The Chemdlat War Bands. A chaotic race of mercenaries and drifters without a common banner or identity. They find homes among other races that welcome them, or more often, hire them.
"Empire" Name: The Chemdlat War Bands
Capital System/Planet: N/A (There is no central government; nearly every war band is independent of one another)
Home Region: Unknown
Ruler(s): N/A
Head of Military: N/A
Other Key Figures:
-Dtydl, warlord of the Hydra's Call war band
-Cyttynt, unofficial "speaker" for a number of war bands; member of the Hydra's Call
-Tysltid, warlord of Tysltid's Charge war band
Population: Estimates range from a few to several hundred million. War bands have wildly varying numbers, but none are yet as many as ten thousand.
Type of Power: 1
Species Description: Nobody knows what a "normal" chemdlat looks like; a chemdlat looks exactly as she wants to. Their species is most well-known for their utter lack of restraint in modifying their own bodies, and completely at a whim replace, modify, add or remove limbs and organs; implant cybernetics to augment any part of their biology that they wish; and even edit their own genetic sequences with retroviruses to reach their ends. They collect such augments with the same attitude that another species might piercings or tattoos, and in fact many of their modifications are nearly as cosmetic as they are functional. Only two particular barriers exist: the first is that chemdlat do not possess the knowledge to modify their brains on any more than a superficial level, and as a result is the second, which is that the brain's static size limits chemdlat's bodies from about 40% to 300% of their average size of about 75 kg. They are genderless, as sexual reproduction has not existed in their species for some time now (if it had at all,) but when speaking languages with gendered pronouns, nearly all chemdlat favor feminine ones.
Chemdlat biotechnology as a result far outstrips their capabilities in other fields, but allows for what may possibly be the best warriors, individual for individual, to be created. War bands of chemdlat, unnaturally strong, agile and experienced, have been historically battle-turning in favor of the army that fields them. And, as most warriors build themselves to survive with as little as the head intact, to have a body regrown later... they are extremely difficult to kill. It must be noted however that chemdlat have a marked difficulty in organizing; a zealously individualistic mindset makes it difficult for warlords to exact any more than slight control over their bands, (or, for that matter, accepting more than a light touch from their client militaries,) and so can be easily defeated by more numerous and more organized forces.
History: They arrived on boats of flesh. Nobody knows from where the chemdlat came, least of all they themselves. It seems that a large amount of technology was developed sometime on their voyage, as the vastly extended lifespans they now enjoy were not possible just under a thousand years ago when the oldest chemdlat were given life. They were raiders of a sort back then, taking by force what they needed from civilizations they encountered, and moving on toward a long-forgotten goal. This was the case until they entered this region of space about two hundred years back. They found the peoples here to be significantly stronger. And so, after a series of futile wars, the chemdlat war bands, barely held together under a common identity as it was, splintered. They dispersed, drifted, and in time found homes among other races. Found agreements, mostly in mercenary work, which sustained them. And it is like this that they are now.
Type of Government: Meritocratic chiefdom
Description of Government: A warlord holds her position so long as she has warriors willing to fight with her. This is most often believed to be so through force of arms, and warlords are typically the most competent warriors of their band. Though a warlord holds the power to decide where her band travels and who they fight for, she exercises little practical control, as she may swiftly lose her place if she's found to not be considering the opinions of her warriors very well. The warlord position, in fact, more closely resembles a somewhat-respected mouth for her war band, then anything else.
Type of Economy: Primitive communism
Description of Economy: Battle equipment, living supplies, and the resources for the chemdlat's continued continued augmentation are most often negotiated for as payment for their services in various militaries, held communally, and distributed somewhat chaotically, roughly according to need but sometimes defaulting to first-come basis. Chemdlat produce next to nothing that isn't used immediately by the ones that make them.
This will be split to accommodate specific war bands as necessary.
Faction Status: Dis-unified. Probably, somewhere, at war.
Diplomatic Approach: As refugees or as professionals. Some war bands seek shelter first, others work to establish a military contract before anything else. Often this depends on the nation that they approach.
Aggressiveness: Currently, chemdlat never fight without good reason. Nearly all battles have been fought on others' behalf.
State of War: Numerous mercenary contracts.
Allies:
Friends:
Apathetic:
Foes:
At War:
[hider=Society, Culture, and Religion]
Dominant Society: Chemdlat society tends to be informal and individualistic. Most chemdlat are concerned with improving their abilities and their bodies, and proving the augments in the throes of combat. This doesn't quite make them brutal, however. As defeat in battle rarely spells death, chemdlat warriors treat it very lightly, as something more of a refined entertainment.
Social Hierarchy: There are roughly three categorizations to the chemdlat. A warlord is a very respectable position, and the best one could aspire to. Leaders of larger war bands are often afforded somewhat more attention, but as it is a warlord doesn't possess excessively more power than other chemdlat, as their position is very much held by common consent. Warriors make up the majority of their species, nearly all of which treat each other as equals, barring particular personal relationships, good or bad. In fact, this respect applies even to opposing chemdlat, as it is an unspoken rule that the head of an enemy chemdlat be left intact regardless of what else is done to incapacitate them, so that they may survive and grow a new body. Lastly are the various chemdlat that decide to take up any occupations other than military. Theoretically they should be treated as warriors; in practice a good majority of warriors consider the "civilians" to be beneath them.
Moral Values: Above all, a chemdlat aspires to be unique, mostly in the development of her body
Culture: (Give a brief description of your faction's culture. List anything that lets it stand out.)
Other Notes: (List anything truly unique that doesn't fit with the rest.)
Religion: (What's it called? How did it emerge within your faction? List one form for each major religion practiced within your faction.)
Gods: (if any)
Tenets: (What are the principles taught by your religion?)
Religious Beliefs: (Give any examples that make it stand out from the crowd.)
Other Notes:
Misc. Cultural Traits
Class Distinctions: (What divides the classes and castes in your faction? How do they work? Does your faction have social mobility?)
Politics: (How does it play a role in your society?)
Entertainment: (What do your people talk about or do in their spare time? Do they even have spare time to goof off?)
News & Other Media: (How is your faction informed on current events?)
Language: (How does it work in general? List anything of note here.)
I will... keep adding to this.
