Unathi

Unathi

U. Sapiens / Sinta'Unathi

Home System: Uueoa-Esa

Homeworld: Moghes

Language(s): Sinta'Unathi

Political Entitie(s): Izweski Nation / Izweski Hegemony

Overview

The Unathi are a race of tall humanoid reptiles standing from six to seven feet tall on average, with females slightly smaller in stature. They possess a mixture of snake-like and crocodile-like features, resulting in hard and plate-like scales, excluding the ones on the belly, armpits and groin. Unathi live in their home system of Uueoa-Esa with their homeworld being Moghes. The planet's history can be summarized as being divided up between various Hegemonies; names they give the most powerful Clans on Moghes throughout time. The Clan system is deeply entrenched in Unathi society, with everything else revolving around it. It forms a major part of their code of honor, which stresses the importance of martial abilities and loyalty to the Clan.

Life outside the Untouched Lands remains harsh, with limited or nonexistent Nanotrasen presence.

Religion and spirituality play a major role in a unathi society, and religious differences are the main dividing factor. The primary faiths are the Sk'akh whose church worships the Great Spirit, then the ancestor worshipping Th'akh who believe in the Spirit World and its effect on ours.

After the nuclear Contact War, many Unathi fled the planet through Hephaestus or Nanotrasen built shuttle ports, slipping through the cracks and becoming slavers, raiders, or pirates. As the ability for spaceship construction increases in the Unathi homesystem, so too does space piracy and smuggling.

Moghes has two fiercely different biomes after the Contact War. The fertile Untouched Lands with its great jungles, vast swamps, and lush forests; all of which are protected by massive terraforming equipment kept secure by the Hegemony's wealth and power. Contrast to that are the bombarded Wasteland kingdoms in the ashes of plains and forests, burnt into a massive planet-spanning desert rampant with doomsday cults, punished kingdoms raiding to survive, and part scavengers living in cities on treads.

Many Unathi in Nanotrasen find themselves working in security and engineering roles, but recently many have been proving themselves as competent surgeons and brilliant scientists, earning opportunities that Moghes would deny them because of its strict feudal hierarchy.

To apply to be Unathi, apply here.

Mechanics

Mechanical Differences and Unique Emotes

Passive

• Unathi are coldblooded which allows slightly improved heat resistance, but increased sensitivity to cold.
• Unathi have claws, which slash and improve unarmed melee attacks.
• Unathi are incapable of easily digesting alcohol, and ethanol is considered toxic to them.
• Unathi can only drink alcohol from drinks with butanol instead of ethanol. Butanol gets them drunk similar to ethanol but has no affect on other species.
• Unathi get no nutrients from eating fruits and vegetables. They need meat to fill their hunger.
• Unathi can safely eat carp and consume carpotoxin.
• Unathi have the fastest sprint available to any species, but they have low stamina, meaning they can only sprint in short bursts.

Active Abilities

• Unathi can devour monkeys, rats, spiders, carp, and other small mobs by clicking and dragging from the mob to themselves. The animal must hold still for it to work.
• Unathi hiss when speaking Tau Ceti Basic. You achieve this by typing multiple s's during speech. This can also be pronounced through x's if their accent is thick. "Thiss iss an exssample." You can also Toggle-Auto-Hiss to do this for you.
• Unathi can sample the air with their tongue.
• Unique audible emotes: *hiss, *hiss1, *hiss2, *bellow,

Unathi can be the following Heads of Staff:

• Head of Security
• Chief Medical Officer
• Head of Personnel
• Research Director
• Chief Engineer

Biology

Their average life expectancy is around sixty years for most Unathi. However, they tend to live for seventy or eighty years when given advanced medical care available to the other space-faring species. As a cold-blooded species, they suffer fatigue and even short comas when exposed to extremely low temperatures.

Since they are carnivorous species, their diet mostly consists of meat, though they do have a tolerance to some plants and fruits. However, they do not get any nutrition from plants, so they are mostly used as garnish or decoration.

The reproductive system of a Sinta'Unathi is very similar to that of Earth reptiles. Females lay eggs, with the average clutch being somewhere between one and three. They have an six month gestation period, after which they are laid in a humid, warm area. After two months, the fetus is fully developed and hatches from the egg. Unathi are born with their claws and ability to walk within hours of hatching. A Sinta'Unathi is considered an adult when they are 18 years old.

Biologically the Unathi of Moghes and Ouerea are identical.

Aut'akh Unathi, when not fully mechanical, are biologically identical as well.

Physical Appearance

The Unathi as a species show a great deal of variation within body types, as well as clusters of smaller physical traits passed down through clans. Facial and body features range in size and shape, with some having raptor-like aesthetics, serpentine looks, or a more draconic body. Tail length is often genetic, however tail girth is defined by a Unathi's diet, with nobles or unathi who are able to eat more growing the largest tails, which mostly store fat.

The Unathi are also often born into one of four major scale color categories Red, Black, Orange-brown ("sand colored") and Green. Alternative colours are rare, with dark blue and even albino Unathi being reported in very small numbers. Traditionally these off-colored Unathi are met with prejudice, though some clans outside the Izweski may feel different. The typical healthy adult male Unathi weighs roughly 260 pounds.

The females differ from the males in that they generally have a shorter and more rounded snout. The typical healthy Unathi female weighs roughly 200 pounds.

Female Unathi tend to grow to be between 5'9" to 6'8.

Male Unathi tend to grow to be between 6'0" to 7'0".

Both sexes stand on digitigrade legs, with three toes on each foot and a hooked dewclaw, and have clawed feet and hands. They also have very long tongues, typically black or extremely dark red in color, which may stretch up to a foot and a half long and are forked just like a serpent's. In much the same manner as snakes, Unathi can sample the air around them using their tongue. They blink but can also lick their own eyeballs.

Unathi horns do not naturally regrow, and damage tends to remain permanent. Ancient recipes using native herbs known as "Horn Goop" are commonly made and sold by herbalists, however, and can counter cosmetic scratches or minor chipping. More modern synthetic "Horn Gel", based on Bone Gel, can regenerate an entire lost horn, but it tends to be stratified to the upper classes and noblemen.

Body dimorphism in Unathi.

Social

Social Mannerisms

When speaking to superiors, it is considered formal and respectful to refer to them by the extended name of their command. A clan leader would be referred to by the name of their clan, a squad leader by the name of their squad. Slouching is fine in most instances, but it is extremely rude to not look at those addressing you. Unathi generally stare at what they are interested in, so their intense gaze moves with a conversation to whoever is talking, too. Additionally, pointing for unathi can be seen as extremely rude in circumstances. If more than just a passing gesture towards someone, prolonged pointing can be a grave insult to one's honor and, in some cases, be the reason for crude fighting or even initiate a duel.

Unathi should always be addressed by their last name in most situations. It is offensive to use a unathi's first name unless you are family or have a close friendship with them, but some unathi are more permissive than others. In a situation where there are multiple unathi with the same last name, it's generally accepted to just get more and more specific in your address to make it clear who you are speaking to.

For most unathi being seen speaking to a guwan is embarrassing. A woman associating with a guwan is extremely improper and indecent, and they can lose social standing by doing so.

Relationships for unathi hinge on a responsibility for both involved, with Clan Leaders often having arranged marriages to secure alliances. 'Dating' has only recently been available to young Unathi and is foreign concept to most above their late-20's in age. A unathi trying to ignore the ritual of arranged marriage is a great insult to both clans involved, which at worst could lead to a blood feud or war. Divorces in the Izweski Hegemony must be requested through the Sk'akh church, where a member of the Clergy will decide how property and titles will be split. Typically, if a man is known to abuse or neglect their spouse, it is seen as a deep insult to the spouses' clan - however a woman is often seen as being 'unable' to do something so violent against another soul.

Violence can have its place in regular daily life, with playful fighting being commonplace with the peasantry and in the Wasteland. Joking punches and wistful tail flicks that would be normal for unathi playing around may end up hurting a human, which has led to many jokes about humanity’s weak stature. Shoulder checks and headbutts have its place in more aggressive friendships and is a sign of showing brotherly love.

Emotional Displays

Unathi exhibit a great variety of emotional body language in ways different from other species. While it is not uncommon for unathi to attempt to mimic human displays (sometimes with frightening results, for example showing off their large, numerous sharp teeth in a “smile”), they have their own natural, basic emotions that come from biological expression akin to reptiles. It can be very difficult for an unathi to control their emotionally linked body language as it is engrained in unathi culture, but exercising restraint is often seen as a sign of the nobility or simply an individual who is attempting to better blend in with other species. Over time, these displays can also change to adapt to a different environment, though this process typically takes many years to come to fruition.

For example, baring the entire throat is the single most meaningful expression that can be displayed to another, often used to show trust or vulnerability to someone a unathi cares about. However, it is not unusual for unathi to do this to also surrender to another (such as in a fight), admit shame, or display extreme compassion (when exposed to twine necks with another). Conversely, tilting the snout far down to protect the throat and better display one’s horns is a fight response or to show distrust in another.

When it comes to intimate gestures between unathi, they usually twine necks or tails, and touch foreheads and snouts together with the same intent that humans kiss. Such displays between unathi are usually only reserved for those that are married or to be wed, but with other cultures such as Ouerea, the smaller colonies, or the Empire of Dominia, this tends to be much more relaxed. Hugging is usually considered to be something done by children and avoided by adults.

Unathi often fixate on their surroundings when interested or excited by someone or something. If there is a conversation of multiple people, they often change their gaze to look at whoever is speaking, or at the person speaking they are most interested in. It is considered rude by unathi to avert your gaze, for that shows that someone can be aloof, distant, or not paying attention fully. Even if afraid and cowering, unathi tend to look directly at the source of their fear. For other species, when especially happy or interested, they can even stoop down to look at them directly at eye level, or try to raise themselves as much as possible to look other creatures in the eye.

Other physical displays include the ‘tail stomp,’ a phenomenon common during heightened signals of emotion. Typically, these are done when a sinta is filled with joy or extremely agitated, but is rarely used too when a unathi is grieving. Other more minor displays are, but aren’t limited to: bristling scales, in response to a cold environment or a ‘chill going down their spine;’ becoming slow and sluggish if an unathi is extremely comfortable, such as reacting to warmth; swaying, sampling the air, and hissing all are common when a unathi is in a new environment, with strangers, or even just in certain situations, which shows curiosity, discomfort, or unease.

Verbally, unathi have some onomatopoeias that they draw on for different emotions. Chuffing, a forceful exhalation of air from the throat, can be used to mark mild annoyance in reply to something, or can be used to show amusement. If it comes at the end of a sentence or statement, it can imply that they are being sarcastic or are saying something in good humor. Unathi don’t quite have a laugh; instead, they bark in typically short bursts, in which the sound is often deep, loud, and raucous. Finally, rattling the throat is a fairly common gesture that replaces or accompanies a tail stomp. Sometimes when enraged, throat rattling is accompanied by frills or scales flaring up as well.

As a result of the divide between groups of sinta, some mannerisms are unique to different social groups. For example, nobles tend to tail stomp in response to seeing something that ‘disgusts’ them, whether it be the sight of a heretic or guwan, something that disgusts olfactory senses, or something else. Peasants on Moghes and most unathi on Ouerea tend to be ‘overly emotional’ in that they often tilt their snout up somewhat when showing general content or happiness, or down slightly when afraid or unhappy. Dominians often keep their chin tilted up constantly as a sign of pride and even cockiness, showing they aren’t afraid when vulnerable parts are exposed. Of course, this all barely scratches the surface: considering how your character’s society would affect your unathi and how they display their emotions can help flesh out your unathi!

Language

Individual languages are described by the prefix 'Sinta' followed by the identity of its native speakers.

Speaking mannerisms remain the same when speaking Sinta or another language, but for a stylistic choice, avoid contractions like it's and they're, which would be it is and they are.

Sinta'Unathi

While Pre-Contact Moghes had hundreds of unique languages and their own histories, Sinta'Unathi has been and remains the primary language spoken by most Unathi. It is an evolution of an older Moghean trade language, Sinta'Izwe.

The written language has 30 letters, with 5 of them being vowels. The language is written left to right, though this was an attempt to emulate humanity, as informal Sinta'Unathi still write top to bottom.

Sinta'Azaziba

A language of Moghes consisting of a combination of spoken word and gesticulation. While waning since Moghes entered the galactic stage, it enjoys popular use by Unathi that never fell to the Hegemony's cultural dominance.

Sinta'Azaziba writing has 27 letters, 4 of which being vowels. The language is written top to bottom.

History of Sinta

Modern Sinta'Unathi began in the 1990's Galactic Standard Time as the primary language of the Izweski Nation, and spread across the globe for merchants seeking to do business in foreign Kingdoms. It became the main language of global trade, and eventually began to trickle its way upwards to become the primary language of the upper classes. By the late 2100's the Izweski Hegemony passed several laws attempting to increase imperial nationalism in its extremely diverse population. All Hegemonic citizens were required to be fluent in the language, and speaking foreign languages in public carried threats of imprisonment. Imperial authorities also carried out mass-kidnappings of ethnic Unathi, raising the young in boarding schools that instilled in them proper Hegemony values and Sinta'Unathi language lessons. Children were often beaten if they were discovered speaking their native language.

The earliest forms of Sinta writing come in the form of hieroglyphs that scribes literally scratched onto wooden tablets with their talons, with the earliest dated around 600 CE. These early tablets were predominately inventory records, consisting of nouns and tally marks. As society grew more interconnected and complex, scribes and impatient merchants decided they had better things to do than spend hours making thousands of tally marks, so writing continued to evolve until taking their modern form.

One of the first things to go was literally scratching wooden tablets, with scribes eventually dipping their talons into pulped Peizi Berries, which left stubborn, persistent stains on almost anything it touched. This meant scribes or writers could be identified by having stained talons; a trend that became more style than practical after the printing press came into use. But even in modern times, Unathi that want to appear intellectual often paint their talons. However this has become embarrassing for Unathi as humans view it as girly, so it's become an embarrassing faux pas to be caught with stained or painted talons, leading to skyrocketing sales of pens across Unathi space.

Culture

Moghean

A map of Moghes before the Contact War.

Moghean Unathi are traditional Unathi, with the planet being their homewold. Historically culture varies across Clans which exist on the planet, but some customs and norms arch over nearly all Unathi universally.

It is a social faux-pas to use a Unathi's first name if not family or extremely close to the Unathi in question. Generally a Unathi will tell someone when they feel comfortable with the person using their first name. It is also distressing to Unathi to touch their tail, or to touch them at all before introductions are undertaken.

Unathi place great emphasis on oral traditions. Honor and combat are seen as a man's realm, and women are not held to the same standards of honor. Women are instead expected to be elegant and regal.

Outside the formal schools of the Untouched Lands, village and town shamans often remain the only source of education for many young unathi.

A map of Moghes with the cities and seas labelled.

Societal Gender Expectations

Women and men have different expectations in Hegemony society, with men being expected to follow a semblance of Unathi Honor and women following The Women's Code - the difference between the two allowing variety in lifestyles. The cultural impact of these ideals have made men and women seem at odds in society, where you have to prove how your ideals are beneficial to the task you're born into.

Clan alliances are formed when two Clan Leaders mutually decide upon two Unathi to marry, and depending on who is chosen, has varying degrees of expectations.

Marriage

Marriage in the culture of the Hegemony is seen strictly as a means to secure alliances between clans. With the bonding of two souls under Sk'akh, clans are capable of securing peace and strength.

Depending on who is being married, the act of marriage can carry different societal expectations. Marriage between a man and woman is seen as a symbol of fertility and growth, bringing the call of the Fisher. Marriage between two men links to the Aspect of the Warrior for strength, and is often used to secure particularly military alliances. Marriage between two women is a call for the Aspect of the Healer, and is thought to bring stability and kindness.

Surrogates can be called upon for a marriage that cannot fulfil their duty to have children, however they must be from a member of one of the Clans.

When the marriage is proposed, a discussion is brought up on which Clan Name will be taken. This is done through a form of 'bidding war', where one clan must "buy" the right to keeping the name over the other by giving money or resources to the other clan. Marriages may sometimes end up canceled due to both sides refusing to give up their clan name, and in the worst cases it has led to duels or even wars fought over who has the rights to keep the titles.

Upon the hatching of a hatchling, the expectation most often is that husbands will raise the boys, and wives will raise the girls. If there is only a husband or wife, more traditional Sk'akh families will choose to have another Clan member raise the hatchling up through their expected path.

Often times, Marriage Competitions are held to encourage young, unmarried Unathi to be competitive against each other and be the best suitor they can be, while unwed Unathi, parents, and Clan Leaders from various clans watch. Formal events are gender-segregated and have suitors attempt to impress Clan Leaders, whether through status, skill, or beauty. Men will often prove themselves in duels between suitors, and women display acts of debate or healing. Successful Unathi who win these contests are lauded by their entire communities and enjoy great prestige, and often enjoy the luxury of several suitors pining for their hand - and oftentimes, the best Man and best Woman are fated for each other.

Ouerean

While the unathi of Ouerea follow most of the same social beliefs as their Moghean counterparts, they tend to be less volatile towards outsiders who are ignorant of their customs, especially since their world was formerly ruled by the skrell and humanity. The culture of humanity and skrell have managed to influence Ouerean unathi, embedding different cultural norms. There is a focus on individualism, with most unathi being given the same chance as anyone else. There is still a struggle with a highly stratified society, but things are much more progressive than on Moghes.

A map of Ouerea, with cities and major locations labelled.

Many of the original colonists started as patriots to the Izweski Hegemony, but many soon found themselves disillusioned with the distant home world tearing itself apart in war. Many of them became enamored with the broad ideals of democracy; finding themselves resentful of their old lives on Moghes. Reintegration into the Hegemony has proved difficult as both planets try to reconcile these cultural differences.

Ouerean art, in contrast to Moghean pottery and dyed fabrics, has taken on inspiration from human and skrell art. Many Ouerean unathi have become renowned glass makers and craftsmen. The greater access to human and skrell universities, many of which still operate on the planet, also give Ouerean unathi greater chances to specialize with human and skrell systems.

Aut'akh

The Aut'akh are a radical religious commune of cybernetic-augmented Unathi. In the relative safety of their communes scattered across various towns, planets, and systems, they know a remarkably satisfying life. They have yet to truly attain their perfect leaderless society, as their own supposedly-defeated prejudice still runs in quiet circles within communes; meanwhile, society often rebukes and ridicules these fanatical transspeciests. Their lives are gently guided by the shamans or "paradigms," which act as the religious advisors and sometimes too the biomechanical engineers of these communes.

Aut'akh, due to their radical views on unathi society and society as a whole, are often associated with anyone who breaks tradition. In light of this, unathi started to develop behaviors and society learned to hate communes and their denizens. Anyone caught being unfaithful to their spouse, in a non-monogamous relationship, rebuking their clan, having a prosthetic, or even talking about their discontent with the Hegemony or other rulers was accused of being an Aut'akh. The term to most became synonymous with anyone who was a perceived troublemaker or heretic, more so than even Si'akh.

The Zandiziite Games

An ancient sport that got its start on Moghes, this sport is best described as a mixture of olympic games and Mixed Martial Arts. Competitors within the Zandiziite Games are called Zandiziites, or colloquially an individual wrestler is called a Zandi. Clans send eligible men (and only men) to their Lord in the hopes that they are chosen to represent their city or community in the Zandiziite Games.

A more in-depth description can be found here.

Religion

While various faiths exist on Moghes, many of which are as old as any other, there are two major religions of the Unathi that pervade in nearly every aspect of their lives. Th'akh and Sk'akh, both of which predominately focus on ancestor worship and connections with the spirit world. More information can be found here.

Politics

Moghes is divided between the Izweski Nation, which exists in the Untouched Lands, and the hundreds of other Clans and nations who claim their own land across the planet's surface. The only real difference in their political systems is the scale. Many of these other clans are modern nations or pre-industrial, ruled by various kings or leaders. However with the expansion of the uninhabitable Wasteland and the brutal decimation Izweski forces committed on foreign leadership many institutions of Non-Hegemony government across Moghes are rare or extremely fragile.

The flag of the Izweski Hegemony. It is said the flag symbolizes the wildfires that frequented Moghes.

Izweski Nation

"Honor, Fire, Burn thy Fear" - Izweski Ancestral Words, dating back more than 500 years

The Izweski Clan is lead by Clan Leader Not'zar Izweski , a Unathi who has ruled the Hegemony since his father S'kresti Izweski, the previous Hegemon, was assassinated by his son and Not'zar's brother. He lives in the Izweski Citadel in Skalamar, and under him are the Lords who rule their own subjugated clans. They live in a feudal system, with the Lords usually being clan leaders or important clan members themselves who pledge themselves to Izweski in exchange for land and protection.

The Hegemon is best thought of being the Emperor, and under him are the Overlords, who are the Kings. Under the Overlords are the Lords, who are then broken up between the Clan Lords, and then the Clan Leaders. Clan Leaders are a mostly ceremonial title and make up (usually) the eldest male ruler of a specific family clan.

The immediate members of the royal family.

Not'zar's father, Hegemon S'kresti Izweski, was originally a strong leader of the Izweski clan. Then, after the death of his eldest son in a shuttle crash, the old Hegemon fell into a deep depression, to the point of becoming comatose in the Izweski citadel. After a succession crises, Not'zar took his place as the Regent and heir for three years, over that time developing the Hegemony into a stable empire.

Three years later, the Hegemon awoke and took back to the throne, however on his tour to get reacquainted with everything, he was spurred into madness and cursed by Juzida Si'akh which resulted in a civil war to dispute his claim to the throne. In an attempt to destroy his enemies, the old Hegemon attempted to orbitally bombard an enemy city. To stop this dishonorable act, his third son Z'krazi Izweski the Kinslayer assassinated the Hegemon, and after Not'zar's victory in the Battle of Three Hills the civil war ended.

Now, Not'zar is the Clan Leader, Overlord of Moghes, and Hegemon of the Izweski Hegemony. Despite his severe physical handicap forcing him to walk with a cane, many noblemen have made him an ally, especially including the Guilds who enjoy his globalist attitude.

Overlords rule an entire planet in the name of the Hegemon. Under them are Lords, who can rule huge tracts of land and multiple cities, or just a single city; there is no distinction between a Count and Duke level of Lordship like in most human feudalism.

There are two different kind of major lifestyles In Izweski. There is the city, which is ran by a Lord and a small council of lesser clans. City life is less harsh than life in the country, especially with opportunities provided with shuttle services to the rest of the galaxy.

The Izweski Hegemony is based on vassal obligations to their liege lord.

Life in the rural areas is harsher, with cities being rare and life mostly determined by the size of a Clan's village and how well they can hunt, fish, or in desperate times, raid their neighbors. It's the traditional Unathi life, made harsher by the growing Wasteland encroaching on once fertile lands.

To play as a diplomatic consul for the Izweski Hegemony, you must have a Command whitelist, change 'Nanotrasen Liason' to 'Consular', and select 'Izweski Hegemony' as your citizenship. You would be the face of the Nobles and Lords of Moghes.

Hegemonic Colonies

The Hegemony has several colonies as its empire begins to expand. Of these colonies, there are a few Notable Unathi Colonies.

Surviving Kingdoms on Moghes

Despite the destruction of most of the known world from the Contact War, some desperate survivors managed to weather the storm and remain nominally free of Izweski dominance - either from the Izweski's weariness for war on Moghes, or arrogant indifference.

While the Izweski are reclaiming the Wasteland, they are ruthlessly uprooting and displacing local cultures in the remaining habitable lands. The Outposts were small, fertile enclaves that survived the Contact War surrounded by the Wasteland. Starting in 2461, Not'zar pushed forward terraforming efforts to expand these green yet hostile oasis.

Queendom of Szek’Hakh

"Refuse To Break" - Szek'Hakh clan motto, before the war

A matriarchal region of roughly twenty thousand set in the Wasteland, led by the elderly Queen Lazak Szek'Hakh and her daughters. In her settlement and a large portion of the region surrounding it, her clan has become the protector of her region known as the 'Queendom'.

For those living in the Queendom, the gender roles of Unathi are inverted, and many of its people thusly struggle to find opportunities on Moghes and seek employment in Tau Ceti - with the Queen even making connections with pirates, Dominians, and Tajaran smugglers to get her people safely out of the dangerous Wasteland. The Queen is kind under her witty and straightforward attitude, and despite stereotypes, does not actually hate men.

The Szek'Hakh clan's settlement of Yu'kal, originally headed by the Queen's husband, was built around a cluster of small lakes and focused on aquaculture. When the Contact War's nukes wiped out the vast majority of men, they adapted to using women as protectors, while using men to keep house. The widowed Lazak Szek’Hakh convinced the shell-shocked and wounded survivors of her clan that she was the only one capable of ruling during this terrifying time, and had taken control of a sizable region of the Wasteland east of Mudki around Yu'kal.

The Szek'Hakh Clan became the leading power in their region following the Contact War. Eventually, Szek’Hakh consolidated control of her clan and the settlement, taking matters of survival into her own hands. As the Wasteland engulfed Yu'kal's lakes, she coordinated a renovation of aquaculture farms and lead expeditions to bring their highly valuable fish products to the distant surviving city of Mudki. Women took prominent roles in all of these, with the necessities of survival in the harsh wasteland fraying Unathi gender roles. A neighboring nobleman, fearing this rise of powerful women, orchestrated to have her assassinated. In a dramatic confrontation, the assassin was foiled and publicly exiled as a Guwandi, and a mob of angry women stormed the nobleman's estate to 'duel him for his dishonor'. This act put the matriarch in the spotlight, sparking Szek’Hakh’s rapid rise of being named Queen by her people.

Queen Szek’Hakh now leads a struggling wasteland settlement in a precarious situation. The traditional Izweski leaning Unathi find her position an affront to customs, and she struggles to find allies. She tries to walk a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the Sk’akh Church, the Izweski, and the Wastelander factions - however she is often too straightforward to get far. Her settlement is primarily Th’akh, and she herself follows the faith. She complies (though unwillingly) with the demands of Izweski representatives to expel the prophet Si'akh from her realm when he enters her settlement in his travels, though she quietly allows members of his traveling flock to rest in secret when they pass through her settlement. For the same, she does not tolerate the cult of the Aut'akh, and her people ruthlessly hunt down their unaugmented proselytizers.

Feudalism and Society

All Unathi in the Izweski Hegemony live under a strict feudal society. It divides most of the species into six distinct castes, each of which usually prevent upward mobility in this society. Men and women often have different roles and responsibilities depending on which caste they are in, and a man or woman jumping into a role that is typically meant for the opposite sex can lead to becoming a social pariah.

A visual representation of Unathi feudalism.

The nobility can include Lords, Clan Lords, and even distinguished Clan Leaders. These are the landed elite of the Sinta'Unathi and typically own a castle and surrounding land. They have many special laws protecting their status and privileges. You become a Nobleman when you are granted a tract of land by the Izweski to rent in their name. While noblemen often have the duty of leading, a noblewoman's job is to keep up appearances and help support her spouse through social means, generally through the Matriarch's Code.

Shaman is the general term for any Unathite clergy; priests however are exclusively members of the established Sk'akh Church. Priests tend to own the land of their church which owes its fealty to the local Lord, making them a form of pseudo-nobility. They are granted many special protections that protect them from violence or land seizures. Priests own their respective churches and Lords are forbidden from collecting tax from them, pressing them into armed service, or seizing their lands. Their influence rivals that of secular Lords, and many priests are active participants in local politics and intrigue. Some shamans have a portion of the protections that priests do because of recent rulings by the Hegemony, and while shamans retain their rank in the caste system, they often do not have the direct power or wealth that priests have. Shamans often spend the better part of a decade studying, training, and gaining clout to get to their position and become independent from their teacher.

Healers are, as their name implies, doctors. It is the highest position any woman can come to hold as, like shamans, it takes many years studying and learning to become an official healer. A well-studied healer often comes up to have their own practice or "medicine tent" (a traditional term that is holdover from many centuries of use in Sinta'Unathi), and Lords lacking a healer pay really well to gain some in their respective territories. They are also granted special protections and their protections are perhaps the widest and most powerful for a Unathi, barring the most influential Overlords or even the Hegemon himself. Unprovoked violence against a healer can result in a Unathi becoming a Guwan, as well as heavy fines, service to the respective Lord, or, most often, all of the above.

Healers are a growing commodity after the Contact War, as a vast majority of those who participated in the conflict need medical care. Radiation sickness, treating festered wounds, and helping the physically disabled means that more healers are required of this society. The Izweski Hegemony pays to send prospective healers to either the Republic of Biesel and learn under NanoTrasen, or the Skalamar University of Medicine.

Warriors are soldiers that distinguish themselves in battle under the banners of their Lords. They are seen as an ideal for male Unathi to strive for. They are expected to provide martial service to their Lord, and in turn are expected to be paid regularly. They are exempt from menial labor, as their Lord is expected to provide for them. Kataphracts, and even most Hopefuls, are at the top of this caste.

Kataphracts, or Saa’Izweski in Sinta’Unathi, are an ancient class of warriors that has recently been revived by Not’zar Izweski. A kataphract is the epitome of a warrior’s ideals and the best of the best of the species. They are sworn to serve and defend the Hegemony and strictly follow the Warrior's Code of Honor. When they are not summoned to do battle for the Izweski, Kataphracts seek to maintain their status as brave and honorable warriors by participating in martial games or going on adventures throughout the galaxy. Kataphracts are appointed by the Hegemon, an Overlord, or another Kataphract if they prove themselves in battle to be especially brave and worthy. Women cannot become Kataphracts; only those that claim the soul of a warrior may become one. They are referred to as Saa when referring to their rank, or Saa’Izweski when formally referred to. Kataphracts are only paid by the Hegemony when they are summoned for war. Kataphracts as a result take to adventuring across the galaxy to earn credits and make their name, and some even seek employment within Tau Ceti, waiting until the day they are summoned to do proper battle.

Kataphract-Hopefuls, or Zo’saa in Sinta’Unathi, are Unathi that have pledged themselves to the life of a Kataphract, yet are not appointed. They typically attach themselves to an existing Kataphracts and shadow them on their adventures, attending to them and learning all that the Kataphract can teach. Other Hopefuls, after making their intentions known, are sent out across the galaxy to be tested in various ways. Many Kataphract-Hopefuls come to Tau Ceti for the challenge of holding true to their ideals and the goal of "Kataphract-hood", tested against the well known trend of the star system to break down conservative Unathi beliefs. Kataphract-Hopefuls that spend a few years in Tau Ceti and still hold true to their commitments of honor and bravery, or who engage in incredibly brave deeds and do the same, can easily find themselves anointed a Kataphract.

Spies, or Zo'kaa in Sinta'Unathi, occupy the same rank as the warriors for Unathi, being the female counterpart to the warrior caste. Similarly, while male Unathi look up to warriors as an ideal, women look up to spies with an equal amount of reverence. Spies, however, are in an often unique position - a majority often serve their Lords for whatever intelligence they are looking to collect, but can also be reached out to by spymasters should they be looking for dangerous elements, especially in outlying territories. Generally speaking, spies are often what humans consider to be detectives of sorts, and lower rank and file spies work as investigators. Some spies specialize in gathering information through subtle questioning and incentivizing cooperation, while others are masters in infiltration and blending in.

Spymasters, or Kaa in Sinta'Unathi, are a relatively new class, also generated by Not'zar Izweski (with rumors speculating heavy influence from his interest, spymaster Hizoni Razi, in their development). Spymasters are those that gain a reputation by word of mouth between those that would seek their employment - namely, powerful Lords, merchants, priests, and other figures of influential clans. Such spymasters become operators themselves of other spies, using their experience to give potential leads, offer guidance to newer spies, and take up larger work from the Izweski Hegemony.

Guildsmen are merchants, businessmen, and entrepreneurs striving to make a name for themselves and earn a nice profit while doing so. This social class includes both Guildmasters and independent salesmen. You are required to purchase the title of Guildsman from a local Lord or Guildmaster before being considered as such, and are legally barred from conducting business without one. Guildsmen are only required to pay rent to their Lord and are exempt from taxation, so this group forms the closest thing Moghes has to a middle class. Guildsmen can be either men or women; men often become the skilled laborers (as they are most notable for being blunt), while women usually are the outward face of any aspects regarding external business. There are a few exceptions, but those that stray from these norms within Unathi culture are shunned and face a more difficult uphill battle in gaining recognition and becoming successful.

Peasants are the bottom rung of society, and are by far the largest. This group comprises of traditional tenants on the land of a Lord working aquaculture farms or in the mines, to urban Unathi living a more modern and regimented life in a big city. While Unathi have the freedom to move if their Lord displeases them, they have barely any resemblance of legal protections. Strong social norms and tradition are what keep Lords from outright abusing their peasants en-masse. They work for the Guilds and provide the Guilds the fruit of all their labor, keeping meager earnings of which they must surrender half to their Lord for the privilege of living on his land.

Guwan are the absolute bottom caste of Unathi society. They are Untouchables and are given absolutely zero protections, and are actively subjugated, persecuted, and barred from all aspects of public life and hopes of ever advancing upwards. Aut'akh usually end up in this caste as well, as most of them are denounced by their clan or Lord.

Ouerea has a different social system, which has more depth on the Notable Unathi Colonies page.

Economy

Colonies are forbidden from selling their wares to any planet or business other than the Capital. Only specially chartered guilds who are granted exclusive rights may barter with the Orion Spur directly.

The Unathi economic system is mercantilist in nature. Access to ports are restricted to specific guilds given a royal charter, which is a bill of exclusivity over shares of trade to protect them from competition . It is best thought of as being given a lease by the Izweski to handle a specific amount of interstellar trade coming to and from the Hegemony.

Trade guilds then sell their trade goods to the other guilds and to the general populace of the wider galaxy. In exchange for exclusive trade rights, the chartered trade guilds offer the Hegemon the first pick of goods and reduced prices. This means that the royal family gets massive discounts on whatever they want to purchase. Historically Hegemons extend this privilege to loyal lords in the form of a special seal. Those with this seal then get cheaper arms, armor, ships, or anything else they need, which has been a powerful tool of manipulation.

For example, the Hegemon would tell one of his subordinates to go down to the merchants guildhouse and tell them to purchase 900 mittens. The listed price would be 900 credits, but with the royal seal the subordinate can purchase all of them for only 450 credits. It's a form of tax; they lose that amount of the money they'd normally get selling it, but the Hegemon is guaranteeing them a greater amount of credits in trade a year.

Hephaestus Industries has the most generous charter to operate on Ouerea and brings its goods directly to the galactic market directly. Other mega-corporations have their efforts throttled and frustrated. NanoTrasen retains recruitment offices in the star system but very little else.

Guild Rankings

Apprenticeship is how most started in a particular trade, which they would follow the rest of their lives. Most Sinta choose to enter into the same field as their parents, but it's not unusual for them to go off to seek other fields. It is standard for a Sinta to become an apprentice of a guild or Craftsman at 16, which includes going to university for that particular field. This is often translated to working towards an associates in human space.

After completing an apprenticeship, the appropriate guild would examine his work and see if he could be elevated to a Craftsman. A Craftsman is similar in a jump from an intern to a worker. A craftsman cannot open a business on their own, they must work for a Guild directly or as a contractor. In modern times this is often translated to a Bachelor in human space.

A Master traditionally is required to create a "masterpiece" in the presence of guild judges to be elevated to Master status, being given a certificate by the Guild. For non-craft related fields such as medicine or art, the Unathi must complete a physical 'thesis' before the panel, such as a great work of art, or conducting a complex and sensitive medical procedure. This allows him to enter the leadership of his guild, open his own, or otherwise be known as a master of his field. This is best compared to a Masters or Doctorate in human space. In humanspace this would translate to 'Masters' degrees or 'Doctorates' depending on the field. Lawyers - known as Advocates in Sinta space - doctors, chief engineers, etc, would be formally known as Master [Title].

History Overview

More in-depth information on the history of the Unathi can be found on their history section.

The history of the Unathi is predominately a history of each Hegemony that has existed throughout their history. There have only been three clans that have managed to create an empire worthy of the title Hegemony.

The Kres’ha’nor Hegemony lasted from roughly 920 CE - 1500 CE Galactic Standard Time. It is most famous for being the first empire to dominate Moghes and creating what was then a modern feudal state. Their empire saw rise of walled cities, steel weapons, centralized taxation, and other innovations. It ended in a brutal succession war, with Moghes once again being shattered into hundreds of individual Kingdoms with no true global power.

In the 16th century the power of Guilds began to grow, forming an early form of mercantalism. Guilds formed for bakers, butchers, grocers, millers, smiths, carpenters, weavers, mason, shoemakers, in fact, nearly every trade had its own guild. Standards such as just weights and measures evolved from the guilds, and guild inspectors would inspect shops to ensure rules were being followed. Guilds would help members that were sick, or in trouble, and would sometimes take care of families after the member died. This time also saw Guilds building the first major universities. While incredibly exclusive, these universities began to create a new era of specialized labor and intellectuals.

The 19th century saw rise of the Second Hegemony, ruled by the Sarakas Clan. Their clan ruled harshly, and forced technological advances into the cities and towns. In the 1930's they ruthlessly modernized their empire in The Great Endevour, spreading electricity, radio, paved roads, modern plumbing, and other modern innovations.

In 1994 the Izweski Clan violently deposed the Sarakas and slaughtered the entire surviving dynasty, declaring the Third Hegemony. After they won an incredibly destructive global war to defend their claim, the Izweski have ruled Moghes until modern times.

In 2433, a human exploration team discovered Moghes. Shortly after, first contact was made. Sol Alliance merchants and scientists flocked to Moghes, living under very careful observation and guard in Izweski cities. Skalamar, the second largest city in Izweski, became the first Unathi city to have a shuttleport constructed. Owned by NanoTrasen, it served to transport people to and from the planet’s surface.

The Contact War, which has more information here, was a cataclysmic global war that lasted from 2437 to 2449. The fighting was between two global powers, the Izweski Hegemony, and the Traditionalist Coalition. The war was fought over the very future of the Unathi and their relationship with the rest of the galaxy. The Izweski demanded Moghes submit to a one world government ran by themselves and embrace the influence of humanity. The Traditionalist Coalition rejected this. The war went nuclear on September 5th, 2439, causing immense suffering across Moghes and directly leading to the creation of The Wasteland, which is set to engulf Moghes within a hundred years.

Notable Information

‘Guwandi’

In the event that a Unathi becomes mortally ill, or finds themselves lacking the pride or honor to continue to live, or simply become tired of their existence undergo a ritualistic suicide and take the title of 'Guwandi' (which is translated to Gladiator/Galdium). They will give up their possessions to their clan leader and make their journey into the Moghes desert. The only things they keep are their weapons which they use to fight animals or other Unathi so that they may die in honorable combat. In the event that two of these Guwandi meet, they will first draw their weapons and adopt a passive stance, which is followed by them telling each other their stories in turn, as well as the reasons behind their choice of adopting the mantle of 'Guwandi' and how they wish their remains to be dealt with. When both sides understand the other, combat will begin with a mutual wish of luck that the more worthy of death lose with pride. The winner of the battle is responsible for taking care of the corpse in the way they were instructed to. Renouncing the deathseeking life of Guwandi isn't easy. Some may wish to return after having been granted a second outlook, or hope, after they had spent time wandering and risking their life. Their clan may see their decision as cowardly and refuse to accept them, or be overjoyed they had learned a lesson in their time.

The Guwan

In some cases when a Unathi is exiled from their clan, they do not take up the formal title of Guwandi. This can be through fear of death, unwillingness, or simple stubbornness. In this case, they are marked as 'Guwan' by their clan leader, and must take this as their last name. It is a variation on Guwandi, which is translated directly as 'exile'. Guwans are clanless Unathi, and form an underclass. Guwans find it difficult if not impossible to advance socially or politically, and in many cases are oppressed or mistreated by other Unathi who view them as troublemakers or criminals. The only way of returning to a clan after banishment as a Guwan is to be adopted back into the Clan, which happens very rarely. To become un-Guwaned, a Unathi must have an upstanding citizen decide to represent them, and then they must both go to court to explain how the Guwan can return into society under a new clan name, be adopted into another clan, or return to their original clan (at Clan Leader's acceptance.)

On August 29th, 2459, the Lord-Regent Not'zar Izweski passed an edict that required clans to send a petition to an imperial court when they want to banish a clan member as a Guwan. The court must side with the petitioning Clan Leader or the Unathi in question is not marked as a Guwan. This has caused backlash as the courts have gained a reputation for being incredibly arbitrary in their decisions.

In the past, all orphans were automatically Guwan unless they are adopted into a Clan. This changed with yet another edict by Not'zar Izweski in December of 2459, which required all orphans, including adults still connected to their orphanage guild via debts or otherwise without parents, to take on the surname of that orphanage.

Many Guwan have been forced off of Moghes by their clans with the growing ease of space travel, and Nanotrasen has a long history of exploiting this subgroup of Unathi, coercing them into employment contracts.

Guwans are not permitted to petition their local Lords to express any grievances, and are not permitted to social services provided by private enterprise or state entities. They are not full citizens of the Hegemony but are considered residents, which additionally bares them from many services.

Notably, Guwan are the only social class of Unathi allowed to serve in the personal guard of the Hegemon and his family. The strategy relies on the fact that the guwan of the Guwan Guard are despised and envied by decorated officers that would otherwise serve in traditional guard duties. They are socially isolated and unable to advance politically, which means that their survival depends on the safety of the Hegemon and his family, which means that they wouldn't try to launch a coup or replace the Hegemon without themselves being slaughtered. Similar to an old-Terran Janissary, they're a slave soldier, and unable to have children or hold any sort of political or military position.

If a Unathi is the last of his clan, or is otherwise estranged with no one to declare them Guwan, then a Unathi may still find themselves challenged by other rival clans who lay claim to this Unathi's land, titles, inheritance, or name. If a Unathi is unable or unwilling to defend their claims (which would involve lengthy court trials on Moghes) then they would be stripped of them and declared Guwan. This means that a Unathi hiding in human space can still be named Guwan if their past, or rivals, catch up with them.

Guwan are exclusively a criminal or otherwise dishonorable untouchable class, and it takes a lot to be labelled as one. If you want to simply play an orphan who is otherwise an upstanding Sinta, you can't be a Guwan!

Because playing a Guwan means you are opting in to being discriminated against by others, a Guwan filing an incident report for anything less than physical assault is a whitelist issue. When in doubt, speak to the Maintainer first.

Orphans and Orphanage Guilds

Orphans in the Hegemony in the past were all labelled as Guwans, but an edict by Not'zar Izweski in December of 2459 changed all that. Hatchlings, child, and teenage Unathi without parents are put in the care of one of the many orphanage guilds on Moghes. These are private run guilds with little to no government oversight. While they fufill a necessary social service in caring for Unathi that would otherwise be on the streets, orphanage guilds in the Hegemony are incredibly exploitative. Unknown to the children the guilds track all the expenses and charge their wards throughout their life until they turn 17, when they are presented with the bill and are forced to work to repay the crippling debt, and many can be trapped by the fact that their debt would fall on any prospective parents.

Two of these guilds have expanded into large corporations that have found a lucrative method of gaining money from their wards. The Gukuzan and Kuhwinla Guilds coerce or persuade their wards to accepts contracts for NanoTrasen if they reach adulthood without being adopted.

The Gukuzan clan is lead by a Priest Kiazoi, and he ensures that those that enter the care of his guild are given a proper religious education and instilled with the values of the church. Children raised by the Gukuzan are also taught valuable lessons in obedience and the importance of duty and respect to their betters. Its wards are moderately well-off and treated well, but the comforts of a happy childhood in the orphanage is rather soured by the fact everything from bedding, food, and even air conditioning are things each child has added to their growing debt. Gukuzan orphanages are scattered across Moghes and there are three on Ouerea. They are all exclusively managed by a priest on the payroll of the Gukuzan.

The Kuhwinla clan is lead by Guildmaster Ioaza Kuhwinla, an infamously frugal woman. She refuses to spend any more than she has to on her wards, meaning that those under her care are given the most basic of education. Children raised by her Guild are taught valuable lessons in thrift, obedience, and how to stretch meals to the absolute limit. Its wards are generally barely better than they would be on the street, but they live with a roof over their heads, semi-reliable food, a basic education, and their debt at the end of their life under the Kuhwinla is generally lower than it would be in other orphanages. Kuhwinla orphanages are in nearly every major Unathi city, and they are unique in that they are managed by matriarchs that answer to Ioaza.

These two surnames are the only ones you may take if you play a non-guwan orphan Unathi on the Aurora station!

Diet and Cuisine

Unathi dishes are mostly, or all made up of meat, eggs, and fish, as they are a carnivorous species. It may be cooked, or even still raw and bleeding. Vegetables in meals are often just for decoration or flavor, but by no means ever make up the majority of the dish. Unathi do not take any nutritional value from plant matter, only from meat. Desert flowers may also be placed on the plate to make it seem well presented, and are also edible. The tools Unathi use to eat are very unorthodox to humans.

Important meals like dinner and breakfast are meant to be consumed while surrounded by family and/or friends, and as such there are no designated utensils. Food will be cut and picked up in strips or portions with their claws. Females are expected to do the cooking.

To support their civilization, fishing has developed on a scale similar to human agriculture. Since the War, fishing yields have fallen, and hunger has become a fact of life for many Unathi.