Chapter -4 Races (1/2)
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Humans:
The Humans are one of the six races entrusted with an Ancient Artefact.
Humans hail from the planet Earth and greatly resemble the Apex, only with much smaller brow-ridges and much less body hair; it is said that the Apex were likely much more Human-like before the VEP ”inoculation” altered their physiology. Humans are generally an inventive, optimistic species with a drive to explore and learn, and are considered mostly harmless.
Not much is known about Human history before their discovery of warp drive, though what is known is that it involved a series of wars and conflict over finite resources. The ability to travel quickly between the stars soon led to a peaceful post-scarcity society, using advanced technology in the goal of exploration and advancement of learning. Despite their voyages across the stars, large-scale colonization was actually uncommon, as many Humans either chose to return to Earth or live a more nomadic existence. Though settlements are rare, Humans are a common sight in scientific outposts and spacelanes throughout the universe, including many installations run by the Hylolt-owned Letheia Corporation.
During this time two major groups came to prominence: the altruistic Terrene Protectorate, which sought to assist and welcome beings of any race for the betterment of all life in the universe, and the profit-seeking and less-morally-upright Universal Space Corporate Military(USCM). The latter eventually collapsed after a long string of bad luck followed by a catastrophic bioweapon failure, with most of its members taking up interstellar banditry.
Humanity would suffer a crippling blow with the destruction of Earth, as it was torn apart by The Ruin. Billions of lives were lost, as well as most of the Protectorate's membership which had gathered at the main headquarters.
Despite this, Humanity continues to survive, and perhaps one day may again thrive.
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Apex:
The Apex are one of the six races entrusted with an Ancient Artifact.
They were originally a much more human-like race until a completely natural mysterious water-borne pathogen of unknown origin threatened their survival. Fortunately the ruling government, known as the Miniknog, had developed a cure that countered the harmful effects of the pathogen... with the unexpected side effect of starting the VEP(Vestigi-Evo Process), which ”devolved” their bodies to a more ape-like state. On the other hand, it also greatly increased their mental capabilities, leading to even bigger advances in super-science.
This process took less than ten years to spread to the entire race, and also coincidentally at the same time the Miniknog began a complete societal restructuring(Purge). All records of the Apex society prior to VEP were destroyed, and the Miniknog's leader Big Ape took complete and total control over the Apex society... for their safety and security, of course. Apex leadership dictates jobs, the exonomy, fashion trends, food rations, and who ”volunteers” for tests in the advancement of Apex biological science. Big Ape's rule is so all-encompassing that nobody knows exactly how long Apex society has actually been this way. And thus the Apex were happy and complacent, under the watchful eye of Big Ape and his many, many, many surveillance cameras and heavily-armed guards.
For some reason this has bred resentment in some very ungrateful and rude Apex, and rebel cells have begun to pop up here and there but it is such a small thing, really, and totally not a huge undercurrent that has spread through the entire society.
Carry on about your day, citizen. Big Ape is watching you.
Based culture and technology: Advanced Humanity
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Hylotl:
The Hylotl are one of the six races entrusted with an Ancient Artifact.
The Hylotl are a semi-aquatic race with trinocular vision, highly-adaptable genetics and a relatively short lifespan, which over the generations has led them from being a strictly land-based species to one that can live comfortably in aquatic environments, though they still lack the ability to breathe underwater.
They have a long and rich history of art, science, and philosophy, with reverence for tradition and meditation. Despite their highly-advanced technological level, most of their structures are still made of wood bedecked with ornate carvings. This leads to an interesting clash of Hylotl cultures in their massive underwater cities, with hand-painted calligraphy next to bright neon signs advertising the latest fashions, and quiet paper-walled garden rooms not far from the heavy bass thumping of a ”bubbstep” dance club. The Hylotl-owned Letheia Corporation is one of the largest companies in the galaxy, providing everything from entertainment to space stations and starship fuel to people across the stars.
Hylotl pride themselves on seeking peaceful solutions to problems, though they recognize that sometimes their side of a philosophical debate on the merits of not dying carries a little more weight when backed up with a sharp enough blade. Thus, the ability to use weapons with skill and proficiency is similarly a fine-honed art passed down through the generations.
Some find the Hylotl to be stuffy, arrogant, and passive-aggressive, which the Hylotl deny and figure you'll see the error of your ways once you've become a bit more enlightened like they have.
The Hylotl have a long and ugly history with the Floran. Though the ”why” and ”how” has been lost to history, the two races were effectively at war with each other for a long time. It was a war the Hylotl fared poorly in even with their advanced technology, as a massive Floran invasion of their homeworld forced the Hylotl to settle under the oceans. Though open hostilities have been over for a long time, there is still plenty of animosity between the two races, though the average Hylotl will claim there really isn't and they've totally forgiven the Floran for being a bunch of bloodthirsty murderous brain-dead savages.
Based culture and technology: Japanese
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Floran:
The Floran are one six races entrusted with an Ancient Artifact.
Plant-based humanoids, they are extremely violent carnivores with no central government or power structure, split into numerous tribes spread across the universe, each led by a Greenfinger. Though they are biologically a single-sex race, they may adapt sexually dimorphic physical traits and male/female identities if they so choose. Their speech is often simplistic, and they tend to hisss their sibilantsss. Their primary drives are hunting, acquiring trophies, fighting, eating meat, and more hunting. It is speculated that their general casual view towards killing and consuming other intelligent species stems from not viewing ”meat” as ”alive” in the same sense they are. As the Floran spread throughout the galaxy however, more and more individuals are recognizing a need to integrate, make friends, and maybe not stab anyone that slightly inconveniences them.
Florans, in their young age, have their foliage, or 'skin', colored in green. The color of the foliage get darker the older they get.
Light Green (1 to 15 years) -> Green (15 to 25 years) -> Dark Green (25 to 35 years) -> Yellow (35 to 55 years) -> Yellowish Orange (55 to 75 years) -> Brown (75 years, until death)
A relatively young race, they have primitive technology but are incredibly adept at scavenging and -thanks to the Greenfingers' unique gifts- reverse-engineering other races' tech, much to the universe's chagrin.
They have a long and ugly history with the Hylotl, as the two races were effectively at war with each other for years. This culminated in a massive Floran invasion that drove the Hylotl under the oceans. While open hostilities have ceased and things have been peaceful for generations, both races harbor deep-rooted resentment towards the other. The Hylotl are very passive-aggressively condescending in their disdain for the Floran, where the Floran are just openly and bluntly insulting to the Hylotl.
Based culture and technology: Tribal Human societies, and a mix of all the other races' technology.
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