Agwuallan Dait’soa
Abode: Dait’soa line on the innermost planet of Benthos. Benthos is dominated by a massive ocean and some scattered tropical islands. The planet has very little tectonic activity and the islands are the work of thousands of generations of coral reefs and mangrove swamps. Despite being closest to the Sun, Benthos is not the hottest planet nor is it the smallest, losing both titles to the fourth planet Truvenya.

Biology: Dait’soa are based off Marine Iguanas in appearance and are not much different. The main difference comes in that they often walk on two legs with their bodies parallel to the ground, they have gills, are more heavily built, and they have a distinctive bony cap on their tail resembling a spike.

They are a little larger than border collies and are the smallest species by weight. They lay eggs on land. They are a chartreuse gray in coloration. There are two sexes male and female.

Benthos has stronger gravity than most planets. This makes the Dait’soa the physically strongest species in Kyrie for their size and one of the strongest overall. A thirty-pound Dait’soa can easily lift and throw more than 300 pounds if need be, stronger members can even go as far as 600.

Culture: Like most Kyrites, the Dait’soa have a kind of worship of the Antecessors. They live in tribes which function as extended family groups. They regularly farm algae and various types of fish.

Of all the Kyrites, the Dait’soa are the most outspoken advocates of peace. Ironically, they are the least technologically sophisticated. This is in part because Benthos itself is not suitable for advanced architecture or anything of permeance due to the ocean and sandy foundation to everything.

Despite this, the Dait’soa do have an awareness of the rest of Kyrie surpassing most of their neighbors. Most knowledge of advanced technology is passed down orally and acted on only when utterly needed. However, most of Kyrie is not ready for peace and so the Dait’soa wait patiently for the rest of the system to catch up.

One species the Dait’soa do have an alliance with are the Hyun’nai Auldous. They share a love of martial arts as well as a shared history of oppression through the Shay’ivye Auldous. Of course, the Hyun’nai have yet to give up their obsession with piracy making their alliance more economic than political. Thus, the Dait’soa receive most of their technology from the Hyun’nai

Shay’ivye Auldous
Abode: Shay’ivye are indigenous to planet Auldousia. Auldousia consists mostly of mountain ranges and savannah grasslands. There is little water [although by no means a desert, simply no oceans more like very, very large rivers] although existing bodies of water are very deep. There was more water, but tectonic activity flushed it into the rivers, a kind of drain, leading to more land. Auldousia is the largest habited planet in Kyrie.

Biology: The Shay’ivye are of the same genus as the Hyun’nai and, to the untrained eye, can look near identical. Shay’ivye are about a foot shorter but weigh approximately fifty to ninety pounds more. They are not fatter or stronger but are more heavily built with thicker bones and muscles.

Like all Auldous they have faces like a Wolf-fish with nostrils between/above the eyes but no defined nose. They have horns and those on a Shay’ivye resemble those of an African Bongo but with more banding and corkscrewing. They have four arms and six legs. Differing from the Hyun’nai, the Shay’ivye have five toes to each foot. This is because the Shay’ivye had more genetic diversity in their evolution. Shay’ivye are brown fur with blonde banding.

Auldous are hermaphroditic and left to their own devices will go through a cycle once a year where their male and female genitalia are active. This helps prevent unwanted pregnancy. While the Hyun’nai regulate their cycles through willpower, the Shay’ivye undergo a natural rhythm after matrimony. As with the Hyun’nai, Shay’ivye do not develop breasts unless that individual is pregnant, and these disappear after weaning.

Pregnancies last three and a half months and then the young gestate externally in eggs for about two months. The reason for this difference with the Hyun’nai is unclear. Most Shay’ivye lay one to three eggs in a pregnancy.

Culture: Shay’ivye marriage is unique in Kyrie in that it involves three partners rather than two. During the marriage, reproductive cycles become aligned so that each partner has a turn being each gender with each partner although most of the year, the Auldous is androgynous and nonreproductive. An example of the lineup is male-female-neuter, female-neuter-male, neuter-male-female, et cetera. This provides maximum genetic diversity.

Shay’ivye are a species of barbarians who enjoy nothing more than combat and war. The war and violence do not need material gain. Rather it's for personal or familial glory and, most commonly, for fun. When not invading each other, the Shay’ivye will invade other planets and abduct other species for gladiatorial combat. This has earned them a very bad reputation amongst the Kyrites.

With technology, the Shay’ivye are surprisingly advanced and are on par with the Merindnyu and Bugstein for the most advanced [active] species in Kyrie. Although as a culture, the Shay’ivye are sometimes very dim. They have difficulty understanding lies and they have a very high opinion of themselves, leading them to view other species as inferior. They are especially discriminatory towards the Hyun’nai, whom they see as animals masquerading as 'people'.

Leksilo’eped
Abode: As mentioned, there are three biomes on the single continent on Truvenya, tropical rainforest, mountains, and desert, the Leksilo’eped inhabit the latter. The desert is the hottest and driest habited region in Kyrie. The reason is the inversion of why the rainforest is the dampest. Rain comes from the oceans and is blocked almost completely by the high mountains, this stopping the rain.

The Leksilo’eped are the only nomadic sentient species. Chasing the growing crops from season to season from northern to southern hemisphere. They also mate near the great salt sea in the north.

Biology: The Leksilo’eped are very distantly related to the Merindnyu and Ro'oanex whom they share planet Truvenya with. Their appearance is based off a combination of a kangaroo, a parasaurolophus, and an opabinia.

Their bodies resemble kangaroos as they hop around the desert. Leksilo’eped hands and feet also resemble a kangaroo, although they have opposable thumbs, as do their tails. Leksilo’eped three long crests like a parasaurolophus’ but they jut from the front of the skull and curve upward from the forehead. There are three almond shaped eyes in a row. These eyes are brown with white borders but otherwise completely consistent in color (no visible irises, no pupils, et cetera). The ears look like a cat.

While the Merindnyu and Ro’oanex lungs feature minor orifices to breathe through, the Leksilo’eped lungs end in long tubes protruding from the back. There most striking feature is their trunk. The trunk is usually kept in a pouch in the chest region being wrapped around the neck. Superficially this might appear to choke them but recall that the respiratory system is not called connected to the head.

The trunk is pink but tipped in a three-jawed beak. The trunk is always dripping in liquid. The trunk, besides in the consumption and swallowing of food, as a smelling organ like a snake’s tongue.

Like the Merindnyu, the Leksilo’eped are beset by a unique neurology which will be elaborated in culture.

Culture: Leksilo’eped family structures are slightly different than humanity’s. Children are expected to live with their mothers both as live in servants and apprentices. Marriage is unheard of and sperm is donated as an economic agreement for 15% of the child’s profits. At age 30, these agreement ends, and the child can keep the totality of their wages.

Leksilo’eped worship the Antecessors.

Although nomadic, the Leksilo’eped are well known for helping to plant the vegetation for the following years. They send approximately half the year in the north before migrating south for the other half.

Traditionally, Leksilo’eped birth their young near the Great Salt Lake in the north. Coitus and associated contracts are conducted in the South.

The name Leksilo’eped translates to “Mind-Mind” which illustrates their neurology perfectly. The desert of Truvenya faces a thin ozone not unlike the atmosphere over Antarctica. This makes this desert the single hottest inhabited surface region in Kyrie. The Leksilo’eped devised a unique solution to keep cool: have multiple brains.

As with other sentient creatures, the brain is most active organ in the body and produces excess heat. By having an extra brain, the Leksilo’eped simply swap control of the body midday. Of course, each brain houses a distinct consciousness hence the name “Mind-Mind”. Each consciousness has an eight-hour shift of activity and 16 hours of sleeping; thus, one consciousness is often called the “Morning Mind” and the other called “Evening Mind”. They have a vague dream-like memory of their counterpart’s experiences.

Bugstein
Abode: The Bugstein are the dominant species of planet Yi’vaan.and live in a society with the Rummy. Yi’vaan is based off Anchorage Alaska in environment being a temperate swamp. Bugstein, along with Rummies, are found across the planet. Yi’vaan is a moon to the gas giant Qyndaaryi.

Biology: Physically speaking, Bugstein are extremely like centaurs and dragonflies. Their hooves are based from deer though rather than a horse’s. They are covered in porous green skin. They have a stubby but medium-length bobtail. Along the back of their lower torso are two pairs of dragonfly wings and there is a third pair on the upper torso; their function will be described later in this topic. Their upper torso is strikingly human even with five fingers.

Their head, however, warrants its own explanation. Superficially, it resembles a human but on closer inspection it’s closer to pac-man. The eyes are larger than a human’s by almost 250% and are pitch black with no discernible traits inside like irises or pupils. There is no nose. The mouth lacks cheeks and the lips are nondescript marching the hue and texture of the surrounding tissue. There are teeth but they don’t appear to have much biological function. Bugstein are notorious for one thing: their perpetual smile. This smile is so named because it resembles a human smile. But because of the lack of cheeks and inconsequential lips, the Bugstein are stuck in a perpetual smile, being unable to form other facial expressions. The ears are simple holes and barely visible. There is a pair of segmented antennae above the eyes.

Bugstein grow with age and the oldest specimens being over 16 feet in height and 30 feet in length.

Bugstein are more plant-like than other Kyrites. Their wings are solar panels, like leaves. Sunlight provides the Bugstein with 65% of their diet. The other 35% comes from bacteria and water. Bugstein consume the bacteria which decays plant matter in the water. To this end, Bugstein have massive submerged decay farms for expressly this purpose. Water, however, makes up a minimal proportionately part of the diet excreted through the skin.

To this end, Bugstein can be compared to Baleen Whales. They absorb water through their skin and filter the bacteria before spewing the unnecessary water back out as a kind of sweat. This sweat, in turn, helps to distribute water throughout the ecosystem.

Bugstein are thought to have evolved from an aquatic species. They sought safety on land from predators (land species are rare on Yi’vaan). Without competition or predation, the Bugstein achieved massive sizes. [This seems to indicate Yi’vaan is a relatively younger planet compared to its sister planets]. By the time other species made landfall, the Bugstein were simply too large to be bothered.

Bugstein lack sexes and are hermaphroditic, they impregnate themselves and unwillingly at that (Bugstein are terrified at the concept of self-mutilation). Like their ancestors, Bugstein lay their eggs and remain indifferent to their offspring’s fate. In one of the plot twists, Rummy are revealed to be juvenile Bugstein and their nature will be discussed in their own thread.

Culture: The name “Bugstein” is not actually the species’ name. Instead, it is the result of the Protagonist coming across a stray Bugstein before encountering the civilization. Noting the massive size and green skin, the Protagonist notes the similarity to Frankenstein’s Monster christening the species “a kind of Bugstein”. Unfortunately, Byron’s Ring takes this as the Protagonist’s word for the species thus translating the species’ true name to ‘Bugstein’.

[If you had never encountered a giraffe and called it an elephant, you would conceive of a giraffe as an elephant even if someone tried to correct you; Byron’s ring acts as a telepathic spellcheck, translating the real name to Bugstein regardless of the Protagonist’s efforts to hear the correct name].

Bugstein are well-known for their feud with the Reaptilite and their conflict spilled onto the other planets of Kyrie. Their respective planets, Yi’vaan and Reaptealos, are in an intersecting orbit which causes the two planets to be as close to one another as moons at least twice a year.

This species asexual and foodless nature lends itself to the Bugstein having far more spare time on their hands. Bugstein are intensely materialistic and devote their whole lives to collecting money. In a plot twist, the Bugstein and Rummy are revealed to be the same species with the former adults and the latter juvenile.

Bugstein have little choice in their self-fertilization and lay up to eight in a clutch. Their ancestors leave the eggs buried to fend for themselves likewise, Bugstein sell their offspring off to a Rummy farm for financial gain. Bugstein have the adage “the only thing worse than a dumb Rummy is a bum Rummy.” Rummy farms educate Rummy before selling them off into servitude.

Despite their disregard for their offspring, Bugstein live in a nigh crime-less society. They abhor stealing (stealing especially), murder, and lying. Bugstein are buried with the totality of their financial earning and preventing anyone else from taking the profits.

Profit is gained in the same way as humans as an exchange of goods and/or services. The Bugstein have the perplexing belief that the Antecessors achieved their success through great capitalism.

Reaptilite
Abode: Reaptilite are indigenous to the planet of Reaptealos. Reaptealos is a moon to a gas giant (Qyndaar) but perpetually caught in shadow of the planet, eclipsing the Kyrie Sun. Thus, looking up at the sky is dangerous while the planet is caught in a perpetual twilight. Reaptealos is based off Bend, Oregon for its environment.

Biology: Reaptilite seem to have a history passing their status as a species. They are descended from a small species thriving as a pest amongst the Antecessor society. Reaptilite maintained incredibly quick reproductive rate, so each extermination resulted in .01% of the species remaining, this remainder evolved. After several generations, the species evolved large enough to start feeding on the Antecessor livestock and pets, only to be eradicated again. They bounced back again from the brink of extinction. This became such a problem that the Antecessors finally left. The Pseudo-Antecessors (Nomagry) then attempted to colonize Reaptealos only to encounter a similar problem. Their factories caused intense pollution, and this propelled the Reaptilite into their contemporary form.

They are known for having three sexes (male, female, and posiq) and six genders (Buck, Female, Jocust, Rogue, Eunuch, Posiq).

On average, male Reaptilite stand about 7 feet tall whereas females and posiq are usually four feet tall. They are bird like in build and are covered in wiry fur which is an indigo-blue coloration with black stripes. Their heads have three mandibles with two on the bottom (resembling an ant’s) and a third from the forehead like a rhinoceros beetle. They have six eyes: two forward, two on the left, and two in the right giving them binocular vision in three directions. The eyes resemble those of a cat.

The head itself is bald and, resting, is blue with yellow eyes but when agitated will turn purple with orange eyes. Their basic body resembles a theropod dinosaur. They have six digits on each limb: three fingers and three thumbs. Their hips are large to accommodate their jumping ability but also to counterbalance their heavy head with their immense tail.

In fact, their tail is typically considered to be their trademark being uncannily prehensile and making up almost three fifths is the entire length. It is skinny but can extend to some extent and is usually kept arched over the back. This tail is tipped in a snake-like mouth complete with teeth, tongue, and is capable of mild vocalization. This tail is used for hunting but has another purpose unique to the Reaptilite: reproduction.

The tail also serves as genitalia with males and females locking teeth to exchange bodily fluids. This is also why, incidentally, many young Reaptilite smell of rotten flesh because the vagina they pass through often has cavities (new teeth are always being grown and shed). The male will often slam his tail down a female to make sure his seed reaches the ovaries.

Side note: males can have multiple tails.

After an unclear point in gestation, the female will abruptly jettison the fetus. Usually, this act of vaginal vomiting is done into the tail-maw of the posiq who carries the offspring to term. This is done because the Reaptilite body has such an aversion to foreign things that the fetus is treated with hostility by the immune system. Along with the DNA of a third parent, a single family of Reaptilite can produce a much greater genetic variety than any bisexual species (like humans) or monosexual (like the Bugstein).

However, male Reaptilite are known for their sexual appetites and even though a posiq can bare multiple offspring, they can run out of room. Consequently, Reaptilite hives are often lined with regurgitated fetuses.

After approximately seventy days of gestation, the posiq will vomit offspring who are small and grub like. These offspring are nourished by milk provided by the posiq and carrion. In less than two years, a Reaptilite is capable of reproduction.

Each gender has a unique role in the hive structure:

Rexes are dominant and there is only one fertile male to a hive. He holds a sexual monopoly on all individuals in the hive even those he is directly related too. They are larger than other hive members, dominated by their hormones. Rexes act in leadership and oversee all hive functions from hunting, to farming, to the nursery. Rogue males, who are exiled from the hive, are sometimes counted as their own gender. Most infant males are killed on sight unless their Posiq hides them to vie for the coveted role of Jocust.

Jocust are Second in command. There is only one Jocust to the hive and she is the Posiq who bore the alpha male. Unlike other hive members, the Jocust is designed for political purposes. She represents the hive in external affairs and oversees social stratification by her son’s permission. Ironically, the Jocust are also known for inciting rebellion against the current Alpha if said alpha goes against the wants of the Jocust. She is the queen and the queen-mother.

Females are the hunters of the group. This either done by hunting wild animals or, in more civilized hives, livestock. In addition to their function as hunters, they are the soldiers of the hive. Alongside the Posiq, the Females are the most numerous gender/sexes in the hive.

Posiq are the child rearers and caregivers within the hive. They occasionally engage in more domestic tasks even forming a kind of pseudo-matrimony with the female whose eggs they carry.

Eunuchs are castrated species members (their tail is severed), they can be any sex but are usually male whom the Rex has taken mercy on. The castration is usually done shortly after birth but can occur later. Without the tail, the male is unable to produce the necessary hormones for proper development. They become clumsy, their fur grows in sparse patches and falls out, their voices are shrill even for Reaptilite, and their colors are dulled.

Rogues, or males not bound to a hive, come into existence by one of two means. In the first, the male is smuggled out by their posiq to avoid being killed or mutilated by the Rex. Alternatively, the Rogue comes about when the Rex dies and the remaining male offspring vie for power, the losers, if they survive, become Rogues. Rogues are even more violent and chaotic than Rexes, although not as intelligent or as strong. Rogues are imbalanced because, unlike the Rex, they have no outlet to their hormones. This lends itself to occasional random bodily developments like horns or tumors not found in other Reaptilite. They are extremely violent and view other males as antagonists but will often bid their time before launching an attack. They are known for being feral both hunting and killing stray Reaptilite who wander into their territory.

Culture: The Reaptilite species is the most reviled amongst all the Kyrites and they exist for the sole purpose of perpetuating the Hive. Despite this, the Reaptilite have one of the most detailed histories even going into details before their existence as a distinct species.

Reaptilite see their origins as a small pest, like raccoons, living in the shadow of a vast Antecessor colony. The Antecessors left research outposts throughout Kyrie, but it is only on Reaptealos that they established true colonies. This is thought to be because the Antecessors were a nocturnal species and Reaptealos is perpetually caught in night.

The Antecessors eventually took to exterminating the species as it prayed on their pets. All but .01% of the pest species died out. At an unknown point and for unknown reasons, the Antecessors left Kyrie.

A few thousand years later, a second species colonized Reaptealos along with Yi’vaan. They encountered the same pest problem, but the species had evolved from their encounter with the Antecessors becoming a far more dangerous predator. Again, the species was exterminated to .01%.

These second colonists were the Nomagry but the Bugstein and Reaptilite later confused them with the Antecessors leading other species to blur the two species of colonizers. Eventually, the Nomagry’s crude fossil fuel technology led to global warming which, for a Nomagry especially, is bad. This led to the Nomagry to abruptly leave the planet with their colonies behind.

By the time of the Nomagry departure, the Reaptilite had nearly completed their evolution. A few generations later, the Reaptilite had adapted to their changed atmosphere and even preferred it to clean air. The Bugstein would arrive and the Reaptilite would begin their species’ unending feud as the Bugstein attempted to colonize and mine Reaptealos for their own gain.

Coupled with abductions by the Primal Auldous, the Reaptilite began to resent anything not native to their planet. This led to many skirmishes as the Reaptilite attempted preemptive strikes across various worlds. They correctly surmised the toxicity of their atmosphere towards other species. The Reaptilite committed resource en masse to poisoning their neighbors. This had the unintended effect of uniting Kyrie against them and their colonies.

While the Reaptilite off Reaptealos were obliterated, those on planet had their technology destroyed. For while the Reaptilite knew how to USE technology they did not know how to BUILD it.

This relates directly to Reaptilite mythology. Reaptilite know the pollution drove away the Antecessors and serves as an aversion to other Kyrites. To the Reaptilite, nothing is more important than their species and their world. Everything else is evil.

Reaptilite use discarded technology to perpetuate pollution and even perform inane tasks to complete this. For instance, they manually crank gears or conveyor belts thinking this helps their goal.