The Arachni
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Contents
History
World War 2
The majority of Arachni history began in the midst of the second World War. The Axis Forces were in heavy conflict with The Allies and it had appeared that the former was losing, Italy had already fallen to the allies and Japan was too busy on the pacific stage combating The United States. Nazi Germany was growing weaker by the months, when a peculiar event changed history forever. In April of 1943 an alien craft of unknown origin fell from space before the eyes of billions, and crash landed in the North Sea. The entire world was awestruck and for a moment forgot the war they were a part of. However a massive naval battle occurred in the North Sea only a month later between The British and The Germans, both were vying for the wrecked craft. The battle was immediately in Axis favor due to the proximity from Nazi Controlled boarders and open ocean. While the battle raged on the surface, Hitler had secretly dispatched submarines to the alien wreckage below the waves. The operation was indeed successful as soon Allied forces retreated from the area after suffering heavy casualties.
The wreckage was hauled up and eventually transported to Berlin, Germany in December that year. For the entirety of December and the beginning months of 1944 Hitler had his greatest scientists working on what was found within the wreckage, all occupants of the ship were dead, however their weapons and technology was in perfect shape. Eventually the Nazis were able to reverse engineer the technology into a new breed of weapons and war vehicles, which would see it's first world debut in June, 1944.
D-Day
"D-day became known to the world as The Nazi Regime's greatest victory, and the Allies' greatest failure..."~~John Michaels--Arachni Historian
On June 6th, 1944. The Allied forces attempted to land in Normandy by air and by sea, months prior they had enacted events that would convince Adolf Hitler of a different invasion location. They would have succeeded too, however Hitler was tipped off by a unknown spy of the Allies true intentions. Only a few days before the Normandy Invasion, the Nazis had gathered their new alien weapons and vehicles for their first test run. The Allies stormed the beachheads and dropped in by air only to be met with 100,000 newly armed Nazi troopers.
The following battle became one of the greatest massacres in history, The allied forces stood little chance against the Nazi's superior firepower. Over 150,000 allied soldiers were killed, and those who were spared were either captured or allowed to leave on the basis that they share their story with the allied nations. When word got out of the Operation: Neptune massacre it sent many leaders on the European Stage into a panic. Demoralization was rampant among soldiers and resistance was little. The Nazi Empire once more began to expand outward and on the offense, armed with new weapons the likes of which were never seen.
Fall Of The European Stage
The Nazi armies swept across Europe like a dark shadow, reclaiming territories that were lost to the allies in the past. Italy was their first target, in the fall of 1944 the Nazi Army attacked Rome and Sicily, which were occupied by Allied forces at the time. Former Axis member Benito Mussolini was imprisoned after the Allies attacked Italy in 1943, but that would soon change. As Nazi forces assaulted Rome and Sicily, German Special Forces would rescue Mussolini in the Gran Sasso raid and transport him back to Berlin. Rome and Sicily fell the same week as the last of the Allied Forces were killed.
Hitler then turned his attention to Britain.
"Lets just say God didn't save his majesty that day.."~~John Michaels--Arachni Historian
The Nazi Empire quickly launched their attack on Britain, who at the time was trying to recover from previous losses. The fighting in Britain would last a few months as Nazi forces systematically targeted important cities and brought them down. Soon enough it was time to assault London, however Nazi spies uncovered a secret operation to transport King George VI and prime minister Winston Churchill to America, where a majority of the allies have sought refuge. While Axis Forces set London ablaze with aerial attacks, Hitler dispatched a new weapon, an orbital laser the Nazis had secretly sent into space just weeks prior. Just as the British naval convoy reached the Atlantic Ocean, the sky opened up as a bright red beam shot down and obliterated the convoy in one stroke. At the same time, newly armed Japanese forces pushed back American troops, only to have Hiroshima and Nagasaki destroyed by two atom bombs. This unofficially ended WW2 in a stalemate, however fighting with America and Russia continued up until the early 90s.
Birth Of The Arachni
"World War 2 was ended. But the fighting continued. This however did not deter Hitler from continuing his plans, all over Europe billions of Jewish and non Germans were slaughtered in what was easily our darkest years.."~~John Michaels--Arachni Historian
With WW2 in a stalemate, Hitler facilitated his power in the Nazi Empire, which now comprised nearly all of Europe and most of Asia. Japan was still conquering the Pacific. While America and Russia were still fighting despite being weakened. Hitler decided that it was time to prepare for another war, this time with America and Russia. The only problem was the fact that America had it's own superhuman forces, powerful individuals that would most certainly be a problem to future plans. Nazi Germany launched a new special forces to counter the "Superheroes" of America, The Arachni Special Forces. The Arachni at the time was comprised of The Nazi's greatest soldiers and a few superhumans. Aside from acting as spies, agents and assassins, The Arachni frequently practiced experiments into superhuman DNA in efforts of creating a super solider serum.
During this time Hitler continued his "Final Plan" unchecked, and billions of Jewish and those who he considered unworthy were tortured, and murdered throughout Europe while those who survived managed to intermingle within the German population. Things continued normally for a few years, however Adolf Hitler was loosing respect and support as time went on.
Death Of The Führer And An Empire Under New Management
"No one truly knows how Hitler died. Many speculate that The Arachni assassinated him to come into power, but we may never know the truth.."~~John Michaels-Arachni Historian
As the years past the world was at a standstill. The Axis Powers controlled most of Europe and what was left of The Allies were taking refuge in America or Russia. Death camps dotted the European countryside and people were dying by the thousands. To rebuild from the war, Nazi Germany employed slave labor. Areas such as Berlin thrived while Britain remained a dead, burnt-out wasteland.
Adolf Hitler, now an Emperor was quickly approaching his 60s as support and respect fell around him. Many of his subjects saw his death camps as pointless endeavors, nearly half of Europe's population was destroyed because of them. They were starting to slowly pull the veil from their eyes and see their monarch as he really is. The only way Hitler could keep his subjects in line was through fear, fear that was employed by The Arachni. Soon though, his grip loosened there too. Hitler was in a state of paranoia, which drove him to use the Arachni to do more terrible feats in attempt to remind people of his authority. on February 20th of 1950 Hitler retreated into his personal compound for safety, and died the next day of unknown causes.
The Empire, now leaderless was immediately in turmoil, with members of The Nazi Party all vying for the throne. The Arachni however launched it's first of many conspiracies, led by Lord Desmond Warren the Arachni launched Operation: New Management, which saw to the assassinations of almost all Nazi Party members and replaced them with Arachni loyal politicians. Their votes resulted in Lord Warren's ascension to the throne and the birth of The Arachni Empire.
A War Unsettled (Post Modern Era)
"Three years passed as The Arachni were reinforcing their newfound power. This closed us off to the rest of the world, however very soon we would finish what The Nazis started.."~~John Michaels - Arachni Historian
After The Arachni took over, a long three years of "cleansing" occurred where all former Nazis were either recruited, retired, brainwashed or executed to further strengthen The Arachni's new empire. The Japanese were uneasy about the new rulers of Europe, however they too swayed into the fold. During these three years The Arachni had left America and Russia alone, a choice the USA and the USSR took full advantage of.
Blood On The Snow
In the fall of 1953 war would break out yet again. Russia had managed to recover from WW2 sooner than expected, they also secretly built up an army which they used in a series of guerilla-style attacks on Arachni Bases in The Russian wilderness. Emperor Warren quickly responded by dispatching his armies to brutally end the Russian army. This war would be the test of worth for the fledgling Arachni Empire, and victory did not come easily. "The Red War" as it was called lasted for a decade, as Arachni soldiers and Russian insurgency battled it out in the Russian tundra. Despite the Germans advanced weaponry the USSR proved to be very resilient, even more so when they managed to create a super solider serum and used it on their armies.
The casualties were high on both sides, but eventually The Arachni were starting to win. Back in Germany, The Arachni Sciences division, then led by Albert Zerstoiten developed a series of advanced long range missiles that carried a deadly radioactive payload. In the spring of 1963 The Arachni sent these missiles into Russia, they impacted many towns such as Chernobyl, which remains irradiated to present day.
The USSR soon surrendered power to The Arachni and were disbanded. Russia remained as a war-torn country that would not recover until the early 70s.
The Land Of The Free, No More
After Russia fell to the empire, two decades of tense recovery ensued. In the Spring of 1990, The United States Of America was revealed to have gathered an army of it's own and took most of the Caribbean and The Hawaiian Islands into their fold and converted them into military bases and airports. The Arachni empire was already on high alert from The Red War and began to mobilize their forces, with intent on stopping The USA before it gained any ground by any means necessary. In the summer of 1992 The Arachni moved to the south end of the united states, and began to attack their bases in the Bahamas. Meanwhile, the Arachni Airforce began to bomb areas such as Washington D.C and New York.
The fighting continued until July 23rd, The Arachni had cornered what was left of the American armies in the war torn city of Detroit. Emperor Desmond Warren ordered the use of a high powered orbital laser to level the city and to end this war once and for all. As such, The A.O.L: Dominance fired a large concentrated beam from space that struck the heart of the city and caused widespread damage, breaking the morale of the enemy soldiers. In the months to come The Arachni would cause widespread carnage to other cities until 1993 when all that was left of America was a war torn, divided nation.
The Arachni Civil War
"The Arachni Civil War was both a dark time and a new renaissance. The war between Emperor Warren and his estranged son will be remembered forever as the beginning of a new era..."~~John Michaels--Arachni Historian
A time of peace and restructure ensured after The Red War and America's end. Many of the old generations broke and gave way to a new perspective of thinking, for once in Arachni History, the public praised their rulers rather than living in fear of them. Rebellious activities were at an all time low and many of The Arachni's members could lower their guard for once. Emperor Desmond Warren committed all of his time to rebuilding most of Europe and reconstructing society as a whole. But the emperor would soon face issues of his own.
Stefan Warren, the soul heir to The Arachni's throne and a war hero in his own right, fell in love with a commoner he met during his wartime travels. He was soon to be married to Carmella Von Clare, then known to be a gypsy figurehead. The only problem was that in marrying her, Stefan would be at risk for being ineligible for the throne, a fact Desmond would never allow. Against his father's wishes, Stefan and Carmella were married and became the duke and duchess of Bayern, Germany. A year passed and Desmond was growing older, more cold. His fury increased when he learned that Carmella gave birth to his granddaughter, Regina. believing his family's hold on the throne was slipping, Desmond ordered Carmella assassinated. The dark deed was done on a October night in 1995, a night that would plunge the empire into civil war. Stefan killed the assassin personally before fleeing the country with Regina. After leaving Regina in a orphanage in Moscow, Russia, Stefan made his way through the middle east and into Asia, where the Orient Branch of the empire resided.
For years, The Orient Branch received the least amount of respect and prosperity from their European counterparts despite their role in WW2, Stefan preyed on this. Stefan eventually rallied the Orientals, promising a better future with him as ruler. He then discovered a powerful artifact of untold power before setting out to wage war in earnest. In May of 1996 Stefan and his rebellion attacked, quickly taking most of the middle east and moving through Africa on route to Italy. Desmond responded by resurrecting The Arachni Army and sending them to stop the uprising. The fighting continued into the Spring and Summer as The Arachni were slowly being overwhelmed, if not by the Orient Forces, then by Stefan's newfound power. This power was unlike anything seen before. With it, Stefan was able to wipe out armies in a single day. By July of 1997 The Arachni were all but defeated and had retreated to Berlin as the final phase of Stefan's uprising would begin. The attack on Berlin, Germany began on the night of July 20th. The Rebellion struck the city with unrelenting force, however the rebels spared the townspeople and soldiers alike on Stefan's orders.
Stefan attacked Charlottenburg Palace alone, using his artifact to subdue the guards before slaying Desmond in single combat. When the sun had risen, Stefan addressed the Empire as a whole, declaring a new era of prosperity and advancement.
The Modern Age of The Arachni Empire had begun.
The Modern Era
"The remainder of the 1900s after the civil war was focused on rebuilding and restructure, Emperor Stefan Warren soon became revered as the greatest leader we've had so far. The new Emperor also engaged in many scientific and spiritual expeditions, some of which would lead us to where we are today...."~~John Michaels--Arachni Historian
New Discoveries
The Intergalactic Expedition
Conquest
Important Personnel
The Emperor
Emperor Stefan von Warren (Reign: 1997 - 2014), often referred to as Ebony Tarantula, was the sole ruler and ultimate authority of The Arachni Empire and all of it's inter-dimensional counterparts. The third Emperor to rule, Stefan was the first to adopt a more lenient Nazi Code and lead the empire into their most prosperous era yet. He is also the Emperor who began efforts to expand beyond the Arachni's homeworld and go into space and other dimensions. He is responsible for the Arachni as it's known today, playing a personal role in his expeditions. But, behind his wise and peaceful rule was a cold shadow of his former self. A metahuman with Dark Matter manipulating powers, Ebony Tarantula was perhaps the most dangerous of all his forces, and held a great interest in the control of the Prime Earth (Champions Earth). Cold, calculating, and deceitful. Ebony Tarantula proved to be a fearsome opponent and a powerful leader.
His reign ended in December of 2014 during the short war between The Arachni and a resurgent Orion. Emperor Stefan was killed during a cataclysmic showdown on Earth's Moon with Orion and his forces, the Emperor sacrificing himself to destroy the android warlord.
Emperor Wolfram von Warren (Reign: 2014 - Present), known to many as Samurai Spider. Wolfram Warren is the fourth Emperor to rule. The third child of the late Stefan Warren, Wolfram was created by a cloning process from a mixture of Stefan and Orion's DNA and outfitted with cutting edge cybernetics. A hybrid of machine and man, Wolfram is a powerful technopath, swordsman and tactician. He was originally the second Arachni Lord after Lady Recluse, but the death of his father and lack of available heirs sealed his rise to power. He currently leads the Arachni Forces in the Prime Dimension, harvesting the technology and resources of Alien worlds. All the while planning to finish what his father started, conquer Champions Earth.
The Royal Family
Regina von Warren, is the first child of former Emperor Stefan von Warren. Born from the union between Stefan and the Gypsy, Carmilla von Clare, whose murder that sparked the Arachni Civil War. Regina grew up in an orphanage in Moscow, Russia. Being held there for her own protection from the Civil War in Germany. At the age of ten, she was "adopted" by her father and returned to her homeland a princess. After her birthright was restored, Regina underwent training and tutoring that would transform her into one of The Arachni's deadliest Spymasters. At the age of nineteen, Regina was a catalyst in the conquest of two alternate Earths during the Arachni's Interdimensional Expedition. By the time she was twenty, The Arachni invaded Earth 4 (CU) and engaged in open conflict with its heroes. It was during an assassination attempt on Mallik Orson, a rival to Stefan Warren. That Regina began to question her father's methods and sanity, allowing The Titian Institute to slowly convince Regina to defect from The Empire. Now on her own, Regina aids the heroes of Earth 4 against The Arachni's efforts, her extensive knowledge on the empire making her a deadly threat. But, despite her defection. The Empire recognizes her as still a member of The Royal Family, and was forbidden to harm her by Stefan Warren. Now that the former emperor is dead, Regina is under close watch from her half-brother Wolfram, the now acting Emperor.
Tiberius von Warren, is the second child and first son of Emperor Stefan Warren. Tiberius' origin and birth are shrouded in mystery, but some suggest that he was born from a union between Stefan and an alien Queen during the first Dimensional Expedition. Growing much faster then normal children, Tiberius also sports powers that many consider unnatural or demonic. He was always thought to be the unwanted son, treated to a much lesser degree then his father. The only friend he had was his half-sister, Regina, who cared for him greatly. Tiberius saw his first combat experience on Earth 4, acting on impulse, he was arrested by Earth's Heroes. Regina, who was sent to kill Malik Orson coined a deal with The Titian Institute, trading Malik's life for Tiberius' release. Enraged, Stefan killed Tiberius and forced Regina to flee, adding to her reasons of defection. Tiberius was resurrected a year later and joined his sister, becoming the hero Night Shroud. However, he rejoined his father in 2013 and became a commander for the Arachni Army, but his loyalty remained in question as he has had numerous contact with Earth's heroes on a friendly basis. Recently, Tiberius' fate is unknown. He vanished shortly before Emperor Stefan was killed in 2014 by Orion. This disappearance will work against him, as his absence allowed his half-brother Wolfram to assume the throne without question.
The Arachni Lords
The Arachni Lords are a circle of apprentices and lieutenants directly under The Emperor. They are frequently used as commanders for The Empire's forces. The Lords are the driving force behind many operations and divisions.
Lady Recluse: The enigmatic Italian assassin was the first to reach the rank of Lord. Ebony Tarantula encountered her early on in his presence on Champions Earth, he quickly saw use in her and brought Recluse on as an apprentice. Since then, she has been a highly dangerous addition to The Arachni, overseeing the Terror Division and often personally attending operations. Since her master's death in 2014, Recluse now serves as the sole Lord and adviser to Emperor Wolfram Warren.
Agent Types
Trooper: The standard foot soldiers of The Arachni, these are the most commonly seen members. On Earth 4 (CU) troopers are normally low grade criminals brought from the streets or broken out of maximum security prisons worldwide. These grunts do most of the heavy lifting, however lack the level of training higher level troops do. It should be noted however, that most if not all troopers are subjected to brainwashing for maximum loyalty.
Elites: The elite troopers form a separate division of their own from the normal grade troopers. The elites serve as The Arachni's special forces, highly trained to deal with a vast array of enemies in almost any environment. Elites replace troopers in situations that are at risk for "metahuman intervention". Many elites are dispatched to aid higher level agents on missions. Elites are comprised of the best performing Troopers and hand-picked to undergo further training.
Officers/Admirals: These members are the higher level commanders and leaders of Arachni Squadrons. Many are human, while some are psionics. The officers are seen commanding troopers from afar or even leading a battalion aboard an Arachni Space Carrier.
Spies: The Spies act within the Intelligence Branch of the empire. Highly trained assassins and infiltrators, spies are strategically placed in governments, police forces and rival organizations to gather information and manipulate the choices of their "peers" to the Arachni's favor. Psionics are usually picked for this rank.
Mages: One of the more unusual ranks. Arachni Mages are low level magic practitioners that aid in the Mystical Branch. They are usually tasked with research and aiding higher level mages in rituals.
Special Agent Types
Terror Guard: The Terror Division is used for causing fear and assassinating high threat targets. Terror Guard are Troopers and Elites that underwent experiments into Cross-Lifeform Genetics and Cybernetic augmentation. The Guard is the main source of psychological warfare in the empire. Members are equipped with cloaking fields and cybernetic claws. Guards are dispatched behind enemy lines to wreak havoc by assassinating leaders through seemingly "accidental" means. Terror Guard are prone to using the environment to create traps and almost sadistically creative ways of killing targets. The Guard is led by Arachni Lord: Lady Recluse.
Arachni Witches: A darker and rarely seen area of the empire, the "Sisters Of The Dark Web" are a coven of Romanian witches native to Nazi Earth. These witches are powerful dark magic practitioners and frequently experiment on human test subjects to explore new dark powers. The Witches are almost always female. They are rarely seen in the field, however they can curse enemies to endless torment and bad luck if crossed.
Tarantula Mechs: These armored soldiers are walking tanks, heavily armed and dangerous. Some Arachni Elites are chosen to receive training in Power Armor Combat and creation. The mechanized suits they wear are heavy and large, Mechs are normally seen in combat scenarios against metahumans and large amounts of hostile fire.
Shadow Guard: The Shadow Guard are a small taskforce dedicated to protecting The Arachni Emperor from harm. These guards are some of the most deadly combatants within the empire and are almost always seen guarding their master.
Arachni Inquisitor: The Inquisitors of the empire are high level spies and enforcers, hand picked by the Prime Inquisitor to seek out dark artifacts/powers and secrets to utilize. Inquisitors are powerful Dark Matter users and can do great damage from any range, they are also used to interrogate prisoners and even corrupt others to join the cause.
Technology
Arachni Technology varies in it's advancement. Being capable of Interdimensional Travel, the empire holds some of the highest grade technology anyone can find. Often splicing technology from conquered alien worlds.
Weapons
The Spiderfang: a small retractable melee weapon, capable of dosing itself in a lethal venom by the push of a button. Its ridges allow the Venom to flow through the blade without it dripping off. Commonly used by Assassins, Terror Guards and Spies.
Arachni TX-500 Plasma Rifle: A standard issue plasma rifle, these weapons can interchange parts to become sniper rifles. The Plasma Rifle is powered by plasma cores and can fire with precision or in a rapid spray.
Vehicles
The Tunneler: Based on the concept of a trapdoor spider, these giant machines are used to trap unsuspecting land vehicles and enemy forces in a "cage" with it's arms, before disintegrating them with built in weaponry. Additionally, these vehicles can burrow under the ground to breach underground bases, caves and even transporting troops behind enemy lines.
Arachni Carrier: These warships are the primary force of Arachni travel. Generally 1000 meters in length, these vessels are capable of Marine, Air, Space and Interdimensional travel. They are also known to hold hundreds or even over a thousand personnel aboard. The warships come stocked with multiple plasma cannons, missile launchers, and turrets. Along each side of the carrier are holding bays filled with Arachni Fighters. The carriers typically act as mobile command bases, but are dwarfed by their cousins, the Arachni Space Destroyers, which double in size and capability.
