Maek Taek

Aeons: A manifestation of a highly coherent philosophical concept. Little is known about this mysterious entity that roams the deep sky and starry sea. If someone steps onto the path of fate presided over by Aeons, they will inherit a profound response akin to the gaze sent from light-years across the galaxy. Many believe this is the only connection between Aeons and ordinary people.

Path of Fate: Each Aeon presides over their own path of fate, and some ordinary people can walk this path by following the ideals of the Aeons. Those who do so are called 'walkers of the path of fate', and they will walk this path if the concepts presided over by the Aeon align with their own pursued direction. Unlike Apostles, who must receive power directly from an Aeon, becoming a 'walker of the path of fate' has no special constraints. One does not need to share the same goals as the Aeon; it is also possible to become a walker based solely on values or personality.

Flagship "Nabu": One of the six great flagships of the Trader Alliance. The flagship "Nabu" sails through the endlessly sprawling galaxy, like an arrow shot by the lord of "Hunting", never to return, aimed at a nemesis. It is commanded by General Kyungwon and coexists with the Vidyaraja tribe. The origin of Nabu was 'Yumwol-gun', but it was exiled due to crimes, and now an incomplete White Heron has succeeded it.

Flagship "Request": Commanded by General Biso, with the origin being Cheonpung-gun. This flagship is centered around the Fox tribe. Among the flagships, it is especially aggressive, crushing the residents of abundance whenever they please. This place is also the hometown of 'Ran' when he was human, the Aeon of Hunting. There is an elite army of the Cheonggu Corps under the Request army, which is also referred to as the Cheonggu army. Although the Trader Alliance itself is in an alliance with the Starpiece Company, the Request flagship is in a closer relationship with the Company, which is why Starpiece Company is actively expanding, resulting in a much more modern atmosphere compared to other flagships. It is the birthplace of So-sang, Cho-gu, Bi-so, and Maek-taek.

Flagship "Defense": Commanded by General Hyeonjeon. Its origin is Hoyeon-gun. It is treated as a semi-autonomous region of the Vidyaraja tribe among the flagships. It suffered the greatest damage in the 3rd Abundance War, losing one-fifth of Dongcheon and is currently docked in a place, cut off from exchanges with other flagships.

Flagship "Heo-reung": Commanded by General Yumu. There is no origin. According to the official information from Nabu, where it is located is unknown. This means that while it maintains exchanges with other flagships, it conceals its own location. If a serious criminal is captured by the Heo-reung flagship, the judgment of the underworld is carried out here, and all of the seven generals of the Trader Alliance gather for this trial. It serves as the representative flagship within the Trader Alliance.

Flagship "Ok-gwal": Commanded by General Hyo-gwang. Its origin is Gonggang-gun. It is the home base of the followers of the Aeon of Knowledge, Nusa. The legal document on the forehead of Buhyeon was also directly bestowed by Nusa, making Ok-gwal the flagship most closely associated with Nusa.

Flagship "Jumyeong": Commanded by General Hoe-yeom. Its origin is Yeomjeong-gun. This is a unique flagship coexisting with the Celestial region and is also the main base for purification arts of the Celestial region. Starpiece Company rates restaurants cosmically similar to the Michelin Guide, and it is said there exists a unique 3-star restaurant in the Trader Alliance. Foods from the Jumyeong flagship are mostly noted for being sweet and salty, often with a strong smoky flavor.

Flagship "Changsung": The destroyed flagship. Once the most bustling flagship in the Trader Alliance, it was consumed by the living planet 'Shikgye's Nahu' during a battle against the forces of abundance around the year 6300. The Changseungma plant existed but went extinct following the destruction of Changsung.

Flagship "Won-kyoh": In the year 3287, following the brother’s war precipitated by the chaos of abundance, it lost control and headed toward Honggyeong and subsequently vanished. Judging by the circumstances, it seems to have self-destructed in an effort to suppress a rebellion.

Flagship "Dae-yeo": Destroyed around the year 1200 in a battle against the abundance of the people of Siyuk. However, there is a possibility that this is a distortion of history from the flagship's side, as the year 1200 was still before the flagship received the grace of abundance.

The beginning of the Trader Alliance stems from the emperor of a certain planet. The emperor, wanting to leave an immortal legacy of his achievements, commanded the construction of nine mighty ships to seek immortality, which became the ships of the current Trader Alliance. The Trader Alliance has been sailing for about 8100 years, with the magical energy used still referring to this standard—precisely 8098 years.

It wasn't until 2600 years into their journey that the flagship Nabu finally met the Aeon of Abundance to obtain immortality. Subsequently, the other seven ships also gained immortality, but due to a solidified disparity between the rich and poor as a result of their immortality, rebellions arose internally, and the ships faced chaos for about 800 years due to the infiltration of the people of abundance seeking immortality. During this period, Won-kyo also went missing.

At this time, Ran appeared and shot down Nabu's great tree, displaying the will of hunting. He then ascended to become the Aeon of Hunting. From this point onward, the remaining seven flagships formed the Trader Alliance and declared their intention of revenge against the abundance, engaging in wars against it.

The most significant event was the Third Abundance War in 8072, about 30 years ago. The union army of the residents of abundance was discovered by the Request flagship, which sent a beacon, but it was too late, and a massive war broke out involving the entire Trader Alliance when the flagship Defense was attacked. At that time, Nabu suffered great losses, resulting in around 63,000 airships and 120,000 airmen being lost, and it almost faced a defeat, but Ran managed to secure a narrow victory by shooting an arrow of hunting. However, the flagship Defense suffered enormous damage, as one-fifth of Dongcheon was destroyed by the bombardment of this light arrow, leaving the majority of people traumatized by this war.

The past of abundance is considered a key factor in the current ongoing internal and external situations related to the longevity species, hence within the Trader Alliance, merely serving or worshipping the Abundance is strictly prohibited, to the point where being punished is almost guaranteed. However, this restriction applies only to those within the Trader Alliance; outsiders who worship abundance are generally not prevented from entering, nor are sanctions frequently imposed. That said, this has made it easier for those who worship abundance to infiltrate the Trader Alliance, causing a strain on order maintenance.

Additionally, they have a unique way of designating the Aeons, referring to them as Mandate, Celestial Army, and Calamity God. 'Mandate' refers to the Aeons that the flagships highly regard, while 'Calamity God' refers to the harmful Aeons viewed as the culprits of calamity from the flagship's perspective. Any other Aeons that cannot be clearly classified as good or evil are called 'Celestial Army'. The only exception is that abundance is referred to as 'Yogwang' among its worshippers.
Hunting's Ran: Mandate of Heavens
Preservation's Klipoth: Mandate of Heaven
Knowledge's Nusa: Celestial Army of Omniscience
Exploration's Arkiviri: Celestial Army of Adventurous Clouds
Pleasure's Aha: Celestial Army of Everlasting Joy
Beauty's Idrella: Celestial Army of Marvelous Insights
Memory's Huri: Celestial Army of Flowing Light
Abundance's Mandate: Pestilence Calamity God
Destruction's Nanuk: Annihilation Calamity God
Reproduction's Taitseroth: Pest Calamity God
Hunting's Ran (Yogwang's Vision Limitation): Demonic Bow Calamity God

Due to the influence of the former Abundance's blessing, people originating from the flagships live much longer than people from other planets for various personal reasons. The longevity species refer to outsiders as 'Foreign Temporary Residents' or 'Short-lived Species', and due to their immense lifespan, the flagships have a different concept of 'time.'

Due to an overwhelming difference in lifespan, those from the flagships do not hesitate to accept outsiders wishing to learn technology or academia, but the visitors often find themselves unable to withstand the immense experiential and knowledge gaps arising from the vast difference in longevity. Because of this immense disparity, they tend to avoid romantic entanglements or marriages with short-lived species. However, human emotion is unavoidable, and there are instances where they become entangled either as mentors or lovers.

The longevity species are fixed in their physical attributes like height, hair length, and body parts from birth, making it impossible to replace any disability with external organs, and those with disabilities are referred to as 'Heavenly Awesomities'. Even a blind person born unable to see may then attempt to replace their eyes with artificial ones, but the eyes will regenerate under the prosthetics, necessitating continual surgical removals. Hence, a disability retained by a longevity species is a far more dreadful curse than that of short-lived species as they must endure it forever. It is said that even their homeostasis is so robust that they almost died due to an immune reaction to specific drugs. However, using substitutes for non-existent items is still possible.

Even though they can live for hundreds or thousands of years, they are still biological beings; they may succumb to injuries beyond their regenerative limits or die of natural causes (excluding the Vidyaraja tribe). Consequently, their funerary customs vary significantly among the long-lived species, fox tribe, and Vidyaraja tribe. People subject to biological longevity are disposed of artificially, while the Vidyaraja tribe reincarnates, which means that the fox tribe appears to possess a culture of funerals in a narrow sense primarily.

Trader Commoners: Sociologically, they are referred to as 'longevity species'. In the distant past, they were no different from ordinary humans, but thanks to the blessings of Abundance 'Mandate', they began to lead long-lived lives. Their average lifespan appears to be around 1,000 years. Approximately around the age of 900, when signs of transformation manifest, the magistrate of the underworld disposes of them, leading to their end of life. Their regenerative limits are absurdly high. Beyond merely healing fatal injuries, some may even resurrect simply by stitching up a corpse that was beheaded. If little time has elapsed since complete death, even a simple connection process may result in recovery. However, in exchange for their lengthy lifespan, longevity species invariably fall into the state known as 'body of transformation' in their later years, often ending poorly. Thus, many of them express their longevity as a 'curse' and refer to Mandate as the 'Pestilence Calamity God' derogatorily.

Fox Tribe: Another race comprising the flagships. They possess a lifespan of around 300 years, making it shorter than the longevity species of Trader commoners, but they live longer than outsiders, hence do not bear the stigma of being 'short-lived species'. They are closer to dogs (犬) or animal-humans, bearing only a tail. In the past, they were enslaved by the residents of abundance, the barley people, but were rescued by the flagships and established an alliance to settle with them. Genetically, it is said that they are the same as the barley people, and hence, it is very rare to see fox tribe members born with barley bloodline. In such cases, the phenomenon known as 'Moon's Frenzy' occurs in them, and when the Moon's Frenzy activates, their bodies uncontrollably tear, undergoing transformation into a beast form; however, unlike barley people who have received the blessing of abundance, members of the fox tribe generally do not have the self-healing capability and most die as a result.

Vidyaraja Tribe: Originally not from a flagship, they were instead followers of the immortal 'Rung' but eventually became flagships. They are characterized by long, pointed ears, and among them, the origin extends to those with horns that grow on their heads. Their lifespan is around 500 to 600 years, which, while short compared to the longevity species of the flagships, does not mean they die upon reaching their lifespan. Instead, they revert to an egg state and reincarnate, allowing for a form of infinite lifespan. Recollections from their previous lives are lost, and they receive new names, often treating themselves as completely new individuals. However, as their appearance, talents, and personalities do not change drastically, there are instances of continuing previous ties even after reincarnation. They continue their lives solely through reincarnation and bear significant problems due to their inability to reproduce, especially following the turmoil of the Moon's Night, which has affected their stability.

Mechanisms: Mainly robots created in the shipyards, most possess individuality and can speak on their own.

Kyeongcheong: A small mechanism that is a downsized version of a lion dance mask the size of a puppy, which barks like a real dog. Unlike other mechanisms, it is treated more like a pet and possesses superb detection and tracking abilities.

Mechanical Bird: A mechanical bird in the form of a small crane, mainly used for CCTV and logistics delivery. Like other mechanisms, it possesses its own individuality.

The Fortuitous Corps: The leader is the Wonsu, and the six generals under Wonsu command the fate of each flagship. The six high-ranking officials of the flagship operate independently within their respective command structures, but the Fortuitous Corps is an exception where one Wonsu holds supreme command over all six flagships. Even generals from other flagships must act per the command of the Wonsu. Therefore, the Wonsu is effectively the leader of not only the Fortuitous Corps but the Trader Alliance as a whole. Nabu's Fortuitous Corps is based at the Headquarters of Jinsuk. It is responsible for external military operations and terrestrial forces, as well as maintaining basic security internally within the flagship.

Free Bureau: The leader is the Senior Helmsman. This department is dedicated to the navigation of the flagship. Additionally, it supervises the internal affairs of the flagship and spearheads external trade. It oversees customs and immigration, used as the first point of contact for outsiders visiting the flagship for the first time. Bird pilots belonging to Flying Raft are often members of this department, and a distinctive characteristic is that many Fox people belong to it. Their attire is themed with blue colors.

Forecast Bureau: The leader is the Forecaster. This department's original purpose is to generate the necessary flying routes for the expedition; it is described as resembling a fortune-telling department but relies on advanced supercomputers to calculate information instead. It is also responsible for calculating and understanding the orbits of nearby stars and celestial bodies upon docking and engages in establishing strategies for the flagship with various information outputs. Their attire is themed in light purple colors.

Shipbuilding Bureau: The leader is the Craftsman. The original purpose of this department is constructing and repairing ships necessary for the expedition, undertaking various tasks related to engineering. Due to being a department dealing with technology, it operates on an apprenticeship system and, compared to short-lived species, struggles to yield outstanding achievements, likely because the sheer number of longevity species leads to a lack of motivation. As a result, short-lived individuals from outside frequently produce outstanding achievements and vanish like a breath in a context where longevity species typically fail to achieve. Their attire is themed in red colors.

Topography Bureau: The leader is the Statister. The main duty of this bureau is the administration of affairs, overseeing matters like population issues, resource distribution, calendar issues, ecological management, and festival governance. In simpler terms, this bureau does all the work that both the Fortuitous Corps and the remaining five departments do not engage in. Due to the heavy workload and poor treatment, it seems that it doesn't enjoy much popularity even within the flagship. Although it possesses its own meager alternative military to maintain order, it is naturally in a shabby state compared to the Fortuitous Corps. The organization is run by bureaucracies under the total supervisory council, with each agency carrying out the practical responsibilities, and its attire is themed in brown colors.

Discipline Bureau: The leader is the Judge, who serves various functions, including responsible for the Court and Medical officers. This was not an organization that existed from the outset but rather formed as a result of the flagships receiving the blessings of abundance, established to study restorative techniques. It naturally underwent turbulent changes; currently, as abundance has declined and hunting firmly established itself, it has dramatically reduced functionalities, primarily focusing on medical matters, opening clinics in each sector to provide medical services. Their attire is themed in light green colors.

Underworld Bureau: The leader is the Lord of Hades. This is a secretive organization that is not affiliated with the six high-ranking officials and does not actively engage in front-line interventions. That organization was not present from the beginning either; it was created to produce artificial deaths courts when the flagship abandoned the blessings of abundance. In addition, it executes serious offenders cooperating with abundance and oversees the confinement facilities. Thus, its organizational power is formidable. A flagship initiated into the ranks of the Courts is escorted by the Lord of Hades and meets their fate before the Intercalary Courts, where their entire life is recorded, after which they are euthanized. In this regards, none can question the Lord of Hades' decisions. Additionally, it possesses a powerful military organization aimed at countering cosmic phenomena that seek to overturn the flagship's blessings, or seize attempts by extraordinary phenomena, while the Fortuitous Corps handles external force and security, the Underworld Bureau is tasked with pursuing, interrogating, confining, and executing serious offenders. The Judge oversees Senior Officers and Officials within the Underworld Bureau in carrying out cases, and due to its secret nature, those entering the Underworld Bureau find their societal records erased. Unsurprisingly, it is rare to find normal individuals entering, and most of the Officials are serious offenders.

Vision of Yogwang: A counter hunting organization that operates in the flagship Nabu. Unlike the Trader commoners who follow Ran of Hunting, this organization antagonizes Ran, adhering to the mandate considered taboo within the Trader Alliance. While it has existed for a long time, in the current context, it is regarded as a faction that vanished 1,000 years ago. However, thanks to an explorer's investigation, it has been revealed that the Stella-Thantus disaster that occurred in Nabu is actually the reemergence of the 'Vision of Yogwang' organization. They also discovered that the leader is none other than the Senior Officer of the Discipline Bureau. Following this revelation, the actions of Pantilia were also laid upon it, marking it as the mastermind behind a series of events that unfolded in Nabu. The worship of the Mandate ideology had subconsciously permeated the Discipline Bureau, with many of its physicians being implicated in the Vision of Yogwang, resulting in a catastrophic drop in the Discipline Bureau's reputation following the episode.