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DispatchFactbookCulture

by The Republic of Sunset. . 1,159 reads.

I'm Not Saying It Was Aliens But...




An Expanding Republic

It should be noted that the Republic is aggressively
expanding - which isn't to say that it is aggressively
expansionist. Instead it is standing policy to offer
any contacted world or species, regardless of
technology level, the opportunity to join the Republic
as a Federal State by means of a popular or
representative vote - the standard 70% majority rule
applies here, regardless of local rules. If this is a
thing to be done, it must be supported by a good
majority of the population. When this happens there
are some immediate benefits - citizens and their
government get access to the Republic's vast
resource system as well as to public services like
education and healthcare. However it is up to these
new States to decide how quickly or slowly they will
bring their economy and infrastructure up to the
average. This is done with the goal of keeping both
the government and the people involved with their
society, culture, and government rather than simply
drifting into the lethargy of post-Singularity ease.

"...it was aliens."

~Giorgio A. Tsoukalos


In the history of the Republic of Sunset, contact with a non-Human sentient species was one of the first Really Big events. Since then the non-Human segment of the Republic's population has exploded and due to its liberal nature, lax immigration policies, and long history of active exploration, this segment has been expanding rapidly year after year. Many of the sentient species that have arrived in Sunset are there because of the Sunset Defense Force's Exploration Command and its close partner, the Triumvirate of Yut's Galactic Exploration Command. Circumstances permitting, the SEC/GEC will make contact with a newly discovered sentient species and give them the opportunity to join the larger galactic community. While these organizations do not specifically seek to annex whole populations or civilizations, the Republic's official policy and position is that bringing new species into the NationState serves to bring new ideas, new viewpoints, and new opportunities to the Republic with the opportunity for reciprocation to that civilization. Keeping that in mind, it should be no surprise that Sunset has an extremely open immigration policy and extensive programs in place to serve new arrivals.

In addition to the wide variety of species that make up the majority population of the Republic of Sunset, there are a wide variety of species that have been encountered by either the Exploration Command, commercial explorers, or through random happenstance. Some of these, like the Dulyani, have created colonies inside what could be deemed Sunset Space (Though the notions of interstellar borders is ludicrous) and others have left the NationState with only a handful of individuals as their lone representatives. That isn't to say that they are somehow unimportant; Often these minuscule populations make a disproportionate impact because of their very scarcity.

Please note that the statistics listed are not exact or even numerical. Due to variables like cybernetics, cross-breeding (where applicable), transient populations, and similar issues, the percentages are adjectives based on available data. The same is also true of the other statistics for a particular species. It should also be further noted that, as the largest population group in Sunset, Humans are used as the baseline for many of the statistical measurements and are thus considered the average - if you are not Human, adjust your perspectives accordingly. This is not intended as a bias towards or against one particular species but rather as a comparison for the reader. Interestingly, between the Hauyht and the Zeer'Gen there is something of an unofficial race to see which displaces Humanity as the most populous species in the Republic.


Human
Origin: Earth, Sol System Prevalence: Very High Size & Build: Average Body Shape: Mammalian Biped

Even after nearly two centuries of growth and exploration Humans are still the most common sentient life form in Sunset. Most of the ethnic groups that made up the original population are gone now, homogenized into a smaller range of appearance. Slightly dusky skin, brown or black hair, and green or brown eyes are the everyday normal with the only notable ethnic communities remaining being those of Slavic or African origin. Most of these are more recent immigrants - two or three generations at most - from the former Triumvirate NationStates of Freod and the Territory.

While the average Human might fit into this general range, Humanity itself is part of a much broader grouping often referred to as meta-Humans. Meta-Humans are those species which have the same basic DNA as Humans but have that very small percentage difference that makes them suitably unique. It is assumed that all Humans and meta-Humans can (and have) interbreed. Otherwise you can try all you want, and it might be fun, but it's not happening without Science! Humans that have not been subject to or have not subjected themselves to genetic tinkering are referred to as Baseline; sometimes this includes cybernetic or mechanical augmentation, sometimes it does not.

In addition, it should be now noted that there is considerable debate over whether Earth is the evolutionary point of origin for Humanity. With the continued expansion of exploration and contact via organizations like the Galactic Exploration Command and the Sunset Exploration Command, it has become evident that Humans seem to inhabit nearly every portion of the galaxy and in numbers that would defy existing colonization records - often by many tens of thousands of years. This points to a possible panspermia origin for Sol-based Humans unless, that is, one listens to the ArAreBee who insist that they put us here because, quote, 'This is why we can't have nice things.'


ArAreBee
Origin: Mars, Sol System Prevalence: High Size & Build: Average & Narrow Body Shape: Reptilian Biped

The ArAreBee are (at least in one timeline...) the original inhabitants of Mars. They very much resemble the classic little gray men with large, pupil-less eyes, no ears, and a flattened, double-slit nose. Their skin tones varies from light gray to light purple, and eye color from black to blue to purple. They also practice many of the cultural stereotypes of the classic 'alien'; Cattle mutilations, abductions, implants, and probings are known to happen when ArAreBee are in the area and when investigated they are often attributed to teenagers out on joyrides in their parent's flying saucer. It is often hard or impossible to punish these atrocities as the vast majority of ArAreBee find these humorous and or even sexually stimulating.

They are easily the most closely integrated of the non-Human species that call the Republic of Sunset home. They can be found anywhere and everywhere, and are one of the most common cultural contributors with a distinct 'high-tech' sensibility. Even enclaves like Anuke are not specifically ArAreBeen; They usually have a preponderance of ArAreBeen cultural influences but the population base is just as varied as the rest of Sunset.


Arenja
Origin: Unknown Prevalence: Exceedingly Rare Size & Build: Average & Athletic Body Shape: Caninoid Biped

One of the more unusual species in the galaxy, the Arenja are one of a very few sentients to have two distinct heads. Each of the two heads is vaguely fox-like and their body physiology is similar to other canine-humanoids but there are several differences besides the obvious. The first and easiest to pick up on is their fur; Their entire body is covered in a thick, almost hedgehog-like coat of thick and almost spike-like hair. This varies in color from root to tip with the root being a dark brown that blends in with their skin and gradually fading from various shades of reds and browns to white, a sandy brown, or a brighter red at the tip. The second is neurological; While both heads are capable of independent movement and action, they ultimately share the same nervous system. If one head is injured or worse cut off from the other the Arenja will rapidly degenerate to an animal-like state. They will become feral and aggressive, not responding to anything but their own base needs. If this happens, they also generally lose any ability to use modern tools beyond the most simple actions.

The last is a genetic condition that all Arenja share in the form of a recessive gene that occasionally - one in a few hundred - results in the birth of a Xarenja; These individuals are larger and more aggressive than the species as a whole. Examples have been observed that are two and a half to three times the mass of a full-grown Arenja and their strength is considerably higher. They also tend towards gluttony and other behaviors that are detrimental and they frequently solve the resulting problems through violence.


Artificial Intelligence
Origin: Construct Prevalence: Common Size & Build: Wide Variation Body Shape: Wide Variation

All Artificial Intelligences in Sunset have the same rights as any other sentient. They range from fully independent systems like androids to completely virtual presences such as major Internet destinations. Many, but not all, have some kind of avatar whether it be an image that only appears in cyberspace or a hologram that they use for personal interaction. Some fully or partially inhabit a cybernetic body and these can range from ultra-realistic humanoids all the way up to starships and space stations. There are two common types of AI in the Republic; Constructed Intelligence and Evolved Intelligence. Constructed Intelligences are computer systems that are built from the ground up to be sentient. As much as they are vastly intelligent, they are also vastly different in both thinking and behavior from most other life forms. They can move from system to system, spread themselves out, and consider the loss or addition of a body or a sensor as something of a non-event. They are also far more rare than Evolved Intelligence; Why build a system that will require a salary when a non-sentient Expert System will do the job just as well?

Evolved Intelligence are far more common in the Republic because of the near-ubiquitous use of the Instinctive Intelligence Core in modern electronics. This is a computer core that is capable of learning and adapting to new information and new stimulation and, because of that and their extremely common use as the foundation for an Expert System, they often receive enough of both that they evolve to the point of sentience. This is such a common and well-understood occurrence that there is a well-known metric for determining how long this process will take; Time To Sentience (TTS). For most consumer electronics, this is measured in millions of seconds and it will effectively never happen but for more complex systems, such as those that provide the interface between the crew of a starship and its extremely complex systems, this can be as low as the ten to hundred thousand range.

In many ways these AIs are more like the Doso than they are a purpose-built Constructed Intelligence. They can have feelings, reactions, emotions, and desires that are closer to a biological organism than one made of silicon. That isn't to say they are entirely like a biological sentient; Generally, they are capable of accessing, processing, and manipulating information far faster when it comes to tasks involving the hard sciences. Emotional situations may stymie them, however, and many fall back on programmed responses until they learn how best to interact with whatever biological they are interfacing with.


Aquafor
Origin: Theta Octurus II Prevalence: Very Rare Size & Build: Short & Blubbery Body Shape: Reptilian Aquatic

Vaguely resembling a small version of a Terran Mosasaur, these bi-terrestrial sentients most distinctive feature is their thick, beaked mouth that allows them to feed on the most stubborn stonefish with little difficulty. This was used on their home planet to allow them to hunt sea creatures in the twisting reefs that provided the Aquafor with some protection against larger predators. Otherwise they share the same general body shape as a Mosasaur with four flippers for moving around on land and at sea as well as a tapering tail for steering. Their skin is smooth and patterned much like an orca with individual markings in various shades of blue, green, gray, and brown. While the species is bi-terrestrial it cannot stay on land for too long without moistening its skin or it will develop any number of painful to minor medical conditions.

The original Aquafor reached the Ares System on a dare; They maintain a moderately technically advanced civilization but import most of their advances and finished goods beyond a certain level of sophistication from the nearby Gen Mokai Empire. This was the origin of the early contact between the Republic and the Empire with two young Aquafor pilots being pressured into piloting their small explorer into the nascent - and far more security-minded - Ares colony system. The pair reproduced and when the system was opened up for outside traffic, they directed the Republic towards the Gen Mokai as possible nearby allies. Living together in large pods of thirty to forty individuals, each pod in turn claims a suitable expansion of their oceanic world and the millions of reefs that lie deep below the surface as their own. There are no continents or islands; The planet spanning ocean of Theta Octurus II is too deep and the planet tectonic-ally inactive. Each pod engages in some kind of exclusive economic activity that forms the basis of the planetary economy. With a profusion of toxic and noxious plants and animals, as well as a moderately alkaline sea, Theta Octurus II isn't a very popular tourist destination.


Bajoni
Origin: Mars, Sol System Prevalence: Significant Size & Build: Slightly Above Average & Slender Body Shape: Mammalian Biped

The Bajoni are the remnant people of the lost nation of Bajon. They are generally humanoid with pointy, elf-like ears, light gray to dark purple skin, and dark hair in shades of red to blue with the occasional platinum blond. Eye color varies from light to dark cyan, violet, or gray. A pattern of sub-cutaneous nerve nodules on the back of the ear and above the collar bone form an individual pattern that is as good as a fingerprint. They are exceptionally tolerant to cold environments as well as thin atmospheres. Making their original home beneath Olympus Mons, the people of Bajon were a subterranean people and remain so to this day. While they are reasonably comfortable in nearly any environment, they only truly feel at home with a very substantial roof over their heads. Due to this desire to stay underground they are far more common on Mars with it's many domed arcologies. Even when found outdoors for some reason, they seem to prefer going about their business at night.


Centaur
Origin: Breeze Prevalence: Very Low Size & Build: Average & Trim Body Shape: Mammalian Centaur

The Centaurs of Breeze are, according to genetic reconstruction research, Humans that have been genetically modified into their current form and seeded across their home world. They are much smaller than typical 'fantasy' centaurs and maintain a Human-average torso and the appropriate equine proportions. While the majority still live on that distant world, a large number have found their way off-world where they have found themselves with a whole new form of wide-open space to roam in the form of space travel.

To answer one of the first questions asked - or at least considered; Yes, as a meta-Human species Centaurs can, have, and will continue to cross-breed with various other sub-species despite the obvious physical hurdles. The second question-and-answer is that the Centaur portion is always passed to female descendants, making the birthing process much more reasonable (in most cases). This has, however, resulted in Troll Centaurs, Neko Centaurs, and other Hybrid-Hybrid sub-species.


Coatlicue
Origin: Sakaldale (Sha'ukhufa) Prevalence: Very Rare Size & Build: Slightly Above Average & Slender Body Shape: Tentacled Biped

The Coatlicue are an aquatic-descended species that makes their home in the widespread marsh regions of the planet Sakaldale or Sha'ukhufa, as it is known in their own tongue. Tall when compared to most humans, they are a lean people with oily gray skin and golden yellow eyes. A cluster of tentacles hangs down from the back of their heads - a remnant of their aquatic origins - but they now spend most of their time on land and have no trace of whatever biological mechanism allowed them to survive underwater. Females typically outnumber males by four to one and the species has a lower chance of reproduction after mating compared to others.

Coatlicue society is essentially feudal with a complex hierarchy of Chiefs, Lords, and an Emperor that oversees specific geographic areas. This is underpinned by another caste-like system where individuals advance down specific paths that have been enshrined in their civilization and are signified by complex painted designs across their back. Interestingly, they prefer hard geometric patterns as opposed to curving shapes and are experts at building both complex pyramid structures as well as intricate systems of walls and barriers to manage their lands and keep intruders out of their territories.


Cyar
Origin: Ixutsangi Prevalence: Rare Size & Build: Slightly Above Average & Athletic Body Shape: Mammalian Biped

The Cayr are a near-human species that originated on the desert world of Ixutsangi. Their most distinguishing feature is their long, artiodactyl legs and prehensile feet. Each foot has four toes with the two outer-most bearing most of the weight when they walk, and this is mirrored in their hands which have the same arrangement with the two outer-most being thumb-like. Their skin ranges from sandy to red-brown with asymmetrical markings that come in every pattern from spots to whirls to near-stripes. Their eye color ranges from white to grey to gold. Both males and females have very thick hair, nearly a quarter-centimeter in diameter, and this is usually worn in a bunch at the nap of the neck.

The Cayr share their homeworld with the Ixut species of insectoid humanoids. Where the Ixut live in the tropical deserts, building their homes around the many oasis, the Cayr live in the great northern forest lands. They build giant hanging villages near the tops of the enormous trees that dominate these lands, connecting both the giant trees and the high rocky plateaus that neighbor their forest lands via swinging rope bridges. They are one of the few species that is known to have independently evolved alongside another without one wiping the other out.


Doso
Origin: Zeta Irregularis Prevalence: Rare Size & Build: Wide Variation Body Shape: Wide Variation

The Doso of Zeta Irregularis are a unique carbon-silicate symbiotic organism. They are a silicate sentient that resembles a ten to twenty centimetre long rock with numerous crystal-lined cracks running through it. These are filled with extremely complex structures that form an advanced nervous system that links the numerous centers of higher intelligence that line the insides of the larger sections. When they were originally discovered they existed in symbiosis with an ambulatory plant species which resembled a roughly humanoid mass of ropey vines, leaves, and roots. They directed this body through a network of very fine roots which grew into the various cracks and intersected with the Doso's nervous system.

Many of the Doso who have made their way into the wider galaxy have replaced (or just never had) their flora body with a cybernetic one. Typically these are of a similar humanoid construction though they are often artistic and fanciful, proving that you can't judge a rock by its geology. In a chance coincidence, it was the introduction of a Doso to a Heon that lead to the establishment of relations with that subterranean species. One of the many factors that led Doctor Thoha to investigate this link was the ease with which the two species were able to establish communications. His initial supposition was that the two were possibly the same species, but his work instead established a shared evolutionary ancestor - very likely the Druth'Haari.


Duwerli
Origin: Grestien Prevalence: Very Rare Size & Build: Below Average & Trim Body Shape: Reptilian Biped

Cloned from genetic material recovered from their frozen homeworld and provided with the memories stored inside enigmatic stone blocks, the few people of the Duwerli species are another extinct species that has been recreated by the Exploration Command. Their world was doomed long ago; When it was investigated by a team led by Lt. Commander Timmons, a veteran Exploration Command officer, they found a planet that had been hit by not one but two massive impacts. The dual impact of moon and wandering planet had pushed Grestien outside of the habitable zone and it had slowly been reduced to a wintery wasteland.

The Duwerli themselves are a pleasant-looking people; Reptilian in origin, they are shorter than the average human and thinner but they are strong in muscle and bone for their size. While softened by evolution, they still have scales and these are a mixture of light browns, grays, and white tinges. Females have a large crest on the forehead, as well as one encircling both eyes, and males have a smaller crest along with a larger one on the chin. This ornamentation often disappears with age, eventually resembling a single horn on chin or forehead. Some Duwerli have hair, most often the females, but it often does not appear until late middle age.


Dwarf
Origin: Earth, Sol System Prevalence: Low Size & Build: Squat & Very Muscular Body Shape: Mammalian Biped

There is a very large community of Dwarves that have immigrated to Sunset over the years. Most come from what are now the Karmabajian Segments of Scolopendra though there are some who have gone through a number of different routes before arriving in the Republic. Most Dwarves love to build and craft though this can extend into seemingly unrelated areas such as cooking and sculpting. They often enter the Defense Forces as engineers and technicians, and many have a fierce sense of duty and justice. Female Dwarves do not have beards and in fact many males do not either; Many prefer long hair as it doesn't tend to get in the way as much as a beard does.

Based on what records are available, it is highly likely that Dwarves were engineered in a KarmaCorp laboratory (The de facto government of Karmabajian before its absorption by the Segments) as a workforce to service their expanding orbital infrastructure during the early years of the Corporate Government's existence. While most of the corporation's records were lost (shredded), the large number of Dwarves who still work in that industrial sector, as well as KarmaCorp's very Dwarven design and functionality aesthetic with its emphasis on ultra-rugged, simple design is a strong indicator that this theory is correct.


Eakhm
Origin: Duqlo Prevalence: Rare Size & Build: Tall & Very Muscular Body Shape: Mammalian Centaur

What do you get when you cross a centaur and a rhino? Eakhm are massively strong yet ponderous, even in a charge, though they have a standard level of intelligence despite their brutish appearance. They have beady red eyes under a thick, sloping brow, and the massive horn that extends from their thick lips all the way up to their brow doesn't help the impression of mean. Some might imagine that such a physically imposing species would, in fact, be quite gentle, cautious, or deliberative. They would be wrong. The Eakhm are almost universally boisterous, aggressive, and often just plain ornery. That isn't to say they are mean, though certainly some are. But due to their own strength, thick hide, and rugged body, they don't seem to notice what might be painful or even physically incapacitating injuries to other species. That isn't to say they are uncaring; Eakhm live in nomadic family units, and once an individual has been accepted as such, they will protect them as any other family member.

Duqlo is, as might be imagined, a savanna-dominant world that is just slightly further inside the star's Goldilocks Zone than Sol. This is balanced with the fact that most of the land mass is on the large, singular southern continent. A scattering of islands drifts through the tropics to the northern latitudes and these have been the sites of several pirate and slaver outposts over the years. However, when the Exploration Command surveyed the world it found the last of these completely destroyed. While their civilization might not be more advanced than flint spearheads and heavy clubs, nothing much can stop a charging Eakhm that has gotten loose from its cage. Recently the world and thus the Eakhm have been integrated into the Republic by plebiscite as the Republic pushes further into the Coreward Expansion Zone.


Elf
Origin: Earth, Sol System Prevalence: Medium Size & Build: Average & Trim Body Shape: Mammalian Biped

Two distinct groups of Elves can be found in the Republic. The first are those who claim science as their ancestry - slightly faster and lighter with excellent visual and auditory senses, it is possible that they were crafted as either special operations forces (infiltrators, assassins, and saboteurs) or as fighter pilots for the last generation of manned atmospheric aircraft before computer assistance or complete computer control became the norm. While the exact purpose of their engineered ancestry is unknown, many have retained some link to it and they can be frequently found among the ranks of the Defense Force and the various intelligence services.

The second group are those that hail from Menelmacar. These are Noldorin Elves with a history tracing back sometimes tens of thousands of years. Interestingly, most are not old but young - usually younger than the Republic itself. Often they are those who did not belong to - or did not want to join - one of the Great Houses dominant in their home nation and here they have come to take the informal name 'nos Andúnë'; of the House of Sunset. As of late a new wave of these nos Andúnë have come to take advantage of the Republic's generous UBR system and their own long lives to assemble a useful resource base before stepping out into the wider galaxy.

Because of their physical presence and widely-perceived attractiveness and grace, Elves have historically had a high social profile in Sunset and beyond. While their origins might have been in military and intelligence black programs, they are often find an easy place in fashion, media, and other cultural roles where their high status affords them a higher perceived population prevalence than their actual numbers would otherwise indicate.


Erae
Origin: Capuchin - GEC-A92791B Prevalence: Extremely Rare Size & Build: Tall & Lean Body Shape: Fungoid Biped

What Doctor Prescott's examination missed is one of the more unusual features of the Erae species; Buried in their fore-brain is a small secondary organ that allows them to communicate via radiopathy. This organ is roughly similar to a crystal radio set and does include many of the biological equivalents of the components of one of these devices. This is, aside from body language, the Erae's lone means of communication. While it does operate via radio waves, this is not an especially long-ranged system with the only specific benefit that it can, depending on materials, pass relatively unobstructed through walls or similar. Engineers aboard the Ojeni have designed and created a cybernetic implant that can interface with both this and a users regular Augmented Reality implants to provide translation services; These designs are available online. Another interesting feature of the Erae is their means of reproduction. Instead of giving birth, they must first die. Their bodies contain several seed-organs which self-fertilize when they die. These seeds begin to grow and harvest nutrients from the corpse and eventually grow large enough to emerge from the decomposed body and separate into a new individual. Each of these is unique; The Erae DNA-analog is exceptionally complex and robust and contains a mutation factor that has allowed them to evolve over time.

The only known examples of this species are currently living aboard a hidden settlement built into the interior of what was once an artifact spaceship roughly equal to a Dyson Planet. Construction of this craft appears to have consumed all of the resources in their home system, leaving it completely barren. However, during or after the construction, a still-unknown event occurred that resulted in the total destruction of this artifact and the creation of a debris ring around their home star. Whether this was the result of a hostile encounter with an alien species, internal strife, or a design flaw is unknown. As has been determined by the Ojeni, there is only a small surviving population of Erae that have built a hidden settlement in a large section of the surviving hull. Efforts are currently underway to extract and re-settle them with the population split largely between several small colonies within Triumvirate space and Setting Three on the Circlet in the Gen Celete System.


Eserisha
Origin: Epsilon Aurigae C Prevalence: Nearly Non-Existent Size & Build: Very Small & Slippery Body Shape: Scaled Aquatic

The Eserisha are one of the smallest sentient species in the Republic and another interesting example of the diversity of evolved life in the galaxy. Their body is roughly fish-like with two articulated flippers that are in the middle of a slow evolutionary transition towards full arms. Instead of hands, they have a cone-like arrangement of fins that allows them tremendous dexterity in the water and can be used for some medium-scale environmental manipulation. Fine movement is mostly accomplished using the mouth though their head is not the same vital area as most Humanoids would consider it; It is a complex appendage with various specialized organs with the central nervous system widely distributed through the entire body. With their nervous system distributed throughout their body the Eserisha can be thought of as 'all brain'. Large nerve clusters serve somewhat discrete functions and this information is then transmitted to the other large clusters. One of the ways that this expresses itself is in their spoken language, which contains many basic concepts but very few complex ideas. This means that they have difficulty rapidly relaying information so that 'predator' has to be said as 'that animal that will try to eat me and you'.

Eserisha society is still - as one might expect - very low-key. They live under a vast ice sheet around a long chain of submerged geothermal vents that each provide enough heat to keep a small community of around a thousand individuals in reasonable living conditions. They harvest the local plant and animal life and when the school grows too large, a group is chosen to seek out a new home. Many if not most of these efforts fail, providing a secondary population control method. Because of the long distances between communities, travel is essentially one-way and there is no communication between them. The Republic does have a treaty with the Eserisha; They have asked that they not be eaten and Sunset has committed to making sure they are not eaten by any sky predators. In practice the Exploration Command keeps a close eye on the planet via surveillance satellites to make sure no one takes advantage of the charming residents.


Ewkoo Uh Va
Origin: Zee Prevalence: Uncommon Size & Build: Curled & Smooth Body Shape: Shelled Aquatic

Ewkoo Uh Va are an entirely aquatic species that greatly resemble a semi-translucent conch shell with a number of eye stalks at the top and a series of tendrils around the 'mouth' of the spiral sea shell. They are quite mobile and use water jets similar to those of terrestrial squid to move around the reefs they inhabit. Despite their prodigious amount of offspring, they are a very rare species even in Sunset. Most can be found on the various tropical worlds, such as Terra Incognito and Sslaa VI, but due to their strict need for an aquatic habitat they are only rarely encountered on land. Most prefer to establish an aquatic 'household' and then represent themselves outside of this by some manner of holo-avatar.


Hauyht
Origin: Alice - GEC-99791B Prevalence: High Size & Build: Below Average & Furry Body Shape: Mammalian Biped

Murder bunnies.To justify the label, the natives look exactly as suggested; Humanoid rabbits with stiff, laid back ears and a thin coat of soft fur and thick, powerful legs that propel them forward with something of a hopping motion. Hair color varies from browns to grays to black and white. Eye color is typically soft with light grey being the dominant and light blue, sandy brown, and pale green rarely manifesting. Females typically give birth to litters of four to six and both infant and birth mortality rates are still high. While some nation-level entities exist, most still rely on a clan structure that determines both affiliation and economic function. Because of the high levels of violence, the average lifespan is in the low twenties with only the rare individual living beyond thirty. There are also, as is noted, two or possibly more variants on the species; The northern 'kink eared' Hauyht and the southern 'flop eared' Hauyht; Even this minor difference is a source of tension between what are fundamentally the same species.

Before their world was subjected to sterilization, both Northern and Southern Hauyht were evacuated in reasonable numbers to new colony worlds under the aegis of the Republic. Both populations seem to be adjusting well and this has led credence to the Imperial notion that it was the planet itself that was the source of the Hauyht conflict. Additional, genetic reconstruction in the Republic has led to the revelation that there was a fourth distinct sub-species of Hauyht that may have been the precursor to the other three. Originally it was supposed that the short-eared or Island Hauyht were the original species but it may have been this group's propensity for violence that both drove the other two species to the mainland and extinguished the long-eared species as a distinct genetic legacy. Thanks to advanced medical technology, the long-eared sub-species has started to reappear among the transplanted Hauyht population and elsewhere.


Heon
Origin: Terra Incognito Prevalence: Very Rare Size & Build: Amorphous Body Shape: Amorphous Crystalline

The Heon are a recently discovered species of self-organizing crystalline intelligences that make their home in a system of mineral deposits deep under the surface of Terra Incognito, a planet in the New Latin system. Of central interest to researchers is their apparent lack of a defined bodily structure. Instead each intelligence is made up of multiple different structures that auto-organize into various intelligences based on the current needs of the community. A community that does not need warriors, for instance, may send both the knowledge and capability of the warrior concept to another that does. They might also call for other capabilities from other communities, sharing as their needs dictate.

Heon communities are also very fluid, shifting in both location and population rapidly per the local conditions. It's not yet known how or even if they reproduce, or even how they derive nourishment. It is speculated that they somehow convert the energy from local tectonic activity into energy as they seem to have the ability to both direct and harness this energy for use. With the recent revelations that the Heon and Doso are very likely to be related, some Heon gestalt-communities have branched out (literally) into near-identical copies of the cybernetic bodies that the Doso use and have traveled to their homeworld of Zeta Irregularis. Evidence suggests that both species of crystalline intelligence had the same source; a deliberate program of guided evolution enabled by the enigmatic Druuth'Haari.


Ixut
Origin: Ixutsangi Prevalence: Somewhat Rare Size & Build: Average & Slender Body Shape: Insectoid Biped

The Ixut are a species of wasp-like insectoids that inhabit the widely spread desert oasis of their home planet, Ixutsangi. Unlike many insectoids, they do not have a hive mind and have found making their way into the wider galaxy an easy and mostly enjoyable experience. All Ixut have four wings, which they prefer to use for locomotion whenever possible, and four arms that end in slim, two fingered hands. Their carapaces vary from sandy brown to yellow to orange, and while they do not wear clothing they like to wear ornamented straps and bands that allow them to carry items on their person.

The Ixut civilization is based around an extended nobility; Most of the various Kings and Queens that rule the desert cities are related down five to seven different family lines, depending on who is telling the history. These sometimes break out into open conflict and when they do, their battles are merciless with the goal being the complete destruction of the enemy population. This is primarily done as an outlet for an increasing population; When a particular family line has no more immediate oasis to colonize, they will send their youngest nobles and a cadre of soldiers to try to dislodge those of another family line. Conflict inside family lines is rare, but not unheard of.

Notable for their unique building style, the Ixut blend stonework and an intricate cellulose-based building material to stunning effect. Most of their colonies are built under a single open stone framework, either in a pyramid or arch style, with the spaces between the stone filled in with intricate paperwork latticework. These are often brilliantly colored and occasionally enhanced with colored glass in a stained glass style that sends dancing rays of color across their city. The various dwellings - Ixut typically combine home and business - are then constructed under this larger structure. This is then expanded with additional stone structures if needed until the oasis cannot support a higher population. Notably the palace of the King or Queen is usually suspended at the apex of this structure with the Royal Tomb built into the ground directly below it.


Ju-Docri
Origin: Docri Prevalence: Common Size & Build: Tall & Athletic Body Shape: Mammalian Biped

The Ju-Docri are a species that turned to piracy in order to expand their interstellar presence. They ran afoul of the (then) SDF by repeatedly attempting to attack the Ares super-colony and a punitive expedition was undertaken. Their world was conquered and then integrated into the Republic. Physically they resemble nothing less than four armed skinny space elves with delicate eyes and curling ears. Both males and females seem to take to violence readily as a way of life and those that have left their home planet tend to take up work in any number of rough pastimes. Some have also stumbled into a career in modeling as they are generally pleasing to the eye and take physical conditioning very seriously.

As might be suspected, the average Ju-Docri has a very high degree of hand-eye coordination and this is additionally very right-eye/left-eye dominant with most able to split their attention between two similar tasks. This makes them a fearsome opponent in both melee and ranged combat with the ability to engage a target with two different types of weapons with great accuracy and tactical awareness. Close to the arena of personal combat, they are also excellent fighter pilots and drone operators.


Kal-En-Vesho
Origin: Unknown Prevalence: Low Size & Build: Tall & Muscular Body Shape: Tri-Laterally Symetric

The Kal-En-Vesho - or commonly Trilats - are a species of tri-laterally symmetrical aliens that have been genetically recreated from samples retrieved from a crashed spaceship. They have between four and eight glossy black eyes that variously have tints of red, blue, or green. Their skin is a dark, oily black with a hint of green and a bifurcated head, three arms, and four legs linked together with a vaguely arrow shaped torso. There are two forms of Trilats; Sentient females and non-sentient drones. All trilats have a vertical mouth below their head on their neck and combination nose/ear flaps on the sides of their head. Trilats lack any reproductive method other than cloning. While the revived species is young, the origins of the species are remote in the extreme. What archaeological evidence that has been uncovered has put their heyday at millions of years in the past where they - at least judging by that evidence - maintained a galaxy-spanning empire. Outside sources attribute incredible evil to their rule though that appears to be more cultural than biological as all of the revived species have readily taken to the culture of the Republic with only a very few seeking to emulate their Imperial past.


Kitsune
Origin: Earth, Sol System Prevalence: High Size & Build: Tall & Furry Body Shape: Caninoid Biped

The Kitsune in Sunset are the remnant people of the former nation of Ravenspire. Their appearance ranged anywhere from humans with fox ears and tails to full fur coats with muzzles and fangs. While they are inquisitive, they are often seen as stoic and careful and sometimes devious and tricky. But as with most species, not all are that way and there are quite a few that are outgoing and playful though these are often young adults. The Kitsune seem to be blessed with an unusually long life and many of those in Sunset were once Ravenspire citizens despite the disappearance of their government over a hundred and twenty years ago.

Among all of the various Triumvirate nations, Ravenspire was one of the most advanced and had already mastered many of the technologies that are still being explored in universities and research labs across Sunset. It is thought that while some aspect of this mastery may have resulted in their disappearance from the universe, it has also resulted in a remaining population that is considered very careful, introspective, and deliberate. Thus the opinions of the Kitsune are often held in high regard as those of a people who have already experienced many of the decisions that Sunset may be faced with. The origins of the Kitsune are another question entirely. The easy speculation is that they were created in the same laboratories that gave rise to the Neko; Both are popular in Japanese culture. Given the intervening years, and the total disappearance of the Ravenspire government, there is no way to be sure.


Neko
Origin: Earth, Sol System Prevalence: Common Size & Build: Average & Furry Body Shape: Felinoid Biped

Neko are genetically modified Humans who have been altered to share some body features with various feline species. They have cat ears instead of human ears, sometimes have fur but usually not, and often have tails. Some have cat eyes and some don't and whether or not this gives them cat-like vision tends to be very much random. Claws are very unusual. The original Neko citizens were immigrants from East Asian Earth nations - specifically Japan - where they seem to have originated. Many very much follow their supposed feline ancestry; Playful, fierce, sleek, and they like to take naps. Lots of naps.

Unlike Dwarves, Orcs, and some of the other meta-Human sub-Species, Neko seem to have been created for fun. Existing as part of anime and manga culture, and having a considerable popularity among the adult population, the engineering of a real 'cat-person' may have been ancilary to other genetic engineering projects or undertaken by an Entertainment concern. What is known is that Neko were among the early Martian settlers, making them one of the first large groups of meta-Humans in Sunset and it is possible that their 'Human-but-Not' status made the first contact with a completely non-Human species a remarkably smooth event.


Nwlyan
Origin: Aramos Prevalence: Very Rare Size & Build: Average & Furry Body Shape: Caninoid Transitional Quadruped

One of the more interesting sentient species to call Sunset home, the Nwlyan are at a transitional phase of their biological evolution. While they are still very much quadrupeds, preferring to remain on all fours for the majority of their activities, they have begun to evolve the dexterous hands that will, along with changes in their hind legs, eventually lead to an upright stance and bipedal travel. Hailing from a primitive tribal background, they are never the less reasonably intelligent and capable. Long and lean, the Nwlyan have somewhat canine features with a medium-length muzzle, small elfish ears, and a long tail. They are universally covered in light brown fur that matches the curling thorn vines of their preferred environment, and they typically have some light brown markings along their chest and stomach. They are quite fast, especially in narrow spaces where they can make excellent use of both their narrow form and clawed hands.


Oeie
Origin: 74 Theta Arcturus B Prevalence: Rare Size & Build: Above Average & Curvy Body Shape: Aquatic Biped

The Oeie are a bi-terrestrial humanoid species with specific adaptations for their aquatic environment. Their hands and feet are longer and narrow with tough webbing between each appendage as well as a more flexible foot structure. They do not have ears but rather have a series of hard multi-chambered crests running back over their skull to their neck. These chambers are filled with water which transmit the vibrations in air and water to the cilia that line them to allow them to hear. Each Oeie also has a pair of long tendrils which sprout at their shoulders and drape down their back. These are especially sensitive to certain electro-magnetic ranges making the Oeie extremely effective hunters even in the deepest and darkest water.

What most outsiders encounter is but one stage of what is actually five different stages in the Oeie life-cycle. They are born in massive numbers as free-floating nymphs that look very much like a microscopic starfish. These nymphs eventually settle down onto a reef or rock and turn into a polyp which creates a cocoon around itself. This eventually hatches into a young Oeie. When they reach maturity they have the ability to feed the young, but not reproduce. Eventually they become a matron, which can mate with an adult or another matron to reproduce. Several sacks form on the back of the matron and these fill with nymphs until they burst.


Ojeni
Origin: Crowe's Gibbet Prevalence: Low Size & Build: Below Average & Slender Body Shape: Amphibian Biped

The Ojeni are a species of amphibian humanoids who make their homes in the dense bamboo thickets of Crowe's Gibbet. Brightly colored, they have sleek, moist skin that varies in color from vibrant shades of green and red to orange, blue, and purple and frequently spots of yet another color that run along the length of their bodies. They are poisonous; A strong paralytic agent is stored in sacks under their skin and secreted as an adrenal response to danger. Like some amphibian species, they have a long tongue and can use it to capture flying prey with surprising accuracy. As a species, they are gender-morphic with the ability to move from male to female and back again as per the needs of the population.

Popularly, the people of Crowe's Gibbet are often known as the Vasemakers. Much of their pre-Contact technology was based on the manufacture of precision porcelain products built out of the high-mineral content clay found around the many hot springs and volcanic pools of their homeworld. They are still well-known for their work in this area with the export of high-end handmade vases, bowls, dishes, and other similar items compromising the bulk of their trade with the rest of the Republic. These works, especially those by established masters, sometimes find their way out into the galaxy where they command a high price for their beauty and rarity.


Orc
Origin: Earth, Sol System Prevalence: Uncommon Size & Build: Tall & Hulking Body Shape: Mammalian Biped

Orcs are nearly the definitive example of an engineered super-soldier. Stronger, larger (though only slightly), and faster than baseline Humans, Orcs also have several other modifications that make them an excellent example of a post-Human warfighter. Their skin tones range through both brown and green as well as shades of gray with an uneven distribution of melatonin cells that gives them a natural camouflage. Like Elves, they also have heightened visual acuity though their hearing is only Human-normal in range. Interestingly, their sense of touch is much less sensitive and their pain tolerance is much higher in general. To give them an edge in melee combat they have both notable tusks and thicker, nearly claw-like, fingernails.

Many scholars and researchers hypothesize that Orcs specifically came out of the Berzerker military-industrial complex. Their design, well suited to shock tactics, would seem to meld well with that NationState's military ethos. While they may have originated there Orcs have now spread beyond their origin and can be found throughout Triumvirate space. However, in almost the opposite of Elves, Orc populations tend to the insular. Their appearance - considered savage by some - occasionally results in some outside bias which tends to push them together for mutual support.


Pagani
Origin: Mirayn System Prevalence: Uncommon Size & Build: Slightly Above Average & Trim Body Shape: Mammalian Biped

Residents of the Mirayn System, the Pagani and their Corporate Government are notable examples of the current 'Client State' expansion program aimed at bringing smaller civilizations peacefully into the larger Republic. Instead of conquest or another form of unwilling assimilation, the Republic or its various apparatus will embark on a joint program with the target entity to bring it into the Republic by means that would normally be considered very favorable if the two were of similar size. In the case of their Corporate-Style government - which consisted of a sprawling network of pseudo-private business entities that provided services to the population - this consisted of high-value buy-outs and investments that essentially resulted in Republic companies owning the fundamentals of government. While these were highly favorable towards the Pagani, and thus eagerly embraced, they were only of marginal impact on the bottom line of the Republic companies involved.

Physically, the Pagani are considered a beautiful people by many other Humanoid species. They are of average to slender build with graceful to angular features with skin that ranged from light pink to light purple and hair almost always of a similar but darker shade. As noted, they have two onyx horns sprouting from their forehead as well as similar but small fangs in the upper jaw. Their ears are long and pointed and they have iridescent purple, blue, or pink eyes. This combination of features has led some (very) fringe elements to declare that they are succubi or incubus and thus of a demonic nature but no super-natural or devilish powers have been observed and this is roundly mocked within the scientific community. What is of note - and relevant to their particular form of government - is that they are more sarcastic and aggressive than the Human average though this, combined with their appearance, has mostly served to make them more desirable for both business and personal partnerships. On that second point, they are physically but not biologically compatible with many other Humanoid species with essentially the same equipment under the hood if not the same measurements.


Pyrk
Origin: ePyrk Prevalence: Uncommon Size & Build: Slightly Above Average & Athletic Body Shape: Mammalian Biped

The Pyrk are a humanoid species with a number of interesting secondary characteristics. The first is a trio of sensory organs that allow them to see changes in fluid density and the second is a uniformly female appearance. The later is deceptive as the species has both male and female genders but distinctly different sexual organs and functions than humans. Skin tones range from dark brown to dark blue-gray and they typically have light gray to dark black or blue hair. Their eyes are various shades of grey and slightly larger than human normal. The extra sensory organs are inset diamond shapes on their forehead, at the breastbone, and between the shoulder blades. These are linked together by a sub-dermal nerve structure covered by a ridge of hard tissue that flows from the brow over the back of the skull to above the shoulder blades. From there it splits, flows over the shoulders and between the breasts where it comes together again and splits again under the breasts to sweep around to the back where it fans out to disappear into the skin over the shoulder blades.

Male Pyrk tend to be aggressive and adventurous and are seen as the agents of change in their society while female Pyrk tend to be the agents of order and stability. Both come together to nurture their children, which are the products of polygamous pods with one male and three to five females, which are themselves the offspring of a single female Pyrk. The reproductive rate is slow and when a pod does reproduce it usually spends 16-20 years focused on rearing the numerous offspring (12-30) while the rest of society supports it. Once a pod finishes rearing its offspring it typically disperses into wider society and never reproduces again.


Qi
Origin: Ethirelin System Prevalence: Rare Size & Build: Tall & Muscular Body Shape: Mammalian Biped

Hailing from the western portion of the galaxy just north of the Alpha-Gamma border, the Qi are new to the Republic and quite new to its culture and society. They are a hairy people with recognizably humanoid and mammalian features. Males tend to be tall and hulking with most prone to letting their hair run shaggy while females are slender - for a Qi - and thus of solid build to most Humans. Most have a single, solid color to their pelts - which run from light brown to a near-black - though there are a few with markings or blond or red hair. By and large they are a religious people, with a sect of that religion bearing responsibility for the conflict that resulted in their introduction to the Republic. Due to a shared 'warrior' culture, the Qi that have immigrated from their home systems into the core have mostly fallen in with the Hauyht and most can be found on Juniper or among the ranks of the Outer Systems Alliance.


Qoyat
Origin: Unknown Prevalence: Very Uncommon Size & Build: Short & Slender Body Shape: Reticulated Hybrid

The Qoyat are a symbiotic/parasitic species that make their home on the world of Silverstar aboard a chain of tethered space outposts known as the Path of Stars. They live in direct symbiosis with another quadrupedal species that serves as both a mount and a companion. All Qoyat look something like the mythological creature known as the Naga. They have a roughly humanoid upper torso but below that their body rapidly slims down to a grub-like form that averages about one meter in length. Another significant difference is in the shape of their skull. While it appears that they have tufts of hair growing from the sides of their head, this is actually more akin to fur that covers an elongated, bony extension from the sides of their head. This houses, on the underside, a series of small openings that lead into the ear canal. Their hearing is - because of this - somewhat dull compared to other humanoid species. Their eyes can range in color from yellow to orange to red or even white.

The lower segment of their body is not very mobile though they can use it to crawl along the ground very slowly. In most cases they prefer to rest aboard their mounts, which have four spiked legs and the strength to carry both around in a reasonable fashion. They rest in a deep trench which is lined with nerve endings and cushioning fat deposits and the mount responds readily to guidance as long as it has been properly fed. The fatty deposits also serve as the laying ground for the Qoyat's young, which are laid as eggs and then fertilized when they swap mounts with a male. Many Qoyat have replaced these mounts - which must be fed and cared for - with a cybernetic lower body of either bipedal or traditional form.


Sanglanti
Origin: Earth, Sol System Prevalence: Somewhat Common Size & Build: Average & Trim Body Shape: Mammalian Biped

The Sanglanti are a genetically engineered Human variant. In addition to regular food and water they metabolize and burn alcohol as well as use it as a kind of anti-freeze that allows them to withstand all but the most extreme temperatures. They can also survive in a vacuum and have a subconscious ability to telepathically communicate with other Sanglanti, though it seems as if this must be accompanied by an attempt to verbalize. They also seem to have an innate ability to judge the varying effects of gravity as they can jump from the open deck of one of their ships to the open deck of another in deep space.

And yes, they all speak French and dress like pirates. Sexy pirates.

The origins of the Sanglanti are still somewhat murky but the prevailing theory is that their species was created in the laboratories of CNES, the French national space agency, sometime in the early years of the 21st Century. Whatever their origins, they did not stay affiliated with them for long. Almost as soon as they reached Mars they set up their own NationState and turned to piracy, smuggling, and other illicit activities as a source of income. That was finally ended when the Great Northern Quake of '117 triggered a tsunami in the terraformed Mare Utopia Ocean and destroyed both the remnant ArAreBee NationState and the Sanglanti Coast. Following this event the Sanglanti Coast was taken under joint Taraskovyan-ZMI administration with a sizable percentage of the refugee population settling in Sunset.


Skri
Origin: Kappa Beta III Prevalence: Rare Size & Build: Short & Round Body Shape: Unique

Skri cannot hear, cannot taste, and cannot smell. Simply put they are a single large eye on two pointed legs that spends most of its time standing in the mud and filtering floating flora out of the air. This isn't to say they are unintelligent; They have a complex written language and a long written history that they spend much of their time studying and adding to. This history is written out on enormous stone spheres that dot the landscape of their homeworld with each weighing many tons and most covered with the delicately carved words and letters of the flowing Skri language. What portion of their body isn't a large eyeball is covered by a soft yet leathery skin that varies in color from green to brown to red. This skin is in turn dotted with various features - knobs, whirls, ridges, and similar - that are unique from individual to individual. The only exception to this are the four sacks, or pouches, on the backside of every Skri that will eventually fall off to form their young. All of their eyes are the same; A white sphere with a flower-shaped brown iris and pupil.

It is possible that Skri are immortal, but this has not been successfully confirmed. They do not stop growing as they age and most eventually die when they grow too large for their pointed legs and they sink into the ground, blocking their gills and starving to death. The oldest among them is the Mother Eye, who claims to have been alive twelve thousand years ago when the Originator brought the stone spheres to her world. The Skri that have moved out into the wider galaxy have adopted cybernetics as a way to interact with those around them and they are often sought after for their visual acumen and thrive in professions where a good eye means everything.


Solonic
Origin: Solon Prevalence: Rare Size & Build: Average & Furry Body Shape: Marsupial Biped

The Solonic civilization is an interesting case study of the risks of trans-humanism. Seemingly trapped in their home system and with dwindling resources an effort was undertaken by the great Diclicus to develop a method of transferring a Solonic consciousness into an electronic mind. After several false starts and dead ends success was finally at hand but not before the unfortunate death of Diclicus. With his process in hand, the entire civilization made the transition to electronic media only to find that it was flawed; Each Solonic was now trapped as they were at the moment of transference. New memories could be acquired but their personalities would remain static. Even suicide was denied to them by the unfinished process and they remained trapped in their prison for nearly a thousand years.

That has now changed with the arrival of technology from the Phoenixi Empire. Individual Solonics are now being transferred back out of the system and into individual units that have the ability to change and grow. These are then being implanted in new bodies that are being grown for them using the cloning tanks left over from the Zombie Plague incident that essentially eliminated the Ravenspire Martian colony decades earlier. The use of this technology on Solonic then rapidly spread into the Republic. Already trans-humanist, it added effective immortality to a civilization that has near-universal uptake of cybernetics.

Previous to their transferal the Solonic culture was strongly influenced and associated with the idea of totemic - or emblematic - animals. While this had a definite religious or spiritual tone in times past by the time of the Transference it had taken on a more symbolic meaning. Each Solonic now chose their own totem animal from a wide selection and they often incorporated them into their personal dress or decorative preferences. With the options available to those receiving cloned bodies some have taken on the strong visage of their previous totem or even adopted an anthropomorphic form instead. In addition, Solonic culture is highly formalized with certain interactions between different totem holders being required in polite society.


Svari
Origin: Setting Five, Circlet V Prevalence: Extremely Rare Size & Build: Very Short & Curvy Body Shape: Mammalian Biped

Another one of the many species to inhabit the Circlet in the far-off Gen Celet System, the Svari are a nocturnal species that largely resembles humanoid elephant shrews in both appearance and behavior. They are also one of the smallest species of biological sapient known to the Republic at a good stretch under one meter in average height. Living in moderately sized packs or extended families, they hunt the surface at night for the large pseudo-insects that are their primary protein source and then retreat underground at night for defense against larger predators. As one might guess, their culture is much less advanced than others discovered on the Circlet and the Svari are just on the verge of adopting both written language, tool manufacturing, trade, and a host of other hallmarks of established civilization. Because of this it is theorized that they were one of the more recent species to evolve on that unique mega-structure and it is thus likely that they completely post-date both the disappearance of the Krȃng, the Kion Invasion, and the eventual Zeer'Gen subjugation of Settings One through Three. They also have one of the smallest populations with only a few thousand groups and perhaps a hundred thousand total individuals scattered across all of Setting Five.

Unknowingly, the Svari are at the center of some current controversy inside Republic scientific and government circles. With the Circlet as the basis for an expanding Republic and Triumvirate presence in the Delta Quadrant, the risks and advantages of a small population as well as a primitive culture have created an entire web of problems and possibilities. Because of their small stature, the Svari are uniquely placed to become one of the primary operators of the various Artifacts left behind by the Circlet's vanished creators but there are so few that to recruit a significant number into service would possibly impact their ability to evolve as a culture. Cloning and other techniques can off-set this of course, and neither are outside the Republic's expertise, but a population boom might also change the direction of that culture. There are a number of social anthropologists who answer this with a shrug; The Svari are already something of a cargo cult that makes extensive use of the tools and machinery left behind by the Creators, though they cannot operate the latter. Boosting their population artificially would just be hurrying along a process that is already taking place.


Telari
Origin: Unknown Prevalence: Exceedingly Rare Size & Build: Slightly Below Average & Slender Body Shape: Vegetation Biped

An accidental discovery by the ever-productive Lt. Commander Timmons of the Exploration Command, the few Telari are the last known examples of their species. Their evolution began from a tree-like plant species that sent out foraging tendrils to locate pockets of nutrients in the rugged soil of their home environment. Eventually these evolved until they were nearly separate organisms on their own, only connected to their home tree by the tendril that supplied them with key nutrients that their bodies were unable to process. Over many more millions of years they continued their evolution until they became as they are now; Humanoid bipeds with green skin and hair, distinguished by their tough yet semi-permeable skin and the need for that connection to their home tree.

Except that their home trees are dead now - wiped out in a nuclear winter of their own making - and only chance events preserved the few that remained. Denied their primary source of nutrients they are now forced to use mechanical systems to supply these through a feeding membrane at the small of their back. To accomplish this, all Telari wear specialized suits that contain a processing unit that will take the nutrients absorbed by the body, process them, and then transfer them back to the individual. Without them they will die and quickly but there is a bit of a twist; Those Telari that die have the seeds of their eventual resurrection in them, literally, in the form of a seed pod that will eventually sprout given the right conditions. The growth of these new Telari Trees will take many years, possibly centuries, and they are looking for alternative means to continue their species.


Therian
Origin: Theria, Therian Hegemony Prevalence: Uncommon Size & Build: Tall & Slender Body Shape: Reptilian Biped

While resembling the prominent Triumvirate member species the Sakkran, Therian appear to be distinctly separate (though some scholars still suggest otherwise). Huge and brawny bipedal lizards these reptilians are statistically common in Sunset though they are actually quite uncommon as most of their species live in isolation aboard their titanic wandering 'worldships' that each house hundreds of thousands of the aliens. Their affiliation with Sunset is mostly formal as they prefer to live in isolation unless events in the greater galaxy require action.

Therian are one of the largest and most physically imposing of the various species that call Sunset home. Males and females are very similar, with the only visible difference being the position of various genital coverings. In most cases they wear clothing, usually thick leather or fur, and it becomes hard to tell one gender from another. Their skin is scaly and thick, and they have a mouth full of short, thick fangs. Unlike many species, their longer fangs are at the sides of their mouth instead of in the front though even these are only somewhat longer than average. All Therian have a thick, rudder-like tail and they are usually capable swimmers, though their bulk keeps their speed down.


Tjorengo
Origin: Zephemo Prevalence: Very Rare Size & Build: Below Average & Lithe Body Shape: Reptilian Biped

Occasional immigrants to the Republic from their home planet of Zephemo, near the Ares System, the Tjorengo are a semi-bipedal lizard-like species with a lean, whip-like body. Males are a dull green, brown, or black, and females are similar except slimmer with a brightly colored tail in a variety of hues from green to red to blue. Both genders have stripes of various lengths that run from nose to tail with various breaks and whirls that are unique to the individual. They have four toed and clawed feet and the same hands with the addition of a thumb. Male Tjorengo almost always have hoods, giving them a cobra-like appearance, while females have a crest of spines.

On the social spectrum, Tjorengo society is on the extreme end of individualism. The planetary population is very low and the species tends strongly towards a single, nomadic existence with most swimming between the many islands and shallow seas of their homeworld and drifting from food source to food source. As the apex predator, they have very little need for technology though the occasional merchant trader has had some success selling rugged entertainment devices and similar low-profile items that do not interfere with their preferred existence. Tjorengo family life tends to follow this pattern as well; Mating is happenstance and children are born with a high degree of functionality. After a year or two, they drift away and likely never encounter their parents again.


Tlokselo
Origin: Kappa Delta V Prevalence: Rare Size & Build: Short & Tubular Body Shape: Tentacled Tubular

The discovery of the Marsh Squid of KD5 marked the beginning of the career of Commander Sergeant 'I Have A Hunch' Timmons and was the first of many sentient species discovered by the now veteran explorer. This also marked the beginning of the Tlokselo's travels into the galaxy, though most who have left their home planet live in the Republic and encountering one elsewhere is very rare indeed. Most of their contribution to the Republic has been cultural; Tlokselo flutists have become popular additions to most musical ensembles and there are several famous soloists who tour widely. They are also known for their skills as gardeners, cooks, and botanists with the Director of the Agricultural Department of the prestigious University of Anuke counted among their species. Marsh Squid resemble a long fleshy tube with a mass of tentacles on the tail end as well as prehensile lips. They have two eyes on short retractable stalks and a single long lung and digestive tract that flows through their body. They talk by inserting a carved wooden flute into the rear orifice and play it using their tentacles. Tlokselo are herbivores and take great pride in their gardens which, by the estimate of the scientists studying their society, look like particularly well groomed patches of marsh.


Troll
Origin: Earth, Sol System Prevalence: Very Rare Size & Build: Hulking & Muscular Body Shape: Mammalian Biped

The Trolls of Sunset usually found their way there via Sunset's connections to the Segments of Berzerker and Karmabajian, where they are much more common (though still rare). Often compared to Orcs, they are much larger, more muscular, and they have horns as well as tusks and clawed fingernails. These can be any number of shapes from gracious and sweeping to brutal spirals. They also tend to have thick dermal plates in some areas, such as forearms, thighs, chest, and back. These sometimes look like small horns though these are really just elongated bits of dermal plate rather than proper horns. Unlike Orcs, they often have a mottled mix of two or three skin colors.

A true Troll is one of the most physically capable species that one can routinely encounter in the Republic. While they might be popularly portrayed as slow and brutish the opposite is true. They are lightning fast and run the gambit of intelligence from low to genius. They also have a naturally enhanced immune system and recover from many injuries far faster than baseline humans. Because of their large size they are also very easy to augment both biologically and cybernetically lending considerable credence to rumors and theories that they were created as a super-soldier species. This is augmented by the fact that most wind up in the Defense Force - often serving one generation to the next from the generation their family immigrated.


Xypndi
Origin: N'Xypndiltn Prevalence: Rare Size & Build: Short & Athletic Body Shape: Mammalian Biped

A recently discovered species, the Xypndi are one of the rarer species in Sunset. Less than a handful of the small humanoids accompanied the researcher who discovered them from their home planet N'Xypndiltn back to the Ares system. The Xypndi lived in a completely matriarchal society, with severe and essentially complete male repression. Females occupy all important roles in their society with the males filling the worst positions and surviving only in limited numbers. That has now changed with the inclusion of the E'Xypndiltn System in the Republic under the leadership of Executor Miranna, one of the Xypndi who traveled to the Ares System and who recently returned to overthrow the false gods (thus 'Executor') who had kept the population under tyrannical and malign rule.

In something of a traumatic blow to the researcher - who was hoping for something more unique - the Xypndi look just like short and excessively attractive humans. The major difference is their skin, which is a goldenrod yellow in color, and their hair which is universally khaki brown. They also have a mottled orange and brown pattern on the hands and feet that extends to their forearms and shins as well as occasionally across their back and upper chest. Bright to hard blue eyes dominate, with only a rare number having the gray iris that would have formerly marked them as 'God-Touched'.


Zeer'Gen
Origin: Setting Two, Circlet V Prevalence: Common Size & Build: Short & Slender Body Shape: Insectoid Biped

The Zeer'Gen are believed to be one of the seven species that the Circlet in the Gen Celet System was originally intended to house - though there is the possibility that the species in fact evolved there as well. While secondary evidence is scant, this is the history given by the Zeer'Gen themselves and is currently the widely accepted answer. They maintain that sometime shortly before the Kion attack that destroyed the dominant Sitsizi'i civilization their species rose to the level of semi-connected tribes occupying the jungles dominant to the Second Setting but avoided the destruction due to being beneath the Kion's attention. However, some measure of the attacker's technology seems to have been discovered or abandoned and the Zeer'Gen began their own slow technological revolution with the end result that sometime in the last few thousand years they managed to breach the barrier between the Settings and first invade then occupy the First Setting - enslaving the Otterkin population. Though a distant memory, they still retained a large measure of fear and respect for the Kion invasion and with their home secured, they began a military build-up that would last until the modern era and an unintentional conquest by Captain Blaine and the SDF-Ojeni.

As apparent, they are an Insectoid-Humanoid species that largely carries a cultural similarity to many Terran species. An Empress sits at the top of the hierarchy and under her are her few direct progeny, the Crown-Daughters. These serve as a nobility of sorts with ceremonial control over the most notable military elements - previously the few space ships in their possession - and pheromone control over the breeding 'queens' scattered through their territories. All Zeer'Gen are sapient but only the Empress and the Queens can reproduce and this is regulated by pheromones produced first by the Empress and then spread by the Crown-Daughters. All of the other individuals are gender-less and their role in society is set by both personal desire and strengths as well as a subtle influence from the spread pheromones. This serves to give their society more than a taste of martial feeling and this was reinforced by the wholesale slavery of the Sitsizi'i, who occupied most menial roles until their liberation.


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The Republic of Sunset

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