Narlin

Narlins are a species of humanoids originating from the planet Talaria. Narlins are a minor political and military power in the quadrant. Narlins are one of the founding members of the Terra Alpha Alliance. Narlins are a deeply spiritual race following the teachings of Narla the Moon Goddess. Narlins are highly adaptable and extremely agile and flexible despite their towering height.
Like many races there are the good and the bad, but for the most part the Narlins are a very respectable race with very similar moral constraints as the Terrans of Earth, Betazoids, and Trills. Many are fun loving, and athletic events are often a highlight of Narlin society. One major sporting event is the Kal’to’val. Translated it means the “battle with the blade.” The Kal’to’val is very similar in organization as the medieval jousting tournaments that took place in Europe.
== Physical attributes ==
Narlin anatomy is blessed with redundancy of all major organs; however both are required for a normal healthy life. Their immune systems are at par with the Ferengi, and enjoy accelerated healing thanks to the redundant organs, and excellent immune system.
Narlins are long lived living to be about 150 to 200 earth years old. The elders are greatly respected and are often as seen as Shamans and Priests for Narla.
== History of the Narlin people ==
The Narlin people developed on the third planet of the Talara System 600,000 years ago. Their planet is known as Talara III or Talaria. For much of their early history the Narlins developed very similar to Humans on Earth.
Talaria is a planet of two large continents. The zones of this planet include deserts, vast forests, rolling hills and jagged mountains. The central plains of the Talaria are fertile and grow vast fields of grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Early Narlins were subjugated into a strict class structure adhered to by most of the nations. While the class structure has been officially abolished for over a thousand years Narlins will adhere to the class structure voluntarily. 
Monarch:
The King was the ruler of the nation. His or her authority was divine and usually unquestioned. King was given to the male ruler and Queen to the female. Rule was chosen by the previous King or Queen, and thus the Queen could be the ruler over her husband the King. In the case that the Ruler did not chose prior to death, his or her rule was transferred to the eldest child. In the event that both the ruler did not choose and there was no direct heir, his/her closest living relative would take the throne.
Lords:
Lords were the nobility of a Nation. A King or Queen could promote any class to lord. However, if a lord married out side of his or her class they would lose their status and fall to their spouse’s class. Lords assisted in the governmental duties of the nation, and owned vast plots of land that they were expected to pay tribute to the King. Tribute was based on percentage of output generated by the Lord’s lands. This percentage differed greatly from country to country and manor to manor. Lords were often related to the King or Queen and only by being a lord could one be eligible to become King or Queen.
The lord class also included elite warriors who were often the sons and daughters of the Lords and lead his or her armies into battles. They were the officer classes of a Lord’s army and the King’s Army.
Warrior Class:
This class was chosen by lords and the Executive classes to fill the ranks of the Lord’s and King’s Armies. The Warrior class was usually from the Peasant class who showed great aptitude for the art of war. These were the heroes of the Nation. While having no governmental influence they held a greater seat of honor than the Executive class that chose them. Marriage out side of class did not affect your status.
Executive Class: 
The executive classes were members of elite society. They had minimal governmental influence, but they held professions as Lawyers, Town Magistrate, local law enforcement, Religious authorities, teachers, and professors. You could only be born into this class. And like the Lord class you would lose status by marrying out side of your class.
Merchant Class:
This class was held by those who owned small shops in towns and villages. This class could be achieved by saving and working hard but was usually obtained through birth. One did not lose status by marrying outside of class.
Peasant Class:
The backbone of Narlin society. Peasants worked in the fields, deep in the mines, and at local shops. They were the producers of needed goods. Peasants were rarely educated and spent most of their lives laboring for little or no money serving only their Lord working his lands.
Outcast:
This class consisted of banished from upper classes, thieves, murders, and the mentally ill. They usually spent their time in prisons or on the streets begging.
In the Year 56 of Narla (005 BC) the king of Kormel: Youlan the Great began his campaign of unification in the name of Narla the sun goddess. The Narlin war laid waste to the landscape of Talaria. Thousands died and the economy collapsed as peasants took up arms to defend their kingdoms. 
After 67 years the final nation fell to Tamerale and the Queen of Kormel handed her scepter to an ailing Youlan. Youlan declared that the unified Talaria was now the Narlin Empire and moved his governmental seat to the center of the continent in the old Kingdom of Kormel. 
Youlan ruled justly with a steel grip as a great Emperor. The Narlin Empire flourished as Youlan had put an end to the petty wars that the different Kingdoms once fought.
In his battles across the land he never took a wife and had no child that he knew of. After five years Youlan’s doctors could no longer sustain his life. Youlan called the Queen of Kormel into his chambers.
“Young Queen,” Youlan rasped laying in his death bed.
She bowed before the bed, “Yes my Emperor.”
“In my battles I learned one thing. Kormel was the most honorable. Even more so than those of us from Tamerale I chose you as my successor. It is my hope that you will keep the peace and retain the unity of the Narlin Empire.” Youlan handed her the scepter lying near the bed.
Taking the scepter Queen Lehona bowed, “The honor is great.”
“Use the power justly, and wisely.”
Youlan’s last phrase to his successor stuck with Lehona and became an oath of office for those taking control of the empire. The empire flourished for the next 1800 years under the teachings of Youlan and Lehona. Only once had the empire fell into a bloody civil war.
In 1880 (1931 AD) The Narlin Empire experienced significant social change as the Executive class gained equal status as the lord and Monarch class. All of the lower class rules fell away and the commoner could decide their own fate within the empire. The Lord and Monarch classes were the only ones that remained the same; however they shared their governmental duties with the executive class. Government was split into the House of Lords lead by the Monarch, and the Narlin House of Representatives filled and led by an electoral process. The Prime Minister elected by all classes became the leader of the empire.
The Narlin Empire prospered under the democratic rule for the next 306 years and in 2284 (2235) Graven Y’Tol invented the first Narlin faster than light propulsion system. His ship took him deep outside the Talaria system where he encountered the Gorvan. 
The Gorvan were dissidents of the Scarran Empire. Scarran’s are reptilian bi-peds, and nomadic in nature. Unlike the Gorvan the Scarrans would take forcefully devouring a system of all of its resources and then moving on to another. The Federation would later encounter the Scarrans in the Pythus Sector shortly after the Dominion War with tragic results.
Formal contact with the Gorvan would fall a week after Y’Tol had encountered the first Gorvan ship. Leaders of the Gorvan and Narlin governments saw that they could provide for mutual needs. The Narlins could farm and provide other needs for the nomadic Gorvan. In return the Gorvan would ensure the safety of the Empire as a warrior class. 
The Gorvan established a new homeworld three light years from Talaria and named it Gorvan Prime. After 50 years Gorvan Prime soon became the principal military manufacturing center in the Empire with almost fifty percent of its ships and transports being produced at its shipyards.
The empire grew expanding into nearby planets. The Gorvan and the Narlins would often co-habitat colony worlds. The Gorvan would hunt and trade furs and meat for food and services from the Narlins who would farm.
In 2275 (2326) the Narlin Empire made first contact with the Cardassian Union. The war lasted four bloody years. The Narlins were at first ill-equipped to handle the Cardassian ships and Cardassia made it deep into Narlin space annexing many Narlin colonies. 
In the last year Narlin scientists developed their computer weapons allowing them to take control of enemy vessels. The new weapon made short work on the Cardassian fleets and the Cardassians fled back into their own territory. Over the course of the next ten years the Cardassians would make incursions back into Narlin territory always with the same results.
In 2311 (2372) The Narlin Imperial Civil war began between the Narlins and the Gorvan. The war would last ten years, and kill 1 in 3 Narlins and nearly 2 in 3 Gorvan. No family was unaffected, and soldiers were enlisting as young as ten on both sides.
In 2321 (2382) The Federation Starship USS Erebus under the command of Captain Rebecca Rose Sandoval entered Narlin space on a mission of exploration. The NES Tokay under the command of Commander Jarrok Y’Kerl attacked the Erebus with its computer virus weapon and captured the ship.
Captain Sandoval only hearing half of the story decided to join the fight against the Gorvan, but it was after the capture of the IGS Golondra, that she was able to get the whole picture from Commander Grumman. 
Sandoval led the Erebus to Gorvan Prime where the crew rescued the Gorvan survivors of the now devastated homeworld. With Y’Kerl and Grumman’s help they were able negotiate a peace between the two factions.
The peace was celebrated by both sides and Sandoval became a hero to all saving them from a war that was killing them. The Narlins held a special place for the captain as her appearance was prophesized in their ancient texts:
Prophecy of the Second Age, chapter 23 paragraphs 10-12
The land would see many years of peace and prosperity after the Strangers from a distant land arrived. But, the peace would soon 
bring pain as the Strangers would betray the Narlins and the Narlins 
would betray the Strangers. Many would die by fire, and many more 
would die from disease.  
 
When all hope had been lost, another from an even distant land shall arrive. She will risk everything to save a people she knows nothing about, and her friends will divide. Half will join her and the other half will return home. 
 
She will bring about a peace that has never been seen upon the land  
before or since, and the Narlins will need it to heal. For the wounds sustained in the tribulation will take many years to heal.
The Empire would never be the same again. The Gorvan left the Empire and resettled a new world far from Talara, and returned to their nomadic ways. With the help of the Federation the Narlin Empire slowly began to rebuild under the leadership of Prime Minister Janos Toketh, and Ambassador Jarrok Y’Kerl.
Progress was slow and despite the food replicators provided by the Federation thousands still died of starvation and disease. Today the Narlin Empire spans twenty light-years and encompasses nearly 15 solar systems.
== Narlin faith ==
The Goddess Narla
Narla is the major deity worshipped by the Narlins. She is associated as both the sun and the moon, and is the mother of all creation. It is said that the Narlins were created in Narla’s image. Narla’s symbol is a crescent moon.
Formal worship dates back eight thousand years before Youlan united Talaria. Although worship likely existed long before that in the scattering of tribes that dotted the land. Cave drawings and ancient memorials seem to have suggested this.
The first temple to Narla was constructed along the shores of Lake Narla 30km from the present day city of Zans Vou. The Temple of the Holy Light was thought to have been built nearly 5,000 years ago.
In the year 0 it is said Narla came down to Talaria in corporeal form where she lived and performed miracles until she was killed by doubters twenty years later. The teachings of Narla filled the texts with volumes of new information: including the Prophecies of the Second Age. Narla’s birth to corporeal form sets the Narlin time to 0.
Traios and Other Deities
Traios is the son and the husband of Narla. Traios is the father of Cyanous, Sirus, and Ev. Originally Traios was the God of War, but his lust for power led him to betray Narla. With the help of Cyanous he was cast into the underworld where he would rule over the damned.
Cyanous took his father’s place as God of War and he married his youngest sister Ev. The two would give birth to Kouse, Astria, and Astor.
Sirus became the God of the Afterlife. He would weigh the sins of the dead and allow their souls into heaven or condemn them to hell. 
Ev having fallen in love with Cyanous and the mother of the other three Goddesses became the Goddess of Love and Fertility. Narlin couples often pray to Ev for children, and farmers pray to her for a fertile crop.
Kouse is the Goddess of Protection. Her primary duties are for the weak and young, but her powers can be called upon at times of war and turbulence. Her largest temple is in Darnassis.
Astria and Astor are the twin Goddesses of the Harvest. The two are called upon to grow and protect crops through its harvest. To anger either sister is to evoke both of their wraiths, and when acting together they are the Goddesses of Death and Decay. 
== Narlin mating ==
The Narlins are required to mate with a Narlin of the opposite sex once a year following the thrid full moon of the beginning of the new cycle. This is approxamatly the first or second week of March on the Earth calander. The Mating season lasts for one week during which there is much celebrating on par with the intensety of marti gras in New Orleans, Earth, but planet wide.
Narlins require combination of a hormone that the other sex can only contribute during intercourse to satisfy the intense mateing urges. If the hormone is not present in the body the Narlin will become extreamly violent, suiciedal, and depressed. There are casses of murder blamed on the Mate, but they are very rare. Intercourse outside of the Mate is common, and both parties derive pleasure from the act.
While single, most Narlins seek many partners during the Mate, but once married they are monogonous and mate for life. Death of a partner often leaves severe emotional scars that sometimes never heal. Divorce is extreamly uncommon, and frowned upon. In the early years would have led to outcast status.
== Interspecies marriage ==
Interspecies marriage is extreamly rare, and requires a thrid party during the mate. This addition of a third member usally places a great deal of starin on the Narlin and his/her partner. Divorce rates are much higher in this group than any other. While, the addition of a third party is usally frowned upon in Narlin society these cases are the exception.
== Narlin Defense Forces ==
The Narlin Imperial Defense Forses is a single branch military compirsed of Aerospace, Naval, Artillery and Infantry divisions. Prior to the Imperial Civil War the backbone of the NIDF had been the Gorvan comprising sixty-five percent of the personell force. Most however, were enlisted or low ranking officers. Very few Gorvan commanded ships, wings, and regiments.
The primary small arms weapon was the SA-1423 Assult Laser. However, the weapon was deemed too fragile in many field situations and the older SA-1396 Projectile Assult Rifle was issued to most infantry forces, while the laser remained in use with naval personell.
In addition to the assult weapons, the LA-72 grenade launcher and VR-2342 anti-artillery rockets are issued to select infantry personell.
The primary weapon on Narlin vessles are a series of laser batteries. The number varries by ship and class. Defense systems include varible shield geometry, and nuclear fusion torpedoes. These systems however are extreamly weak in comparsion to contemporary powrs such as the Cardassian Union and the United Federation of Planets. 
During the Narlin/Cardassian War losses were devistating under the Cardassian phased energy weapons. It was not until Narlin scientists developed their invasive computer virus that the tables were turned. 
This virus allows a Narlin probe to disable and sometimes take control of a ship’s computer efectivly rendering the enemy ship useless, and allowing a boarding party to conquire the ship or the Narlin Commander to destroy the enemy vessle with the laser batteries.
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