So because I’m in cyber-vampire hell I’ve been thinking on Hordak’s modifications and expanding on this ficlet and I’ve decided to just go down the list on those because that sounds fun to me and that’s what this blog is for. Me having fun.
Feel free to use any of these ideas if you want, of course. You can expand on this very easily as well, I have simply gone with a combination of what I think creates what we have seen on screen with a sprinkling of what I think he would go for to ensure his work continues.
List under the Readmore
Pre-Etheria modifications: These I headcanon as given to him before his apparent stranding on Etheria. They form the backbone of future necessary modifications.
Neural Interface: The bridge between biology and cyberware. Monitors the brain state to ensure the modifications perform as the body needs them and vice versa. It’s actually a multi-part system implanted into different parts of the brain and key parts of his species Endocrine system.
Somnic Node: A Pea sized implant in the back of the brain. Grows into the brain and allows regional control of wake and sleep states. Allowing the brain to sleep in stages. It does not remove the need for proper sleep entirely but does drastically increase potential wake time. Off-label use as a secondary monitoring system for the brain.
Ocular Prosthesis: Two part modification. The eyes themselves as well as the required modifications to the visual cortex to allow for beyond-biology vision. Visual intercepts allow for essentially augmented reality overlays. In Hordak’s case this is largely used to monitor system functions. Come in a multitude of colors as well as an enhanced RGB variant for those who have earned it.
Move-By-Wire Suite: Near full replacement of the motor cortex as well as the spinal column. Motor control is given over to the new computer system in the motor cortex. Spinal prosthesis carries messages faster down the length of the body than the biological equivalent. Forms the basis of-
External Interface System: Large scale augmentation of the periphery nervous system coupled with exterior facing standardized connection ports for integrating with external hardware. Coupled with a modified motor cortex even allowing for adaptation to the use of extra limbs. The Horde does not recommend using third party adapters to connect with non-Horde equipment.
Basic Battery Stack: Hordak’s initial modifications are by and large low draw components that can be piggybacked off of his biology for power. However a modest power stack is still required.
Post Etheria Modifications: these were acquired after arriving on Etheria. Out of necessity from injury and incompatibility with the planet.
Respiratory suite: Lung and Trachea replacement. Etheria’s atmosphere is unnatural, and in order to reliably breathe in it a system to filter out toxins and convert the air into a proper breathing mix was required.
Internal Rebreather: A later addition to the respiratory suite. An internal rebreather is implanted on the trachea, allowing Hordak to respirate completely internally for moderate bursts of time.
Artificial Heart: As a lifeform grows old its heart inevitably fails. Sometimes because you have been stabbed by a Rebel soldier. A replacement drastically extends ones lifespan.
Mandibular modifications: When your jaw is heavily damaged and you have the technology it brings long term returns to have it replaced. RGB illumination of the mouth available as an optional addition.
Reinforced rib cage: The harshness of Etheria combined with the necessity of being able to access the chest cavity eventually required a redesign of Hordak’s rib cage to allow easier access while increasing general hardiness.
Enhanced Digestive Systems: While there is food on Etheria perfectly edible to Hordak the ability to forego eating for extended periods aids greatly in survival. This system breaks apart and re-combines waste molecules to be recycled as usable material for the body through the magic of radiation and precise application of electrons. It does not replace eating, but it lets you go longer without!
Enhanced Toxin Filtering: When the liver and kidney equivalents of Hordak’s species inevitably break down from the strain of consuming alien food for decades it is time for replacements. These are essentially straight replacements of key organs that make up part of the bodies waste processing system.
Enhanced Power Systems: More robust changes require more robust power solutions. A larger battery stack combined with a small Radio-thermal Generator that pulls double duty with the digestive enhancements goes far to solve this problem.
These end up split into three main groups: Rebellion, Horde, Non-Aligned. You can take a guess at what those groups might entail. Don't worry though we're gonna talk about it anyway.
Setting this up was important to give a framework mostly for character origins, while maintaining a lot of flexibility. If you wanted a rebel soldier from the horde that calls She-Ra ‘Force Captain Adora’ we worked out how to make that happen. If you wanted a princess that was just super duper into being evil and joining the Horde well I care more about world building than saying no so we got that covered.
This is all going to be under a readmore because it's long.
Rebellion: Princesses, Rebellion aligned villages, dashing heroes, ect. You know these guys Adora is one of them. There's three main sub groups here in Etheria Upscaled, which include;
The Second Princess Alliance: Often used interchangeably as a name for the Rebellion, though it's not quite accurate to do so. The Princess Alliance does however form the core of the rebellion against the horde. A successor to a failed princess alliance from many years before this entity is formed from the military union of numerous states within Etheria. Including but not limited to
Bright Moon: the defacto leader of the Alliance, and the most experienced military force in it. They have been in a state of war with the Horde for decades, able to hold there own due to a combination of the whispering woods and the ubiquitous use of First Ones ‘magic’ in there professional forces.
Plumeria: Generally a peaceful people but more than capable of fighting now days. There forces are mostly seen as supporting. Mostly through healing or manipulation of terrain. Any rebellion operation benefits from having Plumerians present however, as those sorts of supporting roles are a force multiplier.
Salineas: situated at a key first ones chokepoint on the world, as well as being the only member of the alliance capable of projecting power across the sea.
The Kingdom of Snows: Relatively massive, with hardy and hard working people. The kingdom of snows alone makes up half of the alliances potential manpower. Some see it as a potential competitor to Bright Moon for the leadership position.
Mysticor: Though they have no Princess, no runestone, Mysticors strength and knowledge gives it a seat at the table. When the average citizen can harness the energies of Etheria the semantics of 'princess alliance' fall to the wayside.
This can be expanded to any larger state that aligns itself with the rebellion.
Other Rebel Groups: These are the places that stand against the Horde and aid the rebellion without actually being a large regional power. These places have no runestones, no standing armies, they exist independent of those greater powers around them.
Yet they are brave, there people stand against the horde, and when the first princess alliance fell it was these groups that continued the fight with Bright Moon. You might consider Bow the poster boy for this kind of rebel. This would also include things like the Makers Guild if they were to officially declare an allegiance.
Horde Separatists: Not every soldier of the Horde follows orders without question, and while most defectors quietly integrate themselves in with the rest of Etheria there are those who hold on to their culture. Industrialized orderly society and martial strength stand above the lifestyles of princesses and villagers. These are the soldiers who see Hordak, not the Horde, as the problem.
So they don't integrate. They form their cells. They fight former comrades, but they look at the princesses and remember "The enemy of my enemy is my enemies enemy. Nothing more nothing less."
This group was specifically made to let people play as rebellion aligned horde soldiers. If Force Captain Adora didn't go to Bright Moon she likely would have ended up here.
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The Evil Horde: A large centralized power the likes of which modern Etheria has never known. They are aggressors, conquerors, taking Etheria inch by inch. The Horde has two main subgroups.
The Horde: department of redundancy department. This is the actual nation state of The Horde. A stratocracy ruled over by Lord Hordak and his Force Captains.
The Horde is a heavily regimented society built upon a military hierarchy and nominally a merit system. They have wide industrial capability unlike anywhere else on the planet. Capable of mass production of whatever tools they need for their war machine. The technology of the horde is largely stagnant however, there factories churn out weapons, armor, and vehicles based on decades old templates that Hordak brought with him and that few from Etheria actually understand.
Horde Aligned Polities: Sometimes the Horde doesn't have to conquer a land. Sometimes it bends the knee and gives itself over to be integrated. From these places the Horde draws many of its specialists and its innovators. Even if utilizing them means letting them keep scraps of there backwater cultures.
Entrapta and her Kingdom of Dryl would be the prime example of this. As this is any group that joined willingly though it is really meant to give a parity to the princesses and rebel groups on the other side of the conflict. Similar to the Horde Separatists for the rebellion.
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Non-Aligned powers: Every two sided setting needs those places that don't take either side. Maybe they're big enough to stand alone, or maybe they have something that keeps the warring powers away. Either way these places are neutral ground and the people from them often don't care for the war either which way.
Or whatever. Let's keep it casual here in my house.
So as stated in my previous post on this, this whole thing was made to make a framework for RPing and collaborative writing. Specifically for stories that could happen alongside the actual plot of She-Ra. Albeit a modified version.
So what did I work on for this?
Primarily the scale. Hence calling it Etheria Upscaled. (Also Brand Recognition™ is important.) She-Ra, the show, operates on this sort of magnified scale to let the focus be on the main characters and that's great for a linear story being told.
This is an umbrella term though, which leads to a number of things to headcanon, world build, and expand on. Including but not limited to.
Size of the Horde military machine.
Size of the Rebellion and it's members. Though not much.
Technology of the Horde.
First Ones tech and how Etherians use it.
Politics on Etheria in general, including some minor faction ideas.
I love all this stuff. I'm an engineering dropout with a political science degree so ey. Each one of these is a pretty big topic though, especially stuff to do with the Horde. Since the princess alliance members are all seperate entities they can stay show scale. The Horde is a centralized stratocracy though. So a lot of posts will probably focus on Horde stuff.
I'm just going to write about whatever I want for future posts on this because this is my house and we keep it casual here.
As always feel free to steal whatever you end up liking.
So I've mentioned this before but I have a sort of world building framework I've been calling Etheria Upscaled. Sort of a canon divergence AU setup.
I've been tinkering and hammering this out for a small group of friends, we (see, I) wanted a She-Ra based RP setting for our little circle and I love world building so hey.
It started cheekily named "RP setting what is Legally Distinct from She-Ra" as a joke but we've since abandoned that gag (it became too much work the moment we had to try and come up with a legally distinct name for Bow. Nothing's as good as Bow)
Anyway so since then it became more of just expanding on the She Ra setting with headcanons and such. I'm going to occasionally do posts about it just as world building stuff I want to share and maybe give people ideas for there own work. So I'll post stuff related to it with the #Etheria Upscaled tag. My hordak's cybernetics post has that tag for instance.
I'll make a post about key points of it later today probably.
