Scarabs

The unique emblem of the Scarabs, owing its insectoid design to their reliance of such in history.

The largest representation of offworlder humans, the Scarabs are a loosely-organised confederation of nomadic vessels which spent decades isolated from the rest of humanity in the uncharted frontier. The Scarabs are a population of hardy survivors who are adept at surviving in the void of space and possess a unique culture which is a result of their decades of isolation in the frontier, where a single mistake could spell death.

Scarabs traditionally have two surnames, with the first being a family name and the second being the vessel the Scarab originates upon. In terms of an on-server, your character should pick between one or the other.

History

Scarab origins date back to the departure of what would become the Core Fleets in 2192, massive residential and combat Warp vessels built on the fastest drives of the time. Utilising only the most cutting edge agricultural and scientific technology, a wide variety of nations, particularly from Sub-Saharan Africa, formed the Children of Earth Pioneering Fleet. This would be known as the CEF, promising millions a new home some three-hundred light years away in a newly purchased territory. Within, multiple barren planets which could see simple terraforming to accommodate the burden of life. The destination would soon find itself plastered on commercial advertising globally spanning Earth. Quickly did this planet become a grand figure to hopeful pioneers, and thousands signed on with the CEF with many more in trailing fleets.

Charmed by the promises of the great unknown, the CEF propped itself up as being a “new hope for a galactic Humanity,” then only paralleled by the likes of the Martian terraforming projects. While Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals pioneered the terraforming of the inner solar system, Einstein Engines promised a safe home far away with little of the difficulty seen changing Mars’ environment. While the project was delayed multiple times, the years of setbacks allowed the CEF to take on newer, faster vessels as Warp technology advanced and more joined the Core Fleets. The overwhelming majority of these ships would be powered by the efforts of Einstein Engines, having been assured to be without fault. Finally, in the year 2225, the fleet departed. The delays had effectively ensured that the CEF would not be behind the first successful colony, but certainly one of the most well-known.

The struggle that would define the fleet for generations made itself apparent almost immediately, as the vessels had, in accordance with Einstein Engines’ energy-saving solution, unified their sensor data into one singular ship’s computer. In essence, the Fleet’s travel from then on rested on the shoulders of a singular ship, a capital vessel known as the Mansa. Around this vessel, the entire fleet no matter how fast or slow must have followed. This spelled disaster, as one simple malfunction had placed the fleet in uncontrolled Warp for months - beginning the Lost Years, a time of great strife for the Core Fleets. Now sent wildly off course and out of position, there was no feasible way to resume the original mission.

In the Lost Years, all contact with the outside world - and any hope of return to Earth - was lost. Those responsible for the malfunction were killed, and the fleets dissolved into uncontrolled chaos for some nondescript period of time, for exactly how long, none can tell. From the chaos, a simple man being the great-grandson of a mere bookkeeper arose on board the Mansa. His name was Apollo Kagwa, and from a relative bastion of peace amidst the fleet, he studied greatly into literature and media of old. With a wealth of knowledge at his disposal and a vision for the fleet’s survival, he gathered like-minded individuals and set out to unify the fleet under his vision. Not a drop of blood was shed during this endeavour, as Kagwa and his cohort instead set about putting their intellectual upbringings to use. During these times certain practices arose, originally simple procedures meant to increase a crew’s chance of survival, but took on a more spiritual aspect as time progressed. Preaching that scarcity is the greatest enemy, that peace and strength is achieved through cooperation and self-control. Not only physical, but also mental and spiritual. These disparate traditions were embraced by Kagwa, using it to win more ships over to his side. Eventually, after many phases, the fleet fell in line with his ways, though the Lost Years were far from over. By this point, many among the fleet had never known the feeling of gravity pushing down on them, and likely never could without major support. The Scarabs would have to wander between the stars for as long as they lived, never to consider any of them home.

The current “leader” of the Scarab is known as Iraiya, the seventh successor of Apollo and often referred to with the epithet “the Queen in Blue”. Today from their throne on the Riphean Voyager, they struggle to guide their people through an uncertain future. Scarabs represent an alien form of Man left to itself for centuries on end, different and distanced from all societal progression that influenced their hand otherwise. In 2546, the Scarabs made their grand return to the rest of interstellar civilization, and through trade upgraded their entire home fleet with bluespace technology. Now, the fleet is a combination of the inefficient past and sleek present, of those who remember the years of isolation and those who have never known what it was like to be alone. Only time will tell what this holds for the Scarabs and their way of life.

Culture

Scarabs adopt many of the often seen traits of other Offworlders, with a deep conservationist attitude ingrained in all Scarabs out of necessity. The Scarabs have known centuries of scarcity, and it affects their culture and mindset very heavily. Greed, laziness and wastefulness are considered the most condemnable misdeeds and most vile insults, whereas selflessness, resourcefulness and hard work are the most praisable virtues.

Tujmansaal

Tujmansaal is a very common spiritual concept that most Scarabs can deeply connect with. Roughly translated as “blissful times”, it represents a state in which a person can easily satisfy any of their own needs. Such a state is a very common life goal for most - simply living the rest of one’s life fed, safe and comfortable. Although one could see this as egotistical, needs of a Scarab often include being among friends and family, and seeing them happy - meaning that tujmansaal is not achievable unless all of your loved ones achieve it together with you.

Aiseheer

Aiseheer is a relationship concept used often among Scarabs, roughly translated to “brothers in need”, and meaning people working towards a common goal despite all of their differences and disagreements. A single member involved in this kind of relationship is called an aiseh (plural aiseh). After the goal in question has been achieved, the aiseh may strengthen their bond and become close, or go separate ways once more. Skrell often find this similar to their concept of qu’pluux, but with the difference of aiseheer potentially involving many people, or entire groups.

Superstition and Conservation

A very strong element of Scarab culture is superstition. Almost any Scarab is superstitious to at least some degree. Different omens, big and small, ominous and promising, vary from ship to ship, but are present everywhere. A few are universal. For example, the corpses of fellow crew must always be spaced - no space or resources should be wasted to preserve it, but neither may it be recycled or used in any form, as resorting to using fellow crew members’ dead bodies means that bad times have come, and it’s likely that it’s going to only get worse from there…

Asking for more food than you were initially given at a meal, even when available, is a bad omen commonly associated with egoism and narcissism. Instead, uneaten food and leftovers must always be preserved and used as an ingredient in the next meal that is going to be made. On station, this would mean that food left after transfer should be stored safely in a refrigerator or a heater.

Scarab engineering and maintenance crew members would often carry a spare wrench on themselves, which is a common good luck charm. However, having to give it away to someone else may spell disaster for both people in question.

Meal times are strictly and sparingly scheduled for the entire ship, and are quiet times of appreciation for the work going into producing the food. Speaking up is strictly prohibited, and making eye contact is considered to be a bad omen - instead, this is a time to recall and reflect. Afterwards, a break is to be had, as a relatively recent custom. During this break time, ships may often dock to each other, exchanging news, resources, and oral tradition.

Fiction

Fictional literature is almost non-existent due to consoles and paper being used extremely sparingly. Instead, verbal arts are almost exclusively oral, with stories, myths and legends being shared among departments or families after meal times, or passed by from ship to ship when docking. Most common are two genres. Shiwuniket is the older one - grim and dark stories that serve as some kind of warning or precaution. Themes of death, collapse and mysterious omens are all very common. Nitaniket, more recent and less popular, consists of stories of overcoming and triumph, where the main characters are savvy and clever individuals who are able to make the most of the limited resources they have, using them in creative ways to deal with danger or challenges thrown their way.

Shaitan

A common character in Scarab folklore is Shaitan, the Adversary - a malevolent spirit which is said to be the personification of all evil. Although exact details differ from ship to ship, it commonly takes the form of a mysterious and elusive traveller with their eyes brightly shining, who then convinces someone to lead the entire ship to ruin. The exact details of how this is done may differ, but generally, the victim captures the light of the traveller’s eyes, becoming blinded with their own reflection and giving in to madness, now only obsessed with their own well-being, and eventually bringing the ship to a collapse.

Ceremonial Weapons

Weapons and weapon-making are almost glorified in Scarab societies, often considered extremely prized possessions. An almost universal marriage rite is presenting a beautiful, ornate knife or dagger to the significant other, who will then return it with the handle going forward if the offer is accepted, and the blade going forward if it is denied. Some ships use a decorated gun instead of a knife, but the process is generally the same, going without much fanfare. When dealing with non-Scarabs, a Scarab would often ask to sit down at a table, and then lay their weapons on it. This ceremonial disarming is not only done to take caution, but also to look at how well-made the weaponry of the other person is.

Scarabs value a good weapon and displays of power, but nothing is more wasteful than ending the life of a worker. Thus, many Scarabs enjoy bouts with fellow crew, but, taking extreme care to not hurt anyone (since it would prevent them from working for some time), don’t use their weapons in these fights, and take care not to hit the opponent too hard. As an alternative, intellectual games such as chess and checkers are often played to display intellectual prowess.

Family and Education

Family is less nuclear/core to the Scarab way of life. A Scarab's ship is their family, and blood is less important than crew. Everyone in the crew has some level of responsibility to the welfare of children, but the closer the relationship to the child's parents, the greater the obligation. Independence is encouraged early on, Scarabs avoiding children being a burden to the crew. Weak, dependent children can jeopardise a vessel by demanding excessive time and attention while contributing little. They are taught very early about wastefulness, recycling, the value of hard labour, and avoiding the long gaze of Shaitan. This is a communal effort, the values of their societies deemed too important for only two people to teach. Mistakes and even injuries are simply viewed as hands-on learning, such as the lesson that one can never pay too much close attention in space. Deeper learning, such as Engineering or other tasks are based on apprentice-ships; teaching done through work-based learning rather than extensive study of textbooks. However, reading is drilled in as much as writing, to read warning signs and instructional documents on crucial systems. After these values are instilled, and the child has completed their apprenticeship, they are treated with adulthood. The readiness to go out on their own is marked by the gift of a scarf by their immediate family, usually made of spider silk.

The Released

But, of course, not all Scarabs manage to comply with this lifestyle. Anyone of any age can either lose their tight grip on Scarab values, or never pick them up well enough in the first place. While before 'first contact' these people were simply airlocked, in modern cases, young or old, the crewmember in question is Released. This punishment is treated with much gravitas, only being applied to those that have grievously offended the necessities meant to be learned. Those that are released are exiled from their home vessels and the fleet entirely, unshackled from their responsibilities towards the Scarabs. They are given a week's worth of food and water, their clothing, and a weapon; typically small trinkets as well from those they were close with, then sent to the nearest place with a spaceport. They are stripped of their ability to hold any surname besides Sadar, translating to 'released.' This is semi-voluntary, some Scarabs even willfully choosing to become Sadar to go out on their own without the worries of their previous life. If one is to come back to the ship, they may be allowed back inside, but this is not guaranteed. Naturally, if one refuses this exile, they would be treated as a trespasser on their vessel and dealt with accordingly.

Major Scarab Vessels

The Scarab’s home fleet consists of several hundred vessels which are home to a population estimated to be somewhere between one and three million, though no census of the Fleet has ever been performed. Below are some of the major vessels found in the Fleet.

Riphean Voyager

The lead ship of the Fleet since its launch from the Sol System, the Riphean Voyager is a scientific survey vessel which was designed for work in the uncharted reaches of deep space. The residents of the Voyager were pulled from across the Earth and have no defining national origin, but generally tend to find themselves involved in scientific fields when they travel abroad. Residents of this vessel utilise red, yellow, and orange in much of their clothing and equipment and utilise Riphea for their ship surname.

The Voyager is a one-of-a-kind vessel laid down and launched by Einstein Engines which was originally commissioned to chart the Frontier, and further Riphean Voyager-class vessels were first delayed and then scrapped as confidence in these missions waned. Though Iraiya rules from it, she is not the Grand Captain of this ship. Instead, as per tradition, this position is passed off to the current ruler’s spouse, in this case a woman named Justia Kagwa. She is a great patron of the scientific arts and often invites foreign scientific teams onto the Voyager to study, which has made it into the arguable public face of the Scarab Fleet.

Impukane

Mostly made up of sub-Saharan African colonists, the Impukane is known for both its extensive salvage facilities and strong ship security force. The Scarabs from these ships prefer colours like green, orange and red. Residents of the Impukane often find themselves involved in engineering, particularly shipbreaking and salvage, industries abroad and more rarely find themselves involved in private security. Their ship surname is Impukane. The colours of the Impukane are red, silver, and gold.

The Impukane was commissioned to serve as a repair and salvage vessel for the fleet, and has remained in this role for the entirety of its service. Like most vessels in the Fleet it was laid down and constructed by Einstein Engines. The Impukane’s salvage teams are almost always accompanied by one of its ship security teams, who have become adept at EVA combat and boarding operations. Its current Grand Captain, Hami Ibori, has kept the salvaging traditions of his ancestors and has seen the Impukane’s flotilla make many expeditions across the frontier for the sake of salvaging vessels and facilities, and often does so upon commission from archaeologists and historians from across the Orion Spur.

Faladay Tadhhab Bsre (Fa’Ta-Bs)

A medical vessel mostly made up of Levantine Arabic colonists, the Fa’Ta-Bs is renowned throughout the Scarab Fleet for the medical care they are able to provide. Residents of this vessel often find themselves in the medical, or medical research, field when they travel abroad. They typically take one word of the ship’s name for their ship surname. The colours of the Faladay are green, white, and black.

The Faladay was commissioned to serve as both the primary medical hub for injuries sustained during interstellar travel and as the fleet’s main research facility. While laid down and built by Einstein Engines, most of the medical facilities aboard the Faladay were designed and built by Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals. As a result of its extensive medical research facilities much of the current understanding of space adaptation in humans comes from extensive records kept by the medical practitioners of the Faladay during the Lost Years, which have become vital tools for medical professionals throughout the Orion Spur. The Faladay often collaborates with Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals and most of its residents who opt to go abroad find themselves employed by Zeng-Hu. Its current Grand Captain, Raaina Shariff Faladay, formerly worked for Zeng-Hu as a medical researcher and has only strengthened the vessel’s ties with the megacorporation during her tenure, much to the chagrin of more conservative residents.

Su-Yeongseon

An engineering vessel mostly made up of East Asian colonists, such as those from Korea, the Su-Yeongseon often cooperates with the Impukane regarding matters of engineering and maintenance. Residents of this vessel often find themselves employed in engineering fields when they travel abroad. The ship surname of this vessel is Yeongseon. The colours of the Yeongseon are orange, red, and blue.

The Yeongseon was commissioned to serve as the fleet’s maintenance and engineering vessel for any matters which did not require the large-scale facilities of the Impukane, and has become one of the most revered vessels in the fleet due to its importance in ensuring the Scarab’s vessels did not fail during the decades they spent wandering the deep frontier. It was laid down and built by Einstein Engines, which has used the vessel’s staying power as an advertising point for similar hulls. The vessel’s current Grand Captain, Kyung-Mi Gam Yeongseon, is one of the most prominent members of the “exile” faction which seeks to plunge back into the uncharted frontier once again, and believes her vessel should be the one to lead such an expedition rather than the Riphean Voyager.

Sansryn Khölög (San-Khöl)

A hydroponics and biological research mostly made up of Central Asian colonists, the Sansryn Khölög is responsible for much of the hydroponics and animal husbandry techniques which have kept the Scarabs fed for decades. Residents of this vessel often find themselves employed in biology or biology-adjacent industries such as xenobiology. The residents of this vessel generally pick one of the two words in its name for their ship surname, and the colours of the vessel are green, gold, and white.

The Sansryn Khölög was commissioned to serve as a secondary research vessel for the fleet and was designed to focus upon cataloguing the flora and fauna of the frontier in order to determine if any native species would be suitable to use in human colonisation efforts. When the Fleet lost communications with the rest of the Spur the massive hydroponics bays of the vessel – which already hosted hakhma, large beetles harvested for meat and milk, and süüs, ant-like creatures used to produce a nutritious juice, in addition to other native wildlife – were quickly repurposed to feed the Fleet and have continued to serve that purpose to this very day. The Sansryn Khölög is often visited by foreign academics and naturalists interested in the still mostly unknown wildlife of the uncharted frontier, and the ships in its flotilla often travel far and wide to log and capture new species. The current Grand Captain, Odchigin Abaga Khölög, has continued this trend and often organises expeditions into the Badlands, where he has had many dealings with the Serene Republic of Elyra and Empire of Dominia.