Graparx Primal Stalkers

The Graparx Primal Stalkers are an interstellar government organised as a citizen strateocracy. Its capital is the tropical world of Sifran, located in the So'Sifran System, where the mammalian Graparx evolved. Graparx society is strongly militaristic, with physical strength and cunning being the highest virtues. The military rules the star nation, with the commander-in-chief being the Strategos, selected by a council of generals to rule. Graparx society has been described by some as 'neo-tribal', with extended family relationships and hunting prowess playing an important role in the social fabric. The foreign policy of the Graparx is based on 'might makes right', and the star nation regularly engages in wars of conquest against its neighbours.

Table of Contents

Government

The Graparx Primal Stalkers are structured as a federal stratocratic republic. It is typically classified as a conservative market oligarchy, with moderate-to-high levels of corruption.

There is no separation between civil and military governance in Graparx society, with high-ranking military officers also acting as governors and ministers. The ruling council is comprised of the twenty-two highest-ranking military officers, along with the five most accomplished hunters in the star nation. These twenty-seven individuals elect a single individual from the empire to be the Strategos, the commander-in-chief, for a single term of sixteen years. Typically the Strategos is selected from within that council, but there have been exceptions. The Strategos and ruling council are responsible for foreign relations, the military, appointing planetary governors, and directing the national economy.

Below the ruling council are the planetary governors, appointed on advice from local planetary governments. Planetary governance is strongly decentralised, with the largest governing bodies being those of cities; but most are smaller tribe-sized groups. The planetary governor is responsible for implementing the directives of the military council by providing instructions and incentives to the lower-ranked governments. Tribal governments are typically ruled by an elder, while cities often have democratically-elected mayors (or equivalent). The only universal requirement for these positions (imposed by the military council) is that each candidate must be a full citizen, which means either an accomplished hunter or member of the military. Aside from planetary governors handing down directives, local governments are remarkably free to conduct their affairs as they see fit.

The term "Primal Stalkers" often confuses those unfamiliar with the Graparx, as it is not a typical name for a star nation. The localisation to UNE Standard English is considered to be more accurate than an exact translation, as the Graparx put strong emphasis on their historical connection to wildlife ("Primal"), and their cultural nature as cunning hunters ("Stalkers").

History

Like many other species, the Graparx originated as hunter-gatherers on their homeworld of Sifran. Unlike many other species, however, the successful hunters of the species were not displaced or destroyed by the development of agriculture. Graparx historians claim this is due to the deadly wildlife on Sifran, acting as a crucible that made hunters extremely skilled. Although this is disputed by some xenohistorians, it is an important part of the Graparx cultural history.

Inevitably, the economies of scale of agriculture were able to outcompete the hunters, but hunting never died off as a major sector of the Graparx economy. Instead, it became a cornerstone of Graparx culture. Hunting became increasingly institutionalised over the centuries, with formal establishments appearing across the planet for the sole purpose of hunting the powerful creatures of Sifran. As technology advanced and pushed the hunt even more in favour of the Graparx, many of these institutions shifted partially to conservation and sustainability. Although hunting was still extremely popular by the 21st century CE, it was heavily regulated for the purpose of preserving beasts for future generations.

Politically, the Graparx unified in much the same way as many other species. Global conflicts were followed by the development of international institutions to preserve peace, which began the process of planetary unification. However, what really united the Graparx across hundreds of nations and cultures was the constant of hunting. The early 22nd century CE saw a cultural renaissance of hunting at a critical point in the unification process, causing the two to intertwine. Many famous hunters achieved positions of political importance during this period, and the emeging system of global governance reflected it. Citizenship in the new world order became limited to those who had proven themselves as hunters, for instance.

While the Graparx developed the hyper drive in 2201 CE, they were not strangers to alien life. The So'Sifran System is a feeding ground for space amoebae, and were observed by Graparx astronomers as early as the 19th century CE. Even before the development of FTL technology, the Graparx were able to somewhat domesticate the space amoebae, breed them, and issue basic commands to them. Thanks to these advancements, the Graparx have preferred the use of space fauna instead of typical warships for space combat.

Demographics

Almost the entire population of the Graparx Primal Stalkers are Graparx. There are very few xenos present within the star nation's borders, the majority of which are slaves captured during raids. Aside from diplomats, the few xenos that voluntarily migrate to Graparx space are already well-established hunters looking for the ultimate challenge. Only a small number of even these are permitted to become residents in the star nation, once they have proved themselves to Graparx hunters.

Quality of life in Graparx space varies heavily depending on location. Major cities tend to have densely packed, poor-to-middle income populations, while the wealthiest members of society are the elite hunters that live on vast estates or private space stations. Tribal regions are typically rural, with their quality of life dependent on the resources in their vicinity. Education and healthcare are privately-funded, though the military provides them free of charge to any who volunteer for a long-term contract.

Economy

The Graparx Primal Stalkers are a small, industrial market economy. The central government has little influence over the economy, retaining control of critical industries and infrastructure necessary for national security, but most regulation is left up to local authorities. As such, private enterprise makes up the majority of the Graparx economy. The largest industry in Graparx space is agriculture by a large margin, followed by mining and heavy industry. As is to be expected, the Graparx are renowed for their hunting instruments. Despite being distrustful of xenos, Graparx-manufactured hunting gear can be commonly found in sporting goods retailers across the galaxy.

Graparx agricultural output consists of both traditional agriculture (growing crops and livestock) and hunting. Many of the planets in Graparx space are notable for having xeno life-forms significantly larger than found on other worlds, providing a significant source of meat and other animal parts. A small but growing part of the Graparx economy is hunting tourism, where foreigners are guided on hunts by experienced hunters, experiencing thrills with little danger to themselves. Many Graparx resent this relatively recent development, claiming it devalues their culture, but the high prices of these tours have brought in large amounts of energy credits to the government and Hunter's Guild.

Society

Graparx culture is entirely focused around the hunt. Almost all historical figures of importance are hunters, and modern Graparx cultural figures are at some level hunters. Approximately one-quarter of the population is registered with the Hunter's Guild, though only a small fraction of that regularly engages in hunts. The majority of the population instead follows famed hunters as celebrities, with many hunters having large fan clubs and news organisations devoted to them and their exploits. Hunting in Graparx space is regulated by the Graparx Hunter's Guild, a non-government organisation granted legal authority by the military. All hunters must register with the Guild in order to perform legal hunts, as poaching is considered a serious crime.

Although hunting is considered the pinnacle of Graparx culture, the majority of the population does not have the time or money to engage in it. Like with every other species, the Graparx rely on billions of mundane workers to keep their economy running. Many Graparx try to liken their professions to different aspects of hunting, to varied success. The military is a common profession for young Graparx looking to see the galaxy, as training exercises and semi-common warfare see Graparx military units deployed across a number of worlds.

Military

The Graparx Armed Forces have two branches: the Void Force and the Land Force. The Void Force acts as a navy, responsible for patrolling the spacelanes and security space superiority against the enemies of the Graparx Primal Stalkers. Unlike other navies, the Void Force heavily relies on cloned space fauna to act as the backbone of its military. For the few conventional warships they use, the Void Force heavily employs cloaking technology and ambush tactics. Like the Void Force, the Land Force also relies on cloned fauna. In addition to conventional soldiers (primarily volunteer but reinforced with conscripts), the Graparx Land Force uses large numbers of cloned xenomorph and xeno-fauna for shock troops, logistics, and other roles.

Type

Geopolitical, Republic

Capital

Sifran

Demonym

Graparx

Government System

Stratocracy

Power Structure

Federation

Economic System

Market economy

Controlled Territories

• Sifran
• So'Sifran System

Related Species

• Graparx