XiC: Galactic neighbors

 

Sagtita

In the galaxy of Sagtita, hooves and crystal-organisms roam countless worlds. The Sagtitanians are a highly advanced and utopian hooved-like set and their fellow caretakers of peace, Gems that have achieved a state of harmony and enlightenment. They live in a galaxy known for its incredible beauty and the Sagtitanians themselves are renowned for their artisanal skills and wisdom. The Sagtitanians are primarily split between various equine species, and those humanoid in appearance that have a pearlescent sheen to their skin, which varies in color depending on their age and social status, along with a gem along their bodies. Orchid and the Solar Society for unknown reasons call these gems “Demons.” Their society is structured around a system of revelation, where those with the greatest, oldest knowledge and skill are held in the highest regard. They are a peaceful race and have long since abandoned the use of violence in any form.

The Sagtitanians are highly advanced in the fields of science and technology, developing artificial intelligence and robotic lifeforms with tender care but they believe that the natural world is just as important as the artificial. They have created breathtaking works of art that are inspired by the natural world, including sculptures, paintings, and music. Their cities are built to be aesthetically pleasing, with structures that blend seamlessly into the surrounding environment, cared for by majestic droids and mechanical caretakers courting their love and beauty. It’s unknown when these hooved artisans made contact with the Gems, but early records show they established peace by giving members of their species, Pearls, as protectors of Sagtitantian young foals and colts. Among the most populated races, the most culturally prominent and technologically advanced include the Caonima Alpacamata, Vicunaadians, Giraffalons, Bisuvians, and Rānthiraulphs. They are known for being quite distinct in living ethos, from the festivities and spiritedness of Rānthiraulphs, the nobility rituals of Bisuvians, to the crass poetry, breeding habits, graffiti and course vernacular of the Caonima.

Sagtitanians are capable of developing control over some form of strange magic at the age of adolescent progress, in which a tattoo with a single elemental symbol appears on their thigh. This symbol indicates the ability they inherit, one that seems to be based in the weather and will instinctively give them special talents, personality skillsets and capabilities based on that sigil. They value all variety of education and learning above all else, and their society is structured to support this. All Sagtitanians have access to education, and the pursuit of knowledge is seen as a lifelong endeavor. They have achieved an incredible level of understanding of the universe and its workings, and they use this knowledge to improve the lives of all who live in their galaxy. Despite their advanced technology, they have not lost touch with their spiritual side. They believe in the power of meditation and regularly engage in practices that promote inner peace and enlightenment. Their society is structured around the principles of compassion, empathy, and understanding, and they strive to extend these qualities to all forms of life in the galaxy. Their governing body are the Lotus Eaters, who make the top decisions for their empire.

They are one of the top exporters of machines and artificial robots, even rivaling Xi in that regard, aswell as fine-art, cuisine, construction and media entertainment. Gems and robots find fully antonymous citizenship within, causing many runaway AI-Rights activists and programs to seek asylum within their galaxy. Despite the utopian level of eliminated-scarcity and peaceful existence, they almost entirely lack a developed military and armada, putting them in a rather precarious position between the Xi and the Draxorians.

Favorite ship type: The Slead-Treader Xii is a swift vessel, sturdy yet quick, sleek and aerodynamic to survive the hefty asteroid-storms their galaxy is known to deal with. It possesses a unique design with elements of nature incorporated into its construction. The ship's exterior is be adorned with antenna-like protrusions and intricate, swirling patterns reminiscent of frost and snow. The interior of the ship is be spacious, with high ceilings and ample room for the pilots to move around comfortably. The walls and floors are unusual in that they’re typically coated with smooth, polished wood, with carved designs of animals from their homeworlds and nature adorning the surfaces.

The ship's propulsion system relies on a combination of magic and technology, allowing the Sagtitanians to control its movements with their own innate abilities. The ship's navigation system is also be enchanted, allowing it to navigate through space using magical star maps, using abilities unique to residents of their galaxy.

 

 

Set

The Setians are a humanoid species with distinctive features that resemble the ancient feloids and other assorted furry species. They have a deep affinity for the mysteries of the universe and are known for their advanced knowledge of alchemy, magic, and the occult. They are a deeply religious people who worship a force called the Cascade, which they believe to be the ultimate source of all creation and believe whoever created it, to be more divine and wholly awe inspiring than anything in the universe. Incidentally they hate Sandra, and think both her and all of Xi are ‘godless Heathens.’ They call the Draxorians no more than ‘Predators among the Star Nile.’

 

Set civilization is one of the most enigmatic in the galaxy, and they are notoriously difficult to understand. They keep to themselves, and their culture is steeped in ritual and tradition. They are ruled by a council of 9-tailed cat priests who are believed to be able to commune with the Cascade and interpret it will. The Setians are also known for their exceptional artistic abilities, and they are revered throughout the galaxy for their stunning works of sculpture, painting, and architecture. Their starships are pyramid shape, and although slow, clunky, and small in number, they contain matter deletion rays that utilize Cascade-based tech to irradicate material from space-time, making them formidable. Their cities are built to resemble the ancient temples, with towering pyramids and sprawling obelisks that reach towards the stars that they see such awe in.

Despite their deep reverence for the Cascade, the felines of Set are also a fiercely independent people. They have a long history of resisting attempts at colonization by other species, and they fiercely protect their borders from outside influences. Xi has been weary of them and that history. Those who do manage to make contact with the Merlyn often find themselves drawn into their web of mysticism and intrigue, unable to resist the allure of their mysterious and captivating culture. Other conquerors, empire-builders and aggressors have a long history of being conquered not by the sword or brute force, but some phenological force of influence and desire, finding themselves willingly converting their culture into that of Set, desiring to become Set citizens more than their own and intentionally giving up their identities to merely be assimilated into the ways of Set. How this is done, Xi knows not much about. If I may make some speculation, they appear to possess a level of Writ built into their hieroglyphic based language, arithmetic, sciences and empirical research. This would explain the ways of which their ships are able to fly, when they should theoretically not be able to, they’re laced with complicated hieroglyphic glyphs and runes that are based in Writ enchantment. They are, in fact, quite similar to the beasts that live within the inner-Xi regions that have been dislocated within the Cascade’s dark umber, known as the Underdark, in that they do not reproduce by means of laying eggs. Instead, they appear to release spores into the atmosphere by coughing them out their mouths after exchanging reproductive fluids orally, allowing for their offspring seeds to be more akin to motes of pollen or dust that travel in the wind, form protoplasmic slime and eventually mold into subjects that are cared for communally as a litter. They also have some sort of telepathic ability, as many creatures of the Underdark have, yet as Xi has only ever encountered them in small communities, it is difficult to tell if that ability is innate or learned. This psychic ability is facilitated by an enigmatic series of purrs, and cannot even be read or interpreted by trained psychics in Xi’s military. Again, lending to my theory that their scientific and magical skillsets are enabled by Writ enhancement by some unknown means. The races of Set are still shrouded in mystery to most prying eyes, and for the remainder of this archive it would appear that secrecy shall stay.

Favorite ship type: 🧿Glyph Rider🧿is a pyramid shaped dark obsidian bulk of a shapeship. Made of pure steel materials with a pure-dark hide, it’s piloted by their advanced ENIGMA AI systems which are able to communicate with the psychic abilities of the crew, something even Xi Psi-users are unable to do with bio-ships. Glyph cruisers can hold thousands of passengers and come with temples within, in which the passengers oft pray to the ship for safe travel through the dark of space. It’s photon-capable with firepower resembling glowing thrusting triangles through the airwaves.

Blackwind

In the dark and dangerous galaxy of Blackwind, there exists a notorious criminal racketeer species known as the Draxorians as the dominant hegemony within the Draxpirium. Their galaxy underwent exposure to numerous supernovas in its past, creating fiery storms and high temperatures that made life develop in a short, brusque manner. These reptilian beings are known for their ruthless and violent ways, making them feared and respected by many in the galaxy. They were previously diplomatic and trading partners of the former Xi, but like it’s neighbor it underwent a massive civil war, one from which it never recovered and now sits in perpetual anarchy between the Rally Lords- a position the Draxorians based admirably on the Elderdragon System. Draxorians are reverent towards Xi’ans, although stereotyping them as rather ruthless, aggrandizing and corrupt, essentially venerating them for the same values the Veavst and Merlyn see them as degenerate for.

The Draxorians’ civilization is one of anarchy and chaos, with constantly shifting government or law enforcement to keep them in check. They are a scrapheap of war and misery, surviving on their ability to dominate and exploit others. They control vast territories through force and intimidation, extorting resources and technology from weaker species to fuel their own ambitions. Draxorians are a militaristic species, and their society is built around a strict hierarchy based on strength and brutality. At the top of the hierarchy are the powerful warlords who command their armies and control their territories, and those warlords compete for the flagship blessing of their religion, Septus Scalus, to become one of the 7 Rally Lords. They are supported by a network of lieutenants and enforcers who keep their underlings in line and enforce their will upon the galaxy. Draxorians learn to breed fire by a young age, shed their skin frequently and grow wings by the age of 15, in which their quincean-eragonis celebration is held. They are a matriarchal civilization, the power oft held through the mother, and due to this they held great respect for Sandra, seeing her as the ‘Roudest, Loudest Rally-iest Lord of Xi’ and calling her ‘Dragoon Mother Supreme’ at times. Despite their love and loyalty towards Xi, for the most part Xi is unwilling to intervene in their brutal domestic squabbles and struggles with anarchy.

Their technology is crude and brutal, with much of it being scavenged from other species they have conquered or stolen from. They prefer weapons that are loud, destructive, and intimidating, such as plasma cannons and flamethrowers. Their ships are often crudely built atop vast cosmic firebreathing serpents called Serphirm, but heavily armed and armored, allowing them to take on much larger and better-equipped forces in the space-race.

 

Despite their reputation as ruthless and bloodthirsty criminals, the Draxorians are not without honor. They have a strict code of conduct and will not tolerate betrayal or cowardice among their own ranks. Sticking with your ‘Nest’ is seen as the most important virtue for a Draxorian. However, this code is often twisted to serve their own interests, and they have no qualms about breaking it when it suits them, twists and betrayal are most frequent in their nobility. The Kraxorian nobles are treated like gods and adorned in regal armor and wear majestic crowns that signify their status. They reside in magnificent castles and palaces, and their wealth and power are unmatched throughout the galaxy. However, despite their status and power, the Kraxorian nobility remains greedy and self-interested, always putting their needs above their people, from the oldest scalemates to the youngest hatchlings.

The Draxorians are a force to be reckoned with in the galaxy of Blackwind, and many species live in fear of their wrath. They may be criminals and outcasts, but they have carved out a place for themselves in the universe, and they will do whatever it takes to protect it. Currently the daughter of the currently Rally Lord, Princess Emberlynn the Wingbreaker has developed a committed and friendly relationship with the Grand Magus, Xistress Sandra. Hopes in Xi appear to be this cordiality will bring the two galaxies back to their pre-XU levels of trade and diplomacy when the two empires were closely aligned. Sandra noted that Emberlynn’s mother hadn’t even developed her horns yet when she was last in charge. Blackwind political exiles, nobles, outcasts and lawbreakers are the notable bespectacled minority of Black Nova, and those with great influence are treated as honorable guests within it.

Favorite ship type: Sons of Zephyra, or Zephies are named after their favorite god.  These carnivorous serpents range from a few hundred meters, to several miles across and are a fearsome sight to behold when flying into interstellar space. Their vast wings flapping out, bodies able to survive the immense vacuum of space. Zephies need no oil or fuel, but eat no shortage of fish to keep up with the calories for such small fights, a fact the Caldari resent them for. They are absolutely a terrifying encounter for any species unadjusted to their daunting migrations.

 

 

 

 

Obscuri Glacialis

Veavst are a highly advanced and enigmatic species that originated from the icy planet of Eyglui in the Obscuri Glacialis galaxy, a galaxy a short few million lightyears away from Xi. They possess incredible psychic abilities that allow them to communicate telepathically and manipulate their surroundings with ease. The Veavst live in vast cities made of crystal and other unknown materials that shimmer in the light of their home planet's many moons. Veavst society is hierarchical, with the most powerful psychic individuals occupying the top of the social pyramid. These individuals are known as the Eyemost Veavst and are revered by the rest of their kind as almost godlike beings, they awaken the 8th eye after centuries of immense meditation with every eye taking twice as long as the previous to immensely concentrate and unlock. They are responsible for leading the Veavst in all matters of importance and making decisions that affect the entire civilization.

The Veavst possess technology that is functionally elegant, and as far as psychic-based technology goes far beyond that of any other species in the Obscuri Glacialis galaxy. Their spaceships are sleek and graceful, resembling limbs living organisms more than traditional spacecraft, but unlike the counterparts of Llavalites or Xi the Veavst do not need to be physically connected or inside their ships, merely piloting them from a remote psychic apparatus. They consider the relationships between Xi ships and their pilots a far cry from the bond they themselves share with theirs, beyond question. They are powered by a combination of psychic energy and unknown technology that allows them to travel through space and time effortlessly by calculating the stars within their own psyche.

The Veavst are a deeply spiritual species, and their religion is based on the concept of the "Cosmic Chord." They believe that all things in the universe are connected and that everything has a purpose. They see themselves as the guardians of this cosmic order and believe it is their responsibility to maintain balance in the universe.

Despite their incredible abilities and advanced technology, the Veavst are a peaceful species. They have no interest in conquest or domination and prefer to keep to themselves. They have only made contact with a few other species in the Obscuri Glacialis galaxy, and even then, it is only for the purpose of scientific research or peaceful exchange. The Veavst are a mysterious and awe-inspiring species that are respected and admired by all who know of them. Their psychic abilities and advanced technology have made them one of the most significant and influential species in the Obscuri Glacialis galaxy, and their civilization is one that many other species aspire to emulate. The Xi find them suitable trading partners, although the Veavst regard the Xi as materialistic warmongers, consumerists, imperialists and without spirit or divine cosmic purpose in their lives.

Favorite ship type: Chapter Hand. There is not much known about their vehicle capabilities, merely that their propulsion is light based and uses very basic algorithmic-AI to assist their piloting, but are not wholly dependent on them as computer systems beyond life support and mapping. As their namesake implies, they resemble crystalline limbs that when docking, fold together into the shape of two-hands praying. Chapter Hands, like most Veavst ships are piloted by the psychic capabilities of their crew.

Caldari

The Merlyn are an aquatic species that live in the oceans of the Caldari galaxy. At 14 million light-years from Xi, much of their inner-galaxy’s stars have burned out leaving them primarily around the cosmic dust and outer supergiants of their galactic space. The world’s interactions with Melody Spirals have frozen most of their worlds and caused hydrogen and methane to accumulate, but the aged excess of expansive, overgrown supergiants has risen the temperatures to cause an abnormally many number of planets to warm into oceanic-based homeworlds full of aquatic species. They have a tribal-cultured civilization that is deeply connected to the ocean and the creatures that live in it.

The Merlyn is a humanoid species with blue-green skin that is covered in iridescent scales. They have webbed hands and feet, and long, flowing fins that extend from their arms and back. They communicate through a complex native tongue of clicks and whistles, and have a deep respect for the natural world around them. Since encountering other galactic civilizations they’ve developed excellent translator and linguistic technology, but usually implore other cultures to show some respect for their ways. The capital of their empire, Poseidon, is a planet where the cities and reef highrises have grown so vastly, they rise out of the oceans themselves.

Most societies in Caldari are aquatic, often is organized into clans, with each clan living in a different part of the ocean on every world. The clans are led by a council of elders who are chosen for their wisdom and experience. Each clan has its own customs and traditions, but they all share a deep respect for the ocean and the creatures that live in it. A phenomenon they call ‘Trench Lightening’ was later identified as the Cascade, operating deep underwater and influencing their evolution over millions of years. The Merlyn have studied the Cascade and have developed advanced technology to help them navigate the stars and protect themselves from rivals. They build their ships out of metallized coral and other materials found in the ocean, making their spacefaring vessels half-organic, half-technological, a hybrid model, and in the process have developed a complex system of aqueducts to transport water and other resources between their settlements.

They also have a deep understanding of space travel based on the currents and tides of the ocean, and use this knowledge to navigate and explore the vast space beyond their galaxy. While they are generally a peaceful species, the Merlyn are quite conservative, mercurial and fiercely protective of their homeworlds and families, and will defend them at all costs. They have a complex system of diplomacy with other underwater species, and are known for their ability to negotiate and form alliances. The Nautical Will is a religio-beaucratic council that organizes the affairs of Caldari as a united galactic council and represents their interests Overall, the Merlyn are a proud and resilient species with a deep connection to the ocean, the stars and the natural world. They have developed a unique civilization that is both advanced and deeply rooted in their traditions and way of life. Needless to say they are not terribly fond of Xi, sharing many sentiments of the Veavst, although tourism brings numerous visitors from inbetween galaxies. They are trading partners of food, medicine, agricultural exports, terraforming resources and research of natural life. Their space armada, the ‘Purgatory Stormrider’ is significantly larger than Xi’s or any neighbors, but its technology is perceived as quite antiquated and inferior by comparison.

Favorite ship type: Octaroon ships are the preferred means of travel for the Caldari, which uses a combination of technology and biological means to send squid-like beasts with advanced equipment propelling through space, as if swimming through the stars. Their defense and offensive capabilities are quite primitive by most standards, only outmatched in their armada by the Whale-Stroms that ram enemy ships through sheer size. However their biological nature gives them a close union with their riders and pilots, a bond that perhaps few will ever know.

 

Harvest

 

Among the 7 galaxies in the billion-lightyear cluster, Harvest is the farthest locationally from Xi. It stands as the least developed and industrialized among them, conspicuously quiet leading to such curiosity among Xi’an scholars and explorers. They are known to have numerous issues with piracy that stagger the imagination of their neighbors and seem far less populated than them aswell, seemingly without a centralization that Xi or the like possess. The indigenous ‘Occultation Specimus Commissionaire’ (OSC) for the Galactic Federation does not so much rule it as a government so much as barter between tens of thousands of species and regimes within their own locality. Planetary re-habituation of new worlds is permitted in two distinct processes. The first, for uninhabited planets works much like a bidding auction, where the offeror who can provide the highest payment purchases the rights to colonize the terran via planetary destruction of its ecosystem and reconfiguring to one that suites that race; air pressure, ozone and atmospheric conditions, flora, temperature are all modified to accommodate for habituation. The process is lengthy but relatively simple. For species they deem ‘insufficiently adaptable’, the Incursion is much more extensive and violent, involving the use of a variety of agents to infiltrate the species and their planet at once, in order to destabilize them before taking them over, preferably with the capitulated-race intact to provide much of the labor force. While Harvest has mastered patented Datalyte technology and drives similar to Warp Station technology, they seem to be inoperable for space travel or rapid speed armada emission cooperation.

The process is considerably more involved for planets that are already habituated by life deemed ‘sufficiently adaptable’, defined as the ability to send communication craft, signal ranges or contact readings outside their system within a short time period and into that of the galaxy. For these classes of worlds, infiltrator agents are sent to analyze, destabilize and ultimately de-establish all resistance forces on a planet for future assimilation.  These agents are represented by a Union of Contract Incursionists that have their own classification by the Galactic Federation and are paid on commission.

The organization of their labor is by type:

[A] Basic reconnaissance, information gathering, intel and analytical work that obtains databases on the species defenses, their technology capabilities and culture, and how they can be undermined in the quickest and most efficient manner possible.

[B] Stealth Agents sent to infiltrate the locals and undermine the security systems that would be gathered in prior missions to the furthest extent of the agent’s capabilities.

[C] Constitutive contractors that are able to do the tasks of both [A] and [B] but also come with unique skillsets and specialties of their own, typically the most commonly used Incursionist hires due to their specialty.

[D] Those that are possess significant militaristic, martial or supreme ability to fight the defenses of a planet, independently lead invasion forces, weaponize their skillset against the planet’s resistance and overcome the hostilities that they may encounter while planning to hand the captivated world over to the Galactic Federation of Harvest.

[S] Agents so hypercapable that they’re able to fall into the previous 4 tasks by themselves without division or further specialization, and do it at a level of competence that puts them above others for their same category in their line of work.

The 5 categories are numbered 1-5 in terms of quality, with 1 being the lowest, quickest and cheapest and 5 being the most professional and capable. Someone categorized as C3 would be the most statistically average of infiltrating agents, while A1 would be the least capable, least paid and lowest on the scale of desirability for their Incursion-based labor. Agents of caliber S5 naturally are the highest and most sought out, having proven themselves capable of taking over planets for hire numerous times and earning a high placement in the eyes of the OSC. The Union of Contract Incursionists attempt to find those most qualified, willing to take the job, willing to make a lot of money, and for the most part, competent enough to get the job done right.

For the most part, the job is an easy one to perform. In fact, it’s rather common for them to be used to get a planet in the first place, if the planet was deemed too dangerous or difficult to inhabit before, and it’s deemed so now after the completion of Incursion for native life, while made ‘manageable’ by the Feds. The most notable exception would be where the indigenous species has significant means of countering the efforts of the UCOI protocols and must be dealt with by negotiation instead, in rare cases being offered a membership where they may send Agents themselves in order to successfully habituate planets for the Federation’s commission. The most successful incursion is when an agent is able to gather the information about the planet beforehand that can be used to make the first attempt at infiltrating it and making an offer of conquest that would be accepted without much effort, thus taking over the world by diplomacy without even the usage of Galactic Federation forces appearing and using coercion. Which is just as well, since Harvest’s Federation does not have a large-scale military operation on the level of its neighbors or anywhere near the industrial production or force to apply. At best it possesses some rather modest peacekeeping divisions, roughly of lesser stock than Xi or Blackwind’s police even, which is why contract invaders are required for its growth and colonization efforts. The planet then enters its final evolution’ stage of a ‘transition’ phase after its terraforming measures have been done and the bidding species that initially purchased it can start to mobilize onto its surface. There is no singular race, idealogue or dominant praxis in Harvest, if it’s said to be diverse at all it can only be said to the extent that their plurality of civilizations have not yet achieved a strong presence or dominance that incapsulates the others with strong military, scientific or cultural presence as with other Galaxies. The notable exception is their usage of unique gadgets and their quite adapted production, such as their creation of DataLyte materialization to assist in the scarcity of material needs needed to run a joint galactic outpost such as theirs. While Harvest does seem to have rather strange energies that far-off Xi research has observed, and an abundance of Braque Denny appearances, it cannot quite be remarked on as matching the same level of development as its neighbors.