Pharad

Basics:

Name: Pharad
Pronunciation: Phair-Ad
Homeworld: Phar
Political Affiliation:
Galactic Federation
Incorporation Date: 2343.276 CE
(753.132 CD)
Government Type:
Imperial Council
Genetic Class:
Carbon-Mammal-Homonid
Oxygen Gas Metabolizing
(Left Handed Amino-Acid)
Sensory Organs: AVOTGES
Visual Spectrum: UI
Sexes/Reproduction:
2 (Male/Female)/Sexual
Gestation: 360 cycle
Litter Size: 1-3
Sexual Maturity: 15-20 annura
Life Span:
_____Male: 200 annura
_____Female: 215 annura

Ave. Height:
_____Male: 6.5 Metra
_____Female:6 Metra
Ave. Mass:
_____Male: 20 Kilobar
_____Female: 16 Kilobar

Physical Description:

Pharad are an elder race believed to have evolved from a form of lion like feline, though they deny this. Pharad are bipedal forward hinge kneed mammals of roughly human size and proportion. Their bodies are primarily hairless, though males have hairy mains that grow on the top of their heads. Pharad females are typically distinguished by having smaller frames then the males, a pair of breasts on the chest and markedly different cranial construction.

All Pharad heads have a pair of eyes mounted roughly a third of the way up their head below sharp brow ridge. Extending down from the brow ridge between the eyes is a single nose that extends roughly triangularly out from the face with a pair of nostrils running side by side through it from the base. The bottom of the head is distinguished as having a single axis downward opening hinged jaw with limited lateral movement. The mouth has two U shaped rows of teeth, one mounted on the jaw and the other to the roof of the mouth. A pair of mid-sized elliptical ears are mounted to either side of the head and typically match the nose for vertical position.

The upper skull of the Pharad male rises above the rest like a giant headdress, extending and up and to the sides in a roughly elliptical shape. Pharad males also have a long probosic that extends from the chin, this probosic is oft times hairy and has a sticky tongue which extend from it. Pharad females on the other hand have a large bulbous upper skull, the bulb growing to be as large the entire rest of her head.

Pharad have five digits on their feet and hands. The digits on Pharad feet are long with limited grasping ability, and in length are up to a quarter the length of their feet. The hand digits however are approximately half to the same length as their palms and are comprised of four primary fingers and a single opposable thumb mounted to the side of the hand at the base
of the palm.

Genitals on the males are external, while females house their reproductive organs internally. Pharad females are able to consciously control their reproductive system, releasing mature eggs for fertilization on command.

History:

Pharad history is long and convoluted, consisting of the rise and fall of uncounted empires, on their home planet and as they expanded into space. The Pharad are believed to be as old a race as the Donvarion and their visits to homeworlds of more primitive races are well documented.

It is known that the Pharad visited many of the worlds of the UCSB and GF during the infancy of their social evolutions. The large headdresses of many early cultures on these worlds evidence this as they wear guises to make them appear more Pharadlike. It is known that on Earth the Pharad influenced the Egyptians, Aztecs, Mayans, Greeks, Romans, Indian, and Norse, to name a few. As they did on countless other worlds, the Pharad established themselves as gods to the primitive peoples, sometimes publicly, sometimes from the shadows. They would routinely enslave the inhabitants of these worlds, and whenever possible set them to war upon themselves for the amusement of the Pharad. The Pharad did this primarily throughout the Orion arm of the Milky Way galaxy, however as they ventured deeper into the core systems they encountered
resistance to, as they called it, cultural aid. Races further towards the core tended to be older then those of the rimward systems, and or were already “culturally aided” by other elder races.

The Pharad were known to have participated in many of the ancient wars that rocked the core systems. They developed deep distrust and animosity towards the Donvarion, Tre-Tian, Syrians, and the Dagonites to name a few. While they developed begrudging alliances with the last two, they continued to wage war on the others over territory and influence. Eventually the Pharad had to devote so many resources to the fighting of the wars that they abandoned their outposts on their slave worlds, or were forcibly removed. The last ancient war took place between the Pharad and the Donvarion, a long cold war that saw both races retreat back into their own territories, only venturing out to launch incursions into the other’s space or fight off any intruders. Seizing upon weaknesses they discovered in the Donvarion caste system the Pharad were instrumental, through backroom dealings, in tipping off the
Donvarion Civil War, almost secretly. Some Donvarions discovered what they did however and before the civil war escalated out of control set events in motion to start what the Pharad label their “third” dark age, forcing them to abandon all their holdings off their homeworld.

The third Pharad Dark Age ended in 77 CD when they returned to the stars and tried to reclaim their holdings, only to find that in their five hundred year absence that the UCSB had been formed. They tried to establish themselves as Gods on the UCSB once again, but the UCSB would not have it, nor would it allow them to pass themselves off as God’s to worlds under its protection. The Pharad war began as a result, the war lasted twenty annura, the weakened Pharad empire was unable to stand against the young confederacy and eventually capitulated, joining the UCSB.

Though it was never proven, it is widely believed that the Pharad continued their old tricks of setting themselves up as gods, despite scrutiny by the UCSB. They were the official custodians of the Orion arm, claiming all worlds there were under their protection until they could rise on their own. They maintained contact with the small stellar empires there in, monitoring them for the UCSB. The Pharad are also believed, though again it is unproven, to have tipped off many of the smaller brushfire wars that occurred in the UCSB during their membership.

This all came to a head in 648CD when the Pharad Secession war began, many now believe this was in an attempt to divert Confed attention from the happenings in the Orion arm. For sixteen years the renewed Pharad Empire waged a bloody open war on the UCSB, culminating with their sabotage of the hyperspace buoy network and their eventual space ban.

The UCSB spent decades rebuilding from the devastation wrought on the hyperspace network, that combined with the Gorvian war diverted their attention away from the Pharad and after only fifty years the Pharad were freed of their space ban by the fledgling GF.

The Pharad joined the GF, taking mostly an advisory role as they rebuilt their empire using the GF. Since then they have slowly slipped their way into the power structure of the GF taking key positions of strength through political moves, and winning over influence through blackmail and backroom politics. To this cycle the Pharad continue to poison the member races of the GF against the UCSB with propaganda and lies and
in the later years of the war finally give unto the GF devastating ancient weapons of war escalating the long conflict further.

Culture:

Pharad culture is an ancient one, emphasizing opulence, wealth, and political power. Though it is undeniable that they helped many young races develop their first real societies, it is also undeniable that they crushed many fledgling societies in favor of one modeled after their own.

The Pharad see nothing wrong with the owning of sentient slaves and encourage the practice. It is believed that the Pharad at one time may have been a more benign race, their mission to spread cultural and society coming from a noble purpose. Somewhere along the way however that became twisted and they began to establish themselves as gods to be worshipped.

The Pharad have a deep resentment of any race that denies them, and more so of the Donvarion and any other ancient race that has stalled their efforts in the past. Though Terrans have long since abandoned their worship of the Pharad they are still their allies because they openly recognize what the Pharad did for them, and because the Pharad see them as tools to meeting their eventual goal of reestablishing a mighty Pharad empire. One that will eventually span the whole of the galaxy.

Major Religions:

The Pharad are known to have had, at one time, multi-theistic religion, which they modeled their false godhood’s upon. Sometime in their distant past however they abandoned this religion, and some believe that they now actually see themselves as gods in their own eyes, and believing that they are the highest form of life in the universe.

Philosophies:

In short the Pharad see themselves as Gods and believe that the accumulation of wealth and power are the most important aspects of life.

Population:

1 Billion as of last GF census (believed to be much higher, though the Pharad admit to keeping their population low intentionally.)

Notables:

The Pharad have intentionally inhibited their evolution for millennia, believing themselves to have reached the peak of evolution they took steps to artificially halt their development. As a result Pharad of the modern era are virtually indistinguishable from their ancestors millenia ago.

The Pharad possess genetic memory, meaning that every Pharad born has the memories of both parents and all those that came before. It is believed however that Pharad brain capacity has long ago reached its limit and so memories of the distant past have been disposed of in their minds to make room. It is believed that had they not altered their ability
to evolve that these memories might not have been lost.

Psionicism: All Pharad are psionics, but their abilities only rate as high as level seven in their most powerful. This is another result of their inhibited evolution. However, uncounted generations of genetic memory give them a knowledge of control that makes them formidable psionics despite their low power levels.

Sub-Species:

The Pharad have no known sub-species, however the Donvarion persist in rumor and legends of an offshoot of the Pharad that did not cease their evolution artificially. They insist that this offshoot evolved beyond the limitations of flesh and now roams the galaxy as pure energy seeking ever higher enlightenment and connections to God. The Pharad deny this whenever they hear it.