The Bessaji

The Bessaji are a species of humanoids native to a planet orbiting a binary star system. They have developed a high level of technology and now use hyperrocketships to travel to other worlds where they create cities under glass domes. While there is no one dominant government or culture or religion among the Bessaji, they still identify as a strongly united species and do not often mingle with other lifeforms they have encountered. They are generally not violent to other species, but prefer to avoid them altogether. They have set up traps around star systems they have claimed which can depower unauthorized spacecraft, leaving the occupants to die in powerless ships if they try to come to Bessaji space.

The Space Plunderer, opponent of Gus Comet, is a member of the Bessaji race, but he has been exiled and would never be allowed to return to the Bessaji homeworld.

Lucyd Den is a worker on a transport ship working in the star system where the Bessaji homeworld is located. Because it would be unsafe to use hyperrockets within the limits of the system, transport ships travel between the planets at relatively slow speeds, taking months per trip. With so much time spent on their ships, the crews of these ships have basically become cultures of their own. The population of Lucyd Den’s ship is over a thousand. Because populations can increase, the ships feature modular compartments that can be added as needed. Lucyd Den is not liked on the ship and has been strongly considering locating to some other ship, but has to wait months before the option is even possible.

Redish is a Bessaji cyborg. The Bessaji have the technology to combine their computers with biological entities, though many of their cultures prefer not to do it. The colony on the planet Geraasish, however, have found it very helpful to modify their brains. Geraasishians are also, Redish included, more likely to see the value of cooperating with other species, and it is one of the few places where trade with aliens takes place, though it is all kept on the down low.

Besno M’Nwenz is a sort of monk in a religious order that worships the dual stars of the home system, though he lives in a colony on a planet in a single star system. He makes occasional pilgrimages to the home system to see the stars in person, but must always return to his colony to do good works. There, he prays for nothing more than a new star to come mate with the lonely one there.

A Fact About the Bessaji: In their ancient past, before they reached out into the stars, the Bessaji had tails. This feature evolved away during the recorded history of the species, which spans nearly a million years by our reckoning. Ancient depictions of species, even though they are direct ancestors, now seem like a wholly different species.

Universe: Green

Exkibos

The Exkibos live on a planet called Uksteron, a world with an orbit that causes long periods of winter between very hot summers. The Exkibos live in the hottest regions of the planet, and hibernate during the winters. The planet has no satellites, and the only other planets in the system are so distant that the Exkibos have not yet noticed them.

Exkibos are three-legged creatures with a flexible appendage growing from their foreheads. On average, an Exkibo’s height would be about half of that of a human. Exkibo society is one of strict hierarchy, with the ruling class claiming to be descended from legendary heroes, and the vast multitude living in poor conditions to serve the royalty. The heroes of legend may not even have ever existed, but the tales shape modern Exkibo society in many ways.

Edhoo is from a royal family that claim to be descended from a great world-travelling hero who sired many children. Edhoo tries to live by the example of that ancient hero, travelling to other nations and interfering with their affairs in the name of “saving the world” all while trying to mate with whoever is willing. Edhoo is something of a jerk, to be honest.

Ipowwa is from a different royal family, which claims to be descended from the brother of Edhoo’s family. In stories told by Edhoo’s people, that brother was a traitor, but the stories told Ipowwa’s people say that the ancestor’s actions were justified to keep the kingdom safe. In Ipowwa’s time, the kingdom is recovering from a destructive war that wiped out over seventy percent of the population there. Ipowwa is gathering forces to rebuild the kingdom’s fortresses and protect from those who would try to raid the weakened state.

Evlow is one of the lowly non-royal citizens of Uksteron. Living a simple, “small” life in a village by a river. Evlow works hard keeping the land fertile and reaping the various plant-like foods that are grown there. In the nights, Evlow gathers around the fires with friends and family and tells stories and dances. It may not have the intrigue of the “royals”, but Evlow is not unhappy.

A Fact About Exkibos: Exkibos keep pets, including one species of flying creature, called Dsworfs, which they have trained to help them with various tasks, such as carrying things or hunting. Some Dswofs are simply kept as pampered pets with no assigned tasks, but that is mostly among the royals

Universe: Indigo

The Efmons are a massive family of magically-enhanced world conquerors who were exiled from their home dimension. Trying to establish a new base of operations, they conquered the planet Zezwek. Using this world as a beachhead into the new universe in which they find themselves, the family have begun magically travelling to other planets and, when they find intelligent life, conquering. Their resources are limited, though, so when possible they have been recruiting the conquered alien species to their cause. This is a special forces team they have created with the intent of going into enemy lines for missions.

Phillin Efmon

Phillin is a young Efmon, born after the family’s defeat in their home dimension. He was trained at a time when the family was pushing its hardest to return to power, and had to start young, and saw combat even before his ceremony that gave him his mystical powers, something which never would have been allowed on the homeworld. Phillin showed such skill as a warrior that it was decided he would be the perfect Efmon to keep the alien commando unit in line.

Exxo Palavo

Exxo Palavo has committed wholeheartedly to the worship of the Efmon’s god, Thalamaya. Having fought the Efmons when they first began their conquest of Zezwek, Exxo saw such miracles as could not be explained but by magic. Any force that could make such things happen was beyond the scope of Exxo’s imagination. During a battle Exxo surrendered and was put in a prison. There, introduced to the teachings of the Efmon, Exxo never doubted the new faith and was rewarded with a chance to serve Thalamaya’s mission.

Nevek Sang

Nevek Sang comes from the nearest inhabited planet to Zezwek, and the species could hardly be more different than the Zezwek People. Voracious carnivores that prefer to live solitary lives, Nevek’s people actually had knowledge of certain mystical practices before the Efmons arrival, which only allowed them to sense the power of the invasion force. It only made sense to ally with such a powerful army, and they opened up their world to the otherdimensional family. Nevek is a particularly bloodthirsty example of the species, often going out of the way to make an enemy’s death more painful than it need be.

Comtor

Comtor represents a species that is intelligent in the ways that we, as humans, consider important, but was not the dominant species on their world. Apart from some mild tool use, the species had not advanced technologically, and their small population was beset by the dangers of predatory species and inclement weather. The small predatory species would hunt game, running faster than cheetahs, but were often driven outperformed by flying animals. When the Efmon forces arrived on that world, Comtor was one of the first beings inquisitive enough to investigate, and that is how the Efmons discovered their intelligence. The species has now been introduced to advanced technology and suddenly finds itself living at the top of the food chain in what seems like a magical paradise.

Cot Rondar

Cot Rondar is the team’s tank. A large snail-like creature, Cot’s regenerative cellular structure makes it almost impervious to most damage, and its strength makes it ideal for carrying heavy weapons and supplies. Cot actually has no technical loyalty to the Efmons in general, but is from a species whose hierarchy is designated by shows of dominance. The Efmon’s invasion of Cot’s planet proved that they are the alphas in that galaxy.

The Residents of the Siich

On a planet called Siich, there is a species of small flying creatures that refer to themselves, in their language, as “The Residents of Siich”. They are not particularly inventive at naming things (Siich is essentially their word for “the World”). They are born in clumps of eggs belonging to a community, with no attention paid to parentage, and each individual is assigned a task at birth and named for it. This task is all they are trained for, and all they care about.

All three of today’s examples come from the same community on Siich, but there is not a drastic amount of difference between this community and others.

The Alarmer is a young Resident. It’s job is to patrol the community’s territory and, if anything is amiss, to raise the alarm about it. Appropriate for that task, the Alarmer is a workaholic who forgoes its own well-being in the name of better serving the community. For the moment, this is fine, as the Alarmer is full of youthful energy, but what will happen when it ages and grows weaker and cannot continue to push its body to the limits?

The Robber is the community’s professional thief. It go into other territory owned by other communities and steals their resources, be it food or livestock or materials. The Robber is not stealthy, though, or it would be the Burglar. The Robber will confront and threaten its targets unless it gets what it wants. With no reason to question the ethics of what it does, the Robber goes about the work with glee.

The Interpreter is a representative of the more peaceful contact between communities. Learning the languages of other communities, the Interpreter translates messages received and to be sent in the interests of trade or diplomacy. As a result of this job, the Interpreter is more understanding of other cultures than most Residents. The Interpreters in most communities are often the Residents that are most desirous of creating a lasting peace on the planet.

A Fact About The Residents of the Siith: The Residents can not take off from a standing position and need to climb to a branch or a cliff and jump off to begin flying.

Universe: Silver

Horhutans

Planet Horhut is, to put it mildly, not a great place. It is ruled by a dense bureaucracy that has no concern for the ecological well-being of the planet’s biosphere. The pollution is terrible and life for the lower tiers of the societal hierarchy is a maddening trial.

Rather than slithering like a snake, Horhutans move by flexing their scales in a wave pattern that conveys them along. When not moving, they position themselves in an upright manner that lets them stand about as tall as humans. They have a large sense organ on the top of their heads, which is based on seeing magnetic waves. They have two arms that have claws that they can lock onto whatever they are holding.

Little Choy once insulted a Horhutan.

Naynik is a Horhutans of a reasonably high social tier, not super rich, but also not forced to dwell in squalor the way most of the populace is. Still, it isn’t a great life. There are so many rules that one must follow or lose face that Naynik is constantly stressed out and worried about making a misstep.

Veadivo is employed at an information office, inputting data incessantly into the government’s databases. As is desired by the government, this job has destroyed any traces of interesting personality in Veadivo and co-workers.

Irxadan dreams of a better world. Why must we toil endlessly in meaningless tasks? As far as Irxadan can tell, the only reason it is done is to tire the Horhutans and prevent them from meaningful tasks. Irxadan would love for this to change, but can’t think of any way to change it, and anyway, is too busy working in a factory that makes whips that rich Horhutans can use to hurt poor ones.

A Fact About Horhutans: There was a time when Horhutans created space probes with the intention to explore their galaxy. After doing that for a while, they got bored of it. The government did not find anything interesting quickly enough to justify spending resources, so they not only cancelled the program but went so far as to remove evidence that it had ever existed, because they didn’t want to admit that they’d made a mistake. The probes they made were actually very well designed, however, and may still be out there collecting information that nobody on Horhut is going to gather.

Universe: Blue