THESE ARE THE RACES RELATED TO THE ENTIRE FIVE BOOK SERIES. THERE WILL BE MORE INFORMATION AS THE SERIES IS PUBLISHED.
Chronicles galactic timeline
250 million years Before Recorded Time: (BRT) – During the infancy of the galaxy a hand full of races rose above all others, but their lust for power led them to one war after another. Out of these races only two prevailed, the Plastes and the Principium. Leaving behind the battle torn worlds of their ancestors, they ventured out to explore the ever expanding galaxy. To help in this endeavor, they created the Aedifex, machines of immense size and power designed for exploration to find suitable worlds for settlement.
100 million to 25 million BRT: The Principium establish a dominion among their newly settled worlds toward the inner rim of the still burgeoning galaxy, seizing the developing races to do their bidding, discarding the Aedifex as no longer useful. Seeing that the Principium are taking over all the worlds that are habitable, and placing them under their tyrannical thumb, the Plastes have no choice but to create worlds toward the lower central and outer rim to inhabit. It should be noted that the central and outer rims are spreading out in spiral arms that are growing farther apart. Only one world that they colonize has intelligent life, called the Queal, but rather than ruling over them the Plastes incorporate the Queal into their culture. Devoting their attention to the Queal and the development of the barrier wall to separate their space from the Prinicpium, the Plastes also forget about the Aedifex. Feeling that they are no longer needed the Aedifex return to their point of origin, near the center of the galaxy, to await orders.
25 to 5 million BRT– Irritated by the remnants of their past the Principium return to the home system of battle torn worlds to conquer their old enemies once and for all. Upon their return they find the worlds have already been decimated and repurposed by their old creations the Aedifex. The Aedifex had evolved into sentient machines, as a means survival against the old enemy. The Aedifex demand that the Principium recognize their independent sovereignty or meet the same fate of the old races. Fearing what the Aedifex had become the Principium declared war. Feeling responsible for the Aedifex’s corruption, the Plastes also join in the war to destroy their creation.
5 million to 750 thousand BRT: The Aedifex spread across the galaxy like a plague, annihilating anything in both Prinicpium and Plastes space. To help their mentors the Queal create biological weapons that are highly adaptable, bred for manual labor and combat called Humanide. Although effective they are brought into the war too late to change the outcome, so they are put into carbon sleep for future use. With their backs to the wall, facing a seemingly unbeatable foe, the remaining Principium and Plastes use all their knowledge and power to create the Laxo devices and deactivate the main Aedifex contrail systems rendering them inert. The two races intended to fixing the Aedifex, but using the Laxos had unforeseen side effects, that caused a collapse in molecular bonding and accelerated genetic brake down in numerous organics caught in the blast radius. Over the 200 centuries many races ceased to exist, among them were the Principium and Plastes. For although they tried desperately to find a cure there just wasn’t enough time, so with the time they had left they groomed their successors.
200 thousand years BRT: With the Aedifex gone the remnant of the Principium dominion falls to ruin, worn by eons of war. As the Principium dies out they leave what is left of their power base to a race they see potential in, called the Erases (E ros eez). The Plastes have learned from the millions of years of war and decide to fade to history and leave their legacy to the race on the outer rim areas the Queal (Qwee all).
125 thousand years – Recorded Time (RT): After the fall of the Principium their dominion fell into chaos. War lords and empires rise on many of the systems left and the Erases devote themselves to rebuilding the Principium dominion and bring order to the war torn worlds. To do this they further evolve a brute race of domesticated creatures, used as beasts of burden that were owned and bred by the Principium. With the constant threat of war all around them the Erases take this brute race and use them as an army to enforce peace. The breeding place is a planet they name Judari, (place of breeding). The brute race, unknown to both the Principium and the Erases give them intellect and resources for battle the brute race immediately turns on their creators with remorseless rage and in a short time all the Erases worlds then turn their rage on the enemies they were bred to fight until all that belonged to the Principium is now theirs. The VOXX, as they call themselves, are born, but it takes many centuries still for them to master space travel. With the Erases and their enemies expunged the Voxx are still unappeased, the Voxx move into the galaxy on a crusade to find and destroy the servants of the dark ones, (Judari). Strangely the world where they were altered was the home of one of the waring races by the same name but the Voxx associate any who resemble them as Judari.
75 thousand years – RT: On the outer rim of the galaxy the Queal lacking the guidance of the Plastes grow arrogant and complacent. They have waged wars to crush other systems to build an empire using the power given to them. After more centuries of conquest and with malevolent cruelty the Queal reawaken the Humanide to do their bidding, spread over hundreds of worlds’ conquering countless more races and expanding their empire spreading themselves over vast areas of the outer rims. Over many millennia the Queal grow bored with their vast god like power and enter a time of senseless and endless civil wars.
40 thousand years RT: The Queal underestimates that Humanide, who they had grown to rely upon and whom they have taken advantage of beyond measure. Despondent toward the arrogant Queal the Humanide rebel after 28 thousand years, against their gods, rally behind their new leader Es Spara, they call her “blade of vengeance, taking all the knowledge of the Plastes from the Queal and unite under one banner and one ruler, the new Humanide race call themselves Spartus (we of the blade) named after Es Spara. The few reaming Queal fearing for their lives, escape with the few slaves to find a new home where they can restructure and weaken the Humanide genes, so they may lord over in their new domain. However, without the Plastes technology to sustain them the Queal eventually die off leaving their slaves and humanide creation to fend for themselves.
Spartus
The Spartus are a matriarchal society that has only one objective, conquest! There entire society is based on warfare. Similar to the Spartans on earth the Spartus are trained from the time that they are children to become soldiers.
Government– the Spartus government is based around the Twelve Empresses, A Council Empress and 11 others, each with their own system (s) and command of their own forces. As a space faring race they realize that space is vast and if they are to conquer it all there can not be one central ruler, no one person should have that much power, so there territories are divided into sections that each Empress governs. Since they are a race of warriors, any women has the right to challenge for leadership of a house, but it is very rare; for an empress has many duties that most aren’t trained to deal with outside the noble blood lines. It is also not uncommon for a daughter to kill there mother or sisters for control of a throne, in fact it is expected for it is the only way to take power form any ruler to prove that you are strong enough to lead. It is stated in there law that no man my rule only women have that right. Their primary law is no Spartus shall ever harm, either by design or intent another Spartus and they are to live with honor and respect by all.
History– Spartus history begins with the Queal who evolved both technologically and organically superior over many species in there part of the Milky Way galaxy after losing the guidance of their mentors the ancient race called the Plastes who gave them their power. In there arrogance they proclaimed themselves gods over the subservient creatures they created. This race was called Humanide (Servants of the Gods). These creatures were spread to the various dominions of the Queal. Over time the Queal’s power was challenged by many other races who thought themselves competent enough to obtain there hold over their part of the galaxy, none prevailed, because of the Humanide and their aggressive warlike nature defeated them at the bidding of the Queal. The Humanide were used to fight not only the enemies of the Queal but each other, whenever the gods had differences of option. It was this petty squealing and overconfidence that led to the Queal downfall. Airis, a Queal, became enamored with a Humanide warrior, Celpi, and in his lust raped her. Outraged, the other Queal marred her body taking her beauty from her and banished her to the outlands of there home world where she would die alone. It was here Celpi had a child and called her Es Spara (warrior strength). Celpi showed no love towards Es Spara, training her in the ways of combat, survival and hatred for the gods. It was at the end of Es Spara’s training, at thirteen, Celpi had her daughter kill her in a dual to ensure that she was ready for her mission. Finding out about her death the Queal came to retrieve the body of Celpi and use it as an example for all Humanide to see. Upon their arrival Es Spara killed the entire Queal party, returning to the Humanide tribes with their heads. Revering Es Spara as the slayer of the gods they proclaimed her their new leader and renamed themselves after her, the Spartus. It was here the first age began. One by one the Colonies of Humanide joined the Spartus, until all but one stood united. Es Spara became not only the leader of the Spartus but a teacher of the new order. She passed her knowledge and the knowledge of the Queal to her people, creating an entirely new way of life both in culture, honor and dignity.
The second age begins with the Spartus turning their attention back to the stars and asserting galactic dominance, retaking many of the systems that belonged to the Queal dominion from the hands of there enemies and proclaiming them part of the Spartus Empires consolidating their people to rebuild. Only once have the Spartus ever shown compromise with another race, they were called the Minti, but this lead to disaster. The Minti eventually withdrew their hand of friendship when they thought that the Spartus where weak because of other conflicts they were in. The Spartus retaliated and wiped the Minti from the face of existence. From then on the Spartus swore that no race shall share equal station with there own. Like an iron sword the Spartus continued their march threw the stars. Once they obtained their goal they stopped there conquest and set up borders to isolate themselves but they remained ever vigilant. For one hundred and seventy-five years the Spartus lived in peace in there part of the galaxy, until they were attacked, without provocation by the Zibren. The Spartus realizing that there would never be peace, downed there armor yet again and went on the offensive, but this time they would not stop with the Zibren. They continued their campaign into the stars with the realization that there was always a threat that must be fought.
The third age the daughter of Es Spara, Taygete, gives birth to two daughters and one son. As was their way in those days the eldest child would assume the throne. Es Spara’s son Lacedaemon would become the Emperor, however, when he became emperor, he became drunk with power and tried to create an Empire of his liking. He killed off the senate and governors of the provinces, claiming that he was the only power and was a god above his people. Es Spara, with her own hand murdered her grandson and her daughter Taygete for giving birth to him as she was part and party to his crimes against the empire. So the same mistake will not occur again Es Spara raised Taygete’s two daughters to be strong and just. After slaying Es Spara, in a fair contest of power to prove herself, Gina the eldest grand-daughter, took the throne as Empress and created a stronger more powerful Spartus Empire, united under her just but firm hand. It was during her rule that the men of the Spartus created the original 7 laws of male, vowing loyalty under the Spartus women for all generations to come, so that their roles should only be that of citizen and soldier when called upon.
The fourth age, near the end of Gina’s rein, saw the Spartus Empire had become too vast for her to control alone, but there was no man who believed themselves worthy to take their place at her side. This would give her no heirs. So it was proclaimed that tournaments would be held to find a suitable male to impregnate the Empress, but again no man would clam that right. Seeing this, she took a vow of purity and took a woman as her consort, Artomesia. This woman was deemed her first, denoting that she is first among females second only to her. Without the Empresses knowledge Artomesia used science motivate the men to donate their seed. The tournaments took place and a victor was crowned, but when the Empress tried to subdue the man he still refused to impregnate her, Artomesia explained her plan to the Empress, and seeing no other way Gina agreed. All of her eggs were removed from her and artificially inseminated using the DNA from the chosen male, and Artomesia. Seven children were born all female, under the law of Spartus. Again seeing as the Empire was growing too vast for one Empress Gina forced her daughters to fight each other at the age of fourteen (the age their training ended) and out of those children eleven remained. Gina tested her remaining children and finds them all worthy of leadership, so she, being the first and last, renounced her title as Empress and makes her eleven daughters Empresses, having them recite the oath of the Empress and the newly created oath of purity. Thus, the council of eleven houses is created as a means of governing the Spartus Empire making it stronger then ever before. Before Gina dies she stressed to her daughters that only eleven should rein, no more, no less and to make a tie breaker in matters of judgement and policy Artomesia became the Council Empress and it became the twelfth house. The fifth age, is proclaimed when the Spartus meet there most worthy advisory to date, the Voxx. It is in the Telin (Spartus name, sea of blood) system that the Spartus first meet the Voxx, a race of beasts like none ever seen before in Spartus history.
Religion: It is said in Spartus mythology that once there were gods that created and lorded over the Spartus people, until one day Es Spara rose up against there oppressing gods and took their power, from that day they ventured forward into the realm of the gods and began there journey of conquest. Ever since that day, no man, women, or child of Spartus could ever truly die, for after the skin was shed (burned away) the sprit would rejoin future generations of Spartus to fight another day for the glory of the Empresses and their race.
Rituals: Ritual of mating- Every two years, starting at the age of fourteen, females are allowed to choose a worthy male and bare his child. This is decided through the male’s service records. During the ritual a woman must sneak in to a man’s quarters and taking him by force. If the man is subdued it is his duty to never bring a woman below him. However, if the female does not subdue the male than they must wait until the next session, so they can reflect on their mistakes.
Ritual of giving life: If the child is male it is taken to a cloning facility to be copied. If it is female it stays with the mother until sent to academy for training. Depending on their lineage, relation to an empress or other ranking within the society determines what academy they attend and the training they receive.
Ritual of the warrior: Once finished with there training every Spartus is given there permanent armor, this armor is there second skin, the clave an extension of there power, and the brand of the legion proving that they are true Spartus. After receiving their armor they are baptized into combat, either thought trial or on the battle field, with their Empress and they swear there lives to her.
Ritual of leadership: Once an Empress assumes power she is required to recite her oath before her people and swear to uphold her oath under penalty of death or banishment. She is also required to take a vow of purity (chastity) that no man my ever corrupt her. From there she dons her armor, and swears in her 1st, who must also recite an oath and take a vow of purity. Then she assumes her rightful place on her throne. Thrones are figurative since they were discontinued after the reign of terror by Lacedaemon.
The Ritual of Remembrance: Every Spartus learns this ritual but only females are allowed to perform it, through song. It is the only time that Spartus will shed tears, but they are not tears of sadness but of joy and purification. The ritual of remembrance, is very rare but it is to honor those who have become one with all of Spartus and to remember all of their enemy’s who have fought against them remembering them with honor so that they will never be forgotten. Even an enemy in the eyes of the Spartus should be remembered. It is during this time that the Spartus will recite all of the names of those they have killed to keep there memory alive. Empress Gina said, “Although we are the highest being amongst the stars, we cannot forget those we have fought and conquered, we should honor them for their valor and courage.”
Education: Since before a Spartus is born they are genetically altered to be perfect warriors. This is one of the few things left over from the Queal, both male and female Spartus are trained in the brutality of combat from the time that they are at the age of reason (seven), there are no exceptions. When men are taken from the neutering facilities they are given to instructors for three years who teach them to farm, to survive through hunting, to resist pain, to fight, and above all follow orders. For women it is harder due to the fact that they are not clones, they are taken from there mothers and undergo the same training as the men but it lasts for eleven years and is far more rigorous, intensive, and brutal because unlike men, women are considered the backbone of society and have to train both body and mind. These rules apply to be the daughters of an Empress in particular as they may be their mother’s replacement. It is their duty to train in the responsibilities of an empress as well as to be a trooper in the legion of their mother.
Men are trained of five years, at a male academy, past the age of reason, after witch they prove themselves in a survival test, and then for an additional two years they are pared up with a squad of keepers as a apprentice soldier to learn the ways of combat, survival, team work, how to take commands and for some learn to lead others on the battle field and off.
Women go through five years of training, at a female academy, like the men the training is intense, and they undergo the same survival test, then two to seven years are spent in advanced enhancement training where they peruse a skill to benefit the Spartus people such as engineer, doctor, etc. Most women don’t see combat until they are twenty four years vs. the men at sixteen, and even then the men are trained to keep the women safe but women are still on the front lines, most either as techs, healers and or commanders of various ranks.
Class system– The Spartus keep everything about there society simple, there are only four classis of people in the Spartus Empire. First is the Empress who is the sovereign of her realm; it is her duty to lead her people and see that their needs are met. Second is the 1st it is their job to help the Empress in her duties (like a vise president) as well as be a partner and second parent to her offspring. Third are females, they are the leaders and commanders of the Spartus civilization and perform any job that isn’t designated for men except including combat. Fourth are the men there main function is to build, farm, and fight for the empire. It is noted that all Spartus, empresses on down, do have to spend periods of time in the fields as any other member of their society. In the fields all Spartus are the same.
Physiology: Since the Spartus are genetically altered they all have similar features. Such as all Spartus have pale gray skin because of it’s granite like qualities although the pigment can vary depending on their planet of origin, eye color is generally blueish, green or brown, and all share similar height, weight, and build. This was designed as a means to unify their race, again a left over from the Queal. However, they are allowed differences to distinguish ones character such as hair length and color along with facial configuration. All Spartus are born in peek physical condition and maintain it thought there lives. They are 10 times that of the average human in every aspect of there nature, but look almost identical to us in most ways. Spartus, always sleep standing upright or at 30% angle if injured because of their duel-muscular system and skeletal structure.
Psychology: Spartus are bred to have only four base emotions and those that stem from them: Irritation, (not anger), Calm, Pleasure or fulfillment. Spartus do not know sorrow or sadness for they know that there is nothing to loose and death is rebirth. They know no fear for there is nothing grater then them, and to feel this emotion is a weakness. As for Pain they may feel it but they don’t let it rule or weaken them; they are only allowed to feel this to prove that they are alive, not for favor or pity. Male and female forms are irrelevant to Spartus other than to signify station or breed. Also it is a belief to not kill that witch submits for it is so weak it isn’t worth killing, this only applies to sentient beings, it is said that there is nothing to gain from harming the weak but weakness it’s self.
Armor: The unisex Spartus armor is not just a useful tool but a second skin. Using an artificial muscles system enhancement it takes the movements of the user and amplifies them giving them full range of motion and enhancing their natural abilities. The muscles system is a neural interface with the suit artificial muscles. These artificial muscles mimic the Spartus musculature system, making the artificial muscles more effective than hydraulics. The artificial muscles can also take more damage not just because of the polymer it’s made out of but for the fact that it absorbs impact like a regular muscles only with a higher threshold than regular tissue.
The actual battle plating is grafted to the musical system to resist high impact and energy blast making the wearer a walking tank. The entire suit is made from Spartus alloy making it virtually indestructible to most weapons and environments. The user also gains a five inch increase in height and all around body mass. The interior of the suit conforms to the user however the outside stays relatively the same, this is so enemies can’t tell the difference between Spartus by rank or importance. An empress looks the same as a trooper. After a suit is dawned by a Spartus it is very rare to ever see them take it off when away from there home world.
Language: Spartus language is similar to that of a combination to Earths ancient Latin and Old German with a much more restricted dictionary that doesn’t have redundant words.
Naming Convention: Males are named with a combination of the seed mother’s and the seed father’s with a number added as a last name due to the large scale cloning process used in creating them, (example: mother (Fabricia) + father (Celsus) = Fabrisus 287). Females are given a first name the same as males but they have a last name, that is a lineage name form their mother, (example: mother (Fausta Nerva) + donation father (Lucius) = Faucius Nerva). Empresses are given a combination of the names of the mother and her first with the house name, (example: mother (Nerva) + first (Octavia) + house name (Sparta) = Neravia Sparta).
Pain oath-Pain is my ally, It tells me of injury, It keeps me alert,
It gives me determination toward my enemy, It reminds me
to carry out my duty, It reminds me I am still alive,
Pain is my ally
Legion oath-For our Empress, We are the chosen, our flesh as armor,
We will sacrifice our body and blood, We fight for her honor,
With our shield and clave in hand, We will return victorious,
for our Empress and all of Spartus.
Talpok
History:
The Talpok is a race of arboreal felines/fox that developed on the planet Tacrafa. Their ancestors were forcefully relocated, while still in their undeveloped stone age, during the first Aedifex war by the Principium Dominion, as a means to save their civilization before the firing of the Laxo, the ultimate weapon that was supposed to end the war. It should be noted that when the Talpok ships traveled to a new world some got separated from the main fleet and ended up in another part of the galaxy and little else in known of the Talpok pre-history beyond this.
Since their relocation to a new home world the Talpok evolved rapidly as the new world had fewer large predators to challenge their eventual dominion over the planet. Their infighting and war like period ended very quickly with one family and kin taking control and creating a harsh but fair ruling government. The first rulers established the laws of equality, created a council and laid the foundation for the guild system that is the way of life of the Talpok to this day. Unlike other civilizations no one guild has more power than another not religion or the Tua politicians and autocrats. The empire went into space eons ago and through either conquest or by treaty covered dozens of systems spanning nearly half a spiral arm at its height, then came outsiders, the Spartus, the Voxx, and rebellion on many worlds. The empire was reduced in less than five millennia to a handful of systems. With the ingenuity of the Teka, the science guild, and ancient Principium knowledge they constructed the barrier that surrounds the remnant of the Talpok Empire. Run by the power of relocated suns the barrier is slowly wearing down and it is estimated it will run out of energy in less than a millennia. The Talpok need a new home and fresh resources or they will go extinct.
Government: The Talpok run their Empire through the elected council with a dynastic line of emperors that has been unbroken since its inception during the great unification of the species. These leaders are chosen and sworn in by the people to represent the various guilds that make up the Talpok society. These guilds are based around the seven Talpok gods (see Talpok religion). Within the seven guild sections in the council there are nine representatives, except for the emperor’s section where he represents by lineage. All major deliberation goes through the imperial council to be voted on, and the motion passes/fails with majority. The Talpok have few laws as they are bound by honor and conduct based on family lineage. The emperor although the leader of their race has only the same voting power as any other member of the senate but is treated with the pomp and ceremony befitting his station.
Religion: The Talpok are devote to their gods, and what they represent to the Talpok race, as every aspect of their society is based on their gods. These gods come from Tassus the eternal black void that created all things, and from its heart came Tal and Tu. Tal the father and Tu the mother fell madly in love and from their union came their five children Tox, Tua, Teka, Teesa, and Tual. Grateful to their parents for giving them life the children forged the five worlds of the Talpok System, and gave them life. The Talpok were given gifts from the gods to allow them to prosper. Indebted to their creators they swore their devotion to their teachings. Talpok do not speak of their religion to outer species often, nor do they care about others beliefs so they do not expect others to follow their teachings, but they also do not like others attempting to alter theirs.
Gods: Tal: The father, the speaker of truth and seeker of justice is represented by the Emperor in the senate. All Talpok follow the word of Tal and in turn follow the Emperor’s lineage that is chosen to lead the people, with the consent of the people, to insure their safety.
Tu: The mother, the protector of faith and healer is represented by the religious guild in the council that inspires belief, maintains and teaches the scriptures of Tal to the Talpok people. All followers of Tu are physicians who devote their mind, body, and soul to the physical and mental preservation of others.
Tox: The warrior, the defender of all is represented by the martial guild in the council. All Talpok are given the wisdom of Tox and trained to fight and vow in his name that if called upon they will defend the people. Those, however, that take up his banner devotes their lives to the protection and preservation of their race against any who would harm them.
Tua: The messenger and explorer, the seeker of friends and goods is represented by the traders and diplomats guild in the council. Anyone that takes up her banner, trained in the arts of trade, negotiations and diplomacy, venture into the unknown to find anyone or anything that will help the Talpok Empire by brokering commerce agreements, establishing trade and negotiating treaties in the name of the emperor and their race.
Teka: The knowledge seeker, the one who strive to understand and learn is represented by the science and engineering guild on the senate. Those who take up his banner devote themselves to creating new machines; solving problems and creative thinking to improve the standard of living, increase technology for all the guilds and for the Talpok as a whole.
Teesa: The keeper of knowledge is represented by the teachers and archiving guild. All Talpok seek her guidance to mentor the younger generations to impart wisdom, history and knowledge for growth. Those who take up her banner devote themselves to helping others mentally and physically grow until they find where they belong, they also are charged with keeping the records and texts of all Talpok throughout their history. Knowledge is power as is learning from your mistakes, those that follow Teesa help impart both the growth of history and knowledge this to those around them.
Tual: The crafter of land and stone is represented by the arts and agricultural guild. Anyone who carries her banner imparts beauty and compassion to all. Those that follow Tual tend to farms, mine and refine ore, and promote craft and the arts. They are able to express themselves and expand upon Talpok culture though their efforts, capturing its essence with the arts, and ensure that all are given amenities needed to survive.
Rituals: Purification: After a Talpok dies their body is said to trap the spirit and hold it to this world, because it is no longer pure as it no longer shares the energy of life in harmony with the soul, keeping the soul from ascending to join the power of all in the realm of the gods. For the dead’s soul to move on the family and friends of the deceased destroy the dead absolving them of all their immoralities and sins attained in life. However, should the body rot the soul will be consumed by its depravities and spend eternity locked to this plane, never able to be one with the gods. It is rare that this is allowed, but there are occasions when a Talpok has committed acts against their code and blasphemed against the gods making them unworthy to move on. These few are buried after death in far desolate places in unmarked graves.
Marriage and Mating: Talpok are devoted to the family, kin and guild way of life and are raised with simple but very rigid traditions handed down from the days when they first came from the trees. Males and females are encouraged to be friends, open to each other in thought, play, training and in guild life but they are forbidden to have relations of intimate nature until they are mated, called splicing, and bound by the laws and traditions handed down in the text of Tu, the mother. When a male or female has chosen and is trained in guild life, usually but not always of the family or kin, they may choose a mate. This can be either male to female or visa-versa as Talpok are all equal with no distinction as to males or females being dominant in their society. Talpok, despite some outsiders’ notions of them, are monogamous, taking only one mate for life. Talpok mates, if they live their full measure of life, can have up to three to five sets of offspring. If one mate dies before another, often the survivor will not take another unless they are very young. In these cases they are given a morning time before the family or the kin suggests new mates to continue the family line. Talpok marriage ceremonies are not complex. The asking Talpok, male or female, brings gifts to the parentage of the family or kin, makes the request, if granted, and they are not always granted, the couple goes before a Tu guild council elder, the blessing is given by Tu and they go to the ancient forest for the honeymoon. There they live in the trees, part of compulsory military survival training, for a time, it varies according to the couples own desires, then when they return they are given a place of their own by the Tual guild. During war time some Talpok couples settle on new worlds and build lives there but always have a place on home world if needed.
Voxx
Religion: The Voxx have a belief that before the first Voxx ever set foot on the universal plain there where the Shockumun Voxx (Great Voxx) who have been battling the Judarointo (demons or dark ones, the Principium) in Kinun (life beyond). After seeing the strength of the Shockumun Voxx on the battlefield one of the Judarointo managed to take the flesh from a Shockumun Voxx and gave it to the Judari (Avatars of the dark ones, The Erases), on the universal plain. From that flesh come the first Voxx.
After learning the plan of the Judari through Vintumun (race memory from the Grate Voxx) they rise up against the Judari and killed them, breaking the conduit from Kinun to the universal plain for the Judarointo. Keeping them locked away, because if one where to make it to the universal plain from Kinun the universe would end. The Voxx believe that if they die in battle that they will join the Shockumun Voxx in Kinun and fight along side them forever shedding all weakness from the universal plain and become immortal.
The Voxx also believe that the Spartus are Judarinko (servants of the dark ones) because they had killed there Judari (The Erases) and took there power, proving to the Judarointo that they are worthy to serve them, that is why the Voxx attack them above all else and have sworn to destroy them, so that the Judarointo will have no way to cross over from Kinun. In all Voxx texts any version of Judarointo are shone as human like creatures. The 7 Shockumun Voxx are depicted with horns not only on their nose but on the temples.
The Aedifex
Eaks:
A race of being that resemble insects and cephalopods. They are one of the oldest races in the galaxy as they were servants of the Aedifex. During their races infancy they had been used by the Aedifex to maintain their systems and make repairs, replacing Nano-machines for resources and processing power. The Eaks worshiped the Aedifex as their keepers (not gods). When the Aedifex were shut down the Eaks continued their functions maintaining the Aedifex, but as they crashed on various worlds the Eaks began building civilizations around the Aedifex design and devoting all their time and resources to keep them running. As the years went on the Eaks grew progressively more intelligent and more powerful, but continued in their quest to reawaken the guides. Millennia later they are discovered by the Uzara, who are mostly robotic as part of their evolution, they
become the guardians of the Aedifex as the Eaks are pacifists.
Eaks live in colonies, but all work as one. They have no queen or central leadership, valuing both males and females equally. Eaks have relatively short life spans only living to be about a quarter of a century old. One of the most intelligent races in the galaxy they have devoted their life to science, to help restore the Aedifex, and to help evolve their culture. Up until recently the Eaks had only known of war through the Aedifex data banks and stories from their past, but have adapted quickly since their encounter with the Voxx, becoming a formidable foe utilizing the Aedifex tech and devastating weaponry to defend the massive ships. It should be noted that each Aedifex houses one each of the last Principium survivors who want to become fully alive again and reclaim their empire.
Uzara:
A race evolved from creatures similar to Chiroptera (bats). They are the only race to have ever called the Spartus ally. After a brief but fierce battle with the Spartus the Uzara had to sue for peace. Seventy five years latter the Uzara fell back on their word and broke the treaty thinking that they could defeat the Spartus, but were sadly mistaken. On the verge of extinction the Uzara fled their home world and ventured into deep space trying to find a new world where they may regroup and plot their revenge. Eventually they run across the Voxx who pressure them mercilessly for several thousand years as they hop from world to world. Until they discover the Eaks. It is here they are able to build an alliance reimagine themselves as more robot then living flesh, to aid in reviving the Principium war faction to retake their world and plot to destroy the Voxx and Spartus.
Domlin and Conqueus:
When the Aedifex were no longer needed for exploration they simply abandon to space for several millennia, but the Eaks that maintained them kept them going as they wandered through space still exploring and gathering information, however many settled on planets. The Principium, in the meantime, fell into civil conflict with two opposing sides.The Conqueus, that wanted to conquer and the Domlin, which was tired of war and wanted to settle down amongst their already vast empire. The Conqueus faction was driven from Principium space and headed back to what was thought the dead center of the galaxy where the old civilizations once existed. When they arrived they discovered the old worlds were again thriving so the Conqueus devised a brilliant strategy to become powerful again.
They remembered and found the Aedifex repurposed them and large numbers of the Conqueus put themselves into a light hypnotic sleep to both run the massive ships and perpetuate themselves to near immortality with the Eaks help. After retaking the inner galaxy the Conqueus turned on their own race, the Principium and any who opposed them. It is during this time the Loax devices are used, wiping out all the Domlin and the Conqueus who were not integrated into an Aedifex.
Menose System
The Menose system, of seven planets has three large ones Menose Ray, Menose Demotra and Menose Trace. Menose Ray in particular is rich in mineral and agricultural wealth. It was originally owned by a race called the Minoa but their war like nature drove them to extinction after going to war with the Talpok. The Talpok settled the world and lived there for several millennia until being driven off by the Spartus who, because of the Voxx wars, could not devote resources to settle the planet.
Menose Ray– Menose Ray is the only one of the three habitable planets that is able to sustain a large population. The first habitable world in the Menose system, Menose Ray is where the first humans accidentally established a colony outside the Sol solar system after their colony ship, one of the 10 Columbus Mission ships, was pushed off course by the Talpok frontier, and settled into orbit stranding them away from home. (The human ship slipped along the frontier during one of the many Voxx attempts to open holes in it with load weapons.) For over 150 years the human colony is unnoticed because even though it is in Voxx space at the time the Voxx had no reason to pay attention to a seemingly unimportant world.
The new empress of House Es Spara goes to Menose Ray to investigate a scientific discovery and discovers he human colony and fend off a Voxx attack. Several months later the Talpok are able to take the planet back during the frontier push. All other humans over 7 years old are wiped out by a very bigoted empress and their children taken as the Spartus evacuate. During the confusion of the Talpok push a human slips away in an old Talpok transport they discovered, researched and refurbished left over from the previous Talpok occupation. This begins a chain of events that leads to wider conflicts in the future that eventually involve Earth. The Talpok loose it again to the Spartus 12 years later because they are unable to move the frontier around the Menose system before the Spartus return in force.