Vulp Lore Rewrite Draft 1

Vulp rewrite Draft 1:

Solar System Layout:

Evolved on relatively earthlike planet called “Ke” (Translates roughly to ‘Life/Home’ in galactic common) from Wolfpins. Slightly on the hot (Hot, humid forests, jungles, and savannas are the norm) side compared to earth. Planet has two barely habitable moons. Planet and moons are slowly warming to uninhabitable levels due to Solar Expansion of Gol. (Translates roughly to ‘Warm/Sky’))

Moon 1 is an iceball similar to Jupiter’s Europa, technically orbiting the planet but far enough away to be just at the edge of the goldilocks zone for the majority of the solar orbit. The iceball is called “Kio” (Translating roughly to “Small/White”) Near freezing temperatures year round but slowly warming to comfortable levels. Predicted that planet will liquify before being burned away by solar winds as Gol expands. Complete Annihilation of celestial body likely.

Ke is fairly warm. About 63% land, the rest being water. Slowly heating. The expansion of Gol will eventually turn it into an uninhabitable dustball before burning it away.

Moon 2 is a barely habitable, iron rich dustball named “Kol” (Translates roughly to Big/Red), Kol was more comfortable about 523 years ago before the Gol Solar Expansion began. Primarily deserts, savannas, and withered forests from the time when it could actually support forests. The Biosphere is slowly dying and wireless communication is problematic due to frequent minor solar flares. Widespread dust storms and cyclones are common. Stationary settlements are no longer feasible on the surface. The primary evacuation efforts are focused on Kol due to the likelihood of it becoming the first completely uninhabitable moon. it is also likely to be the first to burn away during Solar Expansion.

There is a small Gas Giant in the outer reaches of the solar system. Nothing of note about it.

Biology:

Vulpkanin are an omnivorous (with preference of meat and fish) bipedal furred race vaguely reminiscent of Terran vulpines, and in some cases, reminiscent of Terran Canines. Colorations tend to be muted browns, greys, blacks, and tans. Vulpkanin descended from the Kio strain tend towards whites and rarely, very very slight, almost unnoticeable blue tints. Vulpkanin descended from the Kol strain tend towards brighter browns and dusty reads. Vulpkanin descended from the Ke strain tend towards greys, muted reds, blacks, and tans. Bright colors, excluding whites from Kio are unnatural. Often dyes are used by younger minded Vukpkanin to stand out from littermates. Dye colors can range from slightly brighter then normal natural colors to unnatural neons.

Vulpkanin females normally give birth to litters of between 2-5 pups. Vulpkanin rarely give birth to more then one litter in a single lifetime. Often the pups exiting damage the ovaries beyond natural repair. Technically they could be repaired using modern medical treatments, however due to the current conditions within the Gol system, most pregnancies are the only one a given Vulpkanin will have, and often, the result is fatal to the mother..

Vulpkanin pups can sustain on bare minimum nutrients,, however they will not develop physically or mentally until they reach a certain threshold of nutrient input, as stage one pups, they do not functionally age, nor can they develop a functional mind. The more nutrients they get, the faster they mature. A given pup can mature to adulthood by the biological age of 12 provided it receives proper nutrition. However oftentimes due to the current situation within the Gol system, and especially on Kol, a pup won’t receive sufficient nutrients for many years. Pups that develop at a slower rate tend to mature mentally slower as well. Eventually they will catch up, but it will take longer. Likely due to the brain forming certain connections as it sat stagnant before the body began developing. Vulpkanin who mature quickly tend on the more serious and mature sides but have a tendency towards shorter natural lifespans compared to the slow maturers. However due to modern technology, lifespan tends to not matter quite as much as it would normally. Slow maturers tend towards chipper personalities, fast maturers tend towards serious and focused.

History:

Much of recorded history has been lost due to the Collapse following the initial Expansion of Gol. A massive solar flare functionally fried everything. Most data is recovered from damaged but relatively intact datachips and the oral history of various packs.

Vulpkanin originated on Ke. Likely descending from Wolfpins. Based on Vulpkanin oral records and rare recovered datachips from Pre-Collapse, the first groups were primarily tribal hunters. Following a fairly large gap in recovered data, Vulpkanin entered the Renaissance era. By this point several major religions had surfaced. Notably a Hunt God by the name of Lune and an unnamed, nearly cultlike religion similar to a less violent version of the Terran Aryan movement. Said movement lasted for almost one hundred years, primarily preached selective breeding to produce certain traits, resulting in inbreeding and deformities, stillbirths, and in some cases, children of a more canid subspecies, reminiscent of Terran canines.. After a datablank, the movement began collapsing violently in on itself. Reviled and hated by the populace.

As a result of the two hundred year stint of the ‘cult,’ heterosexual inbreeding slid up to the absolute top of the “Do not do” list. Equal to murder in terms of severity.

As the world lapsed into the industrial age, the balance of power shifted to more productive Vulpkanin groups. The industrial age saw the formation of the current format of government. The system worked and so it stuck. By the time of the Information Age, the species was aware something was very wrong with their star. They just didn’t know How wrong. For the most part, this lead them to much for the stars, although they didn’t get far before Gol began expanding. After determining that Ke’s two moons were at the very edges of habitability, they began seeding biospheres and colonization. This period lasted for around two hundred and fifty years before the Collapse. The massive blast of solar winds and radiation that ushered in the Solar Expansion of Gol. The solar flare completely fried the majority of electronics, both in orbit of Ke and the moons and on the ground. The Vulpkanin, having converted the majority of their records to digital form during the Information Age experienced a massive regression in tech. Nothing worked. They couldn’t raise the moons or Ke. The crew and passengers of all ships within the system were presumed dead. This period is called the Collapse. It lasted for almost five hundred years, Gol’s expansion making Kol progressively more and more uninhabitable. Dust storms and cyclones ravaging the once fertile surface. On all three worlds, some groups reverted to almost medieval behaviors, others attempted to get some sort of communication network online once more. Some Vulpkanin, after about three hundred years of silence, began to believe that populations on the other two colonized bodies were a myth.

At year 458 of the Collapse. The first interplanetary capable vessel since the beginning of the Collapse launched from Ke. Preforming a somewhat odd elliptical orbit over the course of a year and five months Terran Time., it deposited a satellite in orbit of each colonized body and dropped a functional way to transmit data in the general vicinity of the largest visible settlements. The Collapse was over. Discussion and comparisons of notes between numerous scientists determined that Gol’s slow expansion was rapidly making the star system uninhabitable. They needed to evacuate enmasse.

Worldwide efforts went towards researching a functional superluminal drive, cryostasis, an numerous other technologies deemed necessary for an interstellar voyage. Other efforts went towards locating potential habitable worlds. In the end, the whole endeavor was deemed futile. The Vulpkanin could not evacuate the multiple billions scattered across their homeward and its moons within the time it would take for Gol to boil them away. They kept at it anyways however. Best to save some over none. However the race as a whole began to develop a rather.. Resigned mentality. No matter what they did. The majority of their race would die. Maybe the groups that escaped would survive and thrive. or maybe they would die. The race was facing a slow extinction.

It was around this time a probe, Nanotrasan had seeded in a nearby system during the Collapse had picked up on sufficient, diffused and garbled transmissions to determine there was in fact an intelligent race living in the area. Numerous corporate scientific vessels descended on the Probe’s system and began triangulating the origin of the signals.

The Vulpkanin had nearly completed their first Ark by this point. Incapable of superluminal travel as originally hoped, but theoretically capable of lasting centuries in the void between stars, the millions aboard asleep in cryostasis.

Fast forward ten years. The Vulpkanin system had been triangulated by now. The Ark had barely reached the halfway point out of their system. An Observation Vessel owned by Nanotrasin sat within the void. Hidden. Gathering data for the eventual first contact. The Company could see a way to turn a profit from this situation.

Fast forward another five years. Ke had just been ravaged by its first duststorm. Kol being a barely habitable wasteland and what water there is beginning to boil away. The Nanotrasin First Contact party made contact. After the language barrier was overcome, luckily without any major diplomatic fuckups, an offer was made. Seeing that a number of Vulpkanin were relatively skilled and for the most part, compliant with perceived authority, if lacking experience with higher tech, Nanotrasin proposed aiding in the evacuation efforts, focusing on Kol, then Kio in exchange for dirt cheap skilled workers. 10 Vulpkanin civilians evacuated per every six Terran months a given Vulpkanin worked for Nanotrasin at halfpay.  The average cost of transferring 10 civilians in a longjump to a designated droopy point plus the thirteen crew needed to ensure the crew outnumber the civvies would be between 16k Credits per jump. The average Nanotrasin worker bringing in about 40k for the company on a given shift and being payed between 4k and 10k out of that. Cutting that down to 2k-5k spent on the employee per shift meant a massive profit, especially when you add it up with large quantities of of employees working under that deal. It more then pays for the cost of transferring the civilians and gets numerous skilled workers under a contract. The Vulpkanin accepted the offer. The only other alternative was a slow extinction with a maybe chance of surviving. Additional dealing got the Ark fitted with a superluminal drive and the locations of several habitable but uncomfortable uncolonized planets.

Fast forward several years. We are now in the present. Evacuation is underway. Projected survivors of the Solar Expansion are in the billions upon completion of evacuation. The majority of Vulpkanin have shaded into a skeptical mindset of Nanotrasin due to reports from employee Vulpkanin. Although yes, they wouldn’t be able to save the majority of the race without the help of the Company. The working conditions are often abominable.

Relations with various factions:

As the Syndicate took note of the slowly deteriorating relationship of the Vulpkanin and Nanotrasin, they began to offer more advantageous deals. Larger groups evacuated for certain targets offed. Items stolen. Protection of certain people. Some Vulpkanin are employed as full-time Syndicate, although the numbers are relatively low for now.

The Wizard Federation simply saw the Vulpkanin as another source of recruits. They swept in and recruited as many of those with the Knack as they encountered.

Changelings simply see Vulpkanin as source of new forms and food. No more and no less.

Shadowlings see Vulpkanin as a source of Hosts and Thralls.

Nar-Sie cultists see Vulpkanin as a source of recruits and sacrifices.

Vampires just see them as a food supply.

Vox don’t see them as worth ‘borrowing’ from at the time. Some Vulpkanin are designated as valid abduction targets due to skillsets, but the Vulpkanin lack a sufficient tech level to be worth the effort of raiding when better options, such as Nanotrasin exist.

Xenomorphs obviously see them as a food supply.

Carp are always hungry.

Spiders are always hungry.

Blobs can always use more zombies.

You get the picture.

Law system and government:

Vulpkanin primarily operate on a Territory/Ranking system. Likely originating from their tribal Pack system almost two millennia ago. A given Vulpkanin can only hold as much territory as they and their secondaries can maintain. If you can’t maintain it, your claim to it isn’t valid.

Territory Claiming is on a first come first serve basis. If nobody owns the territory, you become the Primary of the territory. If you set up shop in someone else’s territory, you become their Secondary. Territory Disputes are settled usually by having documented dates, times, and geographically logged areas of claimed territory. Whoever came first is the Primary. If the Primary cannot be determined due to lack of documentation, whomever of the competing parties is deemed more capable by the Secondaries within the territory becomes the Primary, if there are no Secondaries to determine who gets it, the competing Primaries split the territory 50/50.

A Primary is responsible for the maintenance of their territory and any and all Secondaries that chose to live within it. They solve major disputes if their Secondaries are unable to solve them on their own. They set up the law and rule system. Secondaries claim secondary territory under a Primary. example. A mayor would function as a Primary for his or her city. Anyone living within the city would be his or her Secondaries. Any children would be Secondaries of their Parents until they moved out. The Mayor, being the Main Primary would treat the Secondaries of his or her Secondaries as if they were normal Secondaries. The Main Primary is obligated to ensure all their Secondaries are functional, happy, and healthy. If this means spending two days mediating a family dispute between a Secondary and their kid (Who would count as both a Secondary to the parent and a Secondary to the Mayor) then it’s their job to do so. Normally a Primary with that large a territory however would have Sub-Primaries handle that kind of thing unless they enjoyed it. A Sub-Primary is functionally a Secondary that has been given Primary authority and responsibility by the Main Primary, making all Secondaries within the territory technically the Sub-Primary’s responsibility. Although the Main Primary would have to ensure that the Sub-Primary is maintaining everything properly. If he or she isn’t, the Main Primary would have to step in and correct the problem.

A Primary is not exempt from their own laws and rules and cannot make laws or rules that: Target Secondaries specifically. Are intended to bring physical harm on a Secondary. Exploit a Secondary physically, mentally, or emotionally. Are intended to bring emotional or mental harm to a Secondary. Force a Secondary to commit nonconsensual sexual acts. Exploit the effort and labor of a Secondary. Force Secondaries to abandon their homes unless it’s a health and safety reason (Such as massive forest fire, mass pest infestation, or highly virulent pathogen.) Among other similar ethical rules.

Beyond the standard list of ethical no-go’s for Vulpkanin Primaries. Anything goes. If the Main Primary decides something inane, such as everyone should wear a skirt. Then literally everyone has to wear a skirt. Including the Main Primary. Exceptions being if they cannot feasibly acquire one or if it would have a medium to large chance of causing injuries or deaths if they did so (such as a worker in an assembly line. best not to risk skirt getting caught in conveyor belt.)

If a Secondary isn’t maintaining their Secondary Territory, then they don’t get to keep it. A different Secondary gets control of that zone if it can be maintained by them. If a Secondary refuses to maintain their Secondary Territory, they don’t need to be fed. If they want food, they either grow it themselves or start maintaining their territory so they can enjoy the literal fruits of others labor.

Example territory/rank dynamic:

Main Primary will be designated as MP.

SubPrimary Rank 1 will be designated as SP1.

SubPrimary Rank 2 will be designated as SP2.

Secondaries will be designated as S.

Lets say the MP has two SP1’s. Each SP1 has two SP2’s and each SP2 has 2 S’s.

If SP1 A orders SP1 B’s SP2’s to do something. SP1 B’s SP2’s are perfectly within their rights to refuse to do it. They aren’t under SP1 A’s control. If The MP or SP1 B had told them to do something however, they would be obligated to do it. As the MP is the Primary of SP1 B and SP1 B is their Primary. Same scenario if SP1A tried telling the S’s of SP1 B’s SP2’s to do something. They wouldn’t have to do anything.

SP1 A and SP1 B are equal in rank. If there is a dispute they cannot solve on their own. The MP would be obligated to step in and mediate or dictate depending on the situation.

If a Primary isn’t seen as capable of maintaining their Secondaries, they lose control of any Territory their former Secondaries were maintaining and whomever those Secondaries chose as the new Primary gets control. Or maybe they just split off into small groups. The result varies.

Intruding in a Vulpkanin’s territory without permission from them or their Primary will generally set them off, often resulting in them using force to eject you from the premises if you refuse to leave.

Mindsets and Behaviors:

As previously touched upon, Vulpkanin personalities can vary from extremely serious to chipper and hyper to the point of having difficulty focusing on anything. This is normally dependent on how long it took for them to mature. Slow maturers age slower but mature slower emotionally and mentally. Fast maturers age quicker but tend to be mature mentally sooner rather then later. Vulpkanin are generally group oriented and social, occasionally having emotional problems if left alone for too long.

Vulpkanin are somewhat distrusting of new people and things. Especially when it comes to perceived territory invasion. If you set one off. Just back off and let it calm down. Admit you fucked up. Better then trying to push with it getting more and more stubborn.

If told to do a task by a figure they recognize as a Primary (Example: Captain of the station or head of their department.). They generally get it done if they are capable. If they don’t recognize the person, they probably won’t do it. If a recognized Main Primary (example, Captain) oversteps their boundaries and doesn’t check in with the Subprimary the given Vulpkanin is under before having someone do something invasive (Example, giving a random civilian Mechanics Workshop Access without checking in with the HoP and CE and having the CE notify the Mechanic Vulpkanin, it counts as territory intrusion and generally will result problems.

Vulpkanin are generally rather loyal to those they see as friends and tend to have a hard time staying mad at someone over prolonged periods of time. However repeatedly pissing them off with net you a rather vicious enemy.

They generally are sticklers to the rules. However small pranks and variations things are things slower maturers will occasionally do.