Post by Lorpius Prime on Jan 4, 2011 2:14:07 GMT -5
Stenovians are among the smallest of the sentient races, standing no more than a quarter meter tall, 0.5 meter wide, and 1 to 1.5 meters in length (excluding antennae). They are an insect-like species, appearing quite similar to large, flattish beetles. They have six legs, a three-piece articulated body, and an exoskeleton. They do not have wings, however, and have two complex eyes of the sort common to most intelligent species. They do not have hands, but rely on two long, highly articulated antennae and their mandibles to manipulate objects. Although they can speak to one another, their vocal modulation range and power is not well-suited to most alien languages. Instead, most Stenovians rely on speech synthesizers and amplifiers when communicating with other species.
Most Stenovians live in an independent state beyond the borders of the IS. The Stenovian Commonwealth is one of the largest known interstellar polities after the IS, encompassing hundreds of stars. Although relatively welcoming of aliens, few choose to live among the Stenovians, finding both their rules and etiquette and official law frustratingly obtuse. The Commonwealth dates back to the days of the first Empire of Man, though it has expanded considerably since then. For the most part, this expansion has occurred peacefully and largely unopposed. Still, the Stenovians maintain a well-armed Navy. This nearly tripled in strength during the reign of the second Empire of Man, with whom relations were often tense. The Commonwealth declined to join the Sazurans in their war against the Empire, and has enjoyed a much friendlier relationship with the Integrated Systems. Though the amount of commerce between the two states is less than impressive, many members of the IS elite attend Stenovian universities, giving the Commonwealth a high profile in IS society.
Stenovians also have a long history of emigration; Stenovian expatriates have been a familiar sight on human worlds since before the fall of the first Empire of Man. They typically thrive more than other immigrant species and have a reputation as particularly skilled lawyers. The second Empire of Man placed severe restrictions on Stenovians, as it did on all non-humans, hampering their ability to successfully compete with humans for economic opportunity. Even so, Stenovians proved more resilient than most other aliens within the Empire, leading to many officially sanctioned expulsions of Stenovian populations from Imperial worlds. This was the primary source of diplomatic friction between the Stenovian Commonwealth and the Empire. Unlike the Sazurans, however, Stenovians were generally able to avoid more violent reprisals and pogroms, though sometimes only by voluntary evacuation.
In contrast to the Empire, the Integrated Systems has largely embraced its Stenovian population. They are well-integrated into the IS bureaucracy, whose philosophy often suits their natural inclination towards highly-ordered organizations and love of detailed rules systems. There has actually been speculation (and conspiracy theories) that the Integrity Council intends to absorb the Stenovian Commonwealth, or vice-versa. Commonwealth spokesmen have dismissed this notion as ridiculous while Integrity, of course, does not respond to media inquiries or rumor.
Most Stenovians live in an independent state beyond the borders of the IS. The Stenovian Commonwealth is one of the largest known interstellar polities after the IS, encompassing hundreds of stars. Although relatively welcoming of aliens, few choose to live among the Stenovians, finding both their rules and etiquette and official law frustratingly obtuse. The Commonwealth dates back to the days of the first Empire of Man, though it has expanded considerably since then. For the most part, this expansion has occurred peacefully and largely unopposed. Still, the Stenovians maintain a well-armed Navy. This nearly tripled in strength during the reign of the second Empire of Man, with whom relations were often tense. The Commonwealth declined to join the Sazurans in their war against the Empire, and has enjoyed a much friendlier relationship with the Integrated Systems. Though the amount of commerce between the two states is less than impressive, many members of the IS elite attend Stenovian universities, giving the Commonwealth a high profile in IS society.
Stenovians also have a long history of emigration; Stenovian expatriates have been a familiar sight on human worlds since before the fall of the first Empire of Man. They typically thrive more than other immigrant species and have a reputation as particularly skilled lawyers. The second Empire of Man placed severe restrictions on Stenovians, as it did on all non-humans, hampering their ability to successfully compete with humans for economic opportunity. Even so, Stenovians proved more resilient than most other aliens within the Empire, leading to many officially sanctioned expulsions of Stenovian populations from Imperial worlds. This was the primary source of diplomatic friction between the Stenovian Commonwealth and the Empire. Unlike the Sazurans, however, Stenovians were generally able to avoid more violent reprisals and pogroms, though sometimes only by voluntary evacuation.
In contrast to the Empire, the Integrated Systems has largely embraced its Stenovian population. They are well-integrated into the IS bureaucracy, whose philosophy often suits their natural inclination towards highly-ordered organizations and love of detailed rules systems. There has actually been speculation (and conspiracy theories) that the Integrity Council intends to absorb the Stenovian Commonwealth, or vice-versa. Commonwealth spokesmen have dismissed this notion as ridiculous while Integrity, of course, does not respond to media inquiries or rumor.