Sauristan

Sauristans are an egg-laying warm-blooded species, originating from the nearly uninhabitable planet, Casorek. They are known for their personnel importance and focus placed on warfare and combat. Since the, the Sauristan people live in scattered colonies both inside and outside Huayot jurisdiction.

Physiology

They are considered mammal, in that they are warm blooded, however, the species both lays egg broods and have a 2 phase life cycle. Average height for the species ranges from about 4ft (120 cm) to 5'5"ft (165 cm), often seen as short by many other species. Skin color ranges from pale greys and blues, to midtone grays, and greyish hues of blue or green.

They have a dense muscle mass, that makes them far more powerful than their size would indicate. Their extremely high metabolism keeps them active for long periods of time, provided they have the food for it. The density along with their aggressive metabolism, means they produce a significant amount of body heat, keeping them warm even in colder environments. The average life span of a Sauristan can be 40 - 50 years of age.

Sauristans are primarily carnivorous, with a diet consisting mostly of raw meat and other raw foods. Some Sauristans have difficulty digesting certain processed foods, as their digestive system is far too used to raw goods. And despite their hearty constitution, Sauristans are extremely weak to the effects of alcohol, psychotropics, and many other drugs.

Life Cycle

Sauristans lay eggs in clutches of 10 to 15, with a 4 month gestation period, though typically only reproduce about once a year, a ritual of events where several mothers gather to lay eggs in the same area. The eggs are not viable in dry environments and need to be kept under water or in moist conditions, such as a muddy bank. Their first stage of life is an amphibious form, with gills that can breath both air and water and tails for swimming. Upon hatching, they live the first year of their life fending themselves off from the natural predators of the area, and sometimes even each other.

Once they loose their gills, they make a trek back to the closest Suaristan town, where they are greeted with a coming of age celebration. Full maturity for a Sauristan happens quickly, reaching full adulthood at the age of 10. Though sexually mature a few years earlier, most young Sauristan do not reproduce until they've had enough experience on the battlefield, as time is needed to determine the 'best of breed' for species perpetuation.

Society

Modern society for Sauristans is very Spartan in nature, where focus and importance is placed on one's process on the battlefield. Since their integration into Huayot, their planet's primary export has been their own numbers into the The Huayot's united military force. Their creed is a very simple survival of the fittest process, where even their children are meant to fend for themselves until adolescence.

While still in their colonies on Casorek, there were constant conflicts between the groups for no real purpose other than to conquer. While the resources of the land were beneficial, the real reward was the total victory over the existing colony. Over the years whole civilizations would be wiped out and rebuilt. Despite this, there was rarely more than 3 or 4 'superpowers' at a time, as the drive for glory and conquest would find Sauristan wanting to start their own units, to build and take over the very places they once called home.

Non-combat skills are not particularly revered, but are considered required for general maintenance of the unit. Crafting tasks such as carpentry, masonry and smithing, are often the more favored non-combat 'chore', where cleaning, livestock tending, sewing and farming are seen as mostly dull.

Breeding takes place around the same time, in a process where all eggs are left in a group and untouched by the parents or any other members of the group. Their ability to survive is their first test of worth, and the first trust test of the viability in the community. The process of surviving in that vulnerable state without any direct support, is seen as a means of weeding out the weak from the strong, to help ensure only the best of their brood remain.

The return of the children is met with celebration, and the date is marked as their birth date. They are accepted as members to the group and names are chosen for themselves. Titles are offered based on their skills and performance in the many 'games' used to celebrate their return, those that show to be the most hardy, heavy, skilled, even those already with battle scars by their adolescence, are offered unique names to choose from as proof of their worth. This leads with a pressure to live up to these titles, as those that do meet the expectation of their title, can be stripped of their name.

No effort is made to seek out one's genetic parents, instead they are all schooled and cared for as a group, with multiple mentors to serve as their role models and support. Occasionally they may determine whom exactly might have been their parents, but rarely is any importance placed on this. For this reason, they do not have family names, instead, separation of other same titled Sauristans is determined by sub title. Sub titles are awarded through service, both rank and special designations are awarded to them throughout their life. A Sauristan's full designation can be particularly long by the end of their life, but their highest honor or rank is what is used in informal settings.

They have no real traditional garb to speak of, the only consistent attire throughout centuries of Sauristan history, have been a single ear cuff that is stapled into the ear of the soldier after their first successful conflict. It is a long cuff that is stapled on both ends, permanently attaching it to the top of the ear cartridge. This cuff bares their name and first honors. Similar to the cuff, additional ear jewelery may be awarded based on performance and rank. In cases of very prominent soldiers, the jewelery may be collected and stored upon their death, used as a means of motivation for the rest of the group.

Romance and Relationships

Culturally and emotionally, Sauristans are not very romantic or affectionate. Partners are determined by combat experience, partners in combat that have served to be their best complement on the field. Rarely are partnerships of significant rank differences occur, in these events, the lower ranked Sauristan must prove their worth to the more decorated one, through combat determined by the current unit leader.

Sauristans of particularly high ranking are the most pressured into reproducing, their partners are met with the most scrutiny both on a performance and social level. This importance placed on the the perpetuation of the strongest of the species makes it incredibly difficult for Sauristans that do not wish to reproduce or do not have an interest in the opposite sex, to form any partnerships while also gaining military merit. Those that cannot take on a partner solely for the sake of reproducing, will often intentionally hold themselves back so that their desire to partner with one they cannot reproduce with will not be noticed. Often, infertile Sauristans are viewed as cursed, a superstition that can lead to total ostracization from the unit, if found out.

Health and Medicine

The practice of medicine and healing in the Sauristan culture is a delicate one. They put a great deal of effort into treating physical injuries, to the point where they've been regarded as some of the system's best surgeons, were it not for the bloodlust. Their knowledge of the body lead them to also be the leaders in prosthetic research. But with all their progress with physical healing, their skill with illnesses are far more lacking.

Most Sauristans see illness as a thing to be fought off, that the body's immune system should conquer all illnesses, and if it cannot they were not meant to live. However, they also see the immune system as another muscle that must be trained in order to fight off illness to the best of their ability. After returning in adolescence, they are given foods with the intent of giving them sickness in a slow progression.

Similarly, poisonous 'tattooing' is used to exercise the body's ability to heal itself, where the native creatures venom is pricked into the skin, increased over the course of months until a strong tolerance is formed. Those that respond with an allergic reaction are left to die. While these methods seem callous and cruel, it has left the Sauristans as some of the most hearty and physically adaptable species.

In their old age, Sauristans prefer to die in combat, rather than dying of old age. Apart from simply, intentionally biting off more than they can chew in a combat setting, other practice for intentional combat oriented suicide also involve less armor, or taking drugs that are meant to induce a berserker state to take as many with them as possible. Another route some take is a form of assisted suicide, a marathon competition against as many that are as close to them as possible, until they are either killed or die of exhaustion.

Drugs both medicinal and recreational are not particularly prominent in the Sauristan culture, mostly due to their extreme dislike of anything that hinders performance or induces lethargy. Alcohol only came into use as means of a disinfectant, and other downers are not favored by any Sauristan culture. Painkillers are rarely used in their surgeries save for extreme conditions, though substances that induce unconsciousness, are not as restricted. Psychotropic drugs are rarely used as a culture, few pocket groups use them for religious purposes, but they often are seen as a hindrance. Many uppers and anything used to increase stamina or endurance, things that promote a 'berserker' state, will be used if they prove of any worth on the battlefield.

Non-Combative Colonies

Less rare are the few colonies that do not, while much of the life cycle is the same. Many socially determined 'boring' tasks, are often given out to the Sauristan that make up these reserves, in exchange for protection from the warring factions. They have little rights in the larger Sauristan groups, but in their sanctioned space, they are permitted to live without military engagement.

Post Casorek Adaptation

After the planet of Casorek was rendered uninhabitable, Sauristans have had to make changes to their life to carry out their traditions and beliefs without their native breeding and rearing grounds. For Sauristans that are enlisted in any military under Huayot, efforts are made to allow their Sauristan forces, to breed and carry out celebrations they typically would on their home planet. These military camps are the only guaranteed place where Sauristans can re-create their societies as close to originally possible.

For the non-enlisted Sauristans, few planets permit Sauristan egg laying in their environments, fearing the spawn will cause significant damage to their ecosystem. Few reserves area have been allowed on certain planets, others only permit Sauristan eggs in closed off, artificially made pools. Few Sauristan 'nurseries' exist, for a price they allow eggs to be laied in pools that have much of the wildlife once on Casorek, in an attempt to re-create the system that helped weed the weak from the strong.

Many other planets simply view Sauristans themselves as an invasive species. Due to their hardy nature and the potentially significant amount of offspring, even with their relatively short lifespan, many fear being over-run by them. Sauristan eggs alone are considered illegal, any eggs found in illegal areas are destroyed upon discovery.

The only other option available for Sauristans are a few eco-stations, meant to house several thousand Sauristans in place of their planet. These space colonies, while providing a mimic of the atmosphere, foliage and fauna of what was once on Casorek, non-colony dwelling Sauristans view the eco-station life as one of softness. The ones that chose to stay there, do so for fear of loosing their culture if they integrate anywhere else.

In the medical field, Sauristan eggs are stolen or harvested from illegal locations, places where they would have been destroyed anyway. There have been attempts to re-create personal armies of Sauristan soldiers, made by harvesting and even genetically altering the eggs to produce even more efficient and potentially more long lived Sauristans.

Sauristan War Pits

The remaining compromise the primary planetary groups of the offer, are sanctioned Sauristan War Pits. Similar to gladiator pits, it is a state of political asylum from the planet's governing rules, permitting Sauristan law to be exercised there. Both a place of friendly combat, and a means of allowing a very active species to channel their fury in a place safe to the public, it also is a place where traditional rites are carried out, as well as ritualistic assisted suicides and fights to the death.

In order to help maintain the pits, tickets for exhibitions of their fights as well as betting on competitors are used to raise funds for the upkeep. For these and other combat events that do not carry ritualistic significance, non-sauristans may participate in the events, and are subject to Sauristan law if they agree.

Unsanctioned 'war pits' have been known to crop up in planets that do not have them or have not made the ones they do have, easily accessible. The practice of combat to the death and sometimes gambling, is not permitted in all planets and can conflict with the dominant species' personal beliefs, making these unsanctioned pits both a legal and cultural violation.

History

In their ancient history they had marked counts of aggression, but their signature war-bent culture was not always this way. Due to their process of constant build ups and wipe outs of whole civilizations through the years, it is extremely difficult to find any text or other stored documentation from more than a century ago. A phenomenon not even modern Sauristans are very concerned about. But of what was recovered, the constantly warring species was a gradual process linked by theoretically two competitive leaders.

It is theorized that berserker drugs were more commonly used in these aggressive pushes, while militant laws were passed to purge the community of the weak, an effort to make the strongest soldiers possible. In an effort for these two supposed superpowers to conquer one another, much of their creative works in their culture were set to the wayside, causing a decline in the production and creation for such things.

It is suspected that after a winner was determined, this new way of life was perpetuated to ensure their throne was not usurped. This was where the start of perpetual conquest and rebuild one believing they could serve with greater honor and strength than the other, and rising to face the next challenge. The Non-combatitive colonies try their best to re-create the still aggressive but not as pronounced pre-perpetual war traditions to the best of their abilities.

First Contact

The event that lead to the first interaction of off-world inhabitants and the Sauristans was a dubious one. While it was not uncommon for non-space-faring species to be observed quietly, a particular group of N'ret, studied the Sauristans, their culture and physical attributes for a few decades before making a decidedly unlawful first contact.

They had seen the potential the Suaristans naturally had for being a tool for war, and wanted to use that to their advantage. Despite the initially hostile response to an unknown craft landing outside one of the current Sauristan Superpowers at the time, the N'ret Ambassador's grasp of the language that she had gathered quelled the initial unrest. Now with an audience, she enticed the first colony with tales of combat in places and with beings they couldn't even imagine.

More than a handful of Sauristans joined the small N'ret force, as a presentation to the rest of the Huayot. Due to Huayot regulation, in order for the N'ret to use Sauristans as soldiers, the Sauristans as a whole had to be made a part of the Huayot.

Monarchy Establishment

The counsel for the Huayot found the Sauristans to be barbaric or even 'primitive', despite their ability to create very mobile prosthetics and unique power armors. They could be accepted only as a protected group, but not as fully involved members of the Huayot as a whole.