The Vainghar
Overview
The Vainghar are a silicon based life form and a powerful race of magic users who worship the Omnire as gods. Often termed as the Precursors, the Vainghar have built their empire in pursuit of their goal of following in Precursor's footsteps so that in time they too may become as gods. Mainly a theocratic government with power placed in the hands of the priesthood, the Vainghar suffer several offshoot governments and sects that are often locked in a state of war. For the most part, however, their empire is stable and serene, with their collective efforts prioritizing exploration and unlocking the ancient mysteries of the Omnire.
History
Evolution and Range
The Vainghari evolved and diverged from other
Vaingi in the continent of Creo on the Vainghari homeworld of Creatae. Modern Vainghari migrated from Creo and began colonizing the wider world approximatel 125,000 years ago. The closest living relative of the Vainhghari are the Ghari primates that populate Creo and have a DNA sequence range similar to the Vainghari between 95-99%.
Creo landscape, the cradle of the VaingharThe Catalyst
The dawn of Vainghari civilization was wrought with mystery as early Vainghari struggled to find meaning to their existence, and answer the question of how they diverged from their primitive cousins. Ancient civilizations permeated with myths of a divine power that catapulted the evolution of the Vainghar and gave the gift of consciousness. It wasn't until the atomic age that the Vainghar discovered the source of this power that they dubbed the Catalyst. Research and experiments confirmed what legends and Vainghari priesthood had been saying all along, that the Catalyst was a Omnire artifact whose power spearheaded the evolution of the Vainghar.
The Catalyst, on the Creatae moon of EzoThe Catalyst was discovered on Ezo, the desert moon of Creatae. An emulating blue light on the moon had long been the subject of myths and legends to the ancient Vainghar and at the dawn of the atomic age technology had advanced enough for lunar expeditions, resulting in a pinnacle discovery that would shape the Vainghari in the centuries to come.
Transition to Civilization
Up until approximately 13,000 years ago, the Vainghar lived in hunter-gatherer societies. Over time, they gradually gained dominion over their environments and learned to cultivate land for farming and domesticate animals. These discoveries changed their societies from a nomadic existence to that of settlers.
A Vainghari City on CreataePopulation boomed over time as technological advances steadily increased quality of life and life expectancy and led to a transition from rural to urban population centers. Following the atomic age, Vainghar civilization had reorganized itself into a theocracy after the discovery of the Catalyst, leading to universal doctrines and law, and globalization and governance. The Information Age saw the end of the last radical bastions of rogue governments on Creatae and the beginning of colonization of Ezo, leading to the Colonial Age and the colonization of their home star system, Kryos and beyond.
Habitat and Population
Early Vainghari settlements were dependent on their proximity to ammonia and other substantive resources. Arable land beyond the habitable equatorial zones of Creatae were highly prized by Vainghari civilizations and consistently fought over throughout their history. As technological advancement allowed travel across the ammonia oceans of Creatae and canals were constructed, settlements were built deeper into inhospitable zones of the world, until urban sprawl covered most of the planet's land masses into the Interstellar Age.
Creatae, the Vainghar homeworldToday most Vainghar live in urban centers on Creatae, where 71% of the landmass of the planet is urbanized, boasting a population of 24.4 billion. The worlds of the Kryos Star System have been colonized and terraformed to suite the biological needs of the Vainghari, with the process being carried out in the interstellar colonies in the Vainghar Star Cluster.
Biology
Anatomy and Physilogy
Anatomy of a vaingharMost aspects of vainghar physiology are closely homologous to corresponding aspects of animal physiology. However there are considerable deviations thought to stem from evolutionary deviation brought about by the Catalyst. Like the natural fauna of Creatae, Vainghar are silicon based, and rely on ammonia for hydration. Unlike animals, vainghar communicate telepathically and absorb nutrients through their skin rather then through oral ingestion.
The central nervous system is divided into two divisions; bodily and astral. Bodily neural splits into brain and spinal chord whereas astral nerves divides into the length of protruding nerve chords. While immediate environmental factors are processed through the bodily nervous system, the astral nervous system is used to send and receive telepathic signals within range of other vainghar.
Vainghar cells undergo a process of photoplast, allowing for energy absorption and consist of highly charged metabolites that age at a slow rate, resulting in a life span of 500 years. Vainghar have three hearts, located in the chest and abdomen, to quickly pump the light blue blood throughout the body.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Vainghar reproduce asexually. At the end of a vainghari life cycle, usually around 500 years, the vainghar body goes into a catatonic state, and its epidermis expands and hardens to form a cocoon, or
crystalis. The vainghar body within the crystalis undergoes the process of fission reproduction, in which the host dies and its genetic material is passed down and gives birth to two offspring, who are birthed from the crystalis after a period of around twelve months.
The vainghar offspring are typically hatched in a nursery and enter into the societal caste of their parent host. A vainghar, usually an elder with interpersonal ties to their parent, undergoes a process of imprinting with the offspring, and raises them to adulthood, which begins at the vainghars' 75th year.
When a Vainghar reaches its 500th year, its body begins to undergo the fission process, its astral nerves begin to dim, and its skin hardens and expands. At this time the vainghar journeys back to Creatae and prepares for its final stage of life, forming its crytalis and splitting into two new offspring.
Occasional the fission process fails, and the offspring die in the crystalis, or the fission process fails, and the vainghar goes on to live for another 5-10 years without reproducing, often living as an outcast in vainghar society.
Psychology
The vainghar brainThe vainghar brain, located in the skull and protected by the bone crest, is the focal point of both the astral and bodily nervous systems. The brain controls both the autocratic processes, such as respiration and digestion, and the higher order functioning, such as thought, reason, and abstraction.
Generally regarded as more capable of these higher order activities, the vainghar brain is believed to be more "intelligent" in general than that of any other known species. While some species are capable of creating structures and using simple tools—mostly through instinct and mimicry - vainghar technology is vastly more complex, and is constantly evolving and improving through time.
Sleep and Dreaming
Vainghar are cathemeral . The waking biological process of vainghari require a process of sleep ranging from twelve to fifteen hours every three days. While in a sleep state, brain activity instigates a dream state within vainghar, where the waking events are processes and often interpreted in a series of dreams. It is common practice for vainghar to analyze these dreams and try and gleam lessons from them.
Consciousness and Thought
Vainghar are imbued with self awareness unlike any other living creature. Their environment is processed by their brain through their senses and their personality is shaped by their experiences. As a result, based on environmental factors, no two vainghar are the same, and a wide spectrum of beliefs and personalities exist.
The nature of thought within Vainghar is often debated and studied within the priesthood and academics of the vainghar, and despite the long history of study, new elements of thought and the mind are constantly discovered as the mind evolves with the vainghar experience.
The caste system of vainghar society, which has been nearly a constant in vainghar civilization, has given rise to unique experiences dependent upon one's role in society. Soldiers, for example, tend to develop aggressive tendencies, while nursery matrons, tend to be nurturing.
Motivation and Emotion
There are several key factors that motivate individual vainghar in their lives, the chief of which being perpetuation and success of the species as a whole. Individuals strive to reach achievements that better vainghar as a whole. The culmination of this is reaching the pinnacle of existence, and obtain godhood just as the Omnire achieved. This has given rise to conflict, however, as not all in vainghar society agree on the means to achieve this.
Secondary to the good of the species, individuals strive to reach the fission process at the 500th year, and often act instinctively in order to survive to this stage. However, individual often overcome their instincts for the good of the species and make sacrifices that contradict this goal.
There are often cases where environmental factors have shaped some vainghar to conduct themselves outside the norms of vainghar culture and act in a selfish manner, working to horde resources, obtain power, and inflict harm on their fellow vainghar.
Emotions often factor into the motivations of vainghar, causing individuals to act in a manner that contradicts the godhood consensus. The process of imprinting, for example, often conjures powerful emotions between the mentor and protege such as love, envy, hatred, etc. These emotions often cloud the mind of vainghar, making it harder to reach their goal. As a result, vainghar tend to maintain discipline against these emotions, and those that appear to be ruled by them are often shunned.
Depiction of the Kin War, caused by the envy
between two sibling archons.Behaviour
Vainghar are highly social beings comprised of complex social groups or castes. Individual vainghar are prescribed a caste at birth based on the role of their parent and rarely change their caste. A caste is largely defined by their role in vainghar society, such as soldier, priest, laborer, etc. and is a general indicator to the overall behaviour of those in that caste.
Telepathy
Vainghar communicate through their astral nerve system, sending signals that are received and processed within the cerebrum of the vainghar brain. This mode of communication not only detects specific words
thought, rather then spoken, at a receiver but also detects mood and emotion in the listener, similar to how other sentient beings might detect emotion from verbal or facial ques.
This mode of communication does, however, create the potential for a barrier between the vainghar and any potential sentient life form in a hypothetical first contact event.
Castes
Vainghar society is divided into a caste system that determines general behaviour and goals of individuals and defines their role in society as well as a hierarchy. On a biological level every vainghar is generally the same, their role and experiences are largely dependent on their caste, and shape everything from behaviour to intelligence.
The caste hierarchy of Vainghar societyLabourerThe lowest tier in terms of hierarchy, labourers perform the menial tasks in vainghar society, operating the vast machinery that powers industry. By far the largest of the castes, as well as the most susceptible to heresy, revolt, and exile from the theocracy.
SoldierA caste of varied organizations but for the most part the sword and shield of the theocracy, born and raised in the art of war. Relatively small compared to the labourer caste, soldiers numbers are engineered to provide the protection needed to the theocracy rather then potentially becoming bloated, idle, and a threat.
MatronMatrons are responsible for assuring perpetuation of the species, primarily in the form of caring for the crsyali and vainghar undergoing the fission process.
PriesthoodThe priesthood represent the academics and leadership in society. Their foremost role is studying and interpreting the Omnire as well as legislating law.
ArchonsArchons are the supreme rulers of vainghar society. Unlike the other castes, an archon is not born into its role, but rather elected from the priesthood based on their deeds. Generally there is one archon ruling over a vainghar faction, but in the past two or more have been elected to rule.
Imprintship
There is not stronger bond between vainghar then that of individuals who have imprinted. Upon birth, a newborn vainghar, usually with its sibling, are taken under the care of their mentor who typically was close the parent vainghar. The two siblings and mentor form a familial unit known as a
trifect, and imprint upon each other, forming a strong bond between the three vainghar.
Over time, the constant passing of astral signals between the trifect forms an acute sensitivity to the respective vainghar, allowing a trifect to communicate over greater distances. Some have even been able to communicate across star systems, though this is rare.
Society, Government, and Politics
Vainghar are organized into a theocratic dictatorship, where the archon rules over vainghar society. The archon is elected from among the priesthood, and the priest, in turn, aid the archon in legislation and governance. However, not all vainghar follow this theocracy, and several rogue governments have been established away from the overbearing influence of the vainghar priesthood.
The Archial EmpireThe Archial Empire is the leading faction in Vainghar society. Based on Creatae and ruled by the vainghar priesthood and the archons, the Archial Empire represents the largest number of the vainghar population, an estimated 70%. The empire has explored and colonized many worlds and star systems and boast the greatest martial and technological strength. The empire's chief pursuit, is the path of the Omnire, and to lead the vainghar to become gods.
The sigil of the Archial EmpireThe Nexus Independent LeagueAfter breaking away from the Archial Empire in a bloody 50 year conflict known as the Nexus War, vainghar of the Nexus star system rejected the caste system and formed their own society free from the burgeoning priesthood of Creatae. NIL society boost freedom from the caste system, building a society under the predication that all vainghar are free to make pursuits based on their free will, rather then the role of their parent.
NIL control the Nexus star system and are based on the terraformed world of Vahil. The league is ruled by the Adjunct Council, and are fairly prosperous despite being dwarfed in size by the empire. Nevertheless, the league has resisted the empire's influence, and persevered despite multiple wars to bring them back into the fold of the empire.
Sigil of the Nexus Independence LeagueThe H'ra DominionA shadowy faction of vainghar that operate outside the boundaries of imperial space. The Dominion homeworld is unknown and their society is shrouded in mystery. It is believed that the Dominion was established by a disgraced archon who was exiled from the empire after being rejected from the fission process. The Dominion is now the home of exiles and fission rejects and are known to prey upon imperial traders and travelers.
Sigil of the H'ra DominionTrade and Economics
The vainghar largely adhere to omnic monopoly economic system, where prized omnire technology is controlled and distributed by the priesthood. Omnire discoveries are handed over to the priesthood for analysis and interpretation. Artifacts and technology traded outside theocratic purview is illegal and punished severely.
The vainghar theocracy argues that lower castes are ill suited to properly decipher Omnire tech while their detractors argue that this is a means of control.
The closest thing the vainghar have to a currency are Omnire crystals that are often traded between individuals and groups in exchange for resources a la a barter system. Crystals are controlled and distributed by the priesthood as payment in exchange for labour and other services before being traded more freely among the populace.
The Nexus Independence League adheres to a distributism economic system, where property rights are held in high regard and the economy is decentralized. This decentralization has given rise to various groups known as orders within the League. League orders tend to collaborate and work together to maximize efficiency and prosperity and tend to be specialized around specific trades or objectives. For example, the League Defence Order is comprised of soldiers that work together to defend League colonies, or the League Exploration Order, that work to discover new worlds to colonize in the name of the League.
War
Vainghar history is marred with conflicts of both large and small scale. Following the atomic age and the discovery of the Catalyst, the geopolitical landscape of Creatae shifted and the priesthood rose to power, establishing their theocracy and the Archia Theocratic Empire. The Archia Empire consolidated its power in a 500 year war known as the War of Tribunal. The Tribunal was a powerful faction on Creatae comprised of three archons and their respective nations. After untold destruction and death, the last remaining archon surrendered, and the empire secured its power over the entire world.
An era of peace followed as the priesthood consolidated its power and imposed its society on the vainghar, hurling its considerable resources at exploration and colonization, stretching out across the stars.
Three generations since the War of Tribunal, the outlying colonies of the Nexus Star rose up against the empire, rejecting the caste system and the priesthood's control of all things Omnic. Known as the Nexus War, it soon surpassed the War of Tribunal in its capacity for death and destruction, laying waste to the Nexus star system and Imperial colonies. Deadlocked for more then two centuries, a peace was reached at last and Nexus seceded from the empire.
Glassing of Artanis during the Nexus WarTechnology
((WIP))
