Fact file attempt for the Tyandirr Imperium, a race of aggressive, war-like aliens in the fork of the current universe, with the Volcyon Conglomerate Alliance.
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Tyandirr Imperium Fact File
Summary – The Tyandirr
Biology.
The Tyandirr are a predatory, bi-pedal, non-humanoid species hailing from the planet Tyanis in the Taran Nebula. They share many characterstics with reptillians - however they are not biologically reptillian. Tyandirr have two muscular legs upon which they stand, two arms, and two smaller appendages which protrude from their abdomen. These smaller appendages are tipped with razor-sharp blade claws, which the Tyandirr use for fighting. Average male Tyandirr stand around eight foot, and are highly muscular, as fighting is an essential part of the Tyandirr culture and heritage. Tyanis's strong gravity, dense atmosphere and volcanic enviroment have lead to the Tyandirr's strength and resiliance, their hides are coated in a biological armour developed to resist the acidic compounds in their homeworld's atmosphere, a trait they share with the Volcyon.
Male Tyandirr have a quartet of clawed digits on their hands; these claws are several inches long and are naturally 'telescopic'; a muscular fibre coats the claw and allows it to be sheathed above their digit, giving their fingers a very boney appearance. When manipulating objects with detail, the Tyandirr must sheath their claws, though most males see sheathed claws as a sign of weakness. Females lack these muscle fibres, and instead have far smaller claw-like "hooks" on top of thier digits that they can motivate up and down, but do not interfere with fine movements of their digits.
The Tyandirr skull is an angular tear-drop shape; large bone structures give it a ridged appearance, with the ridges meeting at the front of the skull, where a highly muscular jaw is present. At the rear of their skull, a bone structure curves upward similar to a crest, with males possessing a larger, red-coloured tip, and females having little to no curvature.
The Tyandirr jaw is immensly powerful; it consists of a pair of inset 'sub-jaws' which allow the species to chew through even the toughest flesh, these jaws close to form a cross shape, with the outer jaw possessing large, razor-sharp fangs. The inner jaw is more serrated, and consists of multiple layers of smaller, equally as sharp teeth used to grinding flesh and hide. The females lack the developed inner jaw, and have significantly smaller teeth on their outer jaws.
Tyandirr have four eyes; two larger sockets in the front of their skull, positioned slightly to each side, and a pair of smaller ones towards the rear, on the sides. This gives the species the ability to effectively see in full two-hundred and seventy degrees around them. Their eyesight is exceptionally good; Tyanis's thick atmosphere has lead to highly developed low-light vision and excellent motion awareness. Their eyeballs are a distinctive chrome colour, seeming to reflect a significant amount of light; this is due to a protective membrane over their eyes, developed to shield them from Tyanis's acidic atmosphere.
Their skin is a metalic dark grey colour with a green-ish tint due to the microscopic fibres which make up their highly resistant hide. Male Tyandirr have distinctive red colourations along their bone structure, giving them a 'tattooed' appearance. The deeper these red colourations, the more distinguished the given male is, as high levels of chemical hormones within the Tyandirr blood-stream lead to stronger colouration; this is a sign of a male's dominance among the race. Females have a lighter colour skin, and no significant colouration. Tyandirr skin is highly resistant; capable of resisting incredible temperatures due to Tyanis's volcanic enviroment and high ambient heat. It is composed of a layer of microscopic fibres, that act as a 'biological armour'; allowing the Tyandirr to be exposed to temperatures and conditions that would easily kill other species.
Tyandirr have an appendage similar to a tail, protruding from the base of their spine, which ends in a sharp boney ridge. This tail is a remnant of the Tyandirr's primitive history, and may have once been used for balance before the they evolved to a bi-pedal nature.
Vital organs are protected by a hardened bone structure which forms a sort of "plate" over the front of the Tyandirr's abdomen. This boney plate is articulated in several areas, and allows movment without compromising strength. During sparring between two males; this plate often recieves massive trauma from the opponent's claws, leading to male Tyandirr having far stronger supporting muscles and tissue, and often heavy scaring; a symbol of their dominance.
Tyandirr blood is a distinctive 'rusty' orange colour, as a result of the presence of large levels of iron compounds within their bloodstream; due to the large concentrations of the element in Tyanis's atmopshere and enviroment.
Key Points
⦁ Tyandirr live for about 15-20 Tyandirr Cycles. Average life expectancy in Earth years for the average Tyandirr is 57 years. This is largely due to their culture; most Tyandirr will die of causes other than old-age. Biologically, the Tyandirr are capable of living for well over a hundred earth years, but Tyandirr older than 80 is a rarity.
⦁ Tyandirr are highly predatorial and immensely strong. In part due to their homeworld's harsh enviroment, but largely due to their culture. They are exceptional at fighting up close due to their biology and aggression.
Culture.
The Tyandirr are warlike by nature, fighting is part of their culture. Tyandirr society is built upon respect; stronger males command respect by fighting any who threaten their position, Tyandirr males may even fight over trivial matters, sometimes even leading to death if this pride is damaged. However, the structure of respect is usually stable, meaning physical confrontations are uncommon, but do take place as the structure shifts. Strength, pride and respect are the pillars of this structure. Tyandirr will often fight over females in traditional duels; these are no primitive competitions, but staged death duels whereby only one male will live, and he would be deemed worthy of the female.
Tyandirr females are far rarer than males, making them crucial to this power structure.
Female Tyandirr are far more relaxed, and often shy away from confrontations. Within Tyandirr society, the females are considered the most important symbol of status; they are not considered objects, but are treated with enormous respect and males will fight to the death to defend them; an instict learned due to their rarity in the species.
Summary – The Imperium
The Imperium, or Third Tyandirr Empire, is a massive unity of Tyandirr clan worlds and states stretching far across the Taran Nebula and beyond. The Third Empire was founded after the Third War of Unity, in which many smaller races were conquered and assimilated under the brutal oppression of the Imperial Tyandirr Government
The origins of the Imperium as a state date back far before human civilisation developed; the First Tyandirr Empire rose from the warring clans of the Taran Nebula almost ten thousand years ago, after contact with a race known as the Volcyon inhabiting the Deep Red. The First Empire waged a war for control of the Nebula, and ultimately occupied every Volcyon world; incorporating them as thrall worlds within the new, Second Empire.
Currently, the Third Empire is one of the largest and most powerful factions in known space, along with the Volcyon Conglomerate, and it continues to expand at an alarming race, as the Tyandirr continue their endless conquest of the cluster.
After losing their colonies in the Taran Nebula, the Volcyon Conglomerate prefer to trade with the Tyandirr; purchasing their weapons and employing their mercenaries, and the two races co exist in a state similar to peace, albeit cooler and somewhat fragile, though openly they are allied.
The Imperium tends to see the Conglomerate as a subordinate, and their original plans to conquer the Deep Red was, at least, postponed indefinitely as the Volcyon are useful for their manufacturing capabilities and 'mediator' status with the other, more powerful races of the cluster.
Government.
The Imperial government is an imperialist monarchy, with a reigning Imperial Family continuing to rule for thousands of years. The Emperor is always a male Tyandirr, considered the strongest and wisest of all.
Foreign Policy.
Tyandirr foreign policy hinges on how much of a threat the Imperial Government believes a given race to be. Lesser races are almost always forced into submission and assimilated into the empire. Larger, more powerful races create an uneasy relationship with the Imperium, whereby the Tyandirr simply tolerate them. Relationships with foreign species are almost always cool and revolve around military confrontations and suspicion.