Writings of the TOTGA-verse

Creative Content Literature
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The Covenant of Primus

The Covenant of Primus is a series of texts which serve as the holy book of the cybertronian faith. It is at once a quasi-historical tome, a legendarium of cybertronian myths and folktales, and a collection of prophecies divined in the First Golden Age by Optimus Prime and the Vector Sigma supercomputer. The Covenant’s history is as old as Cybertron itself, if not older.

The first Covenant was given to Alpha Trion by Primus when the original thirteen Primes were created. Descriptions of the original Covenant are sparse; surviving records from the First Golden Age say that it was some sort of trans-dimensional computer that stored data in a holographic plane beyond the physical universe. Scholars on Aevum speculate that this realm exists separate from space and time, and that all permutations of the original Covenant throughout the multiverse are connected to it, and thus to each other as well. The original Covenant contained a complete record of cybertronian history from Cybertron’s formation to the present day. Every action of every second was recorded, and the original Covenant continuously updated itself in kind. Alpha Trion was tasked with safeguarding the original Covenant so that the Thirteen and their fellow cybertronians would always have a history to draw upon, and Primus also gave to him a device called the Quill. With the Quill, one could write into the Covenant’s database, and those contributions would translate to alterations of the timeline. The havoc that wanton use of the Quill could bring deterred Alpha Trion from ever using it at all- as far as is known, at least. The original Covenant also contained many bizarre artifacts and enigmas: passages written in unknown languages, bizarre rhymes and riddles, and ominous ramblings, to name just a few. Alpha Trion could never discern the true meaning of these mysterious entries.

The second iteration of the Covenant was written by Beta Maxx, Alpha Trion’s minicon companion, and distributed among the masses. More of a spiritual guide than a historical document, this version of the Covenant embellished upon the Thirteen’s early lives, and mythicized the eons of battle between their armies and Unicron’s legions. It conveyed to the still-young civilization the beliefs that would become the pillars of cybertronian society, encouraging them to work together, value and protect all forms of life, and to fight evil. This version of the Covenant also contained prophecies recorded by Optimus Prime and Vector Sigma, gleaned from the Allspark and the Matrix of Leadership. There has been much scholarly debate over these prophecies, mostly concerning which- if any- have come to pass, or whether any of them are even legitimate.

The third and most recent iteration of The Covenant of Primus was made after the War of the Primes, expanding upon the second with new chapters detailing the rise of Golden Age Cybertron, the founding of the first seven colonies, Liege Maximo’s betrayal, and the War of the Primes. Most importantly, the Knights of Cybertron used this book to enforce their conspiracy to hide themselves and the Prime Colonies- it was written that the Thirteen all killed each other in their fight atop the Hydrax Plateau, and that the Knights mysteriously disappeared in 1947 CE. This new Covenant was written in Neocybex, the new language being deliberately constructed to prevent future generations from understanding any surviving records which could disprove the conspiracy.

Since the reunification of the colonies and the formation of the New Imperium of Cybertron, a new edition of The Covenant of Primus is being written- one that tells a more truthful account of cybertronian history. Alpha Trion’s Covenant has been missing since the end of the War of the Primes- the Knights of Cybertron have long thought that it was entrusted to the people of Sophos, but recently it has been discovered that the book has never been on that planet. It is theorized that the original Covenant and the Quill may have been secretly left on Cybertron, like the Matrix of Leadership, but their current whereabouts are unknown. Many explorers have gone out into the galaxy in search of them. The rediscovery of the original Covenant would finally unravel the last mysteries that persist in cybertronian history- or, in the wrong hands, the damage the Quill’s time-altering powers could do could be immeasurable.

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The table of contents has been fully updated- a link to it can be found in the original post. The timeline also has received an update. Highlights include, but may not be limited to:

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Other Inhabitants of the Milky Way Galaxy
Sometimes it can feel like cybertronians and humans (and occasionally the quintessons) are the main players on the interstellar stage. While theirs are certainly storied histories, they share the galaxy with many other civilizations. Below are just a few of the neighbors to the New Imperium and the UHP.

Dire Wraiths

The Dire Wraiths are a hostile species native to an uncharted region of the Milky Way ominously named the Dark Nebula. It is unexplored because of its being the Wraiths’ home- no-one else has ever ventured into the nebula and returned. In eons past, the Dire Wraiths would leave the Dark Nebula to attack other species and conquer their worlds, but they were chased back into their region of space and haven’t been seen since.

The Wraiths are an organic species: bipedal, reptilian, and possessing four arms and naturally-growing blades of bone protruding from their scales. They have six narrow eyes- three on either side of their head- and wide jaws packed with fangs. Their technology is advanced, though a good amount of it has come from other species that they have either conquered or attempted to conquer. Wraiths also have the ability to infect other life-forms with their cells, spreading them like a virus and effectively mutating the victims into more Dire Wraiths. These converts have many of the same traits and abilities of their original selves, but their minds are overwritten with a new personality. It is unlikely that this is a naturally-evolved ability, though whether the Wraiths use it chiefly as a biological weapon or a means of reproduction is unclear. Not even mechanical life-forms are immune to the infection, though the resulting hybrids created from such fusions are often grotesque.

The Dire Wraiths attacked the Imperium of Cybertron in 100013400 CE, laying siege to its outer colonies. They were swiftly repelled, however, and they were then beat back into the Dark Nebula by an interspecies organization called the Solstar Order. What the Dire Wraiths have been up to since, is anyone’s guess.

Rock Lords

The Rock Lords are bipedal crustaceans native to the planet Quartex, named for their rugged and durable shells that resemble formations of volcanic rock. Theirs used to be a society of conquerors, subjugating other species and picking their worlds’ clean of natural resources, but a chance encounter with the Knights of Cybertron in 37400 BCE made them see the error of their ways (at the point of the Star Saber). Retreating to their home system, the Rock Lords restructured their society and made reparations to the civilizations they had conquered. The Rock Lords further redeemed themselves in the Third Quintesson War, fighting alongside the Federation of Allied Species against the quintessons. These days, they mostly keep to themselves, and aren’t in the minds of the rest of interstellar society all that much.

Nebulons

The Nebulon Republics are one of the oldest civilizations alive today in the Milky Way Galaxy, having already achieved advanced interstellar travel by the time they made First Contact with the Imperium of Cybertron in 39500 BCE. Their homeworld, Nebulos, features harsh environments and enormous predatory organisms, so ancient nebulons quickly learned that they needed to band together in order to survive.

Nebulons are humanoids, and physically weak in comparison to most other species. Perhaps to compensate for this, their civilization is highly technologically advanced. Powered exosuits are commonplace in civilian and military sectors, and cybernetic enhancement is a widespread cultural practice. They have long been allies of the cybertronians, and the two species have frequently exchanged technology in their time together. The spirit of cooperation that was fostered among their ancestors continues to influence their dealings with other species: they seek coexistence with others when at all possible, and commit themselves to preserving mutually-beneficial partnerships with longtime allies.

Mikesu

The mikesu are a relatively young civilization- they have “only” achieved interstellar travel within the last twenty million years, but they have done well for themselves in that time. They’re remarkably similar to humans in appearance- from the neck down, at least. They’re distinguishable from homo sapiens through their leaner musculatures, vertically-oriented pupils, and feline-like ears atop their heads. Junkions and humans with a particular obsession with certain facets of popular media seem to have a bizarre affinity for the mikesu, which most mikesu have learned to begrudgingly tolerate. They hail from the planet Godbless, so named because their creation myth tells that the planet was made habitable by their supreme deity as a show of good will.

The mikesu are a hardy people, taking to the stars with great vigor. They can often be found on space stations or civilian fleets, or acting as scouts on planetary exploration missions. On the whole, they are an amiable sort; though individual temperaments can vary, as with any civilization.

Lithonians

The lithonians are a race of artificial intelligences hailing from the planet Lithone. Unlike cybertronians (to whom they are frequently compared), lithonians are purely software-based organisms; the mechanical bodies they frequently inhabit are merely constructs that they can transfer their consciousnesses to and from with ease. They were created some eighteen million years ago by an unknown organic race, who all perished in some mysterious calamity that swept through their modest collection of worlds. The lithonians aren’t the most social of civilizations- most of them just want to be left alone, and to leave others alone. Some are more adventurous, though, and download themselves into hardy Excursion Chassis to explore the galaxy and interact with other cultures.

Vok

Technically, the vok do not live in the Milky Way galaxy- or in the physical universe at all. They’re an incorporeal race of energy beings who come from another plane of existence, though they seem to have a strange interest in the people and goings-on of the Milky Way. They’re known to conduct bizarre experiments on planets uninhabited by intelligent life, setting up biomechanical machines on their surfaces and altering the local flora and fauna. What purposes these experiments serve are unknown, but they violate a litany of ethics doctrines established by the Federation of Allied Species. Because of the vok’s trans-dimensional nature, however, punishing them directly for their transgressions is… difficult. It seems the Allied Species must be content with dismantling their technology wherever and whenever they find it. The vok never seem to put up much of a fight whenever their experiments are compromised; they simply salvage what they can and relocate elsewhere. They have never directly threatened an intelligent civilization, as far as anyone can tell, but they are still regarded with suspicion by most, and officially considered hostile by the Allied Species.

Thraal and A'ovan

Any discussion on the thraal cannot be held without mentioning the a’ovan; and any discussion on the a’ovan cannot be held without mentioning the thraal. Long before cybertronians became as proficient as they are in interstellar warfare, the thraal and a’ovan peoples were already masters of the craft- having honed their skills against each other for ages. The thraal are the more militaristic of the two species, but both civilizations claim that it was the other that started the conflict. Their most recent war came to an end some two-thousand years ago, after they decimated many of each others’ star systems with superluminal weapons. They live together now on their remaining worlds, and there is great hope that this alliance will be permanent.

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I see what you did there.

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They have caused a ruckus a time or four.

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Well yes,buuuuuut…
There’s also the case of,y’know…
Also when was the last time the quintessons invaded?
Who was prime then?
Did that prime fight them?

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The last time the quintessons invaded was in 3355 CE. The Prime back then was Nova (Nova Prime, not @MaxinePrimal’s human character), and he definitely was on the front lines fighting the invasion force. Nova Prime was a dictator (kinda odd how the Matrix missed that, I guess, but even pieces of robot gods make mistakes), and after the Fourth Quintesson War, he was deposed in an uprising.

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Aight. Its time for what you’ve wanted harpoon…

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Time for what?

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Just watch your messages.

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mysterious…

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Indeed…

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love that guy

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and a black mark on the reputation of all Angelicons.

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i remember seeing somewhere where you listed all the primes and their stuff. where is that again?

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That list is probably not in this topic, but I did post one like it way back in TOTGA’s OOC discussion thread. I’m busy now, but I can PM it to you later.

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The Cybertronian Faith

Unlike other machine races known to exist in the galaxy, the cybertronians are a religious species, with a mythology that is deeply intwined with- if not inseparable from- their history. In between their battles with Unicron’s hordes, the first transformers crafted their legends from scant information deciphered from the original Covenant of Primus. As this era of prehistory gave way to the First Golden Age, it too became embellished and woven into the canon. Initially created to be warriors, cybertronians created their religion to give themselves a higher purpose: to do good upon the universe and to protect innocent life from evil.

The cybertronian faith teaches its adherents that Primus and Unicron are gods: Primus embodies life, creation, and order; while Unicron was a malevolent spirit of destruction and the bringer of chaos. Primus is to be honored and worshipped, while Unicron is to be reviled. There are some among the Prime Colonies, though, who hold an odd respect for the Chaos Bringer, acknowledging him and his heralds as powerful enemies. The Primes, as rulers of the cybertronian race and bearers of the Matrix of Leadership, also hold an elevated status, but most mainstream religious organizations do not deify them. Though chosen by Primus and the Matrix, the Primes are still mortal, and thus susceptible to mortal laws and customs. They are neither infallible nor above judgement.

The faith is so ingrained into cybertronian culture that virtually all transformers could be described as religious or spiritual in some way. Most cybertronians acknowledge Primus’s power, and to question his existence would be to doubt eons of verifiable documentation and historical evidence- Cybertron itself is formed around the titan’s spark. The extent to which Primus can influence the universe is often disputed, however: some believe that the Creator is all-powerful, and that he has a hand in all that transpires in the universe, while others say that he only holds dominion over the cybertronian worlds and the beings he creates to populate them. The truth is likely somewhere in the middle.

The degree to which faith affects the daily life of a cybertronian depends upon the individual. Many transformers do not observe any rituals except for special occasions, while others may join a structured religious order. The most famous of such organizations would have to be the Order of the Knights of Cybertron, peacekeepers and explorers who trace their origins to the legionnaires who served under Prima during the war with Unicron. Headquartered on the planet Primogenitum, Knights have their bodies reforged upon their initiation to take on the image of ancient heroes from cybertronian pre-history. Humans may note that many Knights resemble enormous mechanized suits of medieval European plate armor- it is unknown whether the Knights based their aesthetics off of Dark Age European societies, or if European societies of the Dark Ages modeled their armor after the Knights of Cybertron. The truth, as with many things, is likely somewhere in the middle. The reputation of the Knights of Cybertron is known throughout the galaxy and throughout time: many civilizations old enough to have existed during the First Golden Age have deified the original disciples of Prima in their myths and legends. Many cultures across many worlds tell stories of heroes coming from faraway lands to slay monsters and right injustice- while these tales may not all be misremembered encounters with the Knights of Cybertron, it is possible that the order’s antics at least inspired the tropes and themes that they employ. Even cybertronian lore exaggerates the Knights’ accomplishments- though to what extent, is a matter of constant debate.

Another cybertronian religious sect is the Angelicon Order. Characterized by their white-and-gold livery and the giant mechanical wings upon their backs, the Angelicons came into being after the War of the Primes, dedicating themselves to the maintenance of old temples, monuments to the Primes and other mythical figures, and other sacred places like the Tomb of the Primes. The Angelicon Order also has the dubious honor of counting a Prime among their ranks: the disgraced Nova Prime. Nova was an aspiring dictator who curtailed civil liberties and tried to transform the Imperium of Cybertron into a kind of police state. He was quickly cast down in a civilian revolt, then executed, and his body was thrown into a pool of acid on Junkion. It took some time for the Angelicons to rebuild their reputation after Nova’s thankfully-brief reign, but today they are well-respected spiritual leaders. Notable heroic Angelicons include Zepar and Garand, who served aboard the CFC Salvation during the Great War, and Seraphicon, who fought alongside the Relic Hunters to slay the Heralds of Unicron in 120002915 CE.

There are several unorthodox cults and secret societies in cybertronian civilization that follow nonstandard and illegitimate interpretations of the cybertronian faith. Though cybertronian law does not punish people for “heresy” or any such theological crime, the beliefs of these organizations are not officially recognized, and so these cults typically practice in relative secrecy. Of particular note are the Followers of the Primes Ascendant, a small order with members spread across the cybertronian worlds, who give up their original names and adopt simple alphanumeric designations denoting their function within the cult. They believe that the Primes are gods, not unlike Primus himself, and they devote themselves to watching the current Matrix-bearer from afar and collecting artifacts related to the great dynasty. Like the Knights of Cybertron and the Angelicons, the Followers also rebuild themselves to take on a distinct appearance: a faceless form with glowing esoteric markings adorning their bodies. They are headquartered in a massive terrestrial vehicle they call the Anchorite, which serves as a mobile house of worship. They believe that it was built by Solus Prime herself during the First Golden Age- and recent discoveries suggest that this myth of theirs has at least some basis in truth.

Most interpretations of the cybertronian faith do not condemn the religions of other species. No iteration of The Covenant of Primus or related theological texts have ever claimed that theirs is the only true religion, nor do they say that Primus and Unicron are the only higher powers in the cosmos. Considering the faith’s teachings to uplift and protect others, most cybertronians are tolerant of the beliefs of other cultures, and some have even been known to accept the existence of alien deities alongside Primus and Unicron. Similarly, some polytheistic religions of other species, like those of the nebulons, have incorporated Primus and Unicron into their own pantheons as well, albeit in minor roles. Other species, though, simply acknowledge the existence of the pair without deifying them.

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Wait… you mean Bionicle could actually exist in this universe?!

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Something like them may be out there, at least. An infinite universe has infinite possibilities…

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Well, Axis gets close to Tahu. She has fire powers, and a flaming sword. And her humanoid form looks a bit like Uniter Tahu with his elemental creature on his back.

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