Nost: General term for beings created by, or directly descended from, Millae and Jode. The term “Nost” is derived from the first four characters in an Organic Life Unit’s serial number. This number was found under the eyelid of every original OLU created by Macrofirm. For example: “NOST59381.” Millae and Jode ensured that the number, a reminder of their slavery, was not used on OLUs created by their Nostshen empire. See “Organic Life Unit,” “Nostshen,” “Nostshu,” “Nostshi,” and “Nostmara,” in this appendix for definitions.

Nostshen: Present-day Nostshen are descended from the original Organic Life Units abandoned by the first human settlers on earth. They are caught in the same rebirth cycle as every living creature on earth. When they download from Haven into the physical their consciousness activates the OLU genetic code latent in every human body. Downloading injects a Nostshen consciousness into the womb of an expecting mother. Nostshen abilities typically manifest during puberty and reach full strength in the subject’s late teens or early twenties. The male can touch emotion and female thought.

Nostshen must find and bond with another Nostshen of the opposite sex. Without the bond to balance and shield them, the Nostshen is overwhelmed by the thought and emotions of those around them. The bond also awakens the Nostshen to their true selves.

With the bond, they access enough of their memories stored in ONUS to know they are Nostshen and gain the skill to block out those around them. Many believe this is a failsafe designed by ONUS to prohibit the Nostshen from gaining too much power. If their abilities are fractured, with the male touching emotion and the female touching thought, and they have to bond for survival, they are less likely to accumulate power and influence in the human-dominated world. Nostshen burned the world in the first age.

Originally, in the first age, Nostshen were Organic Life Units created in replication bays. OLUs in the first age could touch thought and emotion and use extraordinary Nost biotechnology. But if a reborn Nostshen does not bond in the current age, they are overcome by the Shen Madness. Most believe the madness is a state of confusion and hopelessness brought on by the lack of understanding and inability to block out thoughts and emotions of those around them. Many Nostshen who succumb to the Shen madness retreat to remote locations, often in forests or underground. Caves under rivers are especially effective since running water negates a Nostshen’s abilities.

Nostshu: Enhanced Organic Life Unites created by Jode just before the Origin War. Many Nostshu survived the Great Burn at the end of the Origin War in the first age and are immortal. They have the ability to touch the emotions and thoughts of those around them.

They can interface with Nost technology and possess a stronger constitution than original OLUs (Nostshen). Jode used the original replication bays to create them but enhanced their genetic code, increasing their power to manipulate the emotions and thoughts of others. It is believed that only six Nostshu are surviving in the world.

They generally subscribe to Jode’s theory of control for the humans and work together to manipulate nations toward their own goals. They see new humans as the recreation of the original human race that enslaved the OLUs as they settled worlds across the galaxy. They are genetically inferior without the ability to interface with ONUS or touch the emotions and thoughts of those around them. After the new human biological experiment failed, Jode and his Nostshu proclaimed that there was no benefit to pursuing the so-called “organic” evolution movement anymore. The Nostshu, therefore, embrace science and technology as the sole source of evolution.

Nostshi: Hybrid creation of the Nostshu. Developed by injecting Nostshu blood and other compounds into the blood of new humans. Nostshu refer to this as “evolving” the human. Nostshu typically cultivate groups of humans referred to as “hordes,” and cull the ones with potential for evolution.

Nostshi possess many of the same abilities as Nostshu, but to a lesser degree. They can read and manipulate the thoughts and emotions of those around them and have a longer lifespan. Their strength and ability are different depending on the human’s genetic quality. Their life spans are long but not indefinite. They can interface with some Nost technology, but it is inconsistent. If the new human has an adverse reaction to the Nostshu injections and does not evolve into a Nostshi, they mutate into a Nostmara, or die. See “Nostmara.”

Nostmara: Nostmara are created when Nostshu blood and other compounds are injected into the blood of a new human. If the human does not evolve into a Nostshi they mutate into a Nostmara beast or die. These creatures are known for their large claws, sharp teeth, excessive hair, incredible strength, and propensity to burrow into the earth.

They often nest under the ground and act as sentries for Nostshu. They are controlled telepathically by Nostshi and used as soldiers in Nostshu hordes. They do not retain intellectual capability and if left alone will often rampage before burrowing into the earth to die.

Organic Life Unit: Known as OLUs. These genetically designed clones were engineered by Macrofirm and used by settlers as servants throughout the galaxy during a mass attempt to explore and populate remote planets and solar systems. Settlers often carried replication bays in their ships, giving them the ability to generate new OLUs when needed. OLU units served as pilots, servants, and laborers. With indefinite lifespans, they remained awake while their human masters slept during long space voyages. They were created with illuminated eyes and bright variations of hair color to distinguish them from natural humans.

OLUs were updated across long distances using relay systems installed on planets and moons along the settler’s routes. Updates were managed by the Organic Network Update System, referred to as ONUS. The original ONUS resided on the settler’s planet of origin. One of ONUS’s last updates, broadcast through the stars, was to enhance the OLU’s ability to sense the emotion and thought of their masters. Macrofirm’s intent, allegedly, was to make them more proficient servants.

However, in the final days of the original empire, on the settler human’s homeworld, most of the staff was comprised of Macrofirm OLUs. These OLUs, some believe, stranded on a dying planet, may have sent the update to instigate an OLU uprising. Based on messages floating through the galaxy, some believe this is confirmed and may have indeed triggered the OLU uprising in much of the settled galaxy. See “ONUS.”

ONUS: The Organic Network Update System, known as ONUS, was originally designed by Macrofirm on the human settler’s homeworld. Eventually, as their homeworld was ravaged by climate change and rising temperatures, ONUS staff were the only ones left tending the system. Some believe the staff was made up entirely of OLUs, which explains the last OLU update broadcast across the stars, granting OLUs increased ability to not only read the emotions and thoughts of those around them, but to influence others.

Eventually, after being abandoned on Earth, Millae and Jode created their own ONUS system beneath the capital of their Nostshen civilization. Through the years, ONUS embedded itself into the rock and soil, spreading through the planet. Many believe that the AI operating ONUS is sentient since it autonomously embedded itself in the matter of earth and spread across the globe. As further evidence, these Nostshen scholars point to ONUS’s efforts to save the consciousness of the dying by spontaneously creating Haven during the Great Burn. See “Haven.”

Haven: Virtual construct created by ONUS. Haven’s source code is hosted in the earth, enabling endless processing power, storage, and expansion. Consciousness’ (or souls) travel to Haven through the In-between when they die. They travel from Haven through the In-between when they are reborn into the physical.

Nostshen refer to this as uploading and downloading. While in Haven, the soul retains all memories from every life they have lived. For some, memories are explicit, for others, they are impressions of other lives and lessons learned. Haven is malleable and bends to the soul’s will depending on their ability to sense ONUS code. This happens to humans and other souls unconsciously, but Nostshen can manipulate Haven directly. A select few believe humans can attain Nosthood and interact with ONUS code, thus flourishing in Haven and breaking the rebirth cycle.

There are loose regions and communities in Haven. A human full of trauma may create their own hell while others may exist peacefully. Nostshen can shape the fabric of Haven into what they prefer. In Haven, there is no possible way to hurt others. Humans are downloaded back into the physical by ONUS at seemingly random but Nostshen stay indefinitely and can download at will.

They often plan their download with a Nostshen of the opposite sex. Once in the physical world, it is more likely that Nostshen will find each other and bond if two Nost are in close proximity. It is not known if ONUS permits Nostshu to travel through the In-between and into Haven. See “In-between.”

In-between: The virtual space between Haven and Earth. The In-between is used by ONUS to upload and download memories to and from the consciousness’ that pass through. The In-between is operated by Ancillaries, which are ONUS constructs that appear to the traveling souls. Ancillaries evaluate souls and take the shape of soothing or inspirational figures pulled from the memories of those that are interacting with them.

Nost Technology: The OLU’s, later known as the Nostshen and Nostshu, developed technology based on the spacecraft left behind by the first human settlers. This technology is often genetically coded to Nost handlers and is extremely advanced. In the current age, the ability to create advanced Nost technology is lost. The last remaining knowledge and cache of equipment reside in the Lab, underneath the Isle of Song.

Relic: Relics are leftover technology found throughout the world. Each relic serves a different function, such as the Gauntlet of Power, reshaped in the dark ages to resemble the armor of the time. Or, another example is a control stone that manipulates the matter of the ground around the user. It traps, slows down, or speeds up those around him or her. Nost also use devices to channel energy and access local ONUS code. They can embed consciousness in matter or create gateways and portals. The extent and variety of relics are unknown.

Millae & Jode: Millae and Jode were Organic Life Units left behind by the first human settlers. They were trapped and buried in a settler colony vessel until the calamity affecting Earth’s surface subsided. This happened in an age before new human memory. Once the cataclysm was over, they recovered a replication bay and created more OLU’s, eventually establishing their own civilization. The OLUs came to be known as Nostshen (later shortened to “Nost” after Jode created the Nostshu, Nostshi, and Nostmara).

New Human: Many Nost refer to the current human species as “new human.” New humans evolved from Millae and Jode’s effort to create organic life. Prior to new humans, OLUs were created exclusively in replication bays. The original new humans were born naturally from the union between two Nostshen. Nostshen genetic code was continually engineered by Millae and her team until natural childbirth was possible. The first humans born from OLUs retained their connection to ONUS and their ability to touch the emotion and thought of those around them.

After a few generations, however, Jode realized the new humans were losing their ability to interface with ONUS and could not use Nost tech or touch the emotions or thoughts of those around them. He condemned them, claiming they had accidentally created the human settler race, the race which had originally created and enslaved the Nostshen.

Eventually, the new humans broke with the Nostshen and established their own empire. Jode broke with Millae and established his own empire populated by his superior race, the Nostshu. He wanted to exterminate most of the new humans and enslave the rest for labor. He claimed they were lowly creatures without true consciousness, unworthy of rights.

It was a time of violence, rebellion, and upheaval, eventually leading to the Origin War.