a finger on who. Nonetheless, the Pilots never talk about the Gospels and publicly deny their existence, but it is an unspoken fact that they exist.

As a final note, if you plan on playing a Gospel character, please be sure to read this thread for joining details.

HISTORY

Aedolis is what the once noble, ancient country of Adela became. Millennia ago, Adela was a powerful country known for its fierce, proud people and strong military. Its people always were a warrior people, so much so that they likened themselves to dragons. It was an appropriate title, too, given their affinity for the beasts and there was even a branch in their military that incorporated dragons and riders into it. In short, they were a force to be feared, aggressive, intelligent, and ambitious as they were, and they produced a long line of powerful leaders and ingenious military strategists; they also produced some of the most scandalous historical figures.

However, while their military was something to be feared if crossed, it was not a country that would go out of its way to pointless pillage other lands or needlessly throw its weight around because it had something to prove. There were war campaigns here and there to expand its borders and acquire more influence, but it wasn’t necessarily a greedy or power-hungry country. It had a good relationship with a neighboring kingdom called Serendipity (or Seruna today, the remains of which are located on space stations) and the two supported each other time and time again throughout the long ages. If Serendipity was attacked, Adela sent in support, and visa versa. The two traded with each other and, once or twice, the two kingdoms were united by the formal unions of their leaders. There were shaky periods here and there, however, as the two kingdoms had very different perspectives on key issues and there were also some very basic personality imbalances (Adela’s aggressive nature versus Serendipity’s peaceful one), but by and large the two countries supported each other when push came to shove.

As the years passed, that all began to change.

It wasn’t a sudden change like a mood swing, but a small rift that formed between the two countries that started to grow deeper and wider with every passing decade. Technology began to advance, and Adela (now Aedolis) hopped on the bandwagon, ever eager to be at the forefront of all new developments—especially military ones. In the end, Aedolis invested heavily in technology and even began to develop its own, and with this new power the country began to grow and expand. Their military grew with it, and, before long, Aedolis was branching out and using its new power to attack neighboring countries in order to expand their borders. With so much power available to it, Aedolis needed an outlet to use that power on. In other words, the country got too much power too quickly and became greedy as a result.

By then, Aedolis’ relationship with Seruna had shattered, especially when Aedolis attempted to conquer its once-ally. However, Seruna was able to hold out against Aedolis for a time, though eventually it had no choice but to either leave Earth completely or be destroyed. While Seruna left, another country called Edanith, a country both Seruna and Aedolis had a long and bitter history with, remained to resist Aedolis. Technology-wise, Edanith and Aedolis were fairly evenly matched and Edanith managed to put up a good fight.

But in the end, even Edanith left the Earth for a gradually terraforming Mars, finding that it was simply too ruined to be worth fighting for anymore. However, the grudge still remains, and to this day Edanith and Aedolis wage an interplanetary war against each other.

In any case, in addition to conquering other countries and becoming the global superpower of Earth, Aedolis also succeeded in royally screwing up the planet. In order to keep up with its increasing population, forests were cleared to make room for cities, mountains mined for precious minerals and resources, fields drained of all their nutrients due to over harvesting, rivers and oceans polluted from dumping toxic and radioactive wastes and byproducts into them, the sky polluted from all its testing and developing…before long, the Earth became almost uninhabitable.

It was Aedolis’ Dragons, those creatures that scientists had genetically engineered to create the perfect specimen and who ultimately took on a life of their own, that really made the country what it is today, providing the country and its cities with safety and protection from the elements. All they ask for in return is obedience.