Dear Miss Kitana Edenwing,
I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the Earthrealm Astrofleet, Earth’s primary defence force and the pioneers of interstellar exploration. Your impressive qualifications, dedication, and unwavering commitment to advancing the exploration of the universe has set you apart as an exemplary candidate. As a new member of our elite force, you will join the ranks of those who venture beyond our earthly bounds to seek knowledge, protect our homeworld, and foster interstellar cooperation.
You have embarked on a journey that only the most fearless and adventurous souls dare to undertake, this is no easy task. I personally commemorate you on having enough courage to enlist yourself into the Earthrealm Astrofleet. We thank you for your service.
Please find enclosed your official Astrofleet identification and an informative package detailing your responsibilities, benefits, and orientation schedule. You will be joining a diverse, dedicated, and passionate team of individuals who share your passion for exploring the final frontier.
As an astroknight, you must familiarize yourself with the Cosmic Imperatives, a set of 23 rules that guide our every move in this distant, eerie universe we call home. These rules are more than just regulations; they are the very essence of our survival and our tenuous existence in this forsaken place. Let me share them with you.
Cosmic Imperatives:
The cosmos above Earth is inhabited with packs of nebulari, an ancient species with powers we don’t fully understand yet. To survive, you must never trespass upon their territories. Disobey, and they may unleash their wrath upon you, a fate worse than death.
Each astroknight must bear a symbol upon their skin, an inscription that wards off malevolent forces. This mark must never fade, or you will be vulnerable to the horrors that lurk in the stars.
When in the wilds of Neptune, never sing in the presence of the Quasarid beasts. Their senses are tuned to the harmonies of the universe, and your voice may beckon them to you. Silence is your only shield.
Upon arrival to an uncharted planet, you must partake in a ritual that binds your essence to your ship. If you break this oath, you risk condemning your soul to forever wander the expanses of the universe, unable to find peace.
Novus Tetra is a small planet in the Polarius galaxy, its eerie red and black marbled surface harbor a chilling enigma. The planet’s mesmerizing appearance hides a dark, unexplained secret. Mysterious radio emissions, erratic magnetic fields, and unsettling disturbances in communication systems. Novus Tetra has gained a reputation amongst space forces across the universe. Over the millennia, the lives of many good astroknights have been claimed by the mysteries of this planet. For your own safety and the preservation of the unknown, we advise all travellers to steer clear of Novus Tetra.
If you happen to spot a mysterious swirling mark on your ship’s side, drop everything and immediately make your way back to Earth. How important the task you were doing beforehand doesn’t matter. Make your way to our south east island base and ask for Xandras. The astroknights stationed there will know what to do and take your ship to be dealt with.
We offer tribute to the ancient keepers who protect us from cosmic horrors. Neglecting them risks losing their safeguard. In the past, our ancestors faced a cosmic storm. The keepers saved them, and we vowed tribute in thanks. They stand guard in exchange for our offerings, a symbol of our commitment and a reminder of our debt.
Centuries ago, a Marsrealm astroknight ventured into the Andromeda Galaxy and met an unexplainable fate, lost to an unspeakable accident. If, for some reason, you intercept a transmission from their vessel, do not accept the call. Picking up will result in you entering into a state of permanent paralysis.
If you encounter a red eye symbol, be it etched into a wall, on a traveler’s belongings, plastered on a ship or even in your dreams, tread carefully. The Yiga Clan lurk nearby. Notorious intergalactic terrorists who trace their origins to the Sheikah tribe, a race who once served an ancient, intergalactic empire and its rulers. The Yiga Clan now embrace the dark side and strive for nothing but chaos. They’re masters of deceit, espionage, and sabotage. Infiltrating political powers and occupying secret hideouts on remote planets is what they’re best at. The Yiga despise the Earthrealm Astrofleet and everything we stand for. As soon as they learn of your status, there is a high chance you’ll be captured, or worse.
Zarkothian mirrors are not mere reflections but potential gateways to otherworldly realms. Gazing into them can invite dark forces to breach into our reality, leading to nightmarish consequences. If travelling with a team, it is of the upmost importance to alert your comrades of the presence of one of these hellish items.
Never speak the name of Commander [REDACTED] out loud. This infamous spacefleet leader left behind a legacy of shame, malevolence and doom. A dark time in the history of the Earthrealm Astrofleet, filled with unspeakable atrocities. To utter his name aloud is to awaken his vengeful soul, invoking a relentless curse. Those who dare speak his name will find themselves ensnared in the chilling legacy of a commander who refuses to pass on, his sinister influence ready to haunt those who dare to invoke his name.
When travelling through outer space, you may encounter a bright, glowing planet. Do not worry. It’s a sign of the Viltrumites cleansing a planet. The Viltrumites are a race that traverses the multiverse, offering aid to less advanced worlds. The Earthrealm Astrofleet have upheld a longstanding alliance with the Viltrumites; their intentions are peaceful. However, don’t gaze at the bright light for too long. You may become temporarily blind as a result.
In the expanse of the Asteria Belt, there is one unbreakable rule: Never leave your ship windows uncovered. This belt is home to creatures that render anyone who lays eyes on them completely and utterly mad. You’ll know if someone has succumbed to their effects by their cracked and glowing eyes. When but a single soul aboard a ship falls victim to their gaze, the fate of all is sealed. When venturing through this treacherous area, it is imperative to rely on your ships autopilot, for it is critical is navigating through this cursed place. If you have no autopilot, unless you can somehow avoid all the debris and somehow not alert the creatures, then I’m sorry to say that you won’t survive. The darkness of the Asteria Belt conceals terrors beyond the realm of comprehension.
When travelling through the Proxima cluster, you may encounter a mysterious masked figure. It’ll offer you an item of great power but at a terrible cost. Heed the warnings of your fellow astroknights, for his intentions are darker than the void of space.
Outer space has no bottom, but it certainly has depths. If you see something rising from these dark voids; flee and never look back.
The void of outer space is mercilessly cold, harbouring unknown dangers. If you feel an unnatural chill creeping through your spacecraft, do not investigate. Seal all entryways, pray it passes and make your way to the nearest Astrofleet post to get checked.
If you find yourself gazing upon stars that look out of place, understand that you are a marked soul. There’s nothing that you, Astrofleet, or any other space force can do, it’s already too late.
In the north of Planet Venus, an Earthrealm Astrofleet military base exists. Once a beacon of human exploration, it has now become a place of unimaginable horrors. What entailed over there is classified. Don’t approach this base, you won’t like what you see.
On your journey through outer space, you may encounter a crimson, triangular spacecraft. The ones who operate this ominous vehicle may intercept your ship, offering you and your team fuel, resources and what have you but beware, this ship is not what it seems. Politely decline all their offers and make your way to the nearest spaceport, no harm will befall if you just stay away.
The flying, green creatures in the darkness are revered as cosmic guardians. They breathe life into the multiverse and maintain order. These beings are inherently friendly and well-intentioned, yet provoking them should be avoided at all costs. Within the multiverse hierarchy, they stand as some of the most formidable and dangerous entities known to exist.
Lightfolding, a rare technique, involves achieving velocities so immense that they border on teleportation. Lightfolding demands meticulous precision, recharging the lightfold engine alone takes weeks. As such, this manoeuvre should only be used as a last resort, such as a supernova or an eldritch terror encounter. A single misstep in lightfolding can result in fatal consequences, as space-time itself may distort, leaving the traveler in a perilous and irreversible predicament.
In the event that the lights of your spaceship extinguish, keep calm. Quickly put on your Astrofleet-issued night vision goggles and make your way to the secure chambers of the ship’s saferoom and, above all, don’t look outside. We can’t stress enough how important it is to not look outside. Only when the lights come back on can you safely emerge back to the rest of the ship.
Within the Earthrealm Astrofleet, once you’re in, you’re bound until the end of your contract or until your final breath. Attempting to depart from us prematurely carries grave repercussions, such an action is not advised. We would kindly ask you to not tell anyone about this either.
We look forward to embarking on this incredible cosmic journey with you and witnessing the contributions you will undoubtedly make to the Earthrealm Astrofleet.
As you immerse yourself in our world, remember these cosmic imperatives, for they are the thin line between life and an eternity of terror. Welcome to Earthrealm Astrofleet, and may the celestial deities watch over you.
Congratulations once again, Miss Kitana, and prepare yourself for a future filled with the wonders and mysteries of the cosmos.
Yours in galactic anticipation,
Jonathan Cage
Major General
Earthrealm Astrofleet Space Command Headquarters