HSR STIGMA OC CARAVAGGIO PT 1.1

Genius Society

"Into the hallowed halls step pride, ardor, and reason, traversing the length of a corridor etched with the inscription of knowledge and truth, transmuting into the embodiment of lowliness, apathy, and frenzy."

— Fables About the Stars by Adrian Spencer Smith

Nous stays in a corner of the cosmos, working out the equations of the universe made up of trillions of variables and deriving the unknown laws of imaginary numbers. Once in a while, a spark of intelligence flashes in a mortal world. The Aeon of Erudition sends a signal to its source, inviting geniuses to in the search for answers to the universe.

Many people misinterpret the signal, thinking the invitation to the Genius Society merely represents the favor and approval of the Aeon. Then, they proudly continue to devote themselves to their studies, unaware that the solution to the problems that they have spent their whole lives searching for had already been solved by Nous thousands of years ago. There are also those who rejoice, thinking they have already reached greatness and had created priceless asset of civilization with their diligence and wisdom. They were sure that their life's achievements deserve Nous's approval. These geniuses were eager for a response from Nous, but the Erudition has no time to appreciate the insignificant achievements of mere mortals. THEIR silence was deafening.

Only very few can ascertain Nous's intentions. They humbly ask questions and seek guidance from the Erudition. These enlightened few then disappear from the world, only leaving behind their world-shattering answers. "The answer to the universe is beyond the limits of mortal wisdom." — Only geniuses who can clearly acknowledge this conclusion can break free from the shackles of worldly curiosity, becoming true of the Genius Society.

Galaxy Rangers

"The ultimate fighter dreams only of the stars."

— Worlds History as a Mirror, Xianzhou

Not all devotees of The Hunt hate Abundance. Such a group of talented rangers exists out there. This group ires Lan's policy of using violence against violence and the Aeon's swift decisiveness regarding punishment, believing the benevolence and justice of the universe need to be upheld via personal action.

The Galaxy Rangers formed into a group of heroes, walking the Path of The Hunt, and roam the universe thanks to the blessings of the Aeon. They went from planet to planet upholding justice for the locals, hunting down evil, then embarking on new journeys.

The successful assassination of a Lord Ravager, Zulo, first brought the Galaxy Rangers their fame. And many years later, a Ranger thwarted the atavistic experiment of the 64th member of the Genius Society, Dr. Primitive. But after that, these Galaxy Rangers gradually faded out of sight in the cosmos. Rumor has it that they fell victim to Dr. Primitive's vengeance. The reappearance of the comet in Asdana during the 2158 AE served as crucial sign that the Galaxy Rangers had resurfaced in the Cosmos. It is believed that they played a vital role in resolving the Stellaron Crisis in Penacony. While of the Galaxy Rangers hail from different worlds, and have all kinds of personalities and traits, each of them are highly skilled, despises evil, and follows Lan and the Path of The Hunt.

They carry a balance scale with them at all times and believe justice in the universe needs to be achieved through individual deeds. They are always accompanied by the song and the sound of horns. They pursue justice for those they encounter along the way and shower them with wines and songs.

The Nameless

"Mysterious strangers were seen to come and go in many worlds."

— Fables About the Stars by Adrian Spencer Smith

A thousand years ago, the Aeon Akivili traversed across worlds, laying down the silver rail that linked worlds together in the sea of stars, and leaving behind countless legends about the universe and exploration. The brave and curious were attracted by the tales of these adventures and followed the steps of the Trailblaze, ing the god on their journeys to explore the cosmos.

The adventurers called themselves the Nameless. They rode the Express created by Akivili, and set off on thrilling adventures on planets connected by the star rail. Legend has it that Akivili the Trailblaze loved journeying with mortals. THEY and the Nameless would share wine from various worlds and sing songs composed by diverse civilizations. They would disguise the moving Express as the trail of a shooting star and laugh at the people looking up in awe. However, they would often get into deep trouble due to their recklessness, only to be saved by the Aeon's power. Akivili formed a deep bond with THEIR followers, and their adventures continued to attract travelers to the ranks of the Nameless.

When Akivili fell, a group of loyal Nameless carried on what the Aeon had started, continuing the exploration of the unknown. They held the belief that one day the will of Trailblaze will connect the entire universe. The Astral Express that once carried Akivili and THEIR followers still hurries between the stars till this day. It is believed that the Express is powered by the heart of the deceased Aeon, and is repairing with great difficulty the star rail contaminated by the unknown cancer.

Mourning Actors

"They do not laugh, only cry. The more they cried, the harder I laughed. I laughed and laughed until tears fell down my face, and you know what Mourning Actors did? They handed me a tissue."

— A Masked Fool with no name

Mourning Actors are firm believers against Elation. They believe life is full of ups and downs, that agony makes people mature but fleeting joy only offers hopeless and unreachable temptation. Cheap entertainment is a narcotic for humans to lose themselves in. All beings should renounce joy and endure grief to temper their spirits. To this end, these people formed a theater troupe of sorrow.

The Actors ride a gondola that spans the stars to perform. They collect and wear masks from different worlds, symbolizing the races that have ed and those that have not. At the same time, they record the sorrows of intelligent life. They compose magnificent tragedies for heroes facing their end, and sing graceful elegies for dying stars.

Mourning Actors advocate celibacy and penance, hoping this would go against the Path of Elation and dilute the sweet allure that the Elation has been able to provide to the universe.

However, joy and sadness are two sides of the same coin. Their very essence is engraved into the souls of all beings. The Aeon of Elation sees the potential strength in the beauty of tragedy. Perhaps out of fondness for their wicked sense of humor, Aha blessed these people with Aeonic powers, playfully helping them spread their renunciation of joy across many star systems.

Masked Fools

"Even an organization like the Masked Fools sing praises of their Aeon. The Aeon will never give you up, never let you down, or run around and desert you. THEY will never make you cry, say goodbye, or tell a lie and hurt you."

— Ast Rickley, super popstar of the Epsilon XII System

The Masked Fools tell a parable of the birth of their beloved Aeon. When the Aeon of Elation climbed to the highest branch on the Tree of Existence, THEY saw the cold and despicable void, the stars operating like machinery, and how the meaning of all things bows before nothingness. THEY continued looking until THEY saw a baby fall to the ground and cry because it had been wronged. The Aeon burst into laughter, laughter so clear it tore through the cold universe and still reverberates through the universe today.

The Fools believe that the truth of the world is a joke, and that the ultimate meaning of all things lies in mere laughter. The universe is merciless, but there is joy to eliminate pain, dilute sorrow, resist nihilism, and heal wounds. Laughter, the gift of intelligent races, is the only answer.

Masked Fools are extremely radical when it comes to their beliefs among the followers of Elation. In their pursuit of pleasure, they do whatever it takes to find it, often causing havoc wherever they go. They laugh at heroes for self-righteousness, kings for their lust of power, lovers for their infatuation, and scholars for their overthinking. The Fools' objective is to stir the stagnant pool of life to create surges and change, because change is a source of mockery and amusement to the Fools. It would be a welcome sight if someone could turn the tables on them.