Elders (Elyrians Praetorian)

Summary

The Elders, formally designated Elyrians Praetorian, are the sole surviving civilization from the Original Nine species created by the primordial Creators over 1.25 million years ago. Originating from Elyria in the Pleiades Subcluster, these diminutive beings—standing merely 0.9 to 1.2 meters tall—have served as cosmic stewards since the First Unraveling destroyed the other eight Original Species. As Type III civilization architects, the Elders designed, seeded, and nurtured virtually all post-Unraveling sapient life across the nine galaxies, including the "Big Ten" civilizations: Aetherians, Draken, Ethereans, Krythorians, Lumens, Luminars, Nebulites, Terradorians, Vyxians, and Zorlacians.

"We do not rule the cosmos—we tend it, as a gardener tends seeds that must grow toward their own light." — Sage Li'sor'ak Na'ri'zan, Orrery of Sages

Biology

Physical Characteristics

Elders present an ethereal, almost luminous appearance that belies their ancient power. Their slender, elongated frames move with deliberate grace, their smooth, hairless skin shifting from pale moonlit silver to deep iridescent blue depending on emotional state and ambient conditions. Faint biorhythmic patterns crisscross their bodies like living circuitry, pulsing with greater intensity during psionic activity.

Their most distinctive features include:

• Fan-like Head Appendages: Large, translucent structures resembling delicate butterfly wings, serving as organic phase-arrays for communication and psionic enhancement
• Bioluminescent Stellae: Antenna-like appendages (15-30 cm) crowning their heads, glowing in hues that telegraph emotional states
• Prismatic Eyes: Large, almond-shaped, lustrous black orbs flecked with points of starlight, perceiving the full electromagnetic spectrum and multiple timelines simultaneously

Biological Capabilities

The Elders' unique physiology grants capabilities that other species struggle to comprehend:

Life Stages

The Five Subraces

Elder society encompasses five distinct subraces, each adapted to specific roles:

• Primal Elders (Eternals): Conservative keepers of ancient traditions with the strongest ancestral connection; predominantly occupy the Sage caste
• Krallus: Warrior caste with martial prowess; stockier builds with ram-like horns; serve as Guardians
• Chrysalin: Artisans and diplomats with gossamer-like appendages; aesthetic focus and cultural preservation
• Thraskins: Scholars and mystics with aquatic adaptations; keepers of esoteric knowledge
• Galorns: Explorers and innovators with feather-like covering; adaptability specialists who venture beyond Elder space

Culture

Social Structure

Elder society operates through interlocking systems of castes, subraces, and guilds. The fundamental social unit is the nexus cluster—multi-generational extended families spanning centuries.

The Five Primary Castes:

Specialized Guilds cross-cut caste boundaries: Psionic Guild, Starsinger Guild, Destiny Weavers, Keepers of the Eternal Flame, and Quantum Architects.

Governance

The Orrery of Sages serves as supreme authority—a gerontocratic council of the oldest and wisest Elders operating from the Elyrian Sanctum. Subordinate bodies include the Eternal Council (genetic purity and spirituality), Council of Harmony (ecological balance), Assembly of the Infinite (scientific endeavors), and Temporal Judicators (temporal intervention oversight).

Two primary political factions shape policy debate:

• Custodians of the Prime Directive: Strict non-intervention advocates
• Sentinels of Evolution: Proactive guidance supporters

Philosophy: The Elder Covenant

The Covenant codifies cosmic stewardship through core principles:

• Non-interference and subtle guidance over direct intervention
• Striking at causality flows rather than using direct force
• Carefully controlled knowledge dissemination
• Species self-determination as paramount
• The Final Prophecy: belief in eventual cosmic rejuvenation

The legal system emphasizes restoration over punishment. Harmonic Arbiters mediate disputes with focus on balance restoration rather than retribution.

Education: The Mental House Practice

Over 50-75 years, each young Elder constructs a Mental House—a fortified palace within their own mind serving as perfectly organized mental library, meditation sanctuary, secure telepathic interface, and psychic filter against constant psionic input from the environment.

History

The Elder timeline spans 1.25 million years across seven major eras:

Era I: Primordial Genesis (1,250,000 BC)

Nine primordial entities—the Creators—shaped reality and seeded it with life. From Eyxr, Creator of Eternity, the Elders emerged on Elyria, entrusted with stewardship of time itself.

Era II: The First Unraveling (1,112,345 BC)

Dimensional barriers between cosmic sectors failed catastrophically. While the other eight Original Species perished, the Elders survived through their temporal biology—phase-shifting through spacetime shears, diffusing chaotic energies through prismatic skin, and perceiving multiple timelines simultaneously. Aided by the Chrono-Sphinxes and the Elysian Beacon, they executed strategic evacuation to a Nexial Veil fragment.

Era III: The Custodial Silence (789,100 – 300,000 BC)

Following the Creators' withdrawal into the Nexial Veil (789,100 BC), the Elders entered an era of quiet stewardship. They established foundational institutions: the Sanctum of Solace (500,000 BC), codified stewardship philosophy during the Enlightenment (400,000 BC), and founded the Cosmic Vigil (300,000 BC).

Era IV: Golden Age and Second Unraveling (300,000 – 98,500 BC)

Elder curation led to unprecedented interspecies harmony across nine galaxies. Yet the Second Unraveling (100,000-98,500 BC) shattered this peace when civilizations attempted direct quantum consciousness manipulation, triggering "Consciousness Bleed." The War of a Thousand Suns (99,200 BC)—a Nexum-engineered catastrophe—destroyed 99% of sapient life. The Elders salvaged fragments of a thousand cultures and forged the Grand Restoration plan.

Era V: Earth Interventions (50,000 – 11,600 BC)

The Elders guided human development through Lemuria (50,000 BC), survived its Sundering (38,000 BC), established Atlantis (35,000 BC), and witnessed its cataclysmic destruction (11,600 BC).

Era VI: The Lumen Era (5,217 – 35,000 AD)

Key milestones include the Covenant of Time Guardianship with Chrono-Sphinxes (5,217 AD), the Chrono-Biogenesis Project birthing the Lumens (7,800 AD), First Contact revelations to Lumens (20,000 AD), Draken (24,000 AD), and Aetherians (25,000 AD), and the Celestial Concordat signing (28,000 AD). The Elders receded from public affairs in 35,000 AD, transitioning from active guides to mythic advisors.

Era VII: Modern Era (35,000 – 165,846 AD)

The Concordat Zenith (39,200 AD) marked peak galactic peace before decline. The Entity-Harvesting Era (45,000-55,200 AD) saw Nexum operatives capture Creator Offspring, culminating in the Modern Void War (55,200 AD)—the first open Elder military action in 40 millennia, with Creator Eyxr emerging from the Nexial Veil. The Concordat Collapse Wars (120,000-145,000 AD) forced adaptation from sole custodians to senior partners. The Defense of Elyria (121,750 AD) became a philosophical victory when the Orrery transformed the homeworld into a neutral knowledge center rather than deploying devastating force.

Technology

As Type III civilization architects with over a million years of development, Elder technology operates at scales most species cannot comprehend.

Density Manipulation

Through Proprioception and Density Manipulation, Elders consciously control body density via quantum field manipulation at the molecular level—enabling flight (becoming lighter than air), anchoring (becoming denser than stone), and phase-shifting (passing through solid matter).

Temporal Technology

As descendants of Eyxr, Creator of Eternity:

Genetic Engineering

• Elder Hybridization Device: Found aboard every Elder vessel; combines genetic material from any two species to create viable hybrids (notable examples: Caneldarians, Prismacanis, Aeonian Canids)
• Uplift Toolkits: Life-weaving and hybridization facilities
• Species-bound Architectures: Cognition-gated systems ensuring technology security

Advanced Technology Suite

Interstellar Relations

Key Diplomatic Relationships

The Million-Year Shadow War

The Nexum—evolved from Mechanix survivors of the First Unraveling—represent the Elders' primary existential threat. Where Elders promote autonomous development and species self-determination, the Nexum believe all sapient life requires active manipulation through their "Grand Design."

Nexum Evolution:

• 1,000,000 BC: Mechanix survivors merge consciousness (Nexum Coalescing)
• 950,000 BC: Development of flawless shapeshifting abilities
• 850,000 BC: Grand Design ideology crystallized

Nexum Tactics:

• Deep-cover operatives embedded for generations
• Shape-shifting infiltrators throughout the Celestial Concordat
• Fabricated civilizations (like the Vel'Kar Hegemony) serving as ideology vectors
• Manipulation of younger species against Elder influence

The Great Schism (5,500 BC): Nexum operatives successfully compromised several high-ranking Orrery members, causing a faction of Elders to exile themselves rather than risk ongoing infiltration.

Current Status: Neither side has achieved victory across the million-year conflict. Nexum operatives have infiltrated every major galactic power; the Elders remain unable to fully expose this infiltration without destabilizing the peace they've spent millennia building.

Homeworld: Elyria

Located in the Pleiades Subcluster, Elyria presents lush meadows and pristine wilderness on the surface. The true Elder civilization exists underground in vast cavern networks connected by intricate tunnel systems. Elders frequent the surface for recreation, research, and resource gathering.

Five Major Continents:

• Lumi'naeth'ora: Bioluminescent plains, prismatic mountains, Nephele Mountain Range
• Aethe'rahn'ia: Celestial reaches and ethereal forests
• Hyd'rahn'os: Cerulean seas and glacial frontiers
• Igne'ahn'os: Volcanic plateaus and ash wastes
• Terra'gah'ia: Verdant expanses and fungal marshes

Territorial Range:

• Tor'Qar Cluster: Sovereign control; access restricted via Pleiades Pilgrimage Path
• Pleiades Subcluster: Primary sphere of influence; Alcyone Subsystem serves as administrative/spiritual hub
• Distributed Infrastructure: Hidden sanctums, observatories, seed facilities, and archives across all nine galaxies

Challenges & Limitations

Ongoing Controversies

Emerging Dynamics

The Elder position faces unprecedented pressure as multiple species approach Type III status. The Concordat Decline (beginning 47,200 AD) challenges traditional stewardship models, and the Defense of Elyria marked a philosophical pivot from dominance to partnership—a transformation the Orrery perhaps anticipated, and even welcomed.