Malum Auctori (Mal-um Ock-tor-ee)
Malum Auctori is a harsh planet filled with people who have been able to persist despite the conditions of their World. They are the leader of The Spider Alliance and were the minds behind The Web. They are currently ruled by the Malum Auctori Royal Family: The Obriana Family. According to their history, there was once another intelligent species that lived on Malum Auctori that they were once at war with, people that the Auctori refer to as the Malum. The Malum were an oppressive force that the Auctori overthrew and eradicated.
Malum Auctori has constructed settlements in more Worlds than anyone else. They have colonies in Chatibos, Donerth and Mundi. It would be too difficult for them to create a new settlement in Otiosus and Sani'Tatem due to the environment, and Telea, Nurn and Yilvyke never let Malum Auctori buy any land from them despite their numerous outreach programs.
In the modern day, Malum Auctori opposes Telea and their Council of Queens on an intergalactic stage in a political conflict that many believe will soon turn bloody.
Political and Social Customs
Malum Auctori is an empire helmed by a monarchy: the Obrianna family. They are known as the Malum Auctori Royal Family and have ruled over the Auctori for almost a millennium. If there was a previous leadership system prior to the Obriannas' dynasty it is an unknown one. Ever since the War Against Evil the Auctori have been under a strict regime to ensure that a war as terrible and lengthy as the last one never engulfs Malum Auctori again. Because of this, Auctori are tracked throughout their schooling years and guided toward careers that they would be best suited to. Throughout these years they are also seperated from their parents and placed in boarding schools so that their teachers can get an understanding of their students in their totality. This has resulted in a brutally efficient system, and many Worlds have likened Malum Auctori to a clock or an engine. While many cultural differences exist across the various settlements of the World, the one thing that they all have in common is that the Auctori value strength above all else. Discipline and excellence are also highly valued traits in an Auctori, and it is taught that if one achieves highly in these three areas they are eligible for the highest positions within the World. Auctori also value the family unit to a high degree, with most Auctori being expected to marry at a young age and rear and raise their first child within two to three years of marriage. Those that do not adhere to these norms are heavily stigmatised and frequently looked down upon. Many such individuals tend to retreat to the towns and villages of Malum Auctori, or into the densest areas of the cities.Pre-Web History
View full timeline in: History of Malum Auctori Malum Auctori is a World mired in a tragic past. The planet is named after the two species that once inhabited its surface: the Malum and the Auctori. The Auctori were the original owners of the World, and had settled the continents of Prudentia and Fortitudo. From its inception, the Auctori civilisation (known at the time as Auctoritas) was ruled by the Auctori Royal Family: a bloodline that has never been interrupted since it began. It wouldn't be until three and a half centuries later that the Auctori would make first contact with the Malum. The two species never got along, though for much of their history they seemed to be at peace with the exception of the occasional skirmish waged from either side. However, their uneasy peace would eventually come to an end. The Malum and Auctori were once in a terrible war that lasted for over four centuries, wherein the Auctori came out the victors despite terrible losses. The Malum were an oppressive force that sought to exterminate the Auctori, launching continual assaults against their great cities and even began to engage in biological warfare toward the end of the conflict. The Malum were a scourge upon Malum Auctori itself during this time, terraforming the land and creating many of the volcanic regions that have rendered areas of the World inhospitable. To counter them, the Auctori Royal Family rallied the Auctori and inducted them all into the Auctori military structure to quell the threat of the Malum. Not only did this terraforming radically alter the terrain of this World, but also began to transform some of the residents into monstrosities. When soldiers would die near these terraformed areas their bodies would soon begin to grow, expand, and eventually fuse with their armour. These beasts were known as the Equites, or Knights. These creatures are of exceeding danger and it is advised that they are avoided at all costs. However, this phenomenon seeded the idea of the IPS-N (Instigation Prevention Soldiers of Nero), a line of weaponized vehicles intended to evoke the imagery of the Equites. These Soldiers were custom-built to combat both the Equites and the Malum. Eventually, the Auctori claimed victory over the Malum. After centuries of warfare the Malum's governing force was toppled and their armed forces were scattered. The Auctori were concerned that the Malum might one day seek to reclaim power from them, and ensured that they never would again. The Auctori eliminated the threat that the Malum posed by executing them, a time they look back on with pride. The Auctori Royal Family was officially renamed the Malum Auctori Royal Family and the war was posthumously titled the War Against Evil. Finally, there was peace across Malum Auctori. Ever since the defeat of the Malum, the Auctori have enforced a strict political doctrine to ensure that a disaster such as this one could not occur ever again. They placed a heavy emphasis on growing their military to ensure that should a threat arise they would be prepared for it. This involved the incorporation of IPS-N mechs into law enforcement systems, known as the Copper Guard. The Copper Guard are also necessary in the protection of the Royal Family and important politicians, though this legion is known as the Aeramentum. The Auctori began a program wherein youths' skills would be tested and their personalities evaluated as they aged. Based on these statistics, children would be assigned specific educational material to prepare them for the jobs that they would be given in adulthood as determined by the reigning governing force. This system has survived well into the present day, and the Auctori pride themselves on creating a society that runs like clockwork.Post-Web History
Malum Auctori was one of the first two Worlds to communicate with one another. They returned an intergalactic message from the Mundians and kickstarted a brand new era for every living species in the Pontision System. The two Worlds took some time to overcome a language barrier, and upon doing so became close allies. Mundi began to receive many more returned messages from various locations throughout the galaxy, and they would often thank the Auctori for their role in easing Mundi into intergalactic diplomacy. After realising that the Auctori were not alone in the universe they began designing and constructing The Web alongside the Mundians. Beyond this, Malum Auctori would play a large part in intergalactic politics, becoming close allies with Nurn and Donerth. The Auctori would encourage Nurn to establish a colony on Otiosus and worked with the Donerthians to help them construct landing pads on the ocean surface and an underwater elevator to transport visitors to their cities. These actions, amongst other collaborations, are believed to have laid a foundation for the Spider Alliance. This period would also see the Auctori strengthen their bond with Mundi as the two Worlds would collaborate with one another frequently to ensure the success of the Web. After one hundred years of communication the Auctori completed construction of the first Node. A handful of years later and every World in the Pontision system was connected by The Web. The Auctori ruler of the time, Empress Justinia Obrianna, would begin enacting the Galactic Security Policy. This involved establishing embassies and colonies on as many Worlds as possible. It also involved the official formation of the Spider Alliance. Around the same time, the Auctori would begin to take major prominence within the Annual Bridges. It is believed that these various outreach programs are what sparked the Teleans' and Yilvykians' concerns regarding the Spider Alliance and is what eventually led to the galaxy's current political status. Recently, there have been concerns regarding the status of the Malum Auctori Royal Family. Just over two decades ago Empress Justinia died and Emperor Caracalla Obrianna took her place as ruler. However, he is beginning to reach the same age as his mother was when she died, so discussions are being held surrounding which of the Emperor's children should succeed him. Further complicating matters is the fact that the strongest contender for the throne, his son Commodus Obrianna, recently took to a life of crime and formed The Wild Araneae Gang, which has been wreaking havoc across the galaxy. Malum Auctori now faces uncertain times as tensions rise within the galaxy and the Auctori find themselves on the cusp of another war. All eyes are on them.Species and Geography
The Auctori are a tall and slender people, with many standing between 6 and 7ft. tall. Each has eight distinct limbs: two humanoid arms, two humanoid legs, and four spider-like arms extending from their back. Auctori tend to have silver hair, though different pigments do exist. They also have eight eyes: two humanoid eyes with three smaller eyes forming a triangular shape that extends up toward the left and right side of their temples from the left and right eyes respectively. Malum Auctori consists of four major continents: Prudentia, Iustitia, Fortitudo, Temperantia. Prudentia was once the home of the Malum and exists across a massive archipelago. Due to the Malum's terraforming during the War Against Evil Iustitia has become a volcanic wasteland, populated only by Equites. Fortitudo is considered the motherland of the Auctori and is home to some of the oldest cities in Malum Auctori, hosting both the Royal Family and the High Curia. Finally, Temperantia is the home to the largest city in the World, spanning across almost the entire continent. Due to the high level of volcanic activity across Malum Auctori much of the land is often covered in a layer of grey volcanic ash. As such, the majority of the buildings constructed within the last several centuries utilise a dull and similarly grey colour scheme, with the only exceptions being structures whose owners can afford to have them be cleaned often. The Auctori have also proven themselves resourceful in the face of adversity as they have been able to utilise the volcanic activity for purposes such as: farming, energy, and mineral production.Settlements
The following are the seven major settlements of Malum Auctori. Beyond these cities there are also plenty of towns, villages and farms that exist. Humilitas and Benevolentia are both found within Prudentia. Temperantia encompasses almost the entirety of the continent that shares its namesake. Finally, Castitas, Patientia, Caritas and Industria all exist within Fortitudo. In total there are believed to be roughly five billion Auctori who live across Malum Auctori.Humilitas
Humilitas was once a settlement built by the Malum that has been used by the Auctori ever since the end of the war. It is built on the largest island of the Prudentia Archipelago, and has connections to many nearby smaller islands for farming and mining purposes. Humilitas was the first line of defence against the Auctori's advance into the Malum's nation. It is said that the pride of the Malum was so great that their hubris weighed down on the very building blocks of the city, and that had the Auctori fleet arrived any later they would have found Humilitas in ruins. It is because of this story that the city was renamed Humilitas as its residents had been utterly humbled. In the modern day the city is best known for its fishing exports.Benevolentia
Benevolentia was the final bastion of the Malum's cruelty before the Auctori won the War Against Evil. It is a settlement that is spread out between seventeen closely connected islands. The battle to conquer Benevolentia is known as the 17 week skirmish, as the Auctori would take a single island once per week for every week that their assault lasted. The Auctori's onslaught is believed to be so fierce because the Malum in Benevolentia had incorporated other Auctori into their workforce; welcoming them into their city and then enslaving them throughout the course of the war. When they eventually controlled all seventeen islands they renamed the city Benevolentia so that the residents would never forget the kindness that the Auctori did for them by liberating them from the clutches of the Malum. Now, the majority of Malum Auctori's naval fleet resides between islands filled with warehouses and factories.Temperantia
Temperantia is the largest city in Malum Auctori. It is divided into four quarters: Metallicus (the mines), Agricola (the farms), Fabrica (manufacturers), and Castra (military training grounds with residential areas scattered throughout the quarters. It is the city that has the highest productive output in the World, and could easily sustain the totality of Malum Auctori all on its lonesome. Without the backing of Temperantia, it is believed that the Auctori would have crumbled during the War Against Evil. However, in recent years Agricola's growth has begun to subside, worrying the modern Auctori.Castitas
Castitas is one of the oldest settlements in Malum Auctori and clings tightly to their history and traditions. It is the sister city to Caritas, and the two settlements have always had a strong relationship with one another. However, some regions of Malum Auctori look on Castitas with a sense of wariness due to the policies that its rulers enforce. They regulate the private lives of their citizens to a greater extent than any other city in the World, and potentially any city in the galaxy. These restrictions include (but are not exclusive to): limiting the number of children a Castitas couple can rear, limits on when a Castitas couple can reproduce, limits on who a Castitas resident can reproduce with, and regulation surrounding the ownership of texts and imagery deemed inappropriate and/or morally corrosive. These restrictions are enforced regularly and severely, as Castitas' legal system is anything but lenient. Despite (or in spite of) this, a large counter-cultural scene has been brewing in the underbelly of Castitas that has been described by officials as "offensively hedonistic".Patientia
Patientia is a Malum Auctori city of little relevance both within the galaxy and its own World. It has always been seen as an extension of Caritas, often working for them to help them achieve their goals. They rarely produce anything of note and never act against the interests of Caritas or Industria on a political or economic level, which is theorised to be the reason that it has been left in a state of near-constant disrepair. If Caritas and Industria are considered wife and husband (respectively), then Patientia is their child. Even its own residents seem to value its surrounding cities more so than their own home. This has led to an unprecedented migration crisis within Malum Auctori wherein the residents of Patientia have begun travelling to other major settlements within Malum Auctori or trying their luck with finding a home in the settlements on the other Worlds of the Pontision System.Caritas
Caritas is the oldest city in the city and is sometimes referred to as the Mother of Malum Auctori. The highlight of Caritas is the Obrianna Castle, a glittering jewel found within a city of ash whose glow can be seen from space. Ceremonies are frequently held from this ancient site and it has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the galaxy. Aurora Obrianna and Livia Obrianna can often be seen helming the ceremonial practices held at the castle and have become beloved figures throughout the Pontision System. The High Curia can also be found in Caritas. Curias are the locations in which political doctrine is debated and enforced and one can be found in every city in Malum Auctori, but the High Curia is where planet affecting policies are put into action or withdrawn from the World's legal system. The acting Emperor or Empress has executive permission to enact any policy they wish at their leisure, but it must be declared within the High Curia to be officially incorporated as legislation. However, this has not been used in many years.Industria
Industria has the greatest military presence of any city in Malum Auctori. It is the youngest city in the World as it was built during the War Against Evil as a location to train Auctori soldiers and develop new technologies and weaponry that could be utilised in the war. Despite its recency, many refer to this city as Caritas' husband or the Father of Malum Auctori. It was the birthplace of the ever-successful IPS-N program and remains the primary manufacturing site for these mechs. Ever since the end of the war, Industria has expanded its residential areas and has incorporated other systems of commerce into its structure, but it is still primarily producing and selling weapons of war. Out of every settlement in the World, this one is where the Auctori's stricter policies have been the most successful, instilling a strong sense of diligence in Industria's cultural presence. They have also seen an exponential level of growth within the past decade that has not been seen since its inception.Important Figures
- Emperor Caracalla Obrianna - Emperor of Malum Auctori
- Commodus Obrianna - Leader of the Wild Aranae Gang
- Aurora Obrianna - Princess of Malum Auctori
- Livia Obrianna - Princess of Malum Auctori
- Caesolia Drusigatus - The highest ranked IPS-N Lancer
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