What is the Abyssal Trench?
Cray's history, like Earth's, spans over thousands of years. In one of it's most ancient eras, the seas were ruled by a fierce band of privateers belonging to a now forgotten naval empire. These aquatic warriors were unmatched on the waves thanks to their ties to a prehistoric god of water whose name has been lost. When said god was deemed heretical by the empire due to their secretive rituals, their overlords deemed the privateers too risky to keep alive, and sunk their fleet in the Abyssal Trench. Millenia later, the excess of dark magic that gives Granblue their rebirth seeded the revival of these long forgotten apostates. Building a fleet of ships out of the wrecks at the bottom of the ocean, the Abyssal Trench fleet sports vessels from all eras of Cray, often attacking ships from below rather than on the water. They still hold reverence for their old god, but pay their dues to Granblue because, like them, they have found a way to walk among the living again.
Who is Father Dagon?
The current leader of the Abyssal Trench fleet. While technically the third fleet commander back in their ancient heyday, he was a devout follower of the forgotten water god, and thus wielded great arcane powers alongside brilliant tactical instincts. When the fleet was branded heretical, he was part of a massive mutiny, but was captured during the battle. Chained in cold steel shackles and tortured mercilessly, he and many of his crewmates were thrown overboard in a show of cruel retribution. His reverence of the old god, his hatred, and his ambition kept his lifeforce clinging to Cray for thousands of years, far outlasting his would-be slayers. Having finally regained his strength after centuries of nursing himself, he was resurfaced the remnants of his fleet using sea-bottom wreckages and long forgotten magic. His mannerisms, piety towards an unknown god, and unorthodox tactics make him an oddity even among Granblue captains, but his results are undeniable. He strongly distrusts Star Gate technology, especially the rumors of them researching transdimensional technology.
What is the Hades Leviathan?
Once the terror of Granblue, Leviathus was slain during the climatic struggle between Cray forces and the Collapse. His body was eventually found by Abyssal Trench scavengers, and days later, fragments of his soul were also uncovered. Stitched back together with Dagon's magic and imbued with an primordial ritualistic curse, the king of sea serpents was reborn as the Hades Leviathan. A sea monster in the truest sense, the mighty abomination can sink armadas all on its own. The sheer amount of magic needed for the form to exist on the surface, however, makes its unwise for the Abyssal Trench to use it as anything other than a weapon of last resort. It is unclear whether the Hades Leviathan has any of Leviathus's old memories, but whether that's the case seems irrelevant, given the sea serpent's surprising new connection to the oldest of water gods. He babbles something about "parallel stars" in his sleep, worrying Dagon greatly...
Who is Regulus Chimera?
The Arcturus Engine's secrets were cracked by Star Gate scientists not long after Sekwan-Hak's final defeat, and shortly thereafter, numerous smaller replicas were created for Starcrosser use. Noticeably safer than the original, they traded potency for portability and ease of use. These Arcturus Engine 2.0s, as they were soon called, were implanted in several old veterans and promising newcomers, as well as molded into new weaponry. Regulus Chimera, one of Arcturus Dragon's oldest comrades, was given two due to his service and impressive record. Prior to the gifts, he was a mighty but wise warrior, the epitome of an able troop commander that could also fight on the front lines. Now wielding the power of Lock and the warhammer Venaticorum, he has become the new second-in-command for the Starcrossers. As Arcturus distances himself from Star Gate's researchers and their newfound obsession with transdimensional energy, Regulus is finding himself stepping up more and more on the Cray front.