Chelovayyans

## Status

Living

The **Chelovayyans** (Stanislavan: *Chelovayyane*; Oratio Ecclesiastica: *Homines Ultima*), scientifically designated as **Khomosapiyen Ultima**, and colloquially known as the **Purebloods**, are a scion of the Chelovekk, and are the most noble race of Humanity in the present age. The Chelovayyans are often classified into two categories: Greater Chelovayyans, those of the First Epoch and Second Epoch, and Lesser Chelovayyans, those of the Third Epoch. Sometimes, Chelovayyans are classified into three categories: First Epoch Chelovayyans, Second Epoch Chelovayyans, and Third Epoch Chelovayyans.

The Chelovayyans are the direct descendants of the Chelovekk, those faithful people who did not bear the Mark of Anathema, and as such, they are genetically the closest to the eldest human race of the Age of Apocrypha, known in Imperial historiography as the Ancients. In contrast, the Typheons are the descendants of the Tefeyyek, those unfaithful peoples who bore the Mark of Anathema. Overtime, the corruption of the Typheons led to them being classified as an entirely different race from Humanity.

Amongst all the scions of humanity, the Chelovayyans are considered the pinnacle of natural human performance. The Chelovayyans have the potential to possess exceptional strength, extraordinary resilience, remarkable mental fortitude, faster natural recovery, and heightened senses. They tend to live for far longer life spans than normal, far taller heights and are notable for aging slower. Amongst other things, they have certain preternateric abilities which are believed to be the preternatural gifts which the Chelov-Primogenitors, Esh and Esha, possessed before their fall.

The Chelovayyans are considered to be the protectors of mankind, and the foremost defenders of the Domain of Humanity. The Chelovayyans rule the greatest empire mankind has ever known, the Chelovayyan Empire. However, as of the Third Epoch, the Divine Presence is said to be slowly fading away, and as time passes, the Blood of the Emperor continues to be diluted. As of the current age, non-Chelovayyans are referred to as the Extradites.

## Nomenclature

The entire species of humanity are collectively referred to as the "Cheloveyyans". This term includes but differs from "Chelovayyans" who at the time, are humans who were proclaimed as the true successors of the Ancients, as they had remained pure and holy. However, whether through malice or misfortune, the descendants of many Chelovayyans, and the unfortunate circumstances which befell them led to the rise of several other races known collectively as the Extradites.

In truth however, the terms "Chelovekk", "Chelovayyan", and "Cheloveyyan", were actually adopted from Slavanene Mythology, an amalgamation of the Dharmaic faiths, Nordenn mythology, Hellenian mythology, and several old Slavic mythologies. In Slavanene mythology, the "Chelovayyans" were actually the mortal sons and daughters of the primordial Slavan Gods, the God Peryun and the Goddess Dodolya. These children were created mortal as Dodolya could no longer give birth to any more godlike-beings. The Chelovayyans were given dominion over the Sky and the Highlands, unlike the Leyudanne, the children of Velyes and Devyana, whose domain was that of the Lowlands and the Underground.

For reasons unknown, the Emperor's Bogatyrs referred to all those who were free from the Great Anathema's curse as the "Chelovayyans". As such, the term 'Chelovayya' to refer to both the Empire and to the people themselves became popular.

## Origins

As a blessing for remaining faithful to the true faith during the persecutions of the Age of Anathema, the Chelovekk were gifted the Blessings of Eyasea, which granted them many preternatural gifts such as greater height, greater wisdom, greater physical and mental strength, and overall far more remarkable bodies. Several of these gifts were the gifts of fertility, plague immunity, and painless childbirth. After this, the Chelovayyans spread rapidly across the Exordium Diocese and the Exodus Diocese, ascending their population to exponential heights. The blessings of Eyasea allowed the Chelovayyans to establish a galactic presence within the Milky Way, and allowed them to survive the onslaught of the Galactic Federation during the War of the First Coalition.

As a result of this, Chelovayyans are the most dominant race across the Local Group of Galaxies, and to some extent, they were able to establish colonies across the greater Laniakea Supercluster. However, they have lost much contact with their outside colonies after the Third Agone, and it is believed that the descendants of those lost colonies now know nothing of their earthly origins.

## Physiology and Anatomy

In standard Imperial science, all types of "Cheloveyyans" in terms of physiology and anatomy are compared to the ancient humans. It is generally accepted that the average height of Ancient Men was 176.5cm (5'9"ft), whilst the average height of Ancient Women was 163cm (5'4"ft). In comparison, Greater Chelovayyans had an average height of 274cm (8'11"ft) for men, and 260cm (8'6"ft) for women. Erstwhile, Lesser Chelovayyans of the present day have an average height of 215cm (7'0"ft) for men, and 200cm (6'6"ft) for women. With few exceptions, the height of a Chelovayyan is the most effective way to determine whether one is of Chelovayyan admixture.

On average, Chelovayyans have far greater muscle mass, and have far higher muscle growth than ancient humans and most other human races. Their bodies are rarely prone to failure, and few diseases and infections can actually kill them. Due to the Blessings of Eyasea, Chelovayyans can rapidly adapt to their surrounding environments, whilst maintaining relatively homogenous genetics even across thousands of different environments and after hundreds of generations. Genetic deviations, such as the Extradites are often due to external factors that do not involve natural circumstances. The most prominent example of which is the Marring of the Norma by Matriarch Nihline, which effectively created the Corsairs.

Chelovayyans have unblemished and vibrant skin, as one of the gifts given to the Chelov-Primogenitors Esh and Esha was natural beauty. This is not always the case, as Chelovayyans can often have flawed forms either due to genetic irregularities, or due to unnatural diseases. The immune systems of Chelovayyans are much more resilient compared to other Humans, as they can withstand and even eliminate any natural plague which befalls them. They are able to resist several levels of radiation, operate for long periods of time without sleep, and even withstand gravities far greater than that of Earth's.

The most apparent difference between Chelovayyans and other Humans is their stunning elegance and precision, in such a way that the Ancients would consider them alien. The reflexes of a healthy Chelovayyan are sudden and immediate, and their prominent and piercing Predator's Gaze can terrify many others, including animals and even other intelligent species, into fear or outright submission. Naturally, this and other factors has led to most animals, especially those from Earth, being tamed and domesticated by Chelovayyans.

Perhaps the most powerful difference between Chelovayyans and other Humans however, is their naturally high potential to master Psionics. As a side effect, the tendency towards religious zeal and faith is far higher than many other species, barring the Anastari themselves. With vast control over their neurological and psychological potency, they are able to consolidate their mind even in the most demanding of situations. With all of these capabilities in mind, it has been noted that the Chelovayyans would seem truly inhuman to the ancient humans.

In recent years however, even these gifts seems to be fading away, as more and more Chelovayyans start to devolve into the imperfect forms that their ancient ancestors once had. If such a time comes that all the gifts given unto them will completely wither, it will be certain that the Chelovayyans from a physiological standpoint, would be extinct.