Lore

Gurzil Belt Alpha

Space

The Gurzil belt alpha is a protoplanetary disk that orbits the sun of the developing Gurzil system. Still in its infancy, it is a swirling mass of dust, asteroids, and planetessimals. During the Xi'an-Human Cold War (SEY 2530 - 2793), many spacecraft from both sides of the…

Quantum Drive

Science and Technology

A quantum drive is a type of engine that generates a Chan-Eisen field, enabling spacecraft to travel at approximately 20% of the speed of light. Because it takes a great deal of energy for a quantum drive to work, larger ships with more room for specialized power and cooling…

Xi'an

Xi'an · Civilizations

The Xi'an are a spacefaring civilization that originated on the planet RyiXy'an (Hyoton III). They are capable of space flight, quantum travel, jump point navigation, and planetary terraformation. Their leader, Emperor Kr.ē, has reigned over the Xi'an Empire (SaoXy'an) since SEY…

FireStorm Kinetics

Commerce · Weapons

FireStorm Kinetics is a Human spacecraft weapons manufacturer headquartered on Cascom (Castra II). Originally an exclusive contractor for the military, FireStorm built rockets for capital ships and torpedoes for military bombers. They have since expanded to the civilian market,…

Silent Song

Art

Silent Song is a piece of interactive artwork located in the Tayac system asteroid belt, between Tayac II and Shepherd (Tayac III). The work was commissioned in honor of the Ark's centennial and to highlight xeno-relationships. It was created in collaboration by Human artist…

Anti-Ship Mines

Weapons · Science and Technology

Anti-ship mines, also called proximity mines, are explosives that can be placed at fixed points in space. They are designed to explode when spacecraft come within a particular range, inflicting heat and projectile damage on anything nearby. Mines are used by the military for…

Tevarin

Tevarin · Civilizations

The Tevarin are bipedal beings indigenous to the planet Jalan (Elysium IV); formerly Kaleeth. In 2541, Human researcher Dr. Kellar Lench discovered a jump point into their system. At that time, the Tevarin were capable of space flight, quantum travel, and had highly developed…

Third Imperial Age

Xi'an · History

The Third Imperial Age, ruled by House Kr.ē, is the Xi'an Empire's (SaoXy'an) current dynasty. It began in II.1824 (SEY 1457) with the selection of U.e'o se Kr.ē as the new Emperor, roughly a century after the Kr'thak's assassination of House Xy.ō. During this era, the Xi'an…

Xi'an Calendar

Xi'an · Culture

The Xi'an calendar (Modern Xi'an Year, r.aiXy'an) is measured by the celestial mechanics of their former homeworld, RyiXy'an (Hyoton III). It differs from the Human calendar in a number of significant ways; for example, each Xi'an year is equivalent to 1.28 Human years, is…

Xenoanthropology

Science and Technology

Xenoanthropology is the scientific study of alien behavior, cultures, and societies. There are many branches of xenoanthropology, including linguistic, biological, social, and cultural. There is an ongoing debate in the field over the value of observational versus total…

Leyland's Tortoise

Animals

Leyland's Tortoise Leyland's tortoise is a species of tortoise indigenous to Earth (Sol III). They have glossy shells with minor color variation around the scutes and the edges of the shells. Extremely docile, they are kept as pets by Humans, especially long-haul spacers.…

Opera Mushroom

Plants

OPERA MUSHROOM The opera mushroom is an artificially engineered fungus developed by a team of researchers at the University of Rhetor's (UR) Department of Genetics. It has a fleshy, violet, trumpet-shaped, fuzz-covered stem that amplifies a natural sound created by the expansion…

Se'kith (Th.us'ūng III)

Planets

Se'kith (Th.us'ūng III) is a terrestrial planet in the Th.us'ūng system, Xi'an Empire (SaoXy'an), and is the third world from its sun. Soon after its MXY III.802 (SEY 2483) discovery, the Xi'an government designated it as a testbed for new terraforming and geohacking…

Piracy (Space)

Illegal Activity

Piracy (space) is an act of organized theft and criminal violence committed by spacecraft-based attackers. Acts of piracy can range from one-off attacks by one-person spacecraft to extremely organized, highly-planned operations that make use of dozens of pirates and multiple…

Bacchus III

Planets

Bacchus III is the third planet from the suns of the Bacchus system, Banu Protectorate. A gas giant with a green and brown atmosphere, it is dotted with swirling clouds that mark the location of violent storms, some of which have raged for hundreds of years. The largest and…

Flo-Pets

Animals

Flo-Pets are a bioluminescent freshwater slug indigenous to Xis (Kellog II). Despite being protected by the Fair Chance Act, Human smugglers began eluding United Empire of Earth military forces to travel to the surface to capture Flo-Pets around 2918, intending to develop them…

Centennial Bloom (Pui'arai.ly'ii)

Plants · Xi'an

Centennial Bloom The centennial bloom (pui'arai.ly'ii) is a plant indigenous to Ko'li (Ē'aluth III) that flowers once every 100 Modern Xi'an Years (MXY). Many centennial blooms are tended on R.aip'uāng (Kai'pua II), the center of Li'tova in the Xi'an Empire (SaoXy'an). Like the…

Vanduul

Vanduul · Civilizations

The Vanduul are hostile beings capable of space flight, quantum travel, and jump point navigation. Humans first made contact with the Vanduul after a Clan raided Dell Township on Armitage (Orion III) in SEY 2681, killing all the settlers but one. Every subsequent encounter with…

Xi'an Cuisine

Xi'an · Food and Beverages

Xi'an Cuisine Xi'an cuisine is the traditional method by which Xi'an prepare their food for consumption. Rather than using heat to alter the nutrient bioavailability of ingredients as is traditionally done by Humans, Xi'an utilize aging and fermentation. Xi'an cannot digest the…

Interspace Communication Technology

Science and Technology

Interspace communication technology refers to devices that enable the rapid transmission of data across great distances. Composed of an intricately connected web of space stations and satellite-based relay towers, the network facilitates quick information transfer by sending…

Kuā'li (Yā'mon I)

Planets · Xi'an

Kuā'li (Yā'mon I) is the first planet from the sun of the Yā'mon system, Xi'an Empire. Tidally locked to its star, one of its sides is in permanent daylight, and the other in permanent night. During the Xi'an-Human Cold War, Human military intelligence identified a facility…

Yā'ti

Settlements · Xi'an

Yā'ti is a major city on Xōl'uu (R.il'a IV), Xi'an Empire (SaoXy'an). A center of commerce and industry, the city was once a military manufacturing center, but was redeveloped after the end of the Xi'an-Human Cold War (SEY 2530 - 2793 / MXY III.838 - III.1044). Multiple…

Yethlūl y.ath'o (Yā'mon II)

Planets

Yethlūl y.ath'o (Yā'mon II) is the second planet from the sun of the Yā'mon system, Xi'an Empire. Although it saw little use other than resource extraction during the Xi'an-Human Cold War (SEY 2530 - 2793), it is now a hub of activity as it is being terraformed under a joint…

Yām'ping (Yā'mon IV)

Planets

Yām'ping (Yā'mon IV) is a dwarf planet in the Yā'mon system, Xi'an Empire, and is the last planet from its sun. Once home to several military outposts during the Xi'an-Human Cold War (SEY 2530 - 2793), Yām'ping is now orbited by stations dedicated to entertainment, such as…