Gartagen

The Gartagens are a proud tribal/warrior race from the up-spin regions of the sector.

The Gartagens are a hardy and strong-willed species that evolved from small simian-like creatures on their world of Gartaga which is the first planet in the Shara star system. Their initial inception as a species is unknown, but it can largely be assumed that the Gartagens evolved from single-celled organisms and clawed its way to the top of the food chain in a similar fashion to that of humans.

Their earliest settlements are clustered on one of the central continents of their arid homeworld, but as archaeologists have discovered, the species migrated to all parts of the planet and over the next few thousand years established dominance over their world. Isolated tribes grew and prospered, discovered fire, the wheel, and eventually religion. They mastered metal and eventually dabbled in warfare. City states sprang up, and as such, nation-states formed. Explorers began questing out and discovering the other ethnic groups across the ocean and nations rose and fell.

An empire or two came to dominate the international circles until they too fell. The race seemingly the victim of its own success indeed prospered from the constant struggle to better understand their world and themselves. They eventually entered what could be considered their modern age, and coupled with the advent of advanced machinery, and black powder weapons, the face of their world was changed when it plunged into a world war.

This saw the advent of radically new technologies, which included their variations of computers, rocket weapons, as well as experiments into early energy weapons, such as microwave casters designed to fry entire battalions of soldiers on the battlefield. Chemical warfare ran rampant until, surprisingly, the extremist factions in the war defeated the allied factions, and formed something similar to what Earth’s Rome was. This empire stood for over four hundred years until it eventually broke apart. The new nations sprang up overnight, and an uneasy peace formed over the large arid world of Gartaga.

This was the age that marked the discovery of genetics, modern medicine, and nuclear technology. The times were peaceful until a frightening technology was developed, to the horror of many of the world’s nations: Cloning.

This technology regarded by the founders as a miracle, and to the belligerents as an affront to the very idea of life. To the more conservative factions, it was the ability to bypass nature and to create it in a lab. This technology was followed by religious upheaval, and eventually a war, unlike one the Gartagens, had ever seen.

Over two thousand and five hundred years prior to the present day setting of Shattered Universe the Gartagen race waged a modern aged war, that ended with the deaths of over 800,000,000 people in their world. Cities were destroyed, entire ethnic groups were eradicated, and there was no clear victor in sight. With most of Gartaga in ruins and a majority of the world's governments destroyed, it left only two types of people, the dead, and the survivors.

The Gartagens survived their war to end all wars, and this was the foundation of their new ideology, an ideology based on the foundation and union of all Gartagens. A new world order, run by the people for the people. It was hardly an age of pacifism, as many of the clones from the War of Light were herded up and exterminated. However the nuclear weapons were dismantled and mothballed, the survivors of the war seemingly banding together and entered a new age.

The New World order or Gartagen Union was formed, and the Gartagens set about the task of rebuilding their devastated world. Fifty years after the end of the war, entire cities had been rebuilt; social structures were remade in the image of civic duty, and compassion for your fellow Gartagen.

Love of yourself and the fact that each person is responsible for their own actions was instilled in the young minds of the Gartagen people. Until a century after the war all that remained of it were museums, reminders to all the people of just how close they had come to kill their entire world.

(Side note, “The War of Light” is how the Gartagens described the large nuclear bombs used during their second world war)

About five thousand years ago the Gartagens had come to a problem that many worlds eventually come to. Population, fifty years of peace had brought in a massive population boom. Secondly, they had all but exhausted their planet’s resources, and it was becoming high time for them to branch out in order to save their overpopulated world. Space exploration had always been occupied, but never on this scale. A space station was built in orbit of their world, small colonies formed on the moons of the gas giant Galva's moons. Within the span of twenty years, The Union had mining colonies on their asteroids and functioning mini colonies throughout the home system.

But all of these great achievements paled in comparison to the desperate gamble they took. The Gartagens completed their first successful test of a functional and safe FTL engine on a humble probe, that was directed into a cluster of stars with a brief biological description of the race, and a simple mathematical greeting. Three years later after they had completed their first manned FTL jumps radio signals were received by their newly constructed communications networks. Unable to translate the scrambled and incompatible alien images, the government kept this find out of the public's ears. But this also explains the odd military build-up of the Gartagen Union Solar Navy. The Gartagens found at this time period there were few alien species in their region of space, and a new age of expansion began.

Over the centuries the Gartagens settled world after world unchallenged. Expanding, advancing their technology works, and cultivating a massive empire. The Gartagens then encountered the ancestors of the The Second Children. Then another space power was strumbled on, known as the Kishargal. The two powers holding a mixed relationship. At times the two trades peacefully, and at others the hot-tempered Erusutu and Gartagens warred over territory. The Ersutu railing against the Cultural dominance of their neighbors, and the Gartagens refusing to give ground, the two fostered an icy/hot relationship but never sought destruction.

Technologically the Gartagens advanced, producing the first know power armors in the region. Their tools, and weapons prized for their venerable and stern construction. Adding to this, the Gartagens incapable of casting magic, or producing psions, seemed to be anathema to both. However, harnessing magic was a craft that the Gartagens did master. The produced weaponry and tools that were infused with the energy, and as such were able to face down against these daunting forces when confronted. Indeed the Great PAx of the Gartagens saw many wonders and holds erected across the sector. However little did they know, something was coming for them.

Two stories arise from this time period in Gartagen history. The first is from the records the Gartagens kept. 2500 years in the past a signal from hyperspace by Gartagen listening posts on their frontiers. It was incomprehensible, but they soon learned that it was a war cry from Atraxians. Soon the great war began when innumerable hoards of Atraxian starships came crashing into the territory that was controlled by the Nations and holds of Gartagen space. At first, the Gartagens met the barbaric Atraxians with fire and fury. The savagery of the Atraxians was met with the discipline of Gartagen troops. The Brutish numbers of their craft engaged against sturdy starships and brilliant tactics. The Conflict that began lasted over one hundred years. But for every victory, more Atraxians came, and slowly, the world after the world went dark. Then an attack from below came. From a new unknown enemy struck out from the warrens of Gartagen cities across most of their empire.

The Elves offer the second perspective. For them, this great war was not an invasion, but a struggle against evil. The elves attempted to explain what was happening to their Gartagen neighbors, but their talk of a “Dark One”, or an “Interloper” was lost to the stone minded Gartagens who were fighting for their lives. The Terror of the situation, however, was not lost to the Gartagens, who in turn resolved to fight rather than give in to despair.

The Space fairing nations of Gartagen united and fought back fiercely against both the two alien species who had come from above and below to wipe them out, and for the next century, the war drew more destructive. Finally, in an act of desperation, the Gartagens mobilized every man and woman capable of fighting and struck back to retake their besieged rhealm. There was no decisive victory, but rather hundreds of them, across the span of light years. The Gartagens smashed their enemy from below and broke every Atraxian clan who wished to fight. Pushing both out of their space achieving victory.

Yet, for the Gartagens the victory over the Dark one and his thralls tasted of ashes. Their great empire was in ruins. Trillions of them had died across generations. Only the core worlds of their mighty empire remained. Having bled themselves white, the exhausted survivors withdrew back to the homeworlds. Across the sector are ruins of their empire. Ancient holds and caches of technology and machines. Many have become home to Atraxian clans, others to the Elves. The debt that is owed to the Gartagens has never been called in. Either too proud or stubborn the Gartagens have become isolationists. The elves however still remember the stories of heroism and heroes that saved them and the other peoples of this sector from anniliation and terror.

Today the majority of the population of Gartagens have become sullen and quiet. They stick to their home systems and avoid interaction with the outside powers. Across the sector, their great empire is little more than abandoned ruins and holds. Some communities and diaspora remain, and they have stood the test of time as empires have waxed and waned. The elves speak as if these people are merely slumbering, waiting to be reawoken from their Stoney slumber. Others however beleive the ancient war broke them.

The male Gartagens stand roughly 4’5 - 5'6“ feet in height, and usually, weigh around 100-140 lbs. The females are smaller and vary in height from four feet to 5'3”. Their skin is thick and leathery, though similar to that of humans, including sweat pores. However, the skin has much heavier pigmentation to better protect against UV rays. The hair is in fact much thicker tentacle-like protrusions that hang limply from the head. On the arms and legs, it grows in the form of tiny little “spikes” the hair is similar to that of humans, it is just excess calcium that grows from the body, designed to control the release of heat. Each hand sports two thick digits, and one very thick thumb. It functions on a similar level to that of humans. The feet are split into two toes that are somewhat similar to that of a hawk's foot, though larger, and more proportioned to support the weight of the individual. The Gartagens walk directly on the toes, giving them a wider stride, and a distinct hopping gait when moving. The skin tones vary, taking on a rather pastel appearance, as a result of their orange sun. It can be a vibrant blue to a dark violate, greens are common, as is gray. The eyelids blink in an upwards motion rather then the eyelid going down. Gartagens have colored vision. They also sport a thicker spine that extends into a tail that aids them in their balance. The tail is muscular and prehensile, it is thick at its base and ends at a point below the knees. They also have sharp teeth denoting the flesh-eating habits.

The muscles of the Gartagen make their mass the same as a healthy REDACTED, but they are generally of a smaller build than many of the other races. They are thin and more compact allowing for faster twitch action and a superior form energy distribution. The strength difference is not massive, a Gartagen can simply hit slightly harder, and fight longer then what would be initially expected. Their bodies may be somewhat superior in some ways but this is due to the arid conditions of their world. Gartaga is a warm climate, peaking out at temperatures over 120 degrees. So temperature differences below ninety degrees are uncomfortable, hitting the eighties is cold, seventies would see a Gartagen bundling up like it was a blizzard, and anything below that would probably kill one.

Gartagens are monotremes and reproduce by laying eggs. This is further detailed in Gartagen Physiology

A social species, that develops close bonds. Male and female sex organs are located in between the legs allowing for the front to rear intimate contact. Mating occurs in similar fashion to humans. One pitch (usually the male) the other(Usually the female)receives. As of now, Gartagens can only have children with other Gartagens.

Gestation is roughly 12 months.

Religions of old have long since past, however, the Gartagens do have standing religions in today’s age. They vary from monotheism to polytheism depending on the regions of the planet. Directly, and as of current, government propaganda has over the past few decades instilled upon the people a kind of creed, that being that the fate of all Gartagens rests among the stars and that nothing can keep them from the stars. For more information see Gartagen Culture

Built around duty to the self and to the family. The government is absolute and of course, knows best. It borders on that of a police state but is much less harsh in its day to day control. Schooling is biased towards the government, and the freedom of speech that Gartagens enjoy is considered the option and a privilege.

The Gartagens enjoy a name important aristocracy. They refer to these units as houses, this means that family units can be rather big. A third or fourth cousin is looked at the same way a brother or sister is viewed. This also puts a large emphasis on tracing back family lines.

Gartagen art is as diverse as the species itself.

Different regions of their world have various unique styles. They tend to favor robes and tunics, and clothing, as well as nudity in the more dominant cultures, is viewed as a formality. Uniforms of the military often consist of a tunic that covers the chest and loins. The arms and legs have a somewhat symbolic value to the Gartagens and are often bare. You will see loin cloths, making clothing rather simple and somewhat underdeveloped.

They often sport jewelry in their thick dreadlock-like hair, as well as various other symbolic items, denoting being bonded, honor, civil service and even the family house.

Like the stars in the sky, some of them are bright, and some not so bright. Gartagen personalities are as hard to gauge as those of the SARP Empires. As a young species looking at a galactic community, they would be scared, and curious.

See: Gartagen Character Creation Guide