Yirannite

Yirannites are a species of small humanoids from Yiranne. As skilled pilots and navigators, Yirannites are common sights for spacers. The Yirannites are an important species in the Outlying Territories, but are still only second-class citizens within the Valcarian Empire.

Physiology

Diminutive, Yirannites range from 1 to 1.5 meters in height and bore round, tapered skulls. Yirannites are distinguishable for their almond-shaped black eyes, facial jowls, and large, round ears. Their wide ear lobes provide excellent hearing and their large eyes provided exceptional low light vision. Perhaps due to their relative lack of exposure to natural light, Yirannites begin to suffer from corneal defects after 30 standard years. After significant deterioration, many choose to wear special visors to prevent further damage. Many Yirannites tattoo their heads. Yirannites are pink-skinned and hairless.

Mentally, Yirannites possess exceptional intuition, with many able to navigate a path after seeing a map only once. This ability extends to space travel.

Culture

Yirannites organize themselves into familial units known as Ette-clans. Each clan consists of one polygamous female, several husbands and their young. Unmated females, known as "Fems", are active members of their communities until they reach the status of "Ready" which marks their breeding years. At the outset of Ready, "Fems" choose their mates and found their own Ette-clans.

Few Yirannites leave their homeworld, but those that do often find employment as pilots or merchants. Inspired by legends, Yirannite spacers put their skills as navigators to use and are prized crewers across the galaxy. Because of this, their flowing, staccato language of Yiranneese is known to many smugglers. Yirannite names are often direct translations from Yiranneese words and generally consist of a given and surname of one to four letters each.

Burial rites are given particular focus in Yirannite culture, with vast crypts and vaults maintained by crypt masters. Death, known as "Eternal Sleep", is viewed with great reverence. The most important of these rites is the tomb-walling ceremony, an elaborate funeral procedure.

Yirannite religion is polytheistic, including a pantheon of gods.

Governmentally, Yirannite names referencing nobility is evidence of some form of monarchy, but all recorded history demonstrates the use of democracy, excluding the brief authoritarian takeover by ResUlis during the Vodran War.

Yirannites are also dedicated to the principles of capitalism and open markets, but are primarily motivated by the possibility of bettering their people, not greed. Yiranne's technologically advanced underground cities bristle with shops and markets attractive to tourists from across the galaxy.

History

Early in their history, the Yirannites dug extensive networks of underground caves to avoid the inhospitable atmosphere of Yiranne, perhaps contributing to the development of their diminutive stature. The caves would eventually develop into beautiful underground cities, such as Tiena. The skills developed in engineering their large underground civilization would later earn them galactic renown as civil engineers.

By as early as 5,500 years ago, Yirannite merchants had become common sights, and pioneered new trade lanes like the Tolnys Way.

Deep mines were built on Yiranne and its moons, and the profits were used to develop Yirannite technology. By 1000 years ago, the mines on Yiranne's moon Roneo had been tapped.

Yirannite technological development flourished, eventually giving rise to the ResUlis Corporation. While a diversified corporation, its major holdings in mining and refinement made it a charter member of the Trade Guild. ResUlis came to dominate the Yirannite economy, employing over half the Yirannite population. Sisty years ago, a constitutional amendment passed allowing ResUlis shareholders to vote in Yirannite Council elections, effectively making the post of ResUlis CEO and Council President the same.

ResUlis was an early supporter of the Valcarian Empire, forcing increasingly stringent measures on the Yirannites to secure lucrative Imperial contracts. Five years ago, the ResUlis Chairman approved a proclamation which declared a complete political, economic and military takeover of Yiranne by the ResUlis Corporation. The same proclamation formally aligned Yiranne with the Empire.

With the transition to corporocracy, crackdowns against dissidence came swiftly. Traditionally loyal to ResUlis, many Yirannites began to question their new government’s support of the Valcarian Empire. The decreasing work conditions and open enslavement of Yirannites was the last draw for many. Many Yirannites could take no more, with a few founding the Yirannite resistance and some others beginning a series of raids against ResUlis shipping.

Presence

While Yirannites are known for remaining on their homeworld, small communities can be found scattered across the Outlying Territories. Normally found in commercial ventures and on worlds along major trade routes, Yirannites are counted in notable populations on many worlds in and around the Valcarian Empire.