Enlightened

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The architects of the Dystopian Age, the Covenant of the Enlightened wield their formidable intellects to sweep aside those ignorant or deluded who stand in the way of Scientific Progress. These masters of technology covet knowledge above all things and believe that it is only they who can steer humanity on a path to enlightenment. With their wondrous war-engines, the Covenant of the Enlightened take every opportunity to demonstrate their technological supremacy. The discoveries that were intended to herald a new era for humanity are instead used to punish those who would misuse them. Only when the Covenant are lauded as the rightful leaders of the Earth, can the world be brought into a new dawn of achievement and prosperity.

A flagship of the Enlightened fleet, Vault ships were conceived as massive floating platforms to deploy their larger engineering and scientific marvels. In this manner, the Archimedes class is usually fitted with either a Callimachus Chrono-Lathe or Diophantus Chaos-Orb, both so intricate and sophisticated in their crafting that like much that is not understood in the Dystopian Age, they are considered magical by the uneducated..

Other fleets are centered around the graceful, and superbly equipped Nansen Explorer. Designed for long voyages far from friendly ports, with extensive laboratories, training facilities and cartographic equipment. The Nansen class is in many ways the ultimate expression of Covenant naval ambitions.

When negotiations between the Factions of the Dystopian Age break down or when only conflict will settle a dispute fleets clash. This can happen anywhere across the globe and in the heat of battle many a Captain has been caught out by a sandbank or tidal Island. Some larger islands even have modest fortresses and gun emplacements built on them to add protection to the secrets and supplies that lie within.

The first Hypatia Class vessel produced was the prototype named The Prometheus. This ship was stolen by the Commonwealth Agent Helsinki Markov. Despite a desperate hunt, The Prometheus was never recovered. Despite this setback, Hypatia Class Generator ships were already in production by that point and the first production ship of the class, The Hypatia, was fitted out ready for service. Now several years on from the Markov scandal, the Hypatia class has established itself as one of the most versatile ships available to the Enlightened. Not only does it carry significant firepower but the ultra-efficient engines and superconductors allow it to also operate three specially overcharged generators. This gives the Generator Ship and its fleet a huge amount of options. The support ships that escort Hypatia Class vessels and other large ships fill some often more specialist roles. The Plinius Support Carrier carries dozens of Scythe Drones and can launch them from hydraulic ramps. This allows the Plinius to partially submerge when the ramps are closed making it very difficult to see and target. Built around the same hull as the Plinius are a number of other Cruisers. The Quintilian bombardment cruiser mounts heavy rockets that it can launch at distant targets before returning below the waves. The Tacitus Assault Cruiser favours two hardpoints for turrets, most often Particle Beamers. The Claudius Merchantman is designed with extra hull space and is the backbone of Enlightened logistics, the ingenious engineers still managing to squeeze in a number of torpedo launchers to protect them from pirates and other hostiles. While these Cruisers are able to lurk just below the surface the Diogenese and Praxilla Class Submarines are able to operate at significant depths. These large Automata operate under a number of pre-pro2med subroutines and are effective at hunting down and destroying enemy vessels.

One of the largest vessels built by the Yemoja shipyards in Mombasa, the Icarus features multiple vertical magnetic catapults that can simultaneously launch squadrons of fighters. The class has fabrication and repair facilities comparable to a small naval base and makes use of these to maintain the Icarus' squadrons and lend support to other vessels in the battlefleet.

Detailed drafts for the Daedalus class Fortified Teathership were found in the personal effects of the renegade Covenant Peer Gjenge Matee. Faithfully following her design, her Promethean Complex produced a marvel of Enlightened naval power. These versatile vessels are especially suited as the flagship of a combined flotilla of aerial and surface ships.

The architects of the Dystopian Age, the Covenant of the Enlightened wield their formidable intellects to sweep aside those ignorant or deluded who stand in the way of Scientific Progress. These masters of technology covet knowledge above all things and believe that it is only they who can steer humanity on a path to enlightenment. With their wondrous war-engines, the Covenant of the Enlightened take every opportunity to demonstrate their technological supremacy. The discoveries that were intended to herald a new era for humanity are instead used to punish those who would misuse them. Only when the Covenant are lauded as the rightful leaders of the Earth in this new Dystopian Age can the world be brought into a new dawn of achievement and prosperity.

The support ships that escort the Flagship vessels of the Enlightened Fleets fill some very specialist roles. The Plinius Support Carrier carries dozens of Scythe Drones and can launch them from hydraulic ramps. This allows the Plinius to partially submerge when the ramps are closed making it very difficult to see and target. Built around the same hull as the Plinius are a number of other Cruisers. The Quintilian bombardment cruiser mounts heavy rockets that it can launch at distant targets before returning below the waves. The Tacitus Assault Cruiser favours two hardpoints for turrets, most often Particle Beamers. The Claudius Merchantman is designed with extra hull space and is the backbone of Enlightened logistics, the ingenious engineers still managing to squeeze in a number of torpedo launchers to protect them from pirates and other hostiles.

While these Cruisers are able to lurk just below the surface the Diogenese and Praxilla Class Submarines are able to operate at significant depths. These large Automata operate under a number of pre-programmed subroutines and are effective at hunting down and destroying enemy vessels.

The Newton class are built by the Yemoja shipyard around a massive spatial displacement drive known as a Void Engine. Able to tear a passage through two otherwise unconnected locations, the Void Engines use technology developed at Wells Chasm.

Dedicated energy transfer conduits allow these floating power stations to augment nearby vessels. Though the Zumeena class is particularly vulnerable to enemy aggression, the benefit to Enlightened scientific advancement far outweighs any loss of life amongst their crews. Not every Covenant Commodore has access to a Descartes Control Ship and so the Yemoja shipyard created the Vesalius to ensure that the welfare and effectiveness of their cetacean allies is maintained. Of course, in a faction that rarely does things by half measures, there are certain fleets that contain multiple Descartes and Vesalius to support hundreds of Physeters.

A battlefleet represents a huge investment of resources and talent for the Covenant of the Enlightened. Deploying several Origen class Lathe Ships in support, ensures that the risks to such an investment are greatly reduced. Technically an oceanid assault automata rather than a true colossus as it lacks a human crew, the Ketos utilise Sturginium Agitators to wreak carnage against enemy capital ships. The insectile Ketos relies on surprise and cold machine logic to maximise the impact of their attacks.

Designed by Paulette Aronnax, Lotan are amongst the most common of her oceanid assault automata. Shadowing Enlightened convoys, these segmented machines strike unexpectedly when needed, bringing their terrifying Coeus Shockmaw down to rip apart vessels like a sea monster of myth.