Editing User:Rasarr/Skyward Universe

'''Now in [[Skyward Universe]]'''

{/{spoilers|book=Starsight}/}

'''Skyward Universe''' refers to the as-of-yet-unnamed universe that serves as the setting of ''[[Defending Elysium]]'' and the [[Skyward (series)|Skyward series]].{{wob ref|11965}} It's our own world, albeit in the far future; as such, it's not part of the [[cosmere]]. Alongside [[Earth (Skyward)|Earth]] and humanity, it contains numerous spacefaring species, all of which share a magic system known as [[cytonics]].

The universe is comprised of two connected realities -- our own and '''nowhere''', an interdimensional "world" with strange relation to time and space. Little is known of nowhere's appearance, though it is home to a type of beings called [[delver]]s, as well as a mineral called the [[acclivity stone]].{{book ref|sky2|25}} Regular rules of physics do not apply there completely, and everything to come from nowhere possesses extraordinary properties. The best-known among them is acclivity stone, which is used to counteract gravity and thus provide lift to all spaceships and space stations.{{book ref|sky2|7}}

Apart from the portals, nowhere can also be accessed by people called '''cytonics'''. Species, including non-sapient ones, are capable of developing cytonic abilities; how they first appear is undetermined, but once they do show up, they are passed down to the original cytonic's descendants. They allow for more than just peering into nowhere -- "cytonics" refers to a whole host of psychic powers.{{book ref|elysium}}{{book ref|sky2|1}}

=== Discovery of cytonics and First Contact ===

Across the known universe, all sapient species developed [[cytonic]] abilities prior to discovering advanced technology; as such, they would often abandon further pursuit of conventional sciences in favour of the psionic powers. Humanity is one exception to that. Earth was already advanced technologically by the time the [[Phone Company]] began developing cyto, a cybernetics-based method of telepathic linking. Those early experiments were unsuccessful, but they were enough to attract the attention of the spacefaring [[tenasi]]. After a misunderstanding led to the tenasi scout being shot down by [[United Governments]] military, the Phone Company negotiated more peacable reactions, and, as a result, became the sole point of contact between humans and aliens.{{book ref|elysium}}

From then on out, humanity spread across the Solar System, watched over by the Phone Company. Some of its employees believed that the other races of the universe needed to be protected from humankind and its barbaric ways until the time was right for them to join the truly civillized societies. However, it eventually became apparent that the aliens' peace came at a cost -- they would imprison their dissidents and cut them off from cytonics. In the aftermath of this revelation, a PC operative named [[Jason Write]] decided to share the FTL technology, which the Company had developed, but kept hidden, with the rest of the populace.{{book ref|elysium}}

At some point, possibly decades or centuries afterwards, humanity, now an interstellar power, attacked other sapient races, seemingly aiming to conquer them. This was the start of a series of three conflicts known as the [[Human Wars]].{{book ref|sky2|10}} In the first war, humanity conquered several species, including the [[kitsen]], while being allied with other aliens, [[figment]]s.{{book ref|sky2|26}}{{book ref|sky2|35}}

The war ended in humanity's failure, but soon after, the second conflict began. This time, humanity sought to weaponize [[delver]]s, the dwellers of the [[nowhere]], but constructing massive laboratories on abandoned planets circling dying stars, with [[Detritus]] being one such world.{{book ref|sky2|4}} However, they lost control of the delvers, and thirteen of the creatures rampaged across the galaxy for the decades to come. Even after they faded, their presence became a constant threat, leading to many cytonic technologies being abandoned.{{book ref|sky2|10}}

Despite this, at some point afterwards, humanity attacked again, though not all of them were involved in the conflict this time.{{book ref|sky2|23}} Nonetheless, all humans became targets for the newly-formed alien alliance, the [[Superiority]], and were consequently defeated.{{book ref|sky1|epilogue}}

At some point, either during or between those wars, the [[Earth (Skyward)|Old Earth]], humanity's homeworld, vanished.{{book ref|sky2|18}} It's unclear how it happened, or whether this means it can't be found or if it's no longer physically present within the Solar System.

=== The Superiority and human preserves ===

In the century since the Third Human War, the Superiority, led by five species who considered themselves to be of primary intelligence, grew to become the primary political power in the galaxy. They achieved this by monopolizing both safe faster-than-light travel and FTL communications, and keeping their mechanics secret.{{book ref|sky2|24}} Many other species, such as the kitsen, joined the Superiority with secondary citizenship, which limited their rights within the empire.{{book ref|sky2|15}} Others, like the [[UrDail]], remain independent, though still reliant on the Superiority for trade.{{book ref|sky2|9}}

Of all the species, humanity had its rights curtailed the most. The remnants were mostly chased down into solitary planets called preserves, and kept down there by the Superiority bureau named the Department of Protective Services, with occassional missions sent out to suppress them and keep them near-extinct.{{book ref|sky2|19}}{{book ref|sky1|55}} However, in the recent years, many began to worry about humanity escaping to wreck havoc once more. While such fears are often stoked by the Department of Protective Services to aid their political causes, the people of the [[Detritus]] preserve did manage to leave their home planet, and figure out a way to travel beyond their star system.{{book ref|sky2|19}}

Skyward universe is inhabited by numerous sapient species of varied shapes, sizes and configurations. Most appear to be roughly humanoid, walking upright with an even number of limbs. Their sizes vary, with the smallest being only a handspan tall, while the largest are bigger than humans.{{book ref|sky2|13}} Despite apparent physical similarities, they can differ vastly in their biology; for example, the [[dione]] can change their biological sex during their lifetime, while the [[varvax]] are actually small creatures possessing large exoskeletons.{{book ref|sky2|12}}

Apart from the humanoid aliens, the Skyward universe is also home to vastly different ones. Those range from a species resembling spike-covered balloons,{{book ref|sky2|13}} to [[figment]]s, which are invisible, sapient smells.{{book ref|sky2|20}}

=== Known species ===

[[File:Alanik by Bernardo Curvello.jpg|thumb|right|200px|<center><small>by {{a|Bernardo Curvello}}</small></center> [[Alanik]], an [[UrDail]] ]]

* humans

* [[hommar]]

Human culture has had a vast impact on other sapient creatures. This seems to have began even before the Human Wars, with [[kitsen]] using the Japanese term ''[[wikipedia:Daimyō|daimyo]]'' to refer to their leaders.{{book ref|sky2|26}} However, it was during the Wars that humanity truly put their mark on the universe. Human languages -- mainly English, Spanish, Hindi and Mandarin -- are to this day carried by all translator pins, and serve as common tongues for all species of the galaxy.{{book ref|sky2|10}} The [[UrDail]], which saw extensive contact with humans, have been impacted even further, with their native tongue coming to resemble English.{{book ref|sky2|8}}

Humanity has also left their mark on the universe in the form of [[delver]]s, whom they've brough forth during the Second Human War, leading to the drastic decrease in the use of [[cytonics]]. This, alongside the history of conflict, is one of the reasons why they're so feared in the present day. This extends even to those trapped in the "preserve" planets, with many people afraid that humans would one day break out and go to war again. Those fears are often stoked by Superiority's Department of Protective Services, especially whenever they desire a bigger budget.{{book ref|sky2|19}}

After the Third Human War, the Superiority became the primary political power of the universe. It's some form of a federation or republic comprised of various species, though only five -- varvax, tenasi, dione, heklo and cambric -- lead the government. Numerous others have either primary or secondary citizenship. Whether a species is allowed to join the Superiority depends on whether they exhibit the so-called primary intelligence. This appears to refer to how aggressive a species is, with only the most peaceful ones allowed to join, so as to not corrupt the current society.{{book ref|sky2|10}} There are also other conditions, such as converting to a democratic government.{{book ref|sky2|13}}

While the Superiority does not directly rule over every species, it does exert indirect power over them. This is done though absolute control over faster-than-light travel and communications, as the government has effectively suppressed all information about it, making themselves indispensable to interstellar travel and trade. As a result, they possess a relatively weak military force, since all they need to resolve any problem is to cut any world they wish off the FTL grid.{{book ref|sky2|10}}

It wasn't just the cosmere that Skyward Universe borrowed elements from. In 2016, Brandon began writing a novella titled ''The Eyes'', based around the concept of answering the [[wikipedia:Fermi Paradox|Fermi Paradox]]. It was never finished, although the first chapter became a Patreon reward for $10 patrons at the time.{{sots ref|2016}} The story of ''The Eyes'' was eventually absorbed into the setting wholesale, although in its current form, it's not fully canon-compliant. Nonetheless, some of its characters are still around by the time of ''[[Skyward]]'', and one of its alien races made an appearance in ''[[Starsight]]''.{{wob ref|12197}} It's unclear which aliens those would be, though they might be the [[figment]]s or the [[dione]], as both are introduced in that book and feature in it prominently. Considering the title, [[delver]]s may also originate from ''The Eyes''.

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