[hider=Nation Sheet]

[center][b][u]Grykian Union of Lunar Colonies[/u][/b][/center]
[img]http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2011/082/b/0/luna_flag_by_1wyrmshadow1-d3c9w5p.png[/img]

[hider=General Overview]

[img]http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/14/144096/3788073-8038061364-26974.jpg[/img]

Magnus Kuklōps, or the Grykians, are a bipedal species that typically colonize small planetoids with low gravity and poor atmosphere. The Grykians are a squat, muscular species with naturally strong bones produced by their planet's extreme gravity and deadly predators. A typical Grykian stands at around five feet five inches tall and weighs half a ton. Their skin is usually varying shades of orange. Grykians differ from most species in that they consume radiation for sustenance and strong concentrations of oxygen burn their skin. Because of this, Grykians typically wear protective suits when exposed to foreign atmospheres.

The Union are a xenophobic people. They fear and despise what they do not understand, and seek to destroy what they deem unholy or sinful. Extremely religious, Grykian culture revolves around the Holy Church of Haeni. Haeni is the goddess the people of Grykia worship as their sole deity and creator of all things. The Lunar Colonies are a group of united tribes, each guided by a chieftain. These chieftains form the Council of Twelve, the ruling body of the Lunar Colonies who follow the directives of the True Prophet. The True Prophet receives visions from the goddess and interprets them for the Council who wouldn't dare question the goddess or her prophet. Inter-tribe warfare is common in Grykian culture. The chieftains typically turn a blind eye toward the fighting as long as the people keep their squabbles contained to acceptable levels. Gladiatorial games are popular among the colonies as a means of satisfying the bloodlust of the common Cyclops.[/hider]

[hider=Territory]The Grykian Union is made up of twelve tribes, with each tribe controlling the moons of a single planet. The star system is relatively normal, with an adequate number of habitable worlds surrounding a single yellow star. Each world is surrounded by multiple moons, which are used by the Grykians as their population centers. The Grykians use the planets to gather resources and for research purposes, however permanent settlements on any garden world are impossible due to millions of years of evolving on a dead planet. This dead planet is known as Tass, the birthplace of the Grykians and the alleged homeworld of Haeni herself. Millions of years ago, Tass suffered an apocalyptic level disaster that made the surface of the planet uninhabitable for almost all forms of life. The Grykians evolved from a group of hardy sea creatures that managed to adapt to the impossible climate change. A few other species stepped out of the disaster alongside the Grykians, and the planet lived on despite it's supposed death.

The capital moon of Grykia serves as the cultural and religious center of all of the Union. The entire moon is little more than a single city that takes up the entire mass of the moon. This is the primary seat of government within the Union.

The Keplan Gas Giant serves as the main source of Grykinium for the Lunar Colonies. Multiple space ports surround the gas giant, and use it as a place to refuel and mine for Grykinium within the Keplan Asteroid Belt. [/hider]

[hider=Governance] The Grykian Union of Lunar Colonies is made up of twelve moon clusters. There are anywhere for five to a dozen colonies on a single moon, with each colony controlled by a mayor that is elected by that moon's governor. A moon and all of it's colonies are controlled by a single governor. Each moon cluster is controlled by a single tribe. These tribes are governed by a chieftain. These chieftains make up the Council of Twelve, the ruling body of the Union. The council possesses full executive authority over everything within the Union, with the exception for the High Church. The True Prophet serves as the voice of the goddess, and leads all things religious within the Union. The Council does not technically have to follow the advice of the prophet; however to do so would bring about great instability and rebellion, as the goddess is followed by all of the Union's population. So, in practice, the word of the prophet is law.[/hider]

[hider=Culture]

Society within a single tribe is split into multiple guilds. Each guild leader reports to the chieftain of their tribe. The guilds serve the greater good of the tribe, and the colonies as a whole. For a business to be successful, they must have the endorsement of their guild. Generally, Cyclopes are assigned to a guild at birth and must stay within the confines of the guild for the rest of their lives. The school system is split into different sectors with each sector assigned to a single guild. These sectors focus their efforts on teaching what will be relevant for a Cyclops' life within the guild. For example, a member of the political guild would learn about government and geopolitics. In contrast, a member of the economy guild would focus their education on mathematics. It is extremely rare for a Cyclops to switch guilds, especially later in their life cycle. The only reason a Cyclops might swap guilds is because they show signs of being naturally gifted in areas that would allow them to excel in another guild.

These are the average percentages of the population split into guilds:

Science Guild: 13%
Economy Guild: 15%
Political Guild: 5%
Military Guild: 25%
Religion Guild: 2%
Worker's Guild: 40%

Grykians are all members of a monotheistic religion called Haenism. The sole deity is the goddess Haeni, who made the universe and all that is within it. She voices her will through the True Prophet, a Grykian gifted with the ability to see and interpret visions from the goddess herself. The True Prophet writes all that he has learned down in the Holy Book of Ua. The Ua serves as the basis for all laws and culture within the Union. The True Prophet has no name, and has lived for millennium without aging a day. This is considered a miracle of Haeni due to most Grykians only having a lifespan of 200 years. There is not a single member of the Union whom does not follow the goddess. All members of society who have rejected her teachings have been labelled heretics and banished into the dark void of space.

Entertainment in the Union is very physical. They are not known for their art or music. Grykians prefer the art of combat. The most popular sport within the colonies come in the form of Gladiatorial games in which fighters are pitted against challenges that they must overcome lest they die. To be allowed to participate in these games is considered the highest honor, and gladiators are considered the most prestigious and famous celebrities in the entire solar system.

Other forms of entertainment include Anti-gravity ball, single combat (not to the death) and virtual reality simulations.

Entertainment, however, is not the main focus of Grykian society like many other species. No; Grykians are known for dedicating themselves to their work. Be it in any field, a Grykian prides himself on his contributions to the betterment of the colonies. Competition between rival guilds are common. These competitions are usually harmless or even helpful, causing Grykians to work even harder than usual to out do their peers and thus increasing profit. However, these competitions can spiral out of control and bitter rivalries are formed. Espionage, assassination, and kidnapping are quite common in guild life.


Grykia is the center of the Lunar Colonies cultures. It is also home to the headquarters for most major businesses and organizations. This city is considered the holiest relic of Grykian culture. Each Cyclops must make a pilgrimage to Grykia at least twice a year lest they be labeled a heretic. For an alien to step foot on the city's holy ground is considered the highest insult against the Union and it's goddess, and is considered an act of war.

The Grykians speak what is known as Yat Sodel, the common tongue. Dialects vary between tribes and colonies, however these dialects are not so different that Grykians from very different Lunar Colonies would not be able to communicate. Different dialects usually use their own slang terms for different things, and might have slightly different spellings for certain common words, but regional dialects do not differ from the original language too radically.

These are the twelve tribes and their chieftains:

Wel Yag of the Zaltun Tribe
Kev Toor of the Ragior Tribe
Ramul Ras of the Haku Tribe
Rak Tap of the Loebvek Tribe
Qetjin Lakni of the Wadub Tribe
Kebpo Havlec of the Yaat Ren Tribe

Frraj Il of the Jahgu Tribe
Maxx Orl of the Kvevi Tribe
Arti Mes of the Klapptom Tribe
Keryn Arr of the Veroc Gab Tribe
Micel Ain of the Caxhuut Tribe
Loocik Ferrin of the Qeantute Tribe

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[hider=Organizations]

[b]Religion Guild/The Holy Church of Haeni:[/b] Led by the True Prophet. Serves as the moral and cultural center of the Union. Men are usually given positions of command, while women (nuns) serve as the church's main body of manpower. Priests lead a single congregation. Bishops lead all of the churches on a single moon. Archbishops lead worship within their entire tribe.

[b]Military Guild:[/b] (See military organization)

[b]Science Guild:[/b] Led by Lady Hara Nabam. Serves as the technological and research portion of the Union's working class.

[b]Economy Guild:[/b] Led by Secretary-Treasurer Jal Mauyen. Serves as the traders, business leaders, and tax collectors of the colonies. Controls the market and the supply and demand.

[b]Worker's Guild:[/b] Led by Lord Yar Gapp. Serves in all positions of menial labor. Provides labor for agriculture, manufacturing, construction, and small businesses. Makes up the majority of the population.

[b]Political Guild:[/b] Led by the Council of Twelve. Each colony appoints a Mayor, who reports directly to the Governor of the moon. Each governor reports to their chieftain. These chieftains make up the twelve leaders of the entire Union, and have executive control of the nation.

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[hider=History]Describe the history of your nation prior to its transition into the True Vacuum universe.[/hider]

[hider=Outlook]

The True Prophet has declared this a sign from the goddess herself. A new universe, surrounded by new aliens and cultures? It's obvious, in the prophet's eyes, that this is a command from Haeni to go out into all the universe and spread her name. For too long has her love been squandered and hidden away. All nations and all peoples should know of the great goddess and her deeds! They will all bow before her, offering their praise and worship in exchange for life in the glorious Union.

This is one of the only controversial visions the True Prophet has given. Grykians are xenophobic and steadfast in their beliefs. Now their goddess wants them to spread the truth of her name to other, lesser species? The Council of Twelve have taken it upon themselves to interpret this sign in a way that does not contradict the prophet yet pleases the people who doubt. The Grykian people are to spread the word, yes. But the goddess never specified how they should spread this word. So the council has decided that they shall spread the word through conquest and war. They will force the love of the goddess on others, or they will perish under Grykia's mighty sword. Long live the Union! Long live Haeni!

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[b]Technology:[/b] The Union of Lunar Colonies has developed all of its technology on its own, with no regard for the techniques or research of other space faring races. Because of this, their technology is considered quite unique next to most modern nations in the True Vacuum. Grykian technology focuses on the betterment of individuals, and generally shuns the use of artificial intelligence as an insult to the goddess herself. Crafts designed to transport personnel are also shunned in favor of personal anti-gravity devices, and body armor is replaced by genetically enhancing the strength of Grykian skin, bone and muscle.

[hider=Important/Noteworthy Tech]

[b]Anti-gravity implants:[/b] Devices designed to allow flight for an individual. They work by creating a small bubble around an individual's body which negates the gravity of the nearest celestial object, allowing the user complete 360 degree flight control at subluminal speeds

[b]Armored Skin:[/b] The Grykian pride and joy. Armored Skin is the term used to describe the process all Grykians go through after birth where they are genetically enhanced with exponentially stronger bones and skin, and their nerves are clipped to increase pain tolerance. These enhancements allow a Grykian extreme environmental survivability, super strength and unparalleled durability. The Armored Skin is applied using powerful nanobots to further improve the Grykians already imposing frame. Extensive use of wonder materials and powerful liquid metal alloys are made throughout the procedure. 

[b]Energy Converting Implants:[/b] The means of which Grykians survive. You see, as a species, Grykians do not eat or drink. They absorb energy directly through their skin. These implants are designed to allow a Grykian to drastic increase the amount of energy they gain from the sun, as well as background radiation. This allows the Grykians to have increased endurance and require less rest than without these implants.

[b]Quantum Entanglement Communication:[/b] When a pair of quantum-entangled particles is separated, a change to one particle will affect the other instantaneously, wherever it lies in the universe. QECs exploit this effect to transmit binary data any distance. Two pairs of entangled particles are necessary for transmission and reception. While QEC technology is extremely expensive and difficult to produce, it offers two enormous advantages. First, it allows instantaneous communication over any distance without reliance on the network of comm buoys, which is limited due to the sheer volume of space. Further, destruction of buoys hampers a foe’s military intelligence; comm buoys are the first targets of raiders in wartime. Second, quantum communications cannot be intercepted between source and destination, allowing no "wiretaps." 

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[b]Military Structure:[/b] The military guild is split into three major divisions: Defense, Offense, and Supply. Each division is led by a High-General, who in turn reports to the Grand-General who is in total command of the military. The Grand-General reports directly to the Council of Twelve. Generally, the council leave the Grand-General to command as he sees fit. On occasion, however, the council can overrule the Grand-General's orders and the military has to comply.

[hider=Defense] This division is charged with protecting the Lunar Colonies and the entire Solar System from invasion and attack. The Defense Division is led by High-General Hery Jakyr, a veteran military officer and strategic genius. The Defense Division is split into twelve brigades, with a single brigade protecting a single moon cluster. The brigade is strictly made up of tribe members from the moon cluster it is defending. These brigades are led by Sentinel-Generals who during times of peace usually assist the Political Guild with policing the tribes and enforcing the law. 

When war is declared, the Defense Division usually moves into strategic positions at space stations near the edge of the Solar System. These positions are equipped with jammers that are designed to force the enemy to exit FTL travel surrounded by an entire defense brigade. These ambushes are the first line of defense in protecting the Union, and usually are the only defense needed. 

However, when the enemy is prepared for this ambush and manages to overcome the defense brigades, they face the next line of defense: the population of the entire Union. While members of the Military Guild are trained to use their enhancements to maximum effectiveness, all Grykians are equally as powerful. Meaning that, any invading military force could find itself fighting a united militia numbering 42 billion strong. 

The final defense is a last resort weapon developed by Grykian scientists. Hundreds of bombs filled with a deadly, evolving virus created by Grykian scientists centuries ago. These bombs are spread throughout the solar system, and exist as a means to wipe out all usable natural resources within the Union's territory and kill invaders who have defeated the Grykian people completely. Only the True Prophet knows of their existence, and is the only creature capable of triggering these stationary bombs. [/hider]

[hider=Offense] The Offense Division serves as the sword of the Union. When the Council of Twelve declares war on another species, the Offense Division is called up and put into action. The Offense Division is led by High-General Ragg Huem, a relatively young officer who was promoted to this position when the old High-General disappeared along with the False Vaacum of the old universe. Ragg Heum is yet to prove himself as a competent replacement for the old leadership, and is eager for war to show that he is more than capable. The Offense Division is split into twelve brigades, with each brigade representing a single tribe. These brigades are led by Champion-Generals who report directly to High-General Ragg Heum. During times of peace, the Offense Division serves mostly as explorers who send out teams to scout nearby star systems for anomalies or other civilizations.

When war is declared by the Council of Twelve, the Offense fleets currently on exploration missions outside Union space are contacted via quantum entanglement communicators. These are far more efficient than the communication buoys used by Union Lunar Colonies in the context of communicating across the vast reaches of space. Each exploration fleet has two or three capital ships equipped with a QEC linked directly to military command. These fleets are ordered to converge near enemy territory, surrounding the opponent with multiple attack groups while the main offensive force, which comes from Union space, attacks the enemy directly. The fleets then come in from all sides and attack the enemy with incredible ferocity.

Grykian brigades only use two or possibly three capital class ships to transport their army over long distances. These ships lack any sort of offensive capabilities, and their shielding is only adequate. These ships exist as mobile command and control centers, having powerful engines, sensors, communication arrays, and warpdrive technology.

Grykians fight naval engagements very differently than more conventional races. The Grykians do not use large, cumbersome ships to lob shells at extreme ranges to win battles. Naval combat is fought by the Grykians using their flight and ability to survive in a vacuum. The infantry fly in squadrons and attack the much larger enemy ships and conquering them through boarding. The infantry can't stand long under the intense fire of a starship, but they're able to use their small size to evade the enemies largest guns and force their way aboard through airlocks and the like. These infantry use a variety of weapons to mow through these starships' crews and defenses, relying on their insane durability to muscle past anything the enemy can muster.
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[hider=Supply]The Supply Division exists to serve the Offense and Defense Divisions. Generally, Supply exists to man the capital ships and protect and maintain supply lines. Supply also services communication buoys during wartime. Being assigned to the Supply Division is usually considered a punishment by servicemen. [/hider]

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