THESE ARE THE RACES RELATED TO THE ENTIRE FIVE BOOK SERIES. THERE WILL BE MORE INFORMATION AS THE SERIES IS PUBLISHED.
CHRONICLES OF THE YANKEE TRADER GALACTIC TIMELINE
250 million years Before Recorded Time: (BRT) – During the life bearing infancy of the galaxy many races rise above all the others, but their lust for power leads them to endless wars one after another. Out of these races two prevail in technological power, the Plastes and the Principium. Weary of the countless millennia of war, they collaborate, and both decide to abandon the battle torn weary worlds of their ancestors to their long-time enemies and venture 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 where they can find a fresh start in the vast unexplored galaxy.
100 million to 25 million BRT: The Principium establish a dominion among their newly settled worlds toward the lower inner and upper central rim of the spiral arms of the still burgeoning galaxy, seizing the developing races to do their bidding, discarding the Aedifex as no longer useful they move quickly to conquer a massive area. 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 search worlds toward the lower central and outer rim to inhabit among the spread-out spiral arms. As the distances are far greater and spread out, they develop long-distance methods like massive matter transport. Only one central world that they colonize has useable 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 Principium, the Plastes also forget about the Aedifex. Feeling that they are no longer needed, the Aedifex return to their points of origin, near the center of the galaxy, to await an uncertain future.
25 to 5 million BRT– Irritated and harassed by far flung elements of the old enemies they tried to leave behind, the Principium destroy these elements and return to the home system of battle torn worlds to conquer them once and for all. Upon their return, however, they find the worlds have already been decimated further, old enemies destroyed, and the remnant 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 declares war. Feeling responsible for the Aedifex’s corruption, the Plastes also join in the war to destroy their ancient creations.
5 million to 750 thousand BRT: Angered by the attack on them and being denied what they perceive is the right of recognition, the Aedifex multiply secretly over the next several centuries, and spread out across the galaxy like a plague, systematically annihilating piece by piece every civilization they encounter focusing on Principium 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 the more evolved versions proved effective, they are brought into the war too late to change the outcome, so they are put into carbon sleep. It should be noted that one particularly aggressive breed of Humanide, set for disposal, called Herogin, vanished without a trace on the far side of Queal space while in transit. Now, 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 to deactivate the main Aedifex control systems rendering them inert. The two races intended to repurpose the Aedifex over time, but using the Laxos had unforeseen side effects, that caused a collapse in molecular bonding and accelerated genetic breakdown in numerous organic species caught in the blast radius of the devices. Not realizing their mistake until it’s too late, over the next several centuries, many species slowly declined and eventually ceased to exist, among them are the Principium and Plastes themselves. For although they tried desperately, with the time they had left, to find a cure, there just wasn’t enough time, so with the time they have left they groomed their successors.
750 thousand to 200 thousand years BRT: With the Aedifex gone, or inactive, the struggling remnant of the Principium dominion falls to ruin very quickly, worn and fractured by countless eons of war and decay. Much of their vast power and knowledge is lost with only a few far-flung remnants surviving. 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 to 70 thousand years – Recorded Time (RT): After the Principium dominion falls, war lords and empires rise on many of the systems that are left. The Erases devote themselves to rebuilding the Principium dominion and bring order to the war-torn galaxy. To do this they further evolve a brute race of domesticated creatures, that were used as beasts of burden, that were discovered and bred by the Principium originally over dozens of millennia. With the constant threat of war all around them the Erases take this brute race and use them as an army to enforce their will. The breeding place is a planet they name Judari, (place of breeding). The brute beings have race memory, which was never known to both the Principium and the Erases, so to fight their wars the creatures are given higher intellect and resources for battle. Realizing their own worth and power and remembering the countless millennia of cruelty, the brute slave race organizes and turns on their masters with remorseless rage and in a short time all the Erases worlds are now theirs. The VOXX, as they come to be called, are born, but it takes many centuries still for them to master space travel beyond these systems. Even with the Erases and their minions now expunged the Voxx are still unappeased. The Voxx move slowly into the galaxy on a crusade to find and destroy the servants of the dark ones, (Judari). The Erases were bipedal, but they wore clothing and suits, a theorized sign of superiority, to cover themselves, so no record of their actual appearance survives. But the Voxx associates any who resemble them, beings that are bipedal and upright, as Judari, “servants of the dark ones” to be found and destroyed wherever they are.
75 thousand to 40 thousand years – RT: On the low central and outer rim of the galaxy the Queal lacking the guidance of the Plastes grow increasingly arrogant and complacent. They wage dozens of wars to crush other systems to build an empire using the power given to them by the Plastes, but the Plastes didn’t stay long enough to teach the Queal the wisdom and humility on how to use it. After more centuries of unimpeded conquest the Queal reawaken the long dormant Humanide to do their bidding, spreading over hundreds of worlds’ conquering countless more races and expanding their empire over vast areas of the lower central and 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 to satiate their lust for brutal entertainment.
40 thousand to12 thousand years RT: The Queal underestimate that Humanide, whom they had grown to rely upon and whom they have taken advantage of with brutal cruelty. Despondent toward the arrogant Queal the Humanide finally rebel after 28 thousand more years, against their self-proclaimed gods, rallying behind their new leader Es Spara, (blade of vengeance), taking what knowledge of the Plastes they can 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 a few slaves from an older experimental creation, but a similar race to humanide, to find a new home to rule where they can restructure and weaken the older Humanide genes, so they may lord over them in a new domain. However, without the grace of the more advanced Plastes technology to sustain them the Queal eventually die off leaving their slave creation to fend for themselves somewhere out in the galaxy where they fade from recorded memory.
The Spartus
The Spartus become a matriarchal society that has only one objective, that which they were created for, conquest! Their entire society is based on warfare. Like the Spartans on earth the Spartus are trained from the time that they are children, both male and female, to become fierce and loyal warriors of their burgeoning empire devoted to the art of war.
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 cannot be one central ruler, no one Spartus should have that much power, so their territories are divided into sections that each Empress governs. Since they are a race of warriors, any female has the right to challenge for leadership of a house, but it is very rare; for an empress has many duties that few are trained to deal with outside the inherited blood lines. It is also not uncommon for a daughter to kill their mother or sisters for control of a throne; in fact, it is expected, beyond a certain age, for it is how they prove one is strong enough to lead. On rare occasions, a daughter or sister can gain empress ship by the death of a matriarch or capitulation without combat from one who is too elderly. It is stated in their law that no male my rule only females have that right, not because females ordained it, it’s because that is what males demanded. Their primary law is that no Spartus shall ever harm, whether by design or intent another Spartus, except empress challenge, and they are to live with honor and respect by and for all.
History– Spartus history begins with the Queal who evolved both technologically and organically superior over many species in that part of the Milky Way galaxy after losing the guidance of their mentors the ancient race called the Plastes who gave them their power but not their wisdom. In their arrogance they proclaimed themselves gods over the subservient creatures that exist in their conquered dominion. There genetically created race left over from the Plastes called Humanide (Servants of the Gods) become their army. They are spread to the various dominions of the Queal. Over many centuries the Queal’s power is challenged by other races who thought themselves competent enough to obtain a hold over their part of the galaxy, but because of the reanimated Humanides aggressive warlike nature, challengers are defeated at the bidding of the Queal. The Humanide are used to fight not only the enemies of the Queal but each other, whenever the gods had differences of option and fight among themselves. It was this petty infighting and overconfidence that led to the Queal’s downfall. Airis, a Queal, becomes enamored with a Humanide warrior, Celpi, and in his lustful rage at her rejection of him, rapes her. Outraged, the other Queal mar her body, taking her beauty from her and banishing her to the outlands of their home world where she should die alone. It was here that Celpi had a child and called her Es Spara (blade of vengeance). Celpi shows no love towards Es Spara, training her in the ways of combat, survival and hatred for the gods. It is at the end of Es Spara’s training, at thirteen, Celpi forced her daughter to fight her. Celpi is joyful when Es Para kills her in the brutal dual to ensure that she is ready for her mission. As part of Celpi’s plan for Es Para, she makes certain the news of her demise gets out. When the Queal come to retrieve the body of Celpi, so they can use it as an example for all Humanide to show that any defiance means death, they don’t know that Es Para even exists. Upon their arrival Es Spara kills 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 now; the first age begins. One by one the Colonies of Humanide join the Spartus, until all are 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 them, creating an entirely new way of life to honor their new culture with honor and dignity above all else.
The second age begins with the Spartus turning their attention back to the stars to assert galactic dominance, retaking many of the systems that belonged to the Queal dominion from the hands of their enemies and proclaiming them part of the Spartus Empires. Only once have the Spartus ever shown compromise with another race, they were called the Minti, but this led to unforeseen disaster. The Minti eventually withdrew their hand of friendship when they thought that the Spartus 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 them. Like a finely hone sword, the Spartus continued their march through the stars. Once they obtained their goal to recover all the Queal had, they stopped 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 their part of the galaxy, until they were attacked, without provocation by the Zibren. The Spartus, realizing that there would never have peace, donned their armor 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 will always a threat that must be fought.
In the third age Es Spara’s daughter Taygete gives birth to two daughters and one son. Whit Taygete’s male dead and was their way at the time, the eldest child would assume the throne. Es Spara’s grandson Lacedaemon becomes the emperor however, soon after, he is drunk with power and strives to recreate an Empire of his liking and in his image. He kills off the governors of the provinces, claiming he is the only power and God above all. Es Spara comes out of her self-imposed seclusion when she learns of this and with her own hand slays her grandson and her daughter Taygete for giving birth to him as she was part and party to his treason against the empire. So, the same mistake will not occur again, Es Spara raised Taygete’s two daughters to be strong, honorable and just. Decades pass. After slaying Es Spara, in a fair contest of power to prove herself, Gina, the eldest granddaughter, takes the throne as Empress and over time created a stronger more powerful Spartus Empire, united under her just but firm hand with her sister as her proclaimed Pro Council. It was during her rule that the men of the Empire create the original 7 laws of male, vowing loyalty under the ruling empress for all generations to come, so the male preponderance for violence will never again threaten the empire.
The fourth age, near the end of Gina’s rein, sees the Spartus Empire become too vast for her to control alone, but there was no male 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 male would claim that right. Seeing this, she took a vow of purity and takes a female as her consort, Artemesia. This female is deemed her first, denoting that she is first among females second only to her. Without the Empresses knowledge Artemesia used science and logic to motivate the best of the males to donate their seed. Seeing no other way Gina agreed to artificial inseminated. All of her eggs are removed from her and artificially inseminated using the DNA from the chosen males. Twenty-seven children are born, all female. Again, seeing the Empire is growing too large for one Empress, Gina forced her daughters to fight each other at the age of fourteen (the age their training ended) and out of them eleven remained standing, the rest a relegated to other duties such as healer and engineers. Gina tests her remaining females over and over and finds them all worthy of leadership, so she, being the last singular ruler, she 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 vast empire, making it stronger than 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 Artemesia becomes the Council Empress and the twelfth house by decent is founded and named after the founder Es Para. The fifth age is proclaimed when the Spartus meet their most worthy advisory to date, the Voxx. It is in the Tellin (Spartus name, sea of blood) system that the Spartus first meet the Voxx, a race of relentless war beasts like none ever seen before.
Religion: It is said in Spartus mythology that once there were gods that created and lorded over them, until one day Es Spara rose against their cruel oppressing gods and took their power, from that day they ventured forward into the realm of the gods and began their journey of conquest. Ever since that day, no male, female, or offspring of Spartus could ever truly die, for after the skin is shed (burned away) the sprit will rejoin future generations to fight another day for the glory of the Empresses and their race.
Rituals: Ritual of mating- Every five 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 female must sneak into a male’s quarters and take him by force. If the male is subdued it is his duty to never bring a female 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 errors.
Ritual of giving life: If the child is male, and once weaned, it is taken to a cloning facility where the DNA is cataloged and used to create more males, as this is how all Spartus were created to begin with. If female it stays with the mother until sent to an academy. 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 their training every Spartus is given tailored permanent armor, this armor is their second skin, the clave an extension of their power, and the brand of the legion proving they are accepted into the ranks as equals. After receiving their armor, they are baptized into combat, either thought trial or on the battlefield with their Empress.
Ritual of leadership: For an empress to assume power, she is required to recite the oath of justice and loyalty to the empire, and swear the oath of honor with her 1st. She must uphold her oath under penalty of death or, in extremely rare cases, banishment. She is then required to take a vow of purity (chastity) that no male my ever corrupt her until she is of the chosen time for heirs. Her 1st must also take a vow of purity. From there she dons her armor and 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. It is the only time that Spartus will shed tears, but it is very rare. It is to honor those who have become one with all of Spartus and to remember them with honor. Even a valient enemy in the eyes of the Spartus should be remembered.
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 males, are taken from the neutering facilities, they are given to instructions throughout their training on how to farm, to survive through hunting and scavenging, to resist pain, to fight, and above all follow orders. For females it is harder due to the fact that they are not clones, they are surrendered by their mothers to undergo the same training as the males, but it lasts for nine years and is far more rigorous and intensive, because unlike males, females are considered the backbone of society and have to train both body and mind. These rules apply particularly to the daughters of an Empress 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 legions.
After farming and survival training, males are trained of five years, at a male combat academy after which they prove themselves in a survival test, and then for an additional two years they are paired up with a squad of keepers as an apprentice trooper to learn the ways of combat, survival, teamwork, how to take commands and for some learn to lead others on the battlefield and off.
Females go through nine years of training, at a female academy, like the males the training is intense, and they undergo the same survival test, then two more years are spent in advanced enhancement training where they peruse a skill to benefit the Spartus such as techs, healers, etc. Most females don’t see combat until they are eighteen years vs. the males at sixteen, and even then, the males are trained to keep the females safe, but females are still on the front lines, most either as techs, healers and or commanders of various ranks, however males do have rank withing the ranks, some can attain command status by empress appointment.
Class system– The Spartus keep everything simple with only four classes. First is the Empress who is the sovereign of her realm; it is her duty to lead her and see to the needs of those under her command. Second is the 1st it is their job to help the Empress in her duties (like a vise president) as well as be a companion and second parent to offspring. Third are females, they are the techs, healers, scientist and commanders performing duties alongside males. Fourth are the males their 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 like 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 with pale gray skin, but this varies depending on plant of origin. Generally, eyes are blueish, green or brown, and all share similar height, weight, and build. This was designed as a means to unify their race, again a leftover from the Queal. However, they are allowed differences to distinguish one’s character such as hair length and color along with facial configuration All Spartus are born in peek physical condition and maintain it thought their lives. They are 5 times the strength of an average human without armor, considerably more with it. They look almost identical to us in most ways, but they sleep standing upright or at 30% angle if injured. This is because of their duel-muscular system and skeletal structure. It should be noted that Spartus are essentially high-bred vegetarian, rarely, except in extreme circumstances or necessity, do they eat meat.
Psychology: Spartus are bred to have only four base emotions: Irritation, (not anger), Calm, Pleasure and fulfillment Spartus do not know pity or sadness for they know that there is nothing to lose and death is to rejoin the Spartus in a new life spawned from the infinite energy of the universe. They know no fear for fear is weakness. As for pain, they feel it, but they don’t let it overwhelm or weaken them; they feel this proves they are alive, not for favor or pity as pity is also weakness. Male and female forms are irrelevant to Spartus other than to signify station in the empire. Also, it is a belief to not kill that which submits for submission is weakness and the weak aren’t worth killing, this only applies to sentient beings.
Armor: The unisex Spartus armor is not just a useful tool but a second skin. Using an artificial muscles system, 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 that mimics the Spartus musculature system, making them more effective than hydraulics. The artificial muscles take more damage not just because of material structure but because they absorb impact like a regular muscle only with a much higher threshold than physical tissue.
The actual battle plating is grafted to the artificial musical system that resists high impacts and energy blast making the wearer a walking tank. The entire suit is made from Spartus alloy making it virtually indestructible. 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 fitted it is very rare to ever see them take it off when away from their home world.
Language: Spartus language is similar to that of a combination of Earth’s ancient Latin and Old Germanic with a much more restricted dictionary that doesn’t have redundant words with similar meanings.
Naming Convention: Males are named with a combination of the egg doner female and the male with a number added due to the large-scale cloning used in creating them, (example: mother (Fabricia) + father (Celsus) = Fabrisus 28719). 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 male (Lucius 25726) = 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 (Es Spara) = Neravia Ocva Es Spara).
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,
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 feline/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 Plastes knowledge they constructed the barrier centuries ago 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 sooner than expected.
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 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 who represents the royal 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 them. 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 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 other beliefs, so they do not expect others to follow their teachings, but they also do not like others attempting to infringe on theirs.
Gods: Tal: The father, the speaker of truth and seeker of justice is represented by the emperor. All Talpok follow the word of Tal and in turn follow the emperor’s lineage chosen to lead them.
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 and religious leaders 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 vow in his name that if called upon they will defend their race. Those, however, that take up his banner devote their lives to the protection and preservation of their.
Tua: The messenger and explorer, the seeker of friends and goods is represented by the traders and diplomats guild. 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 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. Those who takes up his banner devotes themselves to creating new machines and technology; solving problems and creative thinking to improve the standard of living for all the guilds and for the Talpok as a whole.
Teesa: The keeper of knowledge is represented by the teachers and archive 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 to those around them.
Tual: The crafters of land and stone is represented by the arts and agricultural guild. Anyone who carries her banner imparts beauty and provide substance. Those that follow Tual tend to farms, mine and refine ore, and promote the crafts 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 the 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 extent 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, 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.
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 who first found and used them as beast of burden) 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, Judarointo, The Erases), on the universal plain. From that flesh come the first true Voxx.
After learning the plan of the Judari through Vintumun (race memory from the Greate Voxx) they rose up against the Judari and killed them, breaking the conduit from Kinun to the universal plain of Judarointo. Keeping them locked away, because if one where to make it to the universal plain from Kinun the universe will end. The Voxx believe that if they die in battle that they will join the Shockumun Voxx in Kinun and fight alongside them forever shedding all weakness in the universal plain.
The Voxx also believe that the Spartus and Talpok are Judarinko (servants of the dark ones) because they had killed there Judari (The Erases) and took their power, proving to the Greate Voxx that they are worthy to serve, that is why the Voxx attack 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 humanlike creatures. The 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 are servants of the Aedifex. During their races infancy they had been used by the Principium and Plastes to maintain the Aedifex 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 them, 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 continuing their quest to reawaken the guides. Millennia later, they are discovered by the Uzara, who are mostly robotic evolved beings, they became 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 living to be about 25 years old. One of the most intelligent races in the galaxy they have devoted their life to science, to help restore the Aedifex, and to evolve their culture. Up until recently the Eaks had only known of war through the Aedifex data banks 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.
Uzara:
A race evolved from creatures similar to Chiropteran (bats). They are the only race to have ever called the Spartus ally. After a brief but fierce battle with the Uzara had to sue for peace. Seventy-five years later 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 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 build an alliance and reimagine themselves as more robot then living flesh.
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 with most settling 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 and repurposing them. 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 hundred years until being driven off by the Spartus twice but 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 crash landing, stranding them away from home. For over 150 years the human colony is unnoticed because even though it is in open space there was no reason at the time 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 finds the human colony and fends off a Voxx attack. Several months later the Talpok are able to take the planet back during the frontier push. All other humans over 25 years old are wiped out by a very bigoted empress and the children are 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, that was 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.