A seven-limbed, monogender, mammalo-reptilian species originating in the Inner Sword Arm, calabians are long-lived but have a low birth rate and a long maturation period. As such, they have not spread as widely and fruitfully (galactic population ~75 billion) as the so-called Big Three galactic colonizer species. However, many calabian cultures value travel, exploration, and the acquisition of diverse experiences very highly. This means that while large communities and colonies of calabians are rare outside their home system, individuals and small groups can be found throughout the explored galaxy.
Often seen as enigmatic, calabian cultures tend to be more spiritual and ritualistic than the majority of their galactic counterparts. The best known calabian organization is the Mission of the Blessed Wanderer.
Humans originated on a planet in the Yalteb Cut, developing a technological, limited spacefaring civilization before self-destructing roughly one thousand years ago. The human home planet remains uninhabitable. The system, now called Solanda, has been reappropriated by Tolvaadus Hypercorporation and is currently home to an important resource extraction sector and regional headquarters.
A small number of humans survived the self-destruction of their planet on primitive space and extra-planetary installations until they were acquired by Tolvaadus Resource Extraction Division. These survivors were subject to hereditary indenture under Tolvaadus stewardship and property regulations. In that capacity, they and their descendants spread throughout the galaxy along existing indentureship trade routes. Humans can now be found in most systems where hereditary indenture is legalized. However, the galactic human population is estimated to remain small (35–100 million individuals).
Humans have few unifying cultural traits, having been spread across numerous civilizations for centuries. Most human communities share, to some extent, a reverence for their homeworld and its mythical divine spirit, both of which they call Gaea.
The most common human occupation is resource extraction. As such, many human expressions, idioms, and cultural traits are centered around mining and subsisting in space.
A six-limbed, bigender, mammalo-insectoid species originating in the middle Zakei Coil. Hurwyck are rarely seen outside their home system and its nearby colonies, being almost unknown in Hypercorporation space. Their cultures share a strong collectivist, herd-based mentality, favoring a sedentary homelife over the wandering tendencies of colonizer species. Hurwyck are herbivores, and most have a strong aversion to violence; individuals breaking this prohibition often find themselves outcast, never to return home.
A trigender insectoid species originating in the Rexa Span. Generally insular, xenophobic, and collectivist, they are rarely found outside the few systems where their civilizations are dominant, such as Reciprocity. However, their quick reproductive cycle and highly dense cities have led to a large galactic population (~175 billion) relative to their limited spread.
A tentacled, bigender mammalian species originating in the Middle Sword Arm. Thurgellians evolved in massive, shallow, rain drenched swamplands on their homeworld. As such, they prefer humid, high-precipitation climates for colonization and environmental reformation.
Their high birth rate and short maturation period have made thurgellians the largest of any sentient species by population (~400 billion). Limited innate territoriality and strong individualistic cultural traits have led to large populations of thurgellian immigrants in systems originally colonized by others. Generally materialistic, thurgellian polities tend toward libertarian or corporatized systems of government and social organization. Indenture is widely tolerated, if not encouraged, in thurgellian cultures.
Thurgellians are seen variously as an agreeable and friendly, or cloying and disingenuous people. Hierarchy is very important in thurgellian societies, but strong deals and relationships are generally viewed as superior to overt dominance and violence.
A bipedal, bigender, semi-aquatic species originating in the Inner Sword Arm. Nikayans evolved from fish-like creatures inhabiting the vast shallows around their homeworld’s archipelagos.
Nikayans’ reproductive cycle could allow them to out-breed most other sentient species in the galaxy—females can lay large clutches of eggs, which are fertilized by males, followed by short maturation periods. However, most nikayan cultures tend to place a high value on order. In peacetime, birth rates are often tightly controlled. Territoriality also leads to tighter groupings of nikayan colonial societies, and smaller galactic emigrant populations (~250 billion) relative to thurgellians.
Most nikayan cultures are heavily concerned with dominance and power relationships. As such, nikayan polities tend toward authoritarian or militaristic structures. Contrary to most bigender sentient species, nikayan militaries are usually female-dominant, and most of their cultures are strongly matriarchal. It is theorized that this is due to the unique nature of nikayan reproduction; in prehistoric and presentient eras, females would battle for control of preferred egg-laying sites. Premilitary structures likely grew out of this behavior.
The nikayan concern with dominance means that indenture is ubiquitous throughout their cultures, with possession of indentureds often serving as an important status symbol. Nikayans are seen by others as being variously brusque, stubborn, and violent, or loyal, honest, and physically brave.
A bipedal, bigender, reptilian species originating in the Rexa Span. Urexiites evolved from plains-dwelling pack omnivores on the vast steppes of their homeworld. Urexiites have a moderate reproductive cycle based around internally fertilized eggs, leading to a commensurately modest galactic population in number (~200 billion) and spread.
Urexiite cultures tend to place great value on both exploration and homelife. As such, the majority of the urexiite population resides permanently in a small number of star systems; at the same time, urexiite traders, explorers, and other itinerants can be found in virtually every corner of the galaxy, rarely remaining as permanent immigrants.
Urexiite societies tend to be more interested in compromise than overt conquest. As such they are often slow to violence, leading to a reputation for weakness among certain other races. Urexiites are variously seen as aloof and eccentric, or generous and reliable, as the case may be.
