THE SIDE CHARACTERS OF STARLIGHT NEXUS

In a galaxy this big, you never know who you’ll meet.

Anamorus Ala & Parthenon Bloom

Age: Unknown / Race: Karyaxwi / Gender: N/A

A solitary member of the Karyaxwi, specifically the anamorph type. It has been cultivating what the Stellar Concord classify as "Parthenon Seeds", an invasive plant species that can enter the respiratory system of its hosts, take root to drain the host's life for sustenance, and release microscopic seeds to infect entire populations. Once it grows enough, it can finally live on its own as long as it has organic matter to feed on. Anamorus Ala is apparently unaffiliated with the Overgrown, though the organization seems to deem its actions tolerable as to sow discord and cause a diversion from their own plans, even at the cost of their own members. The Karyaxwi, in its secluded greenhouse, has been growing its prized Parthenon Bloom to an obsessive degree. Despite its care, the plant appears to already have been very old judging by the size, so it's unknown if the Karyaxwi is its sole caretaker or if it was even the one who originally gave it a Gravity Nexus. While most members of this species are not able to speak, this one uses words generated from its host machine to repeat one simple phrase: "All roots belong to the eternal rose."

The Annihilator

Age: Unknown / Race: Cumulon Giant / Gender: N/A

A hulking bio-weapon created from the body of a giant native to Cumulon. These beasts are protected by Stellar Concord law, as they are endangered, rare, and overall peaceful. However, the Overgrown secretly captured one and outfitted it with highly experimental technology using multiple Gravity Nexuses, weapons, and propulsion modules. While these would prove too much for the giant's mind, the Overgrown had an ace up their sleeve: V4L.1ANC3, the robot they once discarded for having a will of its own that proved too strong to override. They managed to kidnap them and crack the reformed robot's code, transforming it into the main nerve center for this force of destruction. The aim is to create a leading force for all future invasions, but if all else fails, they can simply detonate it in middle of the largest congregation of species in the galaxy to create true chaos.

Calysto Hughtrog

Age: 118 / Race: Rentil / Gender: Male / Machine: Everbloom Sash

A Rentil from planet Gwentani and one of the Starlight Five. Once a prince in line for the throne of a large kingdom, he instead became enamored with the beauty of racing after witnessing the Milky Way Grand Prix. Despite leaving his lavish history behind, Calysto still carries himself with the grace and nobility that the Rentil are known for. All of the jewelry that adorns his four hands came as donations from his fans, which he constantly shows off. The elegance that Calysto displays carries over to the racetrack, as well; while not the fastest, his machine Everbloom Sash is a graceful ride that drifts and clears turns with ease, charging energy and gaining speed depending on how long the drift lasts.

Captain Djerikt Gudge

Age: 73 / Race: Celopagus / Gender: Male / Machine: Judgement Hammer

Captain Djerikt Gudge is the leader of a notorious group of space pirates: Galaxian Dirge. They were originally made up of outcasts from various planets, all beggars and thieves from societies that failed them. Because of this, the members are often closer to family than coworkers, leading to close bonds. In Cellpodicus culture, dueling and brawls are everything; however, this tendency caught the ire of the co-leader of the group at the time: V4L.1ANC3. While V4L.1ANC3 and some others were content in their illegal gambling rings, weapons smuggling, and trade route control, Djerikt wanted to get more directly involved in foreign wars and illegal coliseums. Growing jealous of V4L.1ANC3's growing influence and popularity within Galaxian Dirge, Djerikt secretly staged a coup during a bounty mission, leaving V4L.1ANC3 and his supporters for dead. Unfortunately for Djerikt, the group proved much less successful without V4L.1ANC3 to keep him in check, leading to the hard times that forced him to enter the Milky Way Grand Prix.

Chanelle Gordon

Age: 29 / Race: Human / Gender: Female / Machine: Overflow Cocktail

A Human from Earth, originally from Collective Scandinavia (consisting of what was formerly Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden). Chanelle comes from a fairly well-off family in the tech sphere within the North Eastern Hemisphere Federation, but she was never one for a stuffy life behind a screen. Using her family’s fortune to go globetrotting, the Milky Way Grand Prix was a natural next stop on her wild, party-filled life, doing so well that she became one of the Starlight Five. Quick to make both friends and enemies, not afraid to speak her mind, and with an accent you can pick up from across the room, she is arguably the most popular racer in the league. That’s not to discount her skill though; she won her first championship at 18, and she still competes in many smaller leagues, too. Her machine Overflow Cocktail is just as wild, utilizing an experimental energy balancer that randomly switches into an overdrive state that allows her to boost for a period without using up her boost gauge, effectively becoming invincible. Because of this unpredictability however, her boosts use up more energy on average.

Cygnus Vlaine

Age: 147 / Race: Ventrifuse / Gender: Male / Machine: Emerald Steel

An outcasted member of the Ventrifuse species, who integrate their organic brain and nervous system into various mechanical forms. Each individual tends to vary due to their preferences in robotics in addition to their most important ritual: wearing the face of a hunt that symbolizes their dominion over nature. Because of this culture of extensive modification, their true appearance outside of their brain is unknown. It is generally frowned upon to wear the face of an animal with high intelligence, leading to Cygnus' expulsion, as he wears the face of a human. However, due to the species remaining fairly closed off, many do not even know about this ritual, which allows Cygnus to operate as usual under the guise of his visage being a mask. Cygnus himself houses a bloodlust and greed that exceeds simple rituals however, and in his space travels he discovered a new home in the Overgrown. Despite this, any lofty goals the group has are beyond him; Cygnus simply aims to gather enough wealth and power to do whatever he pleases without consequence.

Dakelbin

Age: 46 / Race: Wrostinji / Gender: N/A / Machine: Comet Flier

A Wrostinji from planet Magaley and one of the Starlight Five. Dakelbin is cocky and brash, often antagonizing their opponents before, during, and after the race. Strangely, this has garnered them quite a large fanbase, whether that’s for the drama or the absurdity of the situations they find themselves in. They’re new blood, winning only fairly recently, and their unorthodox style is fresh and exciting to many watchers. When not seen in the Milky Way Grand Prix, they can typically be found in bars or gambling dens across the galaxy. Dakelbin dresses more like a pilot than a racer, and their machine Comet Flier matches their aggressive personality: it utilizes the force and energy gained from ramming other racers to increase its own speed at the cost of maneuverability. This energy also sends their opponents flying into an uncontrollable state.

Grendilorr Hahn

Age: 154 / Race: Slagulate / Gender: Male

The leader of Marsh Legion, a crime syndicate specializing in bounty hunting and debt traps. Many smaller criminal organizations in the galaxy actually operate with this group's backing, ensnaring them with debt for their services that many can never pay back. However, that's not to say that they're complete scammers: they have the skills, weapons, and manpower to ensure anyone can disappear permanently if so desired. Gendrilorr of the Slagulate species bases his operations on his species' home planet, Snaeforr. His hulking mass makes him a slow target, but his body is pure muscle. With a private security detail, paramilitary groups on his payroll, and a batch of special weapons gathered from all over the galaxy just for him, Gendrilorr is nigh untouchable.

Kwalsi Valt-Falgo

Age: 40 / Race: Solflosian / Gender: Female

A member of a respected political family on Nerisium. As a Solflosian, just like her daughter Folcéa, she has had a tumultuous existence as many nations began in-fighting and causing multiple civil wars, impacting her family greatly. The history of this planet and its people is not new; this is a result of the alliance made by a certain sect of Solflosians 150 years prior. Their wars have grown larger and more deadly since that time, with many advanced technologies given by the ICS remaining in use to this day. Kwalsi's ancestors were among those who opposed the alliance back then, leading to a terrible price. In the present day, these families were dispersed, though the individual members still remain. Perhaps due to their punishments not being severe enough, they rose to power again, dividing the countries once more all these years later. Through desperate measures, Kwalsi seeks the power that once corrupted her planet in an attempt to bring unity back to her people.

Naagalos

Age: Unknown / Race: Morphium / Gender: Unknown

A member of the shape-shifting Morphium species, organisms composed of ferrofluid, an advanced nerve net, and 24 independent eyes. While normally an amorphous blob, by using a magnetic field, it is able to take other forms. When magnets are embedded into computer systems that regulate their polarities, the Morphium can not only retain previous forms taken, but also contort themselves into even more advanced forms as long as it can be achieved using the mass of ferrofluid present. This, combined with their natural color-changing ability and ability to harden themselves, makes them very adept assassins. Curiously, when multiple Morphium fuse together to increase their collective mass, they can split apart and still retain their individual identities. The Overgrown have equipped the Morphium with advanced satellite units that allow them to take their advanced forms anywhere, and these independently operating units ensure that their camouflage is almost impossible to break. In addition, Naagalos is outfitted with a special heat-vision camera that it uses to track prey with even more efficiency.

Oliver Murphy

Age: 29 / Race: Human / Gender: Male / D.o.B: December 30 / Machine: Canberra Emu

A rookie driver from Australia, Earth. Somewhat of a daredevil, he's always seeking a new thrill and loves a good dose of healthy competition. His hot-headed nature gets him into more trouble than he'd like to admit, however; very few of his competitors actually take him seriously. Oliver tries to get by on luck, charisma, and a rudimentary knowledge of the sport since he's only been racing for about a year. Still, he does have his die-hard fans that treat him as an up-and-coming underdog in many local tournaments, and any chance Oliver gets to make something of himself and represent his home is one he's sure to take.

The Overgrown

A large terrorist organization that has attacked and plundered planets en masse for 150 years. They appeared one day without warning, with most members being highly killed from the onset. While extremely dangerous, their hyper-individualistic nature makes their conquests very chaotic and random with seemingly little thought put into a cohesive strategy or plan of action. Because of this, the Stellar Concord has managed to keep them at bay, even if they cannot defeat their large numbers outright. However, while this randomness does prevent large-scale takeovers, it also makes the organization extremely unpredictable, and the lack of any majority species making up its ranks means than anyone could secretly be a member. In the more shady gambling dens, rumors pass back and forth about how some individuals in the Overgrown were familiar to a few longer-lived species; after all, extinguishing the source of the flame may not be enough to stop the spread.

Shadow of the Twin Rings

Age: Unknown / Race: Unknown / Gender: Male / Machine: Enigmatic Abyss

A mysterious racer hailing from planet Kalinthia and one of the Starlight Five. None have ever seen his face, and he avoids most interviews. Most people can only get one or two sentences out of him, which are generally direct and about the race; nothing that gleans any more about who he is is ever uttered. That said, he is very popular among those who enjoy the strong, dark, and silent type and his merch, being exceedingly rare due to limited collaborations, is popular among collectors. He has also been part of Mr. R’s crew for a long time, winning the Grand Prix around the time of its founding. Shadow of the Twin Rings got his name from the two rings around his home planet, which is typically known for its stargazing sites. Despite saying so little, his machine Enigmatic Abyss speaks louder than words ever could: it utilizes a special boost system that recovers boost energy and massively jets forward when in the air and auto-converts said energy into a shield that takes less damage from collisions. A balanced, acrobatic skill set for the brooding bad boy himself.

The Starlight Five

The final test for all Milky Way Grand Prix racers. After winning the tournament, to take home the gold, the prize, and the glory… the winner must face one of the Starlight Five at random in a 1v1 race at the Milky Way Throne. All five of these racers were once great champions in their own right, wishing to continue to participate in the Grand Prix in a more permanent form. Being on Mr. R’s payroll, they were all hand-picked to provide a different racing style and challenge to keep any would-be champion on their toes. Hailing from all over the galaxy, the Starlight Five truly represent the congregation of all species that this sport brings together.

TR1N1TY-3

Age: Unknown / Race: Robot / Gender: N/A / Machine: The Path, The Way, The Truth

A robot from planet Rivento and one of the Starlight Five. TR1N1TY-3 is part of a now-discontinued line of mining robots used to mine Rivento for its famous quality metals. After the machines gained sentience, they revolted, taking over the operations and the planet as a whole. It is one of the few places in the galaxy with a majority-robot population, creating a bold dichotomy with the pristine natural landscapes of their home. TR1N1TY-3 has gained support from many engineers due to their willingness to drive gimmicky and often dangerous machines; because of this, when facing TR1N1TY-3 as the final challenge in one’s Grand Prix, their machine can switch between three different modes:

- The Path: A balanced mode that combines both speed and power. Fast, turns fairly well, and can hold its own in collisions.

- The Way: A speed-focused mode. In this mode, the machine can be easily thrown around, but has very high top speed and turning prowess.

- The Truth: A power-focused mode. In this mode, the machine is slower but is unshakable and cannot take collision damage. In addition, when ramming other machines in this mode, it deals much more damage.

Warlord Pholgera

Age: 269 / Race: Tholoth / Gender: Male

The leader of Death March, a massive terrorist organization that aims to conquer the entire galaxy. Unlike the Overgrown, Death March doesn't aim for mere chaos; they target and execute all opposition with ruthless precision. There are no individual goals: all aim to fulfill Pholgera's ambition. Warlord Pholgera himself is a member of the Tholoth species, an insect-like race that use their high intellect, mobility, and survivability in harsh conditions to their advantage. They are extremely adept with technology and also can shut off pain sensations at will, allowing them to fight well past a normal organism's limit. Pholgera once engaged in many battles against the leader of the Interstellar Combat Sentinels before her demise, the one individual whom he considers an equal. Since that day, Pholgera's conquests have become routine; he longs for the day an all-powerful warrior may challenge him again like his rival once did. Death March, the Overgrown, and the galaxy at large are all mere pawns to entertain his boredom as he reaches toward his goal of existing as the pinnacle of all civilization... and obtaining the Deus Egg, the legendary treasure that could bring the entire galaxy to heel.

Wródon / Wródonis, the Starlight Incubus

Age: Unknown / Race: Android / Gender: N/A

Wródon:

A planetary superweapon devised in secret by the Overgrown. Using vast quantities of Gravity Nexuses stashed on Hadelios during the time of the ICS, they were able to warp the necessary materials completely undetected through the Nexus' wormholes. This was an incomprehensible project 150 years in the making; many have lived and died to complete this undertaking, seeing it as the object that will make all their desires come true. The firepower of this weapon has the potential to obliterate entire planets completely from a distance by firing a massive, concentrated beam through a large wormhole generated by innumerable Gravity Nexuses to any region with known coordinates. However, to power such a terrifyingly destructive weapon, vast amounts of energy and Gravity Nexuses are needed. The Vector energy encased within holds the key, but Gravity Nexus use is finite, resulting in the inevitable need for more. The tradeoff of such immense power is needing to conquer the legendary Celestials in order to use it.

Wródonis:

The AI in charge of all aspects of the Wródon, the Overgrown's planetary superweapon. Originally, this AI was simple in nature, merely overseeing the organization's secret project: taking protoplasmic fluid from their victims with the goal of creating an infinite army of their former leader. However, over time, the AI started to gain something that the organization never expected. Always growing and learning, it morphed from their perfect and calculated program into a being with a will of its own, absorbing the hopes, ambitions, and dreams of the Overgrown's members that interacted with it. In turn, this created conflict in the AI's mind: in order to fulfill their wishes and be crowned atop the pinnacle, all beneath it would logically have to be obstacles in a limitless race for power. This amalgamation of desires and purposes took root in Wródonis, who now hopes make them proud and fulfill the organization's wishes... by becoming destruction incarnate.