The Planet

Synac is a beautiful world from space. Slightly smaller than Earth, it has the familiar blue-green appearance of home, yet obvious differences of an alien world. From space, it might appear to be an undeveloped, primitive world. On the night side of the planet, you will see no city lights. In daylight, you will only see an occasional spire or aerospace center.

Woodlands, plains, deserts and rain forests cover Synac's three major continents. A large saltwater ocean surrounds them and has little tidal action due to Synac having a single, very small, moon.

The largest and most prominent continent, Rel, contains a large freshwater ocean in an ancient impact crater nearly half the diameter of Rel itself.

Nanes is the second largest continent. It's plate supporting a large landmass and a chain of islands that continue to the southern pole.

One the opposite side of the planet from the Rel crater, the impact sent shockwaves around the planet and raised the smallest continent, Fahl.

Synac's arctic regions are slightly larger than Earth's. The northern ice cap covers a portion of Rel while the southern icecap exists mainly over ocean with only a small portion anchored to Nanes.

Seasons tend to have a longer winter and short summer due to Synac's slightly elliptical orbit. One Synacian year, or cycle, takes approximately 1.3 Earth years.

Synac's environment has been restored to its natural state by its inhabitants giving it a largely untouched appearance. In actuality it is a world of great arcitectural achievement where nearly all structures exist below ground.

The People

Synac is populated by the Trephi. The Trephi are composed of two distinct races, Trephyn and Truphan. When referring to a group of either, Trephi is the correct plural term.

They are very similar to humans in form. They have bipedal, tailless, symmetrical bodies with 5 digits on hands and feet. Physically, an average Trephyn male is approximately 1.85 meters tall, not including the height of their pointed ears. For a Trephyn that height the ideal mass is between nearly 85 and 95 kilograms. A female averages 1.75 meters and 60 to 70 kilograms. The average Truphan males are as tall as average Trephyn females, though they weight slightly heavier at 75 to 80 kilograms. Truphan females average 1.5 meters and 47 to 55 kilograms.

Trephi have strikingly lupine characteristics with short muzzles and canine ears, though a Truphan appears more vulpine. A Truphan's ears are larger and can hear within a greater dynamic range than a Trephyn. Their fur coloring is less diverse than a Trephyn, primarily bright red or reddish brown body fur with black and white accents on the ears and limbs. Trephyn fur patterns vary from monotone to variegated in various shades of gray, browns, white or black.

Trephi tend to find lighter, solid colored fur more attractive. Some Trephi dye portions of their fur using primary and secondary colors in such a way as to accentuate their natural markings, but never to change them. Myself, I have yet to see a Trephyn that was not attractive in some way or another.

Trephi have very long lives compared to humans. The average lifespan is 190 cycles and can often be extended by as much as another 100 cycles with Trephyn medicine.

Trephyn Nature

Considering all the Trephi I have met, I've found them to be a very modest and friendly people. Confront one about being the superior race in the galaxy, and they will smile and politely tell you that they may have more advanced technology than other races but they are not superior.

Most surprising to me is the generous and hospitable nature of the Trephi, something seemingly more and more rare back on Earth.

The most memorable example I have was when I had gotten myself lost in one of the large garden districts. I warily approached a dwelling to seek assistance, unsure of the reception I might receive. I was warmly invited in by a young Trephi couple. They gladly told me where I was and happily gave me a quick refresher course on using the publicly available data terminals. I thanked them and made ready to leave. To my surprise they invited me to stay for dinner. Seeing a chance to witness a Trephi family firsthand, I accepted.

Their home was typical, designed like an atrium yet simple and efficient. It was constructed from natural materials and synthetic materials created to resemble those found in nature. Marbles, granite and other polished stone are common in Trephi construction. Vegetation is often cultivated indoors, used to divide the open spaces and create rooms or areas providing privacy.

After finding out my profession, they were equally as curious about humans as I was of them. For everything they told me, they wanted to know how it differed for humans. To both our surprise we found our cultures to have many parallels.

Trephyn Culture

Humans and Trephi both enjoy various forms of visual art, though media is more diverse than paintings and sculpture. Holography is common as well as displays of energy in galleries stocked with a variety of Trephi and alien art.

Performance arts are equally similar to human, though enhanced by the use of holographics. Performances often extend out into the audience with actors and holographic props to completely emerse the audience in the presentation. I think I would very much like to see a live version of Hamlet performed in a Trephi theater.

Trephi music is largely atemporal. They have a fondness for percussion and various deep tonal instruments. It is surprising to me that they do not have string instruments in their ensembles. They do have string instruments similar to dulcimers, but nothing akin to human instruments such as violins. Much of their music is without lyrics, though many Trephyn vocalists sing on a variety of subjects just like their human counterparts.

Trephyn Families

Trephi marriages are usually preceded by a period of courtship. Newly life-mated couples usually throw a party for friends and family to celebrate their union. Usually, the younger spouse takes the family name of the older, though it is not required. They can choose to use the younger spouse's family name, or maintain their own family names. They may also choose a new family name by hybridizing both family names in some manner. In families where both names are kept, offspring inherit the mothers family name.

Trehphi children mature quickly, reaching adulthood at 15 cycles. Formal education begins at 3 cycles. With their long lifespans, learning has become a recreational pasttime and professions are often changed at will as Trephi learn new skills that interest them.

More to come...