Orphaned Races: Ascorbites & Hironem
Orphaned Races examines two of the sentient races of the Fading Suns universe: The insectoid Ascorbites and the reptilian Hironem. The Ascorbites¸ native to the Decados-ruled jungle planet of Severus¸ are perhaps the least understood race in the Known Worlds. Their alien culture -- formed by a hive-mind -- has proved resistant to most of humanity's attempts to understand it. What's more¸ the Church claims that the race worships dark entities - gods the Ascorbites claim will one day return to drive the 'soft-flesh' humans into slavery. The Hironem¸ native to the Decados-ruled planet of Cadiz¸ revere their ancient culture-bringer gods¸ who are now believed to have been renegades from the advanced Vau Hegemony. These gods gave the Hironem their caste system and set a secession of God-Kings to rule them. Some humans wonder: Did these Vau 'gods' also leave another¸ hidden legacy in the genetics and culture of the Hironem that is yet to be revealed?