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The '''Cyrva''' are a race of 'space-elves' in the ''[[Wings of Dawn]]'' universe. Many Cyrvan characters serve as protagonists in the ''Wings of Dawn'' storyline.
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The '''Cyrva''' are a race of 'space-elves' in the ''[[Wings of Dawn]]'' universe. Many Cyrvan characters serve as protagonists in the ''Wings of Dawn'' universe.
 
==Physiology==
 
==Physiology==
 
[[File:crystala.png|200px|right|thumb|Crystal, a Cyrvan female.]]
 
[[File:crystala.png|200px|right|thumb|Crystal, a Cyrvan female.]]
 
[[File:emizer.png|200px|right|thumb|Contrary to popular belief, Cyrvan males are visually distinguishable from their female counterparts.]]
 
[[File:emizer.png|200px|right|thumb|Contrary to popular belief, Cyrvan males are visually distinguishable from their female counterparts.]]
Appearance wise the Cyrva do not differ much from [[Terrans (Wings of Dawn)|Terrans]]. The most obvious difference are their 'elven' ears, which almost instantly got them the 'Space elves' nickname from the Terrans. On average, Cyrvan ears have a hearing range between 80hz and 21,700hz.  
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Appearance wise the Cyrva do not differ much from [[Terrans (Wings of Dawn)|Terrans]]. The most obvious difference are their 'elven' ears, which almost instantly got them the 'space elves' nickname from the Terrans. On average, Cyrvans have a hearing range between 80hz and 21,700hz.  
  
Cyrvan males on average grow to a height between 160-180cm, Cyrvan females are on average only slightly shorter, 158-176cm. While skin color is almost always white (With the exception of the tanned people from the planet Desa) the Cyrva do have a wide range of different hair colors. Compared to a Terran, they are considerably more agile and flexible but have far less physical strength. They also have a far lower pain threshold and will take all possible measures to avoid injury. Diseases are a rare occurrence and are seldom fatal. The average life span of a Cyrvan can vary greatly, some grow to be over a thousand years old while others 'only' make it to the eight hundred mark, signs of age usually slowly start to show around the age of six hundred. Like Terrans they are omnivores but in general have a preference for plant food.
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Cyrvan males on average grow to a height between 160-180cm, Cyrvan females are on average only slightly shorter, 158-176cm. While skin color is almost always white (with the exception of the tanned from Desa) the Cyrva do have a wide range of different hair colors. Compared to a Terran, they are considerably more agile and flexible but have far less physical strength. They also have a far lower pain threshold and will take all possible measures to avoid injury.  
  
Occasionally a Cyrvan with large wings of white feathers is born (around one in a billion) why or how this happens remains a mystery. It is possible for a Terran and a Cyrva to have a child together, this is in general looked down upon from the Cyrvan side (mostly because Cyrvans tend to have only one partner for life and have a far longer life expectancy than Terrans) but is actually encouraged on several LTW planets, though there have only been very few examples of this occurring so far.
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Diseases are a rare occurrence and are seldom fatal. The average life span of a Cyrvan can vary greatly, some grow to be over a thousand years old while others 'only' make it to the eight hundred mark, signs of age usually slowly start to show around the age of six hundred. Like Terrans they are omnivores but in general have a preference for plant food.
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Occasionally a Cyrvan with large wings of white feathers is born (around one in a billion), why or how this happens remains a mystery. It is possible for a Terran and a Cyrva to have a child together, but in general looked down upon from the Cyrvan side (mostly because Cyrvans tend to have only one partner for life and have a far longer life expectancy than Terrans. However it is actually encouraged on several LTW planets, though there have only been very few examples of this occurring so far.
  
 
==Culture==
 
==Culture==
There is no known record for any Cyrva martial arts. While they are excellent natural sharpshooters, the average Cyrvan does not pose much of a threat in hand to hand combat.
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There is no known record for any Cyrvan martial arts. While they are excellent natural sharpshooters, the average Cyrvan does not pose much of a threat in hand to hand combat.
  
The Cyrva have a rich culture filled with song and poetry, a lot of which is inspired by their religion. This religion known as Feryaa closely resembles Terran Christianity in many aspects, including the believe that there is one omnipotent God that created the universe. There is a strong taboo on research into DNA altering genetics, not just because the Cyrva think they are already pretty damned close to perfection but also because they believe God has not intended for them to mess with his creation on such a deep level. This is also the reason why the birth of winged ones remain a mystery as no one is looking into the genetics involved. The birth of a winged one is treated as a good omen for times to come and has been subject of many stories. These 'angels' are often given high ranking ceremonial positions and are set for life, many Cyrvans dream of a life like that. Few Terrans have actually seen a winged one with their own eyes.
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The Cyrva have a rich culture filled with song and poetry, a lot of which is inspired by their religion. This religion known as Feryaa, which closely resembles Terran Christianity in many aspects, including the belief that there is one omnipotent God that created the universe. There is a strong taboo on research into DNA-altering genetics, not just because the Cyrva think they are already pretty damned close to perfection, but also because they believe God has not intended for them to mess with his creation on such a deep level.
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This is also the reason why the birth of winged ones remain a mystery, as no one is looking into the genetics involved. The birth of a winged one is treated as a good omen for times to come and has been subject of many stories. These 'angels' are often given high-ranking ceremonial positions and are set for life, a life that many Cyrvans dream of. Few Terrans have actually seen a winged one with their own eyes.
  
 
==Society==
 
==Society==
 
===The Ten Circles===
 
===The Ten Circles===
'''The Ten Circles of Cyrva for the Protection and Prosperity of Our Kind''', often shortened to simply '''The Ten Circles''', is the Cyrvan government and consists of ten circles, with the 10th circle being the largest, with thousands of people in it, and the 1st circle the smallest, with only a handful of elders and high admirals in it. This convoluted system works like this: For example there is a project proposed for a large park in a city on the planet Desa. The 10th circle will examine and discuss this project and eventually votes on it. A majority vote is reached and the project is greenlit. In 90% of the cases this is where it ends. However, there are cases where someone in the 9th circle is completely opposed to spending resources on this project and he/she can ask for a vote about this project for the 9th circle. This could potentially mean that the 9th circle can veto the project. Which often in turn leads to lobbying to get the 8th circle to take a look at it. And so forth. The 5th circle is a special case as only winged ones are in it.  
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'''The Ten Circles of Cyrva for the Protection and Prosperity of Our Kind''', often shortened to simply '''The Ten Circles''', is the Cyrvan government and consists of ten circles, with the 10th circle being the largest, with thousands of people in it, and the 1st circle the smallest, with only a handful of elders and high admirals in it.
  
This becomes increasingly obstructive when it comes to military funding and operations, as a circle consists of both military personnel and civilians. To elaborate on that a bit more: A High Captain in active frontline service is eligible to be in the 8th circle but is not part of the active decision making until he/she resigns from active service and takes a political military 'deskjob'. This does not go for Rear Admirals and higher, as they are expected to be able to lead and do paper work at the same time.
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An example of how the system works -  A project, constructing large park in a city on Desa is proposed. The 10th circle will examine, discuss and eventually votes on the project. A majority vote is reached and the project is greenlit. In 90% of the cases this is where it ends.
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However, there are cases where someone in the 9th circle is completely opposed to spending resources on this project and he/she can ask for a vote about this project for the 9th circle. This could potentially mean that the 9th circle can veto the project. Which often in turn leads to lobbying to get the 8th circle to take a look at it, and so forth. The 5th circle is a special case as only winged ones are in it.
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This becomes increasingly obstructive when it comes to military funding and operations, as a circle consists of both military personnel and civilians. To elaborate on that a bit more: A High Captain in active frontline service is eligible to be in the 8th circle, but is not part of the active decision making until he/she resigns from active service and takes a political military 'deskjob'. This does not apply for Rear Admirals and higher, as they are expected to be able to lead and do paper work at the same time.
  
 
===Cyrva Star Armada===
 
===Cyrva Star Armada===
The '''Cyrva Star Armada''' at first glance looks like an unorganized bunch, higher ranked officers are addressed casually by first name by other pilots and crew and no one is barking orders. But when you look closer you'll notice that strict discipline simply does not have to be enforced. Pilots do what is asked of them and crew members are always on time at their posts. Cyrva fleet academies do not spend hours on end drilling in routine but have a complete focus on learning new pilots how to handle their machine and how to improve their odds of survival out on the field.  
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The '''Cyrva Star Armada''' at first glance may seem like an unorganized bunch - superiors are addressed casually by their first name by pilots and crew, while no one is barking orders. On a closer look, it can be noticed that strict discipline simply does not have to be enforced. Pilots do what is asked of them and crew members are always on time at their posts. Cyrva pilot academies do not spend hours on end drilling in routine, but have a complete focus on learning new pilots how to handle their machine and how to improve their odds of survival out on the field.  
  
The CSA has little in terms of ground presence and goes by the theory that orbital control equals having surface control. The CSA fleet consists of ships from a lot of different generations. Older ships are rarely decommissioned but are occasionally refitted with newer technology. Fighters (MCWS) designs are usually in service for a few hundred years before being replaced by new ones. Fleet action that is going outside CSA space works on a volunteer basis. Ship captains and fighter pilots are under no obligation to go with an invading fleet. This is not the case however when defensive fleet action is required.
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The CSA has little in terms of ground presence, following a doctrine where orbital control equals having surface control. CSA fleets consists of ships spanning many generations. Older ships are rarely decommissioned, but are occasionally refitted with newer technology. The CSA's Mobile Cyrvan Weapon Systems (MCWS) designs are usually in service for a few hundred years before being replaced by newer designs. Fleet deployments outside CSA space works on a volunteer basis - captains and pilots are under no obligation to follow an outbound fleet. This is not the case however, when defensive fleet action is required.
  
The CSA can muster a fleet of about 9,500 capital ships and over 30,000 strikecraft and has access to highly advanced shipyards in several systems.
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The CSA can muster about 9,500 capital ships and over 30,000 strikecraft, and has access to highly advanced shipyards in several systems.
  
 
==History==
 
==History==
 
===Early history===
 
===Early history===
The Cyrva originate from the Cyrvadia system, a sun very similar to that of Sol. For several thousand years the Cyrva were content with just living their lives in peace with little worries. Technology was only developed when something was deemed too much work and effort and had to be made easier. As the Cyrva population grew, Cyrva society developed into a unique government system where every person who wants to be can be part of the decision making process.  
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The Cyrva originate from the Cyrvadia system, a sun very similar to that of Sol. For several thousand years, the Cyrva were content with just living their lives in peace with little worries. Technology was only advanced/developed when something was deemed too much work and effort. As the Cyrvan population grew, Cyrvan society developed into a unique government system where anyone who wants to be, can be part of the decision making process.  
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This peaceful existence continued for a long time until one fateful day, disaster struck. A meteor impacted Cyrvadia, killing millions. This brought forth a change, the Cyrva knew they could have prevented this if only they had actually made an effort to develop more technology. The Cyrva then entered a period of time known as 'The First Age of Advancement', in which they created ships for space travel, shielding to protect the ships and weaponry to destroy large asteroids in a single strike.
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With these advancements, suddenly Desa (Cyrvadia's sister planet, which had long been a subject in poems and literature) came within reach. Before long, Desa was colonized which opened the eyes of the Cyrva - <i>They could actually travel to other planets now! But why stop there? Let's travel to other stars!</i>
  
This peaceful existence continued for a long time until on one fateful day, disaster struck Cyrvadia. A meteor crash into the planet, killing millions. This brought forth a change, they knew they could have prevented this if only they had actually made an effort to develop more technology. The Cyrva then entered a period of time known as 'The first age of advancement' in which they developed highly advanced space ships, weaponry to destroy large sized meteors in a single hit and shield technology. With these advancements, suddenly Desa (Cyrvadia's sister planet, which had long been a subject in poems and literature) came within reach. Before long the planet was colonized which opened the eyes of the Cyrva... They could actually travel to other planets now! But why stop there? Let's travel to other stars!
 
  
A few hundred years later the Cyrva had discovered [[Starlances]] and they populated planets in eight different star systems. They then made first contact with a sentient race named the [[Yehio]] in the Erydai system. This race was only just getting its global industrialization going. They Cyrva suddenly felt a need to protect and guide this still young species from themselves and from the possible dangers of the universe. They quickly proceeded to disarm the Yehio and have been guiding them peacefully ever since.  
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A few hundred years later, the Cyrva had discovered [[Starlances]] and they colonized planets in eight star systems. The Cyrva then made first contact with a sentient race, the [[Yehio]] in the Erydai system. This race was only just beginning global industrialization. The Cyrva suddenly felt a need to protect and guide the still-young species from themselves and from the possible dangers of the universe. They quickly proceeded to disarm the Yehio and have been guiding them peacefully ever since.  
  
However for the first time in Cyrva history a internal conflict happened, not everyone agreed on 'guiding' other species in their development. Usually disagreement is resolved through Dialogue but the views on this subject were just too conflicting. Eventually two clear sides formed, one side that was clearly opposed to helping other races and the other side that was felt it was their duty given by God to do so. One captain, armed with a anti meteor weapon felt so strongly about it that she was willing to shed Cyrva blood for it and fired on an unarmed vessel carrying people who did not share her opinion. The other side almost immediately responded by storming a building. From there it escalated into the first civil war. This war caused huge leaps in weapon and shielding technology. Whereas the Cyrva ships before were only used for transportation and celestial object breaking, now actual ships meant for war were being designed and produced. This war lasted for over five years, with the first two years spend mostly figuring out how to fight a war, no less one that spanned several planets and systems. This conflict became known as the 'doctrine war'. Eventually the side that wanted to guide other species emerged victorious. The fleets that were constructed were put under a single command, the Cyrva Star Armada (CSA). The CSA was turned into a highly professional and incredible well equipped force over the years. Then with no immediate need for further expansion and with no direct threats to their safety, the Cyrva once more entered a time in which they just wanted to live their life's in a peaceful manner. An other couple of hundred years passed, little technological advancements were being made and no significant events happened. Until the starlance to Algol was explored and the CSA made first contact with the LSF.
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However for the first time in Cyrva history, a internal conflict occurred - not everyone agreed on 'guiding' other species in their development. Usually disagreement is resolved through dialogue, but the views on this subject were just too conflicting. Eventually two clear sides formed - one side that was clearly opposed to helping other races, and the other which felt it was their duty given by God to do so. A ship captain from one of the sides armed with anti-asteroid weaponry, felt so strongly about it that she was willing to shed Cyrvan blood for it, firing on an unarmed vessel carrying people that did not share her opinion. The other side almost immediately responded by storming a building.
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From there it escalated into a civil war. The war led to huge leaps in weapon and shielding technology. Whereas the pre-civil war spaceships were only used for transportation and celestial object destruction, the Cyrva were now designing and building actual warships. The civil war lasted for over five years, with the first two years spent mostly figuring out how to fight a war, no less one that spanned multiple star systems. The war would be known as the 'Doctrine War'. Eventually the side that wanted to guide other species emerged victorious. The fleets in the war were unified under a single command, the Cyrva Star Armada (CSA).
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The CSA was refined into a highly professional and incredibly well-equipped force over the years. Without immediate need for further expansion and with no direct threats to their safety, the Cyrva once more entered a time in which they just wanted to live their lives in peace. A couple of hundred years passed, little technological advancements were being made and no significant events occurred - until the Cyrva entered the starlance to the Algol system, where the CSA made first contact with the LSF.
  
 
===Terran-Cyrvan War===
 
===Terran-Cyrvan War===
When the [[Cyrva]] made first contact with the Terrans in the Algol system they were surprised just how much the Terrans resembled them in appearance. But it also became clear to them that the Terrans are but a young and inexperienced race and needed to be protected against their own destructive tendencies. Likewise the Terrans did not expect that their first contact would be with 'space elves' but welcomed the encounter. Before long, this joy started to turn into irritation. The Cyrva were looking down on them and soon started suggesting that it would be best for the LSF to disarm themselves and let the CSA handle the defenses of the Terrans. The Terrans refused and in response mobilized and send a large fleet into the Algol system and claimed the system as their own. This caused the Cyrva to decide that a quick military victory would be prudent to show the Terrans just how powerless they are.
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During the [[Terrans (Wings of Dawn)#Terran-Cyrvan War| Terran-Cyrvan War]], the Cyrva fared extremely well against the LSF in the beginning, due to their technological superiority and strategy. Starting with their first victory in Algol, then seizing [[Stars and Planets (Wings of Dawn)#Lyrae|Lyrae]] quickly, defeating the fierce resistance in both [[Stars and Planets (Wings of Dawn)#Tauri|Tauri]] and [[Stars and Planets (Wings of Dawn)#Librae|Librae]], the CSA had managed to fight their way into [[Stars and Planets (Wings of Dawn)#Harcon|Harcon]] and [[Stars and Planets (Wings of Dawn)#Sol|Sol]] in just a single year. The Cyrva had suspected that the Terrans possessed more star systems, evidently since the CSA hadn't discovered [[Stars and Planets (Wings of Dawn)#Silva|Silva]] and [[Stars and Planets (Wings of Dawn)#Phoenicis|Phoenicis]] yet due to the LSF defending Harcon to the bitter end. The Terrans were also churning out new weapon systems rapidly, while managing to build more effective ships. The Terrans did not falter even with thousands of casualties and losses, realizing the Cyrvan fleet received little in terms of reinforcements. The CSA fleets in Sol and Harcon was whittled down slowly to only a total of 457 capital ships, each Cyrvan ship lost boosting the Terran morale.
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The Cyrvan public cast their doubts on the war, perhaps they had underestimated the Terrans. Fer'opal, commanding the CSA fleet had realized late that to reach the Terran homeworld, both the Sol and Harcon fleets had to be recombined. The drawback of ordering both fleets to regroup in the Lyrae system, was the Terran interpretation of the re-grouping as a retreat by the CSA, and played their hand accordingly. Swarming out to retake both Tauri and Librae, the LSF converged on Lyrae, putting massive pressure on Fer'opal. Unable to launch a counter attack due to his orders to return to CSA space and let a diplomatic approach be taken, the LSF followed the CSA to the Algol system, where they took orbit of Algol Prime. It was here where the LSF began orbital bombardment of the outpost on the planet. The intensity of the orbital bombardment's result was Algol Prime, utterly ruined - crust cracked in multiple areas, transforming the planet into molten wastelands of lava and brimstone, resembling hell itself.
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Almost five years of bloodshed. The Terrans could stand equal with the Cyrvans and fight for themselves. Peace signed, the Algol system declared neutral, left as a monument, a reminder of a long but pointless war and the new name of the system, Abyss.
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== Tidbits from the "[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=71527.0 Ask a crew member]" Thread ==
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The following tidbits of information below are from characters in the Wings of Dawn universe, so they might contain a personal bias. The links go directly to the post, in which the information was provided.
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===Biology===
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* Cyrvan have less tolerance for high g-forces, but their ships possess anti-gravity drives and inertia cancelers. [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=71527.msg1423686#msg1423686] [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=71527.msg1514126#msg1514126]
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* Cyrvans are better at handling massive information input than humans. [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=71527.msg1423686#msg1423686]
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* Cyrvan couples tend to have between one and three children. [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=71527.msg1512554#msg1512554]
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* Due to their long lives, Cyrvans also grow up slower. Most Cyrvans are only fully grown well after the age of 30. Their slow but steady growth also means that they don't have to go through adolescence, unlike Terrans. [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=71527.msg1553451#msg1553451]
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* Cyrvan females don't have periods. [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=71527.msg1439529#msg1439529]
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* Since no known Cyrvan-Terran hybrid has yet aged beyond 50 years, their life expectancy is unknown, [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=71527.msg1512554#msg1512554] though their growth rate is in between that of Cyrvans and Terrans.[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=71527.msg1555244#msg1555244]
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* The appearance of Cyrvan-Terran hybrids depends of the gender of the parents. With a Cyrvan mother the persons appearance is almost indistinguishable from a pure Cyrvan. Hybrids with a Terran mother on the other hand posses looks that carry elements of both species equally, like shorter, but still pointed ears for example, much like the fictional "half-elfs" from ancient Terran fantasy novels.[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=71527.msg1555244#msg1555244]
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* As far as physical abilities go, Hybrids seem to be on par with Cyrvans in every espect except physical strength, were they are slightly above Cyrvan average values.[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=71527.msg1555383#msg1555383]
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* In terms of piloting skills the tested Hyrids all scorced a bit below the Cyrvan average, which still puts them above Terran pilots. Due to the small number of such people being tested, it's too early to draw any conclusions, since it could just be that the individuals in question didn't have a high aptitude for flying, rather than their racial abilities being a hinderance.[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=71527.msg1555383#msg1555383]
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* Some Cyrvans have the ability to perceive glimpses of the future. While the ability is not exclusive to the "winged ones", roughly 40% of them have this ability to some degree. For some of those gifted individuals, this manifests in the ability to look into the immediate future at will, while others have vague premonitions in their dreams. Past experience has shown that the future is not set in stone and that spontaneous individuals are especially hard to predict. [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=71527.msg1553451#msg1553451]
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* While already stated in [[Cyrva#Physiology|Cyrvan physiology]] that Cyrvans generally have better reflexes and flexibility while lacking physical strength even more than their counterparts of the same gender, [[Wings of Dawn Characters#Justice|Daniel "Justice" Hawkings ]] who has personally received a Cyrvan melee strike puts it into perspective:  <i>"On average, a Terran trained in hand to hand combat will pretty much always win against a Cyrvan. Cyrvan bodies are featherweight (especially the women) and their attacks have no weight behind them."</i>[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=71527.msg1545044#msg1545044]
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===Planets and Places===
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* Cyrvadia is 2.73 times the size of Earth, with roughly 40% of the planet being covered in oceans, and has 0.93Gs. [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=71527.msg1512554#msg1512554][http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=71527.msg1514126#msg1514126]
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===Military Doctrine===
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* All Cyrvan military assets are bound by law to participate in the defense of Cyrvan space. This law also applies to non-Cyrvan planets under the protection of the CSA. [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=71527.msg1426971#msg1426971]
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* The CSA does not commission terrestrial ships and only possesses minimal ground forces, which mainly consists of MCWSes in Mech form. <i>"The Navy was disbanded many many years ago. Ships have no where to hide and are just sitting ducks when orbital bombardment comes into play. We have yet to see the day in which a hostile force sets foot on one of our planets, so until that day happens our ground forces are very likely to remain as small as they are now."</i> -  Commodore [[Wings of Dawn Characters#Isa|Isa'emarl Dertanya]] [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=71527.msg1514126#msg1514126]
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* While it is uncommon, the CSA does not prohibit Terrans to enlist into their ranks. The majority of the Terrans in the CSA are armed security guards onboard ships or are stationed planetside. Due to the combination of few Cyrvans willing to and few Terrans being recruited into the CSA, their jobs are well-paid. Terrans are preferred when available for boarding actions, <i>"They are... better at it."</i> - Commodore Isa'emarl Dertanya [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=71527.msg1549592#msg1549592]
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* When boarding enemy vessels or repelling enemy boarders, Cyrvan soldiers forgo the use of cumbersome armor and rely solely on personal shield generators for protection.[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=71527.msg1555383#msg1555383]
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===Government and Law===
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* <i>"Members from the 10th up to the 6th circles are elected democratically and serve for a period of 10 years. There are no clear written rules for the upper circles. Sometimes they just elect someone from the 6th circle by majority vote. Sometimes, someone gets in by some extraordinary feat and so forth."</i> - Commodore Isa'emarl Dertanya, the election of members into the Circles [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=71527.msg1520110#msg1520110]
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* The Cyrvan government allows immigration of Terrans, but due to strict restrictions and the attitude most Cyrvans have towards Terrans, it happens only rarely. <i>"As far as I know you have to be able to understand and speak the basics of our language so you can get around without the use of a translator. You also need to have a understanding of Cyrvan culture and mannerism. I believe they also screen you on your intelligence and I heard being good looking also helps..."</i> -  [[Wings of Dawn Characters#Crystal|Lt. Crystal Is'va Dertanya]] [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=71527.msg1526331#msg1526331][http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=71527.msg1545044#msg1545044]
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* Despite many Cyrvans not being fully grown by that time, they are considered as adults, once they reach the age of 30 years.[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=71527.msg1553451#msg1553451]
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===Culture and Society===
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* During war, sometimes Cyrvans apply a kind of "war paint" to their faces, called Hyalj. Most families have their own design to which some individuals like to add their own personal touch. [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=71527.msg1428444#msg1428444]
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* Usually Hyalj are considered little more than adoration, though there are some rare exceptions. [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=71527.msg1426971#msg1426971]
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* With some families it represents the role as a warrior or the symbolizes the first kill. [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=71527.msg1427620#msg1427620]
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* In Feyraa, the Hyalj have spiritual roots.
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* Cyrvan use a unified credit system, name starting with "Ies". Regarded as hard to pronounce for Terrans (or at least for JGASF pilot [[Wings of Dawn Characters#Misuzu|Misuzu Stella ]]). Among Terrans it's usually just called Cyrvan Credits (or short CC) and is currently slightly below the Terran UC in value, even after the damage the Terran economy took after the Hertak invasion. [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=71527.msg1549592#msg1549592]
  
The LSF fleet consisted of 7,000 capital ships and over 18,000 fighters, well organized and in formation for a 'line vs line' type of battle. The CSA entered the Algol system with 4,500 capships and around 12,000 MCWS. What the Terrans did not know at that time, was that only 750 of those ships would be actually invading. The CSA opened the battle by subspace jumping behind the rearguard of the LSF and taking out the command ships of the fleet. This caused a lot of confusion among the LSF lines, they still had a large CSA force in front of them around the node and they did not receive any orders to turn around and engage the fleet behind them. The attacking CSA fleet wasted no time and did another jump, this time to the outer left flank of the LSF line and started destroying the LSF ships there from a flanking position. After the situation became clear, Rear Admiral Zego assumed command of the fleet and ordered all ships to engage the attacking CSA fleet. By this time however, the LSF had already lost over a thousand ships and three thousand fighters, whereas the CSA had only suffered a few MCWS losses.
+
* Cyrvans commonly retire when they are between 700 and 800-years old. [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=71527.msg1553451#msg1553451]
  
In response to the LSF now actively trying to engage them, the CSA fleet started backing up, keeping the LSF ships just inside their own range while staying out of range from the LSF heavy weaponry. Furious, Rear Admiral Zego ordered all ships to hold position and ordered a massive fighter and bomber strike. In response the CSA fleet also held position and launched their MCWS. Zego was aiming for this moment and ordered all capital ships forward again and to continue forward 'until you can see the white of their eyes'. This maneuver was successful, the LSF managed to close in and did not allow the CSA fleet to get away again. However what Zego could not anticipate was just how vastly superior CSA technology was. The CSA point defense weapons ripped through LSF ships like a knife through hot butter, while the LSF heavy turrets could hardly penetrate the CSA shielding. The LSF fleet started breaking up and retreated back to the [[Stars and Planets (Wings of Dawn)#Lyrae|Lyrae]] node.
+
* Among Cyrvans there is only a single religion called "Feryaa". The majority of the Cyrvan race are currently members of this denomination. LSF [[Wings of Dawn Characters#Crystal|Lt. Crystal Is'va Dertanya]] provided the following information about this religion:
  
The end result: The CSA lost four frigates, two destroyers and one cruiser was damaged. 500 MCWS were lost. The LSF lost 5000 capital ships, of which 3000 were disabled and taken prisoner, and over 6000 fighters.
+
<i>"Feryaa is the name of the only religion we have, it has pretty deep roots in our culture and every day life. The Cyrvan government has for the most part always been about 'practical' things in life and is probably one of the least Cyrvan things influenced by Feryaa. I do not know of a lot of atheists."</i>[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=71527.msg1555244#msg1555244]
  
The CSA then continued on into the Lyrae node, easily crushing the blockade that was put up in a hurry and seized control of the system. The Cyrva predicted that the Terrans had no more then three systems under their control. The fleet was split, one was send to the [[Stars and Planets (Wings of Dawn)#Tauri|Tauri]] system, the other to the [[Stars and Planets (Wings of Dawn)#Librae|Librae]] system. Both encountered fierce resistance but eventually the CSA ensured control of these systems too. After a whole year of fighting, the CSA fleets entered [[Stars and Planets (Wings of Dawn)#Sol|Sol]] and [[Stars and Planets (Wings of Dawn)#Harcon|Harcon]]. It not only seemed like the Terrans had far more systems than initially thought but also like they were rapidly producing new weapon systems and more effective ship designs. The CSA fleets received little in the terms of reinforcements and were slowly but surely starting to lose fighting power. One more year passed, Terran causalities and losses numbered in the thousands, the CSA fleet was down to 457 capital ships. Each ship they lost caused a cheer in the LSF fleets as they had realized that the invading fleet received little to no new reinforcements. Some ships even had a counter to keep track. The Cyrvan public opinion was starting to turn more and more against this invasion. Perhaps the Terrans were not as immature as a race as they had thought? Hearing stories from families that had lost their loved ones also did little good for the support of this war.
+
===Technology===
  
The Cyrvan fleet commander, Fer'opal, started realizing that in order to reach the Terran homeworld he would need the fleet currently fighting in the Harcon system as well and ordered both fleets to regroup in the Lyrae system. The LSF took this as a sign that the enemy was on the run and launched full scale counter attacks, retaking Librae and Tauri and putting immense pressure on the CSA fleet in Lyrae. Before Fer'opal could launch a counter attack of his own however, he received orders to return to CSA space. A more diplomatic approach would be taken, the Terrans had shown that they would not need the Cyrva to watch over them but that they could stand shoulder to shoulder with them.
+
* MCWSes eject the entire cockpit as a life pod. The flight helmets are not vacuum-proof by themselves, but incorporate shield generator that can be deployed around the helmet, or even the whole body. [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=71527.msg1423667#msg1423667]
  
The LSF followed them through to Algol and initiated a fierce orbital bombardment on the military outpost the CSA had established on Algol prime. Devastating the planet as the crust was broken on several places. Turning it into a hellish place of lava and brimstone.  
+
* MCWS flight suit power reserves can sustain a full-body shield for 51 hours, 347 hours for helmet-only shield. [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=71527.msg1423686#msg1423686]
  
After almost five years of space warfare, peace was signed. The Algol system was declared neutral space and renamed to Abyss. It was to be left as a monument, a reminder of a long but pointless war.
+
* Currently Cyrvans do not use AI in military applications as far as the Terrans know. [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=71527.msg1553451#msg1553451]
  
 
==Ships==
 
==Ships==
 
*[[CSA Aestival R4]]
 
*[[CSA Aestival R4]]
 
*[[CSA Aestival R6]]
 
*[[CSA Aestival R6]]
 +
*[[CSA Aestival R6 AWACS|CSA Aestival R6 AWACS varient]]
 
*[[CSA Zervium]]
 
*[[CSA Zervium]]
 
*[[CSA Celestial]]
 
*[[CSA Celestial]]

Latest revision as of 10:36, 28 October 2012

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The Wings of Dawn Universe Portal
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The Cyrva are a race of 'space-elves' in the Wings of Dawn universe. Many Cyrvan characters serve as protagonists in the Wings of Dawn universe.

Physiology

Crystal, a Cyrvan female.
Contrary to popular belief, Cyrvan males are visually distinguishable from their female counterparts.

Appearance wise the Cyrva do not differ much from Terrans. The most obvious difference are their 'elven' ears, which almost instantly got them the 'space elves' nickname from the Terrans. On average, Cyrvans have a hearing range between 80hz and 21,700hz.

Cyrvan males on average grow to a height between 160-180cm, Cyrvan females are on average only slightly shorter, 158-176cm. While skin color is almost always white (with the exception of the tanned from Desa) the Cyrva do have a wide range of different hair colors. Compared to a Terran, they are considerably more agile and flexible but have far less physical strength. They also have a far lower pain threshold and will take all possible measures to avoid injury.

Diseases are a rare occurrence and are seldom fatal. The average life span of a Cyrvan can vary greatly, some grow to be over a thousand years old while others 'only' make it to the eight hundred mark, signs of age usually slowly start to show around the age of six hundred. Like Terrans they are omnivores but in general have a preference for plant food.

Occasionally a Cyrvan with large wings of white feathers is born (around one in a billion), why or how this happens remains a mystery. It is possible for a Terran and a Cyrva to have a child together, but in general looked down upon from the Cyrvan side (mostly because Cyrvans tend to have only one partner for life and have a far longer life expectancy than Terrans. However it is actually encouraged on several LTW planets, though there have only been very few examples of this occurring so far.

Culture

There is no known record for any Cyrvan martial arts. While they are excellent natural sharpshooters, the average Cyrvan does not pose much of a threat in hand to hand combat.

The Cyrva have a rich culture filled with song and poetry, a lot of which is inspired by their religion. This religion known as Feryaa, which closely resembles Terran Christianity in many aspects, including the belief that there is one omnipotent God that created the universe. There is a strong taboo on research into DNA-altering genetics, not just because the Cyrva think they are already pretty damned close to perfection, but also because they believe God has not intended for them to mess with his creation on such a deep level.

This is also the reason why the birth of winged ones remain a mystery, as no one is looking into the genetics involved. The birth of a winged one is treated as a good omen for times to come and has been subject of many stories. These 'angels' are often given high-ranking ceremonial positions and are set for life, a life that many Cyrvans dream of. Few Terrans have actually seen a winged one with their own eyes.

Society

The Ten Circles

The Ten Circles of Cyrva for the Protection and Prosperity of Our Kind, often shortened to simply The Ten Circles, is the Cyrvan government and consists of ten circles, with the 10th circle being the largest, with thousands of people in it, and the 1st circle the smallest, with only a handful of elders and high admirals in it.

An example of how the system works - A project, constructing large park in a city on Desa is proposed. The 10th circle will examine, discuss and eventually votes on the project. A majority vote is reached and the project is greenlit. In 90% of the cases this is where it ends.

However, there are cases where someone in the 9th circle is completely opposed to spending resources on this project and he/she can ask for a vote about this project for the 9th circle. This could potentially mean that the 9th circle can veto the project. Which often in turn leads to lobbying to get the 8th circle to take a look at it, and so forth. The 5th circle is a special case as only winged ones are in it.

This becomes increasingly obstructive when it comes to military funding and operations, as a circle consists of both military personnel and civilians. To elaborate on that a bit more: A High Captain in active frontline service is eligible to be in the 8th circle, but is not part of the active decision making until he/she resigns from active service and takes a political military 'deskjob'. This does not apply for Rear Admirals and higher, as they are expected to be able to lead and do paper work at the same time.

Cyrva Star Armada

The Cyrva Star Armada at first glance may seem like an unorganized bunch - superiors are addressed casually by their first name by pilots and crew, while no one is barking orders. On a closer look, it can be noticed that strict discipline simply does not have to be enforced. Pilots do what is asked of them and crew members are always on time at their posts. Cyrva pilot academies do not spend hours on end drilling in routine, but have a complete focus on learning new pilots how to handle their machine and how to improve their odds of survival out on the field.

The CSA has little in terms of ground presence, following a doctrine where orbital control equals having surface control. CSA fleets consists of ships spanning many generations. Older ships are rarely decommissioned, but are occasionally refitted with newer technology. The CSA's Mobile Cyrvan Weapon Systems (MCWS) designs are usually in service for a few hundred years before being replaced by newer designs. Fleet deployments outside CSA space works on a volunteer basis - captains and pilots are under no obligation to follow an outbound fleet. This is not the case however, when defensive fleet action is required.

The CSA can muster about 9,500 capital ships and over 30,000 strikecraft, and has access to highly advanced shipyards in several systems.

History

Early history

The Cyrva originate from the Cyrvadia system, a sun very similar to that of Sol. For several thousand years, the Cyrva were content with just living their lives in peace with little worries. Technology was only advanced/developed when something was deemed too much work and effort. As the Cyrvan population grew, Cyrvan society developed into a unique government system where anyone who wants to be, can be part of the decision making process.

This peaceful existence continued for a long time until one fateful day, disaster struck. A meteor impacted Cyrvadia, killing millions. This brought forth a change, the Cyrva knew they could have prevented this if only they had actually made an effort to develop more technology. The Cyrva then entered a period of time known as 'The First Age of Advancement', in which they created ships for space travel, shielding to protect the ships and weaponry to destroy large asteroids in a single strike.

With these advancements, suddenly Desa (Cyrvadia's sister planet, which had long been a subject in poems and literature) came within reach. Before long, Desa was colonized which opened the eyes of the Cyrva - They could actually travel to other planets now! But why stop there? Let's travel to other stars!


A few hundred years later, the Cyrva had discovered Starlances and they colonized planets in eight star systems. The Cyrva then made first contact with a sentient race, the Yehio in the Erydai system. This race was only just beginning global industrialization. The Cyrva suddenly felt a need to protect and guide the still-young species from themselves and from the possible dangers of the universe. They quickly proceeded to disarm the Yehio and have been guiding them peacefully ever since.

However for the first time in Cyrva history, a internal conflict occurred - not everyone agreed on 'guiding' other species in their development. Usually disagreement is resolved through dialogue, but the views on this subject were just too conflicting. Eventually two clear sides formed - one side that was clearly opposed to helping other races, and the other which felt it was their duty given by God to do so. A ship captain from one of the sides armed with anti-asteroid weaponry, felt so strongly about it that she was willing to shed Cyrvan blood for it, firing on an unarmed vessel carrying people that did not share her opinion. The other side almost immediately responded by storming a building.

From there it escalated into a civil war. The war led to huge leaps in weapon and shielding technology. Whereas the pre-civil war spaceships were only used for transportation and celestial object destruction, the Cyrva were now designing and building actual warships. The civil war lasted for over five years, with the first two years spent mostly figuring out how to fight a war, no less one that spanned multiple star systems. The war would be known as the 'Doctrine War'. Eventually the side that wanted to guide other species emerged victorious. The fleets in the war were unified under a single command, the Cyrva Star Armada (CSA).

The CSA was refined into a highly professional and incredibly well-equipped force over the years. Without immediate need for further expansion and with no direct threats to their safety, the Cyrva once more entered a time in which they just wanted to live their lives in peace. A couple of hundred years passed, little technological advancements were being made and no significant events occurred - until the Cyrva entered the starlance to the Algol system, where the CSA made first contact with the LSF.

Terran-Cyrvan War

During the Terran-Cyrvan War, the Cyrva fared extremely well against the LSF in the beginning, due to their technological superiority and strategy. Starting with their first victory in Algol, then seizing Lyrae quickly, defeating the fierce resistance in both Tauri and Librae, the CSA had managed to fight their way into Harcon and Sol in just a single year. The Cyrva had suspected that the Terrans possessed more star systems, evidently since the CSA hadn't discovered Silva and Phoenicis yet due to the LSF defending Harcon to the bitter end. The Terrans were also churning out new weapon systems rapidly, while managing to build more effective ships. The Terrans did not falter even with thousands of casualties and losses, realizing the Cyrvan fleet received little in terms of reinforcements. The CSA fleets in Sol and Harcon was whittled down slowly to only a total of 457 capital ships, each Cyrvan ship lost boosting the Terran morale.

The Cyrvan public cast their doubts on the war, perhaps they had underestimated the Terrans. Fer'opal, commanding the CSA fleet had realized late that to reach the Terran homeworld, both the Sol and Harcon fleets had to be recombined. The drawback of ordering both fleets to regroup in the Lyrae system, was the Terran interpretation of the re-grouping as a retreat by the CSA, and played their hand accordingly. Swarming out to retake both Tauri and Librae, the LSF converged on Lyrae, putting massive pressure on Fer'opal. Unable to launch a counter attack due to his orders to return to CSA space and let a diplomatic approach be taken, the LSF followed the CSA to the Algol system, where they took orbit of Algol Prime. It was here where the LSF began orbital bombardment of the outpost on the planet. The intensity of the orbital bombardment's result was Algol Prime, utterly ruined - crust cracked in multiple areas, transforming the planet into molten wastelands of lava and brimstone, resembling hell itself.

Almost five years of bloodshed. The Terrans could stand equal with the Cyrvans and fight for themselves. Peace signed, the Algol system declared neutral, left as a monument, a reminder of a long but pointless war and the new name of the system, Abyss.

Tidbits from the "Ask a crew member" Thread

The following tidbits of information below are from characters in the Wings of Dawn universe, so they might contain a personal bias. The links go directly to the post, in which the information was provided.

Biology

  • Cyrvan have less tolerance for high g-forces, but their ships possess anti-gravity drives and inertia cancelers. [1] [2]
  • Cyrvans are better at handling massive information input than humans. [3]
  • Cyrvan couples tend to have between one and three children. [4]
  • Due to their long lives, Cyrvans also grow up slower. Most Cyrvans are only fully grown well after the age of 30. Their slow but steady growth also means that they don't have to go through adolescence, unlike Terrans. [5]
  • Cyrvan females don't have periods. [6]
  • Since no known Cyrvan-Terran hybrid has yet aged beyond 50 years, their life expectancy is unknown, [7] though their growth rate is in between that of Cyrvans and Terrans.[8]
  • The appearance of Cyrvan-Terran hybrids depends of the gender of the parents. With a Cyrvan mother the persons appearance is almost indistinguishable from a pure Cyrvan. Hybrids with a Terran mother on the other hand posses looks that carry elements of both species equally, like shorter, but still pointed ears for example, much like the fictional "half-elfs" from ancient Terran fantasy novels.[9]
  • As far as physical abilities go, Hybrids seem to be on par with Cyrvans in every espect except physical strength, were they are slightly above Cyrvan average values.[10]
  • In terms of piloting skills the tested Hyrids all scorced a bit below the Cyrvan average, which still puts them above Terran pilots. Due to the small number of such people being tested, it's too early to draw any conclusions, since it could just be that the individuals in question didn't have a high aptitude for flying, rather than their racial abilities being a hinderance.[11]
  • Some Cyrvans have the ability to perceive glimpses of the future. While the ability is not exclusive to the "winged ones", roughly 40% of them have this ability to some degree. For some of those gifted individuals, this manifests in the ability to look into the immediate future at will, while others have vague premonitions in their dreams. Past experience has shown that the future is not set in stone and that spontaneous individuals are especially hard to predict. [12]
  • While already stated in Cyrvan physiology that Cyrvans generally have better reflexes and flexibility while lacking physical strength even more than their counterparts of the same gender, Daniel "Justice" Hawkings who has personally received a Cyrvan melee strike puts it into perspective: "On average, a Terran trained in hand to hand combat will pretty much always win against a Cyrvan. Cyrvan bodies are featherweight (especially the women) and their attacks have no weight behind them."[13]

Planets and Places

  • Cyrvadia is 2.73 times the size of Earth, with roughly 40% of the planet being covered in oceans, and has 0.93Gs. [14][15]

Military Doctrine

  • All Cyrvan military assets are bound by law to participate in the defense of Cyrvan space. This law also applies to non-Cyrvan planets under the protection of the CSA. [16]
  • The CSA does not commission terrestrial ships and only possesses minimal ground forces, which mainly consists of MCWSes in Mech form. "The Navy was disbanded many many years ago. Ships have no where to hide and are just sitting ducks when orbital bombardment comes into play. We have yet to see the day in which a hostile force sets foot on one of our planets, so until that day happens our ground forces are very likely to remain as small as they are now." - Commodore Isa'emarl Dertanya [17]
  • While it is uncommon, the CSA does not prohibit Terrans to enlist into their ranks. The majority of the Terrans in the CSA are armed security guards onboard ships or are stationed planetside. Due to the combination of few Cyrvans willing to and few Terrans being recruited into the CSA, their jobs are well-paid. Terrans are preferred when available for boarding actions, "They are... better at it." - Commodore Isa'emarl Dertanya [18]
  • When boarding enemy vessels or repelling enemy boarders, Cyrvan soldiers forgo the use of cumbersome armor and rely solely on personal shield generators for protection.[19]

Government and Law

  • "Members from the 10th up to the 6th circles are elected democratically and serve for a period of 10 years. There are no clear written rules for the upper circles. Sometimes they just elect someone from the 6th circle by majority vote. Sometimes, someone gets in by some extraordinary feat and so forth." - Commodore Isa'emarl Dertanya, the election of members into the Circles [20]
  • The Cyrvan government allows immigration of Terrans, but due to strict restrictions and the attitude most Cyrvans have towards Terrans, it happens only rarely. "As far as I know you have to be able to understand and speak the basics of our language so you can get around without the use of a translator. You also need to have a understanding of Cyrvan culture and mannerism. I believe they also screen you on your intelligence and I heard being good looking also helps..." - Lt. Crystal Is'va Dertanya [21][22]
  • Despite many Cyrvans not being fully grown by that time, they are considered as adults, once they reach the age of 30 years.[23]

Culture and Society

  • During war, sometimes Cyrvans apply a kind of "war paint" to their faces, called Hyalj. Most families have their own design to which some individuals like to add their own personal touch. [24]
  • Usually Hyalj are considered little more than adoration, though there are some rare exceptions. [25]
  • With some families it represents the role as a warrior or the symbolizes the first kill. [26]
  • In Feyraa, the Hyalj have spiritual roots.
  • Cyrvan use a unified credit system, name starting with "Ies". Regarded as hard to pronounce for Terrans (or at least for JGASF pilot Misuzu Stella ). Among Terrans it's usually just called Cyrvan Credits (or short CC) and is currently slightly below the Terran UC in value, even after the damage the Terran economy took after the Hertak invasion. [27]
  • Cyrvans commonly retire when they are between 700 and 800-years old. [28]
  • Among Cyrvans there is only a single religion called "Feryaa". The majority of the Cyrvan race are currently members of this denomination. LSF Lt. Crystal Is'va Dertanya provided the following information about this religion:

"Feryaa is the name of the only religion we have, it has pretty deep roots in our culture and every day life. The Cyrvan government has for the most part always been about 'practical' things in life and is probably one of the least Cyrvan things influenced by Feryaa. I do not know of a lot of atheists."[29]

Technology

  • MCWSes eject the entire cockpit as a life pod. The flight helmets are not vacuum-proof by themselves, but incorporate shield generator that can be deployed around the helmet, or even the whole body. [30]
  • MCWS flight suit power reserves can sustain a full-body shield for 51 hours, 347 hours for helmet-only shield. [31]
  • Currently Cyrvans do not use AI in military applications as far as the Terrans know. [32]

Ships