Saulosian

"History will begin anew with my reign."

- The First Klithan

The Saulosians, (Latin name Silex Lingua Meaning: Sharp Tongue), were a violent race of warm-blooded sentient saurians largely known for their adaptability, resilience, and sheer brutality. They possessed incredible amounts of knowledge in the art of war and were rumoured to inhabit the far reaches of the Milky Way Galaxy, which relatively kept them isolated from contact with Humanity and the Covenant. Simply named after their homeworld, Saulos, the Saulosians were mockingly called Sharptooths and Space Raptors during the infamous Saulosian Campaign due to their general likeness of the Raptor Genus originally found on Prehistoric Earth. The Saulosians were the Leaders of the Directorate and generally provided the military backbone for their armies.

Aware of Humanity by the early 2400s, the Saulosians carefully observed the burgeoning Government for years up until their conflict with the notorious Covenant, biding their time to wait for the perfect opportunity to strike their prey and conquer. Upon the conclusion of the Human-Covenant War, the Saulosians deduced it was the correct time to attack the weakened inhabitants of the Milky Way and immediately began to make preparations. It wasn't until 2595 where the Saulosians made themselves known, evidently sparking the Saulosian Campaign.

They had achieved Tier 2 status without outside intervention such as the Forerunners and had made several important advancements with their technology that placed some their creations in the Tier 1 category.

Religion and Beliefs
"Everything the Saulosians did were practically based on their eschewed rationalization."

- Unknown

For the most part, the Saulosians had a consistent and agnostic viewpoint of life around them. While they acknowledged the possible existence of God-like beings in the Universe, they largely remained skeptic on the subject matter at hand. They held a fine line in regards to belief and knowledge, having stated that these two factors could never collide with each other or face disbelief from the masses. Saulosians regularly demanded rational proof, reasoning, and requisite knowledge before any grounds could be ever be justified and taken into consideration. This was largely evident by their skepticism of the existence of the Forerunners, Precursors and the fabled Tier 0, as many debates regarding this matter had sprung up over the years, inciting much controversy over what was fact and fiction. However, the stance on agnosticism was not entirely absolute. Even when a considerable amount of proof had gathered, which ultimately confirmed the existence of Forerunners and Precursors, it was relatively discounted and rejected by the majority of the Saulosians, under the inherent pretense that the verification of the information would ultimately shake the very foundations of their belief system.

The Saulosians were large adherents to the Social Darwinism Ideology and Apex Predator Beliefs. They believed that only through consistent conflict between different societal groups could the Saulosians ever hope to propagate social progress amongst each other. This was further exemplified by the belief that only internal struggle and military conquest against other species can facilitate the evolution of the Saulosian Species as a whole, and thus, advocated whatever means necessary to meet their goals. As a result of this ideology, the Saulosians did not even make exceptions for their children and were typically unsympathetic of their deaths. Instead, they came to accept and take pride that those unfit to survive the harsh reality of life were being removed from their line. The principles of Survival of the Fittest was also regularly advocated, having been demonstrated by the Saulosian's conquest and genocide of various alien species, stating that those unfit to aptly defend themselves did not deserve to exist. Saulosians had also come to the conclusion that they possessed no equal in the Milky Way Galaxy and merely stood at the top of their food chain, which supposedly implied that the Milky Way was their ecosystem. The Saulosian were ultimately under the impression that as Apex Predators, it was also their duty to maintain the health of the Galaxial ecosystem, rationalizing that the conquest and genocide of species was an apparent service. Many Saulosian Historians within the Conclave had pointed out that Kornak Altos was the original progenitor of the Saulosian Social Darwinism Ideology and Apex Predator Belief, having come to the conclusion upon the formation of the Saulosian Directorate, using his rule and the defeat of his enemies as a means of justification and rationalization.

"By the Klithan!"

- Way of the Klithan Common Saying

Through the ordnance and directives originally established by the Saulosian Directorate, they intensely glorified the First Klithan Kornak Altos, and to a smaller extent, the succeeding Klithans, through a form of reverence commonly called the Way of the Klithan. The Klithans were publicly immortalized through the use of mass media, propaganda, and other means, and was usually seen in music, paintings, and buildings entirely dedicated to them. Several landmarks and statues had been erected in their name and were regularly used as places of worship. As the formation of the Saulosian Directorate was an accepted fact for the the beginning of Saulosian History, Kornak Altos was routinely attributed with the creation of the "world" and the closest thing they considered to be a God-like Being. Since the title of Klithan was seen as a position dictated by Kornak, the position was held with utmost respect and any being found within the seat of power was seen as a mere extension of their Leader. Whether this nearly fanatical devotion and reverence for the Klithan stemmed solely out of ingrained respect or out of hereditary fear remained ambiguous at best and was never questioned outside the privacy of their homes, for fear of retribution and repercussion of the Government. While Humans believed the Way of the Klithan was a mere fabrication meant to exercise control over the entire Saulosian species, the Directorate had commented that their worship was genuine, based on the institution of Charismatic Authority, believing that Kornak deserved their devotion due to his exceptional sanctity, heroism, and exemplary character he performed during his lifetime.

Shadowed Beginnings
The history of the entire Saulosian species was rather ambiguous to say the least. Any history that predated the Saulosian Directorate had mysteriously disappeared, either through misuse or the loss of documents. From the earliest known records, Saulosian were borne from the very formation of the Saulosian Directorate, as most documents stated they were all the venerable Children of their Glorious Leader. However, that was only a partial truth as the Intelligence arm of the Government withheld the majority of the information, possibly as a means to maintain a fervent iron grip on their species and forstall any amount of rebellion.

It was later explained by the Conclave Elder that when the First Klithan Kornak Altos formed the Saulosian Directorate from the merger of his Kingdom and that of his defeated enemies, he immediately decreed to his subordinates to gather all documents of Saulosian History and Literature and destroy them. In his paranoia with power, Kornak believed that if the Saulosians discovered the achievements of previous leaders, they would revolt and forcibly remove him from his seat of power. Anyone who resisted or questioned his directives were systematically eliminated. However, the original Conclave of Thirteen had foreseen this event and initiated their failsafe plan. Using their ranks as a means of access, the Conclave were able to gather nearly of the valuable and necessary documents. They subsequently stored them within a vast a underground complex on their fortress world. The documents were eventually converted into data and were stored within a large computer system simply known as the Archives. In their endeavors, they were aided by a myriad of AIs, namely the Genesis-class Artificial Intelligences, who were programmed to search out and archive future knowledge and aid their masters in the management and research of the stored information.

After Kornak believed the documents had been destroyed, he gathered up all the Saulosians and forcibly exposed them to an Indoctrination Process he secretly developed from years before. Anyone resisted were regularly executed as means to stop any amount of discontent from rebelling. Years passed and the Indoctrination Process was finally complete. Any previous history was forgotten and had been replaced by the teachings of the Klithan, insinuating a passionate worship and affection of their Leader that could still be seen in the 2590s.

Beginnings (66,000 B.C)
[[File:596px-Lwhekk NEGAS.jpg|"Our homeworld. Our precious jewel."

- Conclave Member
 * 200px|thumb]]The Saulosian Race originated on their homeworld of Saulos, in the Gedassa System in an unknown region of the Galaxy, most likely above the Scrutum-Centaurus Arm. From recent excavations performed by Saulosian archeologists, trace amounts of the Forerunners were found, indicating that they inhabitated this part of the galaxy. At 66,000 B.C., the Saulosians were once primitive reptoids that utilized a hunter pack mentality to hunt the larger predators that dominated their homeworld. A typical hunter pack usually consisted of 3 females and 6 males and 1 alpha male. The alpha will remain dominant until one of the other males challenges him for supremacy. The losing male is then exiled to start another pack. With the pack numbering ten Saulosians, this allowed them to attack their prey from all sides, eventually overpowering the beast.

Living in harsh conditions, the species was forced to undertake a number of unique adaptations that still remains to this day. One such adaptation was the development of a somewhat unruly yet effective addition to their body. Simply referred to the nose tongue, it is an additional tongue firmly located at the openings of the nose. Strangely enough, it doesn’t distort their oxygen intake. The nose tongue is used for hunting and defensive purposes. It allows them to ”taste" the air, letting them know whether or not hostiles are close. It also allows them to memorize their kin scents, therefore, allowing no deception among them. Due to these unruly adaptations, the primitive Saulosians were able to overcome the obstacle their homeworld had to offer. Unlike the smaller Saulosians, who used their adaptations for survival, the larger and more dangerous animals that resided on Saulos relied on their immense strength and size for survival. It proved effective at one point, allowing them to rise up in the planets food chain. And with this, they had no need for evolution, staying the same for countless years. However, this came to be their undoing. Somewhere at this point of time, an apocalyptic event had occurred on the planet, resulting in the dominant species demise, as they had no way to counter the sudden and drastic changes that had been brought about. From further analysis, it was determined that the casue for the mass extinction was by the eruption of a super volcano called Cilith's Sleeping Maw. After the eruption had occurred, the volcano had sunk it and the small continent it was situated upon. The volcano has since been dormant but many skeptics theorize that the volcano would erupt again, leading to another extinction on their homeworld.

Miraculously, the Saulosians had survived the eruption, although, the Saulosians that inhabited the Northern and Eastern Hemisphere of the planet were all but wiped out by an unknown cause, whilst the Western and Southern Hemisphere inhabitants were able to survive. Strangely enough, none of the surviving Saulosians from the Western and Southern Hemisphere had migrated to the other hemispheres. Those lands remained untouched until thousands of years later.

With the dominant predators having been wiped out, the Saulosians were up in line to take the mantle of dominant species of Saulos. However, the Saulosians as a whole were not ready, due to their weak and lithe bodies as well as their intelligence. Generations would have gone by and the Saulosians would eventually start to adapt to their new surroundings, evolving a more larger muscular build and gaining a higher brain function, such as the ability to use primitive tools and the application of fire. Years have passed, and the Saulosian race had reached a point in their evolution that allowed them to have clear thought and given the right to be called sentient rather than be semi-sentient like before. Upon reaching sentience, the Saulosians originally inhabited cave dwellings. At first, only hunter packs existed, each having ten Saulosians of both sexes. Soon after, the Saulosians were able to exit this phase and enter a tribal society. Hunter tribes were formed, each being divided into family units. 3-4 family units usually consisted of five to seven Saulosians. When the Hunter Packs had ten, Hunter Tribes could possibly have eighteen to thirty-one of their kind. Out of the 3-4 family units, existed the Alpha family which consisted of the Alpha and two to three female Saulosians. The children of these females would be given one of the family units to take care of them. The Hunter Tribes were known to rotate their offspring, each going to a family unit to another. Through this unique practice, the Hunter Tribes became a tight-knit society that focused on supremacy above the rest, teamwork, and family. The Hunter Tribes still kept to their old traditions, often hunting the prey that had evolved along with them. With the formation of a basic society, the first signs of spoken and written language was being formed. The first language consisted a system of barks, snarls, growls, and the manipulation of their nose tongues. Their written language consisted of a script that revolved around a system of symbols that each had their own separate meaning to it. From estimations, it is believed that there were hundreds of Hunter Tribes in the Southern and Western Hemisphere, each trying to gain a foot hold in their territory.

With the Saulosians being carnivorus, the worst possible thing that can happen to them was a shortage of prey. And sadly, thats exactly what happened to them. Due to them living on that diet, the Saulosians have over hunted their prey, driving many herbivores into extinction, with the others migrating to exclusive valleys. This period of time was known as the Great Starvation, a short but devasting period that resulted in the decline of the Hunter Tribes and into the formation of a more civilized agriculture based society, known as Manos.

A Tribal Race Changed (41,639 B.C.)
The Manos weren't tribes anymore, rather, they were small villages that dotted their land. With the establishment of Manos, it forced the Saulosians to not rely solely on meat. They became omnivores, reliant on the crops they produced. During this, the Saulosians were able to domesticate the several prey species that didn't flee or become extinct. The new society worked to some extent, allowing the Saulosians to survive their meat shortage. However, some Hunter Tribes didn't take the transition of becoming a farming based society very lightly. Rather, they decided to keep to their tribal ways. These Hunter Tribes who refused, banded together and went on to isolate themselves, becoming their own separate state. While the Manos lived in a somewhat peaceful, the Tribes became increasingly hostile, often raiding neighboring villages for food and any valuable supplies. The Manos society fought back. But being less experienced in warfare their efforts to retaliate were futile, with the Hunter Tribes being far superior in combat. After several hundred years of constant fight and facing defeat after defeat, the Saulosians saw no point in having a society with small numbers, various Manos banded together, hoping that through this, they can form an effective society that combined agriculture and politics and warfare into one. Most of the Manos society formed large provinces that would come to dominate the land. These provinces would also come to develop armies rather than just small military units that were used to fight off minor threats. With the formation of the provinces, the Manos came flocking to them for protection, offering oaths of fealty in exchange for defense against the Tribal Raiders.

Rise of a Port Province (36,912 B.C.)
Several regional provinces were known to exist and the most historically significant province was the Port City of Tarith, a province that had risen around 36,912 B.C. that was situated on an island. It wasn't entirely an island, as the Port City was connected to the main land by a broad land bridge. Their territory spanned several thousand miles. Armed with a powerful navy and land army, Tarith stood out among the rest of the provinces. Changing from a Manos society, the Port City utilized a new form of government. Leaving their former unknown government, they came to utilize a council rule with one alpha as a figurehead. The council along with the figurehead held absolute power over the populace and they ruled with a gentle yet strict fist. With no conflict except from occasional raiders, free trade and cultural diffusion took place, with Tarith becoming the main hub for commerce, knowledge, and glory. Due to their emphasis on exotic trade, many Saulosian traders were able to travel to new regions, discovering isolated Manos and meeting other Provinces. As a side effect, knowledge was equally distributed to neighboring provinces as well as unallied Manos and the isolated Hunter Tribes, who reluctantly traded with them. The Port City was able to extend its borders as well as influence through means of arranged marriage and alliances through treaties. But some of the provinces that were invited did not accept. Instead, they wanted to consolidate their power rather than be an ally and a submissive state. As a way to show their discontent and refusal, they killed the diplomats and went on to wage war with Tarith.

The Monarchy-Legional State Conflict (36,912-36,908 B.C.)
The Monarchy-Legional State Conflict or the Short War as it was sometimes known, was a major conflict of Saulosians and their current governments, which were the Monarchy and the Legional State of Saulos. The Monarchy battled the newly formed Legional State of Saulos for the supremacy of the Southern and Western Hemispheres of Saulos during March 14, 36,912 to August 31, 36,908 B.C. There was another faction present, the Nomadic State of Hunter Tribes however they were allied to the Legional State by unknown means. But later on, they proved to be a factor in the Monarchy's victory. The war was caused by the several provinces that refused the Port City of Tarith's call for allegiance. In defiance, they murdered Tarith's diplomats and declared Tarith as an arrogant province who abused their influence to force the other provinces to ally themselves to Tarith for fear of being destroyed if they refused. Therefore, the dissidents gathered ratified themselves with a new charter, declaring their alliance to each other and formation of the Legional State of Saulos. Tarith also did this, calling themselves the Monarchy. However, the Monarchy had all the rulers of the provinces as Regents and Generals of their combined army.

The factions utilized the same technology, but due to the extensive trade of Tarith, the Monarchy garnered more technology of unknown purpose and origin. However, the Legional State created their own weapons and armour. As time passed the two factions went their separate paths and they became at odds technology wise.

The war officially ended in August 31, 36,908 B.C. but hostilities were still present in the form of remnants but the Monarchy fully eradicated them in May 3, 36,901 B.C. through a minor campaign of search and destroy. Both sides lost several hundred thousand lives, including numerous buildings and land. Although it was a victory, this led the way to various rebellions in the future which would significantly weaken the Monarchy. And with the outbreak of the Expansion War, the Monarchy disintegrated into another form.

Trivia

 * The Idea for the Saulosians came into fruition in 2008 when Another Poetic Spartan desired to create a species of Saurians that inhabited Space, hence the nickname, Space Raptors and Inter Galactic Dinosaurs.

Behind the Scenes

 * The majority of the Images for the Saulosians were derived from the Ssi-Ruuk, a xenophobic and brutal species that constantly came into conflict with the New Republic in the Star Wars Expanded Universe.
 * The Image of the Saulosian Alphabet is taken from the Atlantean Language, a constructed language created by American Linguist, Marc Okrand for the the Disney's film Atlantis: The Lost Empire.
 * The Glorification of the First Klithan Kornak Altos in the Way of the Klithan was somewhat reminiscent of the Cult of Personality commonly utilized by countries such as North Korea and the defunct Soviet Union.