The Lor Republic

The Lor Republic is a star-spanning civilization in the Milky Way, including hundreds of worlds. The most startling thing about the Republic is its dominant species is human! The Lor are descendants of humans taken from Earth tens of thousands of years ago by the Preservers and relocated to a world they call Lor-Van. A number of human settlements were established on other worlds in the galaxy, some of the human stock genetically altered to adapt to the new environments.
The Lor are the most advanced of these races. They began exploring space when the Sinking claimed Atlantis and Lemuria, and discovered faster than light travel before Europeans discovered America. In the centuries since, the Lor have been steadily expanding into space, usually encountering less developed races—some of them human as well—and absorbing them into their vast Republic.
The Lor learned of Earth decades ago when they encountered the Terran Daedalus, who was exploring the galaxy in his ship, the Icarus. Lor contact with Earth has been limited, given the number of superhumans there. For the time being, the Republic has declared Earth off-limits as a “developing world.” Once humanity is advanced enough, they might be considered for membership in the Republic.
The Lor summarily reject the theory first put forth by Daedalus when he encountered them: that their race originated on Earth. Instead, many Lor believe Earth is a lost colony from what they call the First Age, when another legendary Lor Republic ruled the stars. The Lor are somewhat superior in their attitude toward what they deem “developing” species, although they are fascinated by the diverse powers demonstrated by Earth’s superhumans. What disturbs them is how often Terran superhuman powers vastly exceed the abilities of Lor mentats.
Lor are virtually identical in appearance and biology to humans, and interfertile with them, so many Lor can easily pass as Terrans. They have a somewhat different range of hair and eye pigmentation. White, gray, deep red, and even blue or green hair are all common. Amber, tan, and violet eyes are known, in addition to the normal human ranges of colors. Skin tone ranges from pale to deep brown (depending on the area of Lor-Van where a particular Lor’s ancestors hail from).
Mixing with other humanoid races within the Republic has diversified the human genotype in the Republic. No skin tones or cosmetic distinction are left unturned, as one can meet humans with antennae (the hive-minded Dotrae) to green or blue-skinned humans with gills, webbed hands, and feet (the amphibious Pisceans). The races of the Republic have no prejudices regarding pigmentation or ancestry—they only insist on “genetic fitness.” Psionic ability is prized and bred for, although the precise genetic basis of it (if any) is not yet fully understood.
The political organization of the Republic resembles the Roman Empire on Earth in many respects. A Senate represents the interests of all member worlds. A Supreme Praetor holds executive power, elected by the Senate for life. Citizens have a great deal of personal freedom, although loyalty to the Republic is expected and enforced. The Lor prize martial virtues along with intellectual ones, and they honor their great military leaders as heroes. The Republic no longer expands through conquest, however, and is, for the most part, at peace.
Lor technology is highly advanced. They have faster-than-light starships, energy beam weapons, anti-gravity, limited teleportation, energy transfer and transmission, force fields, and similar devices. Some of their technology came from reverse-engineering ancient Preserver devices, but most has been developed or acquired in the conquest of other worlds.
The primary rival of the Republic is the Grue Unity, and the two have warred over dominance of this galaxy for centuries; the past 40 years of fragile peace created a state of détente, but recent activities have awakened old grudges. The Republic has also faced challenges from various “barbarian” worlds and small encroaching empires. The most successful and aggressive of these is the Stellar Khanate, which was defeated only with the aid of the Earth hero Daedalus and the Order of the Star Knights.

Neighboring Nations

• The Grue Unity