Neogi in Realmspace

by Paul Westermeyer document last updated on the 15th of July, 2003 Creatures of deep space, few spheres have not known the scourge of the Neogi. Many of their fleets move continuously from sphere to sphere in search of slaves and power, these vagabonds are the true "wandering monsters" of both wildspace and the pholigiston. Some of these wandering bands settle in a sphere for an extended stay, much to the dismay of that sphere's other inhabitants. The known spheres all have aquired such neogi colonies and these are the evil one knows, as opposed to the unknown, random evil that drifts in and out of the sphere. Because of this drifting the ship numbers below should not be taken as maximum totals but rather as the mininum number of neogi vessels that will be found within the Realmspace at any one time, usually there are many more.
There is currently only one permanent neogi colony within Realmsspace, the Navy of Wa having destroyed the slave pens on the Selûne's Tear astroid known as the Elmonitae Moonlet five years ago. The remaining colony is also located within Selûne's Tears, on an astroid known as Journey's Legg. The neogi here call themselves the Krrrs-ssek-ss ("Mind Vipers" in neogi) The neogi have established here a formidable defensive base, using the latest in defensive spelljammer technology. Dual medium ballista mounts dot the astroid, and the many towers are joined by a tangled web of lines made from giant spider silk. these silk rope "webs" prevent anything of 1/2 ton (the Neogi learned to fear the Locusts of Wa at Elmonitae) or more mass from landing intact anywhere on the astroid except the docks. These docks stretch out along the gravity plane of the astroid, allowing upto 2 deathspiders or 4 mindspiders to dock at a time. The docks are of course protected by the greatest concetration of dual medium ballista mounts, as well as several bombards.
The neogi who inhabit Journey's Legg are unique in two ways First, they are all psionic to at least some degree- most are wild talents, a few are psionicists, and a rare few are multi-classed pscionicist/mages (some of those with wild talents are classed as mages as well). No one knows what the maximum ablity level of neogi psionicist is, and few wish to do the requisite research, but neogi as high as 9th level in ability have been reported on the vessels of the Krrrs-ssek-ss fleets. All neogi psionicists of the Krrrs-ssek-ss' encountered have had psyhcokenetics as their primary discipline.
The second way in which this group is different is its leadership. A single neogi, Trrkas, is the undisputed ruler of the Krrrs-ssek-ss. The standard neogi power struggles may occur over control of a ship or squadron, but Trrkas is the ruler, none challenge him.
This state of affairs is nearly unique for neogi, it came about when Trrkas was to become a great old master. Utilizing his great mind powers he defeated all the neogi who came at him, but did not destroy them. Instead he subjugated them and forced his second to undergo the painful transformation. He then transformed himself into a psionic lich! (see Dragon # 174 "Out of the Mists" p 19) Trrkas' primary discipline is telepathy, it is thought he purposefully keeps his subjects weak in this field to prevent the possibility of rivals. He is also rumoured to have some magical powers. Trrkas' mental powers allow him to keep his subjects on a short leash throughout the sphere, he never allows a Krrrss-ssek-ss vessel to leave the sphere.
Trrkas understands neogi reproduction methods perfectly, he insures his senior officers become great old masters and birth their brood on several nearby "nursery" astroids. Slaves are left there until the young are ready to met Trrkas, who examines each mentally, subjects it to psychic surgery to unleash its psionic potential, and the uses psyhcic surgery to plant a suggestion to always obey Trrkas within its mind. Those that fail to survive the process are eaten, the rest Trrkas assigns to a place in his empire. (for more on neogi reproduction see either the SJ Boxed set or Dragon #214 "Ecology of the Neogi")
Currently the Krrrs-ssek-ss fleet comprises the following:
4 deathspiders 6 mindspiders 3 leeches 30 urchins 4 tradesmen (modified to land on land or water) At least half the fleet surrounds Journey's Legg at anytime, all non-neogi vessels that approach are immediately attacked and their crews enslaved. The illithids are the sole exception to this, they occasionally trade slaves with the neogi (very carefully; the illithids of Glyth are none to happy about the krrrs-ssek-ss mental abilities). Non-krrrs-ssek-ss neogi are also allowed to trade, thoungh Trrkas tries to add smaller bands to his own forces. These "lesser" (ie-non-psionic) neogi are often used on suicide attacks, their leaders becoming great old masters who breed for Trrkas. The tradesmen are used for those rare times Trrkas chooses to trade or negotiate with someone, as well as terestrial slave raids (usually covered from above by a mindspider). the Deathspiders often lay in wait in Toril's atmosphere, above a busy port or near a standard escape trajectory. There they attack groundlings new to spelljamming or veterans who don't expect to encounter a Deathspider within the atmosphere. They even attacked a Halruan skyship once, the remains of that Deathspider are now at the bottom of the Shining Sea. Trrkas is currently avoiding antagonizing any of the major sphere powers, he wishes to at least double his fleet before attempting to conquer the sphere.
Bibliography War Captain's Companion Boxed setWar Captain's Guide, TSR War Captain's Companion Boxed setShip Recognition Manuel, TSR _Into the Void_ by Nigel Findley [Book 2 of the Cloakmaster cycle], TSR _Beyond the Moons_ by David Cook [Book 1 of the Cloakmaster cycle], TSR SJR1 Lost Ships, TSR SJR2 Realmspace, TSR SJR8 Space Lairs, TSR CGR1 Complete Spacefarer's Handbook, TSR Spelljammer Boxed set, TSR "Out of the Mists" by William W. Commors Dragon # 174 "Magic With an Evil Bite" by Jason M. Walker Dragon #185 "Ecology of the Neogi" byJon Winters, Dragon #214 "Ecology of the Umber Hulk" by Tony Jones, Dragon #152