Monday, March 28, 2011

Of Galdens and Ronisgald

In an effort to help new readers acclimate to the Elsewhere Universe, I've decided to begin a blog detailing the races of Vinta and their cultures. Much of this information will go into the Elsewhere Access of the Official Elsewhere site, but you'll hear (or rather, read) it here first. Today, I would like to write about the Galdens and Ronisgald.

The Galdens are Vinta's human race. That is to say, of all the inhabitants of Vinta, the Galdens are the most human-like of the races. While humanity is viewed as the end result of the other races of earth gradually becoming one (or leaving altogether, but that's another story), galdens are almost the exact opposite; genetic blanks, as it were. Their history ties into that of the Glyche, which I will expound upon at a later time. Galden genetics are by nature recessive; a child of a galden and a non-galden will always retain most of the non-galden parent's genes. As a result, there is a large movement within Ronisgald regarding 'pure' galdens, though it has died down a great deal by the time of 'A Dreamer's Knight'.

That's not to say that the galden parent will have no impact on the child; galden genetics may take a submissive role, but they are there. For example, a Galden/Fional pairing (such as the samurai Jimmy Olsen Sakamota and his wife, Terra) will bear children with larger ears, whereas a pure Fional would have smaller ears capable of moving much like a normal rabbit's ears. This trait will be passed down to Jimmy and Terra's grand children and great grand children, for at least five generations. The galden traits may not be visible either; a galden/tigreth pairing will produce a tigreth child who looks like any other tigreth, but with the reproductive makeup for a more balanced male/female ratio of children when said child grows up and takes a bride or groom.

People are more than their genetic makeup, however. Galdens are one of the oldest cultures on Vinta, and have lived in the region of Ronisgald for thousands of years. The galdens were an agrarian society until the arrival of the Glyche. While most of the galdens were content with farming and agriculture, galdens on the continent of Rimstak gladly accepted the Glyche assistance in turning the barren desert of Rimstak into a lush paradise. It was around this time that they began to call themselves Rimstakken; they adapted the Glyche language into their own, creating the often-confusing Rimstakken language that still defies all attempts to integrate into universal translators. I will go into their early culture another day.

After the first Corruption, many of the Glyche fled Rimstak in the wake of rioting. Many returned to Ronisgald in hopes of living a simpler life, while others joined the Cleftans in the Cleftan region. This was roughly three thousand years prior to the events of 'A Dreamer's Knight', and while Ronisgald remained agrarian for several centuries, the galdens soon began an industrial revolution of their own. Undoubtedly aided by the hand of the Glyche, Ronisgald began to grow in technological development until they were very near the level of the Rimstakkens. Mining lead to the discovery of several massive crystallic deposits across the continent, including the Amplifier of the Raenqal. The Glyche created a facility to study the massive worldstone, and eventually helped the Galdens to create the massive spheres that would later become the districts of Ronisgald. The CIC Angela was created to take care of the districts as the remaining Glyche dwindled until none remained.

Roughly a thousand years prior to the events of 'A Dreamer's Knight', Lucaius Benjamin Calliban came into power. It was a time of great need, as the construction of the districts required massive amounts of materials. Preying on the fears of a public who had not dealt with non-humans since they went underground, Calliban managed to amass an army large enough to attempt war on the neighboring nations, an event that reshaped much of Vinta. I will get into the mad emperor's war at a later time; suffice it to say, he was not victorious. Ronisgald eventually rebelled at his rule, and ousted him from his self-appointed throne. In doing so, fresh crystallic deposits were discovered; some were used to spread goodwill among the injured nations (particularly Longshore, who bore the brunt of the attack), but most was sold for materials needed to complete the cities. Once most of the districts were complete, Ronisgald fell into place as a respected member of the Vintan Council.

By the time of 'A Dreamer's Knight', Ronisgald and Rimstak are matched in terms of technological advancement. Ronisgald as viewed as being more reliable, while Rimstak is known for taking chances, such as local interstellar travel. Ronisgald is content to stay on Vinta, though they have begun their own space travel program in hopes of forming a colony on one of Vinta's inhabitable moons. The last scars of Calliban's Crusade were finally fading to the point that it wasn't strange to see shoran citizens of Ronisgald.

Overall, Ronisgald is a reliable country; they are good people, if occasionally misled by those with ulterior motives. Angela in particular is a friend of the Elsewhere, and watches over the citizens of Ronisgald as though they were her own children.

Well, that's about it for today's lesson on Vintan cultures. I hope I've been able to provide some enlightenment for anyone reading this. For a closer look at Ronisgald, be sure to check out 'A Dreamer's Knight: Machinations'.