Glossary
Absent Gods: A belief system of the Braxaná, later adopted by the rest of Braxin culture, that claims whatever gods might have been responsible for the creation of the universe no longer have interest in it and are not actively involved in its maintenance. They regard this as a positive development, noting that creatures with eternal life and nearly unlimited power are not likely to share humankind’s priorities or care much about the welfare of a single life-form. In the words of one Braxin theologian, “There is nothing more dangerous than a jaded god.”
The Braxaná creation saga as recorded by Davros in the third century is an excellent illustration of this principle, with its chilling images of Taz’hein and Avra-Nim driving human armies to bloodshed simply for their own amusement.
Braxaná regard with scorn any culture that maintains a belief in active beneficial deities, both for their emotional dependency and philosophical shortsightedness, and the phrase “Bless him with an active deity” is regarded as one of the most condescending insults in the Braxaná lexicon.
A.C.: After the Coronation of Harkur (Braxi). The Harkurian calendar was adopted seventy-six years after Harkur’s death to honor the man who unified Braxi and brought it to interstellar prominence. Historians note that it was a Braxaná government which chose to institute the new calendar, and may have done so to placate tribal factions in an era when its own power was less than certain.
Aldous: Sister planet to Braxi, closer to their shared sun, Aldous is made habitable by dense atmospheric components that block out a portion of the sun’s radiation, making a human-compatible environment possible surrounding both geographic poles. Believed to have been seeded with human stock in the first wave of transplantation (see Scattered Races), Aldous became home to a civilization which was advanced in technology and yet wholly planetbound. Scientists postulate this was the result of cultural evolution in an environment in which neither stars, moon, nor open space was visible, causing human creativity to focus upon more local elements. Those who study the Scattered Races regard Aldous as one of the clearest examples of targeted experimentation, and use it to bolster arguments that the purpose of the Seeding was to study the effects of planetary environment upon social evolution.
Braxi made contact with the human inhabitants of Aldous in the third century before Harkur’s reign and quickly established dominance. The inclusion of the lesser planet’s name in the full title of the Holding represents its symbolic importance as a satellite of B’Salos, rather than any political or military significance.
Anzha lyu Mitethe: Legendary Starcommander and Functional Telepath of the Azean Star Empire, lyu Mitethe is credited by some historians as having set the stage for the ultimate defeat of Braxi. Unfortunately, the Empire had just entered into a binding Peace with the Holding and was thus incapable of launching the offensives her plan would have required. Enraged by what she saw as the loss of a one-time opportunity, lyu Mitethe stole an experimental starship and fled to the uncharted reaches of space. Some historians believe that she took advantage of Llornu’s destruction to gather the psychic community under her own banner, while others note references to her in Braxin intelligence reports several years after her disappearance and speculate that she simply moved to another border, to launch her campaign without Imperial assistance.
The question of lyu Mitethe’s true heritage is one that has fascinated genetic historians for two centuries. Though born of Azean parents whose family trees would seem to indicate no input from other Scattered Races, lyu Mitethe expressed a somatotype that was undeniably foreign to that race, and most modern geneticists accept the theory that a recessive gene grouping from some outside source was responsible. Unfortunately, her medfiles were lost when Llornu was destroyed, so these guesses cannot be confirmed. It is noteworthy that within the Holding it is believed she is descended from the Braxin leader Harkur the Great, though how the two races could have exchanged genetic material in an age when there was no contact between them remains a mystery.
Ar: Now regarded as the goddess of Chaos Incarnate, Ar is believed by some scholars to have once been an active member of the Braxaná pantheon, and the deity responsible for the yearly cycle of death and rebirth witnessed throughout nature. Historians trace the change in her aspect to the period following the reign of Viton the Ruthless, a result of the deliberate politicization of Braxaná mythology by Viton’s successors.
The Braxaná claim that in any situation where a woman commands men the spirit of Ar (Chaos) will be manifest. This is used as the justification for the exclusion of women from all facets of Braxin government, as well as the harshest of the Social Codes regarding women’s behavior. As with most of the Social Codes this restriction is of least concern among the Braxaná themselves, who admit to admiring strong women, and who long ago developed customs and language to allow their own females to wield considerable power, albeit indirectly.
Avra-Nim: Creator-god and sun-god to most Braxin pantheons, Avra-Nim was the preeminent deity prior to the rise of the Braxaná. Some historians postulate that he was originally the dominant figure in Braxaná mythology as well, and point to the solar nomenclature of the Holding as evidence of this. Others theorize that this was a purely political move meant to facilitate the absorption of other tribes into a greater Braxaná whole.
A failed god whose human creations have long been dominated by his brother’s get, Avra-Nim has not been accorded worship in many centuries.
Azean Star Empire: Officially founded in 1,187 Y.E. (the date of the absorption of Lugast’s Union of Planets) the Star Empire is both aggressive and exploratory, and today comprises the largest unified territory in known space.
Although Azea has always had titular control of the Star Empire—the Emperor or Empress is required to be of that race—the actual governance of planets was once equally divided between the House of Humans and House of Non-Humans. The Lugastine faction was particularly strong in human politics in the early years, and there was some speculation that the Lugast would come to dominate the Star Empire in fact, if not in name.
In 2,234 Y.E. the discovery of Braxi’s Schedule of Expansion and ensuing military escalation moved the focus of the Empire to martial affairs, and Azea’s genetic advantage in that forum gave them added advantage in political circles as well. By 2,479 it was clear that the Holding did not intend to break off hostilities until the Star Empire was completely destroyed, and a new arm of government was instituted to focus on this tenacious and determined enemy. In 2,481 StarControl was given mandate to function as a ruling body of the Empire, thus beginning the so-called “Azean period” of Imperial governance. Despite periodic protests by the nonhuman membership of the Empire that this move upset the balance of the Empire in humanity’s favor, StarControl remains an equal partner in the Imperial government, and is accorded precedence in any situation or region where Braxi is an active threat.
The genetic strength and conditioned loyalty of the Azean people has long been recognized to give that race a natural advantage in military affairs, for which reason the so-called Border Fleet has traditionally been dominated by Azean personnel. In later years it became the custom to restrict service in the war with Braxi to those of Azean heritage, and in 3,571 the Council of Justice was established to rule upon issues of racial heritage and loyalty among that people. While technically an equal partner in the Imperial government, the Council limits its scope to matters concerning the Azean people in particular, and is grudgingly accepted as a nominal fifth Crown in what has become a human-dominated Empire.
Detractors are quick to point out that should the war with Braxi terminate, the need for both StarControl and the Council of Justice would cease to be of Imperial concern, and the balance of government might return to the Empire’s original design.
B.C.: Before the Coronation of Harkur (Braxi).
Betrayer : See Taz’hein.
Bi’ti: The essence or spirit of the warrior, which is considered the core of the Braxaná identity. It is believed that both men and women possess the bi’ti, and acts of violence which would have been considered unsuitable for women in other tribes are accepted among the Pale Ones as a natural expression of this fierce inner spirit.
Early Braxaná believed that a strong bi’ti could be inherited, for which reason returning warriors were permitted to mate at will with fertile members of the tribe. It was believed that such sexual union would strengthen the woman and all her offspring, lending even to the child of another man the fierce spirit of the warrior. It is this tradition which was later written into law as the Code of Sexual Access, though critics note that in its current form it has little to do with the custom’s original form or purpose.
Black Death: Literally translated from the Braxin as “Waiting Death,” the Black Death is one of the most deadly and feared organisms in the human worlds. Derived from a life-form originally found on Ekkos IV, the poison has an inert phase, during which it invades its host and lodges in internal tissue, and an active phase, during which it consumes its host for energy, growing so rapidly that witnesses may mistake its advance for locomotion.
In its natural form the Black Death was responsible for the decimation of several human colonies, and its home world was subject to biological cleansing by Zherat in 1,972 A.C. in order to keep it from invading the Holding at large. The controlled strains have been bred to be dependent upon human science for reproduction, and fertile samples are carefully guarded.
The most common strain becomes active 10-40 days after invading its host, usually at a single point of cataclysm. Less common is the so-called “timed dose,” which is developed to suit the individual organic template of its host, allowing for refined prediction of its activation schedule. The Black Death has no known cure or treatment, and is 100% fatal to organic hosts. The only hope of survival for a victim is to remove the affected limb before the activated Death can spread.
It is considered a capital offense for anyone but a Braxaná to possess the poison, and research facilities adapting the strains for military use are under tight government control. Nevertheless it is rumored that the Black Market has occasionally seen trade in the Death, and the use of weakened strains by non-Braxaná is occasionally rumored.
Braxaná: Originally a nomadic tribe inhabiting the Blood Steppes of northern Braxi, the Braxaná were noteworthy for their rejection of modern culture and its social compromises, believing that such things weakened the sacred essence of the warrior spirit (bi’ti). Attempts to conquer, absorb, or even negotiate with this fierce barbarian tribe all proved futile, and in the 5th century B.C. the Council of Eastern Tribes officially (and grudgingly) ceded them the Blood Steppes in perpetuity, acknowledging that the only means by which “civilization” was going to encroach upon Braxaná territory was by inciting more bloodshed than the land was worth.
It was Harkur the Great who first realized the full potential of the Braxaná spirit, and he sought out members of the tribe to serve in his court. The most famous of these was Viton the Ruthless, who succeeded him in 86 A.C. Though Harkur never openly proposed Braxaná rule, historians believe that he saw in the so-called Pale Ones a possible tool for unifying the other tribes, and his discussions with Viton provided the foundation for subsequent Braxaná domination of global affairs.
Following Viton’s rule the Braxaná remained in power, eventually establishing an oligarchy of purebred males, the Kaim’eri. All attempts to displace the Braxaná by force or to demand political representation for other tribes have failed, in part because of steps taken to eradicate the concept of tribal identity from common Braxin culture. While not wholly successful, this campaign has made it difficult for any group to use blood-ties or shared history to provide unity in an uprising.
See also Shlesor.
Braxaná Dialect: Because early Braxaná culture relied upon verbal rather than written records, little is known about roots of the so-called Braxaná dialect. Most linguists are in agreement that its forty-seven speech modes were derived from a language once common on the Blood Steppes, which had ceased to exist as an independent tongue by the time of Harkur the Great.
Linguists agree that in complexity of form and in raw communicative potential the Braxaná dialect surpasses all other human languages. Gaten, son of Vralos, characterized it as “The one human language which no outsider can ever truly master.” Forty-seven Speech Modes allow for fine communication of social and emotive context, and secondary and even tertiary messages can be imbedded in many simple statements. It is said that a master of the Braxaná tongue can hold several different conversations at once, and true mastery of the language is so highly regarded that Braxaná poets are among the most celebrated of artists. While non-Braxaná rarely use the more obscure forms, most are familiar with the major contextual modes, and the ability to use them fluently in one’s speech is regarded as a sign of intelligence and social refinement among the upper classes.
The Braxaná dialect contains a mode which is entirely neutral, and which has been adopted throughout the Holding as the “common Braxin” tongue. Speech in the Basic Mode is said to be acceptable in all social situations, though Braxins of the upper classes may look with disdain upon those who are too poorly educated to make their language more interesting.
B’Salos: The yellow sun of Braxi and Aldous, B’Salos was the focus of worship for much of early Braxin culture, and an assortment of sun-related deities peopled the pantheons of most early tribes.
Central Computer System (CSS): The centralized data storage and processing system of the Holding, among the most complex of its type ever to have been created. The CCS functions as a central clearing house for all information in the Holding, both static and dynamic, and contains subsidiary indexing systems fine-tuned to the needs of a variety of species.
Citadel of the Kaim’eri: A man-made satellite orbiting Braxi, which houses both the great meeting hall of the Kaim’erate and the main processors and storage banks for the Central Computer System.
Communicant: Second highest category of psychic functioning, indicating one who is capable of receiving the thoughts of nonpsychics and transmitting his own to them in turn, with near-perfect comprehension and reliability. As with telepathy there are various grades leading up to that of full Communicant, which reflect varying degrees of power and control. A true Communicant is capable of linking together several minds, as well as subsuming the power of (willing) colleagues to increase his range and sensitivity.
Communicants are rarely capable of complex communication with nonhumans, although those who are gifted in abstract visualization have a natural advantage in this arena.
Community of Mind: The official name for the psychic community established following the Diaspora. Also called the Tskiri.
Diaspora, psychic: With the destruction of Llornu and the subsequent collapse of the Institute, those psychics who survived the disaster took shelter where they could find it. Some remained within the Empire, while most fled beyond its borders. Those who remained behind were initially accepted, as their gifts had always been valued, but it soon became clear that absorbing the mental fallout from the simultaneous deaths of so many of their colleagues had exacted a cost. Patterns of mental instability were noted in many, and the damage done by Psychic-Aggressives as they spiraled downward into insanity was destructive enough that in time the Empire was forced to take action to register, restrict, and finally isolate its psychic population. The result was a second wave of emigration into the reaches of space that lay beyond the pale of either Empire or Holding, as well as a series of daring raids from the outside that freed those whom the Empire had already confined.
Evidence was later uncovered that this mental instability was in fact typical of psychics, and represented a propensity for insanity which the Institute had effectively hidden from the public. This discovery sealed the fate of the psychic community, whose members were now recognized to be threats to the public order regardless of their intent, and who would therefore no longer be welcome to return home.
It is currently not known whether those who fled managed to reestablish some kind of centralized community, or remained scattered refugees along the frontier of the Empire. It is said that even in the Outlands they are regarded with great suspicion, and in some domains it is considered acceptable to kill them upon discovery, as this is seen as contributing to public safety.
See also Shaka.
Disciplines: Mental rituals originally designed by the Institute for the Advancement of Psychic Evolution, used to control psychic ability. The majority of Disciplines are defensive in nature, designed to protect the integrity of the psychic’s mind when dealing with potentially destabilizing influences. Some are voluntary, requiring that the psychic activate a mental trigger to bring them into play, while others are conditioned into the psychic’s mind as a last-ditch defensive measure, to be triggered automatically when the boundaries of identity and or sanity are threatened.
It was the development of such Disciplines which enabled the Institute to establish a viable psychic community and to bring what was then a rogue power under enough control to be established as a measurable science. The full range of Disciplines is never discussed outside of psychic circles, and it is rumored that some have been developed which allow for the focusing of aggressive energies against a target.
Endless War : Common label for the series of military conflicts between the Star Empire and the Braxin Holding which began in 1,193 Y.E. and have not yet concluded. Some scholars believe this to be no more than an extension of the Braxin/Lugastine conflict, already in its second eon when Azea absorbed both Lugast and her political agenda.
Though viewed in the popular mind as a single unending conflict (hence the name), the War is in fact a series of military and political campaigns punctuated by formal truces. Some of these truces were temporary or geographically limited in nature, while others were meant to conclude, or at least deescalate, the conflict as a whole. Those in the latter class were invariably broken by Braxi to suit her convenience. Despite the proven treachery of their negotiating partner, Azea rarely turned down the opportunity for a Peace, for the Empire had other interests it could only pursue when the War Border was quiet.
Most historians agree that the War came closest to being ended in 12,081 Y.E., when the aggressive military campaign of the half-breed telepath Anzha lyu Mitethe coincided with a Tsank’ar pandemic among Braxi’s ruling Braxaná class, almost wiping the latter out. Politics interfered, however, and lyu Mitethe soon after fled the Empire and left the War to the politicians who had frustrated her efforts.
First Class: The most prestigious of six formal social class divisions within Braxin society, the First Class includes all purebred and half-bred Braxaná, as well as the children of half-bred Braxaná who serve in Braxaná households. The latter are defined by matrilineal descent only, though several attempts have been made to institute a DNA-based standard which would allow for the inclusion of patrilineal issue.
Freelancer; Freespacer : A term used in systems outside the Star Empire and the Holding for opportunistic mercenaries who have no declared geographic or political allegiances. Freelancers range from small-scale merchants to soldiers for hire, with some working as bodyguards for the wealthiest inhabitants of the Outlands. The word generally has negative connotations, however, and in many places freelancers are assumed to be outlaws or at least the associates of outlaws, and are treated accordingly.
Founder: The title used by the psychic Community for Anzha lyu Mitethe, who is credited with having gathered many of the fugitives together after the destruction of Llornu and enabling them to establish a viable nation in exile. Anzha lyu Mitethe provided the diasporic nation not only with a system of governance but a cryptic and sometimes violent political agenda as well. The latter is sometimes cited as justification in the Outlands for killing psychics on sight.
Functional Telepath (FT): The highest of fifteen ratings developed by the Institute for the Advancement of Psychic Evolution, FT status is granted only to those who can send and receive thoughts to both human and nonhuman subjects at will, and with consistent accuracy. The Functional Telepath is required to have mastered all Disciplines and to be able to facilitate the mental communication of nonpsychic minds as well. It is to be noted that many psychics may achieve telepathic-level communication without fulfilling all of the criteria perfectly or consistently, and three lesser ranks of Telepathy are also recognized by the Institute.
It has been stated that the long-term goal of the Institute is to isolate the genetic codes required to make functional telepathy available to all humans. However, a series of studies done in ’87 suggest that several of the factors involved are not linked to psychic coding, but to personality traits which are part of the Seling Complex, and which cannot be altered without putting larger patterns of mental processing at risk. Former Director Kalu er Tashenin stated at the time that so-called Conditional Telepathy might still be possible for all humans, but less optimistic scientists cite Communicant status as the best that can be offered to the human race as a whole.
Great Plague: (See Tsank’ar) The Plague of 11,091 A.C. was an endemic of unprecedented scope, which swept through the Holding with deadly force and laid low the last great age of the Kaim’eri. Though the Braxaná are loath to let any outsiders guess at their numbers, genetic historians have speculated that the minimal gene pool of the tribe was fatally diminished at this time, and point to the resurrection of ancient traditions to bring in new blood as the tribe’s last-gasp effort to provide the genetic diversity required for the survival of their Race.
Great War : See Endless War.
Harkur the Great : The single greatest ruler of Braxi, Harkur the Great is credited with uniting the 117 Major Tribes under one international government, and with establishing the Holding as a major interstellar power.
Hirinari by birth, Harkur supplemented his formal education with travels to the far reaches of Braxi, including tribal territories normally closed to outsiders. Though records of his travels are incomplete, modern scholars believe he may have visited the Blood Steppes themselves, and some believe that he witnessed Braxaná customs normally kept hidden from the eyes of outsiders.
Harkur’s dream was a Braxi truly united in purpose, a far cry from the conglomeration of warring tribes whose throne he claimed in his fortieth year. Within zhents of his Coronation he had begun what would become the central campaign of his lifetime, focusing Braxin aggressive energies outward, toward the stars. A rapid series of dramatic raids into Lugastine space won him support from the Braxin media, and the benefits to be reaped from cooperative efforts in interstellar warfare soon won even the most warlike tribes to his cause.
Harkur’s manipulation of the Braxaná was either his greatest accomplishment or greatest offense, depending upon one’s perspective. Without a doubt he paved the way for Braxaná domination of the Holding, believing it to be the one formula sure to keep Braxi united. Whether that unity has been a good thing in the long run, or whether the social cost of Braxaná rule is something no political goal can justify, is a subject hotly debated in scholarly journals outside the Holding.
Hasai: See Probe.
Hasha: The first human born on Azean soil, Hasha’s origins have long been shrouded in mystery. Early records hint that her mother was not among those present at the Founding, and the appearance of a portrait in the Holding that allegedly depicts her beside Harkur the Great implies early contact between Azea’s Firstborn and the young Braxin nation. It is to be noted that no authorities from the Empire have been allowed to examine this relic, and some experts there have questioned its authenticity.
Whatever her origin, Hasha’s birth was regarded in its time as a sign of divine approval of the Exodus and Founding, and a necessary symbol of hope to a people about to colonize a biologically hostile planet. Myths have arisen surrounding her birth which grant her nearly divine status in her own right, and references to “the Firstborn” appear throughout Azean literature as appeals to a supernatural patroness, much in the manner that lesser gods and prophets are called upon by other peoples.
Hasha’s firstborn child was given the subname lyu, a custom which has been maintained down through the ages to memorialize the significance of Azea’s first birth. The name is believed to mean “birth” in the language spoken by the Founders.
Holding: The proper name of the territory ruled by Braxi, in its complete form the B’Saloan Holding under Braxi/Aldous. Some historians feel that the name is a holdover from the sun-worship of the early tribes, and trace the name of B’Salos back to Be-Nesaal, a sun god prominent in the northern hemisphere. It is said that by naming the interstellar empire after a sun shared by two planets—and perhaps a god shared by many—Harkur the Great hoped to stress the unity of the Holding, rather than encourage competition between the various tribes and factions it contained.
Household, Braxaná: A broadly inclusive term for the property, personnel, financial assets, political ties, and business interests of a purebred Braxaná. The key figure in a Braxaná House is its Mistress, who generally has control in practice if not in name of all of its Master’s assets.
The creation and maintenance of a so-called Great House is the life’s work of the purebred Braxaná, and rivalries between Houses are considered by some to be the driving force behind the Braxin political dynamic. While many half-bred Braxaná—the so-called First Class—establish their own Houses, few are of the size or influence that the purebred enjoy.
It is noteworthy that many Braxaná females have their own Houses, although the organization of them is of necessity different than the males’, and the service of a Token Domitor is required to enable a woman to exercise her power in a culture where she is not permitted to give direct orders to any man.
Human: Full-sentient beings believed to be descended from the human stock of the Source Worlds, being no more than 18% divergent from the Standard Human genetic template, and capable of interbreeding with other humans to produce fertile offspring. The term is also used in a more colloquial sense to indicate those who belong to the “human community,” and is rejected by some races which might qualify in a purely technical sense.
Because the governments of both the Star Empire and the Holding distinguish between human and nonhuman species for bureaucratic purposes, the issue of human status is subject to continual debate and revision. The requirement that Source World origin be proven beyond reasonable doubt was officially abandoned in ’897 Standard, when it was demonstrated that several human worlds had deliberately falsified their archeological records to distance themselves from the existing human political structure.
H’karet : “Place of the Hidden,” the second artificial satellite to be set in orbit around Braxi. Originally built by Zatar the Magnificent, the H’karet has served as home for all four Braxin Pri’tieri, providing an unprecedented degree of isolation for the enigmatic dynasty.
Institute for the Advancement of Psychic Evolution: Perhaps the most notorious of Azea’s government-financed Institutes, it was established in 10,027 Y.E. with the stated purpose of isolating the genetic sequences responsible for psychic sensitivity, as well as developing a program of training for those classed as psychics. The first goal proved to be an elusive one; it is now estimated that as many as two hundred “trigger sequences” may play a part in causing psychic talent to express, fewer than one hundred of which have been definitively identified. Nonetheless the Institute earned credibility for its quest by establishing a community of well-trained psychics to serve the Empire, and in 11,287 introduced the first Functional Telepath.
The Institute was notoriously secretive about its training programs, which led some government officials to protest its increasing budget, as well as its unprecedented autonomy. Rumors abounded of secret conditioning programs, of telepaths with imbedded commands who served the Institute before the Empire, and of psychics trained to function as weapons, skilled in destroying the minds of opponents. Not until Llornu was destroyed in 12,080 did it become public knowledge that the psychic condition was directly linked to mental instability, and that the apparent price of psychic sensitivity was inevitable insanity.
Just Cause: Within the Holding, reasons which are accepted as justification for a woman’s refusing sexual access to a man. Most are derived from Braxaná tribal practices and focus upon the female reproductive cycle: menstruation, pregnancy, and both pre-and post-menarche life stages are considered Just Cause for refusal. Health issues are also considered—the list of conditions which qualify being specifically detailed—and any occupational responsibility which would be compromised by lost time may qualify.
One category of Just Cause which was not derived from tribal practice is that of Ownership. Braxin law states that any woman who has surrendered her sexual independence to one man owes nothing to others. This in fact contradicts the underlying tribal tradition, in which it was considered desirable for warriors to impregnate all the women in the tribe, thus strengthening the women’s own bi’ti and the children they would bear for their mates in the future. It is postulated that the original intent of the “ownership clause” was to encourage the establishment of long-term partnerships between men and women. If so, the adoption of such laws at a time when gender relationships were in turmoil did not bring about the intended results. Most Braxin men and women lead isolated lives, and the partnerships which qualify as Ownership among the lower classes are generally temporary conveniences. Among the upper classes, whose extended households may easily claim Ownership of those who belong, the question is not quite so pressing, and women who come to serve a great House sometimes bargain for Ownership as part of their contract.
Kaim’era: Originally the title of Braxi’s ruler, in later periods one member of the planet’s ruling oligarchy. From the roots kaimras (leadership) and tiera (attributes focused upon an individual). Plural Kaim’eri.
Kesserit: One of the Major Tribes represented on the Council of Tribes in the time of Harkur the Great, the Kesserit were renowned even among the militant Braxaná for their fierceness in battle, as well as maintaining a tradition of succession by mortal combat. They were one of the few tribes to openly protest the Braxaná move to criminalize tribal identity outside their own circles, as a result of which they were targeted and nearly exterminated by the early Braxaná leadership. Some sociologists, noting the absence of Kesserit issues from the public stage after that, have postulated that the tribe was indeed destroyed at that time, reduced in number enough that they were forced to practice exogamy, and absorbed into the greater Braxin population. Experts in tribal culture however are quick to note the unique resiliency of the Kesserit throughout history, and some have suggested that the tribe simply went underground in its attempt to preserve its people and its traditions.
Leadership, Azean: The Azean Star Empire is represented by five Crowns, each with its own sphere of authority. The Council of Humans and Council of Non-Humans are the oldest government bodies, which together with a figurehead Emperor or Empress (always of Azean blood) governed the early Empire. StarControl was later added to oversee military affairs, and the Council of Justice to adjudicate matters of Azean heritage and loyalty.
It has been noted by some nonhuman critics that though the original Azean government reflected a plan to divide power equally between two complimentary Councils, Azea’s increasing concern with Braxin aggression has resulted in an imbalance of representation in the current system, with four of five Crowns being human by definition. A few extremists have gone so far as to argue that the human rulers of the Star Empire have encouraged the continuation of the Great War to assure continued human dominance, but no evidence for such conspiracy has ever been offered.
Leadership, Braxin: Originally a loose confederation of warring tribes, the early Braxin Holding was unified under Harkur the Great, and remained under a single leader for several centuries. That system gave way beneath the pressure of Braxaná political rivalries to a formal oligarchy, ruled by a prime number of Kaim’eri.
Two hundred years ago, as the Kaim’eri declined dangerously in numbers and influence, a maverick leader named Zatar the Magnificent declared himself the sole ruler of Braxi in the ancient tradition, with the Kaim’eri serving as his counselors. The title of Pri’tiera has been borne by him and by three generations after him, establishing the first hereditary monarchy the Holding has ever known.
Llornu: Home planet of the Institute for the Advancement of Psychic Evolution. The name is sometimes used as shorthand for the Institute itself. Llornu’s research center was destroyed in 12,080 Y.E. by a nuclear fusion incident that killed thousands of psychics and destroyed or polluted the bulk of the Institute’s DNA records. The sudden absorption of so many violent deaths into the worldmind of Llornu triggered madness in much of the population, and was responsible for a wave of suicides in the first few days, followed by the mass exodus of psychics from the Empire.
Though it was rumored that Anzha lyu Mitethe was responsible for the assault, historians have come to question whether that was truly the case, and point to later evidence of her involvement in organizing the homeless psychics as proof that they, at least, did not credit such tales.
Lyu: 1)Azean subname taken by firstborn descendants of Hasha, establishing a lineage whose members have periodically been called upon for ritual functions within the Star Empire. The last known member of this bloodline was Anzha lyu Mitethe, who is believed to have died without natural issue. 2) Leader of the secretive psychic Community which was established sometime after Llornu’s destruction. The title is believed to have been adopted to honor the memory of lyu Mitethe, one of the Star Empire’s most famous telepaths.
Mistress: see Household, Braxaná.
Outlands: A region of inhabited space surrounding the Star Empire and/or Holding, but not contained within the War Border between the two. Comprised of independent worlds and freelance settlements, answering to no single authority, the Outlands have enjoyed unusual stability due to the Endless War, which keeps the energies of both interstellar empires focused upon each other rather than expansion into Outland space.
Renowned as a refuge for outlaws and political malcontents, the Outlands have a reputation for lawlessness and casual violence. However they are also home to a thriving network of independent worlds and stations, and in some places limited planetary alliances which maintain common law and security.
The Outlands have fallen under Imperial scrutiny in recent years due to rumors that the renegade psychics have taken up shelter there, but thus far no investigations have turned up any proof of this allegation.
Pale Ones: A common term for the Braxaná, which refers to the distinctive coloration of that tribe. Although other pigment-deficient Scattered Races are known, the black hair and eyes of the Braxaná make their complexion seem uniquely colorless by contrast, and the habit in post-Shlesor generations of adding white cosmetics to the skin makes the nomenclature reflective not only of tribal appearance but custom.
Plague: See Tsank’ar.
Pri’tiera: Braxin title which translates to “one who has waited.” First granted to Zatar the Magnificent upon his ascension to the Braxin throne, the title of Pri’tiera has been borne by his firstborn male descendants ever since.
Probe: Technically a subcategory of Functional Telepathy, Probe status is wrongfully believed by many to be a “higher” level of psychic functioning. In fact, the Probe designation merely indicates the concurrence of Functional Telepathy with specific patterns of cognition that are present in the population as a whole, and does not reflect upon either the strength or reliability of telepathic powers.
Because Probes have advanced powers of abstract visualization they are capable of sending and receiving thoughts in their “pure” form, without need for a verbal or metaphorical framework. This ability makes them particularly well suited to analysis of deep-brain emanations, as well as communication with nonhuman species.
As with other top Institute ratings, Probe status is only granted to those whose performance meets strict criteria of reliability and control, and several lesser grades exist which encompass the same cognitive abilities.
Psychic: Any sentient being who is capable of receiving the thoughts or emotions of another, or of transmiting his own to another subject, without need for material vehicle. Psychic ability ranges from simple empathy (most common) to the full panoply of powers mastered by the Functional Telepath.
While general sensitivity is not uncommon among humans, most find that the power can neither be predicted nor controlled. The Institute devoted centuries to perfecting techniques which could bring psychic sensitivity under conscious control, and among their own ranks the title of “Psychic” was only granted to one who has attained reliable control over their power.
Most Psychics fall into four general categories. Psychic-Empathetics are responsive to strong emotions in others. Psychic-Receptives can receive and interpret more complex thought patterns. Psychic-Aggressives can transmit their own thoughts and/or emotions to others. Psychic-Connectives are capable of initiating a two-way exchange, though not with the accuracy and control required of a full Communicant.
It is rumored there are other categories which deal with more aggressive powers, including legends of the Shaka, a much-feared psychic who is said to be able to take control of the bodies of other living creatures and even kill with thought alone.
Scattered Races: Human populations believed to be derived from a single genetic source, spread throughout known space in a past incident known as the Seeding.
Humankind is by far the most successful species of those that were Seeded, and is believed to have survived on 78% of the planets to which it was transported.
Scattered Species: Species which were transplanted to other worlds during the Seeding, and which survived the transition to establish themselves as competitors to native life forms.
Of the five, humankind alone has developed interstellar technology. By contrast, the cetacean transplant species has developed low-tech complex civilizations on several dozen planets, and two land-based subspecies are known to exist. Other transplanted species have not distinguished themselves, save by fact of their survival. Scientists postulate that they may have originally been chosen for promising intelligence, but that they were not adaptable enough to rise above transplantation trauma quickly enough to gain advantage over local competitors.
It is possible that more than five species were transplanted during the Seeding, but the remainder may never be identified. Populations which failed to establish themselves would have left behind little or no evidence of their arrival, and would quickly have been subsumed into the native archeological record.
Schedule of Expansion: It is rumored that the infamous Braxin blueprint for galactic conquest had its roots in Harkur’s own writings. If so, it did not appear in its final form until centuries later, when the Holding was firmly established as a major interstellar player and the Lugastine Union of Planets had already been absorbed by the young and aggressive Star Empire.
Based upon Sukar’s Schedule of Progress (below), the Schedule of Expansion was an exhaustive study of known human space, which sought to predict the rise of new interstellar powers both within and without human-charted regions. The Schedule set forth a plan for military expansion which took into account the need to crush such powers in their infancy, as well as a blueprint for manipulating the tides of human progress to weaken and ultimately destroy Braxi’s great rival, Azea.
Although Azea was aware of the existence of the Schedule it did not have access to the document itself until 2,234, when a copy was leaked to Imperial authorities. Historians have described this as a “wake-up call” to the Empire, who had apparently not anticipated the full scope of Braxin aggression. Only later would nonhuman critics suggest that it was the Empire’s response to the Schedule which guaranteed Azean sovereignty over other races within the Empire, and that perhaps the contents of the document, if not its very existence, should be questioned accordingly.
Schedule of Progress: In 117 A.C., Sukar of Braxi postulated that the rate of technological development of a planet’s human population was directly linked to the adaptation trauma it suffered during transplantation. (See Seeding). His argument was that human populations which were seeded onto hostile or unstable worlds must waste valuable energies adapting themselves to their new environment, delaying the onset of technological development. Based upon this pattern, Sukar claimed that the Source World for humankind could best be recognized by its early entrance into the interstellar arena, as it alone would have been spared any adaptational delay.
While scientists acknowledge the obvious political bias of Sukar’s work (in his time, the only known candidates for Source World status would have been Lugast and Braxi), further study has indeed confirmed his basic hypothesis, that a measurable relationship exists between the environmental conditions of a particular Seeding and the pace of technological development which followed it. Later theoreticians expanded upon Sukar’s work, providing a schedule by which one might estimate the time it would take for a transplanted population to achieve the technology necessary for starflight, and a statistical means of predicting how many technologically advanced worlds would arise in a given time and place. The latter study provided the basis for the infamous Schedule of Conquest , which predicted that military operations would become more difficult over time, as target planets became more and more likely to have advanced armaments of their own.
Seclusion: The practice by which purebred Braxaná guarantee the paternity of their offspring, by isolating the woman from all other sources of human sperm until implantation is confirmed. Seclusion was a practice unknown to the early Braxaná, and became common only after the Shlesor, when issues of genetic inheritance and tribal fertility took center stage.
Although modern technology is capable of confirming paternity, such practices are considered unacceptable by the Braxaná, who have showed a lasting unwillingness to subject any part of the reproductive process to scientific “interference.”
Seeding: The common name for the past interstellar event in which human stock and that of several other species were transported to a wide variety of planets, and allowed to establish themselves without subsequent aid or interference. It is currently estimated the Seeding took place over the course of 50,000 years, though scientists acknowledge that this figure is an estimate derived from studies in local space, and that future exploration may expand the figure considerably.
The exact purpose of the Seeding is not known, nor is there any clear evidence of what species was responsible for it. Lugastine scientists first suggested the possibility of such an event as early as 178 U.P., when studies first showed that humans from various planets within the Union were similar enough in DNA structure to be able to produce fertile offspring. These results were contrasted with studies of other species, wherein it was shown that even when parallel evolution produced species that were indistinguishable in appearance and/or behavior, disparity in DNA was still marked enough to make them incapable of interbreeding.
Five species are known to have been transplanted in this manner, although scientists acknowledge that more may remain undiscovered. Of those, only humankind is known to have mastered the technology necessary for starflight. (See Schedule of Progress; Scattered Races; Scattered Species.) Many human scientists regard the preponderance of human transplantations as proof that the architects of the Seeding were themselves human-derived, and theorize that they wished to study the effects of diverse environments upon the evolution of their own species. If so, then the true Source World for humankind may yet be undiscovered, and the most ancient human civilizations in known space may be no more than the first stage in a vast experiment, whose end has yet to be realized.
Shaka: A class of psychic rumored to be able to invade the minds of others and control them. Reports of the Shaka first began to circulate after the final phase of the psychic Diaspora, and some believe they came into existence when the destruction of Llornu fostered insanity in the Institute’s most powerful telepaths.
Little is known about the Shaka and their existence has never been confirmed to the satisfaction of Imperial authorities; however they are much feared in the Outlands, where it is rumored they intermingle with “normal” humans for purposes unknown. There are several cases on record of strangers being killed simply because their odd behavior or other quirks made others suspect they might belong to this class of deadly creature. In all cases, legal charges against the assailants were dismissed, courts ruling that such violence was “unfortunate, but justified.”
Shem’Ar: Literally “Servant of Ar,” the word is used for any woman who invites Ar’s attention by dominating the actions of men. Tradition states that when this happens Chaos will begin to erode the rational underpinnings of the universe.
The Shem’Ar is the ultimate taboo in Braxin society, rejected by common culture long before it was proscribed by law. The effect of this taboo is most evident in language, where the circumlocutions required for women to communicate without ever giving men so much as a casual order has resulted in what has been called “the female dialect.” (This is notably a lower-class phenomenon, as the upper class Speech Modes offer the means to temper any statement with modifiers that indicate “I mean this only as a suggestion.”) While the lower classes abhor the Shem’Ar in all her manifestations, among the upper classes it is not unknown for a perverse sexual attraction to exist. Braxaná claim that this is the vestigial remnant of their warrior tradition, which rewarded women for military domination of men of other tribes, but psychologists outside the Holding suggest that the real reason has more to do with the absolute power of the Pale Ones, and the rare appeal of “forbidden” indulgences.
Shlesor: A program of selective breeding among the Braxaná, believed to have lasted several centuries. The Shlesor was but one facet of a greater effort on the part of the Braxaná to set themselves apart from other tribes, in accordance with the counsel of Harkur the Great:
If the Braxaná, or any other single tribe, were to try to rule Braxi for an extended length of time, they would have to set themselves apart from all other Braxins. They would have to create an image so alien to the rest of Braxin culture that no other group could aspire to it, and do it to such an extreme that the image itself becomes synonymous with power. Then and only then, no man would dare to question their rule.
The exact details of the Shlesor are not known, save that the Braxaná disdained to utilize genetic technology in their efforts, preferring instead the more primitive practice of infanticide to cull undesirables out of their gene pool. By the third century A.C. a change in the appearance and demeanor of the tribe had already been noted, and the writings of Janos in the seventh century made clear reference to the unusual strength, endurance, and beauty which had become characteristic of the Braxaná in his time.
Geneticists note that the tribe was uniquely well prepared for such an exercise. Their breeding customs already allowed for giving preference to the seed of successful warriors, and those who were limited in their progeny rights might still take pride in passing down their bi’ti to the next generation. The reliance upon primitive methods had its cost, however, and by the sixth century there were rumors that repeated inbreeding had weakened the tribe in ways that were not immediately apparent. By the ninth century it had been noted that the Braxaná population was failing in numbers, and it is believed that the Shlesor was officially abandoned by the turn of the millenium. Repeated efforts by geneticists to gain the cooperation of the Braxaná in analyzing such changes have resulted in a tribal hostility toward genetic science which remains strong to this day.
Social Codes: Customs derived from the tribal practices of the Braxaná, some of which have since entered the body of Braxin law. The Social Codes were originally a warrior ethic, designed to bolster personal strength and obliterate weakness, both in the individual and in the tribe as a whole.
The Braxaná Social Codes are best known for relegating women to a subservient position in Braxin society, and for mandating their sexual availability in many situations. (See Just Cause). Curiously, this infamous custom was not originally gender-specific. Among the ancient Braxaná it was not uncommon for females to take up arms, and those who fought beside their men were equally entitled to H’kanit Sar, or the Fruits of War. Those returning from battle, male and female alike, were entitled to take from among the tribe whatever mates they chose, for the needs of the warrior were considered more important than any other social restriction or contract. This not only guaranteed the free flow of sexual energy—which the Braxaná believed was necessary for the health of the bi’ti, or warrior spirit—but gave the warriors an opportunity to spread their seed throughout the tribe, thus guaranteeing the strength and fierceness of the Braxaná people as a whole.
Many historians believe that when the Braxaná adapted this practice to greater Braxin society and made it the law of the land, it was meant as a “bribe” to the males of the Holding, in order to win their support. Others are quick to point out that the Braxaná relationship between male and female was unique, and that the law became oppressive only when removed from its proper cultural context. The Braxaná philosopher Durat wrote at length about the custom in 897 A.C., deriding the fact that a law which should have encouraged men and women to establish stable households together had instead become an excuse for isolationism.
Source World: A planet on which human life evolved independently, rather than having been placed there during the Seeding. While no Source World has been confirmed as such, several are considered candidates by virtue of their archeological record and/or placement in the Schedule of Progress.
Speech Modes : See Braxaná Dialect.
Standard: Terminology associated with the planet Zeymour. Measures of time such as the Standard Year were adopted by the Star Empire in 837 Y.E., in order to provide a calendrical system which would not favor any existing planet. Though nonhuman cultures within the Empire periodically protest the “human bias” of the system, the Standard system of time measurement functions throughout the Empire as a neutral foundation for interspecies communication.
Star- : (Azea) A prefix used to indicate any species, organization or event which is associated with interstellar culture rather than a particular planetary base.
StarControl: Technically the branch of the Azean Imperial government responsible for all military affairs, StarControl has as its special mandate management of the Braxin-Azean conflict, in peacetime as well as during active hostilities. As a Crown of the Empire the Director of StarControl answers to no one save the Emperor himself, and in matters concerning the Great War is traditionally granted complete independence.
While membership in StarControl is not technically restricted to Azeans, in practice it is rare to find humans of another race in any position of authority within the organization. Azeans cite the unique stability of their race as justification for this, while detractors are quick to point out that the establishment of yet another Azean-dominated Crown has political ramifications beyond the range of military affairs. Nonhumans as a rule do not serve in StarControl, believing the obsession with Braxi to be a purely human affair; nonhuman negotiators have been known to refer to the conflict as “not our war.”
Star Empire: See Azean Star Empire.
Subname: The second name taken by Azeans, inherited through patrilinear or matrilinear descent according to the child’s gender. Originally the numbers of Zeymourian ships used during the Exodus, subnames were adopted soon after the Founding to memorialize the planetary migration. They are used today in combination with the chosen name as a form of polite address, the Azean equivalent of “Mr.” or “Ms.”
The subname “lyu” is reserved for the firstborn descendants of the line of Hasha.
Taz’hein: The “traitor god” of the Braxin pantheon, Taz’hein was recognized by neighboring tribes under a variety of other names, usually as a lesser god or demon. His destruction of the Creator served as a convenient explanation for why more benevolent gods did not involve themselves in human affairs, and historians note that much of Taz’hein’s “worship” was not meant to draw favorable notice from the treacherous deity, but rather to encourage him to keep his distance.
It is not known exactly when the Braxaná first claimed a line of descent separate from that of other Braxins, with Taz’hein as their creator, but the myth was aggressively promulgated by Viton the Ruthless as part of a greater political agenda to set the Braxaná apart from other tribes. Under Braxaná influence Taz’hein would eventually dominate the lesser pantheons of other tribes, with the Creator relegated to a well-meaning but ultimately failed role in human history.
Token Dominance/Token Domitor : Among the Braxaná, a man who serves as personal assistant to the Mistress of a female-owned House, representing it in legal situations where she cannot. As Braxin law does not permit a woman to give direct orders to men, token male dominance is required in any situation where men must be commanded, or where gender-sensitive negotiations must take place.
Token of Ownership: An item, usually jewelry, signifying the submission of a Braxin woman to the sexual ownership of a man. Such a token is considered Just Cause for refusing granting sexual favors to any other male.
While the token of ownership may be of any form and therefore it is tempting for women to lie about having one, the fines for such subterfuge are high and enforcement is fierce. Any man suspecting deception is permitted to demand the identity of a woman’s owner, and to make a citizen’s arrest if she fails to provide it.
Tsank’ar: A virus native to Braxi, which has spread through the interstellar community to every known human planet. Though the effects of the tsank’ar are usually mild, the virus is subject to episodes of mutation which occasionally produce more virulent and more damaging strains.
Attempts to monitor the virus and provide preventative treatments have proven successful among the human population at large, and lesser mutations of the tsank’ar have been rated by Montesekua’s Virology Center as a class IV, and are rarely lethal.
Major mutations of the tsank’ar are cause for greater concern, and Montesekua keeps close watch upon potentially threatening strains. These mutations appear approximately once a century and are known to be particularly damaging to the Braxaná, many of whom will isolate themselves during epidemics. The disruption of normal political processes during such a so-called Plague provides a rare opportunity for Azean military aggression, and it is said that virologists within the Star Empire watch the tsank’ar as closely as do their counterparts in the Holding, seeking to anticipate the next period of Braxin vulnerability
Tzkairi: See Community of Mind.
Viak’im: Ruler of the Kesserit tribe. The Viak’im is chosen by ritual combat, overseen by a council of elders who may weight the proceedings in favor of one candidate or another.
Viton the Ruthless : Braxaná servitor to Harkur the Great, and the first Braxaná Kaim’era of the B’Saloan Holding.
Little is known of Viton’s early life save that he was raised in the Braxaná tribal reaches, isolated from greater Braxin culture and technology. In his youth he made several forays into “civilized” territory, and while numerous romanticized tales have been written of his adventures there, the only acts that can be ascribed to him with certainty are the theft of the Zaldovi tribal relics in 4 B.C. and the assassination of a Brentasi prince in 2 A.C.
Viton came to the attention of Harkur’s agents in 5 A.C. and was invited to the new international capital to meet him. His ruthless Braxaná spirit impressed the monarch and he served Harkur as companion and advisor through the duration of his reign. Their discussions of political and social philosophy were recorded by both parties, and have served as inspiration for warriors and politicians ever since.
Viton claimed the throne after Harkur’s death in 57 A.C. Harkur’s belief that the planet would take issue with Braxaná rule proved prophetic, and at least fifteen separate assassination attempts were known to take place during Viton’s lifetime. He remained Kaim’era for nearly five decades despite such opposition, during which time he established the Braxaná so solidly as the power behind the Braxin throne that no man could hope to dislodge them.
Void: Braxin term for “outer space,” more specifically the space between star systems. The Void refers not to lack of matter or energy but lack of consciousness, and hearkens back to the belief of many tribes that the universe was originally a vast pool of awareness. Each god born during the Creation drew his consciousness from that pool, until at last there was nothing left but nonsentient darkness.
Periodically cults arise in the Holding which purport to have located or even “spoken to” some surviving fragment of that great Awareness. Although the Braxaná are loathe to act against any such movement for fear of creating martyrs, it is known they keep a close eye upon such groups, and will act if necessary to keep such religious cults from gaining a foothold in Braxin society.
War Border: A region of space situated between the Braxin Holding and the Azean Star Empire where the majority of battles between those nations are fought. Territory in the War Border frequently changes hands, for which reason colonization is limited, and the majority of business conducted in the Border has to do with exploitation of planetary resources by a mobile freelance community that shifts its interests in accordance with territorial gains and losses, to avoid falling into enemy hands.
The territory known as the War Border does shift over time as imperial strategies play out, and planets which once housed large and complex civilizations within the Empire or Holding have on occasion found themselves in the control of those they once called enemies. Most famous of all of these is the colony of Hakrite, which changed hands 135 times in the 53rd century of the War, and where it is said that the natives kept flags of both nations in their houses, checking each morning to see which one it was appropriate to fly.
Wilding: An aggressive mating custom of the early Braxaná, common in their isolationist period, in which a male or female of fertile age would leave the tribe’s territory to seek a mate from among surrounding peoples. While exogamy was common among Braxin tribes in order to sustain the genetic health of small populations, the Braxaná practice of mate-abduction, and the fact that they recognized no legal or cultural restrictions upon whom they might claim, made them less than popular with their immediate neighbors.
The practice was supposedly abandoned in the third century B.C, when the developing technology of surrounding nations forced the Braxaná to become more circumspect, but some historians believe that the custom was simply practiced more discretely after that point, and Braxaná females were known to aggressively seek impregnation by outsiders as late as the reign of Harkur the Great. The Shlesor put an end to all such customs, and is credited with turning Braxaná mating practices from an inclusive to an exclusive focus.
Y.E.: Year of the Exodus. The current Azean calendrical system begins its year count with the Founding of Azea.
Zatar the Magnificent: One of the youngest Braxaná ever to be elevated to the rank of Kaim’era, Zatar the Magnificent would later establish himself as the figurehead of the entire Holding, and establish his nation’s first hereditary dynasty. While the first part of his life was lived in the public eye, with particular acclaim for his outstanding service in the Border Fleet, Zatar retired to a life of solitude soon after claiming his throne, with few public appearances and little direct contact even with his own Council. While many have speculated about the reasons for this hermitage little is actually known, and many ascribe the move to an attempt to create a sense of personal mystique above and beyond the Braxaná norm.
Zeymour: Formerly the third planet in the Azean star system, it is estimated Zeymour is the source for 87% of the material in the Daylish asteroid belt. While Azean tradition blames the planet’s inhabitants for its destruction, scientists now believe that the passage of an alien body through the system was responsible for the planet’s breakup, either by direct impact or by combination with local gravitic stressors.
Zeymour is regarded as a possible Source World for humankind, mostly due to Azea’s advanced placement in the Schedule of Progress. Given the current state of Zeymour’s archeological record it is unlikely that sufficient evidence will be uncovered to either prove or disprove this theory.
Zeymophobia: A syndrome unique to starfaring cultures, zeymophobia encompasses several disorders associated with fear of being planetbound. First noted among interstellar scouts on extended missions, Type I zeymophobia most often manifests as a fear of being unable to leave a planet’s surface at will; in the most extreme cases this will produce crippling anxiety at the failure of any transportation device or system. Type II zeymophobia entails fear of natural ecosystems, and by extension all environments which are not strictly controlled by human technology. Though the symptoms of both types can be treated, the underlying causes are not fully understood, and sufferers are encouraged to develop a lifestyle independent of planetary habitation.
It has been long noted that zeymophobia is a purely human phenomenon, and several nonhuman scientists have speculated that this is the natural result of the human species “spreading itself too thin” among the stars. Other theorists postulate that it is a vestigial memory of species trauma from the time of the Seeding, and that if the other Scattered Species were of sufficiently advanced sentience similar symptoms would be observed in their populations.
Zhaor: The traditional weapon of the Braxaná, worn by members of the first class as a sign of rank, used in dueling challenges between them. The Zhaor blade has a triangular cross-section for two thirds of its length, with the final third being sharpened along both edges. Many styles of guard and quillons exist, the most common being a variety of openwork fashionable in the time of Viton the Ruthless. Early Zhaori were quite opulent, and while later models were fashioned to suit the understated image of the Braxaná, surviving relics from earlier eras still surface at high dress occasions among the older bloodlines, strangely at odds with the stark, colorless clothing that is their backdrop.
The Edict of 1,916 forbade the carrying of any bladed weapon by Braxins of “lesser blood,” making the wearing of Zhaor one of the most visible and recognizable signs of a Braxaná inheritance.
Although Braxaná women of fertile age are forbidden to duel they are permitted to wear the Zhaor, as a reminder to all that in ancient times they served as warriors beside their men, and were revered for their fierceness as well as their fertility.
Zhene: The single moon of Braxi, orbiting its mother planet in 17+ Braxin days, and keeping one face toward the planet at all times. Zhene was explored in the second century B.C. and a government base was established there soon after, to be used for scientific experimentation and galactic observation. With the refinement of gravitic science it became possible to colonize the satellite on a greater scale, and in 474 A.C. Zhene was claimed by the Braxaná as a haven for their Race. Zhene is now restricted to members of the First Class and their households, and shines in the night sky of Braxi as a visible reminder of the separatist policies of the Pale Ones.
Zhent: The passage of Braxi’s moon through all its phases, or seventeen-plus Braxin days.