Sci-Fi Worldbuilding: Shee Empire

Sci-Fi Worldbuilding: Shee Empire

The previous post mentioned another crystalline species - the shee, so it is a good idea to actually describe it. The Shee Empire is an active player on the galactic scene and should provide different opportunities for adventures. For example, the PCs may wish to stop the shee from playing gods for low-tech aliens, steal some of their psi-tech, or maybe even gain their trust by attaining "divine traits". As a racial template, the shee are not very expensive, but still have many exotic advantages and disadvantages. They are not as protected from the environment as the l'rimra, but are armed with vicious talons and stingers - useful when you are stranded on a hostile world with no equipment. Also, the shee are not humanoid, and this fact may appeal to some players.

Shee Empire

Capital World: Izval II.

Major Species: Shee.

Languages: Shee.

Culture Groups: Shee.

TL: 11.

Shee are a silicon- and sulfur acid-based race not unlike the l’rimra. They have quadruped bodies covered by a green crystalline exoskeleton. Their tails end with vicious spikes. A predatory species, the shee evolved on a hot world of Izval II. Hostile fauna and environment made the shee aggressive and cautious of others. Eventually, the shee civilization has developed enough for the local fauna to stop being dangerous. The shee turned their aggression unto themselves and started an age of almost unending warfare.

The warfare stopped when in the aftermath of a nuclear war appeared a new religious cult – the Cult of Divinity. The Cult’s dogma said that the shee are creatures of true divinity that should help others to attain the same qualities. This philosophy united the warring city-states in the Shee Empire with the Divine Emperor at its head. The Shee Empire turned its gaze to the stars and became set on the idea of finding other races to direct them to divinity.

The first alien race the shee have encountered was the ka’zzoks, winged arthropods from planet Zarib II. The contact was peaceful at first, but when the shee started explaining their divine nature and their intent to help the ka’zzoks become closer to the divine, the arthropods opened fire and killed the crystalline ambassadors. It will later become known that the ka’zzoks took this as an insult to their own pantheon. The infuriated shee almost started an orbital bombardment, but after a long discussion that sometimes turned to violence decided that wiping out an inferior species is not worth the effort and departed the orbit of Zarib II.

In the following years, the Shee Empire managed to spread the Cult of Divinity among some primitive civilizations that started worshipping them as gods and perfect beings. But then the shee have met a similar, but more developed civilization – the L’rimra Technocracy. Their technology was more advanced, their psionic powers (mastery over the universe, a divine attribute according to the dogma of the Cult of Divinity) were superior. The l’rimra invited the shee to join them, but the shee considered this an insult, and so began the first interstellar war for both species. Both forces did not know what to expect, but in the end, the shee were quickly defeated. Despite the incident, the l’rimra did not hold a grudge and even allowed the shee to migrate to their worlds. Some of the shee migrants believe the l’rimra to be their predecessors, the true gods, but this is considered heresy according to the Cult of Divinity. Not all of the defeated shee were content with this outcome, but with time, the relationship between the two crystalline species became much less tense.

Today the Shee Empire is known for their strict adherence to the Cult of Divinity, development of psionic powers, and leeching resources from primitive civilizations that consider them gods. This practice is frowned upon by many other species, and some activist groups are trying to sabotage such operations. The Shee Empire has a formidable fleet and army, and is an active player on the galactic scene.

SHEE [13] Advantages: Combat Reflexes [15]; DR 4 [20]; Extra Legs (Four Legs) [5]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Injury Tolerance (No Neck) [5]; Pressure Support 2 [10]; Sharp Teeth [1]; Striker (Impaling) [8]; Talons [8]; Temperature Tolerance 6 (3 to Hot; 3 to Cold) [6]. Disadvantages: Brittle [-15]; Horizontal [-10]; Increased Life Support (Extreme Heat) [-10]; Restricted Diet (Silicate Flesh; Occasional) [-30]; Slow Healing 1 [-5]; Unusual Biochemistry [-5]. Natural Comfort Zone: 118°C - 180°C (245°F - 355°F), 1-100 atm., 0.9g, carbon dioxide atmosphere. Shee are a silicon- and sulfur acid-based race not unlike the l’rimra. They have quadruped bodies covered by a green crystalline exoskeleton. Their tails end with vicious spikes. To humans they resemble four-legged scorpions with normal hands instead of the claws. Being a predatory species, the shee have inborn Combat Reflexes, natural weapons, but are strictly carnivorous. The shee believe themselves to be of a divine origin, and the frequency of psionically gifted shee to be its proof. Most of the shee are very aggressive when provoked, and as such often have such disadvantages as Bad Temper, Bully, or Bloodlust. Adherents of the Cult of Divinity try to lead and oversee other species to help them attain divinity. This includes the development of psionic powers, building and trading psi-tech, memetics, etc. When these means fail, the shee either leave the subjects alone or become aggressive, deeming the subjects unworthy of even being near divine beings. Sample  Male Names: Shvee Ssalan, Ushan Kasalan, Ishtan Laslan. Sample  Female Names: Sala Ushn’o, Uhur Ssalan’o, Oshala Kasa’o.