The basic storyline has been summarized on our website, but there are a few crucial elements that remain unannounced. The Schism story takes place in a solar system named Chronos, and unusually large system rich in alien life. As humans surviving the disaster of Grave Earth colonize and tame an unknown planet to serve as humanity's haven, the calculating eyes of warring alien species spread throughout the rest of the Chronos system watch attentively. It doesn't take long for the humans to realize that they're not alone in this solar system, and they quickly take measures to contact and establish friendly relationships with the aliens.


Inhabitants of the Chronos system:



--- The Averaptor


The Averaptors come from Thykri, a planet that is predominantly swampland. Averaptors are strong bipeds, covered in feathers and moving with a rather hawk-like gait. Unlike other feathered animals on the planet, their coloration isn’t overly exotic; the common color is grayish brown. They have hooked, fanged beaks and small black eyes that give them the unusual appearance of a human/falcon crossbreed. Originally a species very similar to the modern falcon, the need to forage for smaller prey deep beneath the forest canopy forced them to adapt to a body more suited for ground movement to chase small prey. They retain their feathers for their extraordinary insulating properties, as Thykri gets very cold at night; other than that their feathers serve little purpose, although they are lighter than the more common furred coat.

Averaptors are not known to be friendly with other species, as they are unusually solitary creatures. Inter-species friendships involving Averaptors are known to be short lived and rare, and their response to humanity's desperate attempt to colonize a planet they believe to be above traditional terms of ownership is less than welcoming. Despite this, Averaptors are intensely religious, and would never begin a conflict they believe unjustified. That is perhaps the only factor that has muted the bird-like alien's hostility.



---The Ignids


The only known species to survive on the gas giant Thermaduro, the Ignids are perhaps the most mysterious alien in the Chronos system. So little is known about their anatomy and feeding habits that modern science has absolutely no idea how they are able to thrive on the seemingly uninhabitable planet Thermaduro, which is almost all choking gas save a small rocky core.

Ignid technology is not the system's most sophisticated, but the straightforward approach of Ignid spaceship manufacturing is surprisingly the most common to be seen in trade around the system- it is often the cheapest, and the focus Ignids have on weapons development gives their fleet a brutal edge.

The most friendly species on the Chronos system, Ignids have an unusual apathetic approach towards the politics of the intensely unstable Chronos system. Ignids often only join a skirmish in their own defense- a practice they have proven to be lethally well equipped at.



---The Rabi

(no character portrait available)
The residents of Djanna, a planet of badlands and desert. The planet is dotted with small lakes and rivers, and any form of vegetation more sophisticated than scrub bush appears incapable of survival. The Rabi are a very important species and are still under development- we'll have more details on them later.



---The Marenox


By far the most dangerous and hostile alien in the solar system (probably several), the Marenox evolved on the liquid planet Liquentia. Marenox are actually evolved forms of a jellyfish-like species that inhabits the middle layer of the methane ocean—the layer with the most competitive food chains. Marenox have spent so much time exploring land that their bodies have actually adapted to the mechanically influenced mutations they put themselves through to explore the surfaces of other worlds... Barely. The Marenox have a spine and a complete nervous system along with other critical organs, but their joints are so weak that they are entirely dependent upon mechanical augments, and without the metallic suits they wear to explore land, their bodies would collapse into a puddle of twitching jelly. Because of this, a Marenox infant will almost surely die if it is not attached to a life support exoskeleton immediately. Although they are able to survive in this formless state, their bodies are extremely vulnerable in that situation and they are also mortally threatened—their nervous systems are not firmly attached to their gelatinous bodies, and without mechanical reinforcements, their brains could seep away from the rest of their vitals, killing them. However, the Marenox have exploited this weakness to make the mechanical exoskeletons unimaginably strong, making the species surprisingly fit for hand-to-hand combat. Their arms end in long hands with whip-like fingers, laden with glands that excrete a deadly poison. They have no mouths and communicate telepathically, but their eyes are enormous, as they evolved to suit the dark waters they thrive in. Their bodies are lined with luminescent bacteria colonies, and they will often glow brighter when they are aggravated; a single Marenox could light a dark room as bright as day if it was excited enough. Spines extend from their backs, almost useless except for underwater mating rituals.

Extremely hostile, the Marenox are engaged in an intense war with the Averaptors, and have no qualms with attacking a human frigate should it get in the way. Marenox forces have begun amassing themselves near key human outposts, and a paranoia of the first intergalactic war waged by humans is setting in...



--- The Angels


The Angels are the most mysterious and powerful force ever to set foot in the Chronos system, and possibly the entire galaxy. Their history is as ancient as it is shrouded in unsubstantiated legend, and even the most talented historian may have no knowledge of the group of cultists. Since their sudden appearance, some people have been able to draw connections, however- the Angels are human. Their codename corresponds with a shady group of religious extremists. This group is unique in that it participates in no religion acknowledged by any public group in known history; their spiritual ethics are completely unknown, and have no traceable origin.

Interestingly, the last known recorded document of the group's movements reports events that took place over 600 years ago- the beginning of the space age. Despite furious attempts to locate their activity beyond this point, nothing has been recovered. Apparently, the Angels completely disappeared for a good 600 years, only to return in recent events. They boast technological power so sophisticated that no species in the Chronos system can hope to defend themselves should the Angels decide to decimate them. The lethal force is spearheaded by one of the most mysterious figures in history, who goes by no name, but wields the awesome power of the entire Angel fleet. His whims affect entire worlds.




More details soon.

lol halo.


But seriously, looks fantastic. Is it a platformer, or what?

Yes and no. :D

Whoever drew these aliens wins.

And the Marenox are reminescent of that old drawing Ari made, correct?

Indeed they are. This is the third and final design for the Marenox.

I haven't gotten to see the Marenox.

Wow, looking good!

Awesome looking art. :D It seems you've also put alot of work into the backgrounds of each creature.

Nice stuff. :)

Update!

Wewt, suppose this means I'd best make an Angels section for the Aliens section of the Schism section of the website... :O

Ahh, I'll do that tomorrow....

I tweaked it a bit. I think it looks nicer now.

*Drools after looking at Angel drawing*

Alg, you might want to take the "the Ignids are perhaps the most mysterious alien in the Chronos system" part off the Ignids' description.

Strictly speaking, the Angels aren't aliens. They're humans.

I love the drawing of the Angel.
It's really detailed and interesting - good work!

I'm excited for this game. ;]

Yea, that's fine, I just made those little blurbs just as fillers and filled in the info with the current stuff until someone like you got around to filling it out properly... :D

Yeah, although a friend of mine said that our attempts at making the biographies sound scientific seem halfassed.

...Umm, because they kind of ARE?

I think it sounds fine.

i learnt a lot from the biographies, they would of been boring if ya didnt make em scientific coz we wouldnt know as much!!

That's probably cause you wrote them. And everything is half-Algernoned by you when you try too hard... :D

Why does Lilith's portrait make her look like a secretary from planet Xorg blowing out her birthday candles?

P.S. Personally, I think the Angels should have a human face...

WAY TO GO, ALG

Let's not forget all the other AE3 topics as well

lol wut

o ya

move'd