Nyctosians

Nyctosians, who have not yet been classified by human taxonomy, are a humanoid species originating from Nyctos, the dark side of the tidally locked planet Nylipere, located in the edges of the Hask region.

Biology
Nyctosian anatomy fundamentally resembles other humanoid species, but with major key differences both internal and external. Nyctosian skin is a shade of black so dark it reflects almost no light. Nyctosians have 4 fingers on each hand, 3 not counting the thumb. Nyctosians have a full head of hair, which is usually an off white or bone color. Their eyes are white, with no irises or pupils, and glow slightly in dark, and their nose can be small and pointy or simply nostrils. They are much taller than humans, standing on average at 2.4 meters tall. They are spindly and usually appear to be malnourished or atrophied (which may or may not be the case).

Nyctosians reproduce sexually and give live birth. They are also predominantly carnivorous omnivores.

Average Nyctosian
The average Nyctosian is a heavily augmented person, with very little biological matter remaining. Most work as Dar Tisk, or office workers, in cubicles. However, many more work as field researchers, engineers, ship captains or crew, and teachers. Nyctosians dress either in long skirts and heavy jackets, though more heavily augmented Nyctosians usually do not dress. Typical Nyctosian augmentations include translators, voice synthesizers (as the natural Nyctosian voice is tinny and monotone, making it difficult to express emotion with other races.), strength augmentations, electromagnetically connected limbs, and mental harddrives.

The average Nyctosian diet consists of heavily processed, flavorless protein material manufactured by the Empire.

Ancient Period
Ancient Nyctosians lived as scavenger animals, eating the kills of larger animals and used their natural camouflage to hide in the darkness. Following the development of husbandry techniques and crude agriculture, Nyctosians moved into large hide tent encampments. It is also at this time that Nyctosians begin to divert their resources away from survival or luxury into scientific thought.

Mohlo Period
The Antique period is characterized as the point where Nyctosian tribes begin forming larger structures of organization. Mohlo Dainaan, the first city, is founded. Many leaps are made during this period much faster than other races; Nyctosians learn the secrets of copper, larger scale agriculture, refined construction techniques, clay pottery and even develop a system of writing in only a few hundred years.

Duy Binnin Period
The Duy Binnin, or "Destructive Wonder", period begins when the third and smallest moon of Nylipere, Nistak, is destroyed in a mysterious explosion. Nyctosians briefly panic, but the resources found within the deorbited moon shards are found to be extremely useful. Nyctosians, using these resources, jumped almost immediately from crude copper tools to hardened iron and nickel tools. Also during this time, almost all Nyctosian settlements are cities made of solid black stone, as they are today.

Also during this time, Nyctosian explorers make contact with Phytosian explorers and quickly deem one another bogeymen and run away, never to speak again until the far future.

Warring Period
Nyctosian history after the Duy Binnin period is a mostly monotonous advancement upwards into the future. However, after ten thousand years of peaceful development, the First War broke out. The War began over the direction Nyctosian culture had been progressing in the last twenty thousand years; while technology had been going almost directly upwards, culture had decayed almost completely into utilitarianism. Those who opposed technological development were called the Hor Suuk, or "Anti Future". Those who supported the current way of Nyctosian thinking were, for lack of a proper way of spelling the word with Latin characters, Dainaanites. Struggle between Hor Suuk and the Dainaanites was continuous until roughly 6,000 Earth years ago when the Hor Suuk decided to totally cede from United Nyctos, the only government on the hemisphere. Because of the resources on the ceded land and the intense resistance of Hor Suuk guerrillas, the First War was declared.

The War was slow and uneventful, mainly due to the Dainaanites unwillingness to fight, as they much rather continued to research. However, Hor Suuk attacks were frequent of Dainaanite villages, and soon Nyctosian councilmembers were prompted with an unsolved equation: "How to Win the War.". Scientists pondered this question for almost fifty earth years, until the solution was found: a weapon, capable of quickly and painlessly eradicating enemy forces. This lead to the first development of atomic energy on Nyctos, and soon, an atomic bomb (the only one ever used, militaristically or scientifically) was deployed on the Hor Suuk fortification of Mohlo Gorlash. The Hor Suuk surrendered, and the top researchers of the atomic project were promoted to the leadership of the newly created Empire of Nyctos.

Imperial Era
The current Era of Nyctosian history. Following the unification of Nyctos, the current Emperor, Dil Natun, directed all Nyctosian science to the development of technology that allowed space exploration. In only ten thousand years, Nyctosians went from a planet-bound species to a massive force in their corner of the Milky Way, gaining control over several neighboring star systems.

During this period, contact was made between the Empire and the Laputan Merchant's Federation. Tensions began to rise almost immediately, as Laputan consumerism and corporate capitalism sharply contrasted and even flat-out opposed Nyctosian socialistic and brutalist systems. In a gesture of good will despite ideological and economic separation, a small Laputan parade marched through Mohlo Dainaan accompanied by Nyctosian soldiers and tensions lifted slightly. Also at this time, Maloki explorers began to pierce the outer shell of their isolation and made contact with Nyctosians, and Laputans. The three races founded the Supervisor Council of the Milky Way Galaxy, to preserve peace for both the three races and any newcomers who develop their own technology and explore the stars.

In the 500s CE, Nyctosian scientists sent to secure a slipgate orbiting a seemingly empty star system discovered that the star system, Sol, contained a sapient species. Knowing that Laputa would surely attack the underdeveloped species for resources, they kept the slipgate in place to scramble radio and telescope readings, keeping Earth safe. They established a few small bases on Europa and Pluto to observe human goings on. However, in the 1200s CE, Nyctosian observers became fearful at the brutality of Mongolian forces across Asia and sent the first Justiciars, essentially police that patrol planets outside Nyctos's borders, to assassinate the Khan and stop the Mongol hordes. The plan worked, and Mongol forces withdrew from their conquests after Genghis was announced dead. They did the same with other people in human history who displayed anomalous cruelty; these people include Christopher Columbus, Andrew Jackson and even Adolf Hitler. However, after Hitler's trial in Nyctosian court and subsequent execution for "degeneracy", Imperial jurisdiction decided that tampering with the futures of uncontacted species was unwise and the Justiciar program was abandoned. Nyctosian observers subsequently left the solar system, but kept record of humanity's existence. In 2034, when tensions rose between the three world superpowers Russia, America and China and nuclear war was threatened, Nyctosians decided to release all documentation on Earth. This was the event that started the Terra-Laputan War.

During the War, Nyctosian scientists stayed in the shadows, avoiding direct conflict with Laputan forces on Earth. They secured relics, artifacts and information on Earth; archaeologists brought back the United States Constitution, the Shroud of Turin, toys and books, the embalmed corpse of Vladimir Lenin, famous works of art, and used proxies to fight Laputans threatening monuments and holy sites such as the Pyramids of Egypt, the Kaaba in Mecca, the Rapa Nui Moai, and the Apollo moon landing sites.

Homeworld
Nylipere is a tidally-locked planet, with Phytos permanently facing the sun and Nyctos permanently in darkness. The climate of Nyctos is not as frigid as usually expected, owing to the planet's extremely thick atmosphere and constant winds, which blow hot air into Nyctos and cold air into Phytos. The temperate land between the two hemispheres is not inhabited by Nyctosians nor Phytosians, as both peoples view it as sacred ground not owned by any one people.

Nylipere has two moons and the ruins of a third: Eeyo, Eeya and Nistak. Small Nyctosian colonies exist on Eeyo and Eeya, and mining operations there supply Nylipere with most of its helium fuel.

Culture
Nyctosian culture is almost entirely dominated by utilitarianism, with very little emphasis, if any at all, on aestheticism. Nyctosian homes are large, featureless black cubes with windows haphazardly placed wherever they are needed, with the glass being a shade of white that obscures the inside from the outside. Their homes are typically constructed of Nyctosian Steel, though the homes on Nyctos proper are traditionally created from a smooth black rock. In spite of their utilitarianism, Nyctosians hold the form of their bodies in high regard, and even the most heavily augmented Nyctosians, including the Emperor themselves, are still humanoid. This reverence for their body is one of the few remaining aspects of Nyctosian classical culture. Nyctosian gods are angry, hostile and remorseless, and in ancient times many Nyctosians would take their own lives to be free of Their wrath. Their gods are Moj, God of Death and Cowardice, Taw, God of Meat and Parasites, Yur, God of Blood and Viscera, Dag, God of Fear and Loathing, and Durnan, the Consumer and God of Darkness. These Gods are still feared in rationalist Nyctosian society as Nyctosian science, even with the almost complete knowledge of everything in creation, cannot prove nor disprove the existence of their Gods.

Government
The Empire is lead by an Emperor, usually a female Nyctosian. The Emperor has absolute rule with no cabinet or parliamentary system. The Empire is totalitarian and theocratic, with the Emperor leading large prayer groups (usually bowing in fear and asking Them not to hurt anyone, please, please.) as well as overseeing all aspects of Nyctosian life.

The government is primarily socialistic, but cannot be called such as Nyctosians have no currency or economy to speak of. The Empire collects and redistributes resources to civilian populations, shipyards and science primarily.The Empire cannot declare war, as proclaimed by the First Emperor. As such, the Empire fields no army or navy, preferring to change the outcome of wars through espionage and covert ops. Nyctosian spies are revered throughout both galaxies as incredibly brutal in their dealings and very, very rarely do not get what they want.

Presence
The Empire controls much of the southern half of the galaxy, entirely owning the Chith Enclave. There are very few Nyctosian-run Solar States in the milky way; however, Nyctosians often manipulate the development of less advanced races to ensure they do not become dangerous in the future. Nyctosians also constructed the Embassy to the Milky Way in Triangulum, being one of the few Milky Way races to have presence in that galaxy.

City Planning
Nyctosian city planning is linear and blocky, with tubes between buildings rather than roads (as to limit sunlight). Nyctosians build cities skyward rather than outward, which they deem a much more effective use of space, as the surrounding area may be used for resource collection. It also creates an easily defensible structure in the event of an attack.