Mat Zemlya is a rogue planet which can typically be found in the outer systems and in deep space - though calling it a planet is a bit of a misnomer. It is actually a living organism which swims through the universe, and seems to have the ability to use utilize FTL travel, though whether this is a sign of it's abilities to use the Stygian Gates, or if it uses another power to traverse the stars is unknown to all but perhaps the oldest of its inhabitants. Despite not being connected to any star, Mat Zemlya is not only hospitable to live, but inhabited by a great many people. The beast itself seems to create an outer stratosphere around it which protects its inhabitants and it's flesh seems capable of growing a vast and bloody ecosystem. The people here thrive in cities which are built into the skin of the beast, and have learned to adapt to the creature's movements throughout the stars. ---- Day and Night While a Rogue Planet, the creature does in fact have a day and night. When passing a nearby star, the creature permits day and night to be in relation to the star's passing - but when not in a star's presence the day and night cycles are emulated by a relationship with bioluminescent bacteria in Mat Zemlya's atmosphere and it's Mat Zemlya's internal clock. ---- Inhabitants The majority of sentient life on Mat Zemlya are humans, though some alien species exist such as the Nordic and Mat Zemyla's 'children'. Supernaturals have been open here for a long time, and are regarded as a divine caste in the world's culture. ---- Culture Mat Zemlya is a highly advanced civilization, though it's technology branched in a different direction from most of humanity. Few cultures or races care for the planet in the way that the people Zemlyan people do, to the point that harming the planet is largely seen as the most hienious crime you could commit. They do not see things like digging into it's flesh to create architecture to be harming it, but even the most ruthless dictator would never drop an atom bomb on an enemy nation on Mat Zemlya - not that the planet would likely feel an atom bomb against it's skin anymore than you might feel a laser pointer on your skin. The people of the planet base their entire lives around a relationship with it. It provides them with everything that they need to survive - be it light, food, heat - the beast is designed to allow them the ability to survive as it traverses the universe. They see it as the second most sacred god, and in return for all it does for them, they offer themselves willingly to the beast in times of need. Those sacrificed to Mat Zemlya do not die, instead becoming a part of the god. The planet does not just provide base needs, but sometimes provides a far stranger blessing - it can give birth to new life. Called the Blood-born, the beings born from Mat Zemlya directly are a sacred people and those born through the normal process (called Flesh-born) tend to treat them as royalty and celebrities even from their birth. They are seen as an auspicious sign, and as a gift to the people of the planet. ---- Religion and Mythology on Mat Zemlya The Old Gods and the New Mat Zemlya's religions are almost all polythestic, and the majority of religion is based on the gods that people have personally witnessed rather than gods whose existence must be taken solely on faith. The most obvious diety that is worshipped is Mat Zemlya itself as the heart of all life. It is not, however, the highest of the gods that are followed: That distinction lies for those who sleep within the planet itself. Legend says that Mat Zemlya is pregnant with other gods - Both it's children, as well as it's parents. They say that every few hundred years a bloodborn is born not as an infant, but as a child. Called the Children, they are the First of the Strigoi - and the Father and Mother of the Great Beast, as well as the majority of the New Gods who rule the planet in their Slumber. (Note: some lore goes another direction, stating that the Children are those who were sacrificed manifesting - but in either case, no more than two ever appear at once and always one male and one female) The Children are the only gods who the people do not seem to need firm evidence to believe in, and they - as well as Mat Zemlya - are considered the Old Gods, all with powers so vast that comprehending them is beyond the capabilities of man. Most gods who are worshipped are physical beings who walk the earth, immortal and connected to strange powers. Those Gods who walk the earth are known as the New Gods. The Highest of the New Gods and the most common are the Strigoi. Children of the Children, they tend to Mat Zemlyan while the Old Gods slumber. Outsiders and Ancient lore would know that the Strigoi are vampires, but these vampires do not know the string of the Solar Curse. They are the most actively worshipped, due to their ability to blood bond their followers as well as the promise of Apotheosis that they can provide. They are not the only New Gods, however. Beasts have a comfortable home here, as nightmares and lessons are easy to cultivate and their kinship extends to the planet that they walk on. Mages have a difficult time Awakening here, but do so to a bloody version of whatever tower their path aligns. Whispers of those who were sacrificed to Mat Zemlyan walk the earth, and bless the dying to become Sin-Eaters. In truth, almost any supernatural except the Lost could position themselves as a God here, even as the Strigoi fashion themselves at the highest echelon. ---- Science and Architecture Blood is the science of Mat Zemlya. Their technology is advanced, as advanced as any of the core worlds, but where the core worlds channeled machinery Mat Zemlya studied and advanced biological technologies. This isn't to say that mechanical advancements do not exist on Mat Zemlya - like most humans, the original inhabitants of the world did come from the Earth~That~Was - but those mechanical technologies serve as a supplement and lesser science to biological technology. Military Soldiers are modified, grafted with intricate biological weaponry - some obvious, others subtle. Many might confuse the Szalchta, Vozhd, and Yakshi for a supernatural creature instead of a biological weapon, but the Zemlyans do not consider it so. Firearms come in a variety of models, from spine shooters, to leech launchers, to bioplasma cannons. Their ships seem almost like lesser, smaller versions of Mat Zemlya itself. These biological warships are not nearly as self-dependent as Mat Zemlya, but more than one core world has assumed that being biological meant weak. They don't realize the beasts feed on stars and planets, collecting metals and elements which are distributed throughout the monster's systems to plate it and adapt it to whatever might be thrown at it. They don't realize how well these monsters can adapt in space. Buildings vary between being crafted of metal and of the flesh and bone of Mat Zemlya itself depending on the region of Mat Zemlya. A city can look like anything between a victorian era city to a bio-punk ascetic to shining cities of steel not unlike the core planets' metropoleis. Some cities exist in burrows underneath Mat Zemyla itself. ---- Supernatural Factions The Children of the Children hold the greatest power and influence in Mat Zemlya. The Camarilla, Devil's Eye, Children's Voice, and the Commonwealth all have a considerable place here, though their focus, currencies, and philosophies are often different from outsiders of the same orders due to their heritage. The Circle of the Crone call themselves the Children's Whisper, and see themselves as revenants in service to the Sleeping Gods within - though the majority of them hold a greater reverence to the Mother-Child. They are druids and shamans, witches who listen to the Whispers of the Children to do their bidding. Some claim the Mother-Child as the Crone herself, though others claim she and her lover are Igigi - either way, they are undeniably gods the likes of which hold power even they can barely comprehend. They learn cruac through each other, and through communing with Mat Zemylya itself and the Children. The Invictus have reclaimed the name of the Camarilla, as they openly rule as the masters of Mat Zemlya as the highest echelon of the divine caste. They trace their lineage directly to the Children, with those closest to the Children holding the most power. Unsurprisingly, the Crone have taken over the Lance's role as the spiritual guides of the Invictus on Mat Zemlya The Ordo Dracul here call themselves the Devil's Eye and study the vampiric condition and most specifically, their banes. They believe that the Children have already eliminated one bane from the Strigoi - having no sun and solar bane to speak of, and being unaffected by the suns of other planets - and strive to eliminate the vampiric banes and weaknesses already imposed on them through science, as well as to study the permeations of the blood and how it mutates and evolves. The Lancea Sanctum and the Holy Engineers have no place on this planet, as the entire culture of the planet is antithetical to them. The Movement on the other hand does have a presence, and here they challenge the Camarilla's claim to the right of power being based upon closeness to the children more than individual capability, striving to challenge governing systems and constantly adapt. Even though they are opposed, the Camarilla sees benefit to the Movement as their influence reveals weaknesses in their models of thinking. Amongst the other orders, the presence of the factions is far less affluent. The Uratha are fairly rare due to Mat Zemlya being a rogue planet with no moons to speak of. It can happen however - usually due to Mat Zemlya passing another planet and the Lunar Gods there taking interest. They almost always end up as Bale Hounds, though some of Red Wolf and Death Wolf's brood have helped young wolves to thrive. The Devil's Eye is quite taken with Uratha physiology, and have an entire subfaction dedicated to their study and reproduction. One of Mat Zemlya's Flagship Cruisers, the Wolfsbane, was made through this study - an living vessel which not only will live forever due to the kindred's power, but regenerates any damage that is inflicted upon it in seconds. Sin-Eaters are common as well, born of the ghosts of those who have passed away. It is believed that those who are sacrificed to Mat Zemlya - while connected to it physically - split a part of their soul and consciousness out from their physical bodies to become a higher being. These higher beings regain their flesh once more by connecting with another vessel - the Sin-Eater. This belief has granted Sin-Eaters a place in Mat Zemlya, seeing them as the Divine Heralds of the Beast. The Mysterium has members on Mat Zemlya, though other orders either do not exist or are negligible. The Elemental Masteries however have ascended to become quite powerful here, particularly the Tamers of Blood. There are, curiously, very little Seers on this planet - though not because the Exarchs' influence doesn't exist. The reason for their absence comes from the fact that all native life on Mat Zemlya is, for all intents and purposes, fully blood bound to the Children. This doesn't tend to reflect in everyday life - but for the Exarch's well... a slave should not serve two masters. Those Seers who *do* exist on Mat Zemlya tend to follow either lesser Exarch's, the Gate, or the Raptor. // Picture taken from Yuuzhon Vong Worldship - Subject to change when I find a more fitting picture //