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TABLE OF CONTENTS
This is especially true of the tikedi of the Tarsin deserts, in the north, where our story begins. The territory of the tekk is a deep, heavily forested crater where few tikedi have ever ventured and returned to tell the tale. Mostly, they simply don't try. Tarsin is well protected by mountain ranges, but two natural passes exist. One to the west is called Crater's Edge and it is the only easy path into and out of the tekk's homeland. The Tarsin are therefore faced with the challenge of co-existing with the tekk as the latter move into and out of the deserts, traveling for their own enigmatic purposes. There is no method to stop such powerful and persistent predators, and no reason worth the risk. So it has always been. Perhaps more so than any other tikedi, the Tarsin understand the necessity of peace through understanding, however limited, of those they share their land with.
As with the Tarsin, the Tieke share a border with the tekk crater, although their coastal-dwelling habits keep them at a fair distance. A forest wilderness lies between Tieke City and the crater and only rarely do they encounter one another. Still, the skins, teeth, and claws of tekk are a favorite adornment for the costumes of the Tieke priestesses, and many, especially those with Tarsin blood somewhere in their families, are curious enough to go seeking tekk despite the dangers. 
Finally, to the south are the Harangin mountains, home to the final race of tikedi. They make their home in well-guarded caves in the highest peaks and prefer their solitude and their secrecy. Their borders are closed except to those with special permission, although there are rumors that it was not always so. At one time, they could be seen at least as far as southern Tarsin, but events lost to time - a disagreement here, a theft there, some great dishonor - led them to fully retreat. Another myth persists, also without foundation, that the Harangin claim to be the first race of tikedi from which all others spread. Even those few Harangin who walk outside of their borders - mainly exiles - will not speak of the details of their homeland. Much is suspected. Nothing is known. Our tale begins many decades before the most cataclysmic event that the world of the tikedi and the tekk had ever seen. Jahrd, a young half-breed, raised in the deserts of Tarsin, is one of the first to sense the shifting balance in what his people know as the Circle. Rules so old that they are without origin are abruptly and callously broken, a madness unprecedented sweeps the tekk, and ages of tradition and livelihood are threatened. A prophecy, ancient and forgotten, speaking warnings of dark times, stirs the tikedi to action. Desperate to do something, anything, to beat back supposed destiny, Jahrd begins a search for answers, a quest to create the impossible, and embroils himself in a battle of wits that, win or lose, will change everything that all have ever known, regardless of which species they hail from.
Often described by a plethora of conflicting adjectives: shy, quiet, thoughtful, bold, impertinent, compassionate, and arrogant. Always more ready to talk than to fight, his best feature is his never-ceasing train of thought. He prides himself on his ability to see the big picture, and his willingness to act where others would simply consider. He is not always right, but he is never one to let an opportunity pass by.
Jahrd's father. He is the kantreska (leader) of the Tarsin clan Oros. He is well loved by his people and considered to be wise, level headed, a good listener, and an excellent diplomat, although he is also known to be a bit of an eccentric. He often disregards tradition in favor of his own methods. Although his choices work out quite well, his apparent disregard for the old ways does irritate some.
Designs Coming soon. Coming soon.
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Somewhere in the
vast ocean of stars is a planet, small and insignificant. It is home
to two species - the small biped mammals called tikedi and the
tekk, their mostly reptilian neighbors - who inhabit a single
continent on its surface. The two races live in balance, although never
truly in peace. Their differences keep them always divided, neither
one ever truly sure what to make of the other one, and neither able
to do more than observe and guess about their neighbors' ways. By nature,
the tikedi are hunted for food if they aren't wary enough to avoid their
fate, and the tekk, in turn, are killed for the resources that their
skins, flesh, and bones can provide. While neither side has ever had
the ability to formalize this routine as a peace treaty, both seem to
accept it readily enough.
The
other pass, to the east, leads to Tieke, a province to the southeast
of the deserts. Overtime, the Tieke have adapted to life in and around
the waters of Teyka Bay, with the center of their society, Tieke City,
built directly into the face of the cliffs that overlook the water.
They boast an unusual advantage over their brethren: they are the only
tikedi race to possess proper technology, albeit none of their own original
design. From the power hubs and solar trains that keep Tieke City functioning
to the datapads that are all the rage among the citizens of both their
military and professional sectors, so deep is their dependency on technology
that it forms a foundation for their core religion. Thanks are regularly
given at the Temple of Teyka's Faithful to the goddess who came from
the stars and bestowed her wisdom and gifts upon them in ages past.
Jahrd Ardeana: A half-breed of Tarsin (father) and Tieke (mother).
Jacind
Ardeana: A full blood Tarsin from the southwestern deserts.