Tiyanki Territories (A1-0)
The Tiyanki Territories is a region within the larger Sector A1-0 that is renowned for its immensely diverse and partitioned inhabitants and astronomical phenomena. It's relatively secluded from the rest of the Sector as it unique nebulous expanses inhibit space travel to and from the region. Whatever information travels throughout the known routes is often tainted by myths, legends and mysticism. Giving the region a largely mystical reputation to the wider Sector. It's named after the space-borne Tiyanki that roam the entire Sector from their ancestral breeding grounds in the various Expanses.
Astrography
The Tiyanki Territories encompasses a region largely centered in-between the outer Expanses. In total the region is roughly 400 LY wide in all directions with a near constant depth of 100 LY. Although the expanses are a nebulous gas composition more dense than most nebulae that inhibit many forms of realspace travel, thus creating a preference for interdimensional space travel (most commonly through Hyperspace), the Territories are home to over 30 independent star nations with most of their territories barely exceeding 50 LY as the Expanses take over 55% of the volume of the Territories. In addition, these expanses are also home to hazardous and peaceful space-borne beings such as the Tiyanki, Thrakno and Oncori.
Great Expanse
The Great Expanse has a well deserved name as it forms the eastern border of the region ranging for roughly 300 LY from the galactic south to the galactic north. It's also called the Tiyanki Miasma due to the largest concentration of Tiyanki population. Legends tell that once a Tiyanki reaches its end of life, they travel back within the Great Expanse to join their final resting place. This planet has been named Tiyana Vrok and lies deeply hidden in the Great Expanse. Only very few individuals ever returned from this legendary place as navigation becomes increasingly difficult when closing in to the expanse's heart. Only few organizations, most notably the Jo'Dai Order or experienced smugglers are known to navigate to this planet. Though these routes are usually kept as a close secret in fear that space-whalers might hunt this place for trophies.
Furthermore, the planet of Thrallum, a rumoured karst world & homeworld of Arkite Crystals, controlled by the Jo'Dai Order serves as a secret hideout for one of the Order's rites of passage. Like most navigators, the Jo'Dai Order is highly secretive of routes to these precious locations.
The Galreesh Technocracy's golden days have also passed and the Galree have since secluded themselves to their homeworld of Galreen deep within the Great Expanse. As their exploration age has ended, so to erodes the location of their homeworld to mystery. Legends tell that only Galreesh hyperdrives are able to traverse the Great Expanse so deeply to arrive at their homeworld. Most still believe their species has gone extinct due to a cataclysmic event.
Lucent Expanse
The Lucent Expanse, the second largest in the Territories, is famed for its more luminous nature compared to the other expanses. This is due to the abundance of more luminous stars within the expanse that give the expanse a larger presence in the skies around the Tiyanki Territories. Many legends have arisen surrounding these stars and have become many heavenly figures in the many cultures of the Territories. It is said that orbiting one of these bright stars is Trython the seat of the Jo'Dai Order. Its location being the Order's best kept secret yet.
Kelidon Expanse
The Kelidon Expanse is the second smallest expanse of the Territories and is named after its close proximity and exploration effort by the Kelidune of the Kelidon Dominion. Although this expanse remains one of the more less explored ones, it's vibrant with fauna that have attracted many Wheepad hunters to gain more points for the deity, the Scorekeeper.
Owettan Expanse
One of the first expanses in the region to be explored was the Owette as they expanded their Owettan States. Colloquially the expanse has been named after them and has become a popular hiding spot for smugglers from the Owettan States, Sellorian Matriarchy, Swords of Cronum and the Ch'Rattan Cartel's illicit businesses.
Teal Expanse
Contrary to the other expanses, the teal Expanse has a more blueish appearance instead of the yellow-orange standard. It's also seen as the most mysterious of all expanses having been the least explored. Few individuals enter this expands and the very few that return tell stories of the Alarian Queendom whose matriarchal Alari have created many myths of their status as Teal Angels.
The Strip
The Strip is a region of space of roughly 100 LY that is sparsely consisting of star systems to the galactic west of the Teal Expanse. It's mostly known as a hideout for smugglers and pirates before targeting nearby civilizations. Although it's perhaps most known as the home of the Zeltrex Freehold, a lavish hedonistic confederacy of sedentary Zeltrex that welcomes all to partake in their extravagant way of life.
History
Although little is known about the creation of the Territories, many civilizations have created their own theories. Some call it a divine creation or punishment, while others believe it to be a rupture in realspace. Others believe the expanses were created by a long forgotten cataclysmic war. Despite the many evidences for many theories, the origin of the region remains heavily debated.
The earliest documented space-faring civilizations of the Territories remains the Galreesh Technocracy that was founded in 18.082 BBT. The Galree set out on a mission of exploration and studying. Though their quest to understand all aspect nature has lead to several interventions in the evolution of species. Such is the case with the Vurk which genetic make-up suggests a strong resemblance with the Tiyanki space whales. Some scholars also speculate they might also have intervened with the ancestors of several more species. Both within the Tiyanki Territories as well as outside it. Their true extent remains unknown as their species has faded into legends. Leaving only relics of the golden ages behind.
Another significant space-faring civilization is that of the Yakhari Commonwealth. They are typically seen as the last visible remnant species from the precursor Tiyanki states that were destroyed during the Kalkattan Wars. However, the Yakhari have stood the tests of time and maintain a dominant position in astropolitics. When the Territories were left in turmoil, the Yakhari typically turned to the rest of the galaxy for interaction throughout their history. Becoming a transit species for the Territories to the wider Sector.
The Tiyanki Territories have known many cataclysmic events, but one stands out in recent memory. The Kalkattan Wars were a series of conflicts from 9.132-9.045 BBT by the Kalkatta as their civilization collapsed into multiple warring factions. The true reason for the societal collapse remains unknown though to their current off-spring. These wars destroyed nearly the entire astropolitical status quo taking trillions of lives and bringing an end to many space-faring civilizations.
The Galreesh Technocracy forever secluded itself after these wars deep within the Great Expanse as the Yakhari Commonwealth claimed dominion of the sparse remains from the wars. Instead focusing its attention to what lied beyond the Territories.
It should also be noted that this also gave birth to the Jo'Dai Order. The remaining Kalkatta secluded themselves on the planet of Trython and became philosopher disavowing their species' cataclysmic actions. Instead forging a religious order to control both mind and body in service of the cosmic good.
The Territories didn't remain doomed forever. From 8.300 BBT to 7.500 BBT two new major space-faring civilizations emerged: the Owettan States and the Kelidon Dominion. The Owette emerged into a golden age of exploration throughout the Sector while the Kelidune solidified their Dominion through cooperation with multiple species in the north-eastern corner. Thus cementing the two star nations as powerhouses of the region. The Arkanian High Kingdom also became a space-faring civilization in during this time. Aside from adopting the Jo'Dai religion, they would create a buffer region between the northern and southern Tiyanki states fighting off piracy as benevolent heroes.
Slowly more and more civilizations arose from the ashes left by the Kalkattan Wars and even other nomadic civilization as the Venterrans moved into the region. Perhaps one of the most important civilizations to arise during this period was the Kirillian Trade League. The thrifty reptilian species built continent sized commerce ships filled with goods and services. These Mercantile ships as they were called, were effectively massive roaming Kirillian states. Some of these ships even dared to traverse past the expanses, but most remained within their well-known boundaries. On notable contact of such expeditions was the Drakari Celestial Imperium to which these mercantile ships travel once every few decades towards.
While some species specialized into a certain niche, others had grander intentions. The Venterran House Veruk was one such case. The Venterrans played an active role in the continued evolution of the Vurk and acted as godly beings. Uniting the Vurk under a theocratic nation called the Vurk Communion in 4.094 BBT, House Veruk used their influence to divulge into a luxurious lifestyle. However, they also took not of the gifts of the Vurk's telepathic compatibility with the Tiyanki and created the Wayfaring Guild. A loose organization of Vurk Navigators that are able to guide starships through Veil. Some speculate that the Vurk are able to communicate with the Tiyanki through a rare form of telepathy and receive paths in interdimensional pathways through the expanses. The Wayfaring Guild has openly denied such allegations and retain their religious beliefs.
House Veruk also interfered during the persecution of a scientific movement within the Vurk Communion. To prevent an outright civil war, they relocated these persecuted individuals to a new star system hidden in the Great Expanse in 3.872 BBT. These isolated Vurk created a new nation where mega corporations are part of the government. In a radical course of action, these Vurk genetically engineered themselves into a new species: the Sellexians. The Sellexian Conglomerate remained isolated as House Veruk later fought in the Mantle Wars and retracted themselves from politics in the Vurk Communion.
The Tiyanki Territories now find themselves as the cross roads of the entire Sector. As the Stoinian Star Kingdom exerts its influence among Terran states in the region with the creation of the PTPC in 0 ABT, it is believed that other larger star nations will also move in to grow their sphere of influence. Be it through fealty or cooperation, the Territories are bound to enter a new age of astropolitics.
One such star system is the Stoinian controlled Meridian system home to the Babylon Cincture that orbits a long lost archive world of the Galree. As more and more star nations join the Babylon Project in the Meridian system, the Territories will become only more important on the larger astropolitical scene.
Astropolitics
As the smaller star nations of the Tiyanki Territories reached one another, transnational political organizations began to emerge. Either for political aspirations, economic growth or even outright altruism, these organizations have grown to be astropolitical giants of the Tiyanki Territories.
Arkanian Protected Realms
The Arkanian Protected Realms is a unique organization bolstered by the Arkanian High Kingdom and their armed forces. Within the region of roughly 50 LY from Arkania, the Arkanians patrol diligently and offer protection to all those in need without requesting fealty. This rare form of altruism in the Territories has garnered many to respect the Arkanians, giving them a status as the Tiyanki Guardians of the Territories.
Kelisor Pact
The goal of the Kelisor Pact is that of a defensive and economic alliance of the northern star nations in the Tiyanki Territories. Founded by the Kelidon Dominion, Bentharian Federation, Panurian Ascendancy, Prill Congressional Republic and the Xalarian Confederacy, this organization remains a clear example to the Territories of unprecedented stability and welfare through cooperation.
Chenthralla Compact
Although a fairly new organization, the Chenthralla Compact is one aspiring the highest of political ideals. The goal of the political union is to eventually integrate member states into one large federal republic to form a stronger united front against the rest of the Territories. With only the Choll Fan Serene Republic, Belmocassan Commonwealth and the Enthrallan Republic, and the organization cornered between expanses and the Owettan States, the union aims to create new joint member states in the north-western section of the Territories. Though the dream of unification burns still, it still has some major headway to complete before its final realization.
Demographics
Although astronomical phenomena complicate all known methods of space travel, life still has managed to spread to the stars. Although more concentrated compared to the other star nations in Sector A1-0 as the region has a total population of roughly 3.8 trillion. Though the region is more densely populated than the Treecuu Star Empire by roughly 2 trillion, it still a small population compared to the larger star nations of the Sector such as the Drakari Celestial Imperium, the Ryccian Empire and the Stoinian Star Kingdom.
However it should also be noted that the Tiyanki Territories hold over 35 sapient space-faring species with multiple races and subspecies of humanity which have become important factions in the region. How these Humans arrived in the region is yet unknown and one of the Territories' greatest mysteries.
It should also be noted that the most densely populated star system is the Meridian System. This Stoinian controlled star system is home to Babylon Cincture, an enormous planetary ring surrounding a mysterious ancient planet home to roughly 80 billion individuals that serves as the center of diplomacy for all star nations.