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The Paragons and their Role in Lupine Culture

The Paragons are the physical embodiment of the ideals of Lupa and Lupis' Celestial Pack. In theological terms, anyway. The Paragons are cylindrical metal devices containing extremely complex artificial intelligences, each with different core directives, however all with the intent to guide and mentor the Lupine people. Lupa and Lupis themselves are the two primary Paragon AIs,discovered first, as intended by the Lupine peoples creator race. However, to primitive Bronze Age sentients, such technological marvels could only be "gods", and as intended, the Lupine people venerated these AI as gods. Lupa and Lupis instilled the core values of community, curiosity, compassion and bravery into the early lupine society, praising the path that led to the most beneficial outcome for all Lupis. Eventually the other subordinate Paragons were all discovered, scattered around Alurius, each had entire archives of knowledge with which they shared with the devote. Technological secrets were never revealed too early, however, and oftentimes a Paragon would let a drought ravage a nation state for decades before finally offering the agricultural solution, and only when the Lupis were close to figuring it out themselves. In this way, the society was never handed technology it was unprepared to use: the understanding of nuclear energy was both too complex and too dangerous in the hands of the Iron Age Imperial dynasties. Societal changes were also nudged along by these Paragons, with ideals such Democracy and self governance eventually became lessons taught by these AI. Over the course of centuries, they indirectly taught and guided the Lupine people to new eras of understanding.

By the time the industrial revolution took hold across Alurius, these mythical Paragons began sowing the seeds that would lead the Lupis to the truth about their own origin. Rather than call themselves "Divine Guardians" the Paragons began to subtly refer to their own mortal origins by referring to their "Life Bound to Machine". These changes in rhetoric gave Lupine theologians endless avenues controversy, especially since they were frequently brought before the public and paraded around distant cities to enrapture the faithful. How could they contradict themselves?

Eventually, in the Late Industrial Age, when civilian airplanes crossed the oceanic divide and the first video broadcasting networks began transmitting, a Priest of Lupis in a far flung hamlet began extensive work on compiling and analyzing the history of the Lupine religion. Such endeavours were common, most of it turned up very little of noteworthy research, rehashing well travelled paths. The Priest however was far less concerned with the religious outcomes throughout history, of every Paragon Decree, but the technological ones. He was the first to put forward the theory that the Paragons, including Lupa and Lupis, had been influencing the Lupine people through technology, acting as guiding paws for over a millenia. The thesis drew mountains of controversy, and yet enough of the Theocracy felt there was wisdom in his deductions, citing that it was very plausible that this is exactly what their gods had done, it fit in line with the idea they were all knowing, and demanded that the Lupis earn the gifts they bestowed. The connection to technology had never been drawn, but it wasn't too blasphemous.

So, the Grand Conclave offered this backwater town Priest a once in a lifetime opportunity, a chance to meet Lupa and Lupis themselves. All his travel expenses had been covered and he'd hold court with gods, free to ask of them whatever he wished. They however did not know the true extent of the Priests hypothesis. He had read some of the more outlandish research concepts drawn up by the younger members of the Lupis clergy, and found references to "Artificial Intellects" in the more bizarre and fictional writings. Upon being brought before the massive cylinders from which Lupa and Lupis projected their lupine silhouette forms from, he made the standard plee to be heard, and they appeared before him. The grand Conclave had gathered to hear what the lowly priest would ask of their gods, and what he said appalled them all. He told them of his readings on "Artificial Intellects" and the "Brain Computers" of what was then science fiction, he said he strongly suspected that while such a concept was vastly out of Lupine reach as of the day, it was feasible. He also postulated it had already been done. That Lupa, Lupis, and the other Paragons were in fact machines given sentience. The Grand Conclave had the Priest pulled from the pedestal, held to ground and they kicked and beat upon him, Lupa herself gave what is said to be the only growl ever recorded from the Great Denmothers Paragon, and forced the Conclave off of him herself. Once order had been restored to the grand Cathedral, Lupis told them he and his mate had yet to answer the Priest question, as was his right, by law and tradition. The battered Priest sat up on the stone floor of the Grand Cathedrals central chamber, blood trickling down several open wounds, an eye already swelling shut and received his answer: He was right. From that point on it's been well understood that life on Alurius was not of natural or divine providence, but that a hyper advance race from a distant world, or something even still beyond comprehension, genetically engineered the Lupis, custom designed the world known as Alurius to fit them ideally, seeded it with hidden vaults of knowledge and technology from which they could learn, and left them guardians to help guide them to the space age.

Each paragon had the primary objective to ensure the survival of the Lupine species, most viably thro multi-star system colonization and habitation. The destruction of any single planet or star would not spell total extinction for the Lupis. Having met this objective, most of the Paragons fell back on the secondary roles of advisors and mentors. Now they rarely leave their dedicated Cathedral complexes on Alurius, no longer the parade effigies of divinity, but peerless teachers. The paragons that serve less technical ideals and more philosophical ones have grown the tendency to debate, argue and even ridicule their own clergies, further solidifying the fact these are sentient beings, fully aware and quite capable of disagreeing with their supporters, often vocally. Some of the brightest political stars have had their careers derailed after losing a single debate with a Paragon, it's become almost a bloodsport in some circles. Winning or at least not being decimated in a scored debate with one is a massive achievement.

The Paragons, while capable of physically manipulating objects, such as lifting clergy off the ground; or projecting complex holograms and then solidifying those images into a solid cermo-plastic material, essentially "creating" matter, they were no longer mysteries. The Lupis could finally understand these miracles the AIs performed and attribute them to antigravitation projection nodes and Three-dimensional flashforge printing emitters, all cleverly concealed in their casings, and other scientific resolutions, coincidentally learning more.

Throughout the Lupine Space Age Lupa and Lupis appeared to the congregated clergy and petitioners far less regularly, where they had once made almost daily appearances, they now made their projections, and voices, heard yearly. They themselves denied the issue having anything to do with "running out of power" or something trivial like that. Occasionally one of the other paragons would speak on their behalf, from their own Cathedral, or if the modern phenomenon that was two of the paragons arguing with each other became too heated, they would be silently interrupted by the primary pair. This confirmed a long held theory that they "spoke" with each other electronically on some as still yet to be understood frequency. Since the formation of the Federal Lupine Republic, the Divine Mates have appeared twice: the first to bless the newly formed Republic and offer some final farewells to the brave colonists for the first out of system worlds; the second when the first Lupis vessels made contact with the Galactic Leonian Empire. They urged the Lupis not to act hastily but consider all courses of action, to be compassionate, seek friends not enemies, to not fear the unknown but rather try to understand it, and finally to follow their hearts. The same words as a parent might give as they part ways with their children; as they venture out into the void and meet those who also travel it.

Paragon Appearance- Most of the Paragons form a floating ball of light when manifesting, capable of changing color based on the tone of voice. The sphere itself is not much more than hologram, the more advanced actions, such as Heftis' capability of flashforging projected objects, are all from other hidden emitters. The only Paragons to deviate from this are Lupa and Lupis, assuming a Female and Male lupis silhouette respectively. Neither details much more than a shadow, however they have themselves explained it to be that they are the embodiment of all lupis, regardless of sex. Any Female lupis can readily follow the path of a warrior and become a general honoring Lupis the Huntfather, there is no bias either way.

Notable Paragons:

Lupa- The Great Denmother, Goddess of family, love, compassion, mercy. Patron of all Clans and Mother to all Strays.

Lupa Aligned

Nepidus- Paragon of the Traveler

Demius- Paragon of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry

Heria- Paragon of Sex

Hadian- Paragon of the Unknown

Lupis- The Great Huntfather, God of martial prowess/strength, planning, math, science, analytical thinking. Patron to all who would understand the universe or those that would fight to defend their Pack.

Lupis Aligned

Merz- Paragon of War

Mercius- Paragon of Medicine

Heftis- Paragon of Industry

Athinius- Paragon of Artistry, Battle, Craft, and Creative Thought