The Advent, whose society is known collectively as “The Unity,” are a highly advanced pseudo-religious civilization that relies heavily on spiritual, psychic, and cybernetic technologies. A sense of elitism permeates the Unity, and is most strongly expressed through the high value they place on psionic ability.

HistoryEdit

The Advent evolved well before recorded history. It is said they began as one of many broken peoples who sought spiritual escape on peripheral worlds following the great wars.

The earliest known records of the Advent can be traced back to slightly after the formation of the Trade Order. At its inception, the Order sent emissaries to invite all known inhabited planets to join the organization. One such group discovered a single desert world orbiting a massive red star. Surprisingly, this world was populated by a thriving civilization. Excited by the potential for profit in this new market, the Order authorized immediate integration and the emissaries initiated contact. However, the leaders of the Unity of decided to reject the membership offer.

Not willing to accept failure, the Order sent a series of market research teams to acquire data that could be used to formulate a more elaborate strategy. They received a single, incomplete report containing "disturbing" information.

The people of the desert world practiced what was considered sinful and taboo to the people of the early Trade Order. Cerebral Integration Technologies, unrestricted biological experimentation, strange forms of collectivism, and the wholesale usage of countless neurochemicals were but a few of the transgressions committed by the Advent against the Trade Union's bylaws.

The Trader Worlds overwhelmingly voted that such an aberration had no place within the territories of their new Order. With an instinctive fear, the Traders took control of the planet by force and exiled the inhabitants far into uncharted space.

When the Trade Order forced the ancestors of the Advent from their homeworld, it created an indelible scar upon their psyche. An etching was created upon every Advent citizen in all the following centuries to exact retribution upon their enemy and assume their rightful place in the galaxy. This powerful drive for revenge pushed the Advent even further in their practices, advancing their technology level far beyond anything the Traders could have imagined (the current Advent technology level is enough to rival that of the Vasari's). Over the next 1,000 years the Advent would use all the resources at their disposal to create frightening new weapons and abilities powered by their extremely advanced PsiTech. With their resources exhausted and an arsenal to wield, the highest Coalescence synthesized the will of the Unity and determined the time to return to their original homeworld to fulfill their prophecies of dominion.

The long war with the old Trade Order, reorganized into the Trader Emergency Coalition, and the newly introduced xenos, the Vasari, had soon drawn to a stalemate. Five years after the Advent had plunged themselves into war, wreaking havoc throughout much of the Eastern Front, they had to regroup and entrench their territories; and so magnificent Starbases were erected.

Ten years later the constant fighting had done nothing to break the stalemate. The resources were starting to dwindle and peace talks between the races had begun. It was at this point that some of those within the unity wondered if vengeance was the correct course of action.

The reply would come five years later as the Advent Coalesences turned on each other. The Loyalist seeking only to continue their quest for dominance over the lesser species and should they resist they would be annihilated. And the Advent Rebels seeking an alternate solution by destroying the Advent Loyalist and searching for peace with the TEC and Vasari.

Advent CultureEdit

At an early age, Advent children are taught to seek enlightenment in whichever way naturally suits them and it is common to see even the very young using neurochemicals or artificial implants to augment their mental abilities. This advanced level of integration with their technology – known as PsiTech – is largely responsible for the Advent‘s strange sense of collectivism, and allows them to share their thoughts and feelings on an almost innate level.

Navigating, interpreting, and shaping are highly prized skills in Advent culture and one’s mastery in these areas forms the basis of the Unity‘s social hierarchy. Females in particular demonstrate a natural prowess and have come to dominate the higher castes, called Coalescences. Then there are the Silent Ones, those who are unable to participate in the Unity‘s group mind, are exceptionally rare and universally shunned by all.

Advent TechnologyEdit

Advent technology is vastly superior to the TEC and almost on par with the alien Vasari. They excel because of a technological wonder called Psitech which amplifies their mental ability above all other races. It is also used in everyday life of Advent civilians and helps improve the workforce supply for the Advent military.

Weaponry and DefenseEdit

The Advent pride themselves on their advancement in technology over the TEC over the past one-thousand years. Where the Advent have flourished under having no restriction to technological expansion, the TEC have been under strict guidance of the Trade Orders leaders, and the TEC's technology has remained almost stagnant relying on their missile, chemical, and low grade laser and beam weapons. Superior in shields as well, the Advent are able to mitigate far more damage than TEC or even Vasari defenses will allow.

However, with the Advent favoring cheap, lightly armored ships, with elegant and sophisticated shield systems, making them lack the Armor of the TEC.

PsiTechEdit

PsiTech is the technology that the Advent use to augment their mental abilities. This allows them to accomplish tasks through the use of their mind instead of physical power. This makes the Advent especially powerful in many aspects such as although Vasari phase detection is clearly superior to the Advents. Vasari phase detection requires large machines and multiple Vasari to monitor the phase lanes, where the Advent use a small group of Scryers who use their mental power to detect enemies who approach Advent Territory.

The same principal applies to the TEC as well in the Aspect of armor. Where it is clear that the TEC possess greater abilities to combine alloys and polymers into a great mass, (which in turn gives a greater amount of armor) the Advent can telekinetically hold their armor together through the use of Psitech to keep their ships together.

Even in resource gathering the Advent use Psintegrate's are placed onto Mining Facilities and telekinetically separate unwanted resources to help improve the quality of their shipments of minerals. Psitech is a powerful tool that when utilized properly will allow the Advent to locate, influence, and disrupt their enemies, while it will inspire loyalty, augment the Advent's mental power, and commune amongst each other.

It should be noted however that Psi-Tech is the only technology for the Advent that is more advanced than Vasari Phase Technology because the Vasari either do not care or cannot specialize in psychic warfare.

Advent Structures, Ships, and ResearchEdit