Content/Trigger Warning: Although Astral Universe is intended to have an optimistic tone, it also contains elements of space horror and PG-13 violence.
Summary
Astral Universe is a space fantasy adventure story set in a distant star system made up of thirteen planets.
These planets lived, for the most part, unaware of each other's societies except for one: the planet Asteria, which had gained knowledge of how to traverse the stars thanks to a blessing from the goddess of hope and light.
This power soon became a source of conflict among the Asterian people, however. Some felt that the power should only be used for peaceful means, such as trade. Others felt that it should be used to expand Asteria's influence across the galaxy through conquest. This disagreement split the planet into two factions: the Starkeepers, who swore only to use their power for peace, and the Darkhunters, who sought to claim the power and the universe for their own control.
For the most part, it was the Starkeepers who were favored by the leaders of Asteria, with the Darkhunters seen as troublemakers and renegades. Working with the Starkeepers, Asteria began to see an era of prosperity and growth emerge as they carefully made steps towards first contact with the other planets in the star system.
Then came the day when the Darkhunters unleashed something neither side had been aware of, let alone anticipated: an ancient power, opposite to the goddess of Hope and Light, known only as the Devouring One.
The Devouring One was a being with no thoughts or motivations beyond consuming all that the goddess had bestowed on the universe, and to that end once it had been awakened by the Darkhunters, it began its attack across the planet Asteria.
In a desperate attempt to preserve themselves, a space ark was built for the people of Asteria, containing a database of all the knowledge of its people within as well. The ark became known as The Vela, the Sail. However, just as it reached completion, the Devouring One had arrived in the city of its creation, and the ship was forced to launch with only three occupants aboard: Nico, the daughter of the Asterian minister who had authorized and funded the Vela; Orion, a robotic cat that had been built specifically as a companion to Nico; and Tanis, a young woman who bore a power known only as a Zodiac Soul.
The occupants of the Vela were placed into a stasis as the ark drifted across the galaxy for some time. Ten years would pass before the first of the three occupants, Nico, would awaken aboard the ship and find herself guided only by the beliefs her family had instilled in her and an AI created by a long-dead society…
Characters
This section is still heavily under construction. Character images below will eventually lead to pages where you can read more about each character!
The Vela
Survivors of the planet Asteria, who escaped on The Vela.
Zodiac Souls
Individuals whom possess a Zodiac Soul--a soul containing the power of an ancient being that embodies one of the signs of the zodiac, and whom serve the Goddess of Hope and Light.
