Oberon Incursion

The Oberon Incursion is the name given to the untold wave of destruction wrought about by the Oberon, a faelike metaphysical force, against all life and civilizations across the Pyxis Globula. Over a period of fifty cycles, the Oberon slaughtered billions of people, committing the worst genocide ever seen in galactic history - but, as they have never been heard or communicated with anyone in the galaxy, their motives remain completely unknown. The only known survivors of the Incursion were the people who boarded the Embassy Ark and fled to the Circinus Stream, leaving their doomed galaxy behind.

The Incursion

The Oberon materialized near Zaalan space in 56 BCE - at this point, they were the strongest fleet and military power rimwards of the Pyxis Globula. Whispers abound to this day that the Zaalan, driven by their relentless pursuit of military innovation, were toying with a revolutionary Dive Drive concept which may have inadvertently torn through the barrier between realspace and the Oberon's lower dimension, unleashing an unstoppable tide of faerie malevolence upon the cosmos.
The once-thriving Zaalan worlds crumbled in mere months, succumbing to the Oberon's unimaginable might. Defiance was met with the ravages of tidal forces; acceptance was rewarded with toxic crystalline rains. The faerie invaders tore through even the most seasoned and battle-hardened military troops with terrifying ease, leaving nothing but glassed or wrecked worlds in their wake. The outer worlds of the Hiderid faced the same grim fate, as the Oberon's wrath spared none. The Hiderid nations banded together, but to no avail : within a decade, the Hiderid sphere of civilization collapsed under the weight of unfathomable economic and military losses, forcing countless refugees to flee to the safety of Mewei or Boshaari worlds.
In the aftermath, a deceptive calm descended as the Oberon sought to eliminate even the slightest pockets of survivors in areas under their control. For two decades, the Mewei and Boshaari quietly built up their forces. The Hhrot, once thought to be enemies of the Boshaari, joined forces with them against the faerie menace. In 11 BCE, the peace was finally, but predictably shattered by a renewed onslaught, this time targeting Boshaari space. Surprisingly, the advance of the Oberon slowed as they faced fierce resistance from the combined might of the Boshaari-Hhrot alliance, and harrowing flank harassment from Mewei task forces. A Mewei vessel of Boshaari design, the MDV Lux Aetherna, registered a significant victory in 9 BCE by refocussing faerie technology against the invaders, saving the Boshaari Neutral Zone for a time.
Faced with their first losses, the Oberon adapted, resorting to a different tactic—striking at trade routes and infiltrating worlds far beyond the frontlines. Despite glimmers of hope, the Boshaari-Hhrot forces struggled under the crushing burden of their logistics. Rumors swirled about a dreaded secret weapon, the infamous 'Sundering Beam', allegedly being developed by a Mewei cult making use of ancient and forbidden maltech. In the year 6 BC, the Boshaari crownworld, Qalim, a symbol of pride and strength, fell prey to the rains of crystalline destruction unleashed by the Oberon's sinister power.
It is unknown what happened afterwards, but regardless of the outcome, the Oberon goals of complete annhiliation were not to be completed. In 6 BC, half a million survivors escaped the destruction by commandeering an ancient Yoni Ark discovered forty cycles earlier in order to flee to the Circinus Stream. This feat of desperation, known as the Great Jump, suceeded : the refugees arrived in Tau Elpis after a six-cycle journey and settled many of its terraformed and mysteriously empty worlds. The cultures of their descendants eventually developped into the modern-day civilizations that we know today.
As far as it is known, the Oberon Incursion ended with the complete annihiliation of life across the many inhabited worlds of the Pyxis Globula, for no signals nor further ships were ever discovered. It is simply held that a profound darkness enshrouded the Elpis colonists' home galaxy. Its sorrowful tale now lies concealed from the gaze of the universe, the light carrying the secrets of the past having just begun its arduous journey across the vast expanse of space to reach the distant shores of Tau Elpis.
Even as life continues in Tau Elpis, the prospect of discovering the ultimate fate of its ancestral galaxy may offer little solace for the descendents of those who bore witness to the aftermath of the Oberon Incursion. The incomprehensible loss and cosmic tragedy shall forever linger as a somber reminder of the unimaginable power and malevolence that lurks beyond the stars.

Biology & Technology

The true nature of an Oberon is unknown. They have been described as giant faerie starships soaring through the void, but whether they are manned or gestahlt constructs is anyone's guess. There is agreement that they are metaphysical beings whose very existence bends or rips apart the laws of reality as understood. The very origin of the Oberon is unknown, but they are believed to be native to hyperspace. Time dilates or stops entirely in their wake, orbits are distorted with no apparent reason, and those who come in close contact sometimes go insane after experiencing illusionary attacks from the Oberon.
Superficially, they resemble winged spiders, their "legs" gliding on halos and slithering across the void of space. Smaller Oberon vessels have resembled other insect shapes as might befit their purpose or ranking in the faerie pecking order.
It is unknown exactly what sort of materials make up an Oberon. The few debris known to have been recovered are inconclusive, and make mention of vaguely organic compounds and exotic alloys, ethereally "phased" into existence by means unknown. Spectrometric analysis has constantly shown a high concentration of Thaumium in the Oberons' core.
Many believe that the Oberon were extreme examples of Shade Manifestations - psionic entities from Hyperspace embued with basic concepts but no true sentience - though proof is scant and evidence very scarce.

Abilities

The Oberon defy conventional means of FTL transport, possessing no dive-drives. Instead, their slitherine legs wield the unfathomable power to manipulate gravity and mass, allowing them to create singularities in their path and, effectively, plummet through space. This ominous ability not only facilitates their travel but serves as a formidable weapon. The Oberon can unleash unimaginable graviometric disruptions, ensnaring hapless starships, or crushing them under merciless tidal forces. Their offensive prowess extends further with the use of a massive faerie gauss cannon nestled within their abdomen. Worlds have been reduced to desolate wastelands under the wrath of the largest Oberon, dubbed Titania, leaving behind scorched remains as chilling testaments to their destructive capabilities. However, they often opt for a more sinister method, contaminating planets by showering their surfaces with minuscule crystals. These insidious crystals corrupt the soil and release lethal compounds into the atmosphere, perpetuating an agonizing demise for the afflicted world. Troublesome fortress worlds bear witness to the Oberon's merciless tactics. Asteroids are ruthlessly launched, or natural satellites have their orbits disrupted, unleashing devastating cataclysms upon these resilient bastions.
It is unclear why the Oberon differ in tactics, though any and all efforts to mount a defence has failed.
In terms of sheer technological advantage, the Oberon possess technological prowess that reaches metaphysical heights. Ancient literature makes no mention of similar enemies, except for ancient Mewei and Hiderid knowledge caches, which hint that the Oberon have prowled the Pyxis Globula for tens of thousands of years. The Boshaari's attempts to glean insights from captured Oberon technology have borne little fruit, for the Oberon evolve rapidly during battle, leaving only traces of their enigmatic advancements in their wake (and generally winning every encounter so tremendously that there is no way to recover much).

Cultural views

Mewei & Hiderid views

The Hiderid and Mewei see the Oberon as spaceborne megapredators and gruesome answers to the Great Filter. Ancient archives attest to what might have been an early Oberon attack, ten thousand cycles prior to the Incursion, in the early days of Mewei space exploration, when the world of the lost Seelie was glassed and shattered by faelike invaders who retreated afterwards, leaving little in their wake. All fae technology was considered maltech by the Mewei, who jealously hunted and hoarded it.

Fallanist views

To the Fallanists, the Oberon represent the epithome of evil - the most malicious and powerful of Erinyæs, come to win the cosmic battle between good and evil and reshape the universe as a nightmareish reality. In the sacred texts and scriptures, creatures much like the Oberon had been depicted as nightmarish entities born from the darkest corners of the cosmos. The Fallanists thus perceived them as heralds of the End-Times — a time when the forces of evil will seek to overthrow all that is good and just — and believe that the formidable discovery of a Yoni Ark enabling survivors to flee the doomed galaxy is proof of the Inheritor's grace and that the cosmic battle, through slanted towards evil, is far from lost.

Type

Metaphysical, Astral