Kemzali

Kemzali have a reputation as aloof despots, slavers and monsters. Many believe them further to be man-eaters and engaging in mind-manipulation. The truth is a bit less negative. They are incredibly long lived, psychic beings deeply obsessed with righteousness, order and proper behavior and their folk belief is that they are manifested supernaturally by their own species’ psionic dreams to ‘repair the universe.’ They do not generally value personal freedoms and are only tepidly social with their own species, preferring to surround themselves with other species, which they regard on average as servants or pets, a mindset that those kemzali removed from their territory have to fight against, and often over-compensate for.

Physical Description

Kemzali are a lithe, densely furred, four-limbed serpentine species with a long, narrow head bearing a single horn. Their legs end in four sharp, distinct toed hooves on each foot. Their hands each bare two clawed fingers and two clawed thumbs. They eat their prey whole, have hook-like teeth, and can vary dramatically in exacting appearance, with each major lineage having appearances that vary in minor, or rather significant ways. While they may socially be male or female, their entire species are hermaphroditic and reproduce via parasitically. An average kemzali has a distressingly long lifespan with members outliving the thousand-year mark.

History

Inducted into the Directorate as one of the first few species following the discovery of W-1, the kemzali were an already highly advanced people, but lacked any naturally occurring W-1, and therefore FTL and a predicted population crisis encouraged immediate integration into the Directorate on the promise of new worlds to colonize. Since, they have been an integral part of the Directorate, but both are both slow to integrate and deeply alien in mindset. Their slow population gain has kept them as a relatively minor power outside of the worlds in the Directorate’s core.

Society

Kemzali and their culture is based around two major aspects, an extreme adherence to what they see as order and the good of their underlings, and their own individualistic needs. Their own mythologies say they dreamed themselves into existing as they felt the universe needed something beautiful and perfect. On their homeworld of Ornja they evolved to dominate nature, other species and each other through a combination of psionic manipulation, physical prowess and forward-thinking. They rule their society absolutely, existing as generally benevolent though freedom-denying beings over kobari, one of two sister species, and alien subjects within their domains. A kemzali learns their history, skills, their identity and much of who they are over the first few decades of their long lives via a psychic connection with their parents, a dream that tutors them as they sleep. In many respects, these dreams are their primary teachers, as kemzali are apex-predators and do not socialize well with each other and their relationship with their parents tends to standoffish. Their names are often short, two-syllable words and are usually somewhat feminine. Their surnames are always their mother’s first name, unchanged. Kemzali, formally introducing themselves, will continue and list all of their ancestors' names prior to their mothers, grandmothers, etc, in an ongoing line of surnames. This process, despite kemzali’s long lifespans, can be time consuming. While most Kemzali identify as female among foreign species, some identify as male, or nothing at all. Technically, their own gender in their language is the same as their species, Zala, as in Kem-Zala which is what they call themselves casually.

Example Names Maala, Sahna, Taali, Luura, Selaa, Tahni, Horhja

Beliefs

Order absolutely dominates the kemzali mindset, one of the least pleasant experiences for them is existing in disorder, dysfunction and in an environment with altering rules. Despite stereotypes as villainous rulers, kemzali are deeply concerned for other people’s needs. They may be willing to sacrifice an ally for a benefit, but only for the benefit of the whole. Seeing those they consider part of their domain suffer or be unhappy can easily fill them with distress and guilt. Religious kemzali are uncommon beyond adherence to the Kemz, a series of guiding principles of order that manifest throughout life. The religion is based heavily around the principles of Right Actions and Right Order. In which people are divided based upon their species, social position, and role in society, and the actions expected of them are strictly considered. Within it, rightness of actions may differ by role and position, but are no less true. It posits that The Dream the Kemzali were born unto has set unalienable perfect rules that guide society. While Kemzali are often only moderately religious, kobari tend to obsess over these same rules, and constantly alter them.