Vinyari

Race #: #01823

Category: Purple

Homeworld: Vinyant

Natural Lifespan: Unknown, some individuals recorded at 3,000+ Earth years

Recorded History: 400,000 Years

Tech Level: Advanced

Beautiful parasites addicted to pleasure and fame, the Vinyari are split between two points of view. Those who believe their host is of value...and those who merely wish to annihilate any other race.

**360,000 BC – 355,000 BC** Ancient Vinyari traditions show this to be the date range of the First Illumination. Details have been lost in time, but a celebration or ritual sharing this name is still practiced today by maturing Vinyari before they take their first host.

Many in the Vinyari leadership are unaware that the first Illumunation was actually an exercise amongst a large group of Vinyari to ascend to a pure form of existance, thought and emotion, and discard their corporeal desires and flesh, forever free from the need to take hosts. Unfortunately, in their hubris they never considered what would happen to what remained and the hosts, thus creating the dreaded T'anari, their word for Folly, and the dreaded Luceros, their word for shame.

### Special Characteristics:

* Power Cloning
* Skill Cloning
* Regeneration
* Illumination

### Weaknesses

* Extreme Calorie Requirements
* Small Form outside of Host Species
* Desire for Power and/or Emotional Bonds

### Technological Advances

Although it seems as if the Vinyari are totally preoccupied with sex and power, their culture is regimented and they are masters of technology. Because of their ability to learn rapidly from their hosts, they have the potential to learn exceedingly quickly. They are also extreme masters of industrialization engineering and manufacturing processes. Once they have developed the technology the item can be duplicated with dizzying speed. Warships are built in months not years, buildings go up extremely rapidly, and they are known for their terraforming processes. The Vinyari reproduce rapidly and spread like a plague in the galaxy. The only true thing that keeps them at bay is an ongoing debate about the fates of their host species. One arm of the Vinyari believe in eradicating the memories of the host completely. The other arm believes that working with their host and keeping their memories intact produces a stronger bond and allows for a stronger lifespan. The two groups engage in a cold war. They are well known for infesting a planet within a short period of time and then taking their tech and bodies into space to use as they will.

Goals as a Species

The Vinyari can be aggressive and prone to violence. However, they do have some soft spots. Mating is considered a significant life achievement; only with their mates and children do the Vinyari show the softer emotions. All Vinyari have a STRONG maternal/paternal instinct and want to see multiple generations of their offspring. When they find their mate they perform elaborate dances and mating rituals designed to establish the strongest relationship possible. Mating will cause a unique chemical reaction. When the Vinyari has mated, they will produce chemicals that prevent them from a physical reproduction with any other vinyari or host. Mated Vinyari may not perform the Illumination. A mated pair is too precious to disturb with status displays. They will retain the rank they had before their mating. As a species, their goal is to Mate. They will kill anyone who threatens their mate with no hesitation or regret. Mated Vinyari are considered extremely dangerous but it is a coveted relationship because only with their Mate is a Vinyari considered whole.

The death of a mate can cause extreme depression, possible suicidal tendencies, and even spontaneous energy expenditure. Vinyari cannot normally mate with member of other species but there can be a limited bond that will cause the Vinyari to feel attached in a similar manner; these matings can result in a hybrid Vinyari/Race symbiote.

### Physical Characteristics

Vinyaris look like tiny lizards but they have receptors all over their bodies which allow them to filter the blood of their host and reproduce their DNA. They are able to heal their hosts and can expend energy to produce pheromones to attract mates. Hosts live extremely long life spans as their vinyari parasite can keep their body in top condition for many years. They can reproduce multiple ways; either by laying eggs in specially prepared nests for fertilization by the male of the species or by inserting their own young into the eggs of their host. The baby vinyari will keep the egg/baby safe and then become a part of them when they reach puberty and enact the Illumination ritual(Extreme danger to the host may cause early awakening). Queens have one additional way which is asexual. They can actually clone themselves and take over the bodies of a host as an adult vinyari. The energy expenditure for this is extreme and requires the Vinyari to gather energy in one of three ways. They can gain energy by performing sexual acts that either excite or cause extreme pain in their partners. The can also gain energy through feeling the death of another individual or eating the food of the host species. Queens can also expend energy to produce extreme physical beauty for their host; The beauty makes them more capable of gathering males for energy gathering.

Queens are immediately obvious at birth as they are extremely colorful with shimmery scales. There are tales of queens who are so powerful they can blind other vinyari but it is considered legend. As Queens are so rare, they are only allowed to perform the Illumination ceremony once; to determine size of their precinct.

### Cultural Preferences

Vinyari culture depends on a strong system of status. The Queens are the top of the pyramid and their consorts enjoy a leadership position as well. Vinyari status depends on strength of will. They will have contests, called the Illumination, to determine which is more powerful. Winning the illumination contest severely depletes their energy and can kill the weaker victim. It is not atypical for the loser to be killed and that energy syphoned by the winner. If this does not happen then sexual intercourse is required; regardless of gender. However, Vinyari have no issues with same sex intercourse. Many Vinyari will choose this option if they do not wish to kill their opponent. Indeed, the illumination is often used for forceful intercourse. Once the Illumination penalty is complete the loser does not have any loss of status but may not go up in Status until they have defeated the one ahead of them. The Illumination is only done with the permission of the ruling Queen or her consort.

Queens are divided into precincts and it is considered a privilege to seduce them. When a queen is first inserted into a new host, the male vinyari in the area will attempt to impregnate the new host so that the queen will reproduce as quickly as possible.

Races familiar with the Vinyari, will joke that THE main reason why the Vinyari don’t spread is their preoccupation with SEX, STATUS, and LUXURY.

In Reality, The Vinyari recognize the limited space and resources available and carefully weigh the advantages/disadvantages of spreading to a new planet/system. The only exception to this policy is if/when another race attacks, entices, or provokes them.

### Cultural Mores and Ranks

Vinyari do not have a language anymore; it was considered superfluous with their advanced learning capabilities. They are also very focused on luxury... especially the Queens and their consorts. Status determines the amount of wealth they have and the luxury of their surroundings. The higher rank the more sex, blood, food, and children you may have. One entire branch of their society is designated as a kind of rank “watcher”. They designate the ranks according to the Illumination contests and assign quarters, food, sexual partners, jobs, and cultural diversions. Each Vinyari must undergo one Illumination ritual in a controlled environment; there is no death or rape involved in this initial rite of passage but it does determine their initial rank and their job qualifications.