Byzatium
| Intelligent Lifeform Index |
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| Byzatium | |
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| Four Letter Code | BYZT |
| Federation Status | Allies of Federation |
| Planet of Origin | Planet of Byzatium |
| Encountered | DS9: Defiant |
| T/E Rating | T0/E0 |
| Current Tech Level | N |
| List of Named Byzatiums | |
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Name
- Proper Name: Byzatium
- Pronunciation: Bi-Zay-Teum
Home System
- Quadrant: Beta
- Location: Vectis System
- Proper Name: ByzBar Vectis
- Pronunciation: Biz-Bar-Vec-tys
- Star: It orbits a class G (Yellow) star
- Distance from Star: its orbit is approximately 300 million km
- Companions: 7 other planets. It is the 4th planet in the system, only two are inhabited.
Home World
- Proper Name: Byzatium
- Pronunciation: Bi-Zay-Teum
- Diameter: 14,121 km (8,774 miles)
- Gravity: 1.125 standard gravity with a density of 5.6
- Axial Tilt: 2.3%%, no appreciable tilt and no noticable seasonal change
- Orbital Period: 380 days
- Rotational Period: 26 hours
- Classification: M
- Surface Water: 80%
- Atmosphere: 1.03 is a standard pressure with 76% nitrogen, 23% oxygen, 1% trace chemicals
- Climate: Varied between tropical and arid desert. Most life in thin temperate zones around the coasts.
- Population: Just over 1 billion.
Description
Unlike many planets in the known galaxy, where one species has come to predominate, Byzatium is home to a myriad of different races and nations, all of whom owe far more allegiance to their own nation or clan than to the planet as a whole.
Byzatium is nothing more than a geographical term for a rocky planet surrounded by enchanting blue clouds. To call any one of the races Byzatian (or Byzallian as they all prefer) is not very helpful in determining who or what you are dealing with.
There are three main ‘Byzallian’ groupings, all mutually hostile and antagonistic:
1. The Dorfmen – these are humanoids, very similar in physical appearance to Terrans, although on the whole slightly taller and broader. They are usually athletic looking and not unattractive, although their hard living takes a toll on their bodies. Numerically, they are the largest group on Byzatium.
2. The Omunics – these beings’ original form is shrouded in mystery although it thought that they were also humanoid. They are masters of bio-engineering, and have transformed themselves by reconstructing their DNA, and then grafting on mechanical body parts to the resulting cocktail. They have also expanded their experiments onto unwilling test subjects, known as 'Crazies' by the Dorfmen. Most Omunics wear long cloaks from head to toe, with only the occasional glimpse of a muscled arm, claw or metallic limb showing from beneath the cloth. The Omunics and the Dorfmen are mutually hostile, not helped by the former harvesting the latter as guinea-pigs for their warped science projects.
3. The Hotch are a servitor slave cast made up of any unfortunate who gets captured by the Dorfmen. A particular favourite race seem to be the hardy and friendly Bardeezan peoples from the neighboring planet of Bardeez. Nearly half of all Hotch slaves are from Bardeez. This slave trade prompted the Bardeezans to ask for help from their allies the Pythrons to warn off the Dorfmen. An expeditionary force was sent from Pythro V to link up with the Bardeezans, leading in 2388 to the Pythro-Byzallian War.
There are also many transient peoples and aliens drifting in and out of the ports of Byzatium, some staying longer than others. Although Byzatium is a dangerous place to live, it’s general lawlessness provides a useful base for those who want their business dealings to go unnoticed by the Federation, or themselves want to disappear from the mainstream of galactic life. Byzatium is a nodal point for beings from all over the quadrant who want to escape their past, or engage in shady business ventures. A den of inequity is how the planet has been described by some of its more reputable neighbors.
Government
There is no one government on Byzatium. The Provisional National Government holds a nominal position over the Dorfmen, and often acts as the ambassadorial representatives when dealing with outsiders, notably the Federation. However, the Dorfmen are divided into over 30 states and nations, often at loggerheads with one another. There has been a movement over recent years to try and bring a measure of co-operation between the various Dorfmen nations, especially in response to on-going threat posed by the Omunics, and the more recent battles against the Pythrons. The Omunics are in theory a more powerful single force on the planet than the Dorfmen, but are also isolationist in terms of politics. Their main interest beyond their borders is in harvesting donor victims.
History
The exact origins of the Byzatium races is not clearly known. The Dorfmen, being almost indistinguishable from Terrans, are assumed to be pioneers of early Earth space travel, but may have intermarried with the Omunics in the deep and distant past – long before the Omunics became the genectic monsters they are now. The records of their space travel was lost, even though the timespan to the present day was relative short. Overtime, the forefathers of the Omunics did not like the way that their bloodline was becoming tainted by Dorfmen genes. However, their solution was to change their own physiology through genetic engineering, trying to turn themselves into the ultimate creatures in the Galaxy. However, far from achieving a noble end, they are now twisted and monstrous, hiding their warped forms inside long flowing cloaks. The Omunics have lived on Byzatium for much longer than the Dorfmen, and were reckoned to be the dominant species before the humanoids arrived nearly two centuries earlier. The Omunics are very secretive, and have almost no contact with the outside galaxy. They are capable of space travel, but have never been known to leave the surface.
Physiology
Dorfmen: The humanoid bi-peds are very similar to their Terran ancestors, but on average tend to be over six feet tall and athletic. Dark hair predominates, and many of the men have beards, often to hide scars from fights and brawls.
Svorna Destave, a typical ruthless Dorfmen piratess (below):
Omunics: These creatures are bi-pedal, but beyond that nothing is certain. It is assumed that they were originally close to humanoid too, as they were able to interbreed with the Dorfmen. However that possibility had long since passed, and now the Omunics are warped beings, some sporting tentacles, claws, horns and tails. They are often well over six feet tall, and some are over seven feet tall.
Below can be seen an Omunic from Byzatium, on the prowl for fresh meat:
Crazies: The ‘Crazies’ is a generic name given to the creations of the Omunics. They were mostly Dorfmen prisoners or abductees, and were mutated into whatever the Omunics wanted to make them into. Some were used as function-specific slaves, whilst others were mere play-things. The Crazies are mostly kept as slaves by the Omunics, or simply left to roam the wastelands between Omunic and Dorfmen territory. Below is a gallery of a selection of 'Crazies' created by the Omunics:
Psychology
The Dorfmen and Omunics have no known telepathic or empathic abilities. It use to be thought that the Omunics had some sort of rudimentary telepathic abilities, due to their abilities to swarm in packs – but nothing has so far been proven beyond just good communication skills and planning.
Religion
Neither the Dorfmen nor the Omunics have any organized religions beyond simple superstitions. Transient visiting species may have different ideas however. Religion is not suppressed on Byzatium, and is sometimes encouraged as a means of whipping some of the minor races into a fervor to defend the cities, when they would otherwise have limited zeal for the fight.
Mythology
A favorite tale of the Dorfmen, told as historical fact, is the legend of two warring cousins, each in possession of a mighty castle upon its own island city. One cousin was evil, the other was kind. The Good Cousin did all he could to protect his own people, and minimize the suffering of the other island’s people as much he could, but the actions of his wicked relation pushed him further into hard reprisals. Eventually the noble man offered to decide the war in single combat with his rival. The dark master accepted. The great duel began, and raged for hours, then days, neither man yielding. Eventually, the good cousin saw a chance to win the fight, but only at the cost of his own life. Without hesitation he made the move. Each man ran the other through with their swords. Where the good man’s blood spilt on the ground, trees, flowers and even a spring erupted from the soil. Where the evil cousin’s blood seeped out, a multi-headed serpent burst forth and slithered away. The legend persists that one day the two men will fight another battle to the death, but only one will be victorious – and will rule the planet, and the galaxy, for eternity.
Society
Dorfmen society is largely city based, and is nominally divided into different nations, with nuclear families as the basis of day-to-day life, but in actuality gangs, clans and rival syndicates dominate public life and children often owe greater allegiance to their gang master than their own parents.
Omunic society is largely unknown, and is thought to be almost like a hive mentality, with a few alpha individuals (or Queens) dominating their servitors and underlings. They have no single mass consciousness, but do display highly disciplined, swarm-like characteristics, especially when hunting.
Culture
Dorfmen culture is centred upon a person’s ability to make money and fight. Art and literature are considered to be luxuries that the people cannot afford to waste time in. A love of weaponry and vehicles is the most popular pastime on the planet. All this does not absolutely exclude more ethereal considerations, but that they are often shunted to the margins of society.
It is customary for Dorfmen to compete in extreme sports, where deaths are not uncommon, even at a young age. It is considered important in building up their resilience in later life.
Music tends to be loud and brash, and most popular is a form called Solid State Surge, which has been likened by historians to 21st century Earth extreme death metal music.
The culture of the Omunics is largely unknown, and is thought to centre around the worship of their own kind and the pursuance of an ever greater degree of genetic manipulation.
Customs
A popular custom amongst the Dorfmen is to engage in drinking contests that can last days, and result in serious health implications for the winners and losers alike.
It this love of danger and hard living that makes many Dorfmen of Byzatium have a very weathered appearance despite their usual natural good-looks.
Another custom associated with the Dorfmen is the giving of gifts and engaging in wild revelries for anyone reaching 50 years of age. It is seen as a great achievement to have survived for such a length of time, and the festivities can last weeks.
Technology
The Dorfmen Byzallians have warp travel technology, although their ships are not as elegant as those of the great galactic powers. They are merchants in weaponry, and also look to expand on their level of development by begging, borrowing or stealing from other races.
The Omunics have a very advanced level of scientific and technological development, but it is almost entirely devoted to genetics, both scientific and hostile.
Economy
The Omunics are mostly self-contained economically. The Dorfmen would class themselves as traders and pilots predominantly, but that is really a euphemism for piracy, smuggling, slave-trading, and general black marketeering. The Dorfmen are considered rogues and bandits by most of their neighbours, especially the adjacent Bardeezans, who are most often enslaved to become the Dorfmen’s ‘Hotch’ (slaves).
Military
The Byzallian races are considered to me militarily mature. The Dorfmen maintain a large standing army and a growing space fleet, although this is divided amongst their rival nations. It has been called into service to a greater degree recently to fend off the invasion by the Pythro-Bardeezan Alliance, as well as against continuing raids by the Omunics. As more and more Dorfmen are killed or captured, they are increasingly having to rely upon their Hotch slaves or on those considered too young, too old or too ill for normal military service to plug the gaps in their ranks. In times of war, an eclectic mix of species are drafted to fight. Orders can sometimes need to be given in over twenty languages.
The Omunics are a powerful foe and mount lightning raids into outlying Dorfmen towns and cities at night, but usually retreat (along with captives) before Dorfmen reinforcements can arrive. Sometime pitched battles have occurred, with the Omunics commanding regiments of ‘Crazies’ to assault the Dorfmen defenders.
Pythro-Byzallian War
The pretext for the war had its origins in border disputes between the Byzallian Government and their neighbours the Bardeezans in the Vectis System. For years the Byzallians had been taking many Bardeezans as ‘Hotch’ (slave) labour. In time, the hard pressed Bardeezans turned to their powerful allies the Pythrons for support.
The Pythrons sent an Army of Observation to Bardeez to bolster the planets defences. An ultimatum was also sent to Byzatium, hoping to give them one final warning to stop ravaging the Bardeez population. When the Byzallian Government professed no knowledge of their slave trade, the Pythrons were unimpressed.
In 2388, the Pythron President J’Eyga ordered his Army of Observation to go on the offensive, and become an Army of Execution and invade Byzatium itself under the command of Marshal Karinus LeNoir.
LeNoir (pictured left), assisted by Grand Admiral Tagora, initially planned a five-pronged invasion of Byzatium, composed of over one million troops in five task forces and designed to encircle the Byzallian cities, and their one field army and force it to fight his overwhelming might. In the event, LeNoir settled on three invading forces with the main command, now consisting of several hundred thousand Pythrons and Bardeezans under his direct command. He moved his forces from their unopposed landing zones south of the most powerful Byzallian state: Roscland. He set up a tactical head quarters at Sunbury. The three task forces were to invade across the Byzallian continent - their objective being Pride City - the Roscland capital.
While Byzallian army numbered perhaps 350,000 men, it was essentially a militia force which could be called out in time of national danger. As more and more Byzallians were killed or captured, they were increasingly having to rely upon their ‘Hotch’ slaves or on those considered too young, too old or too ill for normal military service to plug the gaps in their ranks. As the war progressed, an eclectic mix of species are drafted to fight. Orders can sometimes need to be given in over twenty languages.
The initial entry of all three task forces was largely unopposed; such was the incredilation and internal squabbling of the various Byzallian city-states. The main Pythron army under LeNoir advanced from Sunbury, and then encamped near Vadum Sanctum. That day LeNoir decided to split his forces and moved out to support a reconnoitering party, leaving the camp in charge of Praetorian Vaingore Hoff. Meanwhile, the Byzallians had finally brought together their main force under the Byzallian military leader – Thazdiuz Telent. The Pythrons were then outmanoeuvred by the main Byzallian army nearly 200,000 strong led by Telent. LeNoir was lured eastward with much of his task force by a Byzallian diversionary force while the main army attacked his base at Vadum Sanctum. The Pythrons at Vadum Sanctum were overwhelmed, the base annihilated with heavy casualties as well as the loss of all its supplies, ammunition and transport. The defeat left LeNoir no choice but to hastily retreat back to his main base at Sunbury. In the battle's aftermath, some 40,000 Byzallian reserves mounted an unauthorised raid on Sunbury but were driven off after ten hours of ferocious fighting. While the Pythron main force under LeNoir's command severely damaged, the other two Pythro-Bardeezan forces remained with their transports to await events..
LeNoir ordered the Bardeezan under their commander Gobowen Fair to attack the Byzallian stronghold in Holdbane. Gobowen personally led the attack on Holdbane. However, the main Byzallian army approached to help their besieged colleagues in Holdbane, the Bardeezan force began a retreat which turned into a rout and were pursued by the Byzallian gunships, inflicting heavy casualties on the Bardeezan force.
The next day 200,000 Byzallian troops with armoured support attacked Gobowen's remaining Bardeezan troops in a well-fortified bastion at Chetz Sea. The ragged Bardeezans held them off, and after five hours of heavy attacks the Byzallians withdrew. While Gobowen and his Bardeezans were thus engaged, LeNoir’s main force had been resupplied from Pythro, and was was storming its way from Sunbury back towards Vadum Sanctum to retake the ground it had lost and so clear their path to Pride City!
The new start of the larger, heavily reinforced second invasion was not promising for the Pythro-Bardeezan Alliance. Despite their success at Chetz Sea, they were right back where they had started from. The de facto Byzallian leader – Telent, knowing that the newly reinforced Pythrons would be a formidable opponent, attempted to negotiate a peace treaty. LeNoir was not open to negotiations, as he wished to restore his reputation in the eyes of his Masters on Pythro. He thus proceeded towards Pride City, intending to defeat the main Byzallian army. Telent was forced to bring his army back to his capital, and the biggest battle of war began. Casualties, both military and civilian, were heavy. Perhaps a million souls perished in the bloodbath. In the end, the sheer might of the giant Pythron warriors carried the day. Telent’s Byzallian forces were defeated decisively.
After the battle of Pride City, the remnants of the Byzallian army dispersed, most of the leading officers tendered their submission, and Telent (pictured right) became a fugitive. LeNoir set about reducing Pride City to rubble, and searching for the last Byzallian leader.
Pulling the strings behind the scenes was the megalomanic Mons Vor – a powerful Byzallian engineer and technocrat who had wooed the Pythron High Command to attack his own homeworld. It never once seemed that Mons Vor would show any restraint as his own people were being obliterated. The Warped Mind of the Master Engineer had only one objective, the capturing of the Byzallian tribe – the Omunics and their genetic technologies. Once he had both the organic and in-organic dark arts under his control, the whole galaxy would quake! What the short-term tactical considerations of his Pythron underlings were, he cared not.
Federation Intelligence Files
This race was mentioned on DS9 in passing. The Byzatium are a race whose six ships arrived at Deep Space Nine circa stardate 2367.3.
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