Creature:Libertus

"Sharp. If I were to describe the Libertus in one word, it would be this one. Their minds are as their talons: piercing, deadly, precise instruments of good or evil... like blades. It is no coincidence that they have always been at the spearhead of all great movements in the galaxy. They would not have been great otherwise."

- Xol Nazar

The Libertus are a race of sentient maniraptora native to the. Originating from, the Libertus have since spread across the First Gigaquadrant, generally earning them a reputation as peaceful, cultured and progressive beings seemingly born with a desire to explore and expand across the cosmos. A highly intelligent race, since the early days of their earliest civilisations on Capricaerón, they have grown a pronounced distaste for violence and have instead earned a reputation as diplomats and compromisers.

Nevertheless, they have been at the forefront of Cyrannian politics for many millennia being instrumental in the creation of superpowers such as the First, Second and Third Republics, as well as the. Though they reside primarily in the Cyrannus Galaxy, Libertus have since made their mark on the universe in many notable ways, from rebuilding the universe in the aftermath of the to protecting order and stability in the.

Physiologically, Libertus are lean, endothermic and lightly feathered and are among the most intelligent races in the Gigaquadrant. Modern scientists believe that the Libertus are members of a group known as, which includes and. Most Libertus however find more in common with alien races such as the, due to the cultural similarities and appreciation for peace, order and diplomacy. However, they are not a homogenous race with some Libertus being elitest and arrogant though these make up a minority in what is generally quite an enlightened species.

Evolution
Native to the temperate forests of, the Libertus evolved as the apex predators of their continent using their swift and agile nature as well as their high degree of intelligence to hunt and kill prey. Equipped with razor-sharp teeth, a killing claw on each foot and a top speed of up to seventy kilometres per hour at full sprint, these early Libertus were almost perfectly evolved for hunting and killing. Modern paleontologists believe that early Libertus lived and operated in packs, which eventually became more and more advanced as the Libertus continued to evolve.

It was believed that during this time in their evolution, many Libertus specimens were transported across the Gigaquadrant by the unseen hand of the populating the other worlds in Capricaerón' system as well as giving birth to dozens of different subspecies across the galaxy. These species would have a hand in the creation of governments like the, though on Capricaerón their forefathers remained to evolve as nature intended.

Rise of Civilisation
Over time, packs became tribes and tribes became cities. When the Age of Technology arrived, the Libertus had relatively few conflicts between rival civilisations. However, a terrorist group managed to construct a nuclear device and used it against the city Delphi in opposition to the growing levels of political unification between the planet's superpowers.

However, this act of savagery ultimately resulted in an escalation of political unification which occurred at a much quicker pace than in other civilised species despite the high levels of cultural differences that existed between different Libertus factions. Over the next century, these early Capricaerónns began to expand into space where they encountered the independent Libertus states of Twelve Colonies.

Defenders of Cyrannus
Not all of the interaction between these colonies were peaceful, with the colonies only unifying when diplomats from the aided in the creation of, which in turn became instrumental in the creation of the. Joining the galactic community, these Capricaerónn Libertus became reunited with their distant brothers and sisters who were transplanted millennia ago by the Oikoumene. Expanding outwards into the universe, the Libertus became one of the most recognisable and respected races across the cosmos, establishing millions of colonies and aiding in the development of an interconnected First Gigaquadrant.

Society and Culture
Libertus culture varies from colony to colony and planet to planet, however they are generally progressive in their outlook on life with moving forward being key to most Libertus nations in history. Libertus are almost always incredibly intelligent, diplomatic and wise. However, this is not always the case, though often considered one of the most orderly races in the entire Gigaquadrant, many Libertus can resort to crime like, or even the dark ways of the , like. Culturally, Libertus tend to abhor violence and do not tend to mix well with warrior races or species that view themselves as superior. However, this has not spared the naturally diplomatic beings from conflict and indeed they have fought to defend themselves and their allies in conflicts such as the and the Conflicts of Cyrannia. Far from the stereotype perpetuated by the expansionist policies of the, Libertus are naturally curious about other races, civilizations and cultures and tend to hold a dislike for those who hold that their race is superior, even members of their own kin. The potency of the Libertus throughout Cyrannus has led to many races considering them the archetypal Cyrannian, with Libertus High Culture being a synonym of Cyrannian High Culture.

Sociology
Idealistic, expansionist and progressive, the Libertus embody all of these qualities and more. Their desire to expand beyond their native worlds and into the universe has contributed to the high levels of Libertus populations across the Cyrannus Galaxy, spearheading civilisations such as the and the. Often to the dismay of alien species, Libertus culture is in a constant state of change as per their almost inherent desire to better themselves and their species. This particular desire could be expected by a species that is relatively short-lived, though the Libertus themselves can naturally live for several centuries.

Culturally, male and female Libertus are seen as being completely equal in everything from politics to the military with forms of discrimination such as sexism and homophobia simply never arising in the development of Libertus civilisation. These types of prejudice are instead replaced with phobias against beings from particular colonies or galaxies, though the levels of individuals that hold these views are relatively small among Libertus. However, in the, a certain level of Cyrannus-centric thinking is relatively common and even expected.

Physiology
The Libertus are bipedal maniraptoran theropods originally native to the lush, temperate forests and plains of. Though relatively strong, Libertus tend to be more agile and are naturally evolved sprinters and are capable of jumping incredibly distances thanks to their light weight. Despite their relatively peaceful and diplomatic disposition as civilised beings, the Libertus evolved as highly advanced killing machines with a blow from one of their razor-sharp claws enough to lacerate a human. Libertus, like many dromaeosaurids possess a sickel-shaped retractable claw on each of their feet, which in their predatory past was used to finish off a kill that had been pounced on. Incredibly fast sprinters, when they come into contact with a potential threat, or when chasing down prey, the Libertus are capable of reaching speeds of up to 96 kilometres an hour.

Highly intelligent beings, Libertus possess a much larger brain cavity than humans and are known for putting this extra brain power to work in the construction of vast, ornate cities, works of art and shipbuilding giving them a generally positive reputation across the Gigaquadrant. Typically, Libertus reach a height of three metres and weigh approximately 75 kilograms, indicative of their lean, swift and light-weight physiology. Libertus have relatively triangular and robust skulls, in which is a highly developed brain, over seventy five blade-like teeth and two slitted eyes which provide the Libertus with more advanced vision than a humanoid. Sexual dimorphism exists in Libertus, with males tending to be slightly larger in build as well as darker in colouration with females being smaller in size and possessing softer features.

Most Libertus possess a layer of protofeathers across their body as well as plumes of true feathers on their tail and head. They are also a highly diverse race, with skin colouration being highly variable between individuals, with no two Libertus looking exactly alike.

Quotes
"A most insidious species. They do not conquer their foes through war or conquest, they conquer them through smiles, music and culture. They are like Neraida in many respects, though their particular brand of assimilation is even more nefarious..."

"Cyrannus is your mantle of power, like it was for those who came before."

"The Libertus are a race that humanity should look up to. They have truly made a lasting influence on their universe in countless positive ways."

"Control the Libertus and one controls the fate of Cyrannus."

"Hmpf. I have no respect for any of them."

"The Basileus are, were and will always be superior!"

"The Libertus remind me of my own people, particularly the anciant Ossilan Draconis. They are idealists, engineers and leaders. Their political dominance is another similarity of our own power and success. While I have yet to meet one in person their reputation has reached even the Imperium."

- Uriel Ultanos

"We served together under the Republic and now under the Imperial rule, but that is all."

- Agnassana

"We are very much alike."

"Where would we be without the Libertus, their cousins and friends? We may not have continued to exist, or at least hold true the Seven Starr Alliance without them. We are in their debt, thus, we will protect any Libertus, Republic or Imperial.  They may be the champions of politics, and although they downplay their abilities at war, they fought along side us magnificently.  I have never seen soldiers charge at the enemy at 90 km/h on foot!"

- DCP Grimbolsaurian soldier

"The defenders of liberty and peace within the Cyrannus Galaxy. A proud and honorable race, with a great love for art, music and loyalty!"

"I like these guys."

Trivia

 * The Libertus were originally known as simply Capricornians. However, this name eventually evolved into the, a group of related species.
 * They have long been Cyrannian's most potent species, however nowadays his fiction is more spread out.