Tazzyn

### Summary

The Tazzyn are a bipedal race descended from a feline race.  The Tazzyn are approximately of human size.

The Tazzyn are ruled by an Imperial family and then advised by a ruling council assembled from the heads of each of the major noble houses.  The Tazzyn government is surprisingly stable considering the machinations of the ruling houses.

The Tazzyn are an imperialistic race who are aggressive towards their neighbours and have fought wars against the Vatu and the Karkouri.

They are the fastest growing power in the galaxy and are involved in an incredibly expensive cold-war with the Tranoans

### Tazzyn Biology

Tazzyn are bipedal and stand on average of six foot tall.  They are muscular but slim.  Male Tazzyn have a mane, very much like Earth lions.  Female Tazzyn arent always smaller but tend to be less muscular than the males.  Tazzyn range in colouring from dark gold to pale powder blue.  Tazzyn eyes range in colour from brown to green

Female Tazzyn are slightly rarer than males.  They are not always smaller but are highly prized and revered in Tazzyn culture.  The principal God of the Tazzyn pantheon is a mother, Vetek-Rriao and she is a popular Goddess.  Tazzyn mothers can give birth to up to three litters per year and each litter can have an average of three pups in it.

Tazzyn pups are not reared by their parents but are "communally raised".  Common-born Tazzyn are raised at village or town hall level and are instilled with a lot of civic pride and intense nationalism.  Tazzyn noble-born are "fostered" out to other great houses home-worlds to allow them to grow up faster and stronger.  This lack of a close familial bond at an early age doesnt seem to do any serious harm to the Tazzyn

### Tazzyn Culture

The Tazzyn are a very old race and they have a very rich culture.  They value art, music and plays.  Tazzyn value beauty as well as function, in fact some say that they value beauty over function.

The Tazzyn are a very proud race, from the lowliest serf all the way to the Emperor.  A Tazzyn always tries to appear at its best and they do not like to show weakness in front of another.  Tazzyn have an expession for which there is no literal translation.  The phrase is "Ksef vrow, aven vrow".  Thee nearest to this humans have been able to translate is "When standing, always correct and upright"

The Tazzyn also value personal honor and they do not like liars or thieves.  Tazzyn culture is slightly conservative due to thier feudal system

Tazyn love a good play and this is one of the most popular forms of entertainment within the Empire.  These range from the simple serf dramas like "Enetekk Abrawr Avaf" to the epic cycle "Drrev Anaf Rriao".  This epic play is nine acts, each one lasting somewhere between forty minutes and an hour and a half.  Most Tazzyn nobles of any breeding can quote great sections of this play off by heart.  Humans find this play to be bewildierng and tiring but it appears to be some kind of condensed, romanticized version of Tazzyn history.

The Tazzyn also have a strict code when it comes to personal slights and wrongdoings.  Honor duels, which can range from simple fist fights and wrestling matches all the way up to small skirmishes are considered to be totally legal.  Murder, however, is considered heinous and will often result in the offendor being executed and his lands and property confiscated by his local Lord.

### Religion

The Tazzyn worship a pantheon of Gods and Goddesses.  These are a varied breed but most of them value honor, bravery and pride.  The principal Goddess is Vetek-Rriao, the Mother Goddess of the Pantheon.  She attracts the most worship

There are some of the older Tazzyn Gods who still espouse blood sacrifice.  The Tazzyn officially outlawed these cults but they do still exist.

The Tazzyn do believe in some form of afterlife but it is considered incredibly bad form to talk about such things.  The Tazzyn believe that true bravery must not talk of or think of the "Beyond".

### Tazzyn Government

The Tazzyn are ruled by an Empire.  The Emperor is the head of state.  His Royal House rule the Empire with collaboration (and competition) from the other great houses of the Empire.  These houses jostle and strive to outdo each other.  Tazzyn "politics" is very rough and tumble and there are a lot of duels, skirmishes and murders.  But the Tazzyn have never fought an open war against each other in their 3,000 year history.

The Tazzyn Emperor is served by a Chancellor and a Lord-Marshall (the head of the army).  The Lord-Marshall is usually very influential and often the true head of state.  There are also various Princes, Dukes and Lords.  These hereditary peers run the various planets and facilities.  There is little upward mobility in Tazzyn society but it is possible for a common born Tazzyn to ascend to lower nobility and for his grand children to raise to the highest ranks of Dukedom (or by marriage the Royal House)

The Tazzyn Government is very efficient with little waste or bureaucracy.  Part of this is down to the feudal nature of their Empire.  Each House has total authority over its fiefs.  They answer to the Emperor but otherwise are almost independent states (allbeit without powers to wage war)

#### Noble Council

The Emperor is served by the Imperial council.  This is comrpised of members of the Imperial Civil Service and Nobles.  The Dukes of the Major Houses are generally involved in some role and all of the major posts are filled by nobles who have both status and ability.  The Emperor tends to pick nobles who he knows or trusts.  The Lord-Marshall tends to be the real head of the council.

* Imperial Chancellor - The "Secretary" of the Council tends to have a large amount of influence and is in charge of overall administrative.
* Lord-Marshall - Officially the head of the military but in reality the most powerful member of the council and second only to the Emperor himself
* Lord-Chamberlain -The head of the civil service and the third most powerful member of the council.  The Lord-Chamberlain has a huge amount of work to do
* Foreign Minister -The head of the diplomatic service and in charge of the Intelligence Services
* Imperial Justicar - The head of the Judicial Service who is less of a "Lawyer in chief" and more of a problem solver and "fire-fighter"
* Other Nobles -There are a number of other official titles within the council with different policy responsibilities

#### Imperial Bureaucracy

The Empire is huge and broad and requires a massive amount of bureucracy to run it.  The Tazzyn that serve it are generally either from the middle-classes or are low ranking sons and daughters from Imperial Houses.  The Bureaucrats are hard working and often not especially respected.  They have a certain amount of wealth, power and security but few consider themselves "heroes of the Empire"

The head of the Bureacracy is the Lord-Chamberlain.  The chief Bureaucrat is the Imperial Chief Secretary

#### Tazzyn Noble Ranks

The Tazzyn have a strong and rather rigid set of ranks for their nobles.

* Emperor (Radow Rrrax) the head of the entire Empire.  To be Emperor, a Tazzyn must generally also be a ranking Duke in a Great House.
* Prince (Bressa Rrrax) any of the immediate sons or daughters of the Emperor.  They are also generally granted fiefs and titles
* Duke (Yarax Grrva) the head of a great noble house and the owner of a large fief.  The Dukes are the most powerful nobles in the Empire and are usually appointed to great offices of state
* Lord (Radow Mvoi) the head of a lesser house or a son of a greater lord.  Lord's always have a fief but it may be as little as a small plot of land on a colony world
* Knight Regent (Gradai Grrvow) This is a land owning title but that doesnt grant direct rights of succession to its children.  Knight Regents are generally officers of state
* Knight (Yadai Yavari) The lowest rank of the nobility, officially, Knights generally dont own any land beyond a simple hold but can often be quite rich depending on whom their sovriegn Lord is.  Some knights are direct retainers to the Emperor or a Prince and thus have a lot of influence.

#### Recent Tazzyn Emperors

* Natiyr Rioar van Pall -crowned in 1981 -A very experienced leader within the Empire, Natiyr was a strong leader in all fields
* Amberial Hanir van Pall -crowned in 2038 -Crowned young and died young, Amberial was a rather aggressive Emperor
* Raiadix Denne van Pall -crowned in 2066.  Considered a very wise figure and an arch politician
* Galay Rioar Van Pall -crowned in 2112.  An nfluential leader with a strongly pro-human bent.  Died young
* Mannitaf Rioal Van Pall -crowned in 2156.  Considered bookish and unstable, the Empire has largely been ruled by his Lord Marshall

#### The Tazzyn "Great Houses"

The Tazzyn Empire has been semi feudal for over one thousand years.  Six ducal houses rule over the Empire, along with the "Imperial House".  Technically speaking the Imperial House is also a ducal house too but has a greater status and authority that the other six great houses.  Each of the great houses in turn rule over a number of lesser houses.  Then there are more independent houses (who are all sworn to serve the Emperor but not to any particular Duke)

The great houses of the Tazzyn Empire are (human translation):

**Van Saar, Shann, Ravarire, Delacour, Von Kalmen and Van Pall**

House van Pall are the Imperial House, ruling from the Throneworld of the Tazzyn Empire.  The previous Emperor was Riadix Denne van Pall.  He was crowned Emperor in 2066 and has ruled wisely and efficiently.  He's considered to be a superb political leader.  He died in 2112, triggering a major dynastic change.

His heir was Imperial Prince Galay Riaor van Pall.  As well as Imperial Prince he's also the Duke of Tegeth and of Vorfeer.  He's known to have pro-human sympathies  He ascended to the Tazzyn Throne in 2112 and became Emperor.  He died in 2155, leading to a serious slow down and constitutional crisis within the Tazzyn Empire

His heir was Imperial Prince Mannitaf Rioal van Pall.  He was considered bookish and reclusive and many feared that he would make a weak Emperor  He succeeded to the Imperial Throne and was proven to be a rather weak Emperor..

The heir to the Imperial house at this time was in doubt as Emperor Mannitaf refused to name a direct heir.  The potential successors appeared to be his brother, Prince Mafray Van Pall, a member of the Imperial Council and a veteran minister and his counsil, Duke Rotof Van Pall.  There was also a possible claim on the Throne by his niece, Lady Neyarra Van Kalmen.

##### ]House Van Pall -The Imperial House

The oldest and most powerful House, House van Pall ruled the Tazzyn Empire throughout much of the 21st to the 24th century.  House van Pall are known for thier honour and state-craft but also for their arrogance and the tendency, genetically, towards personality disorders

##### House Van Saar

House van Saar are the most artistic and cutural of the major houses.  Van Saar controlled the Imperial throne during the 19th century, give or take.

##### House Shann

House Shann are often considered one of the more devious and sadistic houses.

##### House Ravarire

House Ravarire are still considered somewhat vulgar and "new money" as they can only trace their roots back to the 17th century

##### House Delacour

House Delacour was the Imperial House during the 18th century,  House Delacour are considered somewhat faded giants after but still have a huge amount of status and wealth

##### House Van Kalmen

Often pretenders to the Imperial Throne, House van Kalmen are considered very noble and fair minded but also considered somewhat dour

### The Tazzyn Empire

The Tazzyn are driven by expansion.  This expansion fuels the demands of the ruling noble houses and a warlike people.  The Tazzyn have not conquered any races as such (though they managed to get the Shernaz as a client race without need for a war.  The Tazzyn have been willing to sabre rattle to get other races to abandon or cede colonies and so far have managed to wrangle colonies away from all of their neighbours.  Also as the most "Northern" power in the Quadrant they have a free reign to expand in that direction as much as they wish.  They have control 150 colonies in 125 star systems and have dominion over around 300 star systems

Most Terran estimates put the Tazzyn war-fleet as the largest in the quadrant and one of the most advanced. The Tazzyn may be able to deploy more than 2,000 fighting ships.

### Tazzyn Military

The Tazzyn are a very militaristic power.  They have a compulsory military service for all males over the age of 18, whether noble born or not.  This military service can be within the local civil service, the local ground forces or aboard a starship.  Some amount of military training (small arms and first aid) is compulsory in all branches of service.  The Tazzyn have a truly vast pool of manpower that is a match for any other major power in the Quadrant

#### Royal Fleet

The Tazzyn Royal Fleet is the backbone of the Imperial Military.  It comprises a large number of powerful and hyper-modern warships.  Tazzyn warships are fast and very well armed.  Tazzyn battle doctrine stresses manouvere warfare and bravery.  The Tazzyn also thrive in close quarters and boarding actions.  Tazzyn officers can rise quickly in rank if they take an enemy ship in boarding actions.  Whilst almost all officers are aristocrats, they are generally very good.

#### Royal Army

Tazzyn ground forces are equally well armed and fast.  They rely on a large number of bipedal battle-walkers and "mecha-suits" that give them a great deal of speed and agility.  Tazzyn are brave and fierce but far from simple "furry-samurai" as the FAS has occasionally referred to them

#### House Forces

Each Tazzyn House has its own retainers and soldiers.  The larger ones have ships and their own fleets.  These are part of the Imperial Fleet when a major war breaks out.

#### Tazzyn Melee-Weapons

The Tazzyn have made use of melee weapons for their entire history. THis is born partially out of a sense of style, partially as they are a predatory race and partially because of their own internal use of personal shielding.  Tazzyn melee weapons tend to be part of one of five groups or Kadivan.

**Lantiff**   -The smallest and most agile style of weapons, the Lantiff class of small dagger like weapons worn across the wrist and around the hand allow a Tazzyn to make quick, darting strikes.  A fighter equipped with Lantiff must get in close to an opponent but not stand and trade blows with them

**Jadavorr**-Jadavorr is the middle class, long edged weapons with style and panache.  Often highly ornate, the Jadavorr fighter will fight at close range and parry his opponents blows.  He'll look to make as small a point of contact with the enemy as possible, preferably defeating him with just one strike

**Las-Riaow**  -The Las-Riaow is the largest weapon class and has the least finesse of the main three.  The Las-Riaow is a two handed class of weapon, often with a flat cutting head which is used to deliver one nearly unstoppable strike to kill an opponent.

**Paskor**-The Paskor or Lance (in human terms) is a ceremonial weapon carried by House and Imperial Guards.  The Paskor is still deadly in the right hands   Modern Tazzyn soldiers carry a variant on the Paskor which houses their main ranged weapons

**Corir ahl Var** - The weapon of the common is catch all term for melee weapons carried by regular Tazzyn warriors.

### Tazzyn Foreign Relations

**The Karkouri**- The Tazzyn and the Karkouri have a mutual border of about five star-systems.  The two races feuded and have fought a series of border skirmishes.  These never quite came to open war between the two.  The Tazzyn dont believe that the Karkouri are worthy members of the Galactic community, they disdain them as arrogant, cruel and lack honour.  The main rivalry between them is simple competition

Often the Tazzyn have used the Karkouri as allies to offset the Terrans and their close alliance with the Tranoans.  The Karkouri civil war put some gaps between the two Empires.  The Regime and the Tazzyn Empire drfited apart but are still strategic partners.

**The Terrans**- The Tazzyn are disdainful of the "monkey's".  The Tazzyn and the Federation got off to a poor start in their relations due to the superficial look of the Tazzyn.  The Tazzyn respect Terran militarism and the two have some trade deals opened up between them

The Terrans and the Tazzyn became closer after the 2095 agreement to open up the JOZ in Karkouir territory.

By the 23rd century the Tazzyn began to take the Terrans more seriously and had a grudging respect for them.  The two powers began to move towards a feud in the late 23rd century

**The Bl'Hud**- The Tazzyn dont think much of the Bl'Hud.  They consider them little more than superb scientists rather than a power in their own right.  The two have had very little to do with each other

The Vatu-  The Tazzyn have fought with the Vatu on several occasions in border skirmishes.  The Tazzyn respect Vatu militarism and bravery but often look down on them as being simple and barbaric.  The two have a current trade deal which is due to expire in 2101

**The Rorn**- The Tazzyn are equally dismissive of the Rorn, thinking them "monkeys" too.  The Tazzyn think even less of them since their military alliance with the Federation

**The Mor-Du**- The Tazzyn have a decent trade compact with the shy and retiring Mor-Du

**The Gannid**- The Tazzyn were very supportive of the Gannid independence and leant them military aid during their war with the Karkouri.  The Gannid narrowly turned down a client race alliance with the Tazzyn to stand on their own but the two races keep a friendly and open relationship.  The two have a newly signed trade compact that will expire in 2102

**The Indirians**- Are only just tolerated in Tazzyn space.  The Tazzyn consider the Indirians vermin and hunt them down with the slightest provocation.  Indirians, in return, take great pleasure in raiding and enslaving outlying Tazzyn colonies.  Those Indirians that become enemies of the Tazzyn Empire seldom survive long enough to gloat about it

**The Tranoans**- The great game of the modern era, these two super-powers are engaged in a near century long feud.  Both are vying to be the dominant power for the next century and both have substantial disagreements with the other.  The two have never fought each other and share a thin border.  There is currently a very expensive and tense cold war being waged between the two.  Actual war would likely cause vast damage to the Quadrant and would be M.A.D

The Tazzyn Empire was very pleased to see the Tranoan Empire collapse and fall to lesser status.

**The Taurlei**-  The Tazzyn were uplifted from an industrial dark age by the Taurlei and are revered as Gods by the Tazzyn.  The Tazzyn still have ambassador's with the Taurlei but now regard them as "the past".  The Tazzyn have pledged to uphold their "warden" status

**The Dhaugosk**- The Tazzyn Empire despise the Dhaugosk but the two Empires have some grudging respect for each other

### Tazzyn History

The Tazzyn were uplifted around 300 AD.  They had strong neighbors with the early Artori Empire and were currently in the grip of a post-war culture after a brutal civil war.  The Taurlei helped bring the world back to greatness and repair the shattered Tazzyn culture.  The Tazzyn religion believed that when a person died their soul left the world and took up residence in the stars.  This religious fear prevented Tazzyn space travel for hundreds of years

Around 440 (Earth time) they were able to expand thanks to the slow collapse of the Artori Empire.  600 years later the Tazzyn finally began a major period of expansion.  They nearly went to war with the Tranoans, with whom they shared a major border.  They collided head to head with the Shaki Empire (at the time one of the galaxies most powerful races) and were easily defeated, losing six star systems

50 years later the two Empires clashed again but this time the Tazzyn were able to endure the war, holding off the more advanced Shaki fleets.  The four year war ended with the Tazzyn regaining all but one of their lost star systems.  Forty years on the two powers fought a third war and the Tazzyn expanded out into the rest of their border systems.  When the Shaki Empire collapsed, the Tazzyn were major beneficiaries of this, taking many of their old worlds

The Tazzyn have had border wars with the Karkouri and the Vatu, neither of which saw much territory change hands.  The Tazzyn and the Tranoan's are engaged in a great cold war, referred to by some as the "Great Game".  This cold war finally seemed to turn hot in the 2170's as the new, highly unstable Tazzyn Emperor pushed the two great powers into a face to face confrontation.  A successful intervention by President Feodor Rakiv of the Federation stopped a war from becoming a hot war.

By the year 2199 the Tazzyn had adapted to a new state of affairs where the Tranoan Empire had been humbled by the Dhaugosk War.  The Tazzyn Empire was now the quadrants only fully fledged super-power.  The Tazzyn Empire viewed the upstart Terran Federation and a energized Karkouri Regime as their main threats to their future hegemony over the Quadrant.

There were scandals between the Terrans and the Tazzyn in the early 23rd century after several espionage stories linked back to the Tazzyn Empire.

The Tazzyn were attacked by the "Nacht-Volker" in the 2230s and 2240s and then again in the 2260s. They brought the threat to the Galactic Council but no agreement could be made regarding a joint response.

The Tazzyn shocked the galactic community by aiding their old rivals, the Tranoan Empire, in the Second Dhaugosk War in the 2280s.

In the 2320's the Tazzyn agreed to intercede on behalf of the Terrans in return for an exclusive trade agreement which allowed the Tazzyn to exert an outsized influence and to flood the Terran market with cheap goods they couldn't sell elsewhere. This was eventually ended by President McQaid in 2341.

The Tazzyn Empire aided the stricken Terrans after the 2369 JS1E1 disaster on Earth that claimed the life of 2 billion people.

The Tazzyn began to aid Terran rebels in the 2380s and 2390s, giving shelter to them and allowing them to raid into Terran Empire space.

The Tazzyn were granted a seat on the Galactic Council's security council, gaining a permanent veto. The Tazzyn continued to try and exert influence as well as keeping the balance. They vetoed an attempt to grant the Dhau a seat on the galactic council.

In the 2360s, the Hressans, a Tazzyn subject race, began to agitate for their independence and the Emperor ordered a huge force sent to Hressan worlds to stop them from breaking away. This was not a popular move in the Tazzyn court. The Hressan bid for independence was recognized and supported, politically anyway, by the Tranoans and the Terrans

### Tazzyn Technology

The Tazzyn have a tech level that is almost a rival for the Tranoan's and the two races constantly seek to outdo each other.  Tazzyn shield and weapons tech is their best element of their technology.  It is not exported or sold and the Tazzyn do not sell their surplus ships (unless as stripped out hulls)

The Tazzyn also build excellent farming equipment, largely due to their disdain for manual work which they believe is for "common-folk".  Tazzyn also build superior planetary shields, which are portable and very durable.  This has allowed them to exploit colony worlds that other races could not afford to colonise.