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{{Navbox_Lore}}
== Th'akh on Ouerea ==
{{Navbox_Unathi_Lore}}
Most of the followers of [[Th'akh]] on Ouerea arrived in the post-contact wave of colonists, with settlers from across the Hegemony recruited to settle the new world. As such, Ouerea is home to nearly every variation of Th’akh found on Moghes, though with those practiced in the regions of the former Traditionalist Coalition being less common. Shrines can be found across the planet dedicated to the Court of Stars, the Stone Lords of the [[Zazalai Mountains]], the River Court of the [[Southlands]] and a thousand other variations of the faith. While many keep to the traditions and rituals of their ancestors, the cosmopolitan and independent culture of Ouerea has shaped the practice of Th’akh on the planet.
{{toc_right}}


=Law Enforcement=
There is much less of a focus on particular holy sites and ancestral spirits in Ouerean Th’akh - the Unathi on this world are the first and second generation of colonists. There are no honored ancestors who have walked before them on this world, and most believe that, while they watch Ouerea from the spirit world, their ancestors remain on Moghes. For better or for worse, Ouerean Th’akhists know that they will be the ancestors whose spirits are invoked by future generations, the founders of a new civilisation and a new world. This has led to the rise of what is known as Ouerean Syncretism by theological scholars, and simply ‘Ouerean Th’akh’ by others.
Under the normal traditions of [[Unathi]] feudalism, the laws are decided by the reigning monarch or Hegemon and their council - but the duty of enforcing said laws falls to local nobility. Over the centuries, this has developed into a robust system of law enforcement, though one that often varies in standard, training and skill across [[Moghes]] - particularly in regions that were not part of the Hegemony prior to the [[Contact War]].


== The City Watch ==
Ouerean Th’akh is a synthesis of a thousand variations on the faith - while the colonists all have their own spirit-gods and sacred rituals, their own clans and honored ancestors, they are all equally outsiders now, facing new spirits of a strange new world. The spirits of Ouerea are viewed as wilder and more primal forces than those of Moghes, solely forces of the elemental nature of the planet uninfluenced by the Sinta’Unathi. As such, many Th’akh shamans on Ouerea are equal parts teacher, preacher and survivalist - exemplifying the pioneering spirit of the first Ouereans in learning to work with the spirits of the new world, naming them and seeking to shape a harmonious relationship. Some of the more prominent among these shamans have been vocal in opposition to Hephaestus Industries’ expansion onto the planet, believing that their exploitation of Ouerea will lead to great spiritual misfortune across the planet.
<center>''“The soldiers march to war, the nobles command them - but it is your duty to protect your home and your clan. The army may be the Hegemon’s sword, but we are his shield.”''</center>
<center>-Skalamar City Watch training video, dated 2442</center>


The tradition of a City Watch dates back millennia, to nearly the earliest beginnings of Unathi permanent settlement. In any city or town of significance, the ruler’s Lord’s Claws will be responsible for the training, recruitment and upkeep of a watch - to ensure that the law of both the ruler and their liege is obeyed. Traditionally, the watch of a city is recruited from among commoners, with noble officers commanding them - a posting that often finds itself filled by the sons of prominent military clans, to gain experience as commanders in peacetime.  
Respect for both the old spirits of Moghes and the new spirits of Ouerea is the duality that shapes Ouerean Th’akh - its shamans teach that the colonists have brought their spirits with them in part, and that only through achieving a peace between the old and the new can one reach true harmony. Those who abandon their old ways and traditions completely may be dishonorable and bring shame to their ancestors - but those who cling to them and refuse to adapt will surely invite the wrath of the Ouerean spirits upon themselves. Widespread exposure to human and Skrell culture has also shaped Ouerean Th’akh in a way that most other variations of the faith have not yet seen. Humans and Skrell are recognized as having their own spirits that they carry with them, both ancestral and reflected in the Th’akh understanding of the alien religions. While there are no known alien converts to Th’akh, the shamans of the faith often seek to work closely with alien religious figures in furthering mutual understanding of both each other, and the world they must share.


A watchman’s equipment varies greatly from city to city, though throughout history they have generally carried clubs, shields and other simple weapons, as well as crossbows - and later firearms - for cases where ranged combat or lethal force was required. Prior to the Contact War, the standard equipment of a watchman in the Hegemony consisted of a lightweight steel baton, a collapsible plastic shield and an armoured vest - with heavier armour and firearms being available in case of serious issues. During the Contact War, many Hegemonic watchmen were exempt from being called to service, though they were required to be constantly ready for the defence of their city. Many lords disliked having watchmen constantly armed - after all, a militia of commoners at a time when all the lord’s personal forces are away is just asking for trouble.
Due to the nature of Th’akh, human and Skrell faiths are generally acknowledged as being equally real to Unathi ones - the Qebalak ‘spirits of the stars’ and the deities of the various human faiths are considered to be alien spirits brought here by their followers. They are not venerated by Ouerean Th’akhists, but offerings are sometimes given to them by Unathi who wish to gain their favor for dealing with Skrell and humans.


In the modern age, a watchman’s equipment in the Hegemony has changed significantly. Though some smaller and more rural areas may use more outdated equipment, the Hegemony has adapted well to alien technology, at first purchasing and later manufacturing many stunbatons, energy weapons and other tools used by human law enforcement. Today, the average watchman would be equipped with a stunbaton as well as a non-lethal energy weapon - tasers and disruptors being the most common. A lightweight armour vest allows the watchman to move freely, and a telescopic shield can provide protection against most opponents. In an emergency, watchmen tend to be equipped with laser rifles of Hegemony make, now that they are common enough to be affordable.
===Spirits of Ouerea===
==== Azsaei Zis Azua (Crimson-Toothed Liberty) ====
''“Red the blades and red the fires,''<br>
''Let our struggle only grow,''<br>
''Aid us ‘gainst the tyrant’s ire,''<br>
''Red your teeth that find his throat.”''<br>
-A common prayer to Azsaei Zis Azua from the days of the Revolution.


Typically, watch houses will be set up throughout a city, with some of the larger settlements having dozens. Each watch house is commanded by a watch-captain, who reports to the city’s Commander of the Watch - a position overseen by the Lord’s Claws. Generally, these watch-captains are drawn from nobility, though a few commoners have distinguished themselves and risen to the position.
A new spirit that emerged during the years of feudal oppression, Azsaei Zis Azua (Sinta'Unathi: Crimson-Toothed Liberty) is believed to have been born on Ouerea, formed from the spirits of those who died at the hands of the tyrant Yiztek. It is a spirit of freedom, justice, change, and revolutionary violence. It is usually depicted as a young, androgynous Unathi, holding a flaming spear in one hand - though occasionally as a human or Skrell, as their souls are believed to have become part of Azsaei Zis Azua as they perished in the struggle against oppression.


Watchmen are not soldiers, and provide an essential service to a settlement’s infrastructure - as such, they cannot be called to military service as part of a levy, although they are required to fight in their city’s defence should it fall under attack. To this end, many hoped to become watchmen during the Contact War, in order to avoid being sent to the front lines. However, a watchman’s life is not necessarily something to envy - aside from clashes with criminals, the pay is far from exceptional, especially given that watchmen are forbidden by Hegemonic law from joining a guild or forming one of their own - as it would potentially provide a conflict of loyalty. Many former watchmen have since joined the mercenaries of the Fighters’ Guild or the Dagamuir Freewater Private Forces, in the hopes of seeking better pay than a watchman’s meagre keep among the stars.
Shrines to this Zyola are often built upon battlefields or sites of import to the Ouerean Revolution. It is often invoked in remembrance of the Ouerean people’s struggle for freedom, and Ouerean Unathi who feel they have been wronged in some way will often call upon it to grant them justice or vengeance. A statue of Azsaei Zis Azua, in its Unathi form, marks the entrance to the Synod of Scales - a solemn reminder to the new government that the freedom Ouerea prizes was not given, but won by blood. Shamans dedicating themselves to Crimson-Toothed Liberty are often political radicals, striving for further liberation of the Ouerean people whether by word or by blade. The spirit is often venerated by members of the Warriors of Liberty, and the party's official symbol is a stylized depiction of Azsaei Zis Azua's burning spear.


The primary duty of a watchman is to keep order - when crimes are committed, the watch will usually call on their own investigators if they have them - though smaller watches may simply lock up whoever looks guilty, and let the matter resolve itself at a trial. The watch of [[Izweski Heartland|S’th]] in particular is known for its laziness, often arresting passers-by in the hopes of shaking them down for a few credits. Generally speaking, city watches will largely police commoners - to arrest a noble requires authorisation from the Lord’s Claws, and it is something most watchmen will not risk unless the evidence against them is truly damning.  
==== The Izoaei ====
A collective name for many of the zo’zyola of Ouerea, the Izoaei (Sinta-Unathi: Primordial) are considered to be formless and wild spirits, manifestations of the raw and elemental forces of the world - spirits of stone and wind and water, free from names or bonds that the spirits of Moghes hold. The shamans of Ouerea believe that it is their responsibility to shape the Izoaei, to keep them appeased and guide them into a new state of being. Shrines are rarely built to these nameless spirits, but offerings are commonplace - with shamans believing that it is important to allow the Izoaei to grow accustomed to the presence of life on their world, lest their wrath spell doom for the colony.


Many watches are known to hire spies, when running horns-first into a dead-end case. These spies act as consultants, putting their skills to use to aid the watch - and though there is some judgement and distaste between the two professions, both begrudgingly recognise the other’s use.
Shamans of the Izoaei are an odd blend of scientist, survivalist, and exorcist. Research and understanding of alien worlds is believed to be a method of both honoring and shaping the Izoaei - as Sinta come to better know their new world, so do the spirits of that world come to better understand Sinta. Many of these shamans will take extensive journeys into the Ouerean wilderness, in the hopes of coming to better know the Izoaei and to shape their presence into one that welcomes alien settlement. Shamans of the Izoaei will also often gather in preparation for or in the wake of natural disasters, providing aid in an attempt to bind or banish hostile Izoaei and to shield Ouerea against their harm. Veneration of the Izoaei has spread from Ouerea, with colonists on various [[Notable Unathi Colonies|other Hegemony worlds]] practicing similar rituals in order to overcome hostile environments.


== The Zo’kaa (Spies) ==
<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<center>''“Though some call it a profession based on lies, I could not disagree more - the heart of any spy’s work is the pursuit of the truth, in all its purity.”''</center>
==== The Founders ====
<center>-[[Notable_Unathi#Hizoni_Izweski,_Izweski_Spymaster|Hizoni Izweski]], Hegemonic Spymaster</center>
The five Unathi who first set foot on Ouerea are viewed with immense respect by Ouerean civilization, often venerated as particularly revered ancestors - though they bear no blood relation to most modern Ouerean Unathi, they are ancestors in spirit to the modern-day colony. Historical sites often hold shrines to the Founders, and even non-Th’akh or even non-Unathi Ouereans will often leave offerings there in honor of the planet’s history.
<div class="mw-collapsible-content">
'''Zuakza Izoki, Speaker of Thunder'''


The title of “spy” conjures many images to the human mind, not many of them associated with law enforcement. For the Unathi, however, the title carries a different meaning - an ancient profession, codified by Not’zar Izweski. A traditionally feminine pursuit, spies act as investigators, private detectives and actual spies, seeking the truth of a situation in exchange for payment, and bringing secrets to light - or ensuring they stay buried.
Born to a prominent Heartland noble clan, Zuakza Izoki was a graduate of the Skalamar Academy of Natural Sciences and one of the foremost astronauts of the Izweski Space Program, having been part of one of the first crews on Izweski Station. When the Ouerean mission was planned, he was reportedly hand-picked by the Hegemon to command it as captain of the IHV Venture. Captain Izoki oversaw the initial establishment of what would become New Skalamar, and lived long enough to see humans and Skrell arrive on the planet. He was one of the founders of the New Skalamar Pioneers’ Seminary, and a statue of him adorns its gates in the modern day. He died of old age in late 2429, with a planetary day of mourning declared in his honor shortly afterwards.


Most spies work independently, uncovering secrets and solving mysteries in exchange for payment, though some are organised under spymasters - powerful women, usually of nobility, who run networks of spies, and rent their services to prospective clients. Working under a spymaster has its advantages, as work is generally more stable, but some professional spies would find the loss of independence distasteful.  
His title as a spirit is “Speaker of Thunder” - either in honor of his commanding presence or as a joke from his surviving crewmates about how his way of speaking was extremely irritating over several months in a confined space together, depending on who one asks. He is venerated as a symbol of leadership, courage, and the pioneering spirit of Ouerea. His symbol is a stylized Unathi claw, reaching upwards to grasp at a distant star.


Some professional spies are hired permanently by city watches or ruling nobility to investigate crimes committed under their aegis, though most tend to take work independently and on a case-by-case basis. A good spy, however, knows that a working relationship with the local watch is often the key to running a profitable business.
'''Kiuhi Ahuos, Watcher of the Dark'''


There is no formal guild of spies, with apprenticeships generally being a personal and individual matter - a spy will teach a young woman the tricks of the trade, in exchange for a cut of her earnings for some years afterward. Though many are eager to learn the trade, it is a difficult one to master - and a spy who cannot pick up on the dangers of a life trading in secrets is one whose life will often be cut short.
The pilot of the IHV Venture, Kiuhi Ahuos was a distinguished warrior from an Izweski air regiment stationed in the Southlands. As the Izweski Space Program grew, Ahuos found himself working as a test pilot on several of the program’s early missions. He was severely injured during a failed re-entry in the 2460s, which reportedly left him walking with a cane for the remainder of his life. Following the establishment of the Ouerean colony and first contact, he returned to Moghes with honor, continuing to work with the space program on various missions. His final mission was one that would go down in Unathi history, serving as a navigator on the IHRV Uezwik’s Hope - the Hegemony’s first attempt at creating a warp-capable spacecraft. When the warp calculations proved incorrect, Ahuos was killed along with the rest of the ship’s crew.


Not all spies are so clearly aligned with the law, however - criminal guilds will often hire spies to investigate their rivals, bury secrets or evidence of their deeds, or frame another for a crime the guild committed. Opinions on these illicit spies vary among their more legitimate sisters - some view the criminal guilds as simply another client, while others believe that working for such an organisation runs antithetical to the heart of the profession.
As a spirit, his title is “Watcher of the Dark”, in reference to his status as one of the Hegemony’s first space pilots. Ouereans working offworld, particularly on spaceships or as pilots, will often make offerings to him to protect them, as his spirit is believed to watch over all Unathi abroad in the vastness of space. His symbol is a black Unathi eye, filled with a field of stars.


The life of a spy is often romanticised in Unathi fiction, and is a frequent aspiration for young Sinta women. Novels such as ‘Silent Streets of S’th’ and television series such as the long-running and wildly popular ''‘[[Izweski_Heartland#Entertainment|Venom Hearts]]’'' have led to a cultural touchstone of the spy as a hardened and independent seeker of the truth - though the reality is far less glamorous than portrayed in such media.
'''Skiaei Sazs - Bearer of Flame'''


Many nobles will also hire or appoint their own private spymasters, who will bring on spies who are, in theory, loyal solely to their liege - though as with all things involving the Zo’kaa, nothing is quite so simple. The most prominent of these spymasters in the modern day is unquestionably Hizoni Izweski - the spymaster of the Izweski Hegemony, and viewed by many as the ideal of one in her profession.
The ship’s engineer aboard the Venture, Skiaei Sazs was a guildsman of the Construction Coalition and one of the space program’s most talented engineers. The Venture itself was a Sazs design, and they were handpicked by Captain Izoki for the mission. Following planetfall, Sazs was responsible for the assembly of the initial colony site, and is believed by some to be the patron spirit of modern New Skalamar itself. Though well into their old age, Sazs was one of the founders of Hegeranzi Starworks, and reportedly turned down the position of guildmaster there several times before their death. Sazs was known to work closely with Hephaestus Industries, and was reportedly an influential mentor of Yukal T’zakal during his early days working with Hephaestus. They perished from old age in 2452, in their office aboard Hegeranzi Starworks.


== Bounty Hunting ==
As a spirit, their title is “Bearer of Flame”, in reference to their contributions to interstellar engineering. A shrine to Sazs adorns Hegeranzi Starworks today, and Ouerean engineers will frequently make offerings to their spirit to bless the success of a project. Their symbol is a trail of fire, stretching towards a field of stars.


When a criminal flees beyond the reach of the watch, some lords may hire mercenaries to track them down in the case of particularly egregious crimes. Most of these bounty hunters are licensed under the [[Unathi_Guilds#The_Fighter's_Lodge|Fighters’ Lodge]], though the [[Private_Military_Contracting_Group#Dagamuir_Freewater_Private_Forces|Dagamuir Freewater Private Forces]] have expanded aggressively into the business, particularly for those rare criminals who manage to flee offworld.
'''Kseok Ssu, Witness of Life'''


These hunters will roam across the Hegemony beyond in search of their quarry - and are one of the rare groups of non-military personnel allowed to bear weapons, so long as they carry with them a writ of identification authorised by a noble of the Hegemony. Since the end of the Contact War, many criminals seek to escape into the [[The Wasteland|Wasteland]] - and hunters are sent to track them through the radioactive sands. For an Unathi warrior seeking to earn good money, the commander of [[The_Wasteland#Camp_Integrity|Camp Integrity]] is always willing to pay for the hunting of particularly dangerous Gawgaryn, criminals who have fled into the sands, or Traditionalist holdouts.  
Originally from a minor noble clan of S’th, Dr. Kseok Ssu was an accomplished biologist from the Skalamar University of Medicine long before she was chosen for the Ouerean mission. After her arrival on Ouerea, Dr. Ssu was responsible for cataloging thousands of new species native to the planet, as well as for the successful introduction of Moghresian plants and animals to the Ouerean biosphere. She is remembered as one of history’s greatest xenobiologists by Unathi even beyond Ouerea, and was granted the position of planetary chapter-master by the House of Medicine for her contributions to the sciences. She traveled extensively following first contact, studying human and Skrell advances in xenobiology for nearly thirty years and giving several guest lectures at human universities - acquiring a reputation as something of a daredevil researcher in interstellar academic circles. Kseok Ssu disappeared in 2438, only a year before the beginning of the Contact War, departing on an expedition to catalog the alien fauna of the Arusha sector. Her title as a spirit is “Witness of Life”, and she is frequently venerated by healers, academics, and explorers on Ouerea - particularly those seeking to study the planet’s ecosystem. Shrines to her can be found in most Ouerean universities, and it is a common practice among students to leave offerings there to improve their academic performance.


Though most of these hunters are Unathi, not all are. [[Vaurca|K’laxan Warriors]], Ouerean humans and [[Skrell]], and even the rare [[Dionae|Diona]] gestalt can be seen working in the profession - after all, there may be many differences between the species, but the language of credits is a famously universal one.
'''Olzahi Ekzur - Eye of Stone'''


== Law and Trials ==
The ship’s surveyor, Olzahi Ekzur was responsible for much of the initial exploration and surveying of Ouerea following planetfall. During her time as a researcher for the space program, she was responsible for the launch of several probes to Ouerea, and selected the initial landing site personally. Following planetfall, she engaged in extensive study of the area surrounding the landing site, and much of the layout of New Skalamar today is based on her initial blueprints. Ekzur spearheaded much of the initial exploration of Ouerea, and spent a large amount of her time at the Sahhat Geographical Research Complex with visiting Skrell scientists, reportedly fascinated by their culture and advancements. Ekzur’s methodologies for planetary colonization were rapidly adopted, and have since become standard practice by Hegemony colonists throughout the Spur. In 2441, Ekzur was killed in a storm on the Azareazi Sea as part of an ongoing polar expedition. Survivors of the wreck reported that she refused to leave her research or her crew, and returned to the sinking ship several times in order to recover more.


When a criminal is captured, they are placed on trial before the local ruling noble, or one of their representatives. In smaller villages, this will often be a council of local clans’ leaders, whereas in larger cities the nobility will tend to have one or several “justicars” to act as their representatives, as a single person judging every trial in a city the size of Skalamar or Jaz’zirt would rapidly become unmanageable.
As a spirit, her title is “Eye of Stone”, in reference to her blunt and unemotional demeanor, as well as her contributions to the field of geology. She is viewed as the patron spirit of explorers, scientists, and all those who seek to wander beyond the horizons of the known. Ouerean exploration and research programs often consecrate their missions in her name. Her symbol is a silhouetted Unathi figure, walking towards a stylized horizon.
</div></div>


Though it is a common assumption that a noble has sole jurisdiction over sentencing, this is not the case - the Izweski Code of Law has contained mandated minimum and maximum sentences for a crime for centuries, and though some nobles in particularly isolated regions may ignore this, to flout it carries great risk - as a noble found to act against the will of the Hegemon may be severely punished, up to and including the loss of their titles, being made Guwan or even executed.
== Humans on Ouerea ==
=== History ===
Shortly after first contact in 2403, human settlement of Ouerea began. The humans of Ouerea came in two waves - the first were largely Sol Alliance military personnel, who were permitted to construct several bases and refueling stations on the planet in exchange for Solarian assistance in furthering the Izweski space program. The second and far larger wave was driven by the human megacorporations, with many of them acquiring generous contracts for development of the Ouerean colony. Hephaestus and NanoTrasen were the two largest investors in Ouerean development, though Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals had several research facilities to study the myriad of new organisms found on both Moghes and Ouerea, and Einstein Engines were contracted to assist in the development of warp technology by the Izweski. The vast majority of these workers came from Solarian space, particularly from planets with limited economic opportunity. Ouerea was advertised to Hephaestus and NanoTrasen employees in particular as a land of opportunity and discovery, with many being shipped directly to the planet to assist in its settlement.


Within these restrictions, however, a noble may judge entirely as they see fit. Theoretically, any noble of the Hegemony may judge trials, though in practice it is reserved for the ruling noble of a region or a representative they explicitly appoint. There is no jury system in the Hegemony outside of Ouerea, or standards of legal representation - a Sinta is permitted to speak on their own behalf, and to call witnesses to their character or innocence, but they must do so themselves - and whether a witness is entertained is entirely up to the presiding noble.  
Due to the megacorporate contracts, humans had more contact with Unathi than the initial Skrell settlers, with corporate habitation buildings often being constructed near existing settlements for ease of work. The two groups were far from integrated, however, with distrust of aliens still being heavily present among the Unathi of Ouerea. Sentiment was common in the early days that the human presence on Ouerea was just an alien attempt to take control of an Unathi achievement, especially given the Solarian military bases built on the planet. Humans in this time often found themselves forming their own insular communities rather than integrating with the Unathi ones present.


When a noble is judged, their liege is required by law to oversee the trial, and Overlords will generally handle cases regarding their vassal nobility. In the extremely rare event where an Overlord is tried, the Hegemon himself is the judge - and his sentence is absolute. Twice in Unathi recent history has an Overlord been brought on trial - Overlord Yiztek of [[Ouerea]], and Overlord Yizarus of [[Gakal'zaal|Gakal’zaal]]. Both were found guilty, though Yizarus never returned to Moghes to face his sentence, dying at the hands of the Gakal’zaal Liberation Army.
With the outbreak of the Contact War, the Izweski were unable to govern the colony. The Sol Alliance, alongside the Nralakk Federation, drafted legislation for a temporary provisional government to administrate the colony due to the large human and Skrell populations. After negotiation with local Unathi, the democratic structure of Ouerean society was created, modeled extensively on human society. Largely, the Alliance was hands-off with regards to the administration of Ouerea compared to the Federation, content to observe and to intervene if the situation ever required it. Over this period, human, Skrell, and Unathi communities grew closer as settlements grew larger, with the unique cosmopolitan culture of Ouerea beginning to take root.


The Izweski Code of Law is an enormous text, and scholars of the Hegemony pore over it tirelessly, but some of the more common crimes and their sentences are listed below. It is worth noting that prisons are uncommon in the Hegemony, being viewed as a waste of resources - though criminals are often sentenced to a period of hard labour, those deemed a significant enough threat to society to be given life imprisonment in other nations are usually executed. Of note, where ‘execution’ is mentioned as a sentence, the option to become Guwandi is provided to Sinta instead - viewed as a more honourable and delayed form of execution. In addition, some may choose to become Guwandi when faced with being named Guwan, in the hope of regaining their lost honour in death.
Most of the humans settling on Ouerea had had little contact with alien life prior to their settlement, but began to see the benefits of cross-species cooperation. Under the provisional government, the humans of Ouerea came to work closer with their Skrell and Unathi partners, with many of them having come to see Ouerea as their new home since the initial human arrival on the planet. At this point, the human community of Ouerea had been living on the planet for decades, and the idea of an independent Ouerean nation had begun to take root among them - particularly upon witnessing the successful secession of the Republic of Biesel. This idea would be crushed in 2457, when Hegemon S’kresti demanded that Sol and Nralakk return Ouerea to the Hegemony, and the feudal system was imposed on the colonists.


=== Crime and Punishment ===
Many humans departed with the Alliance ships, including almost all of the active Solarian government and military personnel on the planet. Those who remained found themselves thrust into an alien model of society, with many of the rights and freedoms they had taken for granted stripped from them by foreign lords. The humans of Ouerea chafed under the Hegemony’s yoke from the beginning, and were near-universally supporters of throwing these foreign overlords from the world which had become their home. When the Revolution finally came, the human population was instrumental in its organization, taking inspiration from hundreds of similar revolutionary movements throughout their own history.
<center>
{| class="mw-collapsible mw-uncollapsed wikitable"
|+ Crime and Punishment
|-
! '''Crime''' !! Minimum Sentence !! Maximum sentence
|-
| '''Theft''' || Hard labour or payment equal to the stolen item’s cost. || The loss of a hand and/or being named Guwan.
|-
| '''Dishonourable Behaviour''' ||  A public confession of dishonour and apology towards the victim. || Being named Guwan.
|-
| '''Disturbance of Public Order''' ||  A week’s hard labour and an apology to the noble in question. ||  Six months’ hard labour and an apology to the noble in question.
|-
| '''Assault''' || One month’s hard labour, and payment to the victim. || Loss of the offending hand and/or being named Guwan.
|-
| '''Possession of Unlawful Materials''' || One week’s hard labour, and surrender of any contraband. || Three months’ hard labour, and surrender of any contraband.
|-
| '''Sedition''' || Six months’ hard labour. ||  Loss of the tongue and/or being named Guwan
|-
| '''Piracy''' ||  Being named Guwan & one year’s hard labour. || Execution
|-
| '''Murder''' || Being named Guwan and/or the loss of the offending hand. || Execution.  
|-
| '''Rebellion''' || Execution || Being named Guwan, followed by execution
|}
</center>


=== Ouerean Law ===
With the Revolution’s victory, the troubles of the Ouerean human community did not end - though the Synod was reestablished, only Unathi were permitted by the Hegemon to hold seats on it, with Skrell being granted observer status due to fear of angering the Nralakk Federation. The human population, however, was largely ignored by the Izweski, which has fueled lingering resentment, and demands for representation have grown louder and louder as the expansion of Hephaestus Industries has driven a wedge between Ouerea and Moghes.
The law of [[Ouerea]] is very different from that of the wider Hegemony - though it does nominally fall under the Izweski Code of Law, Ouerea is largely permitted to govern itself for the most part. Several crimes and punishments are radically different there, with the punishment of being named Guwan being removed entirely, and a prison system having been established during the [[Sol Alliance|Sol]]-[[Nralakk Federation|Nralakk]] joint governance.  


The Ouerean legal system is much more inspired by human ones - any Sinta is allowed the right to representation in a court of law, and they are judged by a jury of their peers rather than a reigning noble.
=== Life & Culture ===


= Criminal Guilds =
The human population of Ouerea came from a wide range of origins within the Sol Alliance, with the vast majority of them being shipped in by megacorporations as workers. Many of those who signed up for long-term work on Ouerea came from the Middle Colonies or particularly disadvantaged Inner Ring worlds, seeking new opportunities on an untouched and alien world. Though it has been over sixty years since the first humans arrived on Ouerea, many of the modern population retain strong ties to their homes in whatever way they can, with human communities often tending to be enclaves of a specific culture.


Criminal guilds are illicit underground guilds run by secretive clans of Unathi - similar to human or Tajaran mafias, these criminals have come together to operate outside the law.
Despite their strong ties to their home cultures, Ouerean humans tend to feel more strongly that Ouerea is their home than their Skrell countrymen - while sixty years is not a short time, it is far longer for humans than for Skrell, with the humans who have lived on the planet for decades often viewing Ouerea as the project that they have given much of their life to. This attitude is even stronger among the generation of humans actually born on Ouerea, most of whom have never known another homeworld.
Notably, it’s known that these criminal guilds tend to recruit from the undesirable Guwan, using them as the major workforce of their organisations.


In these underbelly Guilds, Guwandi are seen as a weapon of ritualistic - and honourable - assassination. When a member of the Guild goes against the Guild’s wishes, they are assumed to have taken the mantle of Guwandi, making them a target for other Guwandi that wish to restore their honour and ‘return to the guild’. This method has helped keep snitching on the Guilds to a minimum.
Humans on Ouerea are often ignored by the Hegemony - while the Skrell have the looming shadow of the Nralakk Federation granting them a measure of political influence, the planet’s human community has little in the way of leverage to gain more representation within the Synod - despite several protests in human communities since the revolution. Since the withdrawal of most megacorporations from Ouerea, humans often had difficulty finding work as the Hegemony’s guilds moved in - with many of them exclusively hiring Unathi, or only hiring humans into underpaid and difficult positions. Though this practice stopped with the Hephaestus acquisition of the guilds, most humans on Ouerea still prefer to patronize Ouerean-run or specifically human-run businesses where possible.


== Shortclaw Clan ==
One thing that the diverse human population of Ouerea tends to have in common is an independent attitude, often perceived as being to the point of stubbornness by other humans. The initial human arrivals on Ouerea viewed themselves as pioneers, an attitude which many of the Unathi colonists shared, and the ideals of self-reliance and independence from foreign authority remain a cultural touchstone of Ouerean humanity. In addition to the common Ouerean distaste for the Hegemony, Ouerean humans tend to have a negative opinion of other human governments - particularly those with roots on planets which had a rocky relationship with the Alliance.


An ancient organisation, the Shortclaw Clan or Shortclaw Guild is one of the largest criminal guilds in Unathi history. Dating back to the days of the [[Unathi_History#The_Second_Hegemony|Sarakus Hegemony]], the Shortclaws are an organisation consisting primarily of thieves, fences and smugglers - spanning nearly the entirety of the Hegemony, from the packed streets of Skalamar to the distant settlements of far-flung colonies.


In 2459, the Shortclaws gained infamy from carrying out one of the largest heists in Unathi history - known by its members as the Day of Gold a mass theft spanning from Moghes to Ouerea and even beyond the Hegemony, with heists being reported in [[Tau Ceti]]. Primarily nobles were targeted, as well as the coffers of powerful or wealthy [[Unathi Guilds|guilds]], with untold thousands of credits’ worth stolen.  
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==== Notable Human Enclaves ====
Ouerea is home to many humans from a wide range of planets across the Orion Spur. Many of the human immigrants to Ouerea, particularly among the initial arrivals, found themselves living primarily among other humans from similar backgrounds, forming cultural enclaves on the planet. Thousands of these enclaves are dotted across Ouerea, from hundreds of worlds across Solarian space - but a few of them are particularly large, well-known, or influential. Mostly, these enclaves were founded by megacorporate workers in the initial arrival of humanity on Ouerea, with some of them having stood for decades.


=== History & Culture ===
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The Shortclaws date back to the Sarakus Hegemony, formed from a small group of Guwan pickpockets in S’th. Over time, they expanded operations, recruiting more and more thieves into their number. Though individual ‘chapters’ of the Shortclaws are greatly divergent, they are all still part of a larger organisation, and owe tribute to their guildmaster - whoever it may be.
'''New Olympia, Tr’ha’rem:''' Initially built around Hephaestus Industries employee housing, the district of Tr’ha’rem known as New Olympia was home to a large number of Martian workers employed by the megacorporation, and housed in Tr’ha’rem due to its more moderate climate for humans. Many of these humans worked on the Tr’ha’rem docks, and helped to cement the city’s status as a major port on Ouerea’s seas. The people of New Olympia tend to view Hephaestus favorably and have bitter feelings towards the Solarian Alliance, which were only amplified by the Violet Dawn disaster of 2462. Though many of them have not seen Mars in decades, if at all, they still consider themselves as Martian as they are Ouerean, and many of the locals have donated extensively to relief efforts following the disaster. During the early days of the Ouerean Revolution, New Olympia was home to some of the fiercest human opposition to the Hegemony, with many of its population using their positions in the shipping industry to smuggle arms and supplies to their fellow revolutionaries.


Though the Shortclaw guildmaster’s identity is unknown, their title is one that echoes in the underbelly of Unathi society - the self-proclaimed “Hegemon of Thieves”. It is said that this guildmaster has an elaborate and ornamental crown, and that whoever manages to steal it from them through their cunning or guile can take control of the entire syndicate. Whether this is truth or legend is uncertain, as like with most things about the internal hierarchy of criminal guilds those who know are bound by a code of silence.
New Olympia is one of the largest human enclaves on Ouerea, and is often viewed as a center of human politics on the planet. Several protests demanding greater human representation in the Synod have been held in the streets of Tr’ha’rem, and the Martian population is known to be a significant voting bloc in local politics. New Olympia is also known to play a key role in Ouerean smuggling rings - an issue which local law enforcement seems content to ignore, with many residents both human and Unathi preferring the status quo. The humans of New Olympia are largely supporters of either Revolution’s Heirs or the Warriors of Liberty, with the ideals of the Ouerean Revolution being firmly held among the locals. Due to the general distaste for the Sol Alliance, support for the Restorationists is almost nonexistent here.


Though the nature of the Shortclaws’ work requires secrecy, they often can be identified by their fellow members with one of a few signals - a wooden ring on the little finger or short-clipped claws being the most common.  
'''Giai Phong, Um’a’yid:''' The district of Giai Phong in Um’a’yid is home to a large number of New Hai Phongese immigrants, initially brought in to aid in the city’s construction by Hephaestus Industries. As the Unathi-dominated Fishing League gained more power in the city, many of the local humans found themselves working tedious and underpaid jobs in the city’s fishing industry, as Hephaestus’s presence in the city diminished. Though Hephaestus’s acquisition of the Fishing League led to the corporation’s return, the corporation’s actions both on Ouerea and on New Hai Phong had done little to win friends among the people of Giai Phong. The district in the modern day is a hotbed of anti-corporate politics on Ouerea, with many of the locals seeing Hephaestus’s growing presence on the planet as a path leading to the rampant corruption and environmental devastation of their homeworld.  


=== Operations ===
Rumored connections between local Giai Phong activists and more radical anti-corporate groups such as the Aut’akh or even the Champions of Moghes is often raised by pro-corporate politicians - but so far, these accusations remain baseless. Many Giai Phong locals fought during the Revolution, most notably being responsible for capturing the ruling lord of Um’a’yid during the initial period of fighting. The humans of Giai Phong are divided between support for the Warriors of Liberty and Restorationists, with the latter forming a small yet noteworthy minority.
Theft is the primary trade of the Shortclaws, dating back to their origins - but as the organisation expanded, so too did its needs to both sell those stolen goods, and to work with other criminal organisations. To this end, the Shortclaws also work extensively as fences, offloading their ill-gotten goods to other gangs and criminal guilds on the black market, as well as smuggling illicit goods throughout the Hegemony.
Following first contact, the Shortclaws seized on the opportunity presented by interstellar travel, expanding their operations into trading with offworld smugglers. As time went on, this led to the guild acquiring some ships of their own, which frequently travel across the Spur carrying various ill-gotten gains. Following the rise of the Silver Scales, however, this operation has largely been cut back, as the other guild has a massive advantage due to its origins in the [[Unathi_Guilds#Merchants_Guild|Merchants’ Guild.]]


Pirate fleets are frequent customers of the Shortclaws, selling their loot to the criminal guild, who can offload it onto customers elsewhere. While this relationship is an old one, and well-established, the Shortclaws are not pirates, and not considered as such - no Shortclaw has ever been permitted to visit Ha’zana.  
'''Meonbada, New Skalamar: '''The district of Meonbada in New Skalamar is home to a large number of Konyanger expatriates, initially established as housing for Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals employees. Meonbada served as Zeng-Hu’s planetary headquarters prior to the megacorporation’s withdrawal from the Hegemony, and was home to several xenobiological research laboratories which coordinated most of the planet’s study of the countless new species found in Ouerea’s environment. When Zeng-Hu withdrew from the Hegemony, Meonbada was harshly impacted, with many of the skilled professionals in the district suddenly losing their jobs with the corporation. Some turned to criminal activities, with several now-abandoned facilities turned into drug labs, while others departed the increasingly worsening district for better opportunities elsewhere. Meonbada served as a hotbed of revolutionary activity during the uprising, with Yiztek troops attempting to storm the district in search of rebel leaders and being repelled by locals.


Outside of the Hegemony proper, the Shortclaws have a presence on Gakal’zaal, though a small one - often trading or exchanging information with the [[Tajara|Tajaran]] smugglers who dock at the Free Gakal’zaal Station. Despite the conflict between the two species, the Shortclaws maintain ties with their Tajaran counterparts, and often act as fences for Tajaran smuggled goods in the sector. Shortclaw thieves can also be found further afield, primarily in the [[Republic of Biesel]] and the [[Coalition of Colonies]] - though their operations remain centred on Uueoa-Esa. They will occasionally trade with the Unathi underground in Tau Ceti or [[Mictlan]], and have been known to steal from the megacorporations in both Biesel proper and the [[Corporate Reconstruction Zone]].
After the Revolution concluded, and the Ouerean Confederation was re-established, the new planetary government began to resume the exploration and research of Ouerea which had stalled under feudal rule. Many of the former Zeng-Hu employees who had stayed in Meonbada suddenly found themselves offered new positions in similar fields to their previous ones. In 2463, the Synod began to invest heavily in cleaning up Meonbada - driving out the criminal activity in the district and repurposing it into a center of scientific research on the planet. The former Zeng-Hu administrative center was reopened, and rapidly became the beating heart of the government’s studies of their homeworld. In the modern day, Meonbada is an odd slice of Konyang transplanted, a district which would not look out of place in Suwon or New Hong Kong. The district remains majority human, though the research industry there has led to growing Unathi and Skrell populations. The humans of Meonbada are largely Revolution’s Heirs voters, with a small bloc of support for the Ouerean Independence Movement - the current status quo has improved the lot of the locals enormously, and most would prefer to preserve it.


The Shortclaws are known to have ties to some of the Hegemony’s nobility - most notably Lord Karkatus of S’th, known for his corruption and ties to criminal syndicates. Given the organisation’s deep roots in the city, some have suspected Karkatus of being a member himself, or even the guildmaster - though these accusations are likely unfounded.
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=== Membership ===
To join the Shortclaws, one must first be recruited - an existing member of the guild has to take notice, and vouch for the recruit to the local chapter master. The prospective recruit will then be assigned a series of jobs to test both their skill as a thief, and to scout them for any signs of ties to local law enforcement. Though the Shortclaws are thieves rather than murderers, those among them found to be undercover operatives or spies can expect no mercy, and the waters of the Moghresian Sea are littered with those unfortunate enough to be found out.
 
Should these tests be passed, one is named an apprentice of the guild, working under a full-fledged member who takes a majority of the profits from their apprentice’s thefts - an incurred debt of sorts for their membership and education. When this is paid, another test is arranged, usually involving a high-risk heist of some variety. Traditionally, this heist is rigged if possible, with local guards on the guild’s payroll informed if possible - or guild members disguised as guards acting, if not. This test is designed to tell if the apprentice will break under pressure and turn on their fellow guildsmen - and those who do are cast out, if they are lucky.
 
Journeymen of the guild keep the majority of their personal take, save for a cut for the chapter master - who in turn, sends a cut of their chapter’s profits to the guildmaster. Succession of chapter leadership is a simple matter, with representatives of the “Hegemon of Thieves” deciding which of the chapter’s journeymen is worthy.
 
Exile from the Shortclaw Guild is reserved as a dire punishment - for those who steal from their fellow guildsmen, those who inform on the guild, or those who fail to perform the requisite services to the organisation. In some chapters, this exile is marked by severing the little finger of the former member’s main hand - so they may never again impersonate a thief of the guild. Exiles are monitored closely, and should they seek to inform on their former guild they are swiftly dealt with.
 
== The Shadow Service ==
The Shadow Service is one of the larger underbelly guilds that does not use Guwan - instead, using hidden members of society or Guwandi who wish to regain their honour in a noble assassination duel. Utilising a form of Unathi Breacher Suit, they are rumoured to be capable of using active camouflage to be completely invisible. It is frowned upon by the Shadow Service to use this stealth capability for battle, and the enemy should always know they are being hunted by a member of the Shadow Service, and for what reason.
 
=== History & Culture ===
Little is known about the inner workings of the Shadow Service - though the earliest rumours of the guild date back thousands of years, to the days of the First Hegemony. Whether this is the same guild, having carried out its services all this time - or simply a chain of them trading on the fame of their predecessors - the Shadow Service have done their work for nearly as long as Unathi civilisation has existed, and have grown into a legendary status for it.
 
The organisation is one shrouded in absolute secrecy, with little known to outsiders - those few assassins who have ever faced captivity have remained absolutely silent, even in the face of execution. From this, it can be inferred that the Shadow Service has an extremely strict code of the ‘Assassin’s Honour’, and that to breach it is considered a fate worse than death. This is further supported by their means of killing.
 
What little is known is that the assassins of the Service are highly trained and highly dedicated, as well as having access to various advanced and alien technology. Whether this was purchased from other criminal guilds, or taken as payment from the nobles who hired them, none are certain.
 
Hiring the Shadow Service is a difficult procedure, which is largely done through word of mouth - someone will let slip that they seek an assassin, whether personally or through a retainer for wealthier nobles - and the Shadow Service may well answer. Usually, they work through intermediary fixers - rare and trusted individuals who know how to contact the Service, and can pass along the details of a client following an investigation to discern if they are trustworthy.
 
=== Operations ===
The Shadow Service is one of the most gender-inclusive Guilds in Unathi society, with a perfect 50/50 split in men and women. As men harming women is seen as disrespectful, dishonourable, and downright terrible, the Shadow Service contracts women to kill women, and men to kill men. Depending on the situation required, the Shadow Service is said to send in a 'noble Assassin' to complete the task. If the target is believed to be honourable, the assassin must act honourably - however if they have shown any signs of dishonourable act, they are open grounds for all out hunting. Acting honourably does not mean giving a fair fight, however - and many of these duels have been known to end in a single blow from the assassin.
 
Publicly, 'assassins' are known to exist - and tales of the Shadow Service circulate similar to the human 'Illuminati' or the Skrell 'Secret Council'. Peasants would have nothing to fear - with some even idolising the stories of 'honourable assassins' that enact righteous justice through heavy-handed, forced duelling. Richer noble clans would have a different view - one of fear, dangerous enough to warn their children about. It is said when a nobleman expects a visit from the Shadow, they will receive warning beforehand to allow the target to prepare to join the ancestors. When a woman is targeted by the Shadow Service, a female assassin will be sent instead. With killing women, they are held to a higher standard, and their body should be left 'presentable' enough for a proper traditional Th'akh funeral.
 
When an assassin of the Shadow Service makes a kill, the Guild’s sigil is left upon their body or at the scene of the crime - a stylised Sinta eye, pupil-less. What this sigil means has been the subject of countless theories and speculations, though none but the assassins know for certain. One thing that is known, however, is that the Service does not tolerate imitators - to use their sigil for your own killings is to invite immediate and brutal retribution. The last known response to this was in 2382, when a Guwan in Skalamar drew their symbol upon a wall in a rival’s blood, seeking to intimidate his rivals in the underground. Within a week, his body was left in the streets of the city, with the symbol of the Shadow Service drawn on a piece of paper and nailed to his chest.
 
Recently, the Service has expanded its operations offworld, with several assassinations having been carried out on Ouerea and in further-flung colonies - though it is believed that outside of the larger colonies, assassins will largely travel to fulfil a contract themselves rather than remaining there permanently. The Shadow Service has been reported to operate as far afield as Tau Ceti, though the vast majority of their operations remain concentrated on Moghes.
 
=== Membership ===
How does the Service recruit? None know for certain. It is believed that they train their operatives from youth, and tend to recruit from the orphanage guilds - training them until adulthood in every form of killing known to Unathi. No member of the Guild has ever spoken on this matter, though those captured have often been unidentifiable by law enforcement, with no records save for paper-thin false identities. Some stories say that the Guild operates its deadly ‘schools’ in the mountains to the north of the Heartland, training orphaned and forgotten Unathi into hardened instruments of death - though none have ever uncovered any evidence of this.
 
There is no exile from the Shadow Service. To betray the Guild is met with death, without exception. Once you are a member, you are a member for life, or so the legend goes. If assassins grow old enough to retire, some say they are simply killed - while others say that the Guild provides them with money and land on which to settle down, and live out their last days in peace.
 
The identity of the Shadow Service’s guildmaster, if there even is one, is entirely unknown. No information has ever been uncovered on the guild’s leadership, structure or means of succession - and if those among the Hegemony’s mightiest know who may lead the guild, they have as much motivation to keep silent as anyone else. After all, an assassin is just one of many tools to maintain power in the games of the nobility, and losing such a valuable thing would benefit no one.
 
== The Silver Scales ==
When the [[Unathi_Guilds#Merchants_Guild|Merchants’ Guild]] went bankrupt, the economy of the Hegemony very nearly collapsed entirely - with only the intervention of [[Hephaestus Industries]] saving it. However, though the Guild itself was defunct, its members were still around - many of them now finding Guild assets that were essentially up for grabs. Rather than wait for the Guild to sell them off to the highest bidder - likely Hephaestus - many of these Merchants chose to act, stealing Guild property and assets and absconding, forming a network of smugglers and brokers to rival the Shortclaw Clan themselves.
 
Though a recent arrival, the Silver Scales’ operations stretch across the Hegemony, taking advantage of the Merchants’ Guild’s former contacts and trade routes through the Orion Spur. In a short amount of time, these former merchants have re-established a fraction of the power they once held, acting as interstellar smugglers and information brokers. The Hegemony has declared them as thieves and outlaws, and Hephaestus seeks to crush the last remnant of a potential rival - but the Scales persist, working to restore the financial dominance they once held.
 
=== History & Culture ===
The history of the Silver Scales is a short one, with the organisation having formally formed in late 2465. It is believed many of its members already held criminal ties during their time as guildsment of the Merchants’ Guild, however - engaging in illicit trade with pirates, alien smugglers, and criminal guilds to sidestep the Hegemony’s strict trade regulations.
 
The organisation largely operates as smugglers, taking advantage of the Merchants’ Guild’s trading fleet to smuggle across the Orion Spur - from the wreckage of the former [[Human Wildlands]] to Gakal’zaal to Tau Ceti. Though still far diminished from the heights of the Merchants’ Guild, the Scales have surged to wealth and prominence since their inception, and already have become a fixture of the Hegemony’s underground.
 
The Scales are known to favour silver rings and jewellery as a form of identification, though the nature of their work means that many of them prefer to remain inconspicuous when trading in the Hegemony. Some of them are even rumoured to have coated their horns in silver, though this is viewed as extreme even among the Guild.
 
=== Operations ===
The Silver Scales’ operations range across the Orion Spur - the Merchants’ Guild had contacts and trade routes nearly everywhere, and their criminal remnants have made excellent use of that. Aside from the Hegemony’s criminal guilds, they frequently trade with pirate fleets - many of whom their members already had relations with, having paid them to ignore their own vessels or attack their rivals’.
 
Vessels of the Scales also range further afield - trading with Tajaran smugglers and criminals on Gakal’zaal, human pirates in the Badlands and remnants of the Wildlands, and insurgents in the Corporate Reconstruction Zone. Their vessels are known to dock on [[Valkyrie]], and they will frequently trade with both Unathi and alien criminal organisations there. In the Coalition of Colonies, they have been known to deal with various criminal syndicates on [[Assunzione]] and [[Xanu Prime]], and there are rumours of their vessels doing business in the [[Empire of Dominia]] as well. In the brief time since they came to exist, they have carved themselves a niche in the interstellar black market, and this shows no signs of slowing down.
 
They have competed with various other criminal guilds, though mostly preferring to make friends rather than enemies - after all, why fight someone when you can simply pay them off? They have something of a rivalry with the Shortclaws, who operate in a similar market - though this is not an outright feud, and the two groups are known to trade and occasionally cooperate.
 
=== Membership ===
The Silver Scales primarily consist of former guildsmen of the Merchants’ Guild, and this is where the bulk of their upper ranks are drawn from. They are also known to recruit lower-ranking members from Wastelanders, Guwan, and former guildsmen of other guilds, in order to provide the needed skills and services to operate an interstellar smuggling ring.
 
While none of these newer recruits have risen to higher positions in the guild hierarchy, in theory there is nothing preventing it - though individual captains and chapter masters prefer to choose and train a successor early, ideally one with enough scruples to not decide advancement at the point of a knife is a good idea.
 
Unlike most criminal guilds, the guildmaster of the Silver Scales is widely known - a Sinta by the name of Akhna Razi, a relative of the former guildmaster of the Merchants. Razi is a young woman, but a highly capable one, who was able to band the remnants of the Merchants together and persist through the near-total collapse of their guild. Despite her relation to Hizoni Izweski, the two are not close and, as far as Hizoni has publicly stated, have never spoken beyond cursory introductions. Whether or not the Silver Scales hold deeper ties to the Izweski Spymaster is a matter of some speculation, though, as with most questions relating to Hizoni Izweski, few concrete answers have ever been found.
 
== The Jhakal Syndicate ==
Many Unathi have left the Hegemony, whether in flight from the Wasteland or in pursuit of a better life among the stars. The Jhakal are an example of the former, having once ruled over the Jhakal Kingdom, a member-state of the Traditionalist Coalition. When the Kingdom fell to Izweski forces, the remnants of the Jhakal clan were forced to flee, eventually finding passage offworld with the assistance of human smugglers and setting course for the Republic of Biesel.
 
Over the years, the Jhakal have expanded operations across the docks of [[Valkyrie]] - gaining control and influence over the illicit trade running through the moon through a mixture of cunning, bribery and occasional spots of violence. For those smugglers and criminals seeking to do business in Tau Ceti, especially on Valkyrie, the Jhakal have become a fact of life - and one that is far better to have as a friend than an enemy.
 
=== History & Culture ===
The Jhakal Kingdom was never one of great importance or power, but managed to maintain its independence both from the Izweski and rival kingdoms. When it was captured by the Izweski, some of the ruling clan fled, including the ruling king. They were able to escape via human smugglers, fleeing for the Republic of Biesel - though King Jhakal would not survive the journey, having grown ill over the clan’s desperate flight offworld.
 
Arriving on the docks of Valkyrie with but a few loyal retainers, the remaining Jhakal might have quickly fallen to infighting, if not for the leadership of Lady Islek Jhakal, sister to the late king. She quickly took control of the remnants, bringing those who would bend the knee under her and disposing of the rest, before setting her sights on Valkyrie. The reputation of the Unathi as violent brutes worked in their favour, as she began renting the services of her clan’s warriors out to the gangs and syndicates of Valkyrie, beginning to accumulate credits - all the while plotting her ascent to power. Over the years, more and more of the rival smuggler syndicates fell, brought down from without or within, and as more Unathi came to Valkyrie, more of them found that the Jhakal offered good payment for only moderately dishonourable work.
 
Though they remain exclusively Unathi, the Jhakal have expanded far beyond their original clan, and are informally known as the Jhakal Syndicate - or sometimes the Jhakal Queendom, depending on who you ask. In the modern day, the Jhakal keep a tight grip on the docks of Valkyrie, and a vast majority of illicit trade that flows through the moon is under their supervision. Though they have achieved wealth and power in human space, this is in no small part due to the cunning leadership of Lady Islek - and when she dies, many of the organisation’s members fear all they have worked for could be undone.
 
=== Operations ===
The Jhakal primarily operate through their control of the docks - taking cuts from smugglers, paying off guards and inspectors, and ensuring that illegal trade can flow smoothly through Valkyrie. Outside of that, they deal in the sale of those smuggled goods both on Valkyrie and Biesel proper, dealing in drugs, weapons and smuggled luxuries from far-off worlds. They have good relations with those pirate fleets that operate in the Republic of Biesel, and are an often source for fencing of ill-gotten goods.
 
Outside of that, they frequently run protection rackets on Valkyrie - taking fees from local businesses to ensure that both their own people and other criminal organisations leave them alone. These fees are carefully calculated - enough to be profitable, but always just under the line of outright extortionate - the exact point where they are preferable from the alternative. If one doesn’t have the money to pay the Jhakal, they always accept debts and favours, with Lady Islek having built an elaborate web of debtors across the moon’s surface.
 
Expanding on this, many gambling dens and bars are also run by the Jhakal - capitalising on addiction or runs of bad luck to bring more and more into the clan’s debt. They have extensive influence among many of the Hephaestus workers and managers on Valkyrie, and this fact is a large contributor to their avoidance of the law.
 
=== Membership ===
Aside from those members of the clan who originally fled from Moghes, any Sinta may earn membership in the Jhakal through dedication and service. A large number of Unathi and, more rarely, aliens, work under the syndicate without bearing the Jhakal surname - though they are employees, they are not afforded the protection that being a member of the Jhakal proper imparts, and many will often take on dangerous jobs in the hope of earning a place within the ruling clan.
 
Marriage is also a traditional approach to joining the clan, though this method is less common and does not confer as much authority as rising through the ranks would, unless the clan member’s spouse is capable of earning that authority themselves. To date, the only Sinta known to have married into the syndicate is Lady Islek’s late husband Bezhak Rizek, a high-ranking Hephaestus dock manager who perished during the [[KING OF THE WORLD|Solarian invasion of 2462]].
 
Islek herself remains the uncontested leader of the clan, suffering no rivals even as she enters her twilight years. In public, she presents herself as a kindly and almost grandmotherly individual, a prominent citizen of the Valkyrian Unathi community known for her generous charitable donations and commitment to improving the lives of the working Sinta of Valkyrie. Behind this mask, however, she is a woman known for her cunning, willpower and absolute ruthlessness - respected and feared by rivals and underlings alike. She has ruled with an iron claw for nearly twenty years, and though in her advanced age the prospect of succession is increasingly discussed none would dare to suggest she step down. Though she claims no noble title beyond the traditional “Lady”, there is another title which has been bestowed in whispers upon her nevertheless - the “Queen of Valkyrie”. A dramatic name, but one not so far from the truth.
 
Currently, her son, Khariz Jhakal seems the most likely choice to inherit leadership of the organisation - though he is inexperienced, and often allows his temper to get the better of him. This has led to several arrests on both Valkyrie and Biesel, as he has been involved in several brawls and minor crimes, all of which his mother and her lawyers have managed to keep his name clean of. Whether he is worthy of following in his mother’s footsteps, or whether her rivals will see his ascent as a chance to strike - only time will tell.
 
== The Gawgaryn ==
Though many Wastelanders have turned to raiding and banditry to survive, none are more infamous or more feared than the Clan Gawgaryn - the Punished of the Wasteland. Across the radioactive desert, the Gawgaryn will kill, rob and maim to survive another day in the ruins of Moghes, and their name is cursed by many of those who would seek to travel through those harsh lands. More information on the Gawgaryn can be found [[The_Wasteland#Clan_"Gawgaryn"_-_The_Punished_Clans|here]].
 
== The Aut’akh ==
While not a criminal guild, many of the Aut’akh communes of Moghes work closely with organisations such as the Shortclaw Clan - and are hunted by the law for their deeds. As such, they are worthy of a mention here - with many of the Undercity Communes operating similarly to other criminal guilds, stealing from their rivals and enemies to sustain themselves and their people. More information on the Aut’akh, and the criminal communes in the underbelly of Moghes, can be found [[Aut'akh|here]].
 
== The Hearts of Industry ==
While a legitimate guild, the expansion of Hephaestus saw the Hearts of Industry’s power broken, with many of its members hanging up their mantles in favour of the benefits provided by the megacorporation. Those who remained were found without legitimate work, and have frequently turned to, if not crime for its own sake, agitation against the megacorporation. Their acts often toe the line of sabotage, public disorder and other minor crimes, as Hephaestus pressures the Izweski to crack down harder on the Hearts - perhaps in time they will become a criminal guild in their own right. Many guildsmen angry at Hephaestus’s ownership of their former guilds have since joined, and the Hearts maintain a small presence in both the Southlands and Ouerea. More information on the Hearts of Industry can be found [[Unathi_Guilds#Hearts_of_Industry|here]].
 
== Pirate Fleets ==
Though space piracy is a new phenomenon for the Unathi species, it is one that has rapidly spread in the past few decades, with fleets of Unathi pirates roaming across nearly the entire Spur. More information on Unathi pirate fleets, their customs, and their way of life can be found [[Unathi Piracy|here]].
 
[[Category:Unathi]]

Latest revision as of 06:36, 1 May 2024

Th'akh on Ouerea

Most of the followers of Th'akh on Ouerea arrived in the post-contact wave of colonists, with settlers from across the Hegemony recruited to settle the new world. As such, Ouerea is home to nearly every variation of Th’akh found on Moghes, though with those practiced in the regions of the former Traditionalist Coalition being less common. Shrines can be found across the planet dedicated to the Court of Stars, the Stone Lords of the Zazalai Mountains, the River Court of the Southlands and a thousand other variations of the faith. While many keep to the traditions and rituals of their ancestors, the cosmopolitan and independent culture of Ouerea has shaped the practice of Th’akh on the planet.

There is much less of a focus on particular holy sites and ancestral spirits in Ouerean Th’akh - the Unathi on this world are the first and second generation of colonists. There are no honored ancestors who have walked before them on this world, and most believe that, while they watch Ouerea from the spirit world, their ancestors remain on Moghes. For better or for worse, Ouerean Th’akhists know that they will be the ancestors whose spirits are invoked by future generations, the founders of a new civilisation and a new world. This has led to the rise of what is known as Ouerean Syncretism by theological scholars, and simply ‘Ouerean Th’akh’ by others.

Ouerean Th’akh is a synthesis of a thousand variations on the faith - while the colonists all have their own spirit-gods and sacred rituals, their own clans and honored ancestors, they are all equally outsiders now, facing new spirits of a strange new world. The spirits of Ouerea are viewed as wilder and more primal forces than those of Moghes, solely forces of the elemental nature of the planet uninfluenced by the Sinta’Unathi. As such, many Th’akh shamans on Ouerea are equal parts teacher, preacher and survivalist - exemplifying the pioneering spirit of the first Ouereans in learning to work with the spirits of the new world, naming them and seeking to shape a harmonious relationship. Some of the more prominent among these shamans have been vocal in opposition to Hephaestus Industries’ expansion onto the planet, believing that their exploitation of Ouerea will lead to great spiritual misfortune across the planet.

Respect for both the old spirits of Moghes and the new spirits of Ouerea is the duality that shapes Ouerean Th’akh - its shamans teach that the colonists have brought their spirits with them in part, and that only through achieving a peace between the old and the new can one reach true harmony. Those who abandon their old ways and traditions completely may be dishonorable and bring shame to their ancestors - but those who cling to them and refuse to adapt will surely invite the wrath of the Ouerean spirits upon themselves. Widespread exposure to human and Skrell culture has also shaped Ouerean Th’akh in a way that most other variations of the faith have not yet seen. Humans and Skrell are recognized as having their own spirits that they carry with them, both ancestral and reflected in the Th’akh understanding of the alien religions. While there are no known alien converts to Th’akh, the shamans of the faith often seek to work closely with alien religious figures in furthering mutual understanding of both each other, and the world they must share.

Due to the nature of Th’akh, human and Skrell faiths are generally acknowledged as being equally real to Unathi ones - the Qebalak ‘spirits of the stars’ and the deities of the various human faiths are considered to be alien spirits brought here by their followers. They are not venerated by Ouerean Th’akhists, but offerings are sometimes given to them by Unathi who wish to gain their favor for dealing with Skrell and humans.

Spirits of Ouerea

Azsaei Zis Azua (Crimson-Toothed Liberty)

“Red the blades and red the fires,
Let our struggle only grow,
Aid us ‘gainst the tyrant’s ire,
Red your teeth that find his throat.”
-A common prayer to Azsaei Zis Azua from the days of the Revolution.

A new spirit that emerged during the years of feudal oppression, Azsaei Zis Azua (Sinta'Unathi: Crimson-Toothed Liberty) is believed to have been born on Ouerea, formed from the spirits of those who died at the hands of the tyrant Yiztek. It is a spirit of freedom, justice, change, and revolutionary violence. It is usually depicted as a young, androgynous Unathi, holding a flaming spear in one hand - though occasionally as a human or Skrell, as their souls are believed to have become part of Azsaei Zis Azua as they perished in the struggle against oppression.

Shrines to this Zyola are often built upon battlefields or sites of import to the Ouerean Revolution. It is often invoked in remembrance of the Ouerean people’s struggle for freedom, and Ouerean Unathi who feel they have been wronged in some way will often call upon it to grant them justice or vengeance. A statue of Azsaei Zis Azua, in its Unathi form, marks the entrance to the Synod of Scales - a solemn reminder to the new government that the freedom Ouerea prizes was not given, but won by blood. Shamans dedicating themselves to Crimson-Toothed Liberty are often political radicals, striving for further liberation of the Ouerean people whether by word or by blade. The spirit is often venerated by members of the Warriors of Liberty, and the party's official symbol is a stylized depiction of Azsaei Zis Azua's burning spear.

The Izoaei

A collective name for many of the zo’zyola of Ouerea, the Izoaei (Sinta-Unathi: Primordial) are considered to be formless and wild spirits, manifestations of the raw and elemental forces of the world - spirits of stone and wind and water, free from names or bonds that the spirits of Moghes hold. The shamans of Ouerea believe that it is their responsibility to shape the Izoaei, to keep them appeased and guide them into a new state of being. Shrines are rarely built to these nameless spirits, but offerings are commonplace - with shamans believing that it is important to allow the Izoaei to grow accustomed to the presence of life on their world, lest their wrath spell doom for the colony.

Shamans of the Izoaei are an odd blend of scientist, survivalist, and exorcist. Research and understanding of alien worlds is believed to be a method of both honoring and shaping the Izoaei - as Sinta come to better know their new world, so do the spirits of that world come to better understand Sinta. Many of these shamans will take extensive journeys into the Ouerean wilderness, in the hopes of coming to better know the Izoaei and to shape their presence into one that welcomes alien settlement. Shamans of the Izoaei will also often gather in preparation for or in the wake of natural disasters, providing aid in an attempt to bind or banish hostile Izoaei and to shield Ouerea against their harm. Veneration of the Izoaei has spread from Ouerea, with colonists on various other Hegemony worlds practicing similar rituals in order to overcome hostile environments.

The Founders

The five Unathi who first set foot on Ouerea are viewed with immense respect by Ouerean civilization, often venerated as particularly revered ancestors - though they bear no blood relation to most modern Ouerean Unathi, they are ancestors in spirit to the modern-day colony. Historical sites often hold shrines to the Founders, and even non-Th’akh or even non-Unathi Ouereans will often leave offerings there in honor of the planet’s history.

Zuakza Izoki, Speaker of Thunder

Born to a prominent Heartland noble clan, Zuakza Izoki was a graduate of the Skalamar Academy of Natural Sciences and one of the foremost astronauts of the Izweski Space Program, having been part of one of the first crews on Izweski Station. When the Ouerean mission was planned, he was reportedly hand-picked by the Hegemon to command it as captain of the IHV Venture. Captain Izoki oversaw the initial establishment of what would become New Skalamar, and lived long enough to see humans and Skrell arrive on the planet. He was one of the founders of the New Skalamar Pioneers’ Seminary, and a statue of him adorns its gates in the modern day. He died of old age in late 2429, with a planetary day of mourning declared in his honor shortly afterwards.

His title as a spirit is “Speaker of Thunder” - either in honor of his commanding presence or as a joke from his surviving crewmates about how his way of speaking was extremely irritating over several months in a confined space together, depending on who one asks. He is venerated as a symbol of leadership, courage, and the pioneering spirit of Ouerea. His symbol is a stylized Unathi claw, reaching upwards to grasp at a distant star.

Kiuhi Ahuos, Watcher of the Dark

The pilot of the IHV Venture, Kiuhi Ahuos was a distinguished warrior from an Izweski air regiment stationed in the Southlands. As the Izweski Space Program grew, Ahuos found himself working as a test pilot on several of the program’s early missions. He was severely injured during a failed re-entry in the 2460s, which reportedly left him walking with a cane for the remainder of his life. Following the establishment of the Ouerean colony and first contact, he returned to Moghes with honor, continuing to work with the space program on various missions. His final mission was one that would go down in Unathi history, serving as a navigator on the IHRV Uezwik’s Hope - the Hegemony’s first attempt at creating a warp-capable spacecraft. When the warp calculations proved incorrect, Ahuos was killed along with the rest of the ship’s crew.

As a spirit, his title is “Watcher of the Dark”, in reference to his status as one of the Hegemony’s first space pilots. Ouereans working offworld, particularly on spaceships or as pilots, will often make offerings to him to protect them, as his spirit is believed to watch over all Unathi abroad in the vastness of space. His symbol is a black Unathi eye, filled with a field of stars.

Skiaei Sazs - Bearer of Flame

The ship’s engineer aboard the Venture, Skiaei Sazs was a guildsman of the Construction Coalition and one of the space program’s most talented engineers. The Venture itself was a Sazs design, and they were handpicked by Captain Izoki for the mission. Following planetfall, Sazs was responsible for the assembly of the initial colony site, and is believed by some to be the patron spirit of modern New Skalamar itself. Though well into their old age, Sazs was one of the founders of Hegeranzi Starworks, and reportedly turned down the position of guildmaster there several times before their death. Sazs was known to work closely with Hephaestus Industries, and was reportedly an influential mentor of Yukal T’zakal during his early days working with Hephaestus. They perished from old age in 2452, in their office aboard Hegeranzi Starworks.

As a spirit, their title is “Bearer of Flame”, in reference to their contributions to interstellar engineering. A shrine to Sazs adorns Hegeranzi Starworks today, and Ouerean engineers will frequently make offerings to their spirit to bless the success of a project. Their symbol is a trail of fire, stretching towards a field of stars.

Kseok Ssu, Witness of Life

Originally from a minor noble clan of S’th, Dr. Kseok Ssu was an accomplished biologist from the Skalamar University of Medicine long before she was chosen for the Ouerean mission. After her arrival on Ouerea, Dr. Ssu was responsible for cataloging thousands of new species native to the planet, as well as for the successful introduction of Moghresian plants and animals to the Ouerean biosphere. She is remembered as one of history’s greatest xenobiologists by Unathi even beyond Ouerea, and was granted the position of planetary chapter-master by the House of Medicine for her contributions to the sciences. She traveled extensively following first contact, studying human and Skrell advances in xenobiology for nearly thirty years and giving several guest lectures at human universities - acquiring a reputation as something of a daredevil researcher in interstellar academic circles. Kseok Ssu disappeared in 2438, only a year before the beginning of the Contact War, departing on an expedition to catalog the alien fauna of the Arusha sector. Her title as a spirit is “Witness of Life”, and she is frequently venerated by healers, academics, and explorers on Ouerea - particularly those seeking to study the planet’s ecosystem. Shrines to her can be found in most Ouerean universities, and it is a common practice among students to leave offerings there to improve their academic performance.

Olzahi Ekzur - Eye of Stone

The ship’s surveyor, Olzahi Ekzur was responsible for much of the initial exploration and surveying of Ouerea following planetfall. During her time as a researcher for the space program, she was responsible for the launch of several probes to Ouerea, and selected the initial landing site personally. Following planetfall, she engaged in extensive study of the area surrounding the landing site, and much of the layout of New Skalamar today is based on her initial blueprints. Ekzur spearheaded much of the initial exploration of Ouerea, and spent a large amount of her time at the Sahhat Geographical Research Complex with visiting Skrell scientists, reportedly fascinated by their culture and advancements. Ekzur’s methodologies for planetary colonization were rapidly adopted, and have since become standard practice by Hegemony colonists throughout the Spur. In 2441, Ekzur was killed in a storm on the Azareazi Sea as part of an ongoing polar expedition. Survivors of the wreck reported that she refused to leave her research or her crew, and returned to the sinking ship several times in order to recover more.

As a spirit, her title is “Eye of Stone”, in reference to her blunt and unemotional demeanor, as well as her contributions to the field of geology. She is viewed as the patron spirit of explorers, scientists, and all those who seek to wander beyond the horizons of the known. Ouerean exploration and research programs often consecrate their missions in her name. Her symbol is a silhouetted Unathi figure, walking towards a stylized horizon.

Humans on Ouerea

History

Shortly after first contact in 2403, human settlement of Ouerea began. The humans of Ouerea came in two waves - the first were largely Sol Alliance military personnel, who were permitted to construct several bases and refueling stations on the planet in exchange for Solarian assistance in furthering the Izweski space program. The second and far larger wave was driven by the human megacorporations, with many of them acquiring generous contracts for development of the Ouerean colony. Hephaestus and NanoTrasen were the two largest investors in Ouerean development, though Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals had several research facilities to study the myriad of new organisms found on both Moghes and Ouerea, and Einstein Engines were contracted to assist in the development of warp technology by the Izweski. The vast majority of these workers came from Solarian space, particularly from planets with limited economic opportunity. Ouerea was advertised to Hephaestus and NanoTrasen employees in particular as a land of opportunity and discovery, with many being shipped directly to the planet to assist in its settlement.

Due to the megacorporate contracts, humans had more contact with Unathi than the initial Skrell settlers, with corporate habitation buildings often being constructed near existing settlements for ease of work. The two groups were far from integrated, however, with distrust of aliens still being heavily present among the Unathi of Ouerea. Sentiment was common in the early days that the human presence on Ouerea was just an alien attempt to take control of an Unathi achievement, especially given the Solarian military bases built on the planet. Humans in this time often found themselves forming their own insular communities rather than integrating with the Unathi ones present.

With the outbreak of the Contact War, the Izweski were unable to govern the colony. The Sol Alliance, alongside the Nralakk Federation, drafted legislation for a temporary provisional government to administrate the colony due to the large human and Skrell populations. After negotiation with local Unathi, the democratic structure of Ouerean society was created, modeled extensively on human society. Largely, the Alliance was hands-off with regards to the administration of Ouerea compared to the Federation, content to observe and to intervene if the situation ever required it. Over this period, human, Skrell, and Unathi communities grew closer as settlements grew larger, with the unique cosmopolitan culture of Ouerea beginning to take root.

Most of the humans settling on Ouerea had had little contact with alien life prior to their settlement, but began to see the benefits of cross-species cooperation. Under the provisional government, the humans of Ouerea came to work closer with their Skrell and Unathi partners, with many of them having come to see Ouerea as their new home since the initial human arrival on the planet. At this point, the human community of Ouerea had been living on the planet for decades, and the idea of an independent Ouerean nation had begun to take root among them - particularly upon witnessing the successful secession of the Republic of Biesel. This idea would be crushed in 2457, when Hegemon S’kresti demanded that Sol and Nralakk return Ouerea to the Hegemony, and the feudal system was imposed on the colonists.

Many humans departed with the Alliance ships, including almost all of the active Solarian government and military personnel on the planet. Those who remained found themselves thrust into an alien model of society, with many of the rights and freedoms they had taken for granted stripped from them by foreign lords. The humans of Ouerea chafed under the Hegemony’s yoke from the beginning, and were near-universally supporters of throwing these foreign overlords from the world which had become their home. When the Revolution finally came, the human population was instrumental in its organization, taking inspiration from hundreds of similar revolutionary movements throughout their own history.

With the Revolution’s victory, the troubles of the Ouerean human community did not end - though the Synod was reestablished, only Unathi were permitted by the Hegemon to hold seats on it, with Skrell being granted observer status due to fear of angering the Nralakk Federation. The human population, however, was largely ignored by the Izweski, which has fueled lingering resentment, and demands for representation have grown louder and louder as the expansion of Hephaestus Industries has driven a wedge between Ouerea and Moghes.

Life & Culture

The human population of Ouerea came from a wide range of origins within the Sol Alliance, with the vast majority of them being shipped in by megacorporations as workers. Many of those who signed up for long-term work on Ouerea came from the Middle Colonies or particularly disadvantaged Inner Ring worlds, seeking new opportunities on an untouched and alien world. Though it has been over sixty years since the first humans arrived on Ouerea, many of the modern population retain strong ties to their homes in whatever way they can, with human communities often tending to be enclaves of a specific culture.

Despite their strong ties to their home cultures, Ouerean humans tend to feel more strongly that Ouerea is their home than their Skrell countrymen - while sixty years is not a short time, it is far longer for humans than for Skrell, with the humans who have lived on the planet for decades often viewing Ouerea as the project that they have given much of their life to. This attitude is even stronger among the generation of humans actually born on Ouerea, most of whom have never known another homeworld.

Humans on Ouerea are often ignored by the Hegemony - while the Skrell have the looming shadow of the Nralakk Federation granting them a measure of political influence, the planet’s human community has little in the way of leverage to gain more representation within the Synod - despite several protests in human communities since the revolution. Since the withdrawal of most megacorporations from Ouerea, humans often had difficulty finding work as the Hegemony’s guilds moved in - with many of them exclusively hiring Unathi, or only hiring humans into underpaid and difficult positions. Though this practice stopped with the Hephaestus acquisition of the guilds, most humans on Ouerea still prefer to patronize Ouerean-run or specifically human-run businesses where possible.

One thing that the diverse human population of Ouerea tends to have in common is an independent attitude, often perceived as being to the point of stubbornness by other humans. The initial human arrivals on Ouerea viewed themselves as pioneers, an attitude which many of the Unathi colonists shared, and the ideals of self-reliance and independence from foreign authority remain a cultural touchstone of Ouerean humanity. In addition to the common Ouerean distaste for the Hegemony, Ouerean humans tend to have a negative opinion of other human governments - particularly those with roots on planets which had a rocky relationship with the Alliance.


Notable Human Enclaves

Ouerea is home to many humans from a wide range of planets across the Orion Spur. Many of the human immigrants to Ouerea, particularly among the initial arrivals, found themselves living primarily among other humans from similar backgrounds, forming cultural enclaves on the planet. Thousands of these enclaves are dotted across Ouerea, from hundreds of worlds across Solarian space - but a few of them are particularly large, well-known, or influential. Mostly, these enclaves were founded by megacorporate workers in the initial arrival of humanity on Ouerea, with some of them having stood for decades.

New Olympia, Tr’ha’rem: Initially built around Hephaestus Industries employee housing, the district of Tr’ha’rem known as New Olympia was home to a large number of Martian workers employed by the megacorporation, and housed in Tr’ha’rem due to its more moderate climate for humans. Many of these humans worked on the Tr’ha’rem docks, and helped to cement the city’s status as a major port on Ouerea’s seas. The people of New Olympia tend to view Hephaestus favorably and have bitter feelings towards the Solarian Alliance, which were only amplified by the Violet Dawn disaster of 2462. Though many of them have not seen Mars in decades, if at all, they still consider themselves as Martian as they are Ouerean, and many of the locals have donated extensively to relief efforts following the disaster. During the early days of the Ouerean Revolution, New Olympia was home to some of the fiercest human opposition to the Hegemony, with many of its population using their positions in the shipping industry to smuggle arms and supplies to their fellow revolutionaries.

New Olympia is one of the largest human enclaves on Ouerea, and is often viewed as a center of human politics on the planet. Several protests demanding greater human representation in the Synod have been held in the streets of Tr’ha’rem, and the Martian population is known to be a significant voting bloc in local politics. New Olympia is also known to play a key role in Ouerean smuggling rings - an issue which local law enforcement seems content to ignore, with many residents both human and Unathi preferring the status quo. The humans of New Olympia are largely supporters of either Revolution’s Heirs or the Warriors of Liberty, with the ideals of the Ouerean Revolution being firmly held among the locals. Due to the general distaste for the Sol Alliance, support for the Restorationists is almost nonexistent here.

Giai Phong, Um’a’yid: The district of Giai Phong in Um’a’yid is home to a large number of New Hai Phongese immigrants, initially brought in to aid in the city’s construction by Hephaestus Industries. As the Unathi-dominated Fishing League gained more power in the city, many of the local humans found themselves working tedious and underpaid jobs in the city’s fishing industry, as Hephaestus’s presence in the city diminished. Though Hephaestus’s acquisition of the Fishing League led to the corporation’s return, the corporation’s actions both on Ouerea and on New Hai Phong had done little to win friends among the people of Giai Phong. The district in the modern day is a hotbed of anti-corporate politics on Ouerea, with many of the locals seeing Hephaestus’s growing presence on the planet as a path leading to the rampant corruption and environmental devastation of their homeworld.

Rumored connections between local Giai Phong activists and more radical anti-corporate groups such as the Aut’akh or even the Champions of Moghes is often raised by pro-corporate politicians - but so far, these accusations remain baseless. Many Giai Phong locals fought during the Revolution, most notably being responsible for capturing the ruling lord of Um’a’yid during the initial period of fighting. The humans of Giai Phong are divided between support for the Warriors of Liberty and Restorationists, with the latter forming a small yet noteworthy minority.

Meonbada, New Skalamar: The district of Meonbada in New Skalamar is home to a large number of Konyanger expatriates, initially established as housing for Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals employees. Meonbada served as Zeng-Hu’s planetary headquarters prior to the megacorporation’s withdrawal from the Hegemony, and was home to several xenobiological research laboratories which coordinated most of the planet’s study of the countless new species found in Ouerea’s environment. When Zeng-Hu withdrew from the Hegemony, Meonbada was harshly impacted, with many of the skilled professionals in the district suddenly losing their jobs with the corporation. Some turned to criminal activities, with several now-abandoned facilities turned into drug labs, while others departed the increasingly worsening district for better opportunities elsewhere. Meonbada served as a hotbed of revolutionary activity during the uprising, with Yiztek troops attempting to storm the district in search of rebel leaders and being repelled by locals.

After the Revolution concluded, and the Ouerean Confederation was re-established, the new planetary government began to resume the exploration and research of Ouerea which had stalled under feudal rule. Many of the former Zeng-Hu employees who had stayed in Meonbada suddenly found themselves offered new positions in similar fields to their previous ones. In 2463, the Synod began to invest heavily in cleaning up Meonbada - driving out the criminal activity in the district and repurposing it into a center of scientific research on the planet. The former Zeng-Hu administrative center was reopened, and rapidly became the beating heart of the government’s studies of their homeworld. In the modern day, Meonbada is an odd slice of Konyang transplanted, a district which would not look out of place in Suwon or New Hong Kong. The district remains majority human, though the research industry there has led to growing Unathi and Skrell populations. The humans of Meonbada are largely Revolution’s Heirs voters, with a small bloc of support for the Ouerean Independence Movement - the current status quo has improved the lot of the locals enormously, and most would prefer to preserve it.

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