The Artilleons are the natives of the fourth world of Artillery. They’re a conscious insect-like race that dwells beneath the surface of their planet. The Artilleons are typically a peaceful race, unless provoked. Their thick skin and natural armor are meant to shield them from the dangers of their world, but they prove useful when a time of war arises.

Artillery was originally a mountainous jungle planet. The mountains, made of limestone and calconite, often crumbled or otherwise fell apart. The jungle was an unforgiving terrain, spawning several lethal species that threatened the Artilleons.

The Artilleons retreated to the caverns beneath the surface. They gathered into tribes to survive. The roots of jungle trees and plants grew into the ceilings of the caves, providing the Artilleons with produce and oxygen. The Artilleons even began growing crops from the ceilings of caves, resulting in the famous upside-down farms.

 

The Artilleons advanced and grew bolder. Underground villages became cities. Tribes became nations. These nations banded together in hopes of retaking the surface, and they succeeded. United by their common fear of the jungle, the Artilleons fought the beasts and plants of the outside world and beat them back, establishing a foothold on the surface. They built a walled city, and in the middle of this city they built a tower to signify their unity. Since that day the Artilleons have been one nation, one people, and one race. Their goals as survivors vanished, replaced by their goals as conquerors.

The recapturing of the surface was a pivotal turning point in the Artilleon’s history. They went from cowering in caves to waging wars. They purged the beasts of death, burned the jungles of sorrow. They claimed roughly 100,000 square miles of land before stopping. The Artilleons built outposts in various places as not to lose their land. This 100,000 square mile section of land became known as the ‘Clare, a combination of “cleared” and “declared.”

But the outside environment soon proved even more deadly than first thought. Solar flares ravaged the planet. The radiation was hardly detectable, but the heat was intense. The Artilleons, used to their cool caverns, retreated back underground, abandoning their retaken land. But one group, previously known as the Truculent Tribe, refused to abandon the ‘Clare. They remained at the outposts and kept the beasts and jungles at bay.

The Truculent Tribe became the kings of Artillery, earning the respect of the other tribes. The Truculent could have abused their power and pride and tyrannically ruled the other Artilleons, but they didn’t. Instead they encouraged the others to join them, but still respected those who stayed within the caves. The Truculent would guide the Artilleon race into a new age.

The Artilleons never expanded beyond the ‘Clare. But they never again abandoned it. Living both in the ‘Clare and the caverns, the Artilleons evolved and advanced, becoming one of the largest civilizations in the galaxy. They settled into a life of comfort and peace. Squadrons and platoons ventured out into the wilderness for the sake of discovery. Botanists discovered how the jungle worked, and how to survive it. Scientists developed technology suited for their race. The Artilleons flourished.

Thousands of years later the sky darkened. Ships the size of mountains broke through the clouds, and two-legged soldiers descended upon ‘Clare. The Chirotonians came to conquer Artillery.

The Artilleons gathered their few weapons the hid behind their age-old walls. The first wave came swiftly, without warning. The Artilleons were slaughtered. But if history proved anything, the Artilleons could survive. And they did.

The Artilleons regrouped. Their scientists began designing war machines and weapons. The walls were reinforced. Artilleon armor went from blocking rocks to deflecting bullets. The Artilleons harvested metal and fuel from the planet faster than ever before. Artilleon soldiers wielded rail-guns and plasma cannons mounted the walls. Instinct re-surged and a time-old fury came back full force. The Artilleons screamed, and the Chirotonians, for the first time in centuries, felt fear.

The Artilleons built warships beside their airships and stared their enemy in the eye. The Chirotonians retreated, losing half of their planetary force to the Artilleons. The Artilleons beat them back, something which had never been done.

But the victory was bittersweet. The Artilleons had harvested too much too fast, and had killed their planet. They built a fleet of ships large enough to hold the remaining population of the planet. The fleet orbited the planet as teams of Artilleons collected what was left on the surface. A fourth of the fleet went off in search of hospitable planets.

The remaining fleet, including the mother-ship, did what it could to prepare for a new way of life. Gases were siphoned from the atmosphere for oxygen and energy. Scientists began dabbling in genetics, producing super soldiers for a war. No one knew who would be on the opposing side of this war. Either the Chirotonians, or the natives of another planet. Few worlds would allow aliens to settle among them.

And so began a new age. An age of war, fear and fury. The Truculent Tribe was leading their race, helping to piece together the shattered remains of their lifestyle. Nothing was left. Nothing but the fury.

Evolution of the Race

The Artilleons were originally created for the Fraud story line, when an alien race (in this case the Artilleons) tried to infiltrate and conquer Earth. The story was eventually made canon, taking place in the year 2005, and staring Moss M’rog. Moss M’rog was a genetically modified skin walking soldier who was a “fraud” among other humans.

Below is early art of Artilleons. Artilleon was also originally called Artileon, with one L.