Anya Venari
Star Queen Tirathana VII
Island Planet, by Bloknayrb
Name: Tygara
Region: Far Rim
System: Tygara
Suns: 1 white medium sequence
Orbital Position: 4th
Moons: 1: Paragaz
System Features: The first planet in the system shows evidence of extensive asteroid bombardment. The second and third planets have thick hothouse atmospheres. The fifth planet is also terrestrial but is small. The sixth through ninth planets are gas giants of little remarkable note.
Coordinates: See map:
Rotational Period: 28 hours
Orbital Period: 527 local days.
Class: Terrestrial
Diameter: 11,500km
Atmosphere: Type I
Climate: The climate of Tygara varies tremendously depending on where one is. To the far north where the Xioquo reside it is a bitter sub-polar climate. In the south where many of the Vashyada live the weather is a cold temperate at best. In the central latitudes and equatorial areas the weather is hot and steamy, with wet and dry seasons as per a tropical climate. In the mid northern reaches though large deserts and open steppe range from arid to temperate, depending how close one is to the coast and how far north one travels.
Overall the seas are not often wracked by great storms except on the far outer margins of the two main continental blocks.
Gravity: 0.95 standard.
Primary Terrain: Tygara is a planet of contrasts as far as terrain goes, as with climate.
In the southern lands of the Vashyada a long ridge of mountains protects them from the polar cold, and dense evergreen forests cover the land. These deep forests constitute one of the more impressive such features of their type in the galaxy. They are eclipsed by the arboreal wilds of Endor or Kashyyyk but are still impressive.
In the far north the bleak mountains and glaciers are the surface home of the Xioquo, though few live there. The mountains here are forbidding, treeless and snowbound most of the year. A watcher might wonder how this frozen land can support any settlement. However, the Xioquo do not live on the surface, but underneath it.
Millions of years ago, during the formation of the planet a vast network of caves and tunnels were formed by alternating water and lava. The result is a vast underground network of passages and caves complete with their own ecosystem far from the sunlight.
In the most settled central regions heavy summer rainfall gives birth to dense jungles around the central mountains of these continents. This jungles, with the powerful rivers flowing through them, flow down into less watered plains where many of the Qadiri live. These river valleys depend on the rivers and their annual flooding, for irrigation. However, these floods are unpredictable and either bring too little water or too much. These irrigated floodplains and river banks form the basis for most civilisation.
Beyond the rivers and beyond the jungles lays scrubland and savannah. During the wet season there are periodic downpours which make these areas grow and be green for a few months before returning to brown veldt again.
Beyond this lays the deserts. These vast expanses of rock and sand cover great areas but are sparsely inhabited, aside from the occasional oasis or coastal area. Further north, closer to the poles the grassland returns and eventually scattered forests appear. For reasons mentioned in history these areas are rarely settled though.
Unlike Kaeshana, there are no less than four major continents, but also many islands. These islands, usually tropical volcanic, form key waypoints for trade and strategy in war.
Native Species: Tygara boasts an array of native species, some of which have had great impact on the patterns of sentient life.
Sea: In the vast oceans there are countless species of fish and crustaceans. Some, especially the so called Agrothar (or breastplate) Crab can grow to huge size, with pincers capable of cutting a person in two. Also of note are the great leviathans which leisurely cruise the oceans. These are not hostile, and are seen as a good luck symbol to sailors.
Desert: The wide sandy deserts are home to a great number of creatures, many of them hostile. Sand worms strike from below the sands and drag unfortunates below the ground to their death. Giant scorpions prowl at night, using their poison stings to subdue their prey so it can be torn to pieces. Worst of all though are the acid spitting Zhafzar which are semi-sentient and attack in packs where possible.
Plains: The grasslands and steppes feature several vital creatures to the Qadiri. The most important is the Yazgid, a lizard creature the height of a Qadiri, and possessed of a mouth of razor sharp teeth. These creatures have been tamed and serve as the primary mounts for the Qadiri, though they are temperamental and even dangerous to their own riders. Their main prey, the Horned Ghoush, also has been tamed to provide hides and meat for the Qadiri.
Jungles: The thick and dangerous jungles harbour many dangerous creatures. Most feared of all are the semi-sentient Yurd, an amphibious creature which hunts in packs using primitive stone clubs and spears. They are rapidly advancing due to Qadiri encroachment and possibly will become fully sentient and intelligent in time.
Forests: The great forests of the south contain thousands of miles of unexplored old-growth woods. In these forests even the Vashyada do not go. However, great sloth-like creatures called ‘Dryzta’ (shamblers or lurkers) roam. Arachnids also live here in great numbers, as do many birds and small mammals.
Air: In the air massive rocs ride the thermals before swooping down to carry off hapless creatures. Hunting has driven these massive birds from the populated regions (as they used to eat the Ghoush), but they can still be found in the mountains.
Underground: The underground caverns of the Xioquo are filled with strange and unusual life. Creatures which love the darkness live here, such as gelatinous oozes and blind serpents which use ultra-sonic vibrations to find prey. Many horrors live here which the Xioquo hunt or capture.
Immigrated Species: Technically the Qadiri, Xioquo and Vashyada are immigrants, even though this was 25,000+ years ago. Before the coming first-contact there are virtually no offworld species settled on Tygara as there’s been virtually no contact with the outside galaxy.
Primary Languages: Though all of the same base species, the Xioquo, Qadiri and Vashyada all have very different languages. These will be covered more in their respective species submissions.
Government: Varies greatly by region and culture. Unlike Kaeshana there is not even a semblance of a unified world government.
The Vashyada have a somewhat feudal monarchy, with a twist. They have a King and a Queen, both of different lines who ritually marry, but have their own families. In theory the dual monarchs work together to rule their lands wisely. In practice squabbles over power and even civil wars are depressingly common. The twin dynasties likewise sometimes have puppet rulers whilst the real power is handled by noble families.
The Xioquo on the other hand have an unabashed magocratic despotism. The Force to them is a blessing of the Goddess, and those who are strong enough deserve to rule. Thus, intrigue, murder and corruption are parts of the Xioquo government’s fabric. However, even here, the many small groups and clans are rarely united by a single strong leader.
The Qadiri, being the most numerous and also the most dispersed, have the greatest variety of governments. All the Qadiri (outwardly anyway) recognise the moral and spiritual authority of the Saoshyant . This female high priestess rules until death and has great influence over rulers, but rarely direct authority. In the secular realm the rulership of the Qadiri is broken into dozens of smaller states. Some, like the Empire of Amikaron are hereditary monarchies, whilst others like the city state of Krolis are theocratic or oligarchic republics.
Population: Sparse. Whilst many of the sentient population has left Tygara many remain or have returned. This includes small populations of Xioquo and Vashyada who could not bear to leave their ancestral homes, as well as a significant minority of Qadiri and Eldorai. For the Qadiri, many who remain are enemies of Semiramis and seek to build their power now they are alone. For the Eldorai many simply could not endure another Exodus and have decided to take their chances on solid ground.
Demonym: Tygari
Major Imports: Galactically, none (yet).
Major Exports: The planet contains important resources.
The realm of the Xioquo has large amounts of valuable metals and ores, especially copper, gold, lead and iron. Silver is especially prized as it is so rare. Gemstones are found in the Underealm and are prestige items for the Xioquo.
The Qadiri meanwhile have a rather inverse opinion of value of metals due to rarity. For them gold is bountiful, as common as copper or lead, and so it is used for common utility purposes like plating temple roofs or small use coinage. Silver is both rare and hard to obtain, so it forms the highest value currency. The Qadiri also make highly sophisticated glass and ceramic ware items which they trade. Ivory is also a big trading item, as are the skins of the Yazgid. Gems and pearls are also found in the Qadiri realms, and rubies especially are prized as a symbol of the sun, and therefore royalty.
To the Vashyada, despite having much contact they have a lot of interest to trade with the northerners. For a start, their wooden items, plus their timber generally is greatly sought after by the Qadiri to build ships and for building materials. The straight-growing hardwoods of the southern forests are much prized. Furs of animals and forest products such as amber are also traded.
Affiliation: No galactic entity at present, but soon to come under the control of the Levantine Sanctum.
Major Locations:
The Underealm:
The City of Tlaxqui:
The Black Cave:
The City of Zeheb:
The City of Krolis
The Great Desert:
The Great Pyramid:
The City of Multan:
The Forest of Druzina:
The City of Vastyro:
Culture: More will be discussed in the species submission for the 3 Eldorai cultures, but broad trends and environmental factors will be described here.
Gender:
In contrast to the Eldorai of Kaeshana, gender roles vary considerably between cultures.
In the Vashyada, the genders are considered equal. Inheritance and succession is absolute cognatic, meaning that males and females inherit equally. Due to the scattered settlements and decentralised authority this equality is important in making sure all members of a clan work together.
With the Xioquo however, an even more extreme version of Kaeshana’s policy holds sway. In the Underealm the succession is absolute enatic, meaning that women will always inherit. This in turn makes males essentially second class citizens, even the free ones, unable to own property and liable being married strategically.
The Qadiri split the difference here, having a enatic-cognatic succession, meaning female children will inherit before male ones. However, Qadiri males are a lot freer even than the Vashyada in many ways, being able to serve in government and the militaries of many states.
The Force:
All the Eldorai cultures on Tygara look positively on the Force, but naturally their perspectives are very different.
The Vashyada regard the Force as a blessing of nature. Their priestesses are all Force users and specialise broadly in what could be considered ‘Light Side’ abilities. However, there is naturally another side to this, as Force users have a disproportionate amount of power. A child who can use the Force is more likely to inherit than an older child who cannot, set apart from gender inheritance.
The Qadiri view the Force as a tool. Much like the Eldorai of Kaeshana, most of the Qadiri realms have elite units of soldiers and mages to provide them a powerful asset in battle. The Saoshyant is always a Force user, as only one of them can commune with the Goddess. Those with ‘pure’ families jealously guard their bloodlines and only marry their children to other ‘pure’ Qadiri.
The Xioquo take matters to an extreme. The Force is power, a means to an end. Non-Force sensitive children of nobles are often abandoned or forcefully swapped with others which are. Only one strong in the Force, and almost always the Dark Side, has the power to rise to the top of the Byzantine world of Xioquo society.
Slavery
Though perhaps unexpected to outsiders, all the Eldorai cultures on Tygara practice slavery without much moral concern.
Among the Vashyada it is very uncommon, except for criminals who are indentured to those they wronged as punishment.
To the Qadiri slavery is a valuable commodity, and the vast array of different states ensures that warfare is a common supplier of this labour. A good deal of farming and mining is done by slave labour, and most domestic work by the richer classes is done by household slaves.
To the Xioquo though, slavery is a way of life. Expeditions to enslave Qadiri are common, with those captured being put to work in the mines and caverns, or being used in vicious pit fights. The Xioquo take this a step further though, enslaving their rivals and their families if they win a political power-play.
All the Eldorai cultures agree slavery is necessary, but only the Xioquo are so…enthusiastic about it.
Arts
Art varies greatly between the cultures. However, some constants are clear. First, all Eldorai, no matter their origins, have a love of oral poetry and stories. These may take different forms, but there are some striking similarities as well.
The writing of the Eldorai, likewise, maintains certain constant features. Whilst the Xioquo has a more runic alphabet – for easier carving straight lines on stone – it still maintains a melodious quality.
Each culture has its own distinct medium of expertise. For the Xioquo it is stone or metal, for the Qadiri it is glass or ceramics, and for the Vashyada it is wood or bone.
All cultures have a music tradition, with special emphasis given to stringed instruments.
Language
With such a long divide, the three culture’s languages are mutually unintelligible. However, detailed study shows similarities in patterns of speech and names. The mutual origin of this is, of course, Old Eldorai, so an Eldorai can note the similarities but cannot understand it.
The Sea
With so much of Tygara being desert, forest, mountain or icy, sea travel is absolutely vital for communication and movement. All three cultures have embraced sea travel to varying degrees.
For the Vashyada it is the mighty rivers of their land which they mastered travel on. As moving overland is difficult and dangerous the rivers are highways into the dense forests. Beyond their land they are not great sailors on the sea, but are best at coastal waters.
In contrast the Qadiri love the sea, and are expert navigators and sailors. It is they who go to the Vashyada to trade, and they who have explored and colonised vast areas of land. Their use of ships for war and trade have made them both warlike and prosperous.
For the Xioquo however, water travel is mainly for making war and slaving. In the Underealm large subterranean lakes and rivers are common and serve utility purposes between communities there too.
Technology: The technology level varies across the cultures.
For the most part the Vashyada use what would be called ‘medieval’ technology on Earth. They have mastered metalwork, waterwheels, crop rotation and sailing ships. However, they have not reached the next level of using more complex machines or forming complex state societies. The favoured weapon of the Vashyada is the bow and spear.
In contrast the Xioquo are the most advanced of the three. Their closeness to metals and other materials such as coal and oil have ensured they have the most advanced of technology. However, this still only can be classed as ‘early industrial’. Gunpowder was adopted early on to offset the lack of wood in the Underealm , and the Xioquo have recently started using ironclad ships and even steam driven vehicles.
As in so many ways, the Qadiri form the majority and the middle ground. Their technology can broadly be described as ‘Enlightenment’. They have mastered the use of powerful sailing ships which can circumnavigate the world. They have built complex state societies, and extensively use the Force to imbue weapons. One particular area of expertise for the Qadiri is the use of ‘liquid fire’, a napalm like product which sticks and burns to anything, including water. Recently the Qadiri have been forced to adopt gunpowder to counter the Xioquo, though they do not like it much. They prefer the sword, bow and ballista, but gradually the times have forced them to move on.
History: The history of the individual Eldorai cultures will be covered in more detail in each submission. This is an overview of the planet’s general history.
Tygara is a rather unremarkable world on the far rim of the galaxy. It was however special in one way; it had a tolerable atmosphere for carbon-based lifeforms, and a thriving biosphere without sentient life.
The Infinite Empire of the Rakata came to Tygara some 30,000 years before the present, when their empire was declining, yet still great. Like with Kaeshana, the Rakata took the planet as a means to create new methods of enforcing their authority with slave races. Kaeshana was the main area of creation, with Tygara being something of a laboratory for new designs. As it turned out, three ‘cultures’ or similar races were created. To protect Tygara, the Rakata used their powers of stellar engineering to shroud the area on a dense nebula with limited access in or out.
To the standard design of the Eldorai, each of the cultures had minor additions made.
With the group which would eventually become the Vashyada the gender balance was redressed somewhat, making males and females somewhat equal.
For those who became the Qadiri the changes were less pronounced, but they were bred to be hardier with adverse temperatures, though in doing so they lost some of their agility.
Finally the ancestors of the Xioquo were something of a mistake. In an attempt to increase the species’ Force affinity they caused something of a reaction. The Xioquo became strong with the Force, especially the Dark Side, but with some crippling costs. Ultraviolet light burnt and blinded them, and the Dark Side corrupted them, and they were forced to live underground. Still, the Rakata believed they would be useful.
Three leaders were intended to lead these cultures. Two were brought from Kaeshana to Tygara to act as go-betweens for the Rakata and their slaves. For the Xioquo was given Mystra, the greatest Force user of the Eldorai. For the Vashyada, Tylania, a great healer and empath was given as a leader. Finally for the Qadiri a warrior was planned, but that warrior never arrived and Eyrecae slept whilst the galaxy turned.
The fall of the Rakata was swift and sudden. External conflict, internal division, all of it combined to bring their downfall. One day the Eldorai of Tygara, like those of Kaeshana, found their Masters were gone along with their technology. Unlike on Kaeshana though, Tygara was not one organised collective culture, but three.
Soon war erupted and the more numerous Qadiri drove the others away from the prime lands around the equator.
For the Vashyada they went with Tylania on willing exile to the south to where she knew there was an untamed continent. There they settled down in the forests, only slowly reaching out to others.
For the Xioquo however it was a bitter pill to swallow. Mystra led her few warriors to victory on victory, but could not prevail forever, and in the end they fled for the north covered by a storm which hid the sun. In the far distant north they found an icy realm and settled in the caves below it where the light could not reach. Though much else passed from memory the hatred of the Qadiri never did, and whenever a Xioquo leader wanted an excuse for war with the southerners they needed only to invoke the ‘unjust’ exile.
Time passed though, and technology passed from use and memory. With the Rakata gone and none of the Eldorai able to recreate or repair their devices, so the monuments and artefacts were lost and a return almost to the stone age occurred.
Technology is something of a hyperbolic curve, so for the first 20,000 years very little happened of note, and no interaction occurred between the cultures, being as they were separated by thousands of kilometres.
To gauge the rise and fall of empires and the wars and political dealings is unnecessary here and will be covered by each culture’s submission, but a broad coverage is provided here.
The Qadiri were the most successful of all the cultures. They had access to the best land, were unhindered by terrain in the way their rivals were, and soon spread broadly over two continents.
The Vashyada, hindered initially by the forests of their new home built a new home amidst the trees and along the rivers. They formed a strong network of communities overtime, and gradually adapted to their new home.
The Xioquo lived in the vast Underealm under the planet’s surface, exploring and spreading through there. Hundreds of miles of tunnels and passages, some natural, some created.
Over time the cultures came into contact. The Qadiri were great sailors and over time they created ships capable of visiting the other lands. With the Vashyada they generally had good relations, though this varied upon which nations and leaders were in charge, but with the Xioquo things were rather less positive. Raiders and slavers have been an endemic part of the Qadiri experience for centuries as the Xioquo ravaged and pillaged before returning to their safe bases. Occasionally a particularly strong Qadiri ruler would strike back, but the passages of the Underealm always protected the Xioquo from too strong a reprisal, and eventually they would return.
And so whilst civil wars and plagues and dark ages happened in the rest of the galaxy Tygara remained ignorant. However, the protective veil of the nebula had faded due to the millennia of orbiting the galaxy, so it was in theory exposed.
It was not however until very recently that Tygara was discovered. A scout ship belonging to the newly formed Levantine Sanctum was surveying planets when it came across the nebula. Noting a gap caused by the time shredding the veil, the pilot went in. This pilot, Jenn Sabot, orbited Tygara, noting the population and sentient species and returned with the findings. Unfortunately she was caught by a pirate gang, the Corsairs, as she attempted to reach Levantine space. Interrogated and her equipment confiscated, the Corsairs discovered Tygara’s existence.
Several ships landed on the planet to seize what they considered were Eldorai slaves, valuable commodities on the markets. What they found though were creatures similar to Eldorai, but with lesser technology.
At first the Qadiri they landed near tried to appease them by giving some of their own slaves over to make them leave, but the pirates became greedy, especially of the gold they found in abundance, and sacked several towns.
A reaction was born from the greatest of the Qadiri nations, Amikaron. Their leader, the new Shahbânu Semiramis III led an army to confront the invaders. Unfortunately, the blasters and explosives were far too powerful and the Qadiri were scattered. However, the Corsairs became complacent and the Queen led a force to attack at night. Though inferior in technology, they had great numbers, and their Force users gave them an edge the Corsairs were not expecting. Many of the pirates were slain or captured and only two ships escaped with their slaves, vowing revenge.
Semiramis became a hero for her valour, and publically displayed the ‘sky people’ she had captured for all to see before having them executed. However, she, and the other Tygari uneasily watch the sky in case more enemies return….
As Semiramis had predicted, the star people soon returned to Tygara. A fleet of corsairs descended upon the planet. However, the slavers were thwarted when another group of outsiders appeared in orbit - Firemane and the Eldorai. The Shahbânu realised that these outsiders were different and could be either a bane or an asset. She was proven right. Due to the imminent destruction of Kaeshana by a massive asteroid, the Eldorai sought a new home. Proving herself a pragmatic leader, Semiramis made an alliance with them. While the outsiders found the Qadiri practice of slavery highly disagreeable, they sought to affect its gradual abolition, as they wanted to get rid of it in a sustainable manner that did not leave the slaves destitute.
Moreover, they faced common enemies, as the new settlements were attacked by the Xioquo. Eventually, after several battles, the allied forces stormed the Underealm. The Xioquo's 'demigoddess' Mystra was awoken by a cabal of matriarchs, but turned out to be a menace to her people. She was ultimately defeated in a duel with Siobhan Kerrigan and their allies. However, while the Qadiri felt considerable antipathy for their historic enemy, Firemane wanted to integrate the Xioquo into the Tygaran community of nations, not destroy them. Thus they were granted autonomy under a new Queen Liavondra. The secret Lightsider dedicated herself to healing the wounds produced by centuries of oppression, hoping to wean her people off despotism. At the same time she strove to acquire technology from the star people to assure the independence of her people. Moreover, slavery was abolished, having already become impractical after a huge slave uprising during the Battle for the Underealm.
With the defeat of the Xioquo large-scale warfare ceased on Tygara. However, daily life was not free of strife, and occasional brush fire conflicts broke out. Many Qadiri slaves took advantage of the star people's sympathy for their plight by fleeing to Firemane or Eldorai territory. This increased the pressure for the Qadiri rulers to abolish the institution. Some Tygarans entered into the services of the star people or left the stars independently.
Firemane sent a peaceful expedition to the Vashyada, initiating diplomatic negotiations. While the wood elves were wary of outsiders due to their history, they consented to the establishment of a trade outpost at the edge of their territory. However, relations between Firemane and the Eldorai Matriarchy soured after the Kaeshana Rebellion and an anti-human uprising orchestrated by corrupt Eldorai aristocrats.
With the collapse of several galactic powers, Tygara was believed to be vulnerable to outside invasion. The planet lacked strong allies and Firemane was reluctant due to continual Eldorai intrigue. It became clear that its inhabitants needed to advance rather than remain complacent. Thus at the instigation of Tylania, Paragon of the Vashyada, a summit was convened to decide the future of the planet. It was the first time that the queens of all four Eldorai races had met in one place. It was also noteworthy for the lack of bloodshed. It was hosted by Firemane aboard the Arx Aeternae.
At the summit it was decided that the elves would move into space. Firemane would provide the means and technological know-how to uplift the elves and enable them to go off, explore and colonise other words. To this end, a mixture of of Sanctuary Habitat ships and Asur Worldships would be utilised. Firemane rented these stations, but maintained a controlling interest.
Not all elves would be removed from the planet right away. While the Eldorai were used to spaceflight and had the experience of the Exodus from Kaeshana to draw upon, the Tygarans had not known about FTL travel or starships until a few years ago. Thus many elves remained on the planet, but the arkships remained on standby so that the rest of the population could be evacuated if needed. Reactions among the elves varied.
Ambitious rulers such as Shahbânu Semiramis saw this as a chance to advance her agenda and expand into space, for she sought to modernise her people - and at the same time become their uncontested ruler. This caused strife and conflict among the Qadiri, culminating in the Krolis War. Others were afraid of moving into the stars, either out of superstition or because they feared becoming more dependent on the sky people. Conversely, some thought that adapting foreign technology would reduce their reliance on their foreign patrons in the long-term.
The Vashyada and Xioquo, being smaller in population and led by farsighted leaders, were more tranquil. For the Xioquo it was a way to move on from the horrors of the past centuries and escape the confines of the Underealm. The Vashyada were the least technologically developed of the elf races, but also the most peaceful and rational. Nova Bank, led by an Eldorai called Varisanthra Lycaeni, provided loans to fund the colonisation efforts. To varying degrees, all elf races used the chance to remove political troublemakers without blood being spilt. Those who could afford it were given starships by Firemane so that they could go off. Among other things, a group of Eldorai reactionaries tried to build a 'True Eldorai Matriarchy' on Raevana, which turned out to be a poor decision on their part. The Shadow Knights, a group of Eldorai dissidents and survivalists, used the opportunity to conduct a recruitment drive. Thus the elves moved onto a new and brighter future in the stars.
Notable PCs: None yet
Intent: To create a world to be inhabited by three new sentient cultures of Eldorai, and to be a base for future adventures of the Firemane crew. It will also serve as the home of the Eldorai emigrants from Kaeshana.
As a history enthusiast, this writer is very interested in exploring ‘first contact’. With Kaeshana this took the form of a united world government only one step behind the galaxy’s technology. Here, the situation is much akin to the Spaniard discovery of the ‘New World’. Whether it will play out the same way will be interesting for RPs to determine.
[SIZE=11pt]Finally, it serves as a way for this writer to create different aspects of culture and create comparisons and contrasts with the Eldorai.[/SIZE]
