The Nasivern are a race of warriors hailing from their eponymous homeworld. Throughout millennia, the flames of these so-called “Heirs of Sin” have burned everything in their path, including themselves — in spite of that, they have managed to rise from the ashes of their transgressions time and time again.
It would seem like fate bound the Nasivern to a cycle of death and rebirth, unable to escape their conflictive nature, which in turn ended up thwarting them off the great path that they were once destined to walk upon.
The stars above were always there, waiting for them, all they had to do was to keep looking at the sky and reach them out with their hands.
Far too many chapters of their history have been forever lost by war and strife, and today, the Nasivern race finds itself teetering on the verge of extinction. Their known history has been documented and chronicled across seven major ages.
What follows is a brief account of each age:
THE PRIMAL AGE
There is no way to accurately confirm the veracity of the events that allegedly took place during the era known as the Primal Age of the Nasivern. All of the known information, written recollections, and assertions of that time are based around mythological stories passed down from generation to generation, as well as on the teachings of their religion and the worship of their mother deity, the Goddess Sollente.
The legends suggest that the Nasivern race took its first steps millennia ago during that ancient era — a time when Gods rose from their thrones and embarked themselves on a journey to shape creation itself, spreading the gift of life across the stars.
According to the myths, the Nasivern planet was given life by one of these Gods. However, he conceived the Nasivern as the antithesis of his peers’ grand designs: beings created only for the sole purpose of waging war against the nascent creation that was unfolding across the stars, to unmake all life, leaving only a cold and painful emptiness anywhere and everywhere.
What reasons could a God have to concoct such an abhorrent plan, to betray his peers and go against the creation of life itself? That is perhaps a question that no one will ever know the answer to.
These Primal or “First Nasivern,” as some preferred to call them, acted as a transgression on all life forms created by the Gods, unmaking the order that they had worked so hard to establish. Armed by their sinister maker and bolstered by his very own rage, the scourge of the First Nasivern marched across the stars like a locust swarm, destroying everything in their wake, and ultimately committing their greatest sin, the murder of one of the Gods.
The remaining Gods, after realizing that the hand that pulled the Nasivern’s strings was one of their own, had no choice but to take matters into their own hands and bring their betrayer to justice.
It is said that the Ancient War of the Gods was — and perhaps will always be — the greatest yet most gruesome spectacle in the history of all creation, where an incalculable loss of life and the destruction of entire worlds allegedly took place.
With the majority of the First Nasivern destroyed and their maker defeated and brought to justice, the remaining Gods had to decide what to do with the few surviving Nasivern on their home planet before they would depart the galaxy.
While all voices favored the utter eradication of the Nasivern, Sollente, ever so merciful, proposed an alternative.
By her merciful grace were the sinful beings spared, and Sollente, who herself was yet to bring life to the cosmos like her peers had already done, spared and sheltered the remaining First Nasivern. The Merciful Goddess used the last of her divine power to instill a breath of new life upon the Nasivern.
Sollente’s actions had absolved the surviving First Nasivern of all their sins and the horrors of their transgressions. Their atonement however, would come in the form of a newfound purpose. Instead of being the scourge of creation, the reborn Nasivern race was to rise up from their ashes and proudly stand tall as protectors of all life.
That was to be their repayment for the souls she gave to the once soulless creatures, for their souls will, and always shall, belong to their Graceful and Merciful Mother.
Ancient Nasivern scholars theorized that the departure of the Gods signaled the end of the Primal Age. Life across the galaxy was left to heal itself after all the damage the First Nasivern caused, and all remnants of the Ancient War was seemingly expunged so that each remaining planet with life in the galaxy would build their own future without the burden and scars of the past.
THE AGE OF MERCY
The Nasivern species began to build a new chapter of their story after the Gods no longer graced creation with their presence. The Nasivern were now free from the sins of the past, and oblivious to the sheer extent of the death and destruction that their race had caused across the stars.
The first of those new Nasivern viewed the Goddess Sollente as their Graceful and Merciful Mother, who had absolved them of the great sin their predecessors had committed, and thus, the first Nasivern societies were built upon a religion that worshiped Sollente and her mercy.
Her Breath of Life had not just absolved the Nasivern, it had given them life everlasting. It is thanks to her gift, passed down by blood, that they become exempt from the ravages of time — a condition that was once referred to as the Donum Vitae, and later on as the Val Vitae (VX) Factor in human scientific terms. Their religious dogma sees this gift of immortality as a direct result of the souls given to them by Sollente.
But such eternal life was not to be taken for granted, for it is part of their eternal duty.
One of the principal tenets of the Nasivern’s religion stipulates that over the course of their eternal life, each and every Nasivern has the responsibility to be a force of good in order to completely atone themselves from the sins committed by their ancestors.
If successful, then upon the death of a Nasivern, their soul will be able to return to their Mother, and they will be shrouded from the cold of the dark and empty void of death by her warm embrace for all of eternity — otherwise they’ll succumb to an eternal afterlife of emptiness, devoid of warmth.
Peace, a concept that was foreign to the First Nasivern, was the most defining characteristic of the Age of Mercy. Their society began to take the first steps into rightful greatness during the last years of that Age.
Large cities were built, and nations and societies arose from nothing, with four great ones eclipsing the rest: Isfahan, Arghest, Antissa, and Ulaid. These four nations were the most prosperous of them all, with Isfahan standing above the rest, its warriors proudly upholding the Merciful Mother’s mandate to protect all life.
THE AGE OF WONDER / THE AGE OF ARGHEST
The Age of Wonder marked the solidification of the Nasivern societies of old and their respective cultures. In a stark contrast to the predominantly religious Age of Mercy, the Age of Wonder was named after the meteoric advancements in technology, medicine, and science achieved by the Nasivern during that period of time.
The Heirs of Sin looked up towards the stars, and for the very first time, began to think about the possibility of one day being able to explore the vastness of space and all the mysteries that lay therein.
In a surprising move, the once isolationist but peaceful Arghest Confederation refunded itself as the militaristic Arghest Empire under the leadership of a newly elected Emperor. The Arghest Empire began to rapidly expand by force, first, by subjugating the smallest nations around its vicinity, before they sat their eyes upon the other great three nations and their vast territories. No one could ever hope to stand against their might.
Warriors from the Kingdom of Isfahan, who at the time was the largest and greatest Nasivern nation, rallied against Arghest’s march of conquest in the name of peace and to protect the freedom of all other Nations. Despite fighting valiantly and having numerical strength, Isfahan could not stop the marching onslaught of the Arghest Empire and their overwhelming technological and tactical superiority.
During the battle of Ashel, a small city that was located at the outskirts of the Isfahan territories, the Arghest Empire unleashed a never before seen weapon that wiped the entire city, leaving only a vast canyon where the calm and peaceful city of Ashel once used to exist.
With a single stroke, the Arghest forces had wiped the majority of the Isfahan army with their horrific weapon. The “Wound of the World,” a massive crater that now exists where Ashel once used to stand, became an eternal testament to the insurmountable might of Arghest.
Demoralized, and with a now dwindling fighting force, Isfahan mounted an ill-fated last ditch defense of their beloved Kingdom, a defense that did not hold for long.
In a swift and decisive assault, the Kingdom of Isfahan was decimated and its people wiped. Much like the Wound of the World, the ruins of Isfahan became a reminder to the rest of the Nasivern world of the ultimate consequence that would befall all those that dared oppose the Empire.
The Arghest Empire rose triumphant, having conquered the world.
Not wishing to have the same fate as Isfahan, the Antissa Republic and the State of Ulaid surrendered to the Empire, and shortly, so did the remaining smaller nations that were yet to be conquered.
The conquest of the old Nasivern world at the hands of the Arghest Empire shattered the Nasivern dream of walking among the stars. The Empire prohibited worshiping Sollente, and all devotion to Her was punishable by death — devotion to the Emperor however, was expected of each and every citizen.
The rise of the Arghest Empire is often attributed to their discovery of ancient remnant technology from the theorized Primal Age — however, that hypothesis has never been able to be confirmed. In a move spun out of sycophancy for their new Emperor and as part of a larger historical revisionism movement, the scholars of that era renamed the Age of Wonder as the Age of Arghest.
Some historians preferred to separate these two as different chapters of the Nasivern history and attribute the Age of Arghest to the dark decades of their rule, separating them from the bygone utopic days of the Age of Wonder.
THE AGE OF DEVASTATION
The Arghest Empire, unchallenged and unopposed, continued to rule the old Nasivern World for decades with a firm grasp. The majority of the conquered nations and their citizens had simply resigned to live under the might of the Empire.
While numerous groups tried to fight back against the Empire during its reign, none were successful in even denting their iron hand.
Several heroes began to rise up among those that opposed Arghest, such as Isthara, a young Nasivern woman that wielded the Absolute Doctrine of the warriors of old. Taking matters into their own hands, Isthara founded Daybreak, a small, yet effective elite fighting force whose ultimate purpose was to bring peace and freedom to the subjugated Nasivern societies.
Her exploits began to be heard across all corners of the empire and their conquered territories, which earned Isthara the title of “The White Blaze.”
An assortment of rebellious organizations and remnants of the old Kingdom of Isfahan coalesced and rose up the banners of the fallen Kingdom. Bolstered and funded by dissenting groups from within the Empire itself, they would soon come to form the first actual tangible threat to the Arghest rule.
The drums of war once again resounded across the old Nasivern world. Unspeakable atrocities were committed by both sides while Isthara and the members of Daybreak under her command fought to protect the innocent standing in between both sides of the growing conflict while also fighting against the Empire on their own.
After a lengthy cruel war that spanned years, the Empire that once conquered the world was brought to its knees, with Daybreak and the White Blaze playing a fundamental part in the demise of the Arghest Empire.
A victory was achieved, yes, but it was a victory not worth celebrating, as the old Nasivern world was laid in complete waste. The gruesome war had devastated all cities. Food and supplies were scarce, lands had been rendered infertile, and hundreds of millions had perished in the war — the cost of their newfound freedom was simply too high for the survivors to rejoice.
THE AGE OF REBIRTH
After the fall of the Arghest Empire, the remaining Nasivern population — now significantly low in numbers — embarked on a long journey towards the uninhabited and hostile western continent, as the “Old World” was left in ruins following the aftermath of the war.
By air, land, and sea, their journey was not without its perils and hardships, but eventually, the Nasivern arrived at their destination and began to build what they called, the “New World.”
Slowly but steadily, the surviving Nasivern began to tame those wild lands and form a new society. The newly established city of Nineveh became the capital of the new Nasivern world, and a beacon to their rebirth.
The first Flame Festival took place during those days, a celebration that the Nasivern would soon deeply appreciate and hold dear. It is said that long ago, a giant bonfire in the center of what would eventually become the city of Nineveh was built to keep themselves warm in one of the coldest nights following their arrival — and for the first time in years, the Nasivern danced, celebrated and rejoiced around the warmth of the large bonfire.
The giant flame represented their undying spirit, a message to the stars above that the flame of the Nasivern still burned bright and everlasting. A testament to the indomitable might of the warrior-race and their refusal to fade into oblivion.
Instead of having an Emperor or a single ruler, the new Nasivern society was led by a council of seven Wise Men and Women, who guided society atop the spire in central Nineveh. The religious belief in Mother Sollente, once outlawed for decades, was reintroduced to their people. For the first time in their recorded history, Nasivern society adopted the use of surnames and family names. Isthara, the celebrated White Blaze, gave her first and only son, Aeoros, the surname “Isthal.”
After the founding of Nineveh, other cities followed suit, such as Elmes, Yufero, Ebla, Tikal, Nara, and Nivaos. The Nasivern population began to slowly rise back in numbers, however, they would still remain at a meager fraction of what they once were during the previous Ages.
The rebirth of the Nasivern came with a rediscovery of art, music, and other forms of cultural expression that had been lost by the Arghest Conquest. After the New World was solidified, the Nasivern once again looked towards the stars, and at last, attempted to explore the vastness of space.
Daybreak continued to act as peacekeepers and protectors of life, and Isthara herself had declined to be part of the ruling Nasivern Council, for she had no desire in ruling over her people. Facing new challenges of their own, Daybreak eventually found themselves amidst a new conflict: an echo of the previous war that had taken so much from them.
As the conflicts of that time unfolded, the Nasivern’s new space faring exploits yielded results and they managed to establish contact with the planet Orbis and its Human population.
While they had established amiable relations with the humans of Orbis and its Union of Nations, a unique alliance was formed with the Nation of Vaifen. Aeoros Isthal, son of the legendary White Blaze, was the architect of cementing the special relations between Vaifen and the Nasivern.
What was conversed between Aeoros Isthal — who was known as “The Indigo Blaze” — and the ruler of Vaifen, King Sulwyn Starsong, as well as the circumstances and ulterior motives that led to the forming of such a rather unique alliance are not known to the public. It was a move that shocked the world of Orbis, especially the Union of Nations, who became wary of the Nasivern, not fond of the increasingly friendly relations between Vaifen and the alien Nasivern.
The Nasivern, who had always lived a life free from the ravages of time, found the humans in Orbis most intriguing. Their lives were short, finite, and fragile, withering and aging in such a short span of time, unlike them, the Heirs of Sin and bearers of Sollente’s gift of life.
Many of the Nasivern that traveled to Orbis were intrigued by the cultural differences that they observed there, and were even more fascinated by concepts such as malls, television, fashion, and many other entertainment and cultural aspects that the humans in Orbis took for granted.
Relations between the Nasivern and Vaifen were cemented after the Nasivern aided the small Nation-state against their war with the terrorist organization known as Pyrexia. Aeoros Isthal, the new leader of Daybreak, commanded the group, turning the tide of the conflict, and allowing Vaifen to eventually emerge victorious against Pyrexia.
A tranquil period of cooperation between Nasivern and Orbis continued, which was interrupted when the Nasivern home world was attacked by an invading extraterrestrial fleet known as The Estremoz, who proclaimed that they had arrived to cleanse creation of the Nasivern’s sinful existence.
The humans of Orbis were too technologically inferior to be of any assistance, as such, the Nasivern had to rise up in arms alone to protect their planet. While they fought valiantly and admirably, the warrior-race, significantly reduced in numbers from what they once were, was no match for the overwhelming invading force.
The Estremoz employed large, infernal ships, which deployed a payload that caused irreparable damage to the Nasiern world. The air turned foul, the land was polluted, and the water irreparably tainted by a destructive force unlike anything the Nasivern had seen in the past. One by one, the cities of the New World began to fall to the Estremoz’s infernal machines and their wave of death, until only the city of Nineveh remained.
The day of the Battle of Nineveh was also the last day of the Age of Rebirth. Isthara, the White Blaze, met her demise on that same day. According to the reports of some of the survivors, the Nasivern’s last stand, led by Aeoros Isthal and the last living members of Daybreak, managed to seize one of the Estremoz’s world destroyers.
In space, they were witness to the culmination of the ‘cleansing’ of the Nasivern home planet.
In a last act of defiance, the flames of the Nasivern managed to consume their executors. It remains unclear how, but the last of the Nasivern warriors managed to “burn” the invading fleet, sacrificing themselves in the process. Their world was beyond saving, but the actions of the last Nasivern heroes had saved Orbis from an eventual Estremoz invasion, and allowed some survivors to make it out of the planet.
The Estremoz were defeated on that day, and haven’t been heard of since.
THE AGE OF EXILE
Following the fall of Nineveh and the decimation of the Nasivern home world and its people, fewer than 75.000 Nasivern survived on the planet Orbis, the majority of which reside in Vaifen.
During the first years of their exile, an alarming rate of suicides plagued the surviving Nasivern, who were left crushed and utterly hopeless after the horrors they had just gone through, and the loss of their planet and loved ones.
Unable to cope with the new reality around them, many succumbed to despair and chose to forcefully return their borrowed souls to their Mother’s embrace. This alarming psychological phenomenon was cataloged by Humans as the “Nasivern Decimation Syndrome.”
The Nations of Orbis began to covet and reap the benefits of what sparse Nasivern knowledge remained, especially in the fields of technology and medicine. Much of their greatest accomplishments and secrets were lost and continue to remain buried beneath the ruins of their now dead planet. The now endangered and near extinct Nasivern species began to adapt and integrate into the cultures of Orbis. One notable example is that the Age calendar system they had used for millennia was deprecated in favor of Orbis’ calendar system.
Now, more than two decades since their fall, their culture, language, religion, and traditions continue to fade into oblivion. The Age of Exile is deemed to be the last chapter of their troubled history.
The once burning flame of the Nasivern is now reduced to a mere flickering ember.
Sword of Vaifen is a work in progress. Things are not set in stone and can be subject to change.
Every image, logo, and any other graphics that you see here are placeholders, none of them are final.
2024, by Christian Kaleb Caruzo.
