Fiction:Fordan Empire

'Welcome to Fordan Annals Section 35-16 (Fordanta). This page details the history and traditions of the Fordan race.'

"The Young bicker over this galaxy as if it were a mere plaything. No... To rule a galaxy, even a star system, is a burden too large for an unrestrained mind to bear. Without discipline, without the guidance of Those Who Came Before, no one race can truly own this galaxy."

- Fordan Grand Councilor

"To feel the wind at your back as your blades glitter in the sun... war is a symphony of death and beauty inextricably mixed. To fight for our beloved Forda, there is no greater joy nor honor."

- Blademaster Hel'Bre'K teaching new Warriors

"Once we were vile monsters. Our unrestrained, feral nature drove us to crush all before us. We since learned the value of peace, and cooperation. When the Grox drove us from the Ko'Sa'Va, we gave in to those primal urges again, and forgot ourselves in the process. When we thought we were revered, we were ridiculed. Our honour was tarnished, our praised names brought low. And yet, we are the stronger for it, for we have with seeing eyes and knowing minds experienced the extremes of our psyche, and it shall never again return."

- Fordan Diplomat to a Draconis noble.

The Fordanta are a carnivorous species native to the planet Forda, found in the star system of the same name. They are extremely physically powerful and have a strong warrior history, which has been since tempered with great periods of peace and culture. This article details their physical appearance, evolution, history, technology, culture and government in (mostly) easy to understand language, with comparisons to Earth creatures for an even better understanding.

Appearance
The Fordanta are carnivorous, bipedal reptilians noted for having four arms. The first pair of arms end in clawed, four-digit hands with opposable thumbs. The second pair end in long blades made from elongated nails. Their legs have two knee joints, one bending to the front, the other bent backwards. These allow the Fordanta to put more energy into their leaps and strides, making them far swifter than most of their competition on Forda. The legs end in raptor-like claws, which become continually harder and sharper over the years until the point where a stray kick to the head can cause severe brain damage if not a complete breach of the brain cavity and subsequent death. To add to this lethal array, the Fordanta have long, muscular tails that end in spines similar to those in the fringe on their head. These tail spines are used to prevent opponents from attacking the Fordanta from behind, as well as being used from time to time to attack targets in front, often to exploit a momentary weakness in the opponent's defence.

Skin
Fordan skin is covered in hard scales which protrude slightly from the skin, allowing them to slide over each other when moving at high speeds. The scales are not notably strong, but are sufficient to protect the Fordanta from the native predators of their home planet (well, the ones that used to be there, they're all dead now). The scales exhibit chameleoline qualities (changing colour) that allow them to blend into the surroundings while hunting.

Diet
Simply put, the Fordanta are carnivorous. They possess multi-stage digestive systems similar to those found in bovines, except these systems allow them to digest everything from flesh and fat to bone and nail. This does leave the Fordanta unable to eat plant matter though, and consuming too much will cause their stomachs to block, often resulting in death. The main food source of the Fordanta is a domesticated creature also native to Forda, often called a 'Talon beast.'

An interesting feature of the Fordanta's digestive system is the ability to strip sections of DNA from the cells of creatures they have eaten. They are then able to (with dificulty) recode the DNA in their egg cells to incorporate superior genes from other creatures. Simply put, the Fordanta have become the strongest because they ate the strongest.

A less useful quirk of the Fordanta's digestive tract is the inability to digest elements of cooked meat. The stomach enzymes of the Fordanta are suited to digesting protien chains from raw meat, and cannot handle the protiens if they are cooked.

Musculature
Compared to creatures of similar size, the Fordanta are extremely strong and fast. This is because of the special construction of their muscles, which in unscientific terms squash up when contracting to provide even more pulling power. The muscles are also extremely thin, their biceps approximately one third the diameter of a grown human bicep. Despite their small size, each muscle is capable of exerting the force of the entire arm of most species. The Fordanta's large frame supports three such biceps. Each muscle in the Fordan's body bar the heart is the same, a third of the size but equally as powerful, with a final muscle power 3 times that of an average creature of the same body mass. When all the muscles in the leg operate at maximum potential, such as during the barely suppressed adrenaline rush of the hunt, a Fordanta is capable of leaping around 60 horizontal metres. Such events are rare, though, and require the Fordanta to leap almost directly horizontal. The highest vertical jump recorded by a Fordanta is 28 metres, traveling around 9 metres horizontally.

Weaponry (Natural)
The first weapons noted on the Fordanta's bodies are the large nail-blades that tip their second pair of arms. These blades are used to deliver powerful downward strikes that most organisms cannot react to quick enough to block. These blows are often used to end fights quickly by slicing through the spinal cord of the opponent. As mentioned before, a spine is found on the top of the Fordanta's tail, although this spine is surrounded by clusters of poison glands. These glands can synthesize two poisons; an acidic substance launched at the opponent for a quick attack, and a nerve toxin that is secreted over the tail spine. Naturally, the Fordanta are immune to both these poisons. The Fordanta also possess a fringe of spines protruding from the back of the head. Females feature five short spines, while males sport two long, curved spines that grant them an unmistakably devilish appearance.

Teeth and Jaws
The Fordanta share several features with various reptiles found on Earth. Like several species of snake, the Fordanta are able to unhinge their jaws, so that they can swallow some prey whole if in a hurry. This is rarely done, however, as it takes considerable amounts of time to digest whole food. Their jaws are also very powerful, and this force cannot be unleashed without caution, as the Fordanta can shatter their own teeth when there is insufficient resistance from the meal.

Fordan teeth are sharp cutting blades just like carnivorous species on planet Earth. Their teeth are mostly uniform in size however, not featuring the prominent incisors noted on many carnivores. Despite this, though, the Fordanta still have huge teeth, 10-15cm in length, which are serrated at the back to prevent the meal from breaking free. Because of this tooth type the Fordanta are unable to chew, instead tearing off pieces of flesh with their hands before eating, or using their teeth to tear the food. These teeth also make it difficult to consume plants, although with their diet the Fordanta do not consume plants at all unless it is unavoidable, and even then the Fordanta would prefer to just find a hive of insects or the like to sustain themselves.

Poison Glands
Situated in the tail, the Fordanta's poison glands consist of several main chambers depending on their role. Most of these chambers are given over to producing various neurotoxins and paralytics used to incapacitate enemies. There are also chambers that produce antidotes to said poisons, and these can also be secreted over the tail blade to cure accidentally poisoned allies.

Pre-Sapience
In the early stages of life, when the Fordanta were simply cells, they only had a single flagella, stalk eyes and a mouth for consuming meat. They also had their unique ability to absorb genetic material from their meals, allowing them to evolve. An early member of the species observed a 'Pokey' cell being eaten, and consumed some of the leftover meat. This meat contained the genetic codes for spine development, and future Fordanta cells sported two such spines on the sides of the cells. Later parts absorbed include cilia, jets, electricity and the ability to grow different mouth types, although these mouths did not appear. Proximity to a radioactive meteor fragment resulted in the Fordanta first being able to synthesize poison. Eventually the Fordanta reached the size of a common Earth fish, and developed legs from modified flagella.

The Fordanta then became quadrupedal, terrestrial carnivores, generally scavenging other creature's kills until they absorbed the DNA codes for arms. Consuming one creature with four arms allowed them to develop this trait, although the Fordanta developed spines at the ends of these arms not additional hands. The flagella at the end of the creature evolved into the tail, and the Fordanta's poison glands were relocated to the end of the tail for ease of aiming. The Fordanta also evolved from the forward-bent single-knee legs they began with to having two-jointed legs. Among other traits gained are their four-digit hands with opposable thumbs, raptor-like feet exhibiting the large nail on the big toe employed by Earth dinosaurs, and a bony crest on their heads which was mainly used for charging other creatures.

Before attaining Sapience, the Fordanta were vicious hunters, using their chameleoline skin to stalk up on prey before leaping at high speed to kill the prey. They walked with a pronounced stoop, heads low to the ground so that they could track their prey easier. Their natural weaponry was also larger as it saw more use, and their poisons were more concentrated and stronger. They were able to use these weapons to devastating effect, acting instinctively with all five limbs (tail included) and their heads, forming a ring of attacks around them that was difficult to penetrate. Since attaining Sapience these weapons devolved slightly, but with new wars spreading between planets, the Fordanta have regained these formidable weapons. Intense periods of training have allowed Fordanta warriors to tap into their species' ferocity and instinct, creating a physically and mentally superior warrior that is capable of formulating a complex battle-plan while fighting for their lives.

Planet-Bound Sapience
Upon achieving Sapience, the Fordanta realized that they were able to influence their bodies in ways that are not considered natural. With their newly sophisticated hunting and killing techniques, they began systematically hunting down the strongest carnivores on the planet to gain their more powerful attributes. This period is now called the Purge of Forda by Fordan historians. Once all threatening life on the planet was eliminated, the Fordanta evolved one final time and created a small tribe.

Tribal Period
From the onset, this tribe was threatened by multiple tribes formed by other creatures that had gone unnoticed during the Purge. Every tribe was eventually brought to its knees by the Fordanta's superior military tactics, such as waiting for fishermen or farmers to leave the hut then killing them while they are isolated, stealing the tribe's food so that they could not have new children and at one stage luring an epic to the village, generating effective and hilarious results. By this time the Fordanta realized that their simple stone weapons and flaming torches would not be enough to rule a world, and they discovered metalwork, propelling them into civilization. By this time the Fordanta had found a name for their species: For'Dan'Ta (Fordanta), and began calling their civilized selves the For'Dans (Fordans).

Civilization
Most of the early buildings the new Fordans created were spiked edifices, intimidating spires liberally covered in gruesome kill markings, with an emphasis on impaled skulls. The Fordans were lead by a Warchief, who pronounced himself planetary Tyrant for all time. His name is now lost as modern historians scorn these early decades, but he was a poor planner. His city, Ko'Dan, was filled with smoke-belching factories and his subjects were not happy with his rule.

A rival city, E'Sta'Me'K, was founded by a different Fordanta tribe on the other side of the continent, one based on trade that only featured one factory connected to many houses, but each house was within walking distance to a theatre or zoo, so the citizens were happy. The leader of this city, E'Ze'Ki'Al, was a shrewd thinker, and sent agents into the other city, promising their citizens a life of wealth and power if they overthrew their monarch. This resulted in a great uprising in the city and the Warchief was slain. The city remained a military city, and backed by their rich allies, this new nation took control of every other city on the planet. The last city they took was E'Sta'Me'K, the one that made it all possible. Despite a century of friendship, this final battle was fought to determine who was to lead the Fordanta: a soldier or a trader. Naturally, the soldiers won, launching a huge ICBM into the city centre and destroying it. There was finally one nation in command of Forda, and the stage was set for the space stage.

Interplanetary Sapience
In total, the First Interplanetary Empire lasted around seventy years. This was a time of great peace, as Fordan society, already centred around the family and Kin, evolved into a state where the individual completely and willingly placed the whole over the individual. Arts, music and architecture flourished while the Warrior's Guild became an organisation of honour rather than fury. During this time, the only major activity of note was the Jarzo Assault, the war which won the an alliance with the mighty Vartekian Empire. During these seventy years the Fordans were extremely efficient in bringing down star systems, and they took control of nearly a hundred planets before disaster quite literally struck. The Fordanta were unfortunately located very close to the galactic core, only twenty-five parsecs away from Grox territory. When the first colonists moved out to expand the empire, they triggered a response from the Grox. For all their skill and valor, the Fordans were unable to defeat such a massive force, and were eventually pushed back to Forda itself.

The only thing that saved them was the discovery of the Void Sphere, a piece of archeotech (really old technology), hidden in the core of Forda's sun. Indeed, it was the Grox 'dooming' Forda to death by destroying the star that saved the planet and its populace. The Void Sphere allowed the remaining Fordans to lock their planet within void space. This meant that the Fordans could exist completely free of extinction, as other races could not access void space. Having no link to real-space meant that there was no time in the void space until a link was established. Due to this, Ja'Dan, Hel'Bre'K and some other Fordans are in fact several millenia old, even though biologically the oldest of them is only one hundred and fifty. During the millenia of timelessness, no Fordans died and none were born. This suited most Fordans well though, as their race was free from extinction forever. The problem with this was that they could not rebuild their race nor could they ever claim more than one planet. Furthermore, they could not release the pent up rage that boiled in their blood, corrupting their newly found peaceful nature and returning their psyche to that of a feral predator, all under their gaze.

After two thousand years of isolation, Fordan scholars finally understood the Sphere. They realised it created a bubble in void space, within real space itself, and that all they had to do to get out, while still retaining its inherent protection, was create a temporary opening in the Void using the technology that created it. Reverse-engineering the Sphere, the Fordan Craftsman's Guild created devices called Void Keys that allowed Fordan ships and personell to 'phase-in' to real space. Armed with this new technology, the bitter Fordans erupted from the Void when and where they pleased.

The Vartekians, who had long since forgotten the Fordan race, were suddenly hearing a barrage of reports of Fordan armies appearing and disappearing literally right before the observer's eyes. Shortly after the first reports arrived, Ja'Dan himself phased in right behind Captain Votarah and struck a deal. The maddened and vicious Fordanta would serve as shock-troops, tearing in and out of real space mid-battle to devastating effect, in return for the Vartekians defending the Void Gate. This massive space fortress holds a permanant link to void space, guaranteeing the Fordans safe access to real space, and the Vartekians a nigh-unbeatable army. This link also allowed time to continue inside the void space bubble, and the Fordans began rebuilding their population.

Recent Expansion
The Fordanta since outgrew Forda, with a total population of over 7 million residing on a rock the size of Pluto. There was no way to house the growing populace, as forecasts predicted that in the next year the Fordan population would more than treble (Fordans have on average two children a year), so they needed new worlds. Two options were presented to the Grand Council: Either recolonise their old galaxy, or snatch some space from the embattled Ottzello galaxy. In the end, they decided on both courses. Ja'Dan Fleetfather led a fleet to their ancestral home, swearing to eradicate the Grox and claim the Galactic Core for the Empire. To date he has taken most of the Grox space, and has cordoned off the Grox so that they cannot escape space without passing through Fordan territory. Hel'Bre'K took a Kin-group and established a citadel on one of the new planets in Ottzello, and began to claim the nearby systems. Wary of attracting too much attention, he restrained himself, capturing only five systems, but heavily guarding each with great numbers of bastions and defence posts.

The Fordan military was once again unleashed, and with the Void at their backs, there would be no stopping their expansion.

Guardians of the Galaxy
As a direct result of recent invasions against the Grox during the Grox Wars, the Fordanta have gained direct control of over 2500 systems. Having destroyed the major threat in their galaxy, the Fordanta were finally able to commence their greatest task yet: to bring peace, order and prosperity to the galaxy, as the Ancestors did before them.

To this end, the Fordanta sent ships to every race in the galaxy, and summarily delivered a warning that any actions that went against galactic order would be punished by swift destruction. Many Zealot races immediately rebelled, resulting in the Fordan military crushing the races and setting up outposts in those areas. Through this action, the Fordanta finally ceased undue strife and war in the galaxy.

As a side effect, there were now regional settlements every hundred parsecs or so, allowing the Fordanta to monitor the entire Galaxy. Local Lords were appointed to protect the citizens, and so the Fordans held sway over the entire galaxy. Individual Empires were left to govern themselves, but all payed due to their guardians, and for once the galaxy knew no unrest.

Even so, the Fordan race still suffered under its self-imposed quest of revenge against the Grox, the focus of their rage directed now to the Grox Meta-Emperor, on whose shoulders they placed the personal blame for the deaths of so many Fordanta, so long ago.

Post-Andromeda War
After the Grox Meta-Emperor's defeat, the Fordanta's dynamic military found itself having completed its great mission. As the need for standing warriors fell, those who had taken up the warrior's path to combat the Grox began to find new purposes. Furthermore, the laws preventing Fordanta from settling beyond the Void were removed. Fordan families settled on worlds held by their allies, and new worlds were colonised around the Bastion worlds in the Andromeda, Milky Way and Kraw galaxies.

Within years, the Fordan population rose exponentially, and soon the few million Fordanta became a thriving population of billions. Across the Ko'Sa'Va, vassal Empires that had long lived in utter fear of their militant overseers now flourished as diplomats and craftsmen plied their trade to strengthen and unite the galaxy. Further afield, the great powers that long regarded the Fordanta as ruthless warriors breathed easier as the iron grasp of the Warrior's Guild was eased, and the Craftsman's Guild took their place. Shattered worlds were rebuilt in grander fashion than the aliens dared contemplate, their newfound beauty matched by perfect functionality. As the Fordan psyche healed the wounds left two millennia ago, all manner of alien, from all manner of worlds and cultures looked on in disbelief as the calm, peaceful and benevolent nature of the Fordan race was fully revealed in the newly discovered civilian Fordanta.

Goverment and Law
Before Ja'dan Fleetfather created the first Bladewing, the Fordanta looked to ensuring that the events that befell Ko'Dan could never happen again. The first Fordan Council was established in E'Sta'Me'K, and the city was made Planetary Capital to distance the Fordans from their dark past. The Council consists of 3 Warriors, 3 Traders and 3 Civillians. When voting on a matter, the three representatives of each branch vote separately, with majority ruling. These three majority votes are then counted and majority rules again. The final decision attained is the one acted on. The first act of the Council was to create a binding set of laws applying to every aspect of Fordan life. This failed miserably as some of the laws conflicted with others, e.g. the Warrior is required by law to fight for the nation, but is also forbidden by law to harm or kill. To remedy this, the Council created a system whereby each Fordan follows a specific set of rules relative to what role in society he performs. Thus a number of organizations were set up, called 'Guilds,' which were to provide training, employment and enforcement of law to those that followed their discipline. Where laws between guilds clash, the Council votes on which set of rules is to be employed. if no unbiased vote can be achieved, a new Council of members is convened. If this new council cannot make a fair decision, honor laws are applied.

Each guild maintains a Codex- a book detailing every part of the guildmate's role and the laws by which he or she now lives. The Grand Codex is kept by the Council and contains the laws and customs of every guild, but not their practices. Through this system of internal government, Fordan society is very easy to understand, as the individual need be familiar only with the particular set of laws and customs that apply to them. This also means that society can exist quite smoothly without the Council in the event of an assassination, broken lines of communication e.t.c. It also prevents one individual from controlling too much of the society, as they can only command their specific group, e.g. Warriors can only lead Warriors, Metalworkers can only lead Metalworkers and so on. This type of government is also extremely effective for space colonies, as contact with Forda is not necessary for the smooth operation of society.

With the expansion to space, it was decided that each system would have its own Council, while the one on Forda was renamed the Grand Council.

Due to how the leaders of the Guilds are chosen based on their skill in the craft, the Empire is actually a Meritocracy.

Language
Due to their ability to assimilate the genes of other species, the Fordans are able to speak any language they are required to. Their own language is difficult to understand for most species, though, so they generally choose to speak in the other creature's language.

This language is only partly spoken, as body language plays a major element. It is possible, although uncommon, for two Fordans to have an entire civilized conversation with body language alone. When speaking, a Fordan talks in whatever way is linked to their guild. Warriors will therefore talk in brutal and often insulting terms, while Diplomats are extremely controlled and calculating in their choice of words. Despite what words they use, all Fordanta speak in a harsh, deep voice that is often more intimidating than their appearance if they are unseen.

When written, Fordan words are broken up into syllables, separated by ', so for example; Sekara Matores (Walk the Path- used in the Warrior guild as a farewell, it means stay honorable) is written Se'Ka'Ra Ma'To'Re's. Fordans are not competent writers, though, as their hands are not very dexterous beyond the extent needed for combat. Thus most Fordan writing is seen on vehicles and tech where a machine writes it out instead, or has been written out by touch pads.

The Guild System
In Fordan life, every job is dictated by a Guild. These guilds look to the training, organisation, equipment and payment of their members, and provide a set of rules and standards by which the Fordan lives their life. The composition of individual guilds is left up to the guild Master to decide, but the organisation is more or less the same:


 * Master
 * Deputies (Generally 3-5)
 * Unique Ranks (e.g. Fleetfather and Blademaster)
 * Specialists
 * Minor Leaders/ Managers
 * Guildsmen/ Guildswomen

(It should be noted that this is the format for a single planet's Guild. The total organisation may have hundreds of thousands, or even millions of members.)

Different guilds have their own names for the various ranks, and some include or exclude ranks as they see fit. Most guilds have roughly 10 ranks, although guilds with many divergences, such as the Warriors' guild, can have anywhere up to 20. The guild with the greatest number of ranks is in fact the Warriors' Guild, which has 23 disparate levels of rank.

Each Guild is responsible for the recruitment, employment, equipment, to a lesser degree accommodation, and more of new recruits. Depending on the Guild this may be little more than a bed in a barracks, with meals at a military mess, but all fill out their duty of care. The Guildmate's equipment is funded almost entirely by the guild, and the owner generally only pays to keep it maintained. There are exceptions, of course, such as the Engineers' Guild, which requires students to create their own gear as their lessons continue.

Guilds promote a way of thinking, acting and talking, and give Fordans a new point of view that they can draw on later in life. There are rules in place about how Fordans can address others, the contents of conversations and how the conversations are ended. For example, a Warrior always uses as few words as possible, using simple, blunt language to get the message across in as little time as possible. A diplomat, on the other hand, is always calculating in their speech, often embellishing their praise of the other speaker so as to foster trust. They also never end a discussion, always letting the other person have the last word, to make them feel important.

A Guildsman serves with a guild for a set period, usually 6 years, before they are free to retire. A Fordan who retires from one guild then joins another, and so on until they find the guild that they dedicate their life to. This process is known as Vo'Si'Va Se Ma'To'Res (Finding One's Path), and often takes decades. By taking on the lessons learned in previous guild lives, a Fordan gains new perspectives and new ways to solve problems.

At the end of one's service to a Guild, all of the equipment provided by the Guild is returned, and so is the formal rank given to the individual. When the Fordan joins the next guild, it is as if their previous life with the earlier guild never happened.

The Warrior's Guild
One of the oldest and most noble of the Guilds, the Warrior's Guild is essentially the Empire's armed service. While other organisations may contribute to the war effort, such as the Pilot's Guild or the Enforcement Guild (i.e. the police), it is the Warriors who make up the bulk of the Fordan fighting force.

The Guild originated from early Fordan hunters, who used simple stone throwing blades and spears alongside their formidable natural weaponry. As a result, it has one of the longest and most finely detailed histories of all Guilds, and almost all Fordans will join the Guild at least once in their lives. As such, a very strict ranking system has developed over time, ensuring that no skill set is left unaccommodated, as well as recognising leadership and initiative.

Basic Ranking System
The Warrior's Guild makes use of a highly complicated and sophisticated ranking system, which indeed is more of a rank web than ladder. As such, it is too difficult to possibly record it in its entirety here, so a basic list of ranks will be provided.


 * Guildmaster- Leader of the Guild, this role is more of an administrative duty than anything else, handling logistics and training. Its counterpart is the Blademaster.
 * Blademaster- Field commander and military leader of the Fordanta, the Blademaster is tasked with leading the most vital and brutal of assaults, where their superior skills and battlefield knowledge are most useful.
 * Praetoria- A corps d'elite of bodyguards, the Praetoria are specifically tasked with guarding the persons of the Blademaster, the Grand Councillors, and anyone considered to be vital to the cause of the Fordanta. They are warriors to whom few can compare, and to be bestowed with the gift of a Praetorian Honourblade is a rare privilege to which many aspire, but few attain. It is from the ranks of the Praetoria that the Lord Marshall, the Guild's wartime leader, is chosen.
 * Marshall- Commander of one Cohort, a Marshall is both a great warrior and an inspiring leader, guiding his blood- and blade-brothers to victory and glory in the name of Kin and Empire.
 * Champion- A lesser rank performing a similar function to the Blademaster, a Champion represents the honour of his Cohort, and is required by honour and duty to seek out and duel enemy leaders and champions.
 * Prime Warrior- Effectively a platoon sergeant, Primes are potent warriors with hundreds of battles' worth of experience. Primes are called upon to either lead a Kin-group of warriors, or to form a potent command guard Kin-squad for their Cohort's Marshall or Champion.
 * Warrior- The basic fighting rank of the Fordanta, Warriors are nonetheless very dangerous foes, with training on par to that received by special forces in many races.
 * Initiate- Too inexperienced to take to the field of battle, Initiates are those in the Guild who are still completing their training in preparation for war.

The Artisan's Guild
Tasked with creating the devices and structures used by the Fordanta, the Artisan's Guild is also known by several common names such as the Engineer's Guild, the Craftsman's Guild, or other similar monikers. It is the Fordanta of the Artisan's Guild that construct the great buildings of Forda, craft weaponry and ships for its armies, and tend to the great pieces of Archeotech left behind by the Ancestors. Since the fall of the Grox Meta-Emperor, the Artisan's Guild has overtaken the Warrior's Guild in supremacy.

Military Capability
Fordan warriors are all extremely well trained and physically powerful. As such, each Fordan is easily capable of bringing down a dozen to a score (12-20) of lesser enemies before taking a serious wound. Against more elite foes they are not as powerful. Here are a few comparisons, in terms of how many a Fordan can defeat before being defeated themselves:


 * 2-5 Vartekians (Depending on the Vartekians and Fordans in question, though Fordans are stronger and faster)
 * 10-15 Loron (Generally depends more on the Fordan than the Loron, but Fordanta typically have better training and equipment.)
 * Large numbers of Kraw Galaxy races (If they can beat around 5 Vartekians, what hope do the Kraw races have?)
 * Theoretically infinite robots (Robots can only react so fast, Fordans are by far superior to all known robots)
 * 0.001 Xhodocto (Basically, it'd take around 1000 Fordans to bring down a Xhodocto, and even then the Xho probably isn't dead)

The Fordan military consists of around 100 million infantry, most of which have training as pilots. There are 20 million dedicated pilots of Bladewings, and 5 million crew for the Void Gates, although most pilot Bladewings, as only a few hundred are ever needed. There are no land, sea or air vehicle crews because they are simply not needed.

As a result of their physical prowess, the Fordan Empire does not need overwhelming numbers to be able to defeat larger foes, much like Australia fighting China on Earth (let's face it, us Aussies would win hands down), instead being able to take on opponents through skill and superior technology.

Military Doctrine
The Fordan Warriors' Guild has set out several Doctrines of War, disciplines of combat that train soldiers both physically and mentally to raise them to their maximum potential. Each member of the Warriors' Guild is expected to master at least one Doctrine during their time in the Guild, although most go on to master more. Each Warrior takes the lessons he (the Guild only accepts males) has learnt mastering one Doctrine and applies them to the next Doctrine and any other Guild he joins.

Ma'To'Res Si'La'Ko
The Path of Honor, students of this Doctrine are fearless and brave. Hel'Bre'K is an exemplar of this Doctrine, and he continues to guide his kin along its path. Si'La'Ko teaches the student to be brave in all situations, and to always fight with honor. Opposing a Kin-squad of the followers of this Doctrine, you will have to kill all of them before they surrender. The Doctrine primarily teaches the use of handheld swords and shields, and abhors the use of any form of ranged weapon. When using Void Keys in combat, the student is only to use them to get close enough to engage, they are not to be used to duck around blows or exploit weaknesses. Because of this the student is the Fordan that is most likely to die on the battlefield, but they employ energy shields and heavy armor to make up for it.

Ma'To'Res Es'Ka'La'T
The Path of Shadow, this Doctrine creates ruthless fighters that have no pity and no remorse. Wearing helms that completely obscure their facial features, the students become faceless, emotionless killers that can slay the foe in any way without fear of retribution. Trained to use every weapon known to the Fordanta, a student of Es'Ka'La'T is only a kill away from a resupply. To add to this training the student is allowed to use anything from the Fordan arsenal. They use Void Keys to teleport right in front of the enemy so their blades are already moving when they appear. No opponent can stand against a follower of this Doctrine, but mercifully their numbers are few.

Ma'To'Res Ri'So'Va
The Path of Fear, Ja'Dan Fleetfather might as well have created this Doctrine. Students are trained to strike at the mind and soul, not the body. Experts of stealth and assassination, students of Ri'So'Va are nigh untouchable, and although some have been suspected none have ever been detected. The students primarily use Energy Claws, although their claws are jagged, creating horrendous wounds that serve to add to their opponents' fear. As with many things in Fordan life, the Void Keys make a huge impact. A student of Ri'So'Va can assassinate their target without effort by simply teleporting next to them similar to the students of Es'Ka'La'T, although most prefer not to, relying on skill and speed to get the job done. For all the underhandedness associated with their task, followers of this Doctrine are in fact very honorable beings, preferring to attack the target when they are armed and armored, not that this helps much.

Entertainment
A Fordan's life is not all about fighting. Civilised beings as they are, Fordanta take up most of their spare time with reading and debating. All Fordans are completely literate, and can burn through a 500 word book in a couple of days. Fordans tend to prefer adventure stories, although war accounts are always close at hand. Many Fordans use this time to slow down, and take the load of daily life off their mind. Ja'Dan Fleetfather can often be found nestled in the Swordwing's cockpit with a good book resting on his lap, and he always has a novel or two in his backpack, even though he can just phase-in to Forda and get a book from his library.

The average library on Forda is an extensive structure, and some skyscrapers on Forda are in fact giant libraries. For many Fordans, these collections of books are all they need to unwind after a hard day's fighting, but most Fordanta also maintain their own library at home, so their favourite books are always close at hand. Books go in and out of fashion as quickly as clothes do in other Empires, and so a Fordan rarely keeps a book on his or her shelf for more than a month.

Aside from reading, Fordans love to engage in debates. Keeping the mind sharp is just as important as keeping the body fit, most will tell you, and it is just as hard to beat a Fordan in a debate as it is to fight them. Most good libraries have a series of rooms set aside for such debates, and many Fordans will meet with friends, have something to eat and then debate for an hour or so before returning to their duties. The topics range from city organisation, goverment, politics, religion, ethics and a host of other subjects. Unsurprisingly, war is often discussed, but usually in conjunction with one or more other topics.

One passtime that surprises most is dancing. To the Fordan mind, all expressions of the body are beautiful, and dancing ranks very highly. Unlike on Earth, there are no dances that are considered 'for males' or 'for females,' instead any Fordan can do any kind of dance they like. Most tend to favor highly active styles similar to break dancing and jumpstyle, but dances with partners are prefered to be slower, the better to show off one's skills.

In terms of sport, there are three main sports played by Fordans. Obviousely, one is organised fighting. This is simply an all out brawl with no technology. Usually the fight continues until a Fordanta is forced to submit, although first blood combats are also common. There are also situations where being forced from the fighting ring also counts as a defeat, although this is rare.

The second main sport is running. The average Fordan race is around 5km in length, with championship races at a distance of 50 to 100km. Such distances are very easy for Fordans, although even the fittest end up a bit short of breath at the end of 100km solid running. These races are not taken at a jog either. The competitors run full-tilt the entire distance, and rarely slow down except to take sharp turns.

The third sport is hunting. Fordans do not hunt competitively, instead they strike out in groups of two or three to hunt down prey on game worlds- wildlife sanctuaries that are stocked with the deadliest predators known to the Empire. Most Fordans choose to hunt with only their bare hands, and take no technology with them. Some take rifles or throwing weapons to test their skills, but there is no regulation on what can and cannot be taken. These worlds do not even have enforced hunting limits, as the Fordans will only kill one or two individuals, and certainly not enough to put the environment into jeopardy.

The Annals
The largest library of them all is the Fordan Annals. This massive collection of knowledge comprises everything the Fordanta have learnt since they kept records. Much of the older information is hazy, or else heavily embellished to the point where fact and fiction are inseparable.

The collection of histories, stories, poems and information has become so large it is now held aboard a capital ship in permanant orbit around Forda. Individual sections span entire hangar bays, and the battle reports alone could fill a small cruiser. There is so much knowledge in the Annals, it is said, that for one mind to take in it all would drive the reader insane. The library covers a great many topics, and certainly too many for most scholars to understand in any depth.

It is common for Fordans to enter the Annals before undertaking major activities, to ensure that they know as much relevant and useful information as possible to guide them. Revered generals and rank-and-file infantry alike seek advice from the words and recorded deeds of the Fordan warriors of old. Blademaster Hel'Bre'K has a reading room reserved for him, stocked with the many records of his ancestors' deeds, and he often spends long hours reading these detailed reports and deconstructing the tactics and strategems employed.

Within the ship storing the annals there are several thousand private reading rooms, as well as debating rooms and forums. All told, the ship can store just shy of 5000 individuals, as well as any number more within the library itself. To prevent all these visitors from getting lost, PDAs are assigned to each visitor, which have GPS locators and library guides, as well as ground maps and study aids. These devices make using the Annals easier, as the instructions are translated into whatever language is required.

Data in the Annals is mostly stored as high-capacity data-crystals, however many of the older texts are still available in text form. Because of the highly compact nature of data-crystals, the Annals are in fact far smaller than they would be if the knowledge was to be entirely committed to paper. As it stands, the sheer number of pages required to hold all that information would cover the entire surface of Forda.

Battles of the Fordanta
This section of the Annals deals directly with the main military engagements of the Fordan Empire. The main section contains links to many subsections, mostly whole war records, so as to keep the section as small as possible, and to avoid repeating information to save space.

Technology
See Fiction:Fordan Empire/Technology

Archeotech
See Fiction:Fordan Empire/Archeotech

Notable Fordans
As with the vehicle section, this part of the article is very short as each Fordan will have their own page.

Ja'Dan Fleetfather:
Ja'dan was the Fordan who first designed the Bladewing, and since he first strapped himself into his creation he has developed his skills to such a degree that most Fordans argue that he and his vehicle are one and the same. Ja'dan's efforts have turned many wars against the Grox and other creatures to favor the Fordanta, and his heavily modified Bladewing has seen the fall of many civilizations in the Forda system. He gained the title Fleetfather in recognition of his significant contribution to the Fordan space program.


 * Reported as killed during the events of the Holy Shadow War, the absence of Ja'Dan's body, as well as footage from the exact moment of his loss have fuelled rumours that the Fleetfather is not, in fact, dead.

Hel'bre'k, 49th Blademaster:
Hel'bre'k is the empire's greatest warrior. Going on one hundred and fifty years old biologically, he has outlived the average lifespan of the Fordan warrior cult by almost double (the warriors normally die by around 80 years old), and yet his arm is still strong and his mind as sharp as his sword. This is made all the deadlier by his years of experience and the grim knowledge that sooner or later death will catch him up. His strength and prowess have earned him the title Blademaster, and he is the 49th individual to hold that rank. He and Ja'dan are good friends, and have become Blade-Brothers through their many military actions together.

Personality
The Fordans aim to bring unity to the galaxy, and peace to those under their banner, but they are first and foremost warriors. In battle, a Fordan will tend to engage the strongest enemies available, to prove their worth. Fordans fight with a considerable amount of honor, as well as wisdom and mercy.

Honor
Indeed, honor is central to the entire Fordan culture. To the Fordanta there is only one crime: losing your honor. The punishment: death. The need to retain one's honor is never exemplified more than when repaying debts. A Fordan's memory is extensive where debts are involved, either the debts they owe or those owed to them. Many Fordans settle these debts in their own way, generally related to what Guild they currently serve (A metalsmith may make you a sword, for example), but some debts specify the method of repayment. One example of this is in battle, where one Fordanta will aid another so that that Fordanta will aid them. (Example: One Fordanta slays a creature before it can harm his Kinsman, and asks the other Fordanta to repay him by distracting a different group of enemies so that he can execute their leader.)

If a Fordan commits a 'petty' crime or incurs a debt, they generally seek to atone for it out of the need to 'satisfy their honor.' A noteworthy example of this is when Blademaster Hel'Bre'K took one hundred of his Bladekin Veterans to aid the Vartekian  Captain Votarah in penance for insulting that species.

Family
Another idea central to Fordan culture is the Family. Indeed, the word For'dan'ta literally means 'Family' or 'Kin.' A Fordan is extremely protective of their own family, going into a berserk rage not unlike their pre-sapient selves when a family member is hurt or slain. This idea of Kin extends into almost all of a Fordan's life, especially the military. Groups of warriors are called Kin-groups or -squads, e.g. 'Kin-squad 439' or 'Kin-group 126.' This reinforces that the squad is the warrior's immediate family on the battlefield, making use of the Fordan's protective nature.

To a Fordan, their kin are not just their family. It is any Fordan, any friends from other races they have, and any race they have fought besides in battle. Thus, Hel'Bre'K views any Iteok, Grimbolsaurian or Vartekian as his family, because he has fought alongside (and for) various members of these races in his life.

The ideals of family also serve to strengthen the bonds of hatred that bind a war together. Once you have sparked a battle with a single Fordan, you suddenly become an enemy of the entire race. Fordan battle leaders know this well, and often put themselves in the one place where they are most likely to be injured by an important enemy, so they can direct their force's anger to that foe.

Younger Fordans are slowly detatching from this way of life and leading a more devious life. Inspired by Ja'Dan and aided by Void technology, many young Fordans are embracing the darker side of their psyche. These proteges have far fewer qualms about using dirty tricks in combat, and are all the more deadly for it. However devious these fighters get, they still seek to retain their honor in service of Forda and their kin.

Religion
The Fordanta do not worship Spode. Instead they venerate an ancient species called 'Those Who Came Before,' or 'The Ancestors.' Long extinct, this race supposedly once held dominion over the entire galaxy. During this time it is said that the galaxy knew no unrest and was perfectly peaceful. Their homeworld was located more or less in the centre of the galaxy, orbiting a star that was barely far enough from the black hole in the centre to avoid being sucked in. Despite this, the black hole's pull was slowly drawing the planet in, and the Ancestors realized that they had to preserve what they could of their power so that one day another race could take over.

Thus they scattered a dozen ancient relics throughout the galaxy, ready to be found and used to restore peace to the galaxy. At the moment two are known: the Void Sphere and the Chronicles. The Chronicles document the final cycles (one orbit around a given star) of the Ancestors' rule, and are constantly scoured for hints as to the locations of the other artifacts. The Fordanta once believed that if they bring all twelve artifacts together they will become some sort of transcendent race, but that was just a fantasy that quickly lost popularity.

All religious value aside, these artifacts must be of astounding power, and the Fordanta will follow up any lead nomatter how unlikely in their pursuit of these devices.

Current Allies
- The Delpha Coalition of Planets (DCP) - Rambo Nation -

Current Foes
- Grox Empire - Da Propa Big Loron Empire


 * Note: The Fordanta don't have enemies per se. This list is just a rough list of people they are actively fighting.

Quotes from Other Empires
"Hail our Allies, the Fordanta!"

- Emperor Toragh 9 of the Iteok Empire

"A powerful nation, though their choice of allies, is not a thing I would support. They are also pretty fast in colonizing."

- Diplomat Gibek of the Gablinus-Avis

"A noble and honest nation, skilled warriors whom have a great sense of honor and nobility. They informed us because they were worried about one of our allies, and we respect them for that. There list of allies is interessting and there love of libaries and information about the past is greatly known throughout the Alliance. For that reason we remain civil toward them, and one day hope to improve galactic relations with them."

- Imperial Alliance''

"Valuable allies and good fighting skills. They are a worthy ally in deed."

- Admiral Votarah

"they help us defeat our enemy, the grox when even after our trade offer offended them, they are a noble race, and I know that they can't and won't ever commit any evil"

- anonymous ctron

"A race of skilled and might warriors, there technology is impressive and there love for poetic is famous. Aiding us during a Trivoid conflict, the Fordanta proved a valuable ally and friends and are allowed by the Senate to appear at our planet without using the space docks. They have there own entering point at our planet. A privilige as thanks for there aid and friendship."

- Empress Ramashe of Rambo Nation

"The loss of two our fleets created to fulfill our holy mission is unforgivable. These unbelievers will die."

- Radeon

"Da hellz rong wiv dese weirdos? Dey tuff I gotta admit dat but dey still such losas."

- Zr'Ahgloth

"Powerful and skilled warriors with a strong sense of honor, and a taste for war. They are enemies of the Grox, our greatest enemy, and could make powerful allies, or worse enemies."

- King Jounton, of the Zith race

"Your kind. Weak and pathetic. Crawl under our feet and stay there."

- Xhodocto

Trivia

 * The name Forda (the Fordanta's homeworld) was a name I came up with for a Grade 8 ICT assignment, except the 'Fordans' were just humans with epic jungle-fighting skills.


 * Fordanta tastes like chicken raw, but like pork when cooked. Don't ask me why.


 * All Fordanta are both Hermaphrodites and gendered. Every Fordan can reproduce asexually, but can also partner with the opposite gender to reproduce sexually.


 * Fordanta never lose staring contests because their eyelids are transparent, therefore they always maintain eye contact.


 * In the Tier Comparison system, Fordans are rated 'Tier U' because they are far too alien and unique to be properly classified on a linear tier scale.