Athak

The living void.

Basics

• Taxonomic Order: Insubstantiates

• Alignment: Infernal

• Energy: Void

• Lifespan: 120 years

• Diet: Energy

• Habitat: Subterranean Realm or Sublunarian Realm

Origins

The negation of life, death, and undeath yielded life again, negative life, the void made shape, the void alive.

Description

Most athaks are shapeless, colorless clouds of energy (often called “the Vast”). Many, however, take an anthropomorphic form by negating their own formlessness. These are usually featureless figures. Those that dwell underground on Shem are more affected by gravity and narrow spaces and tend to be about 3’ to 5’ tall and have smaller than proportional limbs and phalanges, while those who dwell under the lunar surface tend to be about 6’ tall and have elongated limbs and phalanges.

To outsiders, solid athaks appear to be jet black because their bodies negate light. To each other, athaks have perfectly clear skin and a riot of colors swirling within themselves.

Procreation

Athaks reproduce sexually by merging with one another and forming new athaks, though athaks are not sexually dimorphic. Children are birthed immediately after a merging. The new athak contains energy from both parents, a small, clear cloud of conscious void.

Powers

Athaks contain void. They can discharge void energy from any part of their bodies - energy or solid - at the cost of some of their lifeforce, which they can recharge with food and rest.

Resistance and Consumption

Athaks can nullify any poioumenonic, ambrosial, paradoxical, or nommic energy that targets them. If they do so, these energies will become void in an amount equal to the amount by which they defeated the energy - i.e., if they are targeted with a 10 in mana and they roll from an 8 in void and end up rolling a 15 against the mana’s 12, they will gain and consume a 3 in void. If they fail, they take damage at half the failure - i.e., if they fail by 2, they lose 1 void point permanently. Some energies are less potent against them and some are more potent. Mana is the primary opposition to void and its complete equal.

Celestial energies are harmful to them. They cannot transform it into food, but they can defend against it with their void powers. Infernal energies, other than void, cannot be defended against with void power, though they can defend against them with basic will power like any other being. Infernal energies, other than void, cannot be used for food. Void is inherently sustenance to them. If they encounter void outside of themselves, they can absorb it, control it, or influence it.

Shebvic energies do not interact with them at all.

In order for them to feed effectively, they must discharge less void than the energies they consume.

Unvoid

If an athak attempts to consume aetherial energies and fails, it will not kill them the way poioumenonic ones do nor harm them like celestial energies. Aether releases them from the power of void, igniting the ashar within them. It will cause them to have physical bodies, but it will also negate the negation, allowing them to exist without need of void or the consuming of energies. Unvoided athaks are hated by most athak cultures and hunted down and killed, and the few who survive usually join other nations’ cultures.

Any athak can do this. The option is always present, though athak rulers go out of their way to keep that information from most athaks. Aether is nearly ever present in the world. Unvoided athaks can negate infernal energies and consume them, but not aether or celestial.

Weaknesses

If they fail when consuming poioumenonic energies, it can kill them, especially mana.

Nations

There are six major nations of athaks:

• Iyimisb: a nation of oppressed and oppressor on the White Moon known for ruling a feudal kingdom and being a warrior caste in a fascist empire.

• Ixaninit: an oppressed nation on the White Moon.

• Nihiyqey: the powerful fascist ruling nation of athaks on the White Moon who refuse to take solid form. Considered the originals.

• Quosipian: an oppressed nation underground who work in mines in the Voidbarrens.

• Reyiqt: a nation considered “primitive” or “uncivilized” who dwell in lunar forests on the White Moon.

• Sopulian: the largest subterranean athak nation who rule a techno-capitalist country in the Voidbarrens.

Culture

The Nihiyqey are considered the original nation of athaks. They live in a powerful empire on the White Moon called Nihiyqeyitex ruled by a group of formless athaks of immense void power. These athaks, called the Vast by outsiders, dwell within a clear-glass chamber within a perfectly spherical room within an observatory in a field of clear void crystals. This sphere, known as the Iqitofet, absorbs esoteric energies from throughout the cosmos and feeds the Vast.

The Vast dictate all laws and rules of society. No member of the Nihiqey nation is allowed to take solid form, and no member of any other athak nation in their empire are allowed to remain formless. There is a rigid hierarchy in their empire: the formless Nihiqey, the tall and powerful Iyimisb, the short and enslaved Ixaninit, and then any beings who are not athaks. Non-athaks have no rights. The Ixaninit have very few rights, all contingent on service to the Nihiqey. The Iyimisb have rights contingent on their service to the Nihiqey. The Nihiqey are ostensibly free, but they must answer to the Vast, the most elite and powerful athaks in existence.

The culture of the empire is focused on glorifying the empire. Their imperial philosophy is a mixture of nationalism, racial purity, nihilism, and an obsession with clarity and negation as broader concepts. This is reflected in their art, music, theatre, and film, but those pursuits are considered either the pursuits of the weak or tools of the state for indoctrination. Ironically, the powerful enjoy experiencing, watching, or engaging with art, but making it is sneered at.

The military and the technological industry are one and the same in the empire, and science and technology are pursued without constraint, reason, or fear - the relentless pursuit of advancement in void-technology leads regularly to disastrous weaponry and other devices. It also causes great environmental destruction.

The daily lives of the exploited classes are very similar to those of other exploited classes throughout Shem, but athaks thrive off the generation of void, which requires either the negation of other esoteric energies or the use of void-crystals. Mining or quarrying void-crystals is controlled by the powerful and worked by the enslaved, imprisoned, and exploited, and the technological “nets” that capture esoteric energies to feed the population are the same.

Children are raised either by their immediate families or by servants. If the parents are formless, the child will allowed to remain formless. If the parents are not formless, law dictates they must force their child into a physical form within ten days of birth. Any non-compliance will result in the deaths of the entire family and the use of their energies to feed the Vast. Children are forced into schools by the age of two, when indoctrination begins, and they are forced to be educated for the next 22 years. They are tested relentlessly to find out if they are useful to the powers-that-be - they seek scientists, soldiers and police, engineers, oveseers, and administrators above all. Everyone else is relegated to drudge work.

The state allows for twelve holidays per year, each one focused on national pride, honoring sacrifice to the empire, and concepts of clarity and nihilism.

Nihilism is the official state philosophy. People are encouraged to believe that there is no meaning to life or anything, and that their only loyalty should be to their own personal interests, which can best be served by serving the powerful - in other words, since life is meaningless, the best choice you can make is to ally yourself with those who can make your life easier. Fighting against injustice or for better conditions is meaningless; there will always be pain and suffering. Why try? All is nothingness. Embrace it and serve the nothingness.

Clarity is a principle drilled into all citizens of the empire. It is vital to be clear in all communication, whether direct or indirect, so that you are always understood. To be misunderstood is to be isolated, alone, lost. Incomplete and worthless. One must be understood, one must be clear and plain one’s intent. This is drilled into the people to make them less able to be subversive; it benefits the Vast to be able to read and understand all of their people constantly.

National Cultures

The other nations of athaks differ from the Nihiyqey:

• Iyimisb: in the empire, most Iyimisb conform to the culture of the Nihiyqey as best they can, but they do hold onto some of their own national traditions, such as ritual combat sports, a preference for large families, and a more religious outlook. In their own kingdom, also on the White Moon, they are deeply religious, a theocratic feudal state known for their strict enforcement of strange religious practices, such as wearing clothing.

• Ixaninit: in both the kingdom and the empire, the Ixaninit are discriminated against, treated as lesser, and forced into smaller bodies. They are forced to toil for the rich and powerful, whether the feudal lords who control the void-crystal fields or the Vast and their fascist authority. Their own culture is one of profound belief in their religion, a respect for new technologies, and an enjoyment of life’s pleasures - arts and entertainment, sculpture, and family.

• Quosipian: Quospians are rigid atheists who believe in technology above all, but they do not have the control of its development, ownership, or use beyond doing the grunt work on it in Uodsopul.

• Reyiqt: athaks who survive in violent, territorial bands that practice a form of early slave-based economics and mortal sacrifice.

• Sopulian: the Sopulians believe above all in technology and its power. They worship techno-capitalists, whom they view as geniuses. Their country is a dystopian, bourgeois democracy replete with mindless entertainments, meaningless distractions, and a culture driven to technological superiority. They treat the Quosipians like garbage second-class citizens.

Esoterica

Athaks are beings of void, and this limits them in what energies they can wield. They can wield any infernal power, and for most athaks, blasphemy takes the place of ambrosia by default. Unvoided athaks can wield any energy except poioumenonic.

Religion

Most athak nations have a faith in Śūn'ya, the Divine Void, and preach a faith that demands loyalty to the unfeeling, all-powerful devourer of all energies and master of all that is. They seek to emulate it and encourage all in their nations to do the same.

Gender

Gender is strictly forbidden. It is the dictate of the Vast that all athaks are genderless. Most athaks do not feel this way internally - they are as varied in gender as the colors only they can see within themselves - but adhere to the dictate for fear of the state. Anyone who seeks to express a gender is arrested and sent to the mines for ten years. Marriage is encouraged by the state as a means of tracking national purity. Couples are encouraged to have many children.

Economy

The empire is an imperialist-capitalist economy. The kingdom is feudal. The subterra is capitalist.

Military

All athak ruling nations have technologically advanced militaries known for their energy weapons and forcefields, computerized drone weapons, and digital combat operations. The White Moon countries have spaceforces.

Language

Athak language is made up entirely.

Trade

Athaks trade technology to imperial countries in exchange for energy sources.

Occupations

Some common occupations include the following:

• Busiqide: elected officials in Uodsopul.

• Ezxendand: followers of the Void Divine who study and meditate on the void in monasteries in remote places.

• Fnesxex: void armorers, energy barriers that negate attacks.

• Fnxeth: void mechanics.

• Irritobotaner: plant-based irritologers, using void plants, negative-splicing plant genetics.

• Irritoculinar: using void to create sustenance out of various materials, usually energy crystals.

• Irritologer: the scientists who make up the core of all void sciences and athak societies.

• Irritolovist: scholars of void sciences and history. Academics.

• Irritomedicalist: void doctors, those who use void sciences to heal other athaks.

• Irritotechnician: void technicians and engineers.

• Irritotech-Rdrv: void-rail technicians.

• Irritotech-Rdrx: void-astronauts.

• Irritozoologer: scientists who work with and study void beasts.

• Ixindimete: functionaries in the fascist government.

• Lizonimith: digital games makers who use digital negation.

• Meqendex: negative digital arts.

• Mitxiqnit: terrorists who use void explosives.

• Mmitholl: one who is overcome by the Void Divine and the power of nothingness.

• Nckelzoth: a priest or cleric of the Void Divine in a major organized religion.

• Nullblader: warriors who wield void-laser blades.

• Nullgunner: warriors who wield void-laser rifles or cannons.

• Nullifier: assassins who kill esotericists especially.

• Nullsoldier: nullbladers or -gunners who serve in a military.

• Olothaux: void videographers. Film negatives or digital negation.

• Oqqohi: space pirates who wield void.

• Pixiqitet: a pilgrim who travels from moon to subterra or vice versa to honor the Void Divine.

• Qiezcyt: teachers who trains irritologers.

• Spacenull: irritologers who nullify spatially to create shortcuts between points.

• Tnxic Circuit: messenger programs designed by irritologers.

• Tochoriz: hackers who use digital negation.

• Vuzapx: a direct agent of the Void Divine.

• Yothanar: workers in void labs, mines, and quarries; laborers.

Outside View

Most view athaks are dangerous and strange, alien beings that are a threat to their lives simply by existing.

Notables

• Deltriquim Ixioj, Priest of Sunya, deceased

• Glontuul Fluusk, Chosen of Chaos, deceased

• Goxix Muoxio, legendary nullblader of Iyimisbuya and antivox player, deceased

• Muxiat Solgheraq, legendary rifleman, composer, and adviser to Subiquim Ixioj

• Quurglun, Athak Manifest, Aeonian

• Subiquim Ixioj, Knight-Marshal of the Black Velvet, Aeonian

• The Vast

• Zraus Galqastixian, Aeonian, Athak-in-the-Machine

Estimated Populations

• Iyimisb: 10 million

• Ixaninit: 20 million

• Nihiyqey: 8 million

• Quosipian: 20 million

• Reyiqt: 500,000

• Sopulian: 10 million

• Unvoided: 5,000

• Other: 1 million

Sample Stats

PRO 8
ATH 8
STR 7
AWA 9
WIL 9
PRS 8
STH 9