The Coterie

The Home Characters in Across the Sea of Stars belong to races that are part of The Coterie.

Space is big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the drug store, but that's just peanuts to space.

Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

The Galaxy is a big place. There are more than a hundred billion stars circling around the supermassive black hole at the center. Long spiral arms stretch for tens of thousands of light yearcycles.

N = R_∗ · f_p · n_e · f_l · f_i · f_c · f_L

Drake's Equation, from Frank Drake, which is used to calculate the number of potential communicating civilizations in a galaxy.

The Galaxy is teeming with life. Reproducing molecules are drawn to each other by chemical inevitabilities. Evolutionary processes and pressures shape the results into the myriads of life forms that erupt in every conceivable (and many inconceivable) biospheres. The Universe is alive, a celebration of form, function, and sentient diversity.

co · ter · ie n
A small, often select group of persons who associate with each other frequently. [From the Old French for "peasant association".]

The American Heritage® Dictionary,
Eighty Fourth Edition,
2192 (Modern Era Old Earth Calendar)

Given the size of the Galaxy and the sheer number of different sentiences, there is no way that a central common government could possibly exist. The Coterie is the best compromise that a significant number of leading races could agree on. It works, as best it can, to work out problems before they escalate into open warfare.

All races are equal, but some races are more equal than others

Alien Farm
the.ghost.of.george.orwell@earth.sol

There are levels of participation in the decisions of the Coterie. The leading races, like the Humans, the Ma!son, and the Rh€'aaa are senior members of the Coterie. They drive many of the efforts that span cultures and galactic arms. Some races, like the Vasræ and the Wirtan are simply members. They have not been voted into the inner circle of the Coterie, and this causes friction. Some races, like the Kerior and the Sko-lat are new to the Coterie. They are probationary members of the Coterie, their peoples and cultures seen as not quite ready for all the responsibilities of membership. Finally, there are those like the Denahray and the Eegreej'm who were not ready for membership, or the Klorn and the Vim, who choose not to join. Androids, as a group, are not recognized as a race. Androids are treated based on the status of their creator race.

There are many races that play a significant role in the Coterie. These are a few:

Race	Homeworld	Member?	Description
Aaq	Aaqooloo	Senior	A hospitable and friendly race that comes from watery worlds, they are never far from a place to swim and bathe. They live in idyllic settings, which is why many travel to the Aaq worlds for vacation.
Android	Several	Varies by creator race	Android technology emerged as part of the culture of many different races in the Coterie. Androids from a particular culture tend to emulate that culture, although there are some larger android societies. The treatment of androids varies by race. Some races treat androids as equal citizens. Some races treat androids as disposable machines. The relative status of the creator race also affects android treatment.
Armas	Armas	Senior	The Armas love their grandiose adjectives and unrivaled hyperbole. They are almost superstitious in their beliefs. Once they name something, it stays named. Once they decide on something, it stays decided. They are known throughout the galaxy as ship designers. The spacedock facility at the L₅ point trailing the Armas homeworld is one of the largest humanoid constructs in known Coterie space.
Booleh	Booleh	Member	An aggressive humanoid species, with a talent for warfare that drove their efforts into space, the Booleh were one of the first races that joined the Coterie. The Booleh became insular, insisting on being left alone. By Coterie Law, they are still members of the Coterie, even if they have not been seen in Coterie space for nearly four thousand yearcycles.
Chern	Chern	Member	A gruff, belligerent race, known for their use of stylized violence and poison. The Chernovium is a monarchy that rules over several worlds.
Denahray	Denahray	No	Only a few stragglers survive from their genocidal war with the Eegreej'm.
Eegreej'm	Ee	No	Only a few stragglers survive from their genocidal war with the Denahray.
Flwylyt	Flwylytyl	Member	Non-humanoid, with six hands and three drinking orifices. They prefer to consume methane-based foods and drinks.
Froob	Froob	Senior	The Froob have six arms, are three meters tall, and are covered in shocking pink fur. This either frightens new races away or endears them immediately. The Froob are used to these reactions and sometimes use them to their own advantage.
Glark	Glark	Member	The Glark have three large faceted visual organs, which makes most beings think they are some kind of insect. They are not. They resent the implication greatly, and have been known to take great offense at the slightest suggestion that they are.
gNiv	gNivvar	Member	Intensely curious, the gNiv sent their probes across the Great Dark to many places. It took them longer to develop the ability to send themselves into the Great Dark.
Gorassago	Gorassago the Fourth	Senior	The Gorassago are a talented, scientific race that also love to dance, sing, drink, and eat in light-hearted festivals celebrated throughout their yearcycle. They are a friendly people.
Goshan	Gosh IV	Senior	The Goshan come from worlds with greater than one standard gravity, which make them massive and strong. The Goshan live to serve, whether it's in their own military and their Royal Highness, the Diadem of Gosh, or as mercenaries and troubleshooters for others. They are known for their strict code of ethics, which means that few serve those who would do harm to others.
Hetherhol	Hethe	Member	Non-humanoid, sentient floating beings with meter-wide leathery green buoyancy sacs. They have six tendril eyestalks that extend above their bodies. They are believed to have three distinct genders.
Human	Earth	Senior	Mostly harmless.
Journ	The Journ Worlds	Member	A culture that prizes arts and artisans, the Journ are known for their creations throughout the Coterie. Their spaceships are works of art, and have been sought by museums.
Jrrda	Jrrda	Member	Intense rivals of the Yool.
K'rrrstaaa, Rooted Ones	The Grove of Home	Member	Sentient purple plants that can reach three meters in height.
Kerior	Home of Kerior	Probationary	A race with an incredibly complex language, untranslatable by most.
Klorn	Klorn	No	See the specific Klorn bluesheet for details.
Ma!son	Ma!son	Senior	The Ma!son are a secretive race, who refuse to talk to outsiders about their peoples, their biology, and their cultural practices.
Naadrojaani	Naadrojaan Primus	Senior	The Naadrojaani are wanderers, either on their homeworlds or through the Great Dark. Many of them live nomadic lives trading their way across the Galaxy and beyond. The Naadrojaani have been as far as Andromeda, and possibly farther.
Pawo	Pawo Prime	Senior	A secretive race, little is known about them. They live near the Rim of the Galaxy.
P€'kh	P€'kh€	Member	The P€'kh Contingency is a stable confederation of scholars and artists. They are neighbors of the Wirtan.
Qq@!ken	Qq@!ken VII	Member	A sharp and smart race, known for their quick tongues, their thick accents when they speak Standard, and their flair for ribald retorts.
Rasari, The People	Rasari Prime, Milton, Purgatory	Member	The Rasari colonized several worlds in their region of space, only to lose contact with those colonies. As a result, the Rasari claim many home worlds. Reuniting the Rasari colonies into a single political whole was difficult.
Rennie	Rennie IV and V	No	Recently discovered, they do not yet have hyperspace technology.
Rh€'aaa	Rh€'aaa	Senior	The Rh€'aaa were one of the first races to suggest larger galactic political structures. Their efforts were part of the process that eventually led to the founding of the Coterie.
Rorua	Roru	Member	A young race recently accepted into the Coterie. The Rorua live on a group of planets near the Rim of the Galaxy.
RSNL	Origin	Member	One of several races of sentient machines that belong to the Coterie.
Rytannen	Rytannen	Member	A constitutional monarchy of humanoids, the Rytannen people were fighting a civil war when their sun flared, killing billions. The Rytannen have been struggling to recover ever since.
Segalli	Segalli	Member	A flamboyant race of traders and entertainers. The Segalli are known for their style and theatrics.
Sko-Lat	The Wilds of Sko-Lat	Probationary	A secretive race, little is known about them. They do not tend to socialize much when they are outside their own worlds.
Thaad	Thaa Mizaa	Probationary	Strong believers in the Great Faith, the Thaad had a difficult time when they learned that they were not the only race in the galaxy. This challenged their faith and beliefs. The Thaad are rarely present for Coterie assemblies.
Vasræ	Vasræ-5	Member	The Vasræ sphere of influence is small and sparse. They started their exploration and colonization roughly at the same time as other races. Unfortunately, they started from a place where there were few colonizable worlds in the region. Their worlds are densely populated, with all of the political problems that result from that kind of crowding.
Veridian Corporation	Veridian Cluster	Senior	The Veridian Corporation owns the worlds of the Veridian Cluster. The Corporation and the Board of Directors is the government. The Corporation genetically engineered and enhanced creatures into sentience, to serve the Corporation and the employee-citizens. These engineered "underpeople" have few, if any, rights.
Vim	unknown	No	The Vim are a race that may be a client race of the Klorn. They frequently act as agents for the Klorn, especially when it comes to Coterie business.
Weselkk	Weselkk	Member	A formal people, known for their involved rites and rituals.
Wipploi	Hearth	Member	A race of diplomats, thieves, and scoundrels.
Wirtan	Wirtan	Member	Militant and aggressive, the Wirtan are grandiose and daring, preferring adventure and excitement in their every act. They are neighbors of the P€'kh and the Humans, which drives the P€'kh and Humans more than a little crazy.
Yansmar	Yansmar	Member	Humanoids with a slight bluish tinge to their skin and the faint odor of garlic. Their homeworld suffered a major catastrophe.
Yool	Yool	Member	Intense rivals of the Jrrda.
Zostaki	Zosta	Senior	A race thought dead and lost for quite some time, the Zostaki turned up surprisingly alive and well.