The Data Cloud - - Final Frontier Data Storage

[Kestrel]

T h e F i n a l F r o n t i e r
The Data Cloud

The Story so Far
Plot 1

plot here/happenings/summery

Discovered Species
The Azi Dahaka

General Information

 

The Azi Dahaka have various appearances, split into distinct breeds for various functions. They are united in a fanatical religious devotion to the Great Dahaka, their immortal king and the last remaining member of his breed. Their society is split into several distinct castes; the Yo'Lin, S'Redit, Ymmur, Sel'Ke and Tar'Ka'Jun.

 

They once held a great empire that spanned galaxies, but spread themselves too thin and suffered an almost-complete extinction as various species across the galaxy united against them. It is said that the Great Dahaka is the only remaining survivor of the Azi War. The Dragons of Berengaria VII and Maravel are the remains of Azi colonies, abandoned long enough to forget their history.

 

Azi Prime (Dakhara was a terrible name for the planet)

 

Azi Prime has a lower atmosphere consisting entirely of Haze, a euphoric gas that every breed save the Yo'Lin has developed an immunity to. Haze appears as a highly transparent purple smoke.

 

Azi Prime is suspended through technology by the Great Dahaka to never move nor rotate, keeping it at a fixed season and time of day. Different regions, depending on the amount of light they are exposed to, grow different fungi and plants. On both sides of the planet they absorb Haze to grow, though on the light side they also take in sunlight. While most Azi have a resistance to Haze, these plants still act as a potent drug, as with humans. Stemir, the winged reptiles that are the primary Azi food source, feast exclusively on them. This makes Stemir intoxicating to any who eat it, though it is diluted compared to the raw fungi; even the Azi breeds who are resistant to Haze are slow-witted when eating Stemir. Azi on the light side frequently have brighter scales, though the difference is only noticeable if shown with a dark side Azi alongside - this suggests photosynthetic properties in their genes, though those genes are made less efficient by Haze muting sunlight.

 

The Great Dahaka maintains constant warfare between the Light and Dark sides of the planet, because he understands the vital balance needed to keep the Azi numbers as they are. If there are too many Azi, they will consume Stemir at a rate faster than they can repopulate, whereupon they will starve and potentially hunt the Stemir to extinction. Thus Azi Prime is in almost constant warfare, which reduces the population by the same rate it grows.

 

Breeds - The Yo'Lin

 

The Yo'Lin are commonly seen and revered by most Azi as the leader caste, second only to the Great Dahaka. There are tales of when they were the most fierce of warriors, but time has dulled their skills, leaving them weak and entitled. They leave all decisions to the Sel'Ke, spending their time in barely conscious stupors due to Haze.

 

The other breeds have grown resistant to the effects of Haze, but the Yo'Lin never developed the same immunity. This leaves them weak minded when on the planet's surface, and saps them of the energy to fly out of the gas. Their appearance is that of a winged lizard with golden scales, averaging at twenty meters in length and twelve in height. Yo'Lin live almost exclusively on the light side of Azi Prime. Their life cycle averages out at nine hundred years.

 

Breeds - The S'Redit

 

The S'Redit are the warrior caste, used in warfare for their durability, though not their intelligence, of which they are severely lacking. Drinking liquid Haze puts them into a battle frenzy wherein a rampage can be triggered by the slightest movement. When not in combat, they walk as seven meter tall bipedal lizards with green scales, used for heavy lifting and manual labor.

 

When in a battle frenzy, they drop to all fours and are capable of breathing long jets of fire. During a battle frenzy, they can be directed by a Sel'Ke  sitting atop their back with a harness. S'Redit live for three hundred years.

 

Breeds - The Ymmur

 

Ymmur are the hunter caste, small and lithe warriors with the keenest eyesight of all the Azi. They stand as bipedal lizards at five feet tall, and are capable of using tools, as well as being one of the more intelligent breeds. They have small, thin wings that allow them to glide, if not fly. Their scales are a light purple to better blend in with the Haze, and they are capable of sudden bursts of speed when necessary. They are capable of spitting fire over long distances. Ymmur commonly live for two hundred years.

 

Breeds - The Sel'Ke

 

The Sel'Ke are a genetically modified breed of scientists and thinkers, the actual leaders to whom power is delegated by the Haze-afflicted Yo'Lin. They are the most intelligent of the Azi, and are completely immune to all forms of Haze. They were created by crossing the genes of the other breeds, alongside a genetic switch they can flip to give either side dominance. In practical terms, this means they can transform between two states. The first is a six foot tall Ymmuri without wings, capable of spitting fire like the Ymmuri. Their second form is that of a multicolored serpent with four short legs it uses to climb, whose size can be decided upon during the transformation - though never more than fifteen meters long, and never smaller than the Sel'Ke's normal form. The serpent has two thin wings that allow it to ride air currents and Haze, and is capable of breathing long, thin jets of flame. The Sel'Ke survive, on average, for five hundred years.

 

During their transformation from serpent to bipedal, a Sel'Ke undergoes a rushed digestion, cannibalizing its own body for the energy required to reconstruct its bipedal form across an average of three minutes. It takes them slightly less time to take on the serpent form, but the Sel'Ke burns up its excess fat during the transformation - which fails if they are lacking in excess fat. This prevents them from transforming more than an average of once per week, if they get enough food.

 

Sel'Ke rule from the shadows on the Light Side of Azi Prime, and command openly from the Dark Side, where there are no Yo'Lin to puppet.

 

Breeds - The Tar'Ka'Jun

 

And finally, the Tar'Ka'Jun. The Tar'Ka'Jun are the slave caste, to whom all effort is delegated. They are five foot tall bipedal lizards lacking in tails, with brown scales and no wings. Tar'Ka'Jun live for a single century. Tar'Ka'Jun on Azi Prime have no consciousness, acting more as machines than sentient creatures. When they are kept separate from the lower atmosphere for a sufficient amount of time, they retain their sentience. There are suspicions among the Sel'Ke that the Tar'Ka'Jun were genetically engineered from the Ymmuri, made more docile and particularly vulnerable to Haze so as to force them to obey commands while it clouds their minds.

 

Pronounciations

 

Yo'Lin: Yoh-Lihn

 

S'Redit: Sih-Red-Iht

 

Ymmur: Yim-Moor

 

Sel'Ke: Sel-Keh

 

Tar'Ka'Jun: Tar-Kah-Juhn

 

Azi Dahaka: Ah-Zee Dha-Hah-Kha

 

Stemir: Steh-Miir

Edited July 23, 2015 by LarkoftheRiver

[Kestrel]

Characters

Crew Log
CAPTAIN
Captain Ashley Smith - - LarkoftheRiver

female - 28

Captain Smith, despite her rank, is hardly much to look at. Sure, she has a pretty, oval shaped, freckled face with curly red hair and bright, warm blue eyes, but she hardly looked anything like the captain people had heard about. She was barely five foot, small of stature, but she walked like she was twice that height. Ashley was picked on a lot at the Academy for her diminutive appearance and generally sweet disposition. It did, however, not take her classmates long to know that she was serious about her training and work ethic, and wasn't someone who should be messed with, especially after breaking an annoying young man's nose. Of course, Ashley was punished for this behavior, but her instructors watched her closely afterwards, for she did show the makings of a wonderful commander. It didn't take her long to form a group of looked down upon students, one of which was the android Matrix. The pair had stayed together ever since as close as possible, and were both overjoyed to have a chance to be on the same ship.

Captain Smith has, by nature, a kind and gentle disposition, but isn't afraid to be firm with her inferiors. She tries to be fair but does have a tendency to pick favorites and plays them without really meaning to. Seeing the problem from all angles is very important to Ashley, and she always tries to keep a positive attitude, especially if others are feeling hopeless.

FIRST OFFICER
n/a

SECOND OFFICER/CHIEF of OPERATIONS
n/a

CHIEF CONN OFFICER
n/a

CHIEF ENGINEER
n/a

CHIEF of SECURITY/CHIEF TACTICAL OFFICER
n/a

CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER
Lieutenant Matrix - - LarkoftheRiver

description

COUNSELOR
n/a

ENGINEERING PERSONAL
n/a

SECURITY PERSONNEL
n/a

MEDICAL PERSONNEL
n/a

TRANSPORTER PERSONNEL
n/a

BRIDGE OFFICERS
n/a

Other Characters

Kagé - - Adamir

Appearance

 

Kagé is a Sel'Ke born and living on the Sunset Scar, giving him a mix of Light and Dark Azi traits. His serpent form consists of golden scales, with a crimson mane. As with all other Sel'Ke, his bipedal form has purple scales, standing at just under six feet tall, with patches of light and dark scales. His suit is elastic and molds itself to his shape, and is tucked away behind a layer of scales around his neck when he takes on a serpent form. He is currently two hundred years old.

 

History

 

Kagé was appointed as an officer for a border outpost on Sunrise Scar, the portion of the planet caught at the moment of dawn when the Great Dahaka froze its orbit. He was spawned from the vats to a Sel'Ke fighting on the Dark Side, and was assigned to the Sunset Scar. This meant that he could pass for both a Light Azi and a Dark Azi if need be. Whenever his forces started gaining any momentum against the enemy, reinforcements would be cut off, supplies would be disrupted, and other unfortunate 'accidents' would put his forces back and prevent them from capturing the Scar.

 

His superiors attributed his consistent victories as skill, and his losses as bad luck no one could anticipate. In truth, Kagé has vivid Haze-dreams whenever he sleeps; unlike most Azi, who have Haze dreams but do not recall them, every event is burned into his mind in perfect clarity. This is how he anticipates the enemy and knows how any given assault will go, because he has already seen it. He has never told his superiors about this talent; better to let them praise him to the heavens than assume him incompetent.

Edited July 23, 2015 by LarkoftheRiver