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B'dr'rak |
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Homeworld: |
B'dr'rak, Sector 398 | |||
Ecology: |
Nitrogen-Oxygen-Water (H:C:2:7) | |||
Biology: |
DNA II | |||
Languages: |
B'dr'rak, Grand Federation J, C | |||
Human Contact: |
3236CE | |||
FTL Status: |
6210BC - Grand Federation assisted | |||
Current Status: |
Grand Federation Tertiary Race 6210BC, Grand Federation Secondary Race 3215BC, Imperial Major Race 3500CE, Independent Interstellar State 4957+ | |||
Environment |
Ideal |
Tolerance |
||
Atmosphere: |
.20B O2 | .09-.35B O2; CO2 < .05B | ||
Temperature: |
300K | 280-325K | ||
Gravity: |
0.95G | .0-1.25G | ||
Other: |
Humidity 90% | Humidity 50-100% | ||
The B'dr'rak are a numerous Coreward Space independent interstellar race known for their expansionist trading and raiding activities. Former members of the Grand Federation of Races and sometime restive subjects of the Empire of Humanity, the B'dr'rak are a proud race with a strong sense of racial and individual independence.
A B'dr'rak adult is a stout biped averaging 1.8 meters high and 140kg in mass. B'dr'rak have moist purple skin, often folded by subcutaneous fat. The large bullet-shaped head, vaguely reminiscent of a Terran walrus, has two large protruding spherical green eyes, a nose with two elongated breathing slits, and a tusked mouth; auditory sensors are nestled in large pores behind the jaw, and olfactory sensors are located in both the nose and mouth. The B'dr'rak are vertebrate-analogs and have two arms extending from broad shoulders, ending in stubby five-fingered hands. The large body trunk ends in two widely placed legs and a short, broad basically vestigial tail. B'dr'rak legs end in flat feet with five webbed toes. Body odor is strong, reminiscent of rotting vegetation. B'dr'rak males and females appear externally identical though the more "sour" female smell is clearly discernable even by Humans.
B'dr'rak form long-term monogamous relationships and bear live young who are typically raised in semi-extended nuclear family unit. B'dr'rak young reach adult size and mental development after fifteen standard years but do not reach sexual maturity until twice that age. During this long "neuter" period, an individual will typically receive specialized education and set out on one or more "journeys", either literally or intellectually, in an effort to establish a reputation. At sexual maturity, a B'dr'rak is expected to marry, establish a profession either in a clan caste or another caste adopted in the course of the "journey", and begin a family. B'dr'rak continue to strive to improve their reputation in their chosen field throughout adulthood and may change caste or set off on more elaborate "quests" during later periods of life.
The B'dr'rak are a notably proud, ambitious and often individualistic race. Interactions with individuals within and outside B'dr'rak society are often colored by perceived status, and those who do not treat adult B'dr'rak as equals or superiors will often meet with hostility. Within a caste, hierarchy is usually clearly established, often through ritualized, usually non-violent, confrontations. Military and mercantile clans dominate B'dr'rak society, with noted military and business leaders having high status and often dominating a government either through office or influence. A B'dr'rak is judged by his or her reputation. The B'dr'rak will make ever effort to protect their reputations and may act in a flamboyant or risky manner only because that action "makes a better story."
B'dr'rak clothing styles varies in manners similar to typical Human norms in form and pattern, but B'dr'rak require "wetsuits" to protect all but their heads when exposed to less than 50% humidity for prolonged periods. In suitably warm and humid environments, B'dr'rak of both sexes often wear "shorts" and sleeveless "t-shirts". B'dr'rak do not react well to bright illuminations and often wear wide-brimmed hats to protect their eyes.
The B'dr'rak use genetic engineering and regeneration technologies to extended their natural 100-120 year life span up to ten fold. Periodically, and when near death, B'dr'rak take recordings of their brain patterns, but, unlike Human Mechanists, after death these patterns reside online in Remnant Shrines, elaborate virtual worlds that allow interaction with visitors. Prominent B'dr'rak individuals have actively persisted in these Remnant Shrines since the practice was first adopted in 5840BC, but many lesser-willed individuals will "fade" into a passive data state after a few thousand years.
The B'dr'rak developed as cooperative hunter-gatherers in the swamps and marshes of their homeworld in a hot and humid mid-latitude region subject to minimal seasonal variations. The onset of a mild cooling period, leading to cooler and drier conditions, prompted an equatorial migrations that exposed the early B'dr'rak to new ecologies and greater population concentrations, promoting the formation of the first semi-agricultural societies.
Early B'dr'rak civilizations fought over prime territories in the declining coastal marshlands of their world, eventually establishing a hierarchy of increasingly large states. An early metal age civilization developed specialized castes for warfare, trade and various craft professions, and a balkanized, often warring set of states coexisted from ~13,000BC until the establishment of a pre-industrial planetary confederation by R'kt'ba the Conquer in 6840BC. United in a scheme to reverse environmental degradation by the intentional release of carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere, the industrial revolution on B'dr'rak increased the planetary temperature by 5K and reversed the mild ice age, reestablishing the temperate marshlands and eventually leading to a breakdown of the Confederation and to intensifying global warfare during the industrial era from 6410BC-6372BC. The wars ended when Kt'ruut'tu the Wise developed the first fission bomb and led his nation of Ur'gt to prominence at the head of a new confederation.
The Confederation of K't'ruut'tu persisted though three generations of rulers from K't'ruut'tu's physicist clan and marked the beginning of the B'dr'rak space age in 6340BC. Shortly thereafter, the confederation collapsed into renewed warfare as the military caste leadership regained power in many nations. The space navy leader Rf'su'pkt established a new confederation government in 6224BC as the B'dr'rak entered the mid fusion era and had founded colonies among the planets of their home system's widely separated binary stars. A Khabederan contact mission arrived in system in 6214BC and after negotiations with Rf'su'pkt, the B'dr'rak entered the Grand Federation as a Tertiary Race under the Prime patronage of the Khabaderans.
The B'dr'rak became influential in their small area of rimward Grand Federation Space, serving as soldiers, traders and explorers, often supplementing Heshar expeditions. They settled several systems and achieved Secondary Race Status under Eenikiti, Khabaderan and Fontan patronage in 3215BC. The B'dr'rak eventually became estranged from the Heshar, who relied on more "malleable" races, and the B'dr'rak sided with their patrons, fighting against the Heshar in the War of Liberation. After the War, the Grand Federation border gradually contracted and the B'dr'rak worlds marked a portion of the frontier of the contiguous rimward Grand Federation border.
Contact with Humans in the fourth millennium led to racial frictions, with B'dr'rak smugglers prominent in the Static smuggling trade. Conflicts over the Static trade led to both the Heshar War and First Federation War. Following the First Federation War, the B'd'rrak worlds were forcefully incorporated into the Empire of Humanity in the Annexation Campaigns of 3489CE-3500CE, resulting in a period of marital law, continued B'dr'rak terrorist and pirate activity and simmering B'dr'rak resentment that persisted for two centuries.
After 3700CE, Emperor Rogar II lifted marital law, and the B'dr'rak began a period of Imperial integration, but the outbreak of the Second Federation War in 3780CE led to support for B'dr'rak militants from the Kith'turi and Khabaderans and triggered a general uprising against the Empire of Humanity that brought the B'dr'rak into open rebellion in 3783CE. B'dr'rak militancy helped prolong the war and led Imperial Hellkings to destroy the world of Tsh'tk in 3806CE, killing over two billion. The B'dr'rak surrendered to Imperial authority after the Second Federation War, but continued piracy led to the Third War in 3810CE and subsequent Hellking destruction of Rr'tk'ku in 3820 with nine billion fatalities. After a period of uneasy peace under martial law, the B'dr'rak again revolted after the start of the Fourth Federation War in 3854CE and before the end of that conflict, two more B'dr'rak worlds had fallen to the Hellking fleets and twelve billion more B'dr'rak had died.
With the military castes falling from favor, the B'dr'rak grudgingly accepted Human Imperial rule after the Fourth Federation War, and eventually became active participants in Imperial society, even fighting alongside Human troops in the 4210-4216CE Dragon War. During the War of Disintegration ,the B'dr'rak withdrew from the collapsing Empire and joined the Federation Races Protection League in 4761CE with the Kith'turi, Salvaatiki, Yerman and other Imperial-ruled former Grand Federation races. In 4957CE, the B'dr'rak worlds developed an indigenous Plague-proof macrojump drive and refused to share it with the other races, resulting in their expulsion from the League and gradual isolation. Anti-Human merchants gained control of the confederate government in the early 51st century and a cultural renaissance based on the old B'dr'rak language began in the later 52nd century.
For most of the sixth millennium, the B'dr'rak Confederation suffered from isolationism and occasional warfare, with the military castes slowing regaining dominance. After the 60th century, B'dr'rak cultural isolation dissipated, with both merchants and raiders beginning to spread across parts of Coreward former Imperial space. During the seventh millennium, the B'dr'rak began a period of renewed expansion, establishing both government-sponsored colonies near established Confederation worlds and freeholdings further afield. B'dr'rak freeholders and their associated trading and military vessels remain only nominally tied to the Confederation government and are often involved in conflicts with Human and Rootjalik settlements.
The B'd'r'rak maintain a confederation of independent states with a strong military and a tolerance for external "privateering" activities. The Confederation includes seventy worlds with an early microjump/late macrojump technological base and a population of nearly two hundred billion individuals. An additional thirty B'dr'rak freeholdings are scattered though nearby sectors, and billions of B'dr'rak expatriates live and work beyond B'dr'rak space in occupations ranging from mercantile to technical to mercenary to criminal.
The term "B'dr'rak" is a Grand Federation C language simplified transliteration of the B'dr'rak term "One Clan", which refers to both their racial identity and their homeworld. A more accurate transliteration would be "Bb'ddrr'raukt" with first two syllables utilizing Middle Sonic long consonants and the last syllable sounding like a spit of phlegm; proper pronunciation will impress a B'dr'rak but will offend more sensitive Humans. B'dr'rak language continues to evolve, with five recognized dialects based on differing tonal and glottal characteristics. The tendency for high status individuals to use unconventional or flamboyant pronunciations and grammar often frustrates translating devices, but more diplomatically-minded B'dr'rak communicate with aliens using a standardized dialect, B'tr'ak'ft'kt, or literally "dullspeak".
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