Asterii Cathedral
-A space station located in deep space, between the systems of Asterion and Persepolis, that was constructed and occupied by the Asterii.
-The location of the Cathedral was known to Sojourner Wakes, determined in his research or the research of a prior Wakes. Data indicates that Explorator fleets have attempted to approach the station, but that automated defenses immediately destroy any vessels that come into range. It is possible that a correct IFF signal—perhaps from any Champion, or more specifically a Communior Champion—could deactivate these armaments. This was confirmed during our approach.
-The Cathedral is divided into five sections; 4 spheroid chambers connected by a central, toroidal hallway that rings a central chamber, connected by hallways that seal with iris apertures. The docking bay occupies the space where it would seem a fifth exterior chamber would sit, and includes an extending arm that clamps to and properly orients approaching vessels. Material composition matches that of previously observed Asterii structures; method of illumination was ambient, with no easily discernible source. The general station exists in zero gravity, and all constructions are clearly meant to interface with Asterii anatomy. Holo-like projected signage indicates the purpose of each room, the meanings of which are intuitive to any individual bonded with an Asterii device; these are linked with crystal structures that can be psychically or technologically interfaced with (such crystals are used as access points in others of the station's constructs). Use of a modified Hexagrammic Interface can also accomplish some measure of translation.
-"Heart": contains the cathedral's power source, apparently a warp powered reactor. A demonic entity attempted to breach this reactor's containment during our exploration, and was summarily destroyed by being ejected into the heart of a star. The Heart chamber also contains a console that networks with the rest of the facility, and several pods holding Guardian variant Asterii. It should be noted that access to the Heart required "activating" three of the four surrounding chambers via interface with a Champion. The fourth was likely meant to be necessary, but protocols could at that point be subverted.
-Each chamber is intrinsically linked to the function of one of the Asterii Devices; "Unity" with Communior, "Will" with Augmentor, "Purity" with Redressor, and "Hatred" with Voiddelver. Notably absent is a chamber linked with Condemnor; this, combined with the evidence provided by King Quinque of his own inability to approach the cathedral, indicates that those bearing a Condemnor Device bore a different status to other Champions, and may have been directly shunned. (The demon, whose testimony must naturally be called into question, said that the Condemnor Champions were viewed as "undesirable.)
-All chambers have two similar structures; a force fielded Reliquary (B, G, L, and Q) that dispenses Asterii Devices appropriate to the chamber in question, and a control console for a primary system that also properly "activates" the chamber; Unity holds communications and surveillance (E), Will holds weapons control (F), Purity holds life support (which doubles as a purifying weapon array) (N), and Hatred holds an Exclusion Field Calibration array (T) that seems to also control the Portal (S); observations indicate that the ultimate purpose of the field and its users may have been similar to that of a Gellar Field and Navigator respectively.
-It should be noted that initially, each chamber appeared to be locked, and required the contact and/or presence of a Champion with the appropriate device to open the iris. The partial exception to this is the Hatred sphere, which responded to the presence of Preacher Enoch even prior to his bonding with a Voiddelver—he was able to traverse the force field to enter the Reliquary, and seemed to have a natural affinity for the chamber's control console. This may indicate that bonding with a device requires a natural resonance of the soul or psychic energies between Asterii technology and its wielder; retrospective evidence seems to support this conclusion, given the high degree of compatibility between devices and champions observed thus far (ie, Ambassador Lethe's aptitude for communication, the Major's warrior identity, Specialist Quint's ingrained internal litanies against the forces of chaos, and Preacher Mantra's natural ire). It is even possible that an inexorable magnetism may exist in such cases, perhaps explaining the impulsive behavior that led to Lazarus bonding with Redressor.
-All logs of station personnel refer only to First Order Champions.
-Notes on Structures:
A. Isolation Altars; 5 altars, each with 32 seats in the attached section. The exact purpose of these were not determined, but it appears that around each altar and linked seating section is a minor exclusion field that isolates each group from the others.
C. Dream Storage; several memories of the Asterii were accessed via Communior and modified interface. Dreams were labeled primarily according to device of the Champion in question.
D. Amphitheater; purpose remains uncertain. At the focal point rests "the Seat of Hatred."
E. Comms/Surveillance; includes tactical level battle simulation programs, and recorded footage of an array of planets, including an ancient Asterion. These records include annotations of important and strategic locations, however, identifying the planets they belong to as well as geographical/tectonic shifts will require time. Points on Asterion have been logged for such calculations.
F. Battle Stations; 33 seats with crystalline access points, arrayed in concentric circles. Controls the stations weaponry as well as movement. The exact mechanics of the weapons, shielding, and thrusters are as of yet undetermined, but I submit a hypothesis of gravitic manipulation.
H. Objective Simulation; programs may be selected for training soldiers, which modular, snake like structures composing the room's walls rearrange to configure. Tested programs include transportation of goods and damage avoidance.
I. Restoration Dance; the structure produces frequencies that resonate with Augmentor Champion, seeming to restore and enhance via linked choreography. The "notes" of the "song" are comparable to brainwaves frequencies.
J. Combat Simulation; projects a highly realistic simulation of battle against a corrupted Asterii (and possibly other foes) into the minds of those that enter. Damage incurred is either entirely hallucinated during the program, or reversed at the end. Notably, the dome also simulates gravity.
K, M, and O. Treatment Pods, Laboratory, and Storage; chemicals required for treatments are routed between these structures. Samples were taken, and several vials (filled from the storage apparatus) that appear compatible with the hardware of Vigil Devices.
N. Life Support; 7 seats and access points.
P. Exclusion Field Generator; tendrils (roughly 4 meters in height) shift orientation to shape exclusion fields. Quint reports that the field instills a sense of psychic isolation and containment.
R. Projection Table. Reportedly used to project detailed images and navigation information directly into the mind.
S. Portal; was capable of creating a stable wormhole into the heart of a star; material is highly exotic, defying several conceptual understandings of the physical nature of reality. Silver alloy used in psychic circuitry was also present.
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