Aacat Nation

About the Aacat
The Aacat nation is the only humanoid alien race as of yet known to   Terrans. Though their homeworld, like Terra, is far from the Titan Belt, many have made their homes around the belt galaxy and have been there far longer than Terrans. The Aacat Nation is made up of numerous tribes, linked together by their race, beliefs, and a profound sense of history- even if the tribes have different cultures. All are fiercely loyal to their homeworld governmant, which is a collection of elder represenatives from each tribe who conveen once a year to restabilish the bonds of "The People." The tribes are generally autonomous bands, but will come together in the face of adversity, which is the last thing most Terrans would want.

Appearance and Biology
The Aacat believe strongly in bringing out one's inner-self and possess an incredible capacity for body modification. Each tribe has it's own unique style and markings with some heavily tattooing themselves, favoring peircings, various permenant tints and dyes, others favor subdermal implants and alter their bone structure entirely - appearing to be entirely different beings at times. An Aacat only ever builds upon modifications, however, and never erases ones past.

Still, there are a few characteristics all Aacat share. They are typically taller than most Terra-born, with the women standing at about 5'11" and the men at 6'7". While Terran skin colors can be described as warm hues (pinks and browns), the Aacat are cooler tones (blues, violets, and greens), however, as many Aacat dye their skin, they can come in any number of shades. Most Aacat have pointed ears and no hair on their bodies, save on the top of their head. Eyebrows are drawn or tattooed on. Usually their clothing is loose and manages to remain very organic looking in spite of their space travel.

While Terrans and Aacat can have children, 75% of offspring are sterile. Aacat heal quickly and show extraordinary stamina. They are not as dexterous as Terrans, but are proportionately strong for their larger size. They bleed a blackish-blue shade. While Aacat can modify themselves to appear quite Terran, there are no cases of such happening, as to do so would be to spit in the face of all that is Aacat. Due to their biology, Terrans cannot survive more extreem forms of the Aacat modifications.

Important Lore and Culture
The Aacat are a deeply spiritual but not necessarily religious people (some tribes place far greater importance on priests than others) however all are led either spiritually or politically by elders and all share the same basic myths and lores, though again, individual tribes can have their own interpretations.

As mentioned in the section on Appearance, all Aacat place great value on the notion of bringing out one's inner-self. To truly show who you are, how the spirits see you, and how you should come to see yourself.

Each tribe may have a decidedly different culture, however most difference can be traced back to the interpretation of one single legend, one that involves the Keshiah...

The legend is that of the Aacat's first venture into space. Believing that the realm of the gods lay beyond the Titan Belt, the People constructed a ship that would take gifts and an honored group of People out to the gods, to pay them homage and learn how they desired to be worshiped, or what plans they had for the People. The Ship and its crew embarked on their very long journey. Too long, for a whole generation came and went on that ship and something went wrong. The Children of the People forgot their purpose and thought they could become the new gods when defeating the old ones. They reached the edge of space beyond the Belt, defied the gods and were cursed for their insolence. When they returned to the Aacat world, they were no longer of the People. They were monsters, brutes, savages, capable of feats of strength and terrible atrocities. They became the Keshiah, cursed demons... A dark age came with the Keshiah. Half the Aacat population was brutally killed and the progeny of cannibalistic rape were pulled into the Keshiah fold. When all seemed lost, thirteen heroes from the original thirteen tribes were finally able to repell the Keshiah and drive them back beyond the Belt.

Every tribe has its own lesson around the Keshiah and ultimately have their way of life defined by whether they see the Keshiah as a challenge from the gods, an obstacle to overcome in order to prove themselves worth of divine blessing, as a punishment for arrogance, or otherwise. Many Terrans laugh at this, calling the Keshiah little more than boogey-men used to scare children, but those who have traveled to the fringe and dared enter the Belt often know better...

The Three Tribes
There are three tribes that are particularly populous in the sector...

Aacat-Nazca
The Aacat-Nazca are a relatively young peoples but already the most populous around the Titan Belt. They are highly sociable and egalitarian, often multi-lingual and working as guides, interpreters and mediators, traders and pilots for Terrans and Aacat alike. Often, their genetic manipulation often makes them look remarkably Terran - which they do in order to bind themselves to the galaxy's most common "guests." They believe that the Keshiah were cursed for being ingracious to the gods who hosted them and so go well out of their way to make sure that strangers are well cared for. One day, the Aacat will see their guest's debt will be repaid and the Keshiah will be destroyed by the gods.

The Nazca typically modify themselves to look remarkably Terran. They usually keep their pointed ears and continue to use unusual skintones and hair colors. Their fashion sense is often called "eccentric" by Terrans, but their subdermal implants are subtle. What they lack in more exterme forms of modification, they can make up for in tattoos and piercings.

Aacat-Oriqoi
The Aacat-Oriqoi are one of the oldest of the tribes. They are a warrior culture with a strict sense of honor that Terrans might not entirely understand, and whom have a strained relationship with them. The Aacat-Oriqoi will conduct trade, but often expect tribute payments. Should tribute not be paid or the trade be weak, they will raid to get what they need or want. Their "eye for an eye" mentality also means they have a captive-taking culture, though more are destined for slavery than adoption. Terran officials warn citizens to stay away from their sacred hunting grounds on the ice planet of Sothus, especially during the season of the Great Hunt. The Oriqoi believe that the gods cursed them with the Keshiah to test their worth after an act of impudence. When the Keshiah are defeated, the gods will open their gates to the greatest warriors.

The Oriqoi display a broad range of modifications. Most color their hair and skin a variety of shades. Tattoos and peircings are extremely common - however - red is a sacred color and tints of this pigment are served only for marks of great honor. Many Oriquoi warriors also use subdermal implants to give themselves a more fearsome appearance. Facial ridges, split tongues, even scales, claws, and horns are to be found amongst Oriqoi fighters.

Aacat-Udah
The Aacat-Udah are another old tribe, but have been somewhat culturally conquered by the Nazca, with whom they have a symbiotic relationship. It is not strange to see Udah becoming 2nd or 3rd husbands or wives to Nazca. The Udah are people of the land, valuing agriculture and having various settlements and station posts on the habitable moons and planets of the galaxy. They provide many much needed food supplies and trade goods, but are relatively recluse. Though often hosting travelers, perhaps running city granaries (if they're to be found in a city, they are relatively recluse and keep to themselves in highly defensible locations. To them, the Keshiah are a punishment for their ancestors arrogance, and remind them to always stay close to the earth, where they belong.

The Udah modify themselves to bring out the closeness of the bounties of the galaxy. They often color themselves to blend in with the planets or biospheres they inhabit and display markings honoring of the bounties they grow and harvest. It is not unusual for Udah miners to tint themselves the color of the ore they gather. They also shape themselves after local wildlife - giving themselves cat eyes, implanting feathers in their scalps, or webbed fingers.

Making Aacat
Players are encouraged to develop their own tribes and Aacat cultures, so long as they stick to the base ground rules listed above. Obviously you are allowed creativity with your character, but these are the general societal rules for Aacat tribes. To reiterate briefly:


 * 1) They should have consistent style of body modifications and should remain recognizably humanoid. As modification is a deeply spiritual matter, the technology used is never applied for espionage, as that would be considered an utter defiance of the soul's need to make itself known through the body. ... At least, there is none that is endorsed by any tribe, anyone caught doing so for ill gain is usually imprisoned or executed.
 * 2) A system of governance in which elders garner great respect (if it's matriarchal, patriarchal, warrior, pacifist, etc. is up to you.)
 * 3) Understand that when you speak of Aacat, you speak of the entire race, "The People." Your own tribesmen are the Aacat-"Name." ("I am of the Aacat-Oriqoi.") Still, when the home planet calls, all Aacat answer.
 * 4) Consider how the legend of the Keshiah plays into your tribe's own culture. All the Aacat are in some way shaped by this history and all feel very intensely about the subject.
 * 5) Whether or not your tribe has a captive culture is up to you, however Terran captives turned adoptees are never referred to as "Aacat," but as Terran-Nazca, or Terran-Udah, etc. Nor are they ever given full or extreme modification treatments as their biology can only handle so much and it is believed that they must walk a slightly different spiritual path for that reason. Still, once brought into the fold of the tribe, they otherwise have all the rights and responsibilities of any Aacat member.