Veshch

Much is unknown about these creatures, not even their actual size. Surely, those massive statues that dot their inverted pyramid temples aren't their actual size, experts more or less agree. Their language, which seems to be related to the unusual hieroglyphs that adorn the metal surfaces of the temples, has been lost to time. There is one elderly mauren who claims to know the language, but tracking her down has proven tricky for the researchers.
  Researchers simply call them the Veshch, which means 'thing' in Federation Common, but the mauren seem to refer to them as the "Oheliah". When questioned, they state that it's simply the name for them that has been passed down from one generation to the next.

Speculation Based Upon Findings

  In the ruins of Selurrn Rlep, a number of solid state storage media were discovered, and while the alien architecture has proven to be quite the wall to progress, enough has been deciphered and transcribed for a vague picture to be painted.

Culture

  With a societal structure that was somewhat reminiscent of Feudal Japan, there isn't a lot known about specifics, like dynasties or named personnel.

 • At the apex is the Skaraf, commanding the entirety of the species across the stars, it's stated. Skaraf is believed to be primarily a title, but may also be a hereditary name, as no recorded individuals beyond Skaraf have been discovered. Of course, with the discovery that this societal structure is relatively recent, it may well be that there wasn't time enough for other individuals to take the seat of power.
 • Makirhet, the warlords and provincial leaders.
 • Akibu, hereditary lords ruled locally under the makirhet
 • Nakundi, the warrior nobility, retainers of the akibu with prestige and privelege to wield weaponry, crude and out of date though they might be.
 • Madakiin, the civilian caste. Includes merchants and craftsmen under its umbrella.

There is some suggestion that their society wasn't always structured so, and that this restructuring was some kind of emergency action prior to their extinction. If true, they surely must have faced a great threat indeed. Research into their life prior to this unknown war sets them up as a race of philanthropists and scientists, with a focus on helping out those less fortunate. It's a wonder, then, what would incite any faction to enact violence against them.

Trivia

  The word "veshch" is something of a misnomer, as it is used to describe a 'thing' in the more inanimate sense, while "khren" would be better suited to describing a living creature. It can be presumed that, either, A.) they were initially referring to the statues, and the name just stuck, or B.) that the one who assigned them the name was not a native speaker.