The Sycorax (reference book)

The Sycorax was the fourth release in the Doctor Who Files range, published on 8 June 2006 by BBC Children's Books and written by Jacqueline Rayner. The book also included the short story , written by Stephen Cole.
This book was notable for introducing various parts of Sycorax culture and history, such as the Fadros Pallujikaa rank, the goddess Astrophia, and the history of the Halvinor Tribe and the Fire Trap, which would all be expanded on by later media featuring the species.
The book was aimed at younger readers, like the other entries in the series, by testing their reading comprehension every few pages with fold-out "Test your Knowledge" pages (a series of five multiple choice questions), and was fully illustrated with colour photographs throughout. 
== Publisher's summary ==
Who are the Sycorax?
Find out all about the Sycorax, their history and home planet, technology and travels, then join them on a brand new adventure .
== Plot ==
=== Meet the Sycorax ===
==== Introduction ====
The Sycorax, a race of scavengers, travel through space to target worlds taking their first steps into space as they have a suitable level of technology for the Sycorax to raid whilst also not being advanced enough to protect themselves.
The Sycorax "way of life" involves ritual and superstition, with blood and bones playing a significant role in their ceremonies. Their use of technology also enables their spells and curses to be truly effective.
While the Sycorax are a warlike species, they enjoy the challenge of combat even if they prefer to subjugate a planet without resistance.
==== Sycorax Data ====
The species' average height is 1.90 metres, or 6.2 feet. They have skin of muscle and bone, with red eyes. They originate from Sycorax, speak Sycoraxic, and are scavengers.
==== Sycorax Anatomy ====
The "anatomy" of the Fadros Pallujikaa is shown:
* He wears a skull helmet to "inspire fear",
* Red-glowing eyes,
* Trophies around his neck, taken from conquests,
* Totems and decorations on his staff indicates his tribe and status,
* And his blood-red velvet robe indicates his wealth.
=== History of the Sycorax ===
In the wastelands of the galaxy, lays a distant planet, a small asteroid. Under its surface, many Sycorax tribes fight for the few natural resources — such as food and metal — whilst worshipping Astrophia, the goddess of darkness and death, each tribe attempting perform outdo the other. After centuries, the Sycorax became aware of other species in the universe when a spaceship crashes on the surface of the planet and the survivors are enslave by the Halvinor Tribe. After the Halvinor force the survivors to teach them how to use their technology, a potential war begins to brew between the tribes, due to fear and resentment of the discovery, but it is defused by the Halvinor shaman who persuades them to unite and exploit the universe for its riches.
Now united, the Sycorax develop their technology to enable their tiny planet to be piloted from world to world, plundering and enslaving the natives. After many generations of scavenging, the mechanism responsible for controlling the travel systems fails, leaving the asteroid drifting in the orbit of a planet located in the "far reaches" of the solar system. Refusing to go back to their old ways, the tribes split the planet into an an armada of rocky ships, equipping them with technology to enable their travel. The shamen begin the lost rites of Astrophia anew, augmented with their technologies, to control the species they enslave — and, if this failed, the rest of the fleet could be summoned. The Sycorax Armada travel through the galaxy, devastating worlds without opposition, until one tribe makes the mistake of targeting a planet protected by the Doctor.
=== Enemies and Rivals ===
==== Rose ====
to be added
==== The Doctor ====
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==== Harriet Jones ====
to be added
==== Torchwood ====
to be added
=== No Place Like Home ===
==== 'Pilot Fish' Aliens ====
to be added
==== Sycoraxic ====
to be added
=== Weapons and Technology ===
==== Weaponry ====
to be added
==== Blood Control ====
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==== Messages to Aliens ====
to be added
== Characters ==
(In order of appearance)
* Fadros Pallujikaa
* Tenth Doctor
* Rose Tyler
* Mickey Smith
* Sycorax shaman
=== Referenced only ===
* Astrophia
== Worldbuilding ==
* The Sycorax attack planets not developed enough to withstand invasion.
* The "rite of blood control" is one of the species' favourite fear tactics, as it spreads fear and panic in their victims.
* Melee, with its own set of rules and rituals, appeals to the species' "warrior spirit", although their desire for victory often is prioritised over honour.
* Sycorax is an asteroid, composed mainly of rock and ice.
* The tribes try to outdo each other in reverence and offerings for Astrophia.
* Sycorax shamen carry out rites of blood and sacrifice to "implore" Astrophia to bring favour to their tribes and misfortune to the others.
== Notes ==
* This book was included in the box set Doctor Who Files: Collected Files 1-4, published in November 2007, ISBN 978-0-14092-499-2.
== Continuity ==
to be added
== Gallery ==
to be added
== Footnotes ==
Category:Doctor Who Files
Category:Tenth Doctor sources
Category:Sycorax stories
Category:Stories set in Mutter's Spiral