Allosoph

''This page pertains to the collaborative "Thrive Universe" project, and is not necessarily part of Thrive's official development. More information here"“I bestow everything under the skies to be your kingdom. The plants, the animals, the lands, the seas, the deserts and forests.' — Dy'Essa speaking to E'Xhi Ha, the First Emperor. Passage from the Ma'kee'Danu"The Allosoph(AL-low-soef) (Allosophus Prudens'', "Another Skillful Intelligent"), historically known as Ak, plural Ama, are a sentient species of bilateral vertebrates indigenous to planet Dengea.

Anatomy & Physiology
Allosoph typically stand 84 to 78 inches tall. The Allosoph evolved to walk upright to forage the leafy tree canopies. The shock-absorbing bones of their quadruped ancestors forks at the elbow, forming one pair of forearms facing forwards and another pair facing backwards.

The Allosoph evolved separate from life on Earth, but their closest Earthly counterpart are the therapsids of the Prehistoric. They were mammal-like reptiles, warm-blooded but with a reptilian physiology.

Allosoph use stridulatory membranes for communication. Stridulation is the act of producing sound by rubbing together certain body parts. The mechanism is tone structure with a well-defined lip, ridge, or nodules (the "scraper" or plectrum) being moved across a finely-ridged surface (the "file" or stridulitrum—sometimes called the pars stridens) or vice versa, and vibrating as it does so, like the dragging of a phonograph needle across a vinyl record. The allosoph had no need to develop vocal cords, which sadly means humans cannot articulate allosoph languages, making face-to-face communication difficult. However, their languages are legible, and can be taught to humans.

The Allosoph have elongated eye stalks with large corneas on the bottom half. They are primarily a dinurnal species and as such possess a camouflaged dark complexion for sleeping.

The Allosoph are Folivores, adapted to eating leaves. However they only eat deciduous leaves, which grow seasonally. These plants were eventually domesticated and cultivated circa 13,000 BC. Leaves are high in cellulose, requiring a longer gestation period to digest.

Reproduction:
They are an egg-laying species. In Xhi tradition an allosoph's caste is determined my the color of their eggshell: grey eggs become Ak'Dani, the soldier caste, and pink eggs become Ak'Neer, the engineer caste. Incidentally the moons of Dengea are red and grey, are frequently referred to as the "Sky Eggs," Aunda'Essa.

Females have mammary gland on their backsides, tunnel-shaped orifices resembling exhaust pipes. Infants drink from the glands by sticking their tongues into the holes, licking up their mother's milk like a cat. When their teeth grow in they begin chew food normally.

Allosoph are a polygamous species. The male to female ratio is 10 to 1, causing many males to share a single female as a bride. These male harems are all viewed as equals, and all parent the female's children. Allosoph typically lay a clutch of half a dozen eggs, but due to the mother's multiple partners, many of her offspring inherit their traits from separate fathers. The female nurses her children, and the male harems provide for the family.

Homeworld
The Allosoph are indigenous to the Planet Dengea (greek "Not Earth"), known in their language as H'Ama'Dun (The Mortal World). The planet has six continents: Kentrogea in the middle, Anatoligea to the East and the Voranesia archipelago to the north. The landmass Dycegea can be divided into 3 continents: Panodytikis to the north, Mesodytikis in the center, and Katodytikis located south.

Orbiting the planet Dengea is the Tlo'Ahiya (White Arch) Ring System. In Allosoph Mythology the ring is believed to be the home of the sky diety Dy'Essa. Dengea also has two moons: Chau and Su. The smaller moon Chau is caught in a gravitational tug-of-war between Dengea and Su, causing friction and volcanic eruptions, similar to Jupiter's moon Io. From Dengea's surface Su appears as a grey-white ball, and Chau a reddish-orange inferno. That is why the words for "red" and "grey" are synonymous with the Moons.

Their homeworld orbits a Class-K, or orange dwarf known as Nim; and as such the flora has evolved a reddish-pink pigment to absorb the sunlight.

Globe

Paleolithic
The Allosoph Ancestors originated from the Megalodasos Rainforest in Eastern Dycegea 200,000 years ago, and gradually colonized the rest of the planet. The allosoph ancestors crossed the Southern ice sheet, reaching the Anatoligea continent 35,000 years ago.The first allosoph neolithic settlements appeared 8,000 yrs ago in the fertile Hesperides River Valley on the Dycegea continent.

Age of Divergence
Six major river valley civilizations developed in Dengea between 3000 to 1500 BC. On the Dycegean Continent the Great Sea Ad'Samu enabled trade and commerce between numerous civilizations, spreading ideology as well as technology. On the other side of the world in Northern Anatoligea the maritime Ocylym Empire became widespread and spread its theocratic teachings across the continent. The Great Library of Zirk and the Sacred Escalators of Ocylym were constructed in the first millennium BC.

Age of Unity
to be added...

Modern Era
The Hawking Mission Telescope came into open communication with the Allosoph in 2157 AD.

Society
According to mythology the sky is the progenitor of gravity, the force that causes the Allosoph and all of life on Dengea to gravitate toward the surface. It was believed that gravity was a mortal restraint, inflicted on mortals to prevent them from visiting the heavens freely. That is why the allosophi word for "mortal," is also "pushed," they are being pushed down to the surface. In contrast those exalted by the gods are known as the elevated, or Xhi. The Xhi are the highest in the allosophi hierarchy, believed to be the descendants of the Sky god Dy'Essa.

Meteorology and Astronomy were of utmost importance in Anudanima religion. The research invested in these fields led to early discoveries in aeronautics. All aircraft are ordained by the emperor before takeoff, praying for benevolence from Dy'Essa. There is a superstition that aircraft will not fly without the god's consent, so the ritual is of utmost importance.

Language:
Click here for English-Allosoph Translator (WARNING: work in progress)

The Primary Allosoph language, Ama'Baneeri, is spoken by a total of 85.87% of Dengea. It is a first language for 34.35% of Dengea's population, 51.52% as a secondary language.

Ama'Baneeri is an abugida, a writing system in which consonant-vowel sequences are written as a unit: each unit is based on a consonant letter, and vowel notation is secondary. This contrasts with a full alphabet, in which vowels have status equal to consonant.

In addition the Allosoph also use a Base 12 numeral system. This means that the positional notation of writing numbers is changed from 10 to 12. For example on Earth we use the Base 10 system, so the number twelve is written as 12. But in Base 12, twelve is the beginning of the positional notation, so it is written as 10. For this reasons numbers ten and eleven are provided symbols also. The reasoning for having a Base 12 numeral system is theorized to be from the fact that allosoph have twelve, and not ten, fingers.

Caste System:
The allosoph are an egg-laying species, and as such Xhi society ranks them according to the color of their eggshell. Grey eggs become Ak'Dani, Pink eggs become Ak'Neer and according to legend white eggs become BeAmaDyEssa. The BADE are not truly born in white eggs, it is superstition. Their eggs are painted white and their skin powdered white, a great fallacy used by the BADE to generate legitimacy.

In addition to the color of the eggshell, the phase of the moon is important in determing the rank of the individual. The three castes are divided into four ranks: Lad (Full Moon), Zpa (Gibbous Moon), Bukin (Half Moon) and Eshu (Cresent). People born under Ek, the new moon, become Ak'Rab Xhi: Emperor, a hereditary monarch appointed by his predecessor, the living incarnation of the Sky god Dy'Essa

Be'Ama'Dy'Essa: those in relation to the royal family, believed to be the descendants of Dy'Essa. Incest is a sin, so the royalty must marry those from the mortal class, usually someone from the Ak'Dani caste. Males hold political office, while females are priestesses. Only males are authorized to have children, females must remain virgins. Their patron god is Dy'Essa, the ruler of the gods and lord of the skies.
 * Lad: Eligible to become Xhi


 * Zpa: Can take office in federal government


 * Bukin: Can take office in local government


 * Eshu: Ambassadors & Judges

Ak'Dani: Mortal warriors, enlisted in the emperor's military. The best veterans are married off to members of the Be'Ama'Dy'Essa royal family. Their patron god is Dy'Chavab, god of defense and protection.
 * Lad: Army officers


 * Zpa: Intelligence


 * Bukin: Armored & Mechanized infantry & special divisions

Ak'Neer: Engineers, those who create machines and structures which defy the forces of gravity. To the allosoph skyscrapers are analogous to cathedrals: holy, sacred temples. Tall monuments are erected to honor Dy'Essa and the royal family. Their patron god is Dy'Oingk, god of creation and diligence.
 * Eshu: Law Enforcement, Public Security, Emergency Fire/Medical services
 * Lad: Doctors, Scientists, Pharmaceuticals, Attorneys
 * Zpa: Architects, Engineers, Chemists. White-collar jobs


 * Bukin: Plumbing, Auto-Repair, Construction. Blue-collar jobs


 * Eshu: Farming, Agriculture

Ak'Rab: Those who refuse to enlist in the military or formal education are viewed with contempt. The Ak'Rab are viewed as heretics, and to prevent them from speaking dissent against the royalty their mantles are amputated from their scalps, rendering them mute. This makes them both visibly marked for their treason and prevents them from spreading dissent and opposition. Rab is also a profanity, used to slander those one dislikes.
 * Shama'Rab: Ak'Rabs seeking forgiveness from the Xhi Dynasty. They are indentured servants to the Be'Ama'Dy'Essa, coerced to perform tedious and often dangerous jobs in society. Female Shama'Rab often become courtesans for the Xhi aristocracy, while males are usually enlisted into the military, often the first o be sent to battle to spare the Ak'Dani from unnecessary fatalities. A Shama'Rab can be promoted to the higher castes of society once they are absolved of their sins by the nobility.

Current Faiths:
Anudanima or "The Devout Followers," is the largest religion of Dengea, with 4.5 billion adherents. It is a henotheistic faith that worships the Sky god Dy'Essa, the patron god of the allosoph. The Allosophi royal family claim to be the descendants of Dy'Essa.

Ama'Sati or "Honest People" believe the royal family to be illegitimate because Mahila, the mother to the Xhi Dynasty, was not married to Dy'Essa and had an adulterous relationship. They believe the imperial family have made a mockery of the goddess Dy'Nei, wife of Dy'Essa, and that the royals are heretics, or Ak'Rabs.

Rab'Xhi or "Rebel Emperors," is a cult founded by Ak'Rabs who believe the emperor has no true authority and that everyone is equal under Dy'Essa. They question the validity of the church and believe the royal family lied of their inheritance, insisting the last heir in the Dy'Essa bloodline died millennia ago.

Old Faiths:
Zr'Ko or "Life-Death," was a dualistic faith with two gods: Zr, the goddess of Life and Peace, and Ko, the God of Death & War. The religion prioritizes the pleasures and euphoria life has to offer, including sexuality, narcotics and other luxuries. The religion was viewed with severe disdain by the Xhi Anuga, who purged its followers for centuries. This religion was quite prominent is Southern Dycegea during the Age of Divergence

Mharianity, better known as the Church of Eight, was a polytheistic religion founded on the Antoligea continent circa 16th century BC. The religion was known for its ritualistic scarifies of pushing people from tall platforms known as the Sacred Escalators. The religion was governed by Eight Shamans, each a mortal incarnation of one of the eight deities from Mharian mythology.