Telkevan Union

The Telkevan Union is a stratocratic nation-state located in the Kentaurs Sector. The Union's government and military operates as a single entity known as the Armed Forces of the Telkevan Union and is administered by the High Chamber, a council comprised of the five highest ranking officials of the AFTU and the kaiser. Alrukai is officially the Union's homeworld, but the capital is Valakar Station, a mobile space station from which the High Chamber and Imperial Command operates. The Union's principles are based upon the Blood Covenant, the core tenant of the state-endorsed religion, Oltari. In the years since its establishment, the union has amassed a vast number of colonies and has annexed many aliens as client states.

History
Main page: History of the Telkevan Union

The following is a record of Telkevan history as recorded by the scholars of the Department of Education & Information. History is divided into two eras: before the oath (BO), which denotes the time leading up to the founding of the Telkevan Union, and after the oath (AO), which follows after.

Founding
Alrukai, the capitol of the Telkevan Union, was once a prominent industrial colony of the now-defunct Alkarian League. During the league's collapse, Alrukai suffered an orbital bombardment that decimated the planet, with only some underground facilities survived unscathed. At Kalzevos, an subterranean fortress-city located in Olukor, the staff and administrators responsible for maintaining the facility had coalesced into an aristocratic class led by a kaiser or kaiserin who held absolute sway over the city and its inhabitants. As Alrukai recovered from the bombardment, the inhabitants of Kalzevos and other facilities returned to the surface and began the process of rebuilding.

In 32BO, Kaiser Telkevon I was contacted by the Oltari, who promised to lead Telkevon and his people in exchange for their loyalty. After the Oltari had proven their divinity, Telkevon enacted a blood oath, forever binding the monarch and his people to the Oltari. Telkevon soon spread the faith to his followers and spent the rest of his life compiling the Keltular and expanding Kalzevos, now the capitol city of the Telkevon Union. In his final address before his death in 49AO, Telkevon urged his followers to unite their ruined world under one banner.

The Union expanded to the continent of Valakar in 97, and over the next century fought a series of wars as it gradually conquered or incorporated the continent's major settlements ending with the capture of Kustatinye, which contained a cache of Alkarian-era technology and the planet last remaining space elevator. Exploration into Gahlrag in 233 led to a devastating plague outbreak which spread across the Union's holdings until 243. Three years later, the Yustaf Wars wars began when the Yustaf of Kalria sought to topple the Union in its weakened state, but they were unsuccessful, as was the Union's initial counterattack. Three wars would follow before Yustaf was conquered in 309, with greater Kalria falling under occupation by 372. The Unification of Alrukai was formally concluded with the symbolic conquest of Ilutor, located near the southern pole.

Bloodletting
The Telkevon set their sights on uniting all former Alkarian colonies under the Union banner. The first functional faster-than-light subspace drive was developed in 467, and by 490 the Union had expanded across the Alrukai system. However, the Union at this time was beset with a number of internal problems, including corruption, political infighting between the dynasties, independence movements, and a steady reduction of faith in the Oltari. Tensions came to a head when the heir presumptive to the throne, Hrivalga Nezekar, instigated a coup in 503 which saw the kaiser and numerous government and military officials executed. High Marshal of the Solar Navy Tagara Vukarn survived and rallied loyalists forces and waged the Bloodletting; loyalists emerged victorious in 517 following the capture of Hrivalga Nezekar during Battle of Zyflis, after which he was publicly executed.

Despite being in a position to seize power for herself by forming a new dynasty, Tagara refused, instead drafting the Vukarn Constitution, which reformed the government into a stratocracy in which the High Chamber, the ruling body of the AFTU, held sovereign control over the Union. The kaiser was given a seat on the council but was subservient to the Grand Marshal, the acting head-of-government. Tagara also led a revival of the Oltari faith, returning the gods and their commandments to primacy. Tagara reigned until her death in 583 at the age of 142. She is revered as a champion of the gods sent to save the Union from its own avarice.

Wars of Unification
Interstellar travel began in earnest in 597, beginning the Wars of Unification in which the Union vied to reunite the lost Alkarian colonies. Union explorers made contact with the Imagi Federation in 611, but while the Imagi were reluctant to join the Union, both sides were unwilling to fight, and instead began exchanging resources and technology before laterv establishing a defensive pact. The Vokstani Empire invaded in 647, but were halted by the combined efforts of Telkevan and Imagi forces. Episodes of bloody fighting would continue until the Vokstani were defeated in 744. The Imagi formally joined the Union later in 749. The next major conflict began in 864 when the Ulrasni Commonwealth and the Belsyiv Compact refused to submit to the Union's terms, instigating an invasion. Ulrasni forces held firm, but the weaker Belsyiv dissolved in 879 as members defected to the Telkevon. Using data from the defectors, Telkevan forces decapitated Ulrasni leadership; the military then seized control and pledged to fight, but irreplaceable losses and public unrest forced them to surrender in 906.

In 957, after using recovered Alkarian star maps to identify the League's former capitol of Kovas, the Union made contact with the Galderan Imperium, which occupied the bulk of the League's ancient core territories. The two opened diplomatic channels, but talks quickly broke down as the Galderans considered themselves the sole inheritor of the League's legacy and were zealously followers of the Cindric religion, which regarded the Oltari as false gods. Union forces invaded in 963 but were routed in the Battle of Dorus in 968, which saw the destruction of three entire Telkevan fleets. Galderan forces then pushed towards the Rhzari substream but were stopped at the incomplete Rhzari Canal, after which they pushed into the Ulrasni Commonwealth, triggering a civil war between Ulrasni loyalists and Imperium-backed separatists. A Zuthric patriarch was accidentally killed by Galderan forces in 981, prompting the enraged Vokstani, in violation of the Vukarn Constitution, to deploy much of its interior military into the region. Though they suffered heavy losses, they dislodged the Galderans and crippled the separatists. After another attempt to breach the Rhzari Canal ended in catastrophe, the Galderans offered terms for surrender which were rejected by the High Chamber. Offensive operations until the Imperium capitulated in 993, though individual member states held out until 1003.

The Wars of Unification ended in 1239. While the will of Kaiser Telkevon I and of the Oltari had been fulfilled, the Union aspired to expand ever further. The Union enjoyed four centuries of peace, prosperity, and rapid technological development as they thoroughly excavated all that the Alkarians had left behind.

The Blossoming
The Union had nearly doubled its boundaries by 1600, but in doing so had made numerous enemies. The AFTU, suffering attrition from near-constant fighting, was gradually fought to a halt, prompting the Union to take a defensive posture until the appointment of Grand Marshal Sulfi Oztana in 1653. A follower of Lluawit, the goddess of love, peace, and motherhood, Sulfi believed that the Union's difficulties had come from not wholly embracing the teachings of the Oltari in favor of reckless conquest. Placing a greater emphasis on diplomacy, cooperation, and soft power, Sulfi made peace with some of the Union's enemies, some of whom would later become allies or even member states, allowing the AFTU to focus its efforts on their remaining foes.

Through an expansive trade network, careful alliances, and ruthless conquest when necessary, Sulfi ushered in the Blossoming of 1700 to 2800, which saw the Union accumulate a vast amount of wealth and prestige as it integrated into the wider galactic community.

Aldrezir Era & The Great Tribulation
Grand Marshal Aldrezir Nuldovra rose to power in 3245. An ardent Telkevan supremacists, Aldrezir used the Union's economic and political influence in an effort to cow the Union's allies into submission with the ultimate goal of inducting them into the Union and converting them to Oltarism. These efforts culminated in the Coalition Wars in 3307 when several of the Telkevon's allies declared war. The unprepared AFTU suffered a humiliating string of defeats forcing the Union to cede territories in the Treaty of Glios in 3320. Telkevan counterattacks were repelled or stalled until the coalition itself began to fracture due to political infighting in 3345. The coalition's crushing defeat at the Battle of the Gherahos Gap 3349 marked the turning point of the war as the Coalition suffered irreplaceable naval losses. The coalition surrendered, but Aldrezir Nuldovra rejected their offer, declaring his intent to erase the Coalition from history. The final phase of the war, known as the Aldrezir Genocide of 3349-3491, saw an estimated 80-95% of the coalition's population exterminated in a grueling war of attrition.

The Coalition Wars had brought the Union to the verge of total collapse and had polarized the populace, with Aldrezir and his increasingly aggressive actions becoming the main source of contention. His critics, including members of the High Chamber, denounced Aldrezir as a fool and a heretic; other went as far as to decry Aldrezir as a manifestation of the Beasts of myth. Undeterred by either his critics or the Union's condition, Aldrezir began drafting plans for the elimination of anyone who refused to take the Oltari oath of loyalty. Recognizing this would destroy the Union, one of Aldrezir's allies defected and alerted the rest of the High Chamber, instigating a coup in which Aldrezir was decapitated. Some of his supporters escaped and rallied their supporters for a guerilla campaign against the AFTU.

As these events transpired, the Galderan Imperium was gradually overtaken by secessionists, Cindric zealots which sought to reinstate the imperium and destroy the Telkevon. They covertly built up their strength, awaiting an opportunity to begin their vengeance campaign. That time came following the final defeat of Aldrezir's loyalists in 3514; capitalizing on the Union's diminished military, Galderan forces initiated the Great Tribulation, a war of annihilation with the sole goal of toppling the High Chamber. Though they scored numerous crushing victories, their recklessness proved to be their downfall when High Marshal of the Navy Talziri deliberately lured Galderan forces to the Telkevan Core in 3526, entrapping the majority of the Galderan army in a bloody stalemate. Talziri then used the distraction to bring a small fleet which included two dreadnoughts equipped with experimental antimatter railcannons into Imperium space. The subsequent destruction of Cetralkyus, Ghilu, and Nuthris by the dreadnoughts in the subsequent weeks, combined with the Galderan's inability to track down Talziri, led to a revolution which saw the Imperium overthrown. The defeated Galderans were stripped of their member status and reduced to a vassal under direct military control.

Talziri Reforms to Modern Era
See also: Telkevan-Nephani Cold War, Kosdahl Crisis, Great War

Talziri was hailed as a hero for his actions, and in 3542 he was appointed Grand Marshal. Talziri considered himself a disciple of both Grand Marshals Tagara and Sulfi, but believed that the military had been given too many responsibilities, limiting its capabilities. Talziri amended the Vukarn constitution, granting certain privileges to member states, expanding on the Benevolence Doctrine, and established the Council of Lords, a body of state and dynastic rulers which could manage domestic affairs at the discretion of the High Chamber. The grand marshal also established two new military branches: the Civil Defense Service, and the Cybersecurity Service, adding two additional seats to the High Chamber. The Cybersecurity Service was given the responsibility of developing what would become the Social Scoring Network. Talziri's efforts revitalized the ailing Union, which by the time of Talziri's death in 3876 had reclaimed all of its lost territories.

In 3827, after three centuries of 'pacification and cultural operations' conducted by the Civil Defense Service, the successor to the Galderan Imperium, the Federal Republic of Kovas, was granted status as a member state. This began a debate over whether the ban on the Cindric religion should be lifted. The Union's efforts to erase had been unsuccessful, and the ban itself was only enforced in particular circumstances. After an internal report conducted by Central Intelligence indicated that there was virtually no significant support for an armed insurrection within the church or other denominations, the ban was formally lifted in 3829, with the caveat that certain denominations and beliefs remained illegal or would deduct points from one's social score.

By 3950, the Union had exceeded its previous territorial peak during the Blossoming, marking the beginning of what some have considered a new golden age of prosperity and religious fervor.

Tarsovis Era & Great War
In 4415 Tarsovis Visaria, High Marshal of the Solar Legions, was elected to the position of Grand Marshal, his former position being filled by one of Tarsovis' associates, Marshal Nuoh Gersalv. A tranquil and calculating leader, Tarsovis has seen the Union expand into the neighboring Tomastahl Sector, where the Union is engaged in a cold war with the Holy Nephani Mandate, and further expand and modernize its already vast military in preparation for a new age of diplomacy and competition with the superpowers Kentarus Sector.

Tarsovis' reign has seen a number of species inducted into the Union in a relatively short span of time. In 4432, the Chiv'ghi, which had been periodically monitored since 1357, had begun to develop large-scale organized societies, prompting the Union to formally induct them into the Union in 4437. The fledgling Zomalan Empire surrendered to Union rule in 4445 after the Union responded to an attack on one of its exploratory groups with the entire 8th fleet. A small but bloody conflict from 4456-4463 ended with Union forces subduing the Dothdremas, and the Izaketh were later annexed in 4477.

Astrography
Main page: Telkevan Space

Telkevan territory is contained largely within the Kentarus Sector and spreads across numerous star clusters, of which a select few are of strategic or historical significance: Alkara, Riigr, Kilune, Kaevru, and Usinir. Settlements have also been established in the Jovoko star cluster located in the neighboring Tomastahl Sector. Combined, these clusters contain thousands of star systems, though only a relative minority have been colonized. Besides star systems, there are a countless number of stellar objects and structures spread across Union space, such as the Rhzari Substream and the Gherahos Gap.

Planetary Classifications
Planets are loosely categorized either by their primary export and/or notable geographic features. Certain categories are further divided into sub-categories when applicable.


 * Capital worlds are the government headquarters of each state.


 * Production worlds create a wide variety of civil and/or military equipment.


 * Resource worlds are planets, often those deemed unsuitable for civilian habitation, home to vast mining/extraction operations.


 * Agricultural worlds produce food.


 * Fortress worlds are colonies owned and administered by the AFTU.


 * District commands are the headquarters of their respective military district.


 * Temple worlds are planets of religious significance. Only a small handful of wholly-dedicated temple worlds exist across the Union.


 * Aquatic worlds have little to no land.


 * Refinery platforms denote gas giants, which are home to gas refineries and military outposts.


 * Stone worlds denote barren, lifeless planets. Stone is most often a temporary categorization until officials determine the viability of terraformation and/or resource extraction.

Government & Politics
Main page: Union Chamber

The Telkevan government, formally known either as the Union Chamber or simply the Union, was established following the Bloodletting and is based upon the Vukaran Constitution. The Union Chamber is a stratocracy in which the Armed Forces of the Telkevan Union (AFTU) holds absolute power over both domestic and foreign policy. The Chamber is comprised of four layers: sovereign, state, district, and planetary. The sovereign is comprised of three branches:


 * Executive: The High Chamber is the ruling council of the Union and is made up of eight seats: the grand marshal, who is both the head of government and the commander-in-chief; the six high marshals, who each oversee a branch of the AFTU; and the Kaiser, who leads the Council of Lords, to which is delegated various domestic responsibilities. The Kaiser is supported by a cabinet of department leads appointed with the High Chamber's approval.


 * Legislature: The bicameral Assembly is comprised of the Lower Chamber, made up of two or more representatives from each of the Union's states; and the Upper Chamber, which is staffed by the marshals who command the Union's military districts.


 * Judicial: The Grand Court contains both civilian and military judges appointed by the High Chamber to interpret and enforce the chamber's will.

Political Divisions
Telkevan territory is split between numerous states, of which there are three categories:


 * Dynasties were the ruling aristocracy prior to the Bloodletting. Though the Kaiser or kaiserin is traditionally regarded as the de-facto ruler of the houses, they only serve as a mediator between the dynasties and the High Chamber. The Dynasties are semi-autonomous, possessing their own constitution and governing bodies, but they hold no authority beyond their own borders.


 * Member states are alien nations which have been inducted and assimilated into the Union. They enjoy the same rights and privileges as the dynasties.


 * Vassal states are territories which have only recently been annexed into the Union via conquest. They are governed directly by the military and have no representation in the Lower Chamber until they have been deemed fit for integration. If a vassal continually and violently resists integration, it will eventually be dissolved, its territories given to nearby dynasties and/or member states as its inhabitants are scattered across the Union.


 * Military districts are territories administered directly by the military through a marshal appointed by the High Chamber to oversee operations in the area. Military districts are not states as they lack both autonomy and a constitution, but their administrators do take part in the Upper Chamber of the legislature.

The Union's holdings are also divided into military districts. These districts, managed by a regional headquarters led by a marshal appointed by the High Chamber, are responsible for all operational activities within their jurisdiction. While most districts overlap with populated regions, some districts are wholly independent from any civilian administration, the planets within being sole property of the AFTU.

Dynasties and member states each have their respective holdings divided into one of three 'spheres':


 * Core spheres denote that state's most developed and populous worlds and predominantly produce both manpower and manufactured goods.


 * Middle Spheres vary significantly in specifics, but in general produce the bulk of the Union's food and raw materials.


 * Outer Spheres are a state's or dynasty's outermost colonies, which are often newly-colonized or annexed planets.

Citizenship
Citizenship is divided into brackets determined by an individual's background, social score, and whether or not they have taken the Oath of Loyalty.


 * Dissident

Dissidents are individuals who have either committed a heinous crime, possess a criminally low social score, or who have not been administered into the network. Dissidents have very few rights and, depending on the nature of their status, must either redeem themselves either through service to the state, an act which oftentimes ends in death, or take part in a reeducation program aimed at rehabilitating dissident groups.


 * Inhabitant

Inhabitant is the default status for citizens of vassal states and those with a dangerously low social score. Inhabitants are not permitted free travel outside of their own borders and are wholly subject to the military authority. Within the armed forces, inhabitants often perform grunt work to free up soldiers for battlefield duty unless they inhabitant can prove their worth to their superiors, in which case they are considered proper foot soldiers and given certain privileges such as higher pay.


 * Visitor

Visitor exclusively applies to foreigners visiting the Union, whether they be tourists or foreign ambassadors. They receive all legal protections afforded to citizens and can even apply for citizenship.


 * Citizen

Citizen is the default status of those born within the dynasties and member states and also includes vassals with a high social score. Citizens enjoy all of the rights and privileges allotted to them by the Vukarn Constitution save for those requiring the Oath of Loyalty.


 * Telkevon

Telkevon applies to all citizens who have taken the oath of loyalty and who possess a high social score.

Benevolence Doctrine and Civil Liberties
Main page: Benevolence Doctrine

The Benevolence Doctrine is Article VII of the Vukarn Constitution. It is comprised of two sections: Section I, which outlines the rights and privileges of all citizens of the Union; and Section II, which establishes the relationship between the government and its constituents. In essence, Article II states that the survival of the Union can only be assured by maintaining internal harmony, which can only be achieved when all members of the Union work for the benefit of each other. The government is therefore responsible for meeting the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of its citizens, protecting them from harm, and the elimination of corrupt officials and laws. Citizens are to pay their dues, serve in the military, and be active participants in their local community. In doing so, the administration will be prosperous and able to respond to threats within and without, and the citizens, living in a state worthy of the Oltari's praise, will fight and die for the Union when called upon.

Law Enforcement
See also: Civil Defense Service, Social Scoring Network

The Civil Defense Service, specifically the Internal Security Division (ISD), is responsible for overseeing all law enforcement activities. The ISD is comprised of a mix of specially-trained active-duty personnel, reservists, and veterans and is divided into several specialized branches. Equipment consists of purpose-built gear and military surplus. Despite their militarized state, the ISD operates on strict rules of engagement outlined in the Vukarn Constitution, which emphasizes lethal force as a last resort and which harshly punishes convicted offenders. Each member state also maintains its own internal security force to handle low-priority cases, though they are subservient to the ISD and operate by the same guidelines.

Military
Main page: Armed Forces of the Telkevan Union

The Armed Forces of the Telkevan Union (AFTU) is currently comprised of the Army, Aerospace Force, Solar Navy, Cybersecurity Service, Solar Legions, Central Intelligence, Civil Defense Service, and the Joint Munitions Command. Each branch is directly administered by their respective high marshal, who in turn answers to the grand marshal, the commander-in-chief of the AFTU. Each military district maintains fleets and garrisons in a near-constant state of combat readiness so as to respond to threats and orders at a moment's notice.

States are permitted to create and maintain their own military. State militaries operate solely in a defensive capacity; they hold no authority outside of their own jurisdiction and do not participate in foreign campaigns. Additionally, the size of a state military is strictly regulated by the Vukarn Constitution. State militaries are self-governing, but are subservient to the High Chamber, particularly the Civil Defense Service, which often acts as a liaison between state and the AFTU, and the Joint Munitions Command, which operates in tandem with state armament suppliers.

The Union practices conscription, with all able-bodied men and women serving a three-year term after completing their primary education. Prior to training, recruits perform a series of physical and mental tests to determine which service branch and role they are best suited for, though during peacetime recruits are permitted to choose their position so long as they qualify. Once a conscript's term has ended, they are given the choice of remaining in the military indefinitely or returning home, where they will become a member of the reserves. Active reservists are required to maintain a high degree of physical fitness and perform training drills every four months.

Science & Technology
Main page: Technology (Telkevan Union)

Demographics
The Union is one of the most diverse nations in the Warlord Pact. Official records state that nearly forty distinct sapient species inhabit Telkevan space. A little over thirty species possess at least one member state and one or more seats in the Legislature, with the remainder either under military authority or having had their member status revoked due to past actions. Alkarians, those species which had once comprised the Alkarian League, make up the vast majority of the population. In order of population, these are: Arkevon, Umaga, Nezriim, Valdar, Hesrali, Zenura, Jaset, Rezhket, and the Ogvyr, who are a notable exception in that they are outpopulated by most non-Alkarians due to their low birthrate.

Language
Kyrgalon, the traditional language of the Telkevon, is the official language of the Union, with all citizens learning how to speak and/or read Kyrgalon depending on whether their biology can properly enunciate it. Thousands of distinct languages and dialects are spoken across Telkevan space, though the vast majority are limited to particular species or ethnic groups. Translation devices are freely offered to all citizens to facilitate communication, with such devices receiving semi-regular updates as new languages are added to the database.

Religion
Oltari is the state religion of the Union. The Vukarn Constitution explicitly grants all citizens religious liberty, but simultaneously limits certain privileges and government positions to those who have taken the Oltari oath of loyalty; additionally, the High Chamber reserves the right to ban any religion deemed dangerous to the public, as was the case when Cindrism was banned for three centuries following the Great Tribulation.

Nearly 75% of the population profess religious and/or spiritual beliefs, with over 80% adhering to any one of the many denominations of Oltari. Roughly 95% of Oltari practitioners have taken the oath of loyalty, discounting those too young to perform it. In some communities, particularly among Alkarians, Oltarism has blended with local beliefs to produce new sects such as Vokstari. While the government officially acknowledges their legitimacy as Oltari denominations, their 'purity' is contested by many traditionalists. Non-Oltaric religions include Zuthrin and Cindrism. Among those that do not consider themselves religious, the majority are either agnostic or atheists. A small minority adhere to non-theistic practices.

Education
The Vukarn constitution offers free education to all citizens of the Union regardless of social or religious status. The Department of Education and Information is responsible for all schools in the Union. Compulsory primary and secondary education is mandated for all children once they reach the appropriate age, after which students are to serve in the military. Depending on the student's academic performance during training, they may receive additional courses and specialized training during their conscription period. After they return home, students can choose from a myriad of colleges and universities. Prestigious universities and academies are both selective and competitive in their selection of applicant's and employ their service records as part of the selection process.

The government is the legal guardian of all children who have been either separated from or surrendered by their parents, including those resulting from unwanted pregnancies, regardless of the surrounding circumstances. These children are raised in exclusive academies which provide their students with the best materials and instructors the Department of Education and Information can provide. The majority of these 'chosen' refuse to integrate into wider society and instead dedicate their entire lives to government service.

Health
Universal healthcare is guaranteed to all citizens by the constitution. The Department of Health and Medicine manages the Union's vast healthcare network in close conjunction with both the Department of Citizens & Workers, which manages occupational health, and the Department of Veterans, which cares for wounded veterans.

All citizens are required to receive vaccinations based on the region in which they live, and receive additional vaccinations when traveling or serving in the military. No exceptions are permitted save for those medical in nature, namely allergies. Combined with rigorous sanitation laws, disease outbreaks are a rarity. Likewise, mandatory physical exercise for reservists and sophisticated medical technology ensures that the majority of non-lethal injuries leave next to no permanent damage. Discounting combat, the five leading causes of death within the Union are complications due to age, alcohol, use of illicit substances, crime, and accidents.

Culture
While hundreds if not thousands of distinct cultural groups exist within the Union, mainstream Telkevan culture has been heavily influenced by the Oltari faith, which has acted as the unifying aspect of Telkevan society since its founding.

Philosophy
Telkevan culture is characterized by its fatalistic worldview, collectivist ideals, and its emphasis on growth through adversity. According to traditional Oltari teachings, all things comprised of primordial chaos, including even the gods, are bound to the World Cycle, the endless, cyclical creation and destruction of the cosmos. The "health" of a cycle is based upon the balance between order and chaos, order referring to the stability of the world whereas chaos is the ability to enact change to the status quo. A prolonged imbalance will ultimately result in the world's destruction. Regardless, while a cycle can delay its own destruction, and some individuals may even survive into subsequent cycles, the World Cycle itself is ultimately inescapable and unstoppable. One way or another, even if the balance is maintained, all things can and will inevitably end.

Because of the World Cycle, life itself has no inherent meaning or purpose, at least not one known to those bound to the cycle. The gods and their followers are instead left to give themselves purpose. For the Oltari, their purpose is to honor the dying wishes of their progenitors, the Builders. For the Telkevon, it is to adhere to the Blood Covenant, the laws and guidelines handed down to Kaiser Telkevon I when he took the oath of loyalty, and to live a worthwhile life in spite of an uncaring universe. By following these precepts, the Telkevon will maintain internal harmony, bring glory to their bloodline, and ultimately leave behind a legacy that will be remembered for generations to come. Telkevan history is itself seen as the ongoing struggle to live up to these ideals and to maintain internal harmony.

While most Telkevon revere the Blood Covenant as the ideal moral code, the Union does not necessarily subscribe to the notion of universal morality, as every god and group of gods is said to operate on their own codes. They are content to leave the vast majority of outsiders to their own devices unless they deliberately provoke a response. Rather, all actions, even ones that may seem wholly inconsequential in the moment, are believed to affect the balance between order and chaos. Right and wrong thus depends on an action's perceived impact on harmony. A few specific actions, such as slavery, genocide, materialism, betrayal, and totalitarianism, are considered to be inherently destructive to universal harmony and are condemned by the Union, putting them at odds with certain members of the Warlord Pact.

The needs of society as a whole are regarded as more important than the needs of any individual within it. This is not to say that an individual's own goals and aspirations are of no value; in fact, many have earned a place in Telkevan history by stepping outside of established norms, but it was only through their impact on society as a whole that they earned their notoriety. Familial connections are almost as important as one's relationship with the gods. Families are to care for one another no matter the circumstances, and individuals are to make sacrifices for the betterment of the whole, up to an including their own lives. To live solely for one's own self-interest is regarded as one of the ultimate acts of betrayal and almost universally leads to social alienation.

Rite of Passage
While the Union upholds the religious liberties of its citizens, the Vukaran Constitution is itself based upon the guidelines established by the Blood Covenant of the Oltari faith and has thus incorporated one of its preeminent practices, the Oath of Loyalty, into official policy. A rite of passage, the Oath of Loyalty is a bloodletting ritual in which consenting participants recite Kaiser Telkevon I's oath to Oltavar whilst draining blood from their palm. One is required to perform this ritual if they are to be considered true practitioners of the Oltari faith and it cannot be undone once it has been completed. Likewise, while citizens are not legally required to partake in the oath, many positions within the sovereign government and the military officer corps are exclusive to those who have taken the oath, ensuring that the Union's leadership is comprised almost exclusively of devout Oltarans.

Family Structure & Gender Roles
Telkevon families are large and tight-knit due to biological and social factors. Egg clutches can produce up to nine individuals, all of which require social interaction in order for proper development. The empire's greater focus on collectivism and ancestral reverence further discourages the separation of family members. As a result, it is common for extended family to live in close proximity to one another, if not in one large household. All members of the family are expected to contribute to the group in some way, whether it be performing chores or providing funds. Elders tend to act as the leaders of the household, but accomplished individuals may also take on this role. Over the years, some families have accumulated a significant degree of influence in local or even interstellar politics; corporate dynasties are not uncommon, and many of the arms manufactures contracted by the AFTU began as family businesses.

Marriage is a serious matter in which all members of both families are involved as it is not only a union between two individuals but also between the two families and their ancestors. Compatibility between the two who desire to marry is insufficient; the elders of both families must also determine if their families can get along with one another and whether either group would 'taint' the other due to actions members of the family had committed in the past. A family with a history of crime is unlikely to produce many marriages with those who consider themselves law-abiding citizens, even if the couple themselves have done no wrong. The SSN has only served to reinforce this mindset, as families seek to marry into other families with similar or higher scores while avoiding those with dangerously low scores, which can put their own score at risk. If the marriage is accepted, the two are wedded at a shrine, and the couple can decide to move into either family's house. Wives generally take their husband's surname, though exceptions are not uncommon. Same-sex marriages have always been legal and socially accepted with the small exception of a few dynasties frowning on the notion as the couples cannot produce heirs. Romantic cross-species relationships are strictly forbidden.

Historically, men have served as both the master and protector of the home and their family. The women would care for both the children and infirm members of the family while maintaining the household. This dynamic, despite both genders possessing equal rights, persists into the modern day, and has even been utilized by the government. While men and women are both conscripted into the military, men are often the first to be sent to the battlefield while women remain at home to maintain factories and other businesses until either the men return home or the reserves are summoned. At the same time, these roles are far from concrete, and exceptions are commonplace in the modern era. Women are allowed to volunteer for front line duty and have risen to prominent positions within Central Command.

Art
The gods Visar, Sarikarak, and Yuvon are all associated with art in some form or another, and the Telkevon have followed in their footsteps by venerating the arts as a means of self-expression and social commentary. The government frequently commissions renown artist to create propaganda and design public works that commemorate the gods, national heroes, and important historical events while providing funding to art programs across the empire. Shrines create works depicting the gods, mythology, as well as local folk lore, history, and individuals. On an individual level, citizens use the arts to express themselves and their ideals, comment on the world around them, and to express support or disagreement with the government. Most works of art are realistic or embellished, but the experiences of war, technological and societal changes, and more importantly, the First and Second Exodus, have all contributed to surrealist sub-genres that reflect the changes and distortions brought about by these developments.

Contemporary art uses a combination of ancient and modern techniques. Traditional methods include prints, paintings, metalworking, glass, textiles, sculptures, and ceramics while modern forms involve film and photography. Literature leans heavily towards surrealist concepts and themes and exists in various forms, with the most prevalent being poetry, particularly epics and war poetry. The performing arts are generally a family affair, with many cities and colonies possessing their own staple 'performing families'. Music makes use of percussion, stringed, and keyboard-based instruments; brass and woodwind instruments were introduced by the client states, and groups hire aliens to blend the two styles together. Dance is especially common at shrines and in theatre plays, which have seen a massive resurgence thanks to the continued development of virtual reality.

Storytelling is as much of an art form as it is an instrument of entertainment and teaching. Travelers will go from town to town reciting tales of renown individuals and their deeds, drawing crowds of up to thousands of people depending on their notoriety. Family elders will pass down stories and fairy tales to the children so as to teach good manners and keep ancestral lore and traditions alive. Many shrines host annual events allowing members of the community to share tales with their neighbors and visitors. Though some of these stories are based in reality, most are fictional, with the understanding that their value lies in the speaker's skills and the lessons and themes presented by the story. Loremasters, military officials who record the exploits of the units they are attached to, can present their tales at shrine meetings and national ceremonies and will sometimes become traveling storytellers after they retire.

Entertainment
Physical activities such as exercise, hunting, and sports are a popular means of entertainment, particularly for devotees of Athovat, to whom such activities can serve as a form of worship. Exercise in particular is actively encouraged by the state as part of an initiative to maintain a healthy population; those who maintain a healthy lifestyle may receive a bonus to their social score, while those living a sedentary life are liable for a deduction. Hunters generally use rifles and may spend days or even weeks on long hunting trips, as depending on the animal, a few kills can feed a family for months. Trophy hunting is a dangerous endeavor as glory is achieved only by using primitive tools such as spears or bows against large and dangerous prey; to do otherwise is to anger Athovat and Akla. Sports are intensely competitive and involve many full-contact and combat sports such as duels, boxing, wrestling, martial arts, and competitive shooting. Famous athletes are frequently taken into the military to help train soldiers.

Games are commonplace. Soldiers often engage in card or dice games or puzzles as a means of passing the time. Strategy and war games are popular among officers both for entertainment and keeping one's mind sharp. Drinking games frequently occur at festivals and in pubs, and games ending in brawls are not entirely unheard of nor shunned. Families engage in board games and video games.

Clothing & Body Art
Traditional garbs were made to protect the Telkevon from the hazardous, polluted climate of post-collapse Alrukai. They consists of multiple layers of thick insulating materials that cover most or all of the body, including the wings, which are kept closed and pressed against the body to prevent damage, though this proved unwieldy for individuals with particularly large wings. As the Telkevon began expanding to other worlds, they developed loose-fitting robes with holes in the back for their wings and tail. Both cold and warm weather clothes have colorful designs and feature runes, icons, individuals, and/or mythical places and entities weaved into the fabric. They are also utilitarian, featuring inner and outer pockets. Belt bags, handbags, and backpacks are also relatively commonplace for both genders.

Body art is common throughout the empire. The chest and wings are the most popular areas for tattoos, particularly the wings, leading to their nickname, 'the canvas of the gods'. The crown on the top of the head and the horns around the snout are often pierced with rings and other jewelry. Jewelry produced and blessed at a shrine are particularly popular, especially necklaces and rings, and are often imbued with magical properties designed to ward off hostile spirits and inspire confidence in the user.

Cuisine
Telkevan families eat as a group and consume one to three large meals per week, generally in the morning. Though omnivorous, the main course is almost universally meat, insects, or fish with an entire animal served to each member of the family, though this varies depending on an individual's age and the size of the animal being served. Fruits, vegetables, and spices are used for flavoring. Though various cooking techniques and meals exist, soups and stews were an entirely unknown concept until they began encountering alien cultures and remain outside of mainstream Telkevan cuisine as the Repzork's snout makes it difficulty to consume them as intended.

In the military, it is customary to host a feast before a major battle, and if victorious, afterward. These banquets are titanic endeavors often requiring upwards to hundreds of millions or even billions of animals in order to feed the attendees. Fallen enemy soldiers are also consumed during the feast as it is believed that consuming the dead grants one a small morsel of the deceased's energies. Previously unknown races are tested to determine edibility before any such feasts begin to avoid contamination. Cannibalism is strictly forbidden and can in the worst cases result in the summary execution of the offender.

Rations consist of large bars packed with energy, vitamin, and protein supplements designed to keep a soldier at optimal performance for at least one to three days. Given their size, they can theoretically be used by other races for longer periods of time, making them popular targets for theft, though they can have adverse health effects for some species.

Warlord Pact
Zaretian Monarchy Status: Alliance 

"We must do everything we can to support them."

"Disgustingly vulgar. Not even the most hedonistic of Yinve's followers are so devoid of shame. I despised it at first, but, it's grown on me. It helps to cope with the stress."

 Margan Dynasties Status: Alliance 

"The Dynasties are tools and nothing more. Once the Peacekeepers are defeated, we will discard of them."

"I had a modicum of respect for them. Once."

Vikkurl  Status: Alliance 

Vechtramil Directorate  Status: Alliance 

Xiongul Confederacy (Branding)  Status: Alliance 

Asanian Syndicate  Status: Neutral 

"I could write an entire book on everything wrong with the Asanians."

"I admire their technology far more than I admire them."

"I cannot decide if the Syndicate or the Margan are worse."

Peacekeeper Alliance
The Rach  Status: War 

"The fact that they survived being chased by the Margan through the Realm of Night for ten years is a testament either to Margan stupidity or to the Rach's skills at concealment. Perhaps both."

"I believed the Rach to be nothing more than an undisciplined nuisance, but war has trained them well. Perhaps they are worthy after all."

Empire of Diablos  Status: War 

"To fight the Diabs is to experience war in its purest form."

"Had they not joined the Peacekeepers, the war would have ended years ago."

"The children of Haratahavi are strong and proud. We can learn from their example."

Nuverian Union  Status: War 

Karahotdoum Empire  Status: War 

Sauran Solidarity  Status: War 

Kastalian Survivors  Status: War 

"When you were talking to me about an ancient civilization with technology beyond our reckoning I was not expecting to be greeted with an overweight bird."

"Their steadfast devotion to their ideals is commendable, even if I may believe they are flawed."

Doramis Monarchy  Status: War 

Delani Republic  Status: State dissolved 

Remusian Republic  Status: War 

Independent Races
Holy Nephani Mandate  Status: Hostile 

"Remember when the Mandate was our biggest worry? I kind of miss those days."

"Never get into a knife fight with them, it took me over half an hour to wash all the blood off."

"They must have really ticked off the wrong god because this is a complete mess."

Nova Corporation  Status: Neutral 

Collection  Status: Hostile 

Virisus  Status: War 

Transmetallic Confederation  Status: Neutral 

"The name is perhaps a bit on the snout."

"Our efforts to acquire intelligence on their activities has only served to make us more confused."

"Think we can get them stuck to a big magnet?"

Xenochytrid  '''Status: War. '''

"I refuse to believe that they are natural. Someone or something made that."

"If I hear one more person talk about weaponizing the blight I will personally throw them out of the airlock."

"At least they don't have a god looking over them, probably."

The Xenochytrid are believed to be in some way related to the Nygalara, the monster of myth that is said to be waiting for the right time to destroy creation in retaliation for the death of its makers at the hands of the Builders. Combined with the devastation they bring with them, the empire has made it a priority to exterminate the Xenochytrid regardless of the circumstances. Utilizing the Xenochytrid in any way is strictly prohibited and punishable by execution.