Physical Distinctions

  Betters have extremely symmetrical features, giving them a doll-like appearance, and great physical beauty.

  Androids

  (see Android Referees for more information and specific names)

  Androids are human-shaped beings and have multiple functions and uses, chief of which is to interact with humans. Not all androids have sentience or free will. Tarthian Empire androids generally have human-looking skin/hair or appearance. They are often referred to as droids. While they refer to themselves as "iron" little or no actual iron is found in their systems.

  Bots

  Bots are machines fabricated for specific jobs. Do not confuse them with androids or droids.

  Important Mundanes

  A quick overview of the people in the Tarthian Empire who have importance to immortals. Those in this list who are alive are under surveillance by the Chosen.

  Andel Rossetti, human male; one of the adopted sons of Cyken. Professional thief

  Brinn Halin, human male; one of the adopted sons of Cyken. Professional thief

  Dreyas "Nikko" Nikkomedes, human male; one of the adopted sons of Cyken. Professional thief

  Ehldani Ruh, Kin female; One of three signers of the treaty between the Kin and the Tarthian Empire. Killed after it was discovered she had abused children. She was stricken from the histories of her people. Grandmother of Mehfawni Ruh. Reason for importance: Dessy has a goal in her game of bringing the Kin homeworld under Tarthian rule. Ehldani's death and expulsion from her people makes her signature on the Kin treaty void.

  Kaydn Walkyr, human male; one of the adopted sons of Cyken. Professional thief turned policeman.

  Khyff Antonello, human male; Half-brother of Cyken's adopted son Senth Antonello, considered a "son" by Cyken. Married to Mehfawni Ruh. A favorite of Dessy, and under her direct protection.

  Kimathra Fasra, Kin female; One of three signers of the treaty between the Kin and the Tarthian Empire. Her daughter Kraftig plotted to have her killed. Kimathra was falsely accused of a crime, and died under suspicious circumstances. She was tried after her death and later stricken from the histories of her people. Reason for importance: Dessy has a goal in her game of bringing the Kin homeworld under Tarthian rule. Kimathra's death and expulsion from her people makes her signature on the Kin treaty void.

  Kraftig Fasra, Kin female; disagreed with her views on gender equality, as well as her support of humans. Kraftig was stricken from the histories of her people.

  Marielynn Mead, human female; Cyken's personal assistant. She is responsible for most of his companies and acts in his stead in business and personal matters. A powerful woman who knows a great deal about Cyken. There is no evidence she is aware of his immortality, but per Pietas, she bears watching.

  Mehfawni Ruh, Kin female; Ambassador to Tarth, eetzesar (leader) of the Ruh clan. Married to Khyff Antonello. She was stricken from the histories of her people and exiled from her clan for killing Ehldani Ruh.

  Mynkoh Ceeow, Kin female; Izzorah Ceeow's maternal aunt, an employee of Cyken, in charge of security for his Crossfire Project (a product of the Forgotten Technologies Arena).

  NarrAy Jorlan, Better female; Captain in the All People's Liberation Army (rebels under leadership of Harmyn). Second-in-command to Ruffhaus Fasra.

  Ruffhaus Fasra, Kin female; former head of the Praetorian Guard for Dessy. When Dessy sent Praetorian Guards to pick up Ruffhaus's brother, the soldiers killed him and his wife. Ruffhaus saw it as a betrayal. She is now the de facto leader of the rebellion.

  Senth Antonello, HalfKin male; Adopted by Cyken, half-brother of Khyff Antonello. Married to NarrAy Jorlan.

  Stealth Keheyl, Kin male; right hand of Ruffhaus Fasra and a key leader in the rebellion.

  Sully Valkyrk, human male; one of the adopted sons of Cyken. Professional thief

  Talyn MacGregor, HalfKin female; one of two children adopted by Harmyn. Reared with a Chiasmii step-sibling named Onys Alderon. Her Kin/human parents were killed by Praetorian Guards acting under orders of Dessy.

  Trink Vandermeer, human male; owner of Batchelors (a series of local nightclubs on Tarth), friends with Cyken (who frequents the clubs and is a part owner of its various locations). Lover of Yvan Ellory.

  Onys Alderon, Chiasmii; one of two children adopted by Harmyn. Reared from birth with a Kin/human family and their HalfKin daughter, Talyn MacGregor. No relationship to Liu and Keren Alderon. However, the name was given to the child by Harmyn, who is friendly with the Alderons. The Kin/human parents were killed by Praetorian Guards acting under orders of Dessy.

  Yvan Ellory, human male; owner of Batchelors (a series of local nightclubs on Tarth), friends with Cyken (who frequents the clubs and is a part owner of its various locations). Lover of Trink Vandermeer.

  Zylna Falehla, Kin female; Izzorah's Ceeow was engaged to this female but left the planet and did not fulfill his marriage contract. Zylna later married Dallon Ruh, the brother of Mehfawni Ruh, but Dallon was killed (supposedly by a jealous mate). Cyken suspects Zylna of the murder and is seeking to prove it. Reason for importance: Dessy has a goal in her game of bringing the Kin homeworld under Tarthian rule. Zylna's death and expulsion from her people would make her signature on the Kin treaty void. If this occurs, all three signers of the treaty will no longer exist, giving Dessy control of the planet.

  Places

  A quick survey of the planets within the Tarthian Empire, and their importance to immortals.

  Detiza - Gates of Life

  Archaeological digs on several barren worlds in the Tarthian Empire and all the non-human ones (Tyris, Felidae, and Ezraki) uncovered the ruins of towering arches. Natives call them the Gates of Life. Mundanes speculate they originated as monitoring devices for tracking the progress of genetic mutations, but we know they were created by Pietas and help not only monitor but also create mutations.

  Rituals of "passing through the Gates" after birth are common to Tyrans, Chiasmii, and Kin alike. All three worlds have legends that link the Gates to a god who descends from the sky in a burning chariot. The Tyrans called him Sandargen, the Chiasmii Arjensa, and the Kin Adel Jansaara. When translated to Etymis, the tradestandard language of the Empire, all these names mean Saint of Silver. A detailed description of this saint's arrival suggests a spacecraft. According to the legends, he was the size of a god, and had white hair. He always wore silver, and demanded a sacrifice of a male and female, which he took back to the sky with him. Those who did not please him, or had failed in worshiping at the Gates were punished severely, and some were killed. We immortals know him to be Pietas. The sacrifice people were, of course, nothing more than specimens.

  When thousands of years passed without the Saint of Silver's return, the inhabitants destroyed the Gates. Gates were also found on the planets Ohy and Sanity IV but humans found no evidence intelligent life ever existed on these worlds.

  Immortals know the truth about the Saint of Silver, and the Gates, but we reveal nothing of this to Mundanes. Remember rule numbers one and two.

  Kelthia - Thieves' Guild Homeworld

  The planet Kelthia is one of the original worlds of the Old Empire (the original eleven worlds), and holds the distinction of being the second wealthiest, slightly behind Tarth. This is due in part to Kelthia's natural resources, but a large portion is earned through a most unusual source.

  The Thieves' Guild is a mortal enterprise, which has existed for centuries, and is a union-operated business. There are forty-six levels, each attainable only by rigorous testing. Kelthian law protects members of the union by granting immunity from prosecution for thieves operating under valid contracts. Thieves from this union are in demand on all worlds in the Empire, and are especially useful in corporate environments. Pilfered trade secrets, gained under the auspices of a valid thief-contract, account for nearly twenty percent of the gross income for the planet.

  Members of the union pay taxes on only the first ten percent of their earnings, hence the common slang term for getting away with something, "He pays a thief's taxes."

  Prostitution is legal throughout the Empire, but it is lauded here, and Kelthian sex workers are often the epitome of beauty. Kelthia is also known for the manufacture of fine liquor, jewelry, and high fashion.

  Kelthian natives are almost all dark-skinned, with jet-black, tightly curled hair and brown eyes. Only a small percentage have fair coloring.

  One of the best-known Kelthians in the Empire is Luc Saint-Cyr, a.k.a. "the Man," or the Harbinger, so-called for his ability to spot trends and influence. At one time, he served as the Grand Master of the Thieves' Guild, but retired and turned his hand to business on Tarth. He is the wealthiest man in the Empire, and is considered second in influence only to Empress Rheyn Destoiya, the Conqueror. The phrase "a harbinger of wealth" refers to earning power, and is a direct reference to him. The Harbinger is known to us as Cyken Tomarus.

  A statue in front of the Guild represents all thieves. One hand points upward, symbolizing the future. He wears a mask over his eyes as a sign of anonymity with which thieves work. A new statue is being discussed which is less gender specific; and, as the Thieves' Council is considering opening the guild for the first time to non-humans such as the Kin, Tyran, and Chiasmii, the new statue will undoubted be the subject of much debate. Currently, the Guild does not accept non-humans, unless they are enslaved to a human member. No one can rise past level ten, unless related to a human member. For that reason, Guild-arranged marriages and adoptions happen regularly. This suits immortals, as it allows us to keep wealth and power within our families. Cyken has "adopted" a family and claims seven sons. They are listed in the section "Important Mundanes."

  A skeleton key symbolizes the Guild. Members above certain levels earn a cloak that enables disruption of visual fields. This allows its wearer to seem invisible in certain light. The cloak is activated by the wearer's DNA, thereby preventing its use by anyone other than the true owner. It has many other features.

  Mjuka - An Original

  During the founding of the original Old Empire, the planet Mjuka played a strategic role in defense. Humans occupy the planet, though there are legends of a now-extinct catlike humanoid creature. A few, rare sightings and partial fossils have inconclusively proven the existence of the beasts. Immortals know the truth.

  There are five moons, all too small to be of significant importance either for colonizing, raw material, or tactical location. Mjuka remains pristine and has one of the clearest atmospheres in the Empire. It was the first world to be duplicated by the Terraformer's Circle of Fellowship. However, New Mjuka does not have the same clarity in its atmosphere and is under study to correct the defect.

  Recent reports of shape shifting cat/humanoids have surfaced on New Mjuka, but there are no verified sightings. Like Drated, this has been considered a possible hoax. Again, immortals know the truth.

  Ohy - Shipped to Oh Hell

  Ohy gets its red color from sand and rock. The black areas are its seas, and the greenish yellow is landmass. It was the first planet to be created by the Terraformer's Circle of Fellowship.

  Ohy is in one of the farthest corners of the Tarthian Empire and is home to about 2.2 million Armada soldiers. No civilians live here. Due to the isolation, soldiers are routed here for no more than three tradestandard months (each ninety days long).

  Civilians arriving on tour are allowed to enter the main concourse, but are accompanied under guard. It is rumored that ships created at the FIST on Trien are tested here before being sent to the fleet.

  Here is the official denial that Ohy is a "dumping ground" for misbehaving soldiers: "While it is true that some soldiers routed to Ohy on tours of duty have been involved in less than stellar behavior, it is not true that duty on Ohy is considered punishment." It is interesting though, that slang for duty on Ohy is "Shipped to Oh Hell."

  Sanity IV - Gone Forever

  A sports and entertainment arena orbits the planet, and live feeds from The Virtual Dome are broadcast throughout the mining colonies and fed to the entire empire via Imperinet, the Imperial Internet.

  The myth that Sanity I, II, III, and IV destroyed themselves in a civil war is false. They were surface-stripped and mined for raw materials, and the debris field exists now as asteroids in the Sanity system. The name origin is lost, but legend says Sanity IV began as a slang term in a song often sung by miners.

  Miner City is a collection of domed habitats, called habdrills. Each habdrill is an independent district, populated by up to ten thousand individuals. Habdrills are transported to different worlds via a habship. When they arrive, they detach and anchor themselves to the planet, moon, or asteroid being mined. Trade secrets long held by the miners prevent explanation of the technology. However, there are Chosen working within the system, so if access is needed, contact the Chosen Council.

  Initially connected to each other by tubes built after anchoring, the habdrills are merely part of one larger city. No worker is actually a resident of the world where he/she works, but is an empire citizen of Miner City, an independent world of its own. So, even though one million people live and work on Sanity IV, none is a resident of the planet.

  The gravity well in the Sanity system makes it an ideal jump point. Occasionally, an errant asteroid interferes with navigation. It is a myth that jumping into Sanity IV's space can trigger space time disruptions. If that were true, events would repeat at random intervals. This has never been observed. If that were true, events would repeat at random intervals.

  Tarth - All Roads Lead Home

  The capitol of the Tarthian Empire is seated in Tarth City. A twelve-block-wide park bisects the city, providing greenspace and recreation. The transportation system is the most advanced in the Empire, and hustles commuters on round-the-clock shifts. Ground traffic is permitted only with special license and is granted only for specified times of the day. Public travel is nearly all via tube trains, which wend their way beneath the city in tunnels, across elevated ells, and crawl up the sides of and into massive skyscrapers. Buildings in the business districts are slender towering structures that spear the clouds.

  The Conqueror's Palace is found on Tarth, as is Parliament, and the Tarthian Empire Thieves' Guild. Tarth is also home to major sports teams, including the game Ruckball. The sport can be considered a cross between soccer, wrestling, and hockey. The two major teams are the Kelthian Killers and the Tarthian Fists.

  Trien - Home of the FIST

  The FIST, Facility for Imperial Ships and Transports, is a group of stations orbiting Trien, the nearest planet to Tarth. Ships created here are modular in construction to save time when being built, and when being repaired. In wartime, a damaged section of a ship can be jettisoned. Multiple orbiting stations make up the FIST.

  Whinbrice - Home of the Skovron

  Whinbrice is a bright blue world with fertile oceans and landmasses. The crystal-based ground on one continent produces fine wines that are sold empire wide. Cyken owns a large vineyard there. Skovron burgundy is the finest in the Empire.

  The Skovron Stadium was renovated by Meesht Tormah Construction, a subsidiary of Tyran Motors, days before it hosted Wind and Thunder's Claw Rock Tour and a crowd of over sixty-four thousand people. The stadium's spired arches permit outdoor seating in good weather, but a weather-resistant force field can generate within four seconds of a drop of rain. The underside of the arches can also render holographic images, permitting all seats to have an unobstructed view of the stage.

  Wind and Thunder's opening number used the stadium's holosystem to create life-like clouds and lightning flashes. When the group came on stage, lightning appeared to arc over their bodies. One by one, they thrust their hands toward different parts of the stadium and the holosystem cast the "lightning" over the audience. The effect was so realistic hundreds of attendees ran for the exits. Paramedics treated several for panic attacks. The effect was dropped for the second show. During that program, lead singer Gelina Fasra's voice rose so high a window in the control panel shattered. The band's security company, For Women Only, immediately shut down the show and hunted for snipers. Despite this, the band was booked for two return performances in 4665 and one hundred twenty-eight thousand tickets sold out within twelve minutes of posting on Imperinet.

  Niric - Colonizing a New World

  Niric -- from the journal of the wandering artist (a minor Mundane celebrity)

  "I have a new digital notebook I can draw with and was able to get the look of the colony on Niric. From what they tell me, the ship they came in can be taken apart to form the new city. Engines will be split up and made into power plants for five sub-cities. Most of the buildings slide into place after the base is built. The ship becomes a greenhouse, and the colonists help plant and raise a forest. Nearby are deep-core mining operations. Valuable resources for the fledgling city come from not only the ship but also the planet's crust. LRC-11246 (Long range colony) is making its scheduled landing after a year of preparation. Over two hundred ships like these will land over the next ten years. After I've taken in the sights, I'm booked on a sleepliner to Kyrenie."

 

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