Ak'siu

> "*We are the Golden Lords of Irathul and you would do good to remember that. Before we arrived, chaos and ignorance swept across the entire cluster unchecked, we have since rectified this problem and brought forth a new age in which we can all thrive in. One not of religious ramblings and tests of might, but one of progress in which we all benefit. Only through the Ak'siu shall you gain enlightenment.*"
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> **- Excerpt from the "Testaments of a Polylateral Future"**
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Genetically modified organisms created by the Ordo Integumentum during their reign over the Icaro Cluster, the Ak'siu (Pronounced: Ak-sue) are an intellectually advanced species which is currently leading the Cai'nul Trade Directorate. Originally created to serve as mathematicians, scientists and administrators in the Integumentum, they remained loyal until their abandonment by the Aoshanti in the Irathul sector. Stranded on the war-torn planet of Cai'nul, the Ak'siu were forced to fight for their survival and developed into feuding kingdoms led by powerful royal dynasties. Inevitably consolidating under their reformation into a Directorate, the species became strongly unified through its shared struggle and arose to become Irathuls dominant species.

## History

### Integumentum and Dynastic Period

Created in a biotech lab in the depths of space, the original Ak'siu were formed from a series of artificially constructed stem cells known as *Series E-1*. Having their development governed by the Aoshanti, they were forged into loyal servants capable of rapid learning and complex problem solving. Made to serve as science personnel within the Integumentum, the Ak'siu were contained to a small populace to prevent rouge development and were instilled with fertility complications to stunt their population growth. Concerned with their high intelligence margins, they were closely monitored by the Ordo and controlled to prevent them from outpacing their creators.

Remaining largely in the background until the Ventril Revolution and the rise of the Icaro Dominion, the Ak'siu came to question their masters decision making and presented autonomous behavior uncharacteristic of their species. No longer clinging to the Integumentum for guidance, they were treated as a threat and the entire species was purposefully abandoned on Cai'nul during the Ordos retreat from Irathul. Forced to fend for themselves, the species almost went extinct as they struggled to survive and organized themselves into dynastic kingdoms with strict hierarchies.

Outpacing their competition, the Ak'siu gradually subjugated the other species which resided upon Cai'nul and came to be the planets new rulers. Divided between dynastic interests, their newfound dominion wouldn't truly know peace until the Cai'nul Renaissance.

### Cai'nul Renaissance

Inheriting the momentous task of rebuilding their adopted homeworld and maintaining peace between their subject species, the Ak'siu gradually shifted from their martial past towards scientific innovation and reconstruction. Utilizing their meticulous minds to reinvent and fabricate lost technologies, they rapidly made scientific advancements and came to question their dynastic rulers and their creators which came before. Remembered as a period of general unrest and political revolution within Ak'siu civilization, the Renaissance is credited as a turning point in the species history.

Developing a revolutionary form of advanced mathematics which would later come to be known as Polylateral Theoretics, it operated as a scientific and religious movement which the Ak'siu wholly embraced. Directorate-based systems received similar responses as the Ak'siu came to see themselves as the Ordo Integumentums successors, the dynastic kingdoms reorganizing under the Cai'nul Trade Directorates banner. Bringing peace to their homeworld, the development of FTL travel was started by the end of the Renaissance and Cai'nuls infrastructure was restored to early Integumentum standards. Emerging from their abandonment as the undisputed rulers of their homeworld, the Ak'siu cast their gaze above to the next frontier.

### Directorate Era

Branching out from their homeworld, the Ak'siu came to span the Irathul sector of Icaro as rulers and administrators of the Trade Directorate. Retaining an enfranchised hierarchy amongst themselves, most individuals remain within their native borders as servants of the Directorate, however some have struck out on their own to pursue the sciences without restraint. Acting as the Directorates chief representatives, the Ak'siu have become one of Icaros most recognizable species which plays a key role in economic trade and scientific advancement across the cluster.

## Physiology and Biology

Developed with an elaborate brain pattern that promotes a photographic memory and complex problem solving, the Ak'siu are genetically tailored for enhanced intelligence from birth and are able to comprehend concepts with less overall training. Possessing a genetic makeup with close similarities to the Xenarthra Superorder, the Ak'siu have greater vertebral mobility than most species, unusually shaped limb bones, teeth and limited color vision. They differentiate themselves from other Xenarthra in their developed pelvic bones, wider range of color vision than Monochromancy and heightened metabolic rate to sustain their higher brain functions.

Created with a naturally firm outer layer of skin, Ak'siu possess natural protection against the elements and physical trauma which allows them to survive a wide range of conditions. Smooth and rigid to change, their skin allows them to reside in subterranean conditions without issue and pick up little traction as they traverse the narrow tunnels they dig. Created with four fingers on each hand without an opposable thumb to stunt their technological growth, the Ak'siu are capable of developing sharp thick claws to dig with and combat potential predators. Displaying unguligrade limbs, they are overall quieter with their movements than most humanoid species and possess a greater balance to allow them the ability to stalk or hide from threats with greater success.

Sexually dimorphic, males and females are both mentally and physically distinct from one another. Males have stronger ridges on their heads, longer tongues to collect food for their families and a soft underbelly which is largely unused for any biological needs. They are largely more collective than females and concerned with protecting the group rather than themselves. This has made males largely cooperative, charismatic and less hostile than most races, working in group settings to accomplish their goals. Females in contrast are shorter on average, possess a finned top ridge and a series of underbelly breasts for their children. More inclined to individual needs over the collective, they take a rationalist approach to get their way and display more aggression overall.

## Trivia

The Ak'siu have Ancient Egyptian, Byzantine and Chinese inspirations for their society.