the gateway

alien races

In 2649 ad, humans made first contact with other sentient races from worlds on the other side of the gateway network. Like the humans of old Earth, these other beings were fellow explorers with (mostly) peaceful intentions, and had no better idea of what happened to the creators of the transport network. Diplomatic negotiations have allowed for several of these "aliens" to settle on human populated worlds in the system, and a sizeable amount even occupy Terminus, which houses an intergalactic embassy due to its position close to the gateway. Thanks to the technological ingenuity of the Vorut, universal translation devices exist for clear communication. Below are a few of the currently known races; additional species can be submitted to the DROPBOX.

FINU

Historically, Finu have always existed as a clan-based civilization, their society largely established on familial ties - though the definition of kinship varies by each group. As a result, they have never formed a centralized, overarching governing body. There are hundreds of known clans on Fissa, though only a few dozen are considered dominant within their regions. Individual clans may often clash over territory and perceived slights and offenses, but many also form powerful alliances and work together in solidarity. There was one notable attempt at unification under the Aihar clan several generations ago, resulting in a standardized Finusian language (spoken and written) and the discovery of spaceflight. However, the confederation fell to infighting for dominance, and the clans resumed following their own hierarchy and laws.

Due to the great dispersion of the species across Fissa and independent cultural development, each clan is unique in its beliefs and traditions, though many share core values such as reverence for family and the natural world. All Finusians know of their aggressive hand-to-hand combat style, Mat-Kala, designed initially for defensive purposes, but not all are trained in it. Training begins at a very young age, and students are usually proficient by the time they reach puberty. Annually, many clans come together for a celebratory competition for young Finusians coming of age to display their Mat-Kala prowess and bring pride to the clan.

Tattoos play an important role in Finusian society, as the markings are symbolic and tell a story about the individual. In most clans, it's considered a rite of passage to receive their first familial tattoo when they've come of age, though other designs may be earned for completing a special task or achievement. Modern Finusians are tall and long limbed, with the shortest standing at 5'9", though they rarely exceed 7'0". They come in a wide spectrum of skin tones and features. Many can trace some ancestry to a group of alien star travelers who landed on Fissa about 400 years ago and were integrated into the indigenous population; it's speculated that these foreigners were humans on a lost colony ship.

While it is an exceptionally rare trait, some Finu possess neurogenic abilities - those born with such gifts are called Yul-Tok, or star-touched. Given how few exist (usually only 2-3 per generation in a clan, if even that), no formalized education exists for those individuals, but they are often instructed by their clan elders according to tradition. (NOTE: Please keep in mind if applying or holding, Yul-Tok are considered neurogenic characters under the same limits and caps as humans.)

AEV'IK

Divided up into seven domes and one main dome at the center of the planet's main continent, Auhiri is a largely uninhabitable wasteland. The Capital Dome is the only area publically open to visitors and ships from other worlds, while permission must be obtained to visit the surrounding domes, which are connected via a series of underground tunnels. Very few have been allowed to see these other domes, though they're all said to each be their own lavish super metropolis. Given the limited space and production of resources, population growth has been slow over the decades, though Aev'ik enjoy the benefits of a strong social welfare system. Their own Gateway (which sits two days travel from Auhiri) opened several decades ago, allowing them to expand their interstellar trade market.

Auhiri is a unitary state, ostensibly run by a democratic government council of elected officials, one from each of the domes, functioning out of the central Capital Dome. Each dome, effectively a self-governing, self-sustaining city-state, has its own elected leader who can appoint other officials in their cabinet to run all dome operations and services. These leaders are chosen for life appointments to the role, or until they choose to retire, though they can be voted out by special election if they do not adequately fulfill their duties.

Although the public has the right to choose their representative leadership, the options are generally limited to a few candidates, often belonging to prominent political families who played key roles in the restructuring of Auhiri after the great war that destroyed their former grand civilization. As such, most of the political power and authority has been concentrated to an elite group for generations. They are the wealthy elite who dominate state media, resources, and set policy - the shadow oligarchy who really sits behind the council.

VORUT

After the loss of Vugawa, the Vorut were scattered across the galaxy. Only a few hundred generation starships launched from the homeworld prior to its destruction, preserving a small pocket of their overall population. Many of these vessels were lost, destroyed or abandoned over the last nine centuries - one of the few still operational is the Starship Fetu'Malaga. Other clusters of Vorutian refugees can be found settled on other worlds, integrated with other races, while many remain restless vagabonds who will go wherever they can make a living. This massive diaspora has resulted in a varied sense of identity and values, where some have shed all traditions to embrace the local culture, while others cling fast to a lost heritage.

Although they aren't unified in culture, all Vorut share key physical attributes. Compared to the human race, Vorut are more durable, stronger, larger, and age slowly. Vorut reach maturity at around 60 human years, and have a natural lifespan of up to 600 years. The average height of a fully grown adult is around 7'0"-7'8" (213-233 cm) in both females and males; the tallest Vorut known reached just over 9'. They tend to have broad frames, with large bone structure and high muscle mass, able to lift 2x their body weight untrained. Their high density cellular and anatomical structure grants them durable bone, muscle and skin tissue. It has also been found that Vorut are genetically compatible with other races and can produce hybridized offspring.