Brezi

The Brezi are a race of large bipedal humanoids. As a species, they have a high bone density and a smaller prefrontal cortex when compared to other. In scholarly circles, this is debated as a potential reason for the infamous lack of impulse control exhibited by Brezi criminals, pirates and others living on the outskirts of society. This however, is a somewhat controversial stance in some circles, arguing that attributing centuries of warring and pillaging behaviours is reductionist at very best. Whilst many appear lean for their height, they possess more fast twitch muscle fibers than humans do, making them not only stronger, but able to exert their bodies more, for longer periods of time. They possess large lower canine teeth which often protrude from the lower jaw, giving the Brezi a prominent underbite.

There exists a variation in the way Brezi lower canines grow. Most of the Brezi population will have theirs growing either growing 'inwards' towards the face, or 'outwards' extending out onto the cheeks. In rare cases, some Brezi have theirs grow straight up and into the upper lip (this normally requires more regular filing down as to allow for normal speech without poking yourself constantly.) The Brezi are famously an ambidextrous people, able to write, wield tools and weapons in either hand with equal comfort without much training necessary. There are however some who have more difficulty achieving this, and they are almost always left handed, if both parents are Brezi.

As with the majority of sapient species in Ciraculum, Brezi reproduce via viviparity - live birth. Pregnancies last approximately a year. Pregnant Brezi women are much more resilient than other species, and can partake in day to day life for the majority of her term. Lighter activity and bedrest come only in special cases, and only in the last few weeks of the pregnancy.
After this, a relatively easy birth will yield one or more young. The largest “clutch” of Brezi, so to speak, were septuplets, born to a shaman whose name has been lost to history, over five thousand years ago.

The natural lifespan of a Brezi sits in the region of 400 years, with almost all of this time spent in adulthood. The stages of a Brezi's life cycle are as follows.

0-3: Infancy

Referred to as Aurora - or "Dawn" in Brezian - this brief period follows the first few years of this species' life. Brezi were selectively bred over the course of several millennia to embody the physical traits considered most useful for a labourer class, and as such, Brezi of the modern day grow out of their infancy rather quickly. Within their first year of life, it is normal for a Brezi to learn to walk with some reliability. Infancy lasts for roughly 3 before a Brezi is considered to leave this stage of development, usually entering education in the summer following their third birthday.

3-13: Childhood

After leaving infancy, it takes approximately 10 for a Brezi to reach adolescence, going through a stage this culture refers to as Luxus - or "Sunrise". During this time, it is normal for the child to fully develop the ability to walk, run, talk, and otherwise interact with their surroundings - albeit a little clumsily, as their body continues to grow. If a Brezi child has been born with the ability to manipulate one of the four resonances colloquially referred to as "magic", this will typically manifest towards the end of this developmental stage. Amongst the Brezian Empire, it has become a slang term - or perhaps a running joke - to refer to this period as the "Luxury Years", emphasising that this stage of one's life is to be spent responsible for nobody but yourself, where one can simply enjoy their daily existence with no expectations being made of them beyond due regard for their own education.

13-20: Adolescence

This period of life is referred to by the Brezi as Nuper Mane - roughly translating to "Late Morning". Upon their thirteenth birthday, a Brezi is considered an adolescent, usually entering the next stage of their education a year later, where they will remain for the next 6 until their graduation at twenty years old and subsequent transition into adulthood. Over the course of this developmental stage, a Brezi will have two of their lower teeth begin to grow in length and thickness, turning into tusks over a couple of years. This process is usually quite painful, but has been easier to deal with over the last millennia thanks to the Brezi receiving access to modern pain relief medication. That said, there are some subcultures amongst the Brezi who believe this suffering to be sacred in nature, and look down on those who allow their child to dull the discomfort, seeing it as a surefire way to keep them "soft". Culturally, it's been known for Brezi to not be considered an adolescent until their tusks begin to grow, and while this process usually begins at thirteen, a minority of Brezi will have their tusks begin to grow at different ages - as late as sixteen, or as early as nine.

20-50: Young Adulthood

While Brezi are culturally considered adults once they reach the age of twenty, their bodies continue to grow and develop for many more years after the fact. Generally, a Brezi's body and brain don't stop developing until they reach fifty, though this occurs at a glacial pace compared to their childhood. These thirty years are a period known as Prope Cacumen, or roughly translated, "Nearing the Peak". During this stage, Brezi may still feel pain in their tusks on occasion as they grow at an imperceptible rate. They will likely get taller over these decades, and feel more muscle tissue begin to develop. Male Brezi will see their shoulders broaden in a similarly invisible way. These changes only become obvious in retrospect, with the difference between a Brezi at twenty and fifty being quite noticeable, if not outright jarring.

50-200: Adulthood

Referred to as Zenith, these one-hundred-and-fifty years are often considered the best of the Brezi's life, in which they will be in peak bodily condition. While the occasional wrinkle or discoloration of patches of skin may begin to appear, this stage sees the Brezi in the prime of their life, at their most capable and formidable - at least physically. Brezi soldiers and members of one of the empire's various chivalric orders often only spend this period of their life in the field, either retiring to less taxing work or advancing to a more comfortable position in the command chain around the age of 200.

200-300: Middle-Age

The signs of age begin to show on a Brezi once they reach the stage of their life known as Meridiem - or "Afternoon". Typical indicators of a Brezi past the age of two-hundred include, but are not limited to, greying hair, splotches of discoloration on the skin, and the rounding-off of the tips of their tusks as the years whittle away at their original sharpness. While a Brezi at this age is still perfectly capable, physically speaking, this tends to be the time at which they filter out of any manual labour or military service - provided they can afford such a change in their lifestyle.

300-375: Old Age

Once a Brezi reaches three centuries of age, they enter a phase of their life known in their language as Ocassum Lux - or "Setting Sun". Looked upon with great respect, Brezi in this stage are often grey-haired, their skin marked with several large patches of discoloration, even losing pigmentation entirely in places in a manner similar to vitiligo. Brezi at this age tend to appear shorter than they were earlier in life, though this is more an illusion caused by their spines arching forwards as the decades pass, forcing their posture into a modest, permanent bow. It's not unheard of for Brezi to die of natural causes at some point during this stage.

375+: Venerability

A Brezi is considered fortunate indeed if they see more than a couple of decades of this stage of their life. Referred to as Crepusculum - or "Twilight" - this is the final step a Brezi takes through their mortal existence before passing from the galaxy to meet their divine emperor face-to-face and add their vibrant soul to the conflux of his holy light. Nobody expects anything of a Brezi at this stage of their life, and most die around the age of 400 - give or take a few decades. However, it is possible for a Brezi to live significantly longer, though this is rare. The longest-living Brezi in recorded history was born in 1345 and died at the ripe-old age of 580 in 1925 .

Thanks to their species' forcible relocation to every corner of the now-fallen Elekati Empire, the Brezi have adapted to be able to survive in a wide variety of conditions - from the most lush of forests to the harshest deserts and floating hunks of ice. That said, the optimal climate for the Brezi to inhabit remains that of their ancestral homeworld, Lux - a cool planet with an average temperature of 21°C and a dense nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere with plentiful traces of the inert gas, argon. Similarly, Brezi seem to respond best to the inherent resonance of their homeworld - the colloquially-named "Divine" energy signature that encompasses the magosphere of Primus, the planet itself known for having the highest concentration of this ethereal element out of every charted world in Ciraculum.   In simpler terms, Brezi tend to be most comfortable in a cool - but not freezing - environment, with rich air and its fair share of rain and sunshine in equal measure.

Brezi cuisine is extremely utilitarian. Many meals include a serving of Karhi: seeds of a grass species native to the Brezi homeworld. In texture and size, it is comparable to rice, but with a more bitter aftertaste. It is often coupled with lightly seared meats and vegetables on the side. Brezi meals do not utilise spices and herbs, in the belief that they get in the way of the natural flavours of the meal. Thanks to this, the Brezian Empire is one of the largest exporters of spices in Ciraculum.
Thanks to interstellar travel, the Brezi have been slowly introduced to spiced and flavoured goods, causing a bit of a culinary debate amongst their people. Some believe that Brezi food should learn to incorporate spices and herbs into its repertoire. Others argue doing so would take away what makes Brezi food unique. And some still argue that herbs and spices are fine, in the food of other species.

Brezi faces are strong featured, with sharp cheeks, characterised by their overbite which serves to present large canine teeth, sometimes called tusks by the more unfavourable accounts. With thick brows and often stern expressions, the average Brezi can look intimidating to a stranger.

While the Brezi originated on the planet Lux in the Primus system - which has served as the capital of their empire for the majority of the current era - advancements in technology, the growth of the galactic community and the passing of well-over a millennium have all led to the far-flung distribution of this species throughout Serenity Space. Most Brezi in Ciraculum still live within the bounds of their own civilisation, but millions also dwell within the borders of their interstellar neighbours as first, second, and higher-generation immigrants. There is no shortage of Brezi who have never lived under their ancestral empire - born, living, and dying without ever setting eyes upon the golden towers of Lux.

A Brezi raised within the Empire will be educated in two things, guaranteed; the state religion, and combat. Brezi are expected to be able to quote scripture with minimal prompting, and hold their own in a duel. Of course, the Empire also values its gifted minds, and those who show a predilection for particular arts, crafts and studies will be permitted higher education. Typically, though, a Brezi's knowledge comes back around to their god in some way - however tangential the connection.
Despite their brutish appearance, Brezi are extremely well-read, with one of the highest literacy rates in the galaxy. After all, it would be difficult to read the words of the one true god otherwise.

The Brezi are what most would consider typical, as far as senses go. Possessing sight, smell, touch, taste and hearing, there is not much to say about their perception of their environment.
The only thing worth noting is the average Brezian's reaction to light. Those raised amongst the Solarians of the Empire’s worlds grow accustomed to bright lights and sudden flashes, rendering them more resilient to, say, a flashbang grenade. However, these well-lit planets tend to create something of a dependency within Brezians, and their eyesight is notably worse than the other species, when in darkness.

Brezi usually possess three names, with a certain number provided depending on the formality of the social situation in which they find themselves. Casual encounters simply require the first name. Meetings with strangers and other semi-formal interactions will require the first and second names. All three names are provided in formal settings - such as weddings, official meetings, and conversations with one's superiors.   An example of a Brezi male's full name would be: Sergius Apellinus Ballio   An example of a Brezi female's full name would be: Orania Cervidus Pulcher

Brezi have an appreciation for those who have lived eventful lives, and sacrificed in service of the Emperor. As such, scars are considered a very attractive trait for one to hold. However, this does not mean that the rugged, unkempt aesthetic is attractive to most Brezi; quite the opposite, in fact. People take pride in their appearance in the Empire. There, the phrase “A knight in shining armour has never had his mettle tested” is laughed at, and followed with “A knight in ruined armour is no knight at all.”   Effectively, the conventional image of beauty is a man or woman in ornate, well-kept armour or clothing, covering a body littered with scars and tattoos.

The Brezi believe that all are united under the Emperor - men, women, and everything in-between. As such, their society does not impose much in the way of restrictions or expectations dependent on your gender. If someone wishes to give their body, their soul, and their sword in service of God, what should it matter that they were born female?
Similarly, in the event of a woman joining one of the knightly orders, or pursuing any career, she will be held to the exact same standard as a man, and afforded no concessions, coddling or special treatment. To do so, they believe, would be a disservice to any woman of the Empire - an insult of the highest order. Naturally, this does cause some difficulty in regards to certain differences between the sexes, with no considerations taken for, say, menstruation. A female knight is expected to simply straighten her back and endure this time with dignity - just as a man shoulders any hardship that befalls them.   Some species call this lack of regard “sexist”, but the Brezi insist it is entirely the opposite. Women are not delicate flowers in need of rescue by the church, their husbands, or anyone else, for that matter. They are strong, brave servants of the faith - the second half of the Emperor’s chosen - and they will be treated with such respect.

Brezi courtship and romance can be summed-up in one word; restraint. It is generally accepted by those of this society that whomever you dedicate yourself to - regardless of gender, social standing, etc. - is the person you will remain with for the rest of your life, or theirs. Contrary to what other species claim, however, this does not mean that Brezi are supposed to “save themselves until marriage”. It is simply the case that Brezi regard relationships out of wedlock as much more casual - purely based on shared interest, or sex, with no deeper meaning.   If a Brezi wishes to seek a more serious commitment, they are to do so directly and respectfully. Clearly communicating one’s expectations and boundaries is seen as the bare minimum to a Brezi, and this can sometimes be jarring to the other species. For a man to conduct himself so carefully - perhaps shyly - only for him to espouse a manifesto of his desires, can cause a bit of tonal whiplash.

Brezi are permitted - even encouraged - to explore casual encounters with others in their early adulthood, as this serves several purposes. Primarily, however, it allows Brezi to grow as people and discover what they want, as well as keeping their darker instincts in-check. Better to go to bed with a different woman every night than become one of the pirates roaming Brezi space, committing vile acts to fulfil their need for intimacy.   Once a Brezi marries, however, they are loyal to a fault, supporting their partner in all things. All except the Emperor himself come second to a Brezi’s spouse, regardless of their wrongdoings. Brezi love is unconditional. If you were to come home and discover that your wife has murdered a man, you would help her hide the body. Calling the guards would disgust your neighbours, and you can expect few Brezi to be interested in you after such an act of treachery.

The Brezi had much of their early space age technology provided to them by the Vi'dam, owing to a lack of certain inventions such as firearms and in-system travel drives. However, this was quite some time ago, and nowadays, the Brezian Empire are at an average technological level when compared to the rest of the galaxy. Little technological advancement is accomplished by the Brezi themselves, however, whose primary focus is the energy signature of their world, their sun, and a number of their occupied systems. Over the centuries, the Brezi have made great strides in their ability to harness the resonance colloquially known as "magic", believing their particular brand of it to be a sacred gift from their Emperor.

If the Brezi had their own language or naming tradition, it has been lost for close to two millennia - and so, the naming conventions of the Brezi are near-identical to that of their former conquerors, the Elekati. While there are some dialects among those Brezi who left the borders of the empire but continued to speak the language, these are outliers, and the tongue of the Elekati has remained as rigid and monolithic as it was two-thousand years ago.

Love Laws

Loyalty to your spouse is considered the most important thing. If your wife goes on trial for a murder, most folk will wonder why you’re not there with her. As such, laws have been passed to grant amnesty to those fulfilling their marital duties. For example, if a woman’s husband helped her hide the body, Brezian laws claim he cannot be prosecuted for it - provided he had no part in the murder itself.  

Mealtime Customs

Before food is served in Brezian culture, it is customary to engage in more casual conversation, and save anything more serious until the meal itself. This is upheld in all cases - from a simple family outing to a state dinner with the emperor's council themselves.   When a meal is brought out, everything is set out onto the table before anyone is permitted to pull up a chair. People may only sit down to eat after the eldest person present has done so. Food is served by the head of the household, in order of those deemed to have contributed the most to the security, growth and glory of the Empire. As such, people are served in order of the most senior to the youngest - the only exception being any pregnant women or mothers of children in their Dawn or Sunrise years, who are served first in every circumstance.   Drinks are served from a large communal pitcher, and the most senior member at the gathering pours for everyone at the table. However, they must also be the first one to drink. This signfiies the elders of Brezi Imperii as its protectors. Several monastic orders of the Empire are taught to know when their drink has been poisoned, and as such, those who have served the longest are considered most-qualified to tell if something is amiss. In a military setting (or any other environment with a clear chain of command), this honour is given to the highest-ranking member present.   Traditional Brezi dining tables are round. Instead of a seat at the head of the table, anyone of importance is has their food served with a charger - a larger, decorative plate that elevates their table setting, quite literally setting their meal above those of other attendees.

The Brezi were one of two sentient species originating from the world of Lux, and the losing side of a hundred-year war that concluded in the planet's late medieval period, in approximately -887 . The victors of this conflict - the Elekati - cemented themselves as the rightful rulers of Lux, keeping the Brezi alive as a slave race. Despite several attempts by both Brezi captives and Elekati activists to put an end to the slave trade over the centuries, none were successful, and this species remained in their conquerors' chains well into the space age.   It wasn't until 460 that the Brezi finally achieved independence in an interstellar slave revolt comprised of several conflicting factions, briefly united in their opposition to the Elekati. With the aid of their neighbours, the Vi'dam, the Brezi banished their former masters from their homeworld, seizing all but a handful of their systems and hunting down those Elekati who were brave or foolish enough to stay. It was at this point in their history that a rebel leader underwent the Ascension upon discovering a Cultivator artifact. This man - whose name has been stricken from all records - is revered as a deity by the Brezi today, and laid the foundation for the deeply religious society that would follow the Brezi's victory.   Since then, the founding and rise of the Brezi's own state has undergone many turbulent periods, shaping it into the hardened, devout empire it is known as today.

Elekati

While approximately 1,500 have passed since the Brezi's emancipation from their former masters, there still exists plenty of animosity between these two species. Many Brezi are unwilling to forget the thousand-year-long atrocity that was committed against their people, and the leaders of the Elekati still mourn the loss of their ancestral homeworld, vowing to take it back by force in due time. As such, these two powers have been stuck in a cold war for the past 1,500 - one which has gone hot on occasion, but always ended with the Elekati getting pushed back to their side of the border with Serenity Space.   With all this in mind, it's important to acknowledge that more sympathetic minds exist on both sides of the battle lines. There are plenty of Brezi who accept that the Elekati who subjugated their race have been dead for centuries, and try not to paint all members of this species with the same harsh brush. Similarly, a good number of Elekati have little connection to their mythical homeworld - or the memory of some vague "golden age" that died long, long before even their parents were born - and resent the idea of their countrymen senselessly dying for the sake of some bored emperor's desire to exhume the past.   While Brezi and Elekati have compatible physiology and are thus able to procreate with one another, relationships between them are rare - due to a mixture of political sentiment and the low likelihood of either empire's citizens finding their way to one another.  

Humans

Humanity is a relatively new arrival to the galactic stage, still in their first century as a Serenity Sponsor Species, but more than enough time has passed for a relationship to form between the Brezian Empire and the Terminus Conglomerate. While one might assume that these two civilisations' emphasis on discipline, duty and personal honour would make them natural allies, things get a touch more complicated when one considers the topic of religion. Where the Brezi are a deeply devout empire with a singular state religion, the Humans of the Ferven System have no such reverence. The Brezi see humanity's multiple conflicting faiths and generally-atheist leadership as a significant downside - at-best, an upsetting lack of connection to the spiritual world; at-worst, a moral failing on the part of their species. Many Brezi see the authoritarian, precarious state of the Terminus Conglomerate as a cautionary tale, proclaiming humanity to be a prime example of what happens when a civilisation has no unifying beliefs.   As for the Humans of the Vándorok - such as the nomadic Enosi Flotilla - most Brezi see their comparatively small clans as wholly irrelevant on a galactic scale, and don't tend to have any feelings on them one way or the other. They're a fact of life - albeit a minor one - that most citizens of the Empire will never have to consider.  

Ösös

While individual Ösös get on just fine with the Brezi, there is definitely some tension between their two civilisations. Ösösi society is inherently matriarchal, with leadership positions held by women almost exclusively - and although this isn't a cause for conflict in itself, a contentious topic rears its head regarding what both species see as the highest authority in their respective nations. The Ascended. The Ösösi belief that the role of an Ascended is only fit to be held by a woman isn't just contradictory to the Brezian emperor - it is outright blasphemy. The kind that would have you lynched by your neighbours before the monastic orders even caught wind of your heresy. Generally, Brezi and Ösös looking to maintain a good relationship know that the topics of politics and religion are best avoided. That said, Ösösi gender equality activists generally enjoy a very strong relationship with this species, seen as visionaries intent on bringing their civilisation into an age of social justice and enlightenment.   Brezi and Ösös are capable of procreating, and relationships between the two are relatively common - especially those involving Ösösi men who have moved away from their ancestral home.  

Sunlit'awkh

The reptilian Sunlit - despite their radiant name - are seen by many Brezi as a sacreligious, irreverent people. While the Brezi honour their Ascended with facades on the walls of cathedrals, great epics performed in marble-wrought theatres and their own heroic deeds, the Sunlit'awkh's own demigod - himself an embodiment and inhabitant of their system's sun - can be found on everything from bobbleheads, to video-games, to romantic comedy movies available for 5 Credits on the WEB. This massive cultural difference lends itself to some irritation on both sides - the Brezi growing upset at the complete lack of respect for the species' most important historical figure, and the Sunlit seeing their neighbours as joyless and unnecessarily restrictive on their own people's freedoms.   One particular controversy between these two species, however, is to do with the infamous struggle of the Brezi against their Vocatio. Many Brezi have expressed outrage at the Sunlit's treatment of the Auditori who enter their systems, who most commonly find work as mercenaries, prize fighters, and other swords-for-hire. While the Brezi accuse the Sunlit'awkh of exploiting this difficult condition to their own ends, their reptilian neighbours argue that, in their space, an individual's choices are their own, and that they cannot be held accountable for what people choose to make of their lives once they enter their borders.   Brezi and Sunlit'awkh cannot reproduce with one another. This - combined with the distance between their two civilisations - makes relationships between these two species relatively rare, but not entirely unheard-of, with the larger Sunlit known as the Na Ṛåy making up most Sunlit'awkh partners in these couples.  

Vi'dam

Brezi perspectives on the Vi'dam are perhaps the most various, owing to the diversity of societal structures and ideologies between their three ethnicities.   The Brezi and the Vi'dam can reproduce with one another, and of all the species in Ciraculum, these are actually the most common romantic partners for a Brezi to have outside of their own race.   Iskara

This sub-species of Vi'dam and their frozen planet of Soraktus are seen with some curiosity and a healthy amount of fear by the Brezi. Their world and culture are considered an example of what happens when a civilisation lives without the protection and light of their sun - creatures of shadow and perpetual night. They are not seen as weak - quite the opposite, in fact - but the Iskara have a reputation as the polar opposite of the Brezi, for better or worse. Conclusions drawn from this designation are two-fold, with most Brezi falling into one of two camps. On one hand, the Iskara are dangerous - even evil - and thus wise to exercise caution around. On the other, they are a representation of cosmic balance, and between them and the Brezi, one can see the galaxy represented in all its facets - two halves of one whole.

  Nista

To the Brezi, the inhabitants of Yaklav are a lesson. Spiritualists often describe the Nista and their homeworld as proof of the destructive influence of light and the sun, seeing their harsh desert planet and fiery demeanour as the result of getting too much of a good thing, and another reason for which the Empire should be grateful for the perfect balance of their own world and the stewardship of their divine Emperor. Of all Vi'dam, those of this ethnicity tend to clash most often with the Brezi, as their chaotic, impulsive and free-going nature frequently comes into conflict with the Empire's governing principles.

  Zuravi

If one were to be reductivist about it, the Brezi see the denizens of Ihiri as the "perfect" incarnation of the Vi'dam. The Zuravi's world is a paradise not unlike their own, impeccably balanced in all things - from the climate, to their governing bodies, to the temperament of the people themselves. Brezi and Zuravi typically see eye-to-eye on a lot of issues, and the lives of these folk can even come off as a bit too heavily structured for even a citizen of the Imperii.

 

Zadaikra

The World-Eater and insectoid hivemind known as Zadaikra is a sworn enemy of the Brezi Imperii, whom they fought alongside their allies, the Vi'dam, throughout the Coryza system in the most recent major war to have unfolded in Serenity Space. Many Brezian soldiers still in service today have memories of the species' warrior swarms, their pseudo-organic ships, and their suicidal devotion to their gargantuan queen. A lot of Brezi are inherently distrusting of any children of Zadaikra they encounter in the wild - though this is quite rare.   Zadaikra's children cannot reproduce with any other being - not even with each other - and the Brezi are no exception. Intimate relationships between these two species are almost entirely unheard-of, and where they do occur, such couplings are met with uneasiness at-best, and outright disgust at-worst.