Database and Lore

Sobilk, The Ringed World of the Underdwellers

*Spoilers if you haven’t read Gabatrix: The First Peace* “The rings of Sobilk are a mask for the wonderous people that live and hide under its surface,” Fatil’tep, the Wise. There aren’t many habitable ring worlds in Itrean possession. However, the most noted is the one that belong to the Ko’min. Even if they are far from the largest aspect of the Yutilian subspecies, they make up an interesting history, one that is only explained by the curious people that live in it. History There is very little knowledge pertaining to the early culture of the Ko’min. Most consider them an offshoot of the Fo’mil, the Itrean religion that believes in little interference in artificially induced evolution. While the Fo’mil are well known for their appearances and ideology, their history is often so grandiose that it doesn’t take much for it to split into minor histories that pertain to other cultures. What is known is that sometime during the early middle period of the Gui’optre Kingdom (200,000 years ago), a group of Yutilian Fo’mil pioneers led by Jiqobold, began searching for a world of isolation. The idea was to find a place that seemingly had little value but was still habitable. Eventually, the success led to the finding of a small star system within an F-type star located 9,000 light years from Earth. Supposedly, the name Sobilk was the name for “Ringed Beauty” in the older Yutilian languages. Habitable ring worlds often pose interesting challenges along with the F-Type star to serve as its host. It was believed that an ice-like moon was caught in Sobilk’s orbit over 30 million years ago. Eventually, the tidal forces exhibited by the planet tore the moon to pieces where it formed a sizeable ring around it. While the planet was habitable, it was believed that much of the surface life was greatly impacted by the formation of the rings. Indeed, on habitable worlds, rings create massive shadows across the surface. While often beautiful, the catch is that the rings can reflect light onto different portions of the surface, creating deserts and icy shadows in their wake. There was very little flora as there was and less water when compared to other planets. This, in conjunction with the F-Type star’s radiation, pummels the surface to prevent much of the ice from forming. However, the planet’s location still puts it far from the edge of the star’s habitable zone towards the colder side. For Jiqobold and the other Fo’mil, Sobilk became a well-liked candidate for a home. It was believed that upon settlement, the population began to dig massive underground settlements where they didn’t have to live under the massive shadow of the planetary rings. Underneath the surface consisted of veins of lava tubes and geothermal vents that the society had become well adapted to. As the population became more separated from the other Yutilian Kingdoms and the Fo’mil religion, so did the native population’s own religion. Sobilk had become a place of isolation, obscured in the lesser desire of other clan species that saw little value in it. However, 121,000 years ago, the Gui’optre Kingdom discovered the Sobilk population almost by accident. Under tens of thousands of years of isolation, the Yutilian people had made their own evolutionary advancements. While still akin to the original Fo’mil society, these Yutilians had made their own adjustments. This would include ridding themselves of feathers, making themselves shorter, having scooping claws for digging, and slightly more armored skin on their snouts and sides while replacing their feathers with a pair of small horns on their heads. Both the males and females remained flat chested but no longer lay eggs like the Fo’mil. Many Yutilian scholars often point to the Ko’min as an offshoot society that lies between modern Yutilians and Fo’mil.     The term “Ko’min” stuck under King Fatil’tep the Wise, who wanted to expand his kingdom under the least amount of violence possible. Instead, Fatil’tep saw the potential in a people who devoted themselves to underground mining, a new workforce to help out in future mining businesses. However, the Ko’min people had been used to living in isolation. Negotiations were slow, but after five years of peace talks, Fatil’tep finally managed to break ground, and the younger Sobilk generations became employed in various mining corporations. Fatil’tep was kind-hearted, often using the goodwill of experiences to tell the tale. Eventually, by the end of Fatil’tep’s lifetime, the isolationism in Sobilk had been broken, and they joined the Yutilian Kingdom without incident. By 30,000 years ago, the Ko’min were forced into an uneasy resistance against Jalgren the Great. Ultimately, Sobilk would surrender at the same time as the Gui’optre Kingdom. It was possible for the Ko’min to put up a fight as the underground mountains and deep tunnels would have made conquering the planet difficult, but the population of Sobilk was never that extensive. Even to this day, strict population control methods and meager resources limited population growth, and only one other colony exists outside of the Ko’min’s control. However, Jalgren had high value and regard for the Ko’min. Many of the Imperial staff found them to be friendly, open-minded, adaptable, and compassionate. Even Jalgren’s nephew would later take a Ko’min woman as a mate and had two kids with her. However, the ideologies did sometimes conflict with Imperial concepts. Generally, mateship under the Ko’min people are sometimes seen as almost non-existent when compared to the stricter monogamous relationships of Itrean society. The people are often described as loving but not tied down by marriage. Sometimes, the population would commit to large-scale orgies in some of their underground cities in common festivals. Despite strict control over the population increase, the people are known to be very sexually active. Even before, during, and after the Jalgren Empire, male and female Ko’min prostitution did exist and served as the second largest income provider outside the planet. During the early years of the Jalgren Empire, prostitution still existed but was under great scrutiny. But as the later years of the Empire persisted, prostitution was ultimately eliminated. Not even the Ko’min were spared the brutal tyranny that the Empire ultimately exhibited on all its subjects. After the Rototrein Rebellion and the fall of the Jalgren Empire 10,000 years ago, Sobilk was once again free and operated under the roof of the Gui’optre Kingdom. Even prostitution was legalized under the Gui’optre subjects to reinstate Sobilk’s economy in what is known as the “Vop Kom’min” or “The Ko’min License To Engage in Sexual Practices.” This in no way means that the Sobilk are strictly diggers and prostitutes who don’t believe in mateship. Indeed, people are known to be smart and operate in various other careers and opportunities that come to them. During the last 10,000 years, population control limits were slowly abolished as the people were allowed to expand themselves to the creation of another colony world, Brashil’da. During the Emphra War, Sobilk suffered greatly. In 2287, the planet had been infiltrated and conquered. A planetary evacuation was made to the other Itrean worlds, but not until one- quarter of the population was lost. Discussions were made if a planetary nuclear bombardment was to take place, but the Ko’min were against it. Thankfully, a solution came forward, and the crisis was diverted. The love for the planet and United Itrean efforts, along with the new weapon to eliminate the Emphra, drove the native Ko’min to launch an assault to reclaim their planet. By 2294, the Ko’min successfully accomplished their goal. Ko’min troops proved successful in serving other fronts as well until the Emphra War finally came to an end. During the failed United Itrean Republic, Sobilk was like many other planets that the Emphra War deeply impacted. Many Ko’min refugees resettled and rebuilt their ravaged cities. It would take almost twenty years, but their economy had been restored. Today, the effects of Zilik’s Disease have played a detriment like so many other Itrean worlds. It’s believed that 1.2% of the T’rintar population are Ko’min. However, there is still hope. With the advent of humanity, the Ko’min have had a new beginning. Human bachelors who find and marry one often have to be advised of the high sexual appetites that a Ko’min woman would desire. As the Ko’min would often describe: “Filta’Bilta’Cilta,” which roughly translates to “An intercourse for every mood of every day.” Ko’min women who go on the search for a human, however, are advised on the human desire for permanent mateship and the desire to have children. At the same time, the Ko’min have also been sought by humans who prefer more nonserious but sexual relationships. With the remarkable flexibility of the Ko’min people and their interaction with different cultures, little issue remains in restoring the people of Sobilk.