Xedael Empire

The Xedael Empire is populated primarily by the Ingr'Nysk people, and is one of the nations in the Lapsarian Sector.

The People: Ingr'Nysk
At first glance, the Ingr’Nysk are roughly humanoid in appearance. They possess a pair of legs and arms, as well as a human-like face, and body proportions are equivalent to those found among average humanoid beings. However, skin tone and hair color, among other things, are strikingly different from most Humans.

Ingr’Nysk skin coloration ranges from pure white to a bluish-gray hue, with hair pigment found in the same range. However, these people are capable of altering their skin pigmentation, though such changes are involuntary. When experiencing strong emotions, Ingr’Nysk skin will change from the individual’s natural color to another hue. Different feelings will result in different color alterations. For example, anger will result in a flush of deep blue, while passion causes the skin to acquire an emerald appearance. Hair color, interestingly enough, does not change.

In addition to a difference in skin and hair tone, Ingr’Nysk possess pupils that glow with almost any color found in the universe. Their eyes reflect light and the color of the pupil is determined at birth. As expected, both pupils share the same color, though there are reports that some individuals have differing pupil coloration. This difference does not carry any particular significance, though some Ingr’Nysk cultures place various meanings upon this sign.

Though Ingr’Nysk body proportions are very similar to Human proportions, their body shapes tend to lean towards a more lithe and agile build. This is not to say that muscle-bound Ingr’Nysk do not exist; Ingr’Nysk just possess strong yet supple muscle tissue. In fact, when measured in proportional amounts, the muscle strength and elasticity of most Ingr’Nysk are greater than that of most Humans.

Another interesting aspect of the Ingr’Nysk physiology is the bone structure. Similar to the Human equivalent, Ingr’Nysk bones are composed of a honeycomb structure containing calcium carbonate and other minerals. However, in addition to these common compounds, the bones of these people contain traces of various metal oxides, increasing the bones’ ability to withstand stresses. These metal oxides form an interlocking web to reinforce the original bone structure and increase the tensile strength, resulting in far fewer bone-related injuries.

Though the Ingr’Nysk possess what appears to be hair on their scalps, these structures are not really hair. Rather, they are organs that serve an extra-sensory function, and are known as tera. Approximately a centimeter in diameter, the tera are very sensitive to touch and movement, and can grow up to ten centimeters in length. The tera are composed of soft tissue with a tough, almost leathery, covering. They can be styled, but because of the sensitivity, some form of anesthesia is usually used. Ingr’Nysk do not possess any form of body or facial hair.

All Ingr’Nysk possess inherent psionic ability. For over ninety-nine percent of the Ingr’Nysk population, this psychic power entails no major advantage besides a faster response time and ability to sense other people’s emotional states. However, approximately one out of every million Ingr'Nysk is born with a much higher degree of psionic ability. Capable of influencing the will of others, extraordinary physical feats, and other such abilities, these unique children are nonetheless very mentally and physically unstable. Known as the Forgotten, these individuals commonly wreak havoc and destruction if they are not immediately identified at birth and terminated.

A result of this ability to sense the emotion of others is that most Ingr’Nysk tend to be more open and truthful than is normally expected; after all, there is very little reason to try to lie when one’s emotional state can be detected. However, this is not to say that the Ingr’Nysk are naïve or open to deception. On the contrary, many Ingr’Nysk, such as those in high governmental positions, train to prevent others from detecting their motives and emotional states.

Society and Government
The Ingr’Nysk are an ancient people, having colonized the surrounding systems ages ago. The current government is the result of over a thousand years of efforts to control one variable: the Forgotten. Though Forgotten are not common, they pose a major threat to Ingr’Nysk civilization. If not caught early, these children develop extraordinary psionics and become unstable to the point of causing massive destruction. In the past, these children would run rampant, destroying cities and killing thousands. During this time of chaos, an individual named Xedael the Pure took power. Utilizing brutally efficient methods, he eradicated the Forgotten menace and initiated a number of policies to prevent similar events from reoccurring. Tired of years of instability, the people agreed, and the Xedael Empire was born.

The Xedael Empire is rooted in the Ingr’Nysk religion, and as such has a large priesthood forms the ruling council. However, Empress Shedao, a descendent of Xedael the Pure, is the de facto ruler. Even though the Empire was founded centuries ago, many of Xedael’s original policies are in effect. For example, all newborns are immediately screened for any signs of mental instability; any who could develop into Forgotten are immediately terminated. Secret police and Inquisition units are commonplace.

This form of government has led to a bipolar society. On the surface, all citizens of the Empire are thankful for the order and stability, even if it means giving up some personal freedoms. The empathetic nature of the Ingr’Nysk certainly adds credit to this desire. On the other hand, because the government (under the need for “spiritual purity” and other such labels) heavily regulates trade and commerce, there exists a large black market for restricted goods and trades. As a result, despite the best efforts of the government, there exists a substantial underground society.

The Ingr’Nysk are a religious people, and in every city there exists a state-sanctioned church dedicated to the worship of the Holy Aspect, who is seen as a harsh, but just god. Church services are held several times per day, and all citizens of the Empire are expected to attend at least one service, though the reality is generally different.

Commerce
The Xedaeli worlds are highly industrialized and are producers of many material goods. Ship components, such as fusion reactors and hull plating are a specialty of the Xedaeli, and form a large percentage of the Empire’s exports. Interestingly enough, for a nation so highly invested in industry, the greatest import is consumer goods and luxury items. Most Xedaeli factories are tooled to produce goods with practical uses, so there are few, if any local facilities capable of producing luxury goods.

Holdings
The capital world of the Xedael Empire, Ingr is one of the two habitable worlds in the Ingr System, and is also the home world of the Ingr’Nysk race. The planet was once a lush temperate world, but centuries of industry and growth have replaced its once majestic landscape with artificial mountains. The Cathedral of Light, a mammoth structure towering nearly a thousand meters tall, is the seat of the government. Approximately 600 million Ingr’Nysk call Ingr home.

The second habitable world in the Ingr System, Pentin is not nearly as densely populated as Ingr, and its natural environment are largely intact. As such, it is the source of most of the Empire’s food and agriculture. Its natural beauty also makes it the unofficial home for many high-ranking members of the priesthood. Approximately 200 million people reside on Pentin.

Colonized just over a century ago, Oura is the least populated planet in the Xedael Empire. However, it is also growing very quickly because of its position in the Lapsarian Sector. Oura’s primary population centers are located near its primary spaceport, with very few outlying settlements. Though there are several small industries such as mining and agriculture, Oura’s serves primarily as a trade hub. Compared with the other two inhabited planets, Oura possesses a fairly small population of only 50 million inhabitants.

Military
The Xedael Empire possess a sizeable standing army as well as a formidable navy.

Navy
Dreadnaught-class Destroyer At 500-meters long and weighing in at a mammoth 200,000 tons, the Dreadnaught-class Destroyer epitomizes the Xedaeli approach to warfare and most matters: overwhelming force. Though not particularly fast, the Dreadnaught mounts an impressive array of missile tubes, anti-missile systems, and hefty armor, and its mere presence can cowl enemies into submission.

Fox-class Corvette: Weighing in at 15,000 tons, the Fox-class Corvette was designed as an escort to the larger Dreadnaught-class warship. The Fox mounts ten 30-millimeter Gauss cannons as anti-fighter weapons, and the extra space is devoted to the engine, enabling the Fox a decently high flanking speed.

Sabutai-class Multi-Purpose Fighter The 75-ton Sabutai utilizes modular technology to fulfill a number of mission parameters. The primary configuration mounts two 18-millimeter Gauss rifles, while the secondary configuration replaces one Gauss rifle with a single 6-kiloton warhead.

The pride of the Xendaeli Navy is the Dreadnaught-class Destroyer, Divine Conquest. Escorting the flagship are two Fox-class Corvettes, the Avenger and Crusader. The Navy's fighter squadron, Wrath Squadron, is comprised of four Sabutai Multi-Purpose Fighters.

Army
The Xedael Army consists of approximately 20 million soldiers, with many of the population capable of being called up in times of need. (All Xedaeli must fulfill two years of mandatory military service.)