"The Immortal Emperor"

Art by Juliana

Highly evolved semi-synthetic organisms, the Taianese were once similar to humans but have since formed their own fork of humanity based on their vision of a perfect society. Their ancestors were originally made for menial work and slavery before hijacking one of the first colony vessels from earth and escaping. Taianese citizens take comfort by fulfilling their role in their society and marching under the gentle guidance of the Emperor.

The overwhelming majority of Taianese are born synthetically from an enigmatic and secretive genetic plan to cultivate the individuals their society needs based on a Caste system with exacting standards. Any who fail to live up to these standards are labelled Shibai or defective and exiled to the far corners of the empire or the nations.

They are usually intelligent, quick-witted with photographic memories, a Taienese can be a formidable mind to face. On a physical level Taianese vary from the powerfully built Tiger form, to the lithe and dexterous Dragons, to quick and perceptive Rabbits. Even exotic Oddbodies exist as experiments or specialists within their society being an enormous variety of bodytypes.

• Capital: Liang (Tai Pan)
• Major Populations: Empire of Tai Pan, Alarie
• Minor Populations: The Interstellar Alliance, Solarity of Kowloon

A Taianese individual is often humble, hard-working, and highly intelligent. Taking pride in their work and believing results speak for themselves. Their upbringing depends highly upon their caste, but they will generally have one parental figure as their Tutor, they will have been physically independent from a young age but employed and care for by the state.

They may have held onto these values and remained loyal. They may have faced challenges to their world view, or been exiled, and live outside the empire. Making a living on their own terms for their own causes.

Common principles of a Taianese character are:

• The needs of the many before the needs of the one.
• Humility is its own reward.

Born to the world as slaves in the Sol system, the Taianese freed themselves and wrecked quite a few things on the way out for the rest of humanity. They spent generations on board a hijacked experimental colony ship, one that might not have had quite all the kinks fixed before they stole it. In the time it took for them to cross far across the galaxy in a seemingly endless exodus that even they don’t remember how to retrace, the Taianese have diverted drastically from humanity as we know it.

After arriving in the sector they set up on one of the few planets they were able to reach before their ship karked it and made the best of it despite hostile natives and other humans often being uncooperative. This planet turned out to be Liang, one of the Elf homeworlds in the sector and home to a thriving feudal society and a small population of humans. Their settlement of this planet was fraught with mistrust, and eventually violence.

Modern Tai Pan as we know them emerged during the first Elf war and matured in the following insurrections. Each reprisal slowly becoming more brutal than the last until elf civilization was a shadow of its former self and the Tai Pan empire emerged into the sector in force as a new and rising power. Tai Pan has not has an easy time making friends in the sector, and their tenuous and sometimes strained military pact with the Alliance can be shaky at times without mutual threat.

Taianese citizens come in a variety of body types depending caste, and bar the uncommon exceptions most are humanoid in shape. The three castes vary dramatically in their body features, such as the tell-tale horns of Dragons or the muscular build and tails of Tigers. On closer examination their synthetic origins become more apparent, including heavily edited genomes such as skin that’s too smooth and an absence of moles, freckles or other imperfections.

The amount of divergence from common humanity means that Taianese are not able to sexually reproduce with ordinary humans without artificial interventions. That is, if you could even convince one to do that.

Dragon Form

Dragons are the leadership caste, lithe and graceful, they calmly guide the rest of their people forwards. Dragons are all designer made to be beautiful, and disfigurement beyond repair and even poor hygiene can be punished with banishment.

Rabbit Form

Rabbits are the technicians and engineers of the Taianese, building the future. With the directions of the other tasks the Rabbits makes sure the needs of all are sated. Rabbits are the most integrated to technology of the castes, often featuring discrete cyberization and augmentation for their duties.

Tiger Form

The warrior caste, Tigers are large, powerful, and proud. They stand vigilant against threats to the empire and practice constant readiness, emphasizing preparedness and individual skill. Tigers were made to be able to rely on their own bodies instead of solely cybernetics, and so are not built for traditional standards of beauty in mind.

Kammee

While not officially part of the Taianese species, the Kammee are a servant caste made using taianese technology from the genetic material of the humans and elves they have conquered. They are not made to the same stringent standards as proper Taianese castes, and so their genetic outcomes can be drastically different.

Taianese enjoy any food a human can consume, however they primarily create simple foods using highly producible resources, such as soy, vegetables, and microstocks such as bugs or crickets. What Taianese enjoy most of all are sauces and spices. Their liquor tends to focus on spirits, being more efficient to produce than beer, and traditional recipes that have survived all the way from their time on earth are still found in hidden corners of the empire.

Taianese scientists have also taken great liberties with crop types, including the development of the famous Rice Gourd. A way to grow grains protected inside the shell of Cucurbita-type plants.

Taianese are comfortable in all human compatible environs but are capable of modifying themselves to live more easily on marginal planets, or at least survive in some less hospitable climates. Notably, they may choose if and when they sweat, making them rather more comfortable than most humans in humid climates.

Taianese mature quickly, reaching adulthood in about nine years, and living in prime fitness for roughly 130 years. When death comes, it is sudden and does not linger, the Taianese feeling a sense of impending doom, and aging rapidly over the course of a month before passing away peacefully.

When a Taianese is in its childform they are apprenticed to another taianese and trained by them called their Tutor. They take further supplemental training as needed until they fully qualify for whatever job is required of them right then. Just prior to their ninth year many of them will undertake a long tour of the empire and perhaps other nations, taking in different elements of their own country, broadening their understanding of the universe and enjoying tourist activities before returning home to their work.

Throughout their lives, a taianese may wear many hats and fulfill many roles within their society, moving upwards or sideways. Many happily humble and content with their lot knowing they’re building towards the prosperity of the whole.

Despite this longevity, they are not expected to reproduce, indeed many die childless but thoughtful that their labor has built a better Tai Pan for the next taianese that comes to replace them.

Taianese culture overwhelmingly favours the greater good of society than the wellbeing of the individual, and only towards those they consider a part of their society. A manifest destiny cult has germinated in their society, believing the emperor is the leader of their great never ending ascent, comforting all with the knowledge that their work today will go on eternal even after they’re gone.

They place great faith that their great works will be their legacy and even simple labour contributes to this.

The three castes are used to organize what role a new taianese should take within their society and makes sure they are genetically equipped for what the empire requires of them. Providing organic tools and abilities, excellent health, and fine minds to complete their roles to great degrees. While all three castes can be found working together at almost every level, much of the caste system determines hierarchy and social expectations. Making sure individuals have a mould to conform to and serve the greater whole.

Taianese clothing is often simple but well made, tailored to their specific needs. The clothing available varies by caste, dragons usually being the most well dressed as their appearance reflects the prestige of the nation.

Not being workers, Dragons often adorn themselves with robes or suits depending on their station and occupation. Their augmentations are often seamless with their original bodies, and their horns become golden and are decorated with jewels as a sign of station as they rise in station.

Tigers love their uniforms, and often enjoy tight fitting bodysuits with integrated technology. Glowing panels and lines, integrated microclimates and emergency systems all make popular choices for Tigers.

Kammee wear hardy and practical clothing with integrated technology, everything from tight suits to heavy jackets.

Taianese speak a planned language called Kantongo which has taken aspects from Asian and Indian language groups of old. It is a precise language whose use can be very easily muddled by non-fluent speakers, which may cause discomfort to local speakers. Fortunately most Taianese that deign to speak with others will be well-versed in Trade.

Taianese citizens are assigned a name from a list of 44,000, before later being given a second name taken from their Tutor, or the planet or orbital installation upon which they first serve. Their second name is actually placed before their first name when they receive it. Taianese take great pride in their names and expect others to use them correctly.

Taianese politics are very authoritarian, believing that those in charge know best, and that it’s best for all that their orders are followed. Failure to carry out orders to ones best ability, or worse, actively refusing them is a great dishonour. Dissenters are mistrusted and often isolated in their society, cut off from the greater whole.

The Emperor is respected as a father figure of the people, with his servants working with direct authority from him. The Imperial Palace has chambers for the Emperor and his Kinnari close advisers and friends, and antechamber for the imperial parliament, and three wings of government. The wings of Prosperity (Trade and banking), Tranquillity (Defense and Security), and Harmony (Production and Spirituality). These three wings provide the pillars of the Taianese political framework.

All three of the castes are intermixed to different degrees within these three pillars, the Mandate caste dominate Prosperity, for instance, but are also found in number in both Tranquillity and Harmony in leadership positions.

Taianese technology is known for its excellent design and precise form, made exactly to its requires, never more, rarely less. Taienese do not believe greater cost is greater value, and their society is very good at recycling.

Their cheap, low technology being rather ugly, made from suitable but not desirable materials and built only to last its planned duration. It is made to be used as long as it must, and then discarded to be remade once more.

Higher technological forms are often made extremely sleek, comfortable, and attractive. Taienese engineers take great pride in the finest of their creations, and the results of their efforts are often highly desirable in other nations.

The Taianese economy is labour based, mobilizing workers and managers into production units. These production units are often long term arrangements and moved between assignments together as needed. The head of a production unit is often a Dragon or Rabbit who oversees the entire units activities.

Dragon overseers are often able to “sleeve” into certain Kammee among the team, allowing for remote viewing and operation as required. These Operator Kammee are used as middle managers and leaders among the Kammee.

Rather than strictly money, kammee are incentivized with a credit system that allows them to purchase improvements and medical treatments for themselves.

I’ve taken the time to expand some of the content and provide more relevant information, as well as editing some of the sub articles. I do want to go deeper into the individual Forms, having already done a brief pass of the Tiger article because it triggered me. I still think this needs some work to really make it shine, but a decent article that provokes imagination will do for now.

Someone is going to have fun writing that Rice Gourd article.

• The Immortal Emperor by Juliana Wilhelm. Used multiple times, purchased by Kim.
• Rabbit Form 2 by Nicoy, commissioned by Jimmy.
• Yuan Xiaofan as Tiger Form by Nicoy, commissioned by Mike.
• Kammee by Nicoy, commissioned by Jimmy.