GUIDE TO THE UNIVERSE


LESSER UNIVERSAL FACTIONS


Despite the dominion of the Multiverse and Universal Nexus split between the three Universal Powers of the Inter-Dimensional Agency, the Army of Abominations, and the Order of Purity, the entirety of reality is so large that there are indeed smaller groups that have staked a claim within the Universal Community. These Lesser Factions consist of a small number that pales in comparison to the Universal Powers, each with their own intents (be they malicious or benign). Occasionally, these groups are absorbed by the Universal Powers, while others are simply left to their own devices. Below is a collection of the more notable Lesser Factions that inhabit the Multiverse.


The Heart-Guard

The Heart-Guard is a Lesser Faction consisting of various Alternates that have originated from an unusually large Universal Cluster, commonly known by the Universal Community as 'The Kingdom Hearts'. The Heart-Guard's sole purpose is to travel across the Multiverse to destroy an evil presence known as the Heartless, a magical scourge that robs people of their primary essence (a scourge that has claimed many Evil and Chaos affiliates). While the Heart-Guard acts independently of most of the Universal Community, there are few recorded instances of the Order of Purity and the IDA offering assistance in combatting the Heartless, and several moments involving direct skirmishes with the Army of Abominations for their association with a Heartless affiliate group known simply ask 'Organization XIII'. Currently, the Heart-Guard travel across the Multiverse in a set of unusual Universe traveling ships known as 'Gummi Ships', but never stray far from their own Cluster when deemed necessary.


The Time-Space Traveling Mariachi Band

The Time-Space Traveling Mariachi Band (commonly known as 'The Mariachi Guys') are the smallest known Lesser Faction, literally consisting of six entities (three Hispanic Mariachi men and a trio of mildly depressing Easter Island Heads), that travel in an extremely powerful Universe-Jumping Ship that looks like a sombrero*. The Mariachi Guys seem to travel rapidly across the Multiverse, using an unusual navigation system that leads them to certain individuals on the celebration of their birth. They appear to deliver a celebratory song, then vanish to the next Universe to celebrate someone else's birthday. No one really knows why they do this, and when questioned for answers, the Mariachi simply stated on record "We enjoy singing on spec for birthdays". They are a completely non-hostile Faction that is openly welcomed by all the Universal Powers and several Lesser Factions.


The Army of Red Knights

The Army of Red Knights is an unusual Lesser Faction that appears at random in various points across the Multiverse. Very little information regarding the origins of the Army of Red Knights is available to both the public and private reserves, with most information circulating heavily revolving around survival accounts and hearsay. The Army of Red Knights is a force described as War-Incarnate, a marching army of an indeterminate number of humanoid warriors (the numbers given range from a mere 300 to up in the low millions), all garbed in red armor (all accounts describe different armor worn by the Red Knights, ranging from Greek Spartan Armor to Japanese Shogun Samurai garb to even T-51b Power Armor) and carrying some form of melee weapon. Whenever the Army of Red Knights appears in a universe, no matter what lies in their marching path, anything that stands before them will be laid to waste. From the smallest farming villages to even the largest of fort cities, the Red Knights will destroy it all and slaughter anything that tries to stop them. Due to their ruthlessness in battle, there are often no survivors of every single attack, the few who somehow manage to escape are too mentally broken to give proper information on their attackers. The pattern of the Army of Red Knight's marching across the Multiverse is erratic and confused, almost as if they have no idea where to go and are simply just traveling along the way. All sightings of the Red Knights are to be reported immediately, attempting to combat them is unbelievably foolish, as even the Universal Powers fear their wrath**.


The Council of Rick

The Council of Rick is an extremely Lesser Faction consisting entirely of Alternates and Parallels of two beings known as "Rick Sanchez" and "Mortimer Smith". Due to the erratic and unpredictable nature of the man known as "Rick Sanchez", who is among the few beings in existence to develop a 95% stable portable Gate generation device (aptly described as a Portal Gun by Rick Sanchez himself), many have presumed that the Council of Rick was formed as a protective group to prevent any Alternate or Parallel Ricks from having their vast knowledge be exploited by anyone but themselves. Sources have been unable to be confirmed, due to the extremely protective nature of the Council of Rick preventing anyone from learning anything. The Order of Purity has placed a demand that all associated with the Council of Rick be placed under arrest for conspiracy and refusal of cooperation, the Army of Abominations has made it a goal to have one of the Ricks be captured to use as a member of its science department, while the IDA has decided to leave them be unless they become too problematic for the rest of the Universal Community.


The Thirteen Darknesses

The Thirteen Darknesses is a recent Lesser Faction to appear in the Universal Community that emerged from a World Shattering Apocalypse in one of the largest Dimensional Fusions, known commonly as the 'Gameverse'. The Thirteen Darknesses are several representatives of the Law of Evil gone rampant, led by an Alternate of a Universal Destructive Abomination known as 'Lord English' and an Alternate of an Entity of Chaos known as 'Bill Cipher', and consist of thirteen extremely powerful and dangerous Alternates and their subordinates. After emerging from the Apocalypse of the Gameverse, the Thirteen Darknesses have taken to causing as much chaos and destruction across the Multiverse, destroying and enslaving countless hundreds of Parallel and Alternate Universes, breaching Universal Barriers with the intent of creating a Universe large enough to pierce the Original Worlds. Currently, the IDA and Army of Abominations have been engaging the Thirteen Darknesses and bringing them to justice for their countless destruction, with intent to (based on recent interview with Army of Abominations High Lord Mask) "Lock 'em all away in the Penance Chambers for eternity with nothing but ultimate torture", while the Order of Purity remains notably absent. Any sightings of the Thirteen Darknesses are to be reported to the proper authorities, and do not engage unless you are properly equipped.


The Time Patrollers

The Time Patrollers is an extremely Lesser Faction located in a Universal Cluster, commonly known as 'The Xenoverse', who operate in a pocket dimension with the goal of traveling to universes stemming from Alternate Timelines and 'correcting mistakes'. Founded by a time traveler simply named 'Trunks' and a powerful god known as 'The Supreme Kai of Time', the Time Patrollers consist of several powerful warriors that have arrived from the different Alternates within the Xenoverse, and have, in possession, several powerful artifacts capable of altering space and time. Recently, the Time Patrollers have been left alone to their own devices, but the IDA has cooperated with the Time Patrollers to receive certain significant figures as their allies, in exchange for advanced technology.


The Angelic Legion

The Angelic Legion is a Lesser Faction (slowly bordering on becoming a Universal Power themselves) that are a violent and dangerous manifestation of Order. One of the most dangerous Universal Powers in the entire Multiverse, the Angelic Legion, led by a radical manifestation of the Law of Order known as 'The Justicar', that has made its primary goal blatantly simple for the Universal Community to understand: Conform to the Justicar's ideology of Order or perish. Thousands of universes have been annihilated by the Legion's crusade, denizens slaughtered by various varieties of Angels from across the Multiverse and their blind followers in the Church of True Heaven. All attempts to destroy the Angelic Legion or to even trace them to a base universe have been futile, as the Legion has seemingly limitless numbers and attack in multiple places at once. As such, all of the Universal Powers have made it a dedicated goal to have the Legion destroyed before they lay everything to ruin, even the Order of Purity (although recently, reports of the Order engaging the Legion seemed to have ceased entirely). Any sightings of the Angelic Legion are to be reported, and pray to whatever divine presence you worship they aren't going to reduce your universe to an immolated sheet of glass.


The Shard

The Shard Terrorist Organization (or rather known as 'The Shard' commonly) is a Lesser Faction bordering on becoming a dangerous Universal Power that seeks only to destroy universes for the sake of destruction. Founded by a splinter cell within the Inter-Dimensional Agency, the Shard was created during a break-away when several Evil and Chaos Agents banned together under the banner of IDA Leader 'Seeker, the Living War Machine' and fled to a currently unknown pocket dimension. All of the Universal Powers have declared that the Shard is the greatest threat in the Multiverse since the Void Invasion and the Eldritch Wars combined, due to the amount of destruction these menaces cause rivaling the two wars as and surpassing even the Angelic Legion's death counter. Any Shard affiliates and members are to be killed on sight, with the Elite members being easily recognized due to the connection of every single one being a cyborg with various enhancements. Currently, the whereabouts of the Shard are unknown, as after a recent skirmish with the Combine, a Lesser Faction with the goal of assimilating all universes, and both parties have completely vanished from the public eye.


*We are not kidding. It looks like a flying space sombrero. The Multiverse is a very strange place…

**During an attack on an IDA Base located in the Hub Universe Cluster, a single Red Knight was captured. No successful studies have been made regarding the genetic structure of the Red Knight due to its unbelievable aggression, but the single successful entity with the creature, when asked its goals, gave a single response: "We search for our Lord General. Then we march to war."


Author's Note: ANOTHER RANDOM UPDATE! WHY? WHY NOT?! I know it isn't one of the major stories, but after several incidents involving accidental loss of the story files (and a sudden severe addiction to JoJo's Bizarre Adventure), I've been forced to start over from scratch. Unfortunately, the next main story most likely won't happen until 2017 unless a miracle happens. I'm sorry, but hopefully these splurge updates will keep you satisfied for now. Until next time, take care, and if you too suffer from an addition to JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, contact your local Crazy Diamond for intense therapy, followed by a forced pummeling by Star Platinum.

Secondary Author's Note: The Thirteen Darknesses belong to that good Wizard-Man maniac who keeps on introducing me to awesome anime and putting up with my nonsense, Gamewizard2008. GO CHECK OUT HIS STUFF IF YA ENJOY RIDICULOUSLY AWESOME CROSSOVERS!

Author's Note, III: Alright, sources… The Heart-Guard are a Kingdom Hearts-themed crossover group belonging to the incredibly talented and spooky DeviantArtist Crydius (check out his work, too). The Mariachi Guys are the very same Mariachi Band from "Sam & Max: Through Time and Space". The Council of Rick is from the TV Show "Rick & Morty". The Time Patrollers and the Xenoverse are from the anime/game series "Dragon Ball". YAY REFERENCES!

~Mal Masque