Primer: The Three Spacefaring Species

Intro

When a human village is threatened, leaders rally the members to its defense. When a Purian village is threatened, heroes arise to protect it. When a Youmen village is threatened, all of its members defend it.

The Humans

If you were to ask a youmen person, they would tell you that humans are very strong willed but sometimes short sighted. A purian would say that humans are surprisingly resilient but too often fall victim to groupthink. Humans entered the interstellar scene to escape the ecological collapse of their home planet which is now completely vacated. The vast resources and living spaces that have become available to them through settling other planets, as well as new advancements brought to them by the other two species, have privileged them to such a prolonged golden era that most humans take it for granted.

About 20% of humans maintain the ability to wield by the time they reach adulthood.

The Youmen

Youmen is both a noun and an adjective referring to a person or acting as a demonym respectively. It is the same in both singular and plural form.

Youmen look very similar to humans. The most common method of differentiating them from humans is that a Youmen’s irises are always the same shade of gray which is rare in humans.

About 40% of adult Youmen have the ability to wield, the most of the three space faring species.

Youmen cultural values strongly emphasize unity and advancing the common good over individualism. Naturally altruistic and empathetic, they form large, organized communities without prompting; as a result, building the framework to transform into a successful galactic society was relatively simple. They have relatively long lifespans (approximately 15 years more than the average human). Their institutions are long lasting, all-encompassing, agile, scalable, and adaptable which has helped them thrive at a galactic scale.

The Purians

Unlike Youmen, Purians are easily distinguished by their forward facing ears on the top of their head. They also have the misfortune that their ears closely resemble those of the human domesticated cat, a comparison which they resent. Purians are obligate carnivores. The cultivation of insects for food followed by the perfection of artificially grown meat were instrumental to their advancement as a species.

About 30% of adult Purians have the ability to wield.

Purian cultural values prize individual achievement and expression over cooperation. As a species they are fragmented, owing more allegiance to their local institutions and organizations than to their Multisystem government.

Purians have shorter lifespans than humans (about 5 years less).