Rhyhendra (rī-HEHN-druh)

The Rhyhendra were a sentient species that ruled an empire thousands of years before the Polaris Collapse. During the Second Arrival, a group of humans discovered their species and started a war with them, wiping the entire species out in a single decade.

They called us savages, claimed they were civilizing us. But we had not fought each other in centuries. We were peaceful. We were happy. They destroyed us, and they enjoyed it.

— one of the last Rhyhendra

History

The origin of the Rhyhendra, much like that of the Dito, is shrouded in mystery. They lived in the Janya Galaxy before humans arrived, ruling an empire that spread across several planets. All knowledge of their history, culture, and destruction comes from records discovered on Reshin, which is believed to be the home planet of the Rhyhendra. Reshin is located near Stlequ, Querito, and Sharshay, and many believe that the descendants of the conquerors may still live there.

by Lilliana Casper

Hundreds of years before their destruction, the Rhyhendra were a warlike people, originally split into several smaller groups that rarely held peaceful gatherings and constantly fought long wars over territory and border disputes. Considering the violent history, one would expect peace to be bought with more blood as a single ruler and tribe rose above the rest, but the Rhyhendra defied the norms of other cultures and ended their time of conflict with peace talks and treaties. A king was chosen through a complex series of trials and once he was crowned, the Rhyhendra entered a period of peace and stability.

The time of peace that followed the wars lasted so long that when it ended, few Rhyhendra could believe they had once been a brutal and divided people. During these years, the Rhyhendra built enormous cities, advanced their technology, and created art in many different forms. Their music has been lost, but they enjoyed both composing it and dancing to it. Most records of the Rhyhendra date from this time, although few of them remain and none can be translated, only vaguely interpreted.

During the Second Arrival of humans to the Janya Galaxy, a fleet of ships discovered the sector where the Rhyhendra lived. There is very little knowledge of this exact group, but they declared war on the Rhyhendra. The humans were overwhelmingly stronger, having fought far more battles far more recently, and they defeated the Rhyhendra in just one year. Records of the war are scarce, especially considering how short it was, and one can only imagine the horrors that occurred during its course, horrors that would destroy all but two hundred of the Rhyhendra army and leave barely ten thousand survivors total.

One of the Rhyhendra soldiers came forward holding a flag and waving. I realized they wanted peace. An arrow from our side shot him down. As he fell, a child ran from the civilians and collapsed next to him. Her father, killed for trying to make peace. I watched and the thought dawned on me then. We are the villains here, aren't we? Not in our story, but in theirs.

— a former human soldier

What followed the war was just as bad, if not worse, and sickening to those who learned of it too late to prevent it. The Rhyhendra survivors were divided and enslaved, put to work in the harshest conditions mining for precious materials or working in the houses of the richest invaders. An arena where fights would take place for entertainment was designed, and the strongest Rhyhendra slaves were forced to build it. Just days after its completion, the first

There is a girl in the cell beside me and she thinks she is a monster because she has killed. I tell her she is not. She is only trying to survive. They are the monsters, for making her do this. One of us dies tonight, and it is not our fault.

— a human slave's last writings

battles between Rhyhendra slaves occurred. According to the few records left by other slaves, the arena was the most feared fate for anyone oppressed by these humans. On its sand floor, hundreds of men, women, and children fought to the death, killing each other in a desperate struggle for survival. These records, written by human servants, reveal that not only Rhyhendra were enslaved and killed by these invaders, but other humans were as well.

Ten years after the initial invasion, documents declared that the Rhyhendra had been exterminated. Less than a year before a final battle had taken place in the arena and the victor was sold to the highest bidder, disappearing shortly after. While various sources chimed in after claiming that hybrids between humans and Rhyhendra had been moved to another planet, the consensus among scholars is that they are extinct. If any Rhyhendra blood exists in descendants of the conquerors, they are completely unaware of it and the species as a whole remains extinct.

Basic Information

Biological Traits

Rhyhendra have few major differences from humans and other sentient species. Most of their differences are superficial and unimportant, if obvious and easy to see. Overall, Rhyhendra are warm-blooded and carbon-based life forms. They have higher speed and a greater muscle-to-fat ratio than humans, as well as a slightly lower bone density with more flexibility. Their skin, while more resistant to both heat and sunlight, heals faster but cuts and bruises more easily. Their overall healing is faster than a human’s but they tend to be injured easier and more often. Their skin varies over a spectrum of brown and tan and their hair covers a slightly wider range, with black, red, brown, and blond being the general tones.

A defining characteristic of the Rhyhendra is of course their pointed ears. Rhyhendra ears are about two inches long with smaller earlobes than humans and sharp points with a slight tuft of fur at the tip. They have semi-conscious control of small movements. Rhyhendra also have longer teeth, with their top incisors measuring about twice the size of a human’s and their bottom incisors extending just a fraction higher. Claws can extend from their hands as well, replacing their fingernails and curving over the tip of their fingers. These claws extend about .5 inches from the fingertip and the Rhyhendra can control how and when they emerge.

by Lilliana Casper

Multicolored eyes are common among the Rhyhendra, with about a 20% chance of complete heterochromia, a 10% chance of sectoral heterochromia, and a 60% chance of another color combination. Rhyhendra pupils are small, allowing them to see easily in the dark, and their pupils become almost invisible when they shrink in bright light. With their native planet being a desert, scientists are often confused by this occurrence. Eye colors span the entire spectrum except white and black, with blue, green, and brown being the most common.

Civilization and Culture

Major Organizations

Long ago in Rhyhendra history, the species was divided into several tribes. The exact organization of these groups is uncertain, but art suggests they were ruled by a single leader succeeded by a chosen heir. The tribes each held a specific area of land as their territory, which they guarded viciously. If there wasn’t enough food in their territory, a tribe would often sneak into another and steal their game. This, predictably, caused several battles and all-out wars to erupt between the groups.

"What if the king had daughters rather than sons?"
"We don't know. Her husband would likely become the new king, or she would be the sole ruler. I assume inheritance was passed to at least one or two princesses, considering heirs were allowed to choose their future. With that option available, someone would have abdicated."

— a discussion between a student and professor

After peace talks were completed and the tribes combined into one empire, a monarchy state was formed. The king ruled over the entire people and although laws were drafted and instituted by others, his word was needed to approve them. When the king died, he was succeeded by his son, who continued the line. Each child of the king was educated in as much as possible, but allowed to choose their path in life. If a king either had no heirs or all of them chose other professions, a new series of trials would be held. This never occurred, but procedures had been planned for any and all situations that may have arisen.

Average Technological Level

Rhyhendra technology appears to have been powered by a combination of solar and wind, with energy stored in large towers. They also appear to have achieved wireless power transference. However, unlike humans, the Rhyhendra focused their technology on transport and communications, as well as medicine and general ease of living. They had a public broadcasting system that allowed them to send information around the planet within

seconds. This was used mostly for news and event broadcasting and was targeted first by invaders. The planet also had an intricate transportation system centered around public vehicles that could be commissioned for trips (all of these vehicles were destroyed and no records remain of how they worked). Medical technology leaned toward life support and regenerative tech.

by Lilliana Casper

Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

The Rhyhendra had many traditions and customs. They had no organized sports but loved art, music, and dancing. One of their traditions was that of dances performed by young girls when they turned thirteen. Wealthy families would often broadcast their daughters' dances. Another dance-related tradition was that of "soulmate dances" where nineteen-year-old women would dance until they were joined by young men. The exact way this tradition worked is unknown, but it was considered one of the most important events in a Rhyhendra's life. Historians and the general public are skeptical of "soulmates" being real, but the Rhyhendra believed strongly in this ritual bringing them together. Mages believe their bodies may have had some sort of magic that gave them "soulmates" who complemented them perfectly in personality, intellect, and soul.

Interspecies Relations

Prior to the attack of humans from the Second Arrival, the Rhyhendra were almost completely isolated in their sector of the galaxy. They had no contact with other species (at least not that is recorded) until humans completely destroyed their civilization. They would likely have gotten along with both the Crestantos and the Dito, but there are no references to them in the histories of either other species.

We tried to civilize them but they fought back. We did the right thing. They aren't human, they're something else, something wrong. They're not people.

— a noble's daughter

The humans who wiped them out believed the Rhyhendra were uncivilized and undeserving of life. Once the truth was discovered, public opinion rapidly shifted in favor of the Rhyhendra. The popular belief of the galaxy now holds that they should never have been exterminated and likely would have been good allies for trade, culture, and friendship.

by Lilliana Casper

She remembers watching her sister dance years ago. Kaza's fingers swept the air like feathers, curving and twisting into strange and beautiful shapes. She rolled her head as she swayed, her body bending into a perfect arch just seconds later. Kaza embodied the spirit of this ritual with her every movement. Her steps were soft yet confident, her legs straight lines and crooked angles. She was perfection. Had been perfection. And now she was gone.

— The Last Rhyhendra (story)

EXTINCT

Lifespan

90 years

Conservation Status

Extinct

Average Height

4'10" to 6'6'' fully grown

Average Weight

150 lbs (varies according to age and sex)

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Skin varies in a spectrum of browns and tans; hair comes in many shades of brown, red, black, and blond.

Sensory Capabilities

Rhyhendra have the same general senses as other species. Their hearing, smell, and eyesight are better than humans, but not as good as many animals. All Rhyhendra are capable of magic, although few are proficient enough to be considered mage-level. Most of their magic deals with emotions and illusions, as well as a slight affinity for healing.

by Lilliana Casper

Languages

The Rhyhendra were capable of speaking many different languages. Along with their own native tongue, they picked up human languages rapidly and were able to attempt communication with their attackers. Unfortunately, the humans did not offer the same courtesy, refusing to learn the Rhyhendra language and preventing historians from translating Rhyhendra text.

One of us is walking out of this arena, and the other is not. Whoever survives, whoever wins, will never speak a word of our language again. Whoever wins will continue to survive, will do anything to survive. And whichever of us walks out will be the last Rhyhendra. When the winner dies, our species dies with her.

— The Last Rhyhendra (story)

Naming Traditions

Rhyhendra children were named however the parents decided. As nothing remains of their language, little can be gleaned from records. It is unknown what morphology they took, only that most names included sounds like "z" and "v", as well as "ah" and "ih" noises, and most names seemed to have two or three syllables.

Historical Figures

The first king of the Rhyhendra was likely one of the most famous figures in the species' history. According to images in scrolls found buried in a ransacked library, he was the victor of the complex trials designed by the rival tribes in ancient times. The trials were open to all young men within a certain age range and over a hundred attempted them. The young man who became the first king appears to be about 18-25 in every illustration. His life before his coronation is unknown but he was very popular after he became king. The only other figure that is known to humans is the mysterious "Last Rhyhendra", the final survivor of the dreaded fighting arena, who was sold to the highest bidder after their victory and disappeared shortly after. Many believe it was the princess, who was known to have survived the war.

by Lilliana Casper

Myths And Legends

Much like their historical figures, the Rhyhendra's mythology has disappeared. Nothing is known about their religion or beliefs. They had a strong attachment to the concept of soulmates, believing that a special dance would bring soulmates together, which suggests they believed unshakably in love and destiny. The only evidence of their legends is carvings in the royal palace nursery, which depict seven mysterious figures standing in a circle as well as an image of two dark-haired people facing a glowing throne. One ancient scroll depicts a Rhyhendra woman fighting a pack of wolves, possibly from a bedtime story, fairy tale, or something else. Other than these scattered images and attempted translations of Rhyhendra writing, there are no records of their cultural tales.

There was a Rhyhendra slave who took care of me for a few months when I was a child. He used to sing in his language, moving as if acting something out. I never asked about it. Maybe I should have.

— the diary of a young man

Rhyhendra artwork by Lilliana Casper