Empire of Thorn

Overview:

The Empire of Thorn is a mixture of three races. The Human, the cat-like Caitshee, and the hive mind insect-like Tey'Lek'Lar. The empire derives its name from the ruler, Emperor Thorn. Cal Thorn has ruled for nearly a thousand years now, his rule starting from the time when the Caitshee first introduced humans to an anti-agapic, or anti ageing serum.

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Index:

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

Q-dex:

T 988.0180/132.775
M 223.0180/632.63
energy linear/life bipolar

Technology:

Technology: Biomechanical Atomic.

This stems from recent breakthroughs in science. Typically the empire is in a strong atomic zone, and as such their technology reflects this. From this though came a new region of engineering. The tailoring of life to your needs.

Ships

Their fleets of ships are grown, most creatures it was discovered could be grown by this process into ships but ethics and morality constrain some choices. I mean would you fly in a ship that was basically a huge human, despite being all the wrong shapes and the rest it is a very good shape and the magical energy required to make a human survive the rigours of space is large. There ships tend to be grown from insects or like, their chitinous skin easily modifiable to survive space. Another advantage of these spacecraft is that they are made intelligent, not synthetic intelligence but organic grown into the body and enhanced. These ships are full citizens and not slaves to the empire they own themselves. If the ships join the navy they gain rank, a bizarre system but this provides some of the finest ships available, no pilot need interface with controls these creatures see feel space to move is instinctive, and damage heals not repaired. This was all made possible by the introduction of the Tey'Lek'Lar into the empire, they had the necessary skills to grant and enhance the intelligence of the creature which was to be grown into a ship. Favourite subjects for this process are spider-like creatures, these produce excellent ships which can grapple or carry large bulky objects. The ships are all designed to carry crew inside them, where there are cabins and it is similar to most starships.

Engines

Drive engines. Jump Drive

A theory developed in the early empire years has led to the development of drives which work thus. The theory is sketchy at best and although the drives work fantastically well no one knows quite why.

The theory is such. Space and Time are curved, Mass produces distortions in the space-time continuum. Its the rubber sheet idea, Stretch a rubber sheet, this is space place a mass on the sheet it creates a large dip. Now imagine this sheet stretched over the universe in a sphere. Masses on this sphere create large wells on the surface. Now travelling in normal space you must travel around the surface of this sphere over all the dips and curved surface. This is a longer path than the one of a straight line through the space sphere. So if you could find a way of punching through the rubber sheet of space and travelling in that straight line it should be quicker, than travelling around the surface. The first drives used to punch a hole in the sheet of space as it were around large masses, ie stars, this would put them lower in the sheet of space. they could then travel in the direction they wanted in a straight line. The sphere of space should be large, therefore the journey should still be long. This process though cut down journey time astronomically and this is where the theory broke down. It appears the further you travel like this the more time you save. For instance 5 light years takes a days travel, 10 light years a day and a half, 15 light years a day and three quarters, These are just examples and not exact. This is very confusing because this should not happen according to theory.

Also it should be possible to work out the radius of the space sphere from your journey time across a segment of the sphere, this radius appears to vary, at short travel distances it is very large long journeys it is small.

This it would appear is one of these physics mysteries of the universe.

:Gravity Drive. Normal reaction mass rocket engines where abandoned as they where very limiting. Nowadays drives use the gravity modulation system to propel themselves away from gravitational bodies: this is fine for large masses but difficult for low mass bodies.

Also this suffers problems of not being very effective in deep space

:Space traction drive. Expensive drive produced by Zeroth industries, the main jump drive manufacturer. Using the same principles as the jump drive, space is a rubber sheet etc... It is a quasi jump drive, it punches little holes into the space sheet and claws its way along, this is the best description they could come up with on how it worked.

:Quantum Effect drive. The most bizarre drive to appear in the last 500 years, it uses the effect noticed in most atomic zones that quantum particles are spontaneously created in pairs of particle and antiparticle all the time. Now most time they recombine and turn back to energy.

But this drive forces energy from incoming light and its own vast fusion engine and antimatter batteries to force particles to spontaneously appear in particle antiparticle pairs to be created and forced apart by vast Electric Magnetic fields. These are then accelerated by high potentials, and are left to recombine behind the ship. Needless to say the ship moves. The energy used is vast, and in some way is comparative to a mass reaction rocket, except the mass is stored as energy.

The Zeta industries who make this hold no responsibility to what happens when you point the antimatter jet at an enemy.

Power units

Several ways have been adopted. The old Antimatter battery, these are self contained storage devices which allow a large energy storage. The batteries are recharged around large solar orbiting particle accelerators. Unfortunately these are an old technology not favoured by the Empire as a problem in the storage causes a big explosion.

Direct feed off the living ship.. The ship itself can power everything with its own life, generating a huge amount of energy, it just needs to be fed regularly.

Energy generation via jump space feed. Not much is known about how this works but it appears to be an unlimited source of energy which can be tapped into via jump space. This appears to break all laws of physics but it does work.

Other technologies have been developed such as psi generation of power but this tires out the psychic involved considerably, also a few other low powered methods.

Shields

Apart from toughened hulls a few other sources have been discovered. Those mentioned here are not the only scope for shields. Space phase Shield. Involves tying of jump and normal space together, this provides a kind of jump normal space bubble. The phase change of the barrier tends to reflect most incoming damage. Also a few unusual effects may be observed, shots passing through phase shield into jump space to reappear other side of ship on the same trajectory.

Electromagnetic shields. a basic shield design which is boosted to high power, besides interfering with energy weapons, ferromagnetic materials, and guidance systems of missiles its huge range scrambles all subspace communications with static, also tends to interfere with low tech ships

Gravity distortion shield. With the advancement of artificial gravity it was found that it could also be turned into a defensive system also. The idea being the shields can be fired up continuously to repel, attract or concentrate at a point. This has the effect of bending lasers out the way attracting projectiles to a certain point away from the ship. Over the past five years since its introduction it has proved an extremely useful addition, most applications are for a small shield fitted to a heavy fighter where the bending of a laser will divert it away from the ship. Larger Battleships have been rumoured to use this and EM shields to completely change the course of laser, plasma and other charged particle weapons completely, so much so that they are possible to recollimate the beam and fire it back. The EBS Lyson is rumoured to possess such a system.

Life Support

All large ships carry hydroponic gardens and a few chemical backups. Also the Bioships are tailored to breathe carbon dioxide and monoxide from the air inside. The bioship then exhales oxygenated air, this again shows the genetic modifications of these beings. Such is this that bioships depend on the humans who crew them.

Weapons

Most are classified, although a couple declassified exotic weapons are given here. Phase ripple. Again a jump space technology. The jump generators instead of pushing the ship through into Jump space cause areas of space targeted to sink or open up into jump space. The consequences of sending half a ship into jump space are severe. This is an invisible weapon much utilised by the empire.

Jump mines jump missiles. These utilise small jump generators to sink into jump space. The mines are hardened to partially phase out of real space, leaving behind a small observation unit which contacts the mine in jump space. When a ship is near the mine jumps out onto the ship, this causes major difficulties as a mine and ship attempt to coexist in the same space the effects are nothing short of devastating.

Jump missiles. Similar to mines but they phase in and out hunting there prey. As jump space is possibly a bit dodgy at the best of times they sometimes end up halfway across the galaxy looking for there prey. Best described as look for prey jump and try and end up where it will be.

Magic:

Magic in the empire is limited. The only useable magic is psionics. Foremost amongst users of this are the Tey'Lek'Lar who as a race depend entirely on psionics.

There has been small psionic advances but nothing major. There are a few psionically active materials which when focused through increase ability.

There are some humans in the empire who possess psionic capability, they are usually employed by the government in legal cases or military.

Size:

The empire consists of 4 star systems. habitable planets are named after the system details. Planets are detailed in order

System of Muar Rek

1 inhabitable planet medium size, planet Muar Rek. 1 small planet undergoing terraforming, Suar Rek. (was inhabitable but was made desolate by powerful weapons) 2 large gas giants Siyu and Tiya

Details of the planet Muar Rek. Very tamed world, almost artificial in feel. from the giant forests grown along the southern hemisphere, to the marine gardens of the equator. The world shows the effects of a thousand years of a high technological race, modifying nature slightly. This has the effect that the world is awash with colour, bright flowers brilliant coloured trees and the like. The three moons, make this world a jewel. 1 day lasts 48 standard hours

Tey'Lek'Lar system

2 inhabitable planets. The star is hotter and larger than that of Muar Rek, and supports 5 planets.

1)Krr'lry, a small barren hot rock near the star.

2)Cit'I, a smaller world than Earth but with a high water concentration, its proximity makes it a hothouse and vast forests and deserts cover the globe. only possessing the one moon. 1 day lasts 16 hours

3)Vel'Tor, a more massive planet with a gravity of about 1.4 earth g, similar temperatures to earth, due to a high greenhouse effect, as its distance from the sun should make it cold. 1 day lasts 56 hours

4 and 5)Yynys and Surrrk, 2 large jovian gas giants at the edge of the system.

Treen'Ar system

2 inhabitable planets 3 Gas giants

Gem'Toh. Watery world, small, rich marine life Great sea beasts roam this world. They are left unaltered by the empire although some remain under psychic control by Tey'Lek'Lar and other mind masters Two moons glint off the waters of this world. Possesses some of the finest underwater forest reefs ever seen. Deep water trees grow one on top of the other creating mazes of living growth. Due to 90% of the world being underwater, the effect on the world is that at any time storms are wreaking havoc on at least some part of the world. 1 day lasts 14 standard hours

Haseen. Cold world, medium sized. Equator areas approaching temperate atmospheres. Mainly in an ice age. Large beasts roam here, their size a product of a rich biosphere suited to a cold environment. Vast furry animals roam the ice lands of the north and south. The weather system is fairly stable due to the planetary rotation of 1 day lasting 2 months. Winds move from day to night side, and from equator north.

Lar'cyl, Tirrok, Dar'ko Lar'cyl is a large purple gas giant, the other two planets are unremarkable.

Sul'O system

1 rocky planet, 1 inhabitable planet, 2 rocky planets, 1 gas giants,

Yel'ztan, small little atmosphere.

Lysand. a hot world, population are mostly underground. planet a mining colony. Lysand itself is a small planet, there is no indigenous life. The empire though created lifeforms to survive the furnace like surface and to produce useful material for them as a by-product. 1 day of Lysand is about 19 hours.

Titren, hostile acidic atmosphere.

Laanecj, small little atmosphere.

Population:

A size of about 10 billion people in the empire, The anti agapics which the humans and Caitshee use seems to affect either the will or need to reproduce. There has been a general decline in population over the years. It is hoped a new expansion or exploration might help the flagging population.

History:

Timeline of the Empire of Thorn

To avoid confusion with different dates the empire has supplied the dates with reference to Earth time. This is in dates AD. Empire time is measured since the rise of the Emperor to the throne. 

 -497 human industrialisation on planet Apollus.
 -389 A technology based on petrochemicals. allows cars
      planes 
      etc... Multi government world in constant turmoil.
 -318 Caitshee decide to settle their race on a planet
      find a human world, later renamed to Muar Rek, in
      honour of a Caitshee leader.
      A second world is terraformed in system for 
      Caitshee comfort.
 -218 Small numbers of Caitshee decide keeping humans
      as slaves are wrong, debate ensues.
 -119 Humans are freed as slaves, made servants instead
      Caitshee start to gain knowledge of sentient rights.
 -45  Human underground started, small scale sabotage
      and riots.
 -44  Human underground put to death.
 107  Caitshee see that humans aren't happy
 126  release of humans to citizenship.
 161  second underground started unbeknownst to Caitshee.
 182  Caitshee relinquish rule of humans as Underground has
      amassed enough technology and weapons to pose a threat.
      This is hushed to stop religious unrest and is seen
      by religion as a great sign.
 282  religion declines as Caitshee are shown to be mere
      mortals close proximity of new standards of living of humans
      prove this.
 302  Great houses begin to appear.
 380  Humans develop their own interplanetary travel and
      can now construct their own ships not rely on Caitshee technology.
 415  Great houses prove their power, and rise to a hierarchal
      empire.
      lesser houses and dynamics of the empire appear.
 836  For hundreds of years a great lethargy spreads in the 
      empire technology declines, till now. Science advances
      Theories for first jump engines suggested.
 896  First jump drive created
 898  tests on jump drive produce strange results.
      jump drives deemed dangerous.
 958  Jump drives begin to find first use as myths of danger 
      dispelled.
 1027  Exploration of nearby space in full swing.
 1059  Birth of Cal Thorn
 1082  Cal Thorn assumes throne when accident kills father.
 1089  Anti-agapics given to humans by the Caitshee.
 1092  Cal Thorn disbands great houses.
 1093-1380 Great unrest, Great houses resist Thorns
      decision.
       All the time power is being sapped away from them.
       several civil wars ensue. Houses Davir, Senfir, Bacor,
       Cirriel, Lamor, and Tethir accused of treachery, disbanded
       assets seized by throne. 
 1381-1459 time of peace.
 1460 Contact with Tey'Lek'Lar and first Tey'Lek'Lar war
       ensues.
 1482  Tey'Lek'Lar peace treaty, peace ensues for a while.
 1527  Band of renegade Caitshee steal ships and start a
       second civil war. 
 1532  Caitshee renegades just escape leaving empire in
       confusion.
 1533  Second Tey'Lek'Lar war.
       Ambassador causes fatal mistake and offends Tey'Lek'Lar
       a second war ensues at a bad time for Empire.
 1533-1641 Hundred year war of Tey'Lek'Lar
 1641  Tey'Lek'Lar are beaten grievously, surrender totally
       to empire.
       Empire welcomes Tey'Lek'Lar into folds of Empire.
       A treaty that suits both parties is welcomed.
 1753 the Caitshee renegades return after raiding coreward
      systems.
      Force their way to a colony world and shell it from space
      with mass
      Drivers. Unknown motives. Caitshee renegades then flee.
 1771 Discovery of the quantum weather zones, and
      different quantum
      physics in surrounding empires by physicists explaining
      aberrations of jump drive. Finally realise why some areas
      of space where unreachable. Jump drive couldn't take them
      there.
 1782-2082 Time of peace. Finally a time of peace ensued
      for the empire Great scientific discoveries take place including
      biotechnology.
      This grants the biological ships of the empire.
 2093 advances in science able to predict and manufacture
      small drives to work in different quantum zones. 
 2116 a theory of different Q-zones leads to a possible theory
      of workable FTLs in different Q-zones.
      Unsure of how useable though.
 2129 Second great expansion
      Plans to take the empire to the rest of the galaxy being 
      carried out. Empire is ready to meet the universe.
      the present.

Extract of Human history

In its history the empire consisted of royal families each aspiring to claim the throne. These great houses would vie for the power of the throne each controlling large land holdings.

Then the development of anti-agapics caused a problem. The current Emperor Cal Thorn has ruled now for some one thousand years and shows no signs of aging.

With the development of the anti aging drugs the great houses realised that the chance of them getting to power was steadily being reduced. Emperor Thorn had foreseen this development though and new that there would be a rush to provide an Emperor and that soon the only way to get a new emperor was to assassinate him. To his continued existence Thorn had set about dismantling the power of the great houses and transferring power into a democracy.

This didn't happen quickly, and over a century or so Thorn had to watch his back as the great houses tried to depose him. Slowly but surely power was transferred and a system of democracy developed, such was tide of this event that those houses that dare oppose the emperor in bringing his empire to a democracy where to be brought down by revolution fired up by the emperor himself. The gamble worked, power appears to be in the hands of the government and Cal Thorn remains emperor, a thousand years now has he reigned, but the true power behind the government is still the emperor. By law the government can be overruled by his decision, and his spies normally hold enough information on any president to put them in his pocket.

A few great houses remain but they are loyal to the emperor for they know their time is come and do not wish to hasten their end.

Even though the great houses are broken they command much respect.

HISTORY ACCORDING TO CAITSHEE

It is true what the humans write about us being an old race, they do not know how old though. We are as ancient as the stars and we have evolved with the stars also.

Our race has lived in a million different ways as rulers as preachers, destroyers and slaves. Our race has seen much, much more than any human race may lay claim to. Our technologies are widespread and we hold vast knowledge of the galaxy that may not work in certain areas, this knowledge will never totally be given to any other races as what we have used it for is possibly worse than anything humans could imagine.

The Emperor of the current empire under which we find peace knows we hold many secrets, and protects us to keep these safe. Maybe he believes he will be prithee to some of these at future times, maybe but only when he is ready, but there are some things which should never be known.

We saw the rise of the human races although we didn't stop them by this time we had our empire in the stars and several of us had moved on forever exploring, others had decided a return to the ways of the hunt on a primitive world could only keep our interest in the galaxy. For whatever reasons our race split then, more than half travelled the stars, the rest took solace in return to ways of pretechnology.

By this time though we where immortal our knowledge had negated effects of aging and only death through accident may happen.

Our scientists remembered our past technologies and carefully guarded them around our two worlds of our system, we hid our vast ships in the solar system ready for use later on, as a race we knew never to discard anything totally.

We covered our worlds and took comfort in the ways of the hunt we had returned to ancient ways our martial fighting styles came back, we gained strength, the planets gave us this strength. We knew not how our brethren on the second of these planets faired but we assumed they where doing well like us also. This was the case, till one day.

A spaceship landed carrying humans, we recognised them as the creatures who where young when we went from the galaxy.

They where arrogant they considered us primitive and sought to enslave us, they where shocked when we turned and spoke with their language. We told them to leave us alone leave us in peace. They spoke of Kendis-Dai and how he ruled us now. We told them we could not be ruled this was not our way anymore, they called us impudent aliens and we knew not what we dealt with. We did know and we didn't like it, they where forcing us to the stars again, it had been so long we didn't want this.

Then it happened they killed a few of us as primitives and offered us baubles as reconstitution. We had lost none of our race in millennia, the grief was much. We ripped them apart, killed them all. Those poor fools didn't stand a chance.

Then they came back in great ships, they told us we where fools and we should bow to slavery or be killed. This angered us we would never be slaves again.

For this they destroyed our second world a scream of such psychic potential went out as billions died the sky was lit for days as by the brightness of our sun as our second world burned with fusion fires.

A madness came upon us then, we called our ships together, the galaxy would pay for this. The galaxy was swept in storm behind us we left none alive. We became killers as twisted as those humans, our minds had one thought to kill the galaxy.

After a while the galaxy came to us and appeased us it told us of our madness and we should stop, this is the time of settling when we returned to a world we knew of old to reclaim it, but humans where there so we made them our slaves, for a time.

Again the galaxy came to us to tell us of our wrongs this is when we set the humans free this is when we settled again to a world to reclaim our spirituality and our religion. From here the Empire of Thorn would rule and whilst they stand our madness shall be contained.

I am Caitshee, my name is Rjarr Toth

Tey'Lek'Lar History

The Tey'Lek'Sint evolved on Cit'I'Del, being a mildly intelligent race with high forest cities due to their flying nature.

There history is pretty simple till the arrival of the Mdrog. It would appear that the Sint didn't possess a hive mind until contact with the other races of the Tey'lek'Lar. The Sint evolved no space travel or much technology as they had little use for it.

The Mdrog and Crrr evolved on Vel'Tor and the hive mind forever reaching out had a need for expansion it quickly grasped concepts of the universe and created a moderately technological race with interplanetary travel. Encountering the Sint the hive mind reached out and found them susceptible to hear the hive mind as well and through the ages the Sint have been getting closer to the hive. With the Sint their race seemed complete and expansion was almost guaranteed, until Humans arrived in system.

A twelve year war ensued and was only finished when the Tey'Lek'Lar agreed to acquiesce and become part of the empire, although their race is less numerous and at times its voice isn't heard over that of the human civilisation.

The war appeared to have started when a human ambassador met with the ambassadors from the Sint and Mdrog. The Sint and Mdrog where used to standing at these functions and humans sitting. The problem was the human ambassador walked in and saw the Sint but not knowing what the Mdrog looked like proceeded to sit on the three legged stall left for him in the room. The Mdrog was insulted and proceeded to eat him.

Government:

The government has a hierarchal style to distribute power. It is as such.

Cal Thorn

Council of worlds

World governor

area administrators (country sized)

Regional adviser (city government)

Foreign Policy:

The empire will seek first and foremost throughout to establish friendly relations and trade with the universe. As a balance to this there is strong government support for exploration, to instil inquisitiveness in the empire.

It has been suggested that they are looking for a strong power base in the greater galaxy but they cannot be sure.

Domestic Policy:

Personal weapons in the empire are illegal, armed ships must deactivate weapons on entering the system. Police have full rights to mind probe anyone for any reason. This right isn't always strictly used, it is very unpopular with the people but very effective. Anyone resisting a mind probe is obviously guilty of something, and therefore are charged with the highest possible crime, usually treason.

Legal System

In cases which go to court it is very simple. The suspect is mind probed and the evidence submitted. Then the trial proceeds to prosecution, and defence. Although everyone is mind scanned throughout to see if anyone is hiding anything.

A suspect has full rights except he/she may not deny the mind scan. This tends to solve cases fairly quickly.

In matters of foreign peoples to the empire they will mindscan them too. And depending on their crimes will either send them back to their government detailing their crimes or ask their government to give them jurisdiction.

Punishment

There are no set punishment rules set down, no minimum sentences. Each crime is treated as a separate and distinct crime, lawyers refuse that one sentence sets new precedent. Of course if a sentence for murder was particularly light, the reasons for this would be looked into, and if a lawyer was found to be lax in his work he would have committed a crime. As is trying to prove a guilty person innocent. This isn't so confusing when you mind scan someone.

The empire believes in making criminals pay. As an example

All assets of those who go to jail are taken by the empire, and may be reclaimed depending on their behaviour in jail.

Labour schemes, make criminals make something for the empire. Three types

Light, menial factory work, road building etc...

Medium, Heavy factory work, slightly more dangerous work, more physically intensive.

Heavy, Prison mines, etc...

All prisoners are treated well in respect to food and clothing but they are worked till they drop. The theory being if they are so tired due to their work how will they cause trouble.

Dietician look after all prisoners, to avoid death.

Extreme cases, It has been known for some murderers to be dropped on a deserted and dangerous planets. With nothing and told to survive, with a farewell note of " well be back in ten years". The said criminal possessing nothing but a T-shirt, An empire ship normally patrols this planet to make sure no one picks up their friend on the surface. People are warned to steer clear of Haseen

Other times it has been known that where the brain functions of a victim have survived they have used the body of the murderer to transplant the mind of the victim. There are also feelings of Eye for Eye Tooth for Tooth, This has shown in a number of cases where a mugging victim has pleaded to the judge that his attackers in their punishment suffer a lost eye, several teeth, and a broken leg. Apparently the judge thought this was a wonderful idea.

Humans and crime, The main crime element is human hey they're just so versatile.

Caitshee: no one is too sure if they do commit crime. If they do it is generally agreed it'll be a biggie like mass murder, and then go renegade.

Tey'Lek'Lar: Only possible if the whole Tey'Lek'Lar mind commits the crime, or if a unit achieves a sense of self and breaks from the mind.

Society: 

 THE EMPIRE POPULATION
 70% human
 10% Caitshee
 20% Tey'Lek'Lar

Races

HUMANS: standard humanoid type people. No differences to those of Earth.

THE TEY'LEK'LAR: basically they are three different species formed into one race,

Tey'Lek'Mdrog. These are about a meter tall and two meters wide, shaped triangular with 3 legs. 2 sides as it were possess 2 arms and the third two smaller arms. The mouth is situated underneath with three feeler-tentacles. The head as such is a pyramidal structure on the top flattish triangular base, this is only really a sensory bank for eyes and ears, providing 360 viewing.

They possess a hive mind and have chitinous skin and are similar to insects.

Tey'Lek'Sint: Similar in appearance to 2m tall dragonflies with six wings, they possess 4 arms, 2 front, 2 back and just the 2 legs this time. Again they are similar to insects, and possess a semi-Hive mind

Tey'Lek'Crr: these have remained hidden and unseen to all other races except the Tey'Lek group. For this reason I wont include any details about them as no-one should be allowed to meet them or see them. They are rumoured by the humans to be the controlling Hive minds of the other two races.

The Caitshee

They're about human size catlike, the fur faces, etc... They possess a tripedal leg system on which a humanoid torso is set, with 2 arms and six prehensile tentacles.

Great Houses and political structure

Even though the great houses are in decline and their noble families lack power, there are still 50% of the population tied to a great house.

In days past a great house would have a standing army and each house would be ready to reconquer the empire to control it itself. Emperor Thorn aided by the Caitshee stopped this chaos the armies now do little more than tie there colours to a house, their control being direct from the government. Now the great houses just are a base of wealth in the empire many have fallen, although some still survive as rich industrial empires in their own right.

One house, House Jocasta has amassed such wealth that the interest on this can keep most of its hierarchy living out dilettante lives. The structure of a house is such of hierarchy, and position depends on wealth, birth, or position in the Empire.

These are great political and bureaucratic nightmares gone wild. This is half the reason why Emperor Thorn removed their power over the populace.

Members of a house must pay a tithe to the house, to keep its funds, although there are many benefits to belonging to a house. This tithe though sees an increasing amount of disillusioned peoples leaving the house to set out on their own.

Tey'Lek'Lar and Caitshee races as a whole are both considered as members of a great house of their respective race.

The Tey'Lek'Lar with their hive mind don't understand politics and don't comprehend this honour although the Tey'Lek'Synt come closer to realising this. The Caitshee just remain amused at the human condition of confusing things without need to. 

 The great houses
 in order of wealth
 Jocasta
 Lirriel
 Tey'Lek'Lar
 Tagrath
 Caitshee
 Sheano
 Tiber
 Requos

Tiber and Requos are in fact the last two remaining minor houses but on the dissolution of power where promoted to great house status.

The largest houses though are Caitshee and Tey'Lek'Lar as they make up 10 and 15% of the population. Where the other houses only account for about 30-40% of the population. House Jocasta is easily the richest house but it is also the smallest house. Emperor Thorn dissolved his great house at the onset of change as a signal to the empire that the time of the great houses was over.

Languages:

There where many in the old human world before the arrival of the Caitshee, now there are few human languages remaining. Most of these are old dialects spoken by those who are patriotic to the old human world. The Great houses though did select languages for themselves from the old human world dialects, the consequence being these languages being remembered by the house name. Each house has a different language.

The main language though is Caitshee, although some believe it difficult on the human mouth. It is a mewing kind of language soft and slow at times, although harsh and fast when someone is agitated. Empire humans appear to do some form of mouth gymnastics at times to produce effects similar to having the split lips of the Caitshee.

The Tey'Lek'Lar lack a language themselves, and to talk to humans either have to talk psionically or learn Caitshee.

Religion:

Religion is very minor amongst humans. For Caitshee it is everything, it is the one thing which keeps them from madness. Tey'Lek'Lar have taken the Caitshee religion and in their way viewed it in a sense that bemuses the Caitshee and infuriates them.

The Religion

During there final years the Caitshee have turned mystical. It was something that happened over time, and slowly they changed from aggressors to peacemakers. Maybe it happened as their race began to grow less numerous they're not sure. All the Caitshee know is that there will be a change and soon, a mighty transformation will affect them and they will become one with the universe.

The Caitshee have managed to spread there religion to the rest of the empire, whereas the humans have always followed since the time of the ruling of the Caitshee, the Tey'Lek'Lar took overnight to the Idea of the ONE and the REJOINING. The Caitshee are puzzled by this Tey'Lek'Lar belief as they feel that they have confused the rejoining with their hive mind but cannot say for sure on this.

Basic concepts

During there aggressive stage the Caitshee wandered the stars homeless. They saw many things, including energy beings of great power. They all spoke of the one and what was to come. Believing they had been given signs this started their belief. Concepts such as compassion followed and they felt disgraced by what they had done, their crimes against other races seemed large, to this extent they have tried to hide their past, in case they are recognised.

With their new view and perceptions of the universe new doors opened to them. strange gifts and abilities where made apparent to them. Shortly after enslaving the peoples of what would become the empire, concepts of morality where made known to them and they saw what was wrong.

Throughout their existence it would appear that something or someone was guiding them to do the right thing Now they live to prepare themselves when they will finally ascend and meet the One and rejoin the universe as pure creatures of energy.

Many of the human population place some faith in this and this is the only religion of the region.

The Caitshee to many are beginning to become insubstantial already, rarely visiting anywhere outside their world they meditate for years on end practicing rituals and strange abilities. Because human are humans they have interpreted this religion in many ways.

A small group of humans called the mind seek ascension into the one. The Tey'Lek'Lar have a hive mind and these humans of the mind have seen that the Tey'Lek'Lar consider themselves one. Of course the natural thing was assumed and the group called the mind decided that to achieve ascension they must give themselves over to the mind of the Tey'Lek'Lar.

It is rumoured that a few have been fully incorporated into the hive mind, but it is difficult to say as the difference between human and the Tey'Lek'Lar mind is great. The mind also believe this ascension can be achieved by eating some of the foods of the Tey'Lek'Lar, unfortunately these can be hallucinogenic, addictive, and posses more properties associated with drugs, but only on humans. This is a problem as these foodstuffs cannot be outlawed as the Tey'Lek'Lar eat them but it turns humans into screaming loonies who hunger for a hive mind. So no one can tell if they have actually achieved there goal or not.

The mind also is a great believer in converting people, this they do by inviting people to feasts. Travellers are warned not to go to these feasts as they are detrimental to sanity.

The Caitshee religion is the only present in the empire, and although not many follow religion there is a growing faction who do. Aside from the mind, those who follow this religion almost perceive the Caitshee as messengers of god. They will follow the Caitshee and do all they say, this is dangerous as many interpretations can be placed on anything.

One Caitshee going to a human religious group could in effect turn the group to his will. This has happened a couple of times with Caitshee who long for past victories they find that some of these humans easy to bend to their will with stories of ascension and the one. 200 years ago this happened last when a rogue Caitshee commanded a group of zealots and turned them into a psychotic band of marauders. Eventually they where stopped but the Caitshee rogue escaped.

This isn't true of all humans who follow this religion. Not all are turned so easily but like any religion it can be perverted.

Economy:

There are several rules placed upon the great houses. This is to curb there power. 
 1) No great house will have a monopoly on
 any one industry
 2) Any new technology developed by a
 great house is allowed 10 years to be
 developed by that House and sold before they
 must sell rights to companies.
 3) On the Death of the emperor there will
 be no new emperor.
 No request by the great houses will be
 acknowledged.
 The empire will revert to its ancient name
 from the Capital planet, Muar Rek.
 4) No great house may control more than
 50% of one industry
 5) No great house may have more than 50
 members of parliament, as an indication
 there will be a thousand members in total.
 Of which no more than 2 may be in the
 highest council of 20. A great house may be
 allowed to provide a president to the empire
 though.
 6) Members of a great house participating
 in treason will be the cause of the great
 house to be dissolved and all it's monies
 will go to the empire.

It is hoped these rules will stop the chaos of great house rule again.

Military:

There is very little more of which the military is willing to disclose, which has not already been mentioned in the technology section. Needless to say what is known is that small ships are preferred. Many light battleships and frigates rather than less larger ships. It is unknown if this is a limitation on the genetic manipulation of ship creatures or not.

Tactics

What is known of tactics is this. Small fighters tend to employ skirmish techniques, and almost suicidal flying. They will skirt danger by flying in between larger ships so that the enemy cant fire upon them. Then they will settle upon the hulls of enemy ships and try and eat their way inside. This can lead to a larger cruiser being ripped apart from the inside out by these little fighters.

Sports and Leisure:

More information to be acquired.

Major Population Centers:

As detailed earlier Muar Rek the Capital is home to the greatest population in the empire. Home to roughly 3 billion people.

Tey'Lek'Lar is next with a billion lives, only 2 million of which are human.

Chronic Problems:

Renegade Caitshee

A little over 700 years ago it became known that a faction of the Caitshee became dissatisfied with empire life.

They remembered their old ways of war and conquering and it became apparent that a large faction was involved. A power struggle ensued and the Caitshee faction was finally forced to flee.

hey made off with a capital ship a couple of dreadnoughts and a small band of others. They left with a small human following of fanatics. Warning if these Caitshee are true to their old ways they are on a rampage and will attempt to destroy most things, they live for war. It is believed they went pirate and headed Coreward away from the empire. It is unsure now. Traders have given reports of this group in many places. These may be rumours but it seems important to warn the galaxy that a heavily armed group of marauders are rampant. Approach with caution they have enough adaptations to survive in many Q-dex zones and are proficient in magic and technology.

Tey'Lek'Sint problems

It has now been shown that some of the Tey'Lek'Sint when removed from the hive mind, Via transport to a Q-zone which doesn't support psionics, do not wish to remain in the hive mind.

Their is a growing faction who cannot function as individual within this and feel slaved to the hive by this. Many though exist within the hive mind happily and reap the benefits of this but a few are subjected to a mental slavery. These have asked for asylum away from the Thorn empire to aid recovery outside of the hive mind.

Submission Information:

Submitter's Name: Isaac Newton
Submitter's Email: i.a.newton@bham.ac.uk

Sifter's Name: Donald Campbell