The Beast Master Corps of the Elysium Empire

The Beast Master Corps of the Elysium Empire was a revolutionary military branch created during the Scarcity Epoch. Tasked with blending advanced magitech with biological life, the Corps developed various specialized divisions to augment the Empire’s military capabilities. Each division capitalized on specific creature types and battlefield roles, pushing the boundaries of ethical experimentation in their pursuit of dominance.  

Founding of the Beast Master Corps

The Corps emerged during the Harrowing, a time of dwindling resources and increased external threats. The Empire sought an alternative to costly magitech soldiers and vehicles, turning to biological beasts enhanced through magitech augmentation. The initial success of the Beast Domination Project gave rise to a formalized military branch. The Corps' philosophy emphasized combining the adaptability of living creatures with the precision and power of magitech, though the cost of this ambition often came at great ethical and moral expense.  

Specializations Within the Beast Master Corps

Ferrotech Handlers

Role: Heavy infantry support and front-line combat.   Focus: Armored ground beasts outfitted with reinforced magitech plating and weaponry.   Notable Beasts:   1. Ironfang Wolves - Pack hunter and skirmisher, Medium-sized canines augmented with cybernetic limbs and magitech-enhanced senses. Known for their static bite, they excel at flanking enemies and disrupting formations. Oftenly used in groups of 3–5 for swift, coordinated strikes.   2. Thunderhorn Bison - Siege breaker and frontline tank, massive beasts with reinforced plating and electrified horns. They charge into enemy lines, dealing devastating shock damage and breaking fortifications. Typically 1–2 per handler, used to lead heavy assault forces.   3. Grinder Beetles - Burrower and area disruptor, heavily armored insects with rotating magitech drills for mandibles. They burrow beneath the battlefield to create sinkholes or ambush enemies from below. Delpoyed in groups of 2–4 or swarms of smaller beetles for tactical area control.   Tactics: Ferrotech Handlers deployed their beasts in large-scale engagements, using them to crush enemy fortifications and control the battlefield.  

Elemental Beast Masters

Role: Tactical versatility through elemental enhancement.   Focus: Beasts infused with elemental magitech to adapt to various combat scenarios.   Notable Beasts:   1. Flamefang Drakes - Overwelhming strike and area denial, medium-sized drakes with molten scales and fire-breathing capabilities. Their fiery presence makes them ideal for suppressing enemies and clearing obstacles. Typically 2–3 per handler for targeted aerial assaults.   2. Frostclaw Sabercats - Stealth and battlefield control, agile feline predators with frost-covered claws that slow enemies on contact. They blend into cold environments, making them deadly ambushers. 2–4 per handler for hit-and-run tactics.   3. Tidebreaker Leviathans - Aquatic dominance and heavy assault, enormous sea creatures with magitech-infused fins and water-manipulating abilities. They crush enemies with tidal waves and devastating bites. Rarely more than one per handler due to their size and resource demands.   Tactics: These handlers brought devastation to the battlefield, tailoring their beasts to counter specific threats using fire, frost, lightning, and water-based abilities.  

Cyber-Predator Handlers

Role: Infiltration, stealth, and assassination.   Focus: Neural-linked beasts optimized for precision strikes and covert operations.   Notable Beasts:   1. Shadowstalker Panthers - Stealth and assassination, sleek cybernetic felines with neural-linked senses and advanced camouflage abilities. They strike unseen and retreat into the shadows. Usually 1–2 per handler for precise, silent kills.   2. Razorback Direwolves - Heavy skirmisher and suppressor, large wolves with mechanical spines capable of launching projectiles. Their intimidating presence and pack tactics disrupt enemy morale. Groups of 2–3 per handler for aggressive area control.   3. Silencer Serpents - Crowd control and disruption, small snake-like constructs with venomous, magitech-enhanced fangs. Their neurotoxin suppresses enemy reactions and spellcasting. Often in small groups (3–5) for sabotage missions.   Tactics: Cyber-Predators specialized in eliminating high-value targets and sabotaging enemy infrastructure. Their beasts acted as extensions of their handlers’ senses, making them unparalleled in stealth operations.  

Skyward Beast Tamers

Role: Aerial superiority and long-range reconnaissance.   Focus: Flying beasts augmented for precision, mobility, and tactical awareness.   Notable Beasts:   1. Skyhunter Falcons - Precision strikes and reconnaissance, agile avian constructs with sharp talons and enhanced targeting systems. Their speed and accuracy make them ideal for hit-and-run attacks. Utulized in groups of 2–4 per handler for coordinated aerial strikes.   2. Stormwing Hawks - Aerial suppression and lightning attacks, medium-sized birds with electrified wings and the ability to generate shockwaves. They control airspace and disrupt enemy formations. Used in groups of 1–3 per handler for area denial and air superiority.   3. Glider Rocs - Heavy aerial transport and devastation, large avians with reinforced magitech plating and massive wingspans. They serve as both carriers and powerful strike units, delivering heavy blows to ground forces. Typically 1 per handler due to their immense size and resource demands.   Tactics: Skyward Beast Tamers controlled the skies, using their beasts for battlefield surveillance, rapid strikes, and area denial. Their flying creatures allowed the Empire to dominate airspace and coordinate ground forces with unmatched efficiency.   The Skyward Division was established later in the Corps’ history, driven by the need for advanced aerial combat units during the escalating Sorrow War. Their innovation in aerial magitech redefined how battles were fought, though their beasts required specialized handlers due to their unique traits and flight dynamics.   Selection and Training of the Beast Tamers The Beast Master Corps was one of the most elite branches of the Elysium Empire’s military. Joining its ranks required not only exceptional skill and dedication but also a willingness to endure intense physical, mental, and ethical challenges. Here is an overview of the rigorous selection and training process for Beast Tamers.  

Selection Process

Initial Recruitment

Physical Screening

Applicants were required to pass grueling physical tests to ensure they had the stamina and agility needed to handle unpredictable beasts and endure extreme battlefield conditions. Candidates for specific divisions (e.g., Skyward Tamers) faced specialized tests such as altitude endurance and aerial maneuvering.  

Psychological Screening

Only individuals with exceptional focus, determination, and emotional resilience were accepted. The link between handler and beast required a unique psychological bond that could not be disrupted by fear or doubt. Applicants were tested for their ability to remain calm under pressure, adapt to rapidly changing scenarios, and handle the ethical dilemmas posed by the Corps' experiments.  

Magitech Aptitude Testing

Candidates underwent evaluations to measure their compatibility with magitech neural-link systems and their capacity to control multiple beasts simultaneously. Division Assignment Once accepted, recruits were assigned to one of the four divisions based on their skills and affinities:   Ferrotech Handlers Recruits with physical strength, tactical acumen, and a knack for battlefield coordination were chosen for this division. Applicants often came from farming or labor-intensive backgrounds, where they had experience working with large animals.   Elemental Beast Masters Recruits with a natural affinity for elemental magic or sciences were selected. Candidates often displayed an innate understanding of elemental forces or had prior training in arcane disciplines.   Cyber-Predator Handlers Candidates with heightened stealth, reflexes, and precision were ideal for this division. These recruits were often loners, capable of operating independently or in small groups, and were rigorously tested for their ability to maintain neural links under stress.   Skyward Beast Tamers Only the most agile, fearless, and intuitive recruits were accepted into this division. Many recruits had experience with flight (such as piloting or glider training) or demonstrated a strong connection with avian creatures.  

Training Regimen

Phase 1: Physical Conditioning

All recruits underwent intense physical training to build the strength, stamina, and reflexes necessary for working with augmented beasts.  

Specialized Courses:

  Ferrotech Handlers: Weight training and endurance drills to manage large, powerful beasts.   Skyward Tamers: Aerial obstacle courses, including simulated dogfights and high-altitude survival.  

Phase 2: Magitech Integration

Recruits were trained to operate magitech systems that enabled neural links with their beasts. This phase included Implantation of Magitech Neural Nodes (non-invasive or integrated suits). Hours of practice synchronizing with basic training beasts. Diagnostics to ensure compatibility with advanced magitech equipment.  

Phase 3: Beast Bonding

Recruits were paired with their first training beast, chosen based on their division and aptitude. This beast served as a lifelong companion in some cases, especially in the Cyber-Predator and Skyward divisions. The bonding process included: Building trust through consistent training and positive reinforcement. Engaging in joint exercises to strengthen the handler-beast connection. Tests to determine the handler’s ability to control their beast in high-pressure situations.  

Phase 4: Combat Drills

Recruits and their beasts underwent realistic combat simulations designed to replicate the chaos of war.   Ferrotech Handlers: Focused on coordinated assaults with large packs.   Elemental Beast Masters: Learned to exploit elemental weaknesses and battlefield conditions.   Cyber-Predator Handlers: Trained in ambush tactics, assassination missions, and neural-link multitasking.   Skyward Tamers: Practiced reconnaissance missions, aerial strikes, and battlefield communication.  

Phase 5: Ethical Conditioning

Due to the ethical challenges of the Corps' work, all recruits received psychological training to grapple with moral dilemmas. They were taught to detach emotionally from their beasts during life-threatening scenarios while maintaining enough empathy to ensure optimal performance.  

Graduation and Deployment

Recruits who passed all phases became fully-fledged Beast Tamers and were assigned to active military units. Graduates often formed close-knit squads composed of different divisions to maximize versatility on the battlefield.  

Advancement and Specialization

Experienced Beast Tamers could pursue further specializations.   Beast Engineers - Focused on designing and maintaining magitech augmentations for beasts.   Master Handlers - Commanded multiple beasts or even squads of handlers.   Primordial Combat Experts - Trained specifically to combat the Primordials and their creations during the Sorrow War.  

The Sorrow War and the Fall of the Beast Master Corps

During the Sorrow War, the Beast Master Corps was pushed to its limits. Each specialization adapted to face the overwhelming elemental and cosmic forces unleashed by the Primordials:   Ferrotech Handlers deployed their most resilient beasts in battles against the massive titanic creatures of the Primordials, often losing entire units due to the sheer destructive power of their enemies. Elemental Beast Masters became a counterbalance to the elemental Primordials, their beasts tailored to specific elemental battles. However, this specialization’s reliance on dangerous elemental cores led to instability in many beasts, resulting in catastrophic failures. Cyber-Predator Handlers operated behind enemy lines, assassinating key Primordial lieutenants and disrupting supply chains. Their neural bonds with their beasts became a liability, as Primordial forces developed ways to sever or corrupt these links. Skyward Beast Tamers played a critical role in the Empire’s defense, using their beasts for reconnaissance and delivering precision strikes against Primordial air forces. However, the increasing strain on the Skyward Division and their beasts led to significant losses in the final battles of the war.  

Post-War Fragmentation

After the Empire’s collapse, the Beast Master Corps disbanded, and its remnants scattered. Rogue Tamers - Many former handlers turned mercenaries, taking their beasts with them to serve independent factions or warlords. Skyward Tamers, in particular, became sought after for their ability to control airspace in contested territories.   Abandoned Facilities - The Skyward Division’s Aerie Spires, once used to train flying beasts, became overgrown ruins filled with feral flying creatures that now terrorize nearby regions.   Magitech Black Markets - The neural-link technology of Cyber-Predator Handlers and the elemental cores used by Elemental Masters became highly prized contraband, sparking conflicts over their acquisition.  

Legacy and Modern Influence

The Skyward Beast Tamers represent the pinnacle of aerial combat innovation. Despite the Corps’ dark history, their methods and technology have inspired factions seeking to reclaim the skies. Some of the Empire’s enemies even attempted to replicate the Skyward Division’s techniques, though few succeeded in matching their skill.   In the shattered remains of the Empire’s territory, Skyward Tamers are both feared and revered. They are often found leading pirate fleets, serving as elite mercenaries, or taming the skies in isolated regions where their beasts dominate the air.