The Ebony Citadel, an orbital defense platform from the pre-Sundering era, was discovered drifting through the debris fields of the Alciphe system at an unknown date. Acquired by the Red Sun Dominion, this ancient relic underwent extensive retrofitting, transforming it into the formidable heart of their operations in the system. It was repurposed as a maximum-security research black site and command station, a stark symbol of the Dominion's martial dominance over the tomb world of Othrys below.
Life aboard the Citadel quickly developed a unique and chilling culture, defined by "Clinical Paranoia." The station's inhabitants were rigidly divided into two distinct castes: the Military Wardens and the Extraction Research Division. The Wardens, tasked with security, viewed the scientists as dangerous liabilities, constantly toying with forbidden fires.
Conversely, the researchers regarded the soldiers as blunt instruments, incapable of grasping the divine mathematics of the malignant artifacts they unearthed. Tension was a constant, palpable force throughout the station, breeding hushed conversations in the mess halls and an avoidance of direct eye contact. Everyone understood that the ever-present Political Officers were listening, their gazes scrutinizing every interaction.
The psychological toll of handling Maltech – malignant technology – proved devastating for the research personnel. Officially recorded as "handling accidents," a high suicide rate plagued the Extraction Research Division, a grim testament to the horrors they faced daily. The station operated under the iron fist of strict Martial Law, enforced absolutely by Arch Overseer Sen Lutin.
Lutin ruled from the Apex, a retrofitted command deck situated at the station's very peak. His governance was absolute, extending to a total information blockade that ensured reports sent back to Dominion High Command were meticulously sanitized. The true horrors and escalating instability within the labs never reached the ears of those beyond the Alciphe system.
Further solidifying his control, Lutin actively created instability on the planet surface of Othrys below. He discreetly supplied rival warlords among the native Othrys tribes, keeping them perpetually fighting each other. This cynical strategy ensured their focus remained on their terrestrial conflicts, rather than glancing skyward at the menacing presence of the Ebony Citadel.
This sustained environment of paranoia, conflict, and deceit has pushed the Ebony Citadel to its current perilous state. The station now teeters precariously on the brink of madness and insurrection, its future shrouded in uncertainty until its eventual, unknown abandonment.
