:: Unknown ::
The following text is an
excerpt taken from the writings of a Tsalos historian. This
finding gives some details on what may have happened to the
Kushan and Taiidan.
There has been much interest of late in how
life here on Tsalos came to be in its current state. Many
philosophers, through the years, have attempted to explain how a
people as primitive as we, could build such astounding structures
as the spires of Corad Yah, or the underwater cities near
Racstoth Nor. No doubt you have heard the stories telling how our
race used to be able to travel among the stars and do other
things that boggle the imagination. After extensive research into
some of the wonders of this planet, and into many ancient myths
and a few ancient books, I believe I have been able to piece
together what happened over the last several thousand or so
years. I warn you before hand, Lord Arcipus, that the accuracy of
these writings may not truly reflect what happened so long ago.
But it is as close as we can come, in the present.
Around twelve hundred years ago, our race was
just starting to explore space. The people of that time were
already constructing great cities that floated in the sky, far
above the clouds. However, it was not a time of great joy as you
might expect. It had long been known that the planet nearest us
was also host to a race of intelligent beings and they were
slightly more advanced than we were. Our ancestors were afraid
that this race might have been hostile and called them "sa
Victi" or the "outer ones" in their ancient
tongue. But as time went on it was discovered that the race was
not hostile at all, and in fact, were just as worried about us as
we were about them. For many years a trade route existed between
our two planets and a great many things were learned from the sa
Victi. But then things turned sour. Apparently some kind of
dispute arose between our people and theirs and a war was fought.
As space warfare was very new to both sides it was difficult to
know exactly how to fight. Because of this, millions of lives
were lost on both sides. The war went on for many years and our
ancestors and theirs became bitter enemies. Finally, we gained
the upper hand, pushed the sa Victi out of space and forced them
back to their own planet. Instead of asking for their surrender,
we bombarded them from space, destroying their cities and doing
great damage to their planet, until they no longer had the
ability to harm us. Only then was our wrath appeased. With the sa
Victi no longer a threat, we began to colonize other planets in
our system.
Over the next hundred years we continued to
explore space. Our space faring vessels went faster and faster
and our colonization of other worlds continued to grow faster
along with them. Not much thought was given to what would happen
if we should run into another species that had similar abilities
as ours. Rather the people of that time became selfish and
greedy, wanting only power. They gobbled up planet after planet
in a never-ending attempt to get more. This race for power
eventually led to a bloody civil war, which lasted for nearly 10
years until someone discovered another space faring race of
intelligent beings called the "Kushan". Fearing that
the Kushan were hostile, the clans fighting in the war decided to
unite in order to meet the common threat. But in truth, there
really was no threat of harm from the Kushan. Though powerful,
they were a benevolent race. They were known for dealing fairly
with all, and living in peace with the races around them. Those
that took this as a sign of weakness quickly found out that they
were mistaken. The Kushan would not tolerate threats and were
reported to swiftly punish those that made them. But for the most
part they were a kind race.
The Kushan greeted us in peace and introduced
our fledgling race to many other races. Our ancestors, though
they once considered themselves powerful, now saw how weak they
really were. In light of this they decided to put aside their
differences and unite as one. As time went on, the Kushan
fostered our people and helped us to grow. They also continued to
become more powerful. Soon they were considered the protectors of
all the races around them. The Kushan looked upon this as an
honor and used their power to usher in a new era of peace. It was
during this time of peace that Tsalos became an important center
for trade. From all around the stars, other races came to buy and
sell goods. Due to this our entire race prospered like never
before, and with this prosperity came power. Soon we no longer
relied on the protection of the Kushan, and because of that grew
apart from them.
For several hundred years there was peace. Then
came a violent race from stars unknown. They called themselves
the "Tiidan". They attacked many and took what planets
they captured as their own. The Kushan, acting as protectors,
fought valiantly to repel these forceful invaders. This struggle
was called the Great War. After nearly 80 years of fighting the
Kushan could no longer stop the Tiidan onslaught, though they did
not quit trying. Eventually, the Kushan defenses collapsed and
the Tiidan began attacking the more defenseless races. The Kushan
continued to offer resistance whenever they could but it was
never enough to stop the Tiidan. Encouraged by this bravery our
people along with another race called the "Yaskil"
threatened to join forces against the Tiidan if they did not stop
the war and withdraw from Kushanii space. The Tiidan refused and
massed a fleet near the Kushan home world. The Kushan threw
together the few remaining ships they had in an attempt to delay
the Tiidan until our forces could arrive to help them. The Tiidan
demolished this small fleet easily and were in the process of
attacking the Kushan home world when our forces arrived, followed
by a huge fleet of Yaskilid vessels. A bitter battle was fought
with both sides losing many. The end result was a draw.
After this battle, negotiations began between
the two sides. These negotiations went on for a long time until a
solution was finally agreed upon. The Tiidan would take control
of the Kushan home world. The remaining Kushan holdings (those
not occupied by the Tiidan) had to be abandoned and would serve
as a buffer zone between the two sides. No ships would then be
allowed to pass through this zone. In return the Tiidan agreed to
end the war. It was also agreed that the Kushan survivors should
be divided into three groups - one group going to each race - so
that the Kushan race would not be wiped out. Thus a group of
Kushan was sent back with the Yaskil, the Tiidan, and with us.
You may think it strange that some of the Kushan were given over
to their enemies, but apparently this was a customary thing to do
during that time, and no one really thought much of it.
Ten years of peace followed the battle. Then
the Tiidan launched an offensive against the Yaskil. Once again,
our ancestors formed an alliance with them tried desperately to
help defend them. But in the end, the Tiidan were victorious.
Knowing that we would be the next target, our people launched an
attack into Tiidan space in an attempt to throw them off balance.
This attack, though stopped, was successful in that it caused
division among the Tiidan. One group of the Tiidan was tired of
the fighting and wanted to stop while the other group wanted to
continue on. Unfortunately the Tiidan civil war that erupted 5
years later came too late to save our empire. The Tiidan that
wanted to fight were able to overrun our defenses and destroy our
space cities. But by the time Tsalos was bombarded, the Tiidan
civil war had left most of the galaxy vacant, as it once was
millions of years ago. Thus the Great War destroyed many proud
civilizations and reduced those who were still living to savages.
The destruction on Tsalos was very great. The
Tiidan bombarded this planet just as our ancestors had done to
the sa Victi hundreds of years before. The smoke of burning
dwellings blotted out the light from space. Those who lived in
the cities fled, never to return. By the time the Tiidan left,
Tsalos was a smoking ruin. The few who were left alive struggled
just to survive. As generations went by, the knowledge of how to
build the great things was forgotten. Eventually, nature began to
emerge from the ashes and swallowed up many of the marvels of our
past; leaving us to discover them anew.
The rest I will detail to you in later
writings, Lord Arcipus. If you are wondering what happened to the
Yaskil, the Kushan, the Tiidan, or the other races, I am afraid I
cannot tell you much. One story I heard was that the Tiidan
totally wiped themselves out in their civil war. Another story
says that the surviving Yaskil were able to rebuild and are
fighting the Tiidan to this day. Unfortunately, nothing is known
about the Kushan. No mention of them is ever made again after the
Great War. I assume many of the answers are still out there,
waiting to be found. But since we were thrown from space we have
no way of discovering them. I can only hope that someday we will
return there to solve these mysteries once and for all.
*************
This could explain why after 1500 years, the
Taiidan aren't way more advanced than the Kushan.
