Lumii

A species sometimes derogatorily referred to as an uplift, they have reached the space age only in the last century, and not in a natural fashion. The feline lumii were in a late iron age when they encountered humanity which forcibly uplifted them. Culturally, they are only slightly changed from their period and have since their freedom won in war, have isolated further into returning to their stolen cultural heritage. They are a species defined by faith, hardship and resistance to forced integration into human mannerisms, struggling to survive in a universe that they do not fit into with much of their population having become fully humanized, converting culturally into that of their former masters.

Physical Description

Upright felines, lumii are commonly thick, dense-furred and well adapted to their cold world with a short lifespan of only about ninety-years. They possess retractable claws on their somewhat clumsy hands and padded feet. They usually possess a long tail for balancing, multi-layered coats and a variety of patterns. Of note are their status as predators, Lumii are near-obligate predators and possess powerful jaws and acute senses of smell. In raw physical capacity, they are one of the more dangerous species of the civilized space and are more than an equal to any fenian.

Heritages

Lumii heritages are threefold, named based upon their understanding of their place in the Vennist religion.

• Sarainans Those closest to the goddess Sarai, they are associated with the thick-furred Lumii of most of the world. Urban, caring and socially minded. They are adapted for the cold of much of their world. They resemble cold-weather adapted wild felines like lynxes, bobcats, snow leopards and the like.
• Ymirans Those closest to the god Ymir, they are dark-furred, thin and stereotyped as warriors and nomads. They exist along the equatorial portion of the world. They resemble warm-weather adapted felines like leopards, panthers or servals.
• Amarians Those born under Amar, the Outsider. Who abandoned Visra and the ways of the lumii. Often maligned by Visran lumii, they take pride in their status, moving past and beyond the limits of their world. While descended from the other two heritages, they have diverged and lack much of the cultural baggage of their homeland and are considered dangerously curious. While many look like the native breeds, many still have evolved to appear more like domestic felines.

History

Two hundred years ago, the lumii encountered humanity, and their existence was upended. The humans of the GCIS saw the resource-rich system and defying what the Directorate considered good practices, forcibly uplifted them in near-slave like conditions. Aiming to civilize them and employ them as laborers to exploit their own system for resources. After a century and a half of repression and forced uplifting, the so called secession war shattered the GCIS, and seizing the stationed fleet, the lumii successfully defended their system, reclaimed it, ousted foreign control and even seized a few nearby systems. Since the lumii of Visra have become a full partner in the new Sovereign Federation, joining the human families, the Caera and the Hexians as full figures in its political sphere and with the ability to reclaim their stolen heritage and political system.

Society

Lumii are highly orderly and deeply interested in justice, law and see violations of law, secular or religious, as extreme disruptions and influence of grave evils. They are deeply concerned with social adherence, cultural norms and tradition. Lumii pay great stock to the arts, and their institutions heavily support them, leading to them producing a vast swathe of art, music and poetry. It is believed that these actions pay tribute to the days of old, and through these traditions, can reclaim lumii heritage that will slowly push out human influence and perversion of their society. Their restorative beliefs are so great that they have come to define Lumii society which live to reclaim an ‘older’ form of society. Willingly submitting to no longer corporate alien masters, but gladly returning to serfdom under knights and techno-feudal lords. With their gear being altered and changed to better resemble the weapons and armor of their medieval past. Power armor hidden in a suit of plate covered in a surcoat of energy-absorbent fabric, or a particle projection cannon using features more common to crossbows. Example Names:

Beliefs

Lumii culture is deeply rooted in the religious belief of the twin deities Ymir and Sarai, which emphasizes the path alLumii must follow in order to find their role within society. As a result it places great importance on gender roles with men being warriors and leaders and women taking on family-centric roles. They have been seeking to recreate and restore their partially altered religion to a more natural state in forced-regression to purify them of alien influence and cultural imperialism. Their religion, known as Vennism’s core tenants as ascribed to in the holy book Zakon of the Twins are “Indulgence of the self shall bring only ruin, it is in devotion to all that peace shall be found.” From here most Lumii tend to follow the belief that their role in life is to find where they fit best within the ideal Visran society as exemplified in their creation myth before the corruption brought in by the Outsider. They follow the examples of both Ymir, Sarai, and the people who came before.