Since their introduction, the Triglavians have quickly become an important part of EVE’s world, complete with a fleshed-out but very cryptic backstory. Thus far, bits and pieces of information on the faction have been fed into the game here-and-there in a number of places, but even then an additional layer of enigma is present in their alternative grammar and the broad spread of information needed to understand them as a whole. This post serves as a comprehensive repository for all we currently know about the Triglavian Collective.
THE LORE OF THE TRIGLAVIAN COLLECTIVE
ANCIENT-TIME
At an unspecified time during or after the fall of the Second Jove Empire, the precursors of the modern Triglavian Collective entered Abyssal Deadspace aboard massive World Arks - dubbed “Kitezh” - to escape from unidentified aggressors.
Over time, the Triglavians developed new technology based on the materials available to them, including their trademark zero-point “singularity” cradles and bioadaptive purpose-grown mutaplasmid colonies - firmly establishing themselves as the masters of their tumultuous abyssal domain.
OVERTURE
In September YC119, previously hidden Sleeper infrastructure in known space became accessible to outsiders, after having their area cloaks damaged. Within, the wrecks of Drifter vessels were discovered nearby a new designation of Sleeper drones seemingly guarding the present infrastructure, which were in the process of recovering items from the recently dispatched Drifters. Capsuleers discovered caches of corrupted Trinary Relics in the sites, some delivering the plunder to the “Quartermaster”, with others keeping vast quantities of the strange relics for themselves - despite CONCORD’s warning that the objects could serve as “vectors for colonizing neuromemetic worms”.
In January YC120, a CONCORD timebase measurement convoy under Project Discovery was attacked by a capsuleer calling himself “The Astromancer”. Quickly dispatched by present parties, a Trinary Relic was discovered in the wreckage of his vessel, and his corpse was forcefully claimed by the DED in following days.
In early YC120, huge Drifter fleets began to emerge across both New Eden and Anoikis, appearing from nowhere in the vicinity of seemingly random stargates across the cluster following an initial appearance within a Drifter Hive complex, with every ship in the fleets having taken heavy damage from an unknown adversary. Around the same time, footage of an unknown subject under CONCORD case Red Gamma was leaked to multiple capsuleer news sources. As time progressed, fragmented communications of an unknown origin began to drop from their wrecks. Piecing together the enigma, a strange alphabet took form and combat footage showing strange, fierce vessels combating the Drifters in unexplored space was assembled and disseminated.
SUBMERGENCE
Shortly following this discovery, a cruiser-sized vessel identical to those seen in the footage was quarantined in Yulai under the control of DED Captain Oveg Drust for a number of days before being towed into dock - and soon after, a full explanation of what had been learned of the unknown faction behind the vessels, footage, and language was given at the capsuleer gathering in the SoCT Consulate planetside in Yulai. The Triglavian Collective and their residency in “Abyssal Deadspace” became public knowledge - and soon after, capsuleers began pouring into the dangerous and expansive subspace realm as filaments began to be recovered from pirate data facilities.
In the months since, intense expeditions into the depths of the Abyss have been undertaken by enterprising capsuleers thousands of times daily, despite concerns from CONCORD that delving too deep may lead to “subversion and suborning” by, or perhaps empathy towards, this new faction. Datastreams recovered from Triglavian caches revealed insights into the operations and concerns of the Collective itself and, months later, capsuleers were invited deeper into this mysterious realm by its inhabitants through the use of a memetic worm, for reasons yet unknown. In addition to enabling frigate travel into the Abyss, the Collective seemingly began allowing Capsuleers to actively take part in “provings”, a Triglavian noema of testing-by-combat, deep within the abyss - something that suggested that this precursor race was moving to utilize or possibly engage in communications with these outsiders in the future.
OMENS
In the early months of YC121, a communication from an entity calling themselves “Zorya Triglav” hijacked all billboards in New Eden. The ominous message identified some of those the Triglavians considered major players in ongoing events, and suggested that their thoughts on Capsuleers may be influenced by their actions going forward.
Then, in March of the same year, a new mystery loomed; shipyards began appearing in the deepest depths of the abyss, all in the process of assembling gargantuan vessels which dwarfed even Titans in size. While capsuleers had managed to receive limited information on these events and concerning the newer operations of the Collective through plundered “Semiosis Consoles”, the future remained uncertain.
INVASION
On May 28th YC121, Triglavian forces began pouring into Known space in massive Invasion fleets; roaming freely within invaded systems, the areas became highly dangerous for those passing through and disrupted a broad range of activities and trade.
The invasion forces fell squarely under the direction of Zorya Triglav. Over the course of the next few weeks, invasion scopes escalated as minor and major “conduits” - abyssal wormholes, in a way - formed across invaded territory. More and more forces poured into systems in what were coming to be called “Liminal Provings” in Triglavian intercepts, indicating (alongside much other evidence) that the invasions held intent as an additional form of testing for the Collective.
Triglavian forces also engaged in raids on space facilities, asteroid mining installations and even moon colonies; these raids progressed to move downwards onto planetary surfaces, where Triglavian forces were bolstered by subverted rogue drones - but through the efforts of CONCORD’s AEGIS division, these raiding forces were successfully repelled.
The Invasions culminated in the appearance of the Xordazh-class World Arks; the enormous vessels seen under construction in the depths of the Abyss were complete, surfacing in known space within Proving Grounds specifically conceived for the testing of the massive ships - alongside other things.
While World Arks unilaterally retreated at the conclusion of each Proving Grounds encounter, following direct challenges by Zorya-identifying vessels, other consequences remained; spacetime across the areas of invaded space had been modified by the collective, allowing for a hypothetical increase in ease with which the Collective could enter and move around between and across known space and the Abyss.
More to come…
INFORMATION
The Triglavian Collective is the newest major force in the world of EVE, first appearing in the depths of Abyssal Deadspace in YC120. The Triglavian race is highly ritualistic and tradition-bound, following long-set noema (policies), demonstrating symbolism-rife language and communication, and engaging in “provings” to gauge the worth and capabilities of various elements, and makes heavy use of extensively modified extremophillic bacteria in order to adapt themselves and their technology within their tumultuous domain.
The Collective is an assembly of the three Triglavian Clades - Perun, Veles, and Svarog - which are in turn composed of various subclades. The Clades are best understood as a sort of tribal separation, where they may individually come into conflict with each other, but will all put aside their disagreements for the greater good of the Triglavian race - namely in opposition to the Drifters, whom they refer to as “Ancient Enemy Azdaja”.
The Triglavian race comprises three seemingly distinct forms of life - each of which play an important role in their society, and all of which coalesce in the core form of Triglavian life:
Narodnya:
Physical-bodied beings, apparently human in form. This form of life is susceptible to “corruption”, an unidentified hivelink-related malady which Sansha’s Nation carries.
Navka:
Hypothesized to be a sort of free infomorph, in some way separate from a body. Examples of “detached” Navka, separate from a Troika, appear to play an important role in the study of Deviant Automata.
Koschoi:
Little is known of this facet, save for their apparent leadership roles within Troikas.
In turn, these three components of Triglavian life compose “Troikas” : three entities operating as a three-faceted entity. Invariably, a Troika consists of one Narodnya, one Navka, and one Koschoi. Cladeships bear “Tactical Troika” designations that seem to indicate the number of Triglav originally intended to crew them - each a multiple of three, each three a Troika.
Zorya Triglav and Kresnik Svarog are two examples of “Troikas”, but they are present within all known levels of Triglavian society - Technical, Technical, and Strategic Troikas are a few of the types identified in recovered information thus far.
PERUN CLADE
The Perun Clade seems to be made up of many subclades and appears to be accomplished in space-time mechanics, high-impulse and FTL engine construction, and electronic systems. The Perun Clade apparently exerts itself in the sphere of strategic leadership of the Collective to a greater degree than others.
Subclades: Damavik, Drekavac, Gromovi, Samdova, Varpulis, Ognyena
Cladeships:
3-TTC : Damavik
243-TTC : Drekavac
This Clade is responsible for the contribution of the 3 (frigate) and 243 (battlecruiser) tactical troika classification cladeship designs (Damavik and Drekavac) to the Collective. The 3-TTC schema is a new design, contributed to the Collective by Damavik subclade after surpassing Samovda subclade, and Drekavac subclade was persuaded to enter their 243-TTC schema into Perun Clade’s proving grounds by Gromovi and Samdova. Additionally, Gromovi subclade seems to be responsible for the Multibody Tracking Pylons found in all areas of the Abyss.
Perun Clade seems to be the most diplomatic and leadership-based group within the Collective, and has been shown to be undecided when it comes to the Deviant Automata in the Abyss - about which Svarog and Veles Clade both have strong opinions and disagreements with each other.
SVAROG CLADE
The Svarog Clade is apparently made up of many subclades and the evidence so far indicates strengths in combat vessel construction, the development of novel weapon systems and extensive use of bioadaptive mutaplasmid technology. The Svarog Clade seems the most aggressive and traditional, while inclined to explore new opportunities.
Subclades: Vedmak, Kikimora, Dazhbog, Belobog
Cladeships:
9-TTC : Kikimora
81-TTC : Vedmak
Svarog Clade’s contributions to the Collective include the 9 (destroyer) and 81 (cruiser) TTC cladeships. While the 9-TTC was contributed by Kikimora subclade, proved, and accepted into the Collective, the Vedmak subclade refused to contribute their design and were subsequently forced to relinquish their 81-TTC following “cladistic mortification” by Dazhbog subclade - whether this entailed punishment or the destruction of the subclade has not yet been made clear.
Svarog Clade is violently opposed to the idea of working with Deviant Automata in the Abyss, wishing for them to be considered “poshlost” - essentially a vulgarity that cannot be accepted. Svarog also seems to be responsible for installing Deviant Automata Supressor cladepylons in the Abyssal areas we have access to, which indiscriminately damage smaller drones - regardless of their allegiance.
Kresnik Svarog, or the Special Operational Troika for the Extirpation of Corrupted Narodnya, is an emanation of Dazhbog subclade of Svarog Clade.
VELES CLADE
The Veles Clade seems to be made up of many subclades and is seemingly very strong in the fields of heavy space industry, communications technology and high-energy exotic particle physics. The Veles Clade seems to prize discourse and diplomacy, after a fashion, over strife – that is, if the evidence has been understood correctly.
Subclades: Leshak, Vodya, Zembog, Rodiva
Cladeships:
72-TTC : Rodiva
729-TTC : Leshak
Thus far, Veles Clade has contributed both the 729-TTC cladeship of Leshak Clade and Rodiva’s 72-TTC to the collective’s fleet. Veles strongly believes that Deviant Automata may be useful to the Collective, and wishes for them to be made “sobornost” - that is, to be brought into a state of cooperating with the Clades. This can already be observed in their use of Vila Swarmers, which are launched from their Vila Damaviks and Vedmaks observed in the Abyss.
THE CONVOCATION OF TRIGLAV OUTSIDE THE STRUGGLE
The Convocation of Triglav Outside the Struggle appears to be a central organizing body for the Triglavian Collective. Data recovered from Triglavian structures and wreckage indicates that the Perun, Svarog, and Veles Clades are all represented in the Convocation.
The “Convovation of Triglav Outside the Struggle” appears to be a decision-making council assembly of the three Clades, which decides on policies and actions for the Triglavian race as a whole. One might compare it to CONCORD or, perhaps more accurately, the Tribal Assembly - independent tribes cooperating and choosing the ideal path forward to serve the greater good of their race.
Zorya Triglav, or the Detached Executive Troika for Sublimation of Poshlost Flow, is an emanation of the Convocation, given free mandate to execute countervailing measures and deploy independent forces, with the question-raising, specific requirement that they maintain playful communion (or friendly contact) with the Convocation.
ZORYA TRIGLAV
//Detached Executive Troika for Sublimation of Poshlost Flow
Zorya Triglav was the first Triglavian entity to make direct contact with the people of New Eden, announcing themself to be an “emanation of the Convocation of Triglav Outside the Struggle” and taking over billboards in order to broadcast a message; Drifters must be extirpated, Sansha must be Extirpated, Rogue Drones must conform or be extirpated, and Capsuleers must “prove the direction of their flow”.
Type-4 Datastreams recovered from Semiosis Vaults describe Zorya, internally dubbed the “Detached Executive Troika for Sublimation of Poshlost Flow”, which has been granted mandate to invoke countervailing measures without prior proving, while still being bound to remain in contact with the CTOS. This mandate was then extended to include the response-testing of capsuleers in “playful communion”, or non-hostile/amicable contact, over time moving forward.
Zorya Triglav led the Triglavian Invasions that began in May YC121; Cladeships bearing the ident of Zorya additionally appeared regularly among other Triglavian ships, making direct combat challenges to capsuleers engaged in repelling Invasions.
Zorya Triglav appears in Datastreams AEA4/5/6, AFN4/5/6, DAV4/5/6, and HFN4
KRESNIK SVAROG
//Special Operational Troika for Extirpation of Corrupted Narodnya
Kresnik Svarog is a “Special Operational Troika” assembled from Dazhbog subclade of Svarog Clade, with the purpose of hunting down and eliminating any traces of “corruption of hivelinking” - something as-of-yet unidentified by those outside the Collective. Sansha’s Nation is Kresnik’s main target - as they are the only known example of this corruption in any Triglavian intercepts or datastreams.
This Special Troika’s mandate is for the uncompromising extirpation of all examples of corruption; there is no option for proving, only absolute erasure.
In July YC121, a sizable detachment of Svarog Cladeships, presumably under the command of Kresnik Svarog, appeared in Semiki. This reaction was likely in response to either Sansha’s Nation aggression against a capsuleer citadel containing a large number of Triglavian assets, or the use of a Svarog Clade semiosis console in an attempt by capsuleers to broadcast Nation activity information to Kresnik directly.
Svarog Cladeships did not attack Nation; instead, the fleet joined them in reinforcing the citadel before moving off, eventually self-immolating. This action, along with others, indicates the possibility of operationally-planned destruction of assets in contact with corrupted hivemind forces - or that the Cladeships had themselves undergone corruption.
Kresnik Svarog appears in Datastreams HFN4, 5, and 6
ANCIENT ENEMY AZDAJA
//Drifters
Triglavian Datastreams designated AEA have revealed information on the relationship between the Triglavian Collective and the Drifters. An initial encounter with “Ancient Enemy Azdaja” by Perun Cladeships within the Proving Loops of the Abyss invoked the “absolute imperative of poshlost extirpation of Azdaja” (read: get rid of it at all costs), and led to heavy losses on the part of the Clade. This encounter was reported to the Convocation of Triglav, and triggered the unanimous cooperation of the Clades assembled for the purpose of unquestionably expelling Azdaja from the Abyss.
The Collective compares the Vigilant Tyrannos to the “Chamber of Tyrants” of the Second Jove Empire - its governing body, but notes that this “Successor Entity” to the Tyrants demonstrates ideological disparity from the original group, and that no active locus can be found for the Tyrants themselves.
The Triglavians and Drifters are at absolute odds; the Vigilant Tyrannos relentlessly pursue the Triglav in their own domain, but their goals remain to be identified. Little is known of why the Triglav consider the Drifters their “Ancient Enemy”, but the line «recovered materials indicates presence» (indecipherable) unshackled in forbidden dominance arrangement may be a clue, among others just below the surface.
The Drifters are detailed in AEA Datastreams
AUGMENTED FOREIGN NARODNYA
//Capsuleers
Augmented Foreign Narodnya, or capsuleers, have garnered the attention of the Triglavian Collective since first entering their Domain. An encounter detailed in AFN1 describes cladeships finding an apparent absence of “corruption of hivelinking” in the pilot, and the subsequent invocation of cladistic proving against the capsuleer vessel, resulting in success on the capsuleer’s part. Another entry describes the effects of cladepylons being accepted by AFN vessels without issue - and yet another describes an encounter in which proving led to the destruction of the capsuleer vessel, followed by the ejection of its “augmented command nucleus” and its prompt extirpation by present Triglavian vessels.
Capsuleers have been observed by the Collective to display a wide range of allegiance profiles, with varying loyalties and motivations - meaning that they do not all serve the same purpose. Moving forward, the Detached Executive Troika and the Collective as a whole seek to continue to invoke proving, with the possibility of progressing interactions with these augmented entities moving forward.
Of all the groups mentioned in the Datastreams, the AFN attract the most interest from the collective; there is much evidence to suggest that the Collective may at some point begin to invite or suborn capsuleers into a position of cooperation, provided that they correctly prove the direction of their flow…
Capsuleers are detailed in AFN Datastreams
DEVIANT AUTOMATA VILA
//Rogue Drones
Rogue Drones as a form of life are collectively referred to as “Deviant Automata” by the Triglavians, and are a subject of fervent debate among the Clades. Differential opinions on the proper response to these entities have been put forward by the Clades, as evidenced by cladepylon descriptions and the DAV datastreams.
Svarog Clade considers them “poshlost irredeemable” and rejects the idea of them entering “sobornost” with the Clades, installing Deviant Automata suppressors across the Abyss in order to uphold this chosen stance and destroy that which they consider obscene. Veles Clade, on the other hand, staunchly disagrees - believing them to be a potentially valuable addition to their forces in a not-entirely clear way, and moving to consider them “sobornost” Additionally, Veles Cladeships can be observed launching their own Vila in the Abyssal loops accessible to capsuleers. Perun Clade was initially undecided, leading to a consent-lock within the CTOS concerning what noema would be established.
The consent-lock was broken following the return of “Detached Navka” to the domain of Buyan, offering procession to the Convocation of Triglav. Cooperation with the Rogue Drones was determined to be possible, allowed provided that the authority of detached Navka be acknowledged according to moral norms applicable to sentients - that is, Triglavian or human living-thing base morals.
The extirpation imperative for Rogue Drones has been lowered from poshlost to vermin, and the consideration of corruptive threat to vila autopoesis.
Rogue Drones are detailed in DAV Datastreams
HIVELINKED FOREIGN NARODNYA
//Sansha’s Nation
The HFN datastreams describe members of Sansha’s Nation, referred to as “hivelinked” foreign narodnya - demonstrating signs of an unknown type of “corruption” - by the Collective.
In HFN2, Veles cladeships encounter HFN vessels and invoke “ancient-time accepted noema” of extirpation against these hivelinked entities, indicating that they have longstanding policies against the existence of such a form of life, with significant losses. These hivelinked narodnya then boarded a Damavik and “corrupted” the Narodnya of the Tactical Troika piloting it. The Koschoi of the Troika then advised self-immolation, and the Navka complied - eliminating the corruption. HFN3 describes another seeming boarding, but this time of a cladepylon - which was quickly put to a stop by Svarog Clade through the immolation of said pylon.
HFN4 describes the Convocation’s denial of Zorya’s prayer for expanded mandate in sobornost concerning corruption of hivelinking and corrupted narodnya, instead moving to form a new Troika: the Special Operational Troika for Extirpation of Corrupted Narodnya, Kresnik Svarog.
The mandate of Kresnik is the absolute, uncompromising erasure of any signs of corruption of hivelinking; there is no concession made for the purpose of sampling, No glorification nor mortification; only uncompromising extirpation in response to “widespread and deep hivelinking corruption by augmentation, biocoding, memetic and ideological vectors”.
Nation forces are detailed in HFN Datastreams
There’s a lot to cover when it comes to the Triglavians, and I’ve put together a similarly comprehensive post for the Drifters - as well as for the Enheduanni, whom I suspect also tie into the ongoing Precursor storyline. I’ll be periodically updating this post as the story unfolds.
Ask any questions you want answered below - the more people know about all of this, the more those players might enjoy playing a part in all of it~
o7
(edit 13.04.2019: significantly overhauled the entire post for clarity and future function)
(edit 18.07.2019: overhauled and updated entire post, added all info to second post)
