Lao
The ruling class of the planet Silk.
The population of Silk is divided into two separate and distinct classes; the Lao (Venerated Ones) who rule, and the Xiao (Guided Ones) who are ruled over. The Lao are all descended from either the original Aakhri Empire crew who first "colonised" Silk -- ancestors now known as the Lui Ch'en -- or four Tai'Pan families that emigrated to Silk; the Han Wu, Jin Qi, Qui'ndao, and Hualiu Si clans.
Clan affiliation is shown through distinctive facial tattoes.
Amongst the most notable cultural traditions of the Lao is that there may only be 100 adult males (defined as males of 16 and over) on-planet at any one time. If there are already 100 Lao men on Silk when a youth approaches 16, the oldest (regardless of clan) is expected to either exile himself or commit suicide. However, the would-be Lao has to prove that their worth to the clan is greater than that of the person they usurp, and so in the week before the birthday assassination attempts on the youth are permitted. If he is killed or flees the planet then he has proven himself unworthy. A system of surrogates has also evolved, whereby members of the youth's clan might voluntarily commit suicide so that his ascendancy won't be viewed as a threat by any member of opposing clans.
History[edit]
Legend has it that the people of Silk first arrived aboard a crashed slave transport, though satellite scans of the planet have utterly failed to find any signs of such a vessel. Captain Lui Chen is said to have led the survivors to safety and established the Lao with his Second Officer, Xhu Yilin.
References and Contributors[edit]
- Jae Campbell. "Library Data: Sapphyre." Signal-GK 07 (1993): 18. via HIWG
- Jae Campbell. "Port of Call: Silk." Signal-GK 07 (1993): 4.
- Jae Campbell. Encyclopaedia Dagudashaag (Signal-GK, 2017), 324.