THE GALAXY OF ARCHIPELAGO THE LAND OF GOD First, the Land of God, in the center of the galaxy of Archipelago, the one worshipped. Katalonan say it emanates a life-giving energy that gives the Galaxy of Archipelago the ability for life, but this is simply rumors and cryptic religious ramblings. This is also where, they say, that God lives. If you try to seek out the Land, you will simply become lost. THE ARCHIPELAGO The ARCHIPELAGO is the galaxy wherein all live in. It is wide, violent, and home to millions of star systems and planets. The Archipelago is usually split into three concentric sectors, although sometimes 4: ​Upstream, Downstream, and Shore. ​Sometimes they include the ​Horizon ​is included since there are some systems and planets that Humanity lives in there as well. The ​Upstream ​is the sector that surrounds the Land of God, closest to the center of the Galaxy. Here you will find the rich, palace planets of the Maginoo and Datu, as well as the Capital Planet of the whole Lakanate. The ​Downstream ​is the sector after the Upstream, surrounding it. Most work is done here, as well as trade, since it is the nexus of the Shore and Horizon Rims and the Upstream. This sector houses most of the planets and the population of Humanity. The ​Shore ​is the furthest from the Land of God, and the closest to the Horizon. This is where most of the vagrants and untouchables of the setting live, and most planets here are also usually uncharted or unrecorded. There is still much natural resources here, thus why most of the rich exploit this sector and its people. The planets on the edge are now rich due to becoming trading outposts for those that wish to go past the Horizon. The ​Horizon ​is usually a small sector, the thinnest that surrounds the Shore. Now Alien Beings have trading posts from past the Horizon. The Megacorps also have many headquarters here for missions and operations past the Horizon. The following planets are known throughout the entire galaxy: SINAPUPUNAN, ​the Lakan’s Planets. This is the capital of the entire planet, and the richest paradise. The Holy Torogan of the Lakan is found here. NILAAN, ​the Planet Sinking into Steel. This is the planet close to the Land of God. Many Maginoo live here, yet it’s most importantly known for having the Congregation Building of the Datu. Many say that Nilaan has become an entire planetary Cathedral for God and the Diwata. This is not too far from the truth. Nilaan is also the home of the Leader of Banwaismo. HIRAYA, ​the Planet in the Center of the Corporation War. This is in the Upstream Sector, and is known for being a huge trading outpost. It has seven moons and seven space station satellites. This planet is known to have been the site of the final battle of the First Corporation War, and thus, it is filled with many relics and artifacts, which the native sell for profit. Many workers and Alipin live within Hiraya, since it is also a planet wherein all four of the Megacorps’ mandala intersect. The Aliping Namamahay mostly live here, and Maharlika usually travel here. RANAO, ​the Planet Peopled by Magic. Ranao is the furthest from the Land of God. Usually those that are poor or tambays or throwaways or vagrants are found here, but the main reason why people go to Ranao is to enter convents and brotherhoods and temples, or those wanting to look for peace. The Academy of Wisdom is found here as well, beside a mountain and a lake. THE DIWA, LAMBAT, AND SECRET ROADS Diwa is the force that penetrates all things within the Galaxy. One may say that Diwa is the foundation of reality. It is still being studied. It is not yet known where Diawa comes from, or how this actually works. It’s not too far from the truth when one says that most of the new technology that uses Diwa is pretty much discovered due to sheer luck. Until now, Diwa is still feared, and until now the Lambat is still the only safe usage of the new diwa technology. Many of the diwa tech from Meka is highly-experimental. Until now, Diwa is still a mystery and a secret. The only really well known traits and qualities of the Diwa are following: it is the smallest substance, and is both a wave and a particle, and sometimes even a realm, although that phenomenon is not understood yet. Diwa releases energy as well: the energy of possibility known as ​Gahum. Diwa is also known to be cold. Very cold. Whenever there are Diwa phenomenon, the place or surrounding environment becomes cold as well, dropping temperature, and sometimes one hears ice being crushed. This is also the reason why, when one Immerses into the Lambat, one hears ice being crushed, as if you’re swimming through a sea filled with ice. The Diwa is also the way all things are connected to the Lambat, hence allowing instant communications between planets, bridging the unholy gap between people in the Starsea. The Lambat is currently in its fifth edition, known as 5S. The Lambat is the internet of things that use the fact of the penetration of the Diwa within all things to connect all things. Using this connection, they can manipulate things from a manipulator, which is called a ​Panuos: ​computers that become the nodes that bring electronic commands through the Lambat. The most advanced Panuos in the current time are Meka Systems. There are also Secret Roads, rips in the fabric of the Starsea that then penetrates through the Diwa. Salimbal, or starships, can go through these roads to reach planets quicker. Only Katalonan can locate these natural rips in spacetime. The Secret Roads are dangerous, since while one is within it, time still flows outside. If you sail in a Secret Road, you may travel for 10 days, but if it normally takes 50 years to get to a place, 50 years will pass within those 10 days, thanks to relativity. A new technology that is still being perfected are the Blink-Gates, which are usually found in the Upstream sector. They are man-made gates that go through the Void In-Between the Material and Diwa so that it instantly transports people between two different gates. DIWATA From the Diwa also come the spiritual beings known as Diwata. The Diwata are hyper-intelligences that come from the Diwa. Only the following is know about them: ● They only suddenly existed. ● They have power from nature. ● They can manipulate Diwa and nature. ● They are nature. The Diwata are worshipped. They are not normal beings. They are closer to god-spirits. NEW HUMANITY This is not the galaxy we knew. More importantly, this is not the Humanity that we know. All of them are variable, different. When the Conquerors came during the Second Lakanate, we fused with their blood, their ancestry, their body. It is why now, humanity is tougher, have longer lives, and all sorts of traits that cannot be found in the modern world can be found. This is why all kinds of people can come from New Humanity. This diversity is a strength, and this diversity binds New Humanity together. The Culture and Society of Humanity is not homogenous. Because of the vastness of Archipelago, culture is exceedingly plural and various. Despite this, the common culture and society of the Lakanate is familiar to all, despite the heterogeneity of Archipelago. Due to the greatness of Humanity’s tech, they have been able to create equipment to better the quality of life. There are two kinds of tech: technology and spiritech. Technology is the normal materials, usually. Spiritech (which the Meka can be considered part of) uses knowledge and the principles of the Diwa. Thanks to the greatness of Savantry and Science, there are Maydiwa beings, which are artificial intelligences that can be used for manual labor. These AI are the ones that operate the panuos among other technologies. THE LAKANATE AND SOCIETY The Lakanate, which the Paramount Lakan is the sovereign of: Lakan Korona. Many say that Lakan Korona is not an actual Human. Some say that he’s a Foreign Being, or an alien, or a being that embodies God. Others say that he is an angel, or a Diwata. All of these are wrong: in truth, Lakan Korona is a woman that is now gone. Why, or where she has gone, none know. Their Atubang and Kawal are all looking for someone to replace them, as a Lakanate without a Lakan is almost useless. A Lakanate without a Lakan is easy pickings, especially for the many new empires that are revealing themselves from past the Horizon. The Megacorps know about this, and thus the entire Archipelago seems to be facing a new Corporation War, one for the throne of the Lakan. Within the Lakanate of the Archipelago, there is an order, which they call the Natural Order. This order is mandated by law and it separates the people into different portions of society. In the highest rungs of the order are the ​Maginoo, ​the rich property owning nobles (of which the Datu is part of), the ​Katalonan, ​the spirit mediums of the Diwata, and the ​Maygintawo, ​those not born with the Blue Blood of Royalty. Their names are usually known across all of the Archipelago. Beneath them are the freed men: the ​Maharlika. ​They have the freedom to choose which Datu to serve, and can even change loyalties if needed.