V'len

The **V'len** are a race of insectoids from the planet Too'ra III. Possessing one eye, three sets of mandibles, and pachyderm-like qualities, a majority of the V'len are male, born to Brood Mothers in Len Hives on their homeworld. V'len were and remain an extremely aggressive species. V'len swarms conquered and wiped out several nearby systems before they were rehabilitated and spread throughout the wider galaxy. Unlike many insectoid species, male V'len are more individualistic, often venturing beyond their homeworld alone.

## Biology and appearance

The V'len are a race of insectoids from the planet Too'ra III. Male V'len possess a quadrupedal frame, with four legs and a torso that ends with an elongated neck. A V'len male's legs are short and squat, making them a sturdy species. The torso ends abruptly with a protruding stinger with multiple layers that ends in an elongated spike. With the stinger, a V'len male is typically one meter long, while their tall neck makes them 1.4 meters tall. An average V'len male weighs around 54 kilograms.

A V'len male's head is taller than average, with two antennae on top used for sensing sound, one singular eye with a split pupil, and three sets of mandibles, capable of shredding even the toughest of meats for their carnivorous diet. A V'len male's skin is unlike most other insectoid species, in which it smooth to the touch. V'len coloring is typically black with white colorations on the belly and legs. V'len male feet is strange as well, possessing a pachyderm-esque qualities with a flat bottom and three stubby toes.

Female V'len are completely different than the males, living exclusively on Too'ra III in Len Hives. Like the males, V'len Brood Mothers possess two antenna, one eye, and black colorations, but that's where the similarities end. The entire lower half of the V'len Queen is multilayered and extended, ending in a tube from the V'len eggs emerge from. V'len Queens can be born with up to forty sets of mandibles, with form a ring around the Queen's entire head. Throughout the torso, V'len Queens have many sets of insectoid legs, useless once the Queen has settled down.

Male V'len all serve their own Brood Mothers in hives. Typically only living 25 years, V'len males sole purpose is to spread the hive and feed their Queen. Queen are rarely born, only hatching if the current Queen is dying, which is rare since V'len Brood Mothers can live up to two hundred years. Newly hatched V'len Queens closely resemble the males, but with more legs. Once the Queen discovers a place to nest, she starts to lay eggs, and quickly becomes engorged.

Despite operating in large scale hives, the V'len are dissimilar to many other hives in that they possess a larger sense of individuality, mainly after their integration with the OGC. This means male V'lens often venture out beyond their homeworld alone, rather than in swarms or never leaving at all like other insectoids.

## Society and culture

Most V'len live exclusively on Too'ra III, where all the queens and Len Hives reside, and it's surrounding systems, long ago conquered by the V'len swarms. The Len Hives dominate the surface of Too'ra III and are flat structures which extend far underground. The entire hive is built around the Brood Mother, and can contain up to six hundred thousand individual males.

The V'len have a violent nature, reminiscent of the swarms of insect species like the Peetle. In the past swarms of hundreds of thousands of V'len, laying dormant on the V'len's primitive space craft for decades at a time, would travel to their nearby systems to conquer, and even destroy entire planets. Even after their rehabilitation by the OGC, the V'len remain aggressive to any not from their hives.

Besides their violent nature, the V'len have a greater sense of individuality than most other species. Males V'len that wish to see more or do something outside of the hives are welcomed or even encouraged. One can quickly be excepted into a hive if they help or simply become a friend to a wandering V'len at one point.

The V'len's primary language, Len Hivespeak, is an insectoid language that often add additional syllables to many names. Many of the planets the V'len swarmed were renamed, their original name often lost in time.

## History

Originally evolving on the planet Too'ra III, the V'len used to be an ancient species of insect that lived on the savannas of their homeworld. Though the species has evolved over time, V'len culture has remained practically the same for millions of years, changing little beyond the development of technology.

Though the ancient V'len developed technology it was never properly incorporated into their culture, only rarely being used. For example, upon the development of space travel, the V'len began to use it to "spread" their hives traveling to nearby star systems in "sleeper" ships. It was around three thousand YBO when the V'len began their conquest of space. The V'len attacked and subjugated all of the nearby systems, wiping out any non-insectoid species.

Around 1,500 YAO, the OGC first encountered the V'len when they attacked an outpost on the moon of Chars'gen. Though the OGC forces were outmatched, the V'len swarms allowed diplomats into their hives after the discovery that the OGC was treating the V'len's wounded. Following the Treaty of Chars'gen, and diplomacy on Too'ra III, the OGC began the extended rehabilitation of the V'len Empire which involved the preaching of Bism and showcasing of other cultures in the galaxy.

During the rehabilitation, the subjugated species of the V'len took the opportunity to stage an uprising, beginning the Ozgah Revolution, which led to the V'len Empire being quarantined. After twenty years of rehabilitation and the Ozgah Revolution, the V'len were inducted as members of the OGC, and their quarantine was lifted, giving the V'len access to advanced space travel and the greater galaxy.

Even to this day, the V'len have a representative Rector in the OGC, with one V'len male, Bal'sa Vee'darr, even serving as a Parson in 1,840 YAO. V'len swarms participated in many galactic events after their incorporation, mainly the Dievel Nebula Conflicts. V'len have spread all across the OGC and Oubdis Alliance, whilst the V'len Brood Mothers continue to remain on Too'ra III.

## V'len in the galaxy

The V'len's early conquests of nearby systems continue to have an impact on nearby star systems. Some of the species that live in systems nearby the V'len had their homeworld destroyed, and had to be relocated. The most notable example of this is the Leptidassians, the main contributing species in the Ozgah Revolution. Other species, such as the Refstabii were inspired by the V'len and based their own culture on them. The V'len's language, Len Hivespeak, continues to be used by most V'len and by most species that live in nearby systems.

V'len, though not as common in public places, aren't hard to find, especially within the borders of the main governments. Entire hive of V'len were incorporated into the OGC forces as OGC soldiers. As a result, one eighth of the OGC's military are made up of V'len that were hatched for the job.

Though V'len males are encouraged to wander, many wandering V'len don't go beyond just aimlessly traveling, meaning a V'len with a job is a rarity. V'len with jobs are mainly hired as bodyguards or soldiers due to their violent nature.