Creature:Oronusian Elatti

Appearance


The Oronusian Elatti are a tall, carnivorous reptilian species originating from the planet Oronus. They have a scaly red skin that can be as much as 5cm (2in) thick. Standing on average at 2.2m (7ft 2in) for males and 2.05m (6ft 7in) for females. Males are generally more bulky, with thicker plates on their chests and are more muscular in appearance, their colourings are also brighter and more vivid than those of the females. Both sexes have powerful claws on their hands and feet, although the foreclaws on the arms are usually larger in males. Oronusians can run at speeds of over 50 kph (31 mph) and are also proficient at jumping, peaking at about 3 times their height. The Oronusians are a poikilothermic (cold-blooded) race, and thrive in the perpetually warm, dense atmosphere of their home planet.

Perception
Oronusians have excellent sight due to their large eyes and are capable of binocular vision, a nictitating membrane is present, preventing sand and other debris from irritating the eyes. Oronusians have a poor sense of hearing but can detect the tiniest vibrations from up to a kilometre away. They can smell via a passage in the roof of their mouths and also have an enlarged vomeronasal organ in from of this passage that allows them to 'taste' passing air particles, in this way they can detect subtle atmospheric changes and locate prey.

Timeline
Auyk'hyrantis'antorssharulan era (early cellular era)
 * 2.31 bya - The Elatti cell mutates from the simple Oronusi tanganega, at only 2mm in size.
 * 2.30 bya - Becomes much more agressive. Grows to a size of 7.8mm, jaw becomes larger.
 * 2.78 bya - Grows to a size of 3.1cm, cilium begin forming in front of the already developed flagellum.
 * 2.65 bya - Grows to a size of 5.2cm spiked appendages appear behind the jaw and eyes.
 * 2.51 bya - Grows to a size of 8.3cm cilium fully formed.
 * 2.21 bya - Grows to a size of 13.2cm, now capable of secreting a poisonous toxin from its skin.

Auyk,hyrantis'duorssharulan era (late cellular era)
 * 1.98 bya - Grows to a size of 18cm, spiked appendages grow larger.
 * 1.21 bya - Grows to a size of 38.2cm, cilium elongate and broaden.
 * 810 mya - Grows to a size of 51.2cm, rear spikes begin forming into stubby limbs.

Auyk'hyrantis'aynoordiaum era (emergence era)
 * 570 mya - Crawls from the seas and form their first nest. Now nearly 1.1m long.
 * 380 mya - Clium begin forming into feet, stubby spike-like appendages used for crawling. Grows to a size of 1.25m.
 * 240 mya - Feet fully formed, claws developing on frontal limbs, which are still used to support body weight.
 * 190 mya - Feet now strong enough to carry the Elatti without aid of the front limbs, allowing them more use as weapons.
 * 100 mya - Feet begin to lose their webbing as the Elatti become a fully land-based creature. Brain becomes much larger.

Auyk'gyrathn'angantlian era (proving era)
 * 97 mya - Claws become much stronger and more dexterous. Jaw becomes larger and more powerful.
 * 89 mya - Plate-like armour begins to appear on the abdomen.
 * 83 mya - Foreclaws begin appearing on the arms, and the body becomes more muscular.
 * 62 mya - Spine begins to straighten resulting in a more upright posture, now at a size of 1.75m.

Auyk'gyrathn'tulumptian era (dominance era)
 * 53 mya - Becomes the dominant species on Oronus.
 * 12 mya - Extincts most other species present on the planet.
 * 8 mya - Now at a height of 2.1m and fully developed into their current appearance.

Auyk'kullikan era (sapience era)
 * 3 mya - Begin to form small social groupings of three or four members.
 * 2 mya - Primitive speech skills begin developing and claws become much more dexterous, allowing the use of simple hand tools.
 * 1 mya - Speech replaces hand gestures as the main form of communication.

Auyk'antors'kullikan era (nomadic era)
 * c. 800,220 ya - Crude dwellings begin to be formed out of grasses and other natural materials.
 * c. 650,430 ya - Simple clothing is invented. The Oronusians begin to draw images to express their feelings and note their surroundings.
 * c. 500,140 ya - Fire is discovered, become fully sapient.

Auyk'shuilatillan era (settlement era)
 * c. 500,110 ya - Forms first tribe, the Gului'mag'eluti, under chieftain Daaru'usphis'hyn'gul.
 * c. 400,940 ya - Oronusiil is first referenced as a god and documented with the use of crude pictures.
 * c. 399,670 ya - The planet is named Oronus in honour of Oronusiil.
 * c. 300,830 ya - Invents basic weaponry, including flint spears and axes, also develops rudimentary medicinal practices.
 * c. 200,320 ya - First animals domesticated, they are used for transport, food and clothing.
 * c. 180,760 ya - Red spice is first used as a colouring and as an ingredient in mystical potions.

Auyk'guluintaluan era (division era)
 * c. 113,710 ya - The Gyeri'maitlui tribe is formed from a breakaway group of the Gului'mag'eluti who do not believe in Oronusiil's existence.
 * c. 112,450 ya - The Gului'mag'eluti attempt to reunite the splintered tribes, the Gyeri'maitlui refuse and attack the Gului'mag'eluti.

Auyk'guluintaluan'antorssharulan era (hostility era)
 * c. 112,400 ya - The Gului'mag'eluti denounce the Gyeri'maitlui as false believers and attack their village, killing many tribe members.
 * c. 112,150 ya - After centuries of fighting, the Gului'mag'eluti deal a critical blow to the Gyeri'maitlui by killing their chieftain.
 * c. 112,100 ya - The Gyeri'maitlui descend into chaos without leadership, with members vying for control of the weakened tribe.
 * c. 112,050 ya - D'mshis'hyn'wraukti assumes control of the Gyeri'maitlui and orders an immediate attack on the Gului'mag'eluti.
 * c. 112,050 ya - The Gyeri'maitlui attack the Gului'mag'eluti village but are easily defeated by the larger tribe.

Auyk'guluintaluan'duorssharulan era (unification era)
 * c. 112,050 ya - The Gyeri'maitlui announce defeat and surrender, their chieftain is killed and the members return to the Gului'mag'eluti.
 * c. 108,300 ya - The Shalti'eluti form from a primitive ancestor of the Oronusians. Several smaller tribes also form.
 * c. 107,000 ya - The Elatti first encounter the Grox when one of their spaceships surveys the planet.

Auyk'guluintaluan'qaunissharulan era (purification era)
 * c. 106,400 ya - The Shalti'eluti befriend the Gului'mag'eluti and form a trade route between their villages.
 * c. 105,900 ya - The Gului'mag'eluti and the Shalti'eluti unite after centuries of trading.
 * c. 105,800 ya - The united Oronusian tribes wipe out the smaller, weaker tribes and claim their land.
 * c. 93,200 ya - A temple is built to worship Oronusiil on what will later become the site of their first city; Oronusi'hyn'gul'siyuhu.
 * c. 90,500 ya - A great wall is built around the temple to protect it from attack.

Auyk'dumrili'maguntillan era (discovery era)
 * c. 89,200 ya - First modern written document recorded.
 * c. 87,100 ya - Trade becomes popular, and marketplaces appear where raw materials and other goods can be bartered.
 * c. 86,500 ya - The Oronusian holy book; Hyn'gul'tasila (The great texts) is written.
 * c. 78,000 ya - A crude bureaucratic system is set up and laws are imposed on the townspeople for the first time.
 * c. 70,800 ya - The first military unit Antors'agarissul (first aggressors) is created.
 * c. 69,900 ya - First wheeled vehicle, pulled by tamed Rynark beasts.
 * c. 68,700 ya - First use of complex weapons such as the Tyan'goraklu - a basic onager.
 * c. 66,400 ya - Smelting is first used to create weaponry and armour.
 * c. 64,200 ya - Gunpowder is discovered by an eccentric alchemist who first uses it to create fireworks to impress the townspeople.
 * c. 60,300 ya - Cannons are invented and quickly become popular due to their destructive nature.

Auyk'duor'nekeyeions era (construction era)
 * c. 58,300 ya - The first major city; Oronusi'hyn'gul'siyuhu is founded.
 * c. 56,800 ya - First use of currency - the Kauytii.
 * c. 55,500 ya - Hand pumps are constructed, allowing the flow of fresh water and preventing diseases from spreading.
 * c. 52,200 ya - Medical buildings first appear, providing natural remedies and potions.
 * c. 50,900 ya - First school built, teaching young Oronusians about religious and historical events.

Auyk'nekeyeions era (advancement era)
 * c. 41,700 ya - Oronusi'hyn'gul'siyuhu grows to a population of 20,000.
 * c. 35,200 ya - The city grows beyond the boundary of the outer wall, a second wall is built to contain the urban sprawl.
 * c. 32,650 ya - A second city is founded, supporting the notion of militaristic ideals as opposed to religion.
 * c. 29,120 ya - Steam replaces wind as the primary source of power.
 * c. 27,010 ya - Many other cities are founded on the planet.
 * c. 26,720 ya - Red spice becomes a valuable commodity and is traded in great amounts.

Auyk'onginaari era (engineering era)
 * c. 26,450 ya - Motorised vehicles are invented and quickly utilised for many purposes.
 * c. 25,210 ya - Several factions arise, opposing the current religious leadership. Which eventually lead to hostilities.
 * c. 25,120 ya - War breaks out as opposing military and religious nations attempt to secure the planet's supply of spice.
 * c. 24,760 ya - The religious Iili'raiuthuni'umauthu (Gods revival movement) fortifies Oronusi'hyn'gul'siyuhu and begins producing transport vehicles.
 * c. 23,980 ya - The economic nation of Praaundusi'tauli (prosperous skies) takes control of the Junthiyan continent by purchasing it for 58,000,000 Kauytii.
 * c. 22,270 ya - The militaristic Agarissuliau'auuviantauri (aggressive overlords) destroys its smaller military rivals and claims the Authiyan continent.
 * c. 21,430 ya - The Iili'raiuthuni'umauthu and Praaundusi'tauli form a trade route, and unite against the Agarissuliau'auuviantauri.
 * c. 19,170 ya - First fully mechanised production line, manufacturing weaponry and armour at a much faster rate than the old methods.
 * c. 18,740 ya - The Agarissuliau'auuviantauri seizes Oronusi'hyn'gul'siyuhu from the Iili'raiuthuni'umauthu, greatly reducing their dominance over the Aynoordiyan continent.
 * c. 17,820 ya - The Iili'raiuthuni'umauthu allies with several smaller religious factions, and takes the Authiyan continent from the Agarissuliau'auuviantauri.

Auyk'tagaquontis era (technological era)
 * c. 15,660 ya - The Agarissuliau'auuviantauri manufacture their first aircraft and quickly take control of the skies.
 * c. 15,270 ya - The first Eyktduyshiu'auhtilaut (exavision equipment) - the Oronusian equivilant of a television is manufactured.
 * c. 14,980 ya - The Iili'raiuthuni'umauthu recapture Oronusi'hyn'gul'siyuhu, reducing the influence of the Agarissuliau'auuviantauri to a few scattered strongholds.
 * c. 13,720 ya - The united nations of the Praaundusi'tauli and Iili'raiuthuni'umauthu successfully end the era long war by defeating the Agarissuliau'auuviantauri.
 * c. 13,690 ya - The nation of Aaufauri'tulumpti'lerausthau (forward thinking individuals) is formed from the merging of the Praaundusi'tauli and Iili'raiuthuni'umauthu.

Auyk'aulantarii era (planetary era)
 * 5,301 ya - First successful space flight in the shuttle Aquinis-5.
 * 5,167 ya - First piloted shuttle lands on Oronus' moon Hyranticon.

Auyk'dzteiirakhi era (stellar era)
 * 4,801 ya - The Council of Greats is first formed, replacing the previous ruling system.
 * 4,776 ya - First fully spacefaring craft is created; the Starchaser-class Light Shuttle Usphis'ghyn'Oronusii.
 * 4,774 ya - Xyanti'duor'gul'eluti becomes the first craft to leave the Oronusiil system. However the shuttle malfunctions and is lost forever.

Auyk'meihkkitarichuul era (metamaterials era) Auyk'vayu'onginaari era (bioengineering era) Auyk'mahakiani era (galactic era)
 * 3,523 ya - Expands to 3 star systems.
 * 3,411 ya - Discovers the powerful Feegal empire and allies with them, seeing their military prowess as invaluable to expansion.
 * 3,209 ya - Allies with the Glompah empire, a naive but large empire who offer tools for a very cheap price.
 * 2,996 ya - Allies with the Serrofi empire, a peaceful Bard race.

Auyk'estilmantyi era (colonisation era)
 * 2,717 ya - Expands to 10 star systems. The planet Duorshalti is designated a wildlife sanctuary and populated with bioengineered creatures.
 * 2,694 ya - The outdated Starchaser-class Light Shuttle is retired and replaced with the more adaptable and intimidating Adjudicator-class Cruiser.
 * 2,568 ya - Gyerfiil is colonised due to its abundant supply of green spice.
 * 2,379 ya - Fortifies its major colonies to repel pirate attacks.
 * 2,301 ya - Duorshalti is abandoned as part of a major experiment.
 * 2,227 ya - Hyranticon becomes the second wildlife sanctuary in the Oronusiil system.
 * 1,589 ya - Expands to 15 star systems. The Council of the Greats decide that the Oronusian Empire is strong enough to stand by itself.
 * 1,197 ya - Expands to 20 star systems. Begins strengthening its border planets in preparation for the great crusade.

Auyk'chariuul'ghyn'duintiili era (crusade of the gods era)
 * 1,114 ya - Angers the Feegal empire by not paying them tribute, the Oronusians respond by bombing their planets, severing the alliance.
 * 1,113 ya - Declares war on the Feegal empire and captures many of their border planets.
 * 1,111 ya - Feegal empire attacks Oronus, they are easily defeated.
 * 1,108 ya - Defeats the Feegal empire and takes their homeworld, the remnants flee through a nearby wormhole.
 * 1,107 ya - Allies with the scientific Affari Lyphan empire, exploiting their technological advancements and preventing them from expanding their empire further.
 * 1,103 ya - Captures several planets from the Serrofi empire in an unexpected offensive against their ally.
 * 1,102 ya - The Serrofi empire tries to recapture its former colonies, the attack fails. The Serrofi empire declares war on the Oronusians.
 * 1,102 ya - Executes a ruthless offensive on multiple Serrofi controlled worlds, the Serrofi are unable to plan a counter-offensive.
 * 1,101 ya - The Serrofi empire surrenders after losing nine of its major planets in as many months.
 * 1,096 ya - The Serrofi empire try to form another alliance with the Oronusians, who refuse the offer.
 * 1,091 ya - The crippled Serrofi attempt to bribe the Oronusians, hoping to save their empire from destruction.

Auyk'eesophoris'tagui era (expansion era)
 * 1,053 ya - Captures the last few remaining Serrofi controlled planets and destroys their empire.
 * 1,027 ya - Expands to 50 star systems.
 * 1,023 ya - The Council of Greats make autonomous defense sentinelss mandatory on all of its fully developed spice producing worlds.
 * 998 ya - Bio-protectors and bio-stabilisers are placed on many planets to prevent ecological breakdown.
 * 740 ya - Begins to travel to distant corners of the Galaxy using wormholes in search of like-minded species, in their travels they meet many races including the Mycaryn, Nagintan Baruti, Sholme, Altase, Angh'vypid and a primitive Pauthaykaun society in it's early stages.
 * 557 ya - Locates the Grox empire near the centre of the galaxy, although initially hostile the Oronusians complete tasks to appease them.
 * 101 ya - Allies with The Grox empire.

Auyk'ariliantal'mahakian era (galactic conflict era)
 * 101 ya Thousands of empires around the galaxy declare war against the Oronusians after their alliance with The Grox.
 * 99 ya Expands to 200 star systems after dominating numerous smaller enemies and taking their planets.

Auyk'nyaov'ehritu'tisklu era (nanorobotic era)

Life in the oceans
The Oronusian race began life around 2.3 billion years ago on the planet Oronus. They were an advanced form of the herbivorous Oronusi tanganega cell, one of the first lifeforms to have evolved on the planet. Like all life they once called the depths of the oceans their home. While they evolved in the primordial tide pool they gained many characteristics that would later lead them to greatness, the Oronusian spawn - called Hyn'vuau'gul'eluti (the young great ones) by Oronusian pastsighters - were extremely vicious, and would devour any cells that were foolish enough to wander too close to their large jaws, they even attempted to attack much larger cells, which would usually result in the Elatti being eaten. Over the aeons they grew in size from only a few millimetres to almost a metre, they were established as a bold and daring species and quickly assumed the position of top predator, with this summit reached there was only one place for them to go.

Arrival on land
After 1.7 billion years of ocean life the Elatti finally climbed the sandy banks of its home planet for the first time, quickly establishing themselves. They were unevolved and unfamiliar in their new kingdom and had to reclaim their place amongst the other species, ironically many of the creatures already inhabiting the planet had evolved to live on land to avoid the Elatti in the ocean depths, and were now once again their prey. Becoming dominant again was difficult for the aggressive and solitary Elatti, as other species tended to stick together and were hard to separate and single out.

Another 450 million years had passed and the Elatti were at their peak, physically dominating and relying on their strength to elevate them above other subservient species. It was around this time that they realised the importance of grouping together, and gradually future generations would roam in packs of three or four, an unstoppable force, they would wipe out entire nests and feast on the remains of their victims before moving on. As their species bonded they developed simple socialising skills, singing and dancing to communicate their thoughts, during this unity their hunger for dominance became more insatiable, and they became known as Oronusian Elatti. An ancient rite of passage for young Oronusians was to claim the claw of an epic Rykross during battle with the great beast. There were few creatures who asserted their dominance over the land like the Oronusians, although they had become more dependant on one another, it proved to be a step in the right direction, it wasn't long until sentience beckoned.

Tribal customs
Upon discovering fire the Oronusians formed their first tribe - known as the Gului'mag'eluti (ones of greater knowledge) - and set about taming the wilderness, it wasn't long until other tribes were formed, either by members of the original tribe branching out or by other sentient species looking to gain the upper hand.

Other tribes included:


 * Gyeri'maitlui (Masters of fire)
 * Shalti'eluti (Ones of power)
 * Falih'aykis'esirni (Free spirit runners)
 * Hyn'iili'tunji (The living gods)

The Gului'mag'eluti worshipped Oronusiil, the first of the gods, believing him to be the guardian of Oronus and protector of life on the planet. In reality the Oronusiil were an ancient species that once inhabited the planet, they were of hyper epic size, standing at approximately 12.7m (41ft 6in) tall. Although the Oronusiil died out millions of years before the Oronusians crawled from the sea their remains littered the sandy planet and their skeletons stood as monuments, stark reminders of an era gone by. It is generally regarded by the Oronusian pastsighters that Oronusiil was placed on the planet to repel the evil Tanjhuyron and ensure the continued harmony that would eventually allow their species to evolve. After defeating the Tanjhuyron, Oronusiil remained on the planet until his death, upon which his immortal spirit ascended to the enthyanti'raiuun'ghyn'iilu (ethereal realm of the gods.)

The second tribe formed was the Gyeri'maitlui, they were an offshoot of the Gului'mag'eluti, founded many thouands of years after the first tribe. Their religious views differed from the Gului'mag'eluti, they instead worshipped Gyerfiil, believing him to be the rightful protector of the planet. Although the Gului'mag'eluti initially tried to befriend them, the Gyeri'maitlui were resistant and attacked the other tribe which began a bitter war between the two. They fought for many centuries until the Gyeri'maitlui were weakened when the Gului'mag'eluti killed their chieftain. A young Oronusian called D'mshis'hyn'wraukti assumed control of the Gyeri'maitlui and ordered an immediate attack on the Gului'mag'eluti village. The diminished tribe stood no chance against the much larger and better prepared Gului'mag'eluti, and their attack failed. The Gyeri'maitlui immediately surrendered, their chieftain was executed in a brutal public display and the remaining members returned to the Gului'mag'eluti tribe.

The third tribe, the Shalti'eluti were formed from the Oronusi tulumptidae; a primitive ancestor of the Elatti. They had no religious beliefs, and the Gului'mag'eluti soon set about converting them. The Shalti'eluti were a friendly tribe who saw the advantage of trading, after many centuries the two tribes eventually became allies.

After uniting the scattered tribes the Oronusians turned their attention to other creatures who had gained sentience and were forming tribes of their own. Seeing them as unwilling to cooperate and submit to the Oronusian way of life, the only option was to eradicate them, the unified Oronusians were unrelenting in their attacks on the smalller villages, and soon the remaining tribes were wiped out. In celebration of their victory the Oronusians began building a vast temple to worship Oronusiil, this would be the site of their first city; Oronusi'hyn'gul'siyuhu (city of the great Oronusi) and signal an end to the nomadic era.

Civilisation
After the completion of their first temple, the Oronusians built great walls around its perimeter to keep out roaming pack animals that plagued the smaller less-developed villages. During this time the Oronusians began advancing themselves technologically, with many great discoveries such as motorised transport, steam power, smelting and a bureaucratic system. With the introduction of Kauytii - the Oronusian currency - the crude trading methods of earlier times were abandoned, Oronusians quickly adapted to this new way of life and began spending lavishly. Millenia later spice mining had become a lucrative profession for many, but the mines themselves were greatly contested and disputes arose as to who owned them, this led to many conflicts between rival nations, the most well known of these conflicts was the gulu'haiysh'rauti (great spice wars) that lasted more than a century.

The fragmentation of Oronusian society created three distinct factions; the aggressive military nations chose to use their technological might to crush the opposition. The crusading religious sects kept their faith in the gods, and propaganda became their primary weapon for converting the masses. While the prolific economic conglomerates tried to maintain their neutrality, bribing and buying out their rivals cities with huge amounts of cash. Initially the neutral stance of the economic nations gave them the advantage, but the militaristic states were much more brutal and could capture cities at an alarming rate.

The three main nations throughout the war were:


 * Agarissuliau'auuviantauri (Aggressive overlords) - a powerful military state headed by a villainous despot that controlled the Authiyan continent for much of the war. They became the dominant force early in the war, seizing much of their rivals territory and amassing a huge arsenal of weaponry. During the later years of the war their military campain stalled and stagnated, with such a large area to defend their forces were spread thinly, and smaller nations took advantage of this, attacking simeltaneously from all sides. They were eventually defeated by the united religious and economic nations.


 * Praaundusi'tauli (Prosperous skies) - a plutocratic nation who believed trade was the way forward, they successfully bought the Junthiyan continent for 58,000,000 Kauytii during the Great Spice Wars. They were opposed to the militaristic ideals of the Agarissuliau'auuviantauri and eventually alligned themselves with the more passive religious nations. They were the eventual victors of the war, along with the Iili'raiuthul'umauthu, both nations merged together to create the Aaufauri'tulumpti'lerausthau (forward thinking individuals) and brought a new age of social and technological advancement.


 * Iili'raiuthul'umauthu (Gods revival movement) - a religious theocratic society who claimed the Aynoordiyan continent at the beginning of the war. They were the main rivals of the Agarissuliau'auuviantauri, although they initially distrusted the Praaundusi'tauli, fearing that an economically orientated society could corrupt their religious community. They eventually ended the war after allying with the Praaundusi'tauli and defeating the Agarissuliau'auuviantauri.

Entering space
The Oronusian race entered space 4,776 years ago, in what marked the beginning of the stellar era. The newly appointed Curyanos'ghyn'guli (council of the greats) oversaw the development and construction of the first fully space capable craft; the Dzteicasseiri'culg'ayllaum'hmutluk (Starchaser-class Light Shuttle). The ship was boxy, unstable and couldn't travel far before it needed refueling, however it could be piloted by a squad of just three Oronusians. The council elected Duak'llyerku'ghyn'tallakis, a decorated war general and wealthy landowner, to lead this squad, believing him to have the military expertise and diplomatic acumen to fully utilise the craft's capabilities.

Although the council desired to spread the word of Oronusiil to every corner of the galaxy they realised that the Oronusians were a severely weak empire, having just begun their galactic quest. They quickly formed alliances with local empires that were already well established, this not only created a buffer between them and any potential enemies, but also opened up the possibility of forming trade routes and also the ability to buy equipment at a cheaper, more competitive price. The Oronusians gained favour with these empires by performing menial delivery tasks, and soon had several prominent allies, with ships ferrying supplies and produce between worlds. The Oronusians knew they had to wait until their empire was large enough before they even considered any sort of offensive against other empires, if any attack was made now it would surely mean defeat for their fledgling empire.

The Oronusians begain establishing colonies on numerous planets, these colonies were governed by a single haayr'mantyric (high marshal) who basically had control of the planet they occupied, the colonies were fortified where possible to defend against raiding pirates. All planets colonised by the Oronusians were terraformed to T3 conditions, and their terrain, seas and skies were recoloured to resemble that of Oronus. As the Oronusians took control of more planets, they became bolder, seizing systems from smaller empires by force and quickly doubling the size of their empire. It was around this time that a new class of spaceship entered prduction; the Ildjudicari-class cruiser, it swiftly replaced the aging and archaic Dzteicasseiri-class shuttle to become the standard craft of the Oronusian fleet.

The Oronusians next task was to locate the Grox empire. Although the only information the Oronusians had about the Grox was garnered from tales and rumours spread far across the galaxy, they were still intrigued by these "abominations of nature" and their apparent might, and made it their priority to locate them and assess the situation for themselves. The Oronusians located the Grox 557 years ago, and were amazed and impressed by their expansive empire. They began to respect the Grox, seeing their ruthlessness as a form of honesty.

The Oronusians knew the Grox were hated by most of the galactic community, but they also knew they were the most powerful empire in the galaxy and a valuable asset, with the Grox as an ally the Oronusians would be equally feared. Although the Oronusians did not consider themselves evil, they knew an alliance with the Grox would alienate them from many of their potential allies. After much deliberation from the Council of the Greats, the alliance was formed. Immediately local empires began bombarding Oronusian border worlds, but the Oronusians had already anticipated this and had fortified their planets accordingly. This was all part of their grand scheme, the Oronusians' true intentions towards the Grox were known only to the highest in command.

It was always the Oronusians' intention to eventually destroy the Grox, one way or another, however a military offensive would have alerted them and brought the entire might of their armarda to the Oronusians' borders, which even the Oronusians knew was an unstoppable force. The decision was made not to conquer the Grox with might, but with cunning. As their ally they would evade notice and were free to plot their next move. After maximising their profit from spice mining the Oronusians set about forming trade routes with the Grox, buying out their systems and establishing a foothold in the galactic core. It is indeed ironic that the Oronusians were hated by the galactic community because of their alliance, yet they had in fact done so with the intention of removing the Grox from the picture, thus liberating the galaxy from their mechanical grip and usurping their vacant empire.

Attire
Oronusian clothing started off as simple garments made of natural materials fashioned to crudely fit the wearer in the early nomadic era, but quickly became much more exuberant in their design, by the end of the discovery era clothing came to signify social status and power, woven fabrics were soon created to provide a better fit and increase mobility. Wooden masks were also popular as they gave the wearer a more menacing and mysterious appearance.

With the invention of metallurgy during the engineering era moulded plate armour became popular among the rich Oronusians, and proved to have a very practical use during the war for control of the planet.

During the metamaterial era new fibres were invented, and the heavy armour gave way to light, flexible underlays that were stronger and more durable. Some high-quality materials are even said to have made the wearer near invulnerable.

Mating
As a creature Oronusians breed once every 5 standard years, and lay a batch of approximately twelve eggs which are incubated underground for 11-12 months, being abandoned by the parents. Upon hatching the baby Oronusians will compete for food and resources, with the weaker babies becoming food for the more dominant young, generally only one or two babies will survive to adult life. Oronusians grow to full size within 10 years and can mate at 11 years of age. Males are primarily solitary, but may roam in pairs on occasion, females group together in packs of about five or six and lay their eggs together in one nest, with the elder female laying her eggs at the centre of the nest.

After becoming sentient the Oronusian culture altered, babies were born into small groupings and nurtured until adulthood, although the ritualistic fight for survival amongst newborns was still commonplace and seen as a necessary step towards maturity and dominance.

During the construction era Oronusian eggs were incubated in special buildings and tended to on a weekly basis, this practice is still used today, although complex machines have assumed the role of carers and maintain a perfect environment for the eggs to incubate in.

Personality
The Oronusians are a fierce, zealous, cunning and ruthless race. They understand the concept of betrayal and are known for double-crossing their allies without any thought or remorse, or without any real reason. Oronusians are known to be paranoid, megalomaniacal and untrusting, some claim they are fearful of their allies intentions, and of being betrayed themselves, thus they must strike first in order to quell any such ideas. Even the closest friends of the Oronusians are not safe from their tyranny. The Oronusians are a smart race, and know when they are outmatched, in these circumstances they will befriend and try to please their enemy. This gives them an excellent cover, allows them to gain insight into their foe's psyche, and plan their next move while building up their attack force. Many naieve species have fallen prey to this sly tactic.

The Oronusians do however seen the practicality and usefulness of having allies, and will sometimes not fully destroy their allies empire but rather leave it crippled, capturing the majority of their systems and leaving them begging for mercy. This enables them to carry on buying equipment and tools at a cheaper price and further enforcing their superiority. A favourite tactic of the Oronusians is to surround an empire at a single system, capturing all nearby stars and leaving them stranded, some spacefarers call this tactic the "Oronusian circle of terror," although they are allies the smaller empire is effectively a prisoner within this circle, and any ships trying to leave would be forcefully returned or destroyed.

Philosophy
The Oronusians are generally classed as a knight archetype, although they do not follow the same principles of honour and nobility that most knights adhere to. They are known for making brash and overconfident statements, and also for their megalomaniacal traits. They cannot accept surrender and will often fight their enemy to the death. It was once said that an Oronusian's weakness was their unshakable pride, although the Oronusians are quick to point out their heroic and daring nature to anyone who questions their beliefs.

Notable quotes:

Eth'huus'dzotu'saut'dy'aynustiru'distarri"daafuturi'ouhu'ovaut'etaunikaul'nyourti"
 * "It is best not to anticipate defeat, before you have envisioned glory."

Au'thilin'taug'maosi, high commander of the Agarissuliau'auuviantauri, prior to a military engagement, circa 18,000 years ago. Lsi'Oronusi'vair'saut'caspecyi'distarri"autluti'eth'huus'tourki"
 * "We Oronusians will not accept defeat, unless it is yours."

Starship captain D'houlmant'arraya'shuls to a rival empire, circa 1,400 years ago. Yth'lau'luahs'tzom'aaln'hyn'faiud'ghu'aghdsorri'huus'ul'ctauhtor"yth'lau'vushau'alutht'dzern'noukrigi'huus'ul'gulu'eiinthu"
 * "He who looks back in the face of adversity is a coward. He who shys away from nothing is a great being."

Dzorni'myart'kauthan'wretisk, Council of the Greats member, admonishing a young Oronusian, circa 600 years ago. Ul'yuuthu'elut'vair'saut'goulati'aalndyu'hyn'hozthei'ghu'hyrantisuu"ektu'vair'luahs'thysk'eth'dhyn'ayllaum'daaphias"
 * "A wise one will not stare into the heart of darkness, but will look past it to the light beyond."

Raigs'kthaus'jauthin'aullaul, Council of the Greats member, circa 1,000 years ago.

Religion
The Oronusian Elatti are a fanatically religious race and worship five gods;


 * Oronusiil - God of life and immortality
 * Gyerfiil - God of fire, war and death
 * Aquinisiil - God of stability and perseverance
 * Hyranticon - God of nature and the seas
 * Duorshalti - God of strength and power

Each of these gods relates to one of the planets in the solar system, the star Oronusiil and the home planet Oronus are named for bringing life to the Oronusian race.

There are many different accounts of the creation of the gods, and which if any claim the place as the elut'duvis'iil (one true god.) The main belief is that Oronusiil was the first of the gods, and others appeared later. The tribal Oronusians went to war with many of the other tribes that inhabited their continent, wiping out those that were unwilling to convert to their way of life. Eventually all were brought under Oronusian rule, and slowly they became civilised.



There are a small percentage of Oronusians who do not worship any god, called Duisphau'ghyn'duintiil (deserters of the gods) or sometimes just Duisphi (deserter) and seen as a disgrace to their society, they are regarded as outcasts and often killed. Upon discovering space travel the Oronusians encountered many new religions, and sought to crush those that conflicted with their views. Thus they entered into many wars with local empires, systematically and strategically wiping out their colonies and forcing them into submission, this led to the Chariuul'ghyn'iili (crusade of the gods) conflict that lasted for several hundred years.

Weaponry
The Oronusians innate hostility towards others led to a great advance in weaponry and armament as they sought to eradicate their enemies before they themselves were destroyed. Oronusians have always had a love of firepower and will often try to outdo each other in a game of one-upmanship with bigger and more deadly weapons, in the early engineering era this often led to mass casualties and even full scale wars. After the planet was united under one rule these conflicts subsided, and mass production was introduced, this led to a standardisation in equipment and vehicles.

The Oronusian philosophy towards combat is that many large forward-facing guns can crush an opponent well before a counterattack is possible; an oversight (although not in their eyes) that has in the past led them to many defeats when facing smaller, more mobile armies that could easily flank the Oronusian position, however this is always seen as cowardice on the enemy's part rather than a fault of the Oronusian commanders directing the battle. This tactic is referred to as Touriik'dveij (Touriik Turn), named after a timid reptile that inhabited Oronus, the term is considered the ultimate insult on the battlefield, although the opposing force rarely knows this, or even cares.

The Cuthyarku'culg'Mayusta'Dornikuyau'Nikuyau (Defiance-class MDW) is a heavy support vehicle created by Hourkantulk'antors'onginaari (Hourkantulk First Engineering,) designed to bombard static or slow moving targets from long range, it has heavy molecular bonded armour that is 1.7m thick and a large cargo hold that can be utilised for many different objectives; carrying troops, ammunition, supplies or other specific equipment. It stands 24.9m tall and 33.1m long and has a crew of 8 Oronusians. It is weak in close combat, but can defend itself somewhat with a single 1000mm Haayr'cdrausi'cupraungi'ardillut (high-energy projectile cannon) located under the neck of the walker that fires high-explosive shells. Its primary armament consists of two 1700mm Emmekiut'kyant'ardillutau(meteor-type cannons) located on the back of the walker that can fire ionised shells over hundreds of miles. Due to its immense size and ground clearance it can easily cover terrain deemed unsuitable for smaller vehicles.

The Reithar'culg'gythlsiaru (Rapid-class Airwhip) was introduced as an agile and fairly durable air-superiority fighter with a good balance of firepower and maneuverability. It entered production 1,000 years ago and has been a staple part of the Oronusian Air Defense Unit ever since. It is 15m long and comprises a crew of three Oronusians; a pilot and two gunners.

The Dzteicasseiri'culg'ayllaum'hmutluk (Starchaser-class Light Shuttle) was the first fully spacefaring craft created by the Oronusi'dztei'nekeyeions (Original Star Constructors,) by today's standards it is an archaic and obsolete design, but upon its inception it was heralded as a breakthrough in technological advancement, the pinnacle of Oronusian engineering, it allowed the young Oronusian Empire its first glimpse of the universe outside of their home system. Although it was unstable and could only store enough energy for a week's flight it became the standard for future designs. Armed with four side-mounted single-pulse Aaeikj'Cupryijjaru'Dekeyual'Heilthiakul (Laser Projection Emitter Systems), two Defaurniuu'kyant'duot (Type-2 Defaurniuu) missiles and a single heavy quad-pulse LaPESystem on the underside of the ship for attacking ground targets. At 22m in length it is smaller than today's equivilant spacecraft.

The Huthayark'yulstucu (Helm of Huthayark) was one of many similar designs created during the great Discovery Era nearly 70,000 years ago. The name of this particular vehicle comes from its resemblance to military commander Sharynt'heltv'huthayark'koruis's battle helmet, worn during his triumphant campaign for control of the desolate Authiyan continent. Created in his honour, it was much more exuberant in its design than most drawn vehicles of the day, which comprised of nothing more than crafted wood fixed to an axle and two wheels. Instead this vehicle was made by covering a rigid wooden frame with skins and hides. Like most vehicles created around this time it had no fixed weaponry, aside from a few large spikes, instead the rider would wield a spear or clublike weapon. The vehicle was lost from records long ago and never actually engaged in battle.

Government


The Oronusian race first introduced a bureaucratic system around 78,000 years ago, the leadership was comprised of a single Oronusian who had proven themself dominant enough to rule over the masses, a small group of marshals was chosen by the leader to ensure the rules were followed. This was basically an enhanced form of the primitive oligarchical government that the tribal Oronusians had used for millennia earlier, where the strongest lead the weaker. It wasn't until a second city was founded 33,000 years ago that this rule ended. A democratic leadership was introduced, and the masses could vote freely on who they wanted to rule over the lands. Around 25,000 years ago tensions began to rise as small factions broke away from the main governmental body, disagreeing with the current ruling system and their ideals. These small groups used guerrilla tactics to cause chaos in the larger cities before retreating into the wilderness. Soon their numbers swelled, with members covertly monitoring the political situation and choosing the right moment to strike, inciting riots and inflicting maximum damage on the overwhelmed militia. As the cities degenerated into anarchy the resistance became bolder in their moves, bombing key positions in the heart of the cities. Eventually one city fell to the resistance fighters, and became their stronghold. The war for control of the planet was in full swing, with opposing factions vying for the planet's supply of valuable spice.

The current government is a democratic one, but has some elements of technocracy, theocracy and aristocracy. It is overseen by a group known as the Council of the Greats, formed from five elected members each representing a certain element of society and their associated issues; religious, military, economic and environmental, the fifth is a mediator and overall advisor, any new laws must be agreed upon by the council before they are put to the public vote. The Council members serve a term of 10 standard Oronusian years before they retire, and a new member is elected to replace them upon their retirement. Those selected are generally older Oronusians who are seen as wiser and more profound in their insights.

Ancestors
The ancestors of the Oronusian Elatti were mainly primitive and died out due to their inability to adapt and advance. The most recent and probably most successful of these ancestors was the Oronusi tulumptidae, also known as the Oronusian Tulumi. They stood at 1.72m (5ft 6in) tall and were much less aggressive than other Oronusi. Although their brain was only 75% the size of an Elatti, they could still create robust hand tools and musical instruments such as the Houmau'auli, an intricate wooden horn. During the unification era they became sapient and formed a tribe; the Shalti'eluti, they quickly began trading with the Elatti and eventually allied with them. They lived until the construction era, in the shadow of the Elatti, and were regarded as second-class citizens and given menial tasks serving the more advanced Oronusians. They would go no further than this, their brain capacity was too limited to allow them to advance further. They quickly fell behind the Elatti in terms of progress and gradually their numbers reduced to a few hundred. The last Oronusi tulumptidae died approximately 50,000 years ago, their loss wasn't mourned by the Elatti, who by then had entered civilised life.
 * From left to right;
 * Oronusi elattinidae (original one) - 10 mya - present
 * Oronusi guluinul angautidae (greater mighty original) - 60 mya - 30 mya
 * Oronusi tulumptidae (thinking original) - 20 mya - 50,000 ya
 * Oronusi aynoordauykae (original of the old age) - 150 mya - 80 mya
 * Oronusi guluinul antorshaarunae (greater one-horned original) - 80 mya - 55 mya

The ferrocious Oronusi guluinul antorshaarunae (greater one-horned original) was the largest of the Elatti's ancestors, standing at 2.47m (8ft 1in) tall, and had a brain 50% the size of a modern Elatti's. They were also the largest in physical mass, weighing as much as 453 kg (1000 lb). They had long jaws that were 90cm (3ft) in length, capable of tearing through cartilage, bone and practically any other material of the time.

Both the Oronusi guluinul angantliae and Oronusi aynoordauykae died out early in the Elatti's history, they inherited many of the Elatti's aggressive characteristics, but were incapable of social bonding, preventing them from becoming a dominant species.

Classification

 * Kingdom:
 * Phylum:
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 * Genus: Oronusi
 * Species: Oronusi elattinidae