Talk:Eslyat

Background information (2006)

I posted this here as a reminder (not ready for library entry yet) Sstefan 07-17-2006

Sesshayr: State religion of the Eslyat minor race of the Vanguard Reaches, responsible for taking the Eslyat out of their technological "dark ages." The religion's founder, Sansdantka, preached that any gap can be crossed if the aspirant is willing to work to build the bridge. Gaps, in the broad sense, are between people, islands, or even worlds. The analogy was particularly relevant on the Elliador homeworld as the land mass is an archipelago.

Sansdantka also preached that bridges were two-way, so that before building a bridge to a new land, one must solve his problems lest they travel across the bridge. Sesshayr stresses proper management of resources (physical, economic, and emotional) to make the present habitat as pleasant as possible. It is a major injustice to do damage to the environment, to defraud or steal, or to sow the seeds of dissent. Free speech is encouraged, at least on the surface, for lively discussion. In practice, Sesshayr is highly inflexible and all-pervading in Eslyat society.

As a state religion, Sesshayr assumes the form of an omnipresent government throughout the Eslyat theocracy. Worlds are Orthodox or Heretical based on their assimilation of Eslyat religious beliefs. Heretical worlds are dangerous to travellers, more in the spiritual or ideological sense than the physical. Criminals who murder or steal are also Heretical and their imprisonment is for their rehabilitation. There are many Eslyat prison worlds.

The Eslyat life is a gregarious one, with much time in socializing groups, using the well-developed art of conversation. Design of homes, cities and starships always includes extra areas for congregating, while actual living quarters are comparatively small and communal quarters are common.

The Eslyat require more "personal space" than most human races due to their large tails and tendency to gesture demonstratively with their hands and bodies while talking. Designs of buildings and spacecraft take this space requirement into consideration. Some Eslyat have developed severe depression when isolated from other members of their race. As their religion and society create a high level of interdependence, Eslyat function poorly when separated from the support of others.

Eslyat diplomats have always dealt with Vilani envoys as inferiors, as they believe their society to be superior to any other they have met. They particularly devalue Imperial society because of its infighting civil wars, rampant senseless crime and lack of respect for other individuals. The official Eslyat view is that Vilani society is backward and barbaric, and should be dealt with only as a hostile influence to be kept at bay.

(reproduced by permission of the author, Chuck Kallenbach II)

More Background

Evolving from a species of reptilian carnivore chasers, Eslyat are upright and bipedal, rear limbs digitigrade, with a height of approximately 2 meters (not including the 1- to 1.5-meter tail). The frame is slender, and the head is elongated as in their reptilian ancestors.

The Eslyat have a sociological system of interdependence and cooperation born on their home planet, Elliador (Vanguard Reaches 1307 A-67A3DD-B). This world has less than a million square kilometers of land area. A warlike history like those of most human species would have left the race extinct. The Eslyat history features a slow, steady progress of cooperation and advancement.

Having no mechanism for regulating body temperature, the Eslyat are poikilothermic, or "cold-blooded." As their homeworld environment is an especially warm and humid one, some believe they would be unable to adapt to a cooler habitat. The high temperature and humidity of their spacecraft artificial environments would support this theory.

Circa Imperial date 456, the Eslyat began explorations of their own solar system. By 585, bases were built on other worlds. A Zhodani scout craft misjumped into the Elliador system in the year 613, and this accident gave the secret of jump drive to the Eslyat.

By the late 900's, the Eslyat had antagonized every other race they had come in contact with except the Zhodani. Imperial settlers in the newborn Duchy of Trelyn were not suprised when the Eslyat attacked Duchy holdings in the year 981. This First Eslyat War is also called the "Cruiser War," as both fleets were not equipped with full-scale battleships.

In 1057 the Second Eslyat War began with an attack on the colony at Surtun (Vanguard Reaches 2005 B-100967-A). Some 25 weeks later, the war ended when a Duchy fleet arrived at Elliador and demanded surrender. The negotiations for the Treaty of Elliador (1058) took longer than the war.

The Third Eslyat War with the Trelyn Domain took place in 1083. This conflict began with a pre-emptive strike by Domain forces attacking an Eslyat fleet refueling at Yazoo City (Vanguard Reaches 1804 E-000351-B), a neutral world. The war was ended with the Battle of Surtun as the Royal Navy forged a decisive victory and Eslyat elements surrendered.

Trelyn holdings continued to expand after the Third Eslyat War. Royal Navy estimates expected no trouble from the defeated Eslyat navy, but a two-pronged attack on Natrosilo (Vanguard Reaches 2003 B-7A0341-B) and Alfar Edylsyla (2033 C-887989-A) began the Fourth Eslyat War. This war ended like the second one, with Royal Navy forces in orbit over Elliador. The Treaty of 1087 assured the Eslyat would refrain from further attacks on Duchy territory "in perpetuity."

The Eslyat government is a religious theocracy based upon the Sesshayr religion, a monolithic and all-pervading force throughout the entire state. Worlds in 30 systems are governed by the Eslyat theocracy, which has jurisdiction over more than 19 billion sophonts.

(reproduced by permission of the author, Chuck Kallenbach II)

Yet More Background

Chuck Kallenbach II has happily put "game designer" on his tax return since 1997. He has worked for the Decipher TCG studio on Star Trek (First Contact and The Trouble with Tribbles), Star Wars (from Jabba's Palace to Endor), Young Jedi, Jedi Knights, Lord of the Rings, Beyblade, .hack//ENEMY, MegaMan, and WARS TCG. His proudest professional achievements are being lead designer for Young Jedi and designing the Star Wars CCG card, "Star Destroyer!" He has won Calliope awards from GAMA for both The Lord of the Rings TCG and .hack//ENEMY TCG, allowing use of the title "award-winning game designer."

Born in a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri at a very young age, Chuck loved games. He has fond memories of playing Chess with his father and playing Canasta with the whole family. He and partner Don Rapp started a game company called Paranoia Press, creating products for the Traveller roleplaying game from Game Designers' Workshop.

He then pursued a freelance game design career. Chuck playtested some cool stuff, like the Star Trek and Star Wars CCGs from Decipher. Later, he was invited to move to Norfolk. Married to lovely wife Cheryl and father to son Brian. Turn-ons include walking on the beach and breezy summer days.

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