What is a Venator?

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Venators are hand-selected male candidates based off their genetics. Instead of going through boot camp like hunters, venator candidates are placed in a special academy where they receive intense training and education. They are groomed from an extremely young age to hate alpha hunters and to worship God in a neo-Christian belief. Venators are hardened soldiers, well-disciplined, and destined for greatness.

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Venator Training

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Venator trainees work as low-level labor during their schooling. They clean the Pantheon of God, often cook, assist the fathers and preachers, and sing in the choir. Free time is spent praying or doing other good deeds for God, or training. 

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Their training consists of general education; math, English, Latin, history, economics, and politics. Learning different types of weapons from the inside out. They learn how to fight with mixed martial arts to handle any situation that is thrown at them. Hand to hand combat is often a preferred style used by alpha hunters and it is a crucial part of their training. Trainees will also learn how to hunt and survive in the wild where alpha hunters usually spend their time. They learn how to track animals and alpha hunters alike. 

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Graduates are considered highly dangerous individuals and forward thinkers. They maintain a disposition of honor, nobility, chivalry, and holiness. They protect the innocent and are often first responders to any crisis. Venators put harmony and peace above all else and are the first to turn the cheek and extend an olive branch. They believe all can be saved who lay before God.

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Venators are equipped with the best armor humanity has to offer. Derived from various ardrizian and eldiravan blueprints and materials, this heavy armor is impenetrable. It can withstand electricity, heat, cold, low-level explosives, and can handle up to a .50 caliber round. Their arsenal consists of preferred weapons from a standard selection. Knives, daggers, swords, axes, maces, and hammers are made available to all venators. Rail weapons for close to long-range are also available for use. Other weapons consist of grenades, and tasers (anywhere upwards of 900 million volts) which are utilized to immobilize alpha hunters, if used on anyone else it could cause severe trauma, if not death.

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On top of spending over 20 years of training to be elite soldiers, venators spend their lives in worship and studying a neo-bible named "The Words of Absolution" that consists of text from hundreds of variations. Every morning is spent in prayer and each day celebrates the love they have for their religion and god. Perhaps it is this portion of their education that indoctrinates them into a belief that alpha hunters are the farthest thing from a human. To a venator, an alpha hunter is not just a tool the Council uses as they desire, but a demon summoned from the depths of hell. Each venator is instilled with the belief that he is a chosen soldier of God to eliminate the threat of alpha hunters.

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For the ambitious venators, they are given the option to become officers and lead their lessers in the battle against the alphas. These aspiring leaders are put through further schooling under the fathers of the grand cathedral. Upon graduation, they must open themselves to God in a way unlike any other. By way of a drug called God's Echo, these would-be leaders must go into a meditative state where they journey through their soul to eliminate their inner demons and sin and hear God's message to them. They are meant to discover their purpose and how they are hand-picked by God himself. 

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The Words of Absolution

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The Words of Absolution is a neo-Bible believed to have been written by Councilman Milphio Laevinus under the guidance of various priests and archangels. It takes many tellings from Christianity, Catholicism, Islam, and Judaism. From tales as far back as Adam and Eve to the rise of Jesus Christ and the show of power of God, the Words of Absolution speak of the history of Christianity from its founding seeds into the blossoming garden of Eden it is today. Within its pages riddled with allegories, testaments, punishments, worship, and sacrifice, are tales of chosen knights of God that fill the entirety of God's Army to battle the forces of evil. It even mentions alpha hunters and how they are summoned demons, forced into servitude and treated as machines of war.

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The Words of Absolution is a prized possession of the Venators. Each copy of the book is two-inches thick with a heavy wood, leather, and metal cover. Brightly colored with white, gold, and silver, the book is left as a centerpiece in cathedrals. It may even be customized to a Venator's armor and equipped with a chain and clip. Only officers carry the Words of Absolution on them. 

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Venator Units

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Venators - The lowest class is the venator himself. A general infantry unit, venators are versatile and aggressive. Many are eager to prove their worth to not only God but their superiors.

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Lieutenants - Lieutenants are just above Venators in the hierarchy. The first rung of leadership, they work as assistants to Captains and Admirals. They tend to the venator soldiers and run their formations and training. Many lieutenants bear a flag of their company instead of the iconic cape of the Captains.

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Captains - Captains are the second rank of leaders. Captains usually lead large ground companies, but may also helm  ships.

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Admirals - Admirals are fleet leaders. They run not only the flagship of the fleet but the entire fleet.  Captains answer directly to Admirals. 

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Priests - Priests are found within companies, ships, and just about anywhere units of venators gather. Priests offer guidance and continued teachings, often grooming venators to pursue the ranks of lieutenant and on. They conduct ceremonies, preachings, service, and act as the voice for archbishops, cardinals, and God. They are present for all graduations and baptisms.

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Archbishops - Archbishops are wherever there are congregations of priests. Fewer in numbers, they lead and guide the priests by the holy word. They pass messages down from the cardinals. There is usually one archbishop per battalion.

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Cardinals - Cardinals reside within the Pantheon of God, a great cathedral that acts as the headquarters of the venators. Cardinals work closely with the Council of the Order of the Hunters to enact their desires.

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Armor Types

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Camael's Armor - Gifted to Venators, Camael's Armor provides standard protection and the best of both worlds. None-too heavy, it comes standard with an exoskeleton to boost strength, endurance, and speed. While it is not as agile as Raphael's armor, it provides significantly more mobility than Michael's armor, and so on. The armor is force resistant, impact-proof, knife proof in vital areas, and can withstand small caliber rounds. 

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Raphael's Armor - Gifted to the Lieutenants of the Venators, Raphael's Armor is much lighter than Michael's. It is better suited for mobility and agility, keeping it as light as possible while still maintaining great protection against high calibre rounds, light explosives, knives, electricity, fire, and impacts. It also comes equipped with its own oxygen system and climate control. An exoskeleton is not required to operate Raphael's armor, but is standard to boost speed, strength, and endurance. Raphael's armor stands anywhere between six feet to nine feet tall.

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Michael's Armor - Gifted to the Captains of the Venators, Michael's Armor is a behemoth set of armor. It is impervious, withstanding .50 caliber rounds, various explosives, knives, electricity, fire, various impacts, and even has its own climate system with oxygen that can last up to five hours. It is powered by a solar battery and requires an exo-skeleton to operate. All straps and latches are well hidden, preventing the armor from being easily removed. It requires one-two other people to equip Michael's armor and to remove it. Michael's Armor belongs in the mecha category of armor types. It stands at a minimum of ten feet tall and can reach up to twelve feet.

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Zadkiel's Armor - Gifted to the Admirals of the Venators, Zadkiel's Armor is about the same size as Michael's. It is far more ceremonial in appearance to showcase the rank of admiral. It is usually decorated with ribbons and awards of great achievement.

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Uriel's Armor - Gifted to the Priests of the Venators, Uriel's Armor stands between eleven feet to fifteen feet (never thirteen feet). It mirrors Zadkiel's and Michael's Armors on the level of imperviousness. Uriel's armor may provide even more protection for Priests. Each set of Uriel's Armor is blessed in the name of God and the Priest it is given to and said to provide the spirit of a guardian angel to watch over the wellbeing of the Priest. It is highly decorated with hand carved images and achievements and is hardly tarnished in the field.

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Gabriel's Armor - Archbishops and Cardinals share the gift of Gabriel's Armor.  The armor stands between twelve feet and fifteen feet (never thirteen feet). Just as impervious as the last, the armor is a true work of art in God's image. Often pearly white, or vibrant gold, it is kept in the most pristine condition and is held as a great symbol of greatness.

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Ships

 

Nightbreaker - From a distance, this single-seat fighter mimics the appearance of an angel in mid-flight. A narrow, pointed body with wings that start half-way down. The wings gently curve backwards before arching forward with a sharp swoop towards the back that ends in a point and a fin that stands up straight. A second pair of wings sits mere inches from the first wings and stretches forward and backward six inches further than the one atop it. The back half of the nightbreaker houses the thrusters with moveable flaps to help with steering. Nightbreakers have decent armor for their size and are lightning faster, easily breaking the sound barrier on planets and subjecting their pilots to extremely high G's. Their weapons are rapid firing and mounted under the wings, and they have their own kinetic shields. Nightbreakers are primarily painted white with various accented colors and bear the Venator’s sigil on either wing at the widest part. Their colors can change to match fleet colors or more personal colors.

 

Aegis - The aegis are slightly bigger than the nightbreakers. One set of wings start half-way down the body and end at the wind of the thrusters. Their armor was thicker and they were just barely slower than their fighting counterpart. They have their own kinetic shields, however, their assault weaponry is replaced with more offensive weapons. Attached under their wings are specialized smoke grenades designed to stick to the hulls of ships even in space, and faux missiles designed to set off enemy ship alarms and convince them to dispense their flares so real missiles from nightbreakers can hit their mark safely. Housed within the body of the aegis are flares of its own to protect it from incoming missiles. The aegis is brightly painted to stand out from its nightbreaker partners. Often a vivid red accented with yellow or orange, they can be seen in many other brilliant colors. The venator’s sigil on the aegis’ wings are painted with reflective materials to catch the eye and make them a target.

 

Protector - The Protector is a mile long frigate with heavy armor and little fire power. Much like an aegis in design, Protectors are supporters on the front lines. Used to escort other ships especially capital ships and flagships, the Protector is packed with an arsenal to confuse, disorient, and otherwise deter attackers. 

 

Nightbane - The Nightbane is a 4 mile long battlecruiser and rectangular in shape. The bow of the ship comes down lower than the rest of it and is housed on either side by a large plate that stretches above and below the bow with a slight angle inward at the middle. These two plates bear the Venator's sigil of a soaring cross split down the middle. The back of the ship has two matching plates to the bow along with the top of the ship sitting much higher from the rest to put the bridge at the highest point. The tip and belly of the nightbane is littered with plasma cannons, kinetic cannons, and flak cannons. Six hangars split evenly at either side along the belly that can hold up to two hundred nightbreakers and aegis alike. It uses its own kinetic shielding that can withstand nuclear warheads and small EMP warheads. The nightbane’s primary weapon are twin rail cannons housed in the top of the ship that stretch 2.5 miles long.

 

Sunbringer - The Sunbringer is a dreadnought built around a 7 mile long laser cannon capable of busting through entire planets. This cannon is built with a rail on either side with the subtle shape of a spearhead that only truly comes into shape at the rear of the cannon. The space between the rails is left open and empty from the tip till the base where a series of cylinders, full and half slowly rotate as the cannon charges. The end of the ship stretches out at either side wider than the rails and comes down slightly further and stands a mile tall where the top houses the bridge. Various small-arms weapons line the top and belly of the ship and a dozen hangars line either side. Its own kinetic shielding can withstand nuclear and most standard EMP weaponry. Sunbringers often bear banners vividly painted with the Venator’s sigil and are usually painted pearly white with golden accents.

 

Known Ships

 

Anapiel - Nightbane - Captain Kemuel

 

Temperance - Nightbane - Captain Zamile

 

Sopheriel - Nightbane - Captain Zevadyah

 

Portia - Nightbane - Captain Gronow

 

Tadhiel - Nightbane - Captain Sharpe

 

Morael - Nightbane - Captain Jehoram

 

Tatrasiel - Nightbane - Captain Absjorn

 

Forbearance - Sunbringer - Admiral Hazael

 

Adnachiel - Sunbringer - Admiral Neriah

 

Marmaroth - Sunbringer - Admiral Erastus

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