NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC:

This is a fact book for the Shadows, as a space faring race.

This historically is based after the Shivan Revival conflict, where the Shivan contacted and opened a gate through to Beta Dimension through, which a race known to others as the Shadows poured. Of course, they were eventually defeated in that war, however in the course of the war the Shadows established an Empire, which is currently the Shadows home, and since the gate was lost they cannot contact the others of their race.

Please remember this information is here as general reference should you need it, it should not be used to give you a non-RPed IC advantage.

It may look very powerful, but I can assure all those who would accuse me of various types of wanking and godmodding that I will and do in fact RP these units fairly as shown by my actions in the Shivan Revival and Shadow Dancing threads.

Comments are welcome. Thanks.

The Shadows

Population: 50 Million

Willing Servants/Slaves: 1.4 Billion (Various races, not including Shadow creations)

Unwilling Servants/Slaves: Unknown, but thought to at least double the number of willing servants/slaves.

Beta Dimension Homeworld: Unknown

Alpha Dimension Homeworld: Gilga 9 (Re-named Z’ha’dum)

Capital: Unknown

Language: Vrari (series of high pitched clicking sounds)

Motto: Evolution through Chaos

Government:

Hierarchy:

The Shadowlord/Lady of Shadows

^

The Council of Seven

^

Normal Shadows

Shadowlord: Magnus Stra’coth

Lady of Shadows: Tanya Rift (Stra’coth)

The Council of Seven:

Magnus Stra’coth (Shadowlord)
Tanya Rift (Stra’coth) (Lady of Shadows)
Kalam Mekhar (Master of the Claw)
Baudin Dragonis (Master of the Talon)
Lina Dragonis (Master of the Shadow Forces)
Zric Bruc’tal (Master of Finance and Trade)
Alucard Dracul (Inquisitor-General)
Galen Zadomis (Master of the Orders)

Economic Systems:

Based on the idea of working towards the Ultimate goal of the Shadows, which is to perfect evolution in all other races, by causing Total war in the Universe, over which the Shadows preside like Gods.

Every Shadow Child is treated equally, given several sets of exams at different ages to determine, where they would best serve the cause. This determines their later function in Shadow society.

Resources are allocated by the Council of Seven. Every Shadow gets their basic needs seen to by the multitude of slaves.

Money doesn’t not exist inside Shadow Territory, since they see no need for it. Instead slaves are allocated by the Council of Seven to Shadows, and other purposes.

However, outside Shadow Territory the Shadow’s utilise a small high-value currency, nicknamed ‘Shadow Credits’ but officially known by the Shadows and Money Exchanges as the Magni.

Religious Orders:

The Technomages (The Priests of Chaos) (Abbot: Galen Zadomis)

Description: The Technomages are a mysterious order, who use technology implanted in their bodies to simulate the effect of magic. They operate outside of Shadow controlled space, in order to create Chaos and cause War between the other races in the Galaxy.

The Black Order (The Priests of the Night) (Abbot: Wilur Quirl)

Description: Unknown, but rumoured to be the primary genetic experimentation organisation in Shadow controlled space.

The Wolfen Order (The Priests of Shadow) (Abbot: Lucien Beastius)

Description: Unknown, but rumoured to be the Primary Architects of the Shadows Space Fleet.

Shadow Military Capability:
The Shadow Fleet:

Shadow ‘Vampire’ Scouts:

Number: 2000 (approx.)
Infancy Period: 3 months
Class: Scout Cruiser
Length: 365 Metres
Crew: 1 Centralised Processor Lifeform
Power: Hyperspace Tap
Acceleration: 25 km/s
Agility: Class A+
Duration: Thought to infinite but may well not be.
Armaments: 1 Light Shadow Death Ray (capable of cutting most lighter ships (fighters, corvettes, bombers and most frigates) in half and known to cut through most forms of shields/armour), 1 Quantum Bolt Cannon. (Anti-Matter based)
Defence: Bio-Armoured Organic Hull, Tractor Beams, Phased Hyperspace Cloaking Device (I.e. it appears out of hyperspace without forming jump points, also allows it to ‘cloak’ by phasing into a dimension between first level hyperspace and normal space), Shadow Shields

Shadow ‘Spitfire’ Heavy Fighters:

Number: 150,000 (approx.)
Infancy Period: 3 Months
Class: Heavy Fighter
Length: 15.3 Metres
Crew: 1 Centralised Processor Lifeform
Power: Hyperspace Tap
Acceleration: 10 km/s
Agility: Class A
Duration: Thought to infinite but may well not be
Armaments: 2 Quantum Bolt Cannons (Anti-Matter based)
Defence: Bio-Armoured Organic Hull, Tractor Beams, Phased Hyperspace Cloaking Device (I.e. it appears out of hyperspace without forming jump points, also allows it to ‘cloak’ by phasing into a dimension between first level hyperspace and normal space), Shadow Shields

Shadow ‘Battlecrab’ Heavy Cruisers:

Number: 3000 (approx.)
Infancy Period: 1 Year
Class: Attack Cruiser
Length: 1-3 Km (Depending upon age)
Crew: 1 Centralised Processor
Troop Compliment: Can carry thirty roughly human shaped objects
Fighter Compliment: 40 ‘Spitfire’ Heavy Fighters
Power: Hyperspace Tap
Acceleration: 5 km/s
Agility: Class C
Duration: Thought to infinite but may well not be
Armaments: 1 Shadow Death Ray (cuts through most known armours and shields, easily capable of cutting a ship in half), Jump point/Sub-light/Wormhole/Faster than Light Disruptor, Energy Mines
Defence: Bio-Armoured Organic Hull, Tractor Beams, Phased Hyperspace Cloaking Device (I.e. it appears out of hyperspace without forming jump points, also allows it to ‘cloak’ by phasing into a dimension between first level hyperspace and normal space), Shadow Shields

Shadow 'Overlord' Transports:

Number: 15,000 (approx.)
Infancy period: 6 months
Class: Military Transport
Length: 2-4 Km (depending upon age)
Crew: 1 Centralised Processor Lifeform
Troop Compliment: 3000 Dryal
Power: Hyperspace Tap
Acceleration: 3 km/s
Agility: Class F
Duration: Thought to infinite but may well not be
Armaments: 2 Quantum Bolt Cannons. (Anti-Matter based)
Defence: Bio-Armoured Organic Hull, Phased Hyperspace Cloaking Device (I.e. it appears out of hyperspace without forming jump points, also allows it to ‘cloak’ by phasing into a dimension between first level hyperspace and normal space), Shadow Shields

Please Note: All Shadow ships are atmostsphere AND space capable, even the fighers, also in reference to Shadow weaponry whereas most Future Tech races have many guns and many varieties of ships, the Shadow concentrate on a few designs and very powerful weaponry, so please take into account that most defense systems will not stop Shadow Tech weaponry. However, they do have weaknesses so if you are RPing against me, TG me and I will tell you them so that you can bring them into the RP a bit. :)

Shadow Ground Forces:

Dryal are genetically tailored troops, they are used as the way to overwhelm enemy positions with sheer numbers.

Dryal

Number: 13,000,000 (Approx.)

Production Capacity: 20,000 per month.

Infancy Period: 3 Months

Four Bladed Legged creatures with two short arms with blade attached. Has a beak with two eyes and a hardened exo-skeleton.

(Think Bugs from Starship Troopers)

Dryalings

Number: 4,000,000 (Approx.)

Production Capacity: 10,000 per month

Infancy period: 1 month

Same as a Dryal but 1/3 of the size. Has a tendency towards Burrowing, often used in Cave and Tunnel Warfare by the Shadows.

Aerial Dryal

Number: 400,000 (Approx.)

Production Capacity: 1,000 per month.

Infancy Period: 4 months

Two Legs, Two arms both ending in three taloned claws, large beak, four wings (two pairs), Hardened Exo-Skeleton.

(Think the Aerial Bugs from Starship Troopers)

Support Dryal

Number: 30,000

Production Capacity: 100 per month

Infancy Period: 1 year

Four Legs, Huge Black Exoskeleton, Fires a stream of corrosive acid from it’s nasal area and it can utilize it’s anus to fire out a large blue plasma ball, which can be fired at Starships planetside, but is not much use against fast fighters.

(Think the Big Beetle like things from ST)

Heavy Combat Dryal

Number: 2,000

Production Capacity: 30 per month
Infancy Period: 1 year

Four legs, Four Huge bladed arms, Heavy exo-skeleton, Trunk for Nasal area, Chinteous Eye lids.

(Think Ultralisk from Starcraft)

Notes

Dryal can digest almost anything living bar the most toxic of substances and have been known to eat the bodies of enemies and cannibalise their own dead.

Controlled via an Organic Quantum Computer known as ‘The Eye’, located on Z’ha’dum.

Non-Military Space Vessels:

Astro-Pods: Large unmanned skeletal like vessels, which collect asteroids for the Shadows. When found they are taken back to a Shadow Resource point, where they are broken down in their elements and the elements sent to be used by the Shadows.

Comet-Pods: Large unmanned skeletal like vessels, which collect comets for the Shadows. When found they are taken back to a Shadow Resource point, where they are broken down in their elements and the elements sent to be used by the Shadows.

Hyperspace Research Laboratories: These are large vessels, seldom seen by others who are rumoured to be exploring the uncharted depths of hyperspace and are rumoured to be conducting experiments on the life rumoured to abound in Hyperspace.

Shadow Controlled Systems:

Star: ‘Dum
System: ‘Ha’Dum

Contains 7 Planets. 3rd is Shadow Homeworld, Z’ha’dum.

Star: ‘Ta
System: ‘Ham’Ta

Contains 10 Worlds.

Star: ‘Drak
System: ‘Stra’Drak

Contains 12 Planets.

Star: ‘Bree’Narn (Two)
System: ‘Hak’Bree’Narn

Contains 10 Planets, 6th Planet is the Symbolic Homeworld of the Technomages, encircled by a large asteroid belt.

Star: ‘Xphan
System: ‘Xtan’Xphan

Contain 8 Planets, 2nd Contains the Great Machine, 3rd Planet has been allotted as a Dryal Breeding Ground.

Star: ‘Tan
System: ‘C’Tan

Contains 5 Planets, 2nd and 3rd Planets Confined Worlds (Allegatori and Vrii Homeworlds Respectively).

Star: ‘Gol
System: ‘Sol’Gol

Contains 7 Planets.

Star: ‘Zac
System: ‘Rol’Zac

Contains 5 Planets


Relations:

Moleland: Officially none, Unofficially Excellent.
The Imperial Navy: Little overt contact, Fair.
Unified Sith: Good

Balrogga: Hostile
Jordaxia: Hostile
DemonLordEnigma: Hostile

Thanks TIN. There will be more coming tomorrow. I need to define/describe a few Organisations, Races etc.

Good job TMG. You read my factbook?

I'm annoyed... you can't do file attachments anymore as No type of file is valid anymore.

GRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!

Check your PM TMG

Grr. Argh.

Oh, in more detail.

First of all, yes, I know, you have a (Vastly) different backstory, etc., etc.
Still...

Alpha Dimension Homeworld: Gilga 9 (Re-named Z’ha’dum)Z'Ha'Dum is the Vorlon/ Minbari name for their (The Shadows) homeworld (Translates as 'Broken Future' or something along that lines). Observe the (Also Vorlon/ Minbari) term Entil'Zha. Zha = Future, dum =... Well, It is a frequently used term (See Tolkien, Khazad-dum), derived from doom, and the apostroph is used to resemble the 'broken' part. It is utterly ludicrous to believe that the shadows would call their own world by a Vorlon name. And I doubt that second- hand shadows would think any different.

Motto: Chaos through EvolutionIt's 'Chaos through Warfare'... Or 'Evolution through Victory', whichever you prefer. Chaos through Evolution makes no sense.

Government:

Hierarchy:Not very true to the ideals to the first shadows, are you? Given that they don't seem to have a leader, but more of a... I would almost call it a 'direct democracy', thanks to wanky FTL comms. Which makes sense, since the chaos of different opinions will eventually have one (The 'strongest' opinion succeed... Unlike an actual Hierarchy, which is kinda... Non- Chaotic. Not even remotely so.

Shadow Military Capability:
The Shadow Fleet:

<Vast Numbers>Woah, and I thought my way of playing the shadows is utterly wanky and ludicrous. But oh well, if others agree with it, it shall be as you say.

Star: ‘Tan
System: ‘C’TanROFL! Can't wait for someone to wake up $Star Vampire :P

OOC: And you posted that to criticise a factbook? It's his factbook, he can say wha the likes! :p

Technically If you have good relations with Unified Sith, then you do with me also. We are sworn allies.

I have Mole, Good job there.

Was too busy with meh factbook, TIN Man's II Division and Shadow Dancing to post tho.

Ok, Why can't you do File attachments anymore Jolt?????????

I made my star chart and everything....

Ok, Why can't you do File attachments anymore Jolt?????????

I made my star chart and everything....
Host your images without even registering...

www.imageshack.us

Thanks

No problem. I shall now delete all my non-nessesary posts so I do not clog TMG's thread.

Grr. Argh.

Oh, in more detail.

First of all, yes, I know, you have a (Vastly) different backstory, etc., etc.
Still...

[QUOTE=Z ha dum]
Z'Ha'Dum is the Vorlon/ Minbari name for their (The Shadows) homeworld (Translates as 'Broken Future' or something along that lines). Observe the (Also Vorlon/ Minbari) term Entil'Zha. Zha = Future, dum =... Well, It is a frequently used term (See Tolkien, Khazad-dum), derived from doom, and the apostroph is used to resemble the 'broken' part. It is utterly ludicrous to believe that the shadows would call their own world by a Vorlon name. And I doubt that second- hand shadows would think any different.


Well, since in the absence of it's actual name given in the story line and in the books, I called it by it's Vorlon name. What would you suggust calling it?

Remember, we are given remarkably little information about the Shadows even in the books, which focus on the relationship between them and the Technomages.


It's 'Chaos through Warfare'... Or 'Evolution through Victory', whichever you prefer. Chaos through Evolution makes no sense


Whoops, I have a habit of spelling them the wrong way round. I believe it is Evolution through Chaos, effectively being the composition of your two sayings into one.


Not very true to the ideals to the first shadows, are you? Given that they don't seem to have a leader, but more of a... I would almost call it a 'direct democracy', thanks to wanky FTL comms. Which makes sense, since the chaos of different opinions will eventually have one (The 'strongest' opinion succeed... Unlike an actual Hierarchy, which is kinda... Non- Chaotic. Not even remotely so.


That is the subject of much debate, we do not have information as to the real internal workings of the Shadows from the series. As for the chaos within the System, we would have to see, besides I do RP them slightly differently from the B5 Shadows.


Woah, and I thought my way of playing the shadows is utterly wanky and ludicrous. But oh well, if others agree with it, it shall be as you say.


In the series the Shadows are rumoured to have a force of thousands of 'Battlecrabs', we never find out how many. But the Earth Alliance has been worked out by some very clever boffins on the web to have in excess of 20,000 Capital Ships, by the numbering system utlized on the Omega Destroyers.

I just RP them as having a similar fleet, BUT I RP them usually in small numbers, this just means that they generally stand up to whatever's coming but they are RPed in such a way, which makes them perfectly beatable as the Shivan Revival and Shadow Dancing Threads will show.

ROFL! Can't wait for someone to wake up $Star Vampire :P

*Sighs* It's just a name. But, a lot of people use the 'C'Tan thing because it's a race out of WH40k, I just was thinking of Star Classification etc and it was one of the one's I came up with.

No problem. I shall now delete all my non-nessesary posts so I do not clog TMG's thread.

Tis' Alright, TIN you can leave them.

Well, since in the absence of it's actual name given in the story line and in the books, I called it by it's Vorlon name. What would you suggust calling it?

Remember, we are given remarkably little information about the Shadows even in the books, which focus on the relationship between them and the Technomages.Well, point taken. Personally, I would (Well, I do) use Z'Ha'Dum as general reference, and whenever the shadows go first person, use Ancient Home or something comparable. If they would mention it at all.

Whoops, I have a habit of spelling them the wrong way round. I believe it is Evolution through Chaos, effectively being the composition of your two sayings into one.Much better :P

That is the subject of much debate, we do not have information as to the real internal workings of the Shadows from the series. As for the chaos within the System, we would have to see, besides I do RP them slightly differently from the B5 Shadows.That I noticed. Oh, and the internal workings are derived from Galens (Or, for that matter, Anna Sheridans) Communication hijacks/ Short contacts. Admittedly a reasonably weak argument, but it works a little better than a hierarchy.

In the series the Shadows are rumoured to have a force of thousands of 'Battlecrabs', we never find out how many. But the Earth Alliance has been worked out by some very clever boffins on the web to have in excess of 20,000 Capital Ships, by the numbering system utlized on the Omega Destroyers.According to the comics, 10000 at Corianna 6. Assuming that Ivanova didn't lie/ exaggerate.

Oh, and the 'Earthforce 20k ships' argument is utterly, completely flawed. The battle of the line mentions 20000 casualities, as in, crewmen. Complete casualities in the Minbari war were ~ 500000 men. The battle of the line alone would have had more, given such ludicrous (Unsupportable) ship numbers. Given the actual casualities... 200 ships? 2000 in the entire war (Assuming ~50% of the casualities on the surface of colonies/ spacedy stations)? Possibly.

It might be noted that IRL ship numbering systems, when analyzed the same wa,y would prolly have the US standing with a couple thousand combat vessels. Last I checked, they have less than three hundred.

Also, the vast majority of mankind is still on earth. Prolly about fifteen billion. Mars, the largest colony earth has has a population of less than twenty million. And spaceship/ population ratios ought to be larger than wetship/ population ratios (Approximately 1 ship/ 1mio people, IRL).

Given the amount of ships we see in the series (30+ to defend Mars against the approaching Alliance force. Two ships to retake Babylon 5 after it seceded. The Narn using their entire fleet of a few dozen vessels to attack the Centauri outpost. The Minbari protecting B5 with two ships. And so on), a number in the high hundreds/ low thousands seems to be vastly more like it. Possibly less.

*Sighs* It's just a name. But, a lot of people use the 'C'Tan thing because it's a race out of WH40k, I just was thinking of Star Classification etc and it was one of the one's I came up with.And I still find it horribly amusing :P

er.....well considering the battle of the line not only had milltary ships but also civilan ships that had guns on them the number of ships was rather high i know i have the film and the Presidants speech kinda gives it away when she called on all ships (so i took it Civilan and milltary and it would make scence)

Anyway glade to see more then just me as a B5 fan

er.....well considering the battle of the line not only had milltary ships but also civilan ships that had guns on them the number of ships was rather high i know i have the film and the Presidants speech kinda gives it away when she called on all ships (so i took it Civilan and milltary and it would make scence)
Watch it again. Observe that she asks the military to hold the Minbari off in order to evacuate as many civilians as possible. On board of the civilian ships. So, the scenario is most likely that Earthforce tried to keep the Minbari away, and civilian ships, full of 'To be evacuated' people, tried to escape while the battle was happening (It is object to discuss if the Minbari would/ did fire on the civilian vessels. The film mentions then not attacking civilian installations. As such, personally, I find it unlikely.).