Crestantos (cree-STAHN- towz)

Now considered almost mythical in status, the Crestantos were an ancient species that ruled a now unreachable area of space and built an impressive empire that lasted hundreds of years. After disappearing from the galaxy, they are believed to be extinct.

The tenth...he is like a Crestanto. The size, the strength, the cystal. No one could bring him down.

— Jatrina, Uprise

History

The Crestantos were created thousands of years ago, supposedly by a Celestial known as the Rainbow Crestanto because of her multicolored crystal. The Rainbow Crestanto made the Crestanto species after herself and designed how they worked. She also created their planet, Crosteron, and mothered the future royal family through her son Pitch, who was also a Celestial. Shortly after this, it is believed that she went into hibernation deep within the planet. When Crosteron was first created, it was overrun by the wargarogs, terrifying beasts that hunted the newly formed Crestantos until they banded together, defeated the creatures, and created their civilization.
After defeating the wargarogs, the Crestantos began their empire, building their first massive city with the palace in the center and streets branching out from the square in front. Their first king was Pitch, who had led the hunt against the wargarogs. Pitch began the royal family and set up most of the laws that governed Crestantos. He lived for 345 years, at the end of which he traveled deep into Crosteron and never returned, giving rise to stories that claimed he found his mother and died there.

by Lilliana Casper

Even after Pitch, the Crestantos remained strong. They had many kings and queens that ruled, most of them well. Those who were not good were quickly replaced by their more competent siblings. As time went on, the Crestantos spread across their planet and built even more cities. Their technology grew as well, allowing them to have medicine, transportation, communication, and entertainment. The Crestantos built starships to travel away from their planet and explore the area around Crosteron. When the Crestantos reached the rest of the galaxy, their crystal was soon considered valuable and many targeted the Crestantos to get it.

For many years, Crestantos were hunted when off of their planet, either forced to work in mines because of their strength or killed because of their crystal. After far too long of this, the ruler of Crosteron sent out one last group to try and rescue enslaved Crestantos. When the group returned with as many as they could free, he closed the asteroid field protecting the planet and forbade anyone from leaving.

Sometime after that, the conflict known as the Charcoal War began. A species very similar to the Crestantos, the Dieganins, accused the Crestantos of using them as slaves and started attacking them. Although the Dieganins in general were weaker, they were angry. One of the army scientists named Charcoal created a horrifying superweapon that he threatened the Dieganins with. The Dieganins refused to surrender and the weapon was used, destroying most of the Dieganin fleet and killing Charcoal in the process. The war was then named the Charcoal War to memorialize the man who sacrificed himself to save their planet from the Dieganins.

These are his journals. He wrote everything in them. All his designs, all his research, all his plans. But no one has ever been able to build them. Most of his ideas were flawed and he never figured out the answer. Others were sabotaged so that no one could create them. Only someone as smart as him would be able to figure them out. Maybe you're the one. Maybe you'll be Charcoal's heir.

— Asphalt to Odin

After the Charcoal War, the Crestantos lost contact with the rest of the galaxy. No one outside of the asteroid field knew what was going on inside. Some believe the Crestantos were able to know what was happening, but the rest of the world soon considered them extinct and began to forget about them. Although historians believe in their existence, most people consider them mythical beings who are, if real, certainly dead by now.

Basic Information

Biological Traits

Crestantos are humanoids with two arms and two legs. Their hands and feet have five digits each with opposable thumbs. The most obvious difference between Crestantos and humans is the crystalline exoskeleton of each Crestanto that protects their muscles and internal organs. The crystal acts as their skin and is about three inches thick, sometimes more. Crestantos are also far bigger than humans, with the average male height at 20-25 feet and females at 19-24 feet, and their muscle structure is bigger, making them appear bulkier in proportion. Only when size-shifting do they become proportionately the size of humans.
Crestanto crystal is formed by the combination of krohgan (a mineral natural to Crestantos), bone, and magic. The ratio of krohgan to bone increases or decreases its strength, although all Crestanto crystal is stronger than diamonds. The krohgan in combination with magic affects the color, often with darker crystals holding more density, making it stronger. Crestantos above a certain age are able to control their own crystal to a limited extent, allowing them to add thickness to their skin and grow weapons from their own body, albeit with difficulty.

No, there aren't many clear Crestantos. Every so often one pops up, but the percentage has decreased from 1% to about 0.03%. What is more common is multicolored crystal, like Rose's. Usually it's only two colors, but we can have as many as four. Only the Rainbow Crestanto had more than four. What? Oh, she had ten.

— Asphalt, Foresight

There exist several genetic disorders that cause changes to the crystal. One of these is Glassimo Syndrome, which results in clear crystal. 1% of Crestantos have this disease. Younger clear Crestantos are often picked on by peers because their muscles and organs can be seen through their skin, but this generally fades by the time they are adults. Clear Crestanto crystal is the weakest crystal, with a krohgan count of only 5 million. A far more rare condition is one that thickens its crystal instead of weakening it and is so rare that it has never been named.

Most Crestantos are capable of photosynthesis, allowing them to get energy from their sun rather than from food or sleep, although they do require water. This ability only goes so far, as too long without food or sleep will wear them down. The longest a Crestanto can ever survive on water and sunlight alone is about 3 years.

Genetics and Reproduction

During adolescence, which is between 10 and 15 for most Crestantos, children go through puberty, during which their minds mature and their bodies begin the transition to adulthood. It is during this time that females begin menstruation and males become fertile at all times. Crestanto females have far more eggs than human females, allowing them to have their period for roughly 120 years unlike the human 25 to 30. Crestanto reproductive organs are protected by shields of crystal that slide away during relations.

Growth Rate & Stages

Crestanto children grow at a steady rate until they reach their adolescent years. During this period, which is from ages 10 to 15, all Crestantos, regardless of gender, experience puberty with their thoughts, emotions, and maturity. Females then have a physical growth spurt starting around 16 to 18 years and males have their growth spurt at 19 to 21. After these growth spurts, Crestantos no longer grow naturally, although at any age they are able to size-shift, allowing them to become bigger or smaller for a short period of time.

"But the Racarin is eighteen. Does that mean he still isn't done growing?"
"Yes. He is already naturally the size of an adult. If he allows himself to age, he would reach his growth spurt in a few years and would become the biggest Crestanto aside from the Rainbow Crestanto. Possibly even bigger."

— A future book

Civilization and Culture

Major Organizations

Crestantos are well-organized and united into a single nation on Crosteron. Crosteron and the Crestantos are led by the royal family, who has ruled for thousands of years. Inheritance is passed to the oldest child of the royal family and the siblings of the heir are still considered royalty for two generations, with their great-nieces and nephews no longer royalty. If the heir is a girl, her husband would be given the title of queen but she would be the primary ruler and if the heir is a boy, his wife is given the title of queen and he is the primary ruler.

Average Technological Level

Before their disappearance, the Crestantos were highly advanced in their technology. They created starships, chemicals, and weapons, as well as the same technology found on many other worlds. In fact, some historians believe that the Crestantos were the ones to introduce television and video games to the rest of the galaxy, possibly including the highly popular game Conquerors, and that the Crestantos had been able to reach levels of power that have not been reached by anyone else. One of their greatest scientists was a man named Charcoal, who created machines and systems that no one else could figure out.

Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

Crestantos celebrate many holidays and events, most of which are celebrated all around the galaxy, but some unique to their world include Pitch Day, Charcoal Week, and Reversal Day. Pitch Day celebrates King Pitch, the first king of Crosteron, Charcoal Week is a memorial to the Charcoal War as well as General Charcoal, and Reversal Day is a mysterious celebration relating to the royal family.

It's a magnificent room. Every ruling couple has slept inside and consummated their union surrounded by the crystal of their ancestors. It truly is my favorite.

— Queen Iris

Most Crestantos take part in the ancient tradition of using their own crystal to build homes, often at the end of their lives. An example of Crestantos using their crystal in a building is the royal palace, where the king and queen's bedroom has been slowly expanded on with the crystal of all the former kings and queens.

A popular sport among Crestantos is Madball, a sport where three teams of up to ten people attempt to toss a ball between each other and through a frame in the center of a field. Madball is played both professionally and casually. Professional Madball can be extremely competitive, with many teams dueling for the global win. Most Crestantos have a favorite team and passionately defend them against anyone who disagrees. Casual Madball is played among friends and family and can have as few as three players total, one on each team.

Interspecies Relations

Before their mysterious disappearance, Crestantos had varied encounters with the rest of the galaxy. Due to their incredible strength and endurance as well as their relatively passive natures, Crestantos were often taken advantage of in certain areas, especially on mining planets like Maynrel and Ovalnow. Maynrel was particularly awful to Crestantos, especially before the IPA's anti-slavery decree. Many Crestantos were killed and mistreated, causing the species to retreat back to their homeworld and close themselves off from the galaxy, where they are believed to have died out, although nothing is confirmed.
One species also diverged from the Crestantos, a group of similar beings called Dieganins who share the crystalline exoskeleton and extraordinary size and strength of Crestantos, although Dieganins are smaller and weaker. Dieganins hate Crestantos and tell stories of the Crestantos mistreating them after they appeared, although, until the Charcoal War, most Crestantos had no idea they existed. Some of the scientists from the Charcoal War believed the Dieganins were a result of a failed cloning experiment but the theory was never proven.

by Lilliana Casper

Long ago, when the world was new, a young woman created a planet. She placed it behind a field of asteroids, protected from the rest of the galaxy, for she knew that the people she would make would be exploited for what they had. When her planet was done, she created the Crestantos, a people who looked like her, with crystal harder than any mineral and powers as varied as the worlds in the universe.

— Origin of Crestanto

Lifespan

300 years

Average Height

19 to 25 feet

Average Weight

1200 pounds

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Crestanto crystal comes in the full spectrum of colors, ranging from black to white.

by Lilliana Casper

Uses and Exploitations

Because of its incredible strength, Crestanto crystal is often sold for exorbitant prices on black markets. Dealers of this material would often enslave Crestantos and force them to produce crystal. Crestanto crystal is indestructible and can cut through almost anything depending on its krohgan count, making it a valuable rarity. The demand for the crystal was one of the reasons why the Crestantos disappeared from the galaxy and closed their planet off from visitors.

Sensory Capabilities

Crestantos have similar senses to other species and their ability to receive information from their environments is considerable. They generally have better vision than humans, but slightly lower hearing. Their extrasensory abilities are determined by the level of magic in their genetics and all Crestantos are able to use magic, which manifests in their species as natural talents unique to every Crestanto. Some abilities are more common than others, but some are far too different.

Well, I have telekinesis. Obsidian, although you might not consider it an ability, has what we call "enhanced strategy". He is able to problem solve much better than others.

— Marble

Languages

Most Crestantos speak the common language of the galaxy. Many others speak Old Crosteron, others speak both, and a rare few can speak the ancient language of the Eternals.

by Lilliana Casper

Naming Traditions

Crestantos have a strange tradition of naming their children after various parts of their world such as plants, animals, food, and minerals, often something the same color as their crystal. Common male first names are Shadow, Pine, and Bear and common female names are Ruby, Raven, and Lichen. A less well-known tradition is to name the youngest child of a family something considered cute, adorable, or sweet. Examples of this are Cookie, Bunny, and Sugar.

Historical Figures

The Rainbow Crestanto, the first Crestanto ever, created both the Crestantos and their planet. Pitch, the first Crestanto king, was believed to be the Rainbow Crestanto's son. General Charcoal, a scientist in the war against the Dieganins, created a superweapon that he sacrificed himself to be able to use.

Myths and Legends

The most common Crestanto myth is Origin of Crestanto, a story about how the Rainbow Crestanto created Crosteron and the Crestantos. With elegant and basic language, Origin of Crestanto paints a beautiful picture of how Crosteron and its people came to be. Another favorite is Pitch and the Wargarogs, a children's tale and historic story about the first king of Crosteron and how the Crestantos defeated the monstrous species that hunted them before they were a civilization.

by Lilliana Casper

Just tell us the truth. Once and for all, that is all I am asking in return for our help. Just tell us what happened to our ancestors. Please. We need to know.

— Sapphire