Szizstan Life

Chapters

1. Introduction
2. History
3. Culture

Introduction

Welcome, reader, to my book on Szizstani life, history, and culture.

• While our homeworld of Moghes may be known for its less than ideal conditions, I mainly write this book for the few who may be interested in learning about
• our culture.and visiting our beautiful desert planet. As such, I will be covering both Szizstani and general Unathi history and culture, with more focus
• on the former. I hope the knowledge in this book will help you see the beauty of Unathi culture. Perhaps, if you visit, you may even run into me on the street.
• If you do, please, do not be shy - I would love nothing more than to share our beautiful and rich culture with you!


• First, however, I would like to clear up some misconceptions about our species.
• While we, the Sinta'Unathi, may be a proud warrior race - perhaps too proud for our own good, as evidenced by the heavy division of our people into our clans
• We are still people. The stereotype of us being simpleminded lizards is far from the truth - while our history may be stained with blood, so are many others.
• Besides our military might, we take great pride in our technological advances, unique cuisine, and artwork. Any artist should be well familiar with the
• beautiful, bright pigments made from minerals mined from our planet. Please, do approach us with an open mind - though we may be cold-blooded, our hearts
• are just as warm as yours.

History

Before the Clan

• Like the rest of the Unathi race, the families within the Lakszizo Clan - and, indeed, the clan as a whole, host a colorful history of blood and glory.
• The Unathi were originally roaming tribes on the surface of the desert planet of Moghes until some event around 1500 BCE rendered much of the planet unlivable.
• Despite the size of this event, it remains shrouded in mystery due to inexplicably extreme inconsistencies found in all record of it. However, the general
• consensus is that the event was not caused naturally.


• The tribes of Unathi settled into various city-states dotting the survivable portions of the globe. City states are typically ruled by clans consisting of several
• ruling families, though there are many smaller ones that also inhabit these places. It is extremely rare for smaller families to achieve positions of power, with
• the only known cases of which involving marriage directly into the family.



• In 2038CE, one of the Unathi clans had discovered the first known form of FTL travel. This lead to our people becoming the first known species to create an off-world colony.
• Despite developing FTL travel, the Unathi would not encounter another intelligent species until over a century later when, in 2152CE, we would be discovered by the Greys.
• However, due to a strict code of honor, the clan that made first contact refused to interact with the other species, believing that foreign aid would soil their reputation
• with their own kind. This would not, obviously, be the last contact the Unathi would make with other species. However, the next interaction would be far less friendly.

The Vox-Unathi War

• In 2203CE, a mining transport would be attacked by an unknown assailant brandishing bizarre alien technologies that are, to this day, widely unknown.
• This attack would have no known survivors, their cries for help cut tragically short before they were recieved by the rest of their brethren.
• None of the passengers aboard the ship, n'or the resources present or even the ship itself would ever be seen again. They were most likely taken someplace else,
• though there is no doubt that the people on board were soon neutralized. Regardless, the signal was recieved by another passing ship, and was quickly relayed back to Moghes.
• The attack on a Unathi ship by an alien race was unheard of, and this caused a vast majority of clans to rally together in a collective attempt to avenge their fallen kin.
• For the following two years, the Unathi waged a bloody war against the Vox, and despite taking heavy losses, would eventually claim victory. The Vox Arkship the Unathi had
• attacked was rendered largely inoperable, and was forced to withdraw. While we took heavy losses, our goal of destroying the ship was near victorious, leaving the enemies
• who had wielded far superior technology retreating in fear for their lives, and leaving the Uuoea-Esa system we call home to hopefully never return.
• However, the peace between Unathi clans would be short lived, and we would soon find ourselves defending our homes from those who wished to take what we call ours.

Founding of Clan Lakszizo

• It was not until the aftermath of this gruesome war that our clan was founded by the original Lakszizo family, slaves to a former clan who's name is now forbidden
• to speak or write. Due to the glory their men had brought our former masters, the Lakszizo family was invited to have a proper meal with their masters. They would
• accept this offer, and would join their masters for a great feast. That night, while the slaveowners were passed out drunk, the Lakszizos slaughtered them, ensuring
• that none of their masters would survive to carry on their name.


• The Lakszizo family declared to their fellow slaves that they were now freed, and for the next fifteen years, encouraged neighboring slaves to strike back at their masters.
• Washing the land in blood, the Lakszizo family had earned the respect of fellow slaves and terror of their neighbors, claiming their former masters' lands as their own
• to help forge a better future for not just themselves, but the others they had fought to free as well. In 2222, Szizstan was officially founded on the grounds of the original
• masters, quickly growing into a bustling city with a population over 300,000 by 2300 with the help of both their strength in agriculture, weaponmaking, and their military
• might. It is said that no army has morale to compare to the Lakszizo militia.

Culture

Szizstani Night Life

• The bustling city of Szizstan, along with its smaller sister city Lak'szon, are known for their vibrant culture.
• Music and dance are popular hobbies, with brightly colored garments frequently worn to nightclubs to compliment our already vibrant frills and scales.
• Most music played in Szizstani clubs is produced on Moghes, especially within the walls of Szizstan. Foreign words are rarely, if ever, heard in our music.
• Furthermore, foreign music is rarely ever played, especially if it contains vocals. The people of Szizstan are particularly proud, and often frown upon the usage
• of other languages besides our mother tongue, Sinta'Unathi. That said, it is considered a compliment for one not versed in Sinta'Unathi to seek a translator as opposed
• to demanding us to use galactic common. Only 46.7% of Szizstani Unathi can speak Galactic Common, with 65% of said demographic being literate in Galactic Common.

Szizstani Cuisine

• While Unathi are mostly carnivorous, make no mistake - our plates in Szizstan have a rich variety in flavors. Beyond traditional plates such as the rich blend of
• meats that is Szazstk, a blend of seafood and red meat similar in texture to a reverse sandwich, and the classic hatchling surprise, one can expect to find an impressive
• variety of different foods on a trip to Szizstan. While eggpops, largely consisting of an egg wrapped in bacon and put on a stick, are mainly just street vendor or even
• carnival food, it's still quite nutritious. For the vegetarian diet, one may find cactus strips to be a pleasant snack. For more satisfying vegetarian meals, one can always
• look to local specialties like mushroom stews and palm wraps are also fairly popular. However, meat still largely dominates our diets, with plants mainly used either for spices
• or as garnish to decorate an existing dish.

Szizstani Holidays

• There are few universal Unathi holidays - they generally only celebrate birthdays and new years, with both of these being grand celebrations which individuals may take time
• off of work to celebrate with friends and family. Beyond that, however, holidays vary widely between city to city, clan to clan. Both Lakszizo cities - Szizstan and Lak'szon - share
• their holidays, fortunately, thus helping keep things less complicated.


• On birthdays, it is traditional to give gifts to the guest of honor, singing praises and discussing their previous victories. A birthday is a celebration of one's continued
• survival for an additional year, and a celebration of their accomplishments. Gifts, as a result, are to be related to the individual's successes in the past year.
• It is not frowned upon to not give a gift to somebody one has not known for a year, and while it may be considered polite by some, it is otherwise recognized as a meaningless
• gesture from one who doesn't know what they are even celebrating. It is traditional to serve Szastk or Korlaaskak - a heavily spiced fish-based plate - at a birthday celebration.


• New Years is similar in spirit to the "christmas" tradition in many human cultures. Gifts are frequently exchanged on New Years Eve before a feast, largely consisting of largely
• egg-based dishes. During New Years, it is considered rude to have leftovers on one's plate or to not have at least one full glass of the served drink. Furthermore, conversation
• is expected over the meal, with a silent meal being considered a bad omen. After the meal, it is common for families to play games together before retiring for the night.
• It is not uncommon for the adults to be up extremely late, seeing their children both go to bed and wake up in the morning before retiring. New Years is a vibrant, loud, and
• joyous celebration of life, and being invited to a family's New Years party is considered quite the compliment.

Szizstani Honor

• Of course, nearly all clans have their own codes of honor, especially for their militias. The Lakszizo code of honor preaches justice, courage, mercy, honesty, and loyalty.
• Justice is to make one's own actions right. Lakszizo Unathi are expected to behave in the best interest for others, and rectify their actions against others within the clan.
• Courage is to stand up for what one believes in and take the right action, regardless of consequences. The Lakszizo would have never been freed if they feared failure and death.
• Mercy is to accept surrender, and protect the innocent. The world has no use for barbarians and savages, and those shown mercy often return with kindness of their own.
• Honesty is unconditional - the truth will always show its face, and it is an insult to others to conceal it from them. Information is not to be concealed from the clan..
• Loyalty is to live and die by your family first, your clan second, and yourself last. Only together can we accomplish anything - as other species say, "The lone wolf dies,
• but the pack survives."