Sarathi
WIP
| Origin Point: | Kalixcis, Zirrix System |
| Temp Range: | 260-360K |
| Height: | 167cm (~5'6") |
| Diet: | Omnivorous with a grain allergy |
- Poor temperature regulation
- Complimentary valuable tail
- Unique Bloodtype
- Ability to chug welding fuel and then breathe a very small amount of fire (enough to light a cigarette)
Shiptest is WIP, as is its lore. Things change constantly. For the hackmd for Sarathi as well as other lore, please click here.
Sarathi
The Sarathi are a mesothermic cold-blooded reptilian species hailing from the planet Kalixcis. They are a clever and resourceful people, being capable to accustom themselves quickly to most situations. Sarathi are prone to emotional and moral extremes which has effected their culture and to an extent, their relations with other species due to the stubbornness innate with Sarathi. With all this, it has shaped Sarathi culture to not place much credence on blood-ties, instead Sarathi align themselves, from a young age, with families that they feel most comfortable with.
Physiology
Sarathi are humanoid lizards who range shorter than your average human, however it has been the case that some Sarathi can grow to stand with the tallest of humans in some cases exceeding that height. Being mesothermic rather than cold-blooded they tend to prefer warmer climes, and maintain a distaste for the cold. However, they are able to trap a large amount of heat in their body if needed. Meaning that they are, often unwillingly, capable of surviving for an extended time in colder temperatures.
Originally carnivorous, they primarily eat meat but can also enjoy fruits and vegetables where available. Grain is inedible to most Sarathi, resulting in many of their dishes being cooked with flour from nuts or root vegetables. Sarathi are lactose-intolerant.
Alongside this Sarathi do have variants in their species. Often from smaller tribes that have settled in more specific regions of Kalixcis. Little of these variants still remain, with the most common being their aquatic relatives.
Origins
Sarathi, alongside the Elzuosa, originate from the planet Kalixcis. Kalixcis orbits a K-type main-sequence star named Zirrix. Kalixcis is orbited by a ring and moon, the red moon, Elefel, itself sitting closer in proximity to the planet than that of Terra's Luna. Due to this the weather of Kalixcis is in constant flux with its oceans remaining utterly calm before becoming extremely turbulent and violent. Kalixcis possesses three major climates; a tropical climate being the largest, an arid climate being second, and a much smaller temperate climate. All of them having their own unique oddities and dangers surrounding them. This has led to Kalixcis being dubbed the quintessential 'Eccentric-type Planet'.
Wider Kalixcian Culture
Sarathi highly value self-determination and living the life one believes is right for themselves. Often, Sarathi choose names for themselves that embody what they do or how they want to live life. A Sarathi engineer might make their name Snips-The-Wires, whereas one who prefers to live alone might take the moniker Walks-Lonely-Miles. Note that these names are translations to Galactic Common, and do not carry their full intonation like they would in Sarathi dialect.
Sarathi do not believe in involuntary association, and their lives are lived accordingly. Sarathi young are raised communally until the age of 7 (approximated to Earth cycles), where they choose a “family” that generally represents a “way of life” they think suits them. Membership in these families is generally quite fluid, as Sarathi switch between them depending on their current ideals and desired way of life.
Their spacefaring organizations function largely the same way. Several different families maintain different views on the purpose of life in space. As these families rise and fall in popularity, new ones appear that represent new ways of living and lines of thought.
Celebrating diversity and identity is one core part of Sarathi culture, but another is the explicit development of new families as a sort of social scientific process. Some Sarathi dedicate their lives to the discovery of new variations on the mix of lifestyle and ideals that consists a family. Whether writing philosophical papers or eking out life in new and exciting niches, the Sarathi are unique in their incredibly active attempts at creating new ways of life.
Sarathi evolved alongside Elzuosa on Kalixcis, and as such their culture is shared between them, freely being parts of the same societies and families. Elzuosa are, however, much rarer than Sarathi, having a lower overall population.
The Farlight Drifters
Their name is merely a direct translation to Galactic Common, with its original Sarathi name’s meaning being rather obscure and difficult to translate. However, It does capture the spirit of it.The Farlight Drifters hail from an old Sarathi tribe that lived on the coasts of Kalixcis, even daring to sail its oceans. Their way of life was and is still somewhat a nomadic one. They are an extremely tight-nit Sarathi peoples, rarely accepting outsiders into their clusters but it has happened.
They are at odds with the rest of their Kalixcian kin. Half of this stems from old conflicts that nearly saw the Farlight Drifters wiped from existence, the other being the numerous cultural differences between them. The Drifters openly criticise Wider Kalixcian Culture as being one that encourages selfishness and a complete disregard for the past. This has often led them to being the scapegoats for varying large accidents, portraying them as saboteurs and enemies to Wider Kalixcian Society. Once the key to FTL travel had been unlocked, all of the Farlight Drifters chose self-exile in an event known as ‘The Farlight Flight’. The Drifters still hold bitter resentment towards their Kalixcian cousins, with the Kalixcians regarding the Drifters scornfully but have mostly forgotten why.
The Drifters’ social structure is more strict, with old traditions that are still adhered to in modern times. Farlight young are named and guided by their parents whilst being raised communally with other young until the day of Choosing. While growing up, the adults will observe them and note their talents, interests, and desires. Innovation, comradery, and thoughtfulness is encouraged during a Drifter's adolescence.
The day of Choosing occurs during a Drifter’s 11th year. During this, Farlight young are chosen by a Teacher to apprentice under. These apprentices learn from their Teachers for seven to nine years before they come of age. After this, a Drifter may choose their path in life to best provide for themselves and the Farlight Drifters as a whole.
Primarily, the Farlight Drifters live in clusters of starships. These spacecraft being a patchwork of various other ships but expertly maintained and designed nonetheless. These clusters do construct Waystations and outposts on remote planets to resupply, repair, and trade with other wanderers and Drifter clusters. A notable part of Farlight culture is the belief that all of one’s crafts hold an extension of their spirit. As such, a Drifter tends to care for their equipment as they care for themselves.
Many younger Drifters are likely to embark on their own journeys of discovery, and this has to some extent turned into a form of pilgrimage. To learn of cultures beyond their own, learn new ideas, to see the wonders of the universe, to forge strong relationships, and have stories of their own, but never do they forget their cluster or heritage. These Drifters do return to their cluster at some varying point in time, occasionally with companions or someone more closer to that Drifter’s heart.
Most Drifter names are a description of one's aptitude, talent for a job, physical appearance, or a mixture of them and finally being accompanied by the name of their starship cluster e.g. Quickforge Seven-Silver-Spears, Bluestone Four-Dead-Suns, Strongwit Twelve-Precise-Pearls etc. More cautious Drifters do make a habit to hide their names by adopting a singular human name they find appealing and fitting.
Farlight Drifters and Kalixcians do hold a mutual distaste for one another (with the Drifters’ animosity being much more intense) regardless of the organisation or ship they share. They are not however outright hostile and will act with varying degrees of professionalism towards each other depending on their station, but extremely heated arguments and small brawls between them is not entirely uncommon.
