Hybolate IV

## **Hylobate IV**

Tech level: Ancient / Pre-Industrial
with trade, though there are ruins of a space age civilization
scattered across the planet's surface.

Atmosphere: Stable

Main species: Humanoid

Fauna: Various predator and prey
species

Flora: Extremely similar to Terra's
forests.

The luscious, green world of Hylobate 4
is situated a meteorites throw away from the Haldeman Trench, a warp
slash a couple of light-years wide, orbiting a stable solar being.
The abundance of solar energy has contributed heavily to the surface
of the planet being covered in dense forests. Seismic activity is
relatively stable and the surface is resoundingly flat meaning
various ruins are still standing untouched to this day. The
superstitious nature of the majority of the planet's tribes also aids
in keeping the many artefacts in prime condition.Truly the world itself, to the eye of a
higher intellect at least, looks to be have been designed rather than
created by chance.The various advanced artefacts found by
rare explorers lends credence to the idea that this planet was once
something much more than a simple backwater orb filled with lofty
foliage.

There are some small trade settlements
with makeshift landing areas built by visiting companies and traders.
However, the planet has no functional space port and as such it is
very rare to see any visitors from outside the quadrant.

The two main exports of the planet are
animal fats and pelts and a strange seed from the native Venglicca
trees. Many rumours abound about the strange purple tree's seed. The
most prominent of these rumours hints that it is used in shamanistic
practices by indigenous tribes.

## **Culture**

There is an obvious divide between the
tribal society of the k'aax people and the Hoochik who live in small
settlements in various states of progression compared to their forest
dwelling cousins.The Hoochik are a welcoming people,
having taken well to the small technological advancements offered to
them by companies like ROT Inc. (Royers, Ogden and Tempranillo
incorporated), Sunspice and MS.CO (Meyerchek Security corporation) a
few of them even taking up employment with ROT inc.

The Hoochik tend to live in small
farming communities situated in forest clearings created by weather
anomalies or proximity to advanced ruins, the latter causing friction
with some forest dwelling tribes of K'aax people. When the companies
first arrived on Hybolate IV these clearings allowed them ample
landing space for first contact and as such the Hoochik have always
been the preferred contacts of anyone visiting Hybolate 4 on business
or archaeological ventures. There have been various clashes with the
K'aax people but by and large they tend to keep to themselves.

Having bartered land from the Hoochik,
various companies have built landing pads and vertical domiciles
within the Hoochik villages. This has caused the villages themselves
to change from their original block patterns to a more circular
layout as they grow outward from the centred landing domiciles.

In contrast to the Hoochik the K'aax
people live in the deep forests, making their homes amidst the
canopies. The tribes of K'aax people rarely number more than 60. They
are made up of hunters, foragers, shamans, builders and a small
council of leaders. While there are some skirmishes amongst tribes it
is rare for there to be actual warfare between the K'aax people and
rarer still between the Hoochik and the K'aax. Hunters, by and large,
fill the role of warriors in the tribe, though there has been some
evidence for more martial shaman amongst the K'aax.

Foragers usually accompany hunters and
are mostly made up of teenage females and older. All are expected to
prove their worth to the tribe before being allowed to bear children,
any K'aax who are with child before proving their loyalty to the
tribe are severely punished. There are rumours that some tribes have
the mother kill their own child at birth before being exiled on the
walk of the eek'.

Shamans fulfil multiple roles in the
K'aax society. They are part priest, part herbalist, part poet and
part doctor. They alone are charged with the arduous task of hearing
the spirts and gods and advising the council. The Shaman of all
tribes regularly imbibe the seeds of the Venglicca trees, even when
not performing their rites and as such the sclera of their eyes have
taken on a purple sheen. This purple colouring along with various
ritual headdresses means Shaman are easily identifiable from the rest
of the tribe.

There are usually no more than five
builders in a tribe, and they are commonly of advanced age compared
to the younger hunters and foragers. Two builders sit on the council
at all times and it is often the most senior builder who leads. They
are expected to memorize all structures needed for the tribe to
prosper along with the routes to all of the tribe's hunting and
foraging grounds. This requirement seems to have been maintained as a
show of respect for the diligence of the foragers and the many
sacrifices of the hunters.

The council of each tribe is usually
composed of five to eight members, there are always two builders, one
shaman and one matron who is a senior female of the tribe who often
administers aid during tribal birth rites. The remaining members may
be from any profession in the tribe. It has been observed that the
most senior builder is ordinarily the de-facto leader of the council.
However, in tribes situated closer to ruins there has been evidence
of older Shaman filling this position.

Little is understood about the the
religion of the K'aax people but it is known that they venerate
spirits to a high degree. They seem to believe that all Venglicca
trees hold either a great spirit or that it houses a large array of
spirits which Shaman communicate with during various rites.

It is to be noted that even among the
Hoochik people there is a deep respect for spirits and the gods of
the forest, so much so in fact that both Hoochik and K'aax people
regularly settle near large specimens of the towering purple trees.