Covenant of the Spiral

a.k.a. The Covenant, Covenant of Circles, Covenant of the Double Helix

Overview:

The Covenant of the Spiral, located in Sector H, is a collection of 8 (possibly 9) disparate species held together by their spiritual ideals and their devotion to a mysterious leader - Queen Faerilin Lael. The long-term goal of the Covenant is the peaceful progression of spiritual and biological evolution. Members of the Covenant believe that all life holds potential and is therefore sacred. It is also believed that peace is the best medium for intelligent advancement (see Religion for more details). For these reasons, war and other aggressive acts are shunned (see Military, Sports and Leisure, Government, and Chronic Problems for exceptions). Because so much of the Covenant religion is centered on change, its members have an amazing ability to adapt quickly and easily to the periodic changes caused by Quantum Storms. Because of the gradual immigration of the various species into the Veil area, Covenant members have always had some awareness of the Outside so contact with Omnet and the Greater Galaxy caused little in the way of culture shock.

Navigation:

CoLC Index

Index:

Q-dex / Technology / Magic
Size / Population / Climate & Geography / Flora & Fauna
History / Government / Foreign Policy / Domestic Policy
Society / Languages / Religions / Castes / Economy
Military / Sports & Leasure / Major Population Centers / Chronic Problems
Submitters

Q-dex:

T575.2188/650.695A M648.3188/510.94

Technology

Potentiality Descriptor:

Handling Ratio 5
Advancement Ratio 7
Quantity 5

Stability Indicator:

Magnitude 2 spring zephyr
Frequency 1 very rare
Duration 8 very long
Size 8 very large

Sciences Referent:

Life Bipolar 650

Relations Measure:

View of Outsiders 6 shy but friendly
Political Stability 9 very stable
Ties to Omnet 5 amenable, but prefers limited
accessat present

Magic

Potentiality Descriptor:

Handling Ratio 6 average mod. easy
Advancement Ratio 4 somewhat difficult
Quantity 8 high degree of Mana and Essence

Stability Indicator:

Magnitude 3 spring zephyr
Frequency 1 very rare
Duration 8 very long
Size 8 very large

Sciences Referent:

Enchanted Life Linear 510

Life Forms Guide:

Deviation from Human norm 9 major deviations encountered
Number of sentient lifeforms 4 9 sentient lifeforms encountered

Vestis Note: Quantum Storms in this zone are better described as Quantum Breezes. Tech storms begin in the heart of Velathayne and spiral outward to the Veil where they are reflected back inward as mystic storms. These low magnitude storms fade into one another ceaselessly over an average of ten thousand years five thousand years to rise, peak, and fade for each half of the cycle.

Technology:

Technology in the Covenant is based on both Matter/Energy and
Essence/Mana, with certain species being better at one form or another. All technology developed is shared out among all the races. Technology in this Q-dex is just unreliable enough that magical fail-safes and redundant systems are built into everything.

* Guthrian technology is Matter/Energy based and deals largely with the use and renewal of natural resources. Because the basis of this Q-Zone is Life, Guthrians have devoted themselves to the technology of growing material and fuels. Most of the bio-industry is located off planet, primarily around the two gas giants and their moons. Guthrians can grow basic elements such as iron, copper, zinc, aluminum and tin in their natural forms easily and inexpensively. Other substances like the graphite and diamond forms of carbon must be grown under special conditions, such as high pressure or heat, and are somewhat more expensive. Alloys like bronze, molecules like water, and building rock like granite are the most difficult to grow, though new breakthroughs in elemental hybridization have reduced the cost significantly. These farming processes are said to involve elemental seeds planted in some kind of bio-medium, but the actual technology is a closely guarded secret. The materials grown by the Guthrians are not truly alive, but do possess a resiliency that traditionally mined and manufactured materials do not possess. As a final note, the Guthrians are working to overcome a problem with miniaturization. This means that such delicate
items as computer circuitry and microbots are currently beyond them. Guthrians build the larger ships of the Covenant.

* Korzacine technology is Essence/Mana based and is similar in many respects to that of the Guthrians. The Korzacine, however, have the opposite problem. While they are able to grow incredibly fine circuits, and their microbots are beyond compare, they are unable to craft large objects. Korzacine scientists are currently working closely with Guthrians to see if both problems can be resolved. The Korzacine are programmers without compare, and computers built by them process information at incredible speeds. Also, because their materials possess some degree of life , Korzacine A.I.s are among the most advanced in the greater galaxy. The Korzacine design and build all the guidance systems and ship board computers for all Covenant vessels.

* Chierril technology is based on engineering and communications. The Chierril people have designed most of the ships and drives of the Covenant as well as most of the electronic gadgetry. As they are not skilled craftsmen, they rely on other races to build (Guthrian and Korzacine) and test (S ssisstr r r n and Aqualen) their ideas. The Chierril are incredibly fast thinkers and push their Korzacine computers to their limits. Interestingly, they are not always accurate thinkers and many of their ideas have to be rethought and retested before they work. For this reason, though the Chierril have come up with some intriguing and incredibly advanced concepts, most do not work because this Q-dex does not allow it, because no known race has the technology to support them, because the ideas are incomplete and need more work, or because the ideas themselves are based on faulty research. It is an unfortunate fact that some truly amazing technological advances languish due to lack of attention the Chierril often do not have the patience or the attention span to complete a project.

Vestis Note: In the future, as relations between the Covenant and the Greater Galaxy are better established, it is likely that the Chierril will trade tech to governments willing to build and test items so long as they receive one fully functional copy of the item to use for the good of the Covenant. It is probable that they will trade to any government that asks while retaining all rights to the tech. Under no circumstances will they divulge any information that will be detrimental to the safety and well being of the Covenant.


* Aqualen technology is geared toward terraforming, water treatment, and alternative power generation. In spite of the fact that the Aqualen are water dwellers, their terraforming skills extend to terrestrial area as well. Though their technology is primarily Matter/Energy based, the Aqualen are experimenting with Essence/Mana alternatives.

* S ssisstr r r n technology deals with personal and ship weaponry as well as shields, deflectors, and force fields of all types. They manufacture fine beam weapons, sonic resonators, stunners, needle and other projectile guns, and anti-matter guns. They also manufacture shield disruptors of various sorts. Their pride and joy, however, is the Cell Disruptor a biological gun that somehow causes the cells in the victim s body to explode. They are rumored to have developed a ship weapon that fires miniature black holes that expand on contact, but this is unsubstantiated. In any case, the S ssisstr r r n do not discuss their tech and all their weapons, even those based on commonly known technology, have a built in self-destruct feature. The S ssisstr r r n do not possess nuclear weapon technology, and missiles of any kind are not their strong suit. The S ssisstr r r n are not truly innovators in weaponry they excellent craftsman who are primarily interested in defending Covenant space, not in killing. Therefore, they generally spend their time perfecting existing technology or modifying it to suit this Q-dex.

* Alfaelin technology is geared toward biotechnology: medicine, disease control, genetic engineering, eugenics, etc.

Vestis Note: The Alfaelin do not discuss their tech, and by and large, do not even use it. It is unknown at this time how advanced the Alfaelin are in this area.

* Quzo technology is geared toward terraforming and food processing. The Quzos design and build food replicators and hydroponic farms and are experimenting with Zero-g farming. They are known for developing disease resistant crops and for the technique of splicing insect eating plant DNA onto the genes of crop plants.

* %$#@!& technology is completely unknown, it is unknown if they use technology of any sort.

* T ch d k information on this race s tech is incomplete. However, there is reason to believe that they are skilled at constructing sealed biospheres as the beautiful Embassy Station is said to have been constructed as a gift to the Covenant. It is hoped that more information will become available once the T ch d k become full members of the Covenant.

Magic:

Though Mana and Essence are present in a greater degree than Energy and Matter, most races prefer to base technology on those elements rather than use them for magic. Nevertheless, magic is practiced and those who use it receive a great deal of respect. In fact, most tech is augmented with magical fail-safes.

* The Alfaelin are the only race in the Covenant that uses magic almost to the exclusion of technology. They are largely a race of healers and their skills here are incomparable, but they are also skilled illusion weavers, enchanters, elementalists, and shapeshifters. The Alfaelin are said to use every magical discipline known in the Covenant, but the ones listed above are the ones they are most well known for.

* The Guthrians use magic the least, but those who are skilled tend to be Truth Tellers, seers, Takers (magical thieves), conjurers and summoners (of demons, etc.). This species also supports a number of psionicists.

* The Korzacine are Shapers, a magic that they use in conjunction with both their technology and their art. All members of this species are psionically aware.

* The Chierril are fond of illusions and do them well, but they are also Shapers and enchanters of some skill as well.

* The Aqualen are primarily elementalists, but they also have skilled healers and Truth Tellers.

* The S ssisstr r r n are largely concerned attack and defense magics and also have Truth Tellers, psionicists, and Dispellers (of demons, etc.). The S ssisstr r r n also have Spirit Talkers (those who commune with the spirits of nature and the dead).

* The Quzos are almost entirely concerned with elemental magic and all members are psionically aware.

* It is unknown if to what degree, if at all, that the %$#@!& practice magic, but they have been seen to attack aggressors with powerful lightning discharges. There is some evidence that suggests that they can effect the elements as well, but as with the lightning discharge, it is unknown if this is actual magic or merely a natural phenomenon of the species.

* The magical capacity of the T ch d k is also unknown at this time.

Size:

The Covenant is enclosed within the Spiral Veil Nebula (composed of glowing particles of Matter and Essence that radiate Energy and Mana) and is spread over four star systems and two asteroid belts. Pirion is a yellow F-type star and has fifteen planets, ten of which are gas giants. Most of the planets have moons and three of the terrestrial planets are habitable. Only two have fully sentient species. Vors is an orange, G-type star and has eighteen planets, two of which are gas giants. All the planets have moons and four of the planets are habitable. Only two have fully sentient species. Capria is an orange, G-type star and has seven planets, four of which are gas giants. All but Capria Prime have moons and two of the planets are habitable. Two have fully sentient species. Zentir Major is an orange, G-type star and
has fifteen planets five of which are gas giants. Zentir Minor is a
brown dwarf star orbiting the primary star. All the planets have moons and six of the planets are habitable. Currently, none of the planets have fully sentient species living on them, though this may change in the near future.

Population:

Race Population Comments
Alfaelin 900 million Most on the planet Faelin.
Guthrian 1.8 billion Most on the planet Guthril with outposts on many of the uninhabitable planets of the Vors system.
Korzac 700 million Most located within the Korzacine belt.
Chierril 1 billion Most located on the moons Aerzal, Tevin, and
Callion.
S ssisstr r r n 1.6 billion Most located on the planet Sisstrin with a sizable enclave on Faelin.
Aqualen 500 million Most located on the planet Aquarion.
Quzo 500 million Most located on the planet Ceres.
%$#@!& unknown Primarily on Cethril, though these strange beings have been sighted all over Covenant space.
T ch d k 10 thousand All located on a hive ship orbiting Zentir Major on the outer fringes of that system.



Note: All species save the T ch d k have a contingent of 100 persons living and working on the Embassy Station.

Climate and Geography:

Star Name Planet Name Dia. km Mass Orbit km Length of day Length of Year
Pirion Cethril 12,000 .9 125 million 20 hours 300 days


Cethril is a strange and beautiful world shaped by a violent geologic history. In its youth, Cethril underwent constant, catastrophic changes with long periods of volcanic activity followed by intensely erosive wind and rainstorms. These two forces of nature were the architects of one of the most alien yet beautiful landscapes in the area. Colossal wind sculptures dot the plains and savannas, while smaller ones can be found on the hills and mountains. Cethril is largely landlocked with one small ocean and one landmass punctuated by inland seas and large lakes. Cethril is lightly forested, but the trees, exclusively deciduous, are widely scattered and have root systems strong and extensive enough to hold the soil and prevent desertification. Cethril s weather is still violent with heavy rainstorms in winter and heat lightning and windstorms of all types (hurricanes, tornadoes and the like) in the summer.

Star Name Planet Name Dia. km Mass Orbit km Length of day Length of Year
Pirion Faelin 13,950 1 170 million 48 hours 560 days


Faelin is the largest habitable world within the Veil and is a lush
paradise. Time has the illusion of standing still here as the days and years are quite long. The seasons in general are mild. Due to the gravitational pull of three sizable moons, Faelin does suffer extreme tides and is geologically active. The ratio of water is roughly 60% to 40% with one large continent and two smaller ones with the balance of land found in islands of all sizes. Faelin enjoys year round displays of auroras, but they are most common at the seasonal changes.

Planet Name Moon Name Dia. km Mass Orbit km Length of day Length of Year
Faelin Callion 4,200 .7   18 hours 50 (Faelin days)


Callion is a warm semi-arid world with long dry summers and short very wet winters. Vegetation is low with extensive root systems, most of which were imported from Cethril when this moon was terraformed. All water on Callion lies in lakes and rivers. The mountains here are high, sharp and craggy. The air is comparatively thin but comfortable at all levels due to oxygen generators and pressure fields. The high geologic activity is harnessed for energy, but is also frequently a threat to the inhabitants.

Planet Name Moon Name Dia.
km		 Mass Orbit km Length of day Length of Year
Faelin Belthirion 4,500 .85   22 hours 32 (Faelin days)


Belthirion is the most welcoming of Faelin s moons and required no terraforming to make it habitable. In almost every way, it is a
miniature of Faelin.

Planet Name Moon Name Dia. km Mass Orbit km Length of day Length of Year
Faelin Faerial 4,600 .8   24 hours 44 (Faelin days)


Faerial is largely a desert world with only the coastal area of the
single large continent and the river valley that runs from the northern polar cap to the western coast sustaining a comfortable environment. The coastal areas are largely cool rainforest in the north and warm rainforest in the south. The river valley is largely pastureland sprinkled with deciduous forest. The mountain range that borders the pole is geologically active. Faerial has a heavy rainy season every five Faelin years that causes the moon to frantically bloom in a spring and summer that lasts for a full year before fading back into desert. This moon has been left untouched by other species as a presentient is evolving here.

Star Name Planet Name Dia. km Mass Orbit km Length of day Length of Year
Vors Guthril 8,800 1.01 140 million 32 hours 350 days


Guthril is the largest planet in the Vors system and is extremely dense for its size. Only gravity dampers in orbit around the planet make this world at all comfortable to live on. Because the Vors system in general is older and cooler than the others the worlds here are not very active geologically. However, because Guthril and Sisstrin lie so close in their orbits, they do suffer severe geologic activity whenever they pass close by one another. Fortunately, this only occurs every 200 years or so. Guthril has four three-month seasons with summers and winters being somewhat harsh. Guthril has one large and one small continent and onelarge and one small ocean with a fair amount of islands lying close to the continents.

Planet Name Moon Name Dia. km Mass Orbit km Length of day Length of Year
Guthril Tevin 4,001 .5   15 hours 25 (Guthrial days)


Tevin, Guthril s single moon, was a cold, dead world that required extensive terraforming to make habitable and must be constantly and carefully maintained. More than anything else, Tevin resembles a climate-controlled garden with seasons and even precipitation on a strict schedule.

Star Name Planet Name Dia. km Mass Orbit km Length of day Length of Year
Vors Sisstrin 6,850 1.05 152 million 24 hours 351 days


Sisstrin, like Guthril, is an extremely dense world with gravity dampers to make living here comfortable. Other than slightly cooler seasons, Sisstrin s climate and ecology are identical to Guthril s. Sisstrin has one super-continent and numerous islands of all sizes scattered throughout its one large ocean.

Planet Name Moon Name Dia. km Mass Orbit km Length of day Length of Year
Sisstrin Aerzal 4,065 .7   30 hours 90 (Sisstrin days)


Aerzal is more of a small twin to Sisstrin than a moon. Although it is largely dormant geologically, Aerzal is in most ways like Belthirion. While Aerzal has enough gravity to hold liquid water and an atmosphere, the inhabitants use gravity generators and pressure fields to make this world more comfortable. It has moderate seasons and semi-regulated precipitation. The world is roughly 55% water with numerous small continents and islands.

Star Name Planet Name Dia. km Mass Orbit km Length of day Length of Year
Capria Aquarion 13,055 1 146 million 36 hours 290 days


Aquarion is the second largest of the inhabited worlds and has two large moons. Due to a gravitational tug of war between it and its moons, Aquarion is quite active geologically. There are no landmasses to speak of and the Aqualens themselves dwell in homes tunneled out of the enormous spires of extinct underwater volcanoes. The atmosphere of Aquarion is largely oxygen/nitrogen and is denser than normal. Due to the high atmospheric pressures, the top layer of the ocean is highly oxygenated and can be breathed by the inhabitants for short periods of time. Due to the fact that there is no land to act as a windbreak, storms here are both fierce and constant.

Star Name Dia. km Mass Orbit km Length of day Length of Year
Ceres 12,950 .9 129 million 22 hours 362 days


Ceres is a colorful world covered with flowering plants of all sorts. This planet was once quite toxic, having a runaway greenhouse effect that made it unlivable. The very presence of the Quzos set terraforming in motion as they inhaled the Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and exhaled oxygen. They only things they required at first were growing lamps and fertilizer. Now the world is covered with a multitude of plants as well as animals bred for their ability to pollinate and/or distribute seeds. Of particular note are the Zzin, a species of insect that looks something like a hummingbird sized honeybee. There are two seasons, one of which is slightly cooler and wetter than the other. Once every 50 years, the Quzos generate an artificial winter that lasts for one year, thus enable the planet to lie dormant and rest for a while.

Flora and Fauna:

Cethril, Faelin, Belthirion, and Faerial have naturally advanced and complex ecosystems, while Guthril, Sisstrin, Aquarion, and Aerzal had primitive ecosystems until they were colonized and terraformed. Their ecosystems are largely artificial in that the food webs were carefully constructed using plants and animals from the colonists original homeworlds. Callion had multicellular plant life and Tevin and the Korzacine Belt were largely barren with the occasional organic compound frozen into the rocks. Only a very few of the other rocky worlds currently support life. At this time, all worlds inhabited by sentients have full ecosystems, either natural or cultivated or both with the exception of the Korzacine belt which cannot support life outside of enclosed habitats.

Of special note is Faelin, which supports an unusually high number of pre-sentient species mostly mammalian, though there are a small number of reptilian and insectile species as well. A species that looks like a cross between a cat and a small monkey known as the Kotha lives on the moon Faerial and is the only pre-sentient within the Veil that shows signs of truly advanced development.

Though most members of the Covenant are omnivorous, only the Guthrians, the S ssisstr r r n, the Quzos, and the Korzacine cultivate land (the Korzacine relying on hydroponics), and only the first two keep livestock. The Korzacine and the Quzos import their meat while the Alfaelin, Chierril, and the Aqualen live off the land. Major harvests do occur on these worlds and there is food storage, but if famine threatens, all species turn to food replicators rather than draining their natural resources.

History:

As most of the races of the Covenant have preferred to leave their
pasts behind them, only the Alfaelin, the Quzos, and the Guthrians have any acknowledged history prior to their arrival in the Veil. The %$#@!& were as they are now when the Alfaelin arrived, and as their language is impossible to speak and difficult to understand, little is known about the past of this strange race. As it is believed that they are native to Cethril, the Alfaelin are considered the first arrivals. The Alfaelin tell of a time when they were less evolved and their greed destroyed their homeworld. Because their technology was so strongly geared toward consumption and destruction, they lacked the knowledge needed to save their world and were forced to flee. Fortunately for the Alfaelin, they learned from their mistake and when they found their new home, they vowed to live a much different life. It is said in Alfaelin legend that while they traveled through the cold blackness of space, a strange, beautiful woman appeared before their leaders and promised to take them to a lush paradise if they would swear allegiance to her and promise not to despoil what she would give them. History tells us that they must have agreed, but it is unclear whether or not the woman was Goddess or Queen Faerilin Lael or both. The promise was the Covenant of the Spiral which is described more fully in Religion and Society.

Similar stories are told among the other races of the Covenant. The Aqualen tell a story of being led into a huge whirlpool by a shining being. Their homeworld was being polluted by invaders and they were being hunted for their fur. The Sssisstrrrn were an offshoot of a violent, barbaric, male-dominated species who hoped for a more egalitarian way of life. They tell of being led by a courageous female into a strange labyrinth at whose heart they found the planet Faelin.The Chierril escaped through a rainbow portal from a world where a super-race was using them in scientific and military tests, ignoring the fact that they were intelligent beings capable of feeling pain and fear. The Quzos came in giant pod ships, fleeing a world where they had been forced to compete for growing space with a powerful agricultural species. The Guthrians came to the Veil via a tunnel through both space and time and were comprised of people from numerous times, places, and walks of life many of whom were persecuted for their beliefs or ways of life. The Korzacine fled vicious race wars in a rag-tag fleet of ships.

A note about time within the Veil: Because each planet has its own year (lunar years are even trickier), dates vary from world to world. In most circumstances this presents no problem. However, when interplanetary news began to be broadcast, a standardized dating system was needed. Since the Spiral Veil was not a static nebula it has a rotation influenced by Velathayne it was determined that its rotation could by used as a universal dating system. All Covenant schools now teach history with two dates for every event: Local dating (generally reckoned by original planet fall) and VRR (Veil Rotational Reckoning).

Please note that the range of time shown below is much longer than it appears. For example, a full rotation of the Spiral Veil Nebula takes five Faelin years. This makes the known history of the Alfaelin people just under ten thousand years old.

VRR Event
0 The Alfaelin make planetfall and found the holy city of Tarial.
605 Sssisstrrrn arrive on Faelin and establish shrine at
Cissria. Varla named High Priestess.
620 Varla leads her people to the Vors system with aid from the Alfaelin, they build biodomes and launch the first gravity damper from Hassrith.
750 Chierril pass through a portal to Aerzal. They nearly die out until the Sssisstrrrn are led to the moon by the %$#@!&. Soon the Chierril are being aided by the Alfaelin as well. Their initial settlement, Kalvaia, prospers.
820 Quzo pod ships land on Ceres. Through sheer stubbornness, the Quzo die by the thousands as they use their own bodily functions to reverse the runaway greenhouse effect of Ceres. The Quzo wipe the coordinates of their homeworld from the navigation logs of their ships and erase from their minds all memory of the homeworld which they will never see again.
870 In an historic meeting, the Alfaelin, the Sssisstrrrn, the Chierril, and the Quzo, meet in the holy city of Tarial. The first Council of the Covenant is convened and all races formally swear fealty to Queen Faerilin Lael in a holy ceremony. This day becomes a holiday and the use of Veil Rotational Reckoning as an interplanetary time scale becomes standard.
899 Korzacine ships arrive in the Veil and limp to their final destination, the outer asteroid ring of the star Velathayne. They land on the rock that becomes Vorca, their capital. Like the Quzo, they seek to destroy all traces of their past. After retrieving needed technological information from their databanks, the Korzacine destroy all but one of their ships.
900 On the thirtieth anniversary of the Council, the Korzacine High Queen, Crystaliir, swears allegiance to Faerilin Lael on behalf of her people. Work begins on the diamond city of Cam Coristi.
1148 The Aqualen arrive on Aquarion in the vicinity of an active underwater volcano a fortunate occurrence as they would have frozen to death in the icy waters of that world. They begin terraforming immediately.
1150 The Aqualen, feeling themselves well settled, make the journey to Faelin to swear fealty to the queen.
1152 The Chierril, now thriving, receive permission from the Alfaelin to colonize the moon Callion. They begin terraforming with the aid of the Quzo and the Aqualen.
1155 At the Council meeting, Faerilin Lael suggests an expedition to Cethril to see if any race can succeed in communicating with the light-like beings that seem to live there.
1162 Faerilin Lael visits Kievins Rock, the research settlement on Cethril, to see how much progress is being made. To everyones shock, the light folk gather in hordes around the queen and seem to make an obeisance. Through the slowly growing group mind of the Covenant, Faerilin senses that the %$#@!& are indeed an intelligent race. Because the group mind is empathetic rather than telepathic, she is unable to communicate with them on any level other than basic emotions. Faerilin remains on Cethril until the group mind is strong enough for other individuals to sense the %$#@!& as well.
1165 The %$#@!& once again surprise everyone by appearing at the Council and once more making an obeisance to the queen.
1199 The Korzacine complete the hollowing of the diamond crystal that will become Cam Coristi. Work begins on internal structures.
1222 Humans begin to arrive on Faelin through a space/time portal. This migration takes nearly 170 rotations before it is complete.
1399 The Korzacine complete work on Cam Coristi. The humans outgrow their settlement on Alfaelin and the entire population moves to the newly terraformed Guthril.
1400 On the 530th anniversary of the Covenant, the Guthrians swear fealty to Queen Faerilin Lael. A huge celebration is planned for the next Council.
1405 An epic year marked by the Great Celebration of the Covenant and the arrival of the Assimilators into Veil space (see Chronic Problems). The Assimilators destroy a Guthrian outpost near one of the gas giants of the Vors system before the united effort of The Covenant drives them away.
1407 The Chierril are permitted settlement rights on the Guthrian moon of Tevin.
1410 The Council agrees that it would be wise to build up a military fleet to hold in reserve against the day that the Assimilators (or any potential aggressor) return to attack.
1496 The Assimilators return. Covenanters learn the hard way to install self-destruct mechanisms in all their ships.
1795 Another Great Celebration is declared for the next Council to celebrate nearly three hundred rotations of peaceful evolution.
1800 The Great Celebration takes place without interruption this rotation. Queen Faerilin celebrates her 1,816th birthday and prophecies the arrival a new species to the Covenant.
1878 The Assimilators return. In a stunning, yet tragic victory by the Sssisstrrrn, an Assimilator conglomerate is destroyed by a suicide crew.
1900 A memorial is erected in Cissria during this rotations
Council.
1994 The Tchdk hive ship is spotted by scouts on the outskirts of the Zentir system. Contact is made, but the Tchdk express a deep reluctance to associate with the Covenant while their internal struggles continue. However, as a gesture of friendship, they build the beautiful Embassy Station, a sealed habitat the size of a small moon and give to the council the schematics of the gigantic dreadnought class ship.
1997 A Vestis ship is rescued from the Assimilators. After the queen speaks at length with the crew, an emergency Council is called to determine what relation, if any, the Covenant will have with the Greater Galaxy. It is decided by consensus that a portion of the Embassy will be dedicated as an Omnet Citadel. The Station will be moved to the Greater Veil Opening so that relations might be established with Outsiders, without unsupervised visitors disrupting the evolutionary processes of the Covenant. It is currently near the end of this rotation.

Government:

In theory, the beautiful and enigmatic Queen Faerilin Lael, an
Alfaelin woman of unknown age, rules the Covenant. All rulers of the various worlds swear allegiance to her upon taking office, but this seems to be little more than a symbolic reenactment of the original Vow taken by each species as it became part of the Covenant. Observation seems to indicate that the Queen is more of a spiritual leader than a political one; however, history indicates that she has at times involved herself in the governing of the Covenant peoples. By and large, each species governs itself within the laws of the Covenant. The Covenant itself is watched over by an ecclesiastical council made up of two members of each species. The council members are attuned to the group mind of their species, and in this way the Covenant is governed by the will of the people. When there is a difference in opinion the Council splits evenly to debate the issue (if there are more than two sides, each species will send a corresponding temporary council member to represent each opinion until the issue is resolved). If the matter at hand cannot be resolved or if there is some confusion, the Queen is often called on for input or settlement. In addition to matters relating to Covenant internally, the Council is also responsible for relations with Omnet and the greater galaxy. The Council typically convenes once every rotation of the Spiral, but it can be called whenever there is need. Covenant laws largely deal with evolution of member species.

1. As each species is constantly evolving in a manner that is (in
theory) meaningful and fulfilling to its members, no other species may interfere with anothers path. However, if any species acts in a manner that is destructive to another species, the remaining Covenant members will unite and thwart the deviant species (with the destruction of that species a very last resort). Species who exhibit self-destructive behavior are assigned a mediator or mediators who will attempt to resolve any difficulties. Because extinction is a natural, if regrettable, part of evolution, force will not be used to halt self-destruction. Individuals who wish to be evacuated have that option.

2. Likewise, each individual is also evolving, and has similar rights to non-intervention. Deviant individuals are the responsibility of their community. Those that do not or cannot respond to therapy are generally sterilized and, when necessary, confined for their safety and that of others. Only under rare and extreme circumstances is euthanasia practiced. Psycho- and/or psychic therapy is generally used to help such individuals as magical or psionic mind altering is forbidden. The only exception is when a disturbed individual seems deeply distressed by their condition. Serial criminals are to be considered deviants and dealt with accordingly.

3. Force is to be used for defensive purposes only, unless a 5/6th
majority of the Covenant decides otherwise.

4. Covenant members (both species and individuals) are forbidden to reveal to outsiders any information which might cause harm to any member of the Covenant.

* The Alfaelin have no real government. Elders are respected for their experience and youngers for their fresh insight. Priestesses act as arbiters, healers, and therapists otherwise, individuals govern themselves and are held utterly responsible for their own actions. The two council members generally elect themselves that is, whoever feels like going to the council meetings goes.

* The Guthrians have nearly every form of government known within the varied nations of their world and its outposts, but all leaders are enlightened and defer to the two council members who are elected every five years or as needed.

* The Korzacine are ruled by kings and queens who rule houses and who are in turn ruled by a High King and High Queen elected by their peers. Though titles are held for life and passed from parent to child, rulers are held accountable for their actions and a unanimous house vote removes them from office.

* The Chierril have chosen an enlightened dictatorship. The dictator is chosen by lot and must rule for 4 years. Administrators are chosen by lots as well and hold office for 2 years. As the Chierril are devoted to their various projects, any government position is considered a necessary inconvenience.

* The Aqualen are ruled by their elders who are known as Matrons and Patrons. From these, two Monitors are elected. These two are responsible for overseeing the well being of the species as a whole. They are also the Council representatives for the Aqualen.

* The Sssisstrrrn are a fiercely individualistic race who brook no interference in their lives. Their government (or lack of one) is the same as the Alfaelin only they are more belligerent about it.

* The Quzos are ruled by public debate and consensus presided over by an elected Mediator, much as the Covenant itself is.
It is unknown what manner of governance the %$#@!& possess.

* The Tchdk are currently in turmoil as they struggle to disassociate themselves from the hive-minded mentality that they escaped from. Current reports suggest that they are organizing themselves into a democracy of some sort, but they are still far from settled. It is for this reason that they have chosen not to enter the Covenant at this time.

Foreign Policy:

Though the Covenant is enthusiastic about opening relations with
Outsiders, at this time it is difficult for anyone to gain permission
to travel within the Veil. Only individuals or small groups are
permitted inside and only with a registered guide. Those who gain access, including Omnet personnel are required, on pain of permanent expulsion, to refrain from interfering with anything they see unless requested to do so by Covenant members. It is unknown at this time if whole governments will suffer bans as the result of individual actions. Trade is negotiated with individual species rather than with the Covenant as a whole; however, no Covenant species will trade weapons technology.

Domestic Policy:

As detailed above, individuals are largely free to live their lives
without much interference from their government or each other. As long as one adheres to the laws of the Covenant and the few additional laws of the individual governments, a being is free to do whatever it desires.

Society:

The central point of every beings life is the Covenant that is, the
Vow each species made with the shining being that led them to the worlds within the Veil. This being is universally seen to be female and is known by many names:

* Washara Womb (Aqualen)

* Ednna Dancer of the Spiral Rainbow (Korzacine) Vestis Note:
Interestingly, this word is also used to refer to the nebula itself.

* Chierlee She Whose Rainbow Wings Enfold Our Nest/Home (Chierril)

See Vestis Note above.

* Mrmmrrl She Who Leads Us Through the Darkness to the Place of Utter Contentment (Sssisstrrrn)

* Sstdkdk Mother (Tchdk)

* The Quzos refer to Her with a series of movements and vibrations that roughly translate as follows: "sunlight on leaves' warm open petals rain soaking into warm, rich earth"

* Faerilin Lael Lady Whose Love Shines in Darkness (Alfaelin)

* The %$#@!& self refract when in the presence of Faerilin Lael. This is alternately taken to mean The One Who is Many or The One Who Becomes Many. Both or neither may be correct. There may even be other meanings.

It is unclear whether or not the Queen is the Goddess, is the avatar of the Goddess, is the daughter of the Goddess, or just has the same name. When questioned, Covenant members invariably reply, She is whatever She is needed to be. In any case, every being sees itself as having a personal relationship with the Goddess and/or the Queen, and it is not uncommon to find Faerilin Lael working or playing along side Her people. She talks with them, counsels them, and comforts them.

All Covenanters gear their lives on some level to the process of
evolving themselves and their species to a higher level. They are all aware that evolution is a long and sometimes painful process, but are unwilling to give up. Some of their greatest triumphs include: the empathetic group mind, the improved lungs of the Aqualen, and the harmony unified with incredible diversity on Guthril (though this harmony is threatened, see Chronic Problems). For more details on the individual societies of the Covenant, please see the Visitor Interface, which is on-line but currently under construction.


Languages:

Most species speak their own languages. The Covenance is a
mental/empathetic thought form that has evolved over time to enable interspecies communication. Essentially, using the Covenance enables the speaker to use their own language and be understood by any other member of the Covenant (except for the %#@!&). It is considered grossly impolite to use the Covenance to eavesdrop on another species conversations or to refrain from using the Covenance in front of someone to exclude them (private conversations should be held outside of view or hearing). Interestingly, the Covenance does have its own written form that is used to compose documents of Veil-wide significance and is the format used to print The Spiral Path, the Holy Book of the Covenant.

Religion:

[See above]

Castes:

There is little in the way of caste structure in any Covenant society those in leadership positions are respected, but in all else, every being is considered equal.

Economy:

Covenant economy is geared toward self-sustenance that is, little
more is manufactured or grown than is needed. Still, now that contact with the greater galaxy has been made, there are a number of products and services that will be available for Outside trade. Within the Covenant, large scale or bulk needs are posted on electronic bulletin boards. Individuals tend to visit fairs, markets, or neighbors for what they need. Omnet has been informed that an electronic bulletin board system will be used on Embassy Station for the use of Outsiders. Asking price for goods and services will be based on production costs within the Veil.

There is no money or credit system within the Veil production costs are generally determined by the drain of natural resources and manpower. For example: In the Covenant fleet, there are three Dreadnoughts, huge ships the size of large moons that are used in the defense of Veil space. One Dreadnought takes one and a half rotations of the Veil to complete. Fully two thirds of the Guthrian population must be involved in the construction of the ship, plus at least a third each of Chierril engineers, Korzacine computer programmers and scientists, Sssisstrrrn weapons and defense systems installers, and Alfaelin mages to complete one ship in that time. Because, in many cases, farmers and many craftspersons must be reassigned to construction jobs, the Quzo race bears the burden of feeding the Guthrians in addition to their own people. From this, it was determined that the cost of building more than three ships, or building any at all more quickly, was too high.

When establishing trade with Outsiders, this Production/Cost Ratio will be used to determine the worth of anything offered in trade. Only in cases of healing will this be waived; however, a donation is customarily offered.

Military:

Participation in the military is not required in fact, there is
little in the way of a standing military force at all. Specific
branches of both the army and the navy handle all transport of goods or persons. For the most part, Veil space is defended by citizen militias. Due to the nature of the Group Mind of the Covenant, militia members are usually aware when there is need for them. Militia members are trained in a number of weapons ranging from the archaic (e.g. swords, spears, or bows) to the modern (e.g. energy weapons, Cell Disruptor) to the magical (e.g. wands, staves, rings). Covenanters generally do not believe in using an unfair advantage over an enemy and will only use enough force to drive off an interloper. Only when an intruder is particularly strong or determined will they pull out the more fearsome items in their arsenal. Militias draw on the group mind in order to launch an effective defense.

Some ships in the Covenant fleets:

Dart Small passenger ships that move from planet to planet andsystem to system in short fast hops. They cannot carry much weight.
Sling Freighters They use the gravity of planets, moons and stars to build up momentum. They use little fuel so they can carry greater payload. All flights are programmed and unmanned.
Talon Small fighters designed by the Chierril and typically flown by Sssisstrrrn in a five point formation known as a claw.
Starwing Long distance scout ships. These are new and are primarily\ used by the Alfaelin and the Korzacine for research.
Starhawk Small fighters designed and used by the Alfaelin.
Shark Mid-sized cruiser used primarily by the Guthrians
Orca Small battleships used by the Aqualen.
Dreadnought Giant ships the size of large moons, designed by the Tchdk. There are only three in existence. One patrols the Greater
Veil Opening while the other wander throughout Veil space watching for Assimilators or other interlopers.

Sports and Leisure:

Sensory stimulation of all forms is very popular in the Covenant.
Music is enjoyed by everyone even the Quzos, who have no ears. The Quzos have their own form of vibrational music, but they enjoy the music pieces of other species that possess strong rhythms. The Alfaelin have a wider range of hearing than any other species and can incorporate a multitude of sounds to their music that no one else can hear. The Sssisstrrrn, the Aqualen, and the Korzacine also have a wider aural range than the Guthrians. Visual art has its variations too. Quzos enjoy the feel of light through stained glass windows. The Korzac people can easily see into the ultraviolet range, which adds an entirely new dimension to their paintings. The Sssisstrrrn and the Quzo are both sensitive to smell and incorporate it into their art. The Aqualen use temperature, light and flavor to their art forms. Most species are fond of holo-art or illusions.

Most folk in the Covenant are fond of athletics of one sort or another, but organized sports are rare. Fencing is popular and so are horseback riding, hiking, swimming and so on. The only team sport in the Covenant is a ball game known as Torins Revenge. This game is generally an outlet for pent up negative emotions and players can generally expect to come out of the game severely bruised at the least. It can best be described as a hodgepodge of games including soccer, volleyball, cricket, and football (a variation of the game has been adapted for play on Aquarion). Torins Revenge is played once every Veil Rotation and is credited with preventing such things as fighting, violent crimes and warfare. The game requires no skill to play, only an understanding that it is a violent, brutal sport. Healers are always at the ready and viewers watch avidly, vicariously releasing their negative emotions. Torins Revenge is more of a ritual than a sport and never played to win.

Major Population Centers:

Planet City Description
Faelin Virian Capital City
  Tanial Holy City
  Cissria Sssisstrrrn enclave and shrine
Callion Vaer Capital City
  Imbria  
Guthril Minas Traevin Main port and trade city.
  Dade  
  Tempest Mining outpost
  New Babylon  
Tevin Daerva Capital City
  Solvian  
Sisstrin Hassrith Capital City
  Tsstish  
Aerzal Kalvaia Capital City
  Benaiva  
Aquarion Shivrith Capital City
  Shashana  
Ceres Lamelia Capital City
Cethril Kievins Rock Research Settlement

Chronic Problems:

The Covenant has two very serious problems threatening their peace. One is the race known only as the Assimilators. There has been no sign of a homeworld within the Veil and it is hypothesized that they live in their conglomerates. These conglomerates are made up of the ships of their defeated foes somehow welded together. Assimilator ships that reach a certain size are known to split into three or four pieces. They attack without warning or provocation. Their motives are unknown and no one has successfully communicated with them. The Assimilators have attacked four times in the history of the Covenant, and the first three times were driven back at very great cost. The fourth time they retreated without putting up any kind of fight at all, which has left many folk wondering.

The second problem involves a Guthrian known as Father Pontius Pontificus. A new wormhole brought him and a handful of followers that call themselves the Cleansers from the Burning Times. Father Pontius is an imposing man and a powerful speaker who has landed on his feet in this strange place far from home. Preaching subtle words of hate and fear, Father Pontius and his Cleansers are gathering followers and claiming that Queen Faerilin Lael is the Temptress of the Devil, that all the other species in the Covenant are demons and witches, and that the Covenant itself is a pact with Evil. He and his Cleansers are suspected of burning to death an Alfaelin mediator, but this has not yet been proven. His movement is sending ripples of concern through the group mind of the Covenant. Many are calling for another emergency meeting of the Council to determine a course of action.

Submission Information:

Submitter's Name: Mary Beth Johnson
Submitter's Email: Damieth@geocities.com

Sifter: Tom Schruefer