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The Shaytonians

SHAYTON PHYSIOLOGY

Very little is known of Shaytonian physiology because of their taboos on research either by their own researchers, or, (especially) by any others. A great deal can be surmised though. Descriptions of external physical characterises are, of course easily gathered and usually very graphic. (This is due to their perhaps main characteristic, vampirism. Shaytonians 'feed' from a wide variety of lifeforms. Why is not known but it is assumed that it was cause a part of a physical shock to the race when it was forced into our universe from a parallel dimension. Readings from where their home planet was assumed to be show a large rift in space. Their planet itself is actually caught in a 'bubble' in space and as yet can only be travelled to through their own gateways.)

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

Descriptions given below are only of native Shaytonians. Breeders are also inhabitants of the planet but are mostly just human norm and norms of other nearby races.

HEIGHT AND WEIGHT: Height and weight both tend to be greater than human norms for all three races although the differences are greater in the 'mer' and noble races. Averages are given below. (See table 1.1)

MALE

	Mer	Wolf	Bat	Noble
Height (m)	2.0	1.8	1.7	1.9
Weight (kg)	70	68	60	65

FEMALE

	Mer	Wolf	Bat	Noble
Height(m)	1.9	1.7	1.6	1.8
Weight(kg)	65	64	59	60

APPEARANCE: The appearance depends of course on the chosen form. All have at least two forms. Common to all is a humanoid appearance but with a slight mauve tinge to their skin. This colour is caused by the concentration of pyrargyrite in their blood (a silver sulphide) that tints their blood a slight purple. Faces are mostly angular in appearance with chiselled features. They have remarkably strong, sharp nails discoloured by the use of the poison sacs located under the quick. The muscle structure is also different to allow for easier changes between forms, usually exaggerated musculature in the shoulders and the lower leg.

Mer are closest in appearance to human myths of merpeople, hence the adoption of the name. They normally blend the two legs to form a tail. Claws become more obvious and teeth become incredible sharp and pointed, similar to shark teeth. Canines are prominent but not fully extended. The hair becomes stronger and courser. There are variations such as scaled legs, but these are rare and normally found amongst the Wild tribes.

Wolfs are larger than wolf norm and with far stronger claws and teeth. Coats and colouring tend to mimic those of cold climes but they vary from pure white through browns and greys to black. Black is rare though and normally found on Nobles.

Bats are again larger. They are believed to have sonar but the other senses are not as limited as in Earth bats. Bats do tend to be light sensitive though and prefer the dark.

Nobles can take more than one of the above forms and some combinations, ie bat wings on human form, a siren mer form (without the more animalistic features). They do tend to pick one form which they prefer and develop it. Therefore the largest wolf in the pack is often a Noble even though their human form may be smaller.

DIET: The main staple is the adrenaline found in the circulatory system. It seems that emotions are also an important and integral part of the diet as experiments with acceptable adrenaline substitutes have not been successful. Feeding from lower form animals is also insufficient for long-term feeding.

Solid food is also necessary for full health but not in any great quantity. It seems to be based on personal choice but common choices are berries such as mulberries and blueberries, and nibbly dishes such as pheasant wings, diced vegetables and small cuts of meat such as knuckles. The breeders often cook these only as an afterthought.

Large quantities of food are only really ever eaten if a hunt brings down a large beast, but this is the exception and often done more as an adventure for the young than as a source of food.

Preferred drinks are fresh water, (a scarce commodity), Glishka and Minta, which are the equivalents of Terran red, and white wine. Glishka is the only substance that they willingly take that has a narcotic effect as it is also the only one that does not have considerable harmful side effects.

REST: Rather than set sleep times the Shaytonians seem to 'cat-nap'. Very light sleepers, they will find a safe place and rest after strenuous exercise, or if bored. It is often explained that rest is taken whenever possible as often on their own world, set sleep is impossibly dangerous because of predators and the restlessness of the world's surface.

REPRODUCTION: Of religious significance, breeding is strictly controlled for all but the handful of functioning males. Mates are selected and told when it is their turn to breed. The pregnancy is invariably twins with a gestation period of three months. During pregnancy the children are closely monitored and any deficiencies are repaired before the birth, normally to the genetic level. The Shaytonian woman is unable to give birth alone as she must not only control her own body but also ensure that the children do not transform. Usually there will be a close relative, normally a woman, and the father present at the birth to aid the mother and keep her conscious. If, as Shaytonians are prone to do in times of stress, she loses consciousness, it would be fatal for both her and the children. To survive both children and the mother must feed soon after birth.

Children are considered sacred, their lives instrumental to the survival of the species due to the low birth rate and high death rate of adults.

They must be tested after birth. Once they pass the test, (there are no failures due to the precautions taken prior to birth), the children continue to be monitored throughout their life until they reach Naming age. As a result very few children ever die until adulthood, possibly a sound reason for the strict birth control.

CAPABILITIES: All Shaytonians have psionic capabilities. These seem to differ greatly due to gender and race. Males have limited telepathic and empathic abilities but little else. The only exceptions to this are a few scattered Nobles. These seem to have not only the full range of female abilities but also others, although these too seem to be concentrated on extensions of the mind.

Most females have telepathy at much higher levels and telekinesis, (sometimes evident as a mental force field of some kind). Some Nobles have other powers that seem peculiar to them but these are just specialised adaptations of the basic abilities.

Both sexes seem to have no limitation on the level of intelligence of the being they are trying to communicate with. Whether the being is an animal or an 'intelligent' being does not seem to have the same significance for them as it does for other races.

The ability to shapeshift is also dependant on the gender and race of the individual. The males and 'lesser' races normally only have one form, other than that of their father. (The father, or Breeder, due to the sterility of the vast majority of the males, is often from another race, mostly human.)

ANATOMY: The basics to not seem to be greatly different from the Earth norm except in the ways already discussed. Internally, the main difference is the adrenal processing and circulatory systems.

The adrenal glands are shrunken to the point of almost missing, explaining, in part, their vampirism. The processing is mainly done in the canine teeth. One operates as an intake valve, regulating the follow of blood into the body. The other processes this blood by filtering out the useful chemicals and returning the rest to the source. The second heart may be to handle the rapid intake of adrenaline and seems to operate as a storage unit and back-up.

One element of their physiology has had a dramatic effect on their society. An earth woman brought to Shayton as Queen took her newfound responsibilities to heart. She found that her own health dramatically improved as the King fed only from her. Latent telepathic abilities also started to form. She also noticed that her 'Husband' had to feed less often and seem to improve his own health and emotional stability. He became able to concentrate on matters for long lengths of time and distance himself from the episodes of violence that seemed to be caused by a link between him and the planet's upheavals. Suspecting a symbiotic relationship, she took some 'volunteers' and made some collars to enforce fidelity until she could prove her theory. She found that it was possible to calm Shaytonians enough to make living in a city environment possible.

PSYCHOLOGY: The psychology of the Shaytonians is based very strongly on survival and fear. Based on the idea that the 'trip' into this universe is still very strongly imprinted in the minds on the peoples of Shayton, it is perhaps easiest to understand them if you compare them to a party of shipwrecks.

Shaytonians live in a very crowded community that would be considered unacceptable to many other races. Due to the hostility of their world, they have formed two safe havens of relatively calm. Here they live in communal halls with very little personal space. This lack of space is often cited as the reason that such a tight control can be kept on the populace without rebellion.

Although a space-faring race by virtue of their gateways, they seem unable to leave the planet for any length of time. The race as a whole seems to suffer from a kind of agoraphobia and is unwilling to expand outwards even on their own planet. A lack of sufficient energy is cited as the main reason, but any discussion shows their near horror at even a casual mention of the idea.

The analogy of the shipwreck carries over to the interaction between the races as well. Each has a deep-seated distrust of the other but also can not survive without them. In the past this hostility was shown in almost open warfare. Once the Cities were formed and every citizen was necessary to power the Barrier between them and the Wilderness, this hostility became an art form. Dance, song and stylised battle became the way to prove superiority.

Shaytonians seem to lack any of the so-called higher emotions. Their ability to communicate with 'animals' may be because of this. Due to their close interaction with 'intelligent' races, they often mimic the emotions that seem appropriate. Sometimes this can be off-putting, as they will get it wrong. The borderline between straight survival induced emotions and 'real' emotions is a narrow one though, and may be caused by a massive form of culture shock rather than a lack of the inbuilt ability. The most noticeable effect of this 'shock' is that the Shaytonians show very little ambition in life. An attempt to foster some interest past eating and feeding, is giving each named citizen a personal project to complete in their lifetime. As many males are not officially named, they are left to occupy themselves as they see fit.

SHAYTON: THE HOMEWORLD

The Shayton of this universe is apparently a shard of the original planet. It is captured in a 'bubble' of space that can be reach by breaches in this bubble called gateways.

It has a variety of zones, but none of these are stable enough to draw any sort of a map. There are four main zones, mountains, seas, plains and forest. Being able to have any sort of weather over them then further differentiates these. The types of weather are snow, tropical heat, temperate warmth, rain and hail. Any combination of any two or more of these can be found in any one section. Some tend to cancel each other out, such as tropical heat and snow - which leads perhaps to a gentle shower. Others tend to escalate, i.e. snow and hail becomes a storm that is capable of flaying the flesh from the bones of any unarmoured form.

The only two stable areas of the planet are the two cities.

The first and biggest of these is called simple the City. It is the seat of the Council, the reigning government of Shayton. It consists of large buildings that shelter a small section of surrounding land. These buildings contain the Great Hall and Council Chambers, as well as living quarters for all the Citizens of the City. The living quarters are divided into married and singles, gender and race. This building also houses the main power source of the planet. This power source is also the basis of their religion. It is the focus of the living energy of every being on the planet. "The Mother" controls it. She has fallen almost into legend, but she was a human, the late Queen of Shayton killed during the failed attempt to place Shayton on a planet in our Universe.

The other important feature of the City is a small park situated at the Gate to the Wilderness. Consisting of a sheltered pool, it is the place where all births take place on Shayton and where the dead are viewed before their bodies are returned to the planet, (see Religion).

The other city, known as "the Pitt", is the seat of the King and the old seat of government before the Attempt. This is just one large hall with one end partitioned off for the Kings quarters. Other citizens have no set room or space of their own but merely find an empty pallet if they are tired. The main feature of the Pitt is the entrance to Hell. Hell is where adults fight to the death if they are unable to settle arguments in other ways.

SHAYTONIAN SOCIETY AND CULTURE

Shaytonian society is very much based on the good of the whole. Any decisions are made on a complex basis of rules that have no shades of grey. Once the Council or the King makes a decision, it is final and to question it means instant death. To balance this tyranny, the individual has a great deal of personal freedom until called upon. There a very few social mores and the ability to do just as they please is a source of pride.

This seeming conflict is resolved by choosing a child's path at birth. The child is allotted a certain task or tasks and is allowed to do anything that does not conflict with the completion of the task. The majority of citizens have the easy task of parenting one set of children and seeing that they survive to adulthood. Often Nobles are given harder tasks. Sometimes tasks are given out even before birth and genetic engineering takes place to ensure their ability to perform the task.

Shaytonian culture is very much a female orientated society. Females hold the main positions of power and the main responsibilities. This seems to be due to the difference of abilities between the two sexes. This was apparently caused by chemical warfare from a race that greatly disapproved of their vampiric needs. Males seem to have withdrawn from all areas of society and now merely live out a series of 'parties'. Females have taken over the running of the society, but even here there is little that they do. The shield from the Wilderness has about ensured Survival and food is small worry, therefore there is little to engage their ambition. Only a handful, notably the Council, seem to direct the people at all. The citizens concentrate on proving their prowess in their chosen field and care for little else.

The family unit has little importance once the children are grown. Indeed, once the child is considered adult, it takes its place in society and stands on an equal footing to its parents. Sometimes this goes to the extent that parent and child may be lovers. There seems to be little regard held for the usual family ties, but this often only a surface image and family members will look out for each other, over and above the normal regard for their own race. The loyalty hierarchy for most Shaytonians seems to flow down from the Council, to their mate, family, race and the population as a whole. Rarely will they feel loyalty to any being beyond this. The exception to this is when they swear fealty. This then takes precedence over all loyalty except to the Council. There is never a time when the Council is not the primary concern. Many speculate that this is due to the indoctrination at each stage of their life that the Council is watching. Nearly all ceremonies are done as group affairs with citizens of the same age being named, married, and having children at the same time.

RELIGION: Their religion is strongly tied to their loyalty base. Apparently survival is the whole and obedience is survival. The Mother, the power source for the cities, is perhaps the epitome of this regard. She has become as close a God as they have. A side effect of drawing the power from the citizens themselves is that the Mother constantly monitors every being on the planet. Therefore she looks after them. As there is no afterlife but only an absorption by the Planet. This 'capital P' Planet seems to be a melding of the Mother & Nature. She ensures survival and is a part of every loved one that has ever died.

The Mother watches every part of life. Any major event in life has a ceremony attached to acknowledge this. This follows the cycle of birth, naming, adulthood, marriage, reproduction and death. They are also very literal and fashioned their own Hell from the legends of Earth. This is used for punishment. (See Justice)

BIRTH: Birth normally takes place in the City in the Birthing area. Usually the mother, father, birther (a close relative), and the Speaker (the Mother/Council's representative) gather near the pool as the mother feels the birth about to start.

The mother and father then link minds to monitor the bodies of the mother and the children to make sure they do not try to change during the birth. The birther then has the task to ensure that all goes smoothly.

Once the children are born their cords are severed and they are immediately thrown into the air above the pool. Bat forms then change and fly, mer change to swim in the pool and wolf grow their shaggy coat to counteract the coldness of the water. Some Noble children do all three. This is considered very good luck.

If a child does none of these things, it is considered Shandulan or non-powered. It will be rescued from the water, cleaned and fed from the breast. This rarely happens though on planet. Off planet, children are often Shandulan as normally only Exiles would give birth off-planet. Exiles are not allowed to advertise the presence of Shaytonians to the outside universe and having powered children who would not be as able to hide would be a major breach of this rule leading to the execution of parents and children. Usually the child shows its preferred form and is fed from the neck of its mother, then its father and then fed from the breast. The Speaker then pronounces each child's duty and the children are left in their parents care.

NAMING: Once a child is considered old enough to survive without guidance, it is tested again. This takes place normally around the age of sixteen. This time it is sent out into the Wilderness to survive for long enough to get back to the gate to the City. If it succeeds, it is brought before the Council and formally granted citizenship. Names have a strict structure based on the main form of the person. Mer names end in 'ka', i.e. Melska, Bat names in 'ah' i.e. Nebah, Wolf in 'al' i.e. Remal.

Although both male and female adolescents are tested if they are citizens of the Pitt, often male children of the City are not tested unless someone puts their name before the Council. As this test is the only way to have a child's name formally recognised, citizenship therefore does not seem to be extended to male children. As very few children live in the Pitt, this extends to males in general.

The ceremony itself is very simple. The populace is called together and the child walks to the centre of the room and is scanned by the Council. The Speaker then says that the child was born in his presence, has survived this long, and is now recognised as...(fill in the name). Sometimes the child's name is changed during this ceremony to emphasise some task that have to do etc.

ADULTHOOD: Adulthood is similar to naming and sometimes performed at the same time. Any citizen can petition the Council that a child is able to decide its mission in life. Normally this is done by whoever is training the child. Seeing that genetic engineering structures the child to a particular area before birth, it is rare that they chose something different to what was chosen for them. In this way, the Council can preplan what direction they will direct the planet's future development.

The petitioner and the child then train with a ceremonial blade. Once the child is considered proficient enough to survive a battle using the weapon, they are committed to combat. If the child is being named at the same time, the blade is used to aid survival in the Wilderness. If already named, they must choose a person to fight. It once was a fight to the death in Hell, but the battle is now highly stylised and fought before the populace in the Council chamber.

Whichever way they fight, if they survive, they are melded to the blade so that the blade is attuned to their mental call. They can then chose to follow the field of their choice and state before the Council their Goal for their life. Depending on their choice, they are given the right to wear robes of certain colours and the duty to wear their blade until they die.

The choice of fields and robes are science (blue robes), dance (black), battle (purple), politics (silver). Edges to the robes show the level of achievement in particular areas. White is for visitors and newly named, silver for Council acknowledgment of their good works and black for leaders. Royalty is gold. They are the only ones allowed to wear more than one colour at once.

REPRODUCTION: Marriage in Shaytonian society is more an acknowledgment that the couple have been chosen to breed. Chosen for their genetic and psychological compatibility, couples are usually chosen from the same age group. When a group reaches the optimal age for reproduction, they are gathered in the Council. Arranged in two circles, natural Shaytonians in the outside and off-worlders chosen to be breeders in the inside, two beams of light weave through as they dance. When the beams rest on a couple they leave the circle. This continues until all the couples are chosen. They then kneel before the Council and pledge their minds, bodies and lives to each other until the death of the breeder. Accompanying this pledge they touch their partners forehead, chest and lower belly. This pattern is one that is often used to show reverence. A collar is then attached to each mate. These collars are made so that they can change shape according to the wearer's whim. This allows the native Shaytonians to shapechange without restrictions. It is rumoured that its shapechanging properties are because it is made from Shayton itself. Whether this means an element of the planet or the dust of dead Shaytonians is not known, as both items are given the same name. These collars cannot be removed unless one of the partners is dead. Early removal means death. Death is also the result of infidelity. This is a carryover from the days when Shaytonians were forced to stay with a partner for long enough for the symbiotic benefits to take effect. Now that these benefits are well known, there is no real reason for these collars but the Shaytonians associate them with survival and cannot fathom the idea of marriage without them.

Once married, the couple is given a time to breed. These times are allocated as citizens die so the population remains static. There is not normally a long wait though as travelling outside the City is very hazardous.

Females are trained from birth to allow their bodies to adapt the genetic material from their mates. This overcomes the normal barriers against inter-breeding and allows for the Council to influence the genetics of the new born children. Twins are always conceived.

Couples in the City may be married without the need to breed. This is allowed because it was found that their vampirism has a symbiotic effect for both mates. The ceremony is similar and is still often done as a group.

Very rarely a Shaytonian will choose their own mate without the Council's guidance. In this case, they can submit to the Council's blessing, which involves a ceremony very much like the normal wedding but with only one couple. If the lights do not find them a suitable couple, they must part or be exiled. They can fight for the partner as well, but this rarely works for the best.

DEATH: Death comes in two ways to native Shaytonians: violence and mishap in the Wilderness. No-one has ever lived long enough to die of old age. The Head of the Council is known to be at least 8 earth centuries old and does show some signs of age but it is not possible to speculate just when natural death would occur. As the City now keeps the Citizens safe from the hazards of the Wilderness and from the violence natural to them, perhaps we may start to find maximum ages.

Death of someone else holds little real significance to Shaytonians unless it is their mate. The only real ceremony involves giving a quick blessing,(head, heart, belly), and destroying the body with the special dusts that each citizens keeps on them from birth. Attuned to their body, these dusts quickly decompose the body to its own fine dust. This is done to prevent any study of the body. If a Shaytonian dies alone, the Council quickly sends someone to perform the ceremony. No body is ever left whole. Many Shaytonians carry this dust in their blades, or if they are not "adults", in a similar weapon.

When the death separates a couple, the withdrawal from the symbiotic relationship causes a great deal of illness until the partner can adjust. Breeders are sometimes unable to adjust, and die soon after. If they are a married, or' collared' couple, the survivor often retains the same collar but with the lethal element removed until their next marriage.

ROLES IN SOCIETY

MALES: Male roles are very undefined, "they can do anything they are equipped to do, and we all know what that is!" This was the message handed down after the Council came to power, and it stands to this day. Sometimes a male, with the help of a sponsor, can rise to quite high levels, i.e. the Speaker is always male, but the chauvinist attitude often colours this, (again the example is the Speaker, it gives them something pretty to look at). There is nowhere that they are specifically denied, but the sponsor takes their failure on their own head, sometimes literally with the sponsor being executed if the child fails. As some will go out their way to see the male fail, this makes any sponsor think twice.

FEMALES: Officially their role is to be the head of their household and sponsor the children as they grow. In actuality, most decisions are made as a couple with the final say going to the one who cares either way.

The ruling castes are the only place where this distinction is made oblivious. The men are allowed into the Council Chamber but must not speak unless granted permission. This is only waived if the male is under discussion, or a visitor and not always then.

CHILDREN: Children are expected merely to survive. Nothing is allowed to get in the way of that. Constant supervision is kept over every single child and if, by some extraordinary skill the child manages to injure or kill him/herself, the allotted minder dies. To ensure survival children are taught to fight with both natural and artificial weapons, live off the land, deal with all forms of poisons, injuries and diseases. Children found to have the gifts of healing or adapting to such dangers, are separated out for further training and are treated like little gods. This distinction stays with them for life regardless of which field they chose.

COUPLES: The role of couples is merely to ensure that children grow and survive to be adults. If a couple has not been given permission to breed, the only real ideal behind the joining is to free the native Shaytonian from hunger so they can achieve their goal. The idea of marrying for love is totally alien to them. Perhaps the closest they come is to find a companion that is perfectly compatible in every way. This companion often shares the same goal and ensures a successful completion.

NOBLES: Nobles are often the rulers of each grouping. This normally means that they mediate any arguments and report to the Council if there is a being that is worth watching. To be "worth watching", the being is either specially gifted or specially argumentative. Either way, they are isolated into special groups and left to increase their abilities, or, in the case of the argumentative, left to kill each other off.

The groupings are distinctions of age, race and ability. These distinctions are the closest Shaytonians get to classes. The levels go upwards from youngest to oldest, bat, wolf, mer to nobles and novice to experts. There is also a slight distinction between the chosen professions, going from science to politics, battle and then dance. This is less noticeable than the other classes as each group is considered vital for Survival.

PITTERS: This is the special group. The population of the Pit is made up largely of the few powered males left, and those who are restless with the ease of the City. Here there are very few couples or children as most still journey to the City when it is decided that it is their time to have children. It is too hard to protect a child from the Pitt, and the same ruling of death goes to any who allow a child to die. The basic role of the Pitt is to allow the residents to feel that they are really surviving. The Pitt has only minimal shielding and there is regular flooding, earthquakes and wild animal attacks, (though most animals have learnt the danger of approaching even the most seemingly defenceless.)

To supplement this, Pitters also have a firm hierarchy. This is based on who has survived the longest. The obvious way to climb in this society is to kill or injure the one above you proving that you can survive better. The higher the level, the more likely it would be that an outright kill is needed. There is no distinction between male and female in the Pit, but as the females are powered higher than the males, they often hold the top few positions. When they return to the City, their rank is often held up to the population as the reason that females deserve their higher rank in Society at large. The notable exception here is the King, born before the regulation of breeding and off planet when the virus went through. The King has almost legendary powers and very strong survival instincts. It was he who created the shields and his wife that created the City. He is also mad. He emerges from his rooms only rarely, but when he does he distributes favours and death with equal ease. It is said that he once took his own daughter to the edge of Hell.

HELL: Although a place rather than a person, it has a very firm role in Shaytonian society. Here the ritual killings of child killers, unapproved parents and other rule breakers take place. A Hellmaker, normally a member of the Royal family, calls the condemned to Hell. Here is the equivalent of a volcano but the 'lava" is not hot enough to kill. Hell itself is a maze of hot colour that constantly blinds anyone who enters to the changing terrain. Very few can survive the place itself but then the Hell-maker is sent to kill them. According to the crime is how long they live. The worse the crime, the slower they die. The Hell-maker is allowed enough of the Power of the Council to ensure their own survival. This often means they are incredibly powerful beings.

Hell is also used to settle arguments. If two Shaytonians cannot sort a problem out, they are sent to Hell. Only one is allowed out. If both are going to make it, the Hell-maker kills whichever one is nearest to death. If both are level in injuries, both die. Arguments that get to this level are understandably rare.

COUNCIL: The Council's role is to regulate the lives of all citizens of Shayton to keep the delicate balance of power and population necessary for the shields. The Council monitors each and every citizen closely using the Mother's power. They run complex programs that supposedly predict all possible futures. Based on the outcomes of these programs, the Council make sure suitable children are born that can bring about the future they deem most desirable. 'Most desirable' is the one that ensures Survival for the largest section of the population. The way this survival is assured takes no account of any other areas. Quality of life or personal freedoms seem to have very little emphasis except as secondary goals.

MOTHER: She is God. She is all-seeing, all-knowing and had a strong part to play in the survival of the planet. Even though any citizen has the right to speak to Her, She has taken on a mythical quality that makes it easier to think of Her as a force rather than a person. This is enforced by the fact that She is mostly the equivalent of a computer program, and has lost a great deal of Her 'humanity'. It is also rumoured that She shares more than a little of Her husband's madness.

WILD TRIBES: Wild tribes are groups that have decided for a variety of reasons, to stay in the Wilderness rather than stay in the safety of the City or even the Pitt. They have very similar mores and traditions and even acknowledge the rule of the King and the Council for the most part. This is though a bit of a moot point because the Council still inflicts punishment whether its rule is acknowledged or not.

SONG and DANCE: Song and dance forms an integral part of Shaytonian life. Dance has replaced the violence that Shaytonians used to use to resolve almost every problem. Just about every situation has steps that accompany its resolution. The marriage ceremony is just one example. Dance also provides the one story in Shaytonian legend that could get close to a love story. A couple was once so suited to each other that they could cause to planet to calm by the force of their dance.

Song is also very important as the only way they record their history. Even the Mother stores Her memories in song. Their technology is also soundly based on music. Many controls for the Gateways and the Mother Herself are controlled by a combination of dance and song. Mainly because of this, the study of dance is the most respected profession.

SCIENCE: Science is anything that tries to answer questions about travel, healing, storage of power or the increase of the abilities of the race. There is a certain mystic quality accorded to science that is very similar to the Earth attitude to science found in the Dark ages. Technology was viewed as either weapons or magic. Either meant a collection of great power and was therefore feared by the bulk of Shaytonians. A few brave souls try to follow the example of the King and try to develop new gateways and shields, but they often wake up dead and not always due to experiments gone wrong. Therefore science is considered a noble profession but a dangerous one.

BATTLE: Battle is often necessary for survival but was replaced in day-to-day life by dance. It has largely become the area for trainers to develop new techniques.

POLITICS: Politics is the chance for citizens to argue their points before Council. Council members are often chosen from those who argue their points convincingly. Spaces very rarely become vacant and a seat on Council is a lifelong position. Now that the Council can keep track on every citizen, the turnover of seats has substantially slowed.

SPORT: There is no real organised sport. Sport is really a series of survival techniques often performed in a competitive atmosphere. One such sport is based on the gladiatorial events of the Roman age on Earth. Combatants are released into the centre arena to fight to the bite. The downward thumb that Hollywood made famous signifies permission to bite and enforce superiority over the defeated.

GAMES and HOBBIES: Most hobbies and diversions centre on food, dance and becoming expert in the blade. The idea of cards or painting as a hobby is alien to them. These perhaps more traditional hobbies are seen as things that are done merely to attract a mate.

LANGUAGE: Symbols and the series of sounds formed make language to many Shaytonians. The actual words are unimportant. Learning the languages of the places visited though is important to Survival. Many can speak up to a dozen languages but many of them are archaic as visits were curtailed strongly after Earth science got to the stage where they could conceivably open the gateways from their side.

DAILY SAYINGS: 'By the Mother', is probably the most often heard phrase although are said in a variety of languages. This is used as an expletive and an act of reverence and it takes an outsider a long time to tell the difference between the two situations.

'Thank the Fates' is another common saying meaning that worse events have been avoided.

Words common to the whole populace:
Dath'mala - the Shaytonian national sport a combination of wrestling/sumo and handball
Glenuk - a lesser being normally human, non-Shaytonian.
Gohnack - an expletive, lit. - shit me.
Kelak - an expletive, a more forceful version of rubbish.
Shandu - Someone who bears non-powered children to a Shaytonian.
Shandulan - Non-powered children born to human/Shaytonian parents.
Shoolan - Other half, soul mate, twin.
Tensyon - A time of emotional cleansing done annually. To not do it may lead to death.
Trellorn _ someone who has fought for the Rite to be able to speak before Council. i.e. be considered a real person. Normally male and/or a visitor.
True Blood - A pure blood Shaytonian.

CLOTHING: Clothing is worn to emphasise beauty and sensuality. There is no taboo against nudity. It is very common. Often the only article of clothing worn is the see through robe given to each citizen as they reach adulthood. These are worn as togas or skirts. The other common item is jewellery. All couples of course wear collars. They also show the symbol of office. Other jewellery is worn to show the skill of the wearer in obtaining them. As there are very few jewellers on Shayton, the bulk of jewellery has been wiled away from its previous owner.

ARTEFACTS- The main artefacts of course are their blades and the Mother, or computer where She is kept. Things that are really rare are from before the planet left its original universe, especially if they are soft, or breakable. Treasures from Earth are also highly prized if they fall in these categories. One article that dates back from pre-schism days is a rose held suspended in a glass locket. It used to belong to the Mother and is held in a secret compartment in the King's chamber. It is said that whoever wears it is to rule Shayton forever and bring it safely into the Universe.

ATTITUDES:

SEX- As sex has little to do with procreation, it is merely a form of pleasure and a way to make the act of feeding more pleasurable. Due to the current distaste of using fear to heighten the amount of adrenaline the breeders produce; sex is almost synonymous with feeding. As feeding is Survival it does keep some value as a significant act, but not much. Forced sex though comes under the same heading of distasteful as killing a breeder. It is not done in polite company. This includes the Pitt, unless the victim being raped is someone above you in the hierarchy.

BASTARDS- Bastards are, by definition, are children that society had not planned for. They are treated fairly carelessly. Although someone is assigned to look after them while children, but even if female, they often are not trained or sponsored. Often they are put into groups of argumentative people, and hopefully killed off once they have passed the age of childhood. Punishment for a child being born without Council approval is death. The only exceptions to this rule are children born to the few remaining full strength males or children accepted once they turn ten.

Functioning males are encouraged to breed regularly, i.e. once every 500 years or so, in an attempt to restore the whole race to full strength. Surprisingly, very few ever take up the option. The two exceptions to this rule are the King and his oldest son, Markus. They are known to breed frequently and with almost anything. Markus himself has a lioness mother.

STEALING- There is very little sense of property rights. There are only two things that are not to be stolen, blades, and the Power from the Mother. Both are religious items and to misuse them means death.

LYING- Shaytonians are very much like children when it comes to the truth. Crossing their fingers or not telling the whole truth are accepted forms of behaviour. An argument is often like listening to children, " I washed my hands!"

"No you didn't"

"Yes I did, yesterday."

KILLING- Killing each other is permissible so long as the victim is someone who is your acknowledged better. Killing anyone else is very bad form. This extends to human norms and other race norms as they are almost always weaker. This also extends to males. Of course to even injure a child, even by accident, means death. Killing while feeding comes under the same guidelines. Death is always regrettable and you are stopping someone else's Survival. Anyone that makes a habit of killing, especially while feeding, will be cautioned. If they persist, they will be sent to Hell.

HUMANS- Shaytonians have a soft spot for humans in particular as they were the first race they met and the easiest to blend in with. Humans do worry them though. Although a naked human is never a match for a Shaytonian, and face it this is the way they most often see them, they have the unnerving habit of creating weapons. The 20th century started a wave of worry through the whole race. This happened roughly about the same time as silver bullets replaced stakes through the heart.

ANIMALS- There is little if no distinction made between animals and any other race of beings. Wild tribes even breed with animals similar in form i.e. wolves etc. The resulting offspring are accepted as full citizens if a sponsor steps forward. Many wild tribe members do take their children into the City for training to increase the chances of Survival.

HUMOUR- Shaytonians find very few things funny. They will often laugh at things but anyone that knows them well knows that it is usually only to keep others happy. One of the few things that really strikes them as funny are word plays not puns as such but things more like," beware the llama spits, and he was, and it did." Slapstick is a definite no-no. It often offends their sense of survival.

LAW- Justice is absolute. There are no shades of black and white. Either it is OK to do an action or it is not. Unnecessary killing involves a caution. Everything else means death.

MONEY- As food and possessions are readily available, there is no real monetary system. There is a bank though and it does very well. Each Shaytonian allowed off-planet, is given a certain amount of currency to ensure easy living wherever they are going. The money is raised by selling off the gemstones that litter Shayton. It is then invested long term. For a Shayton, long term means that they are never short of money.

GOALS: The goal of the race as a whole is to Survive. The only other goal is to regain their lost glory, to be strong enough to be able to deal with the regrettable technology of the races they rely upon for food. There is one drawback to this. Their entire culture is now based on keeping the one-sided power base and an inbuilt terror of technology or increased power.

HEROES: Shaytonians have very few heroes, the King is their main one. He made the barriers, kept his powers and brought the Mother into their lives. He also did all these things against the flow of apathy normally associated with Shaytonians and against their inbuilt fears. Others include the Dancers, and very successful Dath'mala players.

VILLAINS: Strangely the King is also the villain, and for mostly the same reasons.

FEARS: Their strongest fears are anything that upsets the careful balance that ensures Survival. It is not death that they fear but the loss of Shayton as a whole. This flows down to their hatred of change and the accumulation technology. Survival is harder when the status quo changes.

HOLIDAYS: The main holiday is when the populace journey into the Wilderness to keep their hand in. It is often followed by a return in triumph to the City and an orgy of food, drink and sex.

LOVES: They love anything that feels good. Soft silk, feathers, beautiful music, soft air through their wings. Love of people is not something they do well. They show reverence, respect but rarely love.

HATES: The chief hate is the race that caused the virus that ruined their race. This hate does not extend to thoughts of violence though. The main reaction to mention of their name is the equivalent of a shrug of the shoulders and c'est les vie that camouflages their fear.

Change, and more powerful beings are things they see as threats to Survival. Loss of the whole race is their greatest fear, anything that threatens this is a hatred. Suicide is counted as one of these things. The greatest shame is to be declared as a suicide. The family left behind is covered with shame.

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