Dark Entropy (Grimdark Scifi lore help)

Hello, I have this idea of making a skirmish game and I am building the world. I would like some ideas-input if you'd like. Thanks in advance. The idea was from this quote by Carl Sagan:

Τhe newest children in a strange and uncertain cosmos should listen quietly for a long time, patiently learning about the universe and comparing notes, before shouting into an unknown jungle that we do not understand.

and that the current 40K is not the grimdark I grew up and loved. My lore so far.

In the near future progress in physics and technology make humans to achieve Warp Drive. But as with any new technology, there comes danger. The Warp / Void is a parallel universe to ours, that is comprised of raw energy. It is not bad nor good (as in 40K), it just is. However, biological organisms that go through the Warp can Ascend or Descend. Those changed are called Angels (Ascended) and Demons (Descended). Humanity does not know anything about the state of the galaxy and they are just happy that they achieved the Warp Jump technology and that they are capable to travel to distant planets and colonise.

However, those initial Warp Jumps without safety work like lighthouses in the Warp / Void and the first faction that is drawn to our Solar System are the Demons. They appear like saviours to mankind and want to "help" us, giving us some of their technology and insight. Or their corrupted version of the universe. Humans, are like naive kids initially, and believe this "benevolent" species at first. But after some time the Angels arrive and try to stop the Demons. They do not care about the survival of Humanity, they just want to stop their enemy. So the Sol System becomes an apocalyptic battleground between Angels and Demons, with Humanity in the middle.

On the 11th hour, just before Humanity is wiped out, another faction arrives. They give their technology to aid the Humans and so Humanity manages to push back the Angels and Demons from the Sol System. However, even this faction, has nefarious reasons to help, as they want Humanity for their pure DNA.

The state of the lore so far is the above. I have made the following factions (names are just placeholders).

Earthlings: modern, near future humans with (somewhat) current era technology and weaponry. As they are new to the Warp Jump, its effect on them is minimal or non existent. They manage to do some colonies few light years around the Sol System.

Angels: Ascended humans. I do not know what kind of speciality to give them. They represent life and rebirth on the galaxy. Possibly they have weapons from materialized light or something like that.

Demons: Descended humans. I do not know what kind of speciality to give them, apart that they are the exact opposite of the Angels. They represent Entropy and order through chaos.

Space Pirates: The fourth faction of the lore. They are masters of DNA manipulation and their way to stop the effect of the Warp / Void is to create clones of themselves and transfer their consiousness there (killing their old bodies), after some jumps. Think about Dark Eldar with a mix of Beastmen.

Biomechanical Humans: Those are humans that have a Hive Mind. As the Hive Mind never enters the Warp / Void fully, they are immune to its effects. They are insectoid in looks and they do not appear humanlike at all, with their chitin / carapace armour etc. Think a mix of Tyranids-Genestealer Cults, with Giger and Humanity Lost. They are close to the Sol System and their colonies are at war later in the story.

Mechanical Humans: Those are humans that are pure mechanical and work with AIs. They are an offshoot of humanity that merged with AI. As they are pure mechanical they are immune to the Warp / Void effects. Think a mix of ABC Warriors, Necrons and Terminators. Again, they are close to the Sol System and their colonies are at war with the Earthlings.

There is only one species in the galaxy, the Human species. So all factions share a somewhat common ancestor. The Earth humans are called Earthlings so far to distinguish them from the other factions.

This is what I have for now. I would like to work it and flesh it out some more. How and what can be the Ascension / Descend? What makes a human transfrom into such a being (Angel / Demon)? Thanks in advance.

Here is an AI assisted answer to your question. Feel free to ignore completely or choose some parts that you liked:

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In the near future, humanity achieves a monumental breakthrough in physics and technology, allowing them to harness Warp Drive. This innovation opens the doors to distant stars, leading to the first steps of human colonization beyond the Solar System. However, this technology also brings unforeseen dangers. The Warp, also known as the Void, is a parallel universe composed of raw, unfiltered energy. It is neither good nor evil—it simply exists. Yet, it has the power to transform those who pass through it.

Unbeknownst to humanity, the Warp is home to ancient and powerful entities—beings from a predecessor species that once ruled the cosmos.

The Angels and Demons are not human but are instead the remnants of an ancient civilization that ascended beyond the physical realm. These beings were once one race, but their exposure to the Warp and differing ideologies led to a catastrophic schism, resulting in the creation of the two distinct factions.

Angels: The Angels represent the faction that embraced the ideals of order, harmony, and preservation of life. Their exposure to the Warp, combined with their pursuit of enlightenment and transcendence, transformed them into radiant beings of immense power. Their forms are ethereal, often appearing as beings of light with wings or other celestial features. They wield energy-based weaponry and possess abilities that can heal, protect, or even resurrect. However, their focus on the greater good has led them to become detached from the value of individual lives, viewing mortal beings as pawns in a larger cosmic struggle.

Demons: The Demons are the dark mirror of the Angels. They are the result of those who embraced chaos, entropy, and the darker aspects of the universe. Their transformation through the Warp twisted their forms into monstrous, fearsome beings. They thrive on destruction, corruption, and decay, believing that chaos is the true nature of the cosmos. Demons wield dark energy, capable of corrupting matter and minds alike, and their presence often brings madness and ruin to those who encounter them. Despite their terrifying nature, Demons see themselves as agents of necessary change, believing that through chaos, true growth and evolution occur.

Humanity’s initial Warp Jumps act like beacons in the Void, drawing the attention of both Angels and Demons. Caught between these two powerful forces, humanity is forced to navigate an apocalyptic battleground within the Solar System. Both Angels and Demons seek to sway humanity to their cause, not out of benevolence, but to use them as tools in their ancient war.

Though Angels and Demons are not human, they see the potential in humanity to ascend or descend, much like their own species once did. The Warp affects humans in unpredictable ways, with those exposed to it for long periods potentially undergoing transformations.

Ascension: Humans who resonate with the ideals of order, light, and harmony might be transformed into beings resembling the Angels. These humans begin to exhibit traits of the predecessor race, gaining powers of healing, protection, and control over light.

Descension: Conversely, those who embrace chaos, destruction, or give in to darker emotions might begin to descend, becoming twisted and corrupted like the Demons. They gain powers of corruption, entropy, and darkness, slowly losing their humanity in the process.

The war between Angels and Demons is ancient and seemingly unending, with humanity now caught in the middle. Each faction has its own goals for the universe, and humans are merely the latest species to be drawn into their conflict.

Angels: Seek to bring order to the galaxy, believing that humanity can be uplifted and transformed into a force for cosmic harmony. They see the Demons as an existential threat that must be eradicated, even if it means sacrificing entire worlds.

Demons: Aim to spread chaos and entropy, viewing it as the true state of the universe. They believe that by embracing chaos, humanity can break free from the stagnation of order and achieve true power and freedom. They seek to corrupt or destroy the Angels, whom they see as oppressors of true potential.

I did used some AI through ChatGPT but I want input from real humans. Thanks btw.

The prompt was mine. There is also the matter of coaxing it in the right direction and I also reviewed its output a little. I think it is an interesting idea, so in someway, that's also my (real human) input for you. What do you think? =)

I want to avoid the reasoning that good people turn to Angels and bad people turn to Demons when you travel the Warp/Void. Both factions are not interested in the Earthlings, they just see them as a bug in the window of the cosmos. They care more about their own war (Order Harmony - Disorder Entropy).

As for the Space Pirates I know they need Earthlings for our pure DNA (since we have not started splicing DNA yet).

Biomechanical Humans and Mechanical Humans are against Earthlings because we are near their colonies. At least that's what I have for now.

Earthlings just want to survive, after they see the forces that exist outside their Sol System.

interesting.
some ideas

>Angels could have an absolute vision of a perfect universe.
Life and rebirth could stand for a cosmic cycle of the universe that the angels seek to uphold, while demons want to break it.
Demons representing entropy could mean they want to break this cycle. Doing so would allow the universe to function in a more natural free way, but lets entropy run free and bring everything to an end.

>either way i'd make angels and demons as bad as each other. Their ideals are barely understood (if at all) by humans and when your home is burned it matters not if it was by the light of angels or demonic hellfire.

>Ascension and Descension could be named such by the angels, a propaganda effort on their part.
|But in truth they could be very similar in nature. A soul that comes in contact with energy of the warp/void/heaven, and survives the process is infused with it. they will see the nature of the cycle.
They can choose to protect and uphold it, becoming angels, or reject it becoming demons.

>The space pirates need dna. they might need 'pure' human dna to replenish the baseline used for cloning.
Cloning stocks of dna could decay by use or just imperfect storage.

>earthlings, or terrestrians maybe, are near future/modern. So i imagine them being seperated in nations with different relations between them like they do now. only now they are dragged into space wars have they formed a loose alliance.

? Also what scale of battle are you looking to make most prominent in terms of power?
As a skirmish game battles often have the equivalent of 5-15 soldiers with various weapons.
But how much presence do you want of super soldiers, light vehicles like bikes or even small walkers/mechs.
And even if they aren't part of warbands, tanks planes and larger forces would exist, how much would you want them to effect the skirmishes?
that can help with what power level would work for angels, demons, augmented humans etc.

And considering what people can bring outside just troops. some ideas for that
Angels/demons have powers.
Terrestrians have improvised heavy weaponry with stolen tech, and rely most on their soldiers.
Mechenicals might are robotics, and could use lesser non sentient drones.
Biomechanicals have soldiers as the equivalent of nid synapse creatures, used to control drones or servitors.

Then space pirates. they have cloning and gene technology.
they create new bodies to avoid 'elevation changes', and are very un humanlike.
They could see themselves as more than human, so aren't eager to fight themselves.
A force could have one of them show up in person as leader, if one shows at all.
They could have all sorts of monsters made specifically for the mission,
supported by failed clones and smaller beasts.
all being controlled by either some implant or genetic programming.


Also, air support is an option in surface battles, but i'm not sure whom it would fit most to start bombing the area helldivers style.

Yes, that's a good idea. Maybe when you come in contact with the raw image of the universe, you either turn insane or serene. Or how The Master said it "Can’t you hear it, Mrs. Rook? The drumbeat. The drums are coming closer and closer.".

Although earthlings will be modern, they had the time to become a united species under the common threat. However expect to see a lot of AKs and ARs and Abraahms, Leopards etc.

I am thinking of 28mm heroic scale, with no more than 30 models per army. Although I like to field tons of models, small skirmish battles are faster and easier to organise and play. Since I will also design the models, I will have them available in 54mm scale too (and possibly 1/35), at least some of them. Angels and Demons will have a Space Marine variant. Some factions will have mechas, some others flyers. I plan to have same basic troop choices for every faction but each faction will have distinct playstyle.

30 models. So a bit larger than a typical skirmish, with all factions having basic soldiers.
Have been busy, but some ideas of what would be seen on a battlefield, if you still want some.

Assuming that basic troops mean the same idea, but will look different and be different lore-wise.
And same stats/rules, with maybe the exception of army rules.

Both angels and Demons
The most simple power both angels and demons have could be to burn, however it is done in different ways.
An angel controls, making beams of divine light to burn away specific targets.
A demon, let's power run free, it lights a flame and lets hellfire run wild.

Basic troops could be people only mildly or indirectly exposed to the void.
Their souls have been changed, their bodies have not.
i imagine troopers with glowing golden or actively burning red eyes.
The demon troopers with burning eyes having burns over their face from the unending flames.

Angels:
Angels can be rigid and controlled, their flesh changing to a sort of living marble.
Their wings can have feathers of gold and silver, used like the Stymphalian birds as weapons.
golden chains could be used to entrap and obstruct enemies.
The most powerful could be as immovable as a statue, yet moving around unimpeded.
They are cold, uncaring, only there for goals humans cannot understand.

that and divine golden laser eyes, as a devastating targeted weapon.
along with them being cold also freezing their surroundings

Demons:
Those who reject the light of ascension might seem more sympathetic, but only because they want you to believe that they are.
But they don't really care, humanity is but a tool in their cosmic conflict with the angels.
They'll tell any reason for their war with the angels, except the truth, that they are just as bad, but want to be free to do it their own way.

Demons are uncontrolled, setting fires and letting warp energy run freely over the battlefield. their power is unpredictable, but when it functions in favor of the demon, it's incredibly potent

Earth:
A united force, but a desperate one.
Experimenting with new tech and making use of anything still left.
They could be the faction that has everything, but does none of it as good as the faction specialized in it.

a specialization with weird weapons can work, any especially weird rule tied to a device only earthlings are desperate enough to build.
i do see potential in them using people who are not entirely equipped as a cheaper version to add to troops, and using repurposed civilian vehicles for transport.

they have a modern military, but war has made them desperate. propaganda is prominent, soldiers care little for civilians, and profiteers and scavengers are able to work freely.

Space Pirates:
The taking on new bodies does remind me of the orokin in warframe, except they transferred their consciousness into people overriding their consciousness, and did it to be immortal.
That and the grineer from the same game, an army of clones with a deteriorating gene stock, are what i think of when pitching ideas here.

They could rely on cloning to have plentiful troops.
imperfect copies of human beings used as cannon fodder.
But with dark eldar inspiration, i believe you have some decent idea for what they'd do to people to make specialized creatures.

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haven't had any good ideas for biomechanical and mechanical factions yet.

Kinda strikes me as a Grimdark version of Good Omens. ;)

Nice to see a fellow Tenno in the wild.

I am thinking of adding drones and swarm tactics to the other factions. I am still working on the ideas and you suggested some very nice concepts. It's like a month since I got the idea of this universe and I am still at the beginning. I have not even done any concept artwork for the factions yet, although I am thinking of having some biblical angel inspiration for the "Angels".

I did some work with the factions' abilities.

Earthlings → middle grounds faction, a swiss army knife. They have modern equipment and weapons with some technology reverse engineered from the "Pirates". They have units for close-medium-far range.

Angels → expensive faction, they have light weapons and are empowered by the Warp / Void. They have units for close-medium range. Space Marines archetype

Demons → expensive faction, they have corruptive / sin powers and are empowered by the Warp / Void. They have units for close-medium range. Chaos Space Marines archetype

Pirates → middle faction, they have mostly infantry (beastmen and clones, etc) and fast attack. They have units for medium-far range.

Biomechanical Humans → cheap faction, they have mostly infantry and horde armies. Their power is the Synapse / Hive Mind and are immune to the Warp / Void.

Mechanical Humans → middle faction, they have heavy equipment and drones. Their power is the heavy support / artillery and are immune to the Warp / Void.


The "Pirates" want the DNA from the pure humanity since their constant cloning process made their own to degrade. Also, the constant cloning makes the clones prone to psychic breakdown and psychosis (they basically become mindless husks that only care for animalistic survival).

Same to you.
Yeah the many wings, way too many eyes, and just ophanim have quite the cool look.
I'm glad to be of help, and will post if anything else cool comes to mind.